Chapter 103. A Reflection

CADE

“Thank you for doing this,” I said softly as soon as Arden was gone. “It means a lot to the both of us.”

Bethany had just finished explaining the danger of everything—what the fight ahead would look like, what we could lose—but none of it compared to the fact that she had chosen to stand with us anyway. I met her gaze fully, filled with gratitude. “We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you.”

She sat behind her desk, her back straight, arms folded.

Bethany nodded once. “You’re welcome,” she said. Then, after a pause, she tilted her head. “Are you two… mates?”

I was surprised by the sudden shift in topic. “Oh. Yes,” I answered, joy blooming in my chest. “Second chance,” I added, running a hand through the back of my hair.

She raised a brow. “So, you weren’t her original mate?”

I shook my head. “No, I wasn’t.”

My tone instinctively darkened as I added, “It was originally Jaxon Trevane from the West.”

Bethany hummed thou