All Chapters of Fate Or Mates: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

Angela’s POVJust as I was about to take a deep breath and calm my racing heart, there was another knock on the door. This time it was Drew, my other cousin. His voice carried through the crack in the door, low and teasing. “Is the bride finally ready? Everyone’s starting to gather, and Mom’s about to send a search party.”Rainey rolled her eyes while Aunt Laila called out, “She’s ready, Drew! We’ll be down in a few minutes. Tell everyone to stop panicking.”Drew poked his head in anyway, grinning like he owned the place. “Just making sure. Don’t wanna be the one to explain to Aaron why his bride’s running late on their big day.”Rainey groaned. “You and Jace are impossible. Go on, both of you! We’ve got finishing touches to do.”Jace, who was still lingering by the door, made a face. “Alright, alright. Don’t mess up her makeup, Rainey.”“Out!” she said, waving them off dramatically.The boys laughed their way down the hall, their voices fading as the door clicked shut behind them.Ra

ANGELA’S POVThe minutes dragged like hours. The laughter and music outside had started to fade, replaced by uneasy whispers that slipped through the walls like cold air. Every time the door opened, my heart jumped, hoping someone had come to tell me he was here. But it was never him, and each time my stomach sank a little deeper.My hands would not stop shaking. The bouquet Jace brought earlier suddenly felt too heavy, the stems slippery in my trembling fingers. The petals did not even look pretty anymore. Mom was pacing the room with her phone glued to her ear, muttering something I could not hear, while Dad stood by the window pretending to stay calm. But I knew that look. He was worried too.And honestly, I couldn’t help but think something had happened to him. What if it was because of me? What if getting him involved in my lie had put him in danger? Maybe he had changed his mind, maybe he had realized this was all too much. No. I refused to let my mind go there. He couldn’t be g

ANGELA’S POVHonestly, the whole ceremony just passed in a blur. One minute I’m saying “I do,” and the next, his mouth is on mine. It was warm, a little rough, and so real. Way more real than I was prepared for. You know how you expect one of those simple, polite kisses for the crowd? A harmless little moment? Well, he kissed me like he absolutely meant every second of it.When we finally pulled apart, the hall erupted. My mom was crying, Rainey was squealing about “true love,” and Aunt Laila had her hands pressed over her mouth like she’d just seen a miracle. I tried to smile for them, I really did, but my heart was hammering in my chest and wouldn’t quit.And then Aaron looked at me. His eyes were dark but soft around the edges. He was still bleeding near his temple, a thin line of red that, for some reason, no one else seemed to notice.“Angela,” he whispered, just for me, as people started to swarm us. “Stay close, alright?”I just nodded, still feeling a little stunned. “Are you

Angela’s POVThe drive through the forest was quiet, the kind of silence that hums between the trees and presses softly against the windows. Moonlight poured through the canopy, turning the road ahead into a shadowy pattern.I watched the familiar path twist and bend, the leaves whispering above as if they recognized me. Isn't it funny how a place can feel so different depending on who you're with? The last time I’d been here, I was just a driver in Rainey’s car, dropping Aaron off. Now, sitting beside him in his own car as his pretend wife, I could feel a lump rise in my throat.My pulse quickened without my permission. Aaron must have felt it because his thumb brushed gently over the back of my hand. He didn’t say a word, but that small squeeze of reassurance spoke louder than any sentence. I looked at him briefly, and his eyes seemed to say what his lips didn’t: You’re safe. I’m right here.When the tall gates came into view, they slid open without a sound, and the mansion appeared

AARON’S POVEvery muscle in my body was pulled tight, like a bowstring ready to snap. I just stood there, watching Angela scurry back to the bathroom. Honestly, my wolf was going crazy under my skin, restless and agitated. Her scent was everywhere. Lavender, warm skin, and something that was just… her. It wrapped around me like some kind of addictive drug, and I swear it made me want her more than ever.She had no idea what she was doing to me. None.It’s not that I can’t control myself. I can. Years of discipline, right? You learn to rein it in. But my wolf? That’s a different story. He isn’t patient. He doesn’t care about timing or reason or all the things still standing between us. To him, she’s ours. Our mate. And there she was, standing barefoot in my shirt, smelling like heaven, testing every single ounce of my restraint.A low growl slipped out before I could stop it. I ran a hand through my hair, tugging hard enough to sting. I needed to breathe. To focus.Not yet.I couldn’t