Her Second Chance✔ (Completed under edit)

epilogue

The goddess of fate watched her granddaughter smile at something her mate had said and couldn't help the smile that shot past the worry that held her heart. They were so perfect together, Andre so controlled, dominant, exuding power, quiet mostly, and Cari shy but outgoing with a strong sense of right and wrong and a calming nature. They'd always had that perfect balance, but so many people had fought to keep them apart. Not just in this lifetime.

Not one to take chances when everything was going the right way, she'd brought them to her realm outside of time until their mating was solidified. Since there was no time in this realm, it'd taken a bit of existence for their bond to be what Fate guessed would be the equivalent of a month. All that mattered, though, was that the young couple was finally settled. When they'd go back to the real world, no time would've passed and they could do what they were intended to do.

They still had a long way to go, but now Fate had to focus on her other granddaughter. Dani was a little more stubborn than Cari ever had been, but she knew her granddaughter enough to know how to bend her to her will. She smiled again at how fiery the relationship between Dani and Eric was going to be. He was too used to being in control, to manipulating things around him. Eric saw life as a game that needed to be won. On the other hand, Dani lived for others. She'd sacrifice for them where Eric did not know it was even a concept.

"You're plotting again." Her mate admonished with a smile in his voice.

Her smile widened as she turned away from the young couple to look up at his beloved face. His eyes held so much love as he looked at her that she sometimes felt she didn't deserve. Of all her lifetimes, he was the mate that had entrenched himself in her heart more than any other. She couldn't bear leaving him behind, so she'd taken him along in her punishment, selfishly. But in all the aeons they'd lived, he'd never wavered in his devotion.

"How is it plotting if it's my nature?" She teased.

The smile now appeared on his face, amused, indulgent, and she couldn't help the flutter that bloomed within her at it. "It just means you're always plotting." He teased.

She laughed out loud as his arms wrapped around her and she placed her hands around his neck. "Then you should've known better than to ask, my love."

A throat clearing rather violently intruded on their intimacy and unsurprised, the goddess of fate turned to face her granddaughter. "Yes, dear?" she questioned, and hid her amusement at the sour look that flashed across Cari's features. Young people took everything so seriously. She noted Andre was his passive watchful self, his eyes sharp despite the relaxed demeanour he held.

"You said you'd explain everything, but even with all the time we've had here, you haven't."

She gave her granddaughter a raised a brow at that, her hand loosening from around her mate as he let her go. "Even in a timeless realm, you're still worried about time?"

"It's the burden of youth love." her mate said with mock disappointment.

"Grandpa!" Cari complained in frustration.

"I wanted you to become more settled, dear. The secrets of the past are difficult to bear, especially when they put such a burden on the young." Fate replied, straightening her shoulders. "Let's sit." she indicated the table that hadn't been there a moment ago.

That was the beauty of her realm. Things were whatever she and her mate wanted. Which meant they needed no servants and so could never have to restrain themselves. The other gods might have thought they were punishing her instead, they'd given her back her true power and so much more, they'd given her back eternity when they themselves remained transient mortals.