"Ana, I gotta tell you something," Bastian's voice hardly rose above a whisper as he softly drew her closer, his eyes heavy with the weight of unspoken words.
Anastasia gave him a look that said she already knew where this was leading. "You do not have to. I know what you're going to say," she continued, her voice light but knowing.
Bastian blinked, taken off guard. "You do?" he questioned, his eyes raised in surprise.
"Yeah, you're about to apologize for not having my back earlier. But don't worry about it. I know there is no convincing my dad of anything once he has made up his mind." She flashed him a friendly smile, attempting to relieve the tension.
"That's not it, I—" Bastian started to object, but then hesitated and wondering if revealing everything was a good idea. His words were suppressed in his throat, overtaken by a mass of sorrow that contorted in his chest.
Anastasia noticed the change in his expression. "Or... is this about when you nearly referred to me as Nasa the other night?" Raising an eyebrow as she watched Bastian's conflicted expression shift to one of complete guilt.
"Ana, I..."
"The only person who ever called me that was the love of my life...someone I lost years ago, so yes I was confused when you almost said it. But then I figured Billy must've mentioned it, so I let it slide. Just... that name was reserved for one person, you know? I hope you understand, Warren," she explained softly, reaching out to squeeze his hand.
Bastian's heart twisted painfully. She had no idea that the man she was talking about was standing right in front of her. 'God, Ana, you're making me fall for you more every day,' he thought, his gaze filled with longing as he looked at her.
Anastasia observed the way he looked at her, and something about it caused her to hesitate making her furrow her brow in uncertainty. Before she could say anything, Bastian's restraint failed and he rushed forward took her face in his hands and crashing his lips against hers in an explosive kiss that stole her breath away.
This wasn't like their other kisses. This was desperate, raw, like all the years they'd lost were pouring out in that single moment. With his hands twisted in her hair, he drew her nearer as though he could compensate for all the wasted time with that single kiss. Anastasia paused briefly, surprised, before an inner fire ignited and she responded by kissing him with equal intensity, gripping his shirt tightly, clinging to him like he was her only anchor.
While they embraced, a hidden memory resurfaced, stirring something deep inside her. The act of kissing her and the passion behind it felt very familiar, as if it had occurred in the past. She was suddenly taken back to a rooftop beneath the stars, many years ago, when a boy she loved kissed her like this. She was struck by a sudden realization, causing her to slightly withdraw and search his eyes to comprehend the overwhelming surge of emotions she was experiencing. However, Warren's gaze and the way he held her so tenderly erased all her doubts.
Their embrace intensified, and everything else faded away into obscurity. The intense passion between them reached a point of almost unbearable heat, as their hands instinctively moved, eagerly exploring and discovering every part of each other. Bastian's hand slipped beneath her shirt, his fingertips brushing against her skin and causing electric shivers to run down her spine. Anastasia replied in desire, wrapping her hands around his neck and tugging him closer until there was hardly any room between them. The urgency of the situation had them hanging on the edge of something dangerous, which neither of them was prepared to face.
Just as they thought they were ready to lose themselves entirely, reality hit them hard. Bastian was the first to draw away, his breathing ragged and his forehead resting against hers as he attempted to regain control. Anastasia's chest rose and fell rapidly, her mind spinning, her body still trembling from the intensity of their kiss. For a long moment, neither of them moved, both caught in the aftermath of what had just happened.
Anastasia's fingers lightly traced the line of his jaw, her mind struggling to process the flood of emotions coursing through her. There was something familiar about that kiss and something didn't quite add up. "Warren..." she whispered, her voice tinged with confusion and something deeper and something she couldn't quite describe.
But Bastian couldn't say a word. He just stared at her, the weight of his secret pressing down on him like a ton of bricks. He'd come so close to telling her everything, to letting the truth slip out. But now wasn't the time. He had to wait, had to be patient, even though every fibre of his being was screaming to just tell her already.
He let out a deep sigh as he gently moved a strand of hair from her face, his thumb resting on her cheek. "We should probably stop," he murmured quietly, his voice soft and regretful, even though his body was urging him to continue.
Anastasia nodded, but her gaze remained fixed on his, and none of them moved to separate. The moment hovered between them, full of unspoken words and unresolved emotions.
"Hey, are you two coming or what?" Billy's voice came out from behind them, breaking their trance. They immediately stepped apart, the spell between them broken.
"Yeah, coming," Anastasia called back, her voice a little too loud, a little too eager to distance herself from what had just happened. She shot past Billy, jogging to catch up with her brothers, her heart still racing.
Billy watched her leave, then turned to Bastian, his look a mix of mockery and irritation. "What do you think you're doing?" he said, fists on his hips.
"Nothing... "I just gave her some water," Bastian murmured, attempting to seem casual despite the guilt on his face.
"Oh, you were giving her water, right?" Through her mouth?" Billy responded, his tone dripping with scepticism
"You saw that, huh?" Bastian winced and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uh, angel, did you forget we're farsighted?" Billy responded with a sarcastic grumble.
"Yeah... guess I did," Bastian laughed sheepishly.
"Look, whatever you're doing, you need to stop, bro. I warned you, this is gonna end in disaster. You've got less than a year left here!"
"I know, I know, but... she's my mate," Bastian said, his voice heavy with resignation as they started jogging after the others.
Billy stopped dead in his tracks. "Mate? Are you serious? How's that even possible? She can't be."
"I don't know how, but when I died... I was so in love with her that those feelings never left. And when I became an angel, it only got stronger. That's when I recognized she was my mate. And when it's your mate, you'll do everything to go back to her," Bastian continued, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Does Gabriel know?" Billy asked, still shocked by the revelation. "If he is aware..."
"He interrupted him, his voice strong but quiet, "he doesn't know."
Billy gave out a low whistle. "Man, I am glad I am not you, Bas. When he finds out..."
"He won't," Bastian answered definitively, his tone tinged with desperation.
"Okay—your funeral. Oh, we already had yours," Billy said, grinning as he lightly punched Bastian in the shoulder. "Come on, let's catch up with the others."
They rushed into the forest to re-join the others.
As they sprinted through the forest to re-join the group, Bastian's mind raced. What would Gabriel do if he found out the truth? But even worse, what would happen if Anastasia figured out that Warren wasn't who she thought he was—that he was Bastian all along?