Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 97 **

Maya

My breath catches in my throat, and I'm half-convinced that I'm hallucinating because of the alcohol I've consumed.

Finn.

I take him in and take a step back, gripping the faucet.

He is slightly taller, and he has filled out with broader shoulders, and his face is an inkling more chiseled, but otherwise, he is still unchanged, younger than me. I swallow hard at that revelation with the taste of bitterness accumulating in my mouth.

I've never been ashamed of my appearance, but right now, I'm worried about Mr. Adonis not finding me attractive since I'm older than him. He looks so young, still in his later twenties at most.

"Finn..."

The fairy lifts his eyes to mine, and I'm almost knocked unconscious. I've heard about second-chance mates, but I thought it was a rumor—I was wrong. The mate-bond kicks to life, and although Finn's lips curve into a crooked, recognizing smile, I want to flee.

Finn left me. He never came back to me for all those years, and I've held a grudge for so long that I only feel anger looking at him. I've created a life for myself. I'm happy with my human lifestyle, and I do not require having a magical, gorgeous mate with arms for days.

"Well, it's about time."

The hulking man walks for me, but I stagger back, afraid of looking at him for too long, afraid of falling for someone who might leave me again. The day I lost Finn, I also lost a part of my soul.

The man is a living and walking addiction, and I'm terrified of him—if I let myself be wrapped up in him again, then there is no coming back. And what about our age difference and the part about me aging faster? There are too many things to consider.

"Don't come any closer!"

I hold up my hand, hating how Finn's smile falters from his lips. My heart is yearning to run to him and make up for our lost time. But my mind is set on never letting this man near my heart again.

"Maya," I shudder when he says my name, and I curse my traitorous body for turning hot and bothered in unwanted places. "It's me—Finn, aren't you happy to see me?"

I hiss at him. "I'm very well aware of who you are—you're the bastard who abandoned me!"

Finn is taken aback. My words hit him like a smack to the face, but even though guilt pierces me, I won't surrender. Never.

"Abandoned you?"

I laugh and grip the porcelain behind me harder. "You were gone for fifteen years—FIFTEEN FUCKING YEARS, FINN!"

"But Maya-…"

"No, I won't hear it! You never came back!"

"But I wanted to," Finn gives me a sad smile. "It's easier said than done to create portals, little wolf—when I finally succeeded, I ended up with my left shoe stuck in a toilet."

I glance down at his wet pant leg with glee, happy that there is some karma in this world.

"Suits you right."

Finn appears amused by my attitude and part his lips to deliver a comeback, but he gets interrupted by someone else entering the bathroom.

"Maya!" Bianca exclaims. "There you are!"

The blonde woman, who usually never lacks confidence, stops dead in her tracks upon noticing I'm not alone. Her eyes widen at the view of Finn, and I want to smack my face when he waves at her.

"Hello," Finn says, entirely aware of Bianca looking at him like he is a god stepped down from heaven. "I'm Finn."

"Oh, are you a friend of Maya?"

Finn curls one side of his lip, glancing at me with eyes that scream of his devilish intentions. "We are more than friends," every hair on my body rises on my body. Please, for the love of God, say nothing embarrassing. "Maya is my best friend."

Relief fills my chest while Bianca gives me a look that says, 'why aren't you banging this guy already?' and then I see a lightbulb turn on inside her head.

"I see," Bianca grins like an evil villain. "If you're such good friends, then you definitely should come and sit by our table and have a few glasses while we are celebrating."

My eyes narrow, but Bianca is pretending not to notice. I want to cut her throat. And Finn is such a smug bastard. He smiles when he sees my expression and gladly takes the offer.

"I'm dying for a beer—what's the occasion?"

Bianca's smile falters, and I stare down at the ground. "It's my birthday today. I'm turning thirty-three."

Finn's face twists from teasing to broken, and then it seems to hit him, the reality of things. I'm not sure how fast time passes in his world, but I feel like he has been gone for an entire lifetime.

"Uh," Bianca grimaces. "I will order us some drinks and wait for you by the table," she gives Finn an awkward, tight-lipped smile. "It was nice meeting you, Finn."

Bianca hurries out through the door, and I wish I could follow her instead of dealing with Finn. Part of me still loves him—always will, but I'm not about to throw myself into his arms.

I'm too hurt, and the circumstances—it's too much to handle! Finn is still young and beautiful, and although I'm not old, I will age and turn gray in the blink of an eye compared to Finn's slower aging process. And I don't want to be pushed to the side once I'm no longer good enough.

"I'm sorry..." Finn apologizes in a saddened voice. "I did not know it was your birthday, Maya."

"Yeah, well, it is..."

Finn gives me a weak smile. "I will let you celebrate it with your friends in peace."

I take a deep breath, yet it does nothing to calm my beating heart. I'm so frustrated—can't this guy at least fight for me?!

"What are you doing in my world, anyway?" I snap.

Finn searches my face, then glances away with a frown. "I wish I could say I was only here for your sake, but-…"

"Of course!" I roll my eyes and throw my hands up in the air dramatically to make a scene. "You're not even here for my sake—let me guess, the tree of life wants you to catch some magical, intergalactic prisoner who escaped to my world!"

Finn appears shocked. "You already know about my mission?"

"Oh-my-god..." I rub my eyelids with two fingers while taking deep breaths not to strangle the man. My spoken sentence was a joke, and yet, I was right. Finn is an idiot. "I can't deal with this shit right now."

I enter through the doors, leaving Finn in the woman's bathroom all alone with my eyes landing on my friends. My lips form a devious smile. Tonight, I will party like a queen and find someone else! Fuck my past lover and his magical problems.