Born To Die

Once again someone flirts with luke

I couldn't believe it. Just when I thought I'd finally rid myself of Alison's incessant simpering and thinly-veiled advances toward Luke, another threat had to stroll right into my life, hips swaying and a saccharine smile that set my teeth on edge. Kelli. An empousa with a penchant for strutting around like she owned the ship and a laugh that grated on my last nerve.

She had joined our forces not long ago, pledging loyalty with those blood-red eyes glittering like she knew secrets she'd never tell. And ever since, she'd taken any excuse to sidle up to Luke, draping herself over him with that faux innocence that made my fingers curl into fists.

I stood in the shadows, watching as she leaned into him, her voice a low, practiced purr. The way she traced her finger down his arm, eyes locked on his face, made a sharp heat coil in my chest. Luke, my Luke, only chuckled in that charming, distracted way of his. He didn't see it. He didn't see the way she angled herself, the way she studied him like he was some prize she was biding her time to steal.

I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to storm across the room and yank her away. But I couldn't lose control—not yet. Instead, I stepped out of the shadow, making my presence known with a purposeful click of my heels. Kelli's eyes snapped to mine, that smug smile flickering for just a second before it returned, wider than before.

"Isla," she greeted, saccharine and mocking all at once. "I was just keeping Luke company."

I plastered on a smile, tight and sharp. "Oh, I can see that," I said, moving to Luke's side and slipping my arm around his waist. He blinked, glancing down at me with a slight smirk, oblivious as ever. "But he's never alone, Kelli. Not as long as I'm here."

Kelli's gaze narrowed, but she stepped back with a flourish, tilting her head in mock submission. "Of course. Wouldn't dream of it." And with that, she turned on her heel, disappearing into the dimly lit corridor.

I felt Luke's eyes on me, his brows lifting in amusement. "Jealous, are we?" he teased, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"Maybe," I muttered, eyes still locked on the path Kelli had taken. The promise I made to myself hummed in the back of my mind: I wouldn't lose Luke, not to anyone. And if that empousa wanted to try, she'd soon learn just how unwise it was to cross me.

Luke's laughter softened as he turned toward me, his expression shifting from teasing to something deeper, something that made my heart beat just a little faster. He reached out, cupping my face in his warm, calloused hands, forcing me to meet those storm-blue eyes that I knew better than my own.

"Isla," he said, voice dropping to that low, secretive tone that always made the rest of the world fade away. "You know I only need one person by my side. My partner. My beautiful wife."

The word settled in the air between us, tangible and reassuring. It didn't matter how many times he said it—I always felt that flutter of surprise, that soft swell of pride. Wife. It was just a promise we made in whispers under the stars, far from the chaos of our mission and the weight of Kronos's expectations. But to us, it was real.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and nodded, a smile breaking through the tension I'd felt moments before. "I know," I whispered, pressing my forehead against his. "It's just... sometimes it feels like everyone wants to tear us apart."

"They can try," he said, a fierce light sparking in his eyes. "But they'll fail. We've come too far, fought too hard to let anything or anyone come between us."

He tilted his head slightly and kissed me, a slow, lingering kiss that tasted like a promise. In that moment, the lingering shadows cast by Kelli's flirtations and the whispering doubts in my mind dissolved. There was only Luke, his touch, and the unspoken vows between us that held more weight than any god's blessing.

He pulled back just enough to catch my gaze. "Don't ever doubt it, Isla. You're the only one I want. Always."

I nodded, unable to speak as the words sank into my bones. Whatever came next—Kelli, the mission, the whispers of rebellion—we would face it together. And I would make sure that nothing and no one took him from me.

Luke brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, his fingers trailing down my cheek before he pulled me into another kiss—gentle, but laced with a fervor that spoke of everything we didn't need to say out loud. When we finally broke apart, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk, and I could see that glint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

"You're thinking of something dangerous," I teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Me? Dangerous?" He chuckled, taking my hand and leading me to the edge of the balcony that overlooked the sprawling base of Mount Othrys. From here, the expanse of our forces was laid out like an intricate map, the lights of the campfires flickering against the cold stone. It was a strange blend of myth and reality, a place where we fought for a new world, one that didn't bend to the gods' whims.

"I'm always thinking about how to stay one step ahead," he said, tightening his grip on my hand. "For us, for the mission."

I followed his gaze to the shadowy figures moving below, soldiers of all kinds—monsters and demigods alike. It was easy to forget the scale of what we were doing, the weight of the path we'd chosen. But standing here with Luke, I felt invincible, ready to face whatever came next.

"You're not alone in this," I reminded him softly. "We're in this together, Luke. Always."

He turned to me, the intensity in his expression softening just a touch. "I know. And that's why we're going to win, Isla. Because no matter what they throw at us, we have each other."

The wind swept up around us, cool and sharp, carrying with it the distant hum of voices and the crackle of the fires. The world seemed to hold its breath in that moment, as if listening in on a promise meant only for us.

"Let them come," I said, the steel in my voice matching the determination in Luke's eyes. "We'll show them what it means to stand against us."

Luke's smirk grew, and he pulled me into a tight embrace, the kind that made my heart feel too big for my chest. This was what we were fighting for—not just power or revenge, but for each other, for a future that belonged to us.

With a final kiss that sealed our silent vows, we stood there together, watching the night deepen and readying ourselves for the storm that would soon follow.