Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine novel Chapter 328

Chapter 328 New Friends

LUNA

I felt like I was in a casting call for models.

A

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If there was ever a moment I’d wished I’d put on more than just my plain jeans and hoodie, this was it. Everywhere I looked, there were perfect faces and perfect hair.

Abel didn’t have much furniture in the house except for a sturdy couch, a small table, and a few plants by the window. However, the people inside made the place look like a studio set.

The girls sat beside me on the couch while the men lingered by the kitchen counter, chatting in low voices and occasionally glancing my way.

One of the men with the tall, clean–cut, blonde hair and a bright smile raised his glass of iced tea and said something to Abel. I didn’t catch it, but Abel gave a noncommittal hum in reply. The other man beside him, the one with darker hair and sharper eyes, seemed more authoritative, dependable, and calm in the way that instantly told me he was used to being listened to.

And then there was Abel.

Even among them, he stood out. Maybe it was the way he carried himself. He appeared older, more rugged, a little too quiet, but with an energy that made everyone subconsciously pay

attention.

“What’s your name?” one of the girls beside me asked suddenly.

I turned to her. She had curls that fell softly to her shoulders and the lightest, prettiest eyes I’d ever seen. She had the kind of beauty that looked effortless.

“Luna,” I said, smiling nervously.

Just then, the other girl, the one with dark, glossy hair and a delicate, striking face, gasped. “Wait,” she said, leaning closer, her eyes widening. “I think I’ve met you before.”

“Me?”

She tilted her head. “In Ylarc, right?”

It hit me like a jolt. My jaw dropped slightly.

“You were babysitting back then,” she added.

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Chapter 328 New Friends

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“And you were in that cafe,” I muttered, remembering the day I saw a very good–looking couple while babysitting.

Her face lit up. “Oh my god, yes! I remember you!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

“Of course I do,” she said warmly. “You were really pretty back then.”

“Me?” I pointed to myself. “Talk about you. You were stunning even then. I mean, you still are.”

She smiled shyly, brushing her hair behind her ear. “You’re sweet. You’ve only ever gotten prettier since the last time I saw you. Are you still babysitting?”

“No, not really,” I answered. I used to do that for extra money when I was in high school. After my dad died, I had no choice but to work at the diner.

“Anyway, I’m Arden,” she said.

“Arden,” I repeated, then looked toward the man with dark hair and calm eyes in the kitchen. “And I’m guessing…”

“My mate’s Cade,” she said, following my gaze with a small smile.

Then the girl with the curls leaned forward and grinned. “And I’m Tessa,” she said cheerfully.

The name hit me like a sudden realization. “Wait,” I said slowly, turning to her. “Tessa and Rowan?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “How’d you know?”

“We, uh…” I glanced at Abel, who hadn’t cast a glance since we entered his house. “We stayed at your place last night.”

“You did?”

I nodded. “Abel told me he told Rowan.”

She frowned. “He didn’t tell me.”

“Classic,” Arden muttered, smirking.

Tessa sighed, shaking her head. “He always forgets to tell me things.”

“He forgets everything when he’s with you,” Arden teased.

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Chapter 328 New Friends

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Tessa swatted her lightly. “Stop it.” But her cheeks were pink, and her smile betrayed her.

“You’re his weakness,” Arden added in a sing–song voice.

Tessa rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.

Watching the two of them, I couldn’t help but smile. Their banter was natural. You could tell they were close, like sisters. Even the way their mates looked at them from across the room- Cade giving Arden that small, protective glance every few minutes, and Tessa stealing a peek at Rowan like she couldn’t help herself—it made something warm twist in my chest.

Love looked easy for them.

I tried not to stare, but it was hard not to notice the small things. They were the kind of couples you read about in stories. The kind you envy without meaning to.

My eyes drifted to Abel, standing by the window, his arms crossed as he talked quietly with Cade. Not a single glance my way. Not one.

I pursed my lips and looked down at my lap. Right. It was different.

Arden and Tessa were loved by their mates. They looked at each other like there was nothing else in the world. Meanwhile, I was just… what?

A companion by circumstance? A human he saved out of obligation? A tool for his plans?

I tried to shake the thought, but it lingered stubbornly in the back of my mind.

I couldn’t even blame him. He never promised me anything. Whatever this thing was between us, if there even was something, it wasn’t built on romance or love.

And truth be told, I wasn’t exactly innocent either. I was using him, too.

“So, how old are you?” Arden asked suddenly, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I turned to her. “Uh… twenty–four,” I said.

Both girls gasped dramatically.

“You’re just a baby!” they exclaimed in unison.

My eyes widened. “What? No, I’m not!”

Tessa leaned closer. “You totally are. Look at you—tiny, cute, and pretty!”

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Chapter 328 New Friends

Arden laughed sofily. “You really are young.”

“How old are you, then?”

“Twenty–six,” she said proudly.

“That’s just two years older!”

:.

Tessa answered, smirking. “Yeah, but with Daddy Abel, you’re definitely a baby.”

The entire room went silent.

I froze, my cheeks immediately heating.

Abel’s brow arched. Rowan stopped mid–sip of his drink and frowned at his mate.

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Tessa’s eyes widened as though realizing what she’d just said aloud. “Oh, no, that came out wrong-”

Arden burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. “Daddy Abel! Oh my goddess, Tess, that’s staying forever!”

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