The Matchmaker (by Sophie Smith) novel Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

The game room had quieted, the once lively hum of voices and hurts of laughter nere indired to soft numears later the four of them.

Xaphies curled up on the large sola, tucking her legs beneath the blanket the bad pulled over herself. The fabric wat teft, inadating, greinding leh rainag the mual night air creeping in through the slightly open window. Amara leaned against her tide, difting to get comfortable, her presence steady while Raven and Talia sprawled scams hom them, their bodies sinking lazily into the ruchines.

Kaven let out a deep, contented sigh, stretching her legs out with a slow rise. “Alright,” the moted, fer voice lighter than before. “Since secer here, and no örir’s mumming around straming shout winning another round of pool, let’s talk.”

Saphira raised a brow, tilting her head slightly. “Talk about what?”

Talia smirked, propping her elbow onto the anest, “You know, patt

Raven shaled, taking the lead. “I was shunned from my comen. They were ohursord with dark magic, and I refused to take part in it,” she continand, voice quieter now. “They didn’t just cast me out they made sure I had nothing. No resources, no allies, no identity outside of what they had stripped away.”

Talia reached over without hesitation, squeezing Raven’s arm geatly, offering sent resturance between them.

Raven exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulden casing just slightly. “That’s when led found me,” she murmured, the faintest trace “He didn’t know what to do with me at first–thought I’d be trouble, honestly.”

Amara scoffed softly, shaking her head. “You? Trouble? Impossible.”

Raven shot her a look, then let out a small laugh. “Anyway, he helped me. Gave me a place here. And I don’t think I’ve ever looked back.”

Saphira hesitated for a moment, then asked gently. “Do you not miss them?”

Raven was quiet for a heat, her fingers flexing against the blanket before she shook her head. “Not anymore,” she admitted. “I did at first. Of course–they were my family,” She let out a breath, steadying herself before continuing. “But then this pack made me see how family should really be.

Saphira’s chest tightened with something warm, something understandop

“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” she said, meaning every word.

Amara nodded beside her, a soft smile curling her lips. “Me too.”

Then, Talia shifted, adjusting the blanket draped over her

her legs, her fingers tracing the soft fabric as she spoke.

“My tum, I guess. I fell for another vampire.” Talia exhaled, her fingers tightening slightly around the blanket before continuing. “He was the one wh approacted me fest. He took me on dates, gave me gifs, made me believe it was perfect.”

Saphir studied her closely, sensing the slight shift in her expression–the way her jou temed, the faint flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

Then, Talia exhaled, her breath shallow. “He had a mate.”

leave, tried to step back. But by then it was too late.”

“I didn’t know at first,” she admitted, voice quieter nog. “But when I did–I tried to lea

Her fingers curled around the edge of the blanket, gripping it as though grounding herself against the memory.

“His mate wasn’t just ampone,” the continued. “She was powerful. And my presence? It wasn’t forgiven”

Saphira could hear the bitterness in her voice–the way it still fingered, even now, even after all this time.

“They banished me,” Talia murmured, shaking her head slightly. “Told me way a disgrace”

She scoffed Fightly, but the sound carried no humour

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CHAPTER 54

“So, here I am.” She fonteil a smirk, though it was leitle, fleeting. “Their disaOLE.”

Amaia snaightened slightly, frustration flashing across her features. “That it want your Grill it was

Talia let out a breath, eyes flickering toward Amara biefly. “No one believed me,” the admitted, “He wan

and he walked away without roningence.”

betone could press further, Talis shifted, forcing a lightness into her tone that didn’t quite match her expression, “Anyway, that’s ma

up.”

Then–finally–Amara spoke.

Her voice was quieteres, immer, ke she was peeling way of herself she wasn’t to showing. “Well, my story in’t an dramatic, but She pulled her knees up slightly, wrapping her aims around them, folding herself in like she could protect the memory from Barting toni mock,

was an orphan. And since funding was tight and no one really wanted me, they sent me straight to the

Saphira inhaled sharply, her chest tightening instantly.

She had felt that—trily felt that.

be Matchmaker

It wasn’t just abandonment. It was being discarded, shuffled away into a system that treated people a transactions.

“I didn’t get a choice, Amara admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I was just sent away. The same way my parents did when I was born.“.

Something in her tone cracked, even though she held herself steady.

Without hesitation, Saphira reached for her hand, squeezing it firmly between her own

“You’re home now,” she murmured, meaning every word. “Whatever path you took–you landed exactly where you belong.”

Amara swallowed, her grip tightening around Saphira’s fingen.

Talia and Raven nodded, their agreement silent but full of understanding, full of acknowledgment

Then, after a moment, Talia tilted her head. “So, what’s your story. Saphira?”

The rooms felt smaller for a moment–like the walls had shifted inward, pressing against her.

Saphira took a deep breath, steadying herself

“I was never fully accepted into the pack. Not since I was a baby,” she started, her voice even, but there was an edge beneath it. “Because my father had a lling–an affair, whatever it was–with someone outside the pack.”

She exhaled, tracing the hem of the blanket absently, grounding herself

half–sister hated me the most. So she framed me for murder…” She hesitated, her pulse thing in her ears before she forced herself to say it. “Of Finn. Actually.”

Raven and Talia stiffened.

Their expressions dropped in shock, their bodies straightening, like the air had been yanked out of the room.

“What?” Raven breathed.

Talia’s eyes narrowed, warching her face. “Did you prove them wrong?

Saphira shook her heal slowly didn’t get a chance. I was sent to the Matchmaker before I could defend yell. And it wasn’t until I came here that I

knew Firm was alive?

CHAPTER 54

Silence settled thick between them.

Then, Raven leaned forward, her voice teadly but full of something determined, something firm..

“Well, we all have had pasts,” she murmured. “But we’re here ingether now. And we’re safe

She glanced at each of them, holding their gaze, making sure they felt the weight of it

“Our ne sisters,” she

continued. “Family, Best friends.”

Saphira exhaled slowly, looking around at the faces sounding her–the ward, the understanding, the way none of the judged, only listened.

Everyone smiled, letting the moment settle between them, unspoken bait felt,

And for the

First line in her life–Saphira lelt 1

elt like the wei

wright she had been carrying had shifted.

She had found her pack. And that–meant everything

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