Page 108 of Mate of a Monster

Heat flares again, sharp enough to make my pulse stutter.

The absolute nerve of this man.

You can try.

Satisfaction cackles through the bond.

How could I forget, he likes the fight.

Unfortunately for him, wanting him and forgiving him are two completely different things.

He is mine, there is no doubt, and I will end anyone who threatens to take him from me—slowly if I get the choice— but that doesn’t mean I won’t make him suffer along the way. As he fucking should.

Fooled by magic or not, I don’t give a damn.

He should have known.

He did know. He kept your dagger and he watched you when he was with her. He came to you in that tree house and—

I cut off the thought, wanting to hold on to a little bit of the anger that’s fueled me these last few weeks. Without it, I will be weak. If I let go and life decides the joke is on me one more time, I’m likely to throw myself off a damn cliff. One where my dragons wouldn’t be able to catch me.

The silence stretches another few seconds before Sinner finally exhales like he’s reached the end of his patience. “Just tell him.”

Every head in the room turns toward him.

Legend frowns. “Tell me what?”

That’s the problem, isn’t it?

How exactly do you explain to someone that the very thing that will make them the king they were born to be—untouchable and unrivaled by anyone outside his bloodline, except me —was torn straight out of his soul?

My lips press together.

“Haide,” Creed starts carefully.

Legend growls, vicious enough that it straightens Zev off the table. “Don’t say her name.”

Creed exhales slowly and glances at me again.

Legend’s head snaps toward him. “Don’t fucking look at her, either!”

Creed throws his hands up and Sinner chuckles from across the room.

“How about you shut the fuck up, Legend,” I suggest sharply. Even if it’s all Creed’s fault, I don’t believe in punishing someone continuously after they’ve already sincerely apologized.

I think that’s what you call growth. Who would have thought.

I let the noise of the room fade a little while I reach for the one thing that has been silent since Legend came to nearly twenty-four human hours ago.

“Beast?”

Legend frowns immediately. “What do you mean, beast?”

I don’t answer him, calling out to the Nightkin again.

“You said you wouldn’t leave me…”

My heart skips when there’s no response. Legend must catch it because he sits forward, his features contorting like the thought of me in pain causes a physical reaction within him.