Page 32 of Secretly Mated To My Monster Alien Boss
“It is, yet I don’t mind it. But it gives my family hope that either you or I have changed our minds about the mating ceremony. I have not.”
“Neither have I.”
“Good.” She smiled. “You stopped the ceremony before I found the courage to do it. You did me a favor.”
“I’m glad. I felt guilty about it.”
“No need. You did not leave me bereft and longing for you. I did not know you then, nor do I know you now.”
“Then whatcausedid you come here for?”
“To prove to my family I did my best to seduce you.” The tilt of her smile turned sad. “Consider this my best attempt.”
It was Deryg’s turn to laugh. Leyra seemed meek, but she had a strong spirit inside her. “I believe some beings are in fact seduced by blatant rejection.”
“Hopefully, you are not one of them. I really do not want to mate with you. I have an entire existence to live, without having a stranger by my side. You seem like a fine specimen, but not for me. Though I’m sensing you are meant for someone else.” She took a step closer. “I can smell her on you.”
Deryg ran a hand up one of his horns. “I’ll never hear the end of it from Rexan.”
“Don’t worry, it’s more of a female thing. I hope you two find happiness unlike any other,” she said, already walking toward the exit in that otherworldly way of hers. Good for her, but Deryg much preferred Kiara’s determined gait. “I will speak with your brother as well. If anything, me coming here proved an unavoidable truth.”
“Which one?”
“The legends say true mates can feel each other from great distances. Their hearts beat as one. You had no idea I was even in the same room as you, let alone the same planet. The Nines have not sealed our fates together. But I hope they have bonded yours to the right one.”
With that, she left the room without turning back.
Deryg wished her well, but he hoped that was the absolute last time he’d see her. He only wanted to see one being now–Kiara.
Leyra was right, he hadn’t felt her in the atrium. Not even a flicker of her presence. But hefeltKiara–and she seemed troubled.
Had something happened? He couldn’t have been gone for more than a few minutes.
Deryg frowned as he walked out of the room, back into the commotion of the atrium. But even with so many specieswalking around, their voices reaching a crescendo, he instantly found Kiara.
She stood perfectly still in the middle of the room. Only her eyes moved–tracking Leyra, who passed her before her twisted horns vanished in the crowd.
Then Kiara’s gaze slashed to Deryg. What he saw in her eyes floored him.
Disappointment. Betrayal. Unbearable sadness.
His thoughts raced.
He’d planned on telling her all about the mating contract and Leyra tomorrow. After the party. At theirda-te.
Not because it was some grave secret, but all those resources he’d read hinted the firstda-teusually included conversations about their pasts. He’d mentioned he had a story to tell.
Perhaps Kiara had expected something different.
But, then, how would she know about his connection with Leyra?
Or maybe walking into the room with another female had looked wrong?
Whatever the reason, all Deryg wanted to do was assure her everything was alright and to apologize for any slight he was missing. He wanted the hurt to vanish from Kiara’s eyes.
As soon as he took the first step toward her, everything went so very, very wrong.
14
