Page 67 of Brutally Mated
I draw in a deep breath. I am exhausted, but he needs to understand. I am not speaking metaphorically. I am not making some comment on how tiring the whole affair has been. I am saying something true and immense. But I have to say it in a way that he will understand.
I look him directly in the eye.
“Would you know if your leg fell off?”
“Yes,” he says.
“That’s how I know my powers are gone.”
For a moment, I see something like sorrow on his face. I don’t want him to be sad. I don’t want to be sad either.
“Skor’s are gone too,” I add. “And his sucked, so…”
There is a rumble of shared laughter as all three of my mates cluster around me in the attempt to all hug me at once. I have never been so loved before, and I know I will be loved for the rest of my life. I feel a lightness I did not know I was capable of feeling. My powers were an advantage, but they were aresponsibility. They added weight to my life, and now that they are gone, so is that burden.
“What will we do with you,” Krall says, asking a silly rhetorical question.
“Take me to Eclipse City,” I say. “And give me babies.”
CHAPTER 14
Tabby
You might think breaking a generational curse and saving the land from interminable cloud and drizzle would be worthy of some intense celebration, but the family reunion is awkward.
Krall and Thorn take custody of me, and I can tell all they really want to do is sweep me away to safety, but they are obligated to at least say hello to their father. I get the sense this isn’t a very close family. I suppose bonds are difficult to form when people keep being offed by curses. It was that way for us in the mountains.
“Here less than a day and saving our family from a generational curse,” Skar says. “Impressive, young lady. Of course the home and its lands must go to you when this is all said and done.”
I am standing in the front yard of a very impressive castle being congratulated, and it feels entirely hollow. Once the battle was won, Skor’s father came rushing out to congratulate us. I say us. I mean me. He could have come out earlier to help, butthat didn’t seem to occur to him, and pointing it out now seems churlish.
My mates’ father is impressed, but he is a stranger to me. There is a coolness between him and his sons that I cannot help but notice and hate. He is giving me credit for all that has happened, and perhaps I deserve it, but he’s barely looking at his sons. Did he see what happened through the windows of this fancy castle? Did he watch as his son went to his knees and gave everything to me?
I don’t have time for this man. I have had enough of rich old powerful alphas who sit in their dens and let their children solve their problems for them. When my babies are born, they will rely on us. I will never allow them to be used as pawns, or traded about for our good.
“Give it to your daughter,” I tell him. “She belongs to this land. All this was done in her name. Not mine.”
Lord Skar’s expression contorts with surprise. Perhaps he thought I would want to live in this stately old home with its dozens of rooms and endless history and creature comforts, but this is the world that trapped his sons. It’s the place they fled. And I know they don’t really want to be here.
“If you will excuse me, Father, we need to ensure our mate is well,” Krall says, picking me up and tossing me over his shoulder. There goes the last vestiges of me being a full person in my own right. Krall has taken full control of both my body and the situation. I stiffen for a fraction of a moment, then relax as I am carried back to the old mansion.
The room I’m taken to is a new one that I have not been in before. Krall’s old bedroom, I think, judging by how comfortablyhe takes me to it. He sets me on my feet there, wraps his arms around me, and kisses me deeply.
“I am so sorry,” he says. “I am so sorry.” He kisses me again and again, repeating apologies as he holds me close. “You smell like death.”
“Sorry,” I say.
“You need never apologize,” he growls “I want to make sure you never smell this way again. I want you to spend the rest of your life safe and content.”
“Agreed,” another voice chimes in as another powerful set of belatedly protective arms slides around my waist. Thorn is here, his mouth on the back of my neck in a gentle bite.
I missed these two. When I first realized I was going to have three mates it seemed like two too many, but now I understand there is a balance between all their energies and I need each of them. Well, maybe not Skor, but it’s a little late to get rid of him now. I am sure his Machiavellian darkness has some place in the world.
“Don’t forget me,” Skor says.
“Get the hell out of here before I tear your fucking throat out,” Krall growls.
“I’ll take a bath,” Skor says.
