Page 32 of Monster's Heart

“That’s fairly common for the students here,” she murmured, her confusion was as plain as the nose on her face.

“Yes, but something happened to me. You see, in my realm mated pairs are more powerful than unmated citizens.”

“In Asgard?”

“Yes. But my family line is particularly potent, but for every generation there is only one designated Menon.”

“Menon?” she asked, and fuck, I really liked the sound of my name coming from her pretty pouty lips.

I nodded, feeling the solemnity of this situation. Names had power, and I had not spoken mine in this place for a very good reason. The second I outed myself, it would be impossible to go back to being just Sten. But it was long past time I accepted my future.

“Yes, my true name is Menon Blau, and I am the next Premier Celestial Guardian of Asgard. I am a descendant of our moon god, Mani, ruler of the tides, blesser of spells, and keeper of time. But I could not hope to control that power or accept my destiny until I found my fated mate, Amrin Cordoza. I never thought I would until I found you. You’re my mate, my perfect match, my one and only. I would change the stars for you, sweet Luna.”

She clapped her hands over her mouth, and I watched helplessly as her eyes filled with tears.

Fuck.

What did I do wrong?

What could I say to make her mine?

To make her choose me again now that she knew who I was?

“Amrin, Luna, my sweet Luna, I know it might seem scary and alien thinking about moving to another realm someday, but I swear I will do all in my power to keep you safe and protected if you just let me have you, if you just let me love you,” I blurted, going down on my knees in front of her.

Draugr and Serena gave us their backs, for privacy I assumed. The big male spread his wings, shielding us from anyone who might look, and I owed that motherfucker one. Gods knew I really did.

“You love me?” she whispered like it was the most incredulous thing I’d said.

“I love you more than my own self,” I told her, barely finishing the thought before she launched herself at me. I caught her easily, standing so her knees would not hit the hard ground.

Amrin sighed, wrapping her arms tight around my neck as she pressed her mouth to mine.

“I love you too, Menon,” she said, and fuck, that did something to me.

“Say it again,” I demanded.

“I love you,” she replied.

“Good. Now say it again with my name,” I said, watching her eyes heat as she cupped my cheeks and nuzzled my nose with hers.

“I love you, Menon Blau. Only you. I choose you as my mate.”

“And I love you, Amrin Cordoza, my own sweet Luna, and I vow before you, our witnesses, and the great moon god, Mani, my ancestor, to honor you, protect you, provide for you, and to love you until the end time.”

With that final word said, the sky seemed to blink to complete blackness. A roar of gasps went up from the people at the festival, but my gaze never left Amrin’s face. I did not know what to expect, but I loved watching her expression as she tilted her head back to see the moon, Mani himself, rising high in the blackened skies. Mani glowed with a thousand shades of blue and the scent of power and ozone filled my senses seconds before a beam of light shone down on us.

“Menon! What? Wow!”

Amrin gasped, surprise sounding in her voice as those moonbeams spun around us, weaving to and fro like wild things, granting us the blessing of the moon god himself. I wrapped my tail around her waist tightly, and continued to hold her in my arms as I felt my power rise.

“We are blessed by Mani,” I told her as I gazed down in adoration at her beauty.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you back.”

The claiming ceremony was over then, and the skies went back to normal, the moon god likely back in his realm. I sighed, pressing my forehead to hers, and reveling in the matebond I felt pulsing between us like a living, breathing thing.

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