Page 34 of Monster's Heart

Recognition warred with revulsion, and I froze in place.

“Mother?”

Holy fuck!

What was she doing here?

“Amrin, there you are. Come, let’s go,” my mother said, her icy gaze sweeping over me.

I shivered, clutching the hand holding mine, but Menon did not waver. He stood closer to me, his tail wrapping around my waist, along with his free hand on my hip, the other still clasping mine.

“I am not going anywhere,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

“Of course you are, Amrin. You will do as you are told. Gunner is here, and requests a moment of your time, which I granted, before I take you back to re-educate you on your place in the Coven.”

“Mother, you can’t. I won’t—”

“Shut up, you stupid girl! Now you, Monster, release my daughter or I will be forced to use my powers against you,” my mother hissed.

“Do not step closer or I will be forced to use my powers,” Menon spat her own words back at her.

I felt his hands loosen on me and his tail worked to push me gently behind him. But this was my fight, and I did not relish the idea of my mother and Menon throwing down at each other like some sort of magical Wild West gunfight.

“Stop it, both of you! Mother, I already told you, I won’t be your doormat or pawn. Not anymore. I never fit in back home. Not with you or my sisters, and I think I know why now,” I said, stepping forward.

I felt Menon’s gaze on me and knew he was there, ready to defend me in any way needed. I loved him for it, and I loved him even more for giving me the chance to speak up for myself. My mother had been the boogeyman in the back of my mind for so long, I hardly knew how important it was to face her and tell her all the things I’d been feeling. But it was important, and long overdue.

“Amrin, you are being absurd. Of course, you aren’t like your sisters, but you’re family, you are Coven,” she said.

“I’m not Coven. I renounced any claim I ever had on the Cordoza Coven on the phone earlier, and if you need me to say the words, then I disown you and everyone I have blood ties to. I never felt like I belonged before I met Menon—”

“He is just a Monster!”

“Yes, he is a Monster,” I said, smiling when I felt him stiffen beside me. “But he’s my Monster. My mate. Mine. Mother, can you understand that? He is mine. And I am his.”

“But you have no powers, no dowry, and you can’t stay here without the funds to pay your tuition, and I swear I will not give you a penny!”

“She does not need your money, Witch. I will provide for my mate, as I am more than capable.”

My cheeks burned, and I did not like the idea of Menon keeping me like some sort of pet. But we would discuss that later, too, in private. It was not important. The only thing that mattered was that we would have each other from now on.

“Actually,” another voice joined us. “I just spoke to Professor McEwan, and he was very impressed with your project, Amrin. So impressed, he wants to offer you a position in his lab. You too, Menon. He would also like to discuss going into business with your Celestial Mapping program, Menon. He seems to think you and Amrin cracked some sort of magical code that might be of good use to other supernaturals looking for their mates,” Headmistress Blackthorn said.

“You mean he wants to make Menon’s star app into a dating app for supes?” I asked, eyes wide.

“Are you serious?” Menon asked.

“As a heart attack,” the headmistress said, before turning her nose down at my mother. “I hope you were not serious about attacking one of my students on school grounds, Evelyn. I would hate to revoke your license to visit Northumberland Island,” she said with steel in her voice.

“What? No, um, of course not,” Mother said, backing down right away.

That was unsurprising since Blackthorn Academy had been the go-to school for Cordoza Coven Witches for centuries. My mother would be forever shamed if she lost them that privilege.

“Sorry, but I don’t care what you Witches are talking about. You promised my son your daughter,” Arthur McFadden snarled, and it was the first time I noticed him and Gunner standing in the periphery.

All eyes snapped to the feral looking Werewolf’s face, and I backed up, welcoming Menon’s warmth as it surrounded me.

His growl reverberated in his chest, and I felt his magic rising to the challenge. I’d never noticed it before, not like this. Menon seemed to ooze power.

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