Page 42 of Their Pretty Little Monster

That was strange… right?

I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. The way Clay was interrogating me, the urgency in the first mate’s voice, the sudden change in plans—it all feels too coincidental. I splash my feet in the water, trying to calm myself, but my mind keeps racing.

And who was that monster referring to, wanting to go to land… Wolfe or Killian, perhaps? I found it strange to hear him not even mention a name, but Clay knew instantly who he spoke of.

The glow of the flowers in the pool reflects off the water, casting eerie shadows on the walls. This place is beautiful, but now it feels tainted. I don’t move, not wanting to leave the silence just yet.

I’m still not ready to face my truths.

Wolfe

Dual moons hang low tonight, casting a bright glow over the waves, making them shimmer like liquid silver. My hands grip the railing, the cool metal grounding me as my mind focuses on the results of the Veil Ritual between Killian and Sage.

Surprised? Fuck, yeah. Yet I shouldn’t be.

Nyko’s lounging on a chair on my balcony, feet propped up on the railing, hands behind his head, in his own little world.

“Any sign of Killian?” I ask, considering he charged in here after I asked him to track down my second-in-command.

“Not since this morning when he charged out of the ritual after Sage, mumbling something about her now knowing she’s part Shadowfen.”

I shrug. “She was bound to find out soon enough.” Preferably not during the Veil Ritual, and in hindsight, we could have handled that better over the course of dinner the other night. But I assumed we had time, and I hadn’t expected Killian to rush into the ritual like a fucking madman possessed.

Here I hoped her arrival would be straightforward with no complications. Yet I can’t believe my own damn body’s reaction to our little human. This beautiful girl with innocence pouring off her messed me up, and guilty as charged, I’ve been obsessed with her ever since.

“And now,” Nyko states, distracting my thoughts. “He’s either fucking her, or he’s sulking somewhere for pissing her off. Though, I have to admit, she’s been on my mind since she first arrived. Her scent is a fucking enchantment, and I’ve had a raging hard-on since she got here.”

I groan seeing he’s had a similar reaction to her arrival.

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect her to be his true mate.”

Nyko chuckles softly. “Something’s wrong with me. Earlier I paid the Abyss Room a visit, and none of the four-breasted girls down there held my interest. My damn cock went limp as fuck.” He punches up to his feet, growling. “Sage has fucking broken me. I have no hatred or jealousy toward Killian, but hell, I barely held back during the ritual. I craved being the one to chase her down, to sink into her sweet pussy.”

I growl under my breath, shaking off the hunger for Sage clinging to me.

“How about you keep it in your pants, and let’s see how things pan out before making things worse? She’s here for a mission, not for you both to lose your heads.”

Nyko gives me a deadpan stare. “Right, and you felt nothing for her back at dinner, using your shadow to feel her up? Think I didn’t notice or smell the arousal you brought out in her?”

I shake my head, exhaling and breaking into laughter. “Fuck, I’m just as bad as you two.”

Nyko’s chortling. “So, what now? We all have one big fuck party and get her out of our systems?”

I shudder. The image has my cock hardening. I turn from him, deeply inhaling the night air. We didn’t search for Sage this long only to end up tripping over our feet for the girl.

“Earlier today, I notified Clay that we’re changing course and want to pay the kingdom a visit ahead of schedule. Now, I’m worried we’re moving too fast,” I state, my anticipation wavering.

He’s frowning my way.

“With Sage being Killian’s true mate, and what happened to him and his last lover, he’s not going to let us hand her over. And I won’t force him to.”

Nyko runs a hand through his hair. “Fuck! I’ve been ready from the second we first set foot on Howler all those years ago. But this is going to turn into a fucking storm now, isn’t it?”

I groan, hands fisting at my side. “Leave it with me,” I state.

“Whatever works.” He’s already marching out of my quarters, never showing his emotions, unlike Killian. Yet I’ve seen the way he stares at Sage, too, how she’s impacted him as well.

My thoughts linger on her, on the strength of the attraction she holds over me. But as much as I fight the urge to fall prey to her, the complication with her being Killian’s true mate and using her with King Bren… Fuck, this is cripples our plans.

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