Page 70 of Forbid Me

"So does that mean... we need to get married?"

A crease formed in his brow. "Now that question I did not foresee. Why would you ask about marriage to me when you're mated to Oz?"

"I rejected Oz."

There had been a jovialness about the panther king. That melted away with each word I spoke. "Why would you reject your fated mate, Stella?"

"I thought... I thought you sent Oz to bring me to you because Iwas supposed to be your queen. Your fated mate. Not his." The words tumbled out in a rush of honesty.

"Where would you get that idea?"

Yeah? Where did I get that idea? I'd known Oz was mine the moment he brought me into his arms. I hadn't had a single doubt. Not until the conversation I'd overheard between him and Oz.

"You told him to take care of me. That I was important to you."

"You are important to me. You're my cousin. The only blood family I have left in the universe."

"Did you tell him that?"

"No." Dion shrugged. "I knew at first glance he'd figure out that you were his fated mate, and he would protect you with his life. Why else do you think I sent him instead of coming myself? But had I seen all that the two of you would get up to, I would've come, too."

"You saw what we got up to?"

Dion leaned in conspiratorially, as though he was about to confide a huge secret to me. I'd never used my powers to spy on people's intimate lives. I wouldn't know how. What had he seen? Our time in the pleasure hotel? On the train? Just now in the gardens?

"Tell me," he said, "was the kelpie's skin scaly or slimy?"

CHAPTER 48

Oz

Pacing restlessly, the weight of my decision pressed heavily on me. I was going to have to kill the king. My best friend. My savior. My brother.

There was no way around it. I couldn't live in this world without my fated mate. It was either me or him.

Dion could provide Stella with the life she deserved, but he would never love her in the way I did. I seriously doubted he would be faithful to her. Not when I saw two of his regular playmates lingering in the halls waiting for him to finish talking to the future queen so they could service his cock.

Was he seducing Stella right now? Only to turn around and whet his wick with these two, then more later? It would devastate Stella.

I'd felt her heartbreak when she thought we'd planned to share her between us. I'd known from the moment I got the lay of the land back in Bite Me, from the time when she'd gasped from the simpleact of me sweeping her off her feet and into my arms, from that heartfelt request that I not reject her, all this woman wanted was to be loved and cared for.

Dion would break her heart. The man was incapable of fidelity. I was his only monogamous relationship. Even then he tried to share his conquests with me.

I would not share Stella with him. I wouldn't share her with anyone. So that brought the argument back full circle: I had to kill the king.

The silence on the other side of the door was killing me. I could wait no longer, so I burst into the throne room. There were no guards to stop me. I was the highest ranking of all the king's protectors. No one would assume that I meant him any harm.

Dion looked up at the intrusion. He was sitting with his head bent toward Stella. Stella sat beside him on the throne, looking like she belonged there.

My steps halted at the sight of her. She looked regal, happy. Without a care in the world. I wanted to preserve that sight for all time.

She opened her mouth, preparing to aim words at me. My ears perked wanting to hear anything she said.

Dion lifted his hand toward her in a stop motion. "I believe my best friend has come to challenge me for your hand."

I nodded. I swallowed. I said, "I love you." Though those words could have been directed at either of them.

Dion had saved my life. Had been a friend when the world was cruel.

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