Page 34 of Revenge is a Witch

I groan, running a hand through my hair. “What happens then?”

Hazel hums thoughtfully. “The girl would need to pick one, or choose neither. But there’s a big risk with that first option.”

“What kind of risk?” I ask, feeling my stomach twist.

“If one of them marks the girl, the other becomes a rejected mate,” Hazel explains matter-of-factly. “Rejected mates never feel whole. Some spiral into depression or worse. Suicidal tendencies are common. It’s not pretty.” I feel like I’m going to be sick, but Hazel continues, her voice still bright. “But hey, there’s another solution, if you’re willing to think outside the box.”

I sigh. “What is it?”

“Well, the vampire and the shifter could both mark the girl at the same time. Why settle for one when you could have both?” Hazel laughs, clearly entertained by her own suggestion. “That way, everyone wins!” The call disconnects before I can respond, leaving me staring at the phone in stunned silence.

Slowly, I turn my gaze back to Derek and Sebastian, who look like two kids caught stealing cookies before dinner. “Don’t eventhinkabout it,” I say, my voice flat.

Both boys look at me, guilt written all over their faces. It’s clear the idea had crossed their minds, but I’m not having any of it.

Why, oh why, is this my life?

Why Choose

When They Choose For You

Sebastian snorts, rolling his eyes at Derek. "I hope you enjoy rejection, mutt," he sneers, lounging against the door like he owns the place. Derek bristles, fists clenching at his sides.

“Better than a flightless bat,” Derek snaps, his voice low and dangerous. I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling the tension in the room rise like a tidal wave.Great. Just what I needed—a vampire-shifter slap-fest.

“I’m not thinking about dating at all right now,” I cut in, exasperation clear in my voice. Both of them stop mid-glare and turn to look at me, disbelief written all over their faces.

"Seriously?" Derek says, raising an eyebrow.

Sebastian leans in slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. “Clearly, he clearly doesn’t know how hot your blood gets when I kiss you.” He throws a smug glance at Derek.

Derek clenches his jaw. “And he doesn’t know how fast your heart beats whenIkiss you.” The tension snaps again, and I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I need to shut this down beforethey turn my room into a battlefield. My eyes flick to the top drawer of my desk, the one I almost never open. I sigh, walking over and pulling it open to retrieve something I hardly ever use—my wand.

It’s sleek and polished, carved from dark oak, with swirling patterns of runes and symbols etched all along its length. The handle fits perfectly in my grip, and the tip gleams faintly as the magic within it stirs to life. The wand is as deadly as it is beautiful, and the boys seem to realize this the moment I lift it.

Step by step, I approach them, the wand held steady in front of me. “Both of you,” I say, my voice low and dangerous, “decided to spring this whole ‘mate’ thing on me today. And here’s the deal—no onegets to pickforme.” I take another step forward, and they both back away slightly, their eyes fixed on the wand.

Derek looks sheepish, his earlier bravado deflated. “Does that mean you’ve already chosen?”

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “No. I’ve had unhealthy crushes onbothof you for the better part of a year, and frankly, this whole situation is completely unfair. I hate the idea of rejecting either of you, but I also made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t let myself fall into dating when I’ve still got my own crap to fix.” Both boys are silent as I stop right in front of them, holding the wand up just a little higher. “So, if you’re as interested as you say you are, you’re both going to have to figure out how to talk to each other nicely, because I am not dealing with your drama.”

Proud of my little “scary witch” moment, I cross my arms and wait, eyebrows raised, for them to respond.

Both Derek and Sebastian look at me, then at each other, like two kids caught sneaking cookies from the jar. The guilt is clear, but there’s still a flicker of determination in their eyes.

I tap my wand lightly against my hand. "Well? What's it going to be, boys?"

The boys exchange a look, and I can practically see the gears turning in their heads. Derek is the first to speak, arms crossed but clearly trying to come off as reasonable. “We could always come to a gentleman’s agreement… at least until the whole thing with Kyla is over.”

Sebastian’s lips curl into a smirk, tilting his head in agreement. “Yeah, we could do that. Set some ground rules. Keep things civilized.”

My eyes narrow as they nod at each other, both completely ignoring the fact that I’m standing right here.What is happening?

“Rules?” I repeat, not quite believing my ears.

Derek, not even glancing my way, continues. “Okay, so we agree—until Zaria picks one of us, nothing but sex is off limits.”

Sebastian nods again, pretending to consider it. “Right, and no sabotaging or getting in each other’s way. We keep it fair.”

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