Page 132 of Married to the Devil

Kalos makes a considering noise. “I know the child is yours. Stella told me.”

My throat is tight when I respond. “I didn’t know if she was going to keep it.”

It’s a complication with the tensions in the territory and would be in her rights to end it. I’d expected it, prepared myself for it.

Kalos shrugs. “She seems to intend to. She wanted promises of our alliances to her specifically, whether Stoneheart remains in the picture or not.”

She’s securing her base. If she isn’t hiding the parentage of the child, which would be near impossible in a territory of shifters, she’s preparing for the upset it will cause. She won’tallow herself to be run out of her own territory. Her situation does not match her mother’s.

An ill-earned pride blooms, and it’s a struggle to keep it from touching the bond that hums in my chest. I don’t know how much either of them can pick up from the intact thing, but I haven’t decided what to do with it yet.

“So, I’ll repeat myself. What are you doing here, Ben?”

“Did she say anything else?” I can’t help to ask.

Kalos arches a brow. “No. I’m not exactly someone she’d spill her deepest secrets to.”

That’s true. Their relationship has been touchy since the discovery that Stella is the daughter of Lorenzo Leonid, and Kalos had a poor reaction.

“If she begged for you to come back, would you?” Kalos asks.

No. I need to end this bond I have with them and move on. This is where everything makes sense. Stoneheart and Stella have each other, they don’t need me.

I don’t answer him verbally, but I don’t have to.

Kalos tilts his head. “I know how keenly you ache for family. Are you really going to abandon your own blood in another territory.”

“Family doesn’t have to do with blood,” I say, and it’s true, even if the idea that I will have a child that will exist in this world is more than I can comprehend right now.

Kalos snorts. “That’s true. It’s the choice of whether we accept the tethers of others. We will see if Stoneheart agrees with you.”

I can’t keep myself from being curious. “What do you mean?”

“He hasn’t yet publicly claimed the child as his successor. I’m sure that the shifters are having a hard time trying to decide if he’s been truly cuckolded and should lose standing in their eyes?—”

“I doubt anyone would look at Stoneheart and think his dominance of the situation lacking.” My cheeks flush.

Kalos shrugs. “It doesn’t change the fact that there haven’t been any official statements, only whispers. I’ll do my best if he does choose to reject and try to oust her?—”

“He would never,” I interject. Stoneheart loves Stella, whether he accepts it or not.

“He holds a lot of territory. If people start thinking he’s weak, that his own wife was unfaithful, and he does nothing about it, things could get dicey.”

What Kalos is saying makes sense, but even with how ruthless Stoneheart can be and has been, I can’t imagine he’d reject Stella. He’s possessive of her.

But he also lies to himself about his own feelings.

“Who knows what will happen with the territory. They have their own lady out delivering charms of protection herself,” Kalos continues with the wave of his hand.

That doesn’t sound right. Kalos would eat his hoard before allowing Katarina to be so vulnerable.

It’s a good move on Stella’s part to engender good will, but Stoneheart had been furious the time we’d gone to the owl women’s place.

Why would he allow Stella to be so open to attack now?

Could there be trouble between them? It would be a simple thing to tap into the bond and see if they are content, but I don’t allow myself that. I need to remain separate. My place isn’t between a husband and wife.

“Stoneheart won’t let anything happen to her,” I say.

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