Page 11 of Sins of His Wrath

Naya stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“How did it feel? What happened during your heat?”

Naya’s brows inched together, thrown by the question.

“How did he treat you?” Mama clarified.

Naya was silent for a moment, unsure how to answer. “Normal, I think?”

“He looked after you? Fed you and gave you water?”

Naya’s face heated as she nodded.

“Did he sleep next to you when you slept?”

“Yes.”

“Did he hold you?”

Naya dropped her eyes and nodded.

“No one else came into the room? No one else touched you?”

Naya shook her head.

Mama exhaled, as though relieved. “Did anything else happen?”

“Not that I can remember. I-I’ve avoided thinking about it too much.”

“Why?”

Naya’s words came out a little too sharp. “Because I don’t want to. He forced my heat, Mama.”

“You said he stopped his brother from blocking you. That’s different. That means it was always going to happen.”

Naya almost recoiled, her voice hoarse. “That’s what he said.”

Mama leaned forward. “It is important that you don’t misremember what happened or tangle your emotions so hard around the facts that you change them.”

Naya stared at Mama as she leaned back, bewildered by her behavior.

“From what you’ve said,” Mama continued, “he treated you better after your heat—after he realized what you were to him. He treated you more than just his prisoner.”

Naya thought back and then half-shrugged and nodded. That was one way to look at it.

Mama’s gaze held fast on Naya. “And even so, you want to kill him?”

Something jolted in Naya’s gut. “Why wouldn’t I? Look at what he’s planning to do to our empire. He is dangerous and cruel, and he won’t stop until he’s conquered or killed everything we care about. Nothing can be gained from keeping him alive.”

“Even though he is the mate you’ve been looking for?” Mother’s words were sharp now, cutting even. “The mate you’ve been dreaming about? The one you neglected your duties for years to find?”

Fury leaped through Naya. “He isnotthe mate I have dreamed about!” The wound on her face began to ache. She took a few deep breaths. Calming herself before speaking again, moving her mouth as little as possible. “He may be my true mate, but he’s not the mate I wished for.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

Naya frowned, confused. “What do you mean?” She gestured to her face. “Look at me! This is how I know.”

“Do you think you’re the first Omega whose true mate is someone she despised? Someone who hurt her repeatedly? Wake up, Naya. We don’t get to choose these things.”

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