Page 14 of Monster's Baby

“You haven’t met your soulmate, so I’m going to give you grace,” Aiden said mildly.“I assure you, I’m absolutely, one hundred percent certain that Siobhan is my soulmate.Our bond is securely in place, and nobody will be able to sever it.I’m not going to die because my family doesn’t believe that witches can be the soulmate of the beast.”

Hayden drew back as if he’d been slapped.

“Accept my mate,” Aiden growled.“Or we’re leaving.Forever.”

I squeezed his hand lightly.I hadn’t realized that he’d been planning this.

After a long, tension-filled moment, Aiden’s mother came forward and took my free hand.“Welcome to the family, Siobhan,” she said loudly.“Come, we should sit down to dinner.”

CHAPTER4

“I still can’t believemy grandfather invited ‘eligible family friends’ to dinner when heknowsI’m soul bonded,” Aiden seethed in the carriage ride to the academy from the ferry.

I sighed.He had repeated this phrase, or variations thereof, multiple times since the week prior.“He’s not here now.And he’s been made aware of how serious we are.”

“He should have known the instant I wrote home about you in second year.”

“Youknewthey had a thing about witches being the mate of beasts,” I said.

“Yeah, but?—”

“No.”I ignored everyone else in our carriage and straddled Aiden, putting my finger over his lips.“I don’t want to hear anything more about this.You’re mine, I’m yours, and if your family has a problem with that, you’ve gotmygrandfather on your side.You know he treats you as family already.I get that you’re hurting, but you have got to let it go.Let Hayden come around to how things are done in today’s world, or else he’s the one who’ll get left behind.”

“It just pisses me off,” Aiden mumbled around my finger.

“If he wants Chateau Evans to continue to grow in power because of the heir living there, then he needs to grow up.”I hugged Aiden, resting my head on his shoulder.“Otherwise, I’m not sure I feel comfortable living there with someone who might try to bite my head off.”

“We’re beasts, not praying mantises,” Aiden grumbled.

I laughed.“Set me on fire, then.”

“He’d never do that.”

“No, he wouldn’t.But he’d get under our skin in little insidious ways.That doesn’t sound appealing.”

“Understatement.”Aiden sighed.“It’s not like we’re going to be home much anyway.Not at first.We’re going to travel the world.”He kissed the back of my hand.“Unless you’ve changed your mind?”

I shook my head.“No, that’s true.But when we come home for the holidays, I want to be welcomed, not simply tolerated.”

“Oh, well in that case, Doyle Manor it is.”

I chuckled.“I have no problem with that.”

We arrived at the academy, the towering castle blocking out the rising sun.

“The last first day,” I said, feeling melancholy.

“And then we get to start our lives together,” Aiden reminded me.

The others got out of the carriage first, and I took advantage of the short amount of privacy to kiss him deeply, our tongues dancing.

Slightly dizzy, I got up and hopped out of the carriage.

“Let’s go get our room keys.”

We had to separate, as the boys wing was on the opposite side of the castle.Only married couples got to room together, and I was envious of Bruce and his wife Clarissa.Hazel was already waiting in line, looking a little green from her own ferry crossing, and I joined her.She wasn’t in the mood for much talking, so I spent most of the wait listening to the conversations around us.

By the time I received my room key, I had more pressing things to attend to than setting up our room.

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