Page 67 of Monster's Obsession

“Yes. That’s what this mark means,” he answered, holding up his wrist so that I could see it. I frowned, examining my own bare wrist.

“Are you sure? I’m not supposed to have one?” I asked, a hint of panic in my voice that had him rubbing his own chest as my feelings flickered through him.

“You do have one, baby,” he said reverently. His hand pointed to my chest, and I glanced down and gasped when I saw an infinity symbol in between my breasts. The sight of it made me crazily happy.

“And you said they can't take you away from me now?"

"Yes," he murmured, that sexy, smug look back again. "True mates can't be without each other for long. If you died, I would die, and vice versa. They can't do anything to me because it would hurt you. Which means there won't be anything that can keep us apart ever again."

I bit my bottom lip, glancing away.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

"Because we’re true mates, does that mean…"

He was already shaking his head before I’d finished my sentence, and my voice trailed off.

"You're free to love whoever you want. Just as long as you still always love me."

A tear ran down my cheek and I felt awful at that statement. Maybe something was wrong with me that I could care for others when the other half of my soul was just inches away from me.

"I don't know how you can be so understanding about it all. Just the idea of you being with anyone else makes me want to burn the world down," I admitted, a small sob in my voice.

He smiled softly, and it broke my heart even more. "I would assume it's because you're human. The true mate bond is different with us. I can feel your love for them in our bond. And I would never take that away from you. But just know, there will never be anyone else for me that you ever have to worry about."

I felt like I should say more, push back harder since he was being so understanding. But maybe I was just a selfish bitch, because I wanted what he was offering me. I wanted them all…even Tempest, oddly enough.

Just then, a roar filled the cavern outside of the room and my heart leaped in my chest.

"Steele!" Creed rumbled, and there was banging on the wall outside of our room.

"I guess he found us," Steele said mildly, as if there wasn't a roaring monster king just a few feet away.

"Are you sure he's not going to kill you?" I said frantically, even though the idea of seeing Creed again was making my heart pound.

"Steele!" he roared again.

"Alright. This might get a little messy when he first comes in. But it's going to be fine," Steele murmured reassuringly. My eyes widened, but before I could say anything else, Steele said, “Open," and an entry into the cavern appeared once again…immediately filled with Creed’s furious, imposing figure. He was in full monster form, and I'd never seen him so angry before in my life.

"You're going to die, Steele. I don't care that you won the fight. How dare you try and take her from me," he spit. He lunged towards the bed, but right before he got to us, Steele held up his arm, the one with the mate bond around the wrist, his lips curled in amusement.

Creed came to a halt, and his mouth dropped open almost comically, revealing his sharp teeth. His gaze flickered from Steele’s wrist to the mark between my breasts.

"It can't be," he whispered. "You're her true mate?" And it might've been my imagination, but I thought I almost saw a flash of deep disappointment in his gaze as he said that. But he blinked and whatever I'd seen disappeared.

"I am. And you and I are going to have to learn to get along, because I'm obviously not going anywhere."

"I'm not giving her up," Creed seethed immediately, the malice in his voice so clear that the goosebumps sprang on my skin.

Steele shot Creed a look of chastisement as he began to rub my arms, feeling the anxiety in my chest through our bond.

"I'm not expecting you to. I can feel…how strong her feelings are for you. For them."

My gaze dipped away. It was more than I'd ever said to Creed, and I didn't want to see how he was taking that.

When I finally glanced at Creed, his gaze was locked with Steele’s and they almost appeared to be having a silent conversation, one that I definitely wasn't following.

"I've locked down the whole city searching for her over the last three days," Creed said carefully, the tightness in his voice clear. "You will both need to return to the castle now."

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