Page 65 of Fated to Monsters

“You’ll never have her. Not the way you want her. You’re too much like me. And despite her darkness, she’d never accept you for yours. Need I mention, she’s marked by a hellhound. That mate bond is already forged and cannot be reversed. Perhaps it was one of mine. I’ll leave that to determine later.”

Wes never should have succumbed to the pressure of the bond. He should have been stronger and let her go. She deserves much better than what he and I have to offer. She deserves someone like Dash—who is kind and patient and does not pose a threat to her.

“There’s another way.” Balial touches my chin with his finger. “A way to remove the mark without doing the very thing you fear. She would never forgive you for putting her through that.”

“What is it?”

“I would gladly remove it for you.”

“At what cost?”

“No cost you wouldn’t benefit from.”

“Tell me.”

"You'd remain here, with me. You'd get the life you always wanted. And you'd free both yourself and her of that heinous alpha marker on her neck. At this very moment, the thing is lighting up brighter than ever before. The distance between the two of you is greater than ever. Any demon near the academy will surely be racing toward her, to end her life with great haste. All you have to do is say the word, and I will eliminate the threat you pose to her.”

Wren is at a school for supernaturals, where there are no doubt creatures of the demonic variety. Hell, even Deghan and Silas have enough demonic blood to send them into a frenzy to kill her. And depending on Sydney's origins, he might feel that desire, too. The only one capable of withstanding that urge is Willow, and there's no way she would put herself between one of her mates and some girl she's only just met.

Every second I’m away, the danger rises to an unbearable level.

“Let me go,” I yell at him and strain against the magic holding me in place.

Why can’t I just remember the stupid fucking words that get me out of here?

“This worry of yours, you wouldn’t have it if the mark weren’t there.”

“I swear to the Angels, I’m going to—”

“You’re going to what?” Balial laughs. “I am more powerful than you’ll ever be. Where do you think you get your strength?” He comes closer. “It’s that demonic blood coursing through your veins.” He lowers his voice. “The same that Wren harbors inside of her.”

I stop craning against the magic keeping me secured in place. “What?”

Balial covers his mouth. “Oops. I wasn’t supposed to say that, was I?”

“You’re lying.”

“The truth is much more entertaining in this case.”

“She’s descended from the Angels. I’ve tasted her, she’s pure.”

“Yes, you are correct, Wren is very much an Oliver at her core, but you fail to see what’s right in front of you. She was a hunter. The most feared of Parla’s assassins. She has strength unlike any other yet has never come into her true power. Why do you think that is? Because of her good looks and tenacity?” He shakes his head. “No.”

If what he’s saying is true, and Wren really does have demonic power inside of her, there’s only one way she could have obtained it.

And if that’s the case, she’s no better than the witches who cursed the Oliver bloodline, or the sadistic bitch who plagues Prania to this day.

“It can’t be true. She wouldn’t,” I tell him.

“Then maybe you don’t know Wren Oliver as well as you think you do.”

16

Wren

"Where is he?" I yell and jerk Bo's limp shoulders. "He was right there with us, why isn't he back?"

Sydney leans against the wall.

---