Page 195 of Mated to Monsters
She’s a human, but she is his mate, and this is her house. It irks me, slightly, but I choose to ignore it. She’s not wrong, that I am only a guest here, but I can’t figure out why she’s so determined to rub it in.
From the start, she has opposed me at every step. She made no qualms about hiding her annoyance that the Prince has agreed to speak with me at all. But I am only here to reclaim my own mate and can’t understand why she’s so antagonized by this.
At the veranda doorway, the Prince turns to Laura with a gentle smile. He puts one hand on each of her elbows, drawing her in for a tender kiss.
The exchange is so sweet and wholesome that I’m suddenly filled with envy for the two of them. It opens my wound even deeper, making the ache that I feel not having Anastasia here with me resonate deep into my bones.
Laura pulls away from the kiss, turning her eyes pointedly to me. Her expression is full of judgment, an unspoken challenge in her eyes. This is how you should treat a mate, she seems to say.
It hits me suddenly, what her contentious attitude means. They are hiding Anastasia from me because they think that I caused her injuries. She’s a human woman, sticking up for one of her own against the monster that she believes abused her.
It’s almost painfully uncomfortable to realize that I respect that about her. This Laura has been a thorn in my side, but for such noble reasons that I find it hard to blame her. I would want nothing less for Anastasia, except that they’ve accused the wrong party.
“You’re dismissed, Laura,” he says, kindly but firmly. Her mouth drops open in surprise, and her face reddens. I can tell that she’s ready to argue, and I feel almost guilty. As much as I admire her dedication to Anastasia, no one – not even a mate – can talk back to the Prince with an audience present.
My mind is reeling, trying to think of some way to sidestep the issue. I want to reassure her that I have only the best intentions; that she doesn’t need to defend Anastasia to me.
But Laura seems to think better of it. Her mouth snaps shut, and she just nods stiffly. The Prince offers her one last reassuring kiss, and she relaxes at his touch.
Seemingly appeased that he can handle it, she turns to leave us as directed. But she offers one last scornful look in my direction, making her distaste apparent.
I’m conflicted, both angered at her treatment and somehow also thankful for her protectiveness. I don’t want to argue with her anymore – I just want the misunderstanding to be cleared up.
I didn’t hurt Anastasia. Drir’gen did, and I have every intention of making a suit of his skin as payback. Though, from the looks of it, this Laura may be coming to help.
The Prince leads me onto the veranda, gesturing to a seat. He claims one for himself, and I wait for him to be seated before following his lead. Then he leans forward, resting his arms on his knees.
One of the hardest things I have ever done is right now, waiting patiently to be invited to speak. Talking out of place in front of a member of the royal family is a significant breach of conduct. I have already pushed my luck in forcing my way this far, and now that I’m this close to Anastasia, I don’t dare risk being turned away.
Still, my entire body tenses as I barely resist the urge to blurt everything out. My heart is pounding anxiously, desperate to get down to business. Luckily, he does not make me wait long. “You have your audience,” he points out drily. “Speak your mind.”
I don’t hesitate any longer, frantically explaining everything that has transpired. In any other state, I would be self-conscious of the way that I am babbling. But my mind is going a mile a minute, and it’s all I can do to get the words out at all, disjointed as they are.
He nods along patiently, indicating that he is somehow managing to follow the words that spew violently out. “When I saw the broken glass, I could tell that she had managed to somehow escape. I wanted, of course, to find her and make sure she was cared for. I had failed to keep her safe, something I’ll regret every day for the rest of my life. But I had to do everything I could to fix it.”
He nods silently again, looking at me with a stoic expression that I can’t quite read. I continue, desperately hoping that I’m managing to sway him.
“I knew she was injured because I could smell her blood. I followed the scent here, which is why I refused to be dismissed. I know that you have her somewhere here, and I need to know…”
He looks at me sharply. “You need to know what?”
“That she’s okay,” I blurt out, feeling helpless and frustrated. “Do you know how it feels, to know that something terrible has happened to your mate? To worry that you’ve lost them forever, that they might even be dead? And then, for the one person who can put your mind at ease to just brush you aside? At least tell me she’s alive!” I beg.
He clears his throat, sitting back primly. “She’s alive,” he admits. “As you know, she arrived here injured. She’s being looked after to ensure that she remains alive.”
My blood runs cold at his calculated response. He has offered only a threadbare response, and I can’t help but wonder why he is being so reserved with his information. Surely he could do more to ease my mind.
“Can I see her?” I ask. There’s a strange, pleading quality in my voice, something I’ve never heard there before.
He shakes his head firmly. “No. She will be entertaining no visitors at this time. Your audience is limited to me, alone.”
I can’t shake the feeling of dread that I feel each time he talks. If everything was fine, he would say that immediately, wouldn’t he? He will only agree that she is alive, and little more.
He won’t even let me see her, to witness her condition for myself. That can’t be a good sign, I decide.
Did Drir’gen and his friends manage to have their way with her before she finally escaped? How badly did they hurt her, and what damage have they done?
I’m filled with a terror that I’ve never felt before, imagining the worst possibilities. There’s nothing to anchor me, nothing to reassure me that it can’t be as bad as I think. The one person who could say those words is staunchly refusing.