My brow furrows. “What? You just said this place is for Persephone’s heat, right?”
“Yes.Persephone. Notyou.”
My lips part a bit at the way he says that, the anger underlining the words, the frustration crossing his features, the narrowing of his dark eyes.
I swallow. “Oh.” He built this as some sort of gift for his mate. I… I’m just… the human who has his mate’s soul trapped inside her. “I see.” That makes more sense.
This place means something to him, and he’s not pleased about having to bring me—Sera—here.
“That’s why you took me to the Human Realm first, then, I assume?” I phrase it as a question. A distraction. A way to keep the conversation going while I consider what he’s admitted. What itmeans.
“Yes. You don’t deserve this place, Serapina. I’m sorry for bringing you here. But I have no other option.”
I wince, his words hurting me in a way I could never have anticipated.
This male—this infuriating, arrogant,God—has been cruel to me from the beginning. First, when he thought I was actually Persephone and playing some sort of game with him. Then, bytestingmy truth by making Maliki please me.
And now…nowhe tells me I don’tdeserveto be in the place he made for Persephone.
Because I’m not her.
And he’s sorry I’m here.
Yet he had no other option.
“That’s not true,” I whisper. “You could have left me with Morpheus and Maliki and let them take care of me.”
He scowls at that. “You aremine, Serapina. That means protecting you at all costs, even ones that may be unfair of me to pay.”
“Right. Because your mate’s soul exists inside me,” I reply, swallowing. “So you feel obligated to protect me.”
“Obligated?” he repeats, his brow creasing.
The echoed word reverberates around my mind, beating at a nerve that has my hands fisting at my sides.
Because I didn’t ask to be this Alpha’sobligation.
It’s not my fault that I have his mate’s soul inside of me.
Just as it’s not my fault that I’m not truly her. That I’m not worthy of this little “safe place” that he built for her.
I don’t deserve to be talked to this way or treated like this.
Maybe Persephone does—if she hurt all those Omegas—and maybe he thinks that’s why it’s okay to manhandle me and talk down to me.
But none of that means I have to stand here and take it.
“I don’t?—”
“If I’m such a burden to you,” I say, interrupting him. “Then why not give me back to Morpheus and Maliki? Surely that would be better than keeping me in your precious safe space for Persephone, right?”
Now he just looks confused. “Precious?”
I roll my eyes. “Sacred love nest?” I offer instead. Then I wave my hand through the air, like I’m trying to erase the words. “I don’t even care what you call it. What matters is that I’m not Persephone, right?”
He stares down at me for a long beat before replying, “Yes, I’ve already said I believe you don’t possess her memories.”
“But I am not her, correct?” I reiterate. “That’s why I don’t deserve to be here, yes?”
