“How did you get in here?” My voice was quieter than I intended, my hand twitching toward the key that hung around my neck.
Beside me, Nyxthra hissed, the sound slicing through the silence.End him.
Philip’s lips curved faintly. “You haven’t figured it out yet, have you?”
My throat went dry. “Figured out what?”
He smiled then. That gentle pull in my chest deepened, confusing and unwanted.
“That I’m your mate.”
The word landed like a thunderclap. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Something deep within me stirred, something that wasn’t supposed to exist anymore. The bond magic, faint and half-healed, shuddered awake as if it recognized him.
“I know it’s a lot,” he continued, his voice low, careful. “And maybe I should’ve said this differently. But I just… I wanted you to stop looking at me like I’m crazy for trying.” He gave a short, nervous laugh, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t help it. I feel pulled to you.”
“That’s why you’ve been so damn persistent?” My words came out harsher than I meant.
He rubbed the back of his neck, his shoulders tense, and let out a humorless chuckle. “Yeah. Guess I’m not subtle.”
My chest constricted, a nervous tremor spreading through my fingers.
“You’re wrong.” I lied because I was too scared of this.
Philip’s gaze didn’t waver. There was an almost pitying sort of patience in his eyes, as if he was waiting for me to understand something inevitable.
“The golden bond floating between us says otherwise. I saw it the night you came to Falgon with that horrid ex-husband of yours.” He watched me closely. His gaze darkened slightly. “I was… disappointed.”
The word landed heavier than anger ever could.
“I followed you back to his house,” he continued calmly, as if admitting to something trivial. “I wanted to understand why you were wasting yourself on him.”
The air left my lungs. Followed me?
“You weren’t meant to be with Abram,” he said, almost thoughtfully. “That was never part of your story. You were meant to come to me.” His head tilted. “I suppose I can forgive the confusion. You didn’t know better yet."
Unease crawled down my spine.
“But I don’t like sharing what was meant to be mine.” His gaze dipped briefly and lingered. “And I don’t like knowing you gave him moments that belonged to me.”
Something cold settled in my chest. Abram had never spoken about me like that. Never framed my choices as mistakes to be forgiven.
Whatever this was, whatever Philip thought he was, it wasn’t fate. It was ownership and I felt violated knowing he watched Abram and I.
“I don’t need your forgiveness. In fact, shove it up your ass. I don’t want you,” I sneered.
Philip’s friendly smile faded. The warmth drained from his face, replaced by something sharp and cold. Standing before me wasn’t a man, it was a predator. His eyes darkened as he studied me, amused by my defiance. My hand slipped behind me, fingers closing around the knife. When I lifted it, he laughed, low and cruel.
“You can’t kill me, Elowyn. The heavens will curse you for killing your fated mate.”
“I don’t have to kill you. I can hurt you enough that you end yourself to escape what I do to you.”
Nyxthra hummed with approval beside me, her voice a dangerous whisper in my ear.He is right; you will be cursed if you kill him. See what he wants from you.
My jaw tightened, my pulse roaring in my ears.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“You, of course.” He stepped toward me, his smile returning, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be honest. When I realized that I had a fated mate, I didn’t want one. I’m not big on fate or love or any of that happily ever after shit. But after I saw you?” He smirked. “You had my attention. And your power is intoxicating.”
