Her ex.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Lyric demanded, stomach filling with dread.
“You know exactly what I’m doing here, Lyr.” Cian lifted his chin higher into the air. His bi-colored gold and blue eyes looked her up and down. She’d done that to his face. She’d made him at Aro’s command.
She’d made him, but she’d made a mistake in the process. Cian had taught her that she needed to break the Maker Bonds before they formed.
“I actually don’t know what you are doing here, since we broke up four years ago, and I told you, ‘I never want to fucking see you again.’ I feel like I made it pretty clear also when I blocked you on everything, so you can understand why I’m a little confused on why you are in my house.” The volume of the last two words wrenched up and echoed through the clearing.
“I brought him here,” Eden said from behind him.
Cian gave an empty smile. “We are Packmates now, Lyr.”
“Stop calling me that,” she snapped, shoving past him. To Eden, she said, “You should be ashamed of yourself. You know what he did to me.”
“He did what you deserved—”
“That’s bullshit and you know it! You are supposed to be my sister. Sister’s don’t do this to each other!”
“As we are both well-aware, we are not real sisters, so now my role in your life is of your Alpha. Cian will bring you back into line. He will be your mate.”
Words failed her. Lyric arched her eyebrows and waited for the ‘Just kidding’ that would surely follow that horrid statement.
None came though.
“Lyr,” Cian said in that velvet smooth, coercive tone she remembered. His fingertips brushed her back, and Lyric flinched away.
Already her eyes were burning with tears. “I’m not pairing with him. Not again. You can’t make me—”
“I’m your Alpha!” Eden yelled.
“No you aren’t! Your new mate is Alpha here! And even if you were, that doesn’t give you the right to control people’s lives like this!” Lyric yelled back. “You called the person who hurt me and your move is to force me to be with him? Fuck you and fuck him.”
“I’m right here,” Cian said.
“Fuckyou,” she corrected herself, jamming her finger toward him.
“Look, I’m different now. I’ve changed—”
“Save it. That’s what every throw-away man says.”
“Throw-away man?” he asked, looking angry. “Do you know who I am?”
“I’m leaving,” Lyric gritted out, rushing toward the hallway that led to her room.
“The hell you are,” Eden said. “You will stay here, and we will all sit down at the table and talk about this.”
“Why him?” she yelled, infuriated.
“Because he’s the only one who could manage you.”
“I don’t want to be managed.”
“It’s not about what you want anymore, Lyric. It’s about what you need.”
“Oh, and you know what I need all of the sudden?”
“I’m you sister—”
