I stare at Devinyx in horror.What did I do?I mean, I was all for getting my revenge and teaching Pepper a lesson, but to force her into a life without love or a chance to find it… What kind of life is that?
I feel all the blood drain from my face as the world starts to spin.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Knox says, grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around, pressing me against his chest. “No passing out,” he says, before pressing his lips against mine.
The man doesn’t know the effect he has on me because now I’m lightheaded for another reason. He deepens the kiss, and my world tilts, and I realize it’s because he’s bent me backward. He has the smuggest look on his face after he sets me upright, butI’m too overwhelmed to set him straight when Devinyx comes over to me.
‘You’re a strong mate for the Magna Mortalitas. I approve.’She nods and looks back at Pepper.
“Are you nuts?” I get in her face and wave my arms. “How is that a good thing?”
There’s a deep chuckle in my head before I even see Axton slink his way into the moonlight.
‘You nonshifters don’t understand,’he comments as he lazily wanders up to our gathering.
Watching the lazy prince meander our way, I cross my arms and lean back on one leg, popping out a hip. This might take a while.
“Well, are you going to tell us or just mock us all night?” I spit out, not at all liking the idea that he’d rather ridicule us to hog the spotlight than to pass on the knowledge and move on.
‘For shifters, it works both ways. We can either initiate the mating or accept. For instance, it looks like you accepted your marking, yet you haven’t marked your mate. Yet you are mated, am I to assume that is correct?’He sits down in front of me, and I suddenly blush as I drop my arms and touch my shoulder where Fluffer’s bite mark is.
“Yes.”
‘What you did to Pepper, slicing into her powered tips, just made it so that she can’t pick her mate. You took away her power. She will have to wait for someone to pick her first, and then she will have to accept them,’Devinyx explains, still beating around the bush.‘Or die alone if she’s too fucking picky about who she wants.’Axton’s snide comment also seems personal, and I look at Pepper a little more closely.
Did something go down between them? Or did Axton want something to go down between them?
Shit. I wanted to teach her, but I didn’t want to affect her life this much. Am I a horrible person?Doubt washes over me for a moment until a brief thought hits me.
Stand by your actions.
Right. I need to stop second-guessing myself. She asked for it by fucking with my man.
"You'll be lucky if someone wants you, so I wouldn’t be too picky if someone’s unfortunate enough to choose you.”
Avoiding Knox at all costs, Pepper lowers her eyes and turns to sulk away in shame, hopefully to lick her physical and emotional wounds.
I turn to look at everyone, and they all seem wide awake.
“I’m sorry for waking everyone,” I apologize.
“It’s okay, bestie.” Moni smiles and gives me a big squeeze. “I was kinda already awake. I needed heaven!” She holds up a to-go cup of Sparks.
Figures.
“If everyone is okay, we might as well head out,” Knots suggests.
“I’m down,” I cheer, raising my hand like I’m back in school—anything to get away from the prickly kitty with a bad attitude.
CHAPTER 44
Neptune? Is that you?
Lynx
Afew hours ago, we said our goodbyes to the netherwraiths and headed North until sunrise, when we finally got to take a quick break for breakfast in the morning light. According to Devinyx, we should be close to the portal.
As we head off, I can’t help but let my mind wander since I’m not running point or in the back of the group. Knox and Ryker have graciously filled those positions; our warriors. Technically, all of us are warriors now. I didn’t even have to enroll at Purgatory Prep to earn that title. Thankfully, being a Stormshifter, I don’t have to worry about needing this Gauntlet or the Fates’ blessing to move between planes.
