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“What the fuck?”

The man scoffs, finally releasing his hold on me. “That’s what I’d like to know.”

I look up, blinking against the tears in my eyes. This isn’t the first time I’ve broken my nose, and it’s unlikely to be the last, but it never gets any less painful.

Frowning, I realize I recognize the faces around me. Brenden is the first my eyes focus on as he stares at me blankly. Wraith, Donovan,and Cassian are here, which means Audrey must be here as well. Lifting my eyes, I find her and Wren standing with another woman who looks just like them. Their mom, maybe?

Why am I here?

Finally, spinning on my heel to face my attacker, I blanch when I see it’s Lucifer. “What’s going on?”

“I’ve just been informed that you rejected my daughter as your mate.”

Uh…I’m so fucking lost.

“I haven’t rejected anyone?” I glance over my shoulder at the scoffs that sound out behind me. “Wait. Did you say daughter?”

I know Lucifer had children with his previous consort, Persephone, but I’ve met them before, and they haven’t been around in a long time. I’m fairly certain they’re sleeping in Olympus with the other gods.

So what daughter is he talking about?

My eyes lock with Audrey’s, widening as the realization hits me.

“Audrey and Wren are my daughters,” Lucifer states, drawing my attention back to him. “I believe there is something I must clear up with you. There was never a curse, Nex. I was fucking with you. The only reason you werepunished is because the Fates informed me that you changed too many people’s destinies with your killing spree. We had to be sure it wouldn’t happen again. Anyone else I told I was placing a curse on their love life would know it wasn’t exactly something up my alley, so I wonder why you chose to believe it was true and for how long. Were you just punishing yourself?”

“I…I…I…” I don’t even know how to respond to that.

I’ve never been under a curse? Then why did everything fall apart the way it did? Why wasn’t I able to find my happily ever after?

Fuck.

Because neither of them had been born yet. My fated mates didn’t exist yet, so of course, nothing worked out with others. Because I didn’t want them to. I didn’t think I deserved to be happy.

I can already see how everything played out in my head and how I was the one sabotaging myself—just like I did with Brenden and Audrey.

My shoulders droop forward, agony rushing through me at the pain I’ve caused the two people I love, even when I wanted nothing more than to not love them.

I’m the one who did this. There’s no one else to blame except me.

“I didn’t reject them,” I croak finally, unable to get anything else just yet.

“Felt like a rejection to me,” Brenden says, his voice weird. I turn back to see his blank face still staring at me, and another realization comes to me—an even more uncomfortable one.

Lucifer clears his throat. “And how much do you know about rejected mate syndrome and what causes it, Nex?”

“It’s caused by the person’s belief that their mate bond is being rejected.” My eyes flash between Brenden and Audrey, watching their blank faces. “Whether it was the intention of the other party or not. The syndrome will only clear up with time and space, death of the mate, or acceptance of the mate bond by both parties.”

I fucked up so badly.

I knew I fucked up, but I didn’t realize just how badly I fucked up until right now. I’ve destroyed the only two people I’ve ever truly loved.

Fuck my life.

“I didn’t…that’s not what—” I break off at Donovan’s snarl. “It doesn’t matter what I meant or didn’t mean. It matters how you perceive it. I understand.”

My attention turns back to Lucifer. “I’m not sure what you wa—”

“I want you to fix it. Make it right. I don’t remember you being this much of an imbecile, Nex, so please stop playing stupid.”