Page 106 of Hunted By Fear

“The pain of a rejected mate bond.”

“Don’t act so surprised.” The fact that Asta is speaking to me lets me know I haven’t hit him nearly enough, which is crazy because I’ve been doing it for hours now.

Despite knowing I shouldn’t, I take the bait.

“Why would you ever think I would expect you to reject your mate?” This should be good because I can’t think of one half-assed reason, let alone any good ones.

“We’re demons, Lucifer, you'rethe devil. The fucking King of Hell, and you want to tie your immortal soul to a mortal girl who’s only here because she’s running from Rome. An angel who’s taken advantage of her and is attempting to rewrite her life to make her love him enough that she never leaves him?”

“What Rome has done has nothing to do with us. We’re helping her, and it’s not like I set out to make her my mate. I’m not preying on the poor defenseless mortal.” I shove him hard enough that he stumbles back a step, but he manages to stay onhis feet as he glares back at me. “The universe picked her for me, for us!”

“Who says the universe is right? Who says the universe didn’t pick her for us before the fall? Who says we get to damn her soul to be with us?”

His words hit me like a slap in the face, and I stagger back a step.

“What?” I heard him, but no. “That’s not what this is…” I trail off, unable to argue against what he said because that’s exactly what this is.

I’d never believed I had a mate, so it wasn’t something I worried about. But he’s right; for me to keep her means she will be stuck here.

The Queen of Hell.

A position many would love, but only for the power, only for their own personal gain.

I knew I couldn’t keep her. Once she was free of Rome, she wouldn’t want me; she’s too pure, too good.

Everything I’m not.

But I’d tricked myself into believing we had time, that maybe, just maybe, she would decide to keep the bond.

The thought of her lying on the floor, the way she was just moments ago, kills me. I’d felt the pain through our bond, how all-consuming it was.

How am I to subject her to that again, knowingly?

“I never intended to keep her, but having her tied to me is for the best, at least for now. It keeps her safe from Rome.” It’s not a lie, but it still makes me feel sick to say it aloud.

“She doesn't even know us, and I won’t force myself on her just because the universe says so. Given the choice, she would never have picked us, at least not as we are now. You know that, and so do I.”

He’s right.

“The pain will fade, eventually, and she will be happier for it. You’ll see, once Rome is handled and she’s safe, she’ll be thanking me for this decision. She’ll go back topside and never think twice about what could have been because, despite her ability to look past it at the moment, we’re monsters, Luce. We always will be.”

I fucking hate it when Asta’s right.

“Inever intended to keep her, but having her tied to me is for the best, at least for now. It keeps her safe from Rome.”

Those words whirl around in my mind, playing over and over until I can no longer understand them, but even still, I feel the pain of them like a knife to the heart.

But why does it hurt?

How can I possibly feel anything else past the pain that already feels as if it’s a part of me, right down to my bones?

My hands find my hair, and I dig them in, pulling in hopes of distracting myself from this voice, but it’s useless.

“Stop!” I scream, my throat feeling raw and my voice coming out hoarse.

I didn’t realize I’d already been yelling and crying before now. I bite down on my bottom lip to stop it, only to taste blood.

What is happening?