Page 5

Nex

I sit at my desk, staring out at my students as they work with their magic.

It’s been over a day since I walked out on Audrey and Brenden, and to say I’m in a shitty mood is putting things lightly.

I didn’t want to leave them, but it had to be done. I’m not going to allow this damn curse to hurt them.

Fuck. Maybe it’s time to see Lucifer about it.

It’s been a very long time, and technically, I guess my original punishment is up. Maybe he’ll be willing to revoke the curse on me. Surely, that’s a thing, right? There has to be a way to reverse curses .

I run my hand through my hair, likely leaving it in disarray as I sigh.

My students glance up at me, but when they notice me looking their way, they duck their heads.

Yeah, I might have been taking out my bad mood on them for the last two days.

“Nex Novak,” a menacing voice says near my ear, and I startle. “I believe you’re needed for a conversation.”

Jerking my head around, I try to figure out who the hell just snuck into my classroom, but their hand slips into my hair and jerks my head back before slamming it forward.

Pain courses through me as my face meets the table—which is not my desk. Blood explodes from my now-broken nose.

“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 were punished 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 me ant 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.”

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Lucifer this angry before, as hellfire flashes in his eyes. He wasn’t even this mad when he was handing out my punishment.

“There’s nothing for him to fix. I already tried to tell you this.

” Audrey’s voice is just as devoid of emotion as Brenden’s, and I fucking hate it.

“Even if his intention wasn’t to reject us, he did.

We can’t trust him not to do it again. Instead of worrying about this, you should be trying to help us figure out how I keep the fourth mate, who actually wants to be with me. ”

“Audrey, I’m sorry—”

She cuts me off with a look. “I don’t care what you are or aren’t. Your presence isn’t needed, so feel free to leave.”

When she looks away from me, it’s almost as if she forgets I’m there.

Maybe she does. Or maybe she just wants to forget.

I hang my head, unsure how to handle this—of what I’m meant to be doing.

Lucifer leans in close. “You’re not to leave until you fix this, or I’ll kill you and fix it for her.

But we both know if the Fates told her she’d have three mates or five, there’s no way for her to have Cassian without also having you.

Although, maybe your death will solve both problems—I’m definitely willing to find out.

I don’t care what you have to do to make it right, just do it.

I want to get to know my daughter, and I can’t do that right now. ”

I grit my teeth because I don’t need him to threaten me to want to fix this, but based on their reactions, I’m afraid my relationships with Audrey and Brenden are irreparable.

That doesn’t mean I won’t try to repair it. I’m just at a loss at where to even begin.

I’m not cursed—I was never cursed.

Fuck.

It’s unhelpful, but that’s all that keeps crossing my mind.

How the hell am I going to fix this? How am I going to make it right?

How do you make something better when it’s caused your mates to feel rejected?

I wasn’t even sure if Brenden was my mate —

No. I’m done lying to myself. I knew he was my mate, and I just wanted to ignore it. I was willfully blind about the whole situation with my mates. I thought it was to protect all three of us—more to protect them than myself—but that was a lie.

How many lies have I told myself over the years? How many times have I denied myself in order to punish myself?

I take a step away from the table—a table there’s no room for me at—wondering where we are and why.

I’m afraid to voice my questions—afraid I’ll be forced to leave. I need to know what’s happening so I know how to keep my mates safe.

Because, yes, they’re my mates. Whether they accept me or not, they’re still my mates. I might not know how to fix this, and it pains me to admit that, but I will do what I can to keep them safe, even if they want nothing to do with me.

“So, now what?” Audrey asks, her eyes on Lucifer as she retakes her seat.

“Now, I need to figure out what Michael is up to.”

A dark chuckle draws our attention to the doorway opposite Lucifer. “Well, I think I can make that pretty easy on you. I knew you’d run to your mommy next. So predictable.”

I bare my teeth, realizing this must be Michael. The man—make that angel—who killed my mate and her sister. I should take care of him now before he can do any further harm, but when no one else at the table moves, I remain standing against the wall, wondering what exactly is going on.