Mate

by Ali Hazelwood

“Lowe seems . . .” I return to my chair. Run my palms down the legs of my sweats. “Very protective. Of me and of you, I think.” “Isn’t he fucking adorable?” Koen’s tone is pure fondness. “Always been like that, since before his balls dropped. Best Were I’ve ever met.”

He sighs. “Humans are so fucking dramatic.”

Bob and some other jizzmuffin,

“rotten cockwomble.”

“Someone will bring me money. A fairy. A creepy fairy made of tooths.” “We’ve been over this, pest. The fairy takes the teeth, but she’s not made of . . .” Misery waves her hand. “You know what? Sure. The damn fairy is made of enamel and pulp.”

His leadership philosophy seems to be if inconvenient, why not dead?

baby werebananas.

“But what about the martyr character arc I’ve always wanted?” “Not on my watch. Not in my territory. Not under my protection.”

Her laughter adjusts the spin of his atoms.

“Mouthy, isn’t she, Boden?” He sighs. “Never thought I’d be into that, and yet. Bane of my fucking existence.”

“You’re just stuck with her because she’s . . .” “Because she’s what?” Boden seems to have found his limit. The one thing he isn’t willing to bring up. “Come on,” Koen urges calmly. “Say it. What is she?”

“He’s dead.” “Could reports of his passing have been greatly exaggerated?” “I ripped his heart out of his chest, chewed it for half a minute, and then spit it into the ocean.” I nod slowly. “A simple ‘no’ would have sufficed.”

“Can you Humans just not sit normally?” “Can you Weres just not mind your business?”

“Serena. If you’re not going to let me bullshit an answer, just stop asking questions.”

His nuisance. That’s what she is.

I’ve never had a family to disappoint before, and it’s a bit of a power trip. Lots of fun. I don’t understand what Misery has been going on about.

“You pathetic asshole.” The Vampyre voice jostles him awake. He’s asleep beside Serena’s bed— has been for . . . He doesn’t care. “It’s kinda gross, how madly in love with her you are. But please, continue. Pitiful, twitterpated men are very entertaining.”

“Such a fucking nuisance.” I wonder why it took me until this very moment to realize that it’s been his way of saying I love you all along.

Perfection. His mate is perfect. He’ll massacre whoever tries to take her from him, of course.

He would die for her, and he would kill for her. More importantly, he will live for her. She’ll be the purpose driving every second of his every day.