Arion continues carrying me around the mirrored room that has…pretty much gone to waste.

“Idun was once Emit’s mate. His wolf chose her because she helped to bring it into existence,” Arion states as he gingerly puts me on the bed. “The omegas somehow knew you’d be her replacement the day they met you, hence the reason they moved themselves in with you and made themselves yours. Emit’s apparently been subconsciously fighting the urge, because making you his mate will come at a huge price for him.”

I groan as I drop back to the bed, putting my arm over my head.

“Emit hasn’t even tried to date me. Why does mating sound more like marriage than dating?” I ask on a long sigh.

“Because it’s a bond that forges between two souls. Idun worked really hard to remove that mark from her body, and even she struggled to do so. It gives him a certain…authority on nights of the new moon.”

I sit up, since for once, we’re not discussing the full moon.

“Authority?”

Arion smirks again. “You’d have to ask the wolf for the details, and he’s going to need some space, clearly. He tied up your ex and left him in Damien’s car. It’s only going to—”

“What?!” I shriek, bolting off the bed.

He snatches my wrist and jerks me back down to the bed, while draping a leg across me to hold me in place. My heartbeat speeds up with the intimate contact.

He smells so good, and feels just as good against me. My body has missed his way too much, and all the wrong thoughts play in my head. It’s hell to resist the urge to run my fingers through his hair, especially when his dark eyes sweep over me with a clear sense of hunger.

“Don’t worry. I’ve handled it already, and I took first watch to see if you’re ready to be claimed or not,” he goes on, still dragging his gaze over my body. “Vampires do something very similar.”

Just when I think I finally have a handle on the world around me, the most unromantic monsters in the world rip the rug right out from under me.

“I’m still stuck on the part where Jerome was tied up, and you handled it. What did you do, Arion?” I ask very seriously.

“I made him forget it happened. He’s downstairs waiting for you to get back from your meeting so he can take you out for coffee. Sorry. I made him forget that happened as well. Do us all a favor and turn him down this time,” the asshole tells me with a sadistic grin flirting with his devious lips.

“How is it you’re just now noticing—”

“Violet, I want you to be my bride,” he inserts very randomly.

I forget what I was even saying as my eyes go wide and round in my head. This day started out so much more ordinary—well, sort of.

“I’m sorry, but did I somehow step into the Twilight Zone. Emit wants to mate me and mark me for werewolf marriage, and you suddenly want me as your bride—after both of you spent five months watching your ex! Do monster men not understand anything at all about women?”

Running a hand through my hair in frustration, I turn my back on him and try to get my breathing under control, but he keeps me pinned to his body.

“We’re your monsters, Violet. We understand better how to showcase that now. My apologies for taking this long to figure it out,” he goes on like this is a normal conversation.

“What’s that look?” he asks when I just turn to stare at him in stupefied horror.

“I broke up with you,” I state in as simple of words as possible. “And now you’re talking about making me your bride.”

He’s pins me to the bed and comes down on top of me so fast that my breath hisses between my lips in surprise.

Everything on me tries to catch fire from his cold touch, and my hips tilt forward like the traitorous body I’m attached to can’t seem to get the memo either.

Arion smirks, as his gaze stays fixed to mine, and he drags his pale index finger along my cheek. His eyes look even darker, and his skin looks flawlessly smooth with just a hint of shine.

His jaw looks to have been etched between masculine and feminine, giving him an edge of sexuality most men can’t pull off. He’s incredibly sexy when he reminds me how powerful he also is.

“Tell me you want me to walk away forever, and I will,” he whispers, brushing his lips along mine in a way that evokes a shudder throughout my body.

“Tell me you really want me to stop chasing, and I’ll leave you be,” he goes on, eyes searching mine as if he expects an answer.

Swallowing thickly, I start to shake my head, but stop. It’s the first time anyone has made that sort of statement.

“I don’t want to lose you as individual friends, but as a quad set of boyfriends…you all sort of suck. If I’m being honest,” I tell him quietly, swallowing the lump in my throat and pretending to be unfazed.

“I know we messed up, love, but you’re being too sensitive and very trigger happy on ending things,” he murmurs across my lips, his hand slipping under my shirt to rest on my side.

Steeling myself, I narrow my eyes, refusing to be belittled about this.

“The truth is…no woman could handle being mostly ignored by four distracted men, who were obsessed with watching every single thing their ex did, regardless of the circumstances. I don’t feel bad for being pissed about it. I told you I’d never compete.”