Chapter 846

I shudder at the thought, every instinct in me screaming not to do it. My wolf is right - Gabriel's bossy wolf will bully her, and corrupt her, and turn her to his will. The idea of my sweet rose-gold wolf all covered in oil, her eyes glowing in the darkness, her lungs heaving with her singular desire to fulfill the God of Darkness's will...

I clench my teeth against it as another whine slips from her muzzle. No, impossible - I'll never let that happen.

But...Faiza is right. My grandmother gave me this bond for a reason - and now that I know that accepting the bond and receiving my mates mark gives me new and intensified access to my magic? Isn't it...isn't it my duty, and my fate, to accept that magic? Especially if it can help my nation and even – maybe - end this war.

I mean, that's possible, after all. Look what I can do with only two mates by my side. What will my magic become with three?

I groan, torn, falling back against my pillows with a scowl. Maybe if I just...wait three months the Goddess will make good on her promise and give me a new mate instead of Gabriel, whose good looks do nothing at all to counterbalance his crap personality and penchant for violence. I growl a little as I raise my hand to my bruised jaw, pissed off and kind of wishing that Faiza did indeed send me some pain killers alongside the poison.

God, what the hell am I going to do? Now that I have a weapon, how will I wield it? And what steps do I want to take before I do? Would I be worth exploring my connection with Gabriel now to investigate how his magic impacts mine?

Or should I just kill him now and have it done?

I sigh, tucking myself into the pillows and letting my mind turn over the problem, closely inspecting every detail.

"Gabriel!" My door flies open and I shriek, nearly jumping out of my skin at the sudden noise after several hours of relative silence. "Don't you dare go in there!"

"Oh, shut up, Pippa," Gabriel snaps, sneering over his shoulder at Elias and Pippa as they storm in after him.noveldrama

"She's being confi-"

"No one cares!" my mate barks as Elias angrily shuts the door behind him, sending me an apologetic look. Gabriel turns to me, his hands on his hips. "Get up."

I narrow my eyes and settle myself more completely in my pillows. "I can't," I say, petulant and pouting. "I have cramps. Ow."

My mate rolls his eyes at me. "You women and your weakness. Get up!"

I take a deep breath, prepared for a prolonged fight in which I force him to drag me to my feet if he wants me to get out of this bed, but Elias sighs and steps forward.

Get

"Honestly, Ariel, it's not worth it,” he says, shaking his heads and slipping his hands in his pockets as Pippa comes this side, her face furious. "He's called a banquet tonight and he wants you there. He'll drag you there by your hair if he has to, confinement or not."

Gabriel bares his teeth at me, letting me know that it's true.

"This is scandalous," Pippa growls. "The entire staff know that she's being

confined – this breaks a thousand years of tradition –“

"Well, I will be King soon,” Gabriel snaps, his eyes still on me. "Which means that I get to say what tradition is. And if I want my mate by my side, she'll be there, confinement or not."

I go a bit still as I stare at my mate, at the coldness of his blue eyes. Because what does he mean he'll be

King soon? After all, he's still got a cousin and an uncle in the way.

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"Come, mate," Gabriel snarls, looking me over. "It's time for you to dress for

dinner. And tonight I will have you looking every inch my Queen."