Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 89554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Several people in the gallery gasped, though Hexius remained stoic.
“But here’s where it gets even more twisted,” Camille continued, her voice dropping dramatically. “Hondros had been giving his granddaughter what he claimed was ‘medicine’ during her years living with him. This substance, derived from ancient dark magic, permanently blocks the telepathic bonds between mates. The grandfather’s goal? To prevent Samira’s future mate from reading her thoughts, allowing Hondros to eventually control her through supernatural means.”
The reporter paused, allowing her audience to absorb this information before continuing. “When Hexius Mercier rejected Samira six years ago—a rejection the court learned was influenced by Hondros feeding false information to both brothers—the grandfather flew into a rage. He’d assumed mates would be instantly, irresistibly attracted to each other. Believing the devil had cheated him, he threw Samira out of the family home, cutting her off entirely.”
“But the devil had kept his bargain,” Camille said with relish. “Hexius Mercier was indeed Samira’s perfect mate. It was Hondros’s own manipulations that caused the initial rejection.”
She gestured to the crowd. “The story only gets more complex. The court heard how Hondros gave ancient compatibility findings to Alphonse Mercier, the former Snow Leopard King, who had no idea these perfect scores came from a demonic bargain. Alphonse, we learned, genuinely meant well—he wanted his younger brother to find happiness.”
The camera panned across the gallery, finding Alphonse seated with his arm around a beautiful blonde woman. “Speaking of the former king, there he sits with his wife, Brandy Mercier. Yes, you heard that right—Brandy, who was nearly killed trying to stop Vaughn’s attack, has since married Alphonse Mercier.”
Camille’s eyes gleamed as she moved to the most salacious part of her report. “And here’s an exclusive tidbit from our investigative team: we tracked down several participants from that fateful speed dating event three months ago. Every single man who spoke with Samira that night told us the same thing—they’d love another chance if the Leopard King ever lets her go.” She laughed. “Though I doubt that’s happening anytime soon.”
The camera finally found Hexius as he rose from his seat, preparing to leave. Camille practically sprinted over, microphone extended. “Your Majesty! How do you feel knowing you’ll never be able to read your mate’s thoughts? That this telepathic bond all mated couples share has been permanently blocked? Don’t you feel cheated?”
Hexius paused, one eyebrow rising in that distinctly arrogant way of his. The entire courtroom seemed to hold its breath.
“Why would I need to read my mate’s mind to know what she’s thinking?” His voice was calm, matter-of-fact. “I love her. It is enough.”
A collective sigh rose from every woman in the vicinity. Camille pressed on, “But what about those speed dating participants who expressed interest—”
“They can look at her,” Hexius said with terrifying calm, “and they die.”
As he strode away, leaving a courtroom full of swooning women in his wake, Camille faced her camera with flushed cheeks. “There you have it, folks. How would it feel, to be so loved by the Leopard King? This is Camille Dubois, signing off.”
I SINK LOWER IN THE cafeteria chair as literally everyone turns to stare at me. My face is probably redder than the tomato soup Spencer’s eating—or trying to eat, since she’s too busy laughing at me to actually consume anything.
“‘I love her. It is enough,’” Maryah quotes in a dreamy voice, clutching her chest dramatically.
“Stop it,” I beg, covering my burning face with both hands.
“Never,” Spencer laughs. “Did you see the reporter’s face? I thought she was going to faint right there.”
“Or proposition him,” Anastasia adds wickedly. “Though his whole ‘look at her and die’ thing probably killed that impulse.”
Like, seriously, I still can’t believe this is my life now. Two months ago, I was getting my heart shattered in a speed dating event, convinced I’d never be loved. Now I’m mated to the Leopard King, who apparently goes around telling reporters he loves me on national television.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Hexius: On my way. Five minutes.
My stomach does that stupid flippy thing it always does when I know he’s coming. You’d think after two months of being mated, one month of living together, and countless nights of...well, you’d think I’d be used to him by now.
But nope.
“I know that look on your face,” Spencer says with a snicker.
“What look?” I protest.
“The ‘my ridiculously hot preter husband is about to walk in and I’m going to forget how to form words’ look,” Maryah supplies helpfully.
“I do not—”
The cafeteria doors open, and my protest dies in my throat because stars above, how is he even real?
“Ladies,” he greets my friends politely, but his gaze never leaves mine. “Samira.”
He says my name the way he always says it these days. All low and smooth and sexy, and his French accent is still to-die-for. I want to sound just as sexy, but when I finally speak—