“See me through what, exactly?” I demand, my voice borderline shrill. I can’t seem to stop it. All I want to do is… is…scream. Run. Hide.Wake up.
“You’re the first Omega to enter Monsterland in over a thousand years,” Beast says. “The realm is full of hungry Alphas and bored Betas. Now, they’re all intrigued by your presence.”
“I’m not an Omega,” I grit out. “I’m a human.”
Craze just shakes his head. “I’ve already explained that species don’t matter, but…” He waves a hand at me, similar to how I just gestured at Beast and Master Pillar.
“You’re not just any Omega,” Beast continues like Craze and I didn’t just speak. “You’reourOmega. The one we’ve been hunting for the last several hundred years. And you are going to help us reclaim the Monsterland court.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
CATUM
Ailsa’s scentis like a drug. I want to lean into her neck, inhale, andbite.
But I hold myself back—just barely—and watch the emotions playing out across her pretty face.
She has no idea how important she is to us, how valuable, howrare.
Denial is written across her features, drowning out all of the competing reactions. At least until curiosity starts to peek through, causing her full lips to curl slightly downward. “What’s the Monsterland court?” she asks in a breathy voice, one that reminds me of sex.
Flames, I want her. I want to strip that cloak I just wrapped her up in, remove the remains of her blue dress, and devour every inch of her with my tongue.
It’s a visceral need that’s been begging to be released for two fucking years. Since I took over asMaster Pillar.
I should correct her, give her my first name, but I love the waymastersounds on her tongue.
“Monster royalty,” Krolic tells her. “It’s tradition for the king and his mate-circle to hunt for an Omega mate. The royal court is supposed to be protected in the king’s absence. But animposter stepped in during our absence. And with your help, we’re going to expose his real identity.”
“I don’t…” She shakes her head. “I don’t understand. How am I going to help you expose…? What are we exposing exactly? I mean, who?”
“We’re going to take back the Silver King’s throne,” Krolic says, trying a new route. “And we’re going to make you the Monsterland Queen.”
“Me?” She gapes at him. “Did you miss the part about me being human?”
Krolic catches her chin between his thumb and forefinger, then crowds her personal space. “You say that like there’s something wrong with being human, Ailsa.”
“I’m… I’m nothing,” she sputters. “No powers. No… no anything.”
“You have no idea what you’re capable of, little mate,” he murmurs. “But we’re going to show you. We’re going to help you. And we’re going to protect you.”
“I don’t even know you!” she shouts back, clearly at her wits’ end. I can’t really blame her. This is a lot of change for one day.
“You’ve spent the last two years getting to know me,” Krolic reminds her. “Just in my wolf form. Craze might be new to you, but we both know Catum isn’t. You’ve been dreaming about him for two years.”
She sputters, her cheeks pinkening. “I have not.”
“Little liar,” I murmur, my lips curling. “You have quite the wicked little mind, Miss Marvel.” I know because I’ve witnessed some of those dreams, and perhaps influenced them a little, too. “You’ve been ours since Krolic first scented you. Now we’re going to ensure all of Monsterland knows.”
“This is insane,” she whispers. “Insane.”
“Welcome to the mayhem, little rabbit,” Craze says with a wink. “Sorry,Ailsa.”
I frown. “What’s wrong withlittle rabbit?”
“Our mate doesn’t like nicknames,” he tells me.
“Well, that’s too bad,” I reply, looking at her again. “Because I can think of a lot of things I’d like to call you, Miss Marvel.” Starting withmine.
