Page 43 of Hated By the Gargoyle

“You swore you would not leave me, wife.”

“And I’m not. But I have to go home–”

“You promised!” I screamed, and Lucero flinched.

She flinched away from me.

Like I was a beast.

I huffed, finding it difficult to breathe.

Had she lied to me? Did she truly not want to be with me? No. That could not be possible. She was mine. We were mated now, in every sense of the word. She was my wife.

“You are not allowed to leave me,” I growled, pacing through our den. But the energy still buzzed inside my veins, searching for a way out and darkness crept along the edges of my vision.

Lucero scrambled from the blankets, standing on her knees. “Qanek, you can’t keep me here forever.”

“You will not leave,” I growled. The words had come from a pit deep inside me. The darkness closed in and I attempted to bat it away from my waking thoughts, but it took hold, opening its wide maw to swallow me whole. “I forbid it.”

Lucero appeared outraged. All the ease that I had fucked onto her expression disappeared, leaving anger behind.

Fine.

Anger I could deal with. I knew what her hatred tasted like and I could counter it with my own. Except… those jaws began closing around me and it was a struggle suddenly to breathe.

“You forbid it?” she snapped back. “Qanek, what is wrong with you? I just want a change of clothes and hair products–”

“I can provide for you. I vowed I would. I have provided for you. Do you doubt me as a husband?”

“That’s not it–”

“Then why must you insist on leaving? You cannot. You are mine. I hunted you. I fucked you. You are mine.”

“Qanek.” She raised her hands. “I’m not a fucking pet. You can’t keep me locked in here. I have a life back home. This was fun, but a human can’t survive in this den forever–”

I staggered back, slamming a fist against my chest. “You find our home inadequate?”

She sighed. “I didn’t say that.”

“You did.”

“I didn’t.”

“You did.”

“Qanek! I just mean that I have things back at home that need to be sorted.”

“You left your life behind the moment you let me pierce you with my cock. You gave yourself to me, feral creature. I will not allow you to leave.”

“Qanek, you can’t–”

I shook my head violently, turning away from her protests. I could not deal with them. I refused to accept them. She would not leave me. Not after she vowed her loyalty and gave me her body. I would not be made to look a fool more than I already did.

She was mine.

Mine.

I could not let her go back.