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Excuse me? I turn to glare at him. But what I see turns my glare into shock, only for it to return twice as furious.
“Why are your eyes like that?” I demand.
He blinks at me. “What?”
“Castor, why the fuck are your eyes cloudy?” His normally dark irises are hazy, just like Eden’s. And just like mine. “What did you do?”
“Nothing,” he blurts. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Fists clenched, I glance at Eden. My mate. But her eyes have closed and her breaths are heavy. She’s sleeping.
Good. She doesn’t need to see this.
“Lux?” Castor murmurs before I grab him by his collar and haul him across the room. “Lux, stop!” He claws at my arms. “I haven’t done anything—”
I shove him against the wall. “When did you create your bond with her?” I whisper-yell, not wanting to wake Eden. “Tell me the fucking truth or I swear I’ll—”
“I didn’t,” he wheezes. “I swear, Lux. I would never betray you—”
“Liar.” Water builds against my palms. Water that will soon be forced down his fucking windpipe unless he starts to speak the truth. “When. Did. You. Do. It?”
He shakes his head. “Please, Lux. The only time I ever messed with her was when you said I could. I wouldn’t steal my own brother’s mate. Think about this.”
Water foams at my fingers. I don’t want to kill him. But I can’t think right now. Every time I blink all I see is her. Eden. My princess. Not his.
“It must be because our magic is connected,” Castor thinks out loud. “If I had mated with someone else, you would’ve bonded to her too.”
“I don’t want anyone else,” I snarl.
“I know, brother. I know.” He takes my dripping hands as I relax my grip on his shirt.
What the fuck is happening right now? I can’t kill Castor. Fuck.
“She’s mine.” The words fall out of me. “I don’t care if you’re bonded to her too. Teasing her and watching while I claimed her is one thing. You will not let yourself love her like I do, and I won’t let her love you.”
“I understand.” He nods slowly. “And I’d never dream of taking your mate from you.”
My gaze pierces his, hating every glimmer of the bond that swims in his eyes. My bond. My bond with my princess.
“Let’s have a drink together,” he suggests. “Talk this through while she rests?”
I glance over my shoulder at Eden. Her rosy chest rises and falls with every breath. I want nothing more than to lay beside her and kiss her until she wakes.
But I have to deal with this first. Otherwise I can’t guarantee that I won’t throw her over my shoulder and march us down to Castor’s depraved club. I know he has toys there that men use to stop their women from straying.
Damn it. What am I thinking?
Releasing my grip on his shirt, I nod. “There’s strong whisky in the living room. We’ll talk there.”
“Good,” he says, relieved, before his gaze darts to the puddle my magic made on the floor. “I’ll meet you there. You don’t need to worry about this, Lux.” He steps outside before I can say anything else.
I’m only able to breathe when the door shuts tightly behind him.
30
CASTOR
For the first time in my life, I just lied to my brother…
