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“Then... Monique?” He switched his gaze to our mate.
“Fine.” Monique threw her hands up in the air. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to regret this, but...”
She marched over to her small dining table and pulled out a chair. “You can perform the spell, Michael. But if you do anything weird... or wrong... I’ll know. And you’ll pay for that.”
Michael swaggered over to her, chuckling. “I know, my dear. You’ve always been the strongest witch in this realm. It’s one of many reasons I want you as my wife.”
Kyle and I stalked closer, not sure what was about to occur. She might need us.
“Do you mean Monique is the strongest... magically?” I asked, because she didn’t exactly look like she could bench press much weight.
Michael nodded. “Although Monique has only recently hit maturity, her magic has always been strong.”
“What’s her age got to do with it?” Kyle asked, a question that was on the tip of my tongue.
“Witches—and warlocks, for that matter—come into their full magic at twenty-one,” Monique said, smiling at us. “I’d always been told I had great potential, but it wasn’t until my birthday...”
She trailed off, shrugging as though it was nothing, but from the way the warlock was staring hungrily at her, I had to guess her potential had been realized, and it was important.
“Are you ready?” Michael asked.
Monique nodded, her head jerky. I wasn’t sure what this truth serum...thing...entailed.
I crossed my arms over my chest and stared down at her. My wolf lurked, not far from the surface.
I wasn’t giving this warlock a chance to get his hands on our woman. No way.
Michael lifted his hands, whispered some words, and flicked one of his wrists this way and that. He looked ridiculous, and if I wasn’t so wound up with tension, I would have called him a dickhead.
Monique’s eyes sprung wide, as if she’d felt something, but she didn’t look any different to me.
I narrowed my gaze at the warlock. “What’s meant to happen?”
Monique held up her hand, swaying a little on her chair like she was drunk. “You get three questions, Michael. That’s it. Then you take this off me.”
I glanced at Kyle, but his eyebrows were drawn together and he appeared as uncertain as me. When I looked back at Monique, I checked for any visible sign that Michael had done something to her but couldn’t see anything.
“Question number one,” Michael said, walking away with his hands behind his back. Then he turned and addressed her. “Monique, do you want to be with these two wolf shifters? Live with them? Marry them?”
Monique’s giggle was adorable, but my heart thumped with sickening strength as I waited for her to answer.
She lifted her head and smiled. “Yes, I do. Both of them. I can’t imagine my life now without Xander and Kyle in it.”
I glanced over at Kyle, noting his quick grin, and would have high-fived him, if I hadn’t realized how juvenile that would have been. Happiness soared through me nonetheless, and the same relief was mirrored in his eyes.
Michael’s face was expressionless, his mouth a straight line. He huffed out a slow breath and continued.
“Question number two.” He started to pace again, moving around slowly like a school principal on detention duty. “Does a small part of you still want to be with me? Marry me?”
Monique sucked in her breath and held it. Her cheeks bloomed with heat.
I gently shook her shoulder. “Monique! Breathe!”
When I glanced up at Michael with worry, wry humor glinted in his eyes. “She knows how to get around these spells, and she’s fighting. I told you she’s strong.”
He seemed more proud than mad at her for fighting him, which I had to admit, I kind of admired about him. If the warlock wanted Monique, then he had to accept that she was feisty. And part of me knew she’d only get more so as she got older.
I shook her again. “Monique, it’s okay. Tell the truth. Kyle and I can handle it.”
