Chapter 5

The words hung in the air. The den went dead silent.

I looked up at Ezra. He studied me as if weighing whether I was joking.

Then he let out a low chuckle.

“Break the mating bond?”

He bent down. My reflection looked tiny in his golden eyes.

“Cressida.”

He clicked his tongue, as if thinking.

“How old were you when you first saw me? Sixteen? Seventeen?”

He shook his head. “I forget. Back then, obedience was the only thing you had going for you. You hid behind your brother Dorian like a scared little rabbit.”

“I asked if you wanted to come with me.”

He straightened up. He adjusted his cuffs. “You blushed. You nodded. You didn’t even hesitate.”

“I also told you I’m a born conqueror. I don’t force females to stay. And they can’t force me to belong to just one.”

He let out a sigh. He looked at me with a trace of pity. “What did you say back then? You said you were willing.”

“And now you’re threatening to break the bond.”

He brushed a tear from my cheek. He tilted his head. “Isn’t that a bit unfair to me?”

“Alright. Enough crying. You’ve handled this just fine all these years. Today was my mistake. Next time, I won’t get caught.” He dug his fingers into my shoulders and turned me toward the massive obsidian mirror, where his smug face stood beside my tear-soaked one.

“Know how old that little bitch was? Twenty. And you’re what... twenty-six this year? Stop using cheap tricks to keep me around. Spend your time waking up your Moon Goddess powers instead...”

“After all, our bloodlines are the best match. Those other girls are just passing flings. They don’t matter.”