Dark Alpha: A Fated Mates Novel

10: MATE BOND

~SINCLAIR~

"You don't believe me." She didn't deem him worthy of a response and began to hurl herself into the huge bed when he caught her.

She jumped a mile high like his touch was filled with vermin. "I'm not - I just want to show you something." Gods, the anger this woman carried for him was overpowering.
He began to unbutton, then thought better of it and ripped his dress shirt from his body before she got scared he was trying to force his unworthy body on her.

She stubbornly held his imploring gaze for few moments, then was overcome by curiosity. She looked down and started at the scar right in the middle of his chest. She hesitated. "Your wound?" He thought he heard a little satisfaction in her voice.

He shook his head. "I didn't use your blood. That's not what I'm trying to show you. Look." He pointed to the place beneath his left breast and the dark Celtic symbol on it.
She shook her head in denial. "I-don't know. What is that?"

He closed his eyes, feeling the pain of her heartbreak. "Our mating symbol."

"No." She turned her back to him and ripped her gown down to the waist. She peered inside it, and another whispered "No" followed.

She grabbed the upper bedcover and wrapped it around herself. "Take it off me. Take it off, take it off." She was hysterical at this point, chest rising and falling rapidly, and all he could do was stare helplessly.

"Vannie, you don't know how-"

"Don't patronize me." Then she seemed to push forward a little, as though she was dizzy. "What else was in the food except the draught?"

His mate may be in the worst phase of her life right now, but she was still whip-smart. Sin almost sighed out loud at how perfect she was.

He briefly considered lying, but squashed it. He wouldn't make himself more unworthy of her. "A protection spell."

"Zara made the spell and cloaked it? So I wouldn't be able to identify it?"

Sin nodded. Brilliant girl.

He began to leave, the talk about protection reminding him that he needed to catch the sorcerer. The blood rushed into his head, knowing he was going to kill the bastard the moment he caught sight of him.

"Maeve will stay with you and double the hexes in the room. My Keepers will - just... don't be scared of any more attacks, okay?" He stopped, realizing the mention of Keepers wouldn't put her at ease. He reached the door when her voice floated back to him.

"What do I need protection against?"

"Yourself," he whispered, and turned the knob.

***

"It's obvious the Crinites are building up an army bigger than we've ever seen. Our sources say they're trying to usurp the throne and demolish the border between the Inlands and Crin."

This was not the first time murmurs about rebellion have reached Sin. He'd been sure it wouldn't be his problem to handle, seeing as he was half-crazed and ready to retire.
Now, he had a mate and a responsibility to protect her lands.

"Set up a meeting. I'll pay a visit to Crin."
By yourself? He saw that they wanted to ask. But they didn't dare question a King's order, so they bowed in unison and mouthed their agreement. Sin was gratified for all of two seconds, before he remembered Vannie.

What would she say if she knew how unapproachable his people found him?
And because his thoughts had conjured her, anyway, he had to see her. It had been an entire day of giving her space and hoping she was adjusting to her new setting very well, and now the longing wanted to pierce his fucking throat.

"Let's round this off quickly. The faster we bring them to heel, the better for everybody."

If there was one thing his Elders loved more than anything, it was the promise of war. "How will you punish them?"

"Well, I'll confirm first that they are planning a rebellion." A strange hum went over the group at his declaration, and Sin understood perfectly. They were not used to seeing their King hesitate over making a scapegoat out of a people.

That was why he destroyed Vannie's family. He'd heard that the Zhodian Alpha, Vannie's Sire, was secretly creating weapons of warfare made specially of titanium dioxide. It was clear who the small bullets were meant for, and Sin hadn't wasted any time over turning the place into ashes, no questions asked, no investigations concluded.

He would pay for that mistake for the rest of his life. And so, he wouldn't commit another error of that proportion ever again.

"I'll go there to see for myself that this army is thriving, and then I shall mete judgement. Till then, we can focus on other things."

His Elders very reluctantly went with the flow. He didn't need to read their minds to see how anxious they were to wipe out another part of the Realm, but Sin couldn't give them what they wanted.

Wouldn't give them.

"We should prepare for the wedding of you and the Queen. It's been a month since you met her. Surely, we can start arranging now for a coronation."

Sin let out a shade of his daemon at the Elder, who jumped high in the air, then fell on his face. Every other person twitched in sympathy. He held their attention at the palm of his hand.

"I'm going to say this once more. The Inlands have a humongous debt to pay to the Queen. We're not entitled to anything she has to give us, and we won't ask anything of her. Whatever comes out of our alliance with her will come from her own will."

He didn't need to ask if he was understood, because he knew he was. He'd made his mate do many things against her will in the past. Never again.

"We're your servants, Your Majesty."

Good. "Now, dispatch Keepers to find the sorcerer that broke into my mate's chambers. I want him gone."