Chapters (28)
“And you’re just taking a bride now, because…”
“The king or queen of the sea always abstains from sex while they’re on the throne.”
Umm, what?
“That has always been the rule, and the tradition,” Triton stated. “Since I became king, I haven’t touched anyone intimately. Now, there are so few merrae left that they all voted to break tradition by having me take a wife.”
I assumed merrae was the word for what he was. It fit better than mermaid, at least. Not better than mermonster, though.
“So you don’t really want to be married,” I said.
“It has never been my role to want that.” Triton watched me as he spoke, and I got the feeling he was choosing his words carefully.
“But if I agree to be your bride, your people expect me to do what, exactly?”
“You already agreed to be my bride when you kissed me.”
“You didn’t ask me,” I argued.
“That’s not how a mate bond works, Sweetheart. It’s not a verbal agreement. It’s a magical tie that binds two souls.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
He nodded lightly. “Our people expect me to breed with you. Repeatedly.”
Exactly what I had assumed.
Fuck.
My head spun.
I stood suddenly, unable to continue sitting while he towered above me like he held all of the power. But even when I stood, he still towered.
And no matter how much I wanted to believe otherwise, he did hold all of the power.
“I’d like to be alone,” I said, my voice trembling.
I was exhausted and overwhelmed, and I wasn’t sure I could handle much more insanity that night.
Or any more insanity that night.
It was technically daytime in Alterrae, but I’d been up too many hours to care.
“Being alone is a privilege I can’t provide you while your life is in danger because of the selkies.” Triton gestured to a couch near the door. “I can sit there while you rest to give you space, but that’s as far as I’ll go.”
“Fine.” I tugged my hair out of its ponytail and peeled my leggings off. He was going to get a good view of my ass in the wet boyshorts-style panties I still had on, but I didn’t have the energy to care.
And apparently he was my husband, so what did it even matter?
Triton turned the lights off as I tucked myself beneath the thin sheets. They felt amazing against my skin, and I realized they must’ve been the same sea silk that his skirt thing was made from.
I turned to my side so I didn’t have to see the king, and closed my eyes.
It took a few minutes to calm my mind, but eventually, the effects of spending nearly twenty-four hours shivering on the beach caught up to me and I crashed.