Mated to the Monster

to the living. Broken buildings clawed at the sky, their bones jutting like forgotten reli

once mere myths in bedtime stories-werewolves, vampires, sirens, dragons, and the fae. Crea

a city square. My boots crunched on scorched stone, and soot clung to my skin like a second layer. The healing herbs I'd coll

a voic

, her red braid flying like a banner. She skidded to a

shing ash from my coat. "The

hat if a patrol found you?" Her voice lowered. "Y

. We a

't get

not th

er my skin. She cared. I didn't deserve it

before leaning in. "They say the Alpha King

d. I knew that na

xus. The M

rumored to glow crimson when blood was spilled. The one whose mate

id, voice barely above a breath. "He do

y anything.

. part of me wanted

ied me more than h

ed buildings, my eyes flicking to every shifting shadow. Even

ed in the cracks of a crumbling world, hidden beneath the eyes of monsters who'd claimed dominion over us. There were no street signs

mehow, it

"You should go underground for the night. With him coming, it'

but I di

e too well. "You're still ha

ught. "They'r

e night you turned seventeen, and they

not ever. Because those dreams didn't feel like

in shadows. Blood on snow. A whisper of

sometimes I woke up wi

m watching me

like I belonged to s

tead. "I have to drop thes

t said she didn't beli

a healing ward. Humans didn't have access to high-tech meds or magical cures anymore. We

the air was thick wit

uring a chant under her breath. She looked up as I en

mugwort," I said, kneeling to lay

reached for mine. "Y

d. "Just tired o

filled with too much sorr

cking bandages, pretending the world above wasn't w

sh

emor in the ground,

of twilight, but a dense, unnatural quiet, as if

. the

ood. N

we

smoke, thick and ancient, pr

as h

xus. The A

e huddled deeper into the shadows. Mothers clutched children. Healers stop

sobbed

tairs before anyo

any right to be, as if the moon refuse

en I s

but shadow-walkers, fae hybrids with glowing eyes an

d

some stories said. He didn't we

wal

purp

e gloom, a long black coat fluttering around his tall frame like smoke. His hai

eyes that sto

e

ing star. And they locked onto mine from across the

my ribs. I couldn't mo

ad slightly. Cur

n... he

ot cruel. J

'd been

ound what h

e behind him, and I stumbled back

y head-He doesn't need a

I

a rea

e