“Rather die than let you go.”

   "What?" Micah let out. It is a breath of disbelief more than a question. "No. It can't be. And don't you dare! Don't say you love me when you don't even know the virtue of love!" 

      She tries to pry away her wrist from Erin's deadly grip, her words ringing inside her head in a horror symphony. 

     Magic? Erin uses magic to save her? Severo isn't her mate? No. She cannot believe that. Even the ghost of his breath on Micah's skin made her see stars. If he wasn't her mate then what was it all that she felt? There was a connection with him that she felt all the way down to her bones. 

      Even his heartbeat was bound to her own

     "Oh, my sweet, I love you. I love you so much and why do you think I'm here?  I almost died on my way here. I thought I was caught by those soldiers outside. If it wasn't for my magic and my love for you, I wouldn't be here." Erin whispers to Micah's face, her words trickling with a sweetness that makes her stomach churn. 

     "How stupid of you to assume that I would believe your rambles of magic and love? I know better, Erin! Better not to believe the bullshit you spit!" With the utmost effort, Micah pushes her away from her as she moves toward the door, trying to act like it's a coincidence and not her trying to get out of there. Maybe she could run and find Severo. He would save her from Erin. 

     "Why don't you just believe me, Micah?" There's a flicker of genuine confusion in Erin's voice that makes her scoff. "When did I ever lie to you?"

     Micah can't think of a time Erin lied to her but she still can't seem to believe what she says now. Magic is something that is so uncommon in this world. The North Haven pack banished magic so long ago. And Erin out of all people in this world have it? 

    "Because I simply refuse to fall for your lies." 

     "Then how did I know you weren't dead? Why did I come here in the middle of the night putting my own life in danger?" She asks, her eyes twinkling in the darkness as her lips curve into a wicked smirk. Sinister. She looks sinister. 

     Micah stopped her movement to the door when Erin's words hit her like lightning. How does she know she was alive? The horror of Erin showing up at her door in the middle of the night with a knife pressed to Fanney's throat has messed with her head so hard that she didn't even think about it til this moment. 

    "How? How did you know that I'm alive?" Micah pushes her back by her shoulder when she comes closer, but Erin just catches her wrist in her palm before taking her fingers to her lips, bringing out a wince from Micah. 

      "I know you are alive because I won't let you die." Erin presses kisses all over the bruises she leaves on Micah's wrist. 

      "Stop it!" She yanks her hand away from Erin. All these things she is saying are messing with Micah's brain so hard that she wants to pull her hair right out of its roots. 

     "Micah, just believe me, the magic I spell on you is what saved you. He is not your mate!" 

     "No. Don't say another word— I might lose it." Micah covers her ears with her shaky palm. She feels like the world beneath her is spinning like she's thrown into a world where she can't even understand herself. 

     "Okay. But please let me hold you." Micah's eyes widened at her audacity. Erin is the one who broke into here at this hour of the night and shattered her peace under her feet. Now she wants to hold Micah?  How absurd can she be? 

    She feels the anger spreading through every inch of her body until she's blinded by its intensity. 

    "Get out! Get the fuck out of here! Now!" Her voice is loud enough to make Erin flinch and cover Micah's mouth with her palm.

      "You little— Do not make a voice!" Her words are strained from the way she clenches her jaw. 

      Micah closes her teeth around the skin of Erin's palm that it almost bleeds. She cursed something really bad under her breath before pulling Micah back by her hair. 

      The striking pain makes her scream out even louder. But then she grips Micah's mouth so hard that she can't even move a muscle to scream. 

     Erin yanks her back to her bed, throwing her on the cool sheets, and hovering over her. Erin's eyes gleam a bloody red in the darkness and she feels a fear surge inside her.

    "Were you screaming for him?" Erin asks, her breathing fanning over Micah's sweaty face. "To save you from me? My dear, please know that who you need to escape from is him. He's the beast, not me!" 

   "Fucking let go of me, you creep!" 

    "I'd rather die than let you go, Love."