The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 608: You Are My Mate

Chapter 608: You Are My Mate

Standing outside the main entrance of the Manor, Arlan waited for Oriana’s arrival. Soon, the Crown Princess’s carriage entered the walls of Wildridge Manor. With a visible happiness in his eyes, he watched the carriage approach.

Once the carriage stopped, Oriana stepped out with Rafal offering her his arm for support. Arlan was about to step forward, but he heard Oriana speak.

"Everyone, leave us alone." Her voice was cold and clear, making everyone leave.

Arlan glanced at Rafal to understand what had happened, but Rafal simply bowed and left. Arlan understood that Rafal was being loyal to his new master and let him go.

His gaze met Oriana’s, and it was clear she was angry about something.

"Are you upset because I left you in the palace and came here?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

"Stop right there," she ordered, her darkened gaze as if piercing his soul.

Arlan stopped. "What’s the matter?"

"Arlan Cromwell, what’s your relationship with Grace Mortimer?" She looked ready to kill him if he answered something she didn’t like.

"With Grace? There is nothing between us..."

"Liar," she gritted her teeth, and the next moment launched an attacking spell at Arlan, making him stumble a few steps forward.

"Oriana," Arlan was clearly surprised.

She angrily stepped towards him, her eyes filled with darkness. "Tell me, did you take her shopping?"

Arlan understood what was going on. "Okay, let me explain first..."

"Yes or no?" she growled.

"Yes... Ugh..." He was attacked with another spell and thrown back a few steps more.

"You bought her gifts?"

"Oriana, it’s not what you—"

"Just answer, yes or no," she growled again.

"Yes... Ugh..." Once more, he bore another brunt from her.

"You played in the snow, spent a night watching stars?"

He stood firm in his place, ready to bear another attack. He knew she won’t be calm until she vent it all out on him.

"Yes..."

This time he suppressed a groan, but the attack was harsher, and he was thrown onto the stairs behind, lying there gasping heavily, his expressions pained.

That was the demoness for him. When she was angry, she would listen to no one.

Oriana walked towards the stairs and looked at him without any mercy in her eyes.

He watched her, trying to bear the pain. "Shall we talk now?"

She knelt next to him, grabbed the collar of his coat, and glared into his eyes. "Talk? Yes, let’s talk."

"I am not sure who told you—"

"I am the one going to talk, not you, Arlan Cromwell." Her grip tightened on his clothes, holding him in place.

Arlan shut his mouth and listened to her.

"The day you married me, you belonged to me. You are not allowed to look at or think about any woman other than me. You are mine, and I will kill any woman if you even think about her. I had accepted the fact that you would one day have a mate, and I would allow you to accept her because your Dragon would want her..." She stopped, her jaw clenched, her gaze darkened. "But I don’t think I can do it anymore. I don’t want you to have a mate. Your Dragon can go to hell and die while waiting for his mate, but I won’t allow any other woman to lay hands on you.

"If I get to know your Dragon has found his mate, I swear I will kill that mate of yours and send her to the depths of hell like I did to that Edna. Do not ever think otherwise. If I could, I would kill that pathetic Dragon for not choosing me as your mate. Why didn’t he choose me? He doesn’t deserve to live in your body. That jerk of a Dragon. But you, your human side, is mine. You get it, Arlan Cromwell? You are mine and mine alone."

Arlan simply watched her, registering each and every word she said. It was a moment he could jump for joy.

"I understand. There won’t be anyone but you." His hand moved to gently caress her cheek. "You are the only one I love and will always love. I give you my word."

She could feel the sincerity in his words, the warmth and love in his eyes, and the tenderness in his touch, which helped her calm down. Her fierce expressions softened, her hands loosened their grip on his shirt slowly.

"You are the only one for me as well. Arlan. I love you so much that I can’t bear the thought of someone else having you. All I want is to destroy everything, including you and myself. You are only mine."

"Yes, only yours," he said softly and sat up on the stairs. "I accept all your wishes and commands."

Finally, she let go of her defenses and hugged Arlan, her face buried against the crook of his neck as she whispered, "Only mine."

Arlan smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her. He heard her again.

"But I mean what I said. I will truly send your mate to the depths of hell, should your Dragon ever find her," Oriana warned.

Arlan felt like laughing but held back and tightened his grip around her in a comforting hug. "If you send her to the depths of hell, how am I going to see you ever again?"

"I am sending her, not myself," she countered, feeling the warmth of his embrace.

"It’s the same thing," he said. "After all, you are the one my Dragon has chosen, my mate."

There was silence on Oriana’s side as if she was trying to grasp his words. She moved her head back to look at him. "What did you just say?"

"I said, my Dragon has already chosen his mate, and that’s you," Arlan cupped her face in his hands and pecked her lips as he whispered, "You are my mate, Oriana Verner. It has always been you."

Oriana felt all her senses go numb, her body froze in its place, her eyes searching his to ensure he wasn’t pranking her.

"I am telling the truth," Arlan repeated. "Since our first encounter in the forest of Wimark, he had already chosen you as his mate. He and I fell for the same woman. If you want, you can hurt me again for keeping it from you. I swear I won’t give any excuse for hiding it from you. As long as you are no longer angry, you can vent it on me."

After staring at him for a long time and hearing him, she finally managed to speak, "I... your mate...?"

"Yes," he affirmed and kissed her, whispering in between, "You are my mate."

Tears welled up in Oriana’s eyes as the realization sank in. She wrapped her arms tightly around Arlan, her heart swelling with a mix of relief, love, and joy.

He wiped the tears away from her cheek, a light smiling painting on his lips, "Want me to prepare myself from another thrashing?"

She shook her head, light sob leaving her lips. "I am sorry. I won’t hurt you ever again."

He chuckled softly, "I don’t mind even if you do."