CH.90

The mocking lilt in Serena’s throaty murmur, caused an icy sliver to pierce Enzo's gut.

His hands clenched into tight fists, the tendons and musculature in his arms and shoulders tensing and bulging as he visibly strained against the invisible bonds holding him immobile.

It was as if every fiber of his being were straining to launch itself across that short distance and tear Serena apart with his bare hands.

Only Meredith's presence at his side, her smaller hand coming to rest against the rigid plane of his heaving abdomen in a silent gesture of comfort and restraint, prevented him from likely doing just that.

The soothing warmth of her touch helped anchor him, preventing the rising tide of his demonic fury from cresting and sweeping away what remained of his control.

Then Serena's weird smile turned into a knowing smirk as she swept her eyes over Meredith's voluptuous figure in a very natural but obviously inappropriate and crude inspection.

"Well, well...I must say, you certainly have fine and discriminating tastes," she purred, her tone carrying a blatant undercurrent of sexual innuendo. "I can certainly understand why you keep this delicious creature so satisfied and attentive to your needs."

Meredith felt her own anger flare hot and bright in a righteous indignation that caused her aura to spark and crackle like St. Elmo's fire along her limbs.

If this woman wasn't supposedly her granddaughter-in-law, wasn't the fated mate of the man she had sworn herself to protecting, she would have torn her apart on the spot without a second's hesitation.

As it was, she remained rooted in place, her jaw clenched so tightly it was a miracle her teeth didn't shatter from the pressure.

Her hands fisted in the folds of her robe, knuckles straining whitely against the delicate silk as she fought to keep her temper banked and herself under control.

Enzo, on the other hand, was quickly reaching the limits of his restraint.

Knox's eyes narrowed to mere slits of molten amber before turning pitch black. His entire body was vibrating with the force of his barely leashed fury with the aura of surreal power cloaking him in waves of almost visible force.

"Get...out...of...my...wife!" he ground out through gritted teeth, each word carrying the undercurrent of a snarl. "Now. Before I rip out your essence and burn it from existence, ensuring you never get another chance at rebirth."

The deadly seriousness in his tone, the aura of murderous intent rolling off him in nearly palpable waves, seemed to penetrate whatever fog of arrogance had been clouding Serena's mind.

A visible shudder passed through her slender form, as if some small part of her higher consciousness had momentarily managed to resurface from the tides pulling her under.

The being inhabiting Serena's body visibly flinched at the venom lacing Knox's harsh words, as if he had physically struck her.

She lifted a slender hand, fingers outstretched to delicately stroke his cheek in a placating gesture. But she seemed to think better of it at the last moment and quickly withdraw her hand when Knox bared his teeth at her in an animalistic warning.

Her eerie, glowing eyes dimmed back down to Serena's familiar deep emerald hue, but there was a profound sadness reflected in those vibrant depths.

"What will it take for you to forgive me after all these long eons, Kazdrellian?" she asked, her melodic voice tinged with a melancholic weariness.

That simple statement alone seemed to further inflame the banked fires of Knox's rage.

His body tensed like a loaded spring as the aura of dark power cloaked him in nearly visible waves of force, clearly preparing to unleash his unbridled rage upon this being who had dared to violate the sanctity of his mate's body and soul.

But the latter was quick on the uptake, seemingly sensing the shift in Knox's mood and the imminent threat he posed.

Her eyes widened fractionally as she held up her hands in a gesture of surrender, the delicate bones of Serena's wrists looking so fragile against the sheer power radiating from Knox.

"Wait!" she blurted out, the slightest tremor in her voice betraying her unease at the barely-leashed fury roiling off him in palpable waves. "I did not come here to fight or reopen old wounds. I have a way to help you and this mortal complete your mate bond...without her having to die from your mark and that stupid curse you so foolishly placed on her ages ago."

That last comment immediately piqued Meredith's interest. The witch leaned in slightly with her brow furrowed as she studied the being's expression intently, searching for any hint of deception.

Knox, however, was not so easily swayed by the promise of such an enticing offer. The last thing he would do was trust anyone or anything from that vile, wretched place.

The fact that this woman was still alive within his mate's body and soul was a miracle in itself - one he was sorely regretting allowing to persist.

Normally he would have burned her foul essence out the moment he sensed her insidious presence violating his wife. However, he couldn’t risk Serena getting hurt in the process.

Knox also confused at something. If what she said was truly the case, he couldn’t deny that she did just manage to wake him from his eternal slumber. He grudgingly admitted after a moment, though his now obsidian eyes were glittering with undisguised loathing.

Who knew how long he would have remained trapped in that void if not for her intervention. But that single act of selfish desperation did not earn her any favors or trust from him.

He was not a man who was so easily swayed or manipulated anymore.

Meredith immediately stepped forward, inserting herself between the two powerful beings like a physical buffer. Her curiosity over the being's claimed plan to help Knox and Serena overrode her earlier outrage at its crude, inappropriate behavior.

"What exactly is this plan you claim to have to help them complete their bond?" she asked, unable to mask the eagerness in her tone.

Serena’s head tilted to regard Meredith with unnerving emerald eyes for a long, stretching moment. Then she averted her gaze briefly to where Enzo stood silently watching the entire exchange with an inscrutable expression.

When she looked back at Knox, there was a palpable weariness etched into the delicate lines of her face as if the weight of innumerable lifetimes was finally becoming too much of a burden.

"Kazdrellian," she murmured again, using Knox's celestial name in what was clearly an attempt to appeal to whatever remnants of their former connection might still remain after so long. "Please, I'm begging you...give me a chance to make amends for the wrongs I committed against you in the past."

Her voice cracked with what sounded like genuine remorse. The undisguised pain and regret in her words gave Meredith pause.

"I burned through half my essence just to save you from your tormented slumber this time. I've been keeping silent watch over your life for longer than you can fathom, waiting for an opportunity to finally earn your forgiveness after all this time."

She paused, visibly struggling to maintain her composure as she searched Knox's fathomless black eyes for any flicker of compassion or warmth.

"Why did you choose to forgive this mortal, even knowing she was the same woman who betrayed you so completely in the past? The same woman who caused you such grievous misfortune and suffering, who collaborated with others to strip you of your power and hurt you in unimaginable ways that still haunt you to this day?"

A solitary tear traced its way down Serena's cheek, glittering like liquid diamond in the dim light as the being's wounded gaze bored into Knox's impassive facade.

"Was it simply because of your mate bond with her, this human vessel? Or did you actually develop real affection for her, despite everything she did?" She spat out the word 'human' like a vile curse before quickly clearing her throat, clearly regretting her loss of composure when Knox's eyes darkened even more in warning.