Page 37 of Little Howl of Moon

“What I had to do to protect everyone,” he said, his gaze on Lucy and Layla. “I had to. There was no other choice. Layla, I’m so sorry.”

I shook my head, every muscle in my body weakening. Everything had simply been too much between Alia, Death, and now this. “I don’t think this was right, B.”

“You are human. You wouldn’t know,” he said coolly.

Steel snarled as he dashed to Layla and Lucy. He knelt down next to Layla, looking up at B, baring his sharp fangs. “Fuck you.Fuckyou. All of this is your fault and you stand there acting like what you did was right. This isn’t right. You severed herbond.”

“Her bond?” I whispered.

“Her fated mate bond,” Lucy said. “He severed her fated mate bond.”

12 /A FLICKER OF HOPE

Steel

For my entire life, the Barista had always been someone everyone in my family loved and trusted. He was my uncle. He was my parents’ best friend. He was who everyone in the monster world went to when they needed help.

He wasthe Barista.

But as I pulled Layla into my arms, I wasn’t so sure we knew him anymore. The real him.

Severing a fated mate bond . . . It was unthinkable. And even if Layla was tied to an entity like that, it was their choice. Not his.

“Layla,” the Barista rasped, kneeling down next to her. He reached for her, but she recoiled against me. “Layla, sometimes fate is wrong.”

“Leave me alone,” she said. “I cannot look at you right now.”

“Layla—”

Lucifer threw his hand up, the cafe rippling with power as he drew a portal. The Barista gasped as he was shoved through, disappearing from all of us.

The moment he was gone, Lucy got to his knees, his shoulders shaking. His eyes were so dark and sad. I’d never seen him like this in my life.

I knew he was powerful. I’d heard the stories, of course. How he used to be the enemy, how he used to hurt people. But the Lucy I knew was different. He was a father and an uncle and always helped.

But right now, he didn’t look like himself. Underneath the sadness, there wasanger.

He drew in a deep, steadying breath. “I sent him to hell. It’ll take some time for him to portal back. Not too long, but long enough for him to be full of regret.”

“Good,” Oli said, coming closer to us. “I called Trixie.”

Lucifer nodded. “Thank you, Oliver.” His attention settled on Layla. “My darling child. A bond can be saved, even if it is severed. The pain you feel . . . it will fade eventually. And if you let it be, you won’t know the difference.”

Layla wiped her eyes angrily. “And how would you know?”

“Because once upon a time, your father severed our bond.”

“What?” Layla and I both gasped.

Lucifer took another breath and looked away from us. “Don’t pity me. I deserved it. This was a long time ago. But he severed our bond with his scythe and we spent ages fighting each other.”

“I knew you used to be enemies,” I said, swallowing hard. I couldn’t help but look at Oli, who I wanted to take home and mate with more than anything else right now. I wanted to complete our bond. Even the thought of it being taken from us hurt.

“I didn’t know . . .” Layla trailed off.

“We take fate for granted,” Lucifer said, slowly getting to his feet.

He shrugged his shoulders, the scent of burning flesh scalding my nose. I realized his wings were growing back.