Their Mating Illusion [Paranormal Protection Unit 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Honor James

it rocks you so hard that you move off your foundation. Sometimes just realizing your inadequacies makes a person re-think everything.” She took in a deep breath to try to control the tears she felt coming. Yep, one who hated her and one who didn’t know who she was to him. Life was a jolly fucking lollipop that she was more than ready to wrap back up and return. Why, why would Gaia do that to her? Why in the world would she hate her so very, very much? She felt the tears ready to fall and reached out, taking Aiden’s hand and giving him the signal, the quick two squeezes. She was done talking. She was hurting too much right now to talk.
    Lifting a brow, Aiden mentally told his brother to back off for now. She was feeling shaky. He was guessing, of course, but whatever. It worked and had his brother stepping back. Stopping just outside the conference room, he touched her chin lightly. “Happy thoughts. This is not a funeral. This is us gaining your freedom away from that doofus, all right?” he said with a slight smile. “And if that fails, remember the thong,” he smirked, throwing a look at his oblivious brother who was talking to a nearly comatose Quincy.
    Maya tried to find a smile but it didn’t work. So instead she forced it. Lied to the world just as she had every time that she took to the stage. Forcing a smile on her face, she moved in closer to him and walked into the conference room with Aiden at her side. “Hello, Michael. Were you able to free Felicity from whatever spell had been cast over her?” she asked as she accepted the seat beside Talon, Aiden taking the seat at her other side.
    Stopping just inside the door, Quincy leaned back against the wall. He knew who the woman was and knew that Allister was about twenty minutes from figuring it out, too. Allister would charm her and have her, but Q wasn’t going there. Yeah, she was gorgeous, she was perfect in every way, and she was a Magic User, someone that would understand him. But he wasn’t sharing now or ever, not with his mate. Take that, Gaia, and stomp it to dust, he thought, looking toward Michael who was glowering down the table at his sister. What a douchebag.
    Rubbing a hand over his neck, he kept his gaze off her. She wasn’t his alone. Therefore she wouldn’t be his ever. While he knew it would hurt and eat at him and eventually someone would have to put his crazed ass down, he couldn’t share. Not again. It hurt too much to even contemplate being second or third best again in anything. Gods, he just wanted out of the room, away from her and the temptation that she was.
    “Of course I did,” Michael said simply. “Did you even doubt me for a moment?” he asked, offended. “Maya, you know that I am far more powerful than any other of our people. Of course I could have helped the poor girl. She’s resting now with her family.”
    Maya nodded. “Well that’s good.” She then sighed. “Why are you here, Michael? I haven’t lived in the palace for a number of years.” Since her parents died. No, before that actually. “So I simply can’t believe that you are here out of the goodness of your heart.”
    Time blurred, wavering as the Goddess stepped from the wall opposite Quincy. “You really hate me right now, don’t you?” she asked and moved around the people at the table and then to stand at Quincy’s side. “You really and truly hate me for bonding you with a trio rather than just you and your woman.” She looked at Maya and then the brother. “She’s special,” she murmured and touched the woman’s red hair. Glittering shimmers left in her wake. “She was gifted with the power that should have gone to the King. She has the strength of the Alpha Royals but will never be able to lead.” She looked to Quincy. “Could you?” Direct and simple. “Should you have the chance, could you lead?”
    “I don’t hate you, Gaia. I just don’t like you right now or since you dropped this bomb on me,” he muttered.