“What are you prattling about? You want to fight me or something? Quit joking around. I beat you once before, and besides that you know you couldn't kill me even if you wanted to."

“Yes, my instincts do constrain me. I chose you as my mate. I cannot simply Leave you, nor will my instincts allow me to kill you. In spite of everything you've done, I still love you... yet your actions have caused a horrible rift inside me. You have no idea the pain I'm feeling, the very fiber of my being is warring with itself."

Theron grew even more exasperated.

“Is this more of your philosophical crap? I've heard enough!"

“No, not mere philosophy, but the truth of what I am. It is true my instincts compel me to remain with you, to mate with you, to be yours forever... but those are not our only instincts, there is another one, one rooted in the very cause for which our race became female and capable of reproducing with humans."

“And what is that?"

She smiled wishfully.

“Peace. The instinct that regardless of what fighting we may find ourselves in, our kind cannot kill humans save for in self defense or the defense of those we love. By extension, those who live by honor like myself cannot ignore those who break this instinctual Law when we are in a position to intervene. I am compelled to stop you, yet I know I cannot, nor could I subdue you if I tried.

You are my mate, I chose you, now I cannot help but Love you and yet... to continue to live like this..." She drew out one of her blades and held it to her throat.

Theron stepped toward her, now concerned.

“What are you doing?"

"This is my ultimatum. Please Theron," she pleaded, her eyes moistening. It was the first time he had ever seen anything close to tears from her.

“My kind were once slaves to bloodlust on a level deeper than you can imagine. Our whole purpose was to kill humans. It is no way to Live. Let me help you overcome this.”

“That is for me to decide!" he roared back.

“Now stop this ridiculous suicide threat, apologize to me and get in bed!"

Her expression softened further as she realized the futility of convincing him.

“How can you be so strong, and yet so weak..."

Theron's eyes widened.

“What did you say?!"

She gave him a pitying look.