Page 57 of Moon Cursed

“You didn’t feel anything, did you?”

“No, I’m sorry, but— Wait, did you?”

Paxton rocked back on his ass, sighing as deep as me. “Yeah, I felt like I was kissing a smoking hot woman who I wanted to carry behind that tree and ravish like a caveman.”

How am I still blushing!

“But there has to be more than that if we’re going to get the bond back,” he finished. “Don’t you think?”

“I do think,” I cried, rising up on my knees. “I mean, it was a very good kiss, and I’d have to be blind, dumb, and dead to not find you smokingly hot too, but...” I shook my head. “Luame forms bonds based on lust, I don’t. I don’t feel anything more than attraction to you, Paxton.” He winced at my bluntness, but I had to say it. He deserved the truth. “I’m sorry, but that’s not enough to bring the bond back. Not to me.”

He was quiet for a long time. “We’re going to die.”

It wasn’t a question. I wished it was, so I could do something other than well up with tears, and nod.

“How much time do you think we have?” he rasped, gazing off in the distance.

“I know how much time I need.” My three-month rapidly ticking down timeline constricted my chest, stealing all the air from the world. “But I don’t know if I’ll have it.”

Paxton nodded, his arms draped over his knees. His relaxed pose was at odds with the grave expression weighing heavy on his handsome face. “I guess this means you don’t want to do this anymore. Go on dates. Spend the evening with me.”

I swallowed hard. “That’s... exactly what it means,” I croaked, feeling the band squeeze tighter. “I’m sorry, Paxton, but if my time is running out, I don’t have a second of it to waste. I know what love is and what it’s supposed to feel like, and this just isn’t it. It’s better we don’t drag it out and accept reality now.”

“I understand.”

I hung on for him to say more, but nothing came. The silence stretched past comfortable.

“If you want to go,” I blurted, “spend however much time is left with your moms, I’d understand.”

“Nah.” Paxton got to his feet, dusting himself off. “I’m going to stick around here, if that’s cool. My moms were really proud of me for being the first omega to join the alpha track. I want to do the placement exams and get in on my own this time—proving I also belonged there.

“I want to die knowing I made them proud,” he whispered, staring up at the moon. “Much better than watching their failure of an only son die writhing and vomiting his way to death.”

“Paxton...”

Dropping his head, he smiled at me. “There’s no hard feelings, Daze. Honestly. You deserve better, and if I’d been better, we wouldn’t be here right now. I’m only sorry I’m taking you with me.”

Paxton turned to leave. A million pleas for him to stay, talk, forgive me sprung to my lips, but none of them came out.

I sat there long after he was gone—crying.

“Wow. That was brutal.”

I shot up, whipping around. I inhaled deep, scenting mud, blood, and forest creatures in the air. “Who is that? Who’s there?”

“Ouch, Volana. How can you not know who I am? You’re going to hurt my feelings.”

Every muscle in my body bound and tied in knots.That voice... I know that voice.

A dark, mud-covered figure broke through the trees. Mud, leaves, and twigs made for a terrible ensemble, but amazing camouflage.

Badr stepped through the shadows—his wide, chilling smirk flashing his beaming white teeth like the sun rising over a swamp.

What are you doing here? How did you get here? How long have you been listening to us? What do you want?All those questions and more rushed to my tongue and crowded to get out, but I asked none of them.

“Oh, Badr, is that you? I thought for a second it was a walking, talking piece of shit... and I was right.”

He chuckled. “I see you crawled out of your hole. Just like your best leech friend. You just don’t die.”

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