Page 31 of The Darkest Prince

He wants her.

And she’s his.

ChapterTwelve

I wakeup in the dark, staring at the black walls of my bedroom, heart pounding in my chest. Another nightmare. The dreams have worsened since the day Luca claimed Alex.

Every time, I lose Bastian.

That’s my worst nightmare, the one thing I dread more than anything. He’s been distant and won’t let me touch him. Our dynamic is off, and I know it’s because of Alex.

We still see her at school. But Luca keeps her at his side like a dog. Sometimes, he puts her on his knee and strokes her hair to piss us off. She thinks he’s being sweet and melts into his arms. Alex doesn’t know he’s only being nice to fuck with our heads.

To fuck withhers.

Drenched in sweat, I sit up and slide my legs off the side of the mattress. Running a hand through my black, damp hair, I brush the longer strands off my forehead. My skin is hot and sticky, and for a moment, it still feels like I’ve lost Bastian.

The dreamfeelstoo real.

In my mind, I see his blood on the cold, stone floor. His neck snapped, head turned to the side. I don’t know where we are—maybe on Skull Island for The Devil’s Knights initiation.

Our dad says it will be the hardest two months of our lives. He says we will bleed and hurt and wish we are dead before we leave the island.

I can’t lose Bastian.

And yet, I am.

He’s pulling away.

I creep out of my bedroom in the middle of the night, desperate to see Bastian, needing to know he’s okay. That he’s still breathing.

Slipping inside his room, I close the door and get in bed with him. Bash is curled up on his right side, cradling the pillow with his lips parted. In sleep, he looks peaceful. I watch his chest rise and fall, blowing out a relieved breath that he’s alive.

He’s safe.

I roll onto my side to face him and grab his hand, threading my fingers between his. The sudden movement causes him to rock into me, tightening his grip on my hand. A tiny smile turns up the corners of his mouth.

I brush the messy, brown hair off his forehead and kiss his skin. It’s been a while since I felt this close to him. Bastian is the only person who understands me inside and out. We don’t have any secrets.

Bash rests his head on my shoulder. “Can’t sleep, D?”

“No. I had another nightmare.”

He squeezes my fingers. “What was it this time?”

“You were dead,” I choke out, sickened by the memory of him lying dead on the ground and unable to help him. “I think I killed you on accident.”

“One day, you probably will,” he says in a sleepy tone, one eye open. “We have to get your urges under control.”

“I’ve been on my best behavior.” I lean forward, our faces only inches apart, and stare at his lips. “But I have to do something for Dad this weekend.”

Bastian scowls. “I’m going with you. Just in case.”

He doesn’t like what I become when I have to kill our family’s enemies. Hell, I don’t like it, either. I don’t want to be wired this way.

It’s a compulsion.

People with OCD must consistently check the lock on their front door until it drives them insane.

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