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Wasnothingsacred?
“You’re here to keep me balanced, aren’t you? I was feeling a bit unstable.”
Of course, because he was a bastard just like Dusk, he didn’t let me flee the room the moment the lecture ended like I wanted to. Instead, he waited until the Lincoln pack passed us.
Each of them—even Roxy Vasilli, were glancing our way. Those whispers I’d heard, they must have travelled far. But my hair was down, they wouldn’t see the bite, not unless—I let out a snarl as Umbra gripped a fistful of my hair, tilting my neck again, and dragged his tongue from my collarbone to jaw like a rabid lunatic.
The Lincoln pack stared, absolutely unable to miss the bite mark he’d left.
Eric and Gareth adjusted their eyes quickly, and I noticed a sneer curl on Eric’s lips as he sped up, dragging a shocked-looking Roxy away. But Flynn couldn’t rip his gaze from me. I couldn’t either. Totally stuck, my eyes locked with his as he walked by.
It was enough to sour my mood for the whole day, leaving me spiralling with dread over what they must think. That was, until I got back to my nest and found the gift. The one Dusk had promised me from Ransom. The one I’d forgotten about entirely.
EIGHTEEN
DUSK
Weeks passed after 31 died, and Umbra was losing his mind.
I caught him in the bathroom, driving the jagged edge of a broken plastic fork into his skin until he bled.He didn’t eat, and begged me to finish his so it wasn’t taken from both of us.
He became ashen and frail.
We knew what was coming for us now—after 31 had been chosen. They would take one of us and run experiments until we were driven mad.
Umbra was fading, already giving up before selection. I took comfort in knowing I might be the better candidate.
But when they finally came for a test subject, it was him they took, and not me.
“Dusk!”
I woke up with a start, almost losing control of my aura.
“What?”It took a moment for the world to steady, for me to realise I wasn’t back there. I was on the couch at our place at the Academy.
Umbra was safe.
Wewere safe—well, as safe as we’d ever been.
His bright eyes were concerned as he swam in my vision.
“She’s uh… you should come,” he said. “I think you broke her.”
“What?” I was on my feet in a second and following him down to the nest. It must be late. I’d crashed after getting in. I’d barely slept the night before, a headache keeping me up after Ransom had caught me against the vanity.
I was fully alert, when I heard the sounds of Shatter’s sobs from the nest.
What the fuck was going on?
I knocked, then peeked in.
It was a bit different from how I remembered. She’d made a nest inside her nest. A corner beside the honeycomb bookshelves was stacked with Arkology books in little towers, and stuffed with blankets and a pillow. She wasn’t there, though.
“Shatter?”
“I’m f-f-fine.” Her voice was muffled.
Damn…
