Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
My brows shot up. I wasn’t expecting that response. I definitely didn’t tell him he had to say those things.
“Even if it means protecting her from herself,” Edric continued. “And this one needs protecting from herself. Her mind is a housefire. Nothing but trapped ghosts running around screaming in there.”
“Ass.”
Amusement came back through the bond.
“You bonded with her?!” Badr rushed him. “What the hell, Edric! We agreed to let the bonds die.”
“I’m sorry,” he said simply, expressionless in the face of Badr’s rage.
“Whoa, steady.” Paxton grasped Badr’s shoulder, guiding him back. Orion just stood there, his face a mask of hatred and confusion. Nyx should’ve been with them, but no one had seen him since they cut him down from the ceiling. Last I heard, he was holed up in his room—regretting the day he messed with me.
“Something tells me it’s not that simple,” Paxton went on. “Edric, you bonded with her for us, didn’t you.”
Edric frowned. “Excuse me?”
“The morning after you broke out, Ava suddenly walked into the storage room, released us, and let us go. It was because of you,” Paxton said. “You bonded with her and convinced her to free us. Because of you, she didn’t put us through those trials and spared us what she did to Nyx. Thanks, man.”
Edric was saved from having to reply because all eyes turned on me. To be fair, I was laughing pretty loudly.
“Are you serious?” I laughed so hard I wheezed. “That had nothing to do with you, or him. I let you three out because this little revenge game between us got boring. You are boring. You’re a waste of my time and attention, and if I’d let you take up any more of it, I’d really be crazy.”
Paxton’s smirk melted away. “We weren’t when you were bawling your eyes out over Mommy’s letters.”
“Actually, yeah, you were,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “You’ve really got to scrape the bottom of the barrel of desperate to go pawing through underwear drawers and floorboards just to find a way to get my attention, and it still didn’t work.” I dropped Edric’s hand, narrowing on Paxton. “You think I can’t see through you, Paxxy? Everyone sees through you.
“You’re pathetic. You’re a small-dick waste who’s so desperate to fit in, you’ll do any and everything you can to fit in with the cool kids. Including betraying the woman who’s supposed to be your soulmate.”
He tensed, his clenched jaw ticcing.
“That’s the reason why your clan beat you up and threw you out. Of course they thought you pulled some funny shit to get named my fate, because you’re nowhere near worthy of the honor of licking my shoes—let alone licking my pussy. If they had been forced to watch us mate and bond that night, all of Wolf Nation would’ve thrown up.”
His lips peeled back. “Back off, bitch.”
“Gladly. I want nothing to do with you. No one wants anything to do with you. You’re not special anymore, Paxton,” I whispered in his ear—more effective than a shout. “You’re not the only omega in the alpha track anymore. You’re not famous anymore. And you’ll never father the next generation of shifter wolves.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? Luame chose me.”
“Luame made your skin light up. Even a slimy, nasty fish can do that. I choose my mate, and I will never choose you.” Stepping back, my gaze pierced him through. “I swear on Luame that I will never kiss, fuck—”
“Wait,” Paxton cried, folding hands dropping. “Don’t—!”
“—screw, mate, or bond with Paxton Clarke.”
Boom!
I blasted off my feet, landing hard on the soft, squishy bodies of the nosy peekers who hung around to watch the show. Clutching my head, I screamed through my clenched teeth.
Pain. Head-exploding pain wracked my skull, singeing agony through every limb in my body. A hole had been driven through my skull and flames poured in. A hammer had been taken to my forehead. A steamroller ran over my brain. All of that, and it still didn’t come close to describing the pain.
I was put back on my feet. Swaying, I squinted through blurry eyes to see Paxton falling out of the hole he made in the wall—clutching his head the same way. The truth of what just happened nearly knocked me over again.
“The bond...”
“Did you just...?” Edric rasped. “Did you just break the bond?”
“Oh my gods.” Paxton struggled to stand upright. “What did you d-do? What did you do!”
“I... put things right.” I tipped over and Edric had to catch me. “You can go back where you belong now, Clarke.” I was already walking—stumbling—away. “In the trash.”
Badr shouted after me. “If you want to go breaking bonds, Volana, break ours! I’ll never be with you. I’ll never forgive you, and I’ll never stop until you’re in the ground! Do you hear me?”