Page 26 of Beta Lies and Cursed Lives

But I do know it’s dangerous.

Cursed aren’t allowed to mate or to procreate. It’s forbidden.

But how is that any different from the rest of the world? The Beta Council has to approve marriages and mating worldwide.

But none of this matters. It’s forbidden by threat of death. I can’t touch anyone, and I’ve never even—

A gasp escapes my lips, and I turn wide eyes to Colt, who gives me a fierce look before rising to his feet.

Oh. Shit.

Colton

I can’t believe the unfinished thought that I catch floating through Mira’s mind.

First, I couldn’t hear her thoughts at all. Then, I placed my hand on her back. The longer I kept it there, the quieter everything grew until there was nothing but my thoughts.

And then hers.

I could hear Mira in my mind like she was whispering to me, sweet and loving. Longing to embrace me.

I want that so badly.

But I also want to live.

At least, I do now that she’s in my life.

I’ve never felt a connection so strong, and it just keeps growing.

So when she thought of Rai and Aubs, and how she feels for them, I thought,Fuck it. I tried to do on purpose what I’d done accidentally that afternoon.

I called to them. In my mind.

And it fucking worked.

Like, how is this even possible?

When I was a kid, I’d cower in corners, covering my ears, squeezing my head, screaming at the voices to go away until my voice gave out.

The first time I’d done it, my parents sent me to a loony bin. Padded room, straight-jacket, the whole nine.

I was twelve.

And when the doctors there figured out my problem was worse than being crazy, and I was, in fact, a Cursed, my parents disowned me on the spot. Left me behind as I cried out for them not to go, my voice weak from screaming and all the drugs they’d pumped into me.

I never saw my parents again.

It was the institution that had the GBE soldiers come get me.

And they hadn’t brought me to the academy. Not at first.

No. The first stop had been Tenebrosa. Where they administered shock and hydroponic therapies, sleep and food deprivation, and pumped me full of more drugs.

A twelve-year-old boy.

It was Major Tomlin, then a Lieutenant, who got me out of there. He’d taken me to the academy himself, wielding verbal assaults the entire way.

That was when I discovered children weren’t supposed to be admitted to Tenebrosa.