Page 31 of Beta Lies and Cursed Lives

I didn’t dare to hope. There was no way it would happen to me, too.

Yet here I am, uncovering my eyes in front of working electronics, my hand grasping Mira’s forearm.

All I want to do is pull her into my arms and kiss her. Shower her with love.

But this thought isn’t new to me. It wasn’t born of this newfound joy of feelingnormalfor the first time in so many years. This compulsion has haunted me since the first day we’d met.

“Don’t do it, man,” Colton calls, and I glare at him, which makes him laugh.

My attention returns to Mira, and I tell her, “I don’t know what is happening, Mira, but I know it means something. Something important. To all of us.” I glance at Colton and Aubrey, then back at her.

Mira’s head tilts slightly. “How do we find out what this is? Without getting into trouble?”

That is the question, isn’t it? We can’t ask anyone. The library wouldn’t be helpful. Any internet searches are monitored and blocked.

So how?

“We’ll find a way,” I tell her, though I don’t know if I’m lying.

For a few more selfish moments, I look at her before smiling. “Thank you.” My quiet words are the last I speak before I close my eyes and remove my hand from her arm to put my blindfold back on.

“You don’t have to—”

“I do,” I interrupt. “You’ve granted me my moment of peace. Now, it’s Aubrey’s turn.”

Aubrey

“Now it’s Aubrey’s turn.”

Is it? Do I actually want this?

I already crave this girl nearly every moment of the day, waking or otherwise. If it turns out that I have some kind of connection with her that neutralizes my curse by touch, what is that going to do to me?

Nope. No, thank you. This is not fucking happening.

“Yes, it is.” Colt’s voice draws my glare, and he just glares right back at me. But there’s no humor on his face, which is abnormal. “You’re going to do this. You have to know. We all do.”

“Don’t force him,” comes Mira’s smooth voice, and for a second, I think she’s defending my honor. But when I look at her, those platinum eyes are sad.

She thinks I don’t want to touch her.

“See what you did, dumbass?” Colt barbs me, and I clench my jaw.

I can’t be swayed. It’s good that she thinks I don’t want her. If I touch her and my curse is neutralized, I’ll never want to be without her again. That is the surest way to get us all killed, either by the GBE or Miranda’s curse.

Yet, if I touch her and my curse remains unaffected, I’ll be disappointed despite myself.

That’s not something I can deal with.

I don’t have much time left here. My instincts have been in overdrive every time a soldier approaches me on campus, just waiting to get the order.

That thing in my chest growls at me, its anger apparent. I know it wants Miranda as much as I do.

But it can be as pissed off as it pleases. I will not change my decision. This is for the best.

“Come on, bro, stop being a selfish prick.” Colt crosses his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed at me.

Is he for real?