Page 131 of Ensnared

I nearly fall off. “Excuse me?”

We’re already landing on his floor, so I scramble off his back as quickly as possible.

“You’re—it’s hardly unexpected? That you have to get married and mate in the next month?”

Azar’s head tilts, and then he melts back into Axel. “Why are you so upset?”

“Why am I upset?” I’m practically shrieking. I force myself to lower my voice. The last thing I need is for Jade and Coral and Sammy to come running up here. Or worse, Gideon.

Oh, Gideon. Right.

The bond is messing with my head. “I’m not upset.” I fold my arms. “This is the best news I’ve ever heard.” I shake my head. “Actually, better than the best. It’s epic.”

“Why?” Axel steps toward me like a lion tamer might sidle toward an irritable cub.

“I—because. If you’re getting married, you’ll hardly need to be entwined with me, so we can both work double hard to dissolve this stupid bond. Once we do, we can do the same thing with Mom’s, and then I’ll finally be free.”

“Why would I do that?” Axel frowns.

“Why would you—you don’t mean to—in a month—” I cough. “I can’t even, I just.” I jog toward the stairwell. I have to get away from him. Even though separating from him still hurts me, I have to do it.

The pain reminds me of how it feels to hear him saying he’s about to marry someone. My dragon is about to mate with some ballerina dragon.

Ugh.

What’s wrong with me? Why do I care? He’s a dragon, for heaven’s sake. I want them to leave and never return. I want our world back. Why am I doubled over in the stairwell, hyperventilating?

I block off my mind, which I’ve only just learned to do, unwilling to share the thoughts I’m having right now. Unwilling to allow the stupid, idiotic, blockheaded dragon to feel what a loser I am.

Because the only reason I’d be this upset is if I’m in love with that horrible, earth-destroying plague of a beast. And that can’t be. Not only because he’s supposed to be my enemy, but also because. . .

He’s going to marry some gorgeous dragon who’s just like him in a month. And that thought makes me feel like my heart’s being ripped out.

I can’t have that.

I may be many things. A dragon rider. A dragon slayer. An MMA fighter. An older sister. A daughter. A friend. But one thing I am not. One thing I will never be: a pathetic idiot running after a man, begging him to love me.

I’d rather die.

With the way my life has been going the last few weeks, that may be my most likely option. Either that, or I may kill the greatest threat humanity has ever seen. Because I am not about to stand by and watch him marry that ballerina dragon. I’m not okay with it.

Not even one tiny bit.

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