“You’ve got it all wrong,” he murmurs, his voice breaking.
I blink, the words not quite registering.
“I want you,” Alec says, his eyes burning into mine. “God, Sadie. I want you so badly it’s killing me.” His thumb brushed along my jaw, a soft, reverent touch. “But not like this.”
My chest tightens. “Why not?”
“Because if I take you now, you’ll think it’s just the moon heat,” he says, his voice thick. “You’ll think that’s the only reason I want you.”
I shake my head, but Alec’s thumb presses against my lips, silencing me.
“If we do this now,” he continues, his voice rough, “it’ll feel good—so good—but when the heat passes, you’ll think it was just that. Just heat. Just instinct.” He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “And you’ll regret it. And I can’t. I won’t let you regret something that should be special.”
My breath hitches. The weight of his words pressing down on me, and it feels like my heart is being squeezed.
I am so confused. Do I dare to believe his words? To believe that that’s the only reason he isn’t buried deep inside me right now and not because he is still in love with Lola?
I don’t have time to think much of it because a sharp, stabbing pain explodes in my belly, and I gasp, doubling over. My arms wrap around my stomach, and my knees buckle.
“Sadie!” Alec is there in an instant, catching me before I hit the ground. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
I can barely breathe. The pain is like fire, scorching through my veins, burning me from the inside out.
“Nyx,” I whimper internally. “What’s happening?”
“This is what I warned you about,” she says, her voice pained. “The moon heat. Our mate is supposed to mate us. Without that, the pain will only get worse.”
Another wave of agony tears through me, and I cry out, clutching Alec’s arms as he lifts me.
“Hold on,” he murmurs, voice tight with worry. “I’ve got you.”
Trees blur as Alec ran, his body a solid, steady anchor against the pain. By the time he stops, I am barely conscious, my skin burning, sweat pouring down my face.
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