Page 33 of Daughter of Garnet

His touch feels unnatural, even though he’s held me hundreds of times before. “You said that.”

Warren’s lips are on mine before I can say anything else. They’re soft, almost delicate, as they move against mine. One hand slides to my lower back, pulling my body closer, and the other feeds under my hair, angling my head for him.

It feels… empty. Not earth-shattering. I don’t want to drown in him.

Not like I did when Ray kissed me.

This is Warren. This is my best friend. The man who has been by my side since we were children.

I have spent the better part of three weeks wondering if there was something between us and feeling jealous of others getting his attention.

And now I don’t feel anything.

Nothing inside me is yearning for more. In fact, my stomach is churning like I ate something foul, and my body is about to reject it.

When I break away from him, his breathing is labored, and his eyes are wild. He’s looking at me like I’m a drug and he’s craving another hit. I take a step backward, holding my hands up in a feeble attempt to keep him away.

“Warren, I…”

“Ever since that one drunken night I've wanted to kiss you again."

I want to hear a ring of truth, but I don't. “Why haven’t you, then?”

He doesn’t have an answer for me. In fact, he looks confused that I’d even ask.

“It just… the timing wasn’t right.”

I take a step back from him, rubbing my chest. This is wrong. All of this is so wrong. This isn't how it's supposed to go.

Hadn't I fantasized about kissing him lately? Isn't this something I wanted?

He follows me, snagging my wrist. I yank it away.

“Why are you being so weird, Zoe?”

“I’m being weird? I asked you to leave me alone, and you come in here and kiss me!”

My best friend shrugs, then shoves his hands into his pockets and leans against my desk. “It felt right.”

“What does that mean?”

“I mean, I saw you in that dress, and all I could think about was that I had to have you.”

One of my hands moves to my stomach, clutching to keep my discomfort from pouring out of me. The other points at the door. “Get out of here, Warren. We’ll talk about this later.”

He raises his hands and starts backing away, finally realizing I’m serious. “Okay, okay, I’m going. But think about it, Zoe. It's time we stop denying what is happening between us. We were always meant to be together. We’re inevitable.”

Something about the way he says it makes my skin crawl, and I slam the door behind him and lock it as sweat rolls down the back of my neck. The dress that I felt so powerful in feels tainted and too tight after that interaction. My fingers tremble as I pull the zipper down and step out of the dress.

Why did that kiss from Warren make me so uncomfortable? It felt like my skin was two sizes too small.

He’s my best friend. Even if there was any hope of anything romantic between us, I wouldn't have had such a visceral reaction to his kiss.

I catch a glimpse of my reflection from the corner of my eye, and I turn to face it, wondering if I am going to see sharp teeth filling my mouth again. I’m nearly naked, feeling more so than ever without my pendant, as I stare down the woman in the mirror and try to find something different about me. I no longer feel like the woman I was before I touched that Gods-forsaken stone.

The changes are subtle. I don’t think I would notice if I weren’t examining every inch of me with a critical eye after learning about the changes Omegas undergo in the weeks after their Blessings. It’s the way my waist tucks in a little more, my hips have spread a bit wider. I noticed my hair and eyes were more vibrant when I first tried on the dress, but now my skin is diffused and blemish-free, and my breasts feel heavier.

What is happening to me? I can't blame a dress for pulling Warren to me or giving me fangs, but why does it feel like it's at the center of it all?