Epilogue

Axon

I need to fix this, but how? None of this was Ashley’s fault, and I wanted so badly to tell her that, but she barely comes out of her room. The most contact I’ve had with her was when she briefly glanced my direction from time to time before looking away again.

I had never wanted to be near someone so badly and yet, have absolutely no ability to adjust to the intensity of their touch.

Every brush of her skin against mine sent me into a sensory overload. It wasn’t just too much of a good thing, it was like too much of every good thing all at once. It was ecstasy in a touch, but an ecstasy that burned on contact.

I’d never felt shame for having a shifter form like the others. My mother was still alive and both my parents had assured me over the seasons that neither I nor any of the other shifters were to blame for the stiffness.

It wasn’t until now that I felt any kind of displeasure towards my abilities. I’d been able to cope with all my sensory issues; not being able to be near loud water, having to leave the room when too many people are talking, hearing nearly every whisper in every room in the mountain, but this I couldn’t do. I coudn’t cope with my inability to touch Ashley. I had to fix it somehow, but how could I do that when she wouldn’t even talk to me?

Ashley

I couldn’t do this. I had so many feelings bombarding me all at once and while I’d become withdrawn to sort them all out, everyone kept asking me if I was okay or looking at me like I was broken.

I’m not broken, just broken-hearted. I never want to see that disgusted look on Axon’s face again. It’s the same face he’s made every time my skin has brushed against his. His face scrunches up like he’s in pain and his entire body shudders. Never again.

I’d also come to the realization that I’m different from the other women here. I’d grown up feeling like a normal girl, a normal woman. Sex had never interested me much, but I thought that was normal, too. No one thinks about sex that much, right? WRONG.

Every woman here thinks and talks about sex all the time. It wasn’t until I came to Valo Prime and joined this amazing community of open, kind, and honest women that I realized everyone thinks about sex double, no triple, the amount that I do.

I’m ace, I realize that now, and I’m working through my emotions of what that means for me, and I want to do that alone, away from prying eyes, away from everyone whispering behind my back wondering if I’m okay.

So, I’ve made a decision. I’m leaving the dekes.

THE END.