Ashley shook his head quickly.
'You can't say things like that, Suga. You can't do that. If even a whisper of this reaches the leader, we're dead.' He tightened his grip on Suga's hand. 'But... you're from outside the island, right? Maybe you could ask him to let you leave... because if you stay here too long, what if he gets bored of you? What if he changes his mind?'
'Changes his mind?'
'What if he starts treating you like the rest of us?'
Suga fell silent, eyes fixed on Ashley's face, now twisted with fear. Even his hand, clutching Suga's tightly, felt cold and damp with sweat.
'…We can't survive here forever,' Ashley whispered. 'Everyone has a lifespan. And for omegas to live longer here, we have to meet certain conditions... not everyone gets to live as long as Martha. Me... my time's ... I'm only allowed to live until I'm thirty five. So if you stay here too long, what if… what if you die before me?'
'Ashley, calm down.'
'I don't want to lose you, Suga… I really don't.'
