Mated to my Victim

Chapter Nineteen

Kyna

I keep what I dreamt to myself, knowing that revealing it would devastate Dad. I clutch Trae tighter, tears streaming in relentless rivulets down my cheeks. Trae's silent comfort, his gentle hand moving rhythmically up and down my back, provides a small island of peace. The chaos and noise of the hospital fade into the background, and I finally succumb to a hard, fitless, and refreshing sleep.

Jessika

I awake with a jolt as if electrocuted by a cattle prod. The room comes into sharp focus, and I see Mom, Dad, and Aydin standing a few yards away, engaged in a hushed conversation.

Aydin's eyes meet mine, and a sleazy smile curls his lips. "Look who's finally awake," he says, his voice dripping with false warmth. There's something sinister in his icy deep brown eyes, a malevolence barely concealed behind the mask of a loyal wolf of the pack.

I sit up slowly, my head throbbing. "What's going on?" I ask, my voice hoarse and unsteady.

Dad glances at me, his expression a mix of relief and worry. "You had a rough night," he says, taking a step towards me. "We were all concerned."

Aydin snorts softly, crossing his arms. "Some of us more than others," he mutters under his breath, his eyes glinting with barely disguised contempt.

Mom shoots him a warning look before turning back to me. "How do you feel, Jessika?" she asks, her voice gentle and soothing.

I hesitate, glancing between them. "I'm... okay, I think," I say slowly. "Just tired."

Aydin's smile widens, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Well, get some rest then," he says, his tone mocking. "You'll need your strength."

As they leave the room, I can't shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. Aydin's presence feels like a shadow, a constant reminder that danger lurks even within our own pack. I lay back down, my mind racing with thoughts of betrayal and treachery. The tension in the air is palpable, and I know that trusting Aydin could be our undoing. I close my eyes, the weight of the day's events pressing down on me. As I drift back to sleep, my mind is pulled into a vivid and unsettling dream.

I'm standing in the heart of the forest, surrounded by ancient trees whose twisted branches reach towards the sky like skeletal fingers. The air is thick with fog, and an eerie silence hangs over everything. I can barely see a few feet ahead of me, the mist swallowing up the landscape.

I start walking, my footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves on the forest floor. There's an unnatural chill in the air, and I pull my jacket tighter around me, trying to ward off the cold. As I move deeper into the woods, I hear whispers, soft and indistinct, as if the trees themselves are murmuring secrets.

Suddenly, I see a figure ahead of me, shrouded in the fog. I squint, trying to make out who it is. As I draw closer, the figure becomes clearer, and I see that it's Aydin. His back is to me, and he's staring at something in the distance.

"Aydin?" I call out, my voice trembling slightly. He doesn't respond. I take a few steps closer, reaching out to touch his shoulder. When my hand makes contact, he turns around slowly, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

"You're too late," he says, his voice echoing strangely in the still air. "It's already begun."

Before I can react, the ground beneath us starts to shake. I stumble backward, trying to keep my balance. The forest around us starts to warp and twist, the trees bending at impossible angles. The whispers grow louder, more insistent, and I realize they're not whispers at all—they're screams.

I look back at Aydin, but he's no longer there. Instead, I'm surrounded by shadowy figures, their faces twisted with rage and pain. They close in on me, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. I try to scream, but no sound comes out. My heart pounds in my chest as the figures reach for me, their hands like claws.