Forever His

Chapter 41: Haunted.

Shahmeer's POV:

The villa was dark when I came back in, barely any moonlight seeping through the heavy curtains. I closed the door as quietly as I could, trying not to disturb Mahnoor, who was curled up under the blanket, her breathing steady. I take off my shirt and get ready to sleep.

I went to the dresser, reaching for a glass, but in the silence, the sound of it scraping against the wood might as well have been a gunshot. I winced, glancing back, only to find her sitting upright, her eyes wide and unseeing, her whole body locked in rigid tension.

"Mahnoor?" I whispered, but she didn't respond. Her gaze was fixed on me, or rather through me, her hands gripping the blanket tightly. She looked... terrified. "It's just me."

She flinched, scooting back against the headboard, her breaths coming quick and shallow, panic filling her face. Her voice was a hoarse whisper, barely able to contain her fear. "Why are you here again? Leave me alone... Stop trying to hurt me."

I took a cautious step closer, keeping my voice low and steady. "Mahnoor, it's me. Shahmeer. No one else is here."

But her eyes were glazed with tears, her whole body trembling. She shook her head, her breaths coming faster as she stared at me, still caught in whatever memory had its grip on her. "You're pretending... pretending to be him." Her voice was choked, broken. "He was right here with me, in my dream."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I wasn't the one she saw, not truly, and it seemed that whoever haunted her was still very much alive in her mind. I moved closer, hesitating when she shrank back again, pressing herself against the headboard, like she couldn't get far enough away.

"Mahnoor," I said, firmer this time, hoping my voice would reach her. "Listen. It's me. It's Shahmeer. I'm not... whoever you're thinking of."

She only shook her head, pulling the blanket tighter around herself, her breaths coming shallow and fast, cold sweat glistening on her forehead. She kept muttering under her breath, each word a frantic plea. "Why are you here... why won't you just leave me alone? Please... please, just go."

I reached out a hand but stopped, the gap between us feeling wider than ever. She was caught between here and some nightmare of her past, and for all my confidence in handling any situation, I found myself at a loss.

I moved closer again, fighting the hesitation, and let my hand rest lightly on her shoulder. She flinched, her body rigid, but I kept my grip steady. "Mahnoor, it's just me," I said, my voice almost a whisper, unsure if she'd hear. "I'm not here to hurt you. No one's going to hurt you."

Her breath hitched, and she blinked, the glassy terror in her eyes clearing just slightly. She looked up, still trembling, still fearful, but some part of her was seeing me now. Her voice was barely a whisper, thick with tears. "You... it's really you?"

I nodded, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's me. Shahmeer. I'm not going anywhere."

She let out a shaky breath, her hand slowly reaching up to clutch mine, as if she needed the tangible proof that I was real. But her body still trembled, her breaths shallow, and the cold sweat on her brow told me that fear was still coursing through her veins.

"I... I thought it was him," she murmured, her voice barely audible, a haunted look passing over her face. "He... he always came back. I couldn't stop him."

I didn't know who this 'he' was, but a chill ran through me at the thought of someone else having left her like this, someone who haunted her even in her sleep, even in the supposed safety of these walls. My grip on her shoulder tightened involuntarily, the protective urge rising unbidden.

"Whoever he was," I murmured, my voice low and steady, "he's not here, and he's not coming back."

Her eyes met mine, hesitant and uncertain, but I held her gaze, letting her see that I meant it, that no one was going to hurt her, not on my watch. She gave a small, trembling nod and let out a shaky breath, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

Without thinking, I let my arm wrap around her, pulling her closer. She stiffened, her body still locked in fear, but gradually, she sank into the hold, her face buried against my shoulder, silent tears soaking into my skin. Her breathing was uneven, each exhale shaky as she struggled to calm herself. I stayed there, feeling the weight of her trust—reluctant as it might be—in my arms, waiting as the tremors slowly began to fade.

She didn't thank me, didn't say anything as she cried herself to sleep against me, the haunted look in her eyes fading as exhaustion took over. And though I knew I had no business feeling anything about this, something within me tightened, an unsettling reminder that perhaps, this might matter to me more than I wanted to admit. I had to say I was pleased she dreamt about me but it confused me who she was scared of. 

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I sat there in the dark, her faint, uneven breaths breaking through the silence. She was finally asleep, but traces of fear lingered on her face—tear tracks on her cheeks, brows slightly creased. Whoever haunted her in her dreams had left her shaken, and though I tried, I couldn't shake the question burning in the back of my mind: Who the hell was he?

I shouldn't care. It wasn't my business, and I didn't know her well enough to feel protective, not really. But here I was, unable to look away. The tangled strands of her hair fell over her cheek, and before I thought better of it, my hand reached out, brushing them back behind her ear. My fingers lingered, caught in the softness of her skin. She didn't stir, only let out a shaky breath, her hand twitching against the sheets.

I leaned back, forcing my hand away, but something held me there. She was calmer now, her breathing starting to steady, yet she still looked too small, too worn from whatever chased her through her sleep. For a reason I couldn't quite explain, I let my hand rest gently on her back, rubbing a slow, cautious circle. Her shoulders softened under the light touch, the tension easing out of her frame, and I stayed there, letting her breathing even out until it was soft and steady.

I exhaled, almost a sigh. None of this made sense—me, her, this entire mess we were tangled in. But with her finally asleep in my arms, calm and peaceful for the first time tonight, I couldn't bring myself to leave. I stayed, watching her, just until I was sure the nightmares wouldn't come back to disturb her.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

HEY! I had already written this chapter but had to go and make sure it sounded good. Also since we hit 100 reads on my first chapter so you guys get two of Shahmeer's POV's in a row. 

Literally the only time I care about a mans' opinion

Hope you guys like it!

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Love you ALWAYS! Bye <3