Ensnare

Chapter 25

                That night I dreamt of the black alpha again. I was in the woods once more.

                I was surrounded by high walls of bushes. They closed in on me. Suddenly the black alpha leapt from the enclosing shrubbery. His fangs weren’t bared. There was no menace in his eyes. We stared into each other eyes. I was locked in place as I had been the first time.

                Then the pack joined us inside the walls. I was unfroze. But this time I didn’t stumble backward. I ran toward the alpha. He knew what the Stone River pack was planning. I needed to know what they were doing.

                He turned and bolted. I fell backward. The shrubs began to close in. I felt the air drain from my lungs. The pack was no longer there. The light faded from the scene. The bushes closed in. I screamed.

                I woke up with thrashing against something. I ran my teeth over my elongated canines. My heart hammered in my chest. My eyes focused, adjusting slowly to the darkness. Matthew had my wrists trapped against his chest.

                “Shh, you’re safe.” He whispered, dropping my wrists and drawing me into his arms. I relaxed, my chest still heaving. My arms wrapped themselves around his neck and I rested my head on his shoulder. I took deep breaths, trying to get my heart rate back to normal.

                “It was just a nightmare. You were clawing at the sheets. I didn’t want you to hurt yourself,” Matt explained. I nodded against his neck. My held me close, running a hand down my head, smoothing my hair.

                “Do you mind me asking what the nightmares are about?” Matthew asked. I felt his chest rumble with the words.

                “The black alpha. Every time he attacks me. Except tonight. He was just watching me,” I gulped, “… I can’t help but feel like we’re missing something.”

                “Me too. I just don’t know what,” Matthew sighed.

                I stayed wrapped in Matt’s arms for minutes longer. I felt my eyelids grow heavy and I yawned.

                Matthew pulled back and smiled. He brushed the hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

                “Feeling better?” he asked.

                I nodded with a shy smile. How could I not feel better after that?

                Matthew stood up to leave, “Sure you’re alright?” A smile danced in his eyes.

                “I’m fine!” I laughed and threw one of the smaller throw pillows at him.

                “Just making sure,” he winked and disappeared behind the door.

                I flopped back in bed with a smile on my face. In the midst of all this trouble, I was beginning to learn to be happy. I had to put my fears behind me if I ever wanted to live a life worth living. And that was exactly what I planned to do. 

                The next morning I was up earlier than the rest of the pack. For once I had beaten them to breakfast. Eve smiled as she passed me a box of cereal. I stifled a yawn and poured it into a bowl.

                “No home cooked breakfast?” I asked with a smile.

                “Wouldn’t want you to get sick of my pancakes, would we?” She smiled back, tucking her dark, straight hair behind her ears.