Alpha King and I

Chapter 19: Darkness

I awoke with sweat drenched through my night clothes. I could barely breath as each intake of air got shorter and shorter. Soon I started sounding like a panting dog, I did everything I could to try and silence myself, but it just made it worse. I immediately threw off the bed covers and prepared to run to the bathroom. Hoping I'd be harder to hear in there. Before I could even step off the bed a strong arm grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

Cadeth looked me down. Eyes bore into mine. I turned my face away. I could feel tears pouring down the sides of my eyes. I'd woken him, he needed the sleep. Yet his lips held no scorn, they just were there, ungiving. Not a growl, not a smile, nothing. Still, I tried to put my hand over my mouth to quiet myself. Obviously this must be disturbing.

He grabbed my other hand and pulled it away, holding it down instead. The sounds got worse, I was hyperventilating. I tried to apologize but I couldn't get the words out. My fingers began going numb, tingling like mad, as my chest heaved up and down rapidly in pain.

Suddenly he spoke.

"Scream Selese." I shook my head no. My vision blurred as I did so. More tears pouring out.

"Scream. Now." I shook my head again. Why would I do that? It doesn't make any sense?! It was too hard to breath already!! I was sure I would faint sooner than later. The tingling got worse. Taking over my legs and arms. I felt scared, so scared. Why can't I get it to stop?? I've stopped it before! Was my nightmare that bad? I need to stop, I need to stop!

The more thoughts filled my mind, the worse it got. My body started to feel limp. Cadeth held me down tighter. His hands pressed against me firm, but warm. I was so cold, like I would freeze. Each breath took more and more air away from me, instead of replenishing like it should. He forced his eyes on me stronger. Everywhere my face turned his gaze followed. All I could see were his eyes now, but I didn't want to. Because then I knew he could see, see me like this. Strange and crumbling. My own lungs going against me.

Suddenly, the burning started. Like before, but more like a shock than the consuming waves of pain that I'd remembered. As if an explosion happened in my chest. It hurt so much in that moment that I finally gave in.

I screamed.

It lasted but a second.

My breath came out in one deep release. Then it got warm again. My lungs slowed down. I could feel the air coming in and going out, so peaceful and quiet. He still held me there, but the tingling started to die down. I could see again more clearly. Everything relaxed.

It worked. His gaze was still on me, but his eyes looked strange. Almost like fog over them. He blinked somewhat slow and let me go. Sitting up now. I brought my arms down to my chest. My fingers held against each other. After a moment of hazed contemplating, I decided to turn toward him and see what he was doing.

Cadeth was fast rummaging through a black glass container I hadn't seen before. Yet I recognized a smell. That cocoa spice smell. He put the container down, but as he turned toward me, I could see in his hand was a cookie.

I pushed myself up and against the headboard. He brought the cookie toward me.

I questioned, "You're not mad?"

He quipped, "Our soldiers get that too."

"Cookies?"

"Panic attacks." He put the cookie in my hand.

"I see." My response, almost a whisper. I wasn't sure he even heard me. I looked down at the cookie. It had something green sprinkled on it. As if knowing what I was so focused on, Cadeth explained away.

"It's a sedative. Not very strong on werewolves, but it still works enough to aid in sleep." I nodded in acknowledgement. I broke the cookie in half, handed half back to him, then tried to eat my half quickly as I could. I couldn't taste the sedative, just a hot and chocolatey taste. In between chews, I spoke.

"You need sleep too Cadeth." He looked at the wall to the right of the bed. I guess he consumed the other half as when he turned back to me it was gone and his lips moved slight in a chewing motion. Cadeth spoke once more.

"We have a long day tomorrow Selese. Both of us." My first meeting. That's right. I almost forgot. We really do need sleep then.

He got back into the bed and under the covers. I tucked into them as well. We laid there in silence, but I could already feel sleep begging to take over. Fear too. What sleep hid in the dark crevices of my subconscious. Everything started to get heavier, except for the light sensation of Cadeth's hand again brushed against mine.

I snuck my fingers under his and laced them over his knuckles. Holding his hand. With a warm squeeze of his grip, sleep consumed me.

Author note: Surprise, this time the song is a k-pop song(Monster by EXO), instead of my usual post hardcore or acoustic beauties. lol. Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to comment if you'd like. :) Anddd... MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT POST FOR MY LATEYS. Yepsss. Posting this one early cause yeah shiz is starting to get real. :D