OFF LIMITS

F.I.F.T.E.E.N

Ellery managed to stay awake most of the night. She could hear Cameron snoring softly next to her. She'd fallen asleep next to him so many times the noise was soothing to her.

It was just starting to get light when Ellery accidentally fell asleep, and Cameron was awoken by her screams.

She could hear him, yelling for her to wake up. She could feel herself being shaken, but her mind wouldn't wake up from the night she was attacked. She relived her flesh getting torn apart. She relived Cameron trying to pull her from the wolf's jaws. She relived her parents screams as then watched as Ellery was brought back to life by the paramedics.

It happened over and over again.

Cameron was shouting at her. Normally he could wake her, but it had been a while and Ellery wasn't waking. She was just screaming.

"Cam, fucking hell, wake her up!" Alec yelled as she shoved open Ellery's door and walked into her room, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"I'm trying!" Cameron snapped and shook Ellery's shoulders.

"Is she okay?" Trent called. He was next into the room.

"What do you fucking think?" Cameron frowned.

Trent looked worriedly at Ellery and walked around the other side of the bed, sitting next to her. "Elle, Ellery, wake up!" Trent called. He shook her gently.

"Being gentle won't achieve anything," Cameron growled.

"Oh, for crying out loud, just slap her!" Alec yelled.

"I'm going to slap you," Cameron hissed.

"No, seriously," Alec said and in a flash, he was on Ellery's bed and had slapped her around the face, before Cameron and Trent had the time to pull him back.

Ellery's eyes flew open and she gasped, sitting up on her bed. She held her hand to her cheek and looked at Alec.

"Get out," Cameron growled and grabbed Alec by his shirt and threw him off the bed.

"Thank you," Ellery whispered to Alec as he left the room.

"Are you okay?" Trent asked, brushing some of Ellery's sweaty hair behind her ear.

"Fine," she breathed. She was taking long deep breaths.

"I tried to wake you," Cameron said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Ellery mumbled. She hurried to wipe a tear before either of them saw it.

"Hey, you're okay," Trent said and pulled Ellery into a hug. "It was just a nightmare."

But it wasn't. It was a memory.

Ellery sniffed. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"Look, it's nice and early, you've got enough time before school, why don't you have a nice warm bath and calm down?" Trent suggested.

"I'll have beans on toast and a coffee waiting for you when you're finished," Cameron said.

Ellery nodded and stood up, hoping she would forget about the nightmare. She never did.

*

Ellery walked into the kitchen dressed in black leggings, an oversized green jumper and lace up boots. She rubbed her tired eyes and went over and hugged Cameron who was just finishing making Ellery's food.

"Thank you for being there, even if you are a complete pain in the ass," she mumbled.

"Brothers are meant to be pains in the ass," Cameron grunted and kissed the top of Ellery's head. "Take a seat, your food is nearly done."