Chapter 7

Selena’s POV

“Stop!!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, panting for breath as Jasmine released her hands from my throat. 

She had picked me up and slammed me against a tree like I was a piece of paper. Her figure dangling in front of me like a fiery witch. 

“You piece of shit.” She hissed, her face wrinkled up in disgust. 

“I'm going to teach you a lesson,” she continued. 

My heart caught up in my chest. She had just strangled me for five minutes. What else did she plan to do? Kill me? Maybe Nia was right. I should have come up with a plan when I still could instead of waiting around for her to deal with me like this. What did I even do to deserve this? 

“By the time I'm done with you, no one, not even Jake or Cullen will recognize you,” She added, punching my ribs. 

“Ahhhh!” I gritted in pain, looking around to see if anyone could help. Unfortunately my sight was blurred from the numerous tortures.

I couldn't even pick up where we were but with the hard clusters of leaves under my feet, the sound of birds and the trees she has been slamming me on, I figured it must be a forest.

“Help!” I proceeded to scream. 

“No one can hear you here…” she stated mockingly, her voice accompanied by a devilish laughter.

“Oh except the rogues from the east. The best way to clean up my trace when I'm done with you, the alpha would think the rogues did this,” she added.

“What did I do to deserve this?” I asked her as my legs could no longer give in. I stopped struggling underneath her powerful arms and just allowed her to overpower me like she always does. If I was going to die tonight, I should at least know why. 

“I will not let you steal my throne.” She shrieked, her voice lethal, it scared me to my bones.

“Selena!” I heard someone scream my name. It was faint but urgent. “Selena!” This time I recognized it, it was Ava.

“Shhhh it's just a nightmare,” she stated as I opened my eyes. 

Her arms were around me, rocking me to comfort. I looked down at myself, I was covered in sweat and my body was shivering like I had just been electrocuted. A pair of eyes were watching from the corner of the room but I could not see. 

“Who's there?” I pointed out, scared that whatever was in my dream had followed me down here. 

“It's me,Selenea. Your screams woke us up,” Nia answered while jumping from her bed to turn on the light. I squinted at the brightness, my eyes were super puffy and blurry. I had obviously been crying from my sleep.

“It's okay, it's okay.” Ava kept rocking me to comfort while I looked at all of them in confusion.

“Is it a dream?” I asked, unsure of what to say. I hope this wasn't another trick my brain was playing with me.

“Yes dear, you're safe now,” Ava whispered to me. 

“Safe?” I asked, wondering if she knew what I was dreaming about.

“Yes. From your screams, it's obvious you were being tormented, you're okay now,” she answered. Nia nodded her head in agreement.

I closed my eyes in relief. It's been a while since I experienced a nightmare. It only happened a few days after my parents died which only Ava had always been aware of. 

“Jasmine’s abuse must have caused this. It only comes up after traumatic events. This is why we need to deal with her. She cannot be getting you all worked up like this because of a stupid Jake!” Nia stated in anger. 

She was right, my parents death was traumatic and that was why I had those nightmares and now this. 

“I’m fine,” I said in a bid to calm them down as they were all boiling in anger. “If we should be dealing with anyone, it is Jake, he is the real enemy here,” I added, noticing how low and coarse my voice sounded, it was true that all my screams in the dream really happened physically. 

I sighed and rubbed my temples trying to ease the throbbing ache that was now disturbing my head. 

“Pain killers, please,” I told Ava who just stood up and went to pick them up from our first aid box.

“Jake is a jerk but Jasmine went out of line when she hit you like that,” Nia insisted, her face red with anger. I wondered what she would do if I told her that Jasmine was the one tormenting me in my dream. 

“It’s back. We need to do something about it,” Ava warned as she handed me the pills and a glass of water. I nodded in agreement. 

When my parents died, it took more than painkillers for me to get over the trauma and tormenting dreams. It was as if someone was out to get me. It was until I could overcome the trauma before the nightmares stopped. 

It was simple then, it was just to agree with the fact that my parents were gone, but now how was I supposed to overcome Jasmine and Jake’s trouble? I hissed through gritted teeth. 

“We need to deal with that bitch and I have a better plan!” Nia stated, taking me out of my thoughts. 

“While I agree with that. We cannot conclude that Jasmine caused this until we know the content of the dream. This is more important right now,” Ava reminded her. I nodded my head in agreement before realizing that they were both looking at me. 

“What?” I asked them. 

“What was the dream about?” they chorused. 

I stopped for a moment, deciding if it was best I told them. The last thing I wanted was for them to be involved in this mess. 

“Selena, I cannot help but notice you’ve been keeping stuff from us,” Nia stated. Being the most outspoken of my friends, I didn't expect less. 

“You need to open up if you want us to help you,” she added, walking back to her bed.

“I don’t want you guys…” I started. 

“You don't want our help? Wow? Really…?” she interrupted.

Ava gave her a warning stare causing her to shut up. 

“I only mean that I do not want you guys involved in Jasmine’s drama,” I clarified. 

“So Jasmine tormented you?!” Nia snapped, earning another glare from Ava. 

“Am I the only one really pissed at this bitch?” Nia hissed. 

“We all are. We just need to handle it better.” Ava answered, pointing at me, my frame supposedly. I looked like shit so I guess Nia got the message.

“Alright then, guess we will pick this up by dawn. Get some rest and stay away from trouble in your sleep,” Nia said, climbing up to her bed, clearly pissed. 

“Let’s get you to sleep. We will talk about this tomorrow,” Ava whispered, tucking me gently on my bed and placing the duvet on top of me before giving me a reassuring goodnight kiss on the cheek. 

I let her walk to her bed before opening my eyes. There was no way I could sleep with this tugging in my gut that something was up and it was something bad.