CHAPTER 9: WAKING DREAMS

IRYN'S POV

I’m falling; the world around me twists into colors of silver, black and red mixing into one another, and I can’t breathe, I can’t even scream.

My body feels like it’s being stretched into threads, yanked in every direction.

... And I recognise that feeling, it's the mate bond, only this feels harsher, so harsh that I feel like something inside me is about to rip out.

Instinctively I worry look around, worrying about my mate.

Are they okay?

Did something bad happen?

Why do I feel so much pain?

Suddenly I feel yanked toward my left, and when I turn, I see my mates.

However the mates I see is not Nyall or Fenric or Orien.

The men in front of me are totally different men---- Alphas too— but older.

One of them is wearing a crown made of bone and gold, the other has claws that are dripping with a dark liquid---- it blood, I'm sure of it; I can smell too well and strongly.

And then the third… the third doesn’t look at me at all... because his eyes are blindfolded, and yet I 'feel' him seeing me.

Then suddenly, I realise that I’ve been on my knees, right before them, trembling.

And I gasp.

I try to stand up, only to gasp again when I realise that my wrists are bound with thorned vines and even my dress is white and soaked in blood which I don’t remember spilling.

“I served you,” I whisper, not in my voice but someone else’s---- and it feels like it's me talking but someone else has possessed me.

It's weird and strange but I can't control it at all.

“You were never meant to rule,” one of them says.

“Royal Omegas are weapons,” the blindfolded one murmurs. “Not queens.”

“But you chose me,” I cry. “You said you loved me!”

“You are ours,” they say at the same time.

"But not as Luna or our equal; you're just an obedient Omega bond mate."

Their words stab through me, and I flinch, but before I can recover from the hurt, they pounce on me, tearing and ripping me apart with their claws while I scream.

--------------------

“Wake up! Iryn!”

A hand cups my cheek, another grabs my arm, and I jolt upright in bed, soaked in my own sweat, gasping and breathing heavily.

My heart feels like it’s cracking open, mu throat is raw, and I don’t know if I’ve been screaming aloud or it was all just inside my head.

... But I still feel that dream physically and so I slap the hands touching me away without thinking even for a second.

“Don’t touch me!”

Three voices immediately speak to me at the same time.

“Iryn—”

“What happened?!”

“You were— Fuck, you were shaking!”

I blink very quickly, my eyes adjusting on its own from my sleepy state, any vision clears just enough to see the three of them— Nyall, Fenric, and Orien— all around me.

“What… where am I?” I ask, my chest heaving while I speak.

“You fainted this morning,” Orien says in a soft but tense voice. “During breakfast; mate you scared the shit out of us.”

Nyall’s jaw ticks in a thin line. “You’ve been unconscious for hours.”

“I tried to wake you,” Fenric mutters in a rough voice. “But you were ice cold, then burning up, then shaking so hard that I thought your bones were breaking.”

My throat feels dry both from my dream and his words, but I swallow hard. “I saw…”

They freeze.

“What did you see?” Nyall asks and I shake my head, pressing a hand to my chest.

“A... a dream. It felt like… like I was someone else before..."

I trail off, now feeling unsure of what I'm saying and Orien presses for me to complete the sentence.

“Before?” Orien repeats but I say nothing, so he tries again.

"Before what?”

“I don’t know!” My voice turns cracky as I scream in both fear AND confusion.

"I just know that I was on my knees, and I was mate to the three of them and loved them... But they killed me.”

All three of them fall silent at my words, and I feel the bond inside me flutter weakly, causing me to look up at them.

Nyall kneels beside the bed, grabbing my hand. “It was just a dream.”

I look at him, confused then shake my head violently.

"Maybe it was a magic---" Orien starts but Nyall elbows him.

"What?" I ask, looking at Orien.

Nyall sighs and rubs his hand over his face, "There's a witch in the wilds that's known for attacking werewolves."

Now understanding, I shake my head slowly. “It wasn’t just that. It wasn’t just an attack; I saw myself,” I whisper.

“A different me, but still me---- I felt it."

Nyall’s eyes darken as he narrows his eyes at me. “Are you saying you have a past life?”

“I don’t believe in that reincarnation crap,” Fenric mutters, folding his arms.

“She’s a Royal Omega,” Orien says, staring at me.

“That alone is more surprising than reincarnation."

Shuddering, I wrap my arms around myself. “Why does it feel like I’m being punished?”

Nyall’s hand tightens around mine. “You’re not.”

“I was torn apart,” I remind them. “By the ones who were supposed to love me. Alphas and my mates.”

“You have us now,” Orien says gently.

“And you think that’s better?” I snap, suddenly feeling very angry.

“You growl at each other over who touches me. You argue and keeping pulling me in three directions. I’m barely holding myself together!”

They all fall quiet at my outburst, even Fenric, and I just stare at each of them.

“Tell me the truth. If the Moon hadn’t tied us together… would you have ever looked at me?”

“Yes.” Nyall says immediately.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not,” he says flatly, and I look to Fenric and Orien, wondering why they're keeping quiet.

Then Nyall continues, “We saw you that night before the light hit you. We noticed you.”

"You did NOT!" I scream, "NONE OF YOU DID!" I say, pointing my index finger at each of them, and Nyall's eyes narrows.

"Iryn, SLEEP."

He uses his alpha tone on me----- or perhaps it's the mate bond----- and my body submits immediately, making me fall into a deep sleep.