Chapter 16 — Uneasy Night

Dual POV (Regina & Aldric)

Regina

Night settled slowly over the hills, the last traces of sunset fading into deep indigo as the hotel quieted into its usual evening rhythm. The soft hum of conversation in the lobby faded hour by hour until only the occasional footsteps echoed down the hallways.

But Regina couldn’t relax.

Even after her shift ended and she retreated upstairs, the faint memory of that metallic scent lingered in her mind like a shadow she couldn’t shake.

She moved through her nightly routine mechanically — shower, tea, a book she barely absorbed — but her senses remained heightened, her wolf restless beneath her skin.

It felt like waiting for something she couldn’t see.

The bond pulsed softly, a steady reassurance, reminding her Aldric was somewhere in the building. It should have been comforting.

It was.

But it didn’t fully quiet the unease curling in her stomach.

By the time she finally crawled into bed, exhaustion weighed heavy behind her eyes, but her mind refused to fully settle. She lay on her side, staring at the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the curtains, listening to the soft sounds of the building settling.

You’re safe.

She repeated the words silently until her breathing slowed and sleep finally pulled her under.

—

The cave came back instantly.

Cold stone beneath her cheek.

The steady drip… drip… drip echoing in endless darkness.

Her wrists burned, rope biting into skin as panic surged through her chest. She tried to move but couldn’t, the same helplessness closing in from all sides.

A shadow moved at the edge of the flickering firelight.

Masked.

Watching.

Her breath hitched, terror flooding her veins as the figure stepped closer, the metallic scent suffocating in its intensity.

“So pretty,” the voice whispered, echoing unnaturally through the cave.

“No,” she tried to say, but no sound came out.

The shadow reached for her —

Regina jerked awake with a sharp gasp, heart racing so hard it felt like it might break through her ribs.

Her room swam into focus — soft lamplight, familiar walls, the faint scent of lavender grounding her in the present.

But the fear lingered, clinging to her skin like cold sweat.

Her breathing came fast and shallow as she pushed herself upright, hands trembling slightly as she pressed them against her chest.

It was just a dream.

Just a memory.

But the panic felt real.

Her wolf paced frantically beneath her skin, agitated and unsettled.

The bond flared suddenly, warmth flooding through her chest like a steady wave.

Aldric.

Without thinking, she reached for her phone with shaky fingers, barely aware of what she typed.

Are you awake?

She hit send before she could stop herself.

⸻

Aldric

He was already awake.

Sleep had been light, fractured by the lingering unease from earlier, his instincts refusing to fully stand down. He sat at the small desk in his hotel room, reviewing security notes when the bond suddenly spiked with sharp panic.

His head snapped up, heart pounding.

Regina.

Then his phone buzzed.

Are you awake?

He was already on his feet before he finished typing.

Yes. I’m coming.

The bond pulsed with relief as he stepped into the hallway, moving quickly but quietly toward her apartment upstairs. His wolf pressed forward, protective instincts flaring hot and immediate.

He knocked softly on her door.

It opened almost instantly.

Regina stood there in soft sleep clothes, hair loose around her shoulders, her green eyes wide and shadowed with lingering fear. The faint scent of adrenaline clung to her skin.

“Nightmare?” he asked gently.

She nodded, stepping aside to let him in.

The moment he crossed the threshold, the bond settled slightly, warmth flowing between them like a calming current.

She closed the door, wrapping her arms around herself as if trying to hold the last of the fear at bay.

“The cave,” she said quietly. “It felt so real.”

Aldric’s chest tightened, anger flickering briefly at the memory of her bound and terrified.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

She shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”

He stepped closer, careful not to crowd her, his voice steady and low. “You’re safe.”

The simple certainty in his tone made her shoulders relax just a fraction.

She sank onto the couch, rubbing her hands together absently. He sat beside her, close enough that she could feel his warmth but not touching unless she chose to.

The bond hummed softly, soothing the last sharp edges of her fear.

“I hate that it still affects me,” she admitted quietly.

“Trauma doesn’t follow a timeline,” he said gently. “It doesn’t mean you’re weak.”

She glanced at him, gratitude flickering in her eyes.

Silence settled between them, but it felt comforting rather than heavy.

After a moment, Regina leaned back slightly, her shoulder brushing his arm.

The contact sent a soft warmth through the bond, calming her wolf almost instantly.

She let out a slow breath, tension draining from her body.

“Thank you for coming,” she said softly.

“Always,” he replied without hesitation.

The word settled deep in her chest, steady and reassuring.

They sat there for a while in quiet companionship, the steady rhythm of each other’s breathing gradually easing the last of the tension.

Eventually, Regina felt her eyelids grow heavy again, exhaustion catching up now that the adrenaline had faded.

“You can stay,” she murmured, half-asleep already.

Aldric hesitated only a moment before nodding.

“Alright.”

He stayed beside her as she drifted back into sleep, the bond steady and warm between them like a protective shield.

—

Aldric

He watched her sleep, the soft rise and fall of her breathing gradually evening out as her body finally relaxed fully.

The vulnerability of the moment stirred something deep in his chest — a fierce protective instinct layered with a quiet tenderness he hadn’t expected to feel so strongly.

His wolf settled beside hers in the shared space of the bond, calm and watchful.

Whatever shadows lingered from her past…

He would face them with her.

And whatever threat lingered in the present…

He would destroy it.

Because she wasn’t alone anymore.

And neither was he.