Dream or real

Keira POV

The hallway was pitch black. That was odd. How could they turn off all the lights on such a special day? It was my thirteenth birthday. I was the Alpha heir and my wolf has just awakened, waiting for its time to emerge. My sight was great, but as my wolf was still young, it wasn't matured enough to pierce the darkness.

"Who's there?" I called. "Daddy, the lights are off!"

But my dad wasn't nearby. He was in a meeting at the pack grand hall. My friends were all in the living room, dancing and squealing with delights at the clown's jokes. I was missing the fun.

Why did I come out here again? Someone called my name. The voice sounded like Zoey Faust's, that was why I left my party. Zoey was a good friend of the family. She was from the line of the Beta's and married into a warrior's family. Her husband died long ago, leaving her with a daughter who was inside enjoying herself right now.

"Mrs Faust?" I called out. No answer came.

Daddy told me to be nice and respectful to her. As future Luna and leader of the Spring Moon pack, good manners were a must. Apart from that, after my mom died, Zoey was in and out of our house a lot. Daddy said she was very helpful.

I was too little to remember how she helped.

The sound of my cheerful friends had gone faint because I was too far from the living room now. I grew irritated, telling myself that strange things like these were the reasons I didn't like the woman. Not just the fact that I caught her sneaking into dad's bedroom twice.

I turned to go back to my party when I felt movement. Before I could ask who was there, something hit me on the back of my neck with such force. It burned like scorching hot iron. The pain made me dizzy, causing me to lose balance. I reached out, trying to grab hold of something, but all I felt was empty space.

Then came another push. I felt the force of someone's hands this time. Much bigger than me. I heard their grunt as they shoved me off the rails and sent me falling from the top floor, which was six storey high.

I screamed and thrashed. Then someone caught me, but I kept screaming as they pulled me back to safety. Their voice was soothing at first, but soon grew impatient.

"Wake up, Keira."

They shook me roughly.

I opened my eyes but kept thrashing and trying to grab hold of something. Someone was with me on the bed, holding both my arms and shaking me.

"Wake up!"

I began to relax once I realized I was awake. My vision was blurred by the sun's ray pouring into the bedroom. Shame crept in once I realized where I was. I was on my bed in the main pack house. No longer an heir, but a grown she-wolf and co-leader of the Spring Moon.

Liam still had a grip on my arms. His tone became gentler when he spoke next.

"It's me, your Alpha, your husband. It's alright."

I was still panting as I looked all around me. Ten years had passed since that terrible incident that cursed my young wolf back to sleep. If the last two days were any indication, the nightmares had returned.

Liam's grip softened on my shoulder. I knew without a doubt that I definitely screamed out loud. This made me too embarrassed to look at him.

"It's just a bad dream," he said, smoothening my arm before releasing me.

Yes. A recurring bad dream. One that stopped a year ago when he and I were arranged to wed. I thought it was gone for good. Apparently not.

Thankfully, Liam was speaking and barely noticed my embarrassment.

"I was going to let you sleep and rest well cos it's a big day for us." He stood up. "But you seem in distress, so I had to wake you up."

The words big day got my attention. I looked at the time. It's past seven.

"Are you kidding me, Liam," I began scrambling out of bed. "Our guests will start arriving at 8:30. You could've woken me up much sooner."

He should have woken me up before the nightmare began. I briefly wondered what time he got home last night but pushed the thought aside. Irrelevant for now.

There were more important things to deal with. It was our wedding anniversary. Not only that, all the packs on the Eastside were commemorating one year of peace. My pack would host alphas and dignitaries of the other three main packs.

Well, two, because the Autumn Moon's Alpha may not show up. He was the bag egg of the Eastside. The only troublesome, evil one amongst us. At least, that was the rumor. I'd never met him.

Today won't be a simple affair. The party was an opportunity to make friends and strengthen partnerships with others.

I had been Luna of the Spring Moon pack for fifteen months right after my dad died. Being female, I needed these types if networking to show my people and counterparts that I had allies. That way, they would think twice before messing with my pack.

Liam remained nonchalant as I rushed towards the bathroom

"Relax, Luna." He swung a bathrobe over his shoulder. "Our people are taking care of everything. We just need to show up."

I ignored him and went for a quick shower.

What type of excuse or impression would I be making if I arrived late for my own renewal of vows? Pack members and visiting Alphas would surely talk. Already, some seem to find a reason to say things like, 'this is why females shouldn't rule a pack.' 'Oh, she's just pretending. Liam is Alpha.'

I'd heard and felt the whispers and vibes from some many times.

Not only that, hosting all those other Alphas and dignitaries was a great honor. It meant that the Spring Moon was a symbol of peace and unity on this Eastside.

In ten minutes, I'd showered and sent for my stylist. Liam was also getting dressed now. As I waited for Saul, my stylist, I began to feel like something would go wrong today.

It was a waning moon, so Aria, my wolf, was hybernating, as usual. So why had the nightmares returned? All these while, I'd lived quietly, doing my duties to the pack. Was that about to change?

"Are you alright?" Liam asked. "You had a bad dream last night too."

"Yeah, I'm alright," I nodded, forcing a smile. I stared his way and told myself to feel lucky that I married the most handsome guy in the pack. And he was loving too. Sometimes.

"You're worrying too much about the anniversary. I think you're under a lot of stress." He came over and smoothed my back. A faint smell of some fruit wafted past my nostrils. That was not part of his scent.

"Did you eat oranges or what?"

His hand froze for a brief moment as he hesitated. Something flashed in his eyes that was unrecognizable. Then he nodded quickly with a short laugh.

"Yeah. I went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Taylor was eating some, so I took one."

I was about to ask what time he came home last night when a soft knock sounded. Saul was here. He had only twenty minutes to get me ready for our special day.

"Come in," I called out.

As he entered and began working, Liam returned to getting dressed too. I was not always comfortable with him being in the room when I dolled up.

Before he became my mate and husband, he was my crush. Someone I fantasized about. Someone who made me laugh shyly when he's around. Now, we were a couple, running the pack together.

I was thinking of old times and marvelling at how much had changed when he finished. He started to leave the room as he said,

"I need a quick drink, love. Need to feel prepared. I'll be right back."