Chapter Nine

Selene’s POV

 

I ran as fast as I could but the footsteps only got closer. Panic bubbled up in me, and the air around me seemed to get thinner.

 

I needed a way out. The fastest way out of these woods.

 

My head hurts so much and blood tickled out of it, sliding down my face. But that was the least of my problems. He was starting to get closer. My legs pressed further, adrenaline rushing through me faster than before.

 

A gasp escaped my mouth as I toppled onto a fallen log that I didn’t see. My tired body met the ground and my butts dragged against the ground.

 

I tried to stand and continue running but my legs just wouldn’t budge. It felt as though they were locked.

 

The man stalked closer, no longer having to run anymore. The moon shone directly on his face, its reflection preventing me from seeing his face clearly.

 

“Who are you? What do you want from me?” My voice was barely audible, but he must have heard it loud and clear because he chuckled.

 

“Your biggest nightmare.”

 

“Stay away from me, I don’t have anything that you want.” I stuttered, scooting away from him.

 

He started to come closer, his face getting even clearer.

 

That voice… although sounding restrained and fake still sounded very familiar. He moved closer to me and the closer he got, the more evident the shiny object he held came into view. It was a knife.

 

“No, please!” I yelled when he raised it, preparing to use it on me.

 

I gasped, jolting awake. Sweat coated my face and other parts of my body. The room was dark and I could feel it.

 

I placed my hand above my racing heart, my heart almost in my throat.

 

“What was that nightmare? Why does it feel so real?” I mumbled quietly.

 

I’ve had nightmares before and this one just feels like it happened. The other ones I’ve had were born out of imagination and things that I had always feared would happen to me.

 

The frown on my face deepened as I realized once again that what I just saw happened before I lost my sight. I shook my head, convincing myself that it’s just a nightmare.

 

There’s no way it’s real.

 

Yes.

 

Even though the feeling of soil underneath my palm was ingrained into my memory—like it really happened, and the impact of the fall when I toppled over a fallen log felt like it had happened to me before.

 

And most importantly, the glinting of the knife when he got closer. I was sure as hell that I’ve seen it before.

 

But they all couldn’t have possibly been from what happened in the nightmare.

 

It couldn’t be.

 

I stood up and my legs almost gave out underneath me. They were still very shaky due to the fear of the nightmare.

 

“I need air.” I exhaled, grabbing my robe. I made my way out of the room and used my senses to locate the garden. For some reason, I had started to feel more relaxed in the lycan kingdom than in Moonbound.

 

Everything feels… normal here.

 

I heaved a sigh of relief on getting to the garden, relaxing in the calmness there. The cool night breeze brushed my skin and the silent rustle of leaves was the only companion I had.

 

My breathing started to come down, the tension from earlier ebbing away.

 

It all felt good, until the air shifted. My body went still and my wolf, whom I thought was asleep rustled in me, perking up immediately.

 

The strong cinnamon scent I had gotten used to at that point wafted into my nostrils. It was so strong that I wondered how I hadn’t smelt it earlier. He didn’t just get here.

 

“I know you’re here,” I mumbled, and his scent got thicker as he stepped out of wherever he was hiding.

 

“You shouldn’t be out here alone.” He said.

 

“I could say the same about you.” The word had fallen before I could control myself. My hand flew to my mouth and I gasped, stepping back a bit.

 

“This is my territory, I’m never alone.”

 

Thank goodness he didn’t take that to heart.

 

He has a point there. I breathed in deeply, and a sense of calmness washed over me, even though his scent was all that I could inhale.

 

“Why are you out here alone?  You seem unsettled.” He broke the silence.

“I am,” I mumbled, my voice steady.

 

He stepped closer, and I could feel his intense gaze on me, “Was it a nightmare?”

 

I nodded, unable to speak. The mention of the word ‘nightmare’ brought back the memories.

 

It wasn’t real.

 

“Do you want to share?” He asked and I shook my head immediately.

 

Since when did the king start caring about whether or not I had a nightmare? I would’ve thought I had woken up in an alternate universe if I didn’t feel the slight tremor in my belly.

 

And the facade he was putting up was making my brain relax a bit.

 

“I’d rather not.”

 

He went silent after that. He had probably nodded already. He looked away from me and I did too, staring into the distance even though I had no idea what I was staring at.

 

We stayed that way for some time, neither of us saying anything or doing as much as moving. And in that moment, I realized that was all I needed. A presence. Silence. And the calm from outside.

 

They were more than enough to calm me down and make me forget all that I had been thinking about all day.

 

“Do you want to go in now?” His voice broke the silence again.

 

This is still so weird. But once again, I’d rather not think too much about it.

 

“Yes, I think. It’s almost morning.”

 

I didn’t think it’d be proper for anyone to see us this way. So, I stood up and I heard him do so too. We both walked into the pack house in silence and when we got to the place where he was meant to turn, he didn’t, I still heard his footsteps echo behind me.

 

“Your majesty…” I trailed off and he picked up by clearing his throat.

 

“I need to get something from the store close to the west wing.”

 

Oh, he wasn’t following me. “Okay,” I mumbled.

 

I soon got to the room and I pushed the door open. I found my way to my bed, feeling more relaxed than before.

 

The hollow feeling in my heart from earlier had disappeared completely and I fell asleep almost immediately.

 

Liam’s knock on my door woke me up the next morning. I might have just had the best sleep ever.

 

“Come in.”

 

“Hey…” he trailed off and I heard him drop something on my table. Coffee.

 

“Good morning,” I mumbled.

 

“Why do you look like you didn’t sleep at all. When did you wake up?” He asked and I sighed.

 

“We have twenty-something days more to stay here, if I’m not wrong.” I changed the topic.

 

“Yes.”

 

If only the days could move faster. I had never felt so anticipatory about getting the eye surgery done like I had been doing since I arrived here. If it was possible for me to get it done right this minute, I’d do it without having a change of mind—no matter the consequences.

 

I drank the coffee and started to prepare for the day. I had started to get better at identifying places and moving around by myself without needing anyone to help me like they had to do at moonbound.

 

I had started to think that my senses had started to get sharper since I got here.

 

Although it meant that Liam wouldn’t have to babysit or worry more about me, it also bothered me a bit. Liam came into my room again, and I sensed the tension in his shoulders.

 

“Selene, I might be wrong.” He paused and for some reason, my heartbeat slowed down. “I overheard the King discussing with one of his warriors about Alpha Leo.”

 

My heart stopped.

 

“I think he’s searching for you and he’s close by.”