The one in my dreams

(Alpha King Zeeb’s POV)

"You're barely touching your food, King Zeeb," my sister Heather remarked, gesturing toward the untouched plate in front of me, making me snap back to reality.

“Talk to me, Zeeb! What are you thinking about? Is it Adeline?” The sadness in her voice lingered in the air, striking a nerve that churned painfully at my heart. Adeline—my mate—and Luna, who had been the core of my existence, had been brutally murdered by rogues months ago. The wound still felt raw, like it was just yesterday.

My head hung low, deep in thought. This time, it wasn’t solely on Adeline but rather a little invader, haunting my dreams. “It’s the damn dream, again,” I said, frustrated, running my fingers through my long, lush hair.

Heather looked at me, worry evident in her eyes.

“Zeeb, look, I feel you’re forcing meanings into those dreams, finding a bit of closure in them. Everyone has dreams about people they’ve never met. So please—”

I lifted my head and stared at the chandelier hanging in the room. The dim light created a serene atmosphere in the dining alcove of my bedroom. The setup should have been almost perfect, but it only highlighted how far my life had strayed from that ideal.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I said, “I no longer have an appetite. You just don’t get it, Heather. The woman from my dream is in distress; I can feel it. It’s driving me to the edge, knowing I can do nothing but watch.” She didn’t understand the dilemma I was in right now. To her, I probably just sounded crazy, but in the madness, I found clarity.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a guard stepped in. Interrupting us.

His face was pale and his eyes hollow, enough to signal that there was a conflict. “What is it?” I demanded.

His body shook with fright as he fidgeted, unable to form words. “Just spill the beans; I don’t have all day!” I snapped at him.

"A... Alpha King, the great Alpha, it saddens my heart to break it to you, but... the rogues, they have fled.”

Before he could finish talking, I slapped him hard across the face, the impact making him cough up blood. That served him right. “What do you mean they fled? How were they able to escape? Huh? How foolish and incompetent are you all?” Rage coursed through my entire body, setting my soul ablaze.

“I have built a formidable empire with the toughest soldiers. How could mere rogues slip through your fingers as if it were child’s play?” This wasn’t just a loss for me and my mate; it was also a loss for the pack. The vengeance of their Luna.

Zeric, my wolf, let out growls, baring his fangs, trying to take charge and snap the guard in two. Ever since the death of his mate, he had become primal and aggressive, shutting himself off completely in his grief.

“They killed Adeline, my Adeline, brutally, and they think they can go scot-free?” I erupted in sarcastic laughter.

“Calm down, Zeeb, please.” Heather stood up and moved closer to me in an attempt to pacify me.

“Do not tell me to calm down, Heather. What a joke! Don’t they know who I am? I am Zeeb, the Reaper! Don’t they know I rule? I will drag them all to hell.”

My eyes turned sharply to the useless guard. “Get the heck out of here before I send you to the Moon Goddess above.”

He needed no second telling, scurrying on his feet, shaking like a leaf, while Heather tried to make me see things clearly. Heather was someone who didn’t believe in acting rashly in situations. While I was burning coal, she was ice. She has been the calm to my storm ever since Adeline was no more, and as always, she tamed me down.

After what felt like an eternity, the fog began to lift from my mind. I felt the world spinning around me; the weight of my anger was too heavy for my body to handle. I threw myself onto the bed. I was in a hypnagogic state, my brain starting to relax, when I heard it: distant wails of anguish.

Seeing that Heather was still here, I noticed she hadn’t said anything. She continued going through the Book of Legacy. Confused, I asked her, “What is that noise? Where is it coming from?”

She looked at me as if I had grown two heads.

“What noise? I didn't hear any noise.”

I sheathed my sword in haste as the shrills grew louder, sounding all too familiar. “Wait, where are you going?” Heather called after me, but I ignored her and hurried toward the source of the sound.

Jerome, my beta, walked alongside me the moment he saw me emerge from my bedroom. That was why I liked him; no questions asked, he just moved swiftly, with utmost efficiency, showing his loyalty and dedication.

Straight to the woods we went. I passed the large floral garden, halting my steps. This road… I always passed it, but it had never felt so alive. It was as if a miracle had happened. Observing it closely, utterly astonished by the tricks Mother Nature had up her sleeves, I noticed something—a figure, nestled among blooms.

At that very moment, the air picked up, wafting an almost inexplicable scent of roses and pines through my nostrils. The wind was harsh, making my shoulder-length hair bounce frantically. I felt souls connecting—a feeling I couldn’t explain—and I sensed Zeric was also restless.

The figure lay helplessly, and I picked up a pulse; it was still alive. Moving closer, with leaves crunching under my boots, I was taken aback. The figure was a woman.

She was one of the most beautiful—scratch that—the most beautiful creature I had ever laid my eyes on. Her lustrous silver hair, almost white, was a rare type. Her pale skin resembled milk, with a sharp, pointed nose adorned with a visible spot. Wait a minute—this familiarity... A chill ran through me; it was none other than the woman from my dreams, the one who had given me sleepless nights.

I touched her skin; it was so soft, like a cushion, yet so cold, as if she had hypothermia. She stirred slightly, and when her eyes flickered open—Heavens, take my soul! I was ready to repent, from a devil to a demigod. Her gaze was pure, like that of an angel. If angels existed, I was sure she was a fallen one.

I tried to mind-link Heather but couldn’t reach her. I quickly turned to Jerome. “Get the pack doctor over here.”

If there is one trait I had, it was impatience, and Jerome was taking almost forever. “Where the heck are you?” I barked through the mind-link.

“I am by the red stone lane.” Not waiting for him to say anything further, I cut off the communication immediately. I had no time to waste.

Gently scooping her body into my arms like a freshlywed wife, ready to consummate our wedding, I headed back to the packhouse, her scent almost knocking me off my feet. I felt not just my body spark at the contact but also hers.

Upon reaching the pack house, I laid her in the room closest to me, while Elvis, the pack doctor, assessed her.

“I have checked her vitals, and everything seems perfect; there are no signs of distress. But we do not know why she is unconscious. We can only hope she comes out of it soon.” I had noticed a gash on her neck.

As everything he said dawned on me, I surprisingly found myself praying for a stranger, hoping she survived. It was something I hadn’t felt in a long time, and it scared me—empathy.

*********

Morning came faster than expected, and I received the news that she was still unconscious. I had to see her for myself, no matter how much I tried to deny it.

No one was in the room, as I had instructed, leaving only two guards outside to watch over her. They bowed in submission as I entered, my heart thudding hard against my ribcage, nervous as hell. It was almost ironic how the man who fought battles without flinching was the one a single woman was making feel this way.

Intrigued by how lethal she looked, I wouldn’t mind being slain. I moved closer, touching her soft hair, which felt like butter. I sighed, still staring intently at her, not hoping to get any answers but still trying. “What are you? How did you get here? Are you the one giving me sleepless nights? Or did my Adeline send you to me?”

Who was I kidding? These were questions to which I had no hope of getting answers soon. She lay there, unmoving.

As I turned to leave, my hand lingered on the doorknob when she coughed, freezing me like a sculpture. Her voice called to me like a siren’s song. Dangerous yet alluring.

“Where am I?”