Chapter 55: Restless Dreams
Chapter 55: Restless Dreams
(Aria’s POV)
The darkness of the Blackwood family den enveloped me as I lay rigid on my side of the massive bed. Despite the luxurious comfort of the mattress, sleep eluded me completely.
Dominic’s steady breathing beside me filled the silence. His unique scent – a mixture of Alpha pheromones and moon sage body wash from his earlier shower – seemed to grow stronger in the stillness of the night.
I shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position that didn’t make me so aware of his presence. The thin barrier of sheets between us felt woefully inadequate.
“Can’t sleep?” Dominic’s deep voice startled me.
I froze, embarrassed that my restlessness had disturbed him. “Sorry.”
“Is the bed uncomfortable?” he asked, his voice tinged with amusement.
“No, it’s fine,” I mumbled, pulling the covers tighter around me. “Just… adjusting.”
The mattress creaked slightly as he moved, his warmth radiating across the space between us. My wolf stirred nervously beneath my skin, sensing his powerful Alpha presence even in the darkness.
“I could tell you a bedtime story if you’d like,” he offered, a teasing note in his voice.
My cheeks instantly heated at his suggestion. I was grateful for the darkness that hid my reaction.
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, turning my back to him and curling into a tight ball. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, little wolf,” he replied, the nickname sending an unwelcome flutter through my chest.
My wolf whimpered softly within me, unusually restless despite my exhaustion. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing sleep to come
and end this awkward situation.
One sheep, two sheep, three… The counting wasn’t helping at all. In fact, it seemed to make my wolf more alert, as if she was
searching for the imaginary prey. My hand instinctively moved to my belly, feeling the slight swell where my pup was growing.
After what felt like hours of tossing and turning, my consciousness finally began to drift. The tension in my body slowly melted away as sleep claimed me at last.
In my dream, I found myself back at the territorial gathering from months ago, The glittering lights blinded me momentarily. The
powerful scents of different packs filled my nostrils. The subtle politics played out in each greeting around me.
Just like that night, I accepted a drink without realizing it contained wolf–whiskey mixed with moonberry extract – a potent
combination that affects werewolves intensely.
The dream mirrored reality with frightening accuracy. My growing discomfort as the mixture took effect. The desperate search
for Alexander through the crowded hall. The failed attempts to reach him by phone as the heat built inside me.
“Are you alright?” A pack healer approached me, concern etched on her face. “You look flushed.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted, just as I had that night. “I just need to find
my mate.”
My hands trembled as I tried calling Alexander again. The phone rang endlessly with no answer. Panic rose in my chest, mixing
with the uncomfortable warmth spreading through my body.
In my intoxicated state, I trusted no one but Alexander to help me through the haze of need building within me. My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin, affected by the moonberry’s influence.
Then, just as it had happened in reality, a figure approached through the blur of faces. In my dream, the face was Alexander’s-
handsome, familiar, safe.
“You’re here,” I whispered, relief flooding through me as I threw my arms around his neck.
Without hesitation, I pressed my lips against his, driven by the effects of the mixture coursing through my system. He stiffened
immediately, his hands grasping my shoulders to push me slightly away.
<Chapter 55: Restless Dreams
“Aria, wait. You need to see who I really am,” he urged, his voice oddly different from Alexander’s usual tone.
But I was lost in the heat of the moment, my wolf unusually aggressive from the moonberry influence. I couldn’t recognize anything beyond my desperate need for comfort.
“Please,” I whispered, pressing closer, my fingers tangling in his hair.
+8 Points
After a moment’s hesitation, he returned the kiss with unexpected fervor that sent shocks through my system. His powerful Alpha scent engulfed me completely, familiar yet different from Alexander’s. His hands gripped my waist, lifting me effortlessly
against the wall. My legs wrapped around him instinctively as he pressed against me.
The heat between us built rapidly, his lips trailing fire down my neck as I gasped for breath. His movements were confident,
practiced, nothing like Alexander’s usual hesitant approach. His touch was electric, making my skin burn wherever his fingers traced.
In the hazy logic of dreams, we were suddenly in a bathroom. He pressed me against the sink, his silver–gray eyes burning with
desire as he looked at me…
Silver–gray eyes. Not amber like Alexander’s.
I jolted awake with a gasp, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped animal. Disoriented, I blinked rapidly in the dim moonlight filtering through the window. Sweat dampened my nightclothes, making them cling uncomfortably to my skin.
A movement caught my attention. Dominic stood by the bed, watching me with a curious expression. His tall frame was silhouetted against the window, his bare chest gleaming in the moonlight. The sight of him, so similar to the man in my dream, made my pulse race even faster.
“Nightmare?” he asked quietly, his deep voice sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.
I pulled the sheets higher, suddenly aware of my disheveled appearance. Heat flooded my cheeks as fragments of the dream lingered in my mind – inappropriate images featuring the very man standing before me.
“N–no,” I stammered, my voice hoarse. “Just… a dream.”
He moved closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, bringing him nearer than I was
comfortable with after that dream.
“You were quite restless,” he remarked casually. “Talking in your sleep too.”
Horror washed over me like ice water. “I was talking? What did I say?” My voice came out higher than normal, laced with panic.
Dominic’s lips curved into a slight smile, his silver–gray eyes catching the moonlight. “Nothing coherent. Just sounds.”
He tilted his head, studying my flushed face with an intensity that made my skin tingle. “Were you dreaming about me, little wolf?”
His teasing question hit too close to the truth. I scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the tangled sheets in my haste to put distance between us.
“I need to use the bathroom,” I mumbled, fleeing to the adjoining room like a cornered rabbit.
Once safely inside, I leaned against the closed door, my heart still racing painfully fast. What was wrong with me? Having such dreams about Dominic while carrying Alexander’s pup was inexcusable. The shame burned through me like fire.
I splashed cold water on my face, trying to wash away the lingering heat and confusion. The bathroom surroundings only intensified my memory of the dream – specifically the vivid moment Dominic had pressed me against this very sink.
“Stop it,” I whispered harshly to myself, meeting my own wide–eyed gaze in the mirror. “It was just a dream. It doesn’t mean anything.”
My wolf stirred uncomfortably within me, confused by the conflicting emotions. The pregnancy made her more protective, more sensitive to any potential threats or changes. And Dominic, with his powerful Alpha presence, certainly represented change.
I took several deep breaths, willing my pulse to slow to a normal rate. It was just the unfamiliar environment, I reasoned. The
stress of pretending to be Dominic’s intended mate when we were essentially strangers. The pregnancy hormones affecting my dreams in odd ways.
Nothing more. It couldn’t be anything more.
