Alpha’s Rue: His Shunned Luna (Athena Enchanted) novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114

KINGSTON

Around three hours ago it started raining, and for over five minutes, it has progressively turned vicious. It’s barely raining, but thunder and lightning continue to break, as if the sky is splitting open.

Rowan and I are working on recruiting more patrol officers without leaving the detention offices understaffed when lightning strikes for the sixth time in three minutes and all I can think of is Aeliana.

I don’t realise I’m moving until Rowan calls me. “Kingston, where are you going?”

“To check on Aeliana,” I say, already halfway through the door.

“It’s half past one,” he reminds me. “She’s sleeping.”

It is, but Aeliana is afraid of thunder, and when it roars again, I leave without an explanation, racing up the stairs to her room. More than half the house is asleep and when I get to her room, the door is slightly open.

The room is dimly lit from the open windows and she’s lying in the middle of the bed, asleep. At least I think she is, but when I get closer I realise her mind is anywhere but at rest.

She has her hands crawling at the sheets, her chest heaving. I move closer, stopping in my tracks when I hear her softly wailing.

“No, no…” she softly wails, her head turning from side to side. “Stop, please-no.”

I freeze, realising she’s having a nightmare.

I’ve never seen anything like this, my chest tightens with fear, fury, hopelessness, and utter dread as I watch her. She continues to scream, her body trembling while incoherent screams leave her lips. “I won’t,” she whimpers.” Stop, I don’t want…I can’t.”

My lips part, but I can’t get the words out, reaching over to touch her with trembling hands. “Aeliana.” I swallow, touching her arm but it only seems to make her wince louder.

“No,” her hands wrap around herself, tears slipping past her closed eyes.

I have spent years memorising her habits, and the faces she makes and why she makes them and so I’ve seen every emotion on he. I’ve seen her angry, I’ve seen her happy, I’ve seen her annoyed, I’ve seen her disgusted, I’ve seen her cry, I’ve seen her come apart under me, screaming my name in pleasure and rage, but I’ve never seen her like this. She’s not just having a bad dream, this is worse. It’s like she is remembering something, something horrible that left scars she can’t escape, not even in her dreams.

I reach for her again, this time more steady, and confident. Her skin feels feverish, she jerks away I’m hurting her, kicking and screaming. The rejection burns, I manage to slip my hand under her, not knowing what else to do if not holding her. “Aeliana, hey…”

“No,” she screams, fighting me still. Tears are pooling down her cheeks, it scares me to see her like this, to try not have her come back to me.

“Please,” she whimpers, kicking and screaming, her voice louder now.

I bring her close to my chest, “Aeliana, baby..” I whisper into her ear. “It’s me.” I tell her, “You’re with me.”

“No!” Another heart-wrenching scream pierces her throat, roaring alongside thunder. “Let go. Please… Kingston!” She screams, the sound pained.

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“I’m here, I’m here,” I tell her. “I’m here, love.”

That gets her to settle, she stops kicking and her body grows rigid. “Kingston?” Her voice trembles.

“Yeah, are you okay, Ellie?”

She nods against my chest, pulling away steadily. “Yes.”

“You’re shaking,” I tell her, observing her closely. She looks pale, her hands are trembling, and she seems to be struggling with breathing.

“I’m not,” she twitches, “I just…” she sucks in breath, my hand squeezing my arm. “Nine, eight, seven..” she breathes, eyes wandering away from mine. She searches the room for something, counting again. “Twenty, fifteen, ten, five, one. Ninety-nine, Ninety..”

“Hey,” I reach for her, gently shifting her head so she can focus on me. “Aeliana, look at me.”

“Mmm?” She swallows, still distorted despite how calm her voice sounds.

“You’re okay,” I tell her.

She nods, “I’m okay, I’m okay.” She repeats, her voice steadier than mine. I’ve had trouble understanding but nothing tops this moment. I don’t know what to say, what to do, I don’t know how to help. “I’m okay?” She asks.

“Yes, you’re fine. You’re safe.” I tell her, “It was just a nightmare, okay?”

My words seem to flip some switch, she leans closer, head tilted as if to study my face. “What are you doing here?”

“I came in to check on you because of the storm, but you were-”

“Fine.” She says, “I’m okay. It was just a nightmare.

“What about?” I ask, “You were very scared.”

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