His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 157

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**Chapter 157**

**Claire’s POV**

A piercing scream erupted from my lips, shattering the silence of the room before I had even fully emerged from the depths of sleep.

I bolted upright, my heart racing, the sheets clinging to my damp skin like a second layer. Sweat trickled down my brow as I fought to steady my trembling hands, which felt as though they were vibrating with the remnants of terror. The ghastly images from the nightmare replayed relentlessly in my mind, a haunting slideshow that refused to fade.

Desperately, I attempted to inhale deeply, but my lungs felt constricted, as if a vice had closed around them. A strangled sound escaped me, a mixture of a scream and a gasp, and I could feel my entire body quaking. Deep within me, my wolf crouched low, her instincts flaring, sensing the same horror that had gripped me.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a force that echoed in the stillness.

Elijah stormed into the room, as if an invisible force had propelled him forward. His hair was tousled, and his chest heaved with rapid breaths, his eyes wide with a blend of panic and determination as they locked onto mine.

“Claire,” he breathed, his voice rough and urgent. “What happened? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but my voice felt trapped, lodged deep within my chest. All I managed was a small, broken sound that barely escaped my lips. Tremors coursed through my body, and I pressed my hands against my forehead, desperately trying to push away the remnants of the dream that clung to me like a shadow.

In an instant, Elijah crossed the room in just a few strides and settled beside me on the bed. His hands grasped my arms gently but firmly, grounding me in reality, pulling me slowly from the echo of my nightmare.

“Hey, look at me,” he urged softly. “You’re safe… I’m here.”

With great effort, I forced my eyes open, and his familiar face filled my vision. Warmth radiated from him, steady and real, an anchor in the storm of my fear.

That was all it took for my breath to hitch again. I clutched at his shirt with trembling fingers, leaning forward as if I might drown in the safety of his presence. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tightly against his chest.

“It’s alright,” he murmured into my hair, his voice a soothing balm. “You’re alright. I have you.”

My heart raced wildly against him, but gradually, I felt the frantic rhythm begin to slow. His scent enveloped me, familiar and reassuring, and the tremors in my hands began to soften.

After a moment, Elijah pulled back just enough to search my face, his expression a mixture of concern and tenderness.

“Tell me,” he urged gently. “What did you see?”

I swallowed hard, the images from the nightmare still vivid and raw, and the thought of speaking them felt like dragging shards of glass across my tongue. Nevertheless, I forced the words out, trembling.

“I saw you,” I confessed, my voice cracking. “You and my mom. You were both looking at me, but your eyes… they were wrong. Completely black. You were standing at the foot of my bed, not moving, not speaking. Just watching me.”

Elijah’s hand moved slowly up and down my back, a comforting gesture that eased the tension coiling in my spine.

“And then,” I whispered, my throat tightening again, “something behind me grabbed my shoulders. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe. I kept trying to call your name, but nothing came out.”

His jaw tightened for a moment, but he maintained his gentle touch, a steady presence in my chaos.

“You said my name in the dream,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I screamed it,” I replied, the memory flooding back, igniting another wave of panic within me.

“Yeah,” he murmured, his gaze unwavering. “I heard you.”

The recollection of the nightmare sent another shiver through me, and I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my forehead against his shoulder, seeking solace in his warmth.

“Everything felt so real,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Like something was actually in the room.”

Elijah shifted closer, enveloping me completely in his embrace, his warmth wrapping around me like a protective cocoon. The nightmare’s grip on me began to loosen, the edges of my fear blurring.