Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The rest of the wolves followed him. All bit one.

His coat was a mix of colors: blomis, grays, and teds. His hazel eyes seemed to see right through me, just like someone else always did.

Ne approached slowly, head tow. I couldn’t pull air into my lungs. The wolf sniffed the air and then lowered to almost a belly crawl.

He nosed my side, his head seeking contact, muzzling. He made a soft keening noise as he moved. I reached my hand out slowly, lowering it to his head. The wolf pressed against it, almost encouraging me to pet him.

“You want a head scratch?” My voice trembled in the dream, remembering River’s gentle touch.

But then another howl pierced the air–harsh, demanding, like my mother’s voice–and the wolf leapt to his feet, growling. His protective stance instantly shifted to alert, just like I’d had to do moments before.

I woke with a gasp, clutching at my chest. My hand tingled. I swore I could still feel the soft fur against my palm. I flexed and clenched my fingers, trying to make sense of the sensation. It had been so real.

I threw back the covers, taking a few steadying breaths and trying to get my heart under control. “Just a dream.”

I listened for a moment. I didn’t hear a thing. I rose from the bed and grabbed a sweatshirt from my closet.

I needed fresh air. My room was too stuffy and stale. I padded down the stairs and through the kitchen, towards the back deck. I paused for a moment before I opened the door, staring at the woods that had felt so real in my dream.

“Don’t be stupid.” I forced myself to open the door.

The cold night air hit me like a wall of calming weight. I pulled in a lungful, and it soothed the worst of the panic

Moving towards one of the Adirondack chairs, I pulled on my sweatshirt. I eased into the chair and tugged my knees up to my chest. With all that had happened over the past week, it was no surprise I was having nightmares. My mind was simply melding the stress with the warning I’d gotten about the wolves. Only something in my brain had turned the wolves into protectors instead of predators.

I liked thinking of them that way. I’d need to do a little research, see what wolves actually looked like. In my dream, they’d been massive and majestic. I wished I could call them back now, then maybe I wouldn’t feel quite so alone.

Movement in the trees caught my eye. I strained to see what it might be. Shadows shifted, and I lifted my sweatshirt hood over my head as I shivered. Just the wind making the trees sway.

Then a howl lit the air.

I froze in place, straining to listen, but the sound never came again. Exhaustion finally hit me like a wave, and I slowly got to my feet and headed inside, hoping I’d actually be able to sleep this time.

I groaned as I rolled over. I raised a hand to cover my eyes from the sun streaming in through the window. Deep sleep hadn’t found me again all night, and I knew I’d pay for it today. At least it wasn’t a school day.

I pulled my phone out of my nightstand. An array of text messages dotted the screen, but I couldn’t take them in, not when the date screamed out at me. I’d known it was coming. Yet, there was some part of me that wanted to shove the reminder to the back of my brain.

Lacey had always complained about her birthday being in September. “Everyone’s cranky that they’re back in school. No one wants to celebrate.”

– Marlad Mo First!

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Chapter 41

I’d always gone out of my way to make sure she fell loved wach year. Shred always slept like she was in a coma, so fil sneak into her room at night and decorate it. One year, I’d filled it with so many balloons, she could barely and the door.

I curled into a ball. God, I missed her so much. She wouldn’t even recognize the family she’d left behind now

That tightness took over my body, the urge to move. I jumped out of bed and moved to my closet, pulling on workout gear. I quickly imrushed my teeth and then headed downstairs. I didn’t pause to listen for Mom or let myself wonder if she was okay, I simply kept right on moving.

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