Chapter 82
Tristan’s POV
44%日
I woke up drenched in sweat, my heart hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape.
The same nightmare that had been chasing me for months was back with a vengeance. It had disappeared for a while, giving me hope that maybe I was finally healing, but tonight it returned in full force.
I sat up and reached for the glass of water on my nightstand, bringing it to my lips for a sip. That’s when I heard it – a scream filled with terror and pain that made my blood turn to ice.
I knew that voice. Knew it belonged to Athena.
The glass slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor, but I barely noticed. She was having another nightmare, and I’d seen this coming from the moment we’d left the beach tonight.
I’d wanted us both to sleep in her room. Over the past weeks, I’d noticed she slept peacefully when I was nearby, like my presence somehow kept the
bad dreams at bay.
But she’d insisted on sleeping alone, claiming she was fine and didn’t need anyone watching over her. I couldn’t argue without making her think I saw her as fragile, so I’d reluctantly agreed.
But I’d known this would happen. After weeks of relative peace, seeing Daxon again would drag all her demons back to the surface.
I understood nightmares better than most people because they’d been my constant companions since Jess died, which was why I’d stopped sleeping
properly months ago.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her lifeless body on our dining room floor So I’d made sleep feel like a betrayal, told myself I didn’t deserve rest
when I hadn’t been there to protect my mate and unborn child.
The first time I’d slept without nightmares was when I’d held Athena during one of her episodes weeks ago. Something about having her in my arms had quieted the voices in my head, had made the darkness feel less overwhelming.
I only found peace when she was close enough to touch. That was the real reason I’d insisted on staying in her room all those nights – part protection,
part selfishness.
She needed safety, and I needed the calm that only came when I could feel her breathing beside me. We both needed the calm actually.
I ran toward her room faster than I’d ever moved, taking the stairs three at ime. When I reached her door, I could hear her thrashing around inside, caught in whatever horror her mind was replaying.
I burst through the door without knocking and found her tangled in sheets,cking and fighting an invisible enemy. Her face was twisted with fear and rage, sweat beading on her forehead as she battled demons only she could see.
‘I’m not scared of you, Daxon!‘ she shouted into the darkness. ‘You’re nothin but a coward!”
Despite the circumstances, I felt a surge of pride. Even in her nightmares, sl was fighting back instead of cowering. The strength she’d found was real,
even when she was unconscious.
“Ath, I called softly, moving to her bedside and reaching out to shake her getly.
But she was completely lost in whatever nightmare held her captive. Her moments were getting more violent, and I was afraid she might hurt herself
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Chapter 82
if I couldn’t wake her up soon.
ས བ 44 ༤
“You can’t control me anymore!” she yelled, her fist swinging at empty air. I’m not that girl anymore!”
Her strength was surprising, more than I remembered her having. While I could easily handle her physically, I knew I needed to break through to her consciousness before she exhausted herself fighting shadows.
I tried calling her name louder, tried holding her shoulders to still her movements, tried everything I could think of to pull her back to reality.
Nothing worked. She remained trapped in that place where past trauma lived and breathed and held you prisoner.
Desperate to help her, I did the only thing I could think of that might shock her system back to awareness.
I covered her mouth with mine.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
