ChapterSix
Harley
It was still early when Doc announced that we were done, but after being up all day and then trying to focus on Doc's cognitive exercises half the night, I was exhausted. It must have shown on my face, because Levi took one look at me and clucked his tongue.
"Why don't you lie down for a bit, Harley?"
I glanced at Zade and then down at Scooter who had greeted me with a small lick on my hand as soon as the door opened.
"He can go, too," Levi said softly. "Just leave the door cracked open in case he needs to go out."
"Thank you." I looked down into the intelligent eyes watching me and smiled when my heart seemed to lighten a bit. "Let's go, pup."
I stripped down to my boxers before noticing that Scooter had positioned himself at the window, looking out into the moonlight. "Would you rather go out? You don't have to sleep with me."
Scooter snorted, almost as if he understood, and after I slid under the covers, he jumped up next to me and cuddled against my back. A warm, peaceful feeling settled over me and I was asleep before I had time to wonder what had caused it.
Unfortunately, it didn't last.
The air around me was deep and dark, without even a hint of the moonlight that I'd expected to light my path, but, somehow, the hulking trees and scraggly brush were all sharply defined. Without a breeze, the forest was oddly silent.
I was walking through a thicket of dense pine trees with the black wolf by my side when a twig snapped behind me, echoing in the silence. I hesitated – not scared, exactly, because somehow, I knew I was supposed to be safe – and then I turned and froze, a scream building in my throat. The moon snuck out of the clouds to send a ray down to shimmer on the upraised knife blade, making the blood dripping off the blade glow with an almost ethereal light. Backing away, I sucked in a deep breath and spun on my heel, running for my life.
I cleared logs and boulders, fighting to keep my feet churning beneath me when I slipped on a patch of damp moss at the base of a tree. A choked snarl came from behind me as razor-sharp claws bit into my shoulder, the forced stop spinning me around to face my attacker.
I gasped for what I knew would be my final breath and closed my eyes against the red-eyed monster preparing for the kill. Then, everything was eerily still and I knew I was dead.
A loud whine startled me out of my fear-induced fog. A cold, wet nose was pushing into my armpitsand againstmy cheeks and the sides of my neck. Realizing I was safe, I wrapped my arms around the wolf, buried my face in the ruff of fur around his neck and let his strength support me while sobs wracked my body.
"Harley?" Levi's voice came from the hall. "We're coming in."
The door creaked open and Levi pulled me close – wolf and all – while Zade placed his hand on the back of my neck. I wasn't really sure why he did that, but it must have been his thing because he did it whenever anyone was upset.
"Another nightmare?" Levi's voice was soft.
"I..I don't know. I think so." Even more frustrating than not being able to get enough sleep was the speed with which the memory of what had woken me dissipated.
"Do you remember any of it?"
I shook my head, my face still pressed to Scooter's fur.
"Okay." Zade moved his hand from my neck to pat my shoulder. "Doc said it's not a great idea to try and go back to sleep right after one, so why don't we go out and raid the 'fridge?"
I wasn't hungry, but I felt bad enough about waking him and Levi up, I didn't want them to think I was on the verge of anotherepisode, too, so I nodded and forced myself to release my grip on the wolf. Wiping my eyes on the blanket, I stood and reached for my pants. "That sounds great."
Somehow, raiding the fridge took a weird turn and the three of us – four, if you counted an amused-looking wolf – ended up baking a ton of oatmeal cookies. When every surface in the kitchen was covered with cookies cooling on paper towels, I yawned.
"I think I'm ready to go back to bed, now."
Levi looked concerned, but Zade put a restraining hand on his arm and Levi managed a weak smile. "Okay. If you need anything, Levi, you know where to find us."
"Thanks, Levi." I gave him a quick hug before following Scooter back to the bedroom. When I got there, he's already stretched out on the bed.
"Hey. Scoot over." I nudged the wolf, but he only opened one eye and stretched. Rolling my eyes, I climbed over him and settled into the space between his warm body and the wall. "Fine, but don't think you're gonna get away with that all the time."
I was pretty sure I heard him snort as sleep quickly overtook me.
