"You were having a bad dream," Liam replied softly, concern etched in his dark brown eyes. "You were thrashing and screaming. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Tears streamed down my face, hot and unstoppable. I clung to Liam as if he were the only thing tethering me to reality. His arms wrapped tightly around me, providing a sense of solace amidst the turmoil raging inside.
"Shh...it's okay, Erica. You're safe now," Liam murmured into my hair, his breath warm against my scalp. I felt my heart pounding in my chest, threatening to burst from its cage.
As his soothing words washed over me, my body began to relax, the tension ebbing away. I looked up at Liam, trying to muster a smile, but it faltered, unable to take root. My world felt like it was crumbling around me, and I didn't know how to stop it.
"Hey," Liam said softly, offering me a reassuring smile. "Do you need anything?" My throat felt raw, the lingering remnants of my screams still burning within.
"Water, please," I croaked, my voice barely audible.
"Of course," Liam replied, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead before slipping out of bed to fetch me a drink.
As soon as Liam disappeared through the doorway, a shiver of vulnerability raced down my spine. The room felt suddenly colder, the shadows seeming to loom larger in the dim light. My heart, still pounding from the relentless nightmare, urged me to make sense of the chaos swirling within me.
"Jasper," I whispered his name, tasting the bitterness it left on my tongue. He was nothing but a thorn in my side, a constant source of pain and betrayal. So why did he star in my dream? More importantly, why had he saved me, only to send me tumbling into the abyss moments later?
"Maybe it's a sign," I murmured, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. If Jasper could be both my saviour and my doom in the same dream, perhaps the message was that safety and danger were not as clear-cut as they seemed. He'd hinted at hidden secrets, things Liam was keeping from me. Was this bizarre nightmare just an echo of those insinuations? Or was it something more, a premonition, maybe, urging me to dig deeper into the truth? My chest tightened with a mixture of fear and frustration. How could I ever trust Liam if he was withholding information from me? And yet, the thought of doubting him ignited a burning ache within my soul. I loved him fiercely, and the idea of questioning his loyalty felt like a betrayal in itself.
The door creaked open, and Liam stepped back into the room, a bottle of water in hand. His warm smile was like a balm to my frayed nerves. I couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence, even if it was tinged with an undercurrent of doubt that refused to dissipate.
"Here you go," he said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and handing me the drink. My fingers brushed against his as I took it from him, and a familiar shiver of desire coursed through me. I unscrewed the cap and took a long sip, relief flooding my parched throat as the cold liquid slid down it. The sensation grounded me, anchoring me back to reality, away from the twisted nightmares that had plagued my sleep. Glancing up at Liam, I noticed the worry etched across his handsome features, and guilt gnawed at me.
"Hey," he murmured, concern lacing his tone. "What happened in that dream? You were screaming...I was so scared." I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. How could I tell him about the nightmare without revealing Jasper's role in it, or worse, how Liam himself had appeared so cruel and unrecognisable? I didn't want to hurt him, but the truth felt like a heavy weight on my shoulders, threatening to crush me beneath its burden.
"Uh, it was just...a bad dream," I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant despite the tremor in my voice. "Everything was all mixed up and confusing. It doesn't really matter now." Liam's brow furrowed as he studied my face, his dark eyes searching mine for any hint of deception. I fought the urge to squirm under his intense gaze, struggling to maintain an air of indifference.
"Baby," he insisted gently, "You don't have to hide anything from me. Whatever it is, I want to help you through it." A bitter laugh bubbled up in my throat, and I swallowed it down with another mouthful of water. The irony of his words wasn't lost on me, how could he plead for honesty when he was the one keeping secrets? Or was he? Was Jasper trying to manipulate me and get in my head, causing doubt about Liam?
A fragmented memory of the dream flickered in my mind, the blond woman on the cliff top urging me to discover the truth. My heart raced as I stared into Liam's concerned eyes. I knew I needed answers, and there was one question that had been gnawing at me since my rescue from the Shadow Night pack.
"Who's Jessica?" I blurted out, my voice barely above a whisper. Liam froze at the name, his face going blank as if struck by an invisible force. He couldn't seem to meet my eyes, and my chest tightened at his reaction. This wasn't right.
"Feeling better?" he asked, forcing a smile onto his face. "It's 5am, we can grab some breakfast or try to get more sleep." I shook my head, irritation bubbling within me. He was avoiding the subject, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. But I wouldn't let him.
"Stop dodging the question," I demanded, my voice firm but trembling. "Who is she?" Liam hesitated, his gaze darting around the room as if searching for an escape. I could feel the fear creeping along my spine like icy fingers, and confusion swirled in my head. What was he hiding?
"Erica...it's not important right now," he finally said, still avoiding my gaze.
"Who's Jessica?" I demanded again, my voice more forceful this time. Liam seemed to realise that he couldn't distract me from the question any longer. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his dark hair.
"Erica, now isn't the time to talk about Jessica," he said quietly, his eyes pleading for understanding. "We should focus on getting you back to feeling better."
I growled in frustration, the sound low and guttural in my throat. Jasper had been right; Liam was hiding things from me. A wave of emotions crashed over me, fear, confusion, irritation, and determination all jumbled together in a tempest inside my chest.
"Damn it, Liam! Just tell me who she is!" I shouted, my green eyes blazing with anger. My heart raced as I stared at him, willing him to give me the answers I sought.
"Erica, I..." His voice trailed off, pain flickering across his face like a passing shadow. But he didn't continue.
I clenched my fists, the nails digging into my palms as an unwelcome mix of fear and confusion bubbled up inside me. Liam's reluctance to answer my questions only fueled the flames of my irritation and determination.
"Fine," I spat, pulling myself out of his grip and climbing out of the bed. "If you won't tell me, I'll find someone who will."
I stormed out of the bedroom, my heart pounding in my chest, the sound echoing through the dimly lit hallway. The voices I could hear coming from the Alpha living room drew me like a moth to a flame, my need for answers far outweighing any lingering doubts or fears. As I burst into the room, the surprise on the faces of The Alpha, Beta Gregg, Damon, and Jacob was evident. In that instant, it felt as if all the air had been sucked from the space around us, leaving behind only tension and an unspoken understanding that something significant was about to unfold.
"Erica," The Alpha said, his warm smile a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within me. "Are you feeling any better?"
"Who's Jessica?" I demanded, cutting him off before he could say anything else. My voice was raw with emotion, desperation and anger vying for dominance.
"What?" The Alpha asked, taken aback by my question. For once, I saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, which only served to fuel my resolve.
