The wolf snapped its teeth at her, and she cried out in terror.
She was going to die! She knew it. There was nothing to do but wait for death. Hot, putrid breath exploded in her face as the wolf leaned down, nearing her jugular.
Nessa whimpered, another small cry building in her chest.
The beast lunged for her—
“Nessa!”
Nessa shot up in the bed, her breathing ragged and her pulse beating wildly in her ears as she stared blankly into the darkness, her brain foggy from sleep.
“What—” She choked back a pained cry, sliding her hands frantically over her torso; from her shoulder to her chest. She expected to feel hot blood staining her fingers, but instead she touched Murphy’s shirt, the soft material a comfort she desperately needed.
“I-I thought I was bleeding,” she whispered hoarsely into the room.
She clutched at her chest again, her fingers digging into the material. “It’s not real,” she told herself, her voice quaking. “It’s not real.”
Strong, firm hands cupped her face, and her eyes shot up, finding Murphy sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, concern etched into every line of his face.
He was still wearing the clothes she’d seen him in a few hours ago, and the sight of him here, with her, helped her focus. “Murphy? What are you doing in here?”
“You whimpered in your sleep.” His voice was tight, and tension lined his shoulders. His fingers were firm on her face, grounding her. “I was just going to check on you, but then you cried out, and I couldn’t leave you. Are you alright?”
She nodded, swallowing hard. “It was a bad dream. I get them sometimes. I-I think talking about going to the cabin stirred it up,” she admitted, her nose tingling as tears pricked at her vision.
A shiver crawled down her spine as she remembered Jason’s fetid breath fanning over her face. It might have technically been a dream, but they weren’t really just dreams. They were memories, and they would haunt her forever.
“You’re shaking, Nessa.” Murphy’s hands dipped from her face to her waist, and he plucked her up from the bed, dragging her onto his lap. He cradled her against his chest, the warmth of his body seeping into hers until her tremors stopped. “It’s alright, little mate,” Murphy crooned against her hair, brushing his lips over the crown of her head. “I’ve got you.”
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, turning her face until it was buried in his neck. She wanted to hide her shame and embarrassment from him. She inhaled his scent deep into her lungs, squeezing her eyes shut as her fear ebbed. “I hate being so weak.”
Murphy growled harshly, and then he palmed the back of her head, pulling her away from his neck to glare down at her.
“You arenotweak, Nessa,” he bit out, the vehemence in his tone as startling as it was welcoming. “You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”
“I don’t feel strong,” she whispered, the words catching in her throat as a tear slipped down her cheek. He wiped it away, compassion and tenderness shining in his eyes as they searched her face. “Sometimes I just feel broken, Murphy, like I’m never going to heal.”
The words were faint, but the truth in them was powerful, threatening to pull her into a darkness she’d never be able to escape from.
“You will,” he said fiercely, his eyes flashing gold and glowing in the dark room. “We’ll heal together, Nessa.”
Her heart swelled, hope and fear blending together. “What if I can’t? What if there will always be some part of me that never recovers?”
First Tony, and then Jason. She’d faced enough shit to break anyone, and she didn’t know if it was possible to return to normal. This week, she’d done so much better. She’d felt lighter. Happier. But tonight was proof enough that her past would always be there, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on her when she least expected it.
“Then I’ll be here, Nes,” Murphy vowed, his deep voice filled with purpose. He leaned down, his nose brushing against hers. He drew so close, his mouth a few scant inches from her own. “I’ll hold you in my arms every night, and I’ll slay whatever fucking monsters try to come after you. I won’t let anything hurt you. Never again.”
“Murphy,” Nessa breathed, cupping his jaw, his stubble tickling her palm. She slid her hand to the nape of his neck, her gaze drifting over his face and finding his lips. She needed him. Needed—
She pulled Murphy’s head down, her eyes fluttering closed as her mouth connected with his.
Chapter 17
There was a roaring in Murphy’s ears as Nessa took possession of his mouth.
He froze, surprise holding him immobile as his mate’s soft, full lips fit perfectly against his, the sweet aroma of berries and vanilla invading his senses until there was nothing but her.
She pulled back, opening her eyes and staring up at him with an unreadable expression. Dazed, he could only stare back, the roaring in his ears growing in its intensity. Was it his bear? His heart, perhaps, beating ferociously in his chest? He didn’t know, his mind a haze of need. His hands itched to pin her beneath him, to rut her into the mattress until he was too spent to move.
