Chapter 36 Nightmares.
Dahlia POV
I woke to the sound of soft whimpers and frantic panting, the kind that slices through sleep and goes straight to a mother’s chest.
“Lily?” I pushed myself upright, heart already racing.
Moonlight slipped through the thin curtains, painting the room in pale silver. Lily was curled into herself beside me, small hands fisted in the blanket, her chest rising and falling too fast for such a tiny body.
“Hey,” I whispered, pulling her gently into my arms. “It’s alright. Mama’s here.”
She clung to me like she’d been falling and had just found ground. Her skin still faint beneath her skin, I stroked her hair, slow and steady, until her breathing eased just a little.
“I had a nightmare,” she said, voice trembling.
“I know.” I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Tell me about it.”
She hesitated, then nodded, swallowing hard. “There was a man,” she said. “He was chasing me and my brothers. We were running, but it was dark and I couldn’t see where we were going.”
My chest tightened, but I kept my voice calm. “And Daddy?”
Her eyes lifted to mine, glossy with fear. “Daddy came. He picked us up.” She sniffed. “But Liam fell.”
I stiffened. “Fell where?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “There was a hole. Or water. Or something black. I couldn’t see it. He just… disappeared.”
Her body started shaking again, the memory too vivid for her young mind to separate dream from truth. I pulled her closer, rocking her gently.
“It was just a nightmare, baby,” I murmured, though unease curled in my stomach. “Liam is safe. You’re all safe.”
“But he was calling me,” she said, voice breaking. “I tried to go back for him, but the man was still there.”
“That man can’t hurt you,” I said firmly. “Not in your dreams. Not ever.”
It took time, more than I wanted to calm her. I told her stories of brave wolves and clever pups, of moonlit forests where nothing bad could follow you. I breathed with her, slow and deep, until her eyelids fluttered and finally stayed closed.
When she was asleep again, I eased out of bed.
I checked on Liam first.
He was sprawled across his blankets, one arm flung over his head, mouth slightly open. Completely at peace. I brushed my fingers over his hair, relief loosening something tight in my chest.
Just a nightmare, I told myself.
Still, the image lingered.
Later that day, the feeling hadn’t left me.
The pack was alive with movement—voices echoing through stone corridors, the scent of cooked meat drifting from the kitchens. Life went on, as it always did. But something in me felt unsettled, like the ground beneath my feet had shifted without warning.
By noon, I’d made my decision.
I was going to see Dagnoth.
The walk to his chambers felt longer than usual. Guards stood at attention as I passed, their eyes flicking toward me with curiosity. I kept my head high, even when my pulse thudded against my ribs.
Simone was outside the Alpha’s chambers.
He straightened when he saw me, his expression polite but guarded. Too guarded.
“Dahlia,” he said. “Can I help you?”
“I need to speak with the Alpha.”
Something flickered across his face—hesitation, maybe discomfort. His shoulders shifted, and he didn’t meet my eyes right away.
“Alpha Dagnoth is… occupied,” he said carefully.
“Occupied with what?”
He cleared his throat. “He’s having lunch. With his Luna.”
Ah.
I nodded once. “Then I’ll see him in the dining hall.”
Simone opened his mouth as if to argue, then thought better of it. “As you wish.”
The dining hall was bright with sunlight spilling through tall windows. The long table was set for only two at the far end. Dagnoth sat at the head, relaxed but alert, power rolling off him like heat.
Beside him sat his Luna.
She noticed me first.
Her gaze swept over me—cool, assessing—and her lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile.
I approached, lowered my head in a respectful bow. “Alpha,” I said. “I would like a moment of your time.”
Before he could answer, the Luna spoke.
“The Alpha is unavailable,” she said sharply. “Can’t you see we’re in the middle of a meal?”
Her tone wasn’t just dismissive… It was rude.
I straightened slowly, my jaw tightening.
Dagnoth didn’t even look at her.
“Speak,” he said, his voice calm, eyes fixed on me.
The Luna’s smile vanished. “Dagnoth—”
“I said speak.”
Silence fell like a dropped blade.
I took a breath, steadying myself. “I need to speak with you alone.”
The Luna laughed, short and incredulous. “Alone?” She leaned back, eyes flashing. “You don’t get to make demands.”
Defiance rose in me, sharp and unexpected. “This concerns my children,” I said, my voice stronger now. “And the pack.”
That got his attention.
Dagnoth’s gaze sharpened, something dark and calculating stirring behind his eyes. He stood slowly, the scrape of his chair echoing in the hall.
“Leave us,” he said to his Luna, without turning.
Her face flushed with anger. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
For a heartbeat, I thought she might refuse. Then she stood abruptly, chair knocking back, and brushed past me without another word.
The doors closed behind her.
Dagnoth gestured toward the far end of the hall. “Walk with me.”
We moved in silence, the sound of our footsteps the only thing filling the space. My heart hammered, the weight of everything I hadn’t said pressing against my chest.
When we reached the tall windows overlooking the training grounds, he stopped.
“You came here with fire in your eyes,” he said quietly. “Why?”
I turned to face him.
Because my daughter is dreaming of things she shouldn’t know.
Because my son is falling into darkness I can’t see.
Because something is coming, and I can feel it in my bones.
Instead, I lifted my chin and met his gaze.
“I need something from you,” I said.
His eyes narrowed slightly. “What kind of thing?”
The words hovered on my tongue—dangerous, irreversible.
“I need your word,” I began, the edge of desperation slipping into my voice.
He studied me, as if weighing my soul.
“And if I refuse?”
I held his gaze, unflinching.
“Then I’ll do it without you.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy and charged.
Dagnoth’s expression shifted—interest, concern, something darker beneath.
“Tell me,” he said at last. “What is it you’re asking for?”
I opened my mouth—
…and the world seemed to hold its breath.