290- The Dream That Foretold Death
POV Aldren Valmorin:
I laid my mate in bed and finished organizing the mess from our dinner. Hours earlier, I had returned with our hunt—a smaller deer—because I felt her anxiety through our bond, so I didn’t waste time searching for a larger one.
Still, I trusted that nothing would have happened to her, because the area around the cabin was surrounded by loyal guards whenever we stayed there. Besides, with our female pregnant and the fierce need to protect our family, my beast’s senses had sharpened even more. The scent of a stranger would reach us even from miles away.
I found my Elowen anxious in the cabin, biting her nails. The wolf had communicated with her and brought unsettling news. Yet something inside me calmed me, because my beast showed no sign of alarm.
The plan to keep the womb closed for a while had come from our animals, together.
How they communicated when they took control was still a mystery to us, but they were always in agreement.
Always.
The harmony of our souls governed everything around us, capable of calming any storm.
When I finished tidying up, I prepared the nighttime tea I always made for my mate, using herbs carefully chosen to strengthen her body.
With the steaming ceramic mug in my hands, I walked through the narrow rooms toward our bedroom. The cabin had only two rooms; the other awaited our pups. I sensed that I would need to build more floors as our family grew.
When I entered the room, illuminated by a single fireplace in front of our bed, I found my mate sleeping peacefully.
Her face, softened by sleep, was the most beautiful sight I could behold. Her delicate features, the gentle curve of her lips, and the peace radiating from her expression filled me with an emotion I could barely describe.
I placed the mug of tea on the small bedside table and sat beside her, watching her for a moment.
My hand slid gently along the curve of her large, rounded belly, where our pups rested and grew. The sight of our offspring there, safe inside her, made my heart beat fiercely.
“You are my life, my reason,” I murmured, more to myself than to her.
Leaning down, I placed a soft kiss on her belly. Almost immediately, I felt movement beneath my lips—a response from our pups. I smiled, a wave of happiness flooding through me.
“You’re already showing how strong you are,” I whispered, tenderly stroking her belly.
Suddenly, Elowen stirred and woke up, her eyes wide and a startled expression on her face.
“What happened?” I asked immediately, concerned.
She blinked, taking a moment to orient herself before answering.
“I had a strange dream…” she murmured, her voice trembling.
“One of those dreams that feels more like a premonition… my love, I…”
I gently pulled her into my arms, embracing her with all the care and protection I could offer.
“Calm down. I’m here.”
Elowen sighed, relaxing against me. I kissed the top of her head and released calming pheromones toward her.
“I need to tell you…” she whispered, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes.
Her bright blue irises grew darker with each passing second.
“What did you dream about? Tell me.”
She sighed, briefly closed her eyes, and answered with sorrow:
“One of the alphas… died.”
A cold shiver crawled up my spine. The thought of losing one of the alphas so suddenly struck me with a shock I was not prepared to face.
“Are you sure?” I asked, trying to remain calm, though the anxiety was evident in my voice.
She nodded, her expression serious and resolute. The certainty in her blue eyes, shimmering in the moonlight, was unshakable.
“Yes. I saw it clearly. I just couldn’t identify exactly which one of them… call my sister, please! Or one of our friends in Eldoria!”
The worry in her voice made my heart race. I quickly stood, the need to act burning in my chest like an uncontrollable flame.
“I’ll call right now,” I declared, reaching into the pocket of one of the pants hanging in the wardrobe until I grabbed my phone with trembling hands.
Not Edric. It couldn’t be him.
Not Edric, fuck!
I began dialing frantically, calling him. Every beep sounded like an alarm, and every second of waiting felt like an eternity.
“Aldren?”
The moment I heard his voice on the other end of the line, a surge of relief ran through my body.
“Edric, is everything alright over there?” I asked, my voice still tense and urgent.
“Yes, Aldren. Everything’s calm. What happened?”
“Are Lunara and Anton okay?”
“They are. Tell me what happened.”
I looked at my mate and signaled that everything was fine. I watched as she let her body fall back onto the pillow in relief.
“Elowen had a strange dream, but it must be nothing this time,” I replied, trying to mask my concern.
I hung up and continued calling Konrad, Sullivan, and Viktor. All of them confirmed that they were fine, without any sign of trouble. With each positive response, my relief grew, but part of me remained restless.
I sat down again beside my mate, trying not to let my confusion show, even though I knew she could feel it.
“Everyone is fine,” I said, trying to understand what it meant. My mind was racing, attempting to rationalize her premonition. She settled back on the mattress and gently touched my leg. I was confused, but she seemed certain of her words. “Nothing happened, my love.”
Her eyes shifted between blue and emerald green, shimmering with unwavering certainty.
“But it will.”