Chapter 38 37
Soraya's POV
Gosh, that was so embarrassing.
I’d actually kissed him, and not just anywhere but right at the base of the stairs! Sam literally saw us.
I groaned softly, covering my face with my hands as I hurried down the hallway. “That’s what I get for kissing in the middle of the house,” I muttered under my breath, my cheeks were still burning.
Just then, I heard quick footsteps and cheerful voices.
“Miss! Miss Soraya!”
I stopped and turned, only to see Irene and Chantelle hurrying toward me, their eyes wide with excitement.
I tried to act normal, smiling. “Oh hey, you two.”
Irene beamed, her usual sweet smile on her face. “Welcome back, miss. You’re home a bit late, though.”
I cleared my throat softly. “Uh, well… Darius took me out for some ice cream.”
Irene gasped and clapped her hands together with a squeaky little sound. “He took you out?!”
Chantelle smiled. “So… he took you on a date?”
I shook my head quickly, heat rushing to my face again. “No, it wasn’t a date. He…he just took me to get ice cream.”
Chantelle smirked. “Uh-huh. If an Alpha takes his mate out for ice cream, it’s a date.”
I sighed, defeated, walking into the room as they followed me in.
“How did it go?” Irene asked.
“Well… it was good. I had really great ice cream. I’ve never tasted those flavours before.”
Irene giggled softly. “The Alpha is so sweet, isn’t he?”
I smiled a little, glancing down. “He can be.”
“What flavours did you have?” Chantelle asked.
Before I could reply, Irene tilted her head, her gaze innocent but far too observant. “Um, Miss why do you look so flustered? Did something else happen?”
I looked at her, trying to keep a straight face. “Nothing happened.”
But then Irene’s expression changed, like she knew exactly what I was trying to hide.
Her lips curved into a tiny smile. “I saw it, though.”
I froze. My heart skipped.
Saw what? My mind raced. She didn’t… no, she couldn’t have….
I swallowed, forcing a nervous laugh. “Saw what, Irene?”
Her voice came out teasingly.
“The kiss.”
My eyes widened instantly. “What? How did you see that?”
Irene chuckled softly, covering her mouth. “It’s okay, Miss Soraya. I just happened to be passing by when it happened. I wasn’t spying or anything, I promise.” Her cheeks flushed as she added, “I just thought it was… really cute.”
I groaned quietly, pressing a hand to my forehead. Great. Not just Sam but she saw it too. Who knew, Mrs. Opaline probably saw it too.
I moved over to the edge of the bed and sat down, sighing as I dropped my bag beside me. Irene, ever so sweet, picked it up and neatly placed it on the other side of the bed.
“How was school today?” she asked softly.
“It was good,” I said. “Just… normal stuff.”
Chante raised a brow. “You have school again tomorrow, right?”
I nodded, suddenly remembering that too. “Yeah,” I said, leaning back a little. “Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
“Mm,” Irene hummed, smiling faintly. “At least you had a good evening before it.”
I looked down at my hands, feeling that tiny flutter in my chest again. “Yeah,” I admitted quietly. “It was… a really good evening.”
“Shall I get you something to eat?” Chantelle asked, tilting her head.
I waved her off gently. “No, no, I’m actually full. The ice cream really did me a lot.”
Irene chuckled. “Alright then, we’ll leave you to get some rest.”
“See you in the morning,” Chantelle added as they both headed toward the door.
“Bye,” I said, waving slightly.
And just like that, they were gone. Those two were a bundle of joy, weren’t they? The room fell quiet once they left. I sighed, stretched, and stood up to get ready for bed.
After freshening up, I slipped under the covers. I had to sleep early if I wanted to make it to school tomorrow. They had let us off easy today, but I knew tomorrow was going to be packed with classes.
I pulled the sheets over my shoulders and lay still. My eyes fluttered close, and before I knew it, I felt myself falling deeper into sleep.
It felt like hours had passed when a low, inhuman growl snapped me awake.
My eyes fluttered open slowly. The room was dark, but the sound was unmistakable. My heart began to pound.
I turned my gaze forward, and froze.
That huge black wolf with glowing golden eyes. It was inside a cage again, just like before, its massive claws scraping against the bars. It snarled and growled, teeth flashing, its muscles straining as if it was trying to reach me.
My chest tightened. I clutched the sheets closer to myself, my breath trembling. “What do you want?” I whispered.
The wolf just growled louder, slamming its paws against the bars.
“Why do you always come here?” My voice shook as I hugged myself.
The wolf kept struggling, growling furiously now, its body hitting the cage so hard that the whole thing rattled. Then the next thing, the cage tippled over and fell to the ground.
I screamed loudly as I jolted upright in bed, clutching my chest. My breathing was ragged, but the room was silent again.
I swallowed hard. “It was that stupid dream again,” I muttered, my voice barely holding together.
Then I looked down and my heart sank. The mark on my wrist was glowing faintly.
Tears blurred my vision before I even realized I was crying. I wiped my face quickly, but the tears just kept falling, soft sobs escaping my lips.
The next thing I knew, the door burst open.
“Soraya!”
It was Darius.
My head snapped up as he rushed toward me. My heart was still racing, my body trembling so badly I could barely breathe. The nightmare felt too real. My sheets were tangled around me, and my skin was damp with sweat.
Darius was beside me in an instant, pulling me into his arms, his warmth wrapping around me as his eyes darted around the room. “What happened? Did something happen? I heard you scream.”
I couldn’t speak. The words wouldn’t just come. I just sat there, shaking, tears streaming down my face. My chest rose and fell unevenly, and all I could think was, why? Why again?
That same horrible dream.
I used to have it all the time at the orphanage, back when I was younger. It had stopped for a while. But now…why tonight? Why again?
My hands gripped his shirt tightly. I didn’t even realize how hard I was holding onto him until he brushed his hand against my cheek, his thumb gently wiping away my tears.
“Hey, hey,” he whispered softly. “What’s wrong? You’re scaring me. Look at me.”
I met his eyes, those eyes filled with worry and concern.
“Okay,” he said softly. “Relax, alright? You’re safe now. I’m here.”