Chapter 27 Dream World
LYRA
“All I can say is that I cannot reveal her identity. But she is someone I am madly, recklessly in love with. No matter how hard I try to fight it.”
Those words replay in my head over and over again, ceaselessly.
I roll onto my side with a frustrated groan, grab a pillow, and slam it over my face.
Why can’t I get Reid’s stupid words out of my mind? This is the third time I’ve woken up thinking about them.
Is it because of the way he said it?
Or is it because while he said those words, his eyes were locked onto mine, dark and intense, like he was branding the confession straight into my skull?
Was that deliberate?
Was he warning me? Telling me, without saying it outright, to stay away because his heart already belongs to someone else?
I yank the pillow off my face and stare at the ceiling, scoffing loudly.
As if.
Like he isn’t the same man who walked into my room that night, touched me, and tried to strike a filthy little deal with me like I was something to be bargained over.
The memory makes heat rush to my cheeks. My thighs clench on instinct, and I curse myself for it.
“Whatever,” I mutter angrily. “Screw you, Reid Hades.”
I pull the duvet over my head and force my eyes shut, willing sleep to take me.
And it does, plunging me straight into dream-mode.
Only… I’m awake.
Fully awake.
But somehow, I know I’m dreaming.
I’m standing in my room, staring at my own body lying on the bed. Asleep. Peaceful. Breathing softly.
For one terrifying second, panic claws up my throat. Did I die in my sleep?
I rush closer, heart pounding, and only relax when I see my chest rising and falling steadily.
Okay. I’m alive. Thank the moon goddess.
I step back and look down at myself; my hands, my legs, my whole body, and confusion settles in deeper than anything I’ve ever felt.
What is this? What kind of dream does this?
I glance around my room, then slowly walk toward the door. When I reach for the handle and push…
My hand passes straight through it. Like water.
I freeze, shock slamming into me all over again. My head snaps back toward the bed, where my body still sleeps peacefully.
Relief crashes through my chest so hard it almost hurts.
Alright. Definitely a dream. A very weird one, but still a dream.
I let out a shaky laugh. No point panicking like a headless chicken. Might as well enjoy it.
I step forward and let myself slide through the door completely.
“Oh. Wow,” I laugh softly. “That’s… actually cool.”
It feels real. Too real. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear I wasn’t dreaming at all.
I walk down the hallway, curiosity pulling me along. Maybe I should check on everyone, see if they’re asleep too.
Dreams don’t mean anything anyway. Right?
The first room that pops into my head is Roxanna’s. A slow smile tugs at my lips.
Let’s see if we’re still at each other’s throats, even in a dream.
Chuckling softly to myself, I head toward Roxanna’s room and slip right through the door again. But the laugh dies in my throat the moment I take in the sight before me.
Her room is a wreck.
I look around slowly, disbelief sinking in. This doesn’t look like Roxanna’s room at all. She’s always neat and organized. But tonight, everything is chaos.
Broken vases litter the floor. Shards of glass everywhere. Her bedsheets are ripped off and tossed aside, clothes scattered everywhere like they were thrown in rage.
And Roxanna herself…
She’s pacing the room like a caged animal. Her hair is wild, eyes red and swollen, tears clinging to her lashes. Her whole body trembles, with rage.
“No,” she mutters under her breath, voice shaking. “I won’t let him do this to me.”
She bites hard into her fingers, like she’s trying to hold herself together. “I must make him mine. I have to. I will be the next Alpha Queen. I must.”
My chest clenches painfully. Tears sting my eyes before I can stop them.
So this is why.
This is why she’s been doing all of this; why she’s been scheming, lying, humiliating herself. She wants power. She wants to be Alpha Queen when Reid finally returns to his pack and takes his father’s place.
I don’t even recognize her anymore.
The Roxanna I thought I knew… the sister I believed I had… she isn’t this person.
Wait.
I blink hard, reality snapping back into place.
This is a dream.
Even if it feels real, even if my emotions feel sharp and raw, it’s still just a dream. Why am I letting it get to me like this?
I let out a shaky laugh of relief. Gods. I almost forgot myself.
I step back and leave her room, deciding to head for mine. But I don’t feel myself waking up yet. So… why not keep going?
Curiosity pulls me toward my father’s room next.
The moment I step inside, I regret it.
Because sprawled across the bed; naked, sweaty, tangled together, is the last pairing I ever expected to see.
My father.
And Talia.
My eyes widen in pure shock as I stand frozen, watching her ride him expertly, her soft moans filling the room. His hands grip her tightly, fingers digging into her back, marking her skin like he owns it.
She doesn’t look like the head maid at all. She looks like a mistress of sin.
I stare for a second too long, then recoil.
I scoff, shaking my head. Of course this is a dream. A messed-up one. But still, gross.
I turn away quickly, nearly gagging, and rush out of the room.
“Okay, that’s enough,” I mutter as I hurry down the hallway. “I’m going back to my room and waiting until I wake up.”
But then I stop as I near the door just before mine.
Reid’s.
No, no, no! Don’t even think about it, Lyra!
I shake my head and try to walk past, but I stop again.
Just one look won’t hurt, right? It’s a dream. I probably won’t even remember it when I wake up.
With a quiet sigh, I give in and slip through the door.
Reid is asleep on his bed.
At the sight of him, anxiety coils tight in my chest. I step closer, slowing down when I notice something off.
He’s sweating badly. His body jerks and trembles, lips moving as if he’s trapped in a nightmare.
Concern tugs at my chest, so much that I forget it’s a dream and none of this is real.
I sit beside him, reaching out to feel his temple for temperature. “Reid… hey. Are you okay—”
My words die instantly.
I stare at my hand.
It’s solid. My fingers are solidly cradling his face. I can feel the smoothness of his skin and the heat of him.
Not floating.
My breath leaves my lungs in one sharp gasp.
What in the name of the Moon Goddess…