Born To Be Your Apocalypse

Back To The Nightmare

Sabrina's POV

I bolted upright in bed, a scream tearing from my throat before I could stop it.

Sweat soaked my nightshirt, clinging cold and sticky to my skin. The nightmare still gripped me…blood on green silk, Mom’s desperate cries for innocence, the c***k of the whip across my back, Lyria’s mocking laugh.

It's been seven years. Seven damn years since I escaped that hell, and my mind still dragged me back every few nights like a chain I couldn’t break.

The bedroom door burst open just then and Diego stormed in, gun already in hand, his dark eyes wild with that lethal edge he showed the world.

But the second he saw me, the ruthless mafia boss melted. He tossed the weapon onto the nightstand and crossed the room in three strides, pulling me into his arms like I was made of glass.

“Another nightmare, princess?” His voice was low, rough with sleep and worry, but so gentle it made my chest ache.

He smelled like gun oil, expensive cologne, and home…safety I’d clawed for after the forest and that car.

His big hands rubbed slow circles on my back, careful over the faded scars he’d never asked too many questions about.

“I’ve got you. Breathe with me. In… out. That’s my girl.”

I buried my face in his broad chest, letting his steady heartbeat ground me. Tears burned my eyes but I didn’t let them fall.

Diego Romano had pulled me from the wreckage of that hit-and-run, stitched my body back together, and given me a new life.

To everyone else he was a monster who ruled the city with blood and fear. To me, he was the man who made me feel human again…protected and loved.

“I’m okay,” I whispered, voice shaky. “Just the same old ghosts.”

He tilted my chin up, his thumb brushing my cheek with surprising tenderness. “They don’t get to touch you here. Not while I’m breathing.”

He kissed my forehead, lingering, then pulled me tighter. But the clock on the nightstand glared 6:45 AM and reality called.

“I have to prepare and get to the library early,” I said, pulling back reluctantly. “Storytime for the kids starts at nine, and I need to set up.”

Diego groaned dramatically, flopping back against the pillows but keeping one arm hooked around my waist. “Princess, why? I can buy you ten libraries. Hell, I’ll build you one with your name on it. You don’t need to work for anyone.”

I laughed softly despite the lingering nightmare weight, swinging my legs out of bed.

“I like it there, Dee. Normal people. Normal life. Books don’t shoot at each other, remember?”

I headed for the bathroom, ignoring his scowl. After getting dressed, I hurried downstairs, already rushing to leave the mansion before I could get distracted. I slipped past the dining room, relieved that I had managed to escape without Diego seeing me.

****

Minutes later, I was at work.

The library smelled like old paper and fresh coffee, quiet and peaceful under the morning light streaming through tall windows. It was totally empty by this time.

I was halfway through organizing a new display when the front doors slammed open with enough force to rattle the glass and my stomach dropped.

Zane Grayson stormed in like he owned the place, eyes locking on me instantly.

He looked… almost the same. Taller maybe, broader, with the same taunting air around him. His dark hair had grown long, brushing his shoulders in messy waves, and a thick beard shadowed his jaw.

But those eyes…stormy, intense…hadn’t changed at all.

The mate bond flared to life without warning, a sharp, unwanted pull in my chest that made my skin prickle with heat and fury.

Hatred rose like bile alongside, burning my throat. Seven years of freedom, and one look at him brought it all crashing back…blood, screams, the whip, the humiliation.

My hands clenched the edge of the counter until my knuckles whitened.

“Get out,” I said coldly, voice steady even as anger roared inside me. I could feel Diego’s men already moving…shadows outside, earpieces probably buzzing. They’d be here in seconds…I'm safe.

Zane stopped a few feet away, jaw tight. “Sabrina. The realm is dying. Pups are being born without instincts. Territories are collapsing. The balance is breaking, and the seers say it's tied to you. You need to come back with me. To complete a ritual.”

I laughed…a harsh, bitter sound that echoed through the quiet stacks.

“Ritual? Save the people who slaughtered my family in cold blood? Who beat me, humiliated me and made me feel worthless?

My voice rose, trembling with rage. “Why the hell would I save any of you? I want you all to rot. Every last one.”

He didn’t flinch, but something dark crossed his face. “You don’t have a choice, Sabrina. You're coming with me either way. The realm needs you. I’m not asking.”

“Go to hell,” I spat at him.

The bond tugged again, stronger, irritating as hell. It still lingered, unfinished and poisonous. His voice alone made my skin crawl with irritation and unwanted heat.

Just then, the side door exploded open. Diego stormed in with four of his men, guns drawn, faces like death.

They must have informed him.

Relief flooded me instantly as I ran straight into his arms, burying my face in his chest. He pulled me close, one hand possessive on my lower back, and kissed me hard…deep, claiming, right there in front of Zane.

Zane growled low in his throat, a dangerous, animal sound that vibrated through the room. Jealousy flashed raw in his eyes as he watched Diego hold me.

Diego broke the kiss, keeping me tucked against his side. “Who the f**k are you?” he snarled, voice pure ice. “Touch my fiancée and I’ll paint the books with your blood.”

Zane’s gaze flicked to me, cold and unyielding. “Fiancée?” The word dripped with venom, his fists clenching.

The jealousy was obvious, but he didn’t beg. He never would. “This isn’t a game, Sabrina. The realm needs you. Come with me. Now.”

I glared at him, hatred pure and cold. “Over my dead body.”

Zane moved faster than I expected. He crushed something in his fist and threw powder across the floor and it exploded in a silent burst of shimmering dust.

Diego and his men staggered, eyes rolling back as they dropped unconscious one by one. Guns clattered to the carpet. I stood untouched, heart hammering.

“No!” I shouted, lunging for Diego, but Zane was already on me. He scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing, one arm locked around my thighs.

“Let me go!” I screamed, pounding my fists against his back, kicking wildly. “Diego! I need to know if he’s okay! You bastard…put me down!”

Zane’s grip only tightened, his voice cold and possessive as he carried me toward the back exit.

“You’re mine, Sabrina. And you’re coming home whether you like it or not.”

Home?

The word sent ice through my veins.

That wasn’t home. That was the hell I had spent seven years trying to escape.

“No!” I screamed, fighting against his grip. “Let me go!”

But still without my wolf, I was powerless against him. No strength. No chance. Nothing to stop him from taking me.

The last thing I saw before the doors slammed shut was Diego’s unmoving body on the library floor.

“Diego!”

My heart shattered as my scream tore through the morning air. And then Zane carried me away.

Away from the life I fought so hard to build.

Away from the man who saved me.

Back to the nightmare I thought I had buried forever.