Chapter 17: Dream’s
869 Words
The dream felt far too real to ignore, clinging to Eric’s mind with a persistence that refused to fade no matter how much he tried to dismiss it as nothing more than imagination.
Eric had faced enemies on brutal battlefields, negotiated dangerous alliances between rival packs, and survived more assassination attempts than he cared to count. Yet none of those experiences had unsettled him the way this dream had, leaving behind a quiet unease that settled deep in his chest like a shadow he could not shake, even after waking.
Eric’s Dream POV
The night within the dream was dark and suffocating, the kind of darkness that felt alive, pressing in from all sides as though it carried intent of its own. The moon was hidden behind thick, unmoving clouds, as if the sky itself refused to witness what was happening below.
Somewhere in that darkness, a girl was struggling.
Eric could hear her breathing—quick, uneven, filled with panic, each breath a fight for survival—while cruel laughter echoed around her, sharp and merciless. The faces surrounding her remained blurred, but their malice was unmistakable. Rough hands gripped her wrists, pinning her down without mercy as she fought back with everything she had left. Her strength wavered, but her will did not.
Then Eric saw her clearly.
Dark hair fell wildly around her face, strands clinging to her skin. Her shoulder was exposed where her clothing had torn, her body trembling from exhaustion. Yet her eyes held something stronger—fierce, defiant, unbroken. Even in fear, she refused to yield.
A hand tangled in her hair and yanked her head back harshly, forcing her into a vulnerable position, while another lifted a bottle toward her lips, the sharp scent of alcohol cutting through the air. She turned her face away, resisting with what little strength remained, but the bottle moved closer, inch by inch, leaving her with nowhere to escape.
And then—
As if she felt him watching.
She lifted her head, her gaze locking onto his.
Her eyes widened—not just with fear, but with something deeper.
Recognition.
“Help me…”
Eric shot upright in bed, his chest rising sharply as he struggled to steady his breathing. The faint gray light of early morning filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the room as silence settled around him, yet his mind refused to quiet.
For a moment, he remained still, staring ahead, trying to convince himself it had been nothing more than a dream—just imagination, just exhaustion. But the weight in his chest refused to lift. It stayed there, heavy and insistent.
Eric swung his legs off the bed and ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath. Dreams meant nothing. They were fragments of thought, scattered and meaningless.
And yet—
Her face remained.
Aria.
The quiet girl from the bar.
Eric stood and walked toward the window, his gaze drifting over the city below as his thoughts refused to settle. Deep within him, Kael stirred restlessly, unsettled in a way that demanded attention.
“Find her.”
Eric frowned slightly, shaking his head as though he could silence the instinct, but the feeling refused to disappear.
After washing and dressing, he made his way downstairs, where breakfast had already been prepared with its usual precision. The long table held neatly arranged dishes and scattered documents, and at the far end sat Else, who looked up the moment he entered.
“Good morning, big brother,” she said calmly, lifting her teacup.
Eric took a seat across from her as a maid placed a plate in front of him. “You’re up early,” he said.
Else raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “That’s interesting coming from someone who woke the entire house pacing the hallway thirty minutes ago.”
Eric paused briefly, then continued eating without responding.
Else leaned forward slightly, studying him. “You look distracted. Is something wrong?”
Eric hesitated as the memory of the dream surfaced again, vivid and unsettling. For a moment, he considered telling her, but the words felt strange even in his own mind.
Instead, he shook his head.
“Nothing important. Just work.”
Else didn’t look convinced, though she said nothing more, leaning back as she continued watching him in silence.
Still, his thoughts refused to settle. They kept drifting back—to the bar, to her.
Aria.
There was something about her that lingered in his mind, something he couldn’t explain. Even her scent remained vivid—wild, unfamiliar, yet strangely known.
By the time he finished breakfast, his decision had already been made.
“I’m heading out,” he said as he stood.
Else glanced up, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “So early? Where are you going?”
Eric adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, his expression calm. “Somewhere I need to check.”
Before she could ask anything further, he was already gone.
Because deep down, Alpha Eric already knew the truth—this wasn’t just a dream.
It was a warning.
And this time, he had no intention of ignoring it.
- Writer
