Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 6 - Knock, Knock, Who's there?

Chloe had decided to go to bed early that evening, and she collapsed onto her new plushy princess bed, totally exhausted. The verbal crossfire with Juliette and the tension between her, Juliette, and Marcus had left her emotionally drained, and she desperately needed some time by herself and to rest.

However, if she thought she was going to have a good night’s sleep, she thought wrong! As much as she tried, she just couldn't find any peace, and she kept tossing and turning the entire night. Either it was the mattress being too soft or the pillows being too firm, and the temperature in the room was either too cold or too warm.

When she finally did fall asleep, she found herself dreaming about Oliver. His piercing gaze and alluring scent were as intoxicating as ever… She was back at Johns and Isabel’s wedding, but this time, something was different. It didn’t just feel like time stopped as they locked gazes - it actually did. Literally. And in the dream, it was as if it was the most natural thing ever.

While everyone else was frozen in their tracks, Oliver’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes glimmering as he took her in. Chloe couldn’t help to smile back, feeling a warm sensation spreading throughout her chest. This man! He was so handsome, it took her breath away.

Slowly, he took her hand, lifting it to his hot lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. Their fingers interlocked, and before she knew it, she was in his arms, looking deeply into his eyes. Tenderly, he caressed her cheek, his touch sending her tingles through her body. Just as they were about to kiss, the dream abruptly ended, and she woke up feeling cold and utterly alone in her bed.

Chloe shook her head with disbelief. How could she possibly be so obsessed with a man she only met once? They hadn’t even exchanged a single word with each other, for Goddess's sake! It seemed so absurd, and she felt like a silly teenage girl dreaming of prince charming. Why did she have to dream about someone she so clearly couldn’t have? She didn’t even know him… He could be a total dickhead as far as she knew.

“He’s not…” her wolf scoffed.

“And how can you be so sure?” Chloe scoffed back.

“I could sense his wolf… he’s enticing…” her wolf mumbled before retreating, and Chloe slowly drifted back to sleep.

However, just as she had closed her eyes, she felt something was wrong. There was a presence in the room! Someone was watching her.

Immediately, she sat up in bed, her heart pounding. “Hello...?” she tried to call out, but no one answered.

Shivering slightly, she turned on the lights and searched the room, looking behind every door and every curtain - but there was no one there. Nothing…

Feeling foolish, she climbed back into bed, trying to convince herself that it was all in her imagination. However, her peaceful slumber was short-lived. Soon enough, she found herself in a strange dream, walking through the streets of the city back home. As she walked, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She stopped in her tracks, looking around, but the street was completely empty.

Hesitantly, she resumed walking when, suddenly, she saw someone next to her own reflection in a shop window. A woman! Swiftly, she turned around to look behind her, but there was no one there. And when she turned back, the woman’s reflection was gone, and it was only her own green eyes looking back at her.

She tried to stay calm, but it was difficult. As she started running, she heard footsteps tapping on the ground behind her, slowing down as she rounded a corner. With her heart practically pounding out of her chest, she peeped around the corner, ready to attack her pursuer – but once again, nothing. No one.

Chloe was freaking out. What was going on? With shaking legs, she ran into a nearby shop, realizing that there was no one behind the desk. She was all alone.

“Hello?” she called out, but no one answered. The place was as dead as in a zombie movie… However, as she felt someone watching her again, she lifted her gaze and looked straight into a mirror on the wall. Chloe let out a little scream as she was startled to see the woman’s face once again next to hers in the mirror, and then she woke up, panting and drenched in sweat.

“What the hell was that?” her wolf whined.

“I have no idea,” Chloe shuddered, the chills traveling up and down her spine.

That woman… Who was she? She seemed familiar somehow, but Chloe couldn’t place her and the image of her was already slowly drifting away from her.

With a sigh, Chloe jumped out of bed and walked over to the window. The mere thought of returning to sleep and experiencing that unsettling dream again made her shudder. She might as well stay up… A long, hot shower seemed like the perfect solution.

With determination, she headed towards the bathroom and turned on the faucet to let the hot water flow. As the warmth enveloped her, she couldn't help but relax and release a small laugh. What was she afraid of, really? It had clearly only been a bad dream.

“But I felt it too…” her wolf stirred in her chest. “Someone was watching us. That woman.”

“Don’t be silly,” Chloe snorted. “We’re just tired after all the tension yesterday.” However, a faint feeling of unease lingered in her chest.

After a long and steamy shower, she wrapped herself up in a towel. As she looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Chloe couldn't help but flinch at the thought of seeing the woman's face from her dream again. Furiously, she wiped away the mist from the entire mirror, ensuring that not a single spot was left untouched. No surprises here!

She felt stupid for being so spooked by a dream. After all, she didn't believe in ghosts, did she? Nevertheless, she realized that she needed to clear her mind. A good run was just what she needed. Maybe take a sprint into the woods, and up in the mountains, near the lake. The view from that mountain had to be amazing! It would for sure help her to shake off this bad dream… She decided to ask Freya to join her after breakfast.

Going back to the window, her long black hair falling damp down her shoulders, she noticed a black SUV driving away from the pack premises. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when she saw Marcus standing alone in the parking lot, his hands in his pockets, bidding farewell to his girlfriend... At least now that Juliette was gone, Chloe hoped that her stay at Emerald Lake would be a little easier without her constantly breathing down her neck.

Just then, Marcus turned around, and despite the distance between them, Chloe could feel his gaze on her window. She quickly jumped behind the curtain, hoping that he hadn't seen her.

But what if he had? Then it would be so obvious that she was hiding from him! Damn it… With hesitant steps, she moved back towards the window and peered out, but Marcus had already disappeared.