<h4>Chapter 371: Another Nightmare</h4>


    <strong>Kael’s POV</strong>


    I went to her andy down beside her.


    Whatever she was feeling, however turbulent her situation might be, I wanted to be herfort. That was the role of a fated mate. Not only in strength and protection, but in quiet moments like this.


    I drew her into my arms, settling her carefully against my chest. She instinctively snuggled closer, her body rxing the moment she felt me around her. Within minutes, her breathing deepened and evened out.


    Only when I was certain she had fallen into a deep sleep did I slowly slip away from her side.


    I returned to the front and took the co-driver’s seat beside Rafe. Lucian had stretched out on the couch, resting, while Roman and Jason were in the small kitchen area preparing lunch.


    For once, Rafe did not look smug or amused. His brows were drawn together, his attention fixed intently on the road ahead.


    "She’s alright," I said quietly, hoping to ease whatever weighed on him.


    He exhaled slowly. "I tried to get closer to her, while still keeping the boundaries I meant to. But she seemed more riled up because of that."


    "She’s at her most sensitive state, both in mind and body," I replied evenly. "If you toy with her emotions, her feral side will react."


    He gave a small hum of acknowledgment.


    "Try not to anger her verbally, at least," I added.


    "I just want to maintain our usual bickering," he said after a moment. "It keeps me in check. And she won’t expect anything more from me that way."


    I sighed quietly, uncertain how to resolve theplexity of his feelings. Rafe was dangerous in more ways than one, and he had to protect Eira from himself.


    Just then, a soft whimper reached my ears.


    It took me no time to recognize it.


    "I’ll check," I told Rafe, already rising from my seat.


    Jason and Roman moved at the same time. We reached her together.


    She was restless in her sleep, her face pale, her body tense. It was the same as a few nights ago, when she had dreamt of that witch.


    "Don’t... don’t touch my baby..." she murmured, her voice trembling. "Don’t..."


    I stepped back slightly and let Jason handle it, just as he had before.


    He knelt beside her and spoke softly, gently coaxing her back to the present.


    Slowly, her breathing turned erratic. Her eyes flew open, and she gasped as though she had been suffocating.


    "Jason..." she breathed, as if relief washed over her to see him.


    She reached for him instantly, clinging to him tightly, just as she had that night when she had a nightmare about that witch.


    "I am here," Jason murmured, his voice steady and warm as he stroked her hair.


    "That... that witch wants to take my baby..." she whispered against his chest, her fingers clutching his shirt tightly. "She knows about my baby. She is waiting..."


    A chill crept through me at her words. What kind of nightmare had she fallen into?


    "No one will take your child," Jason said gently, his tone low and firm. "I won’t let her."


    "No," she insisted, shaking her head faintly. "She said she’sing for me... for my baby. She knows. She said she’ll take both my babies..."


    Her fear was not fading. It clung to her like a shadow.


    Jason tightened his hold around her. "Listen to me," he said softly but with conviction. "We won’t let that happen. We’ll kill that witch before she even gets close to you or our children. Trust me."


    Gradually, his words began to settle her racing thoughts. Her breathing, though still uneven, slowed little by little.


    "It was a nightmare," he reminded her. "Nothing more. I’ll get you some water—"


    "No." Her grip tightened instantly. "Don’t leave me."


    The desperation in her voice struck deep.


    "I won’t," he assured her at once, holding her more firmly. "I’m right here."


    I stood there, watching them.


    A realization formed quietly in my mind.


    Whenever she had nightmares, she reached for Jason. Whatever distance she maintained from him during the day seemed to vanish in moments like this. She forgot her indifference, forgot whatever guarded walls she kept between them.


    Perhaps it was because of the time they had spent together in the past. She had once wanted to be a doctor. Maybe working around Liam had brought them closer in ways we had not fully understood. Perhaps, in moments of vulnerability, she instinctively sought the one she associated with healing.


    The way she called his name, the way she allowed him to calm her, felt natural. Familiar.


    As though this was not the first time he had pulled her back from the edge of fear.


    Once she was calm, she finally told us about what she saw.


    "...I felt like that witch is watching me. She is aware of everything about me. She knows I am pregnant. She said she is waiting for me to give birth and she will take my baby away...It wasn’t just nightmare...she truly knows it....I don’t know how but...."


    "We trust you," I told her as I held her close on the sofa. "That day at the council, she was around. She could sense you are having a child, and well aware of it now."


    "Will she take away my child?" she asked, "Last time she did it with Raven."


    "Last time we weren’t with you either," I said, "This time they couldn’t take Raven away, and won’t seed with any of our child."


    "She is injured, so she won’t be a threat for a while," Lucian added, "She can only use her power to haunt you, to scare you, and weaken your resolve. But you have to stay strong."


    She understood.


    The day gone by in travelling. In the evening we stopped on the way.


    Lucian and Roman stepped out of the caravan, their expressions serious as the head of guard joined them.


    "What happened? Who are these people?" she asked looking at the various new vehicles andmandos that didn’t belong you our pack.


    "They are Alpha Gerald’s people," I informed.


    "Have we reached?" she asked.


    I shook my head, "Not yet. But now we are away from our territory, Alpha Gerald decided to add addition security midway until we reach his pack."


    "Is there a danger here?" she asked, worry painting her face.


    "Well, there’s nothing bad in being extra careful," I exined calmly, "Though we are capable of protecting ourselves, Alpha Gerald is just being careful as we are his guests. Given what happened at the council and others are aware of your and our child’s existence, it’s indeed a good thing."


    She frowned, "If it’s dangerous we should have just stayed home."


    "We can’t do that for our life. One day we have to step out," I said, "We can’t teach our kids to be cowered and keep in hiding either. That applies to us as well. We should be free to go anywhere in this vast world without any fear. If we keep hiding, the enemies will think we are scared and they will try toe at us again and again. We need to show them we fear no one, and we have the capability to kill them if theye for us."


    She finally understood, though her hands moved to her belly and gaze to Raven who was watching everything silently with Roman, who was exining him the things.


    If Raven was going to be a heir of this pack, he should see and learn the things already.


    She observed one of the vehicle and asked, "What’s that sign on their vehicles? It looks different..."


    "It’s the crest of HollowCrest pack, Alpha Gerald’s pack. With that crest in view, enemies won’t even think abouting our way if they are nning to."


    "Is he and his pack that powerful," she asked.


    "You will know once we are there. They are on different level," I told her.


    I could see her feeling curious.


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