Forbidden: Part One – Chapter 27

“Cam? Wake up.”

The urgent whisper created a crack in my nightmare, but dark images clawed at my consciousness, pulling me back under.

Sinister figures dragged Josie away. Her arms extended towards me as she screamed, a sound so piercing and agonizing I felt my heart might break. I roared in anger and charged at them, ready to kill anyone who dared harm my omega.

“Shit, you need to get back.”

“No,” the sweet voice whined before a small hand shook my arm. “Cam, wake up.”

My chest tightened at the panic in the voice, but I was too disoriented, trapped between waking and dreaming.

“Josie, get back. I don’t want him to hit you.”

A growl tore through my chest as I finally shook free from the nightmare.

Hurt Josie? Fucking never.

I woke with a gasp, prying my eyes open to find my omega’s face inches from mine, eyes wide. It was too dark in the room for me to be sure, but I thought I saw her blinking away tears. I didn’t need a light to catch the bitterness of her scent saturated with fear.

I had done that.

“Are you okay?” she whispered, tenderly cupping my face.

My throat was too tight to form words, so I opened my arms to her, and she threw herself into my embrace. My heart pounded and my skin burned as I clutched her to me, desperation seeping into my limbs. I needed to protect her. I couldn’t let anything happen to her, couldn’t fail again.

“Sorry for waking you,” I said hoarsely.

A cruel voice in my head taunted me, telling me what I’d always feared: I was a failure. I couldn’t even protect my omega. I’d upset her and interrupted the sleep she so desperately needed after her heat.

Theo leaned over, grabbing a bottle of water from the side table and handing it to me. I went to sit, but Josie clung to me with a protesting whimper. I rubbed her back and held her close as I sat up against the headboard. She pressed her face to my neck and I secretly loved that she didn’t want to let go.

After downing half the bottle of water, I set it aside. My limbs burned with the need to hit, punch, fight, to do something with my fear and rage.

“I’m going to go to the gym,” I said, giving Josie what I thought would be a final rub on the back.

Ben and Theo met my gaze over Josie’s shoulder and nodded. They knew how I got after nightmares like this.

“No,” Josie said, pulling back and looking at me, eyes wide. “Don’t leave.”

Her lower lip trembled and I was powerless against it.

Shit, now she was sniffling. How did I stop it?

“I’ll stay,” I said, my hands running down her body to try to soothe her. “Don’t cry.” My words came out as a demand, and I saw Ben’s lip twitch.

“Lie down,” Josie said, issuing a command of her own as she pushed my shoulders.

All I could do was obey.

I slowly lay down on the bed, suppressing a growl when Josie moved off of me. But then she started arranging blankets, taking the one I had knitted for her and placing it over me. She let out the cutest fucking omega growl of her own when Theo or Ben tried to interfere. They looked amused, but I felt their worry for me in the bond.

Josie carefully placed soft things around me, and somehow, with every gentle pat and adjustment of a pillow, the tension in my limbs subsided. Once satisfied, she curled up next to me, tugging Theo and Ben so they were lying down. She ran her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp. My muscles unclenched, surrendering to the care of my omega.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she whispered.

“I’ll tell you one day, sweetheart,” I murmured, hoping she would understand. I wasn’t ready. Not yet.

She traced her fingers down my jaw, all softness in contrast with the roughness of my beard.

“Okay, alpha.” She kissed me on the cheek, and something else relaxed deep in the recesses of my mind at her easy acceptance. Her touch made it okay to let go, just this once, knowing my omega was safe in my arms…and maybe I was safe in hers.