Shattered - Completed

16 - Family Dinner

CeCe

The fire hisses and spits at my heels as I race through the forest. My heart pounds uncontrollably fast. My lungs fill with smoke. Coughing, I stumble and fall onto a bed of silvery scales. They tear and poke at my skin. Bleeding, I scramble back to my feet, only to see glowing eyes staring at me in the dark. The pack. No... No. Not my pack. Not anymore.

My scream is cut short by the appearance of my giant, black-furred wolf. He is racing through the trees, golden stare fixed on me. As he runs, I see the piles of silvery-white scales. The snakes have shed their skin. They're coming for me, venom dripping from open maws of poisonous fangs and red gullets.

Whimpering, I cling to the neck of my wolf. He lifts me up, away from the vipers coiling around his limbs.

"Wake up, beloved."

I thrash into wakefulness. Gavin rains sweet kisses on my cheeks and mouth. "CeCe, love. Shh, it's just a nightmare." He holds me tight to his bare chest. I come further into wakefulness to see the bed wrecked, covers tossed away, pillows askew. I'm clutching Gavin's shoulders tightly enough to draw blood, but he doesn't seem to notice.

"You have the oddest dreams, sweetheart," he says to me as he sees that I'm awake. His lips touch my forehead, then my wet cheeks as his wolf rumbles in his chest soothingly.

I stare up at him as my body fights off the lingering tiredness and my mind catches up with reality. They're not dreams. Or nightmares. The Knowing is growing stronger.

"Very odd," Gavin continues. Continuing to feather kisses all over my face, his big hands come up and wipe my tears as he shushes me.

My she-wolf curls up more tightly in the darkest corner of her den. She and I are confused by this male who treats us like a breakable doll on the highest shelf. I glance out of the closest window. It was daytime when we fell asleep. Now the sky is darkening with streaks of dark purple and lighter pink. The sun is already hidden behind the mountain peaks.

I feel the heavy slide of Gavin into my body. It's become a familiar intrusion but still shocks me into wakefulness. "Eyes on me, beloved," he murmurs sexily against my bare skin.

Gavin loves to wake me up with this slow, sweet sex. I could even call it love-making. I would like to call it that, but I don't think this male loves me any more than Tivo did.

"Eyes, CeCe," Gavin growls.

My eyes shoot to that liquid golden gaze. "Alpha," I gasp out, before falling into soft whimpers and moans as he strokes into me. His thumb finds my clit and he presses. I cry out wordlessly, my thighs trying to snap shut but held open by him. Thrashing and whimpering, I explode under him as he grunts his own release right after mine.

Gasping, I tell him the words he expects, "thank you, Alpha." I fall back into the bedding, boneless and exhausted even though I just slept the day away. Gavin settles next to me for only a moment before I feel him gently stroke his fingers over my forehead.

"Beloved," he murmurs quietly. "My CeCe." He leaves and tucks me more securely under the covers. I feel warm. I always do after we have sex. Then the chill returns.

I close my eyes. Lethargy pulls at my body. I watch my she-wolf wobble to her feet in her den and slink to the entrance of her cave. A tuft of fur floats in front of her nose. Soft, silky white hair from her underbelly floats in the air.

"C'mon, beloved. Let's wake you up." Gavin pulls me from the disheveled bed and brings me to the tub. I shiver in the cold as soon as I leave our cozy nest. The nights are growing colder.