Believe (Short Story Random Updates)

Chapter 28

"Alright Ten, that's it for tonight," Kota said as he slid the bookmark into the the pages he just finished reading. "Goodnight, sleep tight."

"One more chapter?" she asked as she shifted in the bed and pouted. "Please? I wanna know what happens next."

He chuckled at her cute whining but shut the book, "Nope, one chapter a night. If we keep reading, you will stay awake and we will finish the book faster. You need your sleep so close your pretty little eyes and go to sleep. We can read again tomorrow."

"Fine," she pouted, "but I don't like it."

"I know, I feel the same way about my book I'm reading," he admitted. "But I'm following the same rules so get some sleep."

She raised her head, "You're following the same rules with your book?"

He chuckled as he placed the book on the nightstand, "Yes," he sat on the edge of the bed so she scooted over so he could be more comfortable. "It wouldn't be fair if I told you the rules and then I didn't follow them as well. I'll even tell you a secret if you promise to try and go to sleep after this."

"I promise," she whispered.

"Blackbourne and Axel follow the same rules as well," he whispered loudly. He placed a kiss on her forehead, "Now, get comfy and go to sleep."

She huffed but moved until she was comfortable then smiled as he covered her up and quietly left the room, making sure to leave the door cracked since he knew she didn't like it being shut all the way.

"She finally going to bed?" Axel asked as he made sure the back door was locked.

"Yeah," Kota nodded, "tried to plead for another chapter but I told her about our rule and how even I follow it so she conceded with just the one." A couple of them looked at him shocked so he chuckled and admitted to telling her a "secret" about Owen and Axel making the group chuckle.

"Let's head to bed," Marc said as he set the timers on the coffee makers. "We have that doctor's appointment in the morning for her."

After giving everyone kisses they paired up with who they wanted to be with that night then headed to their rooms while Max headed to Carina's room.

Carina slowly woke to something feeling off. She opened her eyes and listened. There it was again, something was being moved slowly in her room. Pressure was applied to her bed and moved closer to her so she gasped and let out a loud scream.

Seconds later she heard her door slam open, "Baby Girl!" North's freshly cut wood scent surrounded her as his rough hands wrapped around her. "I got you."

"North," she burst into sobs as her hands wrapped around his neck in a vice-like grip. "Someone's in my room," she blurted out. "Heard someone..."

"Shh, I got you," North growled as he scooped her up against him. She felt him moving out of the room. She didn't know where he was taking her but it didn't matter, as long as she was no longer in there. "You're safe Baby Girl," he murmured as he sat down. She was now straddling him in his lap so he shifted and she soon found herself wrapped up in his blanket while he held her head to his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. "I have you, you're safe."

"But...but...someone," she tried to explain but she couldn't get the words out of her mouth. It was like they were stuck in her throat or something. "Heard–"

"I know," he whispered, "the guys are searching every place. You're going to stay with me while they search. I'll protect you."

"I know," she whispered against his chest. "I'm safe with you, all you."

A smile formed on his lips as he listened to her words. Pride filled him in knowing that she knew she was safe with them, that she trusted them in that sense. He rubbed her back as he felt her start to relax under his touch. While he wanted to tear the house apart to find whatever scared her, he also didn't mind holding her in his arms to make sure she was protected. The door opened and all the work he put into having her relax went right out the window as she instantly tensed back up. "Shhh," he murmured, "it's just Corey and Victor, shhh you're safe."

"None of the alarms went off," Corey explained as he came to sit on the edge of the bed. "I double checked with the motion detectors so none of the windows were busted open or slid open, same with the doors, so no one has broken in that we can tell."

"But she heard someone in her room," North glared. "She heard movement."

"Which is why we are checking everything in case it's a matter of someone breaking in and then hiding somewhere," Victor explained. "We are going to find out what's going on, Princess, I promise."

"I have to get back to checking the inside cameras," Corey said as he stood, "I just wanted to let you know what we've found out so far."

The two tech wizards left the room and North frowned when he heard her sniffle. "What's wrong, Baby Girl?" He asked as he started running his fingers through her hair.

"Am I losing my mind?" She trembled. "Did I just imagine it?"

He kissed her hair and sighed, "Even if it was just a nightmare or your mind playing tricks on you, I'd rather you scream and tell us then keep it to yourself and it ends up making you sick. I'd rather protect you from imaginary things than have you questioning yourself. Everyone else feels the same way, I promise, Baby Girl."

"Agreed," Owen said as he walked into the room. "Besides being scared, how are you feeling, Darling? Any need to throw up, headache, pain, anything else?"

"No," she whispered as she pressed herself into North even more. "Just don't want to be alone."

"Not going to happen," North and Owen said at the same time, making her giggle just a bit.

"Found out what happened," Corey said as he hurried into the room with his laptop in his hand. "You have nothing to worry about Sweetheart, no one was in your room."

She sat up and sniffled, "But I heard someone. Something got moved in my room and then they were on my bed, I felt it move."

"You did," He admitted, "But it wasn't some stranger breaking in." He sat on the bed, "After we went to bed Max went to your room. Now we have a camera in your room but most of the time we don't check it because of privacy obviously, but I went back and looked. You were woken up to the tree branch scratching the outside of the house near your window. At the same time, Max hopped off the bed and started searching your room. Based on audio it was because you were whimpering and he went into protective mode. He bumped into the table by the rocking chair and I think that is what you heard moving because then he jumps on the bed and as he is moving toward you is when you sit up and start screaming. It was Max that you heard in your room."

"Oh my god," she groaned as she collapsed against North. "I'm such an–"

North and Corey growled at the same time. "Don't even finish that."

"What's that?" She frowned as she heard a little bell twinkling.

"Kota put a bell on Max's collar so he doesn't startle you by accident again when he's in your room," Corey smirked, "and so he can't sneak up on any of us for that matter."

"And before you even ask," Kota smiled as he walked into North's room, "Drakon was outside going to the bathroom, that's why he didn't alert you. Now close your eyes and I'll read you one more chapter but then you're going back to sleep."

"In here," North demanded as he tightened his grip around her. "Close your eyes, Baby Girl."