His Broken Mate

Chapter 20

Xavier's POV

After what feels like mere seconds of sleep I'm woken up by being shoved off my bed. I dart up, startled, to see Elaina with the blanket tangled up by her feet as she thrashes around and whimpers. Her little whines shortly become small shrieks and her fist starts pounding on the bed frame. By this point she starts full on screaming like a murder victim in a horror movie. Her ear piercing screams are occasionally interrupted with her pleading. "Please, don't hurt her! No!"

All the while, the bed frame is being banged on with her fists and starts splintering from the force. "No! NO!" She screams. I'm so shocked I don't know what to do. I jump up and put a pillow in between her fist and the bed frame, trying to stop her from hurting herself. The pillow muffles the booming of her bony fist on the bed frame, making the sounds of her screams and thrashing around seem even louder.

"Elaina? Can you hear me? Please wake up." I say firmly but gently. Tears stream down her lovely face, which is contorted in pain and fear. "You're okay, please wake up."

This madness lasts for maybe fifteen minutes of her panic and punching and screams, until finally her eyes fly open and she takes a gasp, seeming shocked at her surroundings.

Elaina's POV

My heart races and my face is sticky from tears. My feet are tangled up in the comforter I kicked off and the side of my hand is really sore and bruising. I look up to see Xavier's scared and shocked face, and figure I must've had another night terror. It's always the same thing; a vivid dream of my mom being killed and tortured right in front of me.

I gingerly prod at my bruised hand and think back to when I had night terrors at my old pack. The other prisoners down in the basement would say I would toss and turn around, banging my fists on the floor and screaming. I glance back to see the bed frame cracked where I must have punched it. I sniff and wipe my face, only to have it coated in more tears. My throat feels raw and sore, probably from screaming. Xavier slowly sits down on the bed next to me. "What just happened? You were screaming, and . . ." He drifts off, seemingly at a loss for words.

My voice comes out hoarse. "Night terror. I-It's no big d-deal, they happen all the t-time," I say shakily. I clear my throat, trying and failing to compose myself as more tears pour out of my eyes. He takes one of my trembling hands in both of his.

"What should I do if it happens again?" He asks concernedly. I think for a moment about what would be helpful and what wasn't helpful in the past.

"D-Don't wake me up. It'll m-make it worse. Um . . . I-If I'm hitting the wall or something, p-put a pillow in front of my hand. It'll end o-on its own." I mumble nervously. I really don't want to have another one, let alone have him witness it. I'm already a weak piece of shit in everyone's eyes, I don't need him seeing me that vulnerable to reinforce it.

"Hmm . . . Okay, but I'll also schedule an appointment with my doctor to see if meds would help." He rubs my arm, making me flinch but it's strangely comforting. "For now though, let's go back to bed, it's only been like twenty minutes since we fell asleep."

I glance at the nearby clock to see he's right, it's only a little after nine. I sniffle a bit and nod, but I stand up, wobbling a bit, to the bathroom to splash water on my face and run my bruising hand under some cold water. My reflection is an absolute mess, I look like I just had a mental breakdown inside of a tornado. I sigh and somewhat smooth out my hair before stepping back out into the dark bedroom. Before I can lay back down, Xavier stands up and hugs me before stripping off his shirt and holding it up. "Please? It'll make me feel like you're safer."

I nod and go back into the bathroom, shedding my clothes from the day except my undies and slipping on the soft green shirt, the sleeves like long cotton tunnels swallowing up my arms, covering my hands. The shirt looks like a dress on me, reaching my mid thigh. It's vaguely comforting to wear, still warm from being worn by Xavier all day. I scoop up my dirty clothes and awkwardly step back out, not knowing what to do. Xavier takes my clothes and tosses them into a hamper before turning back around and wrapping me up in his arms, pressing me against his bare chest. He breathes heavily, seeming distressed. "A-Are you okay?" I ask quietly, my face smushed into his shoulder.