The Lone Wolf's Bride

[8] Nightmare

Eli managed to nod her tired head. "I'm fine. A little sleep would be nice tho," she said panting softly. Her chest moved up and down quite rapidly. "You need to check on our guest."

Freya didn't need to be told again as she left the room. She made sure she already change her tattered clothes to something more decent. She went downstairs to Astra's room.

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Astra woke up with a startle from her nightmare. Sweats were running down her neck and her heart beat rapidly. A knock on the door made her jump off the bed.

"Astra, are you awake?" asked a concern Freya behind the door.

Astra managed to calm herself a little before she answered, "yes, come in."

The bind wolf opened the door and found Astra leaning to her bed. "Are you okay?" she asked approaching the girl.

Astra flinched when Freya was about to touch her. "I'm fine," Astra said as she pulled her hand up.

Freya retrieved her arm as she just realized Astra hasn't looking at her eyes all this time. She smelt fear coming from Astra, but also doubt. Freya was about to ask again, but Astra shrugged it off with a smile.

"Are you calling for breakfast? What are we going to eat today?" Astra smiled as she walked past Freya.

Freya snapped out of her thought and turned around. But Astra was already gone. She followed the girl to the main hall then gestured her to the dinning room. She stopped her from walking by griping her wrist.

The girl cringed from the surprising move. That wasn't her, that wasn't her, Astra repeated in her head.

"Are you okay?" Freya just had to asked.

Astra fought with herself as she tried to look at Freya's eyes, repeating the same sentence over and over again. Trying to convince herself that the monster in her dream was not the same woman she's with right now.

"As I thought. You're scared of me, aren't you," Freya gave her a weak smile, but her face was sad.

"That's not it!" Astra said as immediately and looked at Freya. She sighed, "I just had a nightmare and it scares me." Astra was now holding both of Freya's hands. "It's okay now. Thank you for asking."

Freya had a visible sad expression on her face, fully noticing that her mate's nightmare was undoubtedly her fault. Astra didn't let the feelings brood as she pulled Freya into the dinning room. Freya sat on the head chair while Astra sat on her right.

"Where's Eli? I haven't seen her around. Do you think she's still asleep? Should we wake her up?" Astra asked lightening the mood.

Freya gave her her rare smile. "Let her be," she said. "Right, what do you want for breakfast? Let me make it," Freya said as she stood up.

Astra quickly put her hand on top of Freya's and led her back down. "No. You sit here and let me do the cooking," suggested Astra.

"You are my guest. What kind of host am I to let her guest cooks for her?"

"No!" Astra said more sternly this time, "I won't let you near a knife or fire."

"You don't believe me?" Freya asked a little bit hurt.

Astra looked back at her as she already half-way to the kitchen. "Of course not. You're so clumsy, I fear you would cut yourself."

Freya was taken by surprise. Soon a small smile creeped her face. "Excuse me? Aren't you referring to yourself?" she said as she also went to the kitchen.

As Freya and Astra were playing in the kitchen, a new voice startled them.

"Can you please not playing with your food?" begged Eli as she walked in.

"You're awake!" exclaimed Astra.

"Don't you have school today?" Eli asked looking at the girl's straight off the bed appearance.

Astra gave a guilty smile. "Let it be. Tomorrow's weekend. It will be a bother if I have to go to school and come back here after that."

"You're planning to come back?" asked Freya in surprised.

The girl looked at the older woman. "Well yeah. Aren't you glad?"

Freya smiled and nodded at her. Then her attention went back to Eli, "let her stay. It's not like we obey the law."

Eli smiled, "the place is yours. So what can I make for you two lovebirds?"

Both of the girl flushed, but Freya composed herself. "Anything on the menu," she said to Eli and took Astra back to the dinning room.

"For the record," Astra started looking at Freya, "I haven't said yes to the whole mate things. You need to earn my heart."

Freya looked at the girl beside her whose cheeks were red. She smiled knowing she has a big chance. She won't let her mate down, that was her promise. She knew she needs to build her trust. Tell her the whole story. She should probably start with her whole mess up mental situation.

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A/N: I will likely post a chapter every week. You can demand me personally through comments or pm if you didn't see one in a week.

- J -