Releasing Red

Chapter Twelve

"Luca!? Where'd you go?" I call out in laughter. He had taken a piece of my food, and before I could tackle him in protest, he ran and disappeared behind a tree.

I wander around, calling his name, preparing myself for a jump scare "Red." A hoarse voice whispers behind my ear.

I turn around, only to have the previous daylight of the woods suddenly be swept from my vision, burying me in darkness. Only then did I notice rain was starting to pour past the canopy.

As I wander to where I thought I heard his voice, stumbling with my impaired vision, I trip on a root popping out from the sliding mud. I look up to see Luca. His eyes glazed over as he stares lifelessly at me, his body stiff and caked in blood.

Blood that surrounded a gaping torn hole in his chest.

Where his heart should've been.

Where his heart wasn't.

A loud crack of lightning split through the sky, shining in my eyes, startling me awake from my worst nightmare yet.

It's been a thing recently, nightmare after nightmare.

Always bloody.

Always in the woods.

Always heartbreaking.

"Hey, you okay RaeRae?" Miah says, peeking her head through the door, sleep lacing her eyes and voice.

As I calm my breathing down, I reply as smoothly as possible, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a bad dream."

"Another one?"

I nod "Just as bad as the last..." I trail in thought.

"Maybe you should tell Luca." She suggests.

"They just started to get particularly gruesome, so yeah, I think will. I thought it was just the stress. But it..might be something more...."

...

I'm sweeping the shelves when arms snake firmly around my shoulders. A smile spreads across my face, and I turn around to face Luca.

"Morning Red." He greets with a wide smile.

"Morning my Casanova." I have a small smile face as I take in all the little features on his face, replacing the imagery of last night.

He has a short stubble, as if he hasn't shaved in a few days, giving him a more mature look. I run my finger softly along his jawline, which is complimented by his sharp cheekbones.

I gaze up into his eyes, flecks of gold reflecting in amber, looking at me with adoration and love.

"Miah told me you had to tell me something."

I sigh. "It might be all the stress, so don't take it as a sign or anything, but recently I've been having nightmares. Bad ones."

He kisses my nose, tucking his head in the crook of my neck, pulling me as close as possible.

After a few minutes of just embracing each other, Luca pulls back. "Walk with me."

I nod softly.

We have been walking for a while when we reach a large house, more in the mansion category, but still having a cozy feeling.

"This your home?"

"Yeah, the rest of the pack live in the surrounding houses, close, but far enough to give us all privacy."

We walk inside, him folding and leaving the umbrella outside. He guides me up the stairs, down a hallway, and into a room at the end of the hallway. The room is spacious, with a kingsize bed at the end of the room. To my left, a door, which I assume leads to a bathroom, to my right, a desk next to the bed, and a sofa pushed under the big window directly across from me.