The Alphas' Legacy (Alpha Eyes: Book 3)

Chapter 26

Zoey

Four days later.

I crept out of my deliciously dreamless sleep, fully aware that this was becoming a regular occurrence. Of course, a good night's sleep usually meant that I would wake up in the bed. Van continued to hold his tongue, never saying a word yet clearly knowing where I was sleeping. Was he sleeping on the couch in the meantime?

I opened my eyes and immediately froze. Again, I was in the bed. Only this time, I wasn't alone.

Van lay next to me, eyes still closed. He was more than simply next to me. His arm curled under my body and held me tight to his side. I was neatly tucked against his bare chest.

As I lay there in stunned shock, his breathing changed and his eyes opened. He slowly turned his head and looked down at me. At choice word left his mouth, but he didn't move.

"I'm sorry," I gasped, pushing away from him and scrambling to sit up. "I don't know how I keep ending up here."

His hand darted out and caught my wrist as I squirmed towards the edge of the bed. I froze, not daring to fight him.

"It's me," he sighed. "I've been carrying you to the bed because you kept having nightmares. Being close to another person seemed to help you sleep."

Were my nightmares that bad? Had I talked in my sleep? What had I said? How much had I revealed? This was getting worse.

I swallowed hard. "I... uhm... I have some meds that I can take to stop the nightmares. You won't need to impose on yourself again."

He tightened his grip on my wrist slightly. "Wolfsbane is deadly. I don't want you taking any. You should get rid of any that you have."

I wouldn't tell him about my stash for that time of the month. Why did he care anyway? "Fine. Then I'll get you some earplugs or something so you don't hear me." I gently pulled against his hold, suddenly wanting to get out of this conversation.

"Would you just... stop for a second?" He sat up now and switched his grip from my wrist to my hand. For a minute, he stared at my fingers.

"It was my choice to help you instead of blocking out any sound you made. I'll do it again without hesitation. And, as much as I don't want to admit it..." He huffed out a breath and looked up into my face.

"...I sleep better when you're next to me."

I blanched. Surely I'd misheard him. He didn't mean it. He couldn't. Why would he say something like that? My stomach knotted. This was Jax all over again. Sweet gestures and words that were meant to soften me before using me for whatever purpose he had in mind. I'd been here before, and I wouldn't fall for it again. I couldn't, not when this was where I was supposed to be safe.

"I'm sorry. I can't be your sleep drug." I yanked my hand free and sprang off the bed. As much as I loved my dreamless nights, I couldn't let my own history repeat itself. I'd face the nightmares again before falling for him... even if it hurt more than anything else.

"Zoey..."

Halfway across the room, I spun around to face him. "No. I can't. I'm here because your family can protect me from a monster who said sweet things before destroying every drop of innocence in my life. You think I want to make my protection miserable by walking right into the same hell I'm trying to escape?"

My spat seemed to reach him. He blinked and ran a hand over his face.

"Sorry, Zoey. I'm not trying to make things complicated for you. I... It makes sense if we're both sleeping better. I promise that's all I was thinking."