HIS PUMPKIN - BOOK 1 (+18)

Nightmare

Quinn POV

His lids are shut, but the eyeballs inside are fidgeting. The beads of sweat are staying on his forehead even though the room is cold. My hand over his chest feels the fast thump of his heart while his lips sometimes mumble, gasping in pain with his two brows creasing.

My eyes direct themselves to his face with worries, then fly to the wall clock, it's just three thirty am. Running my hand over his forehead, I remove the tiny water with my palm and gently sway his shoulder, waking him up.

"Wolf..."

Another growl broke out in his mouth. He turns his head to the other side of the pillow with his eyes unopened. My hand put more power in shaking him with a combination of a soft rub. I am so disturbed while watching him experience his nightmare. But it's different to see him in pain and... scared.

"Wolf..." I called him in a louder voice this time.

He is taking a heavy breath. His chest is in a speedy tempo, up and down when his eyes leisurely open. The plain and unreadable feature cast out in his iris, eyelashes are blinking as he is trying to figure out what is happening.

With his globes steadying in me, I run my palms on his full face, removing the sweat before resting my hands on his cheeks. The color of his skin is returning to its natural form, together with the rhythm of his chest.

"You're having a bad dream," I explain.

Panic mold in his summing eyes and folds the hairline above his two globes.

"D... did I wake you up in my scream?"

His question boosts more anguish inside, for he looks so alarmed in the way his lips tremble a bit as it's a big sin to hear him screaming. My head shakes and rubs his face pads to eliminate whatever makes him uncomfortable. His nose released an exhale of relief, and he closed his eyes. The calmness is vivid when he opens them again.

"Glad to know. For the first time I woke up without screaming, though," he announces.

It terrifies me. I licked my lips before eyeing him seriously after his revelation.

"Are you always having nightmares?" The concern is all over my voice.

The features of his face change, suddenly hard to read as he presses his lips tightly together. He might realize it's a mistake to give me that information, but I will not pull it out, for there is something wrong if it's happening all the time.

"When I'm too tired, same as now," he says.

"But I'm fine. No need to worry," he added.

The smile slowly sliding on his lips as he pins my hair under my ear. Eyeing him, he gave me a look that would stop me from questioning. I maybe don't know all his personal details, yet his body language is too familiar for me to read. Releasing hard air in my mouth, I press my hand on the mattress and lift my body.

"I'll get a glass of water for you."

Before I can ever make another move, something stops my body. Turning my head, I found his hand gripping my arm.

"No need, pumpkin. Just stay with me. It's enough."

As he pulls me, I gently fall over his chest. His arms wrap around my body, hugging me tight as he kisses the top of my head. My face stuck in the corner of his neck, caressing the tiny hair in his chest as I feel the comforter covering us onto our shoulders.

"Go back to sleep, pumpkin," he whispers, "trust me, this is the most peaceful night I have ever been to."

With his hand brushing up and down on my back, I close my eyes. In a minute, my dreams eat me when I finally hear his soft snore that gives me peace.

***---***---***---***---***---***---***---

"Wolf, promise me," I insist.

He nods, shoves the fork with a piece of juicy beef in his mouth while reading the message he received on his mobile. The knife and fork in my hands rest on my plate as I grab the arm of Aiden lying over the table, pull it to catch his attention. His head turns to me with his mouth chewing the steak.

"Please, tell me you will be there."

My eyes are begging, sending him the message of how important his presence is on that day. His mouth halt in breaking the food inside, then he looks at me seriously.

"It's the anniversary of that foundation. I promise my mom I'll always be there," I explain.

"And I told you I would be there, right?" There's a hardness in his voice.

I know he hates it when I repeat something, and hundreds of percent annoyed him when I'm telling him to do things twice. He has all the rights to demand, but not me, yet I take all the courage today, although I witness how his mood changed while reading the message he received on his mobile.

We are eating at the last corner of this steakhouse, talking about my invitation, when a certain beep on his phone changes his manners. His calm face becomes darker, the skin over his brows crumpled while he fixed his eyes on the screen of his phone. In a nervous heart, I still insisted on my demand, though I know it would irritate him.

"I... just want to make sure you're coming," I bit my lower lip, "my dad and brother never come with me. And... I'm doing this every year in memory of my mom."

I know it's a childish gesture, yet my eyes can't help releasing some water. I blink my eyes rapidly to seize them from falling. Being too emotional is always my weakness, it's hard to hide my feelings, my thoughts. Aiden is one of the important people now in my life, and being with him that day is like introducing him personally to my mom.

My eyes dove to my plate when his heavy breathing spilled out. My Wolf doesn't want to be forced, to be dictated, the reason I drink the full glass of red wine beside my plate to have some courage before asking him a while ago.

"I'm coming, Pumpkin."

His statement builds my head to tilt and lift both edges of my lips for a wonderful smile. I again grab my knife and fork with sparkling eyes while he is gently shaking his head at my reaction and returning his eyes to his phone.

The sound of a playing piano is serenading my heart as I plan how I will introduce him to my sisters in the foundation. That day will be one of the best days of my life. Thinking about the occasion, I enjoy my food while he is busy tapping his fingers on his phone.