Tommy POV

Darkness surrounds me, while loneliness engulfs me. However, the pounding of footsteps in the distance means I’m not alone. My heartbeat quickens as I turn away from the noise while my feet shuffle forward.

A thick fog surrounds me, and I can’t see anything.

What is going on? Where am I?

The heavy footsteps now echo in my ears as my feet hurry to get away. The only thing I know is to run the opposite direction from whoever is coming towards me.

No. I thought this part of my life was over.

I need to get away.

A sinister laughter slices through the air as my breath hitches.

No. Not again.

Panic rushes through me while my eyes dart everywhere, trying to find a little glimmer of light or something to tell me which direction to go. But like my past, there is nothing.

“Freak!”

“You’re a mistake!”

“I can’t believe the moon goddess made something like you!”

My heart races as memories, which I thought I had buried deep within me, resurface. The same disgust in the words spoken in those memories is here now with these new insults.

My feet move faster as the footsteps draw near.

I can’t let them catch me. Never again.

“Reject! You can’t run from us! We are going to fix the moon goddess’ mistake. Once and for all.”

The hatred oozing from the words has my heart racing even faster.

NO!

I pull together all my energy and run as quick as I can. However, no matter how fast my feet move, the thundering of footsteps behind me never stops. Instead of pulling away from them, they get closer.

As I slow only slightly for my eyes to dart from side to side, a finger grazes across my back. My heart skips a beat while a wave of fear quickly engulfs me.

This can’t be happening. I’m in a safe place now. They aren’t supposed to be able to get me now.

Another finger slides across my back and sends a cold shiver throughout my entire body. However, I can’t stop. Nothing good ever happens when I stop running.

Another sinister laugh cuts through my haze as a hand suddenly grabs the back of my shirt.

NO! NOT AGAIN!! NEVER AGAIN!

My eyes whip open as I bolt upright in bed. My arms wave frantically in the air, trying to fight off people who aren’t there anymore.

Tears stream down my face as I scream, “No! Stay away from me! I’m not a mistake!”

Finn rushes into the room. “Tommy! You are alright. I’m right here.”

He grabs my hand as I continue to wave them in the air. Instantly, the dark haze around me clears, and I finally realize no one is after me. It is only a terrible nightmare.

My heart races in my chest as if it is going to jump out any second, while a sense of calmness slowly washes over me. Finn’s soft, soothing voice fills my ears. “Tommy, you are alright. No one is going to get you here. You are safe with me and with this pack. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

As he climbs onto the bed and sits next to me, I wrap arms around him as a waterfall of tears takes over my face and sobs rip from my throat.

When will this end?

I can’t ask Finn to be around me all the time. I’m pushing my luck already. Two years is too long, but what else can I do? I’ve tried everything, but nothing else seems to work but Finn’s touch.

***

Wyatt POV

I take a deep breath as I look into the bedroom and watch Tommy cry in Finn’s arms. It has been a few months since Tommy has had such a bad nightmare like this. However, Tommy isn’t any closer to resolving his issues and defeating his past demons than he was when we first found him and saved his life. Back then, Kane and I healed his body, but Finn was the only one who could temporarily chase away his past and the various things haunting him.

Kane walks up beside me and whispers, “Tommy having another bad dream?”

I nod and wrap my arm around his waist. “Yeah. I wish we had the ability to heal his mind, but we don’t.”

He leans his head against my shoulder. “I wish the same thing, but at least we have Finn. He can’t heal Tommy’s mind, but he can calm him down. They are eighteen now and could find their mates any day. Maybe when the two of them find their mates, it will help them heal and finally put their past demons behind them.”

I kiss the top of his head. “I hope you are right. However, I have a feeling that they won’t be able to find their mates until they tackle their past. Only then can they freely accept their mates.”

He sighs. “What did the Supreme Elder say? Did she give you any insight about them?”

I shake my head. “No. She didn’t give me anything more than what you have just said. They need to defeat their own hidden monsters before they can find their mates. She didn’t give any timeframe either of how long it will be before the two will find their mates.”

This is one of those times when I wish she would stop with her riddles and give me the information straight without her usual guessing games.

My mate snuggles in tighter against me as he wraps his arms around me. “Well, they are going to be starting college soon. Maybe getting out and mingling with others their age will help them to overcome their past. You know every little step helps.”

Again, I nod. “I know, but this is such an extreme case. I don’t know what it will take to break through for both of them. Only time will tell.”

In addition to time, my many prayers to the moon goddess will hopefully help, too. But if there is something I can do, I’m doing it. I know my mate is doing it, too.

Silently, I also hope and pray that when they do finally find their mates, their mates don’t do anything stupid. I don’t know if Tommy and Finn can handle something like that, especially Tommy. He might just completely break if his mate would do something silly. For the sake of his health and our pack’s sanity, I pray his mate doesn’t reject him.