gently brushes his fingers along my jaw.
Butterflies flutter in my stomach. I know I’m going to end up meeting them soon. A yawn escapes me, interrupting my anxious thoughts, and Reule hums softly as he lifts me up. Just a few seconds later, I find myself being tucked into the bed while Reule fluffs the pillows.
Part of me wants to fight to stay awake, just a little longer. But as soon as I rest my head on the soft, squishy pillows and curl up under the warm, fluffy blankets, I fall fast asleep.
Chapter Eight
Isla
It’s dark when I wake up.
My eyes open slowly, and I panic when I can’t remember where I am. I sit up so fast I make myself dizzy, and I glance frantically around the room while I try to remember what happened to me. I try to keep my breathing calm and even, but tears stream down my face. My gaze finally lands on the fireplace in front of the bed, and I rub my teary eyes as memories rush back to me. I’m at Reule’s cabin in the middle of freaking nowhere in an unfamiliar world.
The fire has mostly died out, just a few embers emitting a tiny bit of light throughout the room. It’s much chillier in here now, and I shiver as I wrap myself snugly in the blankets. I go still when I notice Reule sitting in the leather arm chair in the corner, a book open in his lap and his head propped up on his hand. He must have fallen asleep reading.
“Reule?” I call his name quietly.
He jolts up with a start and clears his throat, saying my name in a gruff, sleepy voice.
I whimper in response. I can’t stop crying, and I don’t understand why. I must have had a nightmare that woke me up, and I just don’t remember. I’m sure my brain is still catching up and processing everything that’s happened to me, but I still feel like a needy crybaby.
Reule crouches beside the bed and cradles my face in his hands, speaking in hushed tones. When I still can’t seem to calm down, he sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls me into his lap. I seem to be finding myself in this position a lot, but I’m not about to complain. Reule is sweet and muscly and strong. If he’s willing to offer me comfort while I’m on the brink of losing my shit, I’m going to take it.
He rocks me back and forth in his arms, still whispering and shushing me softly. I cry and cry, and even though he can’t understand a word I’m saying, I unleash everything I’ve been trying not to feel the past several days.
“I can’t believe this happened to me. Everything was fine. Al and I were fine. We were just having some fun at a party! I never thought his ex was that much of a jealous psycho that he’d actually try to kill me, or do something like this to me! And Bryson...” I sob even harder, curling my fingers against Reule’s hard chest. He rubs his hand consolingly over my back and encourages me to continue. “I thought Bryson loved me. Just because we broke up and he picked someone else, I didn’t think that would just erase everything we had together. I never thought he’d hurt me or want to see me dead. What did I do to deserve this? It’s not fucking fair.”
Reule mumbles something into my hair, and I lift my head to meet his eyes. “What am I going to do without Alistair? We’ve always had each other to rely on, and I don’t think...” My lips tremble and another strangled sob escapes my throat. “I can’t do this without him! I don’t even know where I am, and you’ve been perfectly wonderful, but oh god, I’m never going to see my best friend again.”
Alistair must be worried sick about me. I know if he’d disappeared like this, I would have gone fucking mad looking for him or trying to figure out what happened. But then my darker thoughts creep in and remind me that Thaddeus could have done something to Al too. How do I even know he’s safe? What if he’s in a worse situation than I am? Not knowing anything is killing me. I just hope and pray that Rian and Matthieu weren’t full of shit like most supernaturals are. If Alistair is their mate like they