Wolf's Claim (The Royal Heir #3) - Jen L. Grey Page 0,18

that far. Dad couldn't be falling for this.

"Look, I get it." Dad lowered his hands, letting down his guard. "It's hard to live this life. I know. If I could've saved Elena from this, I would've, hands down."

"Corey, be careful." Mom took a step toward him with her hand outstretched. "Every time you give him another chance, he winds up ..."

Before Mom could even finish her sentence, Darren pulled out a dagger that looked similar to the one that had been impaled in Louis's arm. He reared back and stabbed my father in the chest.

"No," I yelled and ran toward Dad.

He crumpled before our eyes, and blood began trickling from his mouth. "How could you?"

"Because I don't love you." Darren's face spread into a cruel smile, and he laughed. "How many times do I have to show you?"

"Dad." I sat up, screaming with tears pouring down my face.

"Elena, shh." Mason sat next to me and wrapped his arms around me. "It's just a dream."

"But it couldn't be?" I glanced around the room, looking for my dad on the ground, bleeding out.

"You've been here the whole time." Mason pulled me hard into his chest.

"When I passed out at the vampire prince’s house, I saw my parents. They said I should be dead, but destiny had things work out the way they should, and I didn’t have a lot of time with them. What I just saw was happening at the same place." My breathing was ragged, and my heart raced. "Darren killed my dad."

"I know that." Mason rubbed my arms, trying to get me to calm down.

"No, you don’t understand. He killed him again." Tears burned my eyes, threatening to spill over. "He killed Dad in the afterlife."

"You can't die in the afterlife." Mason's low voice was comforting.

"Why would I dream that?" It made no sense. "It wasn't a normal dream. It felt like I was yanked there and made to watch something. Every time I stepped forward; they moved another step away. It was like I was walking in place."

"Did your aunt spray something in your face or something?" A protective growl laced his words.

"What? No." My body stilled. "But my food tasted funny. Do you think ..."

"Yeah, someone had to have messed with you." Mason's fingers tightened on my arm. "Why did you eat it if it tasted off?"

"I figured it was just my nerves." I wanted to add that he had been dead set on it but didn't want to chance him feeling responsible.

"This is getting worse by the minute." Mason's body tensed. "We'll figure out what we need to do in the morning. Right now, we need sleep."

He was right, but I was scared. "Do you think I'll dream it again?"

"No, they're playing mind games with you, and you broke the spell when you woke up." Mason shook his head and kissed my head. "You should be safe now."

"Okay." I was even more exhausted than I had been when I went to sleep. I lowered my body and cuddled into Mason's chest. I needed his protective arms around me even more. If they'd been wanting me to be afraid to sleep, they'd won. If they could get at me even in my head, what was next?

Chapter Six

When I woke up the next morning, I found the bed empty. If I didn't know better, I'd think I partied hard last night. My head was pounding; my heart was heavy, and I wanted to barf.

Forcing myself to crawl out of bed, I stood on shaky legs and grabbed my phone, putting it in the pocket of the jumpsuit. I glanced at the mirror and grimaced. I looked like I was on my deathbed. My hair was flat. My skin was pale, and there were dark circles under my eyes. I winced. I either looked sick or like I was on drugs. I wasn't sure which option was the best. I should probably take a shower and change, but I needed caffeine, like, now.

I walked into the den and heard Mason's voice coming from the kitchen. It was low and hushed. "They somehow got something in her food that made her have a nightmare last night." Something loud like his hand hitting the counter echoed into the den. "She had to watch her dad die all over again."

"Something isn't right." Kassie sounded concerned. "This doesn't make any sense. I've never heard of a normal run-of-the-mill witch being able to do all this."

"We've got to figure out who it is." Mona