Pandora’s POV
I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold in horrifying slow motion. Someone was stabbing Rolan. Over and over again. His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth moving, but no sound came out.
I tried to scream, tried to rush forward to stop it, but my legs wouldn’t move. I was paralyzed. Blood soaked the ground beneath him, and the light in his eyes began to fade.
The dream gripped me like a vice, pulling me into its darkness. Jumping up from the bed, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.
My body was drenched in sweat, and my hands trembled as I fumbled for the sheets. The remnants of the dream clinging to me like a suffocating smoke, making it hard to breathe.
But then I turned, and the sight of Rolan lying next to me, peaceful and unbothered, brought a rush of relief so intense I nearly cried.
His chest rose and fell in the slow, steady rhythm of sleep, his face soft and untroubled. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering dread. It was just a dream. A terrible, vivid dream.
Still, the unease wouldn’t let go. I needed to clear my head, and something about the quiet of the night always helped. Slipping out of bed as quietly as I could, I grabbed my robe and padded out of the room. Rolan didn’t stir.
The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the large windows of the hallway as I made my way toward the nursery. Checking on the babies always gave me peace. They were my heart, my balance, they kept me sane in my world that was suddenly full of chaos.
I opened the door to the nursery quietly, peeking in at my two little ones. They were fast asleep, tiny chests rising and falling in the same steady rhythm as their father’s.
A smile tugged at my lips despite the unease that still gnawed at the edges of my mind. They were perfect. Untouched by the darkness that seemed to creep ever closer to our world.
But as I turned to leave, that familiar scent drifted past me. A scent that I knew as well as my own.
Wilson.
Curiosity got the better of me. Why would he be out here at this hour? I followed the scent down the hallway, the soft padding of my feet silent on the cool floor. As I neared the staircase, I saw movement below.
Peering through the dim light, I froze.
Wilson. And Kiara.
They were locked in an embrace, their lips pressed together in a kiss so intense it made my breath catch in my throat. I hadn’t seen them like this before, but it wasn’t exactly surprising.
The chemistry between them had always been there, simmering under the surface. Still, it wasn’t something I’d expected to stumble upon in the middle of the night.
I wanted to leave, to give them their privacy, but as I turned to sneak away, my foot caught the railing, and I slammed my toe into it with a sharp thud.
“Ow!” I yelped, too loud to go unnoticed.
The sound echoed through the hallway, and I froze, hoping they hadn’t heard me. But of course, they had.
“Who’s there?” Wilson’s voice cut through the silence, and I could hear the tension in it. He wasn’t used to being caught off guard.
I stepped into the light, wincing a little as I hobbled toward them. “It’s just me,” I said quickly, trying to play it off. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Wilson’s face softened as he saw it was me, but Kiara looked like she wanted to melt into the floor. She stepped away from him, her cheeks flushed, and avoided my gaze. I could feel the embarrassment radiating off her.
“I didn’t mean to intrude,” I apologized, trying to ease the tension. “I was just checking on the babies and… well, you know how it is.” I offered a small smile, hoping to defuse the awkwardness.
Kiara mumbled something under her breath, glancing at Wilson, clearly mortified by the whole situation. I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for her. She’d always been so strong, so sure of herself, but at this moment, she looked so unsure.
“We’ll talk in the morning,” I told her softly, not wanting to make this harder than it already was. “Get some rest.”
I turned to leave, giving them some space, but just as I did, I heard Wilson’s voice, low and uncertain. “Do you think she’s mad?” He was whispering to Kiara, but in the silence of the night, the words carried.
I paused, pretending not to hear, but Kiara’s response made me stop in my tracks.
“At this point, I don’t know,” she replied, her voice tinged with worry.
I swallowed, the weight of her words sinking in. I didn’t want them to feel like they’d crossed a line, I wasn’t mad after all. Far from it. But something about the way she said it struck a chord deep inside me. Was there more going on here than I realized?
Heading back to the room, my mind was spinning with thoughts I hadn’t expected to have. The dream, the kiss, the whispered words, all felt like pieces of a puzzle that I couldn’t quite put together. And then there was Rolan, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the storm brewing inside me.
As I slipped back into bed, I couldn’t help but wonder if that dream had been a warning. Something wasn’t right. There were too many secrets, too many things left unsaid.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling, the weight of the night pressing down on me. One thing was clear. There were checks and balances in every relationship, every bond. And tonight, I saw the cracks.
The dream had shaken me, but it was what I had seen while awake that truly unnerved me.
Tomorrow, I would have to confront the reality I had been avoiding. Tomorrow, I would have to see where the balance truly lay.