Monsters. Everywhere.

Some of them bore fangs and others were covered in fur. Though they were each different in appearance, their goal was still the same: capture me, tear me to pieces, and eat my limbs bit by bit. I sprinted feverishly through the forest to the west, away from the coven and away from the mountain. It was freezing. I had been huddled beneath a tree for a few minutes to catch my breath when I heard the dreadful sound of heavy footfalls and paws tearing through soil. I didn't have much time. I had to keep moving.

Huffing, I stood on two sore legs and honed in on my target. A hundred yards or so in the distance was a house where I could barricade myself inside. There would likely be meat stored away in the fridge if it were a modern house, and I could at least take shelter for some time before devising a plan. Voices rang out behind me in triumph at seeing my weakened form sprinting. I was quickly losing.

My ragged breath heated the cold air, something that didn't make any sense in this dream state. I reached up to touch my face and found it heated from running; flushed from overexerting myself. As I approached the house, I extended my hand to grab the handle of the door. Almost there. I could just about touch the edge, almost feel the brass under my chilled fingers.

But I wouldn't make it. A black wolf dove from my left and knocked me from my path, standing firm above me as his paws pinned me to the ground. The eyes were a luminous green that cascaded through the dim light of dusk and held my stare. Shocked, I allowed my jaw to drop open in an attempt to speak. Perhaps I could reason with him.

“I'm on your side,” I insisted. “I will help you. I promise.”

“You can't help me. I've been taken,” he growled.

“I don't understand.”

I quivered in fear. His weight was beginning to hurt my shoulders. I could hear my bones cracking underneath his weight as his snout drew closer, the smell of death lingering on his breath as he pressed his salivating jaws to my ear.

“You can't help the dead, Riley.”

My eyes popped open. Above, I could see the familiar mural on the ceiling of my bedroom. I glanced down at my body to inspect it, patting myself frantically to find any scrapes, scars, or bruises from the beast that had landed on top of me. The mob hadn't existed anymore at that moment. It was merely the black wolf and me.

And those luminescent green eyes.

I had never seen this wolf before. He had never walked up to me. Most of the pack were comprised of brown wolves, some of them with reddish hues in their fur. The women were a lighter shade of brown and they weren't as aggressive as this one. But what did I know? I hadn’t dared challenge their territory since the day I had accidentally wandered into it.

It almost didn't seem like an accident at this point. I had been chased by the fangs into enemy territory, and then chased by the shifters into their cave. If they were trying to run me off, they would have guided me into a different direction. I recall them plotting to kill me, but they had the choice of chasing me off somewhere else and finishing the job.

So, why was I here?

I shook my head at the strange thoughts occupying my mind. The nightmare was fast fading, but the dreadful feeling still remained. I could still feel the black wolf standing on my shoulders. His eyes were piercing—just as piercing as Sirus's eyes had been. I found myself shivering in their wake, begging my mind to stop repeating this image over and over. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and pressed my shivering feet to the ground, trying to keep my balance by gripping the cotton sheets. The door slowly squeaked open.

“Good evening,” announced that familiar, husky voice.

I looked up at Leo with a rugged expression. His excited expression faded into one of deep concern and he dropped the rabbits he had caught on the ground. They scurried around the room. Distracted, I hopped up from the bed and chased after them while Leo stood in the doorway with that concerned look plastered to his face. I stood while holding the three gently in my arms, cuddling them and shushing them as their nervous noses sniffed at the air. Once they were calmly under my spell, I walked over to a cage I kept in the corner of the room and set them inside.

Sighing, I shut the door to the cage and turned to Leo.

“Well, that was an early evening work out,” I joked.

“You look horrible. Your color is practically faded.”

I froze. Did I really look that awful? I wanted to turn to the mirror over the dresser, but I knew I might find my horrid appearance far too shocking. I must have been frightened to the point of paleness. There was no doubt that nightmare had left me shaking, left me rugged and exhausted. I sighed and lowered my head.

“What's the matter? Tell me,” he begged as he crossed the room.

When he took my hands in his, I broke. My chest fell into a fit of convulsions as I melted into his arms. Every bit of my dream surfaced in the form of a ragged sentence as he carried me over to the bed and lay me out. I could hardly speak for some reason, the memory of the dream causing the words to come out as gibberish.

“You're not making any sense,” he soothed.

“I can't...the wolf...green...” I stammered over the important details, attempting to make sense of them. But none of them made sense. Nothing did. Not even my initial goal. What would I benefit from taking down an entire clan of fangs whose only purpose was to destroy the human race? Other than retaining a sense of pride for humanity, nothing benefited me. It was all just a glamorous reach for moral high ground. It was me desperately proving that my vampiric vegan lifestyle was worth recognizing.

It was me reaching.

I felt Leo's warm hands smooth over my face before his lips met my wet skin. They soothed my aged breaths which eventually faded as he took me in his arms. I rested against his muscular chest, pulling as much healing energy from him as I could manage. When I had finally gained my composure, I looked up into his eyes and played with his hair.

“I had the worst nightmare,” I confessed.

“I can tell. You look horrible.”

My lower lip quivered. He took my lips with his and soothed away the hurt from his statement, whispering his apologies repeatedly until I was properly consoled.

“Go on. Please,” he begged.

“It was...I was running through the woods from both fangs and shifters. They chased me towards this house. I tried to reach it, but a black wolf pounced on me and then stood on my chest. I can still feel him standing on top of me,” I explained.

He frowned. “Did he say anything?”

“Only that I couldn't save the dead. He had piercing green eyes. They were like galaxies...like spears cutting right into my soul. I swear he could read and see everything about me that there was to know.”

Leo's frown deepened. Worry lines appeared on his forehead that I tried to smooth away with my fingers. He looked haggard suddenly, as if he had received news of a friend passing.

“It sounds like you're worried about this raid,” he spoke slowly. “And I would suggest a good breakfast with some cuddling afterwards.”

The worry lines faded when he looked into my eyes and I smiled.

“That sounds like the perfect remedy.”