Awkwardness and quietness suddenly filled the room, like an unspoken understanding that the conversation had reached an impasse. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of the Alpha's gaze upon me. With nothing more to do, having already prepared food for the Alpha and myself, I simply served his portion and left mine in the pot.
The Alpha was already seated at the dining table, his eyes fixed on me as I tried to excuse myself. But before I could make my escape, he asked, "Are you not going to eat?" His voice was low and smooth, but it sent a shiver down my spine nonetheless.
I didn't feel like eating, my appetite having deserted me in the face of the Alpha's unnerving presence. So I lied, telling him that I had already eaten. The Alpha, seemingly believing me, nodded curtly and told me to rest up.
I felt a surge of relief at being dismissed, but it was short-lived. As I walked hastily into the room, eager to escape the tension that had settled over the dinner table, I couldn't shake the feeling that the Alpha's eyes were still on me.
I laid down on the bed, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety as I tried to process the events of the evening. The Alpha's unexpected visit, his piercing gaze, and his unnerving calmness had all combined to leave me feeling unsettled and on edge.
As I drifted off to sleep, my mind was still racing with thoughts and worries. But as I laid back on the bed, sleep quickly engulfed me, wrapping me in its soothing embrace.
I felt my eyelids growing heavy, my breathing slowing, and my mind drifting off into the realm of dreams. And I think I had a dream, but it wasn't too clear. Fragments of images and sounds flitted through my mind, leaving me with a sense of disorientation and confusion.
In that dream, I saw an old woman calling out to me. Her voice was raspy and worn, but it was filled with a deep sense of longing. "Haven, dear, don't go anywhere," she cried, her words echoing through my mind. "Stay with me. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go."
She kept chanting the word, her voice growing more insistent and desperate with each repetition. I felt a sense of unease, as if something was trying to pull me away from her.
The dream began to fade, leaving me with more questions than answers. Who was the old woman, and why was she calling out to me?
As the night wore on, I found myself wide awake, my mind racing with thoughts and worries. I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was a connection between the three occurrences, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to piece it all together.
The Alpha's kindness towards me was still puzzling me. Why would he, the most powerful being in the pack, show me such compassion and understanding?
And then, of course, there was the witch's appearance earlier in the day. That was a whole different can of worms. Who was she, and what did she want from me?
I thought back to our encounter, trying to recall every detail, but my mind was a jumble of emotions and fears. I knew that I had to be careful, that I had to watch my back, but I couldn't help feeling like I was walking on eggshells, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
And now, this dream. The old woman's voice was still echoing in my mind, her words haunting me. "Don't go anywhere, Haven. Stay with me."
I tossed and turned, my mind racing with questions and fears. I couldn't sleep, couldn't relax, until I had some answers. But as the night wore on, I realized that I was on my own. I had to figure it out for myself, to piece together the puzzle and find the connection between the three occurrences.
And so, with a sense of determination, I settled in for a long night of thinking and wondering.