[Ayla's POV]The world around me sways as the sound of the ocean reaches my ears. It's a comforting sound that lulls me in and out of the darkness that surrounds me.Grumbling, I attempt to stay in it, but soon warm light begins to shine through my closed lids, and I know that I won't be able to fight it."Why?" I sigh, slowly opening my eyes to find that I'm on a beach with white sand and sparkling blue water that lazily crashes against the shore and retreats. "Fucking Barren."Sitting up, I continue to take in my surroundings until I spot him making his way toward me in nothing but a pair of swim trunks and sunglasses.When he notices that I'm awake and watching, a broad smile begins to form on his handsome features, and he picks up his pace until he is towering over me."Why?" I sigh, causing his smile to falter. "Didn't I make it clear that I don't want you to continue to find me?""Don't be like that," Barren says, keeping his calm demeanor. "I'm trying to atone for my sins again
[Ayla’s POV]"I know."Barren didn’t need to point out to me how serious of a situation we were in. However, I knew that convincing those around me that this needed to be done was going to be difficult given my… circumstances."Is it him?" He suddenly asks."Who?" "Aera Lebeau."As he says Aera’s name, Barren doesn’t bother hiding his dislike of him."You do know he is playing with you, right?" He continues when I don’t respond. "He’ll end up doing you the same way he did my sister once he is done playing with you."I remain silent as Barren’s words hit me. Maybe he was right, maybe he wasn’t. That would be for me to see in the future, but I had decided I would give him a chance, and I didn’t intend to go back on that."If we’re done here, I need to...""Ayla!" Barren snaps, reaching out and grabbing me again. "Are you really going to reject me for him?""I am," I confirm.When the words leave my lips, it feels like a thousand tiny little knives stab into my heart, and breathing beco
[Ayla’s POV]"You and who?" Aera’s voice is cold, and his expression is dark as the words leave his lips. "I don’t think I heard you correctly."Rolling my eyes, I try to ignore the irritation I feel due to his possessiveness. I was an adult and could do whatever I wanted with whoever I wanted. However, I knew that if the roles were reversed and it was Aera and Corinna, I’d probably feel the same.Did that mean that I had already fallen? Shit, I was in trouble."We are the only ones that can go freely in the dreamworld," I explain, hoping that he would understand better. "Because of that, it has to be us.""Why can’t the bastard take care of those creatures himself?" Aera demands. "He’s an alpha and should be able to...""They’re much stronger than that," I explain, remembering being thrown by one like I was a damn ragdoll. "It’ll take more than just him, and I’m his only other option.""You?" Aera repeats, his eyebrows raising. "Did you forget that your abilities are locked away?""M
[Aera's POV]"Ah, Aera, faster!"Ayla's pleasure-filled moans echo around us, mixing beautifully with the sounds of her juices sloshing around my fingers as I move them in and out of her core, building her up and then stopping until she comes down and then building her up again.If she was going to be alone with that prick Barren in the dream plain, then I was going to make sure that her mind, body, and fucking soul remembered me so that Barren had no chance of sneaking in."Oh goddess," Ayla moans, collapsing on her stomach and spreading her legs wider to give me better access. "I'm going to cum."At her words, I pull my fingers out and watch as liquid explodes from her pussy, soaking the sheet beneath her. Fuck, I would never get tired of that sight. I'd never been with a woman who came with so much force.Gasping, Ayla stays in position as I climb up behind her and grab her hips, sinking my fingers deep into her skin and then pulling so that my dick pushes into her still-twitching
[Ayla's POV]I watch with wide eyes as Aera throws Barren out the window and then dives out behind him while I and the rest of the patrons of the fucking shop we are in watch.Shit, what was this man thinking doing something like that in public? Didn't he realize that he could be easily recognized given his position? I needed to stop them before things went too far!Cursing, I jump up from my seat and hurry outside to find Aera pinning Barren to the ground while his fist connects with his face. As he lifts his arm to prepare for another blow, Barren lets out a laugh of amusement. Was he actually enjoying this?"Aera!" I hiss, reaching out and grabbing his shoulder. "Stop! You're causing a scene!""This isn't a scene," he points out. "I'll show you what an actual scene is!"As he speaks, his fist connects with Barren's face again, and a yelp of shock escapes me."Stop it now!" I push, attempting to get between them so I could use my body as a shield. "This isn't the way you solve probl
[Aera's POV]I sit beside Ayla, waiting for Barren to return with the medic that was supposed to be taking care of Ayla while she was under to help deal with the problem in the dream plain.The minute we arrived at Elementalis, he led us to the small medical room we were in and disappeared. I was sure he suffered a major blow by learning that Ayla and I were going to be parents soon, and it served him right. He should have never dreamed of touching what was mine from the very beginning.Letting a smile spread across my face, I look over to Ayla and take in her face, which she is fighting to keep calm.I was sure that she was uncomfortable given the fact that an unfamiliar doctor would be taking care of her, and she worried that her secrets would be revealed, but I would be damned if I allowed that to happen. In the end, this was the best choice since neither of our families had connections with Elementalis.Although I would have preferred that Hanson be the one to take care of her, I
[Ayla’s POV]I open my eyes to find that I’m sitting in Barren’s control room while he taps away at a keyboard while staring intently at what looks like a map on the large screen in front of him."What is this?" I ask, moving forward so I can get a better look. "And what are those little dots?"For the most part, the screen in front of me reminded me of a world map from one of Chandler’s RPG games, but I didn’t quite understand how this could exist here in the dreamscape."It’s a map of the dream plain," Barren explains. "Those dots that you see are people within a hundred-mile radius of us that are currently on the plain. Those," he continues, pointing to large blobs that seem to pulse with energy. "Are the somnium beasts that I have managed to track?"Nodding, I take in the five creatures that are within range of us. So Barren wasn’t twiddling his fingers all this time. He was tracking the beasts alone."Since we know where they are, should we get moving?" I ask, not wanting to wast
[Aera's POV]I pull up a chair beside Ayla and begin to get comfortable while Olga watches me. Her eyes all but scream that she thinks I don't trust her, and she would be right. I didn't trust her, nor did I trust Barren. If anything so much as came across as weird to me, I was going to grab Ayla and take her out of here immediately."Is your family aware of your relationship with this woman?" She asks quietly, catching me off guard."Why is that any of your business?" I hiss.Why would she ask something so strange, and why would she even know about my family?"Do you not recognize me?" She asks, giving me a look of hurt. "When I took such good care of your brother after his accident."Frowning, I take in the woman in front of me, but I still can't seem to recall her face.Was this some sort of act that she was putting on to try to dig a bit deeper? Or was she actually telling the truth?"No matter," she continues, a slow smile beginning to spread across her face. "We will know what t