Nightmare

~ Amira ~

A cold shiver stirred Amira awake, though, through her grogginess and injuries, she merely peeked through her lashes, noting the change in scenery. She was no longer in the forest, and the rumbling noise of gravel beneath wheels and the motion rocking her body alerted her to the carriage she was in. She relaxed, feeling safe from the blanket wrapped around her body and the smell of spices.

“Rest, Amira. Gather your strength before meeting Xenos.” The mention of his name should have startled her to alertness, but she did not want to wake from her dreams. Even if they were nightmares. It was better than her reality.

She’d failed to kill the Alpha King and returned alive to face Xenos' wrath. Amira’s eyes drooped shut again, too tired to care. Her sleep was restless, her eyes occasionally slipping open to see the passing of streets under the silver hues of the moon that escaped the clouds. 

At one point, Amira sensed her body being lifted and moved, but exhaustion and the sharp ache in her neck and body prevented her from moving further. Recovery would come, but it would take a few hours for the discomfort to subside. The transition into her small bed chamber hardly registered as her friend, Caz, attended to her, cleaning her up and assisting with dressing her in a black slip.

Caz softly kissed her forehead, the touch now feeling a little foreign after the teasing strokes of the Alpha King. But she snuggled under the covers anyway, allowing sleep to pull her under again. This time the darkness transpired into a dream, Amira was fully aware of. She felt awake, but the change in surroundings revealed it was nothing but a dream.

Amira was back at the palace, lying in the king’s bed. She didn’t have time to really appreciate the luxuries in his bed chamber, so it made sense. The sheets were silky, and touching them now felt so soft, so… real. She rolled onto her side with a slight groan. Her body was aflame, throbbing from the neck down.

Amira was used to pain but not to this extent or in a dream. What felt strange, though, was the empty feeling in her mind, like she was disconnected from her wolf.

It’s a dream, don’t look too into it. Her wolf didn’t share her dreams. 

And what a strange dream indeed. Amira blinked at the naked woman sleeping beside her. She’d never seen her before, yet her mind was perverted enough to conjure up this stunning golden-haired she-wolf who sighed and clung to her body.

Amira winced at the sharp pain coursing through her from the woman’s arms tightening around her. Amira pushed the she-wolf back. It was uncomfortable. She didn't care for her nakedness, but she didn't want to feel pain in her dreams too.

“Alpha?” She murmured sleepily.    

                     

Amira frowned and sat up, watching the woman’s body slide down hers. Her… flat-chested, muscular body. Her hands instantly cupped her chest, eyes widening at the large, manly hands. 

“Ah!” She jolted out of the bed and fell on the floor, her foot stuck in the sheets. 

What was happening?! Where did her breasts go?!

Amira looked at her naked body, the one with a huge fricken dick dangling between her legs! She jumped up and ran, almost stumbling like a newborn deer, unable to use her heavy legs properly and went to the cracked mirror.

“Oh my fucking… Goddess!” Amira gripped the mirror, staring at her worst nightmare.

This dream was a nightmare. Why, why, why did her mind conjure up this… this disgusting image?! Amira stared at her reflection. She was looking at Alpha King Rhys. Blue eyes raked over the muscular body in the mirror. 

Was she feverish right now? Was that why she was having such a bizarre dream? Her strangely large hands slid up her face, feeling the stubble of her jaw down to the Adam's apple of her throat. 

This was the man Amira was meant to and failed at killing. That was why she was having this horrible nightmare. Amira glanced at the newly placed bandage around his neck and the one wrapped around the top of his abdomen. The cloth covered the injuries she inflicted on his body. 

“Come back to bed,” called the she-wolf from behind, abruptly capturing Amira's focus and directing it towards the woman lying in bed.

Amira ignored the woman and squeezed her eyes shut. “Wake up, wake up, wake up,” she murmured, then gasped at the sound of her voice. It was so… deep, masculine, and like there was a slight rumble in her chest.

This was too freaky and life-like. Wake up!!!

No matter how much Amira tried, she was stuck in this dream until her body had enough sleep or one of the guys woke her up. With a sigh, Amira decided to put on some clothes. If she was going to live through this hell until she woke up, she could at least cover up this king’s body. Rhys was handsome, but she didn’t want to keep being reminded of that.

Padding her large feet over to the wardrobe, she noticed how nice it was to be tall. Rhys was at least 6ft3, maybe 4, and from this height, he could reach anything in his wardrobe. Picking out some breeches and a shirt, she walked back into the room, fully accepting this odd dream, and embraced it, acting like the tyrant until she woke up. 

Though maybe not with all the killing. What Amira knew was incorrect, and confirming that this scenario was a dream came from the woman alive and in Rhys' bed. He killed his women after sleeping with them. She knew it to be true from the reports of the spies in the palace.

“Get up.” Woah, Rhys’ voice was so sharp, and she didn’t mean it to be. Whatever. This still worked. The poor woman jumped up in bed, clutching the covers to her chest, eyes wide and terrified.

“I’m so sorry, my king. I did not mean to stay…” The woman slid out of bed and hurried, collecting her clothes, slipping on the thin dress and wrapping a cloak over her shoulders as she scurried out of the double doors.

Amira looked across the expansive bed chamber and the adjoined sitting room with a balcony. There was another door leading elsewhere, but she didn’t bother looking through it. She opened the patio doors, exhaling a long breath as the breeze swept across her face and through her or... Rhys’ long black hair reaching the nape of his neck, falling short of his shoulders.

Standing on the king’s balcony, Amira’s eyes fixed upon the breathtaking vista that stretched before her. The sight stirred conflicting emotions within her. On the one hand, the view was undeniably majestic, offering a panoramic display of the kingdom Rhys ruled. The palace was perched atop a modest hill, granting a commanding view of the city below.

From this vantage point, Amira could see the sprawling cityscape extending beyond the palace grounds. Rooftops of various shapes and sizes dotted the landscape, forming a patchwork of dwellings. The city hummed with the lives of its inhabitants, already starting their day at work. 

Yet, how could Rhys allow his citizens to suffer when he woke up to this view every morning and went to bed with it every night? It should serve as a reminder of his duties to the kingdom. The Alpha King ruled over them, but he served the citizens.

Rhys was the one in power, the one who could change things. But he didn’t. Amira ground her teeth together, glaring at the city. This city was sparkling clean, unlike the rest of the kingdom. Unlike the slums, she was brought up in. 

“Your majesty!” A man’s surprised voice called from behind her making her turn and notice a butler of sorts. He bowed his head but rushed to her side. “You should have rung the bell! I did not expect you to be up so early. Especially after last night.”

The man looked nervous. Well, of course, he did! She was the fricken Alpha King- Rhys, the tyrant. The poor sod probably thought his life was on the line every minute of every day. She pitied the guy. 

The butler looked to be in his sixties or possibly older. Werewolves did age well, so Amira didn’t doubt that. His white hair still had streaks of blonde in it, and his deep blue eyes looked tired. Probably from working for the king, but somebody had to do it.

“I sought out solace a while longer before the start of the day,” Amira replied, clearing her throat, still finding it odd that she was inhabiting a man’s body. Well, the kings at that. 

It was just a dream, she reminded herself. She also didn’t really need to be so polite. 

“Yes, of course, sire. Would you like breakfast now?” The butler asked.

“That would be great.”

Amira sat at the table beside the open patio doors. She was surprised the butler did not take her to some grand table. Instead, he placed a newspaper on the table's edge whilst pouring the king’s usual black coffee and leaving to collect breakfast. This seemed like Rhys’ regular routine.

Or what her mind conjured up to be his routine. But it made sense to her that it was. Zayyan did spy on him, and she knew mostly everything about his day. 

After spying on Rhys’ conversation with his Beta at the ball, it was apparent he didn’t want to be disturbed much. In her mind, that must mean a nice, quiet morning alone. It could be something totally different to someone as vile as the king, though.

Multiple plates of hot food, pastries and fruits were placed on the table, stunning Amira into silence. It had been a long time since she’d last seen so much food on one table. Her stomach rumbled, and she knew it was because of all this tasty food. 

“I know, I know, I’m sorry! I don’t mean to interfere with your breakfast, don’t chew me out. But this couldn’t wait.” Amira’s mouth was stuffed with a fork of meat when a handsome man waltzed in and plopped down in the seat across from her. 

Woah. Hello there. 

Wait, she recognised that voice. Beta Baltir? 

This was the Beta?! No way… Wow, well-done, brain. You really created a fine specimen of a man. She gave herself an imaginary pat on the back.