Page 32 of Siren in the Rain

I swallow back the sarcastic retort that starts to form on my tongue.

I want to push him away, but there’s something about the sincerity radiating off him that I can’t bring myself to destroy. Instead, I remain silent, neither denying nor affirming his request.

It doesn’t seem to bother him as he continues to stroke my hair in a way that reminds me of my mother. She used to do the same thing for me when I was a child and needed comfort. I’d somehow forgotten that sensation until now, but Wolf Boy’s tender actions rekindle long-lost memories.

Already emotionally drained from telling my awful story and overwhelmed by everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, I feel myself starting to shut down.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, “but I need to end this conversation now. This is all a lot for me to process.”

“Of course, sweetie,” Ruby says. “You’ve been through some serious trauma, and we made you relive things you probably didn’t want to remember. We have enough information now to start looking for any living family on your mother’s side.”

“And we should be able to better protect you now that we know who we’re dealing with,” Dallas says.

“I think we should look into a therapist for Shae,” Wolf Boy says, continuing to stroke my hair in a manner that’s almost hypnotic.

I start to protest, but he leans in close and my breath catches as his face stops scant inches from mine. “You’ve been through so much. Therapy can help you process and deal with what was done to you. It can help you start to heal.” He bridges that tiny gap between us and rests his forehead against mine. “Trust me. I speak from experience. It helped me.”

That gives me pause.

Mr. Golden Retriever Wolf Boy Made of Sunshine and Smiles needed therapy? I want to ask him about it but don’t think this is the time or the place.

“Agreed,” Dallas says. “We’ll work on finding you a therapist in the Otherkind community who can help. We’ve done this for a number of other folks we’ve rescued. Of course, we won’t force you, but we want to encourage you to at least give it a try.”

I grant him a reluctant nod and then yawn. Even though I slept most of the day away, the heavy weight of exhaustion is descending on me again. With mumbled excuses, I drag my body upstairs, each step feeling like I’m climbing an insurmountable mountain.

When I finally make it to my room, I open the balcony doors to let the fresh sea air waft in and then flop down on the bed. I drag the comforter over me and melt into the cloud-like mattress that cradles me. Haku curls up on the pillow beside my head and we settle in as I allow myself to weep for all that I’ve lost. He sings one of his little songs to me until my tears run dry and I fall into a restless sleep.

A scream tears from my throat as my eyes fly open, and I sit bolt upright in bed, sweating profusely, my whole body shaking.

“Shae, it’s okay. You were having a nightmare.”

I blink the fog of my terror-filled sleep from my mind and stare at Wolf Boy sitting beside me on the bed, a worried look on his handsome face.

Oddly enough, Haku is pacing on the bed next to him.

“Master, I tried to wake you but you wouldn’t! I was worried.”

Wolf Boy looks down at Haku with a kind smile. “This little guy came and woke me up, then brought me to you.” He reaches out and pets Haku on his head. “Good job, buddy.”

Surprisingly, Haku only grunts in irritation but doesn’t brush off his hand.

Did they bond while I was out of it?

Wolf Boy returns his attention to me, his expression turning serious. “You were crying and writhing around on the bed. It seemed like you were in the throes of a pretty terrible dream.”

I swallow thickly, my throat dry from the horrible nightmare.

I had dreamed about that night.

The night my father murdered my mother.

I run a shaky hand through my hair, finding my scalp damp with sweat. I hadn’t had that dream for a long time. Clearly bringing up the past when talking with Dallas and his team earlier resurrected some long-buried memories I didn’t want to revisit.

“May I hold you?” Wolf Boy asks tentatively, biting his lip so that hint of his toothy canines shows again.

How can he be so freaking cute at a time like this?

I stare at him, a battle raging inside me. Part of me wants to tell him to fuck off and leave me alone, let me wallow in my misery. It’s how I’ve handled things since I was ten years old. But for some reason, the words won’t come. The other part of me holds them back and wants to indulge in whatever temporary comfort he can offer.

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