Page 17 of Dream Girl
They’d told her that, repeatedly when they’d hurt her and tried to make her forget me. It had broken me to know she was being harmed and there was nothing that I could do about it.
After I stopped dreaming of her, I thought that meant she wasdead.That she had died and I’d let them take her from me because I couldn’t get to her and save her like a good alpha.
“She told me that the only alpha she knew was namedFade. When were you Fade?” Evan’s voice grew quiet as he rubbed the base of my skull with one hand, the other still around her.
“Middle school. I was trying to be fierce after we moved here. It doesn’t matter. I have you,” I assured him. We’d only just gotten Evanoverhis insecurities. Grace was exactly the type of girl he’d always feared would take his place.
But I was over Grace. Way over her.
No. That was a big fat lie as I ached to hold the crying girl in my omega’s arms as she mutteredPiunder her breath.
No doubt about it, that was my Grace.
But if she was actually from another world, like she told me in our dreams, how did she get here?
No. I knew that answer.
“This concussion is messing with me. All this talk of alphas and omegas and now you’re here? Why are you here, Fade? Why am I here? What’s going on?” She looked up at me, eyes tearing and pleading just like they had in those last few dreams.
Grace had been struggling to hang on, to keep coming to me in sleep, despite everything they were doing to take her from me.
“You have a concussion, Peaches, and now you can’t remember anything?” That, too, made sense. Somehow, coming here messed up her memories.
“You’re real, aren’t you?” Grace reached out from Evan’s arms and cupped my face with her soft, tiny hand. “You feel real.”
Fuck. I sent all my love through our bond, hoping her appearance didn’t make him slide back into a dark place like it had after Caroline.
At the same time, he washoldingher. All I got back from my omega was love.
Shit, she was thin.
“I remember you. Why can’t I remember my name, but I remember you? I’m not dreaming. No. I always knew they were dreams, before. Of course, I also thought they were real.” Her voice went wistful. “How silly of me. Dreams aren’t real. I don’t feel well. But it’s so nice to see you again. I… I missed you so much. It was like they took part of me away when I stopped seeing you in my dreams.” Grace just stared at me, her lower lip quivering.
While she didn’t come to me in my dreams every night, she visited a few times a week, for seven years. We shared our hopes, had adventures, and fell in love. We had an entire life together in our dreams that was just us.
She was my Dream Girl. My peaches. My love. My soulmate.Mine.
Until her mom got concerned about the boy in her teenage daughter’s dreams and sent her away to a place where they could make her forget me.
“It’s been a long time,” I told her, biting offIt's nice to see you, too, who did this to you, stay with me forever.“I see you’ve met my mate, Evan. My husband.” I added that last part because Iwasn’t sure if she remembered whatmatemeant. They didn’t have that where she lived.
Closing my eyes, I breathed in Evan’s scent, trying to avoid the smell of peaches. But all I got was a cocktail of the two of them that made me even harder.
You can have them both.
True. But could I do that to Evan? Not to mention, you didn’t just bring someone into a pack. I had the others to consider.
“I don’t even remember my name. I’m exhausted and achy, and my thoughts feel like sludge. Why am I here, Fade? Why? I’m so confused.” Her voice was pleading.
“Your name is Grace Cassidy Ellington,” I said, her words tugging at my soul.
“My name, oh. Thatismy name. But something’s not quite right,” she whispered, frowning.
“No?” Evan rubbed her back. “Is your last name different now?”
Maybe she was married. That would make this easier. Another growl ripped from my lips, the alpha in me not liking the thought of my Grace having another mate.
“Hey, I’ve got to go. Will whatever this is here be okay? Do I need to call someone?” Jett came into the kitchen and gave us a worried look.
