章節 32: Chapter Thirty-Two
Serena was shivering violently in the fur pelts. Atlas shook her shoulder gently.
"Serena." He whispered close to her ear.
Seren's face contorted and her lips parted in a silent scream.
"Serena!" He said, shaking her harder.
"No! Stop!" Serena cried as tears streamed silently from her closed eyelids. "Please stop." Her pleas continued.
Atlas sat upright and gripped her shoulders tightly. He shook her harder and faster. Her head bobbed back and forth at his force.
"Serena!" He shouted.
Her eyes shot open and her eyes flicked wildly about the room. She shoved herself back, away from Atlas, and toppled to the floor.
Atlas shot to the floor at the sound of her body hitting the hard floor. He was at her side and gripping her hand in a flash.
"Lacuna, are you okay?" His voice was hoarse, and his brows knit together. He waved a hand over her body and rest on her hip.
She clutched his arm as she looked around the room frantically. Her chest heaved short, shallow breaths until her eyes met Atlas'. She dropped her head against his chest and cried. Her body shook as she heaved sobs into his bare chest. Her tears dropped and trickled down his body. He slid his arms around her shaking body and pulled her close against him.
She balled her hands into fists until they were white. She pounded the fists into Atlas's chest, but the force from her frustration did very little to the Alpha. He remained holding her as though her life depended on it until her sobbing trickled into short coughs. She spread a hand out over his shoulder and pulled herself onto his lap. She burrowed her head into his neck and squeezed her body into a small ball.
Atlas rubbed a hand over her back and kissed her hair gently.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He whispered into the sweaty strands of hair.
Serena made no noise or move.
"I'll take it as a no." He whispered with a sigh.
The sound of the doorknob rotating drew Atlas' attention from the girl crumbling into his lap. He turned his head and saw Venus poking her head through the crack. He nodded his head, motioning for her to come closer and she slid into the Master Bedroom.
"What happened? I heard the thud downstairs." She whispered into Atlas' ear.
"She had a nightmare and when I tried to wake her, she fell on the floor. She's been like this since." Atlas rubbed Serena's back in circles. Serena heaved a heavy sigh once more before burrowing deeper into Atlas.
"Let me talk to her?" Venus kneeled behind Serena and tugged on the hem of the large shirt.
"You can try..." Atlas quirked a brow and shifted, pushing Serena away from his neck. The warmth of her body against his was immediately missed. He glared slightly at Venus as she shifted to hold onto Serena.
Serena plopped into Venus' small lap without any hesitation or noise. She cuddled close and sobbed quietly. Atlas stood and entered the bathroom, closing the door slightly. He leaned against the counter and listened to Serena's sobs.
"Hey..." Venus whispered. "What happened?"
Serena groaned and squeezed herself into a tighter ball.
"No. Don't do that..." Venus pulled at Serena's arm. "Tell me what happened in your dream."
Serena groaned and grumbled as she opened her eyes and met Venus's soft gaze.
"He was there." She muttered, half inaudible.
"Who was there?" Venus's voice was stiff. She shifted and pulled Serena closer.
"Silas."
Atlas' head shot up and out of the doorway. His eyes met Venus and they nodded.
"Who was Silas?" Venus probed.
"The Alpha who almost killed Atlas." She grumbled as she tightened a fist around Venus' shirt fabric.
Atlas exited the bathroom and quietly strode toward the two women. He sat down a few feet away and watched Serena as she recounted her nightmare.
"He was pulling at my shirt and pants. The forest burned and I couldn't find you anywhere. You weren't there." She sobbed and slammed a fist into the bed next to her. Venus cuddled her further and rocked Serena slowly. "He was trying..." Her voice caught in her throat, heavy from the mucus and emotion.
Venus shook her head and rocked her back and forth.
"You don't need to say anything." Venus looked at Atlas and gave him a silent message. "I know what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you."
"I'm sorry too," Atlas whispered to himself. "Some fucking Alpha I am..."
Atlas shot up from the floor and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Serena jumped at the sudden noise but continued her story and sobs.
"Atlas and I will be here from now on, Serena. I'm sorry you went through that and I will do everything I can to keep it from happening again." Venus stoked Serena's hair. "Do you need anything?" She asked after a long silence.
"No," Serena mumbled. "Just a shoulder."
Atlas pounded a fist through the drywall of his office. The dust poofed in front of his face and settled onto the floor in a ring.
"Damn. I'd hate to be that guy..." Eli mumbled from the doorway.
Atlas spun and glared at him. Eli held up his hands in surrender as he shimmied through the doorway.
"Sorry. Didn't mean anything by it."
"What the hell do you want, Eli." Atlas barked as he slumped into his chair. He massaged his forehead lightly and squeezed his eyes closed.
"Woah Woah Woah. Don't get mad at me." Eli sat in the chair in front of Atlas and propped his head on his hands. "I have some news."
"Tell me some good news," Atlas grumbled.
"Well... I never said it was good news, just news." Atlas glared daggers and Eli swallowed. "They never found Silas' body. But we did manage to get a number of his companions."
"Fuck." Altas ran his hands through his hair and pulled on the ends. "What am I supposed to tell Serena?"
"You don't have to say anything. Just direct her attention toward something else. Like her father's body being found. I know where it is."
Atlas' head shot up and his hands dropped to his lap.
"Where did you find it?" Atlas leaned onto his desk, stoking his scar gently and methodically.
Eli sighed and rubbed his head. He looked up and met Atlas' gaze, his eyes tired and sad.
"By the river at the edge of the woods."
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