But nothing out of my worst nightmares ever happens.
Strong arms wrap around me and pull me against Alarick, his hands carefully cradling my head. It takes me too long to realize I had started to cry, and my whole body was shaking. Every other sound around me is drowned by the frantic beating of my heart, that drums loudly and pounds in my ears like a war drum. But there was no war to be fought now.
There was nothing of the sort that demanded a fight.
Strong as they were, Alarick's arm did not squeeze me too tight. His fingers did not dip into my hair in a forceful way. they did not knot at the root and pulled. The man simply held me against him.
My face was squished into his chest and, despite not being able to hear his words, I was certain he was talking. I could feel the way his
