The Alpha and His Cursed Princess

Chapter 17

Amelia fell into a deep sleep but again she started dreaming the same dream that she has been dreaming for a long time it was as if someone was chasing her and something behind her intended to kill her. Although she ran until her breath came at a rapid pace, she couldn't outpace her pursuer. And a harsh cry forced itself past her lips. And she was shaken so vigorously that her teeth chattered.

“Wake up Princess,” a deep voice sounded in her dreams. “Come on Princess you're having a nightmare. Wake up and it will be all over.”

Still, in the midst of the dream, Amelia huddled away from the commanding hand on her shoulder and moved towards the other side of the bed only to be imprisoned by long fingers constraining her wrist.

Her eyelashes flew up, she looked at Archie in horror and shock, and tears burned behind her eyelids.

“It must have been a really bad dream,” he said harshly his arms tightening around her so that she was moved up into the refuge of his powerful body and her cheek was against the open neck of his shirt.

His arms enveloped her and his faint sexy fragrance engulfed her entire body. Gratefully she curved into him sinking into his arms deeper and deeper. She could hear his heartbeat fast and heavy anticipation burst into full flowers inside her, so shameless and sudden that she shuddered at the intensity of it.

Until she realized he was as aware of her as she was of him. Shocked,  she jerked upwards and this time Archie let her go.

“Oh God !” she muttered despising her lack of self-control. “ Sorry, Archie I didn't mean to disturb you.”

And then when her last words registered. Heat washed her entire body in a flood of color and she had to stop herself from diving  under the nearest pillow, so, instead, she stared at him.

“It's alright. “ he said and shortly after that he got to his feet and looked down at her. “ Do you have nightmares too often?”

Amelia managed to gather herself enough to get back her usual composure to say in a voice that was almost level.

“Yes I do occasionally, don't you?”

Not Archie Philip, she had been prepared to think otherwise. But he did not say anything.

He said, “ Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. “ she returned abruptly then flushed. “ Sorry again that was very rude of me but my dreams are very strange and I have to figure it out myself and once I do I will let you know.”

“Sometimes talking about something would vanish the fear.” He sounded a little interested but after one rapid glance at him, she looked away,  her nerves stretched so taut she could feel them jittering.

However, he had comforted her when she needed it so he deserved some sort of explanation, reluctantly she said. “ I don't know I have been having this nightmare since my parents died it's like I was being chased all the time by someone and I'm running but I'm not reaching any point where I can escape but a few days back, I suddenly reached a point and when I saw my face in the water I looked like a wolf. I mean how can that be? I am a grown-up woman. I can't change into a wolf right. well it was just a dream but then it comes back to me again and again and it scares the hell out of me”

If only she could see it, she would be able to face it and deal with it but the terrifying danger had never revealed itself to her.

She should have outgrown it over the years. Her aunt had always told her it was a growing up dream, fear of leaving childhood behind and becoming an adult but Amelia did not believe it because now that she had grown up she realized that the dream had not changed at all it was still the same, someone chasing her and finally when she reached a point it showed her that she had turned into a wolf, she was so confused and did not want to tell anyone because they would think that she is a lunatic.

“Expecting dreams to follow any sort of logic sounds like a recipe for  uselessness.” Archie said casually.

She tried to smile. “ Oh well, it's over. Thank you very much for rescuing me from it.”

There was no immediate answer and she looked up again to catch a frown before he asked her in a very soft tone. “ Can you think of any reason the way you are dreaming”

With an attempt to get back her usual crispness she said. “ No, but then, as you have just pointed out dreams don't necessarily have a reason.”

His brows smoothen out, leaving his boldface unreadable. “ lunch will be ready soon. If you like taking a shower, feel free to use the washroom. “

“Well I would love that very much. “ as he turned to go she added, “ Thank you, you have been very kind to me.”

“no problem,” he said over his shoulder as he left.

But for a second Amelia sat very still, deliberately allowing her shoulders to sag while she breathed slowly and steadily in an attempt to relax. what a fool she had been dear heaven the moment Archie lifted her she should have pulled away and reject his well-meant comfort politely but instead she had snuggled deeply into his arms as though he were her last refuge in this cruel world.

And it had been such a wonderful feeling strong arms around her body his disturbing sent, that was his alone his body quickening into life against hers

Until she had realized what she was doing what she had been begging for.

Humiliated by her lack of self-control, she pinched herself and bit her lip and opened the door into the small luxurious bathroom, and turned the shower to cool herself down.