Arranged To The Beast Alpha
39

LEAH'S POV

The house was quiet when we got back, almost too quiet. The rain outside had turned into a drizzle, and the soft pattering on the windows filled the silence between us.

Dinner was simple some leftover pasta Damian found in the fridge. We didn't talk much, and I couldn't tell if it was because of everything that had happened earlier or because we were both too tired to say anything. "I'll clean up," I offered after we finished eating.

Damian looked like he was about to protest but stopped himself. "Thanks," he said, his voice low.

He lingered in the doorway for a moment before heading upstairs, his footsteps heavy on the wooden floor. I watched him go, my chest feeling tight. He looked so tired like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I took my time washing the dishes, hoping the simple task would quiet my thoughts. But it didn't. My mind kept going back to the kiss, the way he held me afterward, and the way he admitted he was scared. I wasn't used to seeing him like that-so vulnerable, so human.

When I finally went upstairs, the house was dark except for a faint light coming from under Damian's door. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob, but I didn't knock. He needed space, and I needed sleep.

In my room, I changed into a shirt and curled up under the blanket. The bed was soft, but my mind wouldn't stop racing. I stared at the ceiling, listening to the rain and the occasional creak of the house.

I must have drifted off at some point because the next thing I knew, I was waking up to a sound-a muffled noise coming from down the hall.

I sat up, my heart pounding in the quiet room. For a moment, I thought I'd imagined it. But then I heard it again a low, distressed sound, like someone was in pain.

I slipped out of bed, my bare feet cold against the wooden floor, and crept toward the noise. It was coming from Damian's room.

The door was slightly ajar, and I pushed it open carefully, not wanting to startle him. The room was dimly lit, the bedside lamp casting a soft glow.

Damian was tangled in the sheets, his body thrashing. His face was twisted in anguish, and beads of sweat clung to his forehead.

"Damian?" I whispered, stepping closer.

He didn't respond. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his breaths coming in short, uneven gasps. He muttered something under his breath, but the words were too jumbled to understand. "Damian," I said again, louder this time.

He still didn't wake up.

I knelt beside the bed, my hand hovering over his shoulder. I didn't know if I should touch him-what if it made things worse? But seeing him like this, so restless and in pain, was unbearable. "Hey, it's okay," I said softly, my voice trembling. "You're safe. You're just dreaming."

He flinched, his hand grabbing the sheets like he was holding onto them for dear life.

"Damian, wake up!" I said firmly, my hand finally resting on his arm.

His eyes snapped open, and for a moment, he looked lost, like he didn't know where he was. His chest heaved, and his eyes darted around the room before finally landing on me. "It's okay," I said quickly, my hand still on his arm. "You're okay. It was just a nightmare."

He blinked, his breathing slowing down slightly. "Leah?" he said, his voice rough and strained.

"I'm here," I said, nodding. "You were having a bad dream."

He sat up slowly, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," I lied. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he buried his face in his hands. "I'm fine," he said finally, but his voice didn't sound convincing.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to do. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," I said gently. "But if you do, I'm here." He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "It's nothing. Just...memories."

Memories. The word hung heavy in the air.

"Sometimes memories are worse than nightmares," I said softly.

He didn't say anything, but the way his shoulders tensed told me I wasn't wrong.

I reached out, my hand brushing against his arm. "Damian, you don't have to go through this alone."

He looked at me then, his eyes dark and full of something I couldn't name. "I've been alone for a long time, Leah," he said quietly. "It's easier that way."

"It's not," I said, shaking my head. "It's not easy. It's just lonelier."

He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he let out a sigh, leaning back against the headboard.

"You should go back to bed," he said, his voice softer now.

"I'm not leaving you like this," I said firmly.

He gave me a small, tired smile. "You're stubborn."

"So are you," I shot back.

For a while, we just sat there in silence. The tension in the room seemed to ease, but I could still feel the weight of his pain, like it was pressing down on both of us.

And then, without thinking, I reached for his hand.

As soon as our skin touched, a strange warmth spread through me. It was soft at first, like the heat of the sun on a cool day, but it quickly grew stronger. "Leah," Damian said, his voice sharp.

I looked down and froze. My fingers were glowing a soft, golden light that pulsed gently, like a heartbeat.

"I-I don't know what's happening," I stammered, pulling my hand away.

But the light didn't stop. It seemed to spread, surrounding us both in a warm, golden glow.

Damian stared at me, his eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know," I whispered, my voice trembling.

The warmth grew stronger, and I felt something else a pull, like I was drawing something out of him. It wasn't painful, but it was intense, like a thread being unraveled. Damian's breathing slowed, his body relaxing against the pillows. The tension in his face eased, and for the first time, he looked...peaceful.

When the light finally faded, I was left staring at my hands, which now looked normal again.

"What was that?" Damian asked, his voice soft but full of wonder.

"I don't know," I said honestly, my heart racing. "But I think...I think I helped you."

He reached for my hand, his touch gentle. "Leah, whatever that was... it felt like you took the pain away."

I looked at him, my chest tightening. "Maybe I did."

Neither of us said anything after that, but the look in his eyes told me that whatever just happened, it had changed something between us, and for me.