Fated To Save You- By: Tina Marie

Chapter 17 - The Darkness Within

Last Updated on 2024-10-10 19:22:16

Connor jolted awake to the sound of soft cries echoing through the quiet house. His heart pounded as he tried to make sense of the noise, his sleep-fogged mind struggling to focus. The cries grew louder, more desperate, and Connor’s chest tightened with dread. He quickly realized the source of the distress—Wren.

Without hesitation, he bolted out of bed and sprinted down the hall, his bare feet pounding against the hardwood floor. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and as he pushed it open, he saw Wren thrashing under the covers, her face twisted in agony. Her hands clutched the blanket, knuckles white, as if holding on for dear life. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she whimpered in her sleep, caught in the throes of a nightmare.

“No… no… please stop! Don’t do this to me!” Wren cried out, her voice cracking with fear and desperation.

Connor’s heart shattered at the sound of her pleas. He rushed to the bed, his own panic rising as he took in the sight of her. He couldn’t bear to see her like this—so vulnerable, so terrified.

“Wren!” he called softly, but she didn’t respond, her mind still trapped in the nightmare. He reached out and gently gathered her into his arms, pulling her against his chest.

“Wren, shh… it’s okay,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s just a nightmare, sweetheart. You’re safe.”

But Wren continued to struggle, her body writhing in his embrace as if trying to escape some unseen torment. Her cries grew more frantic, more pained.

“It hurts… why? Why are you doing this to me?” she sobbed, her words tearing at Connor’s soul.

Connor’s throat tightened as he fought to hold back his own tears. He couldn’t stand to hear the pain in her voice, the agony she must have endured at the hands of that monster. He held her tighter, rocking her gently as if she were a frightened child.

“Shh… my sunshine, it’s okay,” he murmured, his voice a soothing balm in the darkness. “I’m here. Nothing can hurt you.”

He wiped the sweat from her forehead, his hand trembling as he felt the slight fever burning beneath her skin. Wren continued to twist and turn in his arms, her body tense with fear, but he didn’t let go. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

“Stop… I beg you to stop,” Wren whimpered, her voice broken.

Connor’s heart ached with helplessness as he continued to rock her, his fingers gently tracing circles on her back. He whispered soft reassurances, trying to calm the storm raging within her. Slowly, agonizingly, her movements began to still, her breathing evening out as she finally slipped back into a calmer sleep.

Connor exhaled a shaky breath and carefully laid her back down on the bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. But the sight of her sweat-soaked body, her face still marked by tear tracks, made his chest tighten with worry. He couldn’t leave her like this.

He hurried to the bathroom and returned with a bowl of cold water and a towel. Sitting beside her, he dipped the towel into the water and gently wiped the sweat from her brow, her neck, and her arms. Her skin was clammy, her body trembling even in sleep.

“It hurts… please stop… it hurts,” Wren murmured, her voice weak and pitiful.

Connor’s heart clenched, and without thinking, he climbed into the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms once more. The moment her body came into contact with his, she quieted, her trembling subsiding as she instinctively snuggled into his chest. Connor held her close, his chin resting atop her head, as he listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing.

As he lay there, holding her fragile form, his mind seethed with anger and a fierce protectiveness. The thought of what Trevor had done to her, the cruelty and pain he had inflicted, filled Connor with a rage he had never known. He wanted nothing more than to make Trevor pay, to erase every trace of the suffering he had caused Wren.

But as he looked down at Wren’s peaceful face, her long dark lashes resting softly against her cheeks, he knew that vengeance alone wouldn’t heal the wounds she carried. She needed more than just retribution; she needed love, care, and the safety that had been stolen from her.

Even if it takes a lifetime, Connor vowed silently, I will make sure she knows what love is truly like. I’ll protect her, cherish her, and show her that she is worth everything.

He gazed at her pink lips, so perfect even in their vulnerability, and felt a warmth spread through his chest. She was his sunshine—his light in the darkness—and he would do anything to keep that light from fading.

“My sunshine,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face, “don’t worry. I’ll protect you now.”

Wren stirred slightly in his arms, rubbing her face against his chest like a kitten seeking comfort. Connor chuckled softly, the sound filled with affection. He never imagined that he would be lying here with Wren in his arms like this, feeling her warmth against him, hearing the soft, contented sighs as she settled into him. But now that he was, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

As sleep began to pull him under, Connor tightened his hold on Wren, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. He would stay by her side, through nightmares and fears, through every dark moment. He would be her strength until she could find her own again.

And in the quiet of the night, with Wren safe in his arms, Connor finally let himself drift off to sleep, knowing that as long as he was with her, nothing could break the bond they were forging—a bond born out of pain, but destined to be something beautiful.

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Fated To Save You- By: Tina Marie

Chapter 17 - The Darkness Within

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