Chapter 246: The Hidden Dent
Vivian’s POV
I sucked in a sharp breath, closing my eyes for a moment before releasing a slow sigh. This conversation was going to cut deep, and I could already feel the heavy tension thickening the air between us. Even though Joshula had officially forgiven Zahliver, I knew that just knowing the real truth behind those midnight screams would stir up a lot more hidden pain than he was letting on.
I opened my eyes slowly and moved to sit right at the edge of the bed, folding my hands neatly in my lap. Well, here we go.
"You said you did not remember your nightmare just to spare Zahliver’s feelings," I stated gently, treating it more like a solid fact than a question.
Joshula nodded quietly, sitting up a bit straighter, his hands coming together in front of him.
"Thank you for doing that," I added sincerely. Seeing Zahliver this morning looking so alive and genuinely happy made me want to protect whatever fragile peace they had finally found, even if it was walking on thin ice.
Joshula’s lips curled up into a faint smile, but it quickly faded away into something much darker.
"I would never intentionally hurt him on purpose," he said quietly, "but I keep having these terrible nightmares about that awful day. And I am honestly afraid that if they keep happening, Zahliver will eventually start to suspect that something is wrong."
His serious gaze locked firmly onto mine, and I looked away for a second, thinking it over in my head.
What he said was completely true. One forgotten nightmare could easily be dismissed as a fluke. But two or three of them? Zahliver would definitely notice. He would start digging deep into it, just like he always did, trying hard to root out the underlying problem and fix it.
Only this time, the root of the problem was him.
"That certainly sounds like a real problem. But what exactly do you expect me to do about it?" I asked, folding my arms tightly across my chest. "It is not like I majored in professional memory wiping in college."
Joshula’s brows lifted in surprise as if I had said something totally unexpected, but then he gave a faint shake of his head and carried right on, his tone steady and well-practiced.
"I suppose... I was simply hoping for a welcome distraction. If someone were to gently remind me or show me the Zahliver of today, maybe my subconscious mind would finally accept that the past was just a tragic accident, and not an eternal curse. And who better to help me do that than the wonderful woman who is bonded to him?" His intense gaze lifted to meet mine, and even though his words sounded calm, the deep weariness in his green eyes seemed to grow heavier. They suddenly looked wide, almost a bit too innocent.
Yet his mouth said something completely different, his lips curling in a strange way that made me feel deeply uneasy. There was definitely something a bit off about him. His body language, his facial expressions, and even the stiff way he sat. He looked totally composed on the outside, yet he seemed to be straining heavily beneath the surface. It made me pause and truly look at him really see him in a way I had not bothered to before.
I was not entirely sure what it was or what exact feeling he stirred up in me, but the strange sensation lingered on my skin like a phantom touch. I must have stared at him for a bit too long, because he let out a soft sigh, dragging a large hand down his face with a tight frown.
"I am truly sorry," he muttered under his breath. "I completely understand if you do not want to help. You must already be feeling totally overwhelmed by everything "
"No... it is okay," I interrupted him, feeling hesitant but wanting to be honest. I could not quite put my finger on the exact issue, but something deep inside me whispered that the only way to figure out what was bothering me was to stay close enough to feel it.
It was so strange. Normally, I could easily size a person up in a matter of seconds. But Joshula? He felt like a mirror completely fogged over with steam. Polite, quiet, and well-mannered. Yet something simply did not add up. Zahliver had not mentioned anything out of the ordinary regarding his brother’s behavior, so I tried my best to just shrug it off as unfamiliar territory.
"Are you really sure?" he asked, perhaps a bit too brightly.
"Yeah, I am. I mean, if I can help in any way at all, I am happy to do so," I replied, slowly rising to my feet.
"You are an absolute gem, Vivian. Thank you so much," he said softly.
I gave him a brief nod and turned around to walk toward the door. As my fingers curled around the metal handle and I pulled it shut behind me, I felt something very strange. The metal felt... dented? Frowning deeply, I looked down at my hand. The area right around the door handle was completely misshapen and warped, bearing the exact deep imprint of long fingers. It looked as if someone had gripped the solid metal far too tightly, crushing the material with absolute ease.
A cold chill crawled all the way across my skin.
I closed the door fully and walked away down the hall, but a heavy, overwhelming wave of sadness suddenly settled right in my chest. It was not mine, though of that much I was entirely sure. It felt like I had accidentally brushed up against a raging storm and the lingering gloom had stubbornly clung to me. The heavy grief did not belong to me at all, but it stuck around anyway.
By the time I finally reached our bedroom, I found Zahliver sliding into a fresh pair of black pants. He glanced over at me briefly before disappearing straight into the walk-in closet without saying a single word.
I sank down onto the edge of the bed, my limbs still feeling sluggish and heavy from a severe lack of proper sleep. Glancing over at the digital clock sitting on his nightstand, I let out a loud groan. It read 10:57 AM. We had barely managed to sleep four hours total.
Still, it seemed neither of us had any intention of wasting the entire day away. Zahliver was already getting dressed, and I figured I should probably get moving too. With a tired sigh, I stood up from the mattress and padded quietly into the closet. But the exact second I stepped inside, I stopped dead in my tracks.
Zahliver’s broad back was turned completely toward me, his lean muscles shifting smoothly beneath his skin as he sifted through a row of shirts. He looked strong, solid, and completely mouthwatering.
Now that is a back truly worth admiring, my inner wolf sighed dreamily in my head, resting her chin on her paws in total bliss.
Mmhmm, you said it, I agreed silently, quickly tugging off my sleep shirt without taking my eyes off him for even a second.
All that is missing from the view are a few good claw marks, she added with a delightfully mischievous lilt.
"I second that motion," Zahliver said casually from across the room, not even bothering to turn around.
I let out a loud yelp of surprise and threw my discarded hoodie right at his head. It landed squarely over his dark hair, the long sleeves hanging down like sad little puppy dog ears.
"Of course you and my pervert wolf would be on the exact same wavelength," I muttered, feeling my cheeks grow warm.
Digging through one of my bottom drawers, I pulled out a comfortable pair of black leggings and slipped them on. Seriously, leggings were easily a girl’s absolute best friend in the world. They were comfortable, sleek, and best of all, they did not judge you if you happened to eat a little too much breakfast. I quickly tugged on a long-sleeved white shirt and turned around toward the sweater rack and instantly froze in place.
"Is... is that a white shirt I am wearing?" I rasped out loud, feeling utterly stunned.