Page 51

Apollo met Ares in the hallway outside River's room. Before Ares reached for the door handle, Apollo grabbed his arm.

Ares looked at him. "What? You know I was just kidding, right? I wasn't serious about showering with River. I know she's still healing."

"It's not that."

Ares studied him for a moment. "What's wrong?"

Thoughts and feelings rushed to the surface, and Apollo wasn't quite sure how to voice them. "I… I wanted to thank you for stopping me from…"

Ares patted his brother's hand. "You would have done the same."

Apollo shook his head. "If it had been you who had attacked Titan, I wouldn't have stopped you. I would have helped."

The brothers’ shared moment evaporated with River's blood-curdling scream.

The brothers shoved the doors open.

River sat rigid upright. Her silver hair clung to her sweat-drenched face as she thrashed against invisible restraints, eyes wide but unseeing.

"No! Please! Don't-" Her desperate pleas echoed through the darkened bedroom as she fought against shadows only she saw.

"River!" Apollo reached for her with gentle hands. "Kitten, you're safe. You're home."

Ares' muscular frame curved protectively around her. "Beloved, we're here. It's just a nightmare."

River's scream dissolved into ragged gasps as reality penetrated her fog of terror. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for threats. Her body trembled as she struggled to separate nightmare from reality.

"He was here," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Titan was here. He found me. He said the babies weren't yours… that he'd make sure they were his."

"Shhhh," Apollo drew her against him. "He's not here. He's locked away in silver chains where he can never reach you again."

Apollo's wolf whined, wanting to comfort her.

Ares pressed in against her back, creating a protective cocoon around her trembling form. "Feel us, River. We're real. The nightmare isn't."

"Breathe with me," Apollo instructed, taking exaggerated, slow breaths for her to follow. "In through your nose, out through your mouth."

River struggled to match his rhythm.

Ares' wide hand splayed across her abdomen. "That's it," he encouraged as her breathing steadied. "You're safe, beloved. We've got you."

The terror gradually receded. Tears welled in River's eyes, spilling over to track down her cheeks.

"I hate this," River whispered, her voice growing stronger with frustration as she swiped angrily at her tears. "Being so weak. So scared. Jumping at shadows and waking up screaming like some helpless victim." She slammed her fist against the mattress. "It pisses me off. This isn't me."

His wolf chuffed.

Apollo's body rumbled with a chuckle as he stroked her hair. "It's perfectly natural. Your body and mind are still processing trauma. But I understand."

"He's right," Ares added. "Even the strongest wolves would need time to heal after what you've been through. And you're one of the strongest I know."

River twisted to look between them. "I don't want to be like this. I want to be myself again, strong, capable. Not jumping at every noise or waking up screaming."

"You will be," Apollo assured her, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Give yourself time."

Ares' golden eyes studied her face. "Do you want to talk about it? The nightmares? What happened while you were there?"

River stiffened and clenched her jaw. "If I tell you what happened, if I speak about it out loud..." She paused, her eyes darkening. "I swear I'll go straight to wherever you're keeping Titan and slit his throat myself."

Ares' eyebrows rose, a hint of approval flickering across his features before he schooled his expression. Apollo squeezed her hand.

"I understand that feeling better than you know," Apollo said. "When we found you... When I saw what he'd done to you... It took everything Ares had to keep me from tearing Titan apart piece by piece."

River's eyes suddenly widened. "My knives," she blurted out, glancing around the room. "Where are they? My blades from my mom.”

The twins exchanged a quick look over her head. Neither fancied being accidentally stabbed in the night.

"You'll get them back tomorrow," Ares promised, his tone gentle but firm. "When you're feeling a bit more... settled."

"We're not keeping them from you," Apollo added. "They're here. Just maybe not tonight, when the nightmares are still so vivid."

River looked like she might argue, but exhaustion overtook her again. She sank back against the pillows with a resigned sigh. "Fine. But first thing tomorrow."

"First thing," Ares agreed, settling beside her and drawing her near.

Apollo draped his arm across her waist.

"Sleep," Apollo murmured, his lips brushing the nape of her neck. "We'll be right here."

"All night," Ares confirmed, his fingers lacing with hers. "We're not going anywhere."

River's eyelids closed.

The steady rhythm of their combined breathing, the familiar scents of home and mate, gradually lulled all three of them toward sleep.

"I love you," she whispered, the words floating between them in the darkness. "Both of you."

"And we love you," they responded in unison.

As sleep claimed them, Apollo's last thought was that they were all where they belonged. Their mate and young between them, surrounded by their love and protection in their home.

The nightmares returned, but eventually the dawn did as well.

And Apollo and Ares held her through the whole ordeal.