Page 44 of The Rabbit's Foot

Then the sobbing started. “I’m so sorry, Mal. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

He shook Alp gently, uncertain if it was safe to wake him, but not willing to let him suffer like this. When Alp’s eyes, those beautiful sea-green eyes, settled on him, Mal was grateful.

“Mal!” Alp cried, doing his best to climb into Mal’s lap. “Mal, you can’t go. You have to stay behind. They’re going to kill you.”

“Hush, sweetheart. It’s okay, we’re both safe.”

“No, you don’t understand. Hyde knows.”

“What does he know?”

“He knows,” Alp repeated, and his body went slack in Mal’s arms.

“Alp?”

Nothing. He shook Alp, needing him to wake up. When his eyes opened, Mal leaned in and kissed him softly.

“You okay?”

Alp buried his face in Mal’s chest and shook his head.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Another soft shake.

“Okay. How about we lay back down, and you can snuggle with me?”

That got him a nod. He pulled Alp back to the mattress, his head tucked under Mal’s chin. A few moments later, dampness matted the hairs on his chest.

“Alp?”

“He’s going to kill you. He knows.”

“What does he know?” Mal asked gently, not wanting to rattle his precious mate.

“I’m not sure. It’s just a feeling. He’s going to kill you, and I’m going to see it. There’ll be so much blood.”

His words, dead and cold, sent shivers through Mal.

“There’ll be dozens of us. We’re going to take them all down.”

Alp shook his head. “Not before he kills you.”

“Listen to me. I’m going to promise you something, okay? I am not going to die today, tomorrow, or anytime in the foreseeable future. I am a First. I’m stronger than other wolves. It would take something far greater than a human can muster to kill me. You’re stuck with me for decades to come.” He slid a hand up Alp’s neck and tangled his fingers in the collar-length hair. “Get used to it, bunny.”

Alp nodded, but Mal knew he wasn’t believing it. What kind of dream terrified a person so badly?

You idiot. The kind that comes from six years of torture. Of hearing other shifters screaming as they died. Of never knowing if today was the day you’d finally meet the Maker.

The only thing Mal could do was to help Alp get over it. Maybe see a therapist. That was far more likely to help than any platitudes Mal could come up with.

“Baby, I—”

There was a knock at the door.

Mal sniffed. “Lydia is here.”

Alp slid off the bed and dressed. There wasn’t any of the normal hyper energy that Mal was used to seeing, and that bothered him. He wanted to send Lydia away so he could tend to Alp, but she was going to be risking her life for them.