Page 37 of The Right to Bear Claws
"Terrified," Elias admitted. "I've never faced a threat I couldn't physically fight. Can't punch a dream entity, can't intimidate something that exists in the unconscious realm. All I can do is watch her suffer and hope she's strong enough to resist whatever's calling to her."
"She's stronger than you think. Stronger than she thinks, for that matter."
"But what if that's not enough? What if I wake up and she's just... gone?"
The possibility made his bear snarl with helpless fury. Every protective instinct he possessed demanded action, but this was a battle that could only be fought in realms where his physical strength meant nothing.
"We'll find a way," Lucien said firmly. "But in the meantime, we need to establish better security around both the lake and the inn. If she's sleepwalking that frequently, we can't rely on you catching her every time."
"Already thought of that." Elias pulled out his phone, showing Lucien the patrol schedule he'd drafted during his sleepless pre-dawn hours. "Night Guard rotations, motion sensors around the lake perimeter, and backup alarm systems in her room. If she leaves the inn after dark, we'll know about it."
"Good. What about during the day? Is she showing any signs of the entity's influence while awake?"
"Exhaustion, mostly. And she's been having trouble concentrating, like part of her mind is somewhere else." Elias's jaw tightened with frustration. "She's trying to hide it, but I can see how much this is wearing her down."
"The closer Halloween gets, the stronger the entity becomes. He's probably influencing her thoughts even when she's awake, making her doubt herself and everyone around her."
"Like making her think she should run away to protect people."
"Exactly. Classic manipulation tactic. Isolate the target, convince them they're a danger to everyone they care about, then swoop in as the only solution to their problems."
The calculated cruelty of it made Elias's bear rage. "What kind of creature preys on children desperate enough to make supernatural bargains?"
"The kind that feeds on fear and desperation. He probably has dozens of these arrangements scattered across the world, waiting for the right moment to collect." Lucien's expression darkened. "The good news is that dreamwalkers with his level of power are incredibly rare. Most people don't survive long enough to be useful to entities like him."
"That's supposed to be good news?"
"It means Kaia is extraordinary, even by supernatural standards. Her power is what makes her valuable to him, but it's also what gives her the strength to fight back."
"If she believes in herself enough to try."
"That's where you come in. Your job isn't to fight this battle for her, it's to remind her that she's worth fighting for. That she has people who believe in her even when she can't believe in herself."
Elias nodded, understanding the wisdom behind his friend's words even as his bear demanded more direct action. "The claiming bond conversation needs to happen tonight. She deserves to know all her options before we run out of time."
"Agreed. But Elias?" Lucien's voice held warning. "Make sure she understands that you're offering the bond because you love her, not because it's her only chance at survival. The distinction matters."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean a claiming bond entered into out of desperation rarely works the way it's supposed to. Both parties need to choose it freely, understand what they're agreeing to, and trustthat the relationship will survive even if the immediate threat doesn't."
"You think she might say yes just to save her life?"
"I think she might say yes because she thinks it's what you want to hear. Or because she's so scared and exhausted that she'll agree to anything that promises protection." Lucien leaned forward, his expression serious. "But a mate bond built on anything other than genuine love and trust will break under pressure. And if it breaks while you're both fighting a dream entity..."
"We could both end up trapped in Tobias's realm."
"Or worse."
The conversation continued for another hour, covering contingency plans and worst-case scenarios until Elias felt marginally more prepared for the challenges ahead. But as he left the archives and headed back toward town, one thought dominated his mind: tonight, he would ask the woman he loved to trust him with not just her heart, but her soul.
And he had no idea if she was ready for that level of commitment.
The inn was quiet when he arrived, most of the residents already settled in for the evening. He found Kaia in the common room, curled up in her favorite chair with a book she wasn't really reading. The circles under her eyes had deepened since morning, and she had the distracted air of someone fighting battles no one else could see.
"Hey," he said softly, settling into the chair across from her. "How are you holding up?"
"Tired. Scared. Like I'm losing pieces of myself every time I close my eyes." She set aside the book with a rueful smile. "Other than that, peachy."
