HUNTER - ONE MONTH LATER

"Shhh, it's okay, you're okay. It's not real, he's not here. You're safe now."

Laying against Jacob and listening to him talk in his other language, I feel bad I woke him up again. I know he said it's okay, but he's got to be getting tired of getting up every time I have a nightmare. And I'm sure at the very least he's sick of sleeping on the cot while I take his bed.

"Sorry I woke you, again."

"It's not your fault." Well it kind of is though. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"You want me to talk to you more?"

"If you want to, but I don't want to make you stay awake. I can stay up if you want me to so that you can sleep." Because hell knows that I haven't slept worth a damn since we were at Lord Trey's anyway. Too many people around all the time and always too close to me and having to leave my pants off... I return my attention to Jacob as he speaks again.

"You need sleep more than I do."

"Don't like sleeping, just have nightmares anymore. Besides, never was allowed to sleep much before, so I'm used to being awake."

Frowning and hugging me tighter he is clearly not happy with my answer, but again I'm not sure why. "Is being in here not helping anymore? You seemed to at least be getting a few hours when you slept in here with me."

"Bed doesn't smell like you anymore." The words out of my mouth before I can stop them, I cringe as I can practically feel him staring at me now. "Sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, honestly I'm sorry, I didn't think about that when I changed the bedding this morning. I usually keep a set of sheets in here so that they pick up some of the scents in the room for you. With the trip, I just forgot."

Deciding to take a chance and figuring I have little left to lose, I force myself to ask the question I've wanted to ask for the past three nights. "Can I lay on the other bed with you?"

"I don't think you'd be too comfortable on it as it's not that big." Staying silent for a long time, his counter offer definitely takes me by surprise. "Do you want me to lay here with you?"

"Will you get in trouble?"

"For what?"

"For laying with me in the bed. You haven't before so I thought maybe it wasn't allowed."

"I really don't see why I would, as for why I didn't before I just sort of assumed you wouldn't rest well with someone beside you and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea or think I was trying to do anything to you."

"I wouldn't think that." Though even if he did try to do something it's not like I'd stop him.

"Okay, but you have to at least try and sleep a little more. Deal?"

"Deal."

Pulling the covers back up over us and getting settled, he keeps an arm around me, hand rubbing my back. He doesn't seem angry so I decide to push my luck just a little more. "Talk a little more?"

"In English or Eltarian?"

"English."

"Okay." Switching to his other language and I'm guessing talking about nothing really in particular, he keeps rubbing my back, voice getting softer as I finally give in and start to drift off once more.

Snickering as I pick up on that one word he calls me sometimes, I hold on to him just a bit tighter hoping he isn't going to get in trouble as I know this isn't exactly proper sleeping arrangements when I'm not only not his mate, but not even his pet. Still his fathers seem pretty calm and have yet to yell at me or beat me for anything, nor have I seen them yell at or strike Jacob or any of his siblings so maybe it'll be okay, at least for one night.

Suddenly feeling him shift just a bit and press a kiss to my head, I catch the soft command to sleep once more before finally giving in.