Chapter 36: Sometimes Sleep is What A Nymph Needs

If I were to be asked a few months ago, where I wanted to be. My answer, without a doubt, would have been the Northern Regions. Tending to its creatures, and nurturing its fruit back to life.

After Brandon nearly tore Ray to shreds, and being saved by a massive black wolf? Anywhere but this forest.

The darkness seemed to enhance the eerie mood around me, and I stood from my position near the cliff. The wolves hadn't returned, and I figured it would be best to high tail it the fuck out of there.

My feet carried me through the thick forest. I sped through mud puddles, and dead branches, not once looking behind me. My clumsy feet caught a few vines in my path.

I didn't even know if Coop would be home, but I knew the dorms weren't safe after what just happened either.

The last thing I wanted was Brandon to know what dorm was mine. He'd become more unhinged than I'd thought. I needed to be more cautious around him. The flower Professor Eldritch had given me, couldn't fall into the wrong hands.

Coop's door was in front of my eyes before I could register anything else. By my sweating palms, I could tell the nerves would be evident on my face if I went in immediately.

Taking a deep breath, I sat on the porch, knees to my chest. As I exhaled, I heard the door crack open.

My head snapped up, and I swiveled my head around to see Trey in the doorway, a dull light sneaking out behind him.

I didn't make a move to speak, I only looked up at him, and his eyebrows scrunched together.

"Oakley? What the fuck are you doing out here so late?" At his question, I let out a whimper, and tucked my head between my knees once more.

Thoughts raced in my mind. How I could be so naïve. How I wasn't strong enough for this. How I wasn't cut out for this, and the encounter with Brandon had proved that. Emotions continued to swirl around me and clogged my ability to speak.

"I'm...going to go get Coop. Just, stay here, okay?" Trey said after he realized I wasn't going to talk to him.

In the few moments that Trey was gone, I'd managed to swallow some of my doubt. I didn't want Coop to see me like this, and I knew having a clear head would help us see a better path forward. As I pushed myself off the ground, the door opened again, and this time it was Coop.

Relief washed over my features, and on instinct, my arms wrapped themselves around his neck.

I pulled him closer to me, and let a peaceful silence seep in. I felt safer here than I did in the forest, and that was enough to send me over the edge. Tears began to trickled down my cheeks in silent streams.

Coop seemed to understand my lack of words, and lifted me into his arms. Heat encompassed me as we entered the house, and I nuzzled deeper into his muscled frame.

He'd managed to get us up the stairs in record time, and I heard his door shut behind us. I let my feet hit the soft carpet before dragging them to his bed. Coop shuffled behind me, and I felt his arms hover above my waist. I turned around and he pulled them back to his sides.

"Trey said you looked like you had seen a ghost. What happened?" He asked as he took a step back.

I shook my head, and tried to gather my thoughts into a cohesive answer. There wasn't much I could say that would result in a calm discussion. Brandon was already a sore subject for Coop. No matter how I spun it, he would want Brandon dead after this. I couldn't lie to him either, this affected him, too.

"Brandon was in the forest earlier. He had Ray backed against the cliffside. Coop, he was going to kill Ray. A fight broke out, and this large, black wolf stopped him before he could attack me," was what finally spilled out.

His eyes shifted to a deep pink, and his brows furrowed. I closed my eyes and waited for his outburst, and when none came, I opened one with caution.

I let out a deep breath and sat on the edge of his bed. His silence, though unexpected, allowed me to breathe again, and gain some clarity on the situation.

"Coop, we have to think about this rationally. He has connections. Pack law still exists. I'm fuzzy on the specifics, but you can not let your anger cloud your judgement on this. I say we just keep an eye on him, and figure out how were going to tackle the council." I spoke, trailing my eyes up his body, landing on the intricate vines.

They'd tangled themselves with the vein protruding on his neck. My heart thudded against my ribcage, and I heard a small grunt come from him.

"I'm not going to forget that Brandon almost killed you. I think that our main focus does need to be the council, and figuring out what they want to do with Nightshade. However, I make no promises when it comes to Brandon." His goofy smirk plastered itself on his face, and I shoved at his chest playfully.

"Okay, can we sleep now, Coop?" I asked, stretching my arms above my head. I leaned back onto my arms, and closed my eyes.

I opened them again to see Coop's heated gaze on me, and my cheeks reddened. I scrambled up the bed and into the covers before he could say anything. As I flung the covers over my head I could hear his faint chuckle from the opposite side.

"Cheeky. Little. Nymph." Were the damn demigods last words before my eyes snapped shut, blocking out the real world for as long as my mind would let me.