Tension

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CHAPTER 18

~Zara's POV~

I woke up with a start, my heart pounding as the remnants of a nightmare clung to me—my death from my last life playing over and over in my mind. 

Cold sweat trickled down my face, my chest heaving as I sat up, the heavy darkness in the room pressing down on me.

I slid out of bed, needing something—anything—to ground me in the present. 

Padding quietly to the washroom, I splashed cold water on my face, the icy chill shocking me awake. 

I took in deep breaths, slow and steady. 

"They can't hurt you, Zar. He can't touch you, not in this life."

When I glanced at the mirror, my reflection startled me. I looked younger, freer, nothing like the worn-down version of myself from when I was Ivan's wife in my past life.

I stayed there for a moment, breathing deeply before deciding to head downstairs for some water. 

The quietness of the night settled around me as I made my way to the kitchen, expecting to be alone and collect my thoughts. 

But when I walked in, there was Snow, sitting shirtless at the counter, casually nursing a cup of coffee while scrolling through his phone.

The glow from the soft kitchen lights danced across his bare chest, highlighting the defined muscles of his body. 

My heart skipped, and I felt Astrid stir restlessly inside me. 

Not now, I pleaded with myself, but it was too late. Before I could turn to leave, his deep voice stopped me.

"Can't sleep?" Snow asked, his gaze lifting to meet mine.

I froze, caught off guard by how calm and composed he seemed. "Just came down for water," I mumbled, trying to keep my tone steady.

His eyes stayed on me, a small smile pulling at his lips. "You look troubled."

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "It's nothing. Just… a bad dream."

He put his phone down, giving me his full attention and showing me a front-row seat at his human godliness. "Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, sucking in a deep breath. The sight in front of me was too hot to pass by and Astrid purred in approval. 

I swallowed, unsure if I should let him in on the nightmares that haunted me. Ever since my rebirth, I hadn't spoken to anyone concerning it. 

Although he was an equation I didn't consider, I didn't know if I could trust him and whether he wouldn't think of me as senile. 

Snow's gaze, though, was soft and something about it made me feel like I could tell him anything. I made my way towards the refrigerator, leaning against it when his piercing gaze bore into mine. 

"Just memories," I finally said, my voice barely a whisper. "From when I was younger."

Snow's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Dreams can be powerful," he mused. "But they're just that—just dreams. They don't control you unless you let them."

"Well, I beg to differ. A lot of things can happen with dreams," I refuted. 

Snow arched a brow, intrigued by my words. "Is that so?"

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. His understanding, his attention—it made my chest tighten in a way I didn't expect.

Shit.

At once I knew I had gotten into the lion's attention when that wasn't part of the plan. My skin prickled. I needed to leave before things got out of hand. 

"I should go," I said, suddenly needing to escape this moment and the heat between us.

But as I turned to leave, Snow's voice stopped me again. "Zara."

I paused, looking back at him.

"Forgotten something?" he asked, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Confused, I furrowed my brow. "What?"

He tilted his head toward the counter. "The water you came down for."

I blinked, realizing I'd been so caught up in him that I'd forgotten the reason I came downstairs in the first place. "Oh… right," I stammered. "I guess I don't really need it anymore."

"Nonsense." Snow stood up in one smooth motion, his presence suddenly overwhelming.

Before I could react, his hand shot out and gently grasped my wrist. In one swift move, he pulled me close, pressing my body against the wall. 

My heart pounded in my chest as his intense gaze locked onto mine.

"What's the matter, wifey?" he murmured in a teasing low voice. "Running away from me?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. And then he did the next strange thing. He leaned in impossibly close that I had expected him to kiss me, my breath hitching at how close his lips were to mine. 

Astrid stilled inside me. His effect was pulling both of us in a way we couldn't escape. Instead, he leaned in even closer, his lips brushing my ear.

"You've got a crumb on your shirt," he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.

I flinched as his fingers brushed lightly against my collarbone, plucking away the imaginary crumb. 

touch sent a shiver down my spine, and when he pulled back, there was a wicked smirk on his face.

"Fixed that for you," he said, his voice silky smooth.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I tried to regain my composure. But Snow wasn't done. His hand lingered on my wrist, his thumb stroking the pulse point softly, making my skin tingle.

"Goodnight, Zara," he mused, his voice dropping an octave.

I swallowed hard, trying to shake off the spell he seemed to cast over me. "Goodnight, Snow," I whispered, turning to leave.

But just as I took a step forward, his hand tightened on my wrist, pulling me back.

"Snow," I whispered, my pulse racing, unsure of what he was about to do.

He leaned in once more, his lips barely brushing against my ear as he whispered, "Be careful, Zara. You're running from your demons, but they're catching up."

A chill ran through me at his words, the meaning behind them sending a wave of unease through my body. Instantly, I recalled the strange text I got the previous evening.

On reflex, I jerked my wrist free from his grip, fleeing the kitchen before the weight of his words—and his presence—completely overwhelmed me.

As I ran, I felt his gaze on me, burning into my back, leaving me breathless and confused.

Whatever this is, I thought to myself, I can't let him pull me in.

But the truth was, Snow had already stirred something inside me that I wasn't sure I could contain and Astrid wasn't helping.