9. Tommy

9

TOMMY

I dreamt I was back in that cold, dark cell again, but this time, I didn't just manage to exit the room.

I also navigated the maze of corridors. My heart raced in trepidation and excitement.

Bolting up the stairs that led to the first floor of Hicks' house, I could almost taste freedom.

The lights in the kitchen were glaringly bright, forcing me to squint as I surveyed my surroundings.

The nearby window caught my attention, and I wiped the dirt off with the sleeve of my shirt to see anything beyond.

The house had a view of the woods, and in the distance, a massive and scarred grizzly bear caught my eye.

My heart leapt in my throat, recognition flooding in.

"Nitro," I whispered and my voice held a hint of longing.

Nitro wasn't looking at the house, unaware of my presence.

"I'm here," I started to shout, waving my arms desperately, but he couldn't hear me.

Panic set in as I tried the door leading outside, only to find it locked.

When I turned my attention back to the windows, I saw bars, trapping me inside.

"You're not going anywhere, Tommy," whispered a familiar and sinister voice.

Fear gripped me, and I hesitated to turn and look at the speaker.

Cold arms, strong as steel, wrapped around my body, and I flailed and struggled, realizing that Hicks held me in a death grip.

"You're staying here with me forever," he whispered in my ear, his words sending shivers down my spine.

Then my entire world went black but I kept on screaming.

A crash sounded from somewhere, ripping through the veil of my dreams.

I gasped, clawing at my pillow and sheets, my body reacting like a drowning man desperate for air.

I opened my eyes, finding the familiar outlines of my apartment slowly materializing in the dim light.

Calm down, I repeatedly told myself, trying to dispel the lingering disorientation from my waking mind.

Everything was fine, just the remnants of a dream fading away.

Then my gaze shifted to the window, and my heart lurched in my chest.

A pale figure clung to the outside, their face contorted with an eerie, otherworldly expression.

The mouth was opened wide, revealing outstretched fangs that gleamed in the darkness. I couldn't stifle the fear that gripped me.

I screamed again, the sound tearing from my throat in raw panic.

The figure remained, an ominous silhouette against the night, and the rational part of my mind struggled to comprehend what I was seeing.

Was it real or just another manifestation of my nightmares?

The pale face continued to stare, and the fangs seemed to elongate, casting a haunting shadow on the window pane.

My pulse raced, and I fumbled for the lamp on the bedside table. The harsh light revealed an empty window, dispelling the illusion.

Then, someone was shaking me violently.

My first instinct was to curl into a ball, to shield myself from whatever threat lurked in the shadows.

"No, fight," my inner magpie screamed, urging me to resist the grasp of the nightmare.

I lunged at my unseen attacker, fists swinging, only to find it was Nitro. He gripped my shoulders, concern in his eyes.

My heart pounded erratically, caught between the grip of the dream and the reality of Nitro's presence.

Unthinkingly, I launched myself at him, my body seeking solace in the safety of his embrace.

I was confident he'd catch me, and he did, wrapping his arms tightly around my shaking form.

His steady presence anchored me in the waking world.

"You were just standing outside the house, waiting for me. I tried calling out to you, but you couldn't hear me," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Nitro started stroking my back, a comforting rhythm that gradually soothed the lingering panic.

As the tendrils of the nightmare loosened their grip on my mind, I finally realized it was all a figment of my imagination.

The old house, the fear, the haunting images—they all melted away in the warmth of Nitro's embrace.

"Shh, you're safe now," he murmured.

In that moment, with Nitro's arms around me, my old terrors melted away. Still, my mind raced for answers.

What was that thing in my window? A residue from my nightmares? Of course. What else could it be?

“I thought you went looking for Spike,” I said, finally regaining my senses.

Nitro and I sat on the edge of my bed. Unthinkingly, I reached for his fingers, relieved he didn’t let go.

His touch was grounding, a silent reassurance.

"I did, get back in bed," he instructed.

Nitro added, "Scoot over."

Pleased he was going to join me, I slipped back between the sheets and made room for him.

My single bed was a tad small for both of us, but it hardly mattered. I felt safe and secure with Nitro next to me.

"What happened?" I prodded.

Nitro looked hesitant, maybe thinking it was inappropriate to talk about his problems after finding me in such a state.

"Please," I insisted. "It would help take my mind off my nightmare, knowing you and Spike are okay."

Nitro sighed, his shoulders relaxing a fraction. He began to recount the events with Spike.

I could tell he was both frustrated and worried about his best friend.

As he spoke, I listened intently, resting my head on Nitro's chest, my fingers entwined with his rough and callused ones.

The steady rhythm of his heartbeat became a reassuring backdrop.

"So he's still continuing the fight?" I eventually asked.

"Yeah, it's still on," Nitro said, a hint of frustration in his voice. "In the end, I didn't manage to get through to him or find out why he acted this way."

"Maybe he'll tell you eventually. You just have to be patient. You're good at being patient," I pointed out reasonably, trying to offer some solace.

Nitro laughed softly, the sound made me feel warm and happy inside. Just being with him helped me forget the tense events of earlier.

"Says who?" Nitro said. "Tommy, I have a short fuse."

"Says me," I responded with a playful grin. "You take your time with me."

Nitro cupped my cheek, making me look at him. His expression softened.

"You're different," he murmured.

"Different, how?" I asked, genuinely curious.

My pulse raced. I knew the answer to that question, but it seemed too early in our relationship to acknowledge us as mates.

He studied me for a moment, his thumb gently brushing against my skin.

"You make me want to slow down, to savor each moment," he admitted. "With you, patience feels easy."

I flushed. Pleasure filled me hearing those words.

I thought back to how Nitro found me and furrowed my brows.

"Wait, how did you know I was having a nightmare?" I asked curiously.

Nitro looked at me sheepishly, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.

"When I returned here, I realized I didn't have a key. I didn't want to wake you up in case you were sleeping," he explained.

"Hold on a second, you were waiting outside my door?" I asked, incredulous and incredibly touched by his dedication.

Nitro nodded. "When I heard you scream, I sort of shoved my way inside. That reminds me, stay here. I want to check if I broke your lock," Nitro said, standing up.

I watched him go, feeling a sense of awe at his actions.

Nitro had stood guard outside my door, ready to step in the moment he sensed something was wrong.

As Nitro disappeared to inspect the door, I couldn't help but smile. Nitro was definitely what you would call a keeper.

What if your biker bear wakes up one day and realizes you’re too much work to keep? A dark voice inside my head whispered.

I tried shaking off my unwarranted fears, but with Nitro gone, it wasn't easy to do.

The room felt emptier without his reassuring presence.

Eventually, I heard tinkering noises from the living room. Intrigued, I pushed aside my lingering anxieties and got out of bed.

There, I found Nitro knee-deep in my tool box, a look of concentration on his face. He glanced up when he saw me.

"Broke your lock after all, so I'm trying to fix it. Give me a few minutes. Don't worry, I'm good with my hands," he said, a hint of playfulness in his tone. "I worked as a handyman for a few years before joining the MC."

"I didn't know that," I admitted, realizing there were still layers of Nitro's past that I hadn't uncovered.

Despite spending plenty of time together, there were aspects of his life that remained shrouded in mystery.

Foremost among those secrets was what happened between him and his former fiancée and best friend.

As Nitro continued to work on the lock, I hesitated for a moment.

It occurred to me that both of us had already had enough adventures for the night.

"For our next date, we should do something chill," Nitro suggested, breaking the silence.

I nodded, the idea of a peaceful day appealing to me.

"Chill sounds good," I told him. "What are you thinking of?"

Nitro looked thoughtful, a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"I figure we could have a nice walk in the woods, maybe stretch out in our animal forms. When's the last time you've done that?" he asked, his hands deftly testing the lock to ensure it was functioning again.

I took a deep breath, contemplating his suggestion. Nitro probably didn't understand what a loaded question that was.

"I can't remember the last time I changed forms," I admitted, my voice trailing off.

It was a lie. I took deep breaths, attempting to steady the turmoil within me.

The truth was, my last memory of shifting had brought me nothing but pain and suffering. But this was Nitro, and with him, I didn't lie.

"Tommy?" Nitro asked, sensing the weight of my response.

He approached me tentatively, as if I were fragile glass, and I hated it when he did that.

Then again, I couldn't keep pretending I was normal and fine all the time either.

"I lied," I admitted, the words escaping like a long-held breath.

I continued, “The last time I changed forms was two years ago when I tried to escape from Hicks and that house. I nearly made it outside and was already out of my clothes. The moment I turned into a magpie and took flight, Hicks was on my heels."

Nitro looked at me. He said nothing, allowing me the space to unravel the truth that I had concealed for far too long.

He knew I had something to get off my chest.

I swallowed hard, the memories vivid in my mind.

"He had a gun with him,” I added.

"Oh, Tommy," Nitro murmured, his voice a gentle reassurance.

Without a word, he enclosed me in a warm embrace.

I slowly breathed in, then let it all out. In the circle of his arms, I let go of the pretense of strength and allowed myself to be vulnerable.

The past had left scars, and sharing the truth with Nitro felt like a step toward healing.

"His bullet went through my left wing. It was silver, so it took a long time for my arm to heal, but lesson learned," I whispered.

"Tommy," Nitro finally said, his voice heavy with an intensity I hadn't heard before.

Nitro continued, “Sometimes, I wish I could resurrect that bastard so I could give him a slow and tortuous death. Payment for everything he's done to you."

I felt the vengeance in his voice, the raw anger, and knew without a doubt that Nitro meant every word.

This was the wild, dangerous side of my biker bear that I had only caught glimpses of, the part Nitro wanted to hide from me.

What he didn't realize was that I accepted all of him, even the shadows that lurked beneath the surface.

"Sorry for making this weird," I finally said, pulling myself away from the haunting memories of the past.

"You didn't make it weird. I'm glad you told me," Nitro reassured me, his gaze softening. "So you haven't let your animal half out in two years?"

I nodded, genuine fear in my voice as I confessed, "What if I forgot how?"

"We'll take things slow, and besides, I'm right next to you," Nitro said, beaming with a reassuring smile.

Sometimes, he made me feel like I could do anything.

"Alright," I finally said, drawing in a deep breath.

Besides, I wanted, no needed to whole for my mate. Nitro deserved nothing less.

“Let's do this,’ I said.