Chapter 290. All Over Again

Aurora’s POV

I woke up with a gasp that ripped through my throat like I’d been drowning in my sleep. My heart was slamming against my ribcage, every beat loud and frantic, like a warning bell. My lungs struggled to catch up, desperate for air, but the more I breathed, the more the terror sunk its claws into my chest. Sweat clung to my skin, cold and sticky, as I shot upright on the couch. The dim lighting of the room only amplified the shadows dancing on the walls, mocking me, whispering lies—or were they truths?

I blinked hard, trying to steady myself, the nightmare still clinging to the edges of my mind like cobwebs I couldn’t shake off. Everyone was asleep. I could hear the soft, even breathing of the others—so peaceful, so unaware. My eyes darted around the room, my pulse still racing.

Caleb was sleeping while leaning his back against the couch; Caroline was on another couch, with Mia practically dangling off the armrest. Shane had left earlier and he wa