Heart of Ice

Chapter Sixteen

Song: Peace- Taylor Swift

Five years earlier

After dinner, Hunter and I sat on the back porch, him playing on his Game Boy while I read A Walk to Remember. The sunset gave the world around us a pink hue, and with the cool summer breeze brushing against my skin, I could feel the exhaustion of the busy, hot day slowly creeping in. Hunter was quiet the whole time we sat on the porch, but when he took a break from his game, he glanced at me, watching as I flipped the page, completely emerged in the world of Landon and Jamie. "When we bring our kids here someday, I hope it'll be just like this for them too."

"Is that your way of telling me you got someone pregnant?"

"What? No!" I peered over my book to catch the mortified look on his face and laughed. I had only been 14 years old at the time, but he was in his prime teen years and had messed around with multiple girls from neighboring packs who swooned over him daily. Hunter shook his head as he leaned back in the rocking chair. "I was just thinking about all the good times we've had here. It's the only place we can escape the real world. I want the same for them too."

"Well, I'm sure my husband wouldn't mind it. Maybe our kids will be the way we are with each other when we bring them."

At the mention of a husband, sadness suddenly swept over Hunter's face, but as quick as it had been there, it was gone. I wasn't sure why that had happened then, and even at 19 I couldn't understand it. Even when I knew I loved him, I also knew he would never be anything more than my friend and protector. It was easier to just speak into existence what I knew would happen rather than what I had hoped would happen.

"I guess I probably shouldn't think too much about it now. We still have a good bit of life ahead of us before those days."

And with that, he walked into the house. For the rest of the night, he was oddly quiet and distant.

***

Later in the evening, I sit in the rocking chair on the back porch, wrapped up in a blanket as the sky morphs into a cool orange. Everything is silent aside from the crickets chirping in the distance, and the crisp air sinks into my lungs, making it easier to breathe. I close my eyes, soaking in the evening as I try not to think about the small argument with Hunter. Even though it was easy to be snarky with him, and even though I knew just what buttons to push with him, I still hated every fight we had. I wished we could have just one conversation where it doesn't end up in a fight.

"You should come in soon, it's cold out here and you'll get sick," His deep voice rumbles from behind, and I glance over my shoulder to see him leaning against the patio door frame. I hadn't heard him open the door or even step outside. I look at the sky again, clutching the blanket tighter around me. Hunter sighs before he sits in the rocking chair beside me. "Look, I'm sorry for lashing out on you earlier, it's just that--"

"It's okay, Hunter," I sneak a glance to find him already looking at me. I quickly look away again, standing to go back into the cottage. "You had a valid point with what you said. I'm sorry for prying."

I walk into the house and Hunter follows close behind. I drape the blanket over the couch before making my way to my parent's room, and Hunter stops at our room. "You're not sleeping in here?"

"I think I'd rather sleep in my parent's room. Like you said, we're safe here and Demetrius can't reach me, so I have nothing to worry about, right?"

If he has any reaction to what I said, he definitely doesn't show it. His face remains blank as he looks away from me and nods. "Right. Well, we should probably start training again tomorrow. It's better for us to be prepared when something happens. We both know this is only temporary."