Once Upon a Wolf

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

The next day wasn't that much different. Except for walking into Alice, locking lips with Brett in the library. I was looking for her all over the first floor of the lodge. It wasn't my fault I caught them nearly in the act.

"Hey, Zoey. Are you ready for the hike?" Alice said, still pulling down her top with redden cheeks.

"Yeah, sorry for barging in on you guys." I said, lowering my eyes.

"No worries. I'll be right back; I forgot my sunhat. Meet you guys outside." She reached up and kissed Brett on the cheek and ran past me in a rush.

I looked at Brett, who looked unmoved. "Hey, Brett." I greeted with an awkward wave. "I hear there's a breath-taking waterfall to look forward to at the end of our hike." I tried to initiate a conversation, to get to know him a little better. For Alice's sake, I wanted him to accept me and treat me like a human being, for crying out loud.

Brett walked slowly to me, his face stoic. He didn't respond, but exited the library, leaving me alone. I sighed. Oh, well, Alice couldn't say I tried.

My presence unsettled Brett. Whether we were eating at the dinner table, lounging in the living room, walking through the forest, or chilling on the deck. He kept grabbing Alice greedily. Like he was possessive of her when I was near. But so was I, dammit, and made my presence known at all times. Mostly to piss him off. What else could I do? I tried to speak with his sister, Willow, but she couped herself in her room. I could only take the twins' teases and endless questions in small doses, and there's no way of attempting a civil greeting without a blast of Savina's icy breeze. Nobody else talked to me. Besides, Alice always kept me in the loop, to his annoyance. Was he controlling or overprotective? That was still to be determined.

I tied the laces on my boot tighter as Alice and I stood at the entrance of the house. The leggings and tank top were perfect for the hike through the forest, Brett planned for Alice. Alice leaned casually against the railing, adjusting her floral scarf that wrapped neatly around her hair. The twins joined us after their jog. Both Zack and Mike were shirtless, their T-shirts dangled from the side of their shorts. Their chest glistening from beaded sweat. I didn't want to get distracted by their sculpted torsos and looked away — focusing on taming my hair by slipping on a cap.

We waited for Brett and another man I'd never met that would join us on the hike. I stood against the pole of the deck and observed the compound. The people roaming, going about their business like each of them had a specific role to do. They were all family or good friends. A little community of Brett's people. I hadn't noticed it before, but at the very far end, a group of men seemed to train — military style. I watched Brett's father scolding at one young man.

I breathed out and folded my arms. "What the heck is going on here?" Why would a few of the men train like they were in the marines? I wasn't sure whether to ask questions or just move the fuck on. I leaned towards the latter.

"You girls ready for the hike?" Mike asked, jumping on the deck with his twin following behind.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked. "You guys just came from a jog, and you still have energy for a hike?"

Zack laughed. "Yeah! That's child play for us."

"Excellent," I said, already huffing from the exertion and we didn't even start. "Is the hike grueling? Like, is it high up or something? Are we climbing up a mountain?"

"Nah, it's no biggie. It's just a little incline." Mike answered, and I nodded, breathing a sigh of relief.

Brett came out of the lodge and carried a backpack filled with refreshments. We all got ready and followed him into the forest. Once at the edge of the woods, another man joined us. He looked slightly older than Brett, with black curly hair that matched his dark eyes. He wore denim shorts and a T-shirt that fitted his well-formed body.