Once Upon a Wolf

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

The summer sun shone brightly over the lush green forest as we eagerly made our way through the winding trails. Alice and Willow's laughter echoed through the trees. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at them. Alice walked arm in arm with her newfound friend, most probably soon to be sister-in-law. I was stunned Willow joined us to hang out by the lake.

She never bothered with us until now.

Powerful arms jerked me up, shooting a throb down my poor ankle. "Hey!" I squealed, glaring at Zack, who won the arm-wrestling match against Mike to carry me up the forest to the mystery lake. "Take it easy, will ya?" I groaned as my arms clutched his muscular neck.

"Just take the pain. I can't help it if you're fragile as fuck," he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. "Bite me, Zack!"

"Well, I'd love to... you'll be a tasty snack," he smirked suggestively and eyed me curiously.

My eyes darted to the ground, my cheeks suddenly heating. Damn, these guys can flirt! "Whatever," I grumbled.

Mike glanced back at us and snickered as if he overheard Zack's toying remarks.

Zack laughed at my shyness. "C'mon, the lake will be fun. I'm sure you can take a dip."

I doubted that. "As long as it's not skinny dipping."

Zack raised a shameless brow. "But that's how I like it."

My cheeks turned rosy, and I hated it. "Hey, what were you guys up to last night?" I asked, remembering the commotion. "Why were you guys running up into the woods? Was there like... trouble or something?"

Zack shook his head. "We faced unwanted neighbors," he grimaced, and his frown turned into a charming smile. "Don't worry, we dealt with them."

They had neighbors? There weren't any other people for miles.

Brett and Clarke led the way through the forest trail. After a short hike, we emerged from the dense foliage and was greeted by a breath-taking sight—a picturesque lake nestled amidst the towering trees. The crystal-clear water sparkled in the warm sunlight. An invitation to dive in and escape the heat.

Alice couldn't contain her excitement as she hurriedly kicked off her shoes and raced towards the shore. "Come on, you guys! Let's jump in and cool off!" she exclaimed; her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Get your ass here, Brett!"

The corner of Brett's mouth hiked up as he pulled off his T-shirt, revealing perfectly sculptured abs, and jogged up. Alice hauled off her dress over her head, showing off her toned body in a bright pink bikini. Brett grabbed Alice and swung her roughly over his shoulder and jogged into the water, plunging them both beneath the surface.

Mike followed closely behind, his competitive nature kicking in. "Last one in sucks ass!" he shouted, challenging his twin brother and Clarke with a mischievous grin.

"Great, I'll just suck ass then," I griped, my words dripping with indifference.

Zack placed me down on a rock overlooking the lake. He tugged off his t-shirt and raced with Clarke, diving into the crystal water with a splash.

Willow had disappeared for a few seconds. She reappeared on a nearby rock, high above the water, shedding her clothes; her body looked like she belonged in Sports Illustrated with her blue bikini on. She leapt off the rock's edge and gracefully dived into the inviting water. Clarke followed, executing a perfect cannonball, causing water to spray in all directions, earning laughs from everyone all submerged in the glistening lake.