Those In The Forest

Part 43: Iris

We all looked at Hazel with shocked expressions, and from the way she kept her eyes pinned to the ground, she was just as shocked as us that she even said it.

          All of us knew she was hiding her feelings for us. I thought we silently agreed to just keep it to ourselves, though. It was the best thing to do. So we don't overbear her with our feelings and make her run away.

          I'm not mad at Hazel, and I know she meant well. All of this is getting to her just as it is for us all. I just wish she would have gone about what she said differently. A better time would have also been really great.

          Hazel didn't look up from the ground, and I don't think she ever is going to.

          Looking back at Reagan, she had a pained smile on her face. She tilted her head to the side, glaring at Hazel. That smile held nothing but danger.

          Reagan's entire body shook when she laughed.

          Oh fuck!

         "Excuse me?" Reagan asked so calmly. Her tone did not match the evil look in her eyes. That smile, paired with those frustrated eyes, meant nothing but danger and hurt feelings.

          This was not about to go well.

          We all sat frozen, waiting to see if Hazel would repeat herself. I could hear her heart racing, yet Reagans was perfectly fine. She was perfectly calm.

          I have been with three women, and I have been at the end of many arguments and fights. Silence is never good for an argument, but a perfectly calm mate is deadly. There was one time Ivy got mad at us, and she walked around the house as if nothing was wrong. It was the worst week of my life.

          It resulted in all of us yelling and growling at each other at the end if the week. It was a mess. Our Elders and Alphas didn't even know where to start to help us.

          Hazel gulped.

          "Reagan, she didn't mean it like that." Rose tried to defend Hazel, but it went unheard.

          "Repeat. Yourself." Reagan kept her gaze on Hazel, not even bothering to look at us.

          Hazel pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked up at Reagan.

          "I didn't mean it in a bad way... I just... I want you to be honest with us." Hazel said quietly.

          We all did, but this is not how we were going to go about it.

          Reagan huffed out another laugh, narrowing her eyes at all of us. "I was honest. I told you I was falling for you all. That's a bigger step than when I just kept it to myself." she started panting. "I could have lied, I could have said I have no feelings, but I pushed past my own obstacles and t-told you all..." I watched as her jaw clenched. Her once bright blue eyes glazed over with tears.

          No.

         "We have opened up to you so much. We have verbally said that we love you without hesitation. Why is it so hard for you to do the same?" Hazel asked carefully.

          As much as I cringed at her asking, I kind of wanted to know the answer as well.

          "Why do I have to say the word love?! You know how I feel! I have said many times how I like being here, how I liked sleeping with you, both sexually and actually sleeping. I said I was getting comfortable here. All of that is my way of saying I lo... those things are my way of saying my feelings run deeper than just liking you all." Reagan clenched her fists together.