Those In The Forest

Part 50: Ivy

The entire drive back to the trail was silent, apart from some snickering from Byrce, which confused me. She knows something about what just happened at that mall.

    "Reagan?" I tried through the bond but was met with more silence.

The bags she had from the mall were in the back, along with the duffle bag we got from the witch. With the backpack we had with us to carry our clothes and that stuff, I'm really confused about how we're getting all of this home.

Reagan can't carry all of this and hold on to us on our backs.

    "Why did you all let her approach you?!" Reagan asked angrily through the bind, yet her face was neutral.

          We all frowned, confused. "What do you mean let her? We couldn't really scare her off." I answered, confused.

          She scoffed but quickly covered it up with a cough so as to not alarm Bryce. "You told me that if humans roamed onto your land, you would kill them or wipe their memories."

          I need clarification about what this fact has to do with what just happened.

          "Did you want us to kill the girl in the middle of the mall?" Iris asked, genuinely wondering if that's what Reagan wanted.

          "I would have liked for her to have not thought you were approachable! She wanted you all. She was brave enough to try something with you." Reagan's breathing was picking up. "So yes, maybe part of me wanted you all to kill her. And her encouraging friends!"

          I looked at my mates, a sense of pride filling me. Reagan is possessive. I grinned. She's jealous. Ha! I didn't think that was possible.

          "She is nothing compared to you. I can assure you that she isn't even a second thought." Rose declared.

          Reagan clenched her fist in her lap.

          "She wanted you all." Reagan swallowed.

          "Yes, but you have us. We are yours, Reagan. That isn't going to change." Hazel said sternly.

          "Why am I taking you all back to the trail?" Byrce said before chuckling. "Don't want me to know where your girlfriends live, Reagan?" Byrce interrupted our conversation.

          Reagan forced out a laugh. "It's nothing like that. It's just I wanted to decompress before we went back to their place, and you know how much I like nature," she answered.

          Bryce nodded her head. "Gotcha. But I'll eventually be able to see, right?" she asked hopefully.

          "Sure," Reagan answered with a smile.

          That was unlikely, but we weren't going to say anything.

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One tense car ride later

We all got out of Byrce's car. Bruyce included.

          My mates and I were standing by the picnic table while Reagan was saying her goodbyes. We said ours when we got out of the car. Bryce wanted to hug all of us, and we let her. Reagan didn't seem to mind that she touched us.

          "Thank you for buying my stuff. I'll pay you back, I promise." Reagan said, letting Bryce go.

          Bryce threw her hand out. "Don't worry about it. Honestly, I'm shocked you even asked. You've never let me buy you things in the past."