Once Upon a Wolf

Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31

Maddox

For a good hour, Zoey and I strolled through sprawling woodland and rugged terrain. I taught her how the forest, teeming with towering trees, thick undergrowth, and a variety of wildlife, created a vibrant ecosystem that supported the pack's every need from medicine to food.

Next, I showed her the pack's hunting territory where we pursued our prey. It held plenty of deer, elk, or wild boar. Zoey grimaced at the fact, mumbling about how she killed a rabbit on her first shift. I couldn't help but admire her from the corner of my eye, watching her secretly in fixation as she soaked up our surroundings with her curious hazel eyes that competed with nature itself.

My eyes trailed the landscape below down at the narrow river traveling north. Zoey and I stood side by side atop of the great hill. We rested at the stop I treasured best on the pack grounds.

It felt nice being next to Zoey, this close to her. But something still felt unreal. And unease crept within.

Zoey traced the path of the river with her finger, her lips moved silently. Words I wish I could decipher. What was she thinking? I would've killed a hundred rogues to untangle it that it suddenly annoyed the fuck out of me.

"This is my favorite place to stop from time to time," I said as my gaze travelled to the pack grounds nestled in the corner. "At times it gets too much and if I want to be alone, I come here and think, away from the wolves. It's silent here and still. I like that. To be near or gaze at water." I admitted, surprising myself.

She looked at me, her eyes stunned, as if she couldn't believe I divulged something personal to her. "Really?" she smiled, the corners of her lips curling upwards into a soft smile. "I understand why you like it so. The view is breath-taking. The sound of nature is very calming, too." She sighed gently and turned to me. "Especially the river, I've never been so close to one back home. I've never been in nature like this before, being a city girl. I was surrounded by nothing but concrete and buildings compared to this vastness. I should feel like I could get lost in it all, but somehow, I don't. It's like breathing fresh air for the first time, unlike back at home — it was stifling, you know."

My eyes dropped to the river again. I nodded dimly, captivated by the way her words appeared to mirror my own thoughts. Her presence droned, enveloping me in its charged embrace.

Her gaze wandered to the sky. The faint moon gazing down on us even during broad daylight. "It's like my story is still being written and I don't know how it's going to end. But I feel it's going to surprise me." I could feel her trepidation mixed with fear and anxiousness. A restlessness, I too, suffered.

I felt an overwhelming urge to reach out to her, to bridge the gap between her and me that seemed to widen with each passing second. Unknowingly, I took a step closer, my gaze meeting hers in an unspoken exchange that carried a weight beyond mere words.

"There's something I need to confess," I began, my voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes widened slightly, reflecting the vulnerability of my declaration of her as my mate. For a moment, the sounds of the rustling leaves and the gentle murmur of the river seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the palpable tension between us.

I thought she felt, too. 

But she blinked away and rubbed her cheek, shrinking her eyes in thought. "Thank you for teaching me about your pack. And bringing me to your favorite spot," she said awkwardly. "It seems your brothers likes it up here, too."

I blinked. "What?"

Zoey nodded innocently. "I've been here a few days ago."

"Who brought you?" My voice tightening.