Forest Deep

Chapter 4

I woke up at sunset and luckily my family was still sleeping. I quietly changed into different clothes. I grabbed a piece of paper and began writing.

Dear Mother & Edgar,

      I am going into the forbidden forest. Don't come after me or send a search party. I will return, i'm not sure when but I promise i will. I love you all but i need to go and find the one i love. I hope you understand.

With lots of love,

   Your son, Ethan

       I left the note on the kitchen counter and put on my winter sweater. After quietly sneaking out, I walked to the edge of the forest. It's now or never i thought. My heart was racing as i took a step closer in. Doubt began to settle in. Maybe, i should turn around. But my 'mate' is somewhere in there and soul-mate are suppose to be together or so i think. I took a step and another and another. I was fully inside the forbidden forest. Unsure of what way to go, i looked to the sky. I saw a familiar cloud of smoke. I followed the trail of smoke, making sure i didn't run into and trees or branches.

The trail of smoke disappeared. I sighed and looked around. I lost completely lost without the smoke. I looked at the sky again; but no luck. Sighing again, i began to wander around. I can't believe I came in here. What if I never find Evelyn? What if i get eaten by a vicious bear or attacked by an eagle. Ok, it's winter but it's possible. 

"Ethan! What are you doing in here?" Asked a very angry Evelyn Walker. She nearly gave me a heart attack when she spoke from behind me. I turned around and gave her a weak smile.

"I had to be with you. Your note said that we were mates and aren't soulmates suppose to be together until the end of the world?" I asked. She looked lost at words before nodding at me. I took a step closer to her. "If we are mates, I want to be here, with you. Even if it means, living with a bunch of wolves in the forbidden forest." I said teasingly. She gave me a heart-warming smile.

"You're an idiot for coming in here but it's the most romantic thing anyone has done for me. Ethan, you don't understand the problem here. I'm a soon to be Alpha, and if my father finds out i found my mate, he'll think you will ruin all my training. You should go back." She said, her smile turning in a frown.

"You don't want me to go. You want me here with you. I want to be here with you. Please Eve, let me stay and prove that i won't be a distraction from your training." I begged. She looked at my pleading face. She sighed before nodding. Smiling, I pulled her into my arms. I hugged her tightly, letting the tingles feel right in place. She hugged me back before slipping through my arms. She held my hand as she pulled me through the forest. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"You want to stay, you must meet the Alpha, my father." I gulped. Meeting her father was definitely something i forgot. Would be rip me to pieces with his bear hands? I am his daughter's mate, but then again, i don't think he wanted her to find her mate. "Your hand is tensing. Relax, I'll be by your side. Nothing bad will happen." She said. I relax but only by a little bit. I was more than nervous to meet her father. I knew only what i heard from him. 

We reached a rather large cottage. It looked like it could hold up to five families. Eve opened the door to the cottage and pulled me in. Little kids were running down stairs, shhing each other. Further in, i smelled french onion soup being made. Eve pulled me away from the kitchen and towards a living space. A bunch of teenage people were sitting on couches, some studying, other talking. They stared at us then looked away once Eve glanced at them.

"Dead man walking." A boy said to another. The other boy snickered and nodded. A few girls gave Eve envious glares or congratulating smiles. Once we passed through there, we ended up at a oak wood door. Eve gently knocked on the door before entering. I stood at the entrance, not sure if i should go on in with here. Eve tugged hard on my arm, making me stumble inside.

"Father, I brought home a special guest." Eve spoke softly to the man sitting at the desk. The back of his chair was facing us. He was staring out a window, at the vast open forest. 

"I know. Those teenage girls have to many emotions at one time. I could hear their whispers loud and clear." He said gruffly. He turned his chair to face us. He stared at me, and gave me an overlook glance. "You're Ethan Winter. Edna Winter's son, correct?" He asked. I looked at him shocked to know he knew that. I nodded and he grinned. 

Eve spoke up. "Father, Ethan says he would like to stay and fulfill the things a true mate would without being a distraction to my Alpha training." Her father glanced at her before turning to me again.

"Very well. Show him to the guest cottage closest to yours. Have a nice day Ethan. Hope to see you at dinner." He said before turning around. Eve tugged on my arm and we walked out of the office. She breathed in like she hadn't been breathing. 

"He was being nice because i was there. He will eventually want a one on one meeting and i have no idea what will happened but he won't hurt you." She said.

All confidence i had was lost when she said that. My face paled and my hands shook lightly. He might not hurt me, but that doesn't mean he won't scare me to the point I wet my pants.

"C'mon, let's meet the pack." She said, pulling me towards the living room we passed through earlier. The teenagers were still there chatting until we walked in, hand in hand. They clapped like seals in a circus. Eve glared at them, but it didn't stop the blush crawl upon her cheeks.

"So dead man survived for now." Spoke a teen boy who looked about the age 15. He had messy brown hair with matching brown eyes. He had a average stature but was shorter than me. 

"Shut up Stewart. Leave the love-birds alone." Said a freckled red-haired girl. She looked mature for a 15 or 16 year old. She wore thick black glasses, that framed her face like her curly red hair. She had a similar pair of blue eyes like my Eve's eyes.

"Russia, It's okay. Stewart is just being Stewart." Eve said to the red-haired girl. "Pack this is Ethan Winter, my mate." She introduced me. I waved at them. A bunch of them waved back.

"Anyways I'm going to show Ethan around. Behave while I'm gone." Eve said in an authoritative tone, which sounds completely sexy coming from her. Eve led me out of the cottage.

"They seemed nice." I said. Eve shrugged as if she wasn't interested. She looked around and tugged me back towards the door.

"You haven't met me sugar, and I promise you, I don't seem so nice." A teen with blond hair around her shoulders and villainous green eyes came from the forest. She reminded me of May, but her voice had a southern accent.

"Veronica, stop with the scene and head inside. You shouldn't be out, in the woods unless you have someone with you or my father's approval." Eve glared at the girl. The girl laughed wickedly.

"Oh lighten up Evelyn. I'm just havin' fun." She said, but Eve still glared. Eventually the glaring stopped, and the other girl went inside. I looked at Evelyn sighing, and looking up towards the sky as an answer would drop from the sky. 

"I'm sorry about her. She is my half-sister, Veronica.  She is very disobedient." Eve apologized on her behalf.

"It's alright." I said. "Weren't you suppose to show me to my room?" Eve smiled and nodded. She walked behind the cottage, where dozens of mini cottages stood.

We walked to the second cottage on the right. "This will be your cottage. It's small but has the necessities." She said. I smiled and opened the door. I let her enter first.

I looked around. A small bed next to a small window. A small desk with a dresser next to it. She was right  but I liked it and I told her that. She smiled.

"I'm glad you like it. Dinner time will be at six. You'll hear the howl." She said. "I must go. I have practice. I'll see you at dinner." She started to leave, but I grabbed her hand before she left. I kissed her cheek, which made her blush furiously.

"Good luck with practice." I whispered. She nodded and left.

I decided to unpack the little belongings I had. Soon after I heard a howl and my heart rose to my throat. I stood at the open, my hand stopping at the knob, frozen with fear. I grabbed the knob and twisted it slowly, waiting for my distant future to approach.