Are we out of the woods?

Chapter Six

SORRY SORRY SORRY! I'm studying for my finals and don't have much time to write. Thank you so much for your patience and for all the votes! After my exam session in June I hope to update chapters quicker. Hope you enjoy this!

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Weeks had past and the green leaves of the forest had turned into piles of mud at the feet of the trees. Most of the animals had gone into hibernation, leaving the woods quiet and empty. The wind had become colder, especially the one coming from the north, where the mountains had already turned white as snow fell over them.

Taylor looked at the icy peaks from the rock she was sitting on. Her chin resting on her knees as the cold wind blew through her blonde hair and through the light wolf fur she was wearing that day.

There was her home, or at least what she had called home for most of her life. There where the mountains met the valley and where the forest started.

She could still remember the summers she had spent there, picking berries with her mother and running barefoot in the cold rivers that slid down from the mountain sides.

But those were all the good memories she had.

The rest of her memories were filled with cold, with leaving the fresh air on the mountains to move into the woods, hiding in caves and restlessly crying for hunger. And with West, with West and his burning eyes which never seemed to leave her. And then fear, rage and a constant feeling of powerlessness. The closer memories, the ones of her mother's screams and calls for help that where still vivid in her mind.

The girl puffed, her breath visible in the cold air of the morning.

West was gone from her life now, miles away from her and believing her dead. But sometimes she still felt as his eyes were still on her.

The girl hugged her legs tighter, hiding her nose behind her knees to shield it from the cold.

"Ready?" came a voice from behind her.

Taylor turned smiling at the woman walking towards her.

Amber's hair was let down framing her face, and some locks fell in front of her eyes. She wore a brown fur similar to the one Taylor was wearing, and she carried a duff bag over her shoulder. As usual her free hand was on her visible baby bump, protecting hers and Cara's pup.

"Ready!" replied Taylor jumping down from her rock hearing the frozen grass crack under her feet.

"But ready for what exactly?" she asked scratching the back of her head.

Amber had invited her the night before, during the bonfire, but had been really mysterious about it, only telling her to wait close to the camp border an hour after sunrise.

"Hot springs!" replied the pregnant omega, joyfully throwing the duff bag at the girl's feet.

"It's a couple hours walk so I brought water," she explained before starting to tie her long hair into a braid exposing the mating mark on her neck.

Taylor felt a sting of jealousy hit her. She knew it was too soon for even talking about mating marks with Karlie. They had known each other for just a little over a month, yet she couldn't help but imagine what it would have been like to be truly hers. Having Karlie's mark over her neck, showing who she belonged too. And her scent always with her putting every other alpha who dared to woo her in place.

Taylor braided her hair too and hauled the duff bag over her shoulder. Better her than the six months pregnant woman.

A cold gust of wind sent shivers down her spine, maybe a nice warm swim in the hot springs wasn't that bad of an idea.