Chapter 23

I line up the vegetables, eggs, and bacon. It wasn't an ideal dinner, but it was something. This is barely anything. I look out the window and stare out into the woods. Maybe I could find something out there? I quickly diminish the idea when I get a creepy vibe. I'm not in the mood for breakfast, but we weren't going to encounter a fast food drive-through or a restaurant any time soon during our drive back.

I get to cooking and play my offline playlist. Time flies by when you're signing your heart out in the middle of nowhere. I quickly finish the breakfast-dinner. I put the guys' food in the microwave and left it there while awaiting their return. The sun has barely set, and I know that they will be out there for a while. I groan from boredom. I walk out of the cabin and to the edge of the woods. I feel something calling me. I can't hear anything. I can only feel it in my stomach. Half of me wants to explore, but the other half is telling me to stay far away. I decide I don't need the trouble and walk the edge of the border.

I don't last long with the infinite amount of bugs. At this point, it's dusk, and they still aren't back. I jump when I hear a few dishes rattle. I check it out and see nothing wrong. I get goosebumps on my arms. A chair scrapes the ground, and I whip my head around. What the hell? You've got to be kidding me. The curtains shut, and the cabinets bang. I run out of the house and stop in the middle of the field between the house and the woods. Great, the cabin is haunted, and the woods are creepy. I can't stay out here with these bugs. I'm not built for this kind of life.

Saiya would love it out here. I slap my forearm and flick the squashed mosquito off my hand. I make the executive decision to run back into the house. I'd rather deal with a spirit than those gigantic, mutated bugs. I rattle the doorknob, quickly discovering that it's locked. You've got to be kidding me. I walk around the cabin but don't spot another entrance. I try the windows, but those are locked as well. I worriedly look around and notice the absence of the bugs. I walk around, but still can't find a single bug. I'd be happy about the fact if I didn't just see a few million of them. Of course, there weren't that many, but it felt like it. I feel a chilling breeze pass me by. Between my white v-neck dress shirt, waist-high black bell bottoms, and heels that definitely weren't made for this kind of terrain or the outdoors in general, I wasn't cold, but I wasn't comfortable either.

A mysterious gust swings me into the woods. Without any control of my body or movements, whoever is controlling me narrowly misses the many trees. I try to let out a scream to soothe my pacing heart, but nothing comes out. I give up, hold my breath, and close my eyes. I'm seated nicely on what feels like a log. I don't know until I open my eyes. I'm right. It's a clearing in the woods. I hear chattering around me.

"Who is there?" I ask the one question that gets everybody killed in horror movies. Rustling comes from the bushes, and I tense up. To my surprise, an elf-looking thing emerges from the bushes. Its height is around that of a five-year-old. Her long blonde hair falls in waves onto the ground. Her blonde hair is so light that it's almost white. Her red eyes are a direct contrast to her stature. Her eyes hold mischief, yet her body movements are shy. I keep my guard up. "What are you?" She asks me. "I should be asking you that," I quip. She chuckles, but it isn't as innocent and cute as she appears.

"Are you a half-breed?" She slowly approaches me, looking more confident in her actions. "No, I'm human. 100% human," I clarify. "Wait, why would you think otherwise?" I ask her. She stops midway. She's silent for a moment. Right when I'm about to ask her to speak up, she talks. "You reek of werewolves. I can smell Trevor on you, but the other scent isn't familiar to me. I figured it would be yours," I slowly nod my head in understanding, still not trusting her. "Right, well, can you open the cabin door and fly me back or something?" She cocks a brow.

"I brought you here for a reason. At first, I perceived you as a threat, but plans have changed now that I know you're a human. You're hanging around supernaturals now. You need to learn a bit about the environment you're going to find yourself in. I'm here to teach you about pixies, fairies, elves, nymphs, etc."

"Why would you want to help me? You don't know me,"

"Ignorance is not bliss in this world. I'm here to make sure you understand the boundaries that these woods set. The boundaries that we forest creatures set. If you don't adhere to our rules, we're going to be forced to take action against you. Since Trevor clearly trusts you enough to let you in, I'm assuming that I can do the same. Don't make me regret it," I slowly nod my head, not knowing where this is going. "What's your name?" I ask the elvish creature. Her smile sends chills down my spine. "I'm Nymphia. I watch over this section of the forest." This section? There's more of them? Of course, there are. "I'm Soren. It was really nice to meet you, but I should start heading back." I turn on my heels to find myself in front of Nymphia again. I try again, but the same thing happens. "Trippy, isn't it?" She smirks. "You can't leave unless I allow you to. If you try, you will be in an endless loop and wind up in the same spot. We're doing this on my terms. I have no intention of harming you. I want to get you more in tune with nature. I'll lead you around the forest."

I can't believe that I've come all this way to be forced into a tour of the forest by a pocket-sized elf. I don't say anything. I'm clearly doing this tour whether I like it or not. A few mushroom-looking things come out of the bushes. Their heads glow and they're smaller than Nymphia. A few dogs follow, but they don't look like regular dogs. Their bodies are made up of vines and petals. "These mushrooms are a species called Funaligua and these wolves are a species of Lupis Corolla." I give them a slight wave.

Little did I know that those would be the most normal species in the entire forest. Nymphia took me on a flight through the forest. I was flown into lakes, taken through open plains, visited multiple creatures, and flew with the birds. The creatures were magical but the bugs were not. It was fun, but I'd never do it again. I am not a nature person and I barely remember half of the names.

Nymphia sets me down on the porch. I'm dry now, but I stink. She takes her cheeky smile into the forest and I tiredly walk through the door and plop on a chair. At this point it's dark and the sun has set. Not much later, the boys walk through the door. I don't lift my head to see them knowing that they're naked. I feel a tap on my shoulder and see Jason above me with a fat grin. I can't find the energy in me to return the smile. "I'm assuming that it went well." He sits on the chair opposite of me. "I've never felt so free. I usually feel trapped when I'm in my wolf form and out of control. It didn't feel that way at all. I could've kept running until morning." His face reminds me of a kid who got the toy of his dreams. It's cute.

"I'm glad that you had fun. There's food in the microwave," He gets up and walks into the kitchen. I move myself onto one of the counter stools. "None of this would have been possible without you. I can't thank you enough," he walks towards me and lifts me out of my seat. He suddenly twirls me around and engulfs me in a bear-crushing hug. He kisses the top of my head. He slightly pulls away but leaves his hands wrapped around my waist. "Did you go out into the forest? I didn't take you as the type?" He says as he sniffs me. I pinch his nose. "You'd be correct in both of your assessments. I was forced to be 'in tune' with nature by a creepy elf. I let go of his nose. He cocks his eyebrow expecting me to elaborate.

"Oh, you must have met Nymphia. She can be a handful and very spiteful, but when she's in a good mood she's usually playful. I have her to thank for taking me in and allowing me to live out here. There's a shower down the hallway, but I don't have any clothes for you. Women don't usually come around these parts." Fucking fantastic. "We can stop by a store on our way up," Jason suggests. "We have to leave extremely early if you're going to be on time to meet Saiya. There won't be any stores open. I'll just tie up one of your shirts and hike up some shorts. "

Jason stares at me before connecting our heads. "I'm really sorry that this sucks for you," I take a moment to find my breath. Jason has never looked so happy. His beauty at the moment is overwhelming. I look away and feel a blush creep onto my face. "This isn't for me. Just enjoy yourself." I look at him and cup his face. "This trip is for you and only you. Don't worry about me." His expression shows how thankful he is.

He sticks his head in the crook of my neck. I slightly tense up but breathe through the sensitivity. "Is this like a wolf thing?" I ask Trevor who is currently looking at us with a smirk. "It is a 'wolf thing,' " he quotes. "Wolves are very touchy creatures. Touch is our love language. It's how we show affection and appreciation. Mates will put their heads in the crook of their respective partner's neck to inhale their scent. It calms them down, reassures that their mate is okay, and it makes them feel nice."

Ah, that's why he is smirking. I feel something soft brush against my leg and instinctively flinch. I look down to see a…wolf tail. I turn my head and feel ears brush against my cheek. "That's…new," I say, referring to the giant ears and tail protruding out of Jason's skull and tailbone. His ears perk and his tail wags. I can't help my erratic heartbeat. It's so damn cute! "You and Saiya's scent do calm me down." Are we going to ignore the fact that he has a tail and ears without being completely transformed? "The ears and tail are new. It shows that he is more in tune with his wolf. It proves they can coexist, but he still can't control when it happens. He and his wolf are too erratic for the human world right now. But I trust that you'll take care of it," he winks at me. I roll my eyes.

"Can I…touch them," Jason stares at me for a moment. "Is that also a werewolf thing?" I tilt my around Jason to see Trevor. "No, he's just weird," I can't help but laugh. Jason's ears go straight and his eyes focus on me. "Okay, this is getting weird," I tell him. Suddenly, he drops his head. I take it as a sign. I hesitantly pet his head. Am I doing this right? Is there a specific way to do this? Noticing my apprehension, Jason pushes his head into my hand. He rubs his head along my palm. Ironically, it was almost cat-like. I relax and scratch his ears. At some point, I forget that I'm petting Jason and not a dog. I start to scratch his head and rub his ears. A growl rumbles in his chest but I don't stop. Somehow I know that he's not telling me to stop.

Before I know what I'm doing my lips connect with his forehead. I wrap my hands around his head. Suddenly, Jason lifts me by my waist. My knees are lifted to his stomach. His eyes shine golden. I can feel Jason's breath brush against my cheek. We're unbearably close. "Sorry, you're just so darn cute like this," I smile. I'm soon befuddled when Jason flashes me the best smile I've seen on him yet. I think I might have had a heart attack.

"Holy shit," I subconsciously say. His smile is like a ray of sunshine in a snowstorm or a drop of water in a desert. His eyes slowly start to revert to his dark blue hue. "You think I'm cute?" His boyish grin makes my stomach do a flip. "Um," I try to search for words. "Don't take this and run with it," I say, almost breathless. "I'll sprint with it," his eyes mischievously shine.

"Oh my god, I need to take a shower." I desperately try to crawl out of this situation. I try to scramble out of Jason's grasp, but he won't let me off so easily. "What's wrong?" His smile drops and he looks at me with genuine concern. I hear a hardy laugh erupt from Trevor. I hate feeling like this. Like a teenage girl with a crush.

"What's up with the golden eyes?" I ask Trevor so that I don't have to fumble an answer to Jason's question. He catches onto what I am doing as he gives me a dubious look. "Well, gold eyes mean that one's wolf is active. It means they're currently running purely on their primal instincts. It happens when they're mad, playful, or…attracted." I don't like how Trevor says the last part.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what he's trying to point out, but I play stupid anyway because I cannot afford to divulge the thought of Jason being attracted to me. "If you didn't like what I was doing, you should have told me," I wack Jason upside his head.

He sets me down on my feet but still doesn't remove his hands. "I did like it. It felt nice," he says with an irritated face, his reaction to me slapping him across the head. "Oh, so you lifted me because you were being playful," I desperately scramble for a way out of this. "I guess? I don't really know why I did that," He rubs the spot on his head where I slapped him. "Don't be such a baby. You can handle a love tap across the head," Jason gives me an incredulous look. "Love tap? Are you insane, woman?" Did I really hit him that hard?

I shrug my shoulders. I'm about to leave for the bathroom, but much to my detest, Trevor speaks up. "You lifted her up because your wolf fancies her. We wolves don't let just anybody pet us, much less bow our heads. We're prideful creatures with a hierarchy. It isn't an alpha's nature to submit. When they do, it's a sign of respect and affection. And since our wolves bounce off our energy and are our most primal instinct, that means that you feel the same way."

Trevor innocently smiles as if he doesn't know what he just did. Jason looks at me and tilts his head in thought. "Damn straight you respect me. I'd have to give you many more love taps if you didn't." I say as if it's the most obvious thing. In truth, I'm avoiding the second half of Trevor's sentence. Jason smiles at me. He cups my face and kisses my forehead. The way he touches me is so tender. It has a way of making one feel special. "There's never been a single doubt in my mind about my respect for you. Even when you did annoy me with your presence," I frown at the last part of his sentence. "I'm going to take a shower," I say through a groan. "The towels are in the hallway closet!" Trevor shouts. I put a thumbs up to let him know I understood.

—

I relish the hot water. Dry river water mixed with plants wasn't my best smell. I can't help my mind as it traces back to what Trevor said. I shake the thought out of my head. Jason doesn't know what he's feeling half of the time. But Trevor said he was acting on primal instinct. A voice in the back of my head says. I turn my head and bang my head on the wall. Ouch. Snap out of it, Soren. He's marrying your sister. He said that Saiya makes him feel calm as well. You're not special. I shut the water off. I dry myself with the towel and then wrap it around my body. I open the door and almost run into Trevor, but he catches me.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were going to walk out. I wasn't focusing on your footsteps," I wave him off. "You're fine it's my-," I quickly cut myself off. My eyes bulge. "Wait, what did you just say about my footsteps?" Trevor looks confused. "I can hear your footsteps. By listening to them I know where you are and where you're going."

"Because you're a werewolf," he looks at me as if I'm crazy. "Did you bang your head in there?"

"Yes," I don't provide him any more context as I speed walk to the guest bedroom. Jason is walking towards the door when I open it. I quickly shut it behind me. "Sorry, I was going to leave before you got in here," he says but I don't care. "You're a werewolf," he gives me the same look that Trevor did a few seconds ago. "Yes?"

"You're a fucking werewolf!" I scream this time. Jason starts to treat me like a wild animal as he cautiously steps away from me. How fucking ironic. "Is the shock hitting you? I thought that we had gotten past this after I tried to kill you," I'm going to be the one doing the hunting this time. "You can hear every step that I make! When we were living together at Saiya's house and had so many awkward bathroom encounters, you knew I was coming."

Realization hits Jason. It isn't long before a smirk creeps up his face. "Ah, right," The only emotion that can explain how I'm feeling right now is absolute vexation. "You asshole! Why didn't you do something?!" My fingers bend in anger as I shout at him. He puts his hands out in a defensive manner which only makes me angrier. "In my defense, most of those 'awkward bathroom encounters,' were because of your very brash decisions. You didn't exactly give me time to react." What a lousy ass defense!

"What about when I came out of the shower and bumped into you?" I stomp angrily towards him. "Now, that could've been avoided. I was just being a dick. But when you suddenly barged in to get your underwear or to brush your teeth, I really couldn't react fast enough. You make a lot of split-second decisions." It pissed me off to know that he was being honest and to accept the fact that most of my embarrassment was my own fault.

"Wait…oh my god. You have night vision. So, when you caught me practically naked in the dark," The realization horrifies me. I can't help but brush past him and slump on the bed. He winces at my comment. I hide my face with my hands. "You saw my breasts," I say defeated. "I heard you go in the bathroom, but you left the door open. I didn't expect you to be stripping with the door open," Did I really leave the door open? Am I that much of an idiot? "So, when you said you saw plenty when we were leaving work after that morning, you were being serious,"

Jason fumbles over his words. Out of nowhere, I start to laugh. Oh my god. I really am an idiot. Why did it even take me this long? I continue to laugh and fall back on the bed. When I open my eyes, I see Jason staring at me as if I am crazy. I've been getting that stare a lot today. "Well, I didn't really see your nipples…if that helps," I laugh harder and shake my head. "It doesn't, but thank you for trying. I forgot how much of an asshole you can be. You've been moderately tame so far. Did you actually hate me during that time?" My laughter dies down. He chuckles. "Of course, I didn't. We had misconceptions of each other. You weren't my favorite person but that doesn't mean I hated you,". I make a 'hm' sound. "And what about now," I turn my head to look at him, but he's already looking at me. "Now, I fancy you," he smirks. I lightly chuckle. "What am I going to do with you? I can't work with you and see you at every family dinner for the rest of my life,"

"Well, according to your family, you don't show up to them anyway," he winks. I playfully punch his arm. I sit up and stand. "Go to sleep early. We have to leave really early for Saiya," I remind him. "I can't wait to spend forever with her," he says. His lovesick look makes me sick. "May I ask you what's so special about my sister?"

Jason is clearly stunned by the question. He's had some time to ponder over it since Hayley put him on the spot at dinner. "She makes me feel like it's okay to be me. She's the sweetest person I've met and her love for family is unrivaled. She's the kind of person who puts 100% effort into everything she does. She tries her best for people even if it burns her out. She's very open with me and knows what I'm thinking and how to cheer me up. Her mere presence makes my day better and instantly puts a smile on my face. She's tender and loving. She takes herself out of her comfort zone to please me even when I don't ask. She's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with."

His lovesick look never fades. His love for Saiya is apparent. "You should tell her that. She really needs to hear it. I'm happy that she has found someone to love her like you do." Jason stands from the bed and opens the door. "I'm the one who is lucky. Goodnight, Soren," I smile and shut the door behind him. I put on Jason's shirt since it's smaller than Trevor's and hike up Trevor's shorts. It still sags and barely fits me, but it'll have to do.

I tie Jason's shirt up in the front and make a bow. I lay under the covers and think about Jason's words. A pang hits my heart and my mark starts to burn. I hold in my groans, not wanting company from either one of the guys. The pain brings tears to my eyes, but what I can't figure out is why my heart is hurting more than my neck.