Chapter 6
EMMA.
It’s as though time stills as we make eye contact, Will remaining by the door without fully entering yet.
I’m still gripping onto the edge of the towel, paralyzed and startled by his presence. It’s only when Will clears his throat that my brain clicks and starts functioning again.
Blush spreads to my cheeks as I quickly turn to the side, and wrap the towel around my front, the sound of my heartbeats echoing across the surrounding space.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my Fucking Goddess.
I take several exhales, unsure of what to do and fidgeting on my feet. When I hear nothing from him, I turn back and he’s still standing by the door, his eyes on me and his expression unreadable.
I didn’t… I thought I didn’t think anyone would… I um… what can I do for you?” I bite down on my tongue after speaking, mentally chiding myself for stammering like a fool.
“I apologize. I should have knocked.” When Will opens his mouth, the words flow smoothly and his voice is composed- nowhere near the stuttering mess mine is
“No, it’s okay. It’s my fault. I should have, um..“I can barely hear myself over the loud thumps of my heart and I bring my hands to my chest, my fingers sliding over the rim of the towel. “I should have locked the door.”
“You should continue.” Without leaving room for another response, he disappears just as quickly as he appeared and I rush to the door after I hear it shut, I click on the lock and let out a breath of relief before pressing back against the wood.
I up my head and shut my eyes as 1 gently knock my skull repeatedly against the door. “Such a fool.”
Why was he here? Did he want something?
I open my eyes and walk to the mirror. I open the towel and let it fall to my feet before staring down at my body.
Will had just seen me naked–not fully, but it might have well been.
Did he take a peek! Did his eyes wander? Was he astonished? He barely reacted. Or maybe he wasn’t moved by what he saw. He likely didn’t find me attractive.
I stare back into the mirror and let my eyes roam down my body. I trace my hands across my chest before moving them downwards and I hiss when I notice the pubic hair growing,
Dread fills me at the thought of Will taking notice of it. He couldn’t have, right? It’s just a bit of hair and he was standing by the door.
Did he?
“God!” I fall back into the bed and press my face into the pillow, letting it muffle my scream of embarrassment. Somehow, the annoyance that my stepbrother might have noticed my pubic hair grows stronger than the shame I should feel from my stepbrother seeing my entire front body naked and my shower is long forgotten as I squirm on the bed.
I’m walking down the hallway when I notice the strange quietness and vacancy in the pack house compared to last night when
I first arrived. I’ve been in my room the entire day with no idea what’s going on in the outside world.
My brows furrow as I walk through the front door and see groups of people walking towards a line.
Oh Are they going for a pack run!
My gaze glides across unfamiliar faces and I smile when I see one I’m familiar with. She’s standing with another I do not recognize as I walk up to them and I gently tap her shoulder.
Nina turns her body in my direction and stares me down, before holding my gaze and I grin. “Hey! Remember me? I’m your
Chapter 6
stepsister. I just got here last night and was thinking I should see you-
“So?” she cuts in before I can finish and I lift a brow. “Uh?”
“So what if you got here yesterday?” She crosses her arms over her chest, staring me down with a condescending look that takes me aback, and I look between her and the girl standing next to her as I chuckle awkwardly. “Nothing. I just thought—1 thought I’d say hi. We are stepsisters after all.”
“I’m not interested.” She mutters with a wave of her hand, her voice sounding just as annoyed as she looks. “Try to keep your distance, yeah?” She turns away and her friend laughs with a shake of her head before following behind her while I remain still, perplexed by her attitude.
What was that? We weren’t tight before I left, but she never spoke to me that way.
“Boo!” My pondering over Nina is distracted by the startling sound and I flinch a bit as Ryan steps next to me. He flashes me his familiar bright smile as he pushes his hands into his pant pockets. “Hey, you. Haven’t seen you since last night. Did you intentionally disappear or something
“Yes–no um. What’s happening? Why’s everyone gathering?
JOh, we’re going for a pack run.” He confirms my earlier guess, and I nod. Ryan takes a step back and cocks his head. “How old are you now?”
I narrow my eyes. “Seventeen. Why?”
“So you don’t have your wolf yet. Thought you’d be able to run with us. Or maybe I can just ask Will if you can-” “No!” I attempt to cover his mouth when I realize he’d call Will, but I’m not sharp enough and he turns too fast. Without giving it much thought, I curl and hide myself behind Ryan
if she can–Emma?” I lift my head and Ryan is staring down at me strangely, “What are you doing?” “Nothing. You just don’t have to… I don’t want to go on a pack run. It’s stupid without a wolf.”
ant Will to see
“Really?” He raises a brow and smirks. “That’s all? You’re sure you just didn’t want
to see you?”
I blink twice before raising my voice slightly. “What? Of course not! Why’d you think that? Why wouldn’t I want him to?” Small laughs leave my mouth as I rise back to my feet and Ryan nods his head, looking unconvinced. “Right. Did something happen between you two?”
“Why’d you think that? My heart picks a race and I fold my hands together, flexing my fingers back as I stare at everywhere but Ryan’s eyes.
“You’re acting weird and I tend to be observant.”
“Nothing did!” I insist, in a firmer tone, and when I look into Ryan’s eyes again, they’re narrowed at me. There’s a thickness in the air between us as I try not to falter under his examining gaze and a few minutes pass before he laughs “Alright. I’ll drop it then. I have to run now, though. They’re leaving. You sure you want to stay?”
“I just have a solo normal run,” I tell him and he pats my shoulder. He winks and throws me another smile before he turns and jogs away, his blond head quickly disappearing amongst the crowd.
I stand and watch as they all shift, the sight of tall and strong wolves sending a chill down my spine as I envision one of them would be me in just a few months. I don’t see Will shift since he’s certainly leading the run as the Alpha, but they soon dash forward, the sound of their paws against the ground booming through the air as they race into the forest.
When there’s no longer a single wolf in sight, I throw my hood over my head and start running. I jog into the forest, and the scent of the leaves mixed with the air that caresses my face as the wind blows past brings a smile to my face. I can see the paw prints of the pack along the path I take and I can hear their howls in the distance, too.
It feels as though I’m part of them in a way, and the feeling in my chest warms my heart.
I dash through the woods, fast on my feet and a laugh escapes my throat when the leaves slap against my face as I slide between two trees. The sound of my laugh echoes into the distance, and I haven’t felt this way in a… I haven’t felt this way unce that one night I snuck out with Violet–so free and feeling like the burdens of the world aren’t resting entirely on my shoulders.
10:04 PM
Chapter 6
1 grin harder and move my hand to my hood. I’m pushing it back when something suddenly slams into n me hard and a scream tears from my lips as I’m sent flying in the air before my back thrusts into a tree and my body drops to the ground with a thud
1 hiss at the sharp pain that’s instantly sent down my back. Despite the pain, I attempt to stand, but I’m unable to. Instead, a cry is what leaves my mouth as I hear a bone crack.
A tear rolls down my cheek and I shift my legs forward. The ache that travels through every inch of my body becomes the
my worries when what hit me appears before me–the wolf standing tall and baring its fangs, dribbling with saliva at
least of
me
A gasp of fear leaves my parted lips when it starts to run towards me while I remain with my back to the tree, paralyzed.
