Chapter 7
Exhausted, I leaned back against the trunk of a large tree and slid down until I my bottom settled on the cold, damp ground. After crossing my arms over my knees I buried my face and sobbed. I was too tired to move, so I couldn’t run anymore no matter how hard I tried. Not only was I lost in the woods, but was about to become dinner for a crazed animal as well, and I was helpless to do anything about it.
I heard a twig snap close by, but didn’t bother to raise my head. What was the point, I was probably going to die anyway.
“Genevieve…why are you crying?”
I knew that voice by the way my heart skipped a beat. Before I looked up, I tried to wipe my face clean. “What…where did you come from?” I asked, barely able to breathe, let alone speak. He reached down, gently pulling me to my feet. He smelled like heaven and cookies. I closed my eyes inhaling deeply, as if I could suck in his smell and keep it with me forever.
“I came out here to…you know…relieve myself and I heard someone crying,” he said, sounding embarrassed.
Even though I couldn’t really see his face, I figured it had to be red. “I’ve been lost out here. I went for a walk and then it got so dark and I couldn’t find my way back.” I rambled. “Did you hear the growling?”
“Huh?” He held his hand on the small of my back as we headed back up the path.
“I was being chased by wolves or rabid dogs or something. Just before you found me I heard snarling and wild growls, like they were fighting over which one was going to eat me. Then there was all this yelping like something chased them off. And then you showed up.”
He laughed heartily. It was the sexiest laugh I had ever heard.“Oh, Genevieve. You do have a vivid imagination.”
“I’m serious. I know what I heard.” I folded my arms tightly across my chest, and stopped walking. “You think I’m making it up!” I furrowed my brow.
He had taken a few extra steps before stopping, which made him a few feet further in front of me. I heard another low growl close behind me.”Shh! Did you hear that?” I whispered, while frantically glancing around. “They’re following me. I think they want to…kill me.”
He never said if he heard it or not, but I figured he had by the way he grabbed my hand and hurried toward the open field at the end of the path.
His features stiffened to a painful mask. “Your face is bleeding,” he said, sounding like he was holding his breath. I gave him an awkward glance, and his expression softened. The back of his fingers gently brushed across my cheek. I was so entranced by him that I had forgotten all about being scratched. He walked me to a car parked close to my Jeep. A beautiful brand new black BMW. The same car I had seen at my house the day he and his father came over.
He pushed a button on the remote and the trunk popped open. My eyes were glued to him as I watched him open a bottle of water and pour it over a clean folded shirt, he then dabbed it so tenderly against my face. “There you go. All better.” He said quietly and his lips curved upward forming the most angel-like smile I’d ever seen.
“Thank you, William.” We stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like hours. I wanted him to wrap me in a kiss and never let go. It was like he read my mind. He slowly began to move closer. Just as our lips were about to touch I heard Luna’s voice.
“There you are.” Luna shot William a skeptical look, then smiled at me. “I see why you got separated from us.” She tilted her head to one side and furrowed her brow. “What happened?” Luna asked, tracing her finger gently along the scratches on my face.
“Oh, that. I scratched it on a branch or something in the woods.” I covered my cheek with my hand.
“Four times?” Luna glared at William when she asked.
“Don’t look at me! I found her that way.” William scoffed, and walked away. I watched after him until he disappeared inside the cave.
“Thanks for running him off, Luna. I really like him, but now I’ll be lucky if he talks to me again.” I dropped my shoulders and sighed heavily.
“Sorry, Gen,” Luna said, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. “I don’t trust him. He’s too…too, pretty!”
I smiled. “Oh my God, I know, right? And, he smells like sandalwood and cookies.” They laughed simultaneously.
Luna looped her arm through mine, and started pulling me in the direction of the cave. “Come on. He’s not going anywhere as long as you’re here.”
When Luna and I re-entered the cave, there were twice as many people sitting around the fire than before, and Miss Baylor was telling a story that seemed to have everyone’s undivided attention. William stood across the room, staring a hole right through me, and I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, like he could read my thoughts and knew how badly I wanted him close to me. At the same moment I was thinking that, I gave him a sidelong glance, and he made a poor attempt to hide his grin.
Miss Baylor chanted something in a language I didn’t understand while sprinkling herbs or something into the fire. I was beginning to wonder just what I had gotten myself into. For all I knew, I could be in the middle of a satanic ritual. I giggled silently at the outrageous thought. After Miss Baylor circled the fire she resumed her seat among us and began telling a story.
“Some believe the Adlet wolf is nothing more than a myth. But as natives of Alaska we know this to be a lie. Many generations back there was an Adlet queen. She bore a female child… a princess. And this daughter had a daughter, and so on.” She peered intently at each one of the students as she spoke.
“Is this supposed to be a ghost story or what?” I whispered in Luna’s ear. Luna seemed to be entranced by Miss Baylor’s story and without taking her eyes off her, she just put her finger to her lips signaling me to be quiet and listen. Sitting on the dirt floor, I sighed, propping my chin in my hands and stared into the fire only half listening.
“Then evil came upon the tribe and killed many, including the Adlet princess…or so they thought. The tribes-people that were spared told a story of a woman returning years later and telling them that one day a princess would come and unite the different tribes. She said only then would the wolves, Lycan, and blood drinkers live together in peace.”
“Really? I’m sitting here on a Friday night listening to this crap? What does this story have to do with anything?” I mumbled and started to get up, but Luna pulled me back down.
“You have to stay or you’ll break the circle.” Luna scoffed. Some of the students heard us whispering and glowered at me. “This is our heritage,” Luna whispered. “Just listen.”
Miss Baylor stood and scooped some powder out of a pouch that hung around her waist, and tossed it into the fire. Sparks of every color floated up into the air as she started chanting.
“I invite the princess of the Adlet wolf to join me in spiritual union. She is the tenth of the tenth consecutive daughters. On this night the moon will start out white, but when she rises to take the throne, the moon will bleed and become solid red. Come. Give the blessing and show me your mark. If she is one upon us let the fire turn dark.”
Miss Baylor stopped, immediately the fire went completely out, and the room turned pitch black for several seconds. I heard whispers in the dark, then the fire promptly roared back to life. At first, I thought it was just some kind of joke until I looked at Miss Baylor’s face. All her color had drained. Her face was as white as snow and she appeared to be in shock.