The girls announced our arrival just as I was waking up. A smile played on my lips. Once more, the wolf haunted my dreams. I couldn’t get it out of my head.
My heart pounded with excitement, but it wasn’t about the vacation.
A man was staring at me when I opened my eyes. His eyes, a deep hazel, held flecks of gold, and I noticed the rough texture of his stubble against his tanned skin.
A surge of electricity coursed through me, making my body hum. He stood there, frozen, as if he was as taken aback as I was. I blinked a few times, wondering if I was dreaming, then swallowed.
A burning dryness scraped my throat, leaving me parched and desperate for water. I tore my gaze away from him, the intensity of our moment lingering, and grabbed the water bottle next to me.
I felt a change in the air as he moved next to me; a subtle shift in temperature, and a pressure against my skin. Giggles erupted from the others as they emerged, and I decided to stretch my stiff legs before we continued.
As I exited, the others were staring, mouths agape, at the strikingly handsome stranger. The water, cool and refreshing, slid down my throat, and I let out a relieved groan as the dryness disappeared.
“Oh, you are alive.” Tammy chuckled, sashaying over to me. She was putting on a show for the man, who was still staring at me. She tossed her hair and bit her lip.
With a dramatic roll of my eyes, I couldn’t help but notice the man’s smirk. A sudden rush of excitement and an intense, burning desire consumed me completely.
I tried to suppress any reaction, but crossing my legs didn’t help.
“Linda should have given you a map. If you follow this main road up and take the fourth track on your right-hand side, it will lead you to your cabin,” the man finally said, his chest rising and falling.
“It is clearly signed. If you have any problems while you are here, there is a phone in the cabin, and you will be able to reach someone anytime.” He blinked, and I saw a flash of amber in his eyes.
A jolt shot through me. What the hell was that?
“Thank you,” Bella said, beaming at him. But he didn’t look away from me, and I felt a growing heat between my legs. “Come on, let’s go.” Everyone piled back into the car.
I was about to get in when a hand landed on mine.
“Don’t go wandering off the tracks when you are here.” He was so close I could feel his breath on my face. I was sure I had a mini orgasm as his fingers brushed over my hand.
“Oh.” It was more of a gasp than anything, and I thought I heard him growl.
He leaned in to speak to the others. “There may be wild animals, especially at night.” He straightened up, his eyes locking onto mine.
“You wouldn’t want to be ravished by a wild beast now, would you?” he murmured, his words seeming to be meant for me. He released my hand and held the door open for me.
The girls were chattering about the plans. Lost in his gaze, I felt a strange pull, as if his eyes held a hidden story waiting to be told. Bella started the car, the engine rumbled to life, and I quickly shut my door.
He stepped back, and I watched him fade into the distance as Bella sped off. Why did he have such an impact on me? It wasn’t just his words; it was the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel, that no one else had ever achieved before. I might be only 19, but I’m not completely naive about guys.
“Wow, he was hot. Do you think he runs the place?” Tammy giggled.
“He seemed to know where we were going,” Bella said, keeping her eyes on the road.
We passed the first exit on the right. “He said the fourth exit, didn’t he?” Bella glanced at us in the rearview mirror.
“Yes, the fourth exit,” I murmured, his words still echoing in my ear.
I closed my eyes, picturing his hands gliding across my skin, his touch sending delightful shivers all through my body as his fingertips teased my nipples.
“Ah!” A chorus of terrified screams erupted from the girls as Bella stomped on the brakes, the car’s tires emitting a heart-stopping screech.
“Holy shit! Did you see that?” Cassie clung to the dashboard.
“Yeah, that was definitely a wolf.” Bella put a hand over her heart. “Do you think we’ll be safe here?” She turned to look at us.
“The guy said to stick to the tracks; if it was a wolf, then I’m sure it was just crossing the road to go somewhere.” The idea of wolves nearby didn’t faze me. In fact, this one excited me for some reason.
“Oh, so you were listening to him, not just eye-fucking him!” Tammy snapped at me, and I bristled at her insinuation.
Did she think every guy would fall for her? Cassie was way prettier, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
We were good friends, but as we grew older, Tammy seemed to think she was superior. She was the first to kiss a guy, the first to lose her virginity to Leo Huck, the guy everyone wanted.
It didn’t last, but afterward Tammy acted like she was the queen bee.
“Shut it, Tammy, just because the guy didn’t show you any interest. It doesn’t mean you can lash out at Alice.” Bella’s voice rang out from the front.
I loved Bella. She was outspoken and never held back. The car fell silent. “We are here.” Bella turned onto a gravel track.
A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a beautiful cabin.
Tammy stormed out of the car, slamming the door behind her. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, don’t be so childish.” Bella hopped out and followed Tammy, her heels crunching against the gravel.
Cassie and I decided to let them sort it out. We all knew Tammy was a drama queen at times. She’d cool down soon enough and things would go back to normal. We began unloading the bags from the trunk, hauling them towards the cabin.
“We should get all the food and drinks inside.”
Cassie was the one to unlock the door, Bella having tossed her the key before chasing after Tammy.
“Didn’t that guy warn us about straying from the main paths?” I bit my lower lip, the image of his face popping into my mind, stirring up the same thrill I’d felt earlier.
“Ugh, Tammy can be such a drama queen when she’s upset.” Cassie rolled her eyes, and we both shared a laugh.
“I’m going to whip up some pasta for us. I’m starving.” She moved around the kitchen with ease, gathering the ingredients she needed.
I finished unloading the car, deciding that Bella and Tammy could bunk together while Cassie and I took the other room.
Both rooms boasted beautifully carved wooden beds with plush mattresses, each one larger than a standard single bed.
Before long, Bella and Tammy returned. I breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing we needed was a disaster within our first hour here.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”
Tammy approached me, wrapping me in a hug, which I returned.
“We’re here to have a good time. This is our last hurrah before we all head off to different colleges. I’m sorry, he was cute, and he was clearly into you. I got jealous.” She planted a kiss on my now-flushed cheek.
“Do you think he was into me? It was such a brief encounter,” I mused, not usually one to feel confident around guys.
“He couldn’t take his eyes off you. I swear, at one point, I thought he was going to lean in and kiss you.”
Tammy giggled, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. We were back to normal.
“I put your bags in that room over there,” I pointed to the room on the left. “You should check out the beds.”
The stairs and railings were all intricately hand carved. Bella and Tammy scampered off to inspect their room, and I went to see if Cassie needed any help.
She was like the mother of the group. Steam rose from one pot, carrying the rich aroma of simmering sauce, as she stirred another. I opened a nearby window. The vibrant green of the trees, and the dappled sunlight which filtered through the leaves, stole my breath away.
It was stunning here. Peaceful, calming.
Then movement caught my eye. In the distance, within the shadows of the trees. A gray wolf stood there. Did it want me to see it?
Was this the same wolf from earlier?
Out of the window, I saw a pair of eyes staring back at me - dark amber eyes that seemed to hold a depth of emotion that I couldn’t quite understand. His gaze pierced my soul? The wolf’s presence captivated me, an irresistible force pulled me closer, and I was determined to get near him, no matter the cost. I just had to, I had to find out what this was all about.
