Chapter 15
My heartbeat pounds in my ears. I try to ignore the pain as my feet crunch every stick and rock in my path. I hate being barefooted, and this cements the thought. I’m afraid to even look at the damage I withstand running in the wilderness of this godforsaken island. Freddy’s warning repeats over and over again. I thought we’d be running from something else, but the terrifying noises echoing behind us come from him in his monstrous, mutated form.
A snarl sends goosebumps over my skin. I jerk my head and look behind us, catching sight of the familiar grey wolf with the blue eyes. I expect it to chase us, but it turns and jumps on top of Freddy, burying its teeth in Freddy’s monstrous, cocked neck. He thrashes and bites the air, his fangs glistening even without the sun shining high overhead. It’s dim in this part of the forest. The thick trees above us only allow a smattering of sunbeams to pepper the ground like starbursts.
“You’re slowing down. Hustle, Sasha.” Breck yanks me with him, heading toward the path we’ve broken that should take us back to the beach.
A whistle rings over my gasping breath, and a tall, muscular figure steps from the trees. My heart skips a beat at the sight of Dante. I wasn’t sure he’d be back or why he comes now. Maybe to call his pet off.
I nearly crash into Breck as he cuts me off, blocking me from Dante. I automatically whip my head to look behind me, more concerned about the monster Freddy turns into and the wolf. Neither sneaks up on us. The wolf no longer snarls by Freddy.
Shit. Where the fuck is... oh, God. Freddy’s contorted body lies motionless on the ground. He’s dead.
“Stay the hell back,” Breck snaps, fisting his hands.
“I’m not going to hurt you, but someone else might. Come this way. I’ll help you up. You need to be quiet. They’re spreading out for one more sweep. If they catch you, you’re as good as dead.” Dante waved his hand at me. “You could end up like the unworthy one.”
Breck halts and tries to push me behind him. “Who the fuck—”
I dodge around him and head toward Dante, my fear ignited by the collection of animal noises growing in volume. “It’s okay, Breck. He won’t hurt us. I’ve met him.”
If snarls didn’t bounce off the trees in a discordant song, Breck might argue with me. Instead, he rushes beside me and follows Dante’s instruction, pushing me up into the tree. Dante helps Breck next, and the two of us sit on the highest branch we can before they thin out and grow too weak to support our weight.
“Don’t worry about your group. They are being guarded. It’s who lurks in the forest you must be worried about until we get them off our territory. You wandered too far upstream, Sasha. Next time, go the opposite direction, but don’t pass the moon boulder. You’ll know what I mean when you see it. Now, be quiet until I return. Not a sound. The unworthy one already drew enough attention as it is.” Dante gives me an intense look and then spins and runs away out of view, not waiting for me to reply.
So many questions flit through my mind. Like what is a moon boulder? Whose territory? Are we on someone’s property and not an actual deserted island? And the others? Jesus. He’s been watching us. I know he has. Whatever is going on here isn’t good. It’s lethal. Brutal. And I’m not so sure any of us are going to survive, even if we manage to keep food and water and shelter. There are far worse things on this island.
“Come here. I’ll stabilize us. Just hold onto me,” Breck whispers, wrapping his arm around my waist.
I bob my head and tuck my body into his side, trying not to think about the drop down to the ground below. Climbing up wasn’t a problem, but now that I’m here, perched on a branch that scratches my ass, clinging to Breck... fuck. How are we getting down? What if I fall?
I inhale slow, deep breaths, trying to keep my body from trembling. I expect Breck to say something, but he remains silent. It’s harder than I realized it would be. I fidget, wiggling my toes and fingers. If I shift too much, the branch will creak and give us away. Stupid anxiety. The bitch needs to leave me alone. I want nothing more than to distract myself by speaking what’s on my mind to Breck. I can tell he’s now suspicious because I said I knew Dante, and he needs to know it’s nothing like he could think.
Hours feel like they pass, and I listen to the sounds of the forest. Not a single wolf howls, and thankfully, I don’t hear any human screams. Breck gently rubs his hand up and down my side, the sensation helping to keep me calm. Maybe it helps him stay calm as well. As worried as I am about what goes on in his head, the small gesture eases my nerves a bit. He wouldn’t be silently affectionate if he already distrusts me. I have hope that he’ll hear me out and let me speak without jumping to conclusions.
I snuggle closer, breathing in the scent of Breck’s skin. He smells of citronella and seawater, the fragrance strangely comforting. The heat of his body combats the cool shade blocking the sun, and I meet his hazel eyes. He studies my face, his eyes drinking me in, shifting to glance at my mouth. My anxiety shifts into something lighter yet more intense. His attraction to me is more obvious than ever as we stare at each other in silence. It’s not uncomfortable or awkward, but more as if we need this time to familiarize ourselves with each other. We have to survive this together after all.
Branches snap below us, and I hold my breath, digging my fingers into Breck’s bare hip. His muscles ripple as he flexes in anticipation. If I can hear his heart, others might. I hate this. I hate how vulnerable I feel. How shitty this situation is.
“Sasha, it’s me.” Dante steps into view below. “Jump and I’ll catch you.”
Breck stops me, tightening his arms. Leaning in, he whispers, “I’ll go first and make sure it’s really safe.”
I slowly nod my head. I trust Breck more than I do Dante. Even though Dante gave me a bag of supplies, he still seems to be part of this mess. He doesn’t have to worry about wolves or dying. He’s just... I don’t even know.
Dante realizes that I’m not going to just throw myself from the spot and trust that he’ll catch me. He crosses his arms over his chest, never taking his eyes off me. So I return the favor. As Breck shifts around me and lowers himself to dangle from the branch, I lock my eyes on Dante, silently making myself clear that I’m not going to comply just because he acts like he’s helping. Raising an eyebrow, he refuses to release me from our staring contest even with Breck dropping to his feet.
I refuse to break first, memorizing him as if my life depends on knowing every detail of his body. He’s handsome in a wild way, his hair a mess of wavy strands and his face scruffy with at least a week-old beard. And his eyes? They’re still the most mesmerizing color I’ve ever seen. The blue is nearly ethereal, glowing in the shadows as if something lights them from within.
It’s in this moment I realize something. No, it can’t be. There’s no way that his eyes match his pet wolf’s. Right? I’ll have to see them side-by-side... which I never have.
I push the thought away as Breck extends his arms out to me, wiggling his fingers. I gather the courage to abandon the branch. I carefully lower myself, trying not to think about the fact that both men get a personal view of my vagina and ass as I squat to dangle from the branch. I place my feet on the one below and use the side of the trunk to steady myself. Being naked and unfamiliar with someone is awkward as hell. This is relationship-status closeness. Maybe medical professional or waxer.
Regardless, I’d prefer not to give a sexy man this view unless we’re going to sleep together, and I’ve had time to prepare.
“You can just jump from there. I’ll catch you.” Breck stands below me, his flexing form daring Dante to try to intervene.
I tip my chin to my chest and look at both of them. Breck stares into my eyes, his gaze unwavering. Dante, on the other hand, blatantly memorizes every inch of me, his attraction clear with the arousal of his body. Tingles burst through me, my excitement over his reaction surprising me. I never thought I’d like being stared at in such a way.