Chapter 23
Days passed while I was restricted to the confines of the village. Each day lasted longer and longer. The first night, I slept in the middle cot with Marek and Julien on either side of me. The second, Jax had pulled his bedding in after we had all fallen asleep and set up his bed on the floor by my feet.
They were my entourage of protection and I couldn’t tell if Grayson was the main enemy, or Dominic.
Dominic remained by himself as the others became accustomed to my company. I was given chores and included when preparing meals. The bruises on my body faded and the pain along with them.
The injuries the others had sustained vanished within the first day, making me jealous of my slow-healing human body. I was forbidden to leave base unless Dominic granted permission and I was accompanied, usually by Marek.
Marek took me to a nearby river once a day so I could bathe and wash my clothes. He never once peeked as I undressed and washed. I was starting to let my guard down, starting to trust them and let them in. There had been no sightings of Grayson and at the end of the first week, only Dominic left to search for him.
I fell into a routine with the others. We each had our tasks to do plus free time for whatever we pleased.
Julien wrote his poetry. When he was afraid to use too much of his paper he would read it to me instead. He told me that even if I didn’t remember, the words were in the air like spirits in the end.
Jax had his carvings. Whether he was whittling weapons or tools for the village, his hands were always busy. Something told me he wouldn’t be too pleasant without that hobby, his personality was too jittery, like he always needed movement even when he sat still.
Marek was my favorite to learn about, his personality was so opposite of his looks. Except when it came to patrolling, which he did often, he was a builder. He was the one who perfected the adobe huts and the one who stretched the pelts onto the mattress frames.
With his strength came his tenderness, he was the most sensitive of the bunch. At night we would sit by the fire, telling stories and if one was too sad, he would begin to cry. He felt deeply for every soul he came across and had too many stories of war and chaos. Where others were hardened by their experiences, he was softened.
Into the second week, Dominic started to lighten up a bit. It was hard not to when you were surrounded by such upbeat characters. Jax had a habit of bringing animals home that he caught in the wilderness. They attached themselves to him and he wanted to keep them as pets.
Dominic would forbid it while holding back smiles and Marek would set them free, claiming it was cruel to keep them from their home. Every mouse, bunny, and bird brought to the village was a dramatic argument between the men on whether it should be kept or not. I giggled every time.
Julien and I grew the closest as our conversations often went on for hours. His soul was so beautiful to me that my crush for him turned deeper as the days on the island continued.
One morning I woke and stretched in my cot before looking over to see Julien absent from beside me. Sitting up, I saw Marek and Jax were still fast asleep. I crawled from the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping dogs, and pulled a blanket over my shoulders.
Outside, I saw him having a hushed argument with Dominic. The sun had just barely risen, giving the morning a fresh feeling. Dominic saw me first and Julien turned to see my presence. Dominic nodded to him and they separated.
"I was just coming to wake you," he stated as he approached.
"Good news, I’m going to take you to the beach today."
The thought of going to the beach woke me up faster than any cup of coffee would. I hadn’t seen it in weeks and there was a constant call to it. The village kept me busy but I felt like a trapped cat who longed to run through the grass again.
"The last time I left base with you, things didn’t go so well." I told him, warily.
He held his hands up defensively. "This time is different, I set it up. It’s not too far, we’ll be back before any trouble starts. I just thought you might enjoy it. So, what do you say? Will you join me for a picnic on the beach?"
It felt like he was asking me on a date, his grim was wide and adorable. Even if I hadn’t had feelings for him, I couldn’t say no to that face. Agreeing, we gathered everything we would need and basically skipped our way down the path.
My heart raced with every step away from the fortress, freedom tasting different in the salty air. I held hands with Julien who looked just as happy as me, though for different reasons.
The trail to the nearest beach was different from the ones I’d previously been on and we made it in less than half an hour. Upon exiting the treeline, I let go of Julien and ran for the ocean water. As soon as my legs kicked into the oncoming waves, I squealed with delight.
The farther I went, the better I felt. Once the waves reached my waist, I splashed the warm water over my chest. I could feel the energy each crashing wave generated, a charge like seconds before a lightning strike.
With eyes closed, I raised my cheeks towards the rising sun, feeling its warmth as it kissed my skin. Julien joined me in the water, taking my hand as he reached my side. I looked to him with a grateful smile but his looks grew concerned.
"Rebel, are you ok?" He asked slowly.
"Of course, why?"
His hand fell from mine and he took a step back in the water. "You’re eyes, they’re...brighter."
I looked down into the water that reflected the bright color back to me and understood his concern. He was remembering the blast that knocked him out of his wolf form and wasn’t sure if I would do it again.
"Let’s get back to shore," he offered, apprehension in his voice. I nodded and turned towards the beach.
He didn’t touch me again until we were sitting side by side in the sand. His hand wrapped around mine and settled in my lap. He handed out the jerky and wine while we watched the waves crashing before us.
"I could sit here all day watching the sea with you." I told him, taking a sip from my wooden chalice.
He smiled in return, shyness touching the corners of his eyes.
"I’m happy to hear that. There’s been something I’ve been wanting to tell you."
My heart didn’t race, it fell into my stomach. I could feel the words on the tip of his tongue, the silence full with his unspoken words.
"I really like you, Rebel Sterling."
It was simple, to the point, and he said it with a skittish smile. I had expected something sweet and dripping with romance but he seemed almost...afraid.
His hand trembled and I was touched to my core. Here was a man who has killed before, who was banished by his own family, who turns into a freaking werewolf. Yet I was what scared him?
He let go of my hand and turned to his satchel. My palm was damp with nervous sweat and I wasn’t sure if it was mine or his.
When he turned back, he produced the most beautiful single purple flower, its petals falling dramatically around a yellow center. Smiling, he tucked it behind my ear before leaning closer.
My heart was beating fast now, like it was going to leap from my chest. I concentrated on his lips as they moved closer. Everything around me turned into static and he was the only thing I could see. The sun touched his skin so deliciously, I wondered how warm his skin would be on mine.
He hovered close, waiting for me to respond. His gentleman nature was asking permission before proceeding and I closed my eyes, pushing myself up to meet him halfway. When his lips matched into mine, it felt like a perfect fit.
His kiss was so warm and soft and better than anything I had experienced before. I had daydreamed about my first kiss, usually with celebrities, but my feelings for Julien made it better than I could have imagined.
He pulled away, leaving me wanting more. I sat back in awe at my first kiss, hoping he would do it again but happy with how it ended.
I giggled, unable to hold back my giddiness any longer. He looked surprised at first then joined in with the sweetest laughter my ears had ever had the pleasure of hearing.
We sat with each other for a while longer before packing up to leave. Dominic was sure to be panicking at my extended absence and Julien had promised he would have me back. I wished we could stay on this beach forever and I paused at the edge of the treeline to take it in one more time before heading back to base.
Julien waited for me and I took in a deep, salty breath of air through my nose and closed my eyes to absorb as much as I could.
The feeling became apparent then, subtle at first but then heavy as I recognized the feel of it.
My eyes popped open and I looked around. I could feel Grayson’s eyes on me. How long had he been watching us? Did he see our kiss? Was he going to try and take me, or let me go?
I turned to Julien, a concerned look on my face. I took his hand in mine, ready to run back to our base.