THE PACK

CHAPTER TWO

THE PACK

(Ava's POV)

The next day passed.

There were a lot of customers. I flinched at the sound of the doorbell ringing each time. I didn't expect to see his frightening golden eyes peering at me. He never appeared. I was relieved but also a little nervous.

The night arrived too soon. I finished work and changed, taking my jacket along. The hundred dollars was still in my wallet, making it feel so heavy.

“The old mill was four miles out of town, exactly where the reservation lands began. It's way back in the woods where nobody goes. I took the muddy shortcut. I didn't like walking alone at night, but I wanted to spend that money before I got too scared to meet him.”

The mill was cold. The structure was made of stone and wood. It really looked ancient. There was the smell of dampness and old objects.

“You’re late,” said the voice from the dark archway.

I froze in shock. My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t even seen him move.

Orion went out into the waning light. He was wearing dark and rough clothes. Now with the dark mill behind him, Orion seemed even larger. His dark beard stubble made him appear wild.

“I'm actually five minutes early,” I pointed out, pulling out my cell phone as evidence. “It just got dark earlier than I expected.”

He didn't look at the phone. He looked at me with his golden eyes. "At least, you came, though," he said.

“You paid,” I said, waving the hundred-dollar bill. “I’m your guide. But we’re not going deep into the woods. I need to be back by midnight.”

He took a deliberate step nearer. His scent, of stone and smoke, filled the tiny room. My head swirled. "No deep woods," he agreed, his tone low. "Just the edge. I have to find a trail to the White Pine clearing. It's been missing for years."

“I know it,” I whispered, stashing the cash away. “It's hidden behind the big rock near the creek. Why do you want to go there?”

“Not your business, Ava,” he said, his tone turning cold. “Your job is to lead me. We are walking now. Let us go!”

He turned and started towards the creek without delay. He moved with a stealthy strength.

“Wait!” I quickened, sliding on gravel beneath my feet. “If you know what clearing you're searching for, you wouldn't need a guide at all. You're an Alpha. You're supposed to have knowledge of these woods.”

He stopped and looked back at the trail. "The old trails are becoming forgotten. Humans built too close. The trails are mixed up now. I can sense your new trails, but not the old ones. I need a guide who follows the human trails to find the old trails."

I got what he meant. His familiarity with the woods was such that he found a trail. I started following the clearest route.

“Fine,” I said. “Follow me.”

I led the way directly to the creek. The temperature dropped.

“Why so many layers?” he asked from behind me.

“I want to be protected from the sun, because it's cold,” I replied, my eyes filled with worry and fatigue.

“It’s just perfect weather,” he snapped. “You are moving too fast. Slow down! We are not running.”

“You were running yesterday,” I reminded him. “Right into me.”

He was quiet. I knew that I shouldn’t upset him, but his demeanor was enough to make me stubborn about things.

There was a knock.

“I wasn't running,” he finally said. “I was tracking a scent.”

I looked back. His eyes were wide, his gold reflecting the light.

“What scent?” I asked, and I regretted it the moment the words came suddenly.

“Yours,” he stated gruffly. “You smell like a wildfire after a long winter. It's impossible to miss.”

My face began to burn with fear. I turned away and began walking faster. I could feel his warmth even though I was several feet away from him. I was embarrassed, excited, and scared.

“Well, I reek of cheap soap and stale coffee,” I grumbled.

“No,” he said. “You smell like trouble and loyalty. And something else that I don’t know how to define yet.”

We arrived at the creek. Water poured over dark rocks. The rocky wall I needed was before me—tall and filled with moss.

“It’s there,” I said, pointing to a small gap where the rock out cropped at the edge of the creek. “The trail begins there. Steep but brief. The clearing is at the summit.”

Orion did not watch the trail. His attention was fixed on the water. "How do we cross?"

"You step on the big flat stones," I said. "It's a bit tricky. That requires balance,"

He looked from the water to me. “You go first.”

“No,” I said. “You're bigger. You can step over. I'll probably fall.”

He gave a brief, humorless laugh. “I could jump across, Ava. But I need to see how you do it. I need to see you focus on a hard task instead, dear. Just do it.”

I glared. He was doing it again—turning an ordinary task into something weird and completely personal.

“Just balance,” I whimpered to myself, stepping onto the first wet stone.

I moved carefully, trying out each stone with my foot. Water swirled under me. I was completely focusing, worried about falling and hitting my head against a tree branch.

Then, right in the middle of the creek, I slipped. It was not that serious, but was enough to make me fall to the ground. I gasped, waving my arms. I had just begun to fall when a large, warm hand caught my waist.

Orion appeared right alongside me, his long legs crossed across two stones. “You're trying,” he said, as blunt as ever. “But you're not balancing at all. You're just thick like a tree.” His hand was burning against the hem of my shirt.

“It's scary…” I grunted, feeling frightened, holding my chest so tightly.

“Careful,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. “Focus. If you lose focus, you lose your footing…”

Suddenly, something caught my dress and I was about to fall. I screamed. “Alpha…!”