Chapter 5 - Keeping secrets.

Libby POV

I have to think on my feet, as much as I like Ben, I’m not ready for my past to return to me.

Even talking about it brings back flashbacks of that lake house…

“I witnessed a man shift in front of me.” This isn’t entirely untrue, a big black wolf did shift the first time I was chased by werewolves. The naked delicious man is who I often dream about.

“Fuck! That must have scared the shit out of you.”

“You could say that.”

“He let you go?” Ben presses further.

It was unheard of for werewolves to shift in front of humans. But I was on the run back then and had been cornered.

I didn’t know about the werewolf world back then, that fateful night giving me a crash course.

“Not exactly…”

I don’t elaborate further, I wasn’t let go…but escaped in the most horrific of circumstances.

“Who are you and Beth running from?” I ask Ben, keen to move the topic off me.

“What makes you think we are running?” He quirks an eyebrow at me. I thought I knew Ben and Beth, but all this time they had their own secrets. Their own reasons for being on this remote farm.

I just hope I haven’t misjudged their characters which I have been known to do so in the past.

“There’s only one reason wolves leave their packs…to become rogues. So who are you running from?”

His eyes flash to the compact corridor behind me, where Beth is still recovering.

“Hhmm you are well informed. I’m running from my stepfather.”

“Why?”

“He was trying to earmark Beth to marry his brother.”

“I’m hoping a younger brother?”

“Not by much…50. I couldn’t just standby and watch her marry him. I’ve already lost my mother to my stepfather, I couldn’t lose my sister.”

There’s a sadness in his tone, also laced with guilt and regret.

Beth was only 14. Bloody hell, I can see why he did what he had to do.

“So who are you running from?”

“Me?”

“Humans runaway too…” He shrugs his shoulders, before finishing his hot drink and placing the mug back on the table.

I was starting to feel uncomfortable with his questions. He was well within his right to ask them, hadn’t I just been doing the same.

But now I was starting to worry that I was being too oversharing.

“Libby, I would never tell a soul what you are telling me. I think everyone here has that unspoken common ground of keeping off the radar. Why else would we be working cash in hand and doing hard labour. But I can tell you are worrying, let’s talk about something else…”

We talk about silly things, giggling about what the group of illegals must be really up to. We pass the time watching films on the television both taking it in turns to check on Beth.

By 10pm I’m exhausted, my eyes struggle to remain open and my body starts to get cold from the lack of insulation in these caravans.

“You’re freezing.” Ben’s hand touches my forehead which makes him flinch back slightly.

“It’s the caravan.”

“Here, I’m always warm.”

He wasn’t wrong and I could have groaned with pleasure as he pulls me to him, his skin acting as an instant radiator.

“Why were you in the woods?” He asks me, as I sleepily place my head against his shoulder. My toes curling with joy as I can start to feel them again. They must have been almost blue.

“I was just walking, you?”

“We need to let our wolves out every so often. We came back from town early hoping the nearby lands would be empty.”

“I can stand guard, or watch Beth if you ever want to let your wolf out.” My sleepy voice offers with a yawn. His warmth was better than a hot water bottle.

“Thanks Libby, I might just take you up on that.”

I feel him reach forward and pick up the blanket that was laying on my small coffee table. He places it on me just as my body gives in to the call to sleep.

….

I wake up to laughter.

My eyes snapping open, a noise I wasn’t used to in my caravan.

My neck was aching and it only takes me a few seconds to remember I fell asleep on Ben’s shoulder, having not made it to my own bed.

“Morning.” I didn’t realise how angelic her voice was, having only heard her cries of pain yesterday afternoon.

“Beth…you’re awake. How do you feel?”

“Much better thanks, my leg is healed. I hope you don’t mind, I was so hot in the night I turned off your fan heater.”

“Not at all.” I smile as I stretch my arms above my head, straightening my back out. I feel like I have slept in a heated blanket all night. My body actually feels warm for once.

“What time is it?”

“8am”

Shit. I’ve overslept, the bitter cold not waking me before my alarm clock for once.

“Don’t worry I’ve fed the animals for the morning, even made sure Anwir had some eggs for breakfast but he seems to have pulled an all nighter.” Ben gives me a look.

“Really?”

“Yes, I knocked but there was no answer on his caravan.”

“I think you were knocking on the wrong caravan. Try the 3rd one to the left next time.”

“Ah I see…”