Chapter 3 - Lena

We walk in silence for a little more than a mile, the only sound, the crunch of old leaves underfoot. Even the forest knows when a predator walks among them. The path widens, revealing a cluster of cabins built from rough logs and spare housing parts. A ring of old cars and scrap metal fences around them, making it look less like a community and more like a fortress hastily assembled from leftover parts.

A giant house sits in the center, every window lit up against the darkness. The thought of entering there with no idea of the number of people inside has my nerves going haywire, but I push them down. It’s not like I have many options anyway.

The men usher me through a wide door, the heavy heat and smell of frying meat hitting me in the face. And not in a good way. It’s overbearing, cloying in the air. I make a point to breathe through my mouth, pushing back the bile that threatens to come out.

A woman in a flannel button up and tight jeans stands over the stove, her hair sheared close to the scalp. It gives her an almost otherworldly look that would give me cause for concern if she didn’t reek of wolf. She gives me an assessing look, her eyes roving over my body.

“Looks like you boys brought me a stray,” she calls out, just loud enough to cause a rustling from the side rooms. The pack slowly piles into the room, more than fifteen men and women surrounding me and boxing me in.

I tsk at them, glancing at the three who brought me here. My smile is all teeth, and while most of them have the smarts to take a step back, the cognac eyed man just grins. “If I knew we were having a party, boys, I would have brought popcorn. And a reason to decline.”

The sandy-haired one just shrugs at me, before heading over to grab himself food. “You know how it is, Lena. We all worry.”

The cognac eyed man nods his head toward the table, gesturing for me to sit as he pours coffee into a chipped mug. People try to shuffle closer, picking at my clothes and hair like I’m in a petting zoo. My muscles seize up as I slink into my chair, trying to keep away from the groping hands. With a menacing growl from cognac, I really need to learn the names of my stalkers, they all jump away, slinking to the shadows of the room.

He sets a plate of potatoes and steak down in front of me, none too gently. “Eat. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”

He’s right. But I’m not going to tell him that. There’s a weird pull in my chest, tugging me toward the gruff man, but I refuse to give in. Instead, I build my walls higher, and ignore him.

I hesitate for a moment, debating on turning the food away. But none of the rest will eat until their guest does, and I have a feeling Cognac will only pretend to be nice for so long.

The salt and fat explode across my tongue as I take a small bite, holding my breath against the smell. It probably wouldn’t be so bad, if I had been eating regularly. I pretend to nibble on it, watching as the pack exchanges looks, having a whole conversation with merely a glance.

The woman sits down across from me, her own plate filled with food. “I’m Tam. We know there’s something different about you, witch. And we could use your help with little Tony.”

She gestures toward the hallway behind her, spearing a piece of meat on the end of her fork before ripping into it. “He’s fevered. Won’t eat.” She says around a mouth of food and teeth that are unnaturally long.

“Something smells wrong in his blood,” Cognac says in a deep voice that caresses over my skin. “Don’t like the look of it.”

I wipe my mouth and stand, nodding toward him. “Show me.”

“No,” Cognac growls, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I narrow my eyes at him, shaking out of his touch as it burns along my skin. “I apologize. I thought you brought me here in a healing capacity.”

Tam tilts her head, watching the man next to me. “We did.”

“Then let me do my job, because if there is something wrong with his blood, I’m probably the only one within a day’s drive that can help him.” My eyes never leave Cognac, but out of the corner of my eye I can see the confusion covering a few others faces, though no one moves to save me.

“I won’t hurt him,” I whisper, glancing up at him.

He narrows his eyes at me, lowering his voice, though I’m sure everyone can still hear him. His voice is a deep growl, “I know you won’t. You just look like you haven’t eaten enough. We don’t need you passing out while you help him.”

My eyebrows raise, and I can’t remember the last time anyone actually cared that it’s been a few days since I remembered to eat. But I shake off the thought, he probably just doesn’t want me passing out before they get me home. It wouldn’t be fun to carry me through the woods.

“I understand, but really I’m fine,” I whisper back. “I would rather see Tony before he gets any worse.”

He huffs before nodding, stepping off to the side.