Page 8 of Taken By the Wolf Daddy

Her eyes widened with realization, and she nodded slowly. “I promise, Jesse. I won’t go into the woods, especially at night. I trust your judgment, and I don’t want to put myself in danger. I kinda knew that there was something going on, but my father wouldn’t tell me anything. I would much rather know the truth.”

Oh, I hoped I hadn’t overstepped any boundaries there. I knew Mike didn’t tell Marie a lot because he wanted to protect her endlessly, but sometimes I had a feeling that keeping things to himself wasn’t going to help anyone. But I didn’t want anyone telling me how to parent Belle, so I would keep my mouth shut.

“I don’t think you need to know everything,” I jumped in. “But yes, please be careful.”

“I will. I don’t need to worry too much about my photography at the moment since I’m working here with you, anyway. It’s fine.”

Relief washed over me, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of gratitude toward Marie for her understanding and willingness to heed my warning. I moved closer to her, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace. The feel of her in my arms, the warmth of her body pressed against mine, sent a jolt of desire coursing through me. It was a forbidden longing, one that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long. I slid my eyes closed and breathed her in deep, noticing that she smelt just as she did in all of my fantasies, in all of my dreams. That kinda made her the perfect woman, but of course, all I could do was keep my distance from her. She was off-limits for sure.

As we pulled away from the hug, our eyes locked in a shared moment of unspoken desire. The tension between us was palpable, the chemistry undeniable.

I cleared my throat, my voice unsteady as I spoke. “Thank you, Marie. I just… I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you.”

She smiled softly, her eyes filled with understanding. “I appreciate your concern, Jesse. And I promise, I’ll stay safe.”

As I watched her return to her cooking, my heart still raced with the memory of our embrace. The desire I felt for her was undeniable, a fire that burned within me, leaving me craving more. But for now, I had to focus on protecting my community and those I loved. The darkness outside may have been unsettling, but the light within our home was a source of comfort and hope.

FIVE

MARIE

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and longing after the tight embrace with Jesse. His concern for my safety had touched me deeply, and the chemistry between us was undeniable. As I continued to prepare Belle’s snack in the kitchen, my thoughts remained on him. Now I knew a little bit more about what was going on here. I knew for certain that there was an intense danger burning between us.

My heart felt a little floaty, and a small smile tugged at my lips, but the grim news I needed to talk about with my father soon pulled me back to reality. I couldn’t let my momentary distraction overshadow the seriousness of the situation.

After finishing her snack, I called out to Belle, who had been playing in the living room. “Belle, sweetheart, your food is ready!”

Her joyful laughter echoed through the house as she hurried toward the kitchen, her tiny feet pattering on the floor. Seeing her brightened my spirits, and I couldn’t help but be grateful for the innocence she brought into my life.

As I parted ways with Jesse, his offer to walk me home hung in the air for a moment before I politely declined. It was a short distance back to my house from here, and I felt like I needed a little time to process everything that had happened during the day.

Knowing that there was a lot going on in this town made me anxious. It was a stark reminder that it didn’t matter where I was. I would have to deal with trouble. There was nowhere safe, and I could understand a little why my father was being so overprotective.

The evening air was crisp and chilly as I walked, the moon casting a faint silver glow over the quiet streets of Wolf Mountain, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of paranoia as I walked alone. My steps quickened, and I pulled my cardigan tighter around me, as if the thin layer of fabric could shield me from the unsettling thoughts that swirled in my mind. I knew it was irrational to be so worried, especially in our close-knit community, but there was definitely something in the air.

Finally, I reached my front door, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips as I stepped inside. The familiar warmth and coziness of my home enveloped me, easing some of the tension that had built up during the walk. It was a relief to be in the comfort of my own space, away from the mysteries and dangers that seemed to lurk in the woods. What was it? I should have asked for more details. I was pretty sure the only reason Jesse wouldn’t tell me more was because he knew my father wouldn’t want him to.

I didn’t want Jesse to think of me as a child as well as my father. That would crush me. But then the hug definitely didn’t feel like he saw me only as a child. Hmm, I was definitely very confused. This was all so perplexing.

After a quiet dinner, I knew it was time to talk to my father at last. I cleared my throat, my heart heavy with the burden of delivering such troubling information. “Dad,” I began, my voice quivering slightly, “I need to talk to you about something.”

My father looked up from his plate, concern etched across his features. “What is it, Marie? You seem troubled.”

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to convey the seriousness of the situation. “Dad, today Jesse told me that there is something going on in this town. Something bad. And I know you’ve been skating around the subject, but I would like to know more. I’ve been told to avoid the woods at night, which affects my wildlife photography, so I deserve to know why.”

Dad sighed, his face paling with concern. “I didn’t know you knew that much.”

“So, what’s going on?” I demanded.

His brow furrowed and he set his fork down. “Okay, well there has been a lot going on. There have been a lot of issues that the town is facing…”

“Stop beating around the bush.”

He sighed heavily. “People have been killed, Marie. Hikers and people out in the woods on their own are being murdered. I didn’t want you to know that, but I do think it’s a good idea for you to keep safe. You should stop photographing for a while.”

My blood ran icy cold as I contemplated the gruesome fate of the hikers, their lives cut short in the heart of these once peaceful woods. In a place as small and tight-knit as Wolf Mountain, such horrors were never supposed to occur, especially with the presence of numerous wolf clans dedicated to our protection.

It had been three long decades since humanity first discovered the existence of wolf shifters living among them. Since then, the two races had managed to settle into an uneasy peace, one that balanced on the precipice of a fragile coexistence. However, this newfound harmony was far from universal.

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