Page 13 of Golden Desires

Whatever path I find myself on now, I will be in control. I will get to choose, well, everything.

I refuse to venture too far into the forest without Bear, so I need to move. I won’t truly be safe until I’m far enough away from the village that they won’t be able to find me, even if they keep hunting me.

Bear is equal parts stubborn and loyal. I don’t think he’s gone far, or back to the village. The forest is a terrifying place alone, and I don’t want to continue this journey without him. I hope he’s searching for me, too.

Looking around the clearing toward the small stream, I make my way over to at least give myself some much-needed water. I know I will eventually need to locate some food if I can’t find Bear quickly, but years of small rations in my home means that I can handle the ache of hunger well into the evening.

With my wrist injured, I know that traveling the deeper part of the forest will be harder, so I decide to follow the mountain's curve. As I make my way, occasionally the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end with the feeling of someone watching. Each time I look around, the only thing I see are trees. It pushes me along faster.

I have yet to see a clear sign on whether Bear has come this way, and it causes worry to build in my heart. I stop, taking a moment to look around, ignoring the feeling of eyes on me. If I keep going in the wrong direction, I’ll only make things worse. I take a few steps back to retrace my steps, but freeze when a branch breaks somewhere behind a tree.

“I taste like skunk,” I hiss. I don’t think it’s Bear, my horse is many things, but quiet isn’t one of them.

I turn back once again, if he was back that way, we would have noticed each other. It’s a better idea to explore new areas.

“Where are you, Bear?” I grumble, losing hope. It’s been well over an hour since I left my cave, maybe two. I’m about to try calling out for him when I notice a saddlebag lying haphazardly up ahead. As I rush forward to check it, I also see a clear hoof print.

When I look in the bag, I am happy to confirm it is the one from my saddle and still holds all my belongings. I take a moment to drink some water, and shove a dried piece of meat in my mouth. I need to ration my food until I find more.

I have an unhinged thought that it would be nice to find a fully stocked home filled with enough food to last me and Bear years…but this isn’t a fairy tale.

Throwing the bag over my uninjured shoulder, I continue on at a faster clip. Hopefully Bear is close, but if not, at least now I have a trail to follow.

The sun has reached above the trees about two hours later, when the echo of a familiar nicker reaches my ears. I sprint forward, only to freeze in my tracks for a moment as I take in the sight before me. In a large paddock by the mouth of a cave, I spot the only reason I’ve made it this long without losing all hope for a better life. I shake off my shock enough to find my feet.

“Bear!” I gasp as I rush him. “How the heck did you find your way here? Where the heck are we?” Then I chuckle. Of course, Bear would find such a nice place to rest. “At least you conned your way into someone's lovely paddock, hmm?”

His deep brown coat shines with health as he tosses his head, clearly excited to see me, too. When I reach the fence, he tucks his muzzle over my shoulder affectionately. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath of his comforting grass scent.

“I was worried about you, old friend,” I quietly tell him. I feel like I ate a suspicious mushroom, I’m so relieved right now. I’m so fucking happy, I could cry. Of course, I do, and Bear bumps me with his nose. Either he’s telling me to suck it up or trying to comfort me. It’s hard to tell with Bear. Sometimes he’s sweet, sometimes he’s sassy.

Looking around the space near the fence, I can tell it’s well taken care of. Bear has a trough full of water and signs of feed on the ground. He is not a horse that accepts others easily, so whoever caught him must have been someone kind. Someone Bear didn’t consider a threat, which means I’m already better off than I ever was in the village. Bear hates everyone back there…

One time, my stepmother came stomping into his pen, screaming at me about…I don’t even remember what, honestly, but what I do remember is Bear biting her arm and dragging her a foot away from me. I think I was sixteen.

Before that, Bear would kick his hind legs at father every time he tried to saddle the horse. The other villagers steered clear as well. His sass is legendary. Something I admire very much about him.

I look for signs of a person to thank, but the only thing visible is a path into the cave next to the paddock. When I look at Bear, his intelligent brown eyes seem to convey the answer I’m looking for as he tosses his head toward the opening.

“Do you think it’s safe?” I ask him. I’m nervous, for obvious reasons, but the scents in the air, as well as Bear being so peaceful, are helping to ease some of my anxieties. Bear shuffles his feet, going back to what he was doing before I arrived, and I chuckle at his dismissal. “I suppose that means yes, and that you’re slightly offended I dared ask…”

Crossing the fingers of my uninjured hand, and taking a deep breath, I hope for a sweet little old lady, or maybe a young woman about my age.

“Please don’t let them be an Alpha. Anything but an Alpha,” I whisper. My Omega senses aren’t picking up any Alpha scents, though, just hints of leather and clover. I don’t feel threatened here…

I give him one last pet along his forehead before heading in.

The cave’s rock surface appears to be threaded with jasper. A damp smell reaches my nose from the shallow depths of the cave, but fortunately there's no sign of wildlife.

I notice the pathway is surprisingly clear, like it’s been swept from edge to edge, as I make my way deeper into the mountain. Instead of going down, I find the path curves to the right at a slight incline. I pause, taking a moment to sniff the air. Hoping to pick up on the scents of whoever has been taking care of this cave. There’s a hint…of something spicy in the air, but I’m not sure what.

Despite the low light available, I can see well enough to find a large wooden door with a heavy metal handle.

“Hello?” I ask, since knocking on the wood brings no response. I tentatively try the handle, with a hard pull, the heavy door swings toward me. Normally I wouldn’t risk feeling as if I’m breaking into someone’s home, but they have my horse in their paddock, and I saw no other way through or signs of a yard.

A surprising amount of sunlight temporarily blinds me as I take a step into the doorway, dropping my bag onto the floor. The large window across from me seems out of place after being in the dark tunnels.

A combination of scents hits me all at once, setting my senses alight. Leather, cracked pepper, and something more smoky are the most dominant. Alphas. Most Alphas I’ve met don’t smell this good, though.

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