Page 34 of Wolf Fated
Not knowing how long the hot water would last, I took a quick shower, scrubbing my hair and body to get clean. Dried as well as I could be with no hair dryer, I pulled on a pair of flannel pajamas and crawled into the bed.
It wasn't quite dinner time, but I was beat. I felt like I'd been awake for three days straight and I was in no mood to watch Nathan cook two rabbits and eat them. Even though I was starving, my head was pounding at everything that had happened to me in the last few days. I laid on the bed. I would just rest my eyes a moment, then keep Nathan company.
* * *
Scratch, scratch. I bolted upright in bed and stared at the dark corners of an unfamiliar room. It took me several seconds to figure out where I was.
The scratching continued and sounded like it was right outside the bedroom door. My heart thumped up into my throat.
I had two choices: either stay in the bed, and hope whatever was on the other side of the door would go away. Or go check to assure myself it is nothing.
Opting for the second idea, I threw the covers off and tiptoe to the door. The noise was probably just the cabin settling or something and I’d laugh at myself for being so scared.
My palm was sweaty when I reached for the door, and I quickly wiped it on my pajama pants. When I opened the door, it creaked. The sound echoed through the hallway.
A gray blur darted straight at me in the darkness. I screamed, throwing the door closed, my breath stuck in my throat.
17
Awolf. A freaking wolf was in the cabin. I was shaking all over as I opened drawers hunting for a weapon of some kind. How the hell did a wild animal get inside?
Oh God! What about Nathan? He said he was going to skin the rabbits outside. What if he got attacked and had left the door open?
I bit my lip and glance back over my shoulder.Well, at least wolves can’t open doors.No, I must be going crazy to think something so odd under the circumstances. There’s no phone in here and my cellphone is back at the mansion. Even if I’m safe in here for the moment, I have no way of getting help or food if it comes that.
Okay. I can’t stay in here forever despite my heart feeling like it's trying to burst through my chest.I grabbed the only thing in there I could use as a weapon, a wooden hanger. The lamp on the nightstand was too bulky and heavy. With my bad aim, I’d probably end up injuring myself on the glass shards when I missed the wolf.
For a long time, I pressed my ear to the door, listening for the scratching sound of the wolf’s claws on the wood floor. It was quiet and I blew out a shaky breath as I slowly turned the knob. I opened the door and peeked down the dark hallway. I raised the hanger to strike anything that moved.
A shadow moved. I swung the hanger down hard. I let out a squeal as something big clutched onto the other end.
“What are you doing?” Nathan asked.
I tried to jerk the hanger back, but he hung on. “Let go, I’m protecting myself from the wolf in the cabin.”
His dark eyebrow arched before he shook his head. “You were dreaming, there’s no wolf—”
This again? He didn’t believe me about the howling either.
"I didn't imagine a wolf." I took the hanger back when he finally let go of it. "I heard and saw it in the cabin."
"There's no wolf." He gestured down the hallway. "See for yourself."
I clutched the hanger, frowning at him because he acted like I had lost my mind, but I knew what I saw. I pushed past him and went down the hallway. The hanger dug into my palm, but I wasn't losing my only weapon.
Nathan chuckled behind me. "Hold on, I'll go with you."
Not going to lie, I felt much better with him coming with me even if he did feel like I was imagining things. Together, we walked down the hall. My shoulder brushed against his arm and a tingle spread up mine. The sensation was probably from the anxiety of what we were doing—hunting for a wolf—rather than his nearness. At least that's what I told myself. Also, it didn't help that it was like four in the morning, and I was running on adrenaline.
We walked the entire cabin and like Nathan said, there was no wolf, and all the doors and windows were closed too.
Rather than saying I told you so, Nathan gently took the hanger from me, laying it on the kitchen counter. "It's late. Let's get you back to sleep."
"Don't know if I can go back to sleep now. I mean, yes, I know there's not a wolf in the cabin, but I'm stirred up inside from all the stress."
It was then that I realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. His chest was a wall of chiseled muscles. He held out his hand. “Come with me.”
Not knowing what he had planned, but wanting to find out, I placed my hand in his. He led me to the first bedroom, and I tensed when he opened the door.
