Page 17 of Wild Wolves

Now that my fear of dying subsides, everything crashes over me in a rush of despair. People are dead. Penelope and Creed never deserved that kind of end. It makes me sick to think about it. And Jack? Oh, no. It’s been hours. We were supposed to bring the water.

I lick my lips. “We forgot the water. We have to go back.”

Adam scrubs his face as if he’s fighting with himself about what we should do. If we go back to the creek, we risk whatever danger lies in the forest. It might even be pointless after so much time has passed. Jack could be dead. But then, what if he’s not? What if he dies because we don’t bring the water?

“I can go get the water and you can go see how things are. I don’t mind.” If only I actually believed myself. I don’t really want to go back to the creek alone.

“No, we’re not separating. I don’t like the way that fucker looked at you. He’s obviously been watching and stalking. I wish you would’ve told us, Eliana. Had we known…never mind. There’s no point in getting caught up with this shit. Let’s just hurry. We’ll get what we can, and then we need to think about another water source. I can build something for when it rains. My dad was a bit paranoid about world-ending shit and taught me a few things.” Adam scrubs the back of his head, messing with his black hair. I can tell that me keeping Kellan a secret bothers him, but I don’t think I would go back and change things. It’s hard to explain. I know what people are capable of when they’re desperate. I’ve done things that I never imagined I would to keep a roof over my head, especially after my parents died.

Damn. I haven’t thought about them in a while. It always hurts too much.

“Hey! Eliana. Adam! Where the fuck have you been? We thought the wolves got you. We’ve been looking everywhere.” Evander stakes his makeshift weapon into the ground, his eyes darting over me as if he expects to see me beat up and wounded. “We went to the creek and you weren’t there, but we think we found Freddy. You need to hurry and see this bullshit. It’s insane.”

My heart seizes, skipping a beat at his words. With the thought of Freddy, I envision his weird form in the woods and how his body contorted, breaking and changing. I remember how the blue-eyed wolf went after him and sank its fangs into his throat.

“You found them.” Chase strides up behind Evander and dodges past him, jogging in my direction.

The way his body flexes and moves with each of his steps draws my mind away from the disgusting image of Freddy imprinted on my brain. What is wrong with me? Is this whole situation going to make me constantly refocus my mind on more pleasant things? Maybe that’s what I should do. I need something, anything, to get my mind away from the fact that I could die at any moment.

I automatically open my arms for Chase, and he engulfs me in a hug. It should be weird with the two of us naked, but all I feel right now is safe. I feel cared about. I never expected to be overwhelmed by such a foreign emotion. Adam confirmed that he wasn’t the only one attracted to me, but this proves it.

“Are you hurt? Where have you been? I was so fucking scared.” Chase buries his face into the crook of my neck. “We’ve already lost so many people. I didn’t want to lose you guys either.”

I purse my lips together at his words. I might’ve been overthinking things.

“I’m glad to hear that you fucking care about me, doc.” Adam surprise hugs Chase from behind, leaning in until his face is close to mine. “Your chivalrous ways get me right in the nuts. Want to see? Don’t forget you promised to protect me too.”

Chase barks a laugh, his voice vibrating across my skin. His amusement with Adam’s teasing eases the dread trying to keep me down. “It’s more about losing your skills, asshole. Hate to break it to you, but my boner is for what you bring to the group, not you.”

“Careful, doc. I know first aid. Don’t think you’re priceless around here.” Evander scrubs his fist into Chase’s hair.

I can’t stop smiling at their banter. If I didn’t know for a fact that we were all strangers before we ended up on that yacht, I’d have thought they were friends.

“And what about me? I haven’t really proved anything except that I’m good at getting into trouble and crying.” I don’t know why I say it. Maybe because it’s true. I’m not some badass who knows how to survive in the wild. I only know how to survive on the streets. I know how to protect myself to the best of my ability. Trusting anyone has been hard for me...even now. A part of me wants to trust this group. Another part of me knows better. If they turn against me—I can’t think like that.

Chase tips his head back and meets my eyes. “Give yourself some credit, Eliana. I’m pretty fucking sure Davian might’ve cried more than you.”

Adam groans. “So have I. This bullshit is scary as fuck. The fact that you kept it together when we were up that tree was the only reason I wasn’t a sobbing bastard.” He’s full of it, but I let him try to make me feel better.

I laugh, shaking my head. “I guess that’s true. You were shaking harder than my favorite vibrator.”

The three of them gawk at me, stunned by my comment. Chase breaks first, whipping his head back with a roar of a laugh.

“Fuck, Eliana. Don’t look at me. You just slapped that image into my brain, and now I have a fucking boner. Not cool when I can’t hide this shit.” Adam pulls away from me. Instead of trying to cover himself, he flicks his hands at his dick, pointing it out.

“I’m going to slap something else if you don’t point that thing away from me.” I pretend to swat my hand at him, making him jump back.

Chase and Evander grab onto Adam, locking him in place. He surprises me by standing tall, refusing to fight against them. A sexy smile curls his lips, matching the ones crossing on the other two’s mouths. They all silently dare me to stay good to my threat.

“Do what you feel you gotta do, little badass,” Adam says, swinging his hips just enough to wave his hard-on at me.

“It sounds like you want me to whack your cock.” I raise an eyebrow. “Is that your kink? You like it rough?”

Adam swears under his breath, finally reacting to Chase and Evander restraining him. And now I know why. It’s a damn boner brigade. Adam’s no longer alone with his cock salute to my teasing words about my vibrator.

“Are you guys kidding me?” I clap my hands with a laugh, bending over to clutch my knees. I shouldn’t find this so funny, not in a time like this, but it feels like for the first time since arriving here, I can breathe.

“You can’t hold something so uncontrollable against us,” Chase says, still smiling. “It’s a natural reaction.”

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