Page 32 of Entangled in the Woods
Sighing, Wilder followed his alpha’s commands and moved out of my way. Standing above me, he looked down while I lifted the bloodied leaves and began packing the yarrow paste into the wound. It was deep. If I had a needle and thread, I would have sewn it shut, but that wasn’t an option out here.
Everett grunted and grimaced as I applied the paste. The bleeding slowed and eventually stopped by the time I had finished. Finding some more large-leaved aster by me, I placed them over the cut. A couple feet away I found some long grass to use as string. I tied the leaves to his arm, taking care to not wrap the grass too tightly.
When I was done, I looked to see Everett’s eyes on my face. “How does it feel?” I asked.
“Much better.” Some color had returned to his skin.
I found my water bottle next to the rocks I’d used to grind the leaves and held it to his lips as he took several sips.
“We need to get out of here. If any of the others know you’re down, we’ll become a target,” Wilder said. He was standing and looking around, scanning the woods.
Everett used his good arm to push himself into a seated position. Despite his ragged breathing, he managed to start moving again.
I picked up my things and brushed my hands against my thighs, hesitating. I knew there was no getting past the wards, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go with them either.
Everett looked at me with resolve. “You’re coming with me,” he said.
Wilder groaned and argued. “We can’t bring a human back with us again. She’s too much of a liability.”
“You don’t get to make the decisions, Wilder, I do,” Everett said with a labored voice. “She’s coming back with us. She’s touched the ward too many times. They already know she’s here.”
I opened my mouth to argue. “I can’t spend another weekend at Camp! I have a life to get back to. I have work to do!”
Everett cocked his head at me, staring with an intensity that made my body stiffen. “I would apologize to you for this inconvenience, but I will never apologize for keeping you safe.”
His words sent shivers down my spine. What did he care if I was safe? Maybe he felt he owed me something since I had taken care of his arm. Everett was sending so many mixed signals I didn’t know which way was up. He flirted with me, provoked me, kissed me, and then walked away. Now he demanded that I follow him back to Camp. What was with this guy?
Howling filled the surrounding air. I had no choice but to look toward Wilder and Everett for guidance. The wards had apparently alerted everyone that I was here, and with Everett injured, I doubted he could fight at full strength. Standing slowly, he lifted himself one vertebra at a time. I’d forgotten how tall he was when he’d been lying down. I couldn’t help looking past his stomach at his incredibly large…
“Like what you see?” Everett asked. He had his trademark smirk plastered on his face. I knew he was part animal, but jeez—the size took me by surprise.
I quickly looked away, feeling my face turn red.
“You can’t be bashful around me, Elise,” he said. “I’m sure it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”
I looked back at him with an angry look in my eye. How many times did he think I’d looked at a naked male body?
“Or maybe it’s nothing like you’ve ever seen before?”
Was he flirting with me again? Two could play at that game.
“Oh, it’s something I have seen before,” I snapped. “Seems like something average. Nothing special. Don’t worry—it’ll soon get lost in the slideshow of male dicks in my head.”
Everett raised his eyebrows at me. I didn’t think he’d been expecting a rebuttal like that. It felt good to have the upper hand. “So, she has her own thoughts. I was wondering when you would start to speaking up for yourself. You are a lively little one, aren’t you, Lyka.”
Wilder interrupted our banter. “This is all so cute, but you’re barely standing up straight, Everett. We need to get out of here.”
Everett let out a wheeze as he pulled his eyes away from mine. Losing his gaze made it feel like the tight thread between us had snapped, leaving me with the ricochet.
Another howl, this time closer, met my ears, and I was ready to follow Wilder and Everett to safety. Wilder led the way, and Everett motioned me to follow before he took up the back of our line. Sandwiched between the two shifters, we traveled along as fast as we could without losing Everett. I could hear his ragged breaths behind me as we stumbled along.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The forestsoon cleared away and opened to the field where I had watched the two wolves play last weekend. A familiar city of tents loomed ahead of us, small orange campfires sprinkled throughout. Wilder and I turned around when we heard a loud thump behind us.
“Oh, shit,” Wilder said.
Everett’s body was collapsed on the ground, and he was unconscious again, having used all his strength to make it through the forest.
