Page 34 of Entangled in the Woods
Everyone in the tent, still kneeling, seemed to exhale as he turned away from me and went to inspect his son. Everett was still sleeping peacefully on the couch, unaware of his father’s presence. Gavrill followed him over to Everett’s body and explained what had happened in the woods.
The True Alpha seemed satisfied with Everett’s care and pulled Gavrill toward the entrance of the tent, speaking in harsh whispers that I couldn’t hear. They both looked at me before the True Alpha ducked under the tent flaps and disappeared into the night.
Everyone else slowly got up from their knees, groaning, and returned to their chairs, dinner forgotten. Gavrill sat down as well, looking pensive.
“What did he say over there?” Kleio asked anxiously.
“He wants a meeting with Elise,” Gavrill said. My heart skipped a beat in my chest.
“Everett is gonna be pissed. There’s no way we can let the True Alpha speak alone with Elise. He’s so unpredictable,” Kleio said. She took my hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly.
Jack tried to ease my anxiety. “Everett won’t let that happen. I’m sure the True Alpha is just curious why his son’s pack has a human.”
I gave him a thankful look. The pack had enough going on at the tournament without me attracting the True Alpha’s attention. It wasn’t like I wanted to be here, but nevertheless it seemed I was becoming a dangerous distraction.
“I wonder what he smelled on her. Have you gotten anything interesting, Gavrill?” Kostas asked. He walked over to the back of my chair and motioned, asking me if he could take a whiff.
I obliged. “Go right ahead. I’m full of dirt, sweat, and blood. I’m sure I smell wonderful.”
Kostas took a deep smell, careful not to get too close to me. “I smell human, earth, and Everett’s blood.” He looked satisfied with my smell, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.
Gavrill took a turn and nodded. “Same here. I don’t catch anything out of the ordinary.”
I felt like a scented candle, and not a good one.
Jack came forward to take a whiff. “But remember, the True Alpha is a tracker. He probably smells something we can’t.”
I backed away. “Okay, enough smelling me. Why didn’t anyone tell me that Everett is the True Alpha’s son?” I would’ve thought that at least Kleio would’ve told me. Maybe we weren’t as close as I’d thought we were. I glanced between the three shifters, willing someone to tell me what was going on. “Is it some kind of secret?”
“I think you should go to your tent for the rest of the night.” Kleio rubbed my arm, guiding me ever so slightly to the back flaps of the tent and picking up my backpack along the way.
Now they were putting me to bed like a child? I deserved some information. The True Alpha had noticed me, had smelled me. Maybe they couldn’t tell me everything, but I needed to know what any of it had to do with me.
“Tell me what is going on, Kleio,” I pleaded, feeling desperate.
“Let us handle it. You have nothing to worry about,” she said. “Everett won’t let anything happen to you.”
I turned to look at him, still unconscious on the couch. What did he have to do with any of this? What were they hiding?
Kleio didn’t let me say anything else before she pushed me out into the dark night, walking me back to my tent, which I was surprised to see was still set up. Campfires glowed orange, lighting our way. The air was brisk, having lost the warmth of the sun.
Frustrated, I dumped my backpack and paced inside my tent. Lack of information always made me uneasy. As a researcher, missing just one piece of data could change the entire result of your research.
With my mind made up, I slipped outside and snuck back to the main tent, careful that they wouldn’t hear my footsteps approaching. Next to the back flaps, I crouched down, trying to look casual to those around their campfires enjoying the evening. Muffled voices from the tent became clearer as I focused.
“Everett won’t be happy when he wakes up.” It was a low male voice, probably Gavrill or Kostas.
“Was it too much that I sent her to her tent for the night?” Kleio’s voice was easier to detect.
“No, Elise doesn’t need to know about Everett’s relationship with his father.” That was Gavrill or Kostas. I couldn’t tell the difference.
“What relationship, Kostas? We left his father’s pack when we were eighteen. He only sees his father every ten years at the Deca Tournament.” That was Gavrill.
“But now that the True Alpha has taken an interest in Elise, we’re going to have to deal with him. Everett won’t want her anywhere near his father, and his father won’t forget requesting the meeting with her,” Kostas said.
“It was odd that he came to check on Everett. He never does that,” Kleio said. I could tell they were walking around the tent as they talked.
“Everett is his only heir,” Gavrill said. “Of course he came to check on him. His pack depends on Everett’s leadership should he die.”
