Page 32 of Alice and Her Shifters (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 2)

Milo smirked. “We have our ways. This is the best cover we could ask for. We’re getting close.”

“The forest covers most of the land. After a while, you get used to its movements,” Calvin added. “Besides, Camelia’s estate rests on the outside edge of this forest.”

“Isn’t that sort of hard to say if the trees constantly move?” I asked.

The men chuckled.

Aidan said, “They stick to their territory.”

I nodded. “Oh.”

Though I wasn’t entirely thrilled to know we were embarking on enemy territory, it also wasn’t a total loss. I was starting to become attached to the men. Even Milo, despite his moodiness. And it was for that very reason that my warming up to him was much slower than it was Milo and Calvin.

But through the number of lessons he has given me, I’ve come to respect his methods. In a weird, roundabout way, he was an amazing teacher and leader. He gave me the tools and the lessons I needed. It was up to me to implement them, and he wouldn’t let up until I had. Calvin was the level-headed one in our group. Aidan was the healer, cook, etc.

Much more surprisingly, I was finding myself becoming increasingly protective over them. And if I wasn’t mistaken, I believed they felt the same thing for me as well.

“Get some rest,” Aidan said. “We will protect you.”

I smiled. “I know you will.”

I started to lean back against the tree that moved as something whistled through the air and embedded in the trunk. It narrowly missed my face as it whirled by me. A split second slower, and I would have had a bolt lodged in my face.

“What the…” I muttered.

The men stood on full alert, searching the area around us.

Another one whizzed through the air. Calvin pulled me out of the way a split second before the tip would have been lodged into my forehead. I sucked in a breath of shock and looked into Calvin’s eyes. He had been the one to save my life.

A strange sensation took over the relief and gratitude that had filled me. It was like something had reached deep inside me and took hold of my soul. I felt a tug, and I was ripped from Calvin’s arms.

He stared at me in confusion as he tried to hang on to my hands. I matched his expression as the force took a stronger hold of me. I was yanked back again. This time, I flew through the forest, pulled by some invisible force, deeper into the woods and farther away from the men.

I gasped as I realized what was happening. My heart broke at the expression within Calvin’s eyes as he realized there was no way to stop me from being pulled through the woods. He reached out for me, helplessly, but it was no use. The sheer horror in his eyes was the last thing I saw of him.

The trees filled my view and a few breathless moments later, I landed on my butt in the middle of a clearing. A man entered my view. He wore all black with a single band of red surrounding his right arm. His hands were covered in red gloves, and he looked like he had seen one too many battles with the faded scars that marked his face. His long black hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, and he had deep brown eyes that lacked any light and life within them.

I almost felt pity for the man.

“You’re awfully troublesome for a little girl,” he said. His voice was thick and held a slight accent that I couldn’t place.

“Nice to meet you too,” I said and quickly climbed to my feet.

“Too much trouble than what you are worth,” he added.

“I see, and who might you be?” I asked as I called on all the anger within me. Burning flowed through my veins almost instantly. Milo would be proud.

“I’m my lady’s general,” he said. “That is all you need to know.”

I nodded. “Well, General, my name is Allison. And you just brought the biggest trouble of your life. Oh, and by the way… I’m no little girl.”

He chuckled to himself. “We’ll see.”

I shrugged and threw a ball of fire at the man. He dodged it and crouched low to the ground, keeping his dark eyes trained on me. “You’ll have to do better than that, little girl.”

“If you insist,” I said and launched two balls of fire. One on either side of him.

He saw my move coming though and backflipped out of the way. I glared at him.

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