The Alphas Cursed Mate

The Cabin

The sunlight made its way through the window as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The cabin was cold and still, and my breath could be seen as I exhaled. I sat up slowly, hugging the blanket tighter. There were dim ambers in the fireplace, but no flames.

Shit.

I tiptoed over to the pile of wood, grabbing a few logs to add among the ambers. I struck a match and brought it close to the dried bark shavings. Within a few minutes, the fire had caught and I sat back on the rug, cross legged and wrapped in the comfort of the blanket. My stomach growled angrily at me, reminding me of how little I had eaten the night before.

Going over to the table, I opened the pack of jerky and peered out the window as I took a few bites. The storm had ceased, leaving a beautiful white coat over everything in sight. Icicles hung from tree branches and the sun made everything shine like glitter. It was truly magnificent. Something out of a long forgotten fairytale.

My cell read 8:18 A.M. and still no signal. The battery was also dwindling, bringing on a new found worry. So much had happened in the last twenty four hours. A plan...I had to come up with a plan.

With that thought, pressure pained my lower abdomen. Realizing I hadn’t relieved myself since this time yesterday, I quickly laced up my boots, threw on my winter gear and opened the front door. A gentle breeze met me and the sun warmed my cheeks. I carefully stepped down the stairs and crunched through the thick snow. To my relief, there was a small outhouse behind the cabin.

Not ideal, but it could be worse.

A few moments later, I emerged from the building and took in my surroundings. Other than trees, snow and more trees, there was absolutely nothing in sight. I returned to the cabin where I stripped from my exterior layer of clothing and stood in front of the fireplace to warm up again.

Now that I had the sunlight to work with, exploring the space I had taken shelter in would be a lot easier. I found a pot, two cans of vegetable soup, a towel, spoon, bowl and a can opener. There was also an axe and a fire extinguisher near the door. Not much, but it was something. I pried the can of soup open and dumped it into the pot before hanging it on a hook within the fireplace. A short time later, I sat curled up in the blanket, my belly warming with each bite.

My eyes scanned over to the window where the glass shown it had started snowing again. I breathed a sigh of frustration. My mind was nagging at me. I wanted to go back and start making my way out of the forest, but I was worried I would be stuck against the elements and darkness. Now with the snow starting back up, it sparked that concern even more. I had gotten so turned around and honestly wasn’t entirely sure which way I was supposed to go. Shaking my head, I shoved the fear aside and accepted the fact that I would be camping out one more night.

Once my meal was gone and the dishes were clean, I eyed my wood supply. It was roughly noon and the snow was falling heavy. Knowing it wouldn’t be enough to keep the fire going till morning, I found my gloves and scarf, grabbed the axe and headed out into the woods. Luckily, there were a few small branches and logs already laid over that made the chore a bit easier. After numerous trips back and forth, I had plenty of wood piled inside the cabin, with an extra pile under the stoop by the door.

Back inside, my winter garments found their respective place over the chairs, along with my blue jeans and wool sweater, leaving only my thermal leggings and thin long sleeve shirt. My hair had been tied tightly in a braid since yesterday morning and had grown wet from the snow. Sitting on the sofa, I started to unravel the long, dark strands as the silence and crackle of the fire filled the room.

The sunlight was growing dim through the window and the hours slipped by with the quiet growls of the wind against the cabin. I watched as the light faded until it was gone. My mind seemed to be in a trance. I was somewhere between feeling at peace and being lost. Something about this place seemed eerily familiar, yet I couldn’t put my finger on why. A sense of calm replaced my worry as I watched the flames and shadows dance with one another.