What's Beyond the Trees?

Chapter 16 Talking

Coleman's POV

I can't help but letting my eyes jump from object to object, just trying to make sure I'm keeping my eyes peeled for anything that could come out at us again. I feel absolutely horrible from all my open wounds even though I know I'm healing pretty fast for what the wounds are. They should be all healed up by morning, maybe tomorrow afternoon, but not fast enough for my taste.

I keep sniffing the air for anything I don't recognize while perking my ears up for any sounds of enemies. I'm on edge, but just because of the stressful circumstances of my life and my brothers moan the line, plus I feel this need deep inside of me to protect Raine.. I know she has a bodyguard and doesn't need me, but I want to be the one to help her.. That sounds crazy, right? She can't trust me with her life like she does him. They seem really close in more ways than one.. Maybe it's not just a professional or family bond with them.. I just assumed he was gay since he was kissing that guy, but maybe he is bi-s****l and has a relationship with her too, making their bond stronger than I ever thought.

I can see Orion backing up until he is right beside me. Both of our eyes are still on Raine who is climbing up this hill. We are ascending right behind her, well not right behind, because I have a feeling Orion wants to say something. So I wait for him to go first or start what he wants to say.

"So what is it that you want with Raine?" He asks me right away, just cutting to the chase. I cleared my throat and looking his way before taking the next step up. "I think she seems like an amazing woman, that is someone I would love getting to know better, if given the chance." I state honestly to him as he smiles before replying. "Well she is better than I could ever be and you could only hope for someone as amazing as her in your life."

"Are you two..." I don't know how to finish that sentence as he bursts out laughing and shaking his head just like she did. "No.. um.. how do I put this... We like the same things.. But not each other.. at all.. I wouldn't want that.." He says putting his hands up in surrender, confusing me. "She is a real catch.. She is absolutely gorgeous and I love all of her curves. how would she not be what you're looking for?" I ask wondering if there's something I'm missing.

He shakes his head as he chuckles and says. "There is nothing wrong with her. She is stunning.. Just not the tall dark and handsome, that her and I BOTH like.. You get what I'm saying? I'm batting for the other team.. I'm team, bat and balls. you understand?" He says to me as I vigorously nod my head, creating a louder chuckle from him. "You seem like a nice bear Cole.. So I don't know what you have going on with this shebear you were here to see, but you can't have both.." He warns me as I shake my head. "That's what I wanted to explain to her but I didn't get the chance.. She is the one that betrayed me. She stabbed me and tried to kidnap me just to sell me.. She is the reason why I'm here and she is not even a bear.. It was all a trick to get me here... There isn't anyone else.. I haven't had anyone.. I was here to find someone and as crazy as it might sound, I think I might have.. I don't know man." I say quickening my pace up the hill so we could keep Raine close enough just in case anything happens.. "Ok.. well that's good to know.. We will have to try to tell her that, because she is a faithful woman and won't even try anything with you if she knows there is a woman waiting for you.. So you can take a chance with her if she will allow it, but she has been hurt so many times that it might be harder than you know. But if you hurt her, I will tear you apart limb by limb.. understand me? She needs someone to make her smile not make her hurt more." He warns me as I smirk over at him.

"Well I won't hurt her if she allows me any time with her.. But that's if she will give me a remote chance.. Who knows what's going to happen after all this." I say a little sadly as we both look up at her. "I just want to make sure that if I can't be there for her that someone can be.. She has always had a huge target on her back and probably always will.. But she needs stability and comfort and for some dumb reason, I think that could be you.. I haven't seen her look at any man like she does you and she never feels comfortable around anyone.. except me.. So with her feeling no threat from you, that's already a good sign.. But like you said, that's if she will try.. We will have to see, I guess only time will tell." Orion states to me as I nodded at him, taking hold of a tree to help pull my heavy body up. This sends a piercing pain through my body, shocking it from the overwhelming shooting sting in my torso.. This causes me to groan out and holding my stomach instinctively, which contains the worst wounds I have acquired from all this. I have to stop for a second just to try to breathe and ease this shooting pain. I feel a hand on my shoulder as Orion asks looking around the area. "Cole, are you ok? We can take a break. There is a broken-down place over there or caves over to the left.. If you need it, we can make sure to take time for you."

"I.. just.. ugh." I say as I feel an hand gently touch over my cheek, accompanied by her sweet scent. "Cole, are you ok?!" Her songbird voice graces my ears, making me feel better until I hear water dripping and the river running, I hear sticks breaking, birds squeaking in the distance and something else.. I strain my ears to try to figure out what that sound was, but all I can hear is all her adorably sweet questions because of her concern for me. "Shhh.. Raine." I try to tell her as she keeps asking questions, touching all over my injured body looking for the main source of my pain, asking so many questions at once. "Shhh." I say again, straining my ear and looking around in the darkness, but this doesn't stop her anxious ranting or investigating my pain, as I should say.

But I need to hear this and she won't shut up.. I'm not trying to sound like an assh*le but I can't smell what's making that sound, so I need to hear it. I strained my hearing once more to only hear her questions ringing in my ears. I do the only thing I can think of that would help make me feel better and hear what's out there.

I take her cheeks into my hands before crashing my lips to hers. Her lips are so soft and luscious that I would eat this delectable meal any chance I could. I can feel her lips press back into mine, showing she does like this as much as I do. But no matter how much I want to keep doing this, there is a reason I'm doing this. I strain my ears as I break our kiss just to put my pointer finger between our lips, "Shhh." I hush her again and this time she listens, as I look around us while feeling her eyes boring into me.

My gaze bounces from tree to tree, jumping to everything I can see in the distance, the owl flying past trying to catch it's prey.. a little skunk waddling through the trees. I keep panning my eyes around as I see a glimmer of something in the distance.. and I hear it... A gun c*****g. "Duck! A gun!" I yell as the gun shot echos through the trees like a breeze. I push Orion down while pulling Raine into my frame. I hold her tight.. dropping to the ground, securing her into my protective cocoon. If anyone is going to be shot it will be me and not her.

I keep looking around the area as I see the broken-down hut off to the side, that Orion had mentioned.. It's barely the bones of the house, with half walls, but it's enough of cover to hide for a second. "Follow me." I tell the both of them as they nod and I start to army crawl across the ground, still looking all around trying to make sure there isn't more this way. We are almost there as we hear some people giving orders as men run around. We freeze only for a moment until those men pass, as I motion with my hand for them to keep following me and they do. We get to the side of this hut, which is the size of a closet I swear.. Maybe that's what it seems like to me, because I'm so much bigger than most.

I look all around to see there is a door that falling off the hinges, but somehow still holding on.. the windows are bashed in from being pillaged a while ago, I'm assuming or maybe just the years of weather tearing it down.. We get closer, until we can stand and lean against the wall one after the other. I gesture for them to keep following me, but now Raine looks terrified and frozen. I do what comes naturally as I reach over and grabbing her hand. She looks up at me as I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it. "Please trust me." I whisper to her, mostly just lip-syncing those words, but I know she heard me. She nods to me as I continue to hold her hand for reassurance, I'm getting ready to head into the place as we see and hear some of the enemy running past.

There are a couple more off to the side that I can't intently watch, just glancing back here and there, but I can hear them at the moment.. We can actually hear them talking about us. "Any news?"....."No sir she is nowhere to be found but neither is the body guard.. I could have sworn that I saw something in the distance.. I just.." the man tries to explain, as we can now hear the gagging of the same man being choked. "You just what? Made another mistake by letting her get away.. You helped Dawn successfully separate the two of them and had the bodyguard in your grip and you did nothing but try to get your rocks off.. You had him in your clutches and you could have ended that issue right then and there.. Then we wouldn't have had to worry about anything.. and now you can't find either one.. Aren't you supposed to be the best on your team.. or are these just lies I heard?" This man asks the other as he gags trying to answer but obviously can't. He is then thrown to the ground as he starts to gasp for air before the same man picks him up by his collar, pulling him in, so there is not much space between them, as we hear. "Find her and kill him or you die.. Don't make this same mistake twice Clay! If you do, I will kill you myself." He spats in his face before dropping him back to the ground, stepping over him as if he is just trash on the ground.

I watch him get up and going in the opposite direction. So I pull Raine behind me and into the little hut with Orion right behind. We all breathe hard but try to hold the sounds in, to give as long as we can. "So Shane and Clayton are working against us as well. That sucks.. more betrayal to add to the list." Raine whispers to no one in particular, but she obviously knew these me.. I hate that this keeps happening. We just need to get out of here so we can get past this and out of this dangerous area for all of us.