this is my pack 22
1026 Words
Chapter 22
Something moved outside the cabin. I froze instantly.Another crunch followed near the back window. Sal growled low.
“Not human.”
My hand reached for the knife on the table. The movement outside stopped completely. Like whatever it was, ,knew I had heard it.
Slowly, I stepped closer to the window. Nothing. Just darkness and trees moving in the wind. Then a deep voice spoke from outside.
“You should lock your curtains too.”
I nearly stabbed the window out of pure instinct. A man stepped onto the porch seconds later like he belonged there. Tall. Dark hair. Leather jacket. Annoyingly calm. And standing behind him near the edge of the woods was the massive black wolf from earlier.
Golden eyes glowing in the dark. The man looked directly at me through the window.
“You gonna let me in,” he asked casually, “or keep staring at me like you’ve seen a ghost?”
I kept the knife firmly in my hand.
“Depends,” I called through the door. “Are you planning on murdering me?”
The man looked genuinely thoughtful for a second.
“Nope. Not tonight anyway.”
Sal snarled instantly. “I hate him already.”
Honestly, same.
The massive wolf behind him sat calmly near the tree line, those golden eyes locked on the cabin. Watching. Waiting. Definitely not normal. I cracked the door open just enough to see the stranger clearly. Up close, he looked older than me by a few years. Mid twenties maybe. Sharp jaw, dark eyes, messy black hair.
Unfortunately, he was also attractive, which immediately made him suspicious.
“You enjoy sneaking around people’s houses?” I asked.
“You enjoy pointing knives at strangers?”
“Yes.”
“Fair enough.”
He glanced at the blade like he wasn’t remotely threatened by it.
That bothered me more than it should have.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“About?”
“You.”
“No thanks.”
I started closing the door, but he shoved his hand against it before it could shut completely. Sal pushed hard against the inside of my mind.
“Wolf.”
“I know.”
His eyes flickered strangely for half a second. Not human. Definitely wolf. The air around him carried that same wild feeling I’d sensed from the creature in the woods earlier. He lowered his voice slightly.
“If I wanted to hurt you, Sammy, I would’ve done it already.”
My stomach tightened instantly. “How do you know my name?”
“There aren’t many female wolves wandering around alone these days.”
Wrong answer. I slammed the door fully shut and locked it.
“Go away!”
A laugh came from the porch. “That usually works better when you don’t sound nervous.”
I backed away from the door slowly. Sal was pacing furiously now.
“He’s strong.”
“You keep saying comforting things tonight.”
A knock sounded against the wood. Not aggressive. Almost patient.
“I’m not your enemy,” he said through the door.
“Then start acting less creepy!”
Another pause.
“You rented a cabin inside claimed wolf territory.”
I froze. Sal went silent. Completely silent.
“What?”
“The woods belong to my pack,” he continued calmly. “Which means every wolf in this forest already knows you’re here.”
Cold dread crawled slowly down my spine.
“How many wolves?”
A soft chuckle answered me.
“You really don’t know anything, do you?”
That irritated me enough to step toward the door again.
“I know enough to survive.”
“No,” he said quietly. “You know enough to run.”
That one hit harder than it should have. Because he was right.
I stayed silent. Outside, the wolf near the trees stood and disappeared deeper into the darkness without making a sound.
The man noticed me watching through the window.
“That’s Koda,” he explained. “He won’t hurt you unless I tell him to.”
“Wow. That definitely makes me feel safer.”
Another laugh. At least he had the decency to sound amused.
Finally, he sighed.
“My name’s Rowan.”
“Good for you.”
“And despite your charming personality, I came here to warn you.”
That got my attention. I loosened my grip on the knife slightly.
“Warn me about what?”
“The men looking for you.”
Every muscle in my body tightened instantly. Rowan leaned lightly against the porch railing.
“The bikers that visited the theater weren’t hunters,” he said. “But the people behind them are dangerous.”
“You know them?”
“No. But my pack’s been tracking outsiders moving through these woods for weeks.”
Sal growled softly. “They’re searching.”
“Searching for what?” I asked carefully.
Rowan looked directly toward the window.
“You.”
Silence filled the cabin. The fire crackled softly behind me while my pulse hammered in my ears. That wasn’t possible. Nobody should’ve been able to track me this far. I moved constantly. Never stayed long. Never trusted anyone. Yet somehow they still found me. Rowan’s expression hardened slightly.
“You need to leave town before they arrive.”
Immediately, anger flared hot in my chest. “No.”
His eyebrows lifted. “No?”
“I’m done running.”
For the first time all night, Rowan actually looked surprised.
Then slowly, a small grin appeared. Sal noticed it instantly.
“He likes that answer.”
“Well he can stop.”
Rowan folded his arms. “You know staying here could get you killed, right?”
“Wouldn’t be my first near death experience.”
“You always this stubborn?”
“Yes.”
“That explains a lot.”
I should’ve shut the conversation down right there. Instead, I found myself stepping closer to the door again. Because despite how irritating he was… Something about Rowan felt honest.
Dangerous. But honest. And honestly? That might’ve been worse.
- Writer
