Big Bad Wolf

08

An hour after lunch, they set up an outdoor court where we could train for our own sports. We practiced the whole afternoon under the scorching heat of the sun.

After practice, I walked over to where I had hung my shirt earlier, but frowned when I saw it was gone. Only June's shirt was left.

I looked around, thinking maybe the wind had blown it away, but there was no sign of it. Someone must have mistaken it for theirs.

With a sigh, I pulled June's shirt from the branch and walked back to his tent. I unzipped it and found him on his phone.

"Your shirt," I said, handing it over.

He looked up and smiled. "Thanks, Ned. I almost forgot about this," he chuckled.

"I know," I replied, smirking.

June burst smiled.

I didn't mention my missing shirt. It was just a shirt anyway.

They all went back to the obstacle course to play again while I made my way to Garret's tent to grab my towel and headed to the shower room, hoping to have the place to myself.

No luck. I could already hear the water running.

I stepped inside—and froze.

Dean.

He was the only one in there, making it just the two of us. He glanced at me, and though every part of me screamed to turn around and leave, I stayed. I really needed that shower.

I took the farthest stall from him, letting out a silent sigh of relief when the lukewarm water hit my face and started flowing down my body.

"Hey."

I jumped at the voice. I turned—and there was Dean, standing just outside my stall with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

Even though we were both guys—and I was used to showering with my teammates—I felt oddly self-conscious. Dean gave off a completely different vibe. Or maybe it was just in my head.

"What do you want?" I asked, glaring at him. I hadn't forgotten what he did earlier. There was no reason for him to lean that close or whisper some creepy, unintelligible thing.

The memory made my hair stand on end.

"Wouldn't it be rude if I just left without saying anything?" he said.

I wouldn't mind at all.

"Okay," I muttered, turning my back to him and continuing my shower. But I could still feel his presence.

I turned around again. He was still standing there.

"You're still here?" I frowned.

He chuckled. "It's amusing to watch you enjoy the water."

Yeah? Then go enjoy it by yourself.

I gave him a tight-lipped smile, just enough to maybe make him go away. He grinned—and finally walked out.

"Creep," I muttered and got back to showering.

A moment later, I heard someone clear their throat.

"What was that?" Kevin's voice called out, followed by Marco's chuckle.

"You two were alone in here," Marco said. "Don't tell me nothing happened."

Felix laughed.

I groaned. "I'm not into guys. Leave me alone."

"We won't," Felix teased.

Soon the place filled with the rest of the team, all of them crowding into the shower. I was glad I got in early.

That night, after dinner, we walked around the campsite before returning to our tents. Garret's tent was packed with his teammates playing some basketball game on their phones. They invited me to join, but I refused—I didn't know how to play. I watched for a bit, eyes heavy with sleep.

I checked the time. Almost eleven. I needed to crash.

"You going to sleep?" Garret asked.

"Yeah, it's fine," I said, not wanting to disturb their game.

"You can sleep in my tent. No one's using it," Dave offered.

"I can?" I asked.

"Of course. It's the black one at the end of the circle."

I frowned. A circle doesn't have an end. But I just nodded and said goodnight, making my way across the quiet campsite. The bonfire in the center was dying down, and most of the tents were dark. Everyone else was already asleep.

I found the black tent and slipped inside. The cold air outside made the warmth of the tent feel even better.

"Thank God," I murmured. The place was empty, and everything was already prepared: soft comforter, pillow, everything. All I had to do was lie down.

Wrapped in the warm comforter, I fell asleep almost instantly... surrounded by a familiar scent.

DEAN

They tried to get me to join their game, but I passed. I needed to sleep early—and honestly, being in Garret's tent with Ned would've been torture. I wouldn't have been able to touch him.

Not with Valir pacing in my head.

We almost took him earlier, when Ned lost his balance. Valir had to fight the urge to bite our mate right then and there. Still, he growled something at Ned in our language.

"I'm going to make you my b***h," he said—and I couldn't even disagree.

I was about to sleep when my phone rang. It was Mom.

I stepped outside and walked near the trees to take the call.

"Dean, your grandfather is planning to give you the title," she said.

I growled quietly. She had told me that a hundred times already.

"I know. I'm not ready yet. Just give me a little more time."

There was no one else to inherit the Alpha title but me. Mom and Dad wanted me to stop playing around and come home to the pack lands to train and prepare. They were planning to pass it down on my eighteenth birthday.

It was supposed to be a surprise.

I was going to return after this camp—but that was before I met my mate.

"You keep saying that," Mom said.

"Not now, Mom. Not when I've already found him."

She went quiet.

"You found your mate?" she asked carefully.

"Maybe."

"You can't say maybe. Is that why you won't come back?"

"Obviously. And I can't exactly drag him into our world. He's... human."

I groaned as I headed back to my tent, frustrated by the call—but more overwhelmed by the scent growing stronger with every step.

I opened the flap—

And there he was.

Ned. Curled up in my tent. Wrapped in my comforter. Asleep.

I was going to lose my damn mind.