grinned. He had an incredibly sexy grin.
“They think you’re a werewolf,” I said and went on to explain, “Dr. Keane and Mason.”
“Do they?” I heard the amusement in his voice.
“You think it’s funny.”
“As long as they’re not carrying silver bullets.”
“Oh, great. You truly believe all that stuff, too?”
“No, but I don’t want them shooting at any wolves we might happen to come across.”
“You’re protective of them.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time in these woods. You get to know the animals. I don’t want to see them hurt. Just like I wouldn’t want to see you hurt.”
He lowered his head just a little and I had this incredible realization that he was going to kiss me. Not only that—I desperately wanted him to.
A sudden howling in the distance made us both go still. It was a lonely sound. For some strange reason, it made me think of an animal in mourning.
“We should probably head back,” Lucas said quietly, putting distance between us.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
I directed the flashlight toward the path.
“Actually, it’s this way,” Lucas said, taking my hand and guiding me in the right direction.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten turned around, but I followed his lead. Soon, I could see the dim lights of our campsite.
“Thanks for going with me,” I said when I got to my tent.
“Any time you need to go for a walk at night, just let me know. It’s not safe to go out alone.”
It wasn’t until I was curled back into my sleeping bag that I recalled he’d been out there alone. Why was it safe for him and not for me?
Then I heard another howling wolf. This one was much closer, so close that I could have sworn it was just outside our tent. I thought I should have been afraid. Instead, just like when I’d been walking with Lucas, I felt comforted.
After I drifted off to sleep, for the first time in a long time, when I dreamed about wolves I didn’t wake up screaming.
FIVE
The next day was pretty much like the day before except that the terrain became rougher. Everyone struggled a little more. Everyone except the sherpas. At one point, Lucas suggested that Connor and Rafe carry the crate, but Tyler and Ethan insisted they could take care of it.
“Wonder what’s inside that they’re so protective of?” Brittany asked.
After we’d stopped for lunch, Lucas hadn’t insisted that I stay near the front, so I’d moved back to hike with Brittany and Lindsey.
“I bet I can get them to tell me,” Lindsey said.
“I think maybe it’s a cage,” I murmured.
“A cage? For what?” Brittany asked.
In the light of day, I felt silly saying it. “I overheard them last night after the campfire. I think they really believe werewolves are out here.”
Lindsey snorted. “They’re not the first. We always get some campers who hear the rumors and think they can find the evidence. And it’s sorta our fault. At Halloween, we always have a haunted forest to raise funds for animal shelters. Some of our costumes are really cool and realistic.”
“And scary,” Brittany added.
“But that’s all pretend. I think Mason and his dad are serious about hunting werewolves,” I insisted.
“So? They won’t find anything. Meanwhile, we get paid,” Lindsey said.
“I guess. It just makes me a little wary of them.”
“People believe all kinds of things. As long as they aren’t violent, who does it hurt? And rumors like this bring people to the park. It’s all good.”
I supposed she made sense. I adjusted the weight of my pack on my shoulders. I was proud of the fact that I was able to keep up with everyone. Rafe was the last one on the trail, making sure that no one got left behind.
“So, uh, Lucas. Does he do the whole haunted forest thing?” I asked. I couldn’t imagine it. He seemed so serious that I couldn’t imagine him playacting.
“He did before he went off to college,” Lindsey said. “Now he just comes home for
“They think you’re a werewolf,” I said and went on to explain, “Dr. Keane and Mason.”
“Do they?” I heard the amusement in his voice.
“You think it’s funny.”
“As long as they’re not carrying silver bullets.”
“Oh, great. You truly believe all that stuff, too?”
“No, but I don’t want them shooting at any wolves we might happen to come across.”
“You’re protective of them.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time in these woods. You get to know the animals. I don’t want to see them hurt. Just like I wouldn’t want to see you hurt.”
He lowered his head just a little and I had this incredible realization that he was going to kiss me. Not only that—I desperately wanted him to.
A sudden howling in the distance made us both go still. It was a lonely sound. For some strange reason, it made me think of an animal in mourning.
“We should probably head back,” Lucas said quietly, putting distance between us.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
I directed the flashlight toward the path.
“Actually, it’s this way,” Lucas said, taking my hand and guiding me in the right direction.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten turned around, but I followed his lead. Soon, I could see the dim lights of our campsite.
“Thanks for going with me,” I said when I got to my tent.
“Any time you need to go for a walk at night, just let me know. It’s not safe to go out alone.”
It wasn’t until I was curled back into my sleeping bag that I recalled he’d been out there alone. Why was it safe for him and not for me?
Then I heard another howling wolf. This one was much closer, so close that I could have sworn it was just outside our tent. I thought I should have been afraid. Instead, just like when I’d been walking with Lucas, I felt comforted.
After I drifted off to sleep, for the first time in a long time, when I dreamed about wolves I didn’t wake up screaming.
FIVE
The next day was pretty much like the day before except that the terrain became rougher. Everyone struggled a little more. Everyone except the sherpas. At one point, Lucas suggested that Connor and Rafe carry the crate, but Tyler and Ethan insisted they could take care of it.
“Wonder what’s inside that they’re so protective of?” Brittany asked.
After we’d stopped for lunch, Lucas hadn’t insisted that I stay near the front, so I’d moved back to hike with Brittany and Lindsey.
“I bet I can get them to tell me,” Lindsey said.
“I think maybe it’s a cage,” I murmured.
“A cage? For what?” Brittany asked.
In the light of day, I felt silly saying it. “I overheard them last night after the campfire. I think they really believe werewolves are out here.”
Lindsey snorted. “They’re not the first. We always get some campers who hear the rumors and think they can find the evidence. And it’s sorta our fault. At Halloween, we always have a haunted forest to raise funds for animal shelters. Some of our costumes are really cool and realistic.”
“And scary,” Brittany added.
“But that’s all pretend. I think Mason and his dad are serious about hunting werewolves,” I insisted.
“So? They won’t find anything. Meanwhile, we get paid,” Lindsey said.
“I guess. It just makes me a little wary of them.”
“People believe all kinds of things. As long as they aren’t violent, who does it hurt? And rumors like this bring people to the park. It’s all good.”
I supposed she made sense. I adjusted the weight of my pack on my shoulders. I was proud of the fact that I was able to keep up with everyone. Rafe was the last one on the trail, making sure that no one got left behind.
“So, uh, Lucas. Does he do the whole haunted forest thing?” I asked. I couldn’t imagine it. He seemed so serious that I couldn’t imagine him playacting.
“He did before he went off to college,” Lindsey said. “Now he just comes home for
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