by E J Darling
Declan stood from the stool and walked to the kitchen. He needed to get away from the woman and clear his mind. That wouldn’t happen if he was hovering over her every breath until she woke up. It may even scare her more if she woke to him in her face before she was ready to fully accept what was going on.
She said they’d attacked her at her cabin. The wolves had gone too far. They’d trespassed on his territory and were now hunting the humans nearby. Something needed to be done. They needed to be put out of their own misery and out of his. He hadn’t seen hide or hair of the fucking savages since spring and he’d hoped they would move on permanently, but that was foolish on his part. There was no way in hell they’d leave him alone. They must know he was going crazy now. That the loss of Autumn would have torn him to shreds. Now what had they done? Brought him a new woman? This had to be some sick twisted joke at his expense. The wolves were mad, but were they capable of purposefully bringing this woman here?
The closest cabin was nearly three miles away. There was no way in hell they hadn’t gained on her in that time. They would have caught her after a few hundred feet if they had really meant to kill her. No, this had to deliberate. But why? What did they gain by Declan having a woman here with him?
Declan yanked a beer out of his fridge and popped the cap before chugging it back. He didn’t want to think about the why and the how. His bear was already a damn mess and thinking too much about shit he couldn’t understand was going to make it worse.
He could still hear the wolves, even though they were now too far away for him to hear. It meant the ghosts were back already and he would soon spiral again. He needed to get out of here; away from the woman he had saved. Instincts told him to protect her and right now, that meant taking a run in the woods. His bear was scratching to get out of him and check his territory. He needed to make sure the wolves were really gone and the woman was going to be okay. Even if it’s just for a little while.
He set his now empty beer on the counter and walked back into the living room. Declan grabbed another log and placed it on top of the fire so it wouldn’t go out while he was gone. He didn’t want her cold when she woke. Before he walked out of the cabin, he grabbed a pen and paper and wrote a note. She should know for certain that she was safe, even if he wasn’t going to be here.
He looked back to the woman one more time, contemplating staying here. Staying close. It was stupid but he wanted to be near her. He wanted to be near anyone and yet no one. She didn’t remind him of Autumn. In fact, she was the complete opposite.
She had dark hair where Autumn had light, strawberry blonde hair. Her lips were fuller, and her bright greens eyes were calming. When he would look into Autumn’s all he saw was a wild will and a feeling of uneasiness. Nothing was ever easy with her. She’d been a mess, but he’d loved her anyway. Even the way the woman slept was different, she seemed peaceful.
Declan needed to go. He needed to give the bear time to run or he wouldn’t be able to hold him back anymore. The only thing that kept him in skin anymore was tiring out his bear enough to appease him for a little while. Soon, that wouldn’t work anymore. Soon, he’d be a feral beast like the wolves, trapped in fur until he died.
CHAPTER THREE
Lexie opened her eyes and looked up to the unfamiliar ceiling. She shot up and screamed in panic. It took her a minute to gather her bearings and she ran her hands over her body, checking for any damage. She’d been covered with an animal skin blanket with a warm fuzzy lining and a roaring fire lit the room. The fireplace took up the entire wall and was covered in real stone, not the fake decorative stuff you see in nice houses back home.
The walls were basic cedar logs like hers had been, and they gave the air a woody smell that made her feel warm and cozy. Lexie tried to remember what had happened, but her mind was still too tired. Her legs, lungs, and cheeks hurt like hell. But everything was so fuzzy. She laid back against the couch cushion and closed her eyes, but it had only lasted a moment. Someone lived here.
Someone.
Someone had saved her. Someone had made the wolves go away. Where was he? Lexie looked around the small cabin, but no one was here. She shucked off the blanket and stood from the couch. Her legs felt heavy and the memory of running through the snow hit her and she wobbled a little when she took her first step, catching herself on a wooden stool placed close by. It was warm under her touch from the fire and the thing looked well loved. A favorite seat perhaps.
Lexie got her footing and pushed off the stool. She studied a ladder that went into a loft where she assumed the bed must be, and underneath it was a quaint sitting area with walls covered in full bookshelves. She studied them, taking in each genre as she went. Romance, science fiction, fantasy, classic telling’s from her childhood, and some world dictionaries. Whoever lived here loved books. She smiled a little when her eyes landed on the worn leather book titled, Beauty and the Beast.
“That’s probably more ironic than I care to admit.” She said to herself as she tucked the book back into its place.
She turned and studied the rest of the house. It was four days until Christmas but there wasn’t one single decoration, not a single tree or light. Lexie almost felt bad for the sweet little cabin. It would be magical all lit up.
Looking out the small kitchen window, Lexie saw the harsh wind outside. The snow was coming down like a blizzard and she wondered about the man who’d saved her. Was he out there in this? She ran her fingers along the butcher block counter until she came across an empty beer bottle sitting on the edge of a piece of paper with a handwritten note.
I know you must be terrified, but you are
safe in my home. The wolves have
moved on for now and won’t be back
for a while. I had to leave for
just a bit, but I will be back
soon. There is food in the fridge,
make yourself at home.
- Declan Thomas
“Declan.” She committed the name to memory.
He saved her life and then he had been kind enough to leave a stranger in his home alone. She tried to remember the man’s face but everything from last night was still a blur. She reached into her mind but all she pulled out were deep green eyes, his thick bearded face hovering over hers. He’d asked if she was okay but that’s when things went dark. She was definitely not okay and would need so much therapy after this.
Her stomach rumbled and Lexie decided to take Declan up on his offer of food. She opened the fridge and took out some leftover cooked meat with what appeared to be mashed potatoes and gravy. It looked and smelled amazing. She opened the lid and popped it in the microwave to warm while she studied the cabin more.
It was rustic and simple, definitely a bachelor pad, but it wasn’t messy. She looked at the empty beer bottle again and grabbed it up by the neck before tossing it in the trashcan… now it wasn’t messy. “Men.” She murmured.
The microwave beeped and she pulled out her now steaming food. She walked back to the couch and sat the container down on the wooden stool before padding back to the bookshelves. There hadn’t been a television in this cabin either, so reading it was. She needed to pass the time somehow. There was no way in hell she was stepping one foot outside by herself and there was nothing left to do but eat and wait for Declan to come back from wherever he was.
Lexie ran her fingers along the spines of the romance section and stopped at a green leather bound one. Its edges were worn and slightly bent in places. Some of the binding was coming loose and it was obvious that it had been read and loved for a long time. She pulled it off the shelf and read the title.
“When the Winter Winds Blow.”
She had never heard of the author, but she opened it up and thumbed through the worn pages. She came across a folded edge and paused. There was a sentence underlined in black ink that read, She had the face of angel, but she was more venomous than a snake.
She closed the book and walked back to the couch where she plopped
herself down and pulled the warm blanket back over her lap. Lexie took a bite of her food and moaned as she savored the taste. It was absolutely delicious. The meat melted in her mouth and she quickly took another before she opened the book back up to the first page and dove in.
The sun was starting to come up over the mountains and the gray muted light filtered in through the thin curtains. She’d finished her food and put the container back on the well-loved stool when footsteps thumped on the wooden porch outside the door. Lexie’s heart raced the moment she heard it and she dropped the book, the thump of it hitting the floor loud in the silent room. The handle turned, and the door swung open with the harsh wind, slamming it against the door jam. In a heartbeat, the opening was filled with a large, half naked man.
He was massively built with broad shoulders and a lean frame. She could see every muscle on his torso and arms, and they were bugling to get free from his skin.
In a moment of shock, Lexie stood from the couch and backed herself into the nearest corner. She didn’t know if this was the man that had saved her or, if it was, if he was as nice as she hoped he was. Being alone in a secluded cabin with a strange man was the last thing she wanted right now. “Please don’t hurt me.” She whimpered.
The man put his hands out the moment he saw her petrified and his features softened. “Shh, it’s okay.” He crooned, “I’m Declan Thomas. I live here. What’s your name?”
She hesitated for a moment but decided to answer. It was the least she could do after he saved her life and she’d eaten his food, “Alexis. Alexis Porter. But you can call me Lexie, if you want.”
Lexie studied the man again. He was in nothing but a pair of jeans. No shoes covered his bare feet and his torso was open to the elements. “Were you outside all night with nothing but a pair of jeans on? Are you insane?”
Declan shrugged his shoulders playfully and smiled, “Yes.”
“Yes to you being out there like that or to you being crazy?”
“Yes.” He answered again.
That didn’t make her feel any better about her position. Declan closed the door behind him and to her shock, locked it. Great she was locked in a cabin with a potential psychopath.
He didn’t come near her. Instead, he silently treaded up the ladder to the loft and she heard drawers opening and closing. In moments, he was coming back down the threads in a thick flannel shirt, the deep green and cream pattern paired perfectly with his dark red hair. She was mortified by how it made her feel deep down in her stomach. He was sexy as hell.
Now that he had more clothes on, Lexie felt better about the current situation of being alone with a strange guy. Maybe he was a mountain man through and through and was used to the harsh elements. Or maybe he was just crazy. Time would hopefully tell.
Declan grabbed a beer from the fridge and popped the top, discarding it in the trash. He silently entered the living area, while she still hovered in the corner and removed the leftover container from the stool. He dragged the old thing closer to the fire and plopped himself down as he took a swig from his bottle.
The cabin was silent aside from the crackling of the fire and the sound of her own pounding heartbeat. She was still terrified, but things could be worse. Declan could have left her out outside in the snow while the wolves tore her to shreds. His eyes didn’t move from the fire, but he finally broke the eerie silence that was about to make her snap.
“You okay?” He asked.
His tone was sincere, and Lexie’s fear was instantly calmed by his smooth voice. Or maybe it was because of the way he sat on the stool in such a relaxed way. Maybe it was the way the low flames from the dying fire casted shadows on his face and danced upon his strong features. Maybe it was the way his eyes trailed her body now as he breathed a bit harder trying to mask his emotions. Either way, she was feeling better about the situation. If he was going to hurt her, he could have done it when she was unconscious on his couch all night, but he hadn’t.
She shook her head to answer his question and he chewed on his bottom lip, contemplating what to say next. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She shook her head again.
“Okay.” He said and took another swig from the bottle.
The room was quiet again for a long time and Lexie’s legs were starting to get tired. She slowly removed herself from the corner and rounded the couch, while Declan silently watched her every move. She picked up the book that she’d dropped and placed it back on her lap.
Declan motioned his head to the tattered leather she now held on to for security, “You picked a good one. It’s my favorite, or it used to be.”
Lexie looked down and ran her fingers along the cover, “It’s very good.” She managed to say. “But it’s sad.”
“Tragic.” He corrected. Declan downed the rest of his beer then and sat the empty bottle on the ground beside him. His head twitched to the side and she angled her head, studying him. “You can have it.”
“I thought it was your favorite.”
“It used to be. But that was before.”
“Before what?” She asked.
“Before Autumn gave way to winter.” His head twitched again, and Lexie began to worry. Was he okay?
“How poetic.” She whispered.
“Tragic.” He said again.
CHAPTER FOUR
He didn’t like talking about Autumn. It did something to his mind that he couldn’t control, and he tried to hide the manic ramblings inside him. But they came as ticks when he suppressed them, and Lexie was beginning to notice. Her brows furrowed when his head twitched and soon, she’d be concerned about her safety around him if he couldn’t get his shit together.
She should be though. He was going crazy and that wouldn’t stop just because there was a woman here now.
The wolves were howling again, and Declan broke his gaze from the dying fire to look in her direction. She didn’t seem to panic so he knew it must be in his head. It was always in his head.
Her green eyes stared at the book in front of her as her fingers ran along the edge of the binding. The worn green leather was still bright and matched her eyes perfectly. If only the story inside the binding was just as beautiful. He used to love the tragic tale of two lovers destined to never be together. Destined to be apart between time and space… forever. It wasn’t beautiful anymore though. It was reality.
Declan stood from his stool and grabbed up a few more logs to put on the dying fire. He’d need to cut some more soon if he was going to get through the storm that was brewing overhead. It would die down soon but there was another one coming. An even bigger one. He had enough food to feed an army, but logs burned quicker on cold nights.
“I know you don’t want a stranger in your home. Do you think you could take me back to my cabin?” Lexie asked quietly.
That wasn’t entirely true. If he was going to be stuck in a cabin with a stranger, then she was definitely the one he would pick. “I don’t have a vehicle so that would be impossible.”
“How the hell do you get around then?
“My feet.” He gave her a toothy smile and stood from his stool, grabbing up the container and his empty beer bottle and took them to the kitchen.
“You are insane.” There was the tiniest amount of jest in her tone and it made Declan smile to himself. “I don’t have any clothes or any of my things.” He could hear her footsteps and her voice move around the cabin as she approached the kitchen as he kept his back to her and looked out the window above the sink to the white out. “I can’t stay here.” She was on him now and he felt her small hand touch his back.
Declan flinched away from the touch and rounded her. He gripped her wrist and pulled her into his body. Her other hand went up in defense and pressed on this stomach, but she was weak, and he had the upper hand here. “Have you seen what it looks like out there? How far do you think we’ll get in this blizzard and for what? A pair of pants and a toothbrush? The nearest town is twenty miles down a snow packed mountain r
oad. If the elements don’t claim you, the wolves will.” He growled. “That cabin you were at is three and half miles away, Lex.”
“Three miles? That’s…”
“Impossible?”
“Yes.” She whispered and looked out the kitchen window. “How did I even run that far without them catching me? I wasn’t even going fast, the snow slowed me down so much. Even if I had been an Olympic runner, the elements alone would have slowed me down enough for them to catch me.”
“I don’t think they planned on catching you. At least not yet.”
Lexie looked back towards him then, “What does that mean?”
“It means I think they planned on you finding my cabin. They may have even led you in this direction. They wanted to draw me out, maybe even help you.”
“Why would wolves do that? How could they even plan something like that? They’re just dogs, Declan.”
He chuckled then and howls echoed in the distance. “No. They’re not. If you’re going to be out here in this desolate place, then you need to know the truth.”
Lexie’s eyebrows furrowed and she peered up at Declan. “What truth?”
“There are monsters in these mountains, Lexie.” He pulled his arm around her waist, to keep her from running and he lowered his head to whisper in her ear. “We’re all monsters here.” Declan raised his head back up and searched her eyes for her reaction.
“Don’t tell me monster stories to keep me in the cabin, Declan.”
“If only this were a storybook, honey. But I’m more terrifying than the big bad wolf outside.”
Her eyes widened and Lexie tried to break free of his hold. He wasn’t going to let her go. She could try to run out of the cabin and outside where it wasn’t safe. She may be scared of him now, but she would learn that he was the only thing in these mountains that wasn’t going to hurt her.
“Settle down.” He spoke through clenched teeth, trying to keep himself in the here and now.