Chapter 246
Chapter 246
“Still nothing in your pack? You only grabbed a bag to one-up me and be difficult,” Greta accused, her tone sharp as she caught up to me.
I let out an exasperated sigh, dropping my bag to the forest floor with a soft thud. The faint rustling of water bottles and small packets of food echoed from inside. With a quick unzip, I revealed the contents. “Greta, I have three sets of clothes- three shirts, three pairs of shorts, and underwear. That’s all. Amy and Claude made sure no one hoards too much. I gave up more of my stuff so others could carry what they needed. I haven’t spent this much time in my human form in five years, and my wolf doesn’t need clothes anyway. This pack is small so I can wear it while shifting. My wolf can easily carry it. So no, my pack isn’t full, and honestly, I doubt I’ll ever be anywhere long enough to fill it up.” I zipped it back up and pressed forward, following Gunner’s trail deeper into the woods.
“Finn! Finn! Wait! What the hell?” Greta’s footsteps pounded behind me, frustration clear in her voice. “Where exactly are you going p>
“I’m following Gunner’s trail to the cabin. Where else would I be headed? We have a mission to complete, and I need to do my part so all of our people can stay. There’s only a year to prove ourselves, and I refuse to be the reason they’re kicked out— even if some of you don’t want me around p>
I shook off the tension settling in my chest. Life had thrown so much crap at us, so many battles fought and scars earned. We always found a way to push through the nonsense. I wasn’t about to let one stubborn female warrior get under my skin now. Taking a deep breath, I scanned the surroundings, alert to every sound and shadow. If the camp had been coming and going for weeks, there was no way they hadn’t noticed this hidden cabin before.
“Finn! Stop! What do you mean, if we don’t want you around?” Greta’s voice was sharp, almost pleading.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked, “How much farther? It’s getting dark, and if what Rory said is true, those wolves will be out soon. I don’t want a fight in unfamiliar woods p>
She sighed, clearly annoyed. Good. I didn’t need her pity or sympathy. My focus was on the mission—showing we could be trusted and follow the orders of a real alpha.
“It should be close. I can smell the juniper and cedar they use around their buildings. The scent’s strong-it’ll help mask us p>
I nodded, pressing forward. After about twenty more feet, we crested a small hill and spotted the cabin—a tiny structure tucked between two trees. The weathered exterior was covered in moss, looking fragile enough to collapse if I sneezed too hard. I stopped, eyeing it carefully. “That’s not going to fit both of us p>
“What do you mean? Rory said his guys use it all the time when they’re out here late p>
“His guys probably come alone. There’s no way both of us will fit. You’ll be lucky if there’s a bed and a toilet in the same room p>
“Gross p>
“Have you never had to pee where you sleep?” I teased, knowing her pampered life probably never forced her to rough it. She just rolled her eyes in reply.
Reaching the door, I noticed that despite its old, worn look, the cabin was surprisingly sturdy. Maybe the shabby facade was meant to keep wandering wolves away. Greta pulled a key from her pack and unlocked the door, and we were immediately hit by a strong scent of air freshener.
“What the hell is that?” I asked, wrinkling my nose.
“That’s the last guy’s failed attempt to mask his scent and then he left all that crap behind.” Greta grimaced as we stepped inside. “Look on the bright side—no toilet next to the bed p>
“Yeah, but I only see one bed.” I leaned close to her ear, a sly smile tugging at my lips. “So, where exactly are you planning to sleep?” New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on
Without waiting for an answer, I pushed past her and flopped down on the full-sized mattress, grinning as I lay back.