Ven
I don't know if I'm just imagining things but I just felt like something is already building up between me and Geo. From the way he held me when we crossed the river to the way he carried me over those corpses, gosh! He makes me feel these things. And I honestly wish he'd join me here in the lake, I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not plotting something inappropriate but I do want to see his reaction in a pressing circumstance. I mean, would he say something? Do something? Anything, I just want to know. But unfortunately for me, he stayed by the trees and only glanced at me occasionally, probably just checking if I didn't try to run away from him, I mean he literally kidnapped me and all.
Honestly though, I like his company and no, I'm not planning to run away from him, not until he'd say something. It's not as if he didn't feel it right? The sparks...
"Ven!" He suddenly called out and I turned to him.
"Yes?" I asked.
"The wind is picking up, get back here already!" He said. Who is he, my father? I was about to retort back but a strong breeze blew my hair and something in the water felt uneasy, so I reluctantly obeyed. I hurriedly put on my clothes and just used my fingers to comb my hair. "I found an abandoned hut ahead, I think we can take shelter there." He said as soon as I approached him.
I just nodded and followed him to the said hut. It looks like it's going to collapse soon but my ears picked up something from inside. "I don't think it's abandoned." I muttered.
Just after I finished my sentence, the door opened revealing an old man. "Hey, the storm is shifting, you two need to take cover." He said as if reading our minds.
"Can we come in sir?" I asked and he beamed.
"Sure, come in." I was about to come in when Geo pulled me back.
"Don't trust that easily." He whispered before pulling me inside. Yeah right, the old man looks pretty harmless.
My eyes roamed around the cramped space that we entered. There are two wooden chairs, a bed, a table, and a kitchen area all in one room and the old man motioned for us to sit down.
"What are you young couple doing out here, this deep in the woods?" He asked, placing a kettle over the blazing stove.
I coughed at what he just called Geo and I. Young couple? Do we look like a couple?
"Hiking sir, we're nature lovers and enjoy the outdoors." Geo answered calmly. It's as if he didn't even notice what I noticed!
"Ahh, it's always so nice to have a mate that shares the same interest as you." The old man smiled fondly and I froze.
Mates. He said mates.
"Oh no, we're not mates." Geo corrected and I felt a pinch of pain in my chest.
"Really?" The old man asked, seemingly amused.
"Yes sir, we're not mates." I seconded. I just don't want him to tease us or something.
"If you say so." He smirked. What the hell does he mean by that? "Do you want something hot to drink?"
"No, thank you..." Geo and I said at the same time and the smile on the old man's face just widened.
"We're good." Geo added, clearing his throat.
"Suit yourself. It's going to be a cold night." He remarked as he climbed into his bed and fell asleep just like that.
True to the old man's words, the night became chillier as it deepened and I just have to make due of the minimal heat that the stove's fire is emitting, plus, it doesn't help that this hut has a lot of holes in the walls.
"Need an extra coat?" Geo offered, already putting his cloak around my shoulders. It effectively warmed me up and made butterflies erupt in my belly because his scent is totally wrapped around me.
"How about you?" I asked back as he's only wearing a loose shirt and tattered jeans right now.
"I'm used to the cold. I mean I lived in a cave in the mountains after your soldiers burned our house." He said, his tone sounding darker on the last part of his statement.
A pang of guilt rushed over me, I mean, I may not be directly responsible for what happened but I still feel his misery. "I'm sorry..." I muttered.
"Don't be." He said before turning away from me, probably not wanting to talk about it.
Honestly, I feel torn because now I knew how my father's longing for more power and a larger territory, affected those who were just living peacefully. I mean, I'm not completely oblivious to their existence just a few meters away from our east border, meaning, I also know that they're not really looking for trouble. I even heard that the head of their household, probably his father, sent his children off to different packs to work and earn the life they want to live. On the other hand, I am also aware of the futile revenge plot that Geo has to avenge his mother's death, a plan, I'm not even sure would work because I know my father and I know what he's capable of. It stresses me out to be stuck in the middle of this all.
The wind suddenly grew stronger and Geo and I looked at each other as the hut seems to shake, as if it's ready to be uprooted by the strong hurl. And then we looked at the old man who is sound asleep. Man, how can he sleep through all this? So weird.
"You okay?" Geo asked.
"Yeah, there's just something really strange going on here." I said.
"Tell me about it." He chuckled as he transferred his seat next to mine and placed his arms around my shoulders. "Stop worrying too much, this will pass."
For some reason, I believe him, I really do. His close proximity calmed me down and before I knew it, I dozed off, with my head laying on his shoulder.
The sound of birds chirping woke me up, and I opened my eyes to see that I'm already lying down on the old man's wooden bed with him and Geo nowhere to be found. I panicked and rushed outside. My heart pounded in my chest asI was met with clear skies and a mist free surrounding. This could only mean one thing though...
"Geo? Geo!" I called out but got no response. So I ran around the hut, desperately searching for any signs of him or the old man, but there's nothing! I tried tracking his scent, only to realize that I'm technically covered in it as I'm still wearing his cloak. Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Where is he?
"Looking for someone?" A sickly sweet feminine voice made me spin around and surely enough, I came face to face with a really beautiful woman. Her facial features suggests that she's just around my age however, when my eyes landed on her hands that are almost hidden in her cloak, I noticed how wrinkled they are. Alarm bells suddenly resounded in my head but I kept a calm composure.
"Yes, I am actually looking for my companion." I said, sounding so lost, she might believe I really have no idea of what the hell is actually going on.
"Oh, is he the tall, lean man with dark hair and hazel brown eyes?" She asked, her tone matching my seemingly innocent ones.
"Yes! Did you see him? Perhaps with the old man who owns this hut?" I exclaimed.
"Yes, I saw them talking and invited them in my house. Do you want to see them?" My blood ran cold at that. I thought Geo instructed me not to trust easily, yet here he is, taking invitations from a beautiful yet suspicious woman ever so enthusiastically!
"Sure! Please take me to them." I chirped sounding as excited as I could despite my nerves feeling anything but excitement.
She motioned for me to follow her into a trail towards the east and just 10 minutes into the walk, we emerged into a clearing with a two story house at the middle. I listened to everything that I could possibly hear before following her to the porch. Gosh! She opened the door to a cozy living room, and there sitting on the couch is Geo and the old man talking. What the hell? How could he look so calm right now?
"Ven!" Geo exclaimed when he saw me. "You were fast asleep when this beauty invited us for coffee so I didn't wake you up..." He trailed off.
"Oh..." I can only say and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, probably sensing that sometimes is off.
"I saw her and invited her too. Do you want coffee, Ven?" The sickly sweet woman asked.
"No thank you, I'm fine." I said, making my way to sit next to Geo and he immediately wrapped an arm around my waist the moment I sat down. What the hell is he doing?
"Ahhh, you just missed your mate." The old man, whose name I still don't know until now, suddenly blurted out and I felt Geo squeezing my side for a bit.
"We're only friends." Geo chuckled and I did too, even though I'm freaking confused right now.
"Whatever you say. Ebony, where's the bathroom please?" The old man asked the woman who apparently disappeared into the kitchen reappeared and she led him there.
Now that we're alone in the living room, I turned to Geo with a questioning look in my face.
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