EPISODE 2

The second time I awoke, I was no longer lying on the grass outside. Instead, I laid on a blanket that was placed inside a flimsy-looking tent, but beggars can't be chooser. Nobody was around this time, but the scents were still strong, which told me that they couldn't have gone far.

I took a deep breath before forcing my body up into a sitting position. They were sore, but I didn't mind considering it was already more than I could do last time. I glanced around the tent, which was almost bare, besides a few small items, such as a notebook and a broken necklace lingering in the corner.

Just where was I?

That was the first thing I needed to figure out. The sooner I knew where I was, the sooner I'd be back home.

"River, come on! Wait!" I heard a familiar voice call out as it got closer.

Not even a second later, the tent was roughly snatched open, and a head of dark brown curls, honey-tan skin, and deep brown eyes came into view.

Deep, glaring brown eyes

I immediately recognized the man, who was now in his human form, as the wolf who'd attacked me. Apparently, he recognized me as well because before I knew it, he was approaching me in a quick stride, followed by a growl.

"*Riv---"

"Shut the **** up," he snapped at the girl, his voice a rough contrast to the other man I'd met*.

He stopped right in front of me, his hand slamming against the ground beside me, and I could feel my heart pounding against my chest. Slowly, I dragged my eyes up to meet his, and there it was again: the spark from before. If he noticed it as I had, it only seemed to make him more furious. His dark eyes flashed, and he let out another loud growl which caused me to flinch.

"Why is it here?" The man asked, looking at me with an expression of disgust. The girl didn't immediately respond, and the annoyance showed on his face. He turned to her with a look of impatience. "Well, Thalia? Answer me."

"I brought him back," the smooth voice from before said as the man stuck his head inside the tent. His eyes focused on the honey-skinned wolf. "Don't take your anger out on the child."

The honey-skinned man scoffed. "Child? She's already seen things most wolves her age would've shriveled up in fear from."

"And as unfortunate as that is, it doesn't change the fact that she is still a child- one who only recently turned thirteen. You will not yell at her like that again, and we will not be arguing in front of her anymore," the green-eyed man replied.

There was a silence in the air, and I saw the honey-skinned man's jaw clench before he turned to the girl-Thalia.

"Leave us," he dismissed her

Thalia glanced over at the green-eyed man, who nodded, and she disappeared out of the tent. Immediately, both pairs of eyes turned to me.

"What is it doing here?" The honey-skinned man repeated.

The word "it" would've made me frown if I wasn't too worried that he'd take it as a reason to further harm-or kill-me. I wasn't an object

"Recovering," the other man responded simply.

"Why?"

The green-eyed man sighed. "Why must there be a reason to help an injured wolf? I saw him, he was in bad condition, so I brought him here. There is no other reason."

"He's a pack wolf. You should've just left him," the honey-skinned man responded, and the disgusted expression grew stronger.

An unknown pain filled me at the sight of it. I wasn't sure exactly why I cared about what this wolf thought of me, but some part of me didn't like his apparent hatred for me

Maybe I'm going crazy.

"So what if he is?"

"You, of all people, should know the risks of getting involved with packs, Vrai. They're nothing but trouble. The fact that when you found it out there injured should've been enough to tell you to leave it alone and let nature take its course. It probably committed some crime and got it's *** kicked. Nothing but trouble."

Committed crime? Trouble?

"I didn't do anything of that sort!" I said defensively. My voice was dry and scratchy, but I tried to ignore it.

The honey-skinned man looked me up and down before scoffing. "So it says," he turned back toward the other man-Vrai -and his eyes narrowed in a predatory manner. "He's not staying here."

Vrai almost looked amused by this. "You don't control me, River, and you, of all people, most definitely do not get to order me around."

River. This was River.

The air grew tense, and I saw River's hands clench into fists. He looked as if he'd attack right then and there, but Vrai didn't appear to be worried, so I tried to keep my calm as well. This continued for a few moments before River scowled and abruptly yanked his arm away from me. The action ended with the two of us touching, and he looked at me as if I'd burned him.

He let out one last growl before turning to Vrai again

"Your problem, so you're responsible if it does anything. If it leaves your sight, I'll dispose of it myself," he warned or rather promised.

I fought the urge to shiver at the blatant threat to my life. Vrai stepped to the side, and River exited the tent, leaving the two of us alone.

"You can come back now, Thalia," Vrai called out after a moment.

The girl reappeared, only she wasn't alone this time. A boy who looked to be no older than fifteen or sixteen was by her side. He stared at me with curiosity

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