Seduction (The Journal of the Wolves of Spruce Hollow) (18 page)

“Wow, that must have been quite awhile ago,” I said, awestruck as I took in the large piled logs that made up the frame of the cabin. I had imagined the training camp many times in my head as a kid but it certainly didn’t live up to seeing it with my own eyes.
 

Roan unlocked the front door and pushed it open, his pack obscuring my view. In my mind, the camp was rustic and antiquated but as he walked through the door, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was actually quite nice inside with many modern updates. It was all wood, from the gleaming hardwood floors extending all the way up the walls to the vaulted ceiling. The kitchen cabinets were made of polished oak as were the stair treads and railing that lead upstairs to the sleeping quarters.
 

“The bedrooms are upstairs and the bathroom is on the main floor. We have water but no electric. So the water has to be heated up over the fire if you want to have a bath or you can take a cold shower.”
 

“Umm, how are we going to cook anything if we don’t have any electricity?”
 

“We’ll cook over fire, either in the big fieldstone fireplace in the living room or in the antique wood fed kitchen stove, just like the older generation used to. And they made out just fine,” Roan said as he gestured towards the kitchen.
 

I looked around, taking in my surroundings, incredulous that we would be able to survive here for a month or more with no electricity or heat in the middle of winter.
 

“What if we get snowed in, what if we run out of food or the water freezes?”
 

“This is not my first rodeo, little girl,” Roan said, clearly amused at my concern, “You’re perfectly safe with me. Drop your pack in the kitchen. Tonight is a free night, so enjoy it because we start training tomorrow.”
 

Roan was true to his word and I did not freeze to death that night, nor did I go to bed hungry, having filled my belly with the spaghetti and meatballs that Roan and I had made together on the old, wood fed stove. Things were easy and comfortable between us, like we were a normal, human couple caught up in the thrall of newfound love and not two predatory beasts with teeth and claws.

As we laid in bed together, later that night, our limbs heavy with exhaustion after making love twice and coming so hard the second time, I thought I was going to pass out; I thought that maybe it would be quite nice to stay here alone with Roan for a month or more.
 

“You probably won’t be thinking that tomorrow, little girl,” Roan said into the darkness, picking up on my thoughts.

I didn’t like the sound of that.

Chapter 21

~Roan~

When I woke up early the next morning, with Aspen curled around me like a purring kitten, I decided that I wasn’t going to enjoy the next month here with her, at all.
 

Aspen was here for training and training, unbeknownst to her, wasn’t really very much fun for the new Were. It was normally plenty entertaining for me but not so much for the new trainee.
 

I really didn’t want to do some of the awful things that I knew I was going to have to do to her because I knew she would be hurt and take it way too personally.
 

I scrubbed my hands through my hair, making it stand up, and wondered, for the hundredth time, if maybe I shouldn’t have taken the Alpha up on his offer and let him take Aspen up here himself.
 

However, like a stubborn mule, I had refused, saying that I wanted to be the one to be here for her.
 

And I did, for the fun, domestic type stuff, like cooking meals together and sitting in companionable silence as she sat in my lap around the fire at night.
 

I sighed as I pulled her closer and snuggled her sleepy form deeper into my chest. Neither one of us was going to enjoy what was coming next.
 

It was time to get up and begin Aspen’s training.

Chapter 22

~Aspen~

“Where are we going Roan? Is it much further, it seems like we’ve been hiking forever.”
 

“No, we’re almost there.”
 

I was trying to engage Roan in idle chitchat to try and break the uncomfortable silence that had existed between us since I’d woken up that morning.
 

I’d awakened with our arms and legs all tangled and warm but Roan was already quiet and intent as he looked down at me, watching me sleep.
 

I’d smiled at him and stretched my body languidly against his, but he didn’t say a word. He hadn’t even smiled back. He’d looked at me, his eyes dark and expressionless and simply said “Get up, it’s time for training.” Then he got out of bed, pulled on his jeans, boots and grey hoodie and went downstairs.
 

By the time I got up, got dressed and headed downstairs, he was already waiting for me with breakfast on the table.
 

“Oh wow, that looks so good!” I said enthusiastically as I sat down across from him at the small, gleaming oak kitchen table. He’d made both of us a huge plate of bacon, eggs, toast and pan fries.
 

But there was no emotional response from him. He didn’t smile or even acknowledge that I’d spoken. As a matter of fact, he’d just sat there, looking down at his plate and continued to chew the forkful of eggs that were in his mouth.
 

Confused by his sudden change in demeanor, I’d quickly followed suit and picked up my fork and began to eat quietly.
 

I was starving as my body was still adjusting to the changes of transitioning from a scrawny human to a fit and toned Were. Well, sort of fit and toned. Roan had said that I was still pretty skinny for a female Were and urged me to eat more so I could put on some muscle mass and stay healthy.

I was unused to consuming such large quantities of daily calories to keep up with the physical needs of my new body, so I made sure to eat as much as I possibly could at every meal.
 

Usually Roan was satisfied with that. Except this morning, it didn’t seem to be enough for him and he silently stared me down until I picked up my fork and ate every last drop on the plate.
 

“You need to eat that,” he said as he gestured towards the last piece of toast on my plate, “you’re going to need the calories for today’s training.”

I tried to engage him and keep him talking because I was excited to hear more about what we were going to do because Were’s never talked about the training camp.
 

Ever.
 

So I knew virtually nothing about what went on up here. The kids in the pack used to tell stories when I was a kid but if they were to be believed then the training camp was a place of unspeakable horrors. And possibly Sasquatches.

But Roan wouldn’t budge and brushed off my numerous attempts at prying more information out of him.

We trudged along through the forest. Well, I trudged. Roan’s steps were sure and tireless as he pushed aside branches and led us deep into the forest.
Lord, didn’t that man ever get tired?
 

We finally made our way to our destination, a small clearing near a stream, when Roan slowed to a stop. I was walking behind him, my head turned and taking in our surroundings. I didn’t even noticed that he’d stopped until I bumped into the pack on his back.

“
Ouff
, sorry,” I said sheepishly

“We’re here,” he said flatly as he turned and looked down at me.

 
What the heck were we going to do here?
We were in the middle of the woods and there was nothing in the clearing except for a small wooden platform. Other than that, it looked completely deserted and unused. About twenty feet beyond the edge of the platform lay a small, partially frozen stream.
 

Roan walked over to the platform and I followed him like a puppy. I didn’t want to get left behind in the woods.
 

“Sit down, Aspen.”
 

Relieved, I immediately obeyed, grateful for the rest. Roan was obviously some sort of freaky machine and never,
ever
, seemed to physically tire. While I was ready for a good long nap from our long hike. Maybe that was a difference between those who were born with Were genetics and those who were “turned”.
 

Exhausted, I sat down and pondered this revelation while Roan dumped his pack at my feet and bent down to rifle through it.
 

“Is this a rest stop?” I asked as I looked around the clearing. The forest was eerily quiet this deep in the woods. It was kind of creepy.

“Something like that.”
 

I looked around, taking in the surroundings while Roan busied himself. I guess it
was
kind of beautiful here with the gently flowing stream and the fragrant, snowy woods surrounding us. It was peaceful.
 

“I’m glad you think so,” Roan said as he read my thoughts,” because you’ll be staying here overnight to try to get in touch with your wolf.”
 

“You mean we’ll be staying out here, right?” I said nervously, searching his handsome face.

“No, you’ll be staying here alone,” he said as his eyes looked away from mine.

“
What
?? You’re not serious, right?” I said nervously.

“Yes, I am serious. This is where you’ll be able to get in contact with your wolf.” Roan looked uncomfortable as he spoke and I got the impression that he was as unhappy with this as I was.

“Oh my god, are you
crazy
? You can’t leave me out here, alone in the woods,” I said as I grabbed his gloved hand. “I’ll freeze to death, Roan. And…and what about wild animals?”
 

“You
are
a wild animal, Aspen. Look, I’m leaving you with enough wood to get through a couple of days, plus some kindling and flint. Sit on the platform and meditate. Try to hear your wolf. She’s in there somewhere, trying to get out. You’ll feel calmer inside once you make contact with her. You’ll be fine, Aspen,” Roan said as he stood up and slung his pack over his shoulder. “This is the way it’s been done for hundreds of years.”

“Roan, please, don’t leave me here. I’m scared. I don’t want to stay out here by myself,” I said tearfully.
 

“You’re not by yourself, Aspen. You have your wolf with you and you need to start relying on her. Every single Were in the pack has had to go through this process, even me, and I was only twelve.”

“But Roan, please. Don’t leave me. I’m not like you. I’m not as strong. Please Roan, I’m scared.” My words seemed to resonate with him as I could feel his reluctance and hesitation through our blood bond. He really
didn’t
want to leave me alone in the woods.

“I’m sorry Aspen,” he said softly as he gathered me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. “I have no choice. You’ll be okay, I promise. I’m going hunting to stock the camp with fresh meat, but I’ll be back in a couple of days. I promise,” he said abruptly as he turned and left the platform.

“A couple of
days
??? I’ll starve to death! Don’t leave me here! Please Roan!” I said as I ran towards his retreating back. Without warning, my foot was yanked out from under me and I fell to the ground face first. I looked down to see what had tripped me up and saw that Roan had chained my ankle to the platform while he was supposedly looking through his pack.
 

“I’m sorry Aspen, I really am. That’s why I wanted you to eat your breakfast and dress warmly today. I love you, little girl, but I’m not allowed to be your mate during training. I have to be your Beta,” he called back towards me as he walked away. His back was ramrod straight as I watched him disappear from sight but I could sense that he was swimming in a sea of regret, worry and sadness.
 

I was on day number two and my intense anger at Roan’s betrayal was slowly crumbling away, only to be replaced by fear.
Blood bound mate, my ass!
Only a cruel prick would leave their mate chained out in the middle of the woods, like a dog.

What if Roan didn’t come back to get me? How would I escape?
Likely, I would starve or freeze to death out here, that’s how.
 

I had been rationing the wood and hoped that maybe I had enough to last through the night. I was scared and starving to death. Roan hadn’t even left me any food or water. The jerk hadn’t even given me a long enough chain so that I could drink from the stream.
 

I was going to die out here, I was sure of it. I had tried to do what Roan had asked of me and tried repeatedly to get in touch with my wolf. But the blasted beast had refused to come through.
 

“What the hell is wrong with you, wolf, come out and talk to me. Please! I’m going to freeze to death out here if you don’t and then we’ll both be dead,” I said over and over again in my head, but there was no response.
 

I had repeatedly tried to contact Roan through our mental connection but he was actively blocking me and I couldn’t reach him to plead my case. He had truly left me to fend for myself.