The Bite (Book 1)

Original Edition - Chapter 45: Secrets

I heard the whispers again that night.

I had spent the rest of the day training with Billy before Evangeline took me with her to start taking a look at all the guest rooms and open cabins we had for the guests coming and what we needed to do with them.

I couldn't shake it. This new itch that was eating away at me.

I told Evangeline what happened and she was more than troubled. She was even more troubled when I told her that I thought Thomas was starting to doubt me, Thomas and Ethan.

Doubt.

He reassured me over and over that he believed me the rest of the day, but I could see it in his eyes. I understood though. I mean the whole thing was a insane freak of nature. It was insane, but that didn't make his doubts any better, or any less wrong.

That night though they called to me. They called and called and called relentlessly.

I didn't sleep a wink.

All night I heard them calling my name along with 'Come and see.' I gave me chills and only stirred up the itch more. My wolf whined all night, she didn't like any of this and I didn't blame her. We couldn't understand it, we didn't know how to fight it, and for that, it made us more anxious.

I decided to run it off the next morning; I figured that clearing my brain with mountain air would help settle my feelings.

I decided to run down the trail that Evangeline and I started to run on in the evenings by the pack house. I hadn't been down it in the morning and I was curious to see how it looked in the morning. Things always looked different in the morning.

It was crisp this morning. I ran by the pack house and waved the Evan who was playing football with some kids in the back yard. He looked happy, like he was in his element, but then again Evan also was like a big kid.

There were new wild flowers growing along the trail. Bright colors of blue, purple, yellow, and orange waving gently in the breeze and filling the trail with their sweet scent. I made a mental note to pick some on my way back for Derek. He loves flowers of any type and was already trying to plant some around the cabin.

I just jumped over a few rocks when I came up to a babbling brook. My beast was thirsty and we were in no rush this morning, we were making good time and would be back in time for breakfast before Billy properly kicked out ass. Although recently we have been giving him a pretty good run for his money.

The water was sweet on my tongue, fresh. It ran down my throat and cooled off my body that was warm from the work we just did. I loved it though, I loved the feeling. The feeling of pushing yourself. It reminded me that I could always push myself harder, grow stronger, and get better.

"Charlotte," something whispered.

I snapped my head up and looked around but there was nothing. I carefully continued to lap at the water, this time with my eyes eye as my wolf became a little more alert.

"Charlotte," it whispered again.

I snapped my head up again and backed away from the water. My beast looked around, she was ready to pounce on a moments notice, but there was nothing. Just a bunch of Black-Eyed Susans swaying gently in the breeze by the water.

"Charlotte," it whispered, "Come and see."

I stilled. It was them, the whispers.

I felt the hair raise on my back. I wasn't sure what to do. I wanted to call Ethan, I knew I should call Ethan, but after feeling his doubt yesterday I decided not to.

"Charlotte, come," it whispered again. I felt pulled to it. The itch started to pick up and press me towards it; I couldn't understand it, or really control my urge to follow it.