Alphas family

Chapter 23

Twigs snapped beneath my feet with every step we took through an overgrown forest. I imagined years ago, it would've been a beautiful place but now the brambles matted over the muddy ground and the nettles criss crossed in front of us, blocking our path.

"Argh! Stupid nettles," Liam hissed, pushing a long stem out of the way for me to step through. I smiled appreciatively before continuing.

"How much further is the damn place?" Zach grumbled, taking my hand and lifting me up onto a large tree trunk that had toppled over, blocking the path.

"Another few miles," I told him, using his hand to steady me while I hauled myself up.

"This is really bad," Liam huffed. "We're screwed." He followed me up onto the log and steadily, we all tread carefully along it.

"The moon doesn't reach its apex for another couple of hours," I told him with a frown. "If we don't make it home in time we will at least have these woods to roam about in, its completely deserted," I reminded him.

"You're the Alpha, surely you need to be there for the full moon?" He snapped back, challenging me with the glint in his eyes.

"I can call Tyler and he will take over. Stop whining," I growled back and then turned back ahead to see a wide, deep river channel stretching before us with no pathway on the opposite side. "Shit."

The three of us stared for a long while before Zach turned to me. "Wait here," he ordered firmly and the temptation to ignore him and plough through the water was high. However, it was a bitterly cold winters day and I knew immediately that the water would be even colder.

Zach lowered himself off the embankment and into the water until it reached above his waist. He then waded slowly through, his teeth chattering while he did. "What is he doing?" Liam grumbled beside me.

When he finally reached the other side, he vanished into the thick of the trees. "Zach?" I called. What the hell was he doing?

A few moment later he shouted "Move out the way" before Liam was hauling me to the side. Seconds later, one of the trees opposite us had its branches torn away before it hurtled towards us, creating a bridge.

I looked from the tree up to see Zach smirking from the other side. "I could've just crossed you know," I told him, hopping up and wobbling along the bridge before clasping his hand in mine and hopping down next to him.

"I know, I just didn't want to have to listen to Liam complaining for the rest of the journey about how cold he is." He grinned smugly while Liam growled and joined us.

"Now you're cold." I pouted.

"You can warm me up." He winked before pressing his lips to mine while I wrapped my body around his.

"Mm," I hummed in satisfaction, the warm of his lips contrasting the cold, damp body that pressed up against mine.

"Keep it PG guys, I beg," Liam muttered, avoiding looking at either of us, making me giggle.

"Lets go sweetheart, the moaner does have a point, the moon will rise soon enough." Zach pecked my cheek and we started to walk.

"Pretty sure its Ella whose the moaner," Liam chuckled, earning a slap on his shoulder from me along with a growl.

After another half an hour of walking through the dense forest, we reached a large clearing that was cast in the deep blue dusk colour. Everything seemed eerily dark since the trees blocked the setting sun and a silvery glow cast over a small cottage from the moon.

Strips of fog floated around us, creating a creepy feeling and the shadows from the forest added to my unease. "Creepy," Liam commented while Zach tightened his grip on my hand.

The cottage in front of us was small and looked older than it did in the photo. The pale, grey bricks that formed the walls were crumbling slightly and the ivy sprouting from the walls was thicker and more unruly than the photo. The unmanicured lawn reached my knees with weeds scattered between the blades of grass, slowly overtaking the clearing. A rickety door hung half open on a broken, rotting patio and several windows of the cottage were shattered.

My heart thundered violently as I stepped forward but I was immediately tugged backwards to face Zach. "I'm going first," he insisted.

"No way, listen," I told him. "Its silent, nobody is there," I hissed, taking another stride forward.

Again, I was sent hurtling backwards, this time straight into Liam who all but pinned me against him. "Let go," I growled, struggling against him.

"Stop being so stubborn, sweetheart," he huffed behind me, tightening his grip until it hurt to struggle. Eventually, I grumbled beneath my breath and gave up fighting them both.

"Good girl." Zach nodded and I snarled in reply, making them both chuckle. Disregarding me completely, he stepped forward and put his weight on the first step, causing a groaning creek to echo around us.

He continued up to the patio and the entire house groaned beneath his weight, forming a pit in my stomach - there was no way it would support all three of us. Obviously oblivious to this, Liam guided me forwards behind Zach, releasing me so I could climb up.

I gently knocked my hand against the wooden railing running up the side of the staircase and it cracked away and tumbled to the floor. "Don't touch that," I warned, my eyes wide.

Slowly, I pulled my foot up to the next step, pressing it down onto the cracked wood before gently shifting my weight. Once I successfully moved without breaking the wood, I continued the process until the top stair crumbled beneath my weight.

"Ah!" I squealed when I felt myself sink into the foundation beneath the step. Both Zach and Liam curled a hand around each of my arms, lifting me effortlessly up to stand beside Zach while the porch groaned in protest.

"You ok baby?" Zach asked me, holding me against him.

"Yeah just made me jump," I told him. "There is no way I am heavier than you." I pouted with a scowl and he chuckled next to me, smiling down at me.

His smile - as per usual - took my breath away and I was desperate to kiss him senseless but with Liam stepping carefully up behind me, I restrained myself.

"Do you really think we will find anything here El? It's obviously deserted and looks like it has been for a long time," he grumbled, joining us on the porch.

"My mom and dad met here for a reason." I shrugged in reply. "I want to know why." I didn't care what state the house was in, I wanted answers and this was the best place to look. "If you're scared Liam, you can just wait here." I smirked.

"In the foggy woods in the dark while the full moon rises. Have you seen horror movies? No thank you." He pushed past the two of us and gently tapped the open door, letting it swing the rest of the way.

"Great," I muttered, staring into the abyss of darkness in front of us. My stomach knotted but when Zach once again squeezed my hand, it calmed my racing heart and I suddenly felt braver. I was a werewolf. An Alpha. A little darkness and some fog would not scare me. With that in mind, I stepped forward. "Lets go inside then."