J U M P E R

C H A P T E R | T H R E E

They walked for some time. The night was nearly black under the cover of the trees. Kieran was tense as they navigated the dark woods. Her brain hurt as it tried to process everything that had happened in the last six hours.

She'd been at school, hanging out with her friends. Then something happened on her way home, and she ended up on the side of an unfamiliar stretch of road.

Then she'd almost been raped by three boys.

Boys who could change into gigantic wolves.

Now she was walking with four strangers to some unknown location. No one would answer when she asked where they were going or who they were. The only response she got was from the woman beside her. She would look at Kieran and smile mischievously, or she'd wink at her.

Kieran thought the woman was strange.

She had an aura about her that drew you in, but at the same time felt dangerous and strange. The woman was tall—taller than Kieran at least—and walked with intimidating confidence. She looked forever at ease, like nothing would bother her.

She also had this hippy vibe to her. Her long pale hair was pulled up in a frizzy ponytail, beaded cords weaved into it. She wore tight tan jeans and a dark long sleeve under a sheer white cardigan. It trailed behind her like the train on a wedding gown and gave her the effect of being followed by clouds of white smoke.

It was her eyes that interested Kieran the most though. They were a pale, nearly grey, blue. They were bright and friendly, but they also carried a weight that came with living a full life. She'd seen things, learned things, that Kieran knew were far from happy.

A sharp whistle sounded in the undergrowth ahead of them. Their little troupe stopped and waited.

The four strangers seemed unfazed by the sudden noise. They stood around casually, almost looking bored with the situation. Footsteps padded closer. Kieran's nerves spiked.

"Well?" Asked the newcomer. He was young, not much older than her, and gave them a look of bored indifference.

The head of their group nodded in response. There was a lull in the conversation. Suddenly the new boy was gone, disappeared into the deepening dark, and then they were walking again.

"Don't worry, Kieran. We're almost there," The woman said.

She didn't question how she knew her name. The woman wouldn't tell her anyway. Kieran wondered not for the first time where 'there' was.

After another eternity of walking the soft forest floor became gravel. It crunched under their shoes as they made their way down the road. Kieran was over all this walking.

Her mental complaining didn't last long, however. A cluster of houses came into view minutes later, gathered in a semi circle around the end of the gravel road. The one in the middle was the largest. She assumed that was where the man in charge lived.

She was right.

As they approached the ring of houses a man stepped out of the house in the middle. Even from a distance Kieran could see the resemblance between the man and the boy who lead them.

So, this is his father. Doesn't look like much.

The man stopped in front of them, looking at all of them in turn. His gaze stopped on Kieran.

"I'm Alexander, leader of this pack," He introduced himself. When she didn't answer, the woman stepped in.

"This is Kieran, our newest Jumper."