cVX #2
We arrive at the creek, and I’m surprised at how wide it is and that the water is rushing at such a fast clip. I imagine that once the height of summer hits, it will have dwindled.
I remove my pack and set it down next to a wide flat boulder. It’s perfectly positioned with shade that looks like it will hold until the sun hits noontime.
“Gorgeous.” I fill my lungs with fresh air, the scent of clean, crisp water, mixed with the earthy aroma of pines and moss. “I could stay here all day.”
I peer over my shoulder to see Rex staring at me. My breath catches. He regards me with a relaxed, gentle smile, his deep brown eyes conveying warmth.
“You really love the forest, don’t you? You appreciate the peace the mountains have to offer.” Rex places his pack next to mine. “It’s all I know. Despite being surrounded by locals who probably feel the same way I do, I’ve never found anyone who seems as deeply connected to nature as I do. “
His words are tinged with awe, and I’m not sure how to take them. But I won’t let the opportunity pass to explore the other subject—besides Rex’s incredible hotness—that’s been on my mind.
“Is that why you’re so protective of the Howler?”
Rex falls into a coughing fit as if he’s choking on his saliva.
I know for a fact that he doesn’t want to discuss this subject, that he’s protecting the creature at all costs.
He probably ran into it by taking such secluded treks as this.
Maybe he even brought me up here on the off chance I’d get a peek at one.
I don’t know. What I do know is I want the truth, and I’m sure he’s the only one who knows the real story.
Rex seems to get hold of himself. “You’re not going to let go of this, are you?”
“Sorry.” I duck my chin. I’m aware of how I tend to latch onto something and won’t let go until I have all the answers.
“I’m not trying to be an asshole about it.
But I’m hoping that you can trust me to do the right thing.
I love the purity of the outdoors, and that includes everything that lives free and untouched by human interference. ”
I shrug. “I mean, that’s one of the reasons I started learning so much about medicinal plants and why being a naturopath is what I want to do with my life.
That belief extends to all living things in the wild.
If the Howler has lived freely for countless years, the last thing I want is for it to be messed with by humans.
Nothing good ever comes from that, and I’d be heartbroken if I was the one to cause such a thing. ”
Rex folds his hands and rests his elbows on his knees. He looks down at the ground as he wrings his fingers, one knee jiggling. A few moments pass, then he lifts his gaze, locking it with mine.
“I can’t believe I’m about to do this, but for some weird reason, I trust you. Deep down I sense you'd never do anything to harm him.”
I knew it. It’s totally real.
Excitement thrums under my skin as I wait for him to continue.
Rex licks his lips, then sucks in a deep breath. “That was me you saw that day. I’m the Howler.”
My jaw slackens, and my throat constricts. Can’t breathe. No way he just told me that he’s the beast I saw. That’s impossible.
Rex’s brow creases and he leans forward. “My gods, are you okay? You’ve gone pale.”
I flinch. Never mind that Rex is the handsomest, hunkiest man I’ve ever seen, and I’d jump him in a second, but he’s delusional. The delusional part cancels out the hotness part.
I should probably run for my life.
I’m on my feet before my brain registers the movement, and I bolt. Racing up the trail away from the creek, I don’t stop to check whether Rex is coming after me. I’m fast, but my stride can’t match his, and he’s the expert when it comes to the terrain.
I’m crashing through overgrowth, and footsteps are pounding behind me. Rex calls out, “Wait! You’ll hurt yourself!”, and I almost consider stopping. I override that impulse as the pictures of what I saw that day burst into my mind.
No fucking way I’m stopping.
That decision is immediately overridden as the toe of my shoe catches on a large tree root protruding along the path. With an oof that steals my breath, I land on the ground, my palms scraped raw by gravel as I slow my forward momentum.
Strangled cries escape me as I frantically attempt to get my feet under me again, desperate to escape my crush-turned-maniac.
“Stop, Darien, please! Let me make sure you’re okay.”
Rex wraps his arms around my waist, and I scream for help, pounding his chest and arms with my fist, wriggling like a helpless puppy in his arms.
“Darien,” Rex’s voice shakes as if he’s on the verge of sobbing. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you! I’ll let you go, but don’t run. You could seriously hurt yourself, and I’d be devastated.”
His plea gives me pause. Devastated? And he’s got a point about me tearing through the wilds. We’re high up enough that I could crash through the trees and over the edge of a precipice where I’d fall to a gruesome death. Maniacs can be reasoned with.
I hope.
I relax in his arms, and he sets me on my feet before taking a few steps back, giving me some personal space. I observe his hand wringing, downturned mouth, and teary eyes, and I almost laugh. You’d think I was the one terrorizing him.
After the weirdest awkward silence of my existence, I clear my throat. I’m ready to talk myself out of this mess, go back to LA, and embrace the city life.
“Look, I overreacted, okay?” I force myself to smile like it’s no big deal. “I mean, I’m a newbie to this area. What do I know?” I chuckle, but it’s a bit high-pitched. “You’re the expert.”
Rex runs his hands across the top of his head. “Boone is going to kill me,” he mutters.
I frown. “Who’s Boone?” I shoot up my hand, bleeding palm out. “Never mind. Don’t need to know.”
Rex’s shoulders slump, and he really is looking more pitiful all the time. I need to remain alert. Just because he appears so sad and harmless, he’s still an enormous man who could crush me on a whim.
“Yeah, I don’t think telling you about Boone or any of the other guys would help.”
I want to ask if he’s a member of the local chapter of deranged dudes but manage to contain myself.
“So…” My hand is stinging like a mofo, but I inconveniently left my pack with the first aid kit when I was running for my life. “I think I should get going.”
Rex is between me and my pack, which I’ve now decided isn’t all that important. He points to my hands.
“You need to clean that up.” He winces. “I’m sorry, this is all my fault. I really thought you were ready to hear the truth. I should’ve kept my stupid mouth shut.”
My heart softens. He’s convincing—I’ll give him that.
Yet something makes me want to believe him.
Probably my own insanity. But if nothing else, I’m starting to believe he won’t hurt me.
What he said about finally connecting with someone who truly cherishes everything that’s wild and free resonates.
Before he blurted out his bizarre confession, I felt the same about him.
“It’s okay,” I say before I can stop myself. “I shouldn’t have freaked out the way I did.”
Rex shakes his head, his eyebrows pinching together. “No, you had every right to do that. I’ve never shared my secret with a human before, and I went about it all wrong. Blurting it out was a foolish move.”
Now I’m feeling sorry for the guy. The adrenaline has also worn off, and I’m getting a bit light-headed. Maybe I can chance going back to the creek so I can sit down and at least clean my scrapes and put on a bandage.
“Yeah, I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to tell someone you’re a…you know, Howler.” I feel ridiculous saying it out loud. “I think I need to get a drink of water, though, and sit down for a minute.”
Rex can’t seem to stand still as he fidgets back and forth on his feet. “Of course, I’m so sorry. Let’s go back to the creek and take care of those scrapes.”
He gestures for me to go ahead, but I stay stuck to the spot. I might be less terrified of him, but I’m not ready for him to be creeping up behind me.
We make our way back to the creek, the silence between us a tangible thing. I can't look him in the eyes, so I focus instead on retrieving my water bottle and first aid kit. I start as Rex comes up beside me.
“Here.” He hands me a small jar of a bluish green substance, a cream of some sort. “This will disinfect your scrapes and heal them up quickly.”
I accept the little jar, noting that it seems quite old. The ornate glass container is about the size of a plum, with a pewter lid featuring odd etchings. At first, I think it’s a random design, but when I squint my eyes, the markings appear to be runes.
“What is it?” I unscrew the top and am met with a pungent, medicinal aroma. The smell isn’t bad, but I can’t place the herbal content. Clearly, this is something he made. “I’ve never seen a salve like this before.”
“The local healer makes it, but only for me and others of our kind.”
Here we go again. “Right.” I sniff it once more before applying a thin layer to one palm. “I suppose you’re going to tell me next that it’s magical.”
I start to chuckle, but the sound gets trapped in my throat.
The fuck? I’m probably delirious, but I could swear that my wounds are healing.
I blink repeatedly, then screw my eyes shut before opening them again.
When I do, the evidence of my injury, with the exception of a few flecks of dirt, is completely gone.
“Wha…wha…?” I swallow hard, and my knees weaken before I plop down on the ground.