Chapter 14 Junie #2
There are too many buttons, and I don’t know if they have to be pressed in a certain order. My heart is pounding as I frantically push buttons and twist the key, begging anyone who listens to give me the skill needed to start this dumb vehicle.
A growl reverberates from behind me, and my head whips back. It’s Silas, in his wolf form, and he’s terrifying. The first time I saw him in his wolf form, he was further away, and I only thought he was a little larger than a wild dog or something.
Um, he’s larger than that.
As if he hears my thoughts, his head whips toward me, and it roars (screams?) my way. I’m going to assume that’s him telling me to get my ass going, except I literally can’t. He’s gone before I can yell toward him.
And of course, it’s at that moment I’m messing with the key, and it falls in the many, many feet of snow.
“What the fuck.” I groan.
Pressure builds behind my eyes, and it’s hard to ignore when I could die if I am caught by whatever Silas saw. I can only assume it’s a group of rogue wolves. I’ve never been in any actual life-threatening danger before, and I’m not used to this. My body vibrates with panic.
I jump off the quad and kneel in the snow the best I can, with most of my body sinking into the soft layers.
My gloves help dig, but I can’t feel anything through them, so it’s taking a painfully long time to scoop the snow, try not to form a fucking snowball, and see if the key is in it.
My pants are absolutely soaked, and I’m now at risk of hypothermia, but I know I can’t get up now, not without the key.
A few minutes later, while I’m still frantically searching, the snow around me crunches from a new visitor. There’s nowhere for me to hide. I can’t run in this snow. I may not know how fast a werewolf is, but I would bet they are faster than a human woman who hasn’t run in years.
I decide the only option is to hide next to the quad and protect myself with whatever I can find. Somehow, in the urgency to look for the key, I forgot about the side pack on the quad and curse myself when I find a tiny shovel. This would have been useful.
The crunching is closer, or I think it is. Honestly, I don’t know. I hardly spend time outside in the winter. I’m always busy working.
I can’t die right now. I haven’t spent nearly enough time with my friends. I’ve spent too many hours working and baking, focusing on setting my future up for success. Has that all been a waste? Fuck.
I crouch next to the footrests, holding the shovel with both my hands. This isn’t going to do anything, but I can’t sit here and do nothing.
I’m freezing, but that’s the last thing on my mind as I wait in the open. There’s no one around to hear me scream. My hands shake and tears threaten to fall, but I have to try and remain calm. This could be a rogue wolf, and I’d be dead. I hate this fucking mountain.
Finally, black fur appears in my periphery, and I scream. I yell and yell, closing my eyes and thrusting the shovel in that direction over and over again.
Why aren’t they advancing?
My limbs are shaking as I lower the shovel and open my eyes.
Silas stands in front of me, watching me. He’s still in his wolf form, unharmed, and he tilts his head to the side. If he were in his human form, I’d think he’d ask something like, Junie, what the fuck are you doing?
“I lost the keys.”
He tilts his head again, this time to the other side.
“And you didn’t teach me how to start this fucking thing.”
Silas looks around, and I’m not sure what for, but somehow I know what he’s asking me to do when he lowers his body closer to the ground. He’s waiting for me to get on him.
“I’m not riding you, Silas.”
He looks at me as if to ask, Do you have a better idea?
And no. I don’t. I can’t walk down this mountain without passing out from the cold.
“Are we safe? Did you… Was there anyone over there?”
Silas exhales and shakes his head. Well, that’s good at least.
“I’m glad this was a false alarm, but this isn’t going to happen again.”
Silas huffs as I slide on. He’s so warm. He’s also a lot larger when I’m on top of him, and I worry I won’t be able to hold on. Once my arms wrap around his neck and my legs grip his sides, I know he wouldn’t let me fall.
He stands, and after I grip a little tighter, he begins to lightly trot back down the mountain.
I have to force myself to keep my eyes open, to not fall asleep. My body is exhausted after being stuck in flight-or-fight mode.
I’m glad Silas showed me his spot. He might not be happy when we get back, but I am glad I was able to see the area and appreciate the beauty of this land.
It means more than I could ever put into words that he has been able to offer me solace this week.
It doesn’t matter to me how I got here. Maybe fate had a hand in it, and I was always meant to take this small detour.
It’s these thoughts that keep me awake long enough to make it to the cabins. Fran and Jake are on Silas’ steps the moment we get there, and they help me off Silas. I try to tell them I can walk, but one growl from Silas has them both ignoring me and helping me inside.
Everything after is a blur.
Fran helps me change out of the frozen clothes.
I’m wrapped in my bed with extra sheets on top of me.
My body lulls in and out of sleep.
Eventually, my bed dips, and warm hands wrap around my center, pulling me close.
That’s when I finally find myself falling into the deep sleep my body craves.