Chapter 5 5

What?

Damon Matteo was buying this cabin? The Alexander cabin was a huge house that stood out and towered over every other house in town. After the first occupant, the Alexanders left when I was still very young, the place had been empty and broken. I always felt a strange pull towards the house, during the days I dreamed about being a princess and living in a castle. Even though rumor had it that the Alexanders left because of the death of their only child, Megan and that the house has been haunted by her ghost, I just didn't care.

And now Damon Matteo wanted to buy it? What did I expect? Arrogant piece of shit.

"Well good for him." I replied, shrugging my shoulders interestedly.

"Although, I have a news that would lift your mood. Remember the book store you used to read at down street?" I nodded "well Oliver's giving books away later today. Perhaps you can get out of the house, go there and help him out."

I nodded. Oliver has been a close family friend. He ran his own bookstore with his wife and son. The thought of them brought memories back that got me smiling.

"Now that's what I wanna see on your face at all times." My grandma teased, causing me to laugh gently.

"Okay, I'll go there later."

"Then perhaps you could do the groceries on your way back." I nodded. Perfect way to start my days here. I had a feeling I'm about to have the best days of my life yet.

After breakfast I showered and headed to the bookstore. Oliver's bookstore was a small store that was attached to his house. He lived there with his wife, Marianne and an only child, Asher. Asher was two years older than me and we went back in the days. We were good friends and spent most of our times together, especially during highschool even when he was my senior. There was a time when I'd thought I liked Asher a lot. He was hot and good-looking, the talk of nearly every girl in school and in town. But he chose to be friends with someone like me. And I guess I just started liking him more.

The store stood out facing the road. During the day you could almost see nobody walking the streets. I pushed the door open, causing a bell to jingle above it.

Marianne is the first to spot me. She was on a ladder stool, dusting the books on the high shelves.

"Skipper!" She exclaimed, slowly coming off the ladder.

Dipping my hands into my jeans pockets, I smiled warmly "hello Marianne."

"Oliver! Look who's here? It's skipper!" She exclaimed towards the back of the room. That's when I saw Oliver walk out, an apron tied around his waist. He seemed to have gotten old fast.

Marianne rushes over and hugged me then pulled back and said "it's so good to see you, Skipper."

"You too!"

"You have got to wait, Oliver and I are giving out some books today! It's gonna be really fun." Marianne said excitedly.

I nodded "okay. My grandma.... told me"

"Oh Susan. How is she? It's been like a week since I last saw her."

"She's good." I replied with a small smile.

Oliver came over and we exchanged some pleasantries.

"You shouldn't be doing that, here lemme help." I said as I saw Marianne climbing the ladder again.

"Oh thank you dear." She said and got off. I pulled off my brown jacket and placed it on a chair before climbing up.

"How unlikely of you not to ask about Asher." Marianne muttered as she scurried away. I looked down from the book I was dusting to see her but met a different face watching me.

Asher.

He stood with his back leant against the reception desk, his arms folded across his chest. He has a smirk on his lips as he watched me. At twenty six Asher still looked so good. Even better than I last remember. Like always, his black hair is swept forward, his grey eyes glistening with mischief. And I smiled at him.

"You know you shouldn't be doing that." He said as he walked to me.

"Oh so I'm the one who should be doing that?!" Marianne cuts him.

"Mom! I told you I was coming right out to do it and you started doing it anyway! And stop eavesdropping mom!"

I laughed gently and slowly came down. He has gotten even taller.

"It's good to see you again." Asher said, his smile widening.

Soon more people came and the event started. Asher and I spent enough time together talking. After a few hours, I left to the grocery store. I never liked shopping at the grocery store next to my street, they never have what you're looking for. I always loved going to the store at the end of the town, that way I could cut through the woods and reach the back of my house. Easy.

I walked into the ELITE grocery store and shopped all the food items I needed, while most of my attention was on one of the books Oliver gave me. One was Colleen Hoover's and the other Stephen king's.

"Ma'am?" The cashier called my attention.

Looking up at her and smiling sheepishly, I replied "I'm so sorry... I was just reading. Um....can I pay now?"

Once I stepped out, hand filled with grocery bags, I wish I'd drove my grandmother's old Toyota car. I couldn't believe I was gonna be walking all the way home with them in my hands. Hey, thank God for that shortcut right?

Five minutes later, I was walking along the semi lonely path that lead through the outskirts of the woods circulating my house. Once I reached the middle, I noticed the strange path that lead to the Alexanders cabin and hissed. But before I could continue on my path, I heard a sound, like rustling or moving sound behind the trees.

I wanted to move along and not pay any attention, but then I heard deep muffled groans and stopped. Turning towards the sound, again I'm met with emptiness. I felt my stomach twist into knots. Taking a deep breath, I started towards my path, but came into an abrupt stop when I heard a loud crashing against the tress behind me, followed by some animalistic and wild groans that got me shivering.

My breathing intensified as I slowly turned around. My eyes went wide as I saw the scene in front of me.

Big. Brown. Eyes, blue as the sky. Fur. Paws. It was a wolf, big and gigantic and he watched me with anger in his eyes. He had been the one that crashed against the trees and had been the one groaning angrily.

I gulped hard as it slowly stood from the trees, his eyes not leaving mine for a second. The voice in my head urged me to leave, run or something but I remained glued to spot, his angry eyes seemingly immobilizing me. His mouth parted at the sides as his groan intensified.

He starts advancing towards me but before he could reach me, another wolf jumps from him from nowhere. I screamed hard, my groceries long thrown on the ground. I felt back as the ground shook beneath me.

The first Wolf fell back as the newest one pondered over him, but soon he regained his stance and what happened next completely shocked me. The brown wolf bit on the second one's neck, until he tore his neck and blood started oozing out. The brown wolf is stronger as he held the other one in place, making impossible for him to fight back or wiggle free. All the groans and growls disappeared, evolving into a silence.

Why was I still here? Why haven't I run off?! I watched how the second wolf's eyes went cold and he .....died.

The big brown wolf let's go of him and turned towards me, his mouth bloodied and growling. My heart stopped for a minute. No....

He started towards me, slowly, and then so fast I nearly lost my shit, only screaming loudly as my back hit the tree behind me.

He stops in front of me and watched me. To say I was scared was an understatement. Was this how I'm supposed to die? Killed by an animal? No....

I didn't know how but I started crying, my voice unwilling to speak.

But there was something in his eyes, the way they watched me. But in a split second, I saw how this big wolf shifted into a person. A naked person. A naked Damon Matteo.

"You wouldn't tell anybody what you've seen here." He said. But I was having trouble understanding anything. Especially as he's completely naked in front of me.