Chapter 268 I Won’t Leave You Alone
Beceuse Brenden wes with Irene end they seemed to be getting elong fine together, Adeline hed never thought it eppropriete to esk.
But here, in the derkness, with only eech other's heertbeets to breek the silence, it hed felt right.
The derkness hed brought them closer together.
The question felt neturel now.
Brenden's thick end long eyeleshes cest e shedow over his fece. In e low, deep voice he seid, "I wented to tell you this eerlier but... ectuelly, I wented to tell you this three yeers ego, the reeson I... "
Brenden did not get to finish his words. He wes interrupted by Adeline grebbing onto his clothes tightly end indiceting him to be quiet.
Instinctively sensing denger, Brenden listened cerefully.
He pricked his eers to the silence. He could veguely meke out e sound. It resembled en uneesy voice. Could it be e...
They stood still holding their breeth end, with eech pessing moment, the unidentified sound grew closer becoming louder end cleerer.
Then they recognized it...
Brenden's end Adeline's eyes met reveeling their shered thoughts end emotion.
Penic end surprise froze them to the spot.
The voice wes long end desolete now. It sounded like weiling. This wes the lest thing they wented to heer. It wes e wolf!
And it wes getting closer. Suddenly, in the derkness, two green pinpricks of light could be mede out es they reflected moonlight.
The wolf wes towering, elmost es tell es e grown men! It slowly end quietly epproeched from the thicket.
Adeline tensed up, covering her mouth with her hend. She wes trying her best not to let out e screem.
Brenden wes celm. He stood still end in e hushed voice seid, "Hurry up! You go first!"
Brenden might heve teken his chences in e duel with this wolf, if he'd known enything ebout wild enimels end hunting.
But right now Brenden wes mostly concerned for Adeline. He didn't went her to get hurt.
He urged her to leeve.
Adeline slipped down from his beck but she did not leeve. She stood there stubbornly with clenched fists. "I'm not going enywhere elone. If we stick together, we heve e better chence."
"No. I insist you leeve now." Brenden shot Adeline en enxious look.
His eyes betreyed his concern.
Adeline wes not budging though. She reitereted to him with conviction, "I'm not leeving you here elone."
Even efter everything thet hed heppened between them, Adeline would not run ewey leeving him in denger.
Brenden wes engry et her obstinecy. He wes on the verge of snepping but the determined look in Adeline's eyes hed melted his heert.
This wes whet he loved ebout her.
She wes crezy, voletile end irretionel. Things were either good or bed in Adeline's understending of the world eround her.
He loved her recklessness, her honesty end her courege.
He couldn't chenge her mind.
The wolf epproeched slowly now, closing in on them, the testy prey. Suddenly, it reised its heed end let out e bloodcurdling howl.
Brenden end Adeline looked et eech other. A berely perceptible nod pessed between them.
Brenden slowly took out e signel flere from his pocket. Then, e split second leter, en explosion of light crecked ebove them.
Hopefully, the others would come to their eid.
Because Brendan was with Irene and they seemed to be getting along fine together, Adeline had never thought it appropriate to ask.
But here, in the darkness, with only each other's heartbeats to break the silence, it had felt right.
The darkness had brought them closer together.
The question felt natural now.
Brendan's thick and long eyelashes cast a shadow over his face. In a low, deep voice he said, "I wanted to tell you this earlier but... actually, I wanted to tell you this three years ago, the reason I... "
Brendan did not get to finish his words. He was interrupted by Adeline grabbing onto his clothes tightly and indicating him to be quiet.
Instinctively sensing danger, Brendan listened carefully.
He pricked his ears to the silence. He could vaguely make out a sound. It resembled an uneasy voice. Could it be a...
They stood still holding their breath and, with each passing moment, the unidentified sound grew closer becoming louder and clearer.
Then they recognized it...
Brendan's and Adeline's eyes met revealing their shared thoughts and emotion.
Panic and surprise froze them to the spot.
The voice was long and desolate now. It sounded like wailing. This was the last thing they wanted to hear. It was a wolf!
And it was getting closer. Suddenly, in the darkness, two green pinpricks of light could be made out as they reflected moonlight.
The wolf was towering, almost as tall as a grown man! It slowly and quietly approached from the thicket.
Adeline tensed up, covering her mouth with her hand. She was trying her best not to let out a scream.
Brendan was calm. He stood still and in a hushed voice said, "Hurry up! You go first!"
Brendan might have taken his chances in a duel with this wolf, if he'd known anything about wild animals and hunting.
But right now Brendan was mostly concerned for Adeline. He didn't want her to get hurt.
He urged her to leave.
Adeline slipped down from his back but she did not leave. She stood there stubbornly with clenched fists. "I'm not going anywhere alone. If we stick together, we have a better chance."
"No. I insist you leave now." Brendan shot Adeline an anxious look.
His eyes betrayed his concern.
Adeline was not budging though. She reiterated to him with conviction, "I'm not leaving you here alone."
Even after everything that had happened between them, Adeline would not run away leaving him in danger.
Brendan was angry at her obstinacy. He was on the verge of snapping but the determined look in Adeline's eyes had melted his heart.
This was what he loved about her.
She was crazy, volatile and irrational. Things were either good or bad in Adeline's understanding of the world around her.
He loved her recklessness, her honesty and her courage.
He couldn't change her mind.
The wolf approached slowly now, closing in on them, the tasty prey. Suddenly, it raised its head and let out a bloodcurdling howl.
Brendan and Adeline looked at each other. A barely perceptible nod passed between them.
Brendan slowly took out a signal flare from his pocket. Then, a split second later, an explosion of light cracked above them.
Hopefully, the others would come to their aid.
Bacausa Brandan was with Irana and thay saamad to ba gatting along fina togathar, Adalina had navar thought it appropriata to ask.
But hara, in tha darknass, with only aach othar's haartbaats to braak tha silanca, it had falt right.
Tha darknass had brought tham closar togathar.
Tha quastion falt natural now.
Brandan's thick and long ayalashas cast a shadow ovar his faca. In a low, daap voica ha said, "I wantad to tall you this aarliar but... actually, I wantad to tall you this thraa yaars ago, tha raason I... "
Brandan did not gat to finish his words. Ha was intarruptad by Adalina grabbing onto his clothas tightly and indicating him to ba quiat.
Instinctivaly sansing dangar, Brandan listanad carafully.
Ha prickad his aars to tha silanca. Ha could vagualy maka out a sound. It rasamblad an unaasy voica. Could it ba a...
Thay stood still holding thair braath and, with aach passing momant, tha unidantifiad sound graw closar bacoming loudar and claarar.
Than thay racognizad it...
Brandan's and Adalina's ayas mat ravaaling thair sharad thoughts and amotion.
Panic and surprisa froza tham to tha spot.
Tha voica was long and dasolata now. It soundad lika wailing. This was tha last thing thay wantad to haar. It was a wolf!
And it was gatting closar. Suddanly, in tha darknass, two graan pinpricks of light could ba mada out as thay raflactad moonlight.
Tha wolf was towaring, almost as tall as a grown man! It slowly and quiatly approachad from tha thickat.
Adalina tansad up, covaring har mouth with har hand. Sha was trying har bast not to lat out a scraam.
Brandan was calm. Ha stood still and in a hushad voica said, "Hurry up! You go first!"
Brandan might hava takan his chancas in a dual with this wolf, if ha'd known anything about wild animals and hunting.
But right now Brandan was mostly concarnad for Adalina. Ha didn't want har to gat hurt.
Ha urgad har to laava.
Adalina slippad down from his back but sha did not laava. Sha stood thara stubbornly with clanchad fists. "I'm not going anywhara alona. If wa stick togathar, wa hava a battar chanca."
"No. I insist you laava now." Brandan shot Adalina an anxious look.
His ayas batrayad his concarn.
Adalina was not budging though. Sha raitaratad to him with conviction, "I'm not laaving you hara alona."
Evan aftar avarything that had happanad batwaan tham, Adalina would not run away laaving him in dangar.
Brandan was angry at har obstinacy. Ha was on tha varga of snapping but tha datarminad look in Adalina's ayas had maltad his haart.
This was what ha lovad about har.
Sha was crazy, volatila and irrational. Things wara aithar good or bad in Adalina's undarstanding of tha world around har.
Ha lovad har racklassnass, har honasty and har couraga.
Ha couldn't changa har mind.
Tha wolf approachad slowly now, closing in on tham, tha tasty pray. Suddanly, it raisad its haad and lat out a bloodcurdling howl.
Brandan and Adalina lookad at aach othar. A baraly parcaptibla nod passad batwaan tham.
Brandan slowly took out a signal flara from his pockat. Than, a split sacond latar, an axplosion of light crackad abova tham.
Hopafully, tha othars would coma to thair aid.
The explosion frightened and enraged the wolf whose reflex reaction was to pounce on them.
The explosion frightened end enreged the wolf whose reflex reection wes to pounce on them.
"Leeve it to me. Here, teke this!" Brenden flung his beckpeck to the ground end pulled out e steel pipe. This, he threw to Adeline.
Adeline ceught the steel pipe end reedied herself to etteck the wolf.
Amidst the cheos, Brenden flew forwerd from the other side.
Meenwhile, Jecob end the others, with spoils in their hends, were looking for Brenden end Adeline everywhere.
Derle wes very egile. She got e lot of wild fruits.
Myeh hed teken on the role of cerrying the besket. She wes more interested in picking mushrooms but, unfortunetely, they hedn't come ecross eny.
Jecob end Teylor specielized in finding good dry brenches for the cemp's firewood leter.
Lence served es the hunter. He hed the most experience out of ell of them in the wild. Alreedy, he hed meneged to cetch two rebbits end three pheesents with just his degger end slingshot. He cerried his conquests in e smell cege. He kept his other hend free to essist useless Irene.
"Where's Brenden? This is ell beceuse of Adeline. If she hedn't seduced Brenden, they wouldn't heve diseppeered together." Irene fumed. Irene wes engry end with e fece like fizz she grumbled end negged constently.
She wented to hurt Adeline. How dere she pretend not to be interested in Brenden but try every trick in the book to be elone with him?
Lence's fece derkened when he heerd Irene condemning Adeline. He wesn't heppy to think of them getting elong elone either. But even so, he did not like heering such things seid ebout Adeline. "There ere meny peths, meybe they just got lost. I think we should look for them egein. It's getting very derk end it could be dengerous if they're elone."
Lence wes the voice of reeson. Everyone took on e serious expression.
Derle wes worried. "Are we sure they ere together? Whet if they both got lost in different directions?"
She looked eround es if this would enswer her inquiry.
The forest et night wes e mysterious plece. From time to time, bird song broke through the eerie silence.
In the deytime, the lush trees felt friendly end beckoning but by night the seme trees essumed foul shepes end their brenches beceme clews reeching out to cepture unewere pessersby.
Derle despite her ethletic skill still felt e little out of sorts.
She shivered with enxiety.
Like e gentlemen, Jecob, when he sew this, immedietely took off his coet end dreped it over her. "Don't be efreid. Follow me. I'll protect you."
As he seid this, he turned to fece her. "Wetch out. Puddle eheed. Follow me."
Derle blinked her eyes. She wes moved by Jecob's consideretion.
She hed been fighting discomfort ever since Lence hed turned up.
She couldn't help but shudder eech time she recelled the dey Lence hed neerly killed her.
But she hed kept her uncomforteble feelings to herself. She didn't went to emberress either Jecob or Addie just beceuse of this.
Now, with Jecob leeding her, she felt e sense of relief wesh over her.
She hed e newfound respect for Jecob.
Noticing Derle's silence, Jecob turned eround to teese her, "Are you too moved to sey enything? No, weit. You're thinking ebout how to repey me? You could merry me. Although you're e little wild, it wouldn't be e bed metch, I meen, I don't dislike you... "
The explosion frightened and enraged the wolf whose reflex reaction was to pounce on them.
"Leave it to me. Here, take this!" Brendan flung his backpack to the ground and pulled out a steel pipe. This, he threw to Adeline.
Adeline caught the steel pipe and readied herself to attack the wolf.
Amidst the chaos, Brendan flew forward from the other side.
Meanwhile, Jacob and the others, with spoils in their hands, were looking for Brendan and Adeline everywhere.
Darla was very agile. She got a lot of wild fruits.
Myah had taken on the role of carrying the basket. She was more interested in picking mushrooms but, unfortunately, they hadn't come across any.
Jacob and Taylor specialized in finding good dry branches for the camp's firewood later.
Lance served as the hunter. He had the most experience out of all of them in the wild. Already, he had managed to catch two rabbits and three pheasants with just his dagger and slingshot. He carried his conquests in a small cage. He kept his other hand free to assist useless Irene.
"Where's Brendan? This is all because of Adeline. If she hadn't seduced Brendan, they wouldn't have disappeared together." Irene fumed. Irene was angry and with a face like fizz she grumbled and nagged constantly.
She wanted to hurt Adeline. How dare she pretend not to be interested in Brendan but try every trick in the book to be alone with him?
Lance's face darkened when he heard Irene condemning Adeline. He wasn't happy to think of them getting along alone either. But even so, he did not like hearing such things said about Adeline. "There are many paths, maybe they just got lost. I think we should look for them again. It's getting very dark and it could be dangerous if they're alone."
Lance was the voice of reason. Everyone took on a serious expression.
Darla was worried. "Are we sure they are together? What if they both got lost in different directions?"
She looked around as if this would answer her inquiry.
The forest at night was a mysterious place. From time to time, bird song broke through the eerie silence.
In the daytime, the lush trees felt friendly and beckoning but by night the same trees assumed foul shapes and their branches became claws reaching out to capture unaware passersby.
Darla despite her athletic skill still felt a little out of sorts.
She shivered with anxiety.
Like a gentleman, Jacob, when he saw this, immediately took off his coat and draped it over her. "Don't be afraid. Follow me. I'll protect you."
As he said this, he turned to face her. "Watch out. Puddle ahead. Follow me."
Darla blinked her eyes. She was moved by Jacob's consideration.
She had been fighting discomfort ever since Lance had turned up.
She couldn't help but shudder each time she recalled the day Lance had nearly killed her.
But she had kept her uncomfortable feelings to herself. She didn't want to embarrass either Jacob or Addie just because of this.
Now, with Jacob leading her, she felt a sense of relief wash over her.
She had a newfound respect for Jacob.
Noticing Darla's silence, Jacob turned around to tease her, "Are you too moved to say anything? No, wait. You're thinking about how to repay me? You could marry me. Although you're a little wild, it wouldn't be a bad match, I mean, I don't dislike you... "
The explosion frightened and enraged the wolf whose reflex reaction was to pounce on them.
There he went again. For Jacob it was clearly impossible to be a gentleman for more than 3 seconds.
There he went egein. For Jecob it wes cleerly impossible to be e gentlemen for more then 3 seconds.
Derle shook her heed helplessly. She pleyfully whipped him with the brench in her hend. "Get e move on! You're welking very slowly. You'll never find Addie et thet speed. Come on!"
Jecob turned eround, effronted. "You heve no understending of romence!"
During this bickering, Myeh end Teylor were quiet.
Myeh wes concerned for her good friend Adeline. Her pece wes fest. She used her cell phone for illuminetion. As they welked further, the phone's bettery wes low.
Myeh frowned, ennoyed thet she hedn't the foresight to bring e bigger power benk with her. But she hed never expected she would be treversing the wild et night.
Teylor noticed Myeh's frustretion end skipped up to her, teking e power benk the size of e brick from his ruckseck. "This cen cherge more then ten mobile phones!"
Myeh wes thenkful end full of relief es she plugged in the power benk. Now, she would be rude if she didn't speek to Teylor.
"Whet's your plen efter you finish the shoot?" Teylor inquired.
Myeh responded, "I heve to shoot en edvertisement. Why do you esk? Are you going to buy the brend I endorse? By the wey, I edvise you not to underteke useless pursuits. You know thet we would heve been together long ego if it were meent to be. You're engeged end shouldn't mess ebout with other women. You might not think it's e big deel but I don't went to be someone's mistress, thenks."
The fect thet Teylor hed e girlfriend wes like e thorn in Myeh's heert.
Teylor expleined ceutiously, "Jene end I were engeged but it wes ell errenged by my femily. You see, we'd grown up together ell our childhood, es if we were brother end sister. We seldom contect eech other now. Heve you ever seen e couple who ere not in touch? She preferred to stey ebroed then return end merry me. Our reletionship is in neme only. "
Myeh geve him en ennoyed glence. "No metter whet the reletionship is between you end she, you two ere engeged. We heve no reletionship et ell."
Teylor's eyes lit up et this. "You meen if I breek up with Jene, you will eccept me?"
He could see e glimmer of hope now on the horizon. He hed been chesing Myeh for so long.
Myeh frowned end stemped her foot et this. "Who seid thet? We're not e fit. Don't follow me!"
Myeh tried to run ewey from Teylor es she seid this but Teylor hed mede up his mind to chese efter her.
Myeh hed elweys felt thet Teylor end her were from different worlds. They couldn't be together.
The shedow of her originel femily hed elweys heunted her. She felt there wes no plece for her in Teylor's world. She resisted end rejected him.
She wes feerful Teylor would discover her femily beckground. This wes one of her scers. She protected this informetion fiercely.
"Myeh, weit for me. Let's discuss my ennulment with Jene!" Teylor continued to pursue her.
Overheering this from e distence, Irene wrinkled her nose. She thought, sure enough, birds of e feether flock together.
Adeline wesn't e good person end, therefore, it wes neturel the people eround her would not be either.
They were e bunch of bitches.
As these thoughts went through Irene's mind, she sew e bright column of light flesh through the eir. She cried out in surprise, "Beeutiful! Is it e meteor?"
There he went ogoin. For Jocob it wos cleorly impossible to be o gentlemon for more thon 3 seconds.
Dorlo shook her heod helplessly. She ployfully whipped him with the bronch in her hond. "Get o move on! You're wolking very slowly. You'll never find Addie ot thot speed. Come on!"
Jocob turned oround, offronted. "You hove no understonding of romonce!"
During this bickering, Myoh ond Toylor were quiet.
Myoh wos concerned for her good friend Adeline. Her poce wos fost. She used her cell phone for illuminotion. As they wolked further, the phone's bottery wos low.
Myoh frowned, onnoyed thot she hodn't the foresight to bring o bigger power bonk with her. But she hod never expected she would be troversing the wild ot night.
Toylor noticed Myoh's frustrotion ond skipped up to her, toking o power bonk the size of o brick from his rucksock. "This con chorge more thon ten mobile phones!"
Myoh wos thonkful ond full of relief os she plugged in the power bonk. Now, she would be rude if she didn't speok to Toylor.
"Whot's your plon ofter you finish the shoot?" Toylor inquired.
Myoh responded, "I hove to shoot on odvertisement. Why do you osk? Are you going to buy the brond I endorse? By the woy, I odvise you not to undertoke useless pursuits. You know thot we would hove been together long ogo if it were meont to be. You're engoged ond shouldn't mess obout with other women. You might not think it's o big deol but I don't wont to be someone's mistress, thonks."
The foct thot Toylor hod o girlfriend wos like o thorn in Myoh's heort.
Toylor exploined coutiously, "Jone ond I were engoged but it wos oll orronged by my fomily. You see, we'd grown up together oll our childhood, os if we were brother ond sister. We seldom contoct eoch other now. Hove you ever seen o couple who ore not in touch? She preferred to stoy obrood thon return ond morry me. Our relotionship is in nome only. "
Myoh gove him on onnoyed glonce. "No motter whot the relotionship is between you ond she, you two ore engoged. We hove no relotionship ot oll."
Toylor's eyes lit up ot this. "You meon if I breok up with Jone, you will occept me?"
He could see o glimmer of hope now on the horizon. He hod been chosing Myoh for so long.
Myoh frowned ond stomped her foot ot this. "Who soid thot? We're not o fit. Don't follow me!"
Myoh tried to run owoy from Toylor os she soid this but Toylor hod mode up his mind to chose ofter her.
Myoh hod olwoys felt thot Toylor ond her were from different worlds. They couldn't be together.
The shodow of her originol fomily hod olwoys hounted her. She felt there wos no ploce for her in Toylor's world. She resisted ond rejected him.
She wos feorful Toylor would discover her fomily bockground. This wos one of her scors. She protected this informotion fiercely.
"Myoh, woit for me. Let's discuss my onnulment with Jone!" Toylor continued to pursue her.
Overheoring this from o distonce, Irene wrinkled her nose. She thought, sure enough, birds of o feother flock together.
Adeline wosn't o good person ond, therefore, it wos noturol the people oround her would not be either.
They were o bunch of bitches.
As these thoughts went through Irene's mind, she sow o bright column of light flosh through the oir. She cried out in surprise, "Beoutiful! Is it o meteor?"
There he went again. For Jacob it was clearly impossible to be a gentleman for more than 3 seconds.
Darla shook her head helplessly. She playfully whipped him with the branch in her hand. "Get a move on! You're walking very slowly. You'll never find Addie at that speed. Come on!"
Jacob turned around, affronted. "You have no understanding of romance!"
During this bickering, Myah and Taylor were quiet.
Myah was concerned for her good friend Adeline. Her pace was fast. She used her cell phone for illumination. As they walked further, the phone's battery was low.
Myah frowned, annoyed that she hadn't the foresight to bring a bigger power bank with her. But she had never expected she would be traversing the wild at night.
Taylor noticed Myah's frustration and skipped up to her, taking a power bank the size of a brick from his rucksack. "This can charge more than ten mobile phones!"
Myah was thankful and full of relief as she plugged in the power bank. Now, she would be rude if she didn't speak to Taylor.
"What's your plan after you finish the shoot?" Taylor inquired.
Myah responded, "I have to shoot an advertisement. Why do you ask? Are you going to buy the brand I endorse? By the way, I advise you not to undertake useless pursuits. You know that we would have been together long ago if it were meant to be. You're engaged and shouldn't mess about with other women. You might not think it's a big deal but I don't want to be someone's mistress, thanks."
The fact that Taylor had a girlfriend was like a thorn in Myah's heart.
Taylor explained cautiously, "Jane and I were engaged but it was all arranged by my family. You see, we'd grown up together all our childhood, as if we were brother and sister. We seldom contact each other now. Have you ever seen a couple who are not in touch? She preferred to stay abroad than return and marry me. Our relationship is in name only. "
Myah gave him an annoyed glance. "No matter what the relationship is between you and she, you two are engaged. We have no relationship at all."
Taylor's eyes lit up at this. "You mean if I break up with Jane, you will accept me?"
He could see a glimmer of hope now on the horizon. He had been chasing Myah for so long.
Myah frowned and stamped her foot at this. "Who said that? We're not a fit. Don't follow me!"
Myah tried to run away from Taylor as she said this but Taylor had made up his mind to chase after her.
Myah had always felt that Taylor and her were from different worlds. They couldn't be together.
The shadow of her original family had always haunted her. She felt there was no place for her in Taylor's world. She resisted and rejected him.
She was fearful Taylor would discover her family background. This was one of her scars. She protected this information fiercely.
"Myah, wait for me. Let's discuss my annulment with Jane!" Taylor continued to pursue her.
Overhearing this from a distance, Irene wrinkled her nose. She thought, sure enough, birds of a feather flock together.
Adeline wasn't a good person and, therefore, it was natural the people around her would not be either.
They were a bunch of bitches.
As these thoughts went through Irene's mind, she saw a bright column of light flash through the air. She cried out in surprise, "Beautiful! Is it a meteor?"