The Elite

chapter 15

It was obvious that I was somewhere in the jungle or possibly a rainforest. How I got here I had no idea. But as I spun around and took in my surroundings I was aware that I wasn't alone.

Evelyn came forward wearing the same clothes I saw her in. "What do you think?" she asked, gesturing to the vegetation around us.

"Oddly feels like home."

"Way better than the woods, that's for sure," she told me. "You should consider moving somewhere that's more at home for your cats. I think you'll find yourself to feel lighter and happier."

I nodded. "So, am I dreaming?"

"Yes, you can't just travel to another continent in mere hours."

"Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Stay away from Bryce. There's something about him that I don't like and neither do a lot of elders that organized this. He wasn't invited yet somehow he knew where to meet everyone."

"Aren't all elites allowed?"

"Yes, but he-" She stopped mid sentence to sigh. "I have to go. Alyssa be careful and follow your instincts."

She faded in front of me and I woke up sweaty and sticking to the sheets. I ran my fingers through my hair. What did she mean that Bryce wasn't told where everyone was? Wouldn't he still feel some sort of pull as to where to go? I wasn't sure why Evelyn warned me to stay away from him but I knew that what she told me wasn't something that I should repeat.

Since she didn't give me an explanation I would have to try and figure out why exactly he wasn't supposed to be here. It could be possible that he did something that angered the elders and they decided that he shouldn't be allowed to find his mate. What if he was a bad person in general? Could he have ulterior motives for being here?

I got out of bed and changed into work out clothes deciding that a human run was exactly what I needed. Hopefully it would help me sort some things out in my head. Quietly I padded around the house and grabbed a banana from the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table. After I finished off the fruit I left the house and looked around me. I could either run the path that led to the main clearing or I could go directly into the woods and hope I would be able to find my way back.

If I did get lost I could always shift and I'd find my way back.

I choose the latter and headed through the trees and started off at a slow pace while I put in my earbuds and selected a playlist that was full of pop hits that would end up stuck in my head. My feet started to move faster to the beat of the music and my heart was pounding through my chest. Sweat was dripping down my forehead and I soon became aware halfway though a Beyoncé got that I wasn't the only one running at this hour.

Bryce's scent was all around these woods. My cat went on high alert ready for a fight to defend myself if it came to that. I paused the music and slowly turned in a circle looking for him.

"Up here!" He called from above.

I craned my neck to find him casually sitting in a tree with his ankles cross and his arms folded across his chest. "What are you doing in a tree?"

"Chilling obviously."

"This is how you spend your free time?"

"No, sometimes I don't just sit here, sometimes I read."

"You read in a tree?"

"I figured you would be more surprised that I read."

"Well it appears you are full of surprises."