Those In The Forest

Part 14: Rose

"Fucking hell, I'm starving!" Hazel sprinted into the cabin, heading toward the kitchen.

          We talked about what we would eat on the way here. Reagan didn't contribute to the conversation; she just silently rode on our backs.

          After she packed a few outfits in her backpack, she looked back at her apartment in disgust. I expected her to mourn or feel sad she was leaving, but she wasn't. Honestly, it felt like a part of her was relieved.

          She tried to pack trivial things like a toothbrush and deodorant, but we informed her that we had those things. And they were new. Somehow, I got the feeling that she believes we share those kinds of things, and we don't. I reassured her of that.

          When we shifted back, she ignored us completely. She was the first to walk into the cabin. Iris, Hazel, Ivy, and I scented something cooking when we got closer to the cabin on the way back. We knew Reagan couldn't smell it, so we told her either the Elders or Alphas cooked.

          I have never been so thankful for that. We didn't eat before we left, and it's stressful for the body to run on an empty stomach. The only reason we didn't pass out from exhaustion was because we didn't want Reagan to think we were weak.

          We all walked in, and I clocked Reagan sitting on the couch on her phone. I rolled my eyes. "No, come on." I gestured my head to the kitchen. She looked up at me and frowned before looking back at her phone. What could she possibly be doing on that thing right now?

          I stomped over to her, not caring how naked I was. We all were naked, and it was natural for us. Her being here isn't going to change that. And she needs to eat. She probably needs it more than all of us.

          I snatched the phone. "You will eat. I heard your stomach growling the entire run here. You are under our care now. You cannot fight me when I tell you to do things that are good for you." I pointed toward the kitchen where Iris, Hazel, and Ivy were standing. "Go eat."

          I know right now isn't the best time to push her. Especially when she sounded so defeated when she said she would fight her feelings for us. I hated hearing hearsay it. But I kept my face cool.

          She glared at me and met her challenging stare. "Fine."

          Ivy giggled. "You'd do well not to get on Rose's bad side. She can be very vindictive when she wants to be." They all laughed, apart from Reagan.

          "She likes to withhold things," Hazel said after Reagan walked past her. "Very delicious pretty things," she smirked, looking between my legs.

          I snarled. This was not the time. She just laughed and followed Reagan into the kitchen. I walked into the kitchen and headed for the dining room table styled like a booth next to the wall.

          I scooted into the booth next to Reagan. She didn't look uncomfortable that she was surrounded by naked women, but she did look sad. What has happened from the time we left her apartment?

          Lennox and Celia, who were at the stove, turned around to look at us. "Where's Karina and Avah?" Iris asked, pouring us all a glass of water from the glass jug on the table.

          When Reagan's glass was placed in front of her, she chugged it down, and Iris poured her another glass, laughing to herself.

          Celia cut the stove off and walked over to us with a plate full of cooked meats—wild boar, deer, and fish. I'm not a huge fish fan, but Iris is. So we all tend to leave that to her.