Ranger [ON HOLD]

Chapter Twenty-two - This is Real

She was scared.

He felt sick knowing he was also responsible for it.

Her footsteps were quiet and hesitant as she followed him. Multiple times he found himself glancing back just to make sure she was there. Of course, she always was.

He hadn't given it a second thought to leave the house with her. Though he had no plan to go further than the trail that circled around the house. The very same trail they had been on only a few days ago.

He still had a bitter taste in his mouth from that day.

Ethan had later scolded him for his behavior - and he couldn't blame his friend for doing so either. Her question was curious, and not said unkindly in the slightest. She had clearly been attempting to get to know the both of them, and he couldn't fault her for the choice in question either. She had even given him the option to kindly refuse to respond. And he had taken it of course; but only in the worst possible way.

Instead of being a man and calmly telling her he was extremely uncomfortable - and truly loathed the subject of how he started hunting - he had walked away like a stubborn child. And then attempted to ignore her presence entirely.

As though that would do any good.

It was a near impossible feat, he soon discovered. He instead found himself paying more attention to her more than ever. And consistently she would manage to sneak her way into his thoughts, often while he poured over book after book in an attempt to find something to aid their cause. He found himself daring a glance into her room each time he passed by, just in time to see her look up with so much damn hope in her eyes he felt like an ass when he continued to his room.

Ella had clearly bewitched him somehow.

He paused, glancing back from where they had come. The house was not far, but hidden behind a thin layer of trees. If he took a few more steps to the left he would easily be able to see the old structure. It was easily within shouting distance, but far enough for the privacy they needed. And he had no doubt Ethan would know why he had suddenly pulled the girl away.

It was spontaneous, and possibly one of the more not thought out plans he had ever considered. And he couldn't place what exactly had kicked him into even doing it.

You know why. A part of him whispered, and the small yet disturbing image of Martin with his arms around Ella drifted through his mind innocently. Leaving behind a burn that had him locking his jaw stubbornly.

He wanted that.

This was a bad idea, considering that was what drove him to proceed with it, but maybe it was also time. And as much as it pained him, he knew he had to be honest to expect honesty in return - no matter how he detested the idea of telling the story out loud. He lived it every day, with his existence as a constant reminder.

"Ranger?" Her voice was soft, nervous almost. And apparently just enough to shake him from his thoughts. And before he could stop himself to once more consider what he was doing, he spoke.

"My parents were killed by an Alpha."

He faced me, hands falling to his sides limply for the moment. I now found myself frozen under his gaze, which remained startlingly impassive as he continued.

"I was eight," he began. "and they were well known hunters at the time."

I knew where this was heading. And as much as I wanted to stop him, given how it was glaringly obvious it was hard for him to tell me this, I realized this was something he also felt he needed to say.