Lycans Of The Woods

Chapter 31

Both Jeremiah and Willow stood near the end of the hallway, beside the stairs which I walked to, and they straightened at my appearance.

"Good morning." I told them, beginning to brush by so that I could head to the kitchen and begin to prepare myself breakfast if the cooks hadn't already.

"Olivia." They simultaneously responded, and I paused mid-step, arching an eyebrow high as I barely suppressed laughter. Jeremiah curled his lip at his partner and Willow scowled at him before falling into step beside me.

"Any plans for the day?" Willow asked casually, too casually. She was watching me with a cautious gaze as we walked down the stairs, and I had a suspicion that Hannes had already given her instructions regarding training me, but she was currently withholding from speaking about it, because she was unaware of whether or not Hannes had already discussed the topic of training with me.

"I'll be going on a walk sometime today," I admitted, shuddering as my bare feet touched the cold wooden floor once we stepped off the last stair. I shot Willow a questioning glance. "Do you have any plans?"

Before she could utter a word however, Hannes' voice came from behind us.

"If you go on any walks today, Jeremiah or Willow will be joining you." Hannes told me, voice firm as he placed a hand on the middle of my back, and maneuvered my body so that I was no longer facing the general direction of the kitchen but instead walking to the dining room. "I won't argue with you about that, Olivia. Although more warriors have been stationed around the borders of Wildeland, anything could happen and I won't risk your safety." He added with a small snarl when I opened my mouth to question him.

My lips pressed into tight lips, and a skittish, alien feeling squirmed up my body as I muttered, "I wasn't going to argue, Hannes. I was telling you that you're leading me in a direction which I wasn't planning on going to."

Hannes pulled out a chair once we entered the dining room. "I'll prepare breakfast for us. The cooks don't always work here." He gestured that I sit, and I heard the retreating footsteps of Willow and Jeremiah. The tense, hard lines of Hannes face softened as I watched him, unsure.

"Would you like some help?" I finally offered. His lips curled, and I resisted flinching at the glimpse of fangs I saw as he did so.

"I should be fine." Hannes said, and with one last nod towards the chair, he left. I lowered my body onto it, and sat in uncomfortable silence. My eyes travelled to one of the many windows, and I tilted my head, eyes following the silhouette of a person passing by.

Since being back in Wildeland, and even before then, my need to be outside almost all of the time had been strong. Being able to see nature, the environment or observing the everyday acts of persons in this pack was something I found pleasure doing.

"Has something outside interested you?"

A bowl of warm porridge was set before me on the table, and then a hot cup of tea as Hannes spoke twenty minutes later. My mouth watered immediately at the scent of my breakfast, and my eyes wandered to Hannes as he sat beside me after arranging his own food.

I didn't answer his question, although not out of rudeness, but because most of my attention had become now on the breakfast. I lifted a spoonful of the porridge as I murmured, "Thank you."