Chapter 9 9
Rhea's Pov
The morning mist clung to the cabin windows, thick and white.
I woke up alone in the bed.
I sat up, pulling the heavy blanket around me. The cabin was freezing.
"Mark?"
"Out here," a voice called from outside.
I walked to the window. Mark was outside, dressed in flannel and heavy boots. He was chopping wood for the small stove, swinging the axe with a little too much aggression. Thwack. Thwack.
He looked restless.
I dressed quickly, jeans, thick sweater, boots, and went outside.
Mark stopped when he saw me. He was sweating despite the cold.
"Morning," he said. He didn't smile. He looked at the dense treeline surrounding us. "I checked the perimeter. No signs of animals, but the ground is uneven. You need to be careful walking today."
"I'll be fine, Mark. I grew up near woods, remember?"
He gripped the axe handle tighter. "These woods are different. I can feel it."
He dropped the axe and walked over, kissing my forehead hard. "Let's go to the main lodge. Stick close to me."
We walked down the trail. Mark kept scanning the trees, his body tense, like a soldier in enemy territory.
When we reached the main clearing, the smell of coffee and bacon hit me. Students were milling around, eating breakfast on wooden picnic tables.
I spotted a familiar redhead waving frantically.
"Rhea! Over here!"
Isolde.
Relief washed over me. I needed her. I needed normal.
"I'm going to sit with Isolde," I told Mark.
He frowned, looking at the crowded table. "I'll come with you."
"Mark, please," I said softly. "It's girl talk. You go get food. I'll be right there."
He hesitated, looking at Isolde, then back at me. "Five minutes. Stay where I can see you."
He walked toward the food line, looking like a bodyguard off-duty.
I hurried over to Isolde. She dragged me onto the bench beside her.
"Finally!" she whispered, leaning in. "You have been impossible to reach. What happened after the club? You just vanished."
"It's a long story," I muttered, stealing a piece of her toast. "I got sick. Mark took me home."
Isolde eyed me suspiciously. She sniffed the air near my shoulder.
"You smell weird," she said bluntly.
I froze. "What do you mean?"
"You smell like... different ." She narrowed her green eyes. "Are your blockers working? Because I swear I'm catching a whiff of wolf."
Panic spiked in my chest. If Isolde could smell it, others could to.
"The herbs are wearing off, I need more."
"I brought some," she patted her bag. "But Rhea, seriously. What is going on? You look like you're about to snap. And Mark looks like he's ready to murder someone."
"He's just... protective."
She snorted. "He's suffocating. I saw him staring down the professors yesterday. It was intense."
She lowered her voice further. "Speaking of the hot professors..."
She nodded toward the center of the camp.
Lucien and Damian were there moving heavy equipment crates out of a van.
Damian was laughing, wearing a tight black t-shirt. He grabbed a massive wooden crate that looked like it weighed two hundred pounds. He lifted it effortlessly, swinging it onto his shoulder like it was empty.
Nearby, a couple of gym-rat guys from the football team were struggling to lift a similar crate together.
"They aren't human," Isolde muttered, staring at Damian's arms. "Look at that. That's freakish strength."
I watched him. Damian caught my eye across the clearing. He winked, then effortlessly tossed the crate onto a stack.
"Show off," I whispered. But my stomach fluttered.
Mark walked back to our table, holding two coffees. He slammed them down, splashing a little. He was glaring at Damian.
"Hey, Mark. Enjoying the nature?" Isolde asked brightly.
"It's fine," Mark grunted. He sat down, boxing me in against the table. "Though I don't see why we need so much equipment for a history hike."
"Research," Isolde said.
"Right," Mark muttered. He looked at Damian again. "Guy thinks he's Hercules."
"Okay, everyone! Gather round!" Lucien’s voice boomed across the clearing. It wasn't loud, but it commanded instant silence.
We all stood up and moved toward the center.
Lucien stood on a raised platform of rock. He looked calm. The morning sun hit his dark hair, making him look like the lord of this forest.
"Today we hike to the outer ruins," Lucien announced. "The terrain is rough. We will be splitting into two groups to cover more ground."
My stomach dropped. Separation.
"I will lead Group Alpha," Lucien said. "Professor Damian will lead Group Beta."
Mark gripped my hand. "We're sticking together," he whispered to me.
Lucien pulled out a clipboard. "I have the assignments here. Listen for your name."
He started reading. Isolde was in Group Beta with Damian.
"Mark Evans," Lucien called out.
Mark stepped forward. "Here."
"Group Beta," Lucien said.
"Rhea Hale," Lucien continued without pausing. "Group Alpha."
Mark froze. "Excuse me?"
He let go of my hand and stormed up to the front. "There's a mistake. My fiancée and I are together."
Lucien lowered the clipboard. He looked at Mark with cool indifference. "We separated couples and friends intentionally, Mr. Evans. To ensure focus on the work, not socializing."
"I'm not a student," Mark snapped. "I'm a guest. I go where she goes."
Damian stepped up beside Lucien. He crossed his arms, his biceps bulging. He towered over Mark.
"You go where we tell you," Damian said, his voice dropping into a low warning. "Or you stay at camp. Your choice, guest."
The air crackled with testosterone. Mark looked from Damian to Lucien. He realized he couldn't physically fight them both here. Not without looking like a lunatic.
He turned to me. His eyes were desperate and angry.
"It's okay," I said quickly, trying to diffuse the tension. "I'll be fine, Mark. Go with Isolde. She'll keep you company."
Isolde stepped in, grabbing Mark's arm. "Come on, Mark. I need someone strong to help me carry my samples."
She winked at me, signaling she would watch him.
Mark glared at the twins one last time. "Fine."
He walked over to me, grabbed my face, and kissed me hard. It wasn't romantic, but a claim. A statement. Marking his territory.
"Be careful," he whispered against my lips. "Don't let them get you alone."
He pulled away and marched over to Group Beta.
I stood there, feeling exposed.
Lucien stepped down from the rock and walked straight toward me. The crowd parted for him.
He stopped in front of me. His grey eyes were shining with triumph.
"Ready for a hike, Miss Hale?" he asked softly.
"You did that on purpose," I hissed.
"Of course," he murmured, leaning closer so only I could hear. "Did you really think I'd let him keep you all day? Especially after all you two have been doing? You deserve a punishment, sweetie."
"Punishment???"