Tasting
Chapter 61

61–In The Woods With My Stepbrothers

Nora:

I collapsed onto my bed like a character from a 90’s drama, burying my face in the pillow as tears streamed down my cheeks. The sobs were muffled by the soft fabric.

I cried until the sound of footsteps interrupted my solitude. “Nora! Your life’s in danger in the woods,” it was Cain. His voice was oddly calm, lacking any trace of disdain for my presence. I wiped my tear- streaked cheeks and sat up, meeting his gaze.

“But I don’t want to be left behind. He’s done so much for me, and now that he’s in danger, am I just supposed to stay here?” I sniffled, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness.

“Fine. You can come with us,” Cain’s decision came swift, catching me off guard.

“Really?” I asked incredulously, and he nodded affirmatively.

“We don’t have time. So get up and follow me,” he instructed in hist usual casual but firm tone. Despite his cold demeanor, his actions. spoke volumes. He may not have been warm, but he was willing to include me.

I trailed after him to the living room, where I found the brothers wearing matching frowns. Clearly, they hadn’t anticipated Cain’s decision to bring me along.

“Don’t tell me she’s coming too. We need to focus on replaceing Dad.” Nash groaned, shooting a disapproving glance at Cain.

“You gins don’t need to worry She’ll stick with me.” Cain reassured them, alleviating their concerns about looking after me

As Cain relieved them of the burden they’d previously cited as the reason for not wanting me to join. I expected them to get going. But no, they remained adamant, their disdain for me apparent. They preferred leaving me behind, vulnerable to the monsters lurking in the

shadows

“Why?” Ryker’s imitation was evident in his voice. He hadn’t spoken directly to me since the incident with Silas.

“Because instead of wasting time on arguments, we should be heading back to the woods.” Cain reminded them of the urgency of our situation Nash and Silas exchanged glances before turning their attention back to Ryker, who was surprisingly vocal this time.

“And here we thought you couldn’t multitask,” Ryker’s comment was a jab at Cain’s tendency to claim he gets easily distracted, thus preferring to focus on one thing at a time.

“What’s your problem. Ryker? You don’t want to take her to the woods yourself, and you don’t want me to take her either. Do you want her to remain here, in danger?” Cain’s calm demeanor began to falter under the scrutiny of his brothers.

I couldn’t fathom why Ryker was objecting so much now.

“Even if he does, why does it bother you so much?” Nash redirected the question to Cain. It seemed they were united against me, regardless of whose side they had to take.

“It doesn’t. We can’t fail Father,” Cain explained, his stance strong.

“Now, I won’t be indulging in any pointless chatter. Go on, Nora, grab

61–in The Woods With My Stepbrothers

your sweater and boots,” Cain motioned for me to rise, and like a dutiful student, I nodded and hurried upstairs. I changed into cargo pants and a white top with a gray hoodie layered on top. With

comfortable high boots adorning my feet, I rejoined them in the living

room.

Following Cain’s lead, I murmured a quiet “thank you” as we made our way. However, he only nodded in response, escorting me to the car where Nash sat in the driver’s seat. The car ride was tense, filled with the brothers discussing the possible scenarios surrounding their father’s disappearance.

The monsters typically targeted omega she–wolves, which made this situation even more frightening, as they only attacked others when they sought to consume them.

“Nora, hold this,” Cain instructed, handing me a silver knife without turning around, his arm stretched over his shoulder, offering the blade. I took it, noticing Nash observing the exchange through the rearview

mirror.

“You know how to use it, right?” Cain asked, his eyes focused on the road as he cracked his knuckles.

“I can when I’m under attack,” I shrugged, catching Cain’s amused. chuckle. His laughter was so effortless that I couldn’t tear my eyes. away from him.

After the car came to a stop, we exited and joined the others.

“Let’s go,” Ryker said determinedly.

As I stepped into the woods, a shiver ran down my spine, mirroring the eerie silence that enveloped the forest. The trees towered ominously, their branches stretching out like skeletal fingers. I edged closer to

61 In The Woods With My Stepbrothers

Cain, feeling a surge of anxiety without the protection of my wolf. A thick blanket of fog hung low, obscuring my vision and enveloping the world in a suffocating haze.

I was

The air was chilly, nipping at my skin despite the sweater I wore. sure Cain noticed because he subtly intertwined his fingers with mine, holding my hand as he led the way forward.

He kept his gaze mostly fixed on the ground, searching for the monster’s trail to follow. My heart raced at the thought of replaceing my stepfather in a worse state. I pushed aside the unsettling thoughts and continued walking beside Cain. Suddenly, I heard rustling behind me, causing me to tense up, ready to defend myself. To my relief, it was only Ryker.

He appeared out of nowhere, startling me to the point where I instinctively clung closer to Cain.

“Cain! Nash wants you by the river,” Ryker informed, sneaking a glance in my direction before turning back to his brother.

“Why?” Cain asked, slipping his hand out of mine,

“You’ll replace out if you go to the river,” Ryker replied, rolling his eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. Why would Nash call for Cain without discussing it openly with all of us?

“You stay here. I’ll take care of you,” Ryker said as he watched me follow Cain once again.

“Take care of her,” Cain reminded Ryker before hurrying off. He cast one last glance at Ryker, as if warning him not to do anything foolish, before disappearing into the distance. Now it was just me and my angry stepbrother, who seemed poised to say something to me.