Chapter 4

I slowly felt consciousness.

My head was resting on something hard. Or someone since there was heat radiating of it. But the person smelt amazing, like the forest mixed with a sort of spice scent. There were arms under me, carrying me. I could feel the movement of the person walking with me in their arms.

I tried to pry my eyes open to see where I was and who was carrying me but they were shut closed. I tried to move but I couldn't.

Then I remembered.

The beast!

It took me. Was I dead?

I felt my mind was blanking again as I slowly fell into unconsciousness for the second time.

~~~

When I regained consciousness I was no longer being carried. I could hear the loud rushing and trickling of water nearby. I also heard the shuffling of something's feet near me. I only prayed it wasn't the beast. I slowly pried my eyes open to realize that I was facing the dark sky of the night.

I slowly sat up, terrified to make any sudden movement and realized that I had been lying on the ground of a clearing somewhere in the mountains. There were large rocks around and I felt the soreness from laying on the ground.

To my left I saw the most incredible view in front of my eyes, a waterfall. Never in all my life have I ever seen one in person. It was absolutely stunning. It was large and the scenery was amazing. There were many beautiful vines to the side and the moonlight that reflected off it was incredible. The water was an iridescent blue which appeared as if the water was glowing under the moon light.

Then I remembered that it was the night of the blood moon. The beast had taken me.

My thoughts were cut short when I heard something walk behind me. My body instantly tensed and I froze in place not wanting to know what it was.

It was the beast, I was almost positive. I could practically feel his body heat radiating off him.

I gently stood up from where I was sitting, not daring to turn around. When I stood up, it was a bit difficult to stand since I was still in my heels and it was a rocky area.

I could hear the crunching of grass moving closer and I decided to turn around.

And there he was. Looking directly into my eyes, trying to show me he wasn't a treat by stopping in his tracks.

The stranger.

The same strange guy I met in the woods the day Jake tried to implant that chip in me. The same stranger that I hadn't been able to get out of my head.

I let out a sigh of relief.

But then I tensed up...how was he here, why was he here, where was the beast?

All these damn questions is starting to give me a headache.

"You." I said. "What the hell are you doing here?!" I asked panicked.

"Hello to you too." He said smiling as he took a step towards me.

I automatically took a step back.

"I would never hurt you." He said when he saw my movement.

"Where is the beast?" I asked.

He hesitated a moment before he answered me, "The beast, as you so graciously put it...left."

"Left? What do you mean he left? He can't leave. Isn't he suppose to, I don't know, kill me or something?" I asked exasperated.

"Or something." The stranger quietly mumbled.

"Wait what are you doing here?" I asked for the second time trying to avoid his weirdness.

"I found you in the forest just laying there." He motioned to the ground.

His story was by far the stupidest thing I have ever heard because A. the beast doesn't just leave the girl or else all the girls that were ever taken would've returned by now and B. no was allowed to step foot out of their homes let alone in the forest. Even if he was from somewhere besides Fairbairn, the elders told us that no one was allowed to go into the forest. Not even someone from a neighboring town.

"Okay." I said going along with him. I still had no idea who this guy was. "So why are you here?" I continued to question.

"Because I wasn't just going to leave you out here in the forest. Besides the beast, the woods are filled with dangerous creatures." He said.

"Weren't you afraid the beast would come back looking for me?" I continued my interrogation.

"He isn't coming back." He stated simply.

"How do you know what the beast is or isn't doing?" I asked.

"Because I just do." He said with a shrug.

"You can't just know that. You do however know that if and when this aforementioned beast returns he's going to hunt us down right?" I questioned.

He took a step closer and said. "And how do you know that?" He asked with a smile.

"The 'beast', as we all call it, is a dog. A huge over-sized dog, creature which is scary as fuck." I explained.

"Language." He said as if he was scolding a five year old.

"Sorry." I mumbled quietly but when I saw him smile I knew he heard even if he was at a distance. Dude must have really clean ears. I didn't even know why I apologized.

"And it's not a dog." He said putting emphasis on the word dog.

"Oh it isn't?" I said raising my eyebrows. "Then what exactly would you call that big fur ball that stands on four feet?"

"A wolf." He said with pride. Wait pride?

"A wolf isn't that big." I said because I saw Jake hunt a wolf already and it was the normal size of a dog.

"It was a special wolf." He said as if that should clarify it.

"A special wolf? Am I supposed to know what that means?" I asked folding my arms because I felt cold. It was freezing in the woods and my dress just so happened to be sleeveless.

"You're cold." He said concerned while walking towards me while shrugging his jacket off.

"Wow there buddy, hold your horses." I said putting my hand out to stop his movement.

"I promise I'm not going to hurt you." He said as a look of hurt flashed across his face.

"Haven't you heard? A promise is a fool's comfort." I said.

"Haha." He said sarcastically and continued walking towards me.

"Wait what are you doing?" I asked as he came up to me and took of his jacket.

"Dude seriously I'm getting claustrophobic here." I said when he leaned closer and his arms went around me.

When he told me to lift my arms backward I got a little terrified so I did the one thing that a normal person would do.

Well what I would and did do anyways.

I kneed him in the groin and stepped away as he fell at my feet on his knees.

Before I could even comprehend that I had done, he got up without a look of pain.

What the hell? Wasn't that supposed to hurt like hell?

"Good shot." He complimented. "You have a really pointy knee," he pointed out, "what?" He asked when he just saw me standing there with a confused expression.

"Y-you...aren't you supposed to be like doubled over in pain or something?" I asked still shocked.

"Well you know how they say 'buns of steel'?" He asked and I nodded. "Well I got balls of steel." He said cockily. Okay not the best choice of word for the subject at hand.

"Eww, gross! I don't want to hear about your...thing." I said covering my ears. "My poor virgin ears!" I whined.

He just looked at me like I was crazy and laughed. "They're all yours babe." He said after his fit of laughter.

"Don't call me that." I said angrily.

"Okay babe. Whatever you say babe." He said, annoying me further.

I just shot him a death glare. If looks could kill...well you know he's be six feet under by now.

"Look you can stay here all night if you want but I'm going home." I said turning even though I have no idea where I'm going.

He looked panicked and ran to where I was standing before I could even move a foot.

"No you can't." He said blocking me.

"Why can't I?" I asked confused. "Clearly the beast or wolf or whatever it was, didn't want me so I'm going home." I said side stepping him.

"He could still be out there." He said frantically.

"But you said he was gone and he wouldn't hurt me." I said catching him in his lie.

"Yeah but I'm not a wolf whisperer plus last time I met you, you were lost in the woods." He pointed out.

"Yeah but I recently installed a G.P.S in my brain so I'm good to go." I said continuing to walk.

"Emery." He called me and I stop, frozen in place.

"You remembered my name?" I asked turning around.

"Of course I remembered." He said walking towards me. "Now unless you're crazy and actually installed a G.P.S in your brain, why don't you let me take you home? The same place as last time?" He asked.

I was surprised he said he'll take me home after acting crazy but I really wanted to get home. I was dead tired and even though I have barely walked in these heels they were aggravating me.

"Yes, can you take me back to Fairbairn?" I asked.

"Yeah sure." He said holding his hand out for mine.

I looked at it and then looked at him and shook my head 'no'.

"Here take my jacket." He said giving it to me.

"Thank you." I said gratefully as I push my hands into the long sleeves. When I shrugged it on, I was engulfed in his amazing scent. I just wanted to sniff it all day.

Yeah I must've hit my head when the beast took me.

"Lead the way Captain Stranger." I said.

"Captain Stranger?" He asked with a smile.

"Well you still haven't told me your name. Or how you knew we would meet again." I said remembering his words 'Soon darling. Very soon.'

"I haven't have I?" He asked with a smirk.

"Not that I recall, no." I said. "Wait you aren't planning to harm me and then leave me without a trace of your identity, are you?" I said moving away from him as we began walking away from the waterfall.

"No, I told you I'm not going to hurt you." He said reassuringly.

"Good cause I would've castrated you." I said honestly.

He looked a bit scared for a moment but quickly covered it up.

"So how do you know the forest this good?" I asked when I moved back closer to him.

"You ask a lot of questions you know that?" He said with a smile. I then heard him whisper something but I wasn't sure if I heard correct. He said something along the lines of, "you're going to make a great Luna."

Deciding he was enough of a crazy person I decided to let it slide. But what the hell was a Luna?

"You still haven't answered my question..." I trailed off.

"Didn't I tell you that I hunt?" He asked.

"Yeah but dude you seem to know the entire freakin forest like the back of your hand, that's insane." I said looking at him smirking.

"One of my many talents." He winked at his double meaning sentence.

"You're strange, you know that stranger."

"I'll take it as a compliment." He said.

"Whatever floats your boat buddy." I mumbled. "So are you ever going to tell me your name?" I asked again.

"If you must know it's Th-" I cut him off before he could finish.

"Your name is Theo?! That's so cool, I had a dog named Theo." I said excitedly.

"No it's not Theo and what happened to your dog?" he asked curiously.

"It's not?" I asked disappointingly. "Well Theo kinda jumped the fence and ran away." I said.

"Well I'm sorry about your dog." He said honestly.

"It's alright I replaced him with a cat named Sheo." I shrugged but this time he definitely looked at me like I grew two heads.

"So if your name isn't Theo then what is it?" I curiously asked.

"It's Thane." He said.

"Thane...." I said trailing off waiting for him to continue.

He clearly didn't understand because he just looked down at me and said, "What?"

"What's your last name?" I said shaking my head.

"Oh it's Blackwood." He said rubbing behind his neck like he was nervous.

"Nice name Thane Blackwood. It's very....unique" I said smiling at him and his eyes held a lustful look and seemed to darken in color.

"And what about you Emery, what's your last name?" He asked and when he said my name it sounded like silk. Beautiful even if I did have a weird name.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I said with a wink.

"I actually would." He replied.

Just when I was about to answer him with another smart ass remark I heard a rustling from behind the tree a few feet away from us.

I instantly flew into Thane's arms. He opened his arms and held me close to him.

I don't know why but I felt safe and secure in Thane's arms, just being near him eased my tension. I didn't know what was happening to me.

I buried my head in his chest and I heard him sniffing me. What the hell?

When I realized we weren't moving or being attacked by the beast I opened my eyes and saw Thane smiling down at me.

I came to my senses and pushed him away. I turned and looked around and saw nothing.

"What was that?" I said moving to stand closer to him.

"It wasn't the beast." He assured me as if he knew what I was thinking.

"Then what was it?" I asked looking back at him.

"It was a deer." He said pointing behind me.

When I turned to where he was pointing at I saw a gorgeous deer walking out from behind the trees.

I moved behind Thane because I was afraid that it would attack me, which was a stupid assumption, but I didn't really have any experience in the deer department.

"It's alright he wouldn't hurt you." Thane said putting a hand behind my back and gently moving me towards the deer.

I tensed at his touch and he released me. But being the chicken that I am, I quickly grabbed his hand and put my hand in his. I couldn't help but think that it fit perfectly in his manly hands and the tingles were electrifying.

I moved to the deer gently and slowly, trying to not make any sudden movements and scare it away while pulling Thane behind me.

I came up close enough to touch it but was unsure of what to do next.

"Gently place your hand on his head." Thane whispered in my ear as he raised my hand in his and gently placed it on the deer.

He moved my hand in a stroking movement on the deer as he stood right behind me. I held one of his hand and the other he was holding to touch the deer.

I mustered the courage to pet him by myself so I turned my head to Thane and gave him a reassuring smile as I let his hand go and he removed his other hand from where we were stroking the deer.

I was actually doing it, I was touching a deer. Even though I was okay with touching the deer, Thane remained close behind me and put his hands on my waist and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

The deer moved away from my hand and I got a little scared from its sudden movement but Thane pulled me behind him in a protective stance.

But the deer didn't want to hurt me, it just gracefully walked away behind some trees and out of sight.

I turned to Thane with an excited expression and he held one of admiration.

"That was epic on so many proportions!" I squealed like a little girl who saw a unicorn.

"You were great." He said pulling me in a side hug.

"You really know your way around animals, don't you?" I commented with a smile.

"Well I don't like to brag but they do love me." He said with a smirk.

"Egotistical aren't you." I said pulling away from the too long of a hug. "And it's Aiken." I said referring to his question.

"Aiken?" he asked confused.

"Yes I'm little old Emery Aiken." I said and he just smiled.

We continued walking and my feet started to pain me so I stopped and held onto Thane's arm as I took my shoe off.

When I touched his arm however, I felt a tingling sensation, I knew he felt it to because his arm twitched from my touch.

I ignored it and took off my shoes. When I looked at him, his eyes still held that lustful look.

I turned away from him and continued walking and he snapped out of his trance.

"Let me hold them." He said taking me off guard.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Let me hold your shoes." He said putting his hand out for my heels.

"No I can hold my own shoes." I said.

"Either let me hold your shoes or carry you." He said giving me a look.

"Why do you want to hold my shoes?" I asked.

"Okay I'm carrying you." He said moving closer to.

"Wait, here." I said shoving the shoes in his chest.

"Thank you." He said holding it.

"But why do you want to hold my shoes?" I asked confused as always.

"Because what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't? Plus you're already holding up your dress." He said.

"Your mother raised you right." I commented.

He nodded and changed the topic, "You look exhausted."

"I feel how I look." I said yawning.

"We're almost there." He said but I couldn't see any lights from the town from where we were.

When we reached the edge of the forest however it wasn't my old town. The buildings were completely different and I have never seen this place before.

When I turned to ask Thane where we were he just had a sad look on his face.

"I'm sorry Emery." He said with a guilty expression.

Before I could say anything I felt something hit the back of my head and I started seeing black spots.

I braced for the impact of my fall but I felt hands support me and that was it.

I fell unconscious for the third time tonight.

A/N

Ohhh! Finally we know that certain stranger's name is Thane Blackwood.

I wonder what happened to the Beast? Any ideas?

Song: The Lumineers - Charlie Boy

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