Chapter 101

I end up in Virgil's shirt, for some reason that is still unknown to me and I'm trying to not freak out at how it keeps slipping over one shoulder and showing off the hickies on my neck.

"Can't I just wear a different shirt, since you don't like the one I had on befo…"  My eyes widen when he claims my lips again and I narrow my eyes, not responding to the kiss.

He's been doing that an awful lot to derail my questioning as a matter of fact he didn't even tell me anything about the unnaturally huge wolf I had seen in the woods, asking about that just keep turning into make-out sessions.

I break off, hearing a distinct sound from down the stairs. "They're back."

He looks at me with cool calculating eyes but I'm just as determined to find out the truth, he had worn a new shirt from one of his stashes in my wardrobe and I grab on his arm to pull him outside my room.

If he kept escaping my question with kisses then I would ask someone who couldn't kiss me.

I burst into the room to see my mom and Dale obviously back from their drive and Shana and Mae as well.

"Hi, Mae!" I greet cheerfully, releasing Virgil's had to go give her a hug.

"Oh, Hayden! I've missed you." She hugs me in return, grinning wide.

I turn around to see the rest sporting guilty expressions.

Good.

They should feel guilty for lying to me.

"Do you all have anything to say to me?" I ask quietly, crossing my arms in front of me.

It's easier to feel in control of the situation when I'm far away from Virgil who keeps muddling my head and no one is towering over me.

They're all sitting down on sofas, except Mae who sits to the side on a high stool, an amused smile on her face as she watches me scold everyone.

Dale looks mad at himself while Shana and my mom look downright guilty and Virgil…

Maybe I should have still remained mad at him some more, he's looking at me appreciatively and I remember that I'm in his oversized shirt with hickies littering my neck - I did not think this through.

But I don't let it bother me, it's not the first time anyway even Shana gave me hickies while playing - my friends are an odd bunch that liked to bite - I realize.

"Well." I prompt.

"There is a new wave of wild wolves in the woods, although they mostly keep to the other side of the creek."

Mae blinks in surprise. "He didn't know about the wolves."

"I didn't!" I throw my hands up in exasperation. "I know, it doesn't make any fucking sense, as a matter of fact, I'm mad at everyone again." I pout, going over to Mae.

"Do you mind telling me everything?" I ask her, throwing a very obvious look at Virgil who is just coolly watching me, Shana starts to sweat and my mom looks like she's about to say something.

Mae grins and takes my hand. "Of course!" She agrees happily and I note that she doesn't even spare Virgil a glance like my mom and Shana who have been acting like they're asking for approval, it's ridiculous.

"Why don't you come up to my room?" I invite her, ignoring the horrified looks that paint across everybody's face - just like I thought, they were still hiding something.

"Sure." She agrees and we both make our way up the stairs.

"We're still going on a drive, right guys?" I throw back at them and their muffled replies are enough of a confirmation.

I usher Mae inside the door, glancing around surreptitiously like I expect someone will snipe her from the shadows so she can't tell me what's going on.

"I don't think that necessary." Mae dryly says when I lock the door behind us. "And you shouldn't be mad at them, you've kept secrets from them before." She says calmly, gliding across my floor to sit gently in the bed.

She's in black jeans and a fuzzy peach top, her full hair in a bun.

I freeze in my steps, remembering when I had hidden my bruises because I was scared that Tyrone would stay true to his words and try to hurt them too.

"I suppose I have." I murmur softly, wondering how she knew, Shana wouldn't have told her.

"Come and sit." She pats the bed beside me. "Your lovebites are distracting me."

I blush at her words and come to settle down beside her, Mae has always been a bit of an eccentric so I don't find her actions weird.

"Mind if I make your hair again?" She asks politely.

"N-Not at all." I agree, getting comfortable on the bed and placing my head on her legs as she directs.

I'm not exactly sure what she does but it's always soothing and it leaves my hair softer.

"Nobody knows why yet, but there has been an influx of wild wolves in the woods." She starts to say and I settle in to listen, who knew when next I would get an opportunity like this.

"We came back early from our vacation to Africa so I saw it happen, as usual people started to complain that they wanted to cut the trees in the woods down to make room for infrastructural development… does it hurt?" She pauses her narration to ask and I start to shake my head but I stop myself in time not wanting to ruin whatever she was doing.

"No, not at all, plus why would people want to cut down the pines?" I ask in horror. "It's practically what gave the town its name."

She makes a shrugging move. "My parents and I weren't in support either, people started going into the woods to hunt down the wolves which was ridiculous. Mr. Everett told them that as long as they stayed from the woods they'll be fine and the wolves would soon leave."

I twitch my toes, intrigued by the direction the story is taking, all I would have done was stay away from the woods, it didn't make any logical sense why they would hide it from me.