Chapter 11

They had been walking around for almost an hour.

After they finally arrived at Peaks Landing, it was decided that they head back in the direction they came using their poles. The snow was at least five to six feet deep in the area making it heavily covered. Each person would plunge their pole in the snow hoping to hit something.

However after fifteen minutes had passed, they still found nothing. Olivia had also noticed no tracks, other than some smaller wildlife in the area due to the amount of snow that had fallen. A moment later, they heard one of the men yell from a hundred yards away.

“Over here! I think I have something.”

Olivia raced over and watched as the men started digging in the snow.

It was a body. When they had finally dug away the snow, she saw Michael’s frozen body before her.

Another wave of fury flashed through her, gripping her to the core. She wanted to kill the wolf who did this, the wolf who killed her father. She couldn’t understand why it happened, but she knew she wanted her revenge. But soon, the fury faded to guilt, she had to protect those she took on this excursion, and she didn’t. There was no way of saving them and she blamed herself for their deaths, and she was right to. She was their guide, she was their lead and she was their protector. Families missing their loved ones, and it was all her fault. The guilt lingered in her, though sadness overtook any feelings she may have felt. She wanted to weep but knew that she had to try and stay strong here. She was the only one that could give Frank any answers regarding this mystery because she was the only survivor from the ordeal. She breathed deep from the crisp cold air.

Frank looked up at Olivia. “Which one is this?”

“Michael.” She whispered. “He was the last the wolf attacked.”

She turned her head, looking over her shoulder back towards Peaks Landing and pointed towards the mountain.

“That means the other three bodies are in that direction. Michael was dragged over here after the first three were killed.”

Olivia turned to the sky, gulping more fresh air into her lungs. The remnants of the storm now long gone, a light veil of grey starting to take to the skyline as the sun slowly started moving behind a dark, heavy cloud.

Trepidation filled her, but she pushed herself to start walking in the direction of the other three bodies.

Two of the other men were ahead of her jabbing their poles into the snowy surface. A few minutes later one of the men yelled out again and then a second one yelled.

She reached the location that the men were on their knees digging out the remaining three bodies. Olivia stopped as her eyes trailed slowly over each body.

The group that had trusted her to bring them safely back down the mountain— happily married couples that would never see the light of day again.

All because of her.

Her hand came up and covered her mouth as she let out a small sob. She tried to hold back the tears, but they spilled over onto her cheeks as she stood there staring at the lifeless bodies in a trance.

She could see the dried, frozen blood on their clothes and where their throats had been slashed. One looked almost beheaded. It was only hanging by a small piece of cartilage.

She finally felt something on her arm and turned to see Isaiah standing there. She looked up at him, tears welling and spilling from her eyes. Isaiah pulled her into his arms, holding her close in a warm embrace. Olivia clung to him as she wept in his arms.

A moment later she felt another hand on her shoulder. “It’s not your fault Olivia. Don’t beat yourself up kiddo,” Chief Frank tried to assure her.

Another bout of anguish struck Olivia. The tears that ran down her cheeks soaked into Isaiah’s clothes, but she knew that she couldn’t hold this forever. She needed to be strong in these times, and she did this the only way she knew how. She pulled away from him, wiping the tears from her cheeks, sniffling once more before she returned to herself as nothing happened. She watched as the men started loading the bodies on the sleighs they had brought with them. It was already mid-afternoon and it would take them at least an hour to get back to Isaiah’s place.

All she wanted was to get the bodies off the mountains and back to their families in one piece. She figured she owed them that much.

**

By the time they had managed to get the bodies off the mountain and down to Crimson Creek safely, it was already after six o'clock.

Olivia went to the police station with Frank and gave her full statement. She was mentally exhausted and just wanted to curl up somewhere and be left alone in her thoughts.

Isaiah drove her to her apartment and she shoved in the last item of clothing in her blue duffle bag and swung it over her shoulder.

She turned to look at Isaiah. “Let’s go. I have everything I need for the next few days.”

They headed out to his SUV and they decided that they would make a pit stop at the grocery store before heading up back up the mountain.

Both sat in silence, staring through the windshield as Isaiah drove them down the snow packed road. It started to snow again, but there was no weather alert.

Eventually, Olivia turned to face Isaiah, watching the road as they drove. The cloud that crept in front of the sunlight, now raining down for her. It may have been snow, but to Olivia, it seemed, that this was the heavens weeping out for her tragedy and loss. “Thank you for helping us today.” A weak smile accompanying Olivia’s words. She knew she couldn’t do this alone, and she was happy that she had someone at her side to go through this with.

Olivia watched his head turn back to her, meeting her smile with one of his own, before continuing to drive. The last seventy-two hours had been a whirlwind of emotions for her. This was something that she could have never anticipated, something she would have never assumed or wished on anyone, no matter how grievous they had treated her. So many events were happening in a short amount of time and she couldn’t even keep track and focus on them all. Her thoughts would drift back to the amazing sex with Isaiah and then immediately the vision of the wolf treating her group apart would flash before her eyes. She knew her mind would not rest until this wolf was caught and killed.

Not only for her sake but also to avenge her father’s senseless death. Olivia could not allow this wolf to kill again. She wouldn't.

“Olivia.” Her head snapped back to find the SUV’s ignition off, with Isaiah standing outside the car door, holding it open for her. He stood there staring at her, and for a moment she wondered if he thought her crazy. But he seemed to be understanding and she quickly dismissed these thoughts. Anyone in this position would have had their fair share of heartache and difficulty dealing with this situation, so it must have been understandable to him.

“I’m sorry.” She said.

“We’re here. You okay?” He asked with a look of concern on his face.

She turned her head to look out the windshield and her eyes focused on the house in front of her.

“Yes, I’m fine. She replied, opening the passenger door and stepping out. She grabbed her duffle bag and slammed the door shut following Isaiah into the house a moment later. She watched Zeus run past both of them outside. “Will he be okay by himself?”

“Yeah. I’ll grab him in a bit. He won’t run off. Never has yet.” Isaiah replied.

Before she closed the front door behind her, Olivia gripped the frame of the door, her head slowly turning towards the forest out to the right. She felt something there; she didn’t know if it was her inner wolf sensing it, or if she was still just riding the rollercoaster of emotions, now feeling over-protective of the man who saved her life. It was an eerie sensation, one that left a bitter taste in her mouth, shaking her to the core. She didn’t like this, something was wrong, and she knew what it was.

Something was watching them and she had a damn good feeling exactly what it was. Or who.