Chapter 3 - Aurelia

I heard multiple voices calling my name. I turned my head, realizing that someone must have noticed I was out of bed. I saw flashlights as the voices got louder, the people looking for me closer. I turned my head back to the sizeable, red-eyed wolf only to find it was gone.

I frowned. The wolf was gone. I was so close to getting to touch him. I was mad that they interrupted. Almost as angry as I was at whoever shot the poor gray wolf. 

“There you are,” Darien called out, reaching me. “You shouldn’t be out of bed this late. And certainly, shouldn’t be out in the woods alone,” he scolded. I rolled my eyes, not looking at him. I was still looking at the wolf.

“What are you even…" his voice trailed off as his flashlight landed on the wolf. “Holy shit! Do you know how lucky you are that thing is already dead? It could have killed you!" he exclaimed, putting an arm around me pulling me to him. 

I stepped away from him, uncomfortable having his arm around me. To other girls here at camp, he’s handsome. He was about my height, a decent build, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

I can’t place it, but he gives me a bad vibe. He’s creepy. He’s supposed to be a camp counselor, yet he flirts with campers, knowing full well we are under 18.

“Don’t touch me,” I said as firmly as I could. “And I’m only out here because I heard a gunshot. Shouldn’t you be more worried that someone is hunting on private property and so close to a national forest? Isn’t there laws against hunting here?" I questioned, folding my arms across my chest.

“You don’t need to worry your pretty head about things like that. Come on. Let’s get you back to camp,” he dismissed, taking my hand. I narrowed my eyes at him. How dare he ignore me. How dare he treat me like some brainless person.

How dare he think that my outer appearance means I must be stupid. “Someone needs to dispose of the wolf and call the proper authorities,” I said, pulling my hand away as more flashlights reached us.

Darien took a half step away from me as two other counselors, and his father arrived. “What is going on over here?" my counselor May questioned, giving a stern look to Darien and then an even angrier look to me. What the fuck? Why is she giving me a dirty look? I didn’t do anything. And I sure the fuck wouldn’t do anything with Darien.

“I heard a gunshot, and when I got here, all I found was that poor wolf,” I frowned, gesturing to the dead wolf with my flashlight. May let out a shrilled cry at the sight of the wolf. “Oh god, that’s disgusting! There are wolves this close to camp!? Are we safe?” she covered her mouth.

Oh my god! She’s so damn dramatic. I can’t stand girls like that. “I was just telling Darien, someone should come to take care of the remains and contact the authorities. After all, hunting is prohibited here,” I said, turning my attention to the director, Mr. Moors.

“I’ll call that lazy groundskeeper to take care of it. I’ll handle dealing with the authorities,” Mr. Moors stated, taking out a cell phone. I guess that makes sense.

“Mister Logan. I need you to come into the woods about fifty feet west of the girl’s lavatory. We have a dead animal that needs to be disposed of,” Mr. Moors said before putting his phone away. 

“May, escort the camper back to her bunk. I expect you to have more control over your designated bunk. Campers should not be wandering the campgrounds after lights out. I expect more from you and all the counselors,” Mr. Moors scolded May and gave a harsh warning look to the other counselors present.

“And you, Miss Christian. Consider this your only warning about being out of your bunk after lights out. I will send you home if you break any more rules,” he stated before turning on his heels walking away. 

“Let’s go, Aurelia,” May nudged me. “But shouldn’t someone wait for this, Mister Logan?" I asked, looking around. “I’ll wait for him,” Darien shrugged as he picked a long stick up from the ground. I furrowed my brow. What was he going to do with that? And as I was pushed away, I saw what he was planning.

The bastard was poking the poor wolf. “Knock that off, boy,” a gravelly voice growled, making Darien and all of us jump. “Have some fucking respect for the dead, you little shit,” the man glared up at Darien as he entered the clearing. 

Yes, I said. The man that just came out of the forest was shorter than even me. When I think of the word rugged, this man is now what I’ll always envision. With shaggy brown hair as wild and unkempt as the thick beard on his face, he was the embodiment of a ‘mountain man.’

His grey tee struggled to stretch across his broad chest, giving just a hint of the amount of muscle underneath, jeans that hugged his muscular legs in all the right places, and I tried not to drool. I found myself breathless as I looked at him.

He wasn’t conventionally handsome. His nose looked broken at some point and never reset fully, but what struck me was his eyes. They were this beautiful shade of blue, like a mix of cobalt and azure. 

“Don’t talk to me like that, Jimmy, or you’ll lose your job,” Darien glared at the man. Jimmy? This man does not look like someone you call Jimmy. Jimmy is for children. “Hi… hi, Mister Logan,” May and the other girl counselor greeted him with flirty smiles.

I don’t know why but I glared at them, clenching my fists at them flirting. I can’t place why I would feel possessive of a guy I haven’t even officially met. So, this is the groundskeeper. “Fuck off, kid. Go back to your camp,” Mr. Logan growled, flipping Darien off. 

I smiled, covering my mouth with my hand so as not to laugh. I’m all for anyone that would put Darien in his place. “Let’s go, girls. No need to slum and hang around the hobo like this drifter,” Darien snorted, heading back. Honestly, I would rather stay and ask what he’ll do with the remains.

“What will you do with it?" I asked softly. “Bury him. He deserves that,” Mr. Logan answered, looking up from where he was crouching by the wolf.

My heart started to beat faster as our eyes met. Something inside me felt like it was clawing to escape, to bridge the space between us and throw myself into Logan’s strong arms. 

This makes no sense. I’m not that sort of girl; I don’t just fall for a guy. Let alone one I just met. And given he’s the groundskeeper here, I can only assume he’s much older than me, probably even older than Darien. Hard to tell with that beard. “Thank you,” I bowed my head to him.

He raised an eyebrow, and his lips, or what was visible with the beard, lifted slightly to one side into something like a smirk. He’s smirking at me! And I find myself clenching my thighs at having his attention. “For?" he asked. 

I took a breath, trying to steady myself, internalizing a content sigh as I smelled this earthy whiskey scent. I don’t know why but I’m sure the smell is coming from Logan, but it’s not a cologne. It was drawing me closer. I found myself taking a step closer. “Thank you for giving the animal the respect it deserves,” I finally answered.

“I see. Then you’re welcome… Aurelia,” he nodded. I like how my name sounds from his lips. I want to hear it again. I took another step closer but stopped as I noticed his nostrils flare slightly, followed by jaw clenching. 

“You should head back to your bunk. I’ll take care of this,” Logan dismissed. It hurt that he wanted me to leave. I didn’t want to walk away from him. But his tone didn’t convey that he wanted me to leave either. After all, he wasn’t harsh. “Aurelia, we need to go,” May tugged my arm.

“Let Mister Logan work in peace,” she added. “Night, Mister Logan,” she gave him that flirty smile again, and I wanted to rip her throat out. “Night, Mister Logan,” I sighed, glancing over my shoulder at him.

“Logan. You can just call me Logan. Night Aurelia,” he nodded. I couldn’t help but smile that he only acknowledged me. He didn’t even look at May.