Chapter 1

“Anayka, look over here. Isn’t that a wolf?” Genesis shouted while pointing at a white round ball that laid lazily on the rock near the edge of the cove. 

Anayka turned around but before she could say anything, Ashley ran towards the white fur animal. 

“Be careful. If it’s a wolf then it’s pack must be nearby,” Henry warned her.

“I don’t think your girlfriend heard your warning. She had already started to pet him,” Julian commented from the sides.

“Isn’t she a little over-excited by looking at the wolf?” Genesis asked and exchanged glances with Anayka.

Anayka did not respond to her and looked around in search of his pack. She couldn’t understand why a wolf would be alone, unless it is injured and left behind by his wolf pack. She ran towards the wolf and pushed Ashley away from him.

“Don’t touch him. He might be injured and you might cause him more grief.” Anayka ordered Ashley.

“It did not move when I petted him. Do you think he is dead?” Ashley asked while looking at the white wolf with worry-filled eyes.

Anayka started to examine him without answering her question. She opened his eyelids forcefully and checked them with the tiny torchlight she took from her pocket. Then she started to examine his feet. After that, she tried to check for any external wounds.

Later, she pulled out a stethoscope from her bag and tried to hear his heartbeat. He seemed to do well and she could not determine the cause of his injury. She was worried that he might have got an internal wound or…

Suddenly, a thought struck her mind and she pulled open his mouth to check. When she saw that he did not have any food particle stuck in his throat, she shook her head.

“I couldn’t determine the cause of his injury. I doubt he might have suffered an internal injury and we might need to take him to the hospital to examine him further.” Anayka informed them.

“Then let’s take him to the hospital where you work,” Ashley suggested.

“Alright. But we have to carry him carefully and not let him get hurt. Let’s try to make a stretcher and carry him using that. Try to search and gather two long, thick sticks and some wines to use it as a rope. We can use the camping tent that we brought as the cloth to drape around those two sticks and tie them with the wines.” Anayka instructed and started to unpack the tent roll.

“We will go check the area from where we came. I saw some big trees over there. We might get sticks but wines, I doubt if we will find any,” Henry suggested and pulled Julian along with him.

“I am also going with them,” Genesis shouted and followed behind them.

They climbed up the rock that they used to get down while trekking towards the cove. 

“Who was the one who first found that wolf?” Julian asked.

“That would be me,” Genesis said while raising her hands in the air.

“Seriously? Do you even know what you had just done? You spoilt our vacation. We have been planning for this trekking for the last two months. We had hiked almost five miles and after reaching here, we had to go back right away? I am not going,” Julian declared and scorned at her.

He was irritated and that was clearly shown on his face.

“I am sorry. But I did not expect to come across a white wolf. It’s rare. All I wanted to do was show it to you all.” Genesis replied and shook her shoulders as she did not expect the situation to turn out into something like this.

“First, tell me whose idea is it to even invite Anayka?” Genesis asked them.

“That would be me. What can I do? Ashley would not come if we don’t invite her step-sister along with us. So, I had no other choice. I convinced Anayka to join us so that Ashley would come on this trip.” Henry said while looking at them helplessly.

“I have a question. If we find some injured wild animals, aren’t we supposed to let them be? As per the forest regulation, we are not to disturb any wildlife in this area. So, why should we even care about that animal?” Genesis inquired.

“I cannot understand these two step-sisters. One clearly dislikes the other while the other one shows love towards the person who treats her badly. Also, Anayka works as a veterinary doctor, so her love for animals is justifiable. But Ashley, she clearly dislikes animals. But in front of her step-sister, she would act as if she likes them a lot,” Julian shook his head in disbelief.

“Even I found it weird. I asked Ashley about it. She said Anayka loves her and just that she could not express herself properly in front of others. Since her sister likes animals, Ashley also wants to follow her footsteps,” Henry explained to them.

“I don’t know but all I could see is Anayka hates Ashley. I tried to make a conversation with her throughout this trip but Anayka ignored me all the time. If you haven’t noticed, until she met the injured animal, she did not speak a word with any of us on this whole trip,” Genesis said as she found it strange.

“At first I thought, she is deaf and dumb,” Julian said and laughed out aloud.

“My sister is not deaf and neither dumb. It’s just that she might take a lot of time before she could mingle with everyone and become friends.” Ashley spoke from behind them.

They were all dumbfounded. They did not expect Ashley to follow them. They were not sure how much she heard them speaking.

“Ash, we…” Henry tried to explain the situation but Ashley ignored him.

“I already got the required sticks. Also I found some ropes in your backpack. So, I gave them to Anayka. I hope you don’t mind it,” She said to Henry.

“That’s fine. Anything for you sweetheart,” Henry said with a smile and tried to hold her hands.

She did not hold his hands and neither did she look at him.

“If you are done talking, then we can go back now,” She said and walked in the front without giving them a glance.

“How much do you think she heard us?” Genesis asked in a low tone.

“I am not sure,” Julian whispered and looked at Henry.

He ignored them and chased behind Ashley. He did not know how to cajole her. Ashley gripped the sticks in her hands. She could not believe that her friends would talk bad about her sister behind her back.

“Ash, Ash… Stop. We need to talk,” Henry said and pulled her hands.

He saw the tears that were formed in her eyes and might fall anytime now. He hugged her and said, 

“I am sorry. I am sorry. You must understand. I know your sister is different but they only heard about Anayka from your perception. They don’t know her well yet. So they...” 

Henry was stopped by Ashley before he could say anymore.

“Stop it! If you are going to talk nonsense about my sister just like them then do not.” Ashley warned him and moved away from his embrace.

Henry pulled her back and cuddled her once again. He rubbed her head and said,

“Let’s sit here for sometime and discuss a few things. I know you have some misunderstandings and I want to clear them all. That’s why I brought you on this trip.” Henry suggested.

“But we need to go back and give these sticks to Anayka.” Ashley hesitated.

“Don’t worry about that, they will give it to her,” Henry said and took those sticks from her hands.

He walked towards Genesis and Julian. He handed those sticks to them and whispered,

“Try to get rid of Anayka before we come back. I will hold Ashley here until then.”

“What do you mean? I am not a serial killer and I have no experience in that,” Julian muttered and moved back in fear.

“Are you an idiot? I meant to make her go back home. I did not say that you have to kill her. I am also not a murderer.” Henry huffed and told him.

“Say that in a clear way. I came here to enjoy and not to get myself into some unnecessary trouble,” Julian said and pulled the sticks from his hands.

“That’s what I am trying to do. If we want to enjoy ourselves then we will have to make her go away,” Henry whispered to them. 

He then walked towards Ashley and sat next to her on a huge rock.

“Don’t worry, Ash. They will take those sticks safely to your sister. Do you know how much I love you?” Henry said and leaned towards her.

Ashley put her hands on his face and stopped him from kissing her.

“Stop it, they are still here,” Ashley whispered while blushing.