CHAPTER 32

HAZEL

Thaddeus kept his steady pace, an unusual sight after four hours of carrying me. I wasn't sure if I should comment on his surprising stamina or just wait for a bathroom break, which seemed imminent judging by Thea's expression.

As if he read my thoughts, Thea looked at Thaddeus and shook his head."I need to step away for a moment," he explained, his voice low. "Just a quick break.”

Thaddeus sighed and called for a break loudly. 

Thea and a few other warriors from the group decided to step away from the main trail to find a private spot to relieve themselves. Seeing this as an opportunity, I leaned in closer to Thaddeus and whispered, "Hey, I think it's time you put me down. You've carried me for four long hours now. Your back must be aching terribly.” 

"No," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "You'll just slow us down. And you're not even heavy.”

“I'm not?” I asked incredulously.

As if to prove his point, he let go of my legs and yanked my right arm so I was leaning to the side. He gripped my waist and adjusted his arms so he was suddenly carrying me in a bridal style. It was quick, smooth, and surprisingly strong.

How the fucking hell did he do that?

I stared at his face in disbelief as he raised his eyebrow nonchalantly.

"You just... uhmm, how did you... what?" I stammered, my mind racing as I fumbled for the right words. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and I couldn't seem to string a coherent sentence together.

He started moving me up and down, like I was a weight he was testing. He thought for a moment, his lips pursed together. "I'd say you weigh around 120 pounds," he said. "Maybe a little more, maybe a little less.”

My jaw dropped in astonishment as he smirked. "This is so creepy! How on earth did you guess right?" I exclaimed, my voice filled with disbelief.

“Even on days that I feel incredibly lazy, I still pushed myself to bench press 120 pounds.”

I blinked, trying to process what I'd just heard. A lazy day? I gulped hard and averted my gaze. If 120 push-ups was his idea of a lazy day, I dread to think what he did on a normal one.

“Well, I still want to walk. My feet are almost asleep.” I mumbled, trying to loosen his grip around my body. He sighed and put me down gently, making sure I was steady before letting go, 

“Are you sure you can keep up? I’m not going to slow our pace just for you.” He warned. 

I rolled my eyes, annoyed by his words. “I'm fine, Thaddeus,” I muttered, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

The moment my feet hit the cool, hard ground, I stretched my legs, feeling a wave of relief wash over me as the tingling sensation spread through my limbs.

“Okay, but if you ask me to carry you again later on, I won't.” He plainly uttered.

"Hey! I didn't ask for a piggy ride on your back. You were the one who insisted I get on your back even when Sparrow had offered. What gives you the right to order me around like that?”

"I chose to do that because Thea wanted to carry you.”

My eyebrow furrowed. “And so?” 

He shot me a look that said I was the stupidest person he'd ever met and stomped off to join the other pack members. A few moments later, Sparrow reappeared from the trees, a compass clutched in his hand.

"Hey there, are you alright?" he asked, flashing his most charming smile.

“Yes. Hey, how much longer do we have to go?" I asked, leaning over to grab my water bottle from my backpack. I was starting to get tired, and my throat was parched.

He glanced up from the compass, his face etched with concentration. "Not much further," he replied, his voice barely audible over the wind. “We've come a long way, but we still have a bit further to go. If we keep this pace for another hour, we should reach the twenty-three-mile mark. Do you think you can keep going?”

"Definitely," I replied confidently, adjusting the strap of my backpack.

I already knew that I had to practically run to keep up with the group, who were moving at a werewolf's pace. I didn't want to be carried another minute. My feet felt like blocks of ice, and I was afraid they'd turn purple if I didn't get them moving

Alright, let's get moving, people!" Thaddeus announced, his voice echoing through the clearing. "We've rested long enough."

With that, he turned and began to trek deeper into the woods. Sparrow, Thea, and I quickly followed suit, our footsteps crunching on the fallen leaves.

"Maybe we could find a nice spot near that stream in fifty minutes," Sparrow suggested, breaking the silence. "There's a small clearing by the water, perfect for setting up camp.”

"The last time I was here, I found this perfect spot for my tent. It was right by this quiet stream, near the edge of the woods, and not too far from the Epic Pack territory," he explained, tracing a blue line on his map.

Thaddeus carefully took the map from his hands and studied it closely. He nodded in approval. "This looks like a good spot," he said. "Let's stop here and hunt. If I recall correctly, this valley is known for its large herds of elk and deer.”

“Are we going to be hunting for dinner?” I asked, slightly worried. I wasn't about to eat raw meat in my human form.

“Obviously," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. I stifled a sigh, my stomach grumbling a protest. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the forest floor. As a wolf, I could survive on raw meat, but as a human, I needed fire to cook it. I prayed one of the warriors had a lighter or matchbox hidden away.

After forty minutes of walking, Thaddeus announced, "We can rest here. The stream is nearby," and dropped his bag onto the grassy ground. The warriors quickly followed suit, dropping their belongings and shedding their clothes to transform into their wolf forms.

I looked away quickly and dug through my backpack for the thin blanket that belonged to Miranda. I hoped it wouldn't get too cold and that the blanket would be enough to keep me warm.

There was a soft patter of footsteps as everyone started shifting into their wolves and rushing into the valley, where there was apparently a herd of elk and a couple of fish in the river. I sighed and plopped on the ground, staring at the evening sky. 

I was a jumble of emotions right now. Sparrow had been a real trooper, shouldering my heavy backpack for hours without a single groan. And Thaddeus? Well, he'd carried me for four solid hours, no questions asked. It was clear they both cared, in their own ways.

Honestly, I'd hoped this trip would lead to a clearer path. A choice. A way to accept one and gently turn down the other without feeling awful. 

If not, I wasn't quite sure how to go through this mate-ship at all.