“Chloe.”
She turned to her left and saw a familiar face at her side.
“Niall,” she said with an honest smile. “It’s good to see you again.”
“I wasn’t sure you’d really come.”
She smiled, falling into her role. “Kieran took some convincing but I held my ground. I’m done hiding in the shadows while he decides whether we’re serious or not.”
“Good for you,” he said, pointing a fork at her. “So what do you think of this gathering so far?”
“That was quite the welcome. Do all Kieran’s guests stun the entire room to silence?”
Niall chewed a mouthful of potatoes as he watched her. “He hasn’t brought anyone to the retreat. Not since…”
“Lisette,” she said, thanking her stars she’d been filled in.
Niall’s expression lightened. “Yes, since Lisette. She broke him pretty badly.”
Chloe dropped her gaze to her dinner. “I’m putting him back together.”
“Then this might be an eye-opening week for you, witch.”
She swallowed a piece of chicken before replying, “He’s worth it.”
As she ate she found her words were no lie. The line between her role and her desires was growing more and more blurred. One thing both sides of her agreed on that Kieran was a man worth fighting for.
Chapter Fifteen
Though she’d retreated to the cabin after dinner to give Kieran a chance to catch up with his people, there was only so much one could do alone in the woods.
Chloe lay on the bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling. Beyond a pack of cards and a few worn books, there wasn’t any sort of entertainment up here. Wanting to really immerse herself in this experience, she’d left most of her technology at home, figuring the lack of wifi would make it largely obsolete anyway.
Now she wished she’d loaded her cell with games.
Sighing, she pushed herself off the bed and did yet another circle around the cabin’s interior. It had been hours since dinner. Surely Kieran was done with his meetings for the night.
“They can’t expect me to stay cooped up in here,” she reasoned, grabbing her hoodie. A walk around the camp would do her good, as long as she stuck to the main paths.
Mind set, she shrugged into the sweater and stepped out of the cabin.
Cool night air hit her as she jogged down the steps. All the paths around the camping zone were lit with small garden lamps so at least she didn’t need to worry about falling down a hill.
The stars twinkled overhead as she walked along the dark path. Though not yet full, the moon’s light helped illuminate the woods. It was beautiful here. It’d been years since she’d ventured far from the city, and she was beginning to understand the desire to travel, to see new and changing sights. Maybe she’d been caught in a rut. One Kieran was succeeding in shaking her out of.
Rounding the bend, she saw a group of dark shapes milling before the main hall. Chloe paused, not wanting to intrude. She was about to turn away when a hand shot up into the air, waving at her.
Adjusting her course, she closed the distance between her and the group. Excitement practically vibrated in the air. Whatever they were doing, the wolves were in high spirits.
“Hey,” the waver called, pushing her way to the edge of the group.
“Kate,” she said, recognizing the young woman from Kieran’s soccer group.
“You made it.”
Chloe stopped beside her. “To what?”
“It’s the opening of the mating moon season,” one of the nearby wolves told her. “We always play a game.”
“Cool,” she said. “I love games.”
That earned her a few more smiles, though she could have sworn from the knowing looks in the women’s eyes she was missing something.
“Yes, you do,” a deep voice rumbled in her ear as hands descended on her shoulders. “But I’m not sure you want to play this one, my Chloe.”
She leaned back into Kieran’s touch, not surprised to find him in the crowd. “Why not?”
“Gather around everyone,” Darrel called out. “We’re about to start.”
Chloe moved with the crowd, rising to her tiptoes to see the older man.
“The rules are simple. Our lead runners will get a five-minute head start before their partners give chase. Should you need help, simply howl; someone will be along to assist you.”
That instruction brought a round of chuckles from the crowd.
“We run?” she asked, frowning.
“And we chase,” Kieran said into her ear. “Still want to play?”
“But that’s the objective? How do we win?”
Snickers were quickly covered all around her.