Chapter Three

As much as I tried to dismiss him from my mind, I thought about the man who had been unnecessarily rude to me. He was part of Henry's party.

"I'm sorry about that." Henry smiled. "He's my Beta and best friend. He can also be a difficult almost robotic asshole."

"Oh," I remembered his harsh words. "Now I understand."

"Sometimes I worry about him," Henry said. There was a faraway look on his handsome face.

"Why is that?"

"Well." He sighed. "Travis has no friends. He's only ever truly happy in the heat of battle."

I could feel that he cared for his friend. Seeing this side of Henry softened my heart.

We spent more time together than I've been with any other person in my entire life. I was confident I knew him better than anyone else.

My mom had been my world but she got sick and died when I was still a child. She had taught me her secret recipe for chicken soup. Henry would have loved your chicken soup, mama.

I wiped a single tear from my eye and decided I had to cook the chicken soup for him. I wanted to see the look on his face as he bit into the chicken. I wanted to see him taste what I considered to be the best meal ever.

But as I reached for the spice rack, panic swept over me when I realized we were out of the most important spice— the one that gives the soup its unique and delicious flavor. Determined not to let this setback ruin the meal, I put on my coat and grabbed a small basket, ready to embark on a culinary adventure.

I stepped out into the crisp autumn morning and made my way to the bustling market in our little town. The streets were alive with vendors, their colorful stalls piled high with fresh produce, baked goods, and various exotic ingredients. The sounds of customers bargaining fought for dominance.

I meandered through the crowd, eager to find the missing ingredient for the soup that was sure to get Henry's taste buds asking for more.

As I approached each stall, the merchants cheerfully presented their selection of spices, each one more fragrant and vibrant than the last. However, none of them had the spice I sought. Disheartened but not willing to give up, I decided to ask an elderly woman for advice.

"Wesley's Bloom only grows in the Farius Forest," she suggested, her eyes twinkling with wisdom. With a grateful smile, I bid her farewell and hurried towards the outskirts of the town, where the dense forest awaited me.

As I entered the forest, the atmosphere changed, and a sense of wonder and enchantment filled the air. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the thick trees overhead, casting a ghostly glow on my path.

I took cautious steps making sure I created a mental map in my head so I wouldn't get lost.

The journey through the forest was both captivating and treacherous. It was treacherous for the most part. I stepped cautiously over winding roots and climbed over moss-covered boulders, guided only by my determination.

The scent of wildflowers mingled with the smell of leaves and damp soil. It's going to be impossible to pick up the scent like this.

Hours passed, but my spirits remained high. I wasn't lost yet. That had to count for something.

Suddenly, I picked up a faint scent of the Weasley's Bloom coming from a cave. It's Wesley's Bloom, I thought. I better hurry.

The cave was dark and wet and unlike the forest, the feeling of gloom hung heavy in the air. The scent of Wesley's Bloom was stronger now.

I followed the scent deeper into the cave without hesitation and soon enough I found it amidst an array of wildflowers. Its bright purple petals seemed to radiate a pulsating energy.

With sheer delight, I plucked the delicate flowers. I made sure I had enough in my basket then turned around.

As I made my way to the entrance, the sound of a low rumble made me stop. It was barely audible and sounded like vibrations. I stopped to listen but I heard nothing.

Maybe it's nothing, I reassured myself.

I was about to take a step when a voice stopped me. "Don't move."

I turned around and there was a man behind me. He had been so quiet that I hadn't noticed him until he spoke.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

He held a finger to his lips. There was something oddly familiar about him. He kept his face turned away from me but I could tell it was a handsome face.

"Be quiet." He said in a hushed voice. "Don't make a sound or we'll get buried alive."

I thought about what he said for a moment. It felt like a dream but something about the way he said it made my bones stiff.

"I don't understand." My voice was a croak.

He turned to study me and his dark eyes were soft and kind. "The cave—it's going to collapse."

The rumble. I hadn't imagined it. My mouth was dry and a fresh wave of panic washed over me.

I tried to speak but I just gaped instead. My heart raced and I felt like I was going to pass out.

"How fast are you?" He asked as the cave rumbled again.

The entrance to the cave wasn't far away but the thought of being flattened by huge boulders made my legs limp.

"I don't know." I cried out.

"Listen to me. Knock it out, okay? I'm not ready to die here with a self-proclaimed Barbie."

I gasped as I realized who he was. I'd been so panic-stricken that I hadn't realized he was Henry's best friend—Travis.

"Do you know how to use your wolf speed?" He asked.

I gulped and nodded. "Yes."

"I'll count to three. I need you to close your eyes and make your way to the entrance." He said calmly. "Can you do that?"

The cave rumbled louder this time while I nodded. The sound of my heart banging against my chest was all I could hear as I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Three."

I took a deep breath.

"Two."

My whole body shook especially my legs and I knew I wasn't going to make it. A loud crashing sounded from above and I felt a huge gust of wind. My legs refused to respond and I knew it was over. I'd been crushed to death by the boulders.

"One." His voice sounded close. "You can open your eyes now."

I opened my eyes and sure enough, we were outside the cave. It had to be a dream because I was sure I froze at the last minute.

"How—"

He flinched and dropped me on the floor. My bum hit the ground hard.

"Ouch." I cried out.

I realized he carried me and ran out with his wolf speed. He had to be crazy strong to pull something like that.

"Thank—"

"I don't need it." He bawled.

"Next time try to avoid walking into unsteady caves."