First Of It's Kind

7

I guess I misstepped and found myself in the lake. For a moment I was dazed and I couldn't tell which way was up, but then Logan was swimming toward me and guided me up. When we broke the surface, I realized the fall wasn't as little as I had thought, but a full drop. The water was deep, I looked around to see how to get to shore again. When I tried to swim away, I felt strong arms wrap around me and pull me close to a hard chest.

"Where are you going so quickly?" he whispered.

"To shore, to get out of these wet clothes," I said.

"I can help with that." His tone was playful but his hands definitely willing. Again, I looked up into Logan's eyes, his wolf was still at the forefront. Carefully, I pulled away before we got carried away in the moment.

"Let's get out of the water, the others will get worried." I thought I was home free, when I felt him pull me in again, but this time his lips met mine. I fought to make him let me go. When he did, I quickly swam away. Once back on land, I quickly made my way back to the camp.

"Tay? What happened?" I was in a truck changing out of my wet clothes, when the girls came over.

"I freakin' fell into the lake, and no thanks to Logan."

"Logan? You ran into him out by the lake?"

"Yeah!" I said, annoyed, " he was completely naked. These guys have no shame!"

I looked at them, both fighting back the need to laugh.

"I'm sure you were really bothered seeing him...hot and sweaty...oh yeah. and completely naked." Ivy said teasingly. Eva smiled widely.

I rolled my eyes at them, and I finished getting my tank top and shorts on.

"Laugh all you want..."

"Tay, why are you fighting it so much? It's only been a week. It's obvious to everyone but you. Logan likes you." said Eva.

I looked at Ivy, who knew that it was more than that.

"Yeah, well, I'm not looking for a man..."

"Why not, he's right there for the taking?"

"He has a girlfriend, and unlike you, I believe in karma and she's a b***h when it comes back around to you."

"What if he didn't have a girlfriend? Would you give him the chance then?"

"Honestly, I don't know, anyway which tent are we sleeping in?" I asked, now walking back to the camp.

They didn't move for a moment, looked at each other, but Ivy came over and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. They led me to our tent, I went in and got my stuff ready.

"You calling it a night?"asked Ivy. There was something about her tone that was funny.

"Yeah, I'm cold and still a little sore from earlier."

"Okay, see ya in a while." said Eva, also sounding off. As they closed the tent flap, I snuggled into my sleeping bag, which I noticed was a little wide for one person, but I was too tired to care. I laid down and soon, I dozed off into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, I was so warm, I didn't want to move. I curled up closer to the girls but then realized that the back I was touching was too wide for it to be a woman. I sat up and looked around, and fought not to scream in surprise, Logan was sleeping next to me. He was completely shirtless, and just had shorts on.

"I'm going to kill them." I said to myself.

"Shhh, go back to sleep." Logan mumbled. I forgot the wolf hearing picked up things very well. I was about to get up and walk out of the tent, when I heard movements. I felt my face burn when I heard the soft moans. I got back into my sleeping bag and covered my head. I fell asleep again for a while. When I woke up again, I could smell food, that got me poking my head out of my sleeping bag. Coming face to face with Logan again, I felt the air chilly, and this man was lying on the sleepingbag completely shirtless. A shiver ran down my back, not sure if it was the cold or the view.

For the first time, I actually sat there looking at Logan. Yes, he had an amazing body. Yes, he was handsome. Yes, I still remember that night vividly. For once, I noticed he was lightly tanned, he had an old scar going across his ribs and across his back. He wasn't as broad as I had thought, he usually looked big. His dark hair was dark brown, not black. I wanted to run my fingers through it. His face had a little stubble along his jaw, my eyes came to stay on his lips. I wanted to give into the kiss last night, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. That night I had wanted to run back into that room and stay next to him, but I feared I'd find him gone the next morning.

I shook my head and carefully moved to get out from under him. His hold became tighter.

"Logan?" I said.

"Huh?" he said, and he was awake. That didn't take much, light sleeper I guess. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. They were back to their hazel color. Then he looked at me.

"Sorry." I said, knowing how it felt to be awaken.

"Morning," he said with a small grin. My heart skipped a beat or two, it was that same grin from before. I shook my head again, and looked away before I jumped on top of him. I checked my shoes, which were still wet.

"Great, my shoes are still wet." I said, wondering what to do now. I hadn't brought any other shoes.

"What size are you?" he asked, looking at my shoes.

"Eight, but I prefer a size eight and a half."

"I'll keep that in mind." he teased, then winked at me as he got up and headed out of the tent, then came back with a pair of hiking boots.

"What's this?"

"Honestly, I over thought it. Brielle wanted to come with me, and thought she'd like a pair of hiking boots. However, I realized I wasn't thinking of her when I bought those."

"Who were you thinking of?" I asked as he got a faraway look in his eyes.

"Never mind, just try them on. I'm sorry about scaring you last night."

I felt a little ping in my chest, even if I had been surprised, I wasn't sorry about any of it. Was I?

"Thank you, and thank you for being a good sport to me sleeping in here with you."

"Yeah, no big deal." he said casually, but I could tell that something did bother him. So I got the shoes and headed out of the tent. After everyone was awake, we hung out for the rest of the day. Maia and I had a talk about the testing she was going to be doing. Somehow, the others got involved in our conversation.

Soon I was being challenged to things. Races was the first of them. We made a relay of it. The girls and I were against the guys. We were a little behind because we didn't know the way around. When it came my turn to run, I was running against David. I could keep pace with him just fine, until he said we had to turn. There was a cliff ahead. I pushed faster and jumped out. I grabbed onto a pine tree and jumped down. I had the lead, but at some point I realized I had made a mistake. As I ran, I suddenly became very aware of someone...close. I sniffed the air and caught a human scent, but also a kind of disinfectant.

I stopped and looked around, a chill ran up my body as something told me to run. The scent just brought so many memories...I heard a howl in the distance. I turned to continue running. That's when I barely heard the swish of a bullet, I dropped just in time to see a whole tree get hit and fall over from the impact. I turned to look and a group of people in black suits started to rush forward. I turned and ran. I left them far behind me. I soon saw David and Walker, but I kept running.

"Tayla, what's wrong?"

"Go! Run!" I shouted. They did and I followed once back to the camp. I dropped a bunch of dirt on the fire pit. I signaled for everyone to listen. They all went silent, as we heard the silent hum of motorcycles or something. After the humming was gone. Walker ordered everyone to get their stuff packed and we headed out. We made sure nothing was left behind.

Once back at the house, we all piled into the living room. We were all in shock.

Soon, Walker and Logan walked in and looked at me. They both looked mad and I didn't blame this could've ended very badly.

"What the hell happened?" Walker asked the room but was looking at me. As did everyone else. This had been my fear for the girls that were left alone after their first change. This wasn't just a girl, this had been a whole pack that had been targeted. I looked up at Walker, then stood up.

"This is why I decided to help the girls. These people...will take these girls and do God knows what with them."

"You must have an idea if you're so sure the girls shouldn't go with them," said Logan. I looked at the girls, but mainly at Ivy.

Then very carefully I took my shirt off. Everyone stared in shock. Nobody had seen my body, just Maia and the girls. Walker walked closer, just staring at me.

"When I first got to the lab, every piece of skin healed, but after a while it stopped growing back. I think I would look worse than this."

Walker was touching and looking now but I pulled my shirt on again. He was in shock. Soon Maia came in and Walker looked up at her.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I need you to start the testing as soon as possible, we need to figure out what the hell we're dealing with. If this is what's been going on, this will explain a big piece of the puzzle."

"I kinda already did, but I'll run some blood and stuff too." said Maia. Walker nodded and she walked out my guess back to her office.

I took a seat again. I kept my eyes down, I had just revealed myself to Logan. I could tell he realized it too, but didn't say anything. Ivy and Eva came closer to me and checked if I was okay.

"I'll be fine." I said, taking a deep breath, " Walker, we need to call Elijah."

"David is already on it." he said, nodding, and I nodded too. Then I excused myself, the girls followed me out. I was heading to the showers.

"Tay, I think we should really rethink this whole thing. We need to stay. We can't leave them like this..."

"If we hadn't been around them they might not be a target now!" I said loudly, turning to look at Ivy.

"No, if we hadn't been here, they might've walked into a bigger problem." she said back.

"We were handling the problem just fine, Ivy!"

"Fine, we're still not any closer to finding out who runs the damn thing, Tay. This way, we're safer in numbers."

"What if they do come after us? What if they decide they don't mind killing the humans that see them doing this?"

"You really think Walker would let that happen to his family? That he'd serve them up on some platter for those assholes to take? Give the man a bit more credit!"

"I don't feel safe here Ivy, I feel like we just dragged more people into this s**t!"

Ivy sneered at me.

"No, you don't want to be tied down, not by a man, not by rules, it has to be exactly as you say!"

"That's what's kept us alive, Ivy!"

"Yeah, with no real purpose to our lives, just running and hiding, and you know what, I'm sick of it!"

"Yeah, I bet your new man has really helped you out with that." I said, wishing I hadn't the moment it left my mouth. She glared at me.

"At least I embrace what I'm feeling, unlike you who's too chicken s**t to admit she was a f*****g heart. That feels, and longs to be loved. You talked about fate, Tay. He's just down stairs, but you're too chicken s**t to admit what he really is to you!"

"Yeah, a whole hell of good that did, he's moved on. While, I'm f*****g stuck wishing that I hadn't even walked into that room that night, because then it wouldn't hurt so much. Just like I said, we used each other and now...nothing." I said Ivy and I both really fighting down our anger.

"Girls, let's take a step back." said Eva. I kept looking at Ivy.

"But you're right. I was brave once but I'm not making that mistake again." I finished and walked away.

I