Chapter 58
As the first rays of dawn painted the sky with hues of pink and orange, stirring the world awake from its slumber, I found myself slowly emerging from the depths of sleep. The weight of my dreamis clung to the recesses of my mind, making my eyelids feel heavy and burdensome. I groaned softly, feeling my body protest against the abrupt disruption of rest, my limbs still heavy with sleep.
Sammy stirred beside me, her movements languid and drowsy as she slowly began to rouse from sleep. The air around us gradually filled with the sounds of nature the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.
However, the serene morning ambiance was abruptly interrupted by a piercing scream that shattered the tranquility and sent a shockwave through my
body.
This is so disgustingly foul, it’s unbelievable!”
In a sudden rush of panic, I shot up in bed, my heart leaping in my chast and my senses heightened. Sammy’s sudden movement startled me, and I saw the panic in her eyes as we both searched frantically for the source of the disturbance, our hearts pounding in our chests.
And then I saw her–Nadia, standing a few feet away from us. The smell of earth filled the air as she brushed dirt off her body, her face contorted in frustration.
illed with irritation and anger, her voice echoed through the clearing as she complained about the dirt and the discomfort of sleeping on the ground. “I can’t believe you neanderthals let me sleep on the cold, hard ground. What is this, anyway? Furs? Disgusting beyond belief, oh my god! Have you considered the cleanliness of this? There’s a chance it could be tainted with feces from an animal that rolls around in its own fecal matter!”
I was instantly overwhelmed by fatigue, accompanied by a surge of Imitation triggered by Nadia’s unexpected outburst. We had all been through so much, and yet here she was, complaining about something as trivial as a little dirt. Before I could get a word out to tell her to calm down and stop fussing, Sammyjumped in and voiced the exact same sentiment.
“Shut your trap, will ya?” Her voice cut through the stillness of the morning as she snapped, the sound echoing through the air. Sammy let out a frustrated groan, her hand rubbing tiredly against her face. “Seriously, we need some peace and quiet. We’re trying to sleep.”
Sammy’s words caused Nadia to physically recoil, her expression transforming from anger to utter disbelief as she locked eyes with us. For a moment, there was silence – a tense, charged silence that hung heavy in the air like a storm cloud on the verge of bursting.
I could feel the weight of Nadia’s gaze on me, her eyes filled with a mix of accusation and resentment, as if she held me responsible for something. I made a conscious effort to avoid meeting her gaze, my eyes fixated on the ground below me, as I knew that a heated confrontation was on the horizon.
Sammy’s unexpected outburst seemed to surprise Nadia, causing a brief moment of uncertainty to flicker in her eyes. Yet, in a fleeting moment, it vanished, and I was left with the same unwavering determination that had become so familiar to me.
“Just so you’re aware, I will be informing Zeke about the fact that you forced me to sleep on unsanitary ground. I’m unsure if any precautions have been taken to sanitize this, and both of you are displaying a complete lack of concern!” With a fierce glare, Nadia firmly planted her hands on her hips, making her disapproval clear to both of us. I had no idea why I even thought she would go back to how she used to be. The bitch I’m staring at right now emitted an air of pure ruthlessness and arrogance. “I can’t believe it! I’m talking my head off and Sammy’s just passed out asleep!”
Nadia turned on her heel with a huff of indignation and disappeared into the trees, the sound of her muttered words lingering in the air. With a sigh of relief, I could feel the weight of the tension leaving my body as I collapsed against the ground. I exchanged a weary glance with Sammy, the exhaustion evident in both of our laces as we silently acknowledged the weight of the situation that we found ourselves in.
“Did she even know she kept us awake all night long?” Sammy let out a groan, her tired eyes shielded by her arm as she let out a big yawn, exhaustion evident in every fiber of her being. “All she did was moan about food. If she’s already pissed about the dirty furs, I can’t even imagine how much more pissed she’d be knowing we fed her. The fruits we got her were from a dodgy forest. She’s too high class for that, isn’t she?”
I shrugged, giving in to the exhaustion that had settled into my bones, and closed my eyes, seeking a moment of peace.
Chapter 58
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“We can try to make her feel better, but she’ll probably still be mad. She wouldn’t bat an eye even if we kissed her feet, that’s just her for you. She’s a
bitch.”
After a while, we decided to take a short nap. As we woke up, we rubbed the sleep from our eyes and exchanged weary glances, feeling the weight of our predicament hanging heavy in the air.
As we stood up, our limbs stretched and the ache of exhaustion remained, a constant reminder of our physical exertion. With a shared sense of determination, we set out to forage for food, our stomachs grumbling in protest at the emptiness that gnawed at us from within. We moved through the forest, our eyes scanning the underbrush for any sign of edible berries or fruits, fingers deftly, plucking them from their branches and depositing them into makeshift pouches fashioned from the folds of our clothing.
With each passing moment, our collection grew, the vibrant colors of the fruits providing a stark contrast to the muted tones of the surrounding foliag
Soon enough, our pouches were overflowing with fruits, their weight a constant reminder of the obstacles that awaited us. And as we sat down to eat, our minds turned to Nadia, the third member of our unlikely trio whose presence loomed over us like a dark cloud on the horizon.
“We should invite Nadia to join us.” Tentatively, I suggested, shattering the silence that had settled between us like a dense fog. “We’re going trekking today, and she’ll need the energy.”
Sammy’s disbelief was evident as she scoffed, her expression turning sour and her head shaking in disapproval. With a quick grab, she snatched a berry and noisily chewed on it.
“Why should we bother?” With a sharp retort, she grabbed another berry from her pouch and bit into it, the bitterness in her voice matching the taste of the fruit. “Ever since she got here, she’s been causing problems. I don’t understand why we should bother helping her
I sighed, feeling the same frustration as Sammy, as I grappled with the difficulty of putting my thoughts into words.
“I know she’s been difficult,” As I admitted, my voice carried a heavy tone of resignation that couldn’t be ignored. “We can’t let her handle things on her own. Besides, if she gets sick again, we’ll have to take care of her anyway, again.”
With a look of disgust on her face and anger flashing in her eyes, Sammy reluctantly admitted the validity of my argument.
“Fine,” Grumbling under her breath, she let out another yawn and absentmindedly scratched her stomach. “But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”
As Sammy and I stood up from our makeshift seats, we could feel the weariness in our bodies, aching from the harsh conditions around us. With a shared sense of determination, we set out to find Nadia, the sound of our footsteps resonating softly as we navigated through the dense underbrush.
With each step, the scent of pine and earth permeated the air, becoming more intense as we delved deeper into the forest. With our eyes scanning the dense foliage, we scoured every inch of the vast expanse of greenery, desperate for any sign of movement that might indicate Nadia’s presence. And then, just as I was about to give up hope, I spotted her standing by a tree, her form hunched over and trembling as if she were afraid to touch anything around her.
“Nadia?” With concern in my voice, I called out to her and approached slowly, making sure not to startle her. “Are you okay?”
Facing me, Nadia’s eyes widened in fear and disgust, her body language tense as she tightly hugged herself, her lips curling into a disgusted grimace. She muttered under her breath, her voice barely reaching a whisper.
“Just leave me alone.”
In a feeble attempt to convince her, I extended my hand towards her, holding a handful of ripe fruits.
“Here,” I said softly, my voice tinged with sympathy. “We’re heading to Blackacre soon, and we’ll need all the energy we can muster. Come on, Nadia, eat something.”
Nadia flinched at my touch, her eyes filled with fury and repulsion as she forcefully pushed the fruits aside, her voice dripping with venom as she vehemently rejected them.
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“No,” Her voice snapped, filled with sharpness and bitterness, as if my offering of fruit was enough to make her sick. “I have no interest in consuming your unclean food. It’s a far cry from what you’d typically see in a regular market. Are you really expecting me to eat that? You must be insane”
“Nadia, please,” Through gritted teeth, I managed to speak, my voice quivering with rage. “Eating is necessary, and it would be appreciated if you could do so while I’m still asking politely.”
Nadia’s stubborn and defiant expression remained unchanged as she turned away from me, hugging herself tightly as her body trebled. The more she retreated into herself, the more a wave of anger crashed over me. With a heavy sigh, I turned to Sammy, my eyes filled with frustration, feeling the tension build in my clenched jaw.
Sammy’s eyes locked with mine, and she immediately sensed that I needed her assistance.
“Nadia.” The silence was abruptly shattered by Sammy’s voice, slicing through the air like a knife, while her eyes blazed with anger, fixated on the stubborn girl. “Pay attention to what I’m saying. You got sick because you wouldn’t eat. You not only made things difficult for all of us, but you also managed to embarrass the entirety of the Thornholde pack with your arrogance.”
Nadia gasped, her eyes narrowing as she shot a fierce glare at Sammy.
“How dare you–1′′
Sammy wasn’t finished yet, her words pouring forth like a torrential downpour, each one laced with bitterness and resentment
“I’m not done. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been for us to take care of you?” As Sammy continued, her voice trembled with a powerful surge of anger. “If you weren’t so stubborn and refused to eat, we could have reached Blackacre by now instead of being stuck here babysitting you.”
“You’ve been nothing but a burden to us,” Sammy spat, her words like venom as she unleashed her pent–up frustration. “You’ve made everything harder, and for what? Your own selfish pride?”
Anger filled Nadia’s eyes, causing tears to well up, but her expression quickly transformed into a smug smile. She crossed her arms, chuckling as if we had just shared a private joke.
“You think this is funny?” Moving closer with a glare, I shouted at her, my voice echoing in the air. “Nadia, you’re the only one finding this funny.”
“Despite my doubts, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt, believing that everyone deserves a fair chance. Of course, I was right, as I always knew I would be. It was a familiar feeling of being proven correct. Do you really believe that those neanderthals would simply welcome newcomers with open arms? Look at what they did, look around.”
I shake my head in confusion, unable to grasp what she’s saying.
“What are you saying.”
With a manic grin spreading across her face, Nadia waved her arms wildly, creating a whirlwind of movement in the forest.
“No one else is here. They just abandoned us to die. Maya, do you really believe that a pack like that will save you? Do you believe that someone who could so easily abandon you would ever understand how to truly love you? Please-
Pissed off, Sammy took a step forward, her fists clenched.
“Shut the fuck up, Nadia.”
Nadia’s voice fills the air as she persistently taunts me, never ceasing.
You would think that after what happened to you and your mate, how he left you for something better, you would have gained some insight. Here you are, repeating your foolish behavior. I’m curious, do you find satisfaction in being a pushover?”
Everything faded into darkness after that, and all I could see was an abyss of black.