Chapter 7 - Aurelia

I couldn't get that dream out of my head all day. It didn't make any sense. What was that red wolf? Why did she say we'd need that red-eyed wolf? And what's the full moon have to do with it? So many questions and no answers. 

As if that wasn't enough, I've been dodging Darien since he interrupted Logan and me, which irked me. I hadn't wanted to stop talking to him and certainly hadn't wanted to let his hand go. Holding his hand felt so good and so right. There was like a magnetic pull between us. I've never felt that way before about anyone.  

"Aurelia! Come join us!" Elyse called it, waving me over. I smiled. She’s a nice girl. It’s not her fault her brother is a total creep. "Hi, Elyse. Hey everyone,” I greeted, sitting on the log with them. With Elyse were two others from our cabin June and Crystal. "Aurelia, want to weigh in on this? Elyse is excused,” June smiled.

"Umm, I'll try. What's the debate?" I asked. "We're playing marry, fuck, kill. The choices are Darien; thus, Elyse is excluded, Marcus the other boys' counselor, and Mister Logan,” Crystal waffles her eyebrows at me.

Ugh. "I don't think I've played this before. Do I have to choose one for each?" I asked for clarification. "Well, I guess you don't. I mean, you could pick multiple for one category or put one in multiple categories. I would choose to marry Marcus and have a threesome with Darien and Mister Logan,” June giggled.

"Where I say marry Darien and have a foursome with all three,” Crystal laughed. "I wouldn't want to marry, have sex with, or kill any of them,” Elyse shrugged. I wrinkled my nose at their answers. 

"So, what're your thoughts? Darien…" June pointed to the creep himself as he laughed with some guys from the cabin he’s in charge of. " Marcus…" she smirked, pointing to Marcus, who was tuning a guitar. "Or the ever-mysterious Mister Logan,” she sighed, pointing to Logan.

I'm sure if this was a cartoon, my jaw would have comically hit the ground. Logan had taken off his shirt while he swung an ax, chopping firewood. Thick dark brown hairs covered Logan’s chest just as I had glimpsed this morning.

But even with all that hair, I could make out every outline and dip of his muscle down to that sexy v that disappeared into jeans. 

"So, who'll it be?" June asked with a laugh. I didn't need to think too long or hard about it. "Marry and fuck Logan. Kill Darien. And so, nothing with Marcus,” I stated my preference.

"Oh wow. I did not see that coming. I mean, I can get wanting to fuck Mister Logan. But marry him? He's a drifter. And kill Darien? He's hot, and I've seen him looking at you. He's obviously into you,” June exclaimed.

"No offense to you, Elyse, he's your brother, but he is a fucking creep. And if he ever tries to touch me again, I'll have his balls roasting on a stick or more likely have him thrown in jail,” I snorted. "Whoa, you're...intense girl,” Crystal laughed. 

Elyse looked uncomfortable, and for that, I felt terrible. "Elyse, I'm sorry. I know he's your family and all…,” I tried to apologize. She shook her head softly. "You don't need to apologize. I'm the one who's sorry. He shouldn't touch you or anyone for that matter. He's a counselor. More importantly, my dad and every camper are putting their trust in all the staff here. If he does anything again, tell my dad, tell your parents,” She encouraged.

I was surprised. "Oh, I will. And you never have to apologize for someone else's actions,” I assured Elyse with a one-arm hug. "Okay. As long as you won't let Darien get away with it, but please don't kill him,” she laughed. "Who are we killing or I suppose not killing, girls?" Logan's gravelly voice interrupted. The sound sent shivers through me. Fuck. How can his voice have this strong of an effect on me?

June and Crystal giggled like the schoolgirls they are. "Hi, Mister Logan. See, you're hard at work reading for the bonfire,” June batted her eyes at him.

"Will you be joining us for the bonfire?" Crystal practically purred. I clenched my jaw to resist the urge to claw their faces off. "Darien,” I answered his question.

He didn't even glance at the others. It was like he only had eyes for me. And damn, I like it. "Can't say I blame you. But what brought that up in conversation?" he asked. Oh shit. Oh shit. No one had better say why.

"We were playing marry, fuck, kill between Darien, Marcus, and you. All of us, well, except Elyse, put you in the fuck category. Aurelia, however, was the only one to also put you in the marry category and Darien into the kill category,” June so 'helpfully' informed him. 

I wanted to disappear, to just sink into the ground. This was more embarrassing than when I ripped my gym shorts’ seat, and everyone saw that I was wearing a hot pink thong. I was the butt, pun intended, of every joke for two months. I covered my face with both hands, and I was internally cursing June.

Logan laughed. It was deep and like his voice gravelly, like if a bear could laugh. "You kids still play that game? Guess some things don't change,” he shook his head. "Though I'm not the guy, anyone should want to marry,” he said. 

I couldn't help but peek out from behind my hands. Logan sounded so sure. He looked so confident, but it wasn't just that. There was something sad in his words. Who could have hurt him so badly he'd think such a thing?

I wanted to leap up and hug him, to tell him he was wrong. Though I also don't know him, so what weight would my words actually have? "You girls, have a good night. And Aurelia…" he said, putting his full attention on me. 

I lowered my hands, entranced by his eyes. "Stay out of trouble and out of the forest,” he said with a barely-there smile. "I'll… I'll try. Can't make promises, Logan,” I answered, hoping I sounded calm, collected, and confident.

 He held eye contact for a few more moments like he was looking into my soul to find some secret. I don't know what he saw, but he nodded and left without a word. 

"Oh wow. That was intense between you two. I practically felt the sparks flying,” Crystal breathlessly exclaimed with a hand over her heart. June and Elyse both looked just as shocked.

"What? No, you’re imagining things. I'm just some kid to him,” I shook my head. But despite my words, I felt it. I wondered if and hoped he felt it too.

"Whatever you say,” Crystal giggled. "Aurelia and Logan sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” June started singing. I rolled my eyes. "Knock it off,” I sighed just before Rowan Moors called everyone to attention. They were kicking off the bonfire music, stories, and marshmallow roasting.

That night I found myself dreaming of the red wolf again. But this time, it was different. She was in the cabin nudging me awake. "We must go to the clearing. He'll be there,” she said. I don't know why I listened, but I put on my shoes and snuck out. Finding my way back to the clearing. Looking around, I didn't see anything.

I didn't see the red wolf or the red-eyed wolf either. When I heard a gunshot and stumbled back, tripping over a root, I realized this was no dream. "Oh fuck..,” I exclaimed in panic as a strange man in hunting camo stepped into the clearing. "What do we have here? Think I've got time to have a little fun with a wayward camper,” he leered at me, licking his lips.