Chapter 4: The Pack

**SILAS**

I am getting ready for the tour of the new hospital in the small town in New Moon Forest. I wonder what the name of the town is. It reminds me of the Twilight movies. Ugh that just makes me cringe. I hope Elaina is nothing like Kristen/Bella. 

What am I talking about? Why am I worried about what she is like? I am supposed to just be going to the hospital. Talk to the doctors and nurses. Check the equipment. I need to get this stupid haze in my head together. 

Aaron just walked through the front door of my house. He is always dressed to steal someone's girlfriend. Dark black jeans, a deep grey t-shirt and his front laced boots. I told him the town was in a forest so I guess he is trying to go for the rugged outdoorsman feel. Literal eye rolls are happening now. 

I decided on some dark blue jeans and tennis shoes with a black and gray plaid shirt. I want to keep my golden blonde hair a little loose. I have the sides of my hair shaved and the top of my hair a little long. I usually keep it slicked back but today I am letting it loose. That usually catches eyes.. Deep green eyes don't help either. I don't know why I care so much about how I am looking right now. I think I just want to impress the mayor of this small town so if she expands she can use our services again. Yeah that's probably it.

We get into Aaron’s black Toyota Tacoma. He had everything blacked out in it and it makes it look sleek. He said living next to the forest you should always have an off road vehicle to get around in. Especially, if you want any late night woods romances. 

We pull up to the entrance of the forest. Elaina sent me a text this morning letting me know how to enter and that when I did enter we would be escorted in. Pretty professional but also kind of weird for a small town that ISN'T a cult. 

We made it to a long winding dirt road and started heading down and just as she promised we were stopped by a vehicle. Two huge guys jump out. One could have easily been a bear in my opinion. Big broad guy, with deep black hair but deep green eyes. Covered in tattoos. In that sense we would match. I have two full sleeves of tattoos. Along with a few on my torso and my back. 

The other guy was still just as huge but with a little longer sandy blonde hair and the bangs were swept out of his face. They curled a little at the ends. They kind of remind me of how we all used to wear our hair as teenagers. With the flips underneath our hats like the bull riders we knew. This guy was just as big as the other one, just a bit thinner. Not by much though. These two could probably take us both on. I mean we wouldn't make it easy for them but I don't think we would win. Not like we used to. 

Now we are hot shot business men who have our lawyers handle everything. Man we need to get back to our roots. They instructed us to follow behind them. We pulled up to a huge tent in the middle of a wide open grassy field. The sun hasn't set yet but it's getting ready to start going down. It's casting a beautiful light over the field and accentuating the tree line and the houses lined up around the tree line. I see the hospital in the distance and wondered why we were made to stop here. 

 "Hey, where can I find Mayor Elaina?" I asked the blonde one he seemed easier to talk to. The black haired guy heard me and scoffed with an eye roll. What is his problem?

"She will be out here shortly. May I ask who you are?" Oh he must be her boyfriend or something. That kind of made my blood boil within me... What the f*ck is wrong with me?

"Sorry, I don't have manners at the moment. My name is Silas Cohen. I am the CEO of Cohen United Services. This is my best friend and C.O.O. Aaron Blackwater." We stuck our hands out to both guys and they hesitantly shook them hesitantly.

"I am Colby, and that is Dane. We are sort of like the bodyguards of the mayor." They both stifled a laugh.

"Yeah right man, like she needs one. At this point she'd kick both of our asses. hahahaha." The big one doubled over laughing. It was funny watching such a huge guy laugh. I mean he was big all over. We were all about the same height, and we were all pretty muscular. But Dane had us all beat.

"Man I gotta say, you could pass as a bear in these woods! You're a huge man." Me and Aaron and Colby all busted into a fit of laughter. 

"That's exactly what I said when I met him." Colby retorted, holding his stomach laughing, and pointing his thumb at a laughing Damion. These guys are pretty cool.

"What are you two assholes out here laughing about?" I heard an angelic voice coming from behind Dane and Colby. They were both still laughing and couldn't help it. I couldn't either, hearing someone call them assholes. I tried to hide my laugh.

Then from behind Colby stepped the most gorgeous and small woman I have ever laid my eyes on. It sounded like she growled deeply. And said the word mine?...  Then she started coughing. 

"Are you okay Ms???? Do you need any help?"

She held up her finger for me to give her a moment. She took a few deep breaths and looked at me. I almost could see lust in her eyes. How is that even possible? I could usually see it on someone's face but not in their eyes like that..

"I don't believe I will be able to give you that tour of our facility. I will have to send my Be- I mean my assistant to escort you. If you will excuse me, Silas."

She turned around to leave. 

"Holy f.uck. You're ELAINA??"

"Why do you sound so shocked?" Colby said, eyeing me up and down wondering what I meant. Our split second of playfulness is now gone and he is in full protection mode.

"I'm not trying to hit on your girlfriend Colby, but when I spoke to her on the phone I didn't picture her like THIS..." I gestured to all of her.

She whipped herself around, at first she looked tense and then she breathed deeply. Colby backed up a bit and out of her way.

"I don't know what world you come from Silas, but just because you see a girl who looks like "this" I guess is how you put it, and an attractive male near her doesn't automatically mean she belongs to him. I do not belong to anyone, no matter my relations with them. If I saw you in public standing next to a pretty girl I would not assume that she belonged to you or vice versa. " Why is she upset that I called Colby her boyfriend? So he's not her boyfriend?

"So he's not your boyfriend? You don't have a boyfriend?" I am smiling so damn deep inside. 

"I have never met a man who could handle me. Never looked for one either. I had too many things to focus on, and too many people to help. If that is all Silas, I will send someone to take you on a tour of the facility."

She turned to walk away but I didn't want her to leave. I have no idea what came over me but I shouted, "Wait, I am sure you have plenty of capable tour guides to help me, but I would much prefer you lead this tour. You are the mayor of course and I am sure you have more information here than anyone."

Her pretty blue gray eyes almost looked glossy for a second but she didn't answer me. 

"Alp- I mean Mayor Elaina here would be honored, Silas. Please follow her and we will be tagging along." Elaina shot Colby a scowl. I have this dying urge to ask Elaina out. 

But I'd like to talk with her some more. It's nice to have a woman not swooning the second she meets me. Especially one that basically just put me in my place.

We went on about a 10 minute walk to the facility. Aaron was weirdly checking everything out. Looking around, keeping his eyes on the two guys with us. Looking into the woods and marveling at the houses. What the hell has gotten into him? And he's not ogling Elaina? So weird. I got next to him, hoping I could whisper to him low enough no one would hear us.

"Hey man you alright?" He snapped his head to me and his eyes looked a little wild. I've never seen Aaron act like this.

"Oh yeah bud, why wouldn't I be?"

"You're kind of acting weird and it's making me nervous. I have never seen you like this." I am eyeing him a little more suspiciously. 

"It's just a brand new place, Si. We don't know anyone here. Plus we are high dollar business men in a small town in the middle of the forest. The only person that knows we are here is Julie. So if we go missing then no one will know for at least the weekend because you gave Julie the day off and it's the weekend. I am just being cautious is all." He said in almost one breath.

"I understand man. But I am pretty sure if they wanted to kill us they wouldn't be leading us to a life saving hospital. Yeah we don't know them, but I have a gut feeling we are going to be fine."

I am walking directly behind Elaina, she smells amazing. I need to know what perfume that is. Strawberry shortcake but better than I have ever smelled before. I keep sniffing the air behind her. Inflating my lungs with the scent. Like I need this scent to breathe.

"Elaina, I know this is weird and you don't know me and it might make me a creeper..."

"C'mon, Silas. Spit it out." She says with a small laugh. So fucking cute.

"You smell like strawberry shortcake but better than I have EVER smelled that smell.." Her shoulders tense up, I am really fucking this up for my self. 

"I am not trying to offend you or be weird, Elaina." 

She turned around and looked at me. Eyeing me with intensity. I'm used to being eyed but not like this.. This looks like passion... She smiles at me... Am I dreaming?

 I need to sleep better.