The next few days are so magical. There’s something so exciting and sexy about loving in secret. During the day, we work together, but at night, once everyone’s asleep, we find comfort in each other. I enjoy my time here so much, that the idea of returning home makes me sad. And it isn’t just Nick, either. As much as I enjoy him, I’m finding that I love the Alaskan wilderness too. Everything is so pure and beautiful here. I try not to think about it, but I cannot continue pretending this is my reality for much longer.
Another day passes, and my feelings grow stronger. I plunged into this relationship not expecting anything from it, and now I believe I’m actually falling for him. I don’t know how he feels. I’m afraid to ask. What if he says he doesn’t feel thesame? What if he does? It’s not like I can just leave my old life and stay here with him.
But time is running out. I’m leaving tomorrow.
We’ve packed up camp and returned to the cabin. For our last night here, we have a big dinner together. My colleagues are celebrating a job well-done, but Nick and I are quiet the whole time. I guess we want to delay talking about it for as long as possible in fear that, if we acknowledge our goodbye, it’s official.
Suddenly, my phone rings.
“Who’s calling?” Sarah asks right as I deny the call. Everyone turns to look at me, and I know Sarah already saw the caller ID, so there’s no way I can lie. I hate her. She’s so bitter because she knows she cannot have Nick.
I suck in a deep breath. “Matt.”
“Your ex-boyfriend!” Sarah says, making sure she’s loud enough for Nick to hear. I look over at him to find him looking at me, confusion on his face.
“Didn’t he dump you before this trip?” Sarah continues. “Jess was so heartbroken that she asked Maxine, our boss, to let her come on this trip. She just wanted to prove to her ex that she could be adventurous.”
I clutch my phone, my other hand gripping my own leg. God, I want to smack her across the face for that, but I know my reaction would only benefit her. Nick probably can tell that she’s only saying this because she hates me.
“Well, Jess has been a great help,” Roy says, lifting his wine glass. “That boy doesn’t deserve her.”
“Agreed,” Nick quietly adds.
I wish I could take a photo of Sarah’s reaction. It’s priceless. But before I can even be smug about it, my phone dings.
“Oooh, is that a voice message from Matt?” Sarah quickly says, glancing at my phone. “Let’s hear it.”
She’s getting on my freaking nerves. “It’s private, Sarah.”
“If you’re over him like you say you are, let’s hear it.”
“Yeah, Jess. Let’s hear it,” Nick says, making me freeze. “Let’s see what he has to say.”
“Yeah, go on, Jess,” Sarah says with a smirk, arms folded on the table like she’s ready for a show.
I really don’t want to do this, but I need to prove to Nick that there’s nothing between me and Matt anymore. I need him to believe me. So, I play the message and put my phone on speaker.
“Jess? Hey, it’s Matt…How are you? I…I had a lot of time to think about us, and I really regret letting you go. I was going through some things in my life at the time, and I might have said some hurtful things to you. But when I heard from Hailey that you were going on this dangerous trip, I…I was afraid I’d lose you, Jess. That was when I realized how much you mean to me. I don’t want to ever be without you again. Anyway, give me a call or text me back when you get this message. I love you.”
“Aww, isn’t that sweet,” Sarah says, and Cory and Roy drunkenly agree. Nick, however, gets up and excuses himself.
Cory and Roy are too drunk to care now that they’re singing a Harry Styles song out of nowhere. Sarah, however, gives me a grin as if to say, “If I can’t have him, you can’t either.” But I decide to ignore her and get up to follow Nick.
I go to the back to find the backdoor unlocked. I throw on a coat and follow his footsteps in the snow out into the woods. It’s dark out here, and I only have my phone as a flashlight to guide the way. I call out his name hopelessly, but there’s no response.
Then, in the darkness, I hear a growl and look up to find two silhouettes in the moonlight. Then a third and a fourth.
Wolves.
My heart almost stops as they slowly emerge from the shadows towards me. They are identifying their prey, and I knowif I run, they will chase me. Slowly and shakily, I take a step back, then another one, and another one.
Crack.
A branch breaks under my foot, and one of the wolves charges at me, fast as an arrow. I scream and run as fast as I can. I know I cannot outrun them, but I have to try. It’s too cold, and the snow makes it hard to move fast. Something trips me, and I fall. For a second, all I can think is that I will never see Nick again. I will never get to tell him that—
Bang!
The gunshot rings through the air, startling me. Then another shot, and another one.