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“Everyone’s got some human ancestors,” Julius said.
“Is it always the woman who’s human?”
“Usually,” Julius said. “Though there have been a few instances where one mate was a male human.”
They came to the end of the road, where there was a small clearing. Julius pulled off to one side and parked. Then he turned his head and looked at her.
“You up for a quick walk?” he asked.
The forest was sogorgeous that Quinn’s mom’s voice had finally gotten out of her head, and she could just enjoy the scenery. They were surrounded by massive trees and boulders, the sort of lush forest that seemed to only exist in fairy tales. The path they were on was vague at best, but Julius had no problem knowing exactly where to go, and Hudson followed behind her, carrying the picnic basket in one hand.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“This is Rabbit Mountain,” Hudson rumbled behind her. “One of the lower Cascades.”
“It’s actually a volcano,” Julius volunteered.
Quinn slipped slightly on a tree root. Instantly, Hudson caught her arm.
I’m not usually clumsy,she wanted to say, but instead she felt herself blushing slightly at his touch.
“Thanks.”
Hudson just smiled.
“It’s not active, I guess?”
“Nah. Most of the volcanos this far south are dormant. The ones up north are another story.”
Quinn could hear the sound of rushing water, getting closer through the trees.
“Why’s it called Rabbit Mountain?”
“It’s got rabbits, I guess.”
“Rabbit shifters?”
Julius didn’t answer, but stepped forward through a gap in two trees, and suddenly they were in a small clearing. One one side was a creek, rushing over a set of rapids, and the whole green expanse was strewn with boulders.
Somewhere overhead, a hawk cried out, perfectly on cue.
“This is beautiful,” she said, walking forward into the space. “We weren’t even on a trail. How’d you find this place?”
“We turn into bears sometimes, remember?” Hudson asked. He set the picnic basket on a rock.
Quinn walked to the end of the creek. It was ten feet across, maybe a little more, and so perfectly clear that she could see every rock and stick on the bottom.
She dipped her hand in and then yanked it back out.
It was freezing.
“Glacial melt,” said Julius. “No skinny dipping, I’m afraid.”
Then he winked at her.
Quinn just laughed. With every step they’d taken into the forest, Julius and Hudson had finally seemed to relax. It made sense. Quinn didn’t think anyone could follow them, let alone someone from her parents’ organization. There wasn’t even a trail.
Here, in the forest, they were all perfectly safe.
