Page 46 of Unravel Me

Then, from somewhere far away, I hear a sound that immediately catches my attention. It sounds like an axe striking wood, the unmistakable rhythm you'd hear near a logging site. I start moving toward it despite knowing that running into a crew of alpha lumberjacks is far from ideal, maybe even dangerous. Still, I figure I can stay hidden and watch from a distance, see which direction they leave, or maybe spot one of their trucks.

I continue that way as carefully as I can, and before long the forest begins to thin around me. About a hundred yards ahead, I can clearly see daylight filtering through the trees.

The sight pours new strength into my spent body. My heart is pounding and my vision keeps blurring at the edges, but somehow I make it to the forest's border. Not a moment too soon, because I'm so drained by then that, for what feels like the umpteenth time, I wind up resting my forehead against a tree as I struggle to catch my breath.

The tree line gives way to a tall, elegant stone wall. Luckily, I spot a fallen tree trunk and step onto it to peer over the top. Beyond the wall stretches a lush, naturalistic garden, with winding paths cutting through the greenery and a broad strip of lawn farther back. Farther still, I can make out another cluster of dense shrubs, many of them evergreen, surrounding an enormous building that is only partially visible through the foliage.

I stare for a moment, taking it all in. The garden is beautifully landscaped, but in a way that feels almost wild, without perfectly trimmed hedges or rigid rows of shrubs. Everything seems carefully planned, yet nothing appears overly manicured. And the mansion itself looks less like an ordinary house and more like some grand estate hidden away in the woods.

Thank Fate… I made it back to civilization. The relief that floods through me is almost overwhelming.

Now, somehow, I have to get over the wall. The fallen tree gives me just enough of a foothold. Gripping the upper edge with trembling hands, I haul myself up, struggling to pull my body over. It takes everything I have, and I nearly fall, but eventually I manage to get over it and collapse onto the grass. I lie there for a long moment like a corpse, staring up at the sky while fighting off waves of nausea.

What I'm doing is practically pushing my own body past its limits, violating it, when all it desperately wants is a quiet heat recovery, but what other choice do I have?

After a moment, I force myself back onto my feet. Bent over like some homeless drifter, I start making my way through the garden, around the building, assuming the main entrance must face the road. Sure enough, after cutting a wide circle through the dense, wooded vegetation, I come across a stone path, and just beyond it, a broad driveway leading straight up to the mansion.

My vision blurs, and at moments even darkens. I need to ask for help as quickly as possible, or at the very least borrow someone's phone so I can call Alex.

Making my way toward the front door, I finally have a chance to really take in the residence itself, without the green curtain of bushes. It's exceptionally beautiful, built from massive timber logs, yet it's no simple log cabin. The place has two stories and two broad wings, combining heavy stonework with traditional wooden construction in a way that looks rustic yet elegant. It’s very much the style I love.

Unsteady on my feet, I climb the few stone steps leading to the entrance and knock, realizing it's probably only around seven in the morning. Whoever lives here may still be asleep.

Silence greets me at first, then I hear footsteps approaching.

The door slowly opens.

My gaze falls on an omega in his sixties, with a face that must have drawn plenty of attention from alphas in his younger days, and he still has remarkably elegant, refined features. His eyes are brown-gold, and his short black hair is heavily streaked with silver. Thin, gold-rimmed glasses rest on his Roman nose. He's of average height and build, perhaps carrying a few extra pounds, but it looks good on him. He's dressed in a warm white turtleneck and dark corduroy pants.

He stares at me through the magnifying lenses of his glasses, his eyes widened in surprise.

I clear my throat. "Good morning. I'd like to ask for your help. My phone got soaked while I was lost in the forest, and I desperately need to contact my family. Would it be possible for me to make a quick call?"

The omega continues staring at me for another moment as if he's seeing a ghost. Then he finally says in a polite but careful tone, "Please wait here for a moment."

He disappears into the house, leaving me slightly swaying, fighting another dizzy spell and feeling foolish standing like this on a stranger's doorstep. From his perspective, I did appear out of nowhere, asking for a rather unusual favor.

A moment later I hear two sets of footsteps.

The same omega returns, this time accompanied by a tall beta also in his early sixties with graying hair and a salt-and-pepper beard. There's something dignified about him, a particular air of authority that I pick up on immediately. His face is attractive too, in that elegant, slightly aloof way, and there's a clear resemblance between him and the omega. I assume they're related.

His dark hazel eyes study me with intense curiosity as one eyebrow rises slightly.

"Are you all right?" he asks. "Do you need medical attention?"

There's something deeply calming about his voice, something safe and reassuring, and yet strong and even commanding, so before I know it, the words spill out of me.

"I… no. But I was lost in the forest for three days. My phone got soaked. I only now… found my way out."

His eyebrows climb even higher before he slowly rubs his neatly trimmed beard.

"So. You've been in the forest for three days?" There's a faint note of disbelief in his voice. Maybe I don't look like someone who's spent three nights sleeping on moss.

I clear my throat again. "Well… not exactly in the forest. I stayed in a small cabin. It's actually not far from here. Maybe a fifty-minute walk."

The beta and omega exchange very quick and rather subtle looks, and then they both simply stare at me with an expression I can't read. What’s going on with this people?

Meanwhile, another wave of weakness crashes over me. The way they're studying me so carefully only makes me more self-conscious, and I'm already barely able to remain standing. My knees buckle, forcing me to brace myself against the doorframe.