Chapter 5

Icomplete all the necessary paperwork. So many damned papers. Now, I'm pondering all the information they crammed into my head during the two-hour-long meeting. They will drop me off on a random island pretty far north of here, and then I will be on my own. I'm to self-shoot all the content for them to gather and edit.

I'll have my ten items that I can take with me. I chose a lot of waterproof and thick clothing items as the weather station is calling for an unseasonably cold winter in these parts. In addition, I'm bringing a crossbow and arrows, which is the only thing I do recall Dad teaching me. Now, I haven't shot it in years, but I'm praying it's like riding a bike. I also brought a sleeping bag, a multi-tool, a fire starter, and a saw. The show provides a pot and pan, paracord, a first-aid kit, emergency supplies, and a radio to get in touch with them. In the event that I tap out to be picked up and flown back home.

The entire experience so far has been a blur. Breakfast was buffet style in the lobby of the swanky hotel they have me staying in, and every person who entered had me wondering if they were on the show, too.

Once breakfast is over, I trudge back to my room to get ready for my first day of training. Four days from now, I'm going to need every single thing I'm taught today. So, I hope all the protein I'd packed into breakfast and the copious amounts of coffee I consumed do their job to keep my brain focused.

A knock on my door as I'm lacing up my waterproof boots tells me someone's here to take me to training. After a ride with Amy to what looks to be a remote location, I'm left on the side of a road in the cold. It's wet and the snow from yesterday's freak storm seemingly all but melted.

A throat clears behind me. A male throat. I whip around to find Arsenio across the road. He's standing against the thicket like a sore thumb in khaki pants, a flannel long-sleeve shirt, and boots that make him look even more attractive than he'd looked on the plane yesterday.

"You've got to be kidding me," we both say at the same time.

An awkward giggle makes its way out of me as he shakes his head and heads across the road towards me.

"You're going to try and survive the wilderness? You almost had a panic attack on an airplane!" The joking lilt in his tone grates my nerves.

While he's right, he doesn't know me. I'm resilient, and I can get through anything set before me.

At least that's today's affirmation.

I cross my arms over my chest in defense. "Yes, I am. And one can hardly judge someone else for being afraid of their first flight!"

"Touché. Then tell me you've at least lived and trained in the wilderness before now." His dark eyes bore down on me.

I register the gun holstered on his side, and he eyes the crossbow strapped to my back.

"Well, no, but my Dad…"

"Your dad has nothing to do with what you will be able to do out here, Brynne."

The way he uses my name, which he's already learned, sets my teeth on edge. An angry edge. "Well, if you're going to use my name, why not use the full thing, hmm?" Placing my hand in front of him I say, "Brynne Howard. Daughter of John Howard."

He looks at my hand, then back up towards my eyes. I don't miss the envious gleam in him or the shock that wavers for only a millisecond.

"I apologize for my crassness. Most fathers wouldn't have any effect on how their daughters survived. But if he taught you anything, you might have the slightest chance. It's still your ass on the line, Brynne. Not his."

I clear my throat. "No. It can't be his, because he went missing when I was twelve."

His eyes drop away from mine, the air between us growing thick and awkward.

"Well, what's on the agenda today, teach?" I ask, breaking the tension.

He sighs in resignation. "Well, if you're really doing this, I have four days to get you ready for the worst time of your life."

I nod absently, looking around at our surroundings as a light rain pelts down. "I'm really doing this. So, we'd best get to training."

Trekking past me, he leads me into the thick overgrowth of the Vancouver wild, and I hesitate only for a moment before following.

* * *

My feet ache.That's the main thing I took away from today. On drop day, I'll be left to follow a crude map to my homestead, or where they want me to make camp. So today, Arsenio put me through hell to get my body and my feet ready for such a task, all while teaching me the basics about the wildlife in the area, and what foods are edible, and which are not. He also taught me how to find firewood in a climate that's going to be nearly always cold until the freeze settles in.

Even though it was cold as hell, I sweat nearly the entire day. It only made a deep chill set into my bones. Limping toward the bathroom, I start the tub filling, closing the drain cover to keep the hot water inside.

Halfway through the day, I worried that I bit off more than I could chew, but when I'd gotten my bow out, aimed, and shot perfectly through every target Arsenio lined up, I knew I was going to be fine.

My dad made sure I knew how to hunt and field dress an animal. How to check them for disease before cooking, how to store the meat in any climate, and how to use every portion of the body I could. If I can eat, and if I can keep warm, I'll be alright.

I'll do him proud.

After letting the water go cold in the tub, I drain it, get into pajamas, and slide into the bed.

Checking my phone before bed is a luxury I'm about to give up, so I forgo texting Alyssa and hit FaceTime.

She picks up immediately, and I wait for it to stop connecting before saying anything.

"You look like garbage," she says as she pops up. She's doing her make-up, which means she's headed out to some club. It's Thursday, so it's Ladies' Night somewhere.

"Thanks. You look amazing. Where are you going without me?"

She eyes me in annoyance before smirking. "Oh, you know, the usual."

The Gator Tail, then.

"How was training? Tell me everything!"

A hefty yawn spreads my lips and makes me groan. "The only highlight I have for you before I sleep until my next session is airplane guy is my trainer."

She drops her hand from where it was applying lipstick to her perfectly pouty lips. "Stop it!"

I shake my head, eyes watering. "I was shocked. Shit, so was he." I chuckle, picturing the surprise etched on his face.

"And? What did he say?" She leans in, forgetting that half her lips are colored in bright red, the other half completely bare.

I roll my eyes. "Spewed bullshit about how I was afraid of the plane, so I won't make it in the wild."

She scoffs on my behalf, resuming her lipstick application dismissively. "He's a jackass."

I chuckle. "Last night, you wanted me to hunt him down and force him to fuck babies into me."

She shrugs, puckering her lips and smacking them a few times. She recaps the lipstick and puts it down, looking over her hair in the mirror her phone is perched against. "That was then. This is now."

Her answer makes me laugh. The delirium in my veins makes me continue to laugh.

Alyssa smiles. "Are you good?"

I finally came back to reality, coughing twice. "Yeah. I'm just bone tired. I'm going to go, alright. I love you bunches. Don't do anything wild without me."

"No threesomes, got it." She nods, blowing me a kiss. "And bunches."

I end the call and barely lay my phone on the nightstand before falling away into dreamland. Where I survive the winter, get the millions, and never step foot in the woods again.

Ever. Again.

* * *

"You've gotto be kidding me! I get the only contestant who can't get up and actually make it to day two of training. And yet, she thinks she's going to survive?!"

The fog lifts from my brain, and the world comes back online. My eyes are blurry and full of sleep, the room spinning. I fight against the grog to sit up in bed. Every muscle I have wars within me as I do so. Pain shoots through every part of me, burning pain.

"What the hell?" My eyes finally zero in on Arsenio, who's standing next to my bed with Amy beside him. His arms are crossed, and his foot is stamping against the carpeted floor.

"You never came down for breakfast. Never met Arsenio for training," Amy offers, eyes apologetic for his behavior. Even though it's not her fault, he's a fucking brute.

"I—I didn't set an alarm. Fuck, I'm so sorry. I was so tired last night…"

Arsenio puts his hand up. "Save your excuses. Let's go."

When he storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him, he rattles Amy and me, causing both of us to jolt.

"I snuck you a Danish and a yogurt. I knew he was going to train you without food. I didn't have time to grab a spoon, though." She hands me a Yoplait cup and a Danish inside a plastic wrapper.

"Thank you, Amy. Your kindness is appreciated. I'll be out as soon as I can get my body to move so I can dress."

She eyes the door, pulling a small ibuprofen bottle from her pocket and tossing it to me.

My eyes do the thanking this time as she scurries out of the room.

Mr. Strong and Virile will now be known as Mr. Annoying since he spent the time I took dressing and scarfing down pills and food, banging on my door, and making a scene in the hall.

The drive to the wilderness was silent, however. For that, I'm thankful. It gave my ibuprofen time to kick in before Arsenio made me wander another million miles through the woods to feed some sick beast living in him.

When we get out of the SUV, it drives off. I stay silent, having done enough today to piss him off. I'm annoyed at myself because I wanted to do this for my dad, and barely made it a day without fucking up. But also, I know I need to give myself grace. I worked my ass off yesterday. Not that Arsenio cares about that fact one bit.

"Today we're going to work more with fire and some shelter building."

I nod, following him silently through the thicket. Remembering everything from the shelter videos I'd viewed of Dad and me, I smile warmly. Thinking about him gives me a renewed sense of motivation. I can do this, but it won't be easy.

Arsenio abruptly stops and turns around, and I barrel into him. Once my sore muscles are moving, apparently it's hard to stop them.

"Oof, I'm sorry." My hand presses against his rock-solid chest, and I take a step backward.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about how I acted this morning," he says, and confusion moves through me like a flurry.

"I—Well, I mean, I was late. I get it. I show up and say I can do it, but then flake on day two. It makes sense to me how you acted." It didn't. He was rude and annoying, but I don't want to egg him on any further. I just want to get this day done with, so I can soak in the tub. At this rate, I'll be too sore to do the hike inland I have on drop day.

"No. You don't understand. Yesterday, all the walking we did, it's not actually required. I pushed you too far, and it's why you weren't up this morning. It's all my fault."

I'm confused about why he's confessing this to me, but it's overridden by building rage in my chest, which is currently the only part of me not in pain. "Why?"

It's the only word I can muster without including curse words.

He casts his eyes down. "Because you were so cocky when you told me your last name. So ready to throw yourself to the wolves blindly, without even bothering to look worried about what's coming. It pissed me off. You came off entitled."

I scoff, crossing my arms. "Entitled? I'm going to be all alone. I'll have to fend for myself in a harsh wilderness, and you think I'm entitled to because I defended myself against your rude words yesterday? Did I not prove I could do everything you taught me, and then some?"

His apologetic eyes lift back to mine. "You did. It's why I've felt like shit ever since I dropped you in your room. And why I was worried when I couldn't wake you this morning."

I laugh. "But not worried enough to be kind. Not worried enough to not take precious moments to shout at me."

"I'm sorry. That's all I wanted to say. Let's get this done so you can go back and rest. You earned it."

His mood is giving me whiplash, and all I want to do is find my way back to the hotel. But it's through him I find my way back, so I follow him deeper into the woods, praying to whoever is listening to get me through this day.