Chapter 19 - Liz

The forest around me is alive with the sounds of chirping crickets and hooting owls. Tala, Holly, and Selene are laughing and chatting around the campfire as I gaze up at the stars above us. It feels good to be here, to relax and take a moment to myself without feeling like I”m constantly on edge. The trees surrounding us block out the lights from town, and it almost feels like we”re all alone in the woods.

Tala told me the other day that this place is where the pack usually goes to unwind after a hard week of work. She invited me on a girls-only camping trip, and while I was first hesitant to come since Leah couldn”t make it, I”m glad I came. We stuck to Stardust Hollow territory since the traders haven”t been caught yet, but everything seems peaceful and quiet here.

As the women chat, I stare at the flickering flames, lost in thought. The truth is, I think I”m in love with Fisher. There, I said it, even if it”s just in the confines of my own mind. But the weight of those three little words feels heavy, like a secret I”m not ready to share. Fisher hasn”t said it, and the last thing I want is to ruin the beautiful thing blossoming between us by rushing into declarations he might not be ready for.

Tala notices my contemplative expression and gives me a knowing smile. ”You okay, Liz? You seem miles away.”

”Just thinking,” I reply, forcing a smile and shrugging off her concern. ”You know how it is.”

The girls continue their chatter, the conversation flowing easily as they roast marshmallows and share stories. But my mind keeps drifting back to Fisher, to our stolen moments and the undeniable chemistry between us. I can still feel the warmth of his lips, the strength of his embrace, and the intensity of his gaze that makes my heart race every time.

I wonder if he”s thinking about me, too. If he”s lying awake, lost in thoughts of our shared moments. The uncertainty gnaws at me, but I push it aside, reminding myself to cherish what we have now. In this moment.

As if he was reading my thoughts, my phone rings, and I see Fisher”s number on the screen. A grin spreads across my face when I answer, and I hear him chuckle softly over the line. ”Hey there,” he purrs. ”Having fun?”

My chest tightens, butterflies swirling inside as I gaze out at my friends. Holly has her head tipped back, laughing with her mouth wide open while Selene tosses a marshmallow into the opening.

”I sure am,” I reply. ”It”s so peaceful out here. Not a single man in sight.”

He chuckles again, the sound sending tingles through me. ”I guess I”m glad to hear that. Although, it would be nice, wouldn”t it? Curling up under those stars. You could sneak into my sleeping bag and we could─”

”Hold that thought,” I tell him, holding up a finger. ”I”ll be right back, ladies.”

Holly pauses mid-laugh and gives me a knowing look. ”No boys allowed, Fisher!” she yells across the fire.

”Leave them be,” Tala tells her. ”They”re newlyweds. It”ll be out of their system soon enough.” She grins at me. “Go on, girl. Have some good phone sex for all of us.”

Selene giggles along with Holly while I smile awkwardly and step away to continue the call. As I walk into the trees, my face burns from embarrassment. They don”t mean anything by it, but talking dirty like that in front of other people makes me feel awkward. Hell, I”m only just getting comfortable doing it with Fisher.

When I”m safely hidden from view, I take a deep breath and say, ”I think you got me into trouble.”

Fisher”s voice is amused when he replies, ”I guess I have to punish you, then, huh? Letting you off easy would only lead to more disobedience, after all.”

”Mhm,” I reply playfully. ”And how do you intend on doing that?”

There”s a long pause over the line, then he says, ”I have a few ideas...”

I blush even though I know he can”t see me, his words sending my heart racing. My body immediately reacts to the heat in his tone. I imagine him lying on his back while I straddle him and grind against his cock until it”s hard as steel. His hands are on my hips, helping me move against him while he watches me.

”Well?” I ask impatiently. ”Are you going to tell me?”

His laugh makes my chest tighten with anticipation. ”Where are you right now? Somewhere where no one can hear us?”

”In the woods, behind our campsite,” I reply breathlessly.

”I want you naked and lying across my lap,” he says, his voice rough with need. ”Ready for me to spank your pretty ass.”

My pussy clenches at his words, and my heart races as I undress. ”How many swats do I get?”

”As many as it takes for you to learn how to behave yourself.” He”s teasing, but there”s also a hint of danger in his voice, like he means every word. A shudder runs through my body when I picture myself kneeling across his thighs, my bare ass exposed to him while he gently rubs the area, then smacks it.

”Be ready for it when you get home tomorrow,” he orders. ”I want you naked and on my lap as soon as you step foot inside the house. I”m going to teach you a lesson that will stay with you forever.”

A moan escapes me before I can stop it, and I blush again, biting my lip to silence myself. ”Yes, sir. I”ll do just as you say.”

”Good girl,” he purrs. ”I”ll see you soon, okay?”

”Okay,” I reply breathlessly. ”See you soon.”

The call with Fisher ends, leaving me with a lingering warmth and my heart pounding from anticipation. But as the silence around me deepens, a prickling sensation runs down my spine. It”s too quiet. The chirping crickets and the distant hoots of owls have vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness that sends alarm bells ringing in my head.

I barely have time to process the shift when a shadowy figure lunges at me from the darkness. Instinct takes over, and I sidestep, narrowly avoiding the attacker”s grasp. My heart hammers in my chest as I pivot, catching a glint of malevolent eyes reflecting in the moonlight.

It”s one of them. The traders.

With a surge of adrenaline, I lash out, my foot connecting with his midsection. He grunts, doubling over, but he recovers quickly, snarling as he lunges again. This time, I”m ready. I dodge his attack, using his momentum against him, and send him sprawling onto the forest floor with a well-placed kick.

Without wasting another second, I sprint back toward the campfire, dread gnawing at my insides. I have to warn them and get everybody out of here. The thought fuels my legs, pushing me to run faster, to reach them before it”s too late.

But when I burst into the clearing, the scene that unfolds before me freezes me in place. A group of men, their faces obscured by masks, have surrounded the campsite. Tala, Holly, and Selene are trapped, tied up and gagged. I want to scream, but think better of it and slink back into the bushes out of sight.

Panic grips me, but I know I can”t risk going back to get help. I need to follow them, to find out where they”re taking my friends. My fingers fly over my phone, quickly typing out a message to Fisher, my hands trembling with urgency.

”Attack at camp. Traders. They”ve taken the girls. Following them now.”

They shove the women into a van, and I hop into Selene”s car, the one we all drove here in. A surge of adrenaline rushes through me as I pull onto the road and cut the headlights, my eyes trained on the rearview mirror. The van takes off at full speed, and I follow at a distance, leaving Stardust Hollow behind.