Skye laughed fleetingly at Jaz's expression and then explained. “Well, this plot of land has been in our ancestors' possession for generations. About six hundred years. Over the past ten to twenty years we've had numerous people wanting to buy our land, to build houses or shopping centres on it. As you can imagine, we declined.”
Jaz stumbled over a tree trunk making her voice lurch as she started her question, so she repeated it again. “Don't you ever get people snooping around, wondering what this place really is?” Jaz tripped again. Skye caught her before she fell on her face. Skye grinned at her and Jaz smiled weakly. “Er, thanks.”
“No problem,” Skye replied. “And yeah, sure we do but they tend to be pretty formal and businesslike about it so we rarely have snooping trespassers. But they aren't really the problem. Hunters and poachers are the ones you've gotta watch out for. You'd be surprised how many there are in this country. Most of them don't believe in fences or boundaries or the big signs that say 'Private Property, Keep Out'. Apart from that it's pretty easy to keep this place a secret. The front of the property does really have a spa area.”
“I wouldn't know. I skipped that part when I was roofied.”
Skye gave her a sideways glance. Then, as if Jaz had never interrupted, she flashed Jaz her one hundred thousand kilowatt smile before continuing. “We use it so whenever they come, sometimes unexpectedly, we look like the real deal. As far as anyone knows, on paper, we are a hotel and spa. Exclusive, and kind of off the grid. We spread rumours about celebrities being here. There are people of high status who are loyal to the Pack so they help us that way, some claiming they've been here. Some of them are loyal humans, others are Weres.”
Jaz shuddered at the word. She saw Skye study her with interest before they moved on.
It didn't take long for Jaz to hear the sound of construction workers ahead. She could hear wood being chopped, sawed and sanded. The scraping of cement on brick. The cement mixer churning away. There were voices, both men and women. She could smell their scents. It was very disconcerting to be aware of her body changing – improving, some would say, but she couldn't see it that way- and to have no way of controlling it, understanding it or just plain shutting it off.
She gazed ahead through the trees. There were movements between the narrow gaps. It should have been hard for her to see at such a distance. But it wasn't difficult at all. To human ears the sounds would have been faint. To human eyes it would have been almost impossible to see. Not to mention the scents she could smell as if she was sniffing their bodies from inches away. She hated it. She was terrified of it.
“Don't be scared,” Skye said as she studied her face.
“They don't scare me.” Jaz tried to sound blasé rather than arrogant.
Skye was suddenly serious as she said, “I wasn't talking about them.” She gave Jaz a knowing look.
Jaz regarded her nervously. “Why do I get the distinct impression you can read my mind?”
Skye grinned, lighting up the forest. “I'm flattered, but sorry to disappoint you. We're just good at sensing feelings.”
Jaz released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and managed to force a smile. She knew it made her look like she was in pain and was proven right when Skye laughed.
They marched on until they reached gigantic beech trees with the occasional sweet chestnut, each spaced wider apart than the trees they had just travelled through, allowing enough space to build a small house. In that space, a group of about thirty people were working away. The atmosphere buzzed with the hustle and bustle. Jaz scanned the strangers and then her eyes swept over the site.
They'd already laid the foundations of a U-shaped construction. The flooring was concreted and the walls were three layers of brick high. The one missing wall that stopped it from becoming a rectangular building was facing her direction.
“What are they building?” Jaz asked.
“We're building a barbecue, seating area with a storage outhouse.”
Jaz wasn't able to conceal her surprise. “You want me to help build this?”
“Yes.”
Jaz laughed out loud.
“Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I've been given orders. You need to build up some muscle. You're too skinny and weak.”
Jaz arched a sceptical brow. “Now I've been called a lot of things but skinny is not one of them. Neither is weak come to think of it.”
“Well around us, you are. You're unfit, your arms and legs are soft and scrawny, you're not very strong-”
“Gee, break it to me gently why don't you-”
“- and this is needed to prepare you for-”
“-For me to Change, right? Change into what? The bogeyman? Bigfoot?” Jaz joked.
Skye scrutinized her. “You don't believe it?”
Jaz shrugged, her expression became solemn. “I don't know what to believe.”
“Sure you do. You're just afraid to,” Skye said.
Jaz blinked, then her irritation at Skye's tone made her frown. Skye seemed to see her as a stubborn, irrational, wild child that needed parental guidance. And she's not the only one, Jaz's mind grumbled. Everyone here seemed to look at her that way, especially Driver. Well, they aren't wrong. Knowing that upset her.
After a year of feeling betrayed by those close to her -this one month filled with nothing but betrayal and lies- her stubborn childish side had been kicked up to full blast. She wanted to stop it and snap out of her immature behaviour but then the familiar fear of knowing what she was, would cling around her heart like an iron fist.
She scrutinized Skye, not knowing whether to come up with some snide rebuke or use that chance to open up to her.
Whatever she would have chosen was stolen from her when a young boy came sprinting towards them. He sprang at Skye and wrapped his arms around her waist, grinning up at her with his left front tooth missing.
He had brown, curly hair that kept getting in his eyes, a button nose, wide brown eyes, olive skin and a very cheeky smile. Jaz estimated he was about nine years old. His black t-shirt and denim shorts were caked in cement and dirt.
Jaz eyed him with intrigue. She even smiled a little.
Skye grunted when he pounded into her stomach and panted, “Ronnie, don't do that!”
“Sorryyyyy.” He pulled a fake sad face, drooping his bottom lip and giving her his biggest puppy eyes. Jaz had to admit, the boy was very cute.
Skye flashed him a smile, giving in to him. “What have you been doing? You're filthy!”
He beamed at her. “I've been helping to make the cement and then scoop it on the bricks to build the wall!” he replied, pleased with himself.