Chapter Three - Don't Make Me Howl

I gazed out through the windscreen and up at the highlighted brickwork. The guesthouse was bathed in a pale yellow hue from the spotlights. A sun canopy stretched around the front of the building like a striped skirt. From the well-maintained grounds to the internal artistic décor, everything was modern and immaculate.

Peter helped to bring my belongings inside. We had to be quiet so as not to wake the sleeping guests. Helen and Sam were there to greet us, and what a fine-looking couple they were too. Her tanned skin was flawless, contrasting against her platinum blonde hair and perfect white teeth. The summer dress she wore, clung to her voluptuous figure like she had been hand-stitched into it. Her husband Sam, was around six-foot-five with looks to die for, and the body of a temple. I didn't need x-ray vision as his well-defined assets strained beneath his tight V-necked t-shirt, leaving nothing to the imagination.

Peter and Sam carried all my luggage to my room, leaving Helen to give me a brief tour of the guest house.

"I hope you like your stay here at Forest Lake. If there's anything you need, just let me know," Helen offered, kindly.

"Thank you. I'm going to take a look round the town tomorrow to get a feel for the place. Maybe talk to a few of the locals, meet some people and settle in," I replied.

"You want some company? I was going to take the kids out for a few hours, anyway?" Helen suggested.

"That would be great but only if it's not too much trouble," I answered, not wanting to be a burden.

She gave me a look that implied 'Don't be silly' before responding in a hushed tone. "It's Sam's birthday this weekend, and the kids want to get him something special. So, trust me, honey, it's no bother at all."

I mouthed 'Oh.' "I'll tag along then," I whispered. "What time should I be ready for?"

"Oh, say, nine-thirty, after we sit down to breakfast. The kids usually have me up around six. They run into our room and bounce on the bed. They're natural alarm clocks," she chuckled.

"Well, in that case, I'll let you get some rest. I know that I'll crash as soon as my head touches the pillow," I replied, struggling to contain a yawn.

Helen escorted me to my room before saying goodnight. As the light filled the lavishly-decorated room, my jaw practically hit the floor. I considered my house to be a palace, but this room was brochure beautiful.

I let out a low whistle, wondering how much of the budget was being blown on my accommodation costs. Not that I was prepared to trade this in for a shitty truck-stop motel-no way.

The bed was crafted from the same oak wood that was used throughout the building. All the soft furnishings matched in a cream coloured cotton with a country rose pattern. I took a seat on the edge of the bed, peeling away my clothes and pulling on a pair of pyjamas before exhaustion rendered me completely unconscious. As I cocooned myself in the feather-soft sheets, I managed to send a quick text to my parents, and to Joanne, just to let them know that I arrived here safely. Fuck knows what time it was back home, but when they didn't immediately reply, I allowed sleep to engulf me.

A harrowing sound tore me from the land of slumber. I knew it was still late because it was still dark outside. I felt around for my phone and pressed the button to illuminate the home screen.

"Four A.M?" I grumbled. "What the bloody hell is going on outside?"

I'm too drunk on sleep to get up and peer through the open window, so I just lay there and suffer through it. Another loud chorus of keening howls filtered into the night and I recognise it as wolf song. I had barely managed to get two hours worth of sleep, and as the sound grew louder, I groaned with annoyance. On clumsy feet, I stumble out of bed towards the window. The curtains were swaying gently in the cool night breeze and I make a mental note not to leave it open the following night.

"Oh, bugger off and go and howl somewhere else," I growl, sleepily.

My fingers grip the window frame and slam it shut. That only made matters worse. It was as if the wolves were heckling me for their own amusement. My eyes strained through the darkness but all I could make out were shadows. I yank the curtains closed before shuffling back to bed. At least I knew my research was going to prove a success. Especially if there was a pack of wolves living beyond Helen and Sam's back garden.

The insufferable noise continued until God knows when. Instead of letting it torture my eardrums, I plugged my headphones into my phone and listened to my playlist. With the velvety tones of Adam Lavigne crooning into my ears, I drifted off to sleep.

The annoying high-pitched sound of my alarm ripped me from a pleasant dream. I rolled over and grabbed my phone to shut off the noise. A groan escaped my lips the second I saw that it was already eight a.m. My eyes stung through lack of sleep, feeling gritty as if someone had thrown sand into them. The infernal racket from last night didn't help. I felt as if I hadn't even slept at all. After much deliberation, I had to force myself out of the comfortable bed and begin my morning routine.

The cool jets of water from the shower helped to wake me up, scrubbing myself with the soapy sponge until my skin tingled, finally feeling clean and refreshed. Clutching my damp towel around me, I shuffled over to the window, scanning the clear blue sky for any sign of a rain cloud. It looked as if it was going to be a nice day, so I decided to dress for the weather, pulling on a pair of cropped jeans and a simple white vest top.

I teamed everything together with a pair of black converse and a hooded jacket, so that if the weather did take a sudden turn for the worse then at least I wouldn't get a chill. After I raked a brush through my damp hair, I tied it up in a messy bun for convenience. Standing back from the full-length mirror in the corner of the room, I stood and admired the simplicity of my appearance. I passed for looking decent, despite not feeling it within myself. Truth be told, I could've easily just crawled back beneath the soft blankets and slept for a further few hours.

Before leaving my room, I grabbed my handbag and slumped off downstairs towards the communal dining area. Helen was there, fully dressed and ready to start the day. She was busy fussing over her children, who were arguing over who had the most cereal in their bowls. I watched as she tipped a few more grains into one of the bowls so that it evened them out.

"There, now you've got the same amount as your brother." She placed the bowl down in front of the little blonde-haired girl, who had been giving her some attitude.

"I'm a big boy, aren't I, Mommy. I'm gonna grow up big and strong just like Poppa bear, won't I, Mommy?" The little dark-haired boy asked, angelically.

"You sure will, Caleb," Helen replied, then bent down and kissed the top of his head.

"Will I be big like Poppa? Or will I be a princess like you, Mommy?" The little cute blonde girl asked, scrunching her brows quizzically.

"Oh, Ashlyn, you're the only pretty princess around here," Helen fawned, giving her daughter's cheeks a squeeze. She chuckled, then bent down to plant a kiss to the side of her face.

"Poppa calls you his princess," Ashlyn stated, her brown eyes flared wide with innocence.

Helen noticed me standing in the doorway smiling and shot me a grin.

"Coffee?" She offered.

"That would be great, thank you," I replied, politely. I would have preferred tea but I doubted they drank Yorkshire Tea here. I didn't much care for alternative brands.

We ate a quick breakfast before we headed into town. It made more sense to take Helen's car as it already had the children's car seats installed in the back. After such an enchanting breakfast, listening to the children's tales, I was convinced that they were two of the most adorable children I had ever met.

Caleb and Ashlyn were four-years-old and were fraternal twins. Ashlyn loved to chat non-stop. Helen often had to remind her to slow down while she was talking, whereas, Caleb was the quiet one who hardly said a word. Helen referred to them as her cubs. Maybe that was just a cute pet name that also meant kids, but they referred to their dad as Poppa Bear. So maybe that's where the name 'cubs' came from.