The Beast's Possession
41: Hidden things.

**Aife

pov**

I didn't want to get out of the bed, heck, I didn't want to wake up in the first place, but my new friend was relentless.

"You need to get used to moving more, Aife." He would say. "I remember my mother used to talk about how important it is to ensure your mate is active during pregnancy to help with labor later," he would add. Jonathan seemed to become the go-to person regarding pregnancy advice, even if I didn't ask for any or wanted them.

And yet, every time he spoke, I made sure all of my attention was his. No matter how intrusive at times he came across, I still listened.

It wasn't like I had a mother I could talk to and ask advice from, so this little arrangement seemed like the best deal I could get.

Today, he decided I had to wake up at 6am for a morning walk. At first, I didn't want to leave the cozy house, but after about an hour of pestering, I finally relented and agreed.

Jonathan took me to the nearby forest, and at first, it truly seemed like some nice walk around the park, but as we walked deeper into the woods, I realized this wasn't just quality time for unlikely friends.

"Jonathan?" I called his name to grab his attention since he was walking ahead of me.

He glanced over his shoulder and grinned, "yes? Don't tell me you're too tired already and need to take a break. I suppose we could head back, but I really don't want to, the walk has just begun."

I arched an eyebrow at his whining tone, but didn't point that out. Instead, I focused on the main thought in my mind. "I'm not saying I'm too tired yet. However, I can't help but wonder why we are walking into the forest instead of around the entrance of it. Walking deeper inside kind of gives me the creeps and honestly, I fear there might be some rogues roaming around."

As soon as I finished voicing my thoughts, Jonathan froze on the spot and quickly spun on his heel to face me. "First of all, rest assured, there are no rogues around this area. Just because the lands are unclaimed doesn't mean just anyone can step their foot on them. Second, yeah," he huffed a breath and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "This isn't just a regular walk."

I had to cross my arms in front of my chest to show Jonathan just how serious I was being when I spoke again. "This isn't just a regular walk, in a sense? Don't tell me you've been lying to me all this time and in actuality, you have been tasked to take me to the woods, kill me and bring back my liver just like in that fairytale?"

Jonathan laughed at my face. Not just a tiny chuckle, but a full on belly laugh. Once he managed to gather himself, Jonathan straightened his posture and wiped tears off his cheeks.

"I believe it was heart, Aife, not a liver mentioned in that story," was all he said.

If that was all he took notice of the rant I just spat at him, I didn't know how to react anymore. He couldn't be serious.

Thankfully, he noticed the look on my face and took a step closer to me. Surprisingly, I didn't feel like he possessed any danger or I had to increase the distance between us, so at least that was something positive.

After what happened back home, I learned that I had to trust my gut feeling the hard way so there was no way I would ever ignore what my instincts were screaming.

His hand landed on my shoulder, but Jonathan just rested it there, a kind smile across his lips. "Just because this isn't any ordinary walk doesn't mean we can't enjoy it. There is no reason for you to distrust me, remember? I've been on my best behavior all this time, haven't I?"

"You have, yes," I agreed, although reluctantly. I couldn't help it, this sudden change with behavior made me suspicious and I definitely was in a place where I could doubt everyone's intentions and still be justified for doing that. No one could blame me, I was literally walking the edge of a cliff, one small push and my life would fade along with that of my unborn child. I couldn't just risk it all and place my trust with anyone, regardless of how long I knew them for. "But?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

If there was one thing I really liked about Jonathan, it was that he could read between the lines. No matter how sketchy I acted, from the moment I met him, the man didn't miss a thing.

"But, I still need to stay careful, remember? I just don't get why you're so insistent on walking deeper into the woods. This place genuinely creeps me out and all of my senses are screaming that I need to get away from here. As far as possible and as soon as possible," I admitted.

Clearly, this wasn't the first time Jonathan had visited the territory, walked the grounds or explored the forest, but since life was unpredictable at best days - we couldn't know what was expected us at the other end of the journey. Jonathan managed to catch me off guard when he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. He didn't squeeze me or anything, just held me for a minute or two until I felt my heart rate normalize. "There, better?" He released me and flashed me the widest grin.

I nodded and looked down, "yeah, a little better." Up to this moment, I hadn't realized how much I missed hugs and just being held. Childish, I know, but sometimes all the answers one sought could have been hidden in the embrace of another person. Or peace, just that.

"Now, I won't beat around the bush anymore since that clearly makes you nervous and again, we can't let you stress too much. The reason why I brought you here is because there are a few hidden things in this forest and I want to show you those," Jonathan grinned and stood next to me, ready to keep walking.

"What hidden things?" I asked, still a little skeptical.

His arm wrapped around my waist and the next moment, I was so close to him, I could feel the warmth of his body through the clothing. Jonathan leaned in and whispered in my ear, "tunnels, loads of them. There are a few exits and entrances around here, I want to show you how to find them and enter the tunnels if anything happens. You can use them to find safety in case something bad happens. I figured since you're still very scared, providing something that could comfort you in a sense might work."