Suppressed Pt. 2

Harding National Forest had been the Winter Break destination of Quin’s pack for the last three years. 

The first year they went it was actually really nice. It snowed a little, but otherwise the weather had been great. They’d all spent the week exploring the area, laughing, joking, and huddling close to the fire at night.

It was on that very first winter break trip that Quin started to realize what Gwen meant to him.

That campsite and those woods held a special place in Quin’s memories. He looked forward to the Winter Break trip every year.

Gwen was a fall and winter person. Her mood was generally better in the cooler weather. She was more prone to enjoy outdoor activities. It was one of the ways they were different. He preferred the heat and warmth, and Gwen liked snow.

Last year and the one before, it had rained the entire trip. Well poured, really. They’d managed to sit around an anemic fire for maybe an hour before more frigid, skyborn water chased them back into their tents. But he’d still had a good time. Since the others in their pack had paired off, they took that time to bond with their partners. It gave Quin an excellent excuse to spend alone time with Gwen and reinforce their own friendship. They played cards, snuggled under sleeping bags and blankets, had quiet conversations about serious subjects they didn’t touch on a regular basis.

Quin had a good idea how this trip was going to go. If they were lucky and the weather held out, it would still be cold as shit. That meant extra skin time in the tent, cuddling and generating warmth. If it rained? The whole time would be spent cuddling and keeping warm.

No one wanted to keep Gwen safe and happy as much as Quin did, but he was still a guy. He was still hopelessly in love with the girl. And while Gwen seemed to be accepting of their mate bond now, they still hadn’t done more than make out.

This trip could change that.

Quin wasn’t ashamed to admit that he was stacking the deck in his favor.

In the back of his truck he’d packed for every eventuality. All the normal stuff they always brought was in a single tote, and some extra things to make their experience a little…softer…was in two other totes.

He pulled his truck up behind Roman’s and everyone got out to survey the campsite.

It was further off the beaten track, requiring almost forty minutes of negotiating their vehicles over rough dirt roads that held pitfalls like deep ruts, potholes that could swallow a tire, and a few fallen saplings that fell in the last strong storm.

Quin and Roman only had to move two small trees this time and together it hadn’t taken them long to slide the foot thick trunks out of the way so that their vehicles could pass.

They’d left Sara’s car back at the park’s main visitor lot. Sara and Macy were riding with Roman and Tara. It seemed as if their pack was giving him and Gwen some space at the moment.

It was greatly appreciated, but Quin knew it wouldn’t last forever.

The cleared area was oval in shape, with four spots that regularly got used as tent pads.

Quin chose the one furthest from the others.

“Which bag has the tent in it again?” Gwen asked him as she pulled stuff toward the tailgate.

“I’ll get it,” he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. “Why don’t you sit down and relax?”

She blinked up at him, her brows furrowed in confusion. “But we were just sitting in the truck for over an hour. And…we always put the tent up together.”

“I know. But what if you just relaxed this time and I put it up?”

“Why can’t I help?”

“Why can’t you just relax and let me do it?”

“Because that’s not how we’ve always done it?”

“Just because it’s how we’ve always done it, doesn’t mean it’s how we have to do it this time. Please? Just go sit with Tara, I’ll put it up, okay?”

Quin leaned over her and pressed his lips to hers. Gwen’s body went soft, relaxing into him.

When he pulled away her eyes were unfocused. He turned her toward the fire and circle of chairs before giving her a gentle shove. “Go. I’ll get this all sorted.”

In truth, he wouldn’t have minded her helping to set up the tent. It was how he was planning on setting up the inside he didn’t want her to see until later. Knowing Gwen though, she’d start opening all the totes and going through them and he didn’t want to have to explain himself just yet.

An ominous roll of thunder sounded off in the distance and his gaze went to the horizon. Over the trees, dark gray clouds were boiling. Quin looked at Roman who had stopped what he was doing to inspect the sky as well, and they shared an exasperated look.

All signs were pointing to rain. They all started to hustle faster to get the tents set up.

Quin had taken their tent out two days ago, set it up in the backyard at Home Place and spent three hours waxing all the seams and spraying water repellant on it. He triple checked that he’d packed the extra tent pads and tarps as well.

By the time he had everything assembled, the girls had brewed a big pot of coffee and sorted out the cooler contents. Gwen and Macy were making foil packets of diced potatoes, bell peppers, and sausages. Those then cooked over a grate that Roman placed on one side of the fire. The smell as those foil packets started to steam made Quin’s mouth water.

Looking over his shoulder like a criminal, he smuggled the extra two totes he’d packed into the tent one at a time while Gwen was otherwise occupied.

Quin got the bulky mattress pad spread out, relieved to see it fit perfectly. He was worried it would be too big, and while they didn’t have a lot of space to move around the sides of the pad, they still had two feet of empty space in front of the zippered tent door. The mattress pad filled out the rest of the space nicely. He layered the pad with two open sleeping bags, four layers of medium thick, soft blankets, and finally an extra fluffy comforter. Against the back side-wall of the tent, he threw three overstuffed pillows.

And the final touch? A string of battery operated fairy lights that clipped to the tent’s dome. They were dimmable and girly, and he hoped, romantic.

Exiting the tent, Quin cast a quick glance at Gwen to make sure she was still distracted before hauling their personal bags into the tent and leaving them propped by the door. When he got the truck closed up, Quin joined the rest of his pack at the fire and they scarfed down dinner.

Why did food taste so much better when it was cooked over an open fire?

The mood was tentatively light, all of them avoiding the subject of the Capital Massacre. Thirty-three shifters had lost their lives while peacefully protesting certain government bills that sought to limit shifter autonomy. The man driving the vehicle had been caught and arrested. Shifter advocacy groups had rallied together, pushing for a fair trial. Quin wasn’t entirely sure they’d get that. Already there were smear campaigns aimed at his kind. Humans were circling the wagons, unwilling to admit that one of their own had committed an atrocity against a group of beings just because they were different.

Many of those shifters had been barely older than Quin. They were college students, idealistic and filled with hope. They’d wanted to take a stand for a better future for their kind.

The tragedy and subsequent media storm had bothered Gwen. Quin watched her read article after article, watch news clip after news clip, her gaze turning thoughtful, her scent tinged with worry and fear.

This trip was going to help with that.

There was no reception out here. In fact, their phones were both sitting in the truck’s cupholders, powered off and waiting until they rejoined civilization.

It would be a good time for them to strengthen their relationship, get back to being Quin and Gwen but…but with more between them now.

And Quin wouldn’t voluntarily admit it, but he was hoping that the quasi-nest he’d made in their tent would help Gwen relax into their relationship to the point where they moved past just kissing.

Facts were facts. Female shifters, or the beta in the relationship liked comfortable, soft bedding. Quin had done extensive research. That was also something he’d never voluntarily admit to. Some of the things he’d googled on his phone were down right mortifying.

He was hoping tonight, when he got Gwen under all those blankets, she’d snuggle down and maybe let her instincts guide her.

And if not…then that was okay too. Quin would wait. He’d told himself again and again that he had to be patient. Rushing Gwen with anything, never got him anywhere. He cringed thinking of how badly he’d blundered confessing his feelings to her. Quin had let his anger get the best of him. And then he’d let Cassie’s mind games get under his skin.

The other subject that he was actively avoiding was Cassie. Thankfully, since he and Gwen’s relationship had evolved, there was no need to discuss the lioness. Which was good, because even the stray thought of her made Quin feel like breaking something with his bare hands.

Quin and Roman found a good strong tree limb and hung their trash. There really shouldn’t have been any bears they needed to worry about but racoons were a menace still and they’d rip into a trash bag and leave a wide scattered mess if precautions weren’t taken.

Roman and Tara called it a night first. Not long after Maci and Sara turned in. He tugged Gwen to their own tent at that point, excited to get under the covers.

Gwen took off her sneakers and hunched down into the tent.

“Quin…” she breathed.