My Secret, My Bully, My Mates (skylar) by Miss l Free novel Chapter 618

He ran all the way to the packhouse, straight through the front doors and out the back patio door. I braced myself for being thrown in the pool, but he veered off to the left and around to a side I’ve never had a need to go to before. It has a fence and I always assumed it was where practical things were stored and hidden away from the pretty aesthetic that Ava had. I was wrong.

“What is this?” I asked, completely taken aback by the beauty of the space. It doesn’t even look like it belongs here.

Just past the fence, which is easily eight feet tall so I can’t see a thing over it, but I’m sure the top of this wonderful greenhouse can be seen by my guys and a normal sized wolf. It is a glass box framed by thick black metal supports. It probably looks like a giant spider from above with each and every wall glass or whatever clear material was used. In each pane I can see green leaves, like a rain forest is inside. The windows are streaked with water that collected from the air. It is probably the size of the room I called mine for a little while on the third floor, which is not to say it’s small, but it looks comfortable.

Dakota lets me down, but takes my hand and leads me in, letting the gate shut and latch behind us.

“This was my mom and dad’s place. He built it for her, with his own two hands. All her favorite plants and flowers are here and no one was ever allowed in here…until now.” He stops at the door and looks back at me.

“Wait! You’ve never been in here? Cam’s never been in here? We should all go in together, shouldn’t we?”

“Sweetness, he knows I’m bringing you here, they both do, and we will come here all together at some point, but I want some time with you and I know that you will love this, my mom loved this and she loves you and she wants you to have this. No one but the two of them were allowed in here. We have the same rule. She cleaned and maintained everything, it’s the one escape that no one but those of us in the packhouse knew about. I know that you like your safe space and your alone time and we want you to have this, all three of us. Buuuutttt, I really want to open this door now. Okay?”

I feel apprehensive getting to experience something so special and personal when Cam hasn’t yet, but Dakota’s face is so cute. He is so excited to give this to me. And I have to believe that he talked to Cam and Oliver about this. They wouldn’t keep secrets like that from each other. I squeeze his hand and nod. He opens the water speckled door and my jaw drops.

It is an oasis. That’s the only thing that comes to mind, a tropical oasis. A riverstone path leads into the space. About five feet in the path divides to the left and right around the edge of a long thin pool. To one side of the pool is a sitting area with Ava’s signature cushy chairs and couch with a table for small snacks and drinks. I bet this spot gets great morning sunlight. I will have to test that theory soon. The other side features many plants and flowers. Some are set in the big planting boxes lining the walls and probably built to open right into the ground. Others seem more delicate and have their own pots. I move to the left first where the plants are, gliding my hand gently over each one. I think every color is represented here, but it is obvious that Ava’s favorite color is pink.

At the far edge of the greenhouse is a waterfall that circulates the water in the pool. It smells amazing, not like chlorine or chemicals, but like fresh water and it is so calming. I raise my hand up and without even thinking I start to play with the water, pulling droplets up and spinning them before letting them fall back into the stream.