The Reincarnated (Book 2A of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 75

The weekend came and went like a snap of the fingers, and I slowly made my way to cross country training that Monday morning, exhausted but not as exhausted as I had been on Friday because I had gotten more sleep than I had in the past couple of days even with the competition Saturday.

Bryson was the first to greet me, and a frown was on his face when he saw how pale and tired I looked. "Cass?" he asked while he cocked his head and studied me closer. "Are you ok?"

I bit back a small sigh before I slowly nodded, knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to do anything about why I was feeling so exhausted. "Yes," I confirmed, my voice barely above a whisper. "I am ok."

Bryson scowled and narrowed his eyes while he studied me. "You do realize that I don't believe you, right?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Hmph." I bit back a small smirk and shrugged. "I know," I said, "but you don't have to worry about it too hard. I will be able to take care of myself."

Bryson's scowl grew deeper, and he narrowed his eyes further. A flash of pain filled his eyes, and he moved his lips inward while he looked at me. He didn't say a word while he looked at me, and I could tell that he didn't like what I said.

I bit back a small groan before I shook my head. "Don't do that, Bryson," I said. "Don't give me that look."

Bryson raised an eyebrow in question while he cocked his head and studied me. "What look?" he asked. "What look am I giving you?"

I scowled and narrowed my eyes while I looked at him. "The pain going through your eyes with your lips going inward as if you had eaten something sour," I said. "That's the look that I don't want you to give me."

Bryson shook his head. "I don't know what you are talking about, Cass," he said. "I-"

"Ok, that is enough chit chat between you two," Coach Myers said, interrupting us while he walked over to us. "You two are needed in this meeting. Miss Lanchester, I thought I told you that you can't be late again unless you want a harder workout," he said and looked at me.

I bit back a small sigh before I slowly nodded. "I know, Sir," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "The good thing is that I am not late, though, so..." I shrugged and grimaced. "I don't know what you can do about it."

"I still could make you train harder," he said and narrowed his eyes while he scowled, and I shrugged and didn't reply because I wouldn't care if he did that or not.

"I wouldn't suggest it," Bryson said while he looked at me before he looked at Coach Myers. "Cass already looks like she is about to keel over and die."

I bit back a small snort and rolled my eyes, scowling. "I am not," I said while I shifted my bag on my back. "I am still perfectly healthy."

Even though I feel like death, I thought while I pursed my lips in annoyance. And from the looks on their faces, I don't think that they believe me.

"Mmmhmm," Coach Myers said while he narrowed his eyes and scowled. "Why don't we talk in my office after practice and before the bell, ok?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question.

I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. "Unfortunately, not," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I have to see what the results are for tryouts and then Mr. Brickson expects me in the classroom before the bell rings so that he can make sure that I have done all the stupid extra work he makes me do."

Bryson bit back a small snort. "What happens when you don't do it?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "Does he make you do more and then that?"

"Yes," I said while I nodded, biting back a small groan. "I've only not done the work once, and he made me do extra both in school and at home."

"Hmph," Coach Myers said while he pursed his lips in annoyance. "Ok, enough chit chat. Go ahead and set your stuff down near where the others placed their stuff and then get in line. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Coach," I said while I nodded. I bit back a small sigh before I did what I was told to do and went to put my stuff near the other students with Bryson about to follow me.

"You, Mr. Langham, can go wait in line," Coach Myers said before he made it too far, and I bit back a small, amused smirk. "She can do that on her own. Is that understood?"

Bryson bit back a small sigh, and there was a small barely audible growl, but he did what he was told to do and went back with the others.

I placed my stuff down and went back to the starting line where Coach Mallory was waiting. I folded my arms around my chest and rubbed my arm while I waited for them to start what we needed to do.

I could feel someone looking at me from the corner of their eye, but I didn't meet their gaze while I stared at the path in front of me. The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention, but I wasn't fazed by them staring at me.

They wouldn't do anything to me anyway...

Coach Mallory cleared her throat before she looked between me and the person that was looking at me. She set her jaw but didn't say a word while Coach Myers walked over to us.

"Ok, is everyone ready?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yes, Coach Myers," everyone said in unison and nodded, and I answered as well but did it halfheartedly.

"Good, good," he said while he nodded. He looked at me before he looked at everyone else. "Now, everyone is to run up the path to warm up. When you get to the halfway mark turn around and come back this way. You don't have to run the whole path this time. We are going to be doing something different."

I raised an eyebrow in question but didn't say a word.

"What are we doing today?" Gracie asked as she raised her hand in question. "I mean, I thought we were going to run down the path and then do some other stretches and stuff like that."

"We will do that later," Coach Mallory said before she cleared her throat and stood taller. "We want to make sure that everyone is doing what they are needing to do and not goofing around." She gave her a pointed look, and Gracie grinned and stayed silent.

"Ya, Grace Grace," Grayson teased, and we looked at him. He winked teasingly at his sister, and his sister rolled her eyes and scowled. "You and Yaz need to stop talking so much. Some people shouldn't pass you like they do." He looked at me and winked, and I rolled my eyes and scowled but stayed silent.

"We also want to make sure that everyone stays safe," Coach Myers said before he cleared his throat and folded his hands behind his back. He didn't say another word, and worry flashed through his eyes, piquing my interests.

Was there something in the woods that he didn't want us to see?

The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention, and my whole body grew tense.

Was there something out there that caused a few more tree people to come out and play?

I could feel almost twelve of them in the trees around us, watching my back and the backs of the rest of my teammates, but I couldn't understand why...

Were there sightings of Treble around here, or was it something else, something else that was dark and dangerous like him?

I bit the inside of my lip and narrowed my eyes while my whole body grew tense. I didn't say a word while I looked around, trying to see if I couldn't see traces of anything out of the ordinary, but I couldn't pick up on anything.

Bryson stayed silent and walked over to me. He didn't say a word when I glanced at him, and I had a feeling that he knew something was up.

The male that was supposed to be my son in another life looked at me when he felt my gaze on him. He didn't say a word while he smiled, but that smile didn't reach his eyes.

I rolled my eyes and scowled but didn't say a word while I turned my attention back to the coaches.

A loud roar interrupted whatever my coach was going to say, and we flinched and ducked lower to the ground when another roar answered, and my blood went cold because I knew that sound as a memory was awoken inside of me.

Worber...