Nature is not a place to visit 37

Chapter 37
*“Hey, even the Mona Lisa is falling apart.”*
*Chuck Palahniuk*
“I can’t wait for you to see my home, little wolf. The mountains are majestic – I’ve never encountered anything like them
in this world.”
“And you’re sure –” I paused to catch my breath. “It’ll still be there?”
I took another long swallow of oxygen, trying to pretend as if the hours of walking hadn’t left my muscles screaming.
Technically, we’d been hiking for almost two days, but we stopped to rest, sleep, and eat at night.
*Really, I’m the one in need of some rest and sleep. Ambrose doesn’t seem the least bit worn down by all the walking.*
Ambrose glanced back at me. “Do you need another break, little wolf? There is no rush.” Even as he said it, I could tell
how excited he was to go home – wherever home was. I’d lost track of our whereabouts nearly a day ago.
My cheeks burned in embarrassment as I nodded. I found a nearby tree trunk to lean against. We were still in the forest,
but it looked a lot less like the one I was used to. Large oak trees and lush vegetation had turned into thin, tall Alpine
trees and rocky cliffs. The high altitude certainly didn’t help me catch my breath either.
Ambrose never complained about having to take a break or rest, but I tried to push through as much as I could.
The physical ache in my muscles kept me from thinking about the ache in my heart, the one that came from having to
leave behind my friends and family. If I stayed in my head for more than a moment, the expression on Rae and Hudson’s
faces when I told them I was leaving would play on repeat.
And if I tried to avoid thinking about them, I’d only end up thinking about the rest of the pack – how heartbroken they
looked when they learned that I was moving on. People like Marcus and Mrs. Butters had wished me well, but I could see
they were dejected that I wouldn’t be joining them in the Blood Moon territory.
*But it’s for the best*, I reminded myself.
Ambrose handed me a bottle of water I’d packed for us before we left. I took it without hesitation and started taking
large gulps.
“To answer your question,” he started, “I built my home to last the test of time. Some wear and tear are to be expected –
it’s been over a thousand years, of course, but I know it’ll still be standing.” He peered off into the distance like he might
be able to spot it if he looked far enough.
Maybe he could – his eyesight was far better than mine.
“I’m sure it will,” I told him, handing back the water bottle.
*If Greek and Roman ruins can stand the test of time, then surely, Ambrose’s home could too, right?* 🎑🎑🎑
Three hours later and I’d given up on walking and asked Ambrose to give me a piggyback ride. Not that he’d known
what a piggyback ride was, but he’d understood the basic concept.
Without me slowing us down, we made faster progress.
I was even starting to drift off under the warmth of the sun when –
“We’re here.”
The excitement in his tone jolted me completely awake.
*We made it?*
I expected to find some sort of house or mansion when I opened my eyes, but instead, we were standing on the edge of
a mountainous cliff. Had it not been for Ambrose’s tight grip on my thighs, the height – which must’ve been at least
hundreds of feet down – would’ve made me nauseous.
“Uh, Ambrose?” I finally asked. “Where is here?”
He didn’t bother turning around to look at me as he slid me off his back and took my hand in his. “Well, not here
exactly,” he said, and then he pointed off into the distance. My gaze followed the direction of his finger and I gasped.
“There. That’s my home.”
*Holy shit.*
There, tucked into a layer of fog and clouds, stood the largest temple I’d ever seen in my life. I wasn’t even sure that
“temple” was the right word for it – it looked more like a castle than a temple.
I suddenly realized why we had to travel so far up. Ambrose’s home wasn’t just in the mountains – it was built into one. It
looked like someone had taken a giant chisel and carved a castle into the face of the rocks.
*Mount Rushmore should take a few notes.*
Even through the fog, I could make out tall towers and turrets peeking out from the clouds. A large blue gate stood at
the foot of the mountain, and from it, a steep path had been carved into the rocky cliffs leading up to the rest of the
temple.
Ambrose had been right. He had built this place to last.
“It’s gorgeous,” I murmured.
I glanced at him, and my heart started pounding in my chest.
Ambrose’s face was stretched into a wide, beautiful smile as he took in the sight of his home. His happiness was
infectious – I could feel a smile forming on my own face.
“Yes, it is,” he said, and he finally turned to look at me. His multi-colored eyes were practically dancing with joy. “You
have no idea how much it means that I get to share this moment with you, little wolf.”
“It means a lot to me too,” I said, “To see something of yours, to learn about you…it’s all I’ve wanted since I pulled you
out of that tomb.”
If Ambrose was a puzzle, then finding his home felt like sliding another piece into place.
He leaned down to kiss me. It was short and sweet but I could almost taste the excitement on his lips. When he pulled
back, he said, “Come. I have so much to show you, little wolf.” He grabbed hold of my hand.
As contagious as Ambrose’s joy felt, there was a pit in my stomach that I couldn’t shake as we started our descent
toward the base of the mountain.