Crimson Hood

T W E N T Y F O U R

"Are you afraid of heights. How the hell did you get over that wall then?" He asked incredulously once noticing my frequent glances downwards and increase of breath.

"I didn't know until that day," I told him breathlessly. I could see panic begin to rise in him. He didn't know how to handle someone having a panic attack.

"Okay just...calm." His words were disorientated as he spoke. I found it funny and that did make my anxiety lower significantly. Jovanni didn't notice, however.

"Okay, just... Clancy don't drop off okay. It's okay" He touched my shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

"Jovanni maybe you need to calm down," I smirked at him. "I calmed down long ago." His shoulders slumped in relief.

"Don't do that." He warned in a serious tone although I could tell he was joking. "Every werewolf pack has an Alpha which is Enzo. His father was the Alpha before that and so on. Enzo's mother was the Luna which is also known as the Alpha female and works hand in hand with the Alpha to maintain their pack," He explained.

"Why isn't Enzo's mother still the Luna?" He smiled sadly.

"You can't be an Alpha, a strong one at that, without your other half. Enzo's father was before meeting his mom but that can only last for so long before his wolf starts yearning for his mate."

"So, let me get this straight." I stopped him. "You're telling me that I can't be a Luna if Enzo is dead?" He shook his head with his lips in a tight line and his eyes looking forward.

I scoffed. "I'm pretty sure I can lead without Enzo." Even though I knew this statement was more than untrue, I couldn't keep my pride in check for that small moment. If Enzo ever left the responsibilities of his pack with me then I would surely crumble under the pressure and bring the pack down with me.

He didn't remove his eyes from looking forward.

"Be careful what you wish for." He whispered out and casted his eyes downwards. I could sense a deeper meaning behind his words but let it go. The tree branch set us down and I couldn't be happier to feel the soles of my feet touch the dirty soil of the forest. Jovanni stuffed his hands in his pockets and began kicking dirt up with each step he took. I silently strayed behind him in thought.

***

"So how big is his – I mean 'our' pack?" I looked at Jovanni for answers. He finally looked at me and smiled.

"It stretches from the borderline to the bridge that leads up to unclaimed territory up north." My eyes bulged out of my head. His pack is about the size of a Caribbean island.

"The village is located on center grounds." He added in.

"If the pack is that large, that means -,"

"The pack doesn't only consist of werewolves, yes." He cut me off, again! I glowered at him to which I got a sheepish smile in return.

"Sorry." He smiled once again. I took a step forward and felt my feet sink right through the dirt and into a hole I couldn't see. I shrieked, falling forward with my hands flailing trying to grasp onto anything I could reach. Sadly, I couldn't reach anything.

I briefly heard Jovanni shout my name as the pile of leaves covering the ground revealed a deep dark hole that would surely kill me once I reach the bottom.

Before I could fall any further two callous hands grasped onto my wrists stopping me.

I looked up to see Jovanni looking straight down. He was dangling in mid air with two vines holding his feet tightly and his two hands holding onto my wrists.

"And you thought I was a nuisance." He scoffed at that idea.

"No time for banter, pull me up." I could hear the desperation in my own voice and that made me cringe. Have I ever been this desperate before?

The answer is an obvious yes.

Jovanni began rising slowly with me still in his hold. Once my torso was out of the hole he threw me forward and swung down from the vines with his chest puffed out like he was a superhero waiting for his reward.

"You look like a puffer fish when you do that." I pointed out his pushed out chest and smiled at his offended face. He used his hands to cover his chest acting as if he was caught naked and embarrassed.

"I thought you said no banter." He pouted. I shrugged slapping each of his flushed cheeks lightly with both my hands. He moved away.

"That was when I was close to death, I'm fine now." I send him a thumbs up with both my hands. He was still quiet and unresponsive,

"No need to be embarrassed, come along miss's puff." My back was currently facing him but I could just imagine the affronted face he would be displaying right now and judging by his lack of response, I could tell he was embarrassed and offended.

I snuck a peek at his face and couldn't help the loud laugh that slipped from my lips when I saw his face. He had his lips jutted out and his arms crossed over his chest. He looked unimpressed and didn't look directly at me. Well, I guess that's one way of getting him to stop staring at me.

I looked back ahead, staring into the bright yellow sky with content. It was beautiful and momentarily distracted me. It brought me back to the never changing grey and brown skies back on the other side. The smog from the factories would create black toxic clouds that covered up the beautiful sun and the shining moon.

What then caught my eyes knocked me completely out of my basking in the sunlight. I couldn't help but take a fearful step back once I noticed beautiful brown curly hair flapping in the wind as her back was facing us and she seemed oblivious to the people standing behind her, something that Is very dangerous considering you're in this forest.

But recognizing who the hair belonged to was not what got me stepping back. The arm firmly wrapped around her waist who so happened to belong to a tall familiar man that sported the same hair colour and a pickaxe hanging from his waist had me stumbling back, shocked.

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