As we headed back to the village, I felt my heart racing in my chest. I was still in shock from the encounter and my body was aching from the impact of the beast. I could see the concern in Knox's and Xander's eyes as they looked at me, and I was thankful for their support. The forest was filled with the sounds of animals and the wind rustling through the trees, but I was too focused on the events that had just transpired. I had finally seen the beast, and that thing was gigantic. Finn was right, the size of a grizzly bear in a wolf's body. I have never seen or even heard of anything like this,...it was indescribable. Almost insane in a sense. As we reached the village, I could feel my body relax as my adrenaline dissipated. I was relieved to be back in a familiar place.
However, that peaceful feeling disappeared when I heard an angry cry of my name, "Adelaide!"
Knox, Xander and I turned around to see Daniel. He was storming towards us with a violent look in his eye, fist tightened against his side. My eyes were filled with confusion as I asked gently, "Oh, Daniel? What's the matter?"
"What are you doing with them?", he asked me as if the two men behind me didn't exist at that moment. However, Daniel's voice seemed to tick off the men as Knox stepped toward him saying darkly, "Excuse me?"
I stepped in quickly between the two men and with a worried tone said, "They're helping me with a few things". The last thing I needed was them fighting as we were all on the same team here.
Daniel looked at me with disgust before hissing out, "You could've asked me, not these doobers". His words seemed to bounce off Xander and Knox as they both laughed at him, gazing down at his shorter figure before Xander muttered quietly with a smirk, "I think you need to back off mate"
"You'd chose them over me Addy?", Daniel's voice was coated in jealousy as he hissed out his question, his eyes darting back and forth between the two men and me. He seemed to be holding in his anger, his fists tightening as he spoke.
My voice faltered as the question threw me off, "I-They offered to help. Who I am to throw away valuable hands?"
Daniel was about to reach out for me, but before he could, Xander stepped in between us, blocking his way. His eyes were blazing with anger, but he held his ground and refused to back down. His arms were crossed in front of him in a protective stance as if daring Daniel to come closer. His voice was low and menacing as he said with a dark smile, "Ah, ah, ah. Don't touch her"
I saw Knox step beside Xander, blocking us fully from Daniel as he said with a dark chuckle, "Run along, boy"
Daniel began to mumble under his breath as he pushed past Knox and Xander, heading towards Franky's Tavern. His face was red and he was breathing heavily, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He was obviously angry but seemed to be trying to contain his emotions. Despite his apparent rage, he kept walking towards the tavern, his shoulders tense and his jaw clenched.
"Well that was something", I mutter looking at the men with a raised brow. All this 'alpha male' shit was pissing me off however I had to admit it was very attractive seeing them stand up for me.
"Cheeky bastard", Xander laughed out while Knox still watched Daniel walk away in the distance before asking, "You call that thing a friend?"
"Was. We were friends before, but something got in the way of that. Don't mind him, he's harmless", I explained to them before walking towards the tavern hiking up my gun on my shoulder. For some reason, I didn't want to tell them that Daniel had feelings for me, which pushed me away from our friendship. I had only seen Daniel as a friend, there were no feelings for him that had ever transpired. So in the end when I began to notice, I stepped away from our companionship. I could hear Knox hum while they shared a few looks making me sigh.
"You coming? Boys?" I said with a cheeky smile emphasizing the word 'boys' making them both smile wickedly and laugh out.
"Anything for you milady", Xander answers with a fake tip of the hat beginning to walk with me and Knox following.
We all began to walk towards the tavern, the sun beginning to set in the sky, casting a beautiful orange hue across the landscape. The wind rustled through our hair as we walked, and I could feel the tension in the air dissipating as the two men next to me shared a laugh. We walked silently for a few moments, the sound of our footsteps the only thing that broke the tranquillity of the evening. The sky was gradually turning a deep blue as the sun disappeared below the horizon, and I could feel the cool night air beginning to fill the air. As we entered the tavern, it was filled with a large number of men from the village. They were all armed with various weapons, their faces determined as they discussed the plan to hunt down the beast. Some of them greeted us warmly, while others nodded in acknowledgment. The atmosphere was tense, and the tension was palpable as everyone prepared to take on the beast. I could feel the determination in the air, and the sense of camaraderie as all these men worked together to protect the village from the threat.
"Addy!", I heard a deep Irish voice calling me from the crowd as I saw Franky at the head of a table standing around a map. I nodded at him with a smile looking back to Xander and Knox ushering them to follow me.
Familiar faces rounded the table, Sam, Mattew and Daniel being those as well as Finn's older brother. Daniel was talking hushedly to Mattew, eyeing the men following behind me.
"Alright, I believe that's everyone. Come on men, round the table!", Franky yelled in a piercing tone making all the men around the bar come in closer to the large table. A few murmurs and mutters were heard as I stepped forward, however, I just tried to not let them get to me. Things about women, and how they should all be home tonight. But it didn't matter-
"So you're really lettin her in on this", Daniel spoke out with a hiss to Franky. His words seemed to cause other men to raise their voices slightly talking about my involvement in the matter.
"She knows the risk, I cannot stop her", Franky said with a grim tone but I was thankful he wouldn't fight me any longer on this. I sighed and said loudly out to the group, "I saw the beast".
Heads all around the table flew to look at me, eyes widened and questions began to be yelled towards me. Knox raised his hand to silence the group the loud noise had stopped my words before I began my story once again.
I explained loudly scanning the group, "The three of us had gone back up to my cottage to grab a few things, the beast had passed the window and we-we ran after it". I lied slightly, I didn't need a reason for Daniel to tell me I was impulsive and couldn't go on the hunt.
I muttered, "When I ran after it, it threw me to the ground with its back end. I need to tell everyone that this isn't a normal wolf, the thing I saw...
"It was truly a beast", I said slowly.
Silence fell over the group as they took in my words, making Franky say sincerely, "If any of yea want to back out, there is no shame in it. I know lots of you have family waiting for you". Two men had stepped away, apologizing before leaving the tavern to go back to their warm and inviting homes.
Franky cleared his throat before saying, "Alright gentlemen, I believe we have made a plan".
Mattew explains to everyone, "We will split up into three groups, flank A will be in the front. Flank B and C to the left and right so we form a long triangle as we walk. I have a list of names that will show you where you are in the groups."
"What does everyone think?", Franky asked loudly.
Nods of heads while I get passed the list, Knox and Xander peeking over my shoulder.
Great.
I wasn't in either Knox's or Xander's group. However, I was with Daniel. Something told me he had some influence in this group. I could see Xander was in a group with Franky and Sam, making me turn around to him whispering to him, "Keep them safe if you can".
Xander nodded to me with a stern face, as I turned back to look at the group. My eyes catch Daniels, but I can feel an arm being placed on my waist to my right where Knox is standing. It was as if Daniel's eyes had turned from admiration of me to disgust as his eyes fell down to Knox's hand.
"Alright, let us head out men and lass", Franky said eyeing me with a smile which I return.
Daniel began to walk by us three and muttered loudly, "Lets hope there are no distractions from you two".
"You want to go again mate?", Xander asked with a malicious smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. The veins in his arms popped out against his muscles making my head spin. I pinched the bridge of my nose as I was fed up with Daniel's anger so I hissed out, "Knock it off, Daniel"
"You side with them?", Daniel asked me with a baffled tone making me laugh at him before yelling, "You're starting bullshit that doesn't need to happen, especially now"
"I think you should listen to the woman", Knox said with a mischievous smile lacing his lips.
"Why you-", Daniel lunged at Knox, his fist raised, but before he could make contact, Franky stepped in and grabbed him, throwing him forward with a loud thud. His face was red with rage, but he was held back by Franky's strong grip. The tense atmosphere of the room was palpable and all eyes were on Daniel, who was visibly shaking with anger.
"Get a move on Daniel", Franky said as he pushed the angry boy towards the door while I watched in shock.
I mutter turning to the men while hanging on to the shotgun strung across my body, "I guess this is it". The men smiled at me lightly, Xander stepped closer grabbing my chin in his to look up at them while he asked, "Will you be alright?"
"I have to be", I sigh out with a sad smile.
Knox came closer to us, grabbing my waist in his hand as he demanded, "If anything goes wrong, you call out to us? You got it? We will come". This was a different side of Knox I hadn't seen before, he was so stern and authoritative which threw me off slightly. But I could only imagine what we were getting ourselves into right now.
"I will, I promise", I said clearly with a small smile. And I meant it, as I never break the promises I make.
Especially the promise I made at my mother's grave to kill the beast; which will happen tonight.
_____
Thoughts on the chapter?
Will Adelaide keep her promise of killing the beast?
Is Daniel getting on your nerves yet?