The days had been slowly getting easier for Percy and Nico as they learned to cope with their sister being dead. Her death had brought the brothers closer and their bond strengthened as they helped each other through the pain. Percy had gone back with the hunt but swore to Nico he would visit him everyday, he had told Nico everything which made the poor eleven year old stunned. Percy and Zoe had gotten closer as well and Artemis still contemplated on what she should do about their relationship, she could tell that Zoe was also helping Percy get over his grief about Bianca's death and it was working. She would comfort Percy and always be with the brothers when they were mourning over their sister. Burning her shroud was the hardest thing emotionally that Percy had ever been through besides her death, Nico spoke of these plans to resurrect Bianca but Percy told him not to.
"Nico, she's in a better place now. She's only sleeping, she's peaceful now. She won't be plagued with our nightmares anymore, she won't have to worry about monsters anymore. Who are we to wake her up from her dreams?" Percy had said and Nico began to cry again because he knew Percy was right, he just missed Bianca. Percy was not yet immortal like the hunters, Artemis told him that he was possibly the prophesy child and Percy agreed. He would never put that burden on his eleven year old brother, Annabeth had started to hang out with Percy more and they soon became good friends. She was easy to be around but not as easy to be around as with Zoe. Apollo had explained why he had treated Hal Green as he did. He told Percy that Zeus had forced him to do so, Zeus didn't like the thought of Hal saving people with his future telling abilities because Zeus thought that then gods and demigods would try to defeat him and steal his power. Zeus became paranoid and thought that demigods and gods would be able to defeat him with Hal predicting his every move. Apollo then told Percy that he had no choice and followed his father's orders. Percy had then hugged his brother because even though he was bitter with him he had missed Apollo immensely. Thalia had also been there for Percy and occasionally poked fun at him about his moment with Zoe.
"Percy, get ready we're about to leave." Artemis called from Percy's tent. Percy blinked rapidly as he was broken from his thoughts. He threw on his steel toed boots and strapped his golden bow onto his back. His hunting knives were sheathed at his waist and he flipped up his hood, he walked out of his tent and let out a loud whistle. Alpha bounded towards his master excitedly and jumped on him, Percy was expecting this and caught the black wolf easily.
"Gotcha!" He laughed and Alpha rolled his eyes while Percy dropped him,
"Wow boss, you actually didn't fall this time!" He said sarcastically making Percy snort,
"Whatever fuzzball." Alpha glared at Percy with his dark eyes,
"What did you call me?" Percy smirked,
"Are you goin deaf gramps?" Percy asked as he began to speak louder and slower, "I called you a fuzzball." Alpha tried to jumped on Percy who leaned to the right making the wolf catch air. Zoe came out of her tent to see Percy laughing and playing with Alpha, the usual mirth and mischievousness returned in his sea green eyes as he allowed his wolf to tackle him. She was happy to seem him getting better by the day as he slowly got over Bianca's death, it had taken it's toll on Percy and had him to the point were he couldn't sleep. She knew that guilt was eating him alive but was relieved to see him doing better. Once he saw her he gently pushed Alpha off him and made his way over. He stopped in front of her and crushed her into a hug while resting his chin on top of her hair,
"Thanks for being there." He murmured and Zoe hugged him back tightly,
"Your welcome, thanks for saving me from the fates." He chuckled and she smiled, it was good to hear him laugh again. She pulled away momentarily and flipped down his hood so she could see his beautiful eyes, he smiled fondly at her and kissed her forehead. She blushed and he rested his chin on her head again. She snuggled into his chest making him blush as well.
"You've thanked me for that already."
"So?"
"Your welcome, I didn't heal you just so those hags could kill you."
"Have I thanked you for healing me?" She asked and Percy smiled even though she couldn't see it,
"Multiple times, but you honestly don't have to thank me. You helped me with Bianca's death and so many other problems, so thank you." She sighed and looked up at him, he looked down at her and green met black. He rested his forehead against hers and wore a huge grin on his face, the other hunters were currently getting ready for the mission and didn't see Percy or Zoe in that position. Percy leaned in closer and Zoe's heart sped up as he kissed her softly. He was surprised that he had kissed her...again, when was she going to kiss him? He wondered and inwardly laughed at the thought. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as she kissed him harder. He thought he could die happy and suddenly heard loud talking coming from the tents, he quickly pulled away as the hunters walked out. She shot him a grateful look as she tried to make her blush go away, he ran a hand through his hair but stayed by Zoe's side as he fought to keep from grinning like an idiot.
"Let's get a move on ladies!" Artemis hollered and Percy scowled at her, she grinned up at him and pinched his cheek,
"What's wrong little brother? Being one of the girls is something you should be use to." She teased and he smirked down at her,
"Why would you taunt your older brother? I am fourteen and your only twelve." She glared at him and stomped her foot in outrage,
"I'm older!"
"Spoken like a true twelve year old, you know if your looking for a date I'm sure Nico would be interested." Her mouth fell open and she gave Percy a sharp slap to the face, he recoiled and Zoe roared with laughter at Percy's joke and him getting slapped. His face stung and he held his cheek while Artemis turned into a twenty year old,
"First of all males are disgusting, secondly you've been around Apollo to much, thirdly I'm now older and always have been!" She spat and Percy fought to keep from laughing,
"Okay okay, but you do realize you only had to turn fifteen or twenty. You kinda over did it by going into your fifty year old form." he joked as he gestured to her. She looked stunned and then angry, Zoe laughed even harder and before Artemis could kill him Percy pointed behind her and shouted,
"Look! Apollo and Phoebe are making out!" She whirled around in rage,
"WHERE!" She snarled as she looked around frantically, Percy took advantage of her distraction and grabbed Zoe's hand. They ran into the group of fifteen hunters and Percy immediately turned to Phoebe,
"Careful, Artemis thinks your lip lockin with Apollo." Phoebe paled and Zoe smirked,
"Your personal sun!" The two broke into laughter and Phoebe glared at them,
"I am going to kill you two!" She threatened but then Artemis spoke up,
"We are off for the hunt!" She gave Percy a quick glare before the hunters started to travel. They had an important mission to do and they needed to do it quickly, Alpha ran beside Percy and Zoe who were in the lead by Artemis and Thalia. Thalia was still sour about joining the hunt but felt it was better that she had her cousin here. They ran for miles and rarely stopped, the hunters were probably the best trained demigods out there because they practiced speed, endurance, strength, and stealth. Percy liked being with the hunters far more then the campers, the girl campers always flirted with him, mainly Aphrodite and Apollo girls. When the Apollo girls flirted with him it creeped him out because Apollo was his brother and they were his nieces, then again Zeus married his sister Hera. He shivered at the thought and stopped running once Artemis held up a hand. A few feet away there was a large white mansion, the hunters remained hidden in the woods and Percy looked at Artemis,
"What's the plan?" All mirth was gone and replaced with seriousness as he prepped for the mission. Artemis nodded,
"You, Zoe, Phoebe, and Thalia will sneak into the back. I'll go in the front with Lucy, Atlanta, and Georgia. The rest of you will surround the house, no one gets in or out got it?" Everyone nodded and Percy flipped up his hood,
"Okay lets move!" Percy, Zoe, Phoebe, and Thalia snuck to the back of the house. Thalia was up first and easily picked the lock. They crept inside and the smell hit them like a smack in the face. Alcohol stunk up the room and beer bottles littered the ground, it looked as though a train had wrecked the inside. Wall paper was torn off and floor boards were ripped up, beer stains covered what used to be white carpet. Zoe wrinkled her nose in disgust while Phoebe gagged at the smell. Percy looked angry and serious while Thalia looked around as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Percy took lead as Alpha went in a different direction to check to see if it was safe, Percy and his friends slowly walked up the creaky stairs and heard shouting. Percy sprinted and threw the door open to a room. A man stood over a little girl with a fist raised, she looked to be about seven and had sandy blonde hair. Freckles dotted her cheeks and she looked up at the man with fear and she cowered away from the him. He was about to hit her, Percy realized and tackled the man. Zoe went to check on the little girl, Phoebe made her way over to Percy who grabbed the man by his throat and pinned him against the wall,
"Who are you!" he snarled and the man looked at him fearfully, he was large and smelled like beer. His eyes were crazed and bloodshot as he looked around frantically, he looked so familiar and Percy knew who he was instantly.
"Gabe, I'm the girls foster parent." Phoebe looked at Percy's eyes to see them aflame as he began to squeeze the mans neck,
"Gabe? Well isn't this funny, remember me? The boy?" He snarled and Phoebe's eyes widened along with Gabe's,
"Percy?" He started choking and Percy glared at him. He took down his hood and revealed his face,
"Shut up! Why were you hitting her?" Percy had never told them about Gabe.
"Are you still bitter about the times I hit you?" Phoebe, Thalia, and Zoe glared at the man murderously. Percy glared at him and fought to keep the memories of Gabe from resurfacing, Gabe was mean and abusive, physically and mentally. Smacking kids around while telling them how worthless they were because their parents didn't want them. It had taken a large emotional toll on Percy and made him extremely self conscious about himself. He had felt like dirt as Gabe scorned him and hit him repeatedly, he clenched his jaws and glared at the man that made his life awful.
"Tell me you worthless pig, how did you get such a big mansion?" Percy asked menacingly as he loosened his grip on the mans throat. Gabe was scared of Percy's blood red eyes but refused to cooperate with his question,
"That's my business boy! Why don't you tell me how you got back into the foster system? Once you ran away into the big world did people take you in? No, your back here because people are afraid of freaks like you! And what about that one woman, Sally Jackson? She adopted you, people kept breaking into the house and she gave you back because she said you weren't safe at her place. You know the real reason? Your a freak so let me go you worthless boy, did you think you would find your mommy? Well she dumped you here because she didn't want a stupid, worthless, freaky, demon child like you!" Percy was shaking with rage, Sally had returned him because of monsters, he knew she cared for him but she told him that if this kept happening then he could die. Zoe, Phoebe, and Thalia were angry as well. Phoebe was surrounded in a red aura, Thalia's hands cackled with electricity, while Zoe ran up to the man and rammed a dagger in his shoulder.
"What are you doing!" Percy yelled as Gabe screamed in pain. Zoe was surprised his anger was now directed at her,
"This man needs to suffer, for everything he has done to you and the little girl!" She snarled, she was angry that Gabe had done those things to Percy and that he had spoken so harshly to her best friend? She wasn't sure what he was anymore.
"No! I will not stoop to this pigs level and torture him! My mother is Hestia and I do not agree with such actions, he will get his torture in the fields of punishment. I have taken part in the tortures we have given other men and its awaken a very dark persona in me, not that I mind it. But I will see him in the fields of punishment for justice will be served by my father and him alone." He quickly snapped the mans neck and Zoe looked at him in surprise. Percy smiled sadistically at Gabe,
"I will enjoy seeing your justice served in the fields of punishment you worm." He whispered and he looked at the girl to see her cowering in the corner. He slowly approached her and she flinched. He sat by her and leaned against the wall,
"I've been bullied by Gabe too." he whispered and she looked at him with wide blue eyes,
"Really? He's a big meaner! But you killed him!" She looked fearful and Percy realized that she was a child of Hermes.
"I only did it to protect you, his death was fast." She smiled at him timidly and gave him a hug,
"Thank you, my names Grace! What's your name?" He hugged her back and smiled,
"My name is sir awesome!" She pulled away and looked up at him with a look of confusion.
"That's a weird name." Percy laughed and Thalia rolled her eyes, Zoe and Phoebe were still surprised that Percy had handle the situation in such a calm manner.
"This idiots name is Percy, it's certainly no sir awesome." Grace looked at both of them wide eyed,
"Wow! She's a meaner too! Why is she wearing a crown? Is she a princess?" Percy boomed with laughter and Thalia scowled, Phoebe nodded in agreement of Thalia being a meaner while Zoe made her way over to the two. She sat beside them along with Phoebe and Thalia, Percy began to explain about the gods and showed her his fire powers, he told her how her father was Hermes. She was stunned and Artemis and the hunters came into the room with. Their knives were covered in blood and Artemis smiled wickedly,
"Sorry we're late, we just finished a poker game." The hunters grinned as well as they thought of how they crashed the males poker game. Grace cowered into Percy's side and he wrapped an arm around her,
"It's okay Grace, this is lady Artemis, she's my sister. She wants to know if you'll join our family in the hunt." She smiled shyly at her and Artemis looked over at Gabe's body,
"Did he suffer?" Percy shook his head and picked up Grace. She wrapped her arms around him and Artemis looked a bit angry,
"You gave him a swift death?!" Percy ignored her and Thalia nodded as she explained the situation, Grace clung to Percy as he exited the room.
"I wanna join the hunt!" She cheered and Percy chuckled, the hunt followed the two and Zoe walked beside them, Grace smiled at her.
"Are you Percy's girlfriend? Your very pretty." There was complete silence, Percy and Zoe's faces were cherry red as the awkward silence surrounded the hunters. Zoe thought of the kiss she and Percy had hours ago, did he think of her as a girlfriend? Percy smiled at Zoe and whispered quietly to Grace so that no other hunters could hear,
"I guess you could say that." Zoe heard and flashed him a smile before grabbing his hand, there was a loud gasp but they ignored the other hunters, together with Grace they walked out of the mansion and went back to the hunters camp.
"Zoe, I'm going to visit Nico wanna come?" Percy asked as he gently set down Grace. They had returned at the hunters camp and Percy was about to make his daily visit to see his brother. Percy was nervous at the prospect of having another little sister, what if he failed her too? Zoe nodded and took his hand again, he smiled at her and they became engulfed in shadows. They reappeared in the Hermes cabin to see Nico looking at pictures of himself, Percy, and Bianca again. Nico sat up once he saw his brother and gave him a hug, Zoe smiled at the two. Percy pulled away and gestured to Zoe,
"Guess who got a girlfriend?" Nico looked at her in horror and uncomfortableness. Zoe mouth fell open once she realized what he was thinking, Percy started laughing and closed her mouth.
"Calm down bro, I got a girlfriend!" Nico looked relieved and let out a huge sigh,
"Thank goodness." Zoe glared at him and Percy gave her a kiss on the cheek, she blushed and fixed her glare on him,
"Stop distracting me!" He gaped at her and Nico snickered,
"What did I do!"
"Uhh...never mind." She decided not to tell him about the affect he had on her. He rolled his eyes and flicked Nico in the ear. He yelped and took a light swing at Percy's shoulder. He then looked between Zoe and Percy in shock,
"You got a date with an eternal maiden!" Zoe narrowed her eyes while Percy chuckled at how Nico just put the pieces together,
"And you better keep it a secret!" She hissed and looked ready to throttle him, Nico paled and nodded vigorously before turning to Percy,
"Artemis is gonna kill you." Percy hung his head,
"I know." The three walked out of the cabin and Annabeth came up to them excitedly,
"Hey Perce, Nico, Zoe." She greeted before slinging an arm around Percy's shoulder. He chuckled and bent his knees so he was her height which made her laugh. Zoe didn't like how close Annabeth was with Percy, she didn't care if they were good friends but the blonde always seemed to be at a close proximity with her boyfriend. Zoe kinda liked hearing that, boyfriend, Percy's her boyfriend and she's his girlfriend. The friends usually walked around aimlessly while chatting,
"Hi Percy!" A girl called and winked at him flirtatiously. Oblivious to her flirting he winked back playfully only thinking she was messing around. Zoe saw this and glared at him murderously while the girl giggled and kept walking. Another girl walked by slyly touched his arm,
"Hey." He smiled at her politely but didn't understand why she was touching him,
"Hello." Nico saw this and laughed at Zoe's look of jealousy. She was fuming as Percy smiled and had short conversations with girls who flirted shamelessly with him, Annabeth rolled her eyes and Zoe's eye began to twitch. Drew came up to Percy and touched his grey hair,
"I like it, shows how strong you are." She gave his muscles a squeeze and Percy moved away from her,
"Uh...thanks." She kissed his cheek before sashaying away,
"See ya later Perce." He frowned and wiped off her lipstick from his cheek, Annabeth was glaring after her while Zoe clenched her fist in anger and jealousy. Nico being eleven decided to antagonize the situation,
"Percy you dog! Man those girls are really into you!" Nico laughed at Percy's look of panic before Zoe snatched him by the ear and stomped him away from Nico and Annabeth who stood there in confusion. He yelped as his ear was tugged on and hunched over so the pain would lessen. Once they were away from the two she let him go and glared at him,
"Stop flirting!"
"Flirting?" He rubbed his ear and gently massaged it.
"Yes! You are flirting with those girls and I saw you wink at one of them!" Percy raised his eyebrows in surprise, Zoe was beyond angry, she was furious.
"I winked because I thought she was messing around!"
"No one could be that oblivious!"
"Uh, have you met me? I swear on the Styx's that I didn't know those girls, besides Drew, were flirting with me." Thunder rumbled and Zoe seemed to calm down a bit before she yelled at him again,
"My gods! How are you so dense!" She continued her rant as Percy wondered what would happen if they got married, she would nag you to death but you'd still love her. He knew that was true and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead,
"I'm sorry I'm so stupid." She blushed but nodded,
"Apology accepted." They made their way back to Nico and Annabeth,
"What was that about?" She asked and Percy chuckled,
"She wanted my opinion on girls, I told her that their awesome but don't make very good wives." As if rehearsed they smacked him upside the head at the same time. Nico laughed before Zoe smacked his head as well,
"Boys." The brothers pouted before rolling their eyes,
"Girls."
And what do you think? I'm so sorry forgot updating in a while I've been grounded and dealing with school and stupid annoying human beings. Please comment below about what you guys thought about this update.
The Wolves Are Prowling Tonight!