His words hit me like a wall of rocks.
"Avery, please, just listen." He says, placing a hand on my back.
I slap his arm away. The ground is cold, chilling my small body further. Dex is crouching in front of me, his eyes burning into mine. Those eyes, they've always captivated me. From the moment I fell for them to the day I resented them.
Nothing made sense, nothing ever made sense anymore. My life had become a mess of lies and confusion. Alex was the main source of my pain. But my life was never a pretty one. With the death of my family members and the constant heartbreak, it has always been hard to be me. Alex was supposed to be different. He was supposed to fix everything. For a moment, he was. For just a moment, things looked like they wouldn't turn out so bad after all.
It didn't last. He wasn't different, and my fears came true. The classic that had happened over and over. Him turning to be the same, no different than the others. It had become a pattern. I was always so foolish, I allowed myself to be hurt. It should've came to no surprise when he did it.
But it wasn't quite the same. It was worse. Who would've thought it would ever get to this point?
I hated him, of that I was certain. Everything that had happened, everything that led up to this point was building up to this. Tears well up in my eyes, but I didn't dare let one fall.
I can't bring myself to look at him. He was the one that caused my curse, but the curse turned out to be the only thing in the world I had, and now it's gone.
Alex is close enough to where I can feel his breaths brushing my face. Still, I look down. There's nothing I can do. I'm nothing but human now. If I try anything, they'll probably kill me. But not without a fight.
Judging from the next thing he says, he must of picked up on my fragility.
"I'm not going to hurt you. If you'll just give me a chance--"
"Why would I listen to anything you have to say?" I cut him off, anger flooding my thoughts.
Whatever he's trying to say, I'm not going to listen to a word of it. He seems to think he's doing me a favor by taking away the wolf, but he must know how mistaken he is. I would bet he himself treasures his wolf.
I wanted to scream and cry, I wanted to yell at him for how much he destroyed me. But I had to stay strong, I couldn't let him know how weak I was, how much he had gotten to me. But I did want to know why, and I wanted to know how he did this to me.
"I didn't think it was possible." My voice cracks. "You took away my soul. How?" I let my gaze catch his, surprised by the sympathy in his eyes.
A hot tear streams down my cheek.
He's silent, taking in my face as if searching for something. He licks his lips, then stands up. He turns around, staring at something, I follow his gaze to the door. He seems ruffled, as if my question shook him. This place was completely unfamiliar, but I had a nagging feeling it was the house Alex was in earlier. I was in a bedroom, and judging by the clothes on the countertops, it was Alex's room. I notice myself shivering and hold on to my knees.
Dex exits the room after someone shouts his name, leaving me alone with my own thoughts. So many strange things had been going on lately, it must be because of him. That day I woke up with a dead arm, and the scents that had carried through the air. Somehow I know it was connected to him.
Hayden.
Sudden worry courses through me as I remember my only friend's appearance that night just before I blacked out. There was no telling what happened that night, or why she was there. I had assumed she was coming to check on me, but with the latest turn of events it had become apparent that something else was going on.
I try to get up, but with every inch that I move my fragile body feels like it's going to shatter. My arm doesn't hurt quite as much, but the jolts of pain still leave me breathless. I scan the room, trying to get up. Clothes are scattered about, and the dim lighting makes it hard to distinguish anything with my now average senses. Groaning, I stand to my feet.
Alex's voice, along with the man's, shout back and forth from outside the room. It's surprising that they would trust to leave me here alone, but then again, they know I'm just a weak mortal.
I scramble to the bed, keeping the tender arm close to me. The sound of glass shattering causes me to flinch, sending more pain through me. I squeeze my eyes shut, whimpering through grit teeth. It's the first time I've ever broken a bone. If I still had the wolf, it would be no problem. But now, there's no telling if it'll ever heal or if my arm will ever be of use again.
What do humans do with a broken limb? I think. Oh, they put it in a cast!
I glance around the room. There's no way I'm gonna find one of those here, but something has to be done about this break. A gasp escapes my lips as I take in the sight of my arm. It's swollen a significant amount, and is purple and green in color. The bone bulges under my skin, creating an unsightly bump. It doesn't help that it's my right one, which is my writing arm.
More sounds emerge from the door, shouting and stomping. They're heading over here. I sit on the bed, holding the fractured limb close to me protectively. There's nothing I can do, obviously. But they don't know that. Alex knows I'm different, he's seen it. He knows to some extent of our differences, I could milk them. If I could just put on a front, say the right things, that might scare him into letting me go.
Alex stumbles into the room, looking flustered. He's holding something in his hands. Out of habit, I bare my teeth. The object appears to be a container of some sort. I peer at it through wary eyes, trying to make out its contents.
"It sure is gloomy in here, huh?" Dex chuckles as he turns to the switch, flicking on the bulb. I just glare at him.
He comes close to the bed and, despite my warning growls, sits next to me. His eyes widen as he catches sight of my arm and he curses under his breath.
"I'm so sorry about Ray. Really, I am. I wish he wouldn't have done that to you." His eyes sparkle with sadness.
Our gazes are locked for a moment, then I look down.
"I don't need your sympathy. So fuck off." I say, just above a whisper. "Listen Dex, you and I both know who's the superior. And if you don't let me go, you're gonna taste it." I hiss.
The air between us is tense, the only sound being that of our breathing.
"I don't believe you," He says, chuckling. "you would've done it already."
Ugh. That was always Alex, Mr. Know-It-All, moxy and smartass. There's probably no point in trying to fool him, he knows what he did to me. I don't. The hollow shell that is me can't stand up to him anymore. Normally, I'd fight. I would never give in. But now, there seems to be no point in fighting anymore. I just want to be given me back what's mine. My eyes fill with tears once again and I take in a deep breath.
Alex must see this, he tries to comfort me. "So, uh, to answer your question from earlier--" He hesitates, looking down at the container. "I thought I was doing you a favor, but I can see now it's the curse that made you all but broken." He says.
My body is quivering as I take in his words. For a moment, it doesn't make the smallest bit of sense. The curse was all I had, and I have no idea where the wolf went or why it left me. Alex is talking like he's got the wolf in a jar.
Wait...
I gasp, looking at the container that Dex holds firmly in his hands. Inside, black mist swishes around, revolving like a tornado. I squint my eyes, catching sight of teeth, hearing it's roar call to me, linking to my very being.
It's my soul.
In there, he has is. The wolf. I stare at in in horror, trying to speak but to no avail. Alex must notice this, because he quickly rises from the bed and takes a few steps back. He hugs the container to his body protectively, giving me a warning look.
"G-give it to me!" I demand, desperation in my voice. My body aches for the wolf, to feel its presence, to take it's form. Hot tears travel down my cheeks as I cry out for it, watching as it tries to escape from its prison. Dex just looks on, face full of confusion.
My hand touches something cold under the pillow. Without taking my eyes off Alex, I grab it. It's a knife. I gather myself, thinking up a plan to get at the container. I need it, I'll stop at nothing to get it back. Before I'm able to do anything, Dex speaks.
"Listen, before you say anything, give me a chance to explain." He says.
I stay silent.
"I removed your wolf and put it in here." He pauses.
Removed? I blink. How did he take away the wolf? What force on earth would be capable of doing that? I need it back, no matter the cost.
"You are obviously a little angry with me."
I scoff. He has no clue. All I want is to taste his blood. I contemplate on saying something, but decide against it in order to hear what he's trying to say.
"I had no choice but to take it, plus from the way you talked about it I thought you wanted it gone." He shrugs his shoulders, looking down at the object in his arms.
He's lying.
"But I know how I'd feel if I lost my wolf." He places a hand on his chest.
His wolf. Right. He can shift, but the origin of his capabilites still remains a mystery to me. And I don't trust him to be honest about it or anything else. It makes me wonder if that man, Ray, can shift as well. Or if there are any out there like us. I consider asking him, but decide not to.
"It's simple Avery. You follow the rules, you get your wolfy back." He says, then waits for my response.
Again with the rules. I guess he was being serious when he mentioned it earlier. He really expects me to follow his little laws after all. The thought sends me into a rage.
"I'm just trying to protect you Avery, please understand." He pleads, taking a step forward. "Just promise you'll listen and you'll cool down on trying to kill me. Then you can have it back." His words flow through my thoughts.
Sounds like he's trying to make a bargain, but does he really think it's that easy? I will never stop trying to crush his windpipe. I meet his eyes, which look genuine. He nods at me, expectant of my agreement.
It's not going to be that easy to overpower me.
"Uhm, can you help me up?" I ask innocently.
He nods, smiling. He walks towards me, outstretching his empty hand.
You see, I'm a monster. I lack convention and rationality. You can take away the wolf, but you'll never take away my spirit.
Alex reaches me and drapes his arm around me.
I don't play to get even. I play to win.
I plunge the knife into Alex's side, and both of our screams fill the air. He releases the object containing the wolf, grabbing at my hand and the knife. I smile devilishly, staring straight into his eyes, enjoying the agony they conveyed.
The container shatters against the floor, causing an orchestra of howls to fill the air. I release the knife, letting Alex fall to the floor. The howls are almost deafening as the black mist grows, swirling around me. The lights flicker on and off, then turn off completely. I stand in the middle of a black vortex, calling to the wolf.
The spirit manifests in front of me. Two eyes as deep as an abyss. My breath hitches as it takes ahold of me, freezing my body in a vice. It opens my mouth. Endless black mist travels in and my body buckles under its power. Jolts of electricity travel through my veins and coldness seizes my body, chilling me to my core.
I collapse to the floor as the last of it enters my body, feeling as if I've been turned inside out. Waves of fresh adrenaline pump through me. I gasp at the ferocity of the beast, feeling the royal instincts radiate inside me. The wolf returns to its spot right at my core, ready to spring into action whenever I summon it. I shout with victory, the wolf rejoicing as well.
My skin prickles, electricity rolling over my body. My arm is completely healed. Feeling rejuvenated, I laugh. All my power has been regained, the wolf returned to its rightful place. Never have I been happier to feel its presence. Alex truly underestimated me, and he's going to pay.
He thought he could humiliate me, take away everything. Think again. My wolf and I, we can't be seperate. It is me and I am it.
I walk over to Alex, who is squirming on the floor. I crouch down, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him closer. He groans weakly, a hand grasping his bloody side. His face is twisted with agony, eyes pleading. He's not as strong as me, and he can't heal himself like I can. Plus, judging from the amount of trust Ray has in me, I'm betting that knife was no ordinary knife, but a silver one.
Power ripples in my muscles, I feel it as I grasp the weak boy. My gaze burns into his. "Any last words?" I sneer.
Before either of us can say anything, the door swings open. Ray charges in, followed by a woman. I stand up, snarling. They look at me, then down at Alex, eyes wide with horror. The woman pulls a knife, undoubtedly silver. She shoves past Ray, lunging towards me.
"Holly, no! She's got a bond!" The man shouts, reaching after her.
It's too late, she's already within striking distance. My insides boil, the fire sparked inside me. Quick as light, I dodge the knife and turn to her. I seize her neck, lifting her from the ground effortlessly and causing her to drop the knife. She fights me, kicking at me and grasping my arm. The man shouts, stepping towards us.
"Don't move!" I command. "Or I'll snap her neck like a toothpick." I snarl, ignoring the woman's desperate clawing.
He does as I say and freezes in his tracks, raising his hands. "Please, just let her go. Don't hurt her!" He begs.
"Why not?" I challenge.
"You have to understand. We're not your enemies."
I frown at him.
"There are people out there, that are your enemies. That will not hesitate to kill you. If we wanted you dead, we would've done it already."
I blink. The woman continues to fight me, slightly choking.
"Everything you think you know, is wrong." He speaks with purpose, eyes full of intensity.
"Alex didn't leave you. He was taken away."
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A/N
Woahz! I just love this chapter so much, haha. I've been feeling super inspired lately, and I've whipped out chapters super fast. This one got posted early because I just couldn't wait to publish it. I literally wrote it in like two nights. Don't expect updates every two days though, the rest will probably be posted on Mondays. Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you liked it & please vote and comment for the next chapter.!
-Mothflight