13
A R Y A
➳
Such a purasu! Fool!
Did he think I couldn't defend myself? That I needed his protection ?
I snorted and walked back and forth on my already trodden path in the middle of the forest. Who did he actually think he was?
My second father? Another man trying to control me? Who thought I couldn't get anything done?
I tore my hair in anger. That was all to go crazy!
“Arya, I missed you.”
Before I could turn around, there were hands around my neck and I was being pinned against a hard bare chest.
“Did you miss me too, huh?” Nzuak's breath brushed the back of my neck and a shiver gripped my limbs.
“What do you think?” My elbow snapped back, but he caught it and gave a dirty laugh.
“I'd have forgotten what a bitch you are.” He then forcibly pressed me against a tree trunk and squeezed harder around my neck - cutting off my air supply. “You will regret having disfigured and degraded me like this in front of everyone!”
'Oh yes, so that's how an honorable warrior fights? Sneaked up and without courage?” I ground out hoarsely, slamming my leg against his crown jewels, but again he saw it coming. He blocked my knee with one of his legs.
“Shut up, bitch! I'll do what I want and you won't stop me.” he snapped.
With my hands around his grip, I tried to loosen them. “We'll see who kills the beast first and defends the tribe.”
Nzuak's face twisted in anger and he came dangerously close to mine. “If you think you can beat me, you're dumber than I thought.”
“Oh yes, Purasu?” As soon as the words left my mouth, his grip loosened and a loud smack echoed through the forest.
Even though he hit me, my head was pounding and my gait wobbled from lack of oxygen, I grinned as I ducked under his hands and circled him. “Tell me, who is really stupid here?”
Nzuak spun around and stared at me, nostrils flared like an angry bull. “You're so dead.”
Then he rushed at me. But this time I was prepared. I dodged his hands, ducked under his kicks, and snapped his jaw as I summoned my powers and the branches twisted around his body. It held him in check for a few seconds and I throw him to the ground.
As soon as I crouched over him to smack him again in the face, he himself used his gift, untying the vegetable bonds around his body and stopping my fist in the air. Then he turned her over with a quick grab and threw me to the ground.
With nimble hands he grabbed mine and held them tight. He clicked dismissively. “It disgusts me how weak you are.”
“No less weak than you.” I hissed and spat right in his face. “Doesn't that sound familiar?”
“Oh yes, believe me and how.” He cracked a dirty grin again. “But this time, you won't get away from me, I promise you.”
“Fuck you!” I reared up again, trying to wriggle out of his grasp when a wolf howl sounded.
Nzuak quickly clamped his hand over my mouth and laid his entire multi-ton weight on top of me. He listened spellbound.
As soon as I realized that my thread under him wasn't working, I changed my strategy in a millisecond and bit his hand.
“You miserable beast!” he hissed. “No one insults my honor.”
Before I realized what the silvery flashes in the moonlight meant, he was up and running in the opposite direction of the howling.
Groaning softly, I grabbed my waist and pressed on the stinging spot as my hand settled on sodden clothing. Teeruk!
I scrambled to my feet, ripped a strip of my undershirt in half and wrapped it around my waist to stop the bleeding. Then I ran.
Beau and Arrow, the two wolves that crossed the border in that part of the territory today, were not to know what had happened. Nzuak was my problem.
With every minute that passed, the veil in front of my eyes became thicker and my gait more unsteady. What a bastard Nzuak was!
As soon as I saw the packhouse I decided to take the back entrance so as not to draw attention. All pack members were certainly in a deep sleep, but I didn't want to take any risks.
I climbed the carpeted stairs and supported myself with my non-bloody hand on the banister. I just had to make it to her room and then I could take care of my wound in peace.
Already a few meters in front of my room, a scream echoed through the corridor. I stopped and looked in the direction of where the sound had come from.
There , another scream. I followed the sound and pushed open the heavy oak door as my body froze.
“NO!” Xenos yelled, tossing and turning on his bed.
As if a switch had been flipped in my head, I rush to his side of the bed. “Xenos, wake up.”
But he didn't hear me. His head, glistening with sweat, tossed from left to right on the pillow while mumbling something unintelligible to himself.
My heart skipped a beat at the tormented sight of him. Gently, then more and more I shook his shoulders. “Xenos, wake up!”
Then, finally, he opened his dark blue eyes.
