The days got better.
Marilyn came out of her strange-coma-thing after two days. She wasn't exactly in tip-top shape, though. It took about a week after waking up for her to actually tie up with Bolton in one of their one on one matches.
In that time, Bolton and Kieran were on constant 'perimeter runs' as they call it, so it was my job to take care of Marilyn as she healed. I just think it was Kieran's excuse to keep me inside of the house.
After our chat in the bedroom, he left to go deal with the dead girl on the floor while Bolton kept an extremely close eye on me the rest of the day.
I did not bother asking what he did with the body or where he put it. I was just glad it was gone.
In all honesty, Bolton wasn't that bad. He was a lot more gentle than Marilyn and Kieran. He seemed more human.
I didn't feel like I was talking to the human form of death or chaos every second. I'll let you decide who is who on that one.
Bolton could sit and have a casual conversation without turning it into an interrogation or a lecture about how the safety on a hand gun is a no-no. He smiled a lot, and he really seemed to care about how I felt as of now. Although, a small part of me thinks he only wanted to know so he could tell Kieran, the stoic ogre; man of no emotion, what I said later.
Strangely though, Marilyn had become what Kieran said she would. After Marilyn recovered from her wounds and regained full health, she promised Kieran that she would spar with me since he seemed to have an issue with hurting me. He was definitely not okay with it, but after another attack two weeks after the first one, he agreed hastily knowing I would need the protection.
I for one was not exactly pleased.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for girl power and being a strong, independent woman, but after the quarrel I had with Lava Girl in the house, fighting off blood-thirsty wolves was definitely not on my top ten things to do in 2044. Not by a long shot.
But I knew that if I had any chance of actually learning what I am, then this would probably be the closest thing to it. Learning to fight and be a part of the whole werewolf community seemed important since it seems like it's all these creatures do.
But as I said, Marilyn had become almost like a sister to me. We still didn't exactly love each other unconditionally and share little secrets about boys and paint our nails together, but we did get closer. We protected each other. She looked out for me when Kieran wasn't around and helped me with training as much as possible.
"Arden, how are you going to be ready for a surprise attack when you can't even duck from a punch," Marilyn grumbled launching a kicking to my stomach making me hunch over. She raised her leg again but I grabbed it, twisting her leg to the side making her roll to the ground.
She had a quick recovery, though, much to my displeasure. She rolled backward landing back on her feet getting right back into attack position. I slowly straightened up with my hand on my stomach.
"I feel like my kidneys just exploded within me," I groaned. She laughed and then launched herself at me.
Her fist came just mere centimeters from my head before I ducked and used my shoulder to basically bulldoze her backward. She let out an 'oomph' as I pushed her until we hit a tree. I heard her head hit the tree followed by a groan.
"Damn, this isn't football," she said a bit breathless. Seconds later, her knee was brought up hitting me directly in my stomach once again.
A short cry left my lips as I fell backward. I didn't even try to stay up. I just fell flat on my back gasping for air in a large amount of pain.
I heard Marilyn's footsteps as she made her way toward me. They stopped when her head popped into my vision surrounded by a blue sky. She was looking down at me.
"Is it comfy down there?" Marilyn joked with a small smile playing on her lips.
"Comfier than your knee imbedded in my stomach," I growled out, short of breath. She laughed loudly and held out her hand for me to take.
"C'mon kid." I looked at her and thought of all the energy I was going to have to muster up to actually get up and go again.
"I don't think I want to move just yet," I said with all seriousness making her laugh again. Her laughs quickly diminished as her face turned to all seriousness.
"This," she said shaking her hand slightly, "isn't an offer. Take my hand and get up." I groaned loudly, but took her hand and stood up again with her help.
I stood in front of her tired and in pain slightly hunched over as she was already ready to go again.
"Come at me, little Alpha Jr.," she provoked jokingly. I rolled my eyes shuffling slightly.
"Kieran thinks it's a beta from the Philippines," I snapped as she took a step forward. She rolled her eyes as she attempted a roundhouse kick to the side of my head, but I saw it coming so I ducked before she could and shoved her back.
"If he thinks you're from a beta then he's psychotic. You have so much more potential," she said coming at me again, but I grabbed her arms and flipped her over my shoulder. She landed on her feet and spun around quickly.
"That's the only lead he's had," I said watching her closely as she circled around me.
"Wow, one lead already has you belittling yourself. Have some self respect," Marilyn said with a bit of disappointment making me confused. She took my moment of confusion to attack. Her fist landed itself into my stomach. She pulled back again getting ready to punch again, but I caught her fist. Immediately, I used my opposite arm to elbow her in the stomach. She hunched over and with one more strike she fell over.
She was lying on the ground coughing while I stood over her breathing heavily. Her coughing soon turned to laughter making me question what I had just done.
"God damn, you could break ribs with a hit like that." Marilyn tightened her ponytail, still laying on the ground. "You have quite the temper, you know?" She said making me realized my teeth were clenched and I wasn't seeing like I usually do. "Calm wolfy there down for me, would ya?"
I clenched my fists and turned around, away from Marilyn. I closed my eyes pushing my wolf away.
I'd gotten a lot better at controlling her. I found it a lot easier controlling her when Kieran isn't around. Something about Kieran makes her always want to come out. He says it's because of the mate bond, but I think it's because he doesn't throw me into trees like Marilyn does when I get out of control. You only make that mistake once.
I opened my eyes feeling my wolf fade away to wherever she goes making me feel more in control. I turned back to Marilyn while opening and closing my fists. She was no longer on the ground. Actually, she was no where in sight.
"Marilyn?" I yelled out expecting a reply. Nothing.
I turned around slowly expecting to find her behind me, but still nothing.
"What the?" I mumbled to myself, scanning the surrounding area.
This has to be a test. I heard my wolf speak up. She's still here. I know she is.
"But where-?"
Listen. She snapped. I rolled my eyes and closed them. I took a deep breath listening to everything around me when I heard someone breathing to my left. I opened my eyes and slowly made my way to where I heard breathing.
"Marilyn, I know you're in here," I said lightly leaving the small opening in the trees and heading toward a small section of brush. "Marilyn, I-"
"Wrong way, Alpha Idiot," Marilyn's voice said from behind, startling me.
"Oh my god," I gasped out as I spun around to meet a dirtied Marilyn. She was smiling like a crazy person.
"Did I scare you?" She asked making me look at her in shock.
"Did you? Yes! You did!" I said shoving her shoulder. She chuckled and followed behind me as I walked away from her.
"Why'd you go that way anyway?" She asked still laughing.
"I thought I heard something," I mumbled glaring at the trees around me.
"Ha, okay!" She continued to laugh making me angrier. I clenched my fist and quickly spun around to face her.
"Go, I'll find you," I said the anger coming off in waves. Marilyn stopped laughing and raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Wow, feeling brave are we?" She asked. I didn't answer. She rolled her eyes at me. "Okay, I'll give you five minutes. You find me, we head home. You don't we do one round for every minute you go over. Deal?" Marilyn said with a devilish grin. I gulped but nodded. I wasn't going to make myself seem more like an idiot than I already have today even if this was already a stupid idea.
"Bye," she waved with a wink and in seconds she was gone.
"See what you did? Now I'm going to get my ass kicked like ten times," I growled out talking to my wolf.
Listen. I couldn't help but scoff.
"Listen? Last time I listened-!"
Suddenly, a loud scream sounded through my mind. I held my hands over my ears, but it didn't do anything. The scream was coming from inside of my head. She was mad.
"Stop! I'm listening!" I shouted pushing my hands against the sides of my head. The scream stopped immediately making me feel dizzy. I pulled my hands away from my ears and took a deep breath. "This is so-," I began to say but froze when I heard breathing. I opened my eyes and looked at where it came from.
"Oh, hell no. You're just playing me, now," I said.
Go. I huffed and decided what was best for my eardrums. I began walking toward the brush where I had already ventured toward. I listened closely hearing nothing until I heard another breath. I smiled knowing I had her.
Run. I continued walking toward the brush, but slowed a bit.
"What?" I asked confused.
Run! I froze furrowing my brows.
"Run? Why-?" I started saying, but stopped when I felt something painfully lodge itself into my chest.
The force of whatever hit me knocked me backward making me fall on my back. I groaned bringing my right hand up to touch the part of my chest that had been hit. I lifted my head up to look at my hand and instantly knew what had happen when I saw the blood coating my palm and fingers.
"That wasn't Marilyn," I mumbled, dazed, feeling myself drift into something I had visited when I had first met Marilyn.
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Ooooooooooh I'm a bad person and ooooooooooh I don't care.
I couldn't figure out how to get this chapter exactly how I want because I knew how I wanted it to end but not how I want things to lead up to it. I think I did a pretty good job tho. Aaaaaaand I already know how I want the next chapter to go so I'm going to start on that immediately bc now it starts to get crazy.
Merry late Christmas and Happy New Year btw!
I have like nothing to tell any of you. I always feel like I have some sort of news but I don't today. Wow. I'm a slacker lol.
Stay Awesome Gotham. 1/3/16