The Mark Of The Beast

15. Mr. Nice Guy...or Nice Werewolf POV: Shannon Alexis Chandler

After Selena clued Braidyn about order pizza delivery. Braidyn added his request for Meat lovers and wings and "One of those brownie desert things in the box that says Hershey's across the top of it". Braidyn refers to Selena as Brat. I haven't heard him call her by her name.

I'm ok with eating whatever pizza is ordered but I'd rather have a cookie and a brownie all to myself and I'll be happy. My mom has bitched at me for as long as I can remember that I'm "worse than a junk food junkie, Why don't I just eat straight sugar since that's what I try to live on practically, must have more than 1 sweet tooth, more like several sweet teeth."

It was always such a miracle to my mother that I.never had a cavity or issues with cavities at all, And I better not dare forget that if I wasn't always in dance classes or on the dance team she would have bet money that I would have blown up like a balloon as a child and she just knows I'd fight her constantly to get the fat off of me, With all the unhealthy sweets I eat every day. So she's always glad that I always liked dancing, it kept me in great shape. She would hate me if I ever gained an ounce of fat.

Once Selena got everybody in the kitchen and living room that wanted delivery to verify she had everything on the order correct she sent it and was watching the order tracker. Selena enlisted Braidyn to make the boys give up the gaming for a while so Selena could turn on some Netflix or something. She can't watch upstairs on her TV because she doesn't allow eating up there. Does not like the mess in her room or on her furniture and that's exactly what it would be because then everybody would just think it's cool to eat up there. Which means they won't pick up their dirty dishes or food crumbs and spills for that matter.

Braidyn sees no harm in taking a break from playing video games anyway, or so he said. All the while ignoring the groans and moans and "oh, man, come on";'s sounding from the living room as Braidyn made his way back in the kitchen after breaking the news. Selena grabbed sodas out of the fridge for her and Stirling but handed Stirling sodas and said take those to the boys then she asked me if I wanted a soda but before I could answer Braidyn interjected, asking if I wanted a beer instead. I said that would be fine.

Braidyn moved to the fridge and a moment later he had 2 ice-cold Heineken. One was sat in front of me with the top already popped. Braidyn had one for him in his hand. A loud bang followed by a loud crash and " Umph" sounds traveled from the living room, bombarding my eardrums. Selena briskly walked out of the kitchen cussing under her breath with a cold glare on her face.

Braidyn with raised eyebrows, watched her walk out toward the living room. I assume she went to investigate why it sounds like Wreck-It Ralph broke the living room. Braidyns expression was blank but his eyebrows still raised and eyes still glued to the open kitchen doorway, Selena has already disappeared through. I sat quietly, propping my elbow on the Island counter so I could prop the side of my head on my hand. I took a couple of drinks from my beer.

"REALLY!?" Selena bit out sharply in a raised tone. Inconvenienced growls and some chuckles that sounded devilish or mischievous sounded from the living room in much lower volumes were drowned out but Selena's voice, which she still held at the same loud and sharp tone level.

"Your lucky nothing is broken. Get this picked up, and put the living room back in the order it was in. Don't treat the indoors like your outdoors!" a few more groans and growls along with an unfamiliar male voice laden with sarcasm. "Yes, mother." the voice spat. Didn't hear anything else except for the sounds of things being shuffled around. Braidyn silently nodded with pursed lip then out of nowhere he quickly folded both arms over his chest and wrinkled his brow into a scowl while positioned into an agitated stance and started taping one foot in mocking behavior.

"You and you had the remote last and I don't see it anywhere, So that means the 2 that had it last needs to find it or something!"Selena's voice cut through the thin air from in the living room and Braidyn pretended to stomp the foot he was tapping but it was a mock foot-stomping motion that remained silent. Then he put both hands on both hips as he resumed tapping his foot in mock. His facial expression still scowling. I think he's mocking Selena with the pissed facial expression and the foot-tapping and crossed arms or hands on his hips. It would be funny if she was standing in there looking at them like that and tapping her foot. It already sounds like she's in there getting on to Stirling and whoever the boys are. She sounds like a moma hen.

I smiled but bit back the laugh that I almost let out loud. Braidyn took a big gulp from his beer and made that ahh hissing sound that people make after a big drink of something cold and refreshing. "Brat get's on their asses" he chuckled. I grinned and snickered as I gave a nod with my head. Selena must not be planning to return to the kitchen since they all remained in the living room and started bickering and smack-talking back and forth but at a reasonable inside tone of voice. Now and then a word or something would be loud and clear enough for me to hear in here. They were mostly playing around and picking at each other like teenagers that are friends or around one another a lot tend to do. The bickering sounds like the majority in there may be related or something. I know Selena and Stirling are mates. Maybe Braidyn has a kid in the living room. Selena called him uncle when they were talking a bit ago and he called her brat. That would make Braidyns kid her cousin. Khyzer only has one daughter. He said Selena is the only child, like me I guess. As far as her dad, I don't know if her mom has other kids. I don't know her she isn't around at this time or whatever.

So I decided to come right out and ask Braidyn about his family-situation, life...or whatever.

"Braidyn do you have kids?" I asked curiously but I didn't know the moment I asked him was the very same moment he was going to ask me about my well-being. "So how you feeling, everything normal?" he asked real quick and somewhat low unsure tone, maybe it was more awkwardness than unsurety for some reason.

After we both rattled off our questions simultaneously we sat in a brief pause looking at each other expectantly. I don't know what we were expecting or waiting on. Maybe we were both paused, waiting for the other to repeat the question but apparently, neither of us wanted to go again, first. Finally, I started to ask what was his question again but he also picked that moment to questioningly say "Come Again?"

I shook my head and waved off my question for the moment with my hand doing a little side wave motion. "Oh no, It's not that important, it can wait for a second or two for an answer. What were you asking about, again?" I tried to look focused and like I was paying attention. I didn't look away from Braidyn as he ran his hand through his hair kind of. It standing straight up and it's not real long but it's not as short as almost all the other beyond spiked and standing straight up with gel or whatever hair product is holding it up and you can tell hair gel or something is keeping it beyond spiked. Most of the time the hair is only half the length as Braidyns when it's Spiked or gelled in a style like they been electrocuted. Braidyns hair is double the length and trying to run his hand through his hair made me wonder if he styled his hair with gorilla glue since it was a task to get his fingers through the hold then as he tried to move his hand through his hair, i dont know if it tangled or if maybe the gorilla glue or like substance was Just blocking his fingers from sliding through his hair any farther than just that tad bit if not even an inch.

He removed his hand with a slight yanking effort. His hair still stayed in place once his hand was released. His beard wasn't super long 2 or 3 inches with a gap as wide as his whole chin. The length of his sideburns stretching to the sides of his chin along his jaw looked as though he brush the few inches of length to hang straight down with no tangles or anything and then styled it with gorilla glue or whatever he uses to make his hair stick up like he dropped a blow dryer in his bathwater while he was still sitting in the bathtub. His hair and facial were dark and his eyes are also dark but I haven't seen his eyes glow like Khyzers does all the time. Braidyn must have wolf eyes too. He must not use them all the time like Khyzer, Braidyn must use his human eyes more.

Braidyn cleared his throat. "I asked, how are you feeling? Are you feeling normal?" He still sounded like it was awkward for him to ask.

"Uh, yeah. I guess I feel ok, or normal.." Now I sound unsure and awkward. What does he mean do I feel normal? I can't say that any of this whole dilemma is normal, for me anyway.

"You sure? Not feeling out of body or anything? No memory issues? No spontaneous combustion of any kind at all? Anything not normal going on with you or inside you?" He studied me as he spoke.

I shook my head and sighed."Not really. I guess I feel ok inside and out. I don't exactly know if I can say normal. I guess I feel normal like I've always felt every day. Nothing weird is going on with me that I know of right now." I started messing with my nails picking chips of nail polish from around my criticals. "Other than I'm hearing that voice. That damn crazy lady. She's always bitching and yelling. She never says anything that useful, if it's meant to be useful is uselessly lacking most of the info that may be useful if once it makes sense to me." I huffed and to a big drink of my beer, I let the bottle bubble once. I gulp the big swig down and at the bottle back on the island counter. "I still haven't decided if I'm just losing my mind lately or not. This s**t is so crazy and out there. A lot of the s**t doesn't make sense. A lot of s**t I can't believe is real, really happening, and happening to me. It's like I dont even understand and the one certain thing is everything is uncertain." This time I picked up my bottle of beer and killed it one drink. Guzzle whatever was in the bottle. Once I finished gulping down the liquid contents inside the green colored glass bottle, I felt a little light-headed but before I could think what to do or where to put the empty beer bottle, Braidyn Slid another open Heineken in front of me and easily took the empty bottle from my hand and discarded it.

Not sure I'm up for another beer just yet, I just said thank you anyway and propped my elbows on the counter, and held my head in my hands. "And it's not that I don't appreciate literally everything but I dont understand what is with all the over unnecessary stuff. We don't even know each other, really. My reaction just reacts without me being sure what I think about any of this. This f*****g voice in my head dont like Khyzer. He's been Mr. Way 2 Nice Guy most likely because of the circumstances."

I didn't even realize I was just rambling all my thoughts to Braidyn. Just getting it all off my chest to somebody else I don't even really know.

"Anything to do with Khyzer, it would be a good idea to talk to Khyzer. See if you don't find some answers or understand somethings after talking to him." I looked up at Braidyn who was looking down at me but like he was thinking about what he wanted to say next or how he wanted to say it."The voice in your head is Dahlia. If her voice is loud and clear and identifiable then she is getting stronger. I'll have Rhino make sure there is plenty of salt, And I'll make sure Jerrica or Layla calls a blood mage."

Huh? I wrinkled my eyebrows together. "Salt? Blood Mage?" I took a big gulp from the bottle of beer in front of me.

"Gotta keep the chaos demon on some kind of leash, some kind of way." He said so casually as if he were talking about going to the grocery store or something. "The circle you were trapped in when you set the night club on fire the other night was made of salt. Pouring salt in a circle and Dahlia is rendered powerless and is entrapped. It also works across doorways and all those good places you have heard about before. Salt is the reason why you couldn't leave Khyzer's room at first." he remains too casual with his conversation while he sips his beer. "The Blood Mage is a Thaumaturgist and can help conjure some way to keep Dahlia from taking over like before when you weren't conscience and some s**t went up in flame's."

"No! Damn it! No! I'll make all your friends pay!

I felt my whole body flench at the voice in my head, screaming. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard. Braidyn noticed. "Alexis, you ok?" He set his beer down and he focused on studying me. I don't think my eyes would focus as he tried to get eye contact like there was some clue as to whether I'm ok or not to be found in my eyes.

I just nodded my head yeah and snatched up the beer bottle in front of me again and started chugging. glug glug glug."It was Dahlia, wasn't it?" He looked at me with nothing but concern. I took my last gulp leaving maybe just a swig in the glass beer bottle.

"I'm fine. She's been pissy on and off today. Just Bitching a lot about everything." I said through heavy breaths from holding my breath while I guzzled down my beer.

We sat for a moment in silence aside from the deep male voice that rang out from the living room. "We have decided on the Suicide Squad for now. When it's over we are watching Venom next!!" Then they all went back to their bickering and horsing around.

"Ok, Cool kids!!" Braidyn yelled back to let them know they were heard.

It just struck me I wanted to ask him a minute ago and I guess now is good with everything I don't want to process right now. I can't even deal with this "Demon" and these "Werewolves" and "Blood Mage" or what the f**k ever.

"Braidyn do you have kids too?" I sighed and propped my chin on my hand.

He looked at me amused. "No. I have a kid brother well he's actually an adult now. He's in my care sort of since my dad retired Pack Beta and passed the responsibility to me so he could go see Khyzer's dad who retired from the Alpha position which Khyzer has taken over. They are on some kind of retirement vacation with my mother and Khyzer's mother as well. My baby bro a legendary Arkanine warrior that's been in the making and is now on the rise. His name is Draven. I have a mate but Jerrica won't admit we are mates yet. So Im waiting on her to get done being her own woman or something like that. So she will admit we are soul mates and start being my better half." He looked down at his bottle of beer for the whole last part about his mate Jerrica. Poor Braidyn.

"Oh, Im sorry to hear that about your mate. It must be sad...I figure. Maybe she will come around soon." He took a big drink of his beer and kept his eyes averted.

"Draven, I'm pretty sure I saw him by the pool last night. Khyzer was talking to him and he referred to the real young looking boy with all the facial piercings as Draven." I curled the corners of my lips into a grin and hoped if I kept my eyes on Braidyn that hopefully, my grin would contagious and wouldn't look like a sad puppy anymore. It worked or either Braidyn really likes talking about his brother. A big smile stretched across his face and he got a proud twinkle in his eyes.

"Yup. That would be him!" He pointed with his pointing finger while he held the green bottle in his hand still. He was pointing toward the doorway of the kitchen which meant he was pointing in the direction of the living room."He's right in the living room with Selena, Stirling, and Dynamite." Braidyns voice sounding happier for sure.

"Dynamite?" I tilted my head to the side and gave it a scratch.

"You heard that crash landing or demolition explosion that just went of in the living room. My Brat Brat had to get'em." I laughed and Braidyn chuckled."That's why his name is Dynamite. He makes ruckus like that daily I think."

It made me laugh even more. I get it now.

The doorbell rang and gave me a start. Then a heavy knock on the front door. It sounded like a heard of horses as Selena and a male voice yelled "We got it!" Another male voice in the other room with Selena chanted "Hellyeah, the food's here!"

We waited on the teenagers to get the food and head for the living room. I finished the drink of my beer and Braidyn finished what was left of his beer. He got to more cold ones from the fridge after discarding the empty bottles.

He opened mine and then his. He looked at like he wanted to say something. So I shrugged and said "What?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way or anything but How many boyfriend or men have you dated or been with. I really don't mean to pry in your personal business even though it sounds like I am and I don't mean any judgment either." He rushed out kind of panicked.

I looked at him and shrugged again. "One." In all my wonderment of where Braidyn could be going with this.

He looked like he was thinking hard about how to be careful with what he said next. "That crazy deranged guy that was blowing up your phone filling your voicemail and text messages with all the violent threats he was yelling with all the names and awful curses he said to you. Plus all the berating accusations he was making that I'm sure he had no right no matter what his reasons or piss-poor excuses he makes. He as your boyfriend or your mate or lover or partner or even spouse owes you way more respect.." Braidyns confidence is not lacking but it really should be because I don't want to talk about James or us, as in me and James. As soon as I opened my mouth to inform Braidyn I don't want to talk about it, drop it. Braidyn beats me to the punch and continues. "I apologize if I'm out of line but Im sure with the kind of bankroll your boyfriend the only Abernathy heir has access to. He really doesn't sound like he went all out to spoil you or just be unnecessarily nice and try to make you feel comfortable and babied like you shouldn't have a stress a worry or nothing but whatever you want that makes you happy or feel cared for. So if Khyzer wants to be overly Mr. Way 2 Nice Guy. Then just let him. Any grown man that is a man should treat you like that. It's not a wolf thing. It's a real man thing..." He took a breath. I interjected with my eye's narrowed at Braidyn.

"I don't want to be treated like some trophy or some sugar baby by Khyzer or anyone just because they got to witness damn near first-hand how sadistic the relationship I've been in since I was 17, really is!" My voice was raised and not lacking confidence either.

"Just hear me out Alexis, Shannon...Khyzer is one of my best friends since we were in diapers. More like my brother from another mother and no one knows him like me and MadMax. When I say Khyzer has more heart and more balls than any human or werewolf. He's an alpha and straight up a man always and he isn't being way 2 nice because your boyfriend is a punk b***h that treated you like s**t. He's doing it because he just wants to. I can't say for sure because I haven't talked to him about it yet but I know Khyzer and he probably likes you. He must feel like an ass for just taking you away from your life and your family for an indefinite amount of time. He probably wishes he met you under completely different conditions. Just let him treat you like his pet and let it be for now and try to enjoy it. Tell Khyzer anything you could want and he will make it happen if it'll make you happier...it does not come at a price ever. Khyzer is an asshole but he's not a total d**k head. He's not like your deranged boyfriend either." Braidyn paused and pursed his lips with his thumb and index finger on his before he added"I don't think any of us are but also we dont believe in a God. Our almighty creator is a Goddess and maybe that is what stands for why the female anything human or she-wolf to vampires and necromancers, even female were-panthers should be exalted. Just let things be. Maybe if you give this a chance. You might not regret it." I didn't move. other the rising and falling of my chest from my exasperated breathing. I hoped he was finished. A little bit ago when he first started going on and on, I heard Selena yell "Come and get it!" now it sounded like Stirling yelling "Movie has started!". I heaved a sigh. For some reason, it's like I've had my breath knocked out of me. Braidyn apologized again if he was out if line but he stands by every word he said.

I just want to go eat my cookie and my brownie. He handed me one of the freshly open beer's and I downed as much in the first drink as I could, I need the head change. What is going on lately? Can all this really, be real? Can I just be crazy and delusional?

Upon entering the living room I put on my poker face like life was just super peachy. I forced the wave of depression and sad feeling that plagued me to the back of my mind. In just fine is all I want showing on my surface. I gonna eat till I'm so stuffed I'm miserable and sit through this movie normally.