Under the Devil's Claws

Chapter 3

LAYLA:

“Do I really have to do this?” I wearily ask Caleb as I let go of the ropes promptly made for an exercise routine. Instantly I sit on the pavement because I cannot take it anymore. My body has been pushed beyond its limit.

Right now, I’m totally covered in sweat, making it seem like I just got out of a stream of water whereas that was not even the case. At the rate at which I was going with the exercise, I could just end up sweating out the whole waste in my body, draining my entire being in the process.

I watch as Caleb starts to approach me, abandoning what he was doing. He was busy with the dumbbells before putting them down to come to meet me.

What he does next is crouch in front of me, passing me a smile that I have no idea what it is for.

“How many times do I have to tell you that it’s for your own good? How else will you be able to defend yourself should the need arise?” he asks, giving me the raised brows.

I shrug reluctantly. “I don’t see anything of the sort happening to me. Besides, you made a promise to not let harm come my way,”

“Yes, I did. But I will not always be with you, Layla, and you know that. Trying to get you to learn ways to defend yourself is the only way I can be rest assured of your safety even in my absence,”

“I get it. Still, it doesn’t justify having to exercise often like my life depends on it.”

“How do you expect to have the strength to be on par with an enemy? Do you think you can do that with these tiny arms of yours?” he then grabs both of my arms and then starts to shake them like they are nothing.

“Let me be, you bully,” I force his hands off me as I say that.

“Are you suddenly annoyed about what I said?”

To get back at him, I choose to feign annoyance. And at the same time, I ignore him. Folding my arms and looking away from him was the perfect way to get that done.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” he apologizes, which sounds as genuine as it ought to.

“Got you!”

The look on his face after he realized that I just pulled an act to get him to apologize was hilarious. He went from confused to wide-eyed. Amusing to me, I must say.

“Did you just...”

“Of course I did, mister,” I say, standing up to my feet. “Now let’s get the work done. Except that I think it is a wrong idea to keep on going. My body feels numb in some way,”

Caleb stands upright as well and then places the back of his palm on my forehead. I can tell that he is trying to examine me but it feels weird that he has to use this method. Makes me feel like a kid.

“You sure don’t feel good,” he says soon after he takes his hand off my face.

“Yeah, I know,” I move back a little to create a distance between both of us. “Perhaps I should stop for now? Could always get back into training tomorrow,”

“You should. Your body still isn’t used to getting overworked. Could take some time before you do get used to it,”

I start to take my leather gloves off my hands, already excited that Caleb actually agreed for me to stop training today. It was a huge relief because I was already thinking of a way to tell him before I realized my body was a little far from fine.

Since I have been allowed to leave, I walk out of the training room. Funny enough, Caleb followed suit. I guess it’s not just me who needs a break from exercising.

Outside the room, I stand for a while to take a look at the scenery. Everything seemed fine, and I gave myself the go-ahead to leave. Just a usual security routine for my safety.

I suddenly look up at Caleb but to my surprise, he has his eyes fixated in my direction. One thing I noticed is that he is not particularly staring at me. I can tell that he is looking ahead and I literally have no idea what it is.

Just as I am about to turn back so I can have a look at what he is possibly staring at, his voice gets to my hearing, cutting me off from doing what I intend to do.

“Don’t!”

I was almost startled by the way he spoke but decided to maintain my composure, making sure to resist the urge to look behind me.

“Why?” I ask out of curiosity.

“Because you won’t like what you see...”

My heart starts to beat fast at the mention of that. That doesn’t sound any good. And for him to react this way, means what he is seeing might be way above him. And do I want to find out? I do.

“Is it that bad?” I whisper.

He nods slightly. “It is,” he says. “You know what you’ll do? Start walking over to me without attempting to look behind you. I know why I am emphasizing not looking behind. You will not be comfortable with the situation,”

“Am I even comfortable now?” and I start to walk over to him as instructed. But it didn’t change how rapidly my heart was beating. I just have to ensure I get to him in no time and maybe whatever it is could be sorted out.

But before I could finally get to him, he yells: “Run!”

My legs give into his words instantly and I find myself trying to run as fast as I could. Just when I pass by his side, I feel a force collide with me, sending me to the ground.

The force was so wild that my head which made first contact with the ground leaves an excruciating pain as aftermath. I grab on to my head and quickly roll to the side to see the reason for my fall.

And what I can see is something on Caleb. Not just a thing, it is something wild enough to possess such strength that threw me to the ground not too long ago.

Caleb is struggling with it as it is on him while he is on the ground. Instantly I stand up to go help him but I have to take a few steps backward because what I can see ahead is enough to make me retreat.

Ahead are two similar kinds to what Caleb is struggling with on the ground.

...two similar deadly wolves!