ARCĀNUM (DISCONTINUED)

➺ Chapter Two ፧ Saviour

CHAPTER TWO : SAVIOUR

Athena's eyes fluttered open and the first thing she sees in this brand new day is a blank ceiling looking back at her, and to the fact that she is currently laying down in a not-so-comfortable couch -- which brings the answer that she was in some living room. But who's living room?

"Where am I?" she asked quietly, looking around to see some portraits, a window infront of her, a bookshelf behind her, an open door to go inside the kitchen which also has the small dining table for atleast four people, the other was for the supposed bedroom and a hallway to what probably is the front door. This place was definitely just one lower floor.

The brunette then heard the shower turning off from the bathroom her heart beat picking up in slight panic -- Did the person do something to her?! Why was she here?! Her memories of what occurred last night was a bit hazy and blurred, probably because of passing out.

The bathroom door from the bedroom closeby opened, footsteps thumping until it stopped somewhere. It took some few minutes to find the door opening, her eyes widened and she laid back down and shutting her eyes, pretending to continue her sleep.

"I know your awake." a deep voice said, making her gulp nervously.

She sighed and sat back, not even daring to face the person because she was undeniably scared that he'll probably have even more intentions than bringing her here. "Why did you bring me here? -- Gosh, did you really fall down that hard to the ground?" he rolled his eyes and went to the bookshelf behind the couch she sat upon.

"Excuse me?" she sassed, turning her head to finally face the person until she meets familiar ocean blue eyes. He looked as if two years older than her. . . Her eyes were like saucers, recognizing atleast the top half of his face -- it was the guy from the alleyway that saved him! It was him! The guy she was looking for!

"Oh my God, it's you!" She had this smile when she spoke, standing up immediately.

He squinted his eyes, but deep inside his hope of not recognizing him was a downfall. Though the mysterious saviour has kept his cold and sarcastic aura towards her, she ignored it and rambled all about him that afternoon, her memory of last night was still not recalled. " -- How come you took me to your home? Did you do something to me?!" Athena had this accusing look, stepping back as the guy looked at her in utmost disbelief.

"What? Little lady what I did is save you from mountain lions, to be honest you should thank me!" He crossed his arms, lying through his teeth about the creatures they have overcome with that night. She tilted her head, having this dumb look on her face making his annoyance towards her grow stronger as he showed it by speaking this one insulting question, "Are you acting stupid or did you really hit it that hard?"

"Wha -- Hey! I am not stupidious!" She defended, stepping to the area where the sofa wasn't blocking her to reach his place.

He taunted, doing the same. "Right."

They stopped walking until they find themselves having this close proximity, if getting enough closer they would already plant their lips together. Her face was red and she felt flustered, taking a step back as he c****d his eyebrow, watching her look around for the door to run away to; she was getting uneasy by the guy already, though he saved her two times.

"Uh --" she instantly found it and ran after the door, but before she could open it his hand pushed the door back closed, when she slowly and hesitantly turned to face him he was right there, infront of her. He was somewhat pining her at the door, a cunning smirk that she wished to wipe off.

"What -- Agh!" she winced, her hands on her head getting this excruciating pain through it. Memories seemed to flash back into her mind slowly and slowly, it made her teary eyed to see it wasn't all that good. Nothing was right. The mysterious guy crossed his arms and just watched her recover everything, as if it was expected for him.

She then jolted from her position, almost hitting his hand that was on the door. It made him lower it and place it behind his back, observing her reactions and actions.

"My mother! I have to tell my mother about my grandmother!" Athena reminded herself, opening the door and turn to him to see him sighing to himself. Her eyes then narrowed, remembering an object she held protectively last night. "Wait. Where is my book?"

His head shot up to her direction, his eyes looked more dull and bored. "Somewhere."

"Where is "Somewhere"?". She made air quotes, slowly going back inside to check in the living room if it was anywhere near. It seemed like she didn't care if she was snooping around in the property and things she didn't even own. For a godamned book. "Did you take it?!" he barely answered and gave only silence.

"Well, did you?"

". . ."

"Answer, please! -- Do you think I care about a silly book? I don't even know what your talking about! And it's useless, going to your mother's house." he shouted, making her taken aback.

Silence washed upon them, the girl's fists shaking as she glared at the ground. "Undeniably handsome behind that stupid scarf, yet such a jerk." Athena muttered, rolling her eyes. He scoffed, hearing her words and shaking his head in disbelief.

"Maybe I should've left you there, helpless in the ground. If you couldn't tell, I've saved your little ass two times, in one day! If anything else, you should thank me." he retorted in a threatening matter, his eyebrows furrowed.

"How can I thank you if your personality is so. . . Rude?! Your acting like some jerk here! I don't even know your name!" She fired back, her index finger pointing at him accusingly. Athena inhaled, and then exhaled, trying to calm herself down as he internally chanted something in his mind to do the same. "Now. Please don't lie when I ask and answer a good yes, or just a no: "Do you know where is my book?"."

He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I don't care."

She groaned, throwing her head back as she rushed to the front of the door and outside, the guy walking after her. "You'll see how useless it is going back to your precious home." he said loudly, the girl shaking her head as if to say she didn't believe any word he has blurted to her. Athena thought he would literally be an amazing person, but he's actually arrogant, cold, sarcastic and jerkish.

"Why are you even following me? How did you know I was there needing help last night? How were you there? I remember seeing wolves. . . well, they were standing though, and a lot bigger than usual ones. Those were not mountain lions. . . unless. . ." She pursed her lips and thought for some seconds, the guy not giving an answer all over again.

Athena then looked at him with a look of disappointment and shock as she remembered the pictures on the book, "You lied a while ago! You probably knew it was wolves. . . or it wasn't just wolves. . . werewolves!"

He had a still and emotionless face, but inside he was somewhat stunned that she had some wits to know atleast that those weren't just human, nor just animal. "How did you even kill them? You know what. You'll never answer anyways."

Silence has overcome them as they continued their journey to her mother's home, it was unbearable and sort of uncomfortable, the girl shifting her body and sight left and right with wanting to ramble questions even more; she was undeniably puzzled about some things here and there.

The raven-haired guy sighed, breaking the quietness some minutes after. "Hunter."

"What? Your a hunter?" she questioned, tilting her head in confusion as she stopped walking, the guy doing the exact same.

"No, stupid. My name is Hunter." Her eyes lit up as she ignored what he called her, the joyful look causing him to look away and suddenly regret even speaking or taking her safely, it felt like by just saying that he would be an open book and learned easily, as if he just told her everything about him and his history.

"Well, I'm Athena." The girl responded, giving out a carefree smile showed visibly. He gave some type of curious look to her that made her somewhat self conscious of herself. She pulled up her hood and hid her face, looking down to the ground to hide the cheeks that were reddening.

'Hunter' looked at her for a second, before seeing her side. He could hear thumping from afar, and it alerted him easily.

He pulled her wrist immediately and the sound was already heard to her, the secretive saviour pulling her against his chest as if they were hugging, they were mere inches from ever hitting the stampede of deers galloping and passing them hardly. It made her frightened, her breathing quickening.

"They wouldn't do that if there was a predator." He spoke, pulling away from her as the fuzzy warmth on his body has disappeared. His fingertips cold and currently untouched, he could hear her heart beat fastening from the adrenaline, trying to process everything. Though he didn't know that he was also one of the reasons to her heart skipping a beat.

"Y-yeah, they wouldn't." She nodded, looking at the direction they ran to, the shadowy figures of the animals cascading to the foggy distance.

They then met eyes, but immediately averted their gazes to something else as they continued their stroll to the beloved abode she was at. She somewhat felt safer, and better to the fact that she knew his name, and to getting a response by him than not having one at all.

Athena crossed her arms and squinted her eyes seeing the familiar house coming to view in her grey eyes.

"Here we are, home sweet home." She smiled, walking faster and leaving him behind as he felt this feeling that something horrible would happen to this, flickering his eyes to the girl and also to the house itself.

The brunette ran closer, speeding faster until she reached the pebbles that lead to the path which goes to the town, marketplace and somewhere else. Though she skipped it and went forward to follow the continuing pebbled pathway, a grin etched on her face, happy to come back home until it faded remembering what she had to say to her mother.

The atmosphere wasn't joyful and cheery. In fact, it was dimmed, it was eerily quiet and quite similar to what she had felt to making her way inside her grandmother's house. She just hoped it wasn't gonna end up the same. Her hands shook at the silence, not hearing Hunter catch up to her.

But before she could ever confirm that saddening thought, a holler was heard outside. "Athena!"

Her eyes lightened up a little, about to open the door knob when she felt a hand atop of hers, until it made it's way upwards to grab her wrist; it looked like a normal grip for him but it was far too tight for her, she wouldn't be surprised if she gets bruised by this.

"H-hunter -- I don't have a good feeling about what your doing." He muttered over to her, his breath fanning behind her neck as his neck bowed down a bit just to tell her his warning. It created goosebumps around her, spine shivering from the sudden warmth.

She frowned and swatted his hand with some force, though the guy did not let go of her. "Hunter."

"No." He spat in disagreement. It seemed as if he cared, and wanted to protect her for the moment, but she shrugged it off and gave him a scowl.

"Hunter." He rolled his eyes in her stubbornness and slowly letted go of her hand, moving backwards to give her space to go inside.

Her hands turned the knob open, and the creaky noise of the oak door was echoing inside the house as if nobody made a peep, nor a single sound. Athena went inside, with Hunter right in suit as they looked around; it seemed pretty sane and normal. The girl sighed in relief and they began turning to the left to go to the kitchen.

Once reaching, her eyes widened. There she saw her mother getting held by the waist with just gigantic claws by the werewolves she saw just last night. Similar, but probably a different one. It's golden yellow eyes glowed at her, a growl erupting from it as he dug through her mother's skin, the lady screaming as Athena slapped her hand against her mouth, tears already rolling down her cheeks. A stake was pierced through the woman's stomach, completely ending her life in a matter of seconds.

Hunter grumbled, his claws showing and fangs growing on his teeth as his eyes flashed red. He was in his half shift, pushing past Athena hardly which made her stumble and fall on the ground. He didn't care nonetheless, bones cracking as he has fully shifted into a wolf bigger than the beta wolf right infront of him. Lorraine was dropped on the floor, blood surrounding her into a pool of it.

"You. The last beta that that stupidious pack took. You have made a wrong choice, trying to end Lorraine's life. And I'll show you why." He growled in a distorted tone of voice, Athena who was right behind him and watching this all happen was crawling away to safety, confused on how he knew her mother's name and frightened to the fact that he was a werewolf as well.

"I should've known. . ." Athena mumbled, fear laced on her voice.

The sound of screaming of the beta wolf resembled what she heard last night, closing her eyes to refrain seeing the person she has been saved by kill somebody with cold blood.

"H-Hunter. Keep her s-safe."

That made her freeze from her position, opening her eyes slowly to see the said boy in a crouching stance infront of her mother's now dead body. Those were her last words. Tears trickled down her porcelain cheeks as she then saw the once beta wolf torn in half and now on its human form, it was a sight she didn't want to see ever again.

The guy with ebony hair -- and may I add, naked, stood up and saw a coat that looked like it could fit him, hanging on the clothing rack on the wall with blood stains and claws ripping the wallpapers and paintings. Hunter wore the beige coat and went over to Athena, who felt as if she was paralyzed, her heavy breathing and lips quivering in fear.

"Come on. You'll be staying with me." He coldly said, his sharp gaze making her shrink and snap back go reality, her feet finding it's way to the ground, rushing down to her mother's dead body. It was really a pity, her whimpers and sobs were echoing in the room as the sun's rays showered over to them from the window.

"Lets go."

"W-what?" she turned to him, seeing him buttoning his coat and tying the fabric which flexed his muscles. Hunter is lean, absolutely tall in about 6'2 which gave her height which she thought was already tall and good in vain.

"I said let's go." His eyes flashed red, making her swallow the lump in her throat nervously. The grip on her mother's slender milky fingers became lighter until it was away, the weight on the girl's hands as vanished, tears instead holding onto it out of sadness.

Hunter sighed and went to her, grabbing onto her upper arm to make her stand up properly. "Let's go. Your homeless." that made her realize that fact, her head hung low as she cried, letting him pull her out of the house with her eyes traveling to the bodies on the floor, to the shadow they both had when the door opened wide showing the sunlight.

"Don't even try to plan a plot of revenge. As you can see you barely fought." He added, glaring at her until he looked back forward to the forest they were about to disappear to. Athena gulped and nodded slowly at his words, intimidated by him fully.

"Your. . . Your one of them." She finally spoke, her voice breaking.

"Well, I'm not a monstrosity like those dumbasses." Hunter harshly criticized about them, holding onto her wrist even more tighter.

It made her wince, closing her eyes shut. "H-Hunter your hurting me!" she croaked, tears on her eyes as he turned to her instantly with a cold glare, until it softened for something flashed into his mind immediately.

"Hey! your hurting me!" the little girl cried, wiping her tears with her other hand as the young Hunter looked back at her with a look on sadness in his eyes.

"I'm Sorry. . . I'm sorry Ena." He apologized, letting go of the small brunette right behind her who had pain filled in her features.

"Sorry." He mumbled out incoherently, letting go of her as the flashback has dissipated from his mind

Athena though, felt completely confused by his actions, most likely the odd and peculiar attitude he has brought upon to her right here and right now.

Walking back to the home with mixed emotions filling the air, it was intoxicating to breath for Hunter, inhaling it slowly for he felt it by the scent, and with his chemo-signals. "How does my mother know you, Hunter? Was there a history I do not recall? Was there something?"

". . ."

The answer of silence made her frown, looking at his back view with squinted eyes. "Again with the not answering. What a nincompoop." She mumbled, rolling her eyes at him.

He stopped, making her do the same. The werewolf clenched his fists and sassed back, "Your in luck that I'm not an egomaniacal nutcase then."

"Right. Super-hearing." She murmured, remembering atleast some parts of that in a page she saw in the book. Athena looked up at him and crossed her arms, "Well. You might be."

"Whatever."

They stepped on the dried leaves, walking over to the now near small abode of Hunter's. She then raised a brow when she saw him strolling to a different direction; it made her halt. "What are you doing? -- of to hunt food in the woods like what usual humans do. What do you think?" he said as if it's the most obvious answer to him.

Her lips parted, until it closed again and curved down to a small frown. "I don't even want to ask anymore questions. Just go. I'll stay inside."

"Sure sure princess." He mocked whilst waving his hand off as if to dismiss everything.

Athena huffed quietly and made her way to the front door, looking back to see Hunter already rushing to some part of the woods and disappear, ready to do some "normal hunting".

"A nickname. . . huh?" she scoffed, opening the door to find the place neat and tidy -- except for the blanket she had messed, and some books from the shelf misplaced and improperly putted to its own accord and way because of trying to find the handmade book.

The book.

She sighed, placing her black cloak to the coat hanger. Athena had a feeling he hid it. But the main question is;

Where?