CHAPTER THREE

*** The next day

When I woke up, Armin was gone. I immediately tried to sit up, and that was when I realized I couldn't, not without my legs hurting.

Yesterday memories flooded my head, and I immediately knew why my thighs were sore, hurting the efficiency of my leg's movement.

I went to the bathroom first and the tub, turning on the water supply. 

I soaked for as long as I could until I felt better. When I got bored, I got out of the tub and slid on a green dress, ensuring the belts were in place.

I wasn't going to take any chances with Armin and let him inside me again. At least until I'd recovered. I slid on flats and headed outside of my room, only to be met with the smell of blood.

My insides churned. 

What the hell was going on?!

I hurried and followed the scent downstairs with my painful legs. 

“Armin!” I said through the mind link. I could smell his scent around the house, but I couldn't pinpoint the smell of blood that was stronger.

“I smell blood. Where are you?”

The sound of a plate falling in the kitchen got my attention. Did someone invade the house? 

How could that have been possible? There was no reason it couldn't be possible either. After all, the temporary residence lacked security guards.

“Armin, wherever you are, I think there's someone in the kitchen. I.. can smell him.”

With that, I rushed to the kitchen and saw a person wearing a mask.

On their feet was the blonde housekeeper lying in a pool of her blood.

Her heartbeat was faint, and her breath was barely noticeable.

I looked at the invader and took on a fighting stance.

“Who are you, and why did you kill the housekeeper?”

The masked man grinned, “The second best warrior of Shadow Ace is here. Let me see just how good you are—”

By the sound of his voice, I could tell he was a man. He chuckled and kicked the blonde's body to the side. Then he rushed towards me with an enormous amount of speed. 

However, before he could lay a finger on me, a finger was wrapped around his neck, bringing him to a halt.

Armin.

His strength was unpredictable.

“Tintin, why are you here?” Armin asked, his tone laced with anger.

The masked man groaned, “You're so boring.”

Then he removed the mask from his face and ruffled his hair. I was surprised to see that he was quite a nice-looking man with softer facial features. Like Armin, his hair was blonde but shorter and more golden.

Armin growled and stared back at me, disapproving of my thoughts.

“Do you know him?” I cleared my throat.

Armin sighed and removed his hand from around Tentin's neck. “Not really.”

Tentin chuckled and stared over at me, “How are you doing, sweetheart? Enjoying your honeymoon?”

I looked at Tentin in surprise, how could he speak like that with Armin around?

“Luke told me there was something wrong with the blonde housekeeper. Is that true, Tentin?” Armin asked.

“You've been feeling a little out of control with your wolf, isn't it, Armin?” Tentin smirked.

“A little.”

“You. Are poisoned.”

My body went cold, and I instantly grabbed Armin and checked his pulse. It was pretty alright.

“Worry about yourself, sweetheart. If Armin is poisoned, then you must also be poisoned.” Tentin commented with a flip of his hair.

“DON'T CALL HER SWEETHEART!” Armin roared.

“Calm down,” I scolded, “Getting yourself worked up will only make the poison travel to your heart faster.” 

I looked at the Tentin guy, who seemed amazed and said, “I'm resistant to Poison. This big guy here isn't.”

“I'm fine,” Armin said, and I adamantly pulled him out of the kitchen and the living room, placing him on the couch. It was then I realized the aching in my legs was feeling so much better.

“Did I go too hard on you last night?” Armin asked.

I looked at him. “A little bit.”

“I'm sorry. I lost control and hurt you.”

“It's fine because... I loved it.”

Armin let out a goofy smile, and I shook my head, looking at the Tentin guy.

“If you know Luke, then we're pretty much like family,” I told Tentin. “So feel free to speak with me around,” I said.

“Tell me everything. Who the girl is and why she poisoned Armin and me.”

Tentin stared down at his feet, his blue eyes moving lazily.

“So it is true that you two are mates and met before the wedding.”

“Who told you that?” I asked.

“Luke and Armin.” Tentin shrugged.

I looked at Armin, and he gave me a defeated stare.

“I didn't believe him, though, but now I do. You two seem very much in love.”

My eyes widened, and I moved away from Armin, “Which love? Who cares about him? Don't say nonsense.”

Tentin bit his lip and chuckled as he stared at me. “Ahh, interesting, very interesting.”

“Answer the important questions. Who is that girl you tried to kill, and why did she Poison us?”

“Tried to kill? She's dead. I pulled out her heart.”

I looked at Tentin's hands, which were still filled with dark blood, and scoffed. “How naive.”

A bloody handheld the kitchen door handle and showed its face. A bloody one. It was blonde, and she looked mad.

Tentin gasped and followed my gaze, his mouth agape. “What sorcery is this?!”

“Poison not sorcery.” I corrected. I'd seen something like this before, and I knew it wouldn't be easy.

“Tell me more,” Tentin said.

“Its gas is poisonous. Inhale it, and you're dead. Take Armin away. His weakness right now is being near the blonde.”

“Her name is Kate,” Tentin said.

“She is poison right now. If he smells her gas or touches her, he'll die. I'm immune, so it should be fine. Take the car and leave now! I'll be right behind you two.” With that, I grabbed the knife hanging on Tentin's waist.

“No..” Armin said, struggling to stand, but he fell back on the couch with his hand on his chest.

The poison was spreading fast in his body.

“Go!” I told Tentin. “I'm the second top warrior in my pack.”

Tintin looked at me with deep, meaningful brown eyes and sped off with a weak Armin.

I turned to the bloody thing that crept out of the kitchen and sped towards it with the sharp knife in my hand.

I had to behead it. That was the only way to end this.

Surprisingly, it was faster than anticipated. It dodged my movement and rushed past me, releasing gas from its mouth.

I held my breath and snapped my mouth shut.

It smelt horrible. The stench filled the entire house, clouding it with something fog-like.

“Armin,” I called through the mind link. “Are you guys safe?”

I had unconsciously blocked him out before, but now I could hear his chaotic thoughts.

“Armin,” I said sternly, “I'm fine.” 

I raced to the wide-open door and saw the mad blonde running after the racing car. Hell, she was fast.

I swung the knife in her direction and she easily dodged it and landed in front of the car. Before the blade landed on the car, I used my wolf speed and landed on top of the fast-moving vehicle, quickly grabbing the knife by the handle.

The car speed started to slow down, so I yelled out, “Tentin, keep driving! I got her!”

“No.” I heard Armin's weak voice say pleadingly. “I can manage to fight..” Then he started coughing violently.

I rolled my eyes at his weak attempt. “Tentin,” I yelled.

“Got it.” I heard him say, and the speed of the car increased.

I looked at the mad blonde in front of us, who looked ready to defend against the car, which she could probably do due to the unimaginable strength she now possessed in her body.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

I counted in my mind as we neared the blonde, who showed no sign of fear or panic.

Two.

One.

As the car was about to impact her, I jumped above her head and chopped her neck off. Just as she held the front of the vehicle to prevent its effect fell to the ground and rolled off to the bridge by the side of the road.

Just then, Tintin stopped the car. The body fell to its knees, and I knew what was coming next.

Gas.

But it was too late. 

I was too late to inform them.

The body erupted into green slimy liquid and covered the road with a horrible stench and a fog-looking environment.

“Tentin!” I yelled out. “Can you move? If you can hear me drive the car out of here, it's too dangerous!”

I heard no response. Only coughs and gasps.

Impatient, I raced to the back of the car and started moving it with all the strength I could muster. I kept doing this until we arrived at a neater spot safe to breathe air.

“Armin,” I said through the mind link. “Are you alright?”

No response.

“Tentin,” I yelled since I could still hear his groans, but there was no response from Armin.

Even worse, his heartbeat was slowing down. As much as I wanted to attend to him, I couldn't. I had the monster slime on me— It would only worsen the situation if I went to meet him.

“Tentin!” I snapped, “Get up! Armin will die if this goes on. Could you save him? I can't get closer because I'm covered in the gross green stuff, which will worsen the situation.

Only the car is covered in a stench so that Armin might have a chance. Please help him, I beg you.”

Tintin lifted his hand from the wheel, and his eyes traveled to Armin in the back seat, unconscious.

I heard a sound. It was that of a car,r, speeding towards us.

Did Armin call for backup?

Is that why he fainted because he'd overspent himself?

From the corner of my eyes, I spotted a car driving toward me, but It stopped a few meters in front of me.

Then a familiar person got out of the car and looked at me worriedly.

“Is everyone alright?!”

“Luke!” I yelled out frantically.

“The blonde turned into a sort of poisonous zombie and attacked us. But before then, she poisoned Armin, and he blacked out!”

Luke nodded frantically, and I opened the car doors so he didn't have to. Then I stood at a safer distance and watched Luke carry Armin away from the car back seat.

The greenish glime on the car was beginning to penetrate the vehicle, melting it despite its hardcover. That was how dangerous it was.

Even though I was immune to it, I could feel the coldness of the poison cutting through my skin.

Even with my immunity against it, it irritated my skin.

After Luke carried Armin into his car, Tentin struggled to walk and get into the car. “Do you have a towel and an extra shirt or something? I can't go with you guys with the game on me; it's literal poison.” I explained.

Luke sighed and went to the car's boot before tossing a white towel to me and a bottle of water which I used to clean myself.  I threw out my clothes, and Luke lent me his shirt, and we drove to the nearest hospital.