JUMBLED.

CHAPTER ELEVEN— Karina Agafonov

It was a bright new day, I only slept a wink because my thoughts were jumbled up. The offer Antonov and Nikolai made to me yesterday night was a bit of a surprise and also a way for me to put a move on my plan.

I hated being idle because it made me think about a lot of problems which bothers me alot. Living in this place with no one to talk to and confide in was hard, I could go to my sister's but they also have their own problem they are dealing with, my mother — I couldn't bother her with my problems.

My thoughts was cut short, because my sister, Mila burst into my room with smiles etched on her face, she came closer to my bed,

"Hey little sis, guess what?" She said.

I was confused as to why she was smiling brightly so early this morning. I complied to her request and asked why just to please her,

"Girl, you have a visitor!" Mila said, shrieking in excitement.

I was so lost, also surprised which made me ask once more if it was me she was talking about. I don't have any friends nor have I made any effort to get one so it came as a shock to me when Mila said I had a visitor.

"Come downstairs and see for yourself." She said, dragging me down from my bed.

My body thudded loudly on the floor and I whimpered slightly in discomfort. Mila pulled me up and she apologized but I didn't take any offense, I knew it was a mistake.

"Does it hurt alot? I'm Sorry." Mila said to me.

I walked towards the door but got pulled back, a little gentle this time around. Mila told me to change into something better and when I questioned her, she didn't give a response but started pulling out clothes from my room in a very disorderly manner.

I looked down at my body and saw that I was just wearing a black baggy shirt with just an undergarment beneath. I cringed to myself, I could have gone out to embarrass myself in front of the unknown visitor.

Mila handed me a gray jogger, then walked out of the room hurriedly but not before telling me to hurry and not to keep the visitor waiting.

I was very much confused about who the hell came here so early. Putting on my joggers, I went down the stairs to see the unknown person. I had a strange thought. Maybe it's a soldier who came to check up on me or the commander himself but that was not possible because they didn't know where I lived and even though they did, they would see my old town in ruins and think I was dead.

I saw a figure sitting down on the sofa and I moved closer towards the person. I saw Antonov sitting down on the sofa in my living room, drinking something from a cup.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, straightforward with my question.

Antonov didn't give a reply but my mum did, I didn't even notice her there.

"Kotik, stop— that's not how to speak to a guest. An esteemed one for that." My mother said,

I rolled my eyes in exasperation, I was fed up of hearing my mother praise these people when they are the ones that caused everything. I repeated my question, more firmly but Antonov didn't say anything until he dropped the cup he was holding on the table.

He tsked at me, "You need to calm your nerves, soldier Karina— I mean ex-soldier Karina." Antonov said, chuckling at me.

I looked at my mother who was also laughing with him like it was funny.

"Mother, you told him about my occupation?" I asked.

She waved her hands at me, telling me it's nothing for me to be so serious about and they both laughed, again making my blood boil in anger.

"What do you want?" I asked once more.

Antonov told my mum to excuse us and told her what we had to say was very important. My mother obliged to his request and left, carrying the cup along with her. Antonov directed me to sit down beside him but I declined profusely.

I folded my arms, "Don't tell me what to do— I asked what you are doing in my house."

Antonov replied, "Technically it's my house since me and my brothers built it for your mum and If you don't want to agree that it's our house, it's your mum's house, even after your mum is no more, it will be passed down to your older sister and. . ." He kept on rambling about hierarchy and shit which made me mad and I just had to cut him off.

I whisper shouted so as to avoid my siblings from coming here. I was so sure they were somewhere around, waiting for no reason, "Stop! I heard you— I only asked what you are doing here, and not to lecture me on what I don't want to know."

"Have you forgotten about yesterday?" He simply said.

I remember vividly what he was talking about. They wanted me to meet their older brother who would supposedly explain things to me. I doubt that will be possible.

"I remember and I was going to come to your place later in the afternoon." I replied, going to sit on a chair opposite him.

Antonov looked at me like I was stupid, "Do you have any idea on how to get to my house?"

Oh yeah, I didn't figure out the Lycans lair and I am going there without inspecting, I fucked up. I thought to myself.

My older sister, Mila walked in to ask if he needed anything else. She beamed brightly at him and I groaned lowly to myself. When Antonov declined her request politely, they both started to flirt and it was so cringe which made me groan. It grabbed both of their attention and my sister waltzed away like she was modeling on a runway.

I faced the Lycan, "Please stop flirting with my sister." I said before getting up from the chair.

"Where are you going— I was talking to you." Antonov asked as I walked away.

I paused as I looked back at him from the stairs, "Give me a few minutes."

"Okay darling— Make sure to look good for daddy." Antonov said, chuckling a bit.

I rolled my eyes before going into my room to get ready to go out, hoping I was not going to be making a big mistake. I took my bath and wore a black sleeveless top with joggers. I put in my essentials, such as my little knives before leaving my home with Antonov in tow at my back. Antonov kept mumbling complaints about how I wore boring clothes and I didn't impress him at all.

I wasn't bothered to even listen to him.

I cut him off, "Why did Nikolai not come— why you?"

"Why do you ask— Baby, are you sad it wasn't Nikolai you saw but me?" Antonov asked cheekily.

Throwing my hands up in frustration, "Can't I just ask a simple question."

"No you can't— do you have any idea how you two behave in public and yet, here you asked me why Nikolai didn't come along."

Shrugging my shoulders, I asked myself why I bothered to ask of Nikolai and then I kept quiet as we continued on our journey to his house.

Finally we arrived at our destination, the building was small but it was beautiful. Antonov led me into the sitting room but I stayed planted outside the door.

"Come in Karina, we won't bite." Antonov said. I took in a deep breath before going inside the house, the door shut quietly behind me.

Antonov laughed, and then ushered me into the living room. He told me to sit on the sofa but I declined. I was going to stand near the door, just in case anything wanted to happen and I had to take a flight. He rolled his eyes at me before leaving me alone in the living room.

I took that time to look at their house, for one it was surprisingly neat and tidy. The whole room screams darkness, just like they are. I was still looking, then I heard footsteps— looking towards the direction, I saw Nikolai and then the idiot whose name was Volkov, he was smirking at me—followed was another brother, his eyes were dark and menacing which made me tremble in fear but I didn't let it show, he only looked at me once before looking away.

Volkov and the unknown brother sat down on the sofa while Nikolai came towards me,

"Hello suicidal lady, what are you doing standing up?" He asked.

I didn't bother to argue with him, he was a lost cause and I shouldn't bother myself with him. I dragged a chair closer to the door and sat down on the chair. I could see the three brothers looking at me, weird expressions on their faces.

Suddenly the one who I didn't know spoke up, "Name's Abramov— your's?"

"Karina." I replied to him. Abramov nodded his head in reply before standing up from the sofa and moving towards a corridor till I couldn't see him any more. Volkov tutted at me, I faced him square in his eyes. I knew he wanted to say something but he wasn't given a chance to because Abramov, Antonov and a snowy man walked in.

The snowy man radiates dominance, respect and authority. He didn't seem like someone to be messed with, my face went white with the amount of power this man expelled. All of a sudden, my brain readjusted— he seemed like someone who could kill millions of people in some minutes without breaking a sweat so why had he not stopped their creations, why are they watching humans die when he alone could save the human race.

Tears were threatening to spill down my eyes but I held it in, I wasn't going to act weak in front of the five brothers— not ever. The whole room was quiet, it was like no one was breathing and if you dropped a needle on the floor, the sound would be heard.

The snowy man broke the silence, "Are you done organizing your thoughts?" He asked, looking at me with his clear white eyes which pierced into my soul— I was mad at the fact that this Lycan had actually read my thoughts, invaded my privacy. It was because they had the ability to do that, they felt they had all the rights to read people's thoughts.

"Low your voice and I wouldn't say that if I were you— Your thoughts were loud and disturbing." He said, still looking at me.

"Still that doesn't give you any rights to read my mind, you lowly lycan." Immediately I said that, Abramov's head whipped towards me— growling at me because of the statement I made. I was terrified but I didn't show it— it wasn't until he left the room angrily did I calm down— a bit.

The snowy guy spoke, "I know you're angry but don't you ever speak to lycans that way, ever again.", it sounded like he was scolding a small child which was me.

He continued, "My brother's told me what happened and how you got here. . ." I was about to talk but his next statement made me stop,

"Do not speak when I am speaking Karina— you would not like what I am going to do." He said, chilling.

I kept my mouth shut as he continued speaking, he told me about the werewolves who had been killing people and how he tried to compel them to stop but it was to no avail. One thing I know about lycans, if you're compelled— the person is a puppet and so it came as a shock to me when he said that.

"How is that possible?" I asked.

Volkov responded, "We have no clue as to what that's happening and that's what we are trying to find out."

I pinched my nose in frustration, "You're taking a lot of time though— people are dying and yet you still haven't found a solution to the problem." I said angrily, forgetting who was in the room.

She saw the snowy man stand up and walked closer towards her, like a predator waiting to pounce on its prey. I was so sure I was going to die today but luckily, something seemed to be on my side because Nikolai appeared in front of me.

Quickly I stood up from the chair, and stood closer towards the door. I could see Nikolai and the man staring at each other but they were not saying anything so I felt like they were speaking through their minds. My eyes flocked over to the other two, Volkov and Antonov who didn't look bothered about what was happening.

After a while, the man looked at me before walking away but not before telling Nikolai, "Make sure you explain what is going on to her and she should never disrespect me again." And he fully walked away. The intimidating man was finally gone and I could breathe again.

Antonov and Volkov smiled at me, "You're lucky Karina Agafonov— if it was someone else, they would be in the dungeon rotting till they are no longer alive." Volkov said before walking away with Antonov who blew a kiss at me.

Nikolai and I were the only ones left in the room and I was able to relax because I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I sat down back on the chair and took in a large deep breath. After I had calmed down, Nikolai began to explain everything to me— he told me about the werewolf that resides in the dungeon in their house and how blood thirsty he was. He also said that his brother, Ivan, the oldest one who I had been rude to just came back, he had been trying to find out what was wrong and he was able to but he wasn't able to figure out exactly who the perpetrator was. He continued and I listened to every detail he had to say. He also added that, "I shouldn't ever disrespect Ivan since he's the oldest of all Lycans" and "he can snap me like a twig between his fingers." Nikolai said.

I processed everything he had said and I came to the conclusion that the way I perceive them to be was not the way they were. They are also looking for ways to stop the wolves from killing more humans.

The other thing was they are very slow to get solutions to the problem and I made a mental decision to help in any way I can and I offered to help them in any way I can for peace to reign in the world.

Nikolai was very much surprised by my offer and he asked again if I was sure. I didn't go back on my words, I wanted to help them— although there may be disputes between us, our goal is to find a solution to the problem.

He told me to give him a minute and he left, probably to meet his brothers. In my mind, the only thing I kept saying was, I hope I wasn't making a big mistake.

When Nikolai came back, he said that his older brother's agreed to let me help and that I should be back here tomorrow morning since they are going into the outer world and it's going to take a long while before they come back to Khabarovsk. I was excited to be leaving here, I haven't stepped out of the fog ever since I came here. I began to have another thought but I ignored it.

I was about to leave, and then I remembered something so I turned back to face Nikolai whose chest collided with my face. I gasped as I felt his hands on my waist which tingled. We were both staring into each other's eyes, no one moved or said anything. He had a musky smell and I would say I really liked it. I was holding his arms and they had some veins on them and he felt muscular— I have no idea what was wrong with me and why can't I pull away from him.

Nikolai's eyes began to swirl and I found it amazing. It was like I was entranced into a spell that I couldn't pull out from. Something kept holding us both together.

A voice broke us apart, "what are the both of you doing— do you want to argue again?"

Immediately we pulled away from each other and I felt cold without him, what the hell is going on with me, I thought to myself.

"I had been trying to mindlink you but you were not answering." Volkov said as he moved closer to us.

Volkov looked at me, smirking before asking how my neck was and immediately I knew he was the one who attacked me that night, probably for the way I spoke towards him.

I sneered back at him, "At least, I'm not a coward like you."

Volkov's nostrils flared in anger, he looked like he was about to retort but he didn't say anything and just left the room.

I faced Nikolai who was still looking at me, his brows arched like he was thinking of something while I used the chance to excuse myself. Immediately I got out of their door, I took a deep breath before going to my house. My thoughts were all jumbled up because of what happened a few minutes ago.

I slapped myself hard which made people turn their heads towards me like I was crazy. I began to think about what was going to happen tomorrow.

A new day approaches us and I hope it's all good. I just have to find a way to convince my mother and sister's about leaving them again.