Reaching for the Stars

Chapter 44: Under Cold Stars

Even more warning: the usual but intensified ten times. There are scenes of killing, blood, violence, slight torture, slight psychological manipulation, and emotional play here, and they're graphic. If you are triggered, please don't read this chapter. Read at your own discretion.

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Vilkas put his phone down, his brows furrowed. Lucas saw some kind of concern on the husky's face. "What is it?" asked the coyote.

"Just Octo asking about Kevin." The husky shrugged and took one crisp, munching it. "Friends of mine."

"Oh. I know Octo, though."

"Right, I forgot you two played each other."

They chuckled at the inside joke.

"What was it again?" The husky asked.

"Oh, right. Tom is... well... nice and cute and all. I mean, for an introvert he's sure pretty nice to get to know."

"All introverts are nice to get to know if they let you get to know them." Vilkas took another crisp. "But not many are going to let you. Someone told me Tom is pretty selective about who he considers a friend."

"Really?"

"Well, my friend said it. He was the one who... well... to put it simply, really interested in getting to know the wolf."

Lucas shrugged. "Yeah. Tom doesn't let many people into his inner circle. Still, I feel like he's... hiding something. Like, he can be so open at times and so closed at times, even so open and so closed at the same time. I know it's weird since we all do that, but it's just... odd."

"Odd?"

"Yeah, like he's hiding something big and doesn't think we can handle it. Like the secret of the world stuff."

The husky hummed. "I wouldn't say secret of the world stuff but yeah, he can be a riddle at times."

A riddle... Hmm, that encounter a week ago, he remembered it. That bison just appeared out of nowhere and began speaking in riddles with the wolf. That was weird. "Yeah, I get that."

"Tom won a national conference last semester. I think it has to do with that." The husky continued. "I mean, if one wins a national conference, one must really have a way with words."

Lucas leant on the sofa. "Yeah, but I've never thought that about him. He's just... there, blending in like everyone." He pondered about the first time he met the wolf. He was about to pet his head, but the wolf quickly took a step back and made him almost stumble forward. "But there were occasions where he gets... different."

"I know right." Vilkas sighed. "Let's... just drop the topic and talk about something lighter."

The coyote looked away, pondering. Tom had always been... something. He was nice, yeah, but somehow there was something under that niceness. As if there was black under that grey.

He shrugged it off. It wasn't like people weren't hiding their secrets anyway. Everyone had a bad story now and then, and it wasn't his place to ask about it.

-

Rodrigo looked ahead, his mouth set in a line. He was angry yet afraid, shaken yet still. It was admiration, perhaps, admiration laced with horror. The scene before him was different yet eerily familiar but not in a good way. He didn't think he'd be witnessing this again but here was he.

This was Red Wolf whom he fought almost to death those years ago.

The bison smirked to himself. That was too dramatic, even for him. Still, with life like him, any wrong opportunity or bad luck could lead to death. In a way, he welcomed it, but in a way, he was afraid to die. He wasn't ready, but at the same time, he was ready. Ironic, really.