The Roar of the Night

3

**That hug was all I needed**. I felt his arms surround my body, and in that moment, all the tension, all the fear, disappeared. His words, although soft, resonated in my mind.

"I don't care who you are anymore, Rex." **You are my friend, my hero**.

**I have never felt so much sincere love**. Any doubts I had had about what I had become disappeared in that instant. For Alex, I was still his companion, his protector, his friend. And that was the only thing that mattered.

I watched through the window as Alex spoke to a group of officers at the entrance to headquarters. Concern was evident on his face, but so was determination. **He was doing everything he could to protect me, to find a way to keep us safe**. I hid further into my hood, pretending to be just a tired passenger. If someone approached, he would keep his head down and avoid raising suspicion.

After an hour, Alex returned to the car with a tense face.—We can't stay in the house, not for now. It is already being investigated, but they believe that the Rhino attack could have been something bigger than we thought. **There are others interested in the suit**, Rex," he explained to me as he started the engine.

I knew it. The symbiote was more than just a suit. It was an entity with power that many would want to control, and **Rhino had been just the beginning**. As we drove through the city, I felt a tension in the air. Something was coming, but I didn't know exactly what.

Finally, we arrived at a small hotel on the outskirts of the city. He was modest, discreet. Alex had chosen well. Far enough away that no one would find us easily, but comfortable enough to stay while the house was being repaired. We registered under false names. **He didn't want to take any chances** so he asked me to stay in the room while he worked out the details at the front desk. We climbed the stairs in silence, and upon entering the room, I felt a strange calm. It was small, but cozy. At least, for now, we were safe.

"This is temporary," Alex told me as he sat on the edge of the bed. Soon everything will return to normal.

I wanted to believe him, but something told me it wouldn't be that simple.And my suspicions were confirmed that same night.

**It was a loud knock on the door**. I was next to the window, looking at the illuminated city when I heard the roar. Alex and I looked at each other, knowing immediately that something was wrong. Before he could react, **the hotel door was blown into pieces**. The air was filled with dust and debris.

A slender figure, covered in metallic green armor and a long, sharp tail that moved like a whip, walked into the room. **Scorpion**. I recognized him immediately."So here's the little dog in the suit," he said with a crooked smile. He knew Rhino was too stupid to get what he wanted. **But I will not fail**. I felt a chill run through me. **He came for the symbiote**. This suit, this thing that had changed my life, was what everyone wanted.

Scorpion pulled out a strange device from his belt, something that glowed with a bluish glow. **A weapon designed to separate the symbiote from its host**. I could feel the suit squirm inside me, as if it recognized danger.

-No! —Alex shouted, running toward Scorpion with more bravery than I had expected. I saw him lunge at him, trying to snatch the gun from his hands. The blow was unexpected, and Scorpion lost his balance for a second. **Alex took advantage of the moment to knock it down**, and the weapon fell to the ground with a crash.

I couldn't sit still. **I jumped on Scorpion before he could get up**, my hands—my claws—circling his neck as the symbiote strengthened my movements. I picked him up off the floor and pushed him against the wall so hard that cracks spread throughout the plaster.

"You'll regret coming here!" —I growled, letting my voice mix with the symbiote's, turning it into something much more terrifying. Scorpion tried to move, but I didn't let him. With a final roar, I slammed him to the ground and knocked him unconscious.

Silence filled the room again, but this time, **it wasn't a relieved silence**. I could hear murmurs and screams in the hallway. The other hotel guests had heard the battle. I went out to the door, seeing how **people were looking at us terrified**.

Alex appeared behind me, looking at the onlookers with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. I knew this didn't look good. **I was a huge, dark creature, who had just fought a monster**. People wouldn't understand. **They would only see the danger, not what we really were**.

—Wait! —Alex shouted, putting himself in front of me like a shield—. Don't be afraid of him! **He is my friend**. He is a hero!

The murmurs grew, but Alex continued, without hesitation.

—I know it looks like a monster, but it's not! He has saved me time and time again! —His words were firm, full of conviction—. **Rex is my family**.

I watched as the guests' looks slowly changed, from fear to confusion, and some even to sympathy. **Alex's words began to sink in**, although not everyone seemed convinced.

I stood at the door, watching as the crowd slowly dispersed. Some continued to look at me with suspicion, but **Alex did not stop defending me**.

"Thank you..." I said softly, feeling the weight of guilt ease a little.

Alex looked at me, with that smile I had learned to value more than anything else.—You don't have to thank me, Rex. **I will always defend you, because I know who you are**.