The Beast Within Us

Chapter 2: Paint Stains the Heart

I groan and scrunch up my nose as I pick up the two large buckets of white paint and a brush. By now I should be used to the pungent smell the cheap paint gives off but it seemed to burn my nostrils more and more every time I'm around it.

I sigh as I make my way over to a large house with chipping paint. I use a rusty ladder to climb up as high as I needed to be while setting the paint cans down on a nearby window. This ladder may be old but it has served me well over the years.

As I dip the brush in the paint I look over to see another crowd of girls for the second time today. Again, like always, they are still trying to get Conan's attention. I laugh a little too loud at the thought of it.

One of the girls glare towards me,
"What are you laughing at, outsider!?"

"You're stupidity!" I yell.

"Oh I'M stupid!" She yells back while walking towards me.

"Hey. I'm just telling you what you're IQ told me!" I smirked.

"Well if you're so smart why don't you have a spotter!"

Before I could respond she runs over and pushes my ladder. It wobbles a bit and I lose my footing. I slipped off the tall ladder, feeling the wind rush around me as I prepared to hit the ground.

Instead of coming in contact with the cold, hard ground I felt two strong arms wrap around me. I looked up to see two alluring green eyes stare right back at me, then spark with anger.

I opened my mouth to say something but stopped when the two paint cans fell on us both covering us from head to toe. I looked up to see the girl from before laughing in the window.

The guy dropped me on the ground. I scrambled to my feet, wiped the burning paint from my eyes and rubbed my sore bottom. Even with the heavy sent of the dye my strong nose was able to pick up a different smell. A new but familiar smell...

It was the smell of cinnamon hot chocolate. My favorite thing to drink on cold winter nights as a child. But somehow this smell was much more mouth-watering and inviting. The person it was coming from, however, was not.

An angry growl erupted from my savior's throat. I  looked up at him and despite the white paint heavily coating his face, I couldn't help but notice his invigorating green eyes standing out from the rest. How could I have not realized it was him sooner.

"No! No! No!" Conan yelled as he paced back and forth tracking the white paint on the ground.

"You know I have to clean that up right?" I said crossing my arms.

He shot me a nasty glare as he stomped towards me. "How could the Moon Goddess do this to me!"

"Do what..." I said in a cold manner.

"Pair me up with another mate!" He yelled. "And especially someone as low as you!"

I bit on my tongue to prevent me from saying anything that could make the situation any worse.

"A Laborer? Really?" He questioned. "You are NOTHING compared to Juliette, Outsider! She is a flower and you are nothing but a weed that grows in her shade!"

I've had enough. The insults, the disrespect, being called an outsider. Do they really think I asked to be given up? I just lost it!

"I reject-"

"You know what!" I interrupted. "I am not here to be your punching bag or anyone else's! I am sick and tired of people treating me like I am trash when I am stronger than half of them here! I don't deserve this and you sure as hell don't deserve me!"

I push past him trying to get as far away from him as I could. I felt angry tears roll down my cheek. I wiped them away in a hurry as I went to meet up with Roze like I do every day.

"Goddammit, Conan..." I whisper to myself.

I make my way over to Roze who was still picking and placing herbs and berries in the basket that was now half full.

"Hey, Delilah!" She turned and looked me up and down, "Why are you covered in white paint?"

"Long story..." I sigh. I look around and noticed that her basket was missing a certain bundle of plants.

"No flowers?" I ask?

"Oh... I guess I forgot." She said quietly.

"You've been putting flowers on your father's grave every month for the past 10 years," I stated. "Don't tell me you just... forgot!"

She stood up holding the basket, "I guess I just got tired of hurting..."

"Hurting..."

"He died when we were 3, Delilah." She began. "He died saving others and it hurts that no one else knows that. A man like that deserves to be recognized. Why does no one know that?"

"You know... Your mom knows. I know." I said. "And I think for him, that's all he really wants."

She smiled.

"Besides, you can still hear his final thoughts using your totem poles." I say.

"What good is that when I'd rather be talking to him now?"

"Let's get him those flowers," I say. "We can talk more about this..."

Before we made a move we heard an angry growl. Out of nowhere, a large grey wolf jumped in front of us making Roze drop the basket in fright. A rouge nonetheless.

With quick thinking I shifted into my own light brown wolf, feeling my bones shift and then lock back into place, and threw myself at the attacker. I claw at his side and dodge one of his hits. I bit and hold on tight to one of his legs as he tries to slash me once on the face.

The grey wolf stumbles backward, exposing his neck. I take the opportunity and clamp down hard on his throat attempting to crush his windpipe. He flails around for a while but his body soon goes limp and lifeless.

I let go of the body and spit the blood out of my mouth. I shift back into my human form stunned for a moment.

"I did it..." I say quietly then laughed. "I actually did it! I didn't think I had the chance to take him on but I did! I took him on like a Warrior!"

I fist pump the air and congratulate myself as Roze inspects the body.

"He doesn't smell like an outsi- uh, I mean a rogue..." Roze said.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Clearly he wandered into our pack and tried to attack us. Sounds like something a rogue would do."

Roze continues to examine the dead wolf. Her face grows pale and she freezes.

"I know this sent..." She says, her voice filled with fear.

"Delilah... You killed someone from the neighboring pack..."