The Wolf and the Widow | Winterwidow

Chapter 5: Survival

All of the other girls are asleep. I'm the only one awake. I unlock the cuffs and hop off the bed. I change into my clothes and throw on my boots. I creep through the room of sleeping assassins and up to the door, careful that my boots don't squeak on the floor. I crack open the door and see nobody, so I step out and scan the area. Nobody. I make my way up the stairs as quietly as possible. The whole place is quiet, and the red room is sleeping. I slowly sneak down the hall.

As I'm walking down the hall, I suddenly get an uneasy feeling. An unsafe feeling. I feel my heart rate speed up. I'm not making a sound, yet I feel like I might wake someone. If I haven't already. All around this is probably a bad idea. I'm almost at the door to the training room. I lightly drag my fingers along the wall to ground myself. Just before I reach the door, I feel someone grab me. Big hands planted firmly on my waist pull me back. I try to shove the man away but he's too strong. He uses one hand to hold my wrists behind my back and the other to pin me to the wall. He's going to punish me. I try to fight back but to no avail. Once I have a moment to recollect my thoughts, I recognize the hand locked over my wrists is cold and stiff. Metallic.

He found me.

"Stop."

His husky voice pierces through the air like a dagger. I go still. His voice rings through the air with amazing intensity for such a quiet voice. His words practically echo through the empty halls. Immense power radiates from his quiet words, enough to make the strongest of men stop in their tracks. I hear him let out a deep sigh from behind me. He pulls me away from the wall. I quickly try to pull my arms away from him, but he tightens his grip and pulls me closer for better leverage. He holds me there for a second to make sure I'm done fighting.

"Let me go."

He doesn't respond.

"I'm not hurting anyone." I tense up and in turn he holds me tighter in fear that I might try to escape again.

He puts his hand firmly on my shoulder while keeping my hand behind me. He pushes me down the hall.

"...Now we have problems..." I mumble in retaliation.

He suddenly yanks me back and presses my back to him firmly. His grip on my shoulder tightens and it feels like he's trying to crush me. He's going to leave a bruise there for sure, and he's using his right hand.

"We only have problems if you make them."

After overcoming hesitance, he begins leading me down the hall again.

He shoves me into the room and takes me to my bed. I pushes me onto the bed and I look up at him with a blank face that faintly conveys anger. He stares down at me menacingly from behind goggles.

"Don't get up again."

"Or?"

"Or you'll regret it."

"Bold of you to assume you'll always catch me. You can't stop me from training. It's my job."

"You don't need extra training."

"If I'm to be the Black Widow, yes. I'm not going to let them kill me. There's a reason I'm still alive, and I'm going to fight for the reason why."

He doesn't respond. He takes in my words with crossed arms.

"You're already better than them." He rasps.

"Not enough."

"There are rules."

"Fuck the rules. I don't give a shit about the rules, you know what I care about? Survival. And this is how I do it. You won't get in my way."

"I'm doing my job."

"Your job is to train us. You're not our fucking babysitter. Try to stop me. Go ahead. You won't stand between me and that hourglass."

He falls silent.

"Rest. You need it."

I don't respond this time as he walks away and out of the room.

Once he's gone, I change back into my night clothes and get under the covers. I lock myself to the bed and lay in bed, hoping sleep will take me soon.

He doesn't understand what survival is. I guess I'll have to show him.