Predator

Part Twenty Five✔️

{for all y'all that think Dimitri was Gaston. . .
*sips tea*
M xx}

Maksim stood in shock for a few solid moments, staring at the space where his little brother once was. Or should he say, the imposter in his little brother's body. He hadn't seen such eyes devoid of emotion since his father. Even when Alexei had his moments of more murderous beast than human, when he'd come home covered in the blood of innocents, there was still a spark of remorse in his eyes, guilt for what he'd done but just then, Maksim had seen nothing.

Snapping out of his trance, he was quick to grab a towel and a bowl filled with cold water before returning to Grey. She was still out cold, her eyes twitched and moved beneath her lids, her skin pale and balmy. His eyes found the claw marks that started from her right collar bone and ripped through her skin all the way to just above her heart. Maksim had to bite back his anger. He sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly before dipping the little towel in the bowl and beginning to clean away the blood on Grey's wound.

After just a few moments, the bowl held water stained pink, no longer pure and clean. Grey's breathing had become sharp intakes every time he touched her wound and he could see her brows furrow in pain, yet she never woke. Maksim had begun to hum a soft melody because the silence that had blanketed itself across the house didn't settle well with him, it was eerie and almost sinister.

He couldn't figure it out, why his brother would do this, especially to the girl he bonded. The look in his eyes when he brought Grey was something Maksim thought he'd never see in Alexei again, something he hadn't seen since they were young.

He could still remember their first days living alone, just the two of them as Maksim mourned and Alexei raged. He'd leave in the evening and wouldn't return until early morning, by then he'd be covered in the blood of innocent humans and despite his monstrous exterior, the look in his eyes would say it all.  Guilt, remorse, self-hatred, so many emotions would wrap into one big wave in his eyes and some nights he'd sob to Maksim, on the worst nights, he'd stare at the wall and, despite his young age, drink himself close to death. Maksim was always there to bring him back for a short period of time.

"Maks?"

Grey. Her eyes were staring up at him, shining with unshed tears and swirling with fear as she held the wrist of the hand that was dabbing at her wound, her grip loose and weak. She was shaking like a leaf.

"It's okay, Grey-"

"He's not himself, Maks." Her voice was just a whisper as the tears started to stream down her cheeks. "Klara, she did something when she brought him back and now-" She choked on her words.

The strength in her hand seemed to return and she was gripping his wrist so tight her nails dug into his skin. He opened his mouth to speak but the words that left Grey's mouth struck fear even in Maksim's blood.

"The beast is in control."

• • •

Alexei could hear her crying downstairs and his thoughts weren't of pity or sympathy but annoyance. He could hear his brother comforting her, his voice soft and it irritated him. Why would his brother put up with such a weak girl? And goddamn, why did she cry so much?

There was a part of him, deep down inside, that itched with the urge to go and hold her and protect her but the overpowering emptiness flowed in his veins. This feeling confused him. He hadn't felt so numb since his mother died, since he was more beast than man and when his only thoughts consisted of killing and blood. He knew something was wrong, but he didn't know why, what. Any time it seemed he'd break through the wall in his mind, he'd get shoved back and the beast would creep forward more.