The Wolf and the Natural ✔️

~•19•~

I didn't want to hear what he had to say next. However, I knew I had too. If I didn't hear it now, it'll come up later by surprise and it'll hurt more coming from someone else. I need to hear it from him.

"Your... Dad?" I questioned, just making sure I heard him right.

He nodded. "Listen, I would really rather not talk about this." He ran a hand through his hair and even in the lightless room I knew he had that tired look on his face. "I failed as a parent, and I don't want to talk about my parent's failing." He added brokenly.

I needed something to calm my untamed sea of curiosity. "Was he... abusive?"

"No." He looked up quickly, defensively. "My father loved my mother fiercely. He'd never lay a hand on her that she didn't want there." He walked to me and grabbed both of my hands. "Can we please... just let this go? For now?"

I nodded slowly, giving in so easily to his wishes. "Yeah. But I'll expect an answer soon." I pointed out, remembering that Iris taught me to not give in so easily to him.

He put his hands up defensively. "Fine by me. But after we find Gracie. And after I get some sleep."

"Fine by me." It wasn't fine by me. You can't just leave someone at a cliffhanger like that, it's not right and it made me feel like he didn't think he could trust me. I'm sure that wasn't the case, but I couldn't help but to let my thoughts wander.

But I knew this was terrible timing. And if he wasn't ready to talk about it, then neither was I.

***

I woke up to people screaming, doors slamming, and glass shattering.

I tensed up when the body next to me stirred awake, groaning and growling. "I swear to the moon, if they wake me up one more time I'm going to fucking murder them." Arlis clambered out of the bed and shook on a pair of jeans, tossing on a shirt from the ground.

I stood up and followed him out, dressing as quickly as possible.

The sun was hanging lazily on the horizon, just peaking over the hills and trees, it's rays lighting the dying forest in a warm light. It gave a warm feeling to the cold people, ironic.

"Look, you woke Arlis up." Becker said, gesturing with both arms to Arlis and I who were walking down the stairs, me practically jogging to keep up with Arlis.

He jumped over the railing the last five feet and landed easily on the ground, stalking up to Constance and Becker. I finished safely walking down the steps, keeping down the thoughts of how hot he was pissed off, and stood next to him.

His jaw clenched and he tensed up, his fists balled. His hair was messy with bed head, sticking up in random directions. He was barely awake, but I could still distinguish anger from tiredness.

"Yes. You woke me up. So who wants to be hurt first? You have two seconds to decide. Too late." He kicked Constance's legs out from under her, making her tumble to the ground and hit her head on the hard wood flooring.

Becker looked scared as he backed against the wall, his eyes wide with fear. He gulped as Arlis's hand flung forward and hit the wall next to Becker's head.

Becker followed Arlis's arm to the hole in the drywall, his body swaying slightly.

"The next time you two wake me up, your head won't hit the floor it will be in the floor. And the hole won't be in the wall, it will be in your face." He took a couple steps back as Constance stood, rubbing the back of her head. "GOT IT!?" He yelled at them. They nodded slowly and he took a deep breath. "Good night."