HOWLER

Chapter 53: 'EXIT'

How could I have forgotten these two?

The way they looked at me when I was at home. Their glazes looking past me into my grandma's bedroom.

Steven hand gripped onto my sleeve.

'Act annoyed,' he warned tensely as the two people looked our way. From the gap behind Steven's arm, I could see the guy's careful look on Steven. With his size, he was shielding me from their gazes. I must admit, I doubt they would forget a white headed girl so quickly.

Again my mind distracted me until Steven's grip spread to my shoulder, ' Move your ass to the building and make him see you're annoyed.'

Before I opened my mouth, Virginiah started her way to us.

"Um, there it is! Goodness I can't believe you freaking forget, I swear to God you old people are so-" I had dragged him pass them far enough into the parking lot. Some other people were behind us; putting some distant between us. My eyes looked forward into the glass doors to see both of their heads staring at our retreating figure.

I don't think we'll be able to go back the same way, I gulped nervously. Steven wasn't done acting though.

"Why are you bullying me my grandchild? Why? Why?," he turned his head to a passing man and spoke to him frankly, "the generation today, am I right?"

The man calmly nodded before smiling down at me and entering the building before us. When we entered, Virginiah was no longer by Alavi's side.

'Those are the two who paid you a visit? You got off easy kid,' he breathed out while we walked through the white walled halls.

"And why do you say that?" I turned my head to observe around. It sure was a fancy place compared to where I use to help out.

'The only one we'll have to worry about is the vampire,' he said with finality. Wait, vampire?

I turned to look back at him when I saw him still out in the sun like any other man. Besides his tinted glasses and the wine long sleeve in the middle of the coming rainstorm, there was nothing different from any other person.

"Vampire?," I said in awe. Steven grunted in response, "Don't fall in love. That one smells of a money loving bounty hunter. He'll have your Howler head before you make it to first base."

He added a knowing smirk before reaching the open nurse window. My head still faced to the front, I didn't feel safe.

Where did Virginiah go?

Had she known back then about me maybe being a Howler? The phase is still so unconvincing to me. I can hardly keep up with Dusk Hunt's Curler and yet, somehow I'm wanted for being something more?

They must be mistaken.

"Room 203," Steven said; my attention drifting back when he grabbed my hand and walked his to the stairs.

"Two flights up; avoiding the cameras, I think that should spare us some time," I couldn't help but doubt.

The entire way up my hands rubbed my exposed arms. I hadn't seen my grandma in months. The last I did, I didn't know she could be cured by just removing the silver necklace as she told me never to do.

As if Steven perfectly thought this plan through, his hand extended back to me. I looked at his hand and then to his face, my old necklace was in his hand.

With one hand on the second floor door and the other extended to me, he spoke with a strangely gentle tone.

"Wear it. I doubt they came alone. I never knew the girl, but something tells me she's one of the R-order team leaders. She's resourceful. At least the necklace will hide your growing wolf if they decide to ambush." His last words secretly whispered danger into my ears.

He seemed scared. The tenseness spread onto me as I held onto his hand and purposely let it stay there before grabbing the necklace.

'Thank you Steven,' I tried to respond. I'd it reached him, I wouldn't know because he turned his back to me and opened the door.

I have no idea what his plan was.

The opened with a bam that initiated an instant grown from Steven when the door slipped from his finger.

"Marriott," a very familiar voice said in a whisper.

My eyes widened when I realized who she was. In the white robe uniform, my grandma held her heads out for Steven to calm down. I couldn't believe my eyes. Never in my life would I have imagine to see my grandma in this position, she was right in front of Steven with ease.

Slowly he relaxed and coughed with embarrassment, he was about to speak when my grandma pushed us inside the stairway again. Loud yelling echoed from the sides of the entrance way.

Quickly I met Steven's surprised eyes before her voice entered automatically, we need to go they have a werewolf with them.

Aside from being in her presence, I tense at Steven's harsh expression. The vivid anger oozing from his pores. The air poisoned heavily; being exposed to the toxicity my body stood paralyzed.

He nodded stiffly and before I know it, he grabbed my wrist and we were all rushing down the stair.

'Do you have any idea if it's from the X department?', Steven spoke while my legs pumped carefully not to miss a step.

I could only look back to feel my grandma's hands on my back.

"Hurry," she whispered into my ear. I shivered. 'No, I don't know. I had to run out of my room before they stepped in. I had already taken off the silver and threw in outside. We need to get it before we leave. ' She said solemnly.

With finality Steven lead us down to past the first floor, we went down another level and the red glow from the 'EXIT' sign pierced through the darkening shadows. He paused before looking back at my grandma, an unreasonable expression clawing into my uncertainty. I felt a tight grip on my shoulders. Steven sighed and counted with his fingers. My heartbeat pumped blood into my ears.

He lifted up his fingers as my grandma's finger dugged into my skin to ease away the stress.

They went up quickly.

Three.

Two.

One.