Chapter 2 Stranger

CHAPTER 2: Stranger

"You have to hit harder, Zoriana! You can't stay a softy during a fight!"

"But I'm so tired, father! I couldn't hit properly anymore! Can we rest for a bit?!" I cried before collapsing on the ground. I breathed heavily as I covered my eyes with my right arms, blocking the sun from hitting it. I laid flat on my stomach, and I can already feel my father's irritated look at me.

"We already rested for half an hour, Zoriana. You're just excusing yourself."

"I am not. I am just tired, Papa. We've been training everyday. Aren't we done yet?" I asked weakly, dead exhausted with all the trainings that he made me do in the past months that we've been staying here in the forest.

Time flies so fast, and now it has been two years already. All that me and father did inside those years was to train and train. I learned physical combat from him. I learned how to use knives and swords to defend myself from the enemies. Father taught me a lot of things in those two years that we spent here. We train almost everyday, but it seems like it wasn't still enough for him.

Father still wants me to learn...a lot.

I heard him let out a deep sigh. "Stand up and follow me inside the house."

I cheered silently inside my head, smiling inwardly that I've finally won over my father. I excitedly got up and followed him inside the house.

My father was already inside the dirty kitchen, and he was drinking a glass of water. I watched him as he put the empty glass down the counter. He signalled me to sit, and so I did.

"I am going home-"

"We're finally going home, Papa?!" I asked in utter surprise, but excitement and nervousness are there as I clapped my hands with joy.

I couldn't help it. It's been two years since we left our Pack, and eversince then, I didn't have contact with my friends there, my boyfriend, and even with my own mother and my younger brother.

I was forced to cut my connection with everyone in the Pack just like what my father said. It devastated me, but I couldn't do anything but to follow him. He's still my father, so I have to respect him and his decisions if it will lead to nothing but goodness for me.

My father only frowned at me, there was a threatening scowl on his face as he looked at my overjoyed face.

Huh? What? Am I not allowed to get excited now?

"You must've not heard me correctly, Zoriana. I said, 'I'm going home', and not 'We are going home.'" He said sternly, emphasizing the word I'm as he spoke.

My mood withered, the excitement that I was feeling ago was replaced by sadness.

I frowned at my father. "Why am I not included, father? I want to go home too. I want to see my mother and my younger brother, and my friends too. I want to be back in the Pack again. I don't want to stay here anymore." I shook my head, tears started to creep out of my eyes as I sniff.

My father took a deep breath before shaking his head. He even massaged his forehead like I frustrate him so much, but same! It goes the same way with me too! I am more than frustrated with him. I don't even know why did we left the Pack because up until now, he refuse to tell me everything. The reason, and everything! All those months that we're staying here, he only gave me nothing but a safe answers. He never go deeper than what I expected him to be.

"You haven't learned everything yet that I wanted you to know, Zoriana. There are still some things that I have to teach you, and you're not going back there unless I made sure of that."

I was left alone in the house when my father left. Days becomes a week, and father isn't still back yet even after that long days that he spend with our family...probably. And as days goes by so slowly, I grew more and more impatient and frustrated that I was left alone here inside a house, with no connections with my family, with my friends, and everyone inside our Pack.

As much as I wanted to tell them about my situation here, I know that I couldn't because my father has forbid me of using anything to contact my mother.

I remember that there was one time when I sneaked into his room and stole his phone from his pocket while he was fast asleep. It was such a hard job to do, but I have to. He left me with no choice at all. I secretly called my mother that time, but father still caught me, and eversince then, I didn't saw his phone again. And I assumed that he hid it somewhere, and just secretly calls my mother whenever he has the chance to.

And now, father left me with no choice again but to escape.

With the new found determination and strength within me, I decided to stuff some of my clothes in my old backpack. I immediately got out from my room when I was done as I hurriedly descended on the stairs.

But I dropped my bag on the floor when I saw someone sitting comfortably on the couch of our small living room.

Fear crept inside my chest when he stood up. His hands were inside the pocket of his black pants. His deep set of mysterious emerald green eyes stared coldly at me like I am a piece of no one he wanted to get rid of this instance.

His muscular body is so obvious with his black button down shirt that completely hugged his body like it was made solely for him. The sleeves were curled up to his elbows, and I can see the veins almost popping out of from his arms.

My eyes narrowed particulary at his right arm. It was inked. It was tattoed with something that I couldn't understand yet. It was too dark colored, and the only thing that I could see is the rose. It was the only tattoo that was painted with red.

"W-Who are you?" I managed to ask the unfamiliar man despite how I got distracted with his presence. I don't know, but I feel like something is pulling me towards him.

Or am I just going crazy for being attracted with a stranger that completely looks dangerous?!

The man's lips slowly tugged up for a smirk. I blinked my eyes repeatedly as I tried to calm my fast heartbeating.

"No questions. Let's go back now, Ruthie."