Chapter 78 78 Battles

Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Battles

With each reduced intensity, the alpha wolf's steps began to recede. Slowly, in almost insignificant strides, it began to retreat- snarling occasionally, as if to maintain a little dignity in the face of defeat.

But the alpha wolf's ego wasn't the only one that had been crushed.

Through the fog of grayness that had now engulfed the entire landcsape, Monica watched in awe as the scene played out. In a induced state of shock, the redhead's eyes widened with surprise as as the big bad wolf began to slowly back off- in slow tentative steps, away from the newbie?

Her head cocked, and her eyebrows clamped together in doubt.

There was no fucking way. Newbie? It was all too much of an explosive surprise. An ache rippled through her skull, causing her head began to throb violently. At that moment, while Monica's ego was taking a beating, the alpha wolf's backwards strides began to become more pronounced.

As visibility declined, the outline of the black furry beast began to recede in the background. Only its glowing red eyes, and the occasional snarling made it possible to pinpoint its exact location.

Nexus stood, stoic, formidable as a mountain, watching the whole scene- without a look of triumph, relief or disappointment. His face was a mask of indifference. It really didn't matter to him if it lived or died. He was more concerned with making sure his clothes stayed clean for the journey back- with Monica.

Behind him, he heard the low whimpering noises, and shuffling sounds of the wind wolves. They also began to back away, following their master.

Dusk had finally melted away, along with every lingering trace of daylight. A blanket of darkness had now descended on the terrain- that, along with a resounding silence. The beast was gone. They were all gone.

Monica.

The name streaked into his mind, and instinctively, he jolted his neck upwards, towards the elevated rock. His well adjusted eyes peered through the dark, trying to make out her outline.

"I told you to stay away!"

Her sharp reprimanding voice suddenly came from behind him

Nexus spun around with a quickness. What in the hell? How. . .? When. . .?

"What kind of recklessness was that? You like being a tough guy? Do you want to die?!"

Nexus had just faced off with an alpha wolf- and even then, he hadn't been this disoriented. This was ten times worse!

Confused, he stammered in a confounded manner;

"I j-j-just w-w-wanted t-to. . ."

"TO WHAT?! Huh?!" she thundered; "To get yourself killed on the first day of the job?! Is that what you want? Bro you got a death wish or something?! Cos' if that's what this is, I'd be more than happy to give you a hand! What subordination! What foolery! What. . ."

The redhead continued to tongue lash Nexus to bits- making him miss the alpha wolf.

It took Nexus a minute, but he eventually caught up.

The redhead wasn't really mad. Not at him anyways. She was just lashing out- because she couldn't come to terms with her own failure. So, under the silver refulgence of the crescent moonlight, Nexus took the scolding like a champ- or a child.

Her frantic breathing began to escalate.

Shoulders heaving, chest tightened, and eyes blazing, Monica's vibrant red curls vibrated all over her shoulders. Without a single care in the world, out in the open, under the night sky, she continued to dish it to Nexus- hot and spicy;

"Fuck! Aren't you even gonna say something?"

She glared at him- eyes wrenching in their sockets.

Nexus warily cocked his head like a chicken. Wait, was she being for real right now?

Her tone hit a pitch- and began to slope down towards normalcy;

"Hold on, don't tell me you're still in shock?" Her piercing gaze burned through him, cornering him, isolating his insecurities.

And then, she shrugged;

"Shit, this one might actually be on me. I guess I should have known this would be too much for you." She shook her head condescendingly, and continued her monlogue;

". . .well, if you insist on standing there and looking at me like a lost puppy, the least you can do is say thank you."

Now Nexus was genuinely confused. He opened his mouth to say something, but she intercepted him at the crossing;

"Dude, I get the fact that you're having a brain freeze right now, but I literally just saved your ass from the boss of the wind wolves. . ."

Nexus was tired.

He had been traveling for almost fifty hours- on foot.

His eyes were red and bloodshot- like a rabid animal.

The rubbish fancy sandals he had bought was not as effective as his combat boots. So his swollen feet felt as big as Saturn on the weak foot wear. More than anything, he wanted to end this dreary conversation right now.

His chest swelled as he drew a deep breath;

"Thank you Monica." he added a little bit more flavor; "You were great out there. You should have seen yourself in action. . ."

His noble decision to rise above her petulance gave him a rewarding result.

Under the silver crescent moon of the late evening, he saw her weight shift slightly to her other leg- lifting of the budding tension. Her heavy breathing began to ebb, and her tense shoulders dropped slightly;

"Wind wolves are nothing." she said dismissively; "I can do this all day and still drink all night. . ."

The vitriol in her voice was gone. Its absence was like a breath of fresh air- after being trapped for long.

Nexus continued to press her;

"No, really, I saw it all. And I gotta tell you, that thing with the smoke? And the deaths by explosion? That was sick. How did you get so good?"

The adulation in his voice was like novocaine. It filtered into her ears, and seeped through her mind like a sweet smelling incense- stroking her ego, enflaming her self-esteem, and swelling her self-worth;

"Practice newbie, practice. . ." she chanted in a bland flat voice, but there was no mistaking the faint note that lurked at the background- it was pride.

"There's no way we can move at this time." she said as she looked up ahead;

"We'll set up camp here for the night. Over there, that top cleft. That should give us a vantage point to spot out anything- or anyone that might try to sneak up on us."

"That's probably for the best. Besides, since this is clearly wolf territory, I hardly think any random animal will have the guts to sneak here."

That was true. But another truth was that he was tired as fuck.

"Whatever, just start setting up camp. Clear the area. Make it at least big enough for three people."

He complied, and began to climb upwards to the elevated height. As he steadily made the ascent to the top of the ledge, his smooth quiet voice came out in one short question;

"So, are you gonna tell me what happened back there- with the big wolf?"

Monica fought the losing battle to suppress her grin;

"Take notes newbie, that wasn't just some random big wolf, that was the alpha- the top dog of the pack. And, just as you noticed, she wasn't exactly like the others. . ."