Chapter 3 The Thorns Amidst The Rose

I was about to walk and find my way at the corner of the place and out of the still buzzing crowd, when, all of a sudden, an instant feeling enters me. The feeling of being watched with much intent.

I hold the hood of my cloak to cover my face even more, I refuse to take it off after Aries had taken the initiative to do so. Like what he had adviced me, I shall stay lowkey to avoid getting the Rankers attention until the Ranking begins. With my cloak on, no one should be interested in a my merely present existence.

But why is he?

***

I narrowed my eyes through the crowd of people, directing it towards the source of all the staring; the same Ranker who mercilessly whipped me for whatever lawful reason he has.

He's not aware I'm glaring at him, is he? From the way my cloak hangs, I don't think so. He has his distant eyes on me though, but mine flares with anger throughout, blocking all unnecessary feelings but despise, disgust and most specically, hatred.

I should stay as low as I can, I don't want to disappoint my brother, I'll have to hold it in until the Ranking starts and by then, I'm bound to break all of hell loose from within.

Rushing to get to the coner while keeping my sights trained on him, I didn't get to watch my steps and ended collapsing with someone. The person's body was so hard that I came bouncing off his chest and fall down butt first on the ground.

"Uhu, this mutt dare get in my way?" Another specimen came to reach down and pull me up effortlessly by the collar of my cloak. What's up with all this shitheads encountering me nonstop!?

I let him though, without putting much of a fight in between. His bloodshot eyes glares at me through the hood of my cloak until he took the initiative to shove it off.

A huge ugly grin came creeping on his face at the sight of mine before he pulls and pushes my back on the corner walls, blocking my body away from the prying eyes with his stupendous frame. "Why, would you look at this fine catch..." His filthy fingers then slides down the delicate skin of my cheeks.

Ugh, fuck, I growled at the back of my throat, fighting the urge not to snap his head. I try to push him off in a not so obvious way as to not gain attention, only to fail as he's obviously ten times stronger than me.

"You smell nice, oh, so nice..." He chuckles me off, not budging once from cornering me. The foul smell of his breath-- a mixture of alcohol and cigarette-- hurts my nostrils, it disgusts me.

Arghhh, darn this motherfucker! I was only inches away on being tempted to claw him when somebody luckily beats me to it.

A spear came slashing on the sides of the man's shoulder, bringing him along as it flew on the other opposite corner in just a blink.

I limply fell down on my knees, keeping my low key pace at bay as the Rankers' ironic scent came to my senses; they smelt of iron and metal, and claws and spears. Yet this certain Ranker before me, his scent was different as his was more distilled and clear through my nostrils.

"This is why women and kids should stay out of the Ranking." He tells me in a matter of fact tone as to not make it sound more of a mock. I know one when I hear one, I've lived up hearing mockery against our family my whole life, it's easy to catch up with their words of ridicule.

"Ah, it's the Walker kid again?" Another voice came as he sighs in pity. I don't need his fucking pity, I should really throw his breath back in his lungs.

"Who? The enchanting woman?" Followed by another with a cringe, I could basically feel it, see it even though my head is hanged low. I don't need to ask if I'm hallucinating or anything, I'm expecting all of it-- the harsh words they're throwing.

Damn, does it sucks. And no, not me but them! Like duh, hell would likely freeze over before I get to pull myself down the hole of my insecurities. But overall, that doesn't mean their words don't affect me.

Clenching my fists in anger, the corners of my eyes began to burn at how small I feel underneath their criticizing eyes. If Aries were here, I would've acted more dignified despite being low against their awful sights, but now that I can't even feel my own wolf, I feel lone and hopeless and... almost out of my mind!

I'm beginning to get so sick of it as the tears burns at the back of my eyes; even my tears were hot spit with fire. Hah, I want to kill them!

In the middle of my murdering thoughts, a hand reached down for mine. I flinch almost immediately at the sudden gesture, like, huh?

What's this for? Taken by surprise and most of all, confusion, I glared at it as though it is some sort of unspecified gesture to me. I refused to look up, but curious to whom it may have came from, I sniffed.

Ugh, it's him. I quickly snort.

"Don't bother." I slapped his gloved hand off before pushing myself off the ground. At the same time, the alarm sounded throughout and I took that as my cue to shove my cape away.

It's too heavy and hot underneath it, my closed off anger got covered as well. Unfortunately, if I don't take it off, I can't spread terror.

"That'll be too terrible for my nature." I said mostly to myself, keeping my flaring eyes on the Rankers before me, who's attention are set on my clothing.

I stood proudly with my fighting gear made especially just for our clan.

Most of the black and red leather clothing covers and follows the curves of my whole body, but one shoulder remains bare to showcase the black tattoo engraved serving as our family's crest. Dark clouds of gray mists rounds my bare left arm, as though some kind of flowing ink in water, and at the top side of my shoulder forms a black rose filled with thorns.

And that, is what we Walkers are, the thorns amidst the rose.