Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 190 – A lonely night.
Raptor's POV, Later that night.
"Ahhhh!?" I came through with a sudden burst of fear. With my head shooting up from the mattress I quickly looked forward to reach up for my right eye with my right hand.
"Ohhhh fuck." I mumbled as I was clearly still in pain. It felt like my eye was still about to burst from the inside out.
Keeping my eye shut and held, I slowly looked to my left to find Cody laying down next to me.
"Cody?" I whispered as it was clear he was asleep.
In confusion I looked to my watch to see it was going on ten o'clock. Was he watching me this whole time? I wondered as I soon felt someone claw at my leg. As my head turned back to my front I felt some relief as Molly had her head up and looking at me from the end of my left leg. Her front paw resting on me as I had to tell her.
"Hey baby. I'm okay."
Slowly she stood up and began to walk her way over to me. As she reached my side I wondered how long it had been since she went to the bathroom. I had a feeling no one took that into consideration before putting me to bed like this.
"You need to go bathroom?" I asked her as she quickly replied.
"Braf!"
Smiling slightly I nodded my head and tried to get up carefully without waking the young fox next to me. Once I was on my feet I looked back to the bed to find Zeta's shirt under where my head must have been resting. Picking it up and putting it down on the floor; I looked back up to Cody who I noticed had something on his lap. Curious enough I leaned over to take it off him. In confusion as I got it in my hands to question quietly.
"Gameboy? What's this?"
With interest I hit a switch on its side to watch with my one good eye as the screen came on. Then popped up a logo and without another moment going by another logo came on. Then the name to the game. With my head rumbling I asked myself.
"Pokemon Pearl edition? What the hell is he playing?"
Then without a warning this loud music started to play and I jumped and panicked as I was worried it would wake him. So immediately I shut it back off and rested it back down on the bed. Just shaking my head with a slight laugh, I looked back to Molly and urged quietly while grabbing my glock from off the nightstand.
"Let's go baby."
"Braf." Her bark was muffled as she was even trying to keep quiet now. Getting to the door, I got it unlocked and lead us out into the hallway. Molly kept to my legs as I tried to open my eye. It strained like all hell and it felt like something was jammed in there as I tried to keep it open. Like a scratch on my lens or something. Cause it was impossible almost to do it. But with each attempt it got a little easier to force through it.
"Ahhh god damn it." I muttered as Molly looked up at me to bark.
"Braf! Braf!"
Relaxing a bit as we entered the main living room I told her calmly.
"It's nothing Molly. Just in a little pain still. It'll be okay. I hope anyway."
Walking to the front door I suddenly brought myself to a stop when I felt someone coming from the way I just came. I knew who it was and I felt obligated at least to wait till she arrived. And the second she did I immediately took notice to her change of appearance. Her eyes bolted to me and Molly as she almost didn't believe what she saw for a second. She took a double take and once she realized it really was me she asked with a concerned tone.
"When did you wake up?"
As I went to answer I widened my eyes when Molly instantly began to bark and run her way over. Pepper also looked surprised when it happened. Molly on the other hand was just now doing circles around her as I let out a sigh to reply.
"Five minutes ago if that."
The wolf kept a smile as she knelt down to greet my dog. And without a word leaving her mouth as they interacted with one another, I took a close look to what changed.
Pepper trimmed her whole body it seemed. What was a matching look to Zeta now was much shorter. Almost made her look like a teenager. Like pictures I saw of Alicia back when she was in school. Cut down and maybe stuck an inch out in length. Her orange streaks also cut down and to be honest it actually made her look even better. Trimmed more then hair, it had to cut five years off her. On top of that she actually looked kinda happy for once. With her focus on Molly she said with an equally happy voice.
"Hey! What you want?! You're just full of energy huh?!"
With a smile on my face I told the once hostile sister.
"Sleeping for eight hours your lucky she's not jumping...?" Without another word Molly jumped onto her from the front. Pepper slightly stumbled but recovered quickly as I finished my sentence which was now void.
"On you."
"Oh your a climber!" She chuckled as Molly got herself on her and clung to her shoulder. Once over her shoulder and her face pressed to her neck she replied.
"Braf!"
With another small laugh Pepper stood back up. Her eyes still on Molly however as she admitted.
"Wish I had a dog like you back home. Can't train hounds to be this close with their owners. Not by normal means."
"Yeah well normal isn't really our thing." I replied as her gold eyes softly turned back to see me just standing there with my one eye still closed.
With her smile staying however she asked.
"How are you feeling?"
Shrugging I replied.
"Still in pain. But mobile now. You?"
With her right arm coming up to rub Molly on the head she replied back.
"I'm doing better. As you can see."
Chuckling I then wondered.
"Take Cody's advice?"
Nodding she then replied.
"He was right. Zeta helped me do it when we got you to bed. Which reminds me Raptor...I'm sorry about before. I know I...?" Raising my hand to get her to stop I urged.
"Please. You don't have to say anything. I know."
The wolf just lost her grin and began to look slightly to the ground. With the mood shifting I told her with a calm voice.
"I was taking her out to use the bathroom. You want to tag along? We're just going out front. No bears. No rocks. None of that."
With her eyes coming back up to match mine, Pepper replied while beginning to pet Molly again.
"I don't have much of a choice it seems."
Just letting out another laugh I replied.
"Looks like you don't."
She soon laughed with me after that and with a small shift back to the door we found ourselves outside. A guard at the gate and a few others scattered throughout the main courtyard. Pepper let out a shiver as I just looked up to the moon above. In a few seconds I heard from my side.
"Alright girl. Get down." Pepper urged her as she knelt on one knee to give her an easier approach down. Much to my surprise Molly got down and began to start jumping up and down in the snow for her as she stood back up with another smile. I just laughed and watched as it was clear Molly was having fun. You had to be blind not to see it. Molly loves her now and I can't say I blame her. With some time just passing between the two of them trying to keep apart I told Pepper directly.
"She's listening to you. You know why right?"
The wolf looked over to me just a second after to reply.
"Yeah I know why dumb fuc...? Hmmmmmm." I sensed her thoughts change almost instantly as she caught herself on saying I was dumb fuck for one more time. I grew interested as her head and gold eyes glittered through the night sky to match mine in limbo. I knew what this was about the second her tone carefully lowered to say.
"Zeta told me about the whole Marcus thing. She's sorry if it wasn't her place in telling me, but she feels it would help give me a little more help in believing what I was told happened earlier today. And I'll be honest. When she told me what you had said? What you believed happened? I gotta say I'm obligated to think your fucking insane and your idiocy is causing my sister to get more retarded by the day if left untreated by someone in their proper frame of mind to slap her as hard as they could."
When she cut herself to a stop there I told her directly.
"Do you want honesty from me Pepper? I could give two shits if you believe a word of it or not. Because I know what happened the night I lost my wife and kids. You needing to understand that doesn't concern me. In fact I'll keep being honest with ya. I still don't like you."
Her eyes widened in what surprised me as shock. I kept myself going however by stating next to the stunned wolf.
"The only reason I have a smile on right now is because you saved my best friend. The same best friend you have now that you did it. Without this dog I don't know where I would be. Just having her by my side has helped a lot. I can't thank you enough for it actually. I owe you." Her eyes came back to earth pretty steadily as she replied.
"You don't owe me shit old man. The way I see it? Regardless of the truth I'm only alive cause you and Cody were there. I don't know what I saw but I know I'd be dead if it wasn't for at least you. So in lack of better terms; you saved my life. I saved hers. I think that makes us even. So don't get things twisted before thinking."
Smiling I then said back to her.
"Thinking isn't a thing I like to really do Pepper."
"I can tell." She replied as we just slowly looked to Molly who was starting to wander off.
With Pepper doing this weird call noise from her mouth, Molly came running back to her side. Once she looked at me I told her promptly and for the last time.
"It doesn't matter what you think. Truth is I saved your life by almost losing mine. I don't think, I just do. Which makes me a dumb fuck in your eyes. It doesn't matter what you believe. What happened happened. Your alive."
Soon she asked back with a low and very serious tone.
"Are you really a god?"
I went silent and just stared at her as Molly got between us to look up. With no real reason to lie or hide it any further, I replied after a quick sigh.
"I'm not normal. I can tell you that for sure."
"But are you a god?" She asked again as I just simply asked back.
"Are you alive?"
Her eyes showed some discomfort from the question and without a word back I stated.
"I saved your life. Whether you want to believe it or not. I did. I'm still trying to tell myself it wasn't a dumb idea to do it ether. I could have easily killed myself doing it. I'm still hurting. I want to believe I went through this to get back a good return someday. I'm not sure if I should have risked my life to save yours but I hope you can forgive me for saying that. It's just the truth. I have no feelings for you other then your important enough to your sister to trust. Even if just a little. I don't expect you to like me ether. Clearly we don't get along. Probably because your just as stubborn as me. It'll take time and I hope it does. But I probably won't like you for a long time. You left a very clear impression the day I met you Pepper."
Taking a step forward Pepper replied with a lax but concerned voice.
"I wasn't in a good place Raptor. I was being hunted for the whole year by countless contractors who want me dead. I've been betrayed by so many other people I called friends. You can't blame me for not being nice the first time we met."
Keeping a straight face I replied back.
"Zeta claimed you were the smarter wolf."
Widening her eyes Pepper listened as I went on to say.
"She claimed you were better at everything. From being a better shot. To being just better looking then her. She spoke so highly of you and after hearing all I did I expected you to have common manners and think before directing your anger at me. I have a lot going on and I told Zeta I only wanted to help cause it was for her sake. Not yours. So I think I'm stuck on having high standards to a person I feel should be grateful."
"I am grateful." She told me bluntly as I replied.
"No your not. You're just saying that. I can tell. You have all her tells. If you meant a word of anything you were saying you'd have that right ear of yours loping down while you speak."
Giving me a stunned look that I even knew that Pepper questioned.
"How do you...?"
"So you admit your lying to me then?"
Starting to get uncomfortable Pepper began to try and focus on Molly as it was clear as day I was leading this dance. Keeping calm I urged her.
"I just told you I don't care what you think. I'd prefer if you'd just not try to bullshit me. You can't sneak your real thoughts by me Pepper. You can't. So do me a favor and look at me."
The woman looked back to my eyes as I ordered her.
"Don't fucking lie to me anymore. We don't have to get along but don't fucking lie. You don't have to do anything else to win me over other then that. Don't lie. Am I clear?"
I was actually somewhat shocked when I felt her emotions change completely to reply with an obedient tone.
"Yes sir."
I was genuinely surprised by the change she displayed and I took notice to her ear go down as I asked.
"Am I?"
"Yes sir." She replied again.
I wasn't going to give her anymore shit. I just began to nod my head as she looked back down to Molly. So switching subjects I asked her.
"Lets change the subject. I'd rather drop this. How about you?"
Petting her Pepper replied while looking back at me.
"Yeah let's."
Nodding I then asked.
"Are you as good as Zeta says?"
I spiked her interest with the question and standing back up she replied.
"Depends on what I'd say. She likes to talk me up but truth is she's a much better chemist and engineer then me."
"Combat? Training? Can you teach?"
Nodding she replied.
"I got a harder user course because I was perfect. So my training was a bit more...intense. But I think she would agree. I'm the better tracker and the better fighter. And I haven't tried too much but I'm sure I could train just about anyone. Why you asking?"
Directing my eyes to Molly I replied.
"I would like you to help me train her."
Widening her eyes she questioned.
"Really?"
Nodding I replied.
"She's attached to you. I can see it. She'll listen to you about as well as she will listen to me and I heard you had a dog growing up. So I think you'd be a perfect...trainer."
Taking a look down to Molly who had her tail wagging and legs moving in excitement. I watched with curious intent as Pepper soon looked for herself. With a small smile I asked.
"Think you can handle her?"
Her eyes remained on Molly as she replied.
"I can handle anyone. Even her."
Letting out a laugh Pepper looked back to me as I asked.
"Is that a yes then?"
Chuckling to a small finish the wolf replied.
"Yeah I'll give it a try. Any rules I should know about?" Her voice grew playful as I nodded and said back in time.
"You don't get yourselves into too much trouble for starts. You wana do something crazy? You come to me first so I can help. But I expect you to start with the basics. She needs more discipline and as a puppy she's easy to mold. You want to go out and hunt with her? You can. But nothing like what happened today. My goal is to have her be a war dog. For that she needs to learn how to track and how to attack. And how and when you need to run. And I don't expect that in record time." I told her as her face showed it all as I finished my rant.
"Start with the basics. Do whatever you gotta do but don't get her killed doing it. And I'll make you a deal."
Now her ears went down as I remembered what Zeta mentioned. She was listening. Close. Very close. As I stated.
"I know it doesn't matter to ether of us but I'd still like to like you someday. You train her right and it'll be a good start."
With a smile coming to her face she questioned.
"And if I don't?"
Smiling back as Molly began to tug her leg I replied.
"I guess I still won't like you. You get her hurt and I'll promptly kill you."
My smile was wide as she lost hers. Nodding her head she muttered back.
"That a threat?"
Shaking my head once I replied.
"That's a promise."
I sensed she was serious now with the way she was feeling towards me. One second we were just getting on good terms and the next I had her questioning my feelings towards her. But I knew she was now on edge. So keeping things tame I urged.
"I wouldn't worry about it. If I were you I'd get training her."
Her eyes just widened at how I was now in command over her. Part of her fear now was from knowing I was god and knowing I just saved her life from ending. She wasn't going to threaten me back. She couldn't. At the end of the day what happened had happened. We can't look back. I'm in control of her future and if she knows best, which she does. She would listen. Which she was as I knelt down to take charge over Molly who quickly came to my legs in joy. Holding her in place with my left hand I said to the small pup.
"Pepper is going to be watching over you for now on baby. I have business to take care of for a few days. You listen to what she says alright?"
"Braf! Braf!" She replied as I smiled and said back.
"Good girl. You do whatever she says. Ready to show me? Go to her side."
"Braf!"
Turning to her right and running the foot or two over. Molly quickly got to Pepper's side and began to ram herself into her leg again. The wolf let off her serious glare to laugh a little and got down to take her place for being in charge.
"That's enough Molly. Calm down."
She did just what she was told and with her smile under control Pepper replied.
"Good girl. Stay."
With Molly remaining where she was; Pepper stood back up to turn and approach me. Getting right up on my chest with the face of the one so familiar she whispered.
"If I train her I will expect something in return other then your good intentions."
I was caught off guard and had to look to my left as her eyes leveled with mine. Unsure how to react as her eyes matched mine. I gently forced myself to look away as she reached down to grab my right hand. I was so distraught on how to handle this. The one person I never expected to do this after how she treated me. It was clear as day I was driven a little by this and with a smile across her face Pepper whispered.
"'Sooooooo?"
Taking my chance to act, I pulled off a foot to reply.
"Sooooooo...ahhhhhhh...I'll look into it."
"Promise?" She wondered as I was questioning my loyalty again for a second. The same thing I had to question the night I slept with Hunter. Even though I just got done telling this woman I would kill her and after acting like she meant jack shit to me. I was finding her more attractive then ever. Zeta wasn't lying when she claimed her sister was good looking. But with the even more deadly looking body and trimmed up coat, I asked myself for a second just how bad it would be of me to make a move in a situation like this. But with the idea going away as I backed up another foot, I slowly replied with a still clearly uncomfortable and confused voice.
"Promise?"
Her eyes went red as it was made apparent I was unsure what was really going on. It didn't help my reaction any more when she straightened up her stance to go back to her gold and mutter.
"You sound worried."
"That's cause I am." I replied as I backed up and ordered her with a prompt point of my finger.
"Get started before you have me questioning life again."
I got a joyful laugh from the wolf as I soon found myself locked behind the front door.
mT Shadow.