Chapter Eighty

*Ivan*


I hated leaving Ari. The second I didn’t have her in my arms I felt irritated. I wanted to just stay with her but I knew I couldn’t. I also wanted to get her something to sleep on instead of the cold floor. I had an idea about the blanket and pillow. Thinking about it made me excited. I couldn’t wait to see her reaction. Before I knew it I had made it to the forest area that I had met up with Keo, Caleb and Drake last time.
“How’s my sister?” Keo asked, dropping down out of a tree in front of me.
I raised my eyebrow at him, “Climbing trees now? When did that happen?”
“Gotta stay out of sight, you know?” Keo laughed.
I laughed with him, “Fair enough, just didn’t think you were some secret ninja squirrel.”
“Seriously? When are your memories going to fully come back? I’ve always been a secret ninja squirrel.” Keo said, looking at me seriously.
I laughed, “If you say so. Oh, and Ari is ok. She wants her memories back as bad as I do. Boss is being kind for some reason. But that’s better than the alternative.”
Keo grew serious, “I wonder why.”
“She was one of his right hands. I was the main but she was practically right after. I’m sure Boss is adjusting to the thought of her being an enemy. I think he looked at her like a daughter, but I can’t be sure about that.” I said.
Keo growled, “He tried to kill me. He basically did. How can he look at her like a daughter?”
I tensed up. My mind went back to the memory I just recovered. Keo had been held upright by 2 Shadows and Boss shoving a blade through his chest. My breathing picked up.
“Ivan?”
My body shivered and I growled. I had to save Keothi. I had to save Ariya. They invaded our home. They killed people I loved. Right in front of me. I couldn’t get to them in time. The only one that matters is Ariya. I have to protect her no matter what. I can’t lose her. Everyone else is a complete tragedy but I know I will survive. As long as she is ok. As long as she is still with me.
“Ivan, you ok?” Caleb asked, touching my shoulder.
I whirled around grabbing Caleb around the throat. I let out a deep growl. I bared my teeth at him. My body shivered. My wolf, trying to force its way out. My eyes glowed blue. Ariya’s blue. A blue meant that I was only hers.
“You! You swore you’d stay close! You swore you would protect her!” I snarled at him.
“I…did…” Caleb choked out.
Caleb clawed at my hand around his throat, desperate for air. My body shook violently as I continued growling at him. As much as I wanted to shift, I wanted to pummel them more.
“Ivan! Let him go!” Drake shouted at me.
Perfect timing. I grabbed Caleb’s shirt with my other hand and spun around and threw him at Drake. My eyes narrowed as I focused on Drake. I snarled at him baring my teeth. Drake had caught Caleb and set him down even though I caught Drake by surprise. Caleb coughed gasping for breath.
“You 2 stay put. Don’t engage. Understood?” Drake told Keo and Caleb.
“I’m gonna kill you.” I growled at Drake.
“You can try, but I’m not sure Ariya would be ok with that.” Drake mocked me.
At the mention of her name my body shook violently. I growled at Drake. I raised my hands to fight Drake. I knew I’d have to move quickly to beat him. I threw a right punch aiming for his face. I wanted to pummel him to hurt him the way he’d hurt me when he took her away from me. Drake blocked the punch and went to throw one back of his own. I slipped underneath and hooked up to hit him. My shot connected but not without me taking a hit of my own from him. Drake had brought his knee up and nailed me in the chest when I slipped under his first hit. The air gushed out of me and I heard a crack in my ribs. It wasn’t hard enough to break my ribs but it was definitely hard enough to crack it.
I gasped for air momentarily but didn’t let up. I continued my attack at Drake by rolling in the direction of his knee strike. I pulled a dagger from my boot and lunged back at Drake. He wasn’t expecting the roll to be planned. I was used to this. Even if I didn’t have all my memories, my body knew how to fight. When I first got to Boss, we figured out that I had been trained in almost every fighting style there was. While I preferred an aggressive offensive approach I could use defensive movements just as easily. When I lunged at Drake I was able to sink the dagger into his ribs. Drake roared out in pain and went to punch me directly in the face. I was ready though. Using an open hand I redirected his punch with one hand. I ripped the dagger out with the other and moved upward shoving the dagger into Drake’s left shoulder.
Drake roared in pain trying to grab at his left shoulder. It wouldn’t be too hard to reach if Drake was more of Ariya’s size. But because he was more built, more muscular he wasn’t able to reach where I had buried the blade at. My body shivered but I continued my assault. Drake was slower now that I had wounded him. His speed was no longer at a supernatural level. Drake tried defending himself with his right arm. His left was no longer working the way he needed it to. I delivered blow after blow to his face and upper body. My own body shaking violently, wanting to shift into my wolf.
“You took her away from me!” I growled at him.
As I went to throw another punch at Drake’s head, Caleb jumped in front. He held his arms out to the sides. Defending Drake. I paused before I hit Caleb. I growled in frustration at him.
“You! You let her die!” I snarled.
“Ivan! Stop!” Keo shouted but something was off.
Keo jumped in front of Caleb before I threw a punch at him. I hesitated. Something was different.
“Ivan, please. It’s ok! I’m here! I’m right here!”
“Ari?” My expression softened.
She nodded. She had taken over Keo’s body.
“It’s me, Ivan. Please! Stop this! Come back to me!” Ari begged me.
A sharp pain ripped through my head and I gasped, dropping to my knees. My body shook violently and I realized it was my wolf trying to force its way out. I grabbed my head as I growled.
“Ivan!” Ari screamed running up to me. She brushed her hand lightly over my face, “You need to shift. Do you have another shirt and shoes that you use for work?”
I nodded but still didn’t want to rip through my clothes. I pulled at my shirt trying to get it over my head. I felt Caleb pull my shoes off as Ariya helped me get my shirt over my head and off of me. As soon as my shirt and shoes were off my body shook more and I shifted. I yelped as I finished shifting. My mind seemed to clear more. Ariya threw her arms around my neck and I whined. What did I do? Why did I do that? I was angry, sure, but hadn’t I come here for an explanation? I leaned my head into Ariya. My energy drained from me, I fell to the ground. Her arms still wrapped around me.