40. Revenge.

"Hey, Deimos, I haven't seen you around for a while. How's life, pal?" Arex sat down, next to his friend, who seemed to focus on something more than reality. The male didn't move or answer; his eyes misty as if he was in a state of a trance.

"Hello, Earth to Deimos?" Arex waved his had in front of the males face, yet there still wasn't any reaction.

Instead of being his regular self and trying to annoy Deimos back to reality, the young male sat in silence. His eyes didn't land on his friend again; instead, he observed the surroundings.
He could easily notice how seasons we're getting ready to change, the view alone making him feel a little anxious.
Arex was so lost into problems and plans regarding his marriage; he couldn't find a time to breathe in silence. The bride-to-be always hung around, threatening any other woman coming near him. If Arex felt as if he hit the jackpot from the begging, now, when he got to know his bride a little better- the male regretted even thinking of marriage in the first place.

Deimos, being so steady, calm, and quiet didn't seem to fit in the picture though. Usually, he was rather collected yet loud and outspoken. He was the type of guy who loved being the centre of attention, acting as if he didn't care about it. He was the first class bully, disguising himself behind a mask of the loner and outcast. Not many could see past his facade, yet those who did- they never cared to get close enough.

"For how long have you been bothering my peace?" Suddenly Deimos spoke up, sounding as if millions of tiny needles stuck in his throat. His voice was so low and so raspy- Deimos didn't sound like himself anymore.

"For a while now, thought I might bother my best friend for a little before.. You know, before I get married to that Hell flame and burn for entirety next to the person I can't stand. No biggie, I can visit you another time, if that's a problem." Arex breathed out; his eyes still focused on their surroundings. He didn't want to go back, definitely not to see her ever again. The young male felt suspicious from the moment when his bride mistreated Ally, but back then, he thought that it was her showing off how possessive a female can be.

"You can stay as long as I don't need to talk about nonsense. I came here to relax, to find myself again, not to discuss how shitty your wife-to-be is. And by the way, yes, I do mean it- I met that woman once, and it was enough for me to see how big of a shit person she is. Her father is in debt; her mother made sure to raise the little brat as if she owned the world. You'll get yourself killed over the fortune you could inherit from your parents. It's a matter of time, people like them don't change, they need money. Money is power, and power is an easy key to open many doors on their way. Think about it." The tone of voice Deimos used seemed suspiciously calm.

Since the day when Deimos came back, it was clear that something has gone terribly wrong. Even his observation about the woman was all over the place. Not because of the amount of truth in his statement, but more because he wasn't one to deal with other shifters personal issues. Before the official engagement, Arex loved to see multiple women at the same time, some of them were class A bitches, but Deimos never said as much as a word about them or his friend.
He simply didn't care about whatever was going on around him. Well, for the time being when Deimos was Deimos. Now, he was a completely new persona with a new approach to discussing things and acting as if he still didn't care, as if he had no opinion, yet throwing out some pretty harsh words.

"That's quite interesting, how you say that you don't care while you do have an opinion. I get it; she's not the best person out there, and I'm not saying that I like her. I mean, I did, before she became crazy jealous and kept trying to manipulate the decisions I make. Even the smallest things such as the way I dress or comb my hair- you get the point. I'll surely talk to my parents; perhaps they will find a better bride, or allow me to find one on my own. The centuries-old traditions might be important for them, but not for me." Arex groaned, thugging on his hair. The male wanted to understand everything about his life and learn from his decisions, but people constantly telling him what to do weren't helping. At all.

"I don't need to care in order to have an opinion, my friend. I'm just sharing simple observations and things that couldn't be missed even by a complete tool." Deimos laughed, leaning his head backwards. He wasn't much of a laugher or funny guy, so the sudden change in his characteristics did surprise Arex.

The more they spoke, and the more time they spent together- the more suspicious Arex became. Deimos wasn't his usual asshole self; it felt as if the male faked most of his emotions. For some reasons, Arex instantly thought of way too many justifications why his friend would need to fake amnesia. Of course, he couldn't be entirely sure if his assumption was correct, yet that was the first idea he had.

"Yeah, you're right there. I do agree that there are a few things only a complete tool couldn't notice or another way around. Such as global warming, some shifter males are pretending to be Alphas when in reality they're just dogs, and why my best friend is faking amnesia. I wonder why." Arex hummed under his breath, grinning like Cheshire cat. If he had an opportunity, he wouldn't let it slip; the young male will grab it and make the most out of the situation.

"Wait. What? What did you just say? Wondering about what exactly?" The frantic undertone of fear in Deimos voice made Arex grin even wider. He couldn't hide how proud of himself he truly felt. For once, his suspicions turned out to be true.

"Global warming, I mean, I do understand what might be the cause of it, but I guess I formed the question incorrectly. The right question to ask would be why people and shifters wouldn't stop. We have so much power in our hands; we could make a difference, dude. Perhaps get our names written in books and forever live as legends of history. Sounds super cool, I wouldn't mind to.." The small rant Arex came up with was interrupted with a low, threatening growl from Deimos. "Can you shut it for a second and let me finish whatever I wanted to say? You know what, nevermind, I forgot already. It was nice talking to you, keep on staring at nothing and being a dick, definitely suits you." Arex stood up, dusted off the imaginary dust off his clothing, and turned his back to Deimos.

The plan worked; his friend had been confronted; there was no way back. Judging by his reaction, he didn't await for someone guess his secret this fast. Especially Alex, who was usually referred to as an idiot, since his behaviour couldn't let any sane person think that the young male had a bigger IQ than a cucumber.
Arex slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans and strode away, whispering a gentle melody, entertaining himself on the long way back home.

Needless to say that the young male didn't get any far when a large hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him in tracks. Deimos didn't know that yet, but his behaviour and reaction were way too easily predictable. His friend silently planned all his possible moves, and Deimos didn't disappoint.

"I wasn't asking about the fucking global warming or whatever. I was asking about your idea of me faking amnesia. Why the fuck would I do that?" He growled at his friend, reminding more of a man he was before he left the town.

Arex felt kind of happy, seeing his best friend back on track, but it didn't make him less worried. Deimos was a dangerous man, no matter what was he up to- most of the time, it didn't lead to anything good.

"But that's not just a silly idea; I very much believe it might be the truth. You're a shitty actor, Deimos. You might fool everyone else around you, but not me. Every single person we know thinks that we're enemies even though we practically grew side by side. I've been next to you through your worst, and you did the same for me. I'm pretty sure that I know when my best friend is faking or not. I suspected that something was wrong since the day when you returned home. The little encounter with Ally and those creeps, next to the lake, made my suspicions grow. Don't act anymore; there isn't anyone you could fool around here. I just don't understand why. Why would you do such a thing?" The young male grew impatient, waiting for any explanation Deimos could come up with. He didn't care if his friend would lie or tell the truth- he just needed to know why.

The heavy sigh leaving Deimos lips meant only one thing- he was about to confess about something.

"I guess you're right. Kind of felt that you wouldn't bite the lie, but at least I tried. I had my reasons, okay? I remember everything; there's no way I could hit my head with enough force to forget myself, and my life- the people who mean so much to me, and places I love. I wish I could tell you, but some things are better left unspoken. Let's drop the topic and act as if nothing happened, okay? I'll walk to the town with you; we will have plenty of time to talk. About everything, besides amnesia." Deimos nudged on his friend's shoulder and strode towards the direction of the town.

For a while, both men walked in silence, lost in their thoughts. As much as Arex tried to drop the topic, as his friend asked- he couldn't. People don't lie about such things, especially shifters, who are known to be honest. This was the first time when Deimos lied to his friend, misleading him in every way possible.

"I need to know why," Arex whined, unable to hold his mouth shut.

"Curiosity killed a cat, my friend." Deimos chuckled, turning his head a little to glance at Arex.

"Well then, it must be my lucky day because I, by any means, am not a cat. I'm what humans call an overgrown, angry dog, remember? Now, spill the beans, I have to know. You can't leave me in the dark, hoping that I'll forget and forgive. It won't happen." The young male showed off his sarcasm, making his voice dripping in it. Deimos wasn't much of emotions man, so there was a possibility that he wouldn't catch on the undertone.

"I had a plan, not the kind which you would be happy about or proud of. There are some shifters which took what is rightfully mine, and taking something seemed to be a better idea than the one I had at first. Trust me; this is way better than all of those things I planned before leaving." His word were forced, but all of them were genuine. Deimos didn't bother to lie or hide anything; he just spoke to his best friend without fearing judgement backlash.

"Can you stop beating around the fucking bush and tell me what's going on? You're one of the most powerful wolves I know; I can't believe that there isn't a reason for your actions. Desperate times ask for desperate measures; we know that, but why?" Even his cheeks flushed bright red when Arex faced the rock hard wall again. The fear of unknown frustrated him more than anything on this planet.

"Seriously, drop the fucking topic. I will not explain myself or my actions. I'm a grown fucking man; I can handle myself and consequences if there will be any." Deimos growled in a warning. He respected and loved the little pain in the ass, in a quite weird, brotherly way, but sometimes enough was enough. How could he take more of his interegation? Why should he ignore the hatred and frustration that nearly made Arex lose his mind?
Simple- if Deimos admits what was the reason behind the plan, he could never go far enough to see fruits of his hard work. Arex was one of few persons Deimos trusted, but he did have a big mouth.

"I'll leave you alone if you answer only one question," Arex whined, unable to stop pushing. Curiosity might kill him, but he didn't care.

"Fine, one question and then the topic is dead. You don't know anything; you haven't heard or seen anything out of the ordinary." Deimos warned bus friend for the last time, barely holding the anger in. He didn't want to attack his friend, but the wolf in him kept encouraging and justifying such actions. If one didn't walk the face of the Earth, he had no secrets to tell.

"Why, Ally? Why did you target her from the very beginning? She was left here, alone and miserable, for months. Instead of looking for her, you fake amnesia and act coldly. Why would you hurt her so much?"

"Easy. Revenge." Deimos shrugged his shoulders and stormed to a completely different direction.