Monster: A Werewolf Romance

48. A PUNCH, A KICK

KYLE

Abigail was punching and thrashing her father like there was no tomorrow. She had texted me about how her father was at school, searching for her, and I had come rushing. Mason wasn't picking up his calls, and neither was Sarah.

Then I remembered that Mason had a game today, and Sarah must be there, cheering him on. They had told me they were going, and they had asked Abigail but she had refused to come.

And I hadn't been there to protect her.

But when I came into the school, I saw Abigail flailing her arms and arguing with her father, and then he slapped her. She crumpled and hit the floor and spotted me running towards her, and held out a hand to stop.

I wanted to yell 'No' and help her anyway but Kaea's words came back to me. 'She is strong.'

And so, I stopped middle of the tracks as Abigail got up, found her balance, and smacked her father right across his moronic face with her bag. He was shocked and lost balance for a second. But before he could do anything, she smacked him again. And again.

She opened up her heels and hit him with that too. By the third hit, people had started gathering around, and I felt Kaea in the crowd. She and I made eye contact, and then she ran forward.

I saw why- Abigail was thin and frail to begin with, and she was losing strength. Her father was about to take another hit at her, but Kaea kicked him right in the shins, and then on the head so hard that I could see stars.

Damn, she looked so hot.

But priorities.

I came to Abi and helped her stand, then led her across the ground so she could sit.

Kaea came, too. Breathing just a little hard, and looking at her phone. "I called 911." She looked at me, but then focused on Abi, but I couldn't take my gaze off her.

"Is that okay?" She asked Abigail.

"Of course, it is okay." I was half-growling. That monster deserved to rot in hell.

"I wasn't asking you." She snapped and focussed on Abigail again. I guess I deserved that, what with my piss-poor attitude in the morning.

I didn't know what it was, but when it came to her, I loved to drive her to the edge.

There were better ways to do that than bullying her, I had come to realise.

Abigail nodded, and I had thought I would see her crying, or just being upset, but her lips were thin and her eyes were hard.

"I would like to report him, Kyle." She turned to me.

I nodded, and turned just as Kaea shouted at the crowd. "Show's over, idiots! Get back inside."

When she came back to stand by me, some girl yelled, "How much does he pay you?"

I was confused for a second about what the hell was she talking about, but then another guy said loudly. "I guess whoring yourself out is the only way that trash like you can survive. Right, Kaea?"

I saw fucking red, and someone was calling my name but my vision had tunnelled to that guy. I hit him square in the fucking jaw. I had been itching to do that anyway.

Someone pulled me back before I could get in another hit. "Kyle!"

The crowd that was thinning had become interested again.

She turned me to her. "There is no need to do that. You don't need to protect me."

I sneered at the guy and he ran, and then I looked at her. She was hella surprised. I didn't know what for. "This was not about that."

"He did something to you?" She was confused now. Anger was simmering just beneath my skin.

"NO." I said. "He called you a whore, and that was enough fucking reason. I don't need an oath to punch him for that."

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I had never lashed out like that. I had been cold and calm, sure, and some people were afraid of that but most respected me. Even when I had been very angry, I controlled it.

I looked at Kaea. Her face was hard, and I realised people were still talking shit. I was about to growl at them to get lost but Kaea said, "Don't."

"What?"

"I fight my own battles, Kyle. I don't need you out of all people to fight them for me."

She went back inside the classroom, before passing a concerned glance to Abigail, and looking deep into my eyes.

The police took Abigail's father away on charges of assault. Years worth of it, that Abigail hitting him today seemed like a raindrop in the ocean.

"I will drop you home." She nodded and then, we both spotted Kaea leaving the campus as well.

She never seemed to be bothered much by what people thought of her. I had never called her anything. I had pulled all sorts of B-grade idiocy, and I knew that was humiliating and embarrassing.

But I had never called her a whore. Or a slut. Or implied that.

And while I had nothing against prostitution and didn't find them degrading whatsoever, to be called that in front of people-

"I am sorry you can't go after her."

"Abi-"

"No, really. I am sorry I keep you so busy with me." The past few days her demeanour had grown somber, all traces if bitchiness gone. Like what was left was was just wisdom and a whole lot of bitterness.

Abi never was someone who used to genuinely laugh and smile, but she pretended very well. It was like she didn't even have the energy to do that anymore.

"Infact-" she murmured. "Kaea!" She yelled, and Kaea froze. She turned back, wary.

Abigail motioned for her to come to us. What was she planning?

"Abi? What the hell-"

Kaea was in front of us, a good three feet of distance between us when she grumbled. "Yeah?"

"I am sorry." Abigail said, and Kaea's eyebrows popped up.

"Say what?" She said. "What are you sorry for?"

"For being an absolute bitch to you. You have been way too good to me, even when I didn't deserve it."

Kaea didn't deny it, because there was nothing to deny really.

"I guess, and also for trying to make you jealous." Abigail sheepishly looked from her lashes. "It's not my place to say why," she looked pointedly at me, "I will leave it someone else, but Kyle doesn't love me. He never did. Not that way."

Kaea frowned. "Why are you-"

Yes, why was she saying this shit when I was standing right here. This could be a conversation they could have later. When I was definitely not there.

"I am saying this because I know I will never have the enough strength to say it again. And I don't want you to have any wrong ideas."

Kaea took a deep breath, but she wasn't looking at Abi, she was looking at me.

"Look, Abigail, I appreciate...whatever this was. But I don't care enough to have any wrong ideas...about anything."

Abigail gave her a look that said, 'Really?' But then shrugged and said, "I care though."

Yeah, she was all confident about Kaea and me, but I couldn't see how could Kaea possibly forgive me, let alone... the things she was implying.

"Forgiving people is not easy, Abigail."

"I know." And she looked down. "I know. But I hope that one day, you'll find it in you to do that for me."

Kaea nodded, and then Lee called for her and she went away, not looking back.

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In the media box, you'll find, "Damaged by Adrian Lux (Radio Edit)". Found this song on Teen Wolf- that show had some of the best songs.

K R Y S T L E