The Wolf Among Us

"Alice, wait! Wait, please!" Juan called out, running after her twin sister who was striding ahead, her expression filled with anger.

They found themselves in a secluded part of the woods, where only the chirping of birds could be heard.

"Could you just pause for a moment and let me explain? Please, hear me out!" Juan pleaded as Alice showed no sign of stopping.

However, at the sound of her words, Alice stopped abruptly and turned towards her, her face displaying a stern expression.

"What exactly do you want to explain? explain to me that you've been keeping a beast under our roof? Is that it?" Her voice was raised, her anger palpable as she pointed accusingly at Juan.

Juan found herself at a loss for words, swallowing nervously, unsure of how to respond. "But... that's not what matters right now!" Juan replied, his words slightly stuttered.

"Oh, so that's not what matters? Then, what matters?" She questioned loudly, her impatience clear as Juan hesitated to speak up immediately. Frustrated, she turned to walk away.

"What matters is that he saved your life! They could have killed you!" Juan's voice echoed as Alice began to walk away. She paused, then turned back to face Juan.

"Fuck his protection! I never asked him to protect me! It was just a minor issue that needed a peaceful resolution, but that beast..." She said as she gestured towards the forest. "Slaughtered them all," she added.

"He took down five people; I couldn't believe what I saw! And you're trying to justify it by saying he did it to protect me?" Tears streamed down Alice's face as she trembled uncontrollably.

It was her first encounter with such a brutal scene, and the shock of it all overwhelmed her.

"But it wasn't intentional! He was only trying to shield you!" Juan responded, shaking her head with a heavy expression of guilt.

"You're still defending him! Juan, how can you excuse taking lives? Are you saying it's acceptable?" Alice reacted, her hands outstretched, staring at Juan in disbelief.

"No! I didn't mean to defend him... I know it's hard to grasp, but I thought I was doing the right thing! Listen to me, the crucial point is..." Juan tried to explain, but Alice cut her off forcefully.

"The crucial point is that he ended lives! The real issue is that you've been concealing a monster! What matters?" She yelled, swallowing hard and breathing heavily.

"Is that you're heartless, how could you do this!?" Alice added, waiting for Juan to respond, her arms crossed. Juan simply shrugged, moved closer with a sorrowful expression on her face.

"I did what I thought was right by seeking his help to protect you. Those men could have ended your life if not for him! You should appreciate having someone like him on our side!" Juan responded wearily, placing her hands on her hips, visibly drained.

"Appreciate it?!" Alice retorted, her frustration evident, with Juan growing increasingly annoyed.

"Yes! Instead of harboring unfounded hatred! We both know you've disliked Aaron for long, which is why you struggle to acknowledge that he saved you! How can you belittle the situation when they had guns aimed at you?" Juan raised her voice, clearly agitated.

Despite Juan's efforts to explain, Alice's animosity towards someone who had actually saved her life was unwavering.

In response, Alice fell silent, nodding her head slowly as she swallowed nervously.

"You know what, Juan...? You're cruel! I regret ever calling you my sister! I..." Alice began, pointing at Juan, who couldn't bear to hear the rest.

"Stop, Alice! Just stop! We're sisters; it shouldn't come to this," Juan exclaimed, almost in tears, deeply hurt by Alice's words.

However, Alice persisted. "Juan, from now on, I don't want you near me. Maintain your distance," Alice declared angrily. She took a few steps away but then turned back to face Juan.

"As for the monster you've been hiding? I will personally expose him to the hunters! Tell him to prepare himself," she stated, gently touching her chest before turning to leave once more.

"Alice, please, don't even consider that... they'll take his life, please," Juan pleaded desperately as Alice halted, a chilling smile on her face.

"That's precisely why I'm turning him in; he's a monster! He took five lives right in front of me! People are in danger," Alice retorted, but Juan cut in forcefully.

"He fought for you! He fought to keep you safe! Can't you see that?" Juan responded, her face filled with sorrow, puzzled by Alice's intense animosity towards Aaron, using his actions to protect her against him, a cruelty she couldn't fathom.

Listening to Alice, Juan swallowed hard and approached her with a calm tone.

"What about those he killed at school, in their homes? What about them? Was he still fighting for me then?" Alice inquired, and Juan shook her head in response.

"You can't be certain of that! You can't be certain he's responsible for those deaths," Juan stated, but Alice immediately raised her voice.

"See! You always defend him! But after what I just witnessed, you can't deceive me, Juan! He's behind those deaths, and you've been heartless, concealing a monster terrorizing the community, taking innocent lives!" Alice accused, leaving Juan speechless and exhausted from trying to explain.

"You've known this other monster identity about him all this time, and you remained silent despite the sudden killings? I should've realized you're a monster, choosing that creature over others' lives!" She shouted at Juan, who knelt in tears, covering her face with her hands.

"As I've said before, I will expose him to the hunters. Goodbye, and never come near me again! We may be twins, but it's clear we're not alike! I stand for what's right!" Alice declared firmly as she walked away.

"Alice, please, you're still not safe. Those gangs will come for you again!" Juan shouted after her retreating figure, but Alice paid no attention this time.

Refusing to turn back, Alice pressed on, oblivious to Juan's pleas. "You can't disregard your safety, Alice! I don't want to lose you! Come back!" Juan called out desperately, but Alice continued her departure.

Juan felt defeated by the words that came from her own twin sister. She had only wanted to protect her, never expecting things to unravel like this. Despite Aaron's warnings, she hadn't listened, leading to Alice inadvertently discovering his true identity.

Realizing that chasing after Alice was futile, Juan accepted that she had done all she could. However, Alice's resistance persisted, prompting Juan to consider speaking with Aaron. The orphan would likely be alone in the woods by now.

•

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Deep The Woods.

"Aaron, are you here? Aaron! Aaron...! Where are you?" Juan's voice echoed through the forest as she ventured deeper, searching for him. Though she knew his likely whereabouts, she called out to confirm his presence.

Receiving no response, Juan continued until she found him seated on a massive tree root. She stopped in front of him, gazing at him with compassion.

With tears streaming down her face, she reached closer to him and knelt beside him, taking his hand in hers.

Although Juan didn't mind the lifeless bodies that surrounded them as they were donned in black attire, having guns in their hands, and those are the people that confronted Alice and was killed by Aaron.

"Aaron, I'm truly sorry for my sister's reaction. I apologize," she murmured, her voice trembling. Aaron remained silent, his gaze fixed elsewhere.

"I won't let her expose you. I'll speak to her later, alright?" she pledged, but Aaron stayed silent.

"Please, say something... Are you upset with me too?" Juan inquired, attempting to arrange his hair, only to be met with a piercing stare that sent a shiver down her spine, causing her to inch away from him.