Escaping Duty

Chapter 16

David winced as he got up off the ground. The wolf had knocked him down hard, making him hit his head, then pressed a sharpened claw to his chest. He was glad that was the least of his injuries. The wolf seemed to busy focusing on the brown wolf that hovered over Markos. He searched for his gun, sticking it into his waistband. He'd need it in case any wolves wanted to reappear. Markos had gotten attacked by two wolves, so he went over fearing the worst for him.

"Markos!" he called kneeling over his friend.

Markos laid on the ground eyes closed and pale in the moonlight. David couldn't make out much in the darkness, but he knew enough to see Markos' shirt stained dark and torn. His arm hung limply at his side, at an unnatural angle. David cursed as he used a knife in his boot to cut Markos shirt, and wrap it around his friends bleeding midsection.

"Don't leave me, you still have something to accomplish with the wolves," David said.

Markos could pull risky moves when he had one goal in mind, so this wasn't the first time he's ended up injured. But each time David worried this could be the last he'd hunt with his companion.

He didn't have many friends being more of an introvert, but Markos was like his brother. Although adopted he was as close as one could get. When Markos family cast him out David's family took him in, and they trained and lived side by side for years. That is until they went separate ways for 15 years for some time.

Markos weakly groaned and David sighed in relief, carefully moving to take Markos arm over his shoulder and support him. As he got to his feet he began walking in the direction of their parked car. He'd get Markos the medical attention he needed as soon as possible.

"Hang in there friend," David told him.

Markos mumbled something under his breath in Russian, and David laughed shaking his head.

"No, we didn't get them, but it's far from the end," he told him in response.

David supported his heavily bleeding friend until they broke the tree line and spotted 3 cars. Figures stood by the cars but one, in particular, stood out to him. She was short with curly hair and running in his direction now calling his name.

"David! Mi amour!" she said in relief reaching him.

Lara would've pulled him in for a close hug, but took notice of Markos hanging off him and stepped back concerned.

"What happened? You last told me you and Markos were leaving a message" she asked confused.

"We were about to leave but Markos heard more of them coming. He wanted to check it out, so we doubled back then he started shooting. There were more than 2 wolves Lara. They converged on us" he told his wife who looked at Markos annoyed and him grimly.

"Tu no listas" she mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose irritated. "What's the point of making a plan if he always goes off script?" she said shaking her head. "Are you alright?"

Markos may be a good hunter, but he tended to deviate from any plan she made to follow his own vengeance. Yes, it was sad what happened to him, but his recklessness almost got her husband hurt. He was lucky the scratched and bite weren't deep, and they still had 3 days until the full moon so he wouldn't be turning into the very thing he hated.

"I'm fine but no time for that now, Markos managed to injure one of them," David said, and she got the meaning behind his words.

She nodded leading them back towards the group of cars as people got out of them greeting them. David had seen these people from before. Most weren't from Maine but during meetings, negotiations, and hunting he's worked alongside them before. There were Justin and his wife Sarah, who researched werewolf blood usage. Will, a hunter from Vermont, and Jamie and Jax, twin hunters from Mississippi.