Escaping Duty

Chapter 37

"Watch out!" Roland yelled, pushing Valentina to the side when a hunter attempted shooting at her.

Roland returned the fire, aiming at the hunter's shoulder, then his thigh making the man fall to his knees. Valentina looked at the hunter wide eyed then back at Roland.

"Thanks" she breathed as they began running again.

Once she had returned from the woods she had found Roland fighting a few hunters. Even though she couldn't help much in a fight it didn't take much knowledge to stab someone. Especially brutally injuring some hunters and making sure not to stab herself in the process. Now that the hunters knew her as a wolf sympathizer and her parents weren't around the hunters saw her as apart of the threat.

It made progress to the machine slower since they kept having to fight off hunters along the way. She had to admit it was a lot less than before but that could've been because they had already set off the machine. Valentina hoped Mason had made it out, but she couldn't focus on that for long.

"We've had to have run halfway around this forest by now, that machine has got to be somewhere nearby," Roland said searching as they ran.

"It could be anywhere for all we know," Valentina said frustrated.

Every moment they spent running was more time for the wolves inside to be cornered. Her ankle was beginning to bother her as she ran but she pushed on, ignoring the pain by biting her lip.

"These hunters wouldn't be wasting their time trying to catch us if it weren't out here. Let's just keep going." Roland said, then slowed to a stop, arm out to block Valentina's way.

She stopped running, just barely bumping into his arm. In front of them stood a blonde hunter, shotgun in hand and pointed in their direction. In the darkness, her brown eyes looked black which complimented the way she glared daggers at Valentina. Beyond her stood a small group of hunters, gathered around what seemed to be some kind of generator. That must be the machine powering the weapon.

"Roland the mach-," Valentina began whispering.

Roland surprised her by pushing her down to the ground hard. It knocked the wind out of her and he moved over her body. Alana had tried shooting her with the shotgun and reloaded the barrel with an audible click. Walking forward she aimed for them but Roland grabbed Valentina, rolling with her on the ground to avoid another bullet.

"Alana wait!" Valentina yelled at the woman, who initially had wanted to help her.

Alana reloaded the shotgun angling it towards Roland who once again rolled out the way. He pulled out his own gun at the blonde hunter, forcing her to dodge the bullet. Roland must've managed to graze her since she grunted in pain, looking down at her arm. It gave Roland enough time to get back to his feet, gun ready. Alana ignored him and rangled her shotgun aiming for Valentina, who also scrambled to her feet.

"Please you have to understand," Valentina said, raising her hands in defense but the hunter wasn't listening.

"Do you want to know how I really got this scar, Valentina? Or the one here?" She asked raising her shirt to reveal multiple scars all over her midsection. "A wolf convinced me they were something they weren't. They tricked me long enough for me to care about them then took advantage of me. When I tried running it made sure it'd leave its mark on me so no one else would want me. Those are the creatures you're defending," Alana said voice rising as she fired the shogun.

Valentina moved herself this time but it wasn't fast enough. She blinked away the tears that gathered in her eyes and hissed when she felt the burning sting on her thigh. Roland moved into action right afterwards managing to shoot Alana in the shoulder, but the hunter still ignored him.