The Prince and The Wolf

XL

Chapter 40: Run

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By the time she had come to, she could barely register that Carl was running with her in his arms. Her head spun, pounding with a dull ache. She blearily looked up at him. Her vision was clearing, as she saw his expression looking contorted. It was an expression that rarely graced his usually calm face.

She finally noticed the cut on his lip. Her brows furrowed, and her hands traveled up, gripping his shirt. "Carl..." She could barely manage to whisper.

He faltered momentarily in his sprint, looking down at her and his jaw clenched.

"You'll be safe." He gritted. "You'll be safe."

She didn't know where they were headed, but it didn't look familiar. It was one of those neighborhoods where most of the houses looked empty.

Min was tucked into a hiding spot. She was gaining consciousness. She saw his back lowering into a stance. No—What are you doing...?

"Nowhere now to run. Rat." Someone spat venomously. More footsteps. He was against more than one person.

No. Carl.

"Great spot you picked for us to slowly murder you." The guy continued to say, stepping closer.

Carl!

Someone finally took the first attack and Carl dodged, keeping his fists near his chest as he accessed how he was going to take 5 people down. Grabbing the first one by the collar, he shoved his fist into his stomach and kicked him away. The one he had let get away that night glared at him murderously.

Bitter, they were. Being beat took a toll on their arrogant feelings of pride. The second one came at him, followed by a third person. Swing, block, dodge, turn, block, punch.

Min looked at the scene in shock, slowly coming to realize that he had done this many times before. She was very afraid. And also, very entranced, watching his body move fluently among the five he was against.

"Stop." What she presumed to be the leader of the five was staring into the little hole she was hiding in. He started running towards her, a dark grin adorning his features. Carl quickly realized what was going to happen and yelled out a pain "no!" before he was kicked in the back. He fell onto his knees and took no time to hesitate as he sprinted over towards Min.

But the other four were also fast, dragging him back, restraining him.

Min was yanked out of her hiding spot, weak in fear, she meekly fell onto her hands and knees.

"What is this?" The head guy laughed maniacally. "You have a girlfriend? Man, someone wants to be with waste like you?"

Carl's eyes filled with pain, watching as Min breathed heavily on the ground. She could barely stand, barely breathe. He gritted his teeth, training his furious eyes on the man he had not been able to send to the grave days before.

The guy yanked her face up to view, his fist on her hair, she hissed in pain, and glared deliriously at him. The guy sneered at her, throwing her back. "What an ugly bitch." He spat, shoving a foot onto her cheek, though she had already lost consciousness again.

"Don't you dare..." Carl growled, anger overwhelming him. He was going to kill every last one of them. Once he got their filthy hands off him, he was going to send the delivery that he promised to the grave.

Crack—Someone had hit the back of the head guy's head, rendering him unconscious.

"This one talks a lot." Declan kicked the limp body aside, swinging his bat idly. "Like, a lot. We could sound like elephants running over and he wouldn't be able to hear jackshit over his yapping."

"Alright, Carl, I got the girl." Clan smirked at his stepbrother. "I'll cover her eyes."

Carl, sensing that the other four had been stunned by the sudden occurrence, immediately took this chance to break himself free and kick their feet from under them and knocking them all out.

He dashed over to Declan and Min, Declan was propping Min up to lean against his arms. Carl swooped her up again before the two sprinted off.

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"As a good citizen, I have informed the police of those gangsters trying to kidnap young girls." Declan chirped.

They were back in Carl's house, Carl laid a sleeping Min onto his sofa.

"When I mean the police, I meant my uncle, remember him? The cool dude that offers you fake cigarettes and then pretends to arrest you when you actually take it?"

Carl paid his yapping companion no mind as he left to get a towel to wipe Min's face.

"Aren't you glad that I like tracking you, Carl?" Declan continued. "Man, the things you get yourself into, I never thought for a day it would include your lady friend."

Carl threw a random can of beans at Declan, a scowl covering his face.

Declan smirked. "Embarrassed? Isn't she the Bonnie to your Clyde, oh lover boy?"

Another can of beans was thrown. Carl sat beside Min and began cleaning her face, looking at her serene expression as he pressed the cool towel against her temple. He stopped, pain filling up his eyes, regret pooling into his mind.

"What have I done?" He whispered.

"You saved a damsel in distress from your very alarming problems." Declan joked, wiggling his eyebrows. "And now—kiss her awake."

Carl inhaled deeply before pointing at the door. Declan pouted. "Oh c'mon, who will photograph your first kiss?"

"There won't be one." Carl deadpanned. "Get out."

Declan sulked as he left the house. 

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