Chapter 61: Chapter 61

"Natasha, wake up."

Someone shook my shoulder and tapped lightly on my cheek, forcing me to wake up. I coughed, but I felt a substantial fluid was gushing down from my mouth. Someone grunted, then put my head on a soft edge. I gradually opened my eyes and saw Ethan on top of me. His eyes were scanning my face, and I saw uneasiness in them.

"Everything is going to be okay, love. Please fight hard." he took my hand and then kissed its back. He stroked my cheeks.

I do not have any idea what's happening and where I am. I tried to move a muscle, but I stopped when I felt a series of pain coursing through my veins towards my back. That's when I realized I got shot. I gasped, opening my mouth to breathe some oxygen. I roamed my eyes around the place, just to find out we were in the middle of the forest. I saw Bobby lying on my side.

"He was wounded, too."

I glanced back at Ethan, who stopped beside Bobby and carefully lifted him to put him inside his backpack. His head was sticking out so he could breathe some air. I moved, wanting to help, when Ethan hushed me. He carefully wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me up so he could carry me. He was doing all the work, and I didn't want to weigh him down with all the burdens.

"E-ethan, let me help-"

"You're wounded, Natasha."  he didn't even let me complete my sentence. He lulled me down by looking at me sideways, telling me to just hear for him this time and don't oppose. I blinked, but I sighed in defeat when I felt the familiar pain again and just held on to him.

A long deafening silence enveloped us. I can hear his heartbeat drumming on my side, and the whispers of nature enfold us. The chirping of the birds above made me look up and follow them with my eyes. They were merrily soaring around the atmosphere as if life for them was leisurely. I looked back at Bobby, whose eyes were closed. His head was sticking out, but Ethan balanced the bag to make it comfortable for him.

"W-what happened?" I asked after a moment of stillness.

He puffed out a sigh of disappointment, then gritted his jaw. He didn't say anything for a while, and I thought he wouldn't answer my question when he glanced at me. His eyes were full of trepidation. It was only mere seconds because it went back to his usual ominous stare that could kill someone by looking at them.

"You got shot on your back, but I managed to escape that place by dragging you and Bobby out. If it wasn't for my reflexes, you could be dead by now," he muttered and looked the other way. His hair was covering his eyes.

"They kicked Bobby on the stomach and was about to shoot him when I-" Ethan stopped explaining, remembering something. He shook his head, remaining silent. I wanted to know more, the vivid explanation of what happened between those times, but I didn't force him. It must be so hard for him to process all of these things, so he chose to be quiet rather than recollecting the traumatic experience.

"I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for making things messed up. I'm sorry for dragging you into this. Believe me when I say I will completely change. I wouldn't kill anyone anymore, even if my life is threatened, just to bring peace to your mind."

He looked at my front, our eyes locking for a moment. He let out a soft grin, ensuring everything would be alright as long as he was around. He looked so decisive and well built on the outside, but all of these masks he was trying to wear to prove himself worthy of him scattered my internal feelings.

I wanted to say something, but he quickly looked away. He must have noticed I would say something, but he didn't want to hear it. I remembered our argument the police came by. None of this wouldn't happen if I had just agreed with him in the first place to leave the city and move to another. I wouldn't get shot if I listened to him, and Bobby wouldn't get hurt.

All of these happened because of my greediness of wanting to have an everyday life with him. If I could just turn back time and clean the blunders I had made, I would do it without missing a beat. But I couldn't do that, and now I am holding in this guilt that will haunt me in my remaining days.

"Don't cry. It's not your fault," he whispered, making it difficult for me to process all of these.

Ethan continued to walk for hours, carrying me, Bobby, and all of our things. I still wanted to know how he got through, and no one was following us, but I didn't pester him again with my questions. The important thing is we survived and somehow escaped again from the authorities.

I tried to push, but pain struck my body every time I drove a muscle. Ethan caressed my shoulder, soothing my body to calm down. A bandage was enveloped around my upper body, but I knew it wasn't sufficient. I need an operation to get out the bullet from me.

"Hold on tight, my love. I will look for someone to help us," he said.

My vision was getting blurry. I was fighting it to stay conscious, so I could know what would happen. I don't want Ethan to shoulder everything, and he wouldn't feel he was alone in this battle of us.

He ceased from his track, noticing a highway in front of us. Ethan slowly dropped me to the ground, looking back and forth to his sides to see if a vehicle would be passed by. He waited for another hour, almost giving up when we saw the light coming up ahead.

Ethan was about to wave his hand when his hands stopped mid-air. My brows crumpled in confusion when he ran to my place, picking up the things and raising my body. I wanted to ask why but Ethan shushed me, then sprinted towards an extensive tree. He hides there, putting his hands over my mouth.

What's happening? Why did he suddenly run away from the car? Ethan was peeking beside the tree. I heard a series of vehicles stop, pursued by a sequence of voices and stomps of heavy footsteps.

"Search them! We shouldn't let them get away this time!"

My body froze when I heard that familiar voice. I know they didn't see us, but why do I feel like we had been caught? My body went rigid, and my palm sweaty. I gulped the lump in my throat, shiting slowly moving and finding a comfortable spot. Ethan was stilled looking for a perfect chance to escape from the grips of the authorities.

"The wolf was seen in the apartment and killed half of my men!"

Ethan flinched, making me look at him. He was gritting his jaw, and his eyes darkened.

"Find him and retreat the woman he captured!"

"Yes, sir!"

I heard their footsteps move. I saw the light coming from them, searching and roaming the whole place. Someone must have told them they saw a person carrying a woman heading towards this secluded place, so that's why they stopped here.

Ethan quickly took a step back, staying in the darkness so the cops wouldn't see us. Ethan was careful, terrified to get noticed. I clenched my sweaty hand. My heartbeat was pounding so quickly, and my inner terrors were screaming at my soul.

"We need to get out of here," I whispered when he glanced at me. He nodded and then was about to sprint away when he stepped on a twig, causing it to echo through the woods.

"What was that?!"

Ethan didn't waste any more seconds. He sprinted away from the cops, going through the middle of the woods again. Ethan took the backpack and placed it in front. I saw Bobby sticking his head out. He was awake, but he looked so fragile.

We heard gunshots behind us. It rang in my ear, causing my body to tremble. They were hungry to seek the truth, to show the world that werewolves exist in this generation. To prove to them, it's not just a myth or legend but authentic crime documentation.

"Catch them!"

"In there! I saw a shadow moving!"

I was getting frantic, not knowing what to do. But I am more worried about Ethan. Once he got shot, it was over for all of us. However, he didn't stop running even though it was tiring. He focused his eyes on the bumpy path. He jumped, dodged, and ran at full speed. I looked up ahead, and I saw something.

"Ethan, there!"

There was a local house in the middle of the woods. Ethan quickly followed my finger and then ran up to it. He opened then closed the door, locking it. He took a step back. His breath was shallow when we heard a voice behind us.

"Who are you?"

A light flickered, showing who was inside the house. We glanced behind just to see an old man carrying a shotgun pointing at us.

"What are you doing inside my house?" he asked, taking a step forward, doesn't look afraid to kill us.

"Sir, we meant no harm. We're being chased."

"By what? The police? That means you bring trouble."

"No, sir, it's not like that. They thought we're-" before Ethan could finish his sentence, someone knocked on the door, causing us to look at each other.

The old man drove us through the back of the door and then opened it.

"Good evening, sir. Apologies for bothering you this late. We are here to ask you if you have seen two people running around this area?"