Chapter 24: Chapter 24

"Ethan!"

He didn't hear me when I called his name. Ethan suddenly lurched towards them with his claws that were flaunted to attack. I tried to stop him, but it was already too late. He already gashed with his mighty claw the first soldier he encountered, then struck it away as if it was some toy in his way.

The soldier next to it fired his gunshots, but Ethan quickly ducked from the bullet onslaught and then grabbed its gun to smack it on his head. The soldier flew away before hitting his head on a stone. I covered my mouth from the monstrosity I was witnessing. Ethan was miffed, and nothing could stop him from killing these men!

I run up to him, even though I know it's dangerous. I smack his shoulders telling him to stop this havoc he's creating! The more he kills, the less freedom he will have! He needs to get back into his senses!

"Ethan! Behind you!" I panicked when a soldier was about to beat him with a gun when Ethan bent down and then grabbed the man on his feet. He suddenly swings him like a yo-yo! I screamed when he let go of the man, and his body hit the tree. The man coughed with blood, crying in pain.

Ethan didn't listen to me. He was outrageous! He's kicking them like they are some sort of pest. I did my best to stop him. Bobby was also barking since this is all madness! I stepped back when he clawed another man, and this time there was blood that gushed out of his flesh. I cried when Ethan kicked the poor man out of his path and then proceeded to hunt down the remaining soldiers.

"Ethan! Please!" I grabbed his hand, but he slapped me, pushing me away. I stumbled to the ground, falling on my face. I coughed when my face was covered in dirt. I wiped off the dust, spit on the side, and heard Bobby whimpering. I opened my eyes when a man was dropped down beside me.

The man groaned in torment and opened his eyes. He was confused to see me drop to the ground when our eyes locked for a moment. The man realized when he figured out who I was. He looked around, searching for something, when he caught his gun.

My eyes widened in fear, and I hurriedly stood up, running for my life. Bobby barked as if he was calling someone, but I quickly covered his face so he wouldn't be shot! I ducked when the man fired a bullet, and it hit the tree I passed through. I was trembling and yelling from dread. I need to get away from his sight!

"Get back here!" the man screamed, then pulled the trigger again, but I was shot in my shoulder this time. I winced, but I didn't cease running away. I hold on to my shoulder, so the blood won't flow too much.

I focused my attention on our path until my feet hit something that caused me to fall on the dirt. My hand hit a sharp object, and I almost died in excruciating pain. I winced, trying to get up, but something held my foot. I looked down to see that my foot was wrapped around the tree's root.

I heard the shriek of Bobby's cries which diminished my body. I ran into him earlier when I fell to the ground, and now he is also wailing from the pain. My vision suddenly blurred because of the tears forming in the corner of my eye. I need to move!

"You can't escape from me!"

I gasped when he pulled my hair and kicked my back. I cried, and I felt something crack. He really gives his best shot on this! I dropped to the ground, and Bobby was below me. I pushed myself to stand up and run because he might also kill this poor innocent dog! They are the monster here! They wouldn't let us free from their grip!

"You're so tough, huh?!"

The soldier smacked my head using his gun, which caused my vision to get blurry. I fall to the ground, sideways, looking straight up ahead at an enormous tree. My head was terribly spinning, and I suddenly didn't know what was happening. I sensed someone was behind me, but I couldn't care anymore. I closed my eyes when a memory flickered. I saw Ethan's smile, which gave me why I didn't give up my life in the first place. Internal representation with him played like a fast-forward clip of a movie that's being played. Our first kiss together, the first date, first love party…

I experienced all my wonderful life with Ethan. There are these terrible times we spent. The arguments. The fight. The jealousy. Those were all overcome with the great times that we treasure.

"Natasha!"

I suddenly heard his voice calling my name. I tried to open my eyes, but I was too debilitated to move my muscles. I envisioned him inside my head and saw him running towards me, reaching my hand. I stood there, waiting for him, when suddenly a man came out of nowhere and pointed a gun at Ethan.

"NO!" I suddenly opened my eyes. I saw the soldier earlier who kicked my back and was about to pull the trigger when Ethan jumped out into the atmosphere. The soldier sensed Ethan's presence, and he suddenly pointed the gun's tip at him.

"Ethan!"

But Ethan was quick enough to dodge the bullet. The gunshot rang in my ear, and at the same time, Ethan slashed the soldier's face with his sharp claws. The man falls on the land, exanimate. Ethan kicked his stomach before our eyes locked.

"Natasha!" he screamed the immediately jumped over me, hugging me tightly between his enormous and chanceful body. I didn't say anything since I couldn't find a word. I think it's over for now.

"Shh! I am here. I got you, okay? No one is going to attack us right now. We're safe." he whispered soothingly in my ear while stroking the back of my head. I bit my lower lip, closing my eyes when a tear suddenly escaped. I was sobbing when Ethan pushed himself away to see my face closer.

"What's wrong?" he asked before cupping my face. I averted my eyes away from him.

"Y-you killed again, Ethan." my voice was hoarse from crying. Ethan's hands dropped on my lap when I said these words.

"Natasha, if I didn't kill them, they would kill us first. They would kill you! And I don't want to let that happen." Ethan argued, clenching his fist.

"B-but…your crimes…your sins…they-"

"It doesn't matter, Natasha."

I froze when Ethan stopped me from continuing my sentence. I paused, then slowly lifted up my face to stare at his dazzling eyes, visibly radiating from the sunlight. There was no hint of reverence in his eyes.

"When I was born, I was already cursed. It was already part of me, and I couldn't do anything before. My family made me realize that I was already a monster. Even though part of me before was a lost boy that needs help."

Ethan snatched my hands and then kissed the back of them.

"And you came to fulfill that. Now that I am finally living the life I wanted with you, they wanted to take away that from me. They call me a monster from the people who would do harm to me."

He raised his large hands before wiping off something on my head. I flinched and saw there was blood. Ethan gritted his jaw, snarling. Somehow, I was used to his wolf form. If this was my first time to see him with this body, I might die from fright right now.

"Now, I will show them how a terrible beast I am. It's useless to tell them you changed after causing an impairment from your past. That won't work, Natasha. Not in this world we live by right now." Ethan stood up straight, looking at the atmosphere. Unexpectedly, the wind blew harshly, giving him this omnipotent effect.

He abruptly reminds me of someone. Someone from the past, then I recall his ancestors. They have the same proud look, even though the world is turning its back on him. I raised my hand, and Ethan caught a glimpse of it. I smiled at him, telling him that he was doing the right thing even though he was the villain in the eyes of the people.

In reality, Ethan was just like them, scared of his own. Scared of his scared. Lost when he doesn't know what to do. We tried to explain that to Allen earlier. Ethan really changed, and his wolf form was harmless, but they couldn't listen. They didn't know that once they threw the conflagration into a gas, it would ignite, and everything closer to the fire would be fumed down.

"I am proud of you, Ethan. Always."

Despite everything that happened today, I was glad he saved us. Even though this is against the law, sometimes the government itself is already messed up. Justice is only served for the prosperous, and the needy will always mourn from their hands.

He smiled back before lifting me up from the ground. He carefully wrapped his arms around my waist. Bobby suddenly barked, making us laugh from the daze.

"I wouldn't make it this far, Natasha. If it wasn't because of you. You shaped me to become my best version." he said before starting to leave the place. I look back just to see the crumbs of bread he left. Allen would call for backups to chase us here.

"No more running away. If I have to kill millions of population here to save you, I will do it without a doubt, Natasha."