Chapter 279 - Two Hundred And Seventy-nine: The Rescuers
"I can't believe I have to be the one always rescuing their butt," Lia grumbled the moment they stepped into the woods. There was no moon up in the sky to light their way and had to adapt to their nocturnal sight.
"This is bad luck," she breathed.
"What do you mean?" Ryan asked, zooming in on the hut from afar.
"Haven't you watched enough movies to know that an odd hut in the woods by this time of the night usually depicts a crime scene," she stated, walking over to the place.
"I don't know and I don't watch movies," Ryan commented, sniffing the air.
"Tsk, what a boring life," Lia tsk-tsked, eyes roaming the forest carefully as they trudged through the woods.
"Daniel's scent is getting stronger," Ryan observed, his stride more confident as they got closer to their destination and was about to take a step when Lia halted him.
"Stop"
His leg hung awkwardly in the air.
"Don't you dare take a step further," she warned him.
"What is it," Ryans eyes formed into a slit, he didn't dare move.
"Look at those trails…" She pointed to a messily swept path, "It's almost as if someone, not one, but two were dragged into the hut - look at the drag marks - Since Daniel's scent is strong here, then I'm on the right track. That means -"
"There's a trap around here," Ryan figured out.
"Bingo. Now would you take a step back," Lia was smug as Ryan obeyed.
She scanned the area with her sharp eyes and somehow saw a slipknot hidden tactically beneath a pile of leaves mess.
"Amateur," Lia smirked, pulled off the boot she had stolen from the pack - the owner would understand - and threw it in the middle of that trash.
At once, darts from trees encompassing that particular spot descended on the space - that would have been them if they hadn't been careful.
"He's no amateur," Ryan disagreed with her.
"I think we've just stumbled upon something big," Lia muttered, wide-eyed shocked.
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"A-hem," the alpha cleared his throat, "As you all know, my name is Daniel and I'm the chief of Kinney Village, or so you guys think cause, in reality, I'm a werewolf. Yeah, a real-life werewolf and not one out of a fantasy book… " He glanced up towards the boy waiting for further instruction, "What next? I've introduced myself already, "
"This is the part where you show them proof. Everyone would think this a joke unless you show them the facts," Eric insisted.
"Sorry but I can't," Daniel shrugged,
"Not with silver tied around me like this," He was overjoyed, it seemed like the universe was on his side.
A sly smirk formed around the corners of Eric's mouth, "Nice try," His gaze darkened, having seen through his trick, "I think I have a better volunteer,"
Within their watchful eyes, Eric grabbed the pup from the feet and let him dangle in the air carelessly.
"How does he shift back to human? It should be enough for the camera"
Ben and Daniel's gaze connected, both shifting uneasily in their seats.
"Or maybe you need motivation.Again."
Eric brought out the gun and settled it on the pup.
"And here we go again," Ben groaned. Throughout the past hour, his soul had repeatedly left his body times without number.
"I don't know what happened to you boy, but you don't want to do this," Daniel tried to get to him.
Emotionlessly, Eric cocked the gun.
Ben leaned towards Daniel, " He does want to do this,"
"Alright," He gave in once again, " Kaji shift -"
"Bam!"
A sound came from outside.
Eric threw his hands up, "Just how many of your kind did you come with?!"
No answer.
"Fine," He said grudgingly, hiding the gun in the back of his waistband," I'll deal with them myself," with that being said, Eric left - but not without disabling Kaji once again.
"What's the chance that was Lia?" Daniel threw a rhetorical question.
"Hundred and one percent," was Ben's reply.
"Just pray she doesn't fall into that trap, she's our last hope," Daniel was worried.
Ben retorted ironically, "Don't worry, she's not as shortsighted as you,"
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Eric walked over to his trap carefully, brows furrowing when he found empty darts yet there was no fallen target unless someone….
He turned around with fast reflexes, whipping out his gun and had it pointed at the Lia who flew down from a tree and kicked it out of his grip.
"Nice to meet you asshole," she gave him a powerful flying kick that sent him to the floor and rendering him unconscious.
Ryan came down from the opposite tree saying, "The alpha,"
They both rushed into the house.
"Welcome," Daniel smiled at her but Lia ignored him and went to release Kaji instead, " Poor thing," she broke through the chain effortlessly unlike Ryan who was still having problems with one.
Once free, Kaji climbed onto Ben's laps as Lia broke him free too before proceeding to Sam.
She turned to help Daniel but he was in front of her - seems Ryan has done the work already.
"You're giving me the silent treatment," He said but Lia ignored him and tried to move the other way but he blocked her path.
"Fine, I'm sorry. I should have told you but I thought there was no need for that- it's just a job little the werewolf coaxed her into talking to him.
"Yet, I saved your ass. Again," she pointed out.
"I know, I'm sorry"
"Thank your God you have an irresistible face," She pulled him down by the collar and kissed him full on the lips.
A pang of jealousy hit Ben when he saw that scene that he looked away, focusing his attention on the pup in his arms.
"We need to leave," Ryan Informed the alpha who was still sucking faces with his mate.
"No, we can't leave, not without Eric" Ben demanded.
"Why?"
"Because he's a murderer, he's responsible for Alexa's death. Where is he?"
"Here I am," Eric appeared in the doorway and fired two shots.
It happened too quickly.
The gun was fired at Ryan, but it happened that Ben had gotten in his way at that time.
However, Lia also sped over and put herself in the line of the fire. Instead of the gun hitting Ben, two of them penetrated her body.
"Lia!"
Daniel saw red and he lost control, shifting into his wolf and leaped at Eric who kept firing while retreating.
With his claws, he fought against the rain of bullets with fluid dodgings and movements until the fool ran out of shots.
"Uh-oh" Eric's eyes widened, watching the massive grey wolf stand on his hind legs and tower over him.
Before he could say, Jack Robinson, the wolf swallowed his head, ripping it entirely from his body.
Eric's headless body fell to the ground with a soft thud while the head was tossed carelessly to the side. Even in death, Eric's saliva-covered face had a horrid expression - he never foresaw that he would die in the hands of one of the creatures he loathed and desired to eradicate.
"Hey Lia, don't sleep," Ben slapped her cheeks the umpteenth time she tried to close her eyes.
He glanced up towards Ryan, "Why is her body not ejecting the bullet?" Ben asked, worried about her increasing temperature.
"The bullet is silver coated, hence poisonous to most supernatural creatures - if not all. It got into her bloodstream hence her body can't eject, rather heal up with it, resulting to death afterward unless it's taken out manually," Ryan added, "And on time,"
"Lia can't die, right?" Ben was unsure, this was the first time they were encountering such a situation.
"I don't know but we can't just sit and find out," Ryan said and had already positioned himself before her when Daniel showed up.
"Leave her to me," He ordered Ryan, taking his place beside her. Daniel was wearing Eric's shorts since his own had been ripped in the process of shifting- he had no choice.
"Love, it's me," He cradled her head in his arms.
Lia opened her eyes. Her body was on fire and she was sweating all over; the feeling was akin to that time she had taken sunshine - her body was burning inside out.
"It hurts," she cried.
"I know," Daniel comforted her, "But don't worry, it would be over soon,"
However, she didn't have that much patience.
"Ahhh!" Lia screamed, blasting a hole through the thatched roof that rained straws on them, they took cover.
"I have to take her outside before she brings down this shack on us,". Daniel said, discovering her powers were manifesting each time a spasm went through her.
"Alright" they all agreed without hesitation, the girl could scream like a banshee.
Daniel carried her out before she released another earth-shattering scream that made his ear bleed.
"Alright, this is it " He placed her head on his shoulder and went ahead to flick out his claws which he used to dig into her back, tearing open her flesh and searching blindingly for the bullets.
Even with the light coming from the hut, Ben stood outside, still couldn't see clearly in the dark. However, he winced and looked away from the scene.
Lia screamed in pain, her claws drawing out and digging into his arms alongside her fangs she sank it into his neck.