Mated

Twenty-Six

A/N Thanks for making it this far! This may be choppy/rough moving forward, so I just want to remind everyone this is only a draft as I complete this story and ready it for possible publication. Wattpad's version and the final version will have some differences in some of the content (which you will see in my other works like Too Close and the Sequel). Sorry in advance for any typos/errors/changes you've come across or will come across up to this point and even after. All in all, I hope you are enjoying Mated < 3 it gets interesting after this part of the story. Promise (:

I struggled to inhale having been holding my breath and having had the wind knocked out of me. I pushed Cort to the side, channeling my wolf's strength to make it seem as if it were no effort at all. I pulled him to his feet and he stumbled against my grip. I couldn't speak, couldn't tell him to run. I could only push my legs so that I could and maybe he would follow.

The sound of heavy feet hitting the ground behind me jolted me forward and I felt my limbs stretch and muscles become taut as my wolf wanted to take over and protect me. I could hear my gasps for air and Cort's beating heart and his footsteps keeping up and the Rogue closing in on us.

Note to self: never jump from a window whilst holding breath and carrying onto the weight of another person ever again.

I turned sharply into an alley. Cort's feet slapped awkwardly on the pavement behind me at my abrupt turn. But we came to a halt after nearly reaching its center. A Rogue appeared in front of the alley. And the one chasing us was right behind us. The one in front of me Turned as he stepped forward to block out path–fur sprouting over the sides of his face, thick arms, and stopping before daggers for claws.

My heart was in my ears. My breaths were heavy wings. Cort's panic didn't match mine. When his hit me it was cool, controlled, like he'd been cornered by ruthless rabbids a million times before. Mine was thick, hazy, consuming every inch of my body yet it kept me rational enough to know I was going to have to fight for my life in only a matter of seconds.

I wasn't naive, but there were a lot of things I only learned just recently and there are quite a few things that didn't make much sense.

There are two things I was sure of. One: Rogues can't follow a leader, they were too maniacal to stick together. Two: Rogues can't Turn freely once they're rabbid–they're cursed to their wolf form, unable to shapeshift for the rest of their lives. Two facts staring me right in the face that went against what I thought I knew.

Terror settled over me, a quiet cloak in the dark.

"Cort?" I whispered when both Rogues began to walk toward us. Both wearing sinister smiles that revealed sharp yellow teeth. We had about ten, nine, not enough seconds.

The Hunter was so close his back was almost pressing against mine, facing the one who'd been chasing us while I faced the newcomer who was twice my size–like every wolf I've ever known. I could feel him slowly inch his hands toward his weapons hidden beneath his clothing. I stretched my own fingers. Feeling them extend instantly, my claws protruding the tips.

My Rogue was the first to launch at us but I was ready. Planting one foot forward, I brought my hands up, palms facing each other and thrust my claws into his stomach, turning my face when I felt them settle deep. His face was fury instead of pain and his mouth sprung open, teeth glistening in the moonlight as he hissed at me. He clawed, reaching for my clothes and landed a scratch on my face with scissor hands. It required all of my strength to shove him away, sliding him backward until he struck the ground with his knuckle to keep from skidding too far.

Cort's gunshots rippled through the air as he fought the other Rogue. He was no longer directly behind me, but I had no time to try and help him. The Rogue in front of me sprung through the air. I didn't get away fast enough and he nearly knocked me to the ground. I spun and kicked him in the chest, pushing him into the wall behind him. His hand landed on my shin, keeping my leg hoisted in the air. I gasped when he dug his claw into skin and my stance faltered when it dug deeper and deeper.

His other hand came up and struck me across the face. For a second, I was stuck in place as this Rogue caught the upper hand. Then, just as he pushed off the wall, still holding onto me, I wasn't seeing what was right in front me. I was in the field with James. This is just like practice. It was James who stood in front of me, showing me to fend for myself. He's coached me on what to do in a situation like this before.

I didn't realize my eyes were closed until they sprung open and I was on top of my Rogue with my kneecaps pressing into his throat.

"Argh!" I screamed, pushing my weight down onto his neck, pressing him into the ground. His eyes bulged in his head and his hands came up to wrap around my thighs, but he was weakened by the lack of oxygen to work his muscles. I heard Cort fighting several feet away, but I dared not look away from my attacker. He made one last wheezing sound before going limp beneath me.

I let out hard gulps of air as fast as I was taking them in, feeling relief rush through me. I looked up just in time to see Cort finish off his opponent. The wolf with bullet holes in his stomach and legs fell to the ground in a heap with a blade through his chest. Cort looked my way and silently communicated to get up and keep moving.

I limped as we turned out of the alley. He kept up a jog with me when he noticed I was hurt and couldn't move as quickly. I was starting to heal, but not fast enough.

"Through here," I nodded toward a pavement that turned into a driveway. I had to lead the way when the distance between the street lights became wider and wider and only my eyes could see. I'd heard flowing water from the alley and it was louder now. The driveway was cut off by a gated fence and brick half wall extending from both sides and curving toward the property behind it. Cort had to hoist me over it. I winced when my bleeding shin hit the ground but stumbled to my feet and moved forward.

The driveway ended before a dark, three story house surrounded by a pond. A bridge was the only way to reach it and a fountain sculpture sat tall in the middle of the water. About halfway to the other side, I heard footsteps that I hadn't heard before, sounding close. I grabbed the back of Colt's shirt and he stopped. His eyes widened enough to ask if I heard something. I looked over the edge of the bridge. The water would be too loud to hear racing hearts and would mask our scents–especially my bloodied leg.

Understanding, he lowered through an opening in a column of the bridge's walls and lowered himself. I followed suit and we both ducked in the icy currents. Within seconds, my ears picked up the sound of someone moving up the driveway. Moving quicker than Cort and I did, the movement was suddenly on the bridge. I caught Cort's eye and he submerged his head completely under water and out of sight.

The weight of the man standing above us croaked the bridge's floorboards. When he paused where Cort and I had stopped, I slowly sunk my head under. Water sloshed against my ears, but I could still see his shadow above me through the cracks in the bridge. He stood there for too many seconds, too many heartbeats, that I knew Cort and I would run out of air.

I heard a muffled voice near the driveway. "Anything?" It asked. "No," the person on the bridge answered after a pause.

"Let's go, I think I smelled blood back this way," the other voice said. The one on the bridge didn't move immediately. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying he wouldn't look in the water. Finally, stomping feet signaled his leaving. I reached out and felt for Cort's body. I fisted his shirt in my hands and pulled him up above the surface of the water.

He took in a quick breath and blew at the water running down his face. I brought a finger to my mouth to keep him quiet and listened. When I could confirm they were long gone, we climbed out of the pond.