CHAPTER 3

"Lady!" This time the man carried her and placed her gently on the ground. The third shot barely missed her.

"Go, get Gregor." She said, gritting her teeth in pain. "He had to pay for this." Gregor managed to escape from her because of the sudden attacks. Some of his men had shot her back twice.

"No, I have to save you first." The worried look of the guy almost wanted her to trust him. But he had to go away before he found out that she could heal herself.

"You can easily catch him. Just go. I can hold on long enough." Reassuring him, she smiled at him but forgot that she had her mask on.

"I'll be back. Just wait a minute. Please don't die on me. By the way, I'm Argon." Then he disappeared.

Finally gone, she breathed heavily, her face retorted. Her blood was pooling around her. She had to take the bullets out. But first, she needed to get out of there before he came back for her. Helping herself up, thinking about how she'd get inside the apartment building without getting noticed by anyone.

"Fuck. Gotta stay alive. Worry later." She mumbled, then braced herself. She ran with her wolf speed to cross the street and enter the building, even if some humans might see how fast she was.

She stopped at the elevator door. No more energy to use the stairs. Blood was gushing out from the gunshot holes. At last, the elevator opened, and no one was inside. She entered immediately and took off her jacket, rolling it to cover the holes, to at least stop the continuous gushing of her open wounds. She felt like she would run out of blood anytime soon.

Hoping that no one would use the elevator as she was in it, thankfully she got lucky enough that the whole building was not yet busy around. As her ride stopped on her floor, before she came out, she made sure that there were no people around the hallways. Then she got on full speed to her room. She hadn't locked it earlier.

As she got inside, she went straight to the bathroom and tore her jacket and the shirt, her second clothing. She smelled of metal and sweat. Taking off her mask, she set it aside to use again later. She balled her shirt and inserted it in her mouth. Knowing that this could be excruciatingly painful, she had to brace herself. She's got no one to help her dig out the bullet. Luckily enough, it's within her reach.

First, the bullet in her lower back, digging it from her flesh. She could have screamed, but the cloth in her mouth deafened her wails of piercing pain. As it intensified, golden rings of a burning sun devoured her once-black pupils. Her face constricted, then exhaled heavily when she pulled out the bullet. Throwing it in the sink. Taking a moment to breathe before reaching for the second one, just a little above her right shoulder.

Her shirt muffled her screams, and hot tears along with sweat trailed down her face. As she pulled out the last bullet, she almost fainted but braced herself on the sink. Only her laboured breathing echoes around the four walls.

Now looking in the mirror, some blood splattered the surface. She turned on the water and wiped it. She took off her boots and jeans and threw them outside the bathroom, not minding her phone's with it. She turned on the shower and finally brushed away the sticky mess. Washing away the remaining blood in her wounds, slowly closing itself. The cold soothed her aching muscles, closing her eyes. She doesn't have enough strength left. After a few minutes, Melisca fell unconscious under the shower.

*************

"Zek, something happened. I got him instead. He shot at the cop. I came back for her, but she was gone already. What do you want me to do with this man? Surrender him to the police or you?" Argon was on the phone with a friend, while guarding the man lying on the ground, he knocked Gregor out and his men.

"Me first. We will turn him in after, so the cop's effort won't be wasted." Replied by the cold, authoritative voice from the other line.

"Okay then. We're coming to the base." After hanging up, he still wonders where the lady had gone. Maybe she's been brought to a hospital by some people. Anyway, he doesn't have enough time. He still had a man to deliver.

Along the way, Greg woke up, mouth sealed by tape. They're still in the car, with Argon beside him. He left Greg's men behind.

"Got to seal that mouth, buddy. As the lady said, you're too loud." Argon simply said. Didn't understand what he was muffling about. "Don't worry, we're here."

The van stopped in front of a forest mansion. People are lurking around, securing the area. The private land of one of the richest in the country. A village only for the members of the pack, protecting the families. Made and built by their alpha a hundred years ago. No humans are allowed in the area, except for those whom their leader trusted and worked for them.

Stepping out of the car, Argon signalled for someone to assist him with their captive. The ranger pulled Greg out of the vehicle and followed by the second leader in command.

"Don't attempt to fight, human." Drasco threatened with the look of murder, dragging him.

"Now, now, don't eat him alive, pal. He's scared-shit enough." Argon stated, not looking behind him.

"Beta, Alpha's waiting down at the base." One of their rangers greeted him as they walked by.

Argon just nodded. The base is where their leader prefers questioning anyone who goes against his rules or makes a serious mistake that endangers the pack.

Walking down the stairs to their base, solid brick walls were everywhere and painted red high ceilings. As they reached the ground, a group of rangers lurked around the lobby. They nodded as their beta passed. Ranger is what they call their pack warriors.

"Gandolf." He greeted his friend at the door, the pack general, also the gamma.

"Argon, finally caught him huh? Come on, man." Gandolf opened the door for them and they entered.

As Greg enters the room, he knows that his life already ended. Pleading would be of no use to them for the man he would face. Before, he was so determined that he could get away, that it would be okay. But now, just the mere presence of the one sitting on the throne was strong enough to make him guilty of all his sins.

Argon unsealed his lips and pushed him forward to the centre.

"Please! Please just kill me! Don't make me suffer." Greg immediately pleaded on his knees, bowing down his head. His hands were still tied to his back. He can't look at the devil's eyes. Knowing what the leader can do, yet he doesn't regret the thing he did to them.

"Where is the syringe?" Questioned by the man he's pleading for.

"Gone."

Suddenly, he appeared in front of him. Holding his jaw and making him look straight to his red eyes.

"Where is the syringe?" He repeated clearly.

Greg's eyes turned hollow, in a daze. "I used it for the girl."

"To the cop you shot?"

"She's not a cop. She's a bounty hunter. I thought she was like you."

The alpha's eyebrows furrowed. "Why did you think so?"

"She moves like you. Stronger than humans."

"But she survived the poison." He retorted.

"Yes, but it affected her at first when it shouldn't be if she was purely human."

Greg and his team of supernatural hunters were formulating a poison for special beings like them, werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters and other creatures. To finish their existence. But of course, he would never allow anyone to endanger his people.

Ezekiel Rawson is the king alpha of all the werewolves. He had a pack to manage on his own and chose another alpha to handle another group of wolves that were still alive. Aside from that, he also owns a business empire that has been growing for over a century. He had a trusted human family to run the business with their name, which had passed down to each of their generations. Supernatural beings were not known to most humans.

As for being the leader, he provides everything to his people, shelter, security, anything that they need. So he works for them. But mostly, protecting his pack is the utmost responsibility.

"Where is your hidden facility?"

"My friends set it on fire and I don't have any idea where they were."

"Where can I find this bounty hunter?"

"All I know is she's from the city's police station. I don't know her name."

"Okay. Now, you won't remember anything about us, you are just a mad scientist who killed your wife and the bounty hunter got you. Sleep." Greg dropped on the floor with a thud.

Blood-coloured circles slowly vanished from his eyes, returning to emerald-green pupils. He turned to his two friends.

"The girl, did you feel anything?" He referred to Argon.

"I don't feel that she's one of us. But I did notice that she's strong."

"He's no use to us anymore. Let's drop him at the police station in the city. I would like to meet this girl in person. Maybe she is something."