Chapter 56 ~Fleeing Ashridge~
(Fiona's POV)
Ashridge pack members were slowly stirring awake, one after the other. Dazed, but nevertheless, alive.
We had to run, or else it could turn ugly pretty quickly.
I ignored the severe aches I felt all over my body, the weakness, and the thousand thoughts running through my mind.
I had seen a lot of things I'd probably have doubted if someone told me a couple of years back. I was shaken. I was confused… utterly confused.
What did this awakening mean for me? Was I a hybrid, a tribrid, or just Fiona?
“Run faster, guys, there are some warriors on our tails,” Yara yelled as we wove past the gate of Ashridge.
Xander, thankfully, was carrying Dr. Mel across his shoulders, and she was still in a pretty terrible state.
I'd never run as fast as I did. The wind was blowing my hair back and I could hear air whiz past my ears.
“Should we shift?” Calvin asked as we were still running.
“Not unless they do. We might risk a human seeing us.” Xander was doing pretty well running while carrying Mel. “We're nearing human territory.”
I could hear the loud stomps of feet and I couldn't help but steal a glance behind.
And there they were, in their numbers - Ashridge warriors led by Horace, on our tails.
My heart was pounding in my chest. “Uh… guys, I don't think we're going to make it.”
I was scared.
So scared.
There was no way I was going back to Ashridge. No way I'd survive it.
“Just focus on running. Don't look back.” An arrow whizzed past Calvin's head as he spoke. He narrowly missed it. “Damn!”
Yara was growing anxious as well. “Was that an arrow?”
“Run in a zig-zag pattern. Don't run straight!” Xander suggested.
There was a sharp zoom of arrows past us. They landed on the ground, tree trunks, hanging fruits… heck, everywhere.
What if it landed on one of us?
I cleared the thought from my head immediately.
Xander was beside me.
I could hear him… his breathing, his faint panting, his heartbeat. I could smell him. It'd been so long since I saw him last.
In actual sense, it might not have been that long, but it did feel like that.
I don't know how I felt. Had I forgiven him?
I mean, he did risk his life to try and save me.
I could feel a sharp pain in my ankle, but I ignored it and kept running.
“Turn left!” Calvin shouted from a distance.
We did.
“I missed you.” Xander blurted. I turned to glance at him briefly. “The thought that you might not be alive crossed my mind once. And I couldn't believe it, but the first thought that crossed my mind was to kill myself.”
I halted in my tracks, shocked by what he said.
An arrow landed just in front of me.
Good timing.
“Guys, now is not the time for love and confession. We're kind of in the midst of a situation.” Yara yelled.
I picked up my pace once more.
“Well, I'm alive. How's Dakota?” I muttered to him in one breath.
I swear I saw a faint smile on his face.
I knew he'd be thinking, ‘She only just narrowly escaped death, and she's jealous.’
“It's you I love Fiona Hepburn. It's only you.”
His words had my cheeks blushing crimson, but I hid my smile.
“Well, you should have thought of that when you were both kissing.” I blurted out unashamedly.
There was a strong breeze and lightning in the sky.
It was about to rain.
“How did Ashridge pack members all get knocked out on the ground?” Yara said, suddenly. “Or was I the only person who noticed that?”
I opened my mouth, but there were no words.
What do I tell them?
That I was some sort of monster that had awakened strange powers I knew absolutely nothing about?
The rain suddenly began pouring loudly. And thunder and lightning noisily rolled across the skies.
This gave me the opportunity to leave her question unanswered.
I could feel that Horace was getting closer.
I heard a whiz of an arrow.
There was a sudden, piercing scream.
We halted to see that Yara had been struck by one of the flying arrows.
It went straight through her left hand.
“Yara! No!” I screamed and went close to her to assist her.
Pain was etched across her features.
She was bleeding.
Calvin ran towards us. He examined her wound. “This doesn't look good.”
She was rolling in pain.
They must have poisoned the arrow tip.
“We have to keep going. They're getting closer.” Xander spoke up.
I turned to see that indeed Ashridge warriors were getting closer.
There was no way we'd get out of this.
Subconsciously, I'd given up.
Xander spoke to Calvin. “Carry her on your shoulders. Let's keep going.”
I could see that Calvin looked more pained about Yara's injury than she probably was.
“Come on.”
They were getting even closer.
Calvin lifted Yara, and we continued.
Suddenly, we heard the loud horn of a car.
We looked to see that on the left, there was a car about to drive off. More like a truck.
I waved my hands from where we were, desperately. “Stop! Please, help us!”
–----
(Xander's POV)
I doubted we were going to escape the warriors. But I couldn't voice it.
If we did get captured, or worse, I'd be happy that at least I got to see Fiona again.
I saw her suddenly wave her hands in the distance and scream for help.
I looked and saw a vehicle that was about to drive off. It looked pretty familiar.
Calvin turned to me. “Come on, let's see if we can get help.”
We ran towards the car.
The driver rolled down the wimdow.
It was none other than the inspector Chadwick.
With my senses, I could hear that the warriors were approaching. They'd get to us any time from now, if we didn't leave here now.
There were other cops in the car. They looked confused and, at the same time, curious.
Inspector Chadwick looked at us one after the other and finally landed on Fiona. His eyebrows slowly creased.
“Please, we need help. We need to get out of here.” Fiona begged.
The younger cop whispered something to him. I was pretty sure he was telling him that Fiona was the missing girl.
“I know.” Inspector Chadwick muttered.
He dug his hands in his pocket and retrieved a sleek, shiny pistol. “Who are you running from?”
Calvin shook his head as he stared at the gun. He wore a solemn look. Trust me. That won't help.”