BLUNT. | Liam Dunbar

Lydia Was Right - Chapter Fifty-One

A N N I E

I held my bow tight to my body, my fingers tracing over the butt of my arrow that I had already loaded onto my string, pulling some of the weight back. Liam stood close to me, at first I thought it was because he was afraid, but now I realized it was to protect me.

We rounded the corner of the last rubbled down building, and gunfire sprang our way. I quickly shot my arrow into the darkness, and heard something grunt. Liam's body was flying over and covering mine before I could shoot another, and then everything got quiet... almost in slow motion.

Derek was shot four times in the stomach.

I watched as Braeden pulled him to cover, and I quickly rushed towards him, throwing down my bow and taking off my jacket, pressing it down on the wound. I looked up at the large church that was only a third of a mile away, and we were already getting pounded with regret.

"How bad is it?" Braeden asked, rubbing Derek's forehead with her hand.

Derek pushed my hands away, "I'm fine," he choked out. "I'm fine, just get to Scott." I shook my head, and Derek groaned. "Just find him. We'll be right behind you." He nodded at Braeden, and I stayed put. "Go... Go!"

I stood up with the help of Stiles, and Liam handed me my bow and quiver of arrows, helping it over my head and shoulder. I peeked my head around the corner slowly, arming another arrow, and sighing in relief when I saw whoever shot us were gone.

"Hey, hey!" Derek yelled as we began to run off, and everyone turned to him. He nodded to Stiles and I, "Save him."

I sadly smiled, and nodded, running away and into the church once more. I cringed as I listened to him whisper to Braeden, "Lydia was right."

After about five minutes of dead sprinting around this dark church, Stiles was dying of exhaustion, and stopped the group. "Okay, okay, okay! Everyone stop!" Peter and Malia we're the last to slow down. "We gotta figure out where we are, then we gotta figure out how to find Scott and Kira."

Stiles's phone began to ring, and he pulled it out of his pocket, scoffing. "How do I even still have service--" he put the phone to his ear, "Hi, Dad."

Suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I closed my eyes, listening. Outside, I could hear Braeden's breathing, quick and hesitant, like something was about to attack her... and that's when I heard it. I heard the low growling of a Berserker... the sound I knew all too well. The sound I saved a little boy from, and got a scar to remember my victory from it. I scar I refuse to talk about, because it made me weak. It showed that someone could penetrate my protective barrier and they couldn't.

"Something's happening," I inhaled, looking around the ground. "I'm gonna go check it out."

"Not a chance!" Liam yelled, catching my wrist.

I turned back and hugged him around the waist tightly, holding my bow behind my back. "I love you, and I'm coming right back."

"No!" Liam protested, "You're staying with me so I can protect you!"

I smiled, "I can protect myself."

And with that, and a few more seconds with the help of my cheetah speed, I was standing next to Braeden who had her back pushed against a wall breathing heavily. She looked over at me, and then looked back around the corner, inhaling sharply as another loud growl echoed throughout the ruins.

I leaned down to Derek who sat with his head against a large piece of building, his wound still bleeding. I reached behind him and pulled his gun out of his pant waist, holding it in front of him.

"Can you still pull a trigger?"

Derek gulped hard, taking the pistol, "Yeah."

"Alright, stay with me." I said, repositioning my jacket on his wound. It was already soaked through with blood. "You're gonna be okay."

Derek scoffed a laugh, "It's a mortal wound, and right now I'm feeling pretty mortal."

I sighed, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing it gently, "I'm not gonna let you die."

The growling was closer this time, and Braeden cocked her gun, looking back at me. "Get ready."

Derek cleared his throat, sighing, "Uh---you might have to concentrate on saving yourself."

I peeked my head around the corner, and in the distance, I saw as my Aunt Kate walked into view behind dust, with two Berserkers on either side of her, and a large rifle planted on her shoulder.

Braeden took a breath, and then turned the corner, holding her rifle out in front of her. I armed one of my arrows in a flash, and then turned the corner as well, coming face to face with Kate and her Berserkers.

Kate was snarling at Braeden, but when she saw me, her expression changed. Maybe her niece aiming an arrow at her hurt more than I thought it would... good.

Kate turned to Braeden, "How much did they pay you?"

Braeden scoffed, "Way more than you're worth."

Kate growled, turning to me, and smiled. "Annie, Annie, quite contrary. I hear you hold a little secret behind that bow and arrow, a rare - oh, maybe only 1,000 years rare - secret. Something that makes you a little less Argent."

I scoffed, "I may be a werecheetah now, Aunt Kate, but I will always be an Argent." I paused, smirking. "I will always be a hunter."

I released my arrow, and watched as it soar through the air, hitting her in the thigh as Braeden unloaded on the monsters as well. Kate rushed towards us, but quickly backed down when headlights filled the darkness.

Several doors slammed shut and gunfire was spilled out as the Calaveras, my father, and Deputy Parrish all rolled up, ready to fight. Kate took off somewhere to hide, while her Berserkers stayed to fight.

So much for having the Argent blood.