"Valentina, what is taking you so long?" Cole snapped coming in the room but stopped when he saw her holding the chains.
"Um, I can explain," she said while Cole shut the door behind himself. He looked from the woman to Roland, then back to Valentina a question written all over his face.
"I promise it's not what it looks like, the hunters took a human. I don't know if it was by accident, or on purpose but we need to let him go."
Cole looked at Roland long and hard scratching his blonde hair. "Even if he's not a wolf he tried helping them escape; he's a sympathizer, Valentina."
"So that means he gets tortured? He can't recover like she can."
"They wouldn't kill him," Cole said, but the way he avoided her eyes told her he wasn't sure himself.
Anger Valentina didn't know she had flared inside her. She didn't know who to call responsible for it but this wasn't what they taught her.
"I thought hunters protected humans. Not put them in harm's way to promote their agenda," she whispered furiously.
"They do... We do protect them, but he..."
"He what cole? He asked for it by helping innocent wolves escape? I thought the hunters were better than this."
"Do you not trust your parents?" Cole fired back, frown prominent in his thin lips.
Valentina shook her head ignoring him, they didn't have time for this. Hunters could come back to the room any moment and Roland looked like he needed to go to the hospital. Turning back to the chains Valentina grabbed the knife she had picked up earlier and angled it at the opening of the lock. Maybe if she slammed it hard enough she could break it.
"Valentina please don't do this. If someone caught you then they'll label you as a sympathizer," Cole pleaded putting a hand on Valentinas shoulder but she glared at him.
"If I'm a sympathizer for believing innocent people shouldn't be involved then fine, but I know who my anger is directed towards. I don't know if the hunters do anymore themselves." She said slamming the knife down again, and hearing the lock crack the slightest bit.
Cole remained silent as he pulled out a dagger of his own, and jammed it inside the lock finally breaking the chains. Roland dipped forward in his chair groaning, and Cole put his arm over his shoulder supporting his weight. Seeing Valentinas confused looked Cole shook his head wearing a stoic expression.
"Let's go, before someone catches us." He mumbled heading towards the door.
Valentina nodded ready to follow him but stopped seeing the woman watching her. She got the impression the wolf didn't like her and while she wasn't fond of her either, she didn't think she should stay chained up. The hunters could do their plan without hostages.
"You're wasting your time." The woman said as Valentina took the lock and opened hers.
They came off easier and the woman fell forward almost hitting the floor until Valentina caught her. Ignoring her comment Valentina looked to cole and nodded at the door for them to leave. Cole opened it slowly, peering out into the hallway then gestured with his hand for Valentina to follow. He carried Roland faster than Valentina could the woman who dragged her feet. Cole led them to the opposite hallway, but it wasn't long before they heard footsteps. Thanks to Coles quick thinking they dove into what looked like a supply closet. they kept quiet in the small space hearing the hunters on the outside talking.
Once their voices passed Cole sighed, "We're lucky if we actually get out of here. They're leaving in 30 minutes, which means we have that much time to get out of here before they start searching the club for them."
Words couldn't explain how thankful Valentina was for him, so she tried conveying it through her face. She didn't know why he was helping but for now, she wouldn't question him. Hopefully, he could see her gratitude in the faint lighting of the closet. He avoided it but looked at the woman Valentina held up, eyeing her.
"Are you an actual wolf?"
"What's it matter to you?" she wheezed. Valentina looked down to see the blood on her shirt dripping onto the floor. What had happened to her?
"Because if you are, then you can help him by giving him your blood." Cole jerking his head in Roland's direction.
"What?" Valentina and the wolf echoed equally surprised.
"No time to explain but, it won't turn him or anything. Its what the hunters do to heal, although in smaller more diluted doses. If we're going to get out of here I can't be dragging him around everywhere." He said reaching into his jacket pocket.
"Are there side effects?" Valentina worried.
"No time to figure out. She either does it or we risk getting caught. Give me your wrist." Cole said holding a small knife In his hand. The woman looked at his hand then at Roland.
"I'll do it myself," she said taking the blade from him and cut her wrist with a hiss.
They both worked to tilt Roland's head back, making him drink until he began coughing. Valentina didn't miss how she pulled her wrist back covering up the already closing wound. The woman glared at her, displeasure clear on her face.
"How long does it take?" Valentina asked but the woman cut her off.
"Shut up there are people outside." She barked words ending in a rumble. "They know we're gone" she whispered.
Not too long after she said that they heard a shrilling alarm fill the building. The hunters were now on high alert looking for the escaped prisoners.
"We need to get going now!" Cole snapped as Roland began moaning and stirring.
The gash on his head wasn't as bad as before, in fact, it almost looked like he never had one, to begin with. Cole leaned over peeking out the door and told them the halls were swarming with hunters. Valentina and the woman went out first, slipping into the crowded hall.
The flashing lights, blaring alarm and mass of bodies made Valentina shake with nerves. Everyone around them now possessed weapons very much capable of killing her and the wolf.
A few minutes late cole slipped out the closet following behind them at a short distance. They needed to turn another hallway to exit through the back and find somewhere outside to hide.
"Cole where are you going? Our squads heading out, and is that Valentina?" They heard Alana call behind them.
Valentina's heart jumped in her chest, and she looked to Cole who stared forward focused. They couldn't turn around or she'd see who they were supporting. Unfortunately, the hunters around them heard her yell their names and began turning in their direction.
"Ignore her let's go," Cole said taking off at a faster pace and Valentina followed.
"They have the wolves!" Someone shouted and the crowd surged in their direction.
Cole dodged through the crowd with an ease Valentina lacked. She couldn't run as fast as him with her limp, but she tried her best. The she-wolf surprised her when she grabbed her arm being the one to shove hunters out of the way.
"You guys are both foolish for trying to take me with you." She heard her say as she ran catching up with Cole.
They turned the hall corner seeing the exit, and the 4 hunters blocking the way guns raised in their direction. They came to a stop ready to turn but found themselves blocked in. Cole pushed both Valentina and Roland towards the exit while the wolf stepped next to him.
"Leave the wolves!" A hunter yelled over the alarm.
The only way to avoid the hunters would be to cause a distraction Valentina thought. That way at least Roland and the wolf could escape, but there was a chance they'd get shot before that. She also didn't know if they'd shoot her and Cole. There was only one way to tell. She didn't think about it as she stepped in front of the she-wolf.
"You'll have to shoot me to get to them. Are you all willing to do that?" She asked the group who only glared at her.
'This is dumb. This so dumb? You're risking your life for people you barely know. At least you tried acting brave.' Were all the thoughts she chastised herself with.
"Cole what are you doing? You're helping wolves?" Valentina heard a man say and turned seeing a man similar to Cole step from the crowd.
"I'm helping someone who doesn't deserve to be here leave" Cole said tilting his chin up at his father.
"You're sympathizing with them?" His father accused, and whispers went through the crowd of hunters.
Cole's family came from a long line of respected hunters. If he did this then he'd be an outcast amongst them. Valentina didn't know if she could let him take the blame for her dumb idea. Turning to grab his arm she spoke loud enough for only him to hear.
"I can't let you do this Cole, especially when you don't actually believe it," she said but he shook his head.
"No, you were right Valentina. Some of the things we do aren't right and, even if we have the right intentions I don't think we're doing it the right way anymore. The hunters want to commit genocide and have made a biological weapon. It's not the rules we were founded on." Cole explained shaking his head.
While that was the right thing to do Valentina still couldn't let him risk himself. She remembered one of the few moves she had learned and thought of a plan. Reaching into his pocket she grabbed his dagger, put her leg in front of his, and pushed him down. When he fell to his knees she grabbed his hair, lifting his hair and held the weapon at his neck.
"Go now!" She yelled at the wolf and Roland, not taking her eyes off the hunters.
"You humans are crazy, but thank you," the woman said. Her lip twitching into something like a smile as she grabbed Roland's arm, not hesitating to run.
"Yasmin wait, we can't just leave-," he started but the she-wolf had already pulled him.
She moved so fast that she was a blur. Taking the hunters gun, knocking the four of them out, kicking down the back door, and leaving with Roland. Once they left Valentina tried her best to look intimidating, but she was beyond terrified. She was sure no one bought the act she was putting on.
"I made him help me" she yelled. "We shouldn't be killing wolves, not all of them and, not this way," she said projecting her voice above the alarm.
"A wolf saved my life, and I've seen a wolf almost sacrifice themselves for a human."
"Valentina stop this before you get yourself killed," Cole said grabbing her hand, but she shook it off pressing the blade closer to his throat.
Removing the blade she picked Cole up and pushed him towards the hunters, who moved their guns towards her. Cole's father looked between the both of them confused, while Cole gave her a worried look.
"Stop this foolishness. We have a plan to carry out, and no time for this distraction." Valentina heard an accented voice yell, stepping through the hunters.
She hadn't seen him in a while, and now here he stood looking as healthy as ever. Markos looked between her and Cole pissed, by the way, he frowned and tightly gripped the gun in his hand. He looked at a hunter demanding to know what was going on then barked out a laugh.
"They both freed the wolves and now Davids daughter claims she made him? Are you all fools?" Markos said looking at all the hunters.
Without wasting a moment or sparing an emotion Markos raised his gun in Valentina's direction. Valentina's heart palpitated in her chest and her body froze. She had no doubt hed shoot her, so much for trying to be a hero. She squeezed her eyes shit anticipating the pain and flinched when she heard the shot ring out. It echoed in the halls like thunder and she waited for the pain to come. Instead, she heard Cole cry out in pain. Opening her eyes she saw him clutching his now bleeding shoulder on the ground.
"Cole!" She yelled moving forward but stopped when Markos aimed at her again.
"Markos what were you thinking!?" Coles father yelled running to his son.
"Be thankful your son is from a founding family Leo. He could take this as a lesson to not be convinced by some harlot with lies. Her, on the other hand, ...she's have never been a hunter since the first-day. It's a shame your parents have wasted their talent on someone like you," he sneered.
Ever since she had met him she knew something was wrong with the man, even Mason had wanted to protect her from him. Markos looked about ready to shoot her next when she saw the crowd part and saw her parents step from within them.
"Markos!" Her father roared, angrily shoving a hunter aside and punching the Russian making him fall.
"What is going on here? We have a plan to follow through on and we're having a soap opera!" Lara yelled, following behind her husband and taking in the scene.
Another hunter explained the situation to her mother and Valentina saw her mom look at her wide-eyed, then with an expression, she couldn't read. It almost looked disappointed and betrayed, but then her face turned stony.
"We have a mission to complete. All of this can be handled later. Get moving!" she yelled and hunters began moving away.
Cole looked at Valentina where he stood with his father clutching his shoulder and she tried following him. She wanted to apologize for everything, but her mother stopped her before she could. Turning to her mother she was caught off guard by the sharp slap on her cheek.
"You dare bring shame to your family? Do your brother and Phoebe not matter to you?" She asked Valentina lip trembling and eyes glassy.
"Of course they do mami, but this isn't right," Valentina said trying to break her mothers grasp, but her grip was iron tight.
"Those things- are not right. The way they kill, trick us; but I have seen that you have chosen your side. You will still come to this fight, and see what they truly are," her mother said pulling her closer.
"Lara we need to get going," Valentina's father said to her mother, avoiding her look.
Her mother nodded looking at Markos who stood holding a bleeding lip. He glared not at her father but at Valentina, as her parents pulled her away. Something about the way Markos looked at her told her he wasn't finished and Valentina shivered with what's to come.