C19 It's going to be okay

"Are you finished," I say, slurring my words, which earns me a grimace. "I'm not even close to finished " she replies, and her cheeky tone makes my cock tense in my pants. She must feel it against her, considering how hard I have it pressed against my body." Really? We're about to die and all you can think about is your... little wolf?" I'm about to tell her there's nothing wrong with my wolf when a bullet shatters the window above our heads. Instinctively, I pull her to me, shielding her body as much as I can as the glass falls on me. Tiny shards cut through any exposed skin, leaving small traces of pain that I ignore as I try to protect my mate. My wolf roars in my head and urges me to give him control. Not yet. I need to get her to safety first. "We need to move, now " I whisper as another bullet passes close to us." If your magic can help, now is the time." When she raises her head, she is pale, yet determined. "Get ready to run." The smell of burning fills my nose as she closes her eyes, muttering between her teeth before rising and unleashing her magic. The gunshots cease and screams fill the air, bloodcurdling noises that should make my stomach fill with ice, but all I feel is relief that we have a chance to survive. Alison reaches down and grabs my hand, and I quickly get to my feet. I trust her magic will keep our enemies at bay long enough for us to make it to safety. I lead us to the nearest store, ignoring the customers hiding behind counters and tables. I should be worried that the Order doesn't care if humans see our fights. They don't. Those assholes have gotten bolder with each attack. More desperate. When Alison loses visual contact with the hunters, the shooting resumes and I have to put her in front of me to keep her small body from being hit by the errant bullets. There's a boy wearing a uniform crouched at the edge of the counter, eyes wild with fear as he watches us. "Is there another way out?", I ask, as I position us out of range of the gunfire. The boy looks at me as if I'm the one holding the gun before pointing a trembling finger toward the door at the back of the room. "Everyone stay low and hidden. They won't hurt you." My adrenaline surges as we move through the building, down a small, narrow hallway to a fire door. The urge to rush through it almost overpowers me, but I'm careful as I slowly open it and look out through the small space. I see dumpsters to one side and, as I open it further, I see a couple of cars parked behind the chain-link fence that surrounds the back of the store. Sniffing around, I don't smell anything to worry me, though that doesn't reassure me. Nor do I smell the hunters who attacked us. I'd love to know how they camouflage themselves so well. It would be a tremendous gift in this fight. I feel a pain in my back as I pull my companion behind me and run out into the sunlight that seems so contradictory to the battle we are facing. "We need to contact the others " says Alison , stumbling to keep up with me. I keep moving, even though that twinge in my back is getting more and more persistent. "They know," I assure her. There's no way to mask the sound of gunfire. My steps falter as pain shoots through my side and nearly knocks the air from my lungs. I groan, surprised by the intensity of the pain. Shit. I lick the sweat from my upper lip and force my feet forward. Our attackers are behind us somewhere and Alison is not safe. I hold her close and guide her to the back of the courtyard, through the door leading to the street. There's a thick, heavy chain around the locking mechanism and my stomach cringes. I let go of her hand to grab it, trying to break the lock with my bare hands, but nothing happens. "Shit." "Let me try." She takes a step in front of me, her fingers brushing the chain, before closing her eyes and muttering something under her breath. I smell the magic, feel its pressure in the air before the lock opens. Alison's pleasure flutters through the link. "Sometimes it's too easy, "she murmurs and, a moment before my vision wobbles, her eyebrows draw together." Luke ?" Suddenly, the weight of my body is too much and my knees give way. I try to grab onto the fence as Alison tries to reach for me, but she's half my size and I drag us both down. " What's wrong " she looks panicked. "My back " I mumble as her hands run down my shirt. The guttural groan that escapes me as he lifts the material to examine me is uncontrollable. "Shit. You're bleeding. " I realize his hand is stained with blood. My energy is rapidly depleting and I can hear gunshots approaching. Her panic seeps through the bond. Usually he tries to hide his feelings from me, but now he's not holding back. Exhaling a sigh I force my body to move. "What are you doing, are you crazy? We need to heal your wound." She moves closer to me, grabbing my biceps as I wobble. Everything sways around me and melts before sharpening again. "No time." I yank open the door and push through it as the door behind us swings open. Bullets start flying again and I wrap around my partner as I manage to get us behind the wall of the adjacent business. Alison struggles against my grip, trying to take care of me, but I'm stronger, even though my energy is rapidly depleting. There's no way I'm going to let her go as bullets rain down around us. We need to keep going, but I don't think I can. The pain in my back takes my breath away and makes it hard to get air into my lungs. Alison huddles around me, as if she wants to protect me with her small body, and I like the way that makes me feel. She tries to be cool with me, but there's a part of her that's just as invested in this as I am. I'm about to drag her along the wall when a figure comes around the corner and heads toward our hiding place. She raises her weapon and my wolf tries to take control, but my body is too wounded to move. I prepare to attack, but before I can do anything, Alison launches a powerful attack in his direction, almost bringing him to his knees as he defends us both. The pain in my back is spreading at an alarming rate and making it difficult for me to breathe. Each inhalation feels tight and wrong. A second hunter appears to my left and, once again, I find myself facing the barrel of a gun. I bare my teeth and pull my lips away to snarl at him. In response, I receive a smirk. He must be no more than twenty, with straight hair and angry-looking scars covering his neck. I feel a twinge of satisfaction as I realize that those wounds were made by a wolf. I can't smell it, but the tinge of magic clings to him, masking whatever it is. "Stop attacking or I'll put a bullet in your dog. " He presses the gun against my temple so hard it leaves a bruise. Son of a bitch. Alison's terror spreads through our bond, though her expression remains indecipherable. I admire her strength and send reassuring thoughts her way. She lifts her chin, clenches her teeth, and lets her power go out as her eyes lock on the gun pressed against my head. Then his beautiful irises find mine. It's going to be okay, I tell him through the link. It's a lie and we both know it. We're fucked right now, where the hell are Carrie and the others? You're a terrible liar, she replies. I don't know why, but that relieves some of the growing tension I feel inside. But it doesn't solve the problem, and the gun sticks in my temple so insistently that it hurts. "Get out while you can," Alison threatens. Her eyes are dark, menace in every word, and I've never felt more excited. The hunters laugh, the one pointing his gun at me looks at his friend. "These fucking tau bitches." "You have no idea what a bitch I am " she threatens, and he just presses the gun even harder. "Keep talking and I'll scatter his brains all over the asphalt." While they are both focused on Alison , I attack. I grab the gun by the muzzle and twist it as a shot flies past me. Alison's screams will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my days, but I can't focus on her right now. I can feel through the bond that she is unharmed and I can smell her magic as she unleashes it against the other attacker. Trusting her to take care of her side of things, I slap my palm against my attacker's nose, enjoying the blood that gushes from it. The coppery scent fills the air and my wolf howls its approval.