Nathan barked furiously on the other side of the glass, his eyes going dark again and saliva sprinkling on the clear wall separating us.
He jumped up on his hind legs and firmly placed both paws on the glass, leaning up against it as he barked again.
He looked humongous leaned up against the glass like that. On all four paws he was the size of a small horse, but on his hind legs he was taller than a tree.
“So you're communicating with him... interesting...” Jackson murmured to himself and jotted something down on a nearby piece of paper. He held his pen tightly in his hand and pressed it to his thin lips, thinking over something.
Nathan had calmed down a little, but he looked panicked.
Which was worse than if he was trying to rip his head off.
That meant Dr. Jackson was making progress and he might try something else.
I let in a sharp gasp, the pain in my chest getting even stronger, if that was possible. I held my breath, trying to lessen the tole on my body and trying to eliminate any possible pain.
When that didn't help, I released a shaky breath, but the pain stabbed and made a tear fall down my face.
The doctor's assistant appeared behind Nathan. Well, kind of. He was behind another layer of the glass that separated Nathan from the rest of us.
He had a gun raised, pointed directly at Nathan.
No, Nathan! Behind you! I screamed.
Fear and worry pumped through my veins, making my heart pick up speed and the pain pulsed though my body even quicker.
I thought I had just said it in my mind, but when Dr. Jackson pulled the pen from his lips to look at me, I know I've slipped up.
He stared at me for just a moment until he pressed a button on the wall next to him.
“Hold up, Lewis. Let me try something first,” he said without breaking eye contact with me. He spoke slowly into the room before he released the button.
He looked at me like I was the key to solving world hunger. Like I was a precious little thing that would make him famous.
I decided I didn't like that look.
I squirmed under his gaze and tried to shift in the chair before remembering I was attached to my bed. He stalked closer again, heading right for me.
Nathan barked furiously again, forgetting all about the man behind him with a gun. His protests were dark and loud, holding a firm threat in his tone.
If I didn't know better, I would be terrified he was going to kill me.
Dr. Jackson went around my bed. He didn't lay a finger on me.
Didn't even try to do anything.
He walked past my bed and headed over to the door, shutting it firmly behind him. I stared in awe at the door, completely confused.
Why did he just leave me?
Apparently Nathan was shocked too, because his noises stopped. I looked over and saw him just as confused as I was.
I felt some tears run down my cheeks from the pain still trying to eat me from the inside out. I gave Nathan a small smile, trying to reassure him.
My lips fell back down as I realized the man with the gun was still behind him.
Nathan, don't forget about the guy behind you. I almost didn't think he heard me because he didn't move.
But I felt it l**k to his mind so I knew he heard me, but had chosen to ignore me.
Please, Nathan. Be safe.
He sobered up and realized the situation when he heard my desperate plea. He turned to the side, careful to keep me in his view, and snarled at the man, Lewis, with the gun. Lewis didn't move or change his posture, determined to keep an impassive look on his face.
They stayed like that for what felt like forever before Dr. Jackson barged back into the room tailed by more body guards.
They grabbed at my restraints and tore my limp body from the leather straps. Two of the men held me up by my forearms again as they marched back out of the room.
The motion caused my heart to explode with more fear and tears streamed steadily down my cheeks.
The pain was becoming too overwhelming.
I dully recalled vicious barking before they yanked me from the room.
To my amazement, we didn't go back to the cell. The guards took an immediate left and went down to the next door. One of the men not holding me pressed something to his ear.
“Let me know when you want her in there, sir,” he grumbled into his hand. It took me a moment to realize he had a blue tooth attached to his ear.
It seemed so normal to them. And I hated it.
The only way I could live with some of this stuff is because it was so inhumane. It was so monster-like.
These people weren't actually real people. This was really the first thing that had been done out of normalcy.
How could someone do this for a job? How could they stand coming to work everyday knowing all they did was torture people out of their innocence?
To destroy their spirit without another glance, because these men might not be sticking the needle in me, but they had been as much of a part of this as Dr. Jackson.
I was yanked from my revolting thoughts as the man in front of me yanked the door open and the men holding me tossed my body in the chamber without so much as a second thought.
My limp legs refused to hold my weight and I collapsed to the ground in a heap. The cold, linoleum floor greeted my face as I was slammed to the ground and stars burst from behind my eyelids.
My limbs burned with pain from my weak heart trying to keep up with my motions. The poison-filled blood pumped through my veins and burned all the way to my fingertips, filling every square inch of my body.
I took deep, settling breaths as tears continued to stream from my eyes.
I finally got my breathing controlled, but the pain was definitely still palpable. I rolled over, looking up at the white ceiling as my labored breathing steadied again.
Sudden pain came from the motion, but it easily subsided this time with the measured breathing until just the ache remained.
I stayed there for a while, focusing on the pain that coursed through my body.
Until I felt motion around me. There was motion right above my head.
I tilted my head back, still lying on the floor, and saw a big, black wolf. It was angrily snarling and pacing the room, looking like it was hunting prey.
I jumped up from my spot on the floor, wincing at the pain that shocked my body at my sudden movements. I ran over to Nathan when I realized there was a clear wall between us.
Confused, I looked around. The rest of the walls around me were solid black, except for this one, which allowed me to see Nathan.
A familiar sense of deja vu washed over me and I mind-linked Nathan again.
Nathan, I'm in the room next to you again.
He stopped pacing immediately and stood to face one of the walls, glaring angrily at it.
What's wrong?
He continued to glare at one of his own black walls and I realized my flaw. He couldn't tell me anything.
No, the next wall on your left.
I know his ability had to be blocked somehow, because there is no way a man able to see through walls can miss knowing where his mate was.
He turned to the wall I was at and glared angrily at it as well. I scooted over until I was in front of him.
I reached my aching hand up and placed it on the glass by his face, trying to test the barrier between us.
I needed to touch him. That's all it took to make this pain go away. My hand touched the cold, clear wall and I sighed in disappointment. Retracting my hand, I decided to focus solely on him instead.
I don't know that much about wolves, so maybe I was wrong, but he looked completely exhausted. But then I realized I probably wasn't wrong due to all the destroying I've been seeing him do lately.
He probably hasn't gotten as much sleep as I have.
I sighed again, for him this time. You're not okay, are you? If I don't get another chance to say this... I'm sorry.
Nathan looked furious as he glared at me through the glass. I was still convinced he couldn't see me, but it didn't make a difference.
What he said to me earlier hit home.
I brought us here. And for what? A promise that will never happen?
Not once have I seen anybody but guards, doctors, and Nathan. I wouldn't even know if Liam was here.
And it was all my fault we were stuck in here. I foolishly gave up my freedom for an empty promise.
He raised his paws from the ground and placed them on the thick barrier. He placed his full weight on his raised paws, each one the size of my head. He pounced on the glass, pushing on it even more and scratching the glass to make deep crevices in the clear wall.
I realized what he was doing and scooted back, waiting for him to break thorough the wall like he did the bricks earlier.
Pain spread through my limbs again. I tucked my head in and curled my arms around my bent knees to block it out. It did nothing, but that didn't mean I wanted to move from my position again. Now it was too painful.
A loud 'crash' reverberated through the room and my head jerked up instinctively. Nathan stood in the center of a hole in the glass-line.
-
My breath caught as I looked at the glass he broke through. I knew without a doubt it wasn't glass now, the layers that refused to hold together were spread around on the ground, sporting a dark midnight black. The wall was as thick as my leg, at least that I can tell. Nathan's eyes landed on mine immediately and I once again tried to imagine what I looked like. He didn't care, apparently, and ran to me in just a few steps. I instinctively opened my arms and welcomed him, ignoring my limb's protesting at the movement. My fingers barely touched Nathan's hard, furry shoulders when my body jolted and the pain started to fade from my body.
There was a small crack in the wall, shedding some light in the room when I woke. I hoped that meant I was on the edge of the building, not next to another room. The crack let minimal light in the room, but it was still more than I had before. I looked around me to take in my surroundings now that I was a bit more rested. My determination was slowly diminishing. I don't know how long I've been here, but I know it's been a while. Every day it's the same thing. They drag me out and strap me to a chair, torture me while Nathan makes a mess on the TV screen, then right before I pass out, they send me back to try and sleep it off.
Oh gosh, please no, I silently prayed. Please, she can't be..I couldn't finish that thought. If I let myself think it, that would make this situation real. And there is no way this can be real. I pushed myself over to my mother and crumpled with her to the shining linoleum. Blood started to pile under her and it wasn't until then I realized she must have been shot. Her light shirt was soaked right in the center of her chest. The stain was almost black with lighter red around the edges of the dark circle.
The sun had just started to peak over the horizon as we pulled up to a motel in the middle of nowhere. I was utterly exhausted, which must have been obvious with my awful driving. Regardless, every hotel I suggested along the way got me a growl from Nathan. Finally, after three hours of driving, Nathan reluctantly agreed to a hotel. I wasn't sure if it was because he actually thought it was safe or if he was starting to feel sorry or me. I pulled the grumbling machine up to the front of the hotel and cut the engine. I pushed Nathan into the backseat during the ride, overcrowded with his massive size spilling into the driver's seat. I reached back in the glove box for search of some means of paying and saw a small pile of money. Not a lot, but if spent rig
I woke with a start, bolting up in bed. I saw motion in my peripheral vision and cowered into a headboard behind me, ready for an attack. Nathan stood, in wolf form, in the middle of the bed, taking up most of the space. The mattress was sunk in heavily under his massive weight, struggling to keep this horse up. I let out a loud, unstable breath. It sounded more like a gurgled cry, and it was then I noticed the moisture on my cheeks. I raised my hands, angrily swiping at the unwelcome tears. Nathan watched me warily, as if I would break down any moment now. I let myself believe I was stronger than that and stared back at Nathan, defying his unspoken statement.
I still remember the last time I saw my mother. I was eleven, just entered middle school. I laid in bed that night, unable to sleep when I heard the shouting. Mom and dad were arguing again. It seemed to happen quite a bit around that time. Lucy and Shawn were just born, and I loved sneaking in to watch them sleep. I was overjoyed to have a sister in this house of boys. I pictured us doing all the things I was deprived of as a kid and couldn't wait until she was old enough to do her nails. Having nothing else to do at such a late hour, I crawled silently out of bed and crept down the hall from Mom and Dad’s aggressive voices to my siblings’ room. Liam and Jonatha
I sat idly on the hard mattress, staring down at my thumbs, trying to process everything that was going on. I have never felt so overwhelmed in my life, but at the same time, I felt as though my life was starting to piece together. Gosh, even my feelings were jumbled up. I felt the mattress sink as Nathan’s massive size jumped up on the bed. Although I offered him clothes, he refused to change back into human form. His huge, dark wolf blended into the darkness of the room. The sun had almost fallen down; it was barely peeking over the plain, plunging the world into darkness at only six o'clock. He scooted closer up the bed to me and rested his large head on my thigh. I
The second I stepped out of the room, I felt paranoid. All this action hasn't been good for my nerves, and now that we were technically fugitives, I felt even more worried than normal. I all but ran over to the car and threw in the bag before opening the back door and letting Nathan in. I yanked open my own door and twisted the key in the ignition, sighing in relief as it rumbled to life. Pressing down on the gas, I swerved out of the parking lot and pulled back on the highway. “You could have changed to at least help me with the driving,” I mumbled, frustrated at his adamant disagreement with changing back to human form.
The constant beeping was the first thing I noticed when I woke up. My eyes fluttered slightly, but the flooding of light caused me to close my eyes again. The loud beeping continued, seeming to change patterns and noises like an alarm clock. I tried to open my eyes again, and this time, it worked. Bright, clean white walls were glaring through the blinding pure lights. A sterile smell sunk into my nose as a too-familiar smell kicked my brain into panic. It smelled just like the Keepers. The beeping picked up and got more rapid as my fear escalated and I felt my hands start to tremble. If I was back at the Keepers, I knew there was no hope of me ever getting out again. I was
A headache started pulsating behind me eyes and I closed my eyes against the bright light urging it on.“You wanna know the best part of owning a hotel and being a leader of the AKO? Getting an inside look to supernatural's lives. You left your dream back in that hotel room. And it was then I realized you were connected to everything that destroyed me.”The guy next to me cocked the gun. “So, Elana, you need to tell us something if you want a chance of saving your arm.”I shook my head, but instantly regret it as my headache returns instantly. I opened my eyes to glare at her. “You know this is wrong, Nina. You know there is another way to find out the Spirit's weaknesses. Sacrificing people is never okay, even if you believe it's for the greater good of mankind. Your family would be ashamed to see you like this. It's—”“I'm not arguing with you!” Nina exploded. “You can't tell me what i
I felt her head jerk to the side under mine and lost it. I fell on top of her, bawling. Her blood was cold against my cheek and I didn't dare open my eyes. Some noises sounded, somewhere between a cry and scream. The awful noises continued, one after the other and filled the empty room and hallway in their obvious agony. I realized it was me. I was making those noises. I didn't care and clung to her body, whimpering apology after apology. I let out cries, gurgled by my constricted throat. Tears and snot ran freely down my face and directly onto her limp body. Her skin was already losing its warmth and the stench of metallic blood filled all my senses. But I didn't care as I clung to
I froze as the door shook behind me. I felt shivers tickle up and down my body and I turned so fast my hair swung around and smacked my face. I shoved the ponytail back and studied the door. The sound is coming from the basement. And there was only one thing left down there. The door banged again and I jumped from the loud sound. The fear kicked my brain back into gear and I turned around, bolting back down the hall and to the room we just came from. I snatched Claire's wrist on my way, seeing that she was in the same trance I was. After I grabbed her arm, she sprung off her cemented feet and ran after me. I ripped the door open and nearly screamed when I saw what was on th
“Oh, no. Go, go, go!” I yelled urgently as Nathan practically carried Hyene up the steps. We bound into the hallway and I quickly slammed the door shut behind us, then pushed a nearby couch in front of it. “That's not going to hold it for long,” Nathan murmured as we flew down the hallway. I just hoped someone already had the Land Rover fired up and ready to go. The Spirit finished its work on the crazy man and was now after us. As we neared the front door, I saw familiar lights of the land rover in the distance. Claire had managed to get the car and Trysten was now loading everybody in. As we made it to the vehicle, I jumped into the the passenger seat door
I stepped gingerly into a dark hallway and looked to my left. Claire was tip-toeing next to me. I couldn't quite understand what was going on, but I knew the boys were in trouble. Don't ask me how, but I just knew. A large duffel bag weighed down my right side, heavy contents making it nearly impossible to keep upright. I looked over to Claire again and realized she had two bags, one draped over each shoulder. I tried to stay light on my feet as I made my way down the hall. When I got to a door, I could feel Nathan behind it. I swallowed my fear and leaned my face onto the crack of the open door. I was expecting another office or room of some sort, but instead, it was a lit stairwel
Dinner was a bad idea. Not only was it painfully awkward, but we hadn’t known anybody there.Gabriel sat at the opposite side of the room and at a different table, and regardless of my constant checking, there was no way to point out the little boy I spent months with. He just simply wasn’t here.But if he wasn’t here, where was he?Nathan laid a gentle hand on my elbow. “It’s a full moon.”I hadn’t even noticed. I’ve been so preoccupied lately with everything else that was going on, I didn’t even notice it was the full moon.“We’re going on a run. You can ride my back like you did before, that way you can keep up.”I smiled wide. “Was that a challenge?”Nathan liked my response and smiled back.“I appreciate the offer, but I really need to do some planning. I have to figure out our next move now that Liam or Derek aren’t here.&rdquo
A rickety old hotel stood, barely hanging on to any sight of life. I was begging myself that Gabriel wouldn't pull his vehicle into the establishment, and I let out a disappointed sigh when he did. Nathan seemed to have the same feeling. I thought we were on the highway towards a nice place where they put the survivors. Imagine my surprise when we pull up to this mess. The dark boards of the foundation made the house look like it was built in the 1700's. The windows were mostly boarded and the few that weren't I wished were. The boards hanging onto the roof were scattered and sticking up in random places as if someone tacked them on at a later date. Although the house was surrounded with green grass, that did little to help the place look taken care of.
I stood straight up from my position against the railing. “Wait, you said Derek and Liam disappeared at the same time?” Junto’s eyebrows scrunched together and slowly stood as well. “Well, by the time we had come back, they were both gone. Why?” I walked off the bridge, abandoning the lake beauty and running straight for the forest. “We have to get back! Is Gabriel still here?” Junto shrugged. “I don’t really know, I just came out to check on you while Nathan went to look