Chapter 5

W-17-D's heart was beating against his chest. He wasn't sure why, but he was anticipating... something. He knew something was coming. He could feel it, and it made him antsy. He had difficulty sleeping because of the instinct that told him he had to be ready. It had been two days now, and he was still alert and wired despite the lack of sleep. He stared tentavely at the door, expecting someone to go through it. He didn't hear anything, though, nor did he smell anyone approaching. He supposed it didn't matter, though. It was gonna happen. He knew it.

He recognized the lavender perfume and the Chelsea boots as they approached. The doctor wasn't supposed to be here more than once a month, but her prescence was a welcome surprise... and what he assumed he'd been waiting for. W-17-D was already on his paws and opening the door for her. "You heard me coming, 17?" He nodded. "Are you taking me out?" Dr. Hughes paused before nodding. "We are going to the gymnasium." She replied. He nodded and followed her down the hall and to the direction of the gymnasium. There were two others in the gym that W-17-D could smell. He couldn't see them, even in the darkness. They were blocked by the bleachers. "Doct-" He yelped as a syringe was stuck into him. "I know this doesn't look like it, but this is for your own good, Wild..." Dr. Hughes voice faded, as if he was underwater.

W-17-D's senses were taken when a cloth bag was fit over his head. His arms were tied behind his back, and he was forced to his paws. He staggered along as he was led somewhere. He felt an unusual but comfortable warmth on his skin. A gentle breeze made him shiver. How could he be so warm and so cold at the same time? His paws were burning hot from the hard, not marble. It was rough, hot. He never felt it before. He never felt any of this before. "Step up, boy."

Then he stepped into a new world.

It was metal, much like the examination tables W-17-D had been experimented on. He could sense the fear of the others. He could sense his own fear. He could sense unease and a bit of excitement from their kidnappers. He could feel they were moving. Whatever they were in, it was fast. He could feel it rolling. The vibrations were somewhat soothing and made his curious. There were bumps on occasion that lifted him off his seat for a nanosecond before he dropped back down. The tin box was hot, and he panted through his face covering.

They stopped after some time, and W-17-D was hauled back to his paws. He stepped down from the tin box, back onto the not marble, only this time it was cool. He and the others were led onto something soft that was somewhat ticklish on his skin. He felt antsier than before, like he had to start running and never stop. Instead, he was stopped. His muddled mind heard the word "piss" as his zipper was undone. This was a bathroom break before he got back into the tin box. He whined lowly and let his stream flow out. He just wanted to get this whole thing done and over with. If they were here to kill him, just do it because not knowing was much worse off to him than knowing what they were planning to do to him.

W-17-D and the others were back in the tin box and moving again. The drug was starting to wear off, making him more alert to his unknown surroundings. Behind the smell of his sweat and Hydroxyethyl Methyl Ammonium Methosulfate, Aka fabric softener, he could smell the other two hybrids. A male and a female. The girl was the youngest, smelling of chemicals and faintly of roses. She's been experimented on recently. The boy smelled of leather and cider wood. He was anxious and angry. It's not a good combination. There were about three other people in here, none of which were the doctor... She'd really betrayed him like this..? Let these strangers take him away like this? Sure, he wanted to leave, but not like this...

He didn't want to die by these strangers.

Something in him knew it was getting late. The tin box stopped again, only the humans in front getting out. The brief moment with the doors open told W-17-D that there were a lot of people here. There was a lot of noise outside the box. Talking, footsteps, honks, and sounds foreign to his sensitive ears. A familiar voice reached his ears, he strained to hear better through the fabric on his head and the tin box he was in. "You haven't fed them?!" It was her, Elaine Hughes. "They were drugged so they wouldn't fight us or try to call for help, I doubt they could've choked down anything." She was with the humans in front. "Wh- don't tell me you still have them tied up!" Those Chelsea boots approached quickly as the other human tried to justify his actions. "They have wolf DNA in them. They could've attacked us-"

"Save it." She opened the doors to the tin box and climbed in where she approached W-17-D and promptly removed the cloth covering his head. He shook it, trying to adjust to his unusual surroundings. "I-I don't understand..." Dr. Hughes gave him a familiar, kind smile as she untied his hands. "I know you don't, but it's going to be okay... I'll explain everything.

Dr. Hughes led W-17-D in, along with the two children. A boy and a girl, just as he thought. They were young and pressing up against him since he was the oldest. Even if they never met, they all seemed to share a "wolf's bond" is what W-17-D figured it was called. He wanted to protect them as they wanted to be protected. She led them to a mini kitchen looking room with a table, lockers, fridge, and microwave. "You're all probably hungry. You've been in the van all day without food or water." The doctor was saying as she pulled out a big thin box and glasses of water. He recognized the box as pizza when she put a couple of slices in the microwave. The van... he'd been outside for the first time, and he missed most of it. On the way in, he got to see the night sky and clouds. He got to see the moon and the not marble he recognized as road, or more specifically, absalt. He'd seen the cars he was hearing and the people. "Westley, Tiffany, Wild, your dinner is ready. I know it isn't much, I'll bring in something better tomorrow." Dr. Hughes had set the table with two slices of pizza for each of them and water for them to rehydrate. "Wild?" W-17-D questioned as he took his seat. "A temporary name until we find out who you really are." Dr. Hughes replied.

W-17-D, or Wild he supposed, watched the other two, observed their changes. Westley, he could see, was a scent sensitive. He could see that he was overwhelmed by all the scents, not entirely used to it like Wild was. It was affecting his appetite. He wasn't touching the pepperoni and sausage pizza. His water was gone, though. Wild figured as much. They were all dehydrated. His was gone too, along with the pizza. Tiffany was still lapping away at her water with a long, wolflike tongue. Poor girl had it the worst. She was still going through transition. She was in pain and hadn't touched her pizza either. Wild snatched up a napkin. "Put this to your nose. Helps muffle all the smells..." Wild instructed Westley. The boy gave a small smile and took it. "Thanks..." With that, he finally started to eat. "Tiffany, come onto my lap..." She slipped out of her chair and climbed into his lap. "I know you're hurting, but I my experience, not eating makes it hurt worse, so can you take a couple bites? To make it hurt a little less?" She gave the slightest nod. Wild pulled the pizza over and held it for her. She took a nibble. "You're good with them, I suppose you've been through it all though, hm?" Dr. Hughes questioned. Wild nodded and met the doctor's eye.

"Why are we here?"