Caged Wolf
Chapter Four: Noah

I’ve been in this containment facility for three years reliving the same horrible day over and over again. Wake up, fight, eat, work-out, eat, sleep and repeat. Only once did my day change from that routine, the day I found Danny and Lily. We’ve been inseparable ever since Danny and I becoming parents to Lily as we lean on each other in the absence of Dusk and Cassie. Neither Danny nor I can reach any of our packmates telepathically nor can I reach Dusk. Every time I try to reach them or use my ice the collar around my neck gives me a hell of a shock. I hate this white room that they keep us in when we’re not in the cafeteria or training room, everything is too white including the ridiculous clothes they have us dressed in. White spandex pants and a white armless hoody are the only outfits they provide us and mine are a little on the tight sight as the hoody is tight across my chest. I get the purpose of the spandex so when we shift to fight it stretches to continue to fit us but it doesn’t mean I like it. I’m groggy as I wake, the TV blaring to life in the darkroom. Danny and I take turns on the couch giving Lily the bed, most nights we all sleep in the room together anyway, it makes us feel more like a pack than the alternative. Three years ago we learned of our purpose being brought here but I don’t buy it, apparently, this is for our own good making us fight for rank before they pair us up for mating than we can form our own packs. In reality, I know they are studying us, I think they want to harness our powers, I know they want to figure out our healing ability for themselves. The leader of this place pops onto the screen, her appearance always hurts me because she reminds me of Dusk with her black-dyed hair and green contact covered eyes. Dusk, I can barely feel our bond these days. I close my eyes and do as I do every morning, I inhale deeply hoping my nose will pick up different scents, recognizable scents. As it has for the past three years all it picks up are unknown Wolves and humans. I’m pulled from my routine when the white wall in front of me buzzes before turning into a one-way window in which I can see out of, Danny awakens me along with Lily as they come to the couch behind me. I look out into the perfectly circular shaped white room with a high enough ceiling that I can’t see it, they are starting a battle earlier than they normally would which piques my curiosity. The platform above hums as it brings a Wolf down to the arena while the wall opposite of mine slides open showing total darkness. The humming grows louder until the platform sinks into the floor releasing a medium-sized female white-Wolf wearing the same stretchy outfit we all have on, as well as a collar around her neck bearing a number three tag. Absently I finger my own collar where they attack the number one tag that symbolizes I’m an alpha for when I fight, number three means a regular pack member. The white she-Wolf prowls around the edge of the circle watching the darkness. Suddenly a terrible scream comes from the dark causing us all to flinch, it’s been a long time since we’ve heard a death scream. The white she-Wolf jumps to the side just in time to avoid a bloody body that is tossed from the darkness as it smacks into the far wall splattering blood everywhere. A deep tremble rolls through the she-Wolf as she shakes before pressing herself into the wall as much as she can, behind me I hear Danny’s breathing go ragged as Lily lets out a gasp. Breathing deeply I can feel it too, pure dangerous power, a feral power. This power radiates from the darkness commanding without any question, this power leaves no doubt that this Wolf is certainly an alpha and one we have not seen before. My eyes become glued to the darkness as I’m drawn to it. A pair of vibrant green eyes flicker open in the darkness as a deep growl vibrates around the arena causing the she-Wolf to whine, I move involuntarily pressing myself against the wall wanting to be as close to Dusk as possible. She steps from the darkness and her appearance causes my heart to stutter, blood drips from her bared teeth and bloody paw prints trail from where she walks. I try to breathe but it hurts, Dusk’s eyes flit around untrusting and clearly dangerous as she deepens her growl warning any potential threat away. Dusk, my Dusk is right here in front of me, only I’m not sure this is my Dusk anymore.

“Oh my god, Dusk.” Danny whimpers behind me as he moves forward placing a supportive hand on my shoulder because he can see it too, he can see that this isn’t our Dusk.

“What’s wrong with her?” Lily whispers from the couch as she moves forward pressing into Danny’s side for comfort.

I don’t know how I imagined this first sight of Dusk to go but this wasn’t it, I didn’t think they would have been able to change Dusk. I didn’t think I would ever see my strong mate broken but I am because this Wolf in front of us is in great amounts of pain that I can’t even comprehend. Suddenly I collapse to my knees when her eyes change from human to animal and she zeroes in on the she-Wolf who is desperately trying to get as far away from Dusk as she possibly can. A white-eye appears on his usual platform just above the battle to our left, he blows the whistle that is supposed to signal the start of the battle. The white Wolf doesn’t move but she doesn’t have to as Dusk’s eyes focus solely on the human before she launches herself up the wall her claws just reaching the human’s leg as they hook into his flesh dragging him down causing him to let out a horrified scream. They crash to the ground with the human bouncing off Dusk before landing awkwardly. The human holds onto his bloodied leg but he no longer screams, he stares up at Dusk who licks her lips before glaring up at the buzzing video camera showcasing this fight live across all the TVs. Anger simmers off of her pouring directly into me, I haven’t been this close to her in too long, I’m not used to holding her emotions back from myself and my emotions back from her. Dusk wants to kill, she is so angry with everything, she is in a lot of pain. The White Wolf, having realized Dusk is no threat to her, sits on her haunches watching the human on the ground with murder in her own eyes. Dusk lets out the most savage howl I have ever heard, it is full of death and assertion that she is the alpha and nothing will stand in her way. I don’t think I just throw my head back and let out a human howl. Pain and electricity surge from the collar on my neck cutting my howl short and the echoes of howls courses about before ending in the same manner as my own. I blink and suddenly Dusk has the humans neck between her jaws as white-eyes enter the circle through a door I’ve never seen before. The white she-Wolf takes her chances pouncing on one of the white-eyes quickly before her body falls convulsing to the ground. Damn these collars. The convulsions escalate until she shakes out of her Wolf form and into her human form before going still. I use my ears to hear her heartbeat just as Dusk begins to shake letting the human fall from between her teeth. Her mouth forms a grimace and her muscles jump but she holds her ground fire in her animal eyes. A white-eye shoots a dart at her as she shakes furiously and she turns on him spraying blood all over when her teeth snap closed around his chest ending his life. Pain riddles my bones, pain that is not my own and I go crazy banging on the wall separating Dusk and I. Dusk’s eyes turn meeting mine and even though I know she can’t really see me she can feel me, her eyes snap back to human from animal as emotions flit through her and into me. She moves to me pressing her head into the wall where I’ve pressed mine and animalistic sobs slip from her body as tears form in my eyes. Together we hurt as I share her pain, though I can feel the pain is more from what she has endured than from the electricity currently coursing through her. Dusk begins to teeter as physical blue electricity jumps through her fur burning hot red when it touches her skin. Dusk opens her mouth slightly letting out a high whistle that cracks me open.

“I love you Dusk!” I whisper hoping she can hear me through the wall.

Together we sink to the ground as the pain becomes unbearable and Dusk loses consciousness her eyes rolling back into her head, though unlike the other girl Dusk doesn’t fall into a human form no matter how badly her body convulses. I close my eyes fading into darkness as pain Dusk’s pain is sucked away from me leaving me faint as Danny calls my name trying to keep me awake. I’m too weak and I faint.

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