“The theatrics are not necessary. We both know you’re not going to let this happen. You might claim to be just like me but there is a sliver of goodness still in you.” Haven was banking on this being a ploy but I wasn’t sure how far Callan was willing to take it.
The wolf tore away Haven’s pants and his underwear in one fluid motion. His manhood was limp and shrunken, by the sheer fear of losing a part of him that he held dear. The wolf batted it back and forth, with its sharp claws digging into the sensitive flesh.
This was a sheep in wolf’s clothing and I stood transfixed, frozen in place, unable to move from where I was standing a few feet away. I wanted to scream for them to stop and think about what they were doing. It was hard to say anything, when the truth of who was behind this plot was hidden within the complex mind of a killer. He found immense joy out of burning things alive and his tone in the bar was one of no remorse. He was actually proud of his accomplishments and he wanted everybody to know it.
They’d probably heard worse and he was in perfect company, except of course for Zenith. She was easily bought and paid for, with information becoming a sought after commodity. Having her on our side by mixing a little pleasure with the business would hopefully come in handy in the future.
I broke from my thoughts to see blood dripping from Haven’s member. Wesley’s growl was worse than his bite but the show of teeth had made an indelible mark on Haven’s psyche.
His mouth was twitching and his expression of horror was that of a scared rabbit about to be devoured.
“Do whatever you want to me. Killing me isn’t going to get you the answer you’re looking for. You need me alive and we both know it.” He said, defiantly standing his ground, working on the premise that his death was the last thing they wanted.
“Bravo for figuring that out but there are far worse things than dying. You’re going to wish for the sweet release of death after we’re done with you.” The underlying meaning of Callan’s words wasn’t lost on me and then he began to take off his clothes in a similar fashion.
He cracked his neck back and forth preparing his body for the transformation. Stretching his limbs over his head when he was completely naked was soon followed by those very same bones shifting and projecting grotesquely through his skin. His face morphed and became elongated, with a pronounced nose. He dropped to all fours with hair coming out of everywhere and his eyes changed from innocent to deadly in a matter of seconds.
There was no way he was disguising what he was, like Crosby had done in the corner away from prying eyes. This was done strictly for shock value and it was working. Haven had nothing left to say when two wolves converged licking their lips and practically daring each other to take the first bite.
There was no better time to interject my thoughts than when they no longer had a voice. I had a feeling Callan was depending on me to be the voice of reason.
Haven had seen the impossible and was blinking incessantly, still unable to say one single word in retaliation for what he had just seen.
“I was the same way when I learned the truth. It’s not like we can close our eyes and stick our heads in the sand like everybody else. I don’t believe anybody could possibly feel the way we do. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before but you can’t doubt what your own eyes are showing you. They mean business.” He lifted his gaze away from the wolves circling at his feet.
“I have to be hallucinating and I wouldn’t put it past you to put me on some kind of drug. That’s it; this is some kind of experimental drug to make me see things that aren’t real.” He could say that, but the sensation of their tongues running the length of both legs at the same time had his undivided attention.
“I wish that was true but it’s not. Do yourself a favor and tell me what they want to hear and maybe I can pull them back before it’s too late. I make no promises, since I’ve never been in this situation before.” I could smell his fear coming off of him in a sickly odor which was hard to ignore.
The wolves exposed their teeth and began snapping their jaws repeatedly, getting closer to the target in question. It didn’t seem likely for them to use this kind of extreme force. I had to remind myself how little I knew of them outside of their voices guiding me with a helping hand growing up. Having sexual relations with all three of them was a ritual and a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
“I don’t buy it, if they existed somebody would know about it. This is simply impossible to believe and I’m not going to play into it. It was a good try and I give you credit for going further than most. Just remember who you are dealing with. It won’t be long before I become immune to whatever drug you have pumped into my veins. I have a very strong threshold when it comes to drugs, it comes with the territory of my profession. I actually get close to the fire to feel the heat burning the palms of my hands when I send somebody straight to hell.” He was a braggart and word of mouth of his violent acts had made him a legend in his own mind.
They were circling him and growling and the fur on their backs had risen signaling how they were losing their patience. Patience might’ve been a virtue but there was no way you could tell them any of that. It was up to me to hold them to a higher standard and not let them pander to the common denominator.
The chains jangled, they were obviously digging into his wrists, by the red marks under the steel links restraining him. They hadn’t broken through the skin, although it was just a matter of time before they did. He wasn’t lying when he told us he had a high threshold for pain tolerance but I couldn’t attest to what he said about drugs because we hadn’t used any.
They were constantly licking his legs of the salty discharge. Tenderizing him was going to make him more palatable. I didn’t know how I knew this, it was as if I could read their thoughts subliminally through their eyes. I didn’t want to know what they were thinking. Hiding from it wasn’t working and their animal urges were like a neon sign blazing their intentions.
“I doubt there is any drug that could possibly make you feel two raspy tongues touching you like that. Take my word for it when I tell you they don’t make any excuses for their actions. It’s always been a means to an end, no matter the consequences. I don’t really want to witness this. I think I’m going to take a step outside and get a breath of fresh air. It might appear cowardly but I’ve grown fond of them. To see them act like this would forever change my image of them. I really don’t want that to happen so the best thing for everybody is for me to leave. You have this one last chance to say a name and you better make it believable,” I implored, with an accusatory finger to his chest.
“I can say any name and you won’t have any way to confirm it,” he spouted. His hands were wrapped around the chains and he was trying to get some leverage.
“They will know if you are lying. There won’t be a second chance. Don’t do it because you are atoning for your sins, when we both know you don’t feel you have anything to apologize for. Do it because of self-preservation. Live to fight another day. Knowing the truth and living with it are two different things.” I turned on my heels and took a few steps, then I heard him sigh deeply in resignation.
“He calls himself the puppeteer. We have never met face to face, only corresponding by e-mail and telephone calls. The anonymity was his idea and I told him I didn’t want anybody looking over my shoulder but he wouldn’t listen. You might have better luck getting the name that you’re seeking out of my companion.” When I thought about it, it did make sense and how long his friend was convalescing in a hospital bed was anybody’s guess.
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nbsp; The boys looked disappointed and changed back before putting their clothes back on. This time I had to turn away but hearing it was almost as traumatizing as seeing it. My body actually jerked every time I heard a bone crack, forming into the human part of their Alpha persona.
There was no reason to disbelieve what Haven had said. He had no reason to lie under duress. A visit to the hospital was next on our agenda and we met up with Wesley to do exactly that.
Chapter Twenty-four
I thought it was going to be easy and the hospital had very little security. That was my assumption which turned out to be misleading. Security had been beefed up. They patrolled the perimeter and had stationed two black-clad mercenaries at the front door and every other exit. They were vigilant and had the earmark of a military presence. Trigger happy and strict in their thinking was how I would describe them.
We were lying in the wet grass and Crosby had gone ahead to scout the area. The rest of us stayed behind, patiently waiting for his return. He was using guerrilla warfare tactics.