One

"Can you tell me anymore about this patient?" the man asked the nurse at the desk. He had just come here to the Psych ward because of a rumor of a werewolf being held up here for most of her life and wanted to know who it was and why. He also needed to get him or her out just incase he or she shifted in front of the humans.

"I'm sorry Sir, but we cannot let anymore information out due to confidentiality. Only family or spouse may see that information."

The man who was tall, dark and handsome with serious blue eyes, stared at her and wondered what he could do to see the patient of whose folder was in his hand. "May I at least see the girl?" he asked.

The nurse seemed hesitant for a moment before sighing. "Follow me, please." The man gave her a thankful smile and followed her down a hallway of white: white walls, white tiles, white florescent lights… It was too white. The nurse stopped in front of a door that had a tiny window towards the top where it was barred. Taking out keys, she looked at the man with wariness. "Be slow and don't raise your voice. She doesn't respond well to either."

"Good to know," he said and stepped through the doorway as soon as she opened it for him. Inside was more white. The man thought he was going to go insane as well from all the white space this place had. The only change in color was the small body sitting on the cot at the far corner of the room, huddled in a ball, shivering uncontrollably in what seemed to be fear. "Hello."

"Who are you?" came a soft, feminine voice. The man tilted his head to one side, caught up in her voice and scent: sunshine and roses. "I have never seen you before. Are you new?"

'Now I know why her name is Whisper,' he thought to himself. It was barely loud enough for him to hear and scratchy as if she's been screaming nonstop. "I do not work here, but I am new to you. My name is Zane."

Fluttering green eyes looked up into his and he almost had to brace himself against the wall behind him. He couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it, had no idea if he would ever be able to believe it. "Zane?" she said, even softer than before.

Heart pounding, Zane nodded. "May I come over and sit with you?"

The girl hesitated, pulling her legs tighter to her chest, protecting herself from whatever she thought he was going to do to her. "Why?"

"I want to talk to you, give you some company. Is that alright?"

"I have never had company before," she said, seeming to be interested.

Zane smiled and slowly walked over, sitting on the bed before her, but far enough away so she didn't feel trapped. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Didn't the nurse tell you?"

"She did, but I want to make sure I have the right patient."

"Whisper," she said and watched his eyes shut as he mouthed her name. She liked this man, Zane. She more than liked him, but had no idea why. She just knew she could trust him, just knew he wouldn't be like all the other people here.

Zane thought her name was pretty, almost like a prayer being answered. When he looked at her, she was staring at him as if he was the only other person in the world, instead of just the room. "Whisper, how long have you been here?"

"Since I was nine. It was the first time, but I hadn't meant any harm," she said, almost in tears.

"What do you mean?"

"They called me crazy, they said I was different. But it wasn't my fault!" Whisper seemed desperate to tell someone – anyone who would listen – this big piece of information. "It's not my fault. I don't want to be in here."

There was a knock on the door before the nurse appeared. "It's time for you to go, Sir."

"I'm not leaving yet. I need to talk to her for a few more minutes."

"Sir—"

"Zane!" Both Zane and the nurse looked at Whisper in startled surprise, one out of shock of the volume she used and the other at way she said it like it was important and had meaning. Whisper blushed and said in the softest voice she managed so they could hear. "His name is Zane."

Zane smiled at the girl cuddled up against the wall then turned to the nurse again. "I'm staying unless there is something important Whisper must attend to right this very moment."

Slowly, the nurse shook her head and left. As soon as the door closed, Whisper sat up and uncurled herself until she was sitting with her legs crossed and her hands in her lap, her back leaning against the wall behind her. "Zane."

Turning back to her, the handsome man held out his hand. "Do you want to hold my hand?"

"I'm not allowed to touch anyone."

"Why not?"

Whisper's heart sped up, not wanting him to leave her if she told him the truth. She looked down at her lap so she wouldn't have to see his face. "Because then I will start to see things again. I end up hurting whoever I touch."

"You won't hurt me, Whisper. I'm strong enough and I trust you."

She shook her head at him. "You don't understand! I can't control it!"

Zane could see this was something she knew to be true and she wanted to protect him from. He didn't push her though, but let his hand fall to the bed sheets and instead asked, "Do you remember your parents or family, Whisper?"

She shook her head again. "No. I don't remember anyone from my…family." Whisper glanced at him and knew he caught her hesitation, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't help if she called her family something else.

"May I ask you a very peculiar question?" Zane asked softly.

"Like what?"

"Do you hear a voice in your head? Or feel like you have someone else in your head with you, trying to guide you and protect you?"

Her green eyes slightly widened, then remembered she wasn't supposed to think about that voice. "No."

"Whisper, please don't lie to me," Zane said sternly. "I'm not asking to make fun of you. I'm being very serious."

She glanced up to one of the corners of the room where there was a camera watching and recording her every action and word. She knew that if she answered truthfully, they'd inject her with something akin to sleeping pills. "I'm being truthful." She saw his look of anger before finding a different thing to say. "But I dream about a wolf!"

His eyes snapped to hers, intense blue eyes looking excited. "A wolf?" Whisper nodded, pleased with herself and a bit stunned he liked talking about what made her strange. "What kind? What does she look like?"

"I don't know. I just see a blur of colors. She doesn't exactly show herself." Whisper tilted to her head to the side and gazed at Zane. "What about you? Do you dream of a wolf?"

He smiled with satisfaction. "All the time. Mine is snowy white with black paws and at the end of his tail. In fact, I can imagine that he'd take a great interest in you and would carry you out of here as fast as he could run."

"Really?" she asked in delight. "I want to see him! Zane, I want to see your wolf!"

The man laughed and thought this girl was the most adorable thing in the world. "Soon, but for now, I'm going to ask if you've ever connected with your wolf."

Whisper shook her head. "I can't. She won't come out."

Zane nodded and thought for a moment. "Let me see what I can do, okay?"

"How?"

"I'll let you know."

There was another knock on the door, making both of them glare at the intruder. Instead of the nurse appearing, Zane saw his best friend. "Not to interrupt, but we have a meeting, Zane."

"What time is it, Nico?"

Nico glanced at his watch. "Almost eleven. If we don't hurry, we won't make it."

Zane turned back to the once again frightened girl. "It's alright, Whisper. He isn't going to hurt you. He's here for me."

Whisper looked up into his blue eyes with despair. "I don't want you to go away."

He scooted closer to her, still not touching her but close enough so she could see his seriousness. "I need to go, but I will be back as soon as I can to talk to you. When I return, I'll be bringing some stuff for us to do."

Her eyes widened. "Games?"

Zane smiled. "Maybe. Do you like games?"

"I like games if it isn't what the hospital provides," she said. She paused, having a war within herself of whether to ask the next question or not. In the end, she asked, "Paper and paint?"

Zane tilted his head to one side. "Sure, I'll find some paper and paint for you." He stood and gazed down at the tiny girl on the bed, rage and admiration the dominant emotions inside his heart right now. "See you soon, Whisper."

Looking as if she was about to burst into tears, Whisper put up a hand and waved. "Goodbye, Zane." She watched as the two men left her room, going back to huddling in a ball.

Zane and Nico walked out of the building and up to the pickup truck waiting nearby. Nico, seeing the way his friend was thinking hard about something asked, "Something wrong, Alpha?"

"Much is wrong, Nico. When we get home, I want you to find Anton and ask if he can hack into the company's server and find out how Whisper can be released."

"Why is that?"

Zane opened the driver's door and stepped inside, sliding into the seat. Once both doors were shut, he looked at his friend with serious eyes. "Because I don't want her in there any longer. I will break her out if there is no way to release her easily."