Chapter 36

The next day is training as usual, but this time I'm being instructed about the terrain leading underground, "These are the tunnels to Cracklen," Jawkin shows me the blueprint off her clipboard across the table. I take it with a weak hand, as I breathe out in annoyance and read over it. I concentrate for a little bit, but after a day of listening to Jawkin instruct, I was now at my wit's end, and I was exhausted. I feel dizzy, and I have to place down the clipboard to steady myself, "…are you okay, Ryder? What's wrong?" Jawkin reaches for the clipboard, taking it off me.

"I haven't slept for two days," because I had been fucked straight for two nights, "I'm sore, nothing else, I'm fine otherwise," I whisper, while glancing from the papers she holds to my clenched fists as I add, "I'll look at the blueprints tomorrow. How is Xrat?" I glance up to Jawkin shyly, I'm asking casually, hoping she lets me know some details.

"You know I am not allowed to speak of Xrat to you, Transcendence is now the only connection you'll have with him, as I mentioned at the start of today's training, he is in combat grooming," Jawkin hadn't mentioned that – the combat grooming part – but she avoids my gaze and sheepishly stands up, throwing me an extra protein snack bar, "You're dismissed for today Ryder, get some rest now, will you? Sleep if you can."

"Yes, thank you," I blurt, while I watch Jawkin leave the training area abruptly, after slipping me a vital and forbidden piece of information.

Combat grooming.

What the heck did that mean?

I think of all the military labs adjacent to High Grade Nesting, where all the Wolf Beasts were housed in their den underground.

I stand up and munch on the bar, feeling my energy return marginally, but I know it'll be short lived. So, I have to act now.

Lemeri hadn't come to visit today, and I had a feeling she was moody and sulky that Raygar had left for an indefinite amount of time, so she was avoiding all company.

So at least I had a pretty good chance at doing my own thing undetected. Even Helpers were not assigned to me. I could wear my basic white slip of a dress used in training, and worn in Skye's residence, to wander.

Even the weights have been removed from my ankles. Why? Deeper trust had set. With Skye.

It was a little foolish to use the new freedom to rebel already, but I couldn't sit down and do nothing at this point. I needed to know if Xrat was being treated with the right care.

For now, I take Jawkin's slip of information as a reason to investigate.

Skye, the dominant Alpha who owned my heart, used his seduction of me to inform me that Xrat and I were no longer able to bond side by side; only mentally. I may have been quiet at the time, but I did not consider that change lightly. Not just because Xrat and I were best friends. Primarily because there was another issue Skye didn't talk much about but I knew was relevant to this situation.

Zrot, his own Wolf Beast, died in battle and Skye was going to share Xrat with me, and that is what my mind focuses on now. It's an uneasy feeling in my gut that pushes me to act now.

I hold a hand to my chest, feeling it thump a bit harder as I walk my way over through the Dominion's bypass between the sectors, and I chew slowly on my lunch.

I mentally prepare for a scolding if I'm found wandering where I am not meant to be, but I also must prepare for a possibly gruesome discovery with Fyre. I was concerned they would eventually kill her, rather than use her for experimentation.

I'm ready for the worst.

Sneaking my way over is relatively easy, as I am known to be Skye's loyal pet – to the degree that even the Elders avoid me if they see me from a distance while taking a walk around the honey comb Solividian Dominion.

My luck is running short, however, as the closer I get to High Grade Nesting – I spot a group of familiar Alphas conjoining just outside the doors I have to pass through. Vastian is with Zrot company, speaking in a circle while wearing their official Alpha black robes with red collars.

I'm walking behind a line of Helpers, so I really hope I don't get noticed – but the one thing with Genesis is their good sense of smell.

And I kind of stank right now.

Just as I'm tiptoeing by, behind Vastian's back, he hesitates to turn, and only notices me when I've just slipped through the doors to nesting.

"R –"

I hear the end of my name called on his lips and then I move off as soon as the doors slam back shut.

I pretend I didn't hear.

I kind of feel cheeky now that I've made it through and I laugh a little in relief as I head on over to the first row of windows looking into the lab, without entering.

I just wanted to know what was happening – I wasn't necessarily going to do anything.

While I'm still ahead, I place my hands on the window and look in.

I instantly see Fyre – she's alive and she's sleeping in a cage.

Past her I spot the edge of Skye's robes, as he walks down one area, and out of sight behind the lab equipment.

I know Vastian will come for me, so I slip over to an exit door and sneak in, eager to hide and listen.

I needed info.

I use my own training to keep out of sight, as I duck behind a free standing glass cabinet, just behind where Skye is currently communicating to the workers.

I look through the shelving to see what's going on.

I'm proud of myself for making it this far, affectively stalking Skye down to the point I'm just behind his back and I haven't been detected.

I'm also hidden from Vastian enough, who's now looking for me outside the lab.

As Skye steps to the side, I see what he's observing.

My heart jerks.

Xrat.

My wolf pup is laid out, unconscious. I assume for a good reason, except that I see his body is strapped down – and he's got a bunch of wires inserted into his head.

"Careful," Skye is monitoring the progress of whatever they're doing, "I don't want you to kill him."

"We understand the dangers of this, but it's the only way we can push her out and reset his connection –" one scientist murmurs, so quiet I'm not sure I heard him correct.

"…just make it as painless as possible for this beast," Skye sighs.

"Absolutely, Alpha. Once the bond is permanent, we promise you'll be in control and she'll no longer be the primary partner. We can use this method again, hopefully, for any other abnormal bonding experiences we see within the Residue – to save as many Beasts as possible."

"This will certainly help in eradicating all influence of Human Kind," Skye murmurs in agreement.

My knees get weak.

For a second, I am only shocked.

But then I realise how close I am near death.

With Xrat.

Our bond.

They were trying to sever it.

I don't even have time to be angry at Skye. This was an emergency.

"Not long now, can you sit down and we'll hook you up," the scientist advises Skye to get involved.

No, it was moving too fast. However they were doing it, I needed to stop it.

On instinct, I'm immediately lying down, exactly where I am, controlling my breathing and closing my eyes.

I don't have time to waste!

I reach out for Xrat, while I'm clawing my nails into my other wrist to keep calm. So I don't outwardly try to attack while weak.

I needed my Wolf Beast.

And without trouble – I slip right into his mind.

We are now suddenly awake, huffing out a distressed breath on the table – I feel the confusion in the scientist as he exclaims, "Oh, no – wait, wait, wait, what's happening –?"

Panic.

Perfect.

"We haven't even begun," Skye growls and leans over, to inspect Xrat's eyes, as we look up and we both coil our muscles.

A growl echoes from my throat, and then I see Vastian coming into the lab, soon to find my body.

Shit.

Xrat takes over briefly with his rage as he reads my mind, and without much trouble, we snap all restraints as we pull from the table.

"She's taken over!" the scientist backs up, while Skye can only look on.

Xrat turns to the scientist and lunges.

Oh, no.

I can't control his fury as he mauls into the arm of the man, wrenching the limb clean off.

The screaming begins.

Skye can do nothing.

"Wake up –!" Vastian yells at me.

I open my eyes, back on the floor, as I'm held up by Skye's furious brother.

Behind the shelves, I can hear Xrat breaking everything he can and attacking the workers, while Skye swiftly appears behind me, his shadow falling over my head.

I feel a death coming.

A death of trust.

Death of loyalty.

But he was the one to change it – trying to sever my bond with my Wolf Beast.

"Lock her away," Skye's death drawl travels to Vastian, while I glance behind me in terror, Skye walks back, "XRAT!" he calls to the Wolf Beast, who is refusing to listen as he causes havoc with the vulnerable Genesis.

As Vastian stands up with me, despite his outrage, he realises the dilemma in rough handling. If he hurts me, Xrat will attack him.

I feel Vastian's hesitation and indecision in the way his hands gently hold onto me.

Oh.

I pull back immediately, testing his resolve to arrest me.

Vastian lets me go.

He can't admit defeat with words, but I see it in his eyes.

While he's unable to move, I move.

I turn and run.

"SKYE!" Vastian calls to his brother, while I make for an escape – and Xrat seems to feel my need to run, because as I'm skidding for the exit, Xrat lopes over a desk, directly over Skye's head, to join me out the side door.

Xrat nudges me onto his neck and his back, ready to take us to freedom.

He's excited, I hear it in his pants.

But now there is another problem.

We're just above the open ledge to High Grade Nesting.

The structure rumbles – with the drawling growl that shakes the entire structure.

We forgot about Vorth.

Vastian's Wolf Beast.

Just below us.

Xrat immediately stops running and whimpers as a wolf head the size of twenty Xrats in his current size, appears above to observe us from the den, just as Raygar's beast Rrot once did – to eat that Medivian, Lulu.

Xrat rolls to his back, squishing me half under him, as we both look at Vorth's snarling fangs over the top of us.

"Vorth," Vastian comes out of the door with Skye, "Smell."

Shit.

Vorth glares down at me and his growl gets louder.

I'm going to die, just like Medivian Lulu.

If he smells my intent.

For treason.

Fuck.

"Stand so he may judge you," Vastian warns me.

I pull out of Xrat's fur and I stand up, while I look down, while every inch of me prepares for death.

This was it.

This was the end.

"…Ryder…"

I hear my name, spoken under a pained breath.

I know it's Skye, but even he won't intervene to save me, even if he'll miss me.

Wolf Beasts are who ruled at the end of the day.

Xrat rolls to his belly and silently stares up at his father, his ears back, unsure.

Vorth leans down, the growl rattles my brain in my skull, and his wet nose touches the top of my head.

I glance up and I cringe back at the row of teeth, which is what will shred me.

Vorth's growl ceases – and a new silence echoes in the large open space past this ledge.

He had judged me.

Now it was time for the consequences.

Vorth pulls back a little bit, leans down a bit more, his nose and snout push me… he pushes me more… he keeps ushering me back – until I fall into Skye's front.

Vorth drops down.

And walks away into the den.

My whole body is shuddering – I barely avoided death.

But –

Skye holds an arm around my shoulders, keeping me steady, while Xrat sits up, happy now, even while covered in blood, which was his usual look recently.

"Skye?" Vastian asks the Alpha, low in warning.

Far too many Helpers watch on in distress.

"She's mine –" Skye almost chokes with emotion, no one else would know it but I know him well, however, and there are witnesses, " – to punish for her insolence. Human Kind, fucking useless," Skye runs his hand along my shoulders to the back of my head, where he holds my hair, to make it look rough, but I feel his gentle embrace, "Get back to your cage, Ryder. You will wait kneeling for me. Prepare to beg for lenience. Vastian?"

Skye pushes me into Vastian, and immediately stalks toward the Helpers, "Don't gawk like fools, get this Wolf Beast fed and lead him back to the den. You two write the incident report – three lab technicians dead for mishandling a Wolf Beast. See what happens when you DISOBEY!" Skye snarls it for them – but he also suspiciously glances over his shoulder, his blue eyes catch mine briefly in a warning.

Vastian holds my arm and pulls me away silently, while Xrat jumps up to kiss me goodbye with his bloody tongue, wetting half my face.

He sits back, wagging his tail, a goofy proud grin on his face.

He was proud of the deaths he caused. I think.

Now Xrat was happy to eat, with the Helpers who reluctantly offer him food and keep their distance from his snappy happy jaws.

As Vastian and I walk together back to Skye's residence, the tension and silence is heavy for awhile.

He doesn't need to say anything, he was a quiet, more calm version of all the Alpha's family anyway.

However, I needed to speak.

What happened was… strange.

I glance up, and Vastian is truly the older version of Skye – but his calm demeanour, suppressing his truest emotions, is worrying to me.

I don't know why he's so calm right now.

I speak up as we walk, "You know what I think? Vorth was just protecting his pup – if I was killed, Xrat might have died too," I blurt out, trying to reason away Vorth shoving me into Skye's front.

"You're going to get my brother killed," Vastian speaks in a low monotone, while looking ahead and not looking at me.

"But why?" I whisper.

Vastian only answers because no one else is on the bypass.

"Vorth, reigning Alpha Wolf, chose you as Luna to Skye."