Outsiders
10

Katelyn was wearing her bathing suit and I had on my birthday suit. Wolf was still absent though she had made a couple of little whimpers. We were all cold in this stone basement. Katelyn had suggested that I sit next to her, and we wrap up with the bed’s sole blanket. She was telling me about her job, pre-fiancé. She’d been a secretary at a travel company and got to go on cruises and visit hotels and restaurants. Since I’d never been anywhere or done anything, it was all like magical fairytales to me.

I heard two males laughing outside the door. I recognized their voices as being the last ones I had heard prior to being drugged. Did I ever wish wolf was available because it seemed like they were approaching our door. I heard keys rattle and then the door swung outward to reveal the two Were males. Not my fav people.

“Isn’t that sweet?” the taller of the two said looking at us.

“You forgot to turn on the heat.” I said, not feeling intimidated.

If wolf would come out, I’d take them on. They were both taller than me though and two to one in a play for keeps arena would not be good odds. The guys back home had tried to teach me to fight. All I had learned was how to end up on the ground, belly up. My wolf liked cowering. I had even overheard them calling me a Bambi. I knew they meant it as an insult. They meant I was simply prey, not a real wolf when it came to defending myself.

“Well, I know how we can warm things up for you.” He leered.

I rolled my eyes.

“So not interested.” I said.

“Did I say it was an optional activity?” he said.

My stomach tightened and I felt nauseous. Maybe I’d be going one against two anyway.

“Don’t get any funny ideas.” The shorter one said drawing a very long knife.

Damn, damn, damn.

“Pretty girl is on reserve.” The tall one said pointing at Katelyn, “But you are fair game for the whole pack now. If you get feisty though, maybe your pretty friend gets hurt. Wouldn’t that be a shame?”

I felt a growl rumble in my chest. They knew I had come after some of the girls. They were betting Katelyn was one of them and playing her against me. But what could I do? Make a suicide run against the knife? Because that’s what it would be, and I’d never have a chance to break anyone out of here.

‘Wolf? Where are you?’ She whimpered from some distant place. Yeah. Me, too.

“You. Over there.” The tall guy said, pointing for Katelyn to stand in the corner. “And you should just get comfy.” He said stepping towards me.

“Why do you get to go first?” his friend complained.

“Senior in the pack.” He said loosening his belt. “Take seconds or her ass. Up to you.”

My stomach was so tight, I was going to puke.

‘Wolf! Wake up! Help me.’

My hands were sweating.

“Conveniently naked.” He said, pushing me flat.

‘Come on, wolf. Please.’

I wriggled away from him as he climbed up on the bed, but he leaned his weight on top of me, effectively trapping me. I panted as my heart rate increased. I tried to relax but panic was winning. I forced it back as I felt his erection against my stomach. Revulsion surged through me.

Katelyn whimpered. I looked and the other guy was pressing himself against her, trying to kiss her as she jerked her face away from him.

“Leave her alone.” I shouted, feeling anger.

Katelyn started crying.

Rage overcame revulsion in the race, blasting from my toes to my hair. Nausea disappeared. My growl became a snarl as I felt his hand between my legs. Most Were take a couple of minutes to shift. It’s how they learn. I never had a teacher, or I would have been instructed that shifting is an entire body phenomenon. Fortunately for me, I was self-taught and through much practice alone in the woods could shift any body part at will and almost instantaneously. Leg, arm, head.

The rage was followed by a wave of adrenaline that swept the drug from my system. The man was concentrating with his little head and ignoring what was happening above his waist. Wolf took violent exception to him taking advantage of his position. I arched upward and closed my jaws around his throat. Wolf jaws can snap the rear leg of a full-grown deer. Human neck bones were no match. I kept moving, rolling the now headless body off me as I continued my shift into full wolf.

I leapt from the bed onto the belly of the second man who was staring at his friend’s head rolling on the floor. He forgot he had a knife in favor of grabbing his spilling guts and I silenced his screams with a single swipe of my claws across his throat. I landed on the floor, stiff legged, covered in blood, growling and ready to take on whoever came through the door.

I was done with feeling helpless. I was not a victim. I was not a Bambi. I was an angry wolf, hackles raised, shaking with the need to fight. Every exhale was a challenge growl. The room was otherwise quiet. No one else would be touching me or Katelyn.

“Cassie?” came a quiet voice.

I didn’t move from my protective stance facing the door. No one was coming into this room. No one was shutting that door.

“Cassie? I think it’s all right. You got them. Try to relax now.”

I let my muscles loosen slightly as I continued to listen for any approach. I turned to see Cassie standing in the corner hands outstretched, making downward patting motions like she was trying to pat my head from a distance or something.

“They’re dead. Take a breath.” She said, “We need to get out of here.”

I took the suggested breath. Yeah. She was right. We definitely did. I shifted and stood up. Then I spit. Yuck. That was the nastiest taste. I had done it again. Shifted and killed. She was going to freak. I was afraid to look at her. I had to look like some primitive warlord covered in blood and worse from gutting that guy. I didn’t think I could handle her look of fear and loathing right now. No, I definitely couldn’t deal with it.

“Let’s go.” I said quietly.

I scooped up the knife and the keys and walked through the door. I shut the bodies in and locked the door. I wasn’t surprised to see more doors. I went to the next door and shuffled the keys until I found the correct one. Marci and Janis looked up, both startled.

“We’re busting out of here.” Katelyn said from behind me.

“Good. I’m not becoming anyone’s mate in this pack like those assholes think.” Janis spat out.

“They aren’t thinking anymore.” Katelyn said.

I was glad Katelyn talked. I was kind of caught in my own head.

Marci nodded and started out the door. Janis and Marci didn’t even ask any questions. I kept going around the room. Funny how no one wanted to stay. No one asked about the blood either. Unfortunately, I didn’t replace my sling and phone to call Connor. I noticed that the ceiling was soundproof. That explained how we had escaped detection so far. We found the double doors up a short flight and a key worked there, too. It was daylight, nearly noon by the position of the sun.

Then there were almost twenty women making a break for the woods. I suggested they travel in twos and threes and head due north. Because of the drug, only I could shift or Call. It would be a long run. Once I got within Calling range I would see if I could reach the Alpha or Connor. I wasn’t very gifted that way, but it was the only way I knew to contact them since everyone else was still fighting off drugs.

Surprisingly, Katelyn elected to travel with me. I’d thought I’d be going solo after she saw me take out the two guys in the cell. I knew that was gruesome. I’d never killed anyone, and it was making me a little sick. I’d been pretty rage driven at the time and wolf was still almost rabid. She was furious at being drugged. She told me it was like being hog tied and blinded but knowing Katelyn and I were in danger. She had been desperate to protect us.

At the first stream, I paused to take a minute to wash out my mouth. I tried to wash my face. I couldn’t see what I was doing but by the color of the water dripping off me, it was something.

“Let me.” Katelyn laughed.

“Nah. I’m getting it.” I said quietly. I still hadn’t really met her eyes.

“Yeah, right. Why don’t you shift? I think it would be easier.”

Definitely easier on my psyche. I didn’t have to come up with words as a wolf and I didn’t have any. I did as requested and stood front feet in the water as she rubbed my face and neck with hands full of water. I guess she’d gotten over her fear of wolves. At one point, I let out a big sneeze when water went up my nose. She laughed but kept at it. Wolf fur is very dense. It took a while before she was happy that I was semi-clean.

“Ok. I think that’ll have to do until you get in a shower.” She announced.

“Thanks.” I said standing up and squeegeeing water out of my hair.

“You should have just shaken your fur.”

“I would have soaked you.” I said glancing her way.

She wasn’t looking at me like I was the anti-Christ. She was probably just in shock. I turned to listen carefully back the way we had come.

“They’re after us already.” I said and turned to lead us further towards home.