(Cole’s POV)I’m barely awake when I hear their voices. Problem is, I’m struggling to distinguish who exactly I’m hearing. “What the hell are we doing, Andre?” Well at least I know who’s leading the peep show into my misery now. I foolishly attempt to open my eyes but I know it’s not going to happen as multiple rounds with Kristoph made certain that I was blind. A small whimper involuntarily escapes as my senses slowly come back to me and I can tell that there’s more than two people that have entered the room. “Keep your voice down, Maximus.” Andre hisses quietly. “What’s up with you, man? You hate the perv as much….” He doesn’t get to finish his sentence as it sounds like he’s hit the wall. “That ends now. What about my breakdown in Alpha Julian’s rage room makes you think I hate him.” I hear a body drop to the floor with a gasp, coughing repeatedly as he recovers. “Why the sudden change towards him is all I’m trying to figure out.” I cringe as his voice echoes off the trai
“Why Andre?” Her voice is cracking and for the first time someone in my family feels guilty, sad with what my life has become. “Because his freedom is the only way to fix what dad has destroyed.” “What has happened to him?” “Dad, Kristoph and several others have been beating him nearly around the clock for over three days.” “Why? Why would he do that?” “He’s been doing it Cole’s entire life. Why do you think Kristoph and I have done it as well?” “You?” “Yes, Ashley.” “I don’t understand. Everything you did when he was little.” “I know. I’m not proud. I’m trying to make it right.” I can feel him nod as he gingerly pets the back of my head. I whimper quietly as no part of my body has been left untouched. “Cole.” I nearly yelp with the presence of another voice standing close to me. “I’m sorry if I’m too loud. I found a mess of keys in the desk drawer. I need you to stay still while I try to figure out this lock on the shackles you’re in.” “Yes sir. I’ll try.” “Max, is the
“Stay with me, Cole.” Andre hisses as I collapse back against him. “Amos, are the locks off.” “Yes, I just haven’t removed the cuff with the needles in it.” “Oliver and Ashley, I need the two of you to take over for Amos. Maximus, do you remember the training I did with you and Amos in Alpha Julian’s rage room?” “Where we threw everything he allowed just to clean it up?” “That would be it. I told you there was a reason for the training and this is exactly why. I need it to sound like we’re beating Cole. Anything you can bang or throw against the wall, just do it without hurting anyone. Cole, I need you to let loose this time. Yelp, scream, cry, beg. Give me everything you have. Getting you on that bed is going to be painful and I want to hear all about it. Oliver, Ashley, are you ready to remove that cuff?” I tense up at just the thought of that cuff coming off my wrist even though I know the relief its removal will bring. “Yes.” They speak in unison. “Everyone start now!” Th
(Andre’s POV)It’s been exactly three weeks since the epic beat down my brother has, against all odds, survived. I cried for the second time in just a few days when Dr. Carter could immediately tell that his wolf had gone dormant. First thing I asked was if he was dead as all werewolves know that without their wolf they will not survive. He reassuringly emphasized that his wolf was not dead but that he had given everything he had to keep Cole alive and had I not stepped in and stopped the brutal beating that he most certainly would have died. True to his word, Julian had a helicopter on the helipad of Red General within an hour of my call. Once Dr. Carter established appropriate protective care to ensure he stayed alive; he was immediately flown to West Highland under the alias of Colton Alexander Carter. When I asked Dr. Carter where the name came from he explained that he had a son born the same year as Cole but he had died at five years old in a tragic accident on Alpha Redmen’s p
(Cole’s POV)It’s been several days since I woke from my three week coma. Dr. Moore keeps telling me to slow down, that I’m moving too fast for the injuries that I sustained. Despite the constant pain the many broken bones creates I’ve been refusing half my medication. It makes me tired and right now I simply want to leave. I’m struggling to understand why I have such a need to leave, to run from this place but it’s there. I can’t make sense of a lot of things right now. I have no memory of my past and the explanations that my brother and doctor are giving me are hesitant and don’t paint a full picture. I woke up to the two of them arguing yesterday. Andre kept asking why he couldn’t tell me what little he knew about what happened and Dr. Moore kept insisting that it was better for me to simply know the alias being given to me until I reached the safety of the Crimson Dawn pack. He feels that triggering my memory without the proper support in place would be devastating to my mental h
(Demetri’s POV)I’m quickly losing my mind as several things stack up in the negative. It feels like the last six months have been nothing but bad things happening. Cole being abducted from the hospital, Charles and Kristoph attacking Jeremy, Lucas sharing his encounter with Kristoph, Cole’s multiple failed attempts to escape from Red Fang and now this. He finally woke up but he has amnesia yet his intense fear remains. I told them he would be a flight risk in this situation but they weren’t familiar with the laws that would allow them to place a GPS tracking device on his wrist or ankle without his permission. I’m scolding hot and ready to rampage with the news that when the nurse did her rounds at 2am he wasn’t there. She had just received instructions to place the tracker on him but he slipped away. How on earth is he going to survive out in the world when he doesn’t understand who or what he is?I’m pacing my office fast. I have been all day. Nothing is getting done as I have no
I stop at the bottom of the three steps that lead into the huge multi car garage, looking around briefly. I have to take several deep, slow breaths as containing my anger has made for a challenging day. I’m running late and I’m hoping that this rage room isn’t an appointment based thing. ‘Parker is driving, we’re in his Expedition. I’m in the back seat. You know how nervous I am with vehicles.’ He links with me. I start immediately to the end of the garage when I see the fourth bay door opening. He starts the car as I approach. I grab the handle on the back passenger side when I get there, cautious to ensure there’s enough room that I’m not going to hit Patrick’s truck sitting beside it. “When did you get this? It looks and even smells new.” “Dad bought it for me when I turned eighteen. I know it’s just a car but it means a lot to me so I keep it clean.” “I guess I know where to find you when I can’t find you.” I manage to chuckle as he starts pulling out of the garage. How he d
“Did they tell you when this was?” “Early February when most small game animals are still hibernating. They established a meeting area and spread out. They each killed two hares and met her back at the designated place. She led them to a large shack. It was in a stage of disrepair that warranted destroying it but she showed them a hole at the backside. She used it to duck inside. The most senior of the group followed and instructed the others to wait outside until they were told to enter. He felt that all of them coming in would be overwhelming.” “Did he finish the story?” “You know what happened?” I nod. “He contacted me when they tracked her down. I guided them on the best way to interact with her. Encouraged them to help her hunt. I know winter is the hardest time to find food and based on what she told me, her and the other orphans are not being properly cared for. Allowing her to hunt and encouraging our guardsmen to assist her is in an effort to convince her that our pack w