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Previous: "I'm Your Sister"
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Next: "Sentimentality"
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Series 7 Episode 7
"Deal with the Devil"
Three missing teenagers. Three houses to investigate. Yasmin wasn’t feeling optimistic as they approached the third and final location. The first two were completely empty – nobody answered the door, and the insides looked cleared out. Like any evidence of human activity had been eliminated entirely. In her eyes, that only made things seem even more unusual.
“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Freddie jogged up to the front of house number three, “Have I missed much?”
“Nope,” Josh answered, “Trust me, you’ve missed a whole lot of nothing. Both houses were deserted.”
Freddie’s face looked red, like he’d been crying. Freddie never cried. He made everything into a joke to cheer her up. He was the shoulder she had cried on so many times. Something was up.
“Everything okay?” Yasmin questioned. Freddie nodded, but Yasmin knew he was trying to put on a brave face. She raised her eyebrow in disapproval.
“George is going away to study abroad,” Freddie revealed.
“Good for him,” Yasmin tamed her reaction. There was clearly more to this story, “What’s the problem?”
“I told him it was great and that he should go, but I don’t know what I’ll do without him. I’ve always had him there,” Freddie opened up, “And we can’t keep the house. I can’t afford it on my own.”
“Dude, that’s easy, I’m sure you can stay with us. There’s no way Caroline and Ed would turn you away,” Josh instantly offered. That was what Yasmin loved about him. Below the sarcastic outer layer was a compassionate, loyal guy. She had so much respect for Josh.
“And we’re always here. Us two, Dylan, Jono, Sammi, Brett, even Lily on the phone. We’ve all got your back, Fred,” Yasmin reminded. Freddie smiled. He was there when she was figuring out what she was. The least she could do was return the favour in his hour of need.
Swish!
Something swooped around them. It moved too fast – Yasmin couldn’t work out what it was. They weren’t safe.
“Get behind me,” Josh quickly acted. Yasmin was protected on one side by Josh and on the other by Freddie. At the least, they had healing powers that she didn’t
It swished past again. It was taunting them. Making them scared.
Then it lunged. A werewolf. A girl. She was untamed, and she was out for blood.
“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Freddie jogged up to the front of house number three, “Have I missed much?”
“Nope,” Josh answered, “Trust me, you’ve missed a whole lot of nothing. Both houses were deserted.”
Freddie’s face looked red, like he’d been crying. Freddie never cried. He made everything into a joke to cheer her up. He was the shoulder she had cried on so many times. Something was up.
“Everything okay?” Yasmin questioned. Freddie nodded, but Yasmin knew he was trying to put on a brave face. She raised her eyebrow in disapproval.
“George is going away to study abroad,” Freddie revealed.
“Good for him,” Yasmin tamed her reaction. There was clearly more to this story, “What’s the problem?”
“I told him it was great and that he should go, but I don’t know what I’ll do without him. I’ve always had him there,” Freddie opened up, “And we can’t keep the house. I can’t afford it on my own.”
“Dude, that’s easy, I’m sure you can stay with us. There’s no way Caroline and Ed would turn you away,” Josh instantly offered. That was what Yasmin loved about him. Below the sarcastic outer layer was a compassionate, loyal guy. She had so much respect for Josh.
“And we’re always here. Us two, Dylan, Jono, Sammi, Brett, even Lily on the phone. We’ve all got your back, Fred,” Yasmin reminded. Freddie smiled. He was there when she was figuring out what she was. The least she could do was return the favour in his hour of need.
Swish!
Something swooped around them. It moved too fast – Yasmin couldn’t work out what it was. They weren’t safe.
“Get behind me,” Josh quickly acted. Yasmin was protected on one side by Josh and on the other by Freddie. At the least, they had healing powers that she didn’t
It swished past again. It was taunting them. Making them scared.
Then it lunged. A werewolf. A girl. She was untamed, and she was out for blood.
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Emotions all over the place, Dylan didn’t know how to feel. On one hand, his plan had worked. David was stood in front of him. Johnny had played his part, and now Dylan had to play his. That was the scary part. He was facing a known murderer, of even his own people. What happened next could go really well, or really badly, and the uncertainty was what unsettled Dylan.
In the corner of his eye, he saw the looks on Jeremy and Sammi’s faces. They were petrified. David’s own flesh and blood couldn’t even look him in the eye. That told Dylan all he needed to know.
“Seems like you got to Johnny. It’s okay, I’ve got other betas. Fresh out the oven, so to speak,” David spoke with his usual sense of arrogance, “I’ll get them to track him down.”
“Don’t lay a finger on him,” Brett reacted, falling into his trap. Just what Dylan had warned against. So much for him doing the talking.
“This must be Brett. Johnny told me all about you. His cute little crush. Maybe I’ll have to crush his crush as well,” David threatened.
“Stop it,” Sammi called out, “These are my friends. They have my back.”
“Your friends have been very quiet so far,” David hit back, “Come on, clearly you needed me here for a reason. Why don’t we stop wasting my time and get to the point?”
“Tell us what you want,” Dylan demanded. He’d had enough of playing games and needed answers.
“That’s a very big question, Dylan. Yet it has a very simple answer,” David replied in the most patronising way possible, “I want you.”
“Me?” Dylan was confused. What did this mean?
“You. I want you, on my side, and your pack too. One team united,” David expanded.
“You infected us with your stupid virus, now you want us in your pack? What’s the catch?” Jono interjected. Dylan’s idea of nobody else speaking was long gone, so he appreciated Jono’s input.
“So cynical. You’re definitely Steven’s son,” David commented, “The virus was a little motivation. We’d be one team, with one alpha. Working together.”
“One alpha,” Dylan picked up on the key detail in that sentence, “You, I assume.”
“You’d have to surrender your alpha status to me,” David added, “A small price to pay for peace.”
Dylan looked around the room. Jono, Sammi and Jeremy were all terrified of this deal – not only did their faces say it all, but Dylan could feel their fear against his skin. Then there was Brett, whose boyfriend’s life was on the line, at David’s hands. This wasn’t peace. This was a dictatorship.
“The answer is no,” Dylan confidently said. Jono slipped his hand into Dylan’s, giving him that confidence boost.
“A bold move, Dylan, but ultimately a stupid one,” David warned, “So I’ll extend the offer to my family. Join me, and your friends could be saved.”
“Go to hell,” Jono rapidly decided. Dylan was so proud of him. This situation couldn’t be easy on him.
“What he said,” Sammi reiterated, standing firm. All eyes were now on Jeremy. Would he stand with them? This was where he showed his cards.
“No,” Jeremy simply stated. Dylan felt an electric sense of pride. David had been rejected, and his pack had never stood stronger.
“Okay, have it your way,” David replied, “Believe me when I say that this is only just the beginning. You might want to warn your boyfriend, Samantha, or perhaps it’s too late?”
David disappeared in a flash. Dylan still felt mixed. The pack had lit a fire inside of him, but the lines were drawn and David was more formidable than ever.
“I need to call Freddie,” Sammi immediately decided.
“Johnny’s out there,” Brett worried.
“Go. Take care of him,” Dylan directed without a second thought, “And dude, I’m proud of you.” Brett hadn’t officially come out, and he didn’t need Dylan’s approval, but kind words went so far. Brett smiled and nodded before rushing off.
“No answer,” Sammi reported. Dylan glanced to Jono. They had to get out and look.
Arriving back home after seeing George, Lily’s head was all over the place. She had built herself up for so much heartbreak, and none of it had arrived. In a way, that was a positive. All was good with George; in fact, she was so happy for him. However, the energy she built up had to go somewhere. She was on a cliff-edge, ready to fall at any moment.
“Psst,” someone summoned her. Lily looked all around – she couldn’t see anyone.
Continuing towards the door, Lily heard it again. It was coming from above. She tilted her head up to see Alex’s head poking out of Jono’s treehouse.
“What are you doing up there?” Lily called up.
“Dylan told me I’d be safer out here for a bit,” Alex justified. Lily climbed up to see him – no invitation needed. Alex was just the person she wanted to be with. Whatever Dylan and Jono were up to could wait.
“You went to see George, didn’t you?” Alex said as she made herself comfortable on the cold wooden floor, “How was it?”
“Surprisingly okay,” Lily reported, “He’s going to study abroad. With his new girl.”
“What, really?” Alex found the situation hilarious. It kind-of was – both he and Lily were worried about the exact same predicament. Except, Lily wasn’t laughing. She still felt sad. A part of her life had snapped shut. The security of a future with George had gone, “You don’t seem relieved.”
“I expected the worst-case scenario. Me being the homewrecking villain. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time,” Lily opened up.
“You’re not, though. You both moved on. All is okay, right?” Alex reminded. He placed his hand gently on top of her own. He was there for her, and he had her back. It meant the world.
“What about you? Have you ever had anyone else?” Lily questioned, diverting the topic off of herself.
“Not unless you count the guy I dated when I was ten,” Alex laughed, “We dated for a week, and still, he was my first kiss.”
“Oh, don’t, my first kiss was awful. Some soccer jerk who got kicked out of junior high,” Lily cringed at the mere thought.
“First kisses are overrated. Dating is overrated. Though I guess that’s easy for me to say. Honestly, some people thought I was a freakshow at school. I was proud of my identity and I always have been, but some people didn’t get it. To them, I was basically an alien,” Alex opened up. Lily’s heart broke hearing his story. She was learning so much – she could never have imagined how Alex felt, but she was doing her best to understand.
“You’re not an alien. You’re Alex, and you’re better than any of those assholes could ever dream of being,” Lily assured him. Alex smiled his adorably cute smile. Lily could tell just how long he had waited for this moment. She could only hope she was doing it justice, “Hey, you said boyfriend. Are you still into guys?” She wasn’t trying to pry, she just wanted to learn a little more.
“I’ve been known to dabble,” Alex grinned devilishly, “It doesn’t matter either way for me, I identify as pansexual.”
Lily nodded. She knew what pansexual meant, and was unconditionally accepting of Alex’s identity. She was proud of how open he was.
“What about you?” Alex wondered.
“I guess it’s been easy for me. I’ve never thought much about my sexuality,” Lily answered truthfully, “I’ve only dated boys. Most of them were self-serving idiots who wanted a plaything on their arm. George was my first love.”
“If it helps,” Alex replied cautiously, “I think you might be my first love.”
Lily’s heart warmed up. Hearing those words struck such a chord inside her. Everything he said only reassured her that she made the right decision. She didn’t know how to reply, but actions always spoke louder than words. Lily kissed Alex, and the rush of endorphins had never felt stronger. They had nothing to hide now.
“Lily,” Jono called up, interrupting their moment.
“What, dude?” Lily disapprovingly called back. This had to be important.
“David’s got Freddie, Josh and Yasmin,” Jono replied. Okay, it was important.
“Want to know what my life is really like? Let’s go,” Lily held out an inviting hand. This was her chance to really prove herself.
Vision blurry, Freddie wasn’t sure where he was. He couldn’t remember anything since speaking to George. He’d been asleep for… Freddie didn’t even know how long. As his senses adjusted to being awake, Freddie’s brain clicked into action. He wasn’t lying down. In fact, he was stood upright, his feet touching the floor, while his back was jammed against uncomfortable metal railings. His hands were tightly strapped down, and his ankles were restrained. Freddie began to panic.
The room came into focus. He saw two comfortingly familiar faces. Yasmin and Josh. He wasn’t on his own. That said, they were in no better position than he was. There was a desk in front of Freddie with a button connected to the railings situated directly by Yasmin. They were both restrained on the other side of the table to two very uncomfortable-looking wooden chairs. Wherever they were, whoever took them, they clearly had a plan, and Freddie didn’t like it.
“Hey, Freddie,” Yasmin called over, noticing he was now awake. She spoke gently and calmly; Freddie wasn’t sure he had such a capability in that moment.
“Where are we?” Freddie anxiously asked as he struggled to break free.
“We’ve been here before, remember? Look around,” Josh answered. Freddie paused to scan the vast space they were in. The windows were boarded up, so Freddie had to rely on the dim lighting to pick any details out. He could tell that it was an abandoned warehouse. Josh was right; Freddie recognised it.
“The bunker warehouse,” Freddie revealed. The flashbacks of Mr. Forsyth, Dami and Jake were flooding into his mind like an overflowing bath. They had no idea what it had been used for in the past, but it was linked to the tunnels, meaning that their scents couldn’t be tracked.
Another figure crept into view. A girl. A werewolf girl. The one that attacked them. Now he remembered. She was holding a bucket full of water.
“Oh god,” Freddie sighed. He knew what was coming. The girl tipped the entire bucket over Freddie’s bare chest.
“Thank you all for being patient,” a new, authoritative voice entered the room. A tall man in his late forties approached them, flanked my two werewolf teenage boys, “Hi Freddie. I hear you’re the apple of my daughter’s eye.”
“David,” Freddie recognised. His heart had never pumped faster. He was in so much danger.
“I understand you all have a preconceived idea of who I am. I’m here to tell you I mean none of you any harm,” David spoke with arrogance smothering every word like a soaking wet towel, “I’m simply here to invite you to join me. My pack is growing, and I want all three of you on board.”
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of audacity to ask us while we’re tied up,” Yasmin scoffed. His suggestion was indeed laughable – did he genuinely expect them to team up? Freddie would never betray Sammi like that.
“Okay, we’ll do this the hard way. You’ve got a choice to make, Ms. Forsyth,” David changed tactic, “Turn up the dial in front of you on your ex-lover, or I’ll kill your current sweetheart over here.”
Freddie’s eyes widened in horror. Yasmin looked over in despair. The choice was obvious, but she clearly needed approval first.
“Do it,” Freddie directed. He could take the pain. He could heal. It was on him to keep Josh alive.
Brett had never felt so nervous. Waiting for Johnny made him feel antsy, because there was no guarantee he was actually going to arrive. He had heard David’s threat. Johnny wasn’t safe. He put himself on the line to save the entire pack. Brett wasn’t sure if that was courageous or stupid. Or both.
Every minute was passing so slowly, and Brett could hardly stand it. He felt sick thinking about where Johnny could be. He could be dead by now. He could be lying in a ditch, or barely even in one piece. Brett knew it wasn’t healthy to think like that, though. He had to trust that Johnny would be there. He had to keep his optimism, because they were going to need it in spades.
Their meeting point was Mrs. Johnson’s lab – it was the weekend, so it was guaranteed to be empty. Not even workaholic Johnson went to school on a Sunday. Brett had come prepared with a small bag containing a few non-perishable tins of food, a couple of full water bottles, and his wallet, which consisted of no more than twenty dollars.
For a short while, Brett and Johnny had to go into hiding. Only until Dylan defeated David, and Brett was certain that was going to happen. He had seen Dylan in action before, and he was the best. Nothing ever got past him – he was the alpha for a reason.
The classroom door gently swung open. Brett ducked out of view, peeping to check who it was. His nerves were through the roof. To his relief, it was Johnny.
“This place has so many fucking classrooms,” Johnny commented with a cheeky grin as Brett wrapped his arms tightly around him. He was safe, and that was all that mattered.
“We need to go now, we can’t stay still, David will track us,” Brett reasoned.
“Wait, we can’t bring our phones. I know Ed has us covered, but David has contacts. He’d still trace us,” Johnny reasoned. Brett reluctantly left his phone next to Johnny’s on Mrs. Johnson’s desk. He knew he’d feel lost without his phone, but it wasn’t worth the risk.
“Come on, the car’s out front,” Brett directed, “Ed’s put the fake licence plate on and he’s given me an address we could use, it’s a few hours away.”
“That’ll do, but we’ll have to keep our heads down,” Johnny added, “Are you sure this is what you want? It’s not too late to back out. It’s my battle.”
“I’ve never been surer,” Brett replied. He didn’t hesitate for a single second, “I don’t have much money, though.”
“That’s why I was so late,” Johnny mentioned as they approached the car, “I maxed out David’s card. The guy’s rich, born into a wealthy family, that’s how he moves about so much. I’m sure he won’t miss a grand.”
That was music to Brett’s ears. It would easily tide them over for a short while. Long enough for Dylan to save their skin again.
Before Brett switched the engine on, a loud crash sounded on top of the car. Something had landed there. Something had found them.
“Stay quiet,” Johnny whispered. Brett’s heart was racing. They had no time to waste.
Sammi hated being left behind. Freddie needed her, and she was anxious waiting for an update from Dylan or Jono. However, Jeremy needed her too. He was still healing. There was no way he could help just yet. She needed to be with him.
“We’re not safe here anymore,” Sammi worried. David knew where they were, and they had nobody else around to protect them.
“He’s got other priorities, we’ll be okay for now,” Jeremy pointed out. He was lying down on the sofa – neither of them felt ready to attempt the stairs again just yet, “Maybe it’s time we talked history.”
“I’ve been trying to piece the timeline together in my mind, but honestly, I’m beat,” Sammi confessed, “Please, tell me everything.”
“Okay. Our mom became pregnant with twins, and she was so happy. Dad was, too. It was what they’d always wanted, but dad was in trouble with these people, the Lunar Sanctum. They demanded that he kill one of his own babies to absolve his sins,” Jeremy explained.
“Mom knew about all of this too?” Sammi was in shock.
“No, not at all. Dad made it out to be natural causes, but he raised me in secret. He knew mom always wanted a daughter. He didn’t want to deprive her of that,” Jeremy continued, “I was mostly raised by Margaret, one of his old friends. Dad was great, for a while, but he started acting strangely recently. He tested the virus on me. I escaped and ran to LA hoping he wouldn’t find me.”
“How did you become a werewolf?” Sammi wondered.
“I was born one. I inherited the gene. You got lucky I guess,” Jeremy detailed, “Look, I know you feel like you missed out on me growing up, and all the secrets, and I get that, but I missed out on mom. It’s too late for me to put that right.”
Sammi hadn’t thought of it that way. She missed her mum so much. She had all the time in the world to spend with Jeremy now. He couldn’t do that with her.
“What about you? How did you end up back here?” Jeremy queried.
“I had to get away from dad. That night, he showed me what he really was. He was angry, I was scared. Aunt Helen and Uncle Steve, they know about werewolves, but they don’t know what he is. They don’t even know about Jono or Lily. It’s hard to keep it secret when you just want to scream it from the rooftops. He gets away with everything when they’re around,” Sammi opened up, “Hold on, what the heck is the Lunar Sanctum?”
“No idea, dad never told me,” Jeremy replied. Whatever it was, it had screwed up her entire family. It sounded terrifying.
Carefully following his nose, Dylan could tell Josh’s scent a mile off. They were brothers – perhaps not by blood, but that hardly mattered; Dylan’s protective instincts were especially strong where his family was involved.
The trail led to a house just down the road from the school. Instantly, Dylan knew the address. He’d seen it earlier that day in Ed’s office. This was where one of David’s betas lived.
“Okay, where are they?” an exasperated Lily questioned. She didn’t have the increased speed that Dylan and Jono had, so she lagged behind a little with Alex. Dylan wasn’t sure bringing Alex was such a good idea, but four sets of eyes were better than three.
“Can you see them?” Jono sarcastically replied, “We’re on a wild goose chase.”
“Okay, so we can’t track their scents,” Lily thought aloud, “That must mean one thing, right?”
“The bunkers,” Dylan realised. The perfect place to hide somebody. So many pipes ran through those tunnels that it was impossible to trace a scent.
“Wait, can you hear that?” Alex jumped in, “I mean, if I can, I’m sure you all can too, but listen.”
Dylan focused. Sure enough, he could hear banging. Yelling. Fighting. Worst of all, one familiar voice was thrown into the mix.
“That’s Brett,” Dylan identified. No more had to be said. Dylan had to get there quick. He dashed down the street on all fours, keeping air-resistance to a minimum. He had a friend to save.
In the school car park, Johnny was being attacked. A werewolf girl was on top of him, slashing at his chest, while Brett helplessly pleaded for her to stop.
Dylan wasn’t taking any prisoners. His friends were in danger and this was never okay. Still on all fours, Dylan unleashed a rumbling growl. He was the alpha here, and he was in charge.
The girl looked over. She was angry, and not in control of her wolf. Any shred of humanity was buried underneath. He was fighting an animal. She lunged for him, forcing herself upwards, landing just in front of Dylan. She wanted to fight. Clearly, she had never fought an alpha.
“Get out of here,” Dylan yelled to Brett as Jono joined Dylan’s side. They were fighting this together.
The girl swung for Dylan, but he caught her arm, pushing her backwards. She got up immediately and swung for Jono, but again, he was too quick, catching her ankle and tripping her up. She collapsed to the floor with a harsh thud.
“Ouch,” she complained. That wasn’t a wolf’s reaction. The girl was back. Pain made her human.
“Take us to our friends,” Dylan demanded, just as Brett sped off in his car. He and Johnny were safe. Now they needed Josh, Freddie and Yasmin back.
Yasmin didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to hurt Freddie – nobody deserved pain less than he did. He was one of her closest friends, much like the brother she never had. However, she had to turn the dial on him. Of course she did – not turning it would have meant Josh dying. That would be even worse. There really was no other option.
“I’m sorry,” Yasmin gulped. Freddie raised her a nervous smile. He understood, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Yasmin twisted the dial the tiniest amount she could. A shock of electricity shot through Freddie’s body. If it weren’t for the restraints, he’d have leapt halfway across the room. Even that was horrible to see, and that was the lowest setting.
“Again,” David commanded. Yasmin felt a stream of droplets trickling down her cheeks. This was horrible. She regretfully turned the dial again, as low as possible.
“Again. Higher this time,” David continued. Yasmin was furious, but there was nothing she could do. She spun the dial again, choosing not to look at Freddie’s pain-stricken face. She couldn’t avoid the sound of his cries, though.
“Stop,” Josh called out, “No more.”
“Seems like Joshua wants to talk business,” David smiled gleefully.
“Whatever this is, don’t do it,” Yasmin warned. She didn’t want Josh to make a deal with the devil. The longer they could hold out, the better chance they had of Dylan finding them.
“Dude,” Freddie concurred.
“Take me. Let these two go, and I’ll join you,” Josh offered. Yasmin’s heart sunk, “You have to promise me my friends will be safe.”
“No,” Yasmin protested, but it was too late. The offer was on the table. He had given David what he wanted.
“In exchange for your loyalty?” David questioned.
“Yes. Loyal to the end,” Josh promised. He turned to Yasmin, mouthing a message without making a sound.
Save me.
Yasmin’s hands were uncuffed, and Freddie was unchained. This couldn’t be it, though. Yasmin refused to accept this solution. This couldn’t be how they got out. Josh had fought his demons so hard. Now he was back to square one.
“Go,” Josh directed. Yasmin couldn’t look at him. This was ridiculous, but she had to run. She took Freddie’s hand and sprinted to the exit. The sooner they got away, the better, but she knew damn well she wasn’t abandoning Josh for good.
Following David’s beta through the tunnels, Dylan was remaining on high alert. His theory was right – this was where David had been hiding, but he still didn’t trust the girl. She seemed scared, on-edge, as if she knew nothing of the world she had arrived in. David was preying on the innocent, spinning them out of control for his own gain.
“This place is crazy,” Alex commented. He still had so much to learn. Dylan had noticed he and Lily were holding hands – it was cute, though it wasn’t his place to mention it without Lily bringing it up first.
“Hold on, stop,” Jono directed.
“What’s up?” Dylan queried. Jono looked worried, which always meant there was cause for concern.
“Someone’s coming,” Jono explained. He was right. Footsteps were frantically approaching. Two heartbeats. Dylan primed himself, ready for a fight.
Springing out of the shadows were a panicked Freddie and Yasmin. They looked terrified, but Dylan was so relieved to see them. They were safe.
“Boy, am I glad to see you,” he hugged Yasmin. Something wasn’t right, though. She still felt scared, even though they were both at safety.
“He’s got Josh. He made a deal,” Freddie replied. Yasmin rested a tearful head on Dylan’s shoulder.
“A deal? A deal with who?” Dylan was confused.
“He’s joined David’s pack,” Freddie added. Dylan was speechless. Josh had taken a bullet for the team, but in the process, he’d surely end up losing himself.
In the corner of his eye, he saw the looks on Jeremy and Sammi’s faces. They were petrified. David’s own flesh and blood couldn’t even look him in the eye. That told Dylan all he needed to know.
“Seems like you got to Johnny. It’s okay, I’ve got other betas. Fresh out the oven, so to speak,” David spoke with his usual sense of arrogance, “I’ll get them to track him down.”
“Don’t lay a finger on him,” Brett reacted, falling into his trap. Just what Dylan had warned against. So much for him doing the talking.
“This must be Brett. Johnny told me all about you. His cute little crush. Maybe I’ll have to crush his crush as well,” David threatened.
“Stop it,” Sammi called out, “These are my friends. They have my back.”
“Your friends have been very quiet so far,” David hit back, “Come on, clearly you needed me here for a reason. Why don’t we stop wasting my time and get to the point?”
“Tell us what you want,” Dylan demanded. He’d had enough of playing games and needed answers.
“That’s a very big question, Dylan. Yet it has a very simple answer,” David replied in the most patronising way possible, “I want you.”
“Me?” Dylan was confused. What did this mean?
“You. I want you, on my side, and your pack too. One team united,” David expanded.
“You infected us with your stupid virus, now you want us in your pack? What’s the catch?” Jono interjected. Dylan’s idea of nobody else speaking was long gone, so he appreciated Jono’s input.
“So cynical. You’re definitely Steven’s son,” David commented, “The virus was a little motivation. We’d be one team, with one alpha. Working together.”
“One alpha,” Dylan picked up on the key detail in that sentence, “You, I assume.”
“You’d have to surrender your alpha status to me,” David added, “A small price to pay for peace.”
Dylan looked around the room. Jono, Sammi and Jeremy were all terrified of this deal – not only did their faces say it all, but Dylan could feel their fear against his skin. Then there was Brett, whose boyfriend’s life was on the line, at David’s hands. This wasn’t peace. This was a dictatorship.
“The answer is no,” Dylan confidently said. Jono slipped his hand into Dylan’s, giving him that confidence boost.
“A bold move, Dylan, but ultimately a stupid one,” David warned, “So I’ll extend the offer to my family. Join me, and your friends could be saved.”
“Go to hell,” Jono rapidly decided. Dylan was so proud of him. This situation couldn’t be easy on him.
“What he said,” Sammi reiterated, standing firm. All eyes were now on Jeremy. Would he stand with them? This was where he showed his cards.
“No,” Jeremy simply stated. Dylan felt an electric sense of pride. David had been rejected, and his pack had never stood stronger.
“Okay, have it your way,” David replied, “Believe me when I say that this is only just the beginning. You might want to warn your boyfriend, Samantha, or perhaps it’s too late?”
David disappeared in a flash. Dylan still felt mixed. The pack had lit a fire inside of him, but the lines were drawn and David was more formidable than ever.
“I need to call Freddie,” Sammi immediately decided.
“Johnny’s out there,” Brett worried.
“Go. Take care of him,” Dylan directed without a second thought, “And dude, I’m proud of you.” Brett hadn’t officially come out, and he didn’t need Dylan’s approval, but kind words went so far. Brett smiled and nodded before rushing off.
“No answer,” Sammi reported. Dylan glanced to Jono. They had to get out and look.
Arriving back home after seeing George, Lily’s head was all over the place. She had built herself up for so much heartbreak, and none of it had arrived. In a way, that was a positive. All was good with George; in fact, she was so happy for him. However, the energy she built up had to go somewhere. She was on a cliff-edge, ready to fall at any moment.
“Psst,” someone summoned her. Lily looked all around – she couldn’t see anyone.
Continuing towards the door, Lily heard it again. It was coming from above. She tilted her head up to see Alex’s head poking out of Jono’s treehouse.
“What are you doing up there?” Lily called up.
“Dylan told me I’d be safer out here for a bit,” Alex justified. Lily climbed up to see him – no invitation needed. Alex was just the person she wanted to be with. Whatever Dylan and Jono were up to could wait.
“You went to see George, didn’t you?” Alex said as she made herself comfortable on the cold wooden floor, “How was it?”
“Surprisingly okay,” Lily reported, “He’s going to study abroad. With his new girl.”
“What, really?” Alex found the situation hilarious. It kind-of was – both he and Lily were worried about the exact same predicament. Except, Lily wasn’t laughing. She still felt sad. A part of her life had snapped shut. The security of a future with George had gone, “You don’t seem relieved.”
“I expected the worst-case scenario. Me being the homewrecking villain. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time,” Lily opened up.
“You’re not, though. You both moved on. All is okay, right?” Alex reminded. He placed his hand gently on top of her own. He was there for her, and he had her back. It meant the world.
“What about you? Have you ever had anyone else?” Lily questioned, diverting the topic off of herself.
“Not unless you count the guy I dated when I was ten,” Alex laughed, “We dated for a week, and still, he was my first kiss.”
“Oh, don’t, my first kiss was awful. Some soccer jerk who got kicked out of junior high,” Lily cringed at the mere thought.
“First kisses are overrated. Dating is overrated. Though I guess that’s easy for me to say. Honestly, some people thought I was a freakshow at school. I was proud of my identity and I always have been, but some people didn’t get it. To them, I was basically an alien,” Alex opened up. Lily’s heart broke hearing his story. She was learning so much – she could never have imagined how Alex felt, but she was doing her best to understand.
“You’re not an alien. You’re Alex, and you’re better than any of those assholes could ever dream of being,” Lily assured him. Alex smiled his adorably cute smile. Lily could tell just how long he had waited for this moment. She could only hope she was doing it justice, “Hey, you said boyfriend. Are you still into guys?” She wasn’t trying to pry, she just wanted to learn a little more.
“I’ve been known to dabble,” Alex grinned devilishly, “It doesn’t matter either way for me, I identify as pansexual.”
Lily nodded. She knew what pansexual meant, and was unconditionally accepting of Alex’s identity. She was proud of how open he was.
“What about you?” Alex wondered.
“I guess it’s been easy for me. I’ve never thought much about my sexuality,” Lily answered truthfully, “I’ve only dated boys. Most of them were self-serving idiots who wanted a plaything on their arm. George was my first love.”
“If it helps,” Alex replied cautiously, “I think you might be my first love.”
Lily’s heart warmed up. Hearing those words struck such a chord inside her. Everything he said only reassured her that she made the right decision. She didn’t know how to reply, but actions always spoke louder than words. Lily kissed Alex, and the rush of endorphins had never felt stronger. They had nothing to hide now.
“Lily,” Jono called up, interrupting their moment.
“What, dude?” Lily disapprovingly called back. This had to be important.
“David’s got Freddie, Josh and Yasmin,” Jono replied. Okay, it was important.
“Want to know what my life is really like? Let’s go,” Lily held out an inviting hand. This was her chance to really prove herself.
Vision blurry, Freddie wasn’t sure where he was. He couldn’t remember anything since speaking to George. He’d been asleep for… Freddie didn’t even know how long. As his senses adjusted to being awake, Freddie’s brain clicked into action. He wasn’t lying down. In fact, he was stood upright, his feet touching the floor, while his back was jammed against uncomfortable metal railings. His hands were tightly strapped down, and his ankles were restrained. Freddie began to panic.
The room came into focus. He saw two comfortingly familiar faces. Yasmin and Josh. He wasn’t on his own. That said, they were in no better position than he was. There was a desk in front of Freddie with a button connected to the railings situated directly by Yasmin. They were both restrained on the other side of the table to two very uncomfortable-looking wooden chairs. Wherever they were, whoever took them, they clearly had a plan, and Freddie didn’t like it.
“Hey, Freddie,” Yasmin called over, noticing he was now awake. She spoke gently and calmly; Freddie wasn’t sure he had such a capability in that moment.
“Where are we?” Freddie anxiously asked as he struggled to break free.
“We’ve been here before, remember? Look around,” Josh answered. Freddie paused to scan the vast space they were in. The windows were boarded up, so Freddie had to rely on the dim lighting to pick any details out. He could tell that it was an abandoned warehouse. Josh was right; Freddie recognised it.
“The bunker warehouse,” Freddie revealed. The flashbacks of Mr. Forsyth, Dami and Jake were flooding into his mind like an overflowing bath. They had no idea what it had been used for in the past, but it was linked to the tunnels, meaning that their scents couldn’t be tracked.
Another figure crept into view. A girl. A werewolf girl. The one that attacked them. Now he remembered. She was holding a bucket full of water.
“Oh god,” Freddie sighed. He knew what was coming. The girl tipped the entire bucket over Freddie’s bare chest.
“Thank you all for being patient,” a new, authoritative voice entered the room. A tall man in his late forties approached them, flanked my two werewolf teenage boys, “Hi Freddie. I hear you’re the apple of my daughter’s eye.”
“David,” Freddie recognised. His heart had never pumped faster. He was in so much danger.
“I understand you all have a preconceived idea of who I am. I’m here to tell you I mean none of you any harm,” David spoke with arrogance smothering every word like a soaking wet towel, “I’m simply here to invite you to join me. My pack is growing, and I want all three of you on board.”
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of audacity to ask us while we’re tied up,” Yasmin scoffed. His suggestion was indeed laughable – did he genuinely expect them to team up? Freddie would never betray Sammi like that.
“Okay, we’ll do this the hard way. You’ve got a choice to make, Ms. Forsyth,” David changed tactic, “Turn up the dial in front of you on your ex-lover, or I’ll kill your current sweetheart over here.”
Freddie’s eyes widened in horror. Yasmin looked over in despair. The choice was obvious, but she clearly needed approval first.
“Do it,” Freddie directed. He could take the pain. He could heal. It was on him to keep Josh alive.
Brett had never felt so nervous. Waiting for Johnny made him feel antsy, because there was no guarantee he was actually going to arrive. He had heard David’s threat. Johnny wasn’t safe. He put himself on the line to save the entire pack. Brett wasn’t sure if that was courageous or stupid. Or both.
Every minute was passing so slowly, and Brett could hardly stand it. He felt sick thinking about where Johnny could be. He could be dead by now. He could be lying in a ditch, or barely even in one piece. Brett knew it wasn’t healthy to think like that, though. He had to trust that Johnny would be there. He had to keep his optimism, because they were going to need it in spades.
Their meeting point was Mrs. Johnson’s lab – it was the weekend, so it was guaranteed to be empty. Not even workaholic Johnson went to school on a Sunday. Brett had come prepared with a small bag containing a few non-perishable tins of food, a couple of full water bottles, and his wallet, which consisted of no more than twenty dollars.
For a short while, Brett and Johnny had to go into hiding. Only until Dylan defeated David, and Brett was certain that was going to happen. He had seen Dylan in action before, and he was the best. Nothing ever got past him – he was the alpha for a reason.
The classroom door gently swung open. Brett ducked out of view, peeping to check who it was. His nerves were through the roof. To his relief, it was Johnny.
“This place has so many fucking classrooms,” Johnny commented with a cheeky grin as Brett wrapped his arms tightly around him. He was safe, and that was all that mattered.
“We need to go now, we can’t stay still, David will track us,” Brett reasoned.
“Wait, we can’t bring our phones. I know Ed has us covered, but David has contacts. He’d still trace us,” Johnny reasoned. Brett reluctantly left his phone next to Johnny’s on Mrs. Johnson’s desk. He knew he’d feel lost without his phone, but it wasn’t worth the risk.
“Come on, the car’s out front,” Brett directed, “Ed’s put the fake licence plate on and he’s given me an address we could use, it’s a few hours away.”
“That’ll do, but we’ll have to keep our heads down,” Johnny added, “Are you sure this is what you want? It’s not too late to back out. It’s my battle.”
“I’ve never been surer,” Brett replied. He didn’t hesitate for a single second, “I don’t have much money, though.”
“That’s why I was so late,” Johnny mentioned as they approached the car, “I maxed out David’s card. The guy’s rich, born into a wealthy family, that’s how he moves about so much. I’m sure he won’t miss a grand.”
That was music to Brett’s ears. It would easily tide them over for a short while. Long enough for Dylan to save their skin again.
Before Brett switched the engine on, a loud crash sounded on top of the car. Something had landed there. Something had found them.
“Stay quiet,” Johnny whispered. Brett’s heart was racing. They had no time to waste.
Sammi hated being left behind. Freddie needed her, and she was anxious waiting for an update from Dylan or Jono. However, Jeremy needed her too. He was still healing. There was no way he could help just yet. She needed to be with him.
“We’re not safe here anymore,” Sammi worried. David knew where they were, and they had nobody else around to protect them.
“He’s got other priorities, we’ll be okay for now,” Jeremy pointed out. He was lying down on the sofa – neither of them felt ready to attempt the stairs again just yet, “Maybe it’s time we talked history.”
“I’ve been trying to piece the timeline together in my mind, but honestly, I’m beat,” Sammi confessed, “Please, tell me everything.”
“Okay. Our mom became pregnant with twins, and she was so happy. Dad was, too. It was what they’d always wanted, but dad was in trouble with these people, the Lunar Sanctum. They demanded that he kill one of his own babies to absolve his sins,” Jeremy explained.
“Mom knew about all of this too?” Sammi was in shock.
“No, not at all. Dad made it out to be natural causes, but he raised me in secret. He knew mom always wanted a daughter. He didn’t want to deprive her of that,” Jeremy continued, “I was mostly raised by Margaret, one of his old friends. Dad was great, for a while, but he started acting strangely recently. He tested the virus on me. I escaped and ran to LA hoping he wouldn’t find me.”
“How did you become a werewolf?” Sammi wondered.
“I was born one. I inherited the gene. You got lucky I guess,” Jeremy detailed, “Look, I know you feel like you missed out on me growing up, and all the secrets, and I get that, but I missed out on mom. It’s too late for me to put that right.”
Sammi hadn’t thought of it that way. She missed her mum so much. She had all the time in the world to spend with Jeremy now. He couldn’t do that with her.
“What about you? How did you end up back here?” Jeremy queried.
“I had to get away from dad. That night, he showed me what he really was. He was angry, I was scared. Aunt Helen and Uncle Steve, they know about werewolves, but they don’t know what he is. They don’t even know about Jono or Lily. It’s hard to keep it secret when you just want to scream it from the rooftops. He gets away with everything when they’re around,” Sammi opened up, “Hold on, what the heck is the Lunar Sanctum?”
“No idea, dad never told me,” Jeremy replied. Whatever it was, it had screwed up her entire family. It sounded terrifying.
Carefully following his nose, Dylan could tell Josh’s scent a mile off. They were brothers – perhaps not by blood, but that hardly mattered; Dylan’s protective instincts were especially strong where his family was involved.
The trail led to a house just down the road from the school. Instantly, Dylan knew the address. He’d seen it earlier that day in Ed’s office. This was where one of David’s betas lived.
“Okay, where are they?” an exasperated Lily questioned. She didn’t have the increased speed that Dylan and Jono had, so she lagged behind a little with Alex. Dylan wasn’t sure bringing Alex was such a good idea, but four sets of eyes were better than three.
“Can you see them?” Jono sarcastically replied, “We’re on a wild goose chase.”
“Okay, so we can’t track their scents,” Lily thought aloud, “That must mean one thing, right?”
“The bunkers,” Dylan realised. The perfect place to hide somebody. So many pipes ran through those tunnels that it was impossible to trace a scent.
“Wait, can you hear that?” Alex jumped in, “I mean, if I can, I’m sure you all can too, but listen.”
Dylan focused. Sure enough, he could hear banging. Yelling. Fighting. Worst of all, one familiar voice was thrown into the mix.
“That’s Brett,” Dylan identified. No more had to be said. Dylan had to get there quick. He dashed down the street on all fours, keeping air-resistance to a minimum. He had a friend to save.
In the school car park, Johnny was being attacked. A werewolf girl was on top of him, slashing at his chest, while Brett helplessly pleaded for her to stop.
Dylan wasn’t taking any prisoners. His friends were in danger and this was never okay. Still on all fours, Dylan unleashed a rumbling growl. He was the alpha here, and he was in charge.
The girl looked over. She was angry, and not in control of her wolf. Any shred of humanity was buried underneath. He was fighting an animal. She lunged for him, forcing herself upwards, landing just in front of Dylan. She wanted to fight. Clearly, she had never fought an alpha.
“Get out of here,” Dylan yelled to Brett as Jono joined Dylan’s side. They were fighting this together.
The girl swung for Dylan, but he caught her arm, pushing her backwards. She got up immediately and swung for Jono, but again, he was too quick, catching her ankle and tripping her up. She collapsed to the floor with a harsh thud.
“Ouch,” she complained. That wasn’t a wolf’s reaction. The girl was back. Pain made her human.
“Take us to our friends,” Dylan demanded, just as Brett sped off in his car. He and Johnny were safe. Now they needed Josh, Freddie and Yasmin back.
Yasmin didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to hurt Freddie – nobody deserved pain less than he did. He was one of her closest friends, much like the brother she never had. However, she had to turn the dial on him. Of course she did – not turning it would have meant Josh dying. That would be even worse. There really was no other option.
“I’m sorry,” Yasmin gulped. Freddie raised her a nervous smile. He understood, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Yasmin twisted the dial the tiniest amount she could. A shock of electricity shot through Freddie’s body. If it weren’t for the restraints, he’d have leapt halfway across the room. Even that was horrible to see, and that was the lowest setting.
“Again,” David commanded. Yasmin felt a stream of droplets trickling down her cheeks. This was horrible. She regretfully turned the dial again, as low as possible.
“Again. Higher this time,” David continued. Yasmin was furious, but there was nothing she could do. She spun the dial again, choosing not to look at Freddie’s pain-stricken face. She couldn’t avoid the sound of his cries, though.
“Stop,” Josh called out, “No more.”
“Seems like Joshua wants to talk business,” David smiled gleefully.
“Whatever this is, don’t do it,” Yasmin warned. She didn’t want Josh to make a deal with the devil. The longer they could hold out, the better chance they had of Dylan finding them.
“Dude,” Freddie concurred.
“Take me. Let these two go, and I’ll join you,” Josh offered. Yasmin’s heart sunk, “You have to promise me my friends will be safe.”
“No,” Yasmin protested, but it was too late. The offer was on the table. He had given David what he wanted.
“In exchange for your loyalty?” David questioned.
“Yes. Loyal to the end,” Josh promised. He turned to Yasmin, mouthing a message without making a sound.
Save me.
Yasmin’s hands were uncuffed, and Freddie was unchained. This couldn’t be it, though. Yasmin refused to accept this solution. This couldn’t be how they got out. Josh had fought his demons so hard. Now he was back to square one.
“Go,” Josh directed. Yasmin couldn’t look at him. This was ridiculous, but she had to run. She took Freddie’s hand and sprinted to the exit. The sooner they got away, the better, but she knew damn well she wasn’t abandoning Josh for good.
Following David’s beta through the tunnels, Dylan was remaining on high alert. His theory was right – this was where David had been hiding, but he still didn’t trust the girl. She seemed scared, on-edge, as if she knew nothing of the world she had arrived in. David was preying on the innocent, spinning them out of control for his own gain.
“This place is crazy,” Alex commented. He still had so much to learn. Dylan had noticed he and Lily were holding hands – it was cute, though it wasn’t his place to mention it without Lily bringing it up first.
“Hold on, stop,” Jono directed.
“What’s up?” Dylan queried. Jono looked worried, which always meant there was cause for concern.
“Someone’s coming,” Jono explained. He was right. Footsteps were frantically approaching. Two heartbeats. Dylan primed himself, ready for a fight.
Springing out of the shadows were a panicked Freddie and Yasmin. They looked terrified, but Dylan was so relieved to see them. They were safe.
“Boy, am I glad to see you,” he hugged Yasmin. Something wasn’t right, though. She still felt scared, even though they were both at safety.
“He’s got Josh. He made a deal,” Freddie replied. Yasmin rested a tearful head on Dylan’s shoulder.
“A deal? A deal with who?” Dylan was confused.
“He’s joined David’s pack,” Freddie added. Dylan was speechless. Josh had taken a bullet for the team, but in the process, he’d surely end up losing himself.
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Next: "Sentimentality"
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