The Wolf Inside

Erin Blackthorne

When I came to, I had no idea how much time had passed.

All I was sure of was the pain.

I was in a place that was pitch black and icy cold.

Then it hit me that I was naked.

The metallic taste still lingered in my mouth.

I knew it instantly.

Then the memory of a fist smashing into my face came back.

I touched my face and winced.

I wouldn’t be surprised if something was broken.

At least my hands were free, so that was something.

My leg was throbbing, reminding me of the wolf claws that had caused the pain.

The beta’s wolf.

I touched my leg and hissed as my fingers grazed the cuts.

It was swollen and wet.

Out of habit, I sniffed my fingers.

I cringed at the smell.

My leg was already infected.

Maybe I wasn’t just cold, maybe I was shivering because the infection was setting in.

I was pretty sure Stephen had disliked me from the moment he laid eyes on me.

Calling him a mutt probably didn’t help.

But he had set me up.

He let me escape, only to recapture me and throw me in here.

Wherever here was.

I assumed it was underground, since there were no windows, and the floor felt like dirt.

Not solid like wood or concrete.

I couldn’t see the walls, but from what my father had once told me, I figured this was some sort of dungeon, probably under the pack house.

I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest, ignoring the pain in my legs. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to cover up and warm up a bit.

I knew now that my father had been right.

They were monsters.

Why they let Callum live, I didn’t know.

It was clear to me now that they planned to leave me here to die.

They weren’t just monsters, they were cowardly monsters.

They didn’t even have the guts to kill me.

I couldn’t help but wonder, though, if some of what they said, some of what Callum said, was true.

Could I be part werewolf? Was that why they put me here?

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of metal scraping. I looked around and saw a heavy metal door.

I squinted, then hugged myself tighter as I saw the beta coming closer.

He was holding a light.

The only light.

Even with the door open, there was no light coming from outside the room.

My guess was right; we were below ground.

I took the chance to look around: heavy grey brick walls and no windows. I doubted anyone would find me unless they knew where I was.

“Still not shifted, little Blackthorne!” he hissed. “You’re as pathetic as your brother!”

He came closer, so I tried to move away.

“I can smell your fear, you pathetic little wretch,” he growled.

His eyes then focused on my leg; the marks from his claws were raw and angry.

He kicked it with his boot, making me scream in pain.

I gasped for air, the pain making it hard to breathe. I fell onto the floor. The pain made me forget that I was naked.

“Still not healing either!” he scoffed. “I guess your father was wrong about a werewolf hybrid being the ultimate warrior!”

I looked at him, confused.

He sneered and laughed. “Oh, I guess you didn’t know, did you? Your father thought hybrids were the future. Immune to standard weapons because of the werewolf’s superior healing, and immune to Wolfsbane, as it only suppresses your wolf.”

Suddenly, he grabbed my throat, lifting me up and slamming me against the wall. Then he dropped me onto the floor like a rag doll.

I screamed as pain shot through my leg again.

“Wh...Why... do you hate us!” I managed to gasp out.

He rolled his eyes. “Because of what you are. But you,” he hissed, “you I hate the most. I figured it out, you were the one who killed my brother. We found him by the road, his head cut off. It wasn’t even a clean kill. It took at least two hits with a dull axe to kill him!”

I stared at him, remembering the wolf whose head I’d cut off. My first kill.

“And now!” he hissed, “Our Alpha wants to make you his mate! A murdering hybrid will become our Luna!”

I shook my head frantically. “No...” I stuttered.

He sneered at me again, “You didn’t know, did you, that Marcus is your mate! Well, let me tell you this, Blackthorne scum, you will never be our Luna, not while I’m still breathing!”

He looked at me and started to laugh. It was a harsh, joyless laugh.

“I have other plans for you, Blackthorne. I’ve always wondered how silver would affect a hybrid. I guess we’ll find out!”

I watched as he snapped his fingers and two large werewolves entered the room.

They were carrying shackles and a metal collar.

“No!” I screamed as they grabbed my arms.

I heard the click as the shackles were fastened around my wrists, and the chains were attached to a ring in the wall, which I hadn’t noticed before.

The collar was then put around my neck and also secured to the wall.

“Now we’ll see what happens when the Wolfsbane starts to leave your system,” he smirked.

The three werewolves walked towards the door.

Beta Stephen turned to look at me just before he left.

“You’ll die a slow, painful death if the silver does its job. You can’t heal fast with Wolfsbane in your blood. And once that’s gone, your wolf will try to come out, but the silver will stop that too.” He chuckled. “It’ll also block you from mind-linking and shifting. Not that I think you could do those things anyway!”

He vanished from my sight, leaving me alone in the dark.

The last sounds I heard were the metallic slam of the door and the loud click of the lock.

Then, silence.

I could already feel the shackles chafing my wrists and neck. I wondered how long it would take for them to really start hurting.

My dad had told me that silver was deadly to pureblood werewolves. Just touching it could burn them. Any weapon, like the knife I’d carried, could kill them if it hit a vital organ.

One of my brothers had mentioned that werewolves sometimes used silver to punish or restrain their own kind because it weakened them.

If I was part werewolf, then it would probably affect me the same way.

The discomfort I was feeling seemed to confirm that.

If the silver slowed down the healing, then this wound on my leg could kill me.

I was pretty sure that the chances of anyone finding me were slim.

All I could think about now was how long it would take for me to die and what would happen to my brother.

I felt like I was stronger than him, especially in spirit.

I just hoped that his death would be quicker than mine.