Alphas daughter

Chapter 42

As I peeled my eyes open, I was met with a blur of browns and greys. I felt a sharp pain shoot through my thigh and instantly it faded to an aching. A sweet, insipid taste roamed my mouth and lay across my tongue.

Slowly, my vision came to and I could see Zach's human form leaning over me, his hands threaded in my messy brown locks. I knew from his form it was morning, meaning I had been unconscious all night, but I didn't know why.

"What happened?" I managed to croak out, my throat was raspy and dry and my voice sounded unfamiliar. I hauled myself up off the floor and took in my surroundings.

The floor was a dark, grey, concrete slab that was surrounded by matching walls. Thick, concrete lined the perimeter of the room except one side. That one side had long metal bars from floor to ceiling and one bar had a padlock on. I realised some of the bars were linked by horizontal rods, making a door.

"Where are we?" I trembled as my voice barely managed to grunt out the words.

"I don't know." Zach sighed from beside me, his hand trailed up and down my arm in a soothing manner. "Here," he called and I turned to see small black berries in his hand. He held them out to me as I looked at him quizzically.

"Nightshade berries?" I furrowed my brows as I tried to understand why he had them.

"Yeah, we were shot with arrows laced in wolfsbane. I already gave you some to wake you up, but here," he said, thrusting them towards me. I took around half and swallowed them instantly. Immediately the simmering sensation subsided and my breathing regulated. "Have the rest," he instructed and I shook my head.

"What about you?" I asked and he sighed.

"I have already had some," he responded before once again, pushing his hand closer to me.

"How many?" I asked, knowing he would've saved as many as possible for me.

"Enough," he grunted but I pushed his hand back towards him.

"Have them," I demanded and he sighed before throwing the berries into his mouth. I looked down to my leg to see a gaping hole in it, meaning the arrow wasn't long ago removed. I scanned the room and saw two arrows lying on the floor and figured Zach probably pulled them out. I pulled myself up off the floor and onto my feet before padding over to the door.

Immediately I slammed my hands against the cold metal, hoping it would cave in, however, both bars remained steady and firm. I smashed my foot against one, over and over, desperate to snap the bar so we could slip out.

"Don't bother, if they were weak enough to break, you would've snapped it instantly," Zach grumbled from behind me.

"We're trapped." I sighed and he nodded solemnly. I pressed my back against the wall and slid down its length until my butt hit the floor. I swallowed the painful lump in my throat and choked back my tears.

"Are you ok?" Zach asked gently.

"Not really." I sighed in despair. "I just don't understand why they took you as well. I thought they wanted me away from you," I explained, completely baffled by their actions. I didn't think shooting and poisoning me was their style either.

"This isn't the pack," Zach replied, his tone sounding obvious. I squinted my eyes at him in confusion and he smirked slightly. "Sniff," he ordered.

I knitted my brows together at his odd request but I sniffed nonetheless. He was right, it wasn't the pack. A different scent filled my nose and my stomach flipped in fear. My clammy hands were now sodden in sweat as I realised. "Humans," I whispered and Zach just nodded.

Humans had taken us, on the one hand we could fight back easier but they knew what we were. They knew and even if we got away, they would still know. I shuffled across the floor to Zach, who sat with his knees up and his elbows resting on them. He held his head in his hands and I could see the fear and anger and sadness in his eyes. They were clouded with every emotion but the rest of his face was hardened, showing nothing.

I leant my head against his shoulder and felt his arms snake around my waist. He held me tightly against him and I knew he needed me as much as I needed him. I felt my heart beat slow as I lay against him, feeling safer in his arms.

Just then a man appeared at the door of the cage, a concerned and confused expression evident on his face. "What the hell," he gasped as Zach and I scrambled to our feet, ready to fight him off. He remained, gawking at us. His mouth formed the perfect O and his eyebrows furrowed together, creasing his forehead. He had bright green eyes that were as wide as saucers.

I shared a confused glance with Zach before turning my attention back to him. "Hannah!" He screamed, startling me after his silent stares. He never once took his eyes of us.

"Who are you?" I asked shakily, glancing between him and Zach, who shared the same expression I held; utter confusion and fear. He ignored my question and soon a woman appeared next to him. She had short blond hair cut into a bob and a fringe falling over her forehead. She wore large black framed glasses and a long white coat. She shared the same expression the man did as we all stared at each other.

"Where are they?" She stammered and I glanced at Zach. He too, glimpsed at me and we both looked gormless and dazed. Where were who?

"Right there, honey." A wide smile appeared on the guys face as he pointed to us. At the word honey I couldn't help but think of my dad. If he was here he would have got us out by now. Had anyone even noticed we were missing yet?

"They are werewolves," she exclaimed, mirroring the mans smile on her own face.

"They didn't know?" I whispered to Zach, who edged closer to me as they turned to us.

"When we sell them, we will make millions," the woman, Hannah, cheered.

"Sell us?" I growled and Zach tensed next to me. His jaw clenched and he balled his fists.

"We aren't going to sell them yet, honey," the man replied and I let out breath of relief.

"We need the money for our research John," she snapped back.

"We have new research right here, we can run some experiments on them and present our findings to the world then sell them to the highest bidder!" He exclaimed while I let out a growl.  Zach's eyes flashed yellow beside me and he began snarling and barking at them.

I noticed the woman step back slightly at our gnarls but the man stood his ground and watched us, almost in amusement. "Come in here and try!" I dared, knowing as soon as they stepped in, their arms would be ripped clean off.

The man simply smirked before turning behind him. Until then, I hadn't noticed the red button on the wall behind him. He slammed his hand against it and turned back to us, a grin smeared across his face. I shared a confused and worried glance with Zach before a sizzling sound reached my ears.

I looked around to see two vents either side of the cage. A few seconds later, clouds of gas began pouring into the room and fogging around us. As soon as I took a breath I recognised the scent. "Wolfsbane," Zach grunted and instantly the burning sensation shot through my mouth and nose.

I let out a piercing scream as the agony spread through my body. Clutching my stomach, I groaned as the nauseous feeling reappeared. I crumpled to the floor and curled my body, still grasping my abdomen and shrieking in pain. Every part of me felt scolded, as if my blood had become acid, eating me from the inside out.

"If you want the berries, I suggest you don't threaten me again," the mans voice boomed through the fog although, I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. My mind was as foggy as the cage I sat in and I couldn't conjure a thought. Somewhere near me, Zach's groans and grumbles filled the air along with my cries and whimpers.

After what felt like hours, the torture ended and the fog cleared. A small bowl of berries was pushed into the cage and I scrambled over to it as quickly as I could. The torment and misery finally ended as I grabbed a handful. The two humans had walked away at this point and Zach and I were left, desperately devouring the antidote to the poison in our veins.