The Experimental Mate (in editing process)

There Was No Place...

Tori's POV:

There was still a stinging sensation on half of my face, mostly my cheek because that's where he got. We walked through the hallways, his hold on my arm getting looser as we walk.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." I whisper, tears in my eyes but I refuse to let them fall. He huffed and continued walking until I realized where we are going. Why were we headed towards the correction room?

"I thought I passed." I stated, standing still from shock and fear.

"You still need work." He gruffed, looking at me like he wanted to kill me. There was a stone-cold look in his eyes that I've only ever seen when one of the sixteens died because they injected them with the wrong formula. That or when I lost my babies, he'd come in with the same look. He gave me a new scar to remember every time I lost one and what I did wrong.

"I've been good, I don't need it." I whisper, slowly backing up.

"You will not tell me what you do or don't need." He growled, stalking toward me with his eyes flashing between his wolf and his own.

He's going to kill me. This is it. I'll never get chosen or have babies of my own. Quickly going backwards to get away from him, I try to steady my racing heart.

"Do not back away from me!" He roared, his wolf now completely taking over his body and mind. 

"We have done nothing but take care of you and show you kindness when you obviously don't deserve it! This is how you're going to pay it back?!" He was full on yelling now, making my chest rattle from my heart's constant thumping. There was a ringing in my ears as shock went through my body, my mind screaming at me to run. I couldn't though. There was no place to hide or run to. All of the sudden I felt myself feeling the hands of that strange man on my shoulder and the warmth it brought with.

I need to find my peaceful place if I am to get through this. As I took another step back, I looked over the opening four-way hallway and saw the two men from before staring blankly at me. Oh yeah... I forgot they're trying to find their important someone. Looking to the ceiling, I let out a sigh. I could help them and really get killed or I can go with Mr. Noah and possibly get killed. I know this place like the back of my hand, having grown up here. Right now, we're in the correction hall and we always go through the switch hall and the nursery hall to get to my bunker. I guess if I am to die, might as well be for something I actually did. With that in mind, I turned tail and began running down the hallway without the two men or Mr. Noah.

I heard his angry howl behind me, letting me know he shifted into his wolf, and I have very little time. With my lungs screaming and my limbs working as hard and fast as they can, I continued to take corner after turn after turn after corner until we were already running down the nursery hall. I could smell the lime, lavender, clary sage, bergamot, and lemon combination with a woodsy and forestry scent behind me, letting me know he was following but at a distance. I'm not sure how I could smell it now and not before or why Mr. Noah isn't picking up on it, but I don't have the time to be able to think about it right now.

Swiftly turning the corner, I ran down the hall and into my room. The iron door won't shut no matter how much I yank and pull on it. Taking a deep breath, I step back, giving up and accepting my fate. At least the men will find their important someone.

I looked over to the room across to see the guy get up and move to the bars, looking at me with concern evident on his face. "Your friends will be here soon." I whisper, pointing down the hall with a small smile and tears in my eyes.

"What's going on! Why're you running!? What friends!?" He shouted, shaking the bars to try and get out.

 "It's okay." I choked out, shaking my head and putting a shaking finger to my lips. If Noah hears him then it will all be for nothing. It's not okay... I didn't get chosen. I haven't had kids or fallen in love like Mrs. Gio talks about. I haven't even seen the world yet, only a small glimpse.

Soon enough, Mr. Noah was stalking into my room, growling and snapping at me as I continued to back up. I screamed in pain as he lunged at me and swiped a paw across my stomach, leaving open bloody scratches carved in my stomach. I felt him grab my foot threw my shock with his big jaws and shark teeth. Then the dragging began, the only destination I can think of being the correction room or the twenties bunker. That's where they stick all the girls who misbehave or get sick. 

"No! No, no, please!" I screamed, feeling more pain from my fingernails scraping and breaking against the hard floors than from my now bloody foot. I cried, looking at the bloody drag marks we were leaving behind. I hissed when I felt the concrete ripping my wounds open wider. 

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Please!!! What about the event!? You can't hurt me before the event, or no one will want me!!" I screamed, crying harder the closer we got to the correction room.

A low and angry growl made me finally stop struggling. It's useless after all. I did this to myself. As we went through the four-way hallway, I looked over to the two men from before, both of them watching us with worried faces. I can only imagine why with the blood trail we're leaving. They slowly moved out from the shadows and began walking towards where we came from, or rather where my room is, before they went out of sight, and I felt all hope plummet in my chest. I'm sure they'll find the way now. They'll probably follow my blood trail. I'll never see him again and for some reason, that left me with a big aching hole in my chest and no hope to cling to.

When he realized I wasn't struggling anymore, he stopped and shifted back to his human form. Picking my limp body up and holding me over his shoulder, he continued walking. My hair dangled and danced in front of me with every step he took, his shoulder digging into my stomach, drawing more blood. I don't know what I was hoping for though. I knew not to do it, but I did for the random strangers I met less than twenty minutes ago. What is wrong with me?

I sighed in relief when I found us in the correction room, him setting me down in the chair. He began twisting the nobs to lock my hands and feet in place, like usual. I didn't try to struggle this time. It will only make it worse. He left the door open, whether by mistake or purposely, I don't know. I do know that with that door open, the soundproof room isn't so soundproof anymore.

"We have about ten minutes until the event. We'll use eight for correction and two to get you to the stage. Do you understand me?" I nod, not having the energy to speak from all the crying and screaming I had done. At least I'm not dying though.

I truly hope they get their friend out before then. The hallways are always packed with guards during this time.