Whispered promises

Chapter 12

As I drove to the designated meeting place in the woods, my mind raced with curiosity and apprehension. Kate's message had piqued my interest, enough to meet her . Finally reaching our rendezvous spot, and down the basement I spotted Kate standing by a slide-open door. It seemed odd, but I pushed aside my reservations and approached her.

"What is this place?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. "You know how every family has its secrets? Ours are a little different," Kate replied cryptically, sliding open the basement door. As the door creaked open, a chilling scene unfolded before my eyes. Derek, restrained behind a fence, was being subjected to electric currents running through his body as he transformed into a werewolf. Glowing blue eyes and fangs emerged,
"What are you doing to him? Is that going to kill him?" Allison asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Oh, come on, kiddo. Don't get all ethical on me now," Kate remarked, seemingly unfazed by the situation. "What is he?"I asked playing dumb .

"Shape-shifter. Lycan. Werewolf. To me, he's just another dumb animal," Kate answered dismissively. Kate proceeded to explain the physical characteristics of werewolves, pointing out their canines or fangs and their purpose. Her tone suggested she found the situation amusing, which only added to the surreal nature of the encounter. "Allison confronted Kate. "This is a joke to you?"Allison asked .

"Sweethearts, there are werewolves running around in the world. Everything's a joke to me. How else do you think I stay sane?" Kate retorted. I turned my gaze towards him, my expression filled with both concern and apology for Kate's treatment to him.

"There are actually three of them-another younger one like him called a Beta, and then there's the Alpha. Alpha's the pack leader-bigger, stronger, nastier. Those are the real ugly ones," Kate revealed before leading us out of the room. As we left, relief washed over me. Kate had no idea about Scott and his involvement in these supernatural affairs. It was a secret I intended to keep hidden, at least for now.

"When were they going to tell us?" Allison asked, her voice laced with frustration.
"They still haven't decided if they're going to tell you both," Kate replied. "Why?" I inquired, puzzled by their hesitation. "Let's just say if you two react badly when you find out-not good," Kate explained cryptically. "What do you mean, 'not good'?" Allison pressed for more information. "They don't think that you two can handle it. They look at you both and see these frightened little girls who are going to run crying in the corner when they find out the truth. Me? What I see? Natural talent. Allison, you said you wanted to feel more powerful, right? Now's your chance," Kate said, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the confusion.

"What are we supposed to do now?" I asked Kate . "Go to school, do your homework. Go to the Formal on Friday night. Be normal teenage girls who don't know anything. Trust me to get everything ready for the next part," Kate instructed, her tone leaving me uneasy about what lay ahead.

Amidst the chaos, I sneaked back into the basement where Derek was being held and switched off the machine tormenting him. I needed to speak to him privately. "Hey, don't pass out on me now," I said softly, lightly tapping his cheek. I couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked, without a shirt even in his distressed state. He had a hell of a body . "What are you doing here? You're going to get caught," Derek questioned, his voice filled with concern as I looked down at the wires and tape on his side . It reminded me of WCKD and there methods .

"I just need you to hang in there. Whatever happens, I apologize in advance. I can't have them knowing I already knew about you before Kate told me. Otherwise, I can't help you, you understand?" I explained hurriedly, hoping he would grasp the urgency. Confusion flickered in his eyes, but he nodded nonetheless. "I'll explain later. Just stay awake. Scott will find you shortly. I'll give them the location," I assured him, determined to keep my promise.