Under A Latent Moon (A Werewolf Tale)

Chapter 27

Darkness isolates some senses and expands others. Ben lived in the darkness for days, trapped in a small metal box barely as wide as his wingspan. If he spread his arms, the cool steel walls touched his fingertips.

He knew days passed because the lady, Selene, stopped by the trailer next to him each morning to talk to the poor bastard trapped there. Ben listened as she greeted him good morning and told him of the camp's plans for the day. Then she'd reassure him they were doing everything to find a way to cure him of his disease.

As if werewolves weren't born werewolves.

The lady was out of her mind. And either not thinking or didn't know much about his kind. His hearing was impeccable. If she were in the cage, she wouldn't be able to distinguish much beyond muffled voices.

Ben was part animal—his hearing meant to help him catch prey. Or prevent him from becoming it.

The darkness swallowed his vision, but he adapted well. He wouldn't be able to read in this cold blackness, but he saw where the bars met the wall—and the rust on the major hinge keeping him in. The energy his body, his senses, would have given to help him see instead went to enhance his hearing.

So he heard every conversation between the lady and the wolf clearly.

"Dominic, sweetie, you okay?"

This was not the first time she'd given the wolf an endearment. With the disgusted way she looked at Ben, he didn't think the lady thought highly of wolves. Yet, this wolf, she treated like a well-to-do prisoner.

He bet Dominic even got a bigger cage.

The wolf didn't answer her, though he breathed heavily. Raspily. He was trying to push back the Change.

He wanted to tell him not to fight it. If you irritated the animal enough or didn't let it out regularly, the animal inside eventually took over. People who fought their inner beast had as much of a chance of going feral as wolves who refused to revert to their human form. If the beast thought there wasn't going to be another chance to get out again, it would hold the beast form for as long as possible—forever even.

"I'm working on this," Selene said, "we're getting closer to the girl."

Ben tensed. Selene was obsessed with Harley and her latency. Each time she talked to the wolf, she assured him they were focused on getting her. As if Harley's latency could be scooped out of her and given to Dominic.

"I've tried other methods," she said, then cleared her throat. "They've been less than successful. I've got a source. It's a last resort, and he'll hate me for contacting him. But I can't sit here and see you like this."

Dominic huffed a humorless laugh. When he spoke, the words came in between gasps for air. "Give it...up."

There was a tinny bang, like a fist meeting thin metal. "Don't you dare talk like that. You hear me? I did not put this much effort in for you to toss it aside."

"I will contact my source." She said. "And we'll proceed with plans."

The door to the trailer came down and slammed shut. Ben easily recognized the loud tick-tick-tick of the wheels along the metal track of the door. Then the lock on the outer door clapped shut.

Ben sat against the wall, resting his head against the wall behind him. The distant sound of people—Selene's troops—moving about reached his trailer. If he focused, he could differentiate the tones—laughter, arguments, singing.

How had Selene gotten so many people to follow her? How had she convinced all these people to work under her? For her useless cause?

"She'll check...later," Dominic said through gasps.