Animals ✔

Chapter 24

The man is mid-shift when Ira finally intervenes.

"Enough. Go wait for me upstairs and calm yourself down." His voice is a low, menacing growl and he leaves no room for argument.

The wolf in front of us, still half man, snarls, lurching forward as if to claw at me before growling one last time and stumbling toward the stairs.

I jump away from Ira as the wolf vanishes up the stairs, yanking open the door.

"Callum? Callum! Are you alright?" He's lying on his back on an old mattress. The mattress is flat on the floor and covered in gross yellow stains. There's a thin wool blanket pulled up to his waist.

His movements are slow as he turns his head to look at me, and I know tears are streaming down my face now. He blinks once, twice, as if he can't believe he's really looking at me. "Clara? Is that really you?"

I don't hold myself back any longer, running to wrap my arms around him and sobbing into his chest. "I'm so, so sorry."

The bruises on his face are slightly less pronounced than the last time I saw him, but they still make me cringe. My fault.

"I thought it was a dream," he mumbles, and I pull away, allowing him to sit up. "You're really here?" There are tears in his eyes now too.

"Yes, really." I wrap him tightly in another hug.

He's so grown up now. I know if he stands up he'll probably have at least two inches on me. His acne has cleared too—and even though I know he's skinnier than he should be, his shoulders are much broader than they used to be.

Callum hesitates before returning the hug, but when he does his grip is tight, as if he's afraid to let go. I feel the same way.

For the first time, I glance around the room. The floor is dirty, and a single, barred window allows in little light. It's maybe six feet off the ground.

We hold each other for several minutes; him sitting up on the mattress and me kneeling next to him, our arms locked around each other as if it's impossible for either of us to pull away.

In a way, it is.

I'm terrified of what will happen when I let him go.

But when Callum leans closer to me, the cold plastic of his shock collar jerks me from my reverie. As much as I've missed him, we don't have time to catch up. I need to get him out of here before they hurt him again.

But he stops me in my tracks.

"What about Charlie?" He asks and I still. "Is she okay too?"

Taking a deep breath, I pull away from Callum. My lip quivers slightly, and I bite my cheek. Pull yourself together, Clara.

As he watches me, his expression drops and I see the tears reappear in his eyes as he starts to shake his head.

"I'm so sorry, Callum—"

He cuts me off, shoving me away from him. "No. No way."

"Callum please," he won't look me in the eye. "Callum, please, just look at me. Please."

When I've finally regained his attention, I wish I hadn't. He's staring at me like I did it, like I'm the reason Charlie is dead. And it breaks my heart.