In Sickness and Health

24

I'm really sore as I wake up. It takes me a second to realize I'm in my wolf form.

And I'm muzzled.

I vigorously try and shake the muzzle off but it's wrapped tightly around my head. The nauseating sounds reach my ears again, a chorus of whimpers and whines, and the occasional howl. They all sound dull though, like there's no room for sound to echo.

I trot up to the bars of my cage and look around. There's a hallway on either side of my cage, and rows and rows of cages holding more weres. My heart sinks and I subconsciously know I'll never escape on my own. I try to fight down my rising hysteria.

The she-wolf who was across from my cage is gone. I flinch when I see large blood stains where she had been laying.

"She's dead."

I jump and turn to look at the cage beside me. There's a small window-like hole in the wall just at eye level. Bars cover the window but it's large enough I could stick my head through if there were no bars.

I glance back at the spot where the she-wolf had been then turned back to look at where the voice came from. Brilliant blue eyes shine back at me. I blink. They are very bright, an unnatural blue color. The person - a male, I realize - sniffs the air. "You're new." He sounds surprised. I wait for him to continue but he falls silent, just staring. After waiting for a while for him to speak, I sigh and lay my head on my paws when I realize he's not going to.

My heart aches. I miss Stephan so much. And being trapped in this tiny cage is making me claustrophobic.

He knows you were taken, I remind myself. You know he'll never stop looking for you.

"I'm Halcoyn." A voice breaks my thoughts. "You can tell me your name when you shift back."

Shift back! Yes, it would be easier to communicate that way. I try to focus on shifting back - picturing my bones shifting - but nothing happens. I whine and close my eyes tightly. What the hell!

"You're not going to be able to shift back for a while."

I look at Halcyon for an explanation. He says nothing more. Why am I stuck this way? Will I never be able to shift back?! I'm agitated and I growl which causes him to back away. Shit, I scared him. Trying to think of a different tactic, I whine and paw at the ground, desperate for answers. What's going to happen to me? Halcyon doesn't return.

I keep trying and pawing at the ground but nothing I do brings Halcyon back. Dammit! I'm scared. How will Stephan know where I am? I don't even know where I am.

I cry, my whines fading into the rest of the cries and howls.

***

Someone yanks me to my feet. I growl and try to wrestle free from whoever has got a hold of me but a swift kick to my ribs makes me stop. Chains are hooked up to my muzzle and a vest is put over me and more chains are hooked up. Lastly, they tie a collar onto me and I'm humiliated.

They tug at my chains and I look over at Halcyon. Halcyon is watching me, eyes solemn. "Good luck," he whispers, hands on the bars. Good luck? Good luck for what?

Pain rips through my neck and I fall to the floor, my limbs numb and buzzing. They shocked me. "Get up unless you want shocked again!"

I jump up to my feet, looking one last time at Halcyon, before I'm tugged out of my cage.

They take me and a few other wares to what looks like a stage. I fear the worst.

We're all chained down to the floor and multiple people, humans, come over and investigate us. Hands are everywhere, poking, pulling, prodding.

"This one's good for Plan A," someone says, smacking my rump hard for good measure. "A little thin but he'll do."

"So is this one!" Someone points to a large black were. We're both chained up together and someone roughly tugs us along.

We're pulled outside where a huge, long, heavy looking train is hooked up to what looks like a hundred werewolves. Dread fills me.

I'm chained up with the black were. Following the chain, it's connected to many other weres and at the very end, hooked up to the train.

"PULL!" A loud voice booms.

The wolves start trying go to forward, and I'm so frustrated I could cry.

A whip lashes across over top of us.

"PULL, DAMMIT, PULL!"

Whatever hope I had, was gone.

I put one paw in front of the other, the chains digging into me, and start pulling.

So this is the end!

In the meantime, please read the sister story to In Sickness and Health, HALCYON!

https://my.w.tt/Yjy3e203dS

See you soon!

-Ally