Detain the Beast

Chapter Nine

"I want you to provoke him."

"But... well, I don't think that's a great idea-"

"I want to see his form, his monster, his wolf."

"Winston... I'd be in the same room as him!"

Winston stares in reply, lips pursed and brows furrowed. Perhaps he doesn't care.

"He could attack me!" I whisper as the silence became all too loud.

"We'll assess the situation if it comes to that."

"I- I don't know-"

"Don't be ignorant on purpose, I know you're a smart girl. I'm sure he'll easily snap with some pestering. If you don't, we will. Goodbye Belle."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Augustus... can I ask you something?" I bite my fingernail in anticipation, eyes hooded. He doesn't turn to me nor lift his eyes from his book, but, he nods. "When was the last time you became the beast... so-to-speak."

He freezes solid, finally meeting my gaze. "Why?"

"I'm curious to... see it..." I squeak, finding sudden interest in my sweaty palms.

He's studying me with too much intensity. 

"No."

"Uh... that's okay."

"Do you have a death wish?"

"No... sorry, I'm just curious. Anyway-"

The cell door is suddenly thrown open and we're surrounded by armed and uniformed men. All pointing their gun at me. 

Fear grips my neck like two thin hands, restricting my breath. My arms are snatched into the gloved hands and I let out a yelp of pure terror.

"What the f*ck?" Augustus yells, suddenly by my side. "Don't hurt her! What are you doing?"

"We're under strict orders. She is a danger." One of the guards replies curtly and I know that it's Davidson. 

"A danger to who? Get your hands off of her!" Augustus is visibly getting more aggressive, his eyes changing from green to pitch black. He leaps towards me but four guards leap faster, pulling him so far away that I can't even see him through my tears. 

"She is to be put on death row." 

A sob wrangles from my mouth and I'm so scared I can't stand. My knees buckle and I'm only held up by the guards. "W-why? Please, I didn't- I've never hurt- Oh my god." My mouth is covered with tears and salvia and Augustus' breathing has changed; it's fast and hard and as if he's trying to regain control. 

As they are prying me off the floor, Augustus is yelling profanities, trying to rip his body from the guards.

I think he's winning. 

Sudden realisation hits me. This was Winston. This has nothing to do with me. This is about Augustus. 

I can't even say anything because Augustus is no longer in front of me. Instead, there is what I can only describe as an over-grown wolf with engorged teeth, snarling and hunched on all fours. Its fur is sandy coloured but its eyes are so green and so so Augustus.

He's staring at me and suddenly the guards are dragging me out of the cell. 

The wolf- Augustus?- leaps after and uses his teeth to throw the guards off of me. I have no idea what to do as the wolf dodges bullets and propels the armed men into the surrounding walls.

One guard frantically begs for backup and simultaneously all the doors protecting our cell opens. 

I can feel the breeze. I can feel the breeze.

With extraordinary speed, and before any of the guards nor I could think, I'm scooped by the wolf's mouth and thrown onto his back.

The speed we travel mixed with terror causes my eyes to slam shut and I have no idea where we are. I can hear yelling and screaming and doors shutting behind us.

We're sprinting, with me on the wolfs back, for what seems like hours. Until we can't hear the sirens or the screams or anything.

I realise how silent it is and pry my eyes open.

We're in the middle of what seems to be an overgrown forest. My body is trembling with fear and adrenaline and it only then hits me that I am riding on the back of a wolf five times its natural size. 

I can't help the piercing scream that escapes my lips,

The wolf stops abruptly, gently pulling me off of his back. His nose is running down every part of my body and I think he's checking for something? 

He thinks I'm hurt.

I close my mouth and back away from the daunting creature.

"Augustus?"