Chapter 36
Beca's POV
Pain. That's all there is. It's all that I'm made of and everything around me is covered in it. My throat seems to shred as my anguished screams rip out in rapid fire. Everything burns, my muscles are cramping to the extreme with no hope of letting up. God, what did he do to me?
The pain dulls, leaving behind a dark, cold feeling that makes me shiver. Panting, I fall back onto the table and start to drift off. My cheek touches the cool metal of the table, dimming the fever that seems to have escalated in the last session. Dr. Fergus circles me, making pondering sounds in the back of his throat. Using the last of my strength, I glare at him.
"It's extraordinary!" Dr. Fergus exclaims as he rounds the metal slab I'm currently laying on and have become accustomed to. I'm not sure how long I've been here, but if I take a wild guess, I'd say a couple of days. They've put me black scrubs, matching my bra and underwear they also provided me with along with a matching set for the next day. My feet are bare because they won't give me shoes or socks which leaves them almost numb from the cold tile floor.
"The liquid I've just injected you with would've given a strong, healthy grown man a heart attack, but it just made your heart skip a beat. Must be painful, trying to fight against the poison. Do you feel like you're going to die? Do you wish to die?"
"I..wish… that you would just fucking leave me alone. I never did anything to you."
"No, but your parents did. By leaving the project, they gave up the chance to raise you right. To teach you about saving the world. Most likely, if they had stayed, you would be a mindless soldier by now. But they had to go and die, leaving me convinced that you died along with them."
"What?" My eyes widen in shock. "Why did you think I was dead?"
"Well, I heard about their little incident. Truth is subject 4, if I had never injected your womb with the serum, you would be a normal human being. Your parents were and when the pack let them in, they had no idea that your parents planned on killing every last one of them. They thought werewolves were freaks of nature where I see them as… miracles. One of the many mysteries our world holds.
"When I heard of the incident, I was informed of your death along with your parents. I never thought to doubt my informants information. It was your brother though so I should've. He convinced me that you died from multiple stab wounds to the stomach, bled out leaving all hope of reviving the project. When I got wind that you were still alive, I began to watch you, waiting and observing."
"How long?" The doctor stops pacing and turns his head to the side as if he's confused.
"How long what?"
"How long did you watch me?" A barking laugh erupts from his body, making me hate him even more.
"Do you really need to know that?" Glancing at my look, he nods and sighs. "I've been watching you for almost a year now. I just wanted to get an idea of how you function with everyday activities before I brought you in and subjected you to my tests."
"So you know about Chloe?"
"Oh yes. I suppose you want to know if she thinks you've abandoned her?" I nod weakly. "Heavens no. I spared her that pain and just made it look like you died in a car accident." I just stare at him for a moment, thinking hard. If I died, Chloe would feel it. We're connected in a way no one has ever been. So maybe...But I do have wolfsbane in my system. That must be blocking everything which means she probably believes I'm dead along with everyone else. My heart aches and I have a sudden urge to just...give up. To be done.
"What's next?" My voice is flat, my face blank. No use in showing any emotion that he would probably just laugh at. No need to give him any more satisfaction.
"Yes," Doctor Fergus claps his hands together and swipes his clipboard off the metal tray. "Now that I've tested all sorts of poisons and diseases on you, we're ready for the fun part. I want to see how much external pain and injuries you can handle. I've read your medical chart. The stab wounds from your parents, they should've killed you and when you didn't die, the doctors wrote it off as a miracle. But I think that you have incredible healing capabilities as well as everything else. Want to find out? Who am I kidding? Of course you do!"
Doctor Fergus knocks on the door, signaling someone to come in. Two girls in scrubs hurry in, along with Theo.
"These two lovely ladies will be your nurses/caretakers for now on. I have many other important experiments to attend to." He turns away from me and to the nurses. "Ashley and Jessica, I want you to get her stripped down and take pictures of her body. Every inch, understand? Theo, you are here to make sure she does not attack. If she does, insert her with this. It will paralyze her long enough for them to get their job done.
"Now, subject 4. I advise you to cooperate. Theo here has permission to use any force necessary until he can get that sedative in you. We'll talk tomorrow after I've examined the photos." With that, Dr. Fergus stomps out of the room, leaving the rest of us alone. Theo gives me a sympathetic look. It's not real surprising. He's been giving them to me since that first day and looks like he wants to say something, but everytime he opens his mouth, we get interrupted. Most of the time it's by that crude guard who's constantly watching me.
"Can you get up from the table please?" The blond haired nurse with compassionate eyes asks and I just stare at her, slowly sitting up. My whole body is stiff and cracks as every joint pops'. The nurses and even Theo cringe at the process as it sounds like fireworks are being set off across my body.
"Now take off your shirt?" The brunette asks, her voice soft, her eyes just as compassionate as the other nurse. I do as she says, not really wanting to. My back is littered with the scars from the whipping I got all that time ago. My stomach is covered with stab wounds made from the woman who tried to kill me, who should've been the one to protect me.
I can see all of their eyes widen as they observe my stomach. The brunette lifts up a camera and starts snapping photos. When she's done, they tell me to take off my bra.
"No." I shake my head and Theo silently pleads with me.
"Subject 4, it is imperative that you listen to me," the brunette says again. I don't budge and the blonde nods at her fellow nurse.
"Look, my name is Ashley. My friend Jessica and I have a job to do, but that doesn't mean we want to. Please, don't make this any harder on us."
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." Not without losing my pride which right now, is the only thing I have left.
"Please," Jessica begs, her brown eyes sparkling with tears. Slowly, I shake my head and they sigh, backing away from me. Theo steps forward, his eyes full of apology and regret. When he puts his hands on my shoulders to keep me steady, I jerk away from him. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I also can't just let him drug me without putting up a fight.
My fist flies out against my will, but I'm not complaining when it hits its target. It crushes into Theo's cheek with a sickening crunch. Pain radiates up through my arm, letting it known that I'm not at my strongest. Theo curses and grabs my next fist before it can hit him. Twisting my arm around my back, he uses his free hand to jab the needle into my neck. Sighing, I go limp as the drug flows through my body, numbing all of my senses.
Theo catches me before I hit the ground and sets me on the table for the nurses. They both give me sad looks before stripping me off all my clothes. Inside, I shiver from the cold against my bare skin, but my body remains still. As the girls take off each piece of clothing, take each photo, I can physically feel each piece of pride that is stripped away until it leaves me as bare as my naked body. My chest stings with each pitied glance thrown my way. Theo respectfully turns away, refusing to look at me as the girls take photos.
"I'm so sorry," Ashley whispers before helping Jessica flip me onto my stomach. Neither of the girls bother to hide the gasp at seeing my back. The long, white lines criss crossing each other. The ones caused what seems like so long ago by a boy who hated me for being born. A boy who had yet to become the man he so desired to be. The boy I killed.
As the camera sounds out with every photo being taken, Luke's face haunts my mind. It took me a while to come to terms that I had killed him and then even longer to come to terms with massaccaring his friends and Julian. They may have been horrible and evil, but they were still people. It didn't help that along with all of their deaths, I almost killed Chloe and it was even worse that she had to kill me. I guess that Joyce's vision was wrong. Or just not finished.
"We're all done," Jessica whispers and a second later, a sheets covers me. It doesn't help with the cold, but saves what little dignity I had left.
"Would you girls mind helping me?" Theo asks. "I don't wish to carry her into her cell while she wears virtually nothing. She's been through enough already."
His last words are whispered just loud enough for me to hear as though he's attempting to comfort me. To let me know that he sympathizes.
"Of course." The world sways a little as the metal table moves out the door. I keep my gaze focused on the ground, wishing that I was at least placed on my back so I could see the faces that go by. Instead I just see shoes and somehow know when it's the crude guard who comes over, blocking the table. His heavy duty black military boots stop right next to me and I frown when I see what looks to be dried blood coating the top.
"What's this?" His voice is loud and demanding, layered with lust as-I can only assume- he looks at me.
"None of your business Zeke." Theo says sharply. "Now, I have a job to do so get out of the way."
"Won't you let me have a little fun first? I never get to."
"Zeke, don't be so crass in front of the ladies here. Now, they also have a job to do so…"
"Oh of course," Zeke's boots disappear from my view as the table resumes moving. The wheels squeak across the dead silence that has covered the air which is thick with tension. Zeke is someone I will definitely have to look out for.
"Here we go," Theo stops the table and opens my door, letting the nurses in first. I go next and when Theo comes after, he shuts the door.
"We can talk freely here. There are no cameras or bugs. I made sure of that."
"How can you be sure?" Ashley asks, her voice still a whisper. Her and Jessica work on flipping me over and not letting the sheet fall.
"Dr. Fergus set up her room to be as solitary as possible. No need to monitor her in here as well as in the lab. With a limited budget, he couldn't afford it anyway." Theo's voice gets softer, almost a brotherly tint to it as he turns his attention to me. "You're safe to speak to us here. Do you think you can? I'm not sure what he had me inject you with."
"Yes," my jaw is numb though making my words sound slurred. Theo nods and turns back to the girls.
"Let's get her dressed and put to bed. She needs to sleep off whatever was in that syringe." Ashley and Jessica nod before getting to work. I keep my face blank as they work to get me dressed. Sadly, I can't help the blush that covers my whole body which makes me want to cringe.
"It's okay," Jessica whispers, giggling a little. "We're all girls. Well, except for Theo but he's facing the wall." I just look away and let them continue to dress me. When they finish, Theo carries me to the mattress and lays me down on it gently, much different than when we first went through this cycle.
"We've never actually been properly introduced. I'm Theodore Brennan." Theo shoots a look at the girls.
"I'm Ashley Corbin and this is Jessica Erickson." All three of them proceed to stare at me until I speak.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Theo takes a step toward me, making me wish I could scoot away from him. I can't help but think this is some sort of trick.
"Why are you suddenly being nice to me?"
"Because," Theo crouches down beside me, "I want to help you. It might take a while, but I promise on my life that I will get you out of here." His eyes meet mine, so full of hope and promises along with a shocking layer of innocence. This boy hasn't known hardships, just what he's seen. Yet he's willing to risk that oblivion to help me. I could turn it down and figure it out myself, save him from all that possible heartache. But I can see it deep in his eyes that he knows what he's getting himself into. He knows what he might have to sacrifice for a girl he doesn't even know.
A/N- I'm so sorry that I haven't updated as often as I used too. My schedule got really busy all of a sudden, but I'm trying to get these out as fast as I can. Thank y'all so much for your support and I hope you continue to read and enjoy!
"My name is Beca Mitchell."