Chapter 42
Beca's POV
Tremors rack my sweat covered body and my breath comes out in heavy pants. An occasional wheeze escapes and it feels like my chest is on fire. I've been like this for days according to Ashley. Slipping in and out of consciousness has made me lose all track of time, not that I had much of that in the first place. Dr. Fergus came and checked on me once and then instantly left, muttering something about what a failure I am.
Well screw you Fergus! I didn't ask to be a part of this project and yet he complains about me failing. I'm the experiment, not the experimenter, so it's all on you, Fergus.
"She's not getting any better," Theo whispers. Everything is still slightly muted, making me think that the dragon permanently ruined my hearing. When I'm better, I'll ask one of the girls about it.
"Just a few more days," Jessica assures. "She'll be better in a few more days. I'm sure of it."
"It doesn't look like it, but she's improving," Ashley cheers. "We need to continue the plan. She'll be better by then." Plan? What plan? As if hearing my silent questions, Theo crouches down in front of me. His fingers move my damp hair away from my forehead, helping me see him better through my blurry vision.
"I'll be leaving and I won't be back. An old friend can help get you out of here, but I couldn't go to him until that device was removed and I gained Dr. Fergus's trust. I don't know who he'll pick to watch over you, but all of you guys need to be careful." Theo turns to the girls.
"Don't show any obvious compassion toward Beca. If you do, Dr. Fergus will suspect that something's going on. He definitely will once I disappear. Beca, get better and be very careful. You'll be out of here soon, I promise."
Theo gets up and hugs the girls before leaving. Fear floods through me for Theo. What if something happens to him? I would never forgive myself if he got hurt or died for me. But he's also my only chance at getting out of here.
My body suddenly goes ice cold, making my shivers get stronger. Everything goes fuzzy and my body starts shaking violently.
"She's seizing," Jessica shouts. "Her temp is spiking and her pulse is erratic."
"It's the infection," Ashley comments and they start moving me. Their voices fade out as everything goes dark.
For days, I'm stuck to the bed, fever ridden and sick. The room reeks of vomit and sweat. I don't know how long I'm like that until my brain suddenly clears up. I'm not shivering as bad and it gets easier to breathe. The back of my neck burns where the wound is and itches terribly. It's finally healing after pushing the infection out.
"I'm worried about him," Ashley says and I open my heavy eyes. "He hasn't contacted us at all and I'm afraid something's happened. Something bad."
"He'll be fine. I'm sure he'll call and let us know that he has a plan to get Beca out."
"Don't," I cry out hoarsely, getting the girl's attention. "Don't get hurt because of me."
"Beca, we're in this too deep to start that shit," Jessica says harshly, but full of emotions. "You deserve to go back to your life, to be with your mate."
"Tell us about your mate," Ashley suggests, making me realize I never have.
"Her name is Chloe and she is beyond words beautiful. Inside and out." Talking about Chloe renews some of my lost strength. "She saved me and made me feel worthy of love when everyone else had made me feel like a freak. Even when I was a freak, she loved me. I'm just a...beast but she's beautiful. So beautiful." My voice trails off as I think about Chloe.
"She sounds like an amazing person and must be very special to have someone like you fall in love with her." The compliment from Jessica surprises me and she laughs at my wide eyes.
"She is," is all I say. The door opens and our smiles are wiped away. Because I was out of it, I didn't know who took over for Theo and now I wish I could just go back to that oblivious state. Zeke stands there with a smug look on his face and swaggers into the room.
"Look who's awake," he shouts and I'm tempted to ruin my hearing in my other ear so I don't have to hear him. Zeke waves at the girls, dismissing them. They leave without another look towards me and the door shuts behind them.
"It's time I got you alone," Zeke's voice goes lower, full of lust and I just smirk.
"Sorry, I don't swing that way."
"So? You're good looking and Dr. Fergus won't mind if I have a little taste." He saunters toward me and I sit up, ignoring the pain pulsing through my body.
"You sure you want to? I may look normal, but push me far enough and I'll bite."
"Ooh, feisty. I like it a little rough." Zeke reaches me and crouches down, crawling towards me. A devious, lustful smile covers his face making me shudder. My stomach churns and I feel lightheaded, telling me that I'm not up to my full strength just yet.
"Well, if you like that," I start, making my voice husky and deep, "then you'll like this." I lift my knee up, hitting him so hard I can practically see his balls rise up into his throat. He lets out a guttural cry and whimpers.
"You bitch," he screams and his fist slams into my cheek with a crack! Pain erupts along my jaw and blood fills my mouth, but I smile when I see Zeke shake out his hand. Teach him not to hit a werewolf.
"I've been easy on you since you couldn't even open your eyes, but now. Now, I'm going to make your life a living hell." Zeke threatens and turns around to leave.
"Trust me, I've been through hell and it ain't anything like this." It's a big lie and he knows it. Zeke throws a smirk over his shoulder, pain still lighting up his eyes and he walks out, moving stiffly.
A year without Chloe is bad but knowing that she believes I'm dead is even worse. What if I get back and everyone has moved on? I'm not sure I could handle that. Dr. Fergus isn't just hurting me physically and he knows it. Was this his plan all along? Maybe that's his game. He plays with people's minds. Maybe that's what he did to Chloe's dad. Let him go with no charges except for a lifetime of debt and fear.
Fatigue suddenly floods through me, causing me to sigh. Little shakes still rack my body, using energy I can't afford to give. I slept for days and yet I'm exhausted. My eyes close without a fight.
Roaring fills my ears making me frown. Is that water? Where am I? Strength seems to flow through the air, filling my body. I haven't felt like this in a while. Laughing, I take off running, stopping when I get to the waterfall. How did I get here? Last I remember I was falling asleep in the room at the lab and-
Voices fill the air, making me panic. I leap into the water and hide behind a rock. A large gray wolf comes into view, making me smile. There she is. Red hair comes into sight and my heart starts to beat fast.
"I thought you were gone," Chloe says, relief evident in her voice.
I did too but I quickly learned that that's not the case. A soft voice fills my head, much like Chloe's does when we communicate telepathically.
"Than what is it? I didn't dream of this place for days and suddenly you're here." Chloe and my wolf sit down at the bank with such familiarity I frown. Chloe's told me about seeing my wolf in her dreams, but it wasn't that often. After I was kidnapped, my wolf must've come here, not strong enough to fight the wolfsbane.
That, I'm afraid, you'll have to figure out alone. Now go, someone is waiting for you. They have all the answers you're looking for. Before I can go towards Chloe, she's gone, almost like she was never there. My heart aches with my missed chance to hold her in my arms again. A drip of water splashes on my forehead and I look up only to be met with a downpour of rain.
Come here, my wolf calls out and I obey. It's been a long time. I almost lost myself until you pulled me out of the dark hole.
"What do you mean?"
Whatever was blocking our connection disappeared when I was almost completely destroyed. Another day or two and I would've been gone forever. Now child tell me, where have you been?
"A doctor kidnapped and drugged me with wolfsbane."
Ahh, that makes sense. I'm surprised it didn't kill me before.
"We're not normal," I tell her and can feel her confusion. "All we are is just some sick science experiment." Her silence is deafening and I hang my head in shame.
That doesn't make us any less real. I look up, into the eyes of my wolf. Most don't believe in the supernatural. Does that make us myths? There are more out there than even we know. Yes, I may have been created in a test tube and forced into you, but it was meant to be. We are one and you need to stop thinking of us as separate.
"But I don't. Remember when I was partially shifted? We were one then."
You don't understand. We were pysically one, but mentally, no. Do you see me as crazy because during that time, you were? I may be a wolf and I may contain all your instincts and physical attributes, but I'm more than just that. Not only are we of one DNA, I am a part of your soul and a part of your spirit.
"Oh," I'm speechless and ashamed. I never thought of her feelings, just that she was what allowed me to shift. Until now, I didn't realize that I was missing a part of me. Without her, I'm not Beca. Without me, she's not a wolf.
Now you understand. Are you ready to accept me completely?
"Yes." That's all I have to say and then I go transparent. I gasp when my body hovers above ground and floats toward my wolf who's doing the same thing. With a flash of light, I'm suddenly pushed forward and joined together with the wolf. In the reflection of the water, I can see us. Not woman nor wolf, but something new. Something dangerous, something powerful.
"We are now one," we say together. "No longer are we two sepreate individuals but the same being, living in harmony. We float back down to the ground and everything settles.
Gasping, I sit up, wondering what just happened. Nothing seems to have changed. I'm still shaky and everything sounds muffled in my right ear. Yet everything seems to have changed. Underneath, I can feel power stirring, just waiting to be released. I don't even jump when the door opens unexpectedly.
"Are you okay?" Ashley asks, coming into the room with Jessica trailing behind.
"I took a nap and feel great," I say and the girls frown.
"Um Beca? What's up with your eyes?"
"What do you mean?"
"They're-" Jessica pauses, taking a deep breath. "Your eyes are silver. Here, look." She gets out a compact and opens it, letting me look in the tiny mirror. Sure enough, my eyes are a bright liquid silver.
"I found myself," I whisper. "All this time I've been holding back, but now… Now I can do anything, starting with getting the hell out of here."
"Shouldn't we wait for Theo?" Ashley asks nervously. "You can't just go storming out there. You're still recovering from withdrawals."
"Withdrawals? From the wolfsbane?"
"Yeah," Jessica answers. "Cutting yourself off of wolfsbane suddenly will have the same effect as any other drug. Dr. Fergus believes that you're sick from the infection and while that's partly true, your wound is almost healed completely."
"It's healed now," I say matter of factly knowing my own healing rate. Ripping the bandage off, I turn toward them and flip my hair off over my shoulder.
"Wow! That's incredible," Ashley gasps. "How do you feel?"
"A little weak and I can't hear out of my right ear. I think the dragon did something to it."
"We saw that," Ashley gives me a sad look. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do, but see if it'll fix itself."
"Now, are you serious about going out there and fighting your way through?" Jessica plants her hands on her hips. "Because if so, that's the stupidest idea ever. There are more stuff in place than you think and you wouldn't get past one fucking door. Let us call Theo. If he doesn't answer, you can go and kill yourself for all I care. If he does, we wait for him."
"How long can we wait with my eyes like this?" I yell. "Don't you think Dr. Fergus will notice that something's different?"
"Not unless you continue to pretend to be sick. Please Beca. Don't go out there killing yourself. I promise you, we will get you out of here and back to that girl of yours." Sighing, I turn away from them, facing myself in a mirror.
Silver eyes stare back at me and for once I don't think of being a beast as being a bad thing. Instead, it gives me the power to protect Chloe, to get back to her. Bright, blue eyes stare into mine as I picture her and it's as if our hearts our beating in harmony. I can feel her, see her, but she's not here. Nothing will keep me from her any longer.
"Sorry girls, but if he doesn't answer, I won't wait any longer. I have to get back to her. Just, don't try and stop me. I don't want y'all getting hurt. Now, go make that call. I'm getting out of here...tonight."
A/N-Sorry it's been so long. I've been so focused on what's going on in the world currently, but I promise to focus and use this quarantine time to get more chapters out!