Sorry it's been so long, I've written this chapter multiple times and hated every single version, I feel like I've kept you guys waiting too long so here is the best out of the four, I'm sorry if you don't like it or the direction, please let me know honestly what you think and if you have any ideas, I'm open to constructive criticism and hearing from you guys means a lot. Happy reading! x
Chapter 22
"Sorry Princess you can't lay claim to yourself," Clayton chuckled belittling. The other three alphas laughed it off as if I was a small child asking to take part in the big boy's race. Quint and his father both stared at me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"Says who?" I challenged Clayton stepping towards him, my palms uplifted as I scanned the faces of the men in the room, "Says you?" I asked curling up my fingers into a tight fist except for one index finger which pointed directly at Clayton. Clayton breathed heavy, he disapproved of my rebellious attitude, he liked his women the same way he liked his dogs, muzzled and on a leash.
"You got that right," Clayton said authoritatively, sucking his teeth and narrowing his eyes on me.
"You aren't in charge of me, I will fight for my own freedom, I am not anyone's property,"
"Sorry sweetheart it doesn't work like that," Sebastian chuckled, I couldn't tell whether he was laughing at me, or the idea of a female Lycan only belonging to herself, either way it made me extremely volatile. My teeth began to ache from how hard I gritted my teeth trying to keep in my rage.
"Actually Clayton, the partaking of a female has never been touched upon, strictly it's never been said that they can't take part," Dr Lane informed the brute.
"Well I'm saying it now, she can't take part," Clayton growled at the doctor. Just as I was about to blow my lid Quint decided to chip in to the heated argument.
"What's wrong Clayton, scared she'll kick your ass?" Quint chimed in with a smirk. I don't know what his motivations were but they definitely weren't to calm the damn situation.
"Hell no, she's a fucking fledgling, it would be like fighting a kid, there's no honour in beating those who can't defend themselves" Clayton huffed, pretending to have some stupid noble cause. Quint snorted, a cheeky smile turning up the edge of his lips.
"She's strong, she's not even turned yet and she took a beating from my Lycan form, if she can handle that, she can most definitely handle the four of you,"
"What're you trying to say Quint? Think real careful before you answer that," Clayton threatened. Jacob tried to control his son with zero success.
"I'm saying that you're all little bitches, think you're hard, but you're all too pussy to take on the mutations, I could end you all, hell I bet Victoria could too, you call yourselves Alphas, but who are you kidding really, you're too scared to even square up against a female,"
"An enhanced female," Nicholas chimed in.
"Maybe if you took the mutations you were offered you would have the edge, but you didn't, so you don't," Quint said bluntly.
"You'll regret that Quint…" Clayton smirked, "If and when you fall in there, you're dead," Clayton stated. The three other alphas exchanged shifty looks before nodding in agreement.
"Gentlemen I really think this has gotten out of hand, let's all just calm down," Jacob tried to intervene for his sons sake.
"Shut the hell up old man!" Clayton shouted practically foaming from the mouth, he shoved Dr Lanes chest, sending him tumbling backwards onto the floor. "Alright this is how it's gonna go down!" Clayton bellowed, commanding everyone's attention, I ignored what was obviously about to be his big speech and scurried over to Dr Lane, bending to one knee to aid him. He was unhurt. He must have superb health for his age I thought to myself. Must be the lycan genes. Suddenly I was pulled out of my thoughts when my head snapped backwards. Searing pain shot through my scalp as someone pulled me to my feet by my tresses.
"Once this bitch," Clayton announced as he swung me around by my hair to face the group of men, "has turned, we will go ahead with the claiming, and let's make it fun, I'll even let her partake and if she beats all of us, including her little buddy Quint, she can have her freedom." Clayton sniggered. The other alphas chuckled along like playground sidekicks. Clayton leaned into my ear, sniffing my hair and skin before speaking low in my ear, "But when Quint dies, and you're beaten to a pulp, and I'm left standing, you will obey like the good bitch you are," I struggled away from his grasp and walked calmly back to Dr Lane, helping him up from the ground.
"That's it then, all sorted, Dr Lane if you would please escort Victoria into the chamber," Clayton smiled in Quint's direction.
It wasn't long after they locked me in that room that the change took hold of me. Jacob had pressed a few buttons on the console that opened a hatch in the ceiling, mirrors bounced moonlight down from a vent in the street above, dimly lighting the room. I was leant against the cold concrete wall when the worst pain imaginable ripped through my entire body. I immediately dropped to the floor as it felt like my bones and organs were going to rip through my skin and jump out of my body. The velvet gown that encased my body began to feel tighter and tighter. My nose immediately began to gush blood as my head pounded, my skull squeezing my brain. I looked around for help, for Quint, for anyone yet the door remained sealed and the one way glass window gave no sign of life or aid beyond it. I was in this alone. I screamed louder as the pain got worse, my jaw began to burn and ache as sharp long teeth began to push my own teeth out of the way. I clawed at my sides as my ribs began to crack and move, tearing the seams of my gown.
"I need to go in there," Quint whispered as he peered through the glass.
"You'll stay right here," Clayton ordered
"Who knows how the mutations will affect her Lycan form, she could be like you, or she could be like them, we will just have to wait and see," Jacob whispered to his son.
"I can handle it, it's not right her going through it alone," Quint sighed, "At least we had each other,"
"She is brave, she can overcome this," Dr Lane said as hysterical screams echoed through the concrete room. To Quint it felt like hours had gone by when it was merely minutes, he dreaded to think how it was from my perspective.
"That's it, I'm going in there," Quint sneered, marching towards the door.
"Hey! I said stay put!" Clayton growled, but Quint ignored the alphas command and unlocked the multiple latches, opened the door and stepped into the chamber.
"Close that damn door!" Clayton shouted, Shane quickly jumped to it, shutting and locking the door.
"Why didn't you stop him?" Sebastian questioned.
"If she kills him in her changing rage that's one less opponent," Clayton smirked, "if she doesn't, he'll still be weakened."
"You think she'll be stronger than Quint?" Nicholas asked.
"Nah Quint is a beast, you seen the size of him?!" Shane added.
"I don't know," Clayton said honestly, "What do you think doctor?"
"It's a possibility, her mutations are more stable, they're second generation, not given to her from a syringe. We will just have to see, everyone's reaction to the mutagens is different," Jacob said, slight worry hidden in his smooth voice.
Meanwhile in the concrete cell of a room Quint rushed towards me, dropping to his knees and gently laying a supportive hand on my back. I tried to speak, ask him whether this was normal, whether I was going to be okay, whether it was going to be over soon, but all that came out of my toothy mouth was screams, whimpers and roars.
"The first time is the worst, it's barely even painful after that," Quint tried to calm me, "Kind of like sex I guess," He smirked trying to lighten the mood. Seeing me that way hurt him, it was him who had brought this upon me after all. "I'm sorry Victoria, I'm sorry you have to go through this," Quint sighed as he covered my heaving, mutating body with whatever scraps of fabric where left of the dress. Black hair began to sprout all over my body, shorter and coarser on my torso, and longer and softer on my arms and legs. My feet elongated. My hands grew claws. Every human inch of me began to change. My ears had grown pointed and the skin on my face had taken on a dark almost raven blue pigment. My blonde locks turned black at the root and the colour seeped its way down to the tips, it became one with my hair, or fur I guess I should call it. I was no longer Victoria the poorly receptionist, I was now Victoria the fully fledged Lycan. My heart rate began to slow and my breathing steadied as I lay half crouched half collapsed on the cold ground. I had no idea who, where or what I was, I was in a completely mindless state and filled with rage and strength that just wanted to burst out of me. I looked up to the presence next to me, my eyes completely black, not a hint of human left in them anymore.
"Victoria?" Quint whispered, trying to get through to me. I didn't recognise him, I didn't know his face, or his voice. I looked up at the man next to me and did what came instinctively, I tackled him claws drawn and teeth bared.
Please let me know what you think!