Page 31 of Racing the Storm

He wasn’t lost. Just like Zane wasn’t lost.

We could come back from this.

I cupped his cheek as I cleaned it, and he nuzzled into me. “I’m going to kill them,” I whispered, not caring if Kasher or his humans could hear me. “I’m going to make them all pay for this.”

I had no idea if this Wolf could understand me, but it didn’t matter. I continued to clean him and whisper promises. I wasn’t sure if I could keep them, but I knew I’d die trying, and so would the others if I could just make contact with them. Running fingers over his emaciated form, feeling out the sharp angles of his bones, the doctor in me wanted to do something. I couldn’t extract the chemicals from his body that would allow him to shift into his wolf, but maybe I could give him some reprieve.

As I tossed a towel away, I heard footsteps, and a second later, I braced myself as his door creaked open. I hadn’t been able to tell it was Ivan, but the moment I saw his face, I felt my anger fully.

“If you’re here to stop me…”

He let out a sigh. “Danyal, what do you hope to accomplish here?”

“Humanity,” I spat at him, making him flinch. “This is disgusting. There are no words for this.”

His head bowed, and I wanted to hit him because he shouldn’t be sorry—he should be stopping it. “I know.”

My eyes grazed the room, and the fell on a bowl that I realized was for whatever the fuck Kasher was feeding him. “Go bring me something from the kitchen.”

Ivan stared at me a long moment, then he turned on his heel and marched away. I had no idea if Ivan was actually going to do what I asked, but it didn’t matter. I just needed him to get the fuck away while I calmed myself down.

When I could no longer hear his footsteps, I returned to the Wolf and knelt down again. He let out a quiet sigh, and when I sat, he laid his cheek against my thigh and rumbled when I put fingers into his hair.

“I’m going to fix it,” I said. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t care what I had to suffer—but I would make it happen.

I sat quiet after that, my fingers drawing lines along the Wolf’s scalp, feeling him reach something like calm. It wasn’t peace, because how could it be, but maybe a spark of hope that he would get out of this. That one day this would be a nightmare of his past, and in his future, he would never again lose power over himself.

I had also moved past my violent rage, so when Ivan appeared, I was able to take the plate of food for him and break it into small pieces. The Wolf didn’t seem entirely interested, so I waited, letting it rest beside my thigh, hoping the smell would entice him.

“Who is he?”

Ivan looked uncomfortable as he shifted his position, leaning against the wall. “I don’t know.” His heart stuttered.

With a scoff, I turned dark eyes on him. “You’re lying. Why?”

“Because it won’t do him or you any good to know,” Ivan replied. “This isn’t going to last forever.”

“It shouldn’t be happening now. You’re a fucking coward, and that’s why he’s still here,” I spat. It was telling that Ivan didn’t argue. “What’s his name? He’s a fucking person with a name. A past, a family, maybe children. I refuse to comfort myself with ignorance.”

Ivan dragged his tongue over his lower lip. “Yasin. He was one of the first Wolves my father brought in. He dragged him from the battlefield and had a spy in contact with his spouse. He experimented on him, until he was so feral, his mate bond shattered.”

“They think he’s dead,” I whispered, the thought horrifying. “His mate…”

“She does,” Ivan confirmed. “It might be better that way.”

“That’s what you tell yourself in order to sleep at night?” I demanded. Against me, Yasin rumbled, and I shifted so he could sit up. When I offered the food again, he ate—like an animal, face in the plate. I looked away to allow him some dignity, whether he was aware of it or not. “I want to take him with me.”

“You can’t,” Ivan said, and before I could argue, he took a step closer. “You can’t.”

I heard what he wasn’t saying. There was a plan in place for him. “And you expect me to just sit here and let him suffer until then?”

Ivan met my gaze, then gave a nod. “Yes, Danyal. I do.”

I didn’t get the chance to speak with Mari in the morning. I left Yasin after I was satisfied that he was fed and resting, and Ivan retreated to his wing as I shuffled back to my room. My sleep after that was broken, and I woke to empty space and the demand to return to the lab.

It was nothing new, except when I set foot inside and saw Kasher at the table that was laden with food. On the floor, a few feet away, was Mari who was gagged and arms bound behind her back. Kasher gave me a sickly sweet smile and gestured at the table.

“Breakfast is waiting,” he said.

---