Page 54 of Feral

“Best hurry up and locate him, girl,” Jerome grunted. “The others are waking up, and they’re not liking our presence.”

Deep growls rolled through the lab behind us, sporadic for now, but more voices were joining in as more alphas became aware of the presence of what they saw as rivals.

I pushed off the bars and went to the neighboring cell. The alpha in there snarled and lunged at the metal bars separating us.

“Get back!” Eric snapped, pushing me behind him as he raised his weapon and leveled it at the feral man.

“No, I need him to calm down. Please, move out of his field of vision. All of you.”

They did, though I sensed their hesitation at leaving me alone with such an aggressive male. Their instincts to protect were clearly flaring, but the caged alpha couldn’t touch me so long as I stayed out of arm’s reach.

“Hey,” I said, keeping my tone soft. I tilted my head back a little, showing the feral alpha my throat. “I’m not going to hurt you. Or her. I just need to speak with her. Can I? Please?”

He growled again, but softer this time. Less threatening. I took it as permission.

“Hey—hello?” I squinted at the dark interior of the cell and spotted what I’d been looking for—a curled-up figure lying completely still on the mattress.

Her alpha growled again at my attention toward his mate, and I dipped my head back further until he quieted.

“Are you awake? Please, I need you to talk to me. I can help you.”

The woman on the mattress finally stirred. She looked sluggishly over her shoulder, but when her gaze locked on mine, her eyes widened. “L-Lillian?”

“Yeah, I’m here. Please, come talk to me. It’s urgent.”

She got up as if someone had pulled her by invisible strings, stumbling toward the bars with a heavy limp. Tangible desperation was painted across her dirty face as she wrapped her hands around the metal separating us. “Can you get me out? Oh please, get me out! Y-You don’t know what they do to us!”

But I did know. I knew exactly what they did to her, and judging by the bruises and scratches on her hips, it was the same fate I’d only narrowly escaped.

“I will. I’ll get you out, but first, I need you to tell me where they’re keeping 351.” I wrapped my hands around hers, trying to force calm on her so she would tell me what I needed to know.

She hesitated, wide eyes searching mine. “Please, Lillian. Promise me.”

“I promise,” I said softly, squeezing her hands. “But without 351, none of us are getting out of here. Please, do you know where he is?”

She swallowed, tongue flicking out to wet her dry lips, and then nodded. “I’ve heard the assistants talking… there’s a floor below this one. He’s down there. But…there’s something you should know.”

“What?” I tried my best to smother my frustration with her. Every cell in my body ached to find Zach, but I couldn’t rush her more than I already was. It was pretty clear from her wide eyes and pale skin that she was clinging on to reality with her fingernails. And I couldn’t blame her—if I’d not made it out when I did, I doubted I’d have been in a much better state.

“They bring him up here sometimes. To watch… He’s not… human anymore.”

I grunted, lifting my shoulder in the direction of her mate. “None of them are.”

“No, it’s… it’s different,” she swallowed again, gaze dipping to avoid mine. “They did something to him. I think… they broke something. Something more than in the others.”

I shook my head and pushed off the bars. I’d felt what they did to him every damned day since my escape, and I was done wasting time. “It doesn’t matter. How do I get to his floor?”

“I think there’s a corridor past Dr. Urwin’s office,” she said softly. When I made to turn around, she called out to me again.

“Lillian—please, don’t leave me.”

“I’ll be back for you,” I said as I made my way across the lab, nodding to my escort to follow me. “Don’t worry.”

“We’re not enough men to evacuate anyone else,” Jerome murmured as he fell in by my side. “Even one extra would jeopardize the mission, especially with Beau gone and Larry injured.”

“I know.” I pointed at the door leading toward the section of the compound that housed Dr. Urwin’s office. Eric and Jarl got into position, one pulling it open as the other aimed his gun at the doorway. But no guards met us, and both men filed through, checking that the hallway was clear.

Quietly, filled with the need to speak my betrayal out loud, I added,“Telling her we would take her with us was the fastest way to guarantee her compliance.”

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