Page 77 of The Healer and the Wolf: Part One

“Wait!” Ven called. “What if it’s dangerous?”

But I was already moving forward, walking right through the custodial door between the two bathroom entrances. Sure enough, I didn’t even have to open it. It brushed past my skin like no more than the suggestion of a breeze, and I found myself staring at a glass and gold, overly wrought elevator.

“Guys,” I called softly. Although we were supposed to be alone, there was no reason to be reckless. “You’re not going to believe what I found.”

I enjoyed the shock playing over Ven’s gorgeous face. Ricky seemed surprised too, but less so. Likely because he’d had way more exposure to magic users over his life than Ven had.

“Oh, my God, it’s been an elevator the entire time! Where do you think it goes?” Ven asked.

“Not to repeat myself,” I said, “but there’s really only one way to find out.

“Do you think it’s safe?”

“I’m pretty sure most experts wouldn’t recommend taking an elevator down into an unknown area of an enemy that’s shown themselves not to care about decency or what’s right, but I don’t think we have much of a choice. If we want to know what’s going on here, we have to use it. And if any of our pack being held prisoner or being tested on, if they’re going to be held anywhere, it’s in some sort of secret layer with a glamoured elevator shaft.”

Ven grimaced but nodded along. “When you’re right, you’re right.”

“It does happen from time to time.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Ricky said, slapping me on the back.

“Hey, it’s not too late to fire you as beta.”

It was an empty threat, and my best friend knew it. “As if you could survive without me.”

“As much as I appreciate the banter, if we’re going to do this, we should get a move on,” Ven interjected.

She had a point, and without much more fanfare, the three of us got into the elevator and pressed the singular button.

Down, down,downwe went, far longer than any elevator ride should go. I would have thought there’d be some sort of security cameras along the sides of the shaft or even in the elevator, but no, and I didn’t really know if that was a good thing.

The elevator lurched to a sudden stop and opened into a large room that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a sci-fi movie.

It was a glaringly white space, with all sorts of machines and a reception desk facing us. The lights were so dim, they looked more like emergency flashers, but as soon as the elevator doors opened, the overhead lights flashed on to full power, turning the room nearly blinding.

“Now, this is freaky,” Ven said as we entered.

I had to agree with her. It felt like we were intruding on a space that didn’t belong to us. Probably because we were.

Carefully, I walked forward to the double doors behind the desk. I had no doubt there was probably some sort of mechanism the receptionist was supposed to press to unlock the door, but none of us really had the skills to hack it, nor did I expect there to be a manual on how to use it. I drew my fist and punched right at the handles where the doors met. It didn’t give right away, but I hadn’t expected it to. I punched the door again and again. It hurt every time my knuckles connected with the thick metal, but I found it quite cathartic.

Ricky joined me, both of us alternating our jabs, until finally the door let out a strange, broken buzzer sound.

“That sounds like our cue.”

Squeezing our fingers between the gap, Ricky and I began to pull the doors apart. Together, we were able to get it open enough for even me to squeeze through, which I did.

“That was so impressive,” Ven said, her cheeks flushed the faintest pink as she stepped through. It was a little thing, but I loved how much she appreciated the wolf side of me—outside of what had happened at the party. Most humans would be scared or suspicious, but Ven rolled with the punches.

There were several cubicles, all with their own desk and computer, along with plenty of tools laid on them: clipboards, voice recorders, a truly impressive number of pens, and some electronic tablets. But more interesting was the long window in the wall to the left. It was nearly the entire length of the room and looked in on what appeared to be a cold storage room if I had to guess. And by a cold storage room, I meant something that looked like a cryochamber on a spaceship. It was filled with hundreds upon hundreds of tubes, all of them labeled. From where I was standing, I couldn’t read the labels, though.

“Stay here,” I said. “Let me check this out first.”

I took a cautious step toward the door but stopped short when I saw the keypad right above the lock.

“Huh. It looks like we’re going to have to punch this one, too.”

My knuckles were already practically healed, but it didn’t have the same weak point as the other set of double doors.

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