Page 9 of Feral: Part Two
Just as I'm about to voice more of my frustration, the phone rings. The sound cuts through the tense atmosphere. We all freeze for a moment, staring at the device. The only calls we get here are from the council at this point and I really don’t want to fucking talk to them.
I move toward the phone, irritation still coursing through me before picking up the phone, not bothering to modulate my tone. "What?!"
Someone answers softly on the other end, their voice so quiet I can barely make out the words. The tone is familiar, but I can't quite place it over the poor connection and my own agitation.
I pull the phone from my ear, frowning at it for a moment before putting it on speaker so Kael and Thane can hear. "Jules? Is that you? How the fuck are you calling here?" Jules was someone who had been close to our operations but not close enough to get caught. He was one of the only ones we still trusted after we were sentenced.
There's a pause on the other end, followed by the sound of someone clearing their throat. When the voice comes through the speaker, it's clearer now, and definitely familiar.
"Thank fuck, I've been trying to get this fucker to work for ages."
I stare at the phone, trying to process what I just heard. "Jules, what the fuck are you talking about? No one is supposed to be able to call into Wolfscorge."
The security around this place is supposed to be airtight. All our communications are monitored, recorded, filtered throughofficial channels. The idea that someone could just hack their way through the system seems impossible, but here Jules is, his voice coming through our kitchen speaker clear as day.
"Don't I know that," Jules replies, the exhaustion in his voice even crackling across the connection. "But a few back doors and hacking into the system got me through. It’s a pretty sloppy security system but it’s more annoying than anything. Lots of redirects and bullshit that deters most people. Not the point. I did it because Thane and Kael have done enough for me over the years and I had to return the favor."
The fact that Jules is risking his own freedom for hacking into a government facility means that whatever information he has must be life-altering.
Kael stands up from the table, his chair scraping against the floor as he moves. He walks up behind me, placing his hands on either side of me against the counter, effectively caging me in. I can feel the heat of his body against my back, the tension radiating off him in waves. "Hello, brother."
Jules and Kael aren't actually brothers, but they might as well have been when they were younger. I remember seeing them together constantly before their jobs took them in different directions. They grew up in the same neighborhood, got into the same trouble, looked out for each other when no one else would. Had things been different, Jules probably would have been in this compound right alongside us as part of our pack.
The familiarity in Kael's voice when he addresses Jules makes something twist in my chest. It's been months since we've had any real contact with the outside world, months since we've heard from anyone who knew us before all this started. The connection to our old life feels both comforting and painful.
Jules huffs a laugh, but there's no real humor in it. "Hey, it's really nice to hear your voice, although I wish it were on better circumstances."
Thane moves toward us as well, his brows furrowed with concern. "I agree. What's going on out there?"
There's a pause on the other end, the kind of silence that comes before someone delivers information they know you're not going to want to hear. When Jules speaks again, his tone is heavier. "Nothing good. Ever since they sent you to Wolfscorge,The Collectivehas been cleaning house. Everything's locked down, very few people know what's going on, and most of us have been shipped off to what I can only describe as a front company."
A low growl vibrates through Thane’s chest as he steps closer. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying that while I have no idea what the living conditions are in Wolfscorge, out here isn't all that great," Jules continues. "It's a very different place than you left, and whatever you were trying to find or uncover? It set them all off."
Kael's grip on the counter tightens, his knuckles going white. "So, theyarehiding something."
Jules snorts, but again, there's no amusement in the sound. "Kael, it's worse than that. Many of us didn't even fucking realize until recently how connected all this shit is, but there are a few Alphas onThe Collectivewho are connected with the mayor and other political offices. I couldn't tell you what's about to happen, but don't come out here."
My throat feels tight as I respond, "We can't. Apparently, Wolfscorge is a life sentence. They lied to us—everyone, I guess."
"And maybe that's for the better," Jules says, his voice grim, "because out here? It's a shitshow and I'm pretty sure it's about to be a warzone."
Before any of us can respond, the line goes dead. Jules hangs up, leaving us with more questions than answers and a growing sense of dread about what's happening beyond these walls.
I stare at the phone for a moment, processing everything we just heard. "Wonderful, that makes me feel a lot better," I say, sarcasm dripping from every word.
I push away from the counter and into Kael’s chest, my Alpha’s arms gently wrapping around me. For a moment, I stay there, relishing in the warmth he provides but I need something different. Something warmer. Somethingsofter.
"Someone else cook dinner," I announce, moving toward the kitchen doorway. "I'm going to go cuddle with our Omegas."
Kael snorts behind me. "Have fun crawling under the bed with all those blankets."
I just throw him a middle finger over my shoulder as I head down the hall. Right now, surrounding myself with the warmth and comfort of our pack bond feels like the only sane response to an increasingly insane situation.
Slate
The warmth against my back pulls me from sleep, a solid weight that feels like safety in a way I'm not used to. Malik's arm rests loosely over my waist, his breathing steady and even against my neck, his scent wrapping around me like a cocoon.
