Page 19 of Tracking the Alpha
“But… you were a wolf. I think?” Her brow creased. “Unless it was a costume.”
“And how would I have stripped it?” He waved his hands. “Not to mention where is it?”
“This can’t be happening,” she muttered. She scrubbed a hand over her face. “I must have fallen asleep.”
“You’re awake, sweetheart, and if you let me down, I’ll do my best to explain.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.” The woman glanced at the corpse on the ground and pursed her lips.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Would you have preferred I not act and let her maul you?”
“I’d prefer to not wonder if I’m’ hallucinating,” the woman murmured under her breath.
“I’m afraid this is all too real,” Barrett grumbled as he bent upwards, straining his stomach muscles to lift his upper body until his hands could reach the rope snared around his ankle.
“You’re a werewolf?” she asked on a questioning note.
“Not exactly. It’s complicated.” An understatement. He’d assumed he’d forever be a wolf, so to suddenly find himself in human flesh again proved jarring. If he had to guess, though, he’d say his wound triggered the latest shift. Just like the first gunshot from the general started it. Guess he’d have to avoid serious injury if he didn’t want to turn into a furry again.
“Did the military do this to you?” she blurted out.
“Yup.” The knot holding the loop around his ankle proved too tight to undo with the weight of him pulling on it so he used his arms to climb the rope to the tree limb around which the snare had been anchored.
“Why would they do that?”
“You want the bullshit excuse they gave me, or the truth?” Rather than wait for her reply, he kept going. “Apparently the military wanted to make super soldiers. But in reality, they did it because they’re sick fucks who don’t give a shit about anything but power and money.”
“Sounds about right,” her dry reply.
Barrett reached the branch and, with the rope now slack, managed to slide it off his ankle. “Let me guess, you were hired to catch me.”
“Not really hired. Major Stevens decided to abduct me and told me I either caught the wolf—er, you—or I died.” Her lips pursed. “At the time, I assumed the death would be at your paws, but I’m thinking they might not have been truthful about who would actually execute me.”
“They most likely never planned to let you leave, even if you succeeded. Can’t have anyone finding out what they’re doing,” Barrett grumbled as he grabbed hold of the branch and swung himself down. He had his back to her, possibly not the brightest move, but he couldn’t—make that wouldn’t—dangle his man bits in front of her face. He’d been humiliated enough already.
“How did this even happen?”
“Through the administration of lots of fucking needles, poisonous transfusions, and pain.” Barrett grimaced as his bare feet hit the ground and his knees bent to take the impact. Funny how he’d never noticed the uneven ground when he ran on four paws.
“So this whole wolf thing you’ve got going is because of a medical treatment?”
“Yup. And, no, I don’t know how they came up with the idea or procedure.”
“The Navajo tribes have legends of skinwalkers,” she stated. “But those stories have never been verified.”
With his hands over his junk, Barrett turned to face her, glad to see the bow remained dangling by her side. At least she didn’t appear interested in shooting him anymore. “Never heard of skinwalkers. I assume the military captured a werewolf and got some doctors to find a way to infect people.”
“You said they used needles, though. Wouldn’t it have been easier to have the werewolf bite you like they do in the movies?”
He shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m guessing it doesn’t work that way.”
Her gaze went to the body of the woman on the ground. “She wasn’t a wolf.”
“No, she wasn’t,” his quiet agreement.
“And unlike you, she seemed feral.” The woman glanced at him. “Why the difference?”
“Dunno. I can only assume she’s one of the general’s failures. I’m not the first person he’s done this to. The man is a depraved killer.”
