Werewolf Academy Book 3: Instinct (9 page)

***

Alex leaned against Jet’s statue. He refused to accept the fact that Jet wasn’t his brother. He felt it every time he touched the statue. In each memory he had been with Jet, the tie between them was real.

Jaze’s words came to him. “It’s in here. Brothers share a soul, a heartbeat; they bleed together, fight together, and have each other’s backs. When Jet was with me, I was never afraid. I knew he had my back, and he never let me down.”

Alex took a shuddering breath. “I feel so trapped,” he said aloud to the statue that watched over him. “I feel like every time I take two steps forward, I’m pulled three back.” He studied the Academy’s dark windows. “I want to protect them, to keep Cassidy and Mom safe. I want to be the brother and son that they need.” His throat tightened. “But I also want to be out there.” He turned his gaze to the gates and the road beyond. “I felt what it was like to just be myself. I didn’t have to worry about attacks, or what the rest of my pack would think.” He sighed. “It was nice.”

The words were hard to admit. It felt like he was betraying something that made him what he was. He wondered if Jet ever felt the same way, as if he was trapped with no way to break free and no right answer.

Footsteps made Alex smile. He wondered how Jaze always knew when he was troubled. The dean certainly had a gift for words that helped. He listened to the soft swish of Jaze’s shoes across the grass. The dean paused near the front of the statue.

“Jet, I need some advice. Alex has caused so much trouble that I don’t know whether to make him scrub toilets or put him to work with Dray in the gardens.”

Alex laughed. “Dray’s going to be upset that you rank his gardens the same as the toilets.”

Jaze chuckled and walked around the statue. “It is if he keeps planting mint in the greenhouses. The smell gives me a headache, but he insists that it’s supposed to cure headaches instead.”

“What did you tell him?” Alex asked curiously.

Jaze’s smile deepened. “I asked him if he ever met a dog that liked mint.”

Alex laughed. “Has he ever met a dog with a headache?”

Jaze leaned against the statue next to Alex. “Touché,” he replied with a grin. The smile faded as he looked up at the stars and the dark form of the statue. “It’s so much easier to think out here,” the dean said, his voice softer than before. “I come out here to clear my head.”

“Me, too,” Alex admitted. He slid down the statue so that he was sitting with his back against the base. The cool grass tickled his bare feet.

After a minute, the dean joined him. They sat in silence, enjoying the breeze that carried a chilly bite, reminding the pair that winter would soon be on its heels.

“What were you talking to Jet about, if you don’t mind me asking?” Jaze said eventually.

Alex leaned his head back, watching the stars wink down at them while he replied, “I just feel like sometimes there’s no right decision. I was wondering if he felt the same way.” It felt funny to admit it aloud, like he was a four year old asking why the sky was blue. There were obvious answers, but it was the reason behind the question that filled him with unrest. It wasn’t so much the color itself, but would another color have worked just as well. If the sky was red, would the world be the same?

When Jaze replied, his tone was distant as he told memories Alex didn’t know. “You know that your brother was kidnapped when he was a baby.”

Alex appreciated the way Jaze always referred to Jet as his brother. He nodded.

“What do you know of his childhood?”

The question caught Alex by surprise. He thought about it. “Not much. I know it wasn’t pleasant.”

Jaze nodded, his gaze sad. “Jet was raised through the atrocities of underground werewolf fighting. He grew up in a cage, beaten and forced to fight in order to survive.” Jaze ran a hand across his forehead, pushing his blond hair back. “Jet had to choose between killing the werewolves he was pitted against or to give up and die. The Jet I knew would have chosen to die, except for the fact that instinct refuses to submit.” Jaze’s brown eyes were filled with knowledge when they met Alex’s. “An animal will fight for its life with every last shred of breath. When a werewolf is put in the same position, the same instinct takes over. A werewolf cannot choose to die.”

“So Jet had to kill other werewolves,” Alex said quietly. The dean’s words filled him with horror.

Jaze nodded. “The only reason I tell you this is so you can understand that sometimes we have to fight to remember who we are and what our purpose is here. Jet told me once that the werewolves he had been forced to kill stayed with him, reminding him to live the best life he could in their honor.”

“How did he get out?” Alex asked, his voice just above a whisper.

Jaze closed his eyes. “I found him at one of the fights. The woman who owned him had pitted him against other Alphas and bet against him. She wanted him to die.” A small smile crossed the dean’s face. “But Jet rebelled in the only way he could. He survived.”

“He won the fight,” Alex guessed.

Jaze nodded. “So the woman had her men take him out and shoot him. We got there right after. It was a hard fight to save his life, but you know how strong he was.”

Alex nodded.

Jaze let out a slow breath. “He told me once how terrible it was to know that in order to live, someone else had to die. He couldn’t choose to die. He was trapped to the point that when he was shot, the bullet promised the only relief he had.”

Alex thought about that in silence. He knew a hard past had been the reason for the haunted depths to Jet’s eyes, he had never known until that point how hard it had actually been. His own problems seemed so small in the light of what Jaze had told him.

Jaze gave Alex a small smile. “No matter what Jet went through, he became the most selfless person I’ve ever met. He laid down his life to save hundreds. For some, it would have been a hard decision. For him, it was merely an extension of who he was. The families of those hundreds, and the students inside this school, will never forget him.”

Alex knew it was true. The day he told the students he was Jet’s brother, he had seen it in their faces. Jet had given them their lives back. Alex pointed at the silver seven on the wolf’s shoulder. “What was the seven for?”

Jaze didn’t need to look up. “That was the tattoo they gave him during the fights so they could keep track of the werewolves. The ink was silver based, so it carried over to his wolf form.”

“Didn’t that hurt?” Alex asked.

Jaze nodded. “But I think Jet went through so much that it didn’t bother him.”

Alex studied the silver seven on Jet’s shoulder as the information Jaze had told him rushed through his mind. He hadn’t known about the fighting rings— only that Jet had gone through something terrible in his childhood. The truth was far worse than Alex had imagined.

“How did you like the motorcycle?”

Jaze’s question broke through his thoughts. Alex couldn’t deny the smile that stole across his face. “It was amazing.”

The dean nodded. “I know. I remember the first time I rode.”

Alex’s eyes widened and he stared at Jaze. “You ride motorcycles?”

Jaze chuckled. “Don’t sound so surprised. I love motorcycles. How do you think Trent got the idea to build you one?”

“Where do you keep them?” Alex asked.

Jaze shook his head with a laugh. “No way. If I tell you, I’ll never see you again.”

“Don’t tell me there’s another underground lair,” Alex pressed.

Jaze gave an innocent shrug.

Alex shook his head. “Fine. You don’t have to tell me. But when did you start riding?”

Jaze smiled, his gaze distant. “Nikki’s dad had an old motorcycle. We used to take it at nights to a sanctuary of sorts, a garden with statues of saints.”

Alex tried to picture it. The thought of Jaze and Nikki riding the motorcycle made him happy; thinking of them young and in love also made his heart ache to feel the same way. He thought of Kalia, of the smiles she gave him and the fact that she never seemed to notice anyone else. He considered the way hearing her voice filled him with warmth. He wondered if it was love. He hoped so.

Neither werewolf was surprised at the sound of Brock’s voice. “Thought I’d find you guys out here.” The human patted the wolf statue on the shoulder. “Hey, Jet. Good to see you. It’s getting cold out here,” Brock said amiably as if the statue would respond.

Jaze grinned at Alex.

“Did you need us for something?” the dean asked.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Brock said. “They followed your lead to the source. Turns out it’s huge. We’re going to have to sweep it quickly if the General has any idea we’re onto it. I’ve got the Black Team and the GPA on board. Agent Sullivan’s already on the way.”

“Let’s get going,” Jaze replied. The easy-going side of the dean was gone, replaced by the all-business leader of the pack determined to save every werewolf in the General’s grasp.

“If it’s a big job, should I bring my team?” Alex asked.

Jaze hesitated and glanced at Brock. The human looked thoughtful. “It’s not a bad idea. Caden says the students Alex chose have done very well with their marksmanship and combat skills. It might be good to have them along with the size of the area we need to sweep.”

Jaze nodded. “Very well. Tell them they have five minutes.”

Alex ran inside. Students lounged in the Great Hall and through the various rooms. He rushed past them up the stairs to the students’ quarters. To his relief, Jericho and Tennison were sitting in the commons room.

The Alpha looked up when Alex burst through the door. “We’ve got a mission,” Alex said excitedly.

The same enthusiasm spread across Jericho and Tennison’s faces. “Trent, Terith, Pip,” Jericho called.

“Cassie,” Tennison said.

“Kalia,” Alex called at the same time.

The two wolves exchanged a look. Alex felt a rush of red fill his face. Everyone appeared at the doorways, saving him the need to decide how he felt about calling Kalia as if she was his girl.

“To the Wolf Den,” Jericho said dramatically. He opened the door with a flourish and everyone filed into the tunnel.

Chapter Twelve

ALEX WATCHED THE SNOW rush past the SUV. It was early for such weather, but the breeze had promised as much. The flakes were thick and fell fast, speeding by the windows like streaks of light in the darkness.

Alex could feel the excitement from his pack. Trent and Terith exchanged eager glances. Trent’s knuckles were white as he drove behind Mouse’s black vehicle that carried Jaze’s pack. Trent patted the gun holster at his side. His sister shook her head and rolled her eyes. It was the first time any of them besides Alex had worn weapons or actually left the Academy on a mission with Jaze’s team.

“Remember what Jaze said,” Jericho told them, his tone steady even as anticipation filled his brown eyes. “Steady and smart. We’ll sweep as a team. Everyone sticks together in three person units.” He touched his earpiece. “You read me, Kalia?”

“Loud and clear,” Kalia replied with a hint of frustration in her voice. Though it was obvious she was the right one to monitor the screens and keep them updated on any dangers, Kalia had not been thrilled at the suggestion from Jaze.

“Aw, come on,” Alex heard Brock say over the headset. “It’s not that bad here. Have a chip.”

“No, thank you,” Kalia replied curtly.

“Your loss,” Brock said. Loud crunching followed.

“She’s going to kill us when we get back,” Jericho said.

Trent met Alex’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “You’re going to have to keep your girl in check.”

“Trent,” Alex warned.

Trent grinned. “What? It’s pretty obvious. We’ve all seen the way you two look at each other.”

Alex glanced at Cassie. His sister nodded, happiness in her eyes.

Alex sighed and turned to the window. He couldn’t deny the way he felt around Kalia, but he also couldn’t help feeling like something was missing.

“Shut off your lights,” Mouse’s voice said over the SUV’s intercom. “We’re going to pull around back. The longer we can keep the General from knowing we’re onto this location, the better.”

“I thought it’s supposed to be empty,” Pip said from the backseat with a hint of fear in his voice.

“It’s alright, Pip,” Alex reassured him. “Your job is to stay with the vehicle and radio us if you see any suspicious activity. Can you do that?”

The little werewolf nodded quickly, relief clear on his face that he wasn’t going to go inside the big dark building Trent drove around.

The rest of the vehicles sat in darkness like beasts waiting to spring. Alex and the rest of the pack climbed out of their SUV in silence. Tension hung in the air. Alex checked the position of his gun again, reassuring himself that he wasn’t about to run into a firefight without it. He had gone with Jaze enough times to know that sometimes the places that were supposed to be empty held the highest danger.

Jaze nodded at them when they reached him. Alex recognized members of the Black Team standing on the dean’s other side. Jaze and Agent Sullivan spoke in undertones. The agent smiled when he saw Alex and held out a hand. Alex shook it wordlessly.

“Mouse says he sees a few faint heat signatures, but nothing substantial,” Jaze told all of the teams quietly. “Keep alert just the same. We need a quick sweep to ensure that the place is empty. I have no doubt the General will blow it if he knows we’re inside.” He looked at Alex’s pack. “Keep in contact, stay in your units, and notify me if you see anything suspicious.”

“Will do,” Jericho replied. The rest of the pack nodded.

Jaze gestured for them to move out.

Cassie and Tennison fell in behind Alex as he followed Jaze into the building. Jericho took Trent and Terith around the front with the Black Team.

“How’s it look?” Jericho’s voice asked quietly over their earpieces.

“Good,” Kalia replied. “Stay quiet. Brock said there’re signs of recent activity in some of the lower levels. This place is a lot deeper than it looks.”

Alex followed Jaze’s team through the wooden interior. The building looked like it was going to fall down at any moment, yet support beams of fresh wood and the occasional brace had been placed in key locations to ensure that didn’t happen.

Jaze paused at a set of wide doors. At Chet’s nod, he pulled one open. Everyone flinched at the smell of decay that flooded the air. Alex’s stomach tightened. He had smelled the same scents at other locations linked to the General. Worry at his team’s first mission filled him; it wasn’t going to be pretty.

At Jaze’s motion, Alex, Tennison, and Cassie continued to the basement. They branched left while Jaze’s wolves went right. Brock had been correct about the size of the building. It could have fit a baseball stadium comfortably, yet it lay mostly abandoned. Dust and cobwebs filled corners along with machinery that looked as though it had not been used for years. Alex studied a huge conveyor belt covered in a deep layer of dust and debris.

“What do you suppose this place was?” Tennison asked quietly.

“An assembly factory of some sort,” Cassie guessed. “By the looks of these machines, it probably had to do with vehicles.”

“Found the source of the scent,” Professor Dray said into their earpieces. The disgust in his voice was obvious. “We apparently got the experimentation floor. Someone needs to tell the General that it’s not nice to cut up werewolves and leave them to die.”

A few minutes later, Jaze’s voice came on. “These last tables are fresh.” His voice was tight. “I’d say hours. We may not be alone. Brock, any sign that the wires have been triggered?”

Alex couldn’t hear Brock’s reply. Kalia repeated it for their team. “Brock says no signals have gone through. Mouse is sweeping for remote triggers. Hurry guys.” There was a hint of panic in her voice.

“Let’s get this over with,” Alex told Cassie and Tennison.

They began to jog through the basement. The scent of decay intensified until they reached a huge round cylinder sunk deep into the floor in the middle of the room.

“What is that?” Tennison asked, covering his nose and mouth at the putrid smell that rose from it.

Alex looked up at a hatch that opened in the ceiling above them. “A disposal for the bodies,” he said. His stomach rolled with nausea at the stench that surrounded them.

A sound caught his ear. Alex leaned over the hole.

“Careful, Alex,” Cassie warned.

“We should get out of here,” Tennison said. “There’s no sign of anything living.”

Alex pulled the flashlight from his gun and shined it into the hole. The sight of bloody, broken, decaying bodies made him close his eyes. The thought of the pain the werewolves had gone through filled him with frustration. He opened his eyes and forced himself to look into the hole again. There it was, that small sound. It was sharp, but faint, like a gasp of air taken in through bruised ribs. Alex knew the feeling from his encounter with Torin. The Alpha definitely hadn’t pulled his punches.

The smallest movement caught Alex’s attention. He peered closer.

“Alex, you’re going to fall in,” Cassie said, grabbing his shoulder.

Alex concentrated on the mass of bodies below. He saw it again, a hand, fingers reaching weakly.

“There’s someone down there,” Alex said. He tore off his wristband of nylon rope Caden had insisted they all wear and began untying it.

“Are you kidding?” Tennison asked. “There are bodies down there, but no one alive.”

“Alex, what are you doing?” Cassie asked.

Alex handed Tennison the end of the rope. “Tie this off somewhere.”

He climbed onto the edge of the cylinder.

“Are you crazy?” Cassie said, her voice near panic. She tried to stop him.

“Cass, there’s someone down there,” Alex told her. “We have to get whoever it is out before the General knows we’re here and blows the place.”

Cassie shook her head, her eyes wide.

Alex met her gaze, his tone firm. “This is why we’re here,” he told her. “We help werewolves who are in trouble. I’m not going to leave whoever is down there to die.”

“It’s tied,” Tennison called from beside one of the machines.

Alex looped the rope around his back. He took a deep breath of disgusting air and stepped over the edge.

“Be careful,” Cassie told him, worry thick in her voice.

As Alex lowered down into the pit, he heard Tennison say over the earpiece, “Alex found someone alive in the basement. He’s climbing into a hole in the floor to get them out.”

“Hurry,” Kalia replied. “And be safe.”

Alex stepped carefully down the metal side of the hole. The cylinder tube wall was wavy and coated in grime from the bodies sliding down. He tried to not imagine what coated his sneakers as he worked his way down.

Alex reached the bottom with a sickening squish. The smell that rose up around him made his stomach heave. He hunched over for a moment, trying to force the nausea down. Blood, both dark red and brown, covered the bodies around him. He couldn’t see the hand that had caught his attention before. Alex began to make his way careful among them. Horror, fear, and pain showed on the twisted, still faces. The sight burned into his mind.

Alex was about to put off the moving hand as a figment of his imagination when he heard the slight breath again. His head jerked to the right and he saw wide gray eyes watching him.

Alex dropped to his knees next to her. The girl’s cheeks were streaked with blood, making her look like the corpses around her. As he cleared away the bodies that had been piled up as though they had all been dumped in one mass, Alex realized that the blood that coated his hands was hers. She had lacerations along her stomach, her arms, her legs, and her back. She made a slight sound of pain as Alex shoved the last body free.

“It’s okay,” Alex said. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

A tear trickled from the corner of her eye, cutting a path through the blood.

Alex put a finger to his earpiece. “Tennison, I found a girl. She’s alive. I’m going to put the rope around her and I need you to pull her up.”

Only static answered. Alex looked up.

Cassie’s head blocked out the light high above. “Alex, the place is going to explode! Kalia says someone triggered an alarm!”

The ground shook, throwing Alex and the girl against the wall. Alex gathered her in his arms and hunched over her protectively.

“Get us out of here,” he shouted.

Crashing and splintering sounded from above. The rope fell, coiling among the bodies.

“Alex!” he heard Cassie shout.

His earpiece clicked on and off, but he couldn’t hear anyone speaking. He realized the cylinder was cutting off the reception.

Another explosion sounded. The entire building was going to go down. Alex’s heart clenched. He wouldn’t let his sister die.

“Get out of here,” he yelled.

“I won’t leave you,” Cassie yelled back.

She appeared at the mouth of the hole again. Blood streaked her cheek. Tennison grabbed her arms.

“Get her out of here,” Alex commanded to Tennison as the floor buckled again.

Tennison nodded. “We’ll be back for you,” he shouted.

“Just get Cassie and the others to safety,” Alex yelled. Another explosion tore through the building.

A huge chunk of the ceiling fell into the hole. Alex leaned over the girl, holding her close.

His heart thundered in his chest, filling his ears with the roar as more explosions sounded. He realized they were going to be buried alive in the tube of bodies if it didn’t collapse first.

Each explosion sounded louder than the last. Alex held the girl close to him. He could feel the warmth of her blood as it seeped through his clothes. The ground shook and the ceiling above the hole collapsed. The light above them was shut out, leaving Alex and the girl in the haze lit only by the light from his gun.

When the rumbles ended, Alex blew out a breath, trying to clear his thoughts. He was trapped on a pile of bodies with a girl who looked like she was going to bleed to death if he didn’t do something. He could fall victim to the fear that pressed in on him from every side, beckoning for him to fade into numb shock, or he could do something to save her.

Alex checked the girl over quickly. At first he had thought she was younger, but he realized she was close to his age. She watched him through half-open eyes, her gray irises almost swallowed by her pupils that were dilated from the pain. Her wounds weren’t closing, which let him know they had been made with silver.

Alex took off his shirt and tore it into pieces. He spoke to her while he worked to reassure her and keep his mind focused despite the horrors around and above them.

“Stay with me,” he said quietly as he wrapped the tee-shirt shreds around the lacerations on her arms. “I know it’s easier to close your eyes and go to sleep, but stay with me.”