Darkness isolates some senses and expands others. Ben lived in the darkness for days, trapped in a small metal box barely as wide as his wingspan. If he spread his arms, the cool steel walls touched his fingertips.

He knew days passed because the lady, Selene, stopped by the trailer next to him each morning to talk to the poor bastard trapped there. Ben listened as she greeted him good morning and told him of the camp's plans for the day. Then she'd reassure him they were doing everything to find a way to cure him of his disease.

As if werewolves weren't born werewolves.

The lady was out of her mind. And either not thinking or didn't know much about his kind. His hearing was impeccable. If she were in the cage, she wouldn't be able to distinguish much beyond muffled voices.

Ben was part animal—his hearing meant to help him catch prey. Or prevent him from becoming it.

The darkness swallowed his vision, but he adapted well. He wouldn't be able to read in this cold blackness, but he saw where the bars met the wall—and the rust on the major hinge keeping him in. The energy his body, his senses, would have given to help him see instead went to enhance his hearing.

So he heard every conversation between the lady and the wolf clearly.

"Dominic, sweetie, you okay?"

This was not the first time she'd given the wolf an endearment. With the disgusted way she looked at Ben, he didn't think the lady thought highly of wolves. Yet, this wolf, she treated like a well-to-do prisoner.

He bet Dominic even got a bigger cage.

The wolf didn't answer her, though he breathed heavily. Raspily. He was trying to push back the Change.

He wanted to tell him not to fight it. If you irritated the animal enough or didn't let it out regularly, the animal inside eventually took over. People who fought their inner beast had as much of a chance of going feral as wolves who refused to revert to their human form. If the beast thought there wasn't going to be another chance to get out again, it would hold the beast form for as long as possible—forever even.

"I'm working on this," Selene said, "we're getting closer to the girl."

Ben tensed. Selene was obsessed with Harley and her latency. Each time she talked to the wolf, she assured him they were focused on getting her. As if Harley's latency could be scooped out of her and given to Dominic.

"I've tried other methods," she said, then cleared her throat. "They've been less than successful. I've got a source. It's a last resort, and he'll hate me for contacting him. But I can't sit here and see you like this."

Dominic huffed a humorless laugh. When he spoke, the words came in between gasps for air. "Give it...up."

There was a tinny bang, like a fist meeting thin metal. "Don't you dare talk like that. You hear me? I did not put this much effort in for you to toss it aside."

"I will contact my source." She said. "And we'll proceed with plans."

The door to the trailer came down and slammed shut. Ben easily recognized the loud tick-tick-tick of the wheels along the metal track of the door. Then the lock on the outer door clapped shut.

Ben sat against the wall, resting his head against the wall behind him. The distant sound of people—Selene's troops—moving about reached his trailer. If he focused, he could differentiate the tones—laughter, arguments, singing.

How had Selene gotten so many people to follow her? How had she convinced all these people to work under her? For her useless cause?

"She'll check...later," Dominic said through gasps.

It took Ben a moment to realize he spoke to him. Occasionally, the two of them talked, though it wasn't more than a few words here or there.

Ben gave a humorless chuckle, "yeah, she likes you a lot." Some days Selene checked on Dominic more than once.

"No...you."

"She sure as hell doesn't like me," Ben said in a quieter tone. The trailers gave a bit of an echo, which carried his voice easily to Dominic.

"Check on...you."

"Yeah, she does that."

A moan came from the other trailer. Then, in a small, pain filled voice, Dominic said, "If you find a way past the bars...take her by surprise...when she opens the doors."

Why was he helping him? I mean, they were both stuck in cages, but Selene liked this other guy. She spoke as if she'd let him out someday. If the guy helped Ben get out, that possibility of freedom might disappear.

He'd say he didn't trust the guy, but he'd heard every conversation between him and Selene since he'd been trapped here. The guy hadn't shown any inkling of being a part of the lady's twisted plans.

"The wolf," Ben said softly, "will not like you pushing him down. He'll want to show his dominance. If you want to control it—the Change—you're going to have to let him through every once and again."

A half-human, half animal whine came from Dominic.

He really didn't sound good. "If you don't Change, you'll go feral. Then you'll be stuck in the wolf form with no way back."

"I let him out," Dominic groaned, "he won't listen to me."

So he'd Changed before? "How often is your Change?"

"V-varies."

Not good. An inconsistent or unanticipated Change was never a good sign. It meant the wolf was beginning to fight for full control. Or that the human half wouldn't be strong enough to control the wolf. "Then you need to show the wolf you're listening to him. If he's afraid you'll never let him out, he'll take over. It needs to be a mutual relationship."

Dominic didn't respond after that. Though a bit later, the distinct sound of cracking bones came from the other trailer.

Ben winced. Dominic needed to get out. That cage would only further scare or irritate the beast. For Dominic...and his own wolf.

Harley. He also needed to warn the pack and Harley.

His pack bond wasn't working—he still couldn't feel anything from his pack brothers and sisters. Whatever they injected in him messed with his bonds. As it was, the wolf inside him twitched and whined—he hated the cage.

He had to get out. Had to find a way through the bars. Then, when Selene opened the outer door, he could take her by surprise. Maybe get out in time.

But how...?

The darkness was heavy. It made him aware of his every breath, his heartbeat, his restless muscles. Stay sharp, Will's voice reminded him. Will would figure a way out of here. Same with his brother. Cam wouldn't let something like a few bolts keep him from freedom.

His eyes landed on the rusted hinge.

~

Harley

Harley's mind wouldn't shut off. Every moment that Will was gone she spent worrying if he was in danger. Or if he found Ben. And if it wasn't Will, she'd think about Ben and where he was and what horrors he suffered.

She tried to watch TV, hoping some mindless show would take her away for a while. But the comedy show she ended on didn't hold her attention—she had no idea what the show was about.

Two minutes later, it didn't matter. Jamie came around the corner into the living room. Harley expected her to walk past the door and continue on. Instead, she stomped over and got in Harley's face.

The first thing she noticed were the tears in Jamie's eyes. "What is your problem?"

The vitriolic tone took Harley by surprise. She dropped the remote onto the cushion next to her. "I'm sorry?"

"Is this what you like to do?" Jamie asked, wiping at her cheek with the back of her hand. "Do you like causing problems for people?"

"Jamie, I—"

"My dad has never been stressed out until the attack. Then you come along and there's another? Is that why you left your last pack? Because you were nothing but a burden to them too?"

If she had a wolf, the beast would probably have been spitting fire, ready to tear off Jamie's head for the accusations. However, Harley didn't have a wolf, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't think some of the words had a kernel of truth to them.

Defend yourself. Harley sat up straighter. "Jamie, I have had nothing to do with any of this. If there was a way to get these people—whoever they are—to stop and leave us all alone, I would."

Jamie's lips thinned. "Will is out there right now, probably fighting for his life, or Ben's. And if he gets hurt, it'll be your fault. Because you couldn't protect Ben when it mattered." She gestured to Harley and the TV, "and now this is what you're doing?"

"What do you expect me to—"

"At least act like this whole thing doesn't make you happy," Jamie spit. Then she stormed out.

The TV was still on, playing canned laughter. Harley flipped it off and gripped the remote tight in her hands.

If she could do something, anything, she would. But she was a fucking latent wolf. She couldn't even defend herself well. She was useless—she knew that.

But to have Jamie come in and point it out?

Harley clutched her butterfly necklace tight and tried to take a deep breath. The air in the pack house began suffocating her. It didn't feel clean enough, didn't soothe her lungs. Her vision dimmed. She recognized the signs of her body for what they were.

Panic attack.

She stumbled out to the front porch, trying to suck in air, to fight off the lightheadedness. Head between the knees, she told herself.

She dropped to the first step and pulled her head between her knees. All the while holding her butterfly necklace as if it were a lifeline.