Will

The trailer smelled of urine--a smell sharp enough to sting his nose and cause his eyes to water.

Cam, busy inspecting the bars holding them in the cramped space, put the collar of his shirt over his nose. "Mathias, you're never allowed to come on any rescue missions ever again."

Mathias only snorted.

Meanwhile, Will tried his best to ignore the pungent smell and felt around the top of the metal box and along the walls.

They were looking for any weakness, either in the trailer's design or in the metal bars holding them there. Every design had a flaw, and if they were going to get out of there, they'd have to find that flaw.

Cam had been the first one to wake up after the tranq wore off. Immediately, he shook a groggy Will awake.

At first, with the darkness of the trailer and the unbearable heat, Will had assumed Selene had locked them up somewhere to die.

It wasn't until they heard the voices of the others outside that they knew otherwise.

They'd been locked in this trailer until further notice. Until Selene decided to have a better use for them, or simply kill them off.

Will would not accept either option. Because Harley was out there. And so was Ben. And they both probably needed his help.

Or worse.

With renewed vigor, he tapped hard on the sidewall. A tinny sound accompanied his tapping--the wall was relatively thin and most likely some type fiberglass mixture. The floor was nothing but wood panels, but he knew if he broke through them, he'd hit another layer of fiberglass and possibly the vehicle's frame. Getting through the miscellaneous pipes and metal down there would be more difficult.

If he went past the thick metal bars by the door and tapped on that wall, he knew he'd hit the same material as the sidewalls.

Which meant...

He ran a hand along one of the seams of the metal. "We're going through."

Cam raised an eyebrow. "Through? And how do you suppose we do that?"

He pulled back and clenched a fist. "Brute force."

He threw a punch into the wall and was actually somewhat surprised at the decent sized dent left behind.

Cam sputtered. "Will, buddy, I know you like to punch walls, but this is ridiculous."

"It'll work," he said and took a deep breath. They were going to have to ram through the wall to make an exit. His body was going to hate him later.

"We're literally going to beat our way out of this?"

Will's shoulder hit the wall. He let the sharp ache roll over him. "You got a better idea?"

Cam sighed and stood next to him. "At what point do you think the metal will give?"

"Don't know. Just start moving."

Turns out, the metal walls in the trailer were pretty durable. It took them what felt like an hour or so to pound through the material. Luckily they were werewolves and had the extra strength, stamina, and speed on their side.

If they were human, they'd have collapsed.

With one final kick, Will's foot broke through the metal. The sharp edges of the new hole scraped along his jean as he pulled his leg back in.

"Holy shit," Cam's breath came out in gasps. "It actually worked." Shiny trails of sweat ran down his face and matted his hair. His shirt looked like he'd dropped it in a pool and put it on soaking wet.

Will didn't look any different. His eyes stung from the sweat dripping down his temples.

After the initial breakthrough--pun intended--they yanked at the edges of the metal, muscles straining, as they formed a hole big enough to crawl through.

The trailer was a hot box. It smelled of sweat and urine and more than anything he wanted out.

The air that seeped in from outside felt miraculous. Chilled too, despite it being summer.

Cam peeked his head out. "There's no one out here."

Will scoffed. "You'd think that for prisoners they'd at least have someone watching over us."

"Or someone to check out the banging noise," he added.

Cam shrugged. "Maybe they have better things to do? Like, extinguish our fire? Or find the rest of our group?"

"Still, after the racket we made--"

Cam slid through their little hole, Mathias following close behind. "Take the gift, Will."

"Oh trust me, I will."

~

Harley

"Harley?" Ben whispered.

She woke up slowly and winced at the crick in her neck. "Ow." She massaged the area with her fingers. "What's the matter?"

Ben held up a finger. "Shh," he tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. "Do you hear that?"

No. She didn't want to remind him that he was a werewolf and she was not. It would not only be pointing out the obvious, but it'd be sassy. Ben didn't deserve sassy Harley right now. "No."

Then she heard it--a growl. Shouting. Screaming.

"What do you think it is?" She asked.

"Something good, I hope."

One of the first lessons she'd learned in life was that nothing good ever came from growls and screaming.

And then, Will shot through the tent flap, Cam right behind him. "Harley?"

She launched herself close to the bars, pressing her body as close to them as possible. "Will? Oh my Luna--"

Will dripped with sweat, his shirt dark all the way through. His hair was a wet mess, his jeans dirty. One pant leg was darker than the other. Really dark and soaked through. Was that...blood?

Cam looked at Ben. "Hey, baby bro."

Ben weakly saluted.

Will's eyes scanned her. Whatever he found, he really didn't like. "Harley, what did they do to you?"

He didn't wait for an answer. "Step back."

She sat at the back of the cage. Will brought his leg up and began kicking at the lock. "Will, stop--"

He continued kicking.

"Will! It's thick metal. You're just going to hurt yourself."

He stopped, huffing. "Do you know where the keys are?"

"No."

"Ben?"

"No, man. Sorry."

She watched him analyze the crate and then stare at the lock. "You have a bobby pin?"

She shook her head. Maybe if she were a normal girl she'd have one. But she'd never cared about her hair enough for bobby pins. Besides, Selene and her lackeys probably would've taken them anyway.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck!"

A sharp yap outside had him straightening. He repeated his curse.

A wolf growled outside, followed by the dull thuds of a fight.

And then a familiar wolf rolled into the tent and skidded to a stop.

Harley frowned, the back of her throat aching. Mathias. He'd been caught too?

She hardly had any time to process because Blackthorne came through the tent with two rough looking friends. He scanned the scene. "Well look here! A joyous reunion. Why wasn't I invited?"

Cam stepped forward, what had to be a curse on his lips, but stopped when Will threw his arm out.

Will had narrowed his eyes on Blackthorne. "Let them go."

Blackthorne's lip quirked upward. "Does that actually work? You ask nicely, so I just give up?"

"We've already played this game--"

"Yeah," Blackthorne slid one foot behind him and readied himself. "And I distinctly remember winning."

Will shot into motion, going straight for Blackthorne. Cam and Mathias not far behind.

With the sluggishness of her brain, she struggled to track the movement as they all clashed. She kept shooting her gaze between Mathias--who'd gotten his canines around the ankle of one of Blackthorne's lackeys--and Will.

Will fought with fluid strength. He whirled and jabbed, familiar with a fight. Blackthorne returned in kind, though his punches were tight and his body jerky.

Cam had snagged his opponent into a chokehold. The other guy, his face turning red, landed hits anywhere he could. Cam's arms. His hip. His stomach.

He wouldn't let go. And Harley watched, her heart caught in her throat, as something entered Cam's face. Determination and...sadness?

He pressed his lips together, glanced briefly at Ben.

And snapped the other guy's neck.

Harley jerked back like she'd been shot.

Horrified for the outcome of the other fights, she watched as Mathias ripped, bit, and tore at his opponent who lashed out with a knife. Dark red blood coated her brother's muzzle and dripped down his scruff, but he didn't let it slow him down. He ducked and dodged, barely staying out of the weapon's range.

Meanwhile, Will had tackled Blackthorne to the floor and rolled with him, their fight turning into a wrestling match as they both tried to get control of the gun in Blackthorne's hand.

"Cam!" Harley pointed at Will's fight.

Cam rushed over to help.

Mathias yelped, the knife making contact, scraping along his side. He hopped away, pivoted, and latched onto the guy's wrist. The guy cried out, but Mathias yanked him down.

A loud bang pierced the air.

Harley jumped out of her skin, waiting for the pain. Waiting for the agony.

Nothing.

It didn't hit her. Thank the Goddess.

"Harley," Ben's eyes scanned over her with a sense of urgency. "Did it hit you?"

She shook her head over and over. "No. No, I'm okay. You?"

"I'm good."

She crossed her arms over her stomach, her fingers cold, as she sought the bullet's destination.

Will was still finagling with Blackthorne, nothing but focus and aggression on his face. Cam yanked the weapon from his hands and tossed it aside. Mathias was--

Mathias was under his opponent, both of them limp.

"Mathias?" Harley whispered. The fear had climbed up her throat and taken control of her voice box.

He wasn't moving.

He wasn't moving.

"Harley, don't look. Harley!" Ben yelled. Her gaze shot to him. "It's fine. It'll all be fine."

Oh Goddess, it'd hit him.

"Harley, I need you to focus on me. Hey." Ben snapped his fingers a few times, but she couldn't look away from the silent huddle.

He isn't dead, she told herself. He's been through explosions, attacks, and wolf fights. A bullet wouldn't stop him.

Even though she tried to convince herself, a part of her sank further. What if it did?

"Mathias? Mathias, get up." Angry, she snapped, "Mathias! Get up. Now!"

If she wasn't staring so hard at the bodies, she would've missed it. But--there--Mathias' paw moved.

With a whine, he crawled out from under the other guy.

Tears welled up behind her eyelids. Thank you, Luna.

Cam and Will easily subdued Blackthorne after that. They wrestled his arms behind his back and had him in a kneeling position.

Blackthorne chuckled, his lip dripping red. "I've got to hand it to you guys. You know how to throw a punch."

"Where are the keys?" Will asked.

Blackthorne's gaze lazily slid to her. "What's the matter, Harley? You don't want to play anymore?"

Mathias growled, baring his bloody teeth.

Will shook him hard. "Where. Are. The. Keys."

Blackthorne took in his situation and, oh so slowly, seemed to sink. The realization swept over him--he wasn't getting out of this one. Not this time.

His smile dropped as he really looked at her. "I'll give you the keys," he said slowly, "but promise me something."

Cam snorted, his chest moving up and down as he caught his breath. "Let me guess...you want to keep your life."

Blackthorne worked his jaw, still staring at her.

She pulled back, a little confused at his attention on her.

"Promise me," he said, "that you'll help the wolves at this camp that want it. Some of them...some of them didn't choose to be this way. If you can show them a better life--do it."

They were silent as Blackthorne coughed. "The original test subjects. The ones that survived. Take them with you. Get them away from Selene."

Will frowned at Blackthorne. "Why would you...?"

Harley's chest tightened as she watched Blackthorne give up completely. "I saw what you did for Dominic," he said to Ben, "you can do it for the others too. Walk them through this."

Cam ran a hand through his hair. "You're the most confusing--"

"You knew one of them," Harley breathed. "One of the original test subjects. They were close to you."

Blackthorne nodded. "My daughter." He sucked in a breath, one that wavered and caught in his throat. "I made a mistake by making her a test subject. And in my blindness and denial afterward, I thought Selene was doing the right thing. I thought if I could just help her find a cure, it would make up for--" he broke himself off and met Harley's gaze. "Seeing how she treated you, I'm not sure what the right thing is now."

"Your daughter," Harley asked, "where is she?" Maybe they could still get to her and get her help and support. Werewolf support.

Blackthorne didn't respond.

Her heart sank. "I see."

"I think Tara would have liked you," Blackthorne said softly to her. "And maybe if I'd taken her to one of you guys, she wouldn't have gone crazy."

After a beat, Will cleared his throat and held out a hand. "Keys."

Blackthorne jerked his chin to the guy who'd toppled over Mathias. "Dobrick has them."

Cam patted the body down and eventually came up with two small silver keys. He used them to unlock first Ben's cage, then Harley's.

Cam helped her out of the cage. Good thing too, because once she unfolded herself, her muscles gave. They'd been stuck in the same position for so long, they ached.

He caught her easily, "you okay?"

"I'm good," she said, her fingers clutched at his shirt. Gently, she reworked her muscles into their normal shape.

Ben was quicker to recover. He hurried over to help her out, letting her lean on him.

Will kept a hold on Blackthorne the whole time. Only after they were both free and able to walk did he shoot Blackthorne a warning look and release him.

Blackthorne rubbed at his wrists and stayed quiet.

"Uh, Harley..." Ben reached his arm around her back and gripped the sides of her gown together.

Her face flamed. She'd forgotten the open back of her gown. Oh Goddess, had she flashed everyone?

Will had his shirt off and over her head moments later. It was large enough to fit over the gown and cover the parts the gown didn't. It still smelled like sweat and was damp, but she'd take whatever was available. When her head popped out of the top, she stared up into his face.

His eyes softened as he looked down at her, though his jaw was still tight.

She knew she wasn't at her best, but the way Will gazed down at her, she could've been fooled.

Unable to help herself, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.

His warm hands automatically came around to her back. "Thank Luna you're okay," he whispered into her neck. His breath was hot on her skin, but she didn't care because he was here, right here, and safe.

She put her hands on his chest and her forehead on his collar bone. The muscles under her fingers were smooth and promised strength. A warrior's muscles.

Cam coughed. "Hate to break this moment, but we really need to go."

Will pulled back first. "Ben."

"Yes?"

"I need you to take Harley back to pack territory. Keep her safe until I get there."

"What?" She frowned. "What about you?"

Will's eyes flicked to Blackthorne. "We have to finish this," he declared. "I need you all to get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you," she said. No way was she going to let Will take on Selene's people by himself. He'd had a group earlier, and look what happened! Even if he was a rogue hunter extraordinaire, he was outnumbered.

Will cupped her face in his hands. "I can't let you get hurt." He placed a kiss on her forehead, then pulled back. "It'll be fine. I know exactly how to end this. Or rather, who needs to end this."

"Will--"

"Trust me."

She trusted him. Goddess, she trusted him more than anyone else. That didn't mean she wanted him to run off and play savior and get killed.

But...if he really could end this...

"I have to try," he said.

She took a deep, calming breath, prayed for strength, and nodded. "Fine. Promise me you'll come home."

"I promise."

Cam stepped forward. "I'm staying with you, Will."

Will looked like he wanted to say something. Instead, he nodded. "Good. I'll need someone at my back."

They decided that Ben, Mathias, and Harley were going to find the other group of reinforcements and head back to the pack house. If Will and Cam didn't return in 24 hours, they'd call in neighboring packs to deal with the situation.

"You know where Dominic is?" Will asked Blackthorne.

Blackthorne nodded.

"Good."

"Will, wait." Harley wrapped his fingers around the tiny data chip. "You might need that. Be careful with it."

Will peered down at it, confused. "What is it?"

She ran a hand down his arm. "Leverage."

The longer they stayed there, the more dangerous. Selene's group might be rallying back together again. So reluctantly, they parted ways.

"Come back to me," Harley told Will before they left.

He placed a delicate kiss on her lips. "I promise."

Ben and Mathias led her out of the tent. They snuck along the edge of the camp and safely back into the forest--heading towards home.

All the while Harley prayed that Will would keep his promise. She'd lost too many people to this science experiment. She wasn't quite sure she could handle losing another.