Out in the Woods [5SOS AU]

Chapter 12

Everyone either nodded or hummed, looking up to indeed see yellow arrows and occasionally a smaller red one, which was pretty well hidden in the colour of the stones.

"This is where we should split up. You can follow the yellow arrows for a while, but if you find any stairs going up, do not take them. If you think someone's down here, bring yourself into safety." Valeria explained to everyone once they came to a intersection of hallways. Luke hummed in understanding for his part of the team, before wishing the other two a quick good luck and taking off with Ashton and Bryana. Which left Calum with the girl. "What do we do?"

"We look." The girl said in a duh voice, before smiling sympathetically at the dark haired boy. "If you come across a door without a sign, try and open it. If there's anyone inside that's not um- Michael?" Calum nodded in confirmation, frowning sadly for a moment as the girl continued. "Either run or try not to be seen. I'm not good with confrontation and I'm not sure if you are. But just keep yourself save. If they catch me, that's fine. As long as you get out, yeah?"

Calum looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow, before averting his eyes to the door they were about to pass. It had a yellow sign with 'do not enter', so they ignored it. "Why should I leave you behind? It's all out, all return."

"Because, I just want all of you to get out safely. You don't know what my family might do if they find out you guys aren't completely human." The girl spoke quietly, frowning at her own words. Calum kept quiet, his respect for the girl growing a little. Here she was, helping them, while making sure they'd get out safely. He appreciated it.

After a while of passing many doors that were opened and revealed empty rooms or were closed with the same sign as before, Calum was close to giving up. They had had so many hallways and rooms, he honestly started to doubt if Michael was anywhere near. He trudged behind the blonde girl, sighing as they approached another door. It didn't have a sign on it, but as the girl tried to open it, it was locked. Calum perked up, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "It's locked."

"You don't have the key, right?" The Beta asked her, secretly hoping she did, but knowing the chance was small. The girl shook her head, making Calum sigh, before he looked at the door, inspecting the lock. "A bobby pin?"

Valeria checked her hair and pockets, frowning as she didn't have anything. The Beta nodded, getting a little frustrated and backing up. The girl watched in confusion as Calum took in the door once more. She was about to ask what his plan was, when the Beta kicked the door in with an insane amount of force. A look of surprise flashed on her face, before she followed the Beta in, shocked by the sight.

"Mikey," Calum whispered, his voice quiet and broken as he looked at the weak boy in front of them. Valeria's face saddened, while in both of them disgust for the people who had done this rose. They couldn't understand why anyone would do such a thing to someone so innocent.

Michael was chained to the wall, thick silver chains wrapped around his ankles, wrists, one around his stomach and even one around his neck. His feet hung just above the ground, his head down and his whole body seeming to be limp. A buzzing sound filled the silent room, it coming from a big machine to the right. Four thin plastic tubes were attached to it, their transparency showing a fluid silver-coloured liquid that traveled through them. And if you were familiar with the smell, you knew it wasn't just the colour, but that it was real fluid silver.

The other ends of the tubes were attached to what seemed to be needles, that were inserted in Michael's arms and legs. Soon the two realised that they were inserting silver in him, trying to kill him from the inside. Because as much as the legends can be untrue sometimes, werewolves can't take silver. Fake, of course makes no difference, but the real deal was dangerous. Not immediately upon touch, but you couldn't hold it long. Even in human form.

"What have they done," Calum choked out, approaching the weak boy. He tried to stay strong, but seeing Michael in a situation like this, so weak, pale, anything but himself, it hurt. It was killing him like it was killing the younger boy.

"We have to get him out of here," Calum then said determinedly as he turned back to Valeria, "now."

The girl didn't answer, she simply looked around for anything to open the chains with. Maybe the key, if they were lucky. And to both her and Calum's surprise, whoever had locked the boy in here, had been stupid enough to leave a set of keys hanging on a peg next to the door.

"Let's try these," the girl said to Calum, approaching Michael's almost lifeless body. Calum was more focused on the needles, however, carefully trying to remove them from where they punctured the pale skin. Valeria successfully unlocked the chain around his one wrist, seeing as Calum had already removed the needles from the arms. He was now removing the two from Michael's legs, as she moved to the other chain and unlocked it.

"Calum, we'll have to catch him. He'll fall forward once he's freed without a doubt." The girl said to him, looking down. He removed the last needle and threw it somewhere, before looking up at her. "I'll catch him. You unlock them."

His voice was determined, but if you listened closely, you could hear the crack. He was hurting and anyone knowing how close the two had grown in such a short time, knew it was impossible not to.

The girl nodded, unlocking the chains around his ankles first, before unlocking the one around his neck and lastly the one around his stomach. It seemed like they had burned a little into his skin, but no major wounds were left. As predicted, Michael's body slumped forward, Calum catching him. He hoisted the younger boy up a little, removing some black hair from his face, "oh, Mikey."

"Let's get out of here. You take Michael and take the car. Go home and make sure to take care of him. I'll find the others and we'll find a safe place." Valeria said to the dark haired boy, sure of her plan.

"How will you guys get home?" Calum asked worriedly, moving Michael in his arms so he was carrying the boy in bridal style.

"We'll find a way. The most important thing right now is that you get Michael home safely." Valeria looked him in the eye, making sure he understood.

"Okay. Be safe," the Beta told her softly, giving the girl a nod before they both exited the torturous room. Calum went to follow the small red arrows, while Valeria followed the yellow ones, hoping to stumble across the rest of the pack. After that, she would go upstairs and face the demons that had done this.

"Valeria?" The girl looked to her left, seeing Luke jog her way, Ashton and Bryana right behind. The Alpha immediately narrowed his eyes the moment he didn't see Calum, stepping in front of Luke to protect him and loom over the blonde girl. "Where is Calum?"

"He's bringing Michael to safety. We found him. He's not doing well, but Calum's going to take him home. You guys should follow and bring yourself to safety." Valeria explained, daring to look Ashton in the eye. The Alpha stared at her for a moment, before relaxing. His facial expression softened, before he turned around to the other two. "Bry, go help him, he will need it."

"I swear! It says it, doesn't it?!"

All three that were left their eyes widened, making them turn to where the voice had come from. Valeria then turned back to them. "Go! I'll hold them off. You two get out!"

Luke looked at his Alpha for a moment, who nodded at him. "Go. I'll follow later."

"No- dude! Get the heck out with him!" Valeria protested, watching Luke run off before facing Ashton. "Are you crazy?"

"No. I may not trust you completely, but you helped my pack. Now I'm helping you get out and if in the mean time I can kill whoever did this-"

"Let's not kill my family please. No matter how crazy they are, I prefer to not be homeless and all completely." The girl mumbled. Ashton watched her for a moment, before nodding. "Can't promise I won't hurt them."

"As long as you hurt Evan the most, I'm sure I'll be just fine."