Things that Go Bump in the Night

Chapter 46: Outside Alone: Part 3

The Beta did not hesitate to step out of the light and clear the path he had blocked in the ally. The men still stood in the stiff circle they had formed, scared to move.

“Go before I make you.” his voice growled at their unmoving forms. The sound of his growl made the men scramble to get out of the ally, practically falling over each other in their haste. Those men tried to kill me. Those men were going to do God knows what to me.

I let them go.

It was only after the fact that I realized that by letting them go I had taken the sheild of victims that had separated me from the Beta. He had stepped back into the flickering light as the men retreated, his gaze still attached to their frantic figures. His eyes were still black and his fangs remained in full view.

“You gave them a head start, but they will be punished for their crimes.” He growled low in his throat, bitterness cloaking his tone.

I aimed the gun at him now, my hands beginning to tremble slightly once more.

The Beta was bigger than me, stronger than me, faster than me, and could without a doubt get to me before anything but a head shot could stop him. His canine ears flickered back to me before he redirected his gaze, taking in my stance with a blank expression. His eyes slowly flickered back to grey and his face jerkily shifted back to human form.

The transition seemed to jar him a bit,  forcing him to take a swaying step back as the bones rearranged.  He shook his head several times as if to clear it, while blinking repeatedly. I had never seen a transition so disjointed before, painful looking. 

Was there soemthing wrong with him?

Before I could put much thought into that notion he was back into complete human form. Once he seemed to regain his focus he rolled his shoulders, wincing slightly during the motion, before settling his steel eyes upon me.

“There is not time for that. We need to get off the street.” He stated, seeming otherwise unaffected by the fact that I was pointing a weapon at him which had the potential to end his life. Did he not know that the gun held silver bullets? Did he not take me seriously?

“This gun isn’t filled with normal bullets.” I managed to choke out past the burning feeling in my throat.

“I know.” He replied evenly, still not taking his grey eyes off of my panicked face. “But shooting me would end badly for you.”

I glared at him incredulously, subtly adjusting my grip on the butt of the gun.

“If you think I’ll miss, you are mistaken.” I stated, trying to keep my rough voice as smooth as possible even though my palms were beginning to sweat and my knees trembled in exhaustion.

“I don’t doubt that you would kill me.” he rejoined, holding his ground even with my threats. “Do it and all three patrols searching the block will know exactly where you are.”

Three patrols? Searching the block? Searching for me?

I quickly reviewed my position. I was water logged, chilled to the bone, possibly had a concussion and was handcuffed.

There was no way that I was going to be able to outrun three patrols after they heard a gunshot at this distance. If I killed him, they would find me. If they found me, they would kill me. I focused my thoughts back up to the werewolf before me.

“You’re lying.” I accused, trying to call a bluff. 

“What reason do I have to lie?” He countered.

“You want to use me to find Red.” I rejoined, the thought of him finding her and hurting her making my spine straighten. I would not help him find her. I would not betray my friend.There was nothing he could do to force me.