A Howl In The Night ✔ » l.s

18

A lot had changed in the past few days.

Louis couldn't function as a Trooper anymore, ever since Harry had proved to him that his suspicions were possible. There was also the fact that Harry was to be sent away back to the mansion later in the evening, and Louis didn't plan of getting left behind.

His shoes echoed against the marble floor, shoulders tensed and hands balled into fists as he approached Commander Roy's office. The guard waiting by the man's door let Louis pass, and soon he was standing before the man who was hunched over the table, busy writing something on a piece of parchment paper.

Louis cleared his throat to announce his presence, causing Roy to look up from his work and give him a curious look.

"Tomlinson," he greeted, "I do hope you are not here to persuade me with making Harry stay, because as I said before—"

"No, that's not it." Louis cut in, taking a deep breath, "I've come to resign from my post as a Trooper of this Fort, Sir."

Roy didn't seem fazed. "Ah, well. You are a man of your words. Something not most people have nowadays. It's still a shame, you are a good warrior. Or, were."

Louis pressed his lips together before pulling out his badge from his pocket—a golden badge he'd been given when he was sixteen years old, one he'd held dearly for years. He'd never imagined that he'd give it up one day, but he took pride in surprising even himself.

"It was an honor serving you, Commander Roy." Louis said stiffly as he placed the badge on the table.

Roy grabbed the badge and fidgeted with it for a moment before looking back at Louis, eyes curious as always. "This Styles boy really is important to you, isn't he?"

"Well, yes. He's family."

Roy just cocked an eyebrow before standing up and walking to the window beside him, looking out at the forest.

"He's your weakness. Something we can't afford to have at the Fort." Roy said.

Louis opened his mouth to say something, but Roy held his hand up. "If that's all you've come for, you're free to go."

Louis reluctantly turned around, placing a hand on the doorknob before stopping. "Sir Roy?"

"You have something more to say?" Roy asked in an amused tone.

Louis turned back around to face him. "Do you believe in the possibility of a person still able to transform into their wolf form?"

Roy didn't say anything for a long while. Louis actually thought the man wouldn't answer until he said, "Yes. I've seen it myself."

Louis gaped, scrambling to find words. "You—you have?"

Roy turned his face slightly towards him, though his eyes were still locked on something outside. "I've watched my very own comrades and Troopers turn. And I'd made sure to kill them when it happened."

"What?" Louis gasped, dumbfounded.

Roy knew. Roy himself was aware of this, probably had known for years yet here he was, slaying beast after beast. Louis' mind was whirring, thoughts tumbling all over one another. He now wondered how many more high-ranking officers were aware of this, and how Troopers like himself had all been manipulated.

"Certain sacrifices must be made. Don't look so glum, now. There's no way to turn them back once they're vicious, man-eating beasts. Of course the only solution is death." Roy said, his stern voice echoing through the room. "You'd be a fool if you did anything else."

Louis had to dig his nails into his own palms to keep himself calm. "How do you sleep, knowing you've murdered them?"

"How we've murdered them, you mean." Roy said calmly. "I feel rather proud of myself. For ending their misery and saving the lives of countless others."