Oath Breaker

by Shelley Wilson

  Panic set in and I slid to the floor with a strangled cry. I let the tears fall as I lowered my head to my knees and wept.

  Where am I?’

  ‘What does Sebastian plan to do with me?’

  ‘I want to see Elizabeth.’

  Each plea landed on deaf ears as Dr Wrinkly checked my pulse, changed my bandages and gave me painkillers. I examined every tube and tablet he put in front of me for mysterious serums but the doctor was merely there to ensure I was still recovering.

  Sebastian clearly needed me in optimum health to administer his crazy DNA test. I tried not to think about the results, but I was a little bit curious. Was I destined to be a wolf? My mum had only hated it because she fell in love with a hunter. Although I wouldn’t call it love, I had certainly developed feelings for a wolf. Was I so similar to my mother that we could both destroy our lives because of our emotions?

  I pushed the mashed potato and peas that Dr Wrinkly had delivered on his last visit around the plate. My appetite had vanished the minute Sebastian locked me in. Judging by the contents of my plate, it was early evening. The moon had been full last night and I wondered if the wolves had stayed safe. For all I knew, Sebastian could have sent his mini army of hunters out in force. Keeping up appearances for the good of the academy seemed to be his top priority.

  A scratching noise on the other side of the locked door tugged at my attention and I bristled. Ever since I’d had that conversation with Sebastian about him wanting to fix me, I’d been dreading his return. Every noise could mean the start of experimentation, injections or my ultimate demise.

  However, it was Elizabeth who entered the room, dressed head to foot in black. She had pulled the hood of her jacket over her head to conceal her long blonde hair and had a staff strapped across her back. I couldn’t help but grin up at her, relief flooding my chest. She looked like a cross between an avenging angel and a warrior.

  ‘You are the best surprise I could ask for,’ I said, jumping to my feet and pushing the uneaten dinner to one side.

  ‘We thought you might want to get out of here,’ she said, her voice shaking almost as much as her hands.

  ‘We?’

  Another figure entered the room, also dressed in black. Half expecting to see Adam’s handsome face beneath the hood, I was shocked to spot Terry’s mischievous grin.

  ‘Terry? What the hell are you doing back here? Are you crazy?’

  He chuckled and the sound came from deep in his throat.

  ‘I volunteered to help Lizzie.’

  I raised an eyebrow. ‘Lizzie!’

  ‘Oh yeah, we’re BFFs now, aren’t we, Liz?’

  Elizabeth giggled as she pulled jeans and a jumper from a bag, dropping them on the bed with a pair of trainers and a torch.

  ‘He has been incredibly helpful to our cause,’ she said with a smile. ‘Adam is on lookout upstairs and Miss Ross is in Dr Roberts’s office keeping him busy, but I need you to get changed—and fast!’

  Still reeling from the fact that Miss Ross was in on my daring rescue attempt, I stripped out of the hideous blue jumpsuit and wriggled into the clothes that Elizabeth had fetched. It felt good to be wearing my own clothes again.

  I followed my friends out through the door. I was right; the room was in the basement and part of the maze of rooms that Elizabeth and I had explored the night we found Terry. The hospital wing was further in than we had ventured and consisted of a main office for Dr Wrinkly, a store room, and four patient rooms. All the hospital areas fed off a large circular space with direct access to the school through the main office. To any unsuspecting visitor, it was a fairly mundane hospital wing, but the seventh door, set into a dark alcove, led to the secret laboratory and all the horrors it held.

  As we hurried through each section, I grew more and more anxious. If Sebastian found us, it could be bad for all of us. It wasn’t only me who would end up in trouble—or dead. Sebastian would no doubt torture Terry, and Lizzie and Adam would be thrown out or maybe kept prisoner so they couldn’t tell anyone about what was going on beneath the school.

  We pushed through another door and entered the sterile room where we had discovered Terry chained to the gurney on our last visit. The silver tray, prepped with utensils, stood alongside a clean trolley with fresh folded linen on the end.

  ‘Looks like they were all ready to start another experiment,’ Terry said, holding the door open for us to walk through.

  ‘It’s for me,’ I mumbled.

  Elizabeth sucked in a breath and grabbed onto my hand.

  ‘Sebastian wants to find out if I have werewolf DNA, and if I do, he is going to use a modified serum similar to the one he gave my mother.’

  ‘We won’t let him do that to you.’ Elizabeth squeezed my hand. ‘We’ll get you out of here, I promise.’

  Terry urged us forward and we navigated the rest of the maze with ease. Adam was waiting by the stock room door when we emerged into the academy foyer.

  He held his finger up to his lips and motioned towards Sebastian’s office door. The light shone through the glass, and I could hear muted voices coming from the room. Miss Ross’s voice sounded louder than normal, and I realised she was either shouting at Sebastian or covering up our footsteps.

  Elizabeth and Adam travelled the floor space across the foyer with ease, treading lightly to avoid any squeaky floorboards.

  They beckoned me over and I looked to Terry for support.

  ‘It’s okay, I’m right behind you.’

  I’d made it two steps when the office door flew open and Sebastian stormed through the opening. He hurtled towards me, his eyes blazing with rage.

  ‘Do you think I’m that stupid to believe you wouldn’t try and escape?’ He grabbed my arm and I winced as his fingers tightened their grip.

  Terry moved forward to intervene but Sebastian whirled me around, using me as a shield.

  I saw Adam step out of the shadows, but I shook my head vehemently at him. I needed them to stay safe. He retreated back into the darkness.

  With his free hand, Sebastian punched Terry hard in the face, causing him to stumble backwards and land heavily in the open doorway.

  ‘Inside, both of you.’ He shoved me through the door after Terry and then turned slowly on a stunned Miss Ross.

  ‘You are dismissed, Miss Ross. I will deal with your indiscretions later, in accordance with the oath.’ Sebastian’s jaw was rigid as he spoke through gritted teeth. ‘I think you’ve done quite enough for your goddaughter for one evening.’

  I sucked in a sharp breath. It explained her need to help me discover the truth about my mum and her plans to protect me.

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I whispered.

  ‘I…I don’t know,’ she began.

  Sebastian steered her to the exit, pushing her into the foyer, slamming the door and turning the key in the lock.

  ‘No! Why did you do that?’

  Sebastian turned his cold stare upon me and I stopped talking. Gone was the emotional man who had sobbed at my bedside. The man who stood in front of us was nothing but a monster.

  He inclined his head at Terry but spoke to me. ‘Am I to assume that you were the one who freed this creature from the lab?’

  I stiffened and clenched my fists.

  ‘He’s not a creature, he’s my friend.’

  Sebastian laughed, the sound void of any humour.

  ‘You don’t honestly believe that, do you? Surely even you, Mia, can see how dangerous these beasts are. You’ve witnessed it firsthand.’

  The images of Zak tearing Frank to pieces flashed through my mind.

  ‘The pack protect their own,’ I said, straightening my shoulders.

  Sebastian was across the room before I could blink, his nose mere inches from mine.

  ‘You are no wolf, Mia. Your genes follow the hunter line, my line, and you will do as I say because I. Am. Your. Father.’

  Terry lunged forward, knocking Sebastian back a few steps.

&nb
sp; ‘She’s one of us and belongs with the pack. There’s nothing you can do to stop me taking her.’

  ‘Oh, really.’ The glint in Sebastian’s eye filled me with dread. Self-preservation kicked in and I took a step backwards, still reeling from the venom in his verbal attack.

  He circled the desk and grabbed the phone from its cradle.

  ‘It’s me. Prepare the lab. I have two test subjects.’

  I sat with my back to the wall, gripping my hands together so Terry couldn’t see them trembling. Sebastian had stormed out after making his call, locking us inside his office. We tried to open the windows but they were sealed shut. It was hopeless.

  ‘What are we going to do?’ It was a stupid question because we were trapped. There was nothing we could do, but the silence freaked me out and I needed the comfort of conversation.

  Terry slid down the wall to sit beside me.

  ‘Don’t worry, Mia. I’m sure Adam and Lizzie have found Zak by now and they’re all on their way to rescue us.’

  ‘Zak can’t come here,’ I gasped. ‘It’s too dangerous. If Sebastian gets hold of him, he’ll end up with three test subjects.’

  ‘Your brother will be careful. He’s managed to keep an eye on you all these years without being discovered, hasn’t he?’

  I shrugged my shoulders. ‘Why did he have to hide from me? My life was full of pain and anger and I could have done with a friend.’

  ‘When Zak turned up at Joel’s house, he was in bad shape. He didn’t understand fully what was happening to him, why he was drawn to that town, that pack, and those people. Joel took him in, just like he did with the rest of us, and taught him the ways of the pack.’

  Long shadows trailed across the office floor as I listened to Terry speak.

  ‘He was a fast learner,’ he said. ‘Eventually he became Joel’s second-in-command. He talked about you all the time and how he needed to keep you safe, but our pack was in constant threat from the hunters.’

  ‘You mean, Hood Academy students?’

  ‘Yes. It took all our efforts to keep ourselves safe. Zak sent me to check up on you from time to time. When I saw how you were being treated, I knew we had to do something.’

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘I’d watch you on your way to school and you’d have a fresh bruise, or I’d hear the shouting from outside your house. Zak knew it was time to end it.’

  ‘So he decided to kill Frank.’

  Terry nodded.

  ‘Why didn’t he take me with him?’

  ‘You’re sixteen, Mia. You’ve come of age.’

  The realisation dawned on me. ‘I haven’t turned.’

  ‘No, you haven’t. Zak thought you hadn’t inherited the werewolf gene from your mum so he asked someone he could trust to help you instead.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Miss Ross. I only found out about her after you set me free from the lab. I had no idea Zak even had a contact at this place.’

  So she was on our side. She had instigated everything because of her close friendship with my mum, and because Zak trusted her.

  I smiled up at Terry. ‘As messed up as all of this is, it’s nice to think I had people fighting for me, even if I didn’t know it at the time.’

  He wrapped his muscular arm around my shoulder and hugged me tightly.

  ‘I won’t leave you, Mia. We’ll protect each other, okay?’

  ‘Okay.’

  The door handle rattled as we heard the key turn in the lock. My stomach lurched. Was this the end? Was I about to die?

  Sebastian stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the dim light cast from the lamps in the foyer. We scrambled to our feet, Terry pushing me behind him protectively.

  ‘You don’t have to do this,’ he said, his voice nothing more than a whisper. ‘She hasn’t turned yet. There’s every chance you’re right and Mia is a hunter.’

  ‘I can’t afford to take that chance any more. I’ve dedicated my life to this school, to this project. I lost the woman I love. I’ve only just discovered that Mia is my daughter and I’m not prepared to let wolves take her from me too when we’ve got a lifetime to catch up on.’

  I stepped around Terry so I was facing Sebastian, his colourless face and sunken cheeks guiding me to believe that he wasn’t psychotic but only exhausted.

  ‘I can help you, Mia,’ he said.

  ‘Like you helped my mum?’

  ‘She understood what I was doing.’

  ‘But did either of you ask if you should be doing it?’ I said. ‘The wolves only turn on a full moon and it’s a night they spend enjoying nature, not killing. I have to work out where I belong, Sebastian, without your help. I don’t know if I’m a werewolf or if I’m a hunter, but surely it’s my choice to discover what I am in my own time.’

  Sebastian shook his head. ‘No, I can’t risk you turning. I can’t risk them finding out I have a werewolf daughter.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘They’ll ruin me. Take everything. Mr Parker will…’

  ‘Wait!’ The pieces started to come together. ‘You’re not bothered about me at all, are you? You’re more worried about Felicity’s father taking his funding from you.’

  ‘I need that money!’ he screamed. ‘For you. To save you. It’s what your mother wanted.’

  I backed away, bumping into Terry who placed his big hand on my shoulder. I’d escaped one hellhole only to discover that I’d ended up in a worse situation. Sebastian was mad. Stark raving mad. I was going to die by his hand and yet he believed he was doing what was right for me.

  I looked around frantically. We needed to get out of here and fast. Terry sensed my panic and grabbed my hand, squeezing my fingers to show me he was there supporting me.

  ‘It’s time to go,’ Sebastian said right before a loud crack filled the air. He pitched to his knees, crumpling in a heap at our feet.

  Out of the shadow of the doorway, Adam stepped forward swinging a cricket bat in his hand.

  ‘Adam!’ I launched myself at my friend, wrapping my arms around his neck. ‘I’m so happy to see you.’

  He chuckled. ‘You didn’t think I’d leave you in here, did you?’

  Terry stepped over Sebastian’s unconscious body and pulled me after him. As one we disappeared into the shadows and rushed to Adam’s room to meet Elizabeth and Miss Ross.

  ‘What now?’ I asked.

  It was clear that I couldn’t stay at Hood Academy, but suddenly I didn’t want to leave. I looked around at the faces in front of me. Elizabeth’s big blue eyes shone as they filled with tears. Adam’s warm smile melted the fear that threatened to suffocate me, and Terry, the lone wolf who risked his life to save mine, waited patiently for me by the open patio doors leading to the gardens and the woods beyond.

  I could smell the earth and the trees, and I longed to run across the lawn and disappear into the forest, but half my heart belonged here.

  Elizabeth stepped forward and circled her arms around me. I squeezed her tightly and breathed in her scent, never wanting to forget the first friend I’d ever had.

  ‘I’m going to miss you so much, Lizzie.’

  ‘I know, but we’ll stay in touch.’

  She released her grip on me and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. Adam put a supportive arm around her shoulders and I smiled up at him. I knew Elizabeth would be well taken care of.

  Not wanting to leave without letting Adam know that he was as much a friend to me as Elizabeth, I flew at him and hugged him until he couldn’t breathe.

  ‘Look after her,’ I whispered.

  Miss Ross held her arms out wide and I allowed myself to be swallowed up in her embrace.

  ‘If I am a werewolf, like my mum, then I’ll accept that life and honour my pack because that’s the right thing to do. It means we might never see each other again.’

  I could feel my eyes filling up with tears, but I blinked them away.

  ‘And if it turns out you’re a hunter?’


  I sighed deeply. ‘If that’s the case, I’ll return, I promise. You can train me to be the best hunter you ever had, but I won’t kill any wolves, or people, for you.’

  ‘I doubt Sebastian will allow you to return, Mia. He’s a broken man. I’m not sure what the future holds for Hood Academy.’

  ‘Maybe you can train me in secret.’

  She laughed and held my face in her hands.

  ‘It would be my honour.’

  Terry coughed and pulled my attention to the open patio doors and the wilderness beyond.

  ‘Time to go,’ he said. ‘We’ve got a long walk.’

  I turned once more to Elizabeth and smiled. Tears poured down her beautiful face as she nodded at me. Adam stood close behind her as solid as ever.

  ‘Take care of yourselves.’

  WE SHUFFLED OUT into the night air and I took a deep breath. The scents of the flowers flooded my senses and I relished the clear air after the oppressive academy.

  With one last look at my friends, I joined Terry and began jogging across the lawn.

  ‘It’s a couple of hours’ walk to the farmhouse,’ Terry said. ‘I’ll race you if you like. Winner gets to have the first hot bath.’

  I snickered and thumped his arm just as a loud crack filled the air. Terry stumbled next to me, falling to his knees and releasing an anguished cry. I had no time to comprehend what had happened before I heard Sebastian’s voice calling my name.

  I whirled around to see him rushing across the lawn with a gun in his hand. My head spun and I looked down at Terry who lay crumpled at my feet. Blood pooled on the lawn leaving a dark brown stain.

  I grabbed at Terry’s arm and helped him to his feet, his shoulder hanging forward as he tried to protect the wound. The bullet had travelled clean through his shoulder and blood coated his back and chest.

  ‘I’m okay,’ he said, his voice nothing more than a faint whimper. ‘I’ll heal, don’t worry.’