The Shadow Wolf - Part 4

Emptiness haunted Kaj's memories as he tried to search for Tane, but his wolf was far within the recesses of his mind. The poison invaded his body as he slept. How much wolfsbane did they force him to drink before he finally passed out?

If he could have managed to stay awake, he might have been able to throw up, but the poison took hold while he slept. They'd continue to weaken Tane if they forced him to drink more of that bitter liquid, and in the end, he’d die a painful and lonely death.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness within the cell, he started to lose hope. There was no way for him to escape from the poison's lingering effects, stealing his strength and his wolf. Giving into his fate, he curled up as tightly as possible to stay warm and pulled the filthy fur blanket over him.

Mumbling more to himself than Tane, he said, "I know you're in there. You better beat this poison and come back to me. I won't let you die."

He waited silently, hoping Tane would reply, but his mind was empty. Would he ever hear Tane's grumpy voice again?

Without the antidote, he didn't expect to hear from his wolf for weeks. He'd be his father's punching bag should his father desire to torture him. "Tane, I can't let this bastard steal you from me. Not like this. It's cheating."

In the distance, Kaj thought he heard someone approaching. He tucked his head under the blanket and listened for his accusers to arrive and pronounce his death sentence. The keys rattled as the jailer drew closer and clanged on the steel door as the locking mechanism started to turn.

Kaj heard the door squeak open and sensed the light penetrate the darkness, but he didn't dare look up. He figured if his father was going to kill him, he'd not give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear in his eyes as he passed from this world to the next.

"Kaj, it's me. Hurry, I need to give you this."

Kaj would have raced into her arms if he could, but he was trapped in the depths of the poison. He lifted his head and smiled at his best friend, Sani. "What are you doing? If my father finds you, he’ll kill you," Kaj hissed at her.

She placed a finger on his lips and replied, "Hush, now. Hurry. Drink this."

Taking the cup, Kaj drank the antidote and set the cup down next to his blanket. He closed his eyes and felt the potion start to free him from the poison.

"I can't sense Tane, but I know he's not gone for good," he said, but she cut him off. "Hush. There’ll be plenty of time to talk once we get you to safety."

Sitting up, he looked at her and asked, "Sani, are you crazy? Where the hell am I going to hide from my father, our Alpha, in this frozen wasteland? He'll always find me, and he'll kill you and your entire family for helping me."

"We’ve prepared for a time such as this. You’ll be sealed away until your strength returns, and then you'll challenge your father. If you’re strong enough, you'll win and set us free from his reign of terror."

Kaj shook his head and replied, "You're off the charts, certifiable. You know that, right?"

"Whatever," she teased, then added, "Get up. Enough blabbering. We need to go."

"Help me stand," Kaj said. He clung to Sani until his legs had enough strength to walk out of the cell alone.

They raced down the halls and entered an area of the compound that he wasn't familiar with. It was a maze of ice tunnels deep below the earth. As they ran, he wondered if they'd make it before his father realized he was missing. He had a thousand questions he wanted to ask Sani, but he knew not to speak again until he was hidden away.

She linked with him, 'Almost there.'

Rounding the corner, they came to an opening, and the ice turned to rock walls. There was also a series of wooden doors. In disbelief, he asked, "Where the hell are we?"

"Hurry, through here."

A door opened, and they rushed inside. As soon as they passed the threshold, the door was bolted and barricaded. A sentinel growled at him, "Keep moving, or we’ll all be killed."

Someone stepped out of the shadows and said, "Not yet. Sani covers his eyes. If his father tries to link with him, he could accidentally reveal who we are and how to find us."

Sani took Kaj's hand and said, "Don't fret. You are safe. He's right; the less you know, the safer we’ll be."

Instinctively, he wanted to fight being blindfolded, but he eventually gave in. He trusted her with his life. "Fine. Cover my eyes, and let's go."

The remainder of their journey took another hour as they descended deeper into the mountain and further from their village. When they entered a small room, Kaj took off the mask and turned to tell Sani something, but his eyes shot toward the door as he heard the latch bolt shut, and he realized he was still a prisoner in another hell hole.