Soul of the Wolves

“Which floor is the CT scan?”

“Radiology department is on the fourth floor, but you can’t go there.”

“I know. I just want to let my family know. We’ll just wait in the waiting area. Thanks.”

As if, Sookie thought. That’s soooo not going to happen. Ethan motioned Sookie to follow. They went back to the closed hallway where they originally came from to find an elevator. Two minutes later they found what they were looking for.

An elderly woman was standing near the elevator door. She gave Ethan a wary look when he pushed the elevator button up.

“Wait here for a second. Keep the door open,” he said to Sookie.

Sookie nodded.

Ethan disappeared for a minute.

Then she heard a loud alarm blaring all over the place. The fire alarm. Jesus Christ. What is he doing now? Sookie was bewildered. Ethan returned, striding fast. His face betrayed nothing. The elevator door opened. The car was empty. He and Sookie entered after the elderly lady. Ethan pushed the fourth floor button. The lady seventh floor.

For what seemed an eternity, the elevator door closed. The lady fussed with her hearing aid battery. She smiled nervously.

“Did you hear the alarm?” Her voice was a tad louder than normal.

Ethan pretended he couldn’t hear her properly until the bell dinged for the fourth floor. The door opened and people anxiously wanted to jump in to get off the floor. Ethan grabbed Sookie’s arm and elbowed his way out of the crowding, impatient people. Some hospital staff could be heard yelling in the background, “It’s not a drill, people. We have to get out of the building, like, now!”

Ugh! Sookie could add public nuisance to her list of criminal offenses. Would public nuisance count as criminal misdemeanor, perhaps? She hoped Ethan had a really good lawyer on retainer. She stole a glance at him. The guy was still cool as cucumber. Damn, does anything faze him? He still looked calm, calculated, and to be honest, a bit scary because she knew how unpredictable he was. Ethan was the type of guy who sneaked up on a monster and said, “Boo!”

After walking for a good five minutes, Ethan found what was he looking for: the radiology department. He scented the air again and followed it. The corridor was filled with anxious people striding fast. The air was still filled with chatters and ear-deafening blares. Someone exclaimed that there was a fire on the ground floor and this was not a drill. Sookie turned to Ethan sharply. Did he really start a fire? Ethan only smirked.

They passed some doors and arrived at the CT lab. Before Ethan could open it, the door burst open and the young wolf rider they were hunting materialized before them. He looked like someone who had woken up in the middle of nightmare. Eyes wild, hair stuck out in all different direction. His hospital gown was askew with dark stains of blood seeping through the chest area. He yelped like a little pup when he saw Ethan.

Ethan’s smile widened to almost creepy. “Oh hello there, little whelp. I thought you’d be running to your master by now.”

The young wolf sputtered.

Ethan grabbed the front of his gown and shoved him backward, back to the room. The young wolf stumbled on the floor. Sookie closed the door behind her before anybody could notice what happened. She gasped when she saw a sprawling form in white lab coat. It must be the radiology technician. Then, there was a man in scrubs that must be the nurse. Both of them slumped in pools of their own blood, their throats were cut open. The smell of metallic tang was so strong in the air, it was perverse. She looked away. Bile crawled to the back of her mouth. Don’t puke, don’t puke. You don’t want your DNA tied up to these grisly murders. She watched enough CSI to know how forensic stuff works. She turned around and wiped the door handle from her fingerprint.

Ethan took one look and tsked as if he chided a misbehaving child. “That is not nice, whelp. These men were only doing their jobs and you slaughter them like that.”

The young wolf scuttled backward, his face a pained terror. The alpha scared the shit out of him.

Well, he should be, Sookie thought indignantly. What did the men ever do to you that you have to kill them so senselessly? You could just knock them out or something.

Ethan advanced. He grabbed the young wolf by the hair and lifted him up off his feet. “Where’s Cain?”

“I don’t know.”

“Wrong answer.”

“I don’t fucking know! It’s not like they tell me everything. I’m only following orders!”

Ethan tsked again in disgust. “You know who else was just following their orders and didn’t take any responsibility for what they did? The Nazis.”

Ethan’s cell phone rang. He released the young wolf with a shake. Ethan answered the call.

Sookie tried to eavesdrop on the conversation but couldn’t make out most of it.

Ethan ended the call with a grunt. He gestured with the tip of his chin as he pocketed his phone. “Grayson found him.”

“Cain?” Sookie asked.