Chapter 4: Exposure

 I felt a shift on the bed. I opened my eyes slightly. Liam’s eyes fluttered open. It was the first time I had seen him awake since they knocked him out.

“Hey.” I said quietly.

“How long?” He sat up almost too quickly.

“What?” I adjusted myself.

He grabbed my hand, his veins bulged as he pulled the pain into him, “How long have they kept me like that?”

“I don’t know. They have kept me asleep too.”

Liam adjusted. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, “Shit.” He said under his breath.

“What’s wrong?”

“Shit.” He repeated. He gripped my hand tighter and exhaled.

Ky walked into the room holding a syringe. His expression stated that he was not expecting Liam to be awake.

“You kept me asleep until now?” Liam spoke in a tone I had never heard, “You were going to keep me out and move me weren’t you?”

"You have to go." Ky said to Liam avoiding his question.

"No, I am fine for a bit longer."

"Don't lie. Alex is already starting."

"I can fight it. I'm stronger than him." Liam argued.

"Strength has nothing to do with it. We have to go, now.”

“I am fine”

“What happens when you don't make it?"

"I’m fine."

"Liam, she will be okay. I'll take you down then be with her till I come get you and Alex."

"You can't help her like I can."

"She'll make due. You're strong right Ry?" He pushed my sweaty hair off of my forehead.

I nodded still half asleep from the anesthetic.

"Where is Emma?"

"She's at the hospital, she is going to bring back more things for Ryan after her shift. Don't worry, I will be right back after we take care of what we need to." Ky answered, "You have to go. Now Liam."

Liam leaned over and kissed my hand, "I will be back."

I lifted my head off of his chest, he slowly stood from the bed.

"Ky is going to be right back and I will be here as soon as I can." He gently let go of my hand. He had only been taking pain again for a few moments. I still braced for it as it flooded back into my body. I tried to contain my discomfort.

He stepped on to the ground putting weight on his feet for the first time in what seemed like ages. He followed Ky lingering in the doorway for a moment to look back at me and then he was gone.

______

I had no reference to the time. It felt like it had been hours since Liam left but it could very well have only been minutes. The anesthetic had been wearing off, I felt myself growing stronger but with the strength the pain grew as well. I adjusted slightly trying to take any strain off of my side. A faint scream from down the hall caught my attention. I propped myself up against the headboard. Surly this was some kind of reaction from withdraw.

Then I heard it again.

“Ky?” I called out. My voice was rough; there was no way it projected past the open door of the room.

The screams grew more rapid. Rather than being separated by minutes these were separated by seconds.

I turned and placed my feet on the ground. I grabbed the nightstand next to me for support as I placed weight on my feet for the first time in what seemed like weeks. My balance was off. I slowly stepped forward not letting go of the nightstand just yet.

I took a deep breath and lifted my hand. I was shaking. I just had to make it to the door. One foot in front of the other, I stepped cautiously at a pace similar to a toddler taking their first steps. The door was within feet of me. I reached out for it allowing the frame to take most of my weight.

The screams were coming from down the stairs. With my weight propped against the railing I made my way down old carped steps. Each movement more excruciating than the last. I should have stayed in bed, but it is not in my nature. I stepped onto the wood floor with my bare foot at the bottom of the stairs. I turned to look up at my accomplishment. There was absolutely no going back from here, at least, not without help.

To my left the front door was locked up tight. Large windows that lined the front wall of the living room. It was bright outside for the night. Stars dotted the sky around the large full moon that illuminated the surrounding forest.

The screaming sounded almost like it was coming from the kitchen. I took another breath and crossed the living room. The house was small but in this case it couldn’t have been any bigger. I supported myself on the old retro couches. They looked inviting; I was on a mission though, if I sat there was no getting up.

 

I stopped in front of the pantry door and pressed my ear against it. This is where they were coming from. I was sure of it. I placed one hand on the frame and wrapped my fingers around the cold brass doorknob. The pulling motion sent a shock up mu side. The door cracked open. I flipped the light on and exanimated the room. Boxes of pasta and old soup cans were scattered across the shelves lining the walls. The shelves ahead of me were wrong though, they were sideways, only slightly. A gap was left on the right side where the shelves should meet the wall. I placed my ear up against it. The screams were almost clear. I gabbed a shelf and pushed my full weight on it. The whole wall moved exposing a long dark stairway. 

 

I almost jumped, half way terrified of what I had discovered. Why is there a secret room behind pantry shelves? I braced myself against the cold walls and began to walk down. The screams got louder as I made my way down the stairs. The walls were made of dark brick. The ground was cold and unfinished. Single exposed bulbs lit my way. What kind of a basement was this? My body ached. I struggled to continue moving forward.

I turned a corner. Ky stood in the middle of the hallway looking at the wall in front of him.

"Ky?" I said quietly. He didn't hear me over the violent screams. I slowly walked closer, "Ky?" I said a bit louder.

He turned and noticed my presence. His eyes widened, "Ryan, what are you doing out of bed?" He ran to me.

"I heard screaming. What is happening? Where are Liam and Alex?"

"We need to take you back upstairs." Ky wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

"No." I tried to push away, "What's happening?" I took my arm back and pushed past him.

"Ryan, stop." He took my hand. Only his words were trying to stop me though.

"What's going on?" I walked back to where Ky had been standing moments before. I looked up and at that second, I wish I had listened to him.

The wall I thought Ky had been looking at wasn't a wall but metal pillars that created two prison like cells. Alex was inside one and Liam inside the other. Each of them had chains attached to their wrists, ankles, torsos, and necks. These all were attached to bolts that stuck up from the concrete floor.

Their bodies contorted themselves in ways it should not. Both of them screamed. A bandana was tied in Liam’s mouth muffling his slightly. Their faces damp. Alex looked up towards me; his eyes glowing a bright yellow, his teeth jagged and sharp. I almost fell backwards.  A blood curdling scream left his lips.

Liam's fingers drug across the ground. His hands didn't look human though. Long sharp claw like things were at the ends of his fingers. My breathing became shallow. I started to panic. Ky was at my side; he wrapped my arm around his shoulders again.

"What's happening to them?"

"It's a full moon."

"But what's going on? What's wrong with them?"

"You weren't supposed to see this. We need to go." But his feet stayed still.

"What's going on?"

Ky looked at them then back at me. He exhaled slowly as if he didn’t want to explain what was happening, "Werewolves turn on full moons."

I looked at Ky like he was insane, "Don't make jokes, what is happening to them?"

"I just told you. They're turning."

"That's impossible. Werewolves aren’t real.”

"It's right in front of you. How are you denying things that are right there?"

"No. This isn't real."

"We should go." He pulled at my arm.

“I want to stay. I need to stay.”

That's what we did. Ky sat on the ground and I sat next to him. He held my shoulders as I watched every second of their transformation. I had never seen someone in that amount of pain. I mean, I had also never seen someone turn into a wolf.

It was close to sunrise by the time it ended. Alex and Liam laid with their backs towards us completely nude. Scraps of their basketball shorts laid around them.

"Le." Alex's voice was low and raspy. He extended his arm towards Liam, "You okay?”

Liam nodded and pulled the bandana out of his mouth. He reached his hand towards Alex, "We made it."

"We made it." Alex repeated.

They both let out small laughs. Like they were only slightly impressed at their achievement.

Ky stood and grabbed basketball shorts that had been sitting next to him. I hadn't noticed that they were there. I sat quietly. He pulled keys from his pocket and unlocked the doors. He dropped a pair of shorts over Liam then handed him a key before walking to Alex and doing the same. They unchained themselves and got dressed.

"How much did she see?" Alex asked as he stood.

Ky walked back over to him, "Most of it."

"Is she okay?" Liam whispered.

"She is doing as well as you could expect her to."

Alex walked out of the cell towards me. I didn't know what to do. I was afraid. I know I shouldn't be, but I was. My heart raced. Liam walked up next to him. Sky scrapers above me, sitting on the floor with my knees to my chest. Liam slowly kneeled in front of me.

"We can explain," He said quietly, "We will tell you anything you want to know. Please don't be afraid."

"What are you?" I sounded childish.

"Alex and I are werewolves."

"That's not possible." I shook my head, "This is a dream."

"Everything you just saw was real." Alex knelt down next to Liam.

"It's going to be okay though. We would never hurt you."

"How long?" I swallowed hard, "How long has this been happening to you?"

"Why don't we go upstairs and we can talk about everything?" Liam extended his hand to help me up. I shook my head.

“Ryan please. We will tell you everything. I swear.” Alex extended his hand as well.

“Let’s just go back upstairs first. Okay?” Ky reached down and grabbed my hand. I didn’t fight him.

Ky practically carried me up the stairs. I was tired and the pain made me sick. Alex and Liam followed closely behind.

He set me on the bed. I sat with my back against the headboard and pulled my knees to my chest. The three of them looked at me.

"May we sit?" Alex asked cautiously.

I nodded. 

They took seats on either side of the bed. Ky remained standing.

Liam held his hand towards me, "Please let me take the pain while we talk about this."

I shook my head.

"Please." he practically begged.

I shook my head again.

He swallowed hard and place his hand on his lap.

"I know this is a lot to take in." Liam began, "We will tell you everything. All you have to do is ask."

"How long?" I said quietly. I kept my eyes down.

"I was 17 when I triggered the curse and Alex was 16."

"How?"

"How what?" Alex asked.

"How did you trigger the curse?"

"You." Liam paused as if looking for the right word.

"You have to take a human life." Alex cut him off.

"You have both killed someone?" I looked up.

"It's not like that." Liam said quickly, "They were accidents."

I looked at them blankly.

"Mine was a car accident," Liam spoke softly, "I was driving some friends home from a party. I had one drink but they all had a lot more. One of them began to puke in my car, I looked away for two seconds. I didn't think anyone was out at that time of night.  It was an accident. He was drunk, stumbling in the middle of the road." He paused to collect himself, "I sat in the middle of the road holding his body as the life drained out of it for an hour." Liam looked down. I could tell this was hard for him to talk about, "My father got there before the cops. He kept it out of the papers and had the charges dropped. I don't know how. Sometimes I think I would be better off sitting in a prison cell for what I've done."          Liam shook his head. Alex reached over and put his hand on his shoulder squeezing it slightly, “It was an accident man.”

“I know.” Liam exhaled.

“And we can’t change it.”

Liam nodded, his eyes now glossy. This wasn’t the first time they had that exchange.

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Alex began, "My friend told me that we were picking up something for his friends. Next thing I know he threw a gun at me. One of the guys shot my friend then aimed towards me. I pulled the trigger before I even had a second to think about what I was doing. Then I ran like hell."

The thought of either of them hurting someone shook me, "How did you know that you triggered it?"

"There was pain." Liam looked at me, "Lots of anger. My friend said that my eyes changed to full black."

"It hit me when I was running away. The pain made me fall. I couldn't get back up for a minute. I had no clue what was happening to me." Alex added.

"My father helped me. He knew what I had done. He explained it all to me. He tried to prepare me the best he could. The first full moon he locked me in the cellar. He made me drink wolfs bane.” Liam shook his head at the memory, “It felt like I was drinking battery acid."

"Where did he go?"

"He watched."

"He didn't turn?"

"My father…He… he doesn’t turn. It’s complicated…"

"Okay then, what did your parents do?" I looked at Alex

“All you need to really know is that I found a pack before my first full moon."

"Where is your pack now?"

Alex looked at Liam and Ky, "They're right here."

"What about the one you found?"

"Let's just say that we had some disagreements."

"Do you have a pack?" I turned to Liam.

"We were in the same one."

“There is a lot to explain about everyone else and we will have lots of time to do it” Alex picked up for Liam, “How about we focus on the five of us today.”

I adjusted myself. A shock shot up my side. I did my best not to react to it. 

"Please let me take it," Liam reached his hand out again.

I shook my head.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. Please."

"I'm not afraid of you." 

"Then why can't I help you?"

I looked into his eyes, "I will not let you take any more pain after what you just went through."

"Ryan." He exhaled

"No. Don't Ryan me."

"It's okay, really."

"I have never seen someone-  It's not right. If you can go through that then I can deal with this and let you relax for a while."

"Let me take it." Alex said quietly.

I looked at him confused, "You can do that?"

"It's a wolf thing."

"You have been able to take pain this whole time?" I asked frustrated.

He nodded.

"And you let Liam stay awake and in that state for a week when you could have helped him the whole time?" I was angry, "How could you do that to him?"

"He wanted to keep the secret. He is more protective of it than I am. Trust me, he wasn't happy when I told you about it." Liam stepped in.

"So you left him like that just to keep your stupid secret?"

"He helped when he could." Liam defended. 

"He could have helped more!" I yelled. “And for what? I know about it now anyway.”

"Let me take it." Alex repeated his voice calming, "Let me make up for it."

Cautiously I held my hand towards him. I was shaking. I stopped and looked at both of them then put my hand back on my lap, "No."

"I'm not gonna hurt you." Alex insisted.

"It's not that." 

"Then what?" 

"You said that only way I am going to heal is if you don't interfere, right? So let me heal."

Alex exhaled, "There is more to that than you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Parts were left out to protect you from finding out about the supernatural." Ky said. I almost forgot that he was still in the room.

"What parts?"

"I will tell you if you let him take the pain." Ky nodded towards Alex.

I didn’t like this. They were treating me like a child. I looked up at Alex as he extended his hand. I bit my lip and took it. I watched as the blackness traveled into his body. His veins bulged half way up his arm. As much as I hated that he had to hold the pain I was happy it was no longer in me.

“Talk.” I looked at Ky.

He sat on the edge of the bed, “When Alex and Liam were in a pack they were the only two that weren’t hybrids.”

“Hybrids?”

“It’s a mix between a werewolf and a vampire.” Alex began, “They have always existed but they’re rare. While Liam was with the pack his father told him that there was a way to breaking the werewolf curse. That cure is becoming a hybrid. Liam’s father knew that the key to becoming a hybrid was out there but, he didn’t know how to find it. So, he told Liam to search. When Liam told our Alpha, Maddox, that once he found the key to turning that he intended on protecting it rather than using it to become a hybrid himself him and the other hybrid Travis went ballistic.” Alex took a breath squeezing my hand tighter.

 “I feared my father,” Liam picked up, “I wanted to be nothing like him. I trusted Maddox and Travis though, they were hybrids but, I didn’t think they were anything like my father.”

“Until they tried to force us to become hybrids, without having any idea where the key to turning was. Which would have forced us to find it or die.”

“But we ran before they succeeded.” Liam shrugged, “They have been chasing us ever since.”

“Why don’t you just look for this key to more hybrids?” I looked to Liam.

“I am, but when I find it I will protect it with my life. They would create an army. A whole pack of monsters that have more power than you could imagine; immortal and practically un-killable I never should have started messing with that kind of magic.” Liam shook his head.

“Maddox and his pack did this to you to try and force Liam into helping them find the key to creating hybrids. You won’t heal without the cure that they have.”

“And if that wasn’t enough, the pain will increase over time for whoever is taking it. They bested us and I don’t know how to fix it.” Ky shook his head.

“So, they still don’t know what it is?” I was having a hard time keeping up.

“No, no one does.”

I leaned my head back on the wooden headboard. I closed my eyes and exhaled. I tried to wrap my mind around everything. I was dizzy. I had been dizzy for days; it didn’t bother me until now though. Now I needed to focus. I needed to understand how the world I thought I knew could be so insane. I needed to figure this out.

I opened my eyes and looked at the three of them blankly staring at me, “How do we get our hands on this cure?”

Liam exhaled, “We would have to contact Maddox or one of them. Set up a meeting then-”

“Then figure out some kind of trade.” Ky picked up his thought.

“Can’t you just lie about finding the key?” I adjusted myself on the bed.

“If it was that easy we would have gotten the cure by now.” Alex looked down.

“Why can’t it be?” It sounded simple enough to me.

“They’re smarter than that.” Liam crossed his arms, “They’re going to want something to guarantee it.”

“I have a plan. It may work now that she knows.” Ky said quietly. He was out of the room before anyone could ask questions.

Liam and Alex looked out the door then to me.

“Go. Both of you.” I halfway smiled, “I’m okay.”

Liam slowly walked closer to me. His hand shook as he reached to touch the top of my head. He cautiously leaned down and kissed my forehead as if the slightest thing would make me jump. I couldn’t blame him. He probably still thought I was terrified of him. I wasn’t, but now was not the time to convince him of anything.

“We’ll be back.” He pulled away his eyes didn’t leave mine, “I’ll send Emma up when she gets home. She will have more pain killers.”

I nodded. Alex stood and gently let go of my hand. I tried to hide my discomfort.

“We will be right back after we find out what Ky is thinking.” Alex walked out of the room.

“This is all going to be over soon,” Liam lingered in the doorway, “I promise.”

He left the door open.