Toy Wolf

Chapter 9: never asked

The treadmill whined as I ran, my feet pounding on the rubber flying under my feet. I could only focus on my gulping breaths, hoping that my feet would continue without me watching them. Falling at this speed would be painful.

I hadn't been surprised by Frank and Grin's behavior, but I knew I had a full day ahead of me. Running couldn't tire me out yet; I had so much else to do. I would have shifted at this point, but I didn't want to destroy my new pair of pants.

Just when I didn't think I could go another step, the treadmill slowed, and I could jog and then walk once more. Frank let me walk a ways to cool down. Grins scowled at me, pulling off the electrodes from my chest and back with no warning before storming off.

"He'll get over it," Frank told me, handing me some water. "You just surprised us. And then got us into trouble with Dr. Bryce."

"You never asked," I replied, drinking greedily. I should have held off, but I didn't know how much water I would need today. Candice hadn't struck me as a particularly compassionate person.

"Dominic's first partner was killed by rogue werewolf," he explained. "He's not very interested in asking you about yourself."

"I've never killed anyone."

I stepped off the treadmill and used my discarded shirt to wipe my face. My body was dripping sweat, and I wished that I had received dinner last night as my legs trembled from exhaustion.

"I find that highly unlikely," Grins snapped as he returned to the room. "You're a werewolf. You're a monster."

"Wolves don't attack unless provoked," I countered. "I've killed deer, rabbits, guineas, even a couple of chickens, but I've never killed a human. Oh, and squirrels, but I don't like them; they taste weird."

I hoped that the joke would help lighten the mood. It didn't. Grins glanced up at the clock and grumbled under his breath. He pulled out a pencil and tapped the clipboard in his hands.

"We should get started on this damnable list. We only have fifteen minutes before we hand him off to Candice. Smell: can you smell better as a human now that you're a werewolf?"

This was an impossible question since I had never been human, but I knew that my sense of smell was worse than when I was using my wolf nose.

"Better," I said. "Humans have a terrible sense of smell. I still can't sense as much in human form as my wolf form."

"How sensitive is your nose?" Frank inquired.

I frowned. "Hard to tell as human, I don't know what's normal anymore. I can smell fear and anger as a wolf, blood is like a beacon; it doesn't take much. In here it's odd because everything is so sterile; the bleach is overwhelming."

"I don't ever smell bleach," Frank laughed. "I think my nose is used to it."

"Victor!" Grins snapped. "Seriously? One day later and suddenly you're best friends?"

"If he wasn't going to kills us before, I don't think he's going to kill us now," Frank pointed out. "Don't get your panties in a twist. What's next?"

"Based on these questions we should be testing his nose, but we don't have time," he admitted. "So we'll move on and set up experiments for tomorrow. Hearing."

"My ears are dull compared to how I hear as a wolf," I answered. "Of course, my hearing isn't bad, I just am used to being able to hear a leaf fall in the forest or a bird land on a branch."

"Used to?" Frank inquired. "Do you stay as a wolf normally?"

"I prefer being a wolf nearly always," I replied. "My senses are sharper, the world is less confusing, more focused. In here, not so much. I couldn't shift in the collar voluntarily and when I did shift at full moon the sounds and smells were overwhelming. Full moon is tomorrow, I know; and honestly, I'm not looking forward to it."

"And you can just feel that?" Grins said doubtfully.

I nodded.

"You're not allowed to nod," he said. "Dr. Bryce's orders."

"I always know where the moon is," I replied. "I can feel it rise and set, though to a much lesser extent than as it waxes and wanes. Come this time tomorrow, the moon will be full and I'll shift."

"We should prep solitary," Frank remarked. "Unlike Conor here, I had forgotten full moon was coming up. Anything you need?"

"'Anything you need?' Do you hear yourself?" Grins demanded. "Monster. I don't care if he's worn a tux and danced with the Queen. You cannot treat him like he's just a boy." His eyes narrowed. "How old are you?"

"Twenty," I replied, resolving to stick to that lie. I needed to ask Stefa if she thought that was a reasonable age to pretend to be.

"You're not actually eighty-two?" Grins pressed

I shook my head. "No. I might be younger; I haven't been keeping track."

Grins glanced at the clock again and groaned. "We'd better get over there. God forbid we make Candice come find us."

"I'll take him," Frank offered. "Since you seem to hate him so much."

"If you die, I'm going to tell Jeremy you're a moron and deserved to die," Grins warned. "But sure. Whatever."

Frank beckoned for me to follow him and I pulled my shirt over my head. It was soaked with sweat, but I didn't want to leave it behind.

"Water," I said.

"What?"

"You asked if I needed anything during the shift; it's water," I explained. "I'm used to drinking a whole lot more water than I do here, and shifting makes me dehydrated. It can be in a bottle, doesn't have to be in a bowl or anything."

He shook his head. "You are so strange."

"You never asked," I replied.

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Conor is starting to get that old sass back that we know and love. It'll take him a bit, he's had a traumatic couple of months. I would wager that he feels more strongly about humans now. Thanks for reading!