The Werewolf's Redemption

The gem

The world swam into focus slowly, and with it came the sharp, searing pain in my limbs. My body felt like it had been dragged through hellfire, every muscle aching, every nerve screaming in protest. The sedatives were wearing off, but their aftereffects lingered, leaving me sluggish and disoriented.

I blinked against the harsh overhead lights, forcing my vision to settle. The cold steel of the cage bars pressed against my back, and the acrid smell of disinfectant burned my nose. Across from me, my betas—Ronan, Caleb, and Marcus—were barely holding on, their bodies slumped in their respective cages.

Ronan’s breathing was shallow, his chest rising and falling with difficulty. Caleb had a deep gash on his arm from earlier, the wound sluggishly oozing blood. Marcus’s head hung low, his usually sharp eyes glazed with exhaustion. My pack. My responsibility. And I had failed them.

Before I could muster the strength to sit up, the familiar sound of boots clicking against the concrete floor reached my ears. My gut tightened as Dr. Kline entered the room, his presence a dark cloud of malice and smug confidence.

“Ah, you’re awake,” Kline said, his voice dripping with mock cheerfulness. “I must say, Alpha, you’ve proven to be quite resilient. A lesser wolf would’ve broken by now.”

I glared at him, refusing to dignify his taunts with a response.

Kline’s smirk deepened as he walked to Ronan’s cage, crouching just outside the bars. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “You know, I’m starting to wonder if you care about your pack as much as you claim. After all, you’re letting them suffer for your stubbornness.”

“Leave him alone,” I growled, my voice hoarse but steady.

Kline ignored me, his focus on Ronan. “This one looks like he’s hanging by a thread. A shame, really. He might not survive another session of... persuasion.”

Ronan lifted his head weakly, his eyes blazing with defiance despite his battered state. “Go to hell,” he rasped.

Kline chuckled, standing upright. “Oh, I assure you, I’ll be sending you there first. But not before you tell me what I want to know.”

He turned his gaze back to me, his eyes narrowing. “Who among you has the power to wield the Lupus Opal? Where is it hidden? Speak, or I’ll start with him.”

The words were a knife to my heart. Ronan didn’t deserve this. None of them did. But I couldn’t give Kline what he wanted. The opal was too dangerous to fall into his hands.

When I remained silent, Kline sighed theatrically. “Very well. Have it your way.”

He gestured to the woman standing silently behind him—Dr. Genevieve. She was a picture of calm efficiency, her expression unreadable as she stepped forward with a syringe in hand.

Genevieve knelt by Ronan’s cage, her movements precise and deliberate. She hesitated for the briefest of moments, her eyes flickering with something unspoken as she looked at him.

“Don’t,” I barked, my voice cutting through the room.

Genevieve froze for half a second before steeling herself. Without a word, she slid the syringe through the bars and injected its contents into Ronan’s arm. He roared in pain, his body convulsing as the serum took effect.

My wolf stirred faintly, a flicker of rage breaking through the sedatives that dulled our connection. The sight of my beta in agony was a fire in my veins, and I clenched my fists, the silver cuffs biting into my skin.

Genevieve withdrew the syringe and stepped back, her face a mask of cold detachment. But as she turned away, her gaze met mine for the briefest moment. There it was again—that flicker of hesitation, of guilt.

“You’re better than this,” I said, my voice low but firm.

She didn’t respond, her eyes dropping to the floor as she moved to Caleb’s cage.

Kline’s voice broke the tension. “You can end this, Alpha. Just tell me what I need to know.”

“You’ll never get the opal,” I spat.

Kline’s smirk twisted into something darker. “We’ll see.”

He leaned against the cage bars, his tone casual. “Did you know, Alpha, that my family was once ruined by a pack like yours? A pack that wielded the opal’s power to crush their enemies without mercy. They left nothing behind—no home, no family, no future.”

I frowned, caught off guard by the venom in his words.

“That’s why I’m doing this,” Kline continued, his voice softening in mock sincerity. “Not just for science, but for justice. The opal doesn’t belong to wolves. It belongs to humanity—the rightful rulers of this world.”

“You’re insane,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Perhaps,” Kline said, straightening. “But I’m also determined.”

Genevieve finished with Caleb and moved on to Marcus, her movements slower now, almost reluctant. She paused as she reached for another syringe, her hand trembling slightly.

Kline noticed and frowned. “Dr. Genevieve, is there a problem?”

She stiffened, quickly regaining her composure. “No, Dr. Kline. Everything is under control.”

“Good,” he said, his tone sharp. “Because I expect results, not hesitation.”

Genevieve nodded, but her eyes betrayed her unease.

I watched her carefully, sensing an opportunity. “You don’t believe in this, do you?” I said quietly.

She glanced at me, her expression unreadable.

Before I could say more, Kline clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Enough stalling. I grow tired of this game.”

He stepped closer to my cage, his eyes gleaming with triumph. “You know what happens next, don’t you, Alpha? Either you talk, or I take this little operation to your territory. Your pack. Your family. I’ll find the opal one way or another.”

My blood ran cold. My pack was already vulnerable without me there to protect them. I couldn’t let Kline reach them.

“I’m waiting,” Kline said, his tone mocking.

I closed my eyes, my wolf growling faintly in the back of my mind. I had no choice.

“It’s me,” I said finally, my voice heavy with defeat. “I’m the one who can wield the opal.”

Kline’s eyes lit up with triumph. “I knew it.”

Genevieve’s face remained impassive, but I caught the faintest flicker of something—regret? Sympathy?

“You’d better not be lying,” Kline said, his tone sharp. “What’s your name, Alpha?”

I met his gaze, my voice steady despite the weight of the moment. “Darius.”

The room fell silent, the name hanging in the air like a challenge.

Kline’s smile returned, dark and satisfied. “Darius. Well, Darius, it seems we have much to discuss.”