Ryle knew the broad-shouldered man upfront with frizzy curly hair was watching her, she could see out of the corner of her eye every time he would peek over at her. Either he wasn't very good at being secretive or he wasn't trying to hide it, but whatever the reason, Ryle chose to ignore him and continued to stare out of the window as a scenery she had never seen passed by. A few days ago she had been on her way to check out a potential customer, and now it was as if she had jumped into someone else's life. How was that at all possible?
Ryle had heard the screams as soon as the manic had started clawing and tearing at people. She had never tried to run in the opposite direction, but with the strength of the crowd, she was forced right into the mad man's arms, and then all she knew was pain as something tore into her, a gush of warmth as her mind went blank and her body trembled in shock, and then she was on the ground fading in and out. It had been instinctive to grab onto the first thing she saw, but her memory was still hazy. But she recalled rolling over and seeing golden amber eyes glare down at her with a blood curling crazy, and then they too were on top of her, causing more pain. She had shut her eyes out of fear, but when she had opened them, things were startlingly wrong.
The first being that she was laying naked in a morgue, a thin white sheet covering her. The second thing, the worst so far, had been the horrified and shocked faces of the hospital staff and guards as they approached her with slivers of fear and interest. Ryle knew she had been attacked. Twice. She also knew from the shining silver refrigerator doors in the morgue that she had bite marks, but no actual wounds and pain. She had been cold and hungry, but that had been it. It didn't take her much power of thought to understand that whatever situation she was in was not a good one. Whatever those monsters had been, Ryle's human strength was no match. The death tag on her toe had confirmed that, but the fact that she had read it herself was something not at all a human could have or should have been able to do. The secretive looks and multiple doctors that went in and out of her room was confirmation.
She had survived multiple werewolf bites. She had awakened. That's what the doctor of the pack had tried to explain, but after she heard that, her mind had stopped thinking clearly as it replied to the attacks over and over again. When the government officials came over, it had simply gone from bad to worse.
She crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. Live your whole life as a human, slave away from the government, and the moment they hear your rise from the dead, you're no longer counted as human for them and therefore not their problem. She smacked her teeth. The dark-eyed man from the front made eye contact with her before looking back at the road. Sighing, she closed her eyes.
Despite her attack, Ryle didn't have anything against the werewolves until recently. She had never so much as had a full conversation with one. They were extremely close-knitted and rare to find outside of their hunting ground. She just did not want to become one, but since that choice was clearly out of her hands, she was rightfully angry. They were in charge of protecting the people of their territory, and in broad daylight people had died. And now she had to move into a building full of them. The more she thought about it, the more the anxiety and fear turned into anger. How was any of this fair? What exactly did they expect from her? As far as she was concerned, they had done a lot more than fail at their job.
Silver Hall was a notorious pack of wolves, a business of protection and other things she wasn't entirely interested in when she first heard about them. She regretted shrugging off the knowledge now. The wolves that worked within Silver Hall were almost all hotshots and important players of the U.M Committee of Balance that governed the supernatural and human world. And now she was somehow about to crash on their couch. Or the couch of some of their members?
The car slowed down before making a right turn and entering a tunnel that dipped down and began to spiral downwards. The garage was huge, she could tell by the space between each light. When the car came to a full stop and turned off the man got out of the car. She didn't move a muscle, she reconsidered her choices. She still didn't understand why she had to move in with these people when she didn't feel any different from before. All she had to show for her troubles were some new wicked-looking scars around her throat and shoulders. Her left side was slightly more sensitive. Two knocks at her window side snapped her out of her mind as she coolly looked up to find the huge man peering down. He motioned for her to come out with his chin. Her eyes narrowed.
She got out with a slam and placed her hands on her hips, looking up at the man triple her height and three times her weight. She had died once, fear of death was still there, but so was the need to know exactly why and who was responsible for it. The large man, she couldn't recall his name, although she was sure that he had given it to her at some point, didn't appear to mind her sass, his face didn't change as he looked down.
"Where are we going? And who around here has the answers for the questions I'm going to be asking?" He blinked at her once, before his plane expression looked almost softer to her. She wasn't too sure about that.
"We're going to the meeting room, where I think most of your answers will be already waiting." With a swift turn, he walked over in the direction of an elevator and pushed the button, waiting for the doors to open. Ryle watched for a moment, heart pounding loud enough to be heard by her own ears, before dragging a reluctant for over and following him.
She was already in the mouth of the wolf, she had also already been bitten. What's the worse they would do to her now? He made no comment as the elevator began to go up.
"What's your name?"
"Hugo."
The further up they went, the more her nerves tried to swallow her whole, but when the doors finally did open, she waited for Hugo to get out first, not knowing what to expect when she walked out. The first thing that was noticeable was the lack of people. In fact, there was not one person around. White leather walls decorated with silver cross linings and black tiled floors. The doors opened right into a long hallway, but to the right there were two double doors. Hugo waited for her to stand beside him and lifted a hand to knock, hovering as he looked down at her. It took her a moment to realize he was asking if she was ready. She gave a slow nod.
He knocked twice and waited for no one as he pushed both doors open and stepped in and to the side, leaving her bare for all of the inhuman eyes that turned to look her way. Ryle had never considered herself shy, but the pressure brought on by their intense force was unlike the false confidence she had been planning to display.
"Forgive them, it's just that we've never seen a sheep turned wolf." The voice was soothing and low, but not low enough to be that of a man. Standing at the head of the table, a graceful woman in a red and black smart suit walked over a brown cane in hand despite not having a visible limp of any kind. She had long black hair with gray roots slicked and pushed away from her face, all down her back. A no-nonsense type of face that gave off elegance, but also wildness in her dark brown eyes.
The whole room was well lit, as one side of the walls was a floor-to-ceiling window. Besides the long brown table with multiple chairs surrounding it and the three lounge chairs pushed against the wall on her left, the room was pretty much vacant. There were interesting artworks on the wall and a glossy crystal chandelier, yes, but other than that there were no other furnishings. A large clear space was left on the right side of the room, which seemed odd to her but not important at the moment. There were at least ten people in the room, but Ryle tried not to make eye contact as she scanned around the room quickly.
There was something inviting about her, not familiar, but intriguing enough that just focusing on her made it easier to ignore the looks from anyone else in the room. It gave Ryle enough courage to step further into the room. Hugo shut the doors. The woman came to a stop in front of Ryle, but leaned forward, both hands on the cane.
"My name is Alizia Hall, I welcome you into Silver Hall pack, new wolf." That had Ryles eyes widening. Thankfully, no one seemed bothered by her silence as she took in a breath. Why was the founder and owner of Silver Hall here? A terrible sensation began to buzz at the pit of Ryles's stomach as the older woman stared on ahead with clear intrigue and fascination. "Everyone here is of my immediate trust and will be keeping the sensitive things discussed here confidential."
"What exactly does that mean?"
"It means it's time for a lot of talking." Alizia sighed and beckoned over a short, full-figured woman with bright red hair and round black glasses. "Lottie."
"Ms.Tolk all you have to do is ask, and I will be informing you to the best of my abilities on any gaps of information you have, as well as what being a member of Silver Hall entitles-" Lottie had a stack of different colored files in her hands, looking over them with concentration she adjusted their order.
"You can leave that last part out, she won't be a standard wolf after all." Alizia leaned back, head tilted to the side as she squinted at Ryle, the look of intrigue replaced by something that she couldn't focus on with so much taking place.
Looking around the room, Ryle could see more smartly dressed people, all with different airs about them, but also very similar wildlife eyes trained on her. If she made a move, they would see it. It was instinctive, something she wouldn't have been able to do in the past, but somehow she knew every single person within the room was a wolf. No doubt about that.
After careful consideration, Ryle asked something she had been wondering earlier herself. "How did I end up here?"
"Good question." Alizia Hall asked to herself as she turned around and made her way back to her chair.
"Here, let's take a seat." They both sat near the closest chair at hand. Lottie placed the filed on the table and spread them out in front of her, sliding a blue file in front of her. Ryle opened it and glanced over some of the things on there as Lottie talked. There were a lot of things blacked out.
"There are things that are still being looked over and settled, but when there's clearance for that information and everything is cleared, I will make sure you have all of the information you need. As you can see, there was a bounty hunt for a special target that unfortunately bleed out into the public, and there were many casualties in pursuit of the target."
"Did you catch him?" There was a visible shift in the room, as for one everyone looked away from Ryle, who felt herself cool at this sight.
"...I can not answer that just yet, but know that he will not be hurting anyone." Lottie squirmed around her chair, hands coming together before they clasped and settled on her lap.
"That's not a definitive answer. If it was yes, then I would believe that statement." Ryle's cold voice sounded like a whip to all who heard the displeasure.
"You're right, but that's the only answer we can give you at the moment." Lips pursed tightly as an apologetic expression came over her, Lottie continued with a dark brown file. "This one dictates the transfer of power over your accountability from your movement into Silver Hall-"
"Why exactly am I being brought into Silver Hall? This is a place for werewolves, isn't it? I'm not exactly packing fur on me." For now, she thought wearily.
"Not yet, but I'm beginning to see some canines." Furthest from her, leaning against the window and peering outside of it, a dirty blond-haired man whose hair covered his eyes turned to look over at her, tilting his head until dark tired eyes met her own.
No one else had bothered to introduce themselves within this meeting, even though it pertained to her life. No one felt at liberty to comment at free will. That didn't sit too well with Ryle. The other in the room took in her straightened back and lifted her chin, years of knowledge working as they unanimously agreed with the man.
"You are?"
"No one of consequence."
"Then why are you here?" Her quick retort had him leaning off the wall and taking an eager step forward. Lottie shook her head.
"That's Austin, you can just ignore him. Under U.M Committee of Balance, there is a law stating that any human awakened must be transferred into the same pack, coven, group and overall society as their caller-"
Ryle raised a hand. "I keep hearing 'awakening', 'bitten', and now 'caller'. I might not have been heavily involved in the goings in this world," she glanced at the file, but did not bother opening the confirmation that her government had indeed abandoned her. ", but even I know there's something off about rising from the dead. What's happening or going to happen to me?"
"First of all, you did not rise from the dead. With the amount of blood loss you suffered and the wounds all over your body, you seemed to have slipped into a momentary stasis called 'The Lull' known to happen when an awakening occurs where it appears to others that you are dead. Since you were rushed to a human hospital, they followed protocol and declared you dead at the scene, since no one there would have known to look for the signs. Actually, you should know Ryle, that being an awakened is extremely rare. So much so in fact, that you are the first case in the last ninety years."
"What joy," she said dryly, leaning back against the chair, arms crossing over her chest as her hands fisted shut.
"Being bitten and awakening happen so rarely and even less survive it, but we have enough on file to know what to do to ease you into becoming a wolf." The woman's voice was so promising and hopeful that Ryle couldn't deny the sincerity that came from Lottie, but that did not mean she trusted everything she was hearing.
"What does 'ease into a wolf' mean?"
They had finally reached the part she had been dreading to hear about. How she would become some beastly being. She had never seen an actual werewolf in person before. She was sure that she had met one, but they were easily disguised as humans when they wished to be. Unlike the gray-skinned vampires and their sunken eyes, who were easily spotted when they made a rare morning appearance out and about.
"I think I should explain this part, Lottie." Alizia raised a hand, catching Ryle's attention again as the older woman made a weary expression.
"Very well."
"Within a pack, there are always roles to play, just like in a family, because ultimately we are a family here. Everyone who joins Silver Hall has a role, either by assessment of talent or by rank. There are Alphas, Betas, and Omegas, but those have to do more so with your personality than anything else. A Beta can be born to an Alpha pair, just like an Omega can be born from an Alpha pair. As an awakened, your personality will dictate the type of wolf you are. Some traits will be heightened, while others may vanish. It's been seen that Bitten wolves take quickly to their new physical prowess."
"Will I be able to turn into a wolf? Will it hurt?"
She wanted to be told that it would not hurt, that the chances of her body turning into an animal were slim to none. After all, how could a body that had been human her whole life suddenly be beastly and strange to the owner itself? Alizia did not take long to answer, eyes unflinching as she answered truthfully.
"Most likely, yes. Will there be pain?" The corners of her mouth turned upwards in a sardonic way. "When in life has power ever come freely?"
The left side of her throat felt especially sensitive at the moment as if the softest of winds brushing against her skin could crumple her to the ground. Her throat felt tight, still fisted, her fingers trembled. Ryle pressed them into her sides as she looked away from the unwavering eyes of truth and glared down at the table for a moment. When she found her voice sometime after, it held a whisper of what it had previously been.
"When will it happen?"
"That depends on you. Might be today, tomorrow, or three months from now. Your wolf will emerge when you feel the truest to yourself. Or when you feel the need to protect yourself. Born wolves do so at an early age, it's instinctive when around so many older wolves, but as an awakened, your time is known only to you." Alizia watched as Ryle took in all of this overwhelming information without so much as a flinch. The distress was clear to anyone who had a good nose, and no matter how still the girl sat, the lines on her face betrayed her stress, but Alizia was still impressed with how the former sheep held herself.
"So, I'm a ticking time bomb." Someone scoffed.
"Only if your nature is more on the aggressive side, and if-" A sudden look of realization crossed Alizia's face as she trailed off, brows furrowing as she looked off to the side as if in through before looking back. "hmmm, I see. You're right, you are a bit of a bomb."
"What?" Ryle sat up. The sudden image of herself blowing up, fur and fangs flying everywhere overwhelmed her attention. Ignoring this, Alizia turned to the blond-haired man behind her.
"Lottie, explain the Calling to her, will you? Austin, bring Kane over."
"Will do." He walked out of the room without making a sound, hands in his pockets. The doors shut softly behind him.
"To be Awakened, there must be a Caller, in this case, a wolf whose aura can stir your own out of your soul and force it into the lull. Whoever, or rather whatever the caller is, is the trait you will take onto yourself." Then hesitantly asking. "How much do you recall of the attack that day, Ryle?"
"...everything." Ryle had a difficult time spitting that one word out as flashes of blood and screams forced their way to the surface. Her complexion paled as a flash of golden amber eyes that glared down at her flashed before her eyes. "Who called to me? Was it the first bastard that bit me or the second one? Both?"
Ryle did not like the sound of being tied to either of the two.
"We suspect that you survived because both auras were so strong, that the first shocked you, and the second made forcing you into the lull easier. Most likely, the second bite is what did it." The gray file passed this time was fairly thin, but Ryle opened it to see papers about rules and regulations that summarized what Lottie was speaking on. There was a section that mentioned something about answering a call, but Ryle was soon distracted by what was being said. "The reason you were transferred into Silver Hall, not only because you are now classified under wolf, was because awakened are so rare that a law was set in place that in the occurrence of such an event, in order to facilitate the transition, the Caller must take responsibility and ease the integration, as well as take responsibility for their actions."
She blinked blankly at Lottie. Her mind drew a blank. She looked over at Alizia.
"You can't possibly be saying that I'm going to get a babysitter, and it's going to be one of the bastards who bit me." Disgust and revulsion came from Ryle as rage and a sliver of fear overcame her. The silent people suddenly became just as obvious at that moment as they had been when she walked in. As their eyes felt heavy on her body, a wave of invisible pressure pushed down on her. She looked around the room, but even as they stared back with clear expressions, she couldn't help but feel as if her comment hadn't been taken well. She bit the inside of her lip, not regretting her comment. If their feelings were hurt, she really did not care. She had a lot more to deal with than some over-sensitive emotions to the bashing of a friend.
"The bastard in question feels really bad about it," Alizia answered, sounding slightly defensive. "Wilbert, that's his name, is known to be a Berserker type Alpha who is required to wear a mouthpiece. I think of it as a muzzle, but that word offends a lot of people here, and that mouthpiece was knocked off during the apprehension of the first bastard as you so aptly named him. Berserk wolves are easy to spot if you spend enough time with one. They all exhibit signs of obsession over whatever they will later come to perfect.
Their obsessions will always vary, but the outcome will remain the same for all. Immense power and the ability to go beyond the norms, and to some degree, a substantial lack of pain. I tell you this because you were bitten by one. Berserk wolves have a strong tendency to attack all they deem a threat, which can come as a downsize when that includes friends, and to make it easier to restrain one, they wear the mouthpieces. Wolf on wolf bites raise aggression, and that is not something easily handled."
"So there's a chance I might go crazy? This b-bizarker state-"
"Berserk." Alizia shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "No, again, it just depends on yourself. If you happen to be, we will take the measured steps to pair you with the best person to show you the ropes."
"Let me guess, Wilbert?" Bitterness made the tip of her tongue tingle. Ryle's mind nearly pounded as she tried to think of something to do to get her out of this situation. Who had thought it a good idea to put the attacker and victim together? To bond? She snorted and shook her head.
"Correct." Alizia leaned back into her chair as her tone cooled. What little emotion had been evident on her face disappeared. "If you aren't, then whatever talent you'll show will help in finding your place here."
"What if I don't have a talent?"
"Everyone has a talent, and it's been noted that every Bitten has shown to have essentially helpful talents."
Taking a breath for courage, Ryle laid her desire on the table.
"What if I don't want to be here? What then?"
Again. There was no wavering or flicker of surprise, as Alizia called Lottie's name with meaning, eyes unnervingly steady.
"Lottie." The woman in question turned to the files and slid three of the same shade of red in front of Ryle who looked at them with suspicion. That sinking sensation from earlier had returned to a feverish degree. As soon as she was just how prepared Alizia was, Ryle had the odd feeling that she had been in the belly of the beast far longer than she had imagined and that when she walked out of the room, Alizia would have gotten what she wanted. Whatever that meant.
"You have three choices, Ryle. If you wish for freedom that badly, we can give it to you, but it will come at a price you are not yet fully aware of. You can leave here, but not today. When you are released, you will no longer be considered a pack member of Silver Hall and will be labeled Rouge. You can go wherever you please, but so long as you ask permission from the head of the pack to enter the territory. If you are allowed, you should know that it will be under surveillance and they will be hostile. This will go on forever. The day you enter territory that you were not given permission to enter, the wolves will come for you, and you will have no one but yourself to protect or avenge you."
The door behind her opened. She did not have to turn around to know that the person Alizia had called had arrived. This was confirmed when Austin walked past her and returned to the spot he had previously been standing.
"Stay with us, and you will gain a family that will not hinder you if you wish to travel and step out every now and then. You will get to know people who will help you recover the reason why you were given a second chance at life. Yes, one of us got you into this situation, but did you hate all of the sheep when one stole a meal? All you have to do is give us a chance to help guide you, get to know the people around you, and find out what a pack is really like." There had been a strong cord of unity and power in Alizia's voice as she spoke about her pack. Towards the end, she blinked as if clearing her head, before she placed both hands on the table, placing her chin on her palm. Her eyes flickered over Ryle's shoulder for a moment, before going back.
"Now the third option is more difficult for you, but I'll put it on the table for you, because I'm fair." "You are within the right to demand Wilbert's head as compensation, that will free you from the rule of having to remain within Silver Hall and give you the liberty of going off somewhere else to join another pack of your choosing, but I should tell you that you will find none better than us."
There was a choked sound coming from behind Ryle. Everyone in the room waited with bated breath.
"So, what will it be Ryle?"