HUNTED-Chapter 440: Return to ’normal’

Blinking, Keira woke in a daze and stared at the white ceiling. It had been three days of ongoing tests—mostly involving her shifting to and from her wolf form while Octavius analysed her through the multiple machines jabbed into her body. She’d barely slept and listened to the mad scientist drone on about how magnificent her cells were.

Now she was in her bedroom? Ah that was right. She passed out from exhaustion. It wasn’t only the energy it took to shift but the pain, and she was tested on her body’s energy levels. Meaning she stayed up two days straight and was forced to shift. It had been the most painful of her many transformations.

Yet now Keira felt utterly refreshed. I wonder how long I’ve been asleep for.

’On the bright side…’ Ember tried for a light tone to lift Keira’s spirits. ’We can shift for longer periods of time now.’

’Yes, let’s think of it as training.’ Keira accepted her wolf’s encouragement.

Just then Carter entered the room. After the first day of tests, the soldier had surprisingly acted a little kinder to her—note, a little. But it was an improvement Keira never expected from him. Could she work it to her advantage? Absolutely not.

Carter wasn’t the type to be manipulated and she was sure the charms of an almost-eighteen-year-old would not work on him even if the circumstances were different.

"You’re up," he stated, putting a tray of food on the bedside table, watching her warily like she might attack any second.

Keira kind of liked it. Carter took her as a threat seriously.

’Also makes it harder when trying to plan an escape,’ Ember noted dryly.

’We don’t have much intel anyway. We need the layout of this place.’ Keira sat up and leaned against the headboard. "So I am. How long was I out?" Her sarcasm didn’t quite hit in the first sentence or Carter realised scowling so much caused wrinkles.

"Overnight. How you feeling?" He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, gaze roaming over her like he might see the tubes and wires sticking out of her again.

Any bruising formed from the tests disappeared overnight. It probably healed within an hour since unplugging her from so many machines.

Keira was also slightly shocked that she’d only been asleep for a normal period of time. That meant she was growing stronger as well right?

That was when she realised with a start that Carter asked her something without any mockery or sarcasm. ’Is he feeling okay?’ Ember pondered, watching him suspiciously.

"Actually pretty refreshed," Keira answered truthfully, deciding to keep the little peace he was offering.

Carter nodded then looked at the food tray. "Eat up."

Keira reached for it then paused as it sat in her lap. Carter was still watching her. "It’s not poisoned," he grunted.

Then why are you still watching me like something might happen?

Even if it was poisoned or drugged, it wasn’t like she had a choice anyway. Surprisingly, once she had such a hearty breakfast—something she couldn’t eat weeks ago without wolf—she did not collapse or break a sweat. Carter took the tray from her and started to leave.

"Is that it?" She asked before the door whooshed open for the soldier.

Carter shrugged. "The old geezer wanted to make sure you ate well."

"I mean…" Keira removed the cover from her legs. "There are no more experiments?"

Carter slowly turned on his heel, arching an eyebrow. "Did you want there to be?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head silently.

"He’ll probably want to do more in the future," Carter added, his eyes a little softer as he looked at her then shook his head and turned away. "You’re free to leave."

"The research centre?" Keira joked.

Carter smirked over his shoulder but didn’t comment.

I take that as a no. ’He’s warming up to us... I can feel it,’ Ember nodded.

’Could come in handy?’ Keira shrugged and went straight to the shower. She smelt like a hospital and sweat from all the shifting.

"Keira!" Dylan rushed up to her as soon as she entered the cafeteria. Ahren sauntered behind him, hands in his pockets.

Dylan’s hands gripped her shoulders, eyes flicking between hers. "Are you okay?! We didn’t know if they’d killed you off or something!" His exclamations were drawing unwanted attention. Others looked in their direction.

"Or something," Keira muttered. "Have you eaten?"

"We’re done here," Ahren said, passing them nonchalantly. "Let’s go."

Dylan dropped his hands and the pair followed Ahren out of the hall and to his room. "Why your room?" Dylan pouted. "What’s wrong with Keira’s?"

"Because she’s being watched more closely." Ahren slumped down on his bed and got straight to the point. "What happened?"

The guys watched her. Ahren was observing her more, eyes roaming over her body. "I’m sorry if you were worried." Keira squeezed Dylan’s arm and looked to Ahren. "What else would they do in a place like this? Octavius experimented on me."

Keira said it nonchalantly but couldn’t help the slight chill that trickled down her spine. "Octavius?" Ahren’s eyebrows shot up. "You know their names?"

"Well, we got a little personal. So hard not to." Keira shrugged it off.

"You look fine?" Dylan sounded confused.

"He wanted to observe how a werewolf shifts…" She trailed off and took a seat at one of the armchairs, moving it slightly to face the guys. "Many times," she whispered.

Ahren’s claws ripped into his bedsheets, eyes darkening. "You could have severely hurt yourself."

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"Could have… But I’m fine. It was worth it."

"Worth it?!" Ahren narrowed his blistering eyes.

"Have they had any games since I was taken?" Keira asked, curious whether they held up their part of the bargain.

"You made a deal with them?" Ahren visibly forced his claws out of the bed sheets as he glared at her.

"Well, he wanted my consent… I said I would if there was something in it for me." Keira shrugged. It was their loss really. She got more out of it.

’They experimented on us and know more about our species,’ Ember noted, reminding her it wasn’t their loss.

"This Octavius could have done that to anyone. Why you?" Dylan probed further, stepping a little closer to her. She knew it wasn’t mere curiosity. The guy wasn’t really subtle.

The last conversation they had involved Ahren in her space demanding she tell him what he probably already guessed. "You can probably guess already… My name is Keira Cross, I’m the second princess of the royal family."