Initiation

Chapter Four

In the meantime, Lucian had just returned to the lair from his mission. He greeted his pack and then went straight to Singe's living quarters to see his fledgling. He even had a gift for the shy Austrian: a set of books he had bought from his contact. They were old, but since the scientist loved to read, it surely wouldn't matter. But Singe's room was empty, and he was nowhere to be found. Lucian got worried.

"Where is Singe?" he asked a small group, including the stoic Raze. They hardly knew the whereabouts of the fledgling lycan, which did not help – only that the last time they saw him was during the festivities.

Lucian’s keen eyes scanned the area and saw two lycans in the crowd. Their faces attempted to look neutral, although one briefly changed into an impish expression, like a child who knew he had broken something valuable. They were hiding something. They knew where Singe was, Lucian was certain of that much, and so he made a beeline for them.

"Have you seen Singe?" he asked sharply. He had zero tolerance for pack members who defied or lied to him. If these two knew something, he would get it out of them.

"Singe?" one asked, trying to make his face disinterested.

"You know damn well who it is!" the leader snapped. "Where is he?"

"I think... I last saw him in the storage room..." the other lycan replied, the conceit gone from his eyes. He'd begun to fear the lycan leader, and he had good reasons for such. Lucian was a fair leader, but he could also be ferocious when need be, and crossing him often brought out the worst in him.

Lucian's brow furrowed. "What was he doing in storage?"

The lycan shrugged. "Go see for yourself, perhaps?"

Lucian went off without another word. With every step, his pace quickened, and his fears increased. He dropped the satchel of books without any regard when he reached the storage area and the smell of blood and semen nearly made his heart stop.

Those bastards...

Lucian heaved the door open and it took all of his resolve to not completely lose his rational thought at the sight. The human in him could have stood paralyzed in panic at the sight, but the soldier in him forced his legs to move. Instantly he was by the bloodied, violated man's side, opening Singe's mouth and biting into his own wrist. Now that Singe was a lycan, he had the ability to heal all wounds and disease at an accelerated rate, but in his severely weakened state, he needed Lucian's help. He needed blood or else he would be too weak to survive.

The bloody piece of rusty metal on the floor told the lycan leader that Singe had tried to end his own life, not very long ago. Lucian was never a religious individual, but at present time, he prayed to whatever gods he could think of that it would not be too late... He had only known Singe for less than two months, but he felt more strongly for the Austrian than any other member of his clan. Tears threatened to seep from his eyes as he fed the fledgling his own blood, desperately waiting for some sign that Singe's body was responding. Muttering pleas under his breath, he gently cradled his fledgling’s head with his free hand and let the blood flow.

When he had done all that he could, the scientist was still alive, but just barely. Lucian took off his coat and wrapped it around Singe, as he wanted to spare his fledgling the indignity of everyone seeing his broken, violated body. Then he tenderly lifted the young lycan into his arms and headed for his own chambers.

Raze’s lips parted in utter surprise at the sight which welcomed him from the tunnel. The usually stolid former tribesman was taken aback at the state of Lucian's fledgling as he was taken down the hall to the leader's quarters. He glanced in the direction of the two lycans Lucian had spoken with moments ago. They were smug now, grinning wickedly and gesturing to at least two other pack mates. The tribesman's eyes narrowed; he knew Lucian would not stand for this.


to be continued...