"Older men declare war, but it is the youth that must fight and die."

~Herbert Hoover

Elsa

Viktor, Nicole, Miriam, and Kline barely managed to swallow down their panic and act naturally before Tyrese strode in with the Odette and two guards behind him. Odette's combat boots thudded heavily on the ground. Compared to the last time I saw her, she was dressed for battle. I prayed her attire was only a coincidence and not because she knew my pack was coming.

"Tyrese tells me you finally gave up some useful information. Are you willing to share it with us?" Odette asked.

"It's that or get waterboarded again," I spat, unable to help the curling of my lip. "Or electrocuted. Or suffocated. I'm going to have severe PTSD from all this. You realize that, don't you?"

"You sound like you're going to escape."

"Because I am. One day, one way, I'm going to get out of here, and I'm going to kill you for torturing me and for being such shitty role models for the children you've adopted into your fucking operation."

Odette grabbed my jaw, squeezing it painfully. "You've got a mouth on you, little one. Let me tell you one thing: if and when your pack comes to get you, we'll capture them, torture them, and I will kill each and every single one in front of you. These Controllers you mentioned to Tyrese will not compare to my wrath, no matter how magical they are. I am not afraid of them."

"You should be. My parents were, and they're not afraid of anything. The Controllers are the only ones who can bring the fear of God into the Laroches and Starks. I would know-" I lifted my head up, so I was a mere centimeter away from her face- "I'm one of them."

For the first time since I'd been in this hellhole, my words seemed to stun Odette and Tyrese. Odette released my jaw, shoving my head back onto the platform. I barely felt it. Whatever was in the patch had finally been absorbed by my body; I'd never felt so alive and powerful.

While Tyrese and Odette discussed my words, I wriggled my wrists, tugging my strength against the restraints. I heard the bolts squeak ever so slightly, loosening. Knowing this, all I needed was confirmation of one more thing.

Making eye contact with Viktor, I flicked my eyes at the clock a few times, hoping he knew what I was asking. Keeping his hands by his side, he unfurled one of his fists, signaling we had two minutes left. I responded with an almost imperceptible nod.

Refocusing my attention on my captors, I waited for the announcement of my incoming pack, and it didn't take long. Sirens blared through the compound, causing everyone to flinch.

"What the hell?!" Tyrese demanded. With his and Odette's attention on the computers, I made my move.

Giving one swift yank, I broke my arms and legs free of my restraints before grabbing the two guards by their throats. The unexpectedness of my actions gave them no time to retaliate, and I crashed their heads together. Both of them slumped to the ground. In the blink of an eye, I shifted and launched myself at Tyrese and Odette, barrelling into both of them before they could react. I kicked Odette in the stomach, sending her sprawling away and into the wall across the room.

A red haze descended over my vision as revenge coursed through me. I wanted these people dead for what they did to the kids and to me. They deserved a slow death, but there were more pressing matters on hand.

Tyrese brought his hands up to my neck and squeezed, but nothing could stop me now, not even a man three times my size. My jaw clamped onto his neck and ripped out his throat, killing him almost instantly. I whirled around and went after the two guards who had woken up and were firing their weapons at me. The bullets grazed my fur but never hit me, all the worse for them.

I leaped up and crushed one's windpipe, knocking him to the ground. Rolling away, I shot back up, dodging the bullet aimed at my head by a hairs' breadth. I landed in front of Viktor, Nicole, Kline, and Miriam, all of whom had their weapons drawn. Snarling and haunches raised, I dared the guard to come after me. If he shot at me, he risked hitting one of them. It was risky on my part, considering I'd promised not to harm any of them, but I prayed they wouldn't figure that out.

Thankfully, the guard hesitated. Behind him, Odette slowly approached, gun drawn and aimed at me. Her eyes narrowed at the kids behind me. She growled, "What are you four waiting for? Kill her."

With the aid of a mirror, I could see my allies with their weapons pointed at my back. For a few fleeting moments of terror, I thought my body was about to riddled with bullet holes from betrayal, but then, Viktor shook his head, saying, "No."

Too stunned by his mutinous statement, Odette and the guard hesitated, and Viktor shot the guard square in the chest with his crossbow. Odette turned her gun from me to Viktor. As she fired, I lunged at her, snapping onto her wrist. She let out a strangled cry. The gun clattered to the floor, but it was far from the only weapon Odette carried. A flash of silver plunged towards my head. I released her and backed away, narrowly avoiding having a dagger embedded in my skull.

With me standing over her gun, Odette realized she could either try to fight me with handheld weapons or escape and find firing weapons.

She chose the latter.

Sneering at me, Odette bolted from the room. I started to follow her, wanting to feel her blood between my teeth, when I heard Nicole crying behind me. Fear for her wellbeing overrode my vengeance, and I turned around to find Viktor slumped against the wall, clutching his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I demanded, rushing over to him. Blood seeped between his fingers, and it was evident by his pallidness that he was in excruciating pain.

"I'm fine, really. I'll be okay," Viktor insisted. "Go get Odette."

I glanced at Miriam and Kline. "Is he really going to be okay?"

"If I can get the bullet removed and stitch him up, yeah," Kline replied, pulling out a small package from his jean pockets. "I have the supplies to do that, so we'll be fine."

"Watch your backs. I'll find you later." Turning to a terror-stricken Nicole, I gingerly cupped her face to encourage her to look at me. Her blue eyes rested on me, and I could see some of her fear directed at me. "You're going to be okay. I know what I did was horrifying, but I swear on my life, I will never hurt you, nor will my pack. We protect those who cannot defend or protect themselves. We do not attack innocents, and we do not attack our allies. Stay here and keep Viktor company. I'll be back soon to help, but I need to find my pack first, okay?"

Nicole nodded. "B-be careful, Elsa."

"I will, sweetheart." Wiping a tear off her cheek and kissing Nicole on top of her head, I shifted back to wolf form and darted into the chaos of the hall. The red haze descended over my vision once more as I saw the carnage before me. While I ached to kill Odette, I also couldn't leave the kids- my allies- to fend for themselves. I promised I'd help them escape the clutches of the Shadows, and I intended to keep my word to not only stay true to my word but to prove to the Shadows that I wasn't this ruthless killing machine that would kill everyone and everything in my path. I wanted to prove them wrong.

Zeroing in the closest target, I entered the bloody fray.