Steve hadn’t heard from Thomas since the previous night, and it was already eight in the morning. He’d been calling him, over and over, but his calls weren’t going through.
“What the hell is going on with you guys?” Steve muttered, frowning as he dialed Thomas again. But nothing. No connection.
Fidgeting in his chair, he felt his frustration rising, but somehow kept his composure. He hadn’t left the building in years, holed up in the restricted areas of his compound. Shane brought him everything he needed, and Steve never considered leaving.
He handled the business from home, and Shane never bothered him unless there was something urgent. But this time was different. For the first time, he had to navigate through an unsettling situation alone.
“I can’t just sit here doing nothing while my men are missing. I need to act!” Steve mumbled to himself.
Jumping out of his seat, Steve headed straight for his bedroom. He flung open the closet doors, rummaging for something to wear, but nothing seemed right.
“This is beyond frustrating!” Steve cursed under his breath, tossing a pair of pants aside. Just as he was about to collapse on the bed in exasperation, the doorbell rang.
“Shane?” he whispered, hope flooding his chest. He bolted from the room, racing toward the door. No one besides Shane could access the restricted areas, so it had to be him. Excitement shot through Steve as he swung open the door.
But the sight that greeted him shattered his excitement in an instant. Shane was standing there, covered in blood, looking like he’d been brutally beaten.
“Shane!” Steve gasped, pulling him into a tight hug, not caring about the blood. “Where have you been, man?” he whispered, still holding onto Shane.
Shane winced, his body stiff with pain, and Steve quickly released him.
“Come inside,” Steve urged, leading Shane into the house.
Without a word, Shane headed for the bathroom, clearly in need of a shower. When he emerged, wearing some of Steve’s clothes, he sat down heavily.
“Who did this to you?” Steve asked, anger boiling beneath his calm exterior.
“I don’t know,” Shane muttered, rubbing his head. “I was hit on the head, knocked out. When I woke up, I was in some weird-smelling room. I don’t remember anything else.”
“Shane, you’re safe now. Tell me everything,” Steve said, leaning closer, his eyes filled with concern.
Shane took a deep breath. “I was in that room for what felt like hours before two guys came in. I yelled, demanded to know where I was, but they just ignored me. One of them ripped my shirt… and then things got worse.”
“Go on,” Steve urged, his hand resting reassuringly on Shane’s arm.
Shane’s voice trembled. “He… he had fangs. Not in his mouth, but growing out of his fingers. I tried to back away, but he grabbed my wrist. Then he bit into my arm with those fangs. The pain… it was unreal. And then the second guy came and joined him.”
Steve’s heart raced as he listened. “You’re saying… they tortured you? But why?”
“I don’t know!” Shane said, his frustration clear. “I heard them call someone ‘ma’am’ on the phone. I think their leader is a woman.”
“A woman?” Steve repeated, his brows furrowed. “But why target us? What do they want?”
“I don’t know,” Shane shook his head. “But I think we need to lay low for a while. They even took the security footage I had on me. They clearly wanted that.”
Steve clenched his fists. “But how did you escape? Why would they let you go?”
Shane sighed. “I think they wanted me to leave. When I woke up this morning, the doors were open, and no one was there. It felt like… like they were done with me.”
“None of this makes any sense,” Steve muttered. “Why take you if they didn’t even question you?”
“I have no idea,” Shane admitted, still looking confused. “Maybe it was the footage they were after all along.”
“Maybe,” Steve mused. “But thank God you’re alive. That’s what matters.”
“Alive, but barely,” Shane said, wincing. “Those guys… they weren’t human, Steve. I think they were werewolves.”
Steve’s eyes widened. “Werewolves? You’re serious?”
“Yeah,” Shane nodded. “I didn’t believe it either until I saw them. They’re more dangerous than we ever imagined.”
Steve fell silent, thinking of Hannah and Louis. “But the two we’ve caught… they seem normal. They’re not dangerous, are they?”
Shane shook his head. “Don’t be fooled. They could be pretending, waiting for the right moment to strike. We need to be careful.”
Steve nodded slowly. “You’re right. We should start making plans, just in case.”
“Agreed, boss,” Shane grinned, using the title just to make Steve smile. It worked.
Steve chuckled, though his mind was still racing. “I’m just glad you made it back in one piece.”
“Thanks,” Shane said, his voice soft. “But I have to say… what I went through felt worse than death.”
Steve swallowed hard, his heart aching for his friend. “I can’t lose you, Shane. We’ve come too far together.”
Shane smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know, Steve. I’m not going anywhere.”
Suddenly, Steve remembered something. “Wait! Thomas and the others haven’t come back yet.”
“What?” Shane exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. “I thought they would’ve returned after they couldn’t find me!”
“I told Thomas not to come back unless they found something. But last night, he called and said they had a lead. He mentioned something about you being underground.” Steve’s face was tense with worry.
“Underground?” Shane looked puzzled. “I was never underground. Who told them that?”
“I don’t know,” Steve admitted. “But they haven’t checked in since. I’ve been trying to reach Thomas, but his phone’s dead.”
Shane frowned. “That’s not good. They might be in trouble too. I’ll call someone to check where they were last seen.”
“Thanks, Shane,” Steve said, relief flooding him. Then he remembered. “What were you trying to tell me yesterday before the call dropped?”
Shane rubbed his forehead. “I was going to tell you something? I don’t remember.”
“Are you serious?” Steve asked, suspicious.
Shane nodded. “Yeah, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Steve stared at him, then sighed. “Must’ve been that hit to your head. We’ll talk about it later.”
Shane smiled faintly. “Yeah… we’ll figure it out.”