Kitabı oku: «Sean», sayfa 2

Chapter 3

Sean

I hate taking the plane. The expression "feeling like a caged lion" makes sense to me. My pet goes around in my head and demands to be released. I will not have a choice. My feline is far from being docile, it is wild and difficult to control, and feeling locked in a flying tin can for several hours made it mad. It keeps roaring and scratching my skin from the inside to force me to make room for it. It becomes painful and metamorphosing in the city would be a bit annoying.

– Sean, stop snorting, you make the stewardess uncomfortable. They will eventually run away.

Indeed, Owen is right. We wait on the tarmac until our rental car finally arrives and the staff look at me from afar, eyes wide.

– Liam would have loved it. These girls in uniform are quite to my taste. Unluckily he couldn't come. Connor wanted his presence, as well as that of Nate, in the territory to protect Sevana. As if she needed us to defend herself! She is able to kick the buttocks of our enemies just by raising a hand. She is in no danger.

It is true that Liam and Owen are an inseparable duo, both professional and personal. No mistake, however, they are not in a relationship, but they like to share the same partner. Go find out why. I'm more an exclusive type. I want to have a partner who belongs only to me. I must admit that I envy Connor for finding his soul mate. I aspire to find mine one day. But I doubt I can do it. Or at least to please her. I know myself. I am too serious, too focused on my work and the pack. I put everything else in the background, as for my lion, it is aggressive and has no subtlety. It would be able to scare or grumble at our partner, at least. It’s not ideal for finding and winning the love of your life.

Owen gets me out of my gloomy thoughts with a nudge in the ribs.

– Look, there is a wood bordering the airport. Let's free our animals before that you disembowel a human by mistake.

Um, disembowel, my lion's favorite technique. It loves to open its opponents up and down to kill them. For it, it is a clean and fast operation. Animorphs are no secret to anyone, but indeed, some humans, by frequenting us only with our human appearance, forget that we shelter within us a wild and formidable animal, and it would be unfortunate if one of them take a fatal claw spreading his guts to the ground, because he would have made me jump or said a wrong word.

We stop at the edge of the wood, we get undressed so as not to disintegrate our clothes during processing, and let the metamorphosis take place. It happens quickly. The bones snap, the skin stretches, the fur covers us, and I find myself next to a black panther in place of Owen. His animal is superb, all in finesse, unlike my lion which is of a large and imposing stature. I start by shaking my head to snort my thick mane and sniff the air, looking for a possible threat. Beta reflex. Nothing. The smell of the trees around us, moss and bitumen behind me. There are the essence of some animals, but my lion is not afraid of them. I start jogging, enjoying my legs, and play with the ground by planting claws several times. I love the feeling of being one with nature. Owen chooses this moment to jump on my back. Unlike me, he doesn't want to take advantage of this moment to relax, but to let off steam and for that, nothing better than a good fight. It may well weigh less than me, its weight, combined with the fall due to the height of the tree on which it was perched, makes me lose balance by taking my breath away and we roll on the side, legs intertwined. I take advantage of its confusion due to our rolled-up to bite it on the skin of the neck while standing up and I push a fierce roar that makes the surrounding leaves tremble and clear away the rodents nearby. This startles the panther and bristles the back hair. I like to inspire fear in my opponents, even if in this specific case, I know that it is only an instinctive reaction in my pack companion who has nothing to fear from me, but my lion appreciates everything even. I drop my large paw on its shoulder, without taking out the claws. There is no question of hurting my friend, only of beating him up a bit by playing cat and mouse, and I expect Owen to play the role of the mouse. However, the panther does not seem to agree and gives me a kick on the side, scratching me superficially in passing, its claws not being retractable, unlike mine. I roll up my lips against it to tell it of my dissatisfaction and decide to end the fight before finding myself lacerating on all sides, as often happens during our training with Connor and the other lieutenants. To do so, I utter a new cry to destabilize it and take advantage of its momentary disorder to overturn it on its back and grab its throat between my powerful jaw. I don't hug enough to hurt it, but enough to show it who is the stronger of the two of us. The panther stops struggling, feeling my fangs on its chin strap, admitting its submission in front of me. So I release it and resume human form at the same time as him. I thank him while helping him get up.

– Thank you, I needed it.

–You're welcome. Your lion is still on the alert, but I felt that our flight had put it on edge. Can we go now? Will it keep quiet in the car?

–Yes it's good. Let's get dressed and let's go. We've lost enough time and our SUV has arrived.

We make the half hour journey in silence, we focus on our mission. The last time, I did not come to the hospital, I was guarding our territory. Only my alpha and the lieutenants went there. So I don't know how the building is designed and it bothers me. I am a meticulous person, I like to be prepared for all eventualities and there, I have a little the impression to leave blindly. I know who I'm looking for, but I don't even know what she looks like, her folder has no photos. I never even thought of asking my alpha to describe her to me precisely. Too bad, Owen should be able to enlighten me, he was on the last trip here. It would be handy to recognize Nurse Peterson if we saw her in a hallway.

– Owen, can you describe the nurse we are about to interview.

– I barely saw her. You know Connor, he doesn't like feeling trapped in a room with a lot of people. Liam and I left Sevana's room as soon as her friend arrived. I can only tell you that she is slightly taller than Sevana.

– Um, that's not difficult. Our alpha female is as tall as three apples.

– Yes, but she is fierce. It is better to avoid upsetting her.

For sure. From her 160 cm, you could think her harmless. She’s the most powerful fatel I’ve ever seen and she rescued us. I owe her a debt and I hope to pay it off by saving her friend, if she is really in danger.

– You surely remember other things.

– As Nate told us, she has blond hair, but I have no idea how long they were, they were tied in buns, and green eyes. She had pale skin. That, I remember well, because she had a bruise on her temple and it stood out a lot on her white skin.

–OK. A distinctive sign that would distinguish her?

– Sorry, I don't remember anything more. You know I hate hospitals, too many smells for me. It annoys my panther and puts it on edge.

I nod my head. I totally understand. Of all of us, Owen has the sharpest smell, so the fumes of chemical drugs and detergents are a real sensory attack for him.

– No worries, we'll do with it. We will ask to speak to her at reception. The receptionist will bring her to us. It will be simpler than searching the whole hospital. We have just to say that we are her family not to arouse the mistrust of the personnel. She’s part of a pack after all.

– OK, we do it like that.

Chapter 4

Ashley

This day is endless, a real torture. In addition to my delay this morning which forced me to expend crazy energy, leaving me tired, several patients conditions deteriorated without warning, which makes us bitterly regret all the absence de Sevana, forcing me to run from one room to another to provide vital first aid which, unfortunately, did not save everyone. One of the patients died despite my desperate attempts to keep him alive while waiting for the doctor, also overwhelmed, to intervene. This is not the first time that I have been helpless in face of a patient’s illness, but it always lowers my morale, despite the detachment I take from them. I cannot remain indifferent to the distress of the family when they are told that the loved one is gone. And finally, of course I had the daily visit from Greg, who only made my day worse. Since the Black Wolf attack, Peter sends a member of the pack every day to make sure I'm okay, and his daddy-hen side is starting to weigh heavily on me. Especially since the conversation always takes place in the same way, even if I love Greg.

– Hi Ashley.

– Greg. Everything is OK, no attack, you can go back and report.

As usual, he laughs at my frustration. We have known each other since I joined the pack and he is, after Peter, my favorite animorph.

– Don't take it like that. Peter cares about you and doesn't want anything to happen to you.

– You realize that you repeat the same thing to me every day. You are a lieutenant, not a nanny. You have nothing better to do than supervise me?

– It's part of my job. I have to watch over the pack and you're a Treat member so I'm watching over you. And it's always a pleasure to see your dazzling smile.

If I were a metamorph, I would groan by showing him the fangs. It would be useless, but it would relieve me.

– OK, OK, I'm giving up. As you can see, I'm fine. You can tell Peter.

– See you tomorrow Ash. Watch out.

I sigh in spite. I'm going to have to talk to the alpha again, but I doubt he will take my complaint into account and since I promised never to manipulate him or the members of the pack, I can not allay his fears.

I barely took a few steps in the hospital when I hear my name through the loudspeakers.

– Ashley Peterson is asked at the front desk. Ashley Peterson.

What happens again? Maybe Greg forgot to tell me something? I hasten to go to the reception, but don't see anyone I know. There are only two men in the hall, seeming to be waiting for someone. Looking at it, one of them seems familiar to me. I must have seen him before, but I can't remember where. The second clearly draws my attention. A tall, muscular blond. Exactly how I like them. Too bad he is a metamorph. I frequent  them enough to know that you should never date them, unless you want to be heartbroken, at a minimum. First, because I have things to hide and it's complicated with a man who smells lies at a kilometer, and secondly, because many people wait for their soul mates to make a living and i prefer to avoid myself disillusionment. It’s the first time I’m sorry for the rule I’ve set myself. I would have liked to lick this golden skin by the sun. The two animorphs walk towards me with a determined step, interrupting my contemplation, and the blond speaks.

– Miss Peterson?

– Yes it's me. What can I do for you?

Where have I ever seen the comrade of this appetizing specimen? Maybe a reunion between packs? Weird. Generally, I don't show myself very much, too risky, although Peter chooses his allies carefully.

– Can we speak to you in private?

That's it, I remember him! The last time, he left Sevana's room with another, leaving me alone with this Connor and the other mountain of muscles. I turn to him suddenly, abandoning the beautiful golden eyes of the blond.

– You! What did you do with Sevana?

I raised my voice without even wanting to, drawing the attention of Alice, the receptionist, to our group.

– Is everything all right Ashley?

– Yes, it's ok Alice.

She continues to observe us with curiosity while picking up her phone. I hope she doesn't call security or I will never have answers to my questions . Now, I want to see Sevana again. The enticing animorph must also worry about the intervention of a third person, because he takes me by the arm manu militari and leads me aside without rushing me, but without leaving me the choice either.

– Could you turn the sound down, please? We’d like to discuss a delicate matter with you. No need to draw attention to us more than reason.

How delicate? Like, your friend is dead and we don't know how to tell you, or like, your friend is far from being ordinary and we know about you? The second hypothesis is implausible. Sevana never knew for me, although the converse is wrong. But the first is simply unbearable for me. I cannot accept the idea that one more fatel has died. I need to be clear heart about this before I go mad at asking myself that way.

– Is she okay?

I didn’t think my voice would shake as much when I said these words, but it’s hard to do otherwise even though my eyes are so wet as the anguish compresses my chest.

– Calm down. She's fine, I promise you.

I could make sure of it by opening my mind, but I'm too exhausted and the amount of energy I should be putting on them would make me lose consciousness, leaving me vulnerable. So I have to believe them.

– What are you doing there? Will she come back and you come to make sure the hospital is no longer under surveillance?

– As I told you, I wish to have this conversation away from eavesdroppers.

That one, glances at Alice, who is still scrutinizing us despite the people waiting in front of her, desperate to get her attention. I find her behavior strange, she who is usually so picky. So I comply and we head outside the building, away from anyone likely to listen, but in the sight of passers—by, do we ever know.

– What do you want? Why did you call me?

– Tell us about Sevana.

Very direct and no tact. The beta of the pack, certainly. Nathan is also like that and you can't say I like him. It’s not my only problem with him. My annoyance must be visible on my face, as the brown guy tries to attenuate these abrupt remarks.

– Please? It is important.

It is better  to cooperate if I want them to leave quickly. They're starting to make me nervous. And then it will be give and take. I will answer their questions, without saying too much naturally, and they will do the same.

– Sevana was attacked by the Blacks three weeks ago and your friends took her with them a fortnight ago. She hasn't come back here since. I already told your friend Connor everything I know.

– You talked to our alpha, yes.

I tense up a bit. I didn't realize that Connor was the alpha. It is not marked on their forehead after all. He gave orders of course, but they need a leader in an operation and, as a rule, the alphas rarely leave their territory. I thought Peter was the exception that proves the rule. I was wrong. Hopefully it was my only mistake.

– Don't worry. As I have said, Sevana is in top form. Our alpha will never hurt her. I even feel sorry for the madman who will try to make him do it. Your friend is far from helpless.

I do not understand. Sevana is the most adorable person I know, she wouldn't hurt a fly so what does that remark mean and their smiles heard? Would their alpha be ready for any sacrifice to help her? Why would he do that? Because of the bond that I perceived between them?

– Your sense of honor is remarkable if you are ready to die for her. After all, she’s just a little human.

The tall blond frowns dissatisfied. Looks like I offended him.

– Don't take us for fools please. I hear your heart panic every time you leave out information.

The disguised lie remains a lie.

I see. It will be difficult to cheat them. But I can be derogatory too if he takes it like that.

– Don't insult me when you haven't even told me your names or why you are here.

The two stooges look at each other and it's the brown who breaks the ice. He is definitely the more diplomatic of the two.

– You are right. Sorry. We're civilized metamorphs normally, but when it comes to our …

– From Sevana, we are on our guard.

I could swear that the brown guy meant something else, but the blond cut him off by glaring at him. Our what? What does Sevana represent for them? A prisoner? The brown resumes without formalizing the intervention of the beta.

– My name is Owen and this is my beta, Sean. Now that the presentations are made, can you be honest with us?

– You told Connor about Sevana's intuitions. What do you know?

A real beta, no tact. He just waits for us to execute, that's all. But I'm not ready to betray my friend for his beautiful eyes. Even if these eyes are really bewitching.

– I said everything I knew last time. Sevana has intuitions, of course, but that's all. He is an exceptional person and you must protect her.

–This is what we do. But our alpha couple is worried about you.

Their alpha couple? It looks like I misinterpreted Connor's look on Sevana as well. He is already linked to a woman.

– There's nothing to worry about. The Blacks didn’t go after me, I’m an insignificant person for them. And anyway, I am not without support. My family watches over me.

– The Treat are powerful, for sure. But are they ready to risk their lives for you?

They did researchers about me. That does not surprise me. No problem, the geek of Treat cleaned on the net when I joined the pack. There is nothing to discover on my file, he made sure of it.

– You are well informed. Yes, the Treat pack is very attached to the little human that I am. Tell Sevana to call me as soon as possible please. And now, excuse me, but patients are waiting for me.

I quickly turn around to resume my service before the interrogation resumes. It didn’t go as I expected. Sevana is safe, I don't think they lied to me on this point, but I don't know anything more and I was afraid to say too much and endanger her. Maybe she found a way to hide her secret? It is not very probable, but not impossible. I am the proof. Besides, Sean makes me feel strange things and I hate what I don't understand. I don’t want to fall in love with an unfriendly metamorph who obviously doesn’t interest me. Not that it matters. I'm going to immerse myself in work to remove this sexy vision from my head and everything will be for the best. As for my plan to join Sevana with the Guardian Angels, I have to weigh the pros and cons. The pack is already inquisitive far from its territory, so if I go to their place, I dare not imagine their insistence on getting answers to questions that I refuse to talk about.

Chapter 5

Sean

This little nurse leaves a very strange impression on me. She’s very sexy, that’s undeniable. A pretty blonde with sparkling and bewitching green eyes. When she fixed her gaze on me, a whole series of images of her under me, in different positions, crossed my mind. Her pretty voluminous breasts that stretched her blue blouse and her beautiful smooth and thin legs awakened my wildest fantasies. I saw myself carrying her to my bed, her legs around my waist. Only when I inspired, all my hopes fell apart at once. With such an epidermal reaction, such as I have never felt before, I dreamed for a moment that she was my partner, and her smell wiped out my nascent happiness. Her smell was bland, strange even, under the stench of the hospital, without any interest, and made my lion frown that curiosity in front of this female had aroused. Owen takes me out of my gloomy state.

– What do you think?

– She knows more than she says.

My friend nods.

–I agree with you. She hides things. And her smell is weird too.

There, I'm interested. Owen's flair is legendary. Perhaps he has succeeded to determine what makes her smell odd and uninteresting.

– How weird?

– Didn't you notice anything?

– I found it bland, erased.

Owen tilts his head to the side and looks at me more closely.

– You seem to be disappointed.

I don't want to go any further now. The pack above all.

– No, I'm just frustrated to have met a wall.

– If you say so. In short. To get back to her smell, I was attacked by the smell of the hospital, as always, but then I perceived her smell, but it was as attenuated, you are right, and it changed constantly.

I am confused. It does not make sense. Our smell is registrated in our DNA. It never varies, from our birth to our death. Owen shrugs, probably following the same reasoning as me.

– I know, it doesn't make any sense, but I'm sure of myself.

I would never question Owen's words about his flair, but suddenly the mystery deepened around nurse Peterson. The beautiful blonde is intriguing me more and more and I do not like to get interest on her beyond measure. It is not my destiny and I must focus on my mission.

– What do you want to do now? Are we going home?

Good question. I have a feeling that we have to stay here. And it is not the receptionist who fixes us behind the glass door of the entrance that will contradict me. I didn’t think that the presence of animorphs still attracted attention. I feel like an animal in a zoo.

– Let's get out of here and wait for the nurse to finish her shift. I want to know the end of the story before I return to the territory. And it’s better to make sure she’s not afraid of anything before coming home. I do not wish to undergo Sevana's anger.

Owen laughs out loud.

– Does she scare you?

– A little yes. And you should be wary too. She has become formidable.

As agreed, we waited until the end of the day while being discreet. We naturally called the alpha couple to keep them informed and they renewed their confidence in my judgment. They both assured me that I should stay put as long as my gut dictates. For the moment, my instinct is at half mast, I don't feel much except for the nervousness of my feline and how it is focusing on the beautiful Ashley. It who had calmed down with the fight with Owen after leaving the plane has been tense again since meeting the female. It is like in bad mood. It growls and fidgets in all directions, without trying to materialize. It looks like, like me, it doesn't know how to react to the pretty blonde.

We are posted in front of the hospital parking , so that we can see her go out and be able to follow her without being spotted. We want to talk to her and get the real answers to our questions this time. She does not live on the territory of the pack, even if she is not very far from it, and the best would therefore be to question her at home, in her environment which will reassure her. I start to get impatient when my phone rings in the passenger compartment of the car, startling Owen, dozing in his seat.

– Sean with you.

– Sean, listen to me carefully. Are you still in the hospital?

I sit up on my seat, on the lookout. Sevana's voice is rushed, anxious. There is something going on.

–Yes. Tell me everything.

– There is a problem. I no longer perceive Ashley.

– What do you mean?

– Until then, I couldn't see her future, but I knew she was fine. Now I don't feel anything, nothingness.

OK, that is not a good sign.

– What about Owen and me? Did you try?

A silence answers me. I guess she didn't think about it with the stress and she's trying right now.

– Go to the parking behind the hospital. Three wolves with Ashley.

I don't take the time to listen to more. I shake Owen and run off to the parked cars. I quickly spot Ashley, in the middle of a conversation with men, her hand on the door of her car. They must have approached her as she prepared to go up there. I prefer to slow down and not rush, in case she knows them. I position myself a few meters away, panther on my heels, against the wind so as not to be spotted, but ready enough to be able to follow what they are saying.

Fortunately, the hearing of metamorphs is better than that of humans. This allows me not to miss anything that turns out to be an dispute.

–Where is your girlfriend? Can you contact her?

– I don't see who you're talking about. I have a lot of friends.

– Don't make fun of me human. You might regret it like your colleague. It is said that she was delicious.

Ashley winces in disgust when my lion shows fangs.

– I don't know where she is.

– Yet the Guardians came to talk to you. What did they want with you?Well. Looks like news goes fast here. However, I didn’t feel any metamorphs around when we were with Ashley. No one was monitoring the establishment. You have to believe that they have an indic who went unnoticed.

– I don't know who you're talking about. There was Greg, a member of the Treat pack, who visited me today. You must have confused.

Another half—truth. The nurse is smart, but that may not be enough. The Blacks, I am convinced that they are the ones, are starting to lose patience in the face of their blatant lack of cooperation. The older man grabbed her by the arm, rolling up his lips. From here I see his fangs getting longer. The situation could quickly escalate.

– Don't lie. The receptionist saw them. Where is Sevana Slat? On their territory? Are they planning to bring her back here?

Of course, the receptionist a little too curious. I should have known. She spies on behalf of the Blacks. Ashley winces under the pressure on her arm, but doesn't give an inch. She’s really a loyal friend. I find it admirable. She is used to metamorphs, but it takes courage to oppose an angry dominant male.

– You'll never catch her. Whatever you do to me, I will not help you.

I get transformed at the moment the wolf raises his hand to hit her. My lion took control without having time to intervene. Still, I should have wanted it. I attack the first wolf who tries to intervene as soon as he sees me, discerning in my peripheral field of vision that the panther of Owen does the same with the second. The fight is fast and flawless, my feline opened the canine without having an ounce of hesitation, from the neck to the stomach. Owen, on the other hand, cut its throat. During this time, Ashley has managed, surprisingly, to free herself from the third one, which now seems confused. He looks at his colleagues without really seeing them and ends up crashing to the ground after having staggered over a few steps. What just happened? Owen shakes his head sneezing, as if to chase something, while my lion yells at me to sniff the air. I vaguely smell something in the air, but don't take more time to discern where it comes from when I see Ashley's eyes roll back. I barely have time to jump forward before she collapses on the back of my inert lion. The king of the savannah, so ferocious in normal times, begins to groan pitifully in my head while laying down gently on the ground, the woman always on him. Owen returns to human form to come and help me. He gently raises the nurse and puts her by my side, allowing me to regain control. My lion is no longer of any use anyway, it is very disturbed, go figure out why. It’s the first time that disemboweling someone hurts it.

I see no injuries on the nurse and her breathing is regular. I don't understand why she lost consciousness. Maybe she was very scared and passed out? I don't know and I regret the absence of Liam, our doctor.

– Let's move on. The last wolf just passed out and I have enough blood on me.

– OK. But we take the girl. Connor is right. She is in danger. Even if she doesn't know the origins of Sevana, she is her friend and this is obviously reason enough for the Blacks to go after her.

Owen sketches a gesture to carry Ashley, but the idea of knowing her in his arms disgusts me. So I rush to grab her before him and pass him under his surprised gaze.