Sharp pins blossomed in Amari’s mind as her eyes cracked open. Bright halos surrounded the lights as her eyes cracked open. Slowly, sights and sounds filtered into her hungover mind. She groaned inwardly, what had they injected her with that her mouth tasted of skittles and was dry as the dessert. Her fingers twitched the hollow sound of cool metal against her back.

  “Ah there you are sleepy head, I will be with you in just a moment.”

  The melodic feminine voice came from above her head, Amari’s eyes darted to her wrists when her movement was abruptly arrested. Four point hospital restraints held her fast to the table. Fear cleared her mind from the remaining fog, but the lethargy seized her muscles. Where had that megalomaniac's men taken her to and how did she end up here? The questions rolled in her mind while taking inventory of what she could see. Sterile white walls empty of any life or warmth. She tilted her head right, craning to catch a glimpse of the voice’s owner. Feet first in her little alcove, only a long white counter of drawers and cupboards was visible.

  Breathing deep, Amari closed her eyes. The coolness of her forest eased her tension. Crossing her legs, she sat at its edge, slow breaths filling every inch of her. Remorse poured from her heart, how did she let herself get so out of practice?

  “The human world is a funny thing, little one.”

  A contrite smile pulled at Amari’s lips. “Ruac, I was hoping I could reach you. Wherever here is. They have access to something that I can still feel is dimming my wolf.”

  “Don’t worry little one. Take of my power.” Ruac leaned his head down. The fur of his forehead tickling her own.

  Warmth feathered down from Amari’s head to her toes releasing her muscles from their poison. “Thank you, Ruac. I am so glad that you are here.”

  “Always–”

  “Sorry to keep you waiting my dear.” The voice moved closer with the sound of a metal wheeled chair. “Are you ready to help us out with our research?”

  “Who’s what now?” Amari’s eyes snapped open to Gail’s face upside down over her with a big smile.

  “Oh, silly.” Gail tapped her fingers on Amari’s shoulder. “Didn’t Mitchell tell you about our work here?”

  “Mitchell Morningstar? Mitchell. Mitchell supports your research?” Amari carefully chose her words trying to feel out what was happening.

  “The Morningstars' have been amazing. I am so lucky to be funded by them though it is a little hard relying on the promise that one day people will see my discoveries.” Gail’s eyes [gained] a faraway look. Shaking her head, she smiled brightly. “Anyway, I am glad I ran into you again. Thank you for your assistance in the woods, you really do have a nose for trouble don’t you.”

  “Haha.” Amari chuckled nervously. Subtly pulling on her ties despite the futility of it. “Yeah, how is your baby?”

  “Doc says everything is in order. I am glad, that means I can continue my research.” Gail turned her face to the manila folder as she opened it. “Now let’s see what we know about you.”

  “We know quite a bit, as a friend of the family. Good evening doctor.” Mitchell’s voice a low rumble over the whoosh of air from automatic doors beyond Amari’s vision.

  “Good evening sir. She just woke up, I think my dosing instructions didn’t sink in with your boys.” Gail dropped the folder on the tray with a soft clink of instruments shifting.

  “This one put up a little bit of a fight. Two are in the infirmary.” Mitchell’s tone turned cold.

  Amari suppressed a smile. Bits and pieces of memory flashed in her mind. Stretching her hand, she felt the bruises more clearly now.

  “Tsk tsk. I thought you would come willingly as a woman of science.” Gail side-eyed her.

  “I don’t know what you are doing.” Amari hissed through clenched teeth. Her voice lowered to an imperceptible volume, her eyes on MItchell. “You don’t know what you are doing.”

  “Mr. Morningstar. I need her to be cooperative if this is going to work.” Gail stood straight, an academic seriousness underscored her words.

  “I can make that happen. Amari. Do as the nice Doctor says.” Mitchell smiled tightly and turned from the doctor, his voice hot against Amari’s ear. “And I will not have to send anyone to visit Nova.”

  Hope and fear heated her face as Amari swiftly locked eyes with his. The depth of remorselessness she found there rippled down her spine. “She’s safe?”

  “For now.” Mitchell smiled.

  “Prove it daily and I will be the perfect patient.” Pain radiated along Amari’s jaw as it clenched.

  “Fine.” Mitchell stood. A few taps of his thumb and a ding. He turned the screen towards her. Nova walked arm in arm with Diana outside the mom and pop ice cream shop near her house.

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  Amari’s chest released. Spoiled by her aunt, Nova would be fine. “Daily, or I stop cooperating.”

  “Agreed.” Mitchell clicked the screen off before he slipped it into his pocket. “Everything she asks to the best of your ability or my men stop watching.”

  “Promise.” Amari felt the metal press into the back of her head.

  “You may unfasten Ms. Spesy. She will give you no trouble.” Mitchell stepped out of vision, the rustle of papers followed.

  “Wonderful.” Gail stepped up her fingers quickly undoing the padded buckles. Leaning over Amari, she made quick work of the second hand. “If you would please follow me. I will be taking your intake vitals.”

  “What are you doing here?” Amari sat up and rubbed her wrists. Legs freed, she swung them to the side, the edge of the table scraping along her legs as she hopped down.

  “Well. I want to get your starting vitals, you know the drill.” Gail leads the way to a small alcove with a height and weight machine and everything a primary care physician would have in their offices. “Then we will do the same in your half-transformation.”

  The words barely left her mouth, when Amari’s feet ceased working and her eyes shot over her shoulder. “You told her?”

  “Yes.” Mitchell didn’t even look up from the documents he was reading.

  “You told a human about us?” Amari stalked back over to him, measuring her words but unable to keep the venom out of her voice completely. “And you are letting her study us?”

  Mitchell rubbed his eyes. A tone of paternal disappointment and longsuffering painted his words. He leaned incrementally closer with each word his finger tapping the table. His syllables became more and more deliberate. “It isn’t wrong for humans to know about us. And yes. I have questions. She can give me answers. So how about you keep your comments to yourself and just obey.”

  Low growls mix in the air between Amari and Mitchell as they hold a tense gaze. Lips quiver ready to bare teeth.

  “Please let me get a sample before you shift or we will have to wait until tomorrow to start.” Gail steps between them, shoving Amari back hard.

  Surprised, Amari broke her death stare, running her tongue over her gums as the familiar tension began to ebb.

  “Obey. Or I will have Nova join us.” Mitchell spoke sweetly.

  “Oh, I would love another lady. The proportion of male to female participants is dismal.” Gail with surprising strength grabbed Amari’s arm guiding her away.

  “She will not be joining.” The chair scuffed the wall as she sat, her eyes shot daggers at Mitchell. “Just do what you need to do and let’s get on with this.”

  “Wonderful. Do you have a preferred arm?” A blue rubber ribbon danced loosely in the air, as Gail pointed on and off each arm.

  Amari lifted her left. No reason to be poked more than necessary, she relaxed her arm on the rest.

  “Little pinch.” Gail warned as she quickly moved through the process.

  Amari noted how little the words helped being on this side of them.

  “Your pressure is higher than what I have come to expect is normal for your kind.” Gail jotted down a note. Muttering to herself, she tapped a pen to her lips. “Perhaps the argument affects the system differently.”

  Amari watched the gears turn in her mind. Eyes tracking the slow pacing and scratch of the pen. A momentary pull to solve the puzzle nearly pulled words out of her mouth, but she leaned back. Obey. That was all she had to do to keep Nova safe. Science dazzled her eyes but to help turned her stomach and constricted her heart.

  “Sorry. My mind jumps ahead of me sometimes making possible connections. But we both know we need to back them up with repeatable evidence.” Gail motioned for her to step up on the scale. “Right, thanks. Now, would you mind half-transforming for me.”

  Amari sighed, her heart at her feet. Her lips formed the words with no sound. “Forgive me.” Reddish-brown fur started to press almost painfully against the inside of her shoes. Catching on the inside of her shirt, Amari slipped off her flannel. Golden eyes looked down on the now shorter woman.

  “Oh, what a delightful shade. There almost seems to be a fading effect happening. Do werewolves age typically?” Gail went off muttering about how her childhood dog began greying in the later years.

  Amari closed her eyes, wanting to stop up her ears. An echoed squeak of a wheel, she tuned out Gail and focused on her surroundings. Leaning her head back as Gail poked her arm again, Amari found the large vent carrying the sound. Not large enough for a human, but more industrial than she expected.

  “And once more with height and weight, then I am going to need you to follow me to the next room.” Gail finished her notations.

  Amari felt the burn of humiliation, glad her fur covered her pinkened skin. Shoulder slumped, she followed Gail out of the room, Mitchell close behind.

  “Doctor, I will want an assessment at the end of the week.” Mitchell smiled politely.

  “I think I can run her through the basics by then.” Gail flipped through the growing pages of documents in the folder bearing Amari’s name in bold sharpie.

  “Let me know if she gives you trouble.” Mitchell turned on his heel with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I know, I know. Daily proof.”

  Amari felt her lips pull back over her incisors.

  “Let’s go. We have much to do.” Gail started walking down the hall in the opposite direction.

  Stepping backwards, Amari glared and rumbled at Mitchell's retreating frame until he disappeared beyond the double doors.

  “Okay, now I need you to fully transform and step up onto the scale.” Gail pointed down to the plate on the ground.

  A flash of a visit to the zoo in her mind pinned Amari’s ears back. Pulling her focus in, she pressed her hand into the claw marked linoleum. Different sizes and shapes, Amari wondered what number she was. Eyes glaring, she snapped at Gail's insistent push. Tail stiffly wagged through the air, Amari stepped up onto the platform.

  “Gently, if you would please, jump up onto the table.” Gail held it in place.

  In a limber arc, Amari landed on all fours. Laying down, her eyes warily watched the doctor.

  “Interesting.” Gail trapped the pen cap in her teeth. “Is it significant enough? Oh, you can transform back, I have what I need for now.”

  A feeling like when you press your hand into rough Astroturf, Amari’s fur pulled back into her. Knelt on the large table, Amari stretched her neck. Her eyes scanned automatically. Though her heart knew the cost of a mistake wouldn’t be hers alone, she cataloged the information in the recesses of her mind.

  “Come with me, I will show you where you will be staying. Then the fun begins tomorrow.” Gail beckoned her as she walked out one side of the large swinging double doors.

  Amari cradled and scratched her head. What a pickle she was in, with lithe athletic grace, she hoped down and obeyed.