Wolves of the new dawn

He speaks

*Freesia*

After saying goodbye to Cass, I hurry down to the lab, wanting to check on Apollo. The way he was treated and talked to And about tonight was just not okay, and I want to make sure he is alright.

I make my way down to his room, but instead of going to the wall to look inside, I open the door without thinking and step inside, looking around for him. He is sitting in the corner, now dressed in the plain shirt and pants we have provided him with.

I slowly walk closer. “Are you okay? I am so sorry about what happened tonight. I hope you know that we are not all like that. What they did was in no way okay.”

He looks up, and I realize that he has been crying. His eyes are following me, but he looks curious, not aggressive in any way, so I walk even closer.

“I am going to make sure that those things they were talking about are not going to happen,” I say, shaking my head. “I promise you that, Apollo… Sorry I do not know your name, is it okay for me to call you Apollo?”

“Well, it’s fine by me, darling, but I do prefer Torren if you don’t mind,” he says softly, looking at me.

“Oh, sure… Torren,” I stop in my tracks. “What the f**k? You can talk? Like, really talk?”

He chuckles. “Yeah, I can talk, and hear, and understand every bloody thing people say… and I feel, too. I am not a savage or some animal, well not really at least.”

“Why haven’t you said anything before?” I walk closer. His voice is rather deep and warm, and he has a weird but quite pleasant way of speaking I haven’t heard before.

“What do you think would have happened? I did not want someone to try and make me talk,” he is shaking his head. “To try and force information from me, better they believe me dumb.”

I nod. “They would have done anything to make you talk. To tell if there are others. But you are talking now… you trust me not to use it against you?”

“You are the only one talking to me like a human being… and you helped me tonight… So yeah, I am going out on a limb here and trusting you.” He sends me a smile… it is that kind of smile that lights up the room.

“I am happy you do.” I am really uncertain what to say or do. It suddenly kind of feels weird, knowing for sure that he is actually just a normal man, or not sure normal is the right word but...

He slowly gets up and closes the space, so he is standing right in front of me. He takes my hands, those bright eyes looking into mine. “I know you mean well… that you do this in hope of helping people… but… I need to get out… a little girl’s life is kind of depending on me getting back soon.”

“A little girl? There are others out there… kids?” Can this really be true? Well, it doesn’t make sense that he is the only one.

“There are… I understand that you think this city is all that is left in the world… you are being lied to.” His eyes flicker for a second. “I live with a group about a week on foot from here… about 150… people, and yes, kids too… but we are not alone… there are other groups.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “150 people and more groups… in the wasteland? And kids… like kids born naturally?” He nods. “How is this even possible?”

“I can’t claim to have all the answers… but apparently some areas remained liveable, and people there survived and well, they have ever since.” He says with a small shrug.

I take a step back, sitting heavily down on the bed. “Sorry, but this is… a shock… if this is true… does the National Directorate know this?”

“Again, kind of locked in a cell here… not knowing everything… but I believe they know at least some of it… they did not seem very surprised to find me.” He shrugs again.

He is right when I think about it… no one with influence and power has seemed surprised that he exists. s**t! What am I to think? What am I to believe?

He looks at me. “I beg you, you have to let me go… please… it’s a matter of life and death.”

“I can’t,” I spring to my feet. I need to be alone; I need to think. “Sorry,” I hurry out of the room, locking the door behind me.

*Torren*

Damn, I scared her off; I went too fast. But time is of the essence; I need to get back in time to save Jo, both because the thought of that adorable little girl dying pains me, and because I need to gain Raze's trust, and that's not easy.

I hope I did the right thing in trusting her. I mean, she has tortured me with different tests, but I actually believe she did it with good intentions… that she simply wants to help, to solve the infertility problem.

I just have to hope that with a bit of time to think things through, she will come to her senses and decide to release me. Until then, all I can do is keep appealing to her conscience and pray that it works.

And if she decides to let me go, I just have to hope that I can actually find my way out of the city and make my way back to the pack in time.

I have to admit that it feels weird knowing that a strange woman is pregnant with my child. I mean, I always wanted kids, but I just never found the right she-wolf to have them with. And now I have to leave my mate and my child behind… it just doesn't feel right to me.

She is quite beautiful, my mate… the woman they impregnated with my seed. But that man she is with, I do not want him to raise my kid. But what can I do?