Stuck in the Middle (MxMxM)?

Chapter 44 - Confrontation

"Ryder, why don't you tell them?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sharlene demanded. "Get away from my son!"

"Are you sure you want him back? Now that he's not human anymore?"

"Shut the hell up!" Paul shouted, rifle still aimed.

"Tell them, Ryder. About how I bit you." Axel ignored their warnings. "About how you've shifted. About how we were neighbors and how you've been running around with the local packs."

"Sweetheart?" Sharlene looked horrified but did not put the gun down. Which caused Ryder to feel extra nervous.

Was she going to shoot him? Her own son?

"Mom...I...It's not..." He was too scared to answer her. That was when he felt Axel grab him by the scruff of his shirt and pull him back into the darkness.

A gunshot to their left had his father reloading. "Don't you dare think you can just walk out of here with him!"

"Try to pull that again, and I'll take him out myself." Axel snarled.

"Mom! Look out!" He shouted when he noticed three wolves sneaking up on his parents. They almost didn't have time to switch targets when the animals attacked, and Ryder was dragged away.

He tumbled over his feet, trying to buy as much time as possible, then Axel held the gun against his neck, the cold metal reminding him of how serious of a situation he was in, and Axel ordered into his ear. "Take out your phone."

Scared, he did as he was commanded. Axel made him drop it on the ground and stomped on it. "I'm sorry it turned out this way. But it's obvious you don't understand how much danger you're in. I was hoping to convince you to come with me peacefully, but if your parents are hunters then they'll kill you for sure."

"No they won't!"

"I could see the fear in your eyes when they learned the truth. You know it's possible. And I can't risk it. First that woman upset you, then Henry hurt you. Next thing I know I'll find out you've been killed by your own parents." A manic look came over Axel's face as he waved the gun. "Parents can be monsters like that. I won't let that happen to you."

"Axel?"

He turned the gun toward Ryder. "Please forgive me?"

He aimed for his right leg, and it went off. Ryder screamed in pain, falling to the ground and clutching his injury. He rolled in the leaves, feeling utter agony as the blond scooped him up and carried him off into the woods.

He struggled initially, but every time he kicked he sent a new wave of pain up his leg, causing him to let out a scream. Then, one more effort to make the man release him caused a bout of agony that he couldn't endure, and he blacked out.

When he next woke up, he was tied to a chair, someplace dark and damp.

The smell of mold and minerals was the first thing to hit his senses. His head jolted up, and he blinked furiously in the dark. The pain in his leg was gone, and he looked around to see where he was.

There were wooden beams along the ceiling, with oil lamps hung on what looked like stone walls. The floor was uneven and dirty, and there were puddles of water at his feet.

He struggled against the ties, finding them too tight to wiggle in. Then he turned his head to find Delilah tied up on the other end of the room, lying on the floor. Her hair was a matted mess, and her face was covered in bruises.

"Delilah!"

She was unconscious, with a cloth gag stuffed into her mouth. She was bound, with both feet tied and her hands trapping behind her back. Even if she were awake, she wouldn't be able to get up or answer any questions in that state, and he swore under his breath.