Snow & A Mysterious Illness!

Chapter Four

White.

That was the first thing I see as I step out of the hell hole I've been imprisoned in for most of my life. It's cold, sparkles like diamonds, and is falling gently from the sky. It covers the trees in the forest and paints the ground below me.

I realize that it's snow.

Ten minutes after having found the kitten, I had handed it over to the other males to look after. Ignoring the looks I had received, I followed the males out the door to end up here peering out at the snow blanketing the earth.

Forgetting my surroundings, the males, and their backup teams, my mind focused on the fact I was free. I was out of my cage. Out of my chains. Away from the torture. Away from the experimentations. Free...

I closed my eyes and tilted my head back to face the sky. I just stood there enjoying the moment of the fresh scents and the sounds of active wildlife surrounding me. I felt the urge to just shift and run. Run for years until I can escape everything and forget my horrors. Nature had a calming effect on my inner animals and that's what I missed the most about my freedom.

"-yxton...Hello, Nyxton..?" Someone saying my name drew me out of my thoughts and back to the situation at hand.

Opening my eyes I glanced to my left to see that River and his team were watching me expectantly. I didn't know what they wanted so I just grumbled a soft growl before averting my eyes to take in my surroundings. It looked like there were around twenty seven other males waring the same attire as Rivers team standing around me. There were four huge army looking trucks with supplies in them parked in a half circle around the men. There seemed to be only five people with white coats, like the scientists, that I could see running about under a tent tending to a few of the Navy SEAL males that got hurt during the mission.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary but I remained cautious and my body tense. They could be waiting till I fell into a false mindset before attacking. At the moment I couldn't sense any violent intent or malice from anyone in the area but I could smell curiosity, cautiousness, testosterone, and readiness for action.

'If they challenge me then I'm accepting and showing them why you don't mess with a beast.' I thought as a few of the other teams males turned to look at me.

I growled my discomfort at being gawked at. I'm wounded but I'll kill them if they do something funny. No doubt about it. I've had to take a human life before to stay alive and I'll do it again even if they set me free.

River turned to look at the males before turning back to me. "It's okay Nyxton. They don't mean any harm. Their not your enemy. Just calm down and relax. Do you want some water? I'm sure your thirsty."

I stopped growling but kept a slight glare before turning to River and just barely nodding. I felt hot. Hotter than normal but didn't think anything of it. I was not in the right place to be showing weakness. Especially when I'm surrounded by other males and probably the enemy no less.

River handed me a bottle full of fresh, non-brown cool water. To be honest I absolutely despise water but I couldn't resist something to quench my thirst. I took it quickly before stepping back. I opened the bottle and drained it literally in seconds. It felt so good to have the cold liquid flow down my throat and cool my body. I tossed the empty plastic bottle to the ground before glancing up at Rivers team.

"Dude just drank a half gallon of water in like two seconds..." Cole trailed off as he stared at me with shock while pointing in my direction.

"....coooo~l!..." Luca, Marcus, and Ty said in sync while Leonard gave me a look of respect.

River just smiled slightly before grabbing another and giving it to me. I drank that one as well as four more before I was full. I noticed that most of the males from the other teams had gathered around to watch with amazement. I felt like I was a clown putting on a show when in actuality I was a victim just drinking more water than my kidnappers had ever given me. Was it so amusing to watch a wounded person trying to give their body nutrients they were denied through years of torture and starvation?

The feeling of confinement was beginning to encroach on me. Too many males no, too many humans, were in my personal space. 'My territory!' A growl started to thrum from my chest and up my throat. My claws unsheathed and I crouched slightly as I bared my teeth at everyone around me.

My eyes darted around to keep every male in my sight as I grew more anxious.

'Too many males. Too many humans. Too close! Enemy. Shift. Fight. Shift. Shift. SHIFT!'

River must of caught on to what's happening and demanded everyone step away from me immediately. He said to be careful because I could attack at any moment and no one would stand a chance. I just snarled.

"Listen up! This is Nyxton. He is the objective we came here to obtain and bring back to HQ. He is a rare breed and the only of his kind. Your team leader will give you a copy of his file and bring you up to date on what is most important. At the moment all you need to know is that he has a temper, despises humans (mostly males), and is stronger than any one of us. He is not afraid to kill you. He's done it before and may do it again. Anything can be a hair trigger to set him off. At the present time, you all are too damn close! Step back now or chance losing an arm. Even your life."

"He's totally not shitting you either guys." Cole laughed out as all the males' eyes grew large and their scents uncertain. Everyone moved at least ten feet back from me.

I didn't care that they knew stuff ABOUT me. They didn't actually know ME. I was so pissed that they were acting differently now that they knew what I was. Just a few seconds ago they were having a great time just watching me chug water thinking I was a normal human.

Judgy bastards.

I growled and lurched forward a bit to scare them all back a bit more. I didn't care if they were ten feet or ten miles away from me. They still were human. They still were males. And they still could not be trusted.

River motioned his team members to surround me slowly as well as maintain calmness from the rest of the Navy males. He probably thought since his team had found and freed me that we were close enough that they could calm me down. They were wrong.

Luca, Jake, and Ty went to talk with the other teams members while River, Marcus, Leonard, and Cole tried to get me to see straight and not kill anyone. They talked to me, arms and hands up, while saying anything to appease me. I'm guessing they didn't like my tiger form if their this anxious to get me not to lose it.

I had had enough of these males so I charged Leonard. He was bulkier and taller than me but I was stronger and faster. I grabbed ahold of the collar of his shirt and head butted him straight in the face. I thought he'd be the most difficult to defeat but I was mistaken. One hard hit and he went down like a sack of spuds. I turned and prepared to take on the rest of the group.

"Holy shit!! He got Leonard in one hit! One. Fucking. Hit!!" I heard one of the other males say as I swiftly ran up to Cole and knocked him out with a Maui Thai knee jab to the face and a roundhouse kick to the stomach.

I was headed next in Marcus and Lucas' direction when I heard a sharp cry in the distance from the kitten I had rescued from the wall. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned toward the medical tent where the kitten was being held. One of the goddamned doctor people where jabbing it with needles and examining its eyes. The sharp tang of fear was practically rolling off the kittens body as it sat shaking like a leaf on the medal table. I let a loud menacing roar escape the confinement of my jaws.

"Oh fuck!" River hissed under his breath as I shifted partially and dashed like a mad man to the medical tents. I heard and felt some of the males shoot some tranq darts at me but they had little to no affect. I punched, kicked, elbowed, tossed, and clawed any male that tried to stop me. I was a bit dizzy but I pushed on. Most would come out with minimal if not any injuries at all. They better be fucking glad I didn't just end their miserable lives and feast on their carcasses.

By the time I got there the doctors had been cleared out and taken to safety by the remaining males and their teams. I scooped up the poor male kitten and deposited him into the right pocket of my cargo pants, making sure to leave it unbuttoned for him to breath.

I turned to see that most of the males were either injured or knocked out with the exception of a few remaining unharmed and standing with a tense caution and alertness. One shifted his weight and gained my attention. He audibly gulped as I started to growl.

"Officer Stevens. I am Commander James. I want you to stand very still. Do you hear me? Don't make any sudden moves and for the love of all that is holy do NOT run. He can smell your fear and he will act on it. Do you copy?" River instructed in a low voice.

"Y-Y..Yes s..s-sir!"

"Great. Now slowly put your hands palm up and raise your arms for him to see. Be sure to stay as calm as you can." The young male did as told before staying real still.

"Good. That's real good. Now I want you to avert your eyes from his and take very very very slow steps to your left and towards me. He takes you staring into his eyes right on as a challenge. A challenge he will gladly accept... AND win."

I kept my glare locked on the young male as he slowly began to inch to his left and his eyes left mine, showing me his submission and his acceptance of my position as lead alpha male. My tail lashed about as my ears swiveled to take in any signs of a surprise attack from behind. My nose twitched as it caught the scent of earth, the males, and the chemicals of the kitten.

I calmed down after thirty minutes or so and was standing, now shifted back to normal, with my arms crossed listening to everything going on. Males injured were being treated, others were being informed on the file information about me, and some of the uninjured males were off to the side talking and glancing my way every two seconds. Just my luck I could hear their conversation though I didn't care to repeat it.

My head was pounding and my body felt sluggish. The bullet wounds had reopened and I was tired. The tranquilizers were probably kicking in but this felt totally different. Like something else was wrong with me.

A sharp jab of electrical white hot pain shot through my chest making me clutch it with a groan. I felt like I was burning up from the inside out and could not even find relief from the deathly cold snow beneath my bare feet. My vision started to swim and blur. I staggered when I took a step forward. Something was wrong. Something was VERY wrong.

Caleb, one of the officers assigned to watch me as the rest of the situation was tended to, looked at me with worry. "You okay man? Your not looking so hot. Rather, you look like your burning up...!"

Ignoring his confusing words I dropped to my hands and knees breathing shallowly. My strength was escaping me. The noises around me started to fade out leaving behind muffled voices. I glanced to my hands and arms and then understood what that young male was talking about. Steam was literally rising from my skin like I was hot boiling soup. The snow had melted to water where I was and I now lay on burnt dead grass.

"How long has he been like this Caleb?" Rushed a male voice I made out as Rivers.

"I don't know sir. He seemed fine up until a few minutes ago. He didn't look so good and when he tried to walk forward he staggered. He must of ended up here after I went to get you. He is literally giving off steam and looks like he's burning up. Should I go get the Doc?"

"Fuck! Yes and be quick about it Caleb. I don't know what's wrong but I don't want it to make him to get even worse. Here take the kitten to my team member Marcus. He's more likely to not get ripped to shreds if Nyxton finds him with it. I hope.. Now hurry your ass up officer!"

"Right away sir!"

Rivers distant worried voice was the last thing I heard before dark spots grew in my vision and I collapsed to the wet hard ground with a loud thud. 'What a way to end my already fucked up day of freedom.'

Day 1: Experimentation --> Rescue --> Freedom --> Fight --> Capture?