Chapter 7: The Female Alpha
RONI
We turned our flashlights on when we went inside the huge cave. The sun is halfway through setting and the clock strikes at twelve o'clock. I decided to take a break when we're inside. The cave's entrance is a long walk and judging from the pit black darkness of the inside, the beasts is sleeping deeper on the ground.
"Do you have a hand sanitizer or a perfume?" Asked Jennie, the assistant director of the biology department. "Keep your alcohol inside your bag or any fragrance. The female has a strong kin of smell." I demanded. Jennie nodded at me before taking her lunch. They had packed lunches on their bag packs while I have two sandwiches. I'm not starving but to avoid passing out later, I need to have a couple of bites.
"I think you might want to see this, Roni." Minho whispered. He opened his laptop and maneuvered it. The female's specimen, pulse and chart shows on the wide screen. "She's half awake. Usually she's up only during full moon but her condition varies among the others." He pointed out. "That's odd. Her vitals seem fine and her mutation didn't affect anything." I muttered.
The female beast showed a hundred percent genetic mutation out of the others. Her blood perfectly blends with the serum. As far as I remember, she was a remarkable asset. But what changed? It's been a few months since I lost contact with her.
"She's probably adjusting to the new environment." Archie butt in. He handed me a gun. I'm the one who's going to shot the sedative just in case we need them. "I think we need to further run some tests on her just to make sure." Minho suggested. I nodded in agreement. The walkie-talkie on the waistband of my pants screeched so I hurriedly pressed the button to answer. "We encountered a small village a few kilometres west of Mount Alphanium." Prim said while panting. She must've climbed the steep hill. "Are there any villagers?" Matt asked on the other line. "It's deserted but not quite long. Some of my people saw a pot filled with boiling water just now." She answered.
"Have you seen any tribal writings?" Art asked. "No. We didn't." She answered immediately. "Just took some pictures on the relics and other things in the village, we'll go check it out once we get back." Art requested. I heard Lauren clearing her throat on the other line before she asked us if we had our lunch already. Prim said that they'll take their after a few minutes while Lauren and Matt's team were done an hour ago.
"Roni? Are you there?" Art asked. "Yeah. I've been listening the whole time." I answered. "Have you had lunch already? You didn't take a breakfast." Jack sounds so worried and that made me smile a little. "I brought some food with me, don't worry." I muttered with less enthusiasm.
Jennie waved her right hand at me and I signaled her that I'm on the phone. The other line fell silent and if it weren't for Art and Jack, I'd probably imagine talking to myself.
"Jack and I will wrap up soon, do you need some help over there?" Art offered. I shook my head a little. "We're good here. Thanks." I stare at my wristwatch. The preparation's finally done and we can now proceed with step one. "Anyways, I need to go. Call me when something came up and if I won't be able to answer it, I'm leaving the decision to you Art."
"Yes, Ma'am." He playfully shouted. "My eardrums are still ringing. No need to shout Art! We get it. You're under." Matt teased. They all laughed while I chuckled quietly. Archie raised his tablet, telling me to come over now. "Later guys." I muttered softly before turning the walkie-talkie off. I put my surgical mask on and held the sedative gun tightly.
"Be careful with your steps. It can sense vibration even from a mile." Minho whispered. I'm on the front-line together with Jennie and Archie. They both have guns on their hands too. Sakura and Minho will be our eyes. The others held their apparatus and flashlight for us to see where we're going. We followed the route, some cave waters fell which make the ground slippery.
"Turn left." Minho muttered and we do so. If it weren't for the flashlight we could've bumped on the hard marble stones inside. "Are we there yet?" One of the assistant scientist asked. "Almost. Once we turn left again." Archie answered. My hands are wet from sweat and started to shake a little. This is really dangerous. I'm used to examining the creatures on restraints and this is the exact opposite of it. I just hope everything falls according to plan or else, we're all screwed. "I can hear her snore." Sakura whispered to me. Her voice shakes and she looks tense compare to the others. Sakura's a rookie yet her first field work is between life and death.
"The path is narrower after we reached the other end." Archie uttered in a low voice. "Stop." I whispered, left hand raised in the air signaling the others to halt. "What is it?" Jennie asked me. My breathing hitches and I felt nauseous again. I can't throw up now, not in front of a huge beast lying on a crystallized table at the center of the space. The moonlit shines above her, showing us a glimpse of her whole figure. Her chest is rising and falling while her head turned to the ceiling. It's snore was the only sound we could hear inside.
Archie signaled the others to slowly move inside, closer to the beast. I swallowed the lump on my throat as I aim for it's arm. Jennie did the same way too, just in case we woke her up. Raymart provided me with more sedative darts. The female's skin looks thicker and her size is so much bigger when she was still on the lab. And the way her hair shines against the moonlight is so pretty.
"Jennie and I will surround her, Doctor." Archie requested. I nodded at him in agreement. They both slowly walked inside, taking extra careful with their steps. And when they finally stopped on their posts, I sighed. It was nerve-racking.
"Her vitals are stable." Sakura announced. Minho nodded at her as he navigated his tablet. "Carry on with the injection." He commanded the person right next to him. He obliged. He carried a syringe with a green liquid on it on his left hand. It's a small dosage of tranquilizer, to help her stay asleep. When he stopped in front of the beast, my heart beats faster than the usual. There's something wrong with this. The preparation was smooth that it made me scared.
"Can you show me her chart again?" I asked Sakura. She brought her laptop over to me with the scanned images of the female alpha. "Where was she last night?" I asked while scrolling the pages down. "She was outside but she didn't moved the whole time." Sakura answered. "Is she compatible with the other subjects?" I asked more. This doesn't seem right. Doesn't feel right.
"She was with ANG-0076-CA yesterday before we went to sleep." Her response made my eyes widened in disbelief and shock. "What's happening?" Minho asked. "She's pregnant." I whispered.
"What?!" Minho uttered in disbelief. We weren't expecting this to happen. So much had changed that a seed was planted on the female alpha's womb.
"STOP!" I shouted a little when the man was about to inject her the sedative. It will kill the baby inside. They all turn around and stare at me with confusion plastered on their faces. Archie whispered on Jennie's ear, asking what's happening. "We need to leave, now." My voice shakes as much as my fingers do. "What are you talking about Dr. Heartfillia?" Sakura asked. "What's happening?" Raymart asked too. I shook my head and tried to concentrate. How did I missed this? The Female was quarantined in a different laboratory yet it shows adversity towards the other subject.
"Evacuate. Now." I muttered again. I slowly walked behind, not taking my eyes off the creature sleeping soundly. "Why are we postponing this?" Minho asked, still waiting for a concrete answer.
"That's why she appears to be sleeping because she's pregnant but she's awake!." My voice sounds so low that I bet everyone didn't heard what I just said. My stomach tightened and my forehead's filled with cold sweat. "The male is here."
"Number 76 is on the far east of the mountain. The tracker only shows her." Minho argued. "Dr. Heartfillia?" Jennie called. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths to calm my nerves. This isn't the right time to panic. "Can you just follow my orders? We're moving out now." I tried to sound stern as possible. But...
"The male is here and he will never leave the female alpha's side because she is goddamn carrying a cub!" I explained. My legs felt like jellies and my whole body weakened when I heard a howl. It's definitely not from the female. I raised my gun and searched the area, in the hopes of finding the male.
"Lookout. Behind you!" Someone screamed in horror and before I knew it, we're running away. Heading to the outside with muffled cries. There are various gunshots behind me but I didn't stop. I ran as fast as I can even though I can't see the path clearly. My hand shakes and the flashlight fell from my grip.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Another gunshot was fired and it made my ears rang. The ground shook from the fast and big steps of the creature chasing us. We just need to reach the outside and we'll be all safe. "HELP ME!" Jennie cried in pain and I was about to help her stood up when Minho dragged me forward. "We can't risk your life." He muttered. That made me cry. This is all my fault. They wouldn't have encountered the male creature if only I wasn't scared enough. I could've aimed and shot it's legs to paralyze him but my fear took over and I let it rule over my body. My walkie-talkie screeches and I hurriedly grabbed it from my waistband.
"Matt and I are the first ones to arrive. Where are you?" Lauren asked.
"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Minho dragged me faster as soon as the female howls. She's awake and we'll be all dead meat if she chase us too. "Come on, Dr. Heartfillia. We're almost there." Minho grunted when he put my arm on his back, supporting me. If he wasn't here, I could've collapsed.
"Roni? What's happening there?" Prim asked but I can't find the words to say. I'm panting and my throat feels dry from all the screaming awhile ago.
"Is that Roni?" - Matt
"What's happening?" - Art
"Talk to me Roni." - Jack
"Oh my god. Where did that howl came from?" - Prim
They all spoke together with a hint of worry but still, I wasn't able to answer them.
"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."
A tingle cross from my spine as my arm hair rose up. The howl sounds louder than the first one. It's getting near and near. "Roni, where are you?" Jack asked when the others fell silent on the other line. "I---I.. Uhm, I.." I stuttered but when I saw the daylight a few meters from where Minho and I stood, my strength awakened. We can make it to outside.
I was one step away from the entrance of the cave when a hard impact on my legs made me flew outside straight to the ground. Something just hit me. I closed my eyes as pain emerges from my head down to my right leg. I slowly reached for the throbbing pain and a hot liquid gushed out. My fingers continued shaking as I see my blood dripping. I coughed a little when I felt my chest burning. No one seems to be around but one thing's for sure. I made it to the outside. I sighed in relief before slowly crawling. My arms felt numbed and some of my fingernails are broken. It must've happened when I landed.
I raised my head and searched for everyone but all I see were dried leaves and a blue sky. Where's everyone? Where's Minho?
Small drops of blood dripped on my right arm, making my vision red and unclear. The darkness is consuming me with each second passing. I may have survived the werewolf attacked but I think I'm going to die due to the fractures I've had.
Is my baby still okay?
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone