off them, like it had every time they’d set foot in the room. They looked horrible, their faces gaunt, their thinning hair white and gray, their bodies frail. Bray didn’t know how old Eastwood was, but Baig was only fifty-eight, yet he looked like he was in his seventies.
Bray growled softly, taking immense pleasure when they inched back. They might not be here by choice, but that didn’t mean he had to like them and treat them nicely. They’d been behind the whole Melloni gene after all.
“We…we brought you some water.” Baig showed him a plastic water bottle, his hand shaking. “We took quite a few vials of blood from you, so you need to drink.”
Bray wished he could scoff at him. How was he supposed to drink from that as a wolf? Or was this another attempt to get him to shift? Either way, he was not drinking or eating anything they offered him, no matter how thirsty he was. It could be laced with fuck knew what.
Baig shuffled over to the table against the wall. He picked up an emesis basin, one of those kidney-shaped disposable hospital bowls Bray had seen often enough when he’d visited Dane.
“T-the bottle is unopened.” Baig held out the bottle toward Bray, then slowly uncapped it, demonstrating that he was breaking the seal. “And to show you it’s safe, I’ll drink some first.”
Bray narrowed his eyes as the doctor took some sips, then poured out the rest into the bowl. He carefully placed it on the ground, then stepped back to his safe spot by the door, where Eastwood stood as if nailed to the floor. Bray stared at the water, his mouth and throat so dry they felt like sandpaper. Should he risk it? What if they’d poisoned the water, like with a thin needle through the plastic?
“It’s safe,” Baig said. “I know my word doesn’t mean anything to you, but I promise you it is. We have no reason to harm you.” He and Eastwood shared an uncomfortable look. “On the contrary, we have every reason not to. Our lives are on the line if we don’t give the general the results he wants.”
Bray growled in displeasure. Was this an attempt at pressuring him? If so, it wasn’t working. He couldn’t find himself to care about the fate of those two. On some level, he did because they were still human beings, but not so much that he’d protect them at all costs. Certainly not to the extent where knowing they’d be punished or killed was enough to make him cooperate.
Baig held up his hands. “I know that’s not your concern…and we understand. I was merely stating facts. We’re not here by choice either. In fact…” He cocked his head. “Do you know who we are? I mean, why the general wanted us to…test you?”
Bray nodded.
“We never meant for this to happen, I swear.” Baig sighed as he dragged a shaky hand through his gray hair. “You don’t know how much I regret my role in this. I didn’t develop the genetic mutation, but I did help to distribute…and spread it.”
“Why are you telling him all this?” Eastwood spoke up for the first time.
Baig turned toward his colleague. “We’re not going to survive this. Look at what he’s making us do. Do you really think he’ll let us live?” Eastwood paled even more. “And if by some miracle he’s ousted and some kind of democracy is restored, we’ll be sentenced to life in prison for our contribution to his horrific plans.”
Bray growled his approval. At least Baig was a realist. His gaze flicked between the water and Baig’s face. Something told him the man was speaking the truth. He padded to the bowl and took a lick. The cool freshness exploded on his tongue with not even a trace of anything else. He’d have to risk it. He had no idea how long he could survive in wolf form without water. He emptied the bowl in no time, almost groaning with relief as the liquid soothed his parched throat.
As soon as he was done, he stepped back again.
“Good. I’m glad you drank the water.” Baig cleared his throat. “I didn’t get involved in the whole project until two years before we started the trials. But one of the scientists who was part of it from the start was my uncle. He paid for my med school, so when he asked me to participate, I couldn’t say no. All they wanted was