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The bath water had been run and the door to the dorm locked and barricaded. I'd insisted on the couch being dragged to bar the door. I was on edge now that SD had worn off.

I'd cried and sobbed my tears initially, my emotions scattered, haunted by what had just happened. It wasn't the fact Linus had sexually assaulted me, it was the fact I had wanted it. I felt numb and distant. I didn't even feel anger burning inside me to begin with. I just wanted to be swallowed up by the Earth and abandon all reason to this wave of depression that was starting to press down on me.

No. No, I would not let this beat me. I needed to get up and keep going. For Emma's sake at least.

Lian had promised me his word of honour that Linus would leave me alone, but I still didn't know enough about that particular lion to trust him just yet. Lian had helped my aching body into the tub and then I asked him to leave.

I didn't want to be alone at that moment in time, which was why Miles was sat across the large, tiled bathroom, at the frosted glass window. The sill was large enough that he could have lain his body across it.

I huddled at the far end of the tub. I let the hot water soak through me. I'd scrubbed myself raw and had even thrown up a little when I hit the bathroom.

"Are you feeling alright?" Miles asked quietly.

I scowled at him.

He flinched and raised both hands defensively. "Bad question."

"Yeah, really bad question."

He looked behind him at the frosted glass window pane. "He tried to do the same to me when I was 'invited' here."

I looked over and found the timid werefox shaking, shaking with anger. His hands clenched tight, the knuckles mottled white as he trembled with rage.

"I should have warned you, I should have told you what this place is like when we first met. I'm sorry," he added.

"You and Lian have apologised to me now. There's no point in apologies."

Miles looked at me with those sad, pale yellow eyes. "Then forget the apologies. Tell me what I can do to make it up to you?" he demanded.

I smiled sadly. Miles was a good, honest kid it seemed. "I don't suppose you could get me out of here and protect my little sister from Linus and his threats, can you?" I asked sadly.

"I wish I could," he replied. I saw it in his eyes. He really did wish he could help me. I appreciated that.

"Miles? You said that Linus tried to do the same to you. What did that mean?"

Miles smiled weakly. "He explained what the SD drug does, right?"

I nodded back. "It heightens the two drives that all natural animals possess."

"And those were?"

"To fight and to fuck."

He nodded and explained, "I didn't want to fuck when SD worked its way into my system."

I gave him a questioning look.

Miles squeezed his hands tighter and then let them fall apart. "I nearly killed Linus."

"You did what?" I stammered. I gripped my knees to my chest a little tighter and hugged them as I listened.

"Linus fed me the SD drug when I came here. At first I shifted, changed into my full moon form. The emotions inside of me swapped again and again like some great decision wheel, darting between two options; horny or angry, desire of rage. It hit rage and I went for him. I blacked out, and when I came to his medical staff were resusitating his heart and the wolves were pinning me to the office floor."

I stared at Miles, trying to see him in a blind rage, lashing out at Linus. I couldn't believe it. Then again, I wouldn't have said I would have had sex with Linus, but I could still taste him in my mouth. Don't get me wrong, I like men as much as I like women, but I prefer to have options. SD robbed you of those options.

"No offense, Miles, but why aren't you dead yet?"

"Linus ordered to keep me alive. He said I could be...useful in the future," he smiled sadly.

"Sorry to hear that."

He shook his head and added, "I tried to commit suicide once, you know, end it once and for all, but the wolves caught me."

"What did they do?"

"Beat me. Took me to Linus, who swore that if I ever stepped out of line again, he'd make sure my brothers suffered."

"Brothers? Older or younger?" I asked.

"One older, two younger twins. They live in Chicago." He raised a hand and smoothed a strand of auburn hair from his eyes. "You?"

"Little sister. New York. She moved there a couple of years back, just before I became a werewolf," I explained.

"Linus has a few students here under his thumb with these contracts of his. Students who are in the process of their initiation, or students like me who failed there initiation, but still have uses."

"But not everyone else is being kept here forceably?" I concluded.

"Nope."

"That's so...fucked up."

"Indeed. Its all down to that initiation. By the time its done with the one undergoing it becomes loyal to Linus' cause."

"And what is his cause?"

Miles shrugged.

"You don't know, but your sure he has one?"

"Look at the man, Jack, any man with an ego and power like that would be foolish not to have some kind of malicious goal in mind."

I nodded.

The bathroom door suddenly opened and I tensed in the water. Lian stepped in holding a new uniform in his hands.

"Relax, pup," he smiled gently.

"Don't call me that."

"Fine then. Jack, relax, I'm not going to harm you."

"Yet..." Miles murmured.

"W-What?" I stammered.

Lian glared at Miles, who shook his head. "Nothing."

I gripped the edge of the bath tub and spilled out. "Oh hell no! No more secrets! No more surprises!" I crossed the bathroom tiles and grabbed Lian by the crevat. I yanked him close to my naked body so that I could glare up into those golden eyes. "What did Miles mean by that?" I growled.

Lian looked down at me, defiant at first and then he submitted. A gentle sigh rolled from his lips as he said, "Get dressed and I'll tell you." He pulled back from me until I either went with him or my hands released him. I dropped my hands and watched him abandon the bathroom in favour of the bedroom.