Before the Fall

Chapter Forty-Two - Puny Panther

Jimin

I had done what I could for Taehyung while at the clearing, but it was clear my field medicine skills weren't going to be enough for this large of a wound. The bandages around his leg were already tinting red and I couldn't help but keep looking to see if it spread.

Red was all I could see. Partly because of the blood, and partly because Li had me so incredibly angry. I spent the time we walked trying to think who could have been the rat in our post. Who was the mole feeding Li all the information on us.

I wasn't sure what he had on us, but if he knew of the survivor camps, he may as well know everything else. But other than the camps, we really had nothing to hide except maybe for our ever-growing hatred of him.

Taehyung was stirring a bit and I urged Namjoon and the rest to pick up the pace. Though Taehyung had yet to show any signs of going feral, we really couldn't wait around for the worst to occur. I needed to get him patched up and strong enough to shift as soon as possible.

"Doctor, we're almost there," said Namjoon, looking over his shoulder to me. "You guys go straight to the clinic. I'll report to Li and come to you as soon as I can."

I begin mentally preparing a protocol list. I didn't have time to stop and think about what I would need to do next as I had no idea if Taehyung would be my only patient.

* * *

Namjoon

I watched Aster walk quietly beside me. Li probably already knew she meant something to me because of how I stupidly acted at the clearing. However, I was determined not to openly flaunt anything I felt.

Her white ears were slouched back against her hair and her tail was splattered with blood and dirt. She was holding up incredibly well, but even I could see how Xander's presence affected her. Her spirit seemed down and after our little chat, I felt more angry at Li for inflicting such pain on her.

I was the first to step out onto the gravel road that led into the post. I tried to play out all possible scenarios in my head so I could be ready for any move Li made, but my confidence had taken a blow when he showed up early and I didn't even suspect it.

Armed guards met us and flanked us as we walked. I felt Aster tense up and though I hated to do it, I released her hand. She looked up at me but I refused to meet her gaze. I wanted to give Li no further ammunition to use against either she or I.

The guards were low-level hybrids, some rats, lizards, and a motley looking dog hybrid. None of them looked to even possess an ounce of the strength one of us in the BCU had. We were Li's first and greatest accomplishment. Fully shiftable hybrids with the strength of their animal counterparts. As the program progressed, he simply went for quantity more so than quality it seemed.

My men tried to walk towards Jimin's clinic but were stopped. I snarled and turned to the man nearest me, my hand shooting out and gripping his neck like a vice. I heard the clicks of guns I could see from my peripheral vision that were now all trained on me.

"You will let them go," I growled at the man.

"I don't answer to you," the lizard hybrid hissed.

I squeezed tighter and he coughed and gagged, dropping his weapon to grip my hand with his fingers. "You will answer to me with your life if you don't let them pass," I said.

"Let him go," said the dog hybrid.

"Not until my men take the tiger to the clinic," I rasped, not letting my fingers ease off the lizard for a moment.