"I need to get home," I said, trying to keep my rising panic out of my voice. I had to get out now.
"You're not going anywhere," he said. "It's dark and dangerous. You don't want to have another run-in with a werewolf, do you?"
Remembering they only saw me as an innocent human who had been attacked, I shook my head and allowed fear to show on my face. I had to play the part well, since my life depended on my acting skills.
"You should be resting," Flynn said in a clipped tone as he stepped into the room, beside the guy who'd caught me trying to leave.
"I wanted...to go home," I stuttered. Flynn frowned slightly before closing the distance between us with two strides.
"It's too late and you need to get some rest," he told me. His voice was calm but firm. His hand wrapped around my uninjured arm.
I couldn't exactly make a run for it so I let him lead me back up the stairs and to the small room I had woken up in. He took my backpack from my shoulder and put it back in the small closet.
I got into the bed and pulled the blanket to cover myself. My eyes were fixed on him. Before, in the forest, he had been ruthless without any remorse and now there was something more in his expression. His features were a little softer.
"You need to rest," he repeated. "You have nothing to fear here. No one will harm you."
I wasn't convinced that extended to the guy who I had encountered downstairs. I had a really bad feeling about him. Hell, I had a really bad feeling about the whole situation I was in.
"Who was the other guy?" I found myself asking, needing to know about a person who could make me feel so unsafe.
Flynn paused for a moment before he answered. It was like he was trying to find the right way to say it.
"His name is Travis," he said. "He is in charge."
Oh, great!That gave me the chills.
Flynn watched my reaction. I had to remind myself to play the part of the frightened human. If he suspected I wasn't who I said I was, I would be in big trouble.
"What are you?" I asked, and despite my nervousness I held his gaze. "Humans can't do what you did to that...werewolf."
He contemplated my question for a few moments.
"You're right. I'm not human, I'm a Keeper," he replied.
I knew what he was. The second he took in the rogue, I knew without a doubt what he was, but hearing him say it out loud brought home the reality of my situation.
"What's a Keeper?" I asked, making as if I had never heard of them before.
He seemed to weigh up his answer before he replied. His long finger rubbed his jaw.
"We are the Keepers of the Order. The Order of the Orion," he told me. I completed my brilliant acting with a look of confusion.
"We're the ones who make sure the werewolves don't break the rules," he said, simplifying his answer. There was hatred that shone in his eyes when he said the word 'werewolf.' I swallowed my nervousness. He wouldn't be so kind to me if he found out who I really was.
I couldn't allow him to discover the truth.
"Did that...werewolf break the rules?" I asked softly.
He nodded.
"It is forbidden for them to attack humans."
He was right but why, after all these years, had they come out of hiding? They were a very secretive group, so secretive few packs knew about them.
"It's your job to keep the werewolves in line?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "If it wasn't for the Order, the werewolves would become out of control and lawless."
