Page 180 of Inside the Sun

A tranquilizer.

And in the split second before everything starts to go dark, I know whoever shot me with this wasn’t playing around. The dose is strong enough to take down a guy my size.

Then darkness swallows me whole.

***

Waking up is hell.

Everything aches, and my throat burns like I’ve been throwing up while unconscious. I feel poisoned, as if something’s rotting inside me.

I try to move, but I realize my limbs are completely restrained.

I’m slumped against a wall, my head hanging down over my chest, and thick metal clamps lock down my biceps, forearms, wrists… even my legs, stretched out in front of me, are shackled at the ankles.

Whoever did this took it seriously. This isn’t just about immobilizing me, it’s about neutralizing a threat. These restraints are solid steel, and I’ve got a gut feeling they knew exactly what kind of strength a purple alpha can have. No one would go to these extremes for a regular guy.

I slowly lift my head. The room’s dimly lit, but I’ve got night vision. Everything’s monochrome, still I can see clearly.

There are four other cages around me. Only two are occupied.

Bodies lie motionless on the floors of both.

I know who they are instantly. I don’t even need to look closely. And I don’t even want to, because just one glance tells me they’re in bad shape.

Blood. Bruises. Scrapes. Swelling.

Sun and Summer.

Summer’s hooked up to some kind of IV.

Anger flares in my chest, but it’s not the kind that gives me power, it’s the kind that hollows me out. All it does is deepen the helplessness.

Did I fail? I did.

I sit there for a while, trying to piece together my thoughts, trying to come up with a backup plan, searching for a scenario that doesn’t end in disaster. But nothing’s coming.

Minutes pass in a strange fog. I don’t know if it’s still the sedatives wearing off, but my thoughts are like a storm of black crows circling above, aimless and loud, like something out of a bad horror movie.

My gaze flicks between Sun and Summer. They’ll probably need medical help, soon.

Then I catch it, a small movement from Sun. His fingers twitch slightly, and I dare to whisper:

"Sun?"

He turns his head toward me, his eyes barely visible under half-lowered lids. He looks half-conscious at best.

"Ragnar… finally. You’ve been out for over a day."

His voice is only a whisper, each word cracking like it hurts to say.

A whole day? That explains why my lips are so dry. I haven’t had a single drop to drink.

"What about Summer?" I mumble.

Sun closes his eyes. There’s a pause, a silence so heavy it weighs on my chest before he finally answers:

"Anzo has been dosing him with something since we got here. I don’t know what it is, some kind of drug, maybe a psychotropic, but he’s completely out of it. No response at all."

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