Slave: The Fight to Save a Species

Taking a deep breath, Josef pulled out his phone. He was nervous. He failed, and his boss would not be pleased. Wiping his brow with the already damp rag, he watched as his thumb hit the proper buttons. Taking a deep breath, as much to give him false courage as to give oxygen to his stressed body, Josef brought the device to his ear. The phone only rang once.

“I hope this conversation will bring me joy.” The distorted voice answered

Closing his eyes, Josef responded, “Well, Sir, the abduction started out as planned.”

“I do not want to know how it started, what transpired, or how many witnesses you disposed of. I want to know if you have that wolf under your care, alive.” The mechanic voice commanded

“I can honestly say that the last time I saw her, she was alive.”

There was a pause from the other side.

“Josef, Josef, Josef,” the distorted sigh had the nervous man wiping more sweat from his face, “You’re circling around the answers that I need. My patience is wearing thin. Now I want you to answer two simple questions for me, I’ll even phrase them so that you moronic mind can process them. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good. First question, is the wolf alive?”

“She was breathing when I saw her last, yes.”

“Good, very good. Now this question will be a bit harder, were you able to extract the wolf, taking her with you?”

Josef began to shake, “The funny thing is, I was about-“

“This is a simple yes or no question, Josef. Do you have the wolf?” the demonic voice stressed

“No, Sir.”

Another sigh filled his ear.

“That is not the answer I am looking for. I believe there is someone here who might influence you to finish the job.”

There was a quiet rustle before a frightened child could be heard.

“Daddy! Daddy help!”

Josef paled, “David! Oh, David it’ll be okay, daddy’s going to make it all better. Don’t – “

“How touching, this fatherly love.” The distorted voice returned.

“Don’t hurt him, please.”

“I believe you have something to say that’ll make me very pleased with you, very pleased indeed.”

“I’ll get her! Just give me another chance! She’ll be in your hands by the end of this week!”

“That’s a good man. Oh, and don’t worry about your son, his accommodations have just
improved.”

“Thank you! I won’t let you down, I –“

“Let me down? Don’t you mean you won't let David down?”

Josef felt his stomach roll.

~*~

Adrian gently laid Carmella on the bed, moving back so that Lily could kiss her cheek.

“Get better soon, I’ll be waiting for you.” She whispered to the wolf.

“Come,” their father spoke, “Let the healer work in peace. Adrian, can I see you in my office?”

Making sure that Lily went with the cook, Adrian followed his father, sitting down in the plush chair.

“Report.”

“I was chasing after her, when we hit the meadow – “

“Why were you that far from the house?” Landers asked

“She bolted from the yard, so I followed to bring her back.”

“I see, the fact that you were in leopard form does not matter? That we had to retrieve clothes for you means nothing?”

“We were playing tag; the wolf was too fast for Lily.”

“So you evened the odds?” Landers raised his eybrow

Adrian nodded.

“So she ran, then what?”

Adrian told his father of the buck, the tree, and the walk home.

“He was a shifter. We don’t have natural animals on our property.” Adrian finished.

“Which means someone wants Carmella. We need someone with her at all times.”

“I’ll inform Slip, he’s a coyote, I’m sure the two canines can bond.”

“No, since you are researching how she came into the pet shop, I want you to be the one who watches her.”

“But father – “

“No buts, you are her guard. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good, now go sit with her.”

~*~

I can’t move.

Really, my chest is bound so tight it’s hard to breath, pain is (once again) exploding through out my body, and I’m so tired it’s a work out just opening my eyes.

Once I do I want to shut them all over again. One word: pink.

The put me into the horrific room once again.

“I see you’re awake.”

Turning I see Adrian watching me from a chair across the room.

Two things go through my mind: why am I in human form and why pink. Not knowing what to say, I voice the question that’s bothering me the most.

“Why pink?” I cringe at how scratchy my voice is.

Adrian seems confused until he glances around the room.

“When my mother found out she was pregnant she went through the entire house, picked two rooms, and repainted one blue and one pink. Dad and I didn’t have the heart to tell her we had already decorated a room for the baby. She yelled at us for weeks when she found out. We decided to leave the rooms pink and blue so that we could all laugh at it later.”

By the end of his memory, his eyes were so full of pain that my heart reached out to him.

“Was she able to laugh about it?” I asked quietly.

He looked at me with eyes of hatred, “Not for long.”

Swallowing to get the dryness out of my mouth, I looked away and attempted to sit up. Pain shot from my side causing me to fight the instinct to cry out, gasping instead.

“I wouldn’t move yet. It’s been a few hours since the last time you were given pain killers. I bet you’re in a lot of pain.”

No duh, you know what? For an idiot he’s pretty smart. I don’t think I’ll mention that to him though, I don’t think he speaks sarcasm.

Pushing my multi-colored hair (the color of my wolf’s coat) out of my face I glared at him.

“Why are you even here? I’m sure you have better things to do then stare at me.”

“Nope, since your little attempt at escape I am now your body guard.”

“What?! Says who?!” I practically yelled

“Since yesterday, daddy’s orders. Say goodbye to freedom, little wolf, I now rule your life,”

He grinned.