Slave: The Fight to Save a Species

By the time lunch came around I was feeling pretty good. The healer shoved Adrian out of the room so that she could rebandage my chest and up my medication. I wanted to run around the yard, but knew that I’d only open my stitches. So instead I followed Adrian to the kitchen, hoping I could get something to eat. As their cook, a big bear shifter named
George, placed a plate of meat in front of me, I noticed something.

“Where’s Lily?” Normally the kid couldn’t leave me alone.

“She’s at school.” Adrian replied as he cut his own meat.

“What’s school?” the word was unfamiliar to me.

Adrian looked at me, as if I was insane.

“You don’t know what school is?”

I shook my head. What was so special about it that everyone should know what it is?

“You should know. There are schools at the rehabilitation areas; I personally made sure that everyone was to attend.”

I furrowed my brow, “I’m not from any rehabilitation place.”

Multiple things happened at once. Adrian choked on his meat, the cleaning lady who had just walked through the door dropped the vase she was cleaning (it’s a good thing it didn’t break), and the cook turned to look at me so fast I thought he was going to fall down.

“What is this about reservations?”

Everyone looked to see Lord Landers at the doorway.

Adrian cleared his throat and stood up, “She wasn’t taken from a rehabilitation facility. She says that she didn’t live on one.”

He looked at me, “Impossible. Wolf shifters haven’t been able to live on their own for centuries. Those facilities are their only chance for survival.”

“Not true.” I said quietly

Everyone looked at me as if I was nuts.

“Explain.” Landers commanded

“Well,” I stalled, “I can’t.”

Adrian’s father looked furious, “Why not?”

I took a deep breath, “Because it’ll endanger the others.”

“There are more?!” Adrian roared

I watched my hands as the twisted together nervously, “Not necessarily.”

The Lord sighed, “Carmella, if you don’t tell us everything, I can’t help them when it becomes too late.”

I looked up at him, grief and unshed tears in my eyes, “It’s already too late.”

“Carmella, run! Follow the wolves!”

I look back at my mom, the sight of her being thrown down and tasered by unknown men making me scared and angry.

Turning around I rush back to her side, tears streaming down my wolven face. I cry out for her, my howl getting lost in the cries from the rest of my family.

Before I could reach her, the alpha female from the natural wolf pack we were living with grabbed me, turning and running away from my family, from my mother.

The last thing I heard was my mother screaming to the alpha, “Take care of her! Don’t let them hurt her! Please...”

It wasn’t hard for the full grown wolf to run to safety, carrying the wolf pup with her.

I didn’t realize I had fallen from the chair until I felt warm arms lifting me from the cold floor.

I was flying, my eyes closed against the insulting lights.

Then I felt myself resting against soft clouds, until something roughly slammed me head down between my knees

Stupid Adrian, why does he have to ruin everything?

“Carmella, are you okay?” a deep voice asked

I ignored it, I just want to go back to those peaceful clouds.

“Wolf! Answer me!”

Potato chips and cheese crackers! Can’t I haven even a little bit of peace?!

“Adrian! Shut up!” I yelled, bringing my head back up so that I could glare at him, but he just shoved it back down.

“Keep your head down!” he screamed back

“Why? So you can continue to manhandle me?! I’m not the type of wolf who’ll let someone push her around!”

“I outrank you! So you will do as I say!”

Landers stood back and watched, amusement shining on his face. When Carmella had slid from her chair he didn’t know what had shocked him more, the fact that she had reached out to Adrian right before she collapsed or that Adrian had moved so fast no one else had time to reach her before he carried her to the sitting room. Now they were arguing over nothing, but Landers felt that they needed to get everything out before they moved on.

“You’re so unhappy and arrogant that you feel no one else matters! Open your eyes, you bozo, the world doesn’t revolve around you!” I stood up, yelling in his face

“You are the most aggravating, annoying person I have ever met! I can’t – “

I stopped listening. The feeling of total dread consuming my body, that today was the worst day of my life. Sudden knowledge hit me. Lily was close, and she was crying.

Pushing away from Adrian, I ran to the front door. Standing outside I could see Lily at the end of the steps, tears running down her face as sobs tore through her body. Kneeling in front of her was an unknown man; I couldn’t hear what he was saying. All I knew was that Lily was upset and this man was by her.

Growling, I started forward, wanting to tear the man apart, but Adrian grabbed me instead, lifting me into the air.

“Quit squirming! You’re going to hurt yourself!” he breathed by me ear

I fought him, staying human for one reason. I didn’t want my teeth around this mans throat, I wanted my hands around his throat.

Hearing the noise we were making, Lily looked at me.

“Carmella!”

Turning away from the man, Lily ran to me. I fought harder to be set free, finally managing it in time to catch the girl, still growling at the man. Adrian knelt beside me, stroking Lily’s pale hair.

“Lils, what’s wrong?” he asked quietly

“It’s horrible! The play’s over!” She sobbed into my chest.

Confused, I stopped growling and looked at her.

“Play?” I asked

“Lily has a school play tomorrow. What do you mean it’s over?” Adrian asked the child
She looked at me, wiping her nose, “I was going to be the star, daddy even said we could go and get my outfit and everything today, but the boy who’s supposed to be the evil wolf got sick and now the play’s canceled!” it was hard to understand what she was saying through her sobs.

“Um, excuse me?”

I look up to see the man who was with Lily. Instantly I started to growl again, watching as his face turned white and he stepped back. I was about to go into protective mode, but then Adrian’s leopard roared at me. Stopping the rest of my growls I held Lily closer. After watching me for a few seconds, Adrian turned to the man.

“Hello, Mr. Hons.”

“Hello, um, Lily was so devastated that she missed the bus, so I brought her home.” His eyes kept moving from Adrian to me nervously.

“Thank you, we appreciate it. Would you like to come in?” Lord Landers spoke from behind me

Mr. Hons glanced at me again, “Uh, no, but thank you. I just wanted to let you know that the play is canceled.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, is there anything we can do?” Landers asked

Hons gave a nervous laugh, “Not unless you can get me a wolf for the play.”

For some reason Adrian looked at me, then smiled.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve got that covered.” He said

We all looked at him as if he had two heads.

“What about her?” he said pointing to me

“What are you talking about?” I asked

He smirked, “Well, doesn’t being a wolf come naturally to you?”

Lily gasped, “Oh! Please, please, please! Will you play the wolf? Please!”

Before I could say anything Hons interrupted, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Lily turned to him, almost furious, “Why not?”

He looked at her patiently, “Because since did try to attack me.”

“I thought you were hurting her.” I supplied

“There,” Adrian broke in, “Now that that’s settled, we should go get Lily’s outfit.”

“There’s still a problem,” said Hons, “She can’t speak any lines in wolf form.”

Adrian shrugged, “I’ll read the lines while she acts.”

“Well, as long as she doesn’t hurt anyone...”

“She won’t.” Adrian added confidently

“So the play’s back on?” Lily inquired

Hons sigh, “I guess so. Now I just need to inform the others.”

Lily bounced out of my arms, hugging everyone. When she was finished she pulled Adrian and I to the door.

“Come on! We need to get ready!” she ran up the stair excitedly.

As I shut the door the last thing I heard was Hons talking to Landers.

“I could have sworn my life flash right by my eyes for a while there...”