Mate

Chapter One

The concrete was cold today. The chill seeped through even my thick fur as I stared blankly at the wall. I was in my cage in the basement, there where twenty cages in the basement. Each cage held one wolf - correction: each cage held one werewolf. Yes you heard me. Werewolves. Oh, I guess I should introduce myself; at least I would if I knew my name. HE just called all of us down here HIS 'Toys'. I was taken when I was just a small pup. I don't remember anything before I was in this barren cage.

One of the she-wolves down the row started up a wailing howl. No one even looked her way; she was a new addition having only arrived a few days ago. She had yet to learn that there was no rescue coming. You learned fast that you don't break the rules here. Ever.

The door at the far end of the room banged open and slammed against the stone wall with enough force to send a fine powder trickling down from the ceiling. The she-wolf's howls cut off abruptly. HE stood in the doorway in a pair of old jeans and combat boots. Dirty blond hair hung about HIS face in greasy curtain and day old stubble shadowed his face. HIS eyes swept the room landing on each of us before finally coming to rest on the new she-wolf. A nasty sneer pulled at HIS thin lips.

I watched with dull eyes as HE strutted down the aisle between cages to the she-wolf. My inner wolf whined and wanted to go and save the poor girl but I knew it was no use. The bars of our cage where laced with sliver and no Were could break out of them.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" HE asked in a mocking voice. "I could have sworn I heard someone being a bad Toy." The she-wolf whimpered and tried to back her way into the corner.

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE TOY!!!" HE yelled and slammed HIS fist into the bars in anger. The she-wolf froze, terror in her eyes. HE relaxed and took a deep breath, HIS hand sliding slowly down the bar. A leering grin spread across HIS face. "I guess I'm gonna have to punish you Toy."

I turned my face away, I could never watch what was about to happen. My inner wolf wanted nothing more than to defend all the wolves here. And I couldn't do that, punishments where worse if you tried to help. The she-wolf's howls of agony echoed off the walls for hours until HE was done. HE always made sure HE inflicted pain without permanently damaging HIS Toys.

Wiping HIS hands on a towel HE left, leaving the she-wolf to lie panting in a pool of her own blood. One of the wolves near the new she-wolf began softly barking at her. She had to clean up her cage or else HE would punish her again.

I sighed and put my head down on my paws trying to block everything out. HE would be back in a few hours to feed us. HE would probably put the cover over that she-wolf's cage so that HIS buddies wouldn't see her while she wasn't 'perfect'. After our dinner HE usually showed us off to HIS buddies, we were HIS collection of Toys: rare and exotic wolves that he had stolen or captured.

HIS favorites where the ones at the back of the room: a Manned Wolf, a Hellhound, an African Spotted Wolf, and me. My fur is pure white and thick as a winter coat, my black nose only amplifies how white my fur is, and my eyes are icy blue.

The door suddenly opens and HE comes in to feed us. I guess I spaced out for a long time. When HE comes to my cage door I pad over to the middle of my cage and lay down.

"Good Toy." HE says as HE slides the key into my lock and enters. HE puts a slab of raw steak down in my bowl and checks my water dish. "You haven't been drinking much, you better not be getting sick on me Toy."

I let out a low whine and shake my head from side to side. HE smiles and pats my head.

"Your water better be gone by the time I come back Toy." And with that warning HE walks out of my cage and locks the door. HE walks over to a cubby in the wall where HE keeps the cover; grabbing it HE goes over to the new she-wolf and sneers at her before pulling it over her bars. A knock sounds on the door and HE yells at them to come in.

Eight people enter, usually HE shows us to small groups of two or three. As HE starts HIS 'tour' I trot over to my water bowl and begin sucking down water as fast as I can. Luckily by the time HE gets to my cage I have finished my water. HE always saves me for last, I'm HIS great finish. The group peers at me through the bars with awe. However, one of the females suddenly voices doubts.

"Is that really a White Werewolf? Or is that just some wild artic wolf?" She asks with her hands on her hips. HE scowls as an ugly flush rises on HIS cheeks. HE turns to me and growls out one word that I haven't heard for years.

"Shift."

Rule number one: always stay in your wolf form. That was the worst rule to break here; sometimes HE would beat you within an inch of your life for breaking that rule. I stared at HIM before complying. My fur receded, bones snapped and reshaped, and skin rippled as muscled moved. I sat naked on the cold cement floor and looked up through my long tangled hair at the gaping of the visitors and HIS scowl.

A soft glint catches my eye as I sit there. I flick my eyes to the glint and see the woman who had spoken covertly aim a small black rectangle at me. A small silvery circle in the black rectangle catches the light from above my cage. As I stare at the thing the woman quickly puts it back in her pocket and turns to HIM.

"Where did you find her?" She asks in a slightly choked voice. HE grins and puffs out HIS chest, pushing some of HIS greasy hair out of the way.

"I caught her as a pup up in the mountains. I was out for a run and saw a bitch with her pup. I couldn't believe my luck, I mean, how often do you see a White Wolf? So I couldn't let that opportunity go to waste! I killed the bitch before she could call for help and grabbed the pup!" HE threw back HIS head and laughed evilly. The woman looked like she was going to be sick for a second before it was replaced by a neutral look.

Figuring that if I stayed in my human form much longer I would earn a punishment I quickly shifted back. I watched the group leave chattering on about all the different Toys. With a sigh I curled up against the back wall and slowly drifted off to sleep, HIS words echoing through my head. That night I dreamt of a faceless woman with flowing brown hair who was singing a lullaby.

((Ok this is my second book so please Comment and Vote!))