Changed [Watty Awards 2013]

1. Pet

1. Pet

DELILAH

 “Come here, pet.” Master spoke in a tone that sent a chill slithering down my spine. I could not go against his wishes. He made me like this…what I wanted. I wanted this, even though I had always known this type of world only existed in movies. I always wanted to be one of them. They were majestic and wondrous.

I wasn’t the only girl he had captive. He had several others that he adored. But I was his favourite.

He looked at me eagerly and held out his hand. I took it and stood up from my spot in the corner. He tugged me toward him in an embrace that knocked the wind out of me. I could not resist his warmth—it was too warm for any human’s body. He wasn’t human. And neither was I.

“You’re such a gorgeous pet.” He withdrew from the embrace. “I got you something. I think you’ll like it.” He pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it.

I was a pink dog collar covered with a line of rhinestones. My body quivered in rage, and fear. The collar signified that I was owned. I was not owned by any means. I love Master, but I was not owned by him.

“Do you not like it, pet?” He growled, noticing my reluctance. He was always so quick to anger.

“That’s not my name.” My voice was weak and timid but it was so hard trying to stand up to him and speak my mind without being struck.

“It is now,” he snarled. His clenched fists broke the jewelry box he still held. I backed away from him until I was pressed against the wall with nowhere else to go. The look on his face terrified me. His usually handsome face contorted into what could be only described as ogre-ish and his blue eyes blazed.

He lunged forward, grabbing my hair in the process. I yelled in pain and he shoved me against the wall by it. He removed his hand and placed his knee between my legs to hold me in place. He took the collar and clipped it around my neck and leaned away for a better look.

He reached out to touch my face. I tensed but let him. He wiped my hair away from my face and smiled his handsome smile.

“The collar adds to your beauty,” he grabbed my face between his hands and kissed me. I didn’t want to kiss back, but I had to.

I was done with this. I was done with everything. I loved him, but he clearly didn’t love me back. I realized now that he was using me. It made my heart ache and my blood boil.

He leaned away and grinned.

“Do you like it, pet?”

I clenched my fists. “No.”

He growled and grabbed me tight around the waist. “Excuse me? It seems I heard wrong.”

“I said, no.”

He shoved me against the wall again causing my head to slam into the wall. I howled in pain. His face twisted into a hideous grin.

“Scream in pain for me, pet. You know I like that.” He ran a finger down my bare arm, nail digging into the flesh. I clenched my teeth and held back the strangled sound bubbling up my throat, begging to be released. “Let it go, gorgeous pet,” his breath puffed on my ear. “You know I like it.”

My head throbbed as I shook my head. His nails dug in deeper. I couldn’t hold it any longer and my scream surfaced. Fortunately, I soon swallowed it after the first note was out. I was not going to give him the satisfaction of hearing my scream.

His nostrils flared and his eyes rolled back into his skull. “You smell that? That’s all you; your fear, your human and wolf scent. It’s…” he inhaled again. “Pleasant.”

I was appalled, and I was scared. I was tired of being like this. I was tired of being tormented and used by men. I just want to be wanted and needed for once. He didn’t love me and he never will.

My heart broke just thinking about that truth behind this thought. I wanted to tell myself that I didn’t love him but I’d be lying to myself. I loved him with all my heart and soul.

“I love you, pet.” Master whispered in my ear.

“Please. Don’t lie to me.” I begged. A tear rolled down my cheek at his swift lie.

“Pardon me?” His eyes blazed.

“Please,” my voice was soft. “Don’t lie to me, Master. You don’t love me.”

He growled and shoved me on the ground, looming over me. His blue eyes showed anger and the room smelled of fear. My fear.

I scrambled up to get away from him. My heart was pounding like a hummingbird’s. He grabbed my hair and shoved me down on the ground, holding me by my neck, squeezing. I gasped and writhed. My lungs were burning. My throat aching. I was going to die here. He was going to strangle me because I stood up to him. He was going to kill me because I speaking the truth.

He didn’t want me to figure out that this was all just a big scheme that would come to an end as soon as I ran away. He wanted me to feel loved and would never want me to leave. That was where his plan fell through. I wasn’t stupid—naïve maybe, but definitely not stupid—I knew what he wanted and how he had planned it to go. He wasn’t showing me any affection and he knew it.

My vision blurred and my body lost tenseness. My world went black.