Irregular (mlm)

Chapter 29

Kai didn't know how long he had been running. He was strapped into a harness, attached to a metal frame around the treadmill he was running on. The treadmill was made of slats that rotated as he ran, dictating the speed as his father tracked his movements.

He'd been trying to pace himself, unsure of what his father was gaining from this, to keep from exhaustion. Every once in a while his father would tell him to go faster, to go as fast as he could. He would oblige under the threat of his shock collar.

When he was finally released back to his cell with his mate, he collapsed on the ground and breathed heavily as he tried to regulate his heartbeat.

It had been like this for almost two weeks. Kai would leave Owen for most of the day, do whatever his father wanted, and return exhausted and unable to move. His father was pushing his physical abilities, testing how much he could take, all the while feeding him protein rich foods to make him gain muscle mass and get bigger.

He'd thought he was done growing, but his wolf form had grown taller by two inches and he was getting stronger. He was losing any fat he was able to gain while he was free, and he was down to pure muscle at this point. He didn't know how much more he could take. His father knew he wouldn't rebel or resist with his mate under threat.

Owen waited until the door slammed shut behind Kai to rush forward and hold him. The shackles around his ankles made it hard for him to move around, but Kai was in no condition to walk forward to meet him. He could only reach his head, cradling his fuzzy cheeks in his hands. The contact soothed him, making him close his eyes.

Owen stroked his head gently, whispering comforts low enough that it didn't hurt his ears. Everything was too loud and too bright and too hot. The cold concrete floor was warming quickly under his belly and he felt like he could melt into it.

Kai thought things had been bad before, but he was so very wrong. He wasn't being beaten or poked with needles or cut up, but he was being pushed to the limits of his body. It was starting to weigh on his mind. He could handle the pain, mental and physical, of his father's torture, but having to keep moving after he reached the point of exhaustion was so much harder than he thought. Only the thought of his mate in danger kept his body going, far past what it should be able to do.

Kai didn't know when he fell asleep, but he woke to the door of his cell opening and he opened his eyes. Owen was lying as close to him as he could, hands buried in the thick fur of his back. He'd moved in his sleep so his body was pressed against Owen's chest.

Kai expected two plates to be set before him, but only one sat on the metal tray his father's right hand man, Joshua, set down. Kai stood, his legs straining to do so, and looked at the tray in question.

Joshua held up a chain leash. "You're eating something else today, Kai."

Owen held onto Kai and sat up. "Why? He's usually fed in here with me."

"Shut it, mutt." Kai growled at the aggression towards his mate. The man sneered and shoved his hand into his pocket, then a shock ran through the collar and into his body. He whined and pinned his ears back, body tensing until the shock stopped. "Behave. Get over here."

Owen let go of Kai as he staggered forward, body shaking with the effort it took to walk. He hated to leave his mate, but he had no choice. He wondered what his father had in store for him today.

Joshua clipped the leash to his collar and yanked him along, locking the door to his cell behind them. Kai followed him without protest, too tired to even pull against the leash. How far he had fallen from the feisty, combative wolf he was before. Nothing more than a dog on a leash, now.

Kai didn't pay attention to where they were going. It didn't really matter, did it? He would be doing more of the same, anyway. All he could do was mentally prepare himself for whatever it was.

When Joshua opened a door and Kai got a whiff of fresh air, he snapped to attention. He was led out into a  huge fenced yard covered in patches of tall grass and bushes, where he saw his father standing, holding a white rabbit in his arms.

"Good morning Joshua, Kai." He smiled as Joshua came to a stop before him, Kai right behind. "Today we start phase two of testing."

Joshua unclipped his leash and looped it around his neck for safe keeping. "His mate has been fed breakfast, sir. Kai hasn't eaten since yesterday morning."

"Excellent." Kai's father gestured to the yard. "Today, you will be starting something new. Hunting."

Kai's ears perked up. Hunting? How was he supposed to hunt in a closed in yard?

His question answered itself when he realized just why his father had a rabbit in his arms. His father smiled. "This is your first hunting ground, until I know I can trust you. You need to be able to track and kill prey reliably before I can think about letting you hunt in the woods."

He had to be insane. He was going to let him into the woods? Into free territory where he could run off?

Of course, Kai realized, he could never run off. His mate was here, only safe if he behaved. His father knew that.

Kai's father held the rabbit in Kai's face, stuffing fur up his nose in the process. He snarled and leaned his head back, barring his teeth.

Joshua smacked him on the nose. "Shut it."

Kai's father clicked his tongue. "Temper, Joshua. It's his instinct."

Joshua cleared his throat and stepped back. "Apologies, sir."

Kai's father set the rabbit on the ground and kicked it in the rear, sending it bolting away. "Track its scent, then kill it. That will be your meal for today. If you don't catch it, you don't eat."

Kai supposed there were worse things his father could do than let him hunt. After all, he used to daydream about hunting to distract his mind from his situation. So, if his father wanted to hunt his own meals, he would do it. Perhaps it would blow off some steam.

Kai lowered his nose to the ground and started trying to find the scent of the rabbit. It was close in his mind, as it had been shoved in his face, and once he found it on the ground, instinct kicked in. He trotted along the yard, following a zig-zagged path all over. The rabbit must have been searching for shelter, because it went back and forth across the yard, towards bushes and mounds of dirt.

Finally, Kai caught a movement nearby with his ears. Crunching branches, and a flash of white fur when he turned his head. Carefully, he approached a big thorn bush near one of the chain-link fences. He could smell the rabbit, hear its racing heart through the thick brambles of thorns it had taken shelter inside.

He couldn't get his snout inside the bush without cutting himself up, and he had no desire to be in any more pain, so he got as close as he could, sneaking up on the rabbit. When he was close to the rabbits head, blocked by branches, Kai barked as loud as he could and the rabbit took off.

Kai was close behind, paws thundering on the ground as he gave chase to the blue of white fur ahead of him. He was faster and bigger, and soon he was gaining on it.

This was exhilarating. Twisting and turning after the rabbit, feeling the adrenaline through his veins, letting his instincts guide him. It was a small bit of solace in he found through the hell of his life.

The chase was soon over, though, as he finally caught up and jumped forward to secure his prey. His jaws clamped around its neck, effectively breaking it and ending the rabbits life. Blood pooled on his tongue, coating his teeth and throat and reminding him of his hunger.

The way he tore into that rabbit could only be described as animalistic. The only thing he didn't eat was the head, the bones, and any fur he could avoid.

By the time he was done, his father and Joshua and come to watch him. His father smiled when he looked up, blood dripping from his maw and chest heaving. "Good, Kai. Very good."

Next chapter is when things are going to start picking back up. I'm planning on maybe 5 more chapters? We will have to see. I'm working and a school so I only have like 2 days off during the week when I can take time to write/do homework so updates will continue to be slower. Have a wonderful day ghosties, and until next time ;)