Rogue Wolf

Ch 81 day one

Michael muttered, but decided it wasn't too bad when I led him to the private bedroom. There were a few item here and there that I could do without looking at myself, but I didn't touch anything.

"Look," I told Michael rather harshly, "it's doable for now. Like I said, we aren't staying. I'm going to get some food. Stay put and don't fall asleep until I get back. Bolt the door behind me, open it when I signal."

"What, like a secret code or something?"

"Yeah, dumbass! Look, the light by the door will blink. When that happens, open the door for me, ok?"

I headed back out, walking jauntily past the gang members. It was sad that I only recognized a few of them. I was tailed as I went down to the corner mart. I rummaged through their refrigerator section, practically cleaning them out of their real food, grabbing a bit of junk food as well. I thoughtfully grabbed an extra small bag of chips, which I threw to my tail as I walked past him.

"Dude, you got a lot to learn," I told him as I threw the chips at him. He gave me this surprised look, but caught the chips and opened them. It was an early lesson the enforcer had taught me; small gestures gain goodwill. Extravagance breeds only caution in those you try to bribe. Goodwill garners trust. Bribery comes back to bite you.

There was a screw by the door, at least that's what it looked like to everyone else. I adjusted my bags, pushing it a few times before rapping on the door. The kid eating his chips never knew. Michael opened the door cautiously, practically sobbing in relief that I was back. I quickly shoved him back so I could close the door on the snoop.

"Calm down, it's ok. I'm back. Look, you gotta stop freaking out."

"We're in a frigging dungeon surrounded by a gang and you want me to stop freaking out?"

"Yeah, dude, they're no different than the guys back home...back there, so chill. I think you're just anxious because of the drugs in your system. I'm pretty sure you were slipped something in that one water bottle I was handed. Here, what you want to eat?"

It took a little for Michael to get close to normal. He didn't want to sleep on that bed, so I pulled the comforter off the bed and we slept on the floor. I had trouble sleeping, the way he had hold of me. It was easy to bury my frustration with him though. I hadn't been much better when I first shifted.

I woke completely when claws started poking into me. Michael was groaning, but wasn't really awake. I wriggled out of his grasp as he started crying out. Funny thing was, I was pretty sure that somehow he was still somewhat sleeping. Michael had no control over what was happening to him.

Odds are, I'd been the same way. I'd been kicked awake, commanded to change. Again and again, I thought I was changing because I was commanded to. It occurred to me I'd been conditioned; the guards had been conditioned. Shift on command, when the command was given because you were shifting; until eventually you shifted on command. The sneaky bastard! It explained why the guards could only shift if told to. I was unwillingly impressed. Apparently there was more to leading than what I was told.

Michael spent hours and hours screaming. I tried to feed him and get water down him, with limited success. At the end of it, I still wasn't sure just how awake he'd been through it all, though I wasn't sure how you could sleep while screaming in pain. He laid there, exhausted, looking up at me with these confused puppy-dog eyes. I cuddled up to him, stroking his furred head and shoulder, whispering reassurances into those big scoop ears until he truly slept once more. I really did admire that reddish fur of his!

Later I woke and had breakfast, then wandered around the room, not feeling like even doing parkour. I sat back, nibbling some chips. I wanted to make sure Michael had enough real food when he woke. He stirred a few times, looking blearily at me, stretching out but not really focusing. Remembering my own beginning, where it seemed Alpha was constantly hammering at me, I wondered if I was doing the right thing, letting Michael sleep so much. At least we were relatively safe here. Later his cries started again and I got to watch him return to human for the first time.