Deprived

Chapter 16 - Empty

It was cold. Everything felt cold and dark to him. Even as he sat in the forest in the sunniest patch he could find, Jesse still felt as if he was underground, trapped and afraid. He shivered in the wind, the pleasant autumn breeze still warm enough to be comfortable in, yet he sat there in his thick sweater, knees buried in the fabric.

He used to do this all the time after work. Just go out in the forest and have a quiet walk, find a seat somewhere and feel the energy of the woods. Back then he could sit in the forest for hours, until nightfall or heavy rains forced him back home, and even then he sometimes stayed a bit longer to feel nature seep in his skin. Yet it wasn't giving him any joy anymore. The usual calm and peace he'd feel was gone and only left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

So... this is it. All those years struggling to keep off of the streets, to stay safe and sound. Even as a teenager he had never thought of selling his body, even though it would've given him a lot of cash earlier on.

How Jesse had struggled to handle several jobs at once, going back to a hole riddled and dirty cheap apartment until he finally managed to find a good job at the club and earn enough money for a decent home.

All those years struggling, fighting to save himself for his one true love...

And now he was a whore...

Jesse clenched his eyes shut, spilling tears that clung to his lashes when he blinked. Even after he knew he was safe, at least for now, his body still remembered every single disgusting touch, every caress, every thrust...

If he fell asleep, he'd wake up screaming, kicking his legs and batting at imaginary hands as his body memorized every rancid second in that hellhole.

Footsteps approached softly behind him but Jesse didn't pay them any mind. He knew there were people following him around, hell, all the Deprived had their own little entourage wherever they went.

He vaguely recalled seeing Tristan sprint into the woods, finally allowed to let his wolf free, closely followed by another wolf and a Fae using her magic to keep up with the pair. Other than that, he hardly ever saw the others; they all hid away in their rooms.

The buck beside him stirred, snorting as it pushed itself on its hooves and shook its fur out. Jesse barely blinked as its antlers passed a few inches from his face, the buck slowly picking up speed as it cantered through the trees.

He let out another soft sigh and nuzzled the soft fabric of his clothes. At least they were allowed to have that luxury back again. Just when Jesse stretched out his legs to pushing himself up, he heard the tiniest of pitter-patters approaching.

Jesse crossed his legs loosely, hands resting in his lap as a young fox darted through the woods, chasing the overflying birds. Leaves kicked up as the fox, barely out of the stage of a kit, tripped over a tree root hidden in the foliage and snorted. The little vixen paused and yipped in fright when she noticed Jesse, but when nothing happened she grew curious.

For a second, Jesse assumed the fox could've been Robbie but remembered that Robbie's fur was a more brilliant red and a defined white tip on his tail. This fox, however still beautiful, had a slightly duller color of fur.

She loped closer, sniffing the air attentively as she approached. Jesse could hear more footsteps behind them approaching and stalling as the vixen circled around, sniffing the fabric of his clothes and pressing her damp nose against Jesse's skin.

The kit nipped at his clothes before jumping back, as if expecting Jesse to lash out, but when nothing happened, she grew bolder. The vixen soon started rubbing her shoulder and cheek against every surface she could reach on Jesse, even leaning on her hind legs to sniff and rub at his shoulder.