Scarred

Chapter Two: Submit

The heavy chain was cutting into my neck. I don't know what this was made out of but the collar kept me from shifting into my human form. I sighed, and flopped onto the lice infested straw. The kennel they kept me in was dirty, and the wall was stained with some poor wolf's blood. I tried not to think about it too much. I had been doing this for too long now. I sniffed at the dog food that had been slid into my kennel and took a nibble. I grimaced but forced myself to eat more. It wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination, but it was fuel. Fuel for survival, I told myself. If I was being honest though it would be for killing. Every night I told myself I was going to give up. That I was just going to let myself die.

It never happened. Somehow I would always snap out of it and end up in a desperate fight for my life. I finished the contents of the bowl and curled into a ball on my straw. My fur was crawling with the lice by now, I'm surprised I still cared. I tried to detach as much as possible. Thinking about my old life, my old friends, they hurt to much. Thinking about my family hurt the worst. I just couldn't do that to myself anymore. I was just to the point of wishing that they thought I was dead, because I was more Animal then Human now.

I heard the creak of a steel door, and the rattle of keys. My ears perked up, and I stood. Waiting. I was a good girl. I was past snapping at the handlers legs. I didn't like having to fight with broken ribs and jaws. It made my fight a desperate attempt at living. He unhooked my chain and I followed like a good little wolf. I was becoming a favorite. The Red Wolf. I won every match I had been in. I was alive, that was my prize. The chain was unclasped as I was pushed into the dirt ring. There was a huge black wolf with bright yellow eyes and foam around his mouth waiting. As soon as the bell rang his paw came up, and broke the surface over my left eye.

Fighting against the blood that was rolling down my face and keeping my left eye closed was a tough attempt. If he swiped again I was going to lose my eye. I swirled and bit down hard onto his right paw. The paw that had just scarred me for life. I felt his bone crunch under my powerful jaw. I danced away before he could take a huge chunk out of me, But he did take a chunk. However being unable to keep up with me now, was definitely to my advantage. I slowly danced around him nipping, snipping, and biting. Until I saw my kill shot. And I took it.

My Jaws clamped around his neck and I forced my jaws to gnash together, breaking his neck. I was too numb to feel bad. I had just saved my own skin. I was limping and blood was oozing out of various cuts. It didn't stop the victors from wanting to take a piece out of me too though. I was passed around to four different people before being sent to the medic station where I was cleaned up and bandaged. The Male who was stitching me informed me that I wouldn't be a pretty wolf anymore and no one would want to bet on me.

Which meant nothing to me. As long as I wasn't losing them money they wouldn't kill me. I had worked too hard to take a 22. to the dome. He scratched me behind my ears before letting me go. I was lead back to my kennel where I passed out, out of pure exhaustion. At least I had all week to heal.

That was the night I was rescued. But my mind is still somewhere in that dark place.

~

I awoke on the cold, hard ground screaming. I was warm though. I rolled over to see burning coals from a fire long since dead and I had a blanket pulled over me. I looked around trying to remember how I had gotten here. I didn't even notice there were still hot tears blazing a path down my cheeks. He was sitting on a long, with sympathy and longing in his blue-green eyes. I swallowed hard and pulled the blanket closer.

“We're Mates you know.” He whispered into the night. My face showed no emotion as I tossed the blanket into the flames. I didn't need him or his kindness.