Seokjin POV
I walked towards my cell slowly. The basement was drafty and I felt the cold air kiss my shoulders as I was shirtless. I wanted to go to my familiar place.
Familiarity for me was that small cell that I shared with 3 others, that represented a space without pain, at least temporarily.
I made my feet move faster as I walked through the narrow corridor with cells holding other hybrids on the both sides, collar heavy and itchy around my neck, body stiff and aching from the session I was subjected to. All I wanted was to go in that small rank foul smelling prison cell, have the door heavily lock behind and lay my head down on the cold stone floor. That was comfort to me. That was a comfort, a respite, a safe haven where no one would come to abuse me further. That was all I wanted.
I heard the guard walk at a distance from me. It wasn't because he was showing me any mercy or respect, it was just that he was tired. Him being tired to me was good too. Most likely he would not use me.
We reached my cell at the end of the corridor. I straightened my frame and walked through the door, feeling a bit more relaxed as the door was closed immediately.
I closed my eyes and let out a breath, fighting the tears. Now was not the time. I lowered myself to the floor keeping my back to the wall to support it and let out a groan. Folding my tall frame, I bent one leg at my knee and rested one of my arms on it while I tilted my neck to rest my head against the wall. I slowly breathed out.
Out of the blue, a humorless laugh made its way through me. I laughed sarcastically at the state we were in. This was because we, I had broken conditioning.
Shaking my head I thought about our training. Conditioning just never took root in me. I was too old and too dominant a predator for that to have worked. But what did work? What worked was the endless pain I was subjected to. More pain that I could handle. That any living being could handle.
I would rather obey than to go through that pain. Many of us were that way. Except the young ones of our group.
They were captured early. Even though they were one of the apex predators, they were broken and brutalized at a young age. Helplessness washed through me as i clenched my fists. Nothing I could do to help them at that time. Hell, I couldn't help them even now.
They were perfectly conditioned. When in the presence of the masters, they became their dolls with no will of their own. Did not mean it cost them less. It cost even more. The silent pain weighing more than the struggle.
I opened my eyes to look at the dark surroundings. Lights burned in the corridor and I heard the shuffling of feet.
Soon enough a guard was at the door with two more hybrids. The door swung open and Yoongi walked in while Namjoon was pushed. He rightened himself and walked fast to sit down and then closed his eyes.
They were like me. Broken conditioning. Yoongi lay down as soon as he came in, letting out a pained whine as soon as his body made contact with the hard floor.
"Don't" he said gruffly as I tried to reach him. I retreated myself from going to him. He settled down quickly and a silence blanketed us.
The adjacent cell opened to let in 4 hybrids. We were separated by iron bars. They were pushed in, one after the other, without any care. But such a routine was normal. After a while I saw them settle down too.
I observed as the younger ones sat down together, their breathing controlled, shoulders rigid, posture straight. But As time went by, slowly their shoulders drooped, their spines bent forward. Their breathing slowly changed until soft sobs could be heard from them.
My heart gave a painful clench at that sound. A banked fire in myself flaring a little to life. All of it was unfair. It was beyond cruel. Why were we born as hybrids? What sins did we commit in our previous life to be warranted this life? Were we really complete and utter trash? Did we not have a right to anything at all? If so, then why could we feel? If we were lowly creatures born only to be used, why were we given emotions?
I saw Jimin slowly stand up and embrace both of the crying younger ones. He shushed them to calm them down and I felt another rope of pain tighten around my body. Namjoon let out a keening sound of pain at the sight and Jimin lifted his head to look at Namjoon instantly. He understood why. Through the bars separating us, he gave a smile. A smile to comfort us.
Hoseok let out a humorless chuckle, much like I had a few minutes ago. His lithe and toned frame sprawled out on the floor of the adjacent cell while his eyes were fixed on Namjoon.
"There is nothing you can do Joonie. Don't feel bad about this. In a way, we are better off. At least its ending for us. All this pain." He said.
"Shut up." Yoongi growled at him. He sat up to look at Hoseok. With eyes filled with unshed tears and naked pain, he growled again, "Shut up."
Hoseok's mask of indifference slipped a little bit at the obvious torment in the older hybrid's voice for their fate.
"Its okay Hyung. It really is. At least its better than the current standing and you know it. We are not even owned completely and this cycle is killing us slowly as it is."
Yoongi held his gaze for some heartbeats, anger filling his being but abruptly broke the connection to lie down again.
What Hoseok had said was the truth.
In this auction, there were 15 hybrids who were never really auctioned completely. 7 of us were included in that number. We were owned for 3 months at the most and then our master transferred again. For the cycles of 4 years we were rotated, given to one brutal master to the next. Then the auction would take place again. The endless torture and degradation was slowly sapping away our life.
But this time, this auction would be the last one for Hoseok and Jimin. Their last one.
The sudden loud clanging and laughter broke me away from the depressing thoughts. I startled a little till I understood that it was meal time. The guards had come down to feed us. I groaned at the thought of one particular guard coming to us.
Exactly at that moment he stood outside our door. Wilson. But all we could call him was Master.
"Look at the pretty bird! Are you not looking beautiful tonight? I had almost forgotten how good you looked without all the bruises covering you up!" he talked excitedly while looking at me. Try as he might, he never scared me and that pissed him off even more.
"Eyes down eagle or do you want me to activate your collar? We might be forbidden to leave marks on you for the auction tomorrow but no one will complain about this." He said with anger in his voice.
I immediately lowered my eyes. No more pain. I could not take any more of it today.
"That's what I thought my little slave." Wilson laughed, the sound grating on the ears. Another guard joined him with bottles of shakes in his hand.
"What you on about Wilson?" he asked as he prepared to roll the 3 bottles in our cells.
Wilson stopped him. "Lets starve these." He said maliciously while looking at us. The other guard shook his head and freed his hands. He rolled the 3 small bottles to us and we immediately held them to us. We were given these nutrition shakes once every 2 days. "The bossman needs these hybrids to be in their best condition for tomorrow. It's a big day for him."
By now Namjoon, Yoongi and me had already finished the fluid, our stomachs still cramping from hunger, but the pain was bearable now, something that I could push to the background.
Wilson scoffed "What's so different about this auction? This is the third time its happening. The crowd will be the same."
The other guard excitedly shook his head. "You haven't heard? This auction is not only different but one of a kind! This year we will be hosting Kim Anya! The only ever auction that she will attend till date. And she chose to attend ours! And if rumours are to be believed, she wants to purchase multiple hybrids!"
"WHAT??" Wilson shouted, his eyes round.
That got my attention as I monitored them closely. Wilson's scent had changed to excitement and lust. The only other time that happened was when he was abusing us. I looked slightly to my right without making big movements to see if Namjoon or Yoongi noticed this. Both of their eyes were closed as if they were tuning them out.
Ignoring my friends, I continued to listen.
The other guard by now was smiling widely "Even I could not believe it as soon as I heard. I mean yes we cater to rich patrons but she is beyond that level. Wealth word was probably invented by her."
"Forget about her wealth, her beauty is what is unbelievable. Do you think she will participate in the activities? I would kill just to see her naked once!" by now naked lust was shinning in Wilson's eyes.
"I don't think so." The other guard said dejectedly. "You know her reputation. No one has even touched her. She is too classy for taking part in these activities. So many people try to woo her or date her, none of them are met with any success."
"That bitch just needs a real man to hold her down and show her what she wants." Wilson said crudely.
The other guard started laughing outright at his friend. He bent down in half with the force of his laughter while Wilson looked on, confused. At last he straightened and wiped his tears which had started leaking due to the humor.
"My friend. Some of them had tried that. Remember the property tycoon Kim Seojin?"
"Yes, of course I do remember him. One of our elite clientele. Although have not seen him lately." Wilson replied.
"And you never will. He made the mistake of not only accosting Anya in a restaurant but he plotted a deal with meticulous planning to trap her in a manner and then blackmail her to get her designs back. He demanded she become his mistress for a duration in return of the design he would get back for her. That was the last mistake he ever committed."
"What do you mean by his last mistake."
The guard leaned forward, completely forgetting the surrounding or even that I was openly listening in on their conversation, enjoying telling the story to his friend. "Apparently she just smiled and walked out of that office. Three days later, his properties were slowly seized, his stocks went down, all types of scandals came out, all the sponsors refused to do business with him, his family disowned him and his business was sold. He eventually committed suicide before he was arrested for tax evasion and fraud. He had to, he was completely and utterly ruined."
Wilson's eyes were round and his disbelief was apparent. "But he was one of the richest and powerful person in the property business sector. His name was common in the list of most influential in South Korea.."
"Will, no power or wealth can match hers and her family. And this wasn't even the first time. Nor will it be the last. The elite community loves boasting a connection with the Kims, but are equally, if not more terrified of Anya."
Wilson whistled. "Damn, reckon she will be interested in buying a hybrid to kill them?"
From the corner of my eyes, I saw Hoseok going rigid. So he was listening in as well.
"Don't know. Maybe. Seems ruthless enough. But then again, she never owned any hybrids till now so not sure what to make of that."
Now this bit of information caused a mild surprise in me. Someone powerful enough to make all masters shake in fear and excitement, had never owned a hybrid before? Could it be that she did not like them as slaves? Or was it because she liked the sport of killing them off? Or maybe she just did not want to bother with dirty half breeds?
"Gosh, all this talk about her is making me horny. I usually jack off to her pictures daily imagining myself fucking her, I need some relief right now." Wilson said.
Instantly my spine straightened but I relaxed a bit when I saw him going to the opposite cell to unlock it and drag a female cheetah hybrid by her hair. He brought her to the corridor on her knees, opened his pants and shoved his dick in her mouth. "Start sucking bitch!" the hybrid started as soon as prompted.
"Maybe she will be interested in these." Wilson said pointing to us. He groaned in pleasure as he started roughly thrusting in the hybrid's mouth while holding up her hair. "The ones with broken conditioning. Those are the one that everyone loves using more. Its fun to see that panic and pain in their eyes."
His friend laughed. "Maybe. We will know tomorrow. Finish up and then turn the light off will you? I am going to sleep." He said as he departed.
"I am right behind you." Wilson said breathily as he now started to fuck the hybrid's face. Grunting with each thrust, he came in a few minutes. "That's right bitch. Thank me for the extra meal, it contains more protiens for you." He said, smiling down at the hybrid in a sickening manner.
"Thank you Master." The hybrid said in a small voice.
Wilson put her away again in her cell locking it behind. He turned to look at me, smiled nastily and then walked away, turning off the lights, plunging the dungeon in darkness.
A little while later, I turned to Yoongi, watching his even breathing. He was the one among us who was the least controlled. The one who was dangerous. Yoongi was ever only requested by 8 people. 6 men and 2 women. His control was slowly slipping and I really was worried about him. His beatings had increased. If this continued, I feared about how long he would live before he was put down.
"You are thinking too much Hyung. Sleep. That is the one luxury they cannot take from us at least." Yoongi said in soft voice without opening his eye. He could always sense when I worried about him. He was always tuned in to our emotions. Even while he was resting.
I leaned back on the wall and closed my eyes. "What do you make of the one they were talking about? Do you think she will be more cruel or better?"
"Does it matter Hyung?"
"I guess not."
Silence.
"Do not have hopes Hyung. Broken conditioning already makes us feel more pain. Don't add on to that by hoping about things that will never come true." Yoongi spoke up after a while.
"I don't hope for me Yoongi. I want that hope for you all. Especially those two." I replied.
Yoongi went silent again and then spoke "Being together is the only hope that I carry. The only hope that I think those two also have."
True, I thought. In this cursed life as half breeds and trash, staying together was the only thing that mattered, but still, something about that name.....
I let my body slowly slide to the ground as I lay down still. Slowly, I allowed the tears to slip from my eyes. It felt good. To cry without being told to stop, to do it away from the masters. These tears were my privacy, the one thing that none of the masters had ever seen. A part of me that was only ever for me.
These tears, to me, were my luxury.
A/N: this was a look into the headspace of the hybrids who have been abused for a long time now. Their dominant and dangerous sides are simply covered and suppressed and they themselves don't know about it.
The next chapter deals with the story (finallllllllyyyyyyy). The auction will start from the next chapter. The personality of the boys will slowly change as they will slowly pull away from the conditioning and get to safety... cant wait for that.
Are you liking the story so far? Please do comment. Will be updating the next chapter immediately. Enjoy.