I kept walking for hours, after eventually being to exhausted to even try running again. I had no idea where I was, how far I've gotten, or even what I was going to do next. All I know it that I've only passed about five other houses, all ridiculously huge like Alex's and I was starting to wonder if this was some kind of estate area for the rich. Absolutely ridiculous.

The collar was still beeping, and I'm honestly shocked that it wasn't supposed to be exploding or shocking me or something. Like, alarms? That's it? Nice security there, idiot.

Snorting at my own thoughts, I looked around again. It was still just tall grass surrounding me and man did I wish there was something around. I need a place to stay for the night, I could see the sun beginning to descend, it wasn't quite sunset or anything, but getting there. Night was not a good time to be out, for anyone, not mention I wasn't the biggest fan of the dark. Considering it was night time when I lost my parents. As far as I'm concern, it's better to be as safe as possible at night. Or else.

I kept walking forward, starting to really feel the ache in my legs, and the sweat covering me was starting to cool as it slowly got darker. I was about ready to take my chances sleeping in the grass when I noticed something ahead of me in the distance. Curious and hopeful, I kept going, picking up my pace. The figure got larger and more clear, right as the very last bit of sun was starting to disappear, I found myself at an clearly abandoned building. It look like it may have been a barn, or something similar. Half of it was collapsed, and there was clear overgrowth of weeds and vines, but honestly, it was the best thing I could have seen.

Padding over to it, I looked it over before managing to find an opening wide enough to fit me inside. The interior wasn't any better than the outside, but it was a bit flatter, easy to lay down in. Looking around, I just kicked anything pointy, hard, or stuff like that out of my way until I had a pretty clear bit. Looking around, I just went for some leaves off the wild bushes and vines and made a semi-decent pile in my newly cleared area. Smiling at my work, I was glad to be able to lay down and just smell the dirt, the plants, the clear, free air.

This was the home I knew.

….

“Got you fucker!” A voice screamed and next thing I knew I was being dragged into a standing position.
“What the-” I tried to say, opening my eyes and not even getting a chance to identify the stranger in front of me.
“Shut up.” I felt someone hit the back of my head with a blunt object. Yelping, I closed my eyes as I fell forwards. There was sudden wait on my back and I flailed under it for a second, eyes opening and realizing I was definitely surrounded.

There had to be six or seven huge hybrids, all wearing some kind of uniform. The pressure on my back must have been another one, holding me down with his foot. I watched as one of them moved and went to reach for my hands.

That's when my brain finally woke.

Struggling under the one guy, I managed to kick the one heading to retrain me or something square in the jaw while getting free from the first. Rolling onto my back I tried to stand back up, but a third was quick to pounce on top of me. That's when I noticed he was the asshole with some kind of small stick, he went to swing at me, but I moved my head to the side, taking a blow to the shoulder before lunging myself and clamping my teeth down on his arm. They might not be as sharp as hybrids, but no one like getting bitten. Clamping down until I could taste blood, the hybrid screamed bloody murder before someone ripped me off of him. I spun around, ready for the next one, but his fist found my face right at that moment.

“Someone fucking retrain him already!” One commanded.

It took a bit, but despite my struggling and fighting, I was soon back on the ground, mouth full of blood and dirt, while someone cuffed my hands together. Dragging me up to my feet, two of them carried me out as the others followed. I yelled and cursed and kicked, but to no avail. They dragged me out of the abandoned barn, out back to the street where there was a van waiting, and through my in the back before slamming the doors shut behind me. I landed on my back painfully and got to see the last bit of new day sky before it was taken away from me.

Being left in the back of a van while it moved was like being sent down a hill in a metal prison. I have no idea how fast they were going, but it was definitely too fast, and there were too many turns. I must have smacked against the walls a good ten, fifteen times during the whole trip. Otherwise I was struggling to keep form rolling or sliding about.

I know they weren't taking me back to the hellhole known as Alex's House. The trip took too long, and when we did finally stop, it seemed like they were going to take awhile in opening the door. Slowly working on getting up into a standing position, I had only managed to sit up, sitting on my ass as there was a click signaling they were unlocking the door. Looking to it, I was able to see only four this time around. Glaring, I gave a less than impressive growl at them, sneering.

“Told you he was a problem.” One said, looking to the other three.
“Well, that's what it's owner said.” Owner? Fucking Alex sent them.
“Don't fucking touch me.” I demanded, watching as two went to get in with me.
“Come on, make this easier on us, bud.” One said, though his tone was far from friendly.
“Piss off.”
“Come're you shit.” The other said, and grabbed at my leg, I flailed out the other one, but the first grabbed that one and they both pulled me out, struggling and cursing and all.

“Holy fuck, can't we just sedate him?” One of them asked when they finally got me out and once again, retrained.
“No, the client is here, don't need him dragging home a half-dead pet home.” The supposed leader said. “Let's just get inside.”

I let them drag me around the van where a building was awaiting us. I looked up and read the sign, Balitmore Police and Poach. Poachers. Fuck.

We went through the double doors, straight into a lobby where there was desk, a couple female hybrids behind the glass window. Looking to one side, I saw a few more seeming bored and waiting for something, but when my eyes scanned over to the other, I was disappointed to find Alex there, talking to another uniformed being. I started struggling again, wanting to be anywhere but with him, again. One of the guys swore and told me to quit, successfully gaining the attention of my 'owner' who only smiled widely.

“Ahh, Jack. Back so soon?” He asked, and I just shot him a dirty look. “What, not happy to see me?”
“Do you need any help taking him back?” The hybrid he was talking to asked.
“Just carry him to my car.” Alex shrugged, seeming ready to go.
“No!” I yelled, struggling more.
“Shut up,” One of the guards that had me said, using his hand that wasn't retraining me to reach for something, I'm not sure, but Alex stopped him.
“No?” He asked, walking up to me. I held still for the moment, trying to back away when he was basically in my face. “You think you'll survive here if you don't come back with me?”
“I would rather be anywhere than back in your personal pit of hell.” I sneered. Alex rolled his eyes.
“Really? Cause I think-” He didn't get a chance to finish, I really didn't feel like listening to another word he had to say, so I spat in his face.

The look on his face was hilarious before it turned into pure rage. Everyone in the room went silent, a few people even gasped. I smirked slightly, glad to have caused some kind of disturbance, while Alex seethed. Wiping it face off quickly, his eyes flickered to one of the guards who seemed to flinch under his gaze.

“On second thought,” He growled. “You can keep him, put on auction or something.”
“We could euthan-” The guy who was behind him went to say, but Alex turned and silenced him.
“Auction.” He demanded before looking back at me. “You're going to regret this.”

I scoffed and looked away, I felt somethinng brush my neck and flinched away before realizing it was Alex unlocking the collar from my neck. The beeping stopped the second it came a part and without a word, he took it and left while one guy followed him out, saying something about 'are you sure about this, Mr. Gaskarth' and blah blah blah. The guards didn't move till he came back and ordered them to put me in the back, a solitary cell.

They dragged me through more double doors into a hall that was blank besides the many doors along each side. We continued down about half-way before we went through a door that said 'Auction Storage.' Inside there was a wide, darkish room full of cells and the murmurs of...humans. I looked around, shocked at just how many were in here, in these cages, imprisoned from the world. Once they realized guards were in here, the murmuring died down.

“Let's put him in single B.” One of the guards said, dragging me through the mess of prisons.

They slowly got smaller, some only able to fit two or three just barely. There was a row in the back of clearly single ones, all of them empty accept one, which held a human that was curled up on the floor. One of the guards let go of me, moving to unlock the cage next to the occupied on. Opening the door, he nodded at his partner who proceeded to throw me in it. I hit the back of it harshly, wincing and trying to fall over. I was still cuffed, and getting up with no hands was kinda of a pain. Turning just in time to see the age door get slammed shut and one of the guards relocking it. The other just smirked at me, crossing his arms.

“What the fuck is that look for?” I snapped, annoyed by the look on his face.
“Just thinking of the money we're going to get out of you, there's one client that I know would love a little shit like you.” He snickered.
“Good thinking,” The other one said, looking up at his partner. “We should tell the boss.”
“No shit, idiot.”

They both began to leave, though I noticed one pause for a second at the group prisons and turn to say something to his friend. He shook his head and pointed at the door, the other seemed to say something else before they both just left.

I wonder what that was about, or the whole 'client' thing. Who the fuck would want a rebellious pet?

Notes

Haaaaai.