Chapter Five （Snowflake）
I didn't think the situation could possibly get worse, and I was proven right. At first.
The days were no longer excruciatingly slow. They had begun blending in with one another recently. It was to the point that I couldn't tell what day of the week it was, or whether it was morning or night. I couldn't even tell when a full day had passed. My days had altered from everyone else's.
They began when Tamer walked in. That was the beginning of any day for me. Sometimes I was lucky and he didn't appear, but for the most part, he made sure to show up and keep us busy. There wasn't a single person in here who didn't shy away when he came back, including me.
The days ended in multiple ways. They ended when Tamer finished with me and dragged my body back to the cage, hauling me in carelessly.
They ended when he did the same to other wolves, his cruel laughter the last thing any of us heard.
They ended when I stopped fighting and let the blackness sweep over me time after time.
Each time, more and more of the human part of me was yanked away, disappearing from my reach.
It was the animalistic side that was mostly in control right now.
That part of me was relieved when Tamer pulled out another wolf from the cage instead of myself.
That part was also waiting for some type of release, searching hard and long for it.
However, today was different than the regular routine. Tamer had entered the cellar and began talking to me when it happened:
"Ready for your training, Princess? It'll do ya' more good to just obey," he started, then turned to me with a gruesome smile. "But I'll enjoy whichever option you choose."
I bared my teeth in response, not able to do much else. Movement wasn't possible with the other wolves, and I was too tired to form a threatening growl.
I could hear the metal leash and collar clinking together as he grabbed them off of his table, whistling as he did so. I prepared myself, deep down knowing it was useless. I'd tried many times before to launch myself at him, only to end up being hurt by him.
Just as he began opening the cage, the cellar door clicked open. I could see the other wolves' ears perking instinctively at the sound, but other than that, there wasn't much movement from them.
"What?" Tamer snapped, grumbling as he moved from my cage to the only stairs that led to my possible freedom.
"The Prince wants to speak with you immediately," a deep voice said, and Tamer sighed in response.
"Let me just-"
"Now! The Prince is not in the mood to wait for anyone, especially yourself," the voice commanded, but Tamer flipped him off when the person couldn't see before placing the leash back on the table.
"I'll be back, Princess. You better be on your best behavior while I'm gone," he said as if he was talking to a beloved dog. What I wouldn't give to hear him say that as I ripped his throat out and laughed at the same time.
Then, Tamer disappeared up the stairs, leaving me to myself.
I was personally hoping the Prince was punishing him for one thing or another. Or that Tamer possibly tripped along the way and bashed his skull in. Either way, I think I could find it within myself to be fine with both endings.
It was a while before the cellar door opened again. I couldn't help but look up to the ceiling and pray that it wasn't Tamer returning to "train" me.
I listened closely and heard multiple pairs of feet, one hesitant and the others following behind. I perked up, my hopes getting the best of me.
The man leading the way was dressed nicely, way too nicely for a place like this. He was wearing a black tuxedo, a pristine white-collared shirt tucked underneath. His head was held high, but even he couldn't contain the disgust on his face at the sight of us.
"It's the only way to break them, Prince. If I let them be, they'll tear apart the guards!" Tamer yelled, his voice ringing with desperation at the man to understand. To my relief, it didn't seem like he was falling for it.
"That-" the man started lowly, spitting out the word as if it was poison before he pointed over to the collection of cages we were all in. "-isn't the way to do it."
Tamer looked down submissively, and I nearly cried out at the sight. He was being put in his place; the bastard didn't have a way out of this. I hoped when he met Death, he was greeted painfully.
The man suddenly nodded and two guards immediately grabbed Tamer's upper arms and hauled him out the room, invincible against his pitiful screams and excuses for our treatment.
"I assume he has an apprentice, yes?" He asked no one in particular, looking towards one of the guards who nodded. "Inform him of his new position as the Head Trainer," he finished before he walked closer to us, towards the cage I was in, and knelt down.
He tried looking at the other wolves, but their eyes skittered away from him, willingly submitting if it meant harm wouldn't travel their way. But then his eyes met mine.
I met his stare head-on, refusing to submit like the rest of them. I was a werewolf, once feared by men. I wasn't going to let some human think he had dominance over me. He was just that: a human who was far less powerful than me, no matter what state I was in.
"This wolf," he started, never taking his eyes off me. A guard stepped to his side, awaiting his instructions. "Is this wolf male or female?" He asked, pointing to me and I bared my teeth slightly.
"Female, Prince," the guard replied, a small smile on his face. However, when the man looked up at him, it was quick to disappear, and his words tripped over themselves.
"I just remember bringing her in; that's all. She bit another guard, took his finger right off. She wouldn't let go until I almost choked the daylights out of her," he explained, bowing his head in a display of submissiveness. Stupid humans were more like us than they cared to admit.
I continued staring at him, pleased that my accomplishment was something to be remembered. Maybe it would teach them not to mess with me again. The man smiled briefly at me as if something amused him. Perhaps I should teach him a lesson that would take that smile away.
"Take her out of this cage," he commanded, and he stood up and stepped back. I froze, wondering what he was up to. The guard nodded and signaled to the others, all advancing towards my cage.
My heart began soaring as I realized what they were doing. They were letting me out. This was my golden opportunity, maybe my only chance to recapture freedom. I could be out of here if I worked this right and never see this place again.
I watched intently as they restrained the other wolves in the cage, neither of them putting up any kind of fight. They were both broken beyond the point of saving. When I escaped, I would find John and make sure he knew how it felt to be as broken as they were.
They opened the cage, but I didn't move. I remained still, knowing it wasn't time yet. I needed the upper hand, and I didn't have it just yet.
The remaining guards approached the cage, each watching me. They were waiting for me to make a move, but they could keep waiting. It wasn't happening. Yet.
One of them finally leaned into the cage, a big mistake. I lowered closer to the ground, raising my hackles and letting out a low growl. The sound alone caused him to hesitate.
Something in his hands flashed, and I glanced over to see Tamer's leash and collar. I knew I couldn't go through that again. They weren't going to treat me like a house pet. My eyes flashed to the guard whose eyes resembled that of a deer's, before I snarled and jumped.
It was easier than I had expected. He was on the ground in less than a minute, my teeth grazing his skin. Chaos surrounded us, the guards yelling at one another to fix it, but none of them moving towards us. The howls of wolves surrounded me, giving me the shot of adrenaline I'd needed.
"Enough!"
The noise died down, all attention on the man. My eyes were trained on him, watching his every movement. He wasn't going to be the reason I was shoved into another collar or another cage. I would rather die fighting for my freedom than suffer the way the others had.
"No one is going to hurt you, not anymore," he said softly, yet I couldn't help but laugh on the inside. That's what a murderer says before slitting your throat when you've seen his face.
I narrowed my eyes in the slightest, tightening my grip on the guard's neck. He screamed but froze when my tooth pierced skin, a bead of blood slipping away.
He narrowed his eyes at me, noticing my movements. He may have looked dense, but he was smarter than I'd thought. It didn't matter, though, because I would do whatever was necessary to get out of there.
We both stared at one another, neither of us making a move. Sound had left us until he sighed.
"Let go of the guard," he said, his voice demanding. He had to be kidding.
I narrowed my eyes back at him as I unwrapped my jaws from the guard's neck. He scampered off, and the man stood taller, seeming pleased with himself.
That's when I decided to take him out instead.