I was debating it again; doing something with my day, or warm blanket. Ugh......

Okay, actually doing something with my life was probably a somewhat important thing....crap. I wiggled my way out of my blanket and tried to comb through my short black hair with my fingers, then climbed out of my box. The cold air greeted me like a bitch slap to the face, but I pressed on as goose bumps scattered themselves across my skin.

I had been searching through town for work and had managed to convince Mrs. Catrin to trade me a pair of black flats and a tan knit sweater that hung to my knees in exchange for me watering her indoor flowers, and after that I returned my borrowed waitressing uniform to the diner and apologized for accidentally keeping it; they were pretty cool about it. By that time the sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange hue on the old city. I was almost home when I heard something strange; it sounded like someone banging against a wooden wall.

MY BOX!

I ran across the corner to find a man in a tan uniform digging in my home.

The H.P.C.

I froze, just in time for the man to turn around, a wicked smile spread across his face as his eyes connected with mine

"Little Avera". The man was really more of a boy, only 17. He was a built kid, strong arms and thin waist. He was particularly good at his job because he could not only chase after his targets, but beat them down too.

"Chase" his name dripped from my mouth like acid, burning my throat just to say.

"How long's it been? A month? Two?"

"How did you find me?"

"Oh don't pretend you didn't miss me"

"You're delusional, answer the question"

He stepped closer.

"How long did you think you could hide from me-"

He stepped closer.

"When you and I both know I'm the best at this job-"

He stepped closer. I was frozen like a deer in head lights.

"Catching mutts like you!" He grabbed me by the back of my head by my hair and started to drag me deeper into the alley.

"HELP!" I screamed as loud as I could, but no one came.

"Chase please!"

I writhed, kicked, tried to sink my teeth into his flesh trying to escape his grasp. He threw me in the back of his work van and climbed inside, locking the doors behind him. He threw me to the floor and grabbed something off of the table before crushing me under his weight. He brought my wrists together behind my back and handcuffed them. He leaned down.

"Now's not the best time to piss me off" he whispered in my ear as he moved his hands up my sweater. He chuckled at my fear as he stood and tapped on a window to the front seat, signaling for the driver to go before kneeling back down to me.

"But who knows-"

He started kissing my neck.

"Maybe if you behave it won't be so bad" he began unbuttoning my sweater, the cold hitting my legs, hardly covered by my jean shorts.

"Please Chase...don't do this" I turned my head to the side as a tear slid down my cheek. I learned a long time ago that if you couldn't escape, fighting was only an agitator that made it worst. He slid my sweater off of my shoulders and started to unclasp my bra before-

BOOM

The van hit something hard, throwing Chase off of me and me into the corner of something.

"Henry what the hell?" Chase shouted through the little window.

"I don't know! Something ran in front of the car and I hit a tree trying to miss it!"

Chase crawled over to me and gently shook me.

"Avera you okay?"

His face became more of a blur, his voice sounding as if we were under water.

"Great job dumb ass! Her heads bleeding!"

BOOM

"WHAT THE-"

The back doors of the van opened to two black silhouettes, the sun had already set and darkness was corrupting my consciousness already.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YO-"

The stronger of the two grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and punched him before throwing his unconscious body to the ground while the other one came and picked me up gently. I had lost my sight, listening from a world of darkness.

"Shit...Veskaron her head"

"We need to get her back soon"

I couldn't see their faces and it was too difficult to recognize voices when they were muffled by my current state. But that scent....

It was warmer here. As I faded in and out of reality I caught glimpses of red silk sheets and tan walls before I fully awoke. I lifted myself up on my elbows, touching the bandages on my head. It was a large room with a window covered by deep red curtains. I slid out of the sheets and walked to it, my sweater covering me properly again. As I pulled the curtain back I became mesmerized. White powder covered an open field greeted by a pine forest off in the distance as delicate snowflakes slowly danced in the sky. I hadn't been out of the city since I was just a pup and completely forgot how beautiful it was.

"So what do you think of the view?"

I spun to face the voice, pressing my back against the window. The boy let out a chuckle.

"Jumpy?"

I relaxed a bit and gave a shaky laugh

"Yeah a little bit"

"Don't worry"

He sat on the bed

"Under the circumstances I completely understand" he padded the bed beside him.

"But you're safe here"

"I've heard that before" I sat beside him on the bed.

"I'm sorry for what that scoundrel did to you" he placed a hand on my cheek as concern flashed in his eyes.

"I...I wasn't too late, was I?"

I stayed still as a strange feeling washed over me.

"N-no....he didn't, you made it"

Relief spread across his face and he allowed his hand to fall back in his lap.

"Good...I don't know if I could've lived with myself if-"

I kissed him on the cheek

"Thank you"

A deep blush spread across his cheeks

"You're....welcome".

Ash had given me a tour of the house. We started from my room at the end of the hall, and went from there. Down that hall was mine and his room, and a bathroom, take a right you had a hall that led to a large white kitchen and absolutely enormous dining room that sat about (lord knows why) 20 people, take a left and you had a large living room, library, game room, and stairs. Up the stairs there was a main room that had five halls shooting off, each with a bathroom and two bedrooms. He warned me to stay out of the last hall unless invited, he said two, uh...territorial people slept there.

"Most of the family is off on missions right now, but Veskaron just got back and I'm ...taking time off." He reclined himself on my bed.

"You have siblings?" I smiled

"Hm? Oh no, we just live together so we've just kind of become family"

"Oh..."

"How about you? Any litter mates?"

"One, but I haven't seen her in years"

"Why? What happened?"

"Well when I was six me and Moriko were playing in the forest when dad came and told me it was time to go. We traveled a long time, went through a lot of states"

"Didn't Moriko come?"

"No, he told her to stay, mom would find her later."

"Did he tell you why he took you?"

"He said I wasn't safe there"

"Why?"

"Well you probably know this but in order to get a hybrid you have to either breed two together, or a human and a purebred"

"I remember when I was little my friend would get so mad because the anime books I read called her a 'furry' but I've always loved how wild they are"

"Dad didn't. He said she wasn't allowed in society because her species was too feral"

"So where were you?"

"We lived in the small tribe mom was from"

There was a long silence as he thought all of it over.

"So...what happened after you left?" He tilted his head to the side

"Well like I said, we traveled, but one night..." I zoned out

He waited for a second

"What happened"

I stood up quickly and out on my best don't touch me face before I spoke

"Dad got shot , I got picked up by a nice family, his wife left him because he started drinking, took the kids.....and I left when I was fourteen" I turned to him.

"Been a stray ever since"

"No one would adopt you?"

"I had offers, but it's over rated" I shrugged

"...Damn" he sat large eyed causing me to giggle

"What about you?" I sat back on the bed

"I travel a lot with my job, I share this place with about 15 people, uh....been on my own for a while now....not much to tell"

He tilted my chin up

"You know, you have very sharp canines"

"Oh...well thanks"

He smiled

"Quit flirting Ash...the last thing we need is another Lyren" I turned my head to the deep voice leaning against the doorway.

"Oh fuck off Veskaron" Ash said with agitation in his voice.

"Hey I'm just saying"

"Who's Lyren?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"He's one of the people who live here...but he's kind of a..." Veskaron cut him off.

"He's a man whore"

I about died.

"No come on he's been doing pretty good since he met Amber" Ash defended.

"Only because he knows she'd kick his ass if he wasn't"

"I don't think that's why" Ash said flatly.

"Maybe you can ask him tomorrow".

"They're coming back already?"

"That's right"

Ash allowed himself to fall back on the bed with a loud UGH.

"That bad?" I giggled.

"No they just....they get a little loud" his hands covered his face

"What do you mean?"

He just looked at me blankly, and then it dawned on me.

"Oh....Oh!" I cringed a little

"Exactly...'oh oh' every night"

I busted out laughing as he finished his monotone sentence.

"And on that...I take my leave" as Veskaron left I swear the weight in the room decreased tenfold.

"So um...is that guy always such a hard ass?" I tried my best not to make that sound like an insult.

"Usually...but he's a good ally to have in battle"

"Battle?"

He smiled to himself sweetly.

"It's getting late-" he slowly stood

"And you should probably get some sleep" he went to walk away but I grabbed his hand.

"But what about battles?" I asked sweetly, causing him to look down at me, a gentle gleam in his eyes.

"Good night little pup" he leaned down and kissed the bandage on my head before turning off the light and shutting the door.

I just sat dumbfounded in the dark trying to process what had happened, blushing darkly.

"Well damn....."