Toy Wolf

Chapter 12: pretty

I don't know how long I was running, but Grins slowed the treadmill down after a time. I barked unhappily at him but was forced to accept the end of my run. Dr. Bryce frowned at me.

"You would have ran longer if we had let you," she said, almost like a question.

I shook my fur and looked around for a bowl, wondering if I would get water like usual. Frank seemed to understand want I wanted and set a tray down, filling it with water, I lapped it up greedily. Stefa was looking around the room when I glanced up to check on her. She gave me a grin.

"Your pastimes are boring, pretty boy," she told me. "Running isn't a hobby, it's a mode of transportation."

I snorted, water spraying everywhere. Stefa laughed when I got Frank and Grins wet. Dr. Bryce hadn't stopped taking notes in all the time I was running and now was watching me curiously. My stomach rumbled, but I ignored it as best as I could. I wanted to eat, but there wasn't any fun in stalking a sandwich.

"Conor," Stefa called.

I padded over to her and sat down at her feet, wishing I wasn't so bound by my wolf needs. It had never been a problem in Montana because I could give in to my wishes. Here, I had to be on my best behavior or be punished.

"I wonder how he'd be in a fight," Grins remarked.

"And risk killing him, not a chance," Frank scoffed. "He nearly died last night from a damn chocolate shake."

"And yet here he is, without a speck of blood on him," Dr. Bryce mused. "How did he do that?"

I glanced up at Stefa to explain.

"Shifting heals him," she said though I could hear a tremor of worry in her voice. "He shifted last night to heal from the fight with Candice and then again when I had to give him a tracheotomy. I'm still a little hacked off that the chocolate incident even happened, by the way."

"It's been dealt with," Dr. Bryce snapped. "And we'll test Conor tomorrow for any other allergies. What are you, his mother?"

"His only friend," Stefa countered. "He's my only way out of that cell. It's a mutually beneficial sort of thing."

My stomach grumbled again, and I whined without meaning to. Everyone stared at me as I ducked my head in embarrassment.

"I would wager he's hungry," Stefa drawled. "The look on your faces was priceless. Conor, don't be sorry; you just ran for two hours."

Hours? I had no idea. I thumped my tail once and laid my head on my paws. The cuffs were uncomfortable.

"Victor, get them back to the cell," Dr. Bryce decided. "I need to talk to Mr. Danube. Dominic, that puts you in charge of lunch."

"Lunch?" he questioned in a tone that sounded suspiciously like whining.

"Yes, man. Meat, blood, water, the works."

She walked from the room and I rose once Stefa was free from the wall. Grins stomped off, and Frank gave us a rueful smile.

"Let's go."

We walked back. It was odd padding through the hallways on four legs instead of two. Stefa sighed as he shut the door, putting the mess of my old shirt and plates on the tray next to the door.

"We could have taken him," she said, sitting on the bed. "But then again, I wouldn't doubt these cuffs are loaded with unseen tortures. Silver for you, god knows what for me." She rubbed my ears.

"Thank you for putting up with me today," she said. "We might both get out of this after all. I wouldn't even mind hunting werewolves and vampires with you, despite the irony."

I huffed, lying down on the floor. I was still hungry, but with Grins in charge, who knew if we would be remembered. To my surprise, a tray clattered at the door and Stefa fetched to the bed. I looked on curiously.

They had brought me a bloody looking steak, which Stefa licked before I could get to it. I grumbled at her, taking my steak off the plate and sitting with it in the corner.

"I was just tasting it," she laughed. "I'm not going to eat your dinner; Conor, come back."

I devoured the steak in question in three bites and then returned to sit beside Stefa. She had a small bag of blood, which she frowned at.

"I don't need to eat," she said. "I ate last night, what kind of glutton to they think I am?"

I didn't have a response and so curled up next to Stefa, finally satisfied with my day. She leaned against me, using my side as a pillow.

"You know, I didn't get any choice in the matter, but if I had to do it again, I think I would still pick vampire over werewolf," she said. "Even your type of werewolf, pretty boy. I have enough bad hair days not to be covered with the stuff once a month."

I leaned over to lick her face. Stefa grimaced, wiping at the spot.

"Again with the licking. It's weird. We're going to have a long talk about wolves when you can talk again, I hope you know. If that crazy scientist and his boyfriend don't kill us."

"Or Dr. Bryce," she added after a moment.

The door rattled again. I could see a folded stack of clothes waiting for me. They would do no good right now.

"I'm glad there are more vampires than me here," she continued. "We stood there and watch you run like you were curing cancer for two hours. You were impressive and damn it all you looked so happy. But I don't ever want to be scrutinized like that. Awful."

I licked her face again mainly to get a reaction from her. She scowled comically and rolled her eyes.

"You are a very sassy wolf, Conor," she told me. "It's a good thing you're pretty."

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Conor is funny to me as a wolf; simply because he seems so much more in control than he does as a person. Then again, he's used to this.