I sit awkwardly with the top part of my jumpsuit unzipped and tied around my waist as Drac rummages in a cupboard for medical supplies. He makes an exclamation of satisfaction when he brings back a bottle and some cloth. He hands them to me and walks back outside. After a second I snort, ‘For a second I thought he was going to care for my wounds.’ I dab the scratches with the sharp smelling liquid and then watch them heal, ‘Hm, of course.’ Getting up I put the bottle and cloth on the counter and look around. ‘The house is surprisingly crummy.’ While the other alien houses were solid pieces of white, all the furniture part of the same white, this house was made of broken pieces of wooden furniture stuffed in a white shell. Zipping up my suit, I rinse my claws in the sink. For the first time I truly realize how sharp they are, how dangerous. Imagine if I lost my temper at someone and struck out? I feel a quick smirk appear and disappear on my face, but I doubt I’ll ever do something like that.

‘Are you sure about that?’ The wolf side of me surges up taking over in an overwhelming, unbreathable amount of guilt and rage. Coughing I stumble backwards against the counter. I shiver as I feel like a wolf shaped shadow is looming in front of me.

‘You should be punished for disappointing Master again!’ It snarls seething with rage.

“I’m guilty enough for what I did,” I say wrinkling my snout in disgust, “Think about how mad Master would be.”  The wolf shadow in my imagination concedes and releases its grip on me. I pant softly for a second. Then start laughing, ‘I’m losing my mind.’ Serious again, I go outside.

Drac is in his garden and I feel my stomach drop. ‘So that’s what he meant when he asked if I was here to torment him as well.’ His garden had been torn up and destroyed. He was holding a broken pot and looking at the pieces of a little alien tree, broken in half.

“They didn’t have to kill it.” He says softly to himself, picking it up. I rub my arm, uncomfortable and feeling guilty. ‘This is my fault. I should have never gotten so involved with someone else.’ I crouch gathering pieces of salvageable plants.

“I’m sorry.” I say to him. He looks at me and then huffs dropping the pieces in his hands unceremoniously, “It’s nothing.” He sneers at my pitiful gathering of plants.

“Just throw them away.” He gestured to all the devastation, “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“No.” I say bluntly. “At least replant them in little pots and put them inside to keep them safe.” He glares at me. I stare him down.

“Fine! Do whatever you want.” He snaps angrily after a minute but looks relieved when he brings me something to replant them into from the shed. “What were you laughing at earlier?” He asks as he pats down a purplish root. I’m taken aback.

“Uh…” ‘What’s the point of lying?’ “I think I’m losing it,” I chuckle. His eyes widen a little showing genuine emotion for a second before he hides it again. “When was the last time you slept?”

I scratch my head, “I dunno, probably like, two days ago, unless you count when I passed out in the bathtub.”

“But like, good sleep, not passing out from stress, or exhaustion, or drugs?” I honestly can’t remember, “Oh, well once.” I flush at the memory, snuggling with Mater after we were intimate. My stomach drops and I frown softly.

“Once since you, what?”

“Got kidnapped?” I finish. “So like… maybe a week?” I continue. If my collar translated time, days, and the passing of them correctly I don’t know, but Drac stands up.

“You’re taking a nap. Then if you feel comfortable you can…” He stops suddenly. “Hey.” He says, “Wait?” He reaches out, “Stop.” I don’t know what he’s talking about but then my snout feels wet. “Why are you crying?”

“Why am I crying?” I ask at the same time as him. It builds in my chest and then I let out a soft sob. He stands there awkwardly as I curl in on myself sobbing, ‘I just realized how stressful this whole situation was.’ “I was kidnapped, m, my parents don’t even know if I’m dead or alive. M, my body was changed, I miss my old form.” I hug myself, not sure how much Drac can understand. “I miss my home. I want my old room back. I’ve lost so much in so little time. My parents, my home, my body. E, even what I gained here I lost so soon, my only friends and my Master!” Snot drips from my snout and I ignore it. “What’s wrong with me?! What am I doing wrong!?” I cry, I’m hyperventilating.

“Enough!” Drac snaps angrily. I look up at him, jaw dropping. “You didn’t deserve any of it, it’s not your fault.” He says mockingly, clipped wings twitching with anger, “Suck it up, all of us are going through the same thing if not worse.”

I look at him in shock, “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

His eyes darken, “Cocky of you to assume that everyone you cry to, will comfort you.” He grabs my jaw, “I’m having a hard time too, stop thinking that you’re the only victim here and making it harder on all of us. You’re acting so entitled. If you don’t like what’s happening in your life, do something about it or make it bearable but crying about it won’t do anything!” I shiver, ‘Drac is so different now, is it even the same guy?’ I just nod. ‘Maybe hitting his head and dying for a brief time changed him somehow.’ He keeps glaring and then slowly releases my face, “You can start by taking care of yourself. Take a nap. Eat something.” He finally calms but is still talking firmly.

I nod again, “I’m sorry,” I mumble. He says nothing and just gets up. I follow him inside dejectedly. “Wh, what happened to you?” I ask, referring to his story about how he got here.

“None of your business.” He snaps. ‘Did my crying really put him in such a bad mood?’ I brush my arm fur then bear my teeth looking away from it. ‘Was it my self-pity?’ I feel so insecure. ‘I’ve always been a  cry baby...maybe it was too much. Maybe it reminded him of something bad. Like his time with me as a human.’ I stop short, almost running into Drac as he stoops down to grab blankets. “Go lie down,” he orders, shoving them in my arms. “I’m assuming it’s okay for you to be gone all night?”

“Yeah, my Master won’t be back for a week.” I mumble. He grunts acknowledgment. I go to the livingroom and lay the blankets on the couch. I glance at Drac as I crawl in-between them. He stands there as if making sure I was actually going to listen.

“I’ll make you something to eat after you wake up.” He says arms folded. I look at him for a long second.

“Thank you.” I whisper and close my eyes to sleep. 

I have nightmares.

When I open my eyes I start, then groan in disbelief, “Really?” The telepathic alien is standing there in my mind, arms crossed. Everything past the living room is dark. “Why are you bothering me?” I ask. Thinking, ‘I’m supposed to be getting a good night’s rest.’

“Your sleep won’t be messed up, in fact I’ve taken away your nightmares thank you very much.”

“Why are you here?” I ask again growling.

“I told you not to trust him.” He says somewhat smugly. “And I told you not to get another shot.”

I open and close my mouth, “As if I have a choice?”

“You have far more control than you imagine.” He sighs. “Speaking of which.” He yanks on a chain that appears out of nowhere. “What is this!?” I recoil as a wolf-like shadow appears out of nowhere as well, chains wrapped around it’s chest pinning its arms.

“Uh…” I honestly don't know.

“It’s the wolf side of you.” He sighs deeply like a disappointed teacher. “Why is it taking a physical form in your brain, not to mention, why did I have to fight the creature for control over you?!”

“Why do you think I know any of this?” I exclaim, stressed, “Just leave me alone! For once I want a peaceful night's sleep without a telepath or wolf or anyone breaking into my mind!” I close my eyes tightly, distressed to the point that I push everything in my mind away, ‘darkness, all I want is darkness.’ I open my eyes and sigh in relief when  I don’t see anyone. My mind feels empty and now I can relax. For the first time in a long time, I’m not affected by stress dreams, nightmares, or telepaths. 

Drac walks back and forth in the house tidying up and keeping himself busy while also being able to keep an eye on the wolf. He heard whimpering and growling and then finally a sigh of relief, the restless shifting stopped and the red wolf sunk into a deep sleep. Drac goes to his bedroom closing and locking the door then lays on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in the dark. ‘What happened to you?’ He whispers. Then throwing an arm over his eyes, sleeps restlessly. 

Stone slowly lifts himself off the dirt. Blood caked his fur. Tears burn his eyes, he wipes his snout and looks around. ‘They have no idea what I have done for all of them. The… the ingrates!’ He shivers in pain and starts slinking back towards his home, ‘Now they all know, now they all know!’ He winces back from a shadow watching him from an alley. ‘How will I be able to look any of them in the eye now?’ He starts running. Eyes watch him from every alley, every roof, ‘They all hate me now, I attacked my own father, I tried to take his power from him, all respect from the pack is lost to me now.’ He grabs the few things belonging to him and flees the imaginary adversaries. ‘Who will help me, who will understand? Who won’t judge? I am all alone now.’ He thinks to himself, wiping tears that blinded him, gasping in air as he ran. ‘No, he thinks angrily, ‘I’ve always been alone.” He glares straight ahead, trying to build himself back up. As he reaches the boundary between the coyote village and the wolf houses he lowers his head throwing a cloak over himself to hide his fur and wound. He slips behind the houses trying to find the only person who had ever shown him interest. He still had some cards left to play, he could fix this.

Stone stands in front of the door, literally shaking, broken, but not hopeless he knocks. The door opens and he starts, it’s another white coyote. She blinks and then notices the blood. Stone realizes that she hadn’t yet heard of his transgressions, “Help me.” He begs with a sob. She grabs him, pulling him inside whilst looking left and right. “What happened?!” She whispers. Then Stone realizes he had a choice, lie only for her to learn the truth when she went back, or tell her everything, including his plan. He takes a deep breath. 

Silla breathes out angrily, “Are you crazy! None of that is possible! And attacking-”

“It’s not impossible, I’m so close!” Stone snaps. 

Silla snorts, “You say you’re doing all of this for us. But-” She finishes treating his wound, “You’ve already shied from your own goal twice!” She washes her hands, “You aren’t focused and you’ve almost ruined everything. I don’t agree with anything you’ve done. I feel bad for you, I really do but, you’re manic, you’re insane and you are only striving for revenge. I can’t-” Stone stands quickly and starts to leave. “I can’t see you succeeding. Everything that has happened so far is your own fault.” She finishes brutally. Stone stops short, shaking angrily. “I didn’t ask for your help,” she continues. “None of us did. Don’t get us all killed.” She finishes coldly as he leaves. 

Stone growls and claws angrily at the air with his good hand. ‘There’s only one person left… and I thought that the next time I saw them, I’d kill them.’ He droops with dread as he reaches the accursed house. Trauma surges up and he has to stop to keep from vomiting, ‘I can’t, I can’t go back.’ He turns quickly only to bump into a very large wolf. The wolf chuckles and Stone freezes in terror. “I recognize you,” the wolf rumbles. He lifts the coyote's small head and sneers at the display of terror. “What are you doing here?” He asks. “I, I… I’m here to become your pet.” Stone whimpers. ‘I have to.’ “Please take me.” He begs. “No.” The word sent relief and a cold realization down the coyote's spine. The wolf points to the window. “I have an omega now.” He walks past him like he was nothing and closes the door. Stone drops to his knees.

Breathing heavily Stone rushes back to the village. The guards sneer at him as he slinks by. Entering his home he shakily puts his stuff away. ‘I need to beg my father for forgiveness, he might disown me and make me a dog but there’s nobody else, the plan to become a pet failed with Syl’s-’ The coyote stops in his train of thought. “Syl.” He whispers, ‘maybe I still have a chance… no! No! I’d rather die than become the pet of a human!’ Stone falls on his bed exhausted then starts when two coyotes enter. They approach with purpose, in unison. “No…” Stone starts, they lift their claws, carrying chains and a muzzle. “No!”