4

All day I dreaded the moment I would have to return home. Between my possibly dying wolf and Carlos, I was terrified of what I would find.

Yet, here I am.

I called the bar where I work to tell them I wouldn't be coming, and I used the pretext of a medical appointment to stop my deliveries well before the usual time. Despite the slowness of the bus, I hoped to arrive on time because I knew that the longer my stepfather waited, the more dangerous he became. I’ve seen him throw a man out of a window just for being two hours late. One does not disrespect the "Padre" by making him wait.

Trembling, I got off the bus and looked around, fearing I’d see Carlos's henchmen, but I was alone. I even saw a stray package flying across the road, getting tangled in the gates of a grocery store that had probably been closed since before I was born. The city has been talking about a complete renovation of the block, but in the meantime, if living with rats as big as cats doesn't scare you, the rents are very affordable in this rundown human district.

I took the opportunity to look for any trace of my wolf—searching for bloodstains or fur—but I saw nothing. No one would have cleaned up around here, so if he had been in an accident, he must have hidden further away. I wanted to take the time to find him, but I was desperately short on it. Carlos sounded on edge on the phone, and I was afraid he would take a bad day out on me.

With my hands shaking on my keys, I shuffled toward my studio. Reaching the stairwell, I felt like my heart was going to explode when I heard noise from the upper floors. I felt like a sheep walking into a slaughterhouse. Climbing the stairs with apprehension, I had barely reached the landing when I saw the hulking face of Jerry, one of my stepfather's minions. The man was covered in scars from underground fights, but it was his expressionless, inky stare that sent chills down my spine. He wore his usual tank top, showing off muscles and tattoos while deliberately letting the butt of his gun protrude, as if he needed it to look any more dangerous.

I made my face impassive, advancing calmly so as not to trigger his desire for a fight. I braced myself, fearing a blow from behind, as I continued toward the two other henchmen waiting near my door alongside Carlos. I could feel my stepfather's black eyes piercing through me, making me feel like a cockroach he was about to crush. I forced myself to look him straight in the eye, repeating like a mantra that I wasn't afraid.

"Come here!" he ordered in his hoarse voice.

My heart was beating at a hundred kilometers an hour. I wanted to run, yet I walked as if I had nothing to fear; I didn't want to give him the pleasure of seeing how much he terrified me.

That was when I saw a large dark mass lurking in the shadows of the corridor. My heart skipped a beat when I met the cold steel eyes of my wolf, just a few meters behind my tormentors. He was lying low, his jowls raised, tense and ready to pounce. It could have been good news, except they were all armed and he was injured. He was going to get himself killed, and I didn't want him risking his life for me.

With a wave of my hand, I tried to drive him away discreetly. Even if I managed to catch his attention, he didn't move an inch. Obsessed with my four-legged companion, I didn't have time to react, let alone protect myself, from the slap that sent me flying against the wall. I crashed to the ground under Carlos's blow as he looked at me with his usual grin.

"I told you to hurry, you dirty bitch! When you present yourself to me, I have better things to do than wait at your door!" he snarled, tapping his watch, which read 9:02 p.m. "Nothing ever sinks into that filthy skull of yours!"

My eyes watered as I realized he’d had a bad day and was here to let off steam. I didn't feel sorry for myself, though; I concentrated on my wolf, casting him a pleading look to stop him before he pounced. Taking advantage of my inattention, Jerry and another colleague pinned my arms, forcing me to my knees with a knife to my throat.

I tensed up, trying to keep a calm face. I was terrified that if my four-legged friend sensed my emotions, he would attack and get killed. I couldn't let him feel my danger. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him hesitate, growling softly as I felt the floor shudder beneath my knees. The henchman behind Carlos even started to fidget, looking around as he felt the vibrations too.

I spoke up to draw Carlos's attention. "Don't hit me! I have your money, Carlos!" I said, my voice hoarse with fear. "The exact amount you asked for!"

My stepfather delivered a backhand so powerful my teeth cut into the inside of my cheek, making me bleed. I struggled to catch my breath as the shaking of the ground intensified. However, before I could recover, someone stuck a needle into my arm after snatching the money envelope from my jacket pocket.

Panicked, I watched them draw my blood. Unable to break free, I saw them connect a tube to the syringe, which quickly turned red as it filled test tubes with my life force. Meanwhile, my stepfather leaned in with a wicked smile.

"I don't care what you have to say! Just do as your mother did!"

I struggled, clenching my jaw as the tubes filled at breakneck speed. What was he doing? Was he selling my organs? With eyes wide in terror, I finally found my voice. "What the hell do you want from me?"

He looked at me as if I were a child asking a stupid question.

"You're nineteen," he sighed, holding one of the tubes up to the light as if it were a ruby. "It's time you started making me some real money."

Once they were finished, Jerry released me with a kick to the back. I ended up on all fours in front of my stepfather, who looked at me with a mixture of anger and amusement. I hated his smile; I wanted to tear it off his filthy face. But all I could do was lie there, hoping he would tire of me before he killed me.

After a moment, he patted my cheek gently, as if he possessed an ounce of tenderness.

"Take care of yourself... until I come back," he whispered with pure sadism.