AN: I don't own them, Marvel does.

Rated M for theme

Chapter One

She walked with an air of ownership. All the women around her knew her name, or rather the name she let them know. They called soft greetings, as she walked through the room. The younger ones or those who hadn't chosen pets were grouped at the front of the room. The new shipment was in, and the anticipation in the air was thick.

She listened to the quiet conversations around her.

"I understand this will be a unique auction. The pets offered will be some of the best available." Miana was practically drooling; she was on her fifth pet, her fingers tangled in its soft fur at her feet. It had been broken, no spirit left.

The Watcher bowed to the raised chair. Charlotte, their leader sat in her spider shaped throne. The irony of her chosen name wasn't lost on any of them, and each of her pets, if they survived were named Wilbur. The current Wilbur waited on his mistress, broken and defeated.

Two of the younger girls were sitting in the front row, nervousness flowing off of them. They had joined this little organization just a few months ago, and the watcher knew they wouldn't last long. Charlotte was already suspicious.

She eased into her seat, not in the front, but in the group without pets. It was her choice, she just hadn't found one that appealed to her…they were either to small, or their fur was clipped the wrong way, or their claws were trimmed wrong, she wanted a strong pet, one that would guard and protect as well as provide comfort in the cold nights.

This group was brought in, huddled together. Auction was the wrong word for this, although those not chosen would be sold to the highest bidder later. As one of the oldest members she was given first choice. This group was strange. There were three that immediately grabbed her interest.

The first, a large boy, not even quite a man, his adolescent charm almost hidden by his defiant fear, the second was a thin, wiry man, covered only in a loin cloth, his dark curly hair falling to his shoulders. But it was the giant, the golden giant that pulled her attention away from the others. His mane fell down his back in waves, his black eyes dared anyone to approach, his clawed hands prepared to rend and tear if any dared.

His body was perfection, his defiance a challenge, and one she decided to take. She signaled the keeper.

"Watcher?"

"I want the golden one…bring me the controls."

"He is not trained, and is barely contained by the collar and restraints."

"I am not incapable of training a pet, and this one looks challenging."

The keeper grinned and handed her a small controller. The others watched as she pushed a small button, and the giant's head snapped up, a snarl across his lips, showing the fangs underneath.

She gave him the signal to come…and he just stood there. She gave the signal again, and he narrowed his eyes, and planted both feet. She smiled, and hit the larger button, just once…the resulting shock nearly brought him to his knees. Still he defied her, refusing to obey, but she just smiled. She would tame this beast, not break him. She liked his spirit. She ran a finger caressingly over the large button, knowing he could see the motion, he snarled, and started to move forward, stopping five feet from her chair and glaring at her defiantly.

She smiled, and signaled him to sit. He stood there as she brushed her finger across the button. He glared at her, but still refused to sit. She pressed the button twice quickly and a much lower shock rocked his body. He continued to glare, and she continued to smile and brush the button with her thumb. Finally, he just nodded and folded himself to the floor in front of her.

The room erupted in applause. She ignored them, focused only on the tawny giant in front of her. She had been looking for a challenge lately, and this would certainly distract her from other issues. She watched as the other pets were looked over and soon there were only three left on the small raised platform.

The two younger girls had chosen the other two that had caught her interest, they were fools. She knew exactly who all four of them were, they wouldn't last long, and they didn't understand the rules of the game. The brown haired girl had chosen the large young man, and the affection between them was obvious. Xavier needed to send better agents. Shaddowcat and Colossus was a known pair, to allow them to put themselves at risk like this was absurd. The Asian girl had chosen the thin one with curly hair. Jubilee and Gambit, it was an interesting pairing, but one she was certain wouldn't be consummated, as each had a known partner back at the institute.

The Watcher didn't even look at Charlotte. She would decide when to expose the little X children; she wouldn't allow them to put her position at risk. The anger from her pet was almost palpable, he would provide quite a bit of amusement before she made her move.

She stood and signaled her pet to follow. She didn't want to watch the rest of the auction, and knew this would be a long, if amusing evening, getting him settled in. She waited; he just sat there glaring at her. She wasn't in the mood for games. She raised the controller for his shock collars, and he stood. He stayed back, and she could feel his black eyes boring into her back as she bowed to the spider throne again. Their queen bowed her head, allowing The Watcher and her pet to leave the festivities. The grin bestowed on her by Charlotte was a knowing one.

The Watcher stepped out of the auction room, and two guards flanked her and her pet. They protected her all the way to the entrance of her apartment.

"Watcher, if you require any assistance with breaking this beast, let us know. We will be right outside."

"That won't be necessary, what you can do is bring a pet bed, one that will actually accommodate it, I am more than capable of handling a pet."

"Yes, Watcher." The two women bowed, and she opened the door as they walked down the hallway, looking back over their shoulders, fear rolling off of them. They were afraid of her pet…this was a good sign.

She stepped into the rooms; she had one of the larger apartments in the complex, the large main room housing a sitting area and her large bed, with an empty space to one side for a pet bed on the floor. The large bathroom opened off to the left of the main room, and she had a small office that opened off to the right. She had earned the luxuries she had, working her way up in this organization, and she wasn't going to let the four X children jeopardize what she had gained.

"Run a bath." She commanded the pet.

"Run it yourself." His voice was rough, harsh, without a hint of gentleness.

She turned her hand on the control, careful to keep her face from the watching cameras. "I said run a bath." He snarled his refusal.

"This will go much easier on you if you just cooperate. It isn't as if you will be asked to do anything you won't enjoy."

"Fuck you." He growled. She hit the button one time, hard. He collapsed to the floor, pain wracking his body as the collars on his neck, wrists and ankles shot electrical shocks through his entire body. He lay there convulsing for a moment.

"Watch your mouth. I do not tolerate profanity." She turned and walked to the sitting area and sat in her favorite chair, putting her feet up on the ottoman. "Run. A. Bath." She ordered again.

He pulled himself up onto his hands and knees, the collar on his neck effectively keeping his body from healing the damage from the shocks. "Mutation suppression collars, a wonderful invention." She laughed, as he shot daggers out of his black eyes.

"When I get out of here…I am going to enjoy ripping your guts out and eating them in front of you as you die." He snarled at her, slowly rising to his feet. The stench of the pet pits and of burning hair filled the room.

She pointed with the controller in her hand, to the bathroom door. "I believe I am still waiting for a bath." She narrowed her eyes. He took a staggering step toward the bathroom, and then another. She smiled, yes even the great Sabretooth could be taught.

He looked back, leaning on the bathroom door. "How hot do you want it?"

"Make it comfortable…I can handle quite a bit of heat." She smiled at the double meaning. He snarled, and walked into the bathroom. She heard the water start running, and him grumbling under his breath.

"Fucking gut her…this ain't worth any price." She quickly stood up and turned on the stereo, her favorite AC/DC album blaring. She knew the listening devices probably didn't pick him up but she wanted to be certain. She walked to the bathroom door. He was standing there next to the quickly filling tub in the center of the floor.

"You will keep yourself facing me; you will speak ONLY if I signal you to. This room, as well as every room in this building is monitored by security cameras and listening devices, and I will expect you to remember that. Where I am standing is one of the safe spots where the cameras can't get a clear picture, and the listening devices won't pick up over the water and the music." She kept her voice low, knowing he would hear her clearly.

He just glared at her, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "Xavier sent you here to try to break the back of Charlotte's Web. You were supposed to meet up with one of his operatives already here. Am I correct?" He nodded.

"I am your contact." She signaled him to undress. He glared at her.

"The bath is for you. You stink of the slave pits." She heard a knock on her door. The guards were back with the bed. She turned and walked to the door. She heard his sigh as he slipped into the steaming hot water.

"Put it over there…" She pointed against the wall, away from her bed. She might have to work with him but that didn't mean she would trust him close to her while sleeping. There was a ring in the wall, above where she ordered the bed placed and she had a chain and collar for just this purpose. The two large pet pillows were placed on the floor, and the two guards left the room, after glancing into the bathroom where her pet was laying back in the tub.

"That's an interesting way to break them…hot bath?"

"He stank…I couldn't stand the smell." She grinned at them. She had to keep up the front, had to stay a part of the organization until this was over.

"Do you need anything else, Watcher."

"No. I can handle this." They chuckled and walked out.

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay…" They both had wistful expressions on their faces.

"You can if you want, but I won't need your help."

The looks of disappointment on both of their faces were priceless. They went down the hall, shoulders slumped. She knew the guards weren't allowed pets of their own, and well there was a whole lot of her pet to appreciate.

She closed and locked the main door, and went back to the doorway of the bathroom. He was soaking, his head leaned back on the edge of the huge tub, his body relaxed, and the only signs of tension were his clenched fists. She watched the rise and fall of his broad chest, the water lapping against his nipples, the slight waiver of his form under the water, down his waist, one well muscled leg slightly risen, blocking her view of his groin.

"Gettin a good view?" He said finally. She almost gave him a shock for impertinence, but he was right. She was enjoying the view. The stereo was on repeat so she knew the listening devices wouldn't pick up on his impertinence anyway.

"Wash." She said simply, fingering the remote. He lifted his head and glared at her.

"Ain't used ta an audience." He growled.

"Get used to it." She sat on a chase against one wall, which gave her an excellent view of this beast in her tub. He reached for the rag on the side of the tub.

"At least you use unscented soap…none of that frail flowery crap."

"I don't like strong, unnatural scents."

"Really…interesting."

He ran the soapy cloth over his chest, his neck, and the beads of sweat from the steam trailing down his cheeks and forehead. He took the rag lower, washing his stomach, down to his groin. He lifted one leg from the water, scrubbing it with the rag, the thick hair causing the soap to foam again.

She could feel the ache building between her legs. He was a perfect specimen, and someday she was going to have to allow herself the pleasure of his body - but not today.

He sniffed the air. With the collar on, his mutation was suppressed, but she knew he would be able to smell her anyway. He reached up to move the collar to wash under it.

"I wouldn't do that. If you touch the collar without me touching it as well, it will deliver a much larger shock than I gave you earlier. It's designed to prevent you being able to remove it. I think even you would be knocked unconscious or killed by it. There is also an explosive device, if you try to remove it, without my assistance, and it has to be unforced assistance, it will explode…blowing even your head off."

"Nice." He growled, lowering his hand.

"The same is true of the wrist and ankle collars as well." She watched as he fingered a loop in the neck collar, the slight shock causing him to pull his hand away quickly.

"What's this for?"

"Your sleep chain. I don't trust you as far as I could throw you, and we both know that's not far. You will be chained at night, or any time I am not present, at least until you are trained properly."

"Trained?" He sneered.

"Oh yes, even you can be trained."

"Do you KNOW who I am?" He snarled at her.

"Yes – my pet and that is the only identity you are allowed until I choose to give you one."

"Bitch." He muttered under his breath. The shock was worse this time, because he was in the water.

"I am serious about the profanity. It will stop." She said with a smile. He looked up at her, her death in his eyes.

"If you kill me…you will die. Your collars monitor my life signs, if anything happens to me, they will explode, and so it is in your best interest to keep me alive don't you think?"

"Only until I can get out of this, and then…" he left it hanging in the air.

"I am certain a mutant with your reputation will be able to make good on that threat – someday. I hope you won't be disappointed if I don't base my actions on someday."

"It is time to get out of the bath." She said. He stood up with a surge, letting her see his entire body. She knew he could smell her, knew he knew just how much his body affected her. She stood up from the chase, and walked into the main room of the apartment.

"You sleep there." She pointed to the piles of large cushions on the floor near the wall. The chain and loop were already in place. "I will give you two choices. You can use the collar on the end of the chain, which is not tied to the security measures on your suppression collar, or I can hook the chain to the suppression collar, which means if you touch it even while asleep you WILL be shocked.

"Ain't that against the rules…choices?" He asked with a sardonic twist in his voice and face.

"I make the rules. You obey them. If I choose to give you a choice, enjoy the luxury."

"Anything else you…need," he leered at her, " or can I put on my leash now. It's been a long day."

"Get some rest, pet. You are going to need it."

She watched as he picked up the collar and chain with distaste. He snarled as he snapped the collar around his neck. He reached up as if to change his mind and found that he couldn't release it.

"It is bio coded…Only I can release it, and I have to be alive and willing to do so for it to work. Training begins in earnest tomorrow." She said as she walked to her office door. She heard him grumbling as he twisted and turned on the cushions. He would get used to them, and from what she knew about him, he had slept in far worse places.

She sat quietly; waiting for the communication she knew was coming.

Is everything in place? She felt Charles in her mind.

Did you have to send him? She projected back. Charlotte knew she was a feral, but not a telepath.

You requested the best, and Logan is too well known in that organization. Charles replied.

But Sabretooth; what price did you offer him? She was concerned. Some prices were too much to pay, even to save thousands of mutants.

One million dollars… She could feel the hesitation in his mental voice. There was something else - something that had to do with her.

Charles!

And you – well his contact; he is to be given whatever opportunity for redress for any injuries he sustains over and above normal 'training', and he has experience with training a submissive, so has a good idea of what is over and above.

Well, I have a wonderful mental image of him ripping my guts out and eating them, I hope you told him I am a feral, and hard to KILL…since I believe that is what he has in mind. And why HIM, I also asked for someone I could communicate with, his receptors are shot. I can't even sense him in the next room.

I felt this mission had the best chance of success with Sabretooth as your partner, all things considered.

All things considered. She hated that Charles could go through her mind whenever he chose. She knew exactly why he had chosen Creed, and it had nothing to do with the success of the mission. He was trying to give her what he thought she wanted. One of these days she was going to blow Cerebro up, just for principle.

I heard that.

Go tend to your children old man. She said in a mental snarl. Which reminds me, what were you thinking sending Kitty and Piotr, and Jubilation and Remy? They stand out like sore thumbs and will end up being killed or worse.

Watcher, they are there to keep suspicion away from you and Victor. Charlotte knows of your obsession with Creed, specifically sent teams out to capture him just for you. She doesn't know he is working for me in this. His being there was a coincidence to the others, or so she thinks.

Charles could just end this, reach in and control Charlotte's mind, but his damned ethics wouldn't let him. She wondered sometimes where the ethics were in risking young people's lives instead of taking the easier and less risky path. It was one area they had never agreed on. If her telepathy were stronger, she would attempt that path herself, but she was barely able to project enough for a telepath of Xavier's power to receive her.

This will never work, Charles. I need a partner I can communicate with, we are under constant surveillance, audio and visual, and I can only mask so much. I won't be able to let him know what the plans are.

I trust you to find a way, you have to. Thousands of lives depend on it.

She just stared at the email in front of her. Her ability to multi task had been one of the reasons she had been chosen for this mission six months ago, she could appear completely occupied on a task, while carrying on a full telepathic conversation, and tonight she knew she was being watched. She knew Charlotte wanted to watch her tame the beast, and she was going to have to put on a good show. She knew she had aroused curiosity today with her treatment of the male feral, but now she was going to have to consider every action carefully.

Part of his payment for helping them was revenge. He would be allowed to take revenge on her for what he perceived as injuries, and yet she was going to have to give a good showing of dominance and force to tame the beast. This would be a delicate balancing act indeed.

She finished the emails, and closed down the computer for the evening. Charlotte trusted her, at least to handle the finances for the organization, what was the old saying, an army moves on its stomach…well this organization moved on its administration. She wasn't on the front lines, wasn't even very important publicly, but without her, the Web would be bankrupt.

She stretched, both for show, and because it hadn't just been a long day for her pet, and went back into the main room. He was lying with his back to the room, facing the wall, but the tension was tangible.

She ignored him, and slipped her dress off over her head. The bra and panties were next, put in a pile near the bed; she would have him pick up in the morning. She went into the bathroom for a shower. She knew they would question why she didn't make him bathe her, but frankly she didn't trust him with his hands on her body – yet.

The hot water cascaded down, rinsing her musk down the drain. Damn him, did he have to be so perfect in person. Only Charles knew about her personal Danger Room program, and that had only been allowed because her mutation required a sexual outlet, something other than her 'tame' fellow students. Even then, and with as few surreptitious questions to Logan as she could manage about Sabretooth, the program didn't even come close to the reality. She moaned again as she remembered him surging up out of the bath, his golden body shedding water in sheets; she had noticed major differences between her program and reality. Her program wasn't that well endowed, something she was going to have to change when she got back to the mansion.

She moaned as she lathered her body, sending shockwaves every time she brushed her nipples or between her legs. This wasn't going to work. He wasn't going to go along with this, she would never be able to get him trained in time, and she just hoped she would get enough information to fix the program at home. Maybe that Sabretooth could take care of this burning ache between her legs. She was afraid, now that she had seen, and worse smelled him, that the program would never be enough. She moaned her frustration. She didn't even think she would be able to satisfy herself now, and that was a dangerous situation.

She stepped out of the shower, more worked up than when she went in. She didn't know how she was going to handle this, but she needed to do something.

With his mutation suppressed she doubted he would pick up on her frustration so she simply pulled a short night dress over her head and climbed into her large, cold bed. She moaned as the cool sheets slid along her legs.

She thought she heard a chuckle from across the room. She almost hit the button on the control, to prove a point, but decided she needed sleep instead of tormenting him.