A/N: Alright so…..sorry bout the long wait….I had some, well, technical difficulties with my computer situation….HERE'S CHAPTER 7!! Boo yah!

As always, ALL characters/plots are MINE! So no stealies or feel my wrath! (Which by the way is very dark, painful, and there WILL be fire involved…)

Once more, I apologize for any spelling/grammatical errors that may have occurred in the following chapter….

And also, as CoolCoquette kindly pointed out... it DOES sound like he's not wearing anything but just so you guys know HE IS WEARING PANTS (They're just a bit ripped at the edges and such)! His clothes were, in fact, tattered so he no longer has a sweatshirt but he still has a shirt and pants. Thanks for pointing it out CoolCoquette.

ON WITH THE STORY!!

Blood, Love, and Wolves

Brice let his head fall back against the pillows with a sigh. He closed his eyes tightly.

'So that stunk…How could that Marrok guy sneak up on me like that? My senses must be way off. It was probably this stupid wound.'

Brice looked at his leg. The wound had stopped its bleeding but the stain was still evident. Hopefully no one would see it because of the dark wash of his jeans.

He sighed again.

'I feel so weak,' he thought angrily, 'Damn this injury!'

Brice's eyes grew heavy.

'That Marrok guy has a lot of nerve locking me in here. I suppose I could try breaking the door down again…although the noise might give me away.' Brice growled angrily, 'I don't get it thought. Why are they helping me? AND keeping me hostage? I mean come on, what's up with that?! They don't even know me OR what I've done. I didn't even ask for help…if they knew anything about me, they'd let me go….'

He crossly said aloud,

"So I'm stuck here, I guess. But wait!" realization struck him, "The window!"

His eyes popped open and limped to the window and gasped. There were metal bars there. Brice muttered some choice words.

'Was the window always barred?'

Brice couldn't remember. He angrily punched the wall.

"Damn it!" he muttered.

He slid down the wall until he was sitting with his back against it. Then Brice heard a 'click'.

'Marrok' Brice thought at once.

He changed into his true form, the fur on his back rising. Brice stood and growled at the slowly opening door. He was surprised when he heard a familiar female voice.

"Calm down, will you?"

Kira walked in, balancing a small bowl and a few small bottles. She placed them on the tiny table then turned and locked the door. Brice changed back into his human form, kneeling on the floor. She turned back to look at him, a small crease between her eyebrows was prominent.

"Well at least come and sit on the bed. Jeez. You know you could at least pretend to rest." Kira said shaking her head.

Brice got up cautiously and limped over to the bed. Kira pulled up the chair so she was facing him. The crease in her brow was still noticeable.

"What were you thinking!? Trying to run away or something!? In that condition, I'm surprised you got as far as you did. Honestly, am I that bad of a nurse? Couldn't you wait ten measly minutes while I got some food? How embarrassing! I was supposed to keep an eye on you! How'd you think I felt when you try to sneak away only to get caught by Marrok!? You know what he did!? Do you?! He gave me a SPEECH!! And do you know how annoying that speech was!?"

She looked at him, her cheeks rosy from her anger. Brice stared startled and remained silent. She continued,

"Yeah didn't think so….."

Brice wasn't used to being spoken to with such familiarity. Kira didn't stop there, however,

"You are such an Idiot! Did you think you could get past Marrok!? He always knows when someone is up to something…It's kinda creepy, actually…."

She took a moment think then stopped and looked at Brice, thoughtfully. Kira leaned forward examining him.

"You know, you have really interesting eyes."

Brice blinked in surprise.

"Yeah," Kira continued, "They're crimson. I've never seen a wolf or human with that eye color."

Brice said nothing, staring down at his lap.

"You don't talk much do you?" Kira asked.

Brice didn't reply.

"Well here you haven't eaten in who knows how long."

She sighed as she pushed the bowl into his lap. It was beef stew but he couldn't be sure. Brice could smell the aroma of beef but along with the possibility of some other beef substitute. He loathed those beef substitutes, like spam. Would that even qualify as beef? Or meat of any kind? Brice didn't think so.

The brow liquid was lumpy with tiny pieces of carrots throw in. A silver shimmer of an object was placed in his hand. He looked at it questionably. What was he supposed to do with it?

Kira looked at the object to Brice back to the object again.

"Haven't you used a spoon before?" she asked with a smirk.

Ah. So that was what it was. Those humans always used things like this "spoon".

Brice shook his head 'no'. Kira giggled in response.

"Do you want me to show you how?"

Brice's face immediately reddened. She laughed again. He tried to concentrate on his soup. Taking note of his embarrassment she said,

"Here," she put the bowl on the floor, "Change into your wolf and you can eat it that way."

Brice looked up questionably then the brown wolf took his spot. He got down off the bed onto his four unsteady legs and started to lap up the stew.

"I can teach you how to use a spoon later." She said with a smile.

His usual white nose was tinted brown and stew dripped off it.

"So, I'm guessing this is how you normally eat your meals…"

The brown wolf stopped and looked up at her with his big red eyes. She could have sworn that she saw a movement of his tail but she couldn't be sure.

As soon a Brice was finished he returned to his normal teenage form with his lanky body and messy brown hair. Limping over to the bed he tripped and nearly toppled over if not for the quick supporting arms of Kira. She helped him over to the bed and sat him down.

"You know you really shouldn't be moving," Kira said.

Brice made no reply.

Kira sighed but with a smile, "So, Brice, tell me about yourself."

Brice was silent and couldn't hold her gaze. He looked back down at his lap noticing the crestfallen look upon Kira's face. Kira had been hoping he might open up to her. He was such a mysterious boy after all. It seemed right as he was becoming a little comfortable and familiar he would draw away from it. A silence enveloped the two.

Kira got up finally, and turned to go but stopped. She heard Brice mumble something. She turned to face him.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I said, 'What do you want me to tell you'?" Brice answered his voice surprisingly clear and refined.

Kira was shocked. She wasn't expecting him to answer.

"I want to know everything about you! Like…..What's your favorite color?" she said beaming.

"Green" he said simply then after a pause he added, "What's yours?"

"Anything bright." She replied back.

This was going well she thought. His crimson eyes starring back at her.

"What's your favorite thing about being a wolf?" Kira asked.

Brice thought a moment then replied, "The speed."

Kira looked at him peculiarly.

"The speed?"

Brice nodded, "Nothing can compare to the wind on your face when you run at full speed." He closed his eyes envisioning himself running freely with no worries (right like that was going to happen). He opened his eyes and frowned it would be awhile before he could run anywhere.

"What are you thinking about?" Kira asked.

Brice shrugged,

"Nothing."

He immediately winced. Okay, shrugging your shoulders was not such a good idea.

"You okay" Kira asked concerned.

"Yeah, great." He said sarcastically.

Both sat in silence until Kira decided to ask,

"Why were those guards chasing you?"

Brice looked at her and put on his most innocent face.

"What are you talking about?"

Kira scowled.

"Brice you know darn well what I'm talking about. So tell me why were you being chased by them?"

"Maybe they couldn't get enough of my good looks?" he said with a sly grin, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah. Totally. You know you sounded just like Raff with that. Now tell me the real reason."

"They were…I…you see…."Brice tried.

Kira waited with her arms crossed.

"I stole something from them…the Duke to be exact"

Kira blinked in surprise.

"What did you steal?"

Brice closed his eyes.

"Well a certain secret that could destroy this city…or at least that's what he considers it…"

"You want do destroy this city? That sounds a bit drastic, don't you think? I mean you'd need to be really angsty and stuff."

Brice chuckled.

"Me? Destroy this city? Nah it's not worth my time. Nor all the angst." He raised an eyebrow at the word.

"So what was this —"

She was interrupted by a knock at the door. Kira sighed and opened the door. There stood, Marrok with a smirk on his face.

"You're needed downstairs, Kira. I think Tala is trying to cook again…That is bound to end badly. Will you be a sport and go help her?" he asked.

"Fine, fine. We don't want her exploding the oven again."

She got to the door and turned back giving a small wave to Brice then closed the door behind her.

Marrok's grin faded and a grim line took its place. A growl found its way into Brice's chest. He became defensive and glared at the older wolf.

"Well, hello again, Brice." Marrok said solemnly.

"What do you want?" Brice growled.

"Why the mood change, Brice? You seemed very happy talking to Kira"

Brice felt his face get hot,

"I'll ask again. What do you want?!"

Marrok chuckled.

"I have come to discuss the terms of your stay here."

Brice's eyes narrowed as Marrok continued.

"You see after your little mishap with the shoulders and running away from the Duke —"

Brice involuntarily gasped, "How do you know?!"

Marrok went on,

"Brice you are renown in the wolf community. The Duke's dog. His only son. Did you think I wouldn't know about you? How the pack you used to live with after your father abandoned you, was captured because of his orders. That the Duke has been using you to capture wolves. Did you think me naive Brice?"

Brice sat glaring at him the growled roughly,

"The Duke is no father of mine."

"That may be your feeling but there is a warrant out for you capture."

"And what would be the charges?"

"For stealing an important secret weapon of the Duke. But I think we both know that you didn't steal anything. You ran away. The secret weapon ran.

Silence engulfed the two wolves. Brice averted his eyes, taking to staring at the floor. Marrok stood staring intently at Brice.

Finally after a long stretch of silence, Brice looked up. His bright blood red eyes boring into Marrok's gold ones.

"So you know," Brice said, "Now what? When are you planning on turning me in?"

Marrok looked at him seriously.

"I don't plan on turning you in, Brice."

Brice's forehead creased in confusion and then he all but shouted,

"But why!? I destroyed my other pack! Doesn't that mean anything to you!?

Brice was on his feet and seething.

Marrok remained stoic, his stance relaxed.

"Relax Brice. Lay down. You've already reopened that bullet wound today, don't make me have to tie you down." He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Brice, reluctantly sat back onto the bed, his back and posture still tense.

"And as an answer to your question, Brice; Yes I do care that your pack was sold out. But I don't believe you had any intention of doing so. Brice, I'm giving a chance to redeem yourself. You will be allowed to stay with my pack as long as you prove yourself worth of staying."

Brice remained silent as Marrok turned around and with a click of the door he was gone. He sat there for five minutes straight. His head was spinning, the confused thoughts warping around like annoying flies.

'They're letting me stay?' Brice thought. He had not been accepted in a pack since the last catastrophe. 'No it must be a trap,' a voice argued in his head, 'Remember who you are Brice. Your motto: Never Trust Anyone.'

Brice sighed. Not only was he exhausted but no he had a decision: Trust them or Run? Which would he choose?

A/N: Oh I wonder what he'll choose! You can make a guess/suggestion in ur review if you feel so inclined.

SIDE NOTE!
Also you guys may be wondering where I got the name "Kira" for one of my wolves? (if you're not….then you can skip this) I got the name from one of my friend's dogs who is one of the nicest dogs I know (other than my two dogs of course). She is an incredibly sweet Lab and very tongue-inclined and I know her owners are lucky to have her! xD