Louis made it all but a single step down the hall before his leg sparked with an unbearable pain. He yelped out, barely catching his balance on the adjacent wall. He breathed through his teeth as he looked down at his prosthetic leg, hidden beneath the fine fabric of his pants. It was throbbing. All the walking and running he'd done tonight must've finally caught up to him. He'd always kept it in the back of his mind to avoid long walks, but all the emotions he experienced tonight must've silenced that thought entirely. Louis hissed out a curse, hoisting himself off the wall as he stood up straight and walked. I pushed through an entire play with a broken leg, he thought, this is nothing. He did his best to block out the pain as he placed one foot in front of the other; he repeated that motion, eventually forcing himself to break into a speed walk, a small limp in his every step.
Juno's bared fangs and curled muzzle flashed through his mind. She was discovering her carnivorous instincts for the first time, Louis realized, if she'd lost control so easily. Dread coiled in his stomach. He needed to find her, calm her, before her instincts took her mind once more and put her in juvie, right beside Riz. The thought had him pushing himself harder, pain echoing through his body. He clenched his smooth, useless teeth. Block it out.
He placed a finger to his neck, feeling the crusted blood in his fur and the small, deep wounds in his skin. He had an awful sense that he knew where Juno was leaving to. He prayed that small voice in his head was wrong, he prayed that she'd somehow be safe.
The memory that suddenly returned to Louis's mind had his blood running cold with dread. 'Hey, look at that pretty she-wolf over there, all dressed up. I wonder how much she's going for'.
He didn't want to imagine a scenario where Juno was… raped. The mere word made him feel nauseous.
Louis's fast walk turned into a half jog as he left the interspecies love hotel. Please be safe, Juno. Please.
…
Juno wandered through the black market, bare footed. Her cheeks were stained with tear-streaked eyeliner, her scent blurred with that of her lover's, and her fur ruffled from his affectionate touches.
The many carnivores strolling by either gave her a look of disgust or outright laughed at her appearance, telling harsh jokes to their friends—and they laughed as well. Juno lowered her chin, hugging herself, her back slightly slouched as she avoided the sharp, judgmental gazes of the crowd.
The smell of raw and cooked herbivore meat was a heavy, intoxicating drug to her canine nose. Her nostrils flared, catching every scent, strengthening her pathetic desires.
She couldn't stop salivating and it was slowly becoming too much to swallow. Her deep blue eyes scanned over the various vending carts, marking the slabs of bloody meat sprawled over their smooth, wooden surfaces. The owners behind the carts kept their products within safe reaching distance, advertising while staying alert of any thieves.
Juno wiped at the sides of her mouth, saliva coating her hand. Her stomach groaned, as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. She placed a forearm against her abdomen, loathing herself for coming back to this place.
She'd willingly came back to this place, to satisfy herself, to silence her wailing desires.
I'm just a slave to my own desires. A meat addict. Her father was a severe meat addict, her mother had told her, years ago.
A tear streamed down Juno's cheek. I'm sorry, mom. I'm a failure.
She remembered the silent promise she made to her mother that day. A promise to never become like her father, a promise to be better than him.
And in a single night, she had broken that promise completely.
She'd convinced herself to devour Louis, and now, she was about to embrace a side of herself she'd spent so many years rejecting, ignoring.
Her attention was caught by one cart in particular. A slab of meat lay sprawled out on a wooden cutting board, the owner of the cart—a coyote—had his back turned to his product. This must've been his first-time selling meat at the black market, Juno thought, when she compared him to all the other vendors. She could snatch the slab of meat, easily, and vanish into the crowd before he noticed.
You're pathetic, Juno.
She carefully stalked up to the cart, her mouth gaped open as she licked her lips, panting like an untrained pup.
I should stop. I don't need to eat meat. I'm… I'm stronger than this.
Louis's face flashed through her mind and all her resistance against her instincts vanished, like a thinning fog.
Swiftly, Juno lurched forward, extending out her arms, snatching up the slab of meat in her hands. And at the same moment, the coyote turned around, his eyes immdaitely locking with her, then the piece of meat in her hand.
"HEY!" He roared and rushed forward, claws out. But Juno was already sprinting away from the cart and into the crowd—
"Mat, stop her!"
A large, clawed hand grabbed at her arm with an iron grip and Juno's eyes immdaitely snapped to its owner. The male lion spat, "the hell do you think you're doing, dog."
Juno bit his finger, immdaitely tasting blood.
The lion snatched his hand back, shouting angrily in pain. "You worthless, bitch!"
The punch was too fast for her to dodge. He slammed his fist into her jaw, knocking her onto the cold, wet concrete. Stars danced in her vision, her head pounding. But years of choreography kicked in and she was instantly on her feet, holding the slab of meat in a tight grip as disappeared into the crowd.
The lion's chasing curses turned faint as she ran deeper and deeper into the crowd, shoving through person after person, the slab never leaving her hands.
She needed to find an empty ally way or—
Juno yelped as she tripped over a large foot, falling on her side, cuts opening in her dress and on her arm. She looked up at the mammal towering over her, expecting to receive more insults, a kick to the side—
She went deathly still.
"Juno?" Bill said, brows raised, his eyes flicking down to the bloody piece of flesh in her hands.
She back away from him on her hand, shaking her head, a wave of shame and guilt washing over her. She'd once encouraged Bill to use his instincts to protect herbivores, not crave them.
Hypocrite.
Lier.
The slab of meat in her hand suddenly weighed a thousand pounds. Another sob cracked through her throat as she stood to her feet and continued her sprint.
"Juno, wait!"
…
She leaned against the brick wall of the empty ally way, her muzzle tilted up as she gulped in air, eyes closed. She hadn't stopped running until Bill's figure vanished from her sight, the crowd a solid wall between them.
Another tear streamed down her cheek. She would never be able to look Bill in the eyes again, or any of the drama club members. She betrayed everything she encouraged them to believe, to hope for.
You're a lier, Juno.
"A lier," she said out loud, her back sliding down the wall until she was in a sitting position, her knees tucked in tight. Her deep blue eyes flicked down to the bloody slab of meat clutched in her hands. She'd spent so many years of her life believing that she could ignore her past, her father, and push both into the deepest crevices of her mind, never letting them see the light of day.
So, why—why couldn't she shrug off those thoughts, those voices, like she'd done for most of her life. WHY?
Her gaze returned to the slab of meat. Louis's phantom scent drifted through her nose and she found herself opening her maw wide, her hands bringing the piece of meat close.
You're… you're better than this, Juno.
The words were nothing but a whisper in the wind.
Her jaws clamped down on the slab of meat, her fangs tearing into it, severing a large chunk off. Blood stained her muzzle as she chewed it and swallowed it whole. Her lips pulled back, a snarl ripping out of her as she took another bite. More blood stained her muzzle, covering her nose.
Stop.
She took another bite, her entire snout covered in blood, a smile stretching on her lips. She wanted more. She wanted more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more
Stop!
She wanted to stop, but—
Another bite. Her hands and claws were covered in blood. The meat was so juicy, bloody. It streamed down her neck, her breast, staining her dress. This one piece of meat wouldn't be enough, it'd never be enough—
Louis's face appeared in her mind once more and she took another bite, nearly catching her own finger. She swallowed and took the last bite—
STOP!
Juno's conscience mind returned to her and she froze in place, staring out to nothing, her jaw gasped open. She looked down at her bloody hands and the blood staining her red dress, her eyes going wide with horror.
Then, she noticed the piece of meat in her mouth. She spat at out, panting heavily as realization settled. Her body was trembling, as if she were lost in a blizzard. And her lips curled into a shaking frown.
She felt the blood crusting around her snout, her neck, her hands, and she hated herself for wanting to lick it off.
"Louis," she breathed, guilt and self-loathing clutching her heart.
Then, a voice echoed through her being. This guilt and self-hatred you're feeling right now is what society has implanted into us, to prevent us from shamelessly devouring herbivores. Her father's voice.
Why? Why couldn't she shun these thoughts, these desires away? Why are they growing instead of shrinking?
But that is the true power we carnivores possess: we're can devour herbivores without any guilt on our minds, our hearts. We can torture them, rip them apart, but at the end of the day, it's all the natural process of nature.
Juno curled into herself, wrapping her arms around her knees, sobbing, her fur crusted with blood. Louis's face appeared in her mind once more and her hunger growled, her body wanting more blood, flesh—meat. "Why did I have to be born a carnivore?" She whimpered.
Her body tensed when she felt the reverberations of heavy footsteps racing towards her. She lifted her head from her arms—
A large, clawed hand grabbed her by the neck and pinned her against the brick wall, almost lifting her off the ground.
"You're easy to scent out." She immdaitely recognized the voice. Her head shot up; her eyes were wide as they locked with the black wolf's, his smile tainted with lust.
The blood leached from Juno's face, her chest rising and falling as her heart raged within its ribcage. The realization of what was about to happen to her settled in and Juno's stomach dropped, a sickening feeling spreading through her.
"You look like shit, girl." He said. "Did you lose control of yourself and devour that deer you were with."
At the memory of almost devouring the mammal she loved, a rage sparked within her, igniting a burning blaze. Self-hatred turned into a violent rage.
Juno's lips pulled back as she kneed the bastard in the crouch. He released her, stumbling back—
Juno ranked her claws down the side of his face, slicing through his eyelid. Her claws cut deep and true, gliding through the black wolf's flesh like paper.
I hate myself.
His scream of pain had her ears ringing but her rage continued to burn. She ranked her claws over his face again, along the side of his snout, splitting through his black lips.
The black wolf screamed again—
Why did I have to be born a carnivore?
Why can't I be better than my father?
WHY!?
Juno clenched her jaw with enough force to bend steel. She wanted to sink her fangs into the black wolf's throat and rip it clean out—
All those years she'd spent fighting against her father's ghost, all of those years…
She was going to kill this wolf. She wanted to kill him. If she really was like her father, then she may as well embrace his nature, let it devour her. No more morals. No more fighting.
A natural, blood-thirsty monster.
Pathetic.
Weak.
Juno took a strong step forward, her jaws open as she aimed for the wolf's throat. Her heart begged her to stop but her mind cheered her forward, taking hold of every muscle in her body.
But the black wolf snatched her by the neck, practically lifting her whole body up and slamming her into the wet concrete, crushing her throat.
Juno squirmed in his grip, gasping for her. The burning blaze of her rage was snuffed out by the cold winds of fear.
If she passed out—
"You fucking, cunt," the wolf snarled, one eye closed and bloody. "You're worth too much to kill."
The words fell on deaf ears. She managed to slip her hand beneath his chin and claw at his throat with all her strength.
The black wolf was instantly off her, falling flat on his tail—
Eyes wide, he grasped his throat, panting, as if he were expecting to be choking on his own blood.
Juno immediately took the opportunity to escape. Standing to her feet, she sprinted towards the ally's exit.
Despite being put on his tail, the black wolf stood to his feet and chased her.
…
Louis shoved his way through the crowd, his leg numb from the pain.
He'd seen Juno sprinting through the crowd moments ago, a slab of meat in her hands. He was thankful she hadn't attacked an herbivore, but stealing in the black market was dangerous, deadly. He prayed the vender she stole from wouldn't be angry enough to chase her with a knife—or a gun.
Louis continued to push through the crowds, a cold sweat running down his back. She had to be somewhere nearby, most likely in one of the alley ways.
Please be safe, Juno.
…
Juno was almost at the alley's exit before she was caught by her tail. The black wolf snagged her back, sending her stumbling and falling on her back. The impact seared through her body, but she quickly managed herself, trying to stand to her feet. But he caught her in an iron chokehold.
Juno clawed at whatever she could reach, cutting deep into his flesh. The black wolf's grip remained strong, never weakening. She tried to bite at his forearm, tried slam her elbow into his side—
Black spots began to appear in her vision.
No. No.
She opened her mouth wide, desperately trying to take in air. She needed to escape. SHE NEEDED TO ESCAPE!
You deserve this, Juno.
Her clawing grew weak, her limbs going slack and her eye lids sliding closed.
She… deserved this. For breaking her promise to her mother.
Her body went still, her eyes closed as—
Juno heard the wolf cry out in pain before her world went black.
…
Louis had nearly walked right past the alley way. The crowd was getting heavier and he was too short to see over the shoulders of most of the carnivores. Then, he spotted another herbivore, an okapi. Cosmos, he thought, recognizing her. She wasn't looking in his direction, but he heard her comment, "that's what you get for trying steal from your clients," then stroll away, hands tucked away in the pockets of her light hoodie.
Louis followed where Cosmo's gaze had been—
He saw Juno… and the black wolf. He held her in a chokehold, her body limp in his grip.
"Juno." Her name was barely a sound on his lips. His body suddenly went weak and walking became almost impossible. But he managed away—he'd always found some way to manage—and walked towards that ally way, pushing through two large-sized carnivores.
He saw Juno's beautiful, ocean blue eyes roll back and her muzzle hang open, slack. She was unconscious or dying.
"Juno." He said, a little strength in his voice.
Louis's slow walking turned into a sprint, then a full charge.
His instincts took over and he bowed his head, aiming his antlers at the black wolf's side, letting out an angry cry.
He felt his antlers pierce through flesh and heard the cry of pain that came afterwards. He saw Juno's body fall to the ground, still. He wasn't sure if she was alive or dead.
He prayed she was only unconscious.
The black wolf had stumbled back and Louis's hazel eyes locked onto him. An anger he'd never felt before ignited within him. The instincts to protect the one he loved, instincts to protect his mate.
Mate.
The word wasn't able to sink in as Louis charged again. The black wolf lashed out with his claws but Louis managed to clumsily dodge the strike. He slammed his fist into the wolf's snout and kicked him directly in the stomach. The black wolf stumbled back once more and Louis took the opportunity to charge at him with his antlers, his expression twisted with rage.
He was going to make him suffer for hurting Juno. He didn't care if he was a weak, pathetic deer. He'd fight for her, even if it cost him his life. He'd protect her.
Tem's glowing face flashed through his mind, along with Ibuki and his father's.
I'll keep you safe, I promise.
Louis charged at the wolf with all his strength, every muscle in his body tense and burning.
I promise. He was tired of watching the people he loved die.
But then, Louis felt the wolf's hand grab his antlers and overpower him, lifting him off the ground. The wolf slammed his head gassing the wall and Louis felt the snap of his antlers through his body. Both broke, falling to the wet concrete.
Then, that large hand closed around his throat and threw him to the ground. Louis cried in pain on impact, large cuts opening in his suit and skin.
He tried to stand but pain tore through his body, crippling him, slowing him.
I can't be weak. I can't let Juno die.
But before he could make another movement, a foot slammed into the side of his head.
Louis's world went black.
And his body fell limp to the concrete.
I'm sorry.
…
Juno's eyes slid open, her vision blurry, unclear. She spotted a hazel figure lying on the ground across from her, his body still. But her vision went dark before she could recognize the figure.
…
The black wolf stared down at the two unconscious bodies before him. Under any other circumstances, he probably would've devoured the deer and have his fun with the young female, but he was tired. He placed a finger against his left eye, hissing at the pain that echoed from it.
"Stupid, bitch." He hissed.
Scowling, he placed a hand against his side. If those antlers had pierced any deeper, then he was sure he would've bled out.
He kicked the red deer in his side once, twice, cursing at him. He contemplated killing him, but the thought of leaving his body here for another meat addict to devour sounded better.
He picked up the female gray wolf and slumped her over his shoulder. I should leave this ally before another hero shows up.
He carried her off, a slight limp in his step.
…
In the darkness of another ally, the black wolf lay Juno's limp body on the ground. He forced his claws through the fabric of her dress, easily stripping it off.
His hands roamed through her fur as he gazed over her naked body, an unbearable tightness fighting against his pants. He placed his palm against her breast and allowed himself a little time to indulge in his desires.