Chapter Two- Caught and Bought

Yusei kept glancing back as he made his way to the werewolf entrance of Blister's restaurant. He felt as if he was being stalked, but saw no one and he didn't smell anyone either. Maybe I'm being paranoid after last night's attack. He continued on his way and soon slipped into a narrow alley. He approached a paint peeling door, knocked twice, and the pawed at the door having briefly shifted his hand into a paw.

The door opened and Blister smiled at him. "Morning, Yusei."

"Hi, Blister. I'm in the mood for sausages and I know you have the best."

"Suffered another assault, huh? You usually only have sausages after being attacked." He held out a string of raw sausages.

"You know me well." He took the string.

"I sure do. Take care, Yusei." Blister closed the door and Yusei shifted into wolf form. He laid down, held the string in his forepaws, and began to eat his breakfast. They were delicious as usual, and Yusei savored every bite. Once it had been consumed, he licked his paws and muzzle clean before taking human form again. He stepped out onto the sidewalk and wandered about, not looking at any humans as he passed. He could sense the heat from the peoples' looks and wished they didn't give him those looks. If I had concealed my mark from the start, no one would know I was a werewolf except for other werewolves because of my scent. But, I didn't so I can only show I'm not a threat by not looking at them and keeping to myself when in public.

"Hey," called a voice as Yusei crossed over to a stretch of deserted and broken road. The teen turned to see a burly and strong man jogging up toward him. "You're a werewolf, right?" he asked once he was closer.

"Yes," he answered slowly and cautiously.

"Excellent," the man grinned. "I need someone with a great sense of smell to help me."

"You…do?" Yusei was suspicious but pushed it aside. He would be a terrible person to be suspicious of someone who didn't mind he was a werewolf; indeed he was thrilled to meet Yusei.

The man nodded and gestured for Yusei to follow him. "I picked up a bad smell but I can't figure out where it's coming from."

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm sure I could track it down for you."

"That would be greatly appreciated. Would a steak be a satisfactory reward?"

"It would." Yusei liked the idea of getting a steak; he would present it to Rally who often resorted to scrounging trash cans for food. He could have easily gone to Blister, but his fear of the humans kept him underground. Yusei followed the human to a truck with a horse trailer attached to it. He opened one side and tilted his head to it. "It's in there."

Yusei entered, nostrils flaring to find the foul odor. He couldn't detect anything beyond hay and the musty smell of horses. He was about to say so when the clang of metal sounded behind him. He whirled around to see a barred door blocking his way out. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

The man laughed. "You were a real naïve one, weren't you? I'm a bounty hunter who catches werewolves and sells them to perspective vampire buyers. You make the fifth catch and I'm due to appear at the city's stadium tonight." He closed up the trailer and Yusei heard him get into the truck and start it up.

Yusei seized the bars and tried to bend or break them. The bars showed no interest in succumbing to his strength. He shifted his nose and jaws into a muzzle and attempted to bite through the bars. He gave up after several minutes, undid the shift, and massaged his sore lower jaw. I should have known better. He's clearly a professional and knows how to hold a werewolf. He sighed before sitting cross-legged in his cell. He was going to be sold to a vampire to be a pet or a slave. He didn't know which fate would be the better of the two evils. He had no idea what was expected of pets or slaves, but knew he wanted no part of it.

Yusei blinked sleepily as the rumbling engine of the truck ceased. He yawned as he got to his feet and saw the back of the trailer open up. The hunter was pushing tall cages down the ramp, five in all including him. He looked at his fellow werewolves. Three were adults, one man and two women, but the fourth was just a child, a boy!

"You caught a child!?" he said angrily.

"Oh, yes. A vampire contacted me to ask for a young one as they are easier to train as a slave."

Yusei was horrified. Someone wanted to enslave a child? It was a terrible thing to hear. He contemplated what these vampires were like as darkness fell and the stadium lights came on. He knew they could walk in sunlight but preferred nighttime just as werewolves did. He also knew the vampires held high social status and were feared and respected by the humans they lived alongside. It was a sharp contrast to the werewolves who mostly lived in shabby conditions and lived among humans who feared and hated them. It was clear his kind held a low social status but at least they were free.

Night truly fell and the stadium lights became brighter. The moment the lights finished becoming brighter, the doors to the arena opened and a pale man with large muscles and fangs entered. The hunter executed a bow. "Officer Trudge."

"You have my slave?" he asked before his eyes roved to the cages. "Ah, yes. Oh, he is perfect. You did well and here is the amount we agreed on." He handed over a check.

The hunter put it in an inside jacket pocket before removing a key ring and a collar. "Okay, officer. I release this werewolf to your custody. He is to obey your every command and will remain in wolf form so long as he wears this collar." He reached through the bars, put the collar around the boy's neck, and the child shifted into the form of a wolf pup. The hunter unlocked the door, Trudge attached a leash to the collar, and gave a small tug. "Come, slave. You're my property now and I may eventually train you to be my wolf officer." The pup whimpered as he followed his new master out of the stadium.

The hunter turned to the four remaining werewolves. "A similar fate awaits you four. You will be brought as either a slave or a pet and will live the rest of your lives in your wolf form." No one spoke as they knew they couldn't avoid this fate.

Jack rushed to the stadium and joined a group of six vampires that entered the stadium one at a time. He hoped he would be able to buy his pet as word was there were only four available. The vampires entered one by one, but none came by those waiting and Jack guessed they left through another entrance. He further waited for the hunter to come and say they would have to go home and wait for another time. So, he was surprised when he got to enter and saw the hunter beside a cage that held a teenage boy with blue eyes and spiky black and yellow hair. Hmm, he looks suited to be a pet. I wonder why no one else bought him.

"Jack Atlas," the hunter said. "You honor me with your presence."

"I am interested in buying a werewolf pet and you still have one available."

"Only because the others didn't want a teenage werewolf. I caught him just this morning."

"I see. He hasn't had any training yet. I think that's excellent. I will buy him."

"What?" Yusei said faintly.

Jack stepped up to the cage door. "Trust me, the hunter will be brutal in training you; could kill you. You'd be better off as my pet," he whispered so low that only the two of them heard. He then turned to the hunter and held up a full sack of money. "Is this enough?"

"More than enough." He handed Jack the key to the cage and a collar as he went to put the money away. Jack opened the cage and put the collar on Yusei who shifted instantly to wolf form. He looked up at the tall vampire.

"Come, my pet," he said, turning and leaving the stadium, Yusei reluctantly following his new master as staying with the hunter didn't seem to be a promising prospect given what the vampire had said about him. I probably am better off with the vampire, Jack.