Save Her from the Big, Bad Wolves

“You're not a wolf, but you are a project. You are known as project Z. You were created to be a mate.” He stood up in his chair. “Not like the act, but to be . . . listen, wolves mate for life. They take one person as theirs. You were created to have that happen, but with any project wolf close to you.”

Roxie covered her mouth in shock “I don't understand.” She grabbed her head. “Why? What do you mean a mate?”

“You're the last of the Z's.” Hero tried to speak more, but she wanted to get up and run. It sounded terrifying so far. “Relax. I need to explain what happens when you get near a project.”

Roxie took a deep breath. “Okay, I'm listening.”

“The first reaction is the illusion that you are actually their mate. They will feel in love with you, and they will be willing to protect you even with their own life,” he said. “The second reaction happens to you as you stay close to their vicinity. You will feel similar to them, like you know them, you love them, and you would give anything to stay near them.”

This wasn't romantic at all. This was terrible.

“I have told you all of this before, twice,” Hero admitted. “You don't remember because your mind is part of it too. Since you were designed to be the most loyal mate to a project, you aren't allowed to harbor feelings for others. Your mind erases the time you were with one, to the point you only remember meeting them.”

“My memory is affected too?” Roxie felt her stomach turn. “You've told me all this before, and I can't remember. So? Does that make me the same around you?”

“Yes,” Hero admitted. “We both have the same weaknesses. You now know everything you have before. Now I must tell you one more thing, and it's something I haven't told you yet. It will be the hardest to hear.”

Roxie wiped her eyes. She felt legs tremble, knowing that she had already heard some scary things, so she didn't know what could be worse. “Tell me.”

“Your mind is influenced by your future selection,” Hero said. “Your future selection happens when you stay around the same wolf a prolonged period of time and your memories are released. Every Z was considered not only beautiful and loyal but brilliant. Able to stand mentally on any ground, for any project.”

“What does that mean?” Roxie was trying to understand.

“It means if you choose a Project A, you would hiss and growl like an animal, but be loyal. If you choose a Project D, you would have a little talking ability, but nothing compared to the standard you use now.” Hero put his hands together. “To keep the males happy, the females minds would be naturally matched to the abilities of her chosen mate.”

“But that, is that naturally, or experimental?” Roxie asked. “Does that just happen, or did whoever make this happen . . . fix the Z's afterward?”

“I don't know, but you should know that if you dwindle and see humans as nothing more than meat, I will kill you,” Hero warned her. “If you have children, and they are primal, then I will kill them. In this way, I could be your worst future enemy.”

Roxie covered her eyes. She didn't want to hear any of this! A thing? A thing to be loyal to projects? She banged on the glass wall. “So wolves want me then? Am I a target?”

“Yes,” he said honestly to her. “Your scent is getting stronger, and it will eventually attract even more projects. The fact is that you will at some point have to accept a wolf or a pack as yours. To choose this, you will need to stay in their vicinity. That is also a difference with Z's, a whole pack could take care of you. It would be like a pack of husbands instead of one.”

“Never.” No way, nuh uh! “There must be something I can do.”

“Roxie.” He lowered his voice. “I can't watch out for you forever. Your choices are limited on what will happen in the future.”

Roxie dropped the phone in her hand. No. She lowered her head, and her voice went dry. She took a moment for herself, trying to understand what he said. She didn't know how much time passed by before she picked up the phone again. “I have to choose someone?”

“Yes.” He bit his lip, hard. “I cannot just put the world on hold and watch over only you, to make sure you are safe and sound in your ordinary life. I am a hero, I am out there defeating projects and saving the world.”

“So even though you said I had a choice in my actions, I really don't!” she yelled at him.

“You have the choice to choose right now. You don't have the best choices, but even a V would help you speak properly afterwards at least.”

Ugh! No wonder he wanted her here. It was harder to scream and run off in a police station. “Roxie.” She heard his voice through the phone slightly, but she had pulled it away from her ear. “Roxie.” She held it back up, but her tears were too thick to look at him anymore. She didn't care what else he had to say now.

“If you stay loyal to me, you will not live a free life, but your mind will stay at the level it is now.”

She lifted her eyes toward him.

“I am the only choice to stay as you are, but I can't watch out for you. You will be locked up on my property, but I would―”

Nothing in the world could have stopped her from getting out of that police station.

Hero stood there, watching the phone dangle. “ . . .I'd do everything in my power to cure you.” And let her go if he found it. He hung the phone back up.

The next move was now hers.

***

“Tea?” Roxie's mother said as she offered it to her. Roxie lied in her bed. She hadn't left her house in days. Roxie wanted to tell her family so much about what happened, but she signed a dangerous contract. She couldn't speak up without bankrupting her family.

She pinned herself in her room, not leaving except to go to the bathroom. She even refused school, telling her parents it was a confidential thing to do with project Z. They didn't know, and she didn't want to leave. It was a small lie considering what had been told to her.

Roxie covered her face as she thought about it again. She couldn't hide her scent and projects would one day come and find her again. She could choose being locked up with Hero so he could find the cure or be the perfect wife to a project or projects. What kind of choice was that to make?

“How about a little sun?” Roxie's mom tried to open her window but Roxie put her hand up in protest. “Sun never hurt anyone.”

“Neither did a hero.” Roxie lied back on the bed, knowing she could never say much more than that. She was delaying the inevitable by staying inside, but what other choice did she have? She didn't want to be a wife to a wolf, unable to barely speak or think!

That plan lasted all but two days. One day as she was making lunch, she heard a low growl at her door. Then, a scratching sound. Several scratching sounds. She turned to run but someone leapt out and . . .

and she didn't remember. Did she get cold cocked? She wasn't in her house anymore. It was a den and all around her were wolves.

“I am the alpha, I believe she should go to me,” a brown wolf argued with a black one, snapping at him.”She'll think better than you mangy mutts, and she'll help keep you in line too. My second in command.

“I say she should be wife to us all,” the black one said as it snapped back at him. “There are no more like her.”

“You're too rough, she'll be all snarling and slobby like you mongrels,” the leader insisted. “She's precious. She's mine so stand back.”

Precious. His. A leader. “I will command the mongrels?”

“Yes,” the leader smiled. “Yes, Roxie.” He gestured to himself. “I am Kane, your devoted husband, and you will be second in command.”

“I will be second in command, to rule the unruly mongrels.” Yes. That was a good life. She would live in that den, being second in command to her loving husband. “They must act appropriately, or I will discipline them.”

“Yes, or I will,” Kane told her. “If they dare hurt you back, I will kill them.”

Yes. He would kill them, her honorable and wonderful husband. She bowed sweetly to him as she blushed. “I am glad you would take care of me.”

“Beyond sweet,” Kane said. “You are truly perfect, Roxie the Z Project. My Roxie.”

Roxie nodded and looked around. The lower levels in the den were clear to see. They were on all fours, but in human form and slobbering. The more she went to the right, the more they stood and dressed more appropriately.

She would take care of all of them, and if they became unruly with her, then she would discipline them like children. The pack could only blossom with obedience to their leaders.

“Stop it, you're going too far!”

She heard a snap and a wild bark like nothing she'd ever heard before. When she looked forward, she saw Hero. He was in his white wolf form with saliva running from his mouth. Oh no, he was going to destroy her future husband!

Hero grabbed Kane and swung him away. He still didn't speak any words, just raised his head in a mighty howl.

“Roxie should be mine!” Kane transformed to match Hero. “I am a leader. Unless you are going to take her as a mate, then I am better. She'll be a slobbering primal mess if you mess this up!”

Roxie didn't want to be a slobbering primal mess. Why did she even want to rule mongrels anyway? This wasn't her future, she didn't want that. She watched Hero. He better not decide to give her away after that statement, her choice was not that wolf!

Roxie watched as all the projects turned into wolves again, trying to corner Hero. It didn't work though. Hero bit, gnarled, fought and chewed his way through the projects before they were leaving and yelping with their tails between their legs.

All but Kane. Hero just stared at him until Kane decided to run.

Hero lapped at his paw, a little bloody from the battle. He looked at Roxie a moment. “Do you need help?”

Roxie looked away. He seemed to take the hint and climbed up some rocks at the back of the cave. He licked his bloody paw and waited.

Roxie stared at him for a time. “Where am I?”

“Getting ready to take the mantle of the Alpha's wife,” Hero told her. “I'm glad you said that. I thought I was too late. I made it just in time.”

***