Project Wolf

Project Wolf

Hero was, in every sense of the word, a hero. A young hero at nineteen years old, but no one anyone would mess with. He existed by the sheer torture and curiosity of technology. His ancient ancestors were a clone of a normal person. A mad scientist running secret DNA projects involving humans and wolves. They bred, and he created more tests.

At least, that's the official story.

Decades later, the scientist's 'projects' had escaped. Many had become so primal, that they saw all of mankind as their enemy. Defiling, pillaging, and destroying anything they could, no one stood against them.

Except Hero. He was the last descendent. The fastest, strongest and smartest of the group. He was only five years old at the time when everything happened, but as he stopped more and more projects, people recognized his potential. He was brought more into the world, and no longer considered a project. He was considered a human being with super powers. With no name except a project number, the world had named him Hero.

He fought against the projects that escaped and showed evil colors, but he also fought for mankind. He stopped crime and won every battle he ever fought. Even natural disasters involved his help to get the world back to peace and prosperity.

He was paid and watched by each official territory, making sure that he did not go too wild in front of the public.

He was adored by every man, and loved by every woman. Few could ever say anything bad against their hero.

However, sometimes primal instinct was too much to fight.

It was simple. He had one project to fight. It was over in minutes, the blasted wolf coughing up blood on the ground. He wasn't even a challenge. Hero licked his white paw as he heard the large crowd around him cheer. It was nothing special, happened all of the time. Usually at this time, he would leave back to his private home.

But today, that would not happen. A scent on the air. Something wild, something intense, and something strange.

He looked above him. Hero had been fighting in a low area, but above him had been five bridges with thousands of people cheering. Somewhere in there, someone was giving off that scent.

His mind said he had better leave, but his mind was rarely in control. He jumped several feet in the air like a wild panther and stayed on the ledge. He sniffed, but didn't smell it coming from there. He jumped to the next set of bridges. There was nothing.

Nothing on the third either.

On the fourth though, he gave it one big whiff and almost fell backward. The scent alone, so close! What was it? A new attack? A new power?

No. It was a young woman, sipping on a drink. A strange woman, Hero realized. The smell was permeating from her like perfume smoke from its bottle. Hero jumped into the crowd. Some people were trying to talk to him, but his eyes were only set on one.

The one with the drink. People around her began to try and talk to him too, telling him how much they cared about him, or about a random time he saved them or someone they loved, or something they loved. It was always very jumbled.

She held her drink in her hand tightly as Hero approached her on all fours. She looked around, before meeting her eyes with his.

He couldn't stop staring at her. People mumbled in the background, but he couldn't even make it out. He was consumed by this ordinary girl. Who held the best but strangest smell in the world.

“Hello?” She waved at him politely, but without confidence. “Good job. You know, with the project. They can be a menace. I mean, some, not all. Not you. If you are one. Um.” She went quiet. “Can I help you?”

“Ladies and gentleman, please step back! Give room!” Someone was always near him somewhere, making sure he never got out of control. As enforcers began to push back the crowd, they made the one with the drink shift away.

Hero grabbed the nearest official with his fangs and held him by his clothing. “Don't do that!” He looked back, but lost sight of her. She had shifted because of the enforcers. “Name. Name, what was her name?”

“Roxie,” one of the people next to him said. “I go to school with her.”

As another enforcer tried to scoot the one who went to school with Roxie, he grabbed their shirt with his teeth and yanked their hand back. Hard. “No!” He was getting pissed. Why did they have to get up into his business today of all days? He moved to sitting in front of her as a sign of respect, and to learn more. “Where is Roxie? Where does she live? What is her last name?”

“Um, well I um, I only slightly know her.” She began to stumble on her words.

Slightly or not, she was his link.

***

Roxie returned to school the next day, her mind anxious to talk to her friends about what happened. One of her friends though, Alexandra, was surrounded by a large group of people. She was talking about how she had actually hung out with Hero in his human form. He had even taken her into a foreign district for supper.

“It was amazing,” Alexandra told everyone, “and I wish it could have lasted longer. Boy, does he have a chest up close too when he is human.” She sighed and grabbed her heart in a cheesy fashion. “I wish I could be―Roxie!”

Suddenly, everyone stopped to look at Roxie. Deja vu again. What was up with her being the center of attention the last two days? “Hello?”

“Roxie! You!” Alexandra ran up to her. “You, Hero wanted to know nothing except you. You, your family, your interests, and even your hobbies. He is so stuck on you. How did you do that?”

“Me?” Roxie looked around again and shrugged. “Nothing. I barely even saw the fight. He jumped the bridges and then, he was just there. Staring at me.”

“If I were you, and he was into me? I'd find any desperate way to contact him,” another one of her friends said.

“Not until she turns twenty two,” Alexandra reminded Roxie. “You can't do anything until twenty two, without permission from your parents.”

“Hero's the hero, defender of everything,” someone in the crowd shouted. “If he wants her, I bet he could get her.”

That 'her' was Roxie. She didn't like the sentiment, or the way the guy in the crowd said it. A date would be okay, and that would be easy to get by her parents. But, he made it sound like something else. It couldn't be any love at first sight, she couldn't even see him after the fight, there was a crowd in front of her watching the action. She only saw bits. So how could he see her?

His eyes. Those eyes disturbed her. They looked like a wild beast, ready to maim her. That way of thinking though was prejudice. He was still human too. His eyes, they weren't a bloodthirsty animals. Just his stare.

“It's romantic.”

“It's sweet.”

“It's pheromones.” A nerdy guy with glasses approached her. “You should be careful. He was busy fighting. There was no reason to notice you way up high, unless it's pheromones.”

“If it was pheromones, he would want everyone,” Alexandra disagreed. “Hero has never even shown interest in any women.”

“Not all, others are attracted more to certain smells. Hero isn't completely human we all know it.” He looked toward Roxie. “Just be careful. If it's your scent, he wants more than a date.”

“Oh, shove off.” Alexandra knocked him out of the way, but Roxie didn't forget his words.

Could he really smell her? Way up there? And, why her?

“I don't see what the problem is.” Hero kept his feet reclined back on a table from his chair. He had gathered all the territory officials to agree to a request. A simple request. “How much money have you saved since I've been saving people? Helping people come up with plans to protect and defend better?” He knocked his black boots together twice before standing up. His leather jacket fell off the chair as he strolled over to their round desk area. “I want one thing.”

“This is. . .this is not acceptable,” one of the territory leaders said. “We have certain laws in effect. Waiting until twenty two keeps things steady. Only those who violate the rules are given harsh punishments, and those who wait are often better off. Better schooling, better jobs, and a better economy for all.”

Hero wrinkled his nose. “I hardly ever request anything. I want this.”

“We can't do that,” another one said. “Mister Hero, perhaps we could raise what the government pays you for your annual salary?”

“Who are you?” Hero stared at this new man. A new representative obviously. “What do you think you pay me, huh?”

“I. . .I don't know off the top of my head,” he admitted.

“That's because it's nothing. I had over three billion dollars since I was twelve. I told everyone to stop paying me. I only save people because I can. Because if I didn't, they'd die, and I'd feel guilty.” Hero growled. “Don't even try and use money.”

“He's right,” a man to the left answered. “He's right. He's been defending our planet since he was just a child. He hasn't demanded much.”

“It's a girl,” another one said.

“It's a woman.”

“It's a woman still in school, and under her parents care.”

“Legal age used to be eighteen twenty years ago. She's already nineteen, Hero's age approximately.”

“No. The fact is, Hero, legally, there is no way we can do this.” Bose, the territory official he knew the most, spoke. “You need to forget this. I don't see good things coming of it.”

Hero moved over in front of Bose and leaned his arms against it, hiding his face. “I want the strange woman.”

“Hero, this fascination is some kind of primal lingering inside. It's not who you are anymore. You are a well-respected man who defends and helps.” Bose set his application in front of him. “I'm sorry. You cannot own her without her parents' permission. You aren't thinking straight, give it time. Maybe we could talk about setting a date through her parents, maybe for a fee?”

“I don't want a date.” Hero grunted. “It's one ordinary woman, just give her to me!”

“No. That's final.” Bose pushed the paper farther toward him. “Start a relationship. Move slow, and maybe when she and her parents see how you are, they may consider it.”

“Fine, give them five million,” Hero said meeting Bose's eyes.

“Five million is a large number. I think that a lower number may go over better,” Bose said. “We could haggle. However, I believe haggling for a date would be more beneficial than trying to outright buy their daughter. Think about it, Hero.”

Hero closed his eyes, banging his hand on to the desk. No one understood. No one could smell her, and no one could sense her. There was not a woman alive that stirred his blood like her, so there was something wrong.

That scent, he wanted it back. To touch that woman, to hold her, the instinct was driving him mad!

Too mad. “Try a date,” Hero agreed. There was only one way to find out the truth about the strange woman. He had to confront her.

***

Bose knocked on the door of Roxie Malone's house. Behind him, he kept six official territory leaders, plus some legal teams. This wasn't a simple every day asking for permission date. He knocked on the door again.

A man answered in a simple vest and jacket. His first words were hello, but he noticed the entire crowd as well. “May I help you, gentleman?”

“Mister Malone I presume?” Bose asked. “Hello, we are here on behalf of Hero. There is some business we would like to discuss with you.” He gestured for the leader of the legal team to present papers. “You may go over this if you like,” he said, “it is a basic 'no speak' policy. We are going to be mentioning large amounts of money and private information that should remain classified until or if it is cleared for non-classification.”

Mister Malone was bumped aside by Mrs. Malone. “What is going on?”

“I don't quite know,” Mister Malone admitted as he gestured to everyone. “These are Hero's representatives.”

“The Hero?” Mrs. Malone asked.

“Yes, the Hero,” Bose answered. “As soon as you sign those papers, then we can get started. Do you like drives in cars Mr. and Mrs. Malone?”

After they signed, they entered the large car. It had the length and extension of a limousine, along with chairs and a table. “Okay. Hero has become interested in your daughter, and he wants to get to know her better,” Bose said as the legal team brought out more papers. “Mainly, we are talking about a date.”

“How would our daughter even know him?” Mister Malone asked.

“He met her recently, and it seemed . . .magical I assume?” Bose wasn't dumb enough to tell the entire truth. “What would you say is a fair price for a few hours with your daughter?”

“To Hero, the defender of everything?” Mrs. Malone laughed. “It's an honor, isn't it?”

“Fifty thousand,” Mister Malone disagreed. His wife shouldered him. “Trust me, he can afford it.”

“They should eat in public though,” Mrs. Malone added. “Privacy is how things happen.”

“. . .yeah.” Bose held his tongue. He doubted even the public would keep Hero from trying something if he saw the need for it.

Roxie held her breath as she heard the press beating on the windows. A date. She was upset that they set her up without her knowledge, but it was with Hero. The Hero. Thoughts lingered about those eyes last time, but her friends had reminded her of so much more. He wasn't an ordinary man, and maybe the eyes were just a sign of that? Something primal that he inherited.

His actions in the past spoke louder. He had never hurt anyone, and he'd saved the world multiple times from other projects. She couldn't even walk to a single class without someone mentioning someone he saved that they knew, or when they saved them one time.

He had touched about everyone in some way. It had to be in her head, but then, what that guy said about the pheromones? It haunted her too.

But it was one date. In public. There shouldn't be anything to fear. When they came to a complete stop, Roxie could barely make out the restaurant she was supposed to eat at with him. The door opened up for her and she stepped out. Since she was going on a date with Hero, she kind of expected some form of press, so she put on a long blue dress. It was shorter on top, but elegant, not slutty.

When she was a little girl, she imagined what it would be like to be famous. With people wanting to know everything about her, snapping pictures, and walking gracefully across a red carpet. She knew now. It was half terrifying.

There were the biggest muscle bound guys she'd ever seen holding back the press. Everyone wanted a shot of the girl who Hero had chosen to date.

Chosen. Why did he choose her? No, she had to keep the fear down. Walking down the red carpet, she tried to pretend she didn't expect someone to approach and smash into her. The bodyguards had all the bases covered.

The restaurant opening was beautiful, flowers and glass decorations adorned it. She moved forward into it. It wasn't empty either, it had been packed. Everyone had grown quiet as she entered.

Okay. After a minute, a few people went back to talking. A man came up to her and introduced himself as Bose. He gently locked her arm with his and led the way.

Hero was there. His arms were on the table, and his hands were in a fisted position beneath his chin. His eyes, they were much the same as last time. She was seated by Bose and a waiter came up.

“The usual?” The waiter asked Hero. Hero didn't nod. The waiter turned toward Roxie. “And you, ma'am?”

“Um, whatever he's having,” she said, not even knowing the menu.

“Are you sure about that?” The waiter asked her. “It's more of an exclusive piece.”

“She said she wanted it. Give her a slice of mine.” Hero spoke. His voice was rarely heard on TV. He hardly liked to be on TV. It was another reason people had respect for him, he'd never be caught on some commercial. That voice was better than TV anyhow, it was deep and sultry. Brave. Everything a girl could imagine. His whole body was perfect, except for that stare. He was still staring at her.

“Yes. Sorry.” The waiter cleared his throat. “I will make a note that one piece will need to be more done than the others.”

“I don't like well done,” Roxie mentioned. She hated well done, it was tough and flavorless. This night wouldn't be going down in her history as the greatest night, except that she choked down well done meat.

“It won't be well done, but we will keep it within a legal standard of 'done' for people.” The waiter fidgeted, uncomfortable with having to explain.

As he left, Roxie looked back toward Hero. He made her so nervous, why couldn't he look at her normally? “Um, hello again.”

He didn't answer at first. “Hello.”

Well, that was a start.

It was coming back again to Hero. The visions. He saw himself jumping over the table and stabbing her right in the chest. He saw himself reach over to her and kiss her tenderly.

What was wrong with him?!

Bose had set up a whole week before the date. He was mad at first, wishing he could just touch her. Have her! As time went by, he became less crazy, but as soon as he smelled her coming to the restaurant, he couldn't control himself again. A growling mine thought kept running through his head. He wanted her, on that table, now. To kill her or to kiss her.

He moved his feet up and down, trying to keep himself under control. Instinct said grab her and run, but he was not an animal. He was a human, he was! He could do this. That scent was just there to throw him off. He'd prove she was an enemy in disguise, take care of her, and the primal instinct would go away.

It needed to. He couldn't go out and stop others if he couldn't stop staring at her dress. Why that dress? Nope, eyes, straight forward.

Her eyes. They had never seen war, never seen bodies, and never seen blood. An ordinary woman's eyes. No sign of an enemy, although a part of him screamed she had been. The part that didn't want to get messed up with her.

Look at those eyes of hers. Curious but scared. Frightened. She shouldn't be frightened unless she had something to hide. He wrinkled his nose slightly, narrowing his gaze on her. When he had taken her friend Alexandra around, she had no fears of him.

As the food came, he dug right in. He had to test Roxie to see if she was on the up and up. His slabs of meat were always large, several inches thick. He couldn't stand cooked meat, even 'rare' wasn't rare enough for him. Only warming up the meat a little was perfect. The inside, delicately raw. Naked. But even with as 'done' as hers was, she should complain about it. If she were a project, she would. Then, if she was just working for one, it wouldn't bother her. It would at least get him closer to the truth.

Roxie tried making conversation. Twice, but he couldn't even seem to hear her. A couple of times his eyes wandered over her, but overall, he kept staring. When his food arrived, she didn't look at him anymore. The steaks were . . . round slabs of raw meat, like something just cut up down it's belly.

“Ma'am.” The waiter brought out her piece. A single piece, but it was twice the size of a steak. At least it was plainly cooked. After seeing him eat, medium rare would have looked even nicer than what they considered done. She grabbed her knife and fork, cutting into the top. As she took a bite, she noticed the meat was different. It wasn't bad though. As she took another bite, something happened.

She jumped in her seat as she felt Hero holding her leg below the table. What was he doing?

“Roxie. Be honest.” He leaned in closer to the table. “Who are you?”

Who was she? “Roxie Malone. You paid my parents for a date.”

“But why did you get under me so much?” He held her leg tighter. “Truth. Are you an enemy?”

An enemy? Roxie wasn't an enemy at all, but the shock made her lose her grip on the fork. She bent down to pick it up.

Once under the table, she felt herself being pulled all the way down by Hero.

“You have to be an enemy, who else are you?” He held her arms tightly as he sniffed her neck. “Perfume doesn't even block it, it's just an irritant. What is it?!”

Roxie tried to move away, but Hero was only holding her even stronger.

Hero was a good guy. She should have felt downright frightened, especially after being accused of being an enemy. Yet, she wasn't. Not all of her.

He sniffed her again. “Your scent is spiking even more. This isn't a trick. That's no perfume, it's from you yourself.” he groaned. “Do you want me to lose it?” His eyes stared into hers. Hungry as before, yet she discovered something new. “You have hard eyes of an enemy again, but you aren't one. So what are they? What are you?”

Neither of them moved right away. Roxie's breathing was getting deeper and far from relaxed. She didn't trust herself to talk.

“Oh, no. You're a project,” he whispered to her. “I know it.”

“Project?” Roxie shook her head back and forth. “I swear, I am not an enemy. I don't even know about fighting, you have to believe me.”

“Sir? Ma'am?” The waiter said from beside the table. “Are you alright? Will you be eating your meal down there?”

“Just give us a minute,” Hero said as he turned his attention back to her. “You were adopted around three, weren't you?” His eyes lightened up as he stroked her hair. “That's it, you're a . . .” He sniffed once more. “A type Z? Is this a joke?”

“I have no fighting ability, really.” Roxie felt her head. “I was adopted when I was three but I-I'm not a project. I can't be.”

“Sure.” He didn't believe her by that tone.

Roxie didn't know what to do. He thought she was the enemy, a project. “I wouldn't be here if I were a project. I'm telling the truth.”

“I get it.” He stroked her hair again, leaning more forward. “I'm not going to hurt you. You are definitely from group Z.”

“Does that make a difference?” Roxie asked.

“Yeah, you should be extinct.” Hero inhaled her scent again. “I don't remember much, I was only around five,” he admitted. “You aren't a hopeless wolf, you aren't my enemy.” His grip on her dress tightened. “Women projects aren't any nicer than the men, so the last new projects were created for an artificial purpose. Why did you have to be so close?” he complained to her. “When I was fighting, if you weren't there, I'd be right in the head. Why oh why did I follow your scent?” He tried to push her away, but he brought her back towards him. She didn't rebel. Her body couldn't. It trusted him.

Created. To be trustworthy. To be a trustworthy female for the dangerous projects.

“Don't, don't, don't,” he warned in her ear. “Roxie Malone, I don't know you. You don't know me,” he tried again. He grunted. “You need to get out of here. Don't even get close to me again.”

“No,” Roxie pleaded. “I can't do that. I can't leave now.” This man. This hero, the way he had looked at her. He was her future. Now and forever. Mrs. Hero the Wolf, that should be her name.

“Hero, what is going on?” Bose's voice came from beside the table.

Nothing. There was no answer from either one of them.

“Clear this area!” Bose yelled at someone. “Hero, get out here!” he commanded.

He had barely talked to her. He had barely known her. She had been an average girl until she had grown too close. Now she had love in her eyes, and she was trying to snuggle. He just couldn't help himself as he accepted her snuggles.

So sweet and so cute. So caring. So loving. Her odd behavior reminded him of the details a little better. Project Z would feel like a mate. The bad attitudes of projects meant reproduction wasn't good, but project Z made their chosen mates feel like they were the center of the world. Warm. Special. Her presence could drown out the whole world. Nothing else mattered but her right now.

He could barely open his eyes, but . . . there were no people around, except his usual team.

“I can't believe it. I can't believe it! Help him up!” Bose yelled as people pulled Hero up. Before he knew it, his clothes were being all straightened out? “What were you thinking?!” Bose gestured around the empty chair. “You are damn lucky I had everyone pulled out of this restaurant. That is going to cost you by the way. The owner is very upset.”

Hero shrugged. There was nothing he could say. Bose seemed to get the wrong idea about the giggles and moans. Those had just been his – er – Roxie's instinctive sounds of happiness.

Bose grabbed his own head. “Okay. Okay. Just tell me what happened?”

“She's a Z,” Hero said, “and nothing happened under that table except snuggling.”

“Snuggling?”

“She attracts projects with her scent, but then two things happen. First, her scent changes the senses into making her feel like a mate, even around multiple projects. The second thing is that she will feel like a mate herself to one of the projects closest to her.”

“Wait.” Bose was starting to get it. “You mean she becomes docile and loving with them the longer she stays around them?”

“Yes. I figured it out, a little too late.” Even he felt lovey dovey inside, his view of the world askewed. “All I could sense was her, nothing about being pulled out from the table.”

“Great, she dulls even your senses? Ugh. One of you ladies, please help the young woman out,” Bose said gesturing to one of the female team members that had been assigned to help watch the date.

As she went in, she heard Roxie scream.

“Get away from me!” Roxie yelled. Her voice was panting and she was fixing herself back up. She turned to try and leave the table, but more people came by and held her.

“It's okay, nothing to be ashamed of,” they tried to tell her.

“Ashamed of? What? What's going on?!” Roxie yelled. “What was I doing under a table?” She looked toward Hero. “What did you do? What can't I remember? What did you do to me?!”

“What?” Bose looked toward Hero.

“Oh. Shit.” Now Hero remembered. “Since Z is so powerful with the emotions of projects . . .” He covered his face again. When they became docile and loving, their mind blanks out. Only after a proper mate is found would time spent together release their memories. “She doesn't remember, and she won't.”

“Oh. That is a blessing.” Bose sighed as he looked toward Roxie. “It's okay, you are fine. You were placed under a sort of spell and projects attacked. Notice that no one is here? Hero saved your life. Everything will be fine.”

Biggest lie of all time. What could Hero do though? He didn't need a companion to stress about in his line of business. “You better get home.”

Hero had been so small when he had been with other projects. So much information had jumbled in his head, but pieces he had forgotten were coming together.

Roxie Malone wasn't safe. She had struck maturity in her scent, and when every female project wolf was just as terrible as any other, there would be more than one of those project wolves that would want a sweet, gentle companion.

They'd be killing for it. They'd be killing for her.

Ugh. What to do?

Hero lied in his blankets, thinking about Roxie. Hero had dug up everything he could on her. Scent attraction or not, she was beautiful. He tried hard not to think about his own pack. His mother, she had been beautiful, but Roxie was even more gorgeous. Not just that but smart, cunning, and loving. Roxie wanted to study Zoology. Her taste in clothing and accessories, it showed her primal side. But she was raised as human, and communicated well with them.

As loving as his own family before they were brutally murdered. The whole pack. At five years old, he still remembered it. His father had called out for his mother. Calling for his tigress.

Tigress. Hero had already referred to Roxie that way. That was right, memories were spurning him to remember. Hero's own mother was not a normal wolf, and his father had his own name for her. He had chosen it well, it seemed fitting. Roxie was not a raw primal wolf, but she was a project. His father had said some were not the exact same, but he never mentioned why or if they were a different species. Just, tigress. Human. Half tiger? Hero didn't know.

Hero leaned on his side. Even though he was the hero of the human race, he didn't always feel like he was a part of it. His own home was buried in a mountain, in the middle of nowhere. Even his closest friend, Bose, had not visited. Only one had ever visited, and it was not as a friend. Hero didn't want to deal with the burden of a pack after losing his original one. He wouldn't let anyone come close.

He'd held his tigress beneath that – not mine. His hands turned into fists and his breathing became heavy. Why? She had a wonderful life planned out for herself, but she was destined to become this thing project wolves would be fighting over.

She needed to have a proper mate to end it. He already learned many years ago that there was no human that appealed to him. But maybe he didn't need to be alone. He wouldn't have to take out her own future family, if they were his . . .

Ugh. Hero turned back around, willing himself to go to sleep. He didn't even know Roxie Malone! How could he be thinking this? He had to get some sleep.