Page 4 of Primal Bonds 1

I heard footsteps running this way.

“Help!” I shouted again. “Help! Call the police! A gang is beating up a boy!”

The footsteps were getting louder, and Tony said, “Fuck!” as he backed away. He pointed a finger at me and said, “Next time. I’m going to fuck you good and then kill you, you little fox.” Then he and his gang backed off and started running away.

Alone and still sprawled on the ground, I sighed in relief. Those footsteps were getting louder, and a moment later, feet appeared.

Two young men came to a stop when they saw me.

My body aching all over, I begged, “Please, help me.”

One backed away the moment he realized what I was while the other simply stood there, staring at me as though he was… mesmerized.

The one who had backed away gaped at his friend and said, “He’s a beastkin. Don’t get involved. Let’s go.” When the other one didn’t move, he yanked him by the arm and snapped, “Hey! I said let’s go.”

The other finally nodded. “Yeah. Beastkin. Better not get involved.” And they both turned on their heels and rushed away.

Alone, I took in a deep breath. Then I gathered myself and somehow managed to get onto my feet. Once again, pain coursed through my body like a raging inferno, and I wanted to scream.

Shit! Fuck!

I took in a deep breath and then started walking, or rather staggering, collapsing against the side of the alleyway before I could even manage two steps.

Shit! This was going to take forever, but I had to get out of here. Tony might come back later, with more of his lackeys, and I didn’t want to be here to greet him. This neighborhood was his territory, or at least that was what he had claimed.

I finally managed to get up and then started moving. Oh, hell, but my head was getting dizzy. My legs gave out suddenly, and I collapsed onto the ground again.

Is this it, huh? Am I going to go just like this, right here?

No! Help!

I needed help. Right now, I wanted to survive. Right now, I needed to survive. Kuro and Aka were waiting for me somewhere. I needed to find them. We had promised we’d find each other.

We promised.

Survive. Live.

I continued to stagger through the alleyway, and my legs gave way now and again. But I was persistent. I needed to find someone to help me. I didn’t care who.

Finally, I was close to the road. I could see streetlights in the distance and figures walking along the pathway.

Relief swept through me. There were people. Surely, at least one of them would help me.

I took another step but felt my knees give out again, and I fell to the ground with a thud. Not one to give up so easily, I lifted my head and said weakly, “Help…”

People continued to walk past. A few glanced my way,but the moment they saw my fox ears, they turned away, a look of disgust in their eyes. A few teenage boys pointed fingers and laughed at me.

“Haha! Beastkin,” one said in mirth.

“Scum of the city.” Another chuckled.

“Why isn’t he in the institute?” a woman commented to her friend; both had their eyes on me as they strolled along.

“Disgusting,” her friend said. “Contaminating our neighborhood. Our city will never be rid of them. Parasites.”

I took in a deep breath, trying to ignore the pains—both physical and emotional—soaring through me. I swallowed any pride left within me and begged again, “Please, help…”

Some made a face in repulsion while most pretended I wasn’t here. They pretended I was a piece of trash on the side of the alleyway. Well, to them, I was a piece of trash, I supposed.

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