Page 7 of Primal Bonds 1

His cheeks blushing crimson, Shiro said, “You don’t have to worry about that. I’m eighteen now, so I’m an adult.”

“Eighteen?” Adam asked. “You don’t look it.”

Shiro shrugged his shoulders. “They say foxkin age slow or something like that.”

Adam snorted. “Or maybe you’re just malnourished?”

“That, too,” Shiro said.

“When was the last time you ate?”

Again, Shiro shrugged. “Can’t remember. Maybe yesterday or the day before that. I don’t keep track of that sort of thing.”

Adam was, naturally, flabbergasted. No, of course no one keep track of feeding themselves, but fuck, he was lost for words.

He stood and said, “Let’s get you washed up first and then I’ll treat your wounds. After that, I’ll cook you something to eat.”

Shiro looked up at him then, his eyes large, and Adam felt something warm inside him stir,again.

“Thank you,” the boy said. “For helping me. I called out to a lot of people walking past that street, but no one came… I thought that I…” Tears welled in his eyes.

Adam rested his hand on the boy’s head and ruffled that thick, pale hair. He said, “I’ll go and get the bath ready.” Then he walked out the door.

3

Shiro

His hand had felt warm and gentle, and I touched the place where he had petted me on the top of my head. It reminded me of when Mom had used to pet me, and I felt my heart aching, not just because I missed her, but because I wanted to see her and be with her again. But Mom was never going to be here with me again; I had told myself that many times, because she had passed on, beaten and stabbed during that raid, a pool of blood around us.

I inhaled a deep breath to calm myself down, to stop the tears from welling in my eyes. Fuck, I was eighteen now. I was an adult, so I needed tobean adult, act like one.

I shifted my gaze around the room again, noting how fancy it was. The nice stranger—my savior—must be loaded. I wasn’t sure why he decided to help me when I had asked, but I was just glad, overjoyed in fact, that he did. I knew if I didn’t get help, I’d probably be dead, if not from starvation and my injuries, then because ofTony and his lackeys. I knew they’d be back to get me, beating the crap out of me and assaulting me again.

I suddenly wanted to claw at my face, mark it and disfigure it so those interested would leave me alone. But every time I wanted to proceed, I’d stopped myself short because of the thought of Mom.

I looked like my mother—my face, my blue eyes, my fox ears, and my small fangs. They were what I had inherited from her genetically, and they reminded me of her, and I didn’t want to lose that. She was my pride, as I had been hers.

We, the beastkin, might be deemed parasites and useless to the world at large, but deep inside, we were kind and we cared for one another greatly. The world, however, was cruel and chose to ignore that side of us, painting us as wild and untamable.

We were not human, and according tothem, we had neither morals nor compassion, which was why they worked hard on putting us into the institute to nurture and educate us so we would be deemed suitable for society.

Lies!

All of it were lies. We were just stock. They groomed us to become nothing more than some sicko’s pet, offering our asses and mouths for those powerful, rich men’s dicks.

Rage erupted within me again, and I swore under my breath.

Kuro. Aka.

My adopted brothers. Were they alright?

We had grown up together—Kuro, Aka, and I. Wewere a team of three, supporting each other when times got tough, when our souls and hearts were being broken again and again.

We had been separated six months ago when the institute had tracked us down. The very sight of the officers and the chaos that ensued had paralyzed me and I felt nothing but blind fear. It had been a miracle that I had been able to escape their clutches at all. But what of Kuro and Aka? Had they been captured again? Fuck, I didn’t know and the thought that they might have been taken terrified me.

“Shiro!”

I snapped out of my miserable thoughts—alert, my heart racing at hearing my name being called. My body was tense, ready to bolt if need be.

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