Prelude

The Unfortunate Youth: Age Eight

         “So that’s about all the rules I can think of. You’ll get the hang of living here once you learn to adapt to your pack.”

         “…”

         “Let’s get you to your dorm. Smells like rain’s coming and your alpha likes a dry floor.”

The Unfortunate Youth: Age ten

         “Mica! Guard detail!”

         “Me too.”

---

          “You know, they talk about you a lot, omega.”

          “What do they say, Mr. Keraan?”

          “They say you volunteered your bonus to pay your mom’s medical bills.”

          “That is partly correct.”

          “When my mother found out what I was, she killed my brother and left the country.”

         “That is unfortunate.”

          “Your mother died a week before you came here. Why’d you come?”

          “Papa was a farmer from the Shiku district. He grew and harvested different types of herbs.”

          “Shiku. Why does that sound familiar?”

          “You have heard of Toomas?”

          “It’s a drug, right?”

          “Used to unlock your ‘bottled chi’. All it really is is a hallucinogen. “

          “Very addictive. I had a buddy that OD’d on that stuff back in boarding school.”

          “It is dangerous, but makes tons more money than, say medicinal herbs. That was what papa grew.”

          “He owned a lot of land?”

          “The dealers weren’t happy when he refused to sell. When they lost some important clients to a Toomas shortage, they crippled papa and raped mami. I was too small and weak to do anything. Since papa could no longer farm after that, when mami had complications with her pregnancy, papa could not afford a good doctor and mami died giving birth to my sister.”

          “So you’ve got a half sister and a crippled dad to support?”

          “How else could I get money?”

          “…Rumor has it that you’re a natural.”

          “You believe everything you hear?”

          “You wanna know what I believe? I think you’re lying to me about your family. You’re here because they forced you here. Your injections are to suppress, not reinforce the growth.”

          “Regardless, I should not be treated differently. It does not matter.”

          “Like hell it doesn’t! You’re an animal that’s still learning domestication! Most of us are learning to be wild, but the bottom line is you can’t change what you really are. You’re wild, no matter how tame you act.”

          “Does that scare you?”

          “Look, I’m just volunteering, because I wanted to see how close you are to the edge, so when you snap, I’ll have a head start to get away.”

          “I’m not an animal. I’m Mica.”

The Unfortunate Youth: Age Thirteen

         “Mica, you’re not very sociable, are you?”

         “I do not have much to say.”

         “I have a nickname most students call me behind my back. Do you know it?”

         “Lord Butcher.”

         “Do you know why they call me that, Mica?”

         “No.”

         “Neither do I. Roll up your sleeve, okay?”

         “Dr. Venir?”

         “Yes, Mica?”

         “Last night I felt strange and I do not remember exactly what happened, but I woke up outside. Only I know that I did not go to sleep last night.”

         “How do you know you didn’t?”

          “You know what I mean, Dr. Venir. What did you do to me? Why am I hungry for things that I should find repulsing? Why does nobody else do these things?”

         “Every school has a select few able to fit the genetic makeup that you have, as well as the ability to morph like you do. The problem is that my tactics are, well, passive compared to those of my former colleagues and only the pure blooded ancestors of the original mammal can hope to take their alternative forms at my school.”

         “I am a natural?”

         “If that’s the term you young people like to use, yes.”

         “Why can only naturals morph here?”

         “Students of other more ‘progressive’ schools can morph at will, even if they have very little concentration of the blood. The rest can be added through injections. Now the problem with this is that it makes the hosts mentally immature and unable to make their own decisions, so they have to rely on their alpha’s orders.”

         “Who runs such schools?”

         “The government, obviously. Who did you think would be the alpha? We’re a private school built for one purpose.”

         “What are your intentions?”

         “If the government is breeding mindless soldiers, they can be brainwashed to do their leader’s bidding, and then be disposed of by the humane society. What makes you so special is that you can control yourself in your alternate state. The reason you don’t remember what happened last night was because you body was in complete shock when it changed for the first time, trying to cope with the stress of functioning as a 140 pound wolf. The more you change, the easier it becomes and the longer you can keep the form.

         “I am a werewolf? You turned me into a werewolf?”

         “Relax kiddo. I’ve just been giving you beta-blockers. You see, when a descendent of a true blood is born, his or her immune system produces antibodies that destroy or make the animal gene dormant in the body. I haven’t been feeding you artificial blood at all; I’ve just been stopping those antibodies from taking away your ability.”

         “…”

         “And another thing. You’re no werewolf. You’re not allergic to silver and you don’t need the moon to be full to change. Hell, when you’re good enough, you won’t even have to wait until dark!”

         “You are proud of this?”

         “You are our prodigy, Mica, so you must go. They’ll hunt you until you die when they know what you are. Your job is to put these schools to rest.”

         “You want me to be your assassin?”

         “The people that you will kill are already dead inside, having given their will to their master, so think of their deaths as a release.”

         “What am I supposed to-”

         “Shut up and listen. You will outlive everyone you’ve ever met by many years. When you choose to eat as a human, take your steaks rare. However, a little insurance I’ve added to your bloodstream has made it so you’ll crave those half-breed’s blood. Not even apathy can overcome this greed, so feed often.”

         “So I am nothing more than a tool, as well.”

         “You could kill me for doing so, but it won’t change anything. What I did was for your own good. If you weren’t constantly motivated to slay these half-breeds, you would desire the flesh of a different kind. Given the options, which would you take?”

         “The leaders. All of you.”

         “Then you have a purpose. You may start with me, but make certain that you complete your task so that you can die in peace. And don’t look at me with such hatred. You signed up for my school. What does that make you?”

         “A dutiful son.”

         “Exactly.”