Hello Again

Snow's POV  It's dark here; the walls and floors are concrete with no windows. The whole place smells of piss and mildew but, you get used to it. Our beds are made with straw, and our bathroom is a bucket in the corner. That's right, no privacy. We've all seen each other take a s**t. We eat when they feel like feeding us, generally before a fight. The food is just thrown on the floor. They don't want to give us anything that could be used as a tool or weapon. My name is Snow. The Elite organization, or as they call themselves E, call me 308. The E. is a group of men who kidnap young shifters to fight in their underground ring. They attacked my mother and me on our way to my grandmother's house. She was killed trying to save me. The E trains us to fight and obey. When we disobey, lose a fight, or if they just feel like it. They'll beat, starve, whip, or even kill us. I'm seventeen and have been here a year. That's the longest a female has ever lasted. Max, or should I say 256 is the wolf shifter in the next cage. He has shaggy light brown hair, a bony structure, and deep brown eyes with scars covering his body. He's been here the longest and is the most skilled fighter here. Max is usually calm and collected. But lately, he has been pacing angrily and cussing out the guards. I've tried talking to him about what's bothering him, but he just shakes his head and keeps pacing. Guss is bringing Garth back, or should I say 340- from the ring. Garth is a large Kodak bear with light blonde hair and one ice-blue eye. The other eye was ripped out in a brutal fight a few months ago. He's lucky; he shares a cell with his twin brother, Jack. As his cell door closes, he collapses with exhaustion and is covered in blood. Guss walks to my cage "308, you're up next," he said as he spits, barely missing me. Guss is a lower-rank fat dumbass who likes to wear overalls and smells like sweat and peanuts. "Boss wants you to kill this one," he smiled. I hate being forced to kill someone who doesn't even want to be in the ring themselves. " f**k you, Guss, you ugly fat ass." He just laughs and smiles at me, "Boss said if you don't kill this one, he'll kill the kid," The kid is a young wolf that was brought here a few weeks ago. He can't be older than ten. He hasn't spoken a word since he's been here, so we just call him the kid. He cried a lot the first week, and they whipped him every time. Jack and I tried to help, but it just made it worse for him and us. I walked to the ring with a guard on either side of me and in the back. It was loud and smelled like cigar smoke and sweat. You could hear the men yelling out bets. The announcer introduced me to the crowd; "Welcome, to the ring. Undefeated 308! Don't be fooled by her size. She's as strong as a wolf and as fast as a lion." The crowd went wild with catcalls and some even howling. Little do they know I'm a half-wolf and lion shifter. I can't change into my animal or, as I like to call her, beastly. The E. gives all the shifters shots to keep our animal asleep. It's been a long time since I've felt her. We still have some strength and speed, though. The announcer introduced my opponent, "Welcome to the ring, Carrie the bloody, she hasn't ever left her opponent standing!" Carrie was the biggest human female I've ever seen; she has muscles on top of muscles. She stepped into the ring with a devilish smile on her face. She stood at least six foot five, which was rather large compared to my five foot five. "I'm gonna f**k your face up so much; children will run from you screaming," she said. Carrie wasn't very good at trash talk. I've heard some nasty things in this ring. I don't ever say anything back; it's just a waste of time and energy. Crunching down, I'm ready to pounce as soon as the bell rings. ( Ding! Ding!) She swings low. I quickly jump out of the way. Carrie may be big, but she wasn't fast. I got behind her and kicked her in the back of her knee. She went down to one knee "you b***h you'll pay for that" she turns and nails me right in the gut. I hear my ribs crack. "Not so fast now, are you? You'll stay down if you know what's good for you- you f*****g w***e!" she snarled. Now I'm getting mad. The Boss likes me to drag it out "gotta give the boys a good show," he always says. I'm so over this. I jump on her back and twist her neck. You can hear the crack as she falls to the floor. (Dead) The room goes silent for all of two seconds before they start yelling again. The Boss is mad; I can see It on his face. Once we're back to the cages, he tasers me until I fall to the ground. The boss bends down to put his cigar out on my left ring finger, "how many times do I have to tell you to draw it out? You stupid b***h! If it happens again, I'll put you with the breeders." The breeders are in another hall. We don't ever see them. I've heard the guard talking about them from time to time. They're trying to produce Elite mixed shifters by breeding the strongest. I know. It's only a matter of time before I end up a breeder. Jack comes over to the bars that separate us, "Are you okay, Snow?" "Yes, thank you, Jack" I give him a small smile, even though there's a hole burnt in my finger. Jack is Garth's sweet, ever so hopeful twin brother. They look the same, except jack has two ice blue eyes. "Keep your head up, Snow. I know we're gonna be free soon. I can feel it in my bones," Jack said. I wake up to the smell and feel of the ocean breeze. The feeling of the hot sand under my head is unfamiliar and pleasant compared to the dungeon. I can hear people yelling out bets. It must have been what woke me. Opening my eyes, I can see a mob of people with an ocean just behind them. The Boss must have injected me with something to get me here. It's not the first time he's done something like this. "Welcome to the sandpit! The undefeated 308! VS the undefeated Mr. Hyde!" I hear someone announce. Well, this is different. No matter, I'm ready for whatever, not that I have a choice. The Boss comes up to me with a series look. "Okay, 308, it's a fight to the death. Do you remember what we talked about?" he asked. "To drag it out before I kill him, or you'll kill the kid. Right?" He looks at me with a smirk. "Rules have changed. You either drag this out before you kill him. Or I'll kill all of them," he said. He gestures behind him. Time stops, my heart drops to my feet. Max, Jack, Garth, and the kid are in a pillory. A wooden thing holding their head and hands in a way I can't even see their face. I refuse to lose any of them. They have become like brothers to me. I want to curl up and cry someplace quiet, but there's no room for that here. So, I ready myself for the fight of my life. The crowd goes wild again. Looking around, I see my opponent, Hyde, walking confidently toward me. He is as large as an Ox. There was no expression on his face; his eyes were wide apart and bloodshot. Even his skin was a dark gray with scars covering every inch. It almost looks like he was stitched together. I try to catch his scent, to see what kind of animal he is, most definitely not human, but the sea salt in the air is too strong to smell him. Hyde started running at me like a bull. I side-stepped him, but he was fast. He got me by the neck and started punching my face brutally; I heard my nose break. I used everything I had to kick him between the legs. He dropped me. Blood is running down my face, and I'm having trouble seeing. I'm gonna have trouble dragging this out and not dying. Hyde looks at me with a sinister smile. He must like getting kicked in the nuts. Charging me again, I use my cat-like reflexes and my jumping ability with my animal being asleep to jump out of the way. This goes on for about a good fifteen minutes. I'm hoping to wear him out. If he gets ahold of me again, it might be the end. A rock strikes me in the face. It distracts me enough for him to grab my arms and pull them behind me. Screaming, I can feel them coming out of the socket any second. I use a rear kick to get him to let go. Before I gain my bearings, he's jerking me back by my hair. When I fall back into his arms, he lifts me over his head. With a battle cry, he throws me as hard as he can. Luckily I landed on my feet, but just barely. I feel like we've been fighting for an hour. I see the Boss at the edge of the ring made of sand. He gives me the kill signal; it's time to end this fight. Running up behind, I jump on his back and try to twist his neck. Hyde just throws me off. As I'm on the ground, I feel a sharp rock poking my side. Grabbing me by my hair again. I hold the rock tight in my hand as he lifts me off the ground again. I reach back and drive the rock right in the jugular with everything I have. Hyde falls to the ground as he slowly bleeds out. I thrust my fist up his nose just right so the bone goes up to his brain. It kills him instantly. The crowd goes wild. "Nice job, 308. "Said the boss." Now you get to pick which one of your friends dies today," "What! You said they'd go free if I did as you asked?" I said, confused. "No, I said I would kill all of them. But, I'm just going to kill one," The boss is staring at me with annoyance. I'm speechless; I can't pick. One of the guards tasers me until I'm on my knees in front of my brothers, exhausted. They can't die; they just can't. "We don't have all day. Pick!" The Boss yells. As tears roll down my face, I look at each of my friends who have become my brothers. I know what I have to do. "Me! I choose me!" I said, hoping to the goddess he doesn't kill one of them. The Boss looks at me for a moment then nods to the guards. I'm grabbed from behind and forcefully pushed down on what I could only describe as a cutting block, with my hands tied behind me. The crowd is going crazy in delight. My brothers are screaming, "take me! Take me!". A man in a dark cloak and empty eyes walks to my side with what looked like a giant ax. Before I can even pray to the goddess. I feel the most horrific pain in my life and then darkness. Opening my eyes, I saw nothing. I couldn't feel, hear, or smell anything. It's just empty darkness. The only thing I have are my own thoughts "Is this hell? Is this what I get for being forced to kill all those people?" I ask myself. I'm brought out of my thoughts by a slight moon-like glow far away. It's getting closer and more extensive. Once the moonlight is in front of me, I realize it's a female shifter. She's as tall as me in her animal form as I am on my two legs. Her fur glows like the moon, and when I look into her soft moonlight eyes, I see wisdom and kindness. I know right then, I was in the presence of the Moon-Goddess. I'm astonished that she's a hybrid wolf/ lion shifter like me. I've got so many questions I don't know where to start. I blurted out the first thing I thought of, "Why do u look like me? I thought for sure you were a cat or wolf; at least that's what all the legends say." She gives me a knowing look. "I come in the form of the person seeing me. That makes sense, I suppose. I'm not limited to one form." "Are my friends okay? Are you here to lead me to the next life?" A full minute of silence before she says, "you're not done yet." Not done? "Not done with what?" I asked. "Life," she said calmly. How can I not be done with life when? I am dead, aren't I? I thought to myself. " It's time to go," she said. "Go? Go where?" I asked, confused. She doesn't answer my question, just says, "you're the key". Then she's gone. I'm free-falling; I don't understand what's happening. "Snow? Snow. Wake up. Are you okay?" I hear Jack asking. Opening my eyes and I see Jack's warred face. " What's going on?" I asked. It takes me a minute to realize I'm back in the dungeon. It was just a dream, the fight, the goddess, all of it. It felt so real, though. "you were talking in your sleep. It didn't sound good." He looks at me sadly. I realize I hear a female screaming. Max is frantically pacing back and forth. Garth has his head in his hands, looking at the floor, and the kid is huddled in the corner, rocking himself. "What's going on? I ask Jack, who's still looking at me with concern. "The best I can tell. One of the breeders is giving birth," he said. I look around. I don't see any guards. Remembering what the moon goddess said: "it's time to go." I said out loud to myself. I'm now pacing back and forth, talking to myself out loud, "she said, it's time to go, and I'm the key." But how do we get out, and how am I the key. I continue to pace, deep in thought. "Who said? Garth asked. He's on his feet now. "The moon-goddess," I answered. "You were just dreaming, Snow. If the moon goddess wanted to help, she could have done so a long time ago," Max says. He continues to pace and growls whenever he hears the woman scream. Jack and Garth say nothing. I hear the kid talk for the first time, "maybe the goddess wants you to turn yourself into a key to unlock our doors." I just give him a kind smile as I think about what he said. Turn into a key? We've never had anything even to try to pick the locks. The guards make sure of that. Hearing the woman scream again. Gives me a sense of urgency. The goddess did say it was time to go. As I'm clenching my fist, my left ring finger starts to throb where it was burnt. Glancing at the lock and then at my burnt finger, I get an idea. I know how to pick a lock. I just need something skinny and robust, and shifter bones are just that. "if I had to lose a finger, this one would be it. If only I could do a mid-transformation, only alphas can hold the mid-transformation. It's what the werewolves look like in the movies. "We can." I hear a small voice say. It doesn't take me long to realize Beastly is awake and talking to me for the first time in a year. I'm momentarily stunned that not only is she awake but, I feel stronger than I have in a long time. The shot the E gives us must be wearing off, or it's a gift from the goddess. I don't have time to think about it. I'm fixing to try a hell marry. Still standing on two legs, I can feel my arms and legs getting longer, bigger, and stronger. My snout stretches to accommodate my large, sharp teeth—white fur sprouts over my arms, legs, and my cute wolf-like ears. I feel powerful, like nothing in the world can stop me. Everyone is on their feet, just staring at me and watching with hope in their eyes. Without wasting time, I try to pull the bars apart. It doesn't work; the bars are too thick even with my extra strength. Time for plan B. Without another thought, I bit off my finger and tare the skin off. It's a bloody mess, and it hurts like hell. Good thing shifters heal fast. Everyone is looking at me like I've gone crazy. Except for the kid, he has a smile on his face for the first time, and I can't let him down. "Have you lost it, Snow," Garth angrily whispers. I don't have time to explain. With the bones from my half-shifted finger, I quickly pick the lock. Everyone is quiet; we don't want to alert the guards. "Hurry up, Snow. I need to help her." Max growls. Realizing the bones are too broken from unlocking my cage to do any good. Max starts cursing and hitting the wall furiously. It must have alerted the guards because someone is coming. Max gets louder and more furious. A man rounds the corner; I realize it's Guss. His focus is on Max. He doesn't realize I'm not in my cage.  I hide in the shadows across from Max's cage. As soon as he passes me, I jump onto his back and snap his neck, carefully lay him down to not make a sound. I take Guss's keys and unlock Max's cage first. He runs in the direction of the woman's screaming without a second thought. Next, I open the twin's cage, tossing Jack the keys, "get the kid out of here." He doesn't say a word, just unlocks the kid's door. Garth and I make eye contact, and we know what needs to be done without saying a word. They must die, all of them. I let beastly fully take over; She has gorgeous Snow White fur. Her eyes are emerald-cat-like green with wolf ears. Her snout is longer than a cat's but shorter than a wolf's. Our paws are as big as a wolf and claws like a lion. She looks a little more lion than a wolf. Being an alpha, We are bigger in my animal form compared to other female shifters. Everything's a blur. Smelling smoke, I stop and notice the boss's dead body only a few feet away, shredded and disfigured. The place is ablaze. I was so caught up with so much rage; I didn't even notice. I'm the last one out. Our little makeshift group is on top of a nearby hill watching the fire. The boy is standing beside Jack, holding his hand. Max has his arms around Jane, a tall woman with mousy brown hair. Max tells me she's his true mate, and although the baby isn't his, he already loves her like a daughter. Max and his new family leave first. To start a new chapter in life. Jack and the kid come up to me, "It was cool when you bet off your finger. Does it hurt?" the boy asked. I give him a soft smile. Holding up my hand with only four fingers, "yes, but it was worth it. Don't you think?" I asked. "yes!" he said. The smile on the boy's face is contagious. "Can you tell us your name and where you belong so that we can get you home?" I ask. He tells us his name is Aden and from the Infinity pack. Jack and Garth will return the kid home on their way to their home in Alaska. "Do you want to come with us? There's plenty of room in our pack, and we can protect you. Not that you need it or anything?" Jack asks. "No, thank you. I'm going to see my grandmother. That's where my mother and I were going before she got killed. "If you ever need us, we're only a phone call away," Garth says seriously. "Thank you; I will," After getting two big brother bear hugs and one little brother wolf hug. I'm off to my grandmother's house.