The first thing I did when I regained consciousness was to turn to one side and toss my cookies. My head felt like there were tiny little miners picking at the inside of my cranial space. And my stomach was not in a very happy mood either.

I finally decided to open my eyes, taking in my surroundings. I was lying on a bare mattress that I was really hoping I did not get some sort of disease from. In a panic I made sure my clothes were still on. They were, much to my relief.

The room I was in looked like an attic. Pitched, bare-boned ceiling with insulation shoved into the spaces. One small circular window on the only flat wall.

And manacles attached to a chain hanging from the ceiling.

Okay. No panicking.

"HELP ME! LET ME OUT!"

… so much for not panicking.

I made myself stay silent, listening for any sound that would indicate I wasn't alone, and that someone was coming to check on me. A minute passed, then another. Nothing.

Internally chastising myself for being THAT dimwitted female in every kidnap scenario ever, I called myself down enough to think. Getting to my feet, since they didn't bind anything, I walked around the space.

Plan A: opening the door and walking out.

Simple, and probably doomed to failure. But I'd kick myself if it was that simple and I didn't at least try it out.

So I walked over to the door and wiggled the handle. Locked, of course.

Plan A: Failed. Onto Plan B.

Plan B: Shimmying through the small window.

Upon inspection it appeared as though I could possibly fit through. Barely. However the glass didn't open. So I'd have to break it and hope no one heard.

I was not staying in this mold-spewing den of syphilis another minute. And I'd have to work fast. Once the-

The soft sound of footsteps caught my attention.

Time was up, Harper.

Without thinking too much about it, I took my hand, balled it into a fist and punched the glass as hard as I could.

Then proceeded to yowl in pain as the only thing that broke was my thumb. Because I was never taught to punch with your thumb on the outside.

The pain was so all-consuming I couldn't think for a moment. And that moment was all I had.

The lock clicked and the door swung open. And then I was face to face with Dookey.

I could think of all types of scenarios where I was super cunning and smart, defeating the bad guy with nothing but a hair tie, a loofah and one of those wooden back scratchers.

The reality was much more painful.

My wrists were immediately shackled into the manacles before he grabbed the other end of the chain and hoisted me up to my tip toes. My thumb was screaming in agony, but I ignored it. Knowing that would be the least of my torture.

"I get to play with you before they come to collect. Only rule is I can't do permanent damage. That leaves a lot of options. I look forward to breaking you in." Dookey was so close to me now that I could smell his repulsive dookey breath. I was too terrified to care.

The first punch slammed into my stomach. My first reaction was to double over, but I couldn't move when I was dangling about.

One thing that should be known about me, which I did not know about myself, was that if I elevated beyond terror I apparently went straight to fuming rage monster.

The second punch slammed into my ribcage, and it felt like one probably broke.

"Suck a floppy dildo, Dookey stain!!" I grab onto the chain as tight as I can with a broken thumb, lift up with my weak noodle arms, and kick out at him as hard as I can. I was actually really proud of myself when my toes made contact with his probable micropenis.

Up until that moment I had never heard a male voice reach such high octaves. It was music to my ears.

It took him a minute to recover, which I used to wriggle around trying to get free. All I managed to do was mangle the skin on my wrists. At that point I was just one large lump of agony.

"You are going to pay for that, slut!"

"You're mother should've swallowed, you puss-filled wan-AHHHH! FUCK!"

Yes, I did a swear. It just flew out when the bastard yanked on me hard enough to dislocated my shoulder. Please forgive my rudeness.

I had no more fight in me. Hanging there kept my shoulder in a constant state of torture. To be honest, I was surprised I lasted this long. I just hoped he would make it quick. My head knew he wouldn't.

A round of animal snarls made out through the pain-induced haze I was in. But the only thing that crossed my mind was that maybe, just maybe, the animals would end me before Dookey could. That was the best I could hope for.

I found it mostly impossible to lift my head, but I heard a lot of noises. They were distorted, as if they were under water. Growling and snarling so terrifying that I probably would've peed myself, if I could manage the energy to do anything. A man grunting and yelling, a door being slammed. Then footsteps running down some stairs.

"Harper. Baby, I got you. It's just me." Arms wrapped around my very sore stomach, causing me to whine and a round of growls sounding both human and animal.

"Careful with your arms, Theo. We don't know what might be broken. And guys, chill the fuck out. It is not helping."

Tripp's commanding voice silenced the room as more hands worked to free my wrists. They didn't seem to be getting anywhere with the manacles until suddenly my arms dropped. I tried not to scream, but I couldn't keep it in as my shoulder was wrenched back down.

My head landed on a shoulder, so I forced my eyes open and found myself staring at Theo. He examined me with frantic icy blue.

"We have to get out of here. He's still out there somewhere and she needs a hospital. I'll take her. You three get the door."

"I can take her. She's al-"

"I said I'll take her, Theo."

I turned my head, trying to focus on Tripp. He had his jaw clenched so tight his teeth must be powder by now. But his eyes were looking at me, desperate for… something.

Then I was moved to lay bridal style in Tripp's arms. He looked at me with uncontained fury. Leaning down, he placed his forehead gently on mine. Which might have been the most shocking thing to happen to me today.

Joking. But it was definitely in the top five.

Tripp didn't say a word, just stayed that way with his eyes closed. I heard a lot of banging and shuffling by the door, so my eyes drifted in that direction.

Theo was kicking at the closed door with all his strength while two ebony-maned wolves watched at his side.

"There's two of them now?" I couldn't keep the comment from my lips. Apparently the beating broke my filter. "Are they yours? You should really have leashes on them within the city limits. I'm sure there is a law against that."

Tripp chuckled. Actually chuckled. GI Joe himself. "We are not actually within city limits. But I'll definitely get a leash for them."

The two wolves growled at Tripp right before the door violently swung open, Theo standing there with a triumphant look on his face. "Let's blow this shit stain, shall we?"

"Wait. What happened to Dookey?" I tensed up at the thought of running into him. Tripp felt it and gently rubbed soothing circles on my leg with his thumb.

Theo and Tripp exchanged a meaningful glance. I could guess what it meant.

"He got away, didn't he?"

Theo stepped toward me, for once his playful smirk was gone. "We'll get him. He won't touch you again."

I didn't answer him. I already knew he couldn't promise something like that.

Everyone hurried out of the house, Tripp moving smoothly to try not to jostle me too much. I appreciated it, the arrogant jerk.

Yes, I was still mad. But he did help save my life, so I could possibly forgive him.

We stopped at a black pickup truck. Tripp didn't let me go, just crawled into the back seat carefully with me still in his arms. He settled me into his lap, my head against his chest.

Stupid jerk...ugh.

Theo opened the other back door and the wolves hopped in before he settled himself in the driver's seat. I tried to curl into Tripp, wondering exactly how tame those beasts were.

Both wolves laid on the back seat, eyes on me. One of them, the one with a tad bit shorter fur, slowly crawled on its stomach toward me with a whine.

It reminded me so much of the wolf from the alley that I threw rational thought out the window and cautiously reached my hand out toward it.

The wolf booped my hand with its cold nose before licking my palm and crawling closer.

I rode back into town with a hand gliding through wolf fur in the arms of GI Joe.

So, a typical Monday...