Fated Scales: Commands

Story by Cheetahs on SoFurry

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Fated Scales

A novel by Cheetahs(Aryn Storm)

Chapter Description: Alex wakes up from the virtual reality to discover that the real world has more than one surprise in store for him.

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Chapter 3: Commands

The burning sensation within Alex' stomach roused him to his senses. His eyelids flung open, everything bleary to his sore, tired eyes. They stung when he blinked. Rubbing them amplified the sensation of dirt in his eyes, a few groans rumbling within his throat.

"It will pass. Stop rubbing them raw and look at me Alex."

Alex lowered his hands, squinting at Doran. The blur muffled his features, but the dark hair and dark eyes gave him away. He sat on the edge of the bed, legs over the side, swinging back and forth. The motion upset Alex' stomach further, eliciting a gag from him.

He rolled out of the bed, staggered to the side, planted a fist against the mattress and brought a palm to his brow, as if to steady the sudden dizziness that engulfed him.

"Calm down. Breathe. You've been in the VR for five days. It takes a bit to adjust, so it's totally normal to feel a bit weird."

"I'm...I'm pretty fucking far from we--weird." He swallowed back the bile rising at the back of his throat, scrunching his eyes shut in effort not to heave and puke all over the shiny tiles of the floor.

"Lie down. It may help."

No--no it wouldn't, not to somebody who was about to lose the fight against his senses. Alex lurched towards the bathroom, stretching a hand to the side to keep Doran away.

"Just--just give me a minute."

The ground seemed to shake, and the dim ambience only made it worse. Every swaying step Alex took felt more taxing than the last, his eyes drowned in tears, the soft lights a stinging blaze. As soon as he reached the sink, he clutched it as if it was his lover. He bent forward, coughing and panting, waiting to vomit.

It didn't happen. He remained trapped in a constant state of sickness, breathing heavily, listening to his tears pattering against the porcelain of the sink, snorting and groaning every now and then. A film of sweat formed between the furrows of his brow. It dotted his reddening chest, smothered his neck. His heart raced like that of a race horse, a constant thump, thump, thump that thundered in his ears.

And then, his sickness just vanished. Poof. Like a fart in the wind. His adrenaline levels still high, Alex swept his hair to the side, turned on the water, and splashed it over his face.

"Ghah," he grunted into the towel that he buried his face into, relishing its fluffy touch for a moment. "I did it. I fucking did it. I'll be a dragoness."

Slivers of his lucid dream whooshed through his thoughts, ranging from his dildo masturbation session to his cuddling session with a feral dragon, called...

What the fuck was his name? Something that began with "A," something pleasant and easy to pronounce. Alex hung the towel on the rack, mouthing a few names, yet none that felt right upon his lips. Eventually, he shook his head.

"Fuck it. It was a dream. Just a dream."

A quick glance at his uncut cock revealed the bleak truth of his situation, that of a male human about to undergo a transformation that would alter his body progressively, in grotesque ways, even. What would go away at first? Would his balls shrivel and shrink, turn compact to the size of corn seeds and...disappear? Or would it start with his cock first by having it recede bit by bit, until there would be nothing there but a cleft and two very awkward balls?

Alex grimaced and whimpered. That seemed absolutely disgusting and dreadful on so many levels! To make it worse, Doran added fuel to the fire by confirming the lengthy procedure they had both committed to. His gender wouldn't swap during sleep and wake up a female. No, no, no. Fuck that idealistic thought, because reality had to be cruel, agonizing, and downright terrifying.

"Fuck my life..." Alex trailed off, swiping off the towel from its perch. He bundled it up into a ball with which he wiped his neck, chest and back on the way to the shower cabin, tossing it to the side, right into the Jacuzzi.

Jacuzzi!

Alex stepped in front of it, dipped a finger into the lukewarm water, then grabbed his cock, rolling his foreskin back, the slick precum easing the motion. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, the promise of a self-pleasuring session in a Jacuzzi too hard to resist. He touched the finger pad of his thumb to the opening of his cock, rubbing the pre over his engorging tip, tucked into its foreskin, yet receptive as ever.

He swelled in a couple of heartbeats, the veins running along his shaft gaining prominence, his sack turning taut.

And then, just when the world seemed bright again, pain. Faint, but noticeable, a stiffness that made clutching his dick a bad move.

"You ejaculated more than a dozen times throughout the VR," Doran said, standing in the doorway and pointing his mug of coffee forward like the boss he was. "Give your cock a break."

Alex took a deep breath, then released it in a drawn-out sigh, his clenched teeth turning it into a hiss. "Why are you here? To state the obvious?"

"You left the door open, so I took it as an invitation."

Without even waiting for Alex to reply, Doran strolled forward in all his naked glory. Tanned, with lean muscles framing his arms, torso and thighs, the man resembled a model. His smoothly shaved chin added salt to the wound, proving to Alex that Doran, at his core, was a damn narcissist.

"You never told me they provide shaving services on the side. That's neat," Alex said while Doran entered the Jacuzzi, moving into the opposite corner, lowering himself down to his neck into the bubbling water. He took a sip of coffee, placing it on the wooden frame, signaling to Alex to join.

"You give these guys too much credit. I shaved myself, Alex. I made my own breakfast, made my own coffee, and now I'll try to make you see the positive side of what's going to happen."

"Make this warmer, and you'll have my attention."

Doran shrugged, hurled an arm past the side of the Jacuzzi to grab a remote which produced those thin, jarring sounds when pressing a button. In just a couple of seconds, the water turned hot, steam rising around them, thin and nice.

Alex lounged back, crossing one leg over the other, resting his head on the frame of the Jacuzzi, staring at the bleak ceiling.

"I don't suppose you can grab me a coffee."

"STAFF!" Doran shouted, making Alex jolt on the spot. "Bring my best friend and future mate a cup of coffee, one third milk, two sugar cubes. Actually, make that two. It's been too long since I criticized my mate's taste in coffee."

"Dude, what are you...I didn't meant that--"

"Yes you did, Alex. You wanted me to grab a coffee for you, so I'm doing exactly that."

"Yes, but not like this. They're supposed to monitor us, not become our glorified servants."

Doran craned his neck forward, a twinkle in his eyes. "What's the difference? They're one and the same to me."

Alex wanted to say something. His words stood on the end of his tongue, ready to be unleashed, were it not for the pitter patter of Enara's claws. She handed them their cups, arms crossed over her slender chest.

"Would there be anything else? Do the gentlemen need a portable table for a meal, perhaps?"

"See how worked up she gets? Used to be a waiter herself," Doran said to Alex before flaunting one of his charming smiles for Enara. "No thank you, my dear. That would be all."

"Call me when you're ready to get things moving," she said on her way out.

"I'll let you know what meal we'll serve for lunch, don't worry," Doran replied, unable to help himself.

Alex simply rolled his eyes, cupped the mug between his hands, and sipped his coffee, its rich aroma soothing his senses.

"I'll have the guys add coffee maker into her file. Talent like that shouldn't be omitted from her list of abilities."

"How long are you going to keep punishing her? She's done something like, super insignificant to you, and you're spewing fire over it."

"It's not about what she has done. It's about what she's going to do." Doran drank from the cup Enara left for him, arched his eyebrows, then took another swig, his eyes drifting towards Alex.

"This isn't coffee. It's milk with coffee."

Alex lifted his cup in a toast-like fashion. "Cheers."

"You repel me." Doran drank all of it in one go, returning to his black coffee afterwards, fingering the handle of the mug. "Enara's a loose cannon. She has a big mouth that will keep talking until you put a proverbial dick in it. And what's the best way to do that? Be being a dick to her."

Doran had his own twisted logic, one that never accounted for human emotions.

"You'll make for a wonderful dragon."

"A dragon who will show utmost devotion to my mate," Doran said, his voice stern, laden with certainty, as if they were already there.

Alex looked to the side, licked his lips. "Yeaah, about that..."

The snap of Doran's fingers forced his attention back to his friend. "It's going to take at least two days for our genitals to change. It's not going to be pretty nor pleasant for either of us, but we'll get through it, because we are both committed to this. Now tell me about your time in the VR. How did it feel to be a dragoness?"

Alex drowned his irritation with a mouthful of coffee. "Great. There was this cabin in the woods, with gorgeous landscape, and all I did was pound my cunt raw with a dildo and then summon a male dragon into existence." He chuckled at that memory. It was fragmented, like a shattered glass, but still enough to provide an accurate picture.

"I gave him a female name at first. Was supposed to be a she, but something went wrong along the way, so I ended up with a cute, horny, chivalrous dragon who desperately wanted to mate with me."

"How did that make you feel?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"How did that make you feel? Desired? Appreciated? Loved?"

"I...I don't know." Alex began kneading at his mug, staring at the ripples marring the water's surface. "I don't remember how I felt. We mated, cuddled, the end. What about you?"

Doran finished his coffee, setting the mug aside and sprawling back, confidence etched upon his mug. "I built cities at first, going through several iterations that progressively lessened the struggles of the everyday citizen. Give them clothes, give them money, give them everything they want. What do you think it happened?"

"Uhm...happily ever after?"

"Nope. War. Global extermination. Little ants, wrestling for dominance, keen on showing who's the boss."

Doran waded closer to Alex, assuming a cross legged position, that unnerving intensity returning to him. "Puzzling, isn't it? How human nature works. Give them a utopia, and they'll turn it into a dystopia during the night, because deep down, most of us can't stand being equal. Why should a stupid brat who can't count to ten enjoy the same luxury as a hard working web designer like you? Why should Enara walk with her head held high and treat me in the same shitty way I treat her? That's preposterous! Abominable! Wrong!"

Alex opened his mouth to say something, but Doran threw his arms forward, as if to dismiss it all. "At least that's what 99% of the citizens of my little experiment probably think."

More like, what he thought, a point that Alex knew too little to debate.

"So, I started rebuilding from scratch. Try and figure out what can be removed, what can be improved throughout our existence, in order to make the utopia work."

"Did you figure it out?"

Doran clicked his tongue. "Not even God knows the answer to that one. I did, however, hack into the security systems of these guys. Of course, it was just a lucid dream, but the techs panicked and brought me out of VR, asking me very nicely not to divulge this to anyone. Against their will, they confirmed that VR technology can be used to tap into the full potential of your brain and do stuff that would normally take you months. Don't look so puzzled, Alex. Our main purpose is to get transformed, but I've got to feed Mardo Corp a bone as well. CTO or not, they wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to get us transformed without having some theories tested in the meanwhile."

Alex froze, his thoughts swept aside by Doran's moment of truthfulness.

"Say it," Doran said, taunting Alex with that satisfied smile. "It's hovering around your mind. Try as you may to ignore it, you can't, so just don't. Now say it. Ask me if what I did had been field work for Mardo Corp or us taking the first step to fulfill our dream."

"Uhm...both?"

Doran splashed water all over Alex, the suddenness of it making Alex drop his cup of coffee into the Jacuzzi and raise his arms defensively.

"See? You're smart." Doran thrust a finger at him, adding a mischievous wink that almost made him look more human. "Just gotta think of what you can do, instead on beating yourself over what you can't do."

That said, he brought his knees under him, planting a hand against the edge of the Jacuzzi to push himself up. "We soaked enough. Time to get our physical inspection done and say goodbye to this place. We'll eat something on the way if your stomach feels up to it."

"Fine. Go ahead. I'll wait for you to get done first."

Doran grabbed a towel to dry himself, his back turned to Alex. "Doesn't work like this buddy. We're mates now, more or less. Whatever we do, we do together."

"Homo!"

"I'm not the one changing my gender in order to make myself available to the man I love."

He just couldn't win against Doran, so Alex dug his face in his palms and mouthed, "Yeah, I guess..."

His fingertips massaged at his temples. Several days spent in VR, and Alex still yawned wide enough for his jaws to pop. Whatever coffee he drank, it did nothing to push back his drowsiness, or to stir his enthusiasm at finally leaving the facility. At least they had specialized personnel here, whereas at the cabin, he would be at Doran's mercy.

"Here." Doran threw a towel over Alex' face, chuckling when it hit its mark. "Don't keep me waiting."

Alex bundled the towel into one hand, using the other to help himself out of the Jacuzzi. A pair of conveniently placed slippers waited for him. He fumbled into them, tied the towel around his waist to conceal his privates, and followed Doran to the main chamber, sitting beside him on one of the lounging chairs.

Doran kept his joined hands in his lap, staring ahead, calm like a Hindu cow. Naturally, his detached attitude gave Alex the jitters. It made him feel self-conscious, unprepared, out of place. After all, he knew nothing of what a physical examination here implied. Would it be the usual? Or were things going to spiral out of control, like Doran asking Enara to give Alex a blow job in order to...to taste his seed or some other bullshit excuse.

His companion noticed the way Alex kicked his legs, the rapping of his knuckles against the frame of the bed, his thumb scratching at the sheets.

"Is there something in this world that doesn't unnerve you?"

"Being at home. Doing my stuff. You know, the ordinary."

"Pah," Doran groaned. "Dull."

Alex gave him a quizzical look. "So, in order to spice up my life, you employ Enara as a prostitute right on the spot?"

"I didn't employ her. We made no deal, no contract. I called in a favor that amused her and relieved your tension."

"Oh, yeah, thank you for that."

"You're welcome," Doran said with the same placid tone, completely disregarding Alex' sarcastic voice. "For a twenty-seven years old dude, you're too stiff for your own good. Rejoice. Live in the moment. Cast aside prejudice and worries. Stop overthinking a given situation and just have fun!"

"Ghah!" Alex gasped when Doran slapped the back of his hand against one of his loose pecs, the layer of fat rippling from the impact.

"Look at those man boobs." Doran gave Alex another slap, his arms too slow to counter the blow. "I'd argue they make for an excellent reason to get transformed."

"Is there a point to all this? Because I'm totally missing it."

The corners of Doran's mouth shifted a little. "Nope. No point. Enara! We're ready for the final check-up."

Moments like these made Alex simmer on the inside, where his temper got the better of him and Doran shrugged it off in that cool, nonchalant way of his. No wonder Alex barely understood the man. Sure, he had known Doran for more than he cared to remember, but understand him? Good luck with that!

Doran's touch on his shoulder made Alex jolt and shudder. His friend chuckled silently, squeezing his shoulder and shaking it a little.

"Go to your own bed, unless you intend to stay around when Enara prods and fondles my balls. That would make you the second biggest homo."

Alex jumped out of the bed, smiling. "Who's the first?"

"Mr. E."

Mister who? It took Alex several seconds to unravel that one. "Oh, I see. Clever."

"No you aren't, but it's okay. Pets only need to act cute, look adorable, and lick a lot."

Alex pretended not to hear that. Some of Doran's jokes affected him on an emotional level, and this pet thing downright disturbed Alex. Who in the right mind would want to be a pet? That was like, insane!

Enara's arrival added a spring in his steps. He hurried to his bed, knots forming within his stomach, blood starting to pump rapidly through his system. He felt like a schoolboy again, ready for the dreadful medical check-up, followed by that all too painful vaccine.

As if on cue, Enara carried one of those pistol syringe type of things, the sort that looked like a gun. Alex gulped hard, every trace of moisture vanishing from his mouth, leaving it dry and empty, just like his mind. When Enara turned to face him, he crawled further into the bed, the dragoness' eyes twinkling with perverse satisfaction.

"This is for you." She placed the fancy syringe beside Alex, the small vial colored a matte white to conceal its contents. "Administer it yourself if you're man enough, or wait for a woman to do it for you."

"Show her you're better than that," Doran said, accepting the tablet Enara proffered, shifting onto his feet and throwing the towel he used as coverings onto the bed. "Do your thing. If it's necessary, ask. If you have to, prod and feel. If what you do matches none of the above, then you'll lose your job."

Alex winced at the bitterness tinting Doran's voice, but Enara merely twitched her tail and wings. "Don't flatter yourself. You made your stance clear to me."

"Then let's keep it this way."

Enara's wings covered most of it, but Alex still glimpsed her fingers curling around Doran's firm pouch, kneading at his eggs, pulling back his foreskin. She lifted her gaze to match Doran's, then let go of his member, inspecting the rest of his body without even a subtle touch.

"The most common anomalies affect your genitals first," Doran explained for Alex, sliding an index finger over the screen of the tablet. "Enara hasn't found anything, so now she's wasting everyone's time."

"Forgive me for being thorough," the dragoness hissed, stepping away from him. "It's company policy, smartass."

"I know, and now it's time you tell me that I'm a perfectly healthy individual and that everything is going accordingly."

"You're a perfectly healthy--"

Doran placed a finger over her muzzle to silence her. "Don't repeat after me. You're a dragon, not a parrot."

Enara snatched the tablet from his hand, turning her back to the smirking Doran and storming over to Alex.

"Here. Keep yourself occupied while I inspect you." She thrust the tablet into his limp hands and signaled him to step out of the bed.

Alex indulged her with great reluctance, eyes darting between the dragoness and the charts, statistics and numbers displayed on the tablet's screen. It might as well have been Chinese, for he had no idea what to make of them.

Enara noticed his puzzled look as well. She growled, settled the syringe aside and ripped the tablet out of his hands, throwing it into the bed.

"Right. You're an actual human being, so I'll treat you like one."

She then proceeded to explain him facts and statistics about his health, the gene therapy's effects, the role of the nanobots, and last but not least, the purpose of the behavioral inhibitor that was already into his system.

Already into his system!

Alex tensed up as that, pushing Enara away, his eyes bulged to the size of raspberries. "Wait wait wait. What the fuck is that thing doing inside me? What's the point of it? Does--does Doran have one of those as well?"

"Calm down," Doran said.

Easy for him to say! He sprawled in the bed, blanket pulled to his neck, enjoying his little nap. Enara reached towards his abdomen, but Alex slapped her away, glaring at her. "No. No touch. Tell me about this...this behavioral whatever."

"Inhibitor," Enara mouthed, looking to the side, like an utterly bored college student who had to help a senior with his math problems. "It's not even online, so what's the point of freaking out over it?"

"It's the only thing he understood from what you told him. Take it easy on him. Alex's human, after all."

"So? Are you going to tell me what's this all about?"

Enara thrust her hands into her bony hips. "Can't we have this talk after I'm done inspecting you?"

She didn't actually wait for his answer. In the next second, her hands were all over his cock and balls, her tender touch pushing Alex' mind back to their short time together. He sucked in a deep breath, holding it within his chest, hoping, praying that he wouldn't get an erection.

And then, she had to pull his foreskin back, electrifying tingles of pleasure rushing through his shaft. No matter how hard Alex squeezed his eyes shut, the throbs rushing through his manhood urged him to grow, and grow, and grow, until his boner stood inches from Enara's muzzle, who had to crouch to check up his balls.

"I'm...I'm terribly sorry." Alex idly rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks threatening to melt from the searing blood rushing to fill them.

"Don't be. You only have ten days left of erections. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts." She pushed herself up to face Alex. "You're good. Now, all that's left is to activate your behavioral inhibitor and test it, so please don't make a big thing out of it. You're the one who's going to end up as a feral, so better accept your choice starting with today."

Alex sought Doran for reassurance, but there was none to be found within those cold, implacable eyes of his. A pragmatic man...hah! More like ruthless.

Alone, without any friend or ally to help him through his predicament, Alex lowered himself on the bed, nodding to Enara, giving her permission to plunge that needle into his arm. He winced when it pierced his skin, but other than a faint sting, everything went well.

"So uhm...tell me more about this inhibitor," Alex said, wiping his clammy hands on the towel he used as a placeholder for shorts.

Enara looked at Doran for permission, who granted it with a short nod.

"Well," Enara began, sitting beside him and shifting a scaly palm on top of his. "Let's start with the beginning. The behavioral inhibitor is a tech present in every p--sapient feral creature, sorry. It's rarely used, nothing more than a safety measure required by the law for intelligent ferals, such as your future self. The name may sound daunting, but it's actually a feature that your nanobots possess, so it's not some weird device that controls your brain or something."

"Wait wait," Alex said, squinting his eyes, furrowing his brow, trying to grasp what Enara just said. "A nanobot feature? So...it was already there, right?"

"Nope. Behavioral inhibitors are activated via intravenous means, through a serum that only certified facilities possess."

"So that the mafia doesn't go around injecting government officials and making them their puppets," Doran added his thoughts.

Enara's fingers curled around Alex', her warmth contrasting with his slick, frigid palms. "There are a multitude of reasons, and none concerns you."

"Well, then jump to the part that concerns me." Alex licked his lips, tapped his foot on the ground, curling and relaxing his toes within his slippers due to nerves.

"The behavioral inhibitor has a passive part, and an active one. The passive features regulate your hormone levels and ensure that your body functions within the parameters of your respective species. Once your fully transformed body learns to do everything on its own, this feature is deactivated."

"So it's more of a management tool of sorts. Like...managing stuff."

"Yeah," Enara said, smiling reassuringly. "It manages stuff. The active part deals with commands, of which there are four types. Command S is the least used. It forces your body into submission by paralyzing your muscles for several seconds. Command B doesn't have paralysis tied to it, Command C gives you a strong urge to follow it through one pressing, incessant thought, and Command D is more of a subtle hint, a nudge at the back of your mind, a need that you may or may not choose to fulfill."

Silence settled over the room, thick and gloomy. Alex swallowed nothing but emptiness, a jarring lump remaining at the back of his throat. For a moment, the thundering beating of his heart was the only sound he heard. His wiggling toes, the only thing he looked at.

"Can you--can you go through it again?" Alex rotated his wrist in a suggestive gesture, but Enara grabbed his hand between hers, urging him to look upon her.

"I can prattle about the theoretical aspect for days and you'd still be unable to wrap your head around it. This is one of those things that you have to experience firsthand in order to understand them."

"Wait." Alex extended a hand at her departing form, but he only managed to touch the tip of her tail briefly. "Where are you going? To Doran? Why Doran? Does he also have a behavioral manager within him?"

She leaned towards him, so that Doran could whisper something in her ear. That done, his friend fixated a stark, dark eye on Alex. Icicles formed within his veins, his heart skipping a beat as a pang of fear seized Alex' senses. Doran--he had never, ever whispered something into somebody's ear, and then look at him like that, in a way that said, "You're totally, utterly fucked mate."

"Alex, can you step away from your bed please?" Enara spoke with a calm, honeyed voice, like a caretaker that tried to lure a puppy into a trap.

His fists tightened on his lap, jaws clenching, teeth grinding against one another. He lifted his gaze towards Enara, the embodiment of utter calmness. She had her wings folded neatly across her back, her arms wrapped around her lithe torso, her tail still, just like her body.

"Obvious much? What are you two plotting? A prank? Intent on having a laugh, just because I can't read no damn medical data from your fancy device? And you." Alex shifted his attention towards Doran, the smoldering blaze within him allowing him to speak the things he always thought, but never voiced.

"You made her into a whore, and now whisper things into her ear? Like you're best pals?"

"There's no hidden plot or any--"

"Shush," Doran said, swerving to the side of the bed. His bare feet made no sound upon contact with the tiled floor, and he walked with those broad, precise steps, his naked form becoming bigger and more intimidating by the second.

He stopped a short distance from Alex, extending a hand. "I told her what she needed to know for the purpose of this test. It's required, they have their techs monitor us, and there is absolutely no way to wriggle out of this. Remember when you signed those papers? The things I said to you?"

Alex nodded reluctantly.

"The same applies here. It can take a few minutes. It can take an hour, or it can take days. Eventually, you are going to get up and do what she asks of you, because your dream is on the line. Our dream."

Alex pressed his lips against each other. He trembled like a leaf, and nobody in the room seemed to give a damn.

"Wh--what's she going to test?"

"A command. A single one. It's quick and painless, just like the injection. If it works, I go to the desk to sign the release forms, and then we'll retreat in the middle of the forest, where it's just the two of us. No lab. No doctors. Just me and you, pal."

Alex pushed himself onto his quaking feet, ignoring Doran's stretched hand and shuffling towards Enara.

"Do your thing. Do it now, before my nerve falters."

"Alyreth, command B, sit."

Alex opened his mouth with the intent to yelp, but no sound came out. The ground lurched under him, up becoming down, pain dispersing through his rump as he toppled right on top of it. His knees jerked inwards, tucking tight against his chest out of their own accord, his frame so stiff, his mind so shocked Alex couldn't move, breathe, nor talk.

His balance wavered, and eventually, he collapsed onto his side, gasping for breath, blinking back the trauma of this disturbing experience. His body--every muscle--everything, literally everything, happened on its own. Against his will, against his judgment, his body decided to simply drop down and tuck his knees to his chest during one short and terrifying second.

"Apologies. It should not have happened this way. The commands are tailored to fit quadrupeds, and you're obviously still human, so--"

"Shut the fuck up and leave. NOW!" Doran roared.

With Enara on her way out, his friend came to collect Alex. Strong arms wrapped around his torso, pulling him up, dragging him into his embrace.

"It's done. I'm proud of you. Everything's okay now. This will never happen again."

Alex' teeth rattled. Cold, ominous shudders seized his frame, his panic skyrocketing. To help soothe him, Doran began running a hand along his neck, growling to Enara, "We're done here. Tell the clerk to prepare the necessary documents. We're leaving."

** ***End of Chapter 3*****

End note: Those commands are freaking scary, aren't they? I don't suppose Alex is going to like them much in the long run. Stay tuned for chapter 4 in order to find out whether this is the straw that breaks the camel's back in his case.

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