Page 84 of Shifter for Brains

"Bullshit,” I spat while working at the bonds. “The difference is my dad is an incredible man and you’re a monster."

He chuckled darkly. “Takes one to know one.”

The last tether snapped free. I rushed him.

"Ah!"

"You bastard!"

"Stop."

I stabbed him with the sharp thing. Bright sparks erupted, my body seized and spasmed, and Gary threw me against the wall. His flashlight had shocked me. Gary scowled, staring down at my hands. Oh my god. That’s what the sharp thing was. A claw. One nail had lengthened, sharp enough to slice. As soon as I saw it, it changed back into a regular nail.

“I’ll do worse if you try again.” He nodded to the weapon strapped to his back, the rifle-taser. “This is the real deal. Otherwise Hodge coulda killed me once I delivered you.”

"True." Hodge confirmed, walking back in with two brown leather bags.

Hodge set one bag on the floor and put some room between it and him. My uncle kept his weapon in front of him, watching us as he opened the bag one-handed, gave the inside a quick peek, and decided it looked legit.

“Just do as your told,” Gary said. “You’ll be fine.”

Then he walked out, leaving me alone with Hodge.

“Family’s so fickle,” Hodge said. “And if you can’t trust them, who can you trust?”

"Not you."

"True. Yet our bond will endure."

"No."

"The choice isn’t yours. I’ve been living in a gilded cage. Free without freedom. People watching me, tracking my accounts. Rumors circulating. With your power added to my own, I’ll be able to escape and end anyone who tries to stop me."

He stepped towards me and I reared back on instinct.

“Stay away! I’ll fight you every step of the way."

"Think practically. This is happening. How gruesome it has to be is up to you. "

"Screw you."

He opened the other bag and pulled out a thin metal circle, was that… a collar?

"This will trap your abilities, but I control the collar. I could allow you to shift. Or I can keep you in a box, one smaller than this, where you’ll never see the light of day. I’ll draw power from you and you’ll rot. Or you can still be part of the world. Be my partner."

"With you in control."

"Yes. What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is also mine. You’re mine. And as long as you respect that, you can still have a life. I can even show you how to use your fox side.”

"Sure, whatever you say."

"I don’t expect you to trust me yet. Just like I wouldn’t trust you if you agreed. But in time you’ll see it’s better to work with me."

"Don’t count on it. You’re putting me in a cage, how well do you like yours?"

"Fine, you’re right. Maybe you won’t come around."

"Any chance you think I’m not worth it now?"