Breeding in the Academy: Searching for Freedom (All 14)

Chapter 7

Owen POV

I twisted the screw of my violin bow, loosening the bow strings. Sighing, I bent to place my violin into its case. I swept a speck of dust from my mahogany instrument as I was swept into my memories.

Tears ran down my face as the woman in front of me tried to comfort me. No matter how much I begged, she always left me in this lifeless atmosphere. Everything was scary to me. The old people stuck me with sharp needles. The older boys avoided me, and the only boy around my age was an odd blonde headed boy who flirted with every female in sight. I looked at my mother. Her face was hidden in the shadows but gray eyes stared at me tearfully. Soft brown hair fell across frail shoulders. Her thin hands came to cup my face.

"I'm sorry, my baby boy." She spoke in a soft yet sad tone. She wiped the tears from my face. "I brought you something."

I sniffled as I watched her pick up something from behind her chair. My eyes widened at the worn gray case that I knew held her favorite instrument. She knelt in front of me, placing the case to the side of us. "I want to leave this for you. Next time I come, I want to hear you play."

I nodded, my eyes never leaving the case. I always loved hearing my mother play. She was the person I wanted to be like when I was grown up. I looked at her with a wide smile. "Really?"

She cupped my face. "Of course. I'll come for you, my perfect boy."

Time continued, and a year passed. I worked so hard to perfect the song I wanted to show my mom. I had woken up at eight, waiting for my mother to appear to our yearly meetings. I was excited to see her and skipped breakfast. Nerves raced through me.. Noon came, and I scarfed down the food in case my mother decided to come during lunch hour. I was so certain she'd come that I kept my clothes unwrinkled, combed my hair back, and made sure that my glasses didn't have any smudges. As the hours went by, my hopes and happiness withered As the minute hand ticked down to the last second of visiting hours, I stared at the violin I had placed on the table.

She didn't show. Tears gathered in my eyes. I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Maybe that's why she didn't appear. I wasn't perfect. She'd come for me if I was perfect. I straightened from my slouched position and wiped the tears from my face. I stood, moving with calculated moves as I grabbed my violin and walked towards my room. I'll become her perfect boy, and she'll come back for me.

A knock on my door shook me from my past. Turning, I raised an eyebrow at the boy standing in the doorway. His blonde hair fell into his face. His face scrunched in distaste and swatted at the curls. He was already dressed in his tuxedo with a black tie. Green eyes met mine, and he smiled sadly as he saw the open violin case. After that day when my mom didn't show, Sean became my constant companion and closest friend despite our differences. "You ready, Owen?"

I nodded, turning my face so he wouldn't see the hatred in my eyes. It wasn't pointed towards him, but at what we had to do. In just a few minutes was the Bidding where we would be sold to women who'd use our bodies. After three years of this, I'd think that I would be used to it, but every time a woman laid her hands on me, I wanted to run. I would run, and so would my family of Prime boys if it wasn't for this white collar around our throats. "How are the others holding up?"

Sean was silent. I turned towards him after grabbing my tuxedo jacket. His eyes held shadows of the past that he didn't want the boys to experience. "They're scared. Michel and Kota almost had a panic attack."

I absorbed that information. Michel came from a past that none of us knew, but from what I learned from living with him, he was scared of women and loud noises. Kota came from an abusive family before he entered the facility. His father who was a green collar was jealous that his son was a Prime and took his anger on him. When he appeared, he was wary and jumpy around us, especially me and Sean. He had known Nathan, Gabriel, Victor, and Luke before the facility and stayed close with them. It wasn't until Sean started to work with him on his fears that he started to get used to us.