"Master Ava?" There I go again, I need to get rid of that habit. The arctic wolf sat in the far left corner of the quarantine room. She had buried her head in her legs as she cried her heart out. This was the first time I had seen her like this. It was heartbreaking.

Little did I know, the camera in the room was on, meaning someone was watching us.

I slowly walked up to Ava, crouched down, and said, "What's the matter?"

She raised her head to face me. Her eyes were slightly red from her weeping. "Josh...?"

"Yeah, it's me." I answered. "Tell me. What happened?"

Ava was silent for a moment, then spoke up. "It started when I began doing volunteer work here at the lab." Volunteer work? That would explain why she never wore a lab coat. Plus, I knew that a job here would be a bit much for a fourteen-year-old, despite her intelligence. (Sorry I didn't mention her age earlier.)

"I told my dad that I was helping the lab care for a human." Ava explained. "He had never heard of a human. I explained that humans weren't from our world, and that no one knows how you got here. But doesn't like things like that. He said that if I didn't stay away from you, there would be consequences." When she said the word "consequences", I didn't think much of it. Until she continued with her story. "I ignored my dad's warning and continued caring for you every day after school. But my dad found out quickly, and started beating me." She removed her shirt, revealing countless cuts and bruises.

I gasped in shock, and even began to tear up. 'Don't cry,' I thought. 'Stay strong for Ava.'

"Oh my God..." I mumbled. "A-Ava... I had no idea..."

Ava put her shirt back on, and embraced me in a hug. She started to calm down, squeezing me a bit tighter. Within minutes, she had fallen asleep in my lap. 'Heh,' I said in my mind. 'I still got it.' I grew weary as well, and drifted off into a silent slumber, still holding Ava.

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