Gwylan

It wasn't often that you succumbed to asking for help from others. You were a highly independent and individualistic person. This town was dangerous—you refused to accept help or handouts, because everything came with a price. Usually much higher than you'd ever be willing to pay, given the lecherous types that roamed the town.

Gwylan was different, though. When he had first offered to ease your mind and soothe your worries, you sensed no malicious intent behind it. Still, you had no plans to take him up on his offer until you began to be plagued by insidious nightmares that left you tossing and turning, often waking up screaming.

He knew the moment he saw your face that something was wrong, his expression empathetic as you explained your plight.

"I'll have to blindfold you first. I don't want anybody knowing the way to the garden." He was apologetic as he blindfolded you, carefully leading you through the shop. When the blindfold came off, you were in a lush garden filled with tropical and exotic flowers that weren't native to the U.K. He sat you down in a chair and began to mix up a special compound in a tea.

"Drink this. It'll make you feel more at ease. Then I'll just have you focus on my voice..."

Gwylan's eyes began to glow, the beginnings of his hypnosis starting to weave around you as he got ready to help ease your mind of these nightmares.

You knew early on that the Brown Fox you had been helping was actually Gwylan in disguise. It was a bit too on the nose and obvious, but nobody else seemed to have caught on yet so you stayed quiet about it.

It was only when you asked Gwylan point-blank for his help in swapping the wishing bones from Avery's vault that you revealed you knew he was the Brown Fox, although he only smiled knowingly, not at all surprised that you had figured it out.

That's what led you here. The two of you sneaking through Avery's mansion. The swap had been easy; Gwylan was quick to figure out the combination code to the safe in Avery's secret dungeon, and soon the two of you were traipsing back through the house.

"Tell me, pet... Do you enjoy your time here with Avery?"

Gwylan had asked you this as you dipped into the bedroom that you shared with the businessman, his green eyes shining bright through the holes on his mask. Before you could answer, he was backing you up towards the bed, pushing you down to sit on the mattress.

He was quick, plucking at your clothing to magically remove them until you were naked before Gwylan.

"He'll never be your true master," Gwylan cooed, his voice almost patronizing as a leash made of vines appeared, asserting his control over you. "Be a good pet for me, won't you?"

You were tired. You were so, so tired. You had tried to remain strong, standing tall after this world threw one tragedy right after another at you. But you were also only human, and everybody had a breaking point.

Clothes torn, you stumbled through the forest. Even though you hadn't visited in weeks, you knew your way to the shop well, stumbling inside. The shop welcomed you in readily, and you saw Gwylan behind the counter. He immediately perked up upon seeing you.

"Dear! I haven't seen you in ages! I was starting to get... worried..." He trailed off when he finally took in your form, the way your lip quivered and your eyes grew glossy with tears. He was in front of you in a blink of an eye, catching you before you could fall forward. His grip on you was tight, and he quickly helped you sit down on the floor. His fingers combed through your hair.

"Sh, sh... I've got you, my dear. You're safe here."

In hindsight, you knew better than to fall asleep during a Blood Moon. Considering your ties to the supernatural, you should have known better. Gwylan had warned you countless times; even without his warnings, you had your own experiences to draw from.

It had been an accident. One moment you were reading a book, and the next moment your body was getting possessed by the Ivory Wraith. Again.

Try as you might to fight against the possession, the Ivory Wraith began to walk you through the town, into the woods, and towards the lake where it resided, intent on dragging you to a watery grave. Rain drizzled down, soaking your clothes, but your body was numb.

"Pet? What are you doing out here?" Gwylan's voice cut through the silence, and your body mechanically turned. He immediately sensed something was off, and before the Ivory Wraith could use your body to attack, Gwylan was tackling you to the forest floor.

"You have to fight against it, dear! I'll help you, but you have to be the one to break free...!"

But... could you?

It had taken time, but your relationship with Gwylan was finally blooming. After months of spending time with him, visiting his shop daily, and him finally accepting your feelings... Well, you didn't things could get any better. But you had viewed him with rose-tinted glasses. It was easy to overlook the subtle ways he manipulated you. The control he was slowly exerting over you, commanding your every thought with every time he hypnotized you to 'ease your mind'.

"Pet, look what I have for you!"

Gwylan proudly presented what at first looked like a choker, but upon second glance you knew better. It was a dog collar. The green leather was etched with foreign, magical runes. There was a gold heart pendant that dangled on the front, and on the back of it had his initials engraved.

"Don't you want me to put it on?"

You couldn't say 'no' even if you wanted to. His compulsion was too strong to resist, clouding over your mind as if to ask you why you'd ever want to say 'no' to him. Gwylan clasped the collar around your neck, pleased as can be.

"And now, to lock it with a kiss..!"

The collar would prevent you from ever disobeying Gwylan, and you would never be able to remove it... But at the very least it would protect you from anybody with harmful intentions, and Gwylan would always know where you are.

How long had it been since you had been trapped in Gwylan's shop? It was hard to keep track of time; your phone was one of the first things confiscated when Gwylan had collared you and claimed that you had to stay here 'for your own safety'. The town and its people were too cruel, he told you. You're too pure for this world, he said.

Your mind felt hazy. Constantly under Gwylan's hypnosis, paired with the controlling collar, had the fight sap from you. You spent most days listlessly staring out the windows or curled up in the over-sized dog bed Gwylan had you sleep in.

Nothing felt real anymore. Everything was numb—but it was a comforting numbness.

"Sh, sh... Go back to sleep, pet... It's just me."

Gwylan's voice was soothing as he laid against you in the dog beg. His chest pressed against your back, an arm around your waist. Sleep claimed you once more...

Only to wake up when you felt fingers inside you, a hand down your pants as Gwylan panted softly in your ear.

"Just lie still for me, won't you, my dear? Let me take care of you."

And what other choice did you have?