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The next evening, Aran was sleeping peacefully. His day had been filled with playing games with Gina, telling each other jokes, and even playing in the sandpit. Of course, the wolf told himself that he was too big for the latter, but he thought of it as a way to make up for all he did to the vixen. Nothing of it would ever be close to 'enough', but he at least wanted to show that he tried.

After sandpits come baths, and Jennifer even bathed the two puppies together. They were both put in waterproof diapers and Gina wore a bikini top, but that did not stop the collie from thoroughly cleaning her charges.

All in all, his day had been more exhausting than the wolf realized. When he reluctantly laid down in his crib, the weariness of all the events hit him, and any argument against sleeping disappeared. Aran was tired, and the thought of sleep was a welcome invitation. However, an hour or two later, his slumber was disturbed, in a rather familiar way.

_ 'Great, this again,'_ The wolf thought when he groggily pulled himself from the World of the Sleeping. Just as he had begun to forget this place, he had somehow ended up there once again. Squinting his eyes, Aran tried to focus. Even though he was not fully awake yet, he knew what was coming.

Like the previous time, the wolf was seated on a chair that had been bolted to the floor. Additionally, he again wore the light blue harness and his nighttime diaper. Looking up at the figure right across the table, he recognized Kaiser's muzzle. The expression on his face was a little different from the last time, though.

"Wakie wakie, Aran," the Doberman said with a grin.

"You again? What do you want this time?" the wolf replied, rolling his eyes.

"I get the impression that you don't like me," Kaiser mocked.

"Isn't it obvious? Every time we've met, I wasn't really on the advantageous side of the conversation."

The Doberman grinned again. "It's different tonight, little one. The first time, we spoke about what you didn't know. After that, we discussed what you were learning. Now, I'd like to talk about your future with us."

"My future? That sounds like you're going to keep me here for years!"

Kaiser made a rebutting gesture. "On the contrary. The Chainbreaker program is designed to prepare the charges for their return to society. No, I'm here to put my cards on the table."

"Concerning what? Your face still says that you've got a full house. How can I win if I don't even have a two of Spades?"

"Nice joke, Aran, but you're missing the point here. I meant that I've got a confession to make. This 'contract' I spoke of earlier, the one I claimed to be legally binding, do you remember it?"

"You mean where you used a recording as 'proof' that I agreed with my presence here? Of course I do!"

"Calm down," the Doberman replied reassuring, putting a piece of paper on the table. "I've got the_actual_contract right here."

The wolf was at loss of words when he read the first few sentences. It was about him stating that he needed psychological help and that Chainbreakers Incorporated was going to supply him with said help.

"What's the matter, Aran? You didn't_really_think that a contract can be legally binding if I only record two sentences, did you? Any lawyer would discard that as a nonsensical trick."

"Then what am I still doing here?"

"It's simple, actually. If I asked you whether you_wanted_ to be here, and whether _you_thought you needed the help we can give you, I know what your answer would've been. You would've declined my offer, right?"

Aran nodded in anticipation of where his collocutor was going with his reasoning.

"Therefore, we pretended that you already signed a contract, so you would think that you had no choice but to resign to our program. In other words, we told you..."

"What I needed to hear, yush, I get it," the wolf interrupted. "But what is this contract for?"

"Over the past few days, you've shown that you're compatible with our program, and that we can be of great help to you. However, to continue with what we're doing, you'll have to sign this contract so we're not doing anything illegal. After all, I've technically abducted you."

The wolf frowned. "So this was all playing pretend?"

"Some of it was, including me being a jerk to you. It was all part of the initiation."

"This isn't the actual program yet?"

"Oh, the puppy treatment is, but some things will change after you sign this document."

Aran's ears drooped. "Darn, I really could've gone without the puppy stuff."

"No, you couldn't," Kaiser laughed. "It's what brought you to this point, so we're not going to stop any of it."

"Are you laughing at me?" the wolf replied, somewhat agitated.

"On the contrary, I was laughing_with_you. Anyway, this conversation marks the pivot. Either you refuse to sign, and I'll drop you off at your apartment tonight, or you sign the contract."

"What happens if I sign?" the wolf queried, with ears perked up.

"As stated in the last paragraph, by signing this contract, you admit that you need help and you agree upon the Chainbreakers taking care of you. We'll make sure you recover from your inner damage, but you cannot leave as soon as you sign, unless you have a firm reason to."

Aran sighed and looked at the paper. At the bottom, it showed four spots for a signature. The contract had been signed by Jennifer, Kaiser, and a certain 'Joseph Boden', a name he had not heard before. The last place was labeled 'Aran Conall, charge'.

"Think it through, Aran. I wouldn't want you to regret your decision, whatever it may be. We won't judge you if you decide not to sign, you wouldn't be the first one in that. However, you'll never be offered an opportunity like this again."

"I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Of course you do. If you don't sign, you'll wake up in your own bed tomorrow, no hard feelings."

The wolf sighed again, his ears and tail drooping. "That's not what I meant. Now that I know about the Chain, it has become my responsibility to break the power it has over me. I don't want to become like my father, that'd be rude and inconsiderate in case I ever have a spouse. Or offspring, for that matter. Besides, I owe Gina one for all I've done to her. She treated me like I'm her friend or her brother... I want to know how she learned to be like that."

"In that case, you might need this," Kaiser stated matter-of-factly, offering a ballpoint.

Aran accepted the pen and jotted his signature at the designated place.

"I hope I'm not going to regret this," he added, handing the pen back.

"Jennifer and I will do what we can to prevent that."

"So what happens now? Are you going to stick a needle in me again?" Aran asked, as he saw Kaiser searching through his jacket.

"Nope. I'm looking for_this_," the Doberman replied, taking a small key from his inside pocket.

"What's that for?"

Kaiser got up and unlocked something behind Aran's back. He tried to turn around, so he could see what was going on. When he did so, the harness no longer restrained his body, and just fell off. The Doberman offered a hand and helped Aran to get on his paws.

The wolf was already confused, but he was puzzled when Kaiser opened the door of the interrogation room. He was led outside, into... the hall on the first floor of Jennifer's house?

"Wait, I never left this place since I got here?"

"Nope," the Doberman replied, lifting Aran from the floor and cradling him like a puppy.

He carried the charge to his nursery and put him back in his sleeper, then laid him down in the crib.

"I... I don't get it," was all the wolf could utter.

"That's okay. You're not used to me being nice to you, right? Don't worry, I've been in this program myself, and I've had a similar experience," Kaiser reassured, tucking his charge in.

"Are you a caregiver as well?"

He shook his head. "I was a charge when I was fifteen, and it changed my life for good. Later on, I went to college to study biochemistry, and I sought contact with my ex-caregiver. The Chainbreakers were more than willing to accept my services for their cause."

"B-but... what're you going to do now? I mean, now you don't have to be a jerk anymore. Or do you still?"

"Only if you thoroughly misbehave, like in Wesley's case. With him, it was mostly me being physically stern to him, so he wouldn't hate Jennifer over it, but me instead," Kaiser answered with a wink. "I won't be your caregiver, but from now on, I'm more like your mentor. If you need anything off your chest concerning Jennifer or your treatment, I'm your counselor. I'd have a hard time imagining Jennifer purposely hurting you in any way, but we want this experience to be safe for you."

"So I don't have to go to the interrogation room anymore?"

"That's only a part of the initiation. It's over now, Aran. Enjoy your stay here, and please be nice to Jennifer."

"I'll try," Aran mumbled.

"Good puppy. I'd like to stay, but I have another task tonight. Besides, it's way past puppy bedtime. See you again soon, Aran."

The Doberman turned the lights off and quietly left the nursery.