Working Bears

Part 1 – A Cop’s New Career

Officer Delaney got out of his car and approached the expensive looking red sports car he'd just pulled over for speeding, blinking slightly in the bright sunshine. The black furred bear sighed as he got close.

Why did the assholes who could afford these fancy cars always seem to think they were above the law, that they could drive as fast as they liked? He must have known his chances of getting caught were pretty good on a quiet back road like this.

He arrived at the car to find the driver, a large brown bear, had already lowered the window and was looking up at him through a pair of expensive looking designer shades. He was smiling, a smug grin on his muzzle.

“Is there a problem, officer?” He drawled, arrogance positively dripping from his voice.

“You were exceeding the speed limit, sir.” Delaney explained. “By quite a large degree.”

“Oh that!” The bear driver chuckled and shrugged. “Sorry about that, but I'm running late for an important meeting in the city...”

“That doesn't give you the right to break the law, sir.” Delaney said, his dislike for this bear growing by the moment. “Licence and registration, please.”

The bear in the car handed over the documents and Delaney examined them, locating the driver's name. “So, Mr. Thurman. I'm afraid I'm going to have to...”

“It's doctor, actually.” The bear interrupted. “Dr. Bernard Thurman. Head of Thurman Industries. Maybe you've heard of it?”

Great. Delaney thought. A corporate type. They were always the worst, believing that whatever they were doing was far more important than the law and that their money could buy them out of any problems.

“I've vaguely heard of it, sir.” He answered. “But that doesn't matter, I'm going to have to write you a ticket.”

Dr. Thurman burst out laughing at that, much to Delaney's frustration and annoyance. “Oh, officer! You're really not going to do that!”

“Yes, sir, I am.” Delaney stated, adamantly. “You were...”

He paused as Thurman reached up with one paw and pulled off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of deep blue eyes, with which he looked at the black bear officer, fixing his gaze on him.

Delaney was struck by those eyes. There was just something about them... He found his own eyes locked on them, unable to look away...

“Just look into my eyes, officer...” Said Thurman, a soothing monotone to his voice. “Just relax and let my voice wash over you.... let my eye my eyes draw you in... relax and listen....”

Delaney felt a strange warmth wash through him, his body relaxing as he continued staring into the eyes of the other bear. Something was wrong here... why couldn't he think straight? Why...

Why...

…

…

…

Awareness dripped gently back into Delaney's head. He felt utterly relaxed, and completely confused. His head and thoughts felt fuzzy, oddly jumbled. What was going on?

And... and why was he standing there with his shirt open, the breeze brushing softly against his muscular chest and stomach? Why was his belt unbuckled and his pants open, his cock hanging out? And why on Earth was it rock hard, standing at attention?

“Well, keep them busy until I get there, slave!”

The voice, silky and smooth and familiar made him realise he was not alone. Standing before him, leaning against a red sports car, was a tall brown bear in a sharp business suit. The suit was tight, hinting at a muscular frame underneath.

He knew this bear, he was certain, but his fuzzy thoughts were having trouble conjuring up a name... it was.... it was...

Thurman?

That seemed right, but not quite, as if there was something missing... but what? Of course...

Master Thurman. That was it. That was right. This bear was his Master...

Was he? He didn't have a Master before, did he? He was so confused...

Master Thurman was magnificent, he knew that much for certain, a wonderfully handsome and attractive specimen of a bear it would be a great honour to serve...

Huh? That seemed wrong... he was sure he'd never been attracted to a male before... right?

He wanted to try and shake his head, clear his jumbled thoughts, but found he couldn't move, couldn't take his eyes off his Master. The brown bear was ignoring him at the moment, a cell phone clasped to one side of his face, having a frustrating conversation with whoever was on the other end.

“Explain to them that I've run into a delay and will be there as soon as possible...”

A pause.

“If they continue to get agitated, you have permission to use the trigger phrase to put them all into a trance while you wait for me. Suck them off or something.”

Another pause.

“I got pulled over by a cop for speeding, but don't worry, slave, I'm dealing with it. Speaking of which, remind me to call Victor later, I've got someone new for his staff for him here.”

Master Thurman turned to glance at Delaney, now noticing that he was stirring. “Hmm. I need to go. The cop is starting to slip out of his trance. I need to finish up with him. You have your instructions, slave. I'll be there soon.” He terminated the call and slipped the phone into a pocket.

The brown bear turned his full attention to the black bear, stepping over to him. He slipped a paw into his open shirt, rubbing it across Delaney's chest.

The touch of Master Thurman felt so very good, very relaxing. A slight moan escaped his muzzle as a warmth spread through him, washing away the doubts that had been building in his confused mind.

“Just relax, Officer...” Master Thurman said. “It's time to finish up your basic induction and give you your instructions. You've got quite the interesting future ahead of you, my newest slave...”

A part of him felt the need to protest, to object to being called a 'slave', but suddenly he was looking into Master Thurman's hypnotic blue eyes again, and all his objections faded and were gone...

“Look into my eyes, Officer.... Relax, listen to my voice... Listen and obey...”

Listen and obey... yes sounded right... it was getting more and more difficult to think as the brown bear's eyes filled his world. He soon gave it up, letting Master Thurman's words soak into him... Listen and obey...

Listen...

Obey...

…

…

…

Huh? What happened?

Officer Delaney blinked, momentarily confused. What was going on?

He was standing beside the sports car he'd pulled over. The brown bear, Dr. Thurman was in the driver's seat, looking t him expectantly. He'd pulled him over, checked his licence and registration and then... what?

He had a niggling feeling he was forgetting something. But he couldn't remember anything else happening. So he pushed that thought away.

“Will there be anything else, officer?” Thurman asked pleasantly.

Was there? Delaney shook his head, trying to clear the fuzziness. No, of course, not, there was no reason to keep this handsome attractive bear any longer.

“No, Sir, that will be all.” He said, handing back Thurman's documents. “Sorry to have kept you.”

The brown bear smiled, glancing at him with beautiful blue eyes. “Not at all, Officer Delaney. I understand you're just doing your job.” He gave the black bear police officer a nod, started his car and drove away.

Delaney headed back to his car. It wasn't until he was back behind the wheel that the thought struck him.

He didn't remember telling Dr. Thurman his name...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What am I doing here?

That was the thought running through Delaney's head as he strolled along the alleyway.

It was the first of his two days off work. He'd intended to spend them at home, catching up on stuff, but had woken up with the strangest compulsion. He'd showered, dressed, driven into the city, to an area he'd never been to before, parked in an unfamiliar parking lot as if he knew it well, and then proceeded to walk a few blocks to this strange alley.

He had this feeling that wherever he was going, he was almost there. His rational mind felt as if he should be alarmed and concerned about this, but some deeper part of him seemed to be preventing that, making him feel like this was where he was meant to be.

There was a nondescript metal door set into the wall on one side ahead, with a viewing slot. He was drawn to it, approaching it and knocking.

He waited patiently a few moments, still feeling like this was all wrong.

Suddenly, there was a clattering at the door and the slot was pulled back. A pair of eyes stared out at him. “Yes?” Came a rough voice.

“I...” Delaney stammered. What was he supposed to say? “I'm Robert Delaney... I...”

The viewing slot slammed closed and there was the sound of bolts being drawn back and locks being opened. Then the door was thrown open to reveal a large muscular ferret, easily the largest Delaney had ever seen.

His impressive physique and bulging muscles were on display for all to see as all he wore was a leather collar around his neck and a pair of skimpy and tightly fitting blue briefs, bulging at the crotch, on which a symbol had been printed, a capital T in a circle. It looked oddly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. As he looked up at the ferret in shock, he saw that the same symbol was etched into the buckle of his collar.

“Welcome!” The rough voiced ferret said excitedly. “I've been expecting you!” He stepped aside, allowing Delaney to enter.

The black bear stepped into the wide hallway beyond the door. “Expecting me? But I... I don't know...”

The ferret closed the door, locking and bolting it again. “Yes, your first time here, I expect you're very confused. They always are.” He gave Delaney a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Don't worry, that will pass.”

Delaney wanted to say something more, but the ferret continued before he could. “My name is Victor, but you will call me Sir.” He explained. “I'm in charge around here. At least, whenever the Master isn't visiting us, that is...”

Master... that word seemed to spark something in Delaney's mind. Some recognition, something he thought he should be remembering... Did he have a Master?

One large hand planted firmly on the black bear's shoulder, Victor guided him along the corridor to the first door on the left. Beyond was a basic locker room, filled with rows of white metal lockers and a few worn wooden benches.

“This is the entry locker room, where you always come first upon arrival.” Victor was telling him, leading over to one locker that was hanging open. “And this is your locker, Robert. Now strip.”

“Strip?” Delaney stammered, confused.

“Yes, as in get undressed.” Victor said, a serious tone slipping into his voice. “Don't keep me waiting. There's a lot to do and familiarise you with before opening time.”

“But I...” The black bear was so confused, trying to think straight and understand. “I don't know... what is this place... what the hell is going on...?!”

Victor sighed. “I see. Still a little sub-conscious resistance, eh? Never mind, we'll get that sorted out in a bit... but for now, there's no harm in explaining a few things to you.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Recently, you encountered a bear by the name of Dr. Bernard Thurman.”

Delaney thought about this. Yes... yes he had! That handsome bear he'd pulled over for speeding a few days ago and whom he'd then allowed to go on his way without a ticket.. 

The name Thurman suddenly caused another memory to click. That symbol! He knew he'd seen it before. It was the logo of that big corporation, Thurman Industries.

Victor continued. “Well, unknown to the general public, his company, Thurman Industries, invests in and operates a large number of unorthodox businesses. Such as this place, the Working Bears Club, the full nature of which you will see soon enough.”

“But...”

“You are here because Master Thurman wanted you here.” Victor carried on. “I would imagine your encounter with him was a lot longer than you remember. Our wonderful Master is a highly skilled expert in hypnosis and mind control. You likely spent a good deal of time in a deep trance under his control, receiving a basic induction as one of his many, many slaves as well as instructions to come here on your next day off work.”

Delaney tried to take this all in and process it. It couldn't be true, could it? That he'd been hypnotized, programmed to come here? It just seemed so ridiculous, so far-fetched...

And yet, it would explain the compulsion that led him here...

“But I...” He tried to say something, to protest, but something was stopping him from getting the right words out. “I don't want.... I must...”

Victor cut him off with a wave of his paw. “A part of you is still resisting, oh well. We can get around that and make this easier... Slave, you will obey.”

That phrase hit his mind like a sledgehammer. His body stiffened and it felt as if a switch in his head had just been flipped.

“Yes, Sir, I will obey.” He found himself saying. And deep inside he just seemed to know that he meant it, that he would indeed obey any order this ferret gave him. He was sure that should bother him, and was puzzled by the fact that it didn't.

“Basic obedience trigger.” Victor explained. “One of the first things Master programs all his slaves with. To ensure our compliance with his wishes until any lingering resistance is erased. Now, we need to be getting on. Strip naked, put your clothes away in your locker and wait here.”

“Yes, Sir.” Delaney replied, his body moving to comply without him thinking about it. He tried to stop himself, but found that he couldn't. He had to obey, whether he wanted to or not. And there was a growing part of him that did want to obey, to be a good slave.

As he stripped off his clothes, Victor wandered off somewhere. When he was done, his clothes folded neatly and placed in the locker, he stayed where he was, unable to move, rooted to the spot by the muscular ferret's command to wait there.

He was trying and failing to get himself worried about what was happening to him when the sound of knocking on metal sounded. Someone else at the door?

Glancing at the locker room doorway, he saw Victor stomp past. A moment later, he heard the door he'd arrived at open briefly and then close again.

A second later, someone new entered the room. A muscle-bound polar bear in jeans and a shirt so tight Delaney was half expecting it to rip apart at any moment. He ignored Delaney completely, heading to one of the lockers, opening it and starting to get undressed.

“Umm... hi?” He said. But the polar bear continued ignoring him.

“Leave him be.” Victor said, entering the room a moment later, carrying a couple of items in one paw. “The staff are all programmed not to talk until they've changed and entered the club. Soon, you will be the same.”

“But I...” Delaney began.

“Silence.” Victor ordered. The words of protest died in the black bear's throat as he was suddenly unable to talk.

“You will not talk unless it's to answer a question or unless you have an important question.” The ferret added. Then he handed over what he was carrying to Delaney. “Put these on.”

Delaney took the items and put them on. There was a red pair of briefs with a Thurman logo on it that was tight, hugging his cock in a way that he found strangely comforting. The other item was a leather collar with a Thurman logo on the buckle. He put it on around his neck and the found it felt so good to wear, it just felt right for him to have a collar like this.

Victor chuckled, noticing the smile on the black bear's muzzle. “Feels good, doesn't it? Getting that collar on for the first time...”

“Yes, Sir.” Delaney replied.

“What you're wearing is all you are permitted to wear in this building.” Victor told him. “Except when the club is open, but we'll get to your work uniform later. Whenever you arrive here, the first thing you will do is get changed out of your street clothes into this.”

Behind him, the polar bear had finished changing, now dressed only in a collar and green briefs. He silently left the room.

“As for the second thing you do... follow me.” He led Delaney out of the locker room and across the hallway and though another doorway.

This led to a new room, lined with desks with computer monitors. In front of each monitor was a strange headset a big high-backed chair. Delaney had no idea what this place might be for. The polar bear was here, now sat in front of one of the screens, wearing one of the headsets, staring at the screen, eyes wide and glazed over, apparently enthralled by the strange swirling patterns on the screen.

There was something about those patterns, so nice and comforting and...

“Don't look at his screen.” Victor warned, and Delaney pulled his gaze away from it with some effort. “Never look at anyone else's screen, only your own.”

“Yes, Sir.” The black bear nodded.

“This is where you come after getting changed.” Victor explained. “All staff are required to undergo a session of hypnotic programming on arrival, to strengthen and reinforce their enslavement after time spent back in their normal lives. This is is your first time here, so you will undergoing a full enslavement and programming session. It will take a bit of time. Sit down here.” He indicated one of the empty chairs.

Delaney sat down, his thoughts confused about the mentioning of 'programming' and 'enslavement' but he couldn't disobey or protest what was happening. The part within him that wanted to be a good slave was getting stronger, was eagerly awaiting whatever was about to happen.

Victor helped him on with the strange headset. It had earphones that he needed to place in his ears, as well as a frame onto which was attached a network of odd looking electrodes that rested against his skull.

“This whole system was designed by Master Thurman himself.” The big ferret explained. “The headset bombards the brain with pulses that render it much more suggestible, allowing the hypnotic visual and audio signals being fed to you through the screen and earphones to be much more effective.”

“What do I need to do?” Delaney found himself able to ask. He guessed it qualified as an 'important question'.

“Ordinarily, just come in, sit down, relax, slip on the headset and switch on the monitor.” Victor replied. “The reinforcement program is set to run automatically. But we need to run a special program for new arrivals. Stay there.”

The ferret went over to one of the monitors, the one nearest the door. Delaney noticed it was the only one with a keyboard set up in front of it and no headset. Victor sat down at it, switched on the monitor and started tapping away at the keyboard. The black bear guessed it must be the computer that controlled the system of monitors in this room.

After a few minutes, Victor returned to him.”All set up, a full enslavement and programming sequence. So just sit back, relax and watch the screen.” With that, he switched on the monitor in front of Delaney.

The screen was suddenly filled with colourful swirling patterns and Delaney's eyes were instantly locked onto it. He couldn't look away. In fact, he didn't want to look away, the patterns were making him feel so relaxed, so content...

At the same time, his head started to feel a little tingly, and some part of him that was rapidly fading guessed it must be the electrodes of the headset getting to work. Also, his ears were filled with sound, soothing musical tones blocking out all other noise, overlaid with a voice telling him to relax, to listen, to obey, to accept his place...

Delaney sat there, staring at the screen, listening to the voice. He couldn't do anything else, but then, he didn't want to do anything else anymore. He was being was filled with such warmth and fulfilment, his mind blank and happy and...

Suddenly the screen went dark, switching off, the voice disappeared. What was happening?

He reached up and slipped off the headset, placing it carefully down on the desk in front of him. He glanced about, wondering how long he'd been there staring at the screen. He couldn't tell for sure, it could have been minutes or hours. Victor was gone, as was the polar bear. Three others were now in the room with him, each wearing a headset and staring blankly at a monitor.

Delaney was careful not to look at there screens as he looked at them. All three were bears, a grizzly with dark brown fur and two black bears like himself. All of them were very muscular with impressive bulging physiques, wearing only collars and coloured Thurman Industries briefs.

He turned away from his fellow slaves and wondered what he was supposed to do next and...

He stopped in mid-thought as he realised he'd thought of the other bears as his fellow slaves. Why...?

It was only then that he realised his head was full of new knowledge and new desires. With every fibre of his being he now knew he was a slave, property of Thurman Industries and his one true Master, Bernard Thurman.

More than that, he loved that fact, loved the idea that he was now just a slave, his purpose being to serve and obey his Master's wishes. Even though he knew that thought would have disgusted him just yesterday, now it felt right, it was comforting to have such a certainty about his place in the world, to have a Master to look up to, to worship and adore and to do all his thinking for him. The more he thought about it, the more he was filled with a warm happiness.

New desires had now also been awakened in him. A desire for males. Any thought of females seemed to have been driven from him and a voracious sexual appetite for fit, muscular males had been put in its place. He looked back at he fellow slaves again to confirm this and he did indeed think they all looked amazing, hot and attractive. He would love to fuck them and suck them off, and have him do the same to him...

But he also knew he never would, not unless he was given permission. Somehow he just knew that for a slave like him, sex was a reward he'd have to earn.

“Ah, you're all done! Excellent!”

Delaney turned to see Victor entering the room, smiling. The black bear found himself looking at this ferret in a whole new way now. He was in charge here, given that duty by Master Thurman. Therefore, he knew he would obey Victor at all times when Master wasn't present. He was filled with sudden respect for the ferret. He must have been a very good slave for Master to trust him with such responsibility.

“How are you feeling?” Victor asked.

“Very good, thank you, Sir. I understand so much better now.” Delaney replied honestly.

“Glad to hear it!” The big ferret grinned. “You may now speak when you wish. Follow me.”

“Yes, Sir.” Said Delaney, standing up and following Victor out of the room.

The black bear was led along the hallway to another doorway. “Through here are the slave quarters.” Victor told him. “Where myself and the few permanent staff live. It's where you will be staying whenever you're here.”

Through the doorway was a lounge area, with comfortable sofas arranged around a large TV that seemed to be showing gay BDSM porn. A bear with light brown fur was sat there, stroking the bulge of his green briefs as he watched. He looked up at them as they entered.

“Hello, Sir!” He said pleasantly. He glanced at Delaney. “New slave?”

Victor nodded and the brown bear leapt to his feet and approached them. “Hi! Welcome to the Working Bears Club!” He shook Delaney by the paw. “I'm Sarge.”

“I'm...” Delaney's voice trailed off. He was unable to say his own name. He tried again. “I'm...” The same thing happened again. He frowned. He knew his name was Delaney, but couldn't seem to say it...

Sarge chuckled. “He's not been given his slave name yet, has he, Sir?”

“No he hasn't.” Victor smirked. He turned to Delaney. “Here in the club, staff don't use the names they have on the outside. You've been programmed not to use it. In a while, we'll get you a proper slave name to use while you're here.”

“I look forward to finding out what it is.” Sarge smiled. He stepped forward and hugged Delaney, wrapping his big arms around him, running his paws up and down his back. “And maybe later, where you're all settled in and down with your duties, we can have some fun together...”

Delaney was shocked, pulling out of the hug. “But we...!”

Sarge laughed. “Yes, we slaves aren't allowed to have sex without permission. But there's still plenty of fun stuff we can do together. Cuddling, snuggling, fondling, groping, massaging...” He winked suggestively at the black bear. “Some of us have become very good at it!”

They left Sarge to return to watching porn, and Victor continued his tour. Off the lounge area there was a kitchen, a sort of dormitory full of bunks, some occupied with cuddling muscular bears, with an adjoining large communal shower. There was also a sizeable gym, full of weights and various machines and Victor explained that all staff were required to build up and maintain muscular bodies.

Along the way, Delaney was introduced to more of his fellow slaves. The polar bear who had arrived shortly after him turned out to be named Axe. There was another polar bear, slightly shorter, by the name of Warrant. And a grizzly named Hammer. And another black bear who was called Doc. All of them were very friendly and affectionate, welcoming him to the club and offering to have fun with him later if he liked. They all gave him a good hug, cuddle or grope.

Delaney asked about the unusual names, if there was any reasoning behind them. Victor merely chuckled, telling him he'd see for himself later.

After the slave quarters, Victor led him through to another area of the building, which he explained was the club itself and it's adjoining facilities.

First up was another locker room, this one seemingly much shinier and well maintained than the other one where he'd changed out of his street clothes. Victor explained that this was where the staff changed into their work clothes when the club opened.

Beyond the locker room were several storerooms with supplies for the club, Victor's office, a laundry room, a control room from which someone could monitor the clubs security cameras and control the clubs music and lighting, and a kitchen for preparing what food the club offered.

Once he'd been shown these, Delaney was led through a pair of double doors into the club itself. It was large and wide, decorated elegantly and luxuriously. There were numerous tables and booths along the walls. There was a fully stocked bar. There was a stage, complete with steel pole.

“Yes, the pole is for dancing with.” Said Victor, when he spotted Delaney staring at it. “All staff perform on stage for the entertainment of the customers at some point. Don't worry, some basic routines have already been implanted in your head. You'll pick up more as time goes on.”

Delaney felt a little apprehensive about that. He'd never really been much of a dancer, and the thought of pole dancing on stage in front of others really made him nervous. But Victor seemed confident he could do, and it was something that was a part of his new life here as a slave of Master Thurman, so it was something he'd have to deal with.

There were a number of slave bears in the club, performing various cleaning duties. They ignored Victor and Delaney though, displaying none of the friendliness the others back in the slave quarters.

“Don't be offended.” Victor explained, when he asked about this. “You'll be the same when you are on cleaning duty. Socialisation is not permitted while performing your duties so that you can remain focused on doing the best job you can.”

The tour ended with Victor pointing out a corridor on the far side of the club, telling him that it led to the private customer rooms, for when customers wanted some time alone with one of the staff. Delaney wasn't quite sure what to make of that

With the tour done, Victor led Delaney back out of the club and to his office. As offices went, it was rather basic. A small room with a desk, a computer, a phone, a clock on the wall, a couple of chairs and a few filing cabinets. No decorations or personal touches or anything.

The big ferret seemed to notice Delaney giving the room a strange look. “Yes, its not much of an office. But it doesn't need to be. It's just a place for me to handle all the administration duties for the club, reordering, accounts, that kind of thing. Sit down.”

Delaney sat down on the chair in front of the desk while Victor sat himself down behind it. The ferret relaxed back in his chair, looking at the black bear intently. “So, any questions?”

The black bear did have several things he wanted to ask. He started with what he felt was the most important. “What exactly will I be doing here, Sir?”

“As part of the staff here you will be doing many things when the club is open.” Victor explained. “There's a duty roster in the locker rooms and the slave quarters. Sometimes you might be working in the kitchen or behind the bar. When you've built your body up some, you might even spend some time as security on the door. But most of the time you'll be serving as a waiter and a performer on stage, and be available for use in private by customers.”

“What does that involve, Sir?” Delaney asked.

Victor laughed. “Isn't it obvious? Customers can pay a large sum of money to take any of our staff to a private room for a period of time to have sex with them.”

Delaney was shocked. He knew and accepted he was a slave now... but a slave prostitute?

“There's no need to be uncomfortable about it.” Victor assured him. “It makes money for the club, for Master Thurman. It pleases Master for us slaves to serve him like this.”

Knowing that Master Thurman wanted him to do this caused Delaney's doubts to crumble and fade. He loved his Master and knew with every fibre of his being he would do anything to please him. If that meant being rented out for sex... well, then so be it.

“Very well then, Sir.” The black bear nodded in acceptance. “What are my duties when the club isn't open?”

“Very few.” Victor replied. “You may be put on laundry or cleaning duty, cleaning the club and the slave quarters. You are required to work out regularly, keep your body in good shape. There is regular pole dancing practice. If you have none of these things to do, you're allowed to relax in the slave quarters with your fellow slaves, but must be ready to perform any other duties that may be required of you.”

Delaney nodded, processing all this. It all seemed simple enough. “How long will I be here, Sir?”

“Until you need to head back to your job.” The muscular ferret replied. “Master likes most of the staff here to maintain the careers they have outside of the club. You will be given some time to go home and get some rest before you need to be back at work. From now on, whenever you have time off work, you will spend it here. I will give you my number so you can stay in touch and keep me updated on any time off you have coming up.”

“I understand, Sir.” Said the black bear, thoughtfully

“At some point in future, Master Thurman may have you give up your job and life outside the club.” Victor continued. “It does happen now and again. If it does, you would stay here as a permanent member of staff. But that would only happen when and if Master chooses for you to do that.”

“Of course, Sir.” Said Delaney.

“Any other questions?” Victor asked.

“There is something, Sir.” Delaney said. “Why are you the only slave here who isn't a bear?”

Victor chuckled. “Not many ask that one. Master had many reasons, I believe, for choosing me to run the club for him. One he explained to me was that, as the one in charge, I'm not available for use by the customers, as I need to be available at all times to deal with any problems. Since the customers come here for bears, they are less likely to request time with me and then get offended when they have to be refused.”

Delaney took all this in. “One last thing, Sir. What is my name going to be?”

The big ferret shrugged. “That's not my decision. Master decides the names. I'm expecting him to be in touch before opening time to let me know your slave name.”

“OK, Sir.” Delaney said, with a nod. He felt a little disappointed that he'd have to wait to find out his new identity. It felt weird not to have a proper name to use around his fellow slaves.

“Now, I have some paperwork to do.” Victor was saying. “There's still a few hours to opening time, so you head back to the slave quarters. Have a workout, then relax with the others until its time to get to work.”

“Yes, Sir.” Delaney got up and left the office.

It didn't take the black bear long to find his way back to the slave quarters. He headed straight for the gym and got to work, receiving a lot of help and advice from the other bear slaves who were there, getting introduced to still more sexy, muscular, affectionate, friendly fellow slaves.

He was still trying to figure out the bizarre names they all had. Among the new ones he met during his workout were Encore, Grapple and Hose. Were the slaves just assigned random words as names? He didn't think so, Victor had seemed to hint there was a reason. With an inward sigh, he supposed he would find out eventually.

After his workout, he relaxed with the other bears, who took turns sharing crazy stories about their times here at the club. Several of them cuddled and snuggled with Delaney as they talked. And he couldn't help fondling and groping at their beautiful muscles in return.

The black bear was enjoying himself. The affectionate friendliness, the camaraderie among his fellow bear slaves, it felt wonderful, it really helped him relax.

Eventually, Victor arrive and interrupted their jovial conversation. “It's time to go to work. Thirty minutes to opening.”

And just like that, the joviality was over. All the slave bears stood and headed out the door, looking serious and determined. Delaney made to follow, but Victor stopped him.

“Just a second.” He said. “I had an email from Master Thurman. He has decided that from now on, your name is Copper.”

And just like that, something seemed to click in Delaney. Being given a name by Master Thurman activated some dormant part of his programming, it felt like a missing part of him had been slotted into place, making him feel whole and complete. A wave of revelation washed over him as he realised that Copper wasn't just a name. It was who he was. He was slave Copper, property of Master Thurman.

Of course, Copper could remember his old self, the police officer Robert Delaney. But that wasn't him anymore, that was just a disguise he would wear when he left this place. The slave was now his true self.

“Thank you, Sir.” Said Copper.

“Come on, Copper.” Said Victor, smiling warmly. “Let's get you ready for your first night as a slave of the Working Bears Club.”

To Be Continued…