Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 1

Most people don’t even remember the packhouse has a dungeon. I do though. I have a little room in the back that used to be a solitary confinement cell. It smells of old piss, vomit, and blood. You get used to it. I have a cot and an old tattered blanket to keep me warm. I even scored a lamp out of the trash. It still works, so I have light to do my homework. Home sweet home and all that jazz, right? I mean, at least I’m not a rogue.

Oh yeah, I should introduce myself. My name is Iokaste Latmus, but I go by Kas. No one calls me Iokaste except for teachers on the first day of school. I’m a werewolf in the Silver Moon pack. Since I’m an orphan, I’m not

completely sure how old I am but pretty sure I’m sixteen. Also, I’m an omega which means I’m a servant. My job is to make the meals for the werewolves who live in the packhouse. Between making breakfast and dinner for over a hundred wolves, cleaning up after them, and

restocking the pantries of the ranked members’ apartments on the third and fourth floors, I do normal teenager stuff. Except, I don’t really have a lot of spare time to do normal teenager stuff. So homework, homework is the extent of my normal teenager stuff.

Right now, it’s eleven-thirty at night. I’m putting the finishing touches on my English essay when I hear the door of the dungeon slam open. Great. Now what did I do? It doesn’t take much. Alpha Graham Connors is an alcoholic. It’s really difficult for werewolves to get drunk,

which means you have to drink really heavily to feel the effects. Which means he probably had a fight with Luna Caroline about his drinking. Which means she locked him out of their room. Which means he has come down to take out his anger on me. Just an average Tuesday night in the packhouse.

The sharp smell of whiskey hits my nose well before he appears in front of my door. I know the drill. I’m already on my feet waiting for him.

Oh crap oh crap oh crap. I’m thinking in my mind.

“Alpha Graham, what can I do for you?” I ask with my eyes looking at the floor. I keep my hands clasped in front of me, trying to look as small as possible.

Without a word, a whiskey bottle whizzes past my ear and smashes against the wall above my cot. I flinch and can’t help but start to tremble and hug myself. We’re beyond ‘Oh crap’, we’re in ‘Oh shit’ territory now.

Whatever is about to happen it’s going to be worse than usual.

He lunges forward and grabs me by the throat with both hands. I feel tears coming to my eyes as the lack of oxygen turns the edges of my vision dark. I desperately claw at his hands, trying to escape his grip but it’s no

with him. His eyes are pitch black indicating his wolf Ruckus is at the surface. His breath stinks from drinking and his face is red

slams against the wall and I land on my back on the cot. The shards of the broken bottle pierce the skin on my back

feel blood soaking through my shredded shirt. I don’t dare move and make him even madder. I feel my ribs snap when his foot makes

has ever been before. Usually, he slaps me a few times, then whips me until

My voice is small and garbled between the broken jaw and blood pouring out of my mouth. He abruptly stops and

is dripping with

my back, combined with the

turns blurry and I

Is this what being dead is like? It’s peaceful, but a little bit boring. At least I don’t have to feed the pack. Oh dang, I didn’t get a chance to turn in that English essay. It was a good one too. The constant soft beeps are soothing. I don’t know how long I’ve been dead, but I feel like I want to open

eyes and find I’m alone in a soft comfortable bed in a brightly lit, clean room. This is the afterlife? Maybe this is some sort of waiting area, but where’s the lobby? Is there a receptionist? My mind slowly becomes more clear

panic, making the beeps in the room become faster. Oh, I’m hooked up to a bunch of machines. I try to figure out how to unhook them so no one hears the noises. Too late, I hear people in the hallway getting closer. I try to sit up. I need to ignore the pain. I have to

an older man. He has black

shall we?” The doctor says gently. He and the nurse come to either side of me and reach

me,” I snap, shaking them off. My voice is scratchy and raw and my mouth feels like a thousand needles are poking

heal. Let’s get you back to bed and get you a drink of water,” the doctor

him hesitantly before accepting their help back into the bed. The nurse hands me a cup of water with a straw. It hurts

bed as the nurse checks my vitals and starts messing with the tubes and

ribs, your jaw, and you had

doctor explains,

part, doc? I think

breakfast had not been prepared, Beta Tate went to get you and found you on the ground in your…uh…room,”