Stakes Claim On Her

103 years after the war.

The murmur of the lobby, the occasional squeak of freshly polished shoes on linoleum, and the fresh scent of flowers and honey the wall air freshener pumped out greeted me as I walked out of the back room to start my morning shift.

The same eight to eight shift I worked six days a week, but I would never complain; partly in fear of what would happen if I was ever to speak out against a werewolf and partly because I know that I have it better then many in this world.

Many humans in this world know only struggle and hunger and abuse.

The pack territory you lived in almost entirely determined what your life is like.

I hear some packs treat their humans as equals.

What a dream that would be.

Here we fall somewhere in the middle.

Humans have some tights.

They are free to work, educate themselves, and own businesses.

But if you couldn't make a living within the human communities, and they didn't have an open position for pack jobs you were on your own.

Humans aren't seen as equals here and if a wolf asked you to something, as long as it is within pack laws, you had to do it.

If you didn't, you could be beaten.

The punishments for humans are mostly the same for wolves who break the laws, which is sometimes worse for us because the punishments are meant for bodies that can handle a lot more than we can.

Usually, you are given lashes, while tied to a post in front of the pack housing center, where many of the prominent wolves live.

The punishment is extremely humiliating for humans; you are stripped naked before being lashed.

Wolves are much more comfortable with nudity than humans are, so the stripping part is never an issue for them.

I only ever hear stories of what the world was like before werewolves took over.

A place where humans weren't whipped for disobeying silly orders.

The wolves don't allow the history to be taught in schools, probably fearing humans would want to bring the world back to the way it was.

Their thinking is how could we want for something we don't know existed? But they made the mistake of thinking that they could keep the history of our freedom a secret.

Not that it mattered.

Their grip on our lives was too strong.

There would be no rebellion anytime soon, no matter what we know.

A rough arm and sharp shake snapped me from my thoughts.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

A deep voice spoke to me.

head and looked at

older, creases on his

a pressed

higher status, like the majority of wolves and creatures that came

a werewolf, but the woman standing behind him told me he was

woman, about my age, stood behind his shoulder with her head bowed towards the ground and

neck and the chain that snaked from the collar to

wasn't just any

She was a pet.

standing before me was clearly

the werewolf world,

have ever seen a vampire as physically old

his late forties, early fifties when he

were much less common in the werewolf

wolves felt pets were a step

pets when he took over for

more moderate view of

those from other packs and from other countries

no one

is conference

spits out, clearly angered by my

attention was now fully on the man, not wanting to upset him

located on the third floor, take the elevators to the left of the lobby, and the receptionist will show you to the room,’’ I spoke

any moment a visitor could strike me, and no one would do anything, assuming I must have done something to

man roughly let go of my

had been so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't realized he had kept a hold

ache in my arm was all that was left of

my

us in a kind way,

continued to greet people and direct them wherever

was

I hear whispered close to

come face to face with Adam.He was

what's up?"

noon darlin?”

"Lunchtime."

I tend

say, it's one of my many flaws as

lobby and back into the employees only

lit and rather dingy little room the human employees were given to

back wall are paper bags filled with our

our bags and go to sit at the

chair rocks and almost knocks me

laugh loud and clear, he obviously

funny,'' I grumble as

hunk of bread

was too funny.’’ Adam