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.

and looked at

was older, creases on his

was dressed finely, in a pressed navy

he was clearly of higher status, like

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

her head bowed towards the ground and her hands

been simply mistaken as someone who was just shier then average, if it wasn't for the shiny gold collar wrapped around her neck and the chain that snaked from the collar to the cuffs on her

wasn't just

She was a pet.

the man standing before me

werewolf world, as the supernatural species tend to stay

seen

in his late forties, early fifties when he was

common in

pets were a

he took over for his

always had a more moderate view of how humans should

Alpha Bernard permits those from other packs and from other countries who own pets

no one

conference

clearly angered by my lack of

now fully on the man,

third floor, take the elevators to the left of the lobby, and the receptionist will show you to the room,’’ I spoke as softly and as kindly as I could,

a visitor could strike me, and no one would do anything,

let go

had been so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't

my arm was all that was left of the man after

arm was clearly going to bruise, as my skin usually did whenever

in a kind way,

it off and continued to greet people and direct them wherever

was the only bad experience

whispered close

turn around to face the person who spoke the words and come face to face with Adam.He was nice enough, and since friends were hard to come

what's up?" I

noon darlin?” he

"Lunchtime."

and gets me for lunch, seeing as I tend to get lost in my thoughts and forget the

one of my many

lobby and back

into the dimly lit and rather dingy little room the human employees

back wall are paper bags filled with

and go

my chair rocks and almost knocks

laugh loud and clear,

funny,'' I grumble as I open my

usual hunk of bread

Adam laughing through his