The Bars Between Us

Amelia

I can barely get my eyes open after four hours of sleep and it is time to get up and get going to make the entire pack breakfast. They don't make the kitchen staff prepare breakfast because nobody wants to get up at 4am to start it. My body hurts all over as I drag myself up, quickly brushing my teeth and putting my pants back on before heading out my door. My house is a mile away from the pack house and I have to walk it. If I shift and they find out I am in deep shit. I can only shift when I can get away with sneaking it in. Why? Because I am not one of them and apparently, I am considered less than a wolf, so they don't let me shift. I sneak a shift once in a while. Usually, it is late at night and only when I feel like I am going to crawl out of my skin from too much energy. It is rare since I am worked to death daily and use all my energy that way, but sometimes it happens.

I start my walk to the pack house. I should be afraid to walk out her alone in the dark, but I don't sense any shifters around. It isn't the monsters in the dark I have to worry about. It is the shifters under my nose. I would welcome the monsters in the dark.

I make it to the house, taking longer than I should because I am dead tired. I start making the breakfast to feed the one hundred shifters. Compared to some packs we are small. Compared to others, we are large. In my opinion we are sick in the head and need wiped off the map. Alpha Randall is always talking about borders, and allies. Always scheming and plotting like the packs are his personal chest pieces. He starts unnecessary wars, and his specialty is trying to control most of the trade market. Price gouging gives him wet dreams, I'm sure. This whole pack cares more about what they eat and wear, how they look and what new thing they can stick in their homes than they do anyone that is actually suffering.

Alpha Randall enters the dining room, and I quickly pull out his chair to seat him. He offers no gestures as he puts his napkin down and awaits my arrival with food. I make his plate, making sure it is filled to the brim with everything he likes and take it to him. I leave and get his coffee and upon my return, I can overhear him discussing an important alpha coming to the pack tomorrow. Wonderful. Important visitors mean extra work on top of whatever else he will want me to do for them as well.

"Did you do something different with the coffee this morning Amelia?" alpha questions and I know that I have screwed up somehow. "No sir." I say with my eyes pointing down to the floor. I am not allowed to look at him in the eyes unless he tells me to and when he does, I am screwed. "Well, it tastes like shit. Go make me a new pot, now!" he bellows at me, and I hurry off to start a fresh pot. I try some of it first before pouring it all out and of course, to me, it tastes just fine. He just needs something to bitch at me about. I roll my eyes and continue serving others as I wait on the coffee.

Once it is done, I take a fresh cup of black coffee just how he likes it and set it down in front of him. "Did you try some of that coffee before you dumped it out?" he asks, and I involuntarily lick my lips. "You did. I know you did. Did I tell you to try it? To second guess me? To doubt what I was talking about? Are you supposed to eat anything before your work is done?" Yep. I am screwed. "I.." I don't get to finish my sentence before he is up and backhanding me. The world tilts as I crumple to the floor. My face instantly stinging where his hand smacked me. I know that it is better to stay down, so I do. "You two. Get over here and drag her to the dungeon. Maybe some time away will remind her that she is to follow instructions." "No...No..Please No...don't do this." I beg but it falls on deaf ears. Two shifters grab me by my arms and start hauling me out of the pack house and across the grounds to a small outbuilding that is a ruse to house the dungeon beneath it. Tears well in my eyes as I start to pull away from them and kick my feet. I hate it down there. I won't go willingly.

I kick and spit and scratch, but it all does no good. Compared to these men, I am a waif. Skin and bones courtesy of my slim food rations. My blue green eyes are always dull and lifeless. Dark bags are a permanent fixture here. My chocolate brown hair is dull and half a rat's nest on a good day. Today isn't a good day. I look like shit, feel like shit, and now I am going to rot in a place that can be described the same way. At least if they forget about me down here, I can get out of all the cleaning and this stupid guest alpha.

I am hauled down the stairs and thrown into a cell. The guards close the door and the bars rattle. The air is cold and damp being underground. The cot is lumpy and full of straw. One used bucket resides in the corner, and I know if I look at it, I will probably puke up all my stomach acid, so I don't. I bring my knees up and fold my arms around them and rest my forehead on my knees. I don't know how long goes by before I realize that I am not alone down here. I lift my head, and I can see bent legs and forearms resting on them in the cell next to mine. The prisoner's face is obscured by the shadows he sits in. He smells like an alpha.

"What are you in for?" he asks with a deep, husky voice. I can tell it has been a while since he has had anything to drink. "I..I tried a sip of coffee." I can't see his face, but I can feel his eyes watching me as he waits for me to explain further, but I don't. He lets out a soft laugh. "Wow and they think I'm the asshole. How does a pack member get imprisoned over coffee?" "They don't consider me a pack member. I am their slave. They treat me as such." I explain and he makes a hmmm sound, taking it in. "Are you not from here?" "No. They found me when I was a baby." "And that doesn't make you a pack member? Growing up here?" "No." I explain. "I wouldn't ever want to be one either. They are cruel here. Disgusting shifters. A disgrace. They will let me out soon. An alpha from another pack is coming and they will make me wait on him hand and foot plus the entire pack and the chores." "Why don't you leave?" he asks. "I can't. They bring me back and whip me." the stranger starts growling and I squeeze myself tighter, thankful for the bars between us.