The Alpha Female

EIGHT: HUMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT: HUMANS

            The boy entered the room, still humming to himself as he rounded the corner to turn off the lights.  He looked right at me too, but simply turned around to reach for the switch.  I hadn’t moved since I heard the doorknob turn. 

            The boy froze, his back to me, as if he was thinking over what he had just done and what he wanted to do.  He couldn’t unsee which had just been seen, a girl naked and battered on all fours in a dog crate, one hand reaching out through the bars and her ear flush to the lock that held the door shut.  Somehow, he learned how to function again.

            He turned to face me and almost instantly my cheeks were ablaze.  I was a shifter, it was normal to be seen naked, it wasn’t something to be ashamed of.  Besides, I was beautiful.  Now this, being watched by a human had me embarrassed.  It was absurd really.  He was a human, I should have been baring my teeth and bashing against the crate, but no, here I was acting like a teenage…well, a teenage human!  My father would be so ashamed. 

            I shook my head, getting rid of the red cheeks and glaring at him.  It was at that moment that the human came to his senses.

            “Oh my god,” he exclaimed as he retrieved a key off of the hook and ran over to my cage.  He reached out for the lock that was still within my grasp.  I flinched away when his fingers brushed mine.  I could feel a hiss in my throat, but I bit it back.  I had to stay civil, play this off like a human would, keep my cards good.

            The boy glanced up at me as he fumbled with the key and the lock.  Once the lock clicked open I was ready.

            I burst out of the cage, shoving the boy hard in the chest and sending him stumbling back against the glass wall, his face painted with confusion.  After a moment to collect myself I was out of the crate and ready to speak my mind, of course, the human was just as quick.

            Before my mouth could open a sweatshirt was thrown in my face.  I swatted it away, grabbing a fistful of it, ready to shout at him before he cleared his throat, looking away.  His lightly freckled cheeks were tinted a dull pink.  I looked down at the sweatshirt in hand and it occurred to me what he wanted.

            I slipped on the piece of clothing that reeked of human.  I tried not to gag as I thought of how the others would tease me if I came back home smelling so awful.  I pulled it over my shoulders and zipped it up to the front, leaving a little open so my neck had more room.

            The soft red sweatshirt fell about mid-thigh on me, the sleeves were a good six inches too long.  My mind wanted to say that the reason he had given me the garment was to inhibit my ability to claw his eyes out, for my hands were covered, but rationality told me that he was saving me, and himself, from the embarrassment that this situation seemed to be holding.  No matter, once it was on and he was satisfied I charged right at him.

            “If you dare tell anyone ab-” I stumbled forward as I stepped with my bad foot.  I had completely forgotten about the injury and now a bolt of pain shoot up my leg.  The boy raced forward, catching me under the arms.  I looked up at him, disgusted, and pushed myself away.  I fell back to lean against the table that my crate had been on.

            “If you even touch me, ever-”

            “You’ll what?” He interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest and giving me a snide look.  “If I even touch you, ever, what’ll you do?”

            I glared at him.  How dare he interrupt me.

            “Do you even know who you’re talking to?”