Seven years later
"Arrrder up."
Rolling her eyes Alexia roller-skated her way for table six's order.
"Phil its order up not Arrrder up."
"Well Alex this here is a pirate themed diner thus we act like pirates matey."
Alexia shook her head as she laughed at Phil's failed attempt to speak as a pirate.
"Eye eye caption cook." She saluted with her right hand while balancing the tray of three plates with her left. After her mocking and Phil laughing at her, she rolled away to table six.
Alexia tried to balance the plates up right and not falling while she skated. The floors were made of wood thus making it hard to roller skate on.
"Here's your usual guys. Chips and burgers with a side of onion rings, and mini cannon ball shaped pizzas."
"Awesome. Thanks, Alex. You're the best." Said Justin a thirteen-year old with his buddies as they began stuffing their faces.
"No problem kid." Alexia gave a smile and rolled away to take her next order.
***
Six pm. Alexia made her way out of the diner just after she clocked out. Heading to her red mini copper Alexia spotted another human that had her kind with a leash around its neck.
That's what it came to now. Her kind being slaves. The shifter that was on a leash slouched forward. His cloths were torn and big on his body. It seemed as if it was once his own, but he had shrunk into a thin man out of being whipped and left without food.
Her heart always clenched at a scene as such. After all she escaped that life by an inch.
Now posing as a human she lived a life like other humans. Suppressing her wolf was best for her to survive until hope came. Hope was what they all wanted which seemed childish as hope was what helped the humans to win.
It was a chilly autumn evening. Humans were dressed warmly leaving all shifters that were out on the street to suffer as their masters strung them along.
Alexia was lucky to be wearing a warm red coat with matching gloves. Her long straight brown hair was pulled into a ponytail. Her hair flew into her face making her irritated as she tried to remove them with her gloved hands.
Shaking the guilt feeling out of her mind, she got into her Mini Cooper and started the engine and heater and drove back to her apartment.
Alexia wished for things to be different. A life where she did not have to hide. A life where wolves won't have to submit to humans.
But with the wolf race almost being extinct it was impossible to even dream.
Alexia always tried to remain invisible especially when hunters would eat at the diner. They would mostly hit on her but only if they knew the truth. Even though hunters had gotten what they wanted, they were still on high alert. Every human carried a weapon especially children who carried stunt guns.
After all these years of surviving, Alexia had gotten into shape. With being healthier than before she was happy she still had her curves. She no longer felt self-conscious about her body. She respected herself for the first time since she left what was left of her pack.
Alexia furrowed her eyebrows out of pain. Her ability to heal faster had slowed due to the suppression of her wolf. Alexia moved her foot in circles as she stopped at a stoplight.
At the diner it took a lot of energy and focus to not fall, well except maybe the sixth time that day. She cursed the skies and her boss for having them wear roller skates and that to in a pirate themed dinner.
Hello! Did you by any chance see Jack Sparrow running away in skates?
As she drove to her apartment a wave of unknown washed over her. She swerved on the road making the car behind and next to her hoot but quickly caught grip of the wheel.
"What the hell was that?"
Alexia exhaleed out a breath to calm her nerves. She had never felt anything of such before. It felt like something horrible was going to happen. It was a warning, an intuition, and she wanted to keep far away from that danger.
***
Arriving safely at her apartment complex. Alexia grabbed her mail from her mail box and headed straight to her apartment holding her purse.
Her neighbor Mrs sawnell. An elderly African American lady. She was a bit on the chubby side and had a charming personality. She lived with her husband who was an officer. They were a really sweet couple who treated Alexia with so much kindness. On special holidays they would invite her over to spend time with them as a family and Alexia would help cook. After all they had no children.
Mrs Sawnell was about to enter her apartment when she spotted Alexia and gave her a smile before ushering her over. She had a red bandana over her small afro.
"Oh dear Alexia I haven't seen you for a week now." she was pulled into a warm hug that she returned thankfully.
"Work has been awful and busy. You know I wouldn't hide from you and nor your delicious cup of hot chocolate."
"Well my dear you are just in luck. I just stocked up. Come over for dinner and cup of hot chocolate after you have freshened up."
"Sure I would love to."
"Good and dress in that warm matching pj's I got you. You look so adorable in them." Mrs Sawnell emphasized adorable with a baby voice.
Alexia sweetly chuckled. "Anything for you. I'll see you in a little while Mrs Sawnell."
Alexia waved off to Mrs Sawnell as she went to her apartment, unlocked the door and went inside.
***
After an hour, Alexia had dressed into the pink cotton pj's. It was a button down with long sleeve and pants. Alexia put on a matching fluffy pink socks and slippers. She braided her long her down her back. She looked like a teen. Well a twenty-five-year old dressed as a teen.
Alexia left her modern style apartment and knocked on Mrs Sawnells's door.
"Come in Alexia." Mrs Sawnell said out loud for Alexia to hear. As she went inside she soaked up the homey vibe. Unlike her modern styled apartment, Mrs Sawnell had made her apartment look as a home which always made her feel welcomed.
Mrs Sawnell had left her door unlock for Alexia as she was busy in the kitchen placing cookie dough in the oven.
"Mmm Smells delicious." Alexia inhaled the aroma in the air.
"Yep its lasagna for dinner, and then we would have cookies." Mrs Sawnell turned from now chopping lettuce for the salad and looked at Alexia.
"Yummy. So where is officer Derek?" Alexia joined Mrs Sawnell in the kitchen while looking around for her husband.
"Not sure. Probably working late tonight."
"Help me set the table please." Alexia was asked.
"Will do."
Alexia took the plates out from the cupboard and went to the table that seated for six and placed two plates down and went back in the kitchen to grab the utensils and glass cups to drink in.
"See I told you that you looked adorable in that." Mrs Sawnell said smugly.
***
After dinner Alexia and Mrs Sawnell were seated on the couch. In between them were a plate of cookies while a cup of hot chocolate were in their hands.
Alexia sat Indian style facing Mrs Sawnell while she told another one of her stories about when she was a teen and how the struggle was for them.
"You know Alexia. What's happening now is just so corrupted. Injustice is all it is. Its like going against another race. I feel so ashamed for what us humans are doing. All these years we never knew about these shifters when they were among us. That was because they fitted in with us so well. They never caused us any trouble and here we are enslaving them and killing them for our own entertainment because we supposedly are now afraid of them.
The reason they attack now is that we provoke them to fight for their lives. We just need to accept each other because it is what the gods above that created, just like us humans. We have no right to kill another just out of hatred. Some might not see it but those that have enslaved shifters have done so because they are afraid of them and want to feel superior. Its all disgusting and my husband has to fight shifters just because he is told to do so even though he agrees with me and wanting to accept them as equals."
Mrs Sawnell's eyes were filled with sadness. It pained her to think about how her husband was fighting against shifters in his field. All the stories he would tell her about the beating that the other officers had given or the dead bodies they found.
This was the first time that Mrs Sawnell had expressed her Sympathy for shifters. It made Alexia emotional because she was not alone of how she wanted things to be.
"It is unfair of what's going on. But what can we do but feel empathy for both humans and shifters. We all need a serious eyes opener." Was all Alexia said.
Just as she was done the door had opened and in came officer Derek.
His face held no emotion. After spending all this time with them Alexia had come to know that that was his thinking face.
"Hey officer Derek what's on your mind?"
He was pulled out of his thoughts by a familiar voice. He searched only to find Alexia and his wife seated on the couch. Both stared at him.
"Oh hi Alexia. Great seeing you. Sorry it has been a rough day out on the streets today."
Officer Derek took a seat on the single couch next to Mrs Sawnell. He groaned has he sat down and released a tired breath.
"What's wrong Derek you look worried." His wife asked in a worried tone.
"Wha- oh yeah I'm just confused."
"Want to share?" Alexia asked worriedly after all officer Derek always cared for her.
"Its just something weird happened today. There was this huge case about the shifters and their where abouts, but we got a call from the governor saying to close the case with no explanation and when I arrived at the station I found out that the evidence were destroyed. It just all seems so weird like someone does not want us to find the shifters."
Alexia gripped the mug in her hands and wondered...
'There are more out there. That means I was right. The rest are in hiding. But which pack and where? Though I'm not surprised that perhaps one of the high ranking wolves had made a connection to stop the case.'
"Yeah that is weird. But perhaps it is for the best. More lives won't be taken." she said.
"True but some other officers want to team up and find out the reason."
"Dear please tell me you are not one of them."
"No love. This was by choice of theirs. We were not ordered to do it. I'm not getting paid to find out anything about that. I will stay in my range of duty."
"Very good. Now come on go shower and I will heat up the lasagna for you."
Mrs Sawnell tapped the couch to wake Officer Derek off the couch. He groaned but as he got up he smiled and kissed her on the forehead. And looked at Alexia.
"Nice having you here Alexia"
"Its good to be here. I will see you again when I am again able to walk."
"Ha yes i still don't get why roller skate in a pirate diner." Officer Derek scratched his chin thinking wisely.
"Neither do I." Alexia laughed.
***
After thanking Mrs Sawnell and headed back to her own apartment. Alexia was now snuggled up in bed after brushing her teeth. Alexia fell asleep while thinking...
'I did get a weird feeling about something. And now finding out there are more shifters out there and hunters hadn't found them yet. Was just something waiting to happen. But I know that high ranked wolves are about and perhaps the non-existing Alpha King are trying to keep themselves safe. If only they would stop this from carrying on. It has been seven years. Something needs to happen fast. But I still can't get rid of that feeling that something is going to happen and it won't be good.'