Until the shocking revelation of real werewolves throws society into turmoil, the world's definition of fear was set at a low expectation. However, as humans exploit these creatures, trading them for power, Seraphina's world unravels on her 18th bir...
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✦ . 🖤⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ 💛. ✦
The ride to the city wasn’t long, but a part of me felt guilty about my car. My parents had spent a significant portion of their savings to get it for me, and every time I offered to buy them something in return, they refused. Despite the amount of money I’d saved up, they wouldn’t let me spend a penny on them.
I hoped that would change one day. I could never truly repay them, but maybe I could buy them a better house or a new farm.
We eventually pulled into the mall, and as we got out, I could feel eyes on us. As I approached the entrance, a guard in a black uniform stopped me. “Ma’am, your werewolf needs to be on a leash.” He motioned toward Sam, and I chuckled.
“Sir, he’s with me. He won’t go anywhere without me.” I tried to brush him off, but the guard stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
A wave of anger surged through me. “Excuse me, werewolf. You will listen to me. I don’t care who your masters are—I’m his, and I say he doesn’t need a leash. Unlike the rest of you, I don’t treat him inhumanely. He’s a person, too, and he’ll stay by my side without a leash.”
I could feel my anger building, but I fought to keep it under control, worried I might say something I’d regret.
“C’mon, Sam. Let’s get you some clothes.” I pushed past the guard and opened the doors, stepping into the mall. It was quieter than usual since it was a Monday and most people were at work.
Sam stayed close to my legs, silent since the encounter with the guard. I glanced down at him. “I’m sorry, Sam, if I offended you. But he shouldn’t have said that.” Sam gave me a nod, and I smiled.
“Good. I hope we’re okay.”
We stopped in front of a men’s store, and I chuckled. “This might be tricky to explain, but I’ve got a plan. Stay close.”
Inside, a sales associate about my age greeted me. He glanced at Sam, but I waved off his curiosity. “I’m shopping for my fiancé. He needs a new wardrobe, and I figured I’d surprise him with a few outfits.” I smiled, noting his gaze drop to my ring finger. I blushed and held up my hand. “Fiancé.”
He smiled back. “Of course! What are you looking for?”
I glanced around the store and then at Sam, who turned his muzzle toward the comfy section. “I think his werewolf agrees he’d prefer something comfortable. Lucky for me, I brought him along.”
The sales associate chuckled and led me to the more casual clothes. “If he likes shorts, we’ve got some great khakis. We also have a variety of button-downs and undershirts.”
I gave Sam a nudge. “Sam, find.” He trotted off, and I winked at the associate. “His werewolf’s been with him since he was a kid. Knows his tastes better than I do.” I rolled my eyes playfully. “But he comes in handy.”
The associate grinned and excused himself. I found Sam nosing a blue button-down. “You like that one?” I asked. His tail wagged in response, and I had to stifle a laugh. “Okay, let’s grab it.”
We quickly gathered enough clothes to last Sam a week, paid for everything, and headed out. On the way, I treated myself to an ice cream cone and some buttery pretzel bites, which Sam surprisingly enjoyed, despite usually avoiding buttered food. We spent a few more hours wandering around before finally deciding to head home.
“That was a successful day. Bet you’re just as exhausted as I am. How about some dinner?” Sam wagged his tail and hopped into the car, but before I could get in, a tall man in a sharp button-down suit approached me.
“Ma’am?” he said, motioning for me to come closer. I took a single step forward.
“We’ve had reports of a woman causing a scene over her werewolf not being on a leash.” His eyes, a strange shade of gold, studied me.
“So what?” I shot back. “It’s no one’s business how I treat him. Tell your boss to mind his own business.”
I flipped off a nearby security camera, got into the car, and slammed the door. Sam remained rigid, locked in a silent exchange with the man. There was a brief, unspoken nod between them, which didn’t go unnoticed.
I didn’t waste another second. I put the car in reverse and drove off into the night, my mind spinning with questions.
