Read Once Lost Lords (Royal Scales, Book 1) for Free Online

Turning them away
was fun but screening got tough. Youngsters often thought a pair of
prosthetic ear extensions would make a fake ID look better. Envy
meant those with money spent tons staying in good condition. Heaven
forbid anyone feel inadequate next to an elf twice their age. By
sundown, I only found one actual fake ID card, which I took pleasure
in tearing up. Sure, there were laws in place to report them, but
that required me to exist on paper. Besides, dropping the ID confetti
down a shirt was fun.
    Stand at the door long enough and all sorts were bound to show.
Occasionally younger crowds had an elven member or two. The elf was
typically decades older than the people they were traveling with.
Most of the time they were bubbly and non aggressive.
    Other crowds had someone who seemed too quick, a bit jumpy. Frat
groups always had one dumb human mixed in who would take the dive as
soon as he had money and the right friends. People grew up watching
for signs. The likelihood of a childhood friend going furry in high
school was often tied to how bad the kid got picked on. Shifting
never solved anything. Bottom rung in human relations, bottom rung in
the pack. Changing races wasn’t a cure for a submissive
personality.
    A lot revolved around their family. Most wolves were male since
females rarely scored high marks after the transition. Being
permanently unable to bear children turned most women away. With all
the regulations in place, women were forced to face facts before
signing on the dotted line.
    Tonight a full blown wolf tried walking into the bar on all fours.
Between the lack of a collar and the way he eyed everyone’s
faces instead of their bodies it was clear, there was a human mind in
there.
    He had been keeping pace next to a few girls who might have been
minors yesterday. Their chattering continued unabated as they
approached Julianne’s. We weren’t the first bar they
stopped at. I looked at each ID. Sensitive fingers ran over the
continental seal which displayed the North Americas. The pictures on
these cards matched their owners.
    Finally, I looked at the wolf for a moment, careful with my eye
contact. Leveling it, getting his attention. Keeping eye contact
would ensure he regarded me as a potential equal. I just had to speak
quick, before the little voice in the back of their heads yelled
attack. Julianne had given me a rundown on how to interact with a
wolf years ago.
    “Gotta lose the fur.” I said.
    He looked at me, then back at the girls for a moment. My gut said
this wolf was escorting one of the girls. His wolf looked young, not
puppy young, but certainly not a grizzled adult.
    A very slight whimper let me know the problem here.
    I sighed and stepped into the doorway for a moment to grab a standard
care package. One cheap white shirt, long pants, and a belt. All
donations from our local pack. Julianne actually went so far as to
wash and vacuum seal them in so they didn’t get an outside
smell on them.
    “Lucky you. Change in here.” I opened an inconspicuous
door on my left and let him pad inside.
    Julianne had converted the front closet into a changing room. This
way they could avoid walking through the bar. Drunks and an
abnormally large wolf did not mix. Shoes were optional. Shirts were
not. Moments later a barefoot twenty-something male stepped out.
    “Told you the wolf was a bad idea, Amanda.” First thing
out of his mouth was a complaint. His shoulders twitched while trying
to relax. The kid had to be a six or seven on his rehabilitation. Any
lower and he would start snarling this soon after a shift.
    “Daddy made me take you, and this is a girl’s night, so
you can yell at him.” One of the giggling squad looked ready to
throw a fit.
    “Ladies, in or out.” I put myself between their
squabbles. The small squad huffed in unison before going inside.
    “Thanks for the spare.” The male looked tired of his
escort duties. His hair was short, cropped black, with deeply tanned
skin.