At The Beta's Command

Chapter 7

It's been a week since I was held prisoner at the wolf house, I mean the pack house. Sam has always been friendly and sweet, Nico is always making small talk or sometimes being funny, Max as usual was being unpredictable, there are times he's friendly and there's also times he's been serious and scary but he's always not in the house, I heard he is one of the patrol guards and so I think, that is why. Jaden is always busy with whatever it is he is doing as the Alpha but if he had a spare time he would ask me to play Wii with him, but as usual he never wins and that's funny when his pack are teasing him for losing to a 'little human girl'. Then there's Ashton, well he is a different story. He acts like I don't even exist, like I'm invisible. He is the only one who doesn't acknowledge me and I don't know why but it's making me sad. I know I shouldn't have cared at all but it's really affecting me. There are times that I would catch him staring intently at me like reading me or studying me but I am afraid to show or tell him that I am noticing his gaze. I would just act normal like I didn't feel his eyes burning at me. But he never talked to me. Yes, he sees me but he never speaks to me and it's frustrating me.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" I heard Jaden's voice say. We were at the back of the house that held a beautifully trimmed garden with a fountain and a large hammock tied in a huge tree. I found this the other day and became my favorite spot. From here you can see the forest and the air is fresh with the scent of woods, soil and something citrus, it is very relaxing. I was lying on my back and scooted a little to give space to Jaden, he arched his brow questionably but I just nodded my head in response. He maybe thought to sit on the grass or just stand but I don't mind if we share the hammock.  He smiled and instead of lying beside me he just sat on the side playing with his feet making the hammock sway.

He was silent for a moment but then he faced me. "How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Hmm...just dandy. Well, I was a prisoner here, I just missed a week of school, probably missing my chance to college, I missed my friends and missing my Dad is killing me. So, everything is fine, just dandy." I responded sarcastically with a sad sigh.

"I'm sorry," he started.

"Of course you should be! You're the Alpha here, you could just tell Ashton to let me go then he sure will obey you." I said angrily cutting whatever he is about to say.

"Look, I know it's hard for you but you just have to stay here a little longer. You are not a prisoner here, wait until we work things out okay? Trust me, everything will be fine."

"No, it is not a little longer. A week and more is not a little longer. You heard Ashton, he said until he can trust me but how can he trust me if he never talks to me? I really didn't know the guy plus he is very infuriating, he is always angry and grumpy, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's just impossible okay." I said not facing Jaden. I don't want to show him that Ashton ignoring me is making me sad. How pathetic of me. I miss being with Moniq and Blake where I can do everything I want freely, not here with the wolves always eyeing me and watching my every move. I am a teenage girl who used to be having fun and enjoy life. I don't belong here.

"Let me tell you this, he is a good guy with a good heart. He has done a lot of good things for this pack, he cares and he always put the pack as his first priority. Our kind being exposed is a threat to us. He faced a lot of challenges in life that makes him who he is today." Jaden stated proudly. "He is strong, brave and determined, a perfect Beta every Alpha could wish for." He added.

"You sounded in love! Did the big Alpha had a little crush on his beta?" I teased making his eyes bulged out of its socket.

"Take that back little girl!" he threatened playfully.

"No way, you adore him and you love him dude! You even worship him, you are oh-so-deeply-in-love!" I teased more.

"You are oh-so-regretting saying such stuff." He said playing serious but failed when he cracked a smile.

"You're so cute." I teased more pinching his nose.

"No guy wants to be called cute, just so you know." He said with a frown hating the idea and slapping my hand away.

"Oh well, you're adorable." I complimented him more.

"And you're so stubborn." He said scooting a little making me move on the end of the hammock, if I move a little more I'll be on the ground.

"But seriously, Ashton is a good guy. You just have to give him a chance." He said trying to convince me again.

"Maybe for werewolves like him he is but not with a human like me." I reasoned.

"He also protects humans." He defensed.

"Oh whatever, I know he's a jerk, obnoxious, inconsiderate bastard and stone hearted." I said playfully. But hey, I know what I'm saying is true.

"Who is this jerk, obnoxious, inconsiderate bastard and stone hearted?" asked a strong masculine voice.

I was surprised to hear Ashton's voice popped out of nowhere. Being shocked was an understatement; I made a dash up abruptly making the hammock shake. Jaden tried to stop me from falling face first but his foot got caught beneath. He was trying to catch me but the hammock rolled over making him fall from it and landed on the grass with a thud. I on the other hand fall right after but he caught me swiftly, spreading his arms wide to catch me I landed on him with an oomph then I felt him embracing me securely.

Slowly opening my eyes I didn't know I shut close for a sec, I met Jaden's piercing stare. I thought he has a grey eyes but I see now that it is bluish grey, it's beautiful and unique. He held me captured with his gaze and slowly run his eyes down to my lips then back to my eyes. I felt his hands rubbing at the small of my back and I shivered at the touch. I can feel his breath on me and if we move an inch we could have kissed.

"As long as I love to watch a cheesy cliché I hate to announce that I need you at the training today Jaden. I need to go to the human town and make my own patrol there." Says Ashton, his voice is annoyed, strong and serious like seeing us is a dreadful sight.

"I ahm, I'm sorry J...should be more careful next time. Thanks for catching me anyway." I said to Jaden breaking eye contact. I took a deep breath and started to pull out of his hold and stand, dusting off invisible dirt on my clothes.

"Oh, no prob. But hey, J?" he asked putting on a cute smile whilst standing also.

"Jaden is just a mouthful okay?" I said grinning at him.

"I see, well I love it...J...that's sweet of you nicknaming me." He said giving his own grin.

A loud clearing of throat turned my attention back to our intruder. There stood Ashton eyeing me murderously. I know it's crazy to accuse him of being jealous but I saw that look too many times on Blake when he is jealous or disapproving.

"Anyway, why didn't you just mind linked me?" he asked Ashton.

"I tried, but you shut me." He answered simply.

"I did? Oh, I was just busy playing with little miss human here" he said making me push him hard playfully.

"Oh right, I'll see the trainees today." Jaden said to Ashton when he saw him glaring not amused by our playfulness towards each other.

"See you later Amber." He said smiling at me sweetly.

"Okay, later." I responded. He then walked inside the house leaving me alone with the deadly jerk of a wolf.

A sigh escaped my lips as I shrugged off the weird feeling I'm having towards Ashton. See, we were never given a chance to talk directly but then his stares do says a lot it's making me uncomfortable. I looked his way and caught him again staring at me no scratch that, glaring at me.

"What is your problem with me?" I asked all of a sudden having a courage I didn't know where came from.

"Excuse me?" he asked unbelievingly.

"Listen, it is obvious that you hate me oh-so-badly but you don't have to make me feel..."

"And what am I making you feel?" he asked cutting my rant.

"This. Weird, awkward, whatever, you know, I always caught you staring at me then I have this urge to talk to you then you will glare. I didn't know what I did, but you just hate me." I started. "Then just like now you're glaring at me without me knowing why." I added

"How can I not hate you?" he asked like it is the most reasonable thing in the world.

"Explain." I challenged.

"Listen, I don't do chit chats okay? I believe I don't have a responsibility to explain to you anything. You were supposed to follow as I command not ask whatever comes to your little stupid mind." He said bitterly. Okay, here we go again, he being so mad and impossible.

I was mad myself for his lack of cooperation or communication but I can feel my nerves bubbling happily. See what just happened? He just talked to me! It's not friendly or real casual but at least I heard him converse with at least a two or three sentences, I can feel myself having a happy dance on my mind it's just wow and...

"Why are you dancing?" he cut off my trail of thoughts or what I thought is my discreet trail of thoughts.

True to his word I found myself swaying crazily like a drunken maniac in a teenage party. I felt heat on my cheeks and I know I am now blushing furiously, ashamed of my act, my little dance act.

"I, I am not...there was just a...bug! Yeah, I found a bug and it's bugging me! See? A bug is bugging me!" I shouted pathetically, wow I can make myself look really stupid. I never failed in that area, just great! I mentally face palmed myself repeatedly battling with my inner thoughts of what to do next. This is just awkward and humiliating.

"And why are you now slapping your forehead?" oh shoot! Did I just do that literally and not mentally? Oh sweet soil of earth, open up now and swallow me!

"I, well, er...it's the bug?" I said unsure. God, how I love the soil to open and swallow me whole already.

"Whatever, I have places to go." He said and with that he turned his back to me but not quick enough to hide the smile on his face. Did I just saw Ashton's smile? This is heavenly! I don't think my eyes are deceiving me, I saw it...a small smile. But it's giving butterflies on my stomach, it's just wow.

"Wait!" I called to him before he got too far.

He turned his head and looked directly at me, the smile is now gone but at least he is not glaring anymore. "What?" he asked arching his eye brow curiously.

"You said you're going to the town. I mean the human town?" I asked.

"What is it to you?" he retort back now facing me full.

"Can I go with you?" I questioned, I saw his familiar disapproving frown so I beat him to whatever he is about to say. "I'm not going to escape. I promise, I won't even try. You are with me, right? You're way stronger and faster than me. I just want to see my town. I'd been here for a week now there could be a chance to see my father or Moniq or even Blake. I just missed them terribly." I reasoned out truthfully. Oh please say yes.

"And give you a chance to escape and blurt out to the world that we exist? No." he said with finality in his voice.

"Hey, it's all over the internet! I told you that already!" I said with smugness on my voice. It is true, Dreame stories are full of tales about werewolves, vampires and witches. "You could ask Sam for it." I followed.

"I still have no idea about that thing, so the answer will still be No." he said making his way inside the house.

"Look, how can I make you trust me if you're not going to test me? Like what I've said, you're stronger and faster than I so how can I escape?" I tried to reason logically making him stop.

He turned to face me again running his eyes all over my body. What was the checking out for, I have no idea.

"You have ten minutes to change into warmer clothes. I'll be in the car. In ten minutes, I'll leave with or without your presence." he said and with that he stepped inside the house leaving me stunned.

Did he just say yes? He didn't said 'Yes' but that's what he means right? He did just say yes! So why am I wasting precious minutes here outside? He said get change into warmer clothes. So that's what the checking-out for, why am I disappointed? Oh whatever, I'll think of these silly thoughts later, but for now I'm going to the human town! Our town! With Ashton's little smile on my mind and a smile of my own I made a dash upstairs to my room to get changed.

Nine minutes left.