her sweet chains

Episode 9

2 months later

“Morning” I called as I strode into Andrew and Connie’s kitchen where they were sitting at the kitchen table. Dean’s parents smiled at me,

“Morning Jessica.” Connie said your in a good mood, I shrugged,

“Its nice weather.” I said beaming,

“Hmm.” Andrew muttered non comittally, as I sat down at the table and took a swig of his coffee; Connie didn’t have sugar-yuck!

“I’m guessing you want you post again.” Connie said pushing herself up and walking over to the counter picking up a large stack of letters and deposited them in front of me as I stole half a slice of Andrews toast.

“Andrew.” I said with a sigh waving the toast vaguely, “how many times do we have to have this conversation strawberry not raspberry jam.”

“Well you make you own breakfast.” he said plucking the toast from my hand, “you get to pick you own jam.” I leaned over and bit a large chunk out of the toast he had in his hand.

“I’ll deal with it.” I said licking the jam from my fingertips as I flicked absently though the envelopes.

“I can see that.” Andrew said putting the remains of his toast back on his plate as he pushed himself up taking his plate to the sink.

“So are you going to tell us what this newly developed obsession with the post is now?” Connie asked from across the kitchen where she was leaning against the counter smiling at me over the rim of her coffee cup.

“I’m just bored.” I said with a sigh “I mean its such a long time since my shifts started and I was you know placed under house arrest, and though Darius lets me out now , a little. I don’t have anywhere to go. I mean my job is keeping the records which I do at the house and it’s boring.” Connie smiled placidly,

“Maybe you should come get some work experience with me?” Connie suggested lightly, I grimaced at this idea.

“I can’t think of a job that I’d be worse suited to.” I said flatly (Connie was a primary school teacher though when we had a batch of young cubs she often provided day care for them). “As I think killing the kids wouldn’t be approved of.”

“It is frowned upon.”  I smiled as I pushed myself to my feet grabbing the stack of post.

“Don’t worry about me I’ll figure it out.” I said with a smile “and until then the records beckon.” I said letting myself out into the warm sunshine of Saturday morning and walking up the wide gravel driveway swinging my arms causally. I had been doing this walk nearly everyday for the past two months, it had been noticed of course but thankfully not questioned (except by Connie and Andrew of course). Even if I had been questioned it wouldn’t have mattered, I was determined to intercept my post before anyone else could even notice it was there and thankfully so far I’d been rather successful. I sighed as the house came into view and I remembered the stack of work I had awaiting me back in the office. Despite what I said I actually quite liked my job well it filled the hours nicely anyway. I was working through all the records of the pack recording all the incidents involving mutts. All the previous alphas had done this but Darius though he had kept recording these accounts he tended to scribble a word or two on paper bags and the back of envelopes, which of course didn’t lead to great records. I had found this out and for some reason I’d taken it upon myself to put these records into order, something Darius had been thrilled by and instantly appointed me to officially and wonderfully he had begun paying me a salary to do it.

“Jessica.” Darius’ voice sounded from the study as I walked into the entrance hall.

“yep.” I said poking my head around the door.

“Your happy this morning.” He said brightly I shrugged,

“It’s a nice day.” Darius rolled his eyes sceptically. “I have your post.” I said sweetly walking into his study and flinging the majority of the letters onto his desk.

“You still doing you little ritual?” he asked I nodded but didn't say anything else and wisely Darius didn’t ask.

“Was there something?” I asked shrugging suddenly uncomfortable though he didn’t ask Darius’ gaze suddenly seemed too inquisitive too knowing.

“Hmm.” Darius said turning his gaze to the papers in front of him. “ yes I got a call this morning from …err yes Dean he says that there close to taking in this rogue , he thinks they should be back late tonight or tomorrow morning.” Darius said shifting papers in front of him.

“Why do I have to know that?” Darius lifted his eyes but otherwise didn’t move,

“I just thought you would like to know, I mean they’ve been gone for almost a week, you must be getting lonely.” I growled deep inside my throat although Darius didn’t respond to this except by raising his eyebrows “you’ll soon have another report to write after all.” 

“Right well thanks for the heads up I’m going to go get on with these reports.” Darius nodded as I simply tuned and strode out depositing the other letters into the pigeon holes all except for one a large white envelope addressed to me. I gripped the paper tightly as I strode quickly over to my office. Ok technically it wasn’t my office but none of the boys used it so I’d pretty much claimed it as mine, which was clear from the Winnie the pooh calendar and the bright pink notebooks. I sighed and settled myself down in my office chair staring avidly at the envelop.

           Today was Sunday so I had taken advantage of the fact that I didn’t have to go get the post and the that I’d had a surge of rage when I stubbed my toe on the fridge, so I had used these combined factors to escape to the forest where I lay spread out on a rock in my wolf form sunning myself. I lifted my head slightly nose twitching as I heard movement off in the trees, flopping back down as Jamie’s scent wafted to me, feeling just a minor irritation that he was turning up interrupting my placid dozing. I lifted my head lazily as a black wolf strode into the clearing, but Jamie just tuned around and strode back into the shelter of the trees. My ears swivelled as I recognized the sounds emerging from the undergrowth, I recognized the snarling growls noises instantly, Jamie was shifting I would have frowned if I could have managed it in wolf form.

“Jessie… I’ve been looking for you.” Jamie said breathlessly as he emerged naked from the clearing combing a hand though his dishevelled hair. “the others have just got back , but…well its Derek,” I sat bolt upright growling at Jamie as his words stopped “ he well he got hurt …they got him back…he’s with Kate… but ..He’s …Jess its pretty bad. Darius said…”

I didn’t even hear these last words as by this point I was already sprinting away back though the forest.

“Jessie.” Jamie shouted pointlessly at me “Jessie.”

           I ran at full sprint though the forest ignoring the twigs which were snagging my fur as well as sharp stoned and branches cutting the pads of my paws yet nothing slowed me. I sprinted out of the woods and across the lawns towards the house. I scrambled slightly as I climbed up the marble steps and in though the open door across the entrance hall. Terror clutched at my heart as the smell in the house hit me, it stank of blood Derek’s blood, fear and Pain. I hurried up the stairs my paws still sliding slightly as I wasn’t in the mood to try and slow down. I slid to a stop in front of Darius who was stood outside the Guest room which was next door to Kate’s room and often used as a makeshift hospital. We all hated staying there as it smelt like illness but all I could smell now was blood so strong it seemed to hit me causing a slight physical stagger. I growled at Darius though I couldn’t speak the message was clear ‘GET OUT OF MY WAY’.

“Jessie.” He said slowly “you need to calm down.” I growled again bearing my teeth as my hackles rose in response to the raised voices inside the room, I couldn’t understand half of what Kate was shouting my I didn’t like the sound of it. “Jessica.” He snapped, “I am ordering you to go to your room and shift back then we will talk.” I growled again but it was a half hearted gesture as Darius had ordered me to shift so I would have to do it. “Jessica.” He snarled sharply, I shuffled back though I kept my eyes locked intently on Darius until I managed to back myself into my room.  But as soon as I was inside I just began pacing relentlessly snarling and growling in pure imitation. after a few moments I mentally shook myself I couldn’t shift back when I was in this state but the thought of becoming calm enough to shift back seemed like the a task along the lines of carrying a mountain on my back.

“Jess.” Carl said hurrying into my room his clothes and skin both coated liberally in blood, I pressed my nose into the nearest damp blood patch on his shirt for just an instant before it was confirmed that was Derek’s blood. Carl leaned over and closed my door softly before settling himself on my floor. I growled slightly irritated immensely by his calm demeanour. “Shhhh jess.” He muttered “Derek will need you. So we need to shift back. Come on.” He said gently patting the floor next to him. I lay down tentatively but followed the gentle pressure of Carl’s hands as he laid me down my head resting on his knee. “You need you calm down.” He said gently burying his hand deep in my pelt of my shoulder. I breathed slowly closing my eyes tying to calm myself Carls gentle presence helped, not least because he smelt rather like Derek. “I’m sure he’ll want to see you.” Carl continued gently “he always does… you… I mean I don’t think you see it but… when you walk in the room his eyes just light up…its…its nice to see I mean we… were enforcers we see lots of s**t . It’s nice to know that the job won’t kill everything in us.” Carl’s arms in contrast to Derek slid away from me as I began twitching and wining as I felt intense pain shoot though my limbs as my bones and muscles twisted and realigned. My whimpers turned into a distinctly human gasp of pain as I curled myself up against the pain which slowly began to recede. I collapsed on to the floor exhausted panting heavily. “Here you go.” Carl said dropping a pair of jeans and a black vest top. I leapt to my feet and pulled these times on and was at the door before Carl had taken the second step towards it.

 “Darius.” I growled as I walked into the hallway. He looked across at me with a smile though I could see the strain behind it. “What happened?” I snapped,

“It’s a rough job being an enforcer.” He said vaguely,

“WHAT?” I snarled,

“They were hunting a rogue and Derek got hurt it happens.”

“Is it bad?” I asked quietly when Darius paused I realized I didn’t want to hear his answer so I blurted out “what happened?”

“The rogue had armed himself Derek got shot.”

“shot.” A twisted smile appeared on Carl’s features,

“Silver bullets.”

“S…s…silver.” I stuttered. Despite the myths silver bullets weren’t needed to kill us, any bullets could kill us but silver we really did have a problem with so coating bullets in silver made them very unpleasant, as they caused all the injury of a bullet and the silver made it feel as if liquid fire was coursing though our veins.

“It’s alright.” Darius snapped in “Kate is in there she’s removing the bullets and dealing with the effects of the silver poisoning.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” I asked my voice shockingly weak and trembling.

“He’ll be alright.” Carl said rubbing my shoulders lightly.

“Why do you all keep saying that it doesn’t make me believe you.”

“Jessie.” Darius said his voice stern and chiding.

“I want to see him.” I snapped,

“No.”  Darius said firmly “Kate’s with him she needs to do her job and you need to let her.”

“I don’t care.” I hissed though gritted teeth, “I want to see him.”

“Jessie.” Carl said gently gripping my shoulder “you don’t need to see him like that, just wait.” I shook my head frantically.

“What if.”

“no.” he snapped tuning me around roughly to face him, “don’t even think like that he’ll be fine.”

“How do you know that?” I retorted roughly Carl sighed and ran a hand though his hair smearing Derek’s blood across his forehead. He gave a small smile,

“Because he has you to come back too he couldn’t leave you.” I couldn’t help it I crumbled and Carl thankfully wrapped his arms around me holding him tightly pressed against his chest.

“Darius.” Kate said peering around the door.

“yeah.” The Alpha said vaguely,

“I need to talk to you.” She said urgently her face was spattered with small flecks of blood and she had large dark black bags under her eyes and her usually sleek neat hair was half up and half tumbling down around her neck messily. “In private.” she said softly Darius tuned around to look at me and Carl who had suddenly leapt apart, and Jamie who had also arrived.

“Alright you three downstairs.” He said sternly

“What?” I snarled as Carl looked mutinous “you can’t be serious?”

“Deadly.” Darius said “in fact I’ll make it an order go downstairs.” I growled but Dean (who had arrived at some point unnoticed by me) put a hand on my shoulder.

“Come on princess.” He whispered taking my hand and tugging gently every instinct in me said no despite the fact that I couldn’t defy Darius, but what made me move was the twinkle in Dean’s eye he was up to mischief.

“Steady.” I growled as Dean gripped my waist tightly. I was sitting on his shoulders he was sitting on Jamie’s shoulders who was sitting on Carl’s shoulders. I was leaning on the window ledge of the first floor hence supporting most of my own weight and the boys had somehow managed to brace themselves against the wall which is what allowed them to stack up in this way.

“You got it Jess?” Dean called.

“shhh.” I hissed leaning slightly towards the window which though closed allowed enough sound to perpetrate though to my ears.

“Do you think its best?” Darius voice sounded,

“well it doesn’t matter what I think he wont shift back until he stats to heal and if he does that he will do himself more damage.” Kate said sharply.

“If we can’t do anything about it then what about the rest.”

“He’s lost a lot of blood. I’ve removed the bullets and patched up his wounds. But he’s in a lot if pain.” she sighed “I’ve dosed him full of pain killers but that’s counter productive as long as he’s sedated his power to self heal is diminished.”

“So it’s a waiting game.” Darius said gruffly 

“Yeah.” Kate said softly “I don’t feel I can reduce the painkillers yet but I guess I’ll have to do it slowly and so he can heal even though it’ll be slower.

“Alright Dean and Pete alright.”

“Yeah I tried to get Dean to rest but well.” I lowered my hand to tap twice on Dean’s shoulder. He instantly understood the signal and slowly began to ease me down. I bent my knees and landed silently skipping aside to allow the rest of the tower to disperse.

“Kitchen.” I said with a vague gesture the boys all followed me without comment eager for my relaying of the conversation I had managed to overhear.

“Hey little one.” Roger said with none of his usual light heartedness as he strode into the kitchen as I finished my recap to the boys. I tripped over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck and gripped him in a light hug. “How are they doing?” he asked easing out of my arms.

“Derek’s pretty beat up but Kate’s doing what she can.” Carl spared the necessity for me to answer which I was thankful.

“And Pete?” 

“He’s fine just a flesh wound.” Carl said gently “he’s down waiting for the damn rogue to wake up.”

“WHAT?” I snarled Jamie jumped in pure terror; Carl swung his head around from Guy to Guy desperately as if looking for support. “YOU BROUGHT THAT FUCKER BACK HERE.” I Shouted, Carl paled and Jamie positively quaked as Dean lounged back on the counter looking vaguely amused, as if interested to see how Carl would talk his way out of this.

“That is what they are supposed to do Jess.” Roger said delicately “they come back here to face our justice.”

“You know I was shot too.” Dean put in sarcastically from his position next to the counter “but I’m fine thanks for the concern but please stop fussing.”

“YOU BROUGHT THAT FUCKER BACK HERE.” I shouted again spinning around pinning Carl up against the wall by his throat.

“Jessie. put him down” Dean said in a bored voice as though I was a two year old having a tantrum, which was pretty accurate really as if they wanted to stop me it would have been easy for any of them so they just let attempt to work out my rage.

“He’s in the cage?” I asked calmly releasing Carl.

“Jessica you stay here.” Dean said sternly as I headed for the door, I spun round to face him.

“Make me.” I dared him even to myself I sounded like a spoilt brat.

“Jessie.” Jamie said gently I turned my eyes to him “don’t.”

“I’m going to go see Derek.”

“Jessie Kate’s looking after him they won’t let you in.” Carl said gently a flashed him an intense glare and strode out.

           But to my intense irritation Carl was completely right, not that I found it surprising but it was still irritating. As I reached the doorway Darius was guarding it and flatly informed me that Kate was with Derek and I would be allowed to see him when the others were, which was when Kate said.

“Jessie.” He finally snapped it was a tone that shocked me into silence as I was treasured and indulged I wasn’t to being told no and being snapped at in this real way was shocking to me. “He is really hurt in there I know you are concerned but so am I. I am doing what Kate asked me to as she is tying to save his f*****g life.” His slow calm voice had become a snarl by the end.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered truly abashed,

“I know but we’re doing everything we can Jessie.” I nodded “and by the way.” He added with A small smile “next your tying to eavesdrop can you and the boys at least try to be stealthy you put no effort in that.

“You didn’t give us much prep time.” I said slightly offended. He smiled fondly and kissed the top of my head.

           I winced slightly as my bare feet hit the cold gravel. I wondered vaguely if I should go back for my shoes and instantly dismissed this although I wasn’t technically breaking any rules I didn’t want to risk encountering Darius if I didn’t have to. The only order he had actually given me was to ‘go away and stop bugging him.’ But I was fairly confident that he would have no hesitation in modifying this. I had tried to behave I had hung around with the boys waiting patiently for news left the rogue alone and even gone to bed when the boys did and I had slept for a little bit anyway but now it was two am I had been tying and failing to sleep for over two hours now and I was fed up with it. the sniff test I had used in the corridor told me it was Pete who was now guarding Derek’s room and as indulgent as the boys maybe to me I knew Pete wouldn’t let me in as I was certain Darius had given him an order so I had slipped outside and crept around until I was under the window. I silently slipped my fingers and toes into small crevices in the wall and began to climb with the ability that no human could manage. I was at his window which had been left slightly open within seconds I slid it open and soundlessly eased myself into Derek’s room. I bit my lip blinking back tears the second my eyes locked on my Derek. He was still in wolf form which possibly made it worse my invincible protector he lay there not the predator the hunter that I knew he was he was hurt he was, no no I couldn’t think like that. Large dried patches of blood marred the snow white linen beneath him. Large clumps of his fur were stuck in clumps by congealed blood. Where other large patches of him were simply covered in large amounts of bandages stained by his blood in varying degrees. But the worse thing was all the tubes and wires running from him most of which I had no clue over their function.

“Dare?” I whispered tentatively as I walked over to the side of the bed. Nothing I don’t now what I expected but it wasn’t nothing. I bit my lip again and buried my hand in the thick dark fur on his shoulder. I gasped in pain as I felt a sudden extreme cramp in both my arms. “no.” I winced through gritted teeth knowing this was the beginning of a fast approaching shift. “no.” I growled pushing down the urge breathing deeply forcing my emotions down forcing my body to obey me, as I felt tears began to roll down my cheeks. I don’t know why I’d thought that seeing him like this would make me feel better. I battled with my twin overwhelming emotions that was fear and anger I had to push them down or I was going to shift right here and I knew that wouldn’t end well for me. I sighed before gently and tentatively I climbed on the bed next to Derek and slid over close to him pressing my nose into the fur of the back of his neck feeling his scent and simple presence calming me. “Rest Derek you’ll be alright I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” I whispered running my fingers though his fur which was crusty with blood.