her sweet chains

Episode 32

I sighed heavily and took another swig directly from my bottle of Tequila. I sagged on the floor slightly my blurry gaze locked on Jamie’s mobile phone which was in front of me on our glass topped coffee table. I bit my lip eyeing the phone nervously as if I was expecting it to suddenly explode or something. Jamie had left about an hour ago for his first class and I’d asked to borrow his phone. Sensibly he hadn’t chosen to question this request, he’d just placed his phone on the coffee table and silently taken mine instead kissing me on the forehead before he left.

“Come on Jess just do it.” I said sternly to myself taking another swig of tequila. I grabbed the phone and not pausing to think as if I paused I would loose my nerve in a second I had pressed speed dial four and jammed the phone to my ear. I bit my lip my nerve rapidly disappearing but after two rings the phone was silently answered. I exhaled but didn’t say anything and neither did he. Stupid half formed sentences rushed through my mind but instantly dismissed all of them. I heard a growl down the line.

“Jess are you going to say anything or should I just hang up on you?” Derek snarled. I desperately tried to think of something but found flashes of brilliance highly elusive as they always are when you really want them. I didn’t have the faintest idea where to begin. Derek growled lightly and the call disconnected .I snarled took another swig of tequila and instantly dialled him back.

“You don’t get to hang up on me.” I snarled the second the phone was answered.

“Oh so your talking to me now.” he said with an air of surprise.

“Well I’m sorry but I was actually finding this slightly uncomfortable unlike you obviously.”

“So that’s why you’re calling me on Jay’s phone to surprise me because you think I’d be too uncomfortable talking to you.”

“I called on Jamie’s phone because I thought you might be dodging me as you’re ashamed of yourself.” I snapped.

“Well that’s a theory.” He said mildly “and please enlighten me what am I ashamed about.”

“You know.” I snapped refusing to play his game.

”Well obviously I don’t my darling because I asked.” He said calmly

“Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you spent last night f*****g some cheap slag.”

“Her names Julie.” Derek said innocently.

“So you’re not even denying it?”

“Well is there any point if you know?”I snarled

“you knew it would hurt me and you just didn’t f*****g care.”

“Oh I cared Darling.” he said his voice husky and seductive. “But of course you were trying to hurt me weren’t you when you were f*****g some random guy in the gym. I thought you might appreciate ….reciprocation. Which spells out how it feels when the one you’re bound to decides to forsake you to become a slut.”

“I didn't know it would hurt you." I moaned,

"you did just you didn't realise it would be physical and it isn't it, doesn't it hurt."

"You should stop calling me a slut.” I said gently “because if you keep calling me one maybe I’ll choose to just start behaving like one.” There was a mirthless chuckle down the line,

“I don’t think I’d notice any difference darling.”

“You’re a whinny self obsessed ass.”

“And you’re a hypocritical slut. I guess that’s why were such a great pair huh?” He said a smile clear in his voice. Which I responded to by hanging up and flinging Jamie’s mobile across the room cringing as I heard the multiple tiny pieces of metal raining down onto the carpet.

“JESSICA, JESSICA.” Jamie shouted hurtling himself into our flat, I lifted my head wearily as he rushed into the living room; I drew my lips back baring my teeth growling at him.

“oh.” he said prodding the fragments of what had been his phone with the tip of his toe. “I was going to tell you that I couldn’t get through to you my mobile but I think that’s been explained”. I growled more loudly, and Jamie just smiled flinging his bag aside flopping down next to me. “Went well huh?” he said burying his hand in the thick silvery fur of my shoulder. I gave a half hearted growl and gave up just collapsing down to the ground with a snort. It was anger with Derek that had initiated my shift so my wolf form was angry but I’d been prowling round the apartment for hours, knocking things over shredding cushions, deep claw marks marred the woodwork of our various pieces of furniture, this hadn’t alleviated my anger but by now I was just too tired to be angry.

“Can you shift back?” he asked. I clumsily swung my head around trying to indicate I couldn’t. Communication in wolf form obviously was difficult but while in this form we didn’t seem to feel the need to jabber away constantly. Jamie sighed “usually I’d say to wait it out but you can’t half hold a grudge I think if we wait for you to calm down we’d still be waiting when Armageddon comes along.” He smiled as I growled again, “you missed your lecture you know Ashton called he was worried.” I snorted as I flopped back down on my side. “oh also you had a call from Lauren she is going to be here at seven to pick you up, no excuses as it has been two days since they last saw you.” I growled irritated. “Do you want me to blow her off?” Jamie asked pulling the phone out. I struggled to shake my head growling at the difficulty of this simple gesture, Jamie chuckled “well then you should probably attempt to you know change back as I don’t think this outfit will be appropriate for the student union piss up.” I chuckled lightly well as lightly as a wolf can ever manage. “How about we …” he cringed discretely “talk things through” he was such a guy. I growled at him baring my teeth and narrowing my eyes “okay.” Jamie said holding his hands up in surrender but I could see the relief behind his eyes. “Pretty good thing actually it’s kind of hard to talk with a you know wolf physiology.” From his expression it seemed I had managed to give him a pretty good glower. I jerked my head at the kitchen with a snort. Jamie smiled rubbing a hand across his forehead, “you and your mate.” I growled loudly “have had a serious disagreement that led to you destroying our flat and you think a steak will resolve everything?” I tried to nod which again was difficult and hence clumsy but Jamie clearly got the message as he padded of into the kitchen with a chuckle.

           Much to Jamie’s annoyance and my smugness the smell of sizzling steak did indeed snap me out of my shift. I don’t know how as I was still furious when I shifted back but all I did know was that when Jamie walked into the living room with a pile of rare steaks I was sting up on the sofa looking expectant. Jamie laughed handed me the pile of steaks before peeling off his t-shirt and flinging it at me.

“prude.” I joked pulling the shirt over my naked form pausing a second later to pull on my amethyst pendant before pulling the pile of steak towards me.

“So what happened?” he asked tentatively.

“He called me a slut or a slag or … no I think it was a hypocritical slut.”

“Right and you responded in a mature dignified way I’m sure.”

“I may have called him a whinny self obsessed ass and hung up on him.” I said with a vague shrug chewing on a large chunk of steak.

“Hmm.” Jamie said his poker face was flawless,

“What?” I said calmly, Jamie sighed

“I’m getting an inexplicable intense headache I’m going to go have a lie down.” he said padding off out of the room, as I smiled and dug back into my steaks.

           Despite my short time scale I had no problem being ready for my seven pm deadline with Lauren and Amy after all never being a girly girl I didn’t really need much time to preen. So I even had time to call Ashton who bless him seemed horrified at the simple fact that a girl was calling him but I dutifully told him I was fine and sorry I didn’t call but I guess I was more tired than I had realised as I had just passed out and not awoken until Jamie came home. Ashton I knew didn’t buy this but of course being Ashton he accepted it with an

“Oh okay sure, I’ll have a copy of my notes for you when you get back.” Bless. Honestly I was really starting to wonder how I would cope in this place without him. I know that may sound odd especially from someone who originates from such a closed society but I’m part wolf loyal by nature when someone is one of us I will love them forever and inexplicable as it was I was beginning to consider Ashton as one of my boys so I would trust him with my life, and I would defend his life with mine just like any of the pack. Anyway after our short and rather awkward conversation I showered and changed for our night out, and already had shots poured and a vodka in my hand as the girls arrived and I buzzed them in.

“JESSICA.” They gabbled as one as Lauren , Amy and Zoe tumbled through my door (Zoe was a fellow Art student apparently that had been acquired a few weeks ago and I’m sure she’s very nice but of course I couldn’t be bothered to find out I had friends and these girls weren’t them they served a purpose that was all).

“Hey girl it has been days.” Amy slurred flinging an arm around my shoulder and wafting beer fumes into my face I had to fight not to wince too visibly. “How’s the complicated Guy?” she asked lightly seemingly not seeing my glare. The complicated Guy was the name they had given Derek as ever since they had heard me bellowing down the phone at him they had been pestering me for details most of which I managed to answer with the catchphrase “it’s complicated.”

“He’s complex.” I said evasively.

“Jamie’s coming right.” Lauren said biting her lower lip nervously, I wondered vaguely if I should warn her about Jamie’s new ‘mate’ and thought better of it so I just nodded he always came and  I strode directly into his room. The girls had been flabbergasted the first time I did this as I very clearly didn’t see the need for knocking but what did they think I should be worried about finding.

“Hey.” Jamie said vaguely tumbling out of bed stretching wearing just his boxers but thoroughly unconcerned about the group of girls in his doorway ogling him as though he was the first man they had seen. But to be honest I couldn’t blame them Jamie might be my little pet but from a subjective point of view he did have a beautifully sculpted muscular physique.

“Are you coming?”

“absolutely.” He said through a yawn. “You girls give me five minutes.” He said twisting his neck easing out the creeks.

           It turned out a ‘night with the girls’ (which involves lots of noise mess and alcohol) was exactly what I needed. But it seemed to be the exact opposite of what Jamie wanted poor love he felt the need to come protect me on these excursions but I could tell he hated them he usually hovered at the bar looking rather haughty and bored with the proceedings or trying to avoid all the girls who kept shooting him hopeful glances. But tonight was different the whole place seemed to make him intensely uncomfortable and I knew what it was although it had been several years since I had last seen it with Geoff. Geoff had begun twitching like this around humans particularly women immediately after he met his mate Kate (before she knew what he was and had made her ultimate act of dedication in turning sacrificing her humanity to be with him). They were behaving as if every other woman in the world was a direct threat as they were all trying to lure them away from their true mates. This made it clear to me whoever this girl Emily was Jamie really liked her.

“hi.” A bright voice said behind me as I stood at the bar watching Jamie thoughtfully. “Nathan.” He said as I turned to frown at him “from comp studies.”

“Ah yes the class I skip.” I said smiling at him he had really pretty eyes they were green, not that murky muddy green they were proper emerald green. This went well with his longish light brown hair, though his build was a fair bit smaller than I found usual. In truth I didn’t really remember him I had only been to comp studies once and found it a waste of time but that didn’t matter to me this guy was cute. “Jessica.” I said holding out my hand he smiled at me it was infectious I couldn’t help but smile back.

“would you like a drink?” he asked I frowned at my full pint on the bar ( I had switched to pints as sipping them gave me something to do so people would leave me alone for a while if I didn’t feel like jumping around on the dance floor for a bit). “Okay” he said laughing awkwardly “bad opening line.”

“I’ll let you off.” I said lightly smiling at him “second lines are really more important.” he frowned,

“damn.” He said his voice mocking focus “you better give me some time to think of one.” I laughed lightly; I was kind of starting to like him.