her sweet chains

Episode 6

      I sighed gently as from my awkward sort of half sleep I felt fingers lightly brushing through my hair.

“God I’ve missed you.” A Voice growled next to my ear.

“mmmm.” I murmured contently reluctant to wake up the rest of the way. “Welcome home Derek.” I said groggily pressing my cheek into his hand which lingered there. I felt his warm breath brush across my face as he bent down to kiss the tip of my nose. “Is it like a mealtime or something? Do I have to get up.” I said wearily though still without opening my eyes.

“Oh please don’t.” Derek said and I shifted slightly as the mattress moved as Derek’s weight settled on it just behind me and I felt his limbs wrapping around me as he nuzzled into my neck pressing light kisses onto it. “It’s late.” He whispered “we’ve just got back.”

“How did it go?” Derek gave a half snort of laughter,

“Well it’s done.” He mumbled snuggling in closer to me.

“Bad?” I whispered,

“They all are.” he mumbled into my neck “it’s necessary to protect the pack I know that but our justice it’s brutal so it’s something that should never be gloried in.”

“I’m sorry.” I whispered, Derek fisted his hands in my hair gently.

“Its okay.” he said gently “because you’re here. So its alright.” He whispered “it doesn’t seem so bad once I get back to you.” I couldn’t think of anything to say to that. I wanted to say something to make him feel better but I didn’t want to lie to him as I didn’t know what I could say, I mean what had happened on my birthday was fact I had lost my mind and for some reason I’d wanted him, And yes for some reason when I felt myself being to shift I’d for some reason come to Derek’s room and laid on his bed (which cleverly Derek hadn’t commented on). I couldn’t say anything he wanted to hear right now I couldn’t. All I could do is start arguing and he was so tired I couldn’t do that. but thankfully I  assumed I wasn’t required to say anything, as Derek didn’t say anything more he just cuddled into me so I just lay silently and after a few moments Derek’s breathing slowed and deepened until he was snoring away softly next to me.

           My eyes snapped open in complete darkness, a quick glance at Derek’s bedside clock showed it was now 4:07 am.

“The middle of the night.” I groaned lightly pulling my amethyst necklace from my pocket and hanging it back over my neck before collapsing back on the mattress knowing though it was no good I was awake now , hardly surprising as I had spent a large part of the afternoon asleep. As I collapsed back down Derek rolled over in his sleep slinging his arm carelessly across my chest. I lifted his arm gently and laid it down on the bed next to him. Derek shifted slightly in his sleep but didn’t wake up. I leaned over and pushed a loose lock of hair back from his face wincing as I did so as my fingers felt a crusty residue on his face. I lifted my fingers to my nose and it was instantly confirmed to me, Derek was still coated in blood the blood of a shape shifter not one of ours it was the blood of that mutt they had killed. I pulled my hand down and rubbed it vigorously against my sweater trying desperately to rub the blood off. I knew this was the way our pack was our justice was swift and brutal, it was how we survived but I needed to get the blood off my hands. I pulled back the duvet and slid out of the bed, though I did snort indignantly as I realised that Derek had gotten into bed naked.

“That’s called taking advantage of a situation.” I said to my still snoring companion before I turned away and strode quickly from the boys house, though all the boys were still asleep I could instantly tell the difference the house moaned quietly. Light breaths and deep snored could be heard the boys gentle body heat could be felt. I smiled fondly as I pushed open the door and walked out into the dark cold October morning wincing slightly as my bare feet touched the cold flagstones and I hurried across the short distance to the den entering silently through the patio doors in to the silent kitchen.

“Early for you to be up and about isn’t it?” Darius said lightly flicking on the kitchen light. I shrugged non-committally and wondered over to the fridge.

“Guess my body clocks messed up I don’t really have much to do to separate the days from the nights.” I said intently scanning the contents of the fridge my eyes widening as I spotted half a pepperoni pizza, which I snatched out.

“I know your finding this hard but we are making progress.” Darius said gently.

“No we’re not.” I snapped flopping myself down on a bar stool next to him at the table. “And you know we’re not it’s been just over four months now and I haven’t initiated a single shift yet.”

“Control isn’t all about that, your learning to control your emotions and you’ve started to repress the shifts when they begin. That is the important part of control not initiating.”

“That doesn’t help.” I said flopping back tearing small pieces from my Pizza which I then flicked across the plate. “I’m still bored and I’m still stuck here.”

“Well if you wanted your lessons to be amusing you should have continued to let Derek teach you.” Darius said snagging an apple. I shot him an intense glare which of course had no results you couldn’t intimidate the alpha that easily, Darius merely looked thoughtful as he took another bite from his apple. “Anyway my little princess what urgent plans do you have to be getting along with. I shrugged vaguely.

“Up until four months ago I was human so right now I’m rethinking.”

“Well why you don’t see this as an opportunity to think.”

“Because I feel like I’m killing time and for nothing.”

“We’re making progress.”

“No you want us to be making progress.” I said grumpily flopping back folding my arms. Darius just smiled placidly before he got up and ruffled my hair playfully like I was six years old.

“Give it time, you’ll get there.” He said kissing my forehead before walking out of the kitchen. “So come on.” He said from the doorway jerking his head. I frowned “since your up bored and frustrated with your progress lets have a lesson.” I shrugged and got up to follow him stuffing the final pieces of pizza into my mouth in a much undignified way.

3 months later

           I sighed and shivered slightly as a light misty rain fell all around me soaking into the thin black sweater I was wearing.

“So this is where your hiding?” Derek said walking silently up stopping just behind me leaning over to kiss the top of my head.

“Yeah I should find a new place to hide though because this one obviously doesn’t work very well.”

“Kate’s looking for you.” He said sitting down next to me.

“Why?” he shrugged,

“Don’t know just thought I’d give you fair warning. She seems to think you have cabin fever.”

“perceptive.” I said sarcastically,

“Well you are spending a lot of time lurking out here.” Derek said placidly “and when you are in the house your stomping about.”

“Do you actually want anything?” I snapped

“yep.” He said nudging me with his shoulder; I gave him a flat unimpressed look.

“I thought you were trying to seduce me by the softly, softly approach now.” I said Derek’s eyes twinkled slightly, but I was right over the last three months he hadn’t tried to kiss me once and wisely hadn’t ever even approached the issue as I didn’t want to think about the way I had behaved on my birthday or the serious way I missed him now when he wasn’t around. I mean he had always been my best friend so I’d always missed when he went off hunting rogues but now it was worse it was like when he isn’t there I can’t seem to think of anything else except how much I bloody miss him. That combined with the frustration I still feel at being confined to the house was making my life unbearable and making me seem pretty damn scary as I was able to now make anyone (except Darius and Derek) flee from a room with just my glare.

“Would you prefer a more direct approach?”

“Oh just shut up.” I sighed collapsing down on my back. Derek chuckled, “I’d better go find Kate.” I said dully.

“Such enthusiasm.” I smiled but still didn’t move “you can stay here with me.” He suggested gently pulling the platinum chain out from under my shirt and twiddled it around his fingers.

“Softly, Softly.” I said. Derek smiled releasing the chain.

“That’s too slow mind if I push a little.” He said leaning over me.

“Yes I mind.” I said but I couldn’t even blink I was captured by his gaze which was flickering to golden.

“Then stop me.” Derek said reaching over and stroking my cheek gently. I turned my head to nibble into his fingers playfully. “That’s not stopping me.” He said his voice strangely husky.

“Okay.” I whispered “how about this. I’m going to find Kate.” I said wriggling out from under him on my back jumping up and striding off into the trees.

“tease.” He called as I giggled and walked away twitching my hips a little more than was absolutely necessary.

“There you are.” Kate called as I emerged out onto the lawn.

“Yeah here I am.” I said brightly

“Good.” Kate said her voice and expression both pure sunshine she clapped her hands together “I’ve got a treat for you.”

“Oh my god what?” I asked my voice filling with dread that Kate seemed immune to.

“I talked to Darius and convinced this to let us go out for the day.”

“Really?” I said my voice instantly brightening, she beamed back.

“Mmm hmm, so I’m taking you on a pamper day.” She said with the air of a Santa clause pulling an especially extravagant toy from his sack.

“A what?” I said my good mood disappearing as quickly as it had come. I had grown up with only boys for company well company my age anyway, so the very concept of what happened on a pamper day was a mystery to me.

“A pamper day, were going to have the lot a facial , manicure we’ll get your hair done and then go shopping.” Oh kill me now!

“Well thanks Kate. It’s a lovely idea.” I said tying desperately to imitate the sunshine in her voice.

“Don’t even try and get out of it you have been stuck out here with only the boys for far too long were going to have some quality girl time.” I turned back to the trees considering just running in there and flinging myself at Derek. I was sure that even Kate would give me up for a lost cause if I was in the forest making out with Derek. “Come on.” She said lunging at me and gripping my arm with vice like strength. “Its Darius’ birthday party he won’t be home until tonight. So I’m going to recreate you and present you back to them all tonight looking absolutely drop dead.” she stopped her forehead crinkling. She had clearly been planning to say drop dead gorgeous but had caught sight of me and suddenly realised how difficult that would be to achieve in just one day. I rubbed the back of my head as I rolled my eyes at her. “I’ll tell you what how about you go get some shoes.” She said noting my bare feet. “Maybe change.” noting my soaking black sweater and mud spattered dark jeans. “And brush your hair and I’m going to go get my purse and I’ll come get you in ten minutes.” She said scampering off.

“You can’t run she’ll come find you.” Jamie said leaning out of a first floor window smiling,

“What are you doing in my room?” I asked running up to the wall and rapidly beginning to clamber up it my fingers and toes easily slipping into tiny crevices.

“Kate sent me to look for you too.” Jamie said as I pulled myself inside. “I knocked.” he said shifting vaguely looking thoroughly guilty.

“Were you coming to find me or warn me?”

“A little of both.” Jamie said smiling gently.

“Well it didn’t work now I have a day of pedicures ahead of me.” I said blandly, “Unless you want to run away together.” I put in hopefully, Jamie laughed

“Temping but Derek would hunt us down and break my legs.” He said brightly.

“Actually I think Kate might find us first and drag me off for this damn manicure.”

“Your probably right.” He said with a smile as Kate’s shrill calls echoed through the empty house.

“Kill me.” I said weakly.

           Unfortunately Jamie refused to help with this and so I got to experience my first ‘pamper day’ and if I ever get told I’m going on a second I’ll just kill myself as it seems like the lesser of the two evils. Kate’s smile flickered again when I appeared in the entrance hall dressed in dark jeans and blue sweater, though I had made an effort I’d run a brush through my hair and removed some of the twigs in my hair, but obviously that wasn’t what was supposed to be worn on a pamper day as Kate was a lot more pristine but then again that was just how things naturally varied between the two of us. Our first stop was a manicure the whole place stank of peroxide and the bottle blond who kept tutting over my bitten nails kept poking my fingers with little wooden sticks and asking me about if I had any plans for my holidays well until I growled at her (under my breath) but this combined with my glare seemed to shut her up and she didn’t even insist on painting my nails an obscure colour instead only using a clear top coat as she could see I was ‘a natural sort of girl’. This was followed by a facial which was even more painful as an equally irritating bimbo who kept rubbing my face with this unbelievably harsh smelling sort of oily stuff while she gabbled away about open pores and my t zone (whatever that is). I was amazed that Kate actually seemed to be enjoying this activity, lying on the table with her eyes closed and a placid sort of smile. I was finding the overpowering scents alone were enough to bring tears to my eyes, and couldn’t understand how Kate could stand it she might not be a natural but she still inherited our hypersensitive sense of smell when she had been turned. After sitting around with chunks of cucumber on our eyes for half an hour, Kate took me to have a haircut. the irritating women who sat flipping my hair suggested all sorts of things to which I just shrugged until Kate stepped in to save me, and they together concluded that they would add some subtle red streaks to my light brown hair, as well as adding some subtle ‘shaping’. I just sat their mute although I couldn’t help shooting terrified glances as the scissors began to glide through my hair. I mean obviously I’d had hair cuts but before it had always been cut by Connie who just used to trim it, but I trusted her. I though that after this my day of torment was finally over but no- Kate insisted on taking me shopping. Like with everything else clothes were never something I was particularly bothered about so long as they fitted reasonably well, didn’t have a million holes or make people stare I didn’t much care about what I was wearing. But Kate had a thing about clothes and she insisted on us going to each store at least twice before she would even consider buying anything. I didn’t even look at anything beyond half heartedly picking up a few pairs of jeans while Kate kept gushing over a variety of skirts and dresses.

“We celebrate Darius’ birthday in his study.” I said slowly as Kate made me twirl to show off the fifth outfit she had managed to bully me into trying on. “So why do I need a dress? Why can’t I just wear my jeans like I usually do?” Kate smiled,

“Because all girls love a chance to dress up “besides you look so beautiful in that.” she said reaching out the stroke the silken skirt of the dress. It was a crimson with spaghetti thin straps that crisscrossed down my back; the body was tight showing off my cleavage and flat stomach. The skirt was looser and came down to around halfway down my thighs which made me terribly uncomfortable, ironic considering how comfortable I generally was with nudity.

“Alright fine I’ll get it.” I said with a sigh as Kate beamed,

“brilliant.” she said as I slumped back into the fitting room. “We just need to get you some shoes now.”

“Oh god no.” I muttered under my breath.