her sweet chains

Episode 7

I awoke early the next morning from a nightmare where I was tied down while seven or eight clucking women were swarming around ‘pampering’ me.

“Typical.” I grumbled into the dark grabbing my watch I squinted at the softly glowing Dial which informed me it was 6:13 am. “typical.” I snarled again flopping back down into my pillows, knowing that nightmare was going to keep me awake for weeks. I groaned and pulled myself up out of bed rubbing my eyes roughly as I padded to my bathroom. I was lucky being the only girl and the fact that I still lived in the den meant that I was lucky enough to have an on suite bathroom. I squinted as soon as I turned on the light. I groaned as soon as I was able to open my eyes and see myself in the mirror. I looked exhausted as well as the make up Kate had insisted upon begin smeared down my face making me look light some sort of drunk clown.

“Why didn’t you come off in the shower?” I groaned before I filled my tiny basin with warm water and lathered up some soap which I rubbed over my face vigorously, dunking my head into the water before I dabbed my face dry. I lifted my face to look into the mirror it was better but still not perfect but I couldn’t be distracted by the make up because my gaze was snatched away by a vivid purple bite mark on my neck, which brought the memories of the night before crashing back into me. I swept my gaze down and saw the equally deep bite mark on my breast. I suddenly felt as if the room had lost all its air and I crumpled down to the bathroom floor. I knew even as I was doing it that was a stupid response I hadn’t forgotten the night before how could I but there was something about those seeing those bruises in the cold light of day which made it really hit home what had happened. But the thing which shocked me the most wasn’t what I done with Derek it was the fact that what had happened I’d welcomed not only that I’d wanted more. I’d wanted him so much, and if I was honest the fact that we’d been interrupted was the only reason we’d stopped and I’d practically sprinted to my room before I yielded and grabbed him again. I pushed myself up unsteadily up to my feet and wobbled back to my room the whole pace still seeming completely airless. I pulled out a set of my running gear and hastily wriggled in determined to get out of the house before anyone of the boys were up and about as I’m sure before the day was done someone would bring up the fact that my ripped knickers were found on the kitchen floor. I growled in pure frustration as that thought occurred in my mind and stomped noisily out of the house. Pausing only once I was out in the cold predawn light to breathe deeply the cold air stinging my lungs. I jumped up a couple of times locked my eyes on the trees and broke into a steady run.

           My lungs burned as I ran my legs turned to jelly and yet I kept moving. The steady rhythm of my pounding feet distracting me better than anything else. I became mesmerized by the steady beat of my feet, the calm even breathing, and the persistent beating of my ponytail on the back of my neck. My feet pounded and my arms pumped as a thin film of sweat began to coat my skin as I effortlessly ran across the pebbly uneven ground. My eyes not looking to the left or the right that didn’t matter all that mattered was the ground under my feet as long as that was my target I didn’t have to think about Derek. Suddenly my leg tangled on something and my other leg slid in the mud I pitched forward. I closed my eyes braced for an impact which didn’t come. I opened my eyes hesitantly.

“Derek?” I said blankly he smiled,

“hi.” He said awkwardly, a quick glance around told me the whole story it seemed I’d tripped over Derek’s ankle but he evidently had spun round and managed to catch me before I hit the ground. He stood up smoothly keeping me enclosed in his arms until I was placed back on my feet but I couldn’t help but notice the way he carefully kept his eyes averted. This simple gesture endeared me to him so much as in that moment he was as uncomfortable as I was, I actually found myself lifting my hand to place it on his cheek but something stopped me and I sighed letting my hand drop back down to my side .

“What are you doing here?” I asked as Derek turned to walk back into the trees. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled gently.

“Why are you out here?” I frowned at him and then gestured at my outfit vaguely.

“Running.”

“I mean you run when something’s wrong.” He said gently “did I upset you?” I didn’t answer he had turned around and was looking at me looking awkward and a little sad I didn’t now what to say .what could I say I didn’t understand I what I felt, so how could I even begin to explain it to him. “That’s really why I’m here.” He said softly “I couldn’t sleep and I thought if I saw you out here I’d know you’d be upset, but I didn’t mean to trip you up.” He finished with a beautiful shy sort of smile, but an instant later his hopeful gaze drifted down to his toes. He looked like a lost little boy who had been caught doing something wrong.

“You …you didn’t upset me.” I said gently casting my eyes a round as if looking for help where were the interruptions when you actually wanted them? “But …I…I.”

“It’s okay.” Derek said softly reaching out to brush his fingers along my cheek. I sighed and looked down at my trainers which had at one time been white but now were caked in a thick layer of mud. Derek sighed and sat himself down on a rock. I looked down the path with a strange sort of longing as now I’d stopped running images of the night before swamped my brain, stirring up the confusing jumble of emotions. I bit my lip as I looked over at my best friend I slowly stepped over to him and crumpled down to sit on the rock next to him. He turned his head slightly to look at me he frowned just a little as though puzzled by this act but then he smiled just a small little tentative smile, which I returned hesitantly. Derek slung his arm around my shoulders and squeezed slightly, I really smiled at this as it was just Derek being my friend. I laid my head on his shoulder.

“Jessie.” He said tentatively.

“yes.” I said a clear warning in my voice as I was perfectly happy here and I didn’t want him to mess this up. Derek laughed lightly at my tone, before he pressed his lips lightly onto the top of my head.

“Don’t worry honey I just wanted to know could we...” his voice was highly tentative “could we just … spend some time together.” I sighed, “No agenda.” He said “I promise.” He said pulling his arm back “I won’t even touch you,” I smiled

“Going back to the softly softly approach?” Derek smiled back,

“Yeah I’m patient anyway the alternative never seems to go well. It tends to end with you running away from me and then weeks of being avoided cant say I like that so I’ll be patient because … I … I miss you.” He said I lifted my head and turned to him,

“I miss you too.” I said gently twisting the long chain I always wore around my fingers. He smiled before reaching over and pushing a lock of hair back behind my ear softly. “By the way.” He said pushing his hand into his coat pocket. “Do you want these back?”

“Give me them.” I said my hand flashing out as quick as lightning snatching my ripped panties from his hand.

“I just thought you didn’t intentionally leave those on the kitchen floor.” I scrunched up the tiny strip of torn fabric and hastily shoved the material in a small crevice on the rock we were sitting on.

“Thanks to be honest I would rather not give the others too many clues about what was going on in there.” Derek smiled placidly running a hand through his hair awkwardly I knew that expression on his face he was weighing up the costs and benefits of saying what was in his mind he stayed silent and looked down at his trainers obviously he had decided it wasn’t worth saying.

“How about we go for a run?” he asked finally raising his eyes to me, I blinked

“You want to go for a run?” he beamed before slowly nodding.

“I TOLD YOU I CANT DO THIS.”I growled from where I was crouched naked on the forest floor.

“Sure you can.” Derek said rubbing a hand gently across my bare shoulders. I swore loudly in Russian (I’d had a lot of time on my hands recently) Derek obviously didn’t know what I’d said but he seemed to get the gist, “your getting stressed you need to relax.”

“I was relaxed when I started it hurts when it starts working so I’m getting stressed.” I snapped. Derek sighed , to some people doing something that was strictly ‘friend based’ with a guy you had just made out with would probably not include any actives that begin with one of you getting naked but as I have said in our case this really isn’t a big thing. To shift I have to be naked or try to rip my way out of a sports bra (not tempting) and to Derek me being naked in order to shift was about as exciting as having to be lying down to go to sleep, it was in no way a s****l thing right now as bizarre and that may seem this honestly was a ‘friend based’ thing.

“Remember you promised not to fracture my skull this time.” I shot him a glare and he smiled “just clarifying that point.” He said holding up his hands in mock surrender before flopping himself down on the floor behind me wrapping his arms around my waist he pulled me back onto his lap.

“What are you doing?” I asked my voice surprisingly squeaky.

“De-stressing you.” he said rubbing my shoulders.

“That’s not going to work.” I snapped although far from getting off his lap I actually just wiggled making myself more comfortable, he after all was still clothed.

“It’s not going to hurt.” Derek Whispered still rubbing my shoulders I was actually surprised how much calmer I did feel just being here. But before I could analyse this Derek leaned forward and began to whisper gently into my ear. General words of advice that even seconds later I couldn’t recall. The actual words weren’t important, what was important was the sensations rushing through me. I closed my eyes and leaned back into Derek realising for the first time how warm his skin was especially as the cold January air nipped at my skin, I suddenly felt completely relaxed I was so completely comfortable there Derek had stopped rubbing my shoulders and now was stroking my hair gently with one hand the other gently tracing the brand on my wrist telling me to be calm and try to focus and it would come. The only thoughts I had in my mind was how it felt to shift and trying to focus on body how I wanted it to shift and change. My legs began to ache from sitting so long I grimaced at the pain irritating my calm air and stretched them out.

“That’s it.” Derek hissed excitedly, I was just about to ask him what when the answer hit me as my arms spasm and I cried out. “No, no don’t fight it.” Derek said wrapping his arms around me tightly as I began thrashing around. “Your body knows what its doing this is natural as breathing don’t fight just relax listen to me let it come.” I could hear his voice but it was coming as if from a very long way off. But I did as he said I stropped resisting six months of resisting my shifts had made me very accomplished at that so it was hard but I calmly breathed and stopped everything Darius had taught me, for once enjoying the fact that I could just endure the pain rather than having to work through it. I felt Derek release me and I fell to the ground as my squeals of pain turned into Growls and I felt the tingling through my entire body that told me my fur had erupted. “Good Girl Jess that’s it.” Derek’s voice said stroking my back as my body twisted and thrashed uncontrollably loud snarls erupting from my throat. I collapsed into the muddy earth exhausted. “Wait right there.” He said as I felt his hand rubbing through the thick pelt of my shoulder, “and we’ll go play.” Exhausted as I was I couldn’t help wiggling my ears at that thought. For a young wolf our forest was a dream playground and I’d never been allowed to run free before well except on our monthly meets but due to my lack of control every time I’d run as a human which is not the same. So I pushed myself unsteadily up to my feet with a slight wobble and looked impatiently in Derek’s direction. As a wolf this forest was a whole new place my senses so in tune with a place that felt like it was almost a part of me, the wind whispering to me though the rustling of the leaves. The cold wind no longer nipped at my skin which was protected by my light silvery grey fur, the light rain wasn’t even noticed my senses were too overwhelmed by the million scents crisscrossing though the trees , each one I could somehow identify , Dean, Carl Jamie even roger some fresh and sharp like the one at a rabbit that made my nose twitch, others were fading days old maybe a week .all the time I had spent in this forest probably more than any of the other boys and during all those times there were so many things here that I had never seen, never known were there. But the most dramatic change was the scent trail for Derek; it was suddenly so strong it hit my new senses like a punch. My eyes followed his trail to the undergrowth where he had gone to shift. He ears twitched I could hear his panting and groans as I slowly padded forwards tentatively. The sounds stopped and I heard something I knew so well a sort of bark that was distinctive to me as any voice. Suddenly Derek came bounding out of the foliage in a flash of Dark grey fur, he stopped a short way off bounding around stupidly, but I giggled well would have if I was human as It was it came out as a Sort of snarl but Derek got the tone, and he leaned back on his font legs and sprang at me knocking me clean off my feet. As he growled playfully trying to gab the back of my neck I twisted and flung him off staggering back to my feet in time to see him bounding off into the trees and instinctively I gave chase.

“WELL?” Darius boomed looming over me and Derek the way only an Alpha could loom. I hung my head and tried to shrink down and look insignificant as I felt Derek shrinking slightly beside me for him looking insignificant was more difficult but of course he was more willing to try.

“We didn’t really do anything” I said tentatively,

“Shhh.” Derek hissed at me though he managed to keep his eyes locked on the ground as he did this. I raised my eyes at Darius defiantly, he glared but I maintained this eye contact refusing to back down we had the same suborn gene plus I had an extra set from my mother I wasn’t going to back down.

“Would you like me to list exactly what rules you broke?” Darius said calmly always more dangerous than shouting my defiance was seriously pissing him off.

“Well I know you like the sound of your own voice so.”

“Jessie.” Derek hissed urgently under his breath still keeping his head down he twisted slightly so he could peer at me from between the locks that hung down the sides of his face. The brief glimpse I saw of his beautiful dark eyes showed multiple flashes of gold shooting across his irises he was worried. It was this that made me sigh and lock my eyes on the ground attempting to be passive.

“Well done Derek.” Darius said sharply, “One month.”

“It was my idea not his.” I jumped in,

“That.” Darius said raising a single hand firmly “I don’t doubt for an instant but Derek is an enforcer and not to be diverted by…persuasions of his…best friend.” I raised my eyes too Darius sharply sure that he had modified the last two words for my benefit. “Go Derek and wash that mud of you can start work tomorrow ask Andy.” Derek nodded submissively and looked from me to Darius passively as if he was hopeful what Darius would let him remain there. Feeling that he’s my mate he wanted to stay, he wanted to be there to protect me despite the fact that Darius was my father and so Derek knew he wouldn’t really hurt me but it was just Derek’s nature. “Now Derek.” Darius snarled noticing this glance. Derek winced just a little he couldn’t effuse a direct order from the Alpha but it wasn’t what he wanted. But he simply sighed and nodded respectfully to Darius before he went to move back. I reached out and gripped his hand squeezing it very quickly, though I had no idea why I had wanted to comfort him like this but I hadn’t been able to stop it even though it made Darius glare at me. Though the gentle pressure Derek’s fingers retuned calmed me. Darius settled himself back down behind his desk sighing. “Jessie.” He said slowly shaking his head.

“Oh just sentence me and get it over with.” I snapped,

“Jessie this isn’t about what you did although lets face it what you did isn’t great.”

“Darius it wasn’t that bad.” He gave me a flat glare “Jessie you successfully initiated you first shift and rather than returning you and Derek… played around. That I could deal with. What I can’t over look is the fact that the two of you then broke out of our grounds. Which as you know you are confined to. But no you run to the nearby homeless dog shelter and decide to.” Darius cut of as I couldn’t stop giggling. “You think it’s funny?” I tied to smoother my giggles but the memory of me and Derek running rings around the baffled volunteers as they desperately tried to understand what Kennel we had escaped from made persistent snickers continue to escape from me,

“Actually yes.” I said before I broke down into giggles again.

“You bit the local dog warden.”

“I never broke the skin.” I piped up “and it was more of a nip really and it was her fault she went for Derek and as you always taught me to protect my brothers so”

“Jessica Emily Marie Armstrong.” He snarled cutting my rant dead and instantly I sobered as soon as he used my middle name, as that showed in those four words that he really was pissed.

“Look I’m sorry Darius I’ve just been stuck here for so long I’m going insane.” Darius growled running a hand though his hair “what else was it you wanted to talk about?” he sighed heavily,

“Derek.” My eyes narrowed

“None of your business.” I snapped,

“You’re my Daughter.”

“Exactly why I’m not going to talk to you.”

“Jessica I am tying to help I don’t understand what’s going on between you two so you can bet to hell Derek is f*****g confused too. And Jessica we are not passive creatures he is a wolf and you don’t need to be treated as if you made of glass anymore.”

“He wouldn’t ever hurt me.”I said gently, Darius’ face didn’t soften an inch,

“Jessica he is hopeless in love with you and if you hurt him badly which it is well writhing your power to do he very well might hurt you.”

“I don’t believe you.” I said weakly,

“believe or don’t Jessica it makes no difference what I am trying to tell you is stop making out with him on the kitchen counter and then shouting at him or stomping around the ground avoiding him for weeks on end. You are confusing him it will piss him off.”

“It’s fine.” I said firmly leaning forward sternly “but you think that everyone here expecting so much from me helps.”

“We didn’t expect anything from you but Derek did and the more you give him hope the more you will anger the wolf inside him when you next change your mind.” I growled but otherwise didn’t respond probably as I didn’t know how to, what could I say when he was right. Darius sighed “Two months.” He said firmly.

“That’s not fair.” I wined childishly,

“You bit the dog warden.” He said blandly,

“Nipped.” I modified,

“Put it any way you like it doesn’t matter. Two months in the house.” I cursed loudly though Again in Russia Darius still didn’t approve as he glared at me, but he didn’t comment on it.

“Darius” I wined, the boys for punishment were sentenced to hard manual labour building and maintaining the pack territories. But it seemed I had been sentenced to work in the houses, cleaning which in my mind was a much worse fate than lugging bricks as far as I was concerned. “Cant I just work on the house?”

“I remember what happened last time I did that.” he said flatly and I actually wasn’t really sure what I could do to justify that as it was right. As Darius had walked over to check on me and had in fact found Derek labouring on the building as I lolled out on the lawn in just a bikini working on Derek’s homework.

“That was a business deal we traded he really hated maths.” I said finally 

“You can start in the morning.” Darius said in a way that clearly told me the subject was closed as he sat down behind his desk his Alpha gaze still some how managing to still loom over me.

“Darius.” I snarled loudly, anyone else would have backed down but I was his daughter and I would argue my corner even though I knew it was futile.

“The subject is closed Jessica.” He snapped,

“It is not.” I yelled back “you can’t subject me to slavery for no.”

“Yes I can.” Darius cut in “I can and I am and if you want to keep arguing we’ll add an extra week on for every word.” I snarled and Derek but I didn't say anything and after a moment of glaring I spun around and strode quickly from the study slamming Darius’ door as loudly as possible behind me.