her sweet chains

Episode 2

           I wish the first shift was an end to it but no, the first shift was simply the first of many hurdles and shockingly when I came to them they all appeared higher than that first hurdle. A first shift did mean there would be a second but as before it could not be predicted or brought on. I was actually very lucky to experience my first shift so easily, generally the boys spent months experiencing a sort of half shift that abruptly and inexplicably halted until eventually they finally would fully shift.that was when the fun stuff began. Initially the shifts came pretty much when they felt like it and we were incapable of control, although a usual trigger was strong emotional response. That seemed to suggest that my shifts would take considerably longer for me to learn to control than it had taken Derek who seemed to express the emotional range of a teaspoon, whereas I’d been known to explode when our fridge was out of diet cola, but its one of the perks of being a girl (well in a community of so few girls) we’re expected to be emotional .once we were able to suppress our emotional responses rather than be a slave to them that we became able to control our shifts to call them up at will and prevent them at inconvenient times. So I suppose we are were-wolves although not in the sense that most people seemed to think of them when we shifted we kept our sense of self the moon and night held no sway, we were more shape shifters who simply were only able to take the form of a wolf. When our shifts did begin we of the pack were then faced with two choices learn to control them or allow them to control you. The latter of course led to problems as no control over yourself came that way. So that individual would have to be expelled from the pack if they allowed their shifts to rage. This is basically banishment; they are to leave our lands and would not be permitted to reside in any other. This is necessary as we police our own and generally try to keep a low profile those with no control who could suddenly sprout fur and fangs when they encounter a long queue at the post office doesn’t help with this anonymity.  Darius’ pack territory encompasses several cities towns and stretches across aspects of three counties oblivious to any geographical or man made divisions. Bordered by three other packs but historically wolves don’t play nice with each other so we have a wide ‘neutral’ zone between all the packs. These zones are safe areas where any pack wolf as well as rogues (expelled wolves) can roam. Rogues are only dealt with if they again wander back into pack territory and begin making trouble that generally means drawing attention to our existence, that’s where Derek and his fellow enforcers come in.

           My first shift was followed by a humiliating week where I was left in the cage. Which is exactly what it sounds like it’s a large cage in the windowless basement equipped with a toilet, sink and a bed. I was placed in there when unconscious which is traditional for one who begins to shift uncontrollably, however I was left there for a week as a punishment for failing to return to the house after I began my first shift (which is a mandatory precaution until we mastered control to we returned to the cage for the duration of our shifts to stop us accidentally killing somebody and apparently for our own safety too). It was also probably also a little to do with my less pleasant behaviours when I was in the cage. As soon as I opened my eyes I was harshly addressed by Darius who was stood beyond the silver bars glaring at me, and I had endure a sever dressing down from him, which concluded in him deciding that I should remain there for a while ‘to think’. Erm it was then that I went against my better judgement and erm said what I was thinking which is never a good idea, Darius didn’t respond of course except for a small muscle twitching in his cheek, but I knew that I would be given a little more time to think. Derek came to sit with me frequently; thankfully on his first visit he brought me a set of clothes. In the course of my shift I had of course ripped all my clothes I was placed in the cage naked except for one item a long platinum chain that hung around my neck supporting a purple crystal that nestled into my breasts. Derek’s words were as ever perfectly considered and he never attempted to repeat or even mention our kiss, although granted that would be difficult with the silver bars separating us (we could touch silver for a while but the experience is unpleasant). Derek himself has long thin burn marks one across his neck and on his chest where a rogue burned him with a silver chain he’d acquired. Jamie also come down to sympathise though my loud growls generally sent him running he was sixteen and I think I was the object of a small crush but in a sweet idle sort of way. Aside from Derek Jamie was my best friend although he actually was generally referred to as being my ‘pet’. As he was one of the very few gifted enough to become part of the pack without having been born into it, and we all knew that was because of me. Jamie was a rogue born out of the pack he had wondered into pack territory when he was just fourteen years old (two years ago when I was sixteen) he had been captured by the enforcers which meant he was brought back to endure the ‘packs justice’ he had killed humans so was facing death. But I’d stepped in and appealed to Darius. Jamie had to work hard but the boys had learnt to accept him and now they trusted him with their lives as pack brothers should. He had acquired a fair degree of control but he did occasionally shift but as he was so mild mannered and meek his shifts were mainly triggered by fear. Dean, Carl and Roger also came to visit at different times during the week to simultaneously congratulate me on my first shift or invite me to remove my bra. My Pack brothers ranged in ages from sixteen year old Jamie to Roger who was twenty four, the rest of the pack were proper ‘grown ups’.

           After being released from the cage I endured two equally embarrassing weeks with an escort. Though I have to admit to at least being partially responsible for that. As Darius wanted me to have an escort when he released me from the cage as he commented that I looked ‘twitchy’ and hence he feared my next shift was imminent, but he couldn’t leave me in the cage forever and I’d shown a distinct lack of appreciation for the procedures. So he asked the boys to ‘keep an eye on me’. However I didn’t feel I needed an escort so when I was in the bathroom ( only place I ever seemed to be alone) I did jump out of a second floor window simply to prove how clever I was at evading my guards. However this led to Darius placing me under two weeks supervision for being ‘childish’. During these weeks I attended my first monthly meet since I had begun my shift and hence I experienced the highly pleasant sensation of being branded, its tradition for some bizarre reason to be branded when you begin to shift. We all have the same brand a small symbol of the moon and a spattering of stars. It used to be that the brand was always on the upper arm but now we had a lot more flexibility, though most of the boys still had their upper arm branded .I chose the inside of my left wrist. It was defiantly not the most pleasant experience I had ever had, the brand producing a hideous scent of burning flesh as well as intense pain as I knelt on the forest floor in front of Darius who pressed the scorching metal to my skin. I had seen this act many times over my life and I knew it would hurt but I prided myself on being tough and so wouldn’t let myself cry out, but I was clearly obviously in a lot of pain as through a haze of pain I felt warm fingers entwine in mine, which I squeezed tightly without a thought. It was as the pain faded that I realised I was gripping Derek’s hand so hard he was actually wincing slightly, although he quickly covered this by calmly lifting my hand to kiss it gently. It was near the end of these supervision weeks that Derek led me to Daurius’ study to discuss my birthday. Birthdays were not a significant event in the pack but I was turning eighteen. There was a tradition we held for eighteenth birthdays in that all the ‘young pups’ went to a bar. It may not sound like much of a tradition but as wolves we don’t drink as alcohol weakens our control and leads to heightened emotions not good when we struggle daily for control over our base desires. So we generally steer clear of alcohol as sprouting fur and fangs in the middle of a pub doesn’t exactly produce the desired level of anonymity. But for our eighteenth birthday well it was tradition. However when me and Derek entered the study Darius wasn’t so keen,

“Absolutely not.” He barked the second me and Derek entered the room before we’d even had a chance to open our mouths.

“I didn’t even ask yet.” I pointed out, he sighed

“I know what you going to ask it’s obvious by your timing and the fact that you waited until Derek here was escorting you.” Derek shifted slightly clearly uncomfortable. It was a well known fact and a sort of running joke in the pack that I had Derek wrapped around my little finger and hence Darius didn’t assign him to escort me much as it was felt that I found Derek far to easy for me to manipulate, hence it wasn’t much of a punishment. Personally I disagree I had to work really hard and it took me years to learn how to successfully manipulate him. Anyway it wasn’t considered much of a problem as females were so rare in shape shifters especially in our pack (having three, me being the only natural left), we have a tendency to be a little spoilt as were treasured. But me I was the only natural the only young unattached (despite what Derek thought) girl as well as being the Alpha’s only child I was basically indulged. there was also no reason this wouldn’t continue as single I was special and hence indulged and if I found a mate well our mates were treasured being a one of a kind sort of thing we were pampered. Of course most of the pack believed I would be Derek’s mate as soon as I got round to it so my manipulation in their minds it wasn’t a problem as when ewe mated I would be treasured and indulged by him, so why shouldn’t he start that now. Accept me I saw a problem with that of course because the problem was Derek was not my mate, and nobody seemed to recall that accept me.

“You want permission to go out for you birthday?” Darius said firmly

“Yes.”

“No.”  He instantly retorted.

“Its tradition.” I barked that was Darius’s usual prompt thrown at me.

“Absolutely not.” He said flatly.

“Yes it is.”I said trying to be clever which got me a glare from Darius and a shut up sort of glance from Derek.

“She’d be with us.” Derek said calmly perfectly polite how one should address the alpha, “we’d look after her.”

“She has no control over her shifts.”

“Well it’s been three weeks and of course we’d rake precautions in case a shift was unlucky enough to take place while we are out and about.” Derek said calm balanced reason all that came across in his voice.

“I simply think alcohol and humans in close proximity may induce a shift which she is powerless to stop.” I began to grind my teeth.

“With all due respect sir she will have to mix at some point. And this way at least all of us will be there to keep an eye on her and you of all of us know Jess is…” he bit his lip for once his thinking process very clear “Headstrong. If you ban her from going she’s rather likely to simply”

“Excuse me.” I barked “but she is here you know.” Both men turned to look at me Derek’s face was as expressionless as ever , whereas Darius was similarly blank he raised one eyebrow, before turning back to Derek.

“I suppose you’re right after all she does routinely have a tendency to express a level of emotion that would induce a change in most males.” I growled loudly in irritation at being ignored and kicked the wall. I tried not to wince as I pulled my now broken foot free from the new hole in the study wall. Darius rolled his eyes at me but showed no other signs that his study was being demolished. “Jessie Kitchen.” Darius stated calmly “I want to talk to Derek.

“But father you would deprive me of my escort.” I said politely.

“Fine Jessica I order you to go straight to the Kitchen and wait there until Derek comes to get you.” I flinched as the command of the alpha settled on me .I had no choice but I didn’t have to be happy about it so I simply stomped out of the room and sat fuming in the Kitchen glaring savagely at the gleaming white countertops.

           Nobody enters the kitchen as I stomp around I had a feeling Jamie was approaching at one point but then possibly he heard my intense mutterings and thought better of it. Eventually simply being in the kitchen proved to distracting and I opened our immense fridge and leaned in instantly overwhelmed by the wealth of choice if there is one thing that shape shifters know its keep the fridge stocked. Our metabolism is very high so basically we never stop eating.

“I hope your not planning on cooking anything.” Derek whispered into my neck, making me flinch instinctively. “That never goes well.”

“Why are you sneaking up on me?” I snapped trying to shake off his warm breath that still seemed to be washing around my neck,

“I did not.” he said “you simply were distracted.” I spun round to place my head back into the fridge again. “I could be offended you know.” He said softly as I felt his arm snake around my waist a second before Derek placed his chin on my shoulder “you’re more interested in the contents of the fridge than me.” He gently rubbed his cheek against the hair flowing down my neck, with all those annoying bumps, my hair to curly to be straight and to straight to be curly but Derek always said he liked the way it felt, I never understood that but he did. I knew I should have moved I should have struggled out of his arms pushed his chin from my shoulder, but I didn’t for whatever reason.

“Have you seen what’s in this fridge?” I said lightly, Derek chuckled into my shoulder.  “Anyway what do you mean about my cooking? If your referring to the steak I like it that way, or the pancakes I told you I don’t know how that fire started and the incident involving the possible food poisoning I told you I think those potatoes were off.” Derek said nothing very wisely. “What did my father say?” I asked suddenly feeling uncomfortable about where his arm was or maybe his hand which was now resting on my hip.

“You better go let Jessie out of the Kitchen.” He said blandly “oooh chicken.”

“Mine.” I said slapping his arm.

“It’s still in the fridge its fair game.” He purred into my shoulder

“Don’t even think about stealing my snack and tell me what my father said.” I snarled a clear warning in my voice.

“he said .” a deep voice came from the doorway causing us both to spin round I hoped Derek looked more  guilty as I could tell I looked by my fathers amused voice although I didn’t have a clue why I felt so guilty. I realised a second too late that Derek still had his arm slung around my waist assuming that was the source of my guilt I wriggled out from his arm but found it shocking difficult as he tightened his grip a surprising amount but he eventually yielded possibly due to the glare I directed at him.

“that he was incapable of arguing with your young man’s Logic and as much as I want to protect you I cant keep you here forever and if I try you’ll find a way out that is a lot less safe and after all the boys will all be with you, you will be home by ten, you will not be drinking and all and the boys will be armed appropriately.”

“Happy birthday.” I said flatly and gritted my teeth as I felt Derek slip back around pressing himself tightly against my back trying not to laugh.

“You may not believe it Jessica but I’m not trying to ruin your fun, I’m trying to keep my only child alive long enough to turn my hair grey.”

“I think she’s already managed that with a few of mine.” Derek grumbled I tried to twist round to glare at him but as if by instinct he tightened his arms pinning me in place, God how I hated how well he knew me sometimes. Darius chuckled

“Derek we’ll have a chat later in the week about the full precautions.” I suppressed my sigh knowing Darius’ idea of precautions would involve having me muzzled and tethered to Derek. “Well I will leave the two of you to your… afternoon snack.” He said giving Derek a sort of approving nod as he again rested his chin on my shoulder lazily in a far too familiar way. Typical my father was a typical father when it came to ruining my birthday and when it came to my err… well my…. Thing with Derek rather than threatening to break his legs if he came near me he’s also encouraging him to persist and break down my resistance. I suddenly became aware of Derek rubbing his nose into my hair, pinned so close to him I had no idea what to do so I did what I do best, I ignored it.

“How did you persuade Darius?” I asked I felt Derek’s warm breath on my neck as he sighed.

“The way you could if you could just stop shouting long enough to manage it.”

“What?”

“Logic My sunshine. Pure logic.”

“Oh right I always hated your Logic it was unfair I couldn’t argue with it.” Derek chuckled

“That’s the point sunshine.” He said and I managed to restrain my gasp as Derek started pressing light playful kisses on my neck. Though I managed not to cry out I felt myself growing hot as a blush crept up into my cheeks.

“Derek remember what I said about calling me that?” I snarled choosing again not to respond to what Derek was doing, it was much easier to ignore him than try to reason with this. He groaned “let go of me and let me have that chicken before I gnaw your arm off.” He growled again holding me for a moment as if it was a difficult decision and then released me. I reached out snatched the chicken and strode quickly from the room.