A Yowl in the Dark

The Trophy Men --- I

“Stand up!” I hurt my pillow towards the blue-haired mop that never fails to irritate me. I would hit his face if I could, but he’s got that covered up along with the rest of his body by a ton of blankets.

A moan comes from the dead bundle, and then nothing.

I move to his side and narrow my eyes, saying, “Don’t make me have to say it twice.” I blink irritably when the shimmering blue light nearly blinds me as I continue to stare at it. It always manages to divert my attention.

Tilted, allowing me to see his unusual eyelashes and forehead. I can’t help but stare t the part of his face that’s exposed and feel jealous. The girl is meant to be the attractive one, right?

I reach for him on impulse, punching the bundle as hard s I can. The man appears like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, holding his arm in outrage, and there are pitiful moans. He laughs, “You could have just used a pillow,” but he’s still engrossed in slumber. He is watching me while resting his back against the headboard. He is staring at me with such endless measure that I almost feel uncomfortable.

When he doesn’t move, I give him a terrifying glare and say, “time to get up.”

He asks, “And why, exactly, is it time to get up?” I’m feeling doubtful right now.

“Are we not going to school today?” I asked nervously.

He laughs heartily, making me feel happy too. “No Pari,” he corrects in a dreamy tone, “because today is Saturday.” I melt onto the hardwood floor, turning into a puddle.

“Are you serious?” I squeaked and move away from is shape. I stop dead in my tracks as he quickly reaches out to seize my arm.

He slurs his words and says, “I’ll forgive you for a kiss.” My heart rate spikes to the verge of breaking as his powerful hand draws me in. “Jacob!” is what I said. Even though he appears to be half asleep, he is constantly grinning.

My lips are inches from his as he gives one last yank, and fear grows. How can I stop him, though?

Seeing no other choice, I give him a forceful punch to the chest, causing his grip to momentarily relax. I seized the opportunity and sprint into the hallway at full speed.

My heart is being touched, and I want it to stop, so I can breathe.

Everything is a mystery. Why does Jacob cause my heart to race so much? A mere glimpse makes my heart race. I’m sure it’s not love, though. That’s not possible.

I make an effort to push these unsettling ideas from my head as I shoot down the short corridor. Door after door appears, and it seems to go on forever, until my sudden burst of speed sputters and dies. For some reason, I’m sweaty and hot right now.

That “fake” love that ignites between two mates must be the cause. My thoughts are being influenced by the wild desire that is raging through my veins. “I can’t give in to it because then I’ll fall victim to Jacob’s seductive charms. For the first time in my life, I genuinely fear falling in love.

Well, I guess I should get used to it-the last few days have brought me a lot of firsts. I end up in a dark room at last. I stumble along the walls in search of some kind of switch. I eventually came upon a strange, inanimate object after some searching.

The lamp shines like the sun, flooding the room with so much light that it blinds me.

I’m in awe of the granite worktops, stainless steel appliances, massive refrigerator, and opulent oven. It’s enormous, nearly as large as their movie room, and very roomy. With great excitement, I dashed towards a tiny door and open it, discovering a sticky room filled with all the ingredients I could possibly require or desire. It’s large as well, with a cool area set aside for meat alone. Although I was aware that their kitchen would be exquisite, this far surpasses my expectations.

Wandering over to an open cookbook, I gazed at the lists of delectable food choices. My stomach grumbles annoyingly, and I at once decide to indulge in this fantasy world and make breakfast.

With his golden hair gleaming in the sunlight, Wes pops his head through the doorway and says, “Hey Pari, what are you doing?”

I stop at the fridge and turn to face him when I hear him speak. I give a small smile, grab a couple of eggs, and close the door. Wes moves smoothly and fluidly as he makes his way in my direction.

Wondering, “Breakfast?” he asks, “you are actually making breakfast for us?”

“So what if I am?” I stood down in shame and cracked an egg by rapping it against the bowl. Wes smiles brightly at me, ignoring this comment. His puppyish demeanor makes me think of Jacob, but I get the impression that Wes would treat anyone in the same way, whereas Jacob doesn’t give a damn about other girls. Is mating the cause of this difference?

I’m about to say something like, “I start feeling bad about being cruel, but he eagerly cuts me off.”

Tell me nothing! Jacob will especially enjoy anything you make, he says, grinning, “I love surprises and homemade breakfast.” By the way, he was laughing maniacally when I walked past his room all the way here. Thus, I was curious…”

Shell shards trickle down the side as the yolk bursts onto the bowl.

“Pari?” Wes looks at my closed fist, perplexed.

I turn to the bathroom sink to wash off the smile that now adorns my palm, and my hand quivers. As the water runs down my fingers ad splashes onto my face, it burns. However, despite my best efforts, I am unable to remove the redness from my cheeks.

With an awkward smile, I turned back to face Wes. “I’m doing fine. It happened by accident,” I tried to comfort him.

“Are you su----”

True. I am. “Perfectly,” I say as I take the beater and punch the glob in the bowl. “Alright?” “No you aren’t.” his tone is determined and firm. Words that are bitter remain imprisoned behind my lips, struggling to escape. In silence, we both stare at the broken hell mixed in with yolk, me frantically trying to cover up my blush.

Wes says with a small bow, “I’ll just… come back later then,” and walks out of the room, his footsteps loud in the hallway.

I lift the transparent container, tiptoeing closer to the basin, and empty it into the drain, witnessing the egg vanish permanently. My chest is filled with growing irritation. It is not possible to calm down. He played me like a fool.

“Jacob, what will I do with you?”

“Ah, you’re back,” I say with a smile as Wes and several werewolves follow him into the kitchen.

Yi’s tangled black hair sticks straight up, giving him the bedhead look. His eyes seemed bloodshot, as though he had recently experienced a restless night.

“Are you better now?’ with concern, Wes asks.

“Yes.” I pointed to the dining area that is adjacent to the kitchen. “Just go sit in there and I will bring out the food soon.”

Wes laughs, “You are amazing, Pari,” and he approaches me to put an arm around my waist. I tense up a bit, shocked at how different everything feels when Jacob touches me. Jacob tends to make me feel like I’m on fire, but Wes makes me feel like an icicle. He steps forward and gives me a quick kiss, beaming with happiness once again.

I, playful but slightly enraged, slapped him on the arm. “What are you thinking, trying ti steal a kiss from me?” I asked, but deep down, I wonder why exactly I don’t feel anything when Wes’s incredibly delicious lips meet my skin.

With Wes, it feels like a greeting. “All of his girls,” Daniel shrugs, “he issues everybody.” I advise you to adjust to it.”

“And I suppose you do the same thing?” I furrowed my brow.

Ray responds, “We all do,” before turning to face Daniel. “You haven’t told her about the club yet, have you?”

“I thought we were going to have quit because Jacob finally got mated,” says Daniel, shaking his head. “This week, I was going to close it.”

“What club?” Ray was talking, so I was even more curious, so I asked.

“Um, well…” Daniel gets off to a start, then stops.

Wes wraps up for him, saying, “We’ll tell you over breakfast. Don’t worry about it right now”, Yi says nothing, just keeping staring at his shoes. What’s the matter with him? He seems reluctant to look at me?

With widening eyes, Wes peers over his shoulder into the hallway. “Hurry guys, into the dining room,” he yells as he pushes them violently out of the kitchen. He gives me a wink as he walks out.

I took my prepared French toast and arranged two on each plate. It looks polished after sprinkling powdered sugar on it and adding a small bowl of syrup and butter. These are royally delicious meals, especially after a little strawberry and a healthy dollop of whipped cream. My ability to cook hasn’t really declined.

“It looks superb,” someone whispers net to my ear. I grin a little and keep my head down, lost in my own happy thoughts.

“Thanks.”

“Where did you learn to cook?”

I volunteered at an orphanage once. After I finished washing the dishes, the cook would always give me extra scraps, and eventually she allowed me to prepare the majority of the meal while she was the one who was paid. However, I was content because the coo was friendly, and it was preferable to play with the other kids.” I came to a halt and gazed sorrowfully at the granite.

What took place? Was Ms. Emma informed?

“Obviously,” I stuttered laugh, “Ms. Emma is an expert in everything.” She wanted me to keep cooking at first, so she wouldn’t have to pay the cook, but after she saw that I enjoyed it, she hired a new cook after firing the previous one. I was expelled from the kitchen y her for simply being content.

The voice says, “I’m sorry,” ad it makes my blood prick with desire. The fog lifted, and I felt as though I was waking up from a dream, before I glanced up at his face.

“Jacob,” I said as I turned away from the extremely attractive person.

Innocently, “You didn’t know it was me?” he queries. “I made no attempt to disguise myself.”

“That’s not the point,” I retorted, my blood boiling with rage. “You were fully awake the entire time, even during your attempted kiss? You made fun of me? Jacob covers his mouth, trying not to laugh. “Oh, I thought you were actually mad-”

“What do you mean ‘actually mad’?!” I snapped, feeling very immature in the face of Jacob’s mocking stare.

He clarifies, laughing, “I thought you were mad about something important.” When I give him a punch to the arm, he recoils a little. I almost forget why I’m angry with him as I start to turn red.

“Jacob, you’re so cruel! Why would you laugh at such a small error?” I punched him once more, my rage radiating outward.

He stops me in the tracks with a smile and says, “I laughed because you were so cute. I just had to try and kiss you.” My closed fist lingers net to his arm, all power gone.

You become very upset and ashamed over insignificant things… “I find it cute,” Jacob says, winking as he turns to face me and plants a kiss on my cheek. Desire and passion flow between us both right away. I look down, severing my connection with him. My face flushed and my breathing labored. How come I reacted so strongly to his kisses?

“Are you serious?” I asked my little, squeaky voice tiny voice.

Jacob nodded, tilting his face up and reaching forward with one finger. He chuckles with pleasure. He says, “You’re blushing,” as a grin gradually appears on his face.

I yank his hand away, feeling my anger rising again. “I’m not!” I hurriedly pick up a few of the plates and protest futilely.

He responds, “Whatever you say,” in a tone brimming with playful irony. He never used sarcasm before, that’s for sure.

As I enter the dining room, he followed me. Everyone is seated and motionless. I squint my eyes at the cunning werewolves, understanding perfectly why they are keeping their distance. “You heard it all, didn’t you?” with no words, I inquire.

Except for Ray and Yi, all of them smile mischievously. “Having a lover’s spat?” Daniel prods Jacob, who just took a seat next to him, with an elbow.

I put a plate in front of Jacob and said, “Just shut up, or I won’t give you breakfast.” I hesitated to give Daniel his share.

Daniel gives up, “Okay, okay,” but he’s still smiling. After setting the other plates in front of Ray and Wes, I move back to seize Yi’s.

Immediately, the dining room erupts in shouts. “This is fantastic!”

“I love French toast!”

“I love you Pari!”

“That’s my mate you’re talking about…”

I chuckled to myself and walked back into the room carrying Yi’s plate and mine. Yi looks almost dead as she stares at the table. I pace the plate in front of him and give him a quick pat on the shoulder. “Yi?” I inquire.

His features display anger as he tilts his head sharply to look at me. He screams, “Don’t touch me,” and gets up. Without any delay, he turns his back on me and faces the others. With a robotic expression, he says, “I’m going to eat in the courtyard today,” before picking up his plate and walking right by me.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked, sitting in his usual spot, a little worried. All they do is shake their heads.

He looked t you yesterday as though he had seen a ghost… And has been kind of weird ever since,” Wes notes. I finally get to enjoy some sweetness, so I savor the first bite of my homemade breakfast. Despite Jacob’s annoying nature, I consider myself fortunate that things have worked out this way.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, Wes says, “Let’s not talk about Yi. Tell her about the club, Daniel.”

Yes, I agree; but which club?

We are the owners of the moonlight, a nightclub in the city. “It is not only how we make our money, but it is one of the most exclusive clubs in the state,” claims Daniel.

Ray breaks in, grinning, “That’s also where we get our woman of the week.”

“Ray, please stop talking,” Jacob interrupted. Ray strolls idly across the table to the door and out again, heading for heaven or hell.

He throws his plate over his shoulder, saying, “I’m done,” and I take a look at it. It’s spotless. How does he eat so quickly?

In any case, Daniel goes on, “we only open on Saturday nights and have a ridiculous admission price.” Every wealthy and well-known local goes there.”

“Woman of the week?” To Wes’s evident dismay, I probe.

“Don’t think poorly of me,” he emphasizes.

“We go to the nightclub every two weeks and… auction ourselves off, if that makes any sense,” Daniel tried to clarify. My eyes get big.

“A bachelor auction!” I said, “Is it just you guys or do you auction off more men?”

Wes chuckles, “no, only werewolves will do. We don’t need any more bachelors than the five, no, four ones we have right now.”