Chapter 11
That night, Caroline and Ellie pop in for another visit. Ivy remembers Caroline saying something about them being ‘on for tonight’ but Ivy has no idea what she means. Although when make-up and clothes are dumped on her bed, she has an inkling as to what’s going to happen.
“I’m not going out,” adamantly states Ivy. She hasn’t been to a club in a long, long time and although most people her age would, Ivy’s not that kind of person. She’d rather stay home and read a book, or watch some TV than go to a noisy club, full of drunk idiots.
Caroline spins around giving Ivy a glare as Ellie makes a whinging noise.
“Aw what come on Ives!” Ellie calls while Caroline has a different approach.
“Ivy, we are going!”
“But I don’t want to!” whines Ivy flopping onto the bed beside the make-up and clothes.
“No! Ives, come on. Please! It’ll be fun!” persuades Ellie.
“Yeah, plus, I seriously need to find some hottie and get laid. I love it when I ask them to spank me and they go all wide eyed and open mouthed. It’s so funny!” mutters Caroline, giggling to herself. Ivy just rolls her eyes and shakes her head as Caroline carelessly starts stripping.
“El! What are you wearing?” asks Caroline, not even caring about prancing around in her hot pink lace bra and thong.
“Um, just my jeans and that nice peplum top,” she responds.
“Ives?” asks Caroline.
“Ugh! I told you I don’t wanna go!” whines Ivy again.
“You are going, Ivy!” teasingly snaps Caroline, grabbing Ivy’s leg and starting to pull her off the bed.
Suddenly a smack comes at Caroline’s ass that makes her squeak with shock and causes Ivy and Caroline’s abuser-Ellie to burst into laughter.
“Ellie!”
“What? You said you like being spanked,” teases Ellie, turning to do her make-up.
“Come on Ives, don’t be a party pooper!”
“Fine! Fine! I guess I could come. I think I’ll just wear some jeans and a t-shirt,” shrugs Ivy hopping off the bed.
Caroline finishes tugging on the tight blood red dress and smoothes it over herself in the mirror, before she whips around to give Ivy a flat look.
“Oh no you’re not! I’m not having my wing-girl looking like a bum. In fact, I know just what you can wear!”
Ivy gazes at herself in the mirror, forced into the black shorts and plum and black dip-dyed bralet top. As she turns to her side, her feet wobble in the black studded wedges. Ivy can't help but smirk at the girl in the mirror. Sure it's not something she'd be bothered to wear but it looks good on her. Sexy but still....her.
“Oi! Stop hogging the mirror!” calls Caroline, breaking Ivy’s ‘princess’ moment. Ivy rolls her eyes and steps away to grab her black leather jacket.
“Ives you look great,” smiles Ellie. Ivy grins back at her. After having Caroline bully her into the outfit, Ellie had carefully done her make-up to complete the ‘fierce’ look. Ivy couldn’t help but laugh at their description but she must admit she does love it.
“So do you! Vince is one lucky dog!” winks Ivy feeling herself lighten up. Although that may have something to do with the pre-drink cocktails Caroline had coaxed up with alcohol found from God knows where. The labels certainly hadn't been in English but Caroline had assured them it was perfectly safe.
“Alright, now come on my hot girlies. Time to hit those clubs!” grins Caroline with one last pout in the mirror.
“Oh Ivy, you look beautiful, darling,” calls Dawn. Dawn's honestly glad Ivy has friends like Ellie and Caroline. Ones that remind Ivy of her actual age and what girls their age do-have fun. Afterall work hard-party harder.
“Thanks mom. Um, you don’t need to stay up for me,” grumbles Ivy, half-wishing her mom would just tell her not to go out, like she were a teenager again.
“Alright, Muffin-top, have fun! Stay safe girls!” calls Dawn seeing them out. Drat. No such luck.
“Oh man, that bar was so dead,” complains Caroline as she forces Ivy and Ellie to stride to the front of the queue of another club.
Caroline flashes the bouncer a flirty smirk, chatting with him for a few mere seconds before he immediately allows them through.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get how you manage to do that,” mutters Ellie causing Caroline to laugh and stop a few hearts along the way.
“Er, Caroline, where are we going?” asks Ivy as she follows behind her confident friend.
“To get a table.”
“But there aren’t any free ones,” points out Ellie causing Caroline to shake her head and titter.
“And I call you guys my friends. Watch and learn, girls,” grins Caroline, stalking to a large table with only a couple of hot guys sat at.
“Hey there! You guys look like you need some female company? Mind if my girls and I join you? We're not just easy on the eyes, but we're great to talk to,” she winks twirling a strand of her honey blonde hair. Ellie lightly giggles as they gaze awe-struck at the sight of the curvy blonde. Then they look past at her two friends. The cute brunette and the other blonde.
“Sure thing, beautiful,” grins the male in the middle. He's a tanned man, with short dark buzz cut hair and a cocky grin. One that Ivy can't help but cringe at. With the way he's staring at Caroline, there's clearly only one thing on his mind tonight, Ivy concludes.
Nonetheless they slide in with Caroline ordering the first round of drinks.
“I’m Kyle, these are my friends, Louis, Terrance and Pete,” he introduces.
“Nice to meet you. My name’s Caroline, this is Ivy and Ellie,” replies Caroline taking a shot of the Vodka and encouraging Ivy and Ellie to as well. Hearing Kyle start to flirt with Caroline, Ivy rolls her eyes and takes the drink. She'd thought that with Caroline's experiments beforehand, she'd be prepared but the burn of the Vodka takes Ivy by surprise and causes her to splutter out some coughs. As they die down Ivy clears her throat and grins tentively at the others staring at her in amusement. They soon turn to their own conversations realising Ivy's okay.
“Not much of a drinker, huh?” smiles Louis, the guy nearest to her. He's a cute dirty blonde haired man. But of course, there's one cuter blonde Ivy can think of. Not that she'd ever admit to him that he's cute. God no! That man's ego's already big enough as it is, no need to inflate it to the moon anymore.
“What gave it away?” grins back Ivy.
Caroline and Kyle swagger onto the dance floor, while Ellie chatters to the other male. Ivy on the other hand is kept company by Louis, who’s surprisingly funny but then again, it could be the alcohol.
“Hey, do you want to dance?” he asks.
“Sure,” she chirps letting him lead her to the dance floor. She knows it’s probably not a good idea and she’d usually deny the invitation but for some reason, right now she’s happy to accept.
As the music pounds in her ears, through her heart, his hot body draws her short frame nearer. His hands stroking at her soft waist pulling her lower half nearer his, grinding together as they sway. In that state Ivy’s only faintly aware of his lips trailing along her neck. Her hips sway, her feet momentarily losing their balance but she plays it off, just like the blur of her eyes. As she blinks them to try focus, she suddenly finds Louie?-Larry?...the guy, pulled apart. Ivy pouts as she glances up to see the man who’s ruined her rhythm.
“Eli,” she whispers in realisation.
Eli’s rarely ever mad but at the moment, he’s furious. His blood boiled at the sight of walking into the club and finding the hot, lithe vixen who looked so like his Ivy dancing with some random guy-is actually his mate.
First it is rage, to the man daring to dance so intimately with her, but that anger is projected also onto his promiscuous mate. Although she’s doing nothing but dancing with the man at the moment; how could she?! Dressed so...invitingly and dancing like that. He had to go over there and rip the fool off her mate.
“Hey!” cries Louis.
“Sorry, man. She’s my girlfriend,” grits out Eli.
Louis glancing at him to her in question. If she’s the girlfriend to that guy then what the hell is she doing acting like she’s single?!
“Wh-what are you doing here?” she mumbles to Eli the alcohol clouding her thoughts.
“Girls and their fucking mind games,” mutters Louis to himself, coming to the conclusion that it has to be some sort of pathetic female make-him-jealous kind of game. He sends Eli a sympathetic look.
“Good luck, man,” he tells him with a pat on his back and leaving.
Eli feels his lips twitch ever so slightly in amusement before he drags his mate to the sides where it’s less noisy.
Ivy stumbles into his arm, black spots again momentarily dancing across her vision as she blinks them away.
She giggles as he pulls her against a quieter corner.
“Ivy what are you doing?!” he cries. Ivy smiles and giggles some more as she presses herself closer to him. His hard body pressing against hers and causing sparks of delight to shoot through her. She runs her palms along his thick chest and inhales his fresh scent. She can’t deny that he looks scrumptious in such a simple outfit of dark jeans, sneakers and a dark green shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows.
“Mmm, I’m glad you came...God you’re sexy. How did I get such a sexy ass boy?” she mutters too low for him to really hear. Her hands trail down his abs, causing him to freeze and step back slightly, causing her to pout. The alcohol causing the filter on her mouth and mind to cease working.
“Ivy? Jeez...Never figured you for the party girl type,” he murmurs. She reaches forward again but stumbles once more, falling into his arms.
“Woah, woah. Okay, where’re your friends, Ivy?” asks Eli pulling her upright and taking some of her weight.
“Um...there!” points Ivy, spotting Ellie sat at the table chatting with Terrance.
“Okay then,” mutters Eli helping her over there.
Ellie gasps in surprise as she sees the Eli Carter, helping her drunken best friend over. Ellie had know Ivy getting drunk was inevitable, especially from observing the drinks she was swinging back, but she didn’t want to say anything and instead wanted her friend to have fun. It seems though, that she had a little too much.
“Oh my gosh! Ives!” calls Ellie.
Ivy stumbles onto Ellie lap wrapping her arms around her neck and hugging her tight.
“I love you Ellie. I don’t say that enough, you know. But I love you. And Caroline! OH! Where is she? I need to tell her I love her!” cries Ivy, her ‘hug’ causing Ellie to choke slightly. Eli hurriedly steps in unwrapping Ivy’s arms from Ellie and pulling her beside him.
Her body is like jelly as it swings from Ellie onto Eli carelessly. She snuggles her head against his chest, rubbing her cheek against the fabric like some kind of cat. The strange action causes Ellie to giggle at her behaviour and even Eli has to suppress his laughter.
“I’ll take her home,” announces Eli. Ellie’s mouth opens at the starts of protest when Caroline suddenly bounds over, grinning wider at the sight of her drunk friend cuddling her boss.
“Eli!” she calls fanning herself and taking a shot.
“Caroline,” nods Eli.
“What’s up?” she asks.
“It seems Ivy’s had a little too much. I was going to take her home, what’s her address?”
Ellie and Caroline exchange looks, causing Eli to roll his eyes. No doubt they were debating whether leaving their friend and his girlfriend in his care in her state would be the best idea.
“She is my girlfriend. You can trust her with me,” he states with a twinge of annoyance. He's not some kid, he does know how to be responsible.
Caroline’s eyes widen as she furiously shakes her head.
“Oh no, Sir! That’s not it. It’s just that...well, I don’t know if Ivy told you but she lives with her mom and Ivy’s mom’s-”
“Not feeling well. She’ll also be asleep now and Ivy doesn’t have her keys.....You should go enjoy yourself. Ivy can sleep over at mine, we’ll take care of her, thanks,” interrupts Ellie shooting Caroline a pointed look when Eli glances down at his mate.
A small frown etches itself on his features as he holds his sleepy mate. He can see her eyelids fluttering to stay open and failing. Normally, with someone other than Ivy, he knows he’d be more than happy to leave the drunken girl in her friends hands, but...with Ivy, he’s reluctant to do so. He feels it’s his responsibility, his duty and that’s a completely alien feeling to him. For a few years now, he’s not had to be responsible for a particular individual but himself. However the prospect of taking care of Ivy doesn’t seem too bad.
“No, it’s okay. She can stay with me tonight...I’ll take care of her,” argues Eli his arm slipping around Ivy’s shoulder and stopping her from slipping down.
“I-” starts Ellie.
“If you’re sure? Ellie and I were going to hang out a bit longer,” Caroline says, giving Ellie a small kick under the table. Ellie gives her a hard look but Eli’s already manoeuvring Ivy into his arms.
“Mm...It’s so loud and bright,” mumbles Ivy into Eli’s chest as he props her up with her body leaning into him.
“I know, Tinks, don’t worry, I’m going to take you to my place, okay?” he whispers to her. Her sleepy eyes widen and sparkle at that response.
“Your place? You’re not going to take advantage of little old me, are you?” she wickedly teases. His fingers squeeze at her bare waist in warning as he lets out a small growl. He doesn’t know why he’s being affected so much by her right now, but whatever the reason, he needs to calm himself down because certain things may happen that they will regret in the morning.
Instead Eli concentrates on getting a better hold on Ivy so he can help her out without looking like he’s just roofied and kidnapped her.
Then he helps her sway around the edges towards the exit.
As the couple saunter off, Ellie whips her head around to glare disapprovingly at Caroline. How could she just give Eli consent to whisk Ivy away like that?! They are supposed to be taking care of Ivy, yet how could they just allow the new, strange man to take her away, even if he is her boyfriend? They’re still at the starts of their relationship and how is Ellie meant to know if Eli Carter is really the man she’s heard about? How can she possibly know if he’ll be a gentleman?
“Caroline! How could you just let him take her like that?! We have no idea what he’s like?” reprimands Ellie forgetting Caroline actually does know Eli.
“You’re forgetting I know him, Ellie. So chill out. Ivy will be fine. Eli may be immature sometimes but he’s not an asshole. Besides, she’s his girlfriend. He’s supposed to take care of her. They’ll be fine,” waves off Caroline, taking a swig of her beer and eyeing the dance-floor for potential partners for the night.
“...If you say so...You know, Ivy’s going to be so pissed off with us tomorrow,” mutters Ellie. Caroline just shrugs and smirks, “she’ll get over it!”
Before Ellie can call her back, the vixen’s bounded off having spotted her fine prey.
Ellie slips out her phone, called Vince to come take her home. With each of her friend’s leaving with a man, she too was desperately craving her lover. And tonight, with their baby at his mother’s house, they’ll have the perfect opportunity to satisfy their basic sexual apetite that's been building up for the last few months.
Meanwhile, Eli manages to get drunken, mumbling, sleepy Ivy into the passenger seat of his car. He reaches over to clip her seatbelt in when suddenly her head darts forwards and teeth lash onto the flesh of his hand.
“Jesus! Ivy! What the hell?!” he cries retreating his hand back and inspecting the damage. She's just left some tiny, half cresent teeth marks which were quickly disappearing but still...He thought she was drifting off!
Ivy snaps the darkness of sleep back and giggles at Eli.
“I thought you were into kinky stuff,” chirps Ivy going to bite Eli again as he tries dodging her sharp teeth whilst trying to fasten her seatbelt.
“This isn't kinky, Tinks, it's just abuse....So do you think you could-Ah ha!” Eli cries in success as the buckle clips. This has Ivy pouting as their game comes to an end.
“Aw, but I want to play,” she whines.
“Okay, baby. How about we play the game; how long can you be silent?” suggests Eli throwing the car in reverse after doing his own seatbelt and driving down the empty road.
“You’re no fun tonight, Eli...How come when I want to play, you don’t?” she asks with a eyebrows wrinkling ever so slightly.
“Ask me to play when you’re sober, baby. And we can play some games...a lot of ‘fun’ games...” he suggestively tells her. She doesn’t miss the innuendo but remains silent. A yawn slipping past her lips as they wordlessly drive along.
Eli sweeps Ivy up into his arms, completely off the ground as he makes his way into the block of apartments.
“Eli...” mumbles Ivy, snuggling further into the warmth of his chest.
“Yeah baby?” he muses back as they wait for the elevator.
“How did you become like this?” she asks.
“Like what, Tinks?”
They step into the empty carriage, the doors sliding shut as it takes them to the desired destination as instructed.
“...A...player. Why’ve you never had a girlfriend?”
Even in her sober mind, Ivy couldn’t get her head around it. Surely he must have loved a woman romantically at some point of time in his life. And if Ivy’s books are right, then he must have been hurt by the woman for him to reform into what he is now.
“Because they weren’t you, baby. I told you that. Believe it or not, Ivy I truly have been waiting for someone like you,” whispers back Eli as he hops in struggle to open the apartment door. Once through, he shuts it behind them and caries Ivy through the dark corridor into the bedroom.
“Someone like me?” echoes Ivy as she’s placed gently onto the duvet and the table lamp switches on; the warm glow around them instantly feels more intimate-the feeling only amplified by Ivy’s hazy state. She can feel her heart pound louder and her breathing consciously quieten.
“You’ll understand later, sweetheart,” enigmatically breathes back Eli, going to take her shoes off. Ivy can feel his soft, large fingers fumble with her boots as he slips it off her feet. She sits up onto her elbows to observe him, mulling over his words. But for the life of her, she can’t seem to make sense of them.
“Eli?” she calls again.
“Tinks, as much I want to continue talking to you, I think it’s time for bed, darling,” whispers Eli smiling gently at her. Then on impulse he bends down to kiss the top of her forehead. As he stands from her side to leave though, her hand lightly latches onto his wrist, stopping him.
“Wait, I don’t want to sleep yet. Talk to me, please?” she begs. Eli gazes down into her slightly dilated moss green eyes, full of innocence and he can’t help but comply.
“Alright, baby. What do you want to talk about?” he asks causing her to wrinkle her eyebrows adorably again, as she thinks of a topic.
“Um...Tell me something about yourself. Something not many others know,” she orders.
“Alright...but you can’t repeat this,” he grins, having her smile back and shake her head as she promises not to.
“Well up until the age of 15 I used to be afraid of the dark, so I had a teddy bear called Paddington, you know like the British bear, to protect me. The only other people who know about this is my mom and twin, so if you start blabbing, I’m just going to outright deny it, got it?” teases Eli having Ivy smile broader at him.
“Your turn,” nods Eli to her.
“I went through my rebellious stage at 16. I dip-dyed half my hair, what the bottle had called Fiery Red- should have been just called orange, because that's the colour my hair turned. I looked like the Mad Hatter's love child,” confesses Ivy. Eli hearidly laughs at that. He can't ever imagine Ivy with ginger hair. Her pixie cut suits her so well, he just can't picture her with hair longer than that.
“Tell me something big..." whispers Ivy.
"I'd rather show you something big," Eli grins with a cock of his eyebrow.
" I mean your biggest secret Eli,” softly corrects Ivy.
“I don’t have any, baby-”
“Everyone has one. Come on, you can trust me. Besides I probably won't remember any of this in the morning,” she confesses causing him to sigh.
“Alright...The biggest one you don’t know is that...I am...a werewolf,” smiles Eli.
“Eli...Don’t lie to me,” whines Ivy. Eli lets out a fake laugh and shakes his head. He should have expected her not to believe him but it was still worth a shot and at least he can say he was honest and actually did tell her.
“I’m not baby, but I don’t think now’s the time to explain. Because right now, you need to go to sleep,” explains Eli.
“Wait-”
“Ivy you need to-”
“Promise me one thing first,” she pleads.
“What is it?”
“Promise me...you won’t leave me,” Ivy whispers interlocking their fingers on the covers. Eli’s eyes flicker down to their intertwined fingers then back at her with a soft smile.
“Promise,” he smiles planting a soft kiss on her lips.
Satisfied with his response, Ivy’s eyelids close and she rolls to the side, quickly falling asleep.
Eli glances at her once more, before grabbing a towel and heading for the bathroom.
As the warm water pelts down on his back, he can’t help let his thoughts wander to his blissfully unconscious mate. A week ago, he’d be in this same position but of course, the girl in bed would be naked and have gone through a very satisfying, passionate workout. As much as he wishes for those days back, it feels good to have a mate. To have someone rely on him and depend on him; to be responsible for them. Having the benefits of sex on demand would also be great but, it takes time, he supposes. He needs her trust, he needs to seduce her and make her want him. It’ll be a lot of work. He’ll have to work harder than he’s ever had to for what he wants. Because now, he is slowly becoming convinced that Ivy is who he wants. Not just because he can’t stand to see her settle with anyone other than him; but because he actually likes her company; her irrational outbursts, snappy insults and most of all, how real she is. The work ethic and her lowered expectations of him. Of course, those expectations need to be raised a little but at least she doesn’t expect more than he can give, like a lot of girls. He’s not Prince Charming, nor can he ever be, he can’t whisper sweet nothings in her ear and treat her like a delicate feather; but that doesn’t mean he’s brash and careless, which seems to be her idea of him at the moment.
Eli rubs the towel through his hair and sighs. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day and another chance to prove himself.
A/n Hi everyone, hopefully I managed to reply to most of your comments on the last chapter. Hope you all liked this longer (at least by my standards) chapter and a sweeter side to Eli. But don't worry Tyler has not been forgotton, all will be reveled in due time.
On a sadder note: I'm going to be super busy this next week and the week after so I have no idea when the next upload will be so please, please, please don't say 'Upload soon' because that's what I try do but I sometimes don't know when that can be. I promise though that it will either be next week or the week after but no later than that.
Thanks for reading!