“Sleepover!” James cheered as soon as we were inside his house, then on a silent agreement we made a mad dash to the stairs, racing to get down their first, James was in front of me and I pushed is back causing him to stumble the rest of the way down. Laughing loudly I ran passed him and jumped up, belly flopping on the couch.
“I win! I win!” I sang as I got up to do a victory dance.
“No, you just cheated like you always do!” He play glared at me.
“You’re just jealous I’m so much more clever and faster.” I teased him and laughed as I poked my tongue out.
“Whatever Fi, whatever. You are so conceded it amazes me.” He smirked at me and pulled me to his room, “You’re changing, I want my shorts back and you look disgusting.”
“I’ll just take a shower; can I have another pair of shorts? I don’t want to wear jeans.” I whined. The only pants I had here were a pair of badly ripped up jeans, and I so didn’t want to go to bed as in those.
He scrunched his nose up at me, “Fine, but who better not wreck them, I don’t even know why I risked giving you these.” He said tugging on his shorts, almost pulling them off. He walked over to his dresser and started fumbling around. He had a smaller room, but it had its own shower so he never complained. He had a full sized bed with navy blue covers. He had a chair in here somewhere but it was so messy you wouldn’t see it if you didn’t know it was in the corner. I always told him his room was gross but he just laughed. His room was pretty boring looking to, with plain white walls and wooden flooring. Something smacked my face and I caught a pair of red Addis shorts. “Those don’t fit me anymore, you might as well have them.” He said shrugging.
“Score, free shorts!” It was sort of sad, but hey free shorts are free shorts I wasn’t complaining, I wore boy shorts anyways. Walking next to him I shoved him out of the way of his dresser, and pulled out the bottom drawer where I kept my stuff. Pulling out a pair of underwear and a shirt I walked to his bathroom. It was a basic white one, with a small sink, shower, and toilet. The sinks counter was covered in his boy perfumes, it’s sad but I made him keep this room clean, because I used it. Turning on the water to the shower I waited while it heated up. Oh jeez, we are too close, I thought as I realized I had my own shampoo and razor in here. We like a married couple!
Running out of the bathroom I screeched at James causing him to jump. “We are like a married couple!” I have yelled voicing my thoughts. “This is so sad, I have my own cloths in your drawer, I have my own shampoo, when the heck did become like this!” I was only half joking, seriously, it was kind of creepy, actually really creep.
James pulled a horrified face, “Oh my gosh, you’re right! We are like a married couple, ew.” I smacked him in the shoulder.
“Ew? What’s that supposed to mean?” he snickered at me and pulled his shoulder away.
“Nothing.” She smirked at me, I turned around and went back to my shower, it was already starting to steam and I happily climbed in the hot water and washed myself. Getting out I pulled on my clothes and my new shorts were way too big for me, bigger than usual. I had my hair down, and it was snarled around my face, I was too lazy to comb it right now. I found James flipping through channels as he lounged on the couch in the basement area.
“These are too small for you?” I asked tugging on the extra fabric. How big was the kid?
“I am a teenage boy; of course it’s small on you.” He smirked at me and walked over and crawled on top of him, snuggling in. almost like it was an automatic reaction he moved his arm so it was around me and I leaned my head on his chest lazily starring at the TV. “So, you didn’t tell me, what happened when I left?” He asked his chest rumbling as he spoke. He stopped flipping through the channels and was absently playing with my hair instead.
“Dad blew up and yelled at me right in front of everyone. Then somehow he bashed you.” I added bitterly remembering him calling James a nobody. “Don’t worry though; I defended your sorry butt.” His chest vibrated again as he chuckled.
“Anything else exciting happen?” I briefly wondered if I should tell him about Carl. For some reason hi and James didn’t seem like a good mix. I wondered why, and my conversation in his room came back, he sounded bitter every time James’s name came up.
“Have you ever met Carl, the Alpha’s son?” I asked, maybe they had met and James beat him in a fight or something.
He laughed, “I think the Alpha’s son is named Kyle, if I remember correctly, and no I’ve never met him why?” I mentally cursed myself, that’s what his name was Kyle, remember that Kyle.
“Oh yea, Kyle that’s right.” I made a face remembering calling him the wrong name, how embarrassing. “I don’t know it’s just when we were talking he was asking questions about you, and he seemed bitter towards you.”
“What kind of questions was he asking?” His tone seemed casual but I knew he was curious.
“Well it was stuff like, why was I wearing you shorts, and how close we wear and stuff, he even asked if I ever got sick of you.” I laughed softly at the last one, “Who wouldn’t get sick of you.” I added laughing again.
He didn’t laugh back though, and after a minute of silence he asked, “What did you say to the shorts?”
“Oh…I totally blamed you, and said you pushed me in the mud.” I snickered guiltily. He gently thwacked my head. “What?! I wasn’t about to admit I slipped by myself. That would be so degrading it was the Alpha.”
“Jerk,” He muttered, “Now I sound like one, totally threw me under the bus there.” I just shrugged and we didn’t say anything for a while, and I started nodding off till he spoke again. “I wonder why he has the interest in you and me.” He sounded deep in thought and I wondered if he was even really talking to me.
“It was really just about you.” I finally muttered back.
“It was about our relationship.” I didn’t say anything back because I drifted off to sleep, comfy in his arms.
(James POV)
It was two days since Fiona’s supper at the Alpha’s house, and as usual we were hanging out, this time at her house. We were getting ready to go the movies; I had to pay because I lost a bet. She was just putting on a pair of sneakers when her dad called her downstairs, he must have just gotten home.
We walked down the stairs, and her dad glared at the pair of us. “Fiona, Kyle wants to see you today.” Well that was a shock to the system, I thought the dinner was a onetime thing, and it made me uneasy. It sounded like Kyle had an interest in Fiona, one only I wanted to have with her, and he only saw her once.
“Who’s Kyle?” Fiona asked confused and I had to stifle a laugh, she didn’t seem able to remember his name. Her dad heard me though and shot me daggers; he didn’t seem to think it was funny.
He sighed, “Kyle is the Alpha’s son.”
Fiona made a sound of understanding then to my utter happiness she said, “No can do pops, James is taking me to the movies,” she snickered and added, “He lost a bet.”
My instant reaction was to call her a cheater; she just looked at me with a disbelieving look on her face. “How do you cheat at hitting a can with a rock?” we were pretty bored, if you were wondering.
“Fiona that’s great for you, but you are going to have to cancel.” Her dad said ignoring the argument that had started.
“What, why? What makes Carl more important than James?” I wanted to laugh again, because I felt a bubble of pride in me, at her blowing it off.
Her dad again didn’t think it was funny and blow up a little, “It’s Kyle, Ky-le.” He repeated and over pronounced his name, “If I hear that you called him by the wrong name during this meeting, you are going to be sorry, and you are going to ‘Kyle’s’ house.”
“Fine, but I’m bringing James.” She said stubbornly, what didn’t I have a say? Mr. Martin was about to say something but she cut him off, “I will win this argument, so don’t even try.” He gave a short nod with a dismayed look on his face. She seemed to brighten at that, and grabbed my hand pulling us to my car.
Soon we were on the road and driving to the Alpha’s place, and I was silently glad I was going, to be a barrier for Kyle. I also could observe what Fiona thought was a bitter attitude towards me. As soon as I pulled to the curb a tall blonde boy came out. Fiona got out slowly she obviously didn’t want to be here, and that made me little happier. We walked up to him slowly, and he was full out glaring at me, well this was awkward.
We stood there just glaring at each other while Fiona looked like she was concentrating very hard on something, ‘What’s his name again?’ She asked through the mind link and her voice sounded a little worried. I couldn’t help myself I roared in laughter, I didn’t care if Kyle thought I looked like a crazy person it was hilarious. I clutched my stomach and doubled over in the laughter.
‘Kyle.’ I answered using the mind link after I settled down a little. She turned to hit me in the shoulder.
‘Way to blow my cover stupid.’ She glared at me, ‘I so had that now look, and he probably knows were talking.’ She turned to give a sheepish smile at Kyle.
Forgetting to answer with mind link I said out loud, “You lucky I’m here, you would in so much trouble.” I said chuckling, while Kyle just stared at us suspiciously.
She glared at me then said, ‘Oh, yea I’ll get in trouble anyways, watch this.’ Then she turned to Kyle and said casually, “Hey Carl.” And smirked slightly.
“Why would you do that, now you’re going to be grounded, again with the sanity in question?” She shot her foot out and kicked me at that.
“Shut up,” she turned to grin at me, “Jimmy.” She said snickering at her own joke.
“My name is Kyle.” Kyle said, it had obvious disappointment in it and I smiled.
“I know, anyways Carl, Jimmy, Jimmy, Carl.” She said as an introduction to us, which was a fail, she was biting her lip to hold her laughter. Kyle looked at me dumfounded and I had to admit, it was funny on Fiona’s part, and I myself started laughing, then Fiona joined in with her bellowing laugh. Kyle just stared, not many people did get our humor but hey we were all we needed anyways.
“You must be James.” He said, and I didn’t miss the irritation in his voice, I couldn’t help but think he was going a little overboard with this whole thing. I did know why he hated me, he saw me as a challenge in getting his way to Fiona, call it a dudes intuition.
“Yup,” I popped the P. He nodded his head then turned to look at Fiona, “Sorry for the short notice, did you have plans today?” He asked with a glance at me, I have to admit it was sort of fun messing with him just by my presence.
“Yes, we did we did in fact, Jimmy here lost a bet, and was going to take me to the movies.” She was obviously still annoyed that she missed the free viewing.
“Oh stop whining, I’ll take you later.” I muttered, not like seeing her so disappointed, even though she was being a child about it. Her face instantly brightened as she grinned at me.
“Score.” She grinned, and I saw Kyle stiffen a little. What was his problem this was his second meeting with her and she didn’t even remember his name, how could he already like her so much?
I never kept things from Fiona and didn’t plan on starting and I was curious on what her reaction would be, so I decided to tell her my suspicion. ‘I think lover boy has eyes set on a certain Fiona.’ Normally we could talk in our heads without anyone knowing I just couldn’t hold in the laughter last time, so it was no surprise when Fiona didn’t even flinch or stiffen.
‘What are you talking about?’ she asked clearly irritated. Kyle said something to Fiona but I wasn’t listening.
‘Um, he’s got like a mega crush on you, that’s why he doesn’t like me, obviously.’ I answered, Fiona replied to Kyle with whatever he said, acting casual.
‘We meet like three days ago, I know I’m awesome, but not that awesome.’ She smirked slightly, and I knew instantly it was a slip up, and Kyle saw it. He was actually kind of creepy the way he constantly stared at her.
“What was the smirk for?” he asked instantly, exactly like a stalker.
‘Fiona just do this for me, tease him, and watch his reaction. Please.’ She silently agreed.
“Oh nothing, my neck just hurts,” she slapped my chest, “He’s not very comfortable, and I fell asleep on him last night.” Immediately he tensed and shot me a quick dagger. ‘Oh jeez, oh man, your right. Ewe! What do I do, that’s so creepy?!’
‘I don’t know?! I don’t like it either, should we continue teasing him, just to make sure?’
“You two have sleepovers?” He raised an eyebrow at us, yet he didn’t seem surprised.
“Yuppers and you better start getting fat and squishy, because it’s really starting to get annoying.” She said to me and rubbed her neck for extra measure. ‘I want to leave.’ She whined, after we saw Kyle curl his fist slightly.
‘Come on let’s just watch his self control, when he starts to break well get out of here. It could be fun.’ I really was curious to see how well he could handle himself he was our future Alpha after all.
‘Fine, this betters not turn around on us though, throw your arm over my shoulder.’ She sighed her words but I could hear the curiosity and excitement in her voice.
I happily obliged and draped my arm over her, and grinned, “If I got fat you would miss these abs.” I said teasingly.
She poke my stomach, “What abs?” she said snickering not even trying to tease Kyle.
‘Come you can do better than that.’ I scolded and she shot me a scowl. “So what are we going to do today?” again she said with her casual voice and she took my hand that was over her shoulder, so her arm hung.
All day we acted like that, it wasn’t much of a difference from our usual connection but we didn’t fight as much, and Kyle kept getting tenser and tenser. Every time she touched me he would stiffen, curl a fist, glare at me, he even glared at Fiona a couple of times. In the beginning she had some fun with it but I could tell she was getting more and more uneasy. He recently had left the room and we heard a dim crash. ‘Let’s go.’ She complained not for the first time, and this time I wasn’t going to argue, I nodded and got up reaching a hand down to help her up.
She called out, “Kyle,” This was the first time she called him Kyle, all the other times she would say Carl, but he realized it was a joke and it didn’t seem to bother him. “We have to go! We promised James’s little sister we would have a tea party later.” Before she finished talking his figure appeared in the doorframe, and it looked like he was shaking a little. Yea, it was time to go. He gave a stiff nod and spun on his heel and started leading us threw the series of hallways. Soon we were outside, my car where we left it, I breathed a slight sigh of relief, and I didn’t realize how tense I was. “Bye. Thanks for…err… having us over.” I heard Fiona mutter then she grabbed my hand and pulled me to the car.
“I can’t believe we did that!” She burst as soon as the house was faintly behind us. “I’ll admit I was starting to get nervous, he was just plain creepy. I hope he doesn’t ask to see me again.” She gushed but I noticed her body was starting to relax into the seat. What if he did ask to see her again, and demanded I didn’t come?
“I hope we put him off, maybe he thinks something is going on between us now and won’t bother.” I sure hope that was the case, but I had a terrible feeling in my gut that something was going to happen.
“I don’t think so; if he is going to think that wouldn’t he have gotten over us earlier in the day then? I have a bad feeling James.” I looked over at her, the fierce girl that never backed down, always fought through everything, the girl who rose up from meeting her dead mate. That girl was now chewing on her bottom lip, looking antsy.
“Don’t worry, what can he do? We’ll be fine.” She nodded her head, and of course, put on a brave face.
(Fiona POV)
I had a terrible feeling deep in the pit of my stomach. Something was going to go wrong; I knew that my life as I knew it was soon to be over. It started when James and I got to my house, and saw my dad on the phone looking pleased. “Fiona, Kyle said he had great time today and he can’t wait to see you again.” he said into me then talked into the phone, “Yes, she’s right here would you like to talk to her?” He smiled and motioned me over; I shot a look at James and slowly walked over to the phone.
Clearing my throat I made sure my voice wasn’t going to come out scared then said, “Yes?”
“Fiona?” I said yes again, his voice sounded of one from horror movies, when the killer called the victim and talked to them, calm and scary. “I had a great time today,” ok I’m just guessing here but I’m pretty sure that, that was a total lie but I didn’t say anything. “I think we will be perfect together, I was sad to see you go. Maybe we could see each other tomorrow…alone.” I gulped, what did he mean we will be perfect for each other? There was something more going on than just wanting someone to help him get over his mate, in fact it seemed like he forgot about her completely.
“Uh, well James and I actually decided to see the movie tomorrow, so maybe another time?” Oh man, I did not want to be near him, and I got more nervous when he growled through the phone.
“Have fun with James, you will forget about him soon enough.” Click. He hung up. I placed the phone back on its stand, and pulled a fake smile for my dad.
“James I want to go for a run, being holed up inside all day, come with?” I didn’t trust my dad as much as I used to, there was something off with him and it seemed to have everything to do with Kyle. James nodded his head vigorously. We turned and it took all of my willpower to walk and not bolt out of that house. I told my dad we would be back before dark; it was around four thirty in the afternoon so I wouldn’t have to go back for awhile. “I want to stay in human form.” With that we were speeding into the woods of my backyard, the house soon behind us. After awhile of running we were deep in the woods when I stopped running.
“What happened?” James panted. I hurriedly panted out every word that was said on the phone.
“James?” he looked at me, “Nothing’s going to happen to you right?” I didn’t want to lose James, he was my other half, and it sounded very threat-like what Kyle said.
“I don’t know Fi; I’m more worried about you. He seems to want you for more of a friend, what if he marks you next time you see him? He’s an Alpha and both of your mates are dead, it will be as if you were true mates.” I looked at him with wide eyes, I hadn’t thought about that and it seemed like that was what he wanted.
I shook my head, a small panic coming in, “No I don’t want to be mated with him, I…I…do you think my father knows?” I couldn’t say what I really wanted to say to him. I couldn’t say that I wanted to be mated to him, I promised myself I wouldn’t slip up with James. Yes, I started forming feelings for him but I always shoved them down, if I gave in to the feelings, he would meet his mate. Then we would always be awkward around each other, and I cherished our friendship too much. I almost did slip up though, almost did say I wanted to be mated to him. I didn’t know what was happening to me but for awhile now I was being more and more drawn to him.
“I think he does, in fact I think he has a big part in this, whatever this is. You can spend the night at my place again?” He asked me and I nodded my head. Telling my dad not asking him, that I was spending the night at James, he started to protest but I said he owed it to me for making me cancel my plans after some arguing he finally caved, I told James it was ok.
“Do you think he would actually mark me? So soon after meeting me, I mean that would mean I would be the Luna, he does have a responsibility to the pack.” Hope blossomed in my heart at that, maybe if I became repulsive and rude he would bother some other chick.
“Maybe.” James said not sounding convinced. Then his dark green eyes pierced mine starring at me with such intensity he said, “If you don’t want to be marked by him I won’t let him.” I just nodded; surprised by the sincerity he spoke with. I knew we always looked out for each other but when he said this it seemed different. “Come on lets go we can’t hide in the woods all day.” His tone returned to his normal light carefree one; I nodded again and soon we were running right back to my place for clothes and his car. The run didn’t bother us, we were in top shape, and soon we were at my house. Thankfully my dad’s car was gone and my mom was still at work, she was a teacher. I started just backing a single outfit when James spoke up, “Pack more than usual.”
“Hmm? Why?” I asked as he gently pushed me out of the way and scanned my closet. Finding what he was looking for he pulled out a duffel bag I never used. I normally just threw my clothes in a Wal-Mart bag.
“Because I have a feeling you will be spending even more time at my house.” I nodded and started packing several pairs of shorts and jeans, and tees, sweatshirts, and camisoles, and lots of underwear. I actually ended up packing half of my clothes. James also told me to pack hygiene things so I packed razors and soaps, and some girl products.
It had taken twenty minutes until we were speeding along the road in his car, “I really should get my own car, shouldn’t I?” I said breaking the silence that had settled over us.
James looked over and smirked, “Why it’s not like you go places by yourself, and when you do you just run.” I just shrugged and the silence settled over us again. We arrived at his house and he brought my bag to his room. I scrunched my nose at his room like I always did. If he thought I would be staying here more often than not we were going to clean his room. “What?” he asked noticing my probably dismayed look as I sized up the task of cleaning it; let’s just say it was looking good.
“Were cleaning your room, no arguments,” I said sternly, I hated his room because it was so messy. “Go get laundry baskets and garbage bags.” I ordered and with hunched shoulders he walked out. Then next two hours we spent reorganizing and cleaning everything. By the time we were done it was spotless, and I even had an entire drawer to myself, and some space in his closet. The room was practically sparkling, and James didn’t seem to mind it now that the work was all done.
“My parents are going to have a heart attack,” he muttered as he flopped on his bed. I followed suit and flopped next to him.
“It’s ok you can give me all of the credit.” We didn’t talk much the rest of the time, and when night came we went to his room instead of the couch he smiled on seeing it again. I ignored him and climbed on to his bed, I had a long day. He followed suit and pulled the newly washed blankets over us. I was lying with my back to him when he surprised me by pulling me to his chest, his arm draped lazily over my side. I didn’t complain and snuggled into him, and I fell asleep like that, safe in James’s arms.