Wow, chapter 13 already... and still no where near over!!!!! I made it to 100 word document pages but of course I haven't posted that much :P *Teehee* I started school today.... fun.... I have two writing classes though so hopefully it won't keep me from writing see for me or my new joint project with _BRINK_ which you can find in my library titled The Skeleton in My Closet. No posts for that just yet but we're getting there. Hopefully you'll also see my writing improving in the next month and so on!! If you do, I hope you drop a comment!!! I also have lots of art classes and if anyone's interested my deviantart account is the external link :) That was long winded so I'll let you get to reading! Vote COMMENT and fan if you wish to! :D
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It was scary, but I felt like waking up in Caleb's embrace was definitely something I could get used to. He was sleeping, I could tell. I snuggled sleepily into his warm form. The air conditioning was on a bit high and my exposed shoulders were a bit cold. I reached out a bit and my fingers made contact with Caleb's bare skin. He wasn't wearing a shirt. No reason to freak out but still mildly annoying.
I don't want fluttery feelings around him.
I cleared my head― and my stomach― and poked him in the shoulder. I must admit he had nice arm muscles.
He groaned a bit and tightened his arms around me so I was nearly squished against his bare chest. I struggled to put my hands between us. I pressed my palms against his chest and pushed but he wouldn't budge.
"You are so awake. Release me!" I ordered. Maybe waking up in his arms wouldn't be a nice thing if I had to be squished every morning.
Caleb just grumbled a bit more and snuggled closer to me, tangling our legs. My stomach made a little volcanic eruption: it quivered and splattered hot lava through my veins. I could feel myself blushing from frustration and, I will admit, my proximity to his naked chest might have had something to do with it.
"Release!" I barked again.
Finally Caleb lifted his head from its resting place atop mine.
"Do you really have to yell?" he asked.
"Yes! What time is it? Better yet, what day?" I asked.
Caleb raised his head from the pillow and dropped it back down, "Four am, June fifth."
"Shit!" I exclaimed and bolted out of his arms. I maneuvered myself to the edge of the bed and walked straight with my hands outstretched.
"Wrong way," Caleb said lazily.
I huffed and put my hands on my hips. "The least you could do is bring me to the door," I pointed out.
"Just come back to bed," he said. Although I was shivering, and yes the bed was warm, I wasn't going to do that again. I had already slept through yesterday and Heather was soon going to be upon us.
But his word choice certainly was something.
"My sister will be here very soon. I need to get ready. Please Caleb," I begged and pulled out my specialized puppy face.
I heard the sheets shift and roll and his footsteps hit the ground. He tugged on my wrist and led me to the door.
I lifted a hand to the door and Caleb caught it. I turned my head to face him and ask him to let me go but something in the air had changed. It felt charged somehow.
Suddenly I felt his breath on my lips and he sucked in my exhale as he retreated.
Was that the silence before a kiss? I would have to remember that.
He dropped my wrists with a lingering touch and I opened the door.
When I stepped out I could hear him sigh from inside and shut the door gently.
What was that?
I felt like I was buzzing as I crossed the hall into Gypsy's room. I quickly stripped and put on some fresh clothes. I picked up a shirt that showed my belly, with long thin sleeves and a turtleneck, a curious article that I didn't remember owning but it was my size. A pair of jeans was the next thing I laid fingers on and I wriggled into them.
I quickly went into the bathroom and washed my contacts and brushed my teeth and hair. I was feeling rejuvenated but I guess a full day of sleep could do that. It was a good thing too. I would need the energy to deal with Heather.
With my long hair piled on top of my head in a knot, I ripped down the stairs and into the kitchen, ready to get my day going.
At four in the morning…
Nobody else was up so I fumbled through all the cabinets and cupboards and refrigerator drawers to get my breakfast which ended up with two failed attempts at cereal. I couldn't find the milk and ended up eating it dry, definitely not my preferred way.
It must have been hours that I was sitting there munching on my dry cereal before I heard people moving about upstairs. The first person to join me was Gypsy and the awkward silence that hung over us was stifling to say the least. It was like we both wanted to speak, but no one knew what to say. What do you say to someone who made it clear they don't approve of your brother as a leader? What do you say to make it better?
The only thing I could think of was to talk about something completely unrelated, like how her evil plan with Blake had gone.
"So did you ever use whatever you got at Spencer's on Blake?" I asked hesitantly.
Whatever she bought must have been quite racy because she nearly choked on whatever she was eating. I snickered and waited for her to continue.
"No, not yet."
"And what is it that you have planned exactly?" I dared to ask.
"Nothing much."
"You didn't choke on nothing much," I muttered. "At the very least tell me what you bought," I bargained.
She hesitated but mumbled it anyway, "A pair of handcuffs and lingerie," she said very, very, quietly. Well, it wasn't exactly breakfast conversation.
"Handcuffs, huh," I repeated, "you were certainly feeling daring."
"I know," She said and I could practically hear her cringe, "I don't know what I was thinking!"
"Um, you were thinking he's your mate, he owes you, and of sex," I pointed out.
"Exactly! I wasn't," she burst. "He doesn't even think of me like that! He just jokes around! It's always about the pack, it always was about the pack, and it always will be about the pack!"
I was a bit stunned. Every time I had heard them interact they had seemed every bit the loving couple I would expect from mates. Either I was wrong, or she was the blind one here.
"You know, I think you should corner him in his room one day wearing that lingerie under your clothes and jump him. Just handcuff him to the bed and go for it. You're mates, he won't be able to resist!" I suggested. I was just being frank. "And why am I telling you this? You're the outgoing one!" I accused.
"You're not mated to Blake," was her oh so eloquent rebuttal.
"Oh shut up! At least you have a mate!" I joked, but it was my pet peeve number one: "ignorant discontent" I like to call it. When someone doesn't count their blessings and complains about their life all the time. Of course I complain too, but only to myself. I'm not going to air them out for everyone to see. There are always people worse off.
"You have one too," she assured brightly.
"I'll just never know who he is right?"
"No you know who he is. At least I know who he is," she said, deliberately leaving "he" unnamed.
"You can't just tell me who he is?" I asked, pulling her bluff smoothly.
"You have to see for yourself," she said. See, she was bluffing! I didn't even bother to correct the technicality that I couldn't even see. I knew she meant it figuratively anyway.
"Whatever. The point is, you have to use those toys soon," I said, realizing that we had swept past all the awkwardness and were back to the playful ease with which we interacted before.
"Shut up," she said acting uncharacteristically embarrassed, "You know I will," was her devilish end.
I laughed at her and moved to put my bowl in the sink, only to have it swept up by Gypsy. Happy to have my friend back I smiled at her retreating footsteps. She was planning something for Blake, I could tell.
But now I was back to being alone for the time being and I was getting more antsy with every passing second. It was a decent hour if Gypsy was walking around which meant Heather could be here at any moment. It was all I could do to not just wait in front of the door.
Instead I paced in front of it. Flapjacks had come from upstairs to keep me company. He was whining at me, probably complaining that I was making him dizzy. My dad used to say that to my mom all the time when I was little.
It must have been hours before I heard tires crunching on gravel outside the doorway. My legs were tired from all of my pacing.
I froze and started fidgeting. Should I wait and open the door or sit on the couch and pretend I didn't know she was here yet? I was so nervous that one of the younger wolves would shift or they would all just get into one big brawl. You know how puppies are. I couldn't come off as anxious though, she'd pick up on it immediately. Maybe I could play it off as excited?
It was too bad my sister could smell fear better than a wolf.
Not to mention she was already upon us. There was a sharp staccato rap on the door before it swung open and Heather's converse strode into the room as though she owned the place. I could smell her Herbal Essences shampoo and dove in to hug her. I was going to be the excited little sister I never am.
"Heather!" I all but squealed.
She dropped whatever she was carrying with a thump and wrapped her arms around me, "Hiya!"
While she was occupied with hugging me I quickly listened to count how many people were up and where they were. I would avoid places with lots of people and hopefully get her home before dinner. But then there was always the problem at lunch.
Not to mention I am currently the pack pariah. She wouldn't like that.
"Now before you try to weasel out of this, I want to meet the head of this hostel," she declared. I could hear her thousand watt smile and was reluctant to be on the receiving end. That wasn't a smile of happiness, it was a smile of: do as I say or else!
I pulled out of Heather's arms and said, "Sure!" as brightly as I could manage and pulled her up the stairs to Gypsy's room.
"Well it certainly seems like you've settled in," she observed. It must have been my confidence with direction.
"I guess so," I shrugged.
I pushed open the door, knowing that Gypsy was awake. I heard her gasp and the sound of metal bouncing off wood. Heather snickered behind me and I felt very lost.
"Your roommate seems to have a penchant for handcuffs," she giggled.
Ah, that was what I heard.
"Preparing for battle?" I asked with a smirk.
"Oh shut up," she snapped. "Is that your sister?"
"Yes, that is her sister, I didn't know I became sexless though," Heather answered for me. Oh boy, passive aggressive tones. My favorite. Sense the sarcasm.
"We were all created equal," was her smart idea for backpedaling.
"Hah! We have a dreamer. Who's your dad? John Lennon?" Heather questioned sarcastically.
"Nice to meet you Heather," Gypsy said, brushing Heather's sarcasm off.
"Nice to meet you to," she said but never asked for Gypsy's name. This was typical Heather, constantly acting like she knew everything, like she was always in control, playing the role of mother to a tee.
"I'm assuming she isn't the person in charge," Heather observed, but she knew she had caught my attempt at a distraction.
"No, I just thought you might want to meet Gypsy first, considering she's the person I talk to most," I claimed. It wasn't exactly true recently but it was a few days ago.
"I'm sure, but now it's time to go meet the head honcho," she said and steered me toward the door.
I stopped her and switched us so I was in the lead and tugged her along to Alpha Ericson's room.
"Let me make sure he's in," I said even though I could hear the leather of his chair crinkle beneath him. I gave a quick knock and walked in, shutting the door behind me with a quiet click.
"My sister is out there. I'm trusting you not to screw this up for me. Answer as truthfully as you can don’t make this a perfect place but make it better than average. My sister questions like an interrogator. Do not screw this up," I ordered.
When I left the room and let my sister in alone, I pressed my ear up to the door and knew that my vehemence was most definitely called for. I could feel Alpha Ericson becoming uncomfortable, it was in his voice. No one harassed the alpha this way except the Luna, and I could tell that Alpha wasn't taking it well. He wasn't used to playing a human that much was obvious.
"It was nice speaking with you Mr. Ericson," Heather said and I could hear her stand. Their meeting was finally over.
Her footsteps neared the door and I leaned against the wall a few feet away nonchalantly.
"Are you done listening? Because we're done talking," she spoke just before opening the door. She always knows!
I rolled my am, "Yes, I am. Would you like a tour or are you planning your return?" I asked.
"A tour. I need to know where everything is for my visit."
"Your visit? How long are you staying?" I asked. I had seen it coming but I still hoped I could get her out before dinner.
"A week, so let's get this tour started!" she announced with a clap of her hands. I groaned― mentally of course.
I did a quick run through of all the places in the house she could go, strategically leaving out the gaming and living rooms where the boys congregated. In fact, I could hear them already, especially Blake and his crew. They never shut up when they were playing videogames.
"He said they had a lot of people," Heather observed but she was farther away from me than before and I had a feeling she was looking into the game room.
"Yep, that we do."
"I didn't know so many of them were male. Now I have to stay."
"It's fine, it's not like we room together."
"Rapists don't room with their victims either," she argued.
"Sis, really, they're not rapists!"
"You've only known them for a week and a couple days, some rapists know their victims for months, even years!"
"Trust me on this one, okay? Besides, you know I could take them."
"Honey, I just worry. Let me do that please."
"But you don't need to!"
"I want to. Is that Call of Duty they're playing?" she asked, completely distracted or looking for a way in, I wasn't sure but I would put money on the latter.
"It sounds like it, but neither of us can play so let's go," I said and tried tugging her but she pulled her arm out of my grasp.
"I always wanted to learn."
"Liar," she always got pissed when Keagan spent too much time with video games.
"Well I just want to meet your friends."
"I'm not friends with all of them," actually I wasn't really friends with any of them. Most of them were just acquaintances and Caleb, I don't know what we were but friends don't kiss each other.
"Well they must at least know you," she argued.
"Yes, they do, I'm quite the novelty you know?" She just didn't know how much of a novelty I really was. I was probably one of possibly three blind werewolves in the world. But like I said, she doesn’t know that.
"Good," she said and I could hear her stride into the thick of things.
The room hushed quickly and I reluctantly followed her in.
"What? Don't mind me, keep playing! You're about to die!" she encouraged. Immediately there was a chorusing of "Oh shit! Fuck! Goddammit!" when they realized that they were, in fact, about to die.
Heather seemed to fit right in with the boys, in an older sister kind of way. They were teaching her how to play and she was shouting at the TV when it didn't go her way. I never used to feel like my disability limited me, but as I leaned against the doorway, completely separated from them, I really did feel left out. I wasn't used to that feeling. Ever since I lost my sight and started living with Heather, Keagan, and Johnny, I was always included in whatever they were doing somehow.
I turned my head so my left ear was facing them. Even if I wasn't in the action, it was funny to listen to them. I could hear Caleb start wrestling with Blake over something in the game and all the other guys dog piling them.
I could hear people in the kitchen and knew lunch was being made so I made my way over. I wasn't planning on entering but the Luna called me in. I think her name was Tracie but no one ever called the Luna by her first name. She was simply Luna, and she wanted me to help cook. Because that was such a smart idea.
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Love you all and hope you're school year turns out great, if mine doesn't then you can definitely expect some more drama... My modd sometimes affects my writing but that's what makes it better. SOUL BROTHA! okay, sorry, random black moment lol :P
I can't wait to hear what you think!