::CHAPTER 5::

An hour had passed and Orion was still in his second form. He refused to shift no matter how much we asked him to. His wolf side paid as much attention to me as his human side ignored me so I guess that it wasn’t too bad that he didn’t shift. At least I had a playmate. We’d been playing for a while and he showed me all of his favorite toys. The wolf’s favorite toys.

Wolf Orion didn’t seem too fond of his babysitter. He snapped whenever Richie came near. Sharing didn’t seem to be his strong point when the animal was in charge and that animal had adopted me as his own. He wouldn’t allow Richie to as much as look at me for too long.

“I know I brought him here to keep you company but I thought I’d get some attention too,” Richie said to Orion. He gave a bark. “I’m not allowed to talk to either of you?” His question was answered with a little growl from the ball of snowy fur in my lap. I fed the wolf from the raw lamb we found on the counter top earlier. He munched on the bite sized bits and brushed his nose with a paw. He knew how to be spoilt. That was clear. “You’re too cute for your own good,” I muttered and shook my head. If it were possible, I’d have sworn that he grinned.

“It’s getting late. Are we going to bathe him? His tail and feet are a bit dirty,” I peered at a paw, “I think we should give him a bath.” The animal in my lap stilled at the word ‘bath’.

“Sure I’ll go get one ready,” Richie nodded and went up to the second floor.

“Come on, let’s get you upstairs,” I smiled.

It took a second to see my mistake. Orion dove off my lap and took off at full speed. “Crap,” I huffed and broke into a run. He was incredibly fast and every time I got close enough, he sped up. He dove and leaped all over the house. I cursed the largeness of the building twenty minutes later.

I was doubled over panting and there was no sign of Orion. I’d cornered him in the playroom but there were endless places for him to hide. “Orion it’s just a bath. Come out. Please?” I heaved, “I’m tired and it’s late.”

I could have tried to trick him but I’d been around the Chosen long enough to know that they were too smart to be easily fooled. One by one I opened the closets and checked the toy bins. A cough. Well something sounding like a cough. My head spun around to the fireplace. It was a bare two feet away. With a dive I stuck my hand inside and found the pup. “You clever little bugger. I wouldn’t have ever checked in there.”

He was covered in soot and ashes. “If you didn’t need a bath before you sure need one now,” I looked at his grimy fur. He began to squirm around in my arms yapping away. I clutched him tighter to my chest before he got the chance to escape again. The closer we got to the stairs, the more he wriggled. Before I could tighten my grip, he climbed out of my arms and made to run down the stairs.

“Orion White!” He froze and turned back to me. “I swear to you,” I hissed, “If I have to chase you again, you don’t want me to catch you a second time.” Sweat beaded my forehead and my chest heaved. “You make me run you up and down this bloody house one more time, and I will tie you down and make a trim for my jacket out of your fur,” I panted. He tilted his head to the side as if sizing me up; weighing the possibility of my threat. “Get your tail into the bathroom and in the tub.” I pointed upstairs.

He let out a huff but still walked up the stairs. His gaze was reproachful as he passed me. I couldn’t care less. I was hot, sweaty and tired. It was a sign of how upset he was with me that he let Richie bathe him.

There he sat in a pool of bubbles and warm water with annoyed eyes blinking in my direction. He had soap suds slicking the top of his furry head into a mohawk. The water grew dirtier the more Richie scrubbed. We emptied the bath and hosed him down a final time.

I left the bathroom to go take my own shower in the guest bedroom. “Damn it,” I looked at the state of my favorite shirt. It was smudged with soot. “He really would make a nice coat,” I grumbled and went to shower. It wasn’t long before I was dressed in my cow print pajamas with the hole in the elbow. It was my favorite one so soft and worn.

Setting out to look for Richie, I saw that he was in Orion’s bedroom. The wolf was gone and replaced with a boy in green PJs. He didn’t seem too pleased to see me.

“What?” I asked.

“You threatened to skin me and use my fur for your jacket. That’s what.”

“You had me, a human, running at Chosen speed because you didn’t want to take a bath. We’re even.”

“No fighting boys. How about I get you two some milk before bed?” Richie offered, “It might calm you down a bit.”

 We agreed to that and he left. It was harder to be around Orion when he was a human. Now he could talk and had full control over his thoughts. He was aware of the fact that we were not friends. That we didn’t like each other. That what we were doing now was tolerating each other if nothing else. He was not as easy to like anymore.

I kept my distance, standing by the wall near the door. I didn’t talk to him and he didn’t say a word to me. He didn’t so much as clear his throat or look in my direction. The silence stretched on for as long as it took Richie to come back.

We each got a mug. I took a sip and sighed. Orion’s eyes were shut and his upper lip sported one seriously dashing milk mustache. He blushed and wiped it off when I pointed at it and laughed.

The warm milk was rich and creamy with the barest hint of vanilla in the aftertaste. It made you all sleepy and comfy on the inside. “My tummy feels nice,” I gulped a mouthful of the stuff. Orion murmured his agreement. Richie sat on the bed and pat his thigh the way you would call a pet to you.

Usually I would have complained and pointed it out, but I was too lazy to bother. Maybe in the morning if I remember. Dragging my feet, I came to stand between his legs and leaned against him for a hug. He pulled me nearer with an arm around my neck. It was a familiar position. Comfortable.

“Tonight wasn’t too bad right?”

“I guess not,” I mumbled.

“Told you so.”

“Shut it, Crowley.”

So sleepy. I drained the mug and rest my head on his chest. On this side of the forest it was the highest display of trust for someone to stand with their back towards another. Humans who lived with the Chosen practiced a lot of their habits. Guarding our backs was one of them. Leaving your back exposed was a sign that you would trust that person with not only your safety, but your life because most attacks come from behind.

Even if the other person was a human, there was still reason to be cautious. That trust was only for the closest of family and spouses and, rarely, friends. Richie and I had formed a trust strong enough to count as far as we went. It wasn’t something a lot of people understood. Even Orion was looking at me as if figuring out something puzzling.

Richie left with the tray of mugs and took off the light after telling us to sleep well. I yawned and stretched. “I’m heading back to my room. Good night,” I said over a shoulder and made to leave.

“No! Wait!”

“What?” I turned to him.

Orion was clutching his sheets, the moonlight showing his wide eyes. “Could you…stay? I’ll shift into my wolf if you want. If it would make you more comfortable I mean,” he said wringing the cloth, “I can’t sleep here alone with my Pack gone. Please.” I looked at his almost night glow eyes. It was like looking at a wolf in the dark.

I didn’t have it in me to tease him for needing me around. I got it. He wanted someone around.Crawling over his legs I settled on the other side of the bed and got under the covers.

“Don’t tell anyone about tonight,” he mumbled. His voice held a blush in it.

“Who would I tell?” I folded my arms, “Besides, your wolf is still young. It needs its parents and it needs to be surrounded by Pack. You wouldn’t be able to feel safe alone. No one will hold it against you.”

“…you’re not totally horrible.”

“And I’ll pretend that wasn’t half insulting.”

“Don’t act innocent. I know what you and Richie meant earlier. He had to talk you into coming here,” his stare dared me to lie. I really wished that his eyes would stop glowing white hot like that. It was a tad bit creepy and not to mention hard to fall sleep beside.

“Fine. He did. It’s not my fault. You’re the one interrupting our sleepover. He’s my friend. My babysitter. He shouldn’t even be here.”

“You placed your back to him tonight,” Orion changed topics, “I don’t have any friends that I trust that much.”

“Don’t doubt it,” I muttered under my breath.

“Most people don’t have friends they trust that much. I mean no one expects their friends to hurt them, but just the act of putting you back to him is a show of trust higher than any other thing.”

“I guess I’m lucky to have a friend that I trust so much,” I said.

“I sometimes wonder what makes him so special. Why does everyone like Richard? He’s a nice enough guy but…I don’t know. I don’t see the big deal.”

“You don’t like him much, huh?”

“That’s a nice way to say it,” he burrowed even further under the sheets, “I have nothing against your little bromance, but something about him annoys me. I’m not sure what it is.”

All I could make out was his head and the tips of his ears peeking out. His eyes were closed. “That’s okay,” I closed my own eyes, “You’re not his friend. I am. You can hate him all you like. I sort of prefer it.”

“You’re possessive.”

“Only with him. You have your friends at school and I have Richie.”

“What about that loser you hang out with? Tevin.”

“Kevin. And I’m not going to comment,” I sighed, “G’night Orion.”

“Yeah. Goodnight.”

***

Early the next morning, Richie’s dad came to pick him up at the White’s house. His father had to get to work for seven and decided to drop Richie off at the school on his way. That left me alone to fend for myself. Richie’s only piece of advice was to be nice to Orion in front of his parents. It was pretty useless stuff.

I was smart enough to see that harassing him in front of the Alpha and his wife wouldn’t be the best move. He was their only child. The apple of their eye. The fruit of their looms. The sugar in their Kool Aid. He completed the pair in a way that the other Pack members couldn’t. Once his parents were around I wouldn’t pick a fight or let him start one.

We were all at the table having omelets for breakfast though the sun was barely up yet. I was a little tired still, but Orion was practically sleeping in his eggs. “Ri! Get up,” his mom poked him in the head. He gave a snort and jumped, eyes flitting around. He rubbed his nose in a way that was very wolf like.

“Why is he so tired? Did you keep him up all night?” his mother asked me.

“I bet the boys were up playing at all hours,” his father reached over and stroked his hair.

“We should have come back earlier,” she frowned at her son.

“Richard said that Orion was asleep. He said that everything was under control. That we could take our time,” his father responded.

“I should have come anyways,” she insisted.

“Richie’s a good babysitter,” I mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Richie is a good babysitter. The best babysitter. He did put us to bed early but Orion couldn’t be comfortable sleeping with his Pack missing. It’s not Richie’s fault.”

“He got Orion to bed early? But Ri’s so…strong-willed. Hmm. Your Richard is pretty good,” she kissed her son’s head and added, “You sure are protective over your friend.”

“If I wasn’t, no one would be.”

I finished the last of my toast, eggs and hot cocoa before hopping off the chair and placing the dishes in the sink. Before heading upstairs I threw a dirty look at Orion. He turned back to his own plate.

While taking a shower, the sound of the bathroom door opening caught my attention. I hadn’t locked it because it was the main bathroom and worked as both a bathroom and toilet. The person stayed silent but I knew who it was. I didn’t acknowledge his presence. Lathering the soap onto my arms, I continued bathing.

“I’m sorry. I should have stood up for Richard.”

“But you didn’t. I had to.”

“My parents never think that any babysitter is good enough to see after me the way they do,” Orion muttered, “I’ve had four different ones. I didn’t think that it mattered what I said.”

“It didn’t,” I scowled, “Your ungrateful parents should thank the heavens that anyone wanted to babysit their brat at the last minute. They don’t deserve his time.”

“Leave my mom and dad out of this.”

I bit my tongue and finished my shower. It wasn’t worth it. When I stepped out he was standing just outside. He was glowering at me with eyes that naturally made me uncomfortable. It wasn’t as creepy in broad daylight as it was in the dark. He was pissed. That was obvious.

“I have to get some clothes on. Can you get out of the way so that I can pass?” I adjusted the towel onto my waist.

“You’re staying,” he growled.

The moment his wolf rose to the surface, I felt the presence of it in the air. It was the physical feeling of something else being in the room. Something with the strength to shred you like bacon. I took a step back, heart pounding. The animal was being held back by a thin thread.

“Calm him down,” I whispered, “Now. Please.” The presence faded a little. When I felt that I could chance it, I let out a breath. “I can’t believe you let loose on me.”

“It wasn’t on purpose. I’d never ever let that happen on purpose. The wolf – he – I – sorry…” his cheeks were flushed.

“Can’t you control him? Get a grip on your temper, dude,” I sighed when the danger had fully passed.

“You think it’s that easy? Just keeping my temper down? I have a young, powerful, dangerous, wild animal with his own thoughts and wants trapped under my control. I have to always control him. He’s a child and he’s always fighting to get free and he doesn’t understand that he can’t always be free. The only thing he knows is that he’s trapped and wants to be out. Don’t tell me about keeping my temper down, dude.”

“Fine. Whatever. Just try to keep him from mauling me then,” I said and side stepped him, “If that’s not too much trouble.” I was about to leave but a hand stuck out and held me back.

“I have been trying to be nice to you, Danyel. Trying and trying and every time I try to talk to you, you keep brushing me off. Did I do something to you? Why do you hate me so much?”

“What’s your damage? Why don’t you hate me? You’re Chosen. You’re the Alpha’s son. I’m human. You’re supposed to hate me. It’s practically an unwritten law. That’s how things work. All of your friends do so what’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t want to hate someone just because we’re not the same,” he frowned at me, “I’m not my friends.”

“No but you spend all of your time with them. You’re pretty smart. If kids pick on me for being a human in a Chosen school, what do you think will happen when their human punching bag gets friendly with their Chosen mini alpha? I don’t want anything to do with you or the people you hang out with and I definitely don’t want to spend lunch time hanging upside down on the flagpole with my pants hanging from a tree...again.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t hate you, Orion. I hate the idea of you. The thought that you can do whatever you want and get whatever you want because you were born with the right to. It’s sickening. You’re sickening. I know you’re trying. Stop. It’s hard to push you away when you refuse to leave me alone. Especially when you’re being so darn nice about it,” I said and sighed, “Look at your face. Let me guess. No one’s ever turned you down before, right?”

“Never. It’ll take getting used to,” he looked at me in a way that made me feel like the worst person.

“I didn’t say that to be mean. It’s just safer for me to stay away from you. Hanging out with you is just asking for trouble.”

“I get it. I’ll back off.”

“Why were you being so nice to me, anyways?” I asked, “I don’t get why you would bother going through all of this.”

“When you have two sets of thoughts in your head, the two sets turn into one. The animal needs family and friends more than I do and my wolf likes you. He wants to keep you as a friend. Well you saw him last night. He only wanted you around,” he shrugged.

“Why?”

“Beats me. I don’t know what his problem is. I just try to give him what he wants to get him to shut up.”

“So he’s behind this constant niceness in you all of a sudden,” I smiled, “That little ball of fur?”

“He’s small as a physical animal but in my head he’s huge. Rough. Pretty strong-willed,” he said.

“Does he always choose your friends?” I asked.

“No, but he wanted me to talk to you that night at the bonfire party. He wanted to run around and play and find your scent.”

“That would be awkward.”

“For both of us,” he rubbed his eyes, “Learning someone’s scent is how he gets to know people. He doesn’t seem to get that some things are just weird for the human side of us…although he knows your scent now.”

“I feel violated.”

“You’re talking to a dude in a bathroom and you’re in nothing but a towel. Took you long enough,” he laughed.

“You have a good point,” I grinned, “Is His Highness going to allow me to leave now?”

 Orion moved out of the way. “It’s for the best you know,” I looked back at him, “We probably wouldn’t last very long as friends.” He didn’t reply. I left and got dressed in the guest bedroom.

It then took a good half an hour to finish the last of my home-work. I did some wrong on purpose because I was too lazy to work out the right answers. Half wrong was better than no homework at all. Shame I couldn’t copy off Orion. We weren’t in the same class and Kevin was probably as badly off as I was. Flopping onto my stomach I screamed into the pillow, “I hate school!”

I froze as I felt a paw on my head. Raising my head, I came face to face with a furry little face. His eyes were wide and round. He yawned and stretched his front legs before curling up beside me. I touched his tail and he opened an eye. “You are a pretty cute one. I bet people tell you that all the time,” I murmured.

“There you are,” Orion’s dad stood at the door, “Go put on your clothes, Ri. You have school in a few minutes.” The cub got up and dove off the bed. In the free air between the floor and the bed, he shifted and landed on the two legs of a naked, sulking boy. He hates school too. Hmm. Maybe he’s not too bad.

Orion’s father took us to school and dropped us off in the front. Kenny came to meet us and started prattling about a new basketball hoop that her mom had gotten her. She had Orion and I laughing by the time we got to the school building. It took a second for me to realize that Orion and Kenny were walking toward their friends. I slowed down as we neared the group. “I – uh – I have to go,” I told them and changed direction before either could say anything. I didn’t look back once.

Kevin was waiting for me inside. He had a new haircut that didn’t flatter him in any way. His red hair looked crazed which was made worse by his pale lashes. The lashes were so fair that it looked invisible from a distance and that gave Kevin his signature ‘surprised face’. The overall effect made me think that I’d stand a better chance of not being beaten up if I’d stayed with Orion, Kenny and their bully friends.

“Dude, what did you do to your hair?” I touched the teased strands.

“I asked the hairdresser if she could make my hair look like Russell Brand. Does it look awesome or what?”

“Or what?” I stared at it, “What did she put in it? Why is it so shiny?”

“She used—.”

I never found out what she used because the bell rang at that moment. We dived to the side and flattened ourselves on the lockers. Everyone was streaming inside now. The Upper School kids towered over us as they passed to get into their classes. A lot of the students looked too large to still be in high school.

“Holy crap, look at that ginger’s hair,” one of them nudged her friend, “He’s gonna get his behind handed to him for sure.” We fell in with the crowd and I tried to think of a way not to wind up getting pummeled with Kevin. Today is going to be the longest six hours of my life.

************************************************** 

Let me know what you guys think :) Comment, Vote, Like, Tweet, Fan <3

Oh and *coff coff* if you want to share with your friends or whoever, go ahead. I feel weird about it so I don't usually advertise my stuff. So I depend of those of you who like my stories to tell other people about it.