SWNOVELS Chapter (Slightly) Awkward Introductions (1)
Her thoughts were a whirlwind in the confines of her mind, and her anger increased with each passing second. She marched out of the bathroom, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but she should have known better.
This was Jamie we’re talking about here. He hated confrontation just as much as she did. But this... her anger was warranted.
Guadalupe only caught the back of his forest green shirt as he bolted out of the open door. “Don’t you dare run James!” she yelled before taking off after him. Her vision was tunneled, and all she could see was Jamie’s back as he ran away from her.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and a psychotic laugh bubbled from her throat. Jamie glanced back at her briefly, and the look of complete fear on his face made her laugh harder.
“James Caspian de la Rosa Roccio, I’m going to fucking kill you!”
With a fearful scream, Jamie turned a corner and Guadalupe followed, crouching low as she skidded around the corner. She could hear is heavy footsteps as the pounded down a staircase that came into her line of sight, and a few seconds after, Jamie’s head of dark, curly hair left.
With an angry snarl, Guadalupe picked up the pace, and grateful for her ninja skills courtesy of Charlie and the coward she was now chasing, she gripped the banister and held fast as she slid down on her bum. Zipping past Jamie, she shot him a dark look that accompanied her psychotic laughter.
Guadalupe landed lightly at the foot of the stairs, and tackled Jamie without a second thought. He groaned painfully as they landed on the stairs, but that didn’t stop her from attacking him with slaps and punches.
“You-” slap.
“stupid-” slap.
”fucking-” punch-punch.
“idiot!” slap-slap-slap-punch.
She stopped, panting heavily. “You said you were rogue!”
“I was!” Jamie shot back, his hands up in defense. “You said you had to leave!” Guadalupe yelled again, gripping the collar of his shirt.
“I did! I did have to leave. But then an Elder gave me a chance to prove my loyalty and told the Alpha to evaluate me. He made me Gamma after that.”
Her hands shifted to his throat and grip tightened. “THEN WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU JACKASS?!” Jamie winced. Tears sprung in her eyes, and freely trickled down her cheeks.
“You just... left me...” The anger had flown out of her body, and was now replaced with sadness and heartache. She remembered feeling so helpless when Denise and Mateo had snatched her, and had her tied up in the abandoned primary school two years ago.
She remembered how she tried so hard to mentally reach out to him, like he told her. How supernaturals, those who are related, or part of a pack, hoard, family, whatever group or multitude, were able to connect mentally.
She remembered how she had always considered him family, even when she had a crush on him. She remembered feeling that consuming feeling of complete despair when she couldn’t connect to him; how all her efforts resulted in a raging migraine and a couple punches from Mateo.
“Ada... Ada, baby no. No. Fuck...” Jamie sat up, and wrapping his arms around her, pulled her closer to his chest, not caring about the curious stares that Guadalupe was no doubt unaware of, otherwise she wouldn't be like this; like herself.
“I’m so sorry Ada-girl. I’m so sorry I left. I’m a horrible friend, I know. Please forgive me...”
Guadalupe’s hands found themselves around his throat again, adding more pressure every few seconds. “It’s going to take a lot more than charm and sweet words to make me completely forgive you, you giant furry bitch! I’m still going to kill you!”
“Will you stop turning heel on me?!” Jamie rasped out, trying to gently pry Guadalupe off him. Her response was to tighten her grip with one hand, and use the other to begin to slap him silly again.
“Ack! Ada, I’m sorry! Fuck! Goddess have mercy!”
“Oh, Selene?" slap.
"We had a quick-" slap.
"little chat earlier." slap-slap-slap.
"She said no!" slap-slap-punch.
"You don’t deserve her mercy!” slap-slap-slap-punch-slap.
“Ack! Goddess, please. ¡Quítenme a este psicópata de encima! ¡Seré sacerdote si quieres!”
"Get this psycho off me! I'll become a priest if you want!"
Guadalupe laughed psychotically, loosening her grip and stopping her attack. “No durarías ni un día como sacerdote. Te gustan demasiado las tetas."
"You wouldn't last a day as a priest. You like boobs too much."
Jamie sighed dreamily. "Boobs..." he murmured, staring off into space with a smile that a perverted thirteen-year-old boy would have.
"Ugh, bruto." Guadalupe murmured, pushing Jamie's face away, eliciting a chuckle from him. He pulled her into an embrace, and she melted into him like she always did. "I missed you, Ada. I wish I could have come for you sooner, but, duty called." Jamie whispered, and Guadalupe nodded.
"I understand. It's okay."
"You're my Gamma, Roccio. Please don't make me hurt you." His voice pulled them out of their bubble, and Jamie shoved Guadalupe off him with flushed cheeks. "A-alpha! It's not what you think!"
"You hairy motherfucker..." Guadalupe growled after rolling down the few remaining stairs and landing on her bum. The sound of choked laughter and chuckles made her tear her eyes away from Jamie and focus on her surroundings.
To Guadalupe's complete horror, she was surrounded by pack members. Lots of them.
Nox continued to knock on the door. "Bella, please come out. It's not even that bad!"
"Easy for you to say!" was her muffled reply. "You weren't the one who made a fool of themselves." He could tell how upset she was.
It really wasn't bad at all. He had gone after Violetta to stop her from getting their mother when a few pack members came to him about the "inhumanly fast human chasing Gamma Roccio".
Of course he had to follow his gorgeous girl's scent and had seen their entire interaction from the moment she slid down the handrail and tackled him onto the stairs.
She was instantly loved by everyone; especially when she called him a "giant furry bitch". The emotions and thoughts he received through the pack link told him as much, and he was damn proud.
He was curious though.
"Hey, Bella?"
"Yeah?" Guadalupe shuffled closer, and Nox couldn't help the smile that bloomed on his face.
"How did you know about Roccio's... situation?"
"What? Him being a werewolf?"
"Yes."
Pause. "We... we were sixteen. And I-I had a... crush on him. I don't think he ever knew, though. He always had a thing for Tara, but, he respected Lance and never acted on it."
"Oh he knows, alright. And he reciprocates too..." Zev growled, and Nox tried to keep his anger at bay.
"Tara and Lance? They're your friends, correct?" Nox already knew the answer to that, but stupidly asked anyway.
"Yeah, they are. Anyway. He had been acting weirder than usual for a few weeks, but he wouldn't tell me anything; even when I asked. On the night of a full moon, one of the more popular kids were having a bonfire and we went. Mateo, Denise, Tara, Lance, him, and myself.
It was pretty cloudy and he was somewhat fine, but when it got closer to midnight, the clouds rolled away and the moon was bright. That's when he got more... aggressive. It wasn't like him at all. I knew for sure something was really wrong.
At exactly midnight was when it happened. I thought it was because of the lack of lighting, but I swore I saw claws and a tuft of fur on his hand. He stormed off when no one was looking and I followed him.
I saw everything... the shift, the first hunt. I was terrified but in awe. I stayed with him the whole night; from a distance. He didn't know I was there until he shifted back and I handed him my jacket since he was... you know... butt naked." Guadalupe giggled, and Nox repressed a snarl.
"He didn't have much of a choice, and yeah. That's how I know. Seeing the shifting and killing up close and personal is a whole different ball park." Nox grimaced, knowing that he has some making up to do for their ruined date. "Of course, I've kept Jamie's secret from everyone. It's... it's one of the four things I've never told anyone."
"Four things?" Nox was even more curious. The door opened, and he was blessed with her presence. Guadalupe gave him a shy smile. "Yup."
"So... Roccio being a werewolf is one, and the others?"
Guadalupe chuckled and shook her head. "Oh no, sir. We haven't unlocked that level of friendship yet."
"And Roccio has?" Nox hated this burning feeling in his chest. Hated the thought of Roccio being close and intimate with her.
"Jamie only knows two of the remaining three secrets. There is only one person who knows the last secret and that is me." Nox leaned closer, brushing his nose against hers.
"Will that number ever go up to two?" he whispered, relishing in her soft gasp and the fluttering of her eyelids.
"I-I don't know." Guadalupe whispered breathlessly, and Zev purred. "Maybe I'll never tell." Her hazel eyes snapped open, and they were filled with defiance. Nox smirked.