Unattainable Fruit

Chapter 8: Irritation & Accidents

James's POV

When the alarm finally goes off, I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful I no longer have to pretend as if I'm sleeping. When I stumbled into the pack house last night, it was just after two am. I had attempted to get some sleep, but nightmares and phantom noises outside of my door had me wide awake, nervously waiting for the rest of my punishment to come.

   And I almost wish it did.

  At least then my anxiety wouldn't have kept me up all night.

  I get out of bed and head towards the shower, hoping a cold shower will wake me up, Sloan opting out of that particular experience. He fades away as I get into the shower my body shivering from the difference in temperature. I quickly wash up and jump out, my system alert and my body wide awake as I shut off the water.

   I take a second to dry my hair with a towel before entering the room, checking my phone that's laid atop the desk along the long wall next to the bathroom.

  I see a text from Artemis telling me that she's picking everyone up for school, and I relax just a little. I barely have enough bandwidth to keep myself from having a panic attack, much less walk towards school. But as always, the Princess' privilege comes through. I'll have to remember to repay her whenever she needs an escort to the next tea or ball. The least I can do for suffering for the benefit of her dearest friends.

    The joke helps lifts my spirits a little as I get dressed, Sloan, stirring just in time to criticize my outfit.

   'You're dressed both like a tweleve year old human boy and a fifty year old man at the same time. It's giving twenty five year old desperate bachelor.' Sloan tells me and I sigh, giving up on the half assed idea to try to look nice without trying too hard. Instead I made an out of myself. I unbutton the striped shirt I had on and ditch the jeans, sticking to my usual sweats and a hoodie. 'So you were trying to impress someone, hmmm?' Sloan pries but I ignore him, though I'm sure he can feel, as well as I can, the warmth that spreads from my cheeks to my neck.

   'You're an annoying shit.' I inform Sloan but he completely ignores me, his sassiness and know-it-all attitude enough to make me want to throttle my own wolf.

  'It just better not be for Cody. I agree with Zee, you need to get your shit together and think about what you're going to do about Jessica. You don't know if you're his Mate or if he's yours. You just felt a spark. You don't see me getting all tripped up over it, because we're grown virgin men and we have crushes. Don't fuck with his dreams because you haven't figured your shit out yet.' Sloan scolds me and I feel myself get defensive, pain stinging after his words. Callous and rude as they are, there is something I can take from it: that I need to do something about Jessica.

  My ears pink over the unnecessary virgin comment, I finish getting ready before packing my book bag and grabbing my keys.

   Thankful that my dad goes on morning runs and my mom sleeps in, I fully take advantage of their morning routines to hurry down stairs and grab a few things from the fridge and cabinets freely before heading outside to wait for Artemis. As I stand there admiring the view of the forrest around me and the sounds of nature waking up the world, I'm reminded of me and Cody's encounter yesterday outside the pack house.

   I cringe at the thoughts that he must be having about me. I wonder if they sound the same as my dad. I wonder if he would be disgusted to see how weak I am. Disappointed in how sensitive and soft I am. How flamboyant my wolf Sloan is.

  I can feel Sloan's disapproval over thinking about Cody, still not convinced that he's our Mate. But when you know, you know. The way my heart beats and my spine tingles. I know that Cody is the one. And whenever his birthday is, I'll prove it to everyone.