Obey.

26

"Welcome home," Cayden said as he opened the apartment door, wearing grey sweats and a almost tight white tshirt, stepping aside as I walked in, feeling awkward, already scared as shit at what I had decided to do. Before I left the house, I had taken a bump of coke, to fuel my confidence in my decision. Now without my stash, I felt jittery and a nervous mess. "Well, not to say its your- I mean obviously me case su casa and all that but ya know, not like as if to- you know what, never mind," he finished as he closed the door. It seemed he was nervous too. "My dad is knocked out in his room and trust me, he sleeps like the dead, wont be up until tomorrow late afternoon from the reek of liquor he tracked in."
"Oh," I said, stepping away at the venom dripping from his tone. It was a tone I was terrified of, one that gave me a quick panic.
Dummy, why come alone into a male's house? Another wolf who reeked of alpha? This is what you get, whatever he does to you-
But the thoughts melted away as quickly as Cayden's sour expression as he smiled warmly at me.
"I'm so glad you came, do you like scary movies, action or comedy?" He said as he started to walk away towards the small living room. A breath I didn't know I was holding released as he turned away from me. I had been hyper aware with his eyes on me.
Did he know I was high? Could he read the terror in my eyes? Was there something on my face? Possibly white dust crusting at my nostrils?
"Um, comedy," I said because I had let the silence stretch and realized I hadn't spoken more than one word since arriving at his doorstep. And because I didn't want to see anything gory or painful. When people at school got into fist fights I couldn't even bare to watch it. I could relate too much to the pain.
At what point does one stop feeling pain? Surely after being beat over and over ones skin becomes tough, the pain receptors to the brain cut off?
He clicked on the tv and then selected a streaming app before handing me the remote. "Here, you pick."
Putting down the single bag I had brought with me, knowing I was going to have to leave it here or dump it before I got back, Cayden's house scent would be all over it, I tentavly made my way around the three seater old styled, faded orange sofa and sat on the carpet In front of it as I scrolled through a selection.
His apartment was pretty small, but it didn't feel suffocating and lonely. It felt warm and lived in. The place was filled with carpet other than the kitchen and it felt soft to sit on. It was cozy. And even though Cayden got up and went to the kitchen, he was still very much close by. In fact no matter where he went in his home, he would be close by. It would feel suffocating if he was Hunter, but he wasn't and so it felt nice, like I wouldn't ever be lonely.
Nothing like the wide open marble floored mansion I was used to. Where everyone was just as cold as the place they lived in.
Going through the selections slowly, I realized I haven't watched a movie in a very long time. Hunter would come home sometimes and turn on the tv but with him around it was hard to focus on anything other than his intentions. When he was around I made sure to keep an eye on his hands.  They were deadly weapons to me, he might as well walk around with knives or guns clutched, because that's how I saw it. Also his mood. How was he feeling? I made sure to cling to every word and try to respond correctly. He was my whole world. I had to make him so or die under his brutality.
"This looks like it could be good," I randomly picked on out, with a familiar faced actor, Seth, before standing up. "Um, mind if I change real quick?" I asked as I made my way back to where I left my bag by the door, looking at it with a quick thought that I should abort and run now.
"Sure, its that door right there," he pointed, before looking back at me. "did you eat dinner? Like real dinner, none of that crumbs and a flower on a plate with a drizzle of mystery sauce fancy people eat?"
I almost told him I did eat, but then realized, I hadn't really touched the food, and my face heated at the events of what happened at the restaurant. "Um, no, I didn't actually."
His face lit up. "Wonderful," he clapped his hands together. "I'll make some burgers and fries real quick."
My stomach growled at that. "Sounds perfect actually," I smiled before making my way to the bathroom. I wanted to get out of my itchy clothes and into the long sleeved shirt and pants, silk pink pj set I had brought with me. It still had the tag on them as I wasn't allowed to wear anything to bed unless it was sexy and even then it would be ripped off.
Emerging from the bathroom, confident now that my face looked fine, other than the sickening paleness, I smelled the start of meat being cooked and the movie beginning to play.
"Don't worry, I'll be able to see it from here," he said at the island bar, a hot plate with seasoned burger meat on top and a spatula in hand. "Shouldn't take long, thanks to us weres liking our meat bloody," he grinned and his face halfmorphed, his sharp teeth flashing before with a blink, his face back to complete human form. It was always a shock when he did that, I forgot how easily we could just morph. Even now my hands unconsciously went to grip my collar but it wasn't there.
"Not too bloody," I called as I sat down, not liking that my back was now to him. "Remember I'm not-" I cut myself off in horror as I realized I was going to say that I'm not full were. Why would I even say that? Even humans liked their meat sometimes severally undercooked. It was an unnecessary comment and one that would have busted me. But it was true, I didn't like my meat bloody, all weres did, it was rare for one to not just slap meat on the grill, flip it once to sear and take it right back off. That disgusted me. My face turned blood red and I was glad he was away in the kitchen. "Um, not used to eating fried and greasy food," I finished lamely. "Medium well please." I really wanted to enjoy the burger, not having one in so long.
"Hey no worries, same with me. I thought I was the only one, being half human and all; thought it was a flaw and forced myself to eat them bloody but I guess all werewolves around the same," he said nonchalantly and everything in me felt he knew. He must. My anxiety was kicking up over something so small. Suddenly the small space seemed even smaller, the walls surely closing in. Oh no.
"Great movie choice by the way, I love the Interview," Cayden changed the subject so quickly, it made my brain freeze from the onslaught of panic that was about to occur. "I die laughing every single time," he said as I focused back on the screen, a famous rapper announcing he was gay causing an excited flip out from the interviewer. I giggled, it was pretty funny so far.
Half an hour in, I had a plate of fries and half a burger in my hands as I tried not to choke from laughter and from eating too fast.
"Now that's funny," I said after swallowing, giving another sound of laughter. I say sound, because it almost sounded like a strangled cry. Cayden at first when he heard the sound, came around the sofa to see if I was in fact crying.
"What?" I had said. "I'm laughing," I explained when he asked what that sound was, if I was OK?
Now he sat next to me, not so close but not super far away either, a bottle of cheerwine in hand as he hollered at the next joke. His eyes almost closing all the way as he laughed.
"I can't believe you've never seen this before," he said shaking his head.
"I can't believe you've seen this before and still laugh this much."
"It's gold I tell you!" He held up his soda as if in a salute. "The next one I put in is going to be even funnier just you wait, you're going to have bruised ribs tomorrow from laughing so damn hard."
"I think I already do," I whispered as I grabbed four fries at once and shoved it into my mouth.
Bruised ribs, from laughing. For once not from being stomped by a heavy boot or punched or thrown like a ragged down into a table. But from laughing.
A smile never left my lips the rest of the night.
Waking up to the sun shining in through the blinds, I felt startled as I realized there was a warm body close to mine. I had fallen asleep on Cayden's lap and he had fallen asleep with his head on my shoulder, his arm on my hip, surely uncomfortable for him. I froze, not knowing what to do as he soft breathing filled my ears. He stirred awake as I started to fidget.
Once his eyes popped open I quickly moved away from him. "I have to go," I realized in horror. Cayden made me feel safe, protected. But I wasn't, was I? Hunter would get back home on Monday, or Sunday night and I'd have a guilty look written all over my face. This was so dangerous, a game of Russian roulette. It was a gamble with my life.
Cayden jumped up, towering above me, as he caught my wrist gently in his hand, his other hand came up to caress my cheek so softly, it soothed my nerves. I breathed a sigh of relief and closed my eyes briefly before looking up into his dark ones.
"Stay," he said quietly, still stroking my cheek as he bent his head down, my breath catching into my chest as he neared, thinking he was going to kiss me. But no, he simply pressed his forehead against mine. We were so close, our breath was mingling with each others. And suddenly I felt as if I were going to explode. With a strangled cry, I moved my head up to press my lips against his, wrapping my arms around his neck and crushing my body close to his, his hands sliding up my body to the back on my neck, tilting his head to get a better angle. But before we could deepen the kiss, and have our tongues clash, a loud cough filled the quiet room.
I jumped away from Cayden as fast as any skittish cat would.
"Erm, sorry to interrupt," an older version of Cayden came into my view. He had salt and pepper color hair and beard, with lines around his eyes, but he didn't look much older than thirty-five, as he smiled at me. And not smile in a leering way, but in a kind way. "You must be Hayley," he did a sort of formal bow before holding his hands up as if in surrender as he looked from me to his son. "I'm only making myself some coffee and then I'm off," he assured Cayden with a wink before looking back at me. "Please, stay as long as you want, I'm happy to see my son have a friend, he's been more of himself lately."
"Dad please," Cayden pinched the bridge of his nose. "I already put the ground in the filter last night, just press start."
"Fine, fine," he said in a gruff voice. "Be gentle, he's fragile," he joked to me as he passed by.
"Sorry about him," Cayden whispered to me. I smiled shaking my head. Nothing about his father seemed threatening at all. The air wasn't tense even though Cayden had looked annoyed, there wasn't anger in his features as he rolled his eyes and smiled at me.
Cayden said his dad was distant but it was obvious his dad cared. He looked worn out, but still he cracked a smile and made jokes and had a light air about him. This, it felt like a family. It was obvious there was issues, but it all felt so normal. People were good at hiding secrets and putting on masks, but being around the environment I was in, I could just sense these things and I knew these two weren't a threat at all to my person.
I never felt this way around Hunter and his parents. Relaxed, that's what it was. I slumped down on the sofa, Cayden easing his way down next to me, looking at me as if he were afraid I was going to bolt.
"So," I said as his dad open and closed cabinets behind us. "What's for breakfast chef Cayden?"
A snort from behind us as Cayden sighed heavily.
"Best order in or out, you don't want Cayden cooking you breakfast," he laughed, "remember when-"
"No," Cayden stood up and glared. "I set the kitchen on fire one time and you never let me forget."
A laugh tore through me as his dad gave me the "told you he can't cook" look.
"I didn't realize we were in danger last night," I joked to Cayden or looked distressed as he repeated, "one time."
I laughed again. Cayden dad was saying as the aroma of coffee filled the air, "There's a breakfast place around the corner, best French toast in town." Suddenly he was before us, tossing a credit card down on the coffee table. "I'll be back late tonight son," he then nodded at me before heading towards the front door. "Don't worry Cayden, one day we will get you signed up for cooking classes, but until then order from that damn app or something." And with that he was gone.
I giggled. Cayden pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It was one time," he insisted, pulling out his phone. "So are you a pancakes or waffles person?"
"Um, I heard him say best french toast in town, I need to confirm," I giggled behind my hand.
Suddenly the feeling of fear, pain and despair seemed so far away. And I knew I would soak up every single moment I had with Cayden.