Chapter 4
"He gave you his number?!" Mari asked completely floored.
Dee watched her friend unzip the back of her dress "Yeah." She said pulling off her shoes "Slipped it to me when he was leaving."
Mari laughed "Wow who'd of thought Simon Bae-advisor to Guy Boyd-liked chocolate."
Dee rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen "What do you think I should do? And are you going to put some clothes on?"
Mari sat down on the couch in her bra and panties "This is me time Dee. I think you should go for it."
"Really? Chocolate or Sugar?" The small Creole woman asked pulling out two different boxes of Cookie Crisps.
"Yes. He's cute. You're cute. Your love child would be adorable. Sugar please."
Dee thought about it, Simon was cute and he had a sense of humor. She poured the cereal into two bowls and got the milk.
"Let me think about it." She said taking a seat next to Mari and handing her a bowl and spoon.
"Oh you're no fun! Just call him! Asian booty call! What's there to think about?! When was the last time you had a booty call?" Mari asked.
Dee choked on her spoon "I never have!"
"Exactly!" They laughed and dug into their cereal. The only noise was the crunch of the cereal and the occasional clink of spoons against bowls.
"It's really coming down out there." Mari said off handedly just as the front door slammed open and Jey walked in, sopping wet.
"Towels."
"Tea." Dee and Mari set their bowls down and ran in opposite directions. Jey closed the door behind her and sloshed her way into the kitchen. She sat down at the island and started to wring out her hair.
"Why didn't you stay at Madam's place Jey?!" Mari asked as she turned the stove on and placed the kettle on the burner.
"I was dismissed for the day." She said looking at the floor.
"Yeah and there's a freaking thunderstorm going on outside! Madam would have let you stay the night." Jey didn't answer her, Mari rolled her eyes and pulled down Jey's favorite tea from the cabinet.
"Come on M, cut her some slack. I mean yeah it would have made more sense to stay there where she was dry and safe but her sister was there. She couldn't have possibly stayed in the same house as her twin sister." Dee said entering the kitchen with towels and some sweats and a tank for Jey.
She tossed the towel at Jey as the kettle whistled. Jey winced at the words, knowing that Dee was right. "Sorry." She said quietly.
Mari poured the hot water into a mug and set it in front of Jey "We understand sweetie. Just take care of yourself." She patted Jey's hand "I'm going to put on some clothes, you're making me cold." Mari smiled and went to change.
"Strip." Dee said "You'll catch a cold." Jey started to correct her but saw the look in her eyes and complied. As she changed she thought about the last time she'd seen her sister before tonight.
6 years ago
Jey sat in the ratty one bedroom apartment she shared with her sister Bonnie. Police sirens could be heard travelling down the street. Their neighbors were arguing. Again. She looked down at the pile of bills before her. They had finally caught up with their past due bills, all that was left was to mail them. Jey heard the key get pushed into the lock.
Seconds later Bonnie walked into the room looking worse for wear; her hideous bright yellow uniform was wrinkled and had coffee and other stains on it. She reeked of grease. But that's what happened when working at diner.
"How was work?" Jey asked. Bonnie didn't answer, just kicked off her shoes and walked into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and pulled out the carton of orange juice and took a swig from it. Jey put a stamp on the envelope containing their electric bill, a smile on her face.
"I got fired." Bonnie said breaking the silence.
Jey's smile dropped into a frown "What?! What happened?!"
"A customer got handsy. I told him off. He tried to hit me so I hit him." Bonnie explained to her sister, not meeting her eyes.
Jey sighed, thankful they had at least caught up on bills before this happened. "You have to find another job Bonnie. My security job isn't going to cover our bills." It wasn't even a real security job, a real job would have come with benefits, and workers comp for getting injured. No Jey worked as a bouncer at a night club in Lower Manhattan. Not the most ideal job for a 20 year old but it was work.
"Jey…" Bonnie called her, fiddling with her earrings. "I-I approached the Pack."
Jey stared at Bonnie "What?! Why would you do that?!"
"They can help us. Give us jobs. Stable jobs." The hair on Jey's neck stood on end. She was not going to be caged like a wild animal. Not again.
"Do they know where you live?" Jey asked standing up, her chair falling to the floor.
"Well yeah…it was on the employment form."
Jey growled and tore away from the kitchen, headed to the bedroom. She grabbed a bag and started stuffing clothes into it.
"What are you doing?!" Bonnie asked hovering in the doorjam watching Jey pack.
"I'm leaving."
"Leaving?! Why?"
Jey reached under her twin mattress and pulled out an envelope stuffed with money. Her rainy day fund. "I refuse to be involved with the Pack. You of all people should know why. They've left us alone for four years and you go and invite them into our lives! No one is putting me back in a cage Bonnie. Especialy not my own sister." Jey put the envelope in the bag, grabber her wallet and pushed past Bonnie.
"Where are you going?!" Bonnie asked walking after her. Jey stopped and looked at Bonnie. Bonnie had winced at the hurt look she'd found in Jey's eyes.
"I wish I trusted you enough to tell you." With that she walked out of that crappy little apartment, never to return.
Jey wandered around Central Park. Her shift at the club had ended hours ago, but she stayed to help clean up. Anything to avoid doing the very thing she was doing now. It was five am now, not many people were in the park save the odd homeless person. She looked up and saw that clouds had started to form, signaling rain.
Jey sighed taking a seat on a nearby bench and pulled out her money. 200 dollars, that wouldn't get her very far. Not far enough at least. Groaning she stuffed the money back in her bag and pulled her legs underneath her, resting her head on her knees. Then it started to rain.
"Ugh!" she shouted though it was muffled. Jey vaguely heard footsteps approaching her. The gentle scent of jasmine and strawberries filled her nose. A shadow fell over Jey's figure and she stopped feeling rain on her. Looking up she found herself face to face with a petite woman with long strawberry blonde hair and light blue eyes.
She was holding an umbrella over the two of them. The woman was dressed like a lawyer, all black pants suit and flat shoes. Listening closely Jey could hear two heart beats, the woman was pregnant, and from the strength of the heartbeat she guessed two months. Looking again she could see the woman had a small bump forming. Jey looked into the woman's eyes and found them to be gentle and sincere.
"Jey Steele?" The woman questioned.
Jey nodded, pushing her hair from her eyes.
The woman smiled "My name is Chloe St. Cloud. I have a proposition for you."
Present day~
Jey sighed, looking out the window at the harsh rain. She hadn't looked back since that day
Next Morning~
Chloe stood at the stove putting strips of bacon into a pan. If Dee were to see her now she'd have a fit. A laughing fit that is. She was, in a word, dazed. She just couldn't wrap her head around what Derek had told her last night. Well she could, but part of her didn't want to accept it. Another part of her, mostly her unsatisfied libido, was telling her to go for it. She set the pack of bacon aside and pulled out the waffle iron. Decisions like these were best made with waffles.
Last night~
"Chloe...we need to talk." Derek's deep voice pulled her from her thoughts of breakfast tomorrow. She looked at him and smiled.
She'd missed him more than she realized. "Yes?"
He set his end of the comforter down and took a deep breath. "You're my mate, Chloe."
She blinked at him, and while she processed that he went on "I know it's been while, a very long while since we've seen each other. And things have changed. But I want to give this a shot."
Chloe blinked again, silent. "I'm…your mate." Derek nodded
"What about your wife?" she asked. Derek sighed, sitting on the bed.
"Elena, I did love her. But she wasn't my mate. Because of that it took us almost two years to conceive." Derek said.
Chloe nodded, sitting next to him. "So…how long have you known?"
"I'd known it for a while but it was back when you weren't exactly my favorite person."
"What about when I was your favorite person? Why didn't you tell me then?"
Derek turned to face her "I was Chloe." Her stomach quivered when he said her name. "But by the time I worked up the nerve to tell you, Lauren had taken you away and I had no idea where to find you."
Chloe swore, Lauren again. Chloe sighed "You know…I thought about you guys all the time. Where you were, how you were doing…if you were alive. And then I met Stephen. He was…honestly the best of you and Simon. When he died, I was so lost…like I was when Lauren took me from you guys."
Derek nodded "I understand."
"Before I knew it six years had passed." She laughed a little "Where did the time go?" she asked, not truly asking Derek.
Chloe stood and clapped her hands together "Okay. Let's go get Bonnie's bed made." She walked out of the room leaving Derek sitting on the bed, a stunned look on his face. She poked her head back in the room, a blush on her cheeks "Let me think about it?" She asked.
Derek felt a smile come to his lips "Of course"
Morning~
Chloe poured waffle mix into the maker and closed the lid. She had a nice sized pile of waffles to feed two grown wolves, a pup and two people who ate normally. She pulled the now cooked bacon off the pan and put it on paper towels to let the grease drain. She reached up to grab the tin of coffee.
"Is that good?" Kelsey's small voice asked from behind her.
Chloe jumped, nearly dropping the coffee. "Kelsey! You startled me!" Chloe looked back at the small girl wearing her son's pajamas, her ebony hair was a mess, and she rubbed an emerald eye while yawning. Chloe wondered where she took after her mother because those eyes and that hair was all Derek. Even how silently she moved, but she guessed that was because she was a werewolf.
"Sorry." Kelsey said, blushing a bit.
"It's alright honey." Chloe smiled at the girl.
"Is coffee good?" Kelsey asked again walking closer.
"It depends on the person. Some like it, some don't. Does your Daddy like coffee?" Chloe asked.
Kelsey nodded "He has a cup everyday with breakfast." Chloe nodded and ruffled Kelsey's hair who giggled. "Why don't you go wake up Bonnie, Kit and your Daddy. Tell them breakfast is almost ready." Just as Chloe said that the waffle iron buzzed, signaling that the last waffle was done.
"Okay!" Kelsey said running off upstairs. Chloe pulled the waffle out of the iron, unplugged the machine and started putting coffee into a filter.
"I got them up!" Kelsey called from the second floor.
"That's great honey. Come on down." Chloe answered pushing the start button on the machine. She got the syrup out along with plates, forks and glasses. She was laying those out when Kelsey and Kit walked up, thankfully not scaring her.
"Do you want some help Mommy?" Kit asked.
Chloe smiled "You can get the orange juice out and the milk."
Kit nodded and turned to Kelsey "Wanna get the milk?" Kelsey nodded and the two walked over to the fridge. Kit carried the orange juice to the table while Kelsey took the milk. The kids were setting the drinks on the table when Derek and Bonnie came down the stairs, both dressed in what they had worn to dinner the previous night.
Seeing Chloe with not only Kelsey but also Kit made Derek's heart clench.
Chloe looked up and smiled "Morning."
Derek nodded "Morning." They all sat down,
"Thank you for allowing me to stay the night Mrs. St. Cloud." Bonnie said taking a seat.
Chloe shook her head "Don't worry about it. It was awful out last night. I just wish Jey would have stayed."
Bonnie tensed at her sister's name "She wouldn't have." She said quietly.
"Mommy did Jey make it home safe?" Kit asked, his eyes wide.
Chloe looked at her son and nodded "Yes. Dee sent me a picture last night." Kit nodded obviously satisfied with that answer.
"If you don't mind me asking, how long has Jey been working for you Mrs. St. Cloud?" Bonnie asked,
Chloe paused with a strip of bacon half way to her mouth "Since I was two months pregnant with Kit. They all have."
Bonnie nodded; Jey'd been working for her longer than she'd been with the Souza family. "Has…has Jey told you why we haven't seen each other or spoken in six years?" Bonnie asked twisting her fork around.
She locked eyes with the Madam of the St. Cloud Cabal, "Yes. She has."
The rest of the meal went without incident, the two children leading most of the conversation. Chloe and Kit bid them farewell and cleaned up the kitchen. As they did so Kit turned to his mother and looked at her.
Though he was still young, he understood that he had no father. He also understood that his mother was lonely; sometimes she cried at night when she thought he was asleep. Kit knew that his mother did a lot for him, and he wanted her to be happy. He didn't understand why his mother wouldn't date, she was beautiful. He also knew what he saw this morning.
"Hey Mommy."
"Yes sweetie."
"Do you like Mr. Souza?"
His mother paused in wiping the plate dry before answering "Mr. Souza is an old friend of Mommy's, why?"
"Because, didn't sitting down together with Mr. Souza and Kelsey and Bonnie seem like a family?" He asked looking up at his mother.
Her eyes were wide, tears threatened to fall. "Oh my god. Kit…sweetie I'm so sorry." She put the plate down and knelt in front of him, enveloping him in a hug.
"Honey do you like Kelsey?"
Kit nodded "Yeah! She's like a younger sister!"
She pulled back and looked him in his eyes. "Do you like Mr. Souza?"
Kit thought about it, Mr. Souza was nice, really tall, and he made his mom smile. "Yes."
Chloe nodded and kissed his forehead, standing up "Okay baby." Kit was thoroughly confused about what had just happened, but shrugged and went back to helping his mother clean up.
"Daddy...are you going to marry Mrs. St. Cloud?" Kelsey asked suddenly, making Derek choke on his water. They'd made it back to their house and this is the first thing that comes out of her mouth. He knew she'd been too quiet on the ride home.
"Why do you ask Kel?"
Kelsey sat on the couch facing her father, her serious business spot.
"Because Mrs. St. Cloud is pretty, and nice and a good cook, and I want a brother." Derek had to smother his smile, for a six year old she was very perceptive.
"Do you like her?" Kelsey asked.
Derek looked at his daughter's serious expression "Yes. Kelsey. I like her."
Kelsey smiled "Then marry her."
"It's not that simple Kel."
Kelsey frowned "Why not?"
Derek laughed out right this time "Because grownups have rules that have to follow."
Kelsey wrinkled her nose "Grownups are weird."
"Yes, Kel, we are."
Getting called into the office on a Saturday was not the greatest thing in the world. Especially when it was the weekend he called off.
He stalked into his office ready to tell whoever had disturbed his weekend to reschedule when he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Chloe…" He had left her house not four hours ago and here she was.
She turned from facing the window and smiled at him. "Derek Souza. I have a proposition for you."
AN: Sorry about all the breaks, I just wanted the motion of time to be clear. Thanks for reading!