Chapter 3: Chapter 3

As soon as he opened the door I shot through and claimed his bed as mine. Just for the heck of it, I spun in a tight circle as if to curl in a ball but instead flopped sideways on the bed. I rubbed my head against the blanket until I had stretched it as far as I could. My paws flailed around, stretching in the air too, as a wriggled about on my back until I finally settled with my head at the foot of the bed and my legs stretched out and slightly hanging over the edge.

Jack chuckled at me, reaching out to rub my head as I lifted it to watch. Curiously, I watched him work his magic with the controls so that he could catch the human female. After that I flopped my head back down and ignored most of the talk that passed between the two. My ears did pick up something about a cell phone. I leaned up so I could situate myself where my legs were straight in front of me and my head laying on my legs so I could get a better idea of what was going on. Just as I did this, I saw Jack swivel in his chair around and speak to the girl.

"Ready for you. Hold on tight."

"To what?" She shouted furiously. I snorted from my perch, just about the closest thing I could get to a laugh as a dog.

"Fair point." I couldn't see his face, but I knew from his tone that he was smirking. He pulled a lever and then she was screaming.

I groaned my annoyance as my ears went flat against my skull. My ears hadn't appreciated the abuse the female had inflicted on them. Not a moment later and the blond was in Jack's arms. I huffed at the sight. I mean, I knew it was only a matter of time, but I do believe that was a record. It never failed that somehow or someway Jack always got the someone in his arms.

"I got you, you're fine. You're just fine." He comforted her. "It can scramble your head just a little." He chuckled.

For a few seconds they just stared at each other, but I decided it was too long for my liking, so I let out a low rumbling bark. Jack looked over with a look similar to that of irritation while the girl looked over with a blank look. It peeved me that she didn't fear me, so I narrowed my eyes. Upon realizing it didn't have the desired effect, I snarled. But she simply looked back to the Captain to say hello, which went back and forth between the two. I gave another then, snarling a warning bark, but I still didn't get the desired outcome.

"Oh, shut up." Jack grumbled. For a moment I felt ashamed, I knew somewhere deep down that it was wrong of me to feel this pleasure in the discomfort for others. However, the guilt was fleeting, and I was back to waiting for the next opportunity to scare her. I could make an exception for her simply because I didn't like her. I had a sinking suspicion it was only because she was so close to Jack, but I quickly banished the thought.

"Don't mind Khaz, she's just jealous 'cause I'm with a pretty girl. Are you okay?"

The blonde sent me another blank look, making me flash my teeth in a silent snarl, and turned back to Jack. "Why?" She questioned. At first I wasn't sure if she was questioning my attitude or his question. "Are you expecting me to faint or something?"

"Uh...you look a little dizzy." He explained with laughter in his voice. I had to admit, she did seem a little disoriented, which would explain why she seemed so fearless now. I huffed and lowered my head and quit my attempts to scare her. No need to waist energy on a human that disoriented.

"What about you? You're not even in focus." She said as I snorted. Shortly after that she really did faint.

"Khaz, off the bed." Jack ordered and motioned with his head for me to get off.

'What? Can't she sleep on the floor?' I complained within my head. What he heard was a low rumble come out as I stared him down. I refused to budge from the bed. It was kind of like my last shot at being rebellious. Or just a pain.

"Khaz, now." He said in a warning tone.

My ears fell back, and my eyes narrowed, but in the end I really didn't want to fight with Jack. He was my friend and I wouldn't do anything to hurt him, after all he was the only pack I had. Still, I made a big scene as I followed his will. Huffing and puffing, I jumped down to the floor where I found a spot as far away from the girl and let out a loud obnoxious groan when I collapsed onto the floor.

After Jack placed the girl on the bed he turned and walked over to me so he could kneel. I lifted my head, the sour look still there. He ignored it and scratched behind my ear. "Aw Khazzy, you'll always be my girl." He chuckled and I melted just enough for my golden tail to thump on the floor

It wasn't long before the girl began to stir. Just as she was coming to, I stood up on all fours and snarled. Finally, I got the look I desired and took probably a bit too much pleasure in seeing her fear. Jack sent me a warning look that I promptly ignored and threw in a couple barks, just for good measure. She got up from the bed and I stared at it, tempted rub my scent all over every inch of that thing and claim it as mine. But she was still sitting on it and I honestly didn't trust myself to not bite her. It was a curious thing, knowing that I wasn't in control of myself and not understanding why.

Jack was up and flirting with her as soon as he got the chance. It irritated me beyond belief, and I wished for once he would stick to business and not flirt. I huffed and lay my head on the ground so I could stare at the floor.

I felt that familiar pressure of my Voice coming to say hello. She never said her name and hardly ever appeared. When she did, I often wished for her to go away.

'Have you wondered that maybe you hate it so much because you like him?' She questioned me.

I tried not to snarl and sent something of a mixture between pictures of angry dogs ripping apart an animal and very strong emotions on what I felt about her saying that. I still couldn't communicate with words to her. All I had was my thoughts, and really you would think that would be enough, but there was this barrier that was there just enough to separate us. Sometimes, in my sleep, I can see a mass of warm colored fur very much like Earth's autumn. Mostly golden browns with dark red tones. Wild, yellow eyes would stare back at me from the other side of this barrier. I can't hear the beast, nor can I feel it, but I know it's there and feel the pressure.

'Come now, Khaz. Think about it.' She said with a slight teasing tone. This time I did let slip a small growl. While it didn't bother the female and Jack much, it startled me out of my thoughts.

They were speaking about the psychic paper. I pushed myself up into a sitting position so I could perk my ears toward them and train my eyes on them. Meanwhile, in the back of my mind, I still felt the Voice's pressure. She was still there, watching through my eyes and taking in what she could before disappearing to the dark depths of my mind.

"Two things- one, I have a friend that uses this all the time, and two- you just handed me a piece of paper telling me you're single and you work out." She stared at him as I snorted. 'Well that was a fail.' I thought to myself and let my gaze move to Jack to see what his response would be.

"Tricky thing, psychic paper."

"Yeah, can't let your mind wander when you're handing it over." She smirked and handed it back.

"Oh, you sort of have a boyfriend called Mickey Smith, but you consider yourself to be footloose and fancy free."

"Wha- " She scoffed, laughing before she could even finish the word.

"Actually, the word you use is 'Available'. And another one- 'Very'."

The female was obviously flustered by now. She stood up from the bed and looked down at him. "Shall we try and get along without psychic paper?"

Jack followed suit and stood up. "That would be better wouldn't it?"

Seeing that she was off the bed now, I ignored them and raced for the bed. I twirled around on it before flopping down and then rolling around on it until my scent overpowered hers. When that was done, I rolled back to a normal laying down position and stared at them. I took up nearly all the bed between my stretched out front paws and tail, it pretty much screamed 'Mine'.

"Nice spaceship." The girl said, staring warily at me as my snout twitched, as if wanting to wrinkle up for a silent growl.

"Gets me around."

Soon enough they went to the top of the ship and I curled into a ball, eyes trained on where they had disappeared through. However, it was late and even irritable shifters need to sleep now and again. I quickly found myself pulled into the sleep land where I dreamed of mostly memories