Caged In

" I’m sorry, who are you ?” I ask.

She coughs and let’s go of my hand,” I - uh - I must have mistaken you for someone else. My memory isn’t what it used to be, you just reminded me of someone from Greg’s childhood.”

She just lied.

But about what, though ?

" I would remember ugly baby Greg, trust me, lady.” I say as I brush away my sidetracked thoughts.

" I already said that he was the cutest little baby in the whole world. Isn’t that’s right, Gregory ?” She says.

" Oh, I already know for a fact that Greg wasn’t the cutest baby in the world.” I grin,” I mean, I have to have been at least ten times cuter than wolfed out baby Greg.” I flick my hair over my shoulder and the woman chuckles.

" I do have to admit, he was rather chubby.” She says.

" Mother, I would rather not have you talking about this sort of thing with my -” Greg is interrupted by me,” Get the baby albums, I don’t know why you’ve waited this long.”

" Me neither.” She pauses,” Although I must warn you, Greg is naked in most of the pictures. God he was such a wimp when it came to clothes, he just kept shifting and ripping the clothes off, ruining them, so eventually I just gave up and let him run around naked until he realized it was cold.”

" Perfect.” I smile,” Blackmail.”

" Oh, Greg, I like her.” His mother puts a hand on my shoulder,” May I have your name, dear ?”

" Lucy Wild.” I state.

" Tyler’s daughter ?” She asks, referring to Mr.Wild - my father - by his first name.

" Yeah, are you close ?”

" Yes, well, he and my husband are. Which is why I find it odd that he never mentioned he had an adopted daughter.” She says.

" Adopted ?” I ask.

" Well, you and my son are mates, so of course you have to be. My son wouldn’t accept a halfer as his mate, I wouldn’t let him.” She smiled so brightly for having just insulted me twice, and yes, I count her saying Greg and me are mates as an insult.

" Well, I guess I am kind of adopted, but I’m not a pureblood.” Her eyes widen,” But that’s okay because I’m not your son’s mate, I couldn’t care less about all of this, I’m human.” I say.

" You mean to say you haven’t shifted ?” She says.

" Well . . . ” I start to say as I think of a response.

Greg pushes me aside,” But this doesn’t mean you can go ahead and set up those dates with people you approve of, mother. It’s so forced and awkward.”

" I’ll go get the baby albums,” she says in an annoyed tone towards her son before turning to me,” But it may be awkward. As I recall, your father came over with your brother, but your brother would always be off with some girl so Greg would always be forced to play with this other child, that one never kept her clothes on either. They usually both ended up running around chasing each other naked, and I have lots of photos of it. It was actually quite adorable.”

" Childhood friend ? Adorable.” I say.

" She was a pureblood, I thought you said our children were ugly.” Greg smirks.

" I was being sarcastic.” I growl.

She jogs through a doorway and I hear her foot steps retreat as she thumps up the stairway.

I feel my cheeks heat up as I shyly glance over at Greg. I see him smirking and trying to stop his laugh with a hand clamped on his mouth and immediately my blush disappears as I frown at him.

" What ? What’s so funny ?” I hiss.

" Nothing.” He lets out,” Ha ha aha ha!” He covers his mouth again desperately trying to stop himself from laughing.

" What is it ?” I hiss.

" I - ha ha - I just remember thinking she was neutered when I ended up chasing the girl, oh god I was an idiot back then.”

" Here they are!” Greg’s mother exclaims as she comes back down the stairs with three thick books in her hands.

" Wonderful.” I say as I glare at Greg.

" What is that look for, woman ?” He says,” You’re scaring me.”

" Oh, nothing.” I say as I walked over to the couch and sat down,” Greg’s mother, would you be so kind as to share all the details on every photo with me.”

The woman smiled widely,” Of course, dear!”

" Remember, no detail is too small.” I grin as Greg’s eyes pop.

" Wait, mom, don’t -”

Greg’s mom opens the first book and points to a photo of a crying boy,” This is from when Greg wet the bed for the first time.” The woman looks at the photo nostalgically,” He was so confident that he would last the night, that when he woke up in wet sheets, he started claiming that a monster came into his room to make his sheets damp. When my husband said that it smelled just like urine, the waterworks started and Greg balled for hours. I almost pissed myself laughing, he was so convinced that he didn’t pee his bed that he licked the sheets to try and convince us it wasn’t pee.”

I glance up to Greg’s bright red face, and as he glares into my eyes I smirk and wink at him before turning the page in the book,” And what about this one!” I say enthusiastically.

945 words