Contentious

2 - Rogue

— — Alex — —
2 years later

I smiled waving to my friends as I slid into my wreck of a car. It had been well past second-hand when I'd been given it, and the chassis sounded like it was falling off, but it had been on of the few things that I'd taken from my old pack. It's dents told stories, like the way one whole corner was squashed from when my cousin borrowed it for a single day and managed to reverse into a telegraph pole before he'd even left the driveway. It was a terrible car, but I still loved it.

Once in, I stretched my neck, trying to work out the kinks. I'd applied for an apprenticeship at a factory just outside the Forest of Dean a year and a half ago. It ticked the right boxes; didn't have angry customers, wasn't a desk job, paid enough for me to live off, was close to a place where I could run. Best of all it wasn't in any packs territory.

I was lonely though. I mean I had friends and all, but they were human, and there were so many things they just didn't get or I couldn't explain. I mean they thought I'd got kicked out because I was gay. It was the only explanation I could think of when my supervisor caught my living in my car until I could find a room to rent. Plus I was actually gay. I swear I got the worst nicknames because of that. Mostly good natured ribbing though.

I just didn't know if I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. I wanted to belong. I really wanted to stop being yelled for lifting objects that were too heavy. Stupid health and safety regs. I was a shifter, I could carry it easily. Not that I could tell them that.

Anyway, it was Friday and the factory was going through maintenance, so my next shift was 5 days away. That meant I could spend the weekend away, maybe see if one of my old friends could make it down to the city. Plan decided, I spent the next 10 minutes amusing myself with the radio as it switched between Welsh and English stations. It was that or a cassette. Damn my car was sucky. I patted the dashboard affectionately 'Don't worry I still love you, Rusty old girl'.

Having returned to my house, and thus WiFi (surprisingly good considering that this was the back of beyond) I messaged the group chat for my old friends, slightly ridiculously named 'Fur-riends', for once the name was not my idea.

Alex: Friends, shifters, countryman lend me your ears. Are there any wanderers amongst thou who wish to reintroduce to me the wonders of civilisation; where the food is plenty and the night can be young but not dark...

Isaac: Your still a fucking weirdo you know

Trina: How tired are you to have come up with that gibberish????!!

Okay, so for me tired plus excited equalled weird and dramatic.

Matt: Translation...

Trina: He wants us to meet up in Bristol.

Matt: K

Isaac: I suppose I could drag my gloriousness down to educate a plebeian such as yourself in the finer things in life

Alex: ...and you call me weird. If the finer things in your life is that blue vodka you got last month I don't need your 'education'

Trina: Maybe he was educating you not to succumb to arrogance.. ;)

Matt: Fool...

Isaac: See even Matt agrees that was not my fault, it was just you being arrogant

Alex: You fucking challenged me!! You know I can't resist a challenge... you're just sour you lost! :P

Isaac: Rematch??!!

Trina: dont you dare agree to that Alex, I am not cleaning up your sorry asses again!!! No more blue vodka! Ever!!

Alex: The judge has spoken. No more blue vodka..

Isaac: You guys have no sense of adventure... Gaming, pizza, then pub or club?

Trina: Sounds good to me, rather standard for someone who claims to want adventure though 🧐

Alex: Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow then :D

Trina: aww looking forward to seeing you too

Isaac: I expect the manliest of man-hugs when you see me

Trina: Isaac-speak for he missed you too ;)