Archer 6:32 a.m.:
Be out of town for work. No touching yourself.
She hadn't questioned how he had gotten her number. It was just part of whatever this was. She had woken up to the message from a dirty dream. The text had destroyed that fantasy. She had started to live her life outside of work now she was being forced to put it on hold. It wasn't fair.
Days passed slowly into the following week. Her ears would perk up every time her door opened but it was pointless. It was never him. Seeing her collar in every reflection didn't help either.
Worse still, she knew she was being ridiculous. Two days with the man and she was like a pining pup. She rationalized it wasn't him she missed. It was the excitement he brought into her life that she was addicted too. Every time she remembered her time with him, she conjured fantasies of what he would do next. It made it a struggle to follow his last order.
By the time Saturday rolled around she knew that she needed an outlet. Work had been enough during the week but she always took weekends off. So, she needed something. Then it came to her. What was the best way to kill any sexual thought? Visit your parents.
It was a nice visit. They did ask about the collar but she dismissed it as an artist thing. They had seen enough weird things with her in the name of art not to question it. Her dating life was not so easily dodged. They wanted grandkids and it showed. But she had no plans on that any time soon. Or telling them about Archer. That certainly wasn't a conversation for her parents.
By Sunday she was a desperate cause with no escape from her own perverted thoughts. She had woken with her hand buried between her legs, unholy thoughts in her mind. She even tried to sketch, breaking her no work on weekends policy. Nothing was working.
But then her doorbell rang. She hadn't been expecting anyone but that didn't matter. Anything to distract her. She ran to it, flinging it open. But out of all the things she expected to see, Melody wasn't one. Not that she looked bad in black jean shorts with matching boots and a red crop top. It did little to quell her horndog of a mind.
"Hey beautiful. Melody said with a beaming smile. "I've been wondering where you ran off too."
While she liked the snow leopard, Thistle couldn't shake a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. "You know where I live?" She expected this behavior from Archer but not Melody.
"Archie told me. Wanted me to bring over some stuff for you." She gestured to a pile of about six boxes sitting at her feet. "Why? Not happy to see me?" Melody put on her best sad face not that it reached her mischievous eyes.
Archie? How close were these two? "I am. It's just...Are random people from the club showing up something I can expect?"
"Well, yeah." Melody responded as if it was a silly question. She picked up the pile of packages as she spoke. "He not tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
Melody walked past her, tailing brushing too high up Thistle's pajama clad leg. She put the boxes on the table without asking and turned back to Thistle. "You're part of the pack. A.k.a. welcome to the family."
"What?!" Thistle exclaimed. "I'm not a part of any pack. Foxes don't do packs."
"Neither do snow leopards but here I am." She held up a necklace showing a stylized tree in a silver circle.
"But how? He never told me he was initiating me."
Melody's smile dropped as she started to look surprised. "Seriously? He marked you and didn't even tell you what it means?"
Thistle's hand scratched at the scabs forming on her bald patch, the ones made by his teeth. He had said he wanted to mark her as his but she clearly thought that was a sex thing. That asshole.
"I'll kill him." She stormed over to her desk, snatching up her phone. She had not received a text since his going away and she hadn't texted him. But that was about to change. She wasn't waiting until he got back to yell at him.
Thistle 12:24 p.m.:
Your mark means I'm part of your pack and you couldn't fucking tell me that.
She shoved her phone into her pjs pocket not knowing when the asshole would respond. Melody for her part was watching the whole thing, her tail flicking excitedly.
"I do love some good old drama. Mind if I hang out until you're up to opening these? I'm curious what I was forced to lug over here." She gestured at the boxes.
"Not to see how this plays out between me and Archer?" Thistle wasn't blind.
"Maybe that too. See if I can snatch you up for myself."
Thistle rolled her eyes. Melody would be a better master then Archer right now. She may not trust Melody in a kink sense but was starting to see her as a friend as weird as that was.
"Would you like some coffee, tea, anything?"
"Oh, coffee fuck yes. I'm two cups behind on my five cups a day average." She joked. It would figure she would be a coffee addict.
Thistle headed to the kitchen in her open planned apartment. Melody followed climbing into one of her oversized island stools. Thistle tried to focus on making the coffee but it was hard. There were too many questions she needed answers to. And who knew if Archer would even be open about them after his surprise initiation.
"So, you're part of his pack?" She asked.
"For about six years now." Was Melody's response.
"Then can you tell me what a pack even is? Like I know the term but never been friends with people who were in them."
"It's hard to put in exact words. Family but not quite. Archie's original pack was his family but he made his own. Recruits anyone who wants to be in and he sees as a good fit. Regardless of race, which I hear is rare. No idea why he left his old one but he is an amazing leader. Takes care of everyone and you know he will always have your back if you need it."
"Apparently he's not so good at letting people know he's made them part of it though." Thistle replied bitterly. She handed Melody her coffee.
Melody took a deep breath, smelling the drink like it was fine wine. "This smells wonderful. And to be fair you are a rare case."
"What do you mean?"
"This was news to me but a bite initiation is a big deal. I had to be voted on by the rest of the pack but you nope, right in. It's like Archie was going she's in. As leader what I says goes. Got the whole pack gossiping."
Why hadn't Archer told her any of this. This could have caused issues for her and she would have been blindsided. "How big is this pack?"
"I think around sixty. I've met pretty much everyone but never had a count. Everyone that works at the club is a member though."
"Really?" Archer's pack really was diverse. Squirrels, deer, and all sorts it seemed. But also it showed a very real danger. She couldn't count on anyone there to protect her from their pack leader if things went bad.
"Yup. Archie had a bunch of businesses that he uses to make sure everyone has jobs they are happy with. As I said, he takes care of us."
She was about to respond when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She was tempted to ignore it but that felt rude now with how highly Melody had talked him up.
Archer 12:31 p.m.:
