Location of Thread: Wheeler Home Tag Line: It's not a curse, it's a gift. Characters Involved: Jake & Jonah Wheeler Played By: Colin Ford & George Mason
Jake was so mad at himself for letting jealousy get in the way earlier. He had no idea where it had even come from. He knew that Rori was into him, because she had already told Nick that much, and yet their closeness and bond over magic just seemed to send rage through his veins. He had never been like that before, and the only thing different that had happened recently was his imprinting on Rori. Not that he had even known he had done that until he had spoken to Jonah about the strong impulse to protect Rori with everything that he had. However, it would seem it had also come with a very unpleasant feature, severe jealousy and he did not like it.
He had been up in his room fighting with himself over how he had reacted. Torn over it so much, he knew he had to talk to his brother. Jonah was all he had left. They had lost their parents a long time ago. There was a significant age difference and Jonah helped to raise him. They didn't really have any other family. Being a wolf was dangerous, there were hunters and other species out there for their blood. He walked into the lounge room, “Hey J, can we talk?” He asked and Jonah looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow, “Sure kid, what's on your mind?” He laid the book down, placing the bookmark so as not to lose his place. He was a big James Patterson fan and he was in the middle of reading the book called Zoo.
Jake sat down, opposite on the other two seater sofa. “So, this imprinting thing you told me I did with Rori, can that come with side effects?” He wasn't sure how else to describe it other than that, as that's what it felt like, nasty side effects. Jonah chuckled a little, and frowned, “Not sure I know what you mean kid.” He always called him that, as he always referred to Jake as his kid brother. He was probably going to have stop it, as Jake was getting too old to be referred to that for much longer. “Like, it's all good that I have this overwhelming urge to protect he at every cost and that I am almost certain she's my soul mate too, but earlier today, and I still feel it, I got a raging jealousy when she and Nick began to get close and I don't even mean in the sense of her cheating, just friends. But man I was chewing up on the inside, was sick green with envy. I ended up marching out, I couldn't take it, I couldn't look at them bonding like that!” He exclaimed. Ah, thought Jonah, so, the jealousy trait had reared its ugly head had it. It definitely was a very big downside to the imprinting. Not even every wolf does it either. Most, but not all. He hadn't even done it yet and chances were, he might never.
He sat forward, clasping his hands together at the fingertips. “It can come with a jealous streak, especially if you are also dating the person that you imprinted on. You don't have to be dating or in love with someone to imprint, it just means that you will protect them at every cost. However, that is way more intense if you are indeed dating the person you imprinted on. You need to learn to control that jealousy rage. You need to tell yourself that Rori is with you, she wants to be with you, if she didn't, she wouldn't be, right? So what's the problem?” Jonah made it sound so damn easy to just switch off the jealousy, but how did you do it? How easy could it be when you know that every time you look at your girlfriend with her friend, that you want tear him limb from limb if it was even possible with Nick Morningstar.
“Pretty sure she wants to be with me, yeah, but how do you just not be jealous? They have a connection J, like he's half witch and so is she. They're connecting over magic. Then to top it all, he can leave the Pandora gates like Rori, and I can't. That's a kick in the teeth and I just can't stop the rage within me over it.” Whoa, Jonah let out a low whistle, this wasn't good at all. Even of his wolf mates, he had never seen a jealousy so severe like this one was appearing in his brother. “You don't want to give Rori ammunition to walk away and maybe get even closer to Nick do you? So you really need to learn to control that jealousy. It's not easy, but you can do it. You're strong, you have it within you to let it burn out.” However, he felt like his words were falling on deaf ears as Jake continued to sit there and shake his head. Like nothing he was saying was good enough or something. “Not sure I can do that. I don't even want to be like this. I mean, what's wrong with just being a normal human being? I want this wolf curse gone J. How do I go about it?”
Jonah sighed. This was not good, not good at all. “Kid you can't get rid of it. Not as far as I'm aware anyway. Maybe some really strong witch with dark magic might be able to split the wolf from you. But it's not a curse, it's a gift. You were built to protect. You can protect Rori more now as a wolf than you ever could as a human.” Jake hung his head, as he knew that his brother was right, but he hated this jealousy, he hated the way it was making him feel. He still wasn't convinced it was as easy as just turning a switch or letting it burn out as Jonah said. “Maybe, but how do I get this jealous rage to stop? I mean, I want Rori to have friends, male and female, I mean me and the guys have already made a pact to protect her. What if she gets close to them and I see red as well? How do I get rid of this rage?” He stood up and began to pace back and forth. Jonah stood up and put his hand on Jake's shoulder to stop him. That was all it took, he was older and stronger than his brother.
“Jake, I'll give you a tip. I don't have the jealousy or rage that often, but when I do? I punch a bag. It makes you feel liberated and you don't end up taking it out on those closest to you. Follow me.” Jonah began to move, he made his way to their basement and Jake followed. He hadn't told Jake about the gym in the basement before, because, his brother hadn't needed it, but it would seem that he did now. “I've built this gym at home, I mean I use it just to keep fit, but it's also fantastic if I feel any sort of rage or jealousy over anything. Any part of it is good, but the punching bag is the best. I've gone through a load of them, the strength that we have, they tear easily. Beginning to think I might need to invest in granite ones.” He chuckled, he then went to the cupboard and brought out some boxing gloves and handed them to Jake. “Here, put them on and every single thing that you are feeling, hit that bag. Don't worry if you burst it, I've got a backlog of them.” He chuckled, and Jake took the gloves from him and put them on. They felt good on him, but fighting physically was never really his thing. But surely it had to be better to punch the bag to hell rather than trying to kill Nick?
He punched the side of it and it hardly even moved. “Harder than that for fuck's sake kid.” Jonah said, and so he tried again, moved maybe a fraction more. He hit it again, nothing, he just yanked the gloves off. “It's useless.” Jonah sighed, “You're not putting your rage into it Jake that's why. You're too busy thinking about the jealousy and about Rori and Nick together. Focus on that and use it to hit the bag. You can do it. Come on, do it, do it. Or are you just a little chicken shit? I thought I raised you better than that.” He was being mean in a bid to try and build Jake up to actually using his rage. Jake let a growl out at the back of his throat, “Thanks, no I'm not.” He said staring his brother down. “Right, well hit it, hit the fucking thing.” Jake put the gloves on once more and this time he stood in the stance that he had seen many people on television do and lifted his hands up in the fighting pose. He took a swing and this time the bag moved way better than any of his earlier attempts.
He went at it again and it swung to the left, then again, to the right. It was now freely moving from left to right each time he pelted it. He carried on doing it, until he was breaking sweat on every part of his body. The final punch that he gave it, shot the thing off the hanging marker and into the farthest away wall and it shattered. Not the wall, the bag. Jonah applauded and laughed, “That's the way to do it. Now, tell me, how do you feel?” He asked, hoping that he was going to get the answer that he wanted. Jake nodded, “Better. Definitely better. The images of Rori and Nick bonding aren't bothering me quite as much now. In fact, I'm seeing her and I together more in my memory instead.” It felt good, it felt so damn good. “See, told you it would work. So, every time you feel like you could punch the lights out of someone, this is where you come. You got it? You do that every time and eventually the rage and jealousy will be far better controlled and it won't consume you like it did.” Jonah smacked his brother on the back a few times. “Proud of you.” Jake grinned, “Thanks. I knew talking to you was what I needed and I will definitely make use of this if I have to. I feel like I can focus on just protecting Rori and in fact, it's made me realise that having Nick on our side might not be so bad either. I mean, how much more protection can she get than from a wolf pack and a Nephilim?” He chuckled, and rubbed at the back of his neck. “That's it, see the bright side kid, not the bad. Now, I bet you worked up an appetite, pizza? I'll order from the pizzeria at the shopping mall.” Jake nodded, “Yeah, meat lovers, definitely.” Jonah chuckled, “That's my kid brother.” Together they both made their way back to the lounge and Jake was feeling a hundred times better about the rage. Now he would talk to bother Rori and Nick and apologise and hope that they would both understand.
Location of Thread: Hanaway Home Tag Line: Making amends and a new friend Characters Involved: Jake Wheeler, Aurora Hanaway & Nick Morningstar Played By:
After Jake's talk with his brother Jonah, he knew that he had to go back to Rori and Nick and apologise and try to explain what happened. So he ran all the way to Rori's house and rang the bell, but then wondered if she would even hear if it she was still in the basement. The house was massive after all and James would be at work. So he went round to the basement entrance at the back of the house and made his way down. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, he watched silently as Rori and Nick were going through the chests. They only seemed like two new friends working together. So why had he got so jealous before? True Jonah had explained it, but he still didn't get it. He coughed, which alerted the both of them and they turned round.
Rori look wounded to see him back, and Nick was looking rather annoyed, angry maybe. “Got over your jealousy Jake?” Nick asked and Jake looked down and shook his head. “Not really, but I need to explain and I hope you will both understand, but before I do, I really am sorry for the way I acted.” Rori put a bit of a smile on her face then, apologies were always acceptable in her book. “Okay, well, why don't we all sit down together and you can talk?” She asked, but not running to hug him or anything, because until he did explain, she was still a little hurt by how he had reacted. Nick frowned, “You're lucky she's giving you another chance you know, that was out of order man.” Jake nodded, and looked sad, “Yeah, I know.” They all sat down together, on one of the bigger sofas, with Rori between them both, causing a breaker, just in case.
Nick spoke first, “So let's hear it. It better be good.” His tone letting everyone know that he was still pissed off, and also quite protective sounding. This made Jake think to what Jonah had said about Rori having double protection, from the wolves and from an angel. So he couldn't really be mad, could he? “It's a bit long winded. Basically it's because I imprinted on Rori.” Jake began, which made Rori's mouth form a circle shape in shock. “What's that got to do with it?” Asked Nick, but Rori nudged him gently, “Let him just explain please.” Seeing how much it meant to her, Nick backed down, “Fair enough.” So he sat back and did the motion with is fingers as if to zip his mouth closed. So Jake got straight back into it.
“So, I told Jonah how I felt about how close you were both getting and that I didn't seem to have any control over the rage of jealousy. It was my brother that told me it was because I had imprinted. Apparently it heightens everything and makes you almost possessive of the person in question. Not that I mean to say that I own you, nobody does, you're your own person. Basically it's out of my control. However Jonah gave me a coping mechanism. That when I feel that rage and jealousy, it's to do take it to the punching bag. Turns out we have a home gym that Jonah built. He uses it himself for the same thing. I told Jonah that I felt it was a curse and I just wanted it gone. I don't want to be a wolf, not if this is the trouble that it's going to cause.” He looked down, even though Jonah said that it wasn't likely that he could get rid of the wolf gene, and that Rori would be extra protected, he still didn't want it, not if it was going to make him like that. What happened if the next time, because he couldn't get home to the bag quickly, he took it out on Nick or Rori?
Nick who had stayed quiet as promised, spoke up now, before Rori. “There might be a way to separate the wolf from you, with magic. I'm strong enough that I could do it, if it's what you really want. However, I don't think that you should. Being a wolf isn't a curse Jake, it's a gift. Look how much you can protect Rori? And now with me as a friend, she has me too, she can't get much better guards than a wolf and an angel witch, is there?” This caused Jake to chuckle, and waved his hand, so Nick wouldn't think he was being rude. “Sorry, not laughing at what you said. I am because Jonah said the exact same thing and made me realise how much of a dick I had been. I mean, I still don't like the fact that I could get like that, but I agree, it's good to be able to protect Rori and I'm all for her to have you on her side as well.” Punching the bag earlier had definitely helped. Whether it maintained his feelings, would remain to be seen. Rori now spoke, “Well, I feel very honoured to have two great guys looking out for me. I mean, I'm new to this witch and fae thing, so, until I get used to my powers, I probably could do with it. I don't even know who everybody is yet and I guess there might be some rather unpleasant residents.” Nick nodded, as did Jake, “Yeah, there are a few who like to cause trouble and break rules.” Jake said and then to Nick, he added, “Thanks for offering to separate the wolf from me, but I think I'll just stick it out and try to control my jealousy and rage. The punching bag worked a treat, so hopefully it always will.” Nick grinned, “Not a problem. Would I be jumping the gun to wonder if this is the start of a new friendship?”
Jake knew that he had to try, if Rori was going to be his friend, then it would be awkward for him to be around her with she was with Nick. “Yeah, why not.” He held his hand out and Nick shook it and then said, “Been a good day, that's two friends I have made. I have no idea why people just don't seem to like me.” Jake noticed Rori squeezing Nick's hand, and couldn't help but wonder if he had poured his heart out to her earlier when he was gone. Rori smiled, “He told me a lot about how people seem to think that because he's the son of Lucifer that he is some Anti-Christ and that he is going to cause the end of the world or something. He's clearly just misunderstood, he's been lonely Jake. I think we both need to talk to the rest of the students and residents and make them understand.” Jake smiled and nodded his head. “I agree, I'll help, even I was one of those people. Sorry Nick.” Nick smiled, “It's fine, apology accepted. So, now that we have mended bridges, how about helping Rori and I sort through these artefacts to give to Steve.” Jake grinned, “Yeah, definitely.” With that all three of them got up and headed towards the chests and began working on them for a second time.
