Chapter 23:

Jack decided it was best he left. He knew the unsteady ground he stood on, and the poisonous thorns he played with, but he risked it anyways.

"But I live life for me," he thought mentally. "And for the people I truly love and also long to actually belong to."

Inside he knew whom he refferd. 

"Maybe some space for the meantime," he decided."I am jerk after all."

He went out of the place, heading to a hotel to crash, remembering his friend Aurthur was going to give him this talk about him going back home, getting his own house, and being alive.

He was now in front of a check-in desk at the hotel, and a lady, whom he assumed to be the receptionist, stayed behind the counter.

She had dull looking eyes, and showed a sassy personality.

 "Yeah that's right," The woman with the attitude said, with a slight Russian accent. She was reffering to a client that just passed. "Walk away you big bag of chum. You're as fat as my aunt Carolyn's xmas farm pig, even the full turkey I ate for thanksgiving couldn't match you. And trust me, it was a large one. Next!"

Jack was next. He gave a weird look at the person she was reffering to, who had already gone far, and to the her as he walked towards her. His eyes gave a lowered glimpse at her name tag on the table and it said, 'Mary'.

The receptionist said ,"Well take you look at that," Mary stuck her tongue at the side of her mouth in this dugusting way, looking at him. "Ain't it the rich boy,"

She now began chewing her gum that one couldn't even tell was in her mouth in the first place.

"No need to ask you. The Royal suits of course." Mary wrote something down with  her kite shaped pen tip. 

Jack dipped his hand in his jacket, bringing out his wallet.

His eyes slightly widened as he discovered a bit of a problem there.

He puffed out air from his mouth.

"You know what?" He said to the rude receptionist. "I'll be back in a min".

He rushed out of the place, leaving the receptionist in wonder. 

As he walked away, Mary then mouthed his words, imitating him with a raised hand like a puppet.

 Jack suddenly walked back, surprising the woman.

He said as if letting out something he'd been craving to say ever since, "Hey lady. You seem really bad at your job. I think you should be fired. Like real soon."

He then went out after saying what he felt may not have been necessary, still he did it anyway as it was the first thing he had in his mind as soon as he walked in.

The receptionist just made a face that showed that she never saw that coming, was insulted.

Now in the bank, Jack stood in front of a man wearing spectacles. The man pushed the middle frame of his glasses, back on the bridge of his nose, taking a close look at impatient and exasperated Jack.

"Sorry," the banker finally said. "I don't think that'd be possible."

"What do you mean I can't make a withdrawal?" Jack asked the banker in absolute confusion.

"I apologise for this sir, but this order is straight from the top."

The man said with a deep sounding voice that could scare away some timid person.

"What top?" Jack thought.

He  tried reasoning what he just heard-but no, it didn't make sense to him.

Jack didn't even bother to go on asking as he felt very much angry. 

"I'll have you know I'm Jack Loggman. Like the Jack Loggman. There must be some mistake. And what orders do you speak of?"

The banker didn't reply him again as if he had been compelled not to. He said his words sounding firm, and didn't look like someone that was ready to even listen or reconsider.

Jack wondered why they had decided to restrict him from redrawing money from his own account.

He sensed foul play.

Jack laughed as he instantly thought of who may have been behind it. He realized that there would've been no other person than whom he thought in his mind.

Of course, the young man wasn't going to give up, and was going to get to the bottom of this unexpected problem. 

"Was this the so called punishment or…?" Jack asked himself now making his way out if the bank.

 He was heading to Aurthur's apartment. Jack was going to get a few of his stuff, then find out if he had some shillings left with him.

Jack knocked loudly on Aurthur's door as he had reached the front door. The door literally shook as he banged it with his clenched fists. 

He kept on hitting it loudly, disturbing the entire place.

Jack yelled loudly, still banging the door, "Open the damned door you piece of shit!"

There was no reply. He gave a gaze at the locks on the door, and without thinking twice, he used his wolf strength to burst the door open.

Jack rushed inside and to his greatest surprise, the person he would've probably killed for leaving him outside, wasn't at home.

He then went on and ransacked the entire place, hoping to find something valuable that he owned-but nothing. 

The wolf feared what he suspected was about to happen.

"I have to go to that shitty house again" Jack referred to the mansion. "So this was the Alpha's dumb idea to bring me back."

He asked looking around Aurthur's apartment, "And where the hell did that shit go? Jack asked no one in particular, referring to his friend Aurthur. He wondered where Aurthur actually was. "I literally thought he was jobless."

Where did Aurthur actually go?

Aurthur was at a popular runway show, sitting at front row seats in the crowd. He had(name of camera) in his hands, and he used it to take nice shots of the skinny fine models in the latest fashionable trending wears.

 Some of the clothes he thought was rubbish, but hey, it was fashion.

A model was dressed in a sleeveless gown, a v-shaped opening from her chest down to the top of her stomach, revealing her middle chest, but her firm small breasts remained hidden in the covered sides.

Another wore a big transparent feather hat, a red dress shaped like a heart in the chestal area, long jewelries and high heeled shoes.

There were so many sections, but the show ended with the models in bikini and beach wear.

Applauds followed from the crowd as the designer made his way out after everything. He had a measurement tape hung on his neck. 

The designer appeared to be a man, though his vibes and blouse gave a fancy female fashion world vibe. Also, the way he walked gave out that he had been around countless models and had been influenced by them.

"Looking good Janette." Aurthur said with pointed fingers at one of the beautiful but stressed looking models. She rolled her eyes at him.

 He walked backstage, heading to meet his manager.

Aurthur worked as a photographer in an industry. He always found himself around models, and was really in love with his job.

He placed his fists gently on top the door of his boss's office, and with gentle knocks, he let his boss know of his presence.

His fist was still on the door when it suddenly creaked open, revealing a beautiful woman in her thirties.

The fine office woman who had opened the door was clad in pallazo pants a long scarf wrapped round her neck and it loosely dropped down at the end. Her lips were shaded purple and eyes amber-like.

She was tall and fine, and she was Aurthur's boss. Her name was Madam Lizzy.

"Heyyy" Aurthur dragged with a smile and flattering vibe. "Who's my favourite boss?"

Madam Lizzy just rumpled her nose with her an obvious fake smile.

In her office were different pictures of sexy looking magazine cover models and masculine men also modelling their body and products.

Madam Lizzy had her hair wrapped up in firm tight bun, and her accent showed she had either stayed or was from France.

She smiled though, but it was very much obvious that she actually displayed the appearance of displeasure and compelled a smile of managed tolerance. 

Aurthur, beign someone that preferred smiling at the face of obvious danger, which this was, smiled at his dissatisfied boss.

"Sooo," Madam Lizzy said with her frightening but wide and pretty grin which exposed her white teeth and dimples. "You're finally here,"

They both laughed out ironically before a rapid change of expression took place on both of their faces, killing the pretence happy vibe.

"Miss Lizzy," He said like he was begging but still tried to maintain a slightly formal act. 

"Can you can explain why you haven't been coming to work for almost a month now? Almost an entire month Aurthur. If we depended on you, we'd crash. You're best but not only." She gruffed out, not really wanting to hear.

"Just some minor broken roommate situation, but hey," his boss's face didn't change from the now serious look and fed up expression."I'm here now."

"Aurthur, let's just wrap this up," she spoke seeming in a hurry. "I'll be having a meeting soon. You know you're very great  at your job, I must say. Aurthur, I'm really sorry but you shouldn't feel like because you're great at it so you're irreplaceable and could come to work as you please."

Aurthur looked away and slightly exhaled from his mouth.

"You're fired." Miss Lizzy stated with authority.

Her words sounded harsh, and made him feel as if an enormous bell had landed on his head with a loud ding!

He instantly stood up with force to retort.

"What?!" He raised his voice tone higher as he definitely didn't expect that. He called her name still begging. "Liz.." 

Aurthur was instantly corrected."Madam Lizzy."

"Comon. You can't do this to me. This is my livelihood. My joy." Aurthur sounded now as if almost crying. "You can't take it away. I swear i'd-"

She interrupted, making him realize he how he sounded. "Please." She gestured with her hand pointing towards the door."

He took his camera that had laid on her desk and wore it on his neck. He avoided looking at anything in particular and just headed to the door with head lowered in sadness.

Miss Lizzy walked to the door and helped him open it. As the door was opened, it revealed a man with a fit physique walking in.

"Oh, Razor." Miss Lizzy said welcoming him  with a real smile. Aurthur just walked out in this pitiable way. "Come in. I've been expecting you. You're quite early though-" unclear chatters and laughters now followed as the door was slammed at Aurthur's face.

Aurthur placed one ear on the door inoder to easedrop.

Though he was so close to the door, but all he could hear were mutterings.

The only thing he heard clearly was the man's voice saying, "We've got to step up our game. We need a new but known face to the fashion world for the launching of the newest (fashion industry name like Guchee but not it) clothing line for the magazine cover…"

The rest words were unclear and as if whispered deliberately to prevent Aurthur from hearing.

 Beign annoyed and still sad about the whole situation, Aurthur didn't give up . He pushed the door open not minding that he interrupted their meeting.

"Lizzy, please." Aurthur called out desperately, not even minding to add honorifics. "I worked my ass off all this time."

This made Miss Lizzy slightly embarrassed and feel disrespected.

He said pointing a finger at himself, "It's me, the eager beaver."

"Aurthur". She said, trying to stiffle her shout.

He needed to be told that she was serious and would want him out at all course.

Thinking everything had ended up in futility, Aurthur turned back and was about leaving. Almost getting through to the door, he suddenly paused as an idea bell rang loudly in his head.

With a wide enthusiastic grin plastered across his face, he turned back to face them.

He asked, already knowing he had heard the man say it, "You're looking for a model, right?" 

Miss Lizzy and Razor gave a look at each other. 

Aurthur went on without waiting for a reply. "What if I tell you I happen to know how to get you the perfect famous one."

Seeing he had gotten their attention, he rushed to go seat next to Mr Razor who had his legs crossed, and opposite Miss Lizzy who's face showed she was curious to know what he was onto.

Demonstrating a little with his hands, he said, " Imagine a new but known face-" he purposefully imitated Mr Razor's words."To the fashion world, that would display the latest ladies fashion on the magazine covers."

With a mockery chuckle, his boss asked, "And who may that be that you know of?"

Both Miss Lizzy and Mr Razor obviously stared at him, awaiting his response. 

It was as if two parties had climbed on Aurthur's shoulders. One dressed in angels wear, and the other clad in red clothe and had tiny horns stood on both sides of Aurthur's shoulders. They were imaginary. 

The small imaginary angel, whom he usually snubbed, warned him, "Retreat right now."

Like Aurthur always did, he snubbed the one in white after looking at the little one on the left clad in red. That one didn't speak, but gave a supportive nod.

Aurthur smiled as he finally wanted to conclude with the presentation.

"The model whom I can assure will definitely be the one, is no other than the beautiful reigning-wait for it" He kept quiet there a bit for a little suspense breeze to blow, before talking again. "Clarrissa Barrington".

Miss Lizzy and Mr Razor quickly looked at each other as they agaped in surprise.

"Huh?"

Aurthur too was shocked as he didn't just know what he heard himself say.