Staking Their Claim

by Rebecca Airies

  The muscles in her stomach tightened. Pain seared through her belly. She gasped. What the fuck? Her hands clenched on the back of the chair. She drew in slow breaths until the pain lessened.

  She straightened and shifted her shoulders. All right, that’s weird. Time to get on with business. She strode over to the couch. A little twinge wouldn’t stop her from finishing.

  She pushed it toward the wall and turned it until it was in the right position. Good. She hurried back to the other side of the room. Much better there. Just need to finish rearranging the room. Her muscles seized and bunched. A tingle coursed through her.

  Her perspective shifted, suddenly lower than before. She blinked and then glanced down. Paws. My paws are on the floor. Fuck, she’d changed while she was in her clothes. She shook her head. Dawson would never let her forget this.

  A low growl rolled through the room. Penny looked up. Minnie stood on the couch, back arched, and ears flat against her head.

  Oh crap, Minnie. She’s scared. Penny stepped forward. Her back legs tangled in the pants and she stumbled. The cat yowled, jumped up, and tore out of the room.

  Penny straightened and huffed out a breath. Now, I freaked out my own cat. Hopefully, Minnie calmed down and she could make it up to her.

  She stepped out of the tangle of her pants and the slippers. Socks clung to her back paws and legs. She leaned down and grabbed her shirt with her teeth. Pulling upward, she tried to rip it. The T-shirt stretched. Damn it, she’d have to find Dawson.

  She took a step. The loose sock slid over her paw. She shook her back leg, but it wouldn’t budge. The top sagged, but the bottom clung to her. She sighed and marched out of the room. Socks sucked.

  * * * *

  Dawson lifted his head. That was a whole lot of silence. No sliding, no thumps, no muttering. Had she stopped moving things and moved on to something else? Could she be nesting and about to turn?

  He drew in a deep breath. Give her some time. If she needed anything, she’d yell. He focused on the computer screen. Better get some work done. With the way she was behaving, they might be spending tomorrow or the next day in the warehouse.

  Minnie jumped up on his desk. Her tail twitched back and forth and her eyes were wide, staring toward the door.

  He glanced back, nothing there. Maybe she’d been staring out the window and something scared her.

  “It’s okay, Minnie. You can stay in here and chill with me.” Dawson stroked the cat, but she kept staring.

  He took a deep breath and went back to tweaking the code in the program. His chair scooted forward. He blinked and turned. Had one of his brothers come in? No one. A tail whipped through the air, drawing his eyes down.

  A cougar in a purple T-shirt and socks stood right behind him. Fuck, she’d changed. The cat bared her teeth at him.

  “I told you to call me if you felt anything strange.” He exhaled. “Now, I get it, Minnie. It’s just Penny. You know her.”

  Penny growled and so did Minnie.

  He held up his hands. “We’ll talk about it when you can talk back. Let’s get you out of that shirt. The socks shouldn’t be a problem. First though, I’m going to introduce your cat to the new you.”

  He stroked his hand over Penny’s head and extended his hand to Minnie. The small gray feline sniffed his hand and peered at the cougar. She sniffed again before jumping down, cautiously approaching Penny, and rubbing against her. Minnie jumped back on the desk.

  He stood and pushed in his chair. He glanced down at Penny. Such a gorgeous cat. Her light blonde fur stood on end. A little of the purple coloring had even transferred in a patch near the top of her head and the tufts on her ears.

  “Hey, do you mind if I send a picture to Ethan and Griffin?” He raised his brows.

  She hissed at him.

  “Okay, no pictures. I will have to send them a text or call them, but after we get you out of these cumbersome clothes.” He knelt down in front of her.

  Gold eyes narrowed at him.

  “All right, cranky kitty, I’ll grab the bottom of the shirt and pull it up. We’ll see if I can get it over your head without messing with your paws.” Dawson reached down and grabbed the bottom of her shirt. He pulled it up slowly. Better watch that body language.

  She wasn’t relaxed. Her tail twitched, but her muscles weren’t corded and her ears didn’t pull back. He took a deep breath and continued dragging the shirt up her body. She could swipe at him if she became too irritated.

  Maybe he should cut it off and apologize later with a new shirt. He tugged the shirt up, stretching until it slid over her head. She shook her head and glared at him.

  “All right, peaches, let’s step out of this.” He let it drop to the floor.

  She lifted her paws free and glanced at her back paws clad in the purple and pink socks. He smiled. Well, he’d received his orders.

  “Now, we’ll take these socks down and off. Once you’re free, I’ll call Ethan and Griffin. After that, I’ll gather what we need for the warehouse.” Dawson stroked his hand over her soft flank.

  She arched into his touch. He rolled the sock down. She lifted her paw free. He moved around and did the other one. After she freed her paw from the sock, she pawed at him.

  He looked at her. She opened her muzzle and gave a rumbling mewl. He frowned. What did she need?

  He’d taken her socks off, told her he’d call Ethan and Griffin, and said he’d get ready. That all was pretty self-explanatory, but she’d never changed.

  “All right, I’m guessing you’re curious about something.” Dawson stroked his hand down her back. Damn, she was beautiful.

  She lowered her head in a nod. Okay, that was at least some clarification even if she couldn’t give him more specifics. He’d just explain more of what he meant by get ready. Maybe that was what had caught her attention.

  “After I get off the phone with Ethan and Griffin, I’ll gather clothes for all of us. I’ll grab towels, soap, and that spongy thing you like to use and bag it up. After you change back, you can shower and change there before you come home. You’ll be tired.” Dawson stood up. “Time for those calls, peaches.”

  He picked up his phone and dialed Ethan’s number. The tone buzzed. He drummed his fingers on the desk. Penny moved up beside him and leaned against him.

  “Hey, Dawson, what’s up?” Ethan sounded distracted.

  “Did you want to meet us at the warehouse or come home and go with us?” Dawson leaned a hip against the desk.

  “Is she changing now?” Ethan’s voice sharpened.

  “I wouldn’t be calling you if she was changing. I’d have taken her there and called you. She changed.” Dawson looked down at her. She bared her teeth at him and smacked her paw on his leg. He felt the prick of her claws.

  “Did she realize it before it happened?” Ethan chuckled.

  “No, we had a cat in a T-shirt and socks and she wasn’t amused. I had warned her earlier to come to me if she felt anything strange.” Dawson grinned.

  “Since she’s already changed, wait on me to get there and we can all go in one car,” Ethan said. “Did you get a picture of her in her shirt?”

  “No, she gave a definite ‘no’ indication to the picture so we just got the clothes off.” Dawson laughed. “She wasn’t a very happy kitty. We can discover what happened after she’s tired enough to change back to human form.”

  “All right, I’m leaving now. Have you talked to Griffin yet?” Ethan asked.

  “No, I’m calling now. We’ll be waiting.” Dawson hung up the phone. He dialed Griffin and smiled down at Penny. Finally, she was fully changed. He went into the kitchen and turned off the stove. They’d grab something on the way back from the warehouse.

  It shouldn’t take long for them to get here. Her change had been coming for a while.

  “Hey, Dawson, how is it going?” Griffin asked.

  “Ethan’s on his way home and we’re taking Penny to the warehouse. Did you want to meet us there or will you
come immediately?” Dawson asked.

  “I’m on my way now. Is she changed or changing?” Griffin asked.

  “Changed. I don’t know much about how it happened. She came to my office as a cat wearing a shirt. I’ll see you when you get here.” Dawson swiped his finger across the phone.

  Griffin might not have been listening, because there hadn’t been any sound from him at the last.

  “All right, Griffin’s on the way. Now, let’s go get the bags ready so we can go when they arrive. I’ll even let you pick out your clothes. Though I should warn you. You might want to go for comfort. You’re just as likely to fall asleep wearing them as put on night clothes.” He led the way. Penny followed him.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Penny jumped, scrambling up the tree. Her chest tightened and she dragged in a harsh breath. Fuck, they were fast. And beautiful. Although their fur wasn’t black. It was a dark brownish red. Maybe she’d ask why later. According to a whyrwolf friend from college, normal hair color had an influence on animal fur color.

  Now, that big cat jumping to the next tree needed to be tagged. She raced along the limb and leaped to the next. One foot slid off, but she dug her claws into the branch.

  They made it look so easy. Yeah, she’d been able to walk, but running… She didn’t fully have the hang of that and jumping and landing… She shook her head. If there were any other cats here, they would be laughing their asses off.

  Ethan, Griffin, and Dawson kept pushing her to move and chase. She jumped to the next branch and raced toward the cat. It sat on a branch two trees away. She jumped for the next tree and didn’t quite make it. Crap, not again. She caught her breath, but her muscles loosened and she landed easily.

  Dang it, hit the ground again. She ran for the tree trunk and climbed. He wasn’t getting away. Whichever one it was. She’d started off chasing Ethan, but earlier she’d tagged Griffin. Would she ever get good enough to give them a real challenge?

  She raced along the branches. Her feet scrambled along the bough. The big cat chuffed and turned, leaping away. She sprinted after him.

  He jumped down when they reached the end of the trees. For the first time since they’d arrived at the warehouse, the three of them stood together. The three big brown cats bolted, going in different directions. Damn. Well, at least it was a confined space. They couldn’t go too far.

  She leaped down and rushed to the right. She dashed along the wall, through the bushes. Her claws dug into the dirt. She sprang at him. He leapt out of the way. She stopped and drew in a heaving breath.

  A big head nudged her side. She looked over. The big cat bumped her again. Yeah, yeah, gotta move. They’d told her before they changed. She’d have to be exhausted, to let her cat run its energy out this first time before she’d be able to turn back. Not that she wasn’t tired now. She rose to her feet.

  The big cat swatted her on the butt, spun, and ripped down the path. She bounded after him. Grabby man. She would catch Ethan. That musky scent was unmistakable.

  She raced after him. He jumped into a tree and she launched after him. Her claws dug in and she hauled herself onto the limb. She chuffed and leaped to the next branch. Her back foot slipped off the branch. She was probably the clumsiest cougar ever.

  Whenever she stopped, one of them appeared by her side, nudging her and urging her to move. She chased one and then the other. As she chased after Dawson after he nudged her, she stumbled. She lay on the ground and panted. How long had she been running?

  A rustle of the foliage nearby drew her head up. A big cat strode up next to her. He lay down next to her. The other two came. They surrounded her.

  Ethan rose. He nudged her. She took a deep breath and struggled to her feet. None of them took off as they’d done before. Ethan led the way back toward the front of the warehouse. Maybe they’d decided she’d run enough to change back. Hopefully. When they reached the front of the building, Ethan changed.

  “All right, peaches, let’s see if you’re ready to change back to your beautiful body.” Ethan smiled. “Think about your human form.”

  She took a deep breath. My form. Purple and blonde hair, curves, and very tired. Energy flared through her. It flooded through her and then pulled back.

  Penny glanced down. Naked skin. She exhaled. All right, good, back to me.

  “You’re beautiful, Penny. Why don’t you get dressed? On the way home, we’ll get something to eat. You need calories after all the energy you expended.” Ethan smiled and curved an arm around her, guiding her toward the changing room.

  “I’m so tired. I’m not really hungry.” She heaved a sigh and straightened.

  “You will eat. I won’t debate this.” Ethan hugged her.

  “I’m not a four year old. I know when I’m hungry.” She stopped and glared at him.

  “You’re also too tired and your body isn’t used to the amount of energy you just expended. You need to eat before you sleep. I am not chasing you through the city while you hunt your breakfast, which incidentally could be anything. Your cat will be so hungry she’ll force a change and go after it.” Dawson strolled over and ruffled her hair. “Go change.”

  She ducked away and flipped him off as she went into the dressing room. Order giving male. She was not hungry.

  She showered and changed into her clothes. Dropping onto the bench, she ran her hand through her hair. So tired. She bent down and pulled on one shoe. After a while, she put the other shoe on.

  She stood and grabbed the bag and the now damp towel. Now, back out there to the arrogant cats. She straightened her shoulders and headed back out to the main room. Damn, they were on her nerves.

  When she stepped out of the changing room, Griffin held out his phone.

  “What?” She stared at it, not reaching for it.

  “Take it. Someone wants to talk to you.” Griffin took a step closer to her.

  She took the phone from him and slowly lifted it to her ear.

  “Do not make me come down there and take pictures of you chasing small animals through the streets.” Maggie’s voice boomed out of the phone.

  Penny pulled the phone away from her ear and laughed. “I wouldn’t chase small animals.”

  “Penny, when your animal’s hungry, she’ll go after anything she sees as food. And she might take you dumpster diving. Eat the damn food they get you,” Maggie ordered. “Because Dawson may want to keep you happy too much to take pictures of your cat in a shirt, but I will take pictures to show and tell and blackmail at a later date.”

  Oh, she certainly would. Evil woman. Penny shook her head. “I don’t see what the big deal is. I’m not even hungry. All I am is super tired.”

  “You need it is what the big deal is. And the cat will go after it if you don’t. Eat the food,” Maggie said. “And congratulations. I’ll take you on a real run when I get back in town and all this crap with your stalker is over.”

  “Hopefully, the stalker crap should be over long before you come back.” Penny sighed. If this was still going on then, she would need a straightjacket.

  “It will. Talk to you later, girl. Bye.” Maggie chuckled.

  “Bye.” Penny turned to face the three men. “You set your sister on me?”

  “Hey, she gets the job done. I like using the best tool for the job.” Ethan smiled. “Let’s go.”

  “You three are in so much trouble.” She shook her head. “You know she would take those pictures.”

  “She would, but she won’t have to because you’ll eat.” Dawson curled an arm around her and guided her to the door.

  “You had to tell her I was still in a shirt when I changed? You know she’ll bring that up whenever she wants to tease.” She poked Dawson in the chest as they left the warehouse.

  “Hey, she might tease, but we have plenty of ammunition if you need to tease her back.” Griffin leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Welcome to the pride.”

  Ethan opened the back door and waited for her to get in the car. She slid in
the back seat and Dawson followed. He reached over and buckled her in.

  “So what happened? Did it just hit you and you were a cat?” Ethan glanced in the rearview mirror as he drove.

  “There were signs, but I just didn’t recognize them as that.” Penny exhaled. “And since I didn’t know what was going on, I just ignored it and continued on doing what I was. Dawson was right, I guess.”

  “Right about what. And that’s a dangerous precedent. If you tell him he’s right, he might believe that he’s right all the time.” Griffin turned and grinned.

  Dawson growled.

  She laughed. “He came in as I was straightening and cleaning up. I wanted to make it a special night. He said that it was nesting behavior.”

  “Why did you want to make it a special night?” Dawson’s hand stroked over her thigh.

  “All of the stress lately. I wanted a nice night and some fun time afterward. And I do feel a little guilty even though it probably wasn’t my psycho stalker who started the fire.” She clenched her fist.

  “Peaches, even if it was the stalker, that’s not your fault.” Griffin shook his head.

  “So you were cleaning. What happened?” Ethan pulled into the drive-through of a chicken restaurant.

  “I was cleaning. I’d finished in the bedroom. A cramp ripped through my belly. It wasn’t that painful and it went away. I didn’t know what it was, but I wasn’t too worried. Dawson came in and we talked a little. He said it sounded like nesting behavior.” She smiled. And that had been spot on.

  “You should have told me about the cramp.” He squeezed her hand.

  Ethan ordered chicken, sides, and drinks.

  “See, told you.” Griffin grinned at her.

  “I didn’t think the cramp was anything to be concerned about. None of the stories said anything about cramps. The only mention of any pain or discomfort involving the change was one story they told me about a woman who resisted the change. I wasn’t trying to resist anything.” She frowned. Those cramps still made no sense at all.

  “You didn’t connect it because the pain shouldn’t have been there according to everything you’d been told.” Ethan nodded. “I can understand that.”