Ian tossed his head back and roared to grab everyone’s attention. They were going to do this one of two ways: the easy way or the hard way. The easy way was the cubs subsiding to Ian and changing back. The hard way was him beating every last one of them and pinning them to the ground by their throats until they submitted. The cubs behind Gavin stopped at the sound and dropped to the ground. Each one of them stretching out low and laid their heads between their paws. Each one, except Gavin who stared at the cubs and hissed. Then growled low at Ian. He stalked closer to Ian and lunged toward him and back, obviously trying to get a response from him.
Ian would have grinned if he could have. The cocky little punk. Ian was ready to fight him if that was what the cub wanted. Somebody needed to put the cub in his place. Ian tensed the muscles in his body and without so much as a whisper lunged at Gavin, using his larger body to knock the cub to the ground. Gavin lay unmoving for a minute and Ian suspected he had knocked the wind out of him. But when Gavin came back he was all claws. Gavin swatted at Ian’s head and Ian snapped his teeth at Gavin’s paw. The cub reared back obviously startled by the quickly display of violence and squirmed to move away from Ian. Ian planted his weight on Gavin’s smaller body pinning the cub under him and barred his teeth in a growl as he went for Gavin’s throat.
Gavin’s eyes widened as he thrashed to get away but Ian pinned his shoulder with his paws, effectively stilling him. Ian was seconds away from ending the fight when Gavin seemed to remember he had teeth too and snapped his teeth at Ian. Ian dodged the sharp points and came back with a quick bite of his own locking his teeth around Gavin’s throat. Gavin thrashed wildly in Ian’s gripped tossing his head from side to side obviously trying to dislodge his jaws, but Ian held tight. Ian clamped down harder and shook Gavin by the throat. So help him he would draw blood if he needed to.
Gavin stilled under Ian and his body finally went limp. Ian shook again for emphasis and then released Gavin. Towering over Gavin’s still body, he roared. The sound echoed off the walls of the gym and bounced back to Ian’s ears. The noise was a commanding sound and Ian realized in that minute he truly had grown up into a real male. He looked down at the cub and then over at the other ones still quiet. Ian moved off of Gavin and paced over to the door back to his clothes.
Ian willed the change again, allowing the bone and muscle to pop and shift, his arms and legs grew. His spine snapped back into place and his finger elongated. His muzzle recessed as his teeth disappeared. His ears reformed and his fur was pulled back into his pores. Ian panted as the pain rolled one more time and his joints popped into place at once. His gut churned and he breathed through his nose before he forced himself to his feet. Gavin laid still.
“I want you back in your human forms. Now.” Ian grabbed his gym shorts and pulled them on as he waited for the cubs to change. Slowly the cubs bones popped and shifted and the change came over them. Each of them came through it, slowly but finally it was done. Even Gavin. Gavin stood up his head down as he tugged on his loose fitting gym shorts. Ian didn’t say anything to the cub. There was no reason to point out the obvious. The cub had learned his lesson. Ian unlocked the door and stood to the side as the cubs shuffled out the door. Gavin was the last to leave. He hesitated as if he might say something. Ian clasped him on the shoulder and squeezed, but said nothing. The cub walked out of the room with his shoulders back, but his eyes down cast.
Ian followed them out and shut the gym door. Edge waited in the hall leaning against the opposite wall. They stood together for a minute until it was obvious the cubs were out of earshot.
“What happened? The door was locked.” Edge always knew what went on in the Haven. He made it his business to know. These were his people.
Ian quickly explained what had transpired between the cubs.
“What do you think he meant by ‘She’s mine?’” Edge crossed his arms over his wide chest and leaned against the wall kicking up one foot.
“I’m not sure. It could be he just scented her heat and lost control. I would hope at their age they aren’t mates. Knowing that young could cause some problems, especially for him.” Gavin had recently lost his father and even though he had Warren, it was hard to substitute a dad.
“We’ll have to keep an eye on him. I’ll speak with Warren about it today. He needs to know what Gavin is up to. The cubs are all important to their parents and none of us want wild cubs.”
“I can help. I know he just lost his dad. I’ve been working with him for a while. If Warren needs any help tell him to let me know.” Ian used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face.
“Will do.” Edge pushed off the wall and stood up straight. “You coming to the Barbeque?”
“Yeah, I told Ivy I’d be there.” Ian ran a hand through his sweaty hair. He needed a shower. That class had run longer than he expected.
“Bringing someone?” Edge gazed at him with obvious curiosity.
“Did Ivy send you over here?” Ian instantly went on alert. Ivy knew how to play him and sending Edge in was a way to get information under the table.
Edge shook his head. “No, why?”
Ian hesitated. His heart sped up as he waited for the sense of threat to kick in. Edge just stared at him.
“Nothing, never mind.” Ian just shook his head.
“We have a staff meeting in an hour. I’ll see you there.” Edge clasped him on the back and moved down the hall.
Ian stared after him. He needed a shower and to clear his head.
***
Andy came awake in her comfortable bed surround by pillows. Dreams of Ian had haunted her every sleeping moment. She kept picturing him in the shower, pleasuring himself. In the dream she stood outside the clear glass doors and watched him. Andy was wet between her thighs when she woke. She wondered if he had thought of her. Andy could picture his charming smile and remembered the firmness of his hands on her body. The urge to touch herself was strong. She thought about what it would be like to have him in bed with her. To have his hands on her body again and whispering in her ear. She threw off the covers and rolled out of bed. She needed a shower. A cold shower.
Andy had stayed out late with her girlfriends, but meeting Ian had been worth it. She breathed in a deep breath and caught the faint smell of smoke. Andy was wide awake now and headed for her front door pulling it open all thoughts of Ian sent to the back burner. On her car sat Rich.
“Damn it,” she grumbled and double checked the security gate that Rosie’s brothers had installed for her. She watched as Rich stretched and kicked her tire before sauntering toward her door. Andy prayed he was sober.
“Morning.” Rich stopped at the bottom of her porch.
“What do you want?”
“Can’t I just come by and say hello?” Rich crushed his cigarette under his foot.
“No Rich, you can’t. That’s why it’s called a restraining order. You need to leave.” She should have put on a robe.
“Why not? I miss you and I wanted to see you.” Rich pretend to pout.
“The restraining order says you can’t. You’re breaking the law. Please leave.”
“Come on, Andy.” Rich climbed the steps. “You just get up? Remember when you used to wear those lacey little things to bed, man I loved those.”
“You liked them better on the neighbor. Look, just leave.” Andy wrapped her arms around herself and glanced to her left. The phone was only five feet away. She shifted toward the wall closer to the phone. Oh screw it. Andy lunged and grabbed the phone as he rattled the door handle.
“Damn it, Andy, let me in.” Rich pounded on the security gate.
Andy punched in 9-1-1 and held it to her ear backing away from the security gate. God love Rosie and her brothers. Rosie had sent them over last night after dropping off the key with Manuel, her oldest brother, before they went out to the club. They had installed the gate while they were gone. Andy wasn’t sure where they found it at the late hour but she was glad for the extra defense. She had also learn
ed long ago not to ask questions when it came to Rosie’s brothers.
“911, what’s you emergency?” A nasally woman’s voice sounded over the line.
“Who are you calling?” Rich demanded his face turning red.
“The police.” Andy turned the phone away for a moment. “Yes, my ex-boyfriend is breaking his restraining order. Could you please send a police officer out?” Andy recited her name and address for the operator. With that security gate Andy felt a hell of a lot safer than she had last night.
“What is he doing exactly?”
“Andy, God Damn it. Put that fucking phone down now!” Rich tried the knob again and slammed the flat of his palm into the door.
“He is supposed to stay one hundred feet away from my home or place of business. He’s on my front porch.” Andy stood about four feet from the door and was tempted to shut the wooden one with her foot.
“Is that him?”
“ANDY! I said hang up the fucking phone now or you’re going to be sorry.” Rich slammed his hand into the door over and over punctuating his words.
“Oh, yes and he’s threatening me now.” Andy was very matter fact when she said it. Man, that gate felt impenetrable.
“Yes, I heard him. I have an officer on his way.”
“The police are on their way, Rich.” Andy kept the phone to her ear as she waited for the police.
“Fuck! Andy I swear! You’re gonna’ regret this.” Rich backed away from her door as a siren sounded in the distance.
“Alright, I’m going to hang up now. If you need anything else call us back.” The nasally woman hung up.
Andy rolled her eyes. She was lucky the police were even responding immediately. Must be a slow morning.
Rich’s beat up Camaro roared to life and his tires screeched as he sped down the street.
Andy stood at the door and watched him leave, the phone clutched so tight in her grip her fingers were white. Then the cop car zoomed past her house. Opps. Must have been a different officer that would respond for her call. Well at least she was lucky enough to have a cop with a siren drive by and scare off Rich. Andy shut her door and locked it then hung up her phone back on the charger.
Ian seemed so nice last night… and sexy. What if he’s just like Rich? That thought stayed in her head as Andy made a pot of coffee and cleaned up around her kitchen. It hadn’t been that long since she had gotten rid of Rich, but it wasn’t like he had really gone away. Would it even be possible to have a normal relationship with someone with Rich always there to harass her? God, what she wouldn’t give to have a normal relationship. Did she even know what normal was? She felt so dysfunctional. Andy had grown up with just her mom and all she had ever wanted was to marry a nice guy and have a couple of kids. Was that really too much to wish for?
The phone rang.
“Hello?” Andy answered on the first ring.
“Andy Garrett?” The strong male voice boomed over the line.
“This is she.” Andy answered the hair on her neck bristling.
“This is Officer Ochoa. We had a call that your ex is breaking your restraining order.”
They didn’t even come out. Andy tugged at her hair for a second in frustration. What if he had gotten in? Would they even have showed up?
“Yes, Officer.”
“Is he there now?” The officer’s voice was a calm tone of serenity, like all was right in his world. Andy stifled a snort. Must be nice.
“No, he left when a siren sounded down the street.” Andy poured herself a cup of coffee and stirred in some chocolate creamer.
“Well, we can take a report Ms. Garrett, but there’s not much we can do.” A pen click in the background.
Andy recited the incident to the officer and hung up. Two reports in two days. She sighed and sipped her coffee as she stared out her kitchen window. Will I ever have a normal life again? Oh! Her window. Rosie’s brothers had fixed her kitchen window. Those boys may be shady, but they sure did look out for her.
Andy grabbed the phone off the hook on her way to her living room. She had Rosie’s number ringing before she sat down.
“Hola?” A very groggy sounding Rosie answered.
“Beunos dias, mi amiga.” Andy took a sip of her coffee.
“Andy? What the hell are you doing up so early? We partied half the night.” Rosie mumbled and Andy could hear her turn over in bed.
“No, you partied half the night. I drank diet Pepsi.” A soft snore came over the line.
“Wakey, Wakey!” Andy all but yelled into the phone.
“Pinche, Andy. I have a headache!” Rosie groaned.
“Too much tequila my friend.” Andy laughed at the pained sound in Rosie’s voice.
“Tequila…that’s some bad shit. Hold on.” Andy could tell Rosie moved the phone away from her mouth. There was a smacking sound of skin on skin before she said, “Hey. Hey! Get up hombre, you need to go.” Rosie had picked someone up last night after all. Andy heard a grumbled reply before Rosie spoke again. “I don’t care if you tired pendejo, get your fine ass out of my bed.” Rosie grunted and Andy heard a thud of someone probably hitting the floor. The guy was lucky she hadn’t sent him packing sooner. Rosie was a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of girl. “No you can’t take a shower. Get out.”
“Rosie? Do you want me to let you go?” Sometimes it took her awhile to get the men out of her apartment.
“No, mommy, he’s gone.” Rosie sighed as a door slammed. “Men. So what’s up Why are you calling me so early?”
“I wanted to talk to you before Ian called and to tell you to thank your brother for the window and the door.” Andy took another drink of the sweet chocolate flavored coffee.
“Ian? You mean that guy from the bar?” Rosie sounded like she was in the bathroom from the echo.
“Yes, that one. I want to talk to him if he calls. You will give him my number won’t you?” Andy sipped again.
“Why do you want to talk to him? You don’t know anything about him.” The toilet whooshed in the back ground. They had been friends for so long Andy didn’t even mind.
“I don’t know why I want to talk to him. There’s just something about him, I can’t get him out of my head. I had the most delicious dreams about him last night.” Andy set her mug down on the coffee table.
“What kind of dreams?” Rosie sounded like a gossip seeking cheerleader all the sudden.
“Those kind. God, he’s gorgeous. I never thought I’d like a guy that was so…so….”
“Blonde?” Rosie laughed.
“It’s not funny Rose Elena, don’t laugh. You know I’ve always gone for the tall dark sexy types.” Andy giggled herself.
“I know, I know. He is kinda’ cute in that white boy way. All golden and tanned. He could be a surfer.” Rosie slammed a cabinet.
“Oh, god, he could. I wonder if he is. That would be so weird, me dating a surfer.” Andy chewed her nail as they talked.
“Dating? You have to talk to him first before you’re dating. Don’t make me be the voice of reason, Andy. You still don’t know him.” Rosie was always practical with Andy’s love life. Her own was another matter, but she watched Andy’s like a hawk.
“So you’ll give him my number?” Andy twisted her sleep shirt in the fingers of her free hand.
“If he calls, I’ll give him your number.” Rosie sighed as if defeated.
“Good. I’ll talk to you later then.” Andy grinned now like a child on Christmas day. She couldn’t wait to talk to Ian.
Chapter Four
Ian paced the living room of his apartment, deep in thought. He hadn’t slept much, thoughts of Andy keeping him up most of the night. Again. God, she smelled so good and tasted even better. He had a hard time letting her go when they had finally parted ways at two in the morning. Two days ago. Ian had her number though, well Rosie’s anyway. It was all so strange the urges he had towards Andy. He’d just met her yet it felt like he’d known her forever. Something about her was just right. A
ndy belonged to him. He shook his head and started toward the shower. Ian needed to calm down, a cold shower would help.
As he turned on the taps he tried to focus his head, to keep his thoughts from bouncing back to Andy. Her luscious thighs and soft skin.
“Agh.” Ian stepped into the shower stall and dunked his head under the water. He had a meeting with the pack today. Ian had finally made the decision after a year, he would join Edge’s pack.
After Ivy, his twin sister, had mated Edge, the alpha of the San Francisco Were-tiger pack, it was obvious she didn’t need him any more. She was an alpha female now. Ian had toyed with the idea of moving back to the ranch his parents kept up north, but he just couldn’t see himself going back to that pack. They had turned their back on Ivy when she’d needed them most. Kicked her out. Ian had left with her. That’s when he and Ivy had moved to San Francisco.
Ian ran his hands through his hair as he allowed the water to wash over him. He had decided to stay in San Francisco for several reasons. The main one was Ivy. She was his twin and the only one who understood him when no one else did. The other reason was The Haven, the were-cat community center owned and run by Edge. Ian had worked whatever job came along to keep him and Ivy afloat long enough to help her get on her feet. Personally he really didn’t need much. His apartment was small, but he was a bachelor so it worked for him. His car was his pride and joy and he’d had it since he was a teenager. A 1972 cherry red Gran Toreno. It had taken him all summer when he’d turned sixteen, but, with his dad’s help, he had rebuilt the engine and had it running by the time school started in the fall. Other than a little spending money he was good to go.
The Twin Moon (The Moon Series) Page 4