by Crystal Dawn
“Okay, honey. You know I didn’t mean to hurt your delicate feelings. I’m sure breakfast was wonderful hours ago when you cooked it.” I slid her slowly down my body. I could hear her making noises as certain places were rubbed on the way down. I smiled as I set her feet on the ground. Damn that had felt good.
“I can feel the heat coming off you, my love.” I said feeling her desire but knowing we had no time to stop and enjoy each other.
She looked at me staring at my rock hard cock. “Looks like I won’t be suffering alone.”
“Ah, Sweetheart, males are used to it, females aren’t.”
“That’s a bunch of bullshit. If that were true why are vibrator sales through the roof?”
“Do you have a vibrator, Baby? The possibilities are…interesting.” I was surprised to see her turn bright red. That answered my question. Now I just had to find it or buy another one. Why would a female that looked like her need something like that? It would have been self imposed denial because I saw how the males reacted to my mate instantly. I saw it and I hated it. It made me want to rip throats out. I guess I needed to get my lady a ring so the damn humans would stay away. If I could write my name on her forehead I would. I wanted to claim her in a way that no one ever had any doubt. I had always been territorial,. just not about females.
We opened the bar and had the usual crowd coming in and out. It was busier than yesterday because it was Friday and everyone was getting ready to party tonight. Tomorrow would be interesting with T.J.’s sister coming on the busiest night of the week. Since she was part owner in this place, I wondered if some of the regulars knew her. I wasn’t above asking a few questions to satisfy my curiosity. After talking to a dozen or so customers, I found out Sherona was gorgeous, smart, and unfailingly polite to customers at any rate. She could dance like a pro, tend bar with the best, and remove a three hundred pound trouble maker all by herself. She was basically a super hero. I suppose when you want to know something you have to find out yourself. No one could be all that. On the other hand T.J. was pretty spectacular. It was possible her sister was special too.
The word had gotten out that Sherona was coming. I wasn’t sure if my casual questioning had started a rumor or if the word had gotten out some other way. Customers were coming up to the bar to ask if she was here yet. It looked like Sherona was almost as popular as T.J. The night dragged on until finally the last customer was helped out the door and into a taxi. Thank the goddess, the night had been long and I wasn’t sure at times that I would make it. I cleaned up the bar area then helped my lovely mate up the stairs where we took a quick shower and she collapsed into bed asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I decided to follow her example and get a good night’s sleep.
*****
Sandy
I’m glad my best friend has finally found true love. I really am. I gave up on any hope I had for Jericho and me getting together years ago. I never loved him. He was just so sexy that I wanted to know what a night with him would be like. I realized it bothered Kaleb. I never meant to hurt him. I’m not ready to settle down with one wolf and I may never be. He’d be better off if the goddess gave him someone else to mate. It’s not that I don’t find him attractive. It’s far from it. I find him even more attractive than Jericho. It’s that once we got together I fear I wouldn’t want anyone else. T.J. says watching my mother and her long line of lovers has given me a fear of commitment. Whatever! I’m just not the settling down type.
T.J.’s sister is coming sometime today and I’m looking forward to seeing her. She will lighten the mood around this place. Sherona’s a lot of fun but she’s also one tough bitch. I’m a wolf and I wouldn’t want to fight her. She’s beautiful too but I don’t consider her competition We’ve just never gone after the same guys. I’m headed to the bar right now. I hope Jer still has breakfast available because I’m starved. I pulled up to the bar and I immediately saw Sherona’s Jeep. I can’t wait to get in there and talk to her.
As soon as I open the door the smell of food hits me and my stomach rumbles with hunger. “Hey, Jer, got any food left?”
“There’s plenty. Help yourself.”
“Where’s Sherona and T.J.?”
“They’re upstairs doing the sister thing.”
I fixed my plate and headed that way.
“Hey, where are you going?” Jericho asked looking surprised that I was leaving.
“I’m getting in on the sister thing. They adopted me a long time ago.” I took off without waiting for an answer. I went upstairs and let myself in. I set my plate on the table and ran to Sherona hugging her as we both squealed and jumped around. I had missed her.
“Sandy, I’ve missed you so much.” Sherona said with tears in her eyes.
“If you would just stay here you wouldn’t have to miss any of us.” I said as I always did when she came to town. T.J. nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Sherona just made that stubborn ‘your not gonna start that with me again’ face that she has perfected over the last few years. I knew what that meant and I knew enough to just drop it for now. T.J. and her sisters were the most stubborn people I had ever met. The harder you pushed the harder they pushed back. I had more luck with T.J. because I knew her well enough to know what buttons to push and I had no shame in using that knowledge to get what I felt was best for her or in that rare instance what was best for me. Even if it was only for a little while I was still glad to have Sherona here. The girl was a party animal who drew other party animals. If she stayed longer than the weekend, I would call in some of our part time help and Sherona and I would party till we dropped. I needed the time off and I knew T.J. would give it to me.
We had a lot of fun before T.J. told us we needed to get back downstairs for breakfast. We did and the food was cold. Jer managed to look like a disgruntled housewife as he gave us each a measured look daring us to comment on the food. It wasn’t like we were late on purpose not that you could tell it by the way Jer was acting. We would have been behind on getting the bar ready, but Sherona helped us. It seemed like time flew while Sherona was here. It always did.
Jer came into the area we were working on. “I just got off the phone with Dad. He has invited all of us to lunch at the pack house tomorrow.” We looked at each other. It wasn’t a surprise that Jer and T.J. were invited but Sherona and I weren’t expecting it. I had no choice but to answer my Alpha’s summons so I hoped Sherona would come as well. Everyone was looking at her now waiting for her to answer.
“Well, I guess I’ll go.” She said haltingly as if she was completely caught off guard by the invitation. She probably was. She hadn’t been around other packs, only Blake’s. “Do I need to know anything before we go? Should I bring something? What do I wear?”
We laughed at her which seemed to irritate her slightly. T.J. said, “It’s like going to a friend’s house. Wear what you want and since it’s not a party or special event you don’t have to bring anything. You’ll get to meet new people and some of the guys are hot!” T.J. was just trying to encourage Sherona but Jer looked a little jealous. I’d always heard that was good for males.
It was lunchtime and customers started coming in. It was an unusually large crowd even for a Saturday. It looked like most of them came to see Sherona. She was playing pool and the girl had some serious skills. She played for money, drinks, or favors because she never lost. I wondered if she ever had. To me she was kind of like a hero. She showed me a well adjusted independent female that neither needed nor desired a steady man to make her feel whole. My resolve to stay single and avoid any real commitment firmed up every time I saw her.
“Hey, Sandy. When did you guys start serving the Sunny burger? Is it the same one my cousin used to make for campouts?”
“We’ve only recently added it to our menu and yes, same burger. It’s been surprisingly popular.”
“I bet. I’m gonna have one for lunch. Just to see if it’s just like the one Sunny used to make. Who’s been manning the gril
l?”
“Jericho has. He’s gotten very good at it.”
“What does he do when he’s not here?”
“He makes furniture. He runs that part of the pack’s business.” I found it hilarious that Sherona was worried that Jer was some kind of wolf version of a bum. Her questions weren’t as careful as she thought them to be. I guess they hadn’t told her anything about him. She would be in for a surprise tomorrow.
I went to the grill with Sherona and we sat and waited until Jer wasn’t overloaded with orders. I ordered the Tabby special which was a double cheese burger with loaded fries and a small pieces of chocolate covered cherry cake. The loaded fries had lots of cheese covering the chili with onions that was poured over the natural fries. Sour cream was dalloped on top and the whole thing was yummy. Sherona got the Sunny special which was the same thing only with the Sunny burger. Jer did an excellent job and I could see Sherona softening towards him.
“At least my sis will be well fed and well sexed.” Sherona said as she prepared to take a big bite into her burger.
“You have no idea.” I said as I thought of the noises that sometimes made their way to us from upstairs when Jer carried T.J. up there. Sherona, who we usually called Ron, broke into laughter with me as we looked at the sexy mate her sis had taken.
“I guess she won’t suffer too much.”
We hadn’t paid attention to what Jer was doing and he had stepped up right in front of us. “Only if she wants to.” He said with a leering look on his handsome face. We broke into giggles again. It was great to have Ron around. I hadn’t laughed so much in ages. I was glad she and Jer seemed to be getting along. I wanted nothing but happiness for T.J. and if they got along that would help.
The night went on and Ron had a great time. I’ll admit I was surprised as the night ended when she slipped away with a very handsome wolf from another pack that hadn’t shown much interest in any she wolves or humans for that matter, since he had started coming here. I had to admit I was a bit jealous but I found my own boy toy for the night and left happy enough.
Morning light came through the window and it took a second for me to realize where I was. The hotel room was at one of the nicest places in town. I had been here before but never for a tryst. I got my clothes together and snuck out before last night’s lover woke. Now that I was awake and no longer under the influence of neediness and tiredness I felt a little leery of him. He had asked entirely too many questions about T.J. and Sherona. Not the ‘boy I’d like to fuck them someday kind’ but the ‘if they come up missing I have them’ kind. He’d find I wasn’t much help. All my reluctantly given answers had been lies. Hopefully if he attempted anything it would just get him caught.
*****
Seymour
I had hoped this wouldn’t happen. I had dreaded even the possibility of getting this call. Enough time had passed I began to think that my alpha would let Tabitha Jane go. Now I sat here with my phone in my hand wishing I was somewhere else, someone else. I had hid out near T.J. like I was told but I had hoped more with each passing day that I would be called home. Evan had slithered off to hide under whatever rock he had crawled out from under and it was my fervent hope he would not be back. The witch was deranged and unpredictable.
Things were bad enough without Evan thrown into the mix because now, Alpha James was on his way. What he would do when he got here no one could say. You might think I could guess but even though he was my father he was a mystery to me. The love a father and son usually shared just didn’t seem to be there. I still loved him in a fashion but only because he was my father. I had only fear for the wolf himself. He wasn’t just a hard male, he was unnecessarily cruel and seemed to care for no one. He desired my mating so he could get a grandson he could mold properly. He wanted to correct all the mistakes he felt he had made with me. He wanted to turn my son into the same monster he was.
He arrived the next day with a team of his closest advisors. They were all much like him. They were cold and cruel caring only about getting the job done not about how or who might be hurt. These were the wolves my father was the most comfortable with. I was left with only the options of complaining to myself and wringing my hands in frustration because there was no doubt in my mind or anyone else’s that my alpha father ran things wherever he happened to be. My sympathy for T.J. and her family was just a useless emotion that might be best served if I saved it for myself. Once she was captured I would have little choice but to do everything in my power to see that she carried my child. That happy occurrence would bring me nothing but pain since I would suffer with my child as my father put his plan into action.
Dare I warn her? What would happen if my father found out? Would it even help her to escape him? So many questions and not one answer. I sat with a worthless bottle of whiskey in my hand wishing it would have a stronger effect on me. If only I could get the good stuff I could drink it quick enough for it to dull my mind. I needed to come up with a plan. My alpha would be here in two days so I would have to send someone to give T.J. the message. I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near her but Sandy wouldn’t be expecting me. She would be the one. Sunday morning would come quickly so I turned in to get a good night‘s sleep.
I sat in my car parked across from Sandy’s place. It looked like a two bedroom bungalow on a street of houses that looked alike except for small touches. She wasn’t home yet, probably out carousing. Sandy liked that kind of thing. I remembered her well because she tried to engage me before I caught T.J.’s interest. Had father not chosen T.J. and had I not been out for a white wolf, I would have let Sandy snag me and I would never have met T.J. at all. It was a fact I’m sure T.J. would now have fervently wished for. Unfortunately, it was what it was. And now it was out of hand. I wanted to let her go, but I couldn’t. She would have to escape on her own with nothing but a warning.
Here she was. Sandy was doing the walk of shame from the curb to her front door. Her clothes were wrinkled and her make up was smeared on her face. Her head was down in serious concentration and the nearer I got the worse she looked. I was almost upon her before she noticed me. Recognition came seconds later. “What the hell are you doing here? Haven’t you done enough?” She said with a sneer on her normally pretty face.
“It’s not what you think. I’m not what you think. I need to come inside with you. Just give me a minute and you’ll realize how important this is.” Goddess I hoped she would listen.
She grudgingly said, “You could have at least brought coffee.” She unlocked her door and motioned me in. She showed me where her coffee maker, coffee, cream, sugar, and mugs were. “I wouldn’t complain if you fixed us breakfast, well as long as you didn’t burn it. I need to take a shower.” She said as she marched off and I assumed she did just that. I felt a little out of place in her kitchen as I started the pot of coffee and even more so as I hunted about for the items needed to cook breakfast. She seemed to be taking her time in the shower. The coffee was done and the bacon and eggs were close.
I felt like a domestic diva just lacking an apron that said; “Kiss the cook.” Sandy came out struggling not to laugh. “Ha ha ha. I don’t know what’s so funny.” I said deciding the girl was rude and next time I wouldn’t cook her breakfast. The plates were on the table so I sat in front of mine.
“Sorry there, Galloping Gourmet, but I never expected you to do more than make coffee.”
“You can’t be old enough to remember the Galloping Gourmet.”
“That show was one of my mom’s favorites and she talked about it for years after it went of the air.”
“It was a great show. I learned a lot from it especially about wine.”
“Who woulda thunk it?”
“Clearly not you, young lady. We need to talk about T.J. and Sherona.”
“What about them?” She asked looking at me suspiciously. That was no surprise.
“My father is the one that has pushed the mating not me. I thought he would let her go now that she is mated,
but he refuses. I have no choice but to at least appear to do as he wants. He will be here in two days and he has plans to capture her himself. I wanted to warn her. I knew you would be my best chance. Tell her he will stop at nothing and to forget where she got this information.”
“I’ll tell her, Seymour. I don’t suppose you would fix me a couple more eggs before you leave? I used up a lot of energy last night.”
I should have said no but I fixed them for her. We sat and talked for a couple hours. She had to leave for lunch with her pack. It would be a good time to pass on the information I had given her. I left her place feeling a little better than I had in a while.
*****
Jericho
Cooking breakfast for my lovely mate wasn’t really a chore. I found it relaxing and I was glad to take care of her in that way. Getting her out of bed on Sunday mornings, well that was the chore. Even the rich smells of coffee and frying bacon couldn’t accomplish that. Sex would wake her up but make us late for anything we planned to do. This morning I got up an hour earlier than should be necessary so I would have the time to roust her from our bed. I still worried we would be on time. Sherona came in from the small storage room in back. There was a small cot there for unexpected visitors. Usually it was friends or family, rarely a regular who got too drunk to drive but for some reason T.J. chose not to call a cab.
“Do me a favor?” I asked her hoping she would agree before she discovered what it was.
“What would that be?” She asked clearly out smarting me.
“Could you see what’s keeping T.J.?”
“Think you’re slick there, don’t you bro? Every one knows that girl won’t get up on Sunday mornings.” She stole a piece of bacon off a plate.