by C. C. Dado
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Just shift and get over here so I can put this on you.”
Seth quickly stripped off his clothes, and stretching his neck and shoulders, he closed his eyes and focused. Slowing his breath, he found his wolf in the darkness of his mind and they became one. Seth felt his body changing, but it wasn’t as scary or painful as it had been when he was younger. It was part of him now. He let go and gave himself up to his wolf.
His vision changed, reds muted by yellows and greens. When Seth was younger, he would fall asleep in his wolf form after a hunt and wake up disoriented, not immediately sure which form he was in, but when he opened his eyes and the red was gone, he knew.
Seth walked over in front of Max and sat. He was a smaller wolf with a stark white muzzle, the tips of his hair turning dark, framing his face and making his bicolored eyes even more pronounced.
“You sure about this?” Max asked, holding up the collar.
Seth responded by trying to stick his nose into it.
“Okay, but if any of the pack sees me walking you on a leash, you’ll never hear the end of it. This is breaking so many pack rules. Christian is going to shit himself when he finds out, and you know he’s going to,” Max said, fastening the collar before petting Seth’s side. “Luckily you’re small like me, and people are basically oblivious, so just act doglike.”
Seth wasn’t really sure what that meant, but he would try.
Once Max had the leash attached, he opened up the back door of the bakery and walked Seth over to the house next door.
The little yellow house, surrounded by a small white picket fence, had a cute walking path leading to the front door. Seth sat at Max’s side like a good dog would while Max knocked on the door.
As the door opened, Seth looked up from bare feet, over faded jeans, up to that wonderful nose, and embraced his fate.
It looked like Jack had just gotten out of the shower. His hair was damp and looked like he had finger-combed it. His T-shirt, damp in spots, was partially tucked into his jeans in front.
“Hello?”
“Hi,” Max said, striking his “I’m casually posing for you as I talk” look, which was so familiar to Seth he internally rolled his eyes.
“Um, what can I do for you?”
Max looked down at Seth like he was debating how he should answer, and Seth realized his first mistake. They hadn’t planned this part out. He’d left it up to Max. Max was going rogue, and a rogue Max was never good.
Seth tried to help by flashing him his canines. Max just smiled in response.
“I’m Max, I own the bakery next door, and I’d heard that you’re, like, the dog whisperer. I was hoping to get some training for my dog.”
“Oh, you’re Seth’s partner. We met yesterday. I’m Jack.” He reached out to shake Max’s hand before he looked down at Seth and took a step back. “You know that’s a wolf, not a dog, right?”
“Huh…. Well, I guess she is, isn’t she,” Max said like he’d just noticed he owned a wild animal, as he looked down at Seth and mouthed revenge with an evil grin.
Shit…. Seth’s mind was spinning, having forgotten Max was still mad over the baby thing. How many different ways Max could get his revenge here?
Jack slowly reached his hand out for Seth to smell, which quickly brought him back into the here and now.
Mmmmmm, heaven….
“Friendly?” Jack asked as he knelt down to Seth’s level, waiting for Max’s nod before reaching out and scratching behind his ears. “Oh, and it’s a he, not a she. Did you just get him?”
“Yeah, and he’s been acting like such a bitch I just assumed.”
“Umm… okay. Why don’t you both come in and we can talk. I just finished up most of my training for today. My dog’s out in the backyard. What’s your wolf’s name?”
Max turned a satisfied grin toward Seth and nonchalantly rubbed his belly before responding. “Nancy,” Max said.
Jack gave him a puzzled look. “You named your male wolf Nancy?”
Seth whined.
“Yeah, well in my defense I thought it was a female, but it’s a family name so it’s fine.”
“All right,” Jack said, sounding a little confused by the whole thing. “Come here, boy,” he said, patting his legs. “I just want to let him get used to me for a minute and see if we will be a good fit.” Jack petted the back of Seth’s ear again. “You have got such beautiful eyes, look at you. You look like Seth.” Jack looked up at Max’s choking cough. “You okay?”
“Yep,” Max said, recovering. “That’s why we got him, ’cause of the eyes, like Seth’s.”
“Different-colored eyes are very rare in a wolf. You have a real treasure here,” Jack said, holding his hand out again to Seth. “Go ahead and smell me, it’s okay.”
Seth was not turning that one down. The anonymity of being in wolf form around his mate was intoxicating. He instantly dove muzzle-first into Jack’s balls.
“I’m so embarrassed for him right now.”
Seth heard Max but couldn’t stop his exploration.
“Umm… it’s okay,” Jack said, awkwardly trying to get Seth’s muzzle out of his junk. “He’s just a very aggressive smeller. We can work on that.”
“Or maybe you just smell really good there,” Max purred, and Seth instantly flipped his head around and growled, teeth bared, at the intentional taunt.
“Have you spent any time trying to bond with him?”
“Yeah, I’m not really into bonding, so if you could just train him that’d be great, and I know you said you’re done for today, but can you start now because I really need to get back to the bakery to prep for tomorrow. Lots of office stuff to finish up tonight, so just drop him by when you’re done. Thanks,” Max said, walking backward toward the door, letting it close behind him without getting a response.
“Well, that was really odd,” Jack said to the now-closed door. “I guess it’s just you and me. You want to go meet Winston? Come on.” He grabbed the leash and walked Seth outside. “I’m going to keep your leash on until I’m sure you’re okay with other animals.”
Seth hoped Winston would be able to sense him from when they met in his human form and wouldn’t be too confused or have the same reaction to him as Rosetta.
Jack called Winston over and had him sit in front of Seth. Seth didn’t move, waiting to see Winston’s reaction. He just sat there, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth, looking like all he wanted was for someone to throw a ball for him.
Jack released Seth from the leash. Winston instantly jumped on him like they were old friends.
“Ha, well I guess you two will be fine together.”
Seth couldn’t help it; Winston’s joy was infectious. It reminded him of being a pup with Max. They spent a while running around the backyard tackling each other.
“Hold,” Jack said in a powerfully assertive voice, making Winston and Seth both stop in their tracks.
“Sit.”
They both obeyed.
“Good boys. Now, let’s see how much you already know. Now stay,” Jack said, walking backward away from Seth with a tennis ball in his hand. “Good boy. Now, fetch,” he said, throwing the ball across the yard.
Seth was embarrassed by how happy he was at the praise, and now he was playing fetch, for fuck’s sake. Seth came back with the ball, receiving more praise and scratches behind the ear from Jack.
“Now, down.”
They both obeyed.
Jack pulled two treats out of his pocket and gave one to Winston and one to Seth, continuing to scratch him behind the ear.
Oh God, liver treats. Seth could barely keep it in his mouth. He was definitely going to have to start baking some homemade dog treats for Jack.
“Let’s see how you do on the obstacles.” First Jack walked through the obstacles, then prompted Seth to begin, letting him know when to jump up or go under items or run up the ramp. At the end he stood proudly in front of Jack
.
“You don’t need any training, do you? I’d be stealing your master’s money. Maybe it’s him that needs the training,” Jack said, running his hand down Seth’s head and neck. “Come on, let’s take you home.”
Oh crap…. Seth froze, trying to think of something as Jack hooked the leash back to his collar. Anything that would take back all the tricks he just did on command. In the end there was only one thing that came to his panicked mind. So he proceeded to lift his leg and pee on Jack’s bare feet.
“What the…. did you just pee on me?” Jack shook his leg, trying to get the pee off. “What happened? You were doing so good.” He showed Seth the wet spot on his leg and scolded him. “Okay, maybe you do need some training. Let me change my pants, and I’ll take you home.”
SETH SHIFTED as soon as Max closed the apartment door behind them.
“So? How did it go?”
“You named me Nancy?” Seth reminded him accusingly, throwing the collar on the small kitchen table. “What is wrong with you?”
“You told people I was man-pregnant,” Max shot back.
Seth knew he had no defense to that one.
“Fine, but we’re even now.”
“So, tell me how it went.”
“It was amazing,” Seth said, knowing his eyes were dreamy. “I wasn’t shy. It was like this sense of freedom in knowing he didn’t know it was me, but then I peed on him.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Max snickered. “Like marking your territory, peed on him?”
“No.”
“Then why would you pee on him? Unless of course you’re into that. Are you into that?” Max’s eyes bulged a little in shock. “I feel like I don’t even know you sometimes.”
“No, I’m not ‘into that’. It’s a long story that I can’t explain right now because he fed me liver treats and I need to be alone in the bathroom for a while.”
“Gross. Should I remind you how much trouble we are both going to be in when Christian finds out what’s going on?”
“No, I just need time to get to know him. That’s all.”
“You can’t do that like a normal person and ask him out for coffee or something?”
“We both know I’m not a normal person when it comes to talking to other people. Now stick with the plan,” Seth said, and headed into the bathroom.
Chapter 7: Degraded by the Trainer
SETH WAS on cloud nine. Operation “get to know Jack” was going great; the bakery was running smoothly; life was wonderful. He walked proudly next to his mate, the sun warming his back, a nice summer breeze off the lake caressing his fur. It didn’t get much better than this. Seth rubbed his side up against Jack’s leg as they walked. They were in full bonding mode. Okay, bonding in wolf form, and he was the only one who knew it was happening, but it was bonding nonetheless. It had been two weeks of wonderful bonding.
He didn’t have much longer before the jig was up. He knew one of his pack members had seen him yesterday with Jack. There was no way it wasn’t going to get back to Zeus and Christian.
He glanced up at Jack and got a smile in return. Jack always took him on the same walk through town and around the walking path to the lake, which was mostly used by tourists.
It was the perfect day. The smell of the sun heating up the grass, the ducks bobbing their heads in and out of the water looking for food. Seth loved all of it.
He was so distracted by the beauty of it all that he wasn’t aware that Jack had stopped to talk with someone and got jerked back on the leash.
“Oh, sorry, buddy,” Jack said, petting Seth’s head.
Seth looked up to the person Jack had stopped to talk with and saw it was the town’s second-grade teacher, Ms. Jameson. This was the fourth time they had “run into her” during one of their walks. Seth was starting to think she was timing her walks just to happen upon Jack. And she was always touching Jack when she talked, brushing his arm and throwing her head back laughing when he talked, even if Seth didn’t think what he said was particularly funny. She wanted his mate.
Grrrrr. The growl rolled out of Seth’s chest as he moved toward her, unable to control his reaction.
Mine. Mine, his wolf screamed as he continued to lunge at her. Jack pulled back on his leash.
“Sit!” He obeyed instantly. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Jameson. He’s never done that before. We’re in training, but I haven’t seen him have an aggressive side toward anyone other than his owner. I’m not sure what set him off.”
Seth’s anger was replaced with shame at seeing her face flushed with fear.
“I’m going to go now,” she said, clutching her chest, backing away from Seth.
“What was that about?” Jack crouched down in front of Seth, meeting his eyes.
Seth lowered his head. He didn’t want to disappoint his mate.
“Come on. Let’s head back home.”
THEY WERE just getting to Jack’s house, Seth’s head still hanging low in regret as they walked, when Seth’s world got even worse.
“Stop.” Seth heard his alpha’s voice, his tone leaving no room for questioning how furious he was. He felt Jack stop and pull back on the leash.
Fuck… Seth didn’t know what to do. Christian and Zeus walked toward them, passing tourists who had also stopped to see what was going on, and were now gawking.
“Let him go. Now,” the alpha demanded.
“I’m sorry, what?” Jack asked, moving Seth closer to his side.
Before Christian could respond, Seth saw Max come out of the café, obviously having gotten his daily fix of caffeine.
“Christian,” Max hollered, looking like a professional speed walker trying not to spill his mocha as he passed people. “Have you met Jack? Oh, of course you’ve met, or he wouldn’t be here.” Max fake-laughed uncomfortably. “Well Jack was nice enough to agree to train Nancy for me. You know because he’s my pet wolf and he needed to be trained so I asked him ’cause he’s a trainer and that’s my untrained pet wolf Nancy.” Max was practically panting by the time he finished speaking.
Christian didn’t respond right away. “Your pet?” he said in disgust. “Nancy?”
“Yep, that’s my Nancy,” Max reiterated, lifting his coffee cup to his lips. Zeus instantly reached out and slapped it out of his hands, the coffee splashing onto Max’s shirt.
“What in the ever-loving fuck!” Max hollered, turning a glare toward Zeus.
“You need to take better care of your b—body.” Zeus caught himself.
Christian raised his eyes to the sky and rubbed his forehead, taking a deep breath.
Seth wasn’t sure why Max hadn’t broken the news to Zeus about the fake baby yet, but he was pretty happy right now for the attention to be off him for a moment.
Christian looked hard at all of them before apparently deciding to not make a bigger scene than the one they’d already caused.
“I think ‘Nancy’s’ training is over for today.”
Max instantly grabbed Seth’s leash, but he could tell Jack was reluctant to let him go.
“Thanks, Jack,” Max said, turning and speed walking them back into their building.
Seth figured it was too much to hope Christian wouldn’t follow.
They got back to the apartment and Seth shifted, heading to his room to throw on some clothes.
When he walked into the living room, Zeus was sitting on the couch with Max’s feet up on his lap, massaging them, which clarified why Max hadn’t said anything to Zeus about the baby.
“Why don’t you sit down and explain to me why you would risk the secrets of our pack,” Christian suggested, gesturing to a chair at the small kitchen table.
Seth dropped into the chair, unprepared for the guilt that settled in his chest at Christian’s words. He had been so solely focused on himself that he hadn’t once thought about the danger to his pack. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t…. I didn’t think—” He stopped, his words getting jumbled with his thoughts. He didn’t realize he was wringing his hands un
til Christian crouched down in front of him, stilling Seth’s hands with his own.
“This isn’t like you, Seth. Does this have something to do with meeting with the elders?”
“Yes, but I was only thinking about myself. I didn’t think about the pack. I risked my pack,” Seth said, still in shock that he had.
“Let’s put that aside for now. Just tell me why you would allow someone to degrade you and walk you on a leash,” Christian said, his tone softened.
“The elders told me that Jack is my mate, so I wanted to get to know him better?”
“Are you asking me a question?”
“No?” Seth responded.
“If he’s your mate, why wouldn’t you just go talk to him?”
“That’s exactly what I said! I said, ‘Seth, this is a bad idea,’” Max said, throwing them a blissful I-told-you-so smile from the couch.
“Are you okay with your beta rubbing your mate’s feet like that?” Seth said, interested in the answer but also trying to draw the attention away from himself.
“It soothes him. Now answer, Seth.”
“I didn’t think I’d be able to,” Seth confessed.
“So you hid behind your wolf,” Christian stated. “I can’t just let this go, Seth.”
Seth knew that the pack had rules, but he’d never broken any that deserved actual punishment from the alpha.
“You are not punishing Seth,” Max said, pulling his feet off Zeus’s lap, glaring over at his mate.
“Do not glare at me. You knew what Seth was doing and allowed it without informing me. You are the pack omega. I expect you to act like it.”
Max looked at Christian, his eyes getting glossy, before getting up and walking out, closing the door behind him.
Seth had ruined everything.
Christian stared at the closed door, looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, before turning back to Seth.
“I hope you didn’t have any plans, because you’ll be spending your free time at the commune. I think volunteer hours at the school, relearning our history and why our secrets are important, will be your punishment.”