Mane Full Of Stripes (Heat, Prey, Love #10)

Chapter One

J ost Webber waved as the young children he looked after left. The three- and four-year-olds could be a handful on occasion, but he loved teaching them, loved seeing them happy and excited. Once the last child had been collected by her parents, Jost closed and locked the door, then walked back inside. He heard the voices of Tam and Sed as they walked over to his room.

“How were they today?” Tam asked as she entered Jost’s room.

“Probably not as easy as the babies.” Tam helped in the baby room. Jost had worked in there as well, but he preferred the ages he had now. Once the babies reached one, they moved into the next room, which was the one to two-year-olds, then they passed over to Jost from the age of three.

Their pride was a small one with five families, but they had a lot of young. They tended to look after their own young before sending them to human schools. This allowed them to help the cubs control their claws so they wouldn’t accidentally hurt another child. Many accidents occurred before cubs learned control.

Sed yawned and stretched. “I had five today. The Carpenters’ and Higgins’ children were all in today and they can be a bit of a handful.” The Carpenters had four cubs, all under the age of five, while the Higgins’ had six. Both families had multiple births, and Jost wasn’t looking forward to the day they moved into his group. He liked his hair on his head.

“I’m not looking forward to the day they move into my group.” Jost saw the look on Sed’s face. “I know how much you’re looking forward to that day.” Grinning, Sed nodded. Jost rolled his eyes and picked up the crayons that were scattered over the table. “Any plans for the weekend?”

It was Friday, and he knew Tam liked to go out and party. It wasn’t something he did much. As a lion omega, he tended to stay in more. The loud music and bright lights did nothing for him, but he knew Tam and Sed enjoyed a night out drinking and partying. And sex. Not that Jost had much to do with that.

His last relationship had been… not great, to put it mildly. His ex had shown him who was in charge with his fist. As an omega, Jost had been told frequently how he should do as he was told, how he was there to see to all Jenrick’s needs. All of them, whether he wanted to or not. It was by chance his papa, Anslem, had turned up at Jenrick’s house and heard Jost’s cries of pain. He’d charged in and punched Jenrick, then told Jost to pack his things. That was the last time Jost had seen or heard from Jenrick, but he did know the pride had chased him out of town and told him if he returned, it would be the last thing he did. Jenrick had been an alpha, and Jost was an omega. That was all Jost had heard from him. Jost was beneath him and only there to clean, cook, and fuck.

Jost looked back on his time with Jenrick and wondered how he never saw what the other lion was like. How he’d never seen the warning signs. Maybe as an omega he’d wanted the home and family life. Jenrick had been the only male he’d been involved with, been intimate with, and it had put him off relationships for a long time. He still wasn’t comfortable around alphas, but he was lucky that his pride understood and was there for him when he needed someone to talk to.

“We’re hitting Stanto’s tonight.” Sed picked up a few books and put them away. “Come with us.”

“I’m not ready.” Jost saw the look on Tam’s face and gave her a small smile. “Maybe one day I’ll come and dance on the tables.”

“I’d love to see you do it, too. I might even join you.” Tam came over and gave him a hug. He took in her scent, the scent of pride, and sighed. “Don’t let what he did change who you are.” She kissed his brow, then stepped back. “You’re an amazing lion, Jost. The pride is lucky to have you.” Tam was twenty-four to his twenty-two and Jost looked up to her as an older sister. He felt the same way with Sed too, who was twenty-eight. Mated and with a young boy, Sed mothered him and Jost had to admit at times he needed it. More so once he’d returned home and dealt with the aftermath of his abusive relationship.

Jost was in a much better place now, but he still had some scars from his ordeal and some days he wondered if he would ever be able to move on and trust a male again. “I’ll try. I want to, but it’s like a weight…” Jost shrugged, then giggled when Tam hugged him again, then tickled him. “Stop that.”

“Let’s finish getting your room straight, then we can leave.” It didn’t take them long to put all the items and toys away, and to fold up the blankets and put them and the pillows away, too. Once the room was clean and tidy, Jost switched the lights off, then locked the door behind him. At the entrance he grabbed his coat and bag, then stood outside as Sed set the alarm and locked the doors.

“Have a good weekend, and I’ll see you all Monday. Bright and early!” Sed hugged both Jost and Tam, then walked over to her car.

“Sure you don’t want to go with me?”

Jost shook his head. “No, but thanks. I will one day, but I’m not ready just yet.”

“It’s been ten months. I know time means little when it comes to things like this, but you’re young and gorgeous, Jost. I want you to enjoy life and not let that bastard rob you of that.”

“I know. I promise I’ll come out soon. Just give me a little more time.”

“For you? Always.” With one last hug, Tam waved, then jogged over to her car and a minute later drove out of the parking lot. Jost readjusted the bag on his shoulder and began the short walk home. He tucked a strand of his blond hair behind his ear, his light green eyes searching the area for any signs of Jenrick. Months later and Jost couldn’t stop himself from doing a quick scan of the area.

Once he was certain the area was clear, he began his journey home. He lived close by—a ten-minute walk—but he never dropped his guard. His eyes kept scanning around him, making sure he didn’t see Jenrick or his car. He knew deep down the shifter would never return, but fear had its grip on him and Jost couldn’t shake free. Things had improved, but this walk home always rattled him. Maybe it was because Jenrick had always picked him up from work. Had always been outside waiting for him.

When his house came into view, Jost sighed in relief, the tension easing from his muscles as it always did. One day it wouldn’t be like this. One day Jost would truly be free from Jenrick and the residual fear of his abuse.

Opening the front door, Jost called out, “Mom. Dad.”

“In here, love,” Ella called from the kitchen. Jost entered and came over to give her a hug, tucking a strand of pale blonde hair behind her ear. He’d inherited his blond hair from Ella, though a darker shade, likely due to his father Anslem’s dark auburn hair.

“Are the kids back?” The kids as in Freya and Otto, his younger brother and sister.

“Freya came back then nipped out to the shop for me. I need some cream for the potatoes. Otto is upstairs sulking. Some girl he likes from school is with another boy and he isn’t happy.”

“Ah young love.” Jost smiled, then opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “Tam asked me to go out tonight. She’s going to Stanto’s.”

“And?”

Jost glanced at Ella and shook his head. “Not yet.”

“I know why you stayed in after you came home, but that was months ago. Why not go out for an hour or so and then come back? You won’t know how you’ll react if you don’t try.”

“I know,” he whispered. He’d told himself the same thing so many times, but he still struggled to do it. Still felt like Jenrick was out there waiting for his chance to get him alone. “One day, Mom.”

“I hope so, Jost. You’re too young to be inside. Don’t let that shifter take your joy away. Go out and have fun.” Ella moved away and opened the oven, taking a piece of beef out. “Now that looks perfect.”

Jost inhaled the scent and moaned. “Smells perfect too. I’m starving.”

“And once your sister gets back, I can finish the potatoes, and we can eat.”

“I’m going to change and shower, then give you a hand.”

Ella kissed Jost’s cheek. “Go on.”

It didn’t take long for Jost to change and freshen up, then he was downstairs helping Ella when Freya came back from the shop. A few minutes later and they all sat around the table eating. Freya was home from college for the weekend and Otto was still moping. Oh, to be young again, and what did that say about Jost? Twenty-two and already jaded where romance was concerned.

Jaded or scared?

Jost could vividly recall the moment Anslem had burst inside Jenrick’s home, finding Jost naked and bleeding on the floor. That instant moment of shock and horror before Anslem had roared and gone after Jenrick. Even though Jenrick was the stronger alpha, Anslem had the fury of a parent behind him. Jost had crawled outside and waited until Anslem had come out and told him to pack everything he owned. Once he’d done that, Anslem had threatened Jenrick to leave or be dealt with and had taken Jost home.

That was then, yet it still affected him now.

After helping his parents to clear everything away, Jost went to his bedroom to go over what he would do with the cubs when they returned on Monday. Once that was complete, Jost sighed and closed his eyes. The weekend was his, only he had no plans but to stay in his bedroom and do nothing.

Maybe he should go out, even if it was only for an hour. The thought had his breath catching, but if he didn’t try, then he would be staring at the walls for who knew how long. He couldn’t let what happened with Jenrick rule his life. He was young and had years ahead of him.

Grabbing his phone, he found Tam’s number and called her. “Jost! Tell me you’ve changed your mind? No, okay. What can—”

“Can I come? Tonight?”

“I… what? Really?”

Jost closed his eyes. He could hear the shock in her voice and his own shook when he responded. “I won’t stay long—”

“You could stay thirty minutes. It’s the fact you’re coming out. This is huge, Jost, so five, ten, twenty minutes is fine. I don’t care, as long as you come. I’m driving tonight so I can come and pick you up. An hour? Will that give you enough time?”

“Yeah. I’ll have worked myself up by then.” Jost could feel his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of going, but he needed to face this head on and now was the time. “I’ll be ready.”

“Good. I’ll see you in an hour, Jost. You can do this. Bye!”

Tam hung up and Jost stared at his phone, aware his hand was shaking. Dropping his phone on his bed, Jost closed his hand into a fist and breathed deeply. “I can do this,” he whispered. “I can.”