Chapter 11
Orrin debated what to wear, taking stock of his closet and dresser drawers.
Shifters didn’t date in the traditional human sense, and his job only required durable, comfortable clothing.
He wanted to look good for Zak but wasn’t sure where they were going today.
Fortunately, he got a text around ten o’clock that clarified things.
Zak
Orrin
Got it. Can’t wait!
First, Orrin spent time taming his unruly mop of long hair into something appealing.
While working, he normally bundled it on top of his head and ignored it for the rest of the day.
Instead, he’d carefully washed and conditioned, giving it a controlled but tangled appearance.
Wearing it down and loose also revealed strands of lighter brown that matched his bear’s coat, though his facial hair was uniformly dark.
It was often assumed that Black Bears always had black fur, but it wasn’t true.
Their coats came in many colors, including brown, cinnamon, blond, blue-gray, and even white depending on location.
Here in Pennsylvania, nearly all bears had black fur with a tan-colored muzzle, and many sported a white patch on their chest called a ‘blaze.’ Orrin’s father, however, had been born in the northwest, giving him a beautiful blond coat.
His own bear was a soft brown, like coffee with lots of cream, and he stood out in this region of the country.
To complete the desired look (hot enough to make Zak drool), Orrin pulled on a form-fitting pair of blue jeans and a snug T-shirt that hugged his chest, topped by a loose flannel shirt.
His single-minded bear approved of the outfit, but only if it led to naked time.
While his ursine half wasn’t demanding that he claim Zak (at least not yet), he was more interested in him than anyone else Orrin had encountered over the years—even during mating seasons.
Perhaps it was because Orrin, Rayn, and Kip were also drawn to the kind doctor, and the time had come to get serious about a mate.
With several minutes to spare, he left his quarters and entered the Cub House through a connecting door on the second floor. The little ones would all be downstairs, eagerly awaiting lunch, and Orrin headed for the kitchen to check in with Tasha. She gave him the once-over and growled.
“You certainly clean up nice. Dr. Hall won’t be able to resist, if that’s what you’re after.”
Scout and Birdy were on kitchen duty, and both of them stared as if they’d never seen him before. Birdy finally found her voice.
“You look different, Orrin. Where are you going?”
Though he wished they wouldn’t make such a big deal out of it, it was natural for the cubs to notice.
“I’m having lunch with Zak today, and probably won’t be back until late. You be good for Tasha, all right?”
Scout answered for both of them, as he often did.
“We will. Hey—someone is here!”
Orrin hurriedly exited the kitchen to reach the door before anyone else got there.
Unfortunately, the other children had already gathered in the entryway to see who it was, meaning a discreet exit was impossible.
Orrin opened the door just as Zak was about to ring the bell, and his smile morphed into something heated when he got a look at his date.
He was dressed in navy chinos and a cream cable sweater, looking all kinds of sexy and prompting Orrin to growl.
Zak swallowed hard before trying to speak, mindful that the children were watching.
“Hi. You look… fantastic . Ready to go?”
Orrin winked and thumbed over his shoulder.
“We should say goodbye first, if that’s all right.”
Zak kissed Orrin chastely on the cheek before approaching the children.
Zuzu was the only one missing—spending the day with the Cunninghams so they could get acquainted.
Rayn and Kip hugged Zak at the same time, laughing when he gave each of them a tickle and a smooch on the head.
Orrin got a similar goodbye, even though they saw him every day, and he reminded Rayn to take it easy on her injured leg.
The other cubs gathered around to scent the men and ask where they were going, when they would be back, and what they were doing.
Zak let Orrin respond, who adroitly sidestepped their questions.
“I expect all of you to behave for Tasha while I’m gone, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Orrin put on his coat and gloves, and with a final wave to the children, the pair left the house.
At the truck, Zak opened the door for his date, made sure he was settled, and then zipped around to get into the driver’s seat.
He started the vehicle, turned up the heat, and adjusted the vents—but didn’t put the truck in gear.
Instead, he leaned over to claim Orrin’s hot and eager mouth, sucking on the man’s lower lip.
He received a sensuous growl in return, and the cab filled with pheromones.
Zak reluctantly pulled back, mere inches from Orrin’s flushed face.
“You taste even better than you look, and that’s saying something.”
Orrin responded with a wicked smile.
“So do you, but I think I need more practice. Maybe later?”
Zak let loose with a tortured groan.
“Definitely, but not in the truck, and if we don’t leave now, we’re going to miss lunch. Behave , Mr. Crosby.”
Orrin laughed as they straightened up and headed for downtown while Zak explained where they were going.
“I wanted something casual and fun for lunch, so I reserved a table at Bears & Beer. I figured you probably didn’t get to go there very often, and they have good food. No cooking for you today.”
Orrin appreciated Zak’s thoughtfulness. It was nice to be taken care of for a change.
“Thank you. I don’t usually mind cooking for the children, but not having kitchen duty is a treat.”
That reminded Zak to ask about Orrin’s time off.
“So, is Sunday your only free day?”
Orrin shook his head.
“Actually, I only have Sunday evening off and all day Thursday. Tasha and I cover for each other if something special comes along, and she’s off Wednesday plus Saturday evening.”
Zak nodded as they pulled into a parking space by the familiar bar.
“Good to know. I’ll have to thank her the next time I’m over.”
Orrin waited until Zak came around to open his door.
It wasn’t necessary, but good manners should never be questioned or discouraged.
Inside, the host showed them to a relatively private table in the back and they compared notes on the menu before ordering.
Zak was surprised when Orrin chose the one-pound Bronto Burger and sweet potato fry platter.
“I haven’t had a burger for months, and don’t even think about pilfering my fries.”
Zak had to laugh, and since the man was smiling, he figured Orrin wasn’t entirely serious.
“I was under the impression you wouldn’t want that much for lunch. You’re not as big as most shifters I’ve met—which isn’t a bad thing. You’re drop-dead gorgeous just the way you are.”
Orrin pinked up nicely and moved his foot to rub against Zak’s meaty calf.
“Why, thank you. I don’t get those kind of compliments every day, especially from a man who is sex on legs.”
Their eyes locked in a smoldering gaze that approached spontaneous combustion—and then dissolved into mutual laughter.
They were still giggling when the waitress brought their food, but she didn’t say a word.
Zak gave Orrin time to fill his belly before engaging in conversation, which actually worked out better for both of them if they were going to talk.
Since dates were designed to share personal information, Zak eventually got them started by asking Orrin about his family, background, and education.
“I grew up in Asbury—a subdivision on the outskirts of Erie. I’m an only child, but my parents run a private orphan home for shifters, so I grew up surrounded by other cubs.
We’re still close, and my folks are very supportive.
They don’t care for the BSA bureaucracy, but they cooperate with them to provide services in northwest Pennsylvania.
“After high school, I double-majored in social work and counseling, with a minor in shifter psychology. When I graduated two and half years ago, the BSA hired me as Administrator of the Cub House. Last year, they added on a separate administrator’s home, and hired a full-time assistant.
Tasha has known my parents for years, and they encouraged her to apply for the position when it opened up.
We get along great, and the cubs love her. ”
Zak was impressed. Orrin already seemed like an amazing guy, but he had depths that most people probably didn’t know about.
“I have a great deal of respect for the work you do, and the cubs under your care are very fortunate. Your parents must be proud.”
Orrin squirmed a bit at the compliments, refusing to believe that he was anything special. Hard-working and dedicated, sure, but so was Zak and many others he knew.
“Thanks, Zak. There are so many cubs that need homes, and I just want to do my part to give them a better life. What motivated you to pursue medicine?”
Now it was Zak’s turn to share his story, and though he usually avoided talking about himself, Orrin deserved to meet the real Zachary Hall.
“The short answer is that I wanted to know why people like me existed. I learned what a quasi-shifter was early on, and heard all the nasty names growing up: bearly, no-paw, grunt, shiftard, humine. Eventually, I asked my parents why I didn’t have any brothers or sisters.
Since people like me are often considered weird, or even defective, they decided not to have more children to spare them the rejection and cruelty.
I was hurt and angry for a long time, but when I got older, I read everything I could find about quasi-shifters, which wasn’t much.
“Even now there’s very little research being done, but the predominant theory is that the shifter genome is weakened or altered when mixed couples reproduce.
Both my mother and father had mixed parents, and while they themselves are full shifters, third generation offspring like me are usually quasi-shifters.
Fourth generation and after will show even fewer ursine traits until human genes are predominant.
“Genetics is a fascinating field of study, but I could never wrap my brain around it. Instead, I became interested in general medicine as a career choice, and my parents did everything they could to help me through school.”
Orrin’s sensitive nature cringed hearing Zak’s story. Even Rayn’s world had crumbled at the hands of ignorant, bigoted people, and he would do everything in his power to protect both of them.
“I’m sorry you went through all of that, but grateful you had supportive parents.
Just so you know, I don’t care if you’re shifter, human, or somewhere in between—it truly doesn’t matter to me.
Given your history, may I ask how you’ve handled relationships in the past?
You don’t have to share if it makes you uncomfortable. ”
Zak wasn’t eager to go there, but somehow he knew Orrin would understand.
“I never had the time or interest in anything long-term, so I just hooked-up whenever the need arose. Since humans don’t know what I am, they don’t judge, and it makes things a lot easier.
Honestly, I’ve never dated or been intimate with a shifter.
There hasn’t been enough trust for me to risk it, and yeah, I’m a little nervous about a relationship with you because of it. ”
Orrin appreciated the man’s honesty, and having Zak acknowledge the mere possibility of a relationship was encouraging.
His bear chose that moment to push for more sex and less chit-chat.
Orrin wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea, but jumping the cautious man would make it seem like just another meaningless hook-up.
“Thank you for telling me, Zak. I’d have trust issues, too, if I were in your shoes, but I’m not going to push.
I’m sure you know all about mating season and how it affects us, so I’ve had plenty of sex partners but nothing long-term.
I always assumed my future included a shifter mate, but after I scented you that first time in the grocery store, my bear and I have changed our minds. ”
Nothing Orrin had said surprised or concerned him, and Zak sensed that they’d cleared the decks in a meaningful way.
“We appear to have more in common than I thought, and I look forward to spending more time with you. After lunch, would you like to take a stroll down Art Avenue in Wilkes-Barre?”
Art Avenue was a neighborhood filled with artisan shops of all kinds, and definitely geared for adults. Though he felt vaguely guilty for doing something fun without the cubs, it sounded wonderful—especially with Zak by his side.
“I like that idea. Good thing I wore my heavy coat today.”
Zak caught another wave of pheromones from his date, and hurried to pay the check so they could go. Maybe later they’d warm up together.