2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Gy
“Where the hell have you been?” Puppy, one of our Hellbent prospects, wrestles my dogs into the clubhouse, looking frazzled as fuck.
He glowers at me angrily before bending over and releasing Hugo and Sheila. My wild pitties run toward me before changing direction and beelining for the kitchen. As soon as they enter, a loud shriek echoes through the clubhouse, and some other brothers glance my way.
“Mama C’s already pissed today,” Fenrir warns, chuckling under his breath. Dammit. Mama C is our club president’s ol’ lady—basically the Queen of the Hounds. She makes sure we’re fed and keeps the clubhouse running, so crossing her is never a good idea.
“Fuck!” I glare at Puppy and use my chin to gesture toward the kitchen. “Go in there and save Mama C from the beasts.” As a prospect for the Hellbent Hound’s MC, he should jump to do my bidding. I am the VP, after all. But this defiant little fucker stares me down and shakes his head.
“Do it yourself! After the bullshit they just pulled in the park? I’m taking a break!
Deal with your own fucking dogs!” He marches forward with murder in his eyes.
While I probably should reprimand him for his attitude, we all know that Puppy’s prospecting time is merely a formality.
As one of the most feared snipers in the world, we’re lucky he’s here, and I ain’t gonna push my luck.
Damn those impossible mutts, I wish I didn’t love them so much.
Saving the dogs from a fighting ring may not have been my best decision, but one look into their sad eyes, and I couldn’t just fucking leave them to be euthanized.
We all know what happens to difficult pit bulls once they enter the system.
And I was too late to save so many of the others…
Of course, I never intended to keep Hugo and Sheila. No. My plan was to train them up and get them shiny new homes, but unfortunately, they are untrainable monsters. Pulling. Barking. Tearing shit up.
No one will adopt them.
The yowling from the kitchen ceases, and I figure Mama C’s probably fine. So, I turn my attention back to the prospect, needing to know what these little demons got up to in the park.
“What happened?” Puppy plops down on a stool beside me and shakes his head. The grumpy beta taps his knuckles on the mahogany bar top, and Whelp, our lone Alpha prospect, slides him a beer. Puppy cracks open the top and takes a long swig before starting his tale of woe.
“Man, you would not fucking believe it. There I was walking around, barely controlling Hugo and Sheila, when some old biddy’s tiny white fluffy dog gets loose and rushes them!
Hugo snarls at the little shit, but the fucking white dog pisses on his leg!
” He tosses back another big glug of his drink before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and signaling for another.
“Of course, that made Sheila fucking snap. That bitch hates little dogs. So, she lunged at it, and the old lady started yelling at me. At. Me. After her dog pissed on Hugo!” He throws his hands up emphatically, and Fenrir chuckles beside him.
Puppy pins him with a glare, but I don’t want him to get off topic.
“Then what?” I prompt.
“Well. Then, the best part. The lady clutches the white dog to her chest and starts running through the park. Hugo and Sheila pursued her, and I couldn’t hold them back any longer.
Your monsters are strong as hell and so low to the ground, you can’t do anything.
They’re like little tanks.” He shakes his head and brings a fresh brown bottle to his lips, guzzling it.
Dread stirs in my gut, and I’m hoping the next words out of his mouth aren’t what I think they’re going to be.
“Tell me you didn’t let them bite that fucking dog.
” If they attacked a small dog, there’s nothing more I can do to save them.
Animal control will be at our door any minute.
They’re unlikely to be merciful because we’re bikers.
Everyone sees the leather cuts and assumes the worst, much like the way they feel about pit bulls.
Authorities never bother to take a minute to look at what’s inside.
“Nah, man, we got fucking lucky. Some pretty little chick stepped in after Hugo ran away from me. She stopped him and grabbed his leash. Even had him rolling on his back for belly rubs. It was absolutely wild.” While I’m thrilled that nothing worse happened, I can’t believe that Puppy let my dog get away from him.
Okay. Now I’m pissed.
All the what-ifs fly through my head. I can’t protect my animals if he’s going to be so cavalier about their care.
“You almost got my dog killed,” I growl, standing to my full height. As an Alpha, I’m much larger than the prospect. Though I may be older than him, I’m fit as fuck and could kick his ass with ease. Rage fills me to the brim, and I crack my knuckles, then clench my fist.
“Gytrash! Get in here right now!” Mama C shouts from the kitchen. Shit. The urge to disappear out the back is strong, but I know better than to avoid a summons from our president’s old lady. Ignore that woman, and you won’t eat for a week.
“Damn, bro, she full-named you. You better get your ass in there.” Whelp busies himself with wiping down the bar, snickering quietly.
“Watch it, Whelp. You’re not a brother yet,” I snap at them, then stomp away to get reamed over who the hell knows what.
They both laugh at my expense, and truth be told, the situation is fucking funny.
Everything’s turned out fine. Hopefully, Puppy learned a lesson about how to take care of my dogs.
I wander through the doorway, then have to bite my tongue when my eyes fall on Hugo and Sheila tussling over a steak. Mama C has her hands on her hips, glaring at my loving little mongrels, but the gentle smile on her lips lets me know it’s not that serious… yet.
“Sorry, Mama C.” I grab hold of their collars and haul them out to the main area, closing the door behind me.
But not before she hollers, “You need to train those dogs.”
She’s right; Mama C always is. But I haven’t got the time for classes or judgmental trainers, and all that other bullshit.
Puppy walks my way, holding out a scrap of paper, and I frown at him.
“Speaking of training, that hottie I was telling you about? That’s, like, her thing. I hear some places even take the dogs for a while. Then they come back, you know, all perfect and shit.” He hands me the paper, then walks away before I can respond.
Terrible idea, prospect. They’ve just warmed up to me, let alone random people.
I snort at the thought, but a second later, the gentle scent of honeysuckle invades my nose.
My inner Alpha snaps to attention, and my eyes whip around the room, searching for the scent.
It’s only when I bring the card closer that I realize the smell is coming from the tiny square.
Mine.
The feral beast within me quickly rushes to the surface, making my teeth ache with the need to bite.
Mate.
“Wait. Puppy!” I shout at his back just as Cerberus, our club president and fearless leader, emerges from his office.
“Church. Call everyone. We’ve got trouble.” He turns on his heel and heads toward the sacred room as though my life hadn’t just imploded.
Now is not the time…