Chapter Five
Raul flopped onto the bed and scooped Malec close. Being warm and naked next to his lover was like a drug—add on the delicious feeling of satisfaction and he couldn’t stop his eyes drifting shut.
He’d sleep for ten minutes or so, no more than that. Then he’d go back to Flo and make sure she was okay. Maybe grab her a midnight snack on the way in case she woke hungry.
Malec stirred next to him.
Raul blinked open his eyes. For a moment he was disorientated, but not in a panicked way because Malec was curled up beside him and that was wonderful and natural. Sunlight poured through the one thin curtain in the hut and dogs were barking outside.
“Fuck!” He sat as anger gripped his heart in a fist. He’d fallen asleep in Malec’s hut and left Flo alone all night. He hated himself.
Leaping up he grabbed clothes and pulled them on.
“What?” Malec rubbed his eyes and swung his legs to the side of the bed.
“I have to go.” Raul frowned. “I meant to only sleep a while, rest a bit, then get back to Flo at the Sundowners Motel.”
“Ah, I know where that is.” Malec glanced at the window. “Shit. The sun is so high, I should have gotten going with my jobs hours ago.”
He stood and stretched briefly, just enough for Raul to admire his body as he reached for his clothes and started to dress.
“And I wanted to get done here quick so I could see Flo, too. Damn it.”
“I should stay and help.” Raul said, then shook his head. “No, I have to go to her. She’ll be worried sick and that’s not good in her condition.”
“In her condition?”
Damn it. Raul bit on his bottom lip. He’d said too much. He pulled the door open and stepped outside. He took up a rapid pace past the dogs. Most had begun to bark upon seeing him—they were hoping for breakfast.
“Raul.” Malec rushed after him. “Wait.”
“No, I’m sorry. I have to go.” Raul turned to him. “I’ll find you later.” He willed the familiar prickle of shifting to touch his neck and spread down his spine. He’d shift and race back to the motel. As heat raged through his body and the sensation of his skin growing fur took over him, he arched forward, landing on paws as his face stretched. Instantly his senses became more alert, scents stronger and easy to differentiate from each other and his sight more acute.
“But, Raul,” Malec held his hands out, “I want to come to. I want…”
“Mornin’, guys.” Malec’s eyes widened and he turned to the pen next to him.
Raul did the same.
Standing in the new dog’s run was a naked man. He was tall and blond and very handsome. His skin tanned, his shoulders wide and his big cock flaccid and protruding from a thatch of pale pubic hair.
“What the?” Malec said, looking at Raul.
Shit, he just saw me shift.
Raul shook his head. What the hell did that matter? The new dog was clearly a shifter. He glanced around the pens. Did they have the company of other shifters?
“Jesus, I’m sorry.” Malec fumbled in his pocket and retrieved his keys. He unlocked the pen.
“It’s okay.” The man stepped out, pressing his hands over his groin as he did so. “You weren’t to know.”
“No, of course not…” Malec shook his head. “Hang on. I’ll get you something to wear.” He dashed off.
The blond man looked at Raul and tipped his head. “Didn’t know there were any other shifters in these parts.”
Raul of course couldn’t answer, so he sat waiting for Malec to return. He didn’t want to shift back so soon. That would make him tired and nauseous. He’d learned that from experience.
Malec reappeared holding a pair of jeans and a mug. “Here.” He passed the denims forward.
“Thanks.” The man slipped them on. They hung low on his hips and allowed the patch of hair from his navel to still be on show.
“Coffee.” Malec thrust the mug at him.
“Now you’re talking.” He grinned and took a sip.
“Like, really, I’m sorry, buddy. Never would have locked you up if I’d known.”
“No problem. You were just trying to help.”
“Yes. There’s so many strays around here.”
“I can tell.” He drank more of his coffee.
“And this is my mate, Raul. He was just leaving, to see our other mate.”
“A threesome.” He raised his eyebrows. “Lucky guys.”
“We think so.” Malec set his hand on Raul’s head and stroked behind his ears.
“I’m Bradley.” The newcomer held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you.” Malec shook. “I’m Malec.”
“Looks like you have your work cut out around here.” Bradley swung his gaze about the place. “Yeah. I gotta clean up, walk and feed them then get to work.”
“You wanna a hand?”
“Er yeah, that would be cool.” Malec glanced at Raul. “Maybe with two of us at it I’ll get to the motel before I have to hit the gas station.”
Raul licked his hand, showing he approved of the idea.
“As long as you don’t mind, Bradley.”
“Hey, I’m easy, nowhere to be right now and I owe you for the can of dog food.”
“You haven’t got a pack?” Malec sounded surprised.
“Pack? No, never had a pack.”
Raul was surprised, too. All the shifters he’d ever met had belonged to a pack, either a rival one or friends.
“Why? You from a pack?” Bradley asked.
“Yeah, Redwood Shifters. We live east of here in the forest. There’s about thirty of us.”
“All shifters?”
“A few humans, but mainly shifters.”
“Ah...” Bradley paused and looked thoughtful. “All gay like you guys?”
“We’re bi, actually, our third is a woman. But yeah, plenty of gay shifters in the Redwood Pack.”
“Might drop by and say hi sometime. Been a while since I had any fun.”
Raul stood. Bradley had the look of an A-list Hollywood actor and he was sure he could turn on the charm in lethal quantities with his blue eyes and dazzling smile. Was he really such a loner? What was his story?
“Yeah, you should call in,” Malec said, generous and open-hearted as ever. “You wouldn’t be turned away if you needed a place to stay or some company. Can’t guarantee there’d be a single guy there for you though. Most of us are mated.”
“Then you’re all very lucky.” He handed Malec the empty mug. “Now where do you want me to start? Sweeping up? Checking water? Or shall I take a few out for a walk?”
“Er…you can help me feed them, that way we’ll get a bit of peace to do the other jobs.” Malec turned to Raul. “I’ll try and get to the motel soon, within an hour or so.”
Raul stared at him. Malec seemed to be standing taller and a light had come on in his eyes. It was clear having help would do him good and ease some of the pressure. Plus having his secret about the pound in the open was doing him good.
Raul licked his hand again then went to the main gate.
Malec opened it and within seconds Raul was galloping over the wasteland toward the north end of Kelp Way. His thoughts were running as fast as his legs. He needed to get to Flo, tell her what had happened. About the kennels and Bradley and how Malec still loved them with everything that he was.
His stomach rumbled as he ran. He was hungry. Without even a sip of coffee before shifting and then expending energy was taking its toll on him.
As he drew nearer to the motel he spotted a parade of shops and the scent of freshly baked pastries and bread filtered toward him. Slowing to a trot, he was glad it was still early morning and there weren’t too many people out and about.
It took him a few minutes to find the right place—a dark, deserted doorway at the back of a library—and shift.
Once in his human body he stepped out into the sunshine, straightening his T-shirt and running his hand over his hair. He headed for the bakery, his mouth already watering as he gripped the money in his pocket.
The shop was empty, though the two members of staff were setting up for the day.
“Hey,” he said, eyeing the counter. “Can I take two of the cinnamon, two ham and cheese subs and four doughnuts.”
“Coming right up.”
He watched impatiently as his order was bagged. His need to get to Flo was like a real physical tug, as if there was a magnet between them and resisting it was taking up all of his strength.
As soon as he’d paid he headed out of the door at a jog. The motel was only a block away. Finally, he reached the door and slipped the key card in. Stepping inside, he came to a halt.
“What the hell do you think you’re playing at?”
Flo stood before him, hands on hips and her cheeks flushed. Her eyebrows were pulled low and she was tapping her right toe against the carpet.
Damn it.
“I’m sorry. I can explain.”
“Really?” She dragged in a breath. “You can explain why you’ve been gone all night?”
“Flo, please.” He set the food on the table and shut the door. “Don’t get yourself all worked up. It’s not good for the baby.”
“And sitting here all night, worried sick about you, about Malec is good for the baby.” Her eyes glistened and her bottom lip trembled.
If Raul could have thumped himself on the nose for leaving her, he would have. Quickly he stepped up close. But for the first time ever, she pulled away. His breath caught, it was as if a noose were around his neck. “No, sweet pea, don’t do this.”
She spun around and stepped up to the wall. Stood there with her nose an inch from it. Her arms hung at her sides and her shoulders sagged.
He stared at her back, at her slender shoulders and narrow waist. How the hell could he have done this to her?
By her feet lay the note he’d written. It was balled up and ripped.
“I’ve been with Malec,” he said, holding out his palms but not daring to go to her. The thought of her moving away again was too painful.
Silence.
“He’s okay.”
“Good.” Her voice snapped around the room.
“He misses you, loves you.”
She wrapped her arms around herself, as though holding her body together.
“It’s complicated, not what you think. He’s got himself…”
“What?” She turned to him. “He’s got himself what?”
“In a bit of a fix.”
She swallowed and tipped her chin. “Go on.”
He knew she was summoning courage, waiting to hear bad news—hear that another person had stolen their lover’s attention.
“Dogs, he’s got himself a whole bunch of stray dogs. About twenty of them. All in this makeshift pound just down from the gas station. He’s staying there, too, looking after them, working all the hours under the sun. I was worried about him, so I stayed. He’s thin, tired…we need to figure this out.” He gestured at her belly. “Especially now.”
“Did you tell him? About the baby?”
“No, of course not. That’s for you to do.”
She slid her hands up to her face and covered her eyes. A sob bubbled up.
Raul could stand it no more. He rushed to her and wrapped her in his arms.
She allowed the tears to spill and he held her close, rubbed her shoulders and made soothing noises against her temple. Eventually she pulled back. Her eyes were red and the tip of her nose damp. “I’ve been so scared, so worried about what you’d discovered.” She paused and shook her head.
“What?”
“I was frightened that…”
“That what?” He pushed her long dark hair over her ears and lowered his face to hers. “Tell me.”
“That you’d left me, too.” Two tears spilled and rolled in perfect symmetry down her cheeks.
“Oh, Flo, no. How could you think that?” A pain shot through his heart. He’d never leave her overnight again, not for anything in the world. From now on, he’d always be there with her. Not even the devil or an apocalypse would keep him from her. “I love you so much. You’re my world. How could you doubt me?”
“In the dead of the night, when you have only thoughts for company, it’s easy to let the worst ones hold court.”
He kissed her, a gentle, tender press of his mouth to hers. He hoped in that kiss she’d feel how much he adored her. How much she meant to him.