Chapter 36: Mating Call
Harlow
“Woah!” I examined Brat’s mating mark.
“I’m freaking out!” Brat said. “This isn’t just something you can take back. A mating mark is for life!”
“You and Liam just met yesterday?” Stella asked. “That’s insane!”
“You’re not helping!” Brat said with tears in her eyes. “He’s supposed to go back to school in a couple of days. And his poor dad… How is Dax gonna react when he finds out that I cradle-robbed his baby boy while he’s mourning his mate? I’m twenty-two. I’m supposed to be the YOUNGER woman!”
“Ok, ok,” Stella said. “The mating mark is only permanent if both partners have marked each other. Otherwise, it fades after a week or so. Did you—”
“Yes, I marked him, too!” Brat said. “And the mating bond... It’s very real. Like, it actually kinda hurts to be away from him, and he just went back to his dad’s place to take a shower.”
The thought of holding a bond like that with another person was almost unfathomable. I loved Cyrus. I was sure of it. And having a biological bond that tied us together was beginning to sound more and more amazing…
“I’m mated!” Brat said, forcing me out of my own head. “I’m mated to a nineteen-year-old English major… Or is it psychology? Oh, I’m a horrible mate! I don’t even know what his major is!”
Brat buried her head in her hands as Stella and I tried to comfort her.
“At least… Liam seems like a really nice guy,” I offered.
“He totally is,” Stella said. “I used to babysit him.”
“Oh, God,” Brat sobbed. “I’m a cougar! I’m a cougar-wolf… Were-cougar?”
“I like were-cougar,” Stella mused.
Bonnie came in at that moment. Brat hid her mating mark, and I took the opportunity to follow Bonnie to the back to ask her about Stella becoming a prospect.
“You sure about this?” Bonnie asked as she sat down at the desk in the office. “I’ve known Stella since we were pups, and she tends to just ride around with whatever Howler she can get with.”
“She wants to turn things around,” I said. “I figured since you gave me a chance…”
“Ok,” Bonnie said. “I’ll have the other officers take a vote. That doesn’t mean she’ll necessarily become a Blood Dog, but we’ll see where it goes.”
“Really?!” Stella shouted. She’d heard us from the front of the bar. Super-duper werewolf hearing had struck again. “Thank you so much, Bonnie. I’ve got a bike I can get fixed up and everything!” So the Blood Dogs had one more prospect.
I went back up front when Arlene came through the door, followed shortly after by Dax. We all smiled at Dax as he walked toward the back to talk to Bonnie, and they closed the office door. Brat looked guilty as hell.
“Here, Harlow,” Arlene said to me. “Didn’t’ have a chance to fill you up with leftovers before you left last night.” She handed me a canvas bag full of food. Then she looked at Brat. “What’s wrong, darlin’? I gave you leftovers, right?”
Brat slowly moved her hand away from her mating mark to show Arlene.
“HOLY SH*T!” Arelene screeched.
Stella and I shushed her.
“You and Liam?” Arlene asked in a whisper.
Brat nodded.
“Does Dax know?”
Brat shook her head. “Liam and I aren’t sure how to tell him. He just lost his mate. What’ll this do to him? I’m basically Mrs. Robinson.”
Arlene let out a laugh. “Honey, you’re a few years older than Liam, but you’re no Mrs. Robinson. Did you know Lola was almost twenty years older than Dax? Dax was in his forties when Lola turned him, and she was past sixty.”
I hadn’t thought about that at all. The fact that werewolves had such long lifespans meant that the aging process slowed down somewhere along the way.
Arlene saw the questioning look in my eye. “Around thirty years old is when werewolves’ aging slows down. That’s how we live to be so old. Hell, I’m almost eighty-four.”
My eyes grew wide. I wouldn’t have guessed Arlene was older than fifty.
Arlene put her hand on Brat’s shoulder. “You and Liam don’t have an easy road ahead, but you’re both good kids, and the mating bond helps a lot. Dax is havin’ a rough go of it, but I’m sure he’ll be supportive.”
“Thanks for understanding, Bonnie,” we all heard Dax say as he walked out of the office, followed by Bonnie.
“We’ll miss you, Dax,” she said. “But you know you always have a place here when you’re ready. You and Liam both.”
“What’s goin’ on?” Arlene asked as she thrust bags of leftovers into Bonnie’s and Dax’s hands.
“I’m takin’ some time away,” Dax said. “I’ve decided to move to L.A. to be closer to Liam while he’s in school. Lola was always kinda the peacemaker between us, but I don’t wanna keep wastin’ time not communicatin’ with my son.”
At that exact moment, Liam burst into the bar.
“Brat,” he announced. “I’ve been thinking. I know we hardly know each other, but we’ve got our whole lives to work that out. After I finish this semester, I can transfer to Skeetwood Community College for a while so you don’t have to stay away from the club. If you’ll come with me for just a couple of months now, I’ll move back here to be with you.”
Then he seemed to notice his father was also in the room.
“What’s this now?” Dax asked with a confused look on his face.
Liam and Brat looked at each other, then simultaneously revealed their mating marks.
“Holy sh*t!” Dax said, rushing to them.
“I’m so sorry, Dax!” Brat cried. “I don’t mean any disrespect, and I’m not trying to trap your son or anything—”
Dax stopped her with a hug. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart. Lola’d be so happy to have a daughter.” He looked between Brat and Liam. “We’ll work the details out.”
Everyone else stood with our mouths open until Dax came over to the bar and said, “One Diet Cola, please, and I’m buyin’ the next round for everyone.” Once everyone was served, Dax lifted his glass. “To my son and new daughter.”
Everyone cheered. The celebratory mood went on into the afternoon. Once Red and Gunner joined, they texted half the town, and soon there were over a hundred people at the bar. Eventually, the guys from the garage came over, and Blayze and Cyrus joined in.
Cyrus stood at the bar near me. After all of the celebrating, I’d nearly forgotten that we had a date tonight.
“I’m gonna run home and change,” he said.
“Should I wear something nice? What are we doing?” I asked him.
“Wear anything you want,” he said. “We just need to leave by 8:30.” It was nearly 7:00, which was when I’d get off.
The sun had just gone down, so I wasn’t too surprised when Madoc walked into the bar.
Cyrus
“Congratulations,” Madoc told Brat and Liam after he asked Harlow for a margarita.
The rest of the crowd in the bar was wary of him. Most of them likely knew what he was at that point and kept their distance.
When Harlow slid him his drink, he leaned forward and caught her hand. I didn’t like him touching her like that and was ready to push him away. But I stopped when I heard what he said to her next.
“Speaking of celebrations,” he said, “any birthday plans?”
Birthday?
“Oh...uh, no, I don’t usually do anything,” Harlow replied. “How did you know?”
“It’s on your wanted poster,” Madoc said with a sh*t-eating grin.
“Wait.” Red burst into the conversation. “You have a birthday coming up?”
“It’s no big deal.” Harlow shrugged.
“When is it?” I asked her, feeling like a bit of a jacka** not knowing something about her that the smarmy vampire did.
“The day after tomorrow,” Madoc answered for her.
“What the hell?!” Red exclaimed. “Harlow, you’ve gotta tell us these things! We’re throwing you a party. Werewolves love parties. If there’s a reason to celebrate, we’re doing it.”
I began to rack my brain for ideas of the perfect gift. But Harlow’s taste wasn’t like most other girls.
“I’ll be by your place to pick you up at 8:30, ok?” I said.
“Sure.” She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before I left.
I walked out, hopped on my bike, and made my way home. I needed to shower and change before our date, but the main thing on my mind was a gift for Harlow’s birthday.
When I reached my house, I went to the garage where I kept old things that had belonged to my parents. Opening the garage door, my eye went directly to one item in particular.
“Perfect,” I said to myself. “That’ll be perfect.”