FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

It was a Friday evening like any other in this small and casual pub: a constant roar of chatter in the air, 90s rock music playing from the speakers, sports playing on TVs scattered all over the dimly lit wooden interior, and a lone anthropomorphic gray Wolf keeping company to an order of french fries before him.

The status of ‘lone’ was short lived, however. “Hey.” A cheerful Wolf, smaller than he, invites herself onto the stool to his right.

“Not interested.” The cold male Wolf avoids her gaze.

Not like she believed him. That, or she thought highly of herself to lean in anyway. “Relax, old man. I won’t bite.”

Maybe the silver ring in his right hand would help her take the hint? “I’m married.”

“Happily?” Her gentle touch slithers towards his big fuzzy hand, but he whips it away. What finally convinced her to snap back—quickly—was his low growl, raised hackles, wrinkly snout, and flat ears; signs indicating an impending attack. “Alright, alright! I get it! Jeez...” Flat ears cowers away with her tail between her legs. “Your loss, old man…”

The 37-year-old sighs, and takes another sip of water. ‘Every fucking time,’ he irritably thinks to himself.

Slowly, his offensive traits drift into dormancy.

Even for a Wolf, he was half a foot taller than the average; seven feet, to be precise. This made him irresistible to all sorts of she-Wolves.

And that posed a problem.

It’s Friday evening, and he was by himself at the pub. This is the only time of the week he gets to himself. No PTA meetings, no corporate managers breathing down his neck, no chaperoning for his daughter’s field trip tomorrow…

Oh, that’s right. He’d completely forgotten that his wife volunteered him for that stupid trip against his wishes.

It made him sigh in frustration just thinking about it.

And it was part of the reason why he liked coming here after work on Fridays. Just him, and the junk food that is unlike any other he’d ever tasted. It brought him peace.

“Watch out!” Smack! And out of his hand flew those delectable french fries.

He was going to eat those. Who the hell had the nerve to smack the food out of his hands?

He snaps his angry hazel eyes to the heretic: a short black woman that was retracting her small right hand. “Hey!” And up tall spiked his hackles. “What’s the big-”

As he was stunned in silence, the small woman had choice words of her own. “Boi, I just saved your life! You almost ate an onion…” And there she went too. Like she saw a ghost. “...ring…”

Both parties were speechless.

Was this real?

Were they dreaming?

“...Ally?” Responded the wolf. His hackles disappeared in record time.

“...Mikey?” Unlike him, the five foot woman’s shock was quickly replaced with overwhelming joy. “Oh my god! It’s been forever!”

To say she was excited was an understatement. Even if he was seven feet tall, that didn’t stop her from hanging onto his poofy neck in a tight and loving embrace.

“Uh…” He wraps his arms around her as well, albeit with hesitation. “...yeah! 19 years…”

Hesitation that dissolves the instant his arms felt her warmth. They just had to hold her tighter. There was just something about her touch that felt, for lack of a better word, addicting.

It was a short lived hug with Ally releasing her arms not much later. “Uh...my bad…” She felt highly embarrassed by what she’d just done.

“It’s alright…” His upward ears could pick up on the beat of her small and gentle heart. The rhythm was synced to the heavy beat of his own. “Being excited isn’t a crime.”

Now, on the floor once more, she placed her hands on her hips. “Damn, Mikey. Fatherhood hit you hard.”

Last she saw him, he was a serious teenager with a personality as free as water. Now, exhaustion plagued the fur around his eyes, and he’d let himself go quite a bit. Not enough for his defined arms to completely go away, but he had a bit of a dad bod going on.

She kind of liked it.

“Yeah. It’s been…” He just couldn’t help but sigh for dramatic effect; a sigh that helped to put him at ease a bit. “...an experience, that’s for sure.”

He scanned her attire: a black t-shirt covered by a likewise colored leather jacket, and blue jeans that hug her voluptuous hips and legs in all the right places; on her feet, black sock boots that helped give her a mature, yet eye-catching look.

“Well, I’ve got time.” There was no hesitation to plop herself on the stool right next to him. “Let’s catch up! Whatchu been doin’ for the past 19 years?”

She looked up to him with shining brown eyes that radiated admiration through her big poofy afro. In her excitement, she hadn’t notice that one of her tiny hands had laid itself over one of his gargantuan pads.

But he did. The contrast between the pink of her nails and the darkness of her skin was oddly mesmerizing.

‘This is a bad idea...’ Given their history. But, something within him refused to send her away. He just couldn’t say no to those inviting eyes. “I’ll be honest…” He says, continuing on with the conversation anyway, but retracting his hand a bit. “...the years have just kind of flown by. I mean, it was certainly a struggle at first—daughter and all—but eventually, I grew used to the routine. Wake up, take her to school on certain days, work, come home, repeat.” A short description, but he was never good at giving long speeches. “What about you? What have you been up to?”

“Oh lord...where to begin…” She places her hand on her forehead, elbow on the table, and shakes her head. “Sometimes I think I shoulda just gotten an arranged marriage.”

“Wait, you’re not married?” A little detail that caught his attention more than he would’ve liked.

“Hell nah. These men out here ain’t shit. Not like my momma gives a fuck. Every five seconds, she’s all ‘ Oh Aleena, when are you gonna get yo** ur ***self a man! Where are my grandkids, Aleena!* ’ Like I don’t have standards, or some shit.”

The way she spoke elicits laughter from Mikey. It’s been a while since he’d heard this kind of speech. Unlike his peers, he didn’t consider it bad or ill mannered. It just made her words all the more entertaining.

“I see Mrs. Jackson hasn’t changed at all. She’s well, I take it?”

“Yeah, she’s good.” She side-eyes Mikey without a smile on her face. The omission of a certain someone from his earlier recap caught her interest. “What about Mrs. Falconer? She doin’ alright?”

“Yeah, Sheila’s fine.” He takes a sip of water. “For the most part.”

Aleena raises an eyebrow, but Mikey couldn’t tell since her afro was obstructing it. “Trouble in paradise?”

“No. The doctor says that her stress levels are high. It wasn’t an issue before, but it’s only getting worse with time. I’ve taken on more responsibilities at the house to try and help her out, but I don’t think it’s working.”

‘Of course you’d do that.’ She was happy knowing that even after all this time, he was still so caring of others. “Have you tried to...ya know…”

Mikey shook his head. “Female wolves don’t work like that. It’s not January, so she’s not even in the mood to do it.”

“Just cause she ain’t in heat don’t mean she can’t cum, Mikey!” She playfully slaps the arm of the unflinching wolf next to her.

Well, external flinching anyway. Her knowledge on the subject was suspect to Mikey. “How do you know that?”

“Oh!” A lightbulb went off in her head. “I forgot to tell you. I got a degree in Wolf Biology! I’m a whole ass doctor now!”

“No kidding?”

“Yeah!” She couldn’t help but reveal her pearly whites. “I’m a family physician!”

“A whole ass doctor…” Mikey repeats, his white fangs mirroring her genuine smile. “That must’ve been hell. Especially with you being human, and all.”

“Naw, it was easy as hell!” She kept her fists to her hips, and her small chest up high; much like her spirits.

Before he knew it, he’d found himself pulled in by the small woman’s charm.

There were no demands here. No responsibilities. It was just him, and his old friend making up for lost time.

Time which both parties lost track of. Their conversation hit the 45-minute mark; a fact not currently known by either one.

Mikey looked at her with a mixture of disbelief, and suppressed laughter. “You’re kidding.”

“Naw!” She playfully slaps at his big chest. “I’m tellin’ ya! This dude was right on top of me, and legit said ‘ I’m gonna breed you! ’ Like, boi, if you don’t get yo lame ass off me!”

With how she described the ordeal, he couldn’t not lose his shit. “Sounds like he’s been watching too much H&A.”

A response that filled her with a mixture of shock and disbelief. “That’s what I thought too!” Several more light smacks of excitement—synced with her words—landed on the counter. “I mean, who the fuck speaks like that?”

Their conversation was interrupted by the slide of an alcohol-filled glass on the counter. The container, atop the thin glass stand, was shaped like an hourglass; and within it resided the pink and frozen beverage. “Strawberry daiquiri. Complements of tall, dark, and handsome over there,” Muses the flamboyant bartender, pointing to a dark-skinned black man that had his lustful eyes locked onto Ally.

The man and Aleena exchanged looks of seductive interest and awkward acknowledgment, respectfully.

“Well, you haven’t lost your charm, that’s for sure.” Mikey empties the remnants of his water. “I find it hard to believe that you haven’t found one good guy in all this time.”

‘I have,’ Is what she wants to say. But, as she looks into his calm hazel eyes, she knows she can’t. For multiple reasons. “You know how it is, Mikey. All we dark skinned girls is to guys is fuck toys.” She grips the glass, and takes a hefty sip from the straw within.

“You got a degree in Wolf Biology. Doesn’t sound like you’re a fuck toy to me.” He motions for the bartender to refill his glass.

Her shiny brown lips separate themselves from the straw. “Yeah, well other guys ain’t you, Mikey.”

The topic had clearly soured her mood, so he was determined to change the subject to something else. Anything else.

As he continued, he was calm. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel worse than she already did. “Speaking of the degree, what made you decide to pursue Wolf Biology?”

It was a terrible question for transitioning from a sour topic, but it seemed to do the trick. She took a large sip of her drink before she responded; and when she did, she couldn’t look at him directly. “Honestly, I dunno. It just kinda happened.”

“Well, there has to be a reason.” He found it odd that she broke eye contact to tell him that. With a playful tone, and cheeky grin, he leans in and tries to look at her in the eyes. “Was it lil ol’ me?”

Her stiffening told the chuckling wolf all he needed to know.

“Shut up,” She muffles in a child-like manner, sipping more and more of her drink like it was a smoothie.

“Whoa! Slow down, Ally!” His big hand eclipses hers. “You’re going a little too fast.”

“Uh…” She was glad that her dark skin could hide her blush. “...yeah. Right.”

She should be fighting his touch, pulling away, but something about his warmth brought about a tingling sensation within her that kept her hand in place.

When he began to pull back, she could feel her instincts begging to latch on. She resisted, however, and settled for disappointment once he severed their connection.

“You know, I never asked. What brings you back to Houston?”

“I...uh…” Her voice began to tremble. “...accepted a job offer here.”

Rather than the petrifaction she was expecting, he looked like a kid on Christmas morning. “Are you serious? That’s great!”

His smile was contagious; It coaxed one out of her. “Yeah, I thought so too. They offered me a hell of a raise, so I was like ‘Why not’? Ya know? And-” It sounded like there was more, but she decided against it. “-that’s pretty much it.”

“Uh, can you give me a second? Nature’s calling.” The wolf stands up and calmly begins to head for the bathroom.

“Yeah, sure.”

Aleena just can’t help but gawk at him as he does so. A behavior not lost on the bartender. “You like him, don’t ya, honey?” His flamboyant curiosity interrupted Aleena of her school girl ogling.

“I...uh...used to.” Taking a sip of her drink seemed to be the only thing that brought her comfort right now.

“Girl, I know a crush when I see one.” He was wiping the bar as he spoke. “Just so you know, he’s married.”

“Yeah.” She acknowledges with hints of sorrow. “I know.”

In the bathroom, Mikey stood at a urinal, relieving himself from the consequences of a water-only lifestyle. He used one hand; the other was used to eclipse Aleena’s, and he felt it odd to touch his dick with it.

Especially since her touch still lingered in his palm.

Her softness, her tiny softness, was easily dominated by his big hand. His heart raced just thinking about it.

And he hated it. ‘Calm down, Mike.’

He was able to suppress his true feelings in the moment. Now, with time to process them, he didn’t know what to do. If he still felt this way, did she?

He hoped that he didn’t sound too happy out there at the news of her homecoming. Was it the joy of being able to see an old friend once more, or was it his body seeing an opportunity it missed long ago?

No, even if it was the latter, he couldn’t allow any old feelings to take the reigns. He’s worked long and hard to build the stability his family has today, and he’ll be damned if he lets short-term desires tear it all down.

But with Aleena coming back to town, the job was going to be much harder. There was clearly still desire for her within him; and if his hungering hand was anything to go by, he knew that his instincts were going to be trouble.

He’d think it over later. For now, it was time to go back to the bar.

What Mike didn’t like was the sight of the black man from earlier sitting next to Aleena; right where he sat. Even at his current distance, and through the roar of cheerful conversations taking place all over the restaurant, Mike could hear their little chat.

“Aw, come on, baby. I bought you a drink, and you can’t even spare a hello?” Asked the desperate man.

“I said I ain’t interested.” She sounded uncomfortable.

“Don’t be like that, girl. I just wanna get to know ya better.” As he leaned in, she did the opposite.

The final straw was him forcing his grip on her arm.

“Let go a’ me!” Her free hand approached her bag.

She was in for a surprise when she saw a big gray blob pin him to the ground. It took her a second to realize that it was Mike; and his deep, establishment-shaking growl was loud enough to drown out the surrounding conversations that quickly died down.

Raised hackles, stiff tail, bared fangs, flexed muscles, wide eyes, claws around the man’s neck; Mike was on the verge of tearing him apart, and Aleena knew it.

“Mikey!” She snapped up, and rushed to hover her tiny hand over Mike’s choking arm. It was flexed, but she knew—and was worried—that he could take it much further. “Mikey stop!”

His tone, previously gentle, was raspy and impatient. “Give me one good reason why!”

“I’m not hurt, Mikey! I’m okay!” The other hand was placed on Mike’s back.

They exchanged glances; even as his primal desire to kill was directed at Aleena, she refused to move. She was confident that he wouldn’t attack.

And she was right. “Let him go,” She says softly.

‘What’s with those eyes?’ Mike wondered.

Those gentle, concerned eyes? For him? Why?

He was going to try and take her by force; her well being wasn’t even a factor; and she wanted him to spare the bastard?

Mike’s body screamed at him to rip the man’s throat off.

Does she not feel the same?

No. She really does want Mike to spare him. That’s the message she’s conveying through those gentle brown eyes of her.

And if that’s what she truly wanted, then his body instinctively began to comply.

With a sigh, he stands.

“Fine.” His ears remained flat, unlike his aggressive voice. A friendly hand was offered to help the black man get on his feet, which was nervously accepted.

The aggressive features, however, remained as a warning.

“H-hey,” Uttered the nervous black man as he spoke. His palms were raised defensively. “I’m sorry, aight! I didn’t know she was yours!”

‘She was mine?’ A tiny part of him felt a tingle at that association, but he pushed it down for now. His first instinct was to correct him; say that he was married to someone else. But, he knew that wasn’t the wisest idea right now. It felt weird having to pretend to be Aleena’s boyfriend after two decades of faithfulness to his wife.

So, he didn’t. He went for the truth he felt within.

His voice goes unusually deep, and Aleena swears she can hear hints of growl. “If I ever see you pull that shit again, I’ll fucking kill you.” He poked the man’s chest with one of his trimmed black claws. Not the best idea, especially with the threat, but he was too pissed to care in the moment. “Now get the hell out of my sight.”

“Not so fast.” The bartender held a palm up. “I have to call the police.”

“Aw hell nah.” Like toilet paper during the COVID-19 pandemic, the black man was gone faster than anyone would have liked.

A tall force of nature that can split him open like a bag of chips? Relatively easy to handle compared to the monsters in the Houston Police Department.

It wasn’t until the man left Mike’s line of sight that his offensive traits began to subside.

With the help of Aleena. “Easy, Mikey…” It’s been years, but Aleena knew exactly what to do in this kind of situation. Gentle voice, one of her hands over his, another petting the back that vibrates with his fury, and her head on his arm.

She didn’t know why, but this always did the trick; as seen from the hackles that slowly go to sleep.

Now, Mike and Aleena sat at the bar in silence for what felt like an eternity. After many nods, vocal acknowledgments, and the last of Aleena’s daiquiri, the bartender hangs up from his phone call with the police.

“Well, good news. They’re not gonna show,” He says, much to the relief of Mike and Aleena.

“Thank god,” They utter in unison.

“I know you’re a good guy, so I won’t ban you this time.” He dramatically points at the Wolf. “But you better not do that again, mister!”

“Sorry.” Mike couldn’t help but scratch the back of his head as his ears went flat.

“Well…” Begins Aleena. “...I think imma head out now.”

“Yeah.” Mike nods in agreement. “After that ordeal, I think it’s as good a place as any to call it. I’ll walk you to your car.” There was a nagging feeling within him that the man from earlier may still be around. He wanted to be sure she left safely. Just in case.

“I didn’t bring my car,” She says, whipping out her phone and tapping away.

“Wait. You Uber’d here?”

“Yeah. I was gonna get fucked up, but-” She was surprised when she felt her phone get swiped. “-hey!” Her small hops, and upwards reach, forced a smile on his maw.

“I’m not letting you pay a thousand dollars to go home.” He says, holding the phone as high as he can. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift.”

“Uh…” Now she was really glad her skin was too dark to show off her blush; especially in the dark restaurant. “Yeah. That’s be great. But...I’m staying at a hotel tonight.”

“Really? Why?”

“The movers fucked up...”

The two begin to walk out of the establishment. As they do so, the bartender just can’t help but look at the two with skepticism.

He’s known Mike for years, and the joy he wore on his face today is one he hadn’t seen in...ever. Not to say that he’d never come in happy before; but this was different. The only times he’d seen Wolves look like that was when they were trying to court a female Wolf.

Then, there was the girl. He’s never seen her before, but her feelings for Mike were obvious; even without the alcohol. Now, her inhibitions were lowered, and she accepted a ride from a race known for emotional volatility.

To a hotel of a places.

He knew Mike was a good guy. The number of female Wolves he’s turned down over the years far surpasses what he can count on his hands. But, Wolves tended to succumb to their instincts far easier than humans.

As the entire bar just witnessed.

One small threat to the girl, and he was prepared to gut the other man like a fish.

That just begged the question. If she prodded at Mike, even a little, would his instincts take over again?

He wanted to say no, given what he’s seen of the tall Wolf.

But then again, today marks the first time Mike didn’t finish his treasured junk food.

The sun hides behind the horizon of the Downtown Houston skyscrapers as Mike and Aleena leave the bar. It was still not quite night time, with a transition from violet-pink to starless dark decorating the sky, but even Mike needed the headlights of his light blue Toyota Sequoia to see the road ahead of him.

Neither he, or Aleena, dared speak. Mike, because he wasn’t quite sure of how she felt after seeing him go feral; and Aleena, who could feel the daiquiri demanding more and more control of her brain.

It wasn’t making it hard to walk, nor was it slurring her speech, but it was planting immorality in her head.

She recounts the scene from the bar over, and over, and over again. There was a moment where she was sure he was going to attack; a moment where reason was cast aside in favor of pure, violent instinct.

That irrational, unstoppable, volatile power wouldn’t leave her head. It was dangerous; It was heart-pounding; It was…

…arousing.

The more she tried to rid herself of those thoughts, the hotter they burned.

‘Aleena, chill…’ But it was no use. Her body refused to feel anything else at the thought of Mike losing control like that.

Her lustful sigh was heavy and saturated with frustration; something that caught Mike’s attention. “Are you doing alright, Aleena?”

“Y-yeah,” She weakly shoots out. “That daiquiri just had some hands. My head’s spinnin’.”

‘That daiquiri was tiny,’ Mike thinks to himself. ‘Then again, she is a tiny woman.’

He wasn’t very knowledgeable about alcohol consumption and its ability on humans. It was toxic to Wolves, so it was mainly used for first-aid.

“That’s not bad, is it?” There was apprehension in his tone.

She chuckles. “Nah, Mikey. I’m not gonna die.” One of her small hands gently pats at the brachialis of his right arm. “Don’t worry.”

His concern for her, even after all these years, warmed her heart. But she wished it didn’t.

Fortunately, their time together was coming to an end as his Sequoia approached a rather pricey-looking hotel. “I...uh...guess we’re here.”

But, her body wasn’t content with leaving things like this. “Yo...Mikey…” She could feel her chest start a nervous beat. ‘Don’t do this, Aleena…’

“Yeah?” He says, driving up to the front of the building.

‘Shut up…’ She thinks to herself once more, hoping that her body syncs with her rationality. “Can you...uh...walk me to my room?” No luck.

Even Mike felt uneasy. A feeling made worse by the drumming heart that his ears could pick up. “Uh… I don’t-”

“Just for safety!” She shouts abruptly. “Just in case that dude followed us here, or somethin’.”

“I highly doubt that…” The sight of his ears going flat is exactly what she didn’t want to see. She knew she crossed the line with that request, and now she had to face the rejection in real time.

She couldn’t bear to watch.

But, Mike’s mind couldn’t help but wander. Even if that guy didn’t follow them, he’d heard stories of lone women getting stalked and harassed at hotels. Or worse. The thought of it happening to a tipsy Aleena, as she made her way to her room, was too much to fight.

“...but…” His reconsideration surprises her. “...I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

‘Oh my god!’ Her heart was pounding, and her head spinning. ‘This isn’t happening!’ But it was, and deep down, a part of her was glad for it.

If they thought that conversation was awkward, then stepping into the cool lobby, by comparison, was like being put on a spotlight.

They paid little mind to the features of the lobby: only the white marble tile and fancy red pillars stood out. The color of the walls, furniture, and center carpet mattered little to them.

Everywhere they looked, the only groups that were interspecies seemed to be corporate or friendly; but even those were few and far between.

Not once did they see two interspecies adults together. The couples, however, were more than aware of them.

“You…” Mike shakily whispers. “...have your room key on you, right?”

“Yeah...” Aleena whispers, looking at the floor in embarrassment. “...hotel app…”

As embarrassing as it was, she couldn’t help the tingle she felt within, being associated as Mike’s date.

They wait for the elevators, and sure enough, people can’t fight the glancing. It triggered Mike’s instincts once more.

He just couldn’t help but pull her close, arm over her shoulder. Anyone that seemed even remotely suspicious was glared at.

‘Mikey…’ Why did he have to be so defensive? It was torture.

She knew it wasn’t the case, but she just couldn’t help but feel like Mike was trying to lay claim to her. It felt good; he smelled good; and she hated the fact that it made her burn so good.

Mike, however, was much too on-guard to notice what it looked like. Everyone else, noticing his flat ears and raised tail tip, was uneasy; not like he cared. All he wanted was to see her arrive at her room safely.

On the way up to one of the higher floors, more glances ensued. Standing next to her was not an option in this crowded elevator, so he had to stand behind her.

It wasn’t until he’d crossed his arms around her neck defensively, and heard yet another sigh of frustration from her, that he became more aware of her current state.

She was so tiny; so weak. The part of his arms that hover over her chest could feel her heart going crazy.

It reminded his body of prey.

It commanded his arms to pull her in.

Rather than pull away, he was surprised to find her shifting back all on her own. Was she not scared? Was she not prey?

Ding!

The elevator’s doors, like Mike’s arms, separate. ‘Shit!’ It happened again.

Both parties rush through the crowd. The whispers of those around him, however, do not go unnoticed.

‘Like a hamster and a banana…’ Among others.

Eyes and head down; that was the only escape they had until they arrived at her room.

“This is…uh...” She could feel her nerves fighting for control. ‘...room...’ The urge to yank him by his white collar became more suffocating with every warm pulse that her heart sends throughout her body.

“I...uh...guess I’ll see you around?” After what just happened, he knew that their little date had to end. Now.

“Uh-” Her right hand desperately grips onto one of his; maybe a little too fast. “Wait!”

He said nothing; only looking back at her with a look of surprise.

As for her, she looked up at him with eyes that tried to hide their desire. “...do you mind...uh...checking my room?”

‘Checking your room?’ Wait, that’s right. The recent reports of rapists socially engineering room keys from hotel employees. That’s the only reason he’d even come into the building in the first place. “Uh...sure…”

This was a mistake. He knew this was a mistake. ‘Just keep this short, Mike.’

But his protective instincts couldn’t help themselves.

That’s what she was counting on.

With the swipe of her phone, the door’s scanner beeps happily. Mike enters first, followed by the small black woman that lets out one more sigh before closing the door.

She messes with the dimmer switch until the room becomes a warm, cozy dim. To see, of course.

And Mike would need it, eyeing the bottom of the room’s queen sized bed. The way he decided to kneel gave Aleena a lip-biting view of his butt through the black dress pants that pressed against him.

No intruder.

He stands, and observes his surroundings.

One look at him, and Aleena knew that his instincts were in control once more. He was tense; his movements snappy; his hazel eyes serious; his head hanging low, and his ears flat, but only when he searched something closely.

Yellow walls? Obviously not where the intruders could hide.

In the closet? Negative.

Behind the white curtains? Nope.

Chiffarobe? Fortunately not.

That just left the bathroom. There was a surprising amount of room in here.

Then again, it wasn’t a cheap hotel.

A fact that hit home when his black foot pads made contact with the heated white marble floor of the bathroom, much to his surprise. Was she really paying for this out of her own pocket?

‘Man, being a doctor sure does pay off, hu-’ He smacks his fuzzy cheeks. ‘F_ocus, Mike!’_

And on goes the search.

Wide rectangular bath tub surrounded by marbling? Impossible to hide in.

Glass shower? Even more so.

“Alright.” He turns to Aleena, who was standing at the door of the bathroom. “There’s no one here.”

The sound of skin slapping on tile surprised him. When did she take off her shoes? And her jacket?

As he was observing her for other changes, she’d stepped up to him and embraced him one last time. “Thanks, Mikey. You’re always so good to me.”

“Uh…” He returns the gesture in kind, albeit weakly. “Yeah...no problem…”

Not too strong a hug. Just light, and friendly.

Even so, with the short woman’s heart beating like that in his arms, he could feel the monster within starting to claw out once more. That’s when he knew that this had to end. Now.

“God…” Did she just sniff him? ‘Why do ya have to smell so good, Mikey?’ Her face presses tightly against his core, begging for more of him.

“A-Aleena!” His push away begins, but she was locked in tightly. He couldn’t sever their hug without pushing hard enough to hurt her. “I really need to go now!”

Her aroused chuckle concerned him.

“Do you really needa go, Mikey?” She looks up at him with lustful brown eyes that were under the control of her own monster. At her height, she was right where her chest could rub against his groin while standing. A problem for Mike, as he could feel the ever-increasing tension in his pants shifting towards the sanctuary of her soft, welcoming chest. “Or do ya have to go?”

Her small chest. Why was it so soft? Why did it feel like it was made just for this? Just for him?

Why was it getting harder to breathe?

“Cuz from whatchu told me at the bar, ever since we split up years ago, ya ass has been neglected.” She hops, locking her arms around his fluffy gray neck.

There was no attempt at pushing her away as she pulled herself up, settling down with locked ankes around his waist. The sensation of him prodding her body on the way up only encouraged her to press her hips against his once she was nice and situated.

She could feel how desperate his hardness was for a taste of her insides, and that brought out chuckling joy from the bottom of her heart. “Don’t worry, Mikey...I’ll take good care of you...”

He didn’t know how to respond. “I-”

“You what, Mikey?” She whispers, her strawberry breath taunting his nostrils and open, panting mouth. “Am I wrong?”

It was sweet; it was inviting. Did her tongue taste like that, too?

“I...uh...” The pleasure he felt when his hands tightened around her soft, tiny sides disgusted him.

No, what he hated was the fact that he had to push her away. Her thick thighs, however, proved stronger than her thin arms.

Surely, he was pushing with enough force to surely move such a tiny thing! Were human thighs really that strong?

It peaked instinctual curiosity within him. They appeared soft, but how did they feel?

A question that divided him; he groans, looking away. “Aleena, please...”

“It’s okay, Mikey. You can touch me.”

“I can’t…”

“But you want to.”

“I...won’t…” His panting intensifies.

“Then why don’t ya push me away with everything ya got, Mr. Wolf?” The peck she lands on his fuzzy neck sends a shiver down Mike’s spine. “What are ya so afraid of?”

Her eyes shift to the big hands that shake in confliction.

He wanted to stop; to leave her room.

But another part of him wanted to know how those thighs felt in his hands.

She lands peck after loving peck on his neck, each one raising his hackles more than the last.

Each brown kiss mark she leaves declaring to the world that he belongs to her.

And her thighs. They blessed his hips with delectable warmth. His hands, wishing for the same, surrender.

They just had to know how her jean-covered thighs felt in his palms.

Even for his larger hands, they were big. They were smooth.

They weren’t enough.

He needed more.

Bigger.

Her butt.

How did it feel in his palms?

Would she be mad if he moved his hands?

He decided to risk it.

A risk worth taking, as she yips in excitement at his proactivity when he grips each cheek with a loud smack.

“I-” He began to growl. Yet, his panting did not cease.

The way its powerful vibrations barrage her small chest only served to excite Aleena even more.

“It’s okay…” Her movements stop. “...don’t hold back...”

Her head ever so slowly starts moving towards his.

“Show me who you really are…” The moment Aleena planted her lips onto Mike’s, the emotions within became superfluous in an instant.

He just had to get in closer. As close as he could. It wasn’t until she was violently pinned against the white wall of the bathroom that he finally got a taste of the tongue that had been calling his name.

It did taste like strawberries. Could she taste the potent repression?

Uncontrollable lust struck both parties in an instant; like a thunderbolt. They were now lost in a sea of emotions that needed...no, demanded release.

Release that their maturities advertised, hungrily rubbing against each other through their pants in perfect sync.

But right now, all she wanted was to enjoy the sensation of her tongue as it was beaten to submission by the growling monster. She found it hard to breathe, but she didn’t care.

Oxygen was nothing compared to his big, oppressive tongue.

“Fuck me on the cuck chair, Mikey…” She muffled between breaths.

“ Shut up… ”

Little was known by either party in the minutes that followed their seated tongue battle. They were too entranced by their lustful kiss to notice that Aleena had begun to unbutton his white collared long-sleeve bit by bit. Mike, in turn, had aggressively ripped off her shirt and bra in two with his claws; far too impatient to take them off the normal way.

Not like she minded the torn clothes, or the marks on her skin.

He was so primal.

So rough.

So perfect.

But eventually, Aleena did need to catch her breath. She severed her bare chest from his soft furry torso, breathing heavily, and eyeing him with lustful excitement.

Big mistake. “ Get back here! ” His possessive fury reeled the giggling woman right back up to him using a tight grip on her black form-fitting boxers.

No matter how many times his hands rubbed at her butt, it never felt like enough.

He bet they felt even better without the obstructive cloth in the way.

“Take ‘em off, Mikey.” It was like she could read his mind.

Just like her shirt, they were impatiently torn off as well.

No time was wasted in aggressively grabbing her dark brown human ass once it was exposed to him. Its comforting warmth; its large size; the simultaneous smoothness and friction of human skin ;the loud clap it makes every time his hungry hands smack it, and the high-piched squeak of ecstasy that followed; he didn’t know what he liked more.

But she definitely knew what she liked. The roughness of his pads sent a chill up her spine; and it only encouraged her to sit on his large hands. Even if his claws made that difficult.

Finally, she was free. She was ready.

But he was not.

Why were his pants still on?

He was eager to rip them off too, but paused when Aleena placed her hands over his.

“It’s okay, Mikey. I got this.”

A low growl escapes his throat as she gains some more distance, but allows her to do so only because her hands maintained contact on the way to his brown belt.

She didn’t have claws to take off his clothes with ease; not like she needed them. Undoing his belt was done with expert speed, unlike the teasingly slow drop of his pants.

Finally, there it was, with an upward flick of freedom. Him . Fully erect, warm, and rock-solid.

Just for her.

Because of her.

Hungry for her.

It wasn’t until she had him in her stroking hands that she’d realized just how long she’d waited for this day. 19 long years…

No. Maybe more.

“People talk alotta shit about human girls. You wanna know where we shine, Mikey?” She spits on her small chest and leans forward, relishing in the new throbbing heat that it felt it was born to please.

Relishing in the addictive musk of mature Wolf that now branded her chest.

And there sat Mike, unlocking a new addiction of his own. The sensation of warm, smooth, pulsating human chest pleasuring him was something he was never going to forget.

“The things we can do that they can’t?” And her breath. The way its warmth teased his maturity. It made him curious about how he would feel in her soft, moist, fang-free mouth.

When was she going to do it? Was she going to do it? The curiosity was eating him alive to the point where he felt like no matter how much air he took in, it wasn’t enough.

“ Open your mouth.” He gripped at her afro with unchecked force, revealing her surprised, but shortly then excited eyes. She, in return, responded with a mouth that opened wide, tongue out.

Would it even fit?

‘Yes, Mikey...’ Looks like she was willing to find out. She could feel her eager mouth lubricate itself for the behemoth that was to come. ‘Use me…’ Her anticipatory fingers began to trail down her body all on their own.

She exchanged glances with Mike in this passionate moment. A moment where both parties felt strange emotions take root within. Not just lust, but...happiness? A sense of right with the world?

Emotions amplified by the sick satisfaction of disapproving parties finding out. Her parents, his parents, the man stealer…

The look she was giving him now, that of a woman drunk with mind-numbing lust, made every second longer he didn’t feel her around his hardness feel like pure torture.

Especially with the way her heavy warm breath continued to tease him. It only made his desire for release burn bright.

It only made his desire for release thrust him forward.

Just short of entering the sanctuary of her relieving mouth, however, both parties were temporarily freed of their lust by the sound of an annoyingly loud ring.

Aleena was willing to let it go to voicemail, but Mike looked at the source with pause. Gently, his grip releases, and he reaches for the pockets of his dropped pants.

She didn’t know who it was, but judging by his petrified reaction, she knew it was serious; enough to keep her mouth at bay from his tempting manhood. For now.

When he utters his first word, his voice is hoarse. “Hello?”

“Hey dad,” Responded the voice of a teenage girl. It was like the magic spell he needed to break free of his lust-fueled trance once and for all. “I was just calling to see if you were alright.”

“Y-” He clears his throat and stands, careful to avoid entering Aleena’s mouth. “Yes, sweetie. Daddy’s alright. I just got caught up with some...unforeseen circumstances.” His eyes dart to the small naked woman kneeling before him.

And just like that, he began to go flaccid.

“Like what?”

“I’ll...uh...” His ears were as flat as they could; his tail tucked in shame. “...tell you all about it when I get home. I’ve got a long drive ahead of me.”

That should buy him some time.

“So you’re coming home now?”

“Yes, sweetie. I’m going to my car right now.”

“Okay then. Drive safe, dad!”

“Will do, sweetheart. Thank you.” He’d never wanted to end a phone call so fast in his life. Aleena felt the same, but about putting on the clothes which were now in tatters on the floor. “I’m…” Mike quickly pulled up his pants. “...I’m gonna go...”

“Yeah…” Aleena wraps herself in bedsheets. Yet, no matter how much she wrapped, it didn’t cover the shame she felt in this moment. “...that’s a good idea.”

From the fastening of his belt, to the buttoning of his shirt, neither party said a word. Not until Mike had his claws on the door handle.

“Mikey…” She shakily spits out.

But he doesn’t look at her. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry…”

There was a pause in his response. “Me too.”

And with that, he was gone. But not without leaving Aleena with confusion.

‘What does he have to apologize for? I’m the one that…’ She couldn’t even finish that sentence without getting consumed by shame. ‘Even though you were married...’

She couldn’t blame this on the daiquiri anymore. Its hold on her had grown too weak by the time she’d begun to take off his shirt.

She was a whore, plain and simple. A homewrecker. A slut.

No, she was an attempted homewrecker, which somehow felt worse.

As for Mike, the feelings of shame within him were far stronger.

‘I can’t believe…’ So many things. Losing control so easily, almost cheating on his wife, lying about it front of…

Oh god. Aleena qualifies as a mistress now. The thought of it sickened him. He, and his weakness, branded his best friend with such a shameful title.

Not only that, but what was he going to do? He smelled of her, he smelled of sex, and he smelled of her on his sex.

He couldn’t go home like this. It would destroy the peace he’d worked so hard to maintain for his family.

But at the same time, he didn’t want to hide what happened. It would make him the lowest of the low.

Hell, he already is. Especially with the realization that his actions have also branded his wife as a cuckquean.

And his beloved daughter. How was he going to protect from this powder keg waiting to explode?

As he waits for the elevator, he can’t help but groan.

Fuck!

He knew this was going to happen.

He knew she was going to try something.

He knew he wouldn’t have the will to fight her advances.

Then why? Why did he go in anyway? Did he want to destroy his life’s work just for a quick night with…

With…

With the only person that’s given him the chance to be himself?

‘It’s okay...don’t hold back…’

It was like he’d been waiting to hear those words for a long, long time. And when he did, he melted into her little brown hands.

The ding of the elevator breaks his concentration. When it opens, the humans and Wolves within can’t help but glance at him before going on with their lives.

What were they looking at? Aleena wasn’t even here.

What time was it anyw-yeesh!

One glance at the reflection on his phone, and he was shocked to find brown lipstick all over his neck and lips.

A trip to the bathroom before leaving was a must.

And then, he had to figure out just how he was going to face his family.

While Mike was ridding himself of as much shameful evidence as he could, life continued normally in the suburban neighborhood he called home.

Two-story brick houses, small and neat front yards that angle up from the street, and individually paved driveways to match. Little was done to distinguish each house in this large community.

Not like they could do anything about that, lest they incur the wrath of the Homeowners’ Association.

Within one of these houses, specifically one that resides at the corner turn of Melody Lane, two female Gray Wolves kept each other company.

One, the 36-year-old mother, leaned against the sizable granite island that sat in the middle of the kitchen. She was the definition of the 90s standard; that is to say, she had not much going on in terms of figure by the standards of present-day 2014: thin, b-cups, and hips that didn’t help give her much of a curve.

Then, on the other side, stood tall her 18-year-old daughter. She inherited her mother’s chest, but wore hips that allowed for curves that would turn any man she passed into an owl.

Both were of similar size, roughly six feet tall, and were ready to unwind. The mother in her pink robe, and the daughter in a black Avenged Sevenfold t-shirt and red flannel pajamas.

“See?” The annoyed daughter had her smartphone in her paws. “He’s fine.” Her voice had some grit to it, like a rock star, and it contained hints of hostility.

Her mother, by comparison, had a light voice; like she was an angel. She faced her daughter with a gentle and concerned expression. “I know, but I just can’t help but worry.”

“About what?” One of the daughter’s fists lands on her hips. “Dad’s huge. No one’s gonna fu- ...mess with him.”

Still, her mother’s expression did not ease.

Yes, Mike was huge, but that’s exactly what worried her.

The notification chime of the daughter’s phone catches their attention. After some analysis, the daughter’s face goes from sour to…

...something worse.

“Aw! What!?” She groans.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” The mother’s head tilts slightly.

“Life hates me! That’s what’s wrong! I got the worst partner for tomorrow’s field trip…” Her ears flatten just thinking about it.

“Is it a bully?” The mother raises one of the light brown ‘eyebrows’ that her fur pattern blessed her with, much like her daughter.

“No.” The younger she-wolf can’t help but growl lightly. “But I’d prefer a bully over this annoying piece of sh- ...work.”

Just thinking about that blond annoyance filled her with unadulterated rage. Him, and his egotistical human ass had to share airspace with her for an entire day? What did she do to deserve such a cruel fate?

A cruel fate much less severe than the one Mike currently found himself in the middle of. The physical evidence around his neck may be gone, but that left the smell.

Fortunately, he had a plan for that. A plan that brings back memories of a hot summer in 1993.

Stepping into the truck stop brought great reprieve to a younger Mike and Aleena; both of whom looked like they’d just survived a tornado: messy hair, or fur in 16 year old Mike’s case, and clothes that were about as wrinkle-free as a naked mole-rat.

Mike, ears flat and tail cowering, looked to be extremely nervous for an athlete covered in muscle. “We’re gonna get caught…”

“No we’re not, Mikey.” 15 year old Aleena, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber. “Truck stops have gas stations and laundry machines. We’re good.”

It was obvious to any Wolf they passed that the two teens had been making out. The scent of one blended in with the other too much for that not to be the case.

“Aight…” Aleena and Mike secluded themselves in the laundry room. Fortunately, no one else was around. “You shower, I wash your clothes. Then, we switch. Got it?”

The thought of handling Aleena’s underwear flustered him to no end. But, he knew that was the last thing he should be thinking about.

“Got it…” He thought it was a good idea, but still felt nervous about the cover-up.

“Mikey! Chill!” Aleena pats his muscular arm in a friendly manner. “We ain’t getting caught! Trust me!”

There was something about her gentle smile that always sealed whatever she was selling. “Y-yeah. I trust you…” Something about it that always made all of his troubles evaporate no matter what they were doing.

But, she wasn’t here right now. He was alone at the truck stop, showering away as much shame as he could with cheap shampoo he’d bought on the fly.

Shame that seemed to be bottomless.

Shame that seemed to be self-generating.

And why wouldn’t it be? This wasn’t hiding a make-out session from his parents. He was covering up the affair he’d instinctually surrendered himself to.

The affair that still wouldn’t leave his mind.

He could still feel her soft thighs constricting around the torso that begs for their warmth once more.

And the way her small fingers toyed with his chest fur. Why wouldn’t it leave him alone?

The way her eyes pleaded, mouth open, prepared to surrender herself to his violent primal lust...

His maturity throbbed violently just thinking about it.

He knew it was wrong for it to linger in his mind—and worse, to feel his entire body pulsate with desire—but he couldn’t help it. There was just something about Aleena that brought out a side of him that he hasn’t had to face in a long time.

A side of him which didn’t have to capitulate to the strict standards set upon him by Wolf culture.

A side of him which didn’t have to sit, and wag his tail to please others.

A side of him that felt free.

But, he knew he couldn’t just surrender to his inner desires. He was an adult now; a parent.

A reality he thought he’d accepted long ago. But, feeling his hands drift lower and lower, he knew that he was mistaken.

Just one orgasm. That way okay, right?

Just to rid himself of these intrusive thoughts and emotions?

Yeah. Just don’t think about Aleena.

The last thing he needs is to think about how her tiny mouth would feel around his cock.

Or the wonderful ripple of her large, dark butt as his abdomen spanks it to the rhythm of his lust.

How tight she would feel as her maturity tried its hardest to coax out his seed...

...the way her light, cute voice would sound as she begged for his pups…

Well, so much for not letting the monster take the reigns again.

He closed his eyes; and for god knows how long, he stroked and stroked to the thought of-

Knock knock knock.

“Hello?” A male voice asks on the other side of the bathroom’s door.

And just as Mike was about to get there…

“Y-yeah?” Asked a raspy Mike.

“You’ve been in there an awfully long time. Just making sure you’re okay.”

“Uh…” He looks down to his softening manhood. “...yeah. I’m just about done here.”

“Okay. Sorry for interrupting you.” As the man’s footsteps left, so did Mike’s lust.

Just as well. He wasn’t sure if he could look his daughter in the eyes if he’d actually busted to that shameful fantasy.

Who was he kidding? Of course he couldn’t. Not even as he stood right outside of his own home after an uncomfortable drive.

How was he going to do this? A direct confession was off the table. The last thing he wanted to do was stress out his wife further.

And even more importantly, he wanted to avoid straining his daughter’s peace of mind.

Or were those just excuses he was using to make himself feel better about his affair?

Even now, after having used copious amounts of mouthwash, he could still feel remnants of Aleena’s small human tongue as it pleasurably rubbed against his own.

And he knew it would only burn hotter as he looked his family in the face, and lied his ass off.

‘Come on, Mike…’ His big paws grip at the door handle. ‘You can’t stay out here forever.’

Breath in, breath out.

One way or another, he had to return to his family.

He didn’t know what he expected when he opened the door. Maybe for his family to have their belongings packed? Looks of judgmental disappointment?

Nope, the dimly lit entrance was just as it always was.

Straight ahead of him was a spiraling staircase that led up to the second floor; no doubt Sasha was currently in her room, listening to her weird screeching humans.

To his left, a white support pillar that separated two different paths. To the pillar’s left, an empty dining table; and beyond that a kitchen with no light. To the pillar’s right, the lit living room where he could hear the quick pitter patter of claws against dark oak rushing towards him.

All six feet of his wife rushed at him, and embraced him tightly. “Michael!” She didn’t hesitate to plant her lips against his.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that she was kissing a cheater. What made it worse is that he had to pretend to want her; to press against her with his own lips due to a sense of obligation.

But it felt wrong. No passion; no desire for more.

It was something he’d grown used to; but after experiencing Aleena’s delectable tongue, he’s been reminded of just how tedious and boring this was.

When they did separate, a quick glance at Mike made her smile vanish. “What’s wrong?”

What he couldn’t fake was the position of his ears; flat with guilt. “Nothing, Sheila. I...uh...just had quite the day.”

“Oh, I’m sorry…” Her smaller hands lovingly encapsulate his right hand. “Come on. Let’s get you out of those stuffy clothes...” Her tone took a surprisingly sharp turn towards whispering seduction. “...and let’s see if I can help you.”

"Honey, I'm a bit tired..."

Wow. He almost sleeps with his friend, and his wife wants to have sex?

Weird day.

But, at least he doesn’t have to feel guilty about this. She is his wife, after all.

Up the stairs they went. To their right, the final door on the right side marked their bedroom.

As soon as that door was closed, Sheila disrobes, and reveals her bare furry rear to her beloved husband.

The light grey color that ran from the upper half of her head to the tip of her tail had a fluffiness to it that begged to be touched. Then, turning around, she reveals the snow white fur that runs from the lower half of her head down to the ends of her digitigrade feet; and within the fluffy torso, the small chest that she graciously pushes forward.

Many men would appreciate this sight. The guilty Mike, however, didn’t feel like he deserved this.

How could he? After what he did?

He didn’t deserve any of this.

Not the gentle lust of her lowered blue eyes.

Not the warm smile of the woman that only wanted to help him.

Not the vulnerability of someone who didn’t even know her trust has been violated.

She lays back against the bed, legs held open by the crease of her arms, and motions him forward. “Come on, Michael. Take me.”

But another problem arose: he didn’t find her sexually attractive. At all.

The only times they had ever fucked was during her ovulation periods in the winter. But now, without the influence of her pheromones, seeing her like this was like staring at drying paint. “Honey, I really am tired, and I need to wake up early for Sasha’s field trip.”

Something she was taking note of as her ears, much like her joyful smile, slowly fall in gradual sadness. “I see.”

Mike can’t help but sigh in frustration. “Honey-”

“No.” She crawls towards her half of the bed. “I get it. You’re tired.”

“I’m just not feeling it today. I promise.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Once she slithers under the sheets, she turns to face the wall. “Don’t forget to brush your teeth.”

“Sheila-”

“Goodnight, Michael.” Her calm voice acting was excellent for a woman on the verge of tears. Unfortunately, her ears betrayed her, making a guilty Mike aware of just how much pain his wife was in.

A guilt similar to the one that plagued Aleena.

All showered, and dressed in black tight-fitting dolphin shorts and a white tank top, Aleena stands right by the chair where she corrupted her best friend.

She sighs, and shakes her head, as she sits on her hotel bed. ‘You fucking whore,’ she thinks to herself. ‘You turned the best man in the world into a cheater.’

And after she’d told him that she hated being seen as a fuck toy due to her race. Way to fight that narrative, Aleena.

What the hell happened anyway? Sure, she had one drink, but that shouldn’t have been enough to make her do…

...that.

She wasn’t even like that growing up. No, she was a good kid. With a good friend.

Her sad eyes snapped to the wolf plushie that judged her from the top of her bed’s pillows.

The wolf plushie that Mike had given her long ago.

It was right around the time where the borders of cooties and romance met: 1986. She was seven years old, her head decorated with braided pigtails.

She stood at the front door to her home, and looked at eight year old Mike like he was the devil.

“What do you want?” She angrily demanded.

The small Wolf looked up at his tall seven foot mother; the she-Wolf in a blue pant-suit that raised an eyebrow at him.

Then, he looked back at the equally-sized human girl. Her one-piece dress may be a bright and cheery pink, but her face was anything but.

“I…” It was hard to maintain eye contact, and his ears were flatter than the brick floor beneath his little digitigrade feet. “...I’m sorry I ripped your bear.”

“Sorry ain’t gonna fix it, Mikey.” Her arms were crossed.

Nudged by his mother, Mike continued. “I know. That’s why I wanna…” It was embarrassing enough showing this level of kindness to a girl in general.

But in front of his own mother? He wanted to die.

“...I wanna get you a new one.”

Her face softened a little. “Really?”

“Yeah.” His hazel eyes dart up to look at her brown marbles. “Really.”

Several hours later, a happy Aleena was skipping into a store by the name of “Liquidation Sale”. The actual name was behind the banner, but Aleena never did know what it was.

Within, the left wall of soon-to-be stuffed animals stared at Aleena; they begged her to pick them.

To the right, a large metal cubic machine that would pump cotton into the stuffed animals. It looked convoluted, but it got the job done. Behind it, an assortment of clothes with which one could decorate their new toy.

Right behind the girl that skipped happily, little Mike looked around cautiously to see if he could spot anyone he knew.

Fortunately not.

“I think I want…” Her eyes scan the selection: the brown bear, which looked inviting; unicorns, which were certainly eye-catching; and the Wolf cub, which made her giggle. “...that one!”

She swipes it from the designated cubby of Wolves, and holds it up for him to see.

“Look, Mikey! It’s you!” She wore an amused grin which, for some reason, made Mike’s chest feel tingly.

Of course, he refused to let Aleena know about that. “That doesn’t look like me!” He shouts with a failed attempt at irritation.

“Yeah it does!” She holds it next to him. “Look ma! They’re twins!”

Their mothers, which now included Aleena’s five foot mother, can’t help but chuckle at the expense of flat-eared Mike’s dignity.

The womens’ attention, however, was snagged by a white man who did not look well composed.

“I- you-” As he scans Aleena’s mother, he couldn’t help but clear his throat. The yellow sundress and brown gladiator heels she chose to wear made not talking nervously to the slim, yet curvaceous, goddess an impossibility. “You l-look nice! Want t-to go out sometime?”

Aleena’s mother, in that moment, looked as if she’d just stepped in dog shit. “Ugh! Get lost, whitey!” Her long light-brown braids sway along with the movement of her head as she looks away from him.

While hilarious, Mike’s mother just couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy who walked off with crushed spirits. “In my opinion, a simple ‘no’ would have sufficed.”

“Yeah, well simply letting us have our civil rights would’ve sufficed.” She flips her braids, and focuses her attention on her child once more.

“I don’t think he was like that. He seemed nice.”

“Then you haven’t talked to enough white men.”

At least their children looked happy. It was surreal, yet beautiful, to see that her daughter was smiling alongside a different child.

“So…” Began Mike. “...you press that button, and it’ll hold, like, music and stuff?”

He leaned in out of curiosity, and as he did so, his ears flattened; as they do when Wolves take a closer look at anything.

“Yeah! Watch this!” In her little hand was a small circular gadget with a button on top. She presses it, and the children watch as the button flashes red. “Hello!” She presses it again, and it stops flashing.

Upon pressing the button once more, both children hear the low-quality ‘hello’ from the small gadget’s cheap speaker.

Mike’s little ears perk up when the sound plays, and an awe-filled smile invades his face. “That’s so cool!”

He watches as Aleena fiddles with some of the settings, and then holds it out again. “Okay, now to give Lil’ Mike his real voice.”

“What are you gonna-?” The way she smiled at him expectantly told him all he needed to know. “Wait. No.” He shakes his head. “Nuh uh.”

“Come on, Mikey! Please?”

“But there’s people around…”

“Please? For me?” She was getting awfully good at making sad faces. So good, that he had to look away due to the guilt that was invading his body. “Please? Please please please please please ple-”

‘I can’t believe I’m doing this…’ After letting out a light dog-like growl, Mike sighs and looks at his friend once more. “Fine…” But he wasn’t happy about it.

“Yay!” She yips with excitement as he looks around.

Sure enough, people were watching. Awesome.

Once his clawed finger triggered the flashing of the red lights once more, he parts his lips, opened with a growl, and finished with a loud puppy bark.

He pressed the button once more; fortunately, he stopped the recording before the surrounding customers let out a simultaneous heart-warmed “aww” that made Mike want to curl up into a ball and die.

A feeling short-lived as Aleena hugs him out of pure happiness. “Yay! Thanks, Mikey!”

“Uh…” He didn’t know what it was, but something felt...off. “...you’re welcome...”

Something new had emerged from within Mike’s little chest. It felt weird, yet tingly.

But nice. Especially with the way her smooth little cheeks nuzzled against his furry face.

Passers-by and spectators alike watched with warm hearts as his little tail involuntarily revealed his delight.

“Oh…” His mother, on the verge of tears, couldn’t help but cover her mouth with both hands. “...isn’t that precious?”

A sentiment the shorter mother shared, smiling at the sight before her brown eyes. “Yeah.” She personally would have preferred to see Aleena show this level of enthusiasm when socializing with other black kids; but in the moment, it didn’t matter. “Thank you for offering to replace it. You really didn’t have to.”

“Nonsense. It was the right thing to do.” Her hazel eyes meet the shorter woman’s. “A mindset that I’m trying to get Michael to adopt.”

“Well, you succeeded. He’s quite the gentleman.”

“I’ll say. It was his idea to pay for the replacement.”

“Wait…” She looked confused. “Michael’s paying for this?”

“Yes. He’s been saving his allowances for that one television toy. What’s it called? The Nin...Nitan...something Chinese.”

The small ebony mother’s jaw just about dropped to the floor.

“Anyway,” continued Mike’s mother, “He’d been saving for a few months now. Definitely not close to buying it, but just enough for something like this.”

"I think..." Began Aleena. "...I'll call him Lil' Mikey!"

And yet, Mike didn’t look resentful at that decision. “So, do you forgive me?”

“Yeah!” That signature grin of hers made its first appearance here. “You’re the best, Mikey!”

The best indeed.

A sentiment that Aleena still shared to this day.

Maybe that’s why she surrendered to her emotions earlier. Because she still wants a future with him.

The kindest, sweetest, most accepting man she’d ever known. And he was with someone else.

You’d think that after 19 years, it would be much easier to cope with such a thought; or better yet, to have grown past it.

But she didn’t. In fact, it hurt just as much as it did all those years ago.

All she can do is sigh, crawl under the sheets of her bed, and close her eyes.

But not without Lil’ Mike. He was the only comfort left in her life. Without him, and the recorded yap she activates every night, the rest she needs to tackle the next painfully lonely day becomes impossible to attain.

And she would need lots of it, as tomorrow was going to be a very busy day.

Consciousness began to pull Mike away from the comfort of slumber. As he did, the softness of the bedsheets begged him not to leave.

But, he knew he had to. Responsibilities were non-negotiable.

With a hearty groan, and body-shaking stretch, his limbs move in all directions until they feel the familiar softness of…

...skin?

His touch wasn’t lying. One groggy look to his right, and the curvy darkness that filled his eyes forced them to snap wide open.

“Ally!?” He shot up and away as fast as he could. In his panic, he’d forgotten about the bed’s limit and collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud. “F-hk!”

“...Mikey?” Her grainy voice, announcing her return to consciousness, was low. It wasn’t until she sat up on one hip, and her bare 34 AAs were revealed by bedsheets that gave in to gravity, that he was shockingly made aware of how nude she was.

Not an inch of fabric covered her tiny chest.

He didn’t know what to think. “What are you…?”

Wait. Something was wrong.

The flooring. It didn’t feel like carpet. Pine?

It matched the frame of the windows.

And the walls. They weren’t the light blue he knew. No, they were a calming sage.

It was like the room of his dreams. What was he doing here? Where’s-

“What’s wrong?” The pint-sized woman shifts out of their bed; in doing so, she reveals the rest of her bare beauty. “Why are you movin’ away from me?”

He was now as far back as he could get. Unfortunately, one of the walls blocked his retreat. “What’s going on!? How did I get here!?”

“Honey-”

“Stop!” He shouts, his palms begging for her to halt her advance.

There was no way he could make contact with her. Hell, being alone in the same room with her was bad enough!

He knew that if he didn’t find a way out soon, something was gonna happen. “Where are we!?”

“What’s goin’ on with you?” She places her hands on her wide hips. “This is our room. Don’t you recognize it?”

“Our room...?” He looks around once more. Sure enough, pictures of their smiling faces adorned the walls.

Some of them even featured Sasha and Aleena posing happily together.

But not one could be found of Sheila.

“Did you hit your head when you fell?” The slap of her feet on the wood flooring signaled the continuation of her advance. “Come here. Let me check.”

“No!” Panic and fear forced his hackles to rise faster than he could get his ass off the ground.

All he could do was charge towards the only door he could see.

But when he practically tackled it open, all he saw was a bathroom.

‘Where’s the exit!?’ There wasn’t even a window that he could escape through.

“Mikey.” Her thin arms lovingly constrict around his big waist.

A surprised inhale escaped his maw.

‘What the fuck!? I didn’t even hear any footsteps!’ He swore he could feel his heart drop. “Aleena!” He placed a palm on her head, prepared to shove her away.

The only problem was: the way her tiny fingers lovingly brushed against the fur of his belly was just too good a feeling to sever from.

He just couldn’t push her away.

No, he didn’t want to push her away.

“You’re so tense.” And the way her head casually slipped from his palm and rested on the small of his back. It was something she hadn’t done in a long time.

Finding the right words to describe this was an impossible task. It was like a mixture of comfort, and warmth, and...happiness?

True happiness?

The love of another was not a foreign concept to Mike. His wife gave him plenty of it.

But this; this was different.

He actually felt like he had a special connection with Aleena.

An indescribable connection that was just never there with his wife.

But right now, it was here.

And being faced with it head on was too much to resist.

He wanted more.

No, he needed more.

More of her.

“I’m tired of sending you away.” He turns around.

Upon doing so, he’s greeted with a pleasing chuckle from Aleena.

“What are you talking about?” The way she pulled herself up from his neck, and constricted her comfortable thighs around him, was done with ease; like she’d done it millions of times. “I didn’t go anywhere.” Her lips lovingly peck him right where his heart played her a loving tune.

“Yeah?” He could feel his lips pulling themselves towards hers, but he didn’t care.

He needed this. He needed her.

And he was tired of pretending he didn’t.

“Yeah...”

Wait. What’s that annoying buzzing?

An alarm?

What was Aleena then became a stinging sensation in his eyes, and the beginnings of dawn.

Finally, he’s awake; for real this time.

Light blue walls? Gray carpet? Unconscious she-Wolf that slithered back onto his chest in her sleep?

Yep, he was back in his real home.

Wait. Was he somewhere different?

What was he dreaming about?

Doesn’t matter. It was showtime.

Today was definitely gonna be hot. On the bright side, he didn’t have to dress for the office today.

He opted for a look that just screamed ‘I’m a father’: red tank top, khaki cargo shorts, and those sunglasses that had a tint of blue if viewed from the right angle. All he was missing were flip flops or Jesus sandals.

But he didn’t have the feet for that. Being digitigrade tends to reduce your choices for footwear down to zero.

After the family had risen, and gotten dressed for the day, they met in the kitchen where Sheila had prepared their breakfast: a big piece of salmon for each of them with a side of roasted potatoes.

Sheila was an excellent cook when it came to meat, but her vegetables always lacked flavor. You can’t really blame her; when you mainly eat meat, you don’t get a lot of chances to practice cooking veggies.

Nor would you care to.

“And here are your lunches.” Beside the older she-Wolf rested two lunch bags: blue for Mike, and pink for Sasha.

“Mom!” Sasha eyed the pink one with disapproval. “What the hell?”

“What?” She sets it by Sasha anyway. “It’s cute, and it’s already packed.”

“Ugh…” Sasha shakes her head in disapproval and continues to chow down.

“And here you go, Michael!” Oddly enough, Sheila was as happy as she usually was.

Which was good, as it avoided trouble with Sasha. “Thanks, honey.” For now, he accepts it; giving her a peck on the cheek. But he knows he has to address it eventually. “You’re the best.”

Nothing. He felt nothing from that peck.

Not like he didn’t already know that. After last night, however, the emptiness was more obvious than it already was.

“D’aw, well…” She fans him off, and walks out of the kitchen. “Just hurry. You two need to be there early.”

What neither one of her family members saw was the look of sadness that took over her face as she left them to their food.

Something was off; Sheila could tell.

“You heard her, Sasha.” Mike picks up his utensils, and picks up the pace. “Race ya!”

The younger she-Wolf panicked as she followed suit. “Hey, I wasm’t ruhdy!”

“Lrife lersun wurn: ahlwrys bree ruhdy!”

“Dard!” Sasha, with her mouthful, still managed to chuckle. “Thrt’s drsgursteehng!”

“Yurr during uht tooh!” Mike mumbles, also chuckling.

If there was something he didn’t have to fake, it was his love for his daughter. Even if she currently ate like a slob.

Yes, his beloved daughter. He would do anything to make sure she lived a normal life. That’s why, no matter what, he can never see Aleena again.

“Dad?” Sasha looked concerned as they sat in…

...his car? At the school parking lot?

‘When did we get here?’ His eyes flicked back and forth in confusion. “Huh? Oh. Just give me a few minutes, sweetie. I’ll catch up.”

“Okay…?” Yet her look of concern did not vanish. “Just don’t take too long.”

With the slam of his car door, he was once more left alone with his thoughts.

‘Okay,’ Mike thinks to himself. ‘You’re a bit shaken after…last night.’ The events replayed quickly in his mind: Aleena’s electrifying touch that always found a way to make him stay; the calming scent that always neutralized his worries; the addictive taste of her mouth- ‘Stop!’ His eyes snap to his daughter: Blue jeans that clung to her more than he was comfortable with, and a black shirt from the band Ghost. ‘Don’t forget why you’re here. You’re gonna take a deep breath; and when you do, you’re gonna be the perfect dad. In 3…2…1…’

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

When his eyes open, they radiate determination. ‘Okay. Let’s do this.’

Mike and Sasha weren’t going to meet with the group in the large two-story brick building they call school. Instead, everyone met at the rear; specifically, in the curved u-turn road where the buses picked up and dropped off the students.

“Ah!” A balding white man, roughly fifty years old and with specs of silver in the remnants of his brown hair, walked up to the new arrival with open arms. “Good morning, Mr. Falconer! Sasha!”

“Good morning, Mr. McCallon.” Mike maintained an optimistically professional face, and gave him a firm handshake.

“Morning.” The unenthusiastic she-Wolf also looked at the faculty member, but with a face that was not very welcoming.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” he announces with a happy tone. “With your arrival, everyone’s here!”

It wasn’t until he stood next to the bus that several claps echo in the air to catch the students’ attention. The human students turned quickly, but it was slow compared to the snappy twitch of the Wolf students.

“Everybody on the bus!” Mr. McCallon shouts.

Even now, students were given directions on where to sit. Two students per seat, and both had to be partners for the trip.

Which meant that Sasha’s nuisance was arriving in 3…

2…

1…

“You gonna move?” And there he is. The blond haired blue-eyed asshole with curly hair down to his shoulders. “Or does your fat ass need the entire seat?”

Something else that annoyed her? How about…

...everything! That stupid blue hoodie even though it’s insanely hot outside, the black headphones that hung from his neck like a wannabe DJ, and don’t even get her started on the shirt he chose to wear today.

Evanescence. Edgy prick...

“Fuck you, Whitey.” She shifts towards the window until he has enough room to sit down.

“You couldn’t afford to, fleabag.”

Twenty-nine others on this trip, and she couldn’t believe that she got the most annoying guy in school. “ Wow...okay.” She didn’t think she’d have to bust out the earbuds this early, but he finds a way.

Likewise, he covered his ears with his headphones.

Neither teen dared look at the other; it was like they would turn to stone otherwise.

At the very front sat the chaperones: Mike, and a female Wolf in all white fur.

“Aw, don’t give me the cold shoulder, Mike. I just wanna talk...”

Yeah. Talk. That’s the verb that perfectly described her intentions.

Her desire to “talk” was so strong, she rested the bottom of her muzzle on Mike’s shoulder. A move female Wolves pull when they’re looking for...a favor.

“Ms. Lockheart...” He shimmied away from her until her chin was off her shoulder. “...we are near children. This behavior is inappropriate.”

“Aw, you don’t always have to be so perfect, Mike. Loosen up a little.”

Her words were reminiscent of the biggest mistake he’d made. ‘Show me who you really are…’

“It’s okay. I won’t tell.”

Ms. Lockheart didn’t know why, but there was a negative deviation in Mike’s tone. One she’d never heard before as his lips part for his next words. “I’ll loosen up when these children get home safely. I suggest you do the same.”

Frustration? Regret?

Didn’t matter. He crossed his arms and refused to engage her any further.

Not like he even wanted to. Even if he were single, the she-Wolf did not aroused his interest.

Whitey, in the back, just couldn’t help but admire Mike’s stoicism. There was just something so cool about his ability to nonchalantly reject such a beautif-

...woman. Nonchalantly reject a woman. That’s what he meant.

He’s always seen Mike as a cool guy; the little he’s seen, anyway. He was always so professional; so calm-minded; so polite, yet firm when he has to be.

Yet he somehow spawned the hellhound that currently sits next to him.

“Yo, Whitey.” Her irate hazel eyes fell on Whitey’s.

“What?”

“Wanna make a bet?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m listening…”

“Pokemon battle; best two out of three. Loser buys the winner a snack at the zoo. Deal?”

“You’re on.” The sound of their handshake is met with a loud clap as skin meets fur. “Just don’t cry when I win.”

“Yeah, you’ve said that like a thousand times, and it’s always you crying.”

She can still remember the first time she claimed victory over him.

1. Middle school. She was a twig back then; a twig that most humans confused for a boy. At least, until she spoke.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl had made their debut in North America several months ago. Many kids, including eleven year old Sasha, were lost in the new digital world released by Nintendo.

Unlike her high school attire, the dress code was more strict back then: collared shirt, and loose khaki pants. It was lame, even the red one she wore today, but negligible since everyone wore it.

“Dammit!” She growled lightly at the digital two-tailed weasel that taunted her from her black DS’ top screen.

At the bottom of the top screen, surrounded by a white box, read the words ‘Sasha blacked out!’

Seated at one of the many blue rectangular lunch tables, a boy’s voice behind her interrupted her flow. “Huh. So I was right. That is Pokemon.”

She looks behind her: a white human with short blond hair. The khaki pants were not tight fitting, and the blue collared shirt he wore made him look like a dork; to her, at least. “Yeah? So what?”

“Nothing. I just didn’t know girls liked Pokemon.” He looked around him at the kids that were talking among themselves. Not a single one had a DS on them. “Or anyone other than me.”

‘He can tell I’m a girl?’ She raised one of her ‘eyebrows’. “You play too?”

“Yeah.” He took a seat without even realizing it. “But I don’t tell anyone. They keep calling it ‘baby shit’.”

“Ugh…” She shook her head, and snapped her DS shut. “Tell me about it.” She then locked her hazel eyes with his blue. “So, what’s your name?”

“William, but people call me Will. You?”

“Sasha, but people call me ‘go away’.”

That elicits a chuckle from Will. “Nice to meet you, ‘go away’. Wanna battle?”

Joy invaded her previously irate face. “Sure!”

Several minutes of silence passed as the two kids tapped away at their two-screened devices. Unlike Sasha and her golden Triforce DS, Will had a red Nintendo DS that was missing its stylus pen.

Eventually, Will was the first to speak. “...alright, I think I’m good.”

“Then here...we...go!” The sound of battle radiates from the little speakers of their respective devices.

From what she could recount, Sasha lost that battle. His first pokemon, Palkia, was hacked into the game with an ability that made him untouchable with her current team.

The ability, wonder guard, makes it to where only super-effective moves can harm the pokemon with the ability. Easy to counter if you’re an adult, but these are eleven year olds.

Fortunately, her father gave her an excellent idea.

“Alright, you cheating bastard!” She was not happy about last round, as signified by the wrinkles in her snout. “Round 2!”

“You’re just mad because I’m better than you.”

They tap away at their devices, and the battle music kicks up once more.

What surprised Will was not that she was willing to try again, but that she decided to send out…

…a level one Magnemite.

He just couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you serious?”

She just smiled, and tapped at her screen.

As expected, when his Palkia hit the Magnemite, the little level one’s health dropped down to one.

Its saving grace? Sturdy: the ability that kept it from getting one hit KO’d.

And the berry juice that restored its health.

Will was confused as he saw the little baby Pokemon’s health slowly crawl up to full. “Wait, what?”

She just couldn’t help but smile at his confusion. Especially with what came next.

“Uh...” His Pokemon was now poisoned. “Huh??”

“Didn’t know toxic could hit through wonder guard, did you?”

He scoffed; even if his Pokemon just took some damage to poison. “Whatever. That shit won’t work twice in a row.”

Her Magnemite took more damage from his Palkia. Without her berry juice, the one health baby was dead next turn.

Or it would have been, if it didn’t use the move ‘recycle’. The berry juice returned, and with it, the Magnemite’s full health.

“This is bullshit!”

“Okay, Mr. Wonder Guard.” She rolled her eyes.

How the tables turned. Last round, she’d struggled to take down even one of his legendaries. Now, he was being manhandled by a little baby magnet.

Slowly, but surely, the poison chipped away at Palkia until it fell.

A fate shared by his Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Lugia, Kyogre, and Entei.

And seven years later, she would once more claim victory over her foe.

Initially, she said nothing. She raised her arms like a preacher giving a mean sermon—one hand gripping onto her Yveltal-themed 3DS XL—before she looked around and began to shout. “And maintaining his status as the undisputed heavyweight champion of sucking my dick for seven years in a row…” Her arms move to shine attention to her partner. “...Whitey!”

“Ha ha ha…” He says sarcastically, looking away from her.

“Ha ha ha is right!” Her smug smile knew no bounds. “You owe me a snack!”

Their little back and forth was interrupted by the shouting of Mr. McCallon. “Alright, listen up!” He began. “We’re going to get off the bus one seat at a time! When we do, go to your designated chaperone!”

Easy enough. It didn’t take long for everyone to stand outside of the ticket booth of the Houston Zoo.

Though Sasha wished that her father wasn’t the chaperone of the ten man group she was assigned to.

“Okay, everyone’s here. ” Mike, holding a clipboard full of student names, didn’t need to shout. His voice was naturally powerful and reached far; a feature that the only other female Wolf in his group found really...interesting. “Who’s ready to see some animals?”

“I think I see one already.” Mused Will.

“You’re an animal too, you idiot.” Unlike Sasha, who crossed her arms.

“I wasn’t talking about you being a Wo-”

“Hey.” Mike’s deep voice reverbs with the demand for attention from anyone within earshot. “Keep fighting, and you two are staying on the bus. Understood?”

“Yes sir…”

“Got it…”

“Good. Now, let’s get going. We’re burning daylight.”

In another part of the world, burning daylight didn’t seem to be much of a concern.

9 AM, right around the time the zoo opens, and Aleena’s bed rustled with her return to consciousness.

She was still in the process of transferring to the area, so she wasn’t going to work today.

But, that meant she had to figure out what she was going to do.

‘Fuck, I dunno…’

Asking a local seemed like the most logical option. The first to come to mind was Mike, but even now, the sensation of his rough pads smacking her butt lingered and lit a fire in her soul.

That meant that the only other person she could ask was…

“Hey Jada!” Aleena was enthusiastic with her greeting.

“Hey girl!” From the phone’s speakers responded another woman. “You settled in yet?”

“Nah. These movers ain’t shit, so I have a day to kill.”

“Ooh! We should go to the zoo!”

“The zoo?” Animals? Food? Entertainment? “I’m down! Gotta get ready first though.”

“It’s 9 AM. You ain’t up yet with yo lazy ass?”

“Hey! I had a long night after-” She regrets it even before she has the chance to stop herself.

“After what?” Jada’s question seemed almost expectant. “Better yet, after who?”

‘Fuck!’ This was something she did NOT want to deal with. “...after...uh…”

“GIRL! Who is he? Was he good? Was he bla-?”

“He was a mistake.”

Aleena’s instant flip towards regret made Jada pause for a moment. “...are you ok, Aleena?”

The sigh from Aleena’s lips betrayed the lie she was about to give. “You wanna help me kill time, or not?”

“Uh...yeah. Sure.”

“Good. Lemme get dressed, and I’ll meet you at the zoo in like an hour. Hour and a half.”

There was more Jada wanted to ask, but she hesitated. “Bet.”

At the Zoo. That’s when she’d probe Aleena for more.

Sasha and Will, meanwhile, groaned as they stood next to each other.

Not like Mike could do anything about it. “Now remember: even though you’re allowed to roam free, stay with your partners, and check in with me every thirty minutes.”

A random student chimed in. “Where do we do that?”

“In here.”

At present, they stood in a circular restaurant at the center of the zoo.

But Mike wasn’t done. “However, if you don’t see me, I may just be in the bathroom. In that case, just wait for me to return. Understood?”

The students respond in unison. “Yes, sir!”

“Good.” He smiles and nods. “Now get out there, and have fun!”

‘Impossible.’ Sasha and Will were in agreement for once as they stared each other down.

“After you...” He cautiously says.

“I don’t think so.” She was more than happy to open the door for him. “Ladies first.”

Will rolled his eyes.

This was going to be a long day.

“Alright, let’s see…” Will’s fingers trailed the map. First he finds the restaurant, and… “We’re next to…Duck Lake.”

Something Sasha had already taken notice of. She stood behind the railing that separated the higher pier from the body of water below. “Where the hell are the ducks?” Left and right scanner her head, but she couldn’t see a thing.

“Over there,” Will quickly responded.

She followed his pointing finger, and sure enough, there they were; swimming by duckweed.

“What the hell?” She shot him a look of confusion. “How’d you find them so fast?”

“I’m just built different.” The smug son of a bitch polished his fingernails with his shirt as a sign of disrespect.

“...shut the fuck up. So you spotted the ducks before I did.” Her hands severed their connection to the railing as she walked off. “Big deal.”

“There’s no need to be so butthurt, fleabag. You know I’ve always been the best.” But he refused to move. “Unless you wanna prove me wrong.”

She froze. “...I’m listening…”

“Double or nothing on our previous bet. Whoever spots the most animals first wins.”

A sentence that forces a chuckle from her. “You wanna lose to me twice in one day?” She turns around, and holds her hand out. “You’re on.”

The loud clap of skin meeting rough pad and fur signals the agreement. “Just remember: I like chocolate chip cookies and apple pie.”

“Why would I? I’m more of a Doritos and vanilla wafers kind of girl.”

And so it was on.

The competition, and something more.

When Aleena does get to the circular parking lot in front of the zoo, she notices the yellow school bus, but thinks nothing of it.

Little did she know, it was a big yellow warning sign.

Not like it would have been easy to spot, unlike her friend Jada. Not quite as tall as Mike, but still tall enough to make her look like a child from afar.

“Hey girl!” The joy in Jada’s brown eyes was easy to spot; as is the case when an afro doesn’t cover them.

No, Jada’s hair sported brown box braids weaved to perfection.

“Hey Jada!” Not like anyone needed to see Aleena’s eyes to tell when she was happy. She almost always wore a smile on her shiny brown lips.

The two women enjoy a tight hug for a brief moment before separating and taking each other in.

It was hot outside, and Aleena dressed accordingly: red Super Mario t-shirt, tight jean shorts that halt just short of her knees, and brown sandals that showed off the pinks of her toenails.

The more voluptuous, and lighter toned, Jada went in a different direction: a white, tight hibiscus print Cami dress that shows off her bigger figure, and black lace-up high heels.

“Ooh!” Approvingly expressed Aleena as she nods. “I see you! I feel underdressed now, tho...”

“Nah! You look good, girl!” Fist to one of her wide hips, she eyes the long line to the zoo’s ticket booth.

It would be a while before Aleena and Jada were able to enter the park. Once they were in, Jada let out an audible groan.

“Finally! Fuck!” She removed the giant straw sun hat from her head, and used it as a fan. “It’s hot as hell out here!”

“Then let’s go somewhere indoors.” The rumbling of Aleena’s stomach gave her an idea. “How about that one restaurant in the middle? I’m hungry.”

“Girl, I don’t give a fuck. Let’s go.”

On the way to the restaurant, Aleena’s eyes locked onto Sasha.

There was something familiar about this she-Wolf. Something that filled her with comfort and anxiety at the same time.

Apparently it was so noticeable, even Jada caught on. “Aleena. You good?”

“Huh?” It was then that Aleena noticed Jada was a few steps ahead of her. “Oh! Yeah…” Her pace quickened. “I guess I’m just that hungry.”

“Uh huh…” But Jada couldn’t help but take a few glances at Sasha.

She was with a human guy.

The guy that was looking down at his furry companion’s legs. “Don’t your feet burn?”

Like her father, Sasha’s white digitigrade feet had no protection from the travertine flooring of the zoo.

“No. Whatever this is, it’s not concrete; so my feet are fine.”

“Maybe they changed the flooring because y’all walk around barefoot.”

“Maybe.” But what hasn’t changed was the focus of Will’s eyes, and that was starting to piss her off. “Stop staring at my feet.”

Jada brushed them off. She figured it was just a wave of nostalgia for how her and Mike used to be.

At least before that “stupid cunt,” as she put it, ruined everything.

But the sear of the sun took precedent over Jada’s burning hatred. Along with Aleena, she walks quickly towards the sanctuary of the circular restaurant.

Something Sasha was also looking to do, but Will had other plans. “Come on. We have time for one more animal.”

“Fine. One. Then we go check in.”

“Alright, how about…”

10:25. At least, that’s what Mike’s phone was telling him.

Almost time for the students to check in.

“So how’s Mrs. Falconer, Mike?” Ms. Lockheart rested her chin on her hands as her blue eyes hungrily stared him down.

“She’s fine,” He bluntly states.

“And what about you?” The fingers of her right hand slowly walk their way towards one of Mike’s big paws. “Is Mrs. Falconer taking care of your needs?”

“Yes.” He’d never crossed his arms as fast as he did just now. “She is.”

Yet, despite his bluntness, her head can’t help but tilt. “Are you sure?”

His eyes narrow. “What are you getting at, Samantha?”

“I don’t know what it is, but something’s...different...about you.” She stands, but he doesn’t budge. “You’re always so smiley, and professional. Even to me.”

She could tell she was onto something when his heart ever so slightly began to beat faster.

‘Why’s she being so weird today? Does she know?’ He checked Aleena’s apartment extensively. There’s no way anything was hidden; person, or device. ‘No. How could she?’

“But today, you seem to be in a bad mood.” She plops her large overweight butt on the table in front of Mike. “Did something happen to you recently, Mike?”

Every Wolf in the restaurant snapped their attention to the two chaperones. There was a low, but threatening, growl forming in Mike’s throat.

“Samantha,” Mike disapprovingly calls out. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, but if you don’t drop it, I’m reporting you to the school board for sexual harassment.”

Now she wasn’t even looking at Mike.

“I’m serious, Samantha.”

He was surprised to find that she stood from the table all on her own. On her face, a look of shock.

“Samantha?”

He followed her eyes, and was lead to four brown eyes locked right on him.

Two of them were immediately recognized by his endocrine system. He couldn’t tell if his body wanted to grow aroused, or anxious.

Samantha looked at Mike, and Aleena, before slowly backing away. “I...uh...need to use the bathroom.”

‘No, no, no!’ Mike’s attention briefly flicked to Samantha. ‘Don’t leave me alone! Come back!’

But it was too late. He was left by himself to deal with this he.

10:26.

‘What’s going on?’ Jada’s eyes were like ping pong balls as they flicked between Mike, and the equally petrified Aleena. ‘I thought they’d be happy to see each other again...unless...’

That’s when Aleena’s earlier words hit her like a truck. ‘He was a mistake.’

They already reunited!

But Aleena wasn’t in Houston until last night, which meant the mistake was...

Jada, eyes flicking to Mike occasionally, couldn’t help but gasp. “...nigga…” She disappointingly exhales with the shake of her head.

Aleena could tell from the look of disapproving shock in Jada’s eyes that she’d finally put the pieces together.

She was far too embarrassed to look at Jada, or Mike, or...anyone. The floor was her best friend right now, along with the dark melanin that covered her blush.

‘What the hell is s(he) doing here!?’ A thought Mike and Aleena shared.

Mike had even more of a reason to worry. It was 10:26, which meant his daughter would literally be here any minute.

Or second.

‘This is bad,’ He thought. ‘This is REALLY bad!’

He knew he had to do something, and quickly.

Leaving was out of the question. He couldn’t just abandon his duty because of his mistake.

But he also couldn’t just stay near Aleena. After last night, he knew he could NOT trust himself around her.

Aleena, meanwhile, clenched her fists in frustration. Last night’s events replayed in her head; each with a small moment in time where she decides to stop herself.

If only that were the case.

‘I can’t just leave things like this.’ With a sigh, Aleena nervously makes her way towards Mike with Jada’s footsteps not too far behind.

“Hey,” she softly and quietly utters once she stands near Mike’s table.

It was an awkwardness he shared. “Hey, Aleena. Jada.”

Neither one could look at each other. Unlike Aleena, who looked at the floor, Mike’s eyes were shamefully locked onto Jada’s.

“Hey, Mike.” It was hard to tell how Jada was feeling. But whatever it was, positive was out of the question. “Long time no see.”

“Uh…” He clears his throat. “...yeah.”

There was no use trying to hide it. She clearly knew that something happened.

“Look, Jada.” Finally, Aleena’s eyes left the ground and towards her friend’s eyes. “We didn’t fuck, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Really?” Jada’s skeptical eyes locked onto two different claw marks poking out of her shirt’s neck hole. They began just under her nape, at the center, and disappeared under her shirt towards opposing parts of her back. “Then how’d you get those scratches on your back?”

Aleena’s haphazard readjusting told Jada all she needed to know. “Mmmhmmm… ”

Mike felt like he needed to chime in. “ She’s right, Jada. We didn’t have sex.”

“So what? You scratched her for fun?”

“Well no, I-”

“I know you, Mike. You’d never hurt Alenna.” Her head shook slowly. “Not even on accident.”

“Jada,” added Aleena. “We just kissed, and…”

“...and…?”

“Ladies…!” Mike quickly stood; his hands slammed on the table harder than he would have liked. “As much as I’d like to find a natural way out of this conversation, this isn’t the time.”

“Boy, sit your ass down.” Jada refused to back down. “I’m not done talkin-”

The sound of the establishment’s doors swung open; and with them, panic invaded Mike’s face.

The two turn to face the source of his grief: a smug Will, and an irritated Sasha.

“Yeah, yeah. I know,” Said Will. “Let’s just check in already so I can get back to kicking your ass.”

“Keep talking. It’ll make my victory all the sweeter you smug bas-” Her maw snapped shut when she saw Mike with his new friends.

At first, Aleena didn’t know what Mike was so afraid of; but after a few back and forth glances between him and Sasha, she also adopted a look of petrifaction as her eyes locked onto his daughter.

Thinking quickly, Jada clapped her hands together and forced a smiled at Mike. “Well, if you change your mind about donating, w e’ll be hanging around the African F orest for a little while. ” She began to rush off, Aleena’s shoulders in her hands. “Thank you so much for your time! Buh bye!”

“Uh…” Mike cleared his throat and tried to regain some sense of composure. “No problem. Good luck!”

There was a bit of a voice crack there at the end. He cringed internally, and hoped that Sasha didn’t catch wind of something suspicious.

The two women left, and with them, Mike’s sense of panic as the two students cautiously made their way over to him.

“Uh…” Began a confused Will. “Okay…?”

“Anyway…” As was Sasha. “...we’re here to check in, dad.”

“Huh?” In his panic, he’d briefly forgotten what it was he was here to do. “Oh! Right! Check in.” On the table was a clipboard, and a pen. He scanned a list of student groups, and ticked a check box for the 10:30 time slot. “Okay, all set.”

“Are you okay, dad?” Asked Sasha.

“Okay? Uh, yes! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re hackly, Mr. F.” Will points to Mike’s raised hackles.

“And you’re acting weird.”

The panicked Wolf slicked back the hackles on his neck , but it didn’t help. “I was...uh... touched by a story those women told me, is all.” He looked his daughter in the eyes, and had to fight the knot in his throat as he calmly uttered his next lie. “I’m fine. Really.”

And to seal the deal, a painfully forced smile; but he’s had enough experience making them look genuine.

“Must’ve been a hell of a story to make you of all people break, Mr. F.”

“Tell me about it.” Sasha shook her head. “I haven’t seen you like this since those self-checkout machines first popped up.”

“Let me guess: it kept thinking the bagging area was empty?”

“Yep! He got so pissed, he almost kicked it.”

That elicits a chuckle from Will. “Are you serious?”

“I’m the one that had to body block the machine. It was the only way to stop him.”

“How? He could’ve definitely kicked a hole through you, and still had enough momentum to break the damn thing.”

Now Mike’s smile was genuine. They’ve been antagonistic towards each other ever since they met, but it seems like maybe there’s hope for a friendship after all.

“Yeah, I guess you-” Sasha’s ears perked straight up; and with them came a face of realization for both parties. “Hey! Nice try! I’m not bonding with you!”

“Who said I wanted to bond with you? I was just asking some questions! Sue me!”

Or, maybe said hope was just an illusion.

Over the course of the next few minutes, the list of students he had slowly filled with checkmarks.

“Bye, Mr. Falconer~” The only other female Wolf in his group waved her fingers at Mike before disappearing into the restaurant’s exit.

“Stay safe!” He made sure that the only thing she saw was a smiling, but respectful, face. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass the poor girl for having a teenage crush.

“Did you see the way he smiled at me?” Ecstatically whispered the she-Wolf.

“For the last time, he’s not interested…”

He was glad to hear the door shut behind them. The last thing he wanted to hear about was a teenager lusting over him.

This must be how his teachers felt when they noticed his teenage lust had them in his sights.

It elicits a sigh. ‘I get it now.’ It must have been every bit as uncomfortable for them as it is for him.

With nothing to do for the next half hour, he remembered Jada’s words.

Were they really waiting for him at the African forest?

He shook his head. ‘Even if they are, you can’t go, Mike.’ He sets the clipboard and pen down.

Yet, he felt something within him grow stronger.

His body was hyper-focused on the door, and would not relent.

‘Dammit, Mike...’ He stayed put. But the longer he sat, the more suffocating it felt.

It was just like last night.

Each and every peck that blessed his neck only added to the feeling of discomfort he faced in that moment.

And now, hyper-focused on not moving, every second that past by only added to the unease his body felt.

First, he twiddled his thumbs.

Then, his claws quickly began to tap at the tiled floor.

‘God dammit, calm down Mike! You’re just sitting here!’

And was the sound of the crowd growing louder? Or just more annoying?

My god, do they ever shut the hell up?

They’re so loud!

Have they ever heard of an indoor voice?

All that seemed comforting was the sight of the door his hazel eyes were locked onto.

‘You know what?’ He stood once more. ‘Maybe some fresh air would do me some good.’

Ms. Lockheart, peeping at Mike from around one of the corners of this circular restaurant, narrowed her eyes.

Surely he wasn’t going to see Aleena, right?

Well, with nothing else to do for thirty minutes, she figured that this may be an excellent time killer.

She wasn’t really sure of what Mike was doing. Hell, she wasn’t sure he was even aware of what he was doing. His eyes just seemed to wander randomly. On occasion, his nose would raise a bit, and he’d take a sniff of the air; it was like he was trying to find something.

Or someone.

“Hey fleabag.” Will looked over to a distant Mike more confused than ever.

“Don’t distract me, Whitey,” replied a focused Sasha.

Both teens stood in front of the Cheetah exhibit. Despite being relatively large creatures, at least compared to something like a beetle, their large enclosure provided many places to hide.

“Stop for a second.” Once he had her attention, she followed his pointing finger. “Look.”

She almost missed it, but she did get a glimpse of Mike before he escaped past the corner leading to the lion exhibit.

“My dad.” She looked at Will with a lack of amusement. “What about it?”

“Maybe I’m wrong, but it’s like he’s looking for something.”

“Leave him.” Her attention flipped back towards the Cheetahs that remain to be seen. “Wolf noses fucking rule. Whatever it is, he’ll find it.”

“Are you sure? Cause last I checked, I’m kicking your ass 7-6.”

“7-7.” She points up at a rock where one of the big cats was taking a nap. “And we’re tied.”

“Hey! That didn’t count! I was distracted!”

“Sounds like you’ve gotta git gud.”

“...you know what?” He says, calming down. “It won’t matter. I’m still gonna win.”

Sasha couldn’t help but laugh with her own sense of smugness. “We’ll see about that.”

So what was going through Mike’s mind in all of this?

He was very attentive to his surroundings, and a particular scent called him closer.

The scent was calming.

The scent was good.

To defy the scent felt like holding his breath.

It was hard to describe, but he had a sort of internal GPS that told him where to go next. Not to the level where he could hear something like ‘at the lions, go right,’ but enough of a sensation to where certain locations were greatly desired by his body.

He began at the lions, and the scent seemed to be coming from the tiger exhibit. So his body changed focus to the tiger exhibit.

On occasion , the scent disappeared; but he returned to the last known location , and looked around until the scent came back. That’s when his body seemed to rope him along a long stretch of walkway past some small cats, bears, and cattle.

He didn’t know how far he was going to walk; he just knew that his body wanted to move this way.

He eventually did stop when the walkway split in two opposite directions. In front of him, the maned Wolf exhibit.

“Contrary to popular belief, the maned wolf is neither a fox or a wolf.” The sign read. “It is a canine, and the only species in its genus.”

There was more, but he turned his attention to the smaller creature that tilted its head at Mike.

A reaction he mirrored onto the maned wolf.

‘This is weird.’

Coming face to face with this thing made him think of how odd his existence was. His behaviors; his appearance; his instincts; it was like God just thew a wolf and a human together for fun.

H e stood on two legs, yet had no skin.

He could speak human languages, yet he had a snout.

His exterior was fuzzy and animalistic, yet his body just couldn’t get enough of...

“Weird, ain’t it?”

“...”

He knew that voice.

“How long have you been there, Ally?”

Neither one looked at the other. The maned wolf, however, couldn’t decide who to focus on.

“The little head tilt y’all shared was cute. It was like you two were speaking, or somethin’.”

“In a way, we were. Much like how now, I’m speaking with you.”

Silence.

Where could this conversation possibly go?

Sorry I made you cheat on your wife?

Sorry I lost control and almost used you like a fleshlight?

They couldn’t just talk like nothing happened.

Even now, their bodies grew warmer; as if the nearby presence of the other was an aphrodisiac.

“Listen, Mikey…” As painful as it was to do so, she forced herself to look up at the behemoth of a man.

For a split moment, she could recall that night: the way his hungry eyes looked down at her like she was a piece of meat; the intoxicating scent of his throbbing manhood as it taunted her salivating mouth from mere inches away; and especially the shameful joy of almost marking him as hers.

“...last night? That wasn’t me. I-I think the daiquiri affected me, and-”

“Ally. Let’s not kid ourselves.” He watched as the maned wolf caught the scent of something interesting. “Daiquiri, no daiquiri; we would’ve had sex yesterday if my daughter hadn’t called.”

“But I fucked up...”

“I fucked up, Ally. I’m the one that’s married.”

The look of regret in his eyes was like a dagger to her heart. “No, Mikey. I weaponized your kindness to lure you in.”

“Part of me knew that.” Finally, the eyes that tried to suppress his self-hatred locked onto hers. “And the other part of me wanted to see where things went.”

She didn’t know how to feel about that.

Was she supposed to hate herself for luring a good man into a bad situation?

Was she supposed to feel pleasure from the fact that her lifelong crush reciprocated?

Both of those feelings engaged in combat within her, and it left her conflicted.

“At the bar…” He continued. “...when you said that you were moving back to Houston, I was happy. Maybe a little too happy.”

She said nothing.

“There were many moments like that before we left; and even before we made it to your room. Yet, I didn’t stop myself.” He shook his head. “Even when I knew I should’ve.”

She just wanted to jump up, and hug him while uttering ‘I’m sorry’ ad nauseam. But she knew she couldn’t.

Not when his daughter could be somewhere nearby.

Hell, even if Sasha wasn’t here, physical contact was a bad idea. She was too afraid of finding out if it really was the daiquiri that made her lose control.

The smart thing to do would be to say their goodbyes, and leave it at that.

Only problem is: neither one wanted to send the other away. It’s like their bodies had formed a pact to keep the conversation going for as long as possible.

“I...uh…”

“Hm?” Mike’s eyes shined a little; it was like he was expecting more from her.

“...don’t know what to say now.”

“Me neither.”

Goodbye.

Just say goodbye.

It’s not so hard. Two syllables, and cease all contact.

The logical part of their brains was screaming that at the top of its metaphorical lungs, only to be silenced by their biological need for companionship.

“I came to apologize and leave, but it’s hard as hell...”

He chuckled. “Trust me. I know.”

How could she say goodbye to such beautiful hazel eyes?

Or that warm grin that only made her want to hug the shit out of him.

“I don’t wanna shut you out, Mikey.” He couldn’t see her eyes, but judging from the grief in her voice, he knew tears were forming. “Not again.”

“Me neither.” His beloved daughter’s smiling face came to mind. Following it was a look of grief he did not want to see on her face. “But I’m not in a position where I can do what I want. Not anymore.”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what he meant. “Was that your daughter back at the restaurant?”

“Yeah. That’s Sasha.”

“She’s beautiful, Mikey. You must be proud.” She was just about to make the mistake of patting his leg, but she stopped herself.

“I am.”

“How old is she?”

“She turned eighteen two months ago.”

Right. Aleena should’ve figured.

Eighteen years ago was when…

...no. She shouldn’t bring back such painful memories.

“And that human guy with her. That her boyfriend?”

He chuckles. “No. They’ve hated each other ever since they met.”

“Ah. So she’s only into Wolves, huh?”

“I don’t think she’s into anyo-” Realizing what was happening, Mike sighs. “Ally, no. We can’t keep talking.”

He couldn’t allow himself to get sucked in again. This had to end, and it had to end now.

Even showing up here to begin with was a bad idea. Why’d he even come here, anyway?

What was he going to get out of this when it would have been just as effective to stay in the circular restaurant?

But looking at the shining brown lips that called his name, he knew exactly why he came here.

The lips that exhaled with groany hesitation. “... can’t we?”

She thought she was fine with breaking things off again.

She thought that she was here to do the right thing.

But when she was once again confronted with such a heart-wrenching decision, the reality turned out to be much different than her imagination.

“Ally-”

“I can’t do it.” Looking at him any further was proving to be painful. “I can’t remove you from my life again...”

“But I’m married.”

“We both know that’s a load of shit, Mikey!”

A phrase uttered more loudly than she would’ve liked.

Part of him wanted to just walk away right there.

But another part of him knew she was right.

However, she was also slightly embarrassed by her shouting, so she toned it down a bit. “You know as well as I do that your marriage isn’t real. Your daughter’s almost in college, right? So-”

“Aleena…” His tone took a sharp dive towards serious in that moment. “...stop talking…”

Out of her pocke t, and in between her fingers, was a small piece of paper that she was holding out towards him. His innate curiosity incentivized him to pick up the slip, without touching her, and opening it to view its contents.

It was…

...a number?

“Ally. I can’t accept this.” He holds it out towards her once more.

She found the courage to physically reach out, and use her two little hands to close his into a fist. “Keep it.”

She was done here. Before she walked off, she would utter the last word of their conversation with eyes that were almost as hungry as the ones he saw last night; not like he could see them. “If you ever wanna hang out, gimme a call.”

And as ashamed as he was to admit it, her soft hands were a welcome feeling. Unlike the sensation of them slowly slipping away.

Finally, it was over. There stood Mike; confused, frustrated, and relieved all at once.

‘She’s joking, right?’ He walked over to the closest trash can he could find. ‘I’m not gonna entertain this.’

His fist hovers over the trash can, and…

...nothing.

It just hovered there with the slip of paper still in his hands.

‘I’m not gonna call her. I can’t call her! So I’m just gonna…’ do absolutely nothing.

Unease plagued his body when he tried to open his palm.

Sighing in defeat, he places his fist in his pocket, and it comes out a palm without the piece of paper anywhere to be seen.

‘Whatever. I’ll just throw it away before I leave the park.’ He shakes his head, and walks towards the circular restaurant once more. ‘I can’t afford to make any mistakes. Not when Sasha’s almost in college.’

Almost in college, and almost at his exact location.

Mike had taken a left at the split to get to the maned wolf exhibit. To the right, however, Sasha was just beyond the corner.

And her angry eyes were locked onto Aleena.

“Sasha?”

What broke her of her rage was the weirdest noise she’d ever heard.

That was definitely Will’s voice, but the sound he just made couldn’t be accurate.

That was her name, and it wasn’t uttered in a negative tone.

“What’s wrong?”

She turns to face him, and sure enough, his eyes were even weirder.

Since when could he express concern?

“Nothing. I’m fine.” What she just witnessed was most definitely not something she wanted to talk about.

Especially not with him.

“Bullshit. Your hackles are spiky as hell.”

She groans, and slicks them back; but not successfully. “None of your business, Whitey. Now come on. I have snacks to win.”

“Bu-”

“And you better not throw the contest, or I’ll kick your ass.”

Whatever it was, it had to have been huge. She’s never threatened him with violence before.

“Got it. No throwing.”

For now, he just decided to go along with it. It’s not like he couldn’t easily take her on in a fight, but fighting a grieving woman didn’t seem like the morally correct thing to do.

It was none of his business; and even if he had no reason to do so, he didn’t want to worsen her mood after…

...whatever she witnessed.

‘Well, well, well…’ Ms. Lockheart, however, couldn’t look more pleased. ‘ __Talk about trouble in paradise..._ ’_

The possibilities were endless when it came to what she’d do with the events she’d just witnessed. For now, however, she retreated to the cafe.

She wasn’t going to bring it up now; that would do her no good.

Instead, she was going to bide her time.

She figured that his marriage was doomed, and his daughter would grow to resent him for it; which would then result in Mike resenting Aleena.

Include the fact that news spreads fast in the age of social media, and he was going to be left alone to face negative judgement from all angles.

It would destroy anyone.

That’s when she’d swoop in, and comfort him.

And then maybe, just maybe, Mike would finally be hers.

Oh, yes. Her tail wagged furiously just thinking about it.

It was inevitable.

To her, anyway.

And all she had to do was just sit, and watch.

It just won’t stop.

No matter how much she scratches; no matter how deep she breathes; no matter which products she uses; the itching won’t stop.

The tightness in her chest won’t stop.

The sensation of impending doom, and endless guilt, refuses to leave her alone.

Sheila eyes the little orange container of stress pills in her hands. With a sigh, she awaits for the ringtone to cease.

“Hello?”

“Yes, this is Sheila Falconer. I’m looking to follow up on my last appointment with you, Dr. Kuntz.”

“Of course, Mrs. Falconer.” The grainy voice of an older human man, roughly in his sixties, radiates from Sheila’s silver iPhone 6. “How are you feeling?”

“That’s actually what I want to talk to you about.” The fingers of her right hand were scratching at the top of her head. “I don’t think the pills are working.”

“Not even a little?”

“No. In fact, I think I feel worse.”

The doctor paused for a moment.

“Before I jump to prescribing you something else, I need to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

“As you know, these pills are not a wonder cure for stress. They help you manage it, but you still need to address its source if you want to get rid of it for good. Have you made any advances in eliminating the triggers of your stress?”

“The triggers of my stress…?”

Her finger accidentally uses too much force on the home button.

What filled her eyes was a home screen of Mike and Sheila from their high school years. They were smiling; while Sheila lovingly hugged Mike from the side, Mike held rabbit ears right behind her head.

She’d grown to ignore this photo over time; but for some reason, she just couldn’t help but soak it in at this very moment.

Specifically the region containing Mike’s eyes. So full of joy, and life.

And the room. It was the interior of a classroom on a day she felt mixed about.

It was the end of fifth period, and the students were itching to go home.

Just two more periods to go.

One student, however, seemed to be alone in wishing the day was longer.

Sheila had already finished her assignment for French. Now, she anxiously stared at Mike.

He was a bit different then that he is today: his defined arms were moreso; his slender physique held chiseled abs underneath his varsity jacket and white t-shirt; and the colors of his fur were saturated with a youthful and rich dark gray.

‘It’s now or never, Sheila.’

But the ringing bell had its own plans.

‘Oh shit!’

Well, there went the slow and casual approach.

She had no choice but to rush up to him as he stood to leave. “Uh...M-Mike! Bonjour!”

She could feel her soul leave her body when those hazel eyes of his locked onto hers.

“Uh...bonjour, Sheila…?” It was hard to tell if he was bored, uninterested, or confused. “What’s up?”

“I w-wanted to askyousomething…”

The confused Mike leaned in. “...come again?”

“I said I-I want to ask you something…”

“Can you ask on the way to sixth period? I can’t afford another tardy, or coach’ll have my ass.”

“Y-yeah. Sure…”

He did try to maintain eye contact with her, our of respect, but Sheila could notice the occasional twitch of his eyes as they briefly scanned the area.

In addition, his tail—like his ears- was held up high and proud. Her tail, however, hung down and swayed gently as she walked.

Paired with her flat ears, Mike couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Are you okay?”

At least the occasional scan of his stopped. But now, she had to deal with his constant gaze. “I...”

Oh shit. Here comes the panting.

‘Fuck, this is hard...’ Sheila couldn’t help but gulp. ‘Is it getting hot in here?’

“Sheila.” She twitched when he placed his claws on her shoulders. “What’s the matter?”

His eyes were serious then; like he was ready to kick the ass of the first name she spat out.

‘He’s worried? About me?’ It made her heart flutter; but it also made her shake her head. “I...uh…”

She couldn’t get a word out with how hard she was panting.

And it only got worse as her blue eyes got lost in his concerned hazel gaze.

“Talk to me, Sheila. Is something bothering you?” The sudden low change of tone also didn’t help her. “Or someone?”

Nor that serious look of his that intentionally only kept her in its sights.

Or that concerned grip that grew a bit tighter; but not so tight that it hurt.

But it did feel like she was going to pop.

“I’m...just...nervous! About the...uh...test!”

“...what?” His face was just as confused as his tilted head.

“The test! For French! That’s why...I spoke...French earlier!”

Yet he was still no closer to understanding her. But, his grip on her did ease, and he gained a healthy distance from her.

“You’re nervous about the test?” The nervous sounding he-Wolf crossed his arms. “Well, fuck. If you’re nervous, then I’m screwed.”

Nervous was an understatement.

Her jaw quivered with the desire to utter those words.

I lied. I love you.

Yet, she found it impossible to release them from the knot in her throat.

‘Come on, Sheila! This is your chance!’ She lets out a nervous sigh that did fuck all to cure her panting. “Your french...is bad…?”

“Not as bad as your anxiety.” He stops; the back of his hand hovering over her chest. “Sit down for a sec, and breathe.”

Other boys would have used their palms to brush a feel under the guise of ‘concern.’ But not Mike. He purposefully used the back of his hand so that an accidental grope of her small boobs was impossible; and even then, his hand moved further up to constantly avoid her touch until she herself stopped walking.

She looked down at his hand: hovering over her chest, no contact, and his palm facing away from her boobs.

If she weren’t panting like crazy, she would’ve smiled.

Once both Wolves took their seat on a nearby bench, their conversation was paused as Sheila slowed her now heavy breathing.

She followed Mike’s instructions without hesitation.“And in...and out…”

He just couldn’t help but lean in, and sniff her breath at least once as she exhaled.

Apparently not an odd behavior; neither them nor the students around them—anthro or human—seemed concerned over it.

But it was, at least, the source of chuckling from some of the human students. “Wolves are so weird,” one of them whispered.

“So,” Mike says. “Feeling better?”

“A little.” At the very least, her smile had returned; but her heart still felt like it was trying to escape from her chest. “I think it would help even more if I held your hand.”

That certainly made his ears prop up. “Would it?” he says, unease in his voice.

“I won’t force you, Mike.” Her head shook lightly. “I already feel way better.”

“No, it’s fine.” His hand hovers between them both. “If it’ll help.”

Despite how much her hand pads itched for the feeling of his fur, she just stared at his hand for a moment.

It was okay.

He was allowing it.

Even so, her smaller hands still hesitate as they slowly gravitate towards his big paw.

But when they do make contact, they just seem to tightly melt into it as quickly as they can.

This was nothing like Hollywood’s depiction of intimate contact: no sparks, no tingly sensation on contact, and especially no sappy music to go with the occasion.

No, the contrast of her softer fur against his was electrifying all on its own. That’s because it wasn’t like the thousands of other times she’s touched Wolf fur; no, this fur was addicting to the touch because it was Mike’s.

Mike’s coarseness.

Mike’s warmth.

Mike’s touch.

Her heart didn’t ease, but her spirits sure did.

“Well?” Asks Mike. “Is it working?”

A light chuckle escaped her maw. “I just started holding it, dummy.” At the very least, it worked on the blue eyes that lovingly peered into his. “But yes.”

There was just one small thing wrong with this moment that just didn’t register, now that Sheila thought as she recounted this memory.

Sure, she felt like she was on top of the world; her heart playing a mean drum solo.

But Mike looked the same as before. His eyes remained concerned, his grip remained loose, and his heart sounded as it always did; all despite holding hands with her.

There just wasn’t that spark in his eyes that told her ‘I love you.’

“I still don’t know what you’re so nervous about.” Mike said. “You’re smart. You’re definitely gonna pass. The one who should be nervous is my dumb ass.”

“Oh Michael. You’re not stupid.” She shook her head. “You’re just not applying yourself.”

“Why should I? I’m not gonna use this crap after I graduate.”

“You can be cut from the team for consistently poor academic performance, can’t you?”

That certainly made his hand tense up. “Yeah, but-”

“Then isn’t that motivation enough to apply yourself in your classes?” His vocal struggle to form a rebuttal elicits another chuckle from her. “So?”

“...I guess,” He finally responds, albeit hesitantly. “But that test is in 5 days, and I still don’t know all the different ways to write finir. Finissons, finirais, fin...uh...fuck!”

And another chuckle. “Unfortunately, fin-uh-fuck is not one of them.”

He sighed, his ears going flat; along with any enthusiasm in his face. “See? You’ve got this.”

Oddly enough, words that seemed to help.

There was a Wolf in need of help right in front of her, and she had exactly what he needed.

This was her chance to spend more time with Mike.

A chance to have him all to herself without any intervention from that skin-covered nuisance; and all she had to do was play her cards right.

She’s got this; even if her trembling mouth disagrees.

“If…” Her grip on his hand may have tightened, and her voice may have begun to tremble, but she was determined to keep her nervously soft eyes locked onto his; it was now, or never. “...if you want, we can study...to...gether…?”

His lack of words only added to the terrifying nervousness that constantly flowed into her body.

“...t-two heads are be-etter than one, r-r-right?”

What was it he said, again?

His lips seemed to part painfully slow.

But what she heard sounded low-quality. And it wasn’t even Mike. “Mrs. Falconer?”

Sheila twitched.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings: dark cloth seats, dark leather steering wheel, an ugly touch screen in the middle of the dashboard; yep, this was the interior of her small red Toyota Corolla in present day 2014.

“Are you still there?”

“Huh?” She blinked quickly. ‘I zoned out?’

“You went quiet. Are you okay?”

‘How long was I just sitting here?’ A question that seemed to matter very little at the moment; with the doctor expecting a response, and all. “Uh…yeah! Sorry. What were we talking about?”

“I asked you if you’d made any advances in eliminating stressful triggers, and then you stopped responding.”

“Right! Well...”

No.

How could she?

When the cause and your existence are inseparable, what do you do?

“...I see. Well, I want you to at least try to make more progress; and if it doesn’t help, I’ll go ahead and change your prescription. Sound good?”

“Yes. Thank you doctor.”

“No problem at all. And if you have any other questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to give me another call, okay?”

“I will. Thank you.”

“No problem. Take care, now. Buh bye.”

“Bye.”

Well, that was a big load of nothing.

At the very least, she hoped she would’ve made progress in managing her stress levels.

But, looks like she was mistaken.

‘Oh well,’ She sighs, leaving her car and walking towards a small Walmart.

But even this small trip was nothing to look forward to.

From the moment she walked in, cart in her hands, the short greeter leered at her with such overwhelming disgust.

“Welcome to Walmart.” Yet his upbeat attitude didn’t match his eyes.

She sped up her pace.

‘Don’t look at anyone.’ Anything except peripheral vision was a sin.

On occasion, someone entered her clear line of sight; and when they looked at her right in the eyes, that same malice was directed right at her.

‘Don’t look at anyone.’ The floor it was, as she entered the baking section.

But it was human nature to console anything that looked sad.

And Sheila looked like she just escaped the narrow grip of death: flat ears, thin pupils, raised hackles, and a tail as tucked between her legs as they could be.

“Hey.” A black man looked over at Sheila from her right. “You aight?”

‘Don’t…!’ But she couldn’t help herself; he sounded so friendly.

Unfortunately, his death stare disagreed.

She just couldn’t help but speed walk away from the man.

But it wasn’t until she was by herself in a different aisle that she could think clearly, and cringe internally. ‘I hope he didn’t think I was racist…’

But she couldn’t help it.

Anyone she looked at seemed hostile.

And why wouldn’t they?

After what she did.

She deserved all of these glares; and more.

Maybe this was her punishment.

She thought she could cut herself a little slice of heaven, but all she did was buy a one-way ticket to hell.

Fuck.

Here we go again.

‘Don’t cry, Sheila…’

Breathe in, breathe out.

In comes air, and out goes sorrow in choppy exhales.

Not one tear.

She refused to give herself the privilege.

‘Do as all good Wolves do, and shove. It. Down.’ She covered her eyes with one of her hands. Once she could exhale without interruption from her lament, she uncovers the blue peepers that now appeared calm as a cucumber. _“_Okay.”

“Sheila Falconer!” A female voice taunts her from down the aisle. “Is that you?”

Oh no.

“Hey!” Says Sheila who struggled to maintain eye contact.

“It’s been ages. How have you been?”

“Good. Good. I’ve been good.” She nods slowly at the blonde woman before her. “Family’s good.”

“Oh, so Mike’s also good, I take it?” Her next words, slightly less cheerful, feel like a dagger through her chest. “I’d hope so.”

But she can’t react. She mustn’t. “Well, I’d love to catch up, but I have errands to run so…”

“Oh, I completely understand!” And back came the woman’s full smile. “But before you go, I recommend checking out the produce section. Prices right now are a steal. ” And with that, she begins to wheel away. “I know that’s your thing, and all.”

‘You son of a…!’ Sheila waited until the woman could not see her face to speak. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she calmly uttered.

‘Don’t bite her. Don’t hit her. Don’t even look at her. Let her walk away, and then breathe. Okay? 3...2...1…’

But her exhale was much rougher than she anticipated.

‘Stay calm…’

Another rough exhale.

‘The beach at sunset.’

Exhale.

‘Pups play fighting.’

Exhale.

‘Holding hands with Mi-’

She paused mid-inhale.

‘Wait. That’s right.’

Last she remembered, she was holding hands with Mike before he gave his response.

She didn’t want to remember this at all, but with that blonde cunt’s comments, she couldn’t help but await the inevitable conclusion of this memory as her mind dived into it.

Her two relatively small hands hungrily cling to one of Mike’s large hands. It was warm, welcoming, and helpful as she uttered the question.

“...t-two heads are be-etter than one, r-r-right?”

Still, there was hesitation in his response. But eventually, his maw parts. “...you’re serious?” What was concern in his hazel eyes was now skepticism.

But the way he phrased it made her heart sink.

It wasn’t just a no. It was disgust.

But then, she was surprised as his large body happily constricts itself around hers. “You’re the best, Sheila! I’m gonna owe you big time!”

“Uh…y-i-mmm-” Now she was the one left with indecipherable babbling in place of sentences.

Was it not disgust after all?

No, he was happy.

So happy, he was hugging her.

His touch was all over her.

His warmth was all over her.

His scent was all over her...

“Uh-” Mike separates himself from her quickly, and looks apologetic. “Sorry. Guess I got carried away.”

“Huh?” The eyes that had rolled back struggled to realign themselves. “N-No...it’s fine you’re uh fine...fine, fine, fine, so fine...uh...fine…”

Was this real?

Did he actually agree to study with her?

“When are you least busy? I only want your help if it won’t inconvenience you.”

“What!?” That last part snapped her back to reality. “No! I can do it!”

Though her sudden outbursts forced him to retract a bit out of shock. “Okay...so when are you available?”

‘Okay Sheila, don’t fuck this up…’ She gulped. “Well...I...uh...after school I...uh...study at the library at uh...McKinney…street?”

A small smile formed on his maw. “Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’m sure! Very sure! The most sure woman you’ll ever know!”

A smile that evolved into laughter. “I was joking. Relax, Sheila.”

Placing his other hand above hers surely helped. “Uh...yeah. Okay.”

“So the library,” Mike repeats. “What time?”

What time?

A very important question.

The less people, the better.

Too soon after school lets out, and students take over.

Too late, and the time she spends with him would be cut short.

Which only left…

“How about 7?”

“7?” He skeptically repeats. “I don’t know. My mom can be kind of uptight about when I can be out.”

“Maybe it would help if we left together. Your mom loves me.”

Mike nods. “You’re right. She does.” She didn’t know what he was thinking, but his skeptical face sure made her wonder. “A lot.”

“So…” She leans in, her claws still attached to his. “We’re on?”

After some thinking, and several facial expressions that had Sheila contemplating the end of the world, he nods. “Hell yeah we are.”

The sound of the warning bell puts the two young Wolves into panicked overdrive. They now had two minutes to get to their next class before they were late.

“Oh shit!” They utter in unison.

But Mike is the first to bolt as he rambles quickly. “Sorry to leave you like this but I can’t be late for class okay see you at 7 bye!”

“Uh…” And she began a walk of her own. “...bye…”

She had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

But even so, as she walked, she couldn’t believe it.

‘We’re going on a date!’ Her body tingled all over as her slow march became a happy skip. ‘God, I’m so happy! I think I’m gonna burst!’

It was like she was made of helium with how easy it was for her to skip.

A joy acknowledged by her fellow students as the sounds of her nails happily tapping against the tile played a tune that radiated love.

‘He said yes! He said yes! He said yes! I can’t believe it!’

But what was a happy moment screeched to a halt at the sound of distant tumult.

“...no…”

“...Mike…”

Both women.

One of them was unmistakeably Aleena, and she didn’t sound happy.

The other was hard to recognize, but the malice in her voice wasn’t.

As she sped-walked closer, the picture began to paint itself more and more.

“Stop!”

“…stupid nigger…”

That didn’t sound good.

“Leave me alone!”

When Sheila pushed open the doors to one of the bathrooms, she saw a small crowd surrounding the even smaller Aleena: four she-Wolves in cheerleader uniforms. Two of them each held one of her wrists, one stood idly by, and the last one aggressively gripped Aleena’s white Scooby-Doo t-shirt.

“We told you to leave Mike alone, and you didn’t listen.”

“Mikey don’t belong to you!”

“It’s doesn’t belong. Doesn’t!” The she-Wolf in all white fur reiterated angrily. “Not like I’d expect a nigger to know the difference.”

‘Cheerleaders. No wonder people are ignoring this…’ Sheila thought to herself. “Samantha!” Shouts Sheila. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Huh?” The white Wolf, a younger Samantha, turns her attention towards Sheila. “Mind your own business, you little nobody.”

Yet Sheila marched forward seriously. “Your behavior is unbecoming of a Wolf. Have you no shame?”

“What do you mean? The way I figure, I’m doing us both a favor. She’s the only thing between us, and Mike; so all we’re doing is...talking to Mr. Gorbachev, so to speak.”

“You’re doing no one a favor by acting like a savage.” She crossed her arms. “Let her go.”

“Let her go?” Samantha raised an eyebrow. “Looks like we’ve got us a nigger sympathizer, girls!”

“You should’ve turned around when you had the chance.” Another one chimed in. “Now I’m gonna have to ruin that perfect fur of yours.”

“No!” Shouts Aleena. “Don’t d-!”

Aleena’s cheek meets the wrath of Samantha’s backhand. “Don’t order me around!”

“That’s it,” Sheila says. “I’m getting a teacher involved.”

She turned around, only to be stopped by the grip of Samantha and the idle cheerleader.

“I don’t think so, nigger sympathizer.” Said the idle.

“Good news, you little coon!” She shouts over Sheila’s grunts of defiance. “You’ve got a swirly buddy!”

“No! Let me go!” Shouts a struggling Sheila; but much like with Aleena, it was futile. Sharp claws and rough pads ensured that she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Please don’t do this!” Pleads a loud Aleena once more.

“God, do you niggers have to be so loud?” Utters Samantha, seemingly going for the world record in n-words uttered. “Good thing toilet water dampens sound!”

“No! Stop!”

The sound of splintering wood booms from the bathroom’s now broken door.

None of the girls had any time to react before a bone-shattering smack forced one of Aleena’s yelping captors onto the ground with a loud thud.

By the time they had the chance to recognize the assailant, the other yelping captor’s head met a similar fate between a wall and Mike’s tight grip.

“Mike!?” But Sasha’s words had no effect. All three women—Sheila, Aleena, and Samantha—could only watch as the third cheerleader was blindly flung away like a small t-shirt.

“Mikey stop!”

But not even Aleena’s words could reach him as he forced Samantha onto the floor. “What the fuck did I tell you!?” His loud growling voice, raspy and ground-vibrating, maintains the attention of the students watching through the broken bathroom door.

Samantha’s eyes were wide. Very wide. And her quivering maw struggled to release a coherent word.

Just when it didn’t look like his hackles could grow any spikier, he found a way to surprise all three ladies.

“You-” Says Samantha. “I-”

“I told you to leave her alone!”

“Mike! I’m sorry!”

“No, you’re not...” He leans in, giving Samantha a good look at his wrinkly snout and sharp fangs. “...but you’re gonna be.”

It wasn’t until after he raised one of his fists that he felt a small body wrap itself behind him. “Mikey! Stop!”

For the moment, he froze; but he didn’t take his eyes off of Samantha, nor did his now shaking fist move.

Sheila remained silent, unable to fathom what was happening.

Was this really Mike?

And how did such a small woman stop a large carnivore using only two words?

For now, she remained silent; though shaken. The last thing she wanted to do was make things worse.

“What’s going on here?”

The voice, coming from the quick footsteps of a teacher, sounded more authoritative than concerned.

‘Oh shit,’ Thought Sheila.

The teacher didn’t know what to focus on first.

The splintered remains of the door?

The injured cheerleaders littered all over the floor?

A male student assaulting a female student?

A male student in the women’s bathroom?

All horrible by themselves, yet all interconnected into one large disaster that was exponentially worse.

“The four of you.” The teacher’s tone was an unnerving calm. “Principal’s office. Now.”

Many questions—and a painfully slow moving clock—later, all but Samantha were seated in the room surrounding the principal’s office.

She forgot exactly how long all of that took.

Too long. Definitely too long.

Sheila and Aleena were blessed enough to only be filled with anxiety.

Mike, however, felt like he was being tossed around internally: flat ears, hair-thin pupils, constant shaking, and a tail as tucked between his legs as physically possible.

In addition, he frequently licked at the maw that just couldn’t stop panting.

“Here. In case you need to puke.” Sheila eyed a nearby small trash can.

“I’m fucked!” He was so nervous, his voice was beginning to crack. “I’m absolutely fucked!”

“Chill, Mikey.” Aleena leans towards him, and rests her hand on his shaking paw; a sight Sheila screamed internally over. The small human didn’t even have to ask him for permission; he just let it happen. “It’s gonna be alright.”

“No it’s not! I’m going to juvie, Ally!”

“You’re not going to juvie.”

“I broke into the ladies’ room and beat up four women! What the fuck do you mean I’m not going to juvie!?”

“Mikey, Mikey, Mikey…” Aleena’s other hand on his back, and her head on his arm; Sheila was confused as she continued to watch in silence. “Look at me.”

But he was too anxious to listen.

“Mikey.”

Still nothing.

Her little hands slide to both sides of his face, and they force him in her direction.

“Ally! What the-”

His eyes force-align as he feels her soft human lips grace the front of his maw.

Sheila, spectator to this display of what she perceives as dominance, looks on with a wide mouth and irate eyes. ‘What the fuck!?’

This was neither the time nor the place for a fucking kiss! But apparently, what Sheila perceived as common sense didn’t matter.

No warning; no asking for permission; Aleena just went for it!

And Mike’s not even attempting to stop it.

They were both locking eyes during the exchange; Aleena more attentive than Mike.

His irises were, understandably, very thin; and his stiff mouth was sealed shut by his anxiety.

It took a moment for his body to process the slow spread of oxytocin; but once it did, she could feel his maw soften.

And she could see his pupils open up.

That was the sign she needed to sever herself from him.

“Feel better?” She says with a smile.

“A little,” he replies softly. “You know we can get in trouble for this, right?”

Aleena chuckles. “Mikey, you know I don’t give a fuck.”

A sentiment that brought a smile on Mike’s face, and a joy to his eyes that Sheila had never seen.

A joy short lived when he got a good look at her bruised cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m good, Mikey.”

But the concerned face in his eyes radiated with doubt.

“Really,” Aleena reaffirms, hugging him tightly. “I’m okay, thanks to you.”

Sheila had to give it to Aleena. If she had gotten hit like that, her composure wouldn’t be nearly as calm.

Virtually nothing happened to Sheila, so she could brush this off no problem.

But who knows what else happened to Aleena before she got there; and she’s acting like nothing happened.

Or maybe that’s just a front she’s putting on in front of Mike.

She never did find out.

Their little moment of intimacy was interrupted by the sound of a creaking door. In record time, the two students separate and sit casually in their respective seats.

Out of the principal’s office came the principal himself, and the blue pant-suited she-Wolf Mike called mother.

“As long as you hold true to your promise, I’m confident we can sweep this under the rug.”

“Thank you, Principal Smith.” respectfully bowed Mike’s mother. “Once again, let me apologize for my son’s behavior. Rest assured…” Her hazel eyes locked onto Mike’s maliciously. “…this won’t happen again.”

“Excellent,” Said the principal. “Then we’re done here.”

“We’ll be on our way, then.” She furiously marched over to Mike, and pulled him up by the ear. “Let’s go, young man.”

“Ow ow ow ow hey!” He whimpered.

“Wh-” Aleena rapidly stood and gripped at Mike’s varsity jacket. “Hey! What are you doing!?”

“Unhand my son!”

The sudden outburst, along with her raised hackles, has everyone looking surprised.

Even the mother herself looked surprised as she aggressively leaned in towards Ally.

She took a moment to stand upright, reel in that anger, and clear her throat. “My apologies. I don’t know what came over me.”

Still, no one else spoke; too stunned by the outburst.

“I suggest you move on with your day, young lady.” She gripped Mike’s arm tightly. “This no longer concerns you.”

“Like hell it doesn’t!” Aleena blocked the door with her tiny body. “What happened? Is Mikey gonna be okay?”

The mother’s eyes narrow.

“Aleena.” Sheila takes great care to not pull Aleena back with too much force. “I think it’s best if we stay out of this.”

Words that eased the older she-Wolf’s eyes.

But not Aleena’s. “But-”

“I know.” Sheila’s grip on Aleena’s shoulder tightened. “But Mike’s mom is smarter than both of us combined. She probably knows how to handle this better than we do.”

The mother smiles; but not just because Aleena hesitantly decided to silently step out of the way. “Smart girl. I can see why my son took you up on your offer to help him study.”

“H-” Sheila’s eyes nervously shift away from Mike’s mother. “He said that…?”

A gesture that gave his mother quite the chuckle. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed.” She taps at Sheila’s shoulder playfully. “If your intellect can rub off on my son, please borrow him as much as you’d like.”

Even as a direct request, Sheila couldn’t help but look at the older woman with skepticism.

But the older she-Wolf looked quite serious despite her smile. “He could certainly use some of it.” And with that, she yanks at Mike’s arm and quickly marches away. “Now come, you. We have work to do.”

“Hey!” Mike said no other word, but his eyes quickly snapped back towards Aleena.

It was hard to describe the look. They weren’t holding hands, or kissing, or even cuddling, but his eyes held that look of vulnerability once more.

Sheila’s seen him when he’s happy, but this was…

...different.

It filled her with rage.

Why her?

She’s not even a Wolf!

She has no regard for authority!

What does Mike even see in her?

“Man…” Says Aleena. “...this is some bullshit.”

“Tell me about it,” responds Sheila.

‘This is bullshit!’ Will frantically scanned his surroundings, but all he could see was the transparent tank of sea lions, and the crowds of visitors around it. ‘Why did this have to happen now!?’

He didn’t even have time to process what had happened. One second, Sasha was in some sort of mood; and the next, she chases after a poor little rabbit like she was paid to kill it.

But he was no fool. If he couldn’t see her, then he had to rely on the bystanders for help. He walks up to one, and hopes for the best.

“Excuse me,” Will says. “Have you seen a female Wolf? Roughly my height? Hazel eyes?”

“...have you tried...I don’t know...everywhere?” asks the guy with rhetorical sarcasm.

Will scans his surroundings, and it’s evident to him just how many female Wolves fit that description.

“Okay, smart ass.” Will rolls his eyes. “How about one that’s chasing a rabbit?”

“Oh! Her!” The guy chuckled. “Last time I saw her, she was chasing that poor little guy all the way to the duck pond.”

“The duck pond?” Will sprints off. “Alright, thank you!”

‘You dick,’ Will thinks to himself.

He ran through the sea lions, down the long rectangular reflection pool, and finally arrived at his destination as he took a right.

Just in time. He was out of gas . “ Fuck! Me!” His breathing was heavy. ‘I really need to work out!’

And his jacket wasn’t doing him any favors. He thought he could wear it for any occasion, but the hot Texas sun was quick to remind him of his limits.

Specifically, how hot a human can get before they begin to feel light-headed.

“Young man. Are you alright?”

It was a female voice. Light and inviting, so it couldn’t be Sasha.

When he looked up from his exhaustive breathing, the older Wolf before him—old enough to be his mother—took away the remnants of breath that remained within him.

Her face was serious, but his brain didn’t care. His thoughts were something akin to an American trying to pronounce Russian cursive.

Fur-pattern wise, she was not much different from Sasha. Everything that ran from the top of her head and down her back was a mixture of black and gray, albeit more gray than Sasha’s fur.

And her eyes were a sparkling blue; like sun-lit sapphires that could look into his soul.

What was she wearing? That’s a good question, and not one that Will’s focus could answer.

At least not until his body reminded him of just how oxygen deprived he was when he tried to speak. Instead, his response ended up being a series of coughs, and a finger held up to buy him time.

“...Wolf…” Will weakly spits out. “...female...chase rabbit...hazel eyes...total...bitch…”

“Slow down, young man.” She gently places a paw on his shoulder. “Take a seat, catch your breath, and tell me what’s wrong.”

The white bottom of her tail swats debris away from a nearby bench.

After ensuring that he takes a seat first, the older Wolf lowers herself down gracefully until the curves of her large butt and thighs make themselves known through the stretch in her khaki shorts.

He couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“Hello!” She leaned forward, and waved her hand; but that only made the two large personalities in her blue zookeeper t-shirt sway in a manner that was barely noticeable, yet impossible to look away from. “Young man? Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Even as his lungs were scrambling to fill his brain with essential oxygen, his male instincts refused to leave him alone.

He almost didn’t want to say anything out of fear of stopping her chest from jiggling, but he had other things to worry about right now.

“Y-yeah…” Will says, in-between breaths. “Sorry...”

Even as he averted his gaze from the Wolf’s chest, his peripheral vision focused on it as much as it could.

“Good. Then hurry and take this off.” Her claws pinch at his blue hoodie.

A gesture that would make him blush were it not for his exhausted red face. “Excuse me...?”

“You’ll succumb to hyperthermia if you keep it on.”

“Oh...” He struggled to take it off, but he did manage. “...duh…” Now all that was left to cover his torso was the white evanescence shirt that was soaked with his sweat.

“Why even bring such a thing on a hot day like this?”

“Cause jackets...are cool…”

“Not if they kill you, you little fool.” She crossed her arms. “Now tell me. Why were you running down the reflection pool like you were breaking out of prison?”

“I was…” Struggling to keep his eyes away from her chest. “...uh…”

“You mentioned a ‘total bitch?’”

“Huh? Oh! yeah!” Will says, finally able to speak normally. “I’m looking for my...well, she’s not my friend. More like: field trip partner.”

“A Wolf, correct?”

“Yeah. She ran after a rabbit, and I haven’t seen her since.”

“Really?” Her tone was almost as judgmental as her face. “Well unfortunately, I can’t say I’ve seen her.”

“Really?” Will utters with disappointment. “Aw, man!”

“But,” she continues, much to Will’s interest. “If you have something with her scent on it, I can track her down for you.”

“Really?” The enthusiasm in his voice rises. “That would be great! Except…” And it left as soon as it came.

“Except what?”

“I don’t...have…” He sighs. “Shit.” He pinches the bridge of his nose, but recoils his hand when he smells something non-human. “Ew! What the fuck?”

Her head tilts curiously. “What’s the matter?”

“My hand smells like-” A light bulb went off in his head as he looked at his hand. And immediately, the she-Wolf could see his idea vanish into a look of embarrassment.

The curious woman’s head tilted once more, but in the other direction. “I hate to sound like a broken record, but what’s the matter?”

“Her scent is on my hand.” A phrase he immediately regrets; specifically because the she-Wolf leaned back and looked at him with skepticism. “Notinthewayyou’rethinking!” He could not look her in the eyes anymore. “...nothing...uh...dirty...”

“...right,” she chuckles. Even if he wasn’t looking right at her, she knew he could see her smirk with his peripheral vision. “Don’t worry, young man. It’s 2014. I won’t judge you for holding hands with a Wolf.”

“But I...she’s…” He sighs in defeat. It’s evident that no matter what he says, she’s going to hold on to that belief. “...whatever. So do I rub this scent on a piece of paper, and then you just-” The cold touch of a wet nose disturbs his thought. “-hey!”

He nearly jumped out of his seat.

‘What the hell…?’ He froze as a primitive look overtook the she-Wolf’s face. It was like all semblance of critical thinking had left her head the instant she began to sniff. It was just like what happened to Sasha when she locked eyes with that rabbit. But the most shocking thing of all? He could feel tension building in his pants. ‘That’s...uh...this should...not...be turning me on...’

“Okay, I think I have a lock on the girl.” She was quick to stand, but looked confused when Will remained seated. “Well?”

“Y-yeah! I just wasn’t sure if you were ready to go, like now now.” He stands, but not before placing one hand deep into one of his jean pockets. “If you have her scent, then I’m right behind you.”

Mainly so that she wouldn’t be able to tell that he was trying to conceal an awkward erection. Though, maybe standing behind her wasn’t the wisest idea. T he hypnotic dance of the Wolf’s hips teased his peripheral vision.

It was a torturous cycle. Not wanting to come off as a creep, he kept his focus forward. However, his eyes had other plans. He could slowly feel his peripheral vision focus on her assets; wanting to admire every nook and cranny of the beautiful woman that sniffed the air around her.

His peripheral vision made her more clear, sure, but still too blurry to truly admire.

Oh, how his body wanted to look.

Very quickly, he could feel an unease fill his body; an unease similar to that of suffocation. Only, instead of taking thirty seconds to become unbearable, it was more like five.

The first was nothing to write home about.

The second gave way to ever-sharpening peripheral vision.

The third built up unease in his chest.

The fourth blurred anything in front of him, and carved a bottomless pit into his stomach.

And finally, he could bear it no more. Fifth second, eyes to her butt.

And all felt good within him.

Well, except for his self-respect and morality.

Over and over again this cycle repeated itself; each feeling more suffocating than the last.

But eventually, progress.

Their walking slows, and her sniffing intensifies. Then, her head snaps towards the African Forest exhibit. “She’s over there somewhere.”

“I don’t see her.” Many female Wolves, but not one was his cellmate. “How can you tell?”

“The wind blew her scent towards us from that direction.”

“You say that, but-”

And there she was: chasing that rabbit down with what seemed like endless stamina.

It elicits a chuckle from the she-Wolf. “That’s her, I take it?”

“Yes! Thank you ma’am!” He sprints after her. “Sasha!”

No answer from Sasha.

The predator and prey zig-zag around the heavy foot traffic as Will struggles to keep up. Already, his weak physique was starting to betray him; primarily from his earlier run. ‘How the hell does she have so much stamina!?’

But luck was on his side today. The rabbit ran into a hole far too small for Sasha to fit through.

Not to say that she was ready to give up.

“Sasha!” Yelled a desperate Will once more. “Stop!”

Once more, he was ignored in favor of the hole she scanned with great focus.

The left? Solid. Just like the right.

Above the hole was a tall wall, so no luck there either.

“What the hell are y-”

Left with no other choice, she got on her knees, and quickly plopped her chest on the floor.

As she did, Will’s mind slipped into the jeans that stretched to fit around Sasha’s bent-over butt with eye-catching detail.

He wasn’t focused on what she was doing, which was reaching into the hole in search of the rabbit. No, her rear and upward swaying tail teamed up to hypnotize the young human into doing nothing.

He didn’t even notice when the very rabbit of her focus just casually hopped by his feet. Or maybe he did, and said nothing.

That wasn’t clear to the chuckling she-Wolf that helped him find her. ‘Nothing dirty my foot.’ But that then brought her chuckling to a halt. ‘I hope he wasn’t lying about the source of that scent.’

Defeated, Sasha groans and stands. ‘Dammit!’ She dusts herself off, and turns around while doing so. However, she froze when she saw Will just standing there. “What are you looking at, Whitey?”

“What, what are, wha-” He clears his throat.

“Wha- wha- what are you, retarded?” She flicks the last of the dirt from her shirt; the bounce of her little chest not lost on Will’s peripheral vision.

“I-I should be asking you the same thing! What the hell was…” His arms wave around sporadically. “...this!?”

“I…” The gears were turning in her head. “...were you looking at my butt just now?”

“Wh-” His fists clench. “Don’t you change the subject!”

“I’m taking that as a yes. Fucking perv.” She casually began to walk back towards the circular restaurant.

And Will wasn’t too far behind. “How are you gonna act all high and mighty after chasing that poor rabbit around the entire zoo like some kind of animal?”

“The only mighty thing here is probably your boner.” She chuckles. “Though I don’t know about high.”

“Oh you wish you could sit on the 12 inch rod of god!”

Another chuckle out of the she-Wolf; and not just because playing with a male’s pride was an easy way to distract him. “Is that what you tell yourself when you cyber-plow femboys on the internet?”

“No, that’s how I tease your mom before I...reality-plow...her every Friday!”

“Wow…” She rolled her eyes. “You sure got me, little Timmy.”

“You know, now I kinda wish I’d just left you behind…”

Sasha smirked. “There you go again talking about behinds…”

“I wasn’t! Looking! At your matted ass!”

A smirk that transformed into exposed fangs. “Matted!?”

Their argument is interrupted by a low-quality rendition of Bring Me To Life by Evanescence.

Sasha, though radiating embarrassment on her face, remained quiet as he answered the call. “Hello?”

“William.” A female voice. Older; potentially in her 40s.

“Yeah?”

“I just wanted to let you know that we won’t be able to pick you up from your field trip, but-”

“What!?”

“-let me finish!” shouted the older woman. “Luna will swing by the school after she’s finished with a prior engagement.”

Will Sighed. “Like always…”

“What was that?”

“I said of course! God...”

“Don’t you take that tone of voice with me young-”

“Gee, mom, it might sound like I’m hanging up, but…” Will was almost too eager to hang up that phone call.

Sasha walked beside him with one of her pseudo-eyebrows raised. “Wow. You’re even a bitch to your mom?”

“Mind your own business,” he fired back quickly and firmly.

“Well…” she sarcastically whispered as she looked elsewhere.

The rest of their walk was quiet; minus the roar of the people around them, and the eventual noise of their fellow students within the restaurant.

Even as they entered the bus, rode down to the school, and waited for the arrival of this “Luna,” not a word was exchanged.

At least not between Will and Sasha.

“Hey,” Mike said. “Where did your mother say she was?”

“She’s not coming,” Will irritably responded. “A family friend is coming to get me.”

“And this family friend is...where, exactly?”

“I don’t know. I called her, but she said that she ran into some trouble at work, so it could take a while.”

A while longer than what they’d already been waiting. It was just Mike, Sasha, and Will sitting at the school’s bus driveway; the other students, and Ms. Lockheart, had already gone home long before the horizon had begun to take on a yellow hue.

“If that’s the case...” begins Mike. “...then why don’t I just drive you home?”

“Because my parents lock the house, so even if I did go over there, I’d have no way to get inside.”

“You don’t have a key?”

“No.”

For some reason, Mike brushed down the back of his neck fur. “Then, why not come with us? At least until this family friend is ready to pick you up?”

“What?” Will refused with both of his palms. “No, Mr. F, you don’t have to do that.”

“Yeah, dad!” Sasha’s hazel eyes looked into his with malicious intent. “You really don’t have to!”

“Oh nonsense!” Mike placed his hands on his hips. “I insist! Besides, it’s almost dinnertime, and I’m sure you must be starving.”

“I mean, even if I were, I wouldn’t want to be a bother…”

“You wouldn’t be a bother, William.” Mike shook his head. “The more the merrier, as the human saying goes.”

“So even Mrs. F wouldn’t mind it?”

“Of course not! She’s fond of you. At least from the stories Sasha tells her.”

“Wh-” Sasha’s nose wrinkled as she exposed her fangs; much to Will’s amusement. “Dad! Shut up!”

Finding out about his rent-free status in Sasha’s head, and the chance to lay eyes on Sheila once more, was enough to persuade this chuckling blonde teen. “Okay Mr. F, I’m game. I guess I’ll call L- the family friend.”

“And I’ll call my wife; let her know we’re having company.” Mike pulls out his relatively puny Samsung Galaxy S3.

As Mike sifts through his contacts, Will gives Sasha a shit-eating grin.

A grin that only adds to Sasha’s frustration. “What?”

“I didn’t know I had a fangirl telling her mom about me all the time.”

“Only about how insufferable you are.” Sasha looks away. “You edgy-ringtone-having prick.”

“Uh huh...”

Oh yeah. Will had a feeling that his time at the Falconers’ was going to be fun.

Sasha’s house. Two stories of American-made brick marked the place where she called home.

To Will, its appearance differs little from the surrounding properties. Down the middle, a upward-inclined walkway that leads up to the front porch; and with it, two gardens that travel upward with it from the left and the right. These acted not only as decoration, but also as separators from the grass and the garage driveway to the left and the right, respectfully.

‘It’s so compact,’ Will thinks to himself as he gets out of Mike’s blue Sequoia.

“Well,” Mike says. “Here we are. Casa de Falconer.”

To their right, an old human woman waves at them from the second story of the house next to them . “Good afternoon, Mr. Falconer!”

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Fitzsimons!” Mike’s inviting smile matched hers, which was more than could be said about Sasha and Will’s discomfort.

“Hey,” Sasha raises two fingers.

“Good afternoon,” Will returns.

The older lady said nothing else as she momentarily eyes Sasha and Will. She says nothing, but she smirks and retreats into her home.

Sasha swears she can hear chuckling. ‘Oh god dammit…’ Her ears flatten. “Alright, let’s go.” She insists they hurry inside by shoving both men towards the door. “ Chop chop!”

Entering the home from the brick porch smacked them with the cooling relief of the air conditioner.

“Honey! We’re home!” Mike yells.

“I’m in the kitchen! Dinner’s almost ready!”

The sound of Sheila’s light voice alone was enough to make Will’s cheeks tingle.

“Okay!” Mike turned his attention back to Will. “By the way-”

Will was taking his shoes off at the front door. “Yeah?”

“Uh...never mind. You beat me to it.”

“Huh?” It clicked for Will when he looked down at his shoes. “Oh! Yeah. A few of my friends are Wolves, so this is pretty much second nature now.”

“Wh-” Sasha’s attention snapped to his feet. “I’ve never seen human feet in person before.” Sasha couldn’t look away from his plantigrade feet; even if they are covered by socks. “They’re so flat. And they stink.”

Will chuckled. “Now who’s staring at who’s feet?”

“Wait,” Mike mentally paused. “What?”

From the kitchen doorway peaked the matriarch herself; and she focused on Mike first. “Dinner’ s five minutes out . Come and take your seats!”

“Welp, you heard her,” Mike said. “Let’s go.”

Sh eila locked her sharp blue eyes with Will for only a split-second before retreating into the kitchen ; yet, it was enough to trigger tension in his pants. Especially with the friendly smile she flashed him.

The other Falconers followed after her into the kitchen , and with them walked Will with one hand in his pockets. “ Whatever that is, it smells great!”

“Nothing but good ol’ pan seared steak!” Sheila flips one of them. Then, she leans in and hovers her snout by Will’s ear. “And store bought mashed potatoes,” she whispers, noticeably holding her hand up in a joke attempt to block noise. “But don’t tell ‘em!” She winks.

“I…” His entire body felt light and tingly. “Yeah...no problem…”

Her whisper alone was enough to make his spine shiver. Paired with that teasing wink, he felt like he was being purposefully tortured by an art piece he was not allowed to touch.

S he moves away from him a bit, and holds a hand out. “Sheila Falconer. And you must be the infamous ‘Whitey’ I’ve been hearing so much about.”

“Yeah…” In his flushed haze, it took him a second to interpret what she was saying. But, once their hands made contact, the space cadet came back down to Earth; as if finally understanding what it was she said. “Wait, infamous?”

Sasha, chuckling nervously, pulls him towards the dining room. “Alright, Whitey! Come on! Take your seat!”

She turns back towards her mother, and silently mouths ‘shut up’ through her angry teeth.

Though instead of standing there in silent motherly apology, as Sasha wished she would do, Sheila couldn’t help but giggle .

‘Oh god...’ Even her laughter was sexy. Fortunately, he had a table to block his so-called ‘rod of god.’

N ot glass, fortunately. Just heavy, dark, shiny, and visual-blocking mahogany. On it sat a large bowl of store-bought mashed potatoes.

“Relax, William.” Mike’s deep male voice was like a freight train to Will’s lust-invaded mind.

“Huh?” He twitched.

“This is a safe place. You can be yourself here.”

“Even if he’s racist?” Asked Sasha, much to the unamused look from her father.

“Obviously not, Sasha.”

She smirked. “But if who he is, is a racist, then why shouldn’t he be allowed to say the n-word?”

Will knew what she was trying to do. “I’m not gonna say the n-word, and I’m not racist.”

“That’s exactly what a racist would say.”

Mike looked at his daughter with confusion. “Don’t you call him ‘Whitey’?”

“Wh-” Her pause elicits a chuckle from Will. “T-that’s got nothing to do with his race! It’s a Pokemon reference!”

“...a Pokemon reference…?”

“I swear to god! Tell ‘em, Whitey! Tell him why I call you Whitey!”

Now it was Will’s turn to smirk; and shrug. “Pokemon? All this time, I just thought you hated white people.”

“Wh- you lying sack of-” The glare from her father shut her up. She groans, and stares daggers at Will.

“Sasha...” Mike warns. “That is not how we treat guests in this house.”

She crossed her arms, and looked away. “Whatever.”

“What do we say when we’re rude?” Her pouting pause did not help her case. “Sasha…”

She refused to look at Will. “I’m...sorry…”

“Eye contact. Like you mean it.”

She sighed, and tried her hardest to not sound sarcastic. “...I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“I’m sorry for being rude to you.”

If Mike weren’t right there, Will would have busted out into laughter at her unusual display of...well, anything other than hostility; especially since he could see the urge to die radiate from her hazel eyes. But, he actually liked her parents, and he did not want that to change. “Thank you. I accept your apology,” he responds, albeit with hints of smug.

“Dinner time!” Sheila was like a wizard as she balanced the four plates on her person without so much as spilling a drop of meat juice on her. All four plates were set on the table in a flash.

Even the elegance at which she moved around was an art form .

“Smells great, Mrs. F,” Will says with a smile.

“Thank you!” And there was that captivating smile of Sheila’s again. “It’s medium-rare. I hope that’s okay.” She takes a seat between Mike and Will.

“Just how I like it.” But he did not dig in just yet. “So, uh, do y’all say grace, or…”

“Oh, we’re not religious.” Sheila shook her head. “But if you’d like, we can wait for you to finish.”

“Alright, here I go.” He did nothing for half a second. “And done!”

S asha rolled her eyes . “You could’ve just said you were an atheist too.”

“Yeah, but this was funnier.”

“If you say so.”

Wanting to avoid more tension, Sheila took reign of the conversation. “Okay, then, let’s eat!” The end of the conversation, anyway.

N o need to tell him twice. He picked up his utensils, and began to cut into his food.

Tender. He didn’t have to fight his steak just to make progress. No, it allowed itself to be cut with silent ease.

Once free, sure enough: a perfect, juicy medium rare. Not the dried hockey puck he was used to.

Even before he took his first bite, an explosion of flavor blessed his tongue; and it only got better as he began to chew.

He just couldn’t not moan; a sound that forced a smile out of Mike. “Good, right?”

“That’s an understatement. This is great, Mrs. F!”

Sheila humbly fans at Will. “D’aw, well…”

Sasha raised an eyebrow. “Does your mom suck at cooking, or something?”

Will nods and chuckles. “Oh yeah. It’s like she’s allergic to seasoning.” He cuts into his very steak once more. “And meat that can’t be used as a bludgeoning tool.”

“Wow. It must be spring break for your tongue.”

“You have no idea.” Another piece of the steak vanished as quietly, and politely, as it came. “No one cooks meat like Wolves can, that’s for sure.”

Sheila chuckled. “ Then you’ve clearly never met the mother of Mike’s old friend.”

“Who?” Mike asked. “Mrs. Jackson?”

“Yeah! 20 grill offs, and my mom could never beat her.”

W ill raised an eyebrow. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Swear to god! Her dark skin haunts my mother to this day.”

‘Old friend?’ That certainly caught Sasha’s attention. “Dark skin?”

Realizing what it sounded like, Sheila covered her mouth. “Oh! Not because of her race, but because she didn’t have fur. Which...now that I think about it, isn’t exactly better…”

“No, I mean, I didn’t peg dad to be the type of guy to have black friends.”

That almost made Mike choke on his steak.

Everyone watched as he coughed violently, and waved them off. “I-I’m good...wrong hole…”

Sasha smirked. “That’s what she said.”

Will felt ashamed of the air snort that escaped his already suppressed laughter. “ That’s- a- not funny...uh…”

And now her smirk vanished. “ You literally just laughed, bozo .”

“No, I just had one of those weird sneezes.”

“Weird sneeze my ass! You laughed! Just admit it!”

“I didn’t laugh!” At the very least, now he was telling the truth. He wanted to do anything but laugh with how irate he felt.

“Oh! My god! You are such a liar!”

The vibe generated by the two teens brought Sheila’s ears down along with her mood. “Can we please not fight at the table?”

She was so smiley just a few seconds ago. Will, knowing he was the cause of making her upset, felt a pang of guilt in his chest; and the look of concern in her eyes certainly didn’t help. “Uh...I’m sorry. I’ll stop.”

The abrupt change in mood confused Sasha.

But at least Sheila’s smile had somewhat returned. “It’s okay. Thank you, sweetie.”

And there went the guilt within Will. His thoughts had been reduced to static upon hearing her call him ‘sweetie.’

For a split-second, it felt as if his mind could achieve orgasm; his head felt fuzzy, and his eyes struggled to maintain focus.

“Uh...yeah...no problem…”

“Are you okay, William?” Sheila’s head tilts in confusion. “Your face is a little red.”

“Huh? Yeah! I’m fine!” He says, a bit nervous. “Maybe a little sunburnt, but totally fine…” He couldn’t help but scratch at the back of his head. ‘Shit, shit, shit…!’

One of Sasha’s pseudo-eyebrows raised themselves.

But Sheila continued. “Oh no! Do you need something to help with that?”

‘Okay, she’s buying it. Don’t screw up, Will…’ He sighed. “Nah. I just need to wait it out, and it’ll heal itself.”

“Is that how it works?” She softly nods. “I’d always wondered.”

“Yeah. New skin grows underneath, and then…” He petered out. “You know what? Maybe this isn’t the place to talk about that. It’s kind of gross.”

“My, so considerate!” And her full smile was back; much to the delight of Will’s endocrine system. “Why does Sasha have such a problem with you? You’re such a sweetie!”

Oh god. That word again.

He hoped his blush didn’t deepen.

“Hah!” Blurts out Sasha. “A sweetie? This assh- guy? Say, ‘sweetie’…” She says, sarcastically; much to Will’s facial disapproval as that very word escaped the leaned-in Sasha’s maw. “...tell them about how unbearable you become when you don’t have the highest grade in the class.”

“So I wanna be the best. Sue me.”

“There’s a difference in being competitive, and being an unbearable ass.”

Something within Sheila forced her to rise. “Sasha, can I talk to you in the living room? Please?”

“Uh…” Her ears perk up. “...sure.”

Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Sheila’s ears were threatening to collapse.

The sound of their claws tapping against the floor follow them to the living room. Once Sasha was seated, the standing Sheila crossed her arms. “Young lady, what is going on with you?”

“Me? What the hell did I do?”

“You have been nothing but rude to William ever since he got here.”

“What? He’s been giving me shit too!”

“Only because you keep antagonizing him. Do you see him being rude to me and your father?”

“Well, no, but-”

“Exactly. Because we’re being kind to him. And in turn, he’s being kind to us. Now I don’t know the entirety of your history with him, but can you try to be friendlier with him? Just this once?”

“You don’t know him like I do, mom.” Sasha’s ears flatten with irritation. “He might be nice here; but in school, no one likes him. And for good reason.”

“Well, maybe no one’s giving him a chance. They’re always hostile to him; and in turn, he feels the need to be hostile back.”

“He’s hostile towards people first! Like, this one time, this girl got a 98 on her test; and Whitey was acting all pissy with her because he got a 97. His words were, and I quote, ‘you fucking bitch I hate you’.”

“Well-”

“And if you want something more concrete, he once tried to trip someone during one of those baton races just because they were passing him.”

“Wait. Isn’t that during P.E.? How did you see that?”

“I’m an office aid this semester.”

“Oh, right!” Sasha smacked her forehead. “But even with those events in mind, how do you explain William’s behavior towards me and your father?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s trying to make me seem like the crazy one.” She groaned. “He would do that.”

“Or maybe you just don’t know him as well as you think you do.”

“My ass I don’t know him as well as I think I do! I’ve known him for years!”

“Everyone has parts of them they hide, Sasha. Me, your father, everyone.” Sheila stands up. “Give him a chance. You may just surprise yourself at what you find.” She taps Sasha’s shoulder, and begins to make her way towards the kitchen. “Come join us when you’ve calmed down.”

Everyone has parts of them they hide? Even her own mother? What the hell does she have to hide? The secret stick collection she thinks no one knows about? Her unwavering love for Mike?

Mike, who received a piece of paper from that woman Sasha had never seen before.

Mike, who refused to throw away said piece of paper; which Sasha was safe to assume was a number.

She wished she would’ve heard any portion of their conversation before that moment. What were they talking about?

What was he hiding?

And why did he look so...vulnerable?

It was then that Sasha realized that she had subconsciously admitted that her mother was right. If someone as seemingly kind-hearted as her father had the potential to be a bastard, then maybe someone as unbearable as Whitey had the potential to be….well, bearable, at least.

She sighed. ‘God dammit mom...’

Give him a chance, Sasha.

Give him a chance.

He’s only the most annoying, competitive, self-obsessed psychopath at school. But, there just might be some good in him. Allegedly.

Just be kind to him, and the Great Fairy from Ocarina of Time will blast him with a spell that’ll somehow make him bearable.

Okay?

Now, let’s get out there.

“Welcome back, honey.” Sasha’s mother is the first to welcome her back with a warm smile.

“Thanks.” Sasha took her seat once more; the wooden chair creaking when she did so.

The air in the room had grown stale in sound; except for the sound of silverware tapping against porcelain plates.

A sound Mike couldn’t tolerate for long. “So, William.”

“Yeah, Mr. F?”

“Have you decided on what you want to study when you go to college?”

A question Will was initially hesitant to answer. But when he did, the reply was drenched in shame. “I’m undecided.”

That certainly made Mike raise one of the eyebrows he didn’t have. Mentally, anyway. “That’s okay. Lots of kids are undecided at this point. I was the same way; all the way to graduation.”

“How did you figure out what you wanted to do?”

“That’s easy.” Mike smiled. “I needed a lot of money, and worked my butt off until I got it.”

“Where do you work?”

“Oh, just in the accounting department for a large firm.”

Will nearly choked on his steak. “Accountant!?”

Mike chuckled. “What?”

“I don’t know. You’re big as he-ck, so I figured you were a bodyguard or something.”

A response that elicits laughter from Sheila. “And risk having him stolen away from me by some hot young thing? Not a chance!”

“He’d have to be blind to leave you, Mrs. F.”

The room was lit ablaze with life at the sound of Sheila chuckling. “Oh stop…” She covered her maw with one of her hands.

“Hey now…” Mike says; serious, but with obvious hints of sarcasm. “...don’t you try and steal my wife now, son.”

It was then that Sasha decided to break her silence. “I don’t know. If he gives mom his number without telling you; it’s over, dad.”

Her hazel eyes tried their hardest to peer into his soul for anything. Raised eyebrows; wide eyes; even a raised heartbeat. But, there was nothing.

“Is that true, honey?” Mike looked over at Sheila. “Would you leave me for William?”

“Have you seen yourself in the mirror lately?” Sheila raised one of her pseudo-eyebrows. “I would have to be blind to leave you.”

“Ha!” Sasha snapped at Will. “She said you’re ugly as fu-” That earned her a warning glance from her mother. “-dge.” She has to grit her teeth for her next few words. “At least compared to my dad.”

“For once, I agree with you.” Will crossed his arms. “If I looked more like you, Mr. F, maybe I’d get a girl like Mrs. F.”

A sentence Sheila didn’t like. “Oh don’t talk about yourself like that, William.” She tries to fan off his shame. “You’re fine as you are. And one day, the right girl will see that.”

“Brenda Spencer, maybe…” Sasha mumbled, much to the disapproving glare of Sheila.

“What was that?”

“I...uh...said…” And here she went again with the teeth gritting. “You’ll find someone someday, Whitey!”

As expected, he looked confused. “Uh...thanks?”

But now that the topic was romance, there was something that’s been on her mind for a few minutes now. “Wait. Do you even like girls?”

“Uh...yeah? I’ve had three girlfriends.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Why do you care? You got a crush on me or something?”

‘I would rather give Hitler sloppy toppy.’ That’s what she wanted to say, but she had to give him a chance now; as her mother’s serious blue eyes reminded her. “...no.” She says, suppressing a growl that lingered at the edge of her throat. “I’ve just only ever seen you pis- angry.”

“I’ll have you know that I am very happy.”

“Oh yeah? What do you do that makes you ‘happy’?” She says with finger quotes.

Mimicking her, Will follows up with his own finger quotes. “Lots of things. I love to ‘play guitar,’ and ‘mow down zombies’.”

“‘Play guitar’?” She says with finger quotes. “What kind of ‘guitar’?”

“Electric.”

That is not what she meant. But, she was still surprised. “No fucking way.”

“Yeah fucking way. I’d show you, but my house is probably definitely locked right now.”

“Uh huh. Very convenient.” Unlike the inescapable glare of her mother. “But...I’ll hold you to that.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “You wanna hear my play?” It sounded more like confusion than an offer.

“Uh…” She knew she has to give him a chance, but surely, consent was still something she had. Right?

No, says her mother. “Oh why not! I think it would be fun!”

Without saying a word, Sasha lets her furious disapproval known through the death glare she shot her mother.

“Well…” Will continued. “...maybe when I’m not in front of this good ass-sssss heck steak. Also, my house is definitely locked right now, so I can’t get to my guitar even if I wanted to.”

Phew. Invitation to his house avoided.

“Oh poo.” Sheila flattened her ears. But then, they perked right up along with her mood. “Wait! Don’t we still have that old guitar in the garage?”

“What?” Mike said. “The one that Sasha got bored of after a month?”

That elicits a chuckle from Will. “Wait. You tried to learn?”

Sasha looked away. “Maybe.”

“Let me guess. The f chord gave you trouble?”

“...shut up. It just wasn’t made for Wolf fingers.”

“Uh...have you never heard Julie Moon shred an electric guitar?”

“...Julie who?”

“Wh- Julie Moon? One of the greatest guitarists of our time!? You’ve never heard one of her songs!?”

“Julie Moon?” Mike raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know she was still popular with the youth.”

“You know what I’m talking about, right, Mr. F?”

“Of course! I loved her music when I was growing up!”

It made Sasha roll her eyes. “So an old lady can play the guitar. Big deal.”

“Old lady? She’s 40!”

“Yeah. Old.”

Will groaned. “Mrs. F, you said you had a guitar, right ?”

Over the next few minutes, Will took great care to set up the electric guitar and amp. It was like he was in a state of hyper focus as he remained in an endless cycle of tune, strum, tune, strum. He wanted to make sure that the sound was absolutely perfect. Even when Sasha swore the tune hadn’t changed at all after Will twisted the tuning peg ever so slightly, Will always seemed to be in a state of disapproval.

Until eventually, one big strum fills the room with the soothing melody of a tuned electric guitar: shiny, cherry red, and hints of white to complement.

Judging by the happy look on Will’s face, it was a great instrument. “ Alright. Let’s see what this baby can do. ” He raises the red guitar pick in his hands, and starts going to town.

This was no lightweight song. Hell, even the hell-raisers of the Doom series seemed like a Disney Channel music video compared to the shred that Will was unleashing in the room.

“Hey!” Mike points at Will with a smile. “I know this song!”

His strums were speedy, heavy, intense, and yet perfectly in sync with the fingers that Sasha pitied. She knew that if she tried that, her fingers would cramp up in an instant.

But Will kept it up for twelve spellbinding seconds. And at the end, his final strum was quick; arm up in the air; dramatic.

Mike and Sheila were quick to applaud the impressive display of skill.

“Wow!” Mike yelled.

“That was amazing!” Sheila’s smile coaxes one out of Will.

Sasha, however, remained frozen with her maw hung open. ‘Holy shit.’

The sight of which catches Will’s attention. Though paired with her irate eyes, he wasn’t sure of just how she felt. “So? What did you think?”

Both of her parents look at her.

“Uh…well…” She scratches the back of her head, and looks away. “...wow. You actually...don’t suck.”

“I mean, if you were expecting something bad, I can play some Avenged Sevenfold.”

That locked her angry gaze back on him. “Oh like you could-”

"So!” Sheila stands up quickly. “Can you play us another tune, William?”

“Sure. You got a song in mind?”

“How about something else from this Julie Moon person?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice. But which one to play…”

Mike raise one of his claws. “How about the guitar solo from Howler?”

Will’s laughter was heavy with excitement as he readied his pick. “You like to party, don’t you, Mr. F?”

The next song wasn’t nearly as intense as the one before it, but it could still give a Sunday preacher the motivation he needs to call Will a satanist.

But not to Sasha. This melody was more casual; something akin to the introduction of Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

Ever so gently, her tail and her body began swaying in opposite directions to the tempo of Will’s song. ‘Alright, he’s kinda good. I’ll give him that.’

Knock knock knock.

The interruption catches the attention of all three synced Falconers; all of whom snap their necks towards the door with wide eyes.

It took everything in Will to not laugh.

“I got it.” Sasha stands.

It wasn’t his mother, but a ‘family friend’. Whatever that means. Maybe his dad was cheating with…

...a female Wolf?

Damn, she’s tall. Just like Mike.

Where she stood out was the snow white fur that covered her from head to toe. That, and the lightest blue eyes she’d ever seen.

And the biggest yellow shirt she’d ever seen. Jesus Christ; who needs a big, bright long-sleeved shirt that goes all the way down to your calves? It might as well be a trench coat at that point.

And of course she’d keep it open. With tits like that, who wouldn’t want to show off? Sasha’s back screamed just looking at the G-cup bra that pressed against her black t-shirt.

Though, she was secretly envious; but she would never admit that.

She almost expected the behemoth of a she-Wolf to also be wearing shoes; but fortunately, all that covered her lower body was a pair of jeans that were partially blocked by the big shirt; mainly where the male gaze would wander.

“Good afternoon. Is this the Falconer residence?” Her voice was like that of a femme fatale from a noir movie: on the deeper—more serious—end, but with a powerful smoothness that demanded a mixture of arousal and respect.

“Uh...who’s asking?”

“My name is Luna.” She bows respectfully. “I’m here to pick up William.”

Polite, too. Unlike Sasha. “What the hell took you so long!?”

“I’m sorry. I had a prior engagement, and was informed of this last minute.”

“Sasha!” Mike yelled. “Who’s at the door?”

“It’s Whitey’s...uh…!”

Luna interjects. “I’m a housekeeper.”

“Whitey’s maid!” Sasha paused. “Wait. Really?”

“You called him Whitey just now.” She raised one of her eyebrows; though like Mike, they were the same color as her fur. “That must make you Sasha.”

That caused Sasha to raise an eyebrow of her own. “How do you know my name?”

“There isn’t a day where William doesn’t...um...mention you.”

‘Really? Interesting…’ she thinks. “Good things, I take it?” Sasha rolls her eyes.

“Oh no. Not at all.”

Once more, Mike interjects. “Well don’t be rude, Sasha! Invite her in!”

“Huh? Oh! Right!” She steps to the side, and waves inward. “You wanna come in?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Her claws tap against the flooring of the Falconer’s residence until she sees the Falconers. “Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon,” both adults fire back.

At the sight of Will, her face shined as brightly as her eyes; and her voice squealed with happiness. “Hi, Willie!”

Sasha scoffed. ‘ __Will_ ie_?’

What baffled her was that the same brightness overtook Will’s face as soon as Luna entered his line of sight. “Hey Luna!” For the first time, his eyes appeared to sparkle. Sasha was not a fan. “These are the Falconers.”

“Michael. But people call me Mike.”

“Sheila. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

After an exchange of hands, Sheila guides Luna’s eyes towards the kitchen with one of her claws. “Can I offer you anything to drink?”

But Luna held up a claw of her own. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m afraid that this visit will be a short one.”

Sheila bows. “I completely understand.” Her attention then turns over to Will. “It was a delight having you over, William!”

The sun on Sheila’s bright, smiling face made it hard to face her without getting an erection, but that was nothing a hand in his pocket couldn’t hide. The other hand raised up, and made contact with Sheila’s surprisingly soft hand pads.

“Yeah! This was fun.”

As their hands separate, the sensory neurons in his hand made sure to save the sensation of her fur as his fingers gently grazed over her soft white palms.

It was a sharp contrast from the roughness of Mike’s hand pads. They were like sandpaper. “Travel safe, William. We should do this again sometime.”

A sentence that elicits a grin from Will. “Yeah! I’m down for that!”

And then there was Sasha. Her arms were crossed; as were Will’s. Just the sight of her seemed to counteract the effect Luna had on him.

“I guess...” Sasha awkwardly spits out, unable to look at him. “...you’re alright with a guitar.”

“Uh...yeah.” His eyes were quick to lock away from hers. He walks past her along with Luna. “Thanks.”

But before the two are off, Luna turns around and bows respectfully once more. “Thank you so much for taking care of William. We will not forget this kindness.”

“Oh it was no problem at all!” Mike waves in an attempt to keep things lighthearted.

“Yeah!” Agreed Sheila. “We’d be more than happy to do it again if needed.”

“Hopefully, my incompetence won’t require that a second time.” Luna smiled. “But, I appreciate the offer. You have a good rest of your day, now.”

“You too!” Mike waves at her.

“Buh bye!” As did Sheila.

As Luna’s red Honda Civic hummed away, growing ever quieter, Sasha’s eyes just couldn’t help but lock on as the car eventually disappeared into a turn.

Maybe for a little too long. “So?” Sheila interrupted her focus.

“What?” Sasha fired back.

“Didn’t know him as well as you thought you did, huh?”

Sasha crossed her arms, and groaned. “Maybe.”

“I saw your face after that first song, young lady. Admit it. You were shocked.”

Sasha rolled her eyes. “Fine, mom. You were right. I didn’t know he could shred like that.”

“And is it possible that maybe you-”

“Noooope.” Sasha was done, speed walking into the house before Sheila could finish that sentence. Whatever it was.

“-might have more in common with him-”

“Not a chance in hell.”

“-than you thought?”

“Mom! I am not dating him!”

Sheila raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t say anything about dating him.” She gasped; excitement overtaking her crystal blue eyes. “Wait!”

“No…” Currently at the stairs, Sasha walked faster.

“Is a romance blooming before my eyes?”

“Ew! No!”

“Oh honey! You have nothing to be ashamed of!”

“I’m ashamed of you thinking I have any interest in that personification of Holodomor!”

“That’s not what your body was saying when it swayed to his second song!”

Slam!

Sasha’s room door, specifically.

And she made sure that the lock was extra loud when she turned it.

She thought it was over, but Sheila still spoke through the door. “If you continue to be nice to him on Monday, something could happen! I’m just saying!”

“Oh my god! Mom! Shut up!”

Why did anything have to change? Sure, she learned more about him in one day than the past seven years, but what does that have to do with anything?

She’s not just gonna open up, and let Will strum her guitar just because he’s more competent than she gave him credit for.

Though, she did not see that coming. Or the Wolf maid. It almost made her wonder what else he was hiding.

Almost.

Come Monday, it’s back to normal. For real.

No shredding in the world can make up for the crazy asshole she’s unfortunately come to know . Right?

Yep.

Normal.

Totally normal Monday. No Aleena; no confusing emotions; no drama of any kind that will jeopardize the happiness of his daughter.

Mike’s just gonna fix the collar of his white shirt; tighten the belt around the waist of his black dress pants; and most importantly, stay out of trouble.

Totally normal Monday.

“Alright, honey. I’m off.” Mike, at the front door, quickly pecks Sheila on the cheek.

“Have a good day!” Sheila happily barks.

“Brye dard!” Sasha, mid-chew, yells from the dining room.

“Bye sweetie! Say hello to William for me!”

“Huh!?”

Ka-chunk!

The door locked to the frame; and with it, Mike made the long and patience-testing commute to work.

Yep. Just a normal Monday; down to the traffic that seemed to move at one mile per year.

An accident that makes each Monday’s traffic insufferable? Yep. Right on queue. There’s always at least one dipshit that just has to make it worse for the rest of them.

But it’s okay. It doesn’t piss him off at all. He’s had to deal with this for the past 18 years, so he knows to just sigh, and play whatever crap they decided to air on the radio on this fine cloudy day.

“And now it’s time for: The Love Doctor!” The sound of a woman’s kiss radiates from his Sequoia’s speakers. “Hello, you’re on the air with Dr. Brendan Love! Who do I-?”

“Hey y’all! It’s ya girl Jay-Jay!”

Mike’s hazel eyes widened.

There was no mistaking that powerful, and sassy, voice.

“Jay-Jay! I love that!”

“Thank you!”

“So, Jay-Jay, what is troubling you in your relationship?”

“Well, imma be honest wichu, it ain’t about me. It’s my friend.”

“A friend? Well, then, enlighten me! What’s going on with your friend?”

He should turn it off.

Nothing good will come of this.

But, for some reason, he just couldn’t bring himself to turn that dial down.

“Aight, so basically, she’s been crushing on this Wolf dude since we was kids. But about 19-ish years ago, that asshole got married to some other Wolf bitch he ain’t even talk to all that much.”

“Uh huh…”

“My friend moved after that, but she came back a few days ago. Now tell me why I seen claw marks on her back THE DAY AFTER SHE GOT BACK!”

That certainly got Dr. Love to laugh. “Wow! Talk about unresolved feelings!”

“RIGHT!?”

“So...they...?”

“Naw. Something stopped them before they got serious. But it don’t end there cause after that, I saw her give him her number .”

“I apologize for sounding rude, Jay-Jay, but we are on a tight schedule here. What exactly is your question?”

“Right! Well, on one hand, I’ve always stood by my girl no matter what. But on the other hand, I ain’t cool with her being sneaky with a married nigga. What do I do?”

Beep! Beep!

A car behind him smacked his attention away from the radio. “Move, asshole!”

‘Oh shit.’ Despite his pause, there was no gap in front of him. If you left even the tiniest crack in front of you wide open, a car beside you took advantage of that.

He continued to listen on, but was careful to not stop again.

“...what we normally cover,” said Dr. Love. “But, the man is clearly married, so the best you can do is to just keep them away from each other. Anything short of that, and his marriage may very well fall apart in thirty minutes or less.”

Jay-Jay sighed. “Damn. I was hoping there was something I could do to smack this nigga out of her head.”

“The heart wants what the heart wants, Jay-Jay, and there’s nothing we can do about it. The best we can do is learn to accept our feelings, and work through them in a healthy way. And speaking of healthy, this show is sponsored by Herba-”

Mike’s heart was beating rapidly as he changed the station. ‘Jada talked about it on pubic radio!? Sasha could hear this!’

He could picture her teary hazel eyes poking holes of hate into his soul. ‘You’re a piece of shit!’ He imagined her saying. ‘I never wanna see you again!’

‘Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck-’

Beep! Beep!

Mike growled, showing the driver behind him his favorite finger. “Go fuck yourself, asshole!”

He could hear a car door open. Out came an overweight man that struggled to get out of his car. But when he did, he made his frustrations known on Mike’s Sequoia window.

Slap slap slap!

“What did you say to me, furfag!?” Said the white man. “Come out here and say it to my face! I dare you!”

An angry human; roughly five feet tall.

The normal protocol is to just smile, bow submissively, and apologize. Hostility is to be avoided at all costs.

At least to normal Wolves. The radio had already soured his mood, but the suppressed sexual frustration within him shot out like a lightning bolt, and amplified his frustrations tenfold.

He wanted Mike to say it to his face? Fine.

Mike’s door flew open quickly; to where the door did a violent bounce. Then, the angry seven foot behemoth quickly flew out of his car.

It wasn’t until the human got a good look at Mike’s true height that he went from angry to frightened; it was a face that said ‘oh shit…’

“I told you to go fuck yourself!” Mike really leaned in. “Now get back in your piece of shit Fiat, and shut the fuck up!”

All the petrified human needed was one good look at Mike’s hackles to raise his arms defensively.

“Okay! Okay!” The human backed off. Quickly. “I’m sorry! So sorry! I’m sorry! Please don’t hurt me!”

Slam!

His tires screech as he maneuvers around Mike’s car. Even the cars in the other lanes had stopped to see the confrontation.

And...why were their phones aimed at him?

‘Oh crap!’ His ears flatten as he gets back into his car as quickly as he can. ‘Sasha’s definitely gonna see that!’ He groans; slamming his forehead against his steering wheel.

Beep! Beep!

“Fu-!” Mike had never shut up so quickly in his life. ‘No, Mike. Calm down. Go to work. Be. Normal.’

But no matter how much he tried, he just couldn’t calm down.

The scene from traffic played over and over in his mind as he drove.

As he found parking.

As the elevator rose.

Over and over again.

‘The man just honked his car,’ Mike thought. ‘Why did I lose my temper like that?’

Now that he was all alone, the elevator just seemed to hum, and hum, and hum. Eternal humming, like the building had infinite floors. No ding, no shaking, no impatient drivers. Just humming.

And more humming.

And more.

‘Oh my god, how high do I fucking work?’

Ding!

The smooth sound of the silver doors slide open for him.

Well, here it was. Work sweet work. There were cubicles everywhere, of course, but there was none other like the ones in the middle of the room that had walls suspiciously in the shape of a swastika. Coincidence? Maybe. But then again, it was human resources.

“Good morning, Mr. Falconer.” A blonde woman stood in front of him with a smile that matched her pretentious posture.

“Morning, Janice,” Mike said, faking another smile.

“You’re late.”

‘Yeah, I bet you’re loving this, you fucking bitch.’ It was getting harder to maintain that smile. “I’m sorry. Traffic got me today.” He began to walk past her.

“It gets us all, Mr. Falconer. That’s no excuse for tardiness; even if it is your first offense.”

He had to pretend to scratch at the back of his neck to hide his hackles. “I’ll keep that in mind.” His footsteps quickened, albeit inconspicuously. ‘Desk. Get to your desk. Don’t cause another scene. ’

His cubicle was the only relief he had from the watchful eyes of his coworkers. Now, his hackles could be free as he sat in front of his-

-computer was off.

Alright, no biggie. His fingers tap at the clicky power button of the black PC tower, and his screen came to life; HP it read; and in the corner, different uses for different F keys.

Now, what came next wa s -

‘What the hell is this?’ His screen featured what looked like the Triforce from Zelda, but red; and next to it, the words “American Megatrends”. ‘Keyboard not found? Strike the F1…’

He hit the F1 key, but nothing happened.

So he did what any reasonable person does, and he tried it again. And again. And again. Many times, in rapid succession.

But the red Triforce refused to go away.

He took one deep breath in, and then one out. ‘Okay, no need to make a big fuss over this. It’s nothing IT can’t handle.’

His trusty keyboard had been swapped out for another. Next to him, and much younger male Wolf held his old keyboard in his claws. And in front, the familiar blue of Windows XP.

“Looks like you’re all set,” said the younger Wolf.

“Thank you, Lyle.” Mike smiled. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“Nah, it was easy.” He fanned Mike’s complement away. “If it gives you any more trouble, you know where to find me.”

As he walked off, Mike’s wave matched Lyle’s raised palm. “Will do! Alright, time to finally get to work.”

Now he just had to wait for the Windows XP logo, and its blue loading bar below, to disappear. Then, he could log in, and get back to work. But first, it had to go away. If not, working will be impossible. He was late enough as-is, but now it seemed like getting to work was going to be impossible if it continued to take up more of his time. The loading bar just kept moving, and moving, and moving; and for a second, Mike truly thought the computer was stuck in some kind of loop.

But, a sign of hope. The screen went dark. And soon, the familiar blue of the login screen filled his eyes faster than he entered in his credentials.

The screen now read “welcome”; and next to it, a photo of a smiling Sasha from her elementary school days. She looked towards the screen, as if she were looking at Michael right now.

‘Look into those eyes and calm down, Mike.’ Those beautiful hazel eyes that elicit a smile from him.

But, it disappeared quickly. The only thing this slow piece of shit can do quickly , and it’s getting rid of something that made him feel good.

‘Alright, now let’s get to work. Normal, calm, non-angry work.’

Being an accountant isn’t so bad. If you’ve got a good grasp of math, typing, and logic, you’ll do just fine.

The problem is that your coworkers are at most guaranteed to have two of those qualities.

Ten minutes in, and Mike already spots a mistake.

“Hey Marcos,” Mike said.

Another hispanic man, light-skinned, popped his head above his cubicle walls. “Yes, sir?”

“If we obtain new equipment that we can’t pay for in full, where does that money go?”

“Into an asset account?”

“Yes. And if we do that, we also need to…?”

“Credit accounts payable?”

“Precisely. But you seemed to have accidentally credited accounts receivable.”

Marcos nodded, and looked away in shame. “Sorry, sir. I’ll fix it.”

“Thank you,” Mike says with a smile.

Just one mistake.

No biggie.

Everyone makes mistakes!

The problem is that Marcos makes…

“Marcos.”

...so…

“This is not an asset.”

...many…

“The general ledger isn’t balanced.”

...mistakes.

“Come on, Marcos, it’s not that hard.” The tone in Mike’s voice had grown slightly irate. “Payable means we pay, and receivable means we get.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I just get it confused sometimes.”

“What’s there to be confused about? It’s plain English!”

Marcos was not alone in giving Mike a look of shock. The Wolf didn’t yell, or anything, but his temper seems to be a surprise.

“Are you okay, Mike?” Another human, a thin black man, asked.

The look of concern in the eyes of the others seemed to be asking the same question.

“Uh…” Mike rubbed at the back of his neck. “...sorry. I guess I’m just feeling off today. But... that’s no excuse for my behavior.”

“Well…” the black man said. “...maybe taking your lunch break will help. It’s about time, right?”

“Uh…” He looked at the clock. 12:30 PM. “...yeah. I’ll go do that.”

Another accountant, the familiar Wolf in all white fur from the field trip , looked at him with her crystal blue eyes. “Want me to join you, Mike? Maybe get some stuff off your chest?”

“No, Samantha, that’s okay. I think Tom’s right. All I need is some time to cool off.”

“Okay. But I’ll keep one ear up; just in case you need it.”

He smiled, and nodded. “Thank you.”

But the last thing he needed was more of her advances.

They never ceased. Not even in the break room.

A mixture of smells filled his nose. Sandwiches, mainly, but then there were some that sat in front of some delectable-smelling chicken.

And then there was Samantha, and her never-ending appetite for one thing.

‘Office quickie?’ Yeah, that was her favorite line. Mike swore that either she wasn’t a Wolf, or she was in constant heat.

He’d rather not be thinking about her right now, or at all, but there was just something in his line of sight that reminded him of her.

Specifically, a woman that was…

...sitting next to him?

“Samantha?” To his right, Samantha sat; resting her elbow on the table, and her cheek on her hand. “When did you get here? And...were you staring at me?”

“You were zoned out,” Samantha said. “I wanted to see how long it would take for you to notice me.”

“Well consider yourself noticed.” He looked down at his lunch: a chicken stir-fry with all sorts of greens; but no onions. Never Wolf-killing onions.

“That smells amazing.” She leaned in to take a better look. “Did Sheila make that?”

“Yes. My wife ’s cooking is amazing.”

“She is quite the woman, isn’t she?” she says, gaining some distance once more.

“Uh...yeah.”

“You’re lucky to have someone so loyal by your side, Mike. I’m envious.” She could tell by his skeptical look that she was losing him. So, she sighed, and got to her main point. “Look, I took my lunch early because I wanted to say…”

Mike rolled his eyes internally. ‘Here we go.’

But he didn’t expect her to look away. “...I’m sorry.” Or to say...that.

It certainly raised an eyebrow. “...what?”

“What you said before about reporting to the school. Maybe it was how you said it, but it really made me feel like some kind of predator. And that’s not the kind of person I want to be.” Now she decided to look at him with her soft blue eyes. “Not to someone as kind, honest, and loyal as you.”

And maybe it was how she was saying it, but it seemed like she was choosing her words in a way that felt the most painful; moreso with her looking at him like...that . Right in the eyes. If there were any words he’ d lost the right to describe himself with , it was those three.

Not like he would admit that. “I...don’t know what to say, Samantha.” He scratched at the back of his neck. “I certainly wasn’t prepared for something like this today.”

“I know I’m kind of springing it on you suddenly, Mike, but I just felt like I needed to get this off my chest.” She was even keeping her hands to herself. “I genuinely feel awful about how I’ve treated you all these years. You deserve better than that.”

Was this some kind of ruse?

An impending ‘just kidding, give me your dick’?

No. Instead, she stood. “Well, I’ll leave you alone to your lunch now. God knows you’re tired of my pestering at this point, right?”

‘You have no idea.’

“Bye!”

She’s really doing it; walking away; sitting at another table; not even so much as giving him a second glance.

For the first time in years, she’s actually...leaving him alone?

She might have been acting predatory all these years, but this was most concerning of all. “Sam.” Mike stood, and walked over to her. “Are you alright?”

Her light blue eyes focused on his concerned gaze. “Never better. Why?”

“It’s just that...this is...sudden. No one just flips in a day. Are you dying, or something?”

“No.”

“Doing drugs?”

“No.”

As he listed off a few more items, she continuously shook her head. “Got a new boyfriend? Found God? Found a cult? Pregnant? Drugs? Wait I already said that-”

“Michael.” She just looked at him with a soft smile. “I understand that this may seem odd. In time, I hope that you’ll come to see that this is no ruse from drugs, or death, or God, or...anything but my own self-reflection.”

But the look of skepticism in his eyes did not leave. “Oookay…?” He turned his back to her, but kept her in his sights. “... guess I’ll get back to my lunch now…?”

“Enjoy!” She waved him off as he took his seat.

An impossible request. He just couldn’t help but take occasional glances at her. Glances she noticed, and responded to with a soft smile.

They weren’t glances of interest. It was genuine concern for a woman he’s historically seen as the fusion of Jim Crow, and the Me Too movement that hadn’t quite exploded yet.

Well, so much for a peaceful, decompressing lunch. Now he was just confused.

Not like he had the luxury of getting his shit together at the moment. He had a job to do, so back to the cubicle he went.

Nothing really happened for some time. Work was just...work. Finance, typing, printing, you get it. Printing was so important. Without it, corporations could not function. That’s why it was important to have one that worked well, and worked quickly. If it was being slow, as was the case now, that was a problem. Slow printing meant that he could NOT do his job. And if he couldn’t do his job, then his daughter’s well-being was in jeopardy. So all Mike wanted to do was see the printer queue go from pending to in-progress. The very printer that was not currently in use. Why the fuck wasn’t the queue moving forward?

‘Oh for fuck’s sake…’

But eventually, through some miracle, the queue answered his prayers, and he got back...a blank page.

Sigh.

So he opens the printer, and finds…

‘Toner’s full. So why the fuck isn’t it working?’ The black bar of plastic is returned to the internal workings of the printer. Or, at least, that was the idea; but the toner wasn’t being cooperative when it came to locking into place. His frustrations were building; as noticed by his peers when he lets out a sigh of frustration. ‘Calm down, Mike. Getting mad will only make this more difficult. You’re just gonna lock this in place…’ Click. ‘...and-’

He lets out a powerful huff in surprise as the rectangular piece of plastic sprayed its dusty load all over his white shirt.

He was eventually clean, as the bits of plastic gave way to gravity, but his frustrations had gone beyond the limits of the bottle that he could no longer keep shut.

His hackles shot right up, and his right eye twitched; as noticed by Samantha.

There were no thoughts in his head anymore. No, they had been replaced by a primitive desire to destroy the source of his unyielding rage.

The toner.

He grips it tightly, and tried his damnedest to wiggle it free. There was a bit of resistance, but he was eventually able to rip it out.

But before he could break it with the swing of his arm, a small white claw tightly gripped at one of his big muscly arms.

His furious eyes shot at the offender: Samantha. And she looked concerned.

“Mike,” she whispered. “Don’t.” But there was no answer in his wide, primal eyes. “Give me the toner, Mike.” Her other claw grips at the rectangular piece of plastic, but she found it hard to pry it free from Mike’s tough grip. “Mike! Think of your daughter!”

Sasha?

Sasha. His daughter. The daughter he loves so much, and would sacrifice anything for.

And yet here he was; about to jeopardize that. Again.

He was still tense, but he did release the toner.

Samantha sighed in relief for them both.

For the rest of the day, she kept a close eye on him. If he looked like he was getting even a little frustrated, she offered a helping hand; but wasn’t demanding.

Eventually, it was five o’clock, and they were free.

Mike and Sam rode down the elevator together. As they did, she looked at him with concern.

Mike raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“I never thought I’d see the day where you of all Wolves would go berserk.”

He looked away from he r in shame. “I did lose my shit, didn’t I?”

“Hey, now! It’s okay!” She looks him in the eyes softly. “It happens to the best of us. In fact, it’s weird that you’ve only started doing it today.”

Right. Today. Not in Aleena’s hotel room.

“Is it, now?”

“Yes! I’ve always had my suspicions, but now I know you’ve been holding in your frustrations for years. It’s now wonder you lost your shit over that printer mishap.”

The two Wolves leave the elevator. “Yeah, that was pretty bad, wasn’t it?”

“Worst I’ve seen from you. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were at risk for an episode every time something mildly bad happened to you from here on out.”

If that was true, then the traffic jam and printer episodes were just the beginning.

Aleena’s hotel room was just the beginning.

He couldn’t risk that.

“I need to find a way to get rid of this shit.”

“The only cure is to not be alive.” She shrugged. “But listen. I know you really care about your kid, so I do know of a way to help you manage your symptoms.”

Wait.

She introduces a problem, and now she has a solution?

He raised his eyebrow. “Yeah? What is it?” Mike asked skeptically.

“You need a hobby.”

Oh.

Not what he was expecting. “ Keeping my daughter happy is my hobby.”

“A real hobby, Mike. If you don’t have something to help you de-stress, it’ll only keep getting worse.”

“I mean I play video games-”

“Not good enough.” She shakes her snow-white head. “You need something physical. Like jogging. Or weightlifting.”

“I don’t know. I find that gaming helps me relax plenty.”

“Mike. You almost assaulted the printer.” She stopped at her car: a black Kia sedan.

“Well-”

“I’m not gonna tell you what you should and shouldn’t do, Mike. I’m just trying to keep your fur out of the fire.” She opens her door. “Drive safe, okay?”

“Uh...yeah. You too, Samantha.”

She waves him goodbye with her fingers, and slams her door shut. Then with a roar of the engine, her car comes to life.

Going berserk, huh?

Apparently, it’s normal to have episodes of this supposed condition.

But if that’s the case, then why is it happening now?

Was she right? Is this rapid succession of rage episodes a symptom of him having reached some kind of inner limit?

On one hand, it makes sense.

On the other hand, this is Samantha. He wouldn’t put it past her to make this all apart of some elaborate scheme to get in his pants.

But even if that was the case, her kindness act today was Oscar-worthy. There were small moments where he genuinely believed she was a kind-hearted angel.

But he wasn’t born yesterday. His guard was going to remain up with her no matter what she does.

Even if her words seemed to be reasonable and in his best interest.

Then again, having a hobby to take the load off work wasn’t the worst idea in the world. His releases lately have been nothing but video games, and his weekly trip to the bar.

And the yearly release blessed onto him every December by the irresistible scent of Sheila’s heat.

If only it were like that more often. But, female Wolves only undergo heat for one week per year.

It’s not like human women, and their ability to have sex at any point in the year.

Just like Ally.

No! Wait! He shouldn’t be thinking of Ally!

He sighed. Maybe Samantha, as ill-intentioned as she may be, was right. He needs something beyond video games, bar wings, and yearly sex.

Maybe, if the gym could help him relieve some of these pent-up feelings within him, he’ll finally stop acting like a dumb, horny teenager.

He opens the drawer that it was kept in, and he gets out a book: 1001 Dad Jokes. He flips to page 198, and sure enough it’s still there.

Ally’s number.

He could imagine her voice in a scenario where he called. ‘Mikey! Hi!’ Happy. Excited.

Impossible.

He releases the number from the grip of the book, and he once more hovers it over the trash can under his desk.

But, of course, his fist refuses to cooperate.

‘I don’t get it.’ Every nerve in his body fought him on this decision. Even his brain. ‘I already let you go once before. Why can’t I just do it one more time?’

His mind flashed him with the memory of Aleena’s small, naked body as it straddled him.

‘Show me who you really are,’ is what he remembered her saying moments before.

But, closing his eyes, he sighed; and with it, his fist opened. ‘I can’t do that, Ally.’ It was almost painful watching that little piece of paper dance on its way down to his office trash can. ‘I have to do the right thing. For Sasha.’

11:15 AM. The students rose, faced the American flag, and began the age-old incantation: “I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America...”

A handful of students, like Will and Sasha, stayed seated and looked at their phones. And for a moment, at each other; but only to exchange middle fingers.

But they weren’t the only ones keeping their seats.

Two other Wolves, both male, sat near Will.

One of them smirked and gave him a side-eye. “Are you and the misses having problems again?”

Will sighed. “Dammit, Al. I keep telling you, we’re not together.”

“I know I know she’s a bitch yadda yadda yadda…” Al rolled his eyes.

The other male, a contrasting white to Al’s black fur, raised one of his brow-less eyes. “So going to her house didn’t change anything between you two?”

“No,” Will replied sharply.

“She didn’t think of…” He nudges Will’s arm with his black fuzzy elbow. “...showing you her room?”

“Why? So she can lock me in her secret underground labor camp? I’m good.” Will crossed his arms. “Now her mom, on the other hand…”

“God…” Al shook his head. “...what I wouldn’t give to be near her during mating season…”

“I hate her dad so much!” Chris slams his fists on the table. “That should be ME god dammit!”

The intercom, blaring the pledge of allegiance they didn’t care for, flipped to something more interesting. “Auditions for the school talent show will begin on October 31st. If you are unable to attend in person, you can send a recording of your performance to your homeroom teacher’s email. Now remember: keep it clean; keep it professional; but most importantly, keep it fun.”

Will looks at his two Wolf friends. “So, we gonna do it this year?”

“Ha! Gay!” Al points at Will. “Seriously though, can we even perform?”

“That depends,” Chris says. “Can we find a vocalist that doesn’t hate Will?”

“Welp,” Al raises his arms in defeat. “We gave it our best shot.”

“Wh-” Will sat straight up. “Come on! There’s gotta be someone in this school that isn’t such a loose cunt!”

Every student in the room outside of their group looked at Will like he was Hitler.

Al, not surprised, rolled his eyes. “Well, we can safely rule out everyone in this room. And probably the people they’re friends with.”

“Hey, Mr. McCallon!” Sasha yelled. “I gotta use the pisser!”

“Sasha,” said the balding old teacher. “I told you to just-”

“-call it the bathroom yeah look; in five minutes, either I piss in a toilet, or I piss on this chair!”

McCallon sighed. “Go ahead, Sasha.”

She stood, walking out gracefully. “Thank you.”

Her behavior certainly got a chuckle out of Will. “And y’all wonder why I stay away from her.”

“I don’t know,” Al said. “You dated Isabella, and she Isabitch.”

“Ugh…” Will fans him off. “Don’t remind me. The less I think about her, the better.”

“Hey. You knew what she was about when you started dating her. What was it you liked about her again?”

The large golden butt that blessed his hands with warmth and comfort. “...fuck off.”

“Fine.” Al stood. “I gotta use the bathroom, anyway.”

“Me too.” Chris also stood.

But McCallon had some reservations about that. “Now hold on, boys. One at a time.”

“Aw,” Al said. “Come on, Mr. McCallon! Don’t be like that!”

“Sorry, Albert. You know the rules.”

Al groaned. “Fine. I’ll just go after you get back, Chris.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be quick.”

It gave Chris the time he needed to think about the talent show. He really wanted to show the world what he could do with the drums, but the lack of a vocalist was a problem.

What the hell can they do? The only group that won’t hate Will is probably the freshmen, but it would be weird to call on help from one of them.

The ideal singer is at least a junior.

A powerful voice was a must.

Being emotional, while typically a trait of annoying people, really comes in handy when you can pour it into your voice.

And most important of all: they must have no beef with Will.

But who?

Who could fill that void?

Flush!

Chris wished that it was as easy to find a vocalist as it was getting rid of the germs from his soapy hands.

Down the drain they go; like their chances of participating.

Who was he kidding? It was hopeless.

“You think it’s over but it’s just begu-u-un-”

Someone was singing?

The last word trailed in a change of tones that slowly lowered in pitch.

It was a woman.

“Baby don’t crah-ay…”

The mystery singer was just outside of the men’s room door. Who was it?

“You had my-”

Chris, anticipation in his eyes, finds a petrified Sasha looking right back at him as she lets out a high-pitched squeak. “You heard nothing...”

“Hey! Relax! I’m not gonna make fun of you.” Chris raised his arms defensively. “I actually thought you were, like, good.”

Sasha raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yeah! Like, really good!”

“Oh.” She turns her back to him. “Ok.”

“Hey! Hold up a second!” Chris blocked her way forward. “I wanna talk to you!”

“Not interested.”

“But you haven’t even-”

“I don’t want your filthy dick. Now move.” She crossed her arms.

“That’s not even what I was gonna-” He groaned. “Look, I’m not trying to ask you out. Just hear me out, okay? That’s all I ask.”

She sighs, and rolls her eyes. “Fine.”

“Thank you.” He lowered his arms. “Look, I think your voice is awesome! You’re like a female M. Shadows!”

“What?? You’re like a female M. Shadows...” She mumbled, looking away from him.

That was certainly an interesting reaction to Chris. “My ass! Your voice would help my band win the talent show for sure!”

She snapped back to him with those irate hazel eyes of hers. “Your band? The one with Whitey in it?”

The front of Chris’ maw scrunched up. “Yeah...”

“Nooope.” She attempts to walk past him, but he side-steps to block her.

“Aw, come on! You’re our only hope! And the one that hates Will the least in school aside from me and Al.”

“WHAT!?” She screamed. “I’m the only one in this school that has the right to be his number one hater!”

“Even above Isabella?”

“Wait. They dated?”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t know?”

“No. Why would I keep up with every one of that douchebag’s movements?”

“I mean…” Judging by the narrowing of her eyes, he shut his trap and sighed. “...look. I know you two have a...uh...history. But I really do think you’ve got an awesome voice. Isn’t there anything I can do to convince you to join out band? Just for the talent show?”

“Anything?” Her malicious smile instills regret within Chris.

“I’m not gonna kill him.”

“I wasn’t gonna say that.” With her next few words, Chris swore there were hints of some kind of sick pleasure buried in her malice. “I want him to get on his knees, and beg.”

“Sasha, you know he’s not gonna do that.”

“Those are my terms.” She walks past him; but not before placing a hand on his shoulder. “Ball’s in your court, side-cuck.”

‘Side-cuck?’ He looked back at her with irritation, and then immediately with intrigue. ‘She might be a fucking bitch, but...Jesus Christ…’ He couldn’t pry his eyes away from the large butt that demanded his attention with every step she took. ‘Wait. Why am I just standing here?’ He had class with her.

He wasn’t going to stare at her butt on the way back. No, he was just walking back to class, and she just so happened to be walking in front of him.

When they did get back to class, McCallon was mid-lecture. No chance he could talk about his discovery with Will.

He wouldn’t get the chance until the class broke for lunch.

The three friends—Will, Al, and Chris—walk down the hall together.

“So, is that it?” Asked Will. “Are we just not gonna enter?”

“Not unless you have a vocalist in your pocket,” Al said.

Chris remained silent. Behind them, Sasha walked casually. She didn’t care for their conversation, but Chris felt like she was eavesdropping.

‘You wanna hear me ask him, don’t you?’ He thought. Reluctantly, his white maw parts. “I think I know someone we can ask.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “Really? Who?”

“Now before I say who it is, I just want you to keep an open mind.”

Will looked at Al, and then back at Chris. “People only say that when they’re about to make a shitty suggestion.”

“Dude, trust me. She’s legit.”

“She?”

“I heard her singing in the hallway when I went to the bathroom earlier. And it wasn’t any faggoty pop, either. It was metal.”

“Dude, stop teasing me. Who’s your singer?”

“It’s…” His white ears flatten, and he looks away.

Features that grow nerves within Will. “You’re scaring me, dude. Who is it?” That’s when it clicks for him. When he went to the bathroom, Sasha also went to the bathroom. Sasha, who loves Avenged Sevenfold; a metal band. “Oh no…”

“It’s...uh…”

“Nope.”

“Will-”

“No! Hell no!” Will shook his head. “Nothing will convince me to team up with that hellhound!”

“Stop being a stubborn ass, Will! She’s the best chance we’ve got!”

“Aw!” She forces herself in-between the two debaters. “Are you two girls fighting over me?”

“Get lost, fleabag. I know you heard what I said.”

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, asshole. I shot him down too when he asked me earlier.”

“Well then, the feeling is mutual!”

“Yep!”

“Good!”

“Perfect!”

Al pinches the bridge of his snout. “Every time...” But then, a light of hope enters his eyes. All five feet of golden she-Wolf reveals itself in the loud and spacious cafeteria.

Fluffier than the average Wolf, she also sported the lightest of blue eyes that featured a darker ring of blue on the edges of her irises. She could read into your soul just by looking right at you. And if you had the moral high ground? Forget it. Her smug stare slowly broke you down.

She was currently chatting up a large group of boys; both human, and Wolf. A sight that sickened Will down to his core. “Ugh..I don’t think I’m hungry anymore...”

“What? Did Isabella dump your ass?” Asked Sasha.

“Lucky for me, yes she did. Best decision she’s ever made.”

Encircling Sasha’s eyes were light brown patches of fur that helped her express emotion in place of eyebrows she didn’t have. She raised one of them, a pseudo-brow, now in confusion. “You sucked that much?”

“No. She was awful, but I just couldn’t break up with her at the time. It’s like she controls whatever man she gets her claws on.”

“I didn’t ask, Whitey.”

“Oh,” Will said calmly. “Sorry, Sasha.”

A sincere apology? From him? “Wh-sorry? What?” She asked with confusion.

As much as she didn’t want to remember her mother’s words, out they came anyway. ‘Everyone has parts of them that they hide, Sasha.’

Yet again, mommy dearest was right. But was she about to just sit down and sing Kumbaya with Will? Fat chance.

Back in reality, Al fans her concerns off. “Oh, don’t mind him. He just has PBSD.”

“PBSD?” Asked Sasha.

“Post-bitch stress disorder.”

Sasha chuckled. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “You hate her too?”

“Are you kidding? Everything about that bitch disgusts me!” Her grainy voice tries to take on a stereotypical popular girl voice. “Oh! Like, look at me! I’m a cheerleader, so I think I’m, like, better than everyone! My grades are shit, but that’s, like, okay because I have gigantic fucking titties!” Her little rant elicits light chuckling from two of the boys as she grips her tiny chest; Al had disappeared into the crowd. “And, like, oh my god, I’m so fucking basic! I like pumpkin spiced lattes, and Taylor Swift, and giving the entire football team the clap!” She rolls her eyes. “Ugh…”

“...wow,” Will said.

“Uh oh,” Chris’ eyes lock onto the blonde mutt. “Major bitch, twelve o’clock.”

Isabella was making her way down the large cafeteria with her entourage of male simps. It was unlikely that she’d even registered that Will was in the room.

Not on Al’s watch. “Oh, there you are, Will!” He shouted. “I lost y’all for a second!”

Isabella’s smug blue peepers locked onto the four-man group. She advanced towards them with her slaves in tow.

“Oh no...” Al said sarcastically. “I didn’t see her... My bad, guys...”

Will sighed. And immediately, Sasha could hear his heart pick up the pace.

For a moment, Isabella said nothing. She scanned all four of them with her judgmental eyes, but what caught her attention the most was Sasha and Will standing side by side. “You’re in my way, losers,” she said.

“Nice to see you too,” Will sarcastically utters.

“I don’t have all day.” She fans to her right. “Move it.”

“You move it,” Sasha said, crossing her arms. “We were here first.” What amused her was the sight of her simps gathering around her, and puffing their chests out. “What?” She chuckled. “Do you think that scares me?”

“Sasha,” Al whispered. “They’re bigger than you. And they’re dudes.”

“Relax. They ain’t gonna do shit.” She walks up to Isabella’s little army, and looks the biggest one right in the face. “Go ahead, pussy boy. Hit me live on camera.”

He narrowed his eyes, but so did she. However, the stare of the many school security cameras filled him with too much anxiety to continue. He took a few steps back.

“...nah,” said the big white boy. “I’m not getting suspended for beating up a loner.”

Isabella groaned. “Whatever. You’re lucky your downgrade saved you, Will.”

Sasha and Will just about gasped all of the oxygen out of the room. “Excuse me!?” They yell at the same time.

Al could see that Sasha’s hackles were starting to spike, so he stepped between the two she-Wolves. “Okay! She’s leaving now! Let’s leave it at that!”

“Yes. I’m off to make better use of my time.” Isabella snaps her fingers, and her crowd moves with her. “Let’s go.”

As she does so, Sasha stares her down like she was prey. And, maybe Al was imagining it, but a light growl filled his ears from somewhere.

Sasha exhaled in frustration. “What do men even see in her?”

“She’s physically gifted,” Al stated bluntly.

“But how can you get past her wall of bitch without wanting to punch her lights out?”

Chris crossed his arms. “We just filter it out, and keep our eyes on the prize.”

Sasha raised one of her pseudo-brows in confusion. “Men confuse me.”

“So anyway…” Al turns around, and raises his voice. “About the talent show!”

“For fuck’s sake, dude, I already told you-”

The ear-haunting chuckle of Isabella filled their ears. “What?” She turned around, and covered her mouth. “You losers are teaming up for the talent show?”

But before Sasha could respond, Al once more steps in front of her. “What’s it to ya?”

“Oh, that’s adorable! But...you’re wasting your time,” she shrugs. “You have no chance of beating me.”

Sasha’s eyes narrow. “What?”

“Oh! That probably sounded insulting, but it’s true!” The way she shrugged forced a return of Sasha’s hackles. “Your stupid little emo music sucks compared to Tay Tay.”

“Emo music!?” Yelled Sasha, fangs beared.

Will, equally angry, interjects. “Oh you wouldn’t know good music if it bit you in your yellow matted ass!”

A comment that makes Isabella chuckle. “You of all people know that my ass is as smooth as it is perfect.”

“Him and every guy in school,” Sasha added.

The smiling Isabella’s eyes narrow. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you, emo nerd?” She shrugs. “Fine. Play your crappy music. But when you don’t even place, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Our music isn’t crappy, and it’ll bury you in last!” Sasha yelled.

“Oh yeah! You’re really gonna blow the crowd away with Effervescence.”

Will interjects once again. “God dammit, it’s Evanescence! Are you so retarded that you still can’t learn the name after I’ve told you a million times!?”

“Effervescence; Evanescence; it doesn’t matter what you play. If you go on that stage, you’re gonna embarrass yourselves.”

“If we go on that stage, we’re gonna kick your ass!” Will yells.

“Ain’t no ‘if’,” Sasha said. “WHEN we win, I’m gonna lick the tears straight from your eyes you stupid bitch!”

“Then you’ll die of thirst before the embarrassment of your defeat,” Isabella snaps her fingers. As she walks her group follows. “Come on. I need air that hasn’t been contaminated with loser.”

As Isabella walked away, Will looked over at Sasha will a look of admiration.

A look that confused her. “...what’s with your face?”

“You’re gonna drink the tears out of her eyes?” He chuckled. “That’s the sickest thing I’ve ever heard anyone say.”

“Straight from her eyes, but uh…” She looked away from Will. “...thanks.”

“So, uh…” Will couldn’t look at her either. “…did you mean what you said? Or was it just to get under her fur?”

Her hazel eyes locked onto him. “I’m not actually gonna drink her syphilis-infected tears, Whitey.”

“No!” His blue eyes looked at hers. “About working together to bury her in last place. Another banger sentence, by the way.”

“Oh.” Her eyes momentarily locked onto Isabella, and then back to Will. They had softened a bit; having received two complements in a row. “Well, yeah. That dumb bitch called our music emo.”

“So, then…” Will extends his hand out towards her. “...truce? For now?”

It was the slap heard round the world as Sasha meets his hand with the smacking grip of her own. “Until we take that bitch down.”

As both teens smiled at each other with a mutual fire in their eyes, Chris looked over at Al and whispered. “Dude, you’re a genius.”

Al nods. “It’s what I do.”

Mike’s blue sequoia hummed as it sped down the highway. Yes, it might’ve been 10 miles over the limit; but in his defense, no Texan follows the speed limit. Hell, there were cars going even faster than he was; and the cop behind him wasn’t batting an eye.

The gentleman beside him with a dead tail light, however? Well, he wasn’t so lucky. Red and blue lights followed him all the way to the shoulder until both cars came to a stop.

‘Idiot,’ Mike thought.

Past the cop car, he could see a bundle of brick stores. There was a burger joint, no surprise there, and a handful of other establishments. Banks, grocery stores, coffee shops, and a gym.

He’s driven by here ad nauseum, but the gym really stood out today. He can’t even remember the last time he’d set foot in a gym. Too long, that’s for sure. But, he could still remember the rubbery smell that followed you everywhere you go; that one guy that hogged a machine for hours; the tight fit of Aleena’s spandex as her small, plump form danced with each step-

‘No!’ Mike gripped his steering wheel tight. ‘Stop it! Stop getting aroused!’ He groaned. ‘What is wrong with you, Mike? Why can’t you get her out of your head?’

The distant gym teased his peripheral vision until it was much too suffocating to ignore it.

It teased him along with Samantha’s words. ‘If you don’t have something to help you de-stress, it’ll only keep getting worse.’

But...so soon? She made that suggestion days ago. It probably wasn’t wise to jump right into it.

Then again, this recent inability to keep Aleena out of his head is nothing but trouble. He thought he could just let it go with time, but is that a luxury he can afford? There’s no telling when his suppressed emotions will strike again; and around who.

Aleena, specifically.

He thought he would never see her again, but...surprise! She was at the zoo. That means she could pop up anywhere, and that was a problem.

Eyeing the gym once more, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to get a small tour. What’s the worst that could happen?

‘Don’t overthink this, Mike.’ His turn signal comes on. ‘Do it for Sasha.’

Before long, he’s standing in front of a gym with a yellow thumbs up as the symbol. It’s a big gym; about as big as a Walmart, and just as wide. But on the inside, the view was much different.

‘Wow...that’s a lot of people.’

The first thing he noticed, in the distance, was a sea of treadmills; two rows that stretched from the front of the gym all the way to the back.

“Hello, sir!” A small white woman sporting a purple shirt caught him by surprise. He looked down at the six foot woman with a look of confusion. “Is this your first time here?”

“Uh...yeah. I was thinking about joining a gym, and this was on the way home from work.”

“Okay! Well, I can give you a quick tour if you want!”

“That would be great! Thank you!”

“Follow me!” She waves him towards her, and makes her way past the front counter and into the actual gym. “So starting off, these are our treadmills!”

“…yeah, I can see that. There’s a lot of ‘em.”

“They’re our most popular workout, but don’t let them fool you! We have much more than just treadmills!” At the front, there were four large metallic machines; each with a weightlifting bar attached to two vertical metallic rods, and hooks going down the machine. “Over here, we have the Smith machines! Great for barbell workouts when you don’t have someone to spot you!”

“Do you have any normal racks?”

“We do not, but there’s nothing the Smith machine can’t do that a normal rack can.”

T hey stood next to a machine that was currently in use. There was a sweaty white woman doing squats, but she seemed to be at the end of her set. She took a moment to catch her breath; and as she did, she took delight in scanning Mike’s body with a n exhausted smile on her lips.

“So…!” He rushed so that his guide stood between him and the exhausted woman. “...what are those over there?”

“Those are benches,” she said as she continued to walk. “They start out flat, but you can adjust them for different seating angles depending on...”

He already knew all of this. He just wanted an out from that other woman. “Uh huh...yeah…”

From behind, his sharp ears could hear the creaking of metal, and a groaning struggle to get something done. A rear glance reveals a Hispanic guy struggling to lock his barbell into a Smith machine’s hook. Heavy weight, by the look of it; even for Mike. Definitely enough to crush his lungs.

M ike didn’t know why, but he felt like he should stand closer to that guy. Just in case.

And then, the H ispanic man’s arms gave out.

“Whoa!” Mike gripped the bar just in time. And, for the first time in decades, his biceps and lats burned to life as he himself struggled to curl the weights.

But the weight proved much tougher than he anticipated. Out came his sharp white canines, and primal beast-like growling that could be felt all the way to the other corner floor of the building. His arms shook, threatening to collapse themselves, but he had no intentions on quitting. Not with his will as high as his hackles. But, slowly, his wobbling and fatigued arms successfully plop the heavy bar onto a hook with a deafening clink.

It was near-immediate that he collapsed onto his knees with his hands still gripping at the bar for dear life. There he knelt—with deep, heavy panting—as his entire body throbbed with a mixture of exhaustion and adrenaline.

The world around him spun; much like the yellow dots that filled his ever-darkening vision.

“Out of my way!” A voice—familiar, but distant—yells. A small, gentle hand rested itself on his back; and a brown, concerned gaze met his. Once more, her shiny brown lips part; but she still sounds distant. “...you okay…?”

“...Ally…?” Mike let go of the bar in an exhausted panic, but lost his balance near immediately. “Fuck…!”

“Mikey!” Aleena had to channel the force of god within her just to ensure that he didn’t collapse. Then, once stable, she squats under him and rests one of his armpits against the back of her neck. “Come on. Let’s get you seated.”

“Y-yeah...”

Just the act of standing was enough to make the world spin more severely. “And...” But, with the help of Aleena’s powerful quads, the large wolf is slowly raised onto his digitigrade feet. “...up we go! Come on, Mikey!”

She put on a brave front, but she couldn’t lie to his ears. Her mouth failed to fully suppress its desperate pleas for air, and her heart was working overtime to fulfill said overwhelming demand.

She was exhausted too. But, she powered through it one step at a time..

At the check-in counter located at the front of the gym, there were tables; each with a handful of wooden chairs.

When in front of one, Mike’s body was almost desperate to plop down; but Aleena had other plans. Her body refused to let him give in to gravity. No, she made sure that his body’s movements matched hers.

Even if her shaking legs were screaming at her to collapse as well.

“There you go…” Finally, she allowed her mouth to greedily leech at the air around her audibly. “You okay, Mikey…?”

“Y-yeah…just need to catch my breath…” His fuzzy cheek slams against the black table as his heavy panting continues. “...and maybe throw up…”

“H-hang on, Mikey…” She wastes no time in sprinting away. “I’ma get you some water…!”

It was hard to make out much of anything with the world spinning as much as it was. Sure, he saw the other patrons and their looks of concern; and a large sign reading ‘LUNK ALARM’ stared down at him from above, but none of that mattered right now. All he could think was…

‘Fuck, I think I’m gonna puke…’

It was like all of his senses had been hit with a concussion grenade. So much so, that he didn’t even notice when Aleena had come back.

“Alright, Mikey.” She helps him sit up. “Open up.”

Well, she recovered from exhaustion quickly.

The pink bottle before him had its black spout exposed just for him. It brushed against the fur on his maw gently until he allowed it access to his mouth.

You would think water would be the last thing on his mind, but his body showed just how dehydrated he really was as he greedily chugged away at the bottle.

It was drained in seconds.

The trail of saliva that followed the spout out of Mike’s mouth caught her attention more than she’d like to admit. It reminded her briefly of his greedy tongue, and the forbidden saliva that was in her mouth just days ago.

But, she shook the thoughts away. Now was not the time.

“How you feeling, Mikey?”

His palm spun side-to-side. “Meh...better, I guess…”

“Can you stand?”

He chuckled. “Hell no…”

“That’s okay. Just sit there and rest.” She placed her small, gentle hands on his shoulders. “You mind if I inspect you real quick?”

The panting Wolf shook his head. “Nah...go for it…”

Even as her fingers brushed against him, she was careful on how she proceeded.

First, she checked his gums. “Okay…”

Then, she tugged at his surprisingly stretchy skin; careful to not rush it, or use too much force. “All right…”

Next, the inner portion of his ears; even if he didn’t know what it had to do with his current condition. “Looks good…”

And last, but not least, her fingers pressed against his soft gut.

Feeling its softness once more brought back memories of that night; specifically the part where her naughty hands brushed against him on the way to his belt. “A-any pain when I do this?”

“No…” He shook his head.

“Aight! Then you’re good!” She retracts her hands. “You just need to rest for a bit.”

“Thanks, Ally…” His cheek smacks against the table once more. “You’re the best…”

His praise filled her with a glee too powerful to ignore; she just couldn’t help but smile. “No problem…”

“I ruined your workout, didn’t I…? Sorry...”

“What? Naw, it wasn’t your fault. I blame that bitch ass Hispanic nigga.” Her head scanned the area. “Speaking of…” The instant the Hispanic weightlifter entered her line of sight, she could feel a burning anger spread out from her chest. Her body no longer throbbed with exhaustion, but with fury. “Boy, have you lost yo god damn mind!?” Her loud anger echoed throughout the gym. “Ya Jack Skellington built ass won’t gon’ lift no 350 pounds! What’s the matter with you!?”

The scrawny Hispanic man raised his arms defensively. “Hey hey hey! Whoa! I’m sorry, okay?”

“Nah nah nah don’t apologize to me! Apologize to him!” She angrily points at Mike, and closes in on the man. “He coulda gotten hurt! All because yo bitch ass had something to prove!”

“Ally…” Mike’s weak cry smacks the anger out of her; albeit temporarily. “Let it go…”

But before she did, she gave the man one final look of malice and lowly uttered a promise she hoped he’d remember. “If something happens to him because of this, Imma find yo ass.”

Her steps backward ensure that he doesn’t leave her sight; and it remained that way until she stood right next to Mike once more.

The man walked off in shame, and Aleena rubbed at Mike’s back.

“There, there, Mikey...It’ll be okay…”

And it was. Eventually.

The nausea and dizziness hadn’t completely subsided, but now his mind was once more able to take note of his surroundings.

“Your hair.” He looked at her double afro puffs in surprise. “It’s different.”

She paused there for a moment before giggling. “You just barely noticed?”

“Man, I haven’t seen you with those in a while.” His mouth twitched, as if hesitant to say this next part, but he goes through with it anyway. “You look good.”

“Thank you!” She just couldn’t help but grin and bring her hands together; a sight that Mike loved. “So…” And just as quickly as it came, her grin died down into a gentle smile. “...you thinking of joining this gym?”

“Maybe,” he says. “I’ve been on edge lately, and I hear working out is a good way to de-stress.”

“Oh.” Her smile vanished. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh! Yeah!” He gives her a small dismissive wave. “You know how it is. Sometimes, work just knows how to screw you in all the wrong ways.”

Aleena nods. “It’s why I come here. That, and to keep this fine ass body.” She flattens her hands, and rests her grinning chin on it.

With a nervous chuckle, Mike’s hands flatten on the table. “Well, I think I’m good to drive now, so I’m going home.” His chair screeches against the floor as he stands.

“Wa-wait! Already?” Aleena herself rushed up. The white top that covered her upper torso was no big deal, but everything changed when everything else revealed itself to his now clear mind. “Don’t be so hasty, Mikey! You should rest a little more! You know, just in case!”

In his daze, he’d already taken a look at her strong thighs, but he hadn’t realized just how exposed she was until now. Was it even accurate to call them black spandex shorts? It seemed like all they were good for was attracting attention towards her butt. They covered almost none of her thighs, and they were just mere inches from revealing her butt cheeks.

Paired with her sweaty, shiny core; and wide hips that his hands itched to touch once more; Mike could feel his manhood start to awaken.

“I...uh…” Eye contact was getting harder and harder. “...guess I could...uh...”

“Great!” She happily closed the distance between them, and looked up at him with innocent brown eyes. “And since you’re sticking around anyway, you mind helping me stretch? It might help you feel better!”

How could he say no to those shining, expectant eyes of hers?

No, seriously. His maw felt like it had rusted shut as he tried to find some words, any words, to reject her request.

But it was surprisingly easy to do the opposite. “I mean, if it’ll help…” In fact, they felt like the right words as they came out of his mouth.

“Hell yeah!” She whips out her phone and taps away. “Let me just check you in as a plus one right quick…”

He had never seen someone tap so fast in his life; especially not with the laser focus she had. Her thumbs were so fast, Mike was sure that they would be illegal in a school zone.

As he waited, his eyes just couldn’t help but admire the woman behind the thumbs once again. He knew he shouldn’t be doing it, but an uncomfortable anxiety quickly bubbled within him when he resisted.

On occasion, she would glance up at him, and he would look away in shame. Rather than scold him for peeping, she turned around and began to walk towards the front desk. It was like she was teasing him on purpose with the way her butt danced after every step.

Beep!

Her phone triggered one of several scanners resting on the front desk.

“Aight! Come on, Mikey!” She ordered, taking a commanding lead into the gym.

‘This is stupid...’ Her large, swaying assets were excellent at scrambling his thoughts. ‘I should just turn around, and-’

Especially as she looked back at him, and pulled up her shorts ever so slightly.

Oh no.

Here they come.

Those thoughts again.

Pinning her little body to a bed.

Ripping those intrusive shorts in two.

And then…

And then…

‘...fuck...’ He balls his fists, and emits a canine-like whine.

A sound that certainly caught a confused Aleena’s attention. “You good, Mikey?” She says, turned around.

Between the father within him wanting to leave and the male Wolf within him wanting to mate with Aleena, he didn’t know what to say. All that escaped out of the frozen man’s mouth was a series of groans and crackles until…

“...I have to go!” And out the door he ran.

Aleena couldn’t help but reach out for him. “Wait! Mikey!” But for someone that just got blown off, she seemed awfully smiley and calm. “Come back...”

Back at home, Sheila was doing a bit of dusting in the living room. A bit here on the TV, a bit there on the coffee table, and a bit more on pictures that hung along the walls.

There was something about one of said pictures that made Sheila pause. It was a picture of Mike. Specifically, him taking a knee amongst the football team of years gone.

He looked so happy in that photo. Happier than she’s seen him be in a long, long time. The fur on her head itched just thinking about it.

But it was gone when she heard the front door creek open.

“Mom!” It was Sasha. “I’m home!”

Sheila sets the duster on the coffee table, and rushes over to her daughter. “Welcome home, sweetie! How was your day?”

“It was...uh…” Her head nod-tilts. “...interesting.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just…” She puts her arm up. “...don’t do that squealy thing when I tell you.”

“Cross my heart.”

“Okay…” Anxiously, she sighs. “I’m...um…” She looks away. “...gonna do the talent show.”

Sheila’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Oh, sweetie! That’s great!”

“...with Whitey’s band.” And there it was; an ecstatic squeak that could probably be heard around the neighborhood. “Oh god- mom!”

“Sorry, it’s just-” Sheila has to fan herself. “Oh my goodness! It’s happening!”

“No! Nothing’s happening! We’re just teaming up to take down a girl that’s high on her own farts!”

“Did you give him your number?” Judging by the narrowing of her daughter’s eyes, Sheila decided to backtrack a bit. “To keep in contact?”

“Hell no! If we need to talk, we’ll do it at school, or at practice.”

“What if there’s an emergency and you need to cancel a sesh?”

“Don’t call it that, and...uh...shut up.”

“Sweetie…” Sheila placed a hand on her hip. “If you and your teammates don’t communicate effectively, you’re setting yourselves up for failure.” Sasha stubbornly scowled at the floor. “And this common enemy of yours will continue to be ‘high on her own farts.’ Only this time, she’ll have something to lord over you.”

Sasha sighed, and looked at her mother. “You’re right. I’ll…” Her ears flatten. “...punish my phone with his number. But only until we win!”

“Hey!” Sheila, grinning, raised her hands. “I won’t fight you on that!”

“And no longer!”

“Of course!”

Before walking to her room, Sasha points a finger at her mother. “I mean it!” When up the stairs, however, she hears a muffled squeak come from her mother. “I heard that!” She slammed her door; whining, and flattening her ears with her hands. ‘God dammit…’

As she’d found out today, he was one of the few humans that was willing to date Wolf girls. Though, now that she thought about it, he was awfully nice to her mother yesterday.

That explained a lot, actually.

But, that only deepened the pit in her stomach.

What if he thought she was showing interest in him by giving him her number? Even worse, what if he reciprocated that misunderstanding? He’d have a direct line to ask her about anything. Like nudes. Yeah, she wouldn’t put it past him to ask for that; the sick fuck. Especially since she was 100% sure he was staring at her butt when they were at the zoo.

No, she didn’t like this at all. She had to think of a way to give him her number without catching his eye. A near-impossible task; the smallest glance, and boys always came flocking to her like they had rights to her pussy.

So, maybe a shy and submissive approach?

She pondered it. Ears flat, head low, tail tucked between her legs, and number forward.

‘Here…’ She imagined herself thinking.

The one in white fur, whom she’d forgotten the name of, elbowed Will. ‘Look at her, bro. She’s totally nervous. That means she likes you.’

Will nodded. ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ He was quick to wrap his arm around her waist, and pull her in. ‘You want some Big W, baby?’

Alright, enough of that scenario; Sasha shook the thought away.

‘Nope! That won’t work!’ She was unable to blush, being biologically incapable of doing so, but her flat ears and slightly upward-arched tail were a good substitute. ‘Then how about…’

She imagined herself striding in like she owned the joint. Instead of being submissive, she held her head and tail up high. In between two of her fingers was her number, and she allowed it to approach Will.

‘Here,’ she imagined herself powerfully demanding. ‘Take it.’

This time, Will was the one who was nervous. She was tall, she was powerful, and she was…

...what was he doing? That’s not her number he’s taking; that’s her hand. And why is he kneeling?

‘I’d never realized just how strong and confident you really were…’ Will said. ‘Please marry me!’

Back in reality, Sasha gripped at her head fur and groaned. “No, god dammit!”

“Sasha!”

Will’s real voice made her jump and yip. “What the- Whitey!? When did you get there??” And while she was at it, she scanned her surroundings. They were in the hall that housed McCallon’s class; the only one they shared together. ‘And when did I get here?’

It was a crowded hall; nothing unusual. This is how it always was in-between classes. That, and loud as any other.

“I’ve been calling your name for a while now. Are you starting to lose your hearing, or something?”

Her hackles shot right up. “Are you calling me old!?” And out came her fangs.

“That’s the problem.” He raised his palms defensively. “I’m not calling you anything because we forgot to exchange numbers.”

And just like that, her fangs and hackles vanished immediately; a sight that, judging by Will’s confused face, was unusual.

‘Oh god! Oh fuck!’ Sasha nervously thought. ‘I reacted when he mentioned his number! Oh, here we go!’

Slowly, Will dropped his defensive hands. “I’ll take that as you getting my point. So, how do you wanna do this?”

‘Do what? What are you talking about? I’m not doing anything with you!’

“Uh…” Will looked confused. “...Sasha?”

‘He’s looking to you for an answer! Give him something! Anything!’ She searched deep within herself to find something, anything, that would help her. “However you want.” She screamed internally. ‘No! Anything but that, you stupid bitch!’

Now the question was: what did he want? Just her number? Or more? She’d just put the ball in his court like a stupid idiot; and now, she was mentally banging her head against the wall.

“Alright…” Slowly, Will raised his phone, and tapped away. “I guess I’ll just show you my number, and you can add me as a contact. Then, just text me something so I know it’s you.”

‘You want something so you know it’s me? Like what? A picture? You sick fuck?’ She got out her own phone, and searched for her contacts app. “You got it, buddy!”

That phrase formed a look of skepticism on Will.

Copious amounts of tapping at her screen later, Will’s phone emits a single electric guitar riff; something that caught Sasha’s intrigue.

But Will’s own attention was snagged by a photo Sasha sent. It was a nude female Wolf—awfully close in proportion to Sasha—that was bent over and didn’t show her face; only, the thumbnail cut off just before he was able to see what lied under her raised tail.

His eyes, understandably, widen; and his cheeks take on a bright cherry red. ‘Whoa!’

But, when he tapped the photo to bring it to full size, his eyes were violated by the sight of a fat black man’s cock as he sat on a bed and smiled. “Argh! What the fuck!?” The nude female Wolf was nowhere to be seen.

But Sasha’s laughter was hard to miss. A chuckle so great, she couldn’t speak. She was forced to hug her core, and lean forward.

“Where did you even find that!?” He asked with disgust. “HOW did you even find that!?”

He watched her as she was lost in her own laughter. Sure enough, it was exactly what he remembered: gritty, loud, and not feminine at all; or at least, not traditionally what he’d hear come out of an average woman. But, despite that, it wasn’t until the laughter began to die down that he saw something unusual. This had to be the only time, aside from when they’d first met, that he’d ever seen her without her signature Resting Bitch Face™. And, because of that, when she moved to wipe her eyes, he finally saw what she looked like with a warm smile on her maw.

She sighed, and her joyful hazel eyes opened ever so slightly. This sight—this one, brief moment—made her look...cute.

Not like he was going to admit that. He kept the same distant face he always made towards her.

“Oh god…” Some weak laughter escaped her maw. “...that was good…” With a final sigh, and hands to her hips, her laughter was lost to time.

Joining in on the good times, Chris’ white fur made its way into the duo’s moment. “Hey! What’s so funny?”

Will shook his head. “Nothing. Sasha’s just being a cunt, like usual.”

His little diss was not enough to wipe the smile off her face. “You’re just mad because I got your ass.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “What did you do?”

“We exchanged numbers, and I followed Whitey’s instructions. Not my fault he wasn’t specific.”

If there was a mental equivalent of a record scratching, Chris did it. Then, one of his eyebrows came up. “You two exchanged numbers?” And then, slowly came the cheeky smile.

“Hey!” Will yelled.

“No!” Added Sasha. “It’s not what you’re thinking!”

But Chris continued. “Hey! If you two wanna ‘fight’ after school, when no one’s watching, I won’t judge.” He raised his hands defensively.

Will and Sasha say nothing. Rather, they look at each other. Then, after she gave his phone a quick glance, he understood the mission.

“You know what? Now I’m not gonna show you what she sent me,” Will said.

“What? Did she send you a photo of her pussy, or something?” Chris waited for a response; but instead, all he got was silence and nervous glances towards the floor. He gasped. “No fucking way!”

Sasha shot Will a hostile look. “If you show him that picture, I’ll kick your ass.” Yet, despite that exchange of words, she disappeared into McCallon’s classroom.

Now, with her gone, Chris desperately leaned in towards Will. “Bro, you have to show me.”

But Will pulled his phone away. “‘I’ don’t have to do anything.”

“Aw! Come on! I’m part of the reason we even have a vocalist for our band!”

Will, nodding slowly, looked at his friend. “You have a point.”

“So…”

Will sighed, bring his phone closer. “Fine. Just don’t tell Sasha.”

“Don’t tell her what?”

Like Will, Chris was enticed by the female Wolf that had her face censored. “Holy shit…that’s her.” Down to the wide hips. “No doubt about it…”

But Will didn’t tap. “I’ll let you have the honors, my friend.” He motioned towards his phone with his other hand.

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” There was no hesitation in Chris’ tap. In that moment, every single drop of lust evaporated before his eyes as they took in the same chocolate rod that violated Will’s vision. “Ah! God dammit, Will!” He backed away quickly with eyes sealed shut.

Now it was Will’s turn to bust out in laughter. “Dumbass!”

“How did she even get the picture to do that?”

“I-I don’t know!” He was gasping for air in-between chuckling.

It even gave Sasha a good chuckle as she camped right by the door; listening in on the final moments of their conversation as the school bell demands they get to class.

‘What the fuck?’ Mike’s hazel eyes scanned his computer screen with a mixture of uncertainty and anxiety. ‘What is this?’ Immediately, he stood and looked at his go-to guy for fuck-ups. “Marcos. Come here, please.”

The uneasy Marcos stood, and hovered near his boss’ computer. “ Yes , Mr. Falconer?”

Two different windows were open on Mike’s computer. To the left, a recent financial document full of items and their monetary value. To the right, the same document just one month earlier. Mike’s claw focuses on the same item on both windows. The one to the left, labeled ‘land and buildings’ is much lower in value compared to its right counterpart; almost by a third. “What’s going on here?”

Now Marcos looked confused. “You didn’t hear?”

Mike’s head tilts. “Hear what?”

“The vultures at McConnell-Clinton sold a lot of real-estate.”

“...why?”

“Because like every other private equity firm, they won’t stop till they’ve enriched themselves and crashed the company.” Marcos sighed, tilting his head. “I think it’s time I started looking for another job because I know how this story ends.”

Even the chubby she-Wolf Sam weighed in. “Me too. I used to work at Sears before private equity ran it into the ground.”

None of that sounded good to Mike.

He could lose his job? The one he used to support his precious little girl?

No. They were probably exaggerating. He’ll be fine. As long as he holds his head up high and keeps his nose clean, things will work out.

They have to.

Well, no use worrying about it on an empty stomach; or, at least, that was the plan. But, during lunch, a conversation near him only added to his anxiety.

“The supplier’s pissed?” A man said.

His female colleague sighed. “Yeah. They were perfectly fine with our original arrangement: payment every 30 days. But noooo! Now I’m being told to push for payment every 60 days! Why!? What was wrong with 30?”

“I bet those dickheads over at McConnell-Clinton have something to do with this. Ever since they showed up, it’s been one thing after another.”

“I know what you mean,” the random woman said. “I miss having vending machines.”

“The free donuts.”

“Company birthdays…”

“Hell, I wouldn’t put it past them to go after our health insurance, too.”

She nudges him. “Hey! Don’t jinx it! I need that shit!”

‘Faster,’ Mike thinks to himself. ‘Eat faster, Mike. You don’t need them putting unnecessary thoughts into your head.’

He couldn’t even enjoy his meal. The ever-increasing anxiety within him gave it the taste of bland mush. A shame, really. Sheila’s beef cutlets were something else; even if they were leftovers.

“We all do,” replied the man still conversing with his female coworker, “but we both know how this story ends.”

There were those words again.

Was private equity really that bad?

What even was private equity anyway?

When Sam heard him whisper that question, she shot him a look of disbelief. “You don’t know what private equity is, Mike? What the hell kind of accountant are you?”

“I’ve heard of it, but never really cared for it,” Mike replies, eyeing the remnants of his cutlets. “Guess I’ll just have to look it up when I get off work.”

“Or I could just tell you right now. I know all about those soul-sucking leeches.”

And with the final bite of his food, he stands. “No, that’s okay. Thank you for the offer, but I really should be getting back to work now.”

“Uh…” Sam’s ears flatten as his back turns to her. “...okay. I’ll go back in a sec.”

She’s been inconspicuous these past few days. Mike didn’t know why, but it made him feel uneasy. It always felt like something sinister was peeking from behind those kind and inviting blue eyes of hers.

That’s where the real malice was hiding: the historically problematic she-Wolf. Not some corporate boogeyman. Sure, their birthday celebrations mysteriously disappeared some time ago; as did the vending machines; but that was just because the CEO of the company was a greedy fucking-

“FIRED!?” A scream. Muffled to all but the most keen of Wolves who happened to be standing right outside of the CEO’s closed office door. “What the fuck do you mean I’m fired!?” The six foot black man, hunched over at his desk, took notice of Mike’s attention. The last thing Mike could see before the blinds were closed were words too quiet to make out.

‘He’s getting axed?’ Mike thought.

The CEO’s office door creeks open. What was panic was now a calm sea of brown in the CEO’s eyes. “Mikey boy,” says the man near retirement. “May I have a quick word with you?”

Mike’s posture perfected itself. “Uh...yes sir, Mr. Coleman!”

Coleman’s smooth, shining hand waves Mike into his office; and once inside, the door closes behind him.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Yes, sir.”

Both men take their seats; Mike on one side of the shining brown mahogany table that Coleman rests his arms on. “Comfortable, Mike?”

Mike nods. “Yes, sir, but about earlier-”

Coleman raises one of his arms, and Mike quiets down in response. “Mike, do you know about private equity firms?”

Mike shakes his head. “No sir.” His eyes narrow. ‘What’s going on here? I’ve never been invited to his office before.’

“Well, you know about stocks, and the average man’s ability to buy them, right?” Mike’s nod makes the explanation a bit easier. “Well, not every company offers the ability to buy stock. No stock, no ability to invest in that company. Unless…” He raises a finger. “...you buy the company in its entirety, and sell it for a profit down the line. But, that’s a lot of money; even for big corporations. So what do private equity firms do when the purchase amount could bankrupt them?”

The silence made the shrugging Mike feel uncomfortable. “I don’t know, sir. Why are you telling me-”

Coleman raises a finger. Once more, Mike feels quiet. “They take out loans, Mike. Loans big enough to cover a significant chunk of the purchase; like, say, 90% of the company.”

“That doesn’t sound very profitable.”

“You’re right. It’s not. For us.”

Mike raises an eyebrow. “Us?”

“If you take out a loan, you yourself are expected to pay it off, correct?”

“...yeah? That’s how loans work.”

Coleman shakes his head. “Not in this case, Mikey boy. Those cocksuckers put the bill on the companies they buy. While the company struggles to pay it off with its own profits, the private equity firm pays nothing; profits, even, as they nickel and dime the company to death.”

Mike couldn’t help but think of the day’s events so far. He didn’t want them to align, but they did. “...so the sale of real-estate, the vending machines, the company birthdays….”

Coleman nodded. “McConnell-Clinton.”

Mike had to rest an elbow on the CEO’s table. He sighed, forehead to hand. “Oh man...all this time, I just thought you were a cheap bastard.”

“And I don’t blame you. They wanted me to keep quiet on all this bullshit; but if I’m getting fired, fuck ‘em.”

Mike looked at his boss once more. “So what happens now?”

“Well, I have ‘till the end of the day to pack up my stuff. But you, well...I think you’ll be fine.”

Mike shook his head. “I-I-I don’t know. All of this sounds bad. I mean, what if there’s layoffs-”

“Like I said, I think you’ll be fine. You’re as good a man as you are an accountant. They’ll certainly want to keep people like you around, that’s for sure.”

If he truly was as good an accountant as he was a man, then recent...events...made him doubt his boss.

“So...why tell me any of this?”

“Because you heard too much before you walked into the door, fool!” He stands, encircling his desk. “And I guess I just needed someone to talk to. I did just get fired, you know.” He pats Mike’s strong shoulder. “But you still have a job. Be thankful for that. Now get back to work.”

Mike sat there for a moment, looking up at his boss’ cold, strong gaze. It wasn’t until after Coleman nodded that he finally decided to stand. “Yes, sir.”

But before the uneasy Wolf was able to turn the door handle, Coleman called out once more. “Oh, and Mikey boy?”

Mike turned around. “Yes, sir?”

“Don’t tell anyone about what happened in here. Otherwise, we may both be out of a job.”

Mike nodded. “My lips are sealed.”

With that, Mike left Coleman’s office with a pit in his stomach that used to not be there. Coleman told him to not worry, but...shouldn’t he? The potential for him to lose his job was now going to be hanging over him until god knows when.

And what of his coworkers? Marcos’ performance wasn’t great. Was he going to be out of a job soon? Or Sam? As malicious as she’s been, he wouldn’t wish unemployment on her.

The job hunt was anything but fun. He could still remember it like it was yesterday.

2000.

They were in Mike’s childhood home. The living room looked awfully similar to the living room featured in the Fresh Prince of Bell-Air: white couch in the center, a spiraling staircase in the rear next to french doors that led into the backyard, and a brown oak finish beneath 23-year-old Mike’s digitigrade feet.

Next to him, four-year-old Sasha’s itty bitty legs sway as she looks up at her dad with childish curiosity. “Daddy?”

In a flash, young Mike’s face goes from exhausted to joyful as he looks away from his thick white laptop and towards his daughter. “Yes, sweetie?”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking for a job.”

“Why?”

“So that I can get some money.”

“Why?”

“So that you, me, and mommy can live in our own house.”

“Why?”

“Well, we can’t live with grandma and grandpa forever, sweetie.”

“Why?”

In comes Mrs. Falconer, roughly in her forties, to the rescue in her white jeans and pink sleeveless turtleneck sweater. “Now, now, Sasha. Leave your daddy alone so he can focus.”

“Why?” Asked little Sasha once more as she took her grandmother’s hand.

“He’s working hard to secure a good future for you and your mommy.”

“Does that mean I’m getting a pony?”

Mrs. Falconer’s chuckling muffles as the two she-Wolves make their way up the stairs. “Maybe if you’re good.”

As Mike browsed through his old emails, he stumbled upon a blast from his past. The subject read “open me :D (it’s a surprise).” It was such a long time ago, too; he’d completely forgotten what Ally had sent him on that day in November 1996.

When he clicked it, he saw an attachment. The mystery of the email’s contents continued with his auto-generated name: “scan.jpg”.

It took a second to load, the slow dial-up working overtime to download the image, but he was eventually able to click on it from his file manager.

His eyes were immediately blanketed with a colored pencil sketch. A crude Mike was on the left, crouching in blue overalls that covered a red shirt; and on his head, a red cap with the letter “M” on it.

To the right of the drawing, the closed-eyed Aleena stood in front of the crouching Wolf while delivering a loving peck to his nose. She wore a pink dress, and sported straight blonde hair that ran down to her hips. And on her head: a simple, pointy, yellow crown.

It was a recreation of a scene from Super Mario 64. A game that had come out just months before the sketch was drawn.

But below that, the pink words “You’re my power star” were lovingly carved into the paper in the smoothest cursive he’d ever seen.

He remembered feeling embarrassed when he first received the email. Especially because of that caption.

But now, the fur beneath his eyes began to soak up the tears that stained his fur a darker gray. It reminded him of the days before everything started going to shit. Days where he didn’t have to study a subject he cared little for; for a life he never asked for.

He loved his little girl, he really did, but he also thought of everything that was taken from him. Aleena’s soft touch; her smile; even her giggle. He’d do anything to hear it just one more time.

But he’d never get that chance again. All because-

The door’s lock snapping open caught his attention. It was Sheila, and she was sporting a yellow sundress. She had a white apron on her shoulder, but she didn’t care to put it away just yet. She was more concerned with slogging her exhausted feet all the way to the couch so she could just plop down with a relieved sigh. “Your home sweet your home…” But her exhaustion vanished when she spotted the dark tear streaks on his cheeks. That’s when she sat right up and looked at him with concern. “What’s wrong?” One of her hands rest on his thigh as she leans in towards him.

One thing he hated more than what he was deprived of? This. The fact that he felt nothing from the touch of a woman he’d mated with. This was the person he was to spend the rest of his life with.

The one that took everything from him.

But, he said nothing. No; he sighed, wiped his eyes, and cleared his throat. “It’s nothing. I’m just frustrated with the job hunt. You’d think getting a degree would make it easier, but…” He shook his head and growled lightly.

“Hey, hey hey hey hey…” She rubbed at his back, but it felt uncomfortable compared to the way Ally did it. “It’s gonna be alright. One of those job recruiters is gonna see what a good guy you are; and when they do, they’re gonna make the best choice of their life when they hire you.”

“Yeah, I know, you’re right, but…” He closed the laptop. “...you can only dance like a monkey for so long before it begins to get to you.”

Now Sheila sighed. “Believe me, I know.” She shook her head. “The men at the diner keep ‘accidentally’ brushing their hands against my butt, and there’s nothing I can do about it unless I wanna get fired. I can ignore it most of the time, but there’s just some days where I wanna…” She grips at the air in front of her, and releases some irate canine-like yapping.

It brought a genuine chuckle out of Mike. “I’m sorry. You’re the one with the worse day; not me. I should be comforting you.”

Sheila’s wagging tail thumps against the couch. “Well, I won’t say no to a little comforting.” She leans against him, and looks up at him with happy, expectant blue eyes.

It was like he was her everything with the way she looked at him.

“Alright, bring it here.” He wrapped his arms around the thin she-Wolf; an embrace she loved with closed eyes.

But Mike? He may as well be hugging a pillow. The embrace was a lie; just like the love he was giving her right now.

Her words earlier reminded him that he wasn’t the only one forced into this. No, she was a victim as well. In being Wolves at the wrong place at the wrong time, their old aspirations were shattered in one night five years ago.

He had no right to feel like a victim. No, he just had to man up; smack his cheeks; and get out there.

For their daughter.

And get out there he did. He looked up at a high-rise building at the center of Houston with a spirit full of hope, and a smile that could kill.

‘You’ve got this, Mike.’ He marched in like he owned the place, and he didn’t stop until he reached the specific office he was looking for. It was nothing special: a small seating area, and a receptionist area that was currently closed by translucent glass. But, it was a start. He tapped at the glass with his claws, and waited patiently.

Eventually, the glass slid open, and an overweight black women looked back at his hopeful spirit with her own void of anhedonia. “Yes?”

“Hi, I’m here for a job interview. Michael Falconer.”

The receptionist raised an eyebrow. “Job interview? Ain’t no one told me of any job interview.”

“I scheduled it for today at 9 am. Would you like me to show you the email?”

“...hold on.” She closed the glass window.

That couldn’t be good. He’s never had anything like this happen before. There was clearly an issue, if the muffled conversation behind the glass were any indicator. But, they slid open once more, and the receptionist shot him a look he didn’t like; but he had no idea why.

Was it pity?

“The hiring manager’s not in right now; but if you’d like to leave your name and number, we can set up a phone interview.”

“A phone interview?” That sounded like a load of shit. But how could he say that in a way that wasn’t offensive? “Uh...nah.” He waved off her suggestion. “I’ll just contact him myself later, or something.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. You have a good day, now.” He waved at her and left, not wanting to waste a second further.

“You too,” responds the receptionist, all emotion void of her meaningless existence.

‘Phone interview…’ he thought sarcastically. His happy trot had transformed into irate marching. ‘I can’t believe they have the nerve to jerk me around like this.’ The elevator’s down button was smashed with an unsettling audible clack. ‘Is this gonna be my life now? Doing the right things, just to get screwed anyway?’ The elevator dings, and slides open. The irate Mike wastes no time in getting in; but he freezes when his finger hovers by the button to the first floor. Rather, he takes some time to breathe. ‘Relax, Mike. Getting emotional will only make things worse.’_He takes some more time to breathe before pushing the button. _‘Just remember why you’re here. Remember that you have a new life to take care of. A precious life that will be happy, and successful.’

The era of caring for his own needs was over. Any worry, frustration, or desire was now off-limits unless it pertained to his family’s well being.

If he just maintains this mentality long enough, it’ll stick.

Right?

At the front of the high school, there was a short loop that parents could use to pick up their kids from the comfort of their own vehicles. Among these was the red Honda Civic that belonged to Will’s maid, Luna.

She currently sported a yellow summer dress, covered in white spots, that clings to her by the thick flat straps that hug at her white furred neck. It wasn’t a long dress, stopping just short of her knees to reveal a portion of her lower thighs.

Their thickness appeared soft as a marshmallow as their form adjusted to the cloth seats they sat on.

‘My goodness,’ she thinks to herself. ‘I may very well perish on this line before I see Willie again.’

Her head snapped from left to right as her light blue eyes frantically search for her precious little man.

It wasn’t until a few minutes later that her anxious eyes melt into skepticism. She saw Will, albeit with an anomaly.

‘What’s this?’ His friends were there; but that’s not who she was focused on. ‘The Falconer child?’ She paused for a moment, failing to suppress a giggle. But, she couldn’t help it. She held her maw shut with one finger as her emotions came spilling out with each twitch of her diaphragm. ‘This settles it. He has a type.’

But acknowledgment is a two-way street. If she could see him, he could see her. Before she was able to fully suppress her laughter, he caught on to her chuckling with a look of embarrassment.

Then, he exchanged some words with his friends, but hesitated when he locked eyes with Sasha. There was a failed attempt at a handshake, then a fist bump, and even a friendly wave. It was like they weren’t quite sure what to do.

Finally, they settled on what looked to be a thumb in-between the index and middle fingers of a fist. They aimed the backs of their hands at each other while maintaining the gesture.

And, that was that. Will wasted no time in rushing down the steps and opening the passenger door.

Clearly, he wanted to avoid a conversation between Sasha and Luna.

Not on her watch. Luna had a plan.

“Hi, Willie!” She greets him with a grinning maw, and a happy tail that thumps against the center console of her car.

“Hey, Luna!” He sat his backpack on the passenger side floor.

Luna took a brief moment to look right at Sasha; something which clearly caught the younger she-Wolf’s attention. “Exploring the wonders of Wolf romance a fourth time, I take it?”

“What!?” His cheeks burned with human embarrassment. His own eyes briefly glanced at Sasha, which made hers narrow. “No! God, no!”

With his back turned to Sasha, he had no idea she was marching down the steps.

And just like that, Luna’s master plan was complete.

“What the hell are you telling her, Whitey!?” Her hands rest on her wide hips.

“Jesus!” His soul just about left his body as he twitched forward. “I’m not telling her anything!” His movements were quick as he slithered into the car. “I’ll see you later-”

“Wait a second.” Luna’s words made him freeze with his agonizingly stiff hand on the door’s arm rest. “You’re the Falconer child. Sasha, correct?”

“Yeah. And you’re...uh…” Her ears flattened in Wolf embarrassment as the gears in her head tried to come up with something. Anything. “Lana?”

“Luna.” Her white hand extends out towards Sasha. “Luna Lockwood.”

“Uh…” Sasha was hesitant to shake her hand. “...nice to meet you. Again. I guess.” Her hazel eyes ping-pong between Will and Luna with visible confusion.

There was more she wanted to ask, but the honking of other cars made both she-Wolves’ ears twitch in surprise.

Music to Will’s ears. “Whoops! Looks like we’re holding up the line! We’d better get going!”

The retracting Luna nods in agreement. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.” But her blue eyes, locked onto Sasha, were far from done. “Say, Sasha, if I recall correctly, we pass your neighborhood on the way to Willie’s home. Would you like a ride?”

Sasha’s eyes widen as she takes a few steps back with waving hands. “What? Nononono that’s fine! I wouldn’t want to put you out like that!”

“Oh, nonsense! It’s the least I can do after you and your family took care of my Willie! It would be no trouble at all!”

‘_ Her _ Willie?’ Now that one part really to stood out to Sasha’s curious gaze.

She was conflicted. On one hand, she’d be further burying herself in Will’s personal life; something which could strengthen their purposefully weak relationship. On the other hand, Will’s dynamic was become ever-increasingly interesting.

A strained relationship with his parents.

A strong, happy relationship with the maid which seems to run deep.

And at least one ex-girlfriend that was a Wolf.

Not to mention his friend group. Not one human.

Once more, her mother’s words seemed to haunt her. She was, indeed, surprised at what she was finding.

And there was a part of her that wanted to know more. “You know what? I could use a ride.”

Not music to Will’s ears. “Wa-wait what?”

Luna happily chirped at the younger she-Wolf. “Excellent! The rear doors are unlocked, dear.”

But still, Will was left confused. “...what just happened?”

‘Social engineering,’ Luna thought to herself. ‘Sorry, Willie. I must understand your fascination with her.’

Once Sasha was in the car, Luna wasted no time in shifting into drive; just in case Sasha decided to change her mind. And now that Sasha was in Luna’s domain, the mature she-Wolf intended to take full advantage of it.

“So,” began Sasha, “how long’ve you known Willie here?”

“Argh!” Will’s face matched the disgust flowing through him. “Don’t call me that! It feels wrong coming out of your maw.”

“What?” Sasha smiled. “I’m not good enough to call you…” She hovered her maw near his ear. “...Willie?’

He sarcastically shivered as Luna’s turn signal went off. “Thanks a lot. That nickname’s ruined, now.”

“Aw, don’t get your panties in a wad. I’m just having fun with your nickname…” And just for kicks, Sasha really emphasized it. “...W __wwww_ illie.”_

“Alright, if you’re gonna keep calling me that, then I’m calling you something you’ll hate. Sound fair, Sas __hie?”

“Wh- Sashie??” Her tail managed to thump against the rear seat once before she halted its wagging with her hand. “That’s so gay! It makes me sound like one of those anime-obsessed weirdos!”

“Looks like we have a winner! Sssashie!”

Luna couldn’t help but chuckle. “I think it’s cute.”

“It’s not supposed to be cute, Luna. It’s supposed to be cringe.”

‘Really? It seems more like a pet name, than anything.’ Is what she’d say if she wanted to drive a deeper wedge between them.

But, she didn’t need to speak to make that happen. Sasha was more than capable. “Really hard to top your existence, Willy.”

“Oh screw you, fleabag!”

Both Luna and Sasha yelled in unison. “Hey!”

“Wh-” His arms raised defensively. “Hold up! I didn’t mean you, Luna-”

“Irrelevant! I do not remember teaching you to speak like, like-” One of her hands twirled as she tried to find the right words. “-Joe Biden!”

“She dissed the LGBT community a few seconds ago! Why does she get a pass?”

“Because I am not her mother. Now, you apologize, and do not let me catch you saying speciesist things like that ever again!”

“But-” His voice was silenced by one of Luna’s claws as it aimed right at him. Still, he couldn’t help but mumble his apology.

“What was that?”

“I said I’m sorry…”

“Like you mean it!”

He sighed, and tried his hardest to not sound sarcastic. “...I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“I’m sorry for saying that speciesist rhetoric.”

This would be funny to Sasha if it weren’t...odd. Her hazel eyes scan both of them with a skeptical stare right before she parts her maw once more. “...apology accept- hey, uh, Luna.”

“Yes?”

“How long have you known Whitey?”

“Practically his entire life,” Luna said, ruffling Will’s curly hair; much to his lightly smacking disapproval. “He’s like a son to me.”

“...you don’t say,” Sasha said. ‘That explains a lot.’

“There’s not much to that story. The McAllisters needed a housekeeper, I needed income, and the rest is history.”

“I’ve never heard of a housekeeper that picks up the client’s son from…well, everywhere.”

Luna tilt-nods her head. “Well, when they pay enough.”

“So if his dad paid you a million bucks to-”

“No,” strongly affirmed Luna.

“...I was gonna say let Whitey live with you.”

“Oh.” She smiles at the human teenager beside her. “I’d do it for free.”

Will interjects. “Hell, I’d pay him if I could move out tomorrow.”

Sasha looked at Will with curiosity. “You really hate your parents that much?”

“More than you can imagine.” He was looking out the window. “You ‘member how they didn’t pick me up after the field trip?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, that’s normal. They’re always busy. Too busy for me, anyway.”

The engine of Luna’s Honda hums idly as her car clicks into park. Looking at her surroundings, Sasha notices that they were now sitting in the parking lot of a Dollar Tree. “What are we doing here?”

Luna undoes her seatbelt. “I just need to get a few things. You kids stay here and keep talking; I won’t be long.”

‘Hold up,’ Sasha’s finger grazes at her seatbelt. ‘This is getting kind of personal.’ With a click, her seatbelt comes free. “You sure you don’t wanna turn the engine off? It’s a waste of gas.”

Luna waved her hand in refusal. “Oh nonsense! The cost is negligible. Just unlock the car when I get back, okay?”

“Hey, wait-” Slam! ‘...fuck.’ Her ears flatten. 'She didn't even lock the-'

“Sorry, Sasha.”

She looked at Will with confusion. On his face was a serious look; an odd sight, that’s for sure. “...what?”

“It got a little too personal there. My bad.”

“Oh.” She fans him off casually. “Don’t worry about it. We can just pretend that it never happened.”

“Yeah, but now Luna’s gonna give me shit for it later.” He crossed his arms. “Ever since the field trip, she’s been acting weird.”

She raised one of her pseudo-brows. “How so?”

“You know how people are. A guy and a girl spend any kind of time together, and people act like they’re gonna go out.”

Sasha scoffed. “You’re telling me. My mom’s nuts about the idea of us dating. Maybe a little too much.”

Will flashed her a smile. “You’re kidding.”

“No! She’s literally got me on the verge of killing myself. Even something like us working together in the talent show, one of the least sexy things on the planet, had her squealing like a school girl.” She smiled back at Will. “I bet you’d have loved to see that.”

“Me? Why?”

“Dude, I saw the way you were looking at my mom before. You like her, don’t you?”

“Wh- Where’s all this coming from??”

“Your cheeks are pink, Whitey. You can’t lie to me.”

“Oh, and you can lie to me? I saw your tail wag when I called you Sashie.”

“Wh-” She looked out the window with flat ears. “You’re full of shit…”

“Your ears are flat, Sashie. You can’t lie to me.”

“...shut up.”

“Why do you pretend to hate the nickname, anyway? It’s really cute on you.”

She couldn’t bullshit her way out of the tail that happily thumped against the back seat of Luna’s car. “No it’s not-”

“Ah-ha!” He points at her thumping tail. “I knew it!”

“Oh, screw you, Whitey!”

“Oh, you’d secretly love that, wouldn’t you?”

“You’re one to talk!” She leaned towards him. “Don’t think I forgot about your staring back at the zoo!”

And he leaned in towards her. “So I have eyes! Sue me! What am I supposed to do!? Not look at a nice ass!?”

Her hazel eyes widen. “So you were looking!”

“And what if I was!?”

Both parties could feel their chests throb with a mixture of anxiety and pleasure as their eyes stare each other down from mere inches away.

And, with parted lips, both parties could feel the warmth of the other’s breath invade the sanctity of their mouth.

It was disgusting.

Wrong.

Yet, oddly enough-

What broke their concentration was the sound of the driver’s door click open. If there were ever a record for fastest object ever recorded, Sasha and/or Will would have landed on the top spot as both teenagers rushed back to an appropriate seating position.

“I’m back!” Luna said with a grin. “They didn’t have what I was looking for.”

Something that deepened Will’s blush. ‘What the fuck…’

‘...was that!?’ A thought finished by Sasha and her flat ears.

Luna could feel the tension in the air. Yet, she said nothing, and puts the car into reverse. “Oh well. It’ll just have to wait for another day.” The car shifts into drive, and the trio was on their way again. Only, the liveliness that existed before was gone. Rather, the engine of her Honda seemed to be the star of the show now. No, Will and Sasha kept their attention on their respective windows. “...so, what did I miss-”

“Nothing!” Both teens shout.

With Mike and Sasha fulfilling their respective responsibilities, the house tends to get quiet. Sure, housework helped, but in the rare moment where she didn’t have to tend to her own responsibilities, the silence was deafening.

Luckily, TV was there to fill the void.

There were two characters on-screen at the moment. One, a white woman with red hair; and the other a tall, muscular Wolf male with a six pack.

“I don’t care if your wife is spying on us,” says the woman, cupping the male’s fuzzy cheeks. “I want you. Right here. Right now.”

A sentence that sure had Sheila’s attention. Her wide eyes were glued to the screen; her tail swaying slowly on their brown leather couch.

“I don’t know…” The male looked away reluctantly. “This is wrong…”

It was off-camera, but it was implied that her hands were rubbing at him from under his pants. “Sure doesn’t feel like you think it’s wrong.” She leans in more towards him.

“...I’m awful, aren’t I?”

“No, we’re awful...”

Lip meets maw, and Sheila’s tail wags faster as a result.

But everything was ruined when she heard the front door click open. “Mom! I’m home!”

‘Shit! Already!?’

She’s early.

Where’s the remote? Under the pillows? Nothing behind each and every one of them. In-between the cushions proved inconclusive as well; unless she was looking for disappointment.

But, she struck gold underneath the couch. She panic-spammed every button she could find on the little remote in an attempt to change the channel.

“Mom?” Sasha’s claws click against the flooring of the living room.

A Spanish commentator on TV poured every ounce of his emotions into a scream. “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!!” And from what Sasha could see, soccer players were getting organized on their playing fields after someone scored a goal.

Sheila, meanwhile, looked back at her daughter with a calm face that incorporated hints of anxiety. “Welcome home, sweetie!” She grinned, much to Sasha’s skepticism.

“Since when do you watch soccer?” Sasha asked.

“Oh? This?” She waved nonchalantly. “No, I just turned the TV on. I guess your father must’ve been watching this channel last night.”

But the contents of the TV were not on Sheila’s side. “Volveremos con Futbol Americano en Telemundo!”

Understandably, Sasha’s skepticism did not evaporate. “...right…”

Sheila just straight up turned it off since it wasn’t helping her case. “You’re home unusually early.”

“Yeah, Whitey’s maid offered me a ride when she went to pick him up. I was gonna take the bus at first, but then she...offered...so...” The look of building happiness on her mother’s face brought out more irritation. “...what?”

“Nothing. Nothing.” Sheila looked away from her daughter.

“No, I see the look on your face. It’s not nothing, mom.”

“It’s just...you’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately. In just a few days, you’ve gotten to know him far better than you have in your entire friendship.”

“We’re not friends, and we’re only hanging out more because we’re partners in the talent show.”

“So you haven’t noticed any differences in your relationship lately?”

Nothing she could think of. They still insult each other, and it’s impossible to enjoy his company. Sure, maybe she had fun teasing him with Luna’s nickname, and getting one of her own felt nice, but does that constitute different? Sasha doesn’t think so.

But what made her freeze was the uncomfortable warmth she’d completely forgotten about. Not just from his human breath invading her mouth, but from the fact that she’d nearly surrendered to a desire for more. “...no.”

Sheila’s head tilts at the sudden tone shift. And Sasha’s sudden urge to march up the stairs wasn’t helping. “Is everything okay-”

“Yep!”

Slam!

And there goes the click of her door’s lock.

All symptoms of an anomaly. ‘Something happened,’ Sheila thought. But, she couldn’t just knock on her door and push for more. That would just make her more resistant to conversation.

Luckily, she had an idea.

In the pantry, one of several chocolate-like bars were plucked from their place. As was a bag of flour and stevia; butter; eggs; alcohol-free vanilla extract; baking soda; and water.

All combined into sweet doughy disks with chocolate-colored pieces that went into the oven.

And now, all she had to do was wait.

Before long, the alluring aroma of her creation began to fill the airspace of adjacent rooms. First the living room; up the stairs; and ultimately, through Sasha’s door.

The creek of an opening door was heard up the stairs; and with it, the sound of rapid canine sniffing. “YO, ARE THOSE COOKIES!?”

Rapid claw taps rushed down the stairs, and didn’t stop until Sasha crouched in front of the oven’s door.

Paired with Sasha’s overly-excited tail, Sheila just couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘There’s my little girl.’

“Carob chip!? Hell yeah!” But Sasha’s face immediately grew serious, and her posture perfect as she stood and faced her mother. “Okay, what’s the bad news?”

Sheila shook her head. “There’s no bad news, Sasha. I just felt like having a little snack, is all.”

But Sasha’s face did not relax. “...you made them to lure me out of my room.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sheila took a seat.

“I already told you that everything’s fine, mom.”

“And I believe you.”

“No, really!”

Sheila’s fuzzy hands raise themselves protectively. “There’s no need to be so defensive, sweetie. I believe you. Now, if you ever do need to talk, I’ll be more than happy to lend you an ear; but since there’s nothing to talk about, we can just enjoy our cookies in peace.”

Still, Sasha’s look of skepticism did not evaporate. “...okay, then.”

And, with a nod, Sheila shut her maw.

Sasha joined her mother at the table; taking a seat. She took a look at the digital timer of the black oven: two minutes left.

One-minute-fifty-nine.

One-minute-fifty eight.

One-minute fifty-seven.

One-minute-fifty-six.

One-minute-fifty-five.

One-minute-fifty-four.

One-minute-fifty-three.

One-minute-fifty-two.

The tap of her claws on the mahogany table was the only source of noise around her at the moment. That, and the joyful screams of the neighbor boys as they had fun with whatever they were doing. She looks at her mother, and Sheila responded with another warm smile and a swaying tail that told Sasha she was very much loved. One more look at the clock: one-minute-forty-two.

The silence was killer; like there was pressure on Sasha to say something. Anything. And with the way her mother lovingly smiled at her, she felt ever-increasingly worse about holding back today’s events. But, it wasn’t something she could just let out. ‘Yo, mom. I almost kissed Whitey after he told me I had a nice ass,’ wasn’t exactly proper conversation material.

But, the deafening ring of silence—one that was getting louder with time—was too much to bear. “So…”

“Hm?” Sheila tilts her snout towards her daughter.

‘Shit!’ She had no topic in mind. But, she had to feed her mother something. “...how was your day?”

“Oh, you know. Same as ever. Keeping the house clean, planning your next meals, stuff like that. What about you, sweetie? How was your day?”

Sasha’s autonomous ears fall flat. ‘Guess I walked right into that one.’ She cleared her throat. “Well, I got the numbers of my temporary bandmates. Just like you suggested.” A small chuckle escaped her maw. “I actually got Whitey good today.”

Sheila leaned in. “Oh yeah?”

A heavy hyperbolic chuckle escaped from Sasha’s throat. “Oh yeah! He asked me to send him something to prove it was me, so I sent him a photo with a sexy thumbnail that turns into that one naked black guy when you tap it!” She just couldn’t help but giggle at the memory.

The chuckling Sheila covered her mouth. “Oh, that’ s mean.”

After a sigh to mark the end of her giggling, Sasha sat there with chin that rests on a hand, a tail that dances to the rhythm of her heart . “You should’ve seen the look on his stupid face.”

Yet, despite Sasha’s insulting remark, Sheila could see the fondness that radiates from Sasha’s sparkling hazel eyes.

“I bet it was funny.”

“Yeah. It was.” But, her fond expression immediately decayed into concern. One that had Sheila’s head tilt in confusion.

“Then why do you look so sad?”

Sasha fidgets with her fingers and looks down at the table. With a nervous swallow she looks up at her mother. “Well-”

BEEEEP!

BEEEEP!

Two long chirps told the Falconers that the cookies were ready.

“Keep going, sweetie.” Sheila stands, making her way towards the oven. “I’m listening.”

“It’s just...it’s weird…” And down go Sasha’s ears once more.

“What’s weird, sweetie?”

“It’s like...I hate him...but now I’m starting to not hate him. As much.”

A light clink is heard as the baking sheet meets the idle stove. “So you’re starting to form a positive relationship with William. What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s Whitey. That’s what’s wrong with that.”

“Sweetie.” Sheila took her seat once more. “It sounds like you’re hating him for the sake of hating him rather than for his actions.”

“My ass! You’ve heard me talk about him for years!” She lists off things with her fingers. “He cheats to win! He’s overly-competitive! He’s quick to insult you over the tiniest things!”

“That’s not what I saw when he came over for dinner.”

“Yeah? Well that’s cause he has a hard-on for you!”

Sheila sat upright. “What?”

“Yeah! He’s totally got a crush on you, mom. Turns out he has a thing for Wolf girls.” Her mother’s surprised silence forces a smile out of Sasha. “Yah! Changes things, doesn’t it?” But her victory smile vanished in disbelief when Sheila brought a finger up to her maw, and giggled. “What? Wh- what’s so funny?”

A giggling that evolves into full-blown laughter. Sheila has to raise her finger because she just cannot even find it in her to even breathe.

Sasha just sat there with an irate face as her mother’s laughter went from crazy, to neutral, and eventually, to a sigh. “I-I will admIT...I did not pIck up on that…”

“But doesn’t that weird you out? He had to’ve been thinking of like 100 different ways to fuck you on this table.”

“He’s a teenager, Sasha. That’s normal.”

“But I’m not like that! And neither are the girls in my classes!”

“How do you know? Do you talk to them?”

“I mean, only during group projects, but-”

“Then you don’t know how...hungry...girls can get.”

Sasha emphasized the words with quoting fingers. “Hungry?”

“Yes. Men may get flack for expressing their romantic desires, but we all have a monster crawling on our backs.”

“Yeah? Well mine gets beaten to submission with an aluminum bat when I see it.”

A statement that elicits more light giggling from Sheila. “If only it were that easy.”

“I haven’t had a boyfriend, mom. I’d say I’m doing a good job.”

“Oh? So you always fend off boys that give you the warm and fuzzies?”

“No. I tell them to fuck off before they get the chance to give me the warm and fuzzies.”

“Then you’ve never had to deal with it before, Sasha. It’s on your back. Watching. Waiting for the right moment to spring out, and take control. Maybe you’re holding a boy’s hand, or maybe his lips are right in front of you.” Sasha’s ears fall flat once more. Certainly interesting to Sheila. “Your heart grows warm, and your head fuzzy. Too fuzzy to notice that the hungry monster has you in its clutches. But, you don’t care. All of your critical thinking skills have been confiscated, and all you’re left with is a desire to satisfy that monster by any means necessary.”

Sheila’s ears picked up other interesting noises, as well. Sasha’s heart had picked up the pace, and her breathing had grown a bit heavier.

“...how did you make it go away?” A weak Sasha asked.

“You don’t,” Sheila states bluntly. “It’s a part of you. A part that’s not healthy to ignore.”

“But, if I don’t make it go away, then Whitey-” Her maw snapped shut with a click from her teeth.

But, Sheila’s head tilts curiously once more. “What about William?” Her eyes narrow. “Is he trying to pressure you into doing something uncomfortable?”

“No! Nothing like that! But-” Sasha sighs, tilt-nodding her own head. “Fuck it. Past the point of no return.”

Sheila’s comforting hands rest over Sasha’s. “Sweetie. What’s going on?”

“I-” Indecipherable mumbling.

“What?”

“I almost-” More indecipherable mumbling.

“Sweetie-”

Sheila’s narrow eyes and shaking head incentivize Sasha to shout. “I almost kissed him, mom!”

Sasha braced for giggling. Or jumping. Or dancing. Any sort of expression of joy, really.

But, her mother’s stunned silence encouraged Sasha to keep going. “We were arguing about something, and I got up in his face because I was angry. But, when his angry face was right there, all I could think about was how beautiful his eyes were and how cute his wrinkly nose was and I just wanted to-” Her hands balled into fists and she groaned. “The stupid monster snuck up on me! For _ him _! And if Whitey’s maid hadn’t showed up, I might’ve actually kissed him!”

And just like that, Sheila found herself in a situation akin to defusing a bomb. One wrong move, and it could spell the death of her romantic interest.

But where could she go? What could she possibly say that wouldn’t make everything explode? She had no right to give advice on this. Not after what she’s done.

But, she didn’t have the right to mope, either. She had a responsibility as a mother. She had to be strong. For her daughter.

“Sweetie…” Sheila softly begins. It wasn’t until Sasha’s hazel eyes met the blue of Sheila’s that her maw parts again. “Don’t beat yourself up for having a crush.”

“But I don’t want a crush, mom! Having a crush sucks!”

Sheila’s worried eyes relaxed. “You’re still hurting over that one boy, aren’t you?”

“No!” Tears began to flood the fur on Sasha’s cheeks. “I just...”

“Oh Sasha…” There was an instinctual need for Sheila to stand, and hug her daughter.

As Sasha cried her tears in her mother’s arms, a few choice words came to mind. ‘ __I don’t have crushes..._ I’m not_ a weak little girl…”

Just remembering the pleasurable warmth of her desire for his mouth was enough to invoke sensations of doom and weakness.

Feelings she was hell bent on keeping away. One way or another.

Having to chase Sasha around the zoo made Will realize just how out of shape he was. That’s why he was here now.

At the gym.

Beep!

The scanner at the front desk accepted the code on his phone’s screen.

With that out of the way, he enters a non-school gym for the first time in his life.

He walked between a wall to his left, and the last row of treadmills to his right. This would prove to be the first part of his workout: keeping his eyes away from jogging she-Wolf ass that teased his right peripheral vision.

But man was it difficult. They called for his attention through the spandex shorts that hid nothing.

“Oof!”

Though maybe, he’d been focusing too hard.

He didn’t budge, but a shorter woman was knocked on her butt when the two walked into each other.

“Oh my god! Are you okay!?” He kneels in front of her, and looks at her in the-

...well, not the eyes. They were blocked by her large afro.

“Yeah, I’m good...”

“Here.” He extends a hand out to the short woman. “Let me help you.”

Her warm smile makes him feel relieved. “Thank you, young man.”

“Young man?” His head tilts in confusion as she grips his hand on her way up. “You can’t be much older than me.”

“Boy, I’m 36.”

“Wh-” His eyes widened. “36!? You look younger than some of my classmates!”

She giggled. “What can I say? Black don’t crack.”

“Yeah, well, I’m sorry for bumping into you. I guess I got distracted.”

Aleena’s peripheral vision, full of she-Wolf ass, told her all she needed to know. “It’s all good.” Her dimples caved a little as she suppressed a humorous smile.

But upon getting a good look at her, the blue eye not covered by his long curly blonde hair narrowed. “Hey, aren’t you that lady from the zoo? The one that was talking to the big Wolf?”

That certainly made her dimples, and smile, vanish. “Uh...yeah. Yeah! I remember now! You were with your girlfriend, right? The she-Wolf around your height?”

“Girlfriend!?” He could feel his cheeks tingle. “Nah! No! She’s unbearable. We were just field trip buddies, is all.”

His shocked defense elicits giggling from Aleena. “Bruh, chill. I was just messing with you.”

“Sorry. You just don’t know her like I do.”

Perhaps it was wrong to do so, immoral even, but there was something within Aleena that hungered for more information regarding Mike. “Well, I got time, and working out is fun with others. Wanna pair up?”

“That sounds great, but this is actually my first time here. I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do.”

“That’s okay!” She fans off his anxiety. “I’ve been going to the gym for damn near your lifetime. I can show you the ropes!”

Will smiled. “Really? Thank you, Mrs…”

“Aleena.” She extends a hand out. “Aleena Jackson.”

The skin of her palms claps against his as their hands dance vertically. “William McAllister. But you can just call me Will.”

“Sounds good, Will.”

“Okay then, Aleena, what do we do first?”

“Well, that depends. Are you tryna get stronger, or bigger?”

Will pondered on that for a moment. “I thought getting bigger was getting stronger.”

“Oh, it is, but it’s inefficient if you’re going for max power.”

“So, I could overpower guys that are the same size as me if I train for strength rather than size?”

With fingers to her chin, Aleena hummed as the gears in her mind turn. “In theory, yeah. In practice, you can still get yo ass beat.”

Will chuckled. “Yeah. Obviously. Then…” Now the gears in Will’s head began to rotate as well. “I don’t know which one I want to go for.”

“Maybe it would help if you thought about why you’re even here in the first place.”

“I’m here because I couldn’t keep up with my friend. It was like she’d taken the Wolf equivalent of cocaine with how fast and far she was running.”

Aleena was in disbelief. “You’re tryna compete with the agility of a Wolf?? Bruh…”

“What? Are you saying that she’ll always beat me when it comes to running?”

“Yeah. Wolves have lots of speed and stamina. If they weren’t friendly, and we didn’t have guns, it’d be GG for us.”

Will skeptically raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been around Wolves a lot, and they don’t seem any more dangerous than one of us.”

“Maybe they don’t look it, but once they have their hands on you…”

Smack!

Her spine still shivered to this day at the thought of Mike’s rough pads violating her butt.

“...they’ll show you just how much power they really have. But!” Her semi-aroused face brightened up with a grin. She didn’t want to be like that around someone that was so young, after all. “It sounds like you wanna build up your stamina, and I can help you with that.”

Will’s skeptical brow raised. “I thought I had to pick between strength and size.”

“Eventually, but if you’re not sure yet, don’t worry about it. Building stamina’s also important; and it may help give you an answer.”

“Uh…” Will raises his hands with minimum confidence. “...alright, then! Let’s build some stamina!”

“Lucky for you, today’s my cardio day! And,” she looks to the treadmills, “we’re right next to our first workout! Have you stretched yet?” Judging by the blank look on his silent face, he didn’t have to say anything. “Aight, then! Follow me!”

At the gym’s rear, three semi-walled-off sections housed equipment for different purposes. The two humans went to the right-most section; a yellow space with pulley machines in the middle. But, they stood in front of two gray yoga mats placed by the walls. There was enough space between the mats and the wall for them to stand facing away from the wall; presumably so that people wouldn’t look at Aleena’s butt as they stretched, Will thought.

They currently stood with one arm stretched out towards the opposing side of their bodies, and the other arm hooking it into place.

“Say,” Will began.

“Hm?”

“You remember that Wolf guy you talked to at the zoo, right?”

“Uh...kinda. Why?”

“It’s just that after you left, he seemed frazzled about whatever you said to him. If you don’t mind my asking, what did you two talk about?”

“Oh. Uh...well, you see, that’s...uh...not appropriate for someone your age.”

“I’m 18, Aleena. Whatever it was, I can handle it.”

“Naw, trust me. You don’t wanna hear about it.”

“Try me.” He moved to stretch his other arm along with Aleena.

There was a bit of a pause in her response time. Whatever it was, she was thinking about her choice of words; something that irritated Will. He wasn’t a child. There was nothing he couldn’t take.

But eventually, her shiny brown lips part. “Aight, so when a woman has her time of the-”

“Nope.” Will bluntly spouts. “You’re right. I’m better off not knowing.”

Aleena couldn’t help but giggle. “I told you!”

But, when she did that, Will noticed another black woman shooting them a look of disapproval.

It encouraged one of his eyebrows to raise while looking right at the mystery woman. She looked away immediately.

They were now standing with one leg far in front, and the other stretched back.

“Huh,” he said.

“What?”

“That woman over there. She gave us a nasty look just now.”

“Oh, just ignore her. People be doin’ that when one of us hangs out with a white dude.”

Will looked dumbfounded. “Why?”

“...it’s complicated. But, just ignore ‘em. They ain’t gonna do shit, anyway.”

They switch legs.

“Do they do that when you hang out with male Wolves?”

Aleena rolled her eyes from under her afro. “You have no idea-” But, her mouth quickly shuts itself in regret.

“Oh, so you’re into Wolf dudes?”

“Uh...yeah. Once. A long time ago.”

“You don’t have to be so nervous about it. I like Wolves too.” Will smiled.

They took a seat on their respective mats; both legs straight. Aleena had no trouble with touching her toes, but Will could only hover his hands above his knees.

“Yeah, I could tell back at the treadmills.”

She was too focused on her stretching to notice his blushing. “Was it that obvious?”

“No. You just told me.”

“...fuck.”

Aleena giggled. “I hope you know how to keep your eyes to yourself. It’s rude to stare.”

After they’d finished their stretching, they stood in front of two empty treadmills. Aleena took the left, which had a human neighbor. Will, however, got stuck with a right-hand neighbor that made him feel warm and fuzzy on sight.

She had special earbuds on; black little beans that hugged at her white fuzzy ears like paperclips. With every step from her powerful digitigrade feet, he could hear the treadmill thump and click at the abuse from her claws.

She was fast. Very fast. Definitely way faster than he’d ever seen a person run; that’s for sure. And with thick powerful legs, he wasn’t surprised. From the defined core that her tank top didn’t cover, to the near-stoic face that pants to fuel her body with precious oxygen, this non-human spectacle radiated feminine strength.

But the tall she-Wolf didn’t seem too exhausted to not glance down at him briefly with those serious hazel eyes of hers.

‘Shit!’ He hadn’t realized he was staring.

But, seeing as she wore black spandex shorts that revealed her curvy body’s shape to all with working eyes, Will’s teenage restraint stood no chance.

Luckily, she didn’t seem interested in exposing him . In fact, she was…

...scanning him?

It forced his eyes to nervously snap towards his own reflection.

She-Wolf attention was one thing; but this woman. She was very tall, maybe even taller than Mike, and her mature eyes were burning a hole into his peripheral vision. If he had to guess, she has to be at least forty; but her fur was excellent at concealing her age in all but the confident eyes that don’t exist in any girls his age.

Her maturity only seemed to make her carnivorous scanning all the more intimidating.

“Aight,” began Aleena, “we’re gonna start with a warm-up.”

“Huh? What?” His eyes left the sanctity of his own reflection to look at his only friend in this gym. “Oh. Yeah! Yeah okay!”

But his frazzled demeanor brought out skepticism in Aleena. “You aight, Will?”

He swore he could feel the she-Wolf eye fucking him from behind. “Yeah! I uhh just can’t believe I’m actually about to start working out!”

Could Aleena see his neighbor’s staring? If so, she gave no hints of it. “Okay, well if you start to feel off for whatever reason, just stop and take a break. Otherwise, you’re the one that’ll break.”

Will nods, albeit awkwardly. “Understood. So, what do I do?”

“We’re gonna start off slow.” She worked the buttons on her treadmill in a manner that Will imitated. “If we start jogging right off the bat, well...let’s just say you’re gonna have a bad time.”

Sure enough, the belt under Will’s feet begins to move backwards. “Funny enough, getting on a treadmill has been something I’ve considered to be a bad time growing up.”

“Really? What changed?”

“Uh...I don’t know.”

“Didn’t you mention something about a friend of yours that ran like a cokehead?”

“Friend?” Will shook his head. “She’s not my friend, but yeah. I guess she is the reason why I decided to come here in the first place.”

“Whaddya mean she ain’t your friend? That’s what you called her.”

Will looked at her in disbelief. “I did?”

“Yeeeah,” the nodding Aleena teasingly utters. “I remember.”

“Oh. Well...” A smile was forming on his training partner’s lips; one that was infamously all too familiar. “...what?”

“Nothin’. Nothin’.”

“No, I know that face. You think I wanna date her, don’t you?”

“Hey,” she raised her hands up to her shoulders. “I ain’t say nothin’ about datin’ her. But you bringin’ it up outta nowhere has me wondering now.”

Will scoffed. “As if I’d ever consider stooping that low.”

“Well, then, tell me. What’s so bad about her?”

“It would take less time for me to tell you about the good parts of her.”

“Really? That can’t be true.”

“But it is. She’s annoying, cocky, foul-mouthed, bitchy, and short-tempered. And by short tempered; I mean she stubs her toe, and shoots up the school.”

Aleena’s skeptical gaze returned. “That seems a bit extreme.”

“Like I said before, you don’t know her like I do. Every time some dude asks her out, her hackles shoot straight up.”

Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he swore he saw his she-Wolf neighbor’s eyes flick to him for a brief moment.

“Maybe she’s saving herself for you.” Despite Will’s irate face, Aleena kept her teasing smile, and lowered eyes. But, with a giggle, she backs off. “I’m just playin’ with you. She sounds like a real catch.”

“Catch her hands, maybe. No thanks.”

“So there ain’t even one good thing you see in her? One good moment between you two?”

Good moment? He considers it a good moment if none of them open their mouths. That’s when the shouting begins, and when her warm, invasive, magnetic breath draws him closer.

Just thinking about it was enough to paint his cheeks a light rose. “...no.” But there was increased pressure when she raised an eyebrow at him. “What? She’s a bitch! Any time I don’t have to look at her is a good moment!”

“Bruh.” Her eyelids flatten in disbelief. “Your cheeks say otherwise.”

He slaps his cheeks. “That doesn’t mean anything. We’re working out, so they’re gonna get pink.”

“We’re only walking, Will. Besides, you don’t have to be ashamed.” She could still feel Mike’s large comforting arms wrap around her like the world’s most cozy blanket. “I like Wolves too, remember?”

Will’s blond eyebrow raises skeptically. “I thought you said that was a long time ago.”

Aleena stiffened. “Yeah. It was, but…”

And then Will’s only visible eye narrows. “Wait. Did you have a thing for the Wolf from the zoo?”

“N-nah, it ain’t like that…”

“Oh my god, you did!” Will crossed his arms while smiling. “How long have you known him?”

“...I’d rather not talk about that. Things didn’t exactly end well between us.”

“Then why even talk to him for your fundraiser? And why pretend like you didn’t know him?”

“Well...it’s an important cause. One that society tends to ignore due to how uncomfortable it makes people.” Aleena grips at her water bottle. “As for why I pretended to not know him, I mean...I took one good look at your friend, and could tell she was his little girl. The last thing I wanted to do was create problems with his family.”

Will’s eye snapped to the floor momentarily, as if processing the new information. But then, his excited eye matched the snap of his fingers. “So that’s why he was off! Not gonna lie, I secretly thought the period story wasn’t enough.”

Aleena nervously giggles. “Yeah...but uh, listen. Can you keep this between us? I really ain’t trying to stir up anything.”

Will scoffed. “You’re actually nice to me. Don’t worry; your secret’s safe with me.”

Satisfied, a relieved Aleena smiles. “Good.”

As far as Will was concerned, all was well in life.

But not everyone felt the same.

Another day, another grind for Mike.

He was on his way home from work; the all too familiar traffic of the highway cutting through the center of South Houston and beyond.

The gym was in the distance again. And, with it, the haunting memory of Aleena’s large swaying butt teased him with every imaginary step.

‘Snap out of it,’ he thought, shaking his head. ‘Don’t even think about- what’s that?’

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

A turn signal?

His turn signal?

Tick.

Tock.

Click.

With a flick of the turn signal’s handle, it turned off.

‘When did that turn on?’ He certainly didn’t remember doing that.

But he does remember Aleena’s butt every time he passes through here. It’s become a problematic ritual ever since he’d almost made the mistake of helping Aleena stretch.

He knew it would’ve been a problem had he stayed. The way her tight shorts hugged at her wide ebony hips…

‘No!’ He gripped at the steering wheel.

Even from this distance, he could feel her tempting pull on his throbbing body.

‘Come on, stupid traffic…’ He whined.

And what made it worse was the fact that he just had to sit there for an ungodly amount of time before the distant gym, and its exit from the highway, left his sight.

It was right there.

All he’d have to do is take this upcoming right, and he’d be on his way to see Ally again.

But, he knows he can’t.

Straight home. To his family. That’s what he has to do.

Yet, as the constant starting and stopping of the painfully slow traffic brought him closer to the highway exit, he could feel his anxious heart spread its discomfort throughout his body.

‘Don’t do it. Don’t. Turn.’

His left ring finger danced around the tip of his turn signal. It would be so easy; to flick it. To see Ally once more. After all, she wanted to see him, too. There was nothing wrong with that, right? As long as they kept their hands to themselves?

Wishful thinking, of course. He knew that if she touched him again, not even a phone call from Sasha would be able to stop him.

It took what felt like an eternity; but finally, his car pushed on just enough to where taking the gym’s exit was physically impossible.

Phew. ‘I did it.’ Again. ‘Good job, Mike.’

Still, against his wishes, his mind couldn’t help but play with a movie on hypothetical workouts with Aleena.

All of which involved her bending over in some way, shape, or form.

Squats and deadlifts, for instance, which would bury her shorts deeper into her large greedy-

‘Okay, what’s on the radio!’

The radio calls out to the world with the static of life before stabilizing into something more comprehensible.

“For a great low rate you can get online-” Skip.

“I Heart Radio-” Nope.

“Problemas con el amor-” Incomprehensible.

And what sounds like ice cubes entering a fizzy glass cup. Coca-Cola commercial, no doubt .

Damn, there’s a lot of ads on the radio.

“What must I do,” sang music artist Jodeci to a funky, sexy rhythm. It massaged Mike’s mind; reminding him of Aleena’s small, teasing nudity finding comfort in his lap all those nights ago. “To show how much,” And the way she slowly snaked her way down to his groin. “I think about freek’n you-”

Okay. That’s enough. He turned the radio off the instant his groin remembered the pleasures of Aleena’s small human chest service him.

A night that still haunts him to this day.

He just couldn’t help but release a mixture of a groan, and a growl.

There he sat, his body shaking slightly as traffic allowed him to inch forward once more.

‘Oh my god, can this fucking traffic move any slower?’ A forceful, angry sigh cuts through his gritted teeth.

But, even in his frustration, what kept him composed was the knowledge that he’d done this to himself. This is the bed he’d made for himself long ago, so now he had to lie in it.

It’s one of the few things that kept him going, anymore.

That, and the well-being of his precious daughter.

But, Ally’s presence was forcing both of those motivations to decay. Quickly.

He could feel it. And not just in the agonizing tightness within his black work pants.

Why did he even feel so attracted to her, anyway? They haven’t seen each other in years, and Wolves are supposed to mate for life.

Yet, the small temptress had him by the balls. Literally.

It wasn’t this bad when they were teenagers. Sure, they were happy together, but the lust he fe els for her now is infinitely more than anything he’d ever felt before.

Especially when Sheila comes to mind. At home, oblivious, while Aleena did everything she could to lure him astray.

He could feel the tightness in his pants become more unbearable at the disgusting thought.

‘Show me who you really are,’ echoed Aleena’s words once more.

But he didn’t like who he really was. Not if that was a part of him.

... no.

That was who he was if he allowed himself to succumb to his emotions.

Who he is, is Michael Falconer. Father. Husband. Hard worker. Always willing to do what’s right; even if he’s fucked up in the past.

That’s why he didn’t let himself go to the gym. Because he’s a good man.

And that’s how he would remain, he thought, as the ring of his phone reveals his wife’s name.

“Hello?” Mike asked.

“Hey Michael!” Cheered Sheila’s voice through the low-quality microphone. “I just wanted to know if you were on your way back home yet?”

His mind wandered, imagining Aleena massage his thigh as she sat in the passenger’s seat. “Uh...y-yeah...just sitting in this god-forsaken traffic, you know?”

“Is everything okay? You sound off.”

Imaginary Aleena urged him to keep quiet. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just something in the back of my mind.” He tried to make her vanish by thinking of Sheila sitting next to him, but Aleena always managed to sneak on back.

“What is it, honey?”

Shit.

“Just...something at work. I’ll be fine, but a lot of people are probably looking to get laid off soon.”

“That’s terrible!” Sheila gasped. “Is the company going under?”

“No, it’s just new management. You know how it is. New guy comes in, and thinks he’s trimming the fat.”

“Well, shame on him or her!” Well, at least she helped him take his mind off Aleena. The company’s future was a legitimate concern of his. “He’s not just letting people go! He’s ruining livelihoods!”

“I know, but I’m just glad that we’re not caught in the crossfires.”

“Don’t say that, Michael. You never know what could happen.”

“Things like this are why I got an accounting degree, honey. I’m fire-proof as long as I keep killing it work. Which I do.”

“...well, if you’re sure, then I’ll believe you,” she says, confidence building. “You haven’t given me a reason not to!”

Aw, crap. There sat Aleena again, giggling.

I chuckled too, but saturated with shame. “Yeah…”

“Well, since you are on your way back, I’ll go ahead and start making dinner. See you soon!”

“Bye, dear.” He yelled, fanning away imaginary Aleena. “I love you.”

“Love you two, sweetie! Bye bye!”

E nd call.

The imaginary woman sat there, arms crossed, and head tilted. He didn’t know how, but he knew her eyes were judgmental.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “That’s the right thing to do.”

Even if it was a lie.

‘Wait,’ he thought, then sighed at the empty seat next to him. ‘Dear lord. I’m so horny, I’m starting to lose it...’

Something had to be done. Now.

But, later, when he sat to eat with his family, looking at Sheila makes him take note of the softness of her fur; and the small, delicate curves that followed her all the way down to her thin, yet still obviously feminine hips.

“Hm?” Sheila’s blue eyes seemed to pierce Mike’s soul. “What is it, honey?”

“Oh, uh…” He shook his head. “Nothing. You just had a fly on your head, but it’s gone now.”

Sasha raised one of her pseudo-brows, her hazel eyes also locked on to her father. “I didn’t see or hear anything.”

“Fruit fly,” he responded.

Both she-Wolves looked at each other, then back at Mike.

“Michael,” stated Sheila. “If something’s bothering you, you can tell us.”

“Yeah, dad,” agreed Sasha. “You can tell us anything…’

His head shook, his maw silent as he did so. Whatever was happening, Sasha’s attention had increased tenfold.

“It’s just…”

“...yeah?” Asked Sasha.

“...would it be crazy if I joined a gym?”

Sheila remained neutral, but Sasha looked like he’d just said something stupid and laugh-worthy.

“What?” Sasha asked once more. “Since when do you wanna go to the gym?”

“I’ll have you know that I used to go all the time when I was younger.”

Sheila groaned with pleasure. “It’s true. Your dad was quite the athlete.”

Still, Sasha’s skepticism hadn’t vanished. “Then why’d you stop?”

“Life after high school is busy,” he said. “You have to make more time for things like a job, which tires you out too much to do much else.”

“Then shouldn’t you be too tired after work to go to the gym?”

“Well, I’m used to the routine now.” He pats his belly. “Besides, if I don’t get some cardio in, your mom will leave me. Or I’ll die of a heart attack by the time I’m 40.”

“Oh, I’d never leave you for something as superficial as your looks, Michael. You could be a literal sphere of fat, and I’d love you are the same.”

A painful remark, especially when his night of infidelity came to mind once more, but he didn’t let it show. No, he forced that smile, and he forced it good.

“Well, that’s a relief to hear,” he said. “But still, it would do me some good to get some exercise in. Might help me de-stress after a grueling day at work.”

Sheila’s attention snapped to the skeptical Sasha. “Maybe you should also go to the gym, sweetie?”

Sasha’s spine became as erect as her ears. “Are you calling me fat!?” Sasha growled.

“Oh, heavens no!” Sheila quickly shook her head. “But just because you’re not fat doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Exercise is just as important as diet.”

“Well, what about you?” Ashed Sasha defensively. “Why don’t you go to the gym?”

“I jog when you and your father are in school,” she shot back. “It’s a good way to de-stress.”

“Well...uh…” Her chair squeaks against the floor as she stands. “...I’m done with dinner.”

But just before she was able to escape her defeat, Sheila howled out to her. “Not so fast, young lady. Put your dishes in the sink.”

There was a grumble from Sasha as she did so. Something along the lines of “...put you in the god damn sink…”

“And watch your language!” Though, by the time Sheila yelled that out, Sasha was already out of sight within the kitchen. She couldn’t help but shake her head. “Just where did she get her attitude from?”

Mike shrugged. “Fuck if I know.” Much to the leer from the chuckling man’s wife. “Honey, I’m joking. Of course I don’t curse in front of Sasha.”

“This isn’t funny, Michael,” she says, serious. “I’m worried about her.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“It’s what’s not going on.” Her head shakes. “When was the last time she’d even thought about a boy?”

“Isn’t she in the talent show with William and his friends? That’s three boys right there.”

“Wh- I mean, when’s the last time she thought of one as boyfriend material?”

“Honey,” Mike said. “Not every teenager talks about their love life with their parents. For all we know, she’s probably had lots of boyfriends.” Of course, upon saying that, skepticism formed on his face. The thoughts of unknowns doing who knows what with Sasha did not sit right with him.

“We’d be able to smell them on her, Mike,” Sheila shot back.

He tilted his head, and nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But, if she doesn’t want to date, she doesn’t want to date. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“But don’t you want grandchildren some day?”

Mike shrugged. “Honestly, it’s never crossed my mind. As long as Sasha is happy, that’s all I care about.”

“Well, what if having children does bring her happiness?”

Mike’s invisible eyebrow rises. “You sure do want grandchildren, huh?”

“Eventually,” she said. “But not as early as we had Sasha. I would NOT wish that kind of life on her.”

“Then don’t worry about that yet,” Mike said. “We’re in our 30s. It’s a bit early to start thinking of grandkids, isn’t it?”

Now Sheila side-tilt nodded. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“I mean, technically, we’re still supposed to be having kids of our own, aren’t we?”

Sheila’s eyes softened, a hand to her chest. “Michael…” She cooed. “Are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?”

“What?” He shook his head. “Oh dear god no. I still remember your cries of anger when you were delivering Sasha,” he said, chuckling. “Message received.”

“I mean, sure, it sucked having to push a watermelon out of my vagina…” she softly uttered, leaning forward. “...but I wasn’t talking about having another kid.”

“Huh?” His now focused eyes lit up with revelation. “Ohh…”

Maybe it was the recent accumulation of sexual frustration talking, but his wife’s glow was becoming more alluring with every beat from his longing heart.

“You. Me. Bedroom.” Sheila, hunger in her eyes, flashed him a toothy grin. “Now.”

From Sasha’s perspective, all she heard was the sound of their claws rapidly click towards their room.

She sighed. ‘God dammit.’ She grabbed her earbuds, and blasts the volume as loud as her sensitive ears could handle.

It didn’t happen often; but when it did, it was no less disgusting than the last time.

Everyone in the Falconer household was getting screwed one way or the other today. Though, in Sasha’s case, it was more of a mental strain.

‘That’s what I get for leaving things to the last minute…’ It wasn’t too difficult or anything, the college algebra homework that she was plowing through, but she was always willing to put it off until the last minute. ‘Alright, I think I got it…’

She checked the time. 11 PM. Sigh.

At least she was almost done.

Then, from the kitchen table, she could feel the vibrations from her phone tickle her arms.

A text. From ‘cum lord’.

<hey> it read.

She replied immediately. <what do you want willie>

<you still good to have our first practrice section at my place sashie?> A message followed by <practice*>

The sight of her nickname in that message made the base of her wiggling tail tingle. <yea but u still havent sent me the address>

Another vibration followed not long after. This one in…

Wait…

What?

<bruh> She sent, eyeing the address he’d sent. <your rich???>

<why? u wanna marry me for my money now or something>

She sat straight up and look at her phone in disbelief. <no money in the world will convince me to touch ur smegma riddled micropenis>

Sasha just couldn’t help but giggle at her own genius.

The next reply seemed slow to arrive, so she focused back on her homework. For all of two seconds. One vibration, and her hand quickly swiped her phone; her calm eyes hungry for whatever he had to say.

<im too tired for this ill just roast you in the morning>

<nah your comeback game just sucks>

<better than urs but I need my sleep>

<night pussy boy>

So now that she had nothing else to distract her-

Brrt! Brrt! Her phone vibrates again.

‘Someone doesn’t like not having the last word,’ she thought. A grin formed on her maw as she read his next text.

<ur just mad because ur broke>

<ur just mad because u have no hoes> she fired back immediately.

<i know u aint talkin’ with ur zero boyfriends>

<not my fault the guys around here aint shit>

<no ur just a bitch>

Damn. That no hoes comment must’ve really gotten under his skin.

<uhh no duh im a homo canis>

A misleading name, really. But, that’s a story for another time.

<yeah ur a real homo alright>

<ooh you sure got me lil bro>

<whatever im going to bed now night>

<night> she replies with a grin.

<see ya>

<you too> she continues.

<gonna put my phone down>

<you do that>

She set her phone down with a smile, eyeing it with giddy anticipation. When she felt it vibrate once more, another giggle escaped her fuzzy throat.

<hey btw number 4.5 on the hw is 1 right?>

‘One?’ She thought, her serious eyes scanning the problem once again. It was a big messy fraction of a function; a series of letters with exponents, additions, parenthesis, multiplications; all surrounded by two big brackets.

There was no way he could devise a numeric answer from that. At most, she’d been able to greatly simplify it, but that took over 20 minutes.

< uhh the answer isnt a number willie>

<wdym yes it is sashie> he replies, obviously with spite from his new nickname.

<no its not x= anything>

<doesnt matter its all to the power of zero>

What? There wasn’t an exponent on this thing that was ze-

…

‘...son of a bitch.’

At the upper right corner of the right bracket that surrounded the big, messy fraction; Sasha saw it. An itty bitty vertical oval that signaled the entire equation was to the power of zero.

Brrt! Brrt!

She twitched at the sensation that snapped her back to reality from the daze of feeling like a complete idiot.

<sashie?> read Will’s reply.

It had been two minutes. Two minutes since she read his text, and checked the problem once more.

<ur right it is 1>

<u tried to simplify it didn’t u lol dumbass>

<u probably cant even do it so shut up>

<bet> he replies before going dark.

Was he really going for it out of spite?

So much for going to bed.

Whatever. If it took her 20 minutes, it would probably take him an hour, so she decided to continue with her homework.

But, ten minutes later, she was surprised by vibrations that tickled her arms once more.

‘What?’ she thought. ‘There’s no way…’

Sure enough, he sent a photo of the homework full of scribbles that proved he did his work. And, with it, a middle finger aimed at the worksheet.

<10 mins> he sent. <suck it>

No, that was impossible! There was no way!

<nah u cheated> she replied.

<see for urself>

But, she scanned every line; every dot; every piece of the page with graphite on it; hoping to find some sort of mistake.

It was air-tight. He was right. And not only that, he was faster.

<get fucking destroyed> he sent.

<yeah well i wasnt trying to go for a speedrun so good job lil bro>

<lol stay mad 1-0 forever>

<1v1 me then hoe>

< im not gonna 1v1 u in math wtf lol>

<u scared?> she replied, smiling .

<no im sleepy af im not 1v1-ing u at math especially not at 11 pm>

<u werent to sleepy to do that problem out of spite>

<im going to bed now> he sent. <night>

<i bet ud do it if i offered to show u my ass>

Brrt! Brrt!

His reply came near immediately. < fuck u >

There was something she wanted to test. For twenty minutes, she took the time to plow through the rest of her homework. The entire time, however, her phone teased her from her peripheral vision.

She was way too interested in trying her idea out.

When the time finally came, she sent nothing more than a simple <e_>._

A few seconds later, she saw that her text had a new notification.

He read it, but didn’t reply.

‘Going to sleep my ass,’ she grinned. ‘Pervert.’

Yet, despite her critique, her tail happily stirred the air behind her chair.

A yawn hit her, signaling that it was time for her to go to sleep. _“_Fuck,” she whispered as the yawn fizzled into nothingness.

Looks like it was another six hours of sleep for her. Nothing out of the ordinary.

There was just one obstacle to overcome before she was able to enter the sanctity of her room. From the top of the stairs, the smell of her parents’ lovemaking saturated the air. ‘Ugh…’ Just one of the curses of having such a powerful nose. So, she stopped breathing, and quickly slithered into her room.

Luckily, their repulsive scent couldn’t reach her in here. Not when the scattered clothes acted like a sort of anti-air-freshner. Not clean, sure, but at least the room more or less smelled like Sasha’s musk. Just how she liked it.

Off came her shirt immediately, carelessly tossed the floor. A fate shared by the black b-cup bra that no longer contained her fuzzy lumps.

But what she struggled to take off, like usual, were her jeans. They always manage to get stuck at her thick hips. ‘Come on...stupid pants…!’ She had to shimmy just for them to ever so slowly slide down until they finally let go of the thickest part of her butt. ‘I need new jeans I swear to Christ…’

And, as routine for a Wolf, it came time for her double brushing: teeth, and fur. The former only took a few minutes; but the latter required more focus, and the use of a full-sized mirror.

There she stood, looking at her near-nude reflection with an L-shaped dog brush in hand. Black, because it was her favorite color.

With each stroke, more and more of her fur clogged the metallic teeth of the brush. Normally, it wasn’t until about every eight to ten strokes where she had to clear the brush; but today was different. Just about every two to three strokes required a pause.

She stood there, eyeing the poor little device in her claws. ‘Am I growing my winter coat already?’

Well, it wasn’t a surprise. The nights were starting to get cooler; even if it was Texas in October.

But, this meant that brushing was going to take longer until it finally came in.

Sigh.

It took about ten minutes to finish everything; except for what lied under her boxers. So, off they came as well, exposing the whites of her plump thighs that left no gap between them.

This is where she needs her other, smaller brush. Mainly because the big one doesn’t fit down there, but also because she’s not exactly looking to rake either of her holes with those rigid metal teeth.

But before that, her brush followed the wide contours of her hips.

‘God,’ Sasha thought. ‘Whitey would die if he saw me like this.’

A nude female Wolf with hips that his eyes just couldn’t resist. Yeah, he would like this sight.

Especially the view of the large butt that she was carefully raking while bent over away from the mirror. Yep, this position would most definitely make him cum on sight. A funny thought, really. The pervert.

When she finished, she placed the brush to the side, and took the time to stand straight and look at her reflection. The air was filled with the sound of rustled fur as Sasha’s claws slowly glide across her lower cheeks.

‘Why do men even like these, anyway?’ She said, spanking one cheek, and seeing it jiggle briefly. The sight did nothing for her; nor did the knowledge that men found her cheeks irresistible. ‘They’re just balls of fat over my glute muscles.’

A similar sensation as she turned around, and slid her palms up her thighs and to her belly. ‘There’s fat here, too, but they hate that.’ She turned once more, but this time half-way. ‘What makes them different?’

Brrt! Brrt!

One of her ears flicks over to her phone. She took a moment longer to look at herself before picking up the little gadget.

It was Will. <wtf do u mean e>

<i thought u were going 2 sleep>

<cant sleep>

<i thought u were tired>

<i was but neighbor dog wont stfu>

Ah, yes. The neighbor dog. A bane of Sasha’s existence, too. <just bark every time the dog barks till they bring it inside>

<thats stupid and wont work>

<worked for me>

<yeah well im not a walking dog>_A text that Sasha didn’t quite know how to respond to. But, a few seconds later, another message. _<what r u still doing up?>

<brushing before bred>

<damn alright get it cavegirl>

Sasha was initially confused, but felt her heart and ears drop when she found the mistake. <BED* NOT BRED>

<hey chill i wont judge>

She couldn’t lie, it felt kind of odd texting a boy while fully nude. And while in front of a mirror.

And about the topic of breeding.

So, she set the phone down, and picked up the little brush once more.

Her outer thighs and butt were already groomed, so now all that was left was the in-between. Carefully, however, as she did not want to scratch her labia. Again.

She had to crouch for this; legs spread apart.

Brrt! Brrt!

‘Yeah,’ Sasha thought, ‘You can sense what I’m doing, can’t you?’

Well, she had no intention of sharing. Not only because of the copious warnings she’d received growing up, but also because the thought just plain weirded her out. Especially to him of all people.

But as for her grooming, this last part was not much trouble. The fur between her legs was much smaller than that anywhere else. There wasn’t much, if any, to gather here. But, she did still take the time to groom herself because that’s just how-

Brrt! Brrt!

‘Son of a bitch!’ The vibration broke her concentration, and she’d managed to ever-so-slightly scratch her lip. ‘You know what? Good enough!” She thought, irate.

Now what did this fool want?

< can i ask u something?> followed by <if u dont mind>

She hoped it didn’t relate to her current situation, or her earlier typo. <what?>

<its about lunas car>

The moment came flooding in once more; her entire body coated in warm, delectable shame as the ghost of his human breathing teased her open mouth once more.

She snaps her jaw shut with the click of her teeth, and sighs heavily; hoping to expel the unwanted desire from her body.

<what about it?> she replied hesitantly, her body nervously pulsating to the rhythm of her heart.

She waited, and waited, but a reply did not arrive. Not after one minute; nor three; nor ten. Even as she lay in her bed, covered with only boxers and her sheets, Will was still dark.

‘Guess he finally went to sleep,’ Sasha thought. But, the unease in her stomach did not cease.

What did he want to talk about? Why did he want to talk about it? Was he going to bring up their near-kiss? Because she was perfectly content with pretending it never happened.

But did he feel the same? Did he want to seek a relationship with her now? Did she screw up, and unintentionally give him signs of interest?

This was not good.

This was not good at all.

The echoes of many cars bounce around the parking garage that Mike was currently climbing. Slowly. His coworkers had to find parking as well, after all.

Fortunately, he had the radio to keep him company.

“An elementary school teacher has officially been fired after an altercation that took place one week ago,” said a woman on the radio. “Fourty-three-year-old Drew Jacobs was initially suspended after beating up a student that brought a dog whistle to school. The assailant, a Wolf himself, said that the noise drove him mad. Violent, even. But the parents seem to think that he over-reacted.”

Next to speak was an overweight Latina mother with light skin. “What kind of monster just assaults a child like that?” She asked. “He’s a teacher! He needs to have more restraint than that!”

Another voice, this one male, spoke next. He was definitely up there in terms of age, as his gray hairs indicated. “We understand that Wolf biology is different. Little Julio Gonzales had full knowledge and reasoning as to why dog whistles were not allowed on campus, and we intend to discipline him appropriately. However, we cannot overlook the fact that a teacher assaulted a student, which is why we ultimately made the decision to let Mr. Jacobs go.”

It cuts to a compilation of the Wolf teacher happily teaching different groups of students. “Mr. Jacobs was a teacher at the school for over ten years. A music teacher, he had a reputation for pulling kids out of destructive mindsets that would have led them to a life of crime. But now, it seems like he’s the one that will end up with a criminal record. Despite what happened, however, it doesn’t seem like Mr. Jacobs will serve more than a few days in jail-”

The engine of Mike’s blue Sequoia cut off right there.

Whatever just played, it didn’t come off as a surprise to him. Though most of the older Wolves tend to act with calm civility, it was only a veil over a powder keg on two legs.

All it took was a spark in the wrong place, and...boom.

But now was not the time to think about Wolf biology. It was time to grind.

But before that could happen, he left the elevator to find…

...no one?

“Mr. Falconer,” uttered Janice, the blonde HRlady. Today, she wore a serious face; a departure from the usual smug smile. “Please make your way over to the meeting room.”

“A meeting? Already?” The day was minutes from starting.

“Yes. The new manager has called for a meeting to take place as soon as it strikes nine.”

“New m-? ...oh. Right.”

One of her arms extends towards the meeting room. “Hurry, now. You wouldn’t want to be late.”

He expected her to say ‘again.’ Oddly, its absence was unsettling. As was her genuine politeness.

What exactly was going on?

Sure enough, when he arrived, almost everyone was here.

“That’s everyone,” said Janice behind him.

But, it wasn’t everyone. He could see that several people weren’t here; Marcos being one of them.

“Excellent,” uttered a male Wolf at the very front. Not quite as tall as Mike, however. “Have a seat, you two.”

The arm of his black blazer extends out towards empty adjacent seats; both which Mike and Janice took.

“Good morning,” uttered the male. “My name is John Moon. Starting today, I am the CEO of this company.” A sentence that encouraged Mike to look at his familiars with confusion; even Janice and Sam.

“Where’s Mr. Coleman?” Asked a random employee.

“The higher-ups felt like he wasn’t taking the company in the right direction, so they brought me in to straighten things out,” John said. “Don’t worry. If you’re in this room, you won’t be joining him.”

Well, that coldly answered his question.

“So, everyone that’s not here has been…”

“...let go. To cut back on operating expenses.” Wow, he really wasn’t beating around the bush. “From here on out, we will be lean. We will be efficient. We will produce high returns, and take this company to the top once again.”

“What about our benefits?”

“No need to worry. Those are not going anywhere. We at McConnel-Clinton consider all portfolio businesses and their employees to be like family. In fact, we will be adding the benefit of a monthly pizza party, and that’s just the start.” A relatively low-budget benefit compared to better healthcare, or the return of birthday celebrations. “I understand that getting a new boss can be uncomfortable, and disorienting, but in time, you will see that this was the right call for us. As a matter of fact...uh...Michael was it?”

Mike stood up straight. “Yes, sir?”

“Can you bring up the balance sheet for the past five quarters, please?”

“Uh...sure. But I’ll need a second.”

“Take your time.” As Mike typed away at a computer at the front of the room, the CEO continued to speak. “Ever since we took over, this company has seen a 1.4 million dollar increase in profits. Not revenues, profits.” The projected screen brings up several different pie-charts; each from a different quarter. “Even two years ago, profits had decreased over twenty percent from previous quarters. But now, under the umbrella of McConnel-Clinton, we’ve damn near reversed that.”

Only, he was omitting something crucial. Mike knew exactly where that $1.4 million came from. It was the exact amount generated from the sale of real-estate that he’d seen right before the old CEO was fired.

Technically, Mr. Moon here wasn’t lying, but he was making it seem like the source of the revenue was from the company’s normal operations.

Why the misdirection, Mike wondered?

He wanted to ask, but knew doing so was a bad idea. It could cost him his job, and by extension his family’s lifeline.

So, he kept quiet. For now.

“Thank you, Michael. You can take your seat.”

“Yes, sir,” Mike said, obeying the suspicious boss.

“Now,” continued Mr. Moon, “I just want to make it absolutely clear. Your jobs will not change. Your pay will not go down. The day will go on just as it always does. Now, with that being said, let’s get to work.”

Easier said than done. He was anxious all the way to lunch time.

“It couldn’t have gone in an email?” Asked Mike, sitting with Sam at one of the tables.

“I had that exact same thought,” she said. “That, and ‘oh god we’re screwed’ over and over again.”

“Yeah, his speech ironically managed to have that effect on us, didn’t it?”

“Yeah. He said not to worry, but that’s all I can do now.” She took a bite of her BLT, and muffle-spoke. “It’s not like a failing company has only one round of layoffs.”

“Swallow your food. That’s disgusting.”

A heavy gulp precedes her next words. “Sorry, I’m just so worried.”

“Enough to forget to chew with your mouth closed?” He watched as she stared at him. “What?”

“You seem to be taking this awfully well. I thought you’d be freaking out more than me, Mr. family man.”

“Panic does no one any good,” Mike replied, taking the time to enjoy some more of his beef cutlets. “Am I perfectly calm? No. But I’m also not gonna start freaking out. That’s a good way to be seen as a problematic employee, and by extension a way to get my ass fired.”

Sam nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But still…” She leaned into his arm with her ears down. “...I’m scared.”

“Don’t push it.”

She sat right up. “Uh...sorry. Guess old habits die hard…”

“Well, as long as you’re trying, I guess that’s all that matters.”

A silence fell over them. An awkward one.

But, as Mike ate more of his cutlets, he could see curiosity in Sam’s blue eyes.

“What?” He asked.

She looked away. “Huh? I didn’t say anything?”

“You look like you’re holding something in.”

“...nah, it’s not right to bring it up.”

“Well, you’ve got me all curious now, so what is it?”

She uncomfortably scratched at her arm before slowly prying her head towards his direction once more. “It’s about what’s-her-face. The dark one from a long time ago that you used to date.”

“Who? Aleena?”

“Yeah. Her.”

“Well, what is it?”

“…” She shook her head. “No, I can’t ask. That’s what the old me would do...”

“I’ll tell you when you’re going too far. Just say it.”

“It’s just…I can’t help but wonder about what your life must be like now that she’s back. You two were awfully close, after all.”

“My life is the same as it always was.” A sentence that elicits serious disbelief from Sam. “What? It is.”

“So you two haven’t talked since the day at the zoo?”

“No,” he lied.

“And you haven’t thought about going over to her place and saying hi?”

“Hasn’t even crossed my mind,” he lied again.

“That’s really surprising,” she said. “I didn’t think you’d be able to keep your claws off of her.”

“Sam, I’m married. Why would I do that?”

“Hey. You know what we are,” she said. “Under the right circumstances, our morality can disappear. Just like that dude who beat up that kid.”

“So what? Ally’s back in town, and now I have to seek her out like some sort of mindless horny caveWolf?”

“ ‘Ally’?” Sam emphasized.

Mike rapidly shook his head. “Aleena. Sorry. I guess old habits do die hard.” He said, finishing the last of his cutlets, and standing up. “Well, that’s my lunch. I’m gonna get back to work now.” While he still could.

“I guess you’re making the right call, after all,” she uttered as he pushed his chair in. “Who knows what would happen if you two were left alone.”

And with that, he was done. His two feet were now moving away from her.

He didn’t even know why he was sitting with her, anyway. Was it just an instinctual desire for community in a time of crisis? Did he actually use Sam for comfort?

Sam?

Really?

‘Stay focused, Mike.’ At his job, with Aleena, and around Sam. All were areas full of uncertainty. If he wasn’t careful, he could he swallowed whole by a crisis of his own design.

And he couldn’t afford it now. Especially not with Sasha’s recent social developments. She had her first band practice today; something he hopes will yield fruit when he goes to pick her up from Will’s house later.

If—at the very least— there’s a chance that she can have the joy he never got to have, then the 19 year muzzle will have been worth the discomfort.

Sasha was regretting her new partnership already.

She rode in the car with her mother at the wheel, and eyed the street she was on: Westheimer Rd. To her left, an array of business buildings that housed everything from banking needs to heart-clogging American food. To her right, any houses not hidden by trees were one-story.

And the infrastructure itself? Clean as a whistle. No potholes, the sidewalks were nice and level all around, every plant in sight was purposefully organized where it stood, and the poorest car she could spot was a black Lexus sedan.

And it only got more upscale the further in Sheila drove.

There came a point where they had to stop and wait for the train to pass. And, as the final train car passed, it was like a curtain that revealed consumerist Narnia.

From the state of the infrastructure, Sasha swore they power washed everything daily: the stainless roads, the bright sidewalks, and even the sides of the neat rectangular stores that spanned for miles.

Many of which she’d never even heard of, but housed just what she expected out of an area like this: salons, jewelry, fancy clothing, spas, a boot maker?

Okay, that last one was a surprise to her. She had to admit.

Starbucks, of course, as well as a certain store that didn’t know how to spell anthropology.

Clothing, clothing, dessert, clothing, and...was that a fuckin’ Apple store? Not an outlet. A whole building dedicated to the brand she despised.

Glass, too.

Pretentious pricks.

But Sheila sure seemed to love the sight of white privilege everywhere. “Ooh, what I wouldn’t give to live here!”

“Aren’t grandma and grandpa rich?” Asked Sasha. “How did we end up where we live now?”

“Your father’s always had something against the upper class.” Sheila shrugged. “And he said that growing up in a place like this wouldn’t be good for you. So, we settled on a middle-class neighborhood.”

That certainly triggered one of Sasha’s pseudo-brows to rise. “If that’s the middle ground, then where did he want to live?”

“Somewhere that made me say ‘over my dead body’,” Sheila said, much to Sasha’s curiosity. “He sang many praises about that area, but the crime statistics said otherwise.”

...did he want to raise her in the hood, or something?

Her face relaxed, thinking of that retched dark homewrecker once more. She couldn’t prove it, but the two events did seem to go hand-in-hand.

And it only made Sasha wonder just how intertwined that woman was in her father’s life.

When she snapped back to reality, she saw that the upper class infrastructure had died down a bit. Seems like they loved to cram their pretentious consumerism in as little a space as they could.

Not to say that the area still wasn’t upper-class. It was just crammed with less businesses.

Still, from the pictures she’d seen of Will’s house, she knew that the area was no joke. But just how long would it take until the privilege hit her like a ton of bricks?

Well, as they crossed a street labeled Claremont Ln, the atmosphere of the area seemed to change immediately.

“Oh darn,” Sheila whined. “I was supposed to take a left there.” She would have to take the next left. Whenever it came.

But it gave Sasha the opportunity to bathe in the new sensation. The neat, even pavement and tidy shrubs were the same, but she couldn’t help but notice the abundance of trees and brick buildings.

The brickwork of the buildings was uneven, but in a pleasing way. Bumpy, rectangular, and light in color. The very first one to her right even featured an analogue clock at the top, between the slopes of the dark roof, which gave the correct time. Overall, it gave the appearance of an improved classic English look.

And the fencing? Not wood. It was metal that was painted black, as was the case for the lamp posts that stood at even distances from each other. Just fencing, and fencing, and fencing for every building she could see. Gates, too, holding on to pillars of more beautiful bricks.

Paired with the abundance of trees that decorated the area, Sasha just couldn’t help but feel more like at ease. Like life didn’t suck.

‘How the hell is Whitey so bitter when he lives in a place like this?’ Thought Sasha.

One beautiful light brick building after another, each with its own black fencing and abundance of trees, continued to fill Sasha’s eyes. Hell, even the signs of the buildings were made of rock with dark letters that were chiseled into it.

Not a sign that was printed and slapped onto a tower of signs with other brands that competed for your vision. No, every building told her ‘that’s right, we have this kind of money.’

Though, without the signs, she wouldn’t know which building did what. They were beautiful, but being made of the same materials, their beauty was homogenized.

It was nothing like the simplified design she was used to back home. Blue meant Walmart, red and white stripes meant Whataburger, and green meant shit; which, to Sasha, was synonymous with Starbucks.

And even the fucking church looked fancy. It may have been mostly a triangular prism, but it was a triangular prism with those same thin, light, bumpy bricks that surrounded itself with shrubbery that was perfectly trimmed.

“Boy,” Sheila said, taking a left turn into a street which is also connected to the church. “William sure does come from money, doesn’t he?”

“No kidding,” Sasha said.

“You know, if you play your cards right-”

“Mom…” She warned.

“I’m just saying!” Sheila grinned. “It’s not a bad idea to keep your options open. Living on your own without great finances is not fun.”

“I know that,” Sasha said. “But I don’t need another man’s money. I can earn it by myself.”

“You say that, but the word can be brutal, Sasha. Even without marrying a rich man, having a second source of income can be life-saving.”

“We already had our great depression in 2007, mom,” Sasha said. “What are the odds that the economy’ll go down the shitter again in the next few years?”

Sheila shrugged. “You never know, sweetie. Life is unpredictable.” Her head shook. ‘And our politicians are morons.’

Sasha could see the beginnings of what was obviously a more wealthy neighborhood. For starters, the first house she could see—the one on the right-- was surrounded in black fencing and a gate. It was large, around two stories, and with no brickwork from what she could see. No, the exterior was flat, smooth, white, and blocky; much like the parts of the fencing that the gate didn’t cover. In addition, she could also make out bushes which were actually cut into shapes; some she couldn’t make out, and others what looked to be like rings. And beyond all of that, a walkway which led into a very large porch that housed a black door; a color which matched the trim of the windows.

She couldn’t make out anything above the second floor; trees surrounding the property blocked the view. But, she could at least still see the beautiful plants that decorated the area around the house. Shrubs, of course, but also colorful flowers which were arranged so…elegantly? She didn’t quite know how to put it. They were just organized differently from how they were back home.

They hadn’t yet passed the American flag which stood at the entrance to the wealthy area. In front of it, a white sign read “Welcome to River Oaks.” It featured a police badge, and text underneath which she didn’t care to read.

And, as if they hadn’t yet shown off just how rich they are, the sidewalks—at roughly around the same x-axis where the flag stood—featured white stone fences with a walkway through the sidewalk. The two halves of the wall were connected by a fancy spiraling piece of black metal at the top which united to hold up a lamp in black housing.

‘Jeez,’ Sasha thought. ‘Talk about rich.’

And, as Sheila drove forward slowly, Sasha was given more time to observe the other privilege boxes. Because she wouldn’t dare just call them houses.

Unlike the houses back in her neighborhood, no two houses looked the same. Though, they did share features. Large front yards, perhaps bigger than her house, which housed only grass and tall, wide trees; large porches which were held up with white pillars; and beautiful details carved right into the stone like with classic buildings; bushes around the perimeter, often with flowers, which helped to bring an overall mansion-esque look to these privilege boxes.

And the gates. She can’t forget about the gates which block every single driveway she can see.

But still, Will’s house was only a few minutes away.

Sheila took another turn, revealing more of the same. That is, until she came upon a roundabout not long after.

Immediately, after passing another of the familiar privilege boxes, she’s astounded by the sight of what looks to be a driveway...no, a walkway surrounded by bushes. Not a small one, either. It led into what looked to be a maze of bushes which led deeper into the property, but she couldn’t quite make out where the front door was. If it was even over here. Moving forward, towards Will’s house, she could make out lamp posts scattered around the maze, as well as a stone statue which featured a person right in the middle of it all.

‘Where the hell are we?? Narnia??’ Sasha thought.

She couldn’t lie. The maze called to her. It was like a sight right out of some kind of romance movie, and she wanted to see what lied beyond.

But with these trees surrounding all of the properties, it was hard to make out exactly how the properties looked like. Rich people must really value their privacy, it seems.

That maze told Sasha that she had once more crossed into a different tax bracket; the privileged few within the privileged few.

Just how much money did Will come from?

The next house in the roundabout had virtually everything blocked by a tall hedge. She could only make out the large, White-House-esque pillars which seemed to hold up what she assumed to be a large porch. And behind it, an even bigger house which seemed to be many times the size of hers. And that’s not even mentioning the football field of a front yard it appeared to have behind the hedge.

By comparison, the next two houses in the roundabout seemed disappointing. Still much fancier than what Sasha was used to, but her eyes had adjusted to the privilege of the last two houses.

Just before doing a full u-turn at the roundabout, Sheila turned into the street which was to house Will’s...well, house.

There were three houses on this privileged cul de sac.

The first colossal house, to her left, was surrounded with brick walls, shrubs, and trees; so she couldn’t quite make out anything other than how ridiculously large the property seems to be.

The second didn’t seem to care about who saw it. No fencing whatsoever; not even a gate. Its long front yard was there, flexing on the lower-income Falconers, and she could make out the rich red of the bricks which housed white bay windows, more pillars of privilege around the porch, and even a white stone door frame with a stone eagle on top. A black man seemed to be walking into the building; Will’s neighbor, she assumed.

Well, there went her joke about white privilege.

That brought the Falconers to the third house. Unlike the previous two, the front didn’t seem as big. Mind you, it was still much horizontally longer than the pathetic excuse for a front yard she had back home, but this looked like a dwarf compared to other yards she’s seen around here.

“William said I could take the driveway up to the front yard. Right, sweetie?” Asked Sheila.

“Y-yeah.”

Why was she getting nervous? It was just Whitey’s house. Whitey’s large, expensive, upper-class house. With a one-way driveway that went up to the front porch, and looped back out to the street. And featured a little roundabout to the right of the property, before reaching the porch, which could be used to get to a little road that leads to a distant garage.

With the shake of the car coming to a stop, Sasha stared into the deep stone porch; she could feel her heart play to the beat of Through The Fire and Flames by DragonForce.

Its silver tile flooring was elevated, descending with a small set of stairs. And, calling her forward, said flooring extends to intersect with the looped driveway Sasha currently found herself on.

It felt warm and soft underneath her pink foot pads; clearly sanded down so that it could be enjoyed by the sensitivities of a Wolf’s foot.

Well, here goes. After Sasha slammed the car door shut, Sheila waves at her daughter. “Have fun, sweetie! Your father will stop by to pick you up after work!”

“Hehe yeah…” She awkwardly waved at her mother.

She didn’t know why, but the words ‘objective: survive’ come to mind as she sees her mother’s car hum off towards the road once more.

She looks to her left and right: stone walls with only one window each. The white stone, the primary material that the house is made of, looks like the kind you’d find in fancy government buildings. It was slowly being invaded by a plant that was trying its hardest to crawl up as far as it could. Intentional, she assumed.

And beyond the walls, the building bulged out in the shape of a rectangular U. More windows facing the street, these much bigger, and-

...did she just see the curtains on the left-most window move?

She would have to gawk later.

Well, here goes. Into the deep porch she walked, ringing the doorbell; but even that sounded upscale. Not the high-pitched ding-dong she was used to; but hefty bell gongs.

So, she waited, admiring the large black door and the black-caged light that hung above her.

Oh lord. She could hear footsteps approaching.

The door hisses open, revealing many things that made focus difficult. The postmodern art in the background; the fancy wooden tiles below in the shape of zig-zags; the weird circular heavenly light above; or the white woman that now stood in front of her.

A blonde woman with hair as curly as Will’s; and dear lord did she love being white. Sasha didn’t know what was lighter; her skin, her dress, or her heels.

The only color she seemed to have was in her eyes: Whitey Blue, as Sasha called it.

“Uh...sup,” Sasha said, raising a paw.

“Sasha, I take it?” At Sasha’s nod, the woman steps aside, and extends an arm out towards the house. “Please, come in.”

And as if there wasn’t enough white, the fancy walls and ceiling matched the woman’s dress.

“So Whit- I mean, Will’s talked about me, huh?”

“More than you can imagine,” said the woman, holding a hand out. “I’m Barbara McAllister. William’s mother.”

“Sasha,” said the she-Wolf, but pausing once she grabbed Mrs. McAllister’s hand. “D’oh! You already know that…”

The older human giggled. “Relax, darling,” she says, patting Sasha’s shoulder. “It happens to us all. Now, then-”

“Who’s that!?” Screeched a demon. Which, to Sasha, was a synonym for child. Heavy footsteps ran towards the front door from Sasha’s right. What was once a hall with two white pillars and further pathways hidden behind different angled halls was now occupied with a small white child and his bounding curly hair. “Ooh!” He paused, looking right at Sasha. “A doggie girl!”

“...huh?” Sasha asked.

“Are you my brother’s new girlfriend?”

“Johnny!” Will slid in from an intersecting hall to little Johnny’s right, and covered his mouth. “Shut up!”

Along with Johnny’s fancy little white dress shirt, black pants, and brown loafers; Will seemed to be the only one there who was not dressed for the tax bracket of this house.

Aside from Sasha, and her jeans/t-shirt combo. One she shared with Will; even the part where neither one wore shoes at this moment.

“William!” Shouts his mother. “What did I tell you about dressing like a commoner when there’s-”

“Guests, yeah I know-”

“Don’t interrupt me!” She yelled, her index finger up. “You march upstairs and make yourself proper this instant, or you can forget about your little practice session!”

With a sigh, and the roll of his eyes, Will—to Sasha’s right—disappears into a hall that goes deeper into the house.

“I am so sorry about that,” calmly uttered Mrs. McAllister, a hand to her heart.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sasha said, fanning her off. “He’s kinda...a certain way at school, too.”

“The way he talks about you, I swore you’d be the last person he teamed up with.”

“I’m as shocked as you are,” Sasha said. “But, just out of curiosity, what kind of shit is he talking behind my back?”

“Oh I’d love to talk about William. But first, are you thirsty?”

“Uh...I could drink something, yeah. You got coke?”

“What kind?”

A remark that raised one of Sasha’s pseudo-brows. “What kind you got?”

From the front door, Sasha followed the human to the right. There, they soon found themselves at a three-way fork. Left, where Will ran off to; forward, where she could smell hints of food; or right. They went forward, which had a rightward angled door that led into the dining room.

“Please, make yourself comfortable,” said Mrs. McAllister, taking a seat herself, and snapping her fingers. “Raul!”

Raul?

Not long after, a thin Hispanic man rushed into the room, and took a bow. A butler, Sasha assumed; he was certainly dressed for it with his fancy black suit. “You called, ma’am?” His accent was thick. A recent immigrant?

“Ms. Falconer here is thirsty. Fetch her a coke.”

“Eh...what kind?” He said, turning towards Sasha.

“Uh…” This was weirder than she thought. She was given reigns over another person? Just like that? “No, it’s fine, I can get it myself.”

“Oh, nonsense,” fans Mrs. McAllister. “This is what I pay him for.”

“Uh...okay...then…”

Seeing she was struggling, the butler took the initiative. “If I may make a suggestion, we have recently acquired strawberry Coca-Cola. It is an experimental flavor that has not been released anywhere in the world.”

“Ooh!” Sasha’s eyes lit up. “That one! I’ll take that one, please!”

“Right away.” With a bow, the thin butler vanished.

“Experimental coke flavors? Jeez, you guys must be rich rich…” Sasha said, taking her seat on one of the black metallic chairs that surrounded the clothed table.

“You could say that, yes.” The woman crossed her legs, and placed her hands to her thighs.

“But Whit- Will,” Sasha corrected. “What’s he been lying about behind my back?”

The two conversed while Will took his sweet time getting ready. His outfit of choice? A departure from the thick jeans he always wore. This time, he opted for tailored khakis that were accompanied with a white polo shirt, a brown belt, and white tennis shoes.

“So that’s why you call him Whitey?” Giggled Will’s mother.

“Yep! But people keep thinking it’s racist for some reason.” She takes another sip of her coke right as she catches a glimpse of him. The force with which she blocked the liquid from being sprayed all over his mother was the most she’s ever had to exude. Quickly, she swallowed it, before bursting into laughter.

“Hold it,” his mother said, raising an eyebrow at his choice of footwear. “What is that?”

Will looked down at his white Jordans, and then back at his mother. “We’re gonna be practicing for a few hours. Do you really expect me to stand in expensive shoes for that long?”

With a grumble, and the crossing of her arms, she nods. “I’ll allow it. But ONLY while you practice.”

Will sighed. “Yeah, great, say, has anyone else arrived yet?”

“No. Sasha here is the only one so far.” She stands, and raises her arms. “Say, I have a swell idea. Why don’t we give Sasha here a tour of the house while-”

Gong! Gong!

Well, so much for that idea.

“I’ll get it,” Will says, jogging away.

Disappointed, his mother crosses her arms. “I never get to give a tour of the house.”

“Oh, I’m definitely taking you up on that someday,” Sasha said, looking around. Fancy chandelier above, more art on the walls, a white carpet underneath just for the dining room, and a fucking fireplace. In the kitchen. “I’ve never been in this kind of house before.”

“Really? Where do you live?”

“Oh, you know, just your average suburb. Two stories, brick, a yard, a garage.”

“My condolences,” responds the mother, a hand to her heart once more. “But if you’re serious about that tour, I’d love to show you sometime! Spoiler alert!” She leans in, whispering. “Massage room.”

A dedicated massage room? Most likely with a butler that knew what he was doing? Once more, Sasha’s pseudo-brow raised with interest.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. M!” The white-furred Chris raised his hand in a greeting.

“Beautiful, as always!” And Al’s black-furred self wasn’t too far behind.

“Oh, hello, you two!” She embraced them both in a hug. Both Wolves, thinking they’re slick, took a peek at the curvature of her petite butt as they did so; but Sasha had caught them red-handed. “You’re both looking well!”

On the bright side, she was glad that Will’s mom wasn’t a huge racist.

“Well, I’ll leave you kids to it!” Said the older woman, stepping out towards the front door. But before she left, she turned to face the only other woman in the room. “Holler at Raul if you need anything, okay?”

After some acknowledgments, the kids were finally left alone in the dining room.

“So,” Al yipped, elbowing Sasha. “Having second thoughts about hating Will yet?”

She scoffed. “As if. I’m here to kick that blonde bitch’s ass, and that’s it.”

“That we can agree on,” Will said, crossing his arms. “So, shall we get started?”

“We shall,” Sasha said, nodding. She shook her empty cup, her glass clinking with the ice inside. “But first...uh...Mr. Raul, sir?”

With everyone now present, the new band got to work.

Sasha considered it a miracle they even made it to the room they were in right now. They passed many fancy rooms on the way: a wine room, from the brief glimpse she got, as well as the shiniest black and white marble kitchen she’d ever seen.

Even a second dining room. Just for breakfast!

And did they take the stairs? Like peasants? No! They took an elevator up to the second floor.

She assumed this was a flex of some sort on his part. After all, they still had to take a flight of stairs up to the THIRD floor; the floor she’d failed to see from outside. And these stairs were ones that led back down towards the house’s front door, so she couldn’t think of any other reasoning to take this path other than him wanting to show off his wealth.

And she definitely got a glimpse of the sizable personal gym that neighbored the elevator. Within, she pictures Will trying to get a workout in. Potentially shirtless. Coated with sweat that dripped from his curly hair, and ran down his glistening human chest.

A thought that forced her to mentally smack herself, and continue to follow the group as they walked away from the gym.

And what would be a rich guy’s house without a billiards room half-way up the stairs to the THIRD floor?

Following the stairs up to the top, that brought them to the present: a large-sized room with green AstroTurf flooring, golf clubs, and a white screen at the very front.

A golf simulator. It’s something rich white men just can’t go without.

And of course there’s another bar up here; as well assomething further beyond after you turn the corner, but she can’t make it out from here.

The room itself was the only one she’d seen with ample space for all of the instruments they were to use: Al on drums, Chris on bass guitar, Will on electric, and Sasha on the mic.

But there was one key issue that none of them had even considered. When Chris discovered Sasha singing by the school bathroom, she cut herself off when he entered her line of sight.

Clearly, she was self-conscious about singing in front of others.

And here, it was no different.

The three boys played a slow, basic tune that Sasha tried to match with a vocal hum. Instead, her voice was struggling to maintain a consistent pitch; crackling, even, and with shaky undertones.

Will stopped playing his metallic blue electric guitar, raised his hand, and sighed. “Stop!” It wasn’t until the others matched his silence that he continued to speak. “We’re not getting anywhere.”

Sasha, tail tucked and ears flat, looks down nervously. “Sorry guys…”

Will raised an eyebrow. “What’s up with you? You look like one of us is about to kill you.”

Al had an idea. “Maybe she’s just not used to singing in front of other people.”

A thought that had Will cross his arms. “Ain’t that a bitch…” He nods. “Alright, then I guess we just need to work on that.”

But first, Sasha had a request. “Uh...is it fine if I use the pisser before we continue?”

“Yeah.” Will points towards the entrance to the room. “Just go down the stairs, and it should be immediately to your right.

With a silent nod, Sasha’s digitigrade claws tap down the stairs, and once more arrive at the second floor.

To her right, just as he said: the bathroom.

However, to her left, a new set of downwards stairs allowed for the gentle strum of a faint acoustic guitar to reach her ears.

And, with the silky smooth vocalizations of a gentle feminine angel, she can feel the words “moon river” lovingly massage her canine-like eardrums.

‘Who is that’, she wondered on the slow descent down those second flights of stairs.

The voice was much louder now, once more vocalizing “moon river” and starting the verse anew.

It was coming from a room right in front of the stairs on the first floor; some kind of interior porch, from what she could tell. Rather than interrupt the singing woman with a screech of the door, Sasha went right—into the kitchen—and found black double doors that were already open.

The pool was much easier to see thanks to the wall of big screened windows that allowed her to peer outside. Were it not for the closed double doors, each as white as the walls in the room and with their own windows, Sasha would’ve had a direct line for the outdoor pool that called her name.

But what called her even louder was the woman at the right of this room. It was Will’s mom, acoustic guitar in her small, slender hands, seated on one of the black-and-white-striped cushions of a corner patio couch.

Perhaps the call was too much, however. Will’s mother paused the instant she saw the panicked Sasha.

“Oh, hello,” said the older human woman.

“Uh...hi…” responded the nervous she-Wolf.

Gently, Mrs. McAllister extends an arm towards a sofa that looked similar to the couch she sat on. “Care to join me?”

Sasha nods, albeit hesitantly. “Sure…”

So there they sat, the older woman strumming her guitar, with only a black wooden table to divide them.

“So, what forced you to deviate from my son, Sasha?” asked the human, leaning forward. “Are you trying to rob me?”

“What?” Sasha raised her arms defensively, much to the mother’s amused giggle. “No!”

“Easy, child. I was just pulling your leg.”

“Well, I’m not. I was looking for the piss- I mean, bathroom, and heard you sing from upstairs. You have a beautiful voice.”

“Oh well thank you,” the mother responded, still strumming. It was the same song from before; just that she was no longer singing. “You’re a singer too, correct?”

“Uhh not exactly. I mean, I’m supposed to be the singer of the band, but I just can’t get my usual stuff out for some reason. I’m all shaky, and nervous, and…” She shook her head. “Ugh…”

“You’re accustomed to singing alone, aren’t you?” A question that elicits a nod from Sasha. “Then it sounds like you don’t allow yourself to be vulnerable with others.”

A statement that raises one of Sasha’s pseudo-brows. “Why would I be weak in front of other people?”

The mother shook her head. “Being vulnerable with others does not mean you’re being weak. Vulnerability is what connects us to one another. For instance, we’re being vulnerable with each other right now.”

Sasha, confused, sat upright as much as she could. “How?”

“You’re confiding in me about problems in your life rather than hiding them behind silent pride.”

The she-Wolf paused momentarily. “Yeah. Why did I do that?”

“Because I allowed myself to be vulnerable first.” Her strumming continued. “Music is a form of self-expression, and self-expression requires that you allow others into your soul. Without vulnerability, all you have is a series of stiff, meaningless sounds.”

Just like Sasha’s crackling voice from earlier.

“So,” continued the she-Wolf, “in order for me to sing good-”

“Well,” corrected the mother.

“...right. In order for me to sing well, I have to allow myself to be vulnerable, and shit?”

The blonde woman nods. “Precisely.”

Sasha crossed her arms, pondering such a scenario. “...nope, I can’t do it.”

“Why not?”

“Cause the guys’ll make fun of me.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve been playing Call of Duty multiplayer for years. I don’t know a lot about feelings, and shit, but I definitely know what guys are like when no one’s looking.”

The strumming stops. “Are you talking about the video game with the children that keep claiming me as their lover?”

Sasha nods. “There’s also the dudes that keep asking to see my tits, or my ass. Some have even asked to see my feet.”

“...that’s disgusting.”

“I know.” Yet, Sasha smiled. “But it’s so funny seeing them get angry when I beat them.”

“Their remarks don’t upset you?”

“I mean, yeah, but you’ve gotta have a pair of balls. If you’re sensitive, the lobby eats you alive. Especially if you’re a girl.”

“Well, this isn’t a lobby of social rejects, Sasha.” Her strumming continued. “This is reality. Full of kind people that bond by sharing their vulnerabilities with one another.”

“Yeah until someone exploits the vulnerabilities they were so eager to share.”

The mature woman nodded slightly. “That is a risk, I suppose. But, if it were a common problem, then society as we know it wouldn’t exist.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Sasha states bluntly. “The fact that it can happen is good enough reason to not risk it.” A remark met with a pity stare from Will’s mom. “What?”

“It hurts me to see someone so young consumed by such a depressing mentality.”

“It’s not depressing. It’s necessary.”

“Then tell me. Are you happy with your life?”

Sasha’s ears twitched. “I don’t see how that’s relevant, Mrs. McAllister.”

“Oh, it’s very relevant, young Wolf. You see, when you suppress your negative emotions, the positive ones get caught in the crossfire.”

“What? That doesn’t sound right?”

“You never answered my question, Sasha. Are you happy with your life?”

“Well, I mean it doesn’t suck, but-”

“But are you happy? Yes or no?”

The guitar strummed gently, Mrs. McAllister’s blue eyes expectantly poking at the entrance to Sasha’s soul.

She had to look away, irate. “I already told you. My life doesn’t suck.”

They sat there without uttering a word for a few seconds. Only the sound of the same short melody continued to play before the mother broke their silence. “Do you know what I’m playing, Sasha?”

“First time I’m hearing it, but I’m guessing it’s called Moon River?”

“You’re correct,” she strummed. “It’s one of my favorite songs. Short, but beautiful; just like life itself.” Sasha remained quiet, wanting to see where she was going with that. “The river, to me, is the uncertainty that lies ahead. Crossing it could result in pain and suffering, or it could yield pleasures beyond your wildest imagination. The singer, in this case Audrey Hepburn, decides to take the risk, and see where the river takes her.”

“Even if it results in pain and suffering?”

Barbara nods. “Even if it results in pain and suffering.”

“Sounds like a stupid risk to take.”

“Well, if you think about it, we take those kinds of risks every day. You got here by car, didn’t you?” Sasha nodded. “Well, you could’ve died in a car crash, but you risked it just to come here.”

Sasha wanted to shoot something back, but her open maw failed to produce anything other than “...that’s...actually...a really good point.”

“And you eat every day despite the risk of food poisoning.”

The defeated she-Wolf nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“And-”

“Alright, I get it!” Sasha raised her hands. “I take risks every day! But there’s a huge difference between taking risks to do what’s necessary versus taking risks for fun.”

“But being vulnerable is necessary. For instance, if you don’t allow yourself to be vulnerable with your bandmates, you won’t be able to sing; and, by extension, you’ll have no chance of winning the talent show.” Another great point. Jesus, Sasha did not feel like she was getting any room to breathe. The irate she-Wolf had gone quiet, which encouraged the older woman to continue talking. “I know that it may seem scary to take that plunge, but you really don’t know what will happen unless you take it. The future is uncertain, after all.” Still, Sasha remained silent. “Besides, it’s not like you’re the only one that would be vulnerable. The other three boys are opening themselves up to you, as well.”

Sasha’s hazel eyes softened a bit at that remark. After all, they knew of her for years, and they’re still choosing to let her in despite the high risk of being roasted.

“Man,” Sasha said, looking at the blonde mother. “You are like a good point machine. Just like my mom.”

The other woman giggled. “We’ve been crossing that river longer than you, you know.”

With that full context, the soft angel once more began to sing.

Moon River

Wider than a mile

I’m crossing you in style

Someday

To Sasha’s imagination, the river of uncertainty seemed massive and daunting.

Oh dream maker

You heart breaker

Wherever you’re going

I’m going your way

It didn’t matter if advancing resulted in good or bad outcomes. Sasha’s imaginary feet took their first shaky steps forward, seeing where the river takes her.

Two drifters

Off to see the world

There’s such a lot of world

To see

Like her mother had told her before, everyone has parts of them that they hide. Even Will. She didn’t even know that he was rich, or lived in this kind of house. And who knows what else she didn’t know about yet. The world was a big place, after all.

We’re after the same rainbow’s end

Waitin’ ‘round the bend

My huckleberry friend

And now, here they were. United in their goal to put that blonde bitch in her place. At least, that’s what she assumed the rainbow’s end was.

Moon River, and me

Barbara’s blue eyes looked at something behind Sasha.

No, more like some_one._

Sasha turned around to find Will resting against one of the open doors, looking at the two ladies as they sat there; Will’s mother still strumming idly.

“I was wondering where you’d gone,” Will said.

Sasha stood, chuckling nervously, and scratching at the back of her neck. “Sorry. I guess I got side-tracked.”

“I’ll say. This doesn’t look like the bathroom to me.”

The she-Wolf turned to face his mother, and bowed. “Thank you for the talk. I think it helped.”

The woman’s ruby red lips smiled. “Anytime, dear.”

Will’s concerned blue eyes flicked between them. “Talk about what?”

“No need to worry, William. It was just girl talk.”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Come on, Sashie.”

A nickname that raised his mother’s blonde brow. “Sashie?”

Sasha rolled her own eyes, stepping up to the blonde teen. “He calls me that out of spite. All because I called him Willie one time.”

“Oh. Alright, then. Good luck, you two!” Her eye relaxed, but then both grew concerned once they left the room. Now, it suddenly felt like she just made a huge mistake.

The two teens ascended once more, the next set of stairs in Sasha’s sights. Only, rather than take the right required to enter them, Will instead took a left towards a different room on the second floor.

“Uh...where are we going?” Asked Sasha.

“Well, the guys wanted to take a break, but it’s kinda turned into a gaming session. Sorry.”

Normally, she’d make a snappy remark, but she figured that she had to start practicing vulnerability sooner rather than later; no matter how small.

“...that’s okay,” she said. “I...uh...love gaming, remember?”

“...oh yeah. I guess I forgot.”

“What are y’all playing?”

“Black Ops 2.”

“Oh shit! For real!?” Her hazel eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, but they weren’t as happy as her wild tail. “I love Black Ops 2!”

Something else she never allowed herself to do in front of those outside her family: the wagging tail. The urge to grab it was strong, but she allowed it to sway her wide hips every swing.

Though, once Will’s eyes began to deviate south, her tail’s enthusiasm began to wane.

“Uh...cool...wellwehavefourcontrollerssocomejoinus...”

He definitely glanced at her hips. Though in another surprising twist, she found her grainy voice giggling when he hastily retreated into the room. ‘What a virgin,’ she thought.

Al’s voice yelled out as loud as he could. “Bro, that’s bullshit!”

And Chris responded. “No, you just suck.”

Stepping into the room revealed a white couch with two long parts at both ends so people could lie down.

At the front, a large flat-screen TV— featuring split-screen gameplay of two soldiers trying to shoot each other— was surrounded with shelves full of many items; most notably, a black Xbox 360 slim that was laying rather than standing upright. The fourth controller was on it, which Will grabbed and handed to Sasha. “Here.”

“Thanks,” she responded, pushing the big silver button in the middle of the black controller with her thumb to turn it on. The four green lights around the button flashed until only the lower right one stayed lit.

“Go ahead and take a seat wherever you like,” Will said, taking a seat on the couch himself. However, there was a problem. There was only one spot left, aside from the parts where you lay down, and it was next to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! I was...uh...just wondering if I should lie down, or sit. But, I have claws, so I...uh...better sit...”

The she- Wolf walks up to the spot next to Will, and turns around.

But this presented a temporary problem for Will. She stood, and he sat, so her large butt was now at face-level. He could only spectate while his own body betrayed him, and followed her struggling jeans as they descend down to the couch. Her legs were defensively closed, of course.

He looked to his friends; both of whom looked at him with cheeky grins. ‘Not one word,’ he glared. Or, maybe it was more along the lines of a ‘ shut up.’

“So,” Sasha asked, snapping his attention back to her. “Are we doing only 10 slots for our custom classes, or are we playing with max slots?”

“Actually,” Will says, “we’re doing gun game next.”

The giggling Sasha can’t help but unveil her pearly white fangs in a malicious grin. “Are we now?”

Somehow, Will had more or less an idea of just what it was she had planned.

Before long, the two other Wolves had finished their match, and the game returned to a local multiplayer lobby. Accompanied by a rotating globe that twinkled with orange lights in popular places, there were only two players there: [EVA]BootyBlaster96, and [EVA]BootyBlaster96(1).

A Gamertag that forced a nother giggle out of Sasha.

“You sure are happy today.” Will looked at her.

“Nah, it’s just that your Gamertag is fitting for what I’m about to do to y’all,” she says, flashing him her malicious fanged grin.

With two more controllers connected, the Gamertag appears in two more slots; albeit with numbers 2 and 3, respectively, instead of 1 in the parentheses.

“You alright with Nuketown?” Asked Will.

“That or Hijacked. Momma loves her some Hijacked.”

Will rolled his blue eyes. “Just like 99% of all Black Ops 2 players.”

“Hey, you got with a girl that was with 99% of all men at school. You have no right to judge me.”

“Yeah? Well I’m about to have 99% accuracy on your head this match.”

“And I’m about to have 99% accuracy on your ass.”

“That was lame as hell.”

“Hey. I work with what you give me. It’s not my fault your roast game is weak as hell.”

Al interjects. “Ladies! Please! Save it for the match!”

The match that was counting down from ten.

“You better not be looking at my screen, Sasha,” Will said, looking at the she-Wolf that had a finger to her chin and tried her hardest to look innocent.

“What? Lil ol’ me?” Her hazel eyes were soft, as well. “I would never...”

The sight of her in this state triggered something in his brain that he couldn’t quite pin down. Arousal? Intrigue? Desire? Didn’t matter; he snapped his blushed attention back to the screen.

When the countdown was over, Will and Sasha were on opposing sides of the map; Will near the entrance to a bomb shelter behind an orange two-story house, and Sasha behind a fence at the rear of a smaller two-story building.

Both parties knew the other was watching their screen. Will, however, was distracted by the sight of Al firing at him with the burst pistol in his hands; a fire fight won by Will.

“Dammit!” Yelled Al.

Upon getting his kill, the weapon in Will’s hands switched to dual-wield automatic pistols that fired at Sasha relentlessly.

“No! NO! I knew it!” Yelled Will. Though, try as he might, Sasha bobbed; weaved; and dived as she advanced towards Will with the starter pistol in her characters’ hands. “Sasha! Fuck off!”

A knife accompanied the pistol in Sasha’s giggling hands.

“C’mere Willie! Bring me that ASS!” She lands her knife on Will’s chest; a feat accompanied by a sad chime from the game.

“No!” Yelled Will. “Fuck you!”

W hen Will respawned, he had regressed to the beginner pistol and knife.

And Sasha, having had her first taste of blood, now had a distant Chris in her sights. “I don’t think so!” Yelled the white Wolf. Unfortunately for her, she was blown to bits by the machine pistols in his hands before she could get close enough to stab him.

“Fuck!” She yelled.

“Nice try, bitch.” Chris responded, now taking hold of a pump-action shotgun; but falling to Al’s starter burst pistol.

And all was calm for a few seconds. Boys killing boys, upgrading their weapons, until Bam! Sasha had snuck behind Will, who was hiding behind what looked to be a blue lowrider, and sodomized him with a knife.

“Surprise buttsex!” She yelled.

“No!” Yelled Will, respawning with a very fat revolver. “God- target someone else!”

“Stop leaving your booty hole exposed-,” she responded, but shrieked in surprise at shots from the burst shotgun in Chris’ hands.

“God- die, demon!” Chris yelled, missing his shots.

But Sasha refused to stand still; as did Chris, as he dodged knife attempt after knife attempt.

“C’mere!” Sasha yelled enthusiastically, missing knife after knife until Al blew Chris away with his own burst shotgun. A calculated move, with Sasha now being relatively far from Al’s new black sub-machine gun; but he underestimated her ability to weave like a snake, and dive like a roller bird.

“No,” calmly stated Al, but started to work his way up. “No, No, NO, NO-” Stab! “NO! FUCK!” And back to the burst shotgun he went.

The very one that Will fired at Sasha, getting the kill and moving on to a black submachine gun.

“Fuck,” Sasha giggled.

“Finally!” Yelled the enthusiastic Will. He was allowed a few more upgrades, up to an amber assault rifle, before Sasha’s favorite tool once more penetrated his spine. “AAAH!”

“Gotcha bitch!” She grinned.

And, as soon as he spawned behind the orange house, he saw that her character was suspiciously starting to run in his direction.

“Oh my god! You’re watching my screen!” He asked.

She giggled as she spoke. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She managed to get a stab in with Chris.

“FUUUUCK!” Chris yelled.

“See? I’m not targeting you!”

Chris did not approve. “Please for the love of god target him!”

“No!” Yelled Will, doming Al and upgrading to a black semi-automatic rifle that he fired at Sasha. “Please for the love of god don’t target me!”

“Hey, you’re shooting at me!” Sasha responded, snaking her way over to him once more.

“No no no no no-” He couldn’t get a good shot in. She was shmovin’.

“At this point-”

“No! Fuck off!”

“It’s only self-”

“NOOOO!”

“DEFENSE!” Stab!

“I fucking hate you!” He yelled. “I should’ve known you were gonna do this bullshit when you grinned at the mention of gun game!”

“Waah waah waah,” Sasha responded. “Just don’t suck, and I won’t stab you! EZ!” She grinned at the unamused human.

“Yeah, I bet this is all you fucking do in this game you-” Stab! “FUCKING WHORE! WHAT ARE THESE SPAWNS!?”

Will continued to simmer in his fury, and it impacted his ability to play greatly; to the point where he’d reached the half-way point to victory when Al and Chris were on the final guns: an RPG, and a Crossbow, respectively.

“Dammit!” Yelled Will. “Why don’t you target them? They’re almost there!”

“Because it’s not as funny to stab them,” she responded, pushing her blade into Al’s abdomen.

“Fuck!” Al yelled.

“See? It’s not as funny as when I do it to-” She screamed when her screen began to flash red to the rhythm of dangerous beeping. An explosion followed, as did the end of her life. “Fuck!”

Chris roared with enthusiasm. “Yes!” In his hands, all he held were dual-wield knives.

And Will was not happy. “Dammit Sasha! Go for Chris!”

“Only if you say please,” she responded.

“Please go for Chris!”

“And if you kiss my ass!”

He sighed. “Never mind.”

The match ended not long after; one of the knives flying away from Chris, and landing…

...well, in the air next to Will’s toes, but that counted as contact.

Chris shot up from the seat, and flexed. “Boo yah!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Will groaned. “You only won because Sasha wouldn’t get off my ass.”

“Hey,” she said. “I’m just trying to live up to the new Gamertag I’ve been given!” Once more, she flashed her toothy grin right in Will’s face.

“Yeah, well 1v1 me in something other than this stupid no-skill bullshit,” he irately shot back.

“Alright, fine!” She smirked. “Snipers only. Nuketown. Tomahawks and no tacticals. That please your highness?”

Will nods. “Fine by me.”

The door to the media room creaked open to reveal Raul’s beautiful mug to Sasha once more. “Master William,” he said. “I just came to see if you and your guests needed refreshments.”

“Ooh!” Sasha’s hazel eyes lit up once again. “Can I get another one of those strawberry cokes?”

Chris raised a finger. “Just a regular coke for me, please.”

As did Al. “I’m in more of a lemonade mood.”

But Will shook his head. “I’m good, Raul. Thank you.”

He bowed. “Understood. Then I shall return with refreshments for your friends.”

The door closed behind him right about when Sasha started to elbow him.

“So, is he right? Are we friends now, master William Moneybags The Third?” A remark that made Will rolled his eyes, much to Sasha’s chuckle. “I’m just fucking with you. As soon as we’re done whooping that blonde bitch’s ass, you won’t see me around here anymore. Don’t worry.”

He raised a blond eyebrow. “You’re not even gonna try to make me warm up to you just so you can keep hanging around here?”

“Pfft!” She leaned forward. “What do I look like? A hoe? I’m not gonna start liking you just ‘cause your parents have money, dude.”

“Huh,” he said with a neutral look.

She hesitated to mention this next bit, but she did so anyway. For vulnerability’s sake; and it helped that Will was already rich, so there was no chance of it influencing his behavior towards her. “Besides, my grandparents are richer than you, and I’ve seen how people in their tax bracket live.” She shook her head. “No thank you. All that money ain’t worth it if I have to act like-” her accent switches to sound British. “A prim and proper lady!”

She even tilts her snout upwards, purses her lips, sits with perfect posture, and closes her eyes.

It was a sight to force Will’s nostrils to blow in laughter. “You’re right about that. Having to act like that to fit in is a pain in the ass.”

“Oop!” Al sat up, and looked at his phone. “Phone call. Be back, y’all.”

Chris also stood. “I’ve gotta use the bathroom.”

And so, the two teens were left with the company of the lobby music for Black Ops 2. Though, it may as well be silence. Either way, it was awkward.

Last time they were alone, they almost-

‘Oh god,’ she thought. The thought of Will’s text had escaped her until this very moment. Should she bring it up? Or ignore it? Will was making no mention of it, so why should she? Maybe it was just a mistake! Yep! A mistake! Something he typed as he was passing out!

“So…”

‘Aw shit!’ She thought. ‘He’s gonna ask about it!’

“...how much richer are your grandparents?”

‘Oh thank god!’ She’d sigh in relief if it wouldn’t have made things more awkward. _“_Uh...I wouldn’t really know how to compare.” Another glimpse into her past? Well, she’d already started trying to be vulnerable, so why stop now? “I remember bits and pieces of a mansion I used to see with my parents. It was big as hell; but then again, I was like six, so everything seemed big.”

“My family owns a mansion too, so I don’t think that’s a good frame of reference.”

“Oh, no. Mansion(s). More than one.”

“Oh.” He tilts his head briefly. “Okay, they have us beat on that.”

“We never did go inside, though. For as long as I can remember, my mom was adamant on keeping me away from my grandparents. I’d always wondered why.”

“Because she’s a good mom,” he stated. “Rich people are the worst.”

“But...you’re rich.”

“No, my parents are rich,” he said. “Besides, I do my own stuff when I can. Laundry, cleaning, all that shit.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to live like a normal person after high school,” he states, raising one of her pseudo-brows curiously.

Was this it? Was he being vulnerable? Without hesitation?

“Oh?” She wondered. Without realizing, she’d sat on one hip to face him, and rested one of her elbows on the backrest to support her head with a fist. “What’s so appealing about exchanging butlers for chores? I know my dad would definitely love an extra pair of hands around the house.”

“I don’t know how to put it. It’s like...when all the tediums of life have been taken away, all you’re left with is fun that eventually gets dull. And then, all you have is nothing.”

“...I don’t get it.”

“How about...uh...breathing.”

“Breathing?”

“You’re not even thinking about it right now. But, if you hold your breath for 30 seconds, breathing suddenly becomes pleasurable.”

“Because it was taken away?”

“Yeah.” He points at her. “But, when you breathe long enough, the pleasure eventually fades.”

“So…” Sasha had a finger to her chin. “without anything bad to accompany the good, all you’re left with is good. But, you get used to the good, so you’re slowly—but inevitably—left with nothing. Am I getting that right?”

Will snapped his fingers, and points at her once more. “Exactly.”

“Hm…” She nods. “Yeah, I guess I could see how that could get boring.”

“So, you get it?”

“Yeah. I guess so.”

“Well, at least someone does.” Will also shifted to face her, sitting on his hip, and resting an arm on the backrest. Though, unlike Sasha, he kept one foot on the floor; the other went under his other leg.

Her head, already tilted into her fist, tilts further. “I’m assuming your parents think you’re fucking retarded for feeling that way?”

“And my friends. And aunts. And uncles, cousins, exes…”

Sasha giggled, a grin coaxed out of her. “Damn. Who haven’t you told about this?”

“Well, pretty much you and everyone else I hadn’t just listed.”

“So, why breathing specifically? Did you almost drown, or something?”

His face turned red, and his eyes looked away. “...in a way.”

One of her pseudo-brows raised curiously. She said nothing, allowing him to continue.

“Let’s just say that someone tested my lung capacity beyond what I thought possible.”

Her smile vanished, and she sat up straight. “Oh my god. Did you eat that blonde bitch out?”

Will propels himself forward as fast as he could, and he tightly wrapped one of his hands around her maw. “Ssshhh!” He whispered. “Not so loud!”

There was a split-second moment where she wanted to aggressively slap his makeshift muzzle of a hand away, but a pulse of powerful, aggressive, body-quaking lust quickly washed over her. Stronger than anything she’d ever felt outside of heat season.

Her traitorous tail left no room for ambiguity, telling Will just how much she enjoyed their current positions.

Never had he let go of something so quickly. “Uh…”

She said nothing, looking away in shame instead and slamming her hand against the tail that just wouldn’t quit.

Luckily, the jiggle of the door handle allowed both panicked teens to snap back to their controllers.

“Oops!” Sasha yelled nervously, gripping the controller once more. “I forgot to make my class!”

“You know what?” Added an equally shaky Will. “I should double check mine!”

If Raul had caught on, neither teen could tell. His face radiated with neutrality as he made his way towards the two teens. “I have returned with the refreshments,” he said, holding a glass full of dark liquid out towards Sasha. “A strawberry Coke for the young lady.”

“T-thanks Mr. Raul!” She downed it in no time flat, sighing in relief immediately afterwards. “Ah! Refreshing!”

“Do you desire a refill, Ms. Sasha?”

“Yeah! Totally! That sounds awesome!” She grinned and handed him the now empty glass, not knowing what else to do.

“Understood.” Before he left, the other two glasses in his black tray were placed on the table in front of the couch.

Now, both teens were once again left with just the funky techno beat of the Black Ops 2 multiplayer lobby.

She tried to think of something, anything, to try and explain away...that. But, try as she could, she knew that there was nothing she could say to excuse what just happened.

“That...uh…” Sasha began, keeping her focus on the screen as she modified her class in-game. “...that was a test, you perv.”

Well, so much for being vulnerable. Back into her shell she went.

“Yeah, ok,” he responds, waiting for her to finish hogging the screen.

“Good.”

“Great.”

“Perfect.”

“Likewise.”

And now silence. Though, on occasion, both teens would glance at the other; their hearts throbbing heavily when they made contact, and their attention snapped right back to the game immediately.

Though, they weren’t sure if it was due to attraction, or embarrassment.

‘My god,’ Sasha thought.

‘How long does it take for…’ Will thought.

‘...someone to take a piss, or…’

‘...talk on the phone?’

There was more silence that Sasha eventually broke. “I didn’t actually like that.”

“Your tail said otherwise,” Will said, which Sasha scoffed at.

“All part of the act, Whitey.”

“Mhm. Act. Sure.”

“It was!”

“Ok,” he said, grinning at her.

“I mean it!”

“And I believe you.”

“Your smile says otherwise, you ass.”

“For someone that was just acting, you sure are defensive.”

She scoffed. “You should be defensive about the...uh...the anal fisting I’m gonna give you in our 1v1.”

“And now you’re getting sexual? Damn. I’m just living in your head now, aren’t I?” His grin remained.

Much to her irate state. “...just start the fucking match already.”

The door handle jiggles once more.

It was Al and Chris, much to Sasha and Will’s relief.

“Sup, y’all?” Al asked.

“Did anything happen whil-”

“NO!” Both the human and the she-Wolf yelled in a panic.

Both Al and Chris, now seated, looked at each other awkwardly before grinning.

“Stop that!” Sasha yelled. “Stop grinning! Nothing happened!”

Chris raised his hands defensively. “Okay, okay. Nothing happened,” he emphasized. But his grin hadn’t vanished.

Sasha growled irately. “After I destroy Whitey, I’m coming for your ass.” She focused her attention back to the screen.

“...what did I do?”

T he screen was now split in two. Will occupied the top half, standing behind the orange house on one side of the map, while Sasha stood behind the fence belonging to the opposite house.

3.

2.

1.

Sasha deepened her voice, and looked at the sky. “Kobe!” She threw a silver tomahawk at the sky, seemingly randomly, before running towards the house.

Will rolled his eyes. “As if that’s gonna-” Fly right on his toe from across the map, giving Sasha the first kill.

Chris and Al both covered their maws with a fist . “Oooh!”

“You got lucky,” Will irately spit out.

“No, I’m just that good,” she responds, dusting her shoulder off. “Now bring me that ass!” Her sand-colored iron-sight sniper was thirsty for blood.

B oth teens first laid eyes on each other on different sides of a map-center moving truck which, oddly enough, had a hole in the middle made for crossing to the other side. Unfortunately, Will couldn’t even get bring up his scope before the crunchy sound of a headshot signaled his death.

“2-0,” Sasha said, hopping onto a red car behind the truck. Above the fence that no longer blocked her sight, she could see Will spawn next to the bomb shelter behind the red house. He didn’t even get a chance to move before he met the bad end of Sasha’s iron sight with another crunchy headshot.

“Bro! Fuck these spawns!” Yelled Will, irately mimicking Sasha’s giggling. He spawned behind the other house, and finally got a shot in when Sasha missed and failed to take cover.

“Fuck!” She yelled.

“1-3,” Will said.

Then, for a moment, neither one could find the other. That is until they turned the same corner, from different directions, and screamed in surprise as both missed their shot.

They crouched, they side-stepped, and they knived at each other, all while landing nothing.

“God-” Sasha panic-yelled. “Die!”

“Fuck you!” Will screamed.

Still, five shots in, neither one could land a hit.

“Fuck my potato aim, bro!” Sasha clenched her fangs.

Finally, his knife meets her torso. “Aha!”

“Fuck!”

The score was now 2-3. But the score lead grew wide as Sasha sniped him again.

“Dammit!” Yelled Will.

And again.

“You sweaty bitch!”

And again.

“When was the last time you took a shower?” He asked irately.

“I dunno,” she grinned, opening an armpit in his direction. “You tell me.”

“What-” He flinched away, blocking her with one palm. “Ugh! Put that shit down! It smells like Air Bud and Dixie had a sweaty orgy in there!”

“Oh, you know you love it,” she said, the tip of her tongue playfully stuck out at him as he was scoped once more.

The score was now 14-6. One more, and she won the game.

And, in her cockiness, she began to do something that Will took advantage of to catch up: she would run to the second floor of whichever house she was closest to, jump out the window, and spin endlessly; shooting only once during the spin.

“Oh hell no!” Will yelled.

She continued to miss, Will gladly taking her out with each jump she performed, until one of her spin shots hit Will square in the head.

As if instinctual, Will performed a series of quick inputs which closed the game, and returned the console back to the home screen.

And, as he’d expect, all three Wolves were struggling to breathe as their laughter pinned them to the couch.

“He rage quit!” Al struggled to yell, his laughter evicting the air from his lungs.

As was the case with Sasha. “Get…!” She gasped. “Get destroyed!”

He didn’t know what to feel more humiliated by. The fact that he just got 360 no-scoped in front of his friends, the fact that he just rage quit on a local match, or the fact that—in her laughter—Sasha’s legs had split open, and his eyes could not resist taking a peek .

“...yeah, whatever…” He grumbled, standing. “I think I’m played out.”

But Chris just shook his head. “You’re just mad because you got fuckin’ rekt!”

Sasha’s giggling attention was brought to the cup of Coke that rests on the table in front of her. “Hey! When’d this get here?” She must’ve ignored Raul when he brought the drink in earlier. “Oh well! I’m not complaining!” Her claws grip the glass, which she raises. “A victory drink for the winner!” A moan of pleasure escapes her throat when the dark liquid blesses her mouth once more; and then, a sigh of satisfaction. “I’m gonna get fat drinking this stuff, but I can’t help it! It’s too good!”

“Well,” Will continues, “if you’re in such a good mood now, then maybe we should continue practice.”

“Aw,” her ears flatten. “But I haven’t gotten a chance to beat Chris’ ass yet.”

“There’s always later,” he shot back. “But now, we should get back to practice.”

“Hai, mein fuhrer!” She responds, doing the Nazi salute, and marching towards the door.

“Hai is Japanese, Sasha.”

“I know!” She cheerfully yells from outside the room.

After getting their bearings, the three once more stood in the golf simulation room. This time, however, Sasha actually looked relaxed.

But Al had to verify. “How are you feeling, Sasha?”

She nods. “I feel good now. I think playing Black Ops 2 helped me loosen up a bit.”

“Awesome. Then, let’s start again.”

Will started the countdown. “Three! Two! One!”

And once more, the third floor was filled with the sound of a basic rock tune. Nothing well known; it was just something the boys had come up with while Sasha was struggling earlier.

But now, it was Sasha’s turn to contribute. No official lyrics meant that she had to add her own.

Straight from her heart. While the three boys had their eyes on her.

She took a deep breath in, and then released it. ‘Come on, Sasha. Be vulnerable. They are probably gonna roast you, but that’s fine...’

Though no words came to mind, she was at least able to match the overall pitch of the song with variable-length ‘dun’ noises. An embarrassing situation, now that she was purposefully singing for other ears, but their faces of happy approval coaxed a smile out of her that bolstered her confidence. She had even begun to sway a little.

Maybe not the vulnerability she needed to win; but at least, it was a good start.

An autumn’s evening.

In a warm and strange October.

We’ve built a wall.

Yet in only several evenings, I’ve started to spot cracks.

Hell, I still remember her two favorite snacks.

I am confused. I do not know.

Don’t talk of love.

Its bitter sting still lingers.

The golden devil won’t ever leave.

Denial of my feelings, all they want’s a flex.

All except the woman that keeps winning bets.

I am confused. I do not know.

She is so strange.

Aggressive, yet comforting.

What’s going on with me?

Gender nonconforming, she’ll call you a dick.

Yet I just can’t help but notice that she’s thick.

I am confused. I do not know.

She’s leaving now.

But a part of me wishes she wouldn’t.

I feel like I’m losing it.

If I were to proclaim this, I’d feel as if I’d died.

But I secretly want to feel her inside.

I am confused. I do not know.

Perhaps a step too far.

Hyperbole fueled by uncertainty.

But the inner fire remains.

Born from years of torment, half of me won’t budge.

But the other half just will not hold that grudge.

I am confused. I do not know.

I do not know know where we’re heading.

And I’m confused on what I want.

The pub is ablaze with the clinking of glasses from frustrated workers looking to let loose after another round of corporate abuse.

But not everyone was feeling the liberating spirit.

Over in the long stretch of the shining brown bar, the hunched over Aleena’s lustrous ebony arms rest themselves as a glass of strawberry daiquiri remained tightly in her grasp.

She looks to her left. Nothing but overweight white guys looking at their phones.

And then to her right. Wolves, male and female, howling together.

Both groups avoided the stools immediately neighboring Aleena. Nothing personal, she assumed. On the way to her stool, she’d noticed that people and Wolves tended to self-segregate; into smaller groups, even. White people with other whites, black with black, monocolored Wolves in certain groups, and blended Wolves in others.

So, then, why wasn’t Aleena with ‘her own kind,’ then?

“Sup, baby girl,” said a thin black man sliding into the stool to her right.

As if on reflex, Aleena grins at him. “Hi,” she says.

“You lookin’ hella cute from across the bar, I ain’t gon’ lie,” he grins, leaning towards her ever slightly.

With a high, happy tone, she forces out a “Thank you!”

“So, uh,” he continues, “you lookin’ to have a good time?”

“I’m flattered, but…” And that’s when she saw his grin start to fade. “...I already have a boyfriend. Sorry.” Her shiny brown lips hug her red straw, and take a sip.

“Sorry?” He just about shot up out of his stool. “Fuck you mean sorry, bitch?”

Aleena raised her eyebrow. “Like, sorry, I ain’t interested?”

Her hand had been hovering awfully close to her bag the moment the man had approached her.

Not like he cared. “Bitch, I know you ain’t got no boyfriend!” His palm slammed on the counter. “Why you lyin-”

But before the angry man could advance further, his eyes were assaulted by the quick draw of Aleena’s pepper spray.

The squirming man’s screams of agony were like a battle horn for his friends to rise from their seats, and come to his aid.

But the sassy “mm mm” of the blond bartender behind the counter forces them to freeze. “Try it, ladies. See what happens.”

A description the retreating black men did not like.

“...faggot ass nigga...”

“..I ain’t no lady...”

“...fuckin’ bitch...”

They just took their pepper spray friend, and left the establishment.

Confused, Aleena turned around to see just what it was that forced them to give up. And, surprisingly, a holstered 1911 peeked out from underneath the bartender’s black vest.

Now, with no need to force a smile, she looked up at the bartender and flashed him genuine gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Any time,” he responds. “This bar has a zero tolerance policy for patriarchal bullshit. One strike, and you’re out.”

“Then I guess I found my bar.” The rest of her strawberry daiquiri vanished before the bartender’s eyes. “Hit me again.”

“You got it.”

The bartender disappeared into his own little world as he pulled out all sorts of ingredients that Aleena didn’t focus on.

Rather, she focused on her phone. Still no call from Mike.

That elicits a sigh from her that the bartender picked up on. “Everything okay?”

“Huh?” She snapped up. “Oh, yeah. I’m good.”

“You don’t sound good.” There was a bit of silence, on purpose, before he broke it. “Does it involve Mike?”

“N-nah,” she looks away, coaxing a smile from the bartender. “It ain’t like that.”

“Girl, you are a terrible liar. I saw how chummy y’all were last time he was here.”

“We ain’t close.” But the bartender’s lowered eyes disagreed. “No, really.” And lower his unamused face went. “...aight. He may have kinda sorta been my best friend growin’ up…”

“Really?” Mused the intrigued bartender. “In all the time I’ve known him, he’s never mentioned you.”

She sighed. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

He looked disappointed. “I never pegged Mike for a racist.”

“What!? Nah! He ain’t no racist!”

“Well how else am I supposed to take this other than him being too ashamed to admit that he was practically attached to the hip with a black woman?”

Clearly, Aleena had words in her frozen mouth that she wanted to release. But, all the bartender got was silence, and a wide mouth that slowly relaxed into neutrality. “...it ain’t my place to say.” But man, did she really want to.

The bartender paused for a moment, scanning her partially covered face. Her inner turmoil was obvious even through the afro that covered her brown eyes. “A best friend that he’s never talked about. That Wolf’s tea brews hotter with every passin’ moment.”

Maybe it was the second daiquiri talking, but the bartender’s words triggered something within her. Something she would’ve normally dropped.

Bartender-drinker confidentiality was a thing, right?

“So…I really ain’t come up once?”

“Nope,” dragged the bartender. “But, in his defense, I’ve never heard him talk to me—or anyone—about anything personal.” He clacks another glass of strawberry daiquiri in front of Aleena. “’cept you.”

“’Cept me, huh?” Her cheeks tingle at the notion.

“It certainly caught me by surprise, that’s for sure. I didn’t even think he had other feelings aside from exhaustion and hopelessness.”

And there went the happy tingle; replaced by a little crack in her heart. “Yeah, no surprise there-” But, she blocked her mouth too late; much to the bartender’s raised eyebrow.

He was tactful; raising his hands cautiously. “Alright, I have a question to ask you. But, if you don’t want to answer, I completely understand and will not pry further.”

“Shoot.”

“Just how far back do y’all go?”

Damn near to the beginning of her memories. Everything she could remember from that time period had an odd fuzziness to it; perhaps the haze of her child eyes taking in the world that she was growing into.

She had just turned five; that much she could remember.

And everything looked bigger, too. Especially the colorful tables that were slightly over half as tall as she was. If you wanted to sit with a personal group, the yellow hexagonal tables had your back. Or, if you were more open, the long rows of blue rectangular tables were also an option.

But first, little Aleena had to chug through the long lunch line that she currently found herself in. Next to her, young Jada scanned the front of the line impatiently. Both were roughly the same height at around this point in their lives.

But height was irrelevant to the children. No, they wanted food; and they wanted it now.

“Man,” begins Jada. “What’s the hold up? I’m hungry!”

“Me too,” Aleena reinforced, crossing her arms. “It’s probably that fatty again.”

“Ugh, I hate fatties. They’re gross.” Jada crossed her arms.

“I dunno. Fat Albert’s kinda fun-” A cold tingle on her nape forced her to snap forward quickly. “What the!?”

And there was a weird sound that accompanied the discomfort; sniffing, she assumed, when she saw a small Wolf child leaned forward.

“You smell like marshmallows,” he yipped, his playful tail dancing slowly. “Do you have any?”

She didn’t have her signature Afro at this point, her hair bound by the tiny pigtails on her head, so the young Wolf was able to see Aleena’s confused eyes. “...what?”

Jada stepped up to her defense. “Hey! Leave her alone, stinky!”

Not the reaction the young boy was expecting. His ears, like his curiosity, dropped; and he retreats without uttering another word.

“Weirdo...” Whispered Jada.

Aleena remembered being conflicted. On one hand, Jada was right. He had a weird smell to him, and he had no right doing what he just did. But, on the other hand, all she saw when she glanced back at him was a sad puppy; and that did put a damper on her mood.

As for what happened after, Aleena couldn’t quite remember.

The bartender, wiping the area in front of him, looked confused. “...how adorable?”

Aleena giggled, sipping more of her drink. “Yeah. That ain’t a good first impression, ain’t it?”

“So, how exactly did it go from that to friendship?”

“Honestly, I don’t know when we became friends. One day, he was that weird loner kid; and the next, poof. Friends.”

“Michael was a loner?”

Aleena smiled. “Yeah. He was. But now I’m thinkin’ that’s probably why we became friends in the first place.”

“Were you also a loner?”

“In a way.” Sip. “I mean, I had friends, and people were nice to me and shit, but I never felt like anyone could relate to me, y’know?”

“...no, I don’t.”

“It’s like…” Her thinking blocked her mouth momentarily. “...I was black, with other black people, but some things I did weren’t seen as ‘black.’ Ya feel me?”

“Aaah,” nods the bartender. “Okay, I get the picture now.”

“Well, so did Mikey. He also lived it during our time in elementary school.”

Another fuzzy memory.

In the big cafeteria, Aleena could remember feeling uncomfortable since her seat was directly behind little Mike’s. There was always that feeling that he was going to turn around, and sniff her again.

But, seated in one of the rows of blue tables, the hunched-over Wolf’s attention seemed more focused on his food than anything else. Chicken nuggets; plucked one by one with his little claws, and sucked up by his stubby maw.

All around him, little clusters of other Wolf children sat upright. They ate with utensils, rather than their fingers, and their tails were as calm as a still pool of water; unlike Mike’s wild appendage.

That is to say, he was noticeably different.

Among the little Wolf groups that surrounded Mike, two boys next to him were the closest thing Aleena could hear.

“Say, Thaddeus,” politely uttered one of the children. “Have you made any progress in the newly released Mario Brothers?”

“Why no, Xavier, I appear to be stuck in the second level. It continues to consume my quarters in the arcade.”

“Well, that’s no good. It must bother you so.”

“Not at all.” Thaddeus shook his head. “It would shame my family if I were to allow myself to display such negative emotions.”

A statement that triggered Mike’s interest. “What?” The young and confused pup tilts his head. “That game stinks! The crab guys cheat!”

Every Wolf child around them stopped their polite and calm conversations, and snapped their attention towards the young irate boy.

But being at the center of so many eyes forced little Mike to cringe in shame. “Uh…I mean…it’s uh…”

“Pardon my intrusion, Michael,” began Thaddeus, “but I do not believe that I included you in this conversation.”

“Uh...yeah…” Mike just sank towards his plate, and didn’t look up. “Sorry…”

But even that display of sadness raised some Wolf eyebrows; and it drew calm whispers, but Aleena couldn’t quite make them out.

Over at her table, a black boy was using his pencils as makeshift drumsticks; and his instrument was the table itself.

The clicks from the pencils were fast, but enjoyable; at least the other black kids at the table thought so. They were dancing to the beat.

Even Jada, who jabbed Aleena with her elbow. “What’s up?” She asked. “You ain’t feelin’ this?”

“What?” Aleena stood, and forced her torso to wiggle. “Uh...yeah! I was just...uh...distracted.”

But a speedy teacher wasn’t. In the overweight brunette rushed, confiscating the little drummer boy’s pencils.

“God darn dangit, Jeremy!” Spouted the teacher who struggled to remain calm. “I’ll tell you what, now, I done told you better ‘an a month now man talkin’ ‘bout dang ol’ not beatin’ ‘em pencils like a dang ol’drum man-”

Her unique hick accent didn’t fail to make the children laugh; not even Mike.

Though, being the only wolf to do so, he quickly shut himself up out of fear of sticking out.

But there seemed to be another reason his laughing diminished. “Aw, man…” expressed the young Wolf.

He stood, and carried his empty food tray towards one of the designated tray return areas located next to a door; one which he entered not long after returning his tray.

“Oh,” continued the teacher. “You find it funny? Tell you what, man, imma dang ol’ keep the pencils, man.”

“Aw, what?” Laments the little drummer boy. “That ain’t fair!”

“Teach you a dang ol’ lesson…” The teacher said; wasting no more time, and storming off.

“Fat bitch...”

Every kid in earshot, except for the Wolves, let out an ‘oooooh’ that increased in intensity.

The teacher froze; snapping around and pointing towards the door. “Alright, now I tell you what, man! You don’ d’earned yourself a dang ol’ trip to ‘principal’s office!”

“Wait! No! I’m sorry!” Tears were beginning to pool in the desperate little drummer boy’s eyes.

“Dang ol’...march!”

What was once a sassy mouth was now a trail of crying and boogers. But, Aleena knew there was nothing she could do but watch as Jeremy went to face the consequences of his actions.

But she didn’t have time to process the new development. Not when she felt her bladder ringing.

“Hey, I’ll be back,” Aleena says. “I gotta pee.”

“Okay,” shrugs Jada.

She goes through the same door that Mike had gone through not long before. Normally, kids aren’t allowed to venture out of the cafeteria, but an exception was made when they had to go to the bathroom.

Though her trek was interrupted just before she was able to enter. Two other black girls left just as Aleena arrived, but paused when they saw her shirt.

Donkey Kong wasn’t quite the well known character he is today. So, when the two girls were done looking at the cartoon gorilla, their eyes snapped up to Aleena.

“What’s a Donkey Kong?” Asked one of them.

Aleena, looking down at her shirt, seemed excited to answer. “He’s a bad guy in this videogame where-”

“Videogame?” Leers the other one. “You play videogames?”

“Huh?” Aleena’s confidence began to evaporate. “Well, nah, I’m not allowed to, but…”

“ ‘Not allowed to?’ ” Repeats one of them. “Why you talkin’ like a white girl?”

Oh crud. She did it again. When her enthusiasm shoots up, she forgets to talk correctly.

“But- I ain’t-”

“Hey,” asks a curious Mike, the male bathroom creaking closed. “What’s going on?”

The two other black girls leer at him. “Go away, stinky! We ain’t talkin’ to you!”

But an irate Mike didn’t take too kindly to those words. “Why is everyone calling me stinky?” He groaned.

“ ‘cause you stink like wet dog!”

Not inaccurate. But, ears flat, Mike’s snout wrinkled to expose his little fangs.

All there; except for his upper right canine.

“Oh yeah!?” Mike yelled. “Well...you smell like toilet!”

His anger evaporated when the confidence of his two female opponents shattered into tiny little pieces. The insulted girl ran away crying, and the other leered at Mike.

“Ooooh, I’m tellin’!” She threatens, running after her crying friend.

But as for the third girl, Aleena, she was having trouble breathing. Laugh after laugh escaped her little mouth, tear after tear having to be wiped away. “That was funny!”

“Michael!” The echo of the hillbilly teacher clawed at the ears of both children. “Man, what you mean talkin’ bout ladies smell like dang ol’ toilet, man?”

“Mrs. Dixon!” Yelled Aleena. “He ain’t-”

“Man, talk’ bout...hush, baby,” Mrs. Dixon soothes. “Go back on to dang ol’ lunch now, man. Tell you what, I gotta teach dang ol’ Mike here ‘bout how to treat a lady. Talkin’ bout...respect, man. Ladies first, I tell you what…”

As she continued to ramble, Aleena couldn’t help but apologize with sad eyes at the regretful Wolf child that was only trying to…

...well, not help. His actions were in retaliation, not defense. But, he did help her, and thus she felt guilty seeing him pulled into what she assumed was going to be the principal’s office.

But little did Aleena know, his troubles did not end there.

Later on in the day, just before it was time to go home, their grade level was given time to enjoy the outdoor playground.

It was a large space; a handful of wood-chip-filled sections supporting tall metallic structures.

The one Aleena currently stood on, supporting a large array of jungle gyms, was also populated with a handful of other black kids that stood in a circle.

“Okay…” uttered a child. “Hide!”

Aleena ran away as fast as she could. But where should she go?

The three different sections with slides seemed like no-brainers.

The blue one to the left? No, everyone hides there.

The red one to the right? No, that’s where the weird kids hang out.

The green one in the middle? ...no, half of the hiding kids are running there.

Red it is. Since everyone wants to avoid the weirdos, even the seeker, it’s the perfect place to hide.

She just had to watch her back.

Though, when she approached the slide, it seemed like she wasn’t going to have much difficulty hiding from the weird kids. Their attention seemed focused on someone else.

“Who smells like toilet now, huh?”

“Get off me!”

Aleena froze.

“Did you hear something?”

Aleena crouched behind a short rock climbing wall, and slowed her breathing.

“...nah.”

“Aight, good. Then woof woof, doggy boy!”

Aleena slowly peeked from around the corner. Just as she feared, they were bullying someone.

There were three of them; black boys, and only one Wolf. He was forced on his hands and knees by one of the boys that sat on his back like he was a horse.

Screw hide and seek, Aleena decided. After tip-toeing off of the play area, to avoid attention, she made a break for the closest teacher she could find.

“Mrs. Dixon!” Desperately groaned Aleena.

“Hey, Aleena. How’s it-”

“Someone’s being bullied over there!” She points to the slides.

“What!?” The redhead rolled up her sleeves. “Man, what’s going on, today!? Talk ‘bout dang ol’ delinquent day, I tell you what, man, just…dang…”

However fast Aleena was, the teacher was surprisingly much faster despite her weight. She blitzed into the play area like a bulldozer, her eyes hungry for the sight of delinquents to bring to justice.

“Man, I tell y’all what, man! Y’all gon’ dang ol’ go to the principal’s office, man! Talkin’ bout three week’s detention, man! Talkin’ bout learn some dang ol’ respect, I tell you what! Now dang ol’ move it! Talkin’ bout…! Talkin’ bout…! Dang ol’…!”

Aleena had never seen her face turn red before.

And the boys, Michael being no exception, looked like they were staring death in the face.

And the teacher just kept going.

And going.

And going.

The three petrified bullies just looked at each other before deciding to slowly walk towards the school, surrendering to a fate that was surely better than whatever awaited them at the end of the teacher’s livid rambling.

And then, it was only two. Mike and Aleena. Alone.

Now that there was no one to force him on his knees, the young boy stood and shook like a dog; desperate to rid himself of as much debris as he could. Only, half-way through his shaking, he paused and stared at the giggling girl. “What?”

“You shake like a doggie!” Aleena says, grinning, and with watery eyes.

“Uh…” His ears flatten, and he looks at the ground. “...sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry!” She skips over to him. “It was funny!”

Sure enough, she had his attention again; though with furrowed brows. “Funny?”

“Yeah! You looked like this!”

Now it was Mike’s turn to laugh as Aleena’s human body failed to mimic Mike’s shaking. She was slow and stiff; and looked like she was dancing to a pirate jig. “You’re right! That is funny!”

Though, as good as the moment was, Aleena’s smile quickly hid behind worry. “I’m sorry. You got hurt because of me.”

“It’s okay,” Mike said, albeit with a sad tone that didn’t align with neutrality. “My momma says that feeling sad is bad.”

“Well, my momma says that it’s okay to be sad,” Aleena countered.

That was news to the confused Mike. “It is?”

“That’s what my momma says. She always tellin’ me that tears fall for a reason.”

“I like that.” His little tail comes to life once more; rapidly fanning due to its little size. “It makes me feel good.”

“That’s good!” Aleena grins once more. “My name’s Aleena by the way. What’s yours?”

“Michael.”

“Ew!” She yells, drawing a brow from Mike. “Too long! Imma call you Mikey, ‘kay?”

“Uh...isn’t that just as long?”

“Nuh uh! It’s shorter! And it sounds better!”

“Fine. Then...imma call you Ally, okay?”

“Ally, huh?” Her grin hides behind her closed-lip smile. “I like that.”

“Nice Donkey Kong shirt, by the way.”

She looks at it for a moment. “You don’t think it’s weird?”

“...no? I want one. Where’d you get it?”

“I dunno. My uncle got it from somewhere.”

Before he could respond, Mike’s little ears snapped up; and his eyes focus on something behind Aleena. “I think we gotta go.”

“What?” She focused on...whatever it was he was looking at. A distant teacher, from the looks of it; and she was waving for all children to gather. “How’d you hear that?”

“Uh...with my ears?”

For dramatic effect, her irate face slowly turned to face him once more; it did not fail to make Mike laugh once more.

“You think you funny, huh?”

“Yeah!” He grins.

“Whoa…” She leans in for a better look at his little teeth. “Your teeth are different!”

“...what?”

“Yeah! Look!” She grins back at him.

“Whoa!” Now Mike leaned in. “They’re flat!”

“No, yours are just sharp!”

“Nuh uh!”

“Michael! Aleena!” Yelled the teacher; to where even Aleena could hear.

Both children break out into a sprint. “Oh crud!”

She could remember that he was faster than she was. But, only slightly.

And it marked the end of one of the first times she felt she could truly be herself. There was no pressure to align with feminine interests when she was near him; no need to stay within the box of “being black” out of fear of being cast out.

No, she could be Aleena Jackson around this odd fuzzy boy; and he was always eager to see just what else she had hidden away from under the boot of conformity.

“As a kid,” she mentions to the bartender, “hanging around him just felt nice.”

Her drink was now empty; whichever one this was. One? Two? Four? However many it was, the bartender just said “That right?” But he did not serve her another.

Especially since her speech was slurring. “I miss those days. But now, life just sucks. I go to work, and then come back to a house full a’ nothin’…”

“Yes,” agrees the bartender, “Life can be unfair.”

“You know whose fault it is?” She says, slamming a palm on the table. “That stupid bitch wife of his!”

He was taken aback. “His wife?” A woman he’d never heard bad things about?

“Yeah! Me and Mikey was in love! But you know what? You know what? She liked him too! Which is why that sneaky ass bitch baby trapped Mikey when she went into heat!”

The bartender shook his head at another worker in the distance, and even shooed him away. “That’s...quite the accusation.”

“Think about it! He ain’t ever look at her like she wife material. But then, coincidentally ,’ she emphasizes with her fingers, ‘she became his baby daddy after winter break!? AFTER Wolves go into heat!?”

“Well, when you put it like that, it does sound suspect,” he added.

“Right!? But people are like: No Aleena, that was a long time ago! You gotta let it go! He chose her over you!” She slams her fist on the bar. “Bull-fuckin’-shit! I know he ain’t choose to go down on that bitch! Somehow, she got near him when she was in heat. And when Wolf niggas get near a female in heat, their minds shut off! They’d kill a baby to get some heat pussy!”

“Okay, I think it’s about time I called you a cab.”

“I don’t need no cab! I need another daiquiri!”

“Ma’am,” whispered the bartender. “You’re drunk, and you’re angry. For your safety, I highly recommend going home.”

“And I recommend serving me again ‘cause I ain’t no bitch!”

He sighed. “Look, you’ve reached a point where it’s company policy to cut you off. Please, I beg you. Go home, and sleep this off.”

Aleena groaned. “Fine.” She aggressively rummages through her purse, and slams a fifty dollar bill on the counter.

The next moments are a blur to Aleena. One moment, she was walking out of the establishment; and the next, she was wobbling down the walkway that led to her two-story house.

But, she collapsed, and sat on her butt. “Owie…”

“Hey,” groaned a guy that seemed out of breath. “You okay?”

“Huh?” She had to lift the front of her afro to get a good look at the guy. Since it was about 11 PM, it was hard to make out his face in the dark. “...Will?”

“Wait…” He leaned in with narrow eyes. “Ms. Aleena?”

“Oh god, don’t look at me…” she tried to stand, but she threatened to collapse once more.

“Whoakay, you’re hammered…” He takes her hands, and helps her up. “Here. Let me help you to the door.”

“Thanks…” Her heels aggressively click against the walkway as both humans approach her door. “So, what are you doin’ here?”

“I live around here. I decided to take up jogging, and I love the night, so...here I am.”

“That’s good,” she slurs. “You gon’ get all the Wolf bitches in no time.”

Will chuckled. “We’ll see.”

“Okay…” She holds on to her front door’s handle. “I got it from here. Thanks.”

“O-okay. Good night, Ms. Aleena.”

“Good night future Mr. Sasha’s husband.”

“...what?”

How did she know that name?

Will was confused.

How did Aleena know Sasha’s name? He’s never mentioned it to her. The only way she could know about it was if she…

...no, Will didn’t think it was wise to start making assumptions. Especially ones that did not align with the Mr. Falconer he knew.

It was hard to believe that the kind, generous, and calm Wolf that invited Will into his home could be a cheater-

‘Then you’ve clearly never met the mother of Mike’s old friend,’ echoed Sheila in his mind.

‘Who?’ Mike asked. ‘Mrs. Jackson?’

‘Yeah! 20 grill offs, and my mom could never beat her. Her dark skin haunts my mother to this day.’

Wait a second. Jackson? Dark skin? As in…

‘Aleena,’ Will remembered, also recalling the hand she extended at the gym when he first met her. ‘Aleena _ Jackson _.’

This was the old friend he’d heard about during dinner at the Falconers’?

Of course!

He was being silly! They were old friends, so they probably kept in touch!

But that still doesn’t explain her aversion to-

“William!” The echo of a horrid feminine banshee assaulted his ears from behind. “Hey! Yoo hoo!”

Okay, maybe ‘banshee’ was hyperbole. Her voice was delicate and high; like she was an ideal beauty pageant winner. Or a Disney princess.

But nevertheless, she only brought out one emotion. “Ugh…” Will, stopping his jog and reluctantly turning around, was not a fan of the noise he’d just heard.

“Funny running into you at this time of night!” She smiled.

“Yeah,” he groaned skeptically. “Funny how I keep running into you no matter what I’m doing.”

She giggled. “I guess you and I have a lot in common!”

‘God dammit,’ he thought. ‘I specifically picked now to jog so that I wouldn’t have to look at you. But...I guess you’re always watching me, huh?’

Sure enough, the thin blonde was sporting athletic clothing; just like he was. Though, in contrast to his black shorts, and red running shoes; she sported a white tank top, pink dolphin shorts, and tennis shoes to match.

Due to her smaller thigh size, she leaned a bit to one side in order to try to flaunt more of a curvature in the shorts that aimed to reveal more skin at the hips.

In his opinion, her objective was a failure. Her thighs were simply too thin to pull off the shorts; to the point where they didn’t comfortably hug at her thighs from any side. There was a small gap between her shorts and her thighs; from what he could see, anyway.

But, his fellow rich man loved it; which he did not understand.

“Wanna jog together, William?” She asked. “It’ll be safer.”

“No thanks,” he spit out bluntly, continuing his jog. “I’m doing fine on my own.”

“What’s the matter? Afraid you’ll grow tired before I do?” Sure enough, that forced him to stop; much to her satisfied smile.

“I will not grow tired before you.”

“Then prove it,” she says, jogging up to him. “If I get tired first, I’ll leave you alone on your jogs.”

“And if I get tired first?”

“You have to go on a date with me.”

Will groaned. On one hand, it would help get her off his back. But, on the other hand, he couldn’t help but wonder if she had something up her sleeve.

Though, looking at her, it didn’t look like she was much of an...anything involving exercise.

Easy victory, Will figured.

“Fine.” He turned around, and began to jog once more. “But you better hold up your end of the bargain.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not a Scorpio.”

Oh how he wished there was a wall for him to put his head through. In a list of things that turned him off the most, obsession with the Zodiac was pretty high up there.

“So,” she continued, jogging next to him. “Why are you out this late? Your girlfriend must be worried sick.”

He hates that the mention of him having a girlfriend brought Sasha to mind; even more so that he was now picturing her howl with concern for his well being.

‘What are you doing out there, Willie?’ He imagined her screaming softly. ‘Get inside! It’s too dangerous, my love!’

...who was he kidding. It would be something more akin to…

‘Are you trying to lose a kidney, Whitey?’ He pictured her growling. ‘Get inside, or I’ll kick your ass!’

He chuckled. Yeah, that’s definitely what she’d say.

“...William?”

The blonde’s question smacked him out of his daydreaming, and into a sea of embarrassment. He couldn’t believe that he’d just thought of Sasha’s bitchy attitude in a fond way after his jogging partner uttered the word ‘girlfriend.’

“Hell no! I’m single!” He panicked. But, realizing that he’d just walked into the blonde’s trap, he cringed.

“Really?” Cooed the blonde. “That’s surprising. You’re such a good guy. Any girl would be lucky to have you!” She moved a bit closer to him.

A distance he matched moving away. “Yeah, well any girl can’t. I know better than to blindly dive right in with someone I don’t know.”

“Well, that’s easy to fix!” She says. “We’re jogging right now, aren’t we? I’d say we’re starting to get to know each other right now!”

“No, we’re competing against each other, and just making conversation.” His serious eyes didn’t dare deviate from his front. “Besides…” He didn’t like having to rely on the hellhound to escape this topic, but he felt like he had no choice. “...my new friend capacity is currently maxed out.”

A sentence that forced her tone to curve sharply towards hostility. “By who? That fat Wolf bitch?”

“Whoa!” That irately grabbed his attention. “Where’d that come from?” And to what extent was she watching him?

“Hanging out with poor people never works out, you know,” she says. “They’ll only ever see you as a bank account. Pretty unattractive, if you ask me.”

Will picked up the pace. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

As did she. “I’m just saying. You know better than any of us that they live in a completely different world.”

“How’s that a bad thing?”

“Because they’ll never truly understand what it means to be a somebody. If you try to tell them why GMOs are bad, they’ll just stare at you like the cavemen they are. Also…” She shook her head. “...I can’t imagine living a life where I can’t take a private jet to Italy for the summer. Is that the kind of life you want, William? One with no private jets, or butlers, or organic food?”

“Where are you going with this, Missy?”

“I’m just saying that hanging around poors all the time just drags you down with them. They’re poor for a reason, right?”

“Yeah,” Will agreed. “Because they love enjoying life.”

“If that’s the case, then why do...they want to be us...so bad?” She asked, her breathing getting heavier. “Because...our way of living is...better. That’s why…”

“If you’re a lazy douche, maybe.”

Looks like Aleena’s jogging tips were starting to pay off. He was getting winded, sure, but Missy’s jogging was growing more sloppy by the second.

Her speed continued to slow until she couldn’t help but grab onto her petite knees for dear life. “...fuck…”

“I win!” Yelled Will from a distance. “Now stay away from me!”

Hearing her desperate gasps for air made the fire in his lungs all the worse. But, he didn’t want to catch his breath yet; not while she was still in his line of sight.

So, he pushed on; further and further; until his instincts took over, and his hands desperately grip at his knees.

It was a chilly 57 degrees today; a contrast to the 85 degrees that encouraged him to sweat just half a day ago. It was good news for the skin that tried to rid itself of as much heat as possible, but terrible for the lungs that felt like he was huffing razor blades.

Out of paranoia, he glances behind him. The blonde stalker is not there.

Good.

He’d been jogging a bit faster than he normally did, just to shake her off, but he no longer had to deal with her. So, after catching his breath, he continued his routine until his shoes met the dark gray of his stone porch.

Heart pounding, lungs desperate, and heavy leg muscles tightened with the burn of athleticism. This meant only one thing: time for a victory coke!

But Aleena’s advice echoed in his head once more. ‘Don’t eat crap after a workout. You’l __l destroy more progress than you’ve made.’

So, as much as his body really wanted some chips and coke right now; he sighed, settling for water from his fridge dispenser.

Speaking of fridge, what did Luna leave today?

‘A steak?’ He grins. ‘Alright Luna!’

There was even a note.

‘For you to recharge,’ it read. ‘Love, Luna.’

And it even had a little drawing of a smiling cartoon wolf that flooded Will’s head with a feeling that everything was right with the world.

“Where have you been?” His blonde mother demanded from the entrance to the kitchen, much to Will’s twitched surprise. Her arms were crossed, and her face was not happy.

“What do you mean?” Will raised an eyebrow. “I told you I was gonna start jogging.”

“At eleven, William?”

“Yes. At eleven.” He sets his plate on the massive black marble island in the middle of the kitchen. “I told you this hours ago, and you said it was okay.”

“I do not recall you mentioning that,” she shot back.

He sighed, whispering. “ Of course you don’t…”

“What was that?”

“I said sorry! God…”

“Do not take that tone with me, young man-”

“Look, I’m tired from my jog, and I’m starving-”

“Do not interrupt me-”

“No, you don’t interrupt me!” Will yelled. “I’m always having to shut up and listen to you! Why don’t you ever listen me for a change?”

His mom looked shocked. “Wh at is your problem?”

“My problem?” He reiterated, walking up to his mother. “My problem is…” He froze, shaking his head. “Nothing. I think I’m just tired.”

In reality, he knew he’d be wasting his breath.

“You may be exhausted, but that does NOT give you the right to lash out at your mother! I’m tired all the time, but do you see me taking it out on you? No!” His breathy chuckle, and shaking head, made her raise an eyebrow. “What?”

“Nothing. I just thought of something funny.” He picked up his steak and mashed potato plate once more.

“No. You believe me to be abusive.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Your body told me, William,” she said. “It’s like you don’t even know how good you have it. Maybe if you grew up like that poor girlfriend of yours-”

“She is not my girlfriend,” he shot back, activating the silver microwave that now housed his food.

“Oh please, William. You have yet to bring a nice rich human girl home,” she countered. “Two times is one thing, but four is a pattern.”

He turned, eyeing his mom with a look of confusion. “A nice rich human girl?”

“Yes! Someone like you.”

“Look. Even if I was interested in Sasha, which I’m not, she’s a helluva lot more like me than any of the pretentious bitches around here.”

“Oh, that’s total nonsense!” She leans against the island. “What about that nice blonde girl that you always hang out with?”

“I don’t hang out with her. She keeps following me.”

“Well, that just means she likes you!”

“No, it means that I have to get a restraining order because it creeps me out.”

“Oh don’t be so rash, William,” she fans off. “That’s just how girls are. If you’d just give her a chance, I’m sure you two would hit it off!”

“Yeah...I doubt that.” His attention turns to the beeping microwave.

“Well, I’m not seeing success from the scores of women that you keep mistakenly trusting. What was it they had in common again? You know, aside from being poor.”

“...they immediately tried their hardest to get me to fall in love so that they could marry me for my money?”

“Exactly!”

“Something Sasha has not tried? Even after she found out I come from money?”

“She’s probably playing it smart,” she shot back. “Next time you see her at school, watch. Her personality is ‘magically’ going to improve.”

“Yeah, I doubt that.” But at least he was glad that they were out of that previous topic. He did not feel like having a deep discussion with his mom about boundaries and listening.

Especially when she respected neither one.

“Look, I’ll forgive you for jogging late tonight. Just promise me that you’ll be careful moving forward. I don’t fully trust that girl.”

He just smiled. “Will do, mom.”

She still doesn’t remember that he asked her for permission. Not like he expected her to, at this point.

And with that, she nods. “Okay, then.” and she leaves the kitchen. “Good night, William.”

“Good night.” And, waiting for the click of her heels to rise to the second floor, he utters his true feelings. “Bitch.”

His body was filled with anger, which was no surprise. The presence of his mother always manages to counteract whatever goodness Luna’s beautiful image bestowed upon him.

But this time, he could feel the burn of hate flow stronger than usual. Was it because he was tired?

Yeah. That must be it. That, and having run into his stalker yet again.

The very stalker whose actions were a-ok’d by everyone, apparently. And he knew that he couldn’t do anything because he was worried of a false allegation like sexual assault being lobbed his way.

So he just sat down, and cut into his reheated steak in peace.

Sasha may have been a total bitch, but at least she treated him like a person rather than an end.

Brrt! Brrt!

His phone.

Well, speak of the devil. It’s Sasha. Or, as the phone contact name suggests: Margaret Thatcher.

<i think i know what song we should play,> it read.

‘She’s still not after my money,’ he thought. ‘Suck it, mom.’

Her next text arrived.

<since the judges are all old school teachers, we should play a song from an old band like metallica but not cringe>

Will’s blond brows furrowed. <metallica isnt cringe wtf do u mean>

<sounds like old man shit to me plus i dont think the normies will like it>

<okay then what do you have in mind?>

<something like highway star cause it actually sounds good for old music>

He tilt-nodded his head. <yeah i guess so>

<so are we doing it or nah>

He grins as he replies. <u wish>

<wh __y not?> A text with a quick reply. <oh screw u>

<consent is cool sasha. no means no.>

<oh plz i know that if i tried to seduce u ud fold immediately>

<nah i aint into bestiality>

< didnt you say i had a nice ass tho?? >

He was smacked with a dense bat of shame in that moment.

<ur just never gonna let that go huh>

<not till the day i die lol>

Throughout the entire conversation, his mother’s words continued to nag him.

Sasha’s words didn’t seem any different than they usually were. Right? Or, was she secretly putting the moves on him without him noticing?

He wanted to find out. But how?

Or...should he find out? If she was, what would that mean moving forward?

You know what, no. He figured that he should just set the phone down, finish his food, and go to sleep. All of this stemmed from the thoughts that his mother planted in his head, which meant that they were nothing but trouble.

So, that’s what he did; set his phone down, that is.

All there was, was a steak; and mashed potatoes. His phone was definitely not calling to him from his peripheral vision.

The only sound his ears picked up was the annoying clacking and sawing of silverware on white ceramic plates.

Over and over again.

Clack. His fork rammed against the plate through his steak. Then, he sawed into it with his knife until he could hear it scrape against the ceramic with every light swing.

Clack. His fork rammed against the plate through his potatoes.

Clack. Saw.

Clack.

Clack. Saw.

A noise made more annoying by the silence that hummed loudly in his ears.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

Those three fork stabs made no contact with anything. Rather, Will just stared at his plate. Annoyed.

‘...god dammit,’ he thought, picking up his phone.

<yo can i ask u a question?> he sent; his heartbeat felt throughout his entire body. ‘This is a mistake this is a mistake this is a-’

Brrt! Brrt!

<no i dont wanna see ur chode>

<no its about ur singing,> he replied; annoyed, yet a bit more at ease. At least it helped to support the hypothesis in favor of her having no interest in him. <i think it would help if we got u singing in front of larger crowds cause of ur stage fright>

This was something that he was going to bring up eventually; but with this intrusive thought, he was going to modify the plan a bit.

<yeah i guess that makes sense,> she replied. <what did u have in mind?>

<i think we should sub one of our band sessions for karaoke somewhere in houston>

<oh cool ive always wanted to hear shit singing in person im down>

And now came the next part. One that returned the body-wide heart throbbing...for some reason.

In addition, his light rose lips were pursed; and his breathing more heavy.

Why was this so hard?

And why was he so nervous?

He was just going to test out his mother’s hypothesis. And nothing more.

Even so, anxiety flooded his body as his thumbs reluctantly tapped away. <but chris and al said theyd be busy next time so itll just be you and me,> he sent, sighing.

After this, she stopped replying.

Why did she stop?

Did she catch on to what he was trying to do?

Was she now too weirded out to send a reply?

Did she block his number?

What day was it?

What was his name??

What did he even do five minutes ago!???

Brrt! Brrt!

Oh. It had only been fifteen seconds.

He sighs in relief, his heart easing, as he reads the reply’s contents.

<but wouldnt that make it a date??>

And just like that, he could feel his heart beating in his hands and feet once more.

<no definitely not! i just wanna get u used to singing in front of crowds!>

<thats it??>

<thats it>

Relief came in the form of her next reply. <okay,> she sent, followed by <but if u try anything, ur ass is gonna get used to my foot.>

His lips split; revealing a grin that couldn’t help itself. < __ill keep that in mind_ >_

<where are we going? i wont have to pick out a dress will i?? i hate girly shit.>

<nah don’t worry itll be in a normal place,> he reassured.

<k then its a date> A reply immediately followed by < __WAIT NOT REALLY A DATE DATE U KNOW WHAT I MEANT_ >_

Air laughter escaped his nose. <chill I got it>

“What are you smiling about?”

A petrified Will twitches his head towards the source of the talking.

“Wh-” He was half-way through hiding his phone in his pocket before he realized who it was. “Johnny!” His little brother; covered with nothing more than yellow pajamas that featured the red colored Super Saiyan God Goku. “What are you doing up?? It’s past your bedtime!”

“I wanted some milk.” His eyes looked at the fridge. “Is Luna still here?”

“No bud, it’s late. She left a while ago.” Will stood. “But don’t worry. I gotchu.”

“Yay!”

It was trivial for him to grab a glass from one of many white cabinets in the kitchen. Just one of the benefits of not being child height.

Another was that he could actually hold the milk jug without a struggle.

Throughout the entire process, he thought of possible locations for where he and Sasha could go. Somewhere far, ideally. Not just because this area was full of pretentious assholes, but it would give him a comfortable distance from the blonde stalker.

Also, how would he get there? Luna came to mind; but, for some reason, the idea now filled him with embarrassment.

And he was just a few short days from being able to take a driving test; and by extension, getting his license.

Postponing until after the fact came to mind; but, for some reason, that brought forth unease. Perhaps because he already made the plans, and he didn’t want to walk back on them so soon?

Yep; that’s probably it.

“Here you go, little buddy.”

“Thanks Will!” The little man eagerly grabbed at the glass with two hands, and chugged as fast as he could.

“Whoa! Slow down, Johnny!”

But he did not; sighing in relief as he now held an empty glass.

Will just shook his head, swiping the glass from Johnny’s little hands. “Okay, now get back to bed. You need your sleep.”

“Then why are you still up?”

“ ’Cause I’m older. Now go.”

“Yeah right. You’re talking to the doggie girl, aren’t you?”

“Wh-” Clever little man. “Johnny! Just go!”

Johnny giggled. “Will-and-the-do-ggie-girl-sittin’-in-a-tree!”

“Johnny!”

“F-U-C-K-”

“Alright, that’s it!” Will grabbed Johnny’s hand. “Come on!”

Little brother in bed? Check.

Make sure little brother is not following him? Check.

Food in belly? Check.

Shower? Well, he wasn’t going to sleep ‘till he did.

As he washed himself, his mind returned to the dilemma of where the fuck he was going to take Sasha.

Locations away and close to home both had their own positives and negatives. But, there’s no getting around the transportation issue.

If he truly did want to get to a location away from home, and without Luna’s help, then he’d have to navigate the Houston bus system.

Yes, he nods, that’s what he’ll do after school tomorrow; find a location, and all routes associated with getting there.

To the karaoke place.

Just him, and her.

Alone.

…

His entire body felt like gravity was constantly increasing and disappearing. One second, he’s heavy; and the next, he threatened to float away; repeatedly, and in quick succession. Heavy, light, heavy, light, heavy, light...

In addition, it looked like the world was spinning; his dizzy mind full of what seemed like helium.

‘Oh dear god what have I done?’

It was a morning like any other for Mike.

His closed, burning eyes scrunched even tighter as his consciousness was forced out by the irritating noise of his alarm.

Sigh.

‘God dammit,’ he thinks to himself; forcing his heavy torso to rise.

Fur brushed? Check.

Teeth brushed? Check.

White dress shirt free of wrinkles? Check.

Black dress pants free of wrinkles? Check.

Black tie correctly done? Check.

And last but not least-

“Oh.” He’d opened his bedroom door to find Sasha already awake. “Good morning, sweetie. You’re up early.”

“Yeah,” she responds. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Mike raised a brow. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah I’m good!” She was smiling. “Just some band stuff! Nothin’ to worry about.”

“...okay, then?”

In all his years, he’d never seen Sasha so happy at this hour. And with a wagging tail, no less.

Just what was she so happy about?

But, smiling, Mike guessed it didn’t matter. If she’s happy, period, that’s good enough for him.

“On that note,” she continues, “I might need a ride to my next band session this Saturday.”

“At William’s house, correct?”

“Uh...actually...” her ears flatten, and she looks away. “We’re gonna do karaoke. He said it’ll help me sing in front of others.”

Her sudden shift in attitude did not go unnoticed. “That’s actually not a bad idea. What a smart young man.”

A good response, he figured. Rather than go on the defensive, her ears and face eased. “That’s not weird to you?”

“Why would it be?”

“It’s just gonna be us two.”

“Wh- well, you didn’t mention that part!” A smile was forming on his maw. “So it’s gonna be a d-”

“NO!” She barked, forcing Mike to recoil in shock. “Uh...I mean, he said his friends are gonna be busy on Saturday, so it’ll just be me and him. Besides, I told him that if he tries anything, I’ll shove my foot up his as- uh, butt.”

Mike grinned and chuckled, accompanying Sasha down the stairs. “That’s my girl. Setting boundaries.” But another reason for his smile was his underlying skepticism. ‘He’s lying. Something tells me that not even his other friends know that they’re not going _...’_

Did he have evidence to support the idea? No. But, he was a teenage boy once.

And Mike had a feeling that Sasha preferred this alleged non-date. Her tail has not stopped wagging since their conversation began; not even when she panicked just mere seconds before.

But Mike wasn’t the only one who was surprised by the younger she-Wolf’s presence. “Morning!” Cheered Sheila, still dressed in white pajama bottoms and a blue tank top. “You’re up early.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. Band stuff.”

But her tail’s non-stop wagging was not lost on her mother, either. “That’s good, right?” She whispered to Mike.

Whispering he returned. “Ooooh yeah.”

Sasha, now irritated and with a still tail, narrows her eyes at both her parents. “Do y’all just forget I’m a Wolf too, or something?” She points to her ears.

“Sorry, sorry,” Sheila says, raising her hands defensively. “I forget that you have a stated aversion to dating. So, then, tell me,” she says, lowering her hands. “What has your mind so occupied?”

“Well, now I’m not telling you. You’ll just take it wrong.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “She’s doing karaoke with William to practice singing in front of a crowd.”

Sheila tilts and nods her head. “That’s not a bad idea.”

“That’s what I said!”

“Yeah,” Sasha cuts in, “but it’s not a date.”

Sheila shakes her head. “I never said it was.”

“But you’re thinking it.” Sasha points at her mother.

“…” Sheila looks away. “I plead the fifth.”

“Knew it!” She sat down at the table. “What’s for breakfast. I’m starving.”

“Well, I was going to cook up some salmon, but it seems to’ve gone bad earlier than expected.”

“Aw, man…”

“But we have leftover spaghetti-”

“Aw yeah!” Sasha didn’t even let her mother finish. She just got up and scanned the fridge.

As she leaned forward and searched for the container of refrigerated spaghetti, her tail slowly but surely shifted to first gear once more; swaying gently.

Without uttering a word, Sheila’s giddy blue gaze meets Mike’s equally happy eyes.

He’s stated before that he didn’t mind if she preferred to be single. Well, that’s still true. Whether she has no husband or ten, he was willing to stand behind his daughter’s decisions as long as that’s what she wanted.

Even if it meant his own needs were cast to the wayside.

“Why so glum, Mr. Falconer?”

He blinked quickly, and scanned his surroundings.

The work break room? When did he get here?

And who just asked him that question?

“Janice?” She was the only other one in here.

“You’ve been off all day. I just wanted to see if everything was okay.”

Skepticism flooded his mind. “...yeah, I’m fine. Just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t sound like everything is okay. If there’s a problem in the workplace, I’d be more than happy to help you deal with it.”

Mike shook his head. “No, really. I’m fine. My life is great right now, actually, but thank you for your concern.”

“There’s no need to fake peace around me, Mr. Falconer.” She pulled up a seat awfully close to him, and sat down. “I know you Wolves have to deal with...many things...that normal people don’t have to think about.”

That certainly raised an irate brow from Mike. “Excuse me?”

“As a human, my knowledge on Wolves is naturally rather limited. So, to even get this job, I had to crack open a few books on Wolf biology and psychology. It genuinely surprised me to find out that we’re very different in so many little ways. Aside from you having fur, and me having skin, of course.”

“Uh huh…?”

“You Wolves demonstrate a great level of politeness and restraint, but we all know that’s a lie. You put on the facade just because Wolves of the past were horrid monsters that humans wanted to exterminate.”

“Janice, where are you going with this?”

She whips out her golden iPhone 6, and plays back an all too familiar scene.

It was Mike, standing in the middle of traffic, and he looked anything but happy. Even his hands were half-clenched; as if he were ready to tear apart the shorter human male in front of him.

But the person recording just had to get a word in beforehand. “Damn, bruh. That man’s angry as hell.”

And now it was Mike’s turn to shine. “I told you to go FUCK YOURSELF!” He yelled. “Now get back in your piece of shit Fiat, and SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

And that’s where Janice paused it. Right when the hunched over Mike’s wrinkled snout and exposed fangs were mere inches from the shorter man’s face.

Combined with his raised hackles and puffed-out chest, he looked like a monster ready to kill.

“I saw this video days ago,” Janice said. “I thought nothing of it, since everyone tends to have bad days, but your behavior lately has been most suspect.”

Wherever this was going, Mike didn’t like it. He could feel nervousness beginning to spread out from a pit that was forming in his stomach. “So what? Are you threatening to have me fired because I had one bad moment?”

“Fired?” She shook her head. “No one’s talking about firing anyone, Mr. Falconer. I was just illustrating my point with a real world example.”

“Your point being…?”

“That I know what you Wolves really are. You’re not gentle anthropomorphic gentlemen that can tank insults like they’re feathers. You’re the same monstrous dominators that humans feared many decades ago.”

Mike’s snout began to scrunch up in anger. “Janice. You’re being incredibly speciesist right now.”

But rather than fear for her safety at the sight of his snout, as her words would lead Mike to believe, she instead...blushed?

“See? So quick to anger. Just like the Wolf that people throughout history have described.”

“I’m only angry because you’re harassing me during my lunch break,” he adds with a bit of irate groaning in his voice.

But that only made her surprisingly light voice release an uncomfortably deep giggle. “There’s no need to bark, Mr. Wolf. I’m just a helpless little white woman sitting next to a big, powerful monster.”

“Uh….” What?

“If you wanted to, you could just take me right here, couldn’t you?”

His knee flexed when her small entitled hand landed on it. “E-excuse me??”

“Yeah,” she saturated with deep breathing. “Deep down, you’re just another monster that wants to indiscriminately breed whatever female is closest to him; aren’t you, Mr. Wolf?”

His hand’s grip had eased too much; allowing the fork in his hands to fall and click against the plastic Tupperware that housed his food.

What could even say right now? That he’d report her to HR? She WAS HR. Millions of thoughts crossed his mind, but none of them were in relation to what she was saying.

And she wasn’t done. “You don’t even see me as a woman, do you? All I am in your eyes is a broodmare that you could use any time you wanted.” Her hand began to explore his thighs; rubbing gently.

“Janice, I politely ask you to stop…” He looked away with flat ears. “I am not okay with this.”

No sudden movements. No elevated voice. Both were unbecoming of a Wolf.

Sasha. Think of Sasha. No matter how uncomfortable he felt, he had to think of what his actions meant for her future.

“Politely ask?” She giggled. “Come on, Mr. Wolf. You can’t fool me. Not after we both saw the video. I know that right now, your Wolf instincts are screaming at you to force my weak human body into a supply closet just so you can do all sorts of nasty, disrespectful things to me.”

She removed her hand from his thigh, and inhaled its musk like she needed it to live. “How powerfully repulsive.” But her deeper blush disagreed with her. “I guess that’s one of the ways you mark your property, don’t you?” She paused for a moment, then switched her gaze from her hand over to Mike. “So, do you consider me your property now, Mr. Wolf? Or is just my hand not enough for you?”

Her hand was out, and so was he. Before she could lay another hand on him, he quickly stood.

“Janice, I’m only gonna say this once. I am not interested in pursuing anything with you.” That’s all he said. And, as much as he wanted to chew her out for her uncomfortable display of speciesism, sexism, and sexual harassment; he knew that trying to confront her about it would yield no fruit. No, he had to take this higher.

“You also said that you were fine, but that video proved that you’re a liar.” She also stood, walking towards him. “In reality, you won’t be satisfied until every inch of my human skin has been tainted by your filthy Wolf smell, will you?”

Mike, of course, tried to gain distance. As his heart rate anxiously increased, so did his voice. “I’m serious, Janice! I am not interested in doing whatever you’re thinking of!”

Another wall. Why did walls always have to get in his way when he was trying to gain distance?

“Come on, Mr. Wolf.” She aggressively presses herself against him. “Stop pretending to be a goody two-shoes and give in to your true nature already.” Her greedy hand could wait no more; beelining it for his crotch. “Use me. Disrespect me. Forcefully fill my human womb with your filthy Wolf children and forever taint my bloodline.”

“You’re crazy!” He finally yelled, shoving her aside. “Get away from me!”

He ran, and ran, until he made it into the male bathroom.

He wasn’t erect, aroused, or even interested.

His hands were shaky, his heart was going mad, and his self-respect felt like it had been violated.

If he couldn’t report her to HR, then he had to go above her. More specifically, straight to the CEO’s office.

Knock knock knock.

“Mr. Moon?” Mike said.

“Come in!” Said the powerfully deep-voiced Mr. Moon. As the door creaked open, the seated CEO extended a palm out towards the seat in front of his desk. “Oh. It’s you again, uh...”

“Michael.”

“Right. Michael. What can I do for you?”

Hopefully, this should be an open-and-shut case. Because Mr. Moon was also a Wolf, it meant that Janice had unknowingly left evidence that he could use. Her scent.

After taking a seat, Michael simply plopped his claws on his knees and sighed. “I’m gonna cut to the chase, sir. I was sexually harassed just now by Janice.”

“Janice?” Mr. Moon’s palm starts up high, and then continues to descend until it gets to roughly her height. “The sexy HR lady that’s about as tall as a sack of potatoes?”

“Sexy?” Mike asked. “Sir. She went on a speciesist tirade about how we Wolves only pretend to be polite; about how all of us are just monsters that want to rape every woman in sight.”

“Well, is she wrong?”

Mike recoiled with furrowed brows. “What?”

“Not about the rape part. The part where we only pretend to be nice.”

“That’s not the point, sir,” Mike shot back. “She dehumanized me! Fetishized me! And even went as far as to rub her hand on my groin; begging me to, and I quote, ‘forcefully fill her human womb with my filthy Wolf children and forever taint her bloodline’!”

But all Mr. Moon did was laugh, much to Mike’s disappointed surprise. “I’m sure she was just kidding around.”

“But sir-”

“Besides, all of this sounds like a huge compliment to me. You should feel proud to attract women like Janice. She sure is a looker, I’ll tell you that much.”

“So...what? That’s it?” He opened his arms. “You’re not gonna do anything?”

“What do you want me to say?” Mr. Moon stood, and walked over to Mike. “Boo hoo, women are throwing themselves at you?”

“But it’s unwanted!”

“It’s not that big of a deal, Michael. I mean...it’s not like she can hurt you. Right?” His palm lands on Mike’s shoulder. “You need to just relax, and enjoy the attention. When you’re older, you’ll wish you still had it.” He pats Mike’s shoulder, and then walks back to his desk. “So, is there anything else, or is this it?”

“...no.” If he wasn’t going to do anything, then Mike knew he was just wasting his time.

“Then if you don’t mind, I have to get back to work. And so do you.”

“Yes, sir,” Mike said, holding back growling.

But before he touched the doorknob, Mr. Moon had one more thing to say. “Oh, and Michael?”

He didn’t look back. “Yes?”

“It would be wise to keep this sort of thing to yourself. When a corporation faces a threat, its first instinct is to...remove it. Understood?”

Mike’s claws aggressively try to squeeze the life out of the doorknob. “Crystal,” he groans through his teeth.

This wouldn’t be the first time a random woman has taken the liberty of violating his personal space. As much as he hated his old boss while he worked for him, he at least had the decency to take these matters seriously; no matter how insignificant it seemed. But now, Mike didn’t even have that assurance anymore.

The precedent has been set. Keep quiet about any future unwanted sexual advances he’ll receive, or lose his job.

And by extension, put his daughter’s well-being in danger.

Sigh.

All he could do now was follow the main rule of being a man: keep quiet, shove it down, and move on.

For Sasha.

It wasn’t Friday.

But…

After...that, Mike felt like he needed some time to himself. The last thing he wanted was to bring it home with him.

Janice’s predatory touch continued to violate his groin; even as he walked into the dimly lit pub.

‘It’s just a compliment, he says,’ Mike thinks to himself, his boss’ words living rent-free in his head. ‘I should feel proud, he says.’ He plopped the rear of his black work pants onto a bar stool.

Black Betty by Ram Jam fills the air, and TVs playing football reruns hung from the walls.

Not like he cared for either one.

Even now, hours after being invalidated twice in ten minutes, he could feel an ember burn brighter with every passing second.

A car cut him off? Snarl.

Hit with a yellow traffic light? Groan.

His finger taps a pool of condensation from the previous stool inhabitant’s beer? “Ugh.” His claws approach a napkin holder; but rather than pull out a napkin, as he expected, he only ripped off a tiny piece. “Oh come on!” So, he grabs a fist-full of however many he can grab, and he yanks like he’s trying to start a lawn mower.

“Girl!” Yells the flamboyant bartender. “If you’re gonna abuse someone’s equipment, you can go somewhere else!”

Mike took a second to blink. Then, after taking a deep breath, his maw parts. “Sorry, Sal. Today just really, really sucked.”

“Look, I get it. I really do. Life just...kicks you in the groin sometimes. But, I’ve heard those words come out of the mouths of men who’ve had to deal with more than just their job being terrible. And you know what they don’t do, Mike?”

“Trash your bar?”

“Trash my bar. So, pray tell.” Sal began to wipe down the counter. “What’s got you in here today? It’s not Friday.”

“No, it’s not. But I just had to come here today. I don’t want to bring this home to my family, you know?”

“Bring what home?”

“A small woman tried to force herself on me, and my boss just told me to suck it up.”

Sal’s wiping stopped. “How small we talkin’?”

“You remember the small black woman from last time I was here?”

His ears picked up the clack of heels on wood approaching from behind him. Whoever it was, it certainly caught Sal’s attention. “Uh...yeah. She comes here a lot. A few days ago, yesterday...right now…”

Mike turned around. Sure enough, there she was. “Aleena.”

She currently wore a black dress shirt. And, covering her lower half, gray dress pants teamed up with black heels to make Mike’s brain release happy chemicals.

But even her appearance couldn’t fully dou s e the inner flame that made his fists clench. It was like trying to put out a forest fire with a bottle of water.

“Hi, Mikey.” She took the liberty of hopping up and onto the stool next to him.

The way her large butt conformed to the stool it sat on was something not lost to his eyes. But, this—hell, even Aleena herself—only brought back the frustrations from earlier; as contradictory as that seems. He had to look away; he could feel his anger building. “So, you’re following me now?”

“I ain’t followin’ you. I just wanna talk.”

“Ally, you know how our talks end.” He kept his angry hazel eyes on the counter. “Please leave me alone. I don’t need this right now.”

She shook her head. “You know I can’t do that, Mikey. Not when you look so miserable.”

“Misery is every father’s burden. I’ll be fine.” He raised a claw to Sal. “The usual, please.”

“You got it,” Sal responded, tapping away at a tablet near him.

But Aleena was not happy about Mike’s response. “Mikey-”

“Ally, please!” Mike raised his voice a bit. “I had a very bad day! All I want to do right now is enjoy some junk food in peace before I go home…”

“I know how this ends, Mikey,” Aleena said. “One day, you ain’t gonna be able to bottle up your feelins anymore, and you’re gonna explode.” Like he almost did at he hotel.

H is glare meets her oversized afro. “Why do you care so much?”

“Why?” She leaned forward a bit, her head tilted. “You’re my best friend. I care about you.”

“If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t be trying to sabotage all my hard work because of a bond that no longer exists.”

Her jaw hangs open a bit. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do, Ally!" He snarled. "What we had before I got married? That’s gone! It’s not coming back!” His snout wrinkled with anger; tears traveling down the sides of his maw. “You- you think you can just waltz in after all these years, and just force me to turn my back on my family? On my daughter?” He stood up and towered over her. “Who do you think you are?”

“Wh-” She raised her hands defensively. “What’s goin’ on with you, Mikey? This ain’t you!”

“You wanna know what’s going on?” He leaned in, and tilted his head. “I was sexually assaulted at my job today! And when I told my boss about it, I was told to just accept it! The kicker??” His large body collapsed onto a stool once more. And, subtly, cracks in his voice were starting to form. “My boss threatened MY job over it! He said that if I spoke up about it, he wouldn’t hesitate to fire my ass!”

Luckily, since it was a weekday, the bar was semi-empty at this time of day. So Mike didn’t have to hold back.

Not like Aleena wanted him to. It was clear from the look in his exhausted, lamenting eyes that he needed this.

And so, he continued. “So now I have to work with the constant eye-rape of that short succubus, and there’s nothing I can do about it! Not without risking Sasha’s well-being! And the thought of that...just…” He gripped his head fur and groaned aggressively .

“Mikey, breathe-”

“No, I’m not gonna breathe! Ally! ” He snarled. “I’m trying to be the best father I can be! But it always feels like there’s something around the corner that’s just waiting to undo everything I’ve put my life on pause for! Short rapists, old friends, I mean...what’s next? What could the universe possibly have in store for me next??” He opened his arms, and looked up at the sky. “Come on, you motherfucker! Hit me with your best shot already!”

She tried to reach a hand out to him, but stopped. Rather, she looked like she was thinking before her lips part once more. “It’s best not to ask that question, Mikey. God ain’t known for bein’ too kind.”

“Oh believe me, I know.” His arms rest on the counter. “I just…” He shook his head, clearing the tears from his eyes. But the dark trail of his teary river, stretching down to the bottom of his fuzzy maw, remained. “I didn’t ask for any of this, you know? It just kinda...fell on me.”

“Really?” She said, leaning in a bit. “How did that happen?”

He shook his head again. “I don’t like to think about it. When I do, I get mad at Sheila. And that’s not fair to her. She didn’t choose this, either.”

“It’s okay. I won’t make you talk about anything you don’t want to share.”

He nods. “Thank you.”

They sat there in silence for a bit.

Mike, still burning with millions of emotions that were not synonymous with pleasure, switched his gaze between the counter and the bar. And Aleena, after tapping away at her phone for a little bit, put it back in her purse.

“I almost died in Atlanta, you know.”

All sadness had evaporated from the wide-eyed hazel stare that snapped back to her quickly. “What!?”

“My apartment caught fire while I was asleep. I was lucky to not get torched, but most of my shit ain’t have God on their side.”

“Oh my god!” He stood, and quickly maneuvered around her; his snout orbiting her body like a satellite. “Were you seriously hurt? Are you still in recovery? Is there any permanent damage?”

She giggled, fanning him away. “Mikey, chill. I’m fine.” Her hands rest on her hips as she whispered her next words. “And you’ve seen me naked. Did my ass cheeks have permanent damage?”

He froze, calmly taking his seat once more. “Oh yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Sorry. About my overreaction. And...you know...snapping at you. Though, I guess they were both overreactions. ”

Aleena shook her head. “Naw. Don’t you say that.” She points at him. “I know what it’s like to be groped, and told to let it go.”

His hackles shot up. “What!? Who did it!? I’ll tear him apart!”

She raised her hands once more. “Bruh, chill. Everyone that’s done it lost they job. Some even went to prison.”

But Mike did anything but chill. In fact, he cracked his knuckles. “So there’s more than one? I want names.”

“Well, all you gettin’ is a jail number: 24601. This asshole tried to rape me in the break room, but all he got a was a steamin’ hot ramen cup to the face.”

“24601…” He was tapping away at his phone. “Uh...what prison?”

Her small hands rest his phone on the counter. “My point is that you ain’t in the wrong to feel pissed. If I was groped , and my boss told me to suck it up, I’d burn that place to the ground.” She raised her hands. “But that’s just me.”

“Well, if I ever want to endanger my daughter’s future, I’ll be sure to do that.” He put his phone in his pocket. “I’ve had to deal with women groping me on the job before, but not like this. I mean...have you ever had someone simultaneously say some of the most dehumanizing and sexualized shit you’ve ever heard WHILE trying to solicit sex from you?” But judging from Aleena’s puckered lips and relaxed posture, he cringed internally. “Uh...sorry. Stupid question.”

“It’d be shorter to give you a list of white guys that haven’t done that.” She sat upright once more. “So what did this bitch say to you, anyway?”

“Too much.” He shook her head. “I mean...I knew she had her issues, but…” He blew air. “Whew. This bitch is crazy with a capital C. All this time, she had this...I don’t even know what to call it. A breeding slave fetish?”

“Breeding slave fetish??" Aleena leaned back and away from Mike. "What the hell??”

“Yeah!” A confused grin had formed on his maw. “She was talking about how I could take her anytime I wanted because she was a small white woman.”

“A white woman? Mm mm mm...” She shook her head. “That explains a lot.”

“I’m not even at the worst part! She then rubs my thigh, and sniffs it HARD; saying that my smell is powerfully repulsive. Whatever that means.”

“Imma take a guess and assume that her family is hella speciesist against Wolves, and that developed into a fetish for her.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “I mean, she continually tried to put horrid words in my mouth. Talking about how I wanted to mark her entire body with my scent, that I only saw her as a broodmare, and that I wanted to force myself on her weak little human body so that I could do all sorts of nasty, disrespectful things to her.”

He could hear her heart rate elevate. Was she also getting mad?

“What?? That’s...that’s so nasty??” She said shakily. “Who the hell would want that? Uh...bartender? Can I get some water?”

“Thirsty, huh? I gotcha,” responded Sal, working quickly to get a glass in front of her. “But if you ask me, Mike, I’d stay a thousand feet away from that crazy woman. She’s trouble waitin’ to happen.”

“I would if I could, Sal. I would if I could. Unfortunately, she’s the head of human resources.”

Both Aleena and Sal’s jaws dropped.

“Giiirl bye…” He vanished into the kitchen.

“Bruh,” added Aleena. “That’s bullshit.”

“Right?” Chuckled Mike sarcastically. “I’m pretty much fucked here. All I can do is shut up, do my work, and act like her predatory touches mean nothing.”

“Aw hell nah,” she shook her head. “Where is this bitch? Imma give her the best sexual harassment prevention training she’s ever gonna get.”

“Please don’t go out of your way to do that, Ally,” he said. “If my boss finds out that I told this to anyone, he’ll fire me. Remember?”

S he looked at him for a moment before nodding. “Fine. But if I see that brunette ass bitch on the street, it’s on sight.”

“Actually, she’s a-” His eyes narrowed, much to her giggling. “…nice try.”

“Eh, it was worth a shot.” She took a sip of her water. “But now I know she ain’t a brunette.”

“You know, I feel like we always talk about me,” he says, slouching onto the counter. “How’s it going with you?”

“It’s goin’ good,” she said with a smile. “My transfer into a new hospital went smoothly. Into another house, not so much.”

He raised a brow. “Oh?”

“Yeah. I mean, all my stuff finally got delivered to my house, but I can’t assemble certain things.”

“Like the bed frame?” He said, much to her silence. It coaxed a smile out of him.

“I don’t like buildin’ shit, okay? That’s man stuff.”

“Bullshit,” Mike responded. “My daughter loves to build all sorts of things. Granted, it’s in a blocky video game, but that young woman is clever.”

“Yeah, well your daughter’s also six feet tall. I’m a small lil’ thing, Mikey.”

“Well...wouldn’t Jeremy be willing to help you out?”

“Naw, he can’t drive ‘cause his bum ass can’t stay away from the wheel without a lil alcohol.”

“Really?” Mike was taken aback. “Last I saw of him, he swore off alcohol after he received a hundred lashes from your mom.”

“Yeah, well alcoholism tends to get worse with trauma,” Aleena said. “And God knows he’s been through a lot…”

“No kidding…”

“I uh...I know you don’t wanna hang out with me or nothin, but-”

“Hey! That’s not true!” Mike shot out.

“Mikey, it’s aight. I know you love your daughter more than anything. What I was gonna say was that uhh if you don’t mind, I’d really appreciate your help with the bed frame. And maybe other stuff.”

Mike sighed. “Look. It’s not that I don’t want to hang out with you. It’s just that when we get together, things tend to get a little...extra. And as a married man, I shouldn’t be doing that kind of stuff with someone other than my wife.”

“I get that.”

“If we could hangout without that kind of stuff happening, I’d totally be down to see you more often. But...you know.”

“Yeah. I understand, Mikey.” She pats his arm. “It’s our fault for bein’ too damn fine.”

The simultaneous sensation of comfort and torture that came from her touch was not one he liked. “Uh...yeah. Sure. That.”

“So, that’s a no on the bed frame thing? Cause I ain’t tryna pull somethin’ sneaky. I really do need the help, and I don’t have any other guy in my life that I can trust to help me right now.”

Mike’s maw pursed. “Sure. I’ll help you out.”

“Yay!”

“But the second it starts to gets spicy, I’m out.”

She put a hand to her heart, and raised the other. “I swear on my momma’s life that I’ll be a nun.”

A basket of food lands in front of Mike; courtesy of Sal’s hand. “Here you go, Mike.”

“Thanks, Sal.” He picks up a fry, and-

Swipe!

Aleena held the circular piece of fried food in her hand. “Saved your life agai- ow ow ow!” She dropped the hot onion ring. “Aw…”

Mike chuckled, and took a real fry into his grip. “Thanks, Ally.”

Help her with her house, huh?

Just him, and her.

Alone.

To assemble a bed frame.

And maybe a few other things.

But no sexy stuff. Nuh uh. No way. The instant he feels himself grow hard, he will leave.

Yeah. It’ll be fine.

Right?

Well, Mike gave himself a few days to rethink his promise to Aleena regarding the bed frame.

And other things.

In all that time, he couldn’t find it in himself to take it back; he actually felt kind of excited about the prospect, as much as he hated to admit it.

Sure, he was forsaking Bar Friday, but this seemed like a better use of his time, anyway.

Just him, and his friend; probably putting together something cheap from Ikea.

Or…

...would Aleena get something from Ikea?

She does have money now. Lots of it.

Eh, he figured that it doesn’t matter right now. Responsibilities come first.

“Aaaand that’s five,” Mike said, towering near the accountants he was in charge of. “Good job, everyone. Have a good weekend.”

What followed were small waves and verbal goodbyes from his fellow employees.

And Janice. “Good job, Mr. Falconer.” She playfully taps Mike’s butt. “As always.”

Mike tensed. “Haha yeah goodbye Janice haveagoodweekend...” His final words were almost as quick as his footsteps as he swiftly maneuvers towards the elevator.

And what made the situation worse is that he swore Sam frequently glanced at him on the way down.

Was it happening? Were her old habits returning?

Well, she was following him to his car now, so...maybe?

“Mike,” she barked.

But he didn’t turn around; he just kept walking. “Yes, Sam?”

“What the hell was that?”

“What was what?”

“Janice touched your ass, and you were clearly uncomfortable with it,” she replied.

“She was just joking around, Sam. No need to make a big deal out of it.”

“Dude, I-”

Mike, wearing a face of irritation, snapped around. “Sam. Drop it.” In his hazel eyes were hints of anxiety, but he tried his hardest to hide them in anger. “I don’t need you creating problems for me where they don’t exist.”

Her skeptical gaze worried him. “I know what I saw Mike.”

“You misunderstood what you saw.” He turned around. “Now I’m serious. Drop it.”

“...you want me to ‘drop’ sexual harassment?”

“Call it whatever you want. Just keep your mouth shut.” He spared no other word. One foot in front of the other; until he got to his car.

And once that blue Sequoia door slammed shut, he let out a sigh saturated with his daily frustrations.

‘It’s okay,’ he thought, leaning against the steering wheel. ‘The day’s over.’

He wish he could say the same about his anxiety; he felt like he was about to explode. But, that’s a parent’s life, isn’t it? All sorts of twists, and turns; old friends popping back in; making everything confusing again…

Sigh. Another one; not like Mike noticed the high frequency of his sighs .

‘It’s just a bed frame, Mike,’ he thought, turning the keys to the ignition. ‘Don’t overthink it.’ The prospect of spending some time with Aleena made him feel a tingle in his thumping tail; just more shame to add to the collection, he supposed.

But he couldn’t help it. She was a big part of his life growing up. Many friends had come and gone throughout the years, but Aleena was always an eager constant.

All of the birthdays they celebrated; the milestones they helped each other cross; and even the low trenches that they had to claw each other out of; they had always stayed side by side no matter what the issue was.

A childhood of bonding, love, pain, sweat, and tears; all done away by his own stupid decisions.

And here he was making yet another one.

Would he ever learn, he thought?

Why was it so hard to keep his nose clean when he’s been doing it perfectly for years, he wonders?

It was like something deep inside was corrupted; activating only when Aleena told it to. From the nerves controlling his muscles to the ones holding his memories, it seemed like every bit of Mike was ready to just let go.

Which is why he had to keep a firm grip on the only thing she couldn’t influence: his paternal instincts.

Speaking of Aleena, he was at her house before long. Her three-story L-shaped house. Awfully big for just one person, but maybe she has roommates he doesn’t know about.

If he had to guess, the interior volume had to have been at least two to three times that of his own home.

“Mikey! Hey!” And at the bottom of it all, waving by the open garage, was a happy Aleena. She was as bright and cheery as the yellow long-sleeved shirt she wore over her white tank top.

So, in he went; slowing down as his car breached the open black gate of her rear driveway.

It wasn’t very spacious back here as far as driving was concerned. From the street to her property, he entered a rectangular layout of concrete that was two cars long by four cars wide. It connected to her garage on the right; and, on the upward and leftward borders, a green wooden fence blocked his view. But it was obvious to him that the north section, featuring a wooden door, led to Aleena’s seemingly puny backyard.

There didn’t seem to be a wrong answer as far as parking was concerned; so he oriented his car to face the road, and shut the engine off.

Now, the sound of her brown sandals smacking against her approaching feet were audible. “Welcome to my house!”

“That’s no house,” Mike replied, closing his car door behind him. “It’s a fucking manor.”

“Naw, you trippin,” she says, fanning him off. “It ain’t even that big.”

“Bigger than mine. That’s for sure.”

Both of them looked at the other. They tried to keep things silent, but they could not stop air from escaping from their lips; nor the laughter that followed.

“You childish,” she giggled.

Mike points at his shorter friend with a finger that shook with his hearty laughter. “Hey, you laughed too.” He had to clear his throat by force; and, after fixing his posture and giving himself a few more throat clearings, he sighed. “Alright. Where’s this bed frame?”

“It’s inside. Follow me.” And the tight jean shorts that teasingly sway with every step she took.

He sighed, ears flattening; he shoving one hand into his pocket to suppress the tent that wanted to rise. ‘God dammit…’ But that’s alright. He was expecting that reaction at this point. So, as planned, he pictured Sasha standing between him, and Aleena’s butt. ‘Okay, it seems to be working…’

At the very least, the tent pole in his pants was going to sleep once more.

“This is the living room,” she continued enthusiastically. “And it don’t look ugly if I do say so myself.”

“Uh huh…” His attention was diverted since he wanted to avoid staring at his friend. ‘White walls,’ he thought to himself. ‘Black Tile. Black and gold fireplace. One window on each side.’ Just things to keep his eyes and mind busy.

“And this is the...uh…” She paused, thinking. “Well, the lady said it was the ‘breakfast room,’ but I ain’t in need of two dining areas.” She turned to face him. “I dunno what to do with it. You got any ideas, Mikey?”

“Uh...”

He focused his vision now that her butt was out of sight. Looking around, it was a small room. Enough for a table and walking, and with some room to spare for walking and stretching your arms.

There was a set of white double doors that led to the backyard. On the other side of said doors, a patio was protected above by the second floor. Then there was, of course, the small grassy area that did not see much sunlight due to the thick, fat tree that towered above it.

He could even see the patio they had passed as soon as they left the garage; just before entering the living room from before that he had completely ignored. There was a set of double doors leading inside from there; as well as the green fence’s wooden door that would lead him back to his car.

“Wait,” Mike said. “Wouldn’t it have been shorter to go through the backyard?”

“Yeah, but that door is stuck,” she responded. “I gotta call someone about that.”

“Maybe I’ll deal with it when I’m done with the bed frame.”

“Really?” She smiled. “Aw, thanks Mikey!” A smile that evolved into a grin. “I’ma owe you big time.”

He raised his hands defensively. “No, I’m- I’m good on that. I don’t expect anything out of this.”

“Naw, you’re gettin’ a reward. And I think I know what it’ll be.”

Mike gulped. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

She hopped, and booped his moist black nose. “It’s a secret.” She raised her hands defensively. “And don’t worry. I ain’t talkin’ about anythin’ nasty.”

“I wasn’t thinking that.”

“Yes you were.”

His ears flatten. “I plead the fifth.”

She giggled. “Aight, let’s just keep goin’ before it starts gettin’ weird.”

He nods. “Agreed.” A plan he was more than on board with.

She walked backwards into a room with...more couches? “Don’t look at my succulent ass, Mikey.” Words that made him chuckle. “Instead, behold my SECOND living room!” Her arms were stretched out like a priest.

“Gee, Bill,” Mike said as he looked around. “How come your job lets you have TWO living rooms?”

“Wooooow.” Her stretched arms droop down and swing until they’re stable. “I see you with those antique jokes.”

“At least you got that one,” he responded. “I don’t understand why a house would even need two living rooms. What’s next? A third living room upstairs?”

Aleena’s lips puckered out, and she slowly walked into the next area with both hands behind her back. “Nooooo…?

Mike’s shaking snout released amused air at her obvious sarcasm. “You are just loving this flex tour, aren’t y-” He froze, his eyes fixated in a big glass tube that traveled upwards next to the house’s main semi-spiraling staircase. It was supported by a black metal frame, and had an entrance at the bottom.

His stunned and confused silence elicits giggling from the wide-grinned Aleena. “What?”

“What d-” His attention flicked between Aleena and the odd contraption. “What do you mean ‘what’?” His palm stretched out to the tube. “Where did you get the travel tube from Futurama?”

“That’s the elevator, Mikey,” she said, still grinning. “It came with the house.” She could tell from the gleam in his eyes that he was more than interested in the elevator. “Why? You wanna ride it?”

“No?” She had no eyes visible, but her unamused look pierced through them and into his soul. “Maybe.” When she crossed her arms, he sighed. “Yeah…”

There was a silver button on the tube that opened the glass door when pushed. “Aight, Mikey. Apres-vous,” she said, her small palm stretching towards the tube.

Mike was hesitant to enter at first. For some reason, he just had to sniff the tube; not like Aleena minded the behavior.

And once inside, he tapped the see-through material. Yep, glass. Hopefully tempered.

“Just push the button inside when you’re ready,” she continued.

“Aren’t you gonna get in?”

“Not unless you want me to squeeze against you. It’s a small tube, and you’re a big dude.”

His ears flattened. “Well, now, I’m gonna feel like a dick if I take the elevator, and you have to take the stairs.”

She fans him off. “It’s okay, Mikey. I can take ‘em whenever I want. It’s my house.”

But he shakes his head. “Nah, I change my mind.”

Before he could step out, however, Aleena shimmied her way inside. “There! Problem solved!”

The instant his crotch felt the touch of her upper torso, it quickly and eagerly began to grow in size.

Was touch memory a thing? Because right about now, the sensation of her slippery human chest slapped his thoughts in an instant.

‘Fuck! Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-” He was quick to orient them so that Aleena was packed at his side rather than directly in front of him. Was he fast enough to avoid having Aleena feel his growing erection? He hoped so.

The bad news was that one of his arms was wrapped around her. And that hand was on her shoulder.

“Uh…” Croaked Mike. “I think it’s uhh better like this. More roomy.”

“Yyyeah,” chirped Aleena. “I uhh I guess so...”

“So uhh up we go?”

“Yep!” Aleena pushed the button rather aggressively. “Up we go!”

She knows.

She definitely knows. There’s no way her sudden tone shift and behavioral change was due to chance.

This meant only one thing.

He had to leave. Now.

So, his maw clenched.

He was going to say it.

Any second now.

On this very slow elevator.

He just had to open his mouth, and say the words.

But, all he could do was clear his tight throat. “Slower than uhh...slower than I thought.”

“Yeah…” she weakly responded. “It’s energy-efficient…”

Too fast. He moved her too fast. Even if she didn’t know about his erection, that sudden reaction gave away his thoughts.

“So uh…” She continued. “...how’s work?”

Well, she did it. She found the very question that slapped the horny out of him. Any memories of Aleena’s touch were replaced with every uncomfortable poke, smack, and rub from Janice’s predatory hands.

He sighed just thinking about it.

It told Aleena so much without him uttering even a single word. “Not good, huh?” she asked.

“Ever since J- that coworker of mine found out that she’s untouchable, she’s been relentless. She smacks my butt, tickles my hamstrings, presses herself against me in the elevator, and I’ve even seen her panties when she crawls onto my desk to allegedly fix a computer problem that I’ve never seen.” His grip on Aleena’s shoulder tightened a little. “And the worst part is that she knows I’m only putting up with it because I have a daughter to take care of. It pisses me off to no end.”

“Well, now I feel bad,” she said. “I pushed myself against you to fit in this thing, and now I’ve reminded you of this bitch. I’m sorry, Mikey.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be. I know you were just trying to make me happy. She, on the other hand…” His head shaking continued. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. But, I do know that she doesn’t have my best interests at heart.”

The elevator reaches its peak, and the doors open.

“Well, neither did I when I first got back, so I’m not that different from her.” She stepped out.

“What do you mean?” And he followed.

“It’s just…” She walks up to a wooden desk near three windows and hops up to take a seat on it. The way her soft thighs’ form conformed to the desk was not lost to Mike’s eyes. “I can’t lie, Mikey. I still love you. A lot.” She couldn’t look at him as she said those words.

“Oh...” He also couldn’t look at her.

His stiff tail so desperately wanted to wag; something not lost to Aleena’s keen eyes even through her afro. “I was so lonely back in Atlanta. I thought movin’ would help, but it just made things worse ‘cause it really meant that you weren’t in my life no more.”

“But I’m not that special, Ally. Surely, there had to have been all sorts of amazing guys in that city.”

“I mean...I did get to know all sorts of guys. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, nonprofit executives, you name it.” She shook her head. “But none of ‘em could scratch the itch you could.” Her hanging feet begin to swing. “And I was prepared to accept that that was the life God had planned out for me.”

“So what changed?”

“Nothin’.” A phrase that had Mike tilt his head in confusion. “I hadn’t changed at all. That’s what I realized after I escaped the fire that burned my apartment down. The only reason I’m even standin’ here is ‘cause the thought of never seein’ you again was scary. I pushed through that fire thinkin’ ‘please God just let me see Mikey one more time.’”

Mike didn’t know what to say about any of this. He looked, and looked, but all he could think of was sitting on the leather office chair that accompanied the desk.

It looked like she had more words to say. So, he let her continue. “And after that...I dunno. I guess almost dyin’ showed me that ‘later’ ain’t guaranteed. That you either take what you want in the moment, or die waiting for it. And you can’t wait no more when you’re dead.” Her head tilts towards Mike. “Ya feel me?”

Mike blinked rapidly; his anxious heart going a million miles an hour. “Yeah, I-I guess I can see how that would scare anyone into being selfish…”

“Yeah…”

Silence fell on them once more. It was so quiet, they could hear children in a neighboring yard giggling with childish joy.

This window must be part of the front of the house.

Yes, he could see the walkway leading out towards the road; a similar sight to surrounding houses.

“But…” She continued. “I ain’t gonna use that as an excuse. I was a crappy friend, and I’m sorry, Mikey. I totally get it if you never wanna see me again after today.”

His hazel eyes shift down for a moment; as if pondering the information. Then, after a shake of his head, he looks up at her. “I know I should be mad, but I just can’t do it.”

She tilts her head. “But I tried to-”

He raised a palm towards her. “I know. But...truth is, I’m to blame as well. I’m guilty of allowing myself to slip when I knew what would happen. I knew that if I went into that hotel room, I wouldn’t be able to keep myself at bay. And I knew that keeping your number was trouble, but I still dug it out of the trash after I promised to throw it away. And now, despite all that, here I am. Alone. With you.” He rests an elbow on the chair’s arm rest, and rests his head on the corresponding palm. “Deep down, I think I want to slip. But not by my own hands. If you were to seduce me, then I could convince myself that it wasn’t entirely my fault. So…” His hazel eyes flick towards her. “...you wouldn’t be the perpetrator. Just a tool I used for my own selfish desires. And that’s not fair to you.” Several waves of air shoot out of Aleena’s laughing nose, and that has Mike raise a brow.

“Wow. We trash, ain’t we?”

That coaxes a smile out of Mike. “The worst.”

“But I’m worse.”

Mike shook his head. “No, Ally. I’m the married man here.”

“And I’m the Wolf biology expert. I could control you if I played dirty and used your own instincts against you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

In one swift motion, her small dark hands lift the large poofy afro from her serious brown eyes. “Bet.”

And she said nothing while shooting him a cold stare.

“...I don’t get it.” He maintained eye contact with her. “Is this supposed to activate one of my instincts?” Still she said nothing. “Ally.” His posture shot straight up; his maw grew displeased. “What are you doing, Ally?” Silence. “Ally, you’re starting to piss me off…!” His hackles began to rise. “Stop it, Ally!” And the snarling began. “Ally, I’m serious!”

She could maintain her stone-cold expression no more; instead succumbing to giggling as her eye-blocking afro bounced and gave way to gravity.

After a small moment of confusion, he shook his head and made his aggressive features disappear.

“Stare at a Wolf seriously long enough,” Aleena says, “and they internally take that as a challenge.”

Mike blinked rapidly. “That explains why my mother always told me to avoid extended eye contact. But…” He lightly shakes his head. “...that’s still not that big of a deal.”

“Oh really?” Once more, she uncovers her eyes and looks right at him.

All of her movements seized; something that made Mike tilt his head in confusion. And, as if in slow-motion, she looked like she was preparing to hop down from the desk; still maintaining eye contact. But just before she was free to hop, she froze.

Mike, however, slowly looked like he was ready to jump from his chair. He, too, froze when he was in the optimal position to start running. His eyes were wide, too; scanning her body for the smallest twitch.

As soon as she jumped down, she made a break for it; and Mike aggressively chased after her. It didn’t take long for him to tackle her, wrap her in a tight hug, and look down at her as he lays on his back.

Boy, did he look happy in his current position. Wide pupils, wagging tail; he was on cloud nine.

At least until more of her giggling slapped the sentience back into him. It ground his tail to a halt.

“See?” She asked, supporting herself by her arms and prying her chest away from Mike’s. “I’m the real threat here. Not you.” Mike lets out an audible gulp.

“Uh…” He had to look away. “Ally, you’re kind of...uh…”

“What?” She looked down. It took her a moment, but she realized that she was straddling him. “Oh shit!” She shot straight up. “My bad. I guess it’ll take my body some time to understand that you’re off-limits. Sorry, Mikey.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He sat up. “I have that same problem t-” Fuck. “-ooooooo…”

Too late for him to stop himself from saying that.

Sure, maybe that phrase was already obvious given that they...you know. Almost fucked after their nineteen-year reunion. But, it was another thing to just say it out in the open.

Especially now that they’ve both vocally expressed mutual interest.

Yet again, more awkward silence.

“...maybe we should get started on that bed frame now,” she said.

“...yeah, good idea…” He got on his feet even quicker than she did.

The entertainment room at Will’s house. It featured the flat screen that brought him countless hours of joy, an Xbox 360 slim which it partnered with to make that happen, and it was now home to Will’s discovery of Sasha’s muzzle...quirk.

But, that wasn’t on his mind at the moment as he sat alone.

“God dammit!” His voice echoes throughout the room. “Fuck you, you stupid god damn camping virgin fuck!”

“That’s it,” Al says through the speaker on his headset. “Imma C4 his ass-” Sniped. “Fuck!”

They were currently playing a match of Call of Duty multiplayer taking place on a map that looked to be a large ship in the middle of the ocean. Similar to Nuketown, it featured two white buildings on opposite sides of the small map; and behind them, two ends of the boat allowed players to respawn.

Will popped back into the match at the rear of the ship. Any further back, and he’d go out of bounds and into the water.

Not like it matters. On the second floor railing of the building in front of him, an enemy player—sitting there as if he’d been waiting—sprayed him with an LMG.

“Oh my god now they’re spawn camping us!” Will yells.

A phrase the opponent returned with a mocking tone. “Oh My GoD nOw TheYrE sPaWnCaMpInG uS- shut the fuck up, you little whiny bitch.”

“How about you stop camping then you little pussy?”

“How about you stop being O and 10?” Kills and deaths, respectively.

“Man,” adds Chris. “Let’s just get out of here. We don’t have time to waste on fat virgins that play this game nonstop.”

“Yeah, yeah,” responds the anonymous man. “Whatever. Leave then if it’ll get the sand out of your vagina.”

They’d been playing without a full team for just about thirty seconds now; their old teammate having left out of frustration. And, in his place, a new player joined the party just now.

‘ fluffybutt69 Connected,’ it read on the lower-left kill feed.

“fluffybutt69??” Mocked the random man. “What kind of faggot ass name is that?”

“I know you ain’t talking when your player card is a dick you fucking queermo.”

That voice.

A woman.

And not just any woman.

“Bitch, shut the fuck up and go make me a sandwich,” he responds.

“Get up and go make one yourself. Or are you too fucking fat to get out of your chair?” A low-quality Sasha says through Will’s headset.

Will sees her character charge forward; only to die immediately to the camper on the second floor.

“Nah, I’m just too busy slapping you with my 12 inch cock.”

“Shut your camper ass up.” When she spawns in, she’s quick to toss a tomahawk straight into camper man’s head. “Sit down, son.”

“Oh my god why do people always complain about camping? Oh CaMpEr! CaMpEr! I’m ToO mUcH oF a PuSsY tO aDaPt!”

“You’re too much of a pussy to fight out in the open, which is why you hide like the little bitch you are.”

But camper man wasn’t alone. He had a friend that also decided to chime in. “Who’s even talking to you? Get off the game! This is a man’s game!”

“Then why are you here?” She retorts.

“Bitch, I have a whole cock and balls that imma slap across your face.”

“Why would I want a cock that smells like your friend’s mouth you fucking faggot?”

“Man, I ain’t no faggot. I fuck multiple hoes on the regular.”

“Switching hands when you jerk your cheese dick doesn’t count as two women.” She managed to go up and pick up her tomahawk from the second floor. And when she did, she walked back towards where she spawned and threw the axe in the air seemingly at random. But, it was calculated; hitting the second camper man across the map. “Oooooh! Get fucked, bitch!”

“Shut your FaZe clan ass up. No one cares.”

“Yo,” echoes a terrible mic. “Is that a girl??”

“Holy shit,” joins Al. “Who’s in a fucking cave?”

“Wait.” Sasha pauses. “Al? Is that you?”

“Sasha? Holy shit I thought you sounded familiar!”

A name camper man now knew. “Sasha? That’s a fat girl’s name.”

“Are you single?” Echo man asked.

A question Sasha ignored. “Yeah, I’ve got a fat ass.” She lands a sniper shot on camper man. “And I sit it on your dad’s face every night when I try to give him a son that’s not a total disappointment.”

“Are you single?”

“Bitch, I have a degree in engineering and make $100k a year.”

“Are you single?”

Sasha chuckled. “No the fuck you don’t. You work at McDonald’s and have to pay for strange.”

“Are you single?”

“Hey!” A woman’s voice comes from camper man’s microphone. “You talkin’ shit about my man?”

“Who the fuck are you? His sister-mom?” Sasha gets mowed down by camper man’s LMG.

“How are you talking shit when he keeps killing you?”

“The only thing killing me is your rank ass pussy. Now get away from the mic.”

Will and friends were just sitting back and laughing; crying too much to properly focus on the match.

“Oh wow,” responds the other woman. “There’s no way you’re not single.”

“I don’t care about you, you nasty ass hoe. Now put your girlfriend back on. I’m not done fucking her yet.”

“You’re just mad because he has someone in his life.”

“Ooh, you got me. I’m envious of the little camping pussy that has a $1 hoe in dire need of Vagisil.”

“Aw, did I strike a ner- a nerve.”

“A ner- a ner- a ner- shut up stutter-tard. That’s why you can’t talk right-”

The entirety of the game’s audio was taken up by a loud, continuous, and purposefully obnoxious hum coming from echo man’s microphone.

“Oh my god SHUT UP!” Everyone, including Sasha, just muted him. “Jesus…”

At that point, the match was over. Will’s team lost, which elicits laughter from camper man.

“Ha! Get fucked!”

“Bitch, shut the fuck up. We only lost because I joined when the game was practically over.”

“Stay for the next match, then. I’ll make you my bitch just like the rest of your team.”

Will finally decided to chime in. “How are you gonna call me a bitch when you hide like Anne Frank all game?”

“Bit-” The screen briefly changes to a loading screen, which cuts off all voice chat audio. But, when they return to a lobby full of player account names, or Gamertags, the chaos continued. “-ell me where it says that I’m not allowed to camp?”

“Imagine spending $60 just to sit in one spot and-”

“Imagine crying about this shit nonstop! How about-”

“Shut the fuck up!” Will yelled.

“How about imagine actually getting a fucking kill? Can you imagine-”

“Can you imagine touching a bar of soap? Or a toothbrush?”

“Oh haha man good at game isn’t hygienic. Haven’t heard that a million times before from niggas that can’t get a kill worth shit.”

“Ooh. You’re a white man that says the n-word you’re so brave.”

“Bitch, I can say whatever I want. Nigga nigga nigga.”

Sasha chimed in once more. “Everything except ‘Hey! There’s my penis!’ ”

“I wasn’t talking to you, loose lips.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep up the shit talk, dick cheese. I can’t wait to hear you bitch and moan when I plant you at the bottom of the scoreboard.”

Will could hear the sound of rustling coming from camper man’s microphone; perhaps the sound of him removing it and setting it down.

“Jesus Christ,” Chris said. “Sasha’s so fucking quick with the shit talking.”

“Wait. Chris?” Sasha asked. “So that means that the other guy I heard was Whitey.”

“Yep,” Will assured. “How’s it going?”

“Holy shit y’all sound kind of worse. Are y’all playing with Kinect mics or something?”

“I am,” Al admits.

“Nope. This is the mic that came with the console,” Chris adds.

“I have a Turtle Beach headset,” Will says.

“Of course you do,” Sasha sarcastically adds. “You rich fuck.”

“Hey don’t be mad at me just because you’re broke.”

“I’m rocking Turtle Beach too. You’re not special. And besides, how could y’all let that guy rape y’all so hard? He sucks!”

“Hey!” Al yells. “You didn’t play with them that long. They work together as a super camper duo. We try to kill one, and the other mows us down.”

“Well, y’all can just sit back and watch. Momma’s got this,” she says.

“Sasha-” Al says.

“Dude,” Chris cuts in. “You saw what she did to Will. She’s like ten tryhards in one.”

Microphone rustling was heard once more as the next map begins to load.

Nuketown 2025. The very map they were just talking about when thinking back on Sasha’s match against Will.

“Alright, bitch,” camper man says. “Time to put you back in the kitchen where you belong.”

When Will loads into the backyard behind the red house, he sees his fellow players looking around as the match countdown begins. Among them is fluffybutt69 who was holding…

...a semi-automatic sniper? Not her bolt-action machine of doom?

“Yeah yeah just keep your tampons on standby,” Sasha says. “You’re gonna need em.”

“The only thing you’re gonna need is my dick after I dominate you.”

“Is that what your girl tells you before she puts on the strap-on?”

Near-immediately after the match begins, Will sees her character look up at the sky before throwing a tomahawk.

She doesn’t kill camper man, nor his friend; just another enemy.

“God damn,” Will says. “How are you so good at that?”

“It’s not hard when you’re just that good.”

As Will would find out, most of the enemy team took the same path; that is, from the backyard of the opposing house, they took a left out of the garage.

And Sasha’s semi-automatic sniper rifle went to town; rapid bang after bang killing four enemies with one-shot-one-kills to the head.

“Quaaaad feeeed!” She says nasally.

“Holy shit!” Will yells.

“What’s the matter cuckbag?” She said. “Put me in my place already!”

“Oh yeah hardscoping with the SVU. You’re so good.”

“TeLl Me WhErE iI tHAyTh I cAn’T hArDThCoPe duh-bu-duh-buh-duuuh that’s you,” she mocks.

Will tosses a concussion grenade out, which severely slows down any opponent within a few meters of the explosion. Camper man nor his ally were among them, but that didn’t stop Sasha from taking out those that had the misfortune of having their walking speed reduced to a crawl.

A deep, gravelly male voice—the in-game announcer—tells the entire lobby what Sasha was sending out into the world. “Friendly Counter-UAV inbound.”

He even saw a neat little HUD element pop up on his screen that revealed Sasha’s player card photo to him. She had the liberty to make whatever she wanted. And she chose to make…

“...oh my god,” Will chuckled.

It was the feminist symbol fucking the male symbol with what looked to be a black strap-on.

Yep, if there ever was something to piss off a Call of Duty lobby, that would be it. Especially coming from a woman that was actually good at this game.

“Ah ah ah!” Sasha said on the mic, followed by what Will saw on the kill feed as a headshot aimed at camper man. “No camping on the second floor!”

Will saw her character booking it for their backyard. She was surprised by the second camper man, which made her scream out in a feminine high pitch, before her rapid panic-shooting made short work of his head.

“Fuck!” He yelled.

“What’s the matter?” A giddy Sasha asked. “Y’all were talking mad shit a few minutes ago, and now y’all are quiet!”

Will could hear a few more shots from her sniper go off, which took out several enemies that had just spawned in. And she just sat there, waiting.

It got so bad, the game had to swap the team’s spawning locations; which meant they were now popping up behind Will.

Of course, he didn’t know that until after an enemy sniper stabbed him in the back.

He found it much more amusing to just watch Sasha, so he went into his settings, and changed to a spectator.

Now, Sasha’s screen was visible to him as if he were playing the game himself.

Since they were no longer spawning in their backyard, she changed directions and ran back towards what used to be her spawn.

But not before throwing a concussion grenade at the bus.

A hitmarker went off, which meant there were opponents in its range. Unfortunately, none she could see; they must’ve been taking cover behind the bus.

Nothing an RPG couldn’t handle.

Boom! Two kills; one of them camperman.

“Aw!” Sasha said. “You stopped camping! How precious!”

“Yeah your white knights kept C4-ing the second floor so congrats I guess,” camper man replied weakly.

“But didn’t you say that they sucked?” She responds sarcastically. “What changed?”

“They’re desperate for your feet pics, so now they’re trying to annoy the crap out of me just to get your attention.” What followed were four concussion grenades lobbed his way, courtesy of Al and Chris, which kept him slowed down for more than enough time for Sasha to pop his head off. “See? Fucking losers are spamming concussion grenades now.”

“URRRR,” yells Al. “WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS COMPLAIN ABOUT C4!?”

“Tell me where it says I can’t throw concussions,” giddily replies Chris.

Sasha was now completely out of ammo, but that wasn’t an issue. She just took his LMG and sat right where he died; watching for anyone that dared run out of their backyard.

She was even alternating her character’s pose: standing, crouching, standing, crouching; all as she mowed him down with his own gun.

“Friendly K9 unit in your AO,” the game’s deep-voiced NPC announces.

Many dogs were heard in-game now, and just as many ran into the map from out of bounds.

“Well, come on, then, bitch boy,” Sasha says. “Smack me back into the kitchen already! I’m wai-tiiiiing~” She trails off giddily.

In the distance, the whimpers of dogs can be heard as the enemies desperately put them down. If they didn’t, the dogs killed them in one hit, and Sasha’s team was awarded a point.

“I wish you would come at me in real life. I’d do to you what I’m doing to these dogs,” he says just as the kill feed reveals his death by dog.

“PFFT!” Sasha says. “Yeah, I would kick your ass! You’re right!”

“You know what?” He says. “I’m tired of you. You’re getting booted offline, whore.”

“You ain’t gonna do shit-” She yells. “You know what? Go ahead. I’ll sit right here while you fail to get my IP address.”

“Okay, good.”

“Great. Do it.”

“I will.”

“I’m waiting.”

“Just gimme a second, whore. I have to pull out the mod menu and shit.”

“Yeah, the one you don’t have.” She just sat there, repeating the motion of crouching and un-crouching, as she camped behind a car and watched for enemies.

“God- will you shut up? I’m trying to focus!”

“On a mod menu? Don’t real hackers make those retard-proof?”

“Yeah, well-”

“So you’re too retarded to use a mod menu?”

“Shut up-!”

“Or you don’t have one.”

“DON’T TALK OVER ME YOU GOD DAMN NIGGER WHORE!”

“Whooo!” Sasha howls. “And there it is!”

“Yeah, just gimme a sec. You’re fucking gone, kid.”

“Uh huh, sure I am. That’s why you’re still running around trying to get kills instead of BoOtInG mE oFfLiNe. Because you can’t. Do. Shit.”

“Yeah I can.”

“No you can’t.”

“Ye-”

“Can’t do shit.”

“...n-”

“And sucks ass.”

He went quiet for a few second before responding. “Fuc-”

“Can’t boot me offline,” she interrupts.

“You-”

“And gets piped by his girlfriend.”

“Oh my god hop of my dick already!” He yelled.

“If you want me to leave, then boot me.” In a rather shocking turn of events, the kill fed revealed something amusing: ‘[CuM]SgtCockMaster69 left the game.’

“PFFT-” Chris chortled.

An equal reaction Sasha had. “That’s what I fucking thought,” she giggled.

The rest of the match was relatively peaceful. No one really talked; and, unsurprisingly, Will’s team won.

Before long, all four of them were in a private voice chat hosted by Xbox Live. A party, they call it.

And, putting on a deep voice, Sasha mimicked him one more time. “I’m GoNnA BoOt YoU OfFlInE. What a cuck.”

“That was fucking beautiful,” Al said.

“Yeah,” Chris agreed. “Not even Shakespeare could write something that funny.”

“It was alright, I guess,” Will chimed in.

Al’s mic activated first. “Still can’t admit when Sasha did something great, can you?”

“That’s alright,” Sasha said. “He’ll admit that I’m better with time.”

“Hey,” Will adds. “I’m man enough to admit when someone’s better. And, it’s just in CoD anyway. Not something real like playing guitar.”

“Oh ha ha ha,” Sasha says. “Downplaying my achievements just because you feel insecure. Real classy, Whitey.”

“I’m just saying that with time, I could do all of that stuff do.”

“Yeah, well with time, I could also play the damn guitar, but that’s not relevant right now.”

“Hey!” Al chimes in happily. “If that’s the case, then why don’t y’all help each other out? You know, Will teach Sasha how to play the guitar, and Sasha teach Will how to destroy tryhards.”

Will shook his head. “Nah. That would involve one-on-one time.”

“Yeah,” Sasha said. “And we’re already doing karaoke alone tomorrow.” Will stiffened. “The last thing I want is MORE one-on-one time with him; even if it does help me sing in front of other people.”

Fuck.

“...oh yeah,” Al said. “Karaoke. I forgot y’all were doing that.”

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

“Idiot,” Chris said. “Even I remembered.”

Oh fuck.

“Well,” Sasha says, “I gotta go now. My mom made meatloaf for dinner, and I don’t want it to get cold. If y’all will still be on in an hour, I’m down to play some more.”

“Yeah, I’m down. ” Al said.

“How about zombies?” Chris suggests.

“Nah, I hate zombies. It’s so boring-”

“WHAT!?” Chris barks.

“Nah,” Al said. “What map did you play?”

“I don’t know their fucking names,” Sasha said. “I played it when I was little. It was, like, gray. And there was concrete everywhere. And there were these exploding barrels which were kinda cool, I guess. And...uh...oh! It had this door that said ‘help me’ on it or some shit.”

“Oh my god,” Will disappointingly howled.

“That’s Nacht Der Untoten, and it’s the worst one! It doesn’t count!” Chris barks. “You have to at least play Kino Der Toten. It’s a classic.”

“…” Sasha was a bit quiet. “Kio my tatas?”

“Kino Der Toten,” Chris corrects her. “It’s this map that has way more stuff than Nacht. Like more powerful guns, and zombies that blow up, and these perk drinks that give you things like faster reload or more health. Also traps, teleporters, pack-a-punch-”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Sasha said. “It has more stuff. But I still don’t see why I should care.”

“What if we got Will to admit that you were better?”

“No fucking way,” Will finally, and immediately, says.

“Come on, dude!” Chris pleads. “She could be our fourth!”

“And a fourth means we can finally do the Easter Eeeeggs~” Al tempts.

But Will sat there groaning.

“Dude,” Chris says.

“You know how terrible our luck is with randos, Will. Come on. Think of the achievements.”

With a sigh, he responds. “Fine. But if she eventually decides that she doesn’t want to do zombies anymore, you two have to french kiss.”

“Deal,” Chris responds without hesitation.

“Dude! No!” Al yells.

“Don’t worry,” Chris dismisses. “We’re not gonna have to kiss, dude.”

“And how are you so sure?”

“What do the Easter Eggs for Call of the Dead, Moon, and Origins have in common?”

“Huh?” But after a moment. “...ohhh OH! Okay, yeah!” It finally clicked for Al. “You have yourself a deal, Will.”

“Okay, then.” And, without further ado-

Sasha interrupts. “Like you mean it!”

…and, without further ado, Will’s hesitant lips part. “Sasha, I admit that your skill in multiplayer is better than mine will ever me.”

“You’re god damn right it is,” She said.

“Alright!” Al said. “So in like an hour, we’ll go ahead and make a zombies lobby in-”

“Hey! Whoa!” Sasha interrupted. “I never actually agreed to that.”

“...what?” An irate Will asked.

“But…” Sasha said, taking on a demeaning voice. “...because you were such a good boy, I’ll give zombies one more shot.” Will’s right eye twitched. “We’ll sort out the details later. Imma go eat now. Bye bye!”

“See ya!” Al said.

“Aight peace,” Chris responded.

“Oh, and don’t worry, Whitey,” Sasha said. “I’ll tell my mom you said hi.”

And before he could respond, she left the party.

Will’s lips pursed, and he looked like he was ready to throw his controller at the wall. But, he stopped himself, took a deep breath, and sat back down. “Oooh! I hate her so much!”

“Oh reeeallly????” Sarcastically howled Al.

“Then what’s this about a karaoke date tomorrow that we didn’t hear about?” Chris said.

A hivemind. They are a hivemind.

Was THAT on their minds the entire time?

And just like that, all of his rage condensed into an embarrassed blush on his cheeks.

“It’s not a DATE,” Will said. “I just want to make sure that she can actually sing in front of a crowd.”

“That sounds like fun,” Al said.

“Yeah. I would’ve liked to go,” Chris said. “But you didn’t invite us. So, the only conclusion I can draw is that it’s-”

“Not!” Will yelled. “A date!”

“Well,” Al said. “How else are we supposed to look at it?”

“It j-” Will sighed. “Look, my mom said something the other night, and I’m just trying to prove her wrong.”

Quiet mics from both Al and Chris.

“What did she say?” Chris asked.

“She may or may not have implied that Sasha is playing some kind of long con just to marry me and get rich from it,” Will said. “And I normally don’t listen to her, but the thought just kept getting stronger, and stronger; until I...I just felt like I had to find out.”

“You don’t really believe she’s like that, do you?”

“Well, no. I know she’s a huge bitch, but she’s never given me gold digger vibes. Still, though, there’s a small part of me that’s now curious.”

“Are you sure that’s it?” Chris asked.

“I said it. Didn’t I?”

“I dunno, dude. I’ve been saying for years that y’all would make a great couple if y’all gave each other a chance. Maybe your body knows it, too.”

Will scoffed. “Yeah, right.”

From a distance, Will can hear Luna’s howling echo throughout the house. “Willie! Dinner!”

“Uh,” Will said. “I have to go. Dinner’s ready.”

“Yeah, I could hear Ms. Luna,” Al said.

“We’re not done talking about this!” Chris said.

“Yes we are! Goodbye!” And before they could respond, Will left the party. “Fuck…!”

Was there no escape from these allegations?

Well, maybe through Luna’s delicious cooking. A simple hamburger with lettuce, ketchup, mustard, sliced onions, and a gooey center of extra-sharp cheddar; all within two sesame seed buns. And beside it, a big stack of sliced potatoes that had been fried in beef tallow; also known as Will’s favorite fries.

With a tall glass of original Mountain Dew, of course.

“Aw, heck yeah!” Will ecstatically yelled. “You made my favorites!” But his enthusiasm quickly waned into serious concern. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing, dear,” Luna says. “My spirits are just elevated. I met the most wonderful man today.”

“A man?” He asked. “Who is he? Where does he live? Is he armed?”

“Willie, calm yourself,” she said. “He is a good man. And he always knows how to make me feel like such a wonderful woman.”

“Huh?” Will’s confusion turns into disgust. “Oh! Ew!”

“Sit down, and enjoy your meal. I poured extra love into it just for you!” The taller woman walked up to him, and delivered a series of rapid kisses to to his head.

He didn’t dare flick a single one away. Each kiss was cherished, and stored in his mind forever.

“Well,” he smiles, “I guess if you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“Thank you, William.” She sat on the chair across the table from the one that Will sat on. Her elbows went on the table, and she rests her head on the backs of her white furred hands. But, there was something about the ecstatic light in her eyes that felt...wrong. “So, as we await the arrival of your brother, enlighten me about this secret karaoke date of yours.”

And there it is.

“Oh my god-”

A head-swaying beat filled the air of Aleena’s white-walled bedroom. It had a bass so powerful, he could feel the vibrations tickle his feet from the white carpet below.

On a nearby windowsill, a small Amazon Echo speaker spat out line after line of lyrical genius. “Bitches ain’t shit but hoes and tricks. Lick on these nuts, then suck the dick.”

Lyrics that neither Mike nor Aleena seemed to mind. In fact, it beat the alternative: total silence between two people with latent immorality.

“L-wrench,” Mike asked, paw stretched out towards Aleena.

“L-wrench.” Aleena held the L-shaped tool by the long portion so Mike wouldn’t graze her hand by mistake.

This summed up the experience thus far: demand, acknowledgment, repeat.

It always felt like there was more to say. Question is: who would have the balls to part their lips first?

Was there even a need to lay anything out there?

If so, what would she even say? That their mutual attraction is okay? Because, regardless of what her dark side proposes, it’s not.

Fortunately, he was almost done. Now she had the chance to sneak off and do...that.

“Uh…” She croaked.

His muzzle eagerly snaps towards her. “Hm?”

Those damn hazel eyes of his…

They were burning a hole in her tingling cheeks.

“I’ll be right back,” she says. “Gotta take care of somn.”

“Oh. Okay, no problem. I can manage fine on my own from here.”

With a nod, she’s finally able to escape from the room of awkwardness.

Her trip to the downstairs kitchen was swift. Her house was new, so her fridge was empty; for the most part. Fortunately, a red-lidded container housed balls of light-brown cookie dough that were certain to put a smile on Mike’s maw.

She hoped.

In the oven they went, after pre-heating of course, and back up the stairs and into her room she went.

Oven preheated? Check.

Cookies in the oven? Check.

Mikey done? Well, she was going back up to check.

“Aight, I’m back,” she said.

“That was fast. What did you do?” He asked.

She hovers a finger near her shiny lips. “It’s your secret reward.”

He paused, and broke focus from the bed frame. “Oh, it’s a secret now?” He smiled.

“Yes, it’s a secret.” She smiled back. “And I think it’s gonna smack you back to my momma’s house…”

A child-like seriousness took over his face. “Brisket?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

“Mac and cheese?”

Another shake. “Uh uh.”

He points at her. “Ribs.”

“I ain’t tellin, Mikey.”

“You didn’t deny it! It’s ribs!” He drags his fists towards his chest in excitement. “Hell yeah!” Verbal excitement that matched his wild fan of a tail.

“It’s not ribs, Mikey.” Her smile had evolved into a giggling grin. “Chill. You gon’ find out in a minute.”

“Aw man, you’re killing me, Ally!” He yelled sarcastically. “Just tell me!”

But all she did was walk up to him, and tap his wet black nose. “Nnnno.”

A gesture he returned. “Yyyyes.”

“Nuh uh.” Another boop.

“And what if I just got up, and went downstairs to check?”

She pouts, and crosses her arms. “Then I’d be really mad at you.”

“You can’t stay mad at me, Ally.”

“The hell I can!”

“Bet,” he said for what she assumed was the first time in nineteen years.

As if a switch had been flicked, he leaned his tilted snout forward, and shot her with the saddest eyes he could muster. He even had his ears down, which just added to the depressing view.

But, she had to remain strong. Even if that meant looking away from those painfully sad eyes.

And it wasn’t until he began to whine that she had to shut her eyes. “Oh…you’re cheating…!”

Their little game was interrupted by the sound of an energetic piano coming from the speaker. No longer were black musicians singing about the female gender being promiscuous; no, now a Japanese woman sang alongside a gentle piano.

Did Mike pay any attention to that? You bet he did. And he had the biggest grin on his face because of it.

“Hey!” He yells sarcastically. “That doesn’t sound like Snoop Dogg or Dr. Dre!”

Aleena could only giggle nervously while rushing over to her phone. “Whoops! How’d that shit get in there?” Mike quickly swiped the phone, however, and held it up as high as he could. “Hey!” She hopped up in many failed attempts to try and get it back.

“Aw, c’mon! Don’t change it!” He pleaded. “I think it sounds nice.”

Her jumping paused. “Oh yeah. You’re not black.” With that realization, her arms dropped like rocks. “I forgot about that.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“You ain’t gonna give me shit for watching animes that ain’t Naruto or Dragon Ball Z.”

“Uh...no? Why would I?”

“Uh…” She pats his belly. “Forget about it. You heard of Sword Art Online?”

“Ally, the last anime I saw was Dragon Ball GT.”

Her jaw sank to the floor. “Oh, hell nah!” She tugs at his massive paw. “We’re gonna fix that right now! Come on, Mikey!”

“But- what- uh- what about the- uh- bed frame?” He nervously asked.

“The wha- oh! Right!” She let go of his hand. “Okay! Bed frame first, then you’re watching SAO’s first episode with me!”

His jaw was barely open, yet he said nothing for a few seconds. “...kay.”

“BRB. Gonna check on your reward.”

“...sounds good…”

Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

On the way down to the kitchen, she thought about the series of events that had just transpired.

Innocence by Eir Aoi played on the speaker, then he held her phone out of her reach, then she mentioned SAO, then he mentioned that his last anime was “Dragon Ball Giga Trash” as Aleena liked to call it, then she tried to pull him towards the living room by taking hold of his hand.

His coarse, strong, furred hand.

Just remembering its sensation was enough to set her heart ablaze. Its warm tingle was quick to spread outwards; even up to the tips of her hair.

No wonder he was nervous. This is what he was feeling at the time.

Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to keep him any long-

“YO, ARE THOSE COOKIES!?” Mike yells from upstairs.

Loud and rapid thumping made its way down from her room. His aggressive advance did not stop until Mike crouched in front of the oven’s door.

Paired with Mike’s overly-excited tail, Aleena just couldn’t help but giggle. ‘There’s my Mikey.’

“Carob Chip! Hell yeah!”

His grin was as happy as his radiant and joyful eyes.

How could she turn this away?

“I wanted to thank you for going out of your way to help me today. Even with our...y’know...” Aleena said. “So, I hit my mom up for some a these. I know they’re your favorite.”

“Holy crap holy crap holy crap thank you!” Without even thinking about it, he scooped her up into a hug, and excitedly twisted while doing so. “Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthank-”

“M-Mikey! I’m gettin’ dizzy!”

“Ah! Sorry!” He placed her down. “It’s just...I can’t believe I get to eat these again! I-I feel like I’m gonna explode!”

“I’m glad you’re happy Mikey, but-” BEEEEEP! “-they’re done now, apparently! But they still gotta cool off.”

“Aw, man…”

“Tell ya what? How ‘bout I put on the first episode of Sword Art Online? I can set it up while the cookies cool off.”

“Sounds good to me!” He ran off. Only to quickly come back. “Uh...which living room?”

The upstairs one. Mainly because of the carpet. The heated tiles downstairs weren’t working, so they were ice cold.

Something she intended to fix.

For now, alongside Mike, she took a seat on the black leather couch. In front of them; an oak table sat between them, and the stained pine shelving space that held the large flat-screen TV.

But, before the show began to load, Mike had a question. “What’s this anime about, anyway?”

“Mmm-” Her lips pucker. “I think you’ll like it better if you watch the first episode without knowin’.”

“It’s not like Evangelion, is it?”

She sarcastically hunches. “You still mad about that??”

“You’re damn right,” he said, arms crossed. “The second half sucked. And the movie did NOT make it better! I mean, why did he jerk off-”

“Oookay, Mikey,” She hovered the plate of cookies in front of him. “No talky. Just watchy.”

An intense choir plays from the speakers. And, alternating between a black screen and falling sky, text is displayed. “In 2022, mankind finally built a full virtual environment.”

“Whoa,” Mike said, watching the camera pan out into a mountainous area. To the left, a man sat on a horse, and watched as a ginormous...tower? Castle? City? ...Something, hovered in the distance. “Anime’s really come a long way. This animation looks nice.”

“Yeah, they’ve really stepped up-”

She was interrupted by...moaning?

When she looked up at him, a cookie was in his hands; and a mixture of ecstasy and chocolate was smeared all over his maw. “I think I just came in my mouth…”

Aleena paused for a moment, snorting and shaking her head immediately after. “You silly.”

The next few scenes featured a young teen boy reading through a magazine. On the cover, a gray helmet-like device captured Mike’s eyes.

“Ah. So real people go to some kind of internet world. That’s what this is about?” He asked.

“I mean, there’s more to it than that; but that’s one of the main things, yeah.”

Helmet on, Ethernet cord plugged in, a Nintendo-DS-like device snapped shut, LED indicators on the helmet blinked to life, and the boy uttered two words. “Rhinku stahto!”

A high-pitched noise was accompanied by many bright colors flying towards the screen.

“Ah! Seizure!” Mike joked.

“Yeah, this scene do be crazy,” Aleena responds.

The boy finds himself in a completely new area. Stone floors, large pillars and medieval architecture.

He blinks, then looks at his hands.

The camera then pans at an individual that looked nothing like the boy. This fellow looked more handsome; older and more mature; with seriously narrow eyes; and a nose that had slightly more detail.

“What the hell?” Mike chuckled. “That looks nothing like him!”

“Well, yeah. Ain’t no one tryina look like their real goblin ass selves in online games, Mikey.”

He nod-tilts his head. “I guess that’s true. Sasha does often talk about the men that pretend to be women in online games.” A few seconds later, a brief clip shows a man that was trying to team up with a cute and ignorant woman. “That’s a guy. I’m calling it.”

Aleena said nothing.

After an exchange from the protagonist—who called himself Kirito—and a newbie begging for help, the scene cuts to the latter just as he’s knocked over by a boar.

“Right in the crotch!” Groans the newbie that was curled up on the grassy floor.

“You’re so over the top,” Kirito said. “You don’t feel any pain, right?”

The newbie blinked in surprise. “Oh yeah. That’s right. Couldn’t help myself!”

“I don’t blame him,” Mike said. “I would’ve had the same reaction.” When the scene cuts to Kirito’s point of view, it shows a green octahedron hovering over the newbie’s face; and a health bar that moved alongside it.

What followed was a brief explanation of the combat system. The delivery of an attack did not rely on your aim, but rather on the movements you made before attacking. Move and pose in the right way, activate a skill, then attack. After that, an auto-aim of sorts kicks in, and you’re guaranteed to hit your target.

The boar’s health drops to zero, and it explodes into blue triangles that float up towards the sky.

More dialogue ensued, and it quickly cuts to a similar area featuring a sunset; the animators’ way of telling the audience that the two men spent the day hanging out.

“Okay,” Mike said, as more dialogue plays. “So they’re internet losers that escape into this new world to be cool. That right?”

“The protagonist? A hundred percent,” Aleena says as Kirito utters his next few words.

“-but I still feel more alive here than I do in the real [world],” Kirito said, confirming Mike’s suspicions. There was also talk of more hunting, but the newbie had to log off.

Only, when he swiped his right hand to bring up a digital menu, there was a problem. “There’s no button to log out,” the newbie said. Clearly, it was serious; the music had stopped.

The more experienced Kirito checked for himself; and sure enough, it was missing from his menu as well.

The tried to ponder alternative ways of logging out. Kirito could only think of having someone in the real world unplug the helmet device; something that wasn’t an option for the single newbie.

But, when Kirito mentioned that he had a little sister, the newbie’s next question raised Mike’s brow. “H-How old’s your little sister, Kirito?” He asked with a tinge of excitement.

“What the hell?” Mike asked. “Is he a pedophile?”

“Maybe. It is Japan. They all kinds’a freaky over there.”

The newbie continued to pester the understandably hesitant protagonist. His reward? A Knee to the balls.

“Haha!” Clapped Mike. “Hell yeah! Get his ass, Kirito!” A cheer that had the grinning Aleena shaking her head.

More eerie dialogue was cut short by the sound of ringing bells. Then, one by one, confused players were teleported into a large circular plaza. In the middle, a clock tower stood tall.

The playfully ignorant woman was back for a brief moment. “Man,” he said, pointing at her.

In the sky, a red hexagon blinks. “WARNING,” text read within it. And from it, many more hexagons explode outwards. Either they too say “WARNING,” or “System Announcement.”

“Uh oh,” Mike said. “Did someone hack the game?”

“Maybe,” Aleena sarcastically said.

It didn’t take long for the entire sky, and by extension the area’s lighting, to turn deep red.

Blood pours down from the edges of the red hexagonal sky; coalescing into the form of a cloaked man with a face hidden within a hood.

“I’m scared...” Said the ignorant woman to her male companion.

“Man,” Mike quickly whispered.

“Attention players,” said the large cloaked man floating in the sky. “Welcome to my world. My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As of this moment, I am the only person able to control this world.”

He further went on to say that the missing logout button was not a mistake. And, looping back to what the boys were talking about before, attempting to remove the helmet in the real world would fry their brain.

“What the hell? This man is a psycho,” Mike said. A feeling further compounded from Kayaba saying that 213 players had “exited” permanently from life.

“The instant your HP drops to zero,” Kayaba says, “your avatars will vanish forever. And simultaneously, your brains will be destroyed by the NerveGear.”

“Jesus Christ,” Mike groaned. “Who hurt him?”

“The one condition for your escape is to complete the game.” As Kayaba speaks, a light blue hologram of the floating tower is nothing more than a shallow bowl. But, as he speaks, a series of disc-shaped layers hover over the bowl-like structure; and the two viewers watch as the camera quickly flies to the top of the structure. “Defeat the final boss on floor 100 and you will clear the game.”

“Fuck that,” Mike said. “That’s way too much. Even for a super nerd.”

“I’ve provided you all with a present in your item storage,” Kayaba continued. “Please see for yourselves.”

The item in question was a mirror.

Immediately, every player in the game was encased in a blinding white aura that coated the screen.

And, when the light dissipates, the fake avatar Kirito had worn before was replaced with the features he had in the real world. His baby face, big ol’ eyes, everything.

Even the newbie was affected; reduced to the less ideal version that was his real self.

As for the recruiter and the playfully ignorant woman?

“You’re a guy?” Asked the now fat recruiter teen.

“You were lying about being 17?” Asked the man in the dress that could no longer play dumb.

“HA!” Mike yelled, pointing at the screen. “Called it!”

“Right now,” continued Kayaba. “You must all be wondering ‘Why? Why would Kayaba Akihiko do such a thing?’ Well, my goal has already been achieved.”

“This man has to have serious control issues,” Mike said.

“I created Sword Art Online for one reason. To create this world and meddle in it.”

“Man, I am good at this!” Mike grins.

“This concludes the tutorial for Sword Art Online.”

“Tutorial!?”

“I wish you luck, players.”

As Kayaba’s avatar dissipates, Mike could only shake his head. “That was a terrible tutorial if over two-hundred people died.”

“I know, right?” Aleena asked.

Panic ensued in SAO, of course. What other reaction could there be to being told that you couldn’t escape from a death trap?

Kirito, one of the more experienced players, quickly pulled the newbie out of the panicked crowd and discussed a quick level-up strategy. However, the newbie was hesitant about leaving his other friends behind. If they came along, Kirito was certain they would impede progress. So, they decided to part ways.

Off Kirito ran, into the sunset, and towards the end of the episode.

But before the cut to the credits, Kirito made sure to cut down a four-legged wolf that was in his way.

“I take back everything I said about him,” Mike growled. “I hope he dies.”

“C’mon, Mikey. It wan’t no real wolf.”

“Neither is that little twink, but it doesn’t make me hate him less.”

“So, does that mean you didn’t like the show?” Aleena asked a bit disappointed.

“Huh? Oh, no. The premise is very interesting, and I actually want to see more.” He leered at Kirito as he occasionally appeared on the end credits’ screen. “I just hope that that little shit explodes into little blue triangles by the end of the show.”

The default iPhone ringtone interrupts their conversation.

After picking up her phone, Aleena checks the caller-ID. “Uh...gimme a sec, Mikey. I gotta take this in another room.” Her pace was even quicker than Mike’s growing skepticism.

“...okay, Secret Agent Jackson.”

Her finger slides across her phone before she pressed it against her face. “Hello?” She asked.

“Yo, Ms. A,” Will responds. “I’m gonna have to take a rain check tomorrow. I have a...uh...prior engagement.”

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, a wide grin revealing her cheeky dimples. “Aww-”

“No! It’s not what you think!” He desperately screams.

Another voice, this one child-like and giggling, can be heard in the background. “Will’s got a date with the do-ggie girl!”

“Shut up, Johnny!” Will yells. “Just...I’ll see you Monday. Sorry it’s such short notice.”

“Naw, it’s all good! Enjoy your teenage years while you still have ‘em!” Aleena responds. “They disappear quicker than you think.”

“Uh...okay, cool. Thanks for understanding. Bye-”

“Oh, uh Will?” Aleena quickly shot out.

“Yeah?” Will asks.

“Your feelings are perfectly natural. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“...I’m hanging up now,” he irately responds before hanging up.

But not before his brother got one more shot in. “Yeah, Will! Just admit that you loooove her already!” Mockery accompanied by the sound of kissing.

“I swear TO GOD-”

Beep!

She turned around to head back towards Mike. Only, he was already there; arms crossed; laying against the wall; face as serious as his posture.

She just about jumped out of her skin. “Shit! Mikey!”

“I thought that voice sounded familiar,” he said. “He calls me by my last initial, as well. That’s mainly what tipped me off.”

“Look, Mikey, I swear to God I ran into him at the gym on accident!” Her hands were up defensively. “Please don’t be mad at me!”

He was quiet for a moment. “I will admit that I came over here with...questions, but then I heard what you said to him,” he said. “It was nice. Something people like us need to hear; especially at that age.”

“I felt like he needed to hear ‘em. I mean, he couldn’t even call it a date, Mikey.”

He shook his head. “Classic self-denial.”

“You know, I’m surprised you chill about this. Usually, my dad threatened every boyfriend I ever had.”

Mike chuckled. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. If he ever tries anything funny with Sasha,” he says, his face immediately turning serious, “I know where he lives.”

She had to admit, that aggressive parental instinct was kind of hot; even if it was initially kind of unsettling. “Then…?” She asked with confusion.

“Oh, uh, I’ve known him for years. For one, Sasha loves to complain about him almost daily. And, every time we speak, he treats me with respect.” His head tilts. “Until Sasha gets within ten meters of him.”

“I’m confused,” Aleena said. “They’ve been enemies for years, but now they’re going on a date?”

“Eeh… ‘enemies’ is a strong word,” he said. “I’ve always believed that they just got off on the wrong foot. If they’d only give themselves a second chance, they’d find that their interests weave together perfectly; almost like-”

His hazel eyes flicker to her for a moment before redirecting elsewhere.

But, Aleena’s human eyes were no fool. “...oh. Like that, huh?” She looked away as well, an affectionate burn taking over her cheeks. “Then, uh, what happened between them?”

“Oh, you know kids. Boy meets girl, boy cheats at Pokemon, girl beats him anyway.” A smile took over Mike’s maw. “Boy plants stink bomb in her locker, girl farts on his lunch, typical childhood rivalry.”

Aleena couldn’t contain her giggling. “Nigga, what??”

“Yes; apparently, William is a bit of a sore loser. To regain his pride as an elementary school student, he thought it best to plant a stink bomb in her locker. String activated, too; it didn’t go off until after she opened it.”

“Not that, Mikey! I’m talking about your daughter ripping ass all over his chicken nuggets!” At least, she assumed it was chicken nuggets. Do the kids still like them?

“Oh, yeah! After she beat him in that Pokemon battle, she got a taste of what it feels like to make people mad; and she liked it.” Light concern took over his features. “Maybe a little too much. Especially when she can infuriate Will specifically.”

“Bruh. Ain’t no way that was her way of tryina get his attention.”

“That’s the thing! I don’t even think she knows that she’s doing it!” His hands raised themselves confusingly. “But it was obvious to both me and Sheila.”

Aleena could feel her smile weaken a bit at the mention of that name, but she forced it back up; so as to not risk a premature departure from Mike.

“I wonder if he’s been tryina get her attention as well.”

“If attention was their goal, then they succeeded. They were like perpetual attention machines for each other; just not the good kind.” His smile disappeared. “Which is why I’m glad that William finally took the initiative to ask her out. I’m hoping that by spending some time alone together, they’ll see the common ground they’ve had all along.”

“And you ain’t worried about him bein’ alone with your only daughter?”

“She’ll be fine. She’s not the promiscuous type; I mean, she’s never really had a boyfriend until now...unless you count the men in the Avenged Sevenfold posters that she has all over her room,” he said. “And besides, it’s only karaoke. What’s the worst that could happen?”

It was yet another Friday evening in the Falconer household.

Sasha’s non-date with Will is tomorrow; an event that continues to eat away at her mental space.

Just her, and him; in a place full of people she didn’t know.

People that will be recording her with judgmental cameras; just waiting for her to screw up.

‘Oh god,’ she thought, sitting against the back of a couch. It felt like the world around her was wobbling and her head was full of helium.

“Is something wrong, sweetie?” Sheila, entering the living room, asked.

“I’m a fuc- I mean I’m an idiot for thinking it was a good idea to go to karaoke with Whitey,” Sasha nervously responds. “I just know I’m gonna voice crack or forget the lyrics or-”

“Hey.” Sheila sat beside Sasha, and took hold of her daughter’s shoulders. “Hey hey hey relax. Everything will be fine. This is just your nerves getting the better of you.”

“But I’ve never had to sing in front of a crowd before!” She barked back. “I hate crowds! And people!” She rushed up on her own two feet. “Maybe I should just cancel-”

And her mother snapped up with her. “Sweetie, sweetie, wait.” It was evident in Sasha’s wide eyes and narrow pupils that her critical thinking skills have been buried by her nerves; a fact further compounded by the flat ears atop her head and a tucked tail that was inseparable from the sanctuary between her legs. “You’re scared. I get that. But doing things while you’re scared only makes you do things you’ll regret later.”

“I regret agreeing to this crap!”

“Language, and if that’s how you feel about your out-”

“It’s not a date!” Sasha barked.

Sheila’s head recoiled a bit in surprise. “I...never said it was- is that why you’re so nervous?”

“You’re not saying it, but you’re probably thinking it! And so is he, maybe!”

“Who? William? And what if he is?”

“I don’t know! I guess...it’d be weird, right?”

Sheila shook her head. “I don’t think so. Do you think it would be weird?”

“I mean...yeah!” Sasha began to quickly pace. “I mean...he’s been a dick to me for years!”

“Language.”

“Sorry! A phallic object! A Nixon! Whatever you wanna call it, he’s been...it! And now to all of a sudden wanna get with me? I mean...what!?” She paused, looking at her mom with open arms.

Sheila looked at her daughter for a second. “Sweetie,” she says, circling the couch and taking a seat on a cushion, “Sit down.”

“And what good’ll that do me!?”

“Please.” Sheila taps a spot next to her.

Rolling her eyes, Sasha reluctantly plops onto the couch. “Okay? Now what?”

Once more, Sheila gently lands her paw on Sasha’s shoulders. “I need you to breathe. Can you do that?”

“...why?”

“Just do it. In...” Sheila begins. But Sasha did nothing. “In…” Sasha aggressively trapped air in her nose. “...out.” The powerful exhale was saturated with irritation. “In…” And once again, she quickly crammed as much air as she could into her lungs. “...out.” Followed by yet another sneeze of anger.

This continued for many ticks of the analogue clock hanging above the television. With every breathing cycle, Sasha could feel her nerves slowly chip away at the fog in her brain.

Not to say that she was perfectly calm by the end of it. But, at least, the world didn’t seem like it was on the verge of extinction.

“We done yet?” Sasha asked.

“That depends. Are you more at ease now?” Asked Sheila.

“I mean...kinda? It still feels like my brain’s in my ass.”

“Language.”

“Sorry,” Sasha sarcastically responds. “It still feels like my brain’s in my Whitey.”

“There’s my little girl,” the giggling Sheila said. “Are you ready to listen to what I have to say?”

Sasha sighed. “Sure.”

“Good. For starters, are you positive that karaoke slip-ups are a bad thing?”

“Wh- you’ve seen the videos, right? Bad singers get roasted in the comments!”

“Sweetie,” Sheila says, shaking her head, “comments sections are not real. As someone that’s actually been to karaoke before, bad singing is extremely common. No one is born with the vocal talent of Lorde.”

“Lorde can’t sing! Her music is 80% edited!”

“You know what I’m talking about, Sasha,” Sheila says. “But what I was getting at was that anything that happens on the internet is...well, imaginary. If you slip up, no one in the real world will care; especially in a place where bad singers are encouraged. I imagine that’s why William suggested karaoke; because he was aware of your stage fright.”

Sasha nod-tilted her head. “I mean...I guess so. But what if I’m so good that he falls in love with me or something? Or what if he already does? What if this is all just some sort of ruse just to get me to fall in love with him?”

“Even if he does like you, why would that be such a bad thing? Do you prefer the boy that planted red paint on your chair to make the other kids think you had a human period?”

“Well- Uh- Because- He- I mean-”

“With that being said, I completely understand if you don’t want to become romantically involved with him. It is your life, after all. If, truly, you have no desire to become involved with William, then just let him know if he brings it up. If he doesn’t, then you have nothing to worry about!”

“I mean, yeah, I guess I could just say no…”

There was more Sheila wished she could say in this moment; how she knew that her daughter’s attraction to the human boy was obvious; but she had to essentially claw at her own skin to keep her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted to do was force a choice onto her own daughter. That would make the stressed mother no better than...them. “And if he does try anything funny,” Sheila says, aggressively clamping her maw shut. “I’ll bite his willie off!”

That managed to elicit light giggling from Sasha. “Not before I kick his ass, you don’t.”

“So, you feeling better about tomorrow, little Ms. Potty Mouth?”

“A little bit, I guess. Not gonna lie though, I’m still thinking about canceling.”

“That’s perfectly fine,” Sheila said. “Think it over as long as you need to. I suggest waiting until morning, but it’s up to you.”

“Why morning?”

“Sleep tends to clear our minds. If, with a clear head, you still want to cancel; then call William and do just that. As long it’s what you truly feel, of course.”

Sasha nods. “Alright, I can do that. But I’m still a bit nervous about what could happen; karaoke aside.”

“That’s perfectly natural. Fear is a defense mechanism that has saved the lives of our ancestors, after all,” Sheila said. “But often, fear can hold us back from things we want. And the only way to get to those things is to plow through fear itself.”

It felt like Sasha was hit with a ton of bricks in that moment. “You sound a lot like Whitey’s mom right now.”

Moon River strikes again.

“It’s something every adult has to deal with. Ready or not, life comes at you fast and without warning after graduation. But…” Sheila ruffled the fur on Sasha’s head. “That’s nothing you have to worry about right now. Just focus on your date with-”

“NOT. A date.”

“Sorry. Just focus on your...outing with William for the time being. And whatever happens, happens.” Sheila checks the clock on the wall. “Hmm.”

“What?” Sasha inquired.

“It’s almost seven o’clock. I wonder where your father is.”

“...like I care,” she coldly spat out. “I think Imma go take a shower now.”

“Oh...okay?” Sheila said with concern. “At the very least, I hope you’ll think what we discussed.”

“Yep...”

Was her father with her? And if so, what were they doing?

To what extend did he know her?

Is that why he was always home late on Fridays?

More and more questions popped up in her head, each more infuriating than the last.

It’s part of why she chose to take a shower.

By the end of it, the fury had subsided. For the most part.

It went down the drain along with a mixture of water, soap, and loose fur.

And even those loud, obtrusive thoughts were no match for the stand-in blow dryer that assaulted her wet fur from all sides. She had to wear earplugs, however, as it felt like she was standing right in front of a jet engine.

Now, red flannel pajamas and white tank top on, she was ready for her evening activities.

But not before checking her phone, of course.

Whitey had sent her a text while she was showering. A sight that excites her tail ever so slightly.

<yo> reads the first message. <we still on for tomorrow?>

<definitely> she responds without hesitation. <i wanna hear ur crappy singing>

<bitch ill sing better than you>

Sasha grins. <nah u wont even be top 10>

<ill top u for sure>

<iLl tOp U fOr SuRe said the bottom>

<u would make it about sex cause ur obsessed with me lol>

<bitch plz ud shut down if i took my pants off>

<only because my nose would kill itself at the sent of ur fishy pussy>

<scent*> Sasha corrects.

<oh wow minor spelling mistake u sure got me>

<its not my fault ur retarted>

<lol its retarded retard>

<the only retard here is u cause I still havent gotten the address for that place>

<oh shit mb> Will sent. <here>

Only, what Sasha received was not an address. Rather, it was an image of Woody; the cowboy from Toy Story. Not a screenshot from the movie, but a photo of a doll standing in front of a laptop. He featured a wide grin; equally as creepy as the crazy eyes that looked right at the camera, and the light from below that helped give Woody a more menacing glow. “YOU’RE MY FAVORITE DEPUTY” read bold white text at the bottom of the screen. And what ultimately forced Sasha to drop back on her bed with heavy laughter was the fact that Woody held a small purple dildo in each hand.

Her laughter was so intense, she found it hard to keep her crying eyes open; let alone breathe.

<OH SHIT> Will sent. <WRONG THING>

Both texts that she couldn’t read at the moment. Not when her giggling body was pinned to her bed and her arms desperately hugged at her burning belly.

“Sasha?” Sheila rushed into her room with a look of concern. “What is going on?”

As Sasha giggle gasped for air, she raised her phone up to her mother before quickly collapsing once more.

Luckily, Sheila managed to grab it before Sasha was once again brought down by her laughter. “Oh!” One of Sheila’s hands covers her giggling maw. “Oh my goodness!” Not nearly as funny to her as it was to Sasha, it seems. “Well, I guess I had no reason to worry. Carry on, then.” She left Sasha’s room just as quickly as she’d arrived.

It would be some time before Sasha’s laughter simmered down. Even so, her body still twitched lightly with occasional laughter.

He had to see what he did to her.

Selfie taken, and sent.

<look at what u did to me lol> Sasha sent. <im crying>

The image in question featured Sasha grinning with eyes as moist as a summer pool. And, trailing down her cheeks, dark lines of wet fur marked the rivers that her tears had traversed.

<lol thats gonna be ur contact photo>

<what?? nah dont u dare i look like shit>

<thats what makes it funny>

<not as funny as ur ass is gonna look after im done kicking it>

His next screenshot is of Sasha’s contact info. And, sure enough, the selfie of her tear-soaked laughter was her contact photo.

<come and kick it> he joked.

<wow margaret thatcher sure does look different> she replied, referencing the name Will had given her.

<oh like ur using my real name lol>

Giggling ensued as she modified his photo in return, and sent a screenshot his way.

<ur right> she joked back.

<ew wtf lol>

His contact photo was a close-up of Woody’s face.

<fairs fair whitey>

<fair my ass lol ur photo is actually funny mine makes me look like a rapist>

Especially with the contact name ‘cum lord’.

<thats what makes it funny lol>

After that, Will’s messages stopped coming. There was an intrusive thought in the back of her head that maybe he truly was offended at her choice of photo. But then again, it was just a picture. It wasn’t that serious.

And it wasn’t like she chose an offensive one, either. The Woody pic was funny!

She waited, and waited, but there was no retort; no joke; no Whitey.

There was nothing. And that really, really, really bothered her.

<if u want i can change it> She sent after some time. <its not that serious>

And, in a surprising twist, her phone’s ringtone went off. Woody took over her screen, and she was prompted with two options: answer, or decline.

Hesitantly, she chose the former. “...hello?”

“Hey,” Will said softly. “Is this a bad time?”

Sasha’s pseudo-brows curled in a mixture of skepticism and concern. “Why are you whispering?”

“Sorry, I’m just...uh...I think some rando’s following me.”

Sasha perked right up. “What? D-do you need me to call the cops?”

“No, no,” he said, trying to remain calm. “I just need to be on the phone to make him think I haven’t noticed him. And I probably can’t fake a conversation long enough to walk home from where I am, so...uh...I called you.”

“You’re being awfully calm for someone that’s being followed. Does this happen normally?”

“Eh...no?”

“Are you asking me, or telling me, dude?”

He sighed. “Look. Can you just stay on the phone long enough for me to walk home? Please?”

“I mean sure, but...why didn’t you call Al or Chris?”

“You were already on my screen.”

“Oh.” She couldn’t lie, she’d hoped that there was more to it than that. “Well, are you sure you don’t want me to call the cops?”

“I’m sure. Stalkers aren’t taken seriously by cops. There’s no info to go off of, so they just offer a half-assed promise to be vigilant; and nothing really happens.”

“That’s retarded,” she said. “Anyone tries to stalk me, and I’ll kick his a-” She paused. “Wait. Stalker?” Silence. “What’s going on, Whitey? Stop bullshitting me.”

He sighs again. “Doesn’t matter. You probably won’t care, anyway.”

“Tell me or I’m hanging up right now.”

“Alright, fine,” he says. “There’s this girl that’s been stalking me since we were kids. Five times out of ten, when I leave the house or school, she’s there too.”

“What the fuck?”

“Right? But every time I bring it up, I’m told that that’s just how girls are. Or that it’s a compliment.”

“Oh hell nah! I don’t do that shit! If that’s how girls are, then I’ve got a whole ass cock and balls!”

Will couldn’t help but chuckle. “That would explain a lot.”

“Why? Because I don’t ‘tee hee’ and open up for the millionth dude that wants to fuck me?”

“No, because no sane girl stuffs a dude’s locker full of tampons.”

A hearty chuckle escaped from Sasha’s mouth. “You still remember that?”

“Are you kidding? I’m still trying to figure out how you got so many in the building without getting caught!”

“Teachers can’t exactly check my pussy, Whitey.”

“Ew! So my locker had your pussy all over it!?”

“Oh god no I was just kidding! I use ancient Chinese seclet to sneak them into school,” she joked offensively.

“The only way I could ever see you having that many tampons in school is if you had multiple girls sneak them in. Is that it? Am I on the nose?”

“Yep! Lots of allowances well spent. And I would’ve gotten away with it too if it weren’t for that snitching Asian bitch.”

“The yearbook club girl?”

“The very same.”

“Wait. Is that why you won’t let her take a photo of you?”

“That’s right. It’s my revenge for ruining my prank.”

“Damn. I hate to admit it, but I actually kinda respect the dedication.”

A cocky hum escapes Sasha’s lips. “That’s because I’m not a little bitch.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Says the one that’s afraid of being followed by a girl.”

“No, I’m afraid of the consequences that’ll befall me if I try to shoo her away.”

“Why? What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Well, she also comes from money; and she’s a woman; so anything ranging from...all career prospects destroyed...to...prison ‘till I die.”

“What if you could prove that she was stalking you?”

“Eh...same thing. Well, maybe...she’ll probably get community service, or some shit? I don’t know.”

“What? That’s bullshit.”

“Yep,” he sighs. “So my best option is to ignore her, avoid her, and keep moving.”

“So...she’ll probably follow you to karaoke, is what I’m hearing.”

“Oh, I have a plan for that. She’s stuck-up and thinks of so-called ‘poors’ as subhuman garbage, so I’m riding...something that she wouldn’t dream of touching in a million years.”

“Your penis.”

“If you knew her like I did, you’d know how bad that joke is.”

“Aw, don’t worry Willie,” Sasha teased. “If I see her there, I’ll kick her ass for you; and make sure she doesn’t come back. Sound good?”

“Hah! Good luck with that! Many have tried, and many have failed.”

“Well, ‘many’ aren’t me.”

“God, if you really can pull that off, I’d propose on the spot. That’s how much I fucking hate her.”

At those words, Sasha’s tail fanned like crazy; to where her entire body swayed at the force that each swing of happiness generated. “Ew! Never mind you can keep her!”

“Nah you’re right. I can’t even imagine being married to your bitch ass.” And that killed whatever joy was in her tail. “Then how about free strawberry cokes for life?”

Her lowered eyes dart to her phone with a look that had no room for games. “I’m listening.” Even her tail had perked up in interest.

“If you can get her to stop stalking me, I will give you enough strawberry coke to kill you by the time you’re 30. Sound good to you?”

“Don’t you mess with a girl’s heart, McAllister. You better be serious.”

“Dead serious.”

“Then you’ve got yourself a deal. The first time she sees me will be the last time she sees you.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that. Anyway, I’m back home now, so we don’t have to continue this call if you don’t want to.”

Words that flatten Sasha’s fuzzy black ears. “I mean, if you hate talking to me that much, then-”

“I didn’t say that,” he interrupted. “You just sounded hesitant when we started this call, so I figured you were just waiting for me to get home.”

“Well, I mean, yeah! You said you were being followed! I was just...distracting you, I guess?”

Yep. Just distracting him. That’s the only reason she chose to stay on the call.

And no other reason.

“Well, distract me you did,” he says. “Thank you.”

“Any time, white skin,” she says.

“Wow. Racist much?” He asks sarcastically.

“That’s right, you white cracker! Fur power!”

“Wooow. I bet you’re doing the Hitler salute right now, too.”

She slowly dropped that extended arm. “Wh-no?”

“Mhm. Sure.”

“You calling me a liar?” She asks sarcastically.

“Ha-h’ain’t callin’ you a truther!”

Sasha giggles. “Look at you making ‘poor’ references!”

Sasha’s bedroom door gently creeks open. “Hey Sasha,” Mike says, peeking in at an angle. “Am I still taking you to your date wit-”

“IT’S NOT A DATE!” She barks.

“Aw, what?” Will loudly and sarcastically shouts. He even made sure to mix in hints of disappointment. “But I already bought the condoms!”

“What the-” The petrified she-Wolf pulls the phone in close to her maw. “Shut up, Whitey! That’s not funny!” She shouts angrily.

And Mike, chuckling like a little boy, covers his maw. “J-just let me know, okay?”

“Uh, yeah dad! Will do!” She grins nervously. It wasn’t until her door closed that Will lost it. “YOU ASSHOLE! I’M GONNA KILL YOU!”

“Worth it,” the giggling teen sighs.

“William!” Echoes a feminine voice in the background of Will’s call. “Is that you?”

His mother.

…

The most devilish of grins slowly took over Sasha’s face.

“Yeah, mom! I just got home!” Will yelled back.

“Oh I’m sorry. Are you on the phone?” His mon asks, louder.

“Uh...yeah.”

“Who is it? Your Aunt Gertrude?” And even closer.

“Uh...no.”

“Why are you hiding your phone? Are you watching Wolf pornography again?”

Wolf porn? That’s a MUCH better idea than what she had in mind!

Also…

...again?

“Wh-No! Why would I watch that kind of stuff in the kitchen?”

“I don’t know, William! Your actions often confuse me!”

Her voice was REALLY close now.

Hopefully close enough to hear his phone.

“Oh fuck~” Sasha moaned while repeatedly clapping her hands as loud as she could. “Oh shit~”

“What was that?” Asked his mom.

“Oh yeah~ give me that big white human cock~”

Gasp! “William!”

“Wait! Mom! It’s just Sasha messing with me! Look!”

“I’m not gonna look-ew!”

“No! Mom! I’m not lying! Look!”

Sasha’s clapping had picked up the pace. “Oh yeah grab my tail daddy~ Yeah just like tha-” A shaky moan escaped her maw. “Oh yeah! Pump me full of human cum!”

“Mom! Come back! Mom!” There was a bit of pause on his end while Sasha’s hearty chuckle filled the call. His fury simmered, even affecting his now lowered voice. “You. Bitch.”

“Yeah! NOT SO FUNNY WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU, HUH!?” A sentence drenched in sadistic happiness. “And besides, I’ve given you your wank material for later, so I don’t know why you’re so upset.”

“...what?”

“Oh, come on, Mr. Wolf Porn,” she giggles. “I know you’re gonna remember my moans when you’re in the shower later.”

“...I’m hanging up now,” the defeated teen groaned.

“Oh, something’s hangin’ up alright!”

Sarcasm hums from Will. “Hahahaha-”

And the chime of an ended call fills Sasha’s ears, which only makes her laugh harder.

“Oh...” she sighs. “That was good...”

It wasn’t until she let out one long satisfied sigh that she realized just how calm she felt right now. Her earlier worries about the meetup were mostly buried now; though there was still a final bastion of resistance in her introverted heart that refused to die.

‘Heh,’ she thought. ‘Wolf porn.’

It was a funny thought; the fact that this non-Wolf dude had been caught choking his chicken to a whole different species.

Maybe even more than once.

How did that work, she wondered?

Was it specifically because they were Wolves? Or did they just so happen to be Wolves when his mom caught him?

And if it was the former, then what did that mean?

Was there a tiny part of Will that secretly wanted to fuck Sasha that not even he knew about? Or was he fully aware of his attraction to her?

Either way, the thought of his subconscious and lustful gaze sent a disgusting chill down her spine.

Even more so the fact that he may unironically think of her in such a way while he-

‘Okay!’ She desperately thinks. ‘It’s 11! I should get some shut-eye!”

Way earlier than she normally went to sleep, but what the hell? Early sleep’s never hurt anyone.

And given what tomorrow has in store for her, she’ll need every second of sleep that she can get.

What was that noise?

Was someone saying something?

And this floor. It feels like...concrete? And rocky debris?

...wait. There’s more noise.

Kind of like...the distant scrape of metal. And groaning.

“…” Muffles that voice yet again. “Wake up!” He shouts more clearly. “Sasha!”

Her hazel green eyes snap open. Immediately, she’s greeted to the sight of a white man looking down at her through his tinted silver aviators.

And above him, a badly damaged concrete ceiling shielded them from the sky; to the point where even the rusted—yet supportive—rebar was exposed.

“What the hell!?” She snapped up, remaining seated.

Her head turned to scan her surroundings. It looked like they were in a giant concrete bunker.

Clearly, no stylish décor was taken into consideration.

The ceiling was concrete, the floor was concrete, the walls were concrete; almost everything was concrete. The only exceptions were the wooden boards blocking windows with no glass; metal poles acting lined up as a ‘wall’ just ahead of her, which did not shield the interior from the hauntingly foggy elements outside; and a wooden door to her immediate right which read “HELP” in bold white...chalk?

And what brought all of the creepiness together was the fact that almost everything away from a light source was gray.

“Where am I!?” Sasha yipped. “What is this!? How did I get here!?”

“Hey, hey, hey!” The white man was quick to wrap his strong arms around her. “Relax, baby. You’re safe.”

“Baby!?” She tried to pull away. “Who are you?” And why did he smell like aftershave?

“Come on, Sasha.” He pulled away a bit, still leaving his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t you recognize me?”

Who the hell did he think he was with his black bandanna, backwards black cap, muscular and tattooed physique-

“Holy shit you’re M. Shadows!” She highly squeaked in uncontrollable feminine excitement. “Oh my god M. Shadows hugged me this is awesome holy crap you always smelled like I thought you would-”

“Sweetie, I’m happy you’re all rapid-tail, but we’ve got other things to worry about right now,” he says, reaching behind his jeans. “Here. Take this.”

He hands her…

...a silver pistol?

“...huh?” She asks, dumbfounded.

“Can’t you hear ‘em? They’re coming; and we need to fend them off.”

“Them?” The many haunting groans she could hear in the distance. “Who’s them?” Her question answered itself as a limping body revealed itself through the outer fog. “Holy crap! What the fuck is that!?”

“A zombie,” Shadows says. “One of many.”

The zombie, limping towards the wooden barricade on the window, wore a Nazi uniform. And, atypical of Nazis, he had glowing yellow eyes and blonde curly hair that ran down to his shoulders.

Seven shots were heard to her left; their source from a gun on a third party’s hands. They were just enough to take down the undead soldier.

“Is she awake?” Asked a familiar voice.

Yes, Sasha knew exactly who that was.“...dad?”

And, sure enough, there he stood. He was even wearing his formal office attire: white collared shirt, and black dress pants.

“Thank goodness,” he said. “I didn’t think you were ever gonna wake up.”

“Dad. What are we doing here? What’s going on?” The younger she-Wolf finally stood on her own two feet.

“I’m not quite sure. One moment, we’re at your wedding; and the next, we’re here.”

“Wedding!? To who?”

“Okay,” Shadows said. “Are you trying to hurt me on purpose?”

“Wh-” Sasha’s fuzzy index finger alternates between her and Shadows. “Me. You. Married.” Now that she remembers, he did call her baby earlier. “Mrs. Shadows.” She asks in disbelief, pointing only at herself.

“DIE, MONSTER!” Yelled a fourth. This one, a woman. Following her shout, eight shots were fired at a zombie Sasha couldn’t see.

“Mom’s here, too?” Sasha asked. “How many of us are there?”

“Just us four I’m afraid,” Shadows says. “Now come on. We don’t have time to spare.”

He ran off towards another window barricade further down the small building’s first floor. In his right hand, he held the same type of pistol that he’d handed her not too long ago.

The pistol that he’d stuffed in his pants.

…

Her entire family was in this very room. Yet, there wasn’t even an ounce of shame when she brought up the pistol to her nose—still warm from his touch—and took a deep whiff.

If this rush of mind-numbing ecstasy was wrong, she didn’t want to be right.

But the good times could not last more than one second in this little concrete prison. Another zombie was making its way to the barricade. This one…

Okay. Maybe the Nazis were more accepting than she thought. This one was very short, black, and curvy. She couldn’t even see the yellow glow of the zombie’s eyes; they were blocked by her afro.

“Oh fuck!” She yells. “Here it comes!”

“It’s weak, sweetie!” Yells Sheila. “Just shoot it or stab it!”

Stab it? With what?

“Uh…” Sasha didn’t want to go anywhere near that thing. But, like it or not, it arrived at the barricade and began to peel off the boards one by one. “...okay. Here I go…” Her tucked ears and tail were as confident as the shaky grip on her gun. “Just...uh…” She stood right against the window. “...gonna kill you now, okay?”

“Mikey!” Inhumanely garbled the female zombie, reaching through the barricade.

“Ah!” Squealed Sasha. The damn thing grazed her now bleeding arm. “You fucking bitch!” Her ears, tail, and hackles were nervous no more. She emptied the gun into the zombie’s head until it was empty.

Down it fell with a soft thud. Just in time for another zombie to arrive. This one, an exact copy of the blonde zombie, met the same fate.

Every member of team Falconer got one or two kills under their belts, judging from the sounds Sasha was able to hear.

“Okay,” Shadows said. “We’ve bought some time. Falconer family meeting.”

His smooth and reassuring voice gathers every Wolf in the room. Especially the wildly wagging Sasha, who happily clings to him. “So,” she says. “What’s the plan?”

“We should start by listing what we know and don’t know,” Shadows said. “The bad news is that we have an unknown quantity of zombies to deal with. And, the more we kill, the stronger they get.” Words that reassured none of the Wolves. “The good news is that they can’t keep coming forever. And, it appears like we have a theoretically infinite amount of ammo.” He pulls out a single shot rifle from seemingly out of nowhere. “Killing the undead gives us some kind of money that we can use to buy guns off the walls.”

“You’re so smart, honey!” Sasha barked. “You deserve a kiss!”

“Believe me, I’d like nothing more than to officially make you a Shadows,” he says, pulling her in by her euphoric sides. “But first, we have to get out of here.”

“No, you’re right. Zombies first. Babies later.”

Their moment of peace was ended by the sound of more undead groaning.

“Uh oh,” Shadows says. “Time’s up. Lock and load, everyone.”

A sentiment Sheila agrees with. “They’re not gonna lay a hand on my daughter, or son in law.”

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Mike says. “I’ll protect you. Even if it kills me.”

“Okay,” Shadows continued. “You can let go now, Sasha.”

“Mmm…” Her claws really didn’t want to. “What if we defended the same window?”

“That would leave us exposed on one end, putting us in danger. Do you really want to put me in danger?”

She took on a serious face, and militarily saluted him from a distance. “I won’t let a single one get away!” Especially not the one currently dragging his body through a barricade. “Whoa! Hold on there, Sonic the Hedgehog!” She shoots him eight times in a panic, but something was wrong. He was still alive. Two more stabs from her trusty knife, the one she managed to find just resting in her pocket, and he was down for good. “Jesus! Stay down!”

“Sasha!” Yelled Shiela. “Run!”

“Huh?” She looked to her left, and a swarm of zombies were speed walking towards Sasha’s end of the room. “HORY SHIT!”

Shadows quickly runs to the HELP door, and kicks it open. “In here!” He yells. And, following him, both the Falconers and the zombies were pouring in.

“Hold on!” Sheila runs to the rear left corner of the new room; just next to another barricade. “I’ve got this! Stand aside!” A Thompson machine gun was now in her hands. And, with a powerful yell, the hoard was reduced to ground beef in seconds.

“Haha!” Sasha happily yells. “Fuck yeah, mom!”

“Hey!” Sheila’s fury had not disappeared. “Watch your language!”

“Wha- Really?” Sasha asked in disbelief, capping some zombies beyond a barricade. “Even during the apocalypse?”

“Yes!” She smacks a zombie with the butt of her gun. “And I expect you to uphold that standard with my grandchildren! Society may be dead…!” She shoves the gun’s barrel into the zombie’s mouth. “...but manners are not!” And she blows its brains out.

“Gah!” Tick tick tick. “Unbelievable!”

“What? That you’re out of ammo, or that I refuse to let you forego common decency?”

“Both!” There was a double barrel shotgun wall buy that practically neighbored the Thompson. It suited her tastes more; especially the loud bangs that sent zombie chunks flying everywhere.

“Awesome aim, honey!” Yelled Shadows.

“I know!” Two more shots were fired, and neither one missed a zombie’s now decapitated head. “I’m awesome!”

But all was not well in Fort Falconer. Out from deeper in the fort, the horrid shriek of her mother echoed in all directions. “Oh god!”

Of course, Sasha snapped her focus to her mom.

She was shocked to find a hoard of small black zombies rushing Sheila all at once.

The four Falconers emptied as many bullets as they could into every zombie they could see, but they were like the head of a Hydra: kill one, and two more appear.

“God dammit!” Mike yelled. “There’s no end to them!”

“Hands off my mother-in-law you undead fleshbags!” Yelled Shadows who now had a pump-action trench gun.

Still, even as the four of them were practically cornered, every zombie seemed hell-bent on getting to Sheila. They weren’t eyeing anyone else.

“Fuck!” Yells Shadows. “We have to keep moving!” Ahead of them, a flight of stairs led up to the second floor. Only problems were…

“How?” Sasha asked. “They’re in the way, and the stairs are blocked!”

In his hands, he held what looked to be a…

...huge speaker?

...large soda can?

SOMETHING large, cylandrical, and-

FWOOM!

_..._fucking loud.

It shot out what looked to be a powerful sound wave; and whatever it hit flew like a bird that died on impact.

“I beg to differ,” Shadows said.

They were able to reach the stairs; but not only were they still blocked, but the hoard of angry black zombies had replenished their numbers in no time flat.

“Okay,” Sasha says. “Now what?” She watched as the debris on the stairs magically flew towards the heavens. “...huh?”

Even in a panic, Mike still managed to grab his daughter as he ran up the stairs. “RUN, SASHA!”

But there was another problem.

Sheila screams again; only this time, one of the afro zombies had her leg. “Let go!”

“Mom!” Sasha wasted no time in emptying her two shotgun slugs into the offending zombie’s head. However, they seemed to have no effect. “What the fuck!?”

The zombies wasted no time in sinking their sharp nails into Sheila’s fur, and pulling her in to the hungry hive.

Mike and Shadows joined in on the rescue attempt, desperately shooting at zombies that could give Sheila a chance to escape; but it was like they were shooting air at the undead monsters.

All they could do was hopelessly watch as Sheila’s blood-curdling screams were quickly drowned out by crunching and chewing; and, in no time flat, they heard nothing at all from the woman they fought alongside with.

Sasha screamed, pleaded, to rush to her mother’s end; but Shadows’ strong arms held her tight.

“No, Sasha!” He screamed.

“Let me go!” She cried “Mommy!”

“I’m upset too, Sasha,” Mike says, seemingly unfazed. “But we have bigger problems to worry about right now!”

More of those little brown devils were already upstairs. Mike didn’t even have time to breathe as his pump-action shotgun unleashed seemingly endless fury into the hoard.

But these zombies were different; it was as if some were intentionally body blocking others. This allowed the hoard to overwhelm Shadows and Mike’s simultaneous shooting. And, even if Sasha weren’t currently dazed with shock and grief, it wouldn’t have put a dent in the constant stream of black zombies that had their blocked eyes set on Mike.

Before long, the zombies managed to get close enough to where one of them straight up tackled the giant man. She planted her disgusting rotten lips on Mike’s shocked maw as the rest sank their nails into his now bleeding fur.

Again, Shadows fired shotgun slug after shotgun slug, but it was like the zombies were bullet-proof.

All they could do was watch as Mike reached out for his daughter and muffled desperately for her safety once more.

But, after he was forced down the stairs, Sasha knew she would never see him again.

“Sasha!” Shadows shook the mentally numb she-Wolf. “Snap out of it! We have to keep moving!”

She didn’t think she had any fight left in her.

They got her father.

They got her mother.

It was only a matter of time before they got her husband as well.

And soon, they would have her, too.

Was there even a point to fighting? Losing seemed inevitable.

But as hopeless as she felt, the focused stare of a distant blonde zombie sent a chill down her spine that told her to run.

Its gaze was fixed right on her.

And not only his.

That blonde zombie; and that one; and the many others running in from the fog far beyond the bunker; they were eyeing Sasha; telling her that she was next.

“In here!” Shadows, holding a light machine gun, waved at her to enter a room with one other exit.

There was a flight of stairs in the upper left corner that led back down to the first floor, but it was blocked by debris. This meant that the only entrances the zombies could take were from the doorway Shadows and Sasha just entered, or from a window in the very same room.

And, given that one corner of the room had an unobstructed view of both entrances, it made said corner an ideal place for a last stand; should this be the end.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Shadows said, LMG in hand. “Not a single zombie will touch you while I live and breathe-”

And just like that, a blonde zombie’s jaw met Shadows’ gurgling neck.

Sasha recoiled in horror. ‘What the fuck!?’ She thought. “Matthew!”

A scream of his real name and a volley of shotgun shells yielded nothing. Just like before, it seemed like hitting them with a pillow would be as effective as emptying her gun into the hoard.

The blonde zombies reduced Shadows to nothing in no time flat. And when they were finished, they slowly turned their attention to the sole survivor.

As their slow march closed the gap between the living and the dead, Sasha felt like her quaking body could only rest against the supportive wall that stood tall behind her.

“S-Stay back!” Words that every zombie ignored. “Don’t come any closer!”

A loud bang forced one of their heads to recoil. Then another, and another, and four more; she pulled the trigger until clicking signified the end of her ammo supply.

No ammo, no allies, and no way out.

But, she refused to give up.

Maybe it wasn’t conventional, but hopping down from the railing to her immediate right plops her down to the first room once again.

But the undead are down here, too. And they were not happy about her choice.

Their roaring intensifies, their pace pushed to the limit as each and every zombie booked it towards the she-Wolf.

‘Fuck,’ she thought, running towards the broken HELP door once more. ‘FuckfuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK-’ One of their swipes would have grazed her had she not ducked. “FUCK!”

“Sashi!” Garbles one of the undead, just barely managing to graze her tail with a surprisingly sharp finger bone.

She managed to get back to the double barrel shotgun’s wall buy. Try as she might, however, her ammo supply refused to be replenished.

“Come on! Come on come on come on, you piece of shit!”

She didn’t have a choice. She had to keep running.

The very stairs that claimed her mother were just up ahead. She didn’t like that it was her only option, but the only other entrance was blocked by a superfluous flow of zombies that were currently en route to Sasha; and at top speed, no less.

Unfortunately, as she would find, all routes led to a dead-end. Pouring on down from the top of the stairs, more blonde zombies were impatient rushing towards her.

There were no more options.

They were ahead of her, they were beside her, and they were behind her.

And now, they were on top of her.

One after the other, each and every blonde zombie desperately grips at a different part of Sasha.

She should be horrified; screaming, even. All of the crunching, the chewing, the clawing, the pulling; it should be flooding her nervous system with wave after wave of unbearable pain.

But, as she closed her eyes in nervous anticipation of the inevitable, she instead felt…

...nothing?

No pain.

No panic.

No sadness.

It was odd. The calm, that is.

Perhaps it was more accurate to describe it as relaxing.

Peaceful.

Content.

“You ready?” Asks a calm male voice.

‘...what?’ She thought.

“Okay,” he says. “You can open your eyes now.”

Hesitantly, her hazel eyes pry themselves open.

No longer did she find herself on the floor of a cursed bunker, nor was there a crowd that actively feasted on her flesh.

No, all she saw was a white plaster ceiling, and blond locks that rain down from a white boy’s head.

“Uh…” And this white boy looked all too familiar. “...Wh-whitey??” She asks nervously. “What are you doing?”

They were currently on what felt like a memory foam bed, if her curious fingers weren’t lying to her. She was on her back, and the shirtless Will knelt above her; his hands supporting him on either side of her.

But what was most haunting of all was the hungry look in his crystal blue eyes. He didn’t need to say a word for her to know that he was looking to pump her full of pups.

Yet, despite this overwhelming sense of dread, her receptive limbs did not dare recoil out of protection.

Her greedy legs were eager to keep themselves open just for him.

“You know exactly what I’m doing,” he responds, his breath tickling the maw that shamefully desired more. “Because it’s what you wanna do to me. Ain’t that right?”

“Wh-” She tilts her head away. “Fuck you, Whitey! Get off me!”

“Oh? You want me to get off?” Two of his smooth human fingers make contact with the tip of her chin; ordering her maw to face him once again. “Then look at me and say it.” The cocky bastard was even smiling at her as he awaited the answer that never came. “Well?” He asks, his flat human face inching ever closer to her. “Come on, Sasha. Tell me to get off while looking at me, and I’ll do it.”

If she just ever so slightly inched her head forward, their mouths would touch.

But she wouldn’t. Not with him.

“Or maybe,” he says, his lips ticking the small maw fur near her lips. “You don’t want me to.”

‘Fuck,’ she can’t help but think. Just that small bit of contact was enough to have her bite at her bottom lip. She tried to suppress her panting, but the grinning boy could see right through that.

“Don’t fight this, Sasha,” he continues. “You know you want this.”

The instant she felt his hands rest atop her claws, her touch-starved fingers couldn’t help but latch onto his with a loving grip.

“F-fuck y-”

Holding back her panting proved suffocating. Out flopped her tongue, moving to the heavy rhythm of her lust-saturated breath.

She no longer had the brain power to even process whatever he was saying next. All she knew was that the moment his head begin to tilt and his lips start to narrow, she felt her body surrender to him.

Her head, too, tilts opposite to his.

Her lips, too, sought to feel the embrace of his.

No longer was she just peaceful; no longer was she just content.

For the first time in her life, she felt like everything was right with the world.

The instant she felt their lips connect, the world went dark.

Breathing in was difficult. Instead, her throat was bound to pleasure-laden whining. It was so loud, she had to block her mouth with one of her hands.

That, however, forced the powerful bursts of irregular air from her nose instead.

She couldn’t even see where she was; her eyes had rolled to the back of her head, and they refused to come down.

And her legs? Forget about it. Their quaking was at the mercy of the unrelenting euphoria that pulsed throughout her entire body; a sensation so powerful, even her digitigrade toes couldn’t help but curl.

Once the peak began to subside, she released one long sigh of relief before her entire body eased.

‘Shit…’ the panting she-Wolf thought. ‘What the fuck was that?’

The peak was over, but now she was not only laying on her bed; but also on the eased sensation that would continue for quite some time.

‘Did I just...? From a dream...?’

And what a dream it was.

If she could remember it.

There was definitely a guy there. They were kissing, maybe?

But who?

When she opened her hazel eyes, she saw a poster of M. Shadows hanging from her ceiling. His appearance matched that of the version in her dream; the only exception being the microphone in his left hand. It was extended out towards the viewer. And all around him, red paint formed the shape of a heart.

...yep.

The dream had to have involved him.

There couldn’t be anyone else that would cause her to have that kind of dream. The only other man in her life was Whitey, and all he was good for was turning her pussy into the Sahara desert.

And no offense to his friends, but they just weren’t her type. Kind boys; but not the kind she would date.

She felt like there was no man out there that could make her feel the way M. Shadows does.

So, logically, she reasoned that the famous rock star had to have been the perpetrator behind the sexy dream she couldn’t remember.

And not anyone else.

What time was it anyway? 6 AM? Too early…

She wants to just go back to sleep and recharge herself for her day with Whitey, but…

Sigh. ‘Fuck you, pussy.’ She reluctantly sits up. ‘Now I gotta clean you up...you annoying girly piece of shit…’ She waves her bedsheets up and above her. It didn’t take long for the air-conditioned air to slap her with its uncomfortable chill. ‘...bet guys don’t have to put up with this crap...

Brown Ugg boots? You know it.

Black yoga pants? Of course.

V-neck white tee? Absolutely.

Blonde locks that flow atop the head of a woman with baby soft skin? Fuck yes.

Students of Lamar High School gawking at her as she struts along the sidewalk? She’d be surprised if that weren’t the case.

Tall green trees shielding her beautiful image from the harshness of the sun? To her left, following the long stretches of the high school’s front lawn, and doing a fantastic job.

Her skin was as white as vanilla ice cream, and as coveted as gold; maybe even moreso if the gawkers were anything to go off of.

But before even one man could get a word in, she raised a palm up to his face. “Not even if we were in the same tax bracket,” she coldly spat out.

It even felt as if the oncoming traffic from the road to her right was admiring her godly body.

And soon, once she got closer to the triangular church that was across the street, the mere sight of her may have been enough to sow thoughts of sin.

“Anyway,” she blurts into her rose gold iPhone, “I saw this other girl with the cutest Yorkie, and oh. My. God. It was so cute! It made me want to ditch my smelly old Pomeranian or at least like put it down because its been having all sorts of problems lately like it’s just stopped being cute and it’s going blind and it’s not a Yorkie and oh my god I want a Yorkie maybe a teacup Yorkie so I can carry it in my purse wherever I go and then those other bitches will be envious of my Yorkie because mine will be the best groomed and most behaved while their-”

She froze, and shut her trap. Her ice blue eyes immediately flipped into serious mode when a certain set of blond locks caught her eyes.

But...it couldn’t be.

A man like him shouldn’t be caught dead a bus stop. Not with the income at his disposal.

‘William,’ she thought.

And he was looking around, cautiously; like he was watching out for something. Or someone.

If he was in trouble, then she had to follow him. For his own safety, of course.

Though, perhaps a more inconspicuous approach was more appropriate. For some reason, she felt as if he didn’t like her.

She quickly took hold of the sunglasses hanging from her shirt, and used them as a makeshift disguise. Then, she whipped out her phone, and did not divert the tilt of her head from it.

Truth be told, she didn’t know how he hadn’t already clocked her. The mere sight of her should’ve been enough to tell him who she was.

Though, maybe from this distance, the scores of other blondes wearing Uggs and yoga pants were a bit difficult to single out.

Something she found odd was that when a blonde girl did pass him, he seemed to tense up; but upon realizing...something, he calmed down.

Yes, something was wrong. Missy could feel it in her bones.

A driveway split the sidewalk in two. On the other side, more shade protected Will from the uncomfortable sun.

She crossed the driveway, and turned to face the road as soon as she was back on the sidewalk. Now, she was definitely close enough to easily discern faces; but still far enough to where being an innocent bystander shouldn’t attract too much attention.

All she had to do now was wait for a bus, and…

...speak of the devil. Here it came now.

His attention would be diverted the moment he entered the bus. That would be her chance to sneak aboard.

Its doors open, and out come the poors.

Not yet.

Will takes one last glance around.

Not yet.

And finally, his body crosses the entrance.

Now.

She walks as fast as she can, still sore from their brief jogging session, and she manages to climb aboard. The overweight and gross and ugly black bus driver’s perverted gaze was no doubt on her as she entered the bus, which sent a disgusting chill down her spine. ‘Ew ew ew stop it!’ She thought.

In front of the driver, a machine had a sticker on it; a dollar bill aims at a slot that passengers insert money into.

$1.25 exactly.

‘...people actually carry that little with them?’ She thought.

All she had in her black Gucci purse was…

...a hundred…

...several hundreds…

...nothing below a hundred.

“Uh…” She raised the bill up at the driver. “...greetings mah man! Can you break a Benjamin, my...brotha?”

“Who do I look like?” He sassed back. “Denzel Washington? Exact change only.”

“Then does this machine at least give change?”

“Nope.”

“So...then I’m just supposed to spend $100 on a single-” She went quiet when she realized that Will’s gaze was on her. Cautiously. She groaned, and reluctantly inserted the bill into the machine. ‘I’m sorry, Benny…’ Her delicate little fingers apologetically brush against the money feeder before she walks past the machine.

And, as much as she wanted to sit behind Will, he was one step ahead of her and already took one of the rear-most seats. Cautious bastard. So, she had no choice but to sit somewhere in front of him. But, not too close; or else even the sunglasses might not help.

She picked one of the sideways-facing seats somewhere close to the middle. That way, she could tilt her head towards her phone to avoid suspicion, but still have the peripheral vision to see him leave the bus.

Wherever he was going.

And it turns out that it was…

...ew.

There was a large black triangular sign—larger than a person—near this new bus stop. In dirty yellow letters, it read “Golden Plaza.” And beneath it, in smaller letters, “5727 Westheimer.”

‘You call this a plaza?’ She said, looking around as the bus began to slow down.

For starters, the sidewalk was practically crumbling. Crack here, hole there, and poors everywhere. Not to mention that it was visibly dirty. Have they even heard of a…

That…

The strong water gun that cleans dirt that only poor dirty Mexicans use?

Second, the flora of the area was depressing. There were no neat and elegant plants lined up with finesse. No; there were just unevenly placed bushes, trimmed sloppily, and maybe small trees here and there. And the grass. That poor, uneven, yellow, patchy grass.

Third, the architecture of the area was just awful, she felt. Big and dirty parking lots, gas stations that she felt would rob her just for looking right at them, splintering electric poles, buildings that are made of something white and cheap-looking, and a lack of plants that made it all look like one big gray area of depression.

Miles and miles of gray from what she could see.

And William was just walking out of the bus like it was nothing? Surely, something had to be wrong.

What could possibly make him want to come here in secret?

Well, he was crossing the street, so she had no choice but to follow.

And, it turns out that his destination was the other bus stop across the street.

‘...what?’

Fuck.

If she stood there, he’d become suspicious for sure. So, she had no choice but to walk towards the nearby gas station and wait behind him.

Only problem was…

“Eyoo baby girl,” said a black man pumping gas into his dented Toyota Corolla. “Let me get them digits.”

“What?” She whispered, recoiling. “No! Ew! Go away! I’m trying to watch over my boyfriend here!”

“Damn, chill,” he said, shaking his head and turning around. “All you had to say was no. It wan’t that serious.”

Well, at the very least, she could repeat the actions from earlier.

Wait for him to enter, watch him check his surroundings again for some reason, and then lose another $100 just to ride a different bus.

But she couldn’t take the sideways-facing seat this time. At least not with her current getup. Then he would have confirmation that she was fol-

...tagging along. Tagging along with him. Just to make sure he was safe.

This time, she had to use her backup sunglasses when she took a sideways seat. A pair of brown sunglasses that would help in making her appear different. After all, he wouldn’t suspect anyone of just switching sunglasses between bus rides.

That’s what sets her apart from the scores of unworthy women in this world. She thinks outside the box.

But, she had to get crafty when they had to switch buses AGAIN.

Was he just that terrible at navigating the Houston metro? Or was he enacting some sort of safeguard?

Regardless, after so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so much waiting, they arrive at the stop that would hopefully be the last.

On the bright side, the area was more green than the first one.

Unfortunately, that’s the only positive she can think of.

‘What is the matter with you, William?’ She thought. ‘Why are you going to all of these low-income areas? Are you trying to get us robbed?’

From two nearby stop signs, she can see that she’s at the intersection of Bellaire Blvd and Jetty Ln.

‘Bel-Air my foot,’ she thinks. Especially when she sees the Mexican flag waving over the tire shop across the street. That just makes her defensively grip her purse, and look around cautiously. ‘Oh shit!’ She hadn’t noticed that William was walking away.

And towards a large parking area that seemed to be a step up from the surrounding area; but still nothing she wouldn’t call beneath her.

Several tax brackets beneath her.

At the very least, there was some semblance of culture here. An Asian restaurant was closest to her, but there were several other outlets in this area.

“Ph-fffffooh been?” She whispered.

“Huh?” Will looked behind him.

‘AAAAH!’ She kept her trap shut.

Fortunately, he just shrugged and whipped out his phone. Despite already having a bit of a distance on him, she chose to widen the gap.

He sends a text, and then looks around once more. Not cautiously this time, however.

He was looking for someone. Even as they followed the sidewalk past the front of several outlets with Asian undertones, his blue eyes continued to scan the area.

They eventually stop in front of a place called “Huang’s Place Karaoke and Bar.” But still, no sign of the-

...fat wolf bitch behind a stone pillar!?

THAT’S who William came to see!?

Missy hid behind the pillar of a nearby restaurant, and just listened.

“Yo,” Sasha said awkwardly.

“Hey,” he responded just as awkwardly.

Oh, maybe just a peak. Hopefully from this distance, they wouldn’t notice.

Well, their body languages certainly matched their tones. Her big ugly ears were flat on her head, and that repulsive tail was practically stuck to her ginormous ass.

Dear god, how could she even work up the nerve to leave the house when she’s so fat and ugly and poor?

And William was no calmer. His posture sat right up when he clocked her. In addition, it seems as if he’s puffed his chest out a bit. Yet, his palms were glued to his pants.

Neither one could look directly at the other. Any exchanges of eye contact they shared were brief, and resulted in looking away immediately again.

“Do...do we uh…” She continued.

“Huh?” He asked

“...do we shake hands now, or...what? I dunno I’ve never done something like this before. Especially not with a guy.”

“What? You mean hang out? Or date?”

“NOT a date!” She points at him.

“No! Yeah! I know!” He raised his hands defensively. “I was just asking because you said uhh with a guy sonaturallyIjustthoughtofadatenotthatthisisadateoranythingbut-”

“Okay! Okay! I get it!”

They looked at each other once more. This exchange was much longer.

“How about…we just go inside,” he suggests.

But before he could get the door, Sasha opened it first.

“La-ladies first…”

Will just rolled his eyes, and made his way in. And Missy wasn’t sure, but she swore he could see a faint smile form on his lips.

As for the fat Wolf bitch; the instant his eyes diverted from her, her tail began to dance.

‘Son of a bitch!’ Missy’s teeth were clamping down hard. ‘They’re on a date!’

This is not good.

This is not good at all.

That fat bitch’s charade of antagonism could not be trusted. Even if it was genuine, there was always a chance that it could blossom into something true.

And then where would Missy be?

Not with William. Not when that bitch would just fan the flames of his misplaced hatred for his rightful wife.

But what could she do? If she’s discovered, that would certainly come off the wrong way. And it would ruin their future for sure.

But if she does nothing, then she’s leaving everything to chance.

So, into the establishment she slithers..

And hopefully, she would think of something that would help William see the light.

Welp, it didn’t take long for him to find out why Sasha wanted him to go first. It wasn’t just to embarrass him, as he’d previously thought.

Once they were inside, they didn’t know where to go.

Ahead of them, the bar had many open spots available. But, judging by her flat ears, that didn’t seem like it was gonna be an option.

Or, if they wanted something more exclusive, there were a lot of empty tables just begging to be filled.

But what really caught her hazel eyes were the booths that decorated the sides of the building; right next to the windows.

“So, uh…” She begins. “...what do we do now?”

Her expectant eyes lock onto Will.

“I...uh...guess we sit down? How about over at the bar?” His question nets no response from her. “A table?” Nothing again. “A booth?” There it is; one of her ears came out of hiding. “Yeah, I’m thinking a booth.”

Sasha nods. “Sounds good to me.”

The more private the better, he figured. It may help her relax a bit.

Only question was: what now?

They’re both sitting down; they’re both saying nothing.

And it doesn’t look like she’s gonna break the ice, so he figured that it has to be him. “You uh...your fur looks nice-”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She yipped.

“...just that your fur looks nice.” His arms were up defensively.

A gesture she took notice of, which deflates her spine a bit. “Sorry...uh, thank you…”

Both teens look away from each other.

Great. In his attempt to lighten the mood, he’s only managed to make things worse.

Now what was he-

“Haii!” Ecstatic feminine shouting startled them both. “Welcahm tuu Huong’s Pleeic! Mai neim ees Mehleesa, an’ I’ll be yer weitress tuudey! Cahn ai get yuu stahr’ed weeth somtheeng tuu dreenk?”

The ecstatic she-Wolf scanned them, waiting for one of them to utter the first word.

But the orange-furred woman only draws concerned brows from Sasha. “...what?”

“Melissa,” says an approaching British woman. “Do you know where we keep the mop-”

Melissa angrily snaps back towards her. “OIM BUSY, YE FOOKIN’ TEA BAHG!” Wrinkly snout, raised hackles, flat ears; yep, Will was not getting in the middle of that. Fortunately, she does a complete 180 by the time she turns back towards Will, flashing him with her chipper, pearly-white canines. “Ai can give yuu a minute to look aht the menyu if yuu need tuu!”

Sasha was busy laughing, so Will took it upon himself to nod. “Yeah, I think we’ll need a minute.”

“Okey!” She grins. “Teik ahll the teim yuuh need!”

Will shoots her a second nod as Sasha’s hearty laughter draws to a croaking close.

“Tea bag…” She wipes a tear from her eye. “I’m stealing that.”

Well, at least she seemed to be in a good mood now.

Will could now look at the menu with no leech of awkwardness slowly sucking away at his soul. “Alright, let’s see…lots of alcoholic crap that I can’t buy yet...ah! Here it is.” The puny list of non-alcoholic options. “...really? This is all they have?”

“Screw the drinks. The food’s where it’s at.” Her happy gray and white tail thumps against the booth’s back rest. “Besides, it’s not like they have strawberry coke here.” She pauses, flipping the menu quickly. “Do they?”

“No way in hell they have that here. My family imports that stuff from Japan, so we’re probably the only ones in this whole country with strawberry coke.”

Her ears flatten once more. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’ll settle for boring ass normal coke, I guess.” She rolls her eyes.

“SOH,” interrupts the startling orange she-Wolf. “Hahve yuu tuu decided?” Her palm rests on Will’s side of the table.

“Uh…” Will looks over at the nodding Sasha. “Yeah. We’re ready.”

“Wha’ll yuu hahve?” Her pen and notepad were ready.

“I’ll take a Mountain Dew.”

She rotates towards Sasha. “Ahnd fer yer gahrlfrend?”

Sasha’s angry snout contracts. “Girlfriend!? Think again, bagpipe!”

“Oh!” Her orange ears flatten. “Aim sohrry! Ai just ahsoomed...”

“Well ye ahsoomed rohng!” Sasha mocked. “And I’ll take a coke, thank you very much.”

“...okey!” The waitress bounced back unnaturally quick. “Ai’ll bee raight bahck with yer drinks!”

“Eh...thank you.” A smiling Will nods at the waitress.

And she returns the gesture in kind; only, she adds a flip from her long orange hair before moving on to another table.

Sasha, catching that, furrows her brows.

“Alright…” Will begins, capturing Sasha’s attention once again. “...so, you wanna rip off the Band-Aid and start singing now? Or would you rather wait for other people to go first?”

“Uh...option two. Definitely option two.”

“Aw damn!” He facepalmed.

“What?” Her head tilts.

“We forgot to ask her about where we go to pick a song…”

“I mean, she’s just getting our drinks, so it shouldn’t take her too long to get back here.”

At the moment, she was attending to another table.

The orange fur was her most notable feature. The second, atop her head, was the lustrous human-like hair that ran down to...roughly the middle of her back?

Without even touching it, they knew that its smoothness and texture were wildly different from the coarseness that covered the rest of her.

And as if she weren’t unique enough, only her right ear was fully raised; her left looked like it was still in the process of standing up.

She was older than them, but not by much, so her ear was always going to be like that.

Not like Will minded. It was kind of cute.

Like her coworkers, she wore a black t-shirt and blue jeans as her uniform. But, being a Wolf, the cream-colored fur of her digitigrade feet were exposed to the elements. Their color matched the fur that ran from her hands down to roughly half of her upper arm.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Will said. “In the meantime, we can go through the menu. Maybe think about what we wanna sing.”

“God, I don’t know…” Sasha’s ears flatten again. “I was thinking about going with Avenged Sevenfold, but I don’t think these pop faggots can handle that.”

Will snorts. “Pop faggots?”

“Aw come on! You know what I’m talking about!” Her voice of mockery flips on once again. “I’m AlL aBoUt ThAt BasS, ‘bOuT tHaT bAsS, nO tAlEnT.” Bleh. “Cringe.”

“You see, you say that, but your first choice was...Avenged Sevenfold.”

Her pseudo-brows irately approach each other. “You talkin’ shit about Avenged Sevenfold, you edgy Evanescence prick?”

That was likely in reference to the white Evanescence t-shirt he was wearing at the moment. “And what if I am?” He smiled.

“OKEY-”

Sasha just about jumped out of her fur. “Jesus!”

The waitress was back.

“Ai haav a cohke fer yuu, and a mauntan doo fer yuu!” She places the drinks in Sasha and Will’s sides of the table, respectfully.

“Someone needs to put a bell on you,” Sasha responds.

“Yeh, Ai’ve been tohld tha’ Ai’m quaiet ahs ah cherch meuse. Soh sohrry! Ai’ll anneunce mai arraival next teim!”

“Then I’ll be on the lookout for smoke signals,” Will jokes.

Much to the woman’s amused giggling. “Oh, yer soh fuhnny!” She lightly brushes Will’s shoulders with one of her claws.

A move that did NOT sit well with the gray she-Wolf and her pursed maw.

“Ahr yuu tuu rehdy ta order, or duu yuu need sohm taim tuu luuk ah the menyuu?”

“Uh…I think I’ll need more time. You ready Sa-” He was surprised to find that her face looked...furious? “-sha? What’s up?”

Sasha blinked rapidly. “I...uh...nothing. I thought I left something on at home.”

“You sure? Cause you look mad.”

“Yeah, everything’s good-” She blocks her mouth with her beverage.

“O...kay?” His eyes turn back to the waitress. “Then could you give us some more time, please?”

“Okey!” She flashes Will a grin. “Oh! Befar I goh! Ai don’ recammend tha ohniohn reengs! Frohm wha’ Ai heer, they’re shite!”

“That right?” Will responds, albeit with hints of disappointment. “That’s too bad. I love onion rings.”

“Yah. Sohrry.” She nods, smacking her thighs. “Wehll! I’ll bee bahk then!”

This time, as she turned, she locked eyes with the irate Sasha for just a brief moment. Her brown peepers tried to retain the happy waitress facade, but there was no hiding the very small challenge that her glare presented; not from Sasha.

“She seems nice,” Will says.

“Why? Do you wanna plow her, too?”

He was taken aback. “Whoa! Where’d that come from?” No answer. ”Wait...are you jealous?”

“...no?”

She was so sure of her answer, she looked away from him. With utmost confidence, of course.

“Oh my god you are!” His grin was as wide as her snout. “What happened to ‘think again, bagpipe’?”

The standing woman sighed, slamming a paw on the table. “I knew coming here was a mistake-”

His smile disappeared. “Hey! Hold up!” In his panic, one of hid hands slides over hers. An instinctual way of relaying the same message. “I was just kidding around! Don’t go.”

Her hazel eyes flick to the sight of his hand eclipsing hers. Then, they shoot up to meet his gaze.

“I…”

Both teens were leaning forward on the table, so their faces were awfully close to each other in the present moment. It made it obvious to spot the anger in Sasha’s eyes quickly soften.

Maybe a little too much.

A cheeky grin took over her maw, and her signature resting bitch face was back in full swing before he knew it. “...guess I can stay if you’re really that obsessed with me!” She sat back down, her arms stretched out onto the booth’s back rest.

“...what?” He sat down as well.

“What? Did you really think I was jealous of you and McSlut over there?” She scoffed, shaking her head. “Poor, naive Whitey.”

“Unbelievable…” He took an irate sip of his Mountain dew. “Serves me right for caring about you-”

A weak burp escaped his throat.

Something that made Sasha scoff once again. “You call that a burp?” She takes a hefty sip of coke, and plants a fist to her maw before unleashing vocal depravity. “Now that’s a burp. Pretty gross, huh?”

Will’s eyes narrow. And, prioritizing victory over oxygen, he semi-chugged at his green soda until it felt like his gasping lungs had reached their limit.

Like her, he brings up a fist to his mouth before responding with a powerful expulsion of his own; one that caught the attention of the entire restaurant.

But, at that point, he felt it appropriate to block his mouth in shame.

The only one that didn’t seem disturbed was Sasha. In fact, she was giggling. “You’re going down, skinny.” She reveals her secret weapon: a blue paper container with the brand Mentos on it.

Will’s eyes widen. “Uh...are you sure that’s a good idea?”

She scoffs. Again. “I don’t know. Let’s find out.”

She doesn’t hesitate to pop a little white disk into her mouth. Then, after giving it some time to reach her stomach, she empties the rest of her soda into her gut.

Her glass clinks against the table as her tongue cleans her maw of any remaining soda. “Ah! Delici-”

Maybe he was mistaken, but it kind of sounded like she tried to hide the sound of light hurling. And it didn’t help that her eyes had widened, and her hand was quick to cup her maw.

“PFFT-”

Will wheezed with unapologetic laughter.

“Shut up!” She protests. “That’s not funn-” What followed was a burp that was reminiscent of the ‘e’ sound.

That only worsened Will’s hefty laughter. “Oh god! Oh god-I can’t breath-hhhheeeee”

“Well,” she shrugs. “Guess I lost. Here’s your reward, Whitey!” She puckers her lips, and moves her maw towards his mouth.

“What? Ew! No! Nasty!” He retreats with a wide grin on his face. “Keep your puke mouth away from me!”

Their little time of gross fun was interrupted by a loud, crispy voice. “Alright, folks. Up next, we have John singing ‘Tequila.’ Let’s give him a round of applause.”

John, the male Wolf in question, stood at the small stage planted at a small corner of the bar.

Everyone hears guitar, and clapping; and soon after, saxophone.

And so, as the instrumental plays, the two teens wait.

And wait.

And...wait.

And…

Just shy of a minute in, Sasha’s patience grew thin. “We gonna hear him sing any day now-”

“Tequila!” John sang ecstatically.

The whole bar roars with laughter.

“Oh,” Will says. “I guess it’s one of those joke songs.”

“So he just sings the word tequila, and...that’s it?” Sasha looked confused. “How is he not being booed off the stage?”

In fact, everyone seemed to be fancy-free; swaying; smiling.

“It’s karaoke,” Will responds. “No one really gives a shit. It’s part of what makes it fun.”

“Huh…”

The fire of anxiety in her eyes had simmered a bit. A sight that brings a tingle to Will’s smiling dimples.

Mind you, she still looked like her legs itched for the bar’s exit; but any progress is better than none.

“Tequila!” Sings John again.

Seems like the laughter was contagious; both teens found it kind of funny the second time around.

Unfortunately, there would be no third reference to the alcoholic beverage. The song dies with a built-in ‘Tequila!’ shout, and that marks the end of John’s turn.

“Alright!” Says the announcer. “Give it up for John!” A request the audience was more than happy to entertain. “Uhh if anyone else wants to sing, just step on up. We’ll entertain any request that’s not promiscuous.”

Will turns his head towards Sasha. “So? You feeling ready yet?”

But she shook her head. “Nope! I wanna wait for someone to suck before I sing.”

“Eh...then you better prepare yourself. Karaoke isn’t exactly known for its line-up of top singers.”

“...noted-”

Her anxious head suddenly snaps towards the other side of the restaurant.

“...what’s up, Sasha?” His eyes couldn’t help but follow her snout.

“...that’s weird.” Her eyes scan the whole place. “I could’ve sworn I just felt someone watching us.”

“Oh god…” Will practically shrank in his seat. “I hope it’s not her…”

“The stalker bitch?”

“Yeah…”

“Well…” Her snout continued to scan the bar. “Do you see her? Where is she? I’ll run her ass out of here right now.”

“She’s probably in disguise, so she could be any blonde girl in this bar.”

“Alright, then, fake kiss me! The real one will have to look at us.” Her maw purses towards Will once more.

“Ew! No! I don’t want your puke mouth anywhere near me!”

“You don’t really have to touch my-” Her eyes looked like they just hatched an idea.

Will’s eyes, however, had questions. “What are you planning, Sasha?”

“Just keep your hands to yourself, and play along.” She slides into his side of the booth, and leans towards him with lowered, loving eyes. “You are nothing but a worthless piece of shit,” she whispers.

“…what??”

“Quick. Look around me, dumbass.” She taps at his chest with one of her claws, and moves it in a circular motion. “I’m just faking my words so she thinks I’m flirting with you.”

Unfortunately for Will, his body thought it was real, too. He could feel the tension in his pants growing more uncomfortable by the second.

“Where’d you learn to flirt?” His shaky eyes hesitantly detach themselves from Sasha. “Hanna-Barbera cartoons?”

“Well, your cheeks are red, so I’d say I’m doing pretty good,” she teases with a grin, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I...can’t help it. My body has a mind of its own sometimes,” he responds. “And FYI, I don’t see anyone.”

Not even Melissa who was right in front of them. “Hallo!” She cheered.

“FUCK!” Sasha desperately clings to Will for safety. “God- stop that!”

Melissa tilts her head. “Stohp whot?”

“Stop...just...teleporting in front of us! It’s creepy!” She unhands Will, and slides back into her side of the booth.

“Oh! Ai deed promise tuu warn ye, din’t Ai?” She giggles. “Sohrry! Ai din’t want tuu deesturb yer operation!”

“Uh…” Will uttered. “What operation?”

“Oh cam ohn, Ai heard about yer plahn tuu lure out a stahlker.” She takes Will’s menu, and lays it flat right in front of her forward leaning torso. “Ai kindly ask yuu tuu refrain from soch behavier in this estahblishment. Otherwise, yer asses cuud get thrown aut.”

“Uh…No kidding…”

Since she’d last attended to the table, one or two buttons from her shirt had been undone; not like he’d paid attention to that little detail.

But the seething Sasha did.

The waitress was bigger than her in that regard; though Sasha reigned supreme from the waist down.

But that didn’t matter to Will’s weak eyes in the current moment. Not when the waitress continued to move her chest as she points at different menu items. “Now, if yer both feelin’ peckish, tha potato skins are a hit. We alsoh have french fries if that’s what yuu prefar.” The menu slides up to Will once more. To better serve him, she stands right next to him; now her distracting chest hovered just shy of his left cheek. “Or, if yer feelin’ really hongry, we have many burgers. There’s tha classic, tha cheese-stoffed, tha barbakyuu…”

“Yeah…” Keeping his eyes on a menu was not a difficult task. Until now. “Uh huh…that right…”

But even though his eyes were glued to the menu, most of his focus was unintentionally on his peripheral vision.

Those boobs. Those damn boobs.

Why was he like this?

Maybe he’d be more willing to relish in their sight if Luna’s words hadn’t been ingrained into his mind.

‘Remember,’ she echoed. ‘Women are people. Not disposable objects. Do not treat them as such.’

Those words made sense at the time.

But he could feel the caveman within banging on his jail cell; screeching for freedom.

“Hey.” It was Sasha, and she was pointing at the waitress. “Your shirt’s a bit loose.”

“Hoh?” She looks down. “Oh! Ai’m sohrry!” The nervously grinning she-wolf works fast to cover her chest once more. “These shirts are defective!”

“Uh huh…” Sasha grunts. But then, her muzzle snapped away once more. And her eyes; they were searching for someone.

Will, concerned, furrowed his brows. “What now?”

Sasha hums. “I felt it again. Like we were being watched. And from the same direction…but I can never catch ‘em in the act.”

“Arr ya shurr tha’ it’s no’ just guys tha’ arr lookin’ ta give ya their boaby?”

“Looking to...what?”

“Sex. Ai’m talkin’ about sex.”

“Oh!” A look of disgust invades Sasha’s face. “Ew!” And she took a defensive pose; crossing her arms to block even the smallest curvature of breast from her shirt. It wasn’t a lot, mind you, because she was very small up there; but she just wanted to make sure.

Curiously, the waitress leans towards Will. “Is she battin’ fer tha other team?” She whispers.

“Melissa-” demands the English voice once again.

“ONE MINUTE, YA FOKIN’ CROMPET!” She snapped; but only temporarily. With her focus back on the customers, her kind and welcoming face came back in a flash. “Sooh, arr yuu tuu ready ta order?”

“Uh…” Will petered. “I...guess just give us an order of fries to split for now. That sound good, Sasha?”

The other she-Wolf, still crossing her arms, looked a bit paranoid; scanning the place. “Uh...yeah. I’d be down for that.”

“Okey!” Melissa jots down the order. “Yer order will be out as suun as it’s rehdy!”

She gave no lingering stares as she left this time, nor did she fiddle with another inconspicuous part of her body. The orange she-Wolf simply disappeared into the kitchen; leaving the two teens alone once again.

“You uh...you alright, Sasha?”

“Yep. Peachy. Why?”

“You just look a bit on-edge right now.”

“Yeah, no, just uhh on the lookout for any dudes that are staring at me.”

“What’s the big deal? People stare at you in school all the time.”

“Yeah, but it’s different here.”

“How?”

“Because there’s consequences for trying to solicit sex in school. Here? Not so much.”

“Uh…I guess you’re right. To an extent. But if that’s what you’re worried about, then no one’s gonna approach you if I’m near you. Just like how no girl is gonna approach me if you’re near me.”

Sasha’s eyebrows furrow. “You don’t know girls very well, do you, Whitey?”

In their Melissa-instigated daze, they’d ignored the announcer as he introduced the next singer.

An electric beat pulsed out of the speakers.

“Oppa gagnam style!” Sang a small Asian man.

Both Sasha and Will covered their faces with one of their palms in unison. “Oh god please no…” They simultaneously pleaded.

This surprised them both, which elicits shared laughter.

As they expected, not only did the man botch the exotic lyrics, but his tone seldom matched the song.

Not like that stopped him from singing his little heart out.

And the other patrons, somehow not booing him off the stage as Sasha expected, just clapped for him when it was all over.

“...wow,” She whispered. “That sucked. Hard.”

“I know,” Will whispered as well. “I think my ears are bleeding.”

“I’m surprised he’s still in here. I would’ve just walked out right after...that.”

But the man did no such thing. He returned to his group of friends; each as happy as he was.

High-fives were exchanged; raised fists were swung upward; and for his wife, a peck on the lips was granted.

“So?” Will asked. “You think you wanna follow his performance?”

Her ears flatten. “Uh…”

“I won’t force you to. But, personally, I think you sing a little…kinda…way better than that guy. In fact, your voice is pretty good.” He could see that her eyes were a bit hesitant as well; but, along with her ears; he saw that his words had put a dent in their anxiety. “If they didn’t boo him off the stage, then you’re gonna be fine. You literally cannot do worse than that guy; it’s impossible.”

There were still seeds of doubt sowed in her heart, but she nods. “Okay. You’re right. Following him is probably the best chance I’m gonna get.”

“That’s the spirit-” He said, his fist playfully approaching her arm. But, when her anxious gaze lingered on his fist for way too long, he stopped himself. “Uh, let’s just go up there, I guess.”

She raised a brow. “You want to sing together?”

“Yeah. Why not? Might be more fun that way, you know?” He said.

“...okay. But no Evanescence.”

“Okay, then no Avenged Sevenfold.”

“No Metallica.”

“No Ghost.”

“What about Skillet?” She suggested.

“I’m fine with Skillet. Let’s go see what songs they have.” He nods his head towards the stage as he stands.

She hated to admit it, but seeing him take charge did put a small smile on her maw.

It did not last long.

As she walked, she could feel the male gaze spank her rear.

And not just one. There was that one, and that one.

And that one.

...and that one...

Many eyes that didn’t dare reveal themselves when she looked in their direction.

Though she didn’t realize it, she unconsciously kept a really close distance to Will. His presence was a makeshift sanctuary from the salivating leopards that were waiting for the chance to pounce.

“Hey,” Will began. “Do you have-!” Sasha had walked into him. “Hey!”

“Uh…” She backed away ever so slightly. “My bad.”

“What…” He turns to face the DJ once again. “...uh, what Skillet songs do you have?”

The announcer adjusts his sunglasses. “Skillet? Never heard of ‘em. One sec. Uhhh…” His fingers tap away at the keyboard in front of him. “…papapapa…ah! We have uhh Hero, Awake and Alive, Monster-”

“Ooh! I like Monster!” He grins back at Sasha. “That sound good to you?”

“Uh…” She nods. “Yeah. Sure.”

Her defensive body told Will otherwise. Arms crossed; ears flat; no eye contact; yep, she was nervous.

But, it’s not like Will wasn’t expecting this.

He takes hold of two microphones, handing one to Sasha. “Hey. Relax.” He draws her nervous hazels towards him. “You’re gonna do great. And I’m right next to you if something happens. Okay?”

He didn’t dare deviate his eyes from hers. They remained confident and optimistic; even as Sasha brushed her fingers against his palm in an attempt to take the mic.

As soon as the mic exchanged owners, Sasha nodded. “Okay. I’m ready.”

Will nods towards the announcer.

Song picked, loaded, and now announcing its advent with introductory electric guitar riffs.

It wasn’t long before the lyrical portion of the song began. And when it did, Will took the initiative.

“The secret side of me, I never let you see...”

Now that she thinks back, she doesn’t think she’s ever heard him sing before. It was actually kind of nice.

Off pitch in a few areas, but he looked like he was having fun. And the crowd didn’t look like they were repulsed by him.

But as her turn quickly approached, that changed in an instant. Suddenly, she could see the snickering individuals that were pointing in their direction; the smartphones that were perfectly angled to capture her failures in HD; the men that were practically swallowing their drool and barely keeping their perverted thoughts at bay.

Crap.

Here comes the end of Will’s part. “...save me from this, make it end?”

Her maw trembled as the instrumentals continued on without vocals.

Oh no.

If they were recording her, they were capturing this too.

If they wanted to see how easy she was to provoke, now they knew that she was very vulnerable in public spaces.

This was too embarrassing for her to handle.

...

The bathroom.

The bathroom is private!

Drop the mic, and run to the bathroom!

“Sasha!” But it was too late. “Hey!”

There was no stopping the frightened she-Wolf’s escape.

It was hard for Sasha to think straight when unrelenting shame was kicking her brain’s ass.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, all that stared back was a nervous, flat-eared pussy that couldn’t even get out one word on stage.

Even the tone-deaf Asian guy could do that, and she thought he fucking sucked.

‘God dammit!” Her angry claws slap against the cheap sink counter. ‘What’s wrong with me!?’

She was handed a perfectly good follow-up from Will, and she dropped it.

How embarrassing.

Knock knock knock.

“Sasha?” Will’s muffled question penetrates the ladies’ room door. “Can you hear me?” She said nothing. How could she? “It’s me. Will. I just wanna know if you’re okay.”

Her brows furrow.

‘Why the hell would he do that?’ She wonders.

She could just say nothing. That would tell him all he needs to know.

Then again, she does think about the fact that he chose to come over here and check up on her. He didn’t have to do that.

That—she reasons—warrants a response, at the very least. “Go away…” She peters.

“Look. If you’re worried about what happened, it’s okay. In all honesty, before we got here, I actually kinda thought you were gonna run out of the building.” In hindsight, she felt like that would have been a better idea. “If it’ll make you feel better, no one out here laughed when you ran. It actually looks like they’re waiting for you to come out here and-”

“I don’t care,” she spits out. “That was humiliating. I’m never doing that again.”

He was quiet for a moment. But, eventually… “What if I humiliate myself? Will you come out then?”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“Why not? It sounds like it could be fun.”

Sasha’s brows furrowed. “Just what kind of Wolf porn-”

“Heyeyeyeyey whoa whoa shhh-”

“-do you watch, Whitey?” She still felt panicked, so her question was loud and shaky.

“...welp, I’m already half-way down embarrassment mountain, so I might as well keep going.”

Feh. Yeah, right.

She had a hard time believing that he’d make an ass out of himself on purpose.

What? Was he going to sing out of tune? Apples and Bananas?

It would take a lot more than that to drag her out of the bathroom: the only place where she feels she won’t be-

Creak!

...laughed at. Assuming there was no one else in here.

“Wow,” Missy begins, walking into the bathroom and parking herself by another mirror. “That was rough.”

Sasha couldn’t look at her. “Gee. Thanks.”

“Oh! I’m sorry! That probably sounded insulting!” Missy faked. “Let me guess. Your... boyfriend...dragged you to that stage against your will?”

Weird way to phrase that question. “He’s not my boyfriend, and what’s it to you?”

“Hey!” She raises her hands defensively. “Relax! I’m just trying to make conversation.”

“Yeah? Well, I don’t quite feel like talking right now.”

“Listen. I get it. It sucks to just...get on that stage, and freeze; especially when someone confident went through the trouble of setting it all up. Believe me, I’ve been there. But if he’s anything like my ex-boyfriend, then I feel like it’s my responsibility to prevent another girl from going through what I did.”

Though cautious, Sasha’s eyes were locked onto Missy. “Oh yeah? And just what was this ex of yours like?”

She was practically stuck in here, not wanting to come out, so she might as well entertain this random girl just to kill some time.

“He was confident; smart; funny; and very outgoing. He didn’t care if people were offended by what he did; just as long as he got his way. But, he kept trying to make me do things that I just simply wasn’t built for: going out, trying all of these new things, expanding my social circle; things that aren’t...me. He weathered down my inner compass; making me more and more dependent on him to make decisions. And when he’d finally succeeded, he raped me.” Sasha’s brows furrow. “Sorry. Not rape. He preferred to call it ‘proving that you love me.’ When I saw you up on that stage, frozen with fear, tugged along by someone that seemed to be calling the shots, I saw myself. The same girl that turned out to be nothing more than fuck meat in his eyes...”

Sasha could see Missy’s eyes become shinier and shiner. And, with a sniffle, tears began to fall.

“Alright,” Sasha said, raising an arm. “I get the message. You don’t have to keep talking.”

All of this personal talk was...weird.

Not just because it came out of nowhere, which made Sasha feel a little uncomfortable, but because it felt like there was a part of her that should have come out; but for some reason, didn’t.

Normal people would have rushed to this girl’s side, given her a hug, and reassured her with kind promises of a better future.

Sasha...mentally winced at the thought of doing that.

Much like her time on stage, it felt like she was chained to the specific tiles she stood on; her maw imprisoned like she had lockjaw.

And to make matters worse; for some reason, she couldn’t help but picture Will and herself in the strange girl’s scenario.

Was he just playing his own long-con in the hopes of taking her pants off? And by force if he needs to?

That seemed a bit far-fetched. He was being kinder than usual, sure, but he also wasn’t afraid to remind her of just why she found him so insufferable most of the time.

Or was that just an act, as well? Using controlled flaws to give the illusion of depth?

It felt like she was going crazy; like her mind was trying to find any and all guilt-free excuses to remove herself from this uncomfortable situation.

“Before I sing this next song, I just wanna say a few things.” Will’s amplified voice reaches sasha’s ear through the girl’s bathroom door. “I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve gotten tired of always having to hide myself just because the world tells me that certain things are wrong. We dance the wrong way? Cringe. Sing the wrong way? Cringe. I mean...what’s next? Getting laughed at for…I don’t know...taking a shit the wrong way? Personally, I say: fuck that! That’s no way to live! It’s boring! I’m gonna do what I want, when I want to! And if you wanna laugh at me for it, then be my guest; and then, go fuck yourself.” He nods to the announcer, which kicks off a song that begins with cowbells.

Sasha’s eyes widen.

No.

“Oooouh jeeeah-” Began Will.

He wouldn’t.

“-zeul zoul yo Macarron.”

No one in their right mind would try to sing this!

“Yeeeah, Macarron nooo.”

No one in their right mind CAN sing this!

“Chacarron. Chacarron.”

Holy shit, he’s actually gonna do it...

“Chacarron. Chacarron.”

How is this even gonna sound coming out of his white mouth? Even the people of the artist’s own country don’t know what he’s saying!

“HURR HUUR DUUR MURR MUUR DUUR-”

Well, as she expected, it was some of the most incomprehensible noise to ever come out of any human’s mouth. If there is an alphabet somewhere out there that can accurately depict the song’s vocals, English is NOT it.

It sounded akin to someone mocking a disabled person with “DURR HURR DUUR” language, but to the beat of an early 2000’s Hispanic beat.

Sasha, laughing her ass off, practically shoves the bathroom door out of the way with great desperation. She just HAD to see this.

And it was better than she envisioned. Not only was Will proudly vocalizing all of that nonsense; he was even doing a little satirical dance to go along with it; pretending like he was enjoying the song.

The only comprehensible bits came occasionally. But, even then, the language barrier was real.

“Any time you play,

Any time you blow,

A-miki-de somethin’ somethin’ Chacarron-”

His assault on her ears—synchronized with clapping from patrons that were also dying of laughter—did not stop for a whole two minutes and thirty seconds.

By the end of it all, Will returned to their booth, greeted with the sight of the giggling woman’s furred arms pinned to her twitching abdomen.

“So? How’d you like my humiliation?” He asked with a wide grin on his face.

“F-fUCk you, Whitey…” She exhaled. “My stomach burns…”

And what’s more, her usual facial expression of annoyance was nowhere to be seen. No, she actually looked happy; which was rare.

But not unwelcome.

She looked at his light blue eyes. Even with this comedic overload, the strange girl’s earlier story hadn’t escaped Sasha’s mind.

But try as she might, those beautiful…

...REGULAR. Those regular eyes had no hints of malice on them.

Yep. They looked completely normal.

And that was it.

Maybe it was because he’d just humiliated himself for her sake, and also because he made her laugh for over two minutes straight, but she just couldn’t see Will as that type of guy.

It was honestly really sweet of him to pull off this stunt. And specifically for HER. She didn’t think any man, except for her own father, would be willing to do something like this.

But would she admit any of this to him?

Hahahahaha…

...no.

As she scanned the bar, she took note of the number of people that were looking at him. Or, in this case, weren’t.

Not one pair of eyes were on him right now…that weren’t from the orange slut.

And, just now remembering her shameful exit, she realized that no one’s looking at her, either.

Everyone’s just minding their own business; laughing, eating, talking; just like before.

“See?” Will said. “Told you no one cares. And even if they did, who cares? Ya know?”

“Yeah,” Sasha smiled, flicking her happy eyes back towards Will’s. “I guess you were right about that. And uh…” She looked down in embarrassment. “Sorry I bailed earlier. That wasn’t cool.”

“Hey, no need to flatten those ears. I’ve been there before, so I get it.” From the upper portions of her eye, she saw something peach-colored approaching her. It was his hand, and he was holding it out. For her. “But you know what they say about phobias. There’s only one cure for them.”

She looked away. “I don’t know. I might run away again.”

“That’s alright. I’ll chase you, and drag you right back on in here as many times as you need me to.” Words that furrowed her brows. “But, only if you want to do this.” Okay, that eased her worries a bit; to where she could look at him again. “What do you say, Sasha? Will you sing with me?”

He was giving her a choice. Not taking hold of her wrists; or dragging her; or trying to coerce her.

It was just like her mother said. Whatever happened next was up to her.

If she said yes, then she wouldn’t just be agreeing to the duet; she would also be answering the second question radiating from his welcoming crystal blues: a desire to see just where this was all going.

And that coaxes a smile out of her once again.

There were no hints of irritation in her green hazels; nor anxiety, or hesitation. Why would there be? For the first time in her life, a boy—this boy that she wasn’t even related to—was making an actual effort to connect with her.

He’s not making comments about her body, or trying to make her feel bad for deviating from dumb expectations.

No, she felt like she could...relax? At least a little bit?

Not completely, mind you. There was still a nagging feeling in the back of her head that told her this was a huge mistake.

But, at the very least, it felt like it was safe enough to dip a toe in the water.

“That was a cheesy ass way to end your pep talk.” Not to say it wasn’t working. Taking hold of his hand didn’t actually sound like such a bad idea; not when there was a zero percent chance that he would laugh her out of the room for doing so. “But...yes.” She could feel her hand willingly gravitate towards his. “Yes, I wi-”

“NO!”

Just shy of clasping hands, both teens—and the entire bar—flicked their heads towards the source of the screaming.

It was Missy, and she was blocking her mouth with her hands; but it was too late.

“What the-” Will trails off. But, after narrowing his eyes, they widen. “Missy!? So you DID follow me here!”

Something he likely didn’t notice, that Sasha did, was that his stretched-out arm had instinctively moved to protect her_._

“_..._I did, William, “ she hesitates. “But only because you were acting suspicious. I got worried.”

“Wait,” Sasha said, taking a closer look at the girl. “That’s her? The stalker bitch?” That question also featured the return of her signature irate face.

Missy shook her head. “Stalker? William, no! I’m just trying to look out for you!”

“...I don’t need you to look out for me. Just leave.”

What the fuck?

Why was he so timid-

...oh. Right.

He’s been trying to get rid of her for years. Going that long without an escape must be incredibly exhausting.

“Not without you, William.” She inched closer, much to Will’s recoiling; but not to where he dared move his protective hand away from Sasha. “The poors have been clouding your judgment for way too long.” Sasha wasn’t too fond of Missy’s blue eyes when she said the word ‘poors.’ They’d locked right onto the she-Wolf. “Now come on; I’m taking you back-”

And that pissed Sasha off.

“Hey!” Barks the angry caniness, jumping in front of the now startled Will. “Back off!”

Now, she felt like it was her turn to protect Will with one of her furred arms.

A move that Missy’s narrowed eyes weren’t too fond of. She paused her advance, but did not back away. “Who do you think you’re talking to; you mangy, gravel-voiced mutt?”

Sasha’s eyes also narrow. “You wanna say that last part again, you fucking bitch?” She points at Missy.

Will shook his head. “Sasha, let’s just get out of here.”

Both girls speak in unison. “What?”

Missy spoke up first. “No, William! You can’t leave with her!”

Will scoffs. “I can, and I will. Come on, Sasha. Let’s go.”

That encouraged Missy to encroach upon more of the distance between them. “William, I cannot allow you to-”

Sasha snaps forward. This time, with a wrinkly snout. “HEY! I SAID BACK OFF!”

The startled Missy froze.

“Missy,” Will says calmly, bordering on cautiously. “Missy, listen to me. Stop staring at her eyes, and walk away slowly; but do…not...turn your back to her.”

Missy scoffs. “You’re asking me to submit to a poor, William?”

“Missy, I’m serious…do not...come...closer…”

“Listen to him, snow bunny.” Sasha groans. “Get out of here.”

Missy gasps. “Snow bunny? How dare you! Like I would ever lay with a-” Her eyes snap to an African-American couple right next to her. “-a...just...get out of my way, you!”

Missy’s patience grew thin. Even as Sasha drew her fangs, the rich girl’s advance did not stop.

“Missy stop!”

But Will’s plea fell on deaf ears.

Next came the inhumane snarling; paired with raised hackles, it was Sasha’s final warning.

It didn’t even sound human, let alone female. That’s what made it so terrifying.

To all except Missy, apparently. “Oh quit it with your little display of ferocity,” Missy dismisses with a wave of her hand. “We both know that you can’t do anything to me. The moment you so much as sully my perfect white skin with those ugly claws of yours, my family’s lawyers will drown your family with so much litigation that your GRANDCHILDREN will struggle to feed themselves!”

Every step forward was more aggravating to Sasha than the last.

Was this cocky blonde bitch really going to test her? ‘Cause at the moment, Sasha had no second thoughts about using her as a punching bag.

And the African-American couple seemed to support the idea.

“Come on, Wolf girl!”

“Whoop her uppity white ass, Sasha!”

“HEY NAUH!” Yells the Celtic fury with orange fur. “WHA’ THE FOK IS GOIN’ ON? I GOH EEN THA KITCHEN FER TWUU SECOHNDS, AHND NOW THERE’S A BRAWL!?”

Missy’s eyes flick to Melissa. “Stay out of this, green card! I will throw you out of this country if you so much as interfere!”

“AI WELCOHM YUU TO TRY, YE FOKIN’-!”

Will snapped. “ENOUGH!” The whole bar went quiet, and looked at him; all except for Sasha. Though her snarling had stopped, she continued to leer at Missy. “NO TRYING! NO DEPORTATION! NO...JUST...YOU!” He points at Missy. “STOP FOLLOWING US!” And then he looks at his friend. “Come on, Sasha. Let’s get out of here.”

The only way he’d be able to grab Sasha’s attention was by taking hold of her hand. But, he didn’t tug at her; he waited for her to look back at at him.

And she did almost immediately. Granted, it was towards their united hands, but at least her defensive attitude appeared to subside; along with her hackles.

Though conflicted with the decision, she shot one more glance at Missy before nodding at Will’s proposal. “Okay.”

The polar opposite of what Missy was feeling. “Hey! No! Stop!”

She slipped past Melissa’s attempt to grab her. “Fohk!”

“Don’t leave me, William! Not for that!”

In his panic, Will forced Sasha behind him, and took hold of Missy’s wrists.

A sight that brought back Sasha’s fury with the swiftness of lightning. It was the kind of anger that had no room for talking.

All she could think about was protecting Will by any means necessary.

She slipped in between them, and pushed Missy back as hard as she could; a feat much easier than she thought. The thin human girl practically flew back and into the arms of a startled group of people.

They tried to restrain her; but like a snake, she slithered out of their grasp and towards Sasha.

Money and Will were no longer on Missy’s mind; no, all she could think about was smacking the she-Wolf down and into her rightful place.

“Missy!” Will screams. “Enough!” But she tried to slip past him, too. Not like he would make that easy. “Hey! No!”

“Whitey!” Once again, Sasha tried to intervene; only for her cheek to meet the back of Missy’s opportunistic hand.

There wasn’t even a chance to pause out of petrifaction; claw to Will’s shoulder, the snarling caniness spins him away.

She didn’t want to accidentally clock him when her right hook plows Missy’s cheek.

Down the rich girl went; eating linoleum floor.

Then, with more she-Wolf snarling, Richie Rich was given another equal right; and then an equal left.

And even when the blonde girl had surrendered herself to the floor, Sasha made sure to hit her again.

And again.

And again.

And again!

AND AGAIN!

AND-

Her next punch was interrupted by Will’s grip on her wrist.

But was she satisfied? NO!

She tried to go in with her other fist, but Will took hold of that arm as well.

Then the feral-minded she-Wolf tried using her feet after Will had managed to successfully pull her back in a full nelson. Fortunately for Missy, Sasha was too far to get a good kick in.

“Sasha!” He screamed. “Calm down!”

But Sasha continued to kick, snarl, and pull in an attempt to wiggle herself free.

As he clenches his teeth trying to keep her contained, he realizes that he was sorely mistaken about just how strong she was. This she-beast likely had the strength to take him on in a fight, and win.

They were of equal height, too, so you can bet that she was trying to walk herself towards Missy.

‘Sorry about this, Sasha…’

He had no choice but to thrust directly into her, and use his body to pull her off the ground.

“Come on!” He groans. “Let’s get some fresh air!”

He was slowly backing away and towards the exit. But, of course, not without Sasha’s angry persistence trying to counteract every step he took.

Especially when she grabs onto the sides of the doorway just as they’re on the brink of leaving.

“Sasha! Let go!”

Fortunately, the full nelson didn’t allow her to grip at the doors very well, so he managed to succeed in prying her away from the establishment.

“Let go of me!”

Finally. Some semblance of civility has surfaced in her she-Wolf brain.

But his hold did not soften. “Not until you calm down!”

“I’m not doing shit ‘till I rip her face o-!”

She froze. Then, all aggression was replaced with surprised stiffness.

“Uh…” Will croaked. “You good?”

“…”

“...Sasha?” But still, she said nothing. “If this is some ploy to get me to lower my guard, it’s not-

“Whitey.” Her normal tone had returned, too. And it was awfully calm, yet a bit unsettling.

“...yeah?”

“Get your boner away from my ass.”

“...not until you calm down.”

“Whitey, let me go.”

“Are you-”

“Yes. I’m good. Put me down.”

Although hesitant, she could feel his muscles ease. “...okay. Putting you down now.”

And when he did, she turned around and immediately looked down at the tent he was pitching.

He hadn’t even gotten the chance to hide it. “Uh...I plead the fifth.”

She skeptically leers at him. “What do you mean-”

Her hazel eyes caught sight of a whining cop car pulling into the establishment’s parking lot.

“Wow,” Will said. “That was fast.”

“I guess someone must’ve called the cops way ahead of time,” Sasha added.

“Welp,” Will sighed. “I guess we’re not singing anytime soon.”

“Guess not, boner boy.”

As per her usual routine, Sheila was mopping the floors. A happy home is a happy family, after all.

‘Sasha is on a date with Will.’

But she can’t just focus on the floor right now. The pasta is cooking, and she needs to stir. Otherwise, it will stick.

‘Sasha is on a date with Will.’

And what about the laundry? Is it finished? Sometimes, even with her sensitive canine ears, she misses the little chime that tells her the machines are finished.

‘Sasha is on a date with Will.’

Oh, how she wished that weren’t occupying so much of her mental space.

Are they holding hands? Telling each other their deepest, darkest secrets? Sharing their first kiss?

How long has it been since she’s left the house? Four hours? Likely three of which have been spent on her date?

She’s long wished for her daughter to get out of the house every once in a while, but this was the first time she desired the opposite.

‘Come on, Sasha,’ She thought. ‘I’m dying here!’

She could see it now. Sasha happily skips into the house, and she’s wearing the nicest blue dress that Will helped pick out on their unscheduled shopping spree. ‘Hey mom! Guess what?’ She’ll ask. ‘Will and I are a thing now!’

And then before Sheila knows it, their love will grow and grow; to the point where both adults will mark their permanent bond with rings on their fingers, and the most beautiful wedding in the history of the planet, and many litters, and…

and…

and…

BEEP BEEP BEEP-

Huh?

“Oh goodness!” The partially-covered pot of pasta was overflowing with foam. But, once she lifts the lid, things quickly return back to a normal simmer.

And, with a silent fire alarm, a quiet home.

-BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Phew.

Crisis averted.

And just in time, too. Her phone began to ring.

But, before she left and covered the pot once more, she lowered the stove’s heat just a smidge.

Now, with nothing else to get in the way, Sheila made her way over to her phone.

It was a random number.

Another phone scam, maybe?

Or maybe her parents had switched carriers again.

Well, only one way to find out.

“Hello?” She asks.

“Good afternoon, Sheila.”

Her phone dives towards the ground, clacking flat on its back after being released by Sheila’s petrified grip. She stares at it, but doesn’t dare pick it back up.

Not like it mattered. She could still hear his mature, gravelly voice from where she stood. “I hope the family is well.”

Her breathing came out choppy, and her scalp began to itch once again.

‘Why?’ She thought. ‘Why now?’

It was like he could sense that Sasha was on a date with Will.

“Hello?” He asked again. “Sheila?”

She hesitated, but her quaking fingers just barely dared to take hold of her phone once again.

Still, she said nothing.

“Do I have the wrong number? I can hear someone-”

“How did you get this number?” She grunts bluntly.

“Hey, now…” The mysterious man confusingly starts. “…is that any way to talk to your father-in-law? And after I called to check up on my only grand-daughter…”

“Bill.” She spits out. “What. Do you want?”

“I just told you. I wanted to see how Sasha was doing.”

“She’s fine. Goodby-”

“Well now, hold on.” Lucky for him, Sheila just barely refrained from hanging up. “I would not have called if that was the case.”

Sheila’s pseudo-brows furrow. “Then why did you ask?”

“What? Did you not hear of her altercation? I do believe that it is all over what the commoners dub ‘social media’.”

“What?” Sheila furiously began to tap away at her phone.

“Oh. So you were not made aware? Interesting.”

Sure enough, browsing through Facebook quickly brought up the karaoke bar’s recent brawl.

The footage was shaky, but the spectator was able to capture Missy’s march of fury before it was interrupted by Will.

“Hey!” Will screamed, blocking Missy. “No!”

And behind him, Sasha was rushing to his aid. “Whitey!” She tried to push Missy away once again; but, in doing so, she had placed herself in Missy’s smacking range. Of course, that meant that Missy was also in range of Sasha’s feral punch barrage.

“Ooh!” Screams a bystander. “Worldstar!”

Will was able to pull her back in a full nelson just shy of Sasha trying to stomp on Missy. “Sasha! Calm down!”

And that’s where the footage ends.

Bill, overhearing the audio, marks it as the start of his next sentence. “I am not quite sure of what this ‘world star’ is supposed to be, but what I do know is that this situation is quite serious. You understand what I mean, yes?”

Oh, it was quite serious alright.

Sheila checked the upload date. Not only was it uploaded today, but it was done mere minutes before Bill called.

“What the-”

“What?”

“Bill. Are you spying on us!?”

“Oh Sheila, no! ‘Spying’ is such an ugly word. Think of it more as…free security.”

She rushes to the front of the house, and looks beyond the white aluminum blinds. Left, right, up, down; her paranoid blue eyes scan everything they could possibly see.

“We don’t need your ‘free security’! Leave us alone!”

“I cannot.”

“Why. Not?”

“You know exactly why, Sheila. Everything is in the video.”

In the video.

Sasha and William? What do they-

And just when she realized where he was going with this, her hackles aggressively spike out from the back of her neck. “Now you listen here, William Falconer,” she growls. “Either you leave my daughter alone, or it will be the last mistake you ever make…”

“Protest all you want, dear. No one will stop me from protecting my family. Not you, not the boy, and certainly not that dark-skinned jezebel from nineteen years ago.” But he wasn’t done. “And if you’re wondering why I’m even bothering to tell you all of this, just know that this call is nothing more than a courtesy. We are family, after all.”

“You are NOT family! You are garbage! And you have been ever since 1994!”

“What an oddly specific year. Do tell, Sheila. Just what is it that I did in 1994 to warrant the title of ‘garbage’?”

“You know exactly what you did!”

“What I did?” He was chuckling. “Oh, I’m sorry…was it I who sat on my son’s penis until Sasha was conceived? Or was that you? Because last time I checked, men cannot impregnate other men.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly, and you knew it! Don’t act like I was aware of what I was doing!”

“You WERE aware of what you were doing,” he boldly spits out. “I did not point a gun at your head when you made your move on my son. You did that of your own volition. Don’t you dare bark at me now that you regret it.”

“I will, because it’s your fault for ruining Michael’s life just as much as it is mine!”

“Oh, Sheila. I would hardly call a loving family and a roof over his head ‘ruining his life.’ Unless you mean to tell me that he would have been better off with the nigger?”

“Maybe he would have been better off with that woman, Bill,” she emphasizes, sounding defeated. “You haven’t been looking at those empty hazel eyes of his every day for the past nineteen years like I have…”

“Sheila, I can assure you that his life would have been far worse off with that filthy human. Marrying you is the best choice that moronic son of mine has ever made. And likewise, marrying a Wolf will be what is best for Sasha.”

“No. It won’t. I’ll say this one more time: leave us alone, or you will regret it.”

Before he could respond again, she ended the call.

And just for good measure, she turned off her phone as well. She wouldn’t put it past him to try calling her again.

But now, she was all alone with the conversation that had just transpired.

And all of the relevant memories that came with them.

And everything that life could have been to Mike had she never done what she did.

That last realization was what kicked off hiccups of audible tears to hop out of her lamenting maw.

Oh, how she’d always tried to keep this guilt of hers at the recesses of her mind; they would have eaten her alive much faster, otherwise.

She ruined his life.

She robbed him of the joy he’d always felt with Aleena. A joy that he likely had not felt in over nineteen years.

And the longer this charade went on, the worse it got; even through her emotional suppression.

Maybe he wasn’t poor, or food insecure, or abused.

But there was no ignoring the emptiness she saw every time he looked her way.

It was a subtle emptiness, too; one that he’s perfected to hide from Sasha.

Sasha.

Their only bonding factor.

Were it not for the existence of their daughter, Sheila was sure that Mike would never look her way again.

More so when he finds out the truth of what transpired.

But maybe…that’s what Sheila deserved. She hid her betrayal of his trust for this long, and now karma has come in the form of Bill targeting Sasha.

And yet, Sheila knew that she couldn’t open her maw. Not without negatively affecting her precious little girl.

Oh, how confusing this all was.

It was making her scalp itch so much just thinking about it.

What…could she even do in a position like this?

Mike’s parking is a bit sloppy as his blue Sequoia’s tires practically screech against the bar’s parking lot.

‘Where is she!?’ he thinks to himself. ‘Where’s my little girl!?’

To hell with police presence. He wanted to see his daughter, and he wanted to see her now.

“Sasha!” He yells over the slam of his car door. “Where are you?”

No answer. She must be in the building.

While sprinting, a certain conversation caught his ear; the words of a petite she-Wolf that may have been a witness. “If her boyfriend hadn’t dragged her out, I swear that other girl would’ve died.”

And another. This one, from a white man with a beanie. “I, for one, am glad that a cis white woman has finally gotten a taste of life outside of her privileged little bubble. As a fellow white person, I humbly apologize for…”

No time to be disgusted by his white guilt. Where’s Sasha?

“Mr. F!” It was Will, and he was waving. “Over here!”

“William!” His parental hands gripped at Will’s shoulders. “Where’s Sasha?”

Will’s thumb refers to the booth he shared with Sasha. “She’s being questioned over there. They don’t want anyone-yo! Mr. F!”

It was no use. There was no stopping Mike’s advance.

But a fellow Wolf in uniform, extending a palm out towards the impatient father, was going to try. “Sir, please step back.”

“That is my daughter,” Mike said with teeth-clenching relaxation. “I want to see her right now.”

“Sir, I understand that you’re concerned for her safety, but I can assure you that everything is under control.”

A fellow cop intervenes. “It’s okay. Let him through.”

With a nod, the Wolf steps aside and keeps an eye out for any other anomalies.

Mike didn’t even need to say anything when he approached her. Their arms wrapped against each other, and their tails swayed in relief damn near immediately.

“Dad,” Sasha chimes with relief.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” he reassures. “I’m here now.” He gains some distance from her, but keeps his arms on her shoulders. “Are you hurt?”

Sasha shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

The Hispanic cop that was questioning her intervenes. “Well now, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, ma’am,” he says. “Our investigation is currently inconclusive. If reviewing the security footage doesn’t change that, then you’re gonna have to come down to the station with us.”

“What?” Mike gasps. “Well, uh, w-what happened? Why is my daughter being questioned?”

“The order of events are as follows,” begins the cop.

“Two teenagers, William McAllister and Sasha Falconer, enter Huang’s Place Karaoke And Bar. Unknowingly, they were being followed by a third teenager, Melissa Hawkins. At one point Mr. McAllister tried to convince Ms. Falconer to sing. Ms. Hawkins vocally disapproved of this with an emotional outburst.

As the third party confesses to following them, Mr. McAllister stands in front of Ms. Falconer out of fear for her safety. But, his nervous body language triggered Ms. Falconer into defensively stepping in front of him instead.

Multiple warnings, both vocal and via body language, were issued by Ms. Falconer to Ms. Hawkins in an attempt to drive her away. Mr. McAllister could sense the rising tension, and suggested they leave instead.

However, Ms. Hawkins was adamant on walking out with Mr. McAllister, instead; to the point where she continually moved towards the two teens in spite of Ms. Falconer’s increasing agitation.

Eventually, Mr. McAllister managed to successfully convince Ms. Falconer to walk away from the scene. But, before they could move, Ms. Hawkins breaks into a sprint.

Mr. McAllister grabs at Ms. Hawkins’ wrists to restrain her. In a panic, Ms. Falconer shoves her away and onto other patrons who fail to restrain her.

It was at this point that Ms. Hawkins was trying to make her way towards Ms. Falconer. However, Mr. McAllister once again intervened.

When Ms. Falconer tried to push her away again, Ms. Hawkins slapped her. Ms. Falconer then proceeds to punch Ms. Hawkins in the face twice while she stands; and then several more times while Ms. Hawkins was on the floor and not fighting back.

Mr. McAllister stops Ms. Falconer from attacking further, and then forces her to exit the bar.”

The policeman then proceeds to close his notebook.

Mike blinks rapidly. “Is-is that it? Seems to me like a clear case of self-defense. My daughter was just defending herself and her friend!”

“That is where we disagree, Michael Falconer.”

Mike’s ears ring in shock before recoiling in disgust.

He turns around, and sure enough. There was no mistaking that voice.

He covered himself in a pure white suit. The hat atop his head, which he removed to reveal his blond hair, was no different in color.

“George,” Mike groaned calmly.

“Well now,” began George. “If this is how I’m being greeted, then it’s no wonder your savage daughter attacked mine.”

Mike’s eyes irately lowered like he was ready to attack. However, out of the corner of his eye, he could see the concerned gaze of his daughter as it watched him carefully.

One breath in, one breath out.

He allows his eyes to relax before placing a hand on Sasha’s shoulder. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go meet up with William.”

Understandably, she looked confused. “What?”

Mike only held up a finger to his maw as he forced them both to walk away.

They didn’t even need to get close to Will before he began to gravitate towards them of his own volition.

“Hey,” he says, looking at Sasha. “You okay? What happened?”

But Mike had no time to let them talk. “Sasha, William, listen to me.” He respectively places his left and right hands on Sasha and Will’s shoulders. “From here on out, you are not to behave as anything worse than calm.”

Sasha’s pseudo-brows furrow. “Why? Just how much do you know about that guy?”

A revelation that widens Will’s eyes. “What!? Mr. F, do you really know George Hawkins!?”

Mike held a finger up to his maw. “Hey. Calm, remember?”

All emotion on Will’s face evaporates. “Sorry.”

“As you know Sasha, my parents are wealthy. That is, in part, due to the connections they actively work to maintain. Balls, galas, fundraisers; you name it, and they’ve been there.”

“Heh,” Sasha giggles. “Balls.”

“Yes.” Mike dismisses as Will tries to suppress his laughter. “But anyway, my family always made sure to shake every hand they could see. They wanted to be on good terms with everyone. Even slimeballs like the Hawkins.”

He could see that Sasha—though she knew it was juvenile—continued to find humor in his words. “Dammit- dad-”

Even Will was starting to catch her giggles.

Mike’s claws tighten their grip just a smidge; catching the teens’ full attention.

“Listen to me. The most important thing I’d learned, from those parties I was forced to attend, was that the Hawkins are good at weaseling out of losing conflicts; even if they involve other rich people. And seeing as I’m not exactly made of money, it may not matter that Sasha is legally in the right for a self-defense case.” He leers at the floor. “Not to a good lawyer that’s hired to argue against us.”

But Sasha’s face remained determined. “So, how do we win?”

“First, ease up those eyebrows of yours, young lady. Their main tactic will be to weaponize your natural aggression.”

“What do you mean ‘relax’?. I’m fucking pissed that we even have to-”

Will intervenes. “Bushtit.” Sure enough, that got Sasha giggling. “There we go,” he smiles.

“Fffuck you…!” Despite her aggressive words, she looked quite giddy. “I laugh at that bird’s dumb ass name ONE TIME!”

In his anxiety, Mike looks back at George. He was with his daughter, who looked…

…like their best way out of this situation.

“You wanna know how we’re gonna win?” Mike asks, killing any joy out of the focused teens. “We’re gonna prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Richie Bitch deserved to eat a knuckle sandwich.”

The two teens looked at each other in surprise.

“Jesus, Mr. F…”

“…what? Too aggressive?”

“Huh? No, no! I agree, it’s just…I’ve never seen you talk like that before.”

“I have no room for formalities when someone tries to fuck with my daughter.” He pulls them in. “Now listen up. This is what we’re gonna do…”

A bit of time after he whispers, Sasha recoils. “What? Uh uh! Hell no!”

“Yeah,” Will shakes his head. “I’m with her on that. That’s a little…uh…”

“I can’t force you to go through with it, of course. However, as the only one that’s actually talked to a Hawkins, believe me when I say that it’s the best chance we have of keeping you both out of jail.” His words draw the concerned eyes of the two teens towards each other. “Well?”

Both of them hesitate to give out an answer. Instead, Sasha points at Will with a smile on her maw. “If you lay one unprofessional finger on me, I’ll lay one unprofessional foot in your ass.”

Will scoffs, matching her smile. “Don’t have to tell me twice. Let’s do this.”

But, when he extends his right hand out for Sasha, it became quite clear to Mike that the job was easier said than done.

Sasha just stared at it like it was made of cancer. Then, she looked right at Mike.

No words needed. He turned around.

But now, he couldn’t quite see what was happening. Were they doing it?

Sasha’s words gave him a clue. “So uh…do we just stay like this?”

“Here,” Will said. “Give me your other hand.”

“God, I hope this works. This is embarrassing…”

“Embarrassing, huh? Then why’s your tail wagging?”

“It’s just for the act, asshole.”

Will’s words were saturated with cheeky sarcasm. “Really? I was under the impression that tail wagging was involuntary.”

Holy shit. It was working!

George’s daughter was looking right at them with murderous intent.

“Oh, you wanna get all smug now, do ya? Laugh at this.”

Kissing noises from her and panicked noises from him mixed together in Mike’s ears.

“Ew!” He groans with what Mike assumed was a grin. “I don’t think so, puke mouth!”

“Come on, Whitey!” Sasha said with giggling smugness of her own. “If you don’t do it, we’re going to jail!”

Even George had taken notice of his daughter’s frustration. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and turned her around.

“Missy, don’t,” George whispered, not escaping Mike’s sharp ears. “She’s not the one who’s injured here; you are. Just keep a sad face, and we will win.”

‘Like hell you will,’ Mike thought. Then, with a whisper, he updates the two teens nearby. “It’s working. Keep it up.”

But there was a problem.

“Hey,” the Hispanic cop spits out. “You two can’t be together. We need to question you individually.”

That caught the attention of the Hawkins clan, which lit up a bulb in Will’s head.

“I’m sorry, what?” He asks irately.

“I need you two to let go of each other’s hands, and step away from each other.”

“Wha-” His eyes flick between Sasha and the cop for a moment. “You know wha-? No! No! I-I-I won’t let go of her hand! I-I’m sick and tired of…being told that we can’t be together!”

“Son, you have all the time in the world to be with your girlfriend later, but-”

“No!” Will shouts. “I don’t! Everywhere we go, people always tell us that we’re wrong! That we shouldn’t be with each other! And when we are, people always threaten to harm us!”

“Uh…y-yeah!” Sasha yells. “He’s right! Last time we went to the movies, some asshole put gum in my fur and called me a filthy howler just because I was holding hands with a white guy! Why!? Why do people have such a problem with us!?”

The cop held a hand out towards them. “Listen you two, no one’s telling you what you can and can’t do in your relationship. I just need you two to gain a little more distance from each other while we conduct our investigation.”

Will shakes his head, and pulls Sasha’s hands onto his chest. “I refuse!” He dramatically screams. “Without her presence, I can feel myself wither away!”

“Dial it back a bit,” Sasha whispers before returning to he theatrics. “You know what? Screw the world, Whitey! Let’s get married after this is all over!”

“M-”

Everyone looks towards Missy’s muffled screams. Were it not for her father’s hug, her overwhelming fury would saturate the bar’s airspace like salt in the ocean.

This, of course, drew the cop’s curiosity. “Is your daughter alright, Mr. Hawkins?”

George nods. “Oh, yes!” She was no longer screaming, so he let her go. “She seemed a bit anxious, so I ease her nerves with a hug.”

Sasha shook her head. “She shouldn’t be the anxious one here,” she said. “We were the ones being followed. And all because we’re not the same species.”

Missy’s eyes began to fill with tears. “Well, sorry for being concerned for my friend’s safety! I thought he was in danger! What was I supposed to do? Ignore him?”

George hugs his daughter once more. “Well, now, look at what you’ve done. All she was trying to do was watch out for her friend, and you just went on and beat her up for it.” He shakes his head. “I don’t see how my little angel is on trial here. I mean, look at her face! All of the evidence we need is right here!” He nods towards Sasha. “Is your face all messed up? No! That’s because Missy would never hurt anyone.”

Sasha’s ears flatten. “Your ‘little angel’ tried to attack me when my friend and I were about to leave. I was just defending myself.”

Missy’s irate voice cuts in. “In case you forgot, YOU pushed ME away first. If anything, I was defending myself against YOU before your man hands brutally assaulted my beautiful face!”

Sasha’s eyes narrow. “…my what hands?” And her fists clench as well.

“Look at me! I’m so small and feminine, and you’re so…”

“What?” Sasha asks with clenched teeth. “I’m so what? Spit it out…”

“Oh come on! Do you need me to spell it out for you? You’re literally built like the Numa Numa guy!” An insult that raised Sasha’s hackles. “My small, feminine body obviously stands no chance against your tall, flat-chested, blue cheese fat ass!”

“Hey!” Mike and Will simultaneously growl. “Don’t you say that about (my daughter/Sasha), you skinny little tramp!”

But Sasha didn’t feel like she needed anyone to speak for her. “You’d better turn yourself in right fucking now because when I get to you-”

“Sasha,” Will disagrees, gripping her shoulder. “Don’t. She’s just trying to piss you off.”

George just continued to shake his head. “Like father, like daughter. I see that natural Falconer aggression hasn’t changed one bit.”

Mike’s eyes narrow. “Your daughter is insulting mine. Of course she’s going to get mad.”

“But to the point of violence, Michael? If those are the morals that you’re passing on to your daughter, then it’s no wonder she’s not right.”

“You son of a-”

The cop stands in the middle of the chaos, and raises his hands out defensively. “Okay, okay, calm down, everyone! I can see that there were hostilities on both sides, so we’re going to have to take both parties down to the station.”

George slithers up to the cop, and chuckles. “Well now, let’s not be hasty, officer!” He pulls the man in blue aside along with his daughter. “I’m certain that there’s something here you’re overlooking…”

Way aside; to where their whispering could no longer reach Mike and Sasha.

So, Michael decided to do the same with both Sasha and Will.

“Okay, you two,” he says. “Listen up. The case is a toss-up, and George is going to use that fact to bribe the police. That means we’re gonna to have to speed up the plan just a bit.”

“But” -began Will- “we already tried making her angry. It didn’t work. What else are we supposed to do?”

“Think back. What made her attack in the first place?”

“Well, she didn’t try to go after Sasha until after she got pushed. But before that, if I had to guess, it must’ve been because-”

Another light bulb went off in Will’s head.

And he gave Sasha a look that furrowed her brows. “…I don’t like that look. What are you planning?”

“First, I need you to promise not to hit me when this is all over.”

Her eyes narrow. “I can’t even promise that I won’t kick your ass just for asking me that question.”

He was reluctant to part his mouth, but did so anyway. “…I’m just thinking about what Missy said earlier. About how you looked like a-” He did not finish that thought; not with the hostile glare that Sasha summoned. “…anyway; since you got noticeably upset, and since I’m supposed to be your fake boyfriend, it only makes sense that I would try to make you feel better.”

That furrowed Mike’s brows as well. “William, your suggestion better be family friendly. Even if it is to avoid arrest, I will not allow you to try anything funny with my daughter.”

Will smiles. “Oh, trust me, Mr. F. This is gonna be more than family friendly.” He looks at the blonde menace in the distance. “But it won’t be Missy friendly.”

Sasha’s shaky voice speaks up. “…what are you planning, Whitey?”

“Before I say it, just know that I’m gonna hate this as much as you will-”

“Just spit it out!”

Will was blushing. “I’m trying! It’s just…hard to get the words out.”

A flick of his blue eyes towards Mike told the older Wolf all he needed to know.

“I’ll give you two some space,” Mike says. “But only because I know Sasha will fold you like an omelet if you try anything funny.”

“Honestly Mr. F, I’ll probably end up folded regardless. But uh…yeah, I guess it’ll be easier if her dad isn’t in front of me when this happens.”

“Then, uh…I guess I’ll just go sit by the bar, then.”

Will nods. “Sounds good, Mr. F.”

As promised, Mike hesitantly made his way over to the long table; and he planted his butt onto one of the stools.

Then, he sighed.

“Is that your daughter?” A male voice to his immediate right said.

Looking over, it was the beanie man with white guilt that he’d come across earlier.

Great.

“Uh…yes. She is.”

“I think it’s awesome that you came to support her. That’s more than I can say for the white boy next to her.”

His brows furrowed. “Excuse me?”

“It’s no surprise that his parents didn’t show up. The privileged only ever defend themselves when they’ve been caught oppressing minorities. Then again, I don’t need to tell you that, right?” He elbows Mike.

Mike recoils. Not out of pain, but out of confusion. “…huh?”

“Oh, it’s okay. You don’t need to wag your tail just to be on good terms with me. I consider myself an informed white man that acknowledges the atrocities me and my kind have enacted on the world.” He looks over at Will. “Though, I will say I’m surprised you’re letting a fellow white devil near your daughter. We’re statistically the most likely to abuse women of color or fur.”

Mike…

…didn’t know what to say.

He knew that newer generations were more liberal, but this was over the top; to the point where it sounds kind of racist.

Or…is it racist if it’s against your own race?

“So I’m supposed to judge that young man for things others have done?” Mike asked.

“What other choice do we have? The white man isn’t exactly known for being on the right side of history. The trail of tears, Nazis…”

Mike tuned him out for a second. When he looked back towards Sasha, he saw Will trying to kiss her hand. However, Sasha’s raised hackles and wrinkly snout were in disagreement with his little plan.

And just when Mike had forgotten all about the man next to him, Mr. Beanie shouts a reminder of his existence. “Aha! See? She’s clearly uncomfortable, and yet that white man is forcing himself on her anyway! Where’s that other cop? I’m gonna-”

Mike grips his shoulder, and keeps him from standing. “Sit down, you idiot. You don’t know what you’re talking about here, and you don’t know what you’re talking about in regards to white people.”

He scoffs. “Excuse me? I have a master’s in art history! What do you have?”

“A daughter that I’m trying to keep out of prison.”

“So...no degree? And you’re trying to tell me that I know nothing about white people?”

“If you really were as educated as you think you are, you’d know that coating an entire group with the same coat of paint is idiotic. White, black, it doesn’t matter. Every group is equally likely to be as good or bad as another.”

“Lies!” A new fighter has joined the ring. “Statistically speaking, black people are among the most likely to be criminals!”

Both Mike and the white man leer at the newcomer: a scrawny white man with poor hygiene: yellow teeth; short, messy black hair that was butchered to high heaven; oily skin; and facial hair that grew wild in different spots, yet couldn’t form a full-on beard.

On his torso, a black shirt read ‘Jesus is lord’ in the Comic Sans font. And, on his legs, all that covered him were khaki shorts and brown leather sandals.

“Uh…” The liberal man craned his head back. “…excuse me? Did I just hear racism in 2014?”

“Shut up, libtard. It’s not racist to point out the truth.”

“This country-!”

“Despite being only 13 percent-!”

“-is predominantly white, you-!”

“-of the population, blacks commit-!”

“-uneducated buffoon! And-!”

“-half of all crimes! You gonna-!”

“-that statistic isn’t even true-!”

…yeah, this has now devolved into a shouting match.

Michael was going to take this chance to just slowly stand up, back away, and let them just…talk this out.

Suddenly, an odd noise made contact with his ears. One he’d never heard before.

It was Sasha, and she was giggling, but this kind of giggling was…

…reminiscent of the kind of giggling Aleena used to do when Mike would hug her from the back in high school.

He turns his head towards the two teens again.

Just a second ago, Sasha looked like she was shy of tearing Will apart just for trying to kiss her hand.

But now…

“Whitey~” Sasha moaned loudly. “We’re in public!”

Her face, however, told a different story.

She looked like she was being held at gunpoint as Will gently hugged her from behind.

“I can’t help it,” he says, looking petrified yet sounding cheeky. “You’re just so huggable.”

He’d even made the very bold move of resting his chin on her shoulder.

Fortunately, as they were facing away from the Hawkins, their awkwardness was known only to them. And Mike.

“Come on, Whitey! Cut it out~” Sasha lied ecstatically.

She also seemed to whisper something to Will. Whatever it was, it made him quickly—and inconspicuously—rethink the chin maneuver.

“Doesn’t sound like you want me to cut it out,” Will continued.

“Well” -Sasha says, changing to a more passive-aggressive tone- “since we’re already this close, how about…” She turns around; this time, with a smile that bore hints of malice. “…you give me a kiss?”

Will’s eyes widen.

“D-Don’t be silly! We can always do that later!”

“Yeah, well I want one right now!” She puckers her lips.

He had to keep the illusion, and Sasha knew it, so he didn’t dare move his head backwards; though, judging by his painful wincing, he really really REALLY wanted to.

“Look,” Will whispers, this time within Mike’s earshot. “I’m sorry, okay? I swear I can’t control it! I didn’t mean to poke you again!” But Sasha’s slow, expectant advance did not seize. “Not the puke mouth! Please! Sasha!”

The sound of rapid, heavy footsteps became quickly noticeable; even to the most deaf of humans.

“YOU BITCH!” It was Missy, and she was mad. “I’LL KILL YOU!”

And what made the situation more dire is that she’d swiped a fork from a nearby table.

Unfortunately, that’s what triggered the Wolf officer to swipe the fork and pin her hand behind her back in one swift maneuver.

“Down on the ground! NOW!” The cop was less than friendly when he slammed her down.

“Let go of me!” Protests Missy. “Do you know who I am!? I am the daughter of George Hawkins!”

“Stop resisting!”

“I will have you fired if you don’t let me go!”

“Ma’am! Stop resisting!”

“Ngh!” But Missy’s struggle refused to cease. “William! Help me!”

Fat chance.

Will had draped himself protectively over the now crouching, and surprised, Sasha.

And his hug on her was tighter than one of those Chinese finger traps.

Yes, it was obvious to Mike that in this young man’s panic, his first instinct to take the brunt of Missy’s attack.

And if Mike could tell…

“Uh…” Sasha trailed. “Whitey? Can I move now?”

“Huh?” Panic quickly took over the retreating teen’s face. “Oh shit! My bad…”

Sasha laughed softly. “You’re good.” But her happy demeanor was short-lived; expiring when she looked at Missy once more.

Will looked towards her as well. “What?”

“I know she just tried to stab me, but this is kinda sad to watch.”

“Says you!” Will chuckles. “All I’m missing right now is some lotion and tissues! This is the best thing I’ve ever seen!” He looks over to Sasha with a smile. “I’m finally gonna be free of that psycho bitch, and it’s all thanks to you-”

His abrupt halt and breaking of eye contact signaled the regret he must have been feeling right now. Doubly so, if his crimson cheeks were anything to go off of.

Fortunately, Sasha had also broken eye contact. Her maw pursed, and her tail happily dances as she scratched at the side of her neck. “Yeah, well, you’re uh…welcome, and stuff…” She peters out. “…no problem at all…” Neither teen knew what to say next. So, Sasha went with the first thing she could think of. “…boner boy…”

He leered at Sasha, unamused. “Oh my god, is that all you can think-”

Their little moment was interrupted by the sound of applause coming from all sides. And of the audience, Mike was the most passionate.

Truth be told, he didn’t feel like the clapping was appropriate for the given occasion.

But was he really going to pass up the opportunity to cheer on his little girl?

Especially when she looks like she’s panicking as if she’s losing everything at a casino?

“What!?” Sasha yaps. “Hey! No! Stop it!” And her hands were waving around frantically. “Stop clapping! Stop it! Come on! Stop it! Noooo!” She howls in defeat.

Will looks over at her, confused. “Why are you upset? They’re clapping for you.”

“’Cause now when I tell this story, it’s gonna end with ‘and then everyone clapped’!” She grunts in annoyance.

“…oh. PFFT-” Will points at her and laughs. “Sucks to be you!”

“Oh! Sucks to be me, huh? Come here!” Her puckering lips rush towards Will.

“Hey! No! Get back!” He runs from her with a wide grin on his face. “Ew! Stop it! Sasha!”

“Come here, Whitey!” Sasha grins, equally as giddy as Will. “I know how you can pay me back!”

“We already settled on Strawberry Coke! Get away from me!”

As the two teens dance around a table, Mike can’t help but let out a gentle chuckle of his own.

In a way, this reminded him of how things used to be with Aleena when he was a kid.

So happy.

So ignorant.

So ridiculously care-free; even after dealing with a serious situation.

It took a while. And, though it seemed distant and impossible at times, it looked like all of his efforts were finally reaching the fruiting stage.

Just a few more years, Mike thought.

That’s all he needed. Just a few more years for his pride and joy to leave the nest as a happy, healthy adult that got to make the choices he never had.

And he could hold out a little longer, couldn’t he?

He had to.

For her.

The sun had yet to tease the world with its warm, glowing welcome on this dark Saturday morning.

“Ssh,” whispered a little girl in the dark. “We’re gonna get caught.”

“No we’re not,” whispers a little boy. “I can still hear her-” His little furred thickness of a neck cranes up in a panic. But, after about a second, he unwound. “-snoring.”

“Aight, good,” she says softly. “Then come on. It’s almost time.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” It was hard for him to contain his excitement in the whispers that would keep them out of trouble. “I never get to watch the good stuff. My mom is always up super early; even on weekends.”

“Yeah, well your momma ain’t here, Mikey.” The white glow of the television reveals little nine year old Aleena’s excited grin. “It’s just you, and me.”

But her grin was just as short-lived as Mike’s excitement. “Aw, man! The old people shows are still on…”

Nothing got kids more excited than a caption at the bottom of the occasionally twitching square screen that read “Wolves: Human, Or Beast?”

And what kid didn’t love the plain salmon background; or the sound of two adults’ static-drenched debate?

It was a far cry from the colorful, high-energy world of Tom and Jerry, that’s for sure.

There were no cats and mice here. Instead, it appeared to be red sweater vest vs black tie.

“Well quite frankly,” says Mr. Sweater vest, “I just do not see where you’re coming from. We’re in the year 1987 now. Science is much different now than it was even two years ago-”

“What’s so confusing about what I’m saying?” Responds Mr. Suit with a voice straight out of a mafia movie. “We can’t die to parvo, they can. We can eat chocolate, they’ll go to the hospital if they try. We can drink alcohol, they’ll be sleeping with the fishes after one sip. The line seems pretty clear to me.”

“But we can form families with them. Communicate, even.”

“Look. All I’m saying is that if what you’re saying is true, the government wouldn’t be calling those weird relationships ‘interspecies.’”

“The government also used to lock up the Japanese just for existing back during the second world war. We can’t just take their words for things; I thought that much was obvious by now.”

“Oh, you want obvious? Okay, then.” Suit man pulls out a lemon from what looks to be his ass. “If a Wolf can lick this without gagging, I’ll concede.”

Concern washed over vest man’s face. “...where were you keeping that lemon?”

“Doesn’t matter. We both know that Wolves can’t handle lemon juice, either,” suit man says. “...eh, except for the mutts; but you know what I mean.”

The camera now pans to a third party; a black man with his own tan suit, and a warm smile fitting for a host. “What a riveting debate we have going on right now. Unfortunately, we are out of time,” he shrugs. “Please join us next week for another hot topic spreading through our country like wildfire; interspecies marriage bill 41: an overdue right for some, and a state’s right’s issue for others. Thank you, and good morning.”

“Ugh…” Mike groans. “…finally.”

There was a fade to black on the screen. And, immediately after, a black and white image of a sad woman blankets the entire screen.

There was still no sight or sound of childhood fun, unfortunately. Instead, a gritty man’s deep and scary voice speaks out to the children.

“There’s a silent killer out there…”

“Noooo!” Mike semi-screams. It wasn’t enough to blanket the entire house in boy-Wolf agony, but enough to get Aleena to twitch in panic.

“Mikey…!” Aleena shushes.

“Oop…!” He whipped his throat back to an inconspicuous whisper. “Sorry…”

With no choice but to watch the ad, the kids kept quiet and waited patiently for the gritty man to finish his prerecorded dialogue.

“Its body? Undetectable. Its weapons? Untraceable.”

The sad woman was in her bedroom all alone. The one window on screen, likely the only one in the room, cracked open.

Then the screen cuts to a scene of the woman at an active supermarket line. Many screamers, and yet she did nothing but stare blankly at the floor.

“It can paralyze its victims.”

Muffled concern quickly sharpens as the screen transitions to a scene of the woman sitting near her elderly mother.

“Marcy!” Screams the mother.

Marcy took in her surroundings in confusion as the narrator continued.

“It can steal its victims’ memories.”

“When did I get here?” Marcy asks.

Once again, the impatient screen moves on; this time, to a sketchy alley.

“It can strip them of their self-restraint.”

Besides Marcy, a man in a leather jacket held out a glass pipe to her; rounded on one end, and not on the other.

“Come on, try it,” the man suggests. “It’ll make you feel good.”

Marcy took it into her hands. ‘I know I shouldn’t, but…” The pipe touches her lips. ‘…eh, whatever.’

“Little by little,” continues the narrator, “it kills its victims under the cloak of irresponsibility.”

“What is wrong with you?” Asks Marcy’s mother. “It’s ten in the morning, Marcy! Stop being lazy, and wake up already!”

“Eh…” Groans Marcy. “Five more minutes…”

“You’ve been in your room for thirteen hours! Stop being a baby, and go to work before you get fired!”

The narrator’s voice matches another cut; this one, back to the first scene of Marcy sitting alone in her room. “Taking their sleep; their self-respect; and eventually…”

A cloaked figure—masking its face with a skull—holds a gun out for her to reach.

“…their lives.”

Bang!

An echo fades the screen to black.

The young children’s eyes are then subject to the image of Marcy’s tombstone. Under her name, Marcy Simpson, it read: SHE WAS LAZY AND NO GOOD.

“The law calls it suicide,” the gritty voice continues. “Family members call it cowardice. But this disease has one true name: depression.”

“What is wrong with you?” Asks a black gentleman looking at the screen.

“Don’t you have any self-restraint?” Asks an Indian woman.

More and more people flash through the screen; each as unsympathetic as the last.

“Other people have much bigger problems, and don’t act even half as sad as you!”

“You need to focus on the positive!”

“You’re so forgetful!”

“You need to stop living in the past!”

“It’s all in your mind!”

“Just get over it!”

Then the screen cuts to black for the last time; and with it, the gritty narrator returns.

“Depression is not like your typical disease. It’s hard to spot, corrupts your mind, and cripples your actions. It can happen to anyone, at any time, under any circumstances.”

The black screen generates text that matches the narrator’s words. “If you experience any of the symptoms discussed in this commercial, reach out to a professional psychologist today. You don’t have to live like this forever. You can be happy.”

Aleena’s confused little face matched the skepticism of Mike’s twisted head.

“…what?” Aleena asks.

“I dunno,” Mike responds. “That was weird.”

Immediately after the commercial switched over, the kids were greeted to a smiling child holding a plastic green pistol. “WATER GUN!” He shouts.

Fortunately, the volume was very low, so Aleena’s mother didn’t hear it.

“Well,” Aleena says, “at least the old people stuff is done.” Without even thinking about it, she rests her head against Mike’s chest; a move that glues his eyes to her. “What?”

“You still smell like marshmallows. Do you have any?”

She sat right back up, and paused for a second before snorting. “What?? Boy, you silly.”

The commercial was easy for them to forget. After all, they were children in a sleepover.

Though, as impossible as depression seemed to them at the time, there was one thing the commercial left out.

It can plant seeds inside of its victims as early as childhood, and it only grows stronger with time.

“That’s crazy!” Aleena’s half-grin leans in towards her phone as she rests her back against a white hospital wall. “Guess the apple don’t fall too far from the tree!”

Mike chuckles. “Yeah, guess you’re right. Though, I don’t think I should be happy about the fact that my daughter got into a fight.” And yet his tail was as happy as a kid on Christmas while he devoured his lunch at work.

“Speaking of,” Aleena continued. “You sure it’s alright to be calling me at work? I don’t wanna cause any more trouble for you.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I have headphones in, so...eh, it’s fine,” he fans off.

What wasn’t fine was the fact that he said it was fine twice, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

“Aight, cool. Just making sure. So uh...there another reason you wanted to call me during work? It has to be important if you couldn’t wait ‘till next Friday.”

“Uh…” He shrugs. “Not really. I was bored; the fight’s been on my mind the entire time; I don’t really have anyone else to talk about it with aside from Sasha and you; it’d be weird to call Sasha about it while she’s at school; you were basically the best choice, y’know?”

“What about your wife?”

He paused mid-chew. “I uhh already talked to her about it so-”

“You completely forgot about her, didn’t ya?” His silence spoke volumes. And to make matters worse, her follow-up didn’t break the silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. “We gotta have a talk about that one of these days.”

“I-” he hesitates. “-don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

“If it’s what I think it is, then yeah the fuck it is, Mikey.”

That drew a brow even more skeptical than a conspiracy theorist in Washington DC. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, just some more Wolf biology bullshit that I think you should be aware of. I’ve been meaning to bring it up eventually, anyway.”

“Is it really that important?”

“Do you wanna make sure that you don’t do something stupid in the future?”

“Well, I’ve been on a moronic streak as of late, so what’s a little more stupidity?” He jokes.

“The difference between having the one child, and two.”

His coughed and retched in an attempt to save himself from choking on a forkful of food.

This, of course, coaxed concerned questions from Aleena; but compared to a lack of air, they were covered by the background hum of tinnitus as far as Mike was concerned. “…I’m fine…eating food…wrong hole…”

“Did you try using lube?”

She really did know how to make him laugh while coughing for his life. “…shut! …the fuck up…!” He had to give his lungs and diaphragm some time to calm down, and not massacre his sentences. “You’re right, though. God knows Sasha needs any more distractions. Especially on days like today.”

“What’s today?”

“Talent show auditions.”

“Oh! Duh!” She smacked her forehead. “Will told me about it like a thousand times last time we met up at the gym. I’m so dumb.”

A playful scoff escaped Mike’s maw. “You have a doctorate, Ally. If you’re dumb, what does that make me?”

“Han-” She begins, dragging the n. “-ndy. With tools. Like Hank Hill.”

His maw scrunched up; trying to suppress laughter, and yet full of teenage glee. “...like Hank Hill?”

“Yeah! You saved my ass with that bed thing, Mr. Hill.”

He rolled his amused hazel eyes. “I wouldn’t go that far. But, if you wanna keep singing me praises in an attempt to distract me from the fact that you almost called me handsome, who uh…who am I to say no?”

She responds with nervous giggling. “I wasn’t very good at hiding that, was I?”

Mike shook his head. “Not even a little bit.”

“See? I am dumb.”

“You’re not dumb. It was actually c-” Now it was Mike’s turn to drag out the k sound turned static. “-uh oh! I think our call is breaking up!”

“Nice try, mister. You almost called it cute, and you know it!” Even through the microphone, her joy-saturated tone was obvious.

Mike shrugged. “So we’re both stupid. Problem solved.”

“Not as stupid as me. Remember when I tried to find God in the clouds with binoculars ‘cause my mom told me he was in the sky?”

“Remember when I growled at my tail’s shadow because I thought someone was sneaking up on me?”

“Oh yeah? What about the time I tried to pay for snacks with sand dollars?”

He had to start suppressing his laughter at this point.“Not as dumb as the time I licked you because I thought you were made of marshmallows.”

And, judging by the stifled giggle on her end, she was doing the same. “Is it any dumber than the time I thought my canine teeth meant I was turning into a Wolf?”

“You absolutely cannot top this one.” He paused, palms raised half-up. “Howled at the ambulance.”

Her soft giggling broke through her barrier. “Hey! That’s cheating!”

She was the trigger that destroyed the dam holding his chuckling back. “You said, and I quote: Mikey, you stupid.”

“Yeah, and then I had to hug you ‘cause you were so mad I said that.”

His light laughter was brought to an end with a sigh. “Good times. Good times.”

“Welp, I’d like to keep talking to ya, but I have to get back to work. But before I go, I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

“Uh…yeah! What’s up?”

“I’m throwing a Halloween party tonight, but I’ve gotta put in some extra hours today ‘cause of some bullshit. You mind helping me set up what’s left of the party decorations?”

“Ah! Damn!” His hand claps against his skull. “I wish I could Ally, but Sheila and I have a tradition of handing out candy every year. Sorry.”

“…nah, it’s cool.” The disappointment in her words was painful to Mike’s flat ears. “I knew it was probably gonna be a long shot. Besides, I don’t wanna get in the way of you, and your old lady.”

The jealousy in her tone made him want to wince. “…if anything changes, though, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Sounds good, Mikey. Welp, talk to you later.”

“Bye.” The chime of a call desperately ended on her end marked the beginning of his lamenting sigh. ‘Jeez…’

That phone call soured fast. Understandably.

He couldn’t lie; helping her out with the party actually sounded fun. Maybe stay for the party; get into costume; likely talk with some old friends that he hasn’t talked to in decades.

Yeah, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she was going to invite the cooler people that wouldn’t mind a church-unapproved costume. Something like a witch, or a zombie; things that would give her more pious relatives a rage-induced heart attack.

Hopefully, it would help distract her from the frustration of not being able to freely express her love for Mike. He felt she deserved happiness; wherever she could find it.

She is his best friend, after all; even after a nineteen-year separation.

But all good times must come to an end, as reminded to him by his instincts.

His eyes, zoned out in thought, woke up and snapped towards his peripheral vision.

Someone was looking at him. He could feel it.

Who he saw—at a different table—was the usual suspect: Sam. She was currently looking down at her meal.

He couldn’t prove it, but he just knew she was listening in on their conversation.

Or, at least trying to.

She definitely heard his list of embarrassing actions. That was certain.

But, there was no way she would have heard a peep of Aleena’s voice.

“Everything okay, Mike?” Sam asked.

‘Shit,’ he thought, mentally smacking himself at his unintentional staring. “Uh…no. Just wondering why you were so focused on your food. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Oh, no!” She waves in understanding with both hands. “It’s okay! I guess I was looking at my lunch a little too hard, wasn’t I?”

“It’s uh…it’s fine. I’ll just be on my way, then. Enjoy your meal.”

“Okay!” She nods, and then goes back to her food.

‘That was easy,’ thought Mike as another peaceful encounter with the serial psycho ended. But something felt wrong, as it usually did.

It was too easy.

“Mr. Wolf.” Janice allowed her right hand to breach his personal space, and take in a brief pat his left buttock. “So good to see you again.”

The pulsing yearn to bite her hand off had to be pushed aside; Mike knew that as he continued to march onward. “Likewise,” he groaned with clenched teeth.

The fury shot out of him all at once; like a lightning bolt crying out its announcement to the world.

He didn’t know where he was keeping all of this frustration stored, but it was evident that it was here; and it was now.

“Is everything okay?” She asserts her entitlement with a hand to his thigh. “You seem tense.”

He took a big step back. “I’m fine. Excuse me.”

“Ah ah ah.” She took a big step forward. “Not so fast. I need you to come with me.”

Great. “…why?”

“Your behavior this past week has been questionable. Mr. Moon has asked me to step in, and see if I can help you…” Her tone dipped. Hard. “…let it all out.”

Mike, exhausted already, sighed. “What’s your game, Janice?”

“No game,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m just doing my job. And if you want to keep yours, I suggest coming with me.”

He channeled all of his sarcasm into the swing of his raised palms. “Alright. Fine. Let’s get this bullshit over with.”

There was nothing weird she could pull in her cubicle, he presumed. There were too many people around. Someone would know, she would be fired, and he would be free.

Only, they weren’t going to her cubicle.

“Uh…” Mike looked at her workstation. “…where are we going?”

“Mr. Moon told me to keep this low profile. We can’t cause a panic now, can we?”

“But where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

The tap of his claws on the floor died as he stopped his advance just shy of the front door. “I’m not taking another step until you tell me where we’re going.”

She raised a finger to her ruby lips. “Ah ah. Low profile, remember? Or do you, Michael Falconer, want to be named as someone that is threatening the company?”

If he were a cartoon, his nostrils would be fuming. If she was implying that she knew about the conversation he had with their boss, the one where he threatened to fire Mike if he made too much trouble…

If he could scream freely, he would.

“…no.”

“Good boy. Then follow me.”

It was a good thing she turned around. Now she couldn’t see him try to suppress his twitching snout from wrinkling with unyielding rage.

‘Sasha,’ Mike thought. ‘Do it for Sasha. Don’t bite her. Do it for Sasha. Don’t bite her…’

Turns out that her meeting location of choice was an empty room on a different floor. It has a cheap faux wood table, a rolling chair, and a flickering light switch; all contained within a little white cube of a room.

When they were both inside, he camped right by the open door; just to be safe.

“Close the door,” she ordered. He refused, but mustered up the hesitant courage to comply when she raised both brows. “Good boy.”

He clenched his shaking fists. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” She pressed herself against him, and nuzzled his crotch with her generous and impatient chest.

“Hey! Whoa!” Sexual assault? Right off the bat? He expected her to try and use words again; slowly ramping up to action he would reject! This was too fast! “Janice! No!” His claws move around blind in an attempt to find the doorknob.

“Janice yes!” She leaps up, and locks her legs as best she can around Mike’s unconsenting torso. Even if she was small, the sudden assault slammed his back against the door. “You can’t lie to me anymore, Mr. Wolf. I felt your cock grow hard against my tits.”

“It’s a dick! I can’t control-” He couldn’t even finish his sentence before she tried to jam her tongue down his throat.

Blink.

“Mikey?” Aleena asked with concern. “What are you doing here?”

His hazels blink rapidly in recognition of his friend. Then, he took a second to look at where he was.

Two large trees tower over the front yard, one on each side that was divided by a walkway. And on the other side of the street, a bricked take on a Victorian house told him that he was no longer at work.

Then he looked back; and sure enough, this was Aleena’s house.

He’s been sitting on her front porch for…

“…I…don’t know…” He shook his head, and looked towards his friend once again. “I don’t even remember getting here. Last I recall, I was-” His eyes widen. “-shit!”

5:30 PM. That’s what his phone was telling him.

“Okay, you know what?” Aleena said, her black heels clicking towards the front door with great desperation. “Come in. I dunno what happened, but I know that you need me right now.”

He sighed, standing. “I can’t. I-I need to go home. Maybe figure out what happened between work and here.”

“Mikey.” Her heels click until they were just inches before the tall Wolf. “You drove here in a fugue state. If you leave again, who knows what’ll happen.”

Checking his phone again, he noticed that he had a text.“I’m sorry, Ally. But I can’t be here right now. I have to figure this out.”

The text was from his boss. For some reason, this sent his heart racing.

Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

<Call me as soon as you get this.> That was what the text read.

“Mikey!” Aleena pleaded.

But, they fell on deaf ears. He walked towards his car anyway, and gulped while the ring of the call went off.

“About time you called me,” Mr. Moon said. He did not sound happy.

“Uh…” Mike croaked. “…yes, sir. What can I do for you?”

“Don’t act like a civilized member of society now, you son of a bitch. Do you know how much trouble I went through just to put out the fires that would have sunk this company?”

Mike blinked rapidly. “Uh…excuse me?”

“Uh,” parodies Mr. Moon. “ExCuSe Me?? That’s all you have to say for yourself?”

“If I’m being completely honest here, sir, I don’t have a recollection of the events that transpired.”

“Oh really? Well, let me lay it out for you.” Mr. Moon clears his throat. “This morning, I ordered Janice to have a talk with you concerning your behavior.”

“Why did-”

“Don’t interrupt me,” the boss asserts. “She takes you to a location where you’re guaranteed to not make a scene. And then what do you do, Michael? You throw her against the wall, and take it upon yourself to leave work early.”

“Sir, with all due respect, she was sexually assaulting me-”

“Oh quit it with the theatrics!” The sound of Mr. Moon’s snarling penetrates through the microphone. “So an attractive woman threw herself at you! Boo-fucking-hoo, Michael!”

“So…what?” Mike asks. “I was just supposed to stand there, and cheat on my wife?”

“Yes!” To Mr. Moon, it sounded like a no-brainer. “I shouldn’t have to tell you to have sex with attractive women, Michael! It should be embedded into your manly soul! Especially when you’re guaranteed to get away with it!”

“I’m not liking the direction this conversation is taking, sir.”

“So then report me to HR.” He chuckles. “Oh wait! You put her in the hospital!”

“In the hospital?”

“That’s right. Seems like you used all of your strength for that little toss of yours. You’re lucky she’s not pressing charges.”

That was a sigh of relief.

But oh no, Mr. Moon was not done. “I wouldn’t breathe easy if I were you. I warned you what would happen if you made trouble for the company.”

Mike’s eyes widen. “Sir-!”

“Shut it, you. I want your desk cleared by the end of tomorrow. You’re fired.”

“Wh-”

“Oh, and don’t think about taking this up with a lawyer. Given that saliva was exchanged and bits of your fur were embedded in her clothes, a lawyer could easily argue that it was you who raped her. And you know as well as I do that these cases overwhelmingly favor women. But, if it makes you feel better, your reason for being fired will not be ‘rape.’ Consider that a parting gift…”

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” He screams at the top of his lungs. If he was out of a job, then what did he have to lose now? “ I was the one that was assaulted! I was the one that kept my trap shut while that psycho bitch touched and prodded me like I was a piece of meat! How are you gonna fire me when female Harvey Weinstein over there is the one that caused all of this shit in the first place!? Fire her! Not me!”

“We can’t fire her, Michael. She’d be able to sue us for retaliation.”

“And what do you call this!?”

“Protecting the company,” he states so matter-of-fact. “The decision is final, Michael. There’s nothing you can do.”

“No no no no nonono you can’t fire me! I have a family! I haven’t even done anything wrong!”

“This conversation is over. Goodbye.”

“Fuck you!” Michael began to cry. “Don’t you hang up on me! Hello!?”

His shaking phone told him that no one was on the call anymore. Not him, and definitely not Mr. Moon.

No, it was just his background photo on the screen now. It was of Sasha, and she was smiling.

But the smile was obstructed by a screen crack as his powerful claws began to constrict around the shaking device in uncertain despair.

But, as angry as he was, a deep pit within branched out and into every inch of his soul. He dropped the phone, defeated, and hitched and gasped his tears into the steering wheel in front of him.

A series of rapid heel clicks raced up her concrete walkway. It wasn’t until Aleena opened his door and laid sympathetic hands on his thigh that she opened her mouth again. “Hey! What’s wrong?”

He didn’t think he could feel any worse than he already did. But, for some reason, looking at Aleena dragged out a whole new ocean of tears.

“Life’s not fair, Ally!” That’s the first groan his rattled mind could think of. “I’m not a bad guy!” His claws tap at his chest. “I’m not perfect, but I try to do the right things! But it seems like every time I choose to do so, life just wants to kick me in the dick!”

He knows that he can never say these kinds of things in front of anyone else. It would make his family feel bad, or others would see him as a gangrenous limb to separate from.

But for some reason, he felt like he didn’t have to worry about blowing up in this human’s face; this creature that wasn’t even like him, biologically speaking.

Aleena was safe. That’s what his body was telling him.

But the thought of that only made his despair take a deep plunge off the Mariana Trench.

“Or maybe this is what I fucking deserve!” He continues. “I fucked Sheila back in high school, and I almost fuck you, and-and-and now this is my punishment! Well, I-I-I hate this! I hate everything! I-I-”

She didn’t even know when her body had climbed aboard the Sequoia’s exterior footstool. Without even thinking about it, her slender arms tried wrapping themselves around Mike’s large torso.

And maybe it was wrong of her to do so, but she rests her head right against his shoulder.

Not a word escapes from her lips. She just stands there, and tells him everything she’s thinking through her supportive arms.

She is here.

She sees him. The real him.

It’s okay to let everything out.

He doesn’t have to hide a single thing about himself because she wants to cherish every single inch of him; every beam of light; every dark corner that may contain dangers beyond her control.

She will never leave him alone ever again. No matter what.

And having all of that comfort in a very vulnerable moment, Mike was powerless to stop his true feelings from taking over.

He rests the side of his head against hers, and whales a gentler tune of sorrow than the aggressive rapids he’d been unleashing before.

Maybe this was wrong, but he didn’t care.

She was an escape from this torture. His instincts had no motivation to interrupt what was happening now.

“That’s it, Mikey…” She whispers, rubbing his back. “Let it all out…”

And she was dropping tears of her own. It pained her to see him like this, and this was the second time this month.

Her best friend. In pieces.

It was a mistake leaving him alone with all of this for nineteen years, she felt.

Never again would she make that mistake. That was a promise she was willing to take to her grave.

A few hours ago, while school was still barely in session, Sasha and her bandmates hovered just outside of the auditorium’s bidirectional entrance.

Enter through the right door, and leave through the left; just as the next student did.

The leader of the group, Will, congratulated everyone else with a high-five. Though whether he intended to target Sasha first was up for debate.

“Fuck yeah!” He cheered. “We did great!”

“I can’t believe I didn’t fuck it up,” Sasha said.

Al’s playful scoff aimed itself towards the she-Wolf. “You did fuck it up. For Isabella.”

And as for Chris, his white elbow nudged Al. “Speaking of, look who it is. Twelve o’clock.”

The blinding rays of the sun beamed down from the tall windows to their right, making it hard to see. But, glowing like a star in the light, Isabella’s yellow fur drew ever closer.

“So, how’d you take the rejection?” She barked. “Did you cry? I bet you cried.”

Sasha stepped forward and cracked her knuckles. “If you wanna see someone cry-”

“Whoa! Hold up, Sasha!” Will was quick to slide himself in front of Sasha. “We don’t need a epeat-ray of the ar-bay…”

“Et-gay out of…uh…” Her head shakes with impatience. “Move, Whitey! I’m getting sick and tired of her shit!”

Isabella scoffs. “Oh, what? Are you gonna hit me like you did that blonde girl? No thanks.” She turns her head, shifting the small spikes of human-like hair that had grown atop her head. “I’m not much of a fighter. That’s what men are for.” Her blue hawk-like scanners move up and down as they take in every inch of Sasha. “Though, now that I’m looking a little closer, I can see why you’d be good at it…”

A light snarl haunts Will’s ears. “Okay, you need to leave. Now,” he says, pointing away from his friends.

Her blonde shoulders shrug as she turns around. “Hey, it’s not my fault she sounds like she deep-throats cheese graters. Later, nerds.”

“THAT’S IT! COME HERE!” Sasha had to try and wrestle her body past Will. The boy, however, proved rather difficult to plow through. “FUCK THE TALENT SHOW! I’M GONNA FEED YOU YOUR OWN A-!”

“Sasha! Ssh!” As much as Will didn’t want to do this, he forced her maw shut with one of his hands once again. “Calm down! You’ll get in trouble!”

Upon doing so, however, he was now left in the awkward position of seeing her tail wag near immediately as a result.

A sight which forced Al and Chris to glance at each other with uncertainty right before synchronizing their snorting.

The embarrassing laughter was what Sasha needed to come to her senses, and desperately smack away Will’s hands. “Mrph mrrph! Rrm crrm! Ri’m calm!” The nervous she-Wolf tried to regain her composure with nervous and choppy laughter. “Tha-t’s not what you think it is…”

“Uh…” Will twitches into a painfully fake and inconspicuous pose of confidence. “Yeah! What she said!”

The disbelief in her puckering maw could probably be detected by the local church. “Smooth, Whitey.”

“Oh, like yours was any better.”

“At least I tried, dumbass!”

“Hey! Last time I checked, it was my tail, not yours! I mean-” he says, shaking his head, “-your tail-”

“Ha!” She raised a hand up to him. “Too late! You fucked up! I win!”

His eyes narrow. “Like hell you won! You’re the one that tried to attack Isabella! I saved you from getting suspended, therefore I am the winner.”

Her grinding voice changes to suit a more nasally persona. “ThEreFoRe I aM tHe WinNeR-” she says, pointing at him and returning to normal, “-that’s you.”

Despite their growing verbal hostility, what was new was the subtle smile planted on both their lips. It was the kind of smile that told each other, and the two spectators, that this was all in jest.

“Hey uh…”

Chris broke their banter, and now Al was picking up where he left off. “As much as we’d like to keep watching…whatever this is, we are kind of on a tight schedule today.”

Sasha’s skeptical pseudo-brow grew intrigued. “What do you have going on that’s so important?”

“Uh…trick or treating? What else.”

Now it was Sasha’s turn to snort. “What!? You still do that childish crap?”

“If by childish you mean fun, then yeah. Only a dumbass would turn down free candy.”

“And besides,” Chris continued. “Who can turn down the chance to cosplay? Especially when their moms won’t let them go to anime conventions.”

“Cosplay?” She had to admit, that word did light up a tingle in her; aside from the one down near her carpet that came from Will’s muzzle-restraining grip, and with zero sexual context.

…okay, maybe a little sexual context. But, in her defense, that anime had no business making him that sexy.

“Hm?” Al hovered awfully close to Sasha. “I see that look in your eyes. You want to dress up at someone, don’t you?”

“What?” She looks away. “Hell no! Cosplay is for virgins!”

“…I fail to see the problem. We’re all virgins here. Uh…except Will, anyway.”

“Oh, screw you, man!” Will replied. “You don’t seem me bringing up your orange-”

“-okay!” The dark fur on his hand eclipsed Will’s lips. “Point taken.”

But Sasha leaned in, wanting to learn more. “Orange?”

“Oh uh…just…our bet on whether uh…Donald Trump…will…be president?”

Her maw puckers again. “…uh huh…”

“Well uh,” Will begins. “As much as I’d love to go with y’all, I don’t think y’all are gonna wanna go with me this year.”

“What?” Al broke away from Sasha. “Why?”

“Well, I got my license a few days ago, and Luna’s gonna be busy on Halloween tending to my parents’ party, so it’ll be up to me to drive Johnny around for trick or treating.”

“Aw, what?” Chris laments. “We can’t go out with a kid! They’re pussy repellent!”

“Uh…” Sasha skeptically groans. “…wouldn’t it work in your favor to be responsible around him? Girls’ll see you as good dad material, which’ll actually increase your odds. Not decrease them.”

Al and Chris blink in disbelief, briefly look at each other, and then half-hug Sasha on each side with big grins on their maws.

“Sasha,” Al says. “You genius you! Now you’ve gotta come with us for sure!”

“Yeah!” Chris agrees. “What’s a better chick magnet than an actual chick!”

“Huh?” Sasha groans again. “I did not agree to this!”

“Oh come on, Sasha,” begs Al. “You can’t lie to me. The desire to dress up as someone exists in your heart, and you know it.”

“Yeah,” continues Chris. “And besides, you heard Will. He has a car now. You know what that means? After we drop off his brother for the night, we can go-” His whispering maw leans in “-anywhere.”

Will wanted to weigh in. _“_Uh actually, I haven’t-”

Anywhere.

Anywhere.

Anywhere.

It was a word that echoed and tingled in all of the right parts of her mind.

“Anywhere?” She intrigued.

“Any,” Al emphasizes. “Where.”

For some reason, the premise intrigued her. She had nowhere in mind, but the prospect of what seemed like unlimited freedom was far too exciting for her teenage mind to turn down.

“Well…” She croaks. “I do have one idea, but I dunno if I have the balls to do it…”

“Just do it!” Chris cheered. “Life’s too short to be held back by worries!”

“Mmm…”

Her humming told Al that she was still unsure, so… “Or do you think your favorite characters are more cringe than a sexy nurse?”

Her eyes widen. “Hell no! I’m going!” She felt like it was now her duty to rid the Halloween streets of the promiscuous scourge.

Both boys cheered and shook the hug in unison. “Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!”

Sasha couldn’t help but giggle as their little dance shook her as well. “Okay! Okay! Now stop touching me before I rip your foreskins off!”

Their arms swung away from her in unison. “Yes ma’am!”

“So what kind of car’d you get, Whitey?” She asked, curious.

“This beauty right here.” He taps the air next to him in a downward pattern. This, of course, draws confused glances from his friends. “I haven’t gotten it yet, geniuses.”

“How the hell were we supposed to know that?”

“I already told you! Weren’t you listening?”

Al had just about grown tired of the short bursts of aggression. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, he waved his arms around like a mad man. “Alright alright calm down! So…” He looks at Will. “…when are you gonna go get your car?”

“After school’s over. Luna’s driving me to the dealership to pick out a car.”

“Really? Awesome!”

But Chris has inquiries of his own. “What are you thinking of getting? Mercedes? Ferrari? Lamborghini? Or are you more of a Rolls Royce kind of guy?”

Minutes before the bell has now become the end of the day, as the digital ringing from the intercoms indicated.

“Sure. If I want to be in debt when fixing it.”

“What does that matter? Your parents’ll pay for it anyway.”

“Not forever. That’s why I wanna go with something more reliable like a Honda. Or a Toyota. That way, when I start working, I won’t be down the hole after getting my oil changed.”

“A Toyota?? You think too frugally for a-” Al says, now whispering, “-rich kid.”

“Yeah,” Chris agrees. “If I were in your position, I’d have like a thousand lambos in the garage before I’d even turned 18.”

“Yeah-” sarcastically chirps Will “-well you’re not, so…” He turns around, and raises a hand. “Later! Come on, Sasha. Let’s go. Luna’s probably waiting outside right now.”

“Yeah, alright.”

She hadn’t even rounded the corner leading to the school’s main hall before she heard Chris speak. “Is it me, or is that starting to be a regular thing?”

Well, of course not. She can stop doing this anytime she wants. But, who is she to turn down the convenience of a short car ride over the lengthy process of the bus’ many stops.

“So…” She began. “…you got an idea of what you’re gonna get?”

“Not really. I guess I’ll just know when I see it.”

“Hm.”

His crystal blues flick towards her. “What?”

“Nothing. Just a bit curious about what you’re gonna get, is all.”

“Me too.” His raises his palms. “I’m actually kind of excited, not gonna lie. I mean, look at my palms. They’re hella shaky already.”

“…mom’s spaghetti,” she whispers.

“…PFFT-” Even Will’s laughter was saturated with uncertainty. “What?”

She tried to fight it, but a small smile slowly crept up on the sides of her maw. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it…”

Only a glass door stood between them and the towering brick shade of the high school’s concrete patio. Will took it upon himself to speed up just a little; enough to push the door open, and hold it for Sasha.

“You’re so childish,” he smiles.

“Maybe. That so wrong?”

He shook his head. “Never said it was.”

Sure enough, Luna’s cherry red Honda was right at the front of the line. She didn’t hesitate to wave at him the moment she locked eyes with the blonde teen, nor did he to her.

The sight was like the classic sweetness of butterscotch, but for the eyes. Sasha couldn’t help but smile.

Nor could she help but speed up, and open one of the rer passenger doors for him. “After you, m’lady.”

His eye rolling is as amused as his shaking head and smiling rose lips.

And, she couldn’t prove it, but she swore that for one moment…

…one brief moment of the smallest unit of time possible…

…his eyes twitched ever so slightly towards her thighs as he ducked and shifted towards the far end of the car’s interior.

“Hi, Willie! Sasha! ” Luna howled with love. “How was school? Did the audition go well?”

Will nods. “Hell yeah it went well!” The car shook slightly as Sasha sat down next to Will, and closed the door behind her. “All of our practicing paid off! Everyone did great! Especially Sasha.”

Sasha’s happy tail thumps a happy tune against the back of the seat. “Ah, I was hard carried by y’all though…” she fans off. “Y’all are really good with y’all’s instruments.”

Luna shook her head. “Oh, don’t say that about yourself, Sasha. If you really were dragging them down, it would show in the music you produce as a group. And, maybe I’m biased, but you kids sound great when you practice.”

She shrugs. “Yeah, I guess so.” But she wasn’t sure she could look at them while this conversation was taking place.

Looking out, they were just waiting on Luna’s next opportunity to enter the highway before they’d officially be off school grounds.

“Out of curiosity, do you have any Halloween plans, Sasha?” Luna asked.

“Uh…” Her hazels twitch towards Will. But, for some reason, the words just wouldn’t come out.

Fortunately, Will shifted forward and took the reigns. “She’s coming trick-or-treating with me and the guys tonight. After we get my car, of course.”

“Yes, yes,” Luna sarcastically says. “We will get you your car before the sun starts to yellow, William. Don’t you worry.”

“You know,” Sasha begins. “I kinda wish I could be there to see it happen. I’ve always wanted to know what it’d be like to get a car, but my dad says I’m not getting one ‘till I graduate high school.”

“Then why not come with us?” Luna suggests. “If your parents approve, of course.”

But Sasha refused with a hum and a fan. “Nah, I wouldn’t want to be a bother.”

Words that shook Will’s head. “I wouldn’t mind. It’d actually be cool to get a second-” his eyes flick to Luna “-third opinion.”

So, she tried calling her father’s work phone to ask for permission. But, it went straight to voicemail; so she tried again. Same result.

“Huh. He must be in the pisser,” she says. “Let me try calling my mom.”

Sure enough, first try.

“Hello?” Sheila’s static-coated voice asks.

“Hey, mom.”

“What’s going on, sweetie? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah yeah everything’s fine- listen. Whitey’s gonna go buy a car with Luna, and I kinda wanna watch. Is that cool? I’ll come right home after.”

“Oh, of course it’s okay! Go have fun, but stay safe!”

“I will! Don’t worry!”

“Okay, by-”

“Wait!” The lack of a chime told Sasha the call was still on. “I’m also planning on joining him, his little brother, and his friends as they trick or treat. That cool?”

“Uh…where? In River Oaks?”

Sasha watched as Will nodded. “Yeah, River Oaks.”

“Okay, then uhh yeah! That’s fine! Are you planning on getting a new costume?”

“Uhh no. I’m gonna use the one in my closet.”

“You mean the one you never wear?”

“…yeah. That one.”

“Okay, great! Last question, I promise: have you asked your father?”

“I tried, but he’s not picking up for some reason.”

“He must be busy. Eh, I’ll tell him myself later. Don’t you worry, sweetie. Just go out and have fun, okay?”

“Will do, mom! Bye!”

“Bye~”

Sasha’s thumb is the one to kill the call.

With that out of the way, nothing stood in the way of her little trip to the Honda dealership.

It was essentially an army of cars to choose from: red, blue, black, white, tall, short, fat, thin.

Will seemed a bit spoiled for choice; and judging by his nervous eyes, overwhelmed.

“Everything good, Whitey?” Sasha asked.

“Uhh yeah. I’m just looking, I guess.”

“GOOD AFTERNOON!” The rear screech of a hungry car salesman sends Sasha flying into Will; her furred arms clinging to him for comfort.

“SHIT!” She screams. ‘How’d I not hear him? He’s wearing dress shoes on concrete!’

Brown dress shoes, to be specific. They went along rather sharply with his silver suit and short Nubian hair.

“I see you’re eyeing that red Civic over there.”

“Yeah, it-”

Will’s lips were squeezed shut by the tall she-Wolf.

“Unfortunately,” Luna begins. “The color is not what we are looking for, but we may be willing to bend our taste a little for the right price.”

It was the salesman’s turn to attack now. “Do you have a budget in mind?”

Everything about him yearned for profit; from the carefully posed smile to the shiny amber eyes that continually scanned them for any signs of weakness.

But Luna’s shaking head knew what she was getting into. “Not quite. I’m more concerned with the out-the-door price.”

They see the salesman’s eye twitch.

“Very well, then. How about payment? Are you looking to do cash, or you looking to finance the vehicle?”

“At the moment, we’re undecided.”

Now the salesman’s other eye twitches.

Clearly, Luna was getting under his skin; but neither teen knew why. His questions seemed innocent enough, and Luna’s answers weren’t exactly hostile.

But there was a weird energy in the air; one that marked a battle being waged by the dark man and the light Wolf.

“Well, then…” He jingles some keys in front of everyone. “…maybe you’ll make up your mind after a little test drive. How about it?”

“You’re asking the wrong person.” Luna looks at Will.

For some reason, this lit a near-inconspicuous ember in the salesman’s eyes.

“Oh! The car is for the young man? My apologies!” He slithers his way over to Will. “How about it, son? You wanna take the car for a spin? See if you like it?”

Will’s eyes look to the confused Sasha for guidance. “Uh…sure! Sounds good!”

“Excellent!” He tosses Will the keys, but they flew through his slender white fingers.

Sasha’s head just couldn’t help but shake in disappointment. “Nice catch, Tom Brady.”

There was no way in hell the salesman was gonna let anyone else but himself ride shotgun. Luna and Sasha could only watch while Will controls the moving car with child-like wonder.

“Drives smooth, don’t it?” The salesman asks Will.

“Yeah it uh feels alright, I guess.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Alright is better than terrible, after all. And not only that, but this car gets 37 miles per gallon on the hallway. That means you’ll spend less money at the gas tank, and more on your lady.”

The flush of his cheeks was almost blinding. But, he remained composed and focused on the road ahead. “Actually, she’s not…we’re not…”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Laments the salesman. “She your step-sister?”

Sasha snorts. “Answer the question, onii-chan~”

He didn’t need to see his cheeks to know that their embarrassed scarlet flush had taken over his entire face. “Shut up, Sasha,” he groans, stifling laughter. “Uh no, we’re just friends.”

The salesman nods exactly once. “Oh, well you know what every friend group needs?” One tap of his finger on the dashboard’s digital screen, and the speakers came to life. “Music! Courtesy of these crystal clear speakers.”

Though, at the moment, the radio was locked onto a monotone speech about climate change. One quick flick of the knob, however, and an upbeat early 2010s melody lit up the mood in the car.

‘I got a feeling,’ Sang a robotic man. “Woooo ooooo”

Sasha had a feeling as well. “Oh god…” Her ears flatten in disapproval.

A sentiment Will nods to. “I agree. What else is on?” Will flicked the knob this time, and Bring Me To Life by Evanescence came on. “He-hey!”

“No…” Groaned Sasha. So, Will flicked it again, and invited A Little Piece Of Heaven by Avenged Sevenfold into the car. “He-hey!”

“No…” Groaned Will, twisting again. What followed was a funky, bass-guitar-driven song that paired rather well with what seemed to be multiple people singing at once. “The fuck is this?”

And just as he was about to turn, Sasha fanned towards him like a mad woman. “HEY HEY HEY WHOA WHOA WAIT KEEP IT,” she pleaded. “I like this song!”

“In and around the lake,” sang the musicians. “Mountains come out of the sky, and they stand there!”

This was obviously no metal song. It sounded old to Will; way old. “The fuck? You like things outside of metal? Since when?”

“Since I started watching JoJo,” she answered.

“What’s JoJo?”

It took him a moment to look up at the mirror, and notice Sasha’s low-hanging jaw of offense.

“You don’t know about JoJo!?” She shakes her maw. “Oh hell no! We’re gonna fix that one of these days!”

“What is it, though?”

“Only the best thing to hit a screen like ever! And you’re gonna watch it!”

He scoffs. “And if I don’t?”

“Oh, you will. Now that you’ve learned of JoJo, you’re destined to watch it.”

A sentiment that only makes him chuckle as he pulls back into the lot. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

As soon as all four of them were out of the car, the salesman wasted no time; leaning in towards Will was just something he felt he had to do.

“So, how’d you like the car?”

But before Luna could squeeze his lips again, Will responded. “I like it. It’s perfect.”

A phrase that makes Luna wince.

The salesman, however, rubbed his hands together. “Alright, alright…” And his grin grew ever-wider. “Well then, let’s get the paperwork in order so you can drive it on out of here, all right?”

“Uhh-” Luna extends a white arm out towards Will, blocking him. “William, sweetie, why don’t you stay out here with Sasha while the salesman and I sort everything out?”

“Uh, okay.”

It was a comfortable 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Even for the ever-thickening coat of the she-Wolf, the weather would not prove to be a problem.

“So,” Sasha says, breaking the ice. “What’s your costume gonna be?”

“Link, probably. You know, ‘cause I’m blond and all. You?”

“You’ll see.”

The deafening discomfort of silence washes over them. If there was something else to talk about, neither one knew what it was.

But something was weird about Will; a change she’d failed to clock while the others were present. For starters, she couldn’t find it in herself to break her gaze from his face.

She could thank the ever-shortening of the days for that. Being October 31, the start of sunset’s warm glow takes over the sky despite only being four o’clock.

Its amber rays clashed with the crystal blue of Will’s eyes, giving them a beautiful hazel shine that shivered her sinful spine something fierce.

No matter where they looked, the respective body part seemed to light up like a Christmas tree; floating in the attention, and pleading for more.

“Huh. Never seen a tail do that before.” Right now, they were down south; appreciating the new sight before him.

It was a sharp contrast from the wide swings it normally took. Quick, yet gentle. Energetic, yet restrained to nearly the same spot.

But his comment only served to make it stop, and her look away. “Sorry…”

“No, no. It’s not a bad thing,” he reassures. “It’s actually kinda neat.”

She tried to look at him, but doing so only made the gentle yet energetic wag return.

“I uhh…don’t know why it’s doing that.” When she looked away, it stopped. “So don’t uhh ask me…”

“You feeling alright? You’re acting weird.”

“Huh? Uhh no, I’m fine…” A lie countered by her rapid heart, and the traitorous tingle of appreciation for his presence that she felt all over her body. ‘ __What t_ he fuck’s going on with me?’_

“Did I say or do anything to upset you?”

“I told you I’m fine!” She barks.

“Sasha.” Without her noticing, he’d dashed into her line of sight. “What’s going on?”

Worried eyes; she couldn’t look into those windows to his concerned soul. She didn’t know what she was feeling, but it burned much worse when she acknowledged the desire to help in his eyes.

But it’s not like he gave her a chance to emotionally escape again. “Hey,” he says, hands to her shoulders. It was certainly a way to catch her attention, that’s for sure. “If something’s going on, you can tell me.” His grip was firm, too; yet careful, as if telling her decreasingly tense body that he was safe. “I won’t laugh. Promise.”

He’s held her attention for too long at this point. For some reason, her snout just couldn’t help but fold down and onto her chest. And all the meanwhile, the trouble in her eyes softened into a new kind of conflict; one that clashed with the desire to pin him down on this car right here, right now.

“Whitey…” It was the only whisper that could escape her constricted throat. “Stop looking at me like that…you’re making me feel weird…”

Oh god.

What the fuck?

WHY did she say that!?

She did NOT want to say that!

“What are-” The realization in his sun-hazeled eyes was all it took for her to itch with the impulse to turn again.

But yet, she couldn’t.

Her body froze. Not out of fear, but…well, she didn’t quite understand.

All she knew was that she wanted him to get closer. And if not, she’d be happy just looking into his eyes until the setting sun rendered them invisible.

But a new problem emerged.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Luna in the distance; leaning against a different car with a wide smile on her maw.

And, of course, Luna’s curious eyes were locked on the two teens.

At least until Sasha spotted her; then the tall white she-Wolf tried to look like she was actually on her phone the entire time.

Sasha then turned her attention back to Will. A pungent smog of embarrassment now hovered over what used to be his bright, magnetic aura.

She had to dissolve the moment, she felt.

So, in times like these, her body likes to pull out a trick that has not failed her yet.

ffrrrrr!

A low, ever-increasing whine of a fart shot out of her butt in self-defense.

What should follow, given historical precedent, is that the boy before her should now have the motivation to never see her again. Boys don’t like girls that fart, after all.

But, instead, Will looked stunned. His eyes looked horrified, but his mouth looked like it was on the brink of-

“PFFT-” There was no way he was hiding back his laugh. Not after this. “Ew! You nasty bitch! Aw!” He leaned back, of course. And, hoping to do away with her gas, he fanned a palm towards her like his life depended on it.

She didn’t understand. He looked…happy?

“Uh…” She weakly croaked. “…gotcha…”

Yeah. It was a prank. That’s what she was gonna go with.

Though it felt like now she was the one being pranked. Never had she pulled this stunt, and walked away with someone that still wanted to be around her regardless.

“Okay…” Will nods. “I see you. I’m gonna get you back for this. Just wat-” He retches. “Oh god…are you dying inside? What did you eat?”

But, she had to admit. There was something about all of this that was a teenie bit funny.

Something that told a deep part of her that maybe it was okay to ease up on her self-vigilance just a little bit more. There was no harm in that, right?

The sun was ready to disappear under the warm orange horizon as Will put the finishing touches on his costume.

Every single wrinkle he could find on his lime green tunic was executed without mercy; every loose strand of parted blond hair re-molded to smoothly rest on its respective side; every crease of his earthly leather gauntlets and boots carefully organized to best mirror the image he saw on his phone.

Ocarina Of Time Link’s hair may be the only difference between the fictional man-child and the real teen holding the device, but everything else seemed spot-on. Well, aside from the plastic blue shield marked with the tri-pyramid logo of the Hylian royal family.

And the equally fragile sword that currently slept on his bed.

‘Where is she?’ He thought, eyeing the time: 6 PM.

But he wasn’t the only one growing impatient.

Johnny, his little brother, could only be satiated by the televised Halloween special’s horrid CGI for so long. His boyish mind bombards him for candy every single time his hungry little heart beats in his chest. “Where’s the doggie girl?” He whines.

“That’s what I’m wondering-”

Gong bong!

Well, speak of the devil. That must be her.

“I got it!” The little boy was dashing down the stairs before Will had even had a chance to speak up.

It was a speed so desperate, the little Superman’s cape waved proudly in the air without rest.

A sight that the chuckling Al shook his head at. “Damn. Kid really wants his candy.”

“He’s not the only one,” Chris butts in. “I wanna clean out the streets tonight.”

“Screw the candy. We have more urgent business right now.”

“Which is?”

“Uh…Sasha’s costume? Aren’t you the least bit curious about what she chose to wear?”

Chris’ head cranes up with perfect posture; his eyes seemingly focused on nothing but his own mind. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”

“I have. Whatever she’s wearing, it’s not gonna be anything sexy, guaranteed.”

“I dunno,” Chris grins, looking Will’s way. “Maybe she’s looking to make a hell of an impression on someone tonight.”

Will leers at Chris. “Oh screw you.”

“No, sir. I believe it is her that is trying to screw you.”

“Yeah, well-” His cheeks burn in embarrassment. “-you-uh…fuck you.”

They currently sat in Will’s signature mid-stair entertainment center. The very one where she humiliated him in the 1v1 Black Ops 2 match that went on seemingly just yesterday to them.

But Johnny had failed to close the door before he left. As a result, every boy in the room could hear the beginnings of the young child’s voice returning to their location.

“Sherlock…uh…detective guy?” Johnny asked.

“Nope,” Sasha responds.

“The boobie lady with the two pistols?”

“Guess again, squirt.”

“The bald guy from Despicable Me?”

“Ooh! So close!” Sasha jokes.

“So you’re someone bald? Hmmm…”

Their dialogue only added to the curios imagination of the teens waiting in suspense.

But just before she was able to turn into the room, the sound of her claws tapping on the stairs came to a halt.

Johnny, now in the room once again, looked back at her with a confused tilt.

“What’s wrong, doggie girl?”

“Uh…nothing. Just uhh admiring the Halloween decorations you’ve got here! They’re pretty cool!”

Her hesitation drew Will’s concerned footsteps towards the door. He didn’t know why, but something felt off.

He could feel it.

“That you, Sasha?” He asks.

“Yep! Everything’s cool!”

“Uh…that’s great to hear. You wanna come in? Show us what you’re rocking?”

“Hey, now! What’s the rush?” Her footsteps were now going down the stairs; likely in response to his approach. “The night’s still young!”

“Sasha? What’s going on?”

“Nothing? Why does something have to be going on?”

“You’re acting weird. I’m starting to get worried.”

“No, you’re acting weird! Asking me like a million questions for no reason!”

He crossed through the doorway, and looked down towards where he thought she’d be. But, she wasn’t.

“Why are you moving away from me?”

“Just uhh looking for the bathroom!”

“At the speed of turtle?”

“It’s a really bad piss! Like, if I move too fast, I’m gonna turn your floor into a slip and slide!”

To test out a theory he had, he stopped walking. Coincidentally, so did she.

He grew ever curiouser. “You’re scared of showing me your costume, aren’t you?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that!”

“Sasha, whatever it is, I promise I’m not gonna laugh.”

“That is not the problem!”

“Then what is the problem? Are you something sexy?”

“Maybe to you, boner boy!”

A crisp cherry wave creeps up his cheeks. “Look…just…show me! We’re gonna leave eventually, so you might as well rip off that band-” Tummy. “-ouuugh…”

She did, in fact, step out of hiding. And the very first thing his eyes locked onto was her soft, exposed belly.

The shirts she’d worn up to now did not do her core justice. In fact, he considered it a personal offense that this hand-twitching wonder of the world has been hidden from him all this time.

Even from this distance, the warm softness of her enticing fur tortured his cold, empty hand the longer he stared.

And stare he did; though maybe for too long. Sasha was once again doing the weak wag, averting her gaze. “Well? What do you think?”

Her long canine neck, normally protected by her thick—tummy—neck fur, was now shielded by a pistachio-colored scarf decorated with lemony stripes.

And below that, a green tummy top hung from her shoulders and stopped in the middle of the soft tummy that he was definitely not staring at.

And what hugs at her tummy was a pair of blue tummy jeans that were supported by a brown belt and gold-colored tummy buckle.

And protecting her arms were a long pair of fingerless gauntlets. At the wrists, which could be considered the hand’s tummy, golden bracelets made themselves comfortable.

Overall, a great tummy, if Will said so himself. She definitely put a lot of thought into it. Finding the tummies must have been quite the task when putting this tummy together.

Tummy, tummy, tummy…

…

“Uh…” Sasha’s claws cover her exposed midriff. “…you there, Buzz Lightyear?”

“Huh?” Will blinks rapidly. And, upon being smacked with the realization of what he’d been doing, his cheeks turned the temperature up to a million. “…oh! Yeah!” He didn’t even want to look away and scratch his cheek. “Yeah, uh…you look tummy!”

The hug on her core tightens. “I look what?”

“Good! You look good! Sorry, ignore my mouth! It’s being-” he says, his nervous voice squeaking “-STUpid right now!”

The flat-eared woman begins to trot away. “I knew wearing this was a mistake-”

“Hey! Wait! Don’t go!” He’d never wanted to body block a hallway so fast in his life before. But, his mind did him the courtesy of slowing everything around him; practically teleporting him to the path between Sasha, and the door. “You really do look nice. I’m just uh…” He could feel his eyes start to sink again. “…being…stupid…”

“You’re doing it again,” she groans.

And suddenly, out of nowhere, a third party joins the fray.

It was Al. “Sick costume, Sasha. Who are you supposed to be?” Just in time.

In an instant, modesty became the least of her concerns; instead turning around to face Al. Slowly.

“…what did you just say?” She sounded personally offended.

“Uh…your costume? Who’re you dressed up as?”

“What do you mean who am I dressed up as?” She flaps her scarf out in one direction, and strikes a pose with her arms in the air. “It should be obvious! Oh mah gahh? Warrior bloodline? Hermit Purple?” But Al just blinked at her in confusion. “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?” Still no reaction. “Really!? Nothing!?”

“What’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?” Chris inquires.

Sasha’s mind-boggled maw just hung down in disappointment. “Have none of you watched JoJo before!?”

One head shakes. Then two more.

“Is it, like new?” Chris continues.

“Is it-wh-you” And now she was convulsing like she was having a stroke. And then, total stillness; like the night. “Let’s…just…go already…”

And go they did.

Slowly.

Visitors from different Houston neighborhoods had shown up in droves to view the local Halloween decor. Without fail, every house was bathed in its own spooky light consisting of either a haunting orange glow, a graveyard-hazed violet, or a spectral green that called for the Ghostbusters by name. And they can bet that every house was haunted by an armada of spooky skeletons, witches, and other such ghouls.

All fine and dandy for the visitors, but their lack of care for traffic made it hard for the teens to escape.

Beep Beep!

“Come on!” Will screams. “Get the hell out of the way!”

They practically had to snake through an alternate route just to get out of the pandemonium.

And it just so happens that one house had the scariest prop of all parked outside of a house with two tall trees in the front yard.

“Hey…” Sasha points at a lightning blue Sequoia parked casually on the side of the street. “I think that’s my dad’s car.”

Will takes a closer look for himself. “...huh. That does look a lot like-”

“No, I mean that looks like it’s literally his car. As in, he’s in that house.”

“Eh…I dunno,” Al weighs in. “He’s not the only one that owns a car like that. My uncle owns one of those. Only difference is that his back window has that stupid stick figure family on it.”

Part of her could just sense that she wasn’t mistaken, but the other side… “Eh, I guess you’re right.”

It wasn’t long before Will found a good spot to park his new car. Awfully close to the strange blue car, but right in the middle of a minor feeding frenzy.

Cats, dogs, ghosts, superheroes, and miscellaneous characters of ages three to twenty were out roaming the streets; pillaging whatever houses they came across.

“Alright,” Al says, fixing his orange and black tracksuit. “Which way do we go first?”

“Hm…” As Chris adjusted the zipper on his long-necked shirt, he also looked down at the makeshift skirt-cloth that was being held together with a thick purple rope. It paired nicely with the navy blue pants he wore underneath. “How about instead of picking a direction, we just start with one end of the street, and go to the other?”

“Okay, but that still requires us to choose a direction.”

“Here,” Sasha says, reaching into her scarf. “I think I’ve got something that’ll help us choose.” And out come a pair of tempered glass clackers. Two, in fact. “Both of y’all take a pair, and start clacking. First one to hit their hand loses.”

“Uh…” Will was quick to cover them from public view. “Sasha, you do know that those kinds of clackers are illegal, right?”

She froze with an unnerving smile. “…oh.” And back in the scarf they went. “Never mind, then.”

“Wiiiiilllll,” protests Johnny. “I want candy!”

“Uhhh-” Sasha just points towards the right. “Fuck it. Let’s just start from over there.”

But when they approach the end of the street, there’s an unusual sight. One by one, groups of people haphazardly turn around before they’re able to turn the corner on the furthest house on their side of the street.

“Damn,” Will comments. “Someone’s winning best neighborhood scare.”

“Yeah,” Chris nods. “It almost looks like the threat is real.”

A remark that Sasha giggles at. “Could you imagine? That’d be hilarious.”

And what sold the illusion even more was the spooky ghost heading right for them. It almost looked like he was running for his life. “Turn around, guys! Crackhead!”

A remark that certainly got Sasha’s attention. “Crackhead?”

From out of the intersecting road’s corner, a twitching teen addict dressed in decaying terracotta fabric zooms in on the partly exposed she-Wolf.

“What are you looking at?” She grits, revealing a rusty kitchen knife no less red than her teeth. “You lookin’ down on Shelly?”

“What?” The petrified Sasha raises her quaking hands defensively. “N-no! Definitely not.”

“WHY ARE YOU LYING!?” She twitches aggressively towards the teen group.

All of them shield little Johnny from any line of sight the addict may have on him.

“I’m-I’m not lying! We’re just leaving-”

“Yeah, that’s all you men know how to do, isn’t it?” A sentence that has Will panicked as he looks right at Sasha’s now neutral face. “Well, I won’t let you! Give me all your money right now!”

And the she-Wolf’s arms were now still as a glass of water, as well.

‘Oh…’ Will begins. ‘…shit.’ Whatever she was thinking about doing, it couldn’t be good. “Sasha, let’s just keep backing up slowly,” he whispers. “It shouldn’t be long ‘till a cop gets here-”

“I HEARD THAT!” Shelly swings her knife violently. “GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, OR SOMEONE’S GETTING SHANKED! 5! 4! 3!”

“Just try it, you stupid bitch!” Sasha’s wine-colored clackers now hang from her index fingers. “I’ll cave your head in before you even get the chance!”

“That’s it! You asked for it!”

Not like Shelly could even get close.

Mirroring the strange woman’s swings from before, but in a more refined manner, Sasha’s flailing arms created a protective field around her made of the clackers’ wide swings.

Now, all that was polluting the air was the sounds of distant ghouls; inflating machines; and more locally, rapid-fire clinking.

“What’s the matter? Come get me-” Thwack! “AAH BALLS!” Her clackers swing to a standstill as Sasha shields one of her elbows with her opposing hand. “RRGH! RIGHT IN THE WENIS!” She groans.

For a moment, Shelly could just blink in confusion; almost like she’d sobered up. But, it all came flooding back in just as quickly as it had left.

Shelly groans, moving in for a thrust of her rusty weapon, but one more sloppy swing of Sasha’s balls makes her rethink that decision.

There was a small pause of peace now. And, taking advantage of it, Sasha gives Johnny a glance before eyeing Will and tilting her head away.

He respects her wishes, but only slightly. Enough distance to keep his brother safe, sure, but also enough to step in if she needed the help.

All the meanwhile, Sasha starts to swing her arms like a madman again.

“This again?” Shelly groans, a violent twitch overtaking her. “So you ARE making fun of me!?”

Only this time, her clackers seem to vanish without a trace mid-swing. There was only one initial super-clack, and then…nothing.

She just stands there with jazz hands high enough for her fingers to be at level with her eyes, and elbows that appeared to stretch away from her for seemingly no reason.

This, understandably, left Shelly with a confused head to scratch with her blade’s handle.

And Will couldn’t prove it, but her twitching seemed to increase in frequency.

And as if the moment were not weird enough, Sasha took it upon herself to sing while standing on one leg. “Iiii’ve been workin’ on the raaaaailroad,” she begins. “All the live long-” Unfortunately, her balance is awful. “Fuck!” She had to catch herself with her other leg, or risk kissing pavement.

Shelly, of course, was left dumbfounded.

“Now would be a good time for the cops to show up,” Will whispers.

But they weren’t here, so Sasha had to stall. “You look a little confused, so I’ll keep it simple,” Sasha says. “You step forward again, and you’re gonna regret it.”

Shelly never did stop scratching her head. In fact, she even had the bright idea of using the blade to satiate the fire on her skull. But it didn’t seem like it was enough.

So, she began to use her fingers. “Oh god! It’s happening!” And her breathing began to plead for more and more air. She huffed, and puffed, but it never did seem like she had enough. “Jewish space lasers! I need a gun! It’s the only thing that’ll kick Obama out of the White House!”

“What…” Sasha’s composure dropped just a smidge. “…the fuck…?”

It was the small sign of weakness the tweaking ghoul’s surprisingly sharp eyes needed to mark the start of her sprint. “JET FUEL CAN’T MELT STEEL BEAMS!”

Sasha’s tail was cowering between her nervous legs clear as day. Even so, she stood still; watching.

Waiting.

Until Shelly was within distance for Sasha to bring her hands close to her chest. She pulled at the strings when she did that, releasing the clackers from each other’s hold.

They now flew out, and towards each other, looking to unite right where Shelly’s head-

…had just dodged.

‘Shit!’ Will thought. ‘She missed!’

Many people wonder why clackers were banned in the United States. But, if one were around when the craze had taken over the country, they’re likely to know exactly where this is going.

If you hit them hard enough, they shatter.

Right into the crackhead’s eyes.

And right onto Sasha’s head that panics and looks down quickly.

The balls were practically point blank with Shelly’s eyes when they made contact. But, Sasha had just enough of a distance between her and the balls to duck in a panic.

Down Shelly’s knife flies, clinking with the concrete sidewalk she stood on. The wailing woman much preferred to hold her pained eyes rather than the blade at the moment.

“Uh…” Sasha croaks with flat ears. “…oops.”

Shelly could only respond with a primordial scream. “My eyes!”

“Uh…” Sasha’s posture stiffens as she points at the mugger with confidence. “…that’s right! And you’ll lose more than just your eyes if you don’t leave us alone!”

The proud she-Wolf didn’t move a muscle. Rather, she stood there with what Will perceived as a strong aura.

Not even an inch of hesitation or fear remained in her bones. No, she was ready to stand her ground.

Will could feel it.

And it seems like the mugger could feel it too. If she had a tail, it would be between her legs as she wobbled away blindly.

Or maybe that had more to do with the approaching police sirens.

“Oh shit,” Will says. “We gotta get out of here.”

“Uh…” Sasha shakily groans. “…yeah. One small problem, though…”

What happened to that overwhelming calm she had a second ago? It seems to have disappeared into the ground where she was looking-

…oh.

There were bits of broken glass everywhere around her bare white digitigrade feet.

She couldn’t run anywhere. That’s why she didn’t move earlier.

But now, seems like she had a request. “Little help, somebody?”

Al, Chris, and Johnny look at Will in perfect sync.

“Wh- why y’all looking at me?”

“Dude,” Chris begins. “There’s no way in hell Sasha’s gonna let me or Al touch her, and Johnny can’t carry her.”

Of course, the realization of what was about to happen hit both Will and Sasha like a freight train.

Option one: Will carries Sasha princess style. This, of course, was out of the question. For one, he wasn’t even sure if he had the upper arm strength to pull that off. And even if he did, the thought of carrying her in such an intimate way was enough to-

…no. He wasn’t even comfortable with how the image made him feel, let alone how it would be in reality.

Option two: Will gives Sasha a piggyback ride. It didn’t carry the same social connotations as the princess carry, but there was still the issue of just where his hands would be.

In order to carry her in this way, he would have to put his hands on the thighs of a girl that doesn’t like to be touched.

And not only that. His teenage mind couldn’t ignore the fact that her boobs were going to rest themselves against his back, or the fact that his torso was going to receive a hug from thighs that always manage to draw his eyes.

Yet, as anxious as all of this made him feel, there was some kind of primitive motor within him that drove him forward. He was scared, yes, but he was also…

…curious?

Anticipatory?

Something within the realm of wanting to do this.

“Yeah,” Will says. “I guess you’re right.”

But at the same time, the walk towards her felt eternal. And with every step, his walking felt like it got increasingly stiff.

“Uh…” Sasha’s pseudo-brows furrow. “You shit your pants or something, Whitey? Why’re you walking like that-”

With shaky breath, he parts his lips just short of hers. “There’s no time.” He turns around. “Come on. Before the cops get here.”

“…okay,” she says, tickling his nape something fierce with her breath.

Slowly, he could feel her claws rise over his shoulders, and her furred arms link tight at his chest. It was only half of what they were supposed to do; and yet, just being like this was enough to shake his entire body with the power of his beating heart.

‘Don’t be stupid, don’t be stupid, don’t be stupid-’

It was a mantra that Will was repeating to himself on the inside.

One that was losing ground to the sensation of her humble chest resting itself against his back.

‘Women are people, women are people, women are people-’

This wasn’t Will thinking, but rather Luna’s influence trying to turn the tide of biological war being waged within the teenage boy’s endocrine system.

“Alright,” Sasha whispers, though with unstable confidence as Will could feel her body bounce ever so slightly. “Here I go…”

“Okay…” His receptive arms were ready for her thighs. He thinks.

“Just remember to-” She flinches. “WATCH YOUR HANDS!”

Oh, he was watching alright. Through his hands.

They couldn’t help but take a tight grip on the she-Wolf’s softness; for security, of course.

“I have to grab you here, or I can’t hold you!”

“Yeah fucking right you god damn-”

Both of them pause and flinch their heads towards the flashing red and blue menace that grew less and less transparent with time. At least if the houses near them were any indicator.

“Just bear with it, okay!” Will screams.

“Fine! Fine! Just run!”

A pair of brown leather boots click towards Aleena’s front door in an elegant strut. They carry a mountain of a man, a cherry red overcoat shielding his dark skin from the light icy glow of the half-moon.

To his right, the distant red and blue flash of police presence shivers his soul something fierce. Whatever that was, there was no way in hell he was going to take a closer look.

Especially as a group of young teenagers fled the scene like their lives depended on it.

And…

…is that a child with them?

“Run faster, Whitey!”

“Easier said than done, fatass!” Groans the blond boy with heavy breaths. “Shattered glass doesn’t travel this far, you know!”

“You don’t know that! Keep running slave-!” The way her shocked head snaps to Mr. Overcoat urged his soul to be cautious. In an attempt to halt the blond teen’s sprint, the barefoot she-Wolf practically chokes him to death with one arm. “Hold up! Wait a sec!”

Not like she even waits for him to stop. Of her own volition, she jumps down and runs up to the tall man in red.

“Uh…can I help you?” He asks.

His boots take a cautious step back. With the cops that close, he didn’t want to risk fifteen to twenty years for ‘kidnapping.’

“Your costume…” In a flash, her hazel eyes flick through his white head wrap, fake ponytail, and gold chain to match. “ARE YOU AVDOL!?” She explodes. “HOLY SHIT YOUR COSTUME IS SO GOOD HOW MUCH DID THAT COST-”

“SASHA!” The blond boy tries to pull her close with his distant waving. “THERE’S NO TIME FOR THIS! COME ON!”

“Ugh…fine.” But before she continued her escape, she whispers to the tall man. “Love your costume bye!”

And there they went.

Thank God. Whatever trouble they were in, he didn’t want any part in it.

No, he preferred the main event that lied just beyond the door that his knuckles tap against.

And the first to greet him was none other than the elated Aleena. “Jeremy! Hey!”

All that covered Aleena’s small form was a green tunic with a pointy hat to match. On her back, Jeremy could see the back of a brown plastic shield and a small silver-colored dagger to go along with it.

“Sup, cuz!” The overweight man wraps his arms around the small woman without hesitation. “Good to see ya!”

“I’m so glad you could make it!” The happy little woman bounces to the side. “Well, come on in! Don’t be shy!”

She’s always been a happy girl, but this was odd; even for her. And yet, this spring in her step seemed very familiar.

But he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“You’re in a happy mood,” Jeremy says. “The party that good?”

And that’s when a distant surge of nostalgia sucker punched Jeremy in the face.

He may be wearing ordinary office attire, but there was no mistaking that inch of height difference.

Or the unusually green hazels that stared Jeremy down with a fraction of the Wolf man’s former joy.

“Hey, Jeremy,” Mike waves. “Long time no see.”

“Big Dog?” Joy tugs at Jeremy’s cheeks. “Yo! What’s good, man?”

It was like an algorithm had executed in Jeremy’s brain; one that commands his big palm to swing towards Mike.

And the tall Wolf, in turn, looked to be in a natural flow as his large claw did the same towards Jeremy.

Clap!

Then both men pull themselves forward, patting the other on the back twice before separating.

“Wow.” Mike chuckled, but it seemed to be lacking some emotion. “Can’t believe I still remember how to do that.”

A cheeky scoff escapes Jeremy’s grin. “You spent way too much time around us as kids for the hood to not be embedded in your white ass soul.”

“Eh…” Mike scratches the back of his neck. “I personally wouldn’t put it like that. It’d come off as…well, I hate to use the term ‘cultural appropriation,’ but…something like that.”

“Ah, I know you ain’t one of those ‘1% Cherokee Indian’ motherfuckers, Big Dog. Don’t worry about it.”

“Well,” Aleena begins. “I’ll let y’all keep talking over here. Imma go and check out the house one more time; make sure it’s ready before more people arrive.”

Jeremy nods. “Yeah! Okay! I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

And Mike does the same. “Likewise.”

There was no escaping the elephant in the room when Aleena turned around, and unintentionally advertised her wide-hipped fertility to Mike’s wandering eyes.

Left sway, right sway, left sway, right sway; her butt’s instinctual dance was inescapable with every tap from her leather boots.

And the grinning Jeremy was liking every second of this Wolf’s dropped defenses. “What are you lookin’ at, Mr. Married?”

Mike’s eyes twitch towards his old friend. “Excuse me?”

And when Jeremy looks down, sure enough: Mike’s tail was doing that thing where it wiggles in place. Almost like it was trying to wag, but lacks the confidence.

A sign of embarrassment, Jeremy figures; something akin to a blush for the wolf man that has no visible cheeks to paint an aroused crimson.

And it didn’t help Mike’s case that he was now walking away and towards one of Aleena’s living rooms; with Jeremy following behind him, of course.

“Bruh, don’t act like you weren’t eyeing my cousin just now. All you were missing were the eyes popping outta your head, and a corny ass howl.”

The next bundle of Falconer words struggle to come out. In what seems like an attempt to coax them away from his tangled throat, Mike scratched at the back of his thick furred neck. “Yeah,” he peters. “That is real shitty of me, isn’t it?”

Any and all joy evaporates from Jeremy’s soul. “Aw, don’t take it to heart, Big Dog. I’m just fucking with you.”

“No, no, I know. It’s just…” He sighs. “…I’m not in the best of moods right now.”

“That makes two of us. Fell asleep while working my third job, so my boss told me to get the fuck out.” He nods towards Mike, taking a seat on a couch from Aleena’s first living room. “What happened to you?”

And Mike follows suit, planting his depressed butt on an adjacent couch. “An HR lady sexually harassed me, and my boss fired me for being a liability.”

“What??” Jeremy cranes his confused head forward. “Aw hell nah. If that were me, I’d sue the company into the ground.”

“I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, since she kissed me and my DNA is in her mouth…”

Jeremy’s head shakes. He didn’t even need Mike to finish that sentence to know just where he was going with that. “Damn. They wanted you gone.”

Mike sighs again. “I know.” And he covers his hands with his face. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

“You know, I’m surprised you’re even here. I figured you’d be back home right now; drowning your sorrows in cheap beer and pretzels. Or whatever don’t kill Wolves.”

“Nah. I went fugue after that bit-” Mike clenches his regretful fists. “-I mean, horrible woman-”

But before he could finish, Jeremy waved his hands up. “Nah nah nah, none of that horrible woman bullshit, Big Dog. Don’t you remember what my dad said about bitches?”

Both of them spoke in unison. “Men that respect bitches are bitches themselves.”

Mike nods. “Yes, I remember. That saying, however, like many other things in my life, had to be shelved when I got married.”

“That makes one of us,” Jeremy says. “I don’t shield myself from nobody for no reason.”

Gong Gong!

The doorbell beckoned for the snarling Mike to charge at the front door with full force.

“WHO THE FUCK!?” He screams. “DON’T WORRY, I’LL KILL HIM!”

It was a sight that tingled the part of Jeremy’s memories that sent him back to the 80s. Every time the doorbell would go off at his aunt’s house, Mike would aggressively torpedo to the door whenever he’d come over.

And nine times out of ten, it was the same person that stood on the other side of the door.

“Big Dog!?” A high-pitched feminine voice squealed in surprise. “Oh my God! I thought that snarling sounded familiar!”

“Janine! Hey!” Mike giggled as the unusually tall woman wrapped her thin arms around Mike’s thick neck. “It’s good to see you.”

No, it wasn’t the woman dressed as a promiscuous nurse that usually found her way to the young Jacksons’ household.

“Hey, Mike.” Jada, who was at the zoo with Aleena, was the least reactive of the bunch so far. Unlike Janine’s slender curves, Jada’s figure was wide and spacious; uncaring for whoever was around her.

“Jada.” Mike’s tone, like his nod, matched Jada’s calm demeanor at present.

Her costume was a tad more red; specifically in the hat and crop top department. The rest of her bodily cover, if one could even call it that, consisted of heavily strained overall shorts that failed to cover the entirety of her massive lower cheeks.

Was he staring at Jads’a fat ass violently swing with every step she took? Well, Jeremy never considered his eyes to be liars; and they were telling him that Mike’s eyes were locked to her cheeks like a side of the moon to the Earth.

“I heard that,” Janine, side-eyeing Mike, says with a grin.

Mike, however, said nothing; only taking residence on the same couch Jeremy occupied. The girls, Aleena included, took up the other one.

Jeremy wanted to inquire about what it was Janine heard, but instead kept his trap shut.

For now.

“So,” Janine begins. “How’s Sheila?” Literally everyone snaps their head towards her in disbelief; except Mike. “What? Everyone’s thinking it.”

“She’s fine, Janine. Though, now that you mention her, I should probably-”

But before he could stand, Aleena points at him and shakes her head. “Mm mm. Sit your ass down, Mikey.”

“But-”

“Sit.”

He groans in protest, but complies.

Jeremy just couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t forget to say ‘yes massa,’ Big Dog.”

Mike shoots him a confused glance. “…what?”

“That’s my line. What was that about?”

“Oh uhh-”

Aleena takes charge of that question. “Mikey just don’t know how to have fun after being a dad for 19 years. I’m trying to get him on the right path, ya feel me?”

“Man, I don’t believe that shit. I’m a dad too, and you don’t see me acting like Mr. Rogers.”

“Nigga, if you wanna talk about things we don’t see, how about you and your son in the same room?”

“Damn, chill Aleena.” Jeremy’s hands raised themselves defensively. “It ain’t that serious.”

But Jada just fanned him off. “Aw, you know she’s always had a moist spot for Mike. She can’t help it.”

“Don’t you mean ‘soft spot’?” Jeremy asks.

“I know what I said.”

Everyone did. Even Aleena, who looked away from everyone else with nervous eyes.

Luckily for her, the guests just kept coming.

Gong Gong!

Aleena didn’t hesitate to stand up. “I got it-”

But Mike’s snarling beat her to the punch. “INTRUDER!”

It was a pattern that repeats itself over.

“I’LL KILL YOU!”

And over.

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

And over.

This time, with many Wolves practically fighting each other to get to the door.

Ultimately, it was Mike that gripped at the door handle.

In a flash, the house was decorated with the sound of a happy Halloween crowd, and many costumes that caught someone’s eye in one way or another.

And one person’s change was…well, certainly a surprise to Mike.

“So…Islam…” Mike inquires.

“Yes.” A slender man dressed in a black suit stood tall and proud. “Through my wife, I discovered the meaning of true love, and enlightenment.”

His striped suit was thick all around; like a 1940s gangster. The only white parts of him resided in his undershirt and a stripe on his black fedora.

“I can’t imagine the family took the conversion very well.”

“Oh no, they threw me out immediately. Which…was expected.”

From Jeremy’s right, Aleena came in like an orca locked onto the shark known as Mike. “Hey, Mikey! You having a good time?”

“Oh, yes! I’m just catching up with Roy here.”

Roy raises his plastic cup of ordinary punch, but says nothing.

“That’s good! Well, could you come with me real quick? I need your help with something.

“Uh…yeah. Sure.”

And then it was just Jeremy, Roy, and many strangers conversing around them.

Perfectly fine to the scoffing Jeremy. “What do you think she needs, Roy? A gut masher?”

A remark that earns haughty disapproval from Roy’s elegant side-eye. “Infidelity is no laughing matter, Jeremy.”

“What? Nah, I’m just joking.”

“No you’re not.”

“Well…I mean…” He fans Roy off. “…ah, never mind.”

He just walked away from the killjoy.

Infidelity is no laughing matter, he says. According to who?

If two consenting adults choose to sleep together, that’s their business. If one of them is married, then the blame is on the uninvolved party, Jeremy reasons.

It’s not his fault that he was born with a desire to pound every tight body he could find.

And at this party, they were everywhere.

Nurses in all white, demons in sinful red, Playboy bunnies teasing all men dressed like the undead; shorts and skirts and onesies were visible in all directions that failed to eclipse the eye-catching plumpness that just begged to be pounded.

Well, at least to Jeremy’s hungry body.

Though he’s talked and chuckled with many since Aleena and Big Dog departed, that’s all he’s been able to think about.

After all, they’ve been gone a while now.

And after seeing just how Mike reacted to Aleena’s walk earlier, he was almost positive that he would fold like am omelet if she added just a tiny bit of pressure.

Not like he wanted to think of his cousin taking thick Wolf dick. But, unfortunately, those two just about formed one of the greatest mysteries of all time; something even more confusing than the origin of the universe.

“They’ve been gone a while, haven’t they?” Jeremy asks.

“Yeah they have!” Janine was grinning. “She probably takin’ BWC right now.”

“W as in white, or Wolf?”

“It’s Big Dog. What’s the difference?” A question that has her ponder.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing…”

From the second floor, near the stairs, Aleena raises her arms from atop Mike’s shoulders and shouts a proclamation. “Attention, everyone! The pinata in the backyard has booze! I repeat-”

Yeah, Jeremy didn’t need to hear it a second time. He, like the other drunk patrons (and Roy), practically teleport to the little backyard.

One, however, seemed skeptical. She was a Wolf, but the top of her head was covered by long orange hair that stops at her torso.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road!” She screams. “I wanna find out if it’s real booze, or just brown water!”

She was definitely not American. Irish, maybe? Or Scottish? One of those two, judging by her accent.

Part human somewhere down the line, for sure. Otherwise, drinking alcohol would kill her.

Unlike most other women at the party, her costume wasn’t lust-provoking. Rather, she chose to cover herself in what looked to be a short leather vest and a white long-sleeved tunic.

No pants, however. Otherwise, she’d be a dead ringer for Shrek.

Because of her power yelling, she was the one that drew Aleena’s bat like a magnet. “Sounds to me like you wanna go first!”

The Celtic woman scoffs, swiping the bat with violent hunger. “No, I intend to go last.” Her body takes a batting position as cocky as her smirk. “Blind me.”

She had an awful lot of confidence in her rotating ears. Forward, backward, left, right; it was like they couldn’t decide where to go.

That is until the pinata’s paper rustles with the wind. Her ears swing right towards it, and so does her bat.

Miss.

“Dale dale dale,” begins a random Hispanic spectator. “No pierdas el tino!”

Jeremy had no idea what any of that meant, but he knew that Mexicans always sang it when swinging pinatas.

And swing the she-Wolf did, finally scoring a meaty thump.

Her ears were excellent at pointing out where the target was, but the lack of vision made it hard to gauge exactly where she was aiming at.

She’d already given it an additional swing, and now an additional miss.

Then after her third hit failed to net success, Aleena raised her arms.

“Time!” She screams.

“Dammit!” The she-Wolf removes her blindfold with maximum salt. “What in the fuckin’ shit is that thing made of? Kryptonite??”

“Alright, who’s next? Roy?”

“I prefer to spectate,” he says.

“Okay, then. Janine?” But it seems like she was a bit preoccupied with a conversation she was having with Mike. “Janine?”

“Huh?” That finally got her attention. “Oh, yeah! Bet!” She seemed to whisper something to Mike, and then made her way over to Aleena.

That was curious, Jeremy felt.

As Janine was prepping, and just shy of her first swing, Jeremy made over his way to Mike.

“You two’re gettin’ along pretty well,” Jeremy asks.

“I know. It’s great,” Mike says. “To be honest, I’d thought everyone grew to hate me because of what happened before. I’m glad that’s not the case.”

“Is that why you ain’t talk to us after graduation?” A question that nets no answer from Mike. “I won’t lie, it definitely confused the hell out of us when you knocked up that other girl. I didn’t even think you fucked with Wolves like that.”

“I mean, well…” Mike scratched at the side of his head. “…it’s complicated. I was a teenager, she was a teenager, we were alone…”

And in came Janine to ask a question that she was definitely too drunk to keep back. “But did y’all smash ‘cause y’all wanted to, or ‘cause she was in heat?”

Her new presence startled both men.

But, Mike was quick to relax. “It doesn’t matter. I made my choice. There’s no use in talking about it now.”

Jeremy’s ears detected a bit of a tone drop just then.

But it seemed like he wasn’t the only one. “Did you, though?” Janine asks.

“Can we please drop this? I don’t want to get into it.”

“But I-”

Jeremy’s hand hovers over her mouth. “Janine. Enough.”

“Don’t you shush me!” She shoves that hand down immediately.

“Alright, you’re too drunk for this shit.” Jeremy moves a hand around her body, and nods towards the house. “Come on. Let’s go visit my secret pharmacy.”

It wasn’t until he said those two words that her resistance had seized. “I mean, if you’re offering…”

He couldn’t lie, he was also feeling a bit lightheaded himself. Sitting down for a minute or two may not be such a bad idea.

He also couldn’t resist the fact that having access to the good stuff virtually guaranteed that you were going to get laid that night.

And with the way Janine’s short nurse skirt had been teasing him ever since he’d first laid eyes on it, his manly hunger was far beyond the point of restraint.

Tug.

Sasha probably had another wedgie again. Not unusual, given how often Will sees her pull at her pants during band practice.

Nothing a quick tug can’t fix, apparently.

How did he know she had boxers on? Well, it was kind of obvious. Her boxer lines bulged out of her jeans at all times; even now, as she’s dressed as…

...whoever she was right now.

His name began with ‘Joe’, right? Joe Smith.

Yeah, that sounds right.

Eh, whatever.

They weren’t even talking as they waited for Johnny right outside the men’s bathroom. This finally gives him the chance to bring that up.

“You good?” Will asked.

He wanted to be more specific, but feared a punch in the face for prodding; especially after seeing her go ham at the karaoke bar.

“Huh? Oh!” She tugs again. “Yeah. Just adjusting these damn pants…”

“Did you get the wrong size?”

“No, it’s just…uh…my fur disagreeing with the material, I guess.”

“Do your normal jeans disagree with your fur, too?”

She pauses. “What do you mean?”

“It’s just…” He scratches the back of his head nervously. “…I see you do this during practice, too. I’ve been meaning to say something, but I didn’t know how to do it in a way that didn’t sound weird, ya know?” Will sighed in a shy chuckle. “Last thing I need is to give you a good reason to clock me.”

A small smile waves over her maw. “Whitey, your entire existence is a good reason to clock you, ya damn cringe factory.” Her fist lightly nudges one of his arms. “But if you really have to know, these boxers of mine are tight as hell at the thighs.” Damn; he was so close. “Like boa constrictors. Still better than wearing panties, though.”

“Why?”

“Because uh…fuck you, that’s why. I just don’t wanna, okay? Is it really that big of a deal if a girl doesn’t wanna wear ‘em? Huh??”

He didn’t even know when his arms had defensively raised themselves. “Okay, okay. I was just curious. Just…”

“…just what?” She leers at him.

Just what?

Just what??

Great question! One that he didn’t have an answer to…

But he needed to say something. Anything to convince her to try something else so that-

And then a light bulb went off in his head.

“…do you really wanna pull near your pussy in front of the entire school?” That certainly got her ears to drop. “They’re gonna think you have crabs, or something.”

“I…” Now her anxious eyes refused to leave the floor. “Uh…” And now she rests against a wall, and crosses her arms. “Huh…”

And then she pulls at her pants again.

Lucky for her, little Superman Johnny flies out of the bathroom with a satisfied smile on his face. “Ah! Much better!”

Will couldn’t prove it, but he swore he just heard Sasha mumble ‘thank God.’

“Alright!” She continues. “Guess we should get going now!”

“Uh…yep. I’ll drive you home after I drop him off.”

“Aw…” A plan Johnny was not a fan of. “I wanna see where the she lives!”

“Sorry, bud. You gotta get your sleep.”

Johnny crosses his arms, and pouts. “No fair.”

And a smiling Sasha ruffles his short curly locks. “Sorry, Johnny. Maybe next time-” And in what Will can only describe as odd, she rubs one of the boy’s locs between her fingers. “Oh my god! Human hair is so soft!”

Al and Chris had taken off some time ago; the bastards. Were it not for Johnny’s thousands of questions, the radio and engine would have been the only ones speaking.

Not to say that the questions were welcomed.

In fact, when they did get back to Will’s house, the boy still wouldn’t shut up; not at the door, and certainly not at the stairs.

“Are you two gonna date?” Johnny asks.

“No,” Will spits out.

“But you like her. Why not?”

“I don’t like her.”

“Then why do your friends-”

“My friends are liars. Now go to bed.”

“But-”

Will points at him. “Bed. Now.”

Boy was he glad Johnny didn’t have the Wolf ears to hear his roaring heart right now. It was like a gorilla was in his chest; beating away at the slightest mention of Sasha; like he’d have misfortune of liking her.

Because he doesn’t.

Not even a little bit.

Gross.

Al and Chris are the ones that invited her, so why is he alone with her now? Burying her fur in his car seats for him to find on and off years later?

Well, whatever.

At least it’s a quick drive home, and that’s the end of her for today.

Seatbelt in, car in reverse, and-

“I thought about it…” Sasha begins, bringing the car to a shaking halt as Will practically stares at her. “…and, you’re right. I can’t be digging for gold mid-performance.”

“Huh?” And then it clicks for his face. “Oh! The underwear thing! Yeah.” He puts the car in drive.

“But I don’t wanna wear panties. Just the thought of it makes me wanna…” She shivered in disgust. “Just…no panties. I don’t wanna feel that girly fabric hug at my ass cheeks.” From his peripheral vision, he could see that her nerves had transformed into a leer. “Oh my god! You’re picturing that, aren’t you!?”

“What??” Will scoffs. “Why-”

“Cut the crap! You’re blushing!”

The sting of arousal was obvious, even to the nerves on his cheeks; but…was it really that noticeable, even under the darkness of night?

Well, no matter.

Things literally couldn’t get any more awkward. Even with her covering her crotch with one hand.

“I-” He croaks. “You see- The thing about that is-” A defeated sigh escaped his throat. If she was going to call him a pervert, then there was nothing he could do to change that. So, he was just going to try and keep their conversation on-topic. “Look. This isn’t about me right now. You’re pulling at your pants like all the time, and that has to stop if we’re gonna take my bitch of an ex down. Can you agree with me on that?”

“Don’t try to change-”

“God dammit, Sasha!” His car screeches to the shoulder of the road. “Why do you always have to fight me on everything?”

Her head cranes back heavily. “I don’t fight you on everything?”

“Yes you do! Literally every time we talk! You’re either calling me perverted, or a dumb ass, or…just…” His grip on the steering wheel tightens as he groans. “I’m trying here, Sasha! I really am! There are times where it feels like we can be friends, but you make it SO HARD sometimes! It almost feels like you’re trying to make he hate you on purpose! Now I’m sorry about picturing you in panties; I really am; I can’t help it; but I’m genuinely trying to talk about our band’s future! Can we do that for two seconds without you antagonizing me? Please?”

Her maw hung open in disbelief. Additionally, she could feel her ears glue themselves to her head in shame and embarrassment; a sentiment matched by hazel eyes that look away from him. “It’s not like you make it easy, either.”

“What the hell do I do to you?” Will asks.

But still, she couldn’t look at him. “I mean…how else am I supposed to feel about a guy that thinks about my body while I hang out with him? The same guy that calls my fur matted? The same guy that called me a fleabag for years?” Now her voice was starting to gain confidence; her head slowly turning towards him. “The same guy with a thing for Wolves? The same guy that shits on my favorite band just because I like it?” And now her voice was returning to her usual aggression; maybe even more so. “The same guy that is trying to act all buddy-buddy with me all of a sudden; like the last 18 years didn’t happen? The same guy that has me feeling like my head is in my chest, and my heart is in my ass!”

Over the course of her speech, her maw had slowly creeped up closed and closer to him; to where now he had to lean away with a leer. “What are you trying to say?”

“I…” She sighs, returning to her seat and looking down. “I don’t know, Whitey. That’s the problem. I don’t know whether I like you, or hate you. Cause, like yeah, we’ve had some good times lately; but like, there’s also a part of me that wants to keep its distance from you. Not like that’s anything new, but…” She shrugs. “I-I don’t know! Cause it’s like I wanna hang out with you more, but I also don’t! Ya know?”

Will shook his head. “No. That’s- You’re- You’re saying two opposite things.”

“Alright then how about-” She clasps her hands together. “I used to hate you with a fucking passion. Like, so god damn much.” She shrugs, the edge-lord she is. “But now, I don’t feel the same way. You’re…” She scratches the back of her long neck. “Under a lot of stuff that annoys the crap out of me, there are parts of you that are actually kinda cool. And I wouldn’t mind-” her throat clears “-getting to know those parts of you more.”

Now it was his turn to rub the back of his neck. “That right?”

“Yeah…”

Now neither teen could look at the other. Again. And all the meanwhile, the only sound around them was filled by the gentle hum of Will’s idle engine. At least after he killed the radio just now.

“I uh…” His words were like magnets to Sasha’s expectant hazels. “…oddly enough, I think you put it perfectly.”

“What part?”

“About you…” His throat clears. “…you know, like, parts of you being cool, and all that jazz. Like, despite you annoying the shit out of me a lot.”

“Oh.” Despite her disappointed delivery, the gentle thump of her tail against the door told a different story.

“So uh…”

“Yeah?” Sasha asks awfully quickly.

“Do you have to go home right away?”

“…I think I have some time to kill. If you won’t try anything funny.”

Hands on 10 and 2 of the steering wheel, Will tilts his head in a shrug for just a brief moment. “That all depends on whether or not you’ll threaten to kick my ass again.”

“Then how about you keep your hands to yourself, and I’ll keep my foot away from your ass. Sound good?”

He nods, moving the car once again. “I can agree to that.”

“So where are we going?”

“Well, we never got the chance to sing together at karaoke. You wanna give it another shot?”

Her thumbs start a short, yet intimate, slow dance with each other. “I uh…”

“We don’t have to if-”

“No! It uhh…I’ve been wanting to make up for running out on you last time, anyway.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Hell yeah it is,” she says, fist to palm. “Let’s do it. But before that, uh…”

“…yeah?”

“I’m uh…” Whatever it was, it had her scratching the back of her neck again. “I’m sorry for being such a cunt. I’m just used to doing it, you know? Not against you, specifically. I’m like this with all guys.”

“Can I ask why?”

“I mean…” Now she rubs at her cheek. “It’s like…I don’t even know how to put it. Like, when guys look at me, it’s like all they wanna do is fuck me. It gets annoying, ya know? Guy, after guy, after guy, after guy, after guy, after guy, after guy looking at me like I’m just a hole with no hopes and dreams. It grosses me out!” She crosses her arms. “The only way to drive ‘em away is by being a tough bitch. And it’s worked! Like, really well!” She points at Will. “At least until your bit- I mean, until you came along. You don’t run from me when I burp in your face. You burp back.” That brought a small smile to her maw. “And as weird as it is to say this, it kinda made me feel…normal.”

“Uh…” Will croaked. “Wow. Yeah, when you put it like that, I kinda get why you were annoyed about the underwear thing.”

“Yeah! Exactly!” Her claws angrily claw the air right in front of her. “But people like my mom are always like ‘no Sasha guys don’t like girls that fart Sasha’ like god dammit mom THAT’S THE FUCKING POINT!”

“I mean…” Will shrugs. “…as a guy, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. You could be in one of those Muslim dresses that cover everything but the eyes, and you’re still gonna have at least one dude looking at you.”

“I know! It’s so annoying!”

“But…isn’t it kinda counter-intuitive if we can see your boxers through your pants? You know, if you don’t want guys looking at you.”

“Well, no, cause…” Her maw purses. “God dammit. That’s a good point.”

“I know girls’ underwear isn’t really your style, but you don’t have to settle for regular panties. They sell all kinds of shapes and styles for all kinds of different people.”

“They do?” Sasha leers at Will. “How do you know that?”

His traitorous cheeks wouldn’t give him the chance to lie, so he just opted for the truth. “I was a bored kid on the internet. Sue me.”

“Oh my god,” Sasha giggles. “You sick bastard.”

A grin formed on Will’s human maw. “Oh, like you haven’t watched porn before.”

“What? Me?” A dramatic hand shields her heart. “A lady does not dabble in such depravities.”

“My ass you don’t!”

“Hey! I thought we were talking about my ass!”

“Oh! Crap! Got side-tracked.” One of his hands apologetically waves. “Let’s see…counter-intuitive, different shapes- Oh! Yeah! I don’t understand all of it, but I know that there’s different kinds of panties for different body types. And if you wear the wrong ones, things like panty lines and wedgies can become a problem.”

And just like that, her leer was back. “Seriously, how do you know all this?”

“Okay, that I learned from one of the rich people parties I was forced to go to.”

“Rich people parties?”

“Balls.”

Her snickering is exactly why he used the previous title.

“That’s…” She snorts. “…not funny.”

“Right…” Will trails off. “Well, one of the girls at the party showed up with panty lines poking through her dress, and she was basically shamed into what eventually turned into an eating disorder.”

“…Jesus Christ. What the fuck?”

“Yeah. Then they ended up talking about the panty line stuff; or at least they did while they were within earshot of me walking away. So uh…rich girls suck. What else is new?” Now, it was the engine’s turn to speak. At least for a short moment. “And uh…so do I sometimes; so…I’m sorry. Too.”

“Ah, well…” She lightly taps his arm with her fist. “…admitting your retardation is the first-” And that’s when she turns stiff as a board, and recoils in shame. “Sorry! Sorry! God dammit!”

“Hey, look at that! Looks like we’re both retarded!”

Another pause. This one not so long; their synchronized laughter dancing with each other.

Unfortunately, her rumbling stomach just had to intervene.

“Oh. Damn.” She clutches her belly. “I forgot I haven’t eaten since lunch.”

“It’s still a bit of a drive to the karaoke place. You wanna just stop somewhere around here instead?”

“Sounds good to me,” she nods. “Just no Wendy’s. That place is a fucking scam.”

“There’s a Waffle House up ahead. That sound good to you?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been in a Waffle House before.”

“What!?” Will shakes his head. “Oh hell no! That settles it; we’re going to Waffle House.”

“Is it really that good?”

“Is my ex a major bitch?”

The light crunching of loose parking lot gravel marks the stop of Will’s car. Now all that was left was to go inside and-

With utter shit timing, his phone begins to ring.

And who else could it be other than his mother, Barbara.

Great.

It was like she could sense that he was with Sasha.

“Hello?”

Damn did his tone take a major dive in emotion.

“Hello? William?” Barbara asks. “Can you hear me?”

“Yeah, mom,” he groans. “What do you want?”

“I’m just checking in to see if you’ve found a date for the spring ball yet.”

Will sighs. “Not this again- Mom. I already told you I’m not bringing anybody.”

“And I already told you that that is not an option. It was embarrassing enough having you show up alone in the past, but you’re eighteen now.”

“So?”

“So? William. If you show up an available eighteen-year-old bachelor, people will assume there is something wrong with you. And if people assume there is something wrong with you, that will reflect poorly on our entire family.”

“So a bunch of rich jagoffs won’t like me. Big deal.”

“Those ‘rich jagoffs’ are our friends and partners, William. They are essential to our family’s success.”

“Yeah, that’s nice and all, but I’m still not bringing anybody. Be glad I’m even going to the stupid thing to begin with; just like every other year.”

Barbara unleashes a malicious chuckle. “Oh, you’re bringing someone. Either you choose, or I will choose for you.”

“What?” Will sits up erect. “You can’t do that!”

“I can and I will,” Barbara says. “There will not be a call about this again. If you do not come to a decision by the eve of the ball, I will glue a woman of my choice to your arm.”

“Like hell-”

“Oh, and this should go without saying, but no gays, transsexuals, blacks, or poors. Normal people only.”

“I’m not doing that!” But the call had already ended. “Hello!?” In his frustration, he slaps his phone against his thighs. “God…dammit! That stupid fucking-”

Wait.

A startled Sasha was looking at him from the corner of his eye. He had completely forgotten she was there.

“I uh…” Sasha croaks. “…wow. Didn’t know your mom was…”

“What? Evil? A fucking bitch? Go ahead. That evil fucking bitch deserves it.”

“It’s just…she didn’t give off those vibes when I spoke to her before. She seemed…nice.”

“Yeah, that’s what everyone says. But like all rich assholes, she’s faker than Kim Kardashian’s ass.” He chuckles. “Only reason you found out just now is because Al and Chris practically fight themselves just to say hi when they hear my mom on the phone. But, they’re not here, so she thought I was alone.” He points at Sasha. “Now, you know. You understand, and…” His fists ball into happy little lumps. “God! It feels so good to finally have proof of her-!”

“So all those times she’s seen me, and Chris, and Al…” Her ears flatten.

“Hey,” He points at her again. “If she hates you, that means you’re doing something right. You remember a while back when you said offending the other girls gives you power?” Then his thumb aims at himself. “Well, pissing off my mom is what gives me power.”

“So…” She looks out the window. “…right now. Are you hanging out with me just to piss off your mom?”

Crap. “What?” He shakes his head. “No! It’s not like that! I swear I think you’re actually cool. Pissing off my mom is just a bonus.” But he could see that she was still not convinced, and that really weighed on his chest. “I’m serious. I have infinitely more fun with you in one minute than I have at those balls my entire life. At least there are things about you that I actually like.”

One of her ears twists in his direction. “Like what?”

“Where do I start?” One after the other, staring with his right thumb, his fingers rise along with the things he lists. “You don’t shit on me for not wearing the latest Gucci butt plug that costs a thousand dollars. You actually believed me about Missy. You beat the shit out of Missy. You don’t care about money, or the fact that I come from it. You’re pretty good behind a controller.”

“Pretty good?” Her head swivels quickly. “I destroyed your bitch a-” And then she winces. “God dammit!”

His other thumb goes up. “You’re making a genuine attempt to change for my sake. You’re strong-willed and don’t take shit from anybody. You aren’t afraid to kick some ass. I don’t feel like I have to act differently around you just because you’re a girl. And even though I’ve been an asshole to you growing up, you still chose to give us another shot at being friends.” He looks away. “Or, at least I hope so.”

“I mean…I’m still here, aren’t I? And it’s not like I’m the only one trying to change here. I can see that you’re trying, too.”

They had yet to even leave the vehicle. The way Will was parked, they could see the Waffle House and its glass walls.

It was busy today, of course. From kids dressed as innocent cartoon characters to adults that make their booth look like the set of a porno, there were all kinds of people currently scarfing down their dinners.

“There’s uh…” Will clears his throat.

“Yeah?”

“…only one table left. We should hurry before someone else takes it.”

She nods. “Yeah. Good idea.”

The car’s door may slam something fierce, but its hearty thump was nothing compared to the war drum playing in Will’s chest.

He’d be shocked if she couldn’t hear that. Bump after bump that severely immobilized his vocabulary.

It felt like he should be saying something else right now. Anything else.

But nothing came out.

The only one willing to speak was the exhausted waiter in black and yellow holding up a pen and paper. “Hi! Welcome to Waffle House! Is this your first time here?”

“Uh, yeah…” Sasha croaks. She was NOT removing her eyes from the menu. “I think I’ll need a minute.”

“Gotcha,” replies the waiter. “Then can I start you off with something to drink?”

“God, there’s a lot of shit on here…” Her green hazels dance until they lock on to the drinks portion of the menu. “Uh…I guess I’ll just take a coke.” Her eyes flick to Will briefly before looking down once again. “Please.”

“Lemonade,” Will says.

And the waiter nods in acknowledgment. “Okay! I’ll go get your drinks while you two decide.”

Will nods. “Sounds good.”

But what was not good was the dialogue between him and Sasha. They seemed more interested in the menu than each other.

“I don’t know how I’m gonna pick,” Sasha says. “There’s a lot on this menu, and all of it looks good.”

“Can’t go wrong with an omelet. Or a waffle,” Will responds, much to the twitching of her right ear that he didn’t take his eyes off of. “If you want that, they’ve got a few toppings. Pecan…” Nope. “…blueberry nougat…” Nuh uh. “…chocolate chips, though they also offer carob…”

And up flick both her ears.

“Hmm…” She ponders. “Maybe…”

Her ears gave her away at the bar. Would it be the same here?

And when the waiter came back, Sasha says…

“I’ll take a carob chip waffle.”

Yep. He knew it.

There wasn’t much variation. Except for the waffle topping, everything else was the same: scrambled eggs, pork sausage, and…

“Crack,” Will says. Much to the confused leer of the waiter. “I mean hash browns.”

That got an eye roll from the snorting Sasha.

“Okay…” The waiter flips up his notepad. “I’ll bring your food out as soon as its ready.”

Sasha nods. “Alright. Thanks.” But she wastes no time in glancing right at Will with a soft smile. “Crack?”

“What? It’s true. I’d smoke a fool for some Waffle House hash browns.”

“It’s just shredded potatoes, Whitey. It’s not that serious.”

“Spoken like someone that’s never had them from here. They make Denny’s hash browns taste like sour wood chips.”

“Well, I actually like Denny’s, so I guess I’ll see.”

Whatever it was he wanted to say, it wasn’t this. No, he was dancing around it.

Though, that requires knowing what exactly it was he wanted to talk about.

But it sounds like Sasha had something of her own. “So…”

“Hm?” He didn’t like how fast his eyes focused on hers.

“…you don’t have to act differently around me because I’m a girl.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “That’s been on your mind this whole time?”

“Well yeah, it’s just…what did you mean by that?”

He could feel it. Mere inches from his quaking feet was a spine-chilling minefield.

“I…uh…” Fuck. She’s looking at him, so he has to say something. And by saying nothing, the possibility for bad assumptions increases.

“…well, I don’t know how else to put it. I don’t have to hold shit back when I talk to you. Mainly because you don’t hold shit back from me.”

At least until recently.

She should really stop looking at him like that; with those unusually relaxed eyes of hers.

They were a far cry from the aggressive hazels he was used to; but right now, they were scrambling his thoughts something fierce.

“Uh…yup!” She giggles nervously. “You’re right about that…”

There it is again. That nagging feeling.

God, why was this so hard now?

She’s always been the easiest girl to talk to. Mainly because she was a raging bitch growing up.

Or so he thought.

Now that he’s actually getting to know her, well…

…things aren’t so concrete anymore.

She’s no hellhound. She’s looking more like…well, a she.

A she that was dressed as…

…a potential topic to slice through this awkward atmosphere, Will thinks. “…so, who are you supposed to be again?”

That seemed to trigger a switch in her now action-packed eyes.

“Hmph,” she smiles, pointing at herself with a thumb. “The name’s Joseph Joestar.” A mock punch is launched at Will’s face. “I kick ass, take names, and shout…” She cups her cheeks. “Ouh nuouu!”

There was something off about how she pronounced that ‘no.’ It seemed a bit distorted; likely pronounced with a foreign accent.

But, at the very least, she looked to be in her element. The shine in her eyes had returned, and all it took was the mention of her costume.

He should’ve done that earlier.

“Man, you sure do like that show, huh?”

“Uh…” She leers at Will. “One does not simply like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Whitey. One experiences the ascension of their taste in media.”

“That’s a pretty bold claim for a show people haven’t heard of. It’s gonna be hard to top Dragon Ball Z. That’s, like, the best anime ever.”

“What!?” Her arms rest on the back of her booth seat as she leans back. “Dragon Ball Z has shit writing! At least in JoJo, people have to win by being smart with their power; not just by going ‘AAAHH!’” She balls her fists in front of her. “‘I AM REALLY ANGRY! NOW I’M GONNA WIN BECAUSE I GOT A POWER BOOST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIGHT!’”

Her ears perk up. Then, she flips over to lean on the table; covering her tummy once again.

…yep, safe to say she heard him gulp when she clenched her fists mid-yell.

She’d clenched her core then.

“Uh…” He looks away. “…sorry.”

But instead of her usual criticism, she surprises him. “…can I ask you a question?”

Whatever she had in mind, it didn’t seem saturated with anger or frustration. Not if her curious tone was any indicator.

“Shoot,” he says.

“Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Why do you look at me? You’re apologizing, you know it’s wrong, so…why choose to do it?”

“Honest answer?” He looks her way again. “I don’t.”

“As in…you don’t choose to do it?”

“Yeah. It kinda kicks into motion before I even know it’s-” Immediately to his left, a she-Wolf in jean shorts cruises past him; butt cheek mere inches from his face. “Uh…”

An amused laugh escapes her black nose. “Jesus Christ, Whitey. You really do like Wolf girls, huh?”

Odd.

This reaction was nothing like before. Maybe because his glance wasn’t directed at her?

But, because it was a more positive reaction, he felt like maybe it was fine to joke around a bit. “…in my defense, I can see the bottom of her ass cheeks. And it’s not like it’s only Wolves. I’ve found human girls cute, too.”

“Whitey,” she says in disbelief. “Three human girls in booty shorts passed by you while we were trick-or-treating, and you didn’t notice them for shit.”

She was keeping track of that?

A white plate lands on Sasha’s side, accompanied with a smaller plate that holds only sausage. Now she had everything but her waffle.

As did Will.

But rather than the missing portion of their meal, the waiter only had words for them. “Here you go! Now, your waffle is still being cooked. It’ll only be a few more minutes, okay?”

Sasha and Will both nod. “Okay. Thanks.” Then they look at each other. “Jinx. Double jinx. Triple jinx! Fuck you jinx! Fuck-you-squared jinx!” Then they both just leer at each other before breaking out into another shared laugh.

Well, at least it seems to have distracted her from-

“But no, seriously,” she asks, digging into her eggs. “What’s up with that? Why do you like Wolf girls so much?”

Deep within the recesses of his mind, where his formative memories hide from his conscious thoughts, a distant voice calls out to his brain.

“Here comes the airplane!”

The voice was female, and overflowing with unconditonal love.

“Who’s my special little guy?” A black, wet nose touches his. “You are! Yes you are!”

Many moments like this hid in deep parts of his mind.

“Uh oh!” Says the female voice again. “Does someone have a boo boo?” He didn’t know what she did, but…the pain went away. He also felt a fuzzy kiss on the knee that used to throb with pain. “There we go! Good as new! …what? Still sad? Oh, come here, Willie…” His body was then wrapped in warmth and white fuzz from all directions. Atop his head, a muzzle rests.

Things grow even more fuzzy from here. But not before gentle singing follow the memory into mental static.

Now let me pray to keep you from

The perils that will surely come

See life for you, my prince has just begun

And I thank you for choosing me

To come through unto life to be

A beautiful reflection of His grace

See I know that a gift so great

Is one only God could create

And I’m reminded every time I see your face

…

Could he remember any of this stuff? Absolutely not.

But, the song over the Waffle House speaker did seem awfully soothing for some reason. Something about Lauryn Hill’s words were just…

…he didn’t know how to describe it.

But, as for Sasha’s question, he could only shrug. “Honestly? I don’t know.”

“Well, I mean, there has to be a reason.”

“And I cannot tell you that reason.” He digs into his eggs as well. “What about you? What tickles your fancy?”

“Me?” The first of her hash browns graces her tongue. She hadn’t even taken a bite out of it before she began to moan. “Oh my god! You weren’t kidding about these hash browns!”

“I told you,” he says, smiling content, and awaiting her actual response.

“It’s like…the top is crispy, but the soft bottom is still delicious as hell!” She takes another mouthful. “Mmm! You fucked me, Whitey! Now I’m gonna start coming here every day after school! I’m gonna get so fat, and it’s all your fault.”

“Right…”

Still no answer to his original inquiry.

Was she dodging the question?

Well, only one way for him to find out: more questions. “Now that I think about it, I haven’t really seen you show interest in anyone. Are you one of those girls that’s asexual?”

Her grainy giggle lines up with her shaking head. “Not when I’m in heat, Whitey.”

Weird. She was willing to answer that question.

There have to be limits to what she’s willing to answer.

What those limits are, he does not know.

“You know, I’ve hated you so much, I forgot you can even go into heat. I just sorta thought you shook it off by being all like…” He shames his crotch with a pointed finger. “No! Bad pussy!”

“God, if that’s actually how it worked…” She says, mouth full.

“You don’t like being in heat?”

“Hell no!” She stabs her pork sausage. “Why do you skinnies always think that?”

“I mean…being horny 24/7 and cumming for days sounds awesome.”

“Yeah; well, let me tell you, that’s a fucking lie.” Her fork maliciously stabs at her food once again. “It’s like air is hard to come by while your crotch is always on fire while you hate literally everything that’s not sex while somehow still being picky as hell about who you wanna have sex with-”

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Will waves. “You mean you don’t just wanna fuck the first thing that moves?”

“No! Again, where do y’all get this idea from?”

“I dunno. I just heard it from…well, everywhere, so I assumed it was true.”

“Well, here it is straight from the horse’s mouth. When we’re in heat, we’re even more picky than when we’re not.” She talks mid-chew. “It’s not unheard of for Wolf girls to break up with a dude just because she’s in heat. It happened to like 3 of my cousins on my mom’s side.”

More thumping on their table; this time from two plates full of waffles.

“Thank you,” Will dismisses. “Uh, so…did they just wanna have sex with other people? Or…”

“Nah.” She shovels more food into her maw. “I don’t know the whole story since I’ve never gone through it myself, but apparently it makes them consider things they hadn’t thought of before. Like a truth serum used on themselves.”

Will slowly shakes his head. “God damn…I didn’t know Wolf dating was so hard.”

“You’re telling me.” More chewing. “That’s why I hate all these animes and shit that portray heat as ‘Wolf girl forgets who she is and becomes a cock-hungry slut for the first guy she sees.’ Biggest loser fantasy, I swear to god.”

“Haha, yeah…”

He couldn’t lie; he ate that shit up like it was hot cakes.

But was he going to tell her any of that?

Haha…no.

“In fact, you wanna know what the real irony is?” Sasha asks.

“What’s that?”

“It’s actually the Wolf guys that lose their shit! NOT the Wolf girls.”

Will cranes his leering head back. “Really?”

“Yeah! One sniff, and they’re basically fuck monsters with no free will!” She shakes her head. “Motherfuckers have been projecting that shit onto us since forever.”

“…huh. So if I were to stand right next to you when you’re in heat, you wouldn’t try to jump me?”

All emotion in her eyes; all movement in her body; gone. “I don’t know.” It wasn’t until Will felt the sting of lust on his cheeks that Sasha shattered her stone cold face and broke out into a hearty chuckle. “Oh my god! You’re so easy!”

He didn’t understand.

She was giving him shit earlier for thinking of her in panties, but now she laughs off the notion of him and her having sex? Even as a joke?

What changed in such a short amount of time?

What was off-limits, and what was okay?

And…

…hold on a minute.

…did she just subtly confirm that sex was on the table?

…

Also, is she eating faster?

“What are you doing?” Will asks.

“Beating you,” she whistles through chewed food.

‘Beating me…?’

And just what was that supposed to mean?

All she was doing was-

…oh.

‘She’s playing you, Will,’ he thinks. ‘She knows you’re competitive. Do not play her game-’

He plays her game; picking up his own pace.

Neither one of them dared remove their eyes from the other. That is, until Sasha’s eyes widen when they look behind him.

“Stalker ass bitch!?”

Will, instinctively, swings to face where Missy should be standing.

Only, she wasn’t there.

But Sasha’s rapid munching continued.

“Oh you cheating bitch!” Will muffles.

“I learned from the best!”

Well, if that’s how she wanted to play…

“Hey!” His eyes glued themselves to an empty booth. “Stop looking at her ass, you fucking pervert!”

Now it was her turn to flip over and look foolish while Will munched for his life.

“Oh touche, Whitey!” She points to the syrup dispenser that rests on his side. “Pass me the syrup, will ya?”

He moved it over to her, but then pulled it away when her hand approached; all while they continued their assault on everything but their waffles.

“Here you go,” he chuckles.

“You dick!” She giggles. “Give it to me!”

“Okay! Here!” He moves it again, her hand following. “Oop!” Again. “So close!”

“What ch- you- god dammit-”

“Well, I guess you just don’t want-” His eyes widened as her fork approached his plate. “Hey!”

Their forks cling after Will’s defensive swing; that’s when she swiped the syrup dispenser from the handle.

“A-ha! Victory is mine!”

It wasn’t until both teens’ forks came to a halt mere millimeters from their food—that realization hit them like a bus.

A little of her saliva was technically now on his fork; and his on hers.

Even if it couldn’t be seen.

Maybe he should have thought that block through a bit better.

And yet…

Determination filled both of their eyes.

“What’s the matter, Sasha? Something wrong with your fork?”

“That’s my line. You want another fork, don’t you?”

“And give you a chance to leave me in the dust? Nope.”

“Then eat, Whitey.”

“I will. You’re the one that’s not eating.”

“I’m gonna.”

“Then do it, Sasha.”

“You first. Unless you don’t have the balls.”

Oh no.

Now she’s done it.

He could practically feel his nervous system shaking his arm for control.

He didn’t want to do it; he didn’t want to taint his food with her spit.

But this proud teenage boy wanted to prove that he, in fact, did had the balls; just as his genes dictated he do.

Hesitantly, his fork shovels up some of the remnants of his hash browns. In turn, or maybe as a result of his action, she stabs some eggs with her fork.

Here it came. Her saliva.

That’s all he could see as his fork approached his mouth.

Oh god; his face had to be red. He felt so warm, and like the world was looking right at him.

Munch.

His fork didn’t move once his jaws has it.

It still tasted like hash browns, but his salivating tongue seemed more curious about the fork itself.

Technically, this had made contact with something that was in her mouth. And now, it was in his.

Was she having similar thoughts? She, too, kept the fork in her mouth. No longer was she all fired up to kick his ass; no, her relaxed eyes didn’t dare look away from the table.

And just like that, all of the energy they’d built up had disappeared. The rest of the meal was uneventful: they finished, they paid, and they buckled up in his car.

The entire time, the sensation of her refused to leave his tongue.

It didn’t feel like it was enough. Was that wrong of him?

Maybe it was. She’s refused to look at him once ever since she took that first bite of him.

Something else that was new: when she sat in his car, her fists clenched tight as they rest on her thighs.

She must be anxious as hell; a thought further supported by the heavy she-Wolf breathing that fogged up the passenger side window over, and over, and over again.

He felt like he should say something; anything; to make the current situation better.

But all he got out of his open jaw was a bunch of nothing.

Car in drive, he supposed.

Maybe the best thing he could do right now was take her home.

That’s probably all she’s thinking about right now, anyway.

It stemmed from the brief clash against his fork. Yet, to Sasha, it constantly felt like he’d taken over her mouth.

Her tongue just couldn’t sit still; like it searches for more of his essence.

And she could forget about looking at him. Even just the sight of his reflection was enough to drench her body in sin.

It was just his saliva; and even then, an amount she couldn’t even feel or taste.

But the window fogged up with her withering restraint all the same.

He was in her mouth, she thought.

He was in her mouth.

He…

…

…teased her eyes through his reflection once again; tainted her mind with thoughts of lip-to-maw.

How would he feel, her hungry lips wondered.

A thought she tried to shake away.

“You okay?” Will asks.

The force of Jupiter weighed on her from his voice alone.

‘Fucking kiss me,’ she thought.

“Yeah, I’m fine…” she said with shaking confidence.

“You don’t sound fine. Did I do something wrong?”

‘Shut up,’ she thought.

“Nope…just uh…tired, I guess…” She said.

“…yeah, we have been out a while, haven’t we?” He didn’t believe her. She could hear the unease in his voice. “No, seriously. What’s up?”

Her maw pursed.‘Shut the fuck up!’

“I said I’m fine…”

“Then why are you shaking?”

Was she?

Yes.

Her entire body trembled.

“It’s cold in here!” She shouts.

“…oh…kay…”

She can hear him fiddle with the clicking dashboard until the heater hums to life.

Truth be told, it wasn’t even cold. In fact, it felt like she was sitting on an oven.

An oven that told her it was ready for the pie.

She shakes her head again.

“Mosquito,” she preemptively says. “Buzzing…bastard…” She even rolls down the window until enough time passes for the ‘mosquito’ to realistically buzz away.

Now, he should have nothing else to-

“I forgot,” he says.

“OH MY GOD, WHITEY!” She screams.

“Is your house to the-”

She leans heavily towards him. “DROP IT!”

The car’s awkward hum dies down once it meets a stop sign.

‘Melody Ln’ is the road they were intersecting with; the road Sasha knew as her home.

The wide-eyed boy said nothing as he leaned more towards his door than her.

“I uh…” Her return to her seat was slow. “It’s uh…turn…right…sorry…”

The only response she got was from the engine as it moved the car once again.

Realistically, the drive from the sign to her house was no more than half a minute long.

Right now, however, every second felt like its own minute.

He looked forward, she looked forward, and neither one exchanged…well, anything.

Great, she thought. Now she’s probably turned him off forever. Now she’ll be harder pressed to get that kiss from him.

And it wasn’t two seconds after she had that thought that she closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled with a light groan. Didn’t quite help her shake off the shame of having said thought in the first place, however.

Luckily, before long, the car jerked to a stop right outside of her humble two-story abode.

Now all that was left was to say goodbye and walk inside.

…

Now all that was left was to say goodbye and walk inside.

…

Okay, so her arms won’t move. Nor will her legs. Or her mouth.

“Well,” Will says, catching her eyes immediately. “We’re here…”

His words were shaky and cautious, which made her shaky and sad.

“I’m uh…sorry…” Her thumbs point towards the trunk. “I shouldn’t’ve blown up back there…”

“…apology accepted. You uh…” It wasn’t quite clear to her what he was doing with his hands. “…you wanna talk about it?”

Even after she’s made things continually awkward; even after she’s been reserved, and angry, and stubborn; he still wanted to comfort her.

There was no benefit to him doing this. He could’ve just as easily gotten tired of her and left her here to simmer with her emotions.

But he didn’t.

He’s so kind.

Was he always like this?

Oh, what is she even thinking right now?

She’s tried to stop herself from being open this entire time, but now that he’s asked that consensual question specifically…

…

She scans her surroundings. There was no car in sight; the last of the trick-or-treaters has already retired for the night. The closest light pole was quite a few steps away, and was no match for the tinted windows of Will’s car.

“If uh…if I do, can we sit in the uh…back?” She asks, the euphoric pressure within beginning to expand. “I…don’t even have the room to stretch comfortably in these uhh front seats.”

“Um…” Again, his hands move awkwardly as he nods. “…okay. Fine by me.”

He kills the engine first, of course.

The entire time he moves from the front seat to the back, her hazels don’t take him out of her sight.

He sits, she sits, the car shakes, and then everything is stable. And quiet.

And close.

So close that the smell of him gripped at her maw and constantly tugged.

Mistake.

This was a mistake.

Why did she agree to this?

Stupid Whitey. Him and his stupid human stink and his stupid blue eyes and his stupid fluffy blonde hair and his stupid kindness and his stupid-

“Okay,” he says. “What’s going on?”

She could feel her head pull itself closer. In gentle succession, her quiet nostrils take in as much of his breath as they can.

Of course, this has him leaning back with a leer. “What are you doing?”

Her self-awareness smacks her like a nun to a sinner at Sunday school.

“Oh my god! I’m sorry!” Her stiff fists tighten at her thighs as her torso retreats. “I…I don’t know…”

The shame she felt in this moment was conflicting; mainly because sick satisfaction swirled along with it.

That was a creepy thing to do.

But that scent drove her crazy.

Now he probably sees her as a freak.

But is that such a bad thing?

She knows that he finds her hot. He can probably tolerate some more oddity, right?

He’s proven to be quite accepting thus far. What’s a little more?

“Sasha.” He scoots up, giving her his full undivided attention. “What’s wrong?”

Those stupid concerned eyes of his again. They were so beautiful.

So clear, even under the darkness of night. Something about them just peered into her soul, and…

…and…

Why did she hate him again?

She couldn’t remember.

Also…

…what was she doing?

She had somewhere to be, right?

Someone was waiting for her to return to…

To…

…

“Sasha?” Will asks, concerned.

It felt increasingly harder to breathe.

And her lack of movement creates a sense of unease that only worsened with every breath she took.

He was right there.

He looks so cute.

He looks so warm.

He did not see it coming when she swings over him and presses her chest against his.

As if instinctual, her tail kept itself raised without any effort on her part.

He, of course, had no words.

But his eyes were not shocked, or afraid. Like hers, any sense of restraint had gone out the window the moment she jumped him.

A passing light from another car wasn’t even significant enough to warrant recognition from either of them.

What mattered most right now was just the boy under her, and the blonde, curly hair that her snout just couldn’t keep itself away from.

Without even looking down, his hands were excellent at exploring her waist until they found her hips; and even more further back.

Her hackles shot up again; likely in response to her quivering spine.

But his assault didn’t stop there. Her exposed neck called his lips again, and again, and again; all while his prodding arousal down south told her body everything it needed to know about his intentions.

And her hips, moving even closer to him, returned the gesture in kind.

He was nothing like rubbing up against a pillow.

He was real.

He desired her.

He beckoned her hips to move again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And she was looking right at him, too, as she cupped his soft cheeks with both hands.

She wanted him to look.

She knew that what she was doing was filthy.

That’s what made his gaze like gas to a nuclear fire.

She needed to stop…

…but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

This new feeling was just too good to cut off now.

“Grab my maw,” she groans.

As commanded, his firm right hand made sure that her maw wouldn’t part while he forced it shut.

Now, she couldn’t even see anymore. Her vision blurred and doubled from eyes that rolled back in…

…

Must shake car faster.

Nothing else matters.

Must not stop.

Can’t stop…

Almost there…!

…!

“Sasha!”

Her vision snaps open.

Wait.

She wasn’t on him?

No, she was still in the passenger’s seat, and Will in the driver’s.

That means that she just…

‘Oh…’ She thought. ‘…m_y god…_’

The fact that she’d just got overtaken by that fantasy so easily just…

Out.

Get out.

Now.

“Well this was fun I feel tired I think I’m gonna go to bed now boy am I so tired-” Even she knew that her stretching was painfully fake. “Rgh man I think I’m gonna collapse any second I’ll see you tomorrow Whitey bye!”

The passenger door slams behind her.

She could feel his sexy-

NORMAL.

Normal gaze follow her to the front door.

Nothing was arousing about it at all.

The fact that she was power walking with all limbs straight and stiff was just because his gaze made her feel uncomfortable.

And nothing more.

At least that’s what she was telling herself.

When the front door to her house closed behind her, she could feel her vision blur with every pulse.

‘WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?’

A warm tingle drenched her entire being every time she saw that blur.

In her mind, the scene from her fantasy played over and over again.

The more she tried to shake it off, the more immersive it felt.

And the more she felt like opening the door before he had the chance to drive away.

“Michael? Sasha?” Asks a lone female voice deep within the house. “Is that you?” It was Sheila, and she appeared at the top of the stairs looking down in the blink of an eye. However Sasha looked right now couldn’t be good. “Oh, sweetie! What’s wrong?” Not if Sheila rushed over and placed reassuring hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “Did something hap-”

And that’s when the concerned mother’s rapid sniffing began. Head, shoulders, chest; that’s what coaxed out concern from Sheila.

“Uh…” Sasha’s claws scratch against the door lightly as her hands press against it in discomfort and confusion.

Whatever it was, Sheila’s craning head practically snaps back when she was done.

“Well, William hasn’t put his hands on you. That’s good.”

“Mom. What the f-” Watch it. “What are you talking about?”

“Come with me, sweetie. We need to have a very serious conversation right now.”

“…can we not?”

She did NOT feel like talking right now. Not unless talking involved Will planting his lips on-

‘AAAH!’ Her mind screams. ‘STOP!’

Last time she took a seat on the living room couch with her mother, they were talking about Will.

Now they’re here doing it again.

Or, at least Sasha thinks she’s going to mention-

“William,” Sheila says. “What is he to you?”

“Uh…I don’t know? A human with blond hair?” Sasha responds.

Sheila shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. You two have been spending a lot of time together lately. You’re a teenager, he’s a teenager…”

“Oh my god…”

Was she really going to have this talk with her right now?

“Sasha,” Sheila emphasizes. “I was eighteen at one point. I understand all too well what happens when a boy and a girl spend enough time alone together.”

“Right…well-”

“Ah ah ah.” Sheila’s quick arms block Sasha from standing. “I understand that this topic is uncomfortable for you, but it is clear to me that now is the time to have a conversation about it.”

“Why? I feel fine. There’s nothing to talk about, so-”

“Sweetie.” Sheila’s claws grip Sasha’s shoulders. “I can literally smell your desire for William right now.”

That knocked Sasha’s ears down.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sasha, It’s okay. You have sexual feelings for a boy. It happens.”

Sasha leers at her mother. “Even if I did, which I don’t, why aren’t you yelling at me to stay a virgin? You seem too chill about this sh-” Whoops! Almost slipped again. “Stuff.”

“Like I said: I was your age at one point. Not only did I feel that way towards your father when I was in high school-”

“…ew.”

“…but, I’d also heard about and smelled my classmates having sex in the halls.”

Now it was Sasha’s turn to crane her head back in a leer. “Ew! What the fuck?”

“My point is: whether I like it or not, you and your peers are going to have sex. And if that’s the case, all I ask is that you do it safely.”

“Oh my god…”

“Preferably out of earshot of me and your father.”

“Mom!”

“I’m serious, Sasha.” She looks her daughter in the eyes. “I’m not talking to you as my daughter right now. I’m talking to you as a woman.”

A woman.

That’s something Sasha often hasn’t heard people refer to her as.

Well, at least from people that weren’t related to her. Or guys that only saw her for her ass.

But Sheila wasn’t done. “You’re not a little girl anymore. Your body is going to react to other men in ways you can’t even fathom; and they you.”

Will’s presence still took over her tongue. It felt like every inch of it didn’t want to forget him.

A thought that lit Sasha’s loins on fire.

“Hm?” Sheila’s head tilts. “Do I take it that something like that happened today?” Sasha’s body stiffening at Sheila’s question elicits giggling from the mother. “Then you know what I’m talking about.”

“Yeah,” Sasha snaps. “Well maybe I don’t want to!”

The fact that her legs were a space heater only infuriated her more now that her mother was right in front of her.

“Why not? It’s perfectly natural to-”

“This ‘natural’ bullshit only ever seems to making shit more complicated!”

“Sweetie, language.”

“No! Fuck that shit! I didn’t ask for this! Why do I have to feel like this just because some dickhead’s saliva made its way into my mouth!?”

Sheila’s eyes narrow. “Wait. Did William force himself on you?”

“No! It’s just…” She sighs. “…we were at a Waffle House just dicking around. I know that he has a bit of a complex when it comes to winning, so I thought I’d prod it a little by challenging him to an eating race. It was fun, at first, but then our forks clashed. But I didn’t want to look like a little bitch in front of him, so I…” She groaned. “…used the fork to keep eating. And…I don’t know. Something about his saliva in my mouth just…”

“…turned you on?”

“Yeah! Like…why!? Just saying it out loud right now helps me see how god damn stupid the whole thing is, and yet…” She grips the fur on her head and groans. “I fucking hate this so much!”

“Holding things back just makes them worse, Sasha,” Sheila said. “The only way out is through. Not around.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.” She looks at her mother in the eyes. “Can I go now? I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

Sheila nods. “Yeah. Okay.”

Sasha had never stood so fast in her life. “Cool. Good night, mom-”

“Just know-”

Sasha’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. ‘Whaaaaaat…?’

“-that if you ever want to talk, I’ll be right behind you. Okay?”

Sasha nods, palms spread out. “…okay. We good now?”

“Yes. Good night, sweetie.”

“Good night, mom.”

Up the stairs. Now.

After all of the bullshit that had gone down in the past…however-long-the-band-has-been-together hours, she felt like she was long overdue for some good ol’ Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

Just the swipe of her finger was enough to beep the machine’s sensitive silver-colored power button to life.

And navigating through the menus was a breeze as well. The developers sure knew how to design the interface in a way that got you up and running in only a few minutes.

Now, she was back in familiar territory.

“You stupid monkey nigger!” Screams a static-voiced child through a low-quality microphone. “Quit camping with a sniper!”

“Quit being 0 and 9, then,” says a man much older than he.

Aaaah.

Now this is where she belonged.

Racist people for miles, grown men hiding for cowardly kills, Nuketown…

This is what has been keeping her alive all of this time.

Not boys.

Not the desire to have her pussy ravaged.

This.

This…

…unusually slow game.

She wasn’t dying more than usual.

Nor was she lacking in kills.

It was just…

When she ran, the running speed felt much slower than it normally did.

And with her trusty sniper, she landed shot, after shot, after shot.

Someone just came out of a corner, and dropped to the ground evasively. Not like it mattered when his head gained a new hole thanks to Sasha’s sniper.

“Bro! You’re fucking trash!” Says the now dead man. “Sweaty tryhard ass motherfucker! I swear to god, bro! Find me in real life, and I’ll fuck your fat ass up!”

A single nostril exhale.

That was the only laughter his tantrum brought out of her.

Other than that, it was kind of…

…boring.

It was more fun when she was playing with-

Will.

Will’s saliva.

It was still in her mouth.

Just remembering that was enough to smack her with a tidal wave of lust that scrambles her mind with each pulse once again.

…no.

She had to focus on the game.

But the more she tried to shake this off, the worse it burns. Again.

The only difference now was that she was all alone with no one to see her like this.

With a TV that could drown out a fair amount of noise.

And a shower that could do the same.

…

Their fictional embrace clouds her mind once again.

All of the rubbing.

The contact.

The attention.

It was all coming back at once for the panting she-Wolf.

But…

She shouldn’t.

She…

…

…god dammit.

She needed it.

TV volume up.

Door locked.

All clothes off.

Faster.

Even you, boxers.

Bathroom. Now.

Shower. On.

Now no one could hear her gasp when her traitorous fingers travel south; moving at the rhythm of her fictional hips as they laid their claim on Will one rub at a time.

“So she failed.” The mature Wolf scoffs. “Not surprising. I never had much faith in her to begin with.”

“But sir, Shelly could sue-”

“That’s what the lawyers are for, Menendez. Don’t concern yourself with that failure any longer.”

The moonlit balcony glows with a dim white aura that looked almost blue. From the mature Wolf’s perspective on the outdoor couch, he could see the moon cast a shadow on everything around him: the white stone railing that protects him from falling off the second floor; the striped wooden table that stood up to his knees; and, certainly, from himself.

“Then…” continues Menendez, “…what comes next?”

“For you, just keep watch at the nigger’s house. Update me if there are any developments.”

“Yes, sir.”

The call was over, as far as this mature Wolf was concerned.

He dials away at his phone, and then hovers it near his ear as it rings away.

He wished it didn’t have to come to this, as it just made things more complicated, but…

…well, it’s better than doing nothing.

Curse that Shelly. She deserves to go blind, as far as he was conerned.

On the bright side, she’s shown him that brute force is not the way to go. If he was to separate Sasha from that blond incubus, then it was better to do things the old-fashioned way.

“Hello?”

It was a young girl; likely similar in age to Sasha.

“Hello, is this Martha Hamilton?”

“Uh…yes? Why? Who is this?”

“At ease, my dear. This is William Falconer. You submitted an application for my scholarship, did you not?”

“What!?” Martha’s enthusiasm shot up to a million in a flash. “Oh my God! Uh…y-yes! I did! Does this mean that I…?”

“…got the scholarship? Well,” William chuckles, “there’s been a little snag in the process. I’d like to ask you a question, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course! Ask me anything!”

“Oh, I love that enthusiasm. I’m getting a good feeling from you. Anyway, what I want to know is…” The smile on his maw withered. “…well, my accountant made an error when allocating funds for this scholarship. What was supposed to be enough for ten applicants has turned into a scholarship for one.”

“What?” Martha asks with alarm. “Oh no! I had friends that also applied!”

“I know. It breaks my heart knowing that…” William faked a groan. “That cursed accountant. I fired him on the spot when I discovered what he did. Ten great applicants, and now I have to break nine of their hearts. And-”

“Aw, man! This stinks! Especially since none of us have had much luck in life. If I get it and they don’t, I’m gonna feel really bad.”

William sighs. “Yes, life can often be unfair.” His tone took a sharp drop.

“Are you okay, Mr. Falconer?” Martha asks.

“Oh…no,” he fans off. “Nothing I wish to trouble you with, my dear.”

“No, it’s okay. I don’t mind listening.”

A small smile curls on his maw. “Oh, aren’t you sweet. Well, since you insist, it’s just that…well, my granddaughter is currently pursuing a no-good hoodlum. It worries me to no end; to the point where I often zone out in the day-to-day.”

“Aw,” Martha swoons. “You really love her, don’t you?”

“I do. But there’s nothing I, personally, can do to turn them away from each other. I’m not exactly a young Wolf anymore, after all.”

“Oh don’t say that! You’re a cutie!”

“I appreciate the kind words, but…oh, what I wouldn’t give to save my little treasure.”

A small silence befalls the call. Perhaps she was thinking-

“If I may be so bold…”

Martha’s words caught the moonlit shine of William’s glasses. “Yes?”

“…I have a proposition.”

And now the mature William’s hazel eyes sparkle. “I’m listening.”

“You want your granddaughter to lose interest in that scumbag, and both me and my friends could change our lives with your scholarship. I believe we may be able to help each other out.”

William smiles. “Are you saying that you would be willing to…intervene in their relationship in exchange for the scholarship?”

“For me and my friends, yes.”

“You really want it that bad, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Even if you hurt their feelings?”

“I only care about me and my friends, but I won’t go out of my way to hurt your granddaughter. As for that other guy, well…fuck him.”

William’s sharp teeth come out to grin. “The scholarship is currently meant for only one student, but…” He stands, and stares down the skyline of a distant city. “…if my granddaughter were to lose interest in that human, I believe we could work something out.”

Just as planned.

She probably thinks she’s playing at his desperation, but it’s the opposite.

He knew how greedy she was from the very beginning. He just wanted to see if she had what it took to pull this off.

And…

…well, she made quite the impression, that’s for sure.

Yes, he has a very good feeling about her.

He just wished he could say the same thing about Mike.

Just now, Menendez sent him a photo of the son in question.

He was back at his house, but that filthy monkey was standing beside him as they both lean against his car.

Just what was he doing?

Where is he?

Michael said he would be here to help her trick-or-treat.

Not only is he missing, but now he won’t even pick up the phone.

Oh, all of these stresses only make the itch on her head flare up; the small patches of exposed scalp only making things worse.

Hopefully Sasha wouldn’t be able to hear this. Her ears are as sharp as her father’s.

…wait.

No.

Her television is way too loud. The gunfire and racism should easily eclipse the sound of the endless scratching.

Was Michael hurt? Or worse?

Did he find out the truth?

Has he run into someone that isn’t trapping him in a one-sided relationship?

Ring!

Her flat ears inflate with excitement.

The phone!

“Michael!?”

That was the first thing she barked as soon as the kitchen phone separated from its holster.

Lucky for her; it was, indeed, Mike. “Sheila? Yes, it’s me- Uh…is everything okay?”

“That’s my line! Where are you? You never came home!”

“Yeah…” His voice croaks ever so silently. “You see, what happened was that my boss roped me into an office party. Even took my phone, and said I wasn’t allowed to have it back until it was over. So…yeah. That’s what happened. Sorry, honey.” She said nothing back. “Sheila?”

“Tell me the truth, Michael,” she says. “What happened?”

“I told you what happened. My boss-”

“Michael. Please,” she whines. “I can tell that you’re hiding something. Whatever it is, I won’t be mad. I promise.” But still, he was quiet. “Michael?”

“I’m here. Just uh…maybe I should get home before I tell you.”

So, she waited. Patiently.

The clock ticked, and ticked.

Forget turning on the TV. Her anxiety only yearned to see his face once again.

Funny, she figures. She knows she doesn’t deserve him, and yet she just can’t help but feel this inner selfishness.

She wants him to be hers; and yet daily interactions with him fail to see a small spark of desire for her in his eyes.

Was she broken?

Why was she like this?

Scratch scratch.

He should just come out and be honest.

He hates her, doesn’t he? That’s why he’s not home.

That’s why he always goes to a bar on Fridays; to get away from her.

Scratch scratch scratch.

And could she blame him? No.

His love for Aleena was obvious to everyone back then. And yet-

Creek!

The door?

“Sasha, Sheila,” Mike says. “I’m home.”

Her name was second in that greeting. Whether intentional or subconscious, Sheila knew she deserved it.

And yet…

…she just couldn’t help but wrap her arms around him.

“Oh, Michael! I was worried sick…” She howled.

He chuckled softly. “Sorry, honey.” And he returned the gesture in kind. “Today was…complicated.”

She looks up at him. “What happened? Are you okay? Where were you?”

He didn’t look hurt.

On closer inspection, however, his eyes looked…

…what was that?

Last time she saw this cloud in his soul window, he was eighteen years old.

It was lunch time, and he was sitting by himself. His lunch had yet to develop any bites.

He seemed less interested in his food, and more on whatever world he’d zoned out to.

They’d slept together just the night before.

Was that it?

Was he coerced into sex with someone else?

Was she the new Aleena that Mike had to break the news of infidelity to?

It was at this point that Mike’s thumb wipes away a tear that was threatening to stain Sheila’s cheek.

“At ease, Sheila. I’m perfectly fine.”

And his tone. There was something off about it, too.

But she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

It was like…

…he was missing a chunk of himself?

That was the best way she could put it.

“But where were you, Michael? I need to know why you couldn’t tell me over the phone.”

He looked down.

At her chest? Maybe involuntarily. He seemed lost in thought again.

“Before I do, I need you to remember that I’m fine-”

“Michael!”

Her desperate blue eyes yearned for an answer.

Hypocrite, she thought; demanding answers from him when her selfishness wouldn’t let her tell him her truth.

He sighs. “I went through a fugue state today.”

“WHAT!?”

“BUT-” His grip on her arms tightens. “-I’m fine. A coworker wouldn’t let me go home until I saw a doctor.”

“And that’s why you didn’t come home.” She saw him shake his head. “Oh, Michael…” Her hug tightens on him. “You’ve been under too much stress lately. I’m sorry…”

“For what?” He asks. “It’s not your fault.”

A phrase that plows through her aching chest.

Not her fault!?

IT WAS!

That’s what she wanted to scream as she looked up at him with eyes that blurred with tears.

Unfortunately, all she could spit out were rugged breaths each time she breathed in.

It forced Mike to hug her more tightly. “Hey,” he says. “It’s not your fault, Sheila. You’re an amazing woman.”

No she’s not.

She doesn’t deserve this hug.

And she doesn’t deserve his kindness when he pulls her to the couch and lets her rest her head on his chest.

She has been nothing but a cancer to him since she threw herself at him.

He thinks she hasn’t noticed the slow withering of who he used to be, but she has. It’s a slap to the face every time she looks him in the eyes.

And despite all of this…

Despite EVERYTHING she’s been thought up ‘till now…

Her stupid body just couldn’t help but snuggle up to him.

His unearned emotional support was like crack to the part of her that desired an escape from the emotional torture.

Eventually, there came a point where her well had dried up. No more tears, just a silence that numbed every positive inch of her brain.

There was a heaviness to her eyes now.

“Feeling better?” Mike asked.

No.

“Yes,” Sheila responded.

Last thing she needed was to bother him more with her troubles.

“I’m glad.”

Yet another robotic response from him.

He was more PR than man right now.

All for her sake.

“Why do we do it, Michael?” She asks with lowered eyelids.

He looks down at her. “Huh?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I don’t know why I said that.” But she could tell that he wasn’t buying it; not if he remained this silent. “I’ll be better. I promise.”

He, of course, shook his head. “There’s nothing you need to be better about. You’re fine just the way you are.”

“No, you went into a fugue state because of me.” She snuggles up next to him. “That means I need to step up my game.”

“I’ve said it a million times before, and I’ll say it a million times more: it wasn’t your fault.”

She yawns, and adjusts her position a bit.

Goodness, was the world looking a bit darker.

It felt like her eyelids were playing tug of war with gravity.

“Come on, Michael…deep down…even you must know that’s a lie…”

The living room window shines a ray of light at Mike’s closed eyes. Wherever he was, it couldn’t be his room. Not if the groaning Wolf was sitting up.

Looking down, his rebooting eyes see Sheila snuggling up to him.

She was warm.

But she was also somewhat of a paperweight. At least compared to the way Aleena’s drunk, clingy arms clenched themselves around him last night.

Man, did she not want him to leave. Were it not for Roy, his now-Islamic friend, she would’ve likely found a way to get him to stay the night.

Not like he would have minded.

Yes, yes; a horrid thought; he knew. But, at present, that was the least of his worries.

He was unemployed; which, by extension, meant that finances were going to be tight for a while.

That was the last thing he needed.

He can’t have his true love, he can’t have a job, and he can’t even have a moment to vent.

Not when it would bum out his waking wife.

“Morning, honey…” Sheila groans.

“Morning, Sheila.”

“Today’s Saturday, right?”

“Yep.”

“So no work?”

He scoffed. “Nope.”

She could say that again.

Though maybe that reaction was a bit much.

“What’s so funny?” Sheila asked.

“Nothing. Just happy I don’t have to go to the office today.”

“Well, you’re about to be much happier,” she says, standing. “Because I’m making carob chip pancakes for breakfast.”

Upstairs, thumping and shuffling caught Mike’s ear.

Now that really did bring out a grin out of his maw. “Well, Sasha’s up.”

The giggling Sheila did say the secret phrase to awaken Sasha from her eternal slumber, after all. “She really is your daughter.”

And a damn good one, at that.

She may be a bit of an aggressive potty mouth, but she’s still his precious little girl.

Once they were all seated at the dinner table, a tall stack of pancakes surrounded by the three of them, his inner father just couldn’t help itself. “So, how was trick-or-treating with William?”

She just about chokes on her fork. “Fine. Great. Just uh…” She looks away while munching. “…normal Halloween stuff…”

“Hm?” He leans in, smiling; but stops when he sees Sheila silently slicing her neck with her palm.

Stop, she’s telling him.

“Well, as long as you enjoyed yourself, that’s all that matters.”

Her ears collapse. It almost looks like she’s eaten something bitter.

He wanted to pry further, but instead decided to heed Sheila’s warning.

Speaking of Sheila…

…her maw twitches like she was holding back laughter.

Just what was it that he didn’t know?

For both of them to react like that, it had to be big.

Nevertheless, he kept his maw shut. He had no right to butt in when he was holding back the worst secret at this table.

“Hey, Dad?” Sasha asked.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Were you at a party last night?”

He froze.

How did she know about that? Was she trick-or-treating by William’s house?

“No? What makes you say that?”

“I saw your car at someone’s house last night. Or, at least I think it was yours.”

Sheila looks at Mike.

But Mike shakes his head. “Uh…couldn’t have been mine. I wasn’t at anyone’s party yesterday.”

“Then where were you?”

Sheila intervenes. “Oh, it’s no use, Michael. She knows.”

Sasha’s pseudo-brows furrow. “Know what?”

“Your father had a work thing he couldn’t get out of. That’s probably why you saw his car.”

“…a work thing.”

“Yep! Adults often have to dance like monkeys for their employers, or risk losing their jobs.”

Mike’s ears go flat. “Unfortunately, your mother’s right,” he says in-between bites.

Nice save, Mike.

But Sasha wasn’t satisfied. “Like what?”

“Well,” Mike says. “One of the main things I have to go through are useless meetings. Time I could use working is instead wasted on a meeting with a topic that could’ve been covered in an email.”

“Then why have the meeting?” Sasha asks.

“That’s what we all wonder. Personally, I think it’s because they’re compensating for something.” Mike’s index and middle finger closes the gap.

Sasha was giggling, but Sheila gasped.

“Michael! That is not appropriate!”

An interrupting chime vibrates in his pocket.

Who was it? ‘Coworker,’ of course. And they had but a simple question for Mike. A text that reads <can u talk??>

Not at present. He had to wait until after they’d eaten their breakfast as a family.

Only then would he dare call Coworker, and only when he’d put enough distance in the backyard between him and the house.

Last thing he needed was for them to hear this. Especially Sasha.

“Hello? Mikey?”

“Ally, hey,” Mike responds. “What’s up?”

“Hey, uh…I was wondering if you’d be willing to do me a huge favor.”

“…depends on the favor.”

What came to mind was another situation where they end up alone in a room. She’s bored, he’s bored, and they decide to-

“It’s not what you’re thinking!” She shoots out in a panic. “It’s for work. Someone in Bellville needs a house call, and I’m the doctor that’s gonna answer.”

“A house call? I thought doctors didn’t do that anymore.”

“Eh, it gets tricky in rural areas. But uh…I was wondering if you’d be willing to come with me.”

“Me? Why?”

“Cause it’s two hours away in a small town with like three black people. I ain’t tryina get lynched. If you’re with me, I’ll feel safer.”

“Bellville, huh? Where’s that at?”

“You know where Katy Mills mall is?” Aleena asks.

“The mall to the west that’s barely out of Houston? Yeah?”

“Basically northwest of that.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad-”

Aleena interrupts. “By like an hour.”

“…jesus, that’s far for a house call. Couldn’t they find someone closer?”

“All they told me was that I’ll understand when I get there.”

“Well, that’s helpful,” Mike says.

“Right?? Which is why I’d really appreciate it if you could come with me.”

Mike groans. “Well, I do need to find some way to stay out of the house until I can find a new job.”

“Why? You haven’t told her about you getting fired?” Mike’s silence spoke volumes. “Ooh…”

“…she doesn’t need to know about that. It would just stress her out more.”

“No, it’ll just stress you out more. And we both know that’s the last thing you need.”

“It’ll be fine. I can take it.”

“Like hell you can!” Aleena yells. “I’m gonna suck the stress out of you on this trip!” A phrase that widens Mike’s eyes. “Wait! Not like that! God dammit-”

Mike couldn’t help but bust out into laughter. “You’ve got a big mouth, Ally, but not big enough.”

“Don’t test me, Mikey. I’ll find a way to make it fit,” Aleena muses. “But no, seriously. Help a girl out?”

Once more, Mike hums. “When is the house call?”

“Monday at noon. So, we’d have to leave at like 10 at the latest.”

“That right? Well, before I answer, I want you to answer one more question for me.”

“What’s up?”

“You mainly took this job just to spend some more time with me, didn’t you?”

Aleena giggle softly. “Was it that obvious?”

“From a mile away, yes.”

“Well, I ain’t denying shit ‘cause you’re one-hundred percent right. So you in, or out?”

“Well, I can’t lie. Spending the day with you does sound fun- Ah, what the hell. I’ll do it.”

This squeal from Aleena is one he hadn’t heard in a long time. Last time she made this noise, she was hopping in front of a cash register housing the Sega Saturn video game console.

In 1995.

And when she got like this, her words were rapid; like a machine gun. “Oh my god I have so much to prep before our trip this is gonna be great Mikey just you wait we’re gonna have so much fun well that’s all I wanted to know we’ll talk Monday bye!”

“Uh…” But before he could respond, she’d ended the call. “…bye.”

Her enthusiasm was understandable. Even he felt a tingle within himself that yearned for it to be Monday already.

Now that he had the time, he felt he should look up tourist attractions in the area.

Thank god for the internet.

Though, what did a small town even have?

Well, according to the city of Bellville’s website, there was…

A CASTLE!?

A FREAKING MEDIEVAL CASTLE!?

IN TEXAS!?

Talk about judging a book by its cover.

That trip was starting to look like it was gonna be kick-ass.

Dracula’s castle.

Its menacing glow rests atop mossy stairs in this haunted pixelated night.

Simon Belmont, a brave warrior with only two lives left, grips at the whip in his hands with anticipation for what will be his greatest fight yet.

But first, a bit of property damage.

He cracks his whip at a set of candles, and then another. And another.

And just for good measure, several more. After all, it wasn’t unethical to rob the king of demons if his treasures were obtained maliciously.

Speaking of, there he is. Just a head on the ground, resting beside his orange casket. But that changes quickly.

His true height is revealed when his head rises, stopping at twice Simon’s height.

But there was no time to gawk. The time to think fast was now.

A flick of Dracula’s red cape surprises the hero with a volley of fireballs.

Crack!

Down they go with a single hit from Simon’s whip. In their place, three hearts that add to the ten already in his inventory.

Walking towards them, however, gave dracula more than enough time to disappear and assault him from the other side of the room.

More fireballs; one of which scorched four of Simon’s health points.

“Dammit!” Groans Mike. A reaction he regrets when a baby’s nervous whine reaches his ears. “Oh! No no no, sweetie!” He paused the game. “Daddy’s not mad! Daddy’s happy!” He grins at little Sasha’s blank facial expression. “See? Happy!” Well, at least she didn’t look upset anymore. “So don’t you worry your little head, okay?” A quick ruffle of her head fur, and he turns his attention back to the fat television in front of him.

Unfortunately, he’d broken the flow he had going, and Dracula once again took a victory over Mike.

His maw puckered, but he did not scream.

He did not groan.

He merely sat there, and watched as the jingle of defeat teleported him back to the bottom of Dracula’s stairs.

But this defeat was special in a way he didn’t quite understand.

Every time he was on his last life, Sasha giggled while looking at the TV. And she points in the same direction every time.

The upper right corner.

As angry as he was about his millionth defeat, he just couldn’t help but smile at his little girl’s laughter. “Hey, that’s really mean, Sasha. I’m trying my best here. There’s no need to laugh at m-”

“…puh…”

Mike’s eyes widen.

“S-Sheila!” Mike yells at the top of his lungs. “Get in here! It’s happening!”

“…p…”

“What’s happening?” She yells back.

“Sasha’s trying to speak!”

He’d swear she was tap dancing with the chaotic noises she was making upstairs. Thuds, clicks, and heaving breaths; all without rhyme or reason.

“…puh…p…”

“Papa,” Mike says, pointing to himself. “You can do it! Say papa!”

“I couldn’t find the camera!” Sheila says, sliding right next to Mike. “What’s she saying?”

“…puh…puh…”

“Papa, Sasha! Say papa!” Mike squeals in excitement.

“Come on, sweetie!” Sheila says with a grin. “Pa-Pa! Like that!”

“P…” Sasha draws their heads in closer. “...p…” Closer. “...poo!”

The reactions…were mixed.

Sasha, of course, was losing her little mind with how funny she found that word.

And whereas Sheila’s joy wilted like a flower in the brutal Texas heat, Mike failed to contain the laughter leaking out of his puckered maw.

“Poo poo!” Sasha says, pointing at the screen eagerly. “Poo poo!”

“Oh no!” Sheila cupped her cheeks. “Her first word is a swear! I’m a horrible mother!”

“What do you mean?” Mike asks. “This is hilarious! I just wish I could’ve recorded it.” His hazels make their way to the TV. “Though why is she pointing at the TV?”

The upper-right corner. That’s where the power-up icons went.

And the heart counter.

And the life-

…

“Oooooh,” Mike says, chuckling. “She’s reading a word from the TV.”

“The TV?”

“Yeah! Look!”

The game didn’t use the word “lives” to label the…well, lives. Instead, there were two parts to the life counter: the capita letter P, which never changes, and the actual life count that changes constantly. Both of these parts were separated by a simple dash.

Rather than represent which life you were on, as most games do, it told the player how many extra lives he had left.

In this case, Mike had no lives left. Hence, the life counter read “P-00.”

Or-

“Poo poo!” Sasha says. “Poo poo!”

“Oh for goodness sake, Michael! Turn it off!”

“What? No! It takes me forever to get back here!” He shields the TV with his life.

“Poo poo! Poo poo!”