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Dirty Laundry

Chapter Five

By Roofles

“Sir…?” Logan asked, knocking on Mr. Kincaid’s door as he peeked his head inside the darkened room.

The blinds had been drawn and the only light was coming from the computer screen in the middle of the room. Logan closed the door behind him, slipping inside and standing there as he looked around for the large lion who had called him up here this Friday afternoon.

Logan had thought about putting in his two week notice, not wanting to be hold up in this office building any longer than he already had been. Seeing the cubicles out front, the way corporate set up the break room and the “accommodations” they had added; it felt like a cell. A prison.

A cage.

A cage for one of the feral animals you would see at the zoo. Given just enough not to go insane. Tossed scraps of meat. Their “home” decorated and given just enough bread they didn’t bite the hand that fed them. Logan almost felt sorry for them; if it didn’t work so well for society as a whole. Keeping some of these… beasts, reigned in was for the best.

Logan, after all, had seen what they were capable. In his life. In his line of work. Another day, another predator losing it and devouring a herbivore. Blood, violence, sex, drugs and death. It might as well be the song of the city; a rotting underbelly keeping up the pretense that everything was ok, happy and dandy. So that the sheep, literally, can go about their days without pissing themselves to sleep each and every night.

As Logan knew they should… and here he was walking into the lion’s den, once more. Willingly. He didn’t need to be here but…

But, he was, after all, still Sloan’s assistant. A pretense, a mask, an image Logan felt the need to keep up… for the good of society. So the sheep can count themselves to sleep peacefully during the night. No matter how many scars that left Logan with…

There was a bland, brown sofa pushed against one wall with potted plants on either end of it. A picture of a savannah sunset was above it on the wall. The carpeted floor was soft underneath his steps as Logan moved towards the large finished carved oak desk in the middle of the room. It was larger than what Logan used back in the office, having been designed for someone of Sloan’s size.

There were claw marks on it. Something that always unsettled Logan… Just another thing that separated them from civilized species. It wasn’t required, and it was a lawsuit if it was… but lions, along with most cats, weren’t required to clip their nails. It just meant that someone like Sloan had five hidden blades on each hand that he could use on the human any second he felt Logan stepped out of line…

Logan touched his back unconsciously, knowing what it was like to feel the bite of such nails.

“They’re only animals in the end…” Logan hated the thought, hated how reassuring that was in the end of things. It kept him on edge, never allowing him to lower his guard. Never allowing them to be fully let in.

Logan didn’t jump when Sloan greeted him with a simple. “Logan…” The edge, his guard, his mask… protected him from being surprised by them, by these animals, in his line of work.

It was uncomfortable thinking how large the feline was and still, Logan hadn’t seen him until Sloan spoke from one of the far corners. Next to the bookshelf against the other wall, there was a large brown leather chair the lion was currently sitting in.

Sloan was dressed as Logan was, though with a far larger paycheck behind it. The fine wool silk blend, Italian made suit clung to the lion’s broad shoulders and bulged from his thick chest; Logan always figured that was because of the lion’s mane Sloan kept trimmed but didn’t shave off as some others did. The suit eased down the lion’s sides and opened slightly around the back for his tail. The faintly striped black pants were offset by the ugly brown shoes the lion was forced to wear to keep up appearances.

Logan knew what it was like to keep up appearances…

“You know,” Sloan started up with a deep guttural voice that was a mix between a growl and purr. “I always hated these seats.” The lion shifted his weight to his other side, his tuft of fur at the end of his tail flicking in annoyance. “They imported it from Italy, while a simple fifty dollar one from the store would’ve done far better…”

Logan didn’t say anything, as he stood there, out of arms reach, watching the lion with the fake smile he’d worn ever since he joined Inc. Co. Keeping him at a distance in more ways than one.

“You know,” Sloan said standing up now getting Logan’s full attention from the motion. Logan had to force himself not to take a step back from the lion simple movement of just standing up. The act made Logan’s heart leap into his throat however as the large lion turned his back on the human, looking over the books on the shelf harmlessly. “My family set me up with everything here.”

That caught Logan’s interest and he listened intently to what the feline had to say.

“My family originally is from Italy. They came over on one of the ships; not the mayflower. The other one.” Sloan started up; pulling out a heavy, thick book and propping it open as he idly looked through the pages. Logan knew they were all law books. “As such, it is traditional… to have everything as such. Italian, that is.” The lion gestured down to his expensive suit. “I don’t even buy these freaking things,” he pulled on the hem of it twisting the shirt underneath and nearly ripping the tie off. “They force me into it like some kind of…” Sloan held back the snarl in his voice.

Logan took a step forward at that, placing a single hand on the back of the lion’s paw. Sloan stopped at that, those large ringed eyes looking at the human who adjusted the tie for him and smoothed out his shirt.

Standing this close, Logan could feel the heat coming off the larger male. Being covered in fur, stuffed into a suit ripping at the seams could’ve only left the large feline roasting in his own office. He usually had the window open, trying to offset the heat of the temperature the corporate heads thought was “best” for them; treating their own employees like cattle.

Telling them when to eat, what temperature is appropriate, forcing them to wear suits and shoes that they weren’t made for them… The list went on, Logan knew and helping the lion out now was just his way of saying “sorry” without ever needing to say the words.

Just another cage set up by society to try and keep them contained, well mannered and behaved… All it was really doing was creating more time bombs waiting to blow. And Logan knew, to some extent, Sloan was no better.

Sloan’s shoulders slouched with his posture as the lion looked down at the human brushing off some of the golden strands of fur that always stuck too, and stuck out on the black suit he wore.

“I feel like a pig in a blanket in this thing…” Sloan admitted, in no more than a whisper looking to the side instead of at the human helping him. The lion had originally called him into the office to question him about Logan’s change in behavior. And now here he was, his assistant, helping him calm down after his tirade of his work and home life mixing, blending together.

Something Sloan could never fully pull apart from the other, ever since he was young.

“Yes, maybe, but you look far better than one, I assure you. Sir.” Logan added at the end, looking up at the lion with a smile and even offered him a wink. The guttural sound filled Sloan’s chest at that and Logan felt the lion’s tail brush against his side. He was sure Sloan wasn’t even aware he’d done it.

The smallest of things told Logan a great deal about those he was forced to work with. A touch a hand, a brush of a tail, stepping fractionally closer… all these things were so small, most going unnoticed and Logan knew how much it meant to the one doing it.

“Call me Sloan… please…” The lion muttered under his breath making Logan quirk an eyebrow in response. The human’s eyes were beginning to adjust to the dim lighting, the computer screen offering just enough to see the lion still looking to one side.

Washed in a blue glow, the lion looked… mournful.

“Sloan,” Logan began this time using his name, in a tense voice that nearly caught in his throat. Logan wanted to go back using formal titles or the lion’s last name; to distance the two from each other. “Did something happen?” Logan didn’t like this line of conversation, wanting to focus on the lion’s family but the pit in his stomach forced Logan to try and be a decent human being, instead of the fake one he pretended to be. “Is everything ok?” He placed a hand on the lion’s paw once more.

Those hands were so large compared to a human. It was almost comical comparing the two together; Logan’s resting on top of the lion’s paw. The fur was soft there, the tawny gold fur was warm to the touch and it reminded Logan of a sunrise…

“My brother died…” Sloan said catching Logan off guard. The human nearly slipped at the sudden revelation. It hit a little too close to home. “There was an… incident, the other day. He was caught up in something he shouldn’t have even been in and…” Sloan took another second on that, mulling it over.

Logan wasn’t sure what incident he was referring too; it had to be something underground that the police weren’t aware of, yet. He wasn’t aware The Pride was making their move yet. But it was the fact Sloan was opening up about this that unsettled the human as that paw turned over and Logan placed his own against the center pink paw pad of it.

The touch was far more… intimate, than Logan was comfortable with. Sex and intimacy were two very different things most people weren’t aware of. One was a bodily desire; the other was an emotional one. While they could cross paths, Logan had made sure not too for the fear of what it could mean.

“I… I barely got to talk to him.” Sloan went on, trying not to stutter. Trying not to show how much it rattled the large feline. “He called me the other day and I just… dismissed him. I thought nothing of it. It was just more family drama I wanted to stay out of and now…”

The lion trailed off, unsure why he was telling Logan any of this. Maybe, maybe it was because in the end Logan was the only person Sloan felt like he could open up too and talk about. The human was harmless, as he saw it. And as such the predator, for a change, felt he could be vulnerable in front of him.

But Logan wasn’t the person Sloan thought him to be. In a way, Logan wished he could be… could be the persona he created for himself. Even knowing, no matter how hard he tried, he could never deny who he was in the end.

Logan helped guide Sloan back to the leather chair in the corner, letting him take a heavy seat on it before heading over to get the lion a drink. Coming back over with the foam cup of water, Logan offered it as Sloan slumped over on one hand, staring down at his shoes.

“I hate these shoes.” Sloan chuckled heavily, taking a heavy breath after and letting it out.

“Here,” Logan was already getting down on his knees. The gesture wasn’t lost on either of the two as the human helped Sloan out of his shoes. Undoing the laces before carefully peeling them off one paw, then the other and set them aside.

Those paws were as hefty as ever, the weight of them making Logan struggle a bit needing both hands to lift them up and set them in his lap. Logan crossed his legs, rubbing over the first paw and just staring down at it.

“This is the first thing you really… did for me, even before you were my assistant.” Sloan just watched the human work on his tired, sore paws. They hurt, being stuffed into those shoes all day was sure to lose him a toe eventually.

It was nice, Sloan practically purred. Having Logan back to the way he was the first time he’d crawled under the desk for him. Being his assistant, helping him with his desires and wants and needs… listening to him, talking with him, touching him like this. As if he were normal…

Logan applied just the right amount of force to his kneading fingers, making the lion groan in delight from the feel of it. Working on the toes, stretching them out in the constraining fabric before, looking up at Sloan, Logan nosed down at them.

“You must’ve had a long day, from the smell of these…” Logan tried not to smirk, tried not to flirt. It came as second nature to him when he was on a job though. This wasn’t the time for that. Sloan needed someone… real. And Logan was finding that very difficult to do, to be for the lion in this moment.

Logan wasn’t sure who the “real” him was these days…

Sloan let out a throaty chuckle. “You really love this, don’t you?” Sloan asked and yet Logan was sure he had been implying something more than just that. That the lion was asking, in a way, if Logan loved… him. It was defiantly something Logan chose to ignore.

It wasn’t like Logan wasn’t attracted to Sloan, far from it. Just as he had been with Domino back at the wolf club; finding someone he was actually into, physically, helped with the role he was trying to play for them. The problem was, it ended there.

There was the physical and none of the emotional as Sloan, or Domino, had wanted and needed.

Sloan was in an emotional state and vulnerable. More than the lion had ever fully been with him yet. It was like the previous week, when they had their sort of dinner date. Logan had been in work mode, going along with it, enjoying the, literal, ride before finishing the job. Getting the lion drunk, wasted enough to pass out which was a feat in and of itself so Logan could work.

Logan was either far better at his job than he thought or Sloan was far more… broken, than the human knew. Just like Domino.

Just like so many of his other contacts… Logan just had a knack, he supposed, for finding them. Maybe, in a way, it was because they reminded him of himself.

“Felines… have the most interesting paws.” Logan started up, unsure where he was going with this. Trying to be… real, with Sloan for a change. “Their large, soft and squishy…” He chuckled pressing against the center paw pad with both thumbs and rubbing them in semi circles getting the lion’s toes curling.

Sloan growled in approval but didn’t say anything as Logan went on.

“The fur is surprisingly soft… yet, each one of these toes contains a small… razor blade.” Logan frowned a bit, thinking about it. He didn’t need to look up to know Sloan was watching him. Watching as the human lowered his head down, opened his mouth and sucked on his big toe. Tasting it through the musky fabric, suckling on the digit while tracing his tongue over the… slit in the cat’s paw.

The nails poked back against his tongue and Logan pulled back, watching as the nails sprung through the fabric. Each was sharp, curved with a deadly point to them. And he watched as Sloan consciously withdrew each of them, sheathing them once more as the feline let out a breath.

“Something you love can also be so… deadly.” And Logan got up at that.

Setting down the paw, the human stood before the lion and slowly turned his back on him. At first Sloan thought Logan was moving on to the second part of their dance, their foreplay. Only to watch as Logan unbuttoned his jacket and placed it on the desk. Then he began undoing his shirt, perking the lion’s ears who watched from the corner like the hungry predator he was. Logan had never fully undressed in front of the lion before and Sloan could feel the heat migrating towards his groin in anticipation.

His enthusiasm deflated, however, as Logan stripped his shirt off. Showing his back to the lion.

“I…” Sloan wasn’t sure what to say.

Along and down Logan’s back in two clear claw marks, were scars. Ten scars for ten fingers where someone had dragged their nails down the human’s back, clawing, marking and scarring Logan permanently for life.

One day, one mistake was all it could take to end up in the hospital.

“Why…” Sloan stood up at that. For a second, the lion was worried they were fresh or new. Reaching out a hand for the human and yet… being unable to reach him.

“When I grew up, my brother and I had a next door neighbor. He was a tiger,” Logan was buttoning up his shirt again. “We were young. He was just a kitten. We weren’t… aware, what it meant for him being a tiger.” Logan frowned as he recounted his childhood to his boss. “As we grew up, as we hit puberty… things changed. Milo, changed…”

The human looked back at the lion and for a second, Sloan wasn’t sure what to say seeing Logan’s face. He wasn’t smiling. Logan didn’t have those vacant dumb, wistful eyes as he normally did. He looked sad, angry… a mixture of things that made the lion’s face fall. Logan noticed it, noted how Sloan face changed seeing the real him…

“I’m putting my two week notice in.” Logan started up as he buttoned the front of his coat once more, adjusting himself and partially wishing he had finished the job before quitting it. “This… this isn’t working. I can’t be, what you need… or what you want.” Logan took a second to close his eyes, taking a steady breath before opening them. “You know nothing about me…”

And just like that, the mask was back on and the smile he gave Sloan wouldn’t work anymore on the lion who had seen too much.

“Thank you for this opportunity, sir. And, goodbye.” And with that, Logan left Sloan’s office leaving the lion behind.

Sloan was innocent. Logan was sure of that. His job was to protect the innocent… not cause them more grief and anguish, as he had suffered in his life. He wanted to help others… and he knew, he couldn’t help Sloan. Not with the broken shell of a man he was.

It hurt more than Logan had been expecting it too. He wanted to stay around longer. Fool around with the large feline and get to know Sloan more. To know about him, his past, what his hopes and dreams and aspirations were… and it was because of that, Logan knew he had to get away. To keep his distance for the lion he was beginning to fall for.

Just as he had done with Domino…

That, back there, in the office had been too real. And that unnerved Logan more than he thought it would. Because in that moment, he wanted to hold the lion. To comfort him. Not to ask about what happened about his brother, about his family. To pry into his life. Logan had wanted to comfort Sloan without gaining anything from it…

It took the brutal reality of the scars on his back to get him not too. To back down and to step away before, once more, it was too late… and he’d be left with scars that could never fully heal.

“They’re all the same in the end…” Logan breathed out, resting back in the elevator as he headed down to the lower floor. He knew Sloan wouldn’t stalk after him there, on the floor where most the human’s were. The lion was too prideful for that.

His phone buzzed but Logan muted it, not bothering to check who was calling.

Maybe he could find comfort in the isolation of the supply closet. Just sit in there until he could calm down, collect his thoughts before anyone caught him like this…

“Logan?” Alan asked as the elevator doors open. The human was standing there with a file in his hand, planning to turn it in.

“A-Alan?” Logan choked back.

And before Logan could say anything, Alan was hugging him. Comforting his friend as hot tears burned down Logan’s face and he kept the sound at bay, biting one of his own fingers. Feeling just as weak and vulnerable as Sloan had been…

…

“I could’ve driven, you know.” Logan brought up as Alan pulled up out front of his house two hours later.

The dog house was in the questionable part of the suburbs outside the main city. The roads weren’t properly done, potholes and cracks littered them. The sidewalks, where there were sidewalks, were uneven and damaged as if someone had taken a jackhammer to them and stopped halfway through their job. The power lines weren’t up to code and several of the houses had boards or bars over the windows; gated doors and locks were commonplace here.

A place the city council had clearly “overlooked” during the big renovation plans for the city and the its outskirts. Funny, Logan, mused, how all the human areas had been picked and chosen. While these… were left to rot.

Yet, still, even in this shit stained heap Alan lived at, there were children in the road playing. Logan frowned watching a human run along with what looked like an alligator, or maybe a crocodile it was hard to tell the difference at the younger ages... The reptile tackled the human to the ground and, for a moment, Logan thought about getting out of this car to get on him before the human kid kicked the reptile in the face.

“Asshole, that hurt!” The kid shouted loudly enough for Logan to hear. Clearly not seeming to mind if their parents caught them or not.

“I slipped on a damn crack.” The crocodile was pointing at the road. And the two looked at the spot before laughing about it, getting up and moving down the road further.

And just like that, it had been resolved. Scrapped, bloody knee ignored as the two headed off.

“Give it a couple of years, kid.” Logan frowned but with a shake of his head, dismissed the dismal thoughts. Let the kid have his moment of fun. Let him believe the two of them were equals and that things wouldn’t change with the older they got. Some things were best learned from experience, unfortunately.

“Logan, this is it!” Alan said coming around the vehicle to show off his home. “The dog house!” He laughed, smiling as if unaware a human shouldn’t be calling his home a dog house.

Logan had half expected to see a small wooden box with a roof out in a field somewhere when Alan told him about this “dog house.” He wasn’t expected the two story rectangular shaped tower that was jutting from the ground overlooking the rest of the neighborhood.

The front yard was nothing to write home about but Alan assured him the backyard was something he’d be bragging to all his friends after. Logan didn’t feel the need to say he didn’t exactly have friends, not needing them in his line of work. If something went south, no one would really miss him then if he were gone.

“A couple of the guys should already be here.” Alan said walking down the stone pathway towards the front door. It was a new edition to the house, Logan could tell. Stone steps had been intricately placed curving up the lawn towards the door from the driveway. The grass had been cut back to make sure no “muddy paws” were tracked into the house, Alan explained seeing his look.

“I’ve been spending a lot of my free time trying to remodel the place. You know, the best I can.” Alan just shrugged casually. “Its home, right? Got to make the best of it!”

Logan wasn’t sure when the last time was he slept at his own place. He’d crash at the office, at one of his hook ups or maybe at Domino’s place if the wolf was feeling up to some overnight fun. Logan had always left before the wolf had woken up though, not wanting to be the one waking up to a wolf. The very thought disturbed him…

And that was why Logan found himself freezing in his step at the large black fur wolf standing in the doorway, greeting Alan warmly. Logan was already reaching for his nightstick he’d brought along, just in case…

“How’d you beat me here? The fuck!” Alan was getting on Reese in a casual, playful manner making Logan fear for the other human’s life. Alan playfully hit Reese in the chest a couple of times. “You were supposed to get things for the BBQ!”

“I did.” Reese just smirked, ears perking up and training in on the human in front of him. Logan was impressed how much the wolf could center in and focus on the human who seemed to do the very same thing with the wolf.

“How? You should still be at the grocery store!” Alan just went on, clearly not seeing an issue with punching a seven foot tall wolf that could rip him in two with little to no effort.

“I did.”

“When?”

“The other day.” Reese smirked now, tail wagging.

“When!?” Alan just glared at the wolf, standing on his tippy toes and trying to get right up in his face.

“When you were face timing the mutt,” Reese stuck his tongue out now. Just the tip of it, flashing a fang at the human who didn’t jump away as any sane person would.

“With Ralph?” Alan had to think about that, rocking back on his heels now. “We didn’t talk that long… did we?”

“The phone call,” Reese said as Alan interrupted.

“It’s not a phone call, old man.” The human teased this wolf and Logan was sure, any second now, Reese would swipe his face off for it.

“THE PHONE CALL,” Reese said again, louder this time. “Said you two chatterboxes were talking for over two hours!” And Reese laughed. A loudly, bark of a laugh that was as deep as Sloan’s had been. Maybe deeper as the wolf held his gut with one clawed hand.

Even for a wolf, Reese was large. Domino wouldn’t be able to match this guy in a fair one verse one fight; what chance did Logan or Alan have? Even if they teamed up on him.

“Just s-shut up!” Alan yelled back, getting embarrassed over it. “We don’t get a chance to hang out as much.”

“You two talk enough as it is.” Reese rolled his eyes as the two continued. All but forgetting Logan. Or this shitty city, this shitty place and the shitty neighborhood they were stuck in.

Logan almost envied them for that. Being able to forget things…

“Are you going to stand there all day, Alan?” Logan finally spoke up stopping the two. “Or are you going to show me this garden you wouldn’t shut up about on the car ride over?” Logan defused the situation well enough with a smile. “I was looking forward to seeing it.”

Reese ears folded back, glaring at the human but Alan was already pushing the much larger male out of the way. Reese got the picture and stepped aside, allowing the two humans in to go play in the back yard as if they were a couple of kids as the wolf grumbled.

“Thanks.” Logan gave Reese a wink, noting what the wolf was wearing.

Unlike in the office, Reese had a bright colorful sleeveless T-shirt on. The summer shorts he had on showed his black furred legs and the ugly pair of flower pattern sandals he was wearing. It was rather… unsettling. This hulking jet black furred wolf with practically glowing yellow eyes was wearing an outfit one might see in a summer commercial ad. In fact, Logan was sure he saw the exact same thing on TV once and wondered if the wolf had just bought it thinking this was how normal people wore clothes…

How you fit in. When you were a giant wolf trying to belong…

Logan shivered as the door shut behind him, stepping inside after Alan and all too aware of the shadow stalking them from behind. Logan didn’t look back, that would give the wolf satisfaction to know the human was unnerved by his presence. Logan was focusing on Alan; how he could be comfortable here he wasn’t sure.

That was until he walked into the living room.

“Did you get the steaks?” A Dalmatian asked from one of the multiple sofas shoved together in the middle of the living room. There was a large TV set in front of the four, mismatched couches. The short white furred, black spotted canine bounced to his feet to come over to greet Alan with a sniff.

“Who’s your friend?” A golden retriever asked from one of the other sofas, watching Logan a little too closely. “He’s kind of cute.” The retriever murred lustfully. Logan had to fight back a gag from the forwardness of that. Some dogs were always itching to bury their bone…

“This is Logan, a friend from work.” Alan just went along with it stepping aside as Logan quickly became surrounded by canines. All of who began sniffing him over, inspecting this new human in their house.

“Seriously, another one?” A blue heeler said as he nosed down at Logan’s crouch.

Logan couldn’t help himself at that and with a quick flick of his wrist, smacked Muffin in the face forcing the blue heeler and several of the other canines back.

“Shit…” Logan realized his mistake too late. He was on edge and when the blue heeler had moved between his legs like that, Logan had reacted as any sane person would.

Silence fell in the room as everyone looked at Logan.

“Sorry, you startled me.” Logan apologized with a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head and trying to make himself appear more meek and timid than he really was. Even lowering his stature in front of these canines, knowing that was something they were into.

No one said anything, eying the human suspiciously.

Then Alan just laughed. “Damn, dude. That happened a LOT faster than I thought it would!” Alan came over to Logan with that award winning smile. “Sometimes I roll up a newspaper and threaten them with it.”

Even the word newspaper made several of the canines whine and lower their ears at the idea.

“Or the spray bottle.” Reese added in, walking over to place a single hand on Alan’s shoulder. The wolf eyed the human and Logan was sure it was one of approval instead of anger this time around.

That was always the case in a canine pack. Hierarchy. Where did you sit on the totem pole of the pack. The quick smack Logan had gave Muff was putting him above the blue heeler and the canine was not happy about that; Logan just hoped he wouldn’t need to put the dog in his place for real if it came down to that.

“Or just turn the vacuum on.” Another voice said coming from down one of the two hallways. The heavy set husky spoke up, waving at Alan before greeting Logan. “I’m Togo. I live here along with Muff, Brigsby and Dodge here.” Togo pointed each of the dogs out starting with the blue heeler and ending with the Dalmatian. “I’m sure they were going to introduce themselves, eventually.” The husky rolled his eyes with a large belly laugh.

Logan didn’t want to say it, but compared to everyone else… Togo was just fat. Maybe at one point the husky was a good looking, muscular guy. The years had not been kind however and the husky was already sniffing for what they had planned for dinner; Logan could tell Togo was going to sneak snacks before dinner time even rolled around.

Innocent.

That was the first thing that came to mind when Logan saw them. Just like Alan, all these canines here were just that. Normal, average day citizens living in the shitty part of town because that was all they could reasonably afford. It was common for dogs to have these “dog houses” to help pay the bills as well as the simple fact; canines did not like to be alone.

It was hard enough for herbivores to get a place, let alone a canine. The dogs most likely taking whatever house they could actually reasonably afford without being screwed over and then just piling inside and trying their best to make it work.

“It’s getting a bit crowded in here…” Alan was the one to point out; none of the canines seemed to notice that with six male adults in a single room it became rather small, quickly. “Let’s go on outside!” Alan grabbed Logan’s hand, catching him off guard as he was dragged towards the sliding back glass door.

Alan was a lot stronger than Logan thought he would be as the two vanished outside, leaving the dogs to talk about the new human and if he too was going to “move in.” Logan didn’t want to know what that meant as he stopped on the cement back porch to look out over the yard.

“Damn, son.” Logan laughed though.

The backyard was half the size of a football field. The canines had set up a rather tall fence around their plot of land and the grassy field was well trimmed, recently mowed with hedges and flowers lining the sides. Off to one side was a tool shed and to the other was a green house garden set Alan was currently dragging Logan towards.

“Do you always hold hands this much?” Logan teased, seeing as how Alan was still holding his hand as they headed through the plastic entrance. The human quickly let go, blushing as he looked to one side.

“Sorry! Sorry… living with dogs as long as I have, I tend to forget that not everyone is as… touchy feely as they are.” Alan just explained.

“Oh? How long have you been here?” Logan was already in detective mode, trying to pick Alan apart to understand this human living with dogs… and a wolf.

“Months now, give or take?” Alan thought about it. “We’re going on our year anniversary here soon. Reese and I,” Alan explained. “Well, it’s more like twenty-first anniversary but potato po-ta-toe.” Alan just giggled, covering his mouth and blushing once more. Logan wasn’t sure what that meant but that voice, that smile and the look in Alan’s eyes told him enough.

He was happy and Logan was glad for his… friend.

“How’d you manage that?” Logan just asked, innocently enough.

“Reese is a childhood friend,” Alan started up with making Logan tense.

“Oh?” Logan was uncomfortably aware how similar his own childhood had gone and now was looking at Alan as if waiting for the human to show him the scars…

Alan pulled out a potted plant from within the green house and showed it off. “Reese picked this one out.” He said without going on further. Or maybe that was Alan’s way of answering his question.

Logan knew how touchy a past could be and didn’t poke or prod further into it, even if he wanted too. Alan seemed… safe enough here, with the other dogs at least. Logan didn’t feel that need to step in to intervene and help, even if that help wasn’t wanted.

Alan went around, showcasing what he had planned for the holidays and what he was going to do during the winter months coming up. The two just stuck around, Logan acting as if any of this interested him. It made Alan happy and Logan just pretended to give a damn as he followed the human around mindlessly trying to figure out what the deal was with this place.

“Seriously?” A loud voice said from the back door drawing their attention towards it. “There’s another freaking one?” The voice barked, grumbling to themselves as a dark orange fur boxer came out to investigate this other human that showed up at his home.

“Oh, that’s Clementine. He lives here too.” Alan said but Logan’s face alone told the human he was aware of who that was.

“Clem?” Logan said walking on over to make sure he wasn’t mistaking the boxer for another boxer out there. Clem had a unique partner of fur and the shade of orange had darkened with his years, not resembling the Clementine he was named after.

“Logan!?” Clem yipped loudly, jumping back and practically covering his face with both arms as if afraid Logan was going to hit him. “The hell are ya’ doing here?”

“The hell are YOU doing here!” Logan said right back to him, glaring at the nervous canine who was quickly trying to vanish on the spot.

“He lives here!” The golden retriever, Brigsby, bounced outside and said explaining it for the boxer who just growled at him in reply. “You’re welcome.” The retriever said stupidly. At first Logan thought he was being facetious. Only to quickly learn the golden retriever was just stupid.

“Thanks, dumbass. I can tell him myself.” Clem rolled his eyes, wiped a hand down his face before looking at Logan who was still heavily judging him. “I live here.” Clem explained, scratching a dull nail on his cheek now and not meeting Logan’s eyes.

“I can see that…” Logan just frowned now, placing a hand on his hip and trying to look casual in front of everyone here despite how he felt about all this. He looked a bit gayer than he was going for but it was off putting enough to make sure he didn’t appear a threat.“You really got some explaining to do, buddy.” Logan really wished he hadn’t seen that anime the other day, striking a pose like this.

“You two know each other?” Alan asked coming over, taking off the gardening gloves he had slipped on. The human frowned, worried as he looked between the two. “Is everything ok? Clem? Logan?” Alan asked and the two were instantly aware the wolf was watching the exchange as if daring them to upset the human.

“We-,” Clem mumbled unsure what to say at first. How to recover from this without spilling anything to those listening in.

“We dated. Once.” Logan just lied on the spot, pulling it off far better than the boxer would’ve done. “Dude took me out to the bars, we had a great time… and I mean, a great time.” Logan went on painting a picture for the others who were coming out to see what all the fuss was about.

“Logan…” Clem growled but his coworker was already going on.

“We went to Chains N’ Collars, I’m sure you know the one.” Logan said talking about one of the dog bars downtown. “I was the good boy the leather daddy adopted.” The human couldn’t help himself, seeing the look on Clem’s face alone was enough payback for the boxer lying to him over these years. “All dressed up, pup mask on, collar on, begging and whining for daddy Clem…”

Reese snorted behind the others, standing off to the side with his arms crossed resting against the nearby wall as he watched over the others.

“What then?” Brigsby was sold and was asking one question after another about it.

“We went out for drinks. Got some food. I made Clem whine for me,” Logan just went on. Clem was about to say something, to butt in and correct the human when Logan spoke up. “Oh? Is that not how it went? Do you want to explain then, Clemmy?”

“Clemmy?” Dodge snorted at that, barking a laugh as the boxer practically socked the Dalmatian in the face for laughing. Clem shook Dodge enough to rattle his brain into mush before dropping him on the ground.

“It’s… fine…” Clem growled back at Logan. The human didn’t back down. He didn’t back down when a wolf forced him against the office wall, when he was pinned by a lion underneath a desk, or in a back alley with a wolf with no pants on, or even when a boxer got up in his face at the police station… or… or when a tiger clawed his back open.

“So I got him on all fours, right.” Logan was recounting the sexual exploits the two had never shared together, much to Clem’s chagrin. Talking about them as if they had just happened the other night. “Tickled his balls from behind, as you do.” Logan just nodded.

Several of the others nodded along watching with great interest.

“And before I knew it? Bam. He was done. Came so fast, and so little,” Logan had to mention. “The night was over and never heard back from him again.” Logan just shrugged with a shake of his head as the boxer snarled at that.

“I did not!” Clem got up in Logan’s face.

And without missing a beat, Logan kissed him. Grabbing his tie and pulling the boxer closer.

The boxer’s ears perked up, eyes widened as his mouth opened receptively to Logan’s tongue.

“Clem, why didn’t you call me…” Logan voice was soft as he pushed his chest against the boxers, closing the little distance between the two as he practically hugged the canine. “I was waiting. I had so much fun and when I never heard back, I was worried something happened to you…” Logan whispered the words, knowing full well everyone there outside other than Alan could hear them.

He pet the side of Clem’s face, the boxer’s eyes still large as he looked at the others for some kind of support.

“I would’ve let you do so many things to me… daddy.” And Logan nipped at the boxer’s neck, tugging on the loose skin there and pulling on it just enough to elicit a moan from the canine. Logan wasn’t sure if Clem made the sound or someone else did as he quickly pulled back and dusted himself off.

“S-sorry?” Clem offered weakly, unsure what to say or do to… that. “I didn’t… mean too…?”

“It’s cool.” Logan was already back to normal as if he hadn’t openly groped the canine in front of all his friends, which he totally had. “My heart, will go on…” And he closed his eyes, looking away with a tear in the corner. Before he laughed. “Nah, man it’s all good.” He waved it off.

“Ok,” Clem started up beginning to relax. “Let’s get started on dinner-,” Clem began just as Logan grabbed his hand. Catching the boxer with his guard down the third time within five minutes.

“Excuse us; we got some things to discuss about our relationship.” Logan was already pulling the boxer towards the open back door and away from the others.

“Wait, what?” Clem asked, growling now as the human pulled him inside and shut the door behind him.

“Where can we talk in private, darling?” Logan continued to play up the act as the others watched through the glass door. Logan held Clem’s hand with both hands, keeping it hidden from the others, as he squeezed the living hell out of it.

“Uh…” Clem frowned at that. The boxer wasn’t used to having privacy in a house like this. Let alone when being threatened.

“There is a basement or something here, right? Sweetheart…” Logan glared the last word out. His eyes alone telling him exactly what this was going to be about. “Where. We. Can. Chat?” And Logan twisted one of the boxer’s fingers now.

“We don’t go into Reese’s room.” Clem gulped though, getting worried now trying not to whine. “There is the attic.” He gestured down the other hallway and Logan was already pulling him towards it.

The two rounded the corner and then another, going up the wooden steps that looked far newer than the rest of the downstairs was.

Though they called it an attic, it looked more like the second story to the house… just unfinished.

The floor was, mostly, carpeted with a rather large ugly gray dog bed placed in the middle of the room. Clem knew it was where Togo and his human, Charles, slept. The smell coming off it told the canine they did more than just sleep on it too. The ceiling was high up allowing plenty of space for things to be built and added on.

Clem knew Alan wanted to add a couple more rooms up here, eventually. It had taken enough time, effort and money just to get Togo’s room set up for them. Let alone adding more rooms up here; if they did, then others could move in and Clem rather not have that.

There was a box TV set up in front of the moth eaten gray dog bed with several old consoles Logan recognized from his childhood between the two. Other than a few chairs, a broken dresser and a pile of dirty laundry there wasn’t much else here… The floor needed to be finished showing the bare bones of the house they were standing in. Of those living here. And the baggage they seemed to be carrying even now.

Two full grown adults and this was all they had in their room? There was something else going on with the two but Logan didn’t have the time to open that can of worms. He was just glad the fiberglass was covered with a tarp as Logan turned on the boxer and forced him against the wall.

Clem let out a whine at that, unsure why this was arousing him as much as it was. Logan was nearly the same height as the canine, if only a couple inches shorter. And still, Clem wasn’t used to being manhandled like this.

“Darling.” Logan said without an ounce of sweetness as he had before. “The fuck. Are you. Doing here?” Logan clenched his teeth, practically growling at the canine as he kept one arm firmly planted on Clem’s chest. “Are you under cover? Or, or something?”

“I… live here?” Clem offered weakly once more with a shrug.

“Cut the shit, Clem. The fuck is going on.” Logan let go, stepping back and collecting himself. He covered his mouth with a hand, looking away as his brain went into overdrive trying to put everything together.

Dog houses weren’t uncommon. Having a human living here was a bit unnatural but not unheard of, dogs and humans got along better than any other known species in the world. It was only reasonable then that some humans would live with dogs as some dogs live with humans. The fact a wolf was here, however, changed everything.

“Reese is the alpha of your pack…” Logan was already putting it together as he looked over at the canine. Clem didn’t meet his eyes, confirming his suspicions. “He owns you dogs…”

“No!” Clem barked out, standing up tall now as he growled at the human. “Reese doesn’t own us! Ok? He isn’t… like that.” Clem faltered though and Logan knew there was more going on here than Clem was letting on.

He just wasn’t sure exactly what, yet.

“Then what is he like?” Logan asked and once more, Clem didn’t fully answer. The twitch of an ear, the lowering of his jowls and the slouch in his shoulders told Logan enough that something was going on here. “He isn’t… threatening you, is he?” Logan lowered his voice as if asking a victim a question.

“No.” Clem growled again.

“And Alan?” Logan crossed his arms, tapping his foot trying to put all the pieces of this very strange puzzle together.

“Is dating Reese…” Clem just gave a shrug at the look Logan gave him. “The fuck I know why?”

“I’ve never heard of a human being with a… wolf, before.” Logan thought about it. Other than random celebrities dating for the shock value and to get seen in the spotlight again, it was very uncommon and practically unheard of for people to date outside their own kind.

Let alone a human and a wolf.

There were always relationships out there that tried to push the boundaries. Step outside the lines and be different. Dating someone to spite your parents or to show society it was “possible” didn’t exactly create a good foundation for a relationship to be standing on. Nine times out of ten they didn’t last. And out of those nine, Logan knew, they didn’t end well…

“They are. And they… are making it work, somehow.” Clem just shook his head, rubbing his forehead as if getting a headache from the very thought of the two dating. “Alan is… Alan. And Reese is… Reese.”

“That… was extremely unhelpful, thanks.” Logan rolled his eyes. This was why he began the questioning during or after sex. It usually left people far less guarded as the boxer was right now.

“Why do you care?” Clem glared back now.

“It’s my job.” Logan spat right back into the canine’s face. “Just like it’s supposed to be yours!”

“What does that mean?” Clem ears folded though and his growl wasn’t as loud as before. It was the meek sound a frightened dog made when backed into a corner.

“Who is Reese? Why is there a damn wolf here!” Logan took a second to calm down as he jabbed a finger at the floorboards. “Why is there no record of him working at Inc. Co. or the fact you never once mentioned living with a wolf during the case! You know? The gargantuan case about the freak wolves!” Logan finished dramatically.

“I didn’t think it was relevant…” Clem was doing a poor job at this and Logan could only figure it was because he’d been hiding it for so long. Canines weren’t the best liars out there and there was a need to share things with others; this was one thing he clearly hadn’t shared… maybe even with Reese.

“In the police records. We tracked down and marked every single wolf in the city. That’s, you know, documented.” Logan rolled his hand not wanting to get into semantics right now. “Reese wasn’t in that report… he has jet black fur, Clem…” Logan finished with giving the boxer a look.

The two knew where he was going with this, Logan practically leading the canine to the same conclusion he had already made by the nose. Logan would’ve been an amazing lawyer.

“Yeah… a lot of wolves have black fur…” Clem swallowed.

“Only one group within The Pack had that kind of fur, Clem. You know this.” Logan glared at the other officer, unsure why this dog… was trying so hard to protect a wolf. “Wolves and dogs hate each other.” Logan just said as if it was a fact of life. “Why are you protecting him!”

“Because Reese isn’t that kind of guy, ok? He isn’t…” Clem faltered, unsure how to say it. How to explain this to a human. So many things were said with canines with body language and smells alone. How could he convey this to a human that Reese wasn’t, fully, dangerous. “Reese saved my life. He isn’t who he used to be… he’s better now… I think?”

“Is he… the alpha’s son?” Logan just put his foot down, asking the question he’d been afraid too. “The ex-alpha now.” Logan rolled his wrist once more, really not wanting to get into the nitty gritty details when the giant one was sitting right in front of him.

“What are you going to do if I say yes?” Clem just stood up at that, shoulders back matching Logan’s gaze without backing down.

“Normally, I’d radio it in, of course…” Logan paused though. “But you know me. I’ve done a lot to get results,” he sighed heavily looking away and letting his guard down in front of the boxer. The change in his body language got the reaction he was going for.

The boxer hadn’t even noticed his hackles had risen, showing his teeth to the human as he was waiting for Logan to say or do something he couldn’t take back. Logan defused yet another situation before it could blow up. Sometimes, for a human, the best thing to do was to make sure a fight never broke out… as the human was usually the one to lose in a fair fight.

And Logan could easily lie his way out of most situations. Depending on what Clem had to say, Logan would report Reese ASAP and possibly Clem as well for hiding information from the police. It all depended on the boxers answer.

“I just…” Logan rubbed his brow. “Please, explain to me. What is going on Clem?” He felt far more tired than he was. He liked Clem! Clem was a good dog, a good cop and had always been squeaky clean… maybe too clean, now that Logan thought about it. “Please…”

“Yeah, Clem. Explain.” A voice spoke up from the stairwell making the two jump.

Logan hadn’t even heard the wolf coming up the steps until he had spoken. The wolf standing there before them, taking up the whole stairwell as those golden eyes glowed in the shroud of darkness that was Reese’s fur. Clem lowered his head with a whine, not looking at Reese who was just staring coldly at Logan now.

“Fuck…” Logan took a second, trying to read the wolf.

Was he angry? Was he going to beat them black and blue? Was he going to kill the two and bury them in the backyard for Alan’s flowers to grow? Logan… wasn’t sure. The wolf was expressionless and those eyes were cold, dead inside and it was impossible to read the wolf standing only five feet from the them.

“We were being rather loud, weren’t we?” Logan chuckled, even now. Before this wolf. Trapped in the attic… he wasn’t backing down.

The human undid the strap on his baton, tucked into the side of his pants. Just waiting for the wolf to make the first move; then it would be in self defense when he put down this would be alpha…

To take him out before he could rise to the position, to revive the The Pack and create a new wave of crime in the city that was already rotting from within.

“Yeah, that’s not a bad way to go…” Logan flicked the baton open, the several segmented pieces clicking together. And with a press of a button, it became electrified. “You’re move, big guy.” And Logan didn’t mention the hidden blade, tucked in his shoe.

Something he planned to drive into the wolf’s, this alpha’s, carotid artery…