Chapter 25

T he day of hunt number… damn, I was losing count now as the days ticked by- well, hunt a bajillion and one arrived, and with it a load of anxiety.

Last night's Lo-de-dudes-Gettin-Learned club —it was a working name in progress— was actually kinda fun. Rom Coms were a really big hit with these guys.

Next meeting? I was thinking Die Hard or Red, two of my favorite Christmas movies, shake things up a bit. Oh, and they were so Christmas movies— yipeee-ki-fuckin'-yeah they were. I also really hoped Wapli had worked things out with his group brother. They'd apparently had a big blow up and he was torn up about it.

That dick-bat from Bum-bum that I'd chucked into the river, the blasted thing just kept showing up on my doorstep. The thing was a curse, a bad penny. No matter what I did to it, there the damn thing was the next morning, plus something extra. What the fuck, man?!

I'd tried hunting the ridiculous male down who'd thought it was an awesome idea but every trip to bang on his door and blister my hands bellowing for him, I just found more crap at my door the following day. I had an entire dinnerware set of swirling blue and white, cups, bowls, plates, you name it, and one humongous wiener statue to use for the centerpiece.

Rosa and Mal had even heard some talk of it, but I'd laughed like it was the funniest thing ever, and they'd blown it off to some gossipy loving biddy wanting to tittle tattle about the next big thing.

It hadn't stopped Odix and Gopher from gifting me with their own marbled likenesses. I was still trying to figure out if it was done out of jealousy or as a joke. I prefer to go with thinking it was done as a joke.

Gopher's was white with bits of pink in it and resembled quartz. It came with a pink bow tied around it I'd left on.

Odix's was purple with gold, and so I didn't get offended, probably thinking of what happened at Daisy's, he'd made the guy a little belt, sword, and silly hat.

A shiver rolled through me just thinking about them. It reminded me of our recent… escapades. I'd polished that goofball's knob last night when we met up for one last romp before they left until he'd yodeled. Gopher was walking a little funny from where I'd gotten him with my claws in that cute little caboose of his too because they were macho men, they didn't need healing salve, nope, and that was all thanks to me. Best beastly sleepover ever.

The more time we spent fooling around, the easier it was for Gopher to get ahold of himself. I had hope he would fully accept me one day as his mate without issue.

Odix tended to take Gopher's lead in things, so I expected him to claim me properly shortly after Gopher did. I just needed to be patient. They weren't going to do me like Rek had.

My gaze darted over the beasts gathering, looking for Gopher and Odix to wave them off. We were still doing the biweekly meet ups. I wanted to ask for more but this little voice in my head said don't be greedy. Honestly, I was harboring similar reservations as I had with Rek.

Odix sometimes looked like he wanted to say something but held back. It typically happened after one of them had brought up Rek.

I had no idea what Rek was up to after he'd said he was done. I'd accepted it. After quietly shedding a few buckets of tears alone in my room about it, I'd like to think I was over him.

The way my heart thundered whenever I thought I caught a glimpse of him told another story.

Things were still off with me and Kooky. I'd yet to return to Celuk's. He accepted my excuses time and again, and made it a point to linger and hang around with me at Dorothy's whenever we crossed paths.

Smoky, blue-grey eyes caught mine as he passed. A silly smile tipped my lips as he immediately reversed directions and headed right for me.

"It's going to be a big one," I enthused, though I wasn't exactly feeling it.

"Jo goot?" he asked, eyeing me like he needed to see for himself.

"I keep busy. Hey, did I ever tell you about the time Booger wore a flying monkey costume I made and we, Boog, Mal, and I surprised Rosa's kiddies?" My grin was unrepentant.

Miming wings, to which I nodded, grinning evilly, he laughed.

"Every witch needs her flying monkey, right?"

"No know what flying monk-needs for," he admitted with a shrug.

"Henchmen, of course, silly."

"You stay, eat first?" he asked.

"Oh, are you guys going to do the dead beast on the spit thing with all the sides before you leave? How kind of you to fatten yourselves up for whatever tusked, horned, fanged monstrosity that's going to pick you off," I joked.

"Bah." He laughed even as he waved off my snark like a bad smell.

We stood there for a moment longer before he rumbled out softly, "Jo… When Jo come to big, empty hut." Mock shivering, he grumbled, "Need big boobs, keep warm. So cold."

A cackle of a laugh burst out of me. "Oh my god, that sounds so wrong." I paused to catch my breath. "I love it."

Looking very proud of himself as I swatted at him lightly, he caught my hand on the second swat. "Not just Baby miss Jo."

I got that butterflies-raving-in-my-gut feeling as he stared down at me, sincerity ringing in his voice, shining in his eyes.

But still, thinking over what had happened before, I hesitated. "I'll think about it, huh?"

Nodding, he quickly changed the subject. "Doogie say Jo help build Doogie hut."

"Help? Honey, I managed." With a snort, I lifted my nails towards my lips and blew on them. Beneath my thick lashes, I asked, "Did he tell you he's trying it with the smiths? He's pretty good at it. His stuff goes fast at market, or so I've heard."

"Rothy say Jo help Doogie see him's po-ten-shul." He sounded the word out slowly. There was no mistaking his pride in his nephew.

"Eh." I played it off. "I'd like to think he found it on his own." My hand lifted and I gestured vaguely. "If I maybe gave him a kick in the pants in the right direction… sure, okay, but that's all him in the end. He wouldn't have done any of that if he didn't want to."

"Jo goot. Goot to Rothy, Doogie, Baby…"

"They don't call me the potato-corn whisperer for nothing." Another peek up at him. My lips quirked. "They call me that, you know."

"Who call Jo that?" His mock frown was everything.

"Every cool person that ever existed." Clucking my tongue at him, I poked a claw into his chest, zipping it upward to flick the tip of his nose.

His grin had my lips tipping. "Course," he agreed with a chuckle, batting my hand away.

Glancing around, he asked, "Where other males?"

I blinked up at him innocently, but he just shook his head.

"Rek not come to bug, grumble, complain. Odix, Gopher, no hover."

Picked up on that, did he?

"Big hunt. Everyone's got shit to do." My hands lifted helplessly.

"Come. Eat me."

A mock gasp left me. "I thought this was a civilized pre-hunt barbecue?"

Wrapping an arm around me, letting it slide as I attempted to slip free, he locked it around my head, holding me pre-noogie captive.

"Ack! You brute!" Laughter exploded out of me. "What are you doing?!"

"Jo needs eat." Humor laced his tone. "Kooky helping."

"You beast! You're ruining my hair!" I looked a mess when we got there and he finally let me go. He tried to smooth the wild tangle he'd made of my lustrous locks back into place but it was too late.

Grabbing food up quickly, we joined Dorothy and her mates, her expansive family loosely gathered around.

Mina's daughter Lottie decided I was the better dinner companion, ditching her family group to plant herself in my lap. I babysat her from time to time and apparently I'd left an impression on her. Picking up my hands, she smoothed her fingers over my nails, pointing to each one and commenting on how pretty she thought they were. "I growed up, have big claws, just like Mojo Jojo," she told Kooky.

Kooky's eyebrows shot up as he tore off a large chunk of meat and chewed. Swallowing, he nodded along to what she said as he offered her toddler sized pieces, waiting until she'd finished to rumble, "Mojo Jojo?"

Before I could answer, she giggled, "She's Mojo Jojo, Kooky! Me," her hands pressed to her little chest, "Lottie."

A low grumble had me glancing over at Mina's group. Spying Rek joining Kirch, if looking reluctant to do so, my gaze quickly darted away.

"Wek!" Lottie cried, hopping up to dash away from me. I watched long enough to make sure she reached him and then pretended interest in my food.

Kooky lifted a hand in greeting, calling out to someone out of my field of vision.

Feeling eyes on me, I pretended otherwise. He'd dumped me. I had to keep reminding myself of the fact.

"Oh! Rosa and her bunch are here!" Dorothy shot up. "I'm going to go call them over!"

Odix's deep rumble, followed by Gopher's soft reply to Kooky had my head shooting up, gaze snapping in their direction. My eyes widened as I watched Kooky wave them over.

Leaning in, I yanked at his arm. "What are you doing?" I hissed. "They're going to think I planned this!"

"Why that matter?" Kooky scowled at the panicked look in my paling face.

"You don't understand," I whispered softly, but it was too late.

Odix and Gopher made their way closer. We scooted to make room for them, Odix opting to sit behind me as Gopher squished in next to me.

Boxed in by the three of them, I was both irrationally freaking out and pleased simultaneously.

Add to that those wild green eyes boring a hole into the side of my head, it was the trifecta of head fucks.

Kooky glanced between Odix and Gopher and grunted something at them that had them pausing and looking to each other in silent communication.

Gopher offered a response in return first, followed by Odix's low rumbling answer.

Kooky let out a short huff of a chuff, glanced away, then brought his gaze right back to meet mine. "Want Jo be happy."

There was a wealth of meaning beyond that simple statement.

"I am happy," I blurted.

Kooky said nothing of that but Odix and Gopher let out soft, unhappy grumbles that told me they'd caught the lie.

I jumped a little where I was seated, sitting cross legged on a blanket as we picnicked, as Odix suddenly rumbled something very close to my ear in his language, drawing Kooky's attention.

Kooky turned to look at him for a long moment before replying. I thought I heard Rek's name and Bum-bum's grumbling Lo denaii name come up but that didn't make any sense.

Why would they be talking about them?

Their conversation seemed to draw interest. I knew Kooky wasn't a crazy big talker. Maybe that was the draw?

Mal was good at figuring this stuff out, the body language expert of our besties trio, but she'd opted for a more private send off for Khri.

Whatever was being said, I figured Rosa's mates would tell her, then Rosa would pepper me about it.

I got the feeling the conversation was Joanie-centric but I didn't want to assume.

Something smacked me in the side of the head, pinging off my temple to drop to my lap. Dougie's snickering pricked my ears but I was distracted.

"Ow," I muttered, cupping the side of my head. That shit stung. Pulling my hand back, I froze, my gaze stuck on the deep red staining my fingers. Oh my god. "Am I bleeding?!"

My gaze shot up, finding Doogie's, a bit of an Et tu Brute? thing going on as I gaped at him. Doogie's snicker fell at the look on my face.

"Did you hit me with your stupid slingshot? Was that a rock?! Dougie!! You dick!" I burst out, wiping at my head hurriedly.

All traces of humor left his furry mug. "No! Not hurt! Look-"

I felt frantic, more panicked than the situation warranted, but that red was smeared all over my hands- It was everywhere!

"Oh my god, what happened?" I heard Dorothy faintly exclaim, but there was an ocean in my ears, my heart was thundering so loud.

Panic attack. I recognized it for what it was in the back of my mind— and I knew my reaction was a bit overkill but it wasn't even completely about that— it was fucking everything I'd built up— that imminent implosion— that conk on the head was just the straw that broke the camel's back— the catalyst.

My eyes watered. Everything was too loud. It was all too much. I was babbling, I'm not even sure what all I was blubbering.

Warm hands cupped my face as my world slipped into chaos.

"Jo." Smoky blue-grey eyes came into focus. "Jo," he crooned, "look. See. See?"

My hands had automatically shot up, gripping his.

"Be ‘kay. Jo ‘kay." His voice was firm, sure and strong. I believed him.

"I'm bleeding," I whispered, my voice hoarse and filled with anxiety.

"Bad trick. Blood berry. Doogie thinks him funny." Lifting his head to growl something over me, those eyes were quickly back on me. "He not."

"I'm- I'm not bleeding? It- It was a prank?"

"Jes," he soothed. "Little pinked spot." Another loud growl that wasn't aimed at me. "No blood. Jo ‘kay."

My fingers slid down his palms, settling loosely on his wrists. His fingers smoothed over my skin where they cupped it.

"‘Kay?"

My nod was jerky and awkward. "Okay."

Odix and Gopher's unhappy grumbles at Doogie's lame prank came into focus but it was the louder one that had me pulling free of Kooky's hold to try and find it.

I had just enough time to see Doogie hop up, ignoring everyone grumbling at him for his lame joke and its epic backfire, and shoot off.

It took me a moment to figure out the blur that nearly trampled folks, snarling as they chased after him.

Shooting up myself, I instantly gave chase with a screeched, "NO! REK NO!"

The hunt sendoff turned into madness, pure chaos.

Doogie ran for his life, Rek ran for him, I ran for Rek, there was what felt like a train of people behind me, but I couldn't let Rek catch him.

Doogie was Doogie. He was a big dummy sometimes with the crap practical jokes and the brotherly teasing, but he was also like family to me. Was I mad at him, of course— I didn't want him dead!

"Zigzag!" I shouted after Doogie. "He's not good with a zigzag!"

Rek snarled at me as if to say, Stop helping him, woman!

I used his momentary slow down to tackle him.

Like I weighed nothing, Rek quickly popped up with me latched on and his hunt continued. "Don't you dare! It was a stupid prank gone wrong! I'm fine! You can't kill him!"

Rek's growl said, Wanna bet?!

I felt like I was on a bucking bull, holding on for dear life as I flopped this way and that.

Doogie had made it all the way to a clearing near his hut.

I'd be slapping that boy around later not only for that prank but, really, dummy? A clearing?! Climb a fucking tree or something! Don't lead him to an open space!

Doogie paused and turned to Rek. He was giving him what he wanted— a fight.

Doogie was not the greatest fighter and neither was Rek, to be honest. Rek was too much of a hot head and Doogie was too deep inside his own head to think properly. They were quite evenly matched.

"If you hurt him, I'll never forgive you!" I bellowed above the din.

Rek turned, grabbing my hands to jerk them from him, ignoring the fur clutched in my hands in doing so, and easily slid me off his back.

"Don't do it!" Lurching forward, I grabbed his ankle, nearly tripping him. Rek easily shook me off. "Please!" I burst out.

There have been a few fights amongst Lo denaii that ended in blood shed, and in one incident death, or so I was told, though I've yet to personally witness one myself—and hopefully I never do. This was not something to fuck each other up over, not for me.

Rek paused and stared down at me for a long moment. His hair was standing on end, electrified, chest heaving like a bellows. With a barely perceptible nod, he turned away from me and stalked towards Doogie.

Doogie stood on the balls of his feet, bouncing in place. Hands up, claws extended, he looked like he was ready to fight but didn't really want to.

Rek growled something at Doogie that had the other male's eyes widening in surprise.

Rek attacked first, going at him with fists instead of claws, human style.

Doogie got the next punch in.

Screaming at them to stop, I scrambled for them but strong arms nabbed me up, holding me aloft as the fight ensued. Odix.

Gopher hovered beside him, the pair ignoring my pleas to make them stop, let me go. A sense of betrayal filled me.

They just stood by and watched as Rek and Doogie exchanged barbs and punched each other's lights out.

I was hysterical at this point— I didn't care what anyone else thought. That panic of earlier returned.

Where was Kooky? Was he too just standing by watching?

Like thinking his name had conjured him, Kooky strode forward, a huge water bucket in his arms, Veck's biceps bulging as he followed up beside him with a similar super sized jug of water.

Berkr and Tarnk brought up the rear.

Berkr tackled Rek, then Tarnk piled on.

Instead of dousing Doogie and Rek, Kooky doused Rek, then Veck waited a moment as Rek coughed, gasped, but then started to snarl again, and Veck dumped his burden over him next.

Doogie stood there, wiping blood from his nose, breathing heavily but looking otherwise calm and collected. It hadn't really been his fight.

Kirch stood off to the side, hands on his hips, expression unreadable, as if waiting for Rek to deflate so he could help him up and drag his ass home.

Setting his water bucket down next to Veck's, Kooky strode towards us. Walking right up to Odix, he didn't ask, he demanded, "Give."

Odix thought to grumble at first, but thought better of it when Kooky bared his teeth at him and his fangs dropped, growing longer, thicker. Those smoky blue-grey eyes I found mesmerizing flushed until they were eclipsed in inky darkness.

The second his hands were on me I practically leapt into his arms. Kooky curled me into him and turned to leave without another word.

Pressing the side of my face to his, my chin on his shoulder, sniffling and wondering just how much I looked like a clown right now, makeup dragging down my face, I felt eyes on me and glanced up.

Hands fisted at his sides, Rek simply stood there, blood trickling down his busted up eyebrow and nose. Our eyes met and held. We kept eye contact until he was a speck in the distance.

Kooky remained silent the entire trek back to Celuk's. He waited until I'd showered and eaten before venturing quietly, "Jo want talk?"

"Don't you have a hunt to go to?" I replied quietly, picking apart the bread on my plate bit by bit. I didn't really feel like talking at all.

"It wait," he said simply.

"Not on account of me, I hope," I mumbled, giving up pretending I was eating to drag my mug of tea closer to me.

"No." Shrugging, he grabbed my plate and took care of it.

"Liar," I muttered, but my lips quirked a little when he turned back to me with a single raised eyebrow.

"Jo want talk now?"

"No," I said slowly, putting emphasis on the word like he was slow to catch on.

"‘Kay. I talk. Jo listen." Taking my hand, he held it captive, presumably so I couldn't hurry off.

"I don't-"

"Want Jo," he started off, which stunned me stupid. His thumb began to stroke warmth into my skin as he stared into my wide eyes. "Want Jo all the times." His claws unsheathed, looking more like the dangerous weapons I knew they could be. "Want Jo bad." His eyes flushed as his voice hitched.

"You have that mate lust stuff that Gopher struggles with," I blurted. "You never said anything."

"Learn more hand words, take Tokre with on hunt, ‘member, yes?"

When I nodded, he continued. "Noyel say to Rothy after they mate and he talk Tokre, him think that what Tokre had. Make Tokre rough. Not take care at first him Rosielindy."

"But he's fine now, isn't he?" I interrupted.

Kooky's fingers gave mine a light squeeze. "Take time. Asked Tokre. Him say get better, Noyel and Zhuii with Rosa help."

It was on the tip of my tongue to point out I thought it was getting better for Gopher, too, but refrained. That can of worms didn't feel the least bit appropriate to bring up right now.

But also, "You've been looking into ways to- to be with me?"

Bringing my palm to his face, he nuzzled right into it. His eyes closed as his nostrils widened. "Jes." The purr that cranked to life in his chest vibrated my hand.

"I want you, too," I told him.

His eyes cracked open, his smile slow and lazy, slumberous. "I know."

When I scowled at that, his lips pulled into a wicked grin.

"Jerk," I muttered, reaching out to smack my hand to his face and shove him off of me.

His smile fell when I bit my lip and sat there for a minute, debating on where to go from here. "What now?"

"We go… slow," he rumbled out softly. "Long time slow," he emphasized. Placing a kiss to my palm, he took my hand in his. "No want hurt Jo."

He wanted me. That was all I'd needed to hear. "We can go slow."

"Long slow," he stressed.

Giving him a jaunty salute, a silly smile tipped my lips. "I'll make snails look like race car drivers."

Kooky blinked at that. "No know that means… but ‘kay."

"We'll go as slow as you need to," I elaborated.

Looking like he wanted to say more, he hesitated. "How Jo feel… Celuk come stay here?"

"Celuk?" My eyes nearly bugged. "Wait, you mean here, with us?" My silly grin was now a concerned frown. "I heard he's unstable, like make you or me look like a kitten crazy. I've probably heard too many things about him to be totally comfortable around him, actually." Blowing out a deep breath, I didn't know what to say. "We could relocate to my place. I'm assuming you either don't have one to be crashing here all the time, or your hut isn't ready yet…"

A shuttered look came over the male, making me wonder if I'd just totally stepped in it with him. "Uhm, what if I use the time he's here to hang at my place and you two can kinda have your own brotherly… dude time or whatever? Make your own beast jerky, shit with the door open, whatever it is you get up to without any estrogen around."

Kooky cocked his head, eyeing me. "Jo think ‘bout it?"

"Yeah, of course, I mean, I am staying at his place and everything, after all." It was only right, right? I wasn't ungrateful. "I'm not trying to be a dick… I've just heard a lot of, uhm, things…"

I wanted to ask him more but his opinion of Celuk might be colored— they were brothers and from what I gathered had a strong bond. Kooky understood him better than most.

"What things?" he grunted out, brow beetling.

"He once killed some crazy sounding named ginorma-beast with his bare hands, all by himself."

A chuff of a grunt left Kooky. "It attack first."

"I've seen drawings of that thing," I breathed. "They're fucking massive."

His face screwed up, nose crinkling in the process. "They stink."

"I'm sure that was the worst part of it," I drawled wryly.

A sharp bark of laughter left him. "Mouth bigger than boobs," he shot back, grinning when a sharp bark of a laugh left me.

Standing, he walked over to me and held his hand out. Putting my hand in his, he helped me up. Before I knew what was what, he leaned in to impulsively peck a kiss to my lips. "Stinky beast try to eat me," he rumbled, a mock shudder leaving him. "Stinks on outside but inside worse."

Jerking away from his nibbling kisses, I gaped at him. "One of those things tried to eat you, and you were stuck inside it? It what, gobbled you up whole?"

"Grab up, toss into air first, then try to chomp. Curl in ball, save legs. Swallow instead."

"Oh my god, stop talking! I already have nightmares about the shit creepy crawling around out there, I don't need any more specific visuals!"

Kooky paused, headed towards my room. "No want hear ‘bout Celuk kill beast?"

"No!" I fairly howled. "I most certainly do not want to rehash you getting swallowed up by a monster and then cut out of it!"

His eyes twinkled even as his lips lay flat, unsmiling.

"All better now," he assured me with a shrug.

"Well, I'd hope so!" My spluttering exasperation greatly amused him. Hugging him to me, I muttered as I pressed my ear to his chest, soaking in his warmth. "I'm glad I amuse you. Your straight face isn't fooling anyone." My finger poked his chest, making him chuckle. "You're a beast."

Entering the bedroom, he set me down on the bed and started in on the laces to my boots.

"I sleep here," he grunted out.

"I hope so after that shit story you just terrorized me with," I huffed and puffed, enjoying the twitch of his lips as smoky tinted peepers found mine. Slipping off my coat, I dumped it on his head, slipping my foot out of my boot as he unlaced the last one, to roll away from him.

Popping up, dumping my coat and boot, he caught me up in the bedding, curling me into him so he was spooning me from behind.

"Slow," he reminded, nuzzling into my hair as we settled in.

"Slow," I agreed. I remembered. I might smell like I was raring to go, I couldn't help it when it came to him, but I had no intention of acting on it.

"It's still kinda early to be calling it a day," I pointed out, though I had no intention of getting out of this damn bed.

Kooky made a fake snoring sound. His arms tightened around me.

"Want hold, little bit longer, ‘fore leave, catch up others," he rumbled out softly as my fingers settled over his and I ran them through the fur on the top of his hand.

"I'm going to miss you, monster bait." My fingers went from gently brushing his fur to teasingly plucking at tufts of it.

Those thick arms holding me tightened and he tucked my arms in tight to roll us. Fingers crept up my sides, tickling them as he easily held me down. "Monster bait," he mock growled. "Show Jo monster bait."

"Ack! No! No tickling! Eek! Ack! Nooo!" I was breathless but giggling my ass off by the time he let me up for air.

With a happy rumble, he leaned in and nuzzled a very specific spot on my throat.

I knew right then and there, exactly who Kooky was. "You dick! This whole time?" I felt so stupid for not realizing it, I laughed even as my face reddened.

Kooky rolled me over to frown down at me. "What do wrong?"

"What did you do wrong? Monster bait, were you ever going to tell me you were my mystery mate?!"

A heavy grunt left him. He was genuinely curious as he mumbled, "What give ‘way?"

Gripping the fur on his chin, I jerked him towards me and nipped the tip of his nose, an action that had his purr rumbling on full blast. Eyeing him, I leaned back in to nuzzle my nose along his.

"We go slow," he whispered as his eyes squeezed shut tight, signaling I needed to ease up as his big body started to tremble horribly. I knew the signs from Gopher.

"Sorry," I whisperingly apologized.

Shaking himself out, he took a deep breath. "No be sorry. I like. Like too much." His face pulled into a frown but I reached out and smoothed out his puckered brow.

"It's okay. It's kinda hot."

A groan left him and he dropped down atop me, mashing his face into those big boobs he seemed quite attached too.

"I bet that's not helping, either," I muttered, to a head shake from him within the cavern of muh girls, and then another groan from him.

"I wish you didn't have to go," I admitted.

"Need go back. Jo has things work out with Rek." He said this so calmly and matter of fact. Like it just was what it was.

"Rek's going on the hunt with you, and he made himself pretty clear he was done with me when he said as much, last time we had an actual conversation."

"He challenge Doog for Jo." His voice was muffled in my breasts but his point still stood.

"I'm not with Doogie. He can't challenge him for me. That's bananas."

Lifting his head, holding himself up by his arms, he quirked an eyebrow at me. "Rek do, though."

"I don't know what to say to that." My hands shot out and up, then fell to the bed on either side of me, arms outstretched.

"No need say anything. Jo know." His head cocked to the side, blue-grey eyes studying me.

Unwilling to meet his gaze, I muttered as I stared at the wall, "I don't know anything anymore."

Picking up on my tone, he nodded and dropped it. Lifting up off of me, he pulled me up along with him.

"Jo want more take to village?" Jerking his chin at my things, he waited.

"I'm mad at Gopher and Odix. They just stood there and watched."

"Keep Jo safe. Them no like Rek." He was simply stating facts.

Huffing and puffing as I redressed, accepting his help in lugging the items I pointed out to the door, I finally grumbled, "Quit being so reasonable! Let me be the bat shit nutbag you fell for!"

"Yes'm," he rumbled out with poorly muffled mirth.

"Thin ice, buddy," I tsked as he Yes'm-ed me like Dorothy's mates do her— the turd, "skatin' on thin ice." Face washed, makeup redone, some cuddle time with Kookypants under my belt to hold me for a while, I felt marginally better.

Why, though, like with Gopher, Odix, Rek, Bum-bum, did I feel like we still weren't truly mates? I had the bite mark, the fluffy blanket coat, yet I hesitated to give us that title. It felt… half finished.

"The more I think on your hijinks, the more I wanna smack you in the face," I muttered as I sashayed my generous rump right out the front door, leaving him to play bag boy.

Baby was waiting and hitched, feet stamping impatiently.

I opened my mouth to greet her as I moved closer but strong arms came around me, lifting me up as Kooky buried his face in my throat, nipping my skin playfully, mock growling until I was a snort-chortling mess. "No fight. Mess up face," he laughingly warned, sounding more carefree than I'd ever heard him.

"I'll mess up your face!" I laughingly threatened.

"No time." He sighed. "Beat me up later, I get back."

Setting me on my feet, he grunted when I went to step forward but couldn't. He'd yet to let go of me.

On my second attempt, I laughed and swatted at the arm wrapped around me, settled across my chest. "Unless you're going to waddle-walk behind me, monster bait, you've gotta let me go."

His chest rumbled with discontent. Placing a kiss to my throat, he growled out softly, "Never."

Turning in his arms, I just meant to hug him, respecting his need to go slow. With a deep rumble in his chest, my plan was thwarted, his lips smashing to mine in an unpracticed yet delightful nonetheless kiss.

One kiss turned into two, then three, deepening a little more each time, and then warm hands quickly started roaming, urging me closer to him, pressing me tight up against the thick, fur wrapped steel pole he was sporting.

"Slow. Slow," he muttered between kisses, grabbing my ass in both hands to try and hoist me up.

"This isn't slow," I murmured breathlessly as he began peppering kisses down my jaw, headed for the bite marks he'd left as my mystery mate.

When he didn't seem to care about going slow at all, I said fuck it and went for broke.

My arms wrapped around his neck, fingers burying into the thick but short mane at the back of his head. I wanted his lips on mine, working us both up so when he decided to re-mark me my mind was so glazed over with lust I didn't give a single shit.

My brain stalled for a full minute when his grip on me tightened and a deep snarl rumbled up his throat.

My grip on him loosened but the growl remained.

He was in charge, not me.

The second I went lax in his arms, the snarl settled down. His lips were at my throat now, fangs scraping, but I was no longer aroused, as I had been before.

I could be pretty thick sometimes but I wasn't that fucking stupid. Poking the bear, sure, I did that sometimes. I wasn't about to kick a bee hive at it and see what happens!

He was just shy of biting down on my old bite marks from him, nipping at my flesh a little too hard, before he paused, inhaled deeply, and completely slammed on the brakes.

Jerking back with a hard grunt, he kept one hand on my ass, my legs loosely wrapped around his hips, my feet crossed at his back helping to keep me in place. Like a switch had been flipped, his blown out pupils quickly went back to normal, until smoky blue-grey peepers were peering down at me, eyeing me cautiously.

Reaching out, I tentatively brushed my fingers along the side of his face, near his temple. "You okay?"

Grunting softly in reply, a bone deep, jarring purr rumbled from him as he leaned into my touch.

"Too fast," I murmured softly.

His brow pulled into a frown and he gave a sharp nod. The slip of blue-grey peeking from the sliver of a slit he cracked his eye open, eyeing me hungrily, said he'd love nothing more than to continue, but he was jerking, trembling hard to hold back, to fight it.

His mate lust thing didn't rear its head until I got handsy back, I noted, wondering if it was worth exploring the idea at a later date or maybe I was just reaching for an easy solution.

Lord knows none of my Yeti dating endeavors have been particularly easy going.

"You should probably set me down." My gaze dragged from him and slipped down towards the ground pointedly.

That snarl was back again, the grip of his hand on my ass tightening.

"Ugh. That's not filled with jam," I muttered, wincing and leaning a bit closer to him in the hopes of relieving some of the pressure.

Kooky's snarl cut off instantly and he quickly set me down.

Not wanting him to think I was rejecting him in any way, shape, or form because I've so been there myself— done that, got the t-shirt— totally hate it— zero stars— I took his hand and intertwined our fingers. Smiling up at him, I hoped it conveyed I wasn't fussed about any of that.

In fact, truth be told, I was a lil worried about walking around with residual arousal from this hounding me. The lady blue balls— blue lips?— whatever— it was so a thing.

Swinging our hands between us, I waggled my eyebrows at him. "I believe you have somewhere to be and a lady to drop off in the village."

"No want go." He blinked at his admission, a myriad of emotions projecting.

Surprise, confusion, wonder at the very idea Mr. Hunter did not in fact want to go play wild woodsman, frustration because he so still had to go, elation every time he stole a peek down at me, amusement that I was still swinging our hands back and forth and grinning up at him like a fool, all giving way to worry, until his brow was creased into a scowl.

"You'll go hunt and do hunting things, and I'll hang at the village and keep my bullshit to a minimum, and then when you get back we'll snuggle the fuck out of each other in bed, back home, comfy cozy." Swinging our hands a little higher, I broke my hold. Glancing over my shoulder at him as I sashayed my round little ass away, I tossed him an overdone wink. "They say absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"No," he grunted out, adjusting his erection as he quietly stalked after me, all the up to the sled to help me inside.

I laughed at the vehemence in his tone, the certainty in his voice. Staring at the sled questioningly, I noticed the seat was more of a bench now, and higher. Was it always that shiny looking? He'd upgraded it.

Kooky followed me right in, quickly slipping in, all slick and Mr. Smooth, plopping down to spin me around and jerk me down next to him, half on, half off his lap.

A happy rumble mixed with a purr left him as he wrapped an arm around me and picked up Baby's reins.

"This is nice," I complimented, snuggling down a little deeper into him, until my ass was flat to the bench beside him. Half on, half off, was not a very comfortable way to travel, even if it did put me that much closer to fully sitting in his lap.

Slow. He needs to go slow.

My gaze darted around as Kooky gave the signal to Baby and she took off.

"So… when do I get to learn to drive?" The hopeful look in my eyes died when he laughed.

Ugh. Males. Spoilsport.

Wrapping his arms around me tighter, curling me in closer, he held the reins out to me.

My smile said it all, making him once more laugh.

"Instructions!" I called over the wind. "That's my Baby pulling this sleigh! I have zero desire to put us in a ditch!"

"Follow path. Tell Baby go like this," he explained, taking the time to show me exactly what to do, and then what not to do, holding me in his arms all the while.

Too worried about not crashing this thing to even dare, I resisted the temptation to steal peeks at him, but I could hear the smile in his voice all the same.

By the time we'd reached Dorothy's, I jokingly bragged about my expert sleigh guiding skills. Honestly, I was bummed despite the ride, knowing that when it ended that meant Kooky would be running off to catch up to the others.

Not liking the idea of him rushing off all by his lonesome to a big-party hunt far enough out there as it was, I did my best not to keep him.

"No more lollygaggin', monster bait. Let's get this show on the road," I insisted, taking his hand again in mine and swinging it between us as he walked me to my hut.

Dorothy stood on her porch watching us go, grinning from ear to ear, hushing Lukar as he popped out along with her, leaning over the railing making silly comments about the loves, teasing his brother.

"You'll be safe," I muttered as we walked. He was content to walk along with me, listening to my endless stream of jibber jabber about everything and nothing. Stealing my millionth peek at him, I cleared my throat and mumbled, "You'll look after Gopher for me, huh?"

Kooky glanced down at me, a small smile tipping his lips. "No want you Kooky watch Odix? Rek…?"

"Odix can look after himself." I knew that for a fact. "He's the griz of Yetidom. You two could probably team up and take down a herd of those stink monster things if you wanted to."

Kooky grinned at that.

His gentle nudge-bump with his arm to mine told me I hadn't completely answered his inquiry to his satisfaction.

"Rek's a big boy," I muttered under my breath.

"‘Kay," he said with a shrug, like that was that.

"Maybe… maybe watch out for him, too. Maybe more so than Gopher…" The more I thought on it, the more anxious I felt about that big dummy doing even bigger dummy things, as if to top himself.

"Why Jo say that?" He was all but laughing outright. He knew. Oh… anybody who's had a run-in with my ex headache knew .

"Gopher, I worry about because he's not the biggest, or the baddest— beating Rek up doesn't count because it's Rek— but, I mean, unlike Rektal, he knows when to quit," I burst out, shaking my head at the very idea of Rek running around all willy nilly in the wilds, on the loose.

"Lo denaii careful. Group hunts, keep groups. Safety in groups, big beast hunts. Jo males be safe."

"None of them are my males, not really," I admitted. It felt good to say it out loud, to confess this nagging in between I felt stuck in. "It's like there's bits to each that are missing and my just fucking say it half of me is catatonic at the thought of putting it out there, rocking the boat, and fucking shit up even more."

His curious look invited me to spill my guts, so I did.

"They only popover to have fun, then they're off doing whatever else. They call those booty calls on Earth. I just- It's not- There's something missing- I can't-"

"Jo." Kooky cleared his throat, then cleared it again as I rambled on. When he called my name again, harder, harsher, I finally shut up and glanced over to stare at him questioningly.

A garbled noise had my gaze shooting towards my hut, where two tall figures, one heavier and thicker than the other, had apparently been waiting for me.

Odix picked up his gear and mumbled something before taking off. Not once did he look back, his shoulders drooped, head low. He was too far away from us for me to make out what he was saying, or if it was even in a language I could understand.

"Odix, I- Wait!" I called out, but it was no use.

Gopher met my gaze evenly, the hurt in his eyes evident. His lips thinned as he spied Kooky's grip tightening on my hand, holding me back when I would have run after Odix.

"Goph, I-"

Glaring at Kooky, sparing me a very short, disparaging look, Gopher took off after Odix.

"I just keep fucking this up," I whispered as my stomach dropped.

"No fuck up. Jo no' say being mean. Jo say feelings. Lo denaii good ears. Not want to hear, but truth."

We were right in front of my door now.

"I wouldn't want to hear it either, were I in their shoes," I blurted, swallowing thickly. Shrugging from his hold, I started to pace in front of my hut. "I should go after them. Apologize. Explain myself. I-"

"No." Kooky grabbed my hand, then the other. "No," he repeated softly. "No follow. Jo no go, be in danger." Dragging me closer, he grunted out. "I go. Jo stay, be safe."

"And what? Explain I'm an idiot to them and I feel horrible?" I mumbled into his fur as he curled me close and hugged me to him tight.

"Prom-ess. Prom-ess Jo stay. No follow Odix, Gopher."

When I didn't immediately answer, a growl rattled his chest. Ooph. Kooky upset was so fucking hot, with a pinch of don't piss him the fuck off.

"Promise," I mumbled against his warmth.

Pulling back, he had to unsuction-cup my ass from him, forcing me to reluctantly let go.

"I go. Be goot. No follow. Serious. My Jo be goot," he grumbled down at me.

With a tiny smirk I wasn't feeling and no small amount of snark, I sassed, "Aren't I always?" Wriggling back into his arms, I sighed, the sound long and loud. "Whatcha gonna do to me if I'm not, huh?" My eyebrows waggled playfully as I pulled back to stare up at him expectantly.

With a growl, he bent and kissed me, taking my lips hungrily. "Be goot," he growled out between hard, panty wetting smooches.

By the time he released me, he was mate-lust snarling hungrily but still in full control of himself, eyes as black as pitch and all.

He got two steps towards the woods before he was rushing me, crushing me to him to scoop me up and take my parted lips in a hot liplock guaranteed to leave me wanting and aching.

The first tentative brush of my tongue along his and his claws extended, a soft, pained noise leaving me as claws dug into my arms.

Like cold water had just been dumped over our heads, he jerked back and quickly set me down.

"I'm fine," I insisted, holding my hands up when he would have rushed me to check me out. Licking my lips, a small, rueful grin tipped my stunned puss. "Sorry. My bad. I forgot your wet n wild side isn't fond of sharing control."

When he would have stepped closer, I laughed and waved him off.

"Jo- Jo hurt?" he grunted out, eyeing me worriedly.

Lifting my hand, I waved him off. "Don't be silly. I'm fine! We got a lil carried away. It's all good. From now on, we're in slow mo mode. It'll be like dating a snail until you get your bearings. No worries." Scooping up a snowball, I held it up warningly. "Don't make me make you leave," I taunted.

Kooky grinned, though he looked unsure as to just how alright I really was. Adjusting the pack on his back, he still hesitated to leave.

"The sooner you leave, monster bait, the sooner you'll be back here and I'll have you all to myself," I singsonged.

With that, and a promise from me to be on my best behavior, he left.

The second he was through the trees, no trace of white fur to be had, I spun around and threw my door open. I could feel the blood rolling down my arms. He'd gotten me pretty good. I was lucky he hadn't caught the scent right away or he'd have stayed out of guilt. The hunt was his livelihood. It was who he was.

It was like my sewing and other various projects were for me. They gave me a sense of purpose.

Grabbing my bags to drag them inside, I almost came face to foam with a pool noodle tangle. "What the…"

My hut was jam packed with crap, stuffed to the brim. I couldn't even set a foot inside, it was so tightly crammed in.

Rek.

This was the shit he'd gotten off my list. I noticed that fucking bicycle bell right off.

How had he- When did-

ARGH!

Didn't fucking matter.

Resisting the urge to wince, I debated on whether or not going to Dorothy's to get stitched up was the right move or not. I had a very horrible feeling I was going to need a stitch or two. Maybe eight. Every finger but his thumbs had pierced my skin, I knew that much.

Focusing on taking deep, even breaths, I forced myself to calm the fuck down and think.

Who else did I know that could stitch me up right, that wouldn't somehow get it back to Kooky…

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you since…" Rosa's voice trailed off as she got a good gander at the hot mess that is my cabin.

"I don't wanna talk about it," I blurted, dropping my hand as I sighed heavily.

Rosa's eyes widened as her gaze dipped.

"What?" I muttered, closing my eyes, tilting my head towards the sky for a moment. Dating a furball was a freaking injury hazard, but not like I'd imagined. And getting clawed up or straight up bitten with nothing to temper it, was so not as fun as they made it sound in sexy monster romances. Definitely not afterward, the whole sore and healing puncture wounds shit. Ow.

Thank god for good timing and numbing salves.

"You're- Joans, you're bleeding!"

"Shh. Lower your voice, wouldja," I muttered, giving her a look.

Rosa gave me a look right back.

Debating on how to handle this, she grabbed at my purse strap, leading me around by it as I grumbled and bitched behind her.

"Noyel won't say anything," she murmured, sparing me a short glance over her shoulder that seemed to confirm her suspicion that was exactly what I was hemming and hawing about.

"You're sure?" I muttered, hesitating to add anything further.

"If I ask him, he won't," she assured me.

"Thanks," I mumbled softly, finding it oddly satisfying to see her rocking her tiger mama side, owning that shit. Go, Rosie.

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked softly as we trekked along.

"About what?" When in doubt, play dumb.

Stopping dead in her tracks, the long, measuring look she gave me said Take your pick, I'm all ears.

"Nope. Not really."

She nodded and kept walking. Never pushing, at my pace. I loved the shit out of this woman for it.

"Read any good books lately?" I was dead serious. She had an epic collection thanks to Zhuii.

"Nice segue," she snarked, but continued before I could snark back, "Once we get your arm checked out and your hut squared away, you can peruse my library." Her eyes shined with happiness at the mention of her lady cave.

"Lucky bitch," I said with a chuckle.

"Don't I know it," she singsonged, then laughed happily.

???

E ighteen stitches later, two for each puncture wound, I was unhappily but willingly, lightly sauced and nice and properly numbed. Noyel had thought it best to irrigate each puncture— since I was unwilling to state exactly how I'd gotten them, though it didn't take a genius to figure it out— then pack them with a salve that was akin to an antibiotic ointment, to prevent infection, which the numbing salve could not completely do its job on because the punctures were too deep— hence the swig of happy sauce laced tea he swore was milder than Prokar's punch that I was already regretting.

I was tea sleepy and horribly buzzed, so much so that when Rosa asked yet again if I wanted to talk about it, I said yes but then said nothing, and she prompted me to continue, my hooch addled mind had all the little Sponge dudes running around in my head burning all important files, and my body decided the only option was to burst into tears.

It was so bad I was worried the kids might overhear Auntie Joanie's total nervous breakdown and I was not about to let any of my bullshit affect those sweet babies.

Taking it outside, I insisted I was fine to go home, despite Rosa's protests and the fact I was still muffling sobs into the tea towel sized bit of kitchen cloth her startled mates had shoved at me.

The cool air chilling my skin offered me some semblance of calm. The threat of vomiting was down to a manageable fifty percent.

My jacket was yet again gross, this time with my own dried, crusted blood. That thing has been through some shit, lemme tell ya.

Frowning in a foot of snow, my wet boot threatening to freeze my foot off with the aid of my damp sock, I stumbled five steps, ignoring Rosa following after me, insistent I stop being an idiot, while Noyel choke-laughingly hurried after, explaining that the Joanster is obviously not totally home right now, and it was just a big ol' bowl of bullshit soup I was totally done with.

Stumbling, I tripped and flopped right into a fat pile of the fluffy white stuff.

"I'm- I'm erk-ay," I garbled out. "Canned feel my flace anyway."

"I can't just leave her like this and her place is a mess! It's like a hoarder lives there!" Rosa's soft screech pricked my ears.

I assumed she was hand-speaking with Tokre or whispering after her outburst, or possibly too softly to Noyel for me to overhear.

"Of course we can make her stay here! Does she look like she can properly put up a fight? I don't care what she wants!! What do you mean, she's staying at Celuk's? Since when?" There was a pause. "Why didn't I know this?" Another pause. "Whatever. It's too far out. That place will be empty then and I don't want her there all by herself. Someone or something hurt her." A much longer pause. "Do that then. Bia knew about this, too? Did he tell Mina? Does she know? What about Khri? Bauheg? Mally? What about that Go' guy she pals around with?" With a loud huff, she grumbled, "It doesn't matter. I get it. We'll sort it out later. Let's just… worry about right now and get her outta the snow and the cold."

Lifting up, I started to crawl away. I was just fine. I was pretty warm, in fact, despite losing feeling in my hands and feet.

"Jo?"

"Noo…" A groan left me. I knew that voice. I wasn't happy with that voice. That voice belonged to the asshole that set off a strange chain of events that some of it I'm both elated about and the other bits I just want to strangle him for.

Crawling around Doogie's thick legs, and right past him, I could hear Noyel telling her to hold on while he stepped forward.

"Doogie want aphologize," he started to say, to my butt or somewhere abouts that area, but I just kept mumble talking my thoughts aloud, sniffing and snuffling like a snot nosed twit all the while. "Jo…?"

"I'm dreaming. This is a nightmare. No, no, no. It was so pretty in the middle," I mumbled and winced as my stitches pulled.

"Blood," Doogie burst out, walking over to me and bending to lift me up, pausing as he reached for my arms as Noyel snapped something at him. "I no do it!" Doogie spluttered, incredulous. "Jo- Jo like ‘noying girl brother. No want Jo like that!"

"Oh, barf," I mumbled as Doogie followed Noyel's instructions on picking me up without hurting my boo-boos. Leaning into him, I wiped my nose on him like a hanky.

The disgusted noise he let out had my lips tipping up in a watery smile. "Love you too, dummy," I mumbled.

Noyel burst out laughing like that was the funniest thing ever.

Karma, baby.

"Not karman. Who karman?" Doogie garbled out in alarm. "How much you give? She not act right!"

Apparently, I was talking out loud.

"Loud," Noyel pointed out.

"Nobody asked you, Great Value Lukar with your med bag and know it all ‘tude. It's like if Daisy were a tall, furry guy with medical knowledge," I snapped, before immediately apologizing at the look on his face.

It was Doogie's turn to burst out laughing.

"Not funny," Noyel grumbled.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that. I didn't mean it," I fairly wailed.

"You mean it," Doogie chuckled, then howled as something sent him stumbling, fighting to keep ahold of me. "Ow! No hit! I hold broken Jo!"

He was right, I was so broken.

Clamping my lips shut, I muffled sobs, forcing them down, but they just kept coming.

"Jo not broken," Noyel said softly. "Doogie tell," he barked, to which Doogie dutifully replied contritely that I was in fact not broken, but I so was and neither of them could tell me otherwise.

Once I felt like I'd gotten ahold of myself, I insisted Doogie put me down, though I accepted his assistance home. I had no idea how else I was going to get home. Assistance was required at this point.

At a stumbling, shuffling pace, I led the way, with Doogie standing my demanded respectable distance away because drunk me was sick of everyone not getting he was the little brother I never wanted but nobody better not mess with. Sober me was going to hate drunk me in the morning and these loose lips.

Doogie was talking behind me but I wasn't paying attention. I was cold, wet, and not even remotely done being a watering pot. The dam was broken. The Joanie was broken. I needed a quiet, warm, safe place to let it all out or I risked exploding and emotionally vomiting all over the nearest presence yet again.

Stumbling for the millionth time and hissing the moment I heard approaching foot steps behind me, I leaned against the hut I'd almost face planted into. Staring at it owlishly, I frowned. "Did we do a cirdle? A girdle… curdle… sir-cull. Ugh… I hate myself sometimes. I really do." Frowning, I worked my mouth. "Why am I so loud? Am I loud? Why is everything so loud?"

"You yell," Doogie chimed in mildly.

My eyes narrowed on him— both of him. "Listen, you… two."

Both of them widened their eyes in surprise.

"Yeah. Both of ya. Mind ya business."

Doogie laughed but his mouth didn't move. My hands went to my own mouth in wonder. What the fuck was in that shit?! "Really shouldn't give that stuff to humans," I garbled out, fighting not to puke as I let out an ugly burp not two seconds later. Holding onto the building, I burped again and again, worrying revisiting that tea today was imminent. "Oh god."

"Wrong way," Doogie called after me, some distance behind me.

"Don't care. Might puke," I mumbled under my breath, taking the path to my place. Maybe puking on things would be an improvement.

Right, so, I thought this was the way to my place.

Spying a large figure emerging from the woods, watching the way he paused, looking as stunned to see me as I was him considering I thought he'd rushed off on the hunt, a sharp cry left me as he turned around as if to run away from me.

"That's right! You run, you coward!" I screamed after Bum-bum's shadowy figure. Grabbing up a huge snowball, I chucked it at him. It fell sadly short, and this for some strange reason got me crying again.

Rage, tears, Lo denaii moonshine induced emotional dysregulation— fun times.

Slumping to the ground, staring down at my snow covered hands, no idea where my gloves went or if I'd even had any with me or on me today, I cried harder.

I heard someone approaching behind me but I didn't care. The sob fest, to my eternal embarrassment, continued.

Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me back against them until I was swallowed up in heat. One chest rumble and I knew it wasn't Doogie. A short glance up, spying Rek, and things got ugly.

"What wrong my Jojomine?" he whispered hoarsely, curling me into his lap to slowly rock me.

"Everything's a mess! I don't know what the fuck I'm doing! I'm in so far over my fucking head it's not even funny! You hate me! You ruined my hut and now I have nowhere to live! Kooky didn't mean it! I didn't mean to hurt them, but now Odix and Gopher probably hate me too! Noyel gave me spiked tea and I don't care how much salve you put on it, it still fucking hurt when he shoved his finger in there full of goop! Now I'm hallucinating!" I wailed.

"Where No-yell shove gooped fingers in Jojoanie, makes it hurt?!" he snapped.

"Huh?" Sniffling, I wiped my eyes on the back of my jacket sleeve, frowning at the pissed, gaping look on his face.

"The holes in my arms he had to stitch up." I stared at him uncomprehendingly. "Where else would he put them?"

Rek let out a hard grunt and curled me into his arms better, easily popping up with me in tow to cart me off.

Sniffling, fighting off a mad case of the weepies, I tearfully ran my fingers along the side of his face, tracing his jaw. "I've missed you. I don't care if you're not real and I'm talking to a shovel or something, I love you. I hate that you hate me."

Pausing, he stared down at me. With an even louder grunt, he mumbled under his breath, like he was embarrassed and thought I was making a scene, even though it was just us, "Rek no hate Jojomine."

"You don't? You- You mean it?"

When he gave a very brief, short nod, I smiled happily and grabbed his face. Planting one on him, I didn't let go until he was purring so loudly it sounded like an engine idling.

I moaned out loud, dying to wriggle closer. My tongue slipped inside his mouth when he groaned and his lips parted for me. Like I was determined to suck his tongue clean from his head, I kept it up until he was forced to stop so he could bark something in Lo denaii over his shoulder.

Adjusting his hold on me, a growl entered his voice. I thought he might put me down, so I buried my hand in the fur near his neck, gripping it tight enough as I rested my head on his chest, if he did separate us it wouldn't be without him sporting an enormous bald patch for it.

"Don't leave me. Promise. I wanna stay with you."

"Rek promiss," he rumbled out easily, ignoring the grumbles behind us to cart me off to his place.

I was half awake when we reached his hut and he unlocked the door to carry me inside.

"My wet and my boot is leaky," I warned him when he would have set me on the bed. No, that didn't sound right.

Setting me gently on my feet on the rug near the fire, he went to the door and stepped just outside, using his body to block my view.

Peeling off my wet clothes, I draped them over his chairs and then quickly climbed under his covers on his bed. Oooo. So comfy warm. Tucking them up to my chin, surrounded by his scent, I closed my eyes on a jaw cracking yawn.

"I'm still cold," I said as I literally shivered a little. "Rek? Warm me?"

Rek glanced over his shoulder, stopped dead in his tracks, then quickly shoved his door shut with a half mumbled answer, locked it, and slowly approached his bed.

My legs sawed under the blankets.

"I need my personal heater," I mumbled sleepily, wriggling to my side to give him more room.

Someone banged on the door but it was muffled.

"I need a door like your new one," I told him. "Very nice."

When he still hadn't climbed into bed, my eyes cracked open. He looked like he was trying not to swallow his tongue.

My face screwed up as my throat worked. "I forgot," I whispered, referring to him stating quite vehemently he hated me.

"No!" he barked, the second I started to sit up, my cheeks flushing in mortification. Rounding the bed, he practically ran at it, diving in to scoot as close as humanly possible towards me without scooting me right off the bed.

Rolling to face him, I curled into him as he laid on his side. Pressing my ear to his chest, I frowned at the wild thudding of his heart. "Are you okay? Your heart is beating really fast."

"Rek fine," he said quickly, all but snapping it at me.

"Okay." My voice sounded so small to my ears, my frown turning into a scowl to hear it.

"Rek… happy Joansie here," he rumbled out softly. "Miss Jo." His hand lifted and he began running his fingers through the tangles of my wet hair.

"You put a bunch of crap in my hut," I mumbled into an impressive pec.

"Get Jo ‘tention," he admitted, which had me smiling a big goofy smile, like a drunken idiot with no filter.

"It worked, but I like this better," I mumbled, wriggling even closer, sliding my leg between his, until my thigh was pressing up against some very intimate parts of him.

With a grunt, he reached between us and removed my leg.

Not understanding, I glanced up. He said he missed me.

"Rek miss Jo," he confirmed, making me frown at my thoughts leaving my mouth without my full awareness. "Rek no do that Jojomine, while she silly on the goofy sauce, like she say. No ‘member things Jo say. Rek no want Jojoknee hate Rek, she wakes up, Rek do things and Jo no know ."

"See? I knew you were a gentleman." Grabbing his face, squishing his cheeks until he was growling softly down at me, not liking the fishy lipped pinch, I jerked his face this way and that. "And so stupid handsome, too," I added, before jerking him closer, wrapping my arms around his neck, and smacking my lips to his. "Mm. You taste good. I love you so much… you win. I'll do whatever you say. I ran out of no baby tea. Let's have sex until I'm pregnant."

A garbled noise left Rek. He had to pry me off of him as I rolled atop him and made to straddle him.

"Clothes!" he burst out, rolling me right off of him, gently dumping me on the bed to hop out of it.

The pole he was sporting told me he was ready to go.

"Jo cold!" he barked, dodging my grabby hands as I dove for him, to disappear down the short hallway that led to his mostly empty back rooms. When he'd upgraded this place, he'd taken it quite seriously.

Coming back with something lime green in his hands, he instructed me to sit up and lift my arms.

"Can I use my mouth- Ack," I'd started to say, to find material hastily shoved down over my head and jerked down over my breasts.

"Jo tired," Rek said quickly.

Frowning, I watched as he grabbed a cloth, then the plastic wrap, and placing the cloth over his genitals like a front cover, began wrapping plastic wrap around his middle.

"Kinky. Can I bite my way through it?"

Pausing mid torso wrap, he dropped the plastic wrap, barked at me to, "Stay," and disappeared in the back rooms once more. Returning with a pair of flannel pajama bottoms on that were far too short on him and squeezed his ass in a very eye pleasing way, he climbed back into the bed, creaking and crinkling all the way.

"Sleepies," he grumbled, forcing me to be the little spoon, curling himself around me.

"I wish it could always be like this," I whispered as he reached over and shut off the lights.

"Sleep," he repeated, then leaned in and buried his face in my hair.

Smiling in the dark, safe and sound in his arms, I closed my eyes and drifted off to dreamland.