Chapter 4
Logan was ruefully smiling when he unlocked the front door and walked inside shortly after noon. The TV was still on the Cooking Channel but Izzy was sound asleep on the couch. Judas had moved up to Izzy’s side and curled under his sick pack mate’s arm. The cat looked up and blinked guiltily as if Logan would be upset to find him sleeping with someone else.
Logan shook his head slightly and ignored it. Likely this was a one-time thing anyway. He fully expected the cat would go back to attacking them all again as soon as Izzy woke up. Unless aliens had come and traded out the Judas they all knew for another identical, but not psychotic, cat, Logan thought. Logan’s phone started to ring and he quickly silenced it to avoid disturbing the slumbering pair. Logan closed his bedroom door behind him and answered.
“Hey, it’s me,” Ryan said. “I talked to Sylvia and she does want to see Izzy this weekend. She has a theory but she can’t confirm it until she sees him.”
“What’s her theory?” Logan asked. Logan thought he might have lost connection for a moment when Ryan’s only response was silence. Finally, the other man cleared his throat and continued.
“Um, it’s really crazy,” Ryan replied. “She thinks he might be a little, um, pregnant,” Ryan almost whispered. Logan and Ryan shared the silence for several moments that time, both obviously struggling to digest that bombshell.
“No fucking way. But he’s male,” Logan finally said incredulously. “That’s impossible.”
“Normally,” Ryan agreed. “But Sylvia said there are stories about male pregnancies in the history archives. She thought they were just myth, but now she’s not so sure. She’s going to ask Alpha Leikos for access to the archives and do some more research before we get there.”
“Well, shit,” Logan cursed.
“Tell me about it. Hey, I’ve got to go. My next class is starting. Is he still okay?” Ryan asked. Logan could hear several sets of feet shuffling from the other end of the line. He imagined Ryan slowly being surrounded by throngs of humans and lowered his voice to prevent anyone overhearing their sensitive conversation.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Izzy’s fine. He’s taking up most of the couch and watching cooking shows in between naps. I’m home for the rest of the day, so don’t worry. I’ll take care of him,” Logan said. He was about to disconnect when Ryan called out again.
“What?” Logan asked. He flinched at Ryan’s question but forced himself to feel positive about the situation.
“Yes, I got a job, but I’ll fill you all in on the details at dinner. Now be a good little boy and run along to class,” Logan answered. Before Ryan could ask any more questions, Logan hung up.
Izzy’s color was better by the time Logan had started preparing dinner. Izzy’s stubbornness had made a comeback, too, as the other shifter insisted on making the sides. Logan half-heartedly tried to talk him out of it, but couldn’t pretend the thought of Izzy’s perfect mashed potatoes and honey-glazed carrots didn’t make his mouth water in anticipation. By the time the rest of the group was walking in the door, Logan was sliding his mother’s meatloaf into the oven. Ryan made a beeline for where his mate sat at the table and looked him over like he was expecting some new deformity.
“What?” Izzy asked, looking down at what he could see of himself in matching concern. He’d obviously picked up on Ryan’s unspoken suggestion that something about him looked different.
“Nothing,” Ryan lied. “I’m just glad you’re looking better. That’s all. Did you have a good day?” Ryan deflected. Apparently buying it, Izzy smiled and puckered his lips in offer. Ryan bent down and their chaste kiss smacked through the room. Logan would normally have pretended to be disgusted by their blatantly public display of affection, but this time he kept his mouth shut. Izzy may have decided Ryan wasn’t really worried about something, but Logan could feel his pack mate’s nerves as easily as if they were his own. Logan’s filter might be faulty, but it wasn’t totally broken.
“Hey, bro. Heard you got a job,” Ben said, returning to the kitchen after putting his bag in his room. “Which one did you get?” Logan forced his face to remain expressionless. Ben was aware he’d hoped to land one of the sales jobs. They all knew he was willing to do construction but that his heart just wasn’t in it.
“Which one do you think?” Logan responded, plastering a smile on his face the best he could.
“Construction,” all four of his friends answered in unison. Logan grabbed his beer from the counter and took a swig. Obviously he was as shit at faking enthusiasm as he was at everything else, Logan thought to himself.
“Sorry, man. I know you wanted to do something else, but at least it’s a paycheck,” Ben commiserated. Ben grabbed his own beer from the fridge and joined his mate at the kitchen table. Adam was already deep into studying apparently and shook his head when Ben offered him a sip of his beer.
“Yeah, and it’s something to do so I’m not stuck around here feeling like the fifth wheel all day. Besides, if Izzy doesn’t get better soon, he won’t be working much longer and we might need the income. I know the Alpha said the pack would support us financially, but I’d rather not put that kind of burden on them if we don’t have to,” Logan said. Izzy blanched at the mention of his mystery illness and started fingering the piercing in his lower lip. Ryan squeezed his other hand gently and shot Logan an angry glare.
“Izzy’s going to be fine, Logan. Don’t start borrowing trouble,” Ryan growled. Izzy kept playing with his lip piercing unconsciously. After several moments of tense silence, Izzy’s left knee started to bounce up and down, as well. Obviously, he was more unsure about his future wellbeing than he was letting on. Ryan shook his head slightly, silently signaling Logan he hadn’t told his mate anything about Sylvia’s suspicions.
“Absolutely,” Logan’s fakely confident voice boomed through the kitchen. “You’re absolutely right, Ryan. Izzy’s going to be fine. That was a stupid thing for me to say, Izzy. I’m sorry. You’re going to see Sylvia this weekend and she’s going to fix you right up. Don’t you worry,” Logan continued in a rush. Izzy huffed irritability and abruptly left the room. Ryan shot an annoyed glare at Logan and followed after his mate.
“Wow. You’re shit at lying, Logan. I thought I sucked at it,” Adam said, barely looking up from his book to stare at his mate’s brother dumbfounded. Logan shot Adam the bird and took another long swallow from his beer.
Logan felt soft fur on his legs and looked down to see Judas weaving himself slowly around his ankles. The cat blinked his mismatched eyes up at him and meowed plaintively. Logan bent and risked a pat to the cat’s head, deciding a little pain would be a blessing right now anyway. Judas’ ears flattened but otherwise he tolerated the contact. Logan smiled faintly, secretly pleased at the progress they seemed to be making that day. Hopefully it was a sign of further good things to come for all of them.