Chapter Four
Brady
Brady was going to collapse into a useless pile of mush if these little interruptions didn't stop. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him, but his sex drive felt like it was in overdrive.
Brady, the man who was going on three years without sex, and who, until that point, never minded that fact, was so horny he could barely think. Equally concerning was that all of his new desires could be blame squarely on the two new arrivals into his life.
Brady was not a promiscuous type of man. His one real boyfriend had gone as far as to call him a prude on more than one occasion. His one real boyfriend also hadn't turned out to be a very nice person, but that was a different story.
Brady lived under the radar in his tiny town. He may be the only vet in Riverside but if the townspeople found out he was gay, maybe they would start to think those fifty miles to the next town over weren't quite so long.
Thankfully, he'd been saved as a teenager in the form of Asher. They had learned how to fumble under the covers together as they grew up.
When Brady reached his twenties, he became more outgoing, especially when he was in the big city for school. During that time, Asher had become even more of a recluse until he eventually stopped visiting Riverside at all for more than one day, once a year. Brady had missed him, but mostly as a friend. Sex just wasn't important. It felt good, but not amazing. And it was messy.
Look around you buddy, you aren't a stranger to mess.
Brady snapped his attention back to the wolf. Looking around had been a mistake as it refreshed the image of the shifter in the corner. He reminded Brady of Asher in only his presence, the way he seemed to dominate the room despite sitting quietly in the corner. Brady had this overwhelming urge to trust him. More than trust him, to curl up on his lap and let him fix the world.
The little wolf on the table was asleep now, mostly thanks to the pain killers Brady had injected. He had no doubt the animal was exhausted, but he would have been in too much pain before to sleep comfortably.
The only thing that could clear the lust Brady harbored was the red-hot rage that spilled through him when he thought about how this wolf had been mistreated.
"So, it was the coyotes then?"
"Yes," the shifter said.
"They are a menace," Brady spat.
"I agree."
From the front of the house, Brady heard a commotion. His door swung open, slamming against the wall. Then, there were the click clacks of claws on hardwood. The shifter looked up but did not seem worried, so Brady followed his example.
Two wolves walked into his kitchen like they owned it. One was a tad larger than the other, the female and older sister of the group, the other was almost as large and was male. They walked side by side to the table where they sniffed at their brother. After a few seconds, seemingly convinced he was being cared for, they walked over to Glenn and sat beside him.
Brady had met these wolves before. On a different occasion, the female had been harmed in yet another confrontation with the coyotes. She'd pulled through amazingly fast.
"They are fantastic," Brady said, unable to keep the excitement from his voice. As a boy, he had dreamed of having a relationship with wild animals like the shifters seemed to have with the wolves. He'd read his copy of The Jungle Book until the pages had begun to fall out. The only improvement Brady would have made to the story would have been if Mowgli had been allowed to stay with his wolf family in the end. To heck with people.
"And a little eerie," the shifter said.
"Why would you--" Brady bit his tongue. He knew of Asher's abilities, had seen him shift once or twice, but the whole thing unnerved him. He tried to think of Caleb, who seemed so kind, shifting into a huge hulking beast as Asher could, and try as he might, he couldn't conjure that image. Asher was easier to imagine that way because he was already so animalistic. But this man in his kitchen, was more like a panther than a wolf. He had black hair and a short black beard that still managed to look soft. His skin was olive toned, matching his hazel eyes perfectly. If Brady hadn't already heard him speak, he would not have been surprised if he had some sort of exotic accent.
Before Brady knew it, the man was out of his chair and so close to Brady he could smell the man's woodsy scent.
"Why would I what? Finish your sentence, Brady."
"Why-why..." What had he been saying? Every other moment faded away when this shifter was so close to him. "What's your name?"
"Glenn. Is that what you were going to say?"
"No." Brady didn't know why he whispered. He licked his lips. "Why would you be disconcerted by the wolves when you can turn into one?"
"So, you know? That is convenient."
The way he said "know" made Brady think he was talking about way more than the man's ability to turn into a wolf. "I, Asher didn't tell me much."
"Will you please stop licking your lips? It is very distracting."
Brady hadn't realized he was, past the first time. "Why would it be distracting?"
"I think you know why, Brady."
"Um, I don't know what Asher told you--"
Glenn growled and the words died on Brady's lips. "You talk about Asher a lot. He is a good guy and all. Is he your only experience with shifters?"
Glenn had positioned his body so that it nearly touched Brady's but never actually did. His arms were on either side of him, against the table, caging him in.
Brady tried to respond but words wouldn't form. He licked his lips. Glenn's eyes dropped to the motion and he leaned closer. Brady's legs felt weak. If his hands hadn't been firmly placed by his sides, he was sure they would be shaking. What was it about today? First Parker and now Glenn. Brady felt fragile, and for the first time, didn't hate the feeling.
Had he gone too long without another man's touch? Or was it just basic human affection that he was lacking? The last person he'd hugged before Asher and Caleb had been his mother. That had to be it.
"I don't really know that much, to be honest."
In fact, seeing Caleb pregnant had been the shock of his life. He had no idea shifter males could do that and honestly, wasn't sure what he thought of it. Like all new things, Brady thought he would have to give his mind time to adjust and re-frame. Until then, Brady got the heebie jeebies thinking about it.
"Do you know what would happen if I kissed you?" Glenn asked, the words coming from so close, they brushed against his skin.
He didn't know, but wanted to.
Brady pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, his breath was heavy in his chest. "No, I don't know, maybe you could show me."
"Brady." His name was a prayer and a warning on Glenn's lips.
His hand slid to the back of Glenn's head, cupping him and keeping him close. All he had to do was lean forward an inch and their lips would be touching.
Brady wanted so badly to be the one to take away that space between their mouths, but he had already used up all is daring in saying what he had said.
"I'm back," a cheerful southern voice called from the living room. Glenn spun away, keeping Brady behind him in a protective stance.
"Who is that?" he hissed out the corner of his mouth.
Brady groaned. "Parker." Otherwise known as the other man Brady had wanted to kiss in less than twelve hours. He was turning into a hussy.
"What is Parker?" Glenn asked.
"Uhhh..." Brady was saved from answering by the appearance of Parker.
He stood in the doorway looking more ruggedly handsome than he had when he left. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder and a duffel bag in his other hand. Before he could open his mouth to say anything else the two wolves erupted in a fit of snarls and growls. They stood in front of Glenn, Brady, and their brother in much the same way Glenn was in front of Brady. The hair down their spines was spiked up, and their bodies were tense, giving obvious signs of fear and aggression.
Brady looked up at Parker with wonder and confusion.
"What are you?"