Chapter Nine
Chuey
The next morning, Chuey opened his eyes, completely expecting the night before to have been only a dream. There was no way he'd done all that he remembered doing. Then he felt the heavy arm draped across his middle. He peeked over and saw that Ryder was already awake and was simply looking at him with a gentle smile on his face.
His first instinct was to smile back, but then he remembered everything that he had done the night before. Especially everything he had said. No, not said. Begged for. He'd practically forced Ryder into mating with him! His cheeks burned, and he reached for the blanket, pulling it over his head.
"What are you doing down there, mate?" Ryder asked him with humor in his voice.
Chuey did not immediately respond. He thought it was obvious what he was doing. He would just have to live under the blanket since he now could never show his face again.
"Chuey?" Ryder spoke his name like a gentle reminder that he'd been asked a question.
"I forced you!" he finally wailed. "I was relentless!"
There was a long pause and then, "You think you forced me?" Chuey was still under the covers, but he could hear Ryder's gentle laughter. There was a shuffling of movement, and the mattress creaked as Ryder shimmied his way under the covers.
Warm sunlight shining in through the window was enough to bathe them in a golden glow. It felt like they were in their own little world, only them, together. "You forced nothing, and if you ever feel like you were being forced, I want you to tell me immediately, without fear of repercussions. Because there will never be any. You're my mate. You accepted my knot."
Chuey gasped, fondly thinking about that exact moment. He'd been overcome. "Do you think I could be pregnant?"
"Since you're a shifter and not an alpha, then I suppose you could be. But I don't think that you are yet. What do you think? How do you feel?"
Chuey assessed his body. He felt sore, warm, and turned on. Ryder seemed to have seen as much in his face because he chuckled. "I imagine that is the mating heat that you're beginning to feel. Since you're a shifter, it makes sense that it came on much more quickly than if you were human. It also means that you aren't pregnant."
He felt simultaneously relieved and disappointed. He knew he was young, especially when it came to getting pregnant and starting a family. But that didn't really matter as much to him. In fact, he didn't care at all about what other people would think. He had had a rough start to life which had shown him how important having a family was. Having a good family, anyway. He was excited for the chance to love his child unconditionally as he should have been loved. "Next time," he finally said with a wink the second before he jumped out of bed, squealing down the hallway as Ryder chased him playfully.
***
When they finally made it down to the bar, both freshly showered, Chuey spotted one of the bear pack's jeeps parked in the parking lot. His stomach began to roll, and Ryder grabbed his hand.
"Are you okay?" Ryder asked, having already picked up on Chuey's apprehension.
Chuey took a deep breath. It would be nicer to just turn around and leave. But he would have to see members from his old pack again. And he would have to see his padre again. At least... he thought he would. "I'm okay. Let's go in."
Inside, the hybrid shifters were hard at work cleaning up the mess from the fight and fixing everything that had been broken. To Chuey, it looked like everything had been broken. They would be cleaning up after this mess for a very long time, and Chuey thought that was exactly what Ryder's enemy wanted.
In the corner, though, stood a short man with shockingly red hair. He had his back to Chuey, but Chuey didn't need to see his front to know that it was his padre. Thorne approached them and leaned in to whisper something into Ryder's ear.
"We have a situation."
Either Thorne forgot that Chuey was a shifter and had enhanced hearing, or he didn't care. Chuey looked up at Ryder, who looked once again like his rough biker self. The transformation in him had been exciting to see, especially when Chuey realized that even when Ryder put on his business face, he always had a smile for his boy.
They followed Thorne into the back room where a man sat. He was maybe a few years older than Chuey. He spun around in the office chair when he heard them approach but didn't bother to sit up. He sat reclined, with his hands casually folded on top of his stomach. His smirk was arrogant, but Chuey still couldn't find it in himself to immediately dislike the man. He was simply too pretty. With golden blond hair and dark eyes, he reminded Chuey of a charming prince's less charming brother.
"Who is this?" Ryder barked.
"Cassius is my name. I'm new to town." He stood and extended his hand out to Ryder, who just looked at it with one eyebrow raised.
"And? What the fuck are you doing here?"
Cassius pulled his hand back and smoothed his hair as if that had been his intention all along. Chuey giggled at his antics, and Cassius shot him a cheeky wink.
Ryder growled. "Who is the punk?" Ryder asked.
"I told you my name—"
"I don't care what your fucking name is. Got a lot of shit to do today and don't have time to play twenty questions."
"How about you answer just one question then? Can I be in your pack?"
Chuey had to be impressed by the man's confidence. If Ryder had been so gruff with him, he would have probably cowered long ago. The only difference in Cassius was that now he was standing instead of sitting. Ryder did not immediately reject him as Chuey expected. He draped his arm over Chuey's shoulders, the gesture seeming to have been subconscious, and he waited.
"I've been needing a new scene for a while. Happened upon Noel. Happened upon a certain group of gentlemen bikers. They asked me to stay, and I did."
Ryder stepped back, tucking Chuey behind him. "You're one of Marcos's men?" To Thorne, he angrily asked, "You brought one of Marcos's men into the back of our establishment and left him here alone?"
"Keep listening," Thorne said.
"I didn't know." For the first time since they'd walked back there, Chuey saw something other than arrogance. He saw remorse. "I didn't know what they were. That, I will swear to you."
"Then you're an idiot, and I don't want you in my pack." Ryder tugged Chuey towards the door.
"Looks like you had a rough time here last night. Too bad you didn't have anybody who could, I don't know, let you know the next time Marcos is planning something like that?" Cassius said as he inspected his fingernails.
"Why am I supposed to trust you? You waltz in here, you act like a punk, you flirt with my mate, and then you want me to believe that you're ready to begin a life as a double agent? I'll ask again, who the fuck are you?" Ryder's growl made Chuey worried for the newcomer's safety. But, Chuey respected Ryder's decision. If he said this guy was no good and shouldn't be trusted, then that was just the way it would be. Even if he was so pretty.
Before their eyes, Cassius shifted. His muscles bulged slightly, reforming himself into a sleeker version of his human self. His teeth lengthened into sharp points, and his claws looked like razors.
"So, you're hybrid. I don't let every hybrid into my pack."
"What about hybrids that are looking for second chances?" Cassius said. "How about hybrids that fell into the wrong crowd and didn't realize until it was too late that they weren't just a group of guys that like to get rowdy. They aren't my scene. I'm not about what they are about. Now, I could just get on my bike and be on my merry way, but I thought, 'Why not be a good Samaritan this one time, Cass?' I guess this is why."
"Ryder, with the new shop opening and all the repairs we need to do here, don't you think an ally is something that we need to accept? And not immediately reject just because he rubs you the wrong way?"
Ryder didn't respond to Thorne. Instead, he looked down at Chuey. Chuey shrugged. He didn't know either way if this Cassius was actually an ally that would become a helpful member of their pack or if he had been sent by Marcos.
"Let's say I say yes. Then what? You just skip back to Marcos and tell them that we let you go?"
"Marcus doesn't have any idea where I am right now. He may be meaner than a snake, but he isn't a spring chicken. You think you have a lot of pots boiling? Marcos has just as many and all his are illegal. He preys on the weak, like that old man who owned a liquor store. When I heard they had done that, it was my last straw."
"You weren't a part of it?" Ryder growled.
"No, I told you, I'm still low-level. But that's of my own choosing. When I go back, I'll have ambition. I'll rise, and I'll let you know what his plans are. I won't be able to foil all of them, because then he will suspect me, but maybe together we can help stop his reign on Noel as well as keep your pack safe."
Ryder scratched his chin with his free hand, and Chuey reached up to squeeze the hand draped over his shoulder. He wanted Ryder to know that whatever he chose, Chuey would stand behind him.
"Fine," Ryder snapped. "We'll give this a shot."
He reached out his hand, and Cassius grabbed hold of it as they cemented their deal. When Cassius pulled back, Ryder held on. "If you're double crossing me..."
"Insert threat of physical violence here," Cassius said. "I got it. Don't worry, I'd have to be dumb to cheat a newly mated alpha."
After that, Cassius slipped out the back as Thorne and Ryder spoke about what just happened and what it might mean for the pack. When they made their way back out to the main room, Chuey had forgotten that his padre was there. At least he had until he nearly ran into him on his way out.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Chuey said on instinct.
Logan's look of surprise vanished. He opened his mouth, and Chuey thought he might actually be about to say something nice to him when Logan spotted the mark at his neck and then Ryder beside him. His eyes fell on their joined hands, rising to their heads—Chuey's hair was still wet and Ryder's was so long it would take a while to dry.
Logan sneered, and Chuey didn't think he wanted to hear what he had to say anymore. "You've gotten cozy," Logan said to Ryder.
"Have you finished tending to my men?" Ryder asked, ignoring his original question.
"A few stab wounds, two gunshots, nothing critical. You hybrids heal as fast as shifters do." He looked between Ryder and Chuey again. "Next time, send your men to me. I don't want to step foot in here." With that, he spun away from them, and Chuey felt his padre's disappointment weigh heavily on his shoulders. The few times they had spoken of Chuey's future, Logan had explained what he wanted for him. He wanted him to grow strong and healthy, but he'd always talked about Chuey like he would find someone to settle down with. Like he would be the alpha. Chuey hadn't had the language then to explain to his padre that he didn't feel like an alpha. He was powerful, and he was strong, but he didn't want that sort of relationship with someone. Though, judging from how well his padre wasn't taking the situation, perhaps it was good that Chuey hadn't had the words to explain what he really wanted all along.
That didn't mean it didn't hurt watching his padre walk away from him. He fought the urge to stumble behind him blindly, like a naughty child who had been picked up from school. He even took a step in his direction, but Ryder held firmly onto his hand.
When he was gone, Chuey looked around for somewhere to sit, but all the chairs had been broken in the fight the night before. He resigned to just staring at his feet while the men worked around him. Ryder shouted out a few orders, never leaving his side. Chuey wondered if Ryder could sense how sad seeing his padre had made him.
"Come on, you," Ryder said a while later, lifting Chuey off his feet. "We're getting out of here. These guys know what to do, and since it was their boneheaded behavior that got this place trashed in the first place, they can be responsible for cleaning it up."
"Aw, come on, Pres," one of the hybrids complained, Chuey thought his name was Wilder. "Those Bulldogs came in here looking for trouble. We had to give it to them," Wilder said. "This cleaning stuff, isn't it for the rookies? The new building is almost done, I should probably go work on that."
Ryder threw Wilder a broom that he caught easily. "You can sweep. Fritz and Lyle are already at the dispensary, finishing it up. I'm taking my boy into town, and when I get back I want this place clean."
Ryder left his pack then, clearly expecting his orders to be followed. He didn't let Chuey walk on his own feet until they were outside of the bar, nearly to his bike. Ryder grabbed the second helmet and settled it over Chuey's head, buckling it gently underneath his chin. The hair on the back of Chuey's neck prickled and he searched the parking lot, finding his padre in the pack's Jeep, still parked, as his padre scowled at them from the driver's side.
Chuey felt the scowl like a slap and flinched from it. Ryder looked up in time to see his flinch, and putting two and two together, he growled at Logan. "Get on," he ordered. Chuey slipped onto the bike, setting his hands gingerly on either side of Ryder's waist. It was nothing like the full-on bear hug he'd given Ryder the night before when he'd been on the back of his bike. But with his padre watching, Chuey didn't feel as comfortable.
Ryder did not immediately start the engine. He kept his foot on the ground, balancing them. "Are you my mate, Chuey?" Ryder asked.
Chuey blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Yes?"
"Is that a question?"
"No, Ryder. You are my mate."
"Are you ashamed of me?"
Chuey frowned. "No, I just—"
"You just don't want him to see you with me?"
A burst of anger blew up inside of him. Couldn't Ryder see that this was difficult for him? Logan had shown Chuey his first ounce of compassion. He owed the man his life. It was hard for Chuey to disappoint him so completely. "That isn't fair," Chuey said finally.
"Maybe it's not. But I won't have my mate bowing his head in shame for anyone." Ryder grabbed Chuey's hands firmly and slipped them around to the front of his body. The movement brought Chuey firmly against his strong back muscles. Behind them, tires squealed as they hit the concrete of the road. Logan drove the Jeep down the highway at a speed much faster than was the limit.
"That wasn't nice," Chuey said.
Ryder didn't reply, he just kicked his engine on and drove them forward. Chuey kept his hands where Ryder had placed them but only because he didn't want to fall off. Maybe, mostly because he didn't want to fall off and partly because his abs were rock hard, and it simply felt good to hold him.
Twenty minutes into their ride, Chuey discovered that he was no longer fuming, but he wasn't sad either. In fact, he hadn't been sad since the moment Ryder had made him angry. "You did that on purpose," Chuey said, his words captured and pulled away from his mouth by the wind whipping by.
Ryder didn't answer. He kept his gaze forward as he drove them down the road. With the trees on either side and a bright blue sky up above, Chuey snuggled in, deciding to simply enjoy the ride.
***
They drove for hours, and Chuey began to wonder just where they were headed. His eyes were wide, taking in all the sights. Buildings, taller than any they had in Noel and Pineville, rose into the sky around him, and there were so many people. He swallowed his fear. These people would not hurt him. Not only did they have no reason to, but Ryder would never allow it. With that in mind, he could enjoy the sights in a way he wouldn't have been able to if he'd been alone.
"What is this place?" Chuey asked, looking at the line of buildings with wide glass windows that showed the goods they had inside.
"You've never been to a strip mall before?" Ryder asked with no judgment.
"They don't have these in Noel. That's as far as I've been from the camp since arriving. I was passed out when we drove up from Mexico—" Seeing Ryder's face had Chuey hastily adding, "I was still a little wild back then when padre found me. And there was nothing like this where I lived in Mexico. Not in the parts that I frequented, anyway."
Ryder helped Chuey off the bike. "Well shit, if I had known this was another first, I would have made it a little more special. We're just here to get you some clothes and maybe go get a bite to eat after." Ryder brought him into the first shop. The lady behind the cash register nodded at them with a wide smile, but then brought her attention back to the stack of shirts she'd been folding.
There were several tables of clothing on display as well as rows and rows of clothes hanging, more than any person would need. "What's wrong with the clothes I have?" Chuey asked in a hushed tone that matched the peacefulness of store.
"Nothing is wrong with your clothing," Ryder replied. "Can't I just buy my boy some gifts?"
Chuey ducked down and looked around, but Ryder hadn't spoken very loudly, and no one was there to pay them any attention. "You can," he said, feeling a little guilty for his initial reaction. Now that he thought about it, all his clothes were hand-me-downs. He didn't own a single thing that hadn't previously belonged to a member of his pack. "Are these clothes new?" he asked.
Ryder smirked. "They are. You'd be their first owner."
Chuey looked back out at the clothes with new appreciation. "I like that one," he said, picking up a light blue collared shirt with pearl buttons. The shirt was covered with tiny yellow rubber ducks that reminded him of the rainy season.
"So that's your style, huh?" Ryder asked.
Chuey wasn't sure about that, but he did like bright colors. "What about this one?" He picked up a T-shirt that was a bright fluorescent yellow.
"I wouldn't have to worry about you walking on the side of the road in something like that. I think they'd see you from space."
Chuey frowned and moved to put the shirt back on the table, but Ryder snagged it from him and draped it over his arm.
"It will make your biceps look amazing," Ryder said as an explanation.
They picked their way slowly from the front of the store to the back. Since this was Chuey's first time going clothing shopping, he didn't have a great idea of the types of things that he liked to wear. He'd never given a single thought to the clothes that he put on his body. He just knew that in polite society, people wore clothes. So, he put on clothes. Choosing clothes because he liked them was an entirely new experience.
By the time they got to the back of the store, Ryder's arm was weighed down by a handful of more shirts, some pants, and a few pairs of shorts. Ryder had grabbed a pack of underwear in the back of the store that did not look big enough to cover Chuey's body. When he mentioned as much, Ryder explained that the back of the underwear was meant to slide between his cheeks. He made a face, wondering how anyone functioned if they were wearing a garment that gave them a constant wedgie.
Seeing his face, Ryder put the pack of underwear back on the shelf. Chuey went up behind him and grabbed it. "They'll make my biceps look amazing," he said.
Ryder tipped his head back and laughed as the employee approached. "Can I help you gentlemen with anything?"
"No thank you, we've got all that we need here." Ryder looked into Chuey's eyes when he spoke, and the double meaning of his words sunk in, making Chuey blush.
"Okay, well let me know if you need anything. The changing rooms are through here, and the first ones are already unlocked."
With a nod of thanks, Ryder led Chuey back to the fitting room. He opened the door and they both slipped inside, having to stand very close together in the small space. "These rooms are very tiny," Chuey said, struck by how very different their appearances were in the huge mirror to the left of him.
Chuey had filled out, but he was still a little bit scrawnier than he wanted to be. He would much rather have the muscles that Ryder had. Even under his leathers, it was easy to tell that Ryder exuded power. He hadn't cut his hair yet, and the biker's dark curls reached past his chin, the tips getting caught up in his beard and mustache.
"They're only meant for one person, so normally the size isn't an issue."
Chuey waited for the door to burst open. The employee had seen them both enter together, hadn't she?
"Are you nervous that you'll get in trouble for breaking the rules?" Ryder asked.
"Yes, but it's hardly fair. You were the only one who knew the rule."
Ryder chuckled. "I guess you're right. Should I be punished?"
All Chuey knew of punishments, or at least of the type of punishments that Ryder would give him, were spankings. He couldn't even begin to imagine something as ridiculous as him spanking Ryder, but the mischievous sparkle in Ryder's eye told Chuey that he had something planned. "What should your punishment be?" Chuey asked, but Ryder was already pushing him back so that he stood as far away from the older man as possible. Ryder sat down on his side of the room, still within touching distance of Chuey.
"Take off your pants," Ryder ordered.
"Hold on, you said this was your punishment."
"It is. My punishment is watching you undress and not being able to touch you."
Chuey thought that that didn't sound like much of a punishment and nearly said as much until an idea popped up in his mind. His fingers went to the button at the front of his pants and he worked it free, sliding them down his hips much more slowly than he would have done if he had been changing alone.
He turned around so that his ass faced Ryder and bent over just enough to work his pants down his legs and off his feet. Ryder's breathing deepened. Chuey listened to it as he straightened slowly, turning around and catching his mate's eye.
"That was very naughty," Ryder said.
Pleased that he'd gotten the results he wanted, Chuey smiled to himself. He wasn't done yet though. Reaching for the hem of his shirt, he pulled it over his head, stretching his body and loosening his muscles after the long bike ride.
Ryder made a noise deep in the back of his throat. "What are you going to try on first?" he asked, the words coming out a tad strangled.
Chuey looked at the pile of clothes, then he looked at the underwear. "Are we for sure getting this?"
Ryder nodded once as if he didn't trust himself to speak out loud.
"Then I should try it on, right?"
Ryder groaned. His eyes went up to the ceiling as if asking God for mercy. God may give him mercy, but Chuey wasn't going to. He slipped the boxers he was wearing down and hung them on the hook beside his head before opening the package of underwear and pulling out the top one. It was not a familiar shape. All the underwear Chuey had ever worn had been boxers. These were a much thinner fabric that was sheer and soft to the touch. The front triangle was just big enough to cover all the important bits. At least it would have been if Chuey hadn't been so hard at the time. He slipped them on, hissing a little as the thin strip of fabric slid between his cheeks.
All teasing aside, Chuey didn't think he'd given the underwear the credit they deserved. It wasn't a comfortable feeling, but it was decadent.
"Holy shit, you look fucking hot," Ryder breathed. "Turn around for me, bend over."
Chuey shook his head and wiggled his finger at his mate. "I've got a lot of clothes to try on, mate. "He reached for the first shirt on the pile of clothing, fully expecting Ryder to launch up from his seated position to grope him. When that didn't happen, he figured Ryder had been serious about the punishment. He certainly looked like a man who wanted to grope him. His eyes caught every movement, and his hands were balled into fists on his lap. "You look uncomfortable," Chuey said. "Maybe just a little touch will help you." He popped his hip out in Ryder's direction.
"Stand away, Satan," Ryder said, folding his arms over his broad chest. "You were right: it's not very nice of me to lead you astray when you don't know that you're being led astray."
When he put it like that, Chuey had to agree with him. But his plan, while effective, had backfired. Chuey was now so hard, his cock was leaking, creating a wet spot on the front of his brand new underwear. A wicked thought entered his mind as he reached his hand down to his groin. "So hard though," he whined.
"Chuey."
He ignored the warning, pulling his dick out instead and stroking it softly. Ryder stood but didn't reach out to touch him. Amazed by his willpower, Chuey stroked himself more firmly, momentarily distracted by how good it felt to remember he was supposed to be teasing his mate. He closed his eyes, lost in the sensation. When he opened them, Ryder had sat back down and looked at him with heavy eyelids. Ryder massaged his erection through the front of his pants. "Keep going. Stroke yourself," he ordered.
Chuey obeyed immediately. He didn't know when this had become Ryder bossing him around rather than him teasing his mate, but Chuey certainly didn't mind the change in programming, especially when he was granted free rein to touch his cock.
"Pretend like I'm not here, Chuey. You are alone and you're horny."
Chuey opened his mouth in a soundless scream as he began to touch himself the same way he would if he was alone. He held his length with a tight grip, his strokes growing in frequency.
"Good job, my boy," Ryder complimented him.
Chuey felt like he could bask in Ryder's approval all day. He loved making this tough and wild man happy. He whimpered, his orgasm was not far behind. But there was nothing for him to clean up the mess with. He stopped.
"What are you doing?" Ryder barked.
"Ryder, it's going to get everywhere," he said, his voice higher in pitch than normal.
"No, it's not. Continue."
"But I'm going to come!" he wailed, ducking down and looking at the door at the last moment. Had that been too loud?
Ryder scooted forward so that he sat on the edge of his chair and then hooked a hand around Chuey's hip, bringing him closer. Chuey didn't know how much he needed Ryder's grounding touch until he'd gotten it. His fear left, and he looked down at his mate, ready for his next instruction.
"Stroke yourself until you come and come in my mouth. Don't spill a drop, or you will get a spanking."
Chuey whimpered but nodded. He thrust his hips forward, getting the head of his cock as close to Ryder's mouth as possible. The new position and the knowledge of what he was supposed to do worked him up so that his orgasm was so near, it took only a few strokes to get him there. He still slowed, not quite sure how he would aim well enough not to spill any. Ryder kept his mouth open and his tongue out. Chuey's balls tingled and the time for wondering how he would do it passed. He felt the first spurt of fluid shoot out, it splashed against Ryder's mouth and tongue. So relieved that he made it, he was caught off guard with the next spurt, most of it landing on Ryder's chin.
As his orgasm came to a finish, Chuey rubbed the last of the sensation from his dick and looked down at Ryder. He'd done a fairly good job, coming only on Ryder's face. But he had missed a few times, evident from the splatters of come now cooling on Ryder's cheek and chin.
"Clean me up," he ordered.
Chuey acted on instinct, bending over and licking Ryder's face clean. When he was finished, Ryder captured his chin and pulled him into a brutal kiss.
"Good job," he said when he pulled away.
"But I spilled some," Chuey replied.
Ryder grinned. "It's almost like you want to get spanked," he said. "Now, cover your body before I fuck you against that wall," he said.
After Chuey tried on all the clothes, they went to the register to pay. Chuey searched the employee's face for a sign that she knew what they'd gotten up to in the dressing room. She remained polite, though, as she cashed them out. Ryder stowed their bags away, turning to Chuey to give him a light slap on the ass. He'd decided to keep the underwear on but was already wondering if that was a good idea. He was already turned on nearly constantly.
"Are you hungry?"
Chuey nodded and they got on Ryder's bike. He drove them a short way through town to a building with a sign out front that said, The Den Family Bar and Grill, and then below that there was a smaller sign that said, Under New Management.
"This is a shifter-friendly establishment," Ryder told Chuey. "The pack that runs this establishment is the same pack with the hybrid doctor."
Chuey had heard of the man, and had heard that he was kind, but the idea of walking into a building full of unknown shifters scared him. In his experience, the majority of unfamiliar shifters were not nice people.
"I'm here, boy," Ryder murmured, not knowing, or more likely, knowing exactly how much Chuey needed to hear that in that moment. "Are you ready to go in?"
Chuey didn't think he would ever be ready, but his stomach chose that moment to growl, effectively answering for him.
"I shouldn't have let you wait so long. You need to keep your strength," Ryder said, tucking Chuey under his arm. That's where Chuey stayed the entire way to the front door and inside.
He had expected something a little darker, more like Ryder's bar. What he got was a completely normal-looking restaurant. At least, it was normal-looking in Chuey's limited experience. A waitress rushed over to them. Her nostrils flared as she got near, and she stumbled a little. "I'm sorry," she said with a smile. "Shifters?" she asked.
"Hybrid," Ryder said. "My mate here is full shifter though."
"Well, you're all welcome. Even the hybrids," the waitress said with a wink to Chuey. "I have a table over here if it is just the two of you?"
They followed her to a glossy wooden table with two chairs. Ryder pulled back one of the chairs, waiting for Chuey to take his seat before getting in his own.
"New mates are always so sweet," she said with a genuine smile.
"Old mates aren't sweet?" Ryder asked.
The waitress looked around herself. "The good ones are. My name is Andrea, welcome to The Den. We have a few specials if you want to hear them?"
"I've been here once before and know that your steak is too good not to get a second time. Chuey, do you need to hear the specials?"
Chuey stared at Ryder, knowing exactly what he was up to. He had put Chuey in a situation where he would be forced to speak out loud. "I..."
"Chuey, that's an interesting name. Oh!" Her eyes widened as she stopped speaking. "Are you that Chuey?"
Chuey wasn't sure how to answer that question.
"I'm sorry, our pack master, Felix, he trained a doctor up north named Logan who told us all about his son that he had found. He sounded so proud of you."
Chuey looked down at the table, not just his cheeks were red, but his nose and ears were red as well. "That's my padre."
"And this is your mate?" Andrea tilted her head to the side, and Chuey thought he could see her doing the math. "I'll just get you started on your drinks. Anything except water for you two?"
Chuey shook his head, and Ryder gave her a much less friendly, "No thanks, water is fine."
The person who returned with their waters was not their waitress. A slim man with pale blond hair set the two glasses down in front of them. "Sorry about that," the man said with a soft voice. "Andrea is an amazing waitress but she has no filter. Please don't let her put you off."
"Thank you," Ryder said, accepting the water.
"I'm Pippen and I am the head chef here. Let me get whatever you like, on the house. I heard you wanted the steak, and for you, Chuey, was it?"
One look at Ryder told Chuey that he wasn't getting any help from him. "Um, did you have specials?" Chuey asked with a voice so soft that if Pippen hadn't been a shifter, he might not have heard him.
"Of course," Pippen replied easily. "Today we have a blackened Caesar wrap and a Monte Cristo sandwich. Both come with fries or my famous coleslaw."
Chuey didn't know what either of those things were, but he knew he liked the pale shifter. He had a peaceful way about him. Serene, like the surface of a lake on a quiet morning. "I'll take the Monte Cristo sandwich, please. With your famous coleslaw."
"You got it."
Pippen left and Chuey finally exhaled.
"You handled that very well." Ryder took a sip of his water and then let his finger trail around the mouth of the glass.
"It doesn't feel like I did. I didn't know that they would know my padre. Has he ever eaten here?" As much fun as Chuey was having, he couldn't quite suppress the wish that he and his padre were on good enough terms that they could come to this restaurant together.
"I don't know that he has, but once he pulls his head out of his ass, we can bring him here," Ryder said unapologetically.
Chuey gave no outward emotion. He couldn't exactly be shocked by Ryder's words, since they weren't entirely incorrect. But to agree with them felt like a betrayal to his padre.
Moments later, he felt calm enough to drink from his water cup. He was thirstier than he thought, though, and downed the entire thing. Seconds later, Andrea approached them with a pitcher of ice water.
"I need to apologize for before," she said. "I don't always think before I speak."
Wanting to get this moment over as quickly as possible, Chuey was quick to forgive her. "It's okay," he said before looking to Ryder. The stormy expression there had him wondering if it really was.
"It's not," she said. "We shifters have a hard enough time living in mainstream society, especially now that the entire world is on edge because of these damn dragon shifters that popped out of literally nowhere. Did you hear? Apparently, there's an entire new island of dragons; that's two now! People been talking, saying there is a third. I don't know. The guys they show on TV seem hot enough."
Chuey just blinked at her.
"Anyway, there I go again, spouting stuff off before I even think about it. What I was saying is that we have a hard life and we don't need to be making it harder for each other. I am sorry."
This time, Ryder's face was clear.
She left them to wait, and Chuey leaned back, feeling more comfortable in the space with every passing moment. Though it had been rocky at first, he was glad that Ryder had pushed him into going to a place like this. He wasn't just learning words or social rules anymore. He was learning how to navigate this new world and now, thanks to Ryder, he had more tools.