Damian's Wolf - 18. Chapter 18

Lysander met them just outside the apartment, a small smile on his face. Jordan studied the elf as Lysander unlocked the apartment, taking in a small bloodstain on one of his shirt sleeves.

“Is everything okay?” Jordan asked.

“Oh yeah, just had someone fall in a store, scraped his elbow. Store wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to sue them or something so they called us. It happens all the time,” Lysander shrugged off. “Most exciting thing to happen all morning, which is good in my line of work. You got milk?”

“Yeah. It’s my guilty pleasure,” Jordan said.

“Yeah, and cats love it,” Lysander grinned at Damian.

The elf handed the two a pair of keys.

“I was a little late because I wanted to get these made,” he said. “Oh, and I have practice this afternoon, so I’m going to wolf out for about an hour and then I have to go.”

“Practice? For what?” Jordan asked.

“Football. The North Pack has a team, and I’m the sub striker,” Lysander said.

Jordan noticed that look in Damian’s eyes, the one he got when he was too nervous to ask a question. He nudged the neko gently, and Damian gulped.

“Can I watch your practice?” the neko asked uncertainly. “I love watching football games, but I never really got the chance back north.”

Lysander grinned suddenly.

“You ever try playing? Our keeper moved recently and we don’t have a replacement. Sara was going to take her place, but if you don’t mind having balls kicked at you, you could really save our butts.”

“But I’ve never played before…”

“We’re not any good really,” Lysander shrugged. “So you don’t need to be the next Alistar Retty. But you’d give us a chance to play, if the coach lets you on the team.”

“Do it,” Jordan smiled at the neko. “Have some fun. I can move your schedule around and cover any holes.”

“Miss Reyla will let you do that?” Damian asked.

“Oh… right. Miss Reyla made me a partner in the store. So I’m technically your boss,” Jordan said.

“Lumara’s light! Congratulations!” Damian gasped, embracing the werewolf.

“Thanks,” Jordan smiled uncomfortably.

Lysander held off on congratulating the wolf, but he did smile.

“Give me a second Damian,” he said, vanishing into the apartment.

Jordan and Damian followed the elf, Damian setting the two gallons of milk into the fridge. Lysander returned, a ball in his hands.

“There’s a half-pitch in the gym. We can see how you do in the box,” he suggested.

“Do I have to take my hood off?” Damian asked quietly.

“You should, it will free your motions,” Lysander said.

“Can he wear a bike helmet instead?” Jordan asked.

“Sure, but why don’t you want people to see your fur? It’s beautiful,” Lysander questioned the neko.

“Anyone with knowledge of neko markings will shun me for my fur,” Damian replied quietly.

“Well then they’re stupid. Besides, you’re the first neko to live here. I doubt anyone will know about neko culture, or care enough about it to exclude you from anything.”

Lysander gently pushed Damian’s hood down, smiling at the cat. Damian looked up slightly, meeting his eyes, the cat’s ears showing his uncertainty. The elf leaned forward and gently kissed the neko, Damian nearly melting under the attention.

“Why don’t we let Jordan get you the helmet? But eventually I want to show you that you don’t have to be ashamed of who you are. Neither of you do,” Lysander said, looking at Jordan as he spoke.

“I’ll get the helmet,” Jordan frowned, ignoring the comment.

They followed the elf to the gym, Damian wearing the bike helmet to hide his ears. Jordan followed the neko closely, protecting him from anyone who wandered too close.

“Calm down Aerael,” Lysander smiled as he held open the gym door. “Vey Kalael is safe.”

They heard the splash of water from inside the building, and Lysander motioned for Jordan to go ahead of them. The man entered the gym, unsure of what he was going to see. Ryan had said there were some differences from a normal gym.

He saw one immediately. There was a door labelled Wolves to the left of the entrance.

“Changing rooms,” Lysander said, leading the two past the door.

Jordan flinched as a small ball came flying at him from the right, hitting a glass wall right before a wolf hit the wall.

“Come on Jake, you can do better than that!” Lysander called to the wolf.

The brown wolf huffed, leaping at another ball being shot from a machine. He caught the missile in his jaws, tossing it aside to prepare for the next launch.

“That thing is so much fun…” Lysander smiled.

“It’s degrading. Why would you act like a dog chasing balls?” Jordan muttered as they passed the cage.

“Some people like to play like dogs,” Lysander said, winking at the man. “But perhaps you shouldn’t think of it that way. Try thinking it like playing catch. There are no rules saying you have to wolf out when you go in there.”

“I think it would be fun to play in wolf form,” Damian said.

“It is fun,” Lysander smiled, winking at Jordan.

“Wait, you…?” Jordan frowned.

“I what?” Lysander grinned.

“Nevermind…”

He really didn’t want to know if Lysander had screwed around in his wolf form. There were some things that were better left secret.

Lysander opened a door to another large cage filled with fake grass. He tossed his ball into the cage, motioning for Damian to enter.

“Do you want to play with us?” the elf asked, turning to Jordan.

The man shrugged, stepping on the pitch.

“Sure, why not?”

Lysander smiled, watching Damian jog toward the goal.

“He really is beautiful,” the elf sighed.

“He is,” Jordan agreed.

The man kicked at Lysander’s ball, moving it toward the elf. He hadn’t played football since he was a kid, and even back then he wasn’t good at the game.

“Oh no, you get first shot at him,” Lysander grinned, kicking the ball back to the werewolf.

Jordan shrugged again, kicking the ball forward toward the goal as he walked. Damian watched the man warily as he approached, the look of concentration making him even more adorable in Jordan’s eyes.

Jordan kicked the ball, sending it toward Damian slowly. The neko laughed, stopping the ball effortlessly.

“Are you scared of the ball?” he grinned, kicking it back at Jordan.

“No, I don’t want to hurt you,” Jordan shot back.

“You won’t,” Lysander said to the side. "Just try to score. We want to see what Damian can do.”

Jordan scowled and kicked again, hard. The ball flew way over the goal, bouncing off the back wall.

Lysander shook his head, chasing after the ball.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. 1v1. We both try to get it into the goal and not let the other score.”

The elf smirked suddenly.

“Oh, and winner gets to cuddle with Damian tonight.”

He looked over his shoulder at the neko, who smiled nervously.

“You’re on,” Jordan growled.

The elf was not taking his neko away, not even for one night.

Lysander stood against the far wall of the pitch, ball in front of him. He smirked at Jordan, who stood waiting for the elf’s attack. They both had something to fight for, and neither would give easily.

The elf darted forward, Jordan moving to intercept him. Lysander’s foot moved between Jordan’s legs and the man nearly tripped as the ball slid past him. Lysander tore down the pitch after the ball, tapping it hard toward Damian.

Damian’s eyes tracked the ball, his body coiling, ready to pounce. The cat lept to the side, his hand knocking the ball away from the goal.

Jordan rushed at the ball, kicking it away from Lysander. He stood in front of the ball, studying Lysander closely. A short kick to the side was easily intercepted, and Jordan had lost the ball again.

This time there was no contest, Lysander kicking the ball into the upper left of the goal. He stood in front of Damian, helping the neko up where he had fallen.

“Lost your balance?” he asked, smiling at the cat.

“Yeah. It happens.”

“Because of your tail,” the elf smiled knowingly. “You’re a cat. And you’re taking away one of your advantages.”

Lysander stepped up against Damian, kissing the neko.

“If I may try something?” he asked quietly as Jordan looked on.

Damian nodded slowly, lost in the elf’s eyes. Lysander’s hands wrapped around the neko as they kissed again. Jordan saw him pull at something, then step away.

“There. Let’s try again and see how you do,” he said.

Jordan retrieved the ball, tossing it to Lysander.

“What did you do?” he asked as they returned to the other side of the pitch.

“You’ll see,” Lysander winked.

They started again, Lysander letting Jordan get nearly halfway to Damian before knocking the ball away. The elf jogged up the pitch, kicking at Damian. Jordan caught the flash of calico fur flicking back and forth, Damian coiling once more. This time the cat leapt up and caught the ball easily.

“See?” Lysander called. “You shouldn’t handicap yourself.”

The neko stared at the ball in his hands, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“I hate to break up the moment, but I do have a practice to catch. I’ll see you two back at the apartment?” Lysander questioned.

“We’ll be there,” Jordan replied.

“Great. I can’t wait to claim my prize,” Lysander grinned.

He kissed Damian and Jordan quickly, before hurrying off the pitch.

“So you are happy with his kisses now?” Damian grinned at the werewolf.

Jordan grumbled at the cat.

“He caught me off guard,” he explained half-heartedly.

“Yeah, sure he did. Come on, you should go ask Ryan what the policy is concerning guests before Arisa hunts you down again.”

Jordan stood in the office of the pack complex, waiting for a young elf to finish talking on the phone. Ryan was nowhere in sight, and Jordan hoped this woman could help him. He did not need Arisa to come sneaking onto the grounds at night. Knowing the elf, she would do exactly that.

“I’m sorry sir, but there is nothing we can do if your daughter does not wish to join the pack. You should let her know about us, and I sincerely hope you rethink your decision to send her out of your home. Yes, I understand you feel offended by her change. There is no way to reverse it. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”

Jordan could tell the elf’s facade was slipping, her disgust with the person she was talking to dangerously close to breaking through. She pulled the phone away from her ear, setting it down.

“Ugh… Sorry,” she muttered, taking a deep breath. “Stuffy old elves still trying to catch up to the fourteenth century. Can I help you?”

“Is Ryan here?”

“Oh no, he’s at the museum. He runs tours one day a week.”

“Okay, well hopefully you can help me then. Are there any rules for inviting a friend into the complex?”

“As long as you accompany them, you’ll be fine.”

Jordan thanked the woman, leaving the office. He called Arisa as he returned to the apartment.

"So let me get this straight. I have to stick by your side, not touch anyone, and give a bit of my blood as a sacrifice every time I enter the complex?"

Jordan could hear the laughter in the elf's voice as he sighed.

"Look, if you want to see where I'm staying, and I know you do, meet me in front of the complex tomorrow afternoon, around five," he said.

"I'll be there."

Hanging up, Jordan stepped into the apartment, finding Damian reading on the couch.

The neko set the book aside as Jordan sat beside him. Clearing his throat almost nervously, Damian turned to the werewolf.

“So, um, I like your wolf,” he said quietly.

“Really? You seemed rather scared of him,” Jordan said.

“I… I was. But I kinda want to see him again,” Damian muttered.

Jordan frowned slightly.

“I don’t like letting him out. He’s dangerous.”

“He didn’t seem too dangerous yesterday.”

Damian touched Jordan’s shoulder lightly, his finger tracing down the werewolf’s arm.

“Please?”

Sighing quietly, Jordan stood up and pulled Damian to his feet. Kissing the neko lightly, he looked into Damian’s eyes.

“Okay. But we do this my way.”

The wolf whined, Jordan fighting to control him. He could smell his mate, so close, yet behind a door with no entrance. He was confused; doors were supposed to be open for him. But in this place, which smelled of other wolves, the doors remained closed.

Pacing restlessly, Jordan gained control again, ensuring the wolf wouldn’t do anything to Damian. He had been fine the day before, but this was the first real test, letting the wolf out alone with Damian.

Scratching lightly at the door, Jordan waited for Damian to open it. The neko looked down at him as the wolf sat patiently.

“You are so handsome,” Damian whispered, kneeling beside Jordan.

He didn’t feel handsome. He felt like an abomination. But as Damian’s hand cautiously stroked his head, Jordan found comfort in the thought that at least one person liked his wolf.

A scent entered his nose, strong and musky. The front door opened and Jordan backed into the bedroom as the smell flooded the apartment.

“Hey Damian. What are you doing on the floor?”

Damian stood up, looking at Jordan guiltily. The wolf huffed quietly, stepping out of the room. Lysander set down the ball in his hands, grinning at the wolf.

“Hey there Jordan. Give me a minute and I’ll join you.”

He vanished into his room, the door sitting ajar. Jordan heard the rustle of clothes coming off, and the scent of his other mate grew even stronger, musky and sweaty. He loved it, but hated that he loved it.

There was a soft thump as Lysander fell to his knees, his bare torso showing through the door. It nearly drove Jordan wild, and he struggled to avoid barging into the room. The elf winced as white hair began sprouting from his body, his face contorting into a wolf’s. Moments later, it was over, Lysander standing up once more,

Jordan couldn’t hold his wolf back anymore. He lunged through the door, tackling Lysander. Their bodies rolled together until Lysander was standing over Jordan, growling deep in his throat. The white wolf huffed quietly, Jordan whining in protest.

Slowly he came back to his senses, and Lysander let him up. The white wolf licked the brown tenderly, the momentary lapse forgiven. Still, Jordan walked with his shame worn for all to see, his tail tucked between his legs.

Damian watched from the door, a strange look on his face. Almost one of longing. Lysander walked up to the neko, rubbing his head under Damian’s hand. Kneeling, Damian stroked the wolf’s head, giggling when Lysander’s tongue ran over his face.

Unseen, Jordan snuck back to his room, shifting back to his human form. He had just gone after Lysander like an animal in heat. It was wrong. He was a human, not a wolf. He shouldn’t behave like that.

“Jordan? Where did you… oh…”

The werewolf pulled up his underwear, turning to face a blushing Damian.

“Sorry… I was… sorry…” the neko muttered, turning away.

“Yeah. I think I’m just going to go to bed,” Jordan said quietly.

Lysander nosed his way past Damian, staring at Jordan with the saddest eyes the man had ever seen.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m tired,” Jordan muttered.

The wolf only walked closer, nudging Jordan’s leg with his nose.

“What do you want from me? I went wolf and I blew it!” Jordan snapped.

Lysander nudged the man forcefully, Jordan stumbling back onto his bed. The wolf leapt up beside him, laying with his nose across Jordan’s lap. A moment later, Jordan felt the bed shift as Damian joined them.

“It doesn’t look like you blew anything,” the neko said quietly.

His hands pressed against Jordan, the wolf moving as Jordan laid down.

“I can’t control my wolf. He just gets away from me so easily.”

“Maybe you need to let him out more. I like him.”

Damian lay beside Jordan, curling up around him as Lysander covered Jordan’s other side. The wolf started licking Jordan’s arms, wolf kisses. It made him feel better. His mates weren’t going to abandon him because he lost control.