Damian's Wolf - 27. Of Books and Biscuits

Jordan set up a table in front of the store. Lysander stood near his truck, Dylan in his arms and Blanche playing with the baby neko. Today was going to be packed with the bake sale. At least Jordan felt the energy from the moon pulling at him, making him more active than before. He always got this rush of energy close to the full moon.

"Where do you want the box of biscuits?" Damian asked.

"I thought you were in charge of those. I'm selling books," Jordan replied.

The neko nodded, setting a box on the table. He began putting out plates covered with cloths, Jordan reaching for a biscuit. Damian's hand swatted his wrist, Jordan pouting slightly.

"You can eat the leftovers," the neko said.

"I doubt there will be leftovers. This place has been pretty busy."

"So basically give everyone who leaves the store a biscuit?" Damian asked.

"Well, when you say it like that, we're rewarding them for leaving. But yeah, basically," Jordan replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

Damian laughed, pulling out a chair. He took out a book and sat back to spend the next ten minutes before they opened reading.

"You know, I should probably have a talk with Miss Reyla about the rule against fraternizing with coworkers. I never really thought about it before," Jordan said.

"There's a rule about that?" Damian frowned.

"Yeah. Why do you think I never kissed you in the store? Of course, that rule was mainly for... for Halor. He had a girlfriend that costantly distracted him from his work."

"I hate to say it, but I never thought anyone would want to be with him," Damian said.

"Trust me, I was surprised too. But they broke up a few months ago and... well..."

"Yeah," Damian muttered. "I guess he won't be breaking that rule..."

Blanche sneezed suddenly, the sound startling the two.

"Excuse me," the woman sniffed. "Must be that time of year. Every time the weather shifts, you know..."

"Bad allergies?" Lysander asked, turning his body slightly to shield Dylan.

"The worst."

"If they're bad, shouldn't you be home? Damian and I can handle this," Jordan said.

"Just because you can handle it on your own doesn't mean you should have to."

"Well, Damian and I took off plenty of days over the last few weeks. I think it's time you have one off."

Blanche smiled slightly.

"I'm not winning this, am I?"

"Probably not," Damian said, Lysander laughing.

"Okay, but I'm staying only a call away."

The woman went into the store to collect her things before heading to her car. Jordan watched her drive away as Lysander moved over to sit next to Damian.

"I'm worried about her," he said, flipping the store sign to open.

"Why? It's just allergies, right?" Damian asked, glancing at Lysander.

"Yeah. And she's old. But she seems pretty healthy," the elf shrugged. "Oh, I have an idea for the full moon. Do you two want to go to Mydara for a few days? I want to show you off to my parents."

"How are we going to get there? I'm not taking my bike to Mydara, and we won't all fit in your truck."

"Well, I could sell my truck and get a van tomorrow. There's still a couple days before the full moon, so we could still make it there in time."

Jordan frowned.

"No. If we're selling anything, it's my bike. I don't like that thing anyway."

Damian chuckled quietly.

"You agree with me about the bike finally," he said.

"No, you're terrified of the thing. There's nothing to be afraid about. I just don't like people thinking I'm some kind of angsty wolf out for attention."

"They'd be right about the angsty wolf part," Lysander noted.

Jordan scowled at the elf.

"I'm not angsty-"

"Jordan, if you were any more angsty, you'd have a bunch of teenage girls pining after you," Lysander laughed.

"Anyway..." Jordan snapped. "I can trade in the bike and get close to enough for a small car. It would have enough space for us though."

"I think I still have a gold from my last payday," Lysander shrugged. "Something to think about."

And he did think about it. Jordan handed a copper to a woman, his mind on Lysander's suggestion. It would be nice to go to Mydara. He'd never actually been out of Astara before. Besides, he had been wanting to get rid of his bike for ages. Now seemed like a good time. They couldn't really keep taking two vehicles every time they had to go somewhere.

"Those biscuits look delicious," an elf said, carrying a stack of books toward him.

"I haven't been allowed to try one yet. But I have eaten his pigeon, and it tasted amazing," Jordan smiled.

"Are you two mated?"

The question startled the man. Was it that obvious he was a wolf?

"Yeah, we are," he said, almost defensively. "How did you know I'm a wolf?"

"I just assumed. I mean, this is the wolf bookstore, you know? It makes sense that the employees would be wolves too. Will you be open during the full moon?"

"As far as I know, yes."

So they were the wolf bookstore. Jordan wondered for a moment if Halor had anything to do with that. He hated that train of thought though. It always seemed to lead to a dark place.

"That's two silver," he said.

The elf paid him, Jordan wincing at the sting of the silver in his hands. The wolf thought idly about wearing gloves during work. It shouldn't cause a problem.

"Hey stranger."

Looking up from the till, Jordan saw Arisa holding hands with a rather nervous looking woman. Claire, if he remembered correctly.

"Oh, hey."

"What's up with the biscuits? Damian won't let us have one."

"They're for customers," Jordan said.

"Oh. You want to get some nice smut?" Arisa grinned at Claire.

The woman blushed furiously, smacking the elf's shoulder.

"Ah, I'm going to pay for that later, but you look adorable when you blush," Arisa laughed.

"So you two are together?"

"Yeah," Arisa smiled. "Apparently I'm her mate. Didn't see that coming from a visit to a wolf pack."

"Congratulations you two," Jordan smiled. "Maybe now you'll let me have some time with my mates."

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen you in over a week!" Arisa protested. "Besides, I heard a rumour you haven't even mated officially."

Instantly Jordan locked a frosty glare on the elf.

"That is none of your business," he growled.

There was a quiet growl, Claire stepping between the two. She met Jordan's eyes, challenging the man over Arisa.

"Okay, this is awesome and all, but I don't need you to fight Jordan over me Claire," Arisa said.

She took Claire's arm, pulling the wolf away from Jordan.

"Come on. I think we've made him upset enough for one day."

"Yeah, thanks for that," Jordan grumbled.

"Well if you didn't have a problem with being a wolf-"

"I do not want to have this discussion at work Arisa. Just leave it."

"Fine. I'm still having a biscuit though..."

The elf left the store, Claire glancing over her shoulder at Jordan. The wolf sighed, sitting back in his seat. Just what he needed, for his neighbour to hate him.

Jordan watched the group of elves giggling over Dylan. The wolf had to admit Lysander had really helped by bringing the neko out. It wasn't like they were going to leave Dylan home while working, but Lysander had insisted on staying all day. He said it would do him some good.

Between Damian's biscuits and Lysander holding Dylan, Jordan had to admit the entire day had felt more like a vacation than work. With the exception of the incident with Arisa, but she was always in the thick of things.

But even the best days had to come to an end. Preferably before Damian ran out of biscuits. Jordan finished sweeping and shut off the lights to the store. Outside, Damian was busy folding the table to stick into the back of the truck.

Jordan's hand snaked out, grabbing one of the biscuits while Damian was preoccupied.

"Hey! I promised the rest of those to Lysander!" Damian protested.

"If he wants this one, he knows where to find it," Jordan said.

He let out a moan as he bit into the biscuit.

"Fuck... this is amazing Damian..."

"Better than neko juice?" the neko asked with an impish grin.

"A close second," Jordan said. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"No, I just need to toss the biscuits in and then we're all set," Damian replied, waving to Lysander.

Jordan spotted a man staring at Damian as he bent to get the last box of biscuits. He didn't like the look of the man, or the way he seemed to size Damian up, like he wanted the cat.

The wolf stepped forward, grabbing Damian as the box dropped into the back of the truck. Spinning the neko, he kissed Damian, his hands running down Damian's body.

"Ahem."

Jordan released Damian, the neko blinking with a stunned look on his face. Lysander stood behind him, a small smile on his face.

"That was rather provacative," the elf noted.

"Just claiming my mate," Jordan explained.

"You okay there Damian? The wolf didn't break you, did he?"

"Oh... no..." Damian said, clearing his throat. "Dylan's in the truck already?"

"Yep. We're ready to go home when you are."

Jordan glanced across the street, missing the stranger. Whoever it was, he seemed like he had gotten the message. Jordan's wolf rumbled inside him, satisfied with his protection of their mate.

"Oh, and Jordan, if you're up for it, I know of an all night car place."

The wolf frowned at the words. Who had ever heard of an all night car dealer? It sounded dangerous.

"It's wolf owned," Lysander added, as though that explained everything.

"This is about the trip to Mydara? Shouldn't we discuss this more?" Jordan asked.

"Done. Damian and I decided around midday. I guess you missed the message."

"What? No we didn't," Damian denied. "But Miss Reyla did call to say we were to take the next week off for the full moon."

Lysander let out a fake groan, pouting at the neko.

"Fine. We'll talk about it when we get home. I'd challenge you to a race for the rest of the biscuits, Jordan-"

Damian paled at the thought.

"Please don't..." he said.

Lysander chuckled.

"I couldn't do it. Not with Dylan in the truck with us," he said. "I'll see you when you get home Jordan."

Jordan nodded, walking over to his bike. He sat on it for a moment, thinking as the truck left the car park. The wolf had been riding this bike for nearly a year. He wasn't attached to it certainly, but still, it had helped him regain some of his confidance after Eric had turned him. The bike had helped him feel like he was still in control of his life.

Not that he felt very in control of anything lately. But the bike wasn't going to help that now. Hadn't he once hated the thing, felt trapped by the vehicle he couldn't afford to replace?

Yet now he found an unwelcome fondness for the thing.

Oh well. He could become fond of a family-sized car.

The wolf started the engine, listening to the roar of the engine. He could trade it in, no problem. The only regret he had was he wouldn't get to ride in the wind with Damian's arms around him anymore. Cuddling in bed with the neko would solve that issue.

Still, as he left the car park, Jordan decided to take one last ride around Astara.