Gods and Ancients - 4. Event of the Millennium

Supreme Alpha Taylor watched nervously from a conference room window at the activity in front of the headquarters building. All morning, vans and shuttle busses had been pulling up into the circular drive, each one packed shoulder-to-shoulder with bears arriving for the big event.

His Beta, Chad, had been hard at work for the last three months preparing for this day. There was a confirmed guest list that had been triple-checked against the registry of known bears, and each vetted against the NALC list of known criminal offenders. Not surprisingly, all two hundred ten bears on the guest list were squeaky-clean in their current identities and all their previous identities as well. Now, Chad was there to personally greet each one, check their names against the list, and direct the wolves on the support staff as to which guest suite to transport their luggage.

Chad, of course, was over the moon at the prospect of hosting and organizing such an enormous gathering of bears, and there was much obvious flirting going on as he greeted each bear in turn. The rest of the wolves on the support staff had gotten somewhat accustomed to having a small number of bears to tend to after their kind had been admitted onto the Council, but the sheer number that were coming through the doors today was beginning to overwhelm the crew in both patience and in the overpowering bear scent that was now pervasive everywhere they turned.

For the bears, particularly the contingent from Atikokan and the polar bears from the Arctic, most had never been to the NALC headquarters before, nor had they ever seen a facility so lavish and modern. Bears who had lived contentedly for centuries in rough-hewn cabins in the woods of the Smoky or Rocky Mountains now found themselves surrounded by glass, marble, and chrome, with uniformed wolves attending to their every need.

As the Supreme Alpha watched the activity below, he saw a familiar black Mercedes 4x4 SUV pull into the circular drive, and he hurried to the elevator to get to the Lobby. It wasn’t Axel that he was so excited to see, but the special guest that Axel was charged with transporting.

He exited the front doors, waving Chad and the wolf attendants to the side as Adam got out of the front seat and opened the back door, lending a hand to help their passenger exit the vehicle.

It was Matthias himself. The Ancient had expressed great interest in witnessing the first change of the heir of Odin, even if it did mean leaving the Arctic for the first time in over a thousand years. He had gotten his friendly local bush-pilot Fergie to fly him from Atqasuk, Alaska to Fairbanks, where Axel and Adam were waiting to drive him the rest of the way to Calgary. He had no intention of boarding a commercial airline with a hundred humans, so it was a three-day drive with overnight camping along the way for the old bear.

Now, the Ancient stood in the circular driveway, still dressed in his seal-skin clothing, looking up at the imposing glass and steel edifice of the NALC headquarters.

“Greetings, Matthias!” Supreme Alpha Taylor exclaimed, walking swiftly up to the imposing bear, and extending his hand in welcome.

Matthias stared at the wolf in confusion for a few seconds before Adam elbowed him in the ribs and nodded his head silently in the direction of the Supreme Alpha.

“Oh, right,” Matthias said, “The shaking of the hands,” and he reached forward, engulfing Taylor’s hand in his own, and pumped it up and down briskly two times.

“On behalf of the Council,” Taylor said formally, “We are honored to finally have you with us in person.”

“I’m sure you are,” Matthias replied. “Two questions…”

“Yes?” Taylor said in response, waiting to hear what the Ancient one needed to know.

“When do we eat?”

“Ah,” Taylor replied. “We are nearing lunchtime now, and a welcome buffet is being prepared in the main dining room to begin in an hour. One of the wolf attendants would be happy to show you to your room if you’d care to get changed and freshen up before the meal.”

“Freshen up,” Matthias repeated with a chuckle. “I suppose that’s a fancy way of telling me to wash my ass.”

“No, no,” Taylor replied, stammering, and attempting to respond, but the old bear just waved his hand to dismiss it, so the Supreme Alpha pressed on.

“What was your second question?”

“Is the guest of honor here yet? I’d like to see how a demigod sucks a cock before the rest of the bears get here and have a go at him.”

“Grand-Papa!” Adam exclaimed in shock, “What did we just talk about in the car? This is the Supreme Alpha of all North America!”

But the Supreme Alpha was too busy doubled over in laughter to be offended.

“It’s fine, Cub Adam,” Taylor said, “I have a feeling that nobody is going to be following strict protocol in my presence for the next two weeks. I’m prepared to keep things casual.

“To answer your question Matthias, Bernhard Odinson has not yet joined the gathering, but I assure you that you will be one of the first to know when he does.”

“Fair enough,” Matthias replied, “You can have your wolves show me to my fancy-pants room then, so I can ‘freshen up’ before the buffet.”

An observant wolf who had been standing close by took his cue and stepped forward.

“Your luggage, sir?” the wolf asked.

Matthias turned briefly back to the SUV and pulled out a huge duffel bag made from caribou hides which he tossed at the wolf. The surprised attendant caught the bag but stumbled backward a few steps before regaining his balance with the heavy load.

“Lead on, Jeeves,” Mathias said to his wolf attendant, and the pair entered the Lobby, headed for his guest suite.

After the Ancient had been attended to, Axel finally exited the driver’s seat and tossed the keys to another waiting wolf valet.

“Hello, your Supremeness,” Axel said to Taylor, shaking his hand. “Sorry for leaving the Old Man’s introduction up to the Cub, but after three days in the car with that bastard, I wasn’t sure that we were both going to make it here alive.”

“Papa and Grand-Papa fought almost the whole way here,” Adam said with a sigh. “Usually, that’s foreplay for the two of them, but we had a schedule to keep, so the Benz has been filled with a lot of pent-up tension for the last couple days.”

“I see,” Taylor replied, understanding the situation, “Why don’t the two of you head up to your apartment and relax before lunch? Beta Chad will make sure that your vehicle gets unpacked, and everything is brought up for you.”

“If you really want me to relax,” Axel replied, “Send up Chad along with the luggage.”

“Um, yes. Of course.” Taylor said as Adam rolled his eyes and grabbed his Papa’s arm to lead him into the building.

****

Axel emerged from his apartment door into the hallway of the residential wing of the NALC complex an hour later with a pleasant grin on his face. He was dressed in his well-worn leather jeans, biker boots and a tight white tank top. Adam exited the apartment right behind him wearing hiking boots, cutoffs, and a sleeveless flannel shirt.

Chad, the Supreme Alpha’s Beta, scurried out the door last, looking a bit disheveled. His tie was undone, and his shirt tails were hanging out of his wrinkled khaki pants.

“Ah, gods,” Chad said, hurriedly attempting to tuck in his shirt before anyone saw him sneaking out of the bears’ apartment, “The lunch buffet is supposed to be starting now, and I’m not there to make sure the kitchen staff has everything ready!”

Axel gave the wolf a swat on the ass causing him to let out a yelp of surprise.

“You had more important business to take care of, pup,” Axel said. “Do the kitchen staff know their jobs?”

“Well, yes,” Chad said.

“And do they know where the dining room is where the cooked food is supposed to go?”

“Of course,” Chad replied.

“Then relax,” Axel said, taking the wolf by the shoulders, “This isn’t some formal event for a bunch of snooty stuffed shirts. You’re dealing with a bunch of bears for the next two weeks. If shit doesn’t go according to the master plan, half the bears aren’t even going to notice, and the other half aren’t going to care. All of them will be wondering what a fine piece of wolf-tail like you is like in bed. So, remember to have a good time this week, okay?”

“Yes, Councilmember Axel,” Chad replied, grinning, and tossing his tie in the hallway trash can. “I’ll keep things fun and casual, the way our guests would want it.”

“That’s the spirit!” Axel exclaimed, “Now, let’s go check out that buffet and see what two hundred bears look like all gathered together in one spot!”

As the trio headed to the elevators, Adam casually plucked Chad’s tie from the trash can and stuffed it into his pocket. The wolf was putting on a good show for his Papa, but Adam knew him better. Chad was going to want that tie back later.

After leaving Chad at the hallway to the kitchen, Axel and Adam followed the sound of dozens of deep, baritone bear voices speaking over top of each other in a cacophony of mixed conversation and entered the main dining hall.

It was a glorious sight, and it nearly brought a tear to the tough old Kodiak’s eye. Bears filled the room from one side to the other, dressed in a masculine mixture of jeans, flannel, leather, cargo shorts, and tank tops. Boots seemed to be the footwear of the day, but there were the occasional Chuck Taylor high-tops and leather flip-flops peppered throughout the crowd.

Several bears shouted Axel and Adam’s names as they made their entrance, and the pair began to work the room. Over to the right, they spotted Siku’s head looming above the crowd, the orange tabby named Charlie sitting in her usual spot on his shoulder, and his mate Shivay, the strikingly handsome Indian tiger on his arm. Axel noted and appreciated the tiger’s thick dark beard and curled handlebar mustache that were his signature facial hair since meeting his mate. They were in the middle of a crowd of twenty grizzlies and one diminutive sun bear who Axel vaguely recognized as the former gang of the nefarious and deceased Kodiak bear Colt, now reformed into one of the finest fishing crews on the West coast. This would be the first gathering for these bears, and Siku was busy explaining the social dynamics of a group this large to them to make them feel comfortable.

Over by the buffet were the contingent from Sturgeon Bay. His old friend Gunnar was busy piling a plate full of food as his cub Mike chatted with his friends from the Smoky Mountains, Sam and Thomas. The rest of the Sturgeon Bay bears composed the finest fishing crew on the Great Lakes, and they were right behind Gunnar in filling their plates with an assortment of fried chicken, roast beef, and turkey sandwiches.

Interspersed throughout the room were the Atikokan bears, easily the largest single contingent at the gathering, and the only group with any polar bears besides Siku. As Axel mingled, he noticed his Atikokan polar bear brothers moving over to greet Siku, led by the polar bear chief Nukilik and his mate Nameer, who was also a tiger and the biological father of Shivay.

Notably absent were the bears from Mount Savage, including Karhu and Bernie, the reason for all the fuss.

Axel worked his way through the crowd, grabbing a bear’s forearm in greeting here and there, until he had made his way to Gunnar and Thomas.

“Where are the Mount Savage crew?” he asked after giving each of the bears a tight hug. “They’ve arrived, haven’t they?”

“Oh, they’re here,” Gunnar replied keeping his voice low so that the others couldn’t hear. “They actually got here a day early at the Supreme Alpha’s request. Taylor has been keeping their presence a secret up until now because he wanted a chance to meet and talk with Bernie himself in private before things got too… crazy.”

“Well, somebody told them where and when lunch was being served, right?” Axel asked.

“I’m sure Chad has that taken care of,” Gunnar replied.

Axel blushed and rolled his eyes.

“Oh. Chad’s been a little… preoccupied for the last hour or so.”

“Ah, for fuck’s sake, Axel,” Gunnar said, grinning, “You just got here, and you and your Cub are already distracting that poor Beta from his Council duties with your big ol’ Kodiak cocks, aren’t you?”

“Hey buddy,” Axel growled, “If you had to spend the last three days cooped up in a fucking car with my Old Man, you’d be ready to blow off some steam too.”

Gunnar laughed.

“Speaking of Matthias,” he said, “He’s over there at the table in the corner, eating by himself. I don’t think he’s ready to mingle with this many other bears just yet, and I think the others are a little too intimidated to approach him.”

“He’ll come out of his shell soon enough,” Axel replied. “Just make sure the rest of the bears know that if he starts getting angry and arguing with them, that’s the Old Man’s version of foreplay and he is one bossy bottom, so they need to gird their loins!”

Gunnar laughed again and glanced over at the ancient bear, who caught Gunnar’s gaze and stared back menacingly with narrowing eyes.

“Looks like he has his eye on you, Yogi,” Axel said. “Good luck with that. I’m going to run back up to the guest suites and make sure the Mount Savage crew is doing okay.”

****

In the guest wing, the twenty bears from Mount Savage were gathered in the suite shared by Karhu and Bernie. The Cub-to-be had locked himself in the bathroom shortly after breakfast and didn’t want to come out.

“Cub,” Karhu called through the door, “Bernie. Love. Tell us what’s got you so upset you can’t show your handsome face. Talk to us. We can’t help if you won’t communicate.”

“Oh Papa,” Bernie said finally. “It’s this whole week and gathering. Everybody’s just here to get a look at the sideshow freak. The wolves serving breakfast… they were appalled at the amount of food I ate. I could see it in their faces that they think I’m a disgusting gluttonous blob.”

“Ah Bernie,” Bill said, “Don’t pay any attention to the wolves. They don’t understand the bear transformation process. It’s easy for them; most of them were born wolves, and the ones who started out as wolf-kindred humans only had to wait as long as the next full moon for their first change. They can’t possibly understand the enormity of the physical changes required to a human body in order to become a bear. All the other bears here know exactly what you’re going through because we’ve all been through it ourselves! Nobody is going to be judging you for the amount you eat. In fact, they’ll probably all be encouraging you to eat more so that you can have a smooth change.”

“Yeah,” Bernie replied, “But how am I supposed to go down there and have sex with two hundred bears? They all know how horny I am at this stage, and they all came here to see if they can take advantage of that. How are they supposed to control themselves when they all just want the opportunity to get their cocks sucked by a demigod?”

“Bernhard Odinson!” Karhu yelled, meaning business, “You should know better! The two hundred bears assembled below are not here just because they want to get their cocks sucked by a demigod.”

“Except Matthias from what I’ve heard this morning,” Daniel whispered to Gary, “But that old bear is incorrigible.”

“The bears are all here because they want to support you and us with what is about to happen,” Karhu continued. “Nobody knows exactly what you are going to become when you change into a bear for the first time, and they’re all here to stand behind you. Nobody is going to pressure you to do anything that will make you feel ashamed of yourself!”

“Who’s feeling ashamed of themselves?” Axel asked the assembled bears in a booming voice from the open doorway.

“Axel!” Rodney exclaimed from the edge of the group. “Bernie locked himself in the bathroom and won’t come out. He says he’s feeling like a sideshow freak in front of the wolves, and a piece of meat to the bears.”

“Bernie!” Axel called, pushing his way through the bears up to the bathroom door. “It’s Axel. You remember me, dontcha?”

“Yes, sir,” Bernie called back through the door. “You’re the big badass Kodiak with the super-smart badass Cub.”

“That’s right,” Axel replied. “Look, I may have gone through my own first change in isolation with just me and my Old Man, Matthias, but since I’ve joined the bear community, I’ve seen almost a dozen bears going through just what you’re going through right now. No two bears are exactly alike, but the hormones and bear testosterone going through your system at this stage in the game can play havoc with your head and your emotions.”

“What if I’ve changed my mind?” Bernie asked through the door, “What if this is all just too much, and I don’t want to go through with it?”

“Sorry little bud,” Axel said, “But you should know by now that turning back isn’t an option. And why in hell would you want that anyway?”

“Because I’m not going to become a bear just like the rest of you. Everyone keeps reminding me over and over that they don’t know what I’m going to become. If I’m going to be a freak, I may as well just find a cave to crawl into and hide for the rest of my life.”

“Cub,” Axel said, “The bears downstairs are all waiting for you. Do you know why?”

“Because they all want a turn fucking the horny Cub?”

“No,” Axel replied. “Well, maybe Matthias, but he’s an asshole. Try again. Why are there two hundred excited bears waiting downstairs to see you right now.”

“Because they expect me to put on a show for their amusement?”

“Wrong again,” Axel said, “I’ll tell you why. They’re here because bears are expected to be heroes. We’re big and strong and we go out of our way to help and protect others. And you, Bernhard Odinson, are a hero to all these bears. You’re the child of Odin, touched by the old god himself. They’re here because they all love you and would willingly die for you, and they want to be here to help you through the mystery of your first change.”

There was a silence from behind the bathroom door.

“Now,” Axel said, “Don’t you think you owe your fans the pleasure of your company over lunch?”

“And what happens after lunch?” Bernie asked.

“Whatever you want, Cub,” Axel replied. “This is your party. You call the shots.”

There was a click at the doorknob, and the bathroom door opened. Axel finally got a good look at the demigod cub in the final phase of his transformation.

Axel gasped.

Bernie was tall. Almost as tall as Axel himself and he hadn’t even had his first change yet. His reddish-blonde hair was long and thick and full, as was his beard, which hung in loose waves over his chest. He was hugely muscular, looking like he’d just competed in the World’s Strongest Man competition and had won hands-down, but he also had a wonderfully thick layer of fat covering him from neck to ankle, and a round beer belly protruding in front.

“Odin’s balls,” Axel muttered, “You’re fucking magnificent.”

****

In the dining room, the bears were hard at work decimating the buffet as if it was their last meal. The expanded kitchen staff had been warned what feeding two hundred bears was going to be like, but the actual experience was eye opening. There were two dozen wolves busy preparing more food to replace that which was quickly devoured, with another dozen wolves running back and forth between the kitchen and dining room replenishing the platters and trays as fast as they were eaten.

Adam was sitting with Siku, Shivay and Charlie, scratching the cat under her chin with one hand while stuffing a plate full of boneless chicken wings into his maw with the other when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Since only one hand wasn’t currently covered in buffalo sauce, he reluctantly stopped petting the cat long enough to pull his phone out and check the message. Charlie jumped onto his shoulder and peered at the phone with feline curiosity as he scrolled the screen.

“Hey everybody,” Adam bellowed after reading the message from his Papa, wiping his hands on a napkin as Charlie dug her claws into his shoulder to keep her balance while the seven foot-bear stood up on his chair to get everyone’s attention. “Bernie and the crew from Mount Savage are on their way down right now. The Cub’s been feeling a little self-conscious about how much his body has changed over the last four months, so let’s all give him a big welcome and make sure he doesn’t feel like a freak, okay?”

“Aye, Laddie,” Domnhall shouted in response. “He can’t possibly look any uglier than I did at that age!”

The bears erupted in raucous laughter and before another minute went by, Axel strode back through the doorway.

“Brother bears!” Axel announced, “May I present the guest of honor, and quite frankly the biggest, baddest Cub I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Bernie Odinson!”

Bernie emerged from around the corner, his cheeks blushed red, holding onto his Papa’s hand in a death-grip. All the bears from Mount Savage followed him into the room to stand behind him as the assembled crowd took a minute to catch their breath in awe.

“Hey everybody,” Bernie said, finding his confidence, standing up straight and grinning broadly. “Thanks for coming!”

The dining hall erupted in cheers as the bears all sprang to their feet and crowded around the Cub, shaking his paw and clapping him on the back, and offering congratulations to Karhu on such a fine-looking Mate.

“Make way!” Barry shouted. “A growing cub needs to eat, you know! Somebody get those lazy wolves to bring out more provisions!”

“You sit here, Bernie and relax,” Mike said, pulling out a chair for him at their table. “Sam and I will bring you a few plates of food to get you started while you handle this mob!”

Bernie sat down at the table, and Karhu sat right beside him. He realized for the first time that he was still clutching his Papa’s hand like a vise, and finally released his grip.

“I was wondering when I was going to get my hand back,” Karhu said with a chuckle, massaging the bones in his palm. “Do you see now? Everybody here loves you. You’re part of a big, wonderful family.”

At that moment, the pair noticed the crowd parting in front of their table as a single bear approached like a predator shark cutting through the water.

Matthias loomed over the Cub and his mate, staring at him with a slight scowl.

He turned his attention to Karhu first.

“I suppose you’re the bear who spent two thousand years doing the bidding of the Tuath Dé, aren’t you?”

“I am,” Karhu replied boldly, “And I suppose you’re the one they refer to as the ‘Ancient’ who has spent the last thousand years in the Arctic, aren’t you?”

“I am,” Matthias replied.

“Then I welcome you,” Karhu said, standing up and grasping the old bear by the forearm in the traditional werebear greeting. “Thank you for leaving your home and coming here today to help celebrate my Cub’s first change.”

“And this must be the Cub himself,” Matthias said turning to Bernie. “I was wondering, Cub…”

“I have to stop you there, old bear,” Bernie said with a stern look on his face. “Your reputation proceeds you, and I know exactly what you’re after. But there’s something I must ask you first.”

“Oh!” Matthias said, “Full of vinegar, this one. What is it you need to know, Cub?”

“I need to know if you’re as good a cocksucker as Axel says you are,” he said with a straight face, staring the old bear in the eye.

The crowd around Bernie’s table fell silent. No one had dared speak so brazenly to the Ancient before, with the possible exception of Axel. All eyes turned to Matthias who glared back at the Cub.

Slowly, the old bear began to grin, and then he let out a bellowing laugh so loud it filled the room.

“Oh, I like this one,” he said. “Balls of brass! I tell you what Cub, why don’t you finish your lunch and then you and your Papa can join me in my suite, and we’ll just see who the best cocksucker really is, hmm?”

****

Down in the sub-basement, Curtis sat in the locked utility closet with his laptop. He had been getting strange emails for the last few weeks from someone claiming to be the Emperor of Africa. He deleted the first couple that he had received, considering them to be spam or some sort of email scam trying to get his bank account information. It was only after he stopped at an ATM to withdraw some cash that he saw his account balance had increased by an extra hundred thousand dollars that he paid attention to the next message that arrived at his inbox later that day.

The mysterious stranger’s email claimed responsibility for the generous deposit and told him to expect the arrival of an important package, but that he was not to open it under any circumstances. If he would simply hold onto it and wait for further instructions, his bank account would be gifted an additional five hundred thousand for his patience.

So, he waited, and as predicted, a sizeable package postmarked from Africa arrived on his doorstep a few days later. He hid the package away in the back of his bedroom closet and tried not to think about it.

A week later, he received another email asking for confirmation that the package was secure and unopened. Curtis replied in the affirmative, and as promised, his bank account was credited via an international wire draft an additional half-million dollars.

Today, after weeks of covert emails back and forth with the mysterious stranger who claimed to be an Emperor, they were finally meeting face-to-face via video conference.

“Who are you?” Curtis asked after seeing the face of the handsome black stranger appear on his screen.

“I told you that the first time I emailed you,” Kintu replied, “I am the Emperor of Africa.”

“Africa is a continent, not a nation,” Curtis said in rebuttal, “And it doesn’t have an emperor.”

“How shall I put this in terms you will understand,” Kintu said with just a hint of frustration. “I am the equivalent in Africa of your Supreme Alpha in North America.”

“You’re a wolf-lycan?” Curtis asked.

“Certainly not!” Kintu snapped with a scowl. “I am a werelion.”

“Were… lion. Emperor…” Curtis mumbled, his eyes growing wide. He was finally beginning to understand. “Your highness! Er, your holiness! Why have you contacted me? Are you one of my benefactors who have been paying me to spy on the wolves and bears?”

“No,” Kintu replied. “I am not one of The Benefactors. However, I am one of the ones with whom The Benefactors share the secrets that you share with them.”

“How did you get my name?” Curtis asked in a panic. If this lion was able to find out what he had been doing for The Benefactors from the other side of the world, there was nothing keeping the Supreme Alpha from finding out either. “Did they give you my name? They promised to keep my identity a secret!”

“No,” Kintu said, smiling, “The Benefactors did not betray you, but I have my own resources and spies at my disposal. While they may not be as adept as you at spying my wily wolf, they were able to find out who on the NALC staff was secretly also on The Benefactors’ payroll.”

“If you have your own spies,” Curtis countered, “Why do you need me, and what’s in that package?”

“I need you because you are uniquely positioned within the NALC headquarters. You have access to every floor, and every room. You come and go almost unseen. You can get close to the bears currently infesting your facility and none will be the wiser.”

“The bears?” Curtis asked in surprise, “What could you possibly want with that smelly lot?”

“The bears are there to celebrate and witness the first change of their newest Cub,” Kintu replied. “This Cub will become the most powerful lycan who has ever lived. The lions wish to curry favor with him without knowledge of your Supreme Alpha who wants the Cub for his own purposes. We wish to form an alliance between bear and lion. The package you have in your possession is our gift to the new Cub, he who has the power of Thor himself.”

“What do I need to do,” Curtis said coldly, “And how much more will you be paying me to do it?”

“After the Cub’s first change, when he has become the Prince of the Bears, I simply need you to present the gift to him on our behalf, and we will reward you with an additional million dollars. If, after delivering our gift, you survive the wrath of your Supreme Alpha, you may take your leave of the North American Lycan Council once and for all and live out the remainder of your life in comfort. Isn’t that what you have truly wished for?”

“It is,” Curtis replied, seduced by the words of the emperor he now served.

“Excellent,” Kintu said, “When you deliver our gift to the Bear Lord, here is what I want you to say…”

****

Randall stood outside the utility room weighing his options. Curtis had locked himself in there again and was at that moment most certainly beating off to Japanese Hentai tentacle porn or some freaky shit like that.

The whole staff was on edge this week because the headquarters were overrun with every stinking bear on the continent, and they had them running their tails off. They’d made an absolute mess of the dining room at lunch, and by the time they finished tonight’s welcome party in the ballroom, it was going to be a team effort to get the place back in shape again before they had to do it all again tomorrow.

As if cleaning up after their food orgies wasn’t bad enough, Randall had caught a group of bears having an actual orgy in one of the Council conference rooms this afternoon. He tried to scold them and chase them off, but they kept going and even suggested that he join in! The nerve! He was definitely going to have to re-wax that conference table before the next scheduled meeting, or there would be hell to pay. There were hairy ass prints on it from one end to the other.

Randall raised his hand to pound on the utility room door but stopped himself at the last second. Let the little guy get his jollies while he can. He couldn’t possibly be more than another ten or fifteen minutes, and they were going to have a long, busy night cleaning up. He’d rather Curtis be relaxed and in a good mood instead of sulking and pouting all night.

“Hell,” Randall muttered to himself in a low whisper, leaning his head against the door, “If the little fucker would just ask me, maybe we could even get each other off before our shift starts each night.”

Randall adjusted the suddenly uncomfortable erection in his coveralls and turned down the hall to leave Curtis to his business. Someday, maybe he’d be the one to ask instead of waiting for the runt to make the first move.