Cernunnos - 28. Chapter 28

As the couple walked, Shea talked with Cyn about matings as a human. Although he felt awkward about it at first, the lycan grew more comfortable as the buck’s questions came. He really had no idea there was this whole other side of mating! His kind just does it for breeding and survival. I’ll make sure he knows we won’t be doing that. Shea explained several details about dating a lycan, including the concept of play-biting. “I don’t do it too often, but I will want to nibble on you every now and then, especially when we mate. The bites won’t be harmful, and they don’t mean I want to eat you.”

Cyn took in the information like a sponge. This dating stuff is really interesting! Learning more about lycan mating and humanity’s influence was baffling. From human-invented lubricants to, what sounded like pre-mating exercises, the cernunnos felt more confident about mating with Shea. The important fact Cyn took from the wolf was how lycan tend to pick their mates for life. So, Sheamus has chosen me! He… He wants to spend the rest of his life with me! I think I want that too! Recalling the short time he has known the lycan, the deer solidified his thought. Yes, I do want that!

The two shapeshifters walked for half an hour before turning around to head back to the Alpha’s manor. Shea thought to himself, I sure hope those two will be done by the time we get back. By the time Cyn and Shea opened the front door, their noses were blasted by the smell of coffee. I could use a cup! I wonder… “Cyn, have you tried coffee before?” The cernunnos shook his head gingerly, “I’ll give you a sip of mine and we’ll see if you like it. It’s a hot morning drink.” After taking off their shoes and jackets, Shea led Cyn into the kitchen, where they found Arric pouring himself a cup, “Morning, Arric.”

With a grumble, the Alpha was swift drinking the brew and seating himself at the kitchen’s island bar, “Remind me to soundproof my guest rooms. I heard you two having a situation, everything okay?”

“Yeah, we just had a little… misunderstanding, but we got through it.” Reaching into the cabinet, Shea grabbed a single mug with the intention of sharing with Cyn. Just in case he doesn’t like it, we won’t be wasting much. Pouring the brown and steaming liquid, the Enforcer kept the conversation rolling, “Got any plans for dealing with the other couple?”

A feeble growl escaped Arric’s lips, “The second you two left, I let loose a growl that shook their window!” Shea laughed hard while Cyn provided a small giggle. When his Enforcer asked what occurred afterward, the Alpha continued, “Let’s just say I’m pleased with being a cock-blocker.”

The couple laughed once more as Shea took a sip of the coffee. He typically liked his black, but was prepared to dump sugar and cream in it to please Cyn, “Here, try this. It’s pretty bitter but I can fix that if you don’t like it.”

Being handed the hot mug, Cyn picked it up by the handle and sniffed. Yeah, it smells very bitter and dark! Taking a sip, the buck took a moment to process the taste. It’s bitter alright, but I can taste an underlying sweetness. “What did you mean by fixing this?”

Shea opened the refrigerator and found the milk. He let a small stream of the white fluid flow into the coffee, and took a spoon to stir the mixture, “Here, try it now. It should be a little sweeter.” The lycan watched his buck sip the heated beverage, and smiled when Cyn immediately tipped the mug back for another swig. He likes his coffee all doctored. I think I can work with that. “Tastes better?”

Cyn made an affirmative noise as he enjoyed the new drink. This stuff tastes pretty great! I don’t know what Sheamus put into this, but it made this coffee stuff a lot better! "What did you do to this stuff?"

"I added milk. It makes it creamier and sweeter. Some people will put sugar in as well, but I think it makes it too sweet." Seeing how the deer took ownership of his mug, Shea grabbed another from the cabinet and filled it, “What’s on the agenda, Alpha?”

Growing more alert, Arric set his mug down and rubbed the side of his eyelid, “When Jaime or Kieran wakes up, I’ll have them update me on the phone. If they’re done with it, then they can work on that truck’s GPS history. With enough luck, it won’t be disabled.”

Shea rested his hip against the counter, “Think you’ll need us today? I’d like to spend time with Cyn and show him around the city, to get him acclimated being around different shifters.”

“Sounds fine to me, but while Eike and Hauser are out there, consider yourself on-call. Pierce already got confirmation from the Milwaukee and Green Bay Alphas regarding our rogues. They’ll be on the lookout as well.” Arric took another sip in an attempt to wake up, “You two have been at it for several days straight. Take the whole day and have some fun. When you get back, I’ll give Kara and Jaime a day. Maybe they’ll go home and work out their… issues.”

The three shifters heard a muffled chuckle from the couch, “That was really funny, Alpha!” They watched as Kieran sleepily lifted his head, showcasing his frizzy and distraught hair, “I’m just glad I brought my headphones last night.”

Arric pinched the bridge of his nose. Headphones. I had a set in my nightstand! “Kieran, come grab some coffee and tell us about the phone’s progress.”

“Sure thing!” The scribe swung his lanky legs to the floor and plodded towards the kitchen, “What’s up, little dude? You like coffee, too?” Kieran held up a fist towards Cyn, who stared at the gesture in perplexity. The deer looked behind the man to see Shea gently bumping his fists together. Getting the clue, Kieran’s fist was met. After a moment, Kieran recollected on Cyn’s interaction, “You’re pretty unfamiliar with humanity, aren’t you, Cyn?”

“I know a little bit, but I haven’t been a human for this long since... well, my first shift.”

Kieran was baffled as he grabbed a mug, “No way! So, do you remember stuff from school?” Seeing the cernunnos nod brought some reassurance to the scribe, “Do you remember what grade you were last in?”

Cyn scowled and did his best to remember, “I… I think I was in the eighth grade when I shifted. We left for the woods after that.”

The slender lycan sighed as he poured his coffee. Little guy doesn’t have a complete education! I know we all got our hands full with this Eike deal, but I feel obligated. I smell Shea all over the him, so he’ll probably end up being a member of the pack soon, but does Cyn know that? “No worries, my deer dude. Maybe with Alpha’s permission, I can help you out and get your education caught up in some spare time.”

Shea’s breath left his mouth, “Kie-Kieran? You’d do that?”

“Of course! Cyn’s been a big help. It’s only right that we give him some of his own. That sound cool, Alpha?”

Arric snorted, “I don’t know why you’re asking me. Sounds like a question for Cyn.” With the statement made, the scribe looked to the deer for an answer to his offer.

Cyn blinked a few times and stared at his half-empty cup. My education? I really liked school when I was younger, and I’m not sure about half of the things Sheamus shows me. I… I think so. Raising his head, he met with the hazel eyes of the slim man, “Yes. I-I’d like that a lot.”

Seeing his new student’s growing smile made Kieran imitate it, “Alright! We don’t have to start anything soon, but I’d like to get an idea of where you left off in school and how much you remember.” Kieran took the coffee pot and offered refills for the group, to which all accepted. Shea grabbed the milk jug once more and poured a small amount in Cyn’s cup, “So, Cyn’s a vegetarian and not a vegan, right?”

The deer tilted his head, “Vegan? What does that mean?”

“Well, that kind of answered my question, but a vegan refrains from eating anything from an animal, including byproducts like milk and eggs.”

“Oh,” Cyn smiled as his teacher gave him a small lesson, “then no, I just don’t eat meat unless I have to.”

As Shea set the milk back in the refrigerator, he grimaced at possibly making a mistake with his future mate’s diet. Damn! I should have asked Cyn about that before giving it to him! Feeling distant from the cernunnos, the Enforcer traversed around the counter and wrapped his arm around Cyn’s slender waist, “Anything you want to do today, little man? Grab some food, go shopping again?”

Both options sounded fun to Cyn, but his attention was drawn away from the hulking lycan. Staircase. As he turned his head, the three lycan followed suit as Kara and Jaime did their best to come in quietly.

“Mornin’, everybody.” Jaime’s attempt to smoothly join the conversation came crashing down. He watched as Cyn obliviously waved while Shea and Kieran lifted singular eyebrows. Arric’s stare found the most innocent corner of Jaime’s soul and cornered it. Every regret from his mate’s morning antics flooded his mind. Damn it, Karr! I told you this would be Alpha’s reaction! But no, you just had to have it, didn’t ya?

Silence filled the house, until the sound of ceramic meeting granite pierced the souls of the mated couple, “Well, good morning.” Arric propped his elbow on the counter, resting his arm, “I hope you two slept well in my generous guest room.” Sensing their Alpha’s sarcasm, Kara attempted to apologize, but was expertly cut off, “Perhaps tonight, you’d like to sleep outside? You would have the whole forest to yourselves, provided the patrolling squad doesn’t stop and watch.”

Given the proper moment, Kara and Jaime apologized profusely. Arric was unphased by the guilt-ridden words and changed the subject, “Jaime, what’s the status on the phone? I asked Kieran, but like usual, we never got to it.”

“Uh, yeah!” Jaime stammered, attempting to seem more useful, “We weren’t able to get a complete backlog of the GPS history. The model’s company doesn’t like handing out the phone’s information, even if it’s the owner asking for it.”

“How can we get around that?”

Kieran shook his head and set down his mug, “It’s not that easy, Alpha. Even with court cases and legal action, phone companies tend to hold their ground, saying the data is theirs to hold. They say they’re protecting their clients’ information.”

A nasty growl blasted through the house. Seeing his boyfriend's reaction, Shea was swift to hold Cyn, “Easy, baby! Arric just got a little pissed.” Cyn, even in Shea’s arms, was frightened of Arric’s snarl. Shaking, the deer did his best to get his body under control. The arm’s grip surrounding him tightened and the warmth from Shea eventually soothed him. “There, see? Everything’s fine.”

Pinching his nose again, Arric felt terrible, even if his reaction to Kieran’s statement was valid. Feeling remorse, the Alpha wanted fewer bodies around him, “Kieran, Jaime. If you two can’t go any further with the phone, you and Kara start tearing that truck apart.” The three accepted their orders and left the kitchen. He saw that the deer had not made eye contact with him since his growl. Damn it! I feel like I’m back at the hospital. “Cyn, I didn't mean to scare you. Hearing that crap gets me pissed off real quick. I won’t apologize for my reaction, but I do want you to start thinking about what it means to be around wolves. We growl, bark, and snarl.

“But as Shea has shown you, we also show a lot of affection.” Seeing the deer’s gaze finally meet his, the Alpha curled a slim smile, “Wolves are emotionally and socially driven. It's important to understand who we are as a species, just as we’re trying to learn about you. All we can give each other is time to learn.”

Cyn’s smile slowly returned as the deer comprehended Arric’s speech. They’re so different from what I originally knew about lycan! They walk and talk with one another because they’re social. Still in Shea’s arms, he looked up to see the calming and natural smile on the lycan. If I’m going to be with Sheamus as his mate, then… Then I’ll have to get used to wolves, even when they’re angry. “It's okay, Arric. I'm starting to understand. Sheamus, can we go shopping again? Or just walk around? I want to be around more lycan.”

Shea tightened his arms and nuzzled his nose behind Cyn’s ear, “Are you sure?”

“Y-yeah. I know you’ll be with me, so it will be okay.”

Arric laughed under his breath, “You heard the man, Enforcer. He wants to see the city and meet some new people.” The alpha gripped his mug and glided it off the counter while leaving his seat, “I’ll be working from my office, call me if you need anything, Farren.”

With Arric gone, Shea didn’t see any more reason to stick around, “Ready to go?” A nod from Cyn led to jackets being donned, and the two got in the car. Driving into the city, Shea made plans for the two to stop for breakfast, “This place serves the best food in town!” As the lycan drove, the couple’s hands never parted. Once again, Cyn couldn’t take his eyes away from the passing scenery. He felt a sense of longing in his heart as he watched the forest go by. “You okay, little man?”

With his eyes glued to the window, Cyn replied, “Yeah, I guess I’m not used to being human for this long. I feel like I should be walking around on my hooves instead of riding in a car.”

“I understand that. If it would help, we can park a little ways away from the restaurant and walk. I know it’s not the same as the woods, but walking might ease your feelings.”

Cyn agreed to the plan and Shea continued driving. Reaching the central area of Sheboygan, the lycan parked his car several blocks away from the destination. It was still early in the morning, but the typical breakfast rush was well underway. Both of the shifters met on the sidewalk and Shea grabbed Cyn’s hand. Alright, no pressure. Just out and about with your boyfriend, who happens to be a deer. As they walked, Shea adored Cyn as he looked at every detail. He noticed the deer stopping in front of a tree, “Cyn?”

The deer was perplexed! How did they do this? He studied the small tree that stood surrounded by hard concrete. “How is this tree growing here? There’s no permeable soil for a tree to grow roots.”

“I haven’t given it much thought, but it’s here. They look like they’re a few years old and healthy.” Shea loved the way his boyfriend thought. I wouldn’t have given these trees a second glance, but he raised an interesting point! Continuing on, Shea explained a few businesses as they passed by. Reaching a stoplight, he also taught the deer how to handle a crosswalk with the corresponding lights, “If you see the red hand, you aren’t allowed to go. You’ll see some people walking anyway, but they’re careless and they can get hit by a car. You only go when you see the person walking, okay? About halfway across, you’ll see the red hand flashing. This just means to hurry up a bit.”

“That makes sense. So the red flashing hand means hurry, but if it’s solid, stay?”

“Right. It will be a while before you’ll be by yourself, but it’s always good to learn.” When the sign lit up, the couple crossed the street with Shea pointing out the flashing red hand to Cyn. Walking a few more blocks, Shea saw the destination’s sign above the building’s awning, “There it is! Ready for some of the best food ever?”