Thane’s eyes narrowed on his brother. “He’s a lycan for starters,”
“Perfect.” Phelan muttered lifting his own coffee mug to his lips. “A fucking wolf that lacks all control and understanding of it. That ought to go down well when you bail on his ass after lunar week. Can’t see how that could possibly go wrong.”
“What’s the big deal?” Thane said suddenly feeling rather petulant. It wasn’t like he fucked around often.
“What’s the big deal?” Phelan tilted his head to the side, looking at his brother in a very animal way and it was with curiosity. It was as if sizing up the threat before him. “You know how you get, when you like someone. Really like them. And you chose the guy right next door to my new place!”
“I’m fine. Hooper’s fine.” Thane replied defensively looking around the kitchen for food.
“Thane, you know what I mean. You’ve already blown of a few of our catch up times with Bg for this Hooper, guy. I mean he must have a pretty fine ass if you’re ditching your own family for,” Phelan didn’t get the rest of his rant out as Thane glared back at him and stalked over to his brother, staring him down.
“Don’t talk like that.”
“Sorry.” Phelan replied softly. “I meant no disrespect. I just wanted to point out that you’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” Thane said defensively. “I’ve been turning up back here.”
Phelan looked at his brother. “Trust me okay, I can see the behaviour pattern forming. It’s just like it was with Bran.”
Thane’s teeth ground together. “Don’t go there Phelan.” Phelan put his coffee mug down and relaxed himself very obviously as he looked at Thane. Thane growled back at him in a lowly menacing sound.
“You’ve had to look after me you’re whole life, so you don’t look after yourself, your own needs, wants, nearly as much as you should.” Phelan started as he watched his brother shape shift his teeth.
“And when you start searching for that someone, during lunar week, you kind of go dark side alpha werewolf, bro. You become obsessive about your intended. ”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Thane growled back at him, annoyed. “And I haven’t hurt Hooper at all, he’s just fine with our arrangement.”
“Have you fucked him yet?” Phelan asked. “Because going by you’re behaviour so far, I’d say you haven’t and your obsessive behaviour is only going to get worse until you do. You know what I’m talking about, you begin to stalk him, and get irrationally angry when you can’t get near him, this, Hooper guy.”
Thane growled again and turned back around on Phelan. Willing himself to shape shift his teeth back to their human form.
“See, you can’t even handle me saying you’re wolf’s name. This is what I’m talking about. We know it’s not normally this bad, but during lunar week, it intensifies and messes with you Thane. We know this.” Phelan kept talking to his brother. “I mean, Bran. Need I say more.”
“I would never ask you to deny yourself those needs, I know you’ve done it far to often because of me, looking after me, but I’m telling you I can see it happening again and you need to be clear with this wolf. Let him know, you’re here for a fun time, not a long time. And to remember why we’re here, it’s not about chasing tail on lunar week.”
Thane closed his eyes. The idea of being denied being with Hooper on full moon night, was just not a rational thought he could comprehend. He knew what Phelan was saying was right, this was the problem with lunar week when you suppressed the sexual needs of both himself and his werewolf for so long. Thane had been denying his real needs, for a very long time. That’s what Phelan really meant when he mentioned Thane’s ex.
It drove him to rather selfish, possessive behaviour with whoever became his partner. It’d been that way with Bran. But Bran had liked it, encouraged his behaviour to the point of manipulation. Their relationship had become a rather, complicated one.
Thane had asked Phelan to pull him up on the same behaviour pattern if it presented itself again. So that he could be more vigilant of his behaviour and that was what his brother was doing. He’d never pulled him up on this after Bran, because even Thane knew, he’d never acted the same way around another wolf after his ex. He’d never been attracted to another wolf, so strongly since Bran, like he was when he thought of Hooper.
He’d never wanted a wolf for more than an instant release. But Hooper, he was different, he could be different. He found himself wanting Hooper, more and more that he was around him.
“Bran wasn’t exactly the healthiest relationship for me to fall into, I get that, now.” Thane said back at his brother. “But he looked after us, helped us.”
“I know.” Phelan said back at him softly. “And I know on some level you still love him.”
Phelan frowned. The topic of Bran, was a rather touching one to get into with his brother. “Just don’t do the same to this lycan, to Hooper okay? You can have you’re lunar week fling and leave it at that. But just don’t let you’re dick control you all week.”
Thane looked at his coffee and poured it down the kitchen sink. “Might be a bit late for that.” Thane shook his head.
“You really like him.”
“More than I should for a fling.” Thane said softly looking over at Phelan. “I want to claim him. I’ve never wanted that before, not ever. Not even with Bran.”
“Oh shit.” Pehlan muttered softly surprised by his brother’s honesty. He’d never known Thane to be in love before, he wouldn’t even classify the whole Bran experience as love exactly. Not the way love should be.
Claiming, the werewolf way of saying you’re taken, claimed by another wolf, loved entirely by your mate and will not be with another. It was the equivalent to being engaged in human terms, or even married, depending on the point of view.
“I know, right. I keep trying to tell myself it’s just because, like you said, I haven’t attended to my sexual needs for so damn long. But I don’t think that’s it. Not really.” Thane said sagging back against the kitchen bench top.
“Thane, does he even know?”
“No I don’t think he does. I’ve been pretty cool about it all.” Thane watched Phelan bit his lower lip in thought. “Trying I guess, to you know, not get into that behaviour pattern you just said I’m already in.”
“No I mean, does he know you’ve got a pack to attend to in Canada? Does he know this isn’t more than a fling?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t allowed him to think its more than a fling. I don’t think I’ve said anything that would be misleading to believe I wanted more than a week in his bed.” Thane replied looking at his brother. “If I can just keep that part of me under control, we’ll be fine. No one gets hurt, end of week we part our separate ways.”
Phelan sighed, he had a sinking feeling already. “Good luck with that bro.” Denial was one of Thane’s strong points. But Phelan didn’t necessary think, that was a good thing, that was at all healthy for his brother to use as a means to not letting his heart, love again.
They’d lived such a guarded life, that revolved around them being dependent on one another that they’d both not allowed themselves to really involve others much in it. Love had been something that seemed impossible to entertain the idea of having in their personal lives.
Phelan had never known the sensation of claiming or the need for it, but his brother deserved happiness and he wanted Thane to be happy.
25
“It’ll be fine.” Booker said back at Hooper as he glanced over his shoulder at his younger brother. Hooper’s head was down and his grey hoodie was pulled up over his head, as he texted away on his cell phone furiously fast. “Quit it with the phone already. Tonight is about socializing, and getting out and about. Not about whatever the hell you are doing on your phone.”
Hooper looked up at him and glanced back at his cell phone before pocketing it in his jeans. “Just talking to Tatum, getting her opinion on matters.”
&
nbsp; “I told you the t-shirt, hoodie look is fine. No one’s going to have a go at you with me around.”
“Sure it’s not too gay for you. Because that was my intention when choosing this ensemble.”
“Really?” Booker chuckled glancing back at the t-shirt design. A flaming skull was laser beaming a stream of fire directly at a unicorn that was rearing up to fight it with it’s horn. “Cause I thought that was a very metal t-shirt, actually.”
“I’m not good at this type of scene, never have been. The whole socializing thing, partying, it’s not me.” Hooper whined at his brother pathetically. “That’s you’re forte,”
“I’d hardly call it a forte,” Booker replied back at his brother. “So much as just being a part of the world.”
“Tatum’s a natural at the schmoozing thing too.”
“I’ve heard you talk about her a few times. I don’t think I’ve met her yet have I? Maybe tonight.” Booker said as they walked up the sidewalk towards the nightclub Lost and Found.
“Uh, unlikely. Tay does not hang in Brooklyn. She’s pregnant to a Manhattan Maen werewolf.” Hooper said jogging to keep up with Booker.
“Didn’t you say she was a lycan?”
“Yeah.” Hooper replied falling into line beside Booker. “What of it?” Hooper frowned at him. Sometimes Hooper thought his own brother acted more werewolf than lycan.
Booker shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing really. Just the Manhattan Maen are rather known for their anti-lycan stance in their pack. They’re not like the Breukelen.” Booker said by passing the que for the nightclub and walking up beside it. “That’s why you’ll be fine tonight.” He said walking up to the bouncer on the door of the night club.
“I told you I’d have been fine anyway. I could’ve hooked up with Thane and been very fine for the rest of this evening.” Hooper muttered back at him.
“Indulge me okay, I want to spend some time with my baby brother” Booker replied back at his brother. “Hey Mickey,”
“Booker man.” Mickey replied clasping strong hands with him before looking behind Booker back at Hooper.
“Mickey this is my brother Hooper, thought I’d show him the real night life in Brooklyn.” Mickey nodded at Hooper. “Hey man, you picked a good night. It’s all happening in there.”
“Hey,” Hooper replied back.
Mickey stepped aside and the brothers walked in together, Hooper pulling his hoodie back as the entered the heatwave inside the venue. Music pounded the walls and bodies moved as far as they eye could see.
Booker looked back at his brother and chuckled. Hooper from memory had never really found himself on the club circuit in Brooklyn on lunar week. “Come on, let’s get a drink.” It was a sight to behold.
Plenty of flesh and hard bodies on display. The scent of wolf mingled with human in Lost and Found was like a perfume that enveloped everyone inside. The pheromones driving the energy that flowed around inside.
Hooper stood there, looking around at the pulsating crowd around them, who they had to part through to get to the bar on the other side of the room. Hooper began to sweat and slid off his hoodie, tying it around his waist as he followed Booker through the throng of bodies writing around in dance, before them.
“Two beers!” Booker yelled at the bar attendant pointing to the brand he wanted. Handing over money he began to push back through the crowd, jerking his head at Hooper to follow him to the nearby stairwell, that had another werewolf male standing at the base of it.
“Evening Gabe.” Booker said shaking hands with the werewolf male. “My brother Hooper,” Booker said pointing to Hooper as he began to ascend the stairs.
“Go on up.” Gabe instructed Hooper with a curt nod. Hooper jogged up the stairs and stopped still as Booker stood at the top floor standing there holding their beers.
“Ah, well.” Booker said softly, but loud enough for Hooper to hear him and follow his line of sight. There were five other Breukelen werewolves stationed around the room on security detail. Which meant only one thing, that one of the Breukelen pack hierarchy was there.
“What?” Hooper asked as his eyes went to the seating area of the private VIP lounge on the second level.
“Uh, I thought we’d have it to ourselves, being hierarchy means we get to use these areas when the pack leader or other’s aren’t using them and we’re not working.” Booker replied at Hooper. “That’s part of what I do, we higher up wolves do. We patrol the club circuit and certain areas during lunar week, making sure everything is running smoothly. That the vibe is good and no one’s up to mischief. I didn’t realize, they’d uh, be here. This club isn’t one Bg normally frequents when she’s in Brooklyn which isn’t all that often.” Booker said.
Booker turned to his brother and handed him his beer. “Come on.”
Bg, was sitting on the lounge at the side of Paris D’arenberg, looking at him and another Manhattan Maen werewolf, Booker knew as Jules and on the opposite side of her, laughing at something one of the people opposite him said.
Booker could only see their heads and another Breukelen werewolf, Christa who’s hair was unmistakable stood a few feet from the group, looking over at Booker. Which meant, Christa was Bg’s Breukelen protection detail because she was in Brooklyn.
Christa stood up as Booker approached the group. “I didn’t know you guys would be here, otherwise we’d have stayed downstairs.” Booker said apologetically to Christa, who flicked her short fiery red hair back off her face. Hooper watched the interaction silently, the red head punk female was smaller than Booker, she was less than half his size.
“It’s fine, Bg gave me a list of names approved to be up here. Guess she likes you big guy.” Christa joked back at him. “Surprised you’re not working tonight,” Christa continued chatting to Booker casually.
“I do occasionally get nights off.” Booker replied dryly. “Though most of the time I’m on Bg’s detail when she’s back home. Christa this is my brother Hooper.” Booker said introducing the younger male. Christa shook his hand.
“Booker!” Bg called out noticing him for the first time. “Join us.”
All heads turned to look at them, and it was then that Hooper noticed the werewolf male closest to the end he was at, was the one from the apartment next door. He had to be Phelan, Thane’s brother. Hooper’s eyes moved past him to the next male beside him, at the far end of the couch. Thane sat there looking back at him.
Hooper’s face lit up as he smiled back at the older werewolf male, barely noticing anyone else in the group. Thane hit Phelan’s arm and indicated he should move and make room on the seater for the new guests.
Thane stood up to greet Hooper as he moved into the seating area.
“I had no idea you’d be here,” Hooper began. “Booker just wanted to take me out somewhere. I was going to text you later on”
“Well now you don’t have to.” Thane replied as Hooper’s chest rose and fell with each excited breath from the lycan. “Family catch up time.” Thane replied back at him as they stood staring at each other heatedly. “Promised my sister I’d make it.”
“Oh, that’s you’re sister? The one I need to apologize to for my vulgar behaviour?” Hooper said swivelling around to look over at the pretty female who seemed to be the centre of attention of all the males in the group.
Bg wore her black hair back in a simple ponytail, some make up, but not heavily. She smiled genuinely and her eyes twinkled with delight. She wore a short black top that revealed a hit of her abdomen, that the large male beside her with dark blue eyes, stroked possessively across, and a Christmas green skater skirt, to reveal long legs in black high heels.
“Yeah, that’s the one. I’ll introduce you if you like.” Thane responded, watching Hooper look at Bg.
“Uh, not before you introduce us,” Phelan said breaking into the two males conversation.
Hooper turned around to look at the other black haired male who stuck his hand out. He was taller than Hooper and dressed white v ne
ck, fitted t-shirt that flattered his medium build and dark blue jeans and boots. Classic, clean, and simple uniform of style, Hooper noted.
“Since my brother’s so completely inept at social norms, I’ll do it. I’m Phelan Cavello.” Hooper smiled back at the other werewolf and shook his hand. They had to be around the same age.
“I can see the whole twin thing between you and you’re sister.” Hooper bumbled out quickly not sure what else to say. Phelan might appear to be the same age as himself, but he came across as far more, aggressively outgoing than Hooper.
Hooper wasn’t really the social kind, when it came to werewolves. He tended to stay away from them as much as possible, Booker knew that, which was probably why he’d accidently brought his brother to this nightclub where his pack werewolves were at.
Hooper suddenly started to feel quite anxious. Looking around at the happy and confident werewolves around himself.
“Yeah,” Phelan said letting go of Hooper’s hand again. “I get that.” He said sitting back down again.
Hooper took a big mouthful of his beer before placing it on the table and looked back at Thane who had sat down again on the leather sofa. Thane patted the space beside him softly and Hooper sat down into it quickly.
“Relax,” Thane said out the side of his mouth. “You look rather nervous. There’s no need to be.” Thane said softly at Hooper who kept watching his brother talk to the Manhattan Maen werewolves and Bg.
“I’m a lycan sitting with a pack of werewolves, this is not a common scenario for me on a lunar week. I can’t help but be a little anxious.” Hooper replied reaching forward to pick up his beer again.
“I’ll protect you, Elie.” Thane said watching as Hooper paused before resuming the motion to drink his beer. “I like you’re t-shirt.”
“I was going for gay as.” Hooper replied with a cheeky smile back at Thane. “This sort of scene is not my normal gig and since Book insisted, I figured I would be gayer than usual by wearing a seriously bad ass unicorn t-shirt.”
Wolves At The Door Page 10
