A Mutt in Disguise

by Doris O'Connor

  "He certainly did, my dear." Mary interrupted Anja's quiet rant, and she got to her feet. "This is none of my business, but a man with a temper like that ... well you're best off without him. I'd hate to see you get hurt, Anja. I mean, I got the impression he was a bit of a snob from what you let slip, but that was unacceptable and he is not welcome here again. We don't need his sort around here."

  Anja's short laugh spoke volumes, and Ethan licked her tightly curled fist in an effort to reassure her. She unclenched her hand and patted his head, causing his wolf to grin and lean into her. That animal of his was turning into a right sap, over a human no less. Last time he did that, it hadn’t ended all that well.

  "I don't think you need worry over him coming back here, Mary. I'm sorry he caused such a ruckus." Anja's voice wobbled just a little, and Mary drew her in for a comforting hug.

  "There now, it's okay. He doesn't deserve you. Come in the kitchen and have a strong sweet cuppa before you get yourself on home. And don't you worry, I'll spring for a taxi. Can't have you walking around these parts by yourself."

  Ethan growled low in his throat. Damn right she wasn't walking home by herself. She did often walk during the day, he knew. He'd trailed her back to her modest flat more than once, marveling at the stupidity of humans, and the male in her life in particular, who allowed her to take such risks. Anja was well-liked in the homeless community, but that wouldn't help against the many predators out there just waiting to pounce on any female, let alone a lone, beautiful one like her.

  "Don't even think about it, Mutt." Mary stopped him from following Anja through the open door into the kitchen with that sharp command, so he sat on his haunches and watched her from the doorway. Anja's hands were wrapped around her coffee mug, and some of the color was finally returning to her pale cheeks. The sleek dress she wore had ridden up to expose slender thighs, and the man in the wolf had a hard time keeping his eyes off the flash of pale skin exposed. She crossed her legs, and her scent wrapped itself around him. Ethan shut his eyes and willed his wolf to calm down. It had been way too long since he'd indulged himself with any female. There was no way Anja was that female. His wolf had a far too unhealthy obsession with the human to risk the man's involvement with her.

  Sure, she seemed different. Far from the gold-diggers Ethan was used to, Anja seemed genuine. Her actions spoke volumes, but no doubt she would prove as flighty as the rest of humankind were she to know who he really was. Last time he had trusted a female, she’d tried to trap him into marriage, by insisting the baby she was carrying was his. He shook his head remembering that sorry episode. For one brief moment he’d allowed himself to think he would become a father, until common sense had kicked in. He always used protection, and while that was not infallible, her dates just didn’t match up. The pre-natal paternity test his lawyers had insisted on had proven without doubt that the baby wasn’t his.

  Nonetheless, the whole sorry affair had cost him, because she’d threatened to run to the papers, and to shut the woman up, he’d parted with a considerable amount of cash.

  He’d sworn then, never to trust another female, regardless of what his instincts were screaming at him. As for Anja … he wanted to believe in her, but he had to be sure. Of course there was one way to test the theory.

  His eyes narrowed as a plan formed in his mind. Time for the world to meet his human side, once he'd made sure Anja got safely home.

  ****

  "I can't take your money, Mary. Really, I'm fine to walk. Mutt will keep me company, and I need to clear my head anyway."

  Mary still looked doubtful, but she eventually let her go. Not before lending her an oversized rain coat that completely hid her dress and some running shoes to replace the impractical heels. Anja had to suppress a giggle. Her own mother would have a hard time recognizing her in this get-up, and with an ever-watchful Mutt by her side, she set off on the walk home. The moon was high in the cloudless sky, and Anja's breath frosted in front of her face as she set off at a brisk walk. There was something very peaceful about walking along like this, free from any restraints, completely safe in the knowledge that the imposing wolf-like dog by her side kept anyone else at bay.

  She glanced at Mutt and was struck again by the sheer size and power of him. He seemed bigger out here in the open, more menacing somehow, and she could easily picture him out in the wild, hunting down his prey. As it was he seemed on full alert, his fur rising up every time they encountered a passerby. Gone was the easygoing Mutt she knew, and in his stead was a pure predator ready to strike. As a result most people crossed the road when they saw them approach, which amused Anja no end.

  After the spectacle with Declan she ought to have been more wary of the animal, but the connection she had felt to him from the minute she'd seen him lying injured near the trash cans meant she simply felt safe. She knew instinctively that he would never hurt her, and she once again regretted the fact that the terms of the lease on her flat meant she couldn't keep any animals. She would have liked to have taken Mutt in.

  But even as she thought that, she knew that it would never have happened. Mutt was a law unto himself. He came and went as he pleased, and since he turned up at the shelter there had been a steady increase of homeless men and women. This was great, but it also meant that Mary needed an influx of cash more than ever. Tomorrow's open day had been Anja's idea. She had invited several members of the press, and she hoped against hope that some of them would at least turn up.

  She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize they were standing outside her block of flats until Mutt nudged her and licked her hand. Fortunately, the lights were still on in her neighbor's flat, which meant Anja would be able to retrieve her spare key without having to wake the old lady. She made a mental note to cancel her bank cards in the morning. She highly doubted she would ever see her handbag again. Damn, Declan! It had been one of her favorites, but there was no way she would ask him for it back, and in the unlikely event he'd try to return it, she'd probably ruin it by hitting him over the head with it.

  She crouched down and stroked Mutt's ears. He grinned at her with that almost human smile he had, and her heart felt lighter. "Now, you stay out of the way while I go and retrieve my spare key, and then I sneak you in. Only for tonight, mind you. It's cold out here, and I'm sure you'd like a warm bed to sleep in for once, right?"

  Mutt cocked his head and his amber eyes searched her face, as though he was trying to read her thoughts. Heat crept into her cheeks at his silent perusal, and she cursed herself for a fool.

  He's a dog, for pity's sake. Are you that afraid of being alone tonight that you need to plead with an animal?

  His eyes seemed to smile at her, and he licked her cheek and nudged her with a small yip.

  "Guess that means you like the idea, huh?"

  Anja smiled as he wagged his tail, and she indicated the bushes for him to hide in. In a flash he jumped out of sight.

  ****

  The warmth of Anja's flat settled over him like a soothing blanket the minute he followed her into her home, and he barely managed to suppress a groan. Her scent was everywhere, and his wolf yipped his excitement.

  "Shh, no one can know you're here. You're gonna get us both into trouble."

  Anja laughed, and he followed her down the hallway and into the kitchen. She filled a bowl with water for him, which he drank from with a grateful yip.

  "I need to get out of this damn dress."

  Despite the water he had just drunk, his throat went dry when she wiggled out of her dress until she stood in front of him in just her underwear. Surprisingly racy underwear. It seemed little Anja had a wild side if the lacy, see-through, red, barely there lingerie was anything to go by. Slight she may be, but she had curves in all the right places, and he ground his teeth together when she unhooked her bra and her breasts fell free. They would fit right into his hands, the dusky-rose of her perfectly formed areolae a beacon to the little nipples just begging for his touch. He dropped down o
n his belly to hide his body's reaction and rested his head on his paws, feigning a nonchalance he was far from feeling. She would be appalled at his wayward thoughts, but he let his eyes roam freely over her almost naked body, ignoring his wolf's smug expression.

  "Ah, that's better. Only so much scaffolding this girl can take for a day." She smiled at him, then turned and bent over to pick her discarded bra off the floor.

  Ethan dug his claws into the kitchen floor to stop himself from shifting at the enticing view of her ass cheeks in front of him, separated by the thin strip of her thong. She might sleep better for having him in the flat, but this night would prove an exercise in torture for him. He should have left her at the doorstep, and not let the wobble in her voice convince him to offer the comfort she so clearly needed. But this little human raised all of his protective instincts, damn it, and plenty of other things besides.

  He breathed a sigh of relief when she slipped into a flannel dressing gown. Not that it proved much better, because the flashes of bare skin he could see when she moved were enough to send his libido into overdrive. She disappeared into the bathroom, and when she re-emerged five minutes later, smelling all fresh and adorable with her face scrubbed clean of any makeup, she looked very young and utterly edible. He followed her to the bedroom with a feeling of impending doom. Sure enough she flung her bathrobe off, and he caught another glimpse of naked flesh, before he flopped down and put his paws over his eyes with a growled groan.

  "Oh, you silly dog." Anja's lighthearted giggle made him grin despite the situation and the discomfort in his groin. "Anyone would think you'd never seen a naked woman before. There, I'm all covered up. Hop up if you dare."

  He risked a peep upwards, and sure enough Anja was safely ensconced under her duvet, which sure looked inviting. She yawned and snuggled under the covers and against his better judgment he allowed his wolf to take over and joined her on the bed. She smiled at him, patted the space next to her, and curled up on her side. He crawled up to her, and she buried her small hand in his fur with a sigh. He went rigid and counted backwards to distract himself from the feel and scent of her surrounding him.

  "I've been such a fool, you know."

  His ears pricked up at the whispered words, and his conscience stirred. He fixed his gaze on her face, and the shimmer of unshed tears in her expressive emerald eyes made his wolf whine.

  She smiled and tickled his ears. "I can tell you, because I know you won't judge me. But I knew deep down that Declan was a shit. I think I've always known, but I was lonely, and he can be so very persuasive. And Gran was so pleased when he expressed an interest. You see, Mum and her fell out big time when Mum married Dad. Mum was supposed to marry into money, but instead she fell for Dad, a penniless bus driver. Gran disinherited her. The only contact they had was through me, and I guess..." Her words faltered, and he laid his head on her tummy, silently imploring her to carry on. She seemed to take strength from the simple contact and swiped the tear rolling down her cheek away. "Anyway, Gran was always good to me, and I loved her dearly, and I guess I always thought that she and Mum would reconcile one day, and if my making a suitable match helped that, then so much the better. And I did like Declan."

  Ethan snorted his disgust, and she smiled.

  "Yeah, guess you had his number straight away, huh. It was a stupid plan, really. All I wanted was to find someone who loved me as much as Dad loves Mum. They're still happy, even after almost thirty years of marriage."

  She stroked his fur absentmindedly and stared into the distance with such longing on her face, Ethan's chest felt suspiciously tight. Love didn't exist, he knew that. Everyone had an agenda, everyone. You just had to find it. The vulnerability she showed him now was just an act. It had to be. Though humans tended to open up to Mutt in a way they never would to him. It had stood him in good stead in his business dealings, but this wasn't business, this was ... fuck it, what was it exactly?

  He growled, and Anja jumped. She threw him a worried glance and then resumed stroking his fur.

  "Typical male of the species, aren't you? Mention marriage and you balk." She smiled at the shake of his head. He had nothing against marriage, just as long as it didn't involve him.

  "Well, unless you're Declan of course. When Gran died, and left me a fortune in a trust fund, he couldn't ask me to get married fast enough. Got all uppity when I said I wasn't sure and what's the rush. And I don’t want the damn money. I don't."

  Her hands tightened in his fur, and he whined his discomfort. She released him immediately with a murmured, "Sorry, I just get so cross. I have enough to live on. I don't need any damn trust fund, and I certainly don't need any gold-digging men sniffing round my knickers because of it. And I realize that's all Declan ever was. I was a means to get to my gran, and once she passed on, I was his meal ticket."

  Ethan had to agree with that assessment. In fact, Declan had gambling debts a mile long, as Ethan had found when he'd checked the man out. He still wasn't entirely sure why he'd felt the need to do so, but once he'd heard through the grapevine that Declan was soon to come into money, and he'd learned of the weasel's connection to Anja, he simply had to find out. It was simple gratitude, that was all. She had taken him in after all, and had proven to be a tower of strength to Mary. It didn't mean he was developing feelings for the little human. The whole idea was preposterous. He grumbled his annoyance, and Anja yawned again.

  "Anyway, I know what I'm going to do with that money. I'm going to give it to Mary for Christmas. It should help to keep the shelter open for another few months at least. And if we get some sponsors tomorrow, then we won’t have to worry for a while. So, you better be on your best behavior, Mutt. No growling and jumping at folks like you did today."

  She yawned again and snuggled deeper into the covers. Ethan allowed himself to roll with her until his head rested on her hip and her even breathing told him she had gone to sleep.

  Tomorrow indeed.

  Chapter Three

  Anja stretched under the covers and yawned. Heat rose in her cheeks when she remembered last night's dream. No wonder Mutt wasn't on the bed anymore. He'd probably taken himself off in disgust at her thrashing and moaning, and really, since when did she have erotic dreams like that?

  She'd drifted off into sleep last night, having poured her heart out to a patiently listening Mutt, his comforting heavy presence on her body like an extra thick blanket. Only in her dreams the dog had morphed into a drop-dead gorgeous man with shoulder-length chestnut hair that she'd clung to while he'd licked her body all over. He'd brought her to an earth-shattering orgasm using just his tongue and fingers. His goatee had tickled her sensitive skin as he rubbed it across her aching breasts, and her nipples had puckered and begged for his attention. Her dream lover had ordered her to keep her eyes shut after they'd fluttered open and she'd caught a glimpse of broad shoulders and abs to die for. She'd obeyed the growled words immediately, her body responding to his domination with a surge of liquid heat between her thighs. Never had she been this turned on in real life, let alone in a dream.

  Dream-lover's earthy scent had surrounded her and pitched her need for his touch even higher. Not the expensive colognes she was used to from Declan—no, this was pure aroused male—earthy, spicy, with just a hint of sweat and that indefinable something that had made her want to retaliate and sink her teeth into his skin and taste him. Lord only knew where that thought had come from. She'd bucked and writhed underneath him when he'd flattened her nipple against the roof of his mouth. Every suck, nip, and bite seemed to have an invisible string to her clit. Her pussy had spasmed, her juices had coated her thighs, and she'd moaned and begged for him to get her off like some sort of wanton woman. By the time he'd finally worked his way down her body, she'd been so desperate for release, the scrape of his beard against her swollen folds, combined with his hot breath on her clit had sent her tumbling into a powerful orgasm. He'd licked her clean in between animalistic growls, and, completely spent and sated, she'd
finally drifted back into dreamless sleep.

  The dream had been disturbing in its intensity, and even now his leftover scent tickled her senses. It had to be a combination of her own state of arousal last night and the fact that Mutt had slept on her covers—covers that were now in tatters around her.

  "Mutt? Where are you?"

  No answer. Not that he could have shouted "yes" exactly, but she would have at least expected a yip in response. A quick search of her one-bedroom flat showed it to be empty. Where could he have gotten to? She'd locked the front door last night, hadn't she? And while he might be able to turn handles, he certainly wouldn't be able to unlock doors. She tried the handle of her front door, and, sure enough, it was unlocked. A shiver of unease went down her spine. Anyone could have walked in, and she always locked the door. But what other explanation was there?

  Dogs didn't turn into men. That only happened in paranormal romance novels for pity's sake, which she'd clearly read too many of recently to have a dream like the one she'd had.

  Nonetheless she walked to the bathroom and studied her body in the mirror. There were faint marks between her legs and on her breasts, but that just meant she'd slept funny. Yes, that's what it was. She shook her crazy imaginings off and stepped into the shower. Today was a big day, and she had no time for foolishness.

  ****

  Ethan approached the shelter in his human form, pleased to note the news van parked outside. Money and contacts definitely talked in this society, and he had plenty of those. No one paid much attention to him, other than to subtly move out of the way. Maybe rolling in dung had been a bit much, but it completed the impression of the complete down-and-out wino he was going for. He grinned to himself as he recalled the look of surprise on the homeless person's face, whose clothes he'd bought with a wad of cash. They'd exchanged clothes by the bridge the man lived under, and Ethan had left him stuffing his face at a diner. By the speed with which he'd wolfed the food down, it had been pretty clear he hadn't had a decent meal in a while. Shelters like Mary's were much needed, but Ethan was determined to do more to help the homeless community. It was one of the reasons why he'd been undercover for some time, and maybe, just maybe he'd found the answer to his search for a solution. Mary and Anja certainly made a good team.