Asharp knock on the front door startled me awake.
“Huh? Is it the baby knocking?” Preston murmured, still asleep.
It was definitely not Baby Andy knocking on the door all alone after dark. Bear cubs were sneaky, but I had a feeling that the adults in this family were sneakier than he was and he couldn’t slip by them. Besides, whoever was knocking on the door had much bigger hands than him.
I slipped off the sofa and covered up my naked mate with the knitted blanket on the back of the sofa since I was no longer able to use my bear to keep him all warm and toasty. Plus, whoever was at the door sounded insistent.
“Hope we don’t have to make another ice statue already. They’re knocking on the front door. This one might be more difficult to hide,”my bear chimed into my thoughts.
I peeked out the peephole to see a guy about my height with ginger hair and sleepy blue eyes. His hair was shaggy, and it looked like he did that thing younger people did to make it look like he just rolled out of bed. The wolflings of the pack on the mountain liked to ‘style’ their hair like that too. He wore jeans and a black puffy jacket with his hands shoved into his pockets, bouncing from foot to foot like he was freezing his balls off.
“Should’ve put them in a sock or something,”my bear said as he shifted my eyes to his.
“Hey, bud. Can I help you?” I asked, opening the door.
“Is Preston here? Or Mori maybe?” he asked, trying to look past me.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“I’m Bernard. I didn’t know they had company. Is a giant hairy bear in there?” he asked.
I sniffed the air. This guy smelled like a bird. Like an owl, maybe? I almost asked if he could swivel his head around in human form but knew Loop and Sawe, my friends back home, would say that was rude.
“Uh… Have you looked around, dude? There are a lot of big hairy bears here,” I said, leaning into the doorway so that he couldn’t see inside.
“His name is Venal. He’s my roommate. He left like four days ago. Said he was gonna meet his mom and then come see his baby,” the guy said. “I’ve been trying to call Preston half the day but he won’t answer. The two of them don’t get on that well because his mom wants custody of the baby and…”
“Bernard?” I cut him off.
“Yeah, that’s me. What of it?”
“Okay, birdboy. First, check the attitude. I eat owls for dinner. Literally. Multiple times a week and I’m hungry.”
“What? Are you going to spear me on your stubby little horns?” he asked and the cold swirled through my core. One more smart-assed comment from this feathered fuck and it was over for him. He could join his roommate in the snow.
“Babe?” Preston’s voice reached my ears. “Who’s there?”
“Preston!? Get your booty call! He’s over here trying to play macho y macho or some shit. Venal’s not back and the rent’s due!” Bernard called out.
“Where’s my…” Preston sat up and started looking for his clothes.
“Venal isn’t here,” I said. “We haven’t seen him. I’ve been here most of the day and I’m not a booty call. I’m his true-mate.”
“Look,” he put his hands up like I was going to place him under arrest or shoot him. “I’m not looking for trouble. Venal is late on rent. I’m trying to track down the dude, so I don’t get evicted. I’m not looking to live in a tree or some shit.”
“Why would Venal be here?” Barry’s voice cut through the cold, snowy night. Mori was right on his heels and for a moment my blood ran hot. Where was the baby? With Preston’s carrier, of course. The one direct family member of Preston’s I hadn’t met. Sure, he had other friends and family I’d eventually meet too but I didn’t think Baby Andy was with any of them.
“He was meeting with his mom and coming to see his kid,” Bernard said, turning to face Barry.
“Do you know who his mom is?” Mori asked before Barry or I could say another word.
“Uh… Some bear, I’m guessing,” Bernard shrugged.
“Friend, I wouldn’t count on Venal coming back if he went to visit his mom,” Barry took over. “He’s not here. I don’t know what he told you about his relationship with his baby, but there isn’t one. He never wanted one. Look, I know it’s a rough break, but if he’s run off with his mom to do whatever you might want to look for a new roommate or somewhere else to stay.” He reached into his back pocket and took out his wallet. “How much is Venal’s share of the rent?”
“What? No!” Preston stepped outside barefoot. “Venal’s caused enough headaches here without you paying his rent.”
“I’m not paying his rent. He’s not there. He’s off with Sharon,” Barry said and handed Bernard a few hundred of the universal dollars that most groups accepted. “Glitter Bomb still takes these, right?”
