“You don’t know how he’s going to end up after—”
“We’re not right for each other,” Austin said louder, holding up his hand. “I’m too fucked up, and he’s too selfish.”
“He told me he wants to stay with you after this is over.”
“He’s only saying that because he’s afraid he’ll be alone. I’m just his sure thing.” The moans from the bedroom died, and Austin wrinkled his nose. “Okay, the sex bothers me a little, but I can’t exactly tell him to stop, especially since I can’t even get it up without being told to.” He pulled at the mane on his head. “Why am I so pathetic? Even Roscoe’s geriatric dick still works.”
“I’ll… take that as a compliment,” Roscoe grunted, patting the other werewolf on the back. “Don’t be too upset. At least it does work.”
“I was talking with”—I paused, carefully choosing my words—“someonewho understands more than I do about your condition, and the good news is, it’s temporary. The bad news is, I have to keep doing what I’m doing until you get better.”
“I visited the mayor,” Austin said, catching both of us off guard. “I couldn’t help myself.”
“When the heck did you do that?” Roscoe asked.
“A couple days ago, and again yesterday,” he admitted, his ears drooping. “He’s a monster, and he uses all kinds of weird shit on me, but he knows what I like. I hate myself after it’s over, but it feels good when he’s doing it. The physical pain makes me forget all the other pain, and I’ll beg him to beat the shit outta me, choke me, or dry fuck me.”
Roscoe and I eyed one another.
“You both think I’m nuts, don’t you?”
“Does it help?” I asked.
“I want to say yes, but I never feel like it’s okay. It’s like my brain knows this is wrong, but at the same time, I won’t think twice about going back.”
“I, uh, kinda get what yer sayin’,” Roscoe said. “He’s got a weird way about him. It’s an elder thing.”
“It’s just another reason to keep Adam away,” Austin said. “He’s never going to understand. I’m huge, and that’s the whole reason he chose me. He wants me to be—”
The back door opened again, and Darryl stepped outside naked, of course. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Austin grimaced and stood before walking toward the house.
“Austin,” I called out, but the werewolf didn’t turn around.
He brushed past the brown werewolf, shoving him lightly with his shoulder before disappearing. Even though they were roughly the same in size and similar in physical appearance, they couldn’t have held themselves more differently. Darryl had a natural and comfortable confidence while Austin was rigid, like he was a ceramic vase that would shatter if someone accidentally knocked him over.
“Looks like I’m not helping,” Darryl said, walking toward the fire. “I was under the impression Austin couldn’t handle this alone.”
“He can’t,” I said. “But maybe next time you and Adam should go somewhere more private.”
“I’d rather not do this at all.” He sat on the chair next to me, crossing one leg over his knee. “I’m starving,” he added.
“Ooo!” Roscoe shot up out of the chair. “I got yer favorite brats, and I was gonna baste ‘em with beer but…” He shot me a glare.
Darryl looked around. “Where’s the cooler?”
“Werewolves aren’t allowed to drink in Norwich,” I said. “It’s the law.”
“What kind of authoritarian bullshit is this?” Darryl uncrossed his legs and stood up. “You can’t have a cookout without beer.”
“You’d have to take it up with Saddam Hussein in city hall,” Roscoe muttered as he made his way to the back door. “He’s a werewolf, by the way.”
“You serious? How the hell did he manage that?”
I threw another log onto the fire. “He can turn human, so I think only the werewolves here know.”
“Interesting. Only elders can do that.”
“Consider yerself lucky you haven’t met him yet,” Roscoe muttered before walking into the house.
