definitely broken. You were wrong, but the sewing machine is a problem, and now I have to lug it home before I take my lycanthrope to the spa. Where I will do whatever I want with him.”
Sebastian poked his head through the door. “Are you aware you’re being rather loud, Wells?”
“I’m nervous because I don’t want them to kill the only damned male cat in the fucking United States so blind he doesn’t flinch at my face.”
“Scars are sexy,” he replied before returning into the store.
Meow. “Apparently, I’m being loud, Alex.”
“You are being loud, and I see your friend has correctly identified one of your many issues, my dear little kitten of a sister. However, I didn’t want to hear some male lycanthrope comment that he thinks scars are sexy, because that means I know exactly what he’s going to be doing with my little sister.”
“He’s male, he’s a feline, and he doesn’t flinch. However, he’s not a lynx. I had to compromise. He has been exposed to me numerous times without flinching, he’s male, and he willingly got into Daddy’s truck upon request. I didn’t even have to use much force. I did annoy him, but that’s only because I like annoying him.”
“I can’t tell if you’re wanting me to encourage or discourage you, Harri.”
“Encourage. Remember what happened with the lynxes? Because I do.”
“Well, that’s obvious. The weak ass male lynxes who aren’t in our clan cried when they saw your face. You got pissed and beat the shit out of them while a lynx. There may have been some crying from you involved, but we never actually acknowledge when you cry over lynxes. There isn’t a single male lynx on this entire continent who’ll pay you a visit because they know what you’ll do to them should they flinch when they see your face. And they always do. And unlike when Mom goes after Dad, there is no kissing or making up afterwards.”
“Well, if they hadn’t treated my face like it’s a horror show, I wouldn’t have kicked their asses.” I hissed over the reality of the situation. “I just piss this lycanthrope off, and I like when I do it, so I go out of my way to piss him off. It turns out he likes it, too, and he’s now following me around. And since he doesn’t flinch over my face, I don’t mind. At all. I will mind if my family beats on my lycanthrope.”
“I see. So, how much are we allowed to beat him?”
“You wreck his suit, and I’m going to mess up all those pretty faces. We clear?”
My brother chuckled. “I have an audience, and I’ve never seen so many hopeful people in one space before. How did you go from heading to Cincinnati to buying a sewing machine?”
“Well, you know I like to crochet sometimes, right?”
“Yes. You made Mom a blanket for Christmas, and she cried because her little kitten had made her something, and it was simple but very nice. You made Dad a blanket the year before. For some reason, Hugh and Harvey got blankets from you first. The rest of us have been crying ourselves to sleep every night because our sister won’t make us blankets.”
I rolled my eyes at my brother’s antics. “If I made a blanket for each of you, I would never get anything else done. Like work. And you know what happens when I don’t eat, Alex. I get mean.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Well, I wanted to make a blanket for me. And then I decided I should make baby blankets for the new litter, too. And the male feline I picked up came in and helped me pick up the yarn.”
“Wait. He went into a yarn store with you?”
“Yes.”
“Did he complain?”
“No, not at all. He actually made good yarn suggestions, too. I didn’t know he knitted or crocheted until today, though. But his secret is now exposed. He sews. Our first real fight is over the sewing machine. Right now, we have a joint custody arrangement for the sewing machine.”
“Okay. I see it really is too late for you. Tell us when and where we should pick up your Christmas present, and we’ll make sure he’s unable to escape you. We can be convincing.”
I snickered at the thought of my brothers picking a fight with a lion. Who would win?
Me. I would win. The roaring would be amazing, and I bet my lion would do a fantastic job of beating up on my brothers before they