Love Is Always Write Volume 4

leaving it up to them to straighten things out but this is hitting a little too close to home. You're one of my best guys, someone I can count on when the going gets rough. I expect you to help me maintain my house but I never once thought of yours. You need to clean up your house, Rodrigo. Bring'm out!"
    Mannix continued, "I know my attention has been focused on Thomas but I have eyes everywhere and they informed me of big cat sightings in the northeast end of the city. All eyewitness accounts reported a cat bigger than a domestic cat roaming the suburbs. Black with golden eyes. Sound familiar?"
    A lean golden cowboy was shoved into the room. The corner of his mouth was cut and a bruise ran up the side of his face but that didn't hide the identity of the werecouger. Rod straightened unsure of the reaction he was going to get. The last time was anger and words that couldn't be forgiven, nor forgotten.
    Whatever Travis was going to say was lost when growls and spitting erupted as one of Mannix's enforcers dragged a black cub into the room on a harness and leash. The little cat was feisty. The wolf yanked hard on the leash sending the cub rolling across the carpet. The cub fought its way back to its feet then attacked. The wolf howled as the cat attached itself to his leg. Sharp teeth and razor claws shredded the blue jean and the flesh beneath it.
    The wolf punched the cub in the head and it was the last thing he ever did. The cub hit the floor hard as a black shadow leapt over him knocking the wolf backwards in a yelp. The wolf was dead before he hit the floor. This was the might of the God of the Night . The powerful jaws of the jaguar had severed the spinal cord. The other wolf in the room began to move to defend his friend but Mannix's loud bark stilled everyone.
    "Mayhew was a fucking idiot and he got what he deserved. It doesn't matter if it's the same species or not, you do not hit cubs. Our numbers aren't so great that we can start killing off our young. Get his body out of here. You know what to do."
    The large black jaguar dropped its kill and growled lowly.
    "Make it clear to them, Rodrigo, of the trouble they're in. This ain't the mountains. Anything they do affects some other were. You affect a were, you affect me and as you can see, I'll affect you."
    Travis rushed over to the black cub and gathered it up into his arms. The little guy was groggy but didn't seem the worse for wear. "Roddie."
    Rod stared at the little black cub. Weres aged slower than natural animals. There was no doubt that little Roddie could be four years old and if that were so then that cub was not a fabled black cougar but a jaguar. This cub was his get.
    Changing back into a furless form wasn't as quick as dropping into were. When it was over Rod stood up well aware that he was naked and his clothes he had been wearing were shredded. Rod headed over to the lockers at the back of the room and unlocked his spot. He pulled out a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt.
    "What the hell are you doing here?"
    There was no reply so Rod pivoted on his heel to find Travis on his knees, his legs splayed cradling the cub in his lap. His hands covered the small side and gently pet the little head.
    "Trav…"
    "Lisa Marie got shot by poachers. Roddie was with her. I think they might have seen him and came up around the sanctuary to get him."
    "What are you doing down here?"
    "Lisa Marie always told him that his father lived in the city. So when she was killed, he wanted to find you. I told him you were busy but he ran away to find you. I was trying to get a hold of you for weeks…"
    "Don't place the blame on me. I never heard anything about this."
    "I know." Rod walked up to them and stared down at the little cub. "Lisa Marie finally told me what…"
    "I don't want to hear it."
    "Rowdie…"
    "Don't call me that. Stand up, pick him up and get the hell out of here before Mannix comes back."
    "If I drag him home he's just going to take off again and come back to look for you."
    "I'm not responsible for him. You and your sister planned this."
    "She told me you forced her."
    "And of course, you believed her."
    "She was my sister."
    "And what was I compared to your blood?"
    "I loved…"
    "Shut up."
    "Rowdie!"
    "You made your choice. You closed your mind and you kicked me out to the wilderness."
    "I love you."
    "Go home."
    "Rowdie…"
    Daddy?
    The hurtful words dried up at the little cub's question. Rod glanced down at the golden eyes of the cub who was