“No. I’m not even going to ask.” Claybourne shook his head.
“Well I am. What in the hell were you up to?” Felix asked, curiosity eating him alive.
“Most of the pride was in town for Field Day, so after Rian and I left there we went to Bobbles and Things for a while, before we decided to head back to the pride house to work on our no-line tans and fell asleep. Rian was lucky. The way the sun moved throughout the day he was in the shade for the later half of the afternoon. I wasn’t so lucky.” Damian winced.
“You poor thing.” Felix sympathized.
“I heard you got mated, runt. Who is the lucky guy?” Damian asked. Felix nodded his head to where Claybourne was packaging the healing salve.
Damian’s eyes bugged out. “Holy shit! Wait until I tell Rian. Our untouchable and unattainable teenage crush has finally gotten mated,” He shook his head laughing.
“Yes, wait, what?” Felix asked.
Claybourne walked over, grinning. “Rian and Damian would injure themselves on a regular basis to visit me. I was always flattered when they came in.” Claybourne handed Damian the cream.
“Don’t rub it in too much. Drink lots of water to rehydrate and you should lose that tired feeling,” Claybourne advised.
“Thanks, Doc,” Damian said. He waved the cream and walked out.
“How in the hell old are you anyway?” Felix demanded. He knew that he was a doctor, so that meant years studying, but his mate barely looked a day over thirty. Claybourne looked at him, surprised.
“Forty-five,” Claybourne responded.
“Oh. You do like younger men right?” Felix asked.
Claybourne nodded. “It seems I have a certain affinity for loud, boisterous, and zany hybrid shifters in particular.” Claybourne turned back to his cabinet and secured the lock.
“I’m not loud,” Felix grumbled.
“You were last night,” Claybourne said under his breath.
“Ha ha. Old man has jokes.”
“Come on, youngster. Let’s get some food into you and see if you become civil after that.” Claybourne grabbed his hand as they left the clinic.
When they walked into the diner, Felix was surprised by how empty it was. Claybourne looked surprised too, so Felix knew it wasn’t just him.
“Grab a seat wherever, guys,” Connor yelled from behind the counter.
“Where is everyone?” Felix yelled back. Claybourne just stared at him. Okay so maybe he was a bit loud.
“No idea. I thought today would be easy, with none of our regular customers in. But half our normal staff is out too. I think everyone is tired from Field Day.” Connor laughed.
“Take a seat, boys,” Ma said, smiling and walking up from the kitchen.
“I’m about to get food. Yummy food to go in muh face,” Felix sung happily to himself. His mate laughed and took his hand.
“It’s like you breathe joy,” Claybourne said.
“You better watch out, Maddox. You keep smiling like that and your reputation will be shot,” Ma teased.
Felix looked at him confused. “Who’s Maddox?” he asked. In the kitchen they heard Connor bust out laughing.
Claybourne grimaced. “That’s my first name,” he admitted. Felix felt embarrassment wash through him. Claybourne tugged on his hand.
“None of that. It’s my fault, what kind of man am I that I didn’t bother to give you my first name?” Claybourne sounded thoroughly disgusted with himself. Felix squeezed his hand, feeling Claybourne’s emotion this time through their bond.
“The kind of man that mates someone who didn’t give him their last name. We did get kinda distracted yesterday.” Felix smiled.
Claybourne’s eyes lightened. “In that case. Hello, my name is Dr. Maddox Claybourne. Nice to meet you,” he said, kissing Felix’s fingertips.
“It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Maddox Claybourne. I’m registered nurse Felix Kilpatrick.” Felix pulled their joined hands to his lips and kissed Claybourne’s hand.
“Ma! The muffins!” Connor yelled. Ma, who was standing at the counter, shook her head as if to clear it and raced back to the kitchen as a black smoke wafted toward them. Felix stared in horror at the smoke, imagining all of the yummy muffins as charcoal bricks. He was about to make a joke when he looked over at Claybourne. He was frowning deeply and overwhelming concern was coming through their bond.
“Claybourne, what is it?” Felix asked.
“I’ve known Ma since I moved to town over twenty years ago. She has never, ever burned anything,” he said, watching the kitchen door.
“It happens, I mean I burn shit all the time. It’s like what you do in the kitchen.” Felix shrugged.
“I don’t think you understand. She remembered to turn the oven off before she left the diner to fight hyenas when we were attacked a couple months ago. When the fight was over she had a full dinner ready for everyone. That woman is a goddess in the kitchen.” Claybourne sighed and stood. “I’m going to check on her,” he said.
“I’ll go with you.” Felix didn’t like his mate looking so worried.
When they walked into the kitchen it was a sobering sight. Ma was sitting in a chair with Connor kneeled down on the floor at her feet trying to comfort her. She was crying into her apron. Over in the sink a batch of what used to be muffins was turning the sink black.
“There, there, Margaret. It was just a couple muffins. Everything is okay,” Claybourne said as he gently nudged Connor to one side. Connor looked like he was about to argue when Felix shook his head. Connor nodded and stepped away, reaching for his cell phone.
Ma looked up, her eyes red. “I have never burnt anything in a kitchen in all my life. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m just so tired. We have so much going on with the council and the vampires moving to town. Rebecca is pregnant and I’m trying to help out as much as I can with the Alpha Mother duties and baby planning. She’s so small!” Ma started to weep again into her apron. Claybourne reach over and took her wrist between his forefinger and thumb and looked at his watch.
“Margaret, how much water have you had to drink today?” he asked. She shrugged, wiping her eyes with the corner of the apron.
“Margaret! Darlin, what’s wrong?” Pa demanded, storming into the kitchen, glaring at the burnt muffins like an avenging angel.
“Oh, Aaron!” Ma wailed. Claybourne stood so that Pa could scoot close to his mate.
“What’s wrong with her, Doc?” Pa asked, frantic. Felix heard a noise and suddenly behind them six of the Arkadion boys stood, looking like they were about to kill someone. They had to have moved at breakneck speeds to get to their mother.
“Did someone hurt Ma?” Benedict asked.
Claybourne shook his head. “She burned a pan of muffins,” he said and gasps filled the kitchen. At first Felix thought they were being silly, but everyone was staring at the muffins, shocked.
“Ma never burns anything. Never,” Finn said.
“Come on, Ma. Let’s get you home. Rebecca is fixing up the couch for you. She’s put a pot of jasmine tea and is making your favorite apple cake,” Connor said, hanging up with Aleks then putting his cell phone away. He nodded to Pa who helped Ma to stand.
“Don’t worry about the diner, Ma. Connor and I will stay and help,” Benedict said.
“Emmett and I will look after the garage, Pa. You go home with her,” Duncan said.
“Aleks has even promised to let you have the remote,” Connor said, winking at his Ma. She sniffed and tried smiling up at him. Her eyes widened before tearing up again.
“I can’t leave. I have the council health inspector coming today,” she whimpered.
Gavin stepped forward. “Leave that to me.” He gave her a feral smile.
“I have such good boys.” She wiped her fresh tears and kissed each of her sons.
“Force a lot of fluids today, Margaret. A sports-type drink would be best. Stay off your feet and rest,” Claybourne advised, moving to stand next to Felix. She nod
ded and walked out with Pa.
Connor turned to Claybourne. “Is she really okay, Doc?” he asked.
Claybourne nodded slowly as if still thinking about the answer. “A lot of people overdid it in the summer sun yesterday. She is more dehydrated than I would like to see. If she can get the fluids in she should be fine.” Connor breathed out a sigh of relief.
Felix could understand their fear. He had been in high school when his mother had been killed for being a half-breed. No matter your age, he didn’t think anyone would ever be prepared for the death of a parent. He looked over to the sink and sighed.
Claybourne looked down at him. “Really?” he asked.
Felix winced. “I’m sorry. But you didn’t feed me this morning and I was counting on Ma’s super muffins to pick me up.” He felt his shoulders sag.
“Don’t worry, Felix, those were just the batch to restock, I have some in the fridge you can have.” Connor patted Felix on the head. He handed a flaxseed muffin to Claybourne and a blueberry muffin to Felix. Felix didn’t wait. He pulled back the paper and tried to stuff the entire thing in his mouth. He wriggled about and moaned. This was what he had been waiting for. When he opened his eyes, Claybourne and the Arkadions were staring at him. “What? I’m hungry,” Felix protested. Connor eyed him carefully.
“You didn’t knock him up did you, Doc?” Connor asked. Claybourne immediately began to choke.
“Shit!” Felix began to whack him on the back. After a few seconds Claybourne began to nod that he was okay. Claybourne stared down at Felix, a milky white color.
“Are you? Could you be?” he stuttered. Felix shook his head.
“No way. I have to shift my insides for that to happen. It takes conscious effort to do, so there is no way to knock me up, so to speak,” Felix confirmed.
“Thank goodness!” Claybourne exclaimed.
Felix narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you want our baby someday?” he demanded.
“Tread lightly, Doc,” Connor whispered.
“Of course I do, I would just feel wretched for not feeding you if you were pregnant,” he said.
“Oh. That’s okay then,” Felix said and turned back to Connor.
“Can I please have another one?” He batted his eyelashes. Connor laughed and handed over another muffin.
“Come on, hun, let’s leave these men to it,” Claybourne said, walking through the kitchen door back out to the diner to leave.
Felix wrapped his muffin in a napkin and stuck it in his man bag. Connor watched, confused. Felix put on a big-eyed, pitiful look and sniffled. “He doesn’t have any food in the house. He starves me.” Felix sniffed again. Connor’s eyes filled with sympathy. He handed Felix two more muffins. Felix smiled up at the bear and was in the process of putting the napkin-wrapped muffins in his man bag when an arm wrapped around his waist and he was flipped over his mate’s shoulder.
“Stop telling people I don’t have any food. Just because you don’t know what to do with raw ingredients does not mean there is no food in the house, and I am not starving you!” Claybourne smacked him across the ass. Felix could feel the burn travel from his ass cheeks right into his cock. He knew the second Claybourne realized he had gotten hard.
“Well, gentlemen, uh. Good luck with the diner today,” Claybourne said and hurried to the door.
“You’re the one who needs the luck with that one, Doc,” Emmett yelled out, laughing.
Once outside Felix began to squirm. Claybourne put him down and Felix immediately put his muffins in his bag. He looked up at his mate.
“I’m hungry,” he complained. Claybourne palmed his face.
“We just left the diner.” Claybourne pointed to the door.
Felix shrugged. “I want sweets.” He kicked his toe on the sidewalk.
“You are so fucking adorable.” His mate pulled him off of his feet and kissed him before setting him back on the sidewalk.
“Get me sweets and later I can be so adorably fucking you,” Felix said.
“Deal. Okay, off to Bobbles and Things.” Claybourne grabbed Felix’s hand as they walked across the street to the candy store.
“Is it true that the old man who worked here tried to kill Sebastian?” Felix asked. Claybourne nodded.
“I’m glad he’s dead then,” Felix said.
Claybourne looked at him funny. “What’s the deal between you and Sebastian? If I didn’t know otherwise I would say you were lovers,” Claybourne asked. His voice sounded a bit frosty. Felix stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stared at his mate.
“You’re jealous,” he whispered, smiling like an idiot.
“No I’m not.”
“You have nothing to be worried about, my little Tigger. Sebastian and I were kind of like cell mates when we were in captivity. He and I were the only ones placed on the top shelf. We kept each other going. He’s like my best friend and brother. I would do anything for him,” Felix said. Claybourne let out a deep breath.
“One, don’t ever call me Tigger again. And two, I’m sorry I forgot about you being held captive. All I could think about was the emotion in your voice when you spoke of him and it clouded my thinking. I apologize most sincerely,” Claybourne said. He ran his hand over Felix’s hair.
“I love your fancy way of saying you’re sorry, though I don’t think I appreciate that the directive to not call you Tigger was the first thing you mentioned.” Felix blew his mate kisses.
“You’re right. I’ll have to get you something extra special inside.” Claybourne nodded to the entrance down the street to Bobbles and Things.
“You’re so good to me,” Felix said and they walked into the store.
“Congratulations you two!” A happy voice called out. Felix looked up and saw Rian beaming at them from behind the counter.
“Thanks, Rian. Wow, this place looks different. You’ve done a great job.” Claybourne turned around to stare at the store.
Felix had only been in the store once before Rian and Damian began running the place, but he had to admit it did look marvelous. Before, it had been slightly dark and dingy, the only color coming from the brightest candy containers. But Rian had used the different-colored candies to create a childhood fantasy. Felix felt his mouth watering.
“So, gentleman, what will it be? We only have one more box of ‘Screw You’ chocolate, Damian and I sent the rest of it to Ashby to be used for ice cream toppings. He was so excited. Gilberton never allowed him in the store so this is the first time he’s able to offer gourmet chocolate at the parlor,” Rian said breezily.
“What is ‘Screw You’ chocolate?” Claybourne asked.
Felix turned to his mate. “It was the order that Gilberton used to lure Kent and Sebastian downstairs. Rian returned the money to the pride and decided to give away the chocolate. I hope that old bastard is spinning in his grave.”
“I go out there once a week to sprinkle rainbow-colored glitter on his grave,” Rian said. Both Felix and Claybourne turned to Rian.
“That bastard gave me a hard time for years. It should say something when your own family doesn’t claim your body. He was buried in a generic plot in the town cemetery since no one wanted to pay for the burial.”
“Rian, that can’t be healthy,” Claybourne said, sounding concerned.
Rian waved him off. “I’m only doing it throughout Gay Pride month, I’m not obsessed or anything. I could honestly be spending my time doing scandalous things up at Purgatory instead,” he said, sighing.
“In that case. I owe my mate some treats. Before we go home for cooking lessons.” Claybourne looked around the shop. Felix gasped and clutched his chest. Claybourne ignored him.
Felix stumbled back against the counter before turning dramatically to Rian. “My mate hates me. First, he tries to starve me, now, torture!” He collapsed his upper body over the counter into his arms.
“Oh you poor thing!” Rian comforted Felix who continued a litany of injustices.
“I don’t know how he’s goi
ng to teach me to cook. There’s no food in the house.” Felix stood up, pretending to wipe his eyes.
“What about this one? It’s a variety pack?” Claybourne asked, pointing to the last box of the ‘Screw You’ chocolate, having completely ignored Felix’s high drama.
Immediately Felix stopped his dramatic act and sidled up to his mate. “Yup, that would be perfect. Can you feed them to me in bed?” he asked coyly.
“You are such a brat.” Claybourne clucked his tongue and walked past him to the checkout. Felix did not like being ignored. Not one bit.
When the transaction was complete Claybourne nodded to Rian and started walking toward the door.
“Don’t forget we need to go to the clinic to pick up your Niagara pills before going home.” Felix turned to Rian who was staring at him. He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Shifter Viagra. He’s getting older, you know. Bye now.” He waved to Rian and waltzed right past his mate who was staring at him in shocked horror. He wasn’t thirty seconds outside the door before he was flipped over his mate’s shoulder again. This time he was being marched with purpose toward the clinic.
“You know if you take me to the clinic it will only reinforce the rumor you need Niagara,” he said in a singsong voice.
“You are the most impossible man I have ever met!” Claybourne fumed as he carried him back to the car. He set him down and pointed to the car door, his neck muscles tight.
“Get in.” Claybourne walked over to his side. He thrust the candy at Felix who put it in his man bag.
The drive home was a quiet one. Claybourne stormed through the front door and headed to the bedroom.
“What about my cooking lessons?” Felix asked.
“Starve!” Claybourne yelled before slamming the door. Felix sighed. Okay, maybe it wasn’t as funny as he thought. He sighed and walked to the bedroom and opened the door.
“Not now, Felix,” Claybourne said through clenched teeth.
“Are you killing me? I don’t see your hands wrapped around my throat. So that means we can talk about this,” Felix said as he hopped up on the bed.