He focused. Blocking out the pulsing music in the background, the banter of the guys, he saw nothing but his opponent. Right now that was a bag. His cougar fed on the release. He readied his stance and the one face that fueled his anger appeared on the bag. His father.
The face that could lie to anyone and everything except him. He never wanted to see him again, but if he did Kian would be in control this time. He'd trained for years, more years than he could count. His biceps began to burn as he slowed realizing he'd been punching the bag as hard and as fast as he could. Today hadn't gone the way he'd expected.
The cougar had wanted to go for a run, but not today. Today he'd been awakened by a call and the message had fucked the entire day.
"Walsh? Kian? Man, you okay?" asked Ethan.
Kian blinked to clear the red in his vision.
"Man, what’s up with you? You're all out of control today. Do we need to get you laid? Maybe we should head to the woods and run? You aren't looking good."
Ethan and Tristan both focused on him.
He backed away. "Yeah. Fine. I'm always fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
Both men crossed their arms over their chests, they weren't to be screwed with apparently.
"Fine. If you two want to be gossipy and jump my shit, fine. My dad. He's out. They released him today. The prick tried to call me, but I don't give a shit what he has to say. He should have rotted in jail forever."
Kian didn't like the look that passed between the two. Both took too large steps, nearly charging him.
Tristan grabbed his forearm and dragged Kian away from the poor innocent bag. Kian back-pedaled to keep up.
"What the hell guys?"
"Screw the work out Walsh. It's time to go. The bar is calling our name," said Tristan.
"Right. Sure. But I'm not drinking and you know that."
They both laughed. "No one is making you do anything, big guy. But right now you are about to rip a hole in that bag and the gym isn't going to appreciate that. Let's get some food and you can piss and moan all about your daddy issues," said Ethan.
Tristan released him and Kian turned. They paused long enough to grab their bags and shoes, enough time for him to start questioning if a public bar would be good or bad.
Kian would have punched one of them too, but they were right. Maybe talking would help, probably not. The long-legged blonde ran a circle right back into his thoughts. His blood pressure ramped up a few hundred beats as he imagined wrapping those legs around his waist. Maybe what he needed wasn't food and it wasn't a workout. He didn't need a bar with a bunch of easy women either. He needed something that he'd never felt before. The longer he waited on this whole mate thing, the worse he got. A shifter's life sort of sucked sometimes. The human side of him was driven by logic, but his inner animal was driven by instinct. Today his instincts screamed to go and find his father and get rid of that threat. He couldn't do that though. He'd learned his lesson years ago, sort of.
The rage still seemed as fresh today as it had then. The pain of not being able to protect his own mom still broke him soul-deep. That last thought squashed the desire to find out any more about Raine. But then again, he was losing the battle of holding back his instinct to find a mate and contain the rage within him. He was becoming the volatile creature he despised in his father.
"Hey, guys. I'm just going to head home. I don't feel like hitting the bars. Besides Kellie wouldn't appreciate me taking her new husband to the bar."
Tristan shook his head. "Aw, come on. She doesn't own me. Ethan get the pizza and meet us back at this moron’s place."
Ethan snorted. "Dude, I'm texting that to her. Does she know she doesn't own your scrawny ass?"
Tristan leaned over and punched Ethan in the arm as they walked out the doors.
"Just order the damn pizza. Someone needs to watch this fool before his cougar runs rampant and destroys something he'll regret. Feel free to run home to your girlfriend."
Ethan gave Tristan the dead-eyed look. "I don't have a damn girlfriend."
Kian cracked a smile. "You two fight like maybe you should be dating."
As they reached the parking lot, Kian lost his smile. There was something to be said for going home to someone, someone who could tame the storm within his soul. He needed to accept that he was meant to have a mate and he needed to find her fast.
He strapped his gym bag to the back of his Triumph. "All right. Whatever. You do whatever you think matters guys."
He straddled the bike as he put his helmet on. Reaching down he turned the key in the ignition, the smooth purr of her between his legs contained a promise that the freedom of the road wasn’t far behind. He sniffed the air. The scent of spring lifted his spirits, despite the city surrounding him. He revved the engine, the thrilling growl the last his friends would hear of him for a few. One thing the cougar and the man agreed on was speed.
As he backed the bike out of the spot he gave a jerk of his hand to the guys who were yelling at him now.
"Seriously. Go straight home. We will meet you there and catch the game," said Tristan.
A final nod and Kian drove off.
Raine stepped out of the shower,
