“I don’t feel as though you’re trying to dominate me or take control of the Crew, yet.” His eyes were glowing blue, the alpha of his animal close.
Thadd looked toward Torrance. “I only feel the need to protect what we consider ours. This Crew, my mate, my brother, and even Mr. Bixley is ours. My beast needs a tether that will keep him in check. He’s a beast that I was scared to show all of you, but my mate and even Yaro got to see him.”
“I did too. He’s not lying. His lion is a monster. Think of that children’s cartoon Beauty and the Beast with the beast standing on its hind legs, only his beast wasn’t wearing clothes, and he had Edward Scissorhands looking claws. I was truly quite frightened if you must know,” Mr. Bixley said, hopping back and forth as he spoke.
“Oh, my word, it talks,” Annie said, kneeling down.
“I am not an it, young lady.”
Annie slapped a hand over her mouth, giggling.
“Don’t encourage him. So, we good?”
“I vote he shows us his beast first.”
Thadd turned, growling at Rylah and her suggestion.
Razi, her twin stepped up raising his hand. “I second the motion.”
“This is not a democracy,” Thadd growled.
“Um, Thadd, you should just do it and get it over with.” His little brother punched his arm with a wink.
“I agree. If they see you, they won’t be scared.” Torrance nodded.
“Or, they’ll be scared as fuck and kick us to the curb,” he argued.
“Hollis, tell him you agree, and he won’t be kicked to the curb,” Annie implored.
“How can I tell him something when I don’t know what the hell we’re dealing with? However, I will say, Thadd, I’ve always trusted and respected you. I don’t see how whatever you shift into can change that.” Hollis took a seat on the top step, patting the place next to him, indicating Annie should sit as well.
Thadd tossed his hands in the air. “Fine, but if you all piss your pants and run off screaming for your mommies, don’t blame me.”
“I’m fast, I’ll runaway and be back before anyone misses me.” Yarah winked, taking a measured step backward.
The rest of his Crew followed Yarah, giving Thadd space. He looked around the yard at the eager expressions on all their faces knowing they wouldn’t give up. He kissed Torrance on the lips, hard, before moving to the front lawn where he wouldn’t damage anything when he shifted. One minute later, he did what he’d never done in front of them before, he shifted to his half beast, letting them see Iron Lion, the one that stood on two feet, towering well over eight feet with claws of steel.
“Jeezus H Christ, that’s...I don’t even know what the hell to say, but he’d definitely take my bear out,” Ziggy whispered.
Ziggy, being the brown bear and the largest predator in the world, besides Thadd, sounded a little freaked.
Thadd shifted again, going into his full beast, not the one they’d seen, the one that was a huge lion shifter, but the Iron Lion on four legs. This form still towered over seven feet, his mane was more red than black, his claws every bit as deadly as they were made of iron, able to shred anything he came into contact with.
“Fuck me runnin’, what the hell? Did he like eat some radioactive shit, or is he a real X-Men or what?” Razi asked.
“The X-Men aren’t real, dummy,” Rylah said, smacking her brother in the back of the head.
Razi pointed at Thadd. “Tell that to him. No, don’t tell him shit. Don’t draw his attention. Fucking-A is he gonna eat us. Did you feed him?”
Torrance laughed, her hands covered her lips, stifling the sounds.
Thadd opened his mind to his Crew, hoping he was still able to communicate to them. “I’m not an X-Man. I’m no different than I was before.”
“You sound like the same Thadd. Do you murder little kittens in their sleep?” Jurzee asked.
“He’s not killing anyone for you so stop asking.”
Jurzee glared at Blitz as the Bengal tiger spoke out loud instead of through their link.
“Can you shift back, or do you have to wait until the lion decides to give up his shift?” Hollis asked.
It took him a moment to shift back into his human form, the silver booty shorts in place like before. He snorted, shaking his head. Silly dragon and her magic.
“Dude, your dick is literally hanging down your thigh,” Jentzen pointed out.
Chapter Nine
Torrance tried to contain her laughter as Thadd’s hand went to cover his peep show. She went through spells in her mind, figuring out which would work to fix his wardrobe malfunction. Wiggling her fingers toward her mate, she whispered a few words, watching his face as his shorts were covered in a pair of jeans and a tight T-shirt. On his feet she replaced his boots and socks, making sure she worded the spell so that everything was size appropriate. No way in heck did she want to restrict him in any department.
“Thank you, upendo.” Thadd moved with animal grace back to her, taking her into his arms.
“You’re most welcome. I’ll work on a spell that will make sure you are properly clothed after every shift,” she promised.
He grinned down at her. “You don’t like my booty shorts?”
She pushed up onto her toes, rubbing her nose against his neck. Goodness, what was that scent coming off of him. “Hmm, I love them, but I don’t think I like everyone seeing your dick sticking out the bottom of them. Maybe we’ll keep them for us.”
“T.M.I. people. You’ve got youngsters ears here.” Her familiar of a goat snarled next to them.
“Are we surrounded by people?” she asked him.
“Yes, ma penzi. Why are your eyes closed?”
She licked his neck, sucking his earlobe into her mouth. “You smell sooo good, Thaddeus.”
“Oh, dear. I think she’s in Heat.”
Torrance purred, loving the feel of Thadd’s hands on her ass. How did she get up so high?
“I
