Page 90 of Pucking Feral: Part Two

We're halfway to the rink before I realize Whiskey saw me, too. He's the one who found the fucking picture.

I glance at him sideways.

He's walking beside me like nothing's changed. Same easy swagger. Same goofy grin. Same complete lack of the distance people usually put between themselves and me after they've seen what I am.

How?

The question must show in my body language, because Whiskey catches my eye and raises an eyebrow.

"You good, bro?"

I hesitate. Then sign slowly. You saw the photo.

"Yeah?" He shrugs. "So?"

So… My hands stall. I don't know how to ask what I'm trying to ask. You're not...

"What? Scared? Of you?" Whiskey cackles. "Bro, you don't even eat meat. And last I checked, this is Grade A prime alpha beef." He thumps his broad chest. "If I were a block of tofu? Yeah. Then I'd be worried."

He's not lying. I can always tell when people are lying. Their scent shifts, their pulse jumps, their eyes do that flickering thing.

Whiskey just looks at me like I'm an idiot.

All I can do is stare at him.

"Besides," he adds, "you're my bro. I love ya. Spooky face and all."

He punches my shoulder.

I shove him into the wall.

He bounces off with a laugh. "Come on. Let's deal with this shit the best way we know how. Kicking Wade's ass so hard, we send him straight to hell."

I fall into step alongside him, signing. We're not ALLOWED to send him to hell.

"Figuratively speaking. But we can make him wish we had."

I growl my agreement.

"Oh shit! I almost forgot. Time to cover up," Whiskey says with a dramatic, reluctant sigh, slowing to a walk and taking a tiny spray bottle out of his pocket. He spritzes himself with scent neutralizer.

Then he nails me in the face with it.

I double over, coughing my lungs out, my mask soaked in it.

What the fuck?! I sign angrily when I can breathe again, breaking into a jog to get the hell away from him.

"You smell like honeyfuck or whatever the hell it's called!" Whiskey insists, chasing after me and spraying the air, screaming in agony every time it blows back in his eyes.

I snarl back at him.

This time, I don't really mean it.

Chapter 16

Valek

Ipause outside the door to the visiting team's locker room, listening.