Socially Awkward. Chapter Two.
Socially Awkward
Chapter Two
By Roofles
It was early in the morning as Reese held the back of Chew Toy's head as the Bernese Mountain dog kept his snout firmly inside the toilet bowl, puking his guts out. The sound was loud and the smell filled the whole room making even Reese gag.
"Seriously." Reese just said as CT pulled back to take a haggard breath before moving quickly back over to the bowl. "I just had that cleaned." The black wolf face was blank as he watched with keen yellow eyes as the other canine sat back once more. The only sign that Reese was bothered was an ear flick here or a whisker twitch there.
"Sorry..." CT managed to gurgle out, rubbing his stomach and hanging his head low in self-pity. "I-is Clem here?" The dog asked, lifting his eyes to look at the wolf. They were blood shot. And the canine looked miserable; his eyes sunken, bags underneath with drooping whiskers and splayed ears. Reese hadn't realized just how beat up the other dog had been, this hadn't been just about drinking half the bar the other night.
Reese took a moment to think about that; about his question. He turned the dog's head back towards the toilet as another muzzle full spilled into the bowl. The other dog was whimpering like a newborn puppy.
CT and Clem had a history. A rather sour one at that. The wolf didn't want to get involved in that mess, even if he had to before in the past. Being an Alpha left him little choice when it involved his pack though; let alone about another Alpha.
One of the most essential roles of being an alpha, and frankly the only one you actually had to follow, was dealing with the other alphas. You weren't just representing your house, your pack but also was showing the other Alphas you were qualified for the role. The mantle of Alpha was a responsibility in itself. CT was not making good on that rule.
CT had wanted Clem to join his pack back before the boxer or his husky friend had decided on where they had wanted to go. The funny thing was? That wasn't their choice in the end. If the two wanted to be part of a pack they had to join and be accepted by the alpha. To learn and follow their rules. It was only because Reese had won the right to pick first that he managed to get the two; as a favor to Clem no less.
As close as the two were, CT and Reese had very different viewpoints on how things were done. Clem had always been a hard worker, seeing it as his duty above all else. To be working, making a living and providing for himself so as to never be a burden on anyone else. He would have fit in well enough into CT pack; the Bernese mountain dog running it like a military unit. The husky on the other hand would not have fit in at all to such a strict household.
Reese had done it to make sure that such a free spirit could continue being one without getting his wings clipped.
There was a knock on the door, making one of the wolf's triangular ears lift and swivel towards it. The wolf sighed. "Fuck, what now." He grumbled pushing himself up and walking over to the door.
If he hadn't let his emotions get the better of himself, the human outside the bathroom wouldn't be here now and Reese wouldn't have to deal with this shit too.
"Uh... I can come back." Charles, the only human in the house, said as he saw the wolf. Reese flicked an ear, looking down at the smaller male in annoyance.
Reese didn't mind the human. He was stupid, ignorant and had no sense of self-preservation. Which is why he was one of the few people the wolf had ever met that wasn't downright afraid of him. There wasn't a trace of fear in his scent; some would call that brave. Reese on the other hand knew just how foolish that made the human. Reese couldn't fathom how he had survived this long in this cruel, unforgiving world.
"What. Is. It." Reese snarled at him. The wolf had little sleep under his belt and a good night of spooning turned into, well, this.
"I-I just work in the morning. Wanted to take a s-shower." The human smiled meekly; that submissive look on his face made the wolf's fur raise up a bit. The stench of husky was all over him. Reese licked his chops, looking away and back at the other canine whose head was still in the toilet.
Charles did need a shower, he wouldn't explain that to the wolf. The human was embarrassed being mated to the husky snoring in the other room. Charles stunk of his lover. It clung to his bare naked skin and even the towel wrapped around his waist. Reese could make out dried spooge on his chest beginning to flake and chip off. Which wasn't helping Reese's erection any.
"Fine. Just wash him too." Reese ordered, opening the door before motioning with his snout at the other canine.
"Who...?" Charles was always so nosy about such things. Reese wasn't about to tell him a story and just walked past him and back into his own room to change.
The shower turned on the next second, giving the wolf some relief. At least Charles followed orders well. Wish he could say the same for the rest of these idiots. Reese looked in his mirror and frowned at the black wolf looking back at him. Then again, he was the biggest idiot out of the bunch. Having to deal and put up with this shit; willingly.
This was his choice. Right?
Just another day, he groaned ignoring his aching sheath and began to dress in baggy clothes. Even with the windows shut the wolf could smell the moisture in the air. It would be a cold day, foggy out so early in the morning. It might even rain later.
The wolf hated wearing cloths. It wasn't just confining; they were the stable of everything he was raised to hate. The bondages of clothing that humans used to try and civilize them; replacing the collars and harnesses from old. Forced to either accept or be banished from society to live out in the wild like an animal if they refuse or spoke out.
He kept it simple. Oversized shorts and a loose sleeveless T-shirt. He didn't need a coat; he never needed a coat. Which was why the wolf was frowning at his own closet, looking at the six or seven coats inside. Who buys a wolf a coat? He sure as hell didn't waste money on them.
No one understood him.
Reese's ear spun around towards the door before there was another knock. The wolf could smell the wet human on the other side even before he opened it.
"Uh, he's kind of heavy..." Charles said with a towel wrapped around his waist. The soaking wet human pointed back towards the tub where the Bernese mountain dog was currently soaking in his own misery.
Reese sighed. That was his job, even took his sulking spot.
The wolf ended up drying off and carrying CT into his jeep, placing the large canine in the back like a rug.
"My car." Charles was outside, ready to go when he noticed his SUV was up front and several others behind it, blocking it's escape. Reese knew some of the other dogs did that to him on purpose, picking on the new guy. It was harmless hazing, if they did anything more he'd step in. Hell, last time it was him who did it.
"Get in." Reese ordered as he closed his door and began hitting his head on the steering wheel. Sure, the other dogs thought it was hilarious! He was stuck cleaning everything up though, as usual.
The human got in the passenger side, checking on the nearly unconscious dog whimpering in the back. "Who is he?" Charles asked. The human could be so nosy.
"No one." Reese just grumbled, starting up his jeep and giving it some gas before taking off down the street. "Got to make another stop first." The wolf just said as he turned away, heading towards the West side of town.
If he had it his way, Reese would have the windows all the way down with his head sticking out of it enjoying the morning mist against his jet-black fur. Now he was stuck in an already cramp vehicle with the heater on so the small human sitting next to him didn't freeze his cute ass off.
Charles tried to make friendly conversation, as usual. Reese wasn't in the mood to indulge him however. He reminded the wolf of a child, an ignorant pup that needed twenty-four-hour supervision and attention. Always asking questions he shouldn't, without ever relenting.
"Stay." Reese ordered once more, slamming the driver side door. He had left the engine running; can't let the human freeze to death. That be a bitch to explain to the husky.
The wolf went around and pulled CT out and carried him towards the door. While driving, he made the human send a text to let the other dog house know they were bringing their alpha home.
A black and tan coonhound was waiting out front for him. The canine looked like he had just been through hell. The normal floppy ears had been cropped short, one of which was nearly bitten off. A large gash from where a pair of nails had dug into his hide left a trail down one side of his face, leaving the eye a milky white. The dog's muzzle was beat up and the ridge was abnormally bumpy from all the times it had been broken and set. Poorly.
Tea might've been a pleasant fellow at one point in time. Life hadn't metaphorically but physically beat any joy, happiness, hope out of him a long time ago. He wasn't just rough around the edges; his whole personality had been changed by the hardships he had to endure, to survive. Reese could relate.
"Reese." Tea gave him a nod, opening the door for the wolf. Reese just gave him a nod, spying the holstered gun at his side. The wolf just carried CT inside ignoring it for the most part. It still put his fur on edge, he rather not take a bullet again.
"The others?" Reese asked, looking around the dark room. His eyes could see where most couldn't and they glowed ominously in the dim light.
"Sleeping or out." Tea just took another long drag on the stubby cigarette he had been smoking, waiting for them to get here.
"Good." Reese actually let his shoulders sag in relief as he brought CT inside. Tea shut and locked the door behind them. Leaving his post in order to check in on his Alpha.
"Who's the human?" Tea asked, the coonhound ever observant wouldn't miss something like that in this area. Charles stood out like a neon light, not by sight but by smell.
"Off limits." Reese just stated, looking at the other dog.
Tea had stripped his vest off and tossed it to the side. His short fur was smooth and glossy, on one side. The other side was badly burned, the flesh visible underneath. Warped and twisted from where he had been burnt years ago. Reese had never asked about it and was sure Tea wouldn't have told him. No one knew why he had the horrible scars and that left the coonhound even more threatening.
The coonhound just gave him that blank, empty look in reply. Reese gave him a toothy smile in return and Tea moved by to unlock the Alpha's room. Unlike Reese, CT kept his room heavily locked where only his second in command, Tea, had access to it.
Reese tried to keep his own Dog House casual, free spirit where the other dogs could live their lives how they wanted. Something he had never had. This place reminded him of a bunker. The walls were banged up; the windows were barred and there was cement flooring. The smell of gunpowder was in the air from where they mixed their own bullets.
CT's room didn't look any better. There were guns on the walls, several swat vests hanging up in the closet. He was chief of police after all. The side desk had duct tape, a box of tools and a dissembled rifle of some sort scattered out on it. It might have been the dog's bedroom but it was also his workshop.
"Old habits die hard, huh bud?" Reese muttered to the Bernese mountain dog as he laid him on his own bed, covering him up. He shot the coonhound a look but Tea was standing at the door, his back to them. Reese flicked his tail at that, taking another moment to make sure he wasn't looking before he bent his muzzle down to nudge the other canines. "Hey..." He whispered softly.
"Reese?" CT grumbled a bit, stirring and blinking his eyes up at him.
"Brought you home." Reese kept his voice soft, no more than a whispered growl.
"I know you would." CT rubbed one eye and laying back down. With one hand, CT reached for Reese's. The wolf took it gently. "Never doubted you." Reese didn't say a thing. "You came back..." The dog said incoherently muttering now as he rested back down. "You shouldn't have."
Reese closed his eyes and licked the side of his friend's cheek. "I wouldn't leave you behind." CT held his hand tightly for a few second before relaxing and falling back asleep.
Reese left with that, Tea seeing him out. The other dog took his post outside the house once more, picking up his cigar and resumed things as if nothing had happened.
"Thank you." The coonhound spoke up, talking to Reese's back. The wolf stopped and looked back over one shoulder. "For bringing the Alpha home."
The wolf just nodded and headed back to his car without another word. Charles asked what that was about but Reese just ruffled his hair fur without a word as he drove him to work.
"Do you need a lift after?" Reese asked, getting out of the car and seeing him to the door. Old habit do die hard.
"No, I think Togo can give me one. Or Clem." Charles just shrugged, smiling as usual. Reese almost envied his happy ignorance unaware of what was going on with the rest of the world.
The wolf nodded. "Call me, if you do." And the two parted ways with a hug.
Reese didn't have two seconds to himself as his phone buzzed loudly on the dashboard of his jeep. He wanted to ignore it but couldn't stand not looking. It was a message from Red, the horse that ran the club he had been too the other night.
"Come get your things before I toss it into the disposal." The text read simply with one too me heart emojis. The wolf's ears splayed out and, though he'd deny it even on his death bed, the wolf blushed at that. He hated when Red sent him emoji. He had hard enough time as it was reading the horse.
So of course, Reese had to head that way. He took some time though, knowing Red wouldn't just get rid of it right away. He dropped by one of the local donut stands and got a box for himself and a large coffee.
Black and sweet, just like him. Reese laughed at his own, pathetic joke as he walked up to the back of the club.
Conner the fox was outside next to the trashcans. The fox wasn't in any better shape than CT had been. At least CT still had a shred of his dignity left.
Conner had been stripped naked and tied up in a pink bow. His hard earnings from the other night were missing with his pride; a large stamp on his forward read that he was banned from the club. It was black ink and would take some time to wash out.
Red had a sick sense of humor; at least he hadn't strung him up like the good old days. Or castrated. Reese hung out with some real sickos, shuddering at the thought. Red was one of the few people even he wouldn't want to mess with.
Reese just picked up his package and tossed it into the back of his jeep, snagging another donut before buckling in and heading out. Conner snored loudly in the back, oblivious to what had happened. The wolf had half a mind to stick around and see the look on the foxes face when he learned everything he had was missing.
He thought better of it as he dropped the fox off, at his parents no less.
"Sorry Ms. Finster." Reese just said after placing her son safely in his room, still tied up and bound by that bow. It was made from basic fabric with some sort of wire mesh running through it and knew Conner would have to gnaw his way out of this one. The thought of sticking around to watch that did come to mind.
"No, no It's fine." The older fox was smoking and smelled strongly of booze. Reese couldn't make eye contact; he's seen that face one too many times before. The same face junkies had. Maybe not with the harder stuff but gambling was a type of an addiction and it left Conner's family in ruin because of it. "If he comes home alive..." She just said waving him off.
Reese wasn't sure what else to say, so he did what he always did in this situation. He said nothing. His face was blank and he just left it at that. Conner was an adult; the dumb fox could take care of himself now. Still the wolf worried as he drove away.
"You can only fix people who want to be fixed." Reese told himself, trying to an old friends words. He had to live by it. If he didn't he'd end up taking in far too many damaged guys and then that'd ruin the lives of everyone else that were actually trying to get better, trying to make a name for themselves. Be part of society. Someone, rather than a waste of space.
Reese didn't head home right away. He did his afternoon errands instead. Going by the bank to deposit his earnings. Then to go deal with a few bills. One of which he had to go inside and demand to speak to the manager about. The water bill, the same bullshit as last month. And why? Because one of the other dogs thought it would be funny to hide the bills in the mail, then to talk back to the representative who called.
By the time noon rolled around Reese was exhausted from it all. He didn't get a good night sleep due to having to get up constantly and help his friend out.
Reese was to the side of town, on a rather large hill overlooking the river. There was a small bike path that ran along it and he people watched, just a simple hobby he had. Harmless. Free. It was nice here, underneath the shade of a large oak tree as he pondered even heading back to the dog house.
Back to it all. His life. The bills. The responsibility. Everything.
"Be easier to just abandon them all, to get into the jeep. To pull out all his savings and then just drive towards the sunset."
Reese opened his eyes slowly to see the Rottweiler standing next to him, looking out over the river. The dog was large, thick chested with a stubby tail and cropped ears. Most humans didn't know but they weren't born that way. A cruel, inhumane act that was done to them when they were no more than pups to make them look fiercer. Something that was still being done even to this day.
"Yet they expected us to just obey without question." The Rottweiler said, Reese recalled those very words.
"Joel." Reese said aloud, acknowledging the Rottweiler. He normally reared his ugly face around this time of day. The Rottweiler name came from his jowls; his human owners having mispronouncing the word and ended up just naming him it. "What are you doing here?" Reese asked already knowing the answer.
"Thinking about ditching again, huh?" Joel just said, knowing full well what Reese was thinking. The canine kept his face looking straight, never turning to even look at the large black wolf laying in the still damp grass. "Heading out and just leaving everyone behind. Let them fend for themselves? Again?"
Reese ears splayed out at that, the sharp ton the other canine spoke with. Accusing him. Blaming him. The wolf had no retort to that, he knew what he had done in the past was wrong. These memories still haunting him like clawed fingered demons scratching at the back of his mind. One reason why he hated the silence so much. It reminded him of it all. That he had made a mistake and it had costed more than he ever thought he could lose.
"It'd be easier, huh?" Joel asked now, still looking forward. "Just take your things, drop off the face of the world and do what you do best, take care of yourself." The other canine was growling now. Fists clenching tightly.
Reese still didn't reply, he just looked out over the river. Unsure if his eyes were even opened or not.
"Be for the best really." Joel chuckled darkly. "Best for everyone, before they all learn what kind of monster you really are." And the Rottweiler took out a cigar, taking a few times before he could light it with shaking, damaged hands. And as he took a long drag on it, smoke escaped from the other side of his face.
"Will you ever be able to forgive me?" Reese asked in no more than a whisper.
Joel was on him in a second, shoving his own face against his with wide, mad eyes as he snarled. Drool splattered Reese's face as he stared into those dead eyes; the whole left side of the Rottweiler's face was missing to the point his teeth were visible. "What do you think!"
There was a loud bang and Reese sat up suddenly, looking around quickly.
Joel was gone, Reese realized. The wolf was alone. He had never been there, just plaguing his dreams again. Haunting him when he had finally found a moment of peace. The wolf shook his head, only then noticing the cop standing just off to the side.
This is why people did drugs...
"You do know your trespassing, right?" The officer said, lifting his belt up and trying to intimidate the wolf. The human had his nightstick out, as well as a taser in the other hand. Reese didn't point out that a normal human taser wasn't about to have much effect on him, only to make him mad. And he wouldn't like it when Reese got angry.
"I was just leaving." Reese waved the cop off. The police officer just heckled him further, telling him to get out of here. Reese was already leaving. It was easier to leave than to try and explain this was a public park, that he had the right to be here. The best way to avoid confrontation was to just walk away. Well, he knew exactly why the cop had pulled over and come all the way up the hill to harass him.
"Racist prick." Reese wasn't in the mood for this, not after it all. How long had it been since he had a nightmare about Joel? About it all? He just shook it off, seeing the other Alphas again must've brought back these memories.
Then the smell caught his nose. A foreign smell. He slammed on the breaks half way down the road and looked into the back seat.
Reese was not amused as he took his jeep to a nearby car wash to hose out what had been put into his car. He had foolishly left the window down, giving time for someone to put the dog shit into his vehicle. One of the most common ways humans, or others, fucked with canines. Flaunting the fact they have a four legged dog as a pet in front of them, mocking them, trying to humiliate them or put said dog's excrements on their porch or in this case the back of their car.
People didn't have the balls to stand up to him face to face. They would call anonymously. Whether it was to report a crime he never committed, to call in a complaint about something he didn't do, to purposely go out of their way to fuck with him. Give him the wrong order, do something to his order, forget to bring something.
Or pull this shit when he had his guard down. Trying to just relax.
Which might be for the best; the thing was Reese could deal with this and just tolerate their bigotry, their racism, their hate for something his ancestors had done hundreds of years ago. If someone tried to do something to his face? He could deal with it, he would just put up with it. He would have too, he acknowledged. Someone pulled this shit with his pack though?
Reese had a very large problem. He had rage issues. Not issue but issues. It happened in stages, the next stage always worse than the previous. And bad things happened when someone pushed his buttons; it took a lot of work but when that happened. Bad things happened.
Reese just didn't think about it. He couldn't recall the last time he had lost control like that. It was like blacking out. While he pummeled someone into mush, everything was red and he wouldn't recall it. Only the mess after.
The wolf was laying over the front of the red painted jeep by afternoon. He was resting on the hood with all the doors open, trying to air it out. His nose could only smell the chemicals that he had used to scrub down the back of it. His hands smelled of it. It bothered his nose, that fake smell. Like cologne or perfume, it was just fake. And it made his stomach queasy.
Reese was texting as he tried to kill time. There was an issue going on downtown, he just stayed out of it. Muff, the blue heeler from the house, had texted him to pick up more trash bags. That was fine. The five paragraph long texts he sent after that wasn't. Whining about his ex-having loud sex in the other room with a human was another thing. That only opened the door to a stream of empty drama, Muff just looking for anything to complain about at this point.
Reese just set the phone down on his stomach and ignored it vibrating. He wasn't in the mood today to console such childish drama. It still left him tense. He hated not checking his messages.
The wolf had planned to move Muff out of the living room and into the back room anyways, so long as the cocker spaniel didn't mind company. He was sure Peanut Butter, or just Peanut, would though. The cocker spaniel had done nearly all the work in the garage to convert it into his room. The other canines though saw it as another large space to hang out in, unaware it was Peanuts bedroom too.
"Fuck, now I have to deal with that." Reese snarled, opening his eyes. He covered his face with the back of his paw, looking up between his fingers at the sky. It smelled like rain.
Just another thing to put on the list as he made his way downtown with the windows rolled all the way down. The southern part of the city was where most of their kind stayed. Not canines but any non-human. Those who couldn't so easily fit into human culture. Thus, everything was run down. Tax payer dollars would never see this part of town when the North side needed the cracks in the sidewalk sealed up so no one complained about the risk of tripping over one.
Most the houses had boards over their windows and those who could afford it, metal bars. There were several hyenas resting against tricked out cars; very brightly colored with fire or stars or whatever they thought to paint on the sides of it. The engines were showing and, even parked, some of the cars were running just to make the engine purr.
He was checked out, watched and talked about as he drove by in his jeep, leaning out the window and looking for the right spot. Most noticed who it was and went back to what they were doing, trying to be punk shit badasses (their own words). The wolf just ignored the lot, giving some nods here or an appreciative look at their car there. It was all just to put on airs though once more, make an appearance as if he actually cared how much work or money was put into their cars. And just how cool that made them...
Cars was the key thing about this place. There was a junkyard behind the neighborhood, off to the side with a gravel road leading to it. At one time, it had been cement but over the years without any road work or money put into it began to break down and eventually torn out altogether. The pot holes alone were a hazard. The Alpha, who he was not looking forward to seeing, was the one to suggest to "fuck the system and do it ourselves." And that's basically how this whole neighborhood ran.
You don't mess with them. They watch their own backs, take care of their own and everyone else could go fuck themselves for all they cared. Reese was one of the few that was even allowed free ride down some of these streets. Cops stayed away from here, no matter how many calls someone made they wouldn't come to this area. If things really got bad, the swat would show up. And that only happened when one of the meth labs blew up; oddly enough, Reese knew exactly how that happened.
Sela took control of the area by taking out all her competition. This was when most the alpha gangs were already a thing; this territory wasn't owned though. Two of the other Alphas were fighting over it, leaving the neighborhood even worse off. One of the Alphas, a lion at the time, saw them as worthless scum and wanted to pave over the entire area. Sela took advantage of this and began to get a following as she began to help those in need, standing up to the tyrant becoming a savior for most of them and ended up taking care of the bastard all together. Ever since then, those of the old group followed her.
The hyena was out back of the junkyard. Reese knew it was more of a chop shop than anything else. The hyenas would go out, find unmanned vehicles and either strip them down on the spot or hot wire them and drive here where they'd get stripped down or remodeled and sold. An entire wall of the warehouse was lined with car license plates. Most were fake, the rest had belonged to the cars they had stolen. Doors, mirror and other vehicle parts filled out the rest of the warehouse where three mechanics were working at either putting a car together or stripping it down. Either way, to Reese, they looked like mechanic butchers. A pile of tires was out back in the chain linked fence court. Mario, Sela's second in command, was making a list of everything they had.
"Hey, Mario. Where's Sela?" Reese called over. The sound of hacksaws and blowtorches in the other room made everything here so loud giving the wolf a headache.
The spotted hyena waved at him, pointing towards the side and then going back to take inventory.
Reese nose wrinkled and he looked off to the side as he found Sela around the side of the warehouse. She was standing nearby smoking something foul as she looked on as several others with bats, crowbars, chains or brass knuckles stood around a bloodied body on the ground.
"Had enough, yet?" Sela asked, crouching down. She took a large breath before blowing it out over the half dead lion laying in a pool of his own blood and piss. "Ready to apologize yet?"
There was just a muffled groan in reply. Another lion, most likely one of old Alphas offspring, coming for revenge. That or just an idiot who dissed the Alpha on her own turf; a very bad move to do because then they had to go out of their way to restore it. Violence was the best and quickest way to do this.
Sela cackled, a loud hyena sound. The second she did all the other hyenas jumped in, giggling madly. When she stopped, they stopped. Sela rubbed her joint against the bloodied lion forehead, putting it out. The lion was a male but his mane had been shaved off, leaving bloody gashes all along his neck as if it had been done with rusty razors. She grinned, standing back up before spying Reese nearby.
She gave a quick motion and the other hyenas carried the lion off to only god knows where. If they shaved his mane, a very insult to his very pride, meant they were trying to send a message. He'd live but it'd never be the same.
"Reese! Been too long." Sela offered a hug. Reese begrudgingly took it. "Where have ya' been ya fat bastard." She gave him a one two punch in his stomach, making even Reese wince. "We missed ya, didn't we boys?" She shouted. There was a cheer from any other hyena who heard her.
With hyenas, it was the female that was dominant. The one in control. The alpha, the pack leader. Maybe this was why lions had such an issue with them, Reese could only guess. While lions were always run by a single male, hyenas weren't. Sela and her sister Ginny ran this group. Two strong, powerful females would make most men worry.
"Ginny isn't around, uh... is she?" Reese asked, getting a bit worried. He could deal with Sela. She was a loud, boastful type that liked to flaunt her success in others faces. Ginny was crazy. Downright insane. And had a strong attraction to Reese.
"Hah, you miss her?" Sela teased, trying to give him a noogie but failing due to the height difference. "Nah, she's out running errands." She added a nudge to his side. "Want me to call her back?"
"No, no. Won't be staying long." Reese quickly said, clearing his throat after. "It's going to rain. I came to see if the part was ready."
"Ah, for the Vista Cruiser?" She asked, teasing him. Sela already knew why he was here and was just dragging things out.
"You know it." Reese eyes lit up a bit as he talked about his baby. Sela and him got along well enough when they were talking about cars. When it got into the other things, that's when they began having issues. While Reese respected that she saved her own from being run off, there was just some things that Reese had put into his past and didn't want to even think about again.
"You guys need a larger garage." Sela went on, leading him into the side shop attached to the warehouse. There were several shelves in here. Numerous wooden boxes were lined up. Each one was marked and neatly sorted, almost the opposite of the main room where everything had just been thrown with things that matched it.
"Our garage is a family room." Reese pointed out, for the tenth time now. "We need the space. Unlike someone, we can't afford a whole neighborhood." He added looking back over towards her. He had been going through the boxes, feeling like a pup in a candy shop. So many new toys to play with in here.
Sela grinned widely at that. "Yeah. We got it good. Been thinking of adding another. Big family, grows fast." She finally came back around with a brown package. "Careful now, it's delicate." And she feigned dropped it. Making Reese nearly dive for it. "Just teasing."
Reese scowled and Sela gave another cackling laugh as she saw him out.
"Don't be a stranger now!" She waved as he went back to his jeep. There were a few other hyenas checking it out, mostly making fun of how boring it was.
Reese just gave a good growl and they scattered with that strange laughter once more; Reese couldn't tell if it was a laugh or just a noise they made. It would be rude to ask and he rather not have another turf war breaking out. His curiosity could wait; he'd just google it when they got home.
It was already beginning to rain as he made his way back home finally, a little after five. It was really was beginning to come down, visibility limited as the rain pounded the windows. The highway would be packed at this time, especially with the weather the way it was. Reese had to make a gut decision on the matter and decided to risk it, taking one of the side off roads and looping around towards his neighborhood.
Other Alphas had larger gangs, packs, herds; whatever they liked to call themselves. Reese had gotten out of the business, or as far out as someone ever really could. He had his own single house and his own small pack. That's all he had wanted, trying to stay out of matters. With Duke rearing his ugly head just the other day, dealing with the different Alphas... it was like he was back in those days.
Dark, ugly days like the weather was right now. Days Reese really rather not get involved with again. His pack would be put in risk, having to do things he wasn't comfortable with. All that was behind him, he made sure to make that clear. Yet, here he was still dealing with them on a daily base. Being the middle man for the most part for each of the groups who rather not deal with one another.
"It'd be easier to just keep driving." That nagging voice said in the back of his mind. He tried to shake it off, to just get it out of his mind.
"Reese!" Someone shouted at him jerking his attention back to reality.
A sharp horn blasted and a pair of lights came right at him, he swerved out of the way. Hitting the curb and lifted the jeep right into the air, over the side and down into the ditch.
The airbag had deployed and there was a loud screeching sound of the horn blasting, one of the axels were spinning off to the side of his blurry vision and the wolf sat up groggily. He used one nail to pop to air bag and pulled it off himself. He got out on shaking legs before toppling over.
Reese lay on his back as the rain continued to pour down. There was honking on the road. He wasn't sure how long he laid there, looking up into the dark cloudy sky. The sound of an ambulance coming brought him back and he begrudgingly took inventory of himself.
He checked his toes, his legs, his fingers and arms. Nothing was broken and everything was facing the way they should. His heart was still pounding as he felt over his chest, side and stomach. No puncture wounds, no pain from pressure. None of his ribs were broken either. He felt up along his neck carefully, then face. Nothing.
His jeep on the other hand had seen better days. The front of it had been smashed in from where it had landed in the ditch. One of the wheels were still spinning. Gray smoke was pouring out from it.
Then he checked his pockets. He still had his wallet but his phone was missing. He got up quickly and began looking everywhere, frantically searching for it.
"Son of a bitch," he cursed loudly nearly running around in the dark as the rain poured down on him. He couldn't lose his phone. It had all his contacts, his information. It had his ex's phone number in it...
There was crunch underneath his foot and he winced, looking down and lifting his hind paw to see his phone. Cracked but somehow it still worked, sort of.
Then he saw the brown package. It was laying open, the various metal scraps inside had been scattered and the package was filling up with water. The whole reason he had gone out today was to pick up this one, delicate part for his car. And now it was ruined. Useless and he just sunk down onto his knees, lifting it up with both hands.
"Hey, are you ok!" A voice shouted from the sidewalk. A biker had stopped to see the damage.
Reese just sniffled, wiping his nose and leaving it there. He even moved some dirt over it, giving it a proper burial. This is why he couldn't have nice things.
Hell, he didn't deserve nice things.
Reese checked in with the ambulance, telling them off though as he called a tow truck to come and pick up his jeep. From there he just walked. It wasn't that far from here. Only a couple of blocks, would take an hour or two at most. And the wolf just walked with heavy steps getting soaked in the rain.
The one good thing he had been looking forward to all week, gone. Just like that. It wasn't even his fault. The other fucking driver would've hit him if he didn't swerve out of the way. Driving was a privilege, not a right. Still, he just cursed as he finally reached his home wanting nothing more than to crawl under his covers and die.
There was no rest for the wicked though.
"And I told you I had reserved the TV tonight!" The husky, Togo, was arguing with Muff, the blue heeler. The two were fighting over who had the right to watch their show. A fucking TV show; Reese didn't have time for this.
"Perfect! Reese is here, he can decide!" Muff pointed at the wolf making him stop in place. Soaking wet in front of the doorway.
"What..." Reese took a slow breath, trying to stay calm about this all. The wolf turned to look at them and smacked his knee right on the edge of the table. He winced sharply, about to punch a hole in the wall.
"I called the tv tonight! My show is on. It's the finale. Been watching every single episode up to this one!" Muff began in earnest, clearing not picking up on Reese's mood. "He said he and his boy toy called it." The blue heeler frowned now, folding his arms. He was holding the remote, that should be enough on this.
"I don't care." Reese just sighed, unable to believe this is what he was doing all this for.
"So I can have it?" Muff jumped at that.
"That's not fair. Charles and I called it." Togo spoke up, the husky growling at the other dog. Togo seemed to know to keep this between them and leave Reese out of it but Muff wouldn't have that. The blue heeler felt they were ganging up on him and no one was on his side.
"B-but Reese just said I could." Muff moved over before turning to face the husky. The human was standing off to the side trying not to be part of the conflict.
"Whatever." Reese ignored them trying to get on by to take a much needed shower if nothing else. His paws were muddy and he was soaking wet.
"Reese!" Muff whined loudly, grabbing his arm. Then let go. "You're getting water everywhere." The dog pointed out stupidly.
Reese jaw twitched as he looked over at the other dog. He wiped the water out of his eyes. "Apparently," the wolf spoke in a low voice. "Not on the dishes. Which I told you to do."
"W-well I had other things to... do..." Muff folded his ears back.
"Applying for jobs?" Reese asked, keeping his voice low and even. The threat in his voice was becoming ever clearer to the other canine.
"N-no." Muff said truthfully knowing he couldn't lie to Reese, at least not to his face.
"And you have the time then, to be bitching about a fucking TV?" Reese shouted the curse word as he rounded on the dog, shoving him against the wall. The wolf jabbed a finger against his chest. "How many weeks has it been without you working?"
Muff just whined, shrinking back in on himself.
"Not doing your chores. The most mundane, simplest fucking thing I could possibly think of for you to do!" Reese snarled right in his face, sending spittle onto the other dog. "Because I thought even Muff could handle something so mind-numbingly simple!"
The other dog was shaking now.
"Reese." Brigsby, the golden retriever spoke up in Muff's defense.
Reese rounded on him though. "Want me to talk about all you the things you do around here? Oh, right! You don't do shit either." Reese actually snapped his jaws at the golden retriever making Brigsby shut up and lower his head nearly all the way down to the floor. "Get your shit together," Reese warned in a deep, low growl turning back to Muff. "Or get the fuck out of my house."
And the wolf walked away.
"You have one week!" He shouted making the very walls shake a bit as he slammed the bathroom door hard enough to make the mirror over the sink fall off the wall.
Reese wasn't about to apologize. He had given that damn dog more than enough chances, forgiven more than enough of his shit and lies. Even his own parents didn't want to take the canine back in. Muff came from a very good, very wealthy home! Something Reese had never had the luxury of having, with caring loving sane parents no less. Yet, still somehow the blue heeler had fucked that up too.
Complaining about nothing. Finding problems in the most minute things and blowing them up into astronomically ridiculous issues. About nothing. About fucking nothing and that was what pissed Reese off so much.
The wolf hit the wall not once, not twice, but three times before stopping. The hot water spraying over his cold body felt good. It cooled his anger as he shook against the wall. Wanting to sink his claws into it and just rip down the wallpaper itself.
His phone was busted; his jeep was a wreck. The one thing he had been looking forward too was gone. What the fuck was he even doing here now? All this for a bunch of ungrateful... dumbasses.
The wolf exhaled and relaxed, not getting out for a good thirty minutes before finally turning the water off as it began to ran cold.
He didn't fix the mirror, didn't cover himself as he opened the door and walked straight across into his bedroom. Reese tossed his muddy cloths into the corner, dried himself off and put his large bathrobe on. He needed a good drink before he even thought about sleep.
Coming into the living room he noticed that the place had been cleaned up. There wasn't any water on the floor and the muddy footprints had been wiped away. The kitchen was much the same. The dishes were even done and a wonderful smell of fatty foods was sizzling on the oven top.
"What's all this." Reese asked wearily, eying the kitchen as he walked in.
"Sorry about before," Togo was the one to speak up. He took a step forward, ears folded and didn't dare make eye contact. "We cleaned up the place a bit and made you dinner as thanks, for everything."
Reese lifted an eyebrow, looking amongst the three. Brigsby, Togo and Charles.
"Where's Muff?" Reese asked.
Charles was about to speak up in his defense but Togo cut him off. "He's sulking in the backroom."
"I see." Reese frowned at that. Brigsby quickly handed him an open beer. The name Clem was clearly marked on the side, Reese ignored it as he took a drink.
"You aren't really going to toss him out, are you?" Charles asked. The human was too soft. Any other place? The blue heeler would've been out on the street a long, long time ago.
"Yes." Reese just stated flatly.
"I'm sorry, I haven't found one... yet." Brigsby couldn't make eye contact, talking about how he himself didn't have a job. While the golden retriever had a bachelor in being a barber, a rather high skilled profession with the varies fur, scales and feathers you had to deal with - it wasn't just for the head but the whole body. Brigsby still hadn't been able to keep a steady job. "I'm still applying!" He said hopefully, wagging his tail.
"I'll check your internet history to see." Reese said at first before relaxing some. "But that's all I ask, you try." Brigsby perked up at that and quickly went over to flip the sausages cooking on the stove.
"Brinner?" Togo asked with a large smile, finally looking at the wolf now. He moved aside to show off the stack of pancakes they had made with three types of syrups. There was orange juice, milk and tea ready as well. Several strips of bacon had already been cooked up and Reese motioned for the plate to just be brought with him.
"So we have the national fights going on," Togo said setting up a spot in the living room for his Alpha. He changed the channel. "It's the finals." The husky smiled pulling a blanket over the wolf and then placing a bed tray over his lap. He then began putting three different full plates on it, handed to him by Brigsby.
"Thanks..." Reese said still eying every suspiciously. "Where's Clem?" He asked as he noticed the lack of boxer around. Clem loved these shows.
"Huh?" Togo asked a bit confused.
"Oh, CT came by." Brigsby said placing down a glass full of orange juice and vodka.
Reese ears fell back at that. "Shit." He cursed to himself making the other two dogs stand at attention. "Fuck it, I'll deal with that tomorrow." And the wolf crossed his legs, resting back on the several pillows propped up for him and began to watch the fights as he enjoyed himself some Brinner.