Page 15 of Leashed

Throwing his truck into park, he slid his keys into his pocket and jogged toward the gates. With the unpleasant weather, the parking lot of the park was deserted. He stripped down quickly and dropped into his transformation before his jeans were off his ankles, kicking at the constraining fabric until he was free.

He was on his second cross-through of the park when a coyote called out, the keening wail carrying across the stillness. He tossed his head back, howling in response and pausing as the animal responded in kind. Tracking the wild dog, he continued to reach out with barks and yips, his low, gravelly calls mimicked while he tracked the coyote’s scent.

His muzzle to the ground, he followed the path until he saw his prey. The scrawny beast paced between two elms, his matted fur damp from snow, eyes wary. When he spotted Bo, the coyote’s hackles rose and he stood his ground, his stature laughable against the hound.

Bold little bastard.

The smell of fear began to emanate from the animal, his head lowering as he rose back on his hind legs and barked. Bo took a step closer, baring his teeth and waiting for the thrill of the hunt to propel him toward his meal. He continued the slow advance, scenting the air and lifting his ears to engulf himself in the intoxicating agitation of the coyote, forcing his attention wholly onto the impending kill.

When a vision of big brown eyes flashed across his mind, Bo fell back, his fur dropping forward into his line of sight.

With a low growl of warning, he abandoned the hunt and ripped through the trees, jumping into the freezing water of the lake. The familiar adrenaline rush finally flooded him, washing the restlessness and unwanted desire back from the forefront of his mind.

*

Ryan heaped asecond helping of spaghetti onto a plate and slid it across the table, the look of annoyance on his face grating Bo’s fraying nerves. “What.”

“You’re being more of an asshole than usual,” Ryan stated, passing a jar of chili pepper flakes over. “What the hell’s up with you?”

Emptying half the parmesan cheese onto his plate, he hunched over his meal. “Haven’t slept since Dio swung by a few nights ago.”

Ryan swallowed, eying him. “Maybe you should take tomorrow off. Get some rest.”

Grabbing another slice of garlic bread, he focused his attention on the mountain of food in front of him. “I need to get those final two hoists up this week.” He loaded his fork up, pausing long enough to glance up at Ryan. “I don’t want to fuck it up. The owner has four other shops in town. Could be a pretty lucrative gig to pump up that savings account.”

His brother crossed his arms and studied him. “When was the last time you had a drink?”

“That’s your business how?”

“Just an observation,” Ryan replied, finishing the last of his meal. “I know it isn’t easy for you to get out from under Dio’s influence, even for a couple days.”

Ignoring his brother, he dove back into his dinner.

Ryan had no idea.

He’d returned home from Seward Park to find Dionysus waiting for him, armed with two amphorae filled to the brim. It had taken everything in Bo to go against his woven destiny, his lifeline dragging him in one direction while his mind pulled him in another, led by the clawing beast pacing his core and snapping his jaws at everything Dio represented.

And although Dio had taken his refusal in stride, chuckling about “a phase,” Bo knew he’d be back. The god needed worshippers, for both his power and his ego. He wouldn’t lose one without a fight.

As it was, denying the fiber of his lifeline reaching for Dio was physically agonizing, a constant sensation of being torn in two. Though it was painful, the beast inside him was appeased by it, the scratching replaced by a low rumble of approval Bo swore he could hear as he lay awake in the dark at night.

The table vibrated, Ryan’s phone lighting up with Alex’s number. Without a word, Ryan tapped his phone to life and brought it to his ear. “Hey, man. How’s it going?”

Leaning forward to listen in, he set his fork down and scooted his chair in closer.

Ryan set his phone down and put it on speaker. “Yeah, Bo’s here. Say hi, Bo.”

“Hey, ya ugly numbnuts,” he called out to his identical twin, standing up and walking over to the fridge. “You coming up here for a guy’s night out anytime soon?”

Alex snorted. “Yeah. Right. Any news on the Pirithous?”

“Nothing since the weekend,” Ryan replied. “I was actually wondering if you’re expecting Seph or Hades anytime soon?”

“I think what you mean to ask is what time tomorrow am I expecting Seph?” Alex groaned. “She’s been coming by every day for two weeks.”

Bo frowned. “What the fuck for?”

“She’s demanding an engagement, because she wants an excuse to wear a new dress. Charlotte and I have been using work and the new house as an excuse to keep her at bay, but seriously, man. Every. Day.”

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