Page 33 of Jacob

Tony was on his way.

Jacob was tempted to go downstairs and wait for him, but he stayed where he was.Tony knew where to find him, and he was smiling when he walked around the corner of the hallway a few minutes later.

“When you said you were on your way, I thought you were getting into your car,” Jacob said as he moved to kiss his mate.

“No.I meant that I’d already arrived and was on my way upstairs.”

“Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?”

Tony quickly hugged Jacob before letting go of him and peering into the bedroom.He pressed his lips together, then leaned back before allowing his smile to bloom on his face.

“They’re cute.”

They were.Taylor had been bitching about being stuck in bed, but it was better than being on his feet.He was stretched out on the bed with the panda curled up next to him.The only time the panda had left Taylor’s side since they’d arrived at the pride house was for both of them to use the bathroom.

The panda had to be shifting back to their human form there, right?There was no way they could use the bathroom in their panda form.The door was always closed when they went inside, and neither Jacob nor Taylor had wanted to push.Jacob was pretty sure that Taylor was going to start soon, though.He was losing his patience, and he’d never had a lot of it to begin with.

“I know you’re there,” Taylor called out.“And I know you’re making fun of me.”

Tony kissed Jacob one last time before walking into the room.Jacob followed him, grinning at the sight of his best friend cuddled up on the bed with a panda that was so big they almost swallowed Taylor’s body with their fur.

“This isn’t funny,” Taylor complained.“I’d like to see you stuck under a panda.”

“I’m sure this isn’t easy for you,” Tony said placatingly.“I can’t imagine how frustrating it is not to be able to go to work.”

Jacob snorted.“Or get laid.”

Taylor scowled as he nodded.“Don’t remind me of that.I had a date that I had to cancel last night.”

“A date?Who’s your flavor of the week?”Jacob had stopped asking for details when it came to Taylor’s love life.None of the women he dated ever lasted long.Taylor wasn’t waiting for his mate or anything like that.He wasn’t one to settle down, or at least, that was what he said when anyone asked him.

“None of your business,” Taylor snarked.“I really need to take a shower.”He glared down at the panda.“And you do, too.You stink.”

Jacob sucked in his breath, but the panda didn’t react badly.They narrowed their eyes at Taylor, then clung harder to him.It was clear that they understood what Taylor was saying and that they didn’t care.

Taylor huffed and flopped back against the pillow.“We both stink at this point.I wouldn’t be able to tell if you’re a panda shifter or a real panda.From the smell, I’d go for the second.”

Jacob discreetly sniffed the air.He immediately regretted it.The windows were open, but even with the fresh air, the smell of unwashed bodies, earth, and decaying leaves was heavy in the air.He could barely smell the panda under all of that, but he understood where Taylor was coming from.

“Maybe you could shower with them,” Tony suggested.

“I’m not showering with anyone I don’t know.”

“Well, something’s going to have to change,” Gal said as he strode into the room.He had his alpha face on, which told Jacob that he was here on business.

“How are you doing?”Gal asked Taylor.

“I’d be better if our panda here would let me go.They scratch on the bathroom door when I use it, for fuck’s sake.”

Jacob wondered why the panda had latched onto Taylor the way they had.There had to be a reason.Taylor hadn’t been the only one there, and it would’ve been just as easy for the panda to cuddle up to any of them, including Tony, who wasn’t a shifter.Maybe the panda had chosen Taylor because he was the only one of them who hadn’t met his mate.Dennis and Taylor were bonded to each other, and Gal was bonded to Liam.He also had to be intimidating since he was the alpha.There was Jacob, and Tony, too, but they were together, even though they hadn’t bonded yet.Taylor, on the other hand, was single, missed date notwithstanding.

“I can understand this is frustrating,” Gal said in a gentle tone.He turned his attention to the panda.“This has to be very confusing for you, and I understand the need to feel safe.Is that what Taylor is doing for you?Making you feel safe?”

The panda stared.It wasn’t like they could answer if they didn’t shift, and they didn’t seem to want to do that just yet.

Gal sighed.“Taylor isn’t going anywhere.Tony is his boss, and he agreed that Taylor could stay home for as long as you need him to.But you have to understand that refusing to shift back is making everything more complicated.Taylor’s right.You both need a shower, and I would like to talk to you and learn your name.I’ll help you regardless of what you want to tell me about yourself and your past, but you’re not a panda.You’re a shifter, and you have a human form I need you to take right now.”

Gal had more patience than Jacob.Jacob wanted to shake the panda, but Gal was talking as if he had nothing better to do than be here and beg the panda shifter to return to their human form.

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