1
LINCOLN
I'd made three major mistakes in my life.
Only three?my panther scoffed.I can think of…He started counting, and I shushed him.
Quiet. I’m ruminating.
Huh?
I’m thinking.
My first big life booboo was dating Lenny. The second was believing Lenny would change or that I’d change him. And the third was answering my phone when my younger brother, Dale, called at nine o’clock on a Friday night. He’d had too much to drink, which, as a college student, wasn’t surprising, with classes over for the week and being on the cusp of the weekend.
I got the impression my brother was about to do something he’d regret when he was talking about some guy who didn’t seem like a good fit for him. I’d been in his position ten years ago, and I didn’t want Dale to make the same mistake I had.
And that was how I found myself perched on a log—who decided logs made a great bench?—in the middle of the woods, nursing a beer I didn’t want while observing my baby brother flirting with a dirtbag. And judging by his behavior tonight, Dale wanted to be more than friends.
My brother was no longer tipsy but drunk, and he draped himself over Mike. Dale had mentioned in passing that Mike was single, but I was savvy enough to see the telltale tan mark where dear old wolf shifter Mike had removed his wedding ring. He might’ve been separated, but my guess was he had a husband sitting at home, thinking Mike was attending a business dinner.
My panther couldn’t understand why a shifter would have a husband, and I told him to scent the guy.
Oh, his mate is human.
This was worse because the human wouldn’t scent Dale on Mike. All he’d smell would be embers, and Mike would make up an excuse of him and his buddies being outside while one smoked.
I didn’t want my little brother to get hurt, because drunk or not, Mike’s name had come up in conversation regularly of late. Gods, what if Dale got pregnant by this bozo? My panther covered his eyes, not wanting to picture any intimacy between the pair.
I drained the beer and was handed another. I accepted it, which made Dale not the only family member making mistakes this evening. At thirty-two, I was too old for babysitting, and yet here I was.
“L-Linc, l-lighten up. You l-look like someone kicked your puppy.” Dale slurred his words while he had one arm on Mike’s thigh, which was way too close to the guy’s crotch.
We have a puppy? Show me who kicked it, and I’ll bite their head off.My beast was ready to end someone until I told him no animals were harmed.
I pretended not to hear Dale whispering to Mike, even though I possessed enhanced shifter hearing. The music was deafening, and people were chatting, laughing, and a pair were wrestling as onlookers were cheering them on. I had no idea what was up with that.
Dale waved both hands in the air, and beer slopped over his shirt. The effort of waving had almost made him topple off the log, but Mike grabbed him and hauled up upright.
“Come on, Linc.” My little brother wasn’t giving up, and now he was creating a scene, and other people were taking notice.
Great, I was the asshat older brother, a spoilsport who refused to join in the fun. Though Dale’s idea of fun was driving too much and groping Mike, gross. But Dale wasn’t giving up, so I finished my beer and made my way over to him. I was supposed to be looking after him, and so far, I’d ignored him, except side-eyeing him and Mike being handsy.
My brother slung an arm around my shoulder, the one holding the bottle of beer. Now I had beer remnants trickling down my spine.
“This is my brother, everyone. He’s cool, really, even though he dresses like a boomer and hates loud music.”
What was wrong with the way I dressed? But I disagreed with him labeling me cool ‘cause I wasn’t.
Mike looked me up and down as if he was assessing whether he should turn his attention to me. That was something I’d tell Dale tomorrow when he was sober.
A girl dragged a blanket into the circle and sat on it cross-legged. “Let’s play truth or dare.”
Oh, gods, no. That was enough to make me drown out what was happening around me with another beer, even though I already had a slight buzz and any more alcohol would tip me into Dale territory.
My brother slapped me on the shoulder again and more beer spilled down my front. I smelled like a brewery and wanted to go home, but not until I could drag Dale away.
“You’re playing, Linc.” Dale grinned.
