Page 20 of Just in Time
Chapter Five
Iwatched out the window to my left as Brody stalked out into the yard after Indy. The growling was loud enough to reach through the windows, and I wondered for the first time if Indy’s mother was home and hearing all of this.
I pressed my lips together and stood, smoothing my hands down the front of my t-shirt as I wandered back into the first room I’d entered. I didn’t sense any movement anywhere else in the house, so I assumed we were alone. That was likely the only reason Indy was rising to Brody’s attitude. Antagonizing him.
I sighed heavily and thought about how easy we’d had it up until now. With no other shifters to assert himself over, Brody’d been the alpha where it mattered.
Which was usually in the bedroom. And not out like this.
I leaned against the doorframe, ready to turn back time and save Brody’s stupid ass from himself if it got too rough.
“Look, Maggot…” Indy said loudly, smirking as they circled each other. “I don’t know what your problem is, but—”
“My problem is, you’re scenting her,” Brody growled. “And she’s mine.”
I flinched. I didn’t care much for his terminology, but he’d explained it all to me before. If I was his, no other shifter in any other pack could touch me. But still. Archaic much?
“Ain’t no law says I can’t smell people,” Indy said, grinning widely as he looked up at me. “I don’t think your girl cares too much, do you, sweetheart?”
I swallowed thickly, making my face as passive as possible. “I’m his,” I reiterated.
“I’ll plug my nose when I’m around ya, then,” Indy directed the question at me, even though his eyes never left Brody’s.
“Look, just go to your psycho pack meeting and we’ll be outta your fur soon as possible,” Brody hissed through clenched teeth.
“Psycho-pack? Buddy, I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but this pack’s awesome. They’ve been here for me even after my daddy fucked up. They’ve always supported me, always held me up, they’re my brothers,” Indy said, his eyes flashing.
“What’d your daddy do?” I asked, suddenly intrigued, but Brody was growling.
“Supported you, huh? That why you’re doing their killing for them?”
“What?” Indy looked dead surprised by what Brody said. “I don’t kill anything. ‘Cept for the odd deer during the full moon…” He glanced between the two of us. “I thought y’all were time travelers anyway… how the fuck do you know anything about me?”
“From the future, asshole,” Brody said, his eyes narrowing as they continued to circle each other. “So I fucking know who you are. What you did.”
“Eat my fucking shorts,” he hissed. “I didn’t do anything! Maybe you got me confused with my daddy, huh? He’s the fuck-ass who ate those two women…” He swallowed thickly. “Look, the pack might have been in the wrong for not shunning me like they shoulda, but goddammit, I didn’t do any of that shit my daddy did. I’ve never hurt a human. Never even punched any of the assholes downtown who call me names and make fun of me… I’ve never laid a finger on any of them. And you can quote me on that, Mr. Future Man…” He glanced over at me, his eyes wide and seeking. “I ain’t like that.”
Brody sniffed. “You will be.”
The punch surprised even me. It was so quick. Indy was shaking his hand out and glaring down at Brody. Brody was clutching his nose, blood gushing from between his fingers.
“You both better make yourself scarce,” Indy hissed. “Y’all have officially worn out your welcome.”
I swallowed thickly, moving quickly to Brody’s side.
There was a rustle of falling clothing and Indy was gone, shifted and taken off through the forest, leaving his jeans and t-shirt there on the ground.
“You want me to fix this?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
Brody shook his head and struggled to his feet. “Stay here. I’ll be back soon.”
And then he took off too, leaving me there with his blood on my hands, in the front yard of someone I barely knew. I chewed on my bottom lip and turned around, heading back into the house. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a woman standing there in the door.
She was surprisingly young-looking. If you didn’t count the gray streaks in her brown hair. Crows feet around her green eyes. But besides looking about thirty years younger, I recognized her right away.
“Jolene?” I asked, squinting through the screen door.
“Jolene?” she countered, chuckling as she pushed open the door. “How’d you know that?”
