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The rituals were supposed to ensure the cub’s acceptance into the community, but Spike soo to hell They were supposed to strengthen the Shifters, but Spike long ago had decided that Shifters were just bad attheir own business

Sean left the Spike and Jordan over to see Liaht away Spike would have to thank Sean with a beer later

Jordan wouldn’t put on the clothes Ella got hi hi on Alars

Ella turned the sandwiches out on a plate, each sandwich piled high with beef, turkey, chicken, tuna, or a combination Spike didn’t knohat cubs ate--did they need milk? Or was that only when they were first born? Jordan announced he was hungry and proceeded to down four sandwiches before he sat back on the kitchen floor and burped

He’d fall asleep now, Spike thought Worn out froht to Shiftertown, and noith his belly full of food, he’d curl up and sleep it off

No such luck Spike and Ella ended up chasing hiain Jordan threw off the pants and shifted back and forth froet into or where he wanted to get into And he was damned fast

When he ended up way in the back of the pantry, a wildcat cub noedged between shelves and refusing to coot out a broo her, and sca him with her newfound tool

"Grandma!" Spike shouted "Don’t you dare hit my kid with a broom!"

"It never did you any harhed, evaded the room Father and son were both wildcats now, and Spike pinned the squirone upstairs, the night aging

Jordan started to quiet, soothed by Spike’s war down Spike’s eyes drifted closed, the slowing staccato of Jordan’s heartbeat so in the s Spike had shifted to huht, and so had Jordan Spike had slid the pants back on the sleeping little boy, and now Spike found his arms wrapped protectively around his son

With his eyes closed, his mouth slack, one fist on the carpet, Jordan was innocence itself And helpless

Spike started to ht coupled with the shock of finding out he had a cub made his muscles stiff and his head pound He needed water, to hydrate, or else he needed a beer A lot of beer

But he couldn’t get drunk while he had to take care of this little guy Drowning himself in hops was for when his cub was safe and didn’t need Spike standing guard Which would be never Cubs had to be protected at all times

All times Damn it, how could he? How any Shifter do it?

They had mates, that’s how They had help Liam had his mate Kim--a human woman, sure, but she’d proved capable The two of theilance And yet, Liam still had ti a lawyer to Shifters How the hell did they do that?