Walking into the destroyed vets office had his lion on edge. The destruction wasn't the main cause, though. The overwhelming smell of a tiger and its cubs, was. Nothing was more dangerous to another animal than a mother protecting its babies... and considering Tiegan was a tiger, he was one big scary mother. Even to a juvenile lion.

He remained in his human form as he walked through the building. The front desk was halfway across the room and the whole front wall was leaning in at different angles.

Man, my brother was seriously pissed.

When he stopped in the doorway of the least-destroyed room his eyes immediately fell upon the two large cats against the far wall.

"Hey there, bro."

Tarren's lion slowly lifted its head and grumbled, making Rylan roll his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, get over it fuzzbutt."

When he didn't reply and instead turned his head toward his mate, Rylan stepped into the room, trying to see what he was looking at.

What is it?

He knew that his cub was in the incubator since it was plainly visible off to the right, so then what could be making him hunch his shoulders and swish his tail? Both were obvious signs of stress.

Nothing.

Yeah right.

Shut up, Rylan. Get out.

Ignoring his brother, Rylan walked over and knelt down in front of a snoring Tiegan. It was probably the dumbest thing he'd ever done, but before he could talk himself out of it, he reached forward and grabbed the plump sleepy cub dozing against his mother.

Ah ha, I knew it.

When Rylan glanced back up at his brother's lion, it seemed completely indifferent.

You don't want this kitten here.

His cat's eyes widened and he growled quietly, but didn't answer.

Tarren, you can't do that to your mate. This is his baby, one that he's finally gotten back after losing so many.

Shut up. I know that, idiot!

Then why are you not defending it? You just let me take it from Tiegan without even a hiss.

He seemed conflicted, but Rylan could see why. His lion didn't want it. It kept flicking glances back at the incubator where his last kitten was, even though he was still holding the tiger cub.

My lion doesn't like it. I know it's childish to humans, but it's taking a lot of my strength to keep him from hurting it.

Well, he's gonna have to learn to like it. This kitten is a part of Tiegan that was ripped from him before, and to finally get it back must be an incredible relief. He still loves your cub as much as this one, but come on. If you suddenly had the chance to get one of your kittens back, wouldn't you?

I know, Rylan. It's not me! It's my darn lion that's making it difficult.

Rolling his eyes, Rylan set the cub back down against its mother and pulled out a bag he'd set down when he'd knelt to grab the cub. Pulling something out from within it, he knew that he had immediately caught Tarren's attention.

"Want it?"

Rylan waved the large buffalo bone in front of his brother's lion, watching as it began to drip drool onto the tile floor. It was his one weakness. The only thing that could get his brother to do anything he wanted. When he let the bone drop Tarren's lion snatched it out of the air and immediately got busy crunching away at the thick femur. Their father had always had a few of the bones lying around because it was much better to let a frustrated lion shred a bone then, well, a vet clinic.

Tarren was slowly beginning to relax as he took off layer after layer, but still had a long way to go. Rylan was just about to sit down when he noticed a certain tiger cub on its belly, front paws clawing at the end of the bone as it tried to nibble one of the end sockets.

Uh oh. Tarren, behave.

He looked up at Rylan but stopped chewing, allowing them both to hear the tiny scritching of the baby tiger's teeth on the end of the bone.

Terran, don't. It's your mates baby. Don't do it.

Rylan saw him turn his head slowly and bare his teeth. Thankfully the little tiger understood and stopped chewing, but the pout it gave him was just adorable. The cub didn't meet Tarren's eyes, another plus, even though it didn't really back away.

Let him nibble at it, Tar. You know he won't be able to get through such a tough bone. He probably just wants to see if you are okay with him and teethe a little.

He grumbled but after a long moment of silence he went back to chewing on the giant bone. The little cub lifted its head and glanced up at Rylan, then back to Tarren, then mewed.

Tarren glared at the kitten.

It mewed again before pawing at the end of the bone hesitantly, watching Tarren with curiosity. When the much bigger cat didn't growl or hiss, he settled in again and licked the part he'd been trying to gnaw on earlier.

Rylan held his breath while Tarren's lion paused in its chewing. Then he began to lean over, making Rylan fidget until his huge jaws clamped down on the bone's socket and broke it. He then dropped the piece in front of the cub's paws before going back to the huge part. The little tiger mewed happily and attacked the piece Tarren had given him, growling as he gnawed at it like crazy.

When it was finally time for school, Grayson was fidgety, to say the least. Erin hadn't returned any of his calls or texts and he never came back to explain anything. Well, he knew exactly what they had done and was incredibly embarrassed that his mother had come in right afterwards, but still. He didn't want Erin hurting because they got caught or he might have lost control a little. The fact of the matter was that he hadn't. The house was fine, his mother had also been okay with it after he had spoken with her for a bit, and he was also out of heat. That, Gray was definitely grateful for.

So, when Grayson finally stepped into their first class they had together he frowned when he noticed Erin's seat was empty.

I swear I saw his car in the parking lot.

Pushing that aside for now, Grayson sighed and sat down. It wasn't like he could just get up since the teacher had walked in, so he had to wait out the class before he could go look for him. It, unfortunately, took him until lunch time before he finally managed to track Erin down. His nose was pink from his mouse's help in said finding, having needed its sense of smell in order to find the darn elephant, but it was worth it. Erin was sitting behind a tree, right next to the table they usually ate at.

Dork, he thought with a grin.

I heard that, Squeaker.

Sure, Tusks!

Butt-face.

Hey!

Erin grumbled and glanced over his shoulder at Grayson from behind the tree.

Er, you look like sh—poo.

Glad I look like a shipoo. Isn't that some stupid kind of mutt dog?

Grayson's eyes narrowed he shook his head and grinned, then walked over plop down right between Erin's legs. Getting comfortable, he turned and smirked up at the guy's shocked expression, then leaned in to try for a kiss. It hurt a little when Erin put his hands on Grayson's chest and easily held him back from completing the gesture, though.

"What's wrong? Besides the fact that my mom was fairly close to trying to castrate you with a baseball bat," Grayson asked with a frown. He could see the glint of pain in Erin's eyes at his words but he eventually ended up chuckling and replying, "you're not mad at me?"

Grayson's head tilted, his tongue darting out across his lips. Erin's eyes followed the action until his tongue vanished back into his mouth.

"I'm not mad. You might have had some trouble controlling your elephant but that wasn't your fault. We forgot to put my collar back on."

Erin's shoulders sagged some and he shook his head.

"I should have remembered. That was incredibly irresponsible of me. I could have gotten you..."

"Pregnant?" Grayson added helpfully.

Erin's head jerked up a little, eyes meeting his own.

Whoa.

"What is that longing look for?"

Gray probably should have been able to put together the answer by himself, but he wasn't really focusing on anything that might have come from what they had done the other night. Protection and all that.

"Wait a second. You... want kids?"

Erin flinched, chewing his bottom lip before shrugging and looking down at the grass.

"I guess it's just my instincts?" he mumbled awkwardly.

Grayson tilted his head again

"Then why was there a question mark at the end of that sentence?"

His eyes lifted to Grayson's and he scowled.

"You can't see the question mark at the end of the sentence."

"Nope, but you just told me there was one with that statement."

Erin paused for a moment, then rolled his eyes and flopped his back against the tree.

"Yeah, I want kids. Okay? But I know we're still in high school. It's just that, well, elephants have really long gestation periods so we tend to want to mate earlier, because the calf won't be born for at least two years after breeding."

Grayson's eyes widened at that bit of information.

Carrying a kid for two years?

He looked down at his flat belly and blushed.

There's no way that I'd live through that.

"Wait a minute, isn't a pregnant shifter often stuck in their animal form for most of the their pregnancy?"

Erin looked a little sheepish as he slowly nodded.

As cute as that expression is, I still can't shake the image of my poor little mouse with a belly the size of an elephant calf. I'd definitely blow up.

Erin's arms suddenly wrapped around Grayson, pulling his body flush against his as he buried his face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm really sorry, Little whiskers."

The edges of Grayson's lips tilted up as he moved a bit, getting his arms up and around Erin's neck so that he could hug him back.

"It's okay, Tusks. We'll figure things out. My mom isn't mad at you, I promise. You just surprised her."

Suddenly, there was a tongue on Grayson's cheek, making him squeak and squirm in Erin arms.

"Gross!"

Erin laughed and tugged on Gray's ear with his teeth before leaning back with a quirky grin on his face.

"Sorry, things just got too tense. I don't want you to worry, okay?"

Grayson pouted and stuck his tongue out at him the slightest amount.

"I'm not the one sulking behind a tree because I almost got beaten up by a mouse with a bat."

Erin looked like he was about to argue, but he really couldn't.

"Uh, touche."

Jordan swore that he was going to go broke with how much each tiger cub was costing him to get back. His private delivery man had just dropped off two more sealed crates with a few holes punched in the top. After grabbing a switch blade he cut both open and quickly retrieved the two female cubs inside. They immediately snuggled into his arms with quiet grumbles. One was definitely underweight and younger, but the other seemed to have a few more months on it, possibly a year. After he got them settled in a makeshift bed he'd made in the corner full of soft blankets and towels, he checked his phone for messages.

One other kitten confirmed dead while the last two are on their way. Unfortunate that one hadn't made it, but at least the last two boys are going to have a new chance at life with their real mother.

Jordan grinned and tucked his phone into his pocket. Rylan was out at the vet with Tarren so at least he knew that he would have someone to help with his lion. And, once they were all calmed down, he was going to bring his older brother and his mate home to their new additions.