Garland was spending some quality time with his grandchildren in the typical case- by watching them play around with each other and getting messy. He had been instructed on making sure that they didn’t get into any trouble while their parents were tending to some business. Of course, he would oblige partly- he would make sure that they didn’t get into too much trouble. But they were all Wintercress and they had a knack for inviting trouble to their doorsteps. The kids were chasing each other in some sort of game of prey and predator while he watched from his seat carving some wood with his knife.

When he saw that they were getting tired, he called them over to him. “Alright pups, settle down. Do you lot wanna hear a story about your grandma and how I won her over?” He was sure that Angelette knew a good deal since he did have some help from her, but the triplets weren’t around for the hassle he had to go through to get Aja to accept him. “Yup, had to do some work to get her to be one of us. It was a tall order, but you know your grandpa. Stubborn as a horse’s…” He stopped midway, knowing that if they were to learn some new “vocabulary” it would be blamed on him, not that they would be wrong in saying so.

Taking a light to his pipe, he smoked it for a bit before continuing.

“Hm, let’s see. It was about two years ago…”

——–

Garland recalled that it was one of those mornings after he had his fill at the yellow district doing his usual thing that he stumbled down the stairs and plopped into a seat at the table. He was just in time for breakfast though he ended up not in Krystopher and Liz’s place but the White Court instead.

“Father, what the hell are you doing here?”, Blaine looked at him before waving the issue off. It was probably one of those drunken nights, he figured just as the food was arriving. “Ah, stop your yelling, boy. That barrel of ale did a number on me.” Aurora was laughing her ass off seeing how hungover her grandfather was while Jayden poured him some juice and handed it over. “Think you should take it easy with that stuff? And the partying?”

“Nonsense boy. You should come with me one night. Sow those wild oats while you can. No telling when you will eventually settle down with some girl you fancy.”

“Says the man that was married twice,'' Blaine retorted.

“Hey hey hey. If I hadn’t slept with your mother and stayed completely loyal to your stepmom, then you wouldn’t be born”, Garland said before sticking out his tongue and started to fill his plate with fruits, eggs, and meats. “Where’s your sunshine wife at by the way?”

“At a morning meeting. She’ll be here shortly. Though she’s not necessarily a fan of those sorts of things.”

The older wolf sipped on the juice and chowed down. “Well, I have nothing planned for today aside from spending some quality time with you all.” It was something that Blaine had to stop himself from groaning out loud.

Prim and Jade were all following their brother Rivin. They would rough house and play but their grandfather told them it was getting them ready to hunt. Everything they did was calculated into them learning their wolven side. Angelette was running behind them with a pillow which she used to beat her cousins since she wasn’t allowed in the dog piles. They had told her that she was utterly too fragile compared to the triplets.

“YES!” They all yelled together as he asked them if they wanted to hear about Aja. They loved Aja dearly. She was one of their own though it wasn’t hard for wolves to adopt family members. Even for little Angelette, the woman was like a grandmother to her.

They bounced with anticipation as they all settled in around him. Each of their eyes all looking up at him with almost stars in them. They were totally into it.

The red-haired she-wolf walked into the room and chuckled a bit. “Oh, now you are going to tell that old story?” She walked around and put her arms around his shoulders. “About how you used a four-year-old to do your dirty work? Your grandpa is a piece of work kids.”

All four of the kids began to giggle before they simmered down to hear the long story of Garland and Aja.

–

Keira was sitting at the table as she buttered a roll for herself. Tempest held out her hand and Keira sighed with a chuckle as she handed it over. “Do you want one too Kite?” The boy nodded and waited his turn before Garland broke into the room.

“Careful Grandfather… If Mother heard you talking like that she might just explode.” There was a chuckle from the half she-wolf mother as she put the buttered bread in her mouth. “Besides Jayden will be married soon enough… As soon as he stops playing house with Belle that is.”

“Grandma will throw a huge fit,” Tempest looked grim for a moment. “What if he gets thrown out again?”

Keira didn’t answer but instead chuckled. She didn’t think her mother would go that far ever again.

Speak of the devil and she shall come: the door got slammed open a bit as Toya made her way into the room. “Those stupid… overcompensating… Loud mouthed–” Toya was about to continue when Keira held up a plate of food for her. “Thank you.” She took it and sat down next to Blaine. “Of all the stupid bullshit things.” She began to stuff her mouth. “I hate going to court!” She choked on a sausage and slammed on the table to get it down her throat.

A tall red-haired woman with purple eyes came in. She huffed at the scent in the room and made her way around to Toya. “I will need the stipends for the military today. Soldiers need their pay after all.”

“It’s up in my office if you want to grab it. I made sure to get it out this morning just in case you came by.” Toya leaned back in her chair and stared up at the other woman. She was rather business-like which wasn’t something people were used to. “Just make sure that the dragon armor we have is in good shape. You know how metal and heat can be.”

The woman nodded as she left Toya’s side and made her way for the staircase. “I know. I’ve seen yours warped enough… but I doubt its from the dragon.” There was a chuckle and Toya frowned a bit. “By the way, Blaine… When the hell did you start letting strays come into your house… It doesn’t suit you.” With that, the woman sauntered up the stairs to fetch the gold coins.

Toya started to crack up. “Hear that Sparrow… Your grandpa is a stray.”

Garland knew how to spin a story for the little ones and was getting into it himself. For a father that was mainly drunk off his ass and chasing skirts too many times, he was a far better grandfather. Perhaps age was catching up with him after all, though the old fool wouldn’t admit it outright. While he was about to go on to the next part, he heard familiar footsteps before Aja spoke up. He looked and pouted a little, “What you mean? I didn’t do that. Your granddaughter wanted another grandmother and helped me out” He peeked down at Angelette and gave her a knowing wink. His words were true, he hadn’t told her to help him. The girl was far too independent, but he would go over that later.

He swung an arm around Aja’s waist and continued with his tale.

—-

“Oh don’t worry about me, little lady. I can handle your mother. I ain’t no pushover like your daddy.” Blaine stared daggers at his father who didn’t give a flying rat’s ass what his son thought about the matter. “That grandson of mine needs to make an honest woman out of her.” He reached over to patted Tempest’s head, “Then we will never see him again. You’d have to peek beneath Belle’s dress to find him…”

“Father, stop that!”, Blaine growled. The last thing he needed the twins to hear was that.

Soon the door flew up and he could hear his wife’s complaints all the way until she reached them. It was something he had prepared for since early this morning. Still, Toya was a hurricane when her boiling point was reached. “Settle down, daughter”, Garland waved it off. “What the hell did they do to you?” His question may or may not have been answered, but once the pretty redhead came into the dining room, all words faded from his ears as he looked at her in wonder. It’s been a while since he was in the presence of a she-wolf that wasn’t his kin. And what a beauty she was to boot, one that he wouldn’t kick out of bed right away.

Blaine noticed that familiar lusty look and waited until Aja turned to leave before mouthing, “You better not. She WILL KILL YOU.” Garland brushed him off and pouted with what she called him. “I’m no stray, I’m Garland Wintercrest!” He turned to hear the giggles from his youngest grandchild that smiled with a mouth full of eggs. “Oh yeah? Watch your grandpa at work, boy.”

He got up and stumbled over to the foot of the staircase to wait for the she-wolf. He gave her that devilish smile he was known to have before bowing to her. “Dear lady, my name is Garland. I have never seen a wonderful sight as you before. May I have your name?”

—

Now kids, what I didn’t expect was your grandmother’s response, which was very mean”, he said, “It was true, but it was very mean.”

Toya was going to answer Garland when she saw the look that he was giving Aja. Her green eyes went to her second in command. Oh, this was going to be good. He wasn’t really thinking of making Aja one of his conquests… Was he? He was in for a rude awakening if he was.


Tempest and Kite looked at each other and looked at their grandfather stumped. It was true that they had watched him get many women in the time he was here but they weren’t Aja.

Once Aja came back down the stairs her amethyst eyes met Garland’s eyes. “I can tell you on one hand how many times that has been used on me and how many times it’s worked.” The words were sharp. She spoke to him but it wasn’t in a kind way as she gut shot him with her foot easily.

Her boot was firmly against his neck and she stared at Blaine instead of Garland. “I don’t talk to strays. I don’t talk to men who stink of booze… and I especially don’t talk to men who have a reputation of spending all of his silver at the whore houses.” She let her foot off his neck and made her way out. “Keep the stray in line.”

Proud, beautiful, and in control. That was what Aja was known for as she left the room and Toya leaned forward in her chair. She was staring right at Garland. “Hey, don’t say we didn’t warn you about Aja. She’s turned down every werewolf who has ever tried to get her attention. She also knows about you because I told her… Didn’t think you would ever meet her though.” Toya rubbed the back of her neck.

It was Tempest this time, “Man, Grandpa you really showed us how it's done.” There were giggles from the twins now and Sparrow even joined in.

Keira lightly sighed and shook her head. “Do yourself a favor and stay away from Aja. She’s dangerous.”

Blaine was mouthing to his wife, “Oh god, please don’t let that bastard…”as he watched his father get overly excited over Aja. Of course, it had been a long time since that fool seen another she-wolf. Aside from family members, Sularia had a lack of female lupines about, especially like Aja. Meanwhile, Garland tried to charm her but was met with a cold response. He looked at her slightly confused but he could that she had some fire in her, which renewed his resolve all over again.

“That’s because the others weren’t m…”, he was about to say before he got punched in the stomach, causing him to kneel over. “Damn woman, reminds me of Toya when she did that”, he was able to cough out. “Though you do it a little more controlled than she does.” Blaine got up from his seat in time to watch his dear old father get pinned down by her. “Alright, alright, I’ll try to keep him in check. No promises though.”

“Hey! I ain’t no stray!”, Garland muttered while trying to keep the full weight of her boot against his neck. “I’m Garland Wintercrest. I’m many things- a bastard among them, but I’ll admit it! The hell am I a damn stray!”

Garland was putting his foot in his mouth for all they could see. Once she made her leave, Garland looked at her and watched her figure as it grew smaller until she was completely gone. “Well, now’s that a woman I could get behind, know what I’m saying, boy?” He got up and dusted himself off; her words didn’t really hurt his pride. If anything, they motivated him to seek her out more.

“Father, listen to them. She’s way out of your league.”

“Oh, and Toya’s not out of yours? It was a damn miracle that you got her”, Garland fired back before eying Toya and resuming his seat. “That’s only because all she’s dealt with were pansies. I’m a real man!” He shoved some more food into his mouth, “You should have told her that I’m best at three things, fighting, drinking and…well can’t say the third because my granddaughter and great-grandchildren are around. She now thinks I’m some sort of drunken, lecherous old man. ”

“That’s because you are”, Blaine sighed, taking his own place back at the table. “Face it, she’ll probably won’t be interested unless you change all of that. The drinking and the womanizing. Even then, it’s hard to say.” He honestly didn’t think he had a chance in hell that she would give him the time of day.

“Ah quiet, all of you. This wolf still has some tricks up his sleeve and he will win her over”, he started but then thought for a bit. “Hm, I mean, who's to say that I’d have to completely give those things up? If she wants to play hard to get, then fine. I can at least enjoy some company while I try and pursue her then?”

“Do you want to die? Because that’s how you die, you kook.” This was getting out of hand quick- he didn’t feel like burying him anytime soon because his loins were burning. “It’s settled. I’ll do some thinking at my favorite brothel, but first…a run to stretch me out some. I’ll probably get that out of the way tonight.”

—-

When the evening arrived, Garland took to the lake nearby and shed his clothes before turning into a large timberwolf. It honestly felt good to feel the air against his fur. It had been a hell of a long time and before he knew it, he started running laps around the lake. The moonlight provided a good deal of light for him to see the beautiful water. Though he was still miffed by how Aja spoke of him, it wouldn’t stop him for the time being. For now, he was looking for to getting the kinks out before enjoying another night at the town…