Rachel laughed. “Come here, Clay. Come here and let Gabby get ready.” She squatted down and patted her leg.

I’d seen her do this a few times before. Usually, Clay grudgingly responded. Not this time though. He kept his gaze focused on me and copied my feinted attempts to get around him.

“I’ve never seen him act like this,” Rachel said to Peter.

I kept my narrowed gaze on Clay.

“I’m surprised you have such a wild looking dog. It seems too big compared to the house...and the two of you.” Peter eyed Clay, too.

Giving up, I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around his thick neck, pretending to hug him so I could whisper in his ear.

“I’m not crazy about the idea either, but you have to let me go and stop acting weird.” I pulled back. “Ready to be good, Clay?” I said as I stood and scratched him behind the ear just as a pet owner would do.

He turned and trotted into my room. Nope, not ready to be good.

Rachel laughed again. She knew I usually kicked him out when I wanted to change and had already teased me about it. I’d pointed out she wouldn’t know how awkward it felt because he never tried to watch her change.

Resolutely, I followed Clay into my room and closed the door. I could just barely hear Peter and Rachel talking as they waited for me. Clay sat on my bed, watching me.

I folded my arms and kept my voice low. “I am not changing in front of you.”

My words evoked an eerie canine smile from him, and he settled down onto my comforter and continued to watch me.

“Fine. I’ll change in the bathroom.”

I went to my closet and started looking at my clothes already knowing very few things in there compared to the style Rachel wore. The skirt I’d bought a few weeks ago would look nice but added to my pull, it would scream “hit on me.” Biting my lip, I reached for the skirt. Clay began to growl fiercely.

“Zip it,” I mumbled and grabbed one of the dressier tops I owned, a fitted cowl neck top with three-quarter sleeves.

Clay started barking, a deep menacing sound that raised the little hairs on the back of my neck. I spun toward him.

“What the hell, Clay? Cut it out.” I knew he didn’t like that because he got louder.

Rachel burst in without knocking, and Peter followed right behind her. Clay, who had been sitting at the end of my bed, sprang to his feet as soon as they entered.

“What’s wrong?” Rachel looked at Clay, who continued to bark at me.

If possible, his volume increased, and I had to yell over him.

“Nothing. Just give me a few minutes to calm him down, okay?” I walked to Clay with the clothes still under one arm, and he growled at me. I faltered and eyed him with a hint of fear.

“Uh, I’m not so sure you should do that right now,” Peter said.

Clay turned and started barking at Peter.

“Enough.” My voice echoed in the small room. It apparently took Clay by surprise because the noise stopped. However, his attitude hadn’t changed. Teeth still exposed in a fierce snarl, he glared at all of us. At least he’d finished barking and growling. For the moment. I turned toward Peter and Rachel.

“I’m fine. Thank you. Just give me a few minutes to change.”

They shared a glance then left the room and shut the door behind them.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Without trying, I could “see” Clay in a painful burst of light. A first. My other vision usually required an amount of focus.

With a sigh, I opened my eyes and turned to him. He looked seriously pissed. My stomach churned. Sam had promised he could control himself.

“Will you bite me if I sit next to you, Clay?”

He snorted, and I watched the silent snarl ease from his muzzle. His hackles slowly laid flat. When he settled onto his haunches, I knew he’d calmed down and sat next to him.

“You know I don’t understand dog, right? It’d be so much easier if you just told me what was wrong.”

I turned my head to meet his gaze. Our faces were close together. Because of his height, he was looking down at me. He let out a gusty sigh and bent his head to nudge the clothes I still held.

“You don’t like the clothes or that I’m going out?” I watched his face, trying to figure out what he was getting at. He actually bobbed his head yes.

“You don’t like both?”

He lowered himself down onto the mattress and watched me with his sad puppy eyes, not trying to communicate further.

“You’re really frustrating me, Clay.” I moved to get up, and he growled again.

“Now, hold on...” I did get up, but spun with my hands on my hips to look him in the eye. Aware that only a door separated us from the suspiciously silent couple in the living room, I kept quiet despite my anger.

“I’m trying here, Clay, and you’re not. So stop growling at me. Got it? And so what if I go out? Do you trust me so little? Have you not been paying attention? I’m not comfortable around guys. It’s not as if I’m going to go out tonight and come back with a boyfriend or something. So, just chill out about your Claim, all right?”

He continued to growl at me and gave me a dog-eyed glare. In his mind, he and I shared a tie. I knew that. I also knew from a werewolf standpoint, in a strongly tied pair, the male often acted in an extremely possessive manner. If other unMated males came near before the Claim was completed, a fight typically broke out. Sometimes to the death.

“But we’re not talking unMated males,” I whispered to him, thinking aloud. “They’re just men.”

He chuffed out his canine laugh and hopped from the bed to walk toward me. I couldn’t help it, after all that barking and growling, I stepped back from him. His sides heaved as he sighed and stopped advancing. I knew my fear disappointed him.

“Sorry,” I mumbled automatically. Although, he’d done nothing but try to communicate why he didn’t want me to go out tonight, I didn’t appreciate his chosen methods of communication. They could use improvement.

“Let me think, Clay.” I sat on the edge of the bed while he stood on the floor, and watched me. I still didn’t understand what continued to bother him. The date wasn’t with a werewolf. I had no interest in Scott. I only wanted to go as a favor to Rachel. And the clothes were the only going out clothes I had.

“Can we compromise? I don’t want to spend the entire year sitting at home with a possessive dog who won’t talk to me.” Yeah, that sounded weird. “What if we went somewhere dog friendly? There’s a bar with cute little bistro tables on the sidewalk. If you’re on your leash, you could come.”

He stood, turned around so he faced away from me, and sat again.

“Is that a yes?” I leaned to the side in an attempt to see his face. He didn’t move.

“I’m taking that as a yes. If you turn around while I’m changing, I’m going to have you neutered.”

He just laughed again, so I hurried into my skirt and switched my t-shirt for the fitted top. As my head cleared the neckline, I met his eyes in the mirror. Thank the stars I hadn’t changed any underthings.

“Hope it was worth it,” I said. “You’re on the couch tonight.”

Rachel and Peter sat talking on the couch when I walked out of my room.

“All set, but can we change our plans? I think Clay was freaking out because he knows we’re leaving. He’s been left alone so much this week...”

Predictably, Rachel made soothing noises and went to cuddle Clay. He tolerated it with as much dignity as a man in fur and a collar could muster.

“What if we went to that bar with the bistro tables that you were telling me about?” I said to Rachel.

Rachel leapt at the idea. “That’d be perfect. It’s still nice enough out. Besides, I think this is the last week they do the outdoor dining. We should go before it’s closed for the season.”

Peter stalled. “Are you sure he will be okay? He looked pretty aggressive in there.”

Rachel stopped petting Clay to look back at Peter. “He’s never done that before. I think Gabby might be right. We’ve been leaving him alone a lot. I even forgot to let him out this morning before I left.”