Mating Behavior In Candids

Oh. A personal driver.

So he did remember, after all. What did that make my heart race and my stomach flutter? It was just something simple. It shouldn't make me feel this way.

I nodded at Christopher, hoping my feelings weren't evident on my face. “Nice to meet you, Christopher. I'm heading to the library.”

He walked to a black Mercedes, holding the back seat door. I entered the car, thanking him, and that gesture made me think of Axel. How was he? Still sick? Was that even a sickness?

I pushed that out of my mind as soon as it arose. There was no use pondering on that when it would give me nothing but a headache.

When we reached the library, before I could even open the car door, Christopher was already there.

“I’ll be here waiting till you're done,” he informed me as I stepped out of the car.

“Till I'm done? You'll be waiting in the car?”

He nodded, his expression still blank.

I shook my head. “There’s no need for that. I’ll be spending most of the day here. You could… like go somewhere and come back when I'm done?”

He shook his head once. “I’ll be waiting here, ma'am.”

I gave up on trying to convince him and just headed inside the library.

Once inside the library I immediately got to work. I needed to research colleges and programs, college guides, and admissions. Also careers. I really didn't know what I wanted to do, I just wanted to go to college like a normal person would.

I asked the librarian for help, and I was immediately set up with books and a computer. I stayed bent over books for hours, flipping from one page to another. And by the end of the fourth hour, I had a sketch of a plan and where I was going to start from.

I finally raised my head, groaning when a muscle popped.

“Okay, it’s time to wrap it up,” I muttered as I closed the books. I picked everything up and my bag, going to return them, but I came across a book section that made me pause.

“Animals and nature,” I whispered, standing still as I just looked at the shelves of books. Finally, I dropped the books I was holding and walked into the animal section. But since I didn't know what I was looking for, I turned back and went to ask the librarian for help.

“Where can I find books on canines?” I asked, trying to keep my voice as quiet as possible.

The librarian gave a warm smile. “Are we talking dogs, or wolves and foxes?”

“All of them.”

“Nonfiction’s in the 590s. Start with 599.77 for wild canines. Pets are over in 636.7.”

“Thanks.”

I went back to the section, my fingers tracing along the spines in the 599 section, pausing as the gold lettering of Canidae: The Wild Family caught my eye. Sliding it free, she carried it back to my corner table.

I flipped through the page, reading every text, every photo. And finally, something caught my eye.

“Mating Behaviors In Canids.”

My fingers traced the letters before I started reading:

“Among canines, mating involves a copulatory tie, commonly known as ‘knotting.’ After penetration, the male’s penis (the bulbus glandis) swells, effectively locking him inside the female. This tie ensures sperm retention and may last anywhere from five to thirty minutes, during which the pair is physically unable to separate. Both wild and domestic canids exhibit this behavior.”

My throat felt dry, and I read that passage over and over again, a particular text hooking my interest; “the male’s penis swells.”

I could swear Axel’s dick was swelling last night. I was sure of that. So damn sure. That was the only explanation. And then all of a sudden, a memory resurfaced. Me calling Axel a dog, and him telling me he was worse than a dog. Worse and bigger. And then Kade. I also called him a dog, and he says he’ll let me off just that once. He doesn't like being compared to a dog.

He doesn't like being ‘compared’ to a dog, not being ‘called’ a dog. That was very interesting.

I continued to read until I saw what I was looking for.

“The knot is a unique adaptation in the Canidae family, seen in wolves, foxes, coyotes, and domestic dogs.”

They don't like being compared to dogs. So that meant they were bigger?

I flipped through the pages like a woman crazed, growing more frustrated when I couldn't find what I was looking for.

“Ah-ah!” I exclaimed when I finally found it, slapping the page. A few people close to me gave me funny looks, but I barely even noticed.

“Reproductive Behaviors Of Wild Canines;

“When a male enters rut, his body is overwhelmed by surging hormones that prepare him for mating. This state is marked by an intense burning sensation that spreads through his entire body, leaving his skin hot to the touch. His muscles often tremble uncontrollably, a physical reaction to the unbearable pressure building in his lower abdomen and groin. The knot—the swollen bulbus glandis—remains painfully engorged, throbbing with the instinctive need to lock with a partner. Prolonged denial of this urge can lead to severe discomfort and even pain, described in some studies as a deep, aching throb radiating through the pelvis and spine. Unrelieved, the male may shake violently, his body straining under the weight of unsatisfied arousal until mating occurs to release the tension.”

I leaned back on the chair, staring at the page, but I wasn't seeing it, I was seeing Axel, how his body shook, his skin burned and he was so damn hard even though he was in severe pain.

“Oh my god,” I whispered, my vision blurring, my head spinning, my thoughts a damn mess.

What were they? From the very moment I set my eyes on Axel, I knew something was off about him. And then I saw his eyes glow. I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but last night, the glowing had been so profound, there was no dismissing it as a trick.

His eyes were legit glowing. What were they? Wolves? Foxes? They could shapeshift into humans? A laugh suddenly burst out of me, loud and so unhinged. A few people next to me gave me weird looks, and some were packing up their stuff and leaving.

What the hell was I thinking? Wolves? Foxes? Shapeshifters? What a joke that was. I've only read about those things in books. Because that was what they were, fiction. They didn't exist in the real world.

“Get your shit together, Rosette,” I muttered under my breath, packing the books and returning them. I left the library, and I immediately spotted the car. I marched to it, trying to stop myself from shaking.

“Where to, ma'am?” Christopher asked once I was inside the car, looking at me from the rearview mirror. He had taken off his sunglasses, and I wish he had kept them on. His eyes were just as intense as I knew they would be.

“The mansion,” I answered, my voice not sounding like my own.

I didn't want to go there. I wanted to go far away. Run away. But I had to remind myself that I was overthinking. It wasn't real. This was the real world, those things didn't fucking exist!

I didn't know we had reached the mansion until Christopher came to open the door. I thanked him, bid him good night, then entered the elevator.

It dinged open and I stepped out, immediately heading to my room. Until…

“Rosette.”

I flinched, my heart kicking against my chest. I turned to see Kade and Kross watching me.