Paw Prints on My Heart

Prologue Zack is tidying away his station, more than ready to get out of the shape-shifter tattoo studio he works in and go home to meet Tobias. They met almost a year ago today, in this studio, and he plans to ask Tobias to move in with him at dinner tonight. Dawn, the receptionist, is helping him tidy up. He’s been telling her about his plans with Tobias. The almost twenty-one-year-old were-coyote Dawn isn’t exactly what Zack would call a romantic, not that he used to be either. “I bet you and Holden think I’m a sap.” Zack smiles, wiping down tables. He hates the smell of the chemicals, but they’re needed. Everything here must be sterile. Holden is Dawn’s twin brother. They both work in reception at the studio. They also both share a fascination with tattoos and hair colors not found in nature. Right now, Dawn’s hair is a mixture of black with pink and green streaks. “I kind of think you’re a sap, yeah. But Holden thinks it’s cute. He believes in love at first sight and all that stuff,” Dawn says in a way that suggests she doesn’t. “Has he ever been in love?” Zack asks, curious about the tall, blue-haired coyote. “No. We’ve both dated a lot of people, but neither of us have found someone special. It doesn’t really bother me. But I think…Holden…It’s not that he’s lonely, but he’s a romantic at heart. It’d be nice for someone to sweep him off his feet.” Dawn sucks her lip ring into her mouth, somehow not messing up her cherry red lipstick. Zack has never understood makeup. “Have you tried setting him up with anyone?” Zack knows Dawn loves to matchmake. “He’d kill me. He wouldn’t like me meddling with his love life. No. All I can do is encourage him not to give up.” Dawn sighs. “You’re not even twenty-one yet. You both have time,” Zack points out. “Twenty-one in a month. Legal to do everything we’ve been doing since we were fifteen. I know we’re not old. But I’d like to see him more settled,” Dawn says, adjusting her black tights, which are full of holes—Zack thinks on purpose, but he’s never claimed to know anything about fashion. “But then you might lose your partner in crime.” Zack knows the twins don’t only work together, they live together, share friends, and do almost everything together. They’re really close. Seeing them together often makes Zack wish he’d had a brother or a sister. “He’ll always be my brother. I know he’ll always love me, maybe not best, but in a special way you can only love a twin. We’re connected; we always will be. Not saying I won’t get a little jealous. Maybe I will. But I love him. I want him to have a person who loves him the way he deserves to be loved. He deserves to be someone’s everything,” Dawn says firmly. “You’re a good sister.” Zack smiles. “Of course. I’m the best. And I’m six minutes older, so I’m his big sister. I have to watch out for him. I want him to be happy. I mean, he’s happy now, but happier. I want him to meet someone he can’t live without.” Dawn shrugs. “I didn’t think about wanting someone a lot until I met Tobias. I had work; I had family and friends. Life seemed pretty complete. Like, it never felt like something was missing. But now I couldn’t ever go back to the way things were before Tobias and be happy. He makes my life better.” Zack can still remember the first time he had seen Tobias, when Dawn and Holden had been flirting with him. They still do a little, but with no intent. “Maybe that’s the best way to be. Not really needing it till you have it,” Dawn says thoughtfully. “So, I shouldn’t set Holden up on any dates? Tobias has some single friends,” Zack offers. “Finding dates is not the part he has trouble with. It’s finding something meaningful. If he’s just looking to get laid, he has no problem. That guy can talk most people into his bed. But finding someone he wants to stick around the next morning? That he has trouble with. You don’t want him nailing Tobias’s friends. That could get awkward,” Dawn explains. “Why do you think he can’t find someone he wants to keep around long term?” Zack asks. He knows both twins are openly bisexual. He’s seen them both flirt with men and women, collecting numbers. They’re both beautiful naturally, and striking with their differences, the hair, the tattoos. They get a lot of attention. Zack wouldn’t think it would be hard for either of them to find someone to be with long term. “I don’t know. I don’t think he’s fussy. Like, a person doesn’t have to be perfect to end up in bed with him. I don’t think he has some kind of fantasy lover he’s looking for. From what he’s said to me, he wants someone he feels a spark with. He wants to meet them and feel his heart race. Love at first sight,” Dawn says, reaching up to put Zack’s box of latex gloves away. “I wouldn’t say it was love at first sight with Tobias. But I felt a spark; my heart raced. Everything about him called to me. His scent was the best thing I’d ever smelled. And then we connected. We just clicked.” Zack smiles, thinking back to when he smelled Tobias’s scent in the studio. He brought Tobias back there and designed his tattoo and inked it on him. Sparks had flown right away. They’d bonded quickly. The wolf inside of Zack had responded to Tobias right away. He’d always thought his wolf would want to mate another werewolf, but Tobias is a dog shifter, a were-Labrador, the cutest pup ever. “You’re asking him to move in. You love him. How did you know?” Dawn asks. “There was no light bulb moment when I realized I was in love with Tobias. It was always good between us. From the start I knew we had something special. I can’t explain how I knew, but I just did. One day you’ll fall in love, and then you’ll know.” Zack smiles. “I don’t know if I even want to fall in love. Not yet, anyway. I like that my heart is free. I don’t want it that connected to someone else. I want that for Holden, but I’m worried he’ll get hurt. He acts tough. He is tough, but he has a tender heart. And if anyone breaks it, I’ll break their face,” Dawn says fiercely. “Sometimes you have to get your heart broken a couple of times before you find the right person,” Zack points out. “I know. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to protect him from that. I mean, he’s such a sweet guy. He’ll help anyone with anything. He makes everyone his priority. I know if I asked for anything in the world right now, he’d move heaven and earth to get it for me. I just think he deserves to have someone who’ll be that for him.” Dawn sighs. “You guys mean a lot to each other, don’t you?” Zack smiles. He’s always known the twins were close, but it’s nice to hear it. “I love him to the moon and back. He’s my little brother, my twin. I just hope if he meets someone special, I don’t get in the way.” Dawn bites her lip pieces just like her brother’s. “What do you mean?” Zack asks. “Some people get jealous of how close we are. I’ve had boyfriends and girlfriends who seemed to think I couldn’t be there for them and Holden. It’s stupid. I know Holden has a big enough heart to love me and a lover. That’s why I don’t think I’d be jealous. I know him loving someone, it wouldn’t mean him loving me less,” Dawn says firmly. “You’re a smart girl, Dawn. I think you’re right. You can love your family, and have a lover who you love as much, just in a different way,” Zack agrees. “Ugh, I don’t know how to help him get what he wants,” Dawn groans. “It’s not your job to find him the love of his life. I’m sure he’ll manage by himself,” Zack says. “I know it’s not my job, but I like to meddle, and I’m used to meddling in his life. I’ve been doing it since I could talk.” Dawn shrugs. “Just be there for him. Pick up the pieces if he gets his heart broken. Make sure he doesn’t give up on finding love,” Zack advises. “I don’t want him to get hurt. The thought of it makes me feel violent. I might not be a werewolf, but coyotes are pretty fierce. I can’t see myself just sitting back while someone hurts him or plays with his heart.” Dawn growls a little. “Just give his dates the talk,” Zack suggests. “The s*x talk? If they need that, they shouldn’t be dating him.” Dawn frowns. “Not that talk. It’s the older brother/sister/best friend talk. Where you explain if they hurt him, they’ll end up in a ditch with their teeth smashed in and their hands cut off.” Zack grins. “Wow, that’s brutal.” Dawn raises her eyebrows. “Tobias watches a lot of crime shows. I now think I know how to get away with murder.” Zack shrugs. “I think that kind of talk would scare off most lovers.” Dawn frowns. “Well, then it’ll be like a test. If they don’t scare off easily, they might be the one for him,” Zack suggests. “You are a smart man, Zack. Now, I think this place is clean, so let’s get out of here. Holden is waiting for me. He’s bound to get bored manning the front alone. And I know you’re just dying to meet up with Tobias.” Dawn smiles. “Yeah, we’re done. Just promise me that you won’t stress about Holden falling in love. It’ll happen one day.” Zack doesn’t like the idea of Dawn being unhappy, especially not because of something she has no control over. “I won’t stress. Well, not too much. I’m just going to make him go on, like, a million dates till he finds the one.” Dawn laughs. “Don’t you both already date that much?” Zack teases. “What can I say? It’s a burden being this sexy.” Dawn smirks. “Go get your brother before he starts climbing the walls.” Zack nudges her out the door. “Go get your boyfriend. I know you have a big romantic evening planned.” Dawn smiles. “He’ll kill me if I’m late.” Zack follows her out of the room and into the front, where Holden is waiting, looking very bored. Dawn heads straight over and drapes herself over Holden’s back, hooking her chin over his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging her twin. Some people would see them, the piercings and tattoos, and they’d make assumptions, but Zack knows them. He knows that they’re the sweetest kids. It shows in the love they have for each other. Zack thinks Dawn is right. Holden has a big enough heart to love someone beside his sister. They look so sweet together, and Zack knows that Tobias will love it, so he slips out his cell phone and snaps a picture of them together. They are both smiling sweetly. It might not fit with their punk rock image, but it fits with their personality. He puts his phone back in his jeans and heads for the door. “See you both tomorrow,” Zack says, waving. “Good luck tonight. I’m sure he’ll say yes,” Dawn encourages. “Thanks. I think he will. I hope he will.” Zack feels a little bit nervous. He actually has butterflies in his stomach. Who’s the big bad wolf now? He waves goodbye and leaves the shop. Zack hopes that Holden finds a love like Zack has with Tobias. The kid deserves it.