Wolf’s Bane

Who said working in a lumberyard was boring? Not for these three gentlemen, it wasn’t.

“Jack, I don’t mean to sound like some insubordinate jerk, but why the hell is he here?” the eye candy new hire asked as he approached his superior’s desk.

“Well, I can tell you that I’m not exactly happy being here but our beloved boss told me that if we don’t talk to each other and fix this, then we will be having huge pay cuts this week,” replied the dead squirrel as he walked after Eron.

“Excuse me, what?” The Charmer snapped at the man behind him.

“Correction, Max… it’s supposed to be YOU who needed to talk to him and fix this or YOU will be having a huge pay cut this week,” interrupted Jack as he stood up and put both his hands on his table’s edge.

The team leader’s eyes almost popped out of his head, “ME?! I don’t need to explain anything to him!”

“YES, YOU DO! I’ve asked around and heard you’ve been giving him a hard time according to some people. He’s practically a newbie and you’re bullying him? Really?”

“Jack, please, I don’t need to be defended, ok?” Eron said, unintentionally cutting off the head lumberjack’s words. “I’m good. If he thinks he hasn’t done anything against me, I don’t want an apology that’s forced down my throat… especially not from him.”

“Alright, at least you’re making sense right now, city boy,” said Max in a smooth, snide tone. “So can we just get outta here and get back to work instead?”

“NO! I refuse to have you both working out there with the possibility of more ‘accidents’ happening in the future. And don’t tell me that it’s all coincidence, Max. Within a week’s time we already have a broken sawmill, a destroyed motorbike, a possible werewolf and tons of rumours out there that are almost at the same level as the time of the fever pandemic.”

“And what the hell are you looking at me for?!” the lesser boss whined loudly. “All these things happened when this newbie showed up out of nowhere and you’re blaming me?”

“Yes, I’m blaming you because I have witnesses who said you were the one who first challenged him at the campsite. Now fix this, team leader, or I will hold you accountable for fixing up the sawmill damages, and the possible hospitalization fees for me and Diwana and even this man’s motorbike repairs. Got it?”

“Fine, whatever…” Max replied with a derisive snort while looking at Eron with slitted eyes.

“Don’t give me that crap, Maximilian, if you don’t want to lose a lot of money this week. I’ll be leaving this room for now and when I get back, you two should be on better speaking terms, at least. Even if it means it’s just during work hours. Otherwise, you know what will happen, Max. Now, get to it…”

As he was talking, Jack was already walking, so by the end of his monologue, he had already gone out of his office and slammed the door. The two other men in the room looked at their exiting boss and then at each other, almost simultaneously. One could also feel the tense and heavy atmosphere in the air.

“Alright, Prince Charming,” declared Mad Max with a smirk, finally breaking the long and awkward silence between them. “Our ‘king’ has spoken and we ‘poor peasants’ have to do what he says or we’re gonna get our less favored asses kicked out of here. So, what do you want to hear from me, huh? Let me know so we can fix this already!”

“What the hell… I’m not the one who…” answered Eron in frustration as he pushed back his long bangs out of his face. “Look, Maxie, I don’t give a shit about what Jack thinks about you or our little fracas. All THAT should just be between YOU and ME. But I don’t want our issues to bring any more problems to his company or to anyone else I’m close with in this village. That’s the ONLY thing I want to talk to you about.”

“And what issue do you mean exactly?”

“Diwana…”

Max laughed almost sarcastically upon hearing her name. “Oh, we actually have an issue regarding her? I already told you from the very first time you arrived that she’s mine, so there really is no problem as long as you don’t start getting grabby on her, city boy.”

Eron’s narrow eyes narrowed even more, “Grabby on her? Dude, you don’t treat a woman like her that way. You don’t even say those things about her, much less think it! Especially, if she is unaware of WHAT YOU’RE SAYING ABOUT HER!”

“Oh yeah, well speak for yourself, Mr. Stranger Danger. At least she knows a lot about me, WHAT ABOUT YOU?” the team leader yelled back in Eron’s face.

The newbie took a step forward and stared the derisive man down. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Max. Just spill it, and don’t start acting the same way you act around her with me. That just gives me the creeps…”

“Alright, I’ll say it straight.” answered the longtime lumberjack up at his newbie foe. “Whatever or whoever you are, you’re no security guard from the city. You are definitely hiding more from her than I have so you don’t have any right to tell me what I should and should not do when it’s about her, you understand?”

“Yeah, right, do you even hear yourself, dude?” Eron spat back. “I’m not the one telling random newcomers that she’s my girl and to keep away from her. You did that to me from day one, and when I told you what you needed to hear, you started to get up my ass about it! If you really like her as you told me, you should be treating her right. She’s a lady, not property, and if that’s how you’re going to treat her, I will be up your gut faster than you can say her name, you hear me!”

“Really now? And what the hell is she to you?”

“She’s my landlady, and she and her kids, they’re all treating me like family. So, whatever you may be thinking about me and her, can it! That’s not even supposed to be your business if you don’t intend to say anything to her about how you feel. That being said, I will be decent and diplomatic around you during work time, Maddie, but don’t you think I will let you do anything that will harm her or my new family! GOT THAT?!”

Max fell silent for a good amount of time before finally replying with a smirk, “Alright, fine. I am perfectly ok with that. As long as you know your boundaries with her, then we’re good.”

“Well, as long as it’s her boundaries and not yours, Maxie, then we ARE good.”

“So, you’re really going to be a smart ass about this?”

“As long as you insist on being an asshole, yes, I am.”

“Fair enough, but I’m warning you that I don’t play fair when it involves something I want.”

“I know, which is why I’m warning you that I’m really not a nice guy either. I can be good, very VERY good… but I am NOT… and I am NEVER… nice.”

“Alright, so we agree to disagree. We can continue to disagree but not during work. Agreed?” the shorter man said with finality as he reached out with a handshake.

“You betcha, and yes,” Eron said as he took Max’s hand in a very firm grip.  “I will shake on that.”