4

"Where have you been!" Jack roared as soon as Ianto closed the front door, his jacket still half way down his arms as he shrugged it off.

Jack rampaged along the hallway into the entrance foyer, his face full of anger "Well? We have been waiting for you for hours!"

"Actually, it is only ten past twelve, we agreed after lunch we would go and let us not forget… you kept ME waiting. Was I supposed to sit and pine? Do some needlepoint? Crochet a tea cozy?" Ianto's sarcasm ripped off every word as he squared off with his mate, matching in size and strength, only the fact Jack was angrier seemed to sway the point as he snarled in Ianto's face.

Then Jack deflated, catching his bear and dampening it down "sorry. Sorry, lately I am snarly.. I do not mean to speak to you that way. I apologize for my teeth."

"If you must know… some woman came in unannounced, entered my meditation garden, spoke to me like I was a fucking servant and then wanted to go into YOUR bedroom alone." Ianto said as he turned to finish removing his coat that was still around his arms "Grandy took me for a run in bear form along the beachfront while we checked the new boat build. I was pissed, snarly my own self. Grandy thinks my bear is having a growth spurt or something hormonal."

"Do you need to see Owen?"

"No" Ianto but back the sigh as Owen was NOT a Teddykin doctor and would likely be as interested as Jack might be in a pink fedora. No. Ianto smiled "I trust Grandy, after all we are the same bloodline so whatever my bear does to flex, he understands and can explain it."

"My side do not do that. Once maturity is reached we are set" Jack said, turning away as he said over his shoulder "Maybe you just need to grow up."

Ianto froze, one hand still on the coat rack and he swung, snagging the coat rack with him and the loud snap of the wood had Jack turning to look back at Ianto. Ianto snarled "Did you just tell me to fucking grow up?"

"Jesus wept, I did not mean it like that. Gods, so touchy!" Jack laughed "Not in heat are you? The last thing we need as a hormonal Ted in the house."

It was like a physical slap. Both his words and the fact he had hit closer than he had thought as Ianto stood there with his mind whirring. Shit. It made sense. The feelings, the swings, the temper… even the wild and almost vicious sex.

"You know what? Take Rayne and go without me since I am so damned childish. Go on… you don't need me... clearly. I don't get to do anything with her anymore" Ianto turned and walked out of the house, walking to the other smaller house down the end of the garden that had been the caretaker's cottage and now his grandfather and Francine resided there.

"Grandy?"

"Boy?"

"Grandy… Jack said something to be a prick but… he told me to grow up. Then asked if I was on heat, practically calling me a little bitch" Ianto pouted, the old am bristling as he rose from his chair to go smash the cunt. Ianto then said "But it made me think."

"Oh? About that pre-nup? You know… only another year and you can divorce him and get half!" the old man huffed, sitting back down "Prick."

"What? No... no, we burned them after you left the room… if was only so you would stop nagging" Ianto waved a hand "no… about the heat thing. When he said it he was being tired and cranky and is probably looking for me to apologize… again. Show compliance… bow. We are clashing daily, snarling, snapping and creating tension. I think I was on heat. It started this cycle of us pushing, shoving, vying for dominance. Two Alphas. Of course now and then the two bears will fight to check the dominance. I was cycling."

"You burned the pre-nup? Wait… Was."

"Yes. The other night… we were more than ferocious… it was… primal. There was a moment I think we went Ted… we definitely lost control and were like bloody animals … I think… I am cycling down off it bit Jack is still there. Still needling for fights I no longer want." Ianto leaned back and the old man nodded.

"So, the need to mate is not an imperative for you but still is for him?"

"Exactly."

"Ah" the old man sighed as he rubbed his face "So the cycles are not synced completely. That needs to be addressed, if you are to be bonded for life you have to sync your cycling for the betterment of your bears love."

"No!" Ianto said firmer "Grandy. I think… I think my cycle ended as my bear got what it wanted first. Jack's is still catching up because my scent has not yet changed."

Finally Ifan got it and his face lit up "You've caught?"

"I don't know…yes… no… I think… I think I am on the cusp. I think it is likely that a little ember is trying to catch… why I want to push him away now. Why I am happy for cubby to go with him and don't feel as needy, as clinging… why I am not angry that I cannot see her. It is not that she is getting older or safer… it is merely the fact that Jack is taking his spot as secondary nurturer."

"Oh little one… another cub? If it is true… to have another cub … I cannot find words" Ifan gushed happily.

"Maybe" Ianto warned "I think I need to calm down and find a calm place to see if it catches fire."

"Well… let's go launch that boat then!"