Star Crossed

For if you choose me...

Reki texted Miya as he left the shop. He told the other boy he was with Langa getting information. ‘Can I come along?’ Miya asked. Reki repeated the question to Langa.
“This is the boy you befriended because he had no other friends.” It wasn’t a question. This was so weird. “From what you told me about him, I guess he is good at keeping a secret. OK, I’ll allow him. But you can’t talk about this with anyone else.” Langa warned. Reki agreed that he wouldn’t. He sent Miya the ok and the address again.
When Reki and Langa got to Langa’s house, Miya was out front doing tricks. Langa paused a few feet away to watch the small boy. “He’s really good.” He commented. Reki smiled.
“The best in his age. He has a shot at going national. You should see his awards!” the boy beamed. Langa gave him a small smile.
“I love how you are so supportive of your friends.”
“Hey, slimes whya just standing there?” Miya had seen them. Reki laughed off his nervousness. Why did this guy make him feel so strange?
“He was admiring your skills.” Reki called. They headed into Langa’s house. It was dark. They boy had to let himself in.
“Your mom working?” Reki asked as Langa turned on some lights.
“No, she went to the council to notify them of my return.” He stated.
“Right, the Alpha thing.” Reki grumbled. He was beginning to like Langa.
“What Alpha thing?” Miya asked. Langa stood for a moment without saying anything. He glanced at the pair perplexed.
“You don’t…” He began.
“It smells like home baked cookies in here.” Reki smiled. “I used to love it when grams would bake cookies. The whole house smelled like love.” He chuckled embarrassed that he had blurted that out.
“Your human?” Langa looked shocked. “No wonder you don’t recall the dreams.” He turned away. Before either boy could say anything Langa called. “Let me get you some hot chocolate and cookies. I’m sure we have everything.” He vanished into what the others assumed was the kitchen.
“We’re human? What the hell is he?” Miya grouched. The duo stood waiting. Langa hadn’t told them they could sit down, nor did he ask for them to follow him.
“All I know is he said he was the Alpha of the Hasegawa clan.”  The door burst open as soon as Reki was done talking.
“Where is he?” a huge gorilla of a man demanded. His red eyes shone with emotions that the others couldn’t read. Green hair flowed around his head. A snarl came from the kitchen.
“Let’s all just call down.” A slender pink haired male stepped into the room. He laid a long fingered hand against the raging beasts shoulder. Langa stepped out from the kitchen. The green haired guy drew back.
“You’re the Alpha? You look like a twig!”
“And you are?” Langa asked sounding board. He had placed himself in front of Reki, blocking the watermelon looking pair from him.
“Kojiro Nanjo. Alpha to both the Nanjo and Sakurayashiki clans. This is my mate, Kaoru Sakurayashiki.” He introduced them.
“Please, have a seat. I am Langa Hasegawa, Alpha.” He indicated the long table sat before him.
“You shouldn’t be tossing out your pheromones like that. We were just strolling by when he got hit with them.” Kaoru stated.
“My apologies, it was a test.” Langa walked to the doorway. He stopped abruptly. Turning his head, he smiled at Reki. “Would you mind helping me?” he asked. Only when the red-haired boy was before him, once more putting Langa between the invading Alpha and Reki, did Langa move forward.
“That boy was human.” Kojiro stated.
“But he is protecting him like it’s his…” Kaoru paused their eyes went to the small boy still standing in their midst. “It’s safe to sit, he doesn’t bite.” Smiled the slender male.
Miya inched forward. He was unsure of what to do. His hand tentatively reached out to touch the back of the white chair. His eyes darted over the pair facing him. The door to the kitchen was once more filled with the teen Alpha. He carried in a large tray of drinks and snacks. Reki walked, empty handed, behind him.
“I thought you needed his help?” Miya commented. Langa smiled.
“I did. He fixed the cupboard for me.” His eye scrunching grin had the other boy tsking. Miya sat down. Reki beside him, then Langa closest to the other Alpha.
“What’s going on, Langa?” Kojiro demanded as he accepted his coffee cup. He took a sip. Laughing he asked “Is this hot chocolate?”
“Yes, it is.” Langa commented dryly Kojiro laughed loudly. Once everyone was served, happily munching on the snack of their choice, Langa looked over at the newcomers. “I really am sorry for catching you off guard. I wasn’t aware another Alpha was so close.” He informed them.
“It’s all good kid, just be more careful. There are some around here, you don’t want to catch like that.” Kojiro informed him. He gestured between Langa and Reki. “What’s the deal here? We aren’t suppose to reveal too much to humans.” He looked concerned.
“I know the rules.” Langa muttered. “The problem is, this human is my…” He paused, glancing over to Reki, a smile curving his thin lips. A hand came down hard on the table making them all jump.
“No, f-ing way!” Kojiro cried. “You can’t tell him shit. That’s impossible. I demand a council verdict.” He stated. Langa sighed.
“Very well. I will call them.” Langa pulled his phone out. He talked so low that Reki and Miya couldn’t hear a thing. When he hung up, he looked to Kojiro.
“You are to take us to the council hall immediately.” He informed them. They left their snack. Stepping outside, two strange boards sat beside the teens.
“Good thing we all ride.” Kojiro smirked he picked up his cruiser. The black and purple board slid over to its owner. Reki retrieved his board while Miya waited on his. They all looked to Langa.
“He, uh, doesn’t ride.” Reki stated. “I will start teaching him tomorrow.”
“Carla, expand.” Kaoru spoke. His board went from cruiser length to long board. He held a hand out to the teen. “You may ride with me.”  Langa hesitated glancing at Kojiro. “I assure you it is perfectly safe. We will be in his direct line of site at all times. He won’t harm you.” Kojiro nodded when his mate finished speaking.
Moving up to the Beta, he stepped onto the board. Kaoru’s hands held onto the teens waist as he kicked off. The others followed. It didn’t take too long to get to the council chambers. It was all down hill from Langa’s place. The huge wooden doors opened as the Alpha’s approached. The group skated inside.
Their boards were taken by a thin looking female. She stored them in cupboards, locking each one separately She held the key out to the board’s owner. Once they were all taken care of, Kojiro swiftly looped his arm around his mate’s waist. Swinging himself deftly away from the teen Alpha. The woman led them to another set of double doors.
These ones, were immense. Not just in sheer size, but thickness as well. It took two people to pull one door open. Once both doors were open and the small group stood in the center with the Alphas side by side, the woman spoke.
Inside were about two dozen males, with another six females sitting around a large table. Langa’s mother sat at the head of the group  beside a withered looking man. His wrinkled skin hung around his small frame. Sunken eyes looked out at the group.
“Alpha’s Kojiro Nanjo and Langa Hasegawa are her to address the council. They each bring their mate.” There was a loud gasp at this. The room erupted in chatter.
“… human…”
“… boy, young…”
“… how does this….”
“….happening?” it sounded like chattering squirrels to the two humans watching.
“Enough!” Langa yelled. Silence filled the hall. He stepped forward, one hand on Reki’s arm. He guided the ginger around the table. Pulling out a chair, two away from his mother, he pressed Reki to sit in it. More gasps followed this. “Miya, please.” Langa indicated a chair that was placed beside Reki. The young boy sat down. Langa remained standing. Kojiro and Kaoru were offered seats. Once they took up their place, all heads turned to the teen.
“Kojiro Nanjo has come to me with concerns.  As he is the Alpha of two smaller clans, I wished to address all. For these concerns will have lasting effect on all of us.” Langa turned to the frail looking man. He bowed.
“Grandfather, the mate the fates have chosen for me, is human.” There was a loud gasp. Scraping chairs, bodies flinging themselves to their feet. The room was suddenly filled with a thick cloying scent.
“Enough!” the old man yelled. This set him into a coughing fit. The woman who had greeted the group rushed to his side. Quickly she helped him sip some water. Those around the table sat down. A few snarled at Reki and Miya.
“Explain yourself, Langa.” The man demanded.
“I have had the dreams for as long as I can recall. He has aged with me. We have spent our lives together.” Langa’s voice drew quiet. He glanced at Reki. “He recalls non of this. Aside from the recollection that I was in his dreams.” Turning back to the old man, he continued. “I request permission to explain it a to him again. He deserves to know what I will be asking of him.” Now Langa knelt.
“I beg you to allow me to give him an informed choice.” There was muttering all around the table about this. Without looking up, Langa went on. “We were born into this world. None of us were offered a choice. We were told what our standing is. Who our mates would be. None of it was our choice. Many may feel that they would have chosen this life anyway. Some wish that they didn’t have this burden on their shoulders.”  Langa’s hands tightened at his sides.
“The person I have accepted as my mate is not from our world. He has the ability to remain human. To live his life as a human should. I shouldn’t take that away from him, without giving him all the information I can. I wish that my mate chose me as the fates have chosen him for me.” Langa ended his speech, but remained kneeling, head bowed, waiting.
“I agree with Alpha Langa’s decision!” all heads turned, aside for Langa who remained bowed before the head Alpha. Kojiro Nanjo stood up. “This boy will one day be the leader of all of us. His mate should be strong and fair. That being said, his mate should have the right to choose. I wished I could have given that right to my own mate.” He turned to look down at the elegant face of Kaoru.
“I disagree. He is human, a male human. Langa’s mate needs to strengthen our clan, not divide it more!”
“Wouldn’t I strengthen it?” Reki spoke softly. Eyes flamed glowing in all the Alpha’s heads. Langa was suddenly in front of Reki, a growl emitting from his mouth.
“I’m human, I can be an ambassador between the humans and the clans!” Reki yelled above the noise.
“If you chose me, you won’t remain human.” Langa whispered.