Black Feathers

3: Alpha, King

 A nervous silence hung over the pack. Noah stood beside Vitani and Ben at the front of the castle, those in the pack not on duty were lined out in front of them in two neat rows. Anticipation made Noah hold his breath as the seconds ticked on. The Beta was beyond worried. In this moment they stood in wait of the arrival of the Lords and Lady from the allied kingdoms. It was a mandatory meeting among the Royals every year. The meeting itself wasn't what had the pack on edge. 

 Noah glanced over his shoulder once more as the carriages came into view. King Lucian had spend the entire night flying, and he still hadn't woken up. The Lords were here, and their Alpha was missing. Not only was it beyond rude to miss the arrival of the Lords, it could be taken as insult, which could start a war. With a war already underway outside of the treaty, another one would tear the structured kingdoms apart.  

 "Vitani, is Alpha still not up? He should be here by now."

 Vitani growled silently at Noah, her eyes never leaving the approaching caravan. 

 "I don't know, I sent someone to wake him already."

 Noah growled back, his body tensing further.

 "Go check really fast, Alpha mustn't miss this."

 "I am awake."

 The gruff voice made the Beta and Gamma turn sharply, their eyes finding their Alpha standing in the arch of the open doors of the castle. Although he was dressed the part in expensive cloth, the trademark cloak that he wore hid most of it, he looked almost disheveled with his hair an absolute mess and tiredness clinging to his eyes.

 "Alpha you're late. What happened to your hair? Where is your crown?"

 Noah let out a sigh of relief as Vitani stepped back to try and fix the small details. The Beta noticed instantly that it was easier to breath with Alpha Lucian so close. Usually his instincts were on edge, but today there was no suffocating air around the King. He felt calmer.

 "Fall in line Gamma."

 As Lucian spoke the words lightly he flicked his hair back, fixing the black metal ring in place on his head using it to hold his hair down. Not much else could be done about it, he slept in it after flying through a storm. Smothering a yawn Lucian's eyes rose to watch as the line of carriages came to a stop in the neatly kept garden that graced the front of the castle. Maintained by the females of the pack. 

 There were two carriages, one being hauled by two massive pure white bears and the other by 4 giant lizards. Looking down to fix the sleeves of his shirt Lucian flicked his wings, listening to the foot steps approaching him. 

 "Lucian. It's been 5 years and you have yet to age a day."

 Lifting his eyes the man smiled politely at the woman, her bright blonde hair was thick and pulled back into a tight braid that sat on her shoulder. She had a round face and oddly enough tan colored eyes. The Reptilia shifters all had tan eyes. Shading anywhere from dark brown, to skin colored. 

 "Veronica, it's a pleasure to see you again." 

 A smile pulled at her lips as she gestured to the man and young child standing with her. Lucian's eyes ran over them. The Angel recalled meeting the man before during one of the meetings, briefly. Both males had pale colored honey hair, and tan eyes. They had strong jaws and rigid stances, certainly from Noble birth but not quite use to meeting someone with such a status as King Lucian. He did, after all, maintain the largest of the 5 kingdoms. 

 "You remember my husband Gerard, this our son Percival... Say hello, Percy." 

 Lucian looked down at the young boy, at 4 or 5 years old his eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. The treaty Lucian held with the two kingdoms required every party involved to take a partner before the end of the 10th year protected by the treaty.