Higher Than The Alpha (#Wattys2014) »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

SIX

SIX – Family Summoning [Christopher]

Looking around, I didn't feel the usual pride I felt when I looked at my achievements. I held one of the largest computer companies in the world. I had six sons. Two of which were feared by all were's as assassins. Another two with gentle hearts. Another who slept with anything that moved – as long as they were human or werecat. And the youngest was the only white tiger for generations in my family line. And yet I still felt like I had nothing.

Looking at the calender on my desk showed that we were in the year twenty-thirteen. I sighed as I did the maths and realised that I was now six-hundred-and-sixty-two years old. Too damn old to still feel like I had nothing.

For a moment, I allowed myself the pleasure of imaging what life would have been like if I'd had a mate. But then I stopped the thoughts as it brought up memories of my brother Tooven, the last golden coated tiger of our line. No, I think it's best I don't have a mate. Tooven was hardly holding onto his sanity at times. Once again I remembered his "request". One he'd been asking me for a decade. But, once again, I pushed it to the side.

Hearing a flap of wings, I looked towards the balcony that my office, on the top floor, offered. Birds didn't come near the building, sensing the amount of predators within it's walls. I'd always made sure to offer jobs to were's first, then humans. Were's first because it was easier to work in an environment when people knew what you were, than not.

Seeing a golden eagle coming in to land, I felt my tiger warn me that something was wrong. Getting up and opening the door for the eagle, the eagle walked in, in only the way a bird can, before I closed the door behind him.

"The windows are tinted so that none, not even were's can see in," I told the bird.

It wasn't that we cared to be seen naked, it was more for the humans sake. That and humans didn't truly know of our existence, so it was best for them to not witness the shift.

As the bird shifted, I sat behind my desk again. "What news have you come to bare?"

As the bird finished his shift to being human, he collapsed in the chair on the other side of my desk. "Bad new, unfortunately."

It was a strange feeling not recognising the bird when I knew most. "You are?"

"An eagle that is only giving news because I thought you would like to know about your youngest. In return, I would like for my name and location to be kept quiet. Which also means that you don't get your sons to try and find out who I am also."

"If your information is good, I'll forget you ever existed."

The bird smiled in relief.

Who is he running from? My tiger asked.

He is none of our business. He is here to give news about Alexander, nothing more.

But what if he's running from Lusan or Layke?

Then they will find him eventually. Now hush and listen.

"As I'm sure you know, there are so many wolves now that they're even fighting among themselves. But it's not just here, wolves are fighting around the globe for more territory. Some packs, however, are fighting to defend not only themselves but other were's from the wolves."

"What does this have to do with Alexander?"

"There's a new pack near to where your son is. The Kayr Moon pack – who is one of the few packs who want no part in the fight for more territory – have no idea the new pack is there."

"And?" I growled.

"The new pack kidnapped your son and his mate."

That last piece of information made me freeze. "What?"

The bird gave me a look. "Your son was kidnapped."

"No, the other part."

Suddenly the bird understood. "You didn't know your son had a mate."

It wasn't a question, but I still shook my head. "My son has a mate. What is she?"

"Human."

I kept my flinch internal, there wasn't a reason to show the bird any more than I already had. "Can you tell me where they took them?"

The bird nodded. "Have you got a map?"

"No, but I have got the internet."

Minutes later, I had a location of a deserted building that looked as though it hadn't been used in years. I called to the bird just as he was about to start shifting.

"Do you know what they want from my son?"

"I think the wolves are uneducated about how some of us work. How you cats work. I think they're planning on contacting you for something. But I can't be sure. I'm sorry."

"Don't be... And thank you, if you ever need anything, you know where I am."

The bird laughed. "Thanks, I might take you up on that one day."

Watching the bird open the door then shift, I wondered if it would be useful to hire a bird out to check on my sons every now and again. Not a cat thing to do... but who would argue?

  

As the bird left, I picked up my Blackberry and called five of my six sons. "I need you here as soon as possible. Alexander has a mate and some new wolves have decided to play..."

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