Mates of a Human

Part Four. Chapter Three. Eric

Arranging time off for a little vacation ought to be a breeze when you owned your own business, but not when you had a personal assistant like mine. "It's just a couple of weeks," I whined at Sylvie as she glared at me. I glanced down at her and tried to utilise my most kitten like eyes, but frankly it's impossible when there is well over a foot difference in height, I just look stupid.

"If it wasn't for Alex, I wouldn't even contemplate letting you run off again, Eric," she said, her arms crossed about her chest, clearly recalling the last vacation that I took. I think I left her a post it note before jetting off with Michael to the Spanish islands for some sun, sea and sand. And a lot of sex. Hey, at least I was giving her a verbal warning this time.

"You know you are the best, right?" I smiled at her as I saw her wavering.

"Ugh, you don't pay me enough for this!" Sylvie grimaced and actually tossed off her heels before flopping down onto my sofa bed. "How did the interviews go this morning?"

"The woman is a no," I replied, recalling the scummy bitch with a growl. "She took one look at me, hitched her skirt up higher and ended a lot of her answers with obvious innuendo. And she kept licking her botoxed lips as if they were caviar. Ew. Gross."

"Yeah, when I saw her," Sylvie admitted, "I couldn't help but wonder exactly how she gained her 'qualifications.' But I wanted to give her the benefit of doubt." We agreed that that bitch was not to be hired. "And the two young men?"

"One almost pissed his pants in front of me," I sighed. "That little tomcat would likely not return even if he was offered the job. A pity, he seemed the best qualified so far. The other guy was so-so. Didn't make much of an impression."

"Well, I'll talk to the shifter boy, see what his stance is," Sylvie replied.

I found a smirk rising upon my lips. "He made you feel protective of him as well," I purred. The boy seemed to be fresh out of college with recommendations from his professors and part time work placements. But he was completely submissive and quaked in his boots as my tiger took a quick glance at his calico. That sort of kitty is usually buried within the depths of a pride behind a hoard of protective lionesses, so one couldn't help but wonder why he was on his own and want to help him.

"Yes," Sylvie admitted. "He was so cute, wasn't he cute! I just want to mother that kid to death." Ah perhaps I ought not to employ him after all, he might be better off without us trying to protect him. Screw it.

"I'll let you handle him," I decided. "How many interviews tomorrow?"

"Four," she replied, pointing to the applications on my desk. "And three more the following day." I scanned through the paperwork quickly with a nod, when a familiar scent hit me.

"Come in Damien," I called out, knowing my cousin would hear me. He was without his bookends today, but he looked no less arrogant and smug. "What's up, coz?"

"I'll leave you testosterone filled idiots to it," Sylvie stated as she grabbed her heels and left the room.

"It would be so much fun to have a mate like her," Damien purred as he eyed the short woman departing.

"Pfft, she'd have you over her knee submitting in seconds," I laughed at him.

"And I'd enjoy every minute of it," he replied, honestly.

"So, other than ogling my P.A, what are you doing here?" I asked him. He took the seat that Sylvie just vacated and I moved to the coffee machine to at least try to be hospitable.

"Just wanted to know if you heard anything about Michael's pack of late?" He asked me. I felt the fur on my tiger's back suddenly rise along his spine and I offered internally words to soothe him.

"Not really," I reply, willing my claws to recede and sighing as nails reform on my hands. "The pack threw Michael out, remember. Our personal ties with them were severed long ago."

"Michael is still the Alpha's son," Damien said in return. "Blood is not so easily severed."

"Why the enquiries?" I can't help but ask. I placed an espresso pod into the machine, I need a quick shot of caffeine... and maybe some chocolate. I opened the draw and selected a bar filled with salted caramel. Already, I could feel the drool filling my mouth. Lots of cats are allergic to chocolate. I was so glad that I was not one of them.

"The wolves have been restless," he sighed. "There have been a few minor scraps along the border, generally young pups and temperamental kittens. Nothing too major. But it's consistently their side that seeks to fight."

"And let me guess, those kittens are just that foolish not to turn away," I smirked, recalling that both Damien and I were the same as teenagers.

"Ha," he chuckled in reponse, taking the coffee I offered him and eyeing up the chocolate bar, which I refuse to share.

"The pups are probably just letting off steam," I suggested as I open the packaging after sitting back down at my desk.

"Maybe," he replied. "I just can't help but wonder why they are so restless to begin with and why are none of the patrols stopping them. At least we round up our brats and try to discipline them a bit. Last thing we need is a full out war." I flinched at the idea.

"So," I said, changing the subject after swallowing the melting chocolate in my mouth with delight. "You haven't found your mate yet, then?"

He looked at me with pure hatred and I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.  "Don't flaunt the fact that you have two mates in front of me, while I am still yet to be blessed with mine!" He hissed.  I found myself laughing harder as he growled, wiping away the tears running down my face.  "And how is that little cutie pie of yours?  You mated him yet or shall I steal him away?"

My tiger instantly came to the forefront of my mind and hissed at him.  "Don't even allow that thought to cross your mind again, Damien.  Alex is mine!"

"Oh, so you haven't yet," he said, smugly over my reaction.  "How like you.  Took you a while to get into Michael's pants as well if I recall."

"There were circumstances," I said between my teeth, more irritated at myself that I am allowing him to get beneath my skin than at he, himself.

"Excuses, excuses," he drawled.  I took a deep breath and forced my tiger to behave.

And then I informed him; "We are arranging a slightly more formal ceremony for Alex.  He is human, after all."  Michael and I had already discussed it.  Although it wouldn't be like an over the top Human wedding, we did want to show his parents and the members of the pack he was close to our commitment to him.  So we would have a human marriage at a registry office, then move straight on to the honeymoon. Michael was already applying for a special license for a polygamous marriage, something necessary to protect individuals from being forced into them and then all three of us could be husbands in the eyes of the law.

"And we will mark him on the wedding night." My tiger purred, naturally looking forward to this part the most. I had to temper him every night that Alex had ever spent in our arms, more so since we had discovered how fun it is to make him writhe beneath us. We doubted we would last long beyond the penetration of his body, although we would need to, if we were to do this right.

"Then do you plan to introduce him to the pride?" Damien asked, a note of awe in his face. I wondered why, but shrugged it away.

"Of course." How was I supposed to show that I was twice blessed by the goddess if I didn't bring him before the pride? Silly tiger.

"I'll look forward to it," a cheesy, familiar grin appeared on Damien's face and I returned it, cheerfully.

"Want to go and test out a few of the machines?" I asked, tilting my head, challenging him to face me using the equipment that we had available at the gym. He looked eager to pit himself against me, even if it was in human form rather than tiger... now there was an idea. I should run it past Sylvie later... I threw him some spare gym clothes seeing as Damien is not far off my size and lead the way to the gym.

I was so going to prove how much better I was than him, starting with the treadmill...