Mates of a Human

Part Four. Chapter Fourteen. Michael

Trying to find a cat that does not want to be found is similar to the whole needle in a haystack, only more frustrating as they could usually be found hanging from the rafters above your head, looking down on you in an amused fashion. So I didn't bother looking for Colin, just quickly noted that his scent was not in the area. That meant that he was either fawning over the King as the irritating bastard had the tendency to do, chasing female tail or lazing in that 'secret' den of his that he thinks no one knows about. It happens to be located beneath the half uprooted oak tree about half mile north of here.

Ugh, I hated that feline, he was a liger, so thought he was better than his tiger cousins, who happened to be placed highly in other parts of the Pride. For the large cats, it was possible to produce a hybrid, as in Colin's case.  His father is a tiger and cousin to Eric's father, but his mother is a lioness.  Colin's sisters are all lionesses, but nature could have made them tigers, just as easily.  Most children of differing cats adopt the nature of just one of their parents.  But in very rare cases, a hybrid is born.

In his mind, Colin would have been given the position of Second even if Eric hadn't left the Pride (by this I mean the lands, not the Pride itself), but I think he was given it as he sucked up to the former Second's arse and just happens to be the next King's best friend. The Goddess help this Pride if the little Prince, Justin, doesn't grow up in the next five years and reevaluates those he considers friends.

As if to prove the point I was just thinking, I turned around to find that Eric was snarling at said Prince, while protectively holding our mate close to him. Naturally, my hackles rose in turn. However, before I can join my mates in whatever battles they are facing, Justin received a beating around the head by a beautiful woman, who time has barely touched over the years. The Queen.

Queen Johanna was tall and curvaceous, but she never flaunted her hourglass figure, that was reserved for her husband and mate.  Her skin was the colour of smooth milk chocolate, her hair black and her eyes doe brown.  Even if it were not for the title, she would be regal; she just had that aura about her.  She was also witty and intelligent and her jaguar was equally as cunning.  How she had managed to produce such a spoiled prince, I could only lament. 

"Apologise," the woman demanded of her son.

"What for?" Justin whined.  "He's clearly only here to flaunt his good luck.  It's unfair that he has two mates where I have none.  I'm twenty, surely I should have found him or her by now!"

"You don't just go around trying to steal others mates," the Queen stated and a growl began to emanate from my throat, "just because the Moon Goddess has seen that it is not time for you to meet yours.  Your father was nearly twenty nine when he met me and he did not see fit to sleep around with countless unmated nor stupidly chase the tails of those who are!"

"But there's an obvious reason for that," the boy muttered beneath his breath earning him another slap about the head.

"Seriously!" The Queen complained.  "There is a serious lack of respect for the gift of the Moon Goddess these days.  You and your 'friends' underestimate the strength of the bond between mates."  Alex was whispering to Eric, wanting to be let down now he was fully awake, but I could see my tiger was reluctant considering what the idiot Prince had suggested.  "Next time you do something so stupid, I will let the mate of whoever caught your eye deal with you.  You have not inherited your father's position as yet!"

I slipped over to stand beside my mates,  Eric and I soon insured that Alex was in between us.  He allowed us to take his hands into our own, leaning against me as my wolf came to the forefront of my mind.  He never felt quite comfortable on Pride lands and would hover diligently, even though most of the felines would be too lazy to start something with us, it didn't mean there wouldn't be some untried brat willing to do so.  He also was feeling concerned for our human mate.  It was a bit of a mental squeeze and I would likely suffer a headache for it later, but I let my wolf have his way for now.