Lycan - The Human Mate (fr/eng)

Chap : Marking (Josh)

That same very day, in the evening, Father summons me through the mental link. I quickly excuse myself to Nathalie and Victoria and go to Father's office. Ryder and Erik stand guard and open the doors for me. Silver Pack's Alpha and heir are present, having a cold heavy silence with Father and Tristan.

It's him, Shadow growls as he recognize the prick who scared Nat.

I know, I refrain from growling too.

I take a chair and Father gives me a glare.

"You went to the kitchen today?" he asks.

"I did."

"With a filthy human!" shouts Il-Kwon.

How dares he talk like this about Nat? barks Shadow in our mind. He still hasn't understood?

"Son," says his father in a strict yet calm voice.

Il-Kwon immediately withdraw and sit back on his chair. Alpha Song joins his hands and turns to my father.

"I believe there is a justification for... her presence here?" he asks, hesitating on 'her' as if he meant 'it'.

"Indeed, there is." I intervene, provoked by his lack of tact. "She is my mate. My true-mate."

The Song pack members get tense. The son dares to laugh.

"This is joke! Pure discourtesy!"

"It is not," Father talks with his serious alpha tone. "Nathalie is my daughter in law."

I don't have the time to be surprised by his statement. Il-Kwon over-reacts again.

"Lies! There was no Mark!"

"Silence," orders his Alpha and father and he immediately shuts up. "I apologize for my son's rudeness. He is still a bit lacking due to his young age."

I hold back a growl. Tristan must sense I'm near my limit since he moves closer, as if to prepare to block me if I suddenly jump at this idiot Il-Kwon throat.

Not here, growls Shadow so thinly. Too many witnesses.

Alpha Song thinks for à sec before continuing.

"Despise this, he is right. Why is she not claimed if she's your true-mate? And why haven't we heard of this? The alliance states that we must share information regarding this kind of matter."

"Our apologies for this." Smiles politely Father. "My son met her in 2013 but the war separated them and they didn't meet again until the end of last November. The... context did not allow us to respect the term of the treaties."

"I see. Although, it doesn't explain why she is unmarked. I can understand why you would hide her existence, but not claiming her is, in my opinion, a mistake."

I can feel their gaze on me without looking. I'm staring at my hands because I know that if I see that guy's little smirk he's dead.

"We haven't informed our pack either, since we know there's a spy." Tristan explains. "We told them she was a special guest. Claiming her in those conditions would be absurd and stupid."

Silver Pack's Alpha stays silent. He thinks for a while before leaning a bit forward.

"Is there something else you would have shared with us if it weren't for the... circumstances?"

"Yes. She had a child. Lycan-born."

I almost jump off my seat. Father's wolf forces Shadow to stay down with the Link. Good for him, Shadow was about to take over. I boil even more feeling Shadow oppressed like this. The Song have a wide expression. Surprise turns to anger on Il-Kwon face.

"Impossible! How could a—"

"Watch your mouth." interrupts Tristan with a grave tone.

« She conceived him naturally? » asks Silvers Pack Alpha in a curious tone.

« Yes, she conceived her naturally. »

Their eyes grow wider. I refrain from screaming. I held my hands so tights there's blood.

"I believe you understand the value of such information and will protect it preciously," adds Father with his polite yet silence-threatening smile.

"Certainly," says Silver Pack's Alpha with a grave nod. "We shall only tell our Pack's Head Doctor."

"Good."

"Have you progressed regarding the spy matter?" Alpha Song quickly asks, as if nothing happened.

"Not yet, but we are getting close."

The both nod and then get up. The Alpha salutes us and forces his son to do so with a glare. They leave the room and I turn to Father. He's already staring at me, an eyebrow up.

"Something to add?" he asks.

"None," I growl.

Though I'm furious, I know why he shared the intel. He couldn't have done otherwise. As far as we know, it is the first time a human conceived a child with a Lycan, and a Lycan-born at that! And whatnot a girl! I'm about to leave when he adds :

"Though, it is indeed time you claim her, don't you think? It will offer her a better protection than just staying forever in your rooms."

I leave because I know I might slash something if I stay any longer. I would already have marked her a long time ago if she was Lycan like us or if we weren't in this stupid war. A Lycan can mark a human, but it's not reciprocal. Nat can't claim me like other females could and I hate it. She's not an object I claim for myself. She's a person and that kind of thing is supposed to be mutual. I don't want it to be one-sided as if she was a possession. A slave. Nat would suffocate. She wouldn't accept it either.

Tristan catches up with me easily. He doesn't look at me, judge me or tell me what to do. He's smarter than that.

"How's Nathalie doing?" he asks.

I understand he means how she handles the confrontation. I can still feel my blood boiling. Shadow is still down from Father's link.

"She was caught off guard. She said it slammed her back into reality. That she had been too naive until now."

"Naive?" Tristan repeats with a frown.

We share a look. Nathalie is not the kind to act without thinking. That'd be more like Victoria. There is a difference between naivety and not knowing. But she doesn't forgive herself. I doubt she'll leave the room again. As if she wasn't stressed out enough...

I have the urge to smash the wall. I hate it! All this fucking situation I hate it! That stupid war! It's because of it that Nat and I were separate, that I didn't know for Charlie, that Nat had to go through so many hardships alone and that now she has to be confined in my room in case they're being kidnapped! She hates it, I know it. She lived all of her life in a closed community with heavy restriction. She's smart so she knows she has to do it, but still. She can deal with it but is far from enjoying it. The last time I saw her truly happy was when I ticklished her. I want her to laugh like that again. To be free, without worries, really happy. It won't happen unless I stop this goddamn war.

We'll make it, Josh, Shadow whispers. We'll see the sun with her and Charlie.

I hope, I swallow the lump in my throat.