Lessons of being a mate

Chapter 2

I dropped my keys and called into the house for my mother.

"Mum, are you here?"  I called. There was no response. Sighing, I made my way into the living room where I found my mother on the couch, fixated on the TV. She did this most days. She had quit her job long ago when her manager was replaced with a shifter.

I sat down on the couch beside her and watched the TV. It was the Alpha of the territory. His people had taken over all television next works within the area and he controlled what news or shows we could see from now on. It left us with four channels but I wasn't fussed. My mother on the other hand was furious with the fact.

"He's taking away our freedom and our rights. They are so controlling." I remember her glaring at the TV when she realised that there was only four channels available to flick through.

"What's going on mum?" I ask her finally breaking the silence between us. She was biting her nails and running her hand porously through her hair.

"The alpha king is coming." She mumbled before giving me eye contact. "There has been a lot of riots from the human kind in the area. He has come to 'deal' with the problem." My mouth fell open into an 'o' shape before nodding in understanding.

One of the riots happened outside of my café just last week. A young man had stood up to one of the warriors of the pack, calling him a filthy dog before throwing a brick at the back of his head.

He was tackled to the ground and dragged off screaming. I winced at the memory before standing up and walking into the kitchen.

"I would also like to congratulate Stephan Myer's, Christine Edwards and Joseph Killian on finding their mate." I rolled my eyes at the sound of the alpha congratulating these 'young lovers'.

"Coffee mum?" I questioned. I heard her shout back a please and I began to make two cups.

I stepped back into the doorway, separating the two rooms. The screen suddenly went from the alpha's face to a blue screen back to the world podium we all know so well. It has been on and off the TV for the last four years now since the appearance of the mystical creatures.

The Alpha king stood proudly on the stage under the harsh lights. A younger man stood behind him. He stood taller and stronger than the man in front of him in a warrior stance with his hands behind his back and his legs spread apart.

"I apologise for interrupting your Alpha's or coven leader's messages." He begins. I roll my eye's. He always starts this way, knowing he's apologising to the leaders of the territories and not the people watching it. He was respectful but still annoying.

"I am here for a important announcement.' He clears his throat "I am announcing that I am stepping down from my position as Alpha King and letting my son, Donovan, will take my place." I could hear cheers and clapping come from the TV set and I found myself drifting back over to the couch. The young man behind the Alpha king stepped forward.

"Thank you father." He bowed his head for the last time to his father before facing the audience. He was oddly beautiful. They all were but he held so much power behind his chocolate eyes. I watched him as he stared straight into the camera. This time unlike his father, I felt like the man stared directly at me. It was different from his fathers glare. His held so much more power, anger and dominance.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and sat back down next to my mother, not once taking my eyes from the TV.

"As Alpha king I will give one piece of warning to all humans, werewolves and vampires. If any of you dare to cross me, revolt against us or harm another pack member, you will be killed on sight." My eyes widened. "I will not be as tolerant as my father. My patience is thin and I will not allow for any human's to play any games." He growled out.

His gaze intensified and it felt like it was staring right at me, right into my soul.

"I will be visiting the following territories within the next month. White water, Golden titan, Mountain tyrant..." I didn't listen to the rest and I made my way back into the kitchen. My mother followed me in and took her own cup to make her own coffee.

"He's evil." She hissed to me. I glanced up at her and nodded.

"He's more strict than his father." I agreed and she turned away from me.

"He will bring nothing but trouble." I opened my mouth to argue with her but she flashed me a quick look to not protect her in her rant. "I can feel it. Those rumours about humans being forced out of their homes are coming true Ellaine. Not even last week, the Diovan family was forced out to live in a camp." I stared at her. The Diovan were keeping a previous hunter in their basement. I later found out it was their son who had left home years before the announcement happened.

"They were housing a hunter mother" I protested but she put her hand up.

"They will find out about your father eventually." She told me. "What he did-"

"What did he do?" I questioned. Since my father left four years ago, my mother wouldn't tell me what he did and still to this day she kept it a secret from me.

She waved her hand at me, a signal that she wouldn't answer the question. "Please mother, I need to know. If it is going to effect my safety-"

"They've increased scanning on peoples backgrounds you know." She said "Have you noticed the increase of their presence on the street?" I sighed. She was paranoid "They have been watching us."

I shook my head and pushed my cup away from me, no longer feeling the need to drink it. "That's enough mother." I said to her before making my way up the stairs and into my bedroom.

XXXXXXXX

The rest of that night was reasonably quiet. I headed off to work the next day without seeing my mother rise from her bed. I normally don't. She stays there until midday, until she finds the energy to go down the stairs and watch the TV.

I walked though the doors of my work and heard the familiar chime of the bell. "Morning Bruce." I called into the kitchen, walking into the bathroom to give my hands a quick wash before starting my rounds on the tables.

We had our couple of regulars in who would start their day with breakfast before heading off to work.

The loud bang on the window shook the whole place making everyone glance over. I stood directly in front of it, enough to see the young man being held by his neck against the window. A teenage girl clawing at the mans shoulder, begging for him to let go. I stared at the scene in front of me before the boy was finally let go. He instantly felt to the floor, limp but he wasn't what concerned me.

It was the large group of men coming closer and closer to the café. There was at least ten of them, they all filed into the café. There was silence before the man with the red strap across his chest spoke. "Dean Masters." There was an eyrie silence before a tall business man stood up and stared at the men in black suits.

The man with the red strap across his chest began to speak again. "Dean Masters, you have been convicted of treason against the Alpha king and his race. You have been in contact with a hunter and therefore have gone against the alpha's law."

"I have not." The man protested. "I haven't spoken to my father in years. Long before you-" The man was grabbed my the throat and a scream came from the woman who was sitting at a table near him.

"Quiet human scum. You will be placed into a rehabilitation camp where you will learn who to bow to." He growled at the man before forcing out of the café.

That's when I saw it. I saw Bruce at the window. His concern was not on the man outside of his window. It was the large group of humans outside of the café who was being herded like cattle down the road.

"What's happening?" I ask him in a hushed tone. He glanced down at me before bowing his head.

"They are being sent to slaughter. They all are related to a hunter in some way." I watched him walk away from the window. I looked back at the scene in front of me.

It was a mixture of people of no particular colour, size or height. They were of all ages. I saw an old man, almost unable to walk, struggling to keep up with the crowd and a young baby being cradled in a mothers arms who sobbed. It was heart wrenching and I knew that soon, I would be the one marched.