The Kitty Cat's Mates (ManxMen)

12 | Tell Us About the Three Alphas

King, Pandora, Axel, and Bryce stood before Hugh, who sat on his desk table with his arms crossed against his chest. He had a huge frown on his face. The four all felt sticky with sweat, Axel and King having it worse with dust, dirt, and bits here and there.

"What happened?" Hugh asked, his tone strapped with worry and sobriety.

King wasn't listening. He eyed Axel in the corner of his eyes, watching the untroubled guy who had actually abruptly confessed his feelings he had for him years ago in a freaking crippled house. He wasn't even prepared, didn't even know if Axel still liked him, but he was just too shocked to even comprehend. Like dude, he was just asking why he avoided him. And yes, he got his answer.

The two had always been together, from training to school, since they were kids. Hugh was still the beta and King was thirteen when false rumors about him and Axel circulated around teenagers at both their school and pride. Being in the stage of puberty, everyone was highly sensitive about their sexual orientations. But King felt like they were brothers, Or so he was the only one who thought of that. And then Axel went on his own path, got new friends.

"A group of werewolves harassed us, Uncle Hugh," Pandora responded, looking directly at his blue eyes.

Hugh was silent, but his face already echoed the question, again?

"They had the same pack as the ones from before," she added.

"How did it happen?"

Pandora shrugged. "We were in the store when we saw the group. We tried to avoid them, but, suddenly..."

Hugh fixated his gaze at her as he waited for her to finish.

"One of the guys pulled me."

The older man rubbed his chin, staring at the floor as he mumbled, "These werewolves are going too far... How many are they?"

Pandora eyed King from the corner of her eyes, who was also caught up in eyeing the blonde guy on his side.

"Only four," Pandora said. "... There's an alpha."

The older man's brows perked up. "Alpha?"

"Yusef," Pandora continued, "Yusef was his name."

Hugh and Axel's eyes widened.

"Wait. Are you sure it's Yusef?" Axel asked as he stared at her, a quizzical frown on his face.

King darted his eyes away, somehow being reeled back to reality.

"Heard it loud and clear, sir," Bryce cut in, shifting from his position.

The father and son exchanged gazes. There was a momentary pause before a long, troubled sigh left Hugh's lips.

"What is it?" Pandora asked, conscious that there's something big behind the name.

Hugh gazed back at them, holding his neck in the process. "Well, you've heard about the Lykaiós Pack. But not about the three alphas."

A wave of realization struck the three. Pandora had already fully guessed what he was about to say.

"First, they got the puppet master behind their current administration, Zachary, then the notorious Kain... And then we got Yusef, middle amongst the triplets."

Hugh got off the table. He walked towards them, placing a hand on King's shoulder as he darted his eyes back and forth at them.

"I don't know if I should call you fortunate or otherwise, but I think it would be best if you three stay in here at the pridehouse until the ascension. And you don't have to worry about going back to the US. We're already bringing up solutions to get you guys home immediately after the ceremony." He smiled at them.

Just as he was about to walk away, he took a step back and cocked a brow at his son. "Arent you supposed to be in practice, Axel?"

King scratched his head. "I, uh, crashed into him in the street while I was running, uncle Hugh. Then, uh, got him dragged into this—"

"Literally." Axel shrugged, staring at the ceiling.

King glowered at him.

Hugh stared back and forth at the two with wide eyes, a massive sense of relief crashing into him when he realized the two were already talking to each other again.

━━━

King was about to walk back to his room when he noticed Pandora eyeing him like he was a suspected criminal.

He cocked a brow. "What's with you?"

Pandora looked as indifferent as before. "I should be the one asking that. You've been odd ever since we saw each other again."

King flushed. "Wha— I wasn't."

"King, what's wrong?" she pushed.

"I told you, nothing." he tried walking away, but Pandora pulled him back from his shoulder.

"King—"

"Nothing."

Pandora narrowed her eyes, extremely staring at him like she was drilling conscience on his forehead. When King avoided her gaze and refused to speak, she retreated and sighed.

"King," she called out again.

King thought she was going to push the issue once again, but he was only piqued by what she said next:

"Did you perhaps... felt anything when you saw that guy?"

"What guy?" King's heartbeat rose. He thought she was talking about Axel.

"I don't know, but for some reason, you were the only one chased around." That wasn't the only mystery she had in mind.

Realization struck King, and he mentally facepalmed himself. "Oh, is it the alpha? Why would I feel anything?"

Pandora studied his reaction.

"What's with that look?"

She shook her head and said, "Nothing."

"Hey, what was that?" King trailed Pandora as she walked away.

"Nothing."

"Don't copy me!" he snapped.

"You started it."

"That's not fair!"