Mates of a Human

Part Six. Chapter Eleven. Michael

"A cat is a cat," my father replied in a flat tone.

"King John is a were-jaguar," I replied, wanting to know where this was leading. "A powerful one at that."

However, whatever it was I wished to learn was not forthcoming from this man of secrets.

Once Gabriel returned, he sat beside Adriel and a meal was brought to the table; it was a beef steak marinaded in a peppery sauce, served with new potatoes and green vegetables. If my father was looking to impress the other Alpha, I doubted it worked. A steak is a steak after all. And this couldn't compare to what Eric could produce in terms of flavour. Nadine picked at it as if it was beneath her, I could clearly see her distaste for the meal, while her father was much more subtle, slowly cutting it into bite sized pieces and washing it down with the wine on the table. I didn't touch the wine, my father looked out of his depth when it came to the red liquid, probably craving a beer or whiskey. My mother kept up light chatter for a moment, before a heavy silence came over everyone.

I decided to indulge my curiosity, to see what I could reveal from everyone at this farce. "So I am assuming that your surname is not really Taylor," I said to Nadine, who smiled, gleeful that I had addressed her.

"It's my mother's maiden name," she replied, sipping her glass of wine. Her cheeks were fast becoming flush from it as she drank on an empty stomach. Obviously this was brewed for a supernatural's taste.

"Is your mother human?" I asked.

"No, why do you ask?" She replied, her tongue loosening. I could feel the Alpha's eyes upon me, both Alpha's, but I ignored them, focusing on the woman until she began to blush.

"It's nothing really," I said, smoothly. "Only that the hospital was clearly built with humans in mind, I just assumed wrongly that is all."

"My uncle is mated to my maternal aunt," she advised me, happily contributing to the conversation. My father smiled, content that I was playing my part, perhaps even thinking that I was even warming up to the She-wolf, who did not smell like a wolf at all, just like her father. "The hospital was once a private clinic owned by his family."

I allowed myself to look surprised, although I already new a little about the history of the hospital, how the current owner had built upon the foundations of that clinic to create what was originally a private hospital. Later, he gained that contract when a failing public hospital nearby was forced to close. An A&E was added about ten years ago and later the geriatrics department. It had sounded like the venture of a successful entrepreneur, but now there was an undertone that someone else invested in that rise. "It is a good hospital," I allowed, not mentioning the obvious problems it had been suffering of late. "How long have you been interested in practicing medicine?"

I could sense her father was slowly relaxing, my questioning bringing up no obvious alarms. "Oh, my mother's father was a pack Doctor," she said, warming up to the subject. "I learned many things from him and then took on the small degree of pack medicine at university."

Pack medicine was not the same as the subject I studied, it was not even its small cousin. Pack medicine taught only what was need to know about wolf physiology and seeing as our bodies did not contract even an acute amount of the problems that a human body did, it only took four years to study and the last year could be done under the supervision of a qualified pack Doctor. A woman of twenty three having studied this should not be working in a hospital as they would not have gained a license to practice medicine from the government. It was likely why the new ward for supernaturals had been opened in the private clinic, but as she only knew about wolves, she likely had to rely on everyone else to help with the few patients that they actually received. I had heard rumours from Clover that the ward bled money like water from a running tap.

I almost felt like laughing. This ridiculous woman had forced her uncle to find her a position in his hospital and employ me in order to try and meet me? Make me love her and become her mate? Was she behind Alex's sudden redundancy as well? And clearly this father of hers was stupidly indulging in her every whim!

"How blessed you are, my dear," my mother was happily rejoicing for her, reaching over and patting her hands. There were very few of this pack members who attended college let alone university as isolated as it had become.

"I know," she said, unsubtly wiping her hands upon the napkin after my mother had touched them. I felt a low rumble beginning to build in Adriel's chest, he clearly was not happy. I nudged his arm to get his attention as did Gabriel. He frowned at us, one after the other, but calmed himself down. I sensed he and his wolf were confused and even felt some concern there for.. for my mate? My wolf nuzzled his, reassuring him, asking him to trust us.

"Seeing as you do not believe in fate," Gabriel suddenly asked Alpha Rider, "do you believe in true mates?"

Both Alpha's frowned, but only my father got visibly angry about the question, however before he could speak Rider replied shortly; "I do not."

"Gabriel!" My father growled.

"It was merely a question, father," Gabriel shrugged as if it meant nothing.

"You'll have to forgive my son," Alpha Haze said, with an almost nervous tone to his voice. "A sly she-wolf convinced my foolish boy that he was her true mate and even went so far to conceive his child. If it wasn't for my grandchild, I would have exiled the bitch already." I couldn't help but wonder if my father believed his own lies.

"I quite understand," the Alpha said, his face remaining stoic. "One of our own tried the same thing with my daughter not so long ago. It was quite upsetting, my pack did not like to lose their Omega. It disturbed them greatly. But I had no choice to exile him after my daughter rejected him, I couldn't have such an insignificant wolf sniffing around my daughter while she is planning her wedding nuptials."

There was a fall of silence about the table, my mother went very pale, probably reliving her own rejection. But my father was there to save her, one of the few things I can say he did right. Who was there to save their omega?

"How long ago was this?" I found myself asking, my wolf naturally turning to comfort the whimpering she-wolf close by.

"Oh, must have been six weeks ago?" Nadine said, making me lose all hope for the poor creature. Did she have even an inkling at what she had done? Did she even care? I stood up suddenly, no longer able to stand this farce as I reached for my mother.

"Michael sit down," my father muttered, but there was no heat to it. He understood as much as I, what their words meant, but he couldn't wrap his head around how he felt about it.

"My apologies," I said to anyone who wanted to listen, "but my mother is looking a little pale and I wish to accompany her to her room. I hope you will excuse me." I did not wait for an answer, but heard Nadine say almost carelessly;

"That's okay, my love. When you return, we can discuss the wedding!"

I would rather die. But I would never do that to my mates. All I could do was endure for now. It would not be long until I told her exactly what she could do with her wedding plans.