I shouldn't have been so surprised to learn that we lived on the border of the Cat Clan's territory. Mom was a descendant of one of the Cat Clan and so is my older sister. Who has a Cat Clan mate and little cubs.
Maeve's mate didn't really like me at all, he never said it in much words but the looks he gave me whenever I was around told me enough. I wasn't really welcome, around him anyways. If he could have his way he would have killed me. Of that, I am absolutely sure.
Fidgeting I was waiting for Riley to show up so we could go meet those Alpha's and be done with it. Riley did warn me that they might force me to shift, all because they could. He promised me nothing bad would happen to me. I believed him, he was just as jittery as I was about this meeting. When dad learned of me meeting the Cat Clan Alpha's, he roared that we should also meet the Wolf Clan Alpha.
Sighing as I checked the clock for the tenth time in a minute "It's going to be okay Archie. You'll be fine."
I glared at Maeve "Easy for you to say, you're not the one with the odd animal. The one the Cat Clan feels should never exist in the first place."
Maeve made a distressed sound, I didn't really care. "We all know how they feel about my existence."
My body hummed as Riley's rainforest scent entered my nose. I smiled as he entered the room and his eyes went to mine immediately. "Hi, Archie. Ready?"
Nodding I stepped into his welcoming embrace. Riley acknowledged the others in the room with a nod before ushering me out of the door. He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze "We will be okay. I will make sure nothing bad will happen to you, I promise you this Archie." I nod as we make our way to the Pack House of the Cat Clan.
The closer we got, the more tense Riley became.
[Are you okay Riley? You look very tense.]
He strains to smile reassuring at me.
[It's nothing really. Just being reminded of bad memories.]
The way he said it told me he wouldn't appreciate it if I pry. So I didn't, I would wait until he felt ready to tell me. We were told to wait in the foyer of the quite big townhouse the Cat Clan uses for their own little pack meetings. The younger kids openly stared at my while their parents glared or sniffed at me.
Riley helped me through it all; he glared back at the parents, he even hissed at an elder couple who accidentally on purpose hit my shins with their walking canes. I just sighed, I already knew this was going to be a horrible experience.
I was proven right the moment I stepped into the room. The hate and Alpha stare was so heavy and thick you could cut it with a knife. I swallowed thickly, I felt a bead of sweat roll down the nape of my neck down my spine; making me shiver.
[It will be okay Archie. I promise.]
Riley squeezed my hand as he gently tugged me towards the raised platform where the Cat Clan Alpha couple resided. "Alpha Jordan, Alpha Jackie." Riley bowed his head slightly, not knowing what to do I followed his example and bowed my head.
"Alpha."
The Alpha's were okay, the stream of hate came from the elders in the council seated behind the Alpha couple.
"Well Archon, it came to our attention that you are a mix of wolf and leopard. Which one are you? You have a sister who is a leopard were and wolf were right?"
I nodded my head "Yes Alpha. My sisters are a leopard and wolf were." I looked at Riley for comfort. He nodded slightly, encouraging me to tell Alpha Jordan.
[He will find out one way or another. He rather hears it from you than anybody else.]
I took a deep breath "I am a mix of both Alpha Jordan." There was silence after my statement, making me uncomfortable and looked down at the floor.
"You do know that such a statement needs proof don't you boy?"
I could hear the Alpha's wonder.
"Yes Alpha, I do."
Alpha Jordan nodded, "Then my next question shouldn't come as a surprise that I ask you to shift."
My breath hitched slightly, this is what I feared. "It will be okay Archon, you are safe here." Alpha Jackie said, probably trying to reassure me that nothing bad will happen once I shift.
I relaxed as Riley started rubbing my tense shoulders, "It will be okay Archie, I will protect you."
I rolled my neck and closed my eyes and visualise shifting into my wolf. I winched and grunted as my bones snapped and reformed. I was panting by the time I was done.
[Well done Archie.]
Riley's hand petted lightly my head.
"Well, I say! This is unheard off! Guards take that abomination away!" a Council Elder yelled.
I snarled. "What!" Riley roared "Archie shifted because you wanted to see his animal form! Don't blame him if he actually did what you wanted!"
Alpha Jordan and Jackie both rose and the Council fell silent. My hackles rose a little, as they both made their way down towards us. I saw wonder and curiosity in their gazes as they looked at me.
"He's a perfect mixture of wolf and feline isn't he?" Alpha Jackie gasped as she slowly circled me.
"Yes, he is." Alpha Jordan's deep voice grumbled. He was still slightly cautious around me but he still circled me looking at me from all angles.
"Can I touch your fur Archon?" Alpha Jackie asked, slowly inching forward. I nodded my massive head, and slowly padded forward to her outstretched hand.
"He really isn't the hideous creature that we heard of in legends. That might be because he is the next generation of mixes." Alpha Jordan mussed more to himself than in general.
Dressed in a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt, Riley and I both left the Cat Clan Pack House. "That went quite well didn't it?" Riley seemed still slightly out of it.
He shrugged lightly "I must admit that it went better than I anticipated. It's just that Wolf Clan might not be as easy. Since wolves are a little more stuck with bloodlines and everything. I just hope your dad's influence will make it a little easier."
I haven't really thought about that, I was more stressed out about the Cat Clan meeting. I had heard all kinds of rumours about the daunting Cat Clan. Not to say the Wolf Clan wouldn't be daunting, but there are a little easier in dealing with.
Unlike the meeting with the Cat Clan, where I was neatly dressed I was now dressed in sweats. I was humming under my breath as I was making my way to Riley's house to pick him up. Unlike the previous meeting, I was the one now introducing Riley to the Wolf Clan Alphas as my mate. Dad said he would meet us there. Everything was all good and well until I was close to Riley's house and heard noises of an argument.
[Riley? What's going on?]
I barely finished the question when his front door opened and a cougar ran out.
[Yes Archie, I am okay. That was Jasmine, someone my parents forced on me. And no she wasn't there when I introduced you as my mate to the Cat Clan.]
"So have you met the Wolf Clan Alphas before?" I asked as we made our way to the other side of the Pack lands to Wolf Clan lands.
"A few times" Riley confessed "But never in an intimate atmosphere like now. Both Alphas are quite direct and to the point. Unlike the Cat's they feel nothing for being silly willy. " I sighed in relief, I couldn't stand going through another meeting that would drag on for hours because they took every detour before addressing the issue they wanted.
"Archon!" dad's deep baritone boomed across the lawn in front of a cluster of cabins.
The difference couldn't have been bigger between Cat and Wolf Clan. Where the Cat Clan were more reserved and distant, the Wolf Clan was open and joyous. I liked them already. A man besides my dad turned and arched an eyebrow "What brings you here Riley of the Cat Clan?"
By the tone of his voice, I could tell he was highly ranked maybe Alpha or Beta.
Riley inclined his head "Beta Johnson, I am here because Archie is my mate." The man narrowed his eyes and placed his hand on his hips. He obviously wasn't really happy with that information. He growled under his breath, before turning to me.
I bared my neck "Beta Johnson."
He came over and sniffed at me "You haven't fully mated?" I kept my eyes on the floor "No Beta because I asked to meet the Wolf Clan before we do anything about our mating."
He nodded his head "Sensible decision. Now follow me and I will take you to meet the Alpha before introducing your mate."
Although Riley followed us into the biggest cabin of the cluster, he didn't follow us down the hall to the office of the Alpha. Dad, on the other hand, followed us at a more sedate pace.
Unsurprisingly I was led into a room with wood furniture and a huge man sitting behind the desk. Who looked up at the moment the door opened and dismissed the Beta and my dad at the same time. Dad looked a little shocked before pulling himself together and leave us alone.
"Have a seat pup."
Seating myself in a chair I waited patiently until the Alpha was done with whatever he was doing. The chair creaked as the massive man shifted in his seat as he turned to fully face me. "So your father tells me you already have a mate. Care to explain pup?" I bit my lip not sure what to say or where to begin.
"How about you begin by the beginning pup?" A few hours and cups of tea later I had told Wolf Alpha Gerrard everything. "Send in the mate." He called and Riley stepped through the door seconds later. Alpha Gerrard was surprised but hid it moments later.
"Riley of the Cat Clan, why am I not surprised?" He grunted. Riley shrugged before seating himself in the chair beside mine.
After having to shift for the Alpha Wolf as well we were dismissed. Shifting twice in one day, I was quite drained. I was glad Riley offered to carry me home. Being carried piggy-back gave me the opportunity to press my face in his neck and sniff my fill of his scent without being odd.
The fact that Riley chuckled, made me think I wasn't so unsuspicious as I hoped to be. He softly joisted me, "We're here." Blinking slightly, dad's wooden cabin came into view. I whined low in my throat; I didn't want to say goodbye to Riley just yet. I clung to his back like a koala when he tried to set me down on the porch. Riley laughed at me, I liked the rich sound of it; it sends lustful tingles down my spine.
"Come on now Archie, don't be childish," Riley said laughing under his breath. I pouted at him as he finally managed to set me down on the porch. He cupped my cheek gently as he straightened up "Don't be like that, I will see you tomorrow."
He kissed me, and before I could deepen it to my liking he pulled back and moved a few steps away. As I moved to him, he held up his hands "Dream of me tonight and before you know it, it will be morning and we will meet again." With a cheeky grin, he saluted and shifted before bounding away towards his house. Leaving me standing there, wanting him closer.