She 'mreows' at him, purring sweetly instead of answering. He has a feeling she's not listening to him at all. Most half shifters are like this, a little too much of their animals in charge for them to be fully human.
Chapter One: Inheritance
Theodore is aware of the hushed whispers and the pitying stares as he walks into the building and up the steps. His friend is dead. Danny has been is oldest and closest friends since he was a young child and didn't understand why his best friend can't be twenty years older than him. Danny is only fifty-years-old. It's not fair.
What's even more unfair is that instead of leaving all his possessions to his children, he h
as given Theodore one of his many houses. Theodore doesn't need a house. He doesn't want a house.
He tells his lawyers exactly what when Danny's lawyers told him as much.
As if reading his mind, one of his employees behind the desk whispers, "Why do you think he got the house?"
"Shh! He can hear us!"
"Don't be stupid, Jan."
He turns to the women behind the receptionist desk with one of his patented glares and they quiet immediately. It's unusual that they're talking at all with him there, considering how much they are all terrified of him. Everyone knows he has a short temper and is ruthless in getting everything he wants exactly as he wants it. His desire for perfection is the foundation that his entire company is built on. It is why he knows the name of every single employee and personally sees to their loyalty. The new hire is named Desiree and she's an intern. She's not going to be working for his company for long, not if she continues to partake in unnecessary gossip. It is a waste of time and he does not stand for it.
"He can hear us, Desi. Mr. Black is a werewolf."
The fact that he can shift to his wolf form and back easily is a thing of marvel for scientists everywhere. There is a rumor going around about how he stays in his wolf form when he is alone and that's why people are uncomfortable being in his presence for too long. Most wolf shifters are closer to human than wolf and he is the opposite. He connects with his beast more.
He doesn't argue with that because it's true. He's more wolf than human most days, though he keeps the animal part of him caged inside.
He counts down from a hundred when he's in the elevator, knowing he's not going to like what's happening in the next half hour. Already, he picks up the foul scent of the particular brand of tobacco that his lawyer fancies so much. He doesn't know how other shifters stand that smell of tobacco smoke. At least he has that meeting with the Lead Engineer in an hour. The guy always come up with the best ideas on what he intends to build next.
First, he just need to get the meeting with his lawyer over with.
"What's going on?" he asks the moment he has the door open.
Alex stands immediately, looking clearly uncomfortable as he adjusts the papers on the table. Huh. Odd that they would send the runt of the pack to him. Alex is the new hire at their firm. He's probably twenty-five, a good five years younger than himself, but looks and feels like he's fresh out of high school. Tobacco clings to his suit as though he's been bathing in it. "Mr Sir- Black- Sir Black- I mean, Mr. Theodore Black. Sir." He clears his throat. "Mr. Black, there appears to be some... complications about the house Danny Levitt left you."
"Complications?" He lets the word echo in the office. He stands at the door because he has a feeling that 'complications' needs immediate attention. The firm normally sends him emails and text messages and leaves memos with his receptionist. The poor boy is terrified of him.
"I think- I think you should follow me," he says and without a word, he stands and walks past Theodore without giving him a second glance, expecting him to follow blindly. He opens the door.
Theodore considers grabbing him by the back of his neck and yanking him back, demanding to be told everything. He resists the urge for all of two seconds before succumbing to it and doing exactly that.
The boy's back hits the glass window with a resounding thud. "Mr- Mr- Black?"
Theodore stalks up to the boy and squats down so he can tip the boy's face up to look at him. "First time dealing with an Alpha, pup?" he asks.
Alex's face has gone white but he manages to nod. "Yes, sir," he says, voice cracking.
"You don't turn your back on an Alpha and you don't ask one to follow you," he says. Jesus. What do they teach kids in school these days? A stricter Alpha could have his pack punish him for this transgression.
His eyes widen in understanding, so he's not completely ignorant. It's possible he forgot. "I'm so sorry, Mr Black, sir. I never- I didn't meant to disrespect."
"Now, what is it that you were so eager to show me?" he asks.
"The house," he says. "Mr. Levitt didn't just leave you a house, Mr. Black." he says, scrambling to his feet when Theodore lets go of his chin and stands.
"Well, carry on, boy," Theodore growls, fast losing his patience.
"Sir," he starts again. "Sir, Mr. Levitt gave you guardianship of his cat shifter. His cat half-shifter."
Chapter Two: Half-Shifter