When they were done jumping all over Justice and trying to take him down… hell, catch him, he showed them comfort by scenting, letting them rub along his body before they took off to do whatever the teenagers liked to do now.
“You done playing?” Alpha Mikel was standing beside Alek, his thick brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, his hands crossed over his ample chest. “We have some work for you.”
Justice shifted and came up to shake Mikel’s hand, an ear to ear smile splitting his face.
“It’s good to see you, Alpha. Mating suits you.”
Justice thanked Mikel and followed them though the lush lawn up to the main cabin. Everyone was already in there, sitting around on the multiple sectionals Mikel had in the great room where he held his meetings. He nodded to Mikel’s betas, accepting their congratulations as well. He took the cutoff shorts and wife beater his sister handed to him, giving her a quick hug before she went back to her seat next to Mac.
Justice was about to speak when he smelled his youngest brother. He looked to Alek. “You didn’t tell me Taleb was back. He didn’t even contact me.”
“I meant no disrespect. I thought it’d be rude to disturb you with your mate just to say, ‘I’m back’.” Taleb’s voice was quiet as he emerged from Mikel’s study, but his inner power made anything he said sound commanding. “It made no sense to do… so I didn’t.”
Justice smiled fondly at his baby brother, folding him into him for a long hug. Taleb was too smart for his own good. “I appreciate the consideration. But next time you leave without informing me, and without your guards, there’ll be repercussions.” Justice still held his brother tight to take the sting from his words… but he meant them.
“Yes, Alpha.” Taleb sat down next to Farica, waiting to hear what Justice had to say before he gave his own report. All of them did.
He wouldn’t keep them long. He knew it was late and they probably wanted to get back to their own mates and families. However, Justice had to be sure the strong shifters in this room were on his side and his biggest allies. “I need to know you fully support me and my mate. We have serious matters at hand and we’re going to have to band together. All of us. Including the vampires. Chadwick Bentley is a good man. A dutiful leader and protector.”
“He’s willing to fight for us. With us?” One of Mikel’s large enforcers asked. “They have the numbers.”
“He is. By this time tomorrow, everyone in our species will know of our mating. There’ll be more uprising if we don’t handle the rebellious pack quickly.” Justice told them about the threat of scientists potentially hiring poachers to capture them so they could study them. “We all have to unite, because they don’t only want to study us, they want vampires too. Our own are turning in vulnerable packs for a few lousy dollars.”
“Some vampires may get killed fighting shifters. They’re not stronger than us,” Alek interjected. “We don’t want to put Wick’s covens at risk due to our feud. And we especially don’t want to endanger your mate.”
“It’s not only our feud,” Justice argued. “Wick’s speaking with his leaders about it now.”
“We’ve fought and won wars before. The Mother has always ensured our safety and survival.” Taleb stood and everyone gave the thinker of the family their attention. He’d spent the last few days in Mystic with Shamans – the interpreters of their culture and history–- of course they hung on to Taleb’s every word. “This isn’t the first, nor will it be the last, shifter/vampire mating. More are to come.”
Justice replayed what his brother said. There’ll be more. He was sure it didn’t mean more vampires being able to mate then shift. No, he believed the Mother only gave that to the King. But he prayed there were more fated pairings.
Mikel sat forward. “So, as we join forces, you mean more shifters may find their true mates in the vampire community?”
“Exactly,” Taleb said. “The Mother is wise. If King Bentley and Justice aren’t the only true mating, and there are indeed more, no one would be able to refute the prophesy. That our two species would unite again to fight our real enemy, not each other.”
“Defiant shifters?” Farica frowned.
“No. Human scientists.” Justice held up the tranquilizer dart.
“Have they said any more?” Justice asked walking down the long narrow stairs that led to a small basement where Mikel held their captives for transport to a restraint facility.
“No,” Alek answered. “I’ve already arranged for a pickup. The others are insolent and stubborn, holding loyal to their mutinous alpha; so I won’t even have you bother with them. Though I’m sure you could push the information out of them.”