Paul let out a content purr as his mate sat on his lap. Right now, her attention was fully on the acrobatic show, but his attention was on her.
She was beautiful. Always had been. He couldn't wait to see her at her full potential. Right now, she was just a flower waiting to bloom. He knew Aunt Doris would help break the hesitation. His mate had never been allowed to come out of her shell. To experience things for herself. Everyone had always relied on her, for everything else they needed. But what about her? When had she ever been allowed to live? When had she been able to experience power? Raw power?
Paul held back a growl. Wolf and fox were ready to rise to the surface. Their mate had been made the victim for too long. She was always the prey, never the predator.
No, never again. His mate would not be weak.
She would never again have to look over her shoulder and wonder if it would be her turn to die.
No, as soon as they returned to the state, everyone would see. They would see her strength. Her beauty.
Never would anyone see her as the weak link.
They would fear her. They would fear him.
A sudden shout brought Paul back to earth. security was arguing with someone trying to get into their booth.
"we dont care who you are! No one sees the Renard's! he has a no disruption policy!"
"I don't give a flying – "
Paul stopped listening as he recognized the voice.
With gentleness, he picked up his mate and placed her in the loveseat.
"we will be right back darling." He whispered to her.
After giving her a swift and yet alluring kiss. Paul made his way to the door. Wolf and fox rising in excitement.
He quickly swung open the door and put his hand up for silence.
Security quickly shut their traps but the one he was looking forward to didn't.
"Paul! You uppity trickster!"
"SEFA!" he greeted.
Before he knew it, He and Sefa were speed walking out the nearest exit.
"Rana! Go inside my wife's in there!" Paul quickly instructed to his oldest and best friends mate. He also assured security that it was ok.
Once that was settled, Paul sniffed out his friend.
"bastard I got you now! The chase is on!"
From somewhere in the distance, he could hear sefa laugh.
He followed Sefa's scent, all around the city. But as soon as he smelled it close, Paul decided it was his turn.
Sefa Ahmad, was his best friend. Practically a brother. His grandparents were great friends with Sefa's parents. And every time he and sefa were together, they gave chase. It was like a mixture of tag and hide and seek.
After they tire of chasing each other, it turned into a race. Whoever got to the tallest skyscraper in the city first was the winner. The loser had to pay for dinner. For a whole freaking year and this time, Sefa was going to pay.
Paul laughed as he caught sefa watching him from a tree.
"see you there loser!" he called.
"what! oh no you don't!"
Looking around, Paul realized he and sefa were the countryside of the city, that mean it was safe to phase.
After a few miles, he made it to the building with no sigh of Sefa around. He was just about to enter the abandoned building when a something of a growl emitted in the darkness.
Paul growled back.
Emerging from the bushes was a tiger. ready to strike and it did, just like Paul expected.
With quick reflexes Paul jumped, ducking his opponents attack and ran inside the building.
The chase was on again. Paul had to get to the top. Mid stride, he allowed Fox to take over. Her body being just a bit more agile then wolfs.
After a few jumps and sliding into the tightest spaces, Paul made it to the top.
Collapsing as he transformed back. And just in time sefa appeared. Transforming back as well.
"darn it! Not fair Paul! You have two spirit animals!"
"oh, quit complaining! I won fair and square. Your paying for my dinners. Not like you cant afford it. Prince Sefa…" he mocked.
Sefa was the next in line for the throne of Saudi. But as soon as he turned eighteen, he had told his family shove it. And deep-down Paul admired him for his bravery. He couldn't do that. He didn't have the privilege to that. Besides Paul was an only child. He couldn't just hand over his responsibilities. He owed it to his grandparents to be the best leader he could be. Unlike sefa who wasn't conceded but did expect everything to be handed to him and it was. But Paul never dwelled on it.
Sefa threw himself next to Paul and let out a warning growl.
"you know I abdicated my role."
Paul rolled his eyes.
"you and I both know that that is not official. Your father just pretended to accept it, so that you could have a normal life but you and I both know that one you will never have a normal life and two, the minute he dies or is ready to give up the throne, your butt will be on it. Whether you like it or not."
After a moment of silence, Sefa sighed and agreed.
"yeah, your right. Im just trying to enjoy it while it lasted. Dude im so glad you're here! We having talked faced to face in months! And you have been ignoring my text messages! What's up with you man? I mean I know your this giant hot shot now but you can't abandon your best friend! Cause I remember a skinny kid with braces who- "
"aright, alright I get it. Please don't mention the braces. I had a hard time enough with puberty!" Paul groaned. "and your right, im sorry I've just been busy, besides, we all cant abandon our duties like you can man."
He joked as he punched sefa in the arm.
Sefa smiled but then looked at him with serious eyes.
"supernatural crap?" he questioned.
"isn't it always?"
"well at least your happy." Sefa said as he laid back down.
"what do you mean?" Paul asked.
"p. I haven't even met your mate and I can already tell she means the world to you! Its all in your eyes and your body language. You radiate this unbreakable joy and content. You must really love her. And she must really love you. I…wish I had that with rana… as much as I boat about my freedom and not following the rules. At least you got to pick your mate. Mine was chosen for me."
"you guys still struggling?"
Sefa sighed.
"yeah. She just...clams up you know. I mean we've been together for what three years and she still acts like we just met…of course, it doesn't help her that im a shapeshifter and can't tell her. She knows something is up…but she just doesn't say anything."
"maybe that's what she needs. She needs to see that you can't trust her. You should tell her. Show her."
"but the council..."
"screw the council Sefa! The council is not always right. This is between you and your mate and making sure your marriage is built on honesty. Women need all that crap. They need honesty and trust and all those emotional foundations…"
Sefa laughed.
"oh man. Your wife has you whipped. Hey, why wasn't I invited to the wedding?"
"because the first one was rushed and small. I couldn't let her leave the country unmarked."
"supernatural bs?" sefa questioned.
"always."
"well, I got more for you. There are rumors going around Paul. Rumors of…war. And something tells me, only you can stop them..."