His Feline

"What!?” I growled, slamming my palms on the wooden desk and standing up to pace the office. “You heard me Ash; you are to going to transfer within the week.” My pride leader said as he eyed “my pacing figure, hands holding the manila envelope that I wish I could burn. “I am one of your best fighters Tom, you can’t transfer me.” I almost begged, the animal inside of me was as disturbed by the news as I was, growling lowly in the back of my mind. “It was not my doings Ash. If I could keep you here I would, the men here need the competition but the council think it is best if you transfer to another pack. You know you are one of the last of your kind. They feel if you are moved from different lands, the chances of you finding a mate and reproducing quicker are higher.” He came and placed a hand on my shoulder while he planted on the corner of his desk. His words were as kind as he could put and I sat down on the leather chair. I knew he was right. I was one of the last Siberian tigers left and I had grown up in front of Tom, him being the closest thing to a dad I could get. Both my parents died when I was a baby when the first raid on Siberian tigers began. I never knew them and no one could tell me because I was handed to Tom and his Pride to be raised. I knew this was coming because Tom had prepared me. I looked at Tom and watched his lion inside show a little through his golden eyes. “Where will I be going?” I asked and he gave me a smirk, rounding his desk to sit back in his leather chair. “Well, the council know that you are a very skilled and strong animal so they are not going to take you away from being with strong animals. You are going to a pack that's filled with a diversity of animals, run by the pack leader Eli. The pack is ranked strongest on the leader board for as long as he has been Alpha. Bigger competition and stronger boys, which reminds me, it’s an all-male pack.” I let out a sarcastic noise. They wouldn’t know what hit them by the time I was done with them and it sounded like their Alpha was as cocky as the rest of his “Pack”. “Thank you. For everything Tom. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” He gave me a small nod. “I will drive you to the landing strip on Thursday, gives you enough to pack and say goodbye. There will be someone waiting for you when you land. This is something that a shifter like you shouldn’t have to deal with and I do apologise. I hope you find everything you need when you go through the rest of your life without me and I am sure there’s a man out there waiting for you. You just need to learn how to open your heart.” I let out a shaky breath, giving Tom a short nod before exiting out of his office in Golden Pride’s management building. I grabbed my jacket from the stand by the front doors and shrugged my arms through the puffy sleeves. Outside, a thin layer of snow coated the pride lands and I smiled. I loved this weather; cold climates were where my ancestors had made their habitats. Our white fur keeps us hidden in the snow and to be honest, I didn’t need the jacket and warm clothing. My body temperature was made warm enough to withstand the cold. I just wore the warm clothes so I could fit in with the rest of the pride. Golden Pride was a diversity of feline shifters only. Tom and his wife, Ella, were lion shifters who ran the pride, being honest leaders and always put the pride’s safety other themselves or others outside the pride. I looked around at the small redbrick houses that were the homes to the shifters; smells of home cooked meals filled my and my animal’s noses. I smelt roast potatoes and picked up the delicious smell of steak somewhere beyond, my stomach growled in protest. Every house was the same except for the Pride leader’s home that was a two story house with balconies for the rooms on the second floor. Since I could remember, the two stories, red brick house a home and felt the closest thing to love I could get. Tom let me live in the house ever since I was brought here and Ella looked after me until I was old enough to look out for myself. I got the white front door and cleaned the bottom of my boots off with the carpet that said welcome before entering the house. Once inside, I shrugged off the jacket and took off the boots, walking on the polished wood floors in my blue socks, leaving my things in the coat closet. My greedy nose took me to the kitchen where Ella stood, dishing mountains of food onto the plates on the counter. “Hey there Ash, why don’t you help me takes these plates to the dining room?” She asked with a bright smile and I picked up two food-filled plates, following her into the dining room. I plated the plates and frowned. Normally Aiden would be down by now. “I heard what happened. And I am really sorry Sweetie.” Ella said with a sad smile on her face before pulling me in for a hug. I wasn’t really a hugger but I returned the small hug, watching her retreat into the kitchen. The room became quiet and I turned around, my cat senses kicking into overdrive. Someone came up behind me and I spun around, holding Aiden’s hand up at a dangerous angle. The Pride-leader-to-be smirked, his emerald green eyes shone dangerously in the low light of the dining room. His big build and over six foot stature towered over me, making me feel like a mouse instead of the big cat I was. There was never anything between us, except maybe a kiss or two. There was heavy s****l tension between the two of us but s****l activities before finding your mate or life partner was strictly forbidden. Shifters who were rejected or had a mate but don’t anymore, where allowed to have s*x with whomever they choose. I thought the rule was shitty but I had a legacy to uphold so finding my mate was crucial to carry my family genes. “Want to get out of here later?” He asked, his lion was close to the surface and I could see it in his eyes. I could see the mischief and was curious to know what he was up to. I nodded quickly and watched his parents come in and we got ourselves seated. We dug into the food immediately, silence was hanging over the room until Tom cleared his throat and we all looked up at him, continuing to stuff our faces. “So Ash, I am giving you the rest of the time you have here at Golden Pride off. You are free to do as you please until you leave.” I swallowed my food before answering. “Thank you. Actually, I was thinking of going out to the cottage tonight and spending the night there. I just need to be away from the Pride right now.” He nodded and the room fell silent once again. After dinner I packed an overnight bag and said my goodnights to everyone besides Aiden who offered to drive me up to the cottage. His father knew and waved a hand in dismissal when he asked for the car. The drive was quiet but not awkward. I questioned the shifter gods for not giving me Aiden as my mate. He had strong, powerful lion genes and was masculine but not cocky or a jerk. His father raised him to be a true man like himself and I was bummed that I would never get to see further than the waistband of his jeans where a subtle trail of hair disappeared.     The cottage that Tom offered to me was inside the border of the pride lands. We didn’t have a forest besides the small one where the cottage was. We had flat lands with strong vegetation and we had seasonal buck and deer pass through once a month where the butchers get the meat. We arrived at the cottage and I turned to Aiden as he leaned against the side of the car, towering over the roof. “You come in?” I asked as I unlocked the wooden door and he smirked. “Well you are leaving soon so I might as well spend as much time with you as I can.” I smiled to that and I noticed how dark it was outside as I let him in. I turned on the lights, heading straight for the kettle. I always kept hot chocolate in the cabin because I only ever came up here to distress. I went to sit next to Aiden on the soft sofa as the kettle hummed. I kicked off my shoes and brought them underneath me. “I don’t understand why you are not my mate. We are a perfect match.” I laughed softy, thinking at how the same thing had crossed my mind on the way here. “I will never get to see what’s under that belt.” I teased and he grabbed my chin to kiss him. My mouth knew his and he knew how to kiss me in a way that had me all hot and bothered. I was twenty now and he was about to take over the Pride at twenty-five. I ran my hands over the muscles in his arm before I pulled away. “We can’t do this. You know this isn’t right.” I said softly and he let out a sigh before pulling away from me. “How about we ditch that hot chocolate and go for a run?” His words were music to my ears and I smiled. Aiden was the only person in my age group who I hung out with. From young, he protected me until I knocked a guy’s nose broken when I was seven and he was there for me like a true friend. “Yeah let’s go.” It wasn’t the first time we had stayed at the cottage alone and gone for a run. We knew the land and were always careful when running this close to the border. The animal inside me purred at the sound of being let out for a bit and my ears perked up at the sound of soft shuffling. “What is it?” Aiden asked and I shook my head, “Nothing.” He left to go and shift outside and I stripped of my clothes and put them in a small pile on the sofa before standing in the space where I could shift without knocking anything over. “Brianna.” I whispered, almost like a chant, calling upon the feline inside to arise. The feline purred at the sound of her name as she filled my body, pushing outwards to the surface. My jaw went numb as her sharp teeth and fangs replaced my blunt, human ones. I went down on all fours as my bones shifted rather quickly and my hands and feet turn to paws. The feline let out a roar to announce her presence when the final length of her hair reached its roots. As she rested on the ground, her ears pricked up at the shuffling sound again. She growled lowly, the rumble through her chest rippled through the rest of her body. A field mouse took a cautious step from behind the sofa and the kitty wanted to play. She went down as flat as her body could, her tail swished violently behind her and she moved the weight of her bottom on her hind legs before pouncing on the mouse who took a confident sprint out behind the sofa. She gave it a bite that had him squeaking viciously before taking it outside and torturing it some more between her paws, flicking it in the air and throwing it around. She ate the little creature before taking a seat on the oft grass, licking her paws like queen. Aiden’s lion, Keanu, sat proudly as he watched the ash coloured feline with curiosity, He bowed his head and began to sprint, disappearing into the small forest. Brianna leaped up and kicked her hind legs in an even quicker sprint, overtaking the lion with pride. His golden mane blew in the wind almost as if in slow motion, making Brianna’s female instincts turn on. The lion wasn’t much bigger than her but was big enough and scary enough not to have her run away. Brianna bared her pearly whites, growling in competition and earning a snarl in return from the golden haired feline. After the cats played by the pond near the cottage, Keanu raised his head. Something was up and Brianna sniffed the air too, a rotten smell filling her lungs. There was definitely a dead animal nearby and the two cats followed the scent until they found animal skin hanging from a branch on the very edge of the pride lands. Brianna frowned; something underneath the rotten scent was familiar and got close enough to see the white fur drenched in blood. Black strips came like little slits over the white. The cat's body jerked before freezing. It was one of her, a Siberian tiger. One that looked like it did not have a very peaceful ending. Keanu sniffed and examined the skin before turning to a seated Brianna, motioning the way back to the cottage. I wanted to shift and got up to sprint back the way we came. Once I shifted and put on some clothes, I felt my hands shaking violently until Aiden put a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. I would’ve had some tea but I guess this would do and took a long sip of the steamy liquid. “We have to report this.” I said and picked up the phone to dial Tom’s number. It was way past two in the morning but I knew he would get here immediately for something like this. “Hello?” His sleepy voice came through the phone. Aiden was rubbing my arms now, calming my already shaken up nerves. “Hey Tom, there’s been an incident near the cottage. Someone put up a Siberian tiger skin near the border. It smells a few days old but I could be wrong.” My voice was steady, the shakiness in my hands made up for it. “I’m on my way.” He said and ended the call. Tom was not in the best of moods when he came into the cottage after him and some of his top worriers inspected the scene. He came in alone and nodded to Aiden to leave us alone. He looked to me for reassurance and I nodded with a small smile, my heart stuttering at his show of affection. Once he left to speak with the men outside, Tom gave me a sad look. “How you holding up?” He asked in concern and I felt my inners quake with the threat of tears on the verge of spilling out of my eyes. Tom was the only person who I had ever shown my weak side with and I bit my lip rather harshly. “I felt like it was aimed at me Tom.” I tried making my voice as neutral as could and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders to comfort me as my body started shaking violently. I was one of the last of my kind and having something like that happens so close to home felt like a downright offence. “I have informed the council of the situation and they said I must get you on a plane immediately and to your new home. We are going to investigate this side and inform your new pack leader of any information we come across. He is going to expect your arrival by dusk and we are going to get you on a plane now.” “You shouldn’t worry so much over me Tom, I will be fine.” He pulled me closer for a tighter hug. “I know, but the council thinks it’s safer for you. We can’t have you going extinct now can we?” He said with a smile and I could see he was trying to brighten up my mood. I sniffed with a small laugh and he gently patted my shoulder blade before getting up. “Get your things together because I’m going to drive you as soon as I’ve spoken to the men outside.” I nodded softly and watched him approach Aiden, motioning for the worriers to leave them alone. I lent my feline’s ears out to hear the conversation that conspired between the two Alpha males. “How could you do something like that? Taking her so far to the edge of the border when you know that her kind is going extinct, that was so f*****g stupid.” Tom now grabbed the back of Aiden’s neck and held him rather roughly to look at his father in the eye. “Pull something this reckless again and I swear I will make sure someone takes your place as Alpha.” Aiden bowed in submission to his father and Tom let go of his neck, shoving the young lion away towards the car that we came in. As Tom was about to catch me snooping, I quickly made sure everything was still in my bag before slinging the tog bag over my shoulder. “You ready?” He said, poking his head in by the door with a smile but I could see and feel his lion’s anger seething out of him. I nodded and walked out with him to his pickup. I caught Aiden rubbing a hand over his face before making quick eye contact through the windshield of the car. I couldn’t read his expression but could see that his confrontation with his dad had shaken him up, and to be honest, it shook me up too. I had never seen Tom like that in my time here at Golden Pride and I didn’t blame Aiden for what happened, but his dad felt that what he done to let us run that far was irresponsible and reckless. I got into the pickup quietly and without a fight. To be honest, I wouldn’t want any anger Tom had in his lion to come out on me. Plus, I was always a good kid, doing chores on time and never bothering anyone really. “Ella will have the rest of your things packed by the time we get home so we don’t have to keep you here longer than you have to be. The further away you are from here the better, I am so sorry this happened to you, kid.” He said and reversed from the dirt road to the main tar road where he turned around back to the house. A promised, Ella had my things neatly tucked in three extra-large suitcases and I was the one who went in for a hug, hugging the woman who mothered me as her own. “Oh Ash, you must be terrified.” She cooed while stroking my hair. I forced the tears away while I held her and she pulled away, grabbing a small bag and handing it to me. “What’s this?” I asked and I felt fresh tears sting my eyes. “Oh you shouldn’t have, Ella.” I said, swallowing a hiccup. The bag contained some of her home made bathroom products. She had taken up the hobby when her days were just spent at home. She packed in the lemon collection, knowing I loved it and added some others that I had told her I’d loved in the past plus a jar of choc-chip biscuits. I jumped up and wrapped my arms around the both of them, knowing that I would probably never see them again. “I love you two.” I said and they hugged me back whispering that they loved me just as much. “Where is Aiden? Thought he would be the one to drive you.” Ella said and wiped away a tear. “I will talk to you later.” Tom said and began grabbing the suitcases to get them in the pickup. “I love you mom.” I said as I gave her a final hug. It was the first time I called her that and would probably be the last, but I wanted her to know what she meant to me. “I love you too. Now go before Tom starts yelling.” She said with a laugh and I chuckled softly, both of us wiping our tears away and I waved at her as I went out the door. She stood by the front door when I got in and I rolled down the window to hear the last thing she said to me. “Look after yourself dear and I know you will find a young man that appreciates your beautiful heart.” With that, Tom pressed the gas and we started towards the air strip. The drive was silent and I took my time studying the outline of the buildings as they rushed past the moving car, imprinting every detail that I could. It was after four in the morning according to the car clock and I settled into the car seat, every line of stitching felt like it was embedding into my back and I let the silence drag on. Not wanting a conversation in this crappy time. The air strip lights came into view twenty minutes later and I saw the figure of a plane on the airway, waiting for me like a bad dream. My goodbye to Tom was quick because we both didn’t want to show how weak we really were and loaded the bags onto the plane before hugging tightly and Tom whispering to me to look after myself. I nodded and pulled away, getting onto the plane and left the only place that I knew as home