Chapter 5: Fathers and Friends

Many yards away, hidden behind the center fountain in the middle of the courtyard, three men were observing the trio with curiosity, making their own observations.

"Well, I must admit, Nate, I do find your mate quite attractive," Seth said with a smirk. His eyes followed another blond in the trio.

"Say that one more time," Nate threatened as he grabbed Seth by the collar his eyes sparking in anger. He shook Seth’s collar, but Seth shrugged him off, brushing his shirt clean as he laughed.

Logan laughed at Nate’s antics and patted him on the shoulder, "Nate, old man, calm down. If I'm not very much mistaken, it would appear your beauty has a sister. Judging by the look Seth has in his eyes, it would also appear you two may have been fated to mate with twins, which to be fair is entirely fitting and incredibly humorous."

Seth laughed loudly at Nate's face, "Yes, he's right. Her sister is my mate. Look, they are nearly identical, same blond hair, same height, same oval face."

Nate looked at the three girls and for the first time noticed the second blond standing next to the girl he had identified as his mate. She looked almost identical to the girl he knew to be his mate. He growled in response, "Not that similar."

"No, not that similar." Seth agreed after consideration, watching the girl with hawk eyes. She moved lithly, as an athlete would. The men watched as they piled their plates high with desserts, pointing out extra things to add to their plate as they laughed their way down the dessert table.

"Ah, boys, fate has been kind to us," Logan sighed as he wrapped his arms around the back of Seth and Nate, pulling their shoulders close in solidarity. He watched the raven-haired beauty being pulled along by the blond twins and his heart stopped beating briefly. "It appears their friend is my mate."

Seth and Nate looked at Logan in surprise. Logan shrugged. "I am almost certain she is my mate. I will likely need to get a closer look," he wiggled his eyebrows, "but perhaps that's best left for when we return. It's in our best interest to find out their names and submit our application for The Hunt so we might take them home at the end of this production." Logan gestured around at the festivities happening. Seth and Nate grunted in agreement. None of the three were overly excited about dressing up and attending feasts and balls, and as luck would have it, their council errand would send them away for most of it. They merely had to show up, track their mate, claim her, and carry her home. It was quite literally the best case scenario they could have come up with.

"We should keep our identities secret, for now, it is better if they are left wanting," Logan amended his prior statement and watched carefully as the three girls made their way toward the coffee and tea table. The girls were stopped by the blond girl's father as he gestured toward Cliff and Cliff's mate, Amelia, making the introduction between them.

Seth assessed the introduction being made, "How are Cliff and Amelia doing?"

"As well as can be expected," Nate added.

Logan watched as Amelia daintily shook the hand of each blond and then the dark-haired girl. The girls curtsied to Cliff, fitting of his station as ambassador, then they excused themselves and made their way toward the drink table. It seemed nothing could stand between them and a caffeine fix.

"Their father!" Seth stated with force.

"Their father?" Nate asked in confusion. "I believe that's their father, yes."

"Yes, of course, we will ask their father for their names. Brilliant." Logan agreed as they searched the crowd for the light-haired man who had just vacated the drink table. "Over there, look."

Nate found his target before the other two and headed toward the man with a purpose, Seth and Logan trailing behind. He walked as a man on a mission, his formidable form bearing down on the crowd. The three warriors came upon the older gentleman talking with two other older gentlemen. They were easily 100 yards away from the girls and with any luck, the distance and presence of thousands of other shifters would be enough distraction to mask their scents so the girls weren't able to pinpoint which men were their mates. It was considered bad form if an alpha was to reveal himself this early in the game. As was well known, anticipation was half of the fun for the omegas and The Hunt was the highlight of most omega's early adulthood. It would not do to ruin her fun this early in the relationship, disappointment was best left for later.

"If she does not find her mate by next year I would like to make a proposition," A deep voice was speaking. One of the older men was talking with the other two.

"Henry, really, it seems rather early to be making such assumptions. I'm sure she will find her mate,” the girl’s father spoke, his deep voice reverberating through the crowd. Nate’s brows rose in surprise as he listened to the men talking.

‘He won’t need to make a proposition next year,’ he thought with a burst of anger, the man was trying to usurp his mate, the fool. Nate looked over at her and shook his head subtly, she was a beauty. He understood why the man would make the attempt, even if it did make him want to tear the man’s head from his shoulders and toss it off the mountain pass toward Daikon. The dragons would enjoy the treat.

"Richard, you can never be too sure. What I am offering is very valuable and Izabelle would be happy and secure on my land," Henry made his case to the man standing next to him, the father of one of the blonds.

"I'm sure she would, Henry, but I really can't make any promises. She hasn't even participated in one Hunt yet. She has four more after this one before we would even entertain the idea of a business mating," the man named Richard countered. “Even then, it would be up to Izabelle, not me. I would not force her to be mated to someone she did not favor.”

“It would be up to Izabelle?!” the man spit in astonishment. It was unheard of. “You, as her father, would make that choice, Richard. Surely you know your place as her master.”

Richard shook his head, his eyes burning with fury as the third gentleman placed a hand on Richard’s arm to warm him to keep his calm. Richard took a small step back and lowered his head slightly, giving in for the moment.

"Really, Henry, it would be wise to pursue other avenues if you are looking for a partner soon. Izabelle is unlikely to stay unmated for long if her mate is alive and we have no reason to believe he wouldn't be," the third gentleman chimed in.

‘Her mate is very much alive,’ Nate thought bitterly as he glared at the man they called Henry, barely holding his fury inside.

“Are they talking about your mate?” Logan whispered to Nate as the three huddled together, nonchalantly watching the older men speak.

“Yes, I believe so. I think her name is Izabelle,” Nate said softly as he barely moved his lips, unwilling to stop watching the scene playing out in front of him.

“That old man thinks she is going to go with him?” Seth snorted as he looked over Henry, gazing at his wrinkled face and portly belly. He may have been a catch in another decade, but time had not been kind to him. His personality left much wanting as well.

The men fell silent as they listened, trying to appear nonchalant they glanced around the fountain, barely moving their lips as they whispered.

"Yes, well, keep it in mind, Richard," Henry held his hand out and shook Richard's hand goodbye, not noticing the clenched jaw and narrowed eyes that Richard wore as he glared at Henry angrily. Henry nodded to the second man and walked away slowly, raising his glass to sip his wine while staring intently at the petite blond as he went.

Nate’s hackles rose and he took a step forward toward Henry. Logan put a hand on Nate’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, “It would not do to cause a scene. She is your mate, that man has no claim to her. Only you. You will be taking her home at the end of this escapade, not the dirty old man with a fetish for young blonds. Focus on the prize.”

Seth nodded in agreement, “She’s yours, Nate. Don’t let that old man rile you up.”

Nate seized the opportunity now that the man called Richard was almost alone. Nate walked purposefully forward toward Izabelle’s father. "Sir? May we interrupt? Are you the father of that young lady over there by the coffee table?" Nate asked, gesturing with his head toward Izzy. Though she was over a hundred yards away, Richard knew they were talking about the same girl.

"The blond?" Richard clarified, his lips quirking up in mirth. He suspected the previous conversation had been observed by the giant of a man standing in front of him. He eyed him assessing his size and form then nodded in satisfaction. He would do well for Izzy.

"Yes, the blond standing next to the coffee table, over there with the other blond who bears a striking resemblance to her, those two ladies and the dark-haired lady next to them. Are those three your daughters?" Nate asked innocently, trying not to appear too interested and failing miserably. He never talked much, but this conversation was turning him into a rambling fool. Seth and Logan stood just behind Nate and leaned close to the gentlemen, raising their eyebrows in anticipation. They were so interested in Richard's response they couldn't be bothered to rib Nate for loquacious speech.

Richard smiled, raising his eyebrows in surprise, "Indeed they are. Well, sorry, I suppose only the blonds are mine, though I do claim Susanna and her sister as my own most of the time, wouldn't you agree, Marcus?" Richard turned to the other older man standing next to him. Marcus smiled back and nodded.

"That is true, Richard, as do I. I believe I can safely say that we both have inherited four daughters, though we can only claim a blood bond to two," Marcus nodded, laughing with Richard.

"Right," Nate said. "So, she's your daughter," he nodded to Richard, "or yours?" he nodded to Marcus. He was so intent on finding out information about his mate that he had lost track of what was being said and by whom. He merely wanted to claim her that instant and whisk her away to his room, but he knew that if he let his baser instincts take over, he would never live down the humiliation. His mate deserved better. He clenched his teeth and willed his lower extremities to behave.

"I think they meant to say that they are both of theirs?" Logan questioned glancing between the two men who let out a hearty laugh.

"No, I think they are saying that only two are theirs, the other must be a friend?" Seth was equally as confused. His mind was not focusing on the logic, he was rather hoping the blonde’s father would jump right to the point, whichever man was her father.

"We are distant cousins, but not distant enough to warrant this as an acceptable or appropriate arrangement," Richard motioned between himself and Marcus with a laugh, correctly assuming Seth had concluded they were together.

"What seems to bring you over here asking about our lovely daughters?" Marcus asked Nate with eyebrows raised.

Nate addressed Richard directly, "I saw you sitting on a log outside your tent last night at the camp. We were camping in the forest within sight. Your daughter came out of the tent to speak to you and I confess I heard part of the conversation. Her scent hit me like a wild horse. She is my mate. I am sure of it. I am searching for her name."

"Why not ask her directly?" Richard asked Nate bluntly, his face scrunched in an attempt to hide his amusement.

"You know that's bad form, sir," Seth interjected, his face serious.

"Ah, I have heard that, and we wouldn't want that from a Kreil, that is true," Richard nodded in agreement as the three men nodded as well.

"We have to leave in the morning for several days on council business and we'd rather not ruin their fun, we are hoping to make The Hunt as memorable as possible for them, and from overhearing her conversation it sounds as though they would appreciate the anticipation. We need to submit our application before we leave in the morning to ensure they are present in The Hunt and we are able to participate when we return," Seth explained quickly, meeting Richard’s eyes. Seth had always been the more eloquent of the three.

Richard nodded and then considered the man's words. He was grateful to meet Izzy's mate before she did so that he could make a judgment of his character before The Hunt began but a couple of words from Seth’s speech stuck out in his mind. "We? Their?" Richard asked Seth, "Those are curious pronouns to use for one man intending to claim one of my daughters."

"Yes, sir, the other blond, presumably your other daughter, happens to be my mate," Seth interjected with a smile.

"And the raven-haired girl standing with them is mine," Logan finished with finality, nodding toward Susanna, letting his eyes linger on her form briefly before glancing back at Richard, a wistful expression on his face.

The men stood with hopeful expressions on their faces, staring at the fathers of the women they hoped to catch next week. It felt as though the executioner were waiting to release the blade, sweat trickled down Logan’s neck as he felt the eyes of the men assess the three of them.

"Nathaniel Wood, I go by Nate." Nate held his hand out to Richard, unwilling to wait any longer. "I'm from tribe Kreil."

"Seth Ignatius, also from tribe Kreil," Seth held his hand out to Richard.

"Logan Bouford, tribe Kreil," Logan held his hand out to Marcus. It was a judgment call, but seeing as how the brunette looked different from the blonde’s, he assumed her father was the second man standing before him.

"Well, I must say, this is quite the surprise. Richard Meeks," He shook Nate's hand and gestured toward Izzy, "And that dainty delight is my daughter Izabelle Meeks though she goes by Izzy or Iz." He let go of Nate's hand and shook Seth's hand, "Her twin sister is Catherine Meeks though she also has a nickname and will only answer to Kate or Katie. If you choose to call her by Catherine, then you deserve the lashing you will undoubtedly receive."

"And I am Marcus Finley, my daughter with the dark hair over yonder is Susanna Finley. She, Izzy, and Kate have been friends since they were 2 so I can not tell you how immensely grateful I am to find out they will be going to the same tribe," Marcus shook Logan's hand and patted Logan on the back with his other.

“This is their first hunt, then?” Seth asked the question that was burning in all of their minds.

“Yes, indeed. Kate and Izzy turned 18 last April. Susanna was the first to turn 18 last fall and now they’ve all come to join the Hunt with rather different goals,” Richard laughed as he assessed the men in front of him.

“Susanna will be relieved to find out they are all three going to the same tribe. She was worried she would have to leave her friends behind and journey to a new, unfamiliar place,” Marcus nodded as he clapped Logan on the back.

“Yes, sir, she and the twins will be able to stick it out together in Kreil. It’s a long journey, but beautiful country. I’m sure they will learn to love it there,” Logan nodded to his future father in law as he smiled at the older man.

“Where is Izzy’s mom?” Nate asked curiously, glancing around the party for a woman who looked like his mate.

“She passed away over a decade ago,” Richard said with sadness.

“Susanna’s did as well, right around the same time. The girls bonded over their shared loss. To be honest, we did as well,” Marcus said as he nodded to Richard.

Richard nodded in agreement, “It was a tough time for our tribe, we lost many that year. But, the girls are stronger for having survived. They will be fierce mates.”

“Any tips, sir, we should know about ahead of time?” Seth asked, his eyes straying to his mate. He watched her push her blond hair over her shoulder in frustration as she bent over the dessert table to grab a petit four to have with her coffee. He chuckled lightly.

“I think the surprise would be all the more fun, don’t you think?” Richard laughed and looked to Marcus.

“Yes, indeed, the surprise is half the fun,” Marcus agreed.

They stood talking for some time about the reason for their early departure in the morning before Seth, Nate and Logan retired early since they still had to file the appropriate paperwork to participate in The Hunt.

"I can't believe we found them," Seth murmured as they walked into the castle, making their way toward the wing set up for the Kreil tribe hunters and prey.

"No, me either," Logan agreed.

"Let's get this round-up over with," Nate exclaimed as he settled in for the night. "We have an early morning. I'm already anxious to get back."

Neither Seth nor Logan made fun of him, as they both felt exactly the same way.