Vojin and Haven
Pushing the screen door open with one hand, his face broke out in a giant smile when he saw his grandfather. "There you are, Iba’t’, I've been looking for you everywhere!" Haven exclaimed, throwing himself into his grandfather’s arms.
"Bakincbi!" Vojin caught Haven in midair, using the Caddo word for grandson to welcome him. Listening to him as he started to talk eagerly, he pulled the bouncing little boy up and into his lap. "You looked everywhere and still, here I was all along." He smiled down at the happy boy.
"Iba’t’, will you tell me about the wolf and the eagle. The whooooole story, please, Iba’t’," Haven said, giving his grandfather a pleading look.
Zacharias, Haven's dad let out a soft chuckle, patting his own father on the shoulder. "I'll leave you both to it, then." Rising, he cupped the side of Haven's face, giving him a kiss on the top of his head before slowly moving toward the screen door.
"That’s a long story, Haven. You sure you're up for it? Or I could just tell you the short version if you’re too tired?" Zacharias stopped for a moment to listen as two of the most important people in his life talked among themselves. Haven was so caught up in talking to his grandfather, he didn’t notice him leaving. Zacharias laughed to himself as he listened to his father tease Haven, it was a wonderful thing to see. The decision to move back home, where he himself had grown up had been the best thing for all their sakes. How could he ever had deprived his boy of having this daily connection to his grandparents?
"No! No! The whole story, Iba’t’. I want to hear about the Fenrir Ulv and the Asa Gods too." He practically bounced in Vojin’s lap.
He raised his hands in the air in mock surrender, making Haven giggle. "Okay! Okay! I give up. You convinced me. I'll tell you the whole story about the King of Wolves and the Asa Gods that want him caught." Vojin laughed.
"And the eagle," Haven prompted. He loved the part about the eagle—it was his spirit animal after all.
"Of course, the eagle is very, very important. I’d never forget him," Vojin said seriously as he pulled Haven closer into his arms. Haven looked at his grandfather with huge eyes, then shifted in his lap once more, getting comfortable and started to play with a long strand of his hair.
"The legend about how the King of Wolves and his Protector, the eagle started in a world beyond this one. The Fenrir Ulv, who was one of Loki's five children, had been caught. The Asa Gods had chained him outside the gates of Valhalla. To keep him from escaping, they used chains made from the roots of trees that grew in the giant’s caves. It was so strong that not even the Fenrir Ulv could pull free.
"But, Iba’t’, why did they hate the Fenrir Ulv so much?" Haven frowned, folding his arms across his chest. He didn't like the Asa Gods being so mean to the poor wolf.
"Well, the Fenrir Ulv was not always very kind. Like his father, he was a trickster and sometimes he didn't do nice things. But this time, the Fenrir Ulv was not to blame, but his father Loki was. However, Asa Gods didn't care and wouldn't listen. To keep him from howling and snapping his teeth at them, they shoved a large sword through his giant jaws. What they didn't know, was that they’d slowly started to kill him—his body was dying but not his spirit. But the trick for the Fenrir Ulv was to change from his wolf body into a wolfman, because it was the only form that would allow his spirit to escape his body."
“A wolfman!" Haven whispered. His eyes grew bigger, mesmerized by the story.
Vojin chuckled, nodding his head in agreement.
"Yes, you’re right, Bakincbi, a wolfman. The next day as the Fenrir Ulv's keepers came to feed and water him, they were stunned to find the wolf gone and this giant, two-legged wolfman in its place. In fear of what the Fenrir Ulv had become, they started stabbing his body with knives to kill him once and for all. That was how his wolf spirit escaped, and without the Asa Gods knowing he escaped to earth to possess a human body to live in. To fool them even more, and make it harder to find him, he decided to spread his seed by procreating with human females. That way, he’d no longer be the only living creature capable of turning into a wolf."
"Iba’t’, what is procreate?” Haven stumbled over the difficult word, looking to his grandfather for the answer.
"Procreate—means to have children, to make sure of the existence of the race," Vojin explained, taking a deep breath to continue with the story.
"Reid said that to have babies, a boy has to put his willy into a girls yoohoo." Haven gave his grandfather a dreadful look, his lip almost quivering at the thought. "I don't ever want to do that with a girl, they’re yucky. Do I have to?"
Vojin had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself laughing. He made a mental note to talk to Reid about what talks to have and not have with Haven or his brother for that matter.
"No, Bakincbi, you don't have to. No one can force you to be with anyone you don't love, and not everyone has children."
"Oh, but I want children, Iba’t’. I just don't want them with a girl," Haven explained with confidence.
Vojin smiled, patting Haven's cheek, looking into his grandson's eyes, like he knew something no one else did.
"You can have as many children as you like, with anyone you like," Vojin assured him.
Haven let out a relieved sigh, relaxing back into his grandfather's embrace.
Pushing the screen door open with one hand, his face broke out in a giant smile when he saw his grandfather. "There you are, Iba’t’, I've been looking for you everywhere!" Haven exclaimed, throwing himself into his grandfather’s arms.
"Bakincbi!" Vojin caught Haven in midair, using the Caddo word for grandson to welcome him. Listening to him as he started to talk eagerly, he pulled the bouncing little boy up and into his lap. "You looked everywhere and still, here I was all along." He smiled down at the happy boy.
"Iba’t’, will you tell me about the wolf and the eagle. The whooooole story, please, Iba’t’," Haven said, giving his grandfather a pleading look.
Zacharias, Haven's dad let out a soft chuckle, patting his own father on the shoulder. "I'll leave you both to it, then." Rising, he cupped the side of Haven's face, giving him a kiss on the top of his head before slowly moving toward the screen door.
"That’s a long story, Haven. You sure you're up for it? Or I could just tell you the short version if you’re too tired?" Zacharias stopped for a moment to listen as two of the most important people in his life talked among themselves. Haven was so caught up in talking to his grandfather, he didn’t notice him leaving. Zacharias laughed to himself as he listened to his father tease Haven, it was a wonderful thing to see. The decision to move back home, where he himself had grown up had been the best thing for all their sakes. How could he ever had deprived his boy of having this daily connection to his grandparents?
"No! No! The whole story, Iba’t’. I want to hear about the Fenrir Ulv and the Asa Gods too." He practically bounced in Vojin’s lap.
He raised his hands in the air in mock surrender, making Haven giggle. "Okay! Okay! I give up. You convinced me. I'll tell you the whole story about the King of Wolves and the Asa Gods that want him caught." Vojin laughed.
"And the eagle," Haven prompted. He loved the part about the eagle—it was his spirit animal after all.
"Of course, the eagle is very, very important. I’d never forget him," Vojin said seriously as he pulled Haven closer into his arms. Haven looked at his grandfather with huge eyes, then shifted in his lap once more, getting comfortable and started to play with a long strand of his hair.
"The legend about how the King of Wolves and his Protector, the eagle started in a world beyond this one. The Fenrir Ulv, who was one of Loki's five children, had been caught. The Asa Gods had chained him outside the gates of Valhalla. To keep him from escaping, they used chains made from the roots of trees that grew in the giant’s caves. It was so strong that not even the Fenrir Ulv could pull free.
"But, Iba’t’, why did they hate the Fenrir Ulv so much?" Haven frowned, folding his arms across his chest. He didn't like the Asa Gods being so mean to the poor wolf.
"Well, the Fenrir Ulv was not always very kind. Like his father, he was a trickster and sometimes he didn't do nice things. But this time, the Fenrir Ulv was not to blame, but his father Loki was. However, Asa Gods didn't care and wouldn't listen. To keep him from howling and snapping his teeth at them, they shoved a large sword through his giant jaws. What they didn't know, was that they’d slowly started to kill him—his body was dying but not his spirit. But the trick for the Fenrir Ulv was to change from his wolf body into a wolfman, because it was the only form that would allow his spirit to escape his body."
“A wolfman!" Haven whispered. His eyes grew bigger, mesmerized by the story.
Vojin chuckled, nodding his head in agreement.
"Yes, you’re right, Bakincbi, a wolfman. The next day as the Fenrir Ulv's keepers came to feed and water him, they were stunned to find the wolf gone and this giant, two-legged wolfman in its place. In fear of what the Fenrir Ulv had become, they started stabbing his body with knives to kill him once and for all. That was how his wolf spirit escaped, and without the Asa Gods knowing he escaped to earth to possess a human body to live in. To fool them even more, and make it harder to find him, he decided to spread his seed by procreating with human females. That way, he’d no longer be the only living creature capable of turning into a wolf."
"Iba’t’, what is procreate?” Haven stumbled over the difficult word, looking to his grandfather for the answer.
"Procreate—means to have children, to make sure of the existence of the race," Vojin explained, taking a deep breath to continue with the story.
"Reid said that to have babies, a boy has to put his willy into a girls yoohoo." Haven gave his grandfather a dreadful look, his lip almost quivering at the thought. "I don't ever want to do that with a girl, they’re yucky. Do I have to?"
Vojin had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself laughing. He made a mental note to talk to Reid about what talks to have and not have with Haven or his brother for that matter.
"No, Bakincbi, you don't have to. No one can force you to be with anyone you don't love, and not everyone has children."
"Oh, but I want children, Iba’t’. I just don't want them with a girl," Haven explained with confidence.
Vojin smiled, patting Haven's cheek, looking into his grandson's eyes, like he knew something no one else did.
"You can have as many children as you like, with anyone you like," Vojin assured him.
Haven let out a relieved sigh, relaxing back into his grandfather's embrace.
Coleman, Eddy and David
"So what are we doing?" Eddy said, covering his mouth with a hand as he yawned. "If y'all dragged me up at the ass crack of dawn to stare at houses, I'm kicking your asses." He eyed them suspiciously. Eddy was sharp and nothing went by him. He knew everything—no matter if you wanted him to or not. If he didn't know, he had the people skills that Coleman lacked to charm it out of you. He was cunning like a fox and ferocious like a lion which lead him to know exactly how to make people do as he pleased.
Eddy was a short guy at only five-feet-eight-inches but that didn't fool you for long. His aura demanded respect, and when he entered a room, people would shut up just to listen to what he had to say. A beta wolf to the bone. But beta or not, they’d always tease him about being a rancher and hating early mornings because there was never not an early morning in this business.
"We were waiting for your sorry ass to finally show up, and what do you know, here he is, Caddo Pack's finest. No star covered pj's this morning?" David drawled, smacking his lips contently, finding himself to be very funny. The incident that led Eddy to been caught in navy-blue sleeping pants covered in bright yellow stars a few years back had been something no one had ever let him live down and probably never would. Being who he was, though, he took the teasing in his stride.
"Pffft... This sorry ass is what keeps both of yours out of trouble when whatever recent masterplan the two of you have cooked up over a smoke break goes to shit." Eddy snorted, bringing his own cup of tea to his lips. There was no heat to his words. If you happened to have missed the teasing tone in his voice; the gleam in his eyes sure as hell gave him away.
"What the hell is this?" David asked, as he tugged at the little teabag string hanging over Eddy's mug.
"Don't start," Eddy said, giving David the evil eye. He didn't drink coffee, regular tea or alcohol for that matter. He refused to pump his body full of poison. Once in a while when the mood struck him, he’d treat himself to the occasional beer. Most of the time, he’d stick to ecological teas or club soda. His body was his temple, damn it, and no one would ever be able to convince him to do it any differently.
"How can you drink that stuff?" David's body made an involuntary shudder as he watched Eddy take another sip. "It tasted of nothing, better cow shit."
"I didn't know you had the habit of drinking cow shit, Sheriff, but it sure does explain the bullshit that pours out of your mouth." Eddy grinned, wagging his brows as Coleman barked out a loud laugh.
"Asshole!" David glared at him, hating having given him that freebie.
"The stuff you two pour into your bodies in gallons is pure poison."
David made a huge scene out of drinking the last of his coffee.
"Yeah, caffeine, the gift of the Gods. Alpha, do you think we could get this in IV form, to get it to last longer?" David snickered. "We might have to tie your beta down for that procedure but we'll have him hooked up in no time. Just leave the dirty work to me."
Coleman chuckled, watching them bicker. He just bet the huge enforcer wouldn't mind tying Eddy up, he knew all about his enforcers extracurricular activities. There was more than one reason why David Jones was a man of authority in both the human and shifter world. There were only two people he would bend for and those men were standing next to him.
"So, it’s looking good, Alpha." Eddy nodded toward the building. "Have you told Alex yet?"
"No, I want it to be a surprise for him when he comes home." Coleman couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face. His youngest son was coming home for good, and he just couldn't wait. Big things were waiting for him. "Speaking of Alex, that’s why we're all here. Vojin is telling me the Fenrir Ulv spirit is restless and getting impatient. We agreed, it probably has to do with Alex coming home."
"Is there any precautions we need to take in regards to that?" Eddy asked, all teasing humor now gone. All three men were focused on the current conversation.
"In regards to Alex coming home, no, but the fact that he’ll be back here, yes. Vojin says, him returning to his birthplace and to the place it all started, he should be aware this might cause enemies to arrive."
"The Asa Guard?" David instantly whispered.
"Yes. They’ll come for Alex or rather the Fenrir Ulv to prevent him from becoming one with him. According to Vojin, the Asa Guard had strict rules about harming humans, shifters or not. Apparently they don't want the vessel, just the Fenrir Ulv, but I don't believe that for a minute."
"Like they’d let Alex go if they failed to capture the Fenrir spirit, not likely. I agree, Alpha, we need to keep Alex safe before his union with the Fenrir, and after."
"He needs protection, one of us should be with him at all times. Is he prepared for this change of having someone guard him?" said David.
Eddy nodded, finishing his cup of tea. "Speaking of which, where is this eagle of his anyway? Wasn't this supposed to be his job?"
"Yes. I’ve talked to him about it but I’m sure he’ll bring it up again because he wasn't happy. I had to pull the dad card on this one."
David whistled a long, low sound, and Eddy made an oohing noise.
"Oh, shut up, both of you." Coleman chuckled. "And as for the eagle—it’s where Alex is—which is now on the road, somewhere between Chicago and here."
"Should he really be traveling on his own if the Guard are out to get him? Want me to go meet up with him and bring him home?" David offered sincerely.
Coleman smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You're a good man, David. Trust me, I want to say yes but I promised Alex not to. I need to keep that promise if I’m going to have any leeway with him when he’s back home. He should be safe for now, and he has promised to check in every couple hours."
"Damn kids," muttered David. "Always got to do the whole independent thing, can't listen for shit."
"I still don't get how a bird is going to protect him from the Asa Guard," Eddy said, rubbing his jaw as if deep in thought, trying to figure it out.
Coleman watched them silently, pondering what to tell them.
"I know that look. You know something, don't you!" David said it more as a statement than a question. "Spill. Whatever it is, we can deal with it together but don't you fucking hold out on us now."
"It’s only a suspicion but I can't see how it could be any other way. Too many things seem coincidental for it to just be that." He took a deep breath, watching Eddy and David, as they stared at him.
"Oh for the love of God, just spit it out already!" David hustled him. Patience had never been his strong suit.
Raising an eyebrow, Coleman gave him a look as if to say, really, you’re demanding things from me?
With a remorseful look in his eyes, David lowered his gaze and bared his neck to his alpha, silently saying he was sorry.
"I think Haven is connected to this."
"What?" Eddy and David both said in unison.
"Haven's spirit animal is the eagle."
He didn't say anything else, but gave them a minute to take in. It didn't take long before their faces started to change. First, there was the flicker of confusion, that seconds later became understanding of his words. Large eyes met his, as they understood what it was he’d actually said.
"Are you saying that Haven’s a shifter?" Eddy asked, trying to keep his question neutral and calm. But his eyes were focused solely on Coleman, waiting patiently to hear his answer.
Coleman couldn't blame him for getting stressed. Hell, who wasn't stressed over that fact? Haven as a shifter would be like having to tell Superman he needed to eat kryptonite to survive. Haven hated shifters—especially wolf shifters—for obvious reasons. His track record with shifters wasn't particularly good. He knew of their existence because he was Vojin’s grandson but that didn't mean he had to like it. Having to tell him about them was going to be hard enough, but telling him he was also one… Coleman wasn't sure he’d be able to handle it.
"No. He isn't a shifter, yet."
They gave him a confused look.
"Oh, don't give me that look. I just know it makes sense. Think about it. His spirit animal is the eagle. Vojin has been telling him that story about the wolf and the eagle for decades. Considering that, I’m pretty certain Alex will come home claiming Haven as his true mate." Coleman became quiet and shrugged. What else was there to say?
"Well, that part wasn’t a surprise," Eddy said.
"Vojin must have something to say about this." David rubbed a hand over his jaw, eyes watching Coleman intensely, waiting for any type of bad reaction.
"He doesn't confirm or deny my theory. He just tells me that some stones are best left unturned, till the carrier of the fate has made up their mind what road to take."
"What the hell does that mean?" David threw his hands in the air. He was the first to admit that sometimes Vojin's guessing game answers pissed him off.
"He’s saying Haven hasn't made up his mind what road he’s going to take yet, so his fate is yet to be decided," Eddy said calmly, holding Coleman's stare, knowing this was what had his alpha so concerned. "Alpha, we’ll get Haven on track. Alex will bring him around if he’s his true mate. He won't give up until he complies." Eddy grinned, calmness oozing from his pores, washing over them all like a soft quilt.
"Wouldn't that be the weirdest turn of fate, if this turns out to be true?" David said, scratching the back of his neck, snorting loudly, seeing the reaction it would bring in front of him.
"If this is his fate, then we have to go with it and believe the spirits know what they’re doing. Haven has reasons for his hate but he’s not weak. He’s one of the strongest people I know, and he needs recognition for that. Haven’s a good kid." They all looked at each other, and started laughing. "Fine, and a huge pain in the ass but until we know more, let's just keep this on the down low."
"I'm with the tea snob, here," David pointed at Eddy but looked at Coleman the entire time. "We can sort Haven out if all this comes to be true. We’ll make sure Alex and he get their shit together, fuck like bunnies to get that mated bond sorted, and then live happily ever after. I'll tie the fucker down if I have too, and you know how good I am with rope."
"Jesus Christ, David, paint me a picture, why don't you?" Coleman groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.
"So what are we doing?" Eddy said, covering his mouth with a hand as he yawned. "If y'all dragged me up at the ass crack of dawn to stare at houses, I'm kicking your asses." He eyed them suspiciously. Eddy was sharp and nothing went by him. He knew everything—no matter if you wanted him to or not. If he didn't know, he had the people skills that Coleman lacked to charm it out of you. He was cunning like a fox and ferocious like a lion which lead him to know exactly how to make people do as he pleased.
Eddy was a short guy at only five-feet-eight-inches but that didn't fool you for long. His aura demanded respect, and when he entered a room, people would shut up just to listen to what he had to say. A beta wolf to the bone. But beta or not, they’d always tease him about being a rancher and hating early mornings because there was never not an early morning in this business.
"We were waiting for your sorry ass to finally show up, and what do you know, here he is, Caddo Pack's finest. No star covered pj's this morning?" David drawled, smacking his lips contently, finding himself to be very funny. The incident that led Eddy to been caught in navy-blue sleeping pants covered in bright yellow stars a few years back had been something no one had ever let him live down and probably never would. Being who he was, though, he took the teasing in his stride.
"Pffft... This sorry ass is what keeps both of yours out of trouble when whatever recent masterplan the two of you have cooked up over a smoke break goes to shit." Eddy snorted, bringing his own cup of tea to his lips. There was no heat to his words. If you happened to have missed the teasing tone in his voice; the gleam in his eyes sure as hell gave him away.
"What the hell is this?" David asked, as he tugged at the little teabag string hanging over Eddy's mug.
"Don't start," Eddy said, giving David the evil eye. He didn't drink coffee, regular tea or alcohol for that matter. He refused to pump his body full of poison. Once in a while when the mood struck him, he’d treat himself to the occasional beer. Most of the time, he’d stick to ecological teas or club soda. His body was his temple, damn it, and no one would ever be able to convince him to do it any differently.
"How can you drink that stuff?" David's body made an involuntary shudder as he watched Eddy take another sip. "It tasted of nothing, better cow shit."
"I didn't know you had the habit of drinking cow shit, Sheriff, but it sure does explain the bullshit that pours out of your mouth." Eddy grinned, wagging his brows as Coleman barked out a loud laugh.
"Asshole!" David glared at him, hating having given him that freebie.
"The stuff you two pour into your bodies in gallons is pure poison."
David made a huge scene out of drinking the last of his coffee.
"Yeah, caffeine, the gift of the Gods. Alpha, do you think we could get this in IV form, to get it to last longer?" David snickered. "We might have to tie your beta down for that procedure but we'll have him hooked up in no time. Just leave the dirty work to me."
Coleman chuckled, watching them bicker. He just bet the huge enforcer wouldn't mind tying Eddy up, he knew all about his enforcers extracurricular activities. There was more than one reason why David Jones was a man of authority in both the human and shifter world. There were only two people he would bend for and those men were standing next to him.
"So, it’s looking good, Alpha." Eddy nodded toward the building. "Have you told Alex yet?"
"No, I want it to be a surprise for him when he comes home." Coleman couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face. His youngest son was coming home for good, and he just couldn't wait. Big things were waiting for him. "Speaking of Alex, that’s why we're all here. Vojin is telling me the Fenrir Ulv spirit is restless and getting impatient. We agreed, it probably has to do with Alex coming home."
"Is there any precautions we need to take in regards to that?" Eddy asked, all teasing humor now gone. All three men were focused on the current conversation.
"In regards to Alex coming home, no, but the fact that he’ll be back here, yes. Vojin says, him returning to his birthplace and to the place it all started, he should be aware this might cause enemies to arrive."
"The Asa Guard?" David instantly whispered.
"Yes. They’ll come for Alex or rather the Fenrir Ulv to prevent him from becoming one with him. According to Vojin, the Asa Guard had strict rules about harming humans, shifters or not. Apparently they don't want the vessel, just the Fenrir Ulv, but I don't believe that for a minute."
"Like they’d let Alex go if they failed to capture the Fenrir spirit, not likely. I agree, Alpha, we need to keep Alex safe before his union with the Fenrir, and after."
"He needs protection, one of us should be with him at all times. Is he prepared for this change of having someone guard him?" said David.
Eddy nodded, finishing his cup of tea. "Speaking of which, where is this eagle of his anyway? Wasn't this supposed to be his job?"
"Yes. I’ve talked to him about it but I’m sure he’ll bring it up again because he wasn't happy. I had to pull the dad card on this one."
David whistled a long, low sound, and Eddy made an oohing noise.
"Oh, shut up, both of you." Coleman chuckled. "And as for the eagle—it’s where Alex is—which is now on the road, somewhere between Chicago and here."
"Should he really be traveling on his own if the Guard are out to get him? Want me to go meet up with him and bring him home?" David offered sincerely.
Coleman smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You're a good man, David. Trust me, I want to say yes but I promised Alex not to. I need to keep that promise if I’m going to have any leeway with him when he’s back home. He should be safe for now, and he has promised to check in every couple hours."
"Damn kids," muttered David. "Always got to do the whole independent thing, can't listen for shit."
"I still don't get how a bird is going to protect him from the Asa Guard," Eddy said, rubbing his jaw as if deep in thought, trying to figure it out.
Coleman watched them silently, pondering what to tell them.
"I know that look. You know something, don't you!" David said it more as a statement than a question. "Spill. Whatever it is, we can deal with it together but don't you fucking hold out on us now."
"It’s only a suspicion but I can't see how it could be any other way. Too many things seem coincidental for it to just be that." He took a deep breath, watching Eddy and David, as they stared at him.
"Oh for the love of God, just spit it out already!" David hustled him. Patience had never been his strong suit.
Raising an eyebrow, Coleman gave him a look as if to say, really, you’re demanding things from me?
With a remorseful look in his eyes, David lowered his gaze and bared his neck to his alpha, silently saying he was sorry.
"I think Haven is connected to this."
"What?" Eddy and David both said in unison.
"Haven's spirit animal is the eagle."
He didn't say anything else, but gave them a minute to take in. It didn't take long before their faces started to change. First, there was the flicker of confusion, that seconds later became understanding of his words. Large eyes met his, as they understood what it was he’d actually said.
"Are you saying that Haven’s a shifter?" Eddy asked, trying to keep his question neutral and calm. But his eyes were focused solely on Coleman, waiting patiently to hear his answer.
Coleman couldn't blame him for getting stressed. Hell, who wasn't stressed over that fact? Haven as a shifter would be like having to tell Superman he needed to eat kryptonite to survive. Haven hated shifters—especially wolf shifters—for obvious reasons. His track record with shifters wasn't particularly good. He knew of their existence because he was Vojin’s grandson but that didn't mean he had to like it. Having to tell him about them was going to be hard enough, but telling him he was also one… Coleman wasn't sure he’d be able to handle it.
"No. He isn't a shifter, yet."
They gave him a confused look.
"Oh, don't give me that look. I just know it makes sense. Think about it. His spirit animal is the eagle. Vojin has been telling him that story about the wolf and the eagle for decades. Considering that, I’m pretty certain Alex will come home claiming Haven as his true mate." Coleman became quiet and shrugged. What else was there to say?
"Well, that part wasn’t a surprise," Eddy said.
"Vojin must have something to say about this." David rubbed a hand over his jaw, eyes watching Coleman intensely, waiting for any type of bad reaction.
"He doesn't confirm or deny my theory. He just tells me that some stones are best left unturned, till the carrier of the fate has made up their mind what road to take."
"What the hell does that mean?" David threw his hands in the air. He was the first to admit that sometimes Vojin's guessing game answers pissed him off.
"He’s saying Haven hasn't made up his mind what road he’s going to take yet, so his fate is yet to be decided," Eddy said calmly, holding Coleman's stare, knowing this was what had his alpha so concerned. "Alpha, we’ll get Haven on track. Alex will bring him around if he’s his true mate. He won't give up until he complies." Eddy grinned, calmness oozing from his pores, washing over them all like a soft quilt.
"Wouldn't that be the weirdest turn of fate, if this turns out to be true?" David said, scratching the back of his neck, snorting loudly, seeing the reaction it would bring in front of him.
"If this is his fate, then we have to go with it and believe the spirits know what they’re doing. Haven has reasons for his hate but he’s not weak. He’s one of the strongest people I know, and he needs recognition for that. Haven’s a good kid." They all looked at each other, and started laughing. "Fine, and a huge pain in the ass but until we know more, let's just keep this on the down low."
"I'm with the tea snob, here," David pointed at Eddy but looked at Coleman the entire time. "We can sort Haven out if all this comes to be true. We’ll make sure Alex and he get their shit together, fuck like bunnies to get that mated bond sorted, and then live happily ever after. I'll tie the fucker down if I have too, and you know how good I am with rope."
"Jesus Christ, David, paint me a picture, why don't you?" Coleman groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.