Mates of a Human

Part Six. Chapter Three. Michael

"The Rider Pack is a strange one," the King stated, as he opened the file.  "It would not be surprising that you have not heard of it."  He revealed a few enlarged photographs.  There were pictures of multi-story apartments, pictures of modern, high class appearing properties.  Pictures of people walking along side wolves as if they were simply taking their dogs for a walk.  There wasn't much nature in them at all, with the exception of a wide, tamed park and ornamental trees.  All appeared to have been taken in a developed and modern town, not a pack lands.

"Doesn't that resemble the town that we drove through on the way to Alex's parents place?" Eric said pointing to one street.  I nodded with a slight frown.  In fact this place was only twenty minutes from the town where the hospital and gym were located.

"From what I have discovered, the old Rider pack was as traditional as they come," the King continued. "Large packhouse, close knit pack, living amongst trees and fields. Kept mostly to themselves, lived as farmers and hunters. And then the pack changed hands, so to speak."

He revealed a picture of a refined man, tall, defined figure in a tailored suit. He looked to be in his late forties, mature but by no means old. "This is the current Alpha Rider," he told us. Eric looked at the picture wide eyed, clearly startled. Unsurprising really. This man did not give off the typical Alpha vibe, he looked more like an elite businessman.  "His uncle was the previous Alpha, but there were some circumstances which lead to his and his son's death, I can't tell you the details, I have yet to uncover them. I can say that Alpha Rider was away at university at the time, studying finance."

"Alright," I found myself saying. "But what has this man to do with my former pack?"

"I was just getting to that," John replied, taking back the pictures of the strange pack grounds and putting them to one side. "Like I said, this man studied finance and was already a leading name in that circle before he became Pack leader. He deals especially with providing financial advice and loans." That had my attention immediately. "That's right," the King informed me smugly. "This man is the one who has an arrangement with your father to aid him out of his dire straights. However, what I have yet to uncover is what Rider plans to get out of this deal."

"I don't understand," I said. This sort of thing was not my forte. Give me the medical statistics of a person's body and I could likely diagnose the issue. I left the aspects of money to Eric.

"Ah, it's collateral, babe," Eric said, a little wiser than me. "Banks and loan sharks don't simply give out money for nothing. When it comes to smaller loans, they are usually happy with getting it back with just interest. The interest is higher as the risk to the bank or lender is, as if the payee absconds they might not be able to count on getting their money back easily. But in your pack's case, they most likely need a large injection of cash so the lender wants a guarantee. The bank have the right to take the contents of my gym and the building and the land it is on, if I fail to pay back my debts. That's my guarantee to them. Normally, I would say the pack lands would be the collateral, but..."

"My father would not be able to 'sell' pack lands without the approval of the pack elders," I answered for him. "And that's tantamount to breaking up the pack and making them look for new packs to take them in."

"Exactly," The King stated. "Which leads me to think that there is something your father needs from you to ensure this deal. Especially seeing as he is willing to use your own mate to get you to agree to whatever it is."

"That man disgusts me," Eric growled. I agreed wholeheartedly. It disgusted me to think I had his blood running through my veins. Eric tapped his slightly extended claws on the King's desk, scratching it slightly, but the man said nothing, likely understanding Eric's irritation. He paused for a moment, then began again.