Outcast

Chapter 19

---Lane's POV---
It was odd, seeing how these people fluttered around me, but with a hint of fear and awe. The doctor had weighed me, measured almost every inch of my body and studied me completely from the tip of my whiskers to the claws on my hind legs.

Isabell had taken great interest in those measurements, especially after she had measured my skull, eyes bulging as she wrote down her findings. "Did Lord Jethro say what the age of his mate was?" She asked the vampire, who was patiently waiting in the room.

"Hmmm, no, he didn't but I'm quite certain that Lane-sama is at the very least mature enough to mate with." She murmured before inclining her head politely in my direction. "Pardon my rudeness, I had forgotten to introduce myself. I am Asami Saito, keeper of records and main secretary of the Council."

I huffed lightly, mostly due to Isabell currently measuring my canines, humming under her breath as she scribbled down everything she found. "Fascinating... judging from his lean build, he's supposedly still maturing and hasn't reached his full size yet. But judging from his skeletal and muscular structure, he's already bigger than any normal tiger."

"What do you mean, Isabell-chan?" Asami asked curiously, coming to stand behind Isabell, her maroon eyes flitting over the measurements before narrowing, reading everything more closely. "Ah-... interesting." I huffed, shaking out my fur as my tongue flicked over my nose.

Asami glanced at me with an apologetic smile before waving to the data Isabell was eagerly putting in her computer. "The average size of a Siberian tiger's skull when fully matured would be thirteen to fifteen inches. Yours is already reaching past fifteen inches, slowly heading to sixteen."

And that means.... what exactly?

I just stared at them, unable to communicate with them in this form and not allowed to shift back unless Jethro was by my side.

They didn't seem to understand my building frustration but I simply sighed and relaxed. I was quite certain they'd at least inform Jethro about their findings.

They spent several more minutes stretching limbs and measuring even my canines before Isabell released me with a disappointed huff on Asami's command.

"It's time to return Lane-sama. I'm quite certain you have more than enough data to file in his record. Unless you want to explain to Lord Jethro-sama why you are detaining his mate longer than proper?" Asami teased Isabell, who quickly paled and shook her head.

"N-No, I have more than enough." Isabell squeaked, though I could tell by the hungry gleam in her eyes that she wanted more data. "Could you perchance ask Lord Jethro on my behalf, if he is willing to let me research his mate some more?"

Asami cocked one impeccable eyebrow at Isabell, who seemed to rethink her statement before shame colored her cheeks.

"Lane-sama is standing right in front of you and is a living, breathing being. Not a little science project to be borrowed to combat boredom." Asami said scolding Isabell before she clicked her tongue. "Just imagine Lord Jethro's reaction to such a boorish and inane question."

I could just about anticipate what Jethro's reaction would be, to someone else treating me as property. Property that they deemed free for the taking.

Even Isabell cringed, lowering her head demurely. "I beg your pardon, Lord Lane. I didn't think before speaking. My only wish was to find out more about the information I've just learned."

Asami didn't give the woman another moment of her attention and instead politely ushered me out the door. "Honestly Isabell didn't mean anything by it, she just needs to mind her manners and not let her instincts take over."