Chapter 4: The Barrington mistake

Chapter 4: The Barrington mistake

At the courtyard.

A slightly chubby middle-aged man with white hair and a pure British accent said, holding a gun in his hands, "Make that eight to three."

 He was dressed in a coffee-brown suit, tie neatly knotted, and watch expensive looking.

Another Englishman stood next to this competitive fellow. This one wasn't too young either, but appeared younger than the other, and was good-looking for his age. Clad in black bristol-fashioned suit, and partly gray-bearded, the man cocked the long gun in his hands, aiming at the birds that flew nigh the beautiful royal blue sky.

Three birds came falling down. Dead.

"Six," He said.

"You never give up, aigh?" The other white-haired fellow said, cocking his own gun. 

He shot the gun in the air, creating a loud blasting sound, disturbing the entire peace of literally every breathing creature that stayed around and over the Gaggnok's mansion.

The mansion was no doubt a great one and was far from main street so no one would be disturbed by the noise, except the mansion's occupant. It was on private property where no one else lived, except for the Loggmans.

The men shooting birds in sight was a sport they indulged in, and both enjoyed playing. 

This was done in the backyard of the place. It wasn't a legally accepted sport, yes, but who cared? They were two wealthy Englishmen and also, they were Alphas. Who could dare disrupt their fun because of the law?

 They were the law.

"How far is the upcoming campaign?" One of them inquired.

Shooting a bird in sight, the other replied, "As smooth as fine butter. Seven."

"I dunno why you bother yourself with all this show when you know you're already mayor."

The men glanced at each other and the one in black suit gave a chuckle. He was Alpha Loggman, leader of the East-south pack in London, and his mate beside him was also an influential man, leader of another pack in another city. 

London wasn't Alpha Barrington's main domain. Mr. Loggman was a ruler in the city and if mayor, he would rule, not just the humans in London, but every werewolf pack in the city. He was very close to accomplishing that.

Mr. Loggman was Alpha, yes, but this didn't mean there weren't others like him with power. There were people who could bring him down if desired to, coming together in one force. 

It was a game you had to be careful when playing in, or else, it would lead to a physical werewolf fight for power. A war could decide who would wield the next power, but since they were intellectual men, they had decided it was best they remained civilized.

Mr. Barrington had hands in almost every part of England and could destroy the career of the person who had crossed their lane. In such a case, it was best to keep him close as a friend rather than as an enemy.

 Although the world had some humans that were not aware of the existence of the werewolves, this didn't change the fact that the leadership sceptre was in the hands of the secret werewolf hood.

"I believe you've started making preparations for the wedding," said Mr. Barrington.

"Of course. Be the best wedding of the century." Mr. Loggman spoke in a monotone as he wasn't really joyed.

They had now stopped playing their game and gave their guns to the men putting on red and yellow penguin uniforms that had golden shoulder epaulets with fringes. They wore a big long hat with an elastic rope keeping it firm and had eyes almost covered with this hat. Their white pants were tucked into their black knee-length boots. The guards stood still like statues.

"Clarissa would be glad." Mr. Barrington smiled as he spoke, "Consider all the wedding expenses settled. I know you're surely capable, but you know, It'd be an honour," He continued, "And also Alpha Loggman, consider yourself as mayor."

Alpha Barrington now gave a glance around the place as if looking for someone.

"Your son. Thought he'd be joining."

"He should-" Mr. Loggman then sighted handsome Jack in a brown coat, heading their way. "Oh, there he is."

The young man that had come running their way, suddenly slowed down his steps as he approached the gentlemen. His eyes opened wide in shock as if he had seen a ghost. Looking at the man beside his father, Jack Loggman, son of the Alpha Loggman, now recalled where and from whom he had first heard the name Barrington from. Clarrissa Barrington.

 His heart suddenly thumped as he compelled a plastic smile on his face, to greet one of his ex-girlfriend's father, Alpha Barrington. 

Mr. Barrington called in a lively tone, as he crossed an arm over Jack's shoulder, "Jack!"

Jack just squeezed himself like a shivering child under the rain, caged in this man's friendly but frightening embrace. He didn't speak because he still was shocked, but he made sure that plastic smile he had on his face did not go off. 

"Always good looking," Mr. Barrington praised as he obviously checked out the clothes Jack had on. "No wonder the ladies are always after you. Took your father's good looks, don't you agree mate?"

He looked at Mr. Loggman whose face was now devoid of delight. 

Mr. Barrington now looked at his shiny watch and said, "Aaah, time's fast spent. I'm afraid I have to go now. Alpha Loggman, nice game. Hope we can do some actual hunting at some other location next time? You know, as real wolves?"

Now looking at Jack, he said, "Lad, I really hope to see you again, soon. How about you come by my place for the small party I'll be hosting real soon?"

"Mr. Barrington, you know how my son is. I don't think that'd be the best choice." Alpha Loggman said, trying not to sound rude also.

"Of course it is. He's family. At least soon. He will come." Barrington said, not showing he was asking, but stating it as a fact. 

Jack looked at this man, slightly confused because of a particular sentence he had made. He shrugged it off his mind as he thought he was just being friendly.

Alpha Barrington went ahead to shake hands with his father. 

The shake was firm and lasted a minute. They both looked at each other smiling, as their hands were still clenched together.

 Two Alphas shaking hands for that long, and with such a look on their face, could only mean one thing. Jack began to suspect that these two weren't just shaking hands, but agreeing on something. 

What was that something?

When Mr. Barrington finally left, Jack's father's demeanour turned into this glowering one.

"I'm sure you know who he is, and that he wasn't just here to play games." His father spoke darkly. "Tell the butler to clean this up."

He said to the guards, referring to the dead birds that surrounded the vast green field. He marched, heading inside, and Jack followed behind his father like an assistant trying to catch up with the boss.

"We really need to speak young man," He said in an even darker tone.

Jack feared for his life. He knew his father was angry with him, but was there something else that angered him that he should know of?

Thinking of possible things that may be the cause of his father's anger, Jack's mind suddenly wandered to a particular day he now regretted, as he walked behind his father.

It was the day his father had decided to take him along with his stepbrother to one of the formal werewolves meet. It was like an ordinary political meeting about leadership.

 He remembered sitting in the front row, bored, listening to a plumpy man speak for hours on a raised pulpit that had microphones attached to it. Jack really wanted to see what one of the werewolve's meet was like, but this to him wasn't the real deal.

Trying so much not to show his disinterest and boredom, he copied the look his younger brother along with every other person had on their faces. He tried looking serious and deeply interested in the long speech, but it didn't work.

On his left, sat his younger brother, who had not yet gone missing, and on his other side was a young female. He hadn't really noticed her presence until she spoke. Maybe he was just too busy being bored.

Jack sighed, "Does that man ever stop talking?"

Slightly angered, the lady on his right, who had heard what he said, spoke, "Well that man is my father." 

She made emphasis on the second and third words in her sentence.

Regretting he had said those words out, even if they weren't said loudly and weren't directly insultive, he said, "My apologies. I didn't mean to disrespect."

Now taking a close look at the lady who he now found beautiful, he smiled at her.

"It's okay. Even I find it boring at times." She said not sounding angry anymore.

"I'm Jack by the way."

"I know who you are. All of London does."

Jack laughed there. He now looked at the fair lady, who returned the stare with a charming smile on her lips.

 That was the only thing Jack needed to be attracted to this damsel that day. Little did he know she would think of it as something real, and would soon be the cause of his downfall.

"I didn't get your name," He asked her still maintaining the gaze they shared.

"Clarrissa," She said "Clarrissa Barrington."