(9) The Talk

Back to Adalin's perspective...

She watched Owen opened the front door to reveal a tall and lanky man dressed in all black suit with platinum blonde hair and like rose pink eyes. She had to do a double take at how much like his dad that Owen looked. Yet, somehow Owen's father had hair that went to his shoulders in a wild crazy mess of layers it reminded her of Ruskian hair. So very thick and bushy like anime boy hair.

He had a fairly peachy complexion and was slaying the dark colors looking like a prince despite probably being in his late thirties. If Owen is going to look anything like his father, she might just never get over Owen's graceful beauty. The father even wore a freaking black cowboy hat with light rose tie and black cowboy boots.

Mister Chiendame carried himself with a strange clumsy timidness that reminded her of an awkward bunny. He looked like he might start trying to go into a sudden gun duel if someone even made the slightest of loud noises. He might be a bit to paranoid and nervous right now giving the situation.

She had to remind herself this man has been to war and he's not even a hunter. Plus, it was a war that Owen replied he might of lost or been on the wrong side. She can only imagine what that did to a person's nerves. He definitely looked very uncomfortable and out of place being in the city as he took off his hat putting on the near by coat hanger.

There was only a slight look of calmness when he looked at his more carefree and relaxed son, who only came up to his chest in height. Owen just hugged his father as Adalin noticed Owen's cute white and pink sneakers and that's Owen's wearing a black kitty cat hood with ears that's not over his head at the moment.

Than she watched her father walk over to the other man and offered his hand, "Hello sir. Welcome to my humble home. Dinner is ready and the table is set. You're seat is ready." Her father who was about four inches shorter than the man explains.

"Ah... s...Sorry to intrude. Thank you for having me!" Mister Chiendame shook his hand and bowed like the Nikonese do, before he stood straight looking very shy.

It was really hard to see him in a war, but than again... Adalin doubted it was war that he ever asked for or even wanted. He had no choice...

Adalin held her chest in pain and wished for the millionth time that people could just get along with each other and weren't so greedy or ignorant.

"My name is Joah Pompey. This is my son Adalin." Her father gestures to Adalin and she shyly waved.

"My name is Kaison Cheindome. This is my son Owen." Owen's father nodded relaxing more and more as time went by.

"Why don't you both sit down. Let's eat first than talk. Do you want some booze Kaison?" Adalin's father asked.

"I should keep away. I don't trust myself with that stuff." Kaison refused.

"Alright. Hope if you don't mind if I help myself than." Joah explains softly heading to the table.

"No... Not at all.... It's your home after all." Kaison nodded as Owen sighed taking his father's arm to lead him to the table.

Izzy went over and happily barked at them standing on his back legs to spin around as bark at them. Owen gently pet the dog's head as Kaison looked like he wanted to keep to himself and just vanish from the face of the planet.

"He won't bite." Owen tells his father, who shakes his head.

"Sorry. I can't..." Kaison trembled with fear, "Imma... just take my seat." He quickly claimed a seat as Owen whispered something to Izzy that made him return to Adalin's side and lay down.

"Not a dog lover?" Joah asked poured everyone some Schorle, which Galain's say it's apple juice with sparkling water than went to his booze cabinet to look for his own drink.

"Not anymore..." Kaison nearly whispered and looked at his drink curiously, before boldly chugging it in one go.

Owen just sat next to his dad and drank his drink normally, "You from here or move here like us?" Joah asked he got himself some Poire Williams to pour into his cup and bring to the table to drink.

"Hope. Hope was the only home I knew... moved here and well... not easy going from country to city life." Kaison was calming down now with an empty cup.

Joah reached over and tried to fill up the glass, but Owen put his hand over the cup, "Forgive me. I'm just going to put this in the sink for dad. Otherwise he's going to be drinking everything you pour in here out of politeness. It's a state thing." Owen winked and Joah chuckled.

"I understand. In our country it's very rude to leave cups empty." Joah backed off as Owen put the cup in the sink for his dad.

"Sorry... old habits die hard it seems." Kaison winced as Owen returned and took his seat.

"Haha! I mean I'm the same don't apologize. Luckily none of us are Ruskian here. You never apologize to them. They will hold it over your head as if to use it against you." Joah chuckled, "Only a few of them let you get away with it, because even they think it's a silly rule." Joah sighed.

"Yeah. That's Ruskian's for you. A lot of them raised to be the toughest and hardest crackers ever, but they don't know the first thing about just opening up and being vulnerable. They rather die than admit they need help. That's just how their country has taught them to be... I'm just glad... The Galains who lived here were able to show them a different way of living. That's okay to show weakness. It doesn't make you a loser or weak. Sometimes the greatest strength is admitting you have a problem in the first place. Than you can work to overcome it instead of ignoring it." Kaison softly nodded.

"Haha! I'll drink to that! I'm glad my country could help as well! To just relax and enjoy life. To stop taking everything so seriously. In the end... we all just want to be happy and live comfortably. It doesn't have to be us butting heads or trying to intimidated each other by showing who's the better country. If we try to better ourselves and work on having our leaders work on themselves too... Maybe we'll find a little peace along the way." Joah drinks another cup of his drink.

"I hope so." Kaison seemed to be fully relaxed now.

"Although... that being said. We aren't here to discuss about the world and what we think about it. I do believe we are here, because you're son is my son's mate. Because you're son is a hunter." Joah sighed and looked at Kaison softly.

Kaison looked at his food losing some of his appetite, "If... you don't accept it... I'll make sure my son understands and force him to leave you and you're family alone." Kaison spoke slowly, "He'll hate me for it, but... I think he'll understand." He obviously didn't want to do that.

"I had a feeling when they met they were soulmates. Our country is very familiar with many tales of hunters and their fated pairs. Hunters are very common in our country and most fight in the Ruskian army... Dutchness even works with some of their kind despite them not liking the supernatural and magical species." Joah explains.

"It's not something he can help. No one knows why some humans just are born as hunters. There isn't even a gene for it in my family that I know about... I don't know how he became one... It's not been easy. I fear for him... The doctors in the hunter's guild explained to me... That there's this little organism inside all living beings that mutates DNA and genes that probably caused it. It's mostly dormant in most species, but others it's awake and giving them supernatural powers or even magical capabilities... it's terrifying for any non magical and supernatural being to accept or even know about." Kaison sighed.

"I bet. Either way. I've chosen to accept it. After all the most important thing is our childrens' happiness... Don't you agree?" Joah asked.

The small black flower chandelier above the long rectangular dinner table shined it's dim light on the group below in a moment of silence.

"Yes. I'd like my son to be happy." Kaison finally answered and nodded.

Owen slowly started to eat his fried shrimp, stuffed crab, and boiled lobster with macaroni and cheese. Adalin figured her dad was too tired to make any of his usual homemade Germone/Dutchness meals and opted for an easy Galain meal.

"That being said... Adalin and your son seem to have something else to tell us and I got the feeling it relates to them being mates." Joah explains and Kaison coughed.

"Are we going have the talk with them Owen? Oh please no! I don't want to have to do that!" Kaison cried in horror.

"No dad!" Owen cried in horror.

Adalin's face went red as she got out the paper the nurse gave her and handed it to her dad, "No. Owen is going to start training at the hunter's guild after school and I want to go with him and support him." Adalin explained.

"Oh thank goodness. Lordie, lordie... you both had me freaking out for a bit there." Kaison sighed in relief as Owen hands over his paper as well.

"Our species teacher is something else. Saw me for what I was." Owen chuckled.

"Of course you can go. Though I don't see why you both needed to scare poor Kaison to near death to ask that." Joah chuckled signing the paperwork, "Just be careful my little laddy." Her dad explained using laddy to call her both a boy and lady at the same time and she prayed the other's didn't notice.

"I knew it was going to happen sooner or later..." Kaison slowly signs the paperwork and hugged Owen, "Promise not to forget about me." He held back tears.

"Dad... I'm still going to be coming home... I'm not living there. Adalin wouldn't be safe living there and I'm sure she rather be with her father." Owen explained.

"Actually father has to return to the sea after he eats, so it's just going to be me and Izzy..." Adalin admits and Owen's face turned bright red.

"As long as my lad is happy. I don't mind her stay with you at the hunter's guild or you hanging out here." Joan replied.

Owen grabbed his hoodie and immediately covered his head in it trying to hide inside it, "Seems we might have to have the talk after all if that's the case." Kaison sighed.

"You're not allowed in my room! I ban all life forms and we are not going to sleep in the same room." Owen cried in horror.

"Uh... what?!?" Adalin felt confused by that.

"Uh... You going to make me do this? No wait! The guild can explain! Ha!!! Sorry my boy. But your father is opting out on this. The guild gets to explain it to your mate." Kaison realized and declared.

"Ugh... I really don't want Adalin spending the night at the guild..." Owen thinks groaning, "But I don't want him thinking I'm rejecting him either." He decided.

"You know that week long medical leave I have at school? It's got to do with that. It's not me rejecting you. It's uh... I'm trying to protect you from me..." Owen turned red.

"Owen you aren't going to hurt me!" Adalin was sure of that.

"It's so he doesn't accidentally try to have babies with you." Kaison coughed and Adalin went blood red as she covered her face and her father takes another drink of his booze.

"Hunters' heat I take it?" Joah asked knowingly.

"Heat?!?" Adalin thinks in horror and shock.

"Yup. You know what I think I'll take that drink now." Kaison pulled at his collar not comfortable with this subject at all.

Joah gets up and pours Kaison a glass and hands it to him, "Careful cowboy. Might be a bit much for you." Joah flashed an amused smile.

"Can't be any worse than the Ruskian's booze." Kaison chugged it down.

"Dad! No! You know you and booze don't agree with each other." Owen cried.

Kaison inhaled as he giggled, "Haha! Thats good! Way better! Hit me again!" He was already tipsy.

"Haha. If you say so." Joah filled his glass up just absolutely amused by the cowboy.

"Dad! Don't encourage him!" Adalin scolded her father.

"Let the man live a little. He's been through a lot it seems. He needs a good moment of relaxation." Joah chuckled softly as Kaison chugged it again looking at Joah determined.

"Again! Imma drink you out of this house!" He swore as Joah just chuckled handing him the whole bottle.

To the childrens' horror Kaison drank it all and slammed it carefully on the table laughing like a crazy man. He's face was completely plastered and he wore a goofy smile on his face as he couldn't stop laughing.

"Why don't you stay here mister Cheindome. I doubt you're sober enough to walk home." Joah amused.

"Sure why not." Kaison replied.

Owen just put his face in both of his hands as his elbows were propped on the table and Adalin was wondering if her father had gotten a bit tipsy and became an booze enabler.

"Guess you'll be staying the night. Don't worry. You can sleep on the couch. Izzy might join you." Joah walked over to Kaison and helped him to the guest room.

"Please take care dad. He's... been through a lot." Owen sighed just accepting it at this point as Joah nodded vanishing up the stairs to the next set of rooms above them.

"Uh... so... about what you said... do you know when it's going to happen?" Adalin asked nervously.

"About three more days." Owen sighed deeply, "I'll be a bit more clingy by tommarow..." he sighed and Adalin nodded.

They decided to finish dinner in silence and clean everything up together putting away whatever needed into it's proper places.

"Hey. It's going to be okay. I'm sure the guild can help you... uh... control that." Adalin replied shyly.

"I hope so. If not. You need to be the one to firmly reject me. Not in a way that you show you don't love me but, in a way that I know I don't have permission for that... you know." Owen rubbed the back of his head.

"Of course." Adalin wasn't all that worried about it.

Izzy barked at them and Adalin petted the dog and fed him his treats thanking him for being a patient good boy. Owen wasn't sure what to do about the strange air between them now, but Adalin knew just how to make things go back to normal.

"Want to watch tv with me and Izzy?" Adalin asked Owen, who smiled brightly at her.

"I'd love that!" He chimed.

They all headed toward the large curved leather blue couch next to a dark cherry wood coffee end table and a large flat screen tv across from it on top of a black colored wooden entertainment center.

Adalin searched through the cabinets of the entertainment center looking among the horde of dvds for a movie to just help them take their mind of things. She settled for Loriot-Pappa Ante Porta, which was one of her favorite movies from back home.

She popped it into the DVD player as she turned it on and eagerly went to sit next to Owen, "This is about a man who's forced to retire prematurely and spend his days at home and as an executive becomes a bother to his wife." She explained to Owen, who seemed to be looking at the stairs with this look of pure terror on his face.

"Owen? What's wrong?" Adalin asked him and he looked at her blinking a few times.

"Uh... just..." He refused to look her in the eyes, "Just having dark thoughts." He admits.

She wasn't sure why she felt it was more than that, but didn't want to push him, "Okay! Than let's get to watching and forget all those bad thoughts!" She explains.

"I'll try." Owen looked like a whipped puppy.

Adalin turned on the movie and held his hand doing her best to keep him focused on the movie talking about any references he might not be familiar with, since he's not from her country.

Izzy just laid next Adalin on the couch falling asleep looking like the cute big fluffier he is.

Owen seemed like he wasn't focusing very well and he covered his mouth with his hand as he bit his lip.

"Owen?" Adalin paused the tv and looked at him concerned.

Owen quickly got up and froze as if the world was moving all wrong for him.

"Owen!" Adalin was freaking out he wasn't okay.

"Don't touch me!" Owen cried backing into the coffee table and looking terrified and confused.

"Owen?!? What's wrong?!?" Adalin just wanted to help him.

"Call the hunters' guild! Please! I'm going into heat early!" Owen was hugging himself and shaking violently.

"Ah?!? Uh!! I don't know the number!" Adalin ran into the kitchen grabbing the house phone.

Owen managed to tell her the number as he opted for laying on the table and curling into a ball and hugging his knees whimpering like a hurt puppy. Izzy just whimpered as he watched the hunter refusing to get near him as if he knew that he had.

Adalin was wondering why this was happening and was so glad when someone picked up, "This is the hunter's guild for Masacara this Hunt Master Gilbert speaking." He explains.

"Please help! My hunter friend just went into heat early! I don't know what to do!" Adalin cried.

"Whatever you do don't touch him. I'm on the way." Gilbert explains and hung up.

"It's going to be okay Owen! The hunter's guild is coming!" Adalin started crying hating how much pain Owen looked like he was in.

"Adalin.... It's not your fault. You didn't cause this to happen.... I want you to know that." Owen groan and grunted slowly as he was breathing heavily.

"But... Owen... you're a beta right? Aren't beta's like immune to heats and stuff?" Adalin asked crying.

"All hunters of all ranks have heats. It's a monthly thing and perfectly normal for us hunters... it's cause... of how reckless we all are... so our bodies are trying to keep our kind alive... and going..." Owen whimpered.

"But not all hunters become hunter's from their genes though." Adalin was a crying mess.

"Yeah I know. There's actually an easy way to stop it." Owen groaned.

Adalin went over to kneel beside the coffee table wanting so badly to stop his pain, "Tell me! I'll do it! I'll do it if it makes the pain stop for you." Adalin cried.

"Don't say that! Take that back now." Owen looks at her with unhinged eyes and fangs starting to poke out of his mouth.

Adalin shivered a bit scared and yet not, but she had made up her mind. She wasn't about to let her mate suffer like this.

"Whatever it is. I promise you. I won't run away from it. I'll face it with you." She took his hand as Owen looked at her going stiff as he was breathing heavily and his skin felt like it was hot to the touch.

Izzy barked a few times and Adalin felt someone's hand on her shoulder and froze as Owen stared at the person behind her in shock and awe.