Zhuang heard Yao gasp through the phone. He was more concerned with the tears gathering in Xias’s eyes.
“You’d take us into your clan without even knowing us?”
“You’re Xias’s parents,” Zhuang replied. “What’s to know?”
He hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake, but he’d do just about anything to make his mate happy, and he was pretty sure those were happy tears.
He hoped those were happy tears.
“Just come to council headquarters,” Zhuang said. “We’ll get you registered as members of my clan, and then we can all head home together.”
“Would you… Would you consider taking in a few more of us?” Yao asked. “There are others, not a lot, just ten or so, but they need to get away from Osamu as much as Xias did.”
Zhuang’s eyes narrowed at the words Yao left unspoken. “Are they all underage?”
“A few of them.”
As much as Zhuang hated to admit it, that might make things just a bit easier with the council. “Stay on the line, Yao. I need to speak to someone for a moment.”
When Xias raised an eyebrow at him, Zhuang nodded toward the door. “I want to speak to my father real quick.”
Xias nodded before staring down at the phone as if it might bite him. Zhuang could only imagine his anxiety. What do you say to someone you haven’t been allowed to speak to in five years?
“Tell him about the cubs, Xias. I’m sure he’d like to hear about them. They are his grandkids, after all.”
Zhuang waited for Xias to start talking before going to track down his father. He was kind of hoping his father could help get Xias’s parents and the others through the red tape a little faster. He was sure it would ease all their minds if they knew they had a safe place to go.
When he reached his father’s office, he knocked and then waited to be invited in. He had learned that lesson very early on in life when he ran barging in and had a fully grown alpha jump at him in shifted form. He had nearly lost an eye and had the crap scared out of him.
Always knock on his father’s office door. There was no telling who might be inside.
“Come.”
Zhuang pushed the door open and stepped inside. His father was standing at his desk with several other men Zhuang recognized as council members and the head of estate security. A quick glance down at the papers they were looking over showed a map of council headquarters.
“Son?”
Zhuang glanced back up. “I need a moment, Elder Shen.” He hoped using his father’s formal name would tell him this was clan business and not father-to-son business.
His father raised an eyebrow at him before slowly nodding. “We can talk in my sitting room.”
Zhuang gave the other elders a respectful nod as he passed them and followed his father into the sitting room off his office. He shut the door behind him and then blew out a breath. His shoulders ached from the constant tension.
“What’s up, son?”
“Xias was able to get in touch with his father, who he hasn’t spoken to in nearly five years because Osamu wouldn’t allow it.”
“This man is turning into a nightmare.”
“I’m kind of thinking he always was and no one saw it. From everything I’ve heard from Xias, Osamu was very good at hiding his crazy.” Zhuang shoved a hand through his hair. He had a very strong urge to pull at it.
“Son?”
“I need you to approve the transfer of about twelve people from Osamu’s clan to mine. They should be here by nightfall.”
“Twelve people?”
“Xias’s parents plus a few others who need to get away from Osamu.” Zhuang’s jaw clenched as his anger renewed itself. “Several of them are underage, but have been targeted by Osamu just as Xias was.”
