“There is one person I can call,” Xias replied quietly. There was so much sadness in his voice. “I don’t know if he’ll tell me anything, but I can try.”
Zhuang tilted his head forward to get a better look at Xias’s face. “Who can you call?”
“My father.”
“How long has it been since you’ve spoken to him?”
“Um, well, Osamu took me from them when I was fifteen. He started trying for the cubs when I was eighteen. It took two years before they were born, so…five years, give or take a month or two.”
Zhuang’s eyes rounded as shock rolled through him. “You haven’t spoken to your parents in five years?”
“It wasn’t allowed. Osamu didn’t want me associating with anyone who might have any influence over me. I was only allowed to speak to the enforcers Osamu chose to guard me, and then only when it pertained to my care or Osamu’s orders.”
“You never spoke with them?”
Xias shook his head. “I did see them occasionally, but we weren’t allowed to speak to each other. It was too dangerous to try. Osamu would have beat us.”
“He’s a real control freak, isn’t he?”
Xias snickered. “You have no idea.”
“Were you close to your parents before Osamu took you from them?” Zhuang didn’t always get along with his father, and he had rebelled like crazy as a teenager, but he’d always known his parents loved him.
“As close as any teenager can be with his parents, I suppose.”
“Do you have siblings?” Zhuang felt like a heel asking this stuff, but they really hadn’t had enough time to breathe, let alone learn about each other. Mates should know these things, though.
“No, my mother didn’t handle my birth very well, so she was told it was best if they didn’t try for more cubs.”
“I have a brother, Zhu. He’s off serving the council somewhere. I see him every now and then, but it’s been a while.” Zhu’s work was of the secret council variety, something he couldn’t talk about to anyone. “Hopefully, you’ll get to meet him one of these days.”
Zhuang dug his cell phone out of his pocket and handed it over to Xias. “Call your father and see if he’s willing to talk to you. Maybe if the phone call doesn’t come from council headquarters, your father will answer the phone.”
Xias grabbed the phone and tapped at the screen. Zhuang was amazed that he still knew his parents’ phone number, but if they hadn’t moved, it made sense they’d still have the same number.
“It’s ringing,” Xias whispered after putting the phone to his ear.
“Put it on speaker so I can hear.”
Xias swiped his finger across the screen. Zhuang heard half a ring before someone picked up.
“Hello?”
Xias swallowed tightly as he glanced at Zhuang. “Dad?”
Total silence hung in the air.
“Dad, it’s me, Xias.”
Still silence.
Zhuang sat down on the couch next to Xias and pulled the man into his lap. He didn’t have to see the tears forming in Xias’s eyes. He could smell them, and he wanted to punch Xias’s father right in the mouth.
“What’s your father’s name, Xias?”he asked silently.
“Yao.”
“Yao, my name is Alpha Zhuang,” he said out loud. “I’m Xias’s mate and new alpha. We’re here at council headquarters and—”
