18: Tsar and His Secret
"Why didn't you shift!?" Kaew asked as soon as he shifted into his human form.
"(-__-)"
"Hey, answer me. Uh… well, sorry. You probably don't understand Thai."
"(-__-)" A tall man in a dark gray suit handed Kaew a big bag of clothes.
"Ah, thank you so much. I completely forget that I'm naked." He scratched the back of his neck before laughing sheepishly.
"(-__-)"
"Do all bad guys have a poker face?"
"(-__-)"
That poker face with bright hair color and blue eyes stared at Kaew and he couldn't do anything but swallow hard. Kaew looked at his shirt and a well-made gray suit and wondered if he needed to dress this well as someone who was kidnapped. He tried asking them in English but it was like he was talking to a wall. Before Kaew couldn't say anything else, they turned their backs on him. Wow, their backs are actually as strong as a wall.
After getting dressed and spinning around in front of a mirror, Kaew found out that all his clothes fit him perfectly, even his underwear and these pointy black leather shoes. He didn't know that the kidnapper would plan everything so well.
When he was kidnapped earlier, Kaew freaked out as he heard gunshots and saw Mr. Carl getting angry. He tried to bite and get away in his dog form but still couldn't escape. He was locked in a luxury bedroom with a soft and clean bed. There was a small set of couches, a TV, a fridge, and a bathroom with a nice bathrobe. In conclusion, they took care of him so well that he could only keep asking questions.
Kaew frowned and he had to nudge one of the poker-faced men.
"I don't know how to do a tie. What if I'm suffocating from it? Can I just not wear it?" Kaew spoke English in an American accent this time.
"(-__-)" The blond-hair man didn't answer but pulled Kaew over to follow him.
"Where are we going? Are you a werewolf from Russia? Are you with the intruders last night? Are there many more werewolves out there?"
"(-__-)"
"Mr. Wall, don't walk too fast, please. I'm almost flying in the air. Well, do your clan have tiny werewolves too?"
Kaew asked questions nonstop until he was led to an elevator. Before he knew it, he was right in the middle of someone's luxury office that he saw on Hollywood mafia movies. The boy stood still as Mr. Wall let go of his arm and stared still at him.
Alright, a staring contest? Bring it on!
.◕‿◕.
(◕‿◕✿)
(◡‿◡✿)
(~ ¯▽¯) ~
(~ o ¯▽¯) ~ o
(@ [] @ !!)
Σ (⊙▽⊙ "
(≧◇≦)
(≧▽≦)
(≧ 3 ≦)
●﹏☉
"So, you're really a puppy, aren't you?" Kaew heard the lower voice before he could even see the source of it.
".!?." Kaew looked at a new person who just walked into the room. Mr. Wall bowed his head to this person before walking to stand at the corner of the room.
"That was a lot of facial expressions going on."
"You're Thai."
Kaew looked at the middle-aged man in his elegant suit. He was probably in his 50s but this old man looked quite good for his age. He was like a good-looking deathly mafia in movies that Kaew used to watch, sitting on a shiny leather chair, smoking a cigar, and then giving people a death sentence without a blink. He looked cool and scary at the same time. However, his scent was almost the same as Mr. Carl's.
"Hello, your name is Kaew, isn't it?"
"Yes. Hello, sir." Kaew greeted him with the Wai gesture. It never hurts to be tame and polite. I hope he won't shoot me out of the blue.
"And a Thai Bangkaew too, if I'm not wrong?"
The young werewolf nodded. This man's glance especially those bright brown eyes reminded Kaew of someone,
"Take a seat."
"I want to know the one who kidnapped me. Why didn't he shift when it was daylight?" A question slipped out of Kaew's mouth before the old man could sit down.
"What an impatient one, huh? You must be hungry. Let's eat something first."
Speaking about food, a waiter in a black uniform came in with a plate and different dishes in his hand. It smelled really good that Kaew's stomach grumbled and he almost drooled. He nodded and sat by the dark oak desk. While he ate, he kept glancing at the old man who was sipping just red wine.
"Uncle, uh, you don't want to eat, sir?" Once he was almost full, feeling awkward and finding it hard to swallow as the old man kept staring at him.
"I like the way you hold cutleries."
"Grandpa taught me to sit and eat in proper human manner because there is only one meal a day that we can eat like this. By the way, I noticed that you're a Thai werewolf too, but what's your breed?"
"…"
"I didn't know there were other werewolves. We Bangkaew stay together as one clan…"
"Before asking my breed, you'd better ask my name."
"I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself again. My name is Kaew Kwanbangkaew. I'm a Thai Bangkaew from Phitsanulok. And you?"
"I am Anan, but people call me Tsar because I am the alpha of the Siberian Husky clan." So, this is really him. The old man thought before smiling. He is a member of Kwanbangkaew clan.
"Grandpa said that werewolves don't normally accept other breeds in their clans. But why…?"
"Did Grandpa Kwan teach you that?" The old man's brown eyes were gleaming and Kaew couldn't read what was on his mind.
"How do you know that my grandfather's name is Kwan?" Kaew took a sip from a glass of water after finishing his meal.
"…"
"You're a Thai Bangkaew too, right?"
Anan nodded to Kaew's question. His brown eyes looked at Kaew's face which was similar to someone from the past. He looked like a teenager though he was fully grown. And those brown eyes were something special about him.
"Kaewgub-aok…"
"Are you my father!?" Kaew burst out his question after hearing his mother's name out of Anan's mouth.
The old man's brow eyes darkened in sadness for a moment before he nodded in acceptance. Anan let out a big sigh and leaned his back against his chair. All these 20 years, he was convinced that the boy in front of him was already dead since he was still in his mother's womb because Anan was careless.
A picture of the good old days and his dark secret flashed through Anan's mind. It was a nightmare that changed his life forever. The accident that happened to his late wife wasn't only his fault… Anan thought of the story he never had a chance to tell his son.
"Did Grandpa Kwan tell you…"
"He told me that you died because of the truck. No, he actually said that you were really greedy and ended up eating poisoned food that villagers made, Then, you were intoxicated and crossed the street without looking carefully. That was how you got hit by a truck and your dead body didn't look good either."
"(￣ヘ￣;)"
"It was a terrible shameful death. That's what Grandpa told me."
"He must hate me so much." Anan laughed in his throat. That old Grandpa made up such a disgraceful death story about him.
"So, are you really my father?"
"Mmm."
"Okay."
The old man full of life experiences was stunned by this young werewolf. Didn't he just figure out that what his grandparent told him about his father was a lie? A father who appeared in front of him out of the blue? A father who was the Tsar or as known as the ruler of the world's most powerful clan as Siberian Husky? After all of this and he just said 'okay'? Besides, Kaew contained himself well and grabbed a plate of mango and sticky rice to eat as a dessert. He took a spoonful bite it made his cheeks puffy before chewing it scrumptiously.
"Omnomnom. This is really nice and sweet. Soft sticky rice with Nam Dok Mai mangoes is the perfect match. Mmmm, the coconut milk is good too."
"Uh…"
"Do you want a bite, sir? I forgot to ask. Hehehe," laughed Kaew, trying to cover up his greediness even though he kept taking more into his mouth.
"…"
"Otherwise, I'll eat it all, really."
Anan laughed out loud before waving his hands. His secret about being Kaew's father was not as important as this mango and sticky rice. This boy was something unexpected. Anan wondered how Kaew was raised after 21 years when he wasn't there for him. This bright young boy seemed to be mentally strong and a little odd at the same time. Not to mention that he ended up with that mafia Carl…
"Sir, there is a guest expecting to see you." One of the black-suited men from the operation team came in and reported.
Kaew stared at this man's arm that was wrapped with a bandage and realized that he was the one who brought him here. When did he get in here? Kaew didn't even notice him.
Aw, no more mangoes. How sad…
"He's fast."
Anan gave a sign to his crew to clean up the table and smiled when he saw Kaew licking a spoon and putting it back on an empty plate. You must really like mangoes and sticky rice. I should take over the best mango plantation in Thailand. One is definitely not enough, maybe a hundred will do.
"Kaew, come sit next to me here." Anan moved to sit on the couch and asked Kaew to follow.
"But you're having a guest soon. I can wait somewhere else and we can talk later." Though Kaew said so, he sat down next to him obediently.
Kaew could have guessed that this old man was his father. His eyes looked just like what Kaew saw in the mirror every day. And Grandpa loved making up stories to tell Sandee and Kaew most of the time. Though he was never convinced about his father's death story, Kaew didn't want to argue with Grandpa.
"That guest… he's here for you."
Suddenly, the door was opened and Carl in a suit walked in slowly and gracefully. All of his fellows were waiting for him outside.
"Mister!" called Kaew, full of joy. But when he stood up, he paused when he saw Anan's glare.
"Carl."
"Tsar."
Two powerful men called each other's names while making such a strong eye connection. the pressure built up in the room.
Kaew gave Carl a sign trying to tell him not to make such an arrogant face to his father. Mr. Carl, this is your father-in-law. Smile and behave well! I just got to see my dad and we don't have much time to talk. Kaew thought, didn't want his father to hate his mate. It was never fun when the in-laws were against partners.
"Kaew." Carl gave the boy a soft smile to comfort him. I'm going to you out of here. Don't worry. You look really good wearing a suit like this, though I like it more when you dress casually. It's more adorable that way.
"Have a seat, Carl." Anan coughed when he saw his son and the mafia kept staring at each other.
"I'm here to bring my boy back." Carl opened the conversation directly. His face turned cold and the atmosphere became awkward.
"Is that so? Do you think you're powerful enough and can just claim anyone?" The Tsar of the Russian clan looked at Carl indifferently. How dare you call my son 'your boy'?
"Tell me what you want."
"I want everything in your warehouse and the agreement between your casino in Macau and Kowloon." Tsar leaned back in the chair, his palms pressing loosely.
"Sure. My secretary has all of the documents and will get that done."
"Good."
"Ask your men to get the documents from him. And I'll take Kaew and leave." It was simply a straightforward negotiation to make.
"..." The boy was too stunned to speak. His brown eyes looked at Carl who didn't even ask anything or blink for a second.
"Is that boy so important to you?" Anan asked while looking at Kaew.
"It's none of your business," answered Carl, but his eyes locked on Kaew.
"You quite enjoy collecting unusual stuff," Tsar told from what he'd heard.
"I never considered Kaew as an object. He's an important person to me," said Carl sharply, feeling upset that this man compared Kaew to an object.
"And he's important enough to risk your life in the middle of my territory?"
"I know that Kaew is a werewolf, and so are you all."
"Transfer everything under Kaew Kwanbangkaew."
".!." Carl frowned, questioning what he just heard.
"(⊙_⊙) Transfer what to me!?!" The boy who was listening to his father and his mate talking was startled.
"Consider this a gift to my son." Anan put his hand over Kaew's tense shoulder and smiled softly.
"A gift to your son…" Carl repeated.
"Um… Mr. Carl, listen up. This is my father, Anan." Kaew laughed sheepishly before looking at the old man.
"And this is my female, Mr. Carl." Then he turned to Carl.
".!." Anan was too shocked to speak.
Carl nodded in acceptance, keeping his face straight. Though he was satisfied that Kaew introduce him as his mate, the word 'female' gave such an odd feeling to his ears and he didn't know what kind of expressions he should make.
"Kaew, listen to me." Anan sighed.
"Yep."
"As you can see that every werewolf in this room doesn't shift anymore. The reason you still shift into a dog during daytime is that…"
" Mmhmm?" Kaew stared straight, paying full attention.
"Well, this is the reason. You don't have your true soulmate yet." Anan started at his in-law with burning eyes as if he wanted to kill this man alive.
My son is just a puppy. How dare this man mated my beloved son? Ugh, let me shift and bite this mafia's head off right now! I need his blood to wipe off my feet.
By the way, kudos to you, my boy, for taking this mafia down!