CHAPTER 7

It was eight o'clock on a Sunday morning and the sun had just rose up in the horizon, blanketing the sky in soft blue. There were birds chirping cheerfully in some trees nearby, making their presence known. Children were already out in the park with their parents, playing in the playground.

Robert was on his way to the police station. He yawned as he briefly watched the children running around from across the street.

'Kids are so active these days,' he shook his head as he continued walking. He was carrying two huge lunch bags in both of his hands and a huge backpack on his back. His hair was still ruffled from sleep. He was only wearing a thin t-shirt and cargo pants with flip flops.

Earlier that morning, he was having a nice sleep when his mother grabbed his quilt off him. Luckily, he did not sleep in the nude but he only wore his sleeping pants. She holds up an empty pot that she brought upstairs and hit the bottom with a metal cooking spoon.

*BANG! BANG!*

"Wake up! Wake up!" Luella yelled.

He sat up, screaming. "What the f---!!!" he screamed. He covered both of his ears, wincing as his mother continued to bang on the pot.

Luella stopped and scowled down at her son. "Did you just curse at me, son?" she asked slowly.

His eyes widened as he furiously shake his hands in front of him, slowly backing up on his bed. "No, no, I didn't," he said, panicked.

She picked up the quilt that she pulled off him and threw it in his face. "Get up and send some food for your father."

Robert fell back on his bed and groaned. "Mom, it's freaking Sunday. Can't I even sleep for a few more hours?"

Luella crossed her arms across her chest. She looked quite cute, frowning as she wore her flowery apron. "No, your father was working the night shift and is still in the office. He didn't bring any food for his breakfast. I'm worried that he might get hungry."

Robert pulled his quilt over his head and said, his voice a bit muffled, "Just let him get his own food."

Immediately, sounds of loud banging could be heard incessantly.

Robert quickly jumped out of his bed and said, "Alright, alright. I'm up!"

Luella stood up on tip-toes, ruffling his hair and said, "Good boy."

He rolled his eyes. "Woof!" he sarcastically said. He felt like a little puppy that his mother found and needed to pet.

When he finally arrived at the police station, the place was quiet. There were only a few people inside the lobby. The receptionist table was still empty. 'They're probably inside,' Robert thought. Well, Sunday mornings were usually quiet as most people would spend their time at home or still sleeping in. 'As I would have,' he thought grumpily.

In less than a minute, he saw his father's Beta approaching him. Fergus also known as Edward's father, clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey there, pup. What are you doing here?"

Robert hold up his two hands and answered, "Brought some food for dad."

Fergus nodded. "I could smell," he said. "Come on. Let's go to your dad's office."

Fergus led Robert to the Alpha's office, passing by a few rooms. Robert nodded hello at some of the pack members who were also working in the police force. The Alpha's office was way at the back, right after Fergus' office.

Inside his father's office, Robert found him behind stacks of papers, writing and looking hard at work. Fergus went over and sat on the chair across his father's table and grabbed a donut from a donut box, which was also on the table.

Robert rolled his eyes. 'What a cliché. Policemen with their love of donuts,' he thought sarcastically.

Fergus narrowed his eyes at Robert in suspicion, as if he heard what Robert said in his mind. And then he threw a donut at him, who immediately caught it with his teeth, since his hands were full.

Fergus smirked. "Exactly like a mangy mutt," he laughed.

Robert rolled his eyes. His father's Beta loves to tease him. He was so unlike his son, who was serious and brooding. Sometimes, Robert would joke saying that Edward wasn't his son at all, which earned him a beating, both from Fergus and Edward.

The Beta's mate, Mary, runs a bakery in town. Her bakery was one of the most popular joints in town, even before she became a shifter. Yes, she used to be human until she met Fergus. After claiming her as his mate, he had turned her into the shifter. Being turned into a shifter was different compared to being born as a shifter. They do not need to wait for the Full Moon. Instead, once they have mated, they will immediately become shifter. And yes, they will experience the same pain as the new shifter when they first shift.

Back then, because they can share the same emotions and pain, Fergus felt the same pain that Mary was experiencing when she first shift. It was one of the most painful experiences Fergus had had. It was like he was shifting for the first time twice. But most mated shifters would claimed that it was worth the pain, finding your true love.

This morning, she had sent over her best sellers donuts because Fergus had been working the night shift together with Joseph.

Robert rolled his eyes and ignored him, munching on the donut, finishing it. He dragged a table with his foot and pulled it near his father's desk. He then placed the huge lunch bags on the table.

Robert placed his backpack on the table and continued to take out more food containers from inside. His mother had made them some mashed potatoes, grilled raw steaks, fried chickens, roasted broccoli and one huge chocolate cake. Yes, it looked like a feast, but these were normal for them. Shifters usually have big appetite.

As the three of them dig in, (Yes, Robert too. He said that he was quite hungry after walking which made the Alpha and Beta roll their eyes), Joseph suddenly received a call from one of his secret hotlines.

Both the Alpha and Beta looked at each other with a serious look on their faces. They hardly received any calls from that line unless it was about pack matters.

Joseph immediately picked up the call. "Hello, what's the situation?"

'Alpha. We have sighted rogues near the edge of the town. This time, there were innocent people involved. They are now being rushed to the hospitals, as we speak. We have heard there were serious injuries.'

Joseph stood up so suddenly, shocked at the news. "What?" he shouted angrily. "They dare to trespass into the town and hurt the people! Send me the coordinates immediately! Stay on the lookout! We will have to go during nighttime!" he ordered.

'Yes, Alpha!'

He hang up the phone and turned to Fergus, who had stood up too. "Who will be working the night shift today?" he asked.

Understanding who the Alpha meant, Fergus stated out a couple of the pack mates who will be working later.

"Tell Roel that he is needed for the night shift. Join the other shifters to secure the area and apprehend the rogues before we get there," he ordered.

"Yes, Alpha!"

Robert looked around him in surprise. He could not tell what was going on exactly but he could only hear rogues. He assumed that there must be a rogue attack. He quickly stuffed a slice of chocolate cake in his mouth and said loudly, with his mouth full, "I WANT TO JOIN TOO!"

Joseph and Fergus both turned to him. Their mouths curled in disgust when they saw his mouth and cheeks smeared with chocolate.

"No," Joseph immediately rejected.

"B-b-but…" Robert sputtered out.

"No!" His father rejected firmly, using his Alpha's voice.

Robert visibly trembled and quickly stood up straight. "Yes, Alpha," he meekly said.

Joseph turned to Fergus, talking to him in a soft voice, his back to Robert.

Robert narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the two of them. 'I wonder if I could get Edward to go with me to check it out…' he thought to himself, already thinking of a plan.