He's Definitely Not Padington Bear

Thank you Smurf! I love it!

Thanos gently laid Lixue down, careful not to wake her or Tyler.

Stepping back from the exhausted pair, Thanos quietly pulled out his cell phone from his bag and step into the trees.

Making sure not to move too far away, Thanos pressed the speed dial and waited while the phone rang.

“What’ve you got?”

Thanos smiled at his friend’s command, “You owe me an extra fee.”

There was silence, then Jakal came back in a rush of syllables, “You’ve found Tyler? Where are you?”

“In the middle of the forest surrounding town. The Collectors didn’t take him far, but there is a problem.”

Thanos chuckled at the growl that come through the phone, “Kill anyone in your way, especially if they’ve endangered Tyler.”

“Endangerment isn’t your problem, it’s over protectiveness.”

~*~

I woke up to find Thanos leaning over me, his hand gently shaking my shoulder.

Reacting before he could I shoved him away and snarled.

“Whoa, calm down!”

I glared at him, wondering how I feel asleep.

It took me months before I actually slept when I was in that cage, then only when it was just the other animals and me in the building.

And I always woke up at the slightest noise.

“It’s okay; I just wanted to let you know that Tyler’s family is coming.”

I snarled again, the only thing I understand at this point is that he’s trying to take my cub away from me.

“Mine,” I snaped.

Thanos narrowed his eyes, “No, he needs to go back to his real mother.”

I growled, then froze as four people walked into the clearing.

The first two were holding hands, definitely a couple, and the woman burst into tears when she saw Tyler lying beside me.

I snarled and moved to protect Tyler- who is this woman anyways? –when Thanos suddenly grabbed me and pulled me away.

I fought against him, but went slack when Tyler saw the woman and threw himself into her arms.

“Oh, my baby. Adrian, our baby’s safe!”

The man she walked in with sank to his knees and wrapped his arms around them, silent tears flowing down his cheeks.

The other two who walked in stepped up to Thanos’ side.

The man placed his hands on Thanos’ shoulder while he held the woman to his side, “Great job, man. I owe you big.”

I was still wrapped in Thanos’ arms when the man’s eye flashed to mine.

He jumped back when I snarled.

“Dude, she’s feral.”

The woman hit the man’s arm, “Jakal, be nice. Look at her; it’s apparent she’s been through a really hard time.”

“Lily, I’ve seen a lot of feral shifters in my parent’s lab. I know what I’m seeing.”

“She’s not feral.”

I grew silent at Thanos’ deep rumble, wondering why he’s defending me.

“She’s been protecting Tyler; would a feral look out for anyone other than themselves?”

That’s when the woman holding Tyler looked at me, “Protecting? Where was he?”

I blinked as a familiar glare entered her eyes, one I saw in too many animals who were pushed too far, “Who am I killing?”

At her question Lily sighed, Jakal shook his head, and Thanos raised an eyebrow.

But it was the other man’s response that confused me.

He chuckled and kissed her, uttering a mumbled, “God, I love you.”

Love?

Why does that word seem so familiar, but just out of my reach?

Then the man stood up and helped the woman and Tyler stand, “Come on, Love. Let’s go home.”

And that’s when I noticed it.

Tyler’s scent merged with this woman and man’s.

These were his parents.

And I have to let him go.

But where does that leave me?