Chapter Text
"Look! A tiger like Momma!" Charles squealed, pointing at someone a little further away in the park. Sebastian looked up from where he had been cleaning spit up from Lando's face, the tiny koala contently squeaking now his tummy was full of milk. The tiger momma tensed, wordlessly moving Lando into Dan's arms, who frowned.
"What's wrong, love?" Dan asked. The other Alphas turned towards Seb now too, and even Toto returned from where he had been running around with Max and wobbly little Lance.
"Nothing." Seb tried, but his eyes were still trained on the man. There was something so familiar about him, but at the same time it couldn't be, shouldn't be…
The man, a stocky older man with fluffy tiger ears and a large tiger tail, now turned towards them, and he too seemed shocked.
The older tiger walked over, tears in his eyes as he reached out, cupping Seb's face between his hands.
"Sebastian? My darling cub is that you?" The man choked out. Sebastian was frozen, eyes wide and hands clutched into fists at his sides. He didn't react, staying rigid as the man hugged him and cried.
"Dad!" Seb whimpered, but it wasn't aimed at the other tiger. He stumbled backwards, away from the other tiger and into Toto's arms, shaking and clinging onto his father.
"You made momma upset!" Max cried out, brows furrowed as he hissed at the older tiger. The man looked so lost, arms still extended a little like he was still holding Seb.
"Sebastian…" He tried.
Lewis looked as if he was going to ask who the man was, but they all knew. The similarities were there, the tiger characteristics were there - this man was Sebastian's father.
Toto stared at the other man, hugging his trembling cub close as the pup crowded around momma to try and soothe him.
"You abandoned me." Seb whispered, face still buried in Toto's shoulder. His ears were pushed back and he looked so small for a moment.
"Abandoned you?" The other tiger whispered. "Oh no darling, that is not true. You were taken from us, but we never stopped trying to look for you, trying to bring you home…" the man sniffled. Toto seemed a little tense, but quietly made Seb turn around to face the other man. Seb curled his tail around himself, hugging it close. Some of the pups were attached to his legs, trying to soothe him, and Max was hissing. Kevin, standing with the Alphas, was thumping his right foot while holding little Mick in his arms.
"I don't know…" Seb began, before letting out a shaky breath. The other tiger moved towards him more slowly, tears on his round face.
"I don't expect you to let me in easily. I missed out on so much." He murmured. "But please, I don't want to lose you again." He added.
Seb nodded, not sure what exactly he was agreeing too, but judt knowing he wanted to get to know the man, wanted to remember the part of his life he had always tried to forget. The man smiled in relief, gently wiping a tear of Seb's cheek before turning to Toto
"My name is Norbert." The older tiger told him. "Thank you, for raising my cub so well."