The Beta's Second Son

07.

Reluctant Acceptance.

Xavier.

"You can't be." I argued looking in the eyes of my supposed nephew, but deep down I knew he was her son, we had the same eyes, a ring of canary yellow then a burst of green around it. "He is, and I know your wolf feels it too, you astound me Xavier, you've been able to completely cut off that wonderful scent of yours completely, how?" The alpha in the room demanded but I scoffed, I would never give him my serum, he would abuse it. "It will never get into your hands, and you're not entrusting anyone with anything, why not take care of him yourself!" I argued with a loud hiss shocking everyone in the room.

"I can't! -" The alpha finally admitted."I can't take care of him because I am not capable of doing it, my enemies, all those I've wronged are hunting me down and soon they will find and kill me, without my son, my family I do not know how to live, and if I were to raise him in this chaos he will turn out worse than Damien or me, that's why I brought him here." Alpha Crow finished his statement as he began to cough harshly, blood seeped from his mouth, I knew what it was, I would never dare tell him or treat him.

"Sir, sit down." A wolf who had been silently watching our argument hurriedly administered a drug to the wolf which calmed his harsh cough. "As you can see my body is already failing me, take him Xavier, he's not just your nephew, you'll be his father, I've wiped every trace of his existence, he is not a Crow, he's an Amari." Alpha Crow exclaimed as he stood up from his hunched position and walked toward the boy.

"Grampa, what's going on?" That voice broke my heart, he was so innocent, and unaware of all the horrible things around him. "Its alright my gentle wolf, I've brought you home, you'll never have to worry about anything, but I can't stay here, I have to go deal with the bad men." Alpha Crow explained as gently as he could but I could see the emotions and the flood gates open, I was more connected to that child than anything.

"This is home right, don't go Grampa." He replied in a broken tone, his voice cracked as tears gently began to fall down his cheeks, all I wanted was to hold him, and tell him everything would be alright. "I can't stay my boy, this is your home, and Xavier is more than your uncle, you always wanted a dad who was around right, he's going to be around alright." The alpha stated but I could feel how hard this was for him, this was the last of his precious family, and all he had to blame for losing it was himself, the two embraced each before the alpha let go.

Without thinking I walked forward, bent down and took Jude in my arms, my wolf imprinted on him right then, he was family. "It's alright, listen to me, I promise it will be alright." I soothed him as he cried, cries turned to sniffles until he had fallen asleep, I looked around to see the four wolves staring at me in fascination. "How?" One of them questioned and I chose to ignore him. "I will take care of him, love him and see that he becomes the best person he could be but on one condition." I asserted and alpha Crow seemed to be a man awaiting judgement. "What is that?" He questioned.

"Never come back, never step foot in Sandbury, whether you survive or not don't come back in this life or the next, even if you yourself don't come back and send your wolves know that I will kill them, so no one will ever try harm him, or so help me I will unleash wolves on you that won't hesitate to rip you apart." I made my declaration and demand non negotiable, I knew that statement could never be reversed, the alpha himself knew that this was his last time with Jude. "I accept, beta Amari." Alpha Crow mumbled with a deflated tone, there was no going back.

With Jude asleep in my arms I walked to the kitchen and picked out a water bottle with the antidote for the poison on the blade I had jabbed into one of the wolves. "Here, it will remove the poison from your system." I called out throwing the bottle toward the specific wolf. "Thank you Xavier, and goodbye." Alpha Crow stated as he and his party left, for some reason I knew that this was the last time I would ever see him, a wolf like him did everything to protect family and with Jude being with me, he could never risk it.

An envelope had been left on the couch addressed to Jude and also with specific instructions to give him when he turned twenty one, that was a while away but then Jude would understand things a lot better than now, having him felt natural, funny how tables turn, the man who once spared my life when he killed all that I knew was the one who gave me a life to protect because no one else could.

I would honor my promise, Jude would be the best man he could be, and he would always be safe with me, but now having him complicated and made my life brighter at the same time, this was unexpected parenthood, I had just gotten my mate, how do l tell him about Jude when he knew nothing about me, it was really a mess and I knew I was stupid for not telling Marquee about my past but it's things and people like Alpha Crow who hold me back, what if I had joined a pack and he came for me, he would destroy everything just to get to me and I didn't want more lives and blood on my hands, at the same time Marquee was my mate, he would understand, I hated my pessimism honestly but its what's kept me alive, I was a mess.

Luckily what wasn't a mess was my house, I had five bedrooms, and one of them was more than perfect for Jude, so I walked there silently, removed his shoes and jacket, with a bit of a struggle and some gentle coercing, he let go and was asleep again. The downside of having so many wolves in my home and having a beta mate was that he could pick up the wolf scents the moment he was by the door, so I turned on the fans, opened the windows and cleaned out the mud those idiotic wolves had brought in, knowing Crow he probably planted some kind of device to listen in through, I wasn't having it, so I cleaned every inch of my house whilst looking for the bug but I never found it, that was different.

A spray or two the house was wolf scent free, my own wolf was laughing at me for giving myself so much labour but he understood the need for it, remembering the front yard and walkway I turned on the sprinklers threw powdered soap on the walkway and it took care of itself, after all that work, I was exhausted but I knew this was only the beginning, it wasn't just me now, it was us, my little nephew, I couldn't wait to make him smile. Tomorrow was a new day and I hoped it brought goodness in my life.

A warm shower had washed away all the dirt and sweat on my body, I changed and checked in on Jude who was asleep clutching his pillow, not closing the door completely I made my way back to my bedroom and left the door open, I just had to be cautious if Jude woke up, and as sleep pulled me in, a smile was etched onto my face, I wasn't as alone as I thought, and a part of me was fulfilled.

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LMJ