Innocence

13

Beta Zane POC

He called me daddy.

Finally! My son!

I saw Cain, Seth's father, follow the boy into the pack house so I know he will be dealt with. Just as more is expected from Cedric being the Alpha's nephew and my son more is expected from Seth. He will one day be a leader in this pack and needs to start acting like it. I mean He's nearly 14 and was picking on a pup!

"You did good C. I'm proud of you." I tell my boy as I take him inside. He looks up at me and I just smile. He showed restraint I don't even think I could muster. I heard what Seath and the others said to him. I wanted to intervene  sooner but Ray stopped me saying he wanted to see how the pup handled it. That is until Seth laid hands on Cedric then no one was gonna stop me from protecting my own.

"So I can train?" He asks wiping his eyes and I laugh.

"Yea buddy you can train... did you eat?" I ask knowing he hadn't the chance.

"No... I'm hungry but... I don't wanna go back out there." He mumbles.

"Good thing we have food in the kitchen." I tell him and go to make him a plate of leftovers.

Cedric POV

Zane puts me on the counter as he makes the food... or rather plates up some of last night's dinner and throws it in the microwave.

"I don't want to replace Ace." I say thinking about how I called him daddy earlier.

"I never asked you to." He says with his back still to me as he watches the food heat.

"But I called you my dad... I'm sorry." I say and he sighs.

"I want you to call me your dad. You being my son doesn't make Ace any less my son." He tells me.

"The boy was right tho... it's my fault. Ma died because of me... then Acey... it's all my fault!" I cry and he picks me up rocking me until I calm down.

"It's not your fault, C." You didn't cause any of this." He whispers trying to shush my crying.

"You weren't there! You don't know! It's all my fault!" I yell at him as he takes me home still trying to calm me down.

Zane sits us down on the sofa and looks me in the eye.

"Then tell me... if it is hurting you tell me and maybe I can help." He says. I don't want to talk about this!

Flashback

"Take your pick Hue. They are all clean. Starting price is 200 for the night. The special orders are, of course, more." The warden says escorting a large scary man down the hall between the cells.

He looks in our cell and Ma pushes Ace and I behind her.

"Open this one would ya?" The scary man asks. "Adorable." He smirks as he enters. "I want him." The man says pointing to me as I peak at him from behind Ma.

"No!" Ma yells earning her a glare from both men. "I mean why don't you take me? I'll let you do what ever you want. Be what ever you want. I'm sure I'd be better than the pup." She makes a point with the way she says pup but I still don't know what's going on.

I look to Ace for answers. As I open my mouth to speak he shakes his head and I close it again.

"Get out of the way whore! He has made his decision!... now Hue the young ones have an up-charge. Plus this one is pure so that's another charge... I'd put him at..." The warden talks to the man but Ma cuts him off.

"Please no! I'll do anything!" She begs and the scary man looks at her. His smile gives me chills.

"Anything you say?" He hums and looks at the warden. "I'll take her 200 right?" The warden nods and grabs Ma.

"Come on, whore!" He yells as he drags her out.

"What was that Acey?" I ask my big brother.

"You were supposed to be asleep CC. Why did you wake up?" He asks ignoring me.

"I had a bad dream... when will Ma come back?" I ask him.

"Shell be here in the morning. Come on bub you need your sleep." Acey hugs me as we curl up on our blanket.

When I wake up Ma is here. She is laying in the middle of the cell with her back to us. I sit up rubbing my eyes as I look at her. Why didn't she sleep with us? She must be cold!

"Ma?" I whisper as I touch her arm. Her skin is cold. I roll her onto her back and gasp as she looks up at me unblinking. No! She can't be! She's asleep! People can sleep like that! She's asleep that's why she won't respond "Ma!" I yell louder shaking her.

"Wake up! Wake up!" I yell as I push on the chest of my mother.

"C... CC!... come on Cedric get up!" My big brother yells as he pulls me off of her still form. "It's about time to work. Ma is gone. Dry those tears little brother. Be strong for her can you do that, pup?"

Present

Zane growls as I tell him how she died. She was protecting me. It's my fault. Now he knows and blames me too. I flinch as he grabs my arms with tears in his eyes.

"They... did they?... oh my Cedric you're just a pup! I can't believe they would do that to you!" He rants hugging me close.

I'm just confused. I still don't know what the scary man did to mom. Acey wouldn't tell me and when ever the men came at night he made me hide under the blanket. If they looked at me he'd offer to go. I know it wasn't good. He never wanted me to touch him when he came back. He would just shiver and quietly sob. I never knew what to do for him and he never talked about it.

"Why did the man take Ma?" I ask and Zane pulls back from the hug.

"They never took you? You weren't raped? Thank God!" He pulls me close again not answering me.

"What's raped?" I ask and he gets stiff.

Beta Zane POV

The relief I got from knowing no one touched him, that even in that hell hole he maintained some piece of innocence, was put on hold by that question. How do I explain this to a 7 year old? How do I tell him what happened to his mother without scaring him even worse? Me and my big mouth! I was just so relieved that I didn't consider my words.

"That is when someone forces someone else to preform acts that are only ment for mates. It is a very bad thing your Ma saved you from. Do you understand?" I ask hoping he will drop it. He seems to think for a moment before something clicks.

"Mates like you and Ma?" He asks and I nod. "Is that what my father did? He hurt Ma and made me? That's why grandpa hates me... he said I came from Ma's torture... that's what he was talking about... I'm just a mistake... I... I'm gonna go."

I quickly grab him and hold him tight.

"No Cedric. Stop that right now!" I can't help the growl that slips. I can't let him think like that! Why did he have to be so smart! I wish he hadn't put those pieces together. Not yet. Not for a few more years at least! "Did your Ma ever call you a mistake? Did she treat you differently than your brother?" I know my mate. No way she did.

"No." The boy whimpers.

"If she didn't love you she wouldn't have protected you. If I didn't love you I wouldn't call you son. If your uncle didn't love you he wouldn't have taken you into his home. No matter how you came into this world you have been loved every moment and don't you forget it! You are my son no matter who your father is! You are special and will do great things so don't for a second question where you stand." I growl out he looks shocked but quickly wraps his arms around my neck.

"I love you daddy." He whispers and I sigh patting his back.

"Love you too, buddy."