Innocence

19

I rush to my room.

I can't believe I just said all that! That stupid Beta making me think things through! It's a good thing but I still wish I could blindly hate him!

"How ya doin' pup?" Dad asks as he comes in.

"That was the hardest thing I've ever done." I mumble.

"You're a better man than me. I flat told him I wasn't giving him a chance... but he is your father." He sighs running a hand through his hair before looking at me. "He is your father and if you want to give him a chance to be your dad I won't be upset."

"I won't replace you with him, Dad." I promise him.

"Do you remember what I told you when you were afraid you were replacing Ace by being my son?" He asks and I nod.

"You said me being your son doesn't make Ace any less your son." I tell him.

"And if you want Edmund to be your dad too it won't make me any less your dad... it will just mean you have one more person who cares about you and that isn't a bad thing." Dad says and I sigh.

"I'll think about it." I agree and he nods and steps to the door.

"Come on let's get to dinner."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"So when were you planning on heading home, Alpha?" The Beta asks me. we are nearly finished with dinner and I haven't spoken much.

"Give me a few days... I need to pack and say goodbye." I answer him.

"I can't wait for you to meet the pack. Your siblings will take some getting used to but the pack is good people." he tells me and I frown.

"My brother is dead." I respond.

"Yes, but you have a sister and five brothers you've yet to meet." The Beta says.

"No. Ace is my brother." I state. It's not that I have anything against them but to get close to them I'd have to get close to my father... I'm not ready for that so I can't call them my siblings.

"They are your siblings, Cedric. You will not write them off. I won't force you to accept me but you will not hurt my pups." My father growls.

"Then focus on your pups and leave me alone!" I growl back and leave.

I go right out the front door and head into the woods.

"What do you want, Beta!" I growl at the man who has been following me.

"You can call me Sam." He says and I glare at him waiting for his answer. He sighs before continuing. "Your father is protective of his pups... he didn't mean to sound so..."

"It's okay." I cut him off. "I'm not his pup. It makes sense he would protect them from me. I'm Just some guy that's coming in and destroying his happy family. It's not like I want him to be my dad anyway."

A part of me hurts at that. I focused on hating my father but that little pup inside of me still wanted his daddy. I blame it on my wolf. I can smell that he is my father. It is actually a comfort I forgot since Ma died. Being close to the ones that made you... if I was human I don't think it would hurt so bad. Part of me wants so badly for him to care about me like his other pups. Another patr of me never wants to see his face again (unless I'm punching it). The way he talked to me hurt... but it shouldn't have! I refuse to care what that man thinks! I don't need his approval!

Why couldn't he just be the monster I convinced myself he was?

"You still with me Alpha?" The Beta... I guess I should use his name... Sam asks.