Innocence

21

"Are you sure you packed everything?" Aunt Milly asks as I put my last boxes in the truck.

"Yes Aunty." I roll my eyes it's not like this is the 27th time she has asked me or anything.

"Toothbrush? Deodorant? Did you get your blanket? You've held on to that thing ever since you were 8 you can't forget it!" She rants.

"Let the boy breath Milly." Unk laughs. "If he's forgotten anything we can send it down to him." He tells her and she sighs.

"I'm just worried... our first pup is leaving home!"

"Just wait until Kelly finds her mate... then Storm will be Alpha and you will be empty nesters." I tell her and she starts to cry.

"Thanks alot nipote." Unk growls.

"We'll it's the truth... sorry Milly you have years until then ya know." I try to comfort her.

"But it goes by so fast." She says giving me my 8th hug today.

"We will miss you Cedric." Grandma Ruth says hugging me. "Get over here and say goodbye to your grandson!" She yells to her mate as she ends the hug. He grumbles but walks over.

"Goodbye." He says as he shakes my hand. I hear him mumble "finally." But ignore it as I am the only one to hear. He stopped outright being rude to me but he never accepted me as family. He knows if he says anything grandma Ruth will kill him so he just tends to ignore me.

"My turn!" Kelly yells hugging me. "See ya cuz! You better visit!"

"Of course I will, princess Kells." I tell her and kiss her forehead. She wipes it away.

"I'm too old for that Cedric! It's just Kelly!" She yells and I laugh.

"No leave!" Storm yells latching on to my leg.

"I have to thunder. Remember I got ta go be a big bad Alpha and then when you turn 18 were gonna have Alpha parties that no one else can come to because they aren't Alphas." I remind him of our previous discussion.

"How bout you stay till I'm Alpha then we can be Alpha together and have out Alpha party?" He tries to negotiate.

"But what about the other pack? They need an Alpha. You like the twins. If I don't go they won't have an Alpha. The entire pack will crumble. You don't want the twins to lose their pack do you Rain?" I try to convince him.

"No..." he mumbles before putting on his thinking face. "But they could live with us! One big pack! Then you don't got to leave at all!"

"He does little man. We can't have two Alpha's in one pack." Unk comes in to save me.

"Then I no be Alpha and Cerick stays!" Storm yells. This pup will be one tough man at the negotiation table.

"You will be an amazing Alpha little twister. I promise I will visit." I tell him.

"Not without you!" He yells.

"Not without me." I agree and he calms down a bit. "I'll always be here for you blizzard. I'm only a phone call away."

"You come to my birthdays?" He asks and I smile.

"Every year, hurricane."

"And you come for Christmas and Thanksgiving?"

"Maybe we pick a day between them and I come for the weekend? We can celebrate both at once and it will be special just for us, Hale."

"My name Storm!" He yells at me. That's 6 new record.

"I know buddy." I laugh as I kiss his head.

"Love you Cerick." He says.

"Love you too, Storm."

I already said goodbye to my few friends so all that is left is.

"Goodbye, son." Dad says and I pull him into a hug. "I'll miss you my boy." He sounds like he's about to cry.

"Don't cry dad. You cry I cry and I can't meet my new pack with red eyes." I tell him with a little laugh.

"I don't cry I'm a Beta." He says wiping under his eyes "discreetly".

"Sure you don't. Go watch Marly and me and tell me that." I laugh at him.

"You are heartless." He says before laughing. "Make sure to call us and we're always her if you need us."

"I know Dad." I tell him and give him one more hug. "I love you."

"Love you too, son."

"Are you ready, Alpha?" Sam asks and I nod.

"Yea... let's get going." I nod and hop in the passenger seat. Sam gets in to drive.

"Your father and brothers are in the other car God help him." Sam chuckles. He loves the twins but handles them better in small doses.

"You weren't leaving without us were you?" Fred yells jumping in the back seat.

"No way we would last a 12 hr drive with dad!" Hank adds getting in the other side.

"God help us." Sam mumbles and I laugh.

"Buckle up boys." I tell them as I put on my seat belt.

This is gonna be a long ride.