𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⸙

2.65༊*·˚

Zayn directed his words to all three people, yet his eyes only stayed on his father. When Xavier held their gaze, Zayn had to sit down. Liam's hand landed on his thigh immediately, also needing support.

"We will explain first" Sylvia said, smiling softly at Liam. Spenser scratched at his beard and tried to smooth knotted hair from his face.

"M- Maybe you should get showers first, and something to eat, and clean clothes," Liam suggested. After nine years, his parents were free to do all those things, yet he was making them wait. Reminding himself that he had lived without them for so long brought more tears to his eyes.

"You should get comfortable" He quickly wiped a tear away, but one was enough to trigger his mother's sorrow.

"Oh Liam, come here!" She held out a weak arm, and Liam imped across the room. More tears fell as he climbed onto the bed and fell into her arms.

"I can't believe you're actually here" he sobbed.

"This-  this is just so... i-it's too-" Liam's floodgates didn't just open, they crumbled away completely, and he broke down. Liam had held on for the sake of making sure Zayn was okay. But now he had the space and the time to let his emotions engulf him.

Zayn looked away. The sound of Liam's sobs brought the lump back to his throat. He pressed his thumb into his palm. He wanted to do the same, cry until his head hurt, but he still doubted that his father sat opposite.

I watched you die. Zayn had lost his voice.

"Can you help me to the bathroom, Zayn?" the familiar voice said. "A bath sounds glorious right now."

Zayn couldn't just sit and stare at the black carpet. So he helped lift him off the bed, managing to avoid his eyes. He weighed barely anything, and trembled weakly with each step. Zayn's father had been a big man, tall and muscular and very fit. He was an Alpha that lead by example, but now he was barely fit enough to keep his own eyes open.

Behind the bathroom door was a corridor with three black doors, each labelled as bathroom: 1, 2, and 3.

Zayn entered the nearest one and gently lowered the man onto a stool by the sink. He glanced at his face just fora second, and the man wasn't just any man, he was Zayn's father.

Zayn swallowed thickly and busied himself by turning on the brass taps in the bath. He rummaged for soap and sponges, all the while he felt those dark intense eyes following him around the room.

"You're taller" his dad said. "And leaner. Is that for your mate?"

Zayn almost dropped the razor. He had often wondered about his father's reaction to him having a mate, and how embarrassing he would be. Zayn felt the heat rise to his cheeks, but the situation was too urgent for him to reject his teasing.

He turned and stared so intensely, Xavier's soft smirk fell.

"I watched you die." Zayn's voice was frail.

"Yes." Xavier stared distantly at the bath filling with water and bubbles. "That day.. It's hard to remember all the details, but I passed out in my office, or rather, I knew I was dying. I felt my wolf slipping. Did Jaiden whisk my body away?"

Zayn nodded. "He forced me to get mum. When we returned to the office, Jaiden and your body were gone. Mum stopped him when he was almost at the gate. Mum just.." Zayn had tried for the past two years to forget the sound of his mother's cries that day.

"Jaiden was quick to get me away." Xavier grimaced at the mention of his mate.

Now that Zayn had Liam, he could only imagine the pain of being separated.