Into The Woods (mxm)

Twenty

Collin

The carriage finally pulled up to the front gates of the palace around three. The bell tower chimed in the distance signaling the time. Tabari and Akio both wake up, peeking their heads out the window to take a look at the palace. Their new forever home.

I help both the boys out of the carriage, reaching into my pocket and taking out a couple of coins to pay the carriage driver. He thanks me and steps back up to lead the carriage away from the front entrance.

I lead Tabari into the palace, carrying Akio on my hip. I find Prince Ansel directing maids to carry toys, clothes, and furniture up the stairs and to the royal bedchambers where he and my brother slept as well as myself and His Majesty Her Majesty. He must be getting together a room for their pup before she is born.

"Prince Ansel! What are you doing?"

"Oh, Collin! This must be Tabari and Akio. Oh, Goddess, they are so adorable!"

      Prince Ansel's scent is a mix of my brothers and Alpha Greyson's. They must have all completed the marking process. Prince Ansel swoons over the two pups, talking to them about life at the palace and how they could learn to ride horses if they wanted prince Ansel to teach them.

      He is going to be a good father to his pup. It was weird... Thinking that a man as young as Prince Ansel was going to be a parent. Thinking about how my brother was fathering a pup.

      Someday soon I hope to be in the same position, pregnant from my mate. My tummy flutters and my wolf purrs at the thought of me swelling with his pups.

   "I am setting up the pups' rooms. I figured that Tabari and Akio would want a room together for now so I thought about what a dream bedchamber would look like to a pup. So there is a large bed being set up and a chest full of toys for the boys. Proper clothes as well. Now that I am seeing them... we might want to have their clothes resized. They are both very tiny."

     "Prince Ansel, you did not have to do this for us. I would have set up rooms for them when we got settled. You are too kind. I thank you."

    "Collin, please just call me Ansel. We are brother in laws now there is no need for titles. I also learned from your brother that your birthday is in two days. So think of this as an early birthday gift from me and my mates. Relieving you the duty of having to spend far too much money on proper bedchambers for growing pups."

I smile at Ansel, he returns it with an even wider smile.

   "I dismissed Keir from training earlier today. He was confused but I told him he looked sickly and I would not take no for an answer. Keir should be asleep right now. The warriors are always so tired after training. He shouldn't notice your presence until you wake him. It will be a nice surprise for him to wake up to his pups, yes?"

     "Thank you, Ansel. I am going to bring the boys to their father after making them something to eat."

    "I already had the chefs prepare some beef stew with black tea and little cakes. For you and the boys. It should still be nice and warm for you."

      I thank Ansel again. I lead the boys to the dining room. When the maids see us they start bringing out bowls of amazing smelling soup. They set the bowls on a small section of the wide dining table.

       Both Tabari and Akio's stomachs roar when they see the food on the table. I sit them down and tell them to eat until they cannot eat anymore. They do not disappoint. Tabari and Akio both devour three bowls of soup, still having room for many of the tiny cakes.

     While the boys ate I excused myself to inform Ansel about the physical state that Tabari and Akio were in when I retrieved them. To say that Ansel was angry was an enormous understatement.   
     I saw the way that Ansel's hand rubbed over his belly, as he listened. Ansel all but stormed off to tell his father with a scowl on his beautiful face. Ansel was the type of person where a frown did not fit them. He was mean to be happy. Ansel looking angry was a shocking experience.

By the time I come back, the boys are all finished, standing at the entrance waiting for me.

       "Are you ready to go see daddy?" I ask. Akio nods his head so vigorously that it dizzies me just to watch him. Tabari's face lights up and he gives me a small smile. I pick up Akio and take Tabari's hand, leading them outside to the warriors sleeping quarters.

      I follow Keir's scent all the way to a door at the end of the hallway. I open the door, a sliver of light falling onto a bed in the back corner of the room.

    The room is of a good size. Not nearly as big as the royal bedchambers nor as small as the bedchamber I had in the cabin I lived in with my brother. The bedchamber I slept in was more of a small storage closet.

      Keir's bedchamber consisted of a decent-sized bed, a table with a chair and a small wardrobe for clothes.

      Keir lays on his bed, sleeping soundly. His hand curled under his head. Covers only pulled up to his hips. He only wears pants, his tanned chest exposed.

    As soon as Akio spots Keir, he cries out.

    "Daddy!"

    Akio's voice startles Keir out of his sleep. He bolts up, looking around for the noise. His unfocused eyes come to rest on me and his two pups.

      Keir blinks once. Twice. He rubs his eyes. His eyes widen when he realizes that what he is seeing is real. Not just a dream.

      "Akio... Tabari!" Keir leaps out of bed and stumbles over to his pups. I set Akio down and let go of Tabari's trembling hand.

      Keir gathers his pups up into his arms and holds them close. He sobs while he cradles the pups. I hear Akio and Tabari crying as well. He clutches his children close and whispers how much he love and missed his boys.

      I smile, stepping into the room more, closing the door behind me to give us some privacy even though we were the only ones in the barracks.

    As I go to make my way over to his bed or make up the wrinkled covers, Keir reaches up and grabs my hand. Keir's eyes glisten with tears. I kneel next to him and wipe away the tears that streak down his face.

'Thank you...' he mouths the words softly. He then nuzzles his nose into the curls atop Tabari's head.

I press a kiss to Keir's salty tear-stained cheek. I then wrap my arms around all three of the boys, nuzzling into Tabari's neck and purr. An omega's way of calming another when they are in need.

Tabari needed to be comforted. Eventually, he would need to tell his father what happened to him in the orphanage. What everyone allowed to happen. And when he does tell Keir... he will be angry. Furious. I fear that he will be thrown in prison.

For murder...