Innocence

07 Kinda Father

Cedric's POV

Zane!

As in Ace's daddy!

I heard Unk say that name at dinner. Does he know who I am? Will he hate me when he finds out like my grandfather?

"That's me." He says with a smile.

"You know putting him in the corner isn't much of a punishment if you hold him and talk to him." Unk says as he walks over.

"No but the panic attack and fear of being whipped is more than punishment enough." Beta Zane growls.

"You okay, C?" Unk asks suddenly less angry.

"I'm good, Unk... sorry I got angry. He... he said I was a worthless charity case that you were gonna throw out in a month. He said my ma killed herself to get away from me. He said..."

"I got it pup. You were well provoked, but we talked about this. You can't just attack people. That boy is in the hospital wing now. You nearly killed him!" He scolds me.

"Lay off 'em Ray. I'd attack someone talkin' bad about Genny too." Beta Zane says and I stare at him stunned.

"How did you..." Unk starts to ask.

"I can smell that he's hers... she's my mate, Ray, of course I could sniff out her pup." The Beta cuts him off.

"I think we should talk in my office." Unk says and Beta Zane takes my hand.

"That would be a good idea."

Beta Zane POV

I bring the boy to the office needing to know more about my mate. How is any of this possible?

"So Zane now you know who the pup is but there's more to the story." Ray says once we are seated in his office.

"You mentioned an older brother." I say pushing the conversation forward.

"His name was Ace." The pup says and I smile. We argued about names I wanted Ace or Genevieve but we were just talking. We never had a chance to have a pup together.

"She used my name... I wanted the name Ace... wait... you said was." I say.

"He died shortly after I entered the cell." Ray tells me and I nod. She had two pups without me and one died. Wow. I don't even know what to think.

"You okay pup?" I ask the boy. He just lost his brother yesterday. This must be a lot for him.

"Yea." He mumbles unconvincingly.

"Tell him about Ace's dad." Ray pushes the boy.

"She loved him. She called him brave. She said we'd be a family one day Ma, Acey, me, and his daddy. She said he was funny..." I zone out on his description. She fell for someone else! How?

"Zane!... did you hear that?" Ray asks. He sighs knowing I wasn't listening. "Say that again, C."

"She said she missed him. She said she grew up with him. That he was her brother's best friend." The boy says and my jaw drops... no.... NO!

"How old was your brother?" I ask the boy.

"Eight... nearly nine." He answers.

She was pregnant when they took her. My pup. My son. Is dead.

"Where's my boy?" I growl at Ray trying not to sob.

"Morgue... we wanted you to see him before the burial." Ray tells me and I jump up running to the door.

"Stop!"  My wolf growls at me and I pause in the doorway.

"What!?" I yell at him.

"Mate's pup." He says.

"My pup!" I argue. I want to see my boy NOW!

"Mate's pup needs you. Take him to see our pup. Take him to see his brother one last time." My wolf commands. I growl at him.

"You alright Zane?" Ray asks. I guess I've been standing here to long.

"You comin' pup?" I ask holding my hand out to the boy. He looks to Ray who nods then runs over to me. I pick him up and run to my pup.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

"Tell me about him." I say to the boy as he sits beside his brother. I hold my son's cold hand and look at a reflection of my own face. He looks just like me.

"He took care of me... his eyes were like yours... he was smart. He knew how to make them ignore you... this is my fault! He was protecting me. He took the hits for me... he was so strong." The pup cries and I can't help but join him.

"Its not your fault pup. I'm proud of your brother. He died protecting his family. There is no more honorable way to go." I tell the sobbing child.

"But he was yours! If it would have been me you'd have your son! It's my fault! I don't have a Daddy to go home to, he did! It should have been me! Then I'd be with Ma and you'd have your son!" He rambles and my heart breaks even more.

I know you'd want me to raise your son Gen but I don't know if I can. My pup was born and killed without my knowledge. I'm in no shape to take one in. I know you probably wanted the four of us to be a family but if I take this boy it's like I'm replacing our Ace. I think to my mate wishing this once she'd answer but that's not how it works.

"Your Mom was my mate... do you know what that means?" I ask the boy scared to death to offer this to him. He shakes his head. "Mates love each other. They belong to each other. Everything of mine is hers and everything of hers is mine... you are her pup. That makes you mine." Ace and this boy can be my sons. I'm not replacing Ace. I'm adding his brother.

The boy looks at me a second trying to figure out if I'm lying. In an instant he throws himself at me. I hold the small boy close to me as I look up at the ceiling. 'Gennifer I'm gonna need your help' I think. I am so in over my head but this pup is all that is left of my mate. I'll do right by him. I'll do it for her.

"I think we need to go talk to your uncle, pup." I tell him.

"You never asked my name." He points out. I guess I didn't. Ray called him C so I can guess what my mate called him.

"It's Cedric, right?" I ask and he nods slack jawed. "Button it up or you'll catch flies." I chuckle as I lift his jaw.

"Why do we need to talk to Unk?" He asks.

"So we can be a family." I answer with a smile as I take him back to the office.