The Beta's Second Son

08.

A new beginning.

Xavier Amari.

"He's definitely malnutritioned Xavier, for a child his age we shouldn't be able to see most of the bone." The doctor had stated my worst fear, Jude had been malnutritioned, for someone who claimed to love his grandchild Alpha Crow hadn't even taken care of him properly, he needed a lot to get him back to full health, and for a wolf pup it was that bad. "Xavier, does that mean, I stay in hospital?" Jude asked as tears welled in his eyes, my heart broke instantly seeing those tears, I never wanted to see them, I wanted him to be happy.

"Oh no, you're going home with your uncle, you see this—" The doctor pointed to the IV with slightly discoloured orange fluid flowing into Jude. "Is to make sure you're not going to be sick or stay here, you're going home champ." The doctor finished explaining to a slightly smiling Jude, oh how precious it was. "I will never leave you, I promised right." I asserted kneeling in front of him by the bed, and I intended to take that promise seriously. "So what do you want for your room?" I asked wanting to take his mind off the drip. "How about toys, and a whole new wardrobe." I offered with a chuckle and fear seemed to flash before his eyes, what had that alpha done to the poor child. "Grampa said I shouldn't play with toys." His response didn't surprise me but his vocabulary surprised the doctor, I had to explain it as genes and early development but I'm still not sure she bought that story.

"Jude you trust me right?" I goaded and he nodded with his now dye free curly hair bouncing back and forth. "Then trust me when I say, its okay to be a child, to play with toys, and be mischievous, to be yourself, tell me what you want and we'll get it." I offered and he smiled as he moved to hug me. "Okay?" I affirmed yet again and he nodded. "You are a great parent." The doctor complimented making me chuckle, I was learning and it wasn't easy.

"Here are his vitamins, supplements, and diet plan, in a week you should see a change." The doctor explained handing the large bag full of medication to me, I appreciated everything she had done, I knew she could tell that Jude wasn't an ordinary child, since she herself was a wolf but in as much as she wanted to ask me, she kept to herself and did her job, I appreciated that aswell, she minded her own business.

As the last of the liquid was in Jude we bid our goodbyes to the doctor. "Let's go shopping for you little guy, you need a lot of stuff." I announced to my little nephew whilst opening the car door and helping him in, we had to find him a car seat too. "Remember, anything you want." I reminded as I turned the car on and we were headed for the shopping district, although I had pushed it to the back burner I knew at some point Marquee would notice how Jude and I were similar, and how Jude was a wolf pup, I couldn't hide his scent and also I couldn't keep him locked away and hidden forever, Jude had to be among kids his age to heal from the abuse he had gone through because of his grandfather, the scars were still fresh but having learnt a thing or two about erasing memories, I would try do that with Jude, so he could be a happy child, full of life, that's what I aimed to do.

"You ready?" I asked my nephew and he nodded vigorously. "Let's go then." I called out as we stood along a wide street with stores that sold clothes on both sides, this was going to be fun. We were in the first shop picking out tees and shorts for every occasion, Jude picked several colours and I was glad he was liking shopping. "Xavier, can I—" I knew he was reluctant to ask for it so I knelt down next to him. "Show me?" I asked and he pointed to a captain america themed jacket and I nodded, just then he ran to take it. "Hey do you have any more stuff like that jacket, bring all of it to me." I asked the attendant and she nodded right then. "It suits you." I complimented the boy who beamed as I helped him wear it but his little jaw dropped when the attendant came back with two movable shelves filled to the brim with stuff themed with the Captain. "You like it?" I whispered next to Jude who nodded  at what was happening. "We'll take everything his size, and also the bed sheets, covers, towels, all of it." I responded and both the girl and my nephew were close to fainting, Jude deserved to be spoilt and he wasn't a lacking kid, he deserved everything.

"Thank you Xavier." He mumbled as I held his hand whilst guiding him out of the store that we had just over shopped. "You deserve it." I replied scooping him up in my arms and placing a kiss in his hair. The stuff we had bought came with a free delivery to my house which I appreciated, so we went into more shops, over spent and didn't care, I bought stuff for myself aswell, there was no rule that stopped me from matching with my kid, I was going to indulge myself thoroughly. "Wow, that's twenty shops." I announced to a giggling Jude, we had bought everything from toys to socks and everything in between, shoes were more up our alley since we were about to enter another store with lots of them.

Then I felt him, before I could see  him, I felt him. "Xavier." He called out to my frozen form, shit. There was no running from this, I just had to accept whatever happens, Jude was also scared I could tell as I held him. "Its okay, he won't hurt you." I assured Jude who hid in the crook of my neck. "Hello bella, nice day we have—." I knew I was in trouble before that sentence finished. "Why are you ignoring my calls?" There it was, I winced knowing I had seemed to be ignoring his calls. "I'm not, I wasn't, I've been busy." I tried explaining until he noticed the little body I was holding, then the scent hit him.

"His name is Jude, trust me." I whispered as the large beta nodded and Jude came out from hiding, Marquee sighed and I instantly felt horrible, he could tell Jude was a wolf pup but he wasn't badgering me with questions for obvious reasons and I appreciated it. "Jude this is uncle Marquee, say hi." I coerced as the boy slowly came out of hiding. "Hello kiddo." Marquee gave him that dashing smile and everything was history, tentatively Jude was now in my arms expecting that we get on with shopping.

"Wanna come with us, we could use the company and the sooner you two get acquainted the better." I offered with a chortle trying to lighten the mood and it seemed to work, I felt horrible for what I was putting Marquee through and I knew I had to tell him, sooner rather than later, it was for the best. "Shoes, go choose what you want sweetheart." I instructed Jude once we were in the store and he ran toward the kids section. "I know you have questions and I'm being a horrible mate by not telling you everything." I spoke with my heart as I looked into his eyes, he was vividly shocked but I wondered where his anger was.

"You're a wolf." He mumbled lowly and I nodded, I still expected the anger and he just hugged me. "I'm angry but my happiness trumps that anger, I want to know everything but right now we have a wolf pup whose just mismatched shoes." His response made my heart skip a beat and I knew then I had to explain but more than anything, I knew we would be okay.

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LMJ