His Secret Love Child (Book One of the LOVE CHILD series)

Chapter Sixteen "FULL CIRCLE 2"

Picture above Rafe............

Three days earlier............

As Hunter stood at the window staring down at the only image he had of his son, he was interrupted by Throne hurtling through the doors obviously excited and in a hurry. "What's the meaning of this?" Hunter was angry at the intrusion.

"It's about Cameron. He's coming home." Thornes words had the effect of a stun gun. Hunter's body literally jerked and jolted at the news. His mind seemed to shut down, refusing to comprehend words that he had waited to hear for what seemed like a life time. He took stumbling steps towards Thorne, almost falling in his shocked state. The very floor that he was standing on seeming to give way under his stumbling feet. Thorne leapt forward quickly to catch him before he hit the floor.

"Easy there." Thorne helped him to sit down in the chair behind his desk. Hunter gripped the lapels of Thorne's jacket in desperation, "Please tell me it's true. Tell me that this time it's for real." Hunter's voice was filled with the desperation that was also mirrored in his eyes as he looked up at Thorne.

He needed it to be true. He knew that if once again the news of Cameron proved to be false, he wouldn't survive it. Too many times he had been met with nothing but dead ends, false leads and wrong information and disappointment over the years in his desperate search for Cameron and his son. He couldn't take it again, not this time. Not anymore. He was at the end of his rope.

Thorne covered his brother's hands with his own and smiled with pure joy and reassurance down at Hunter. "Yes. Yes it's true. This time it's really true. He's coming home." Hunter closed his eyes and let the words wash over him and sink in. Silent tears of relief ran down his cheeks. He didn't care. His mate was coming home. Thorne held him as the emotions washed through him. This was possibly the closest that they had been over the last ten years. Thorne felt his own eyes fill with tears.

After awhile they separated and managed to compose themselves and bring their emotions back under control. Hunter needed answers. "How do you know this? When is he coming?" Is he bringing our son with him? Hunter shot the questions at Throne like rapid fire, giving him no chance to respond.

Thorne wasn't phased by this however, he expected it. "He called his parents. I never stopped monitoring their phones. They were shocked to here from him, even more so when he told them that he was coming home. Yes I think he'll be bringing your son with him. He told his parents that he had a surprise for them. Someone for them to meet. As to when he's coming, that's Friday night. His plane lands at 8".

Hunter digested all of this information, before saying, "Which flight is he on? I want to meet them at the airport." His voice was beginning to fill with both excitement and apprehension at seeing his mate and son for the first time in ten years.

"That's the thing, he's not on a commercial plane. He's on a private jet belonging to Rafael Drago." Thorne's voice held a hint of nervousness at imparting this information. There was no love lost between Hunter and Rafael.

As Thorne expected, Hunter's rage ignited and he erupted from behind his desk. "What the fuck is Rafe doing with my mate and son. If he so much as laid a finger on Cameron, I'll rip his heart out and feed it to him." Hunter snarled viciously.

Hunter seethed as he paced his office. His mind conjuring myriad possibilities as to why Cameron would be with Rafe. Each one stabbing him like a jealous sword thrust into his heart and then being twisted. The thought of them together literally made him bleed inside. He threw his head back and roared as the emotions crashed over him.

"Calm the fuck down now!" Thorne was livid. "You have been searching for Cameron and your son for the past ten years. Sometimes fearing the worst and now that he's finally coming back all that you can focus on his Rafe and your petty rivalry with him. You should be happy. You should be focused on your mate and son and not jumping to conclusions!" Thorne rarely spoke like this to Hunter, but right now his own anger was spiking and he needed Hunter to calm down and focus on what was really important. Which was Cameron and his son, not Rafe and their long standing animosity towards each other.

Hunter stared at Thorne, shocked that he dared to speak to him like that. His chest heaved with the need to put him in his place. Ares clawed at his insides. With monumental effort Hunter managed to get his wolf under control and his own emotions as well. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and took a deep breath, "You're right. This isn't about Rafe. It's about Cameron and my son. Now you said that their plane lands at 8 Friday night. I have every intention of being there to meet them."

"He'll be expecting his parents to be there." Thorne pointed out. "I know. So Friday night, I don't care how you do it, but make sure that they don't make it to the airport. Got it" Hunter levelled his gaze at Thorne in determination. Thorne nodded "Ok. I'll figure something out."

"Good." Hunter turned away from Thorne and stared out the windows. The only thought going through his head, "My mate and son are finally coming home." A small smile played on his lips.

...........................Airport ...Present

"Hunter." Cameron breathed out as their eyes made contact. Cameron struggled to get his surging emotions under control. He hadn't been prepared to be suddenly faced with Hunter at the airport. He gulped, "What're you doing here?" With a valiant effort Cameron managed to keep his voice steady.

"I came to pick you up." Hunter answered.

"How did you know I was coming? Where are my parents?" Cameron was both shocked and puzzled at Hunter's statement.

"You're parents aren't coming. Please lets get you both out of here. You must be tired." Hunter looked at his son and met eyes that were replicas of his own. He hadn't failed to notice that the boy was in a wheelchair and looked very ill. Worry blossomed in his mind at what could possibly be wrong with him. He was dying to question Cameron. But this was not the place to do so. He made a move to grasp Cameron's arm, but

Cameron stepped back just a little in shock, realizing from Hunter's statement that he already knew about Liam. "Thorne told you." This wasn't a question. Hunter sighed realizing his slip of the tongue. "Yes. He didn't mean to. He was angry and blurted it out in the heat of our argument."

Cameron didn't get a chance to reply. Liam getting a bit tired of being ignored by his father piped up and said to Hunter looking directly at him, "You smell like home. You're my father." All of them stared down at him in shock at this. Liam just smiled widely up at Hunter. He never told Cameron that he's had dreams of his father all his life.

Hunter smiled and knelt down in front of him so that they met eye to eye. "Yes. I am your father. My name is Hunter." His voice choked up, "Nice to meet you at last." He finished. Fighting the tears that threatened. He held his hand out to Liam in a manly handshake. Liam stared at Hunter's hand for a moment, before looking back at him. The little boy that had dreamt of his father for as long as he could remember had no intention of shaking his hand now that he was finally meeting him for the first time.

Liam made an effort to get up out of the wheelchair. He wanted to stand, something he hadn't done in weeks. Cameron seeing his struggle and realizing what he wanted leaned forward to help him up, but Liam was having non of that, "No dad. I can do it." This was his father and he was not going to falter before him.

They all watched in awe of the little boy as he slowly struggled to his feet for the first time in weeks and stood up. The effort caused him to breathe hard and to sweat profusely, but Liam was determined. After making sure that he was steady on his feet, he released the arms of the wheel chair and took two steps towards Hunter. Hunter seeing is struggle and determination, but realizing that he wasn't going to make it, met him half way.

With pure and unadulterated joy, happiness and pride filling his heart and causing it to swell, Hunter Hawkthorne enveloped his son in his arms for the very first time. Unchecked tears flowing freely down his face. The two melted together. Hunter inhaled deeply of his son's scent. Committing it to memory. He kissed the side of his head.

Liam buried his face in his father's neck and inhaled deeply. His father's scent filling his nostrils and flooding his senses for the very first time. He gripped his arms around Hunter's neck in an embrace that said "I'm never letting go." He was finally home.