Picture up top is Kensi! This is it y'all, the last chapter before the epilogue, enjoy!
Brent (15 years later)
"Daddy!!!" My son yelled in fear from upstairs, I dropped my glass and ran up to his room and opened the door to find him in his bathroom with his pants and briefs around his ankles and blood on his hand.
"What happened?!" I panicked as I grabbed a towel and ran some water to wet it to help with his injury.
"I...it's coming from my...my…" He looked sick, like he was going to faint so I held his hand and comforted him until he seemed somewhat ok.
I got on my knees and checked his legs and thighs, his feet, and even his penis but there was no blood, that was until he lifted his penis up and showed me where he was bleeding.
"Oh." Is all I could say, I was too shocked to form any other thoughts right now.
"It's ok, we will figure this out. Here um I know this is going to be uncomfortable but use a dry washcloth when you pull your briefs up, it will protect your clothes until we figure out what's going on. I'll call my doctor and see if we can't get in to see him today. Besides the bleeding, how are you feeling? Are you experiencing any other symptoms?" I asked as I handed him a clean washcloth I folded up for him.
"My stomach is cramping and I feel exhausted mostly. This morning in practice I felt I was going to pass out and almost fell from my stomach hurting so much. I'm not a female so why does it seem like I have a period?" He was worried and so was I. This is definitely something I wasn't expecting, at all.
"I don't know but we will find out ok son? We'll do this together and learn all we can, I promise. Do you need anything?" I rubbed his belly to help sooth him and he laid his head on my shoulder after he placed the washcloth in his briefs and pulled them up and he washed his hands.
"Just you daddy." He said softly and I hugged my big baby. Thoughts of my other boy crossed my mind, if Zane were here he would be a mother hen to Ryker.
"Ok. Well come on, let's go sit down and I gotta clean up the glass from when I dropped my glass when you yelled for me. I'll call my doctor and we will watch TV and relax. Do you want anything to eat?"
"Ok and no, I don't want to chance getting sick in case something is wrong."
"Ok." I helped him downstairs and he sat on the couch groaning and holding his stomach. I quickly cleaned up the glass and liquid, before calling my doctor to set up an appointment for Ryker for later today.
"Ok so your appointment is for four so we have some time before we leave. Do you want me to call your father?" I asked and he shook his head no.
Altan and Ryker have a rocky relationship, it started when Ryker was five and he went to visit Altan and their other kids they have treated Ryker like crap and Ryker told Altan but the kids said he was lying so since, he hasn't trusted them and has only visited about ten times since. Ryker even tried going to school and made a couple of friends but those boys ruined it so he moved back in with me.
Altan comes here to visit but Ryker won't go back, unless it's something important for the family and he spends most of his time there in his room, unless he's with the pups. He loves kids and they make him smile like they are a treasure. He may look like a tough guy and he is but with me and pups, he's a sweetheart, he's my baby boy.
"I may have an idea on what's going on with you but, the person who would know doesn't like me nor does he talk to me, ever. I'm sorry Ryker, I wish there was something I could do for you." I felt horrible, my son is going through something and is in pain and I can't help him.
"Daddy, you just being here is enough, but could you please get me the heating pad? Maybe that will help with my stomach." He looked so sad and confused. I got up and went to the closet in the hallway to get the heating pad for him.
"Lay on your back." I said as I plugged it in and he placed it on his stomach and closed his eyes. I covered him up and lifted his head and sat down, put his head on my lap and ran my fingers through his soft blonde hair. He smiled and looked up at me.
"That feels nice. I love when you do that."
"I know, I've been doing it since you were a baby and it would put you right to sleep each time, especially when you would be so tired you wouldn't sleep. I spent so many nights like this with you and they were the best nights of my life with you." I may not have a whole lot but he is my world and to this day, he has not wanted for anything. I always made sure he got first, no matter what it was.
I watched as he slowly lost the will to stay awake and felt his body relax as he went to sleep.
I debated on calling Altan, I mean if it were me, I'd want to know what was going on with my son and would be upset if I wasn't told about it. I sighed and got my phone out of my back pocket, thankfully Ryker is a heavy sleeper and sent Altan a text of what's going on and told him I'd update him when I found out more and told him he should come if he could.
"What time and where?" I told him the time and gave him the address to the doctor's office and he said he'd be there.
"I have to bring Martin and Matthew with me, Gary and Joseph are out of town and I don't want to leave them alone, they are in trouble so they will be with me." He replied and I almost groaned out loud but didn't, I don't want to startle Ryker.
"If they so much as glare at Ryker I'll handle them. They are horrible to him, Altan."
"No they are just boys being boys, they are brothers and brother's fight. They will be fine." He doesn't get it, he is blinded by them because they are brilliant liars and get away with murder because of Gary and Joseph but I'll be dammed if they say one mean word to my son or even look at him in any way that isn't friendly.
"If you say so." Is what I replied back, not in the mood to argue with him.
As you can see, things with us aren't exactly wonderful, after a few years of me being away, I met someone and we dated for a while and got serious. Got married serious, and she, like me, was human and she got sick with pancreatic cancer and she died a year ago.
Ryker loved her and she was a wonderful woman, she treated Ryker like her own son and he called her mama. I told her about how I was pregnant with him and of how it happened. She knows werewolves so she wasn't shocked or grossed out by it. She made me happy and I loved her, we had a good life together.
The day she died is the day I lost my mind. I was and still am depressed by her death and it still hurts like hell. I'm sure if she was alive she would know exactly what was going on with Ryker and how to help. She was such an amazing mother to him, she adored him and he worshiped her. It hit him hard when she died and he hasn't been the same since, neither have I or Zane if I'm being honest.
We all lost a part of ourselves when she passed away.
She was a true southern girl, long tan legs, long wavy dark brown hair and bright green eyes and a body to die for. She baked pies, she rode horses, took care of her family farm, knew how to shoot a gun and bow, she wasn't afraid to get dirty and she could sing. She was perfect.
Now since I married a woman and had a life with her, Altan hasn't looked at me the same. Over the years it seems his love for me had died and I can't say I'm surprised, it has been fifteen years since I left but the first couple of years I was single and got my life together, took care of Ryker and focused on myself and him. After I met Kensi, he stopped visiting every week and slowly over time his visits turned into once a month.
Ryker used to go every summer with him and we would spend Christmas together but as Ryker grew up, Martin and Matthew started their shit with him and he told me he didn't want to go back so I had told Altan that if and when he wanted to see Ryker, he had to come to us. It was all fine and dandy until I met Kensi.
I sighed and looked at the time and had to wake Ryker, it's a forty minute drive to the doctor's office so we had to get going so I gently shook his shoulder and he groaned, stretched, and opened his eyes and looked up at me and blushed slightly.
"Sorry daddy, didn't mean to pass out on you like that." He said and slowly sat up.
"It's ok son, it brought back memories of when you were younger so I enjoyed it. Why don't you go to the bathroom and see how the bleeding is and use a clean washcloth after you clean yourself up and we'll get going." I said and he got up and went up to his room. I got off the couch and grabbed my stuff and waited for Ryker with a bottle of water and a banana.
"Ok I'm ready." He came down in his sweats and a hoodie, he looked exhausted so I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and let him lean on me as we walked out of the house and I locked the door and went to my truck.
“So I texted your father. He said he will be there but he has to bring Martin and Matthew.” I said as I drove and he groaned and shook his head.
“I don’t want those assholes here, especially now and make fun of me for this.”
“If they so much as look at you wrong, I will handle it. I can’t stand those boys. I can’t see how they are so horrible with having Altan as their father.” I shook my head and he rolled his eyes.
“Daddy, I am his son also but I’m nothing like him. He didn’t raise me, you did. It’s not who the biological parent is, it’s how you are raised. If that’s the case, I’d be a dick like they are and I don’t think I am.”
“No, you aren’t. I did my best and will always do my best in raising you, teaching you the right ways of life. I may not have a huge house or a lot of money but I do my best with what we do have.”
“And that is all that matters. We have a good life daddy, don’t be so hard on yourself. I love you.”
“I love you too Ryker, so much.” I held his hand and he laid his head on the seat and the rest of the drive was in a comfortable silence.
That was until I pulled into the parking lot and saw Altan and the twins standing near the door to the doctor’s office.
“Don’t even look at them.” I said to Ryker when he tensed up as he saw them. He nodded and I parked and we got out.
Ryker walked in and Altan was by his side talking to him, leaving me with the twins and they were glaring at Ryker’s back so I slapped them upside their heads and they winced.
“Don’t you dare give him those looks or be dicks to him. He hasn’t done a thing to you for you two to treat him like you do. Your father may not see it but I sure as hell do and I’ll be damned if you treat my son like that when you are around me and I can do something about it.” I warned them and they kept their mouths shut as we walked in.
“What was that about?” Altan asked but I went to Ryker and he checked in, got paperwork to fill out so I helped him with it and after I took it to the nurse, I sat back down and looked at the twins and to Ryker.
“Them. They hadn’t even been around Ryker for two minutes before they sent him dirty looks behind his back. I’m telling you Altan they are horrible to him, you just don’t see it but they treat him like crap. I have told you this I don’t know how many times over the years. Why do you think Ryker stopped coming to see you and moved back in with me after just a few weeks of living with you? He hated how they treated him and you didn’t do anything about it. He felt that if he told anyone else, no one would believe him because his own father wouldn’t.” I said and the twins glared at me and I scoffed. Assholes I tell ya.
“This isn’t the place to talk about this.” Ryker said and I knew he was right so I didn’t say anything else.
“Why are we here anyways?” Martin asked Altan.
“Because Ryker needs to be seen and you two are in trouble so I couldn’t leave you alone, so you had to come with me. I told you this already.” Altan said and they sighed, folded their arms over their chests and looked at the wall.
“What’s wrong with him?” Matthew asked but Ryker nor I answered.
“We don’t know, that’s why we’re here.” Altan simply said and thankful the twins stopped talking.
"Daddy?" Ryker groaned and looked at me and held his stomach as he fell off of his chair onto the ground. I got off my chair and got on my knees and called for help.
A couple of nurses rushed over to us and they took Ryker back and I quickly followed.
"Stay here, I'll update you." I said over my shoulder to Altan and I saw him nod and sit down.
I found Ryker in a room laying on a bed and my doctor next to him and his nurse beside him, which for Ryker's comfort was a male.
"Doctor Cam, how is he?" I asked and he didn't look at me but he answered.
"He's in a lot of pain. What exactly happened?" He asked so I told him what I saw and how Ryker has been feeling today.
The nurse went out and a few minutes later walked back in with an ultrasound machine and the doctor lifted Ryker's shirt and put gel on his lower stomach and got to work. I have no idea what he's looking for so I sat beside Ryker's bed and held his hand as he looked at me, worried clear as day in his beautiful blue eyes.
"It'll be ok son, everything will be ok." I said and kept rubbing his arm, looking into his eyes as he had silent tears running down his face. I wiped them off gently and I felt my heart break into a million pieces as my son's pain.
About twenty minutes later, the doctor was finished and the nurse left us alone as he took a seat.
"Ok I'm going to be honest and give it to you straight, Ryker do you know what intersex means?"
"Yes, it means a person has both male and female reproductive organs, some are more visible and some aren't. My cousin is intersex, I leaned a lot over the years because I wanted to know what I could do to help her when she was going through some stuff." Ryker said and I had a feeling that's what we were going to find out today.
"That's right. Well that is what's happening to you. It varies from person to person and some go their whole lives without even knowing but from the bleeding and the cramps, you do have female organs as well as male. You may look male on the outside but you are in the beginning stages of your body going through a female stage if you will. Under your testicles, you have a small opening that you were born with but it's so small, no one noticed, that was until your body released an egg and the process of a period started. I can give you medication to stop it all or I can schedule surgery, or you can go on with this for the next however many years. It's your choice and no matter what you choose, no choice is wrong."
"I'm gay, is there a chance I could ah have a baby?"
"No, if you do get pregnant, you will miscarry. Your womb won't ever be strong enough to carry a child, even as a shifter, it's impossible so please, take precautions when having sex if you are the one to be penitrated ok? If you don't, you could lose your life Ryker. This is very serious. If your womb was stronger than I'd say you can but it isn't, it looks very fragile and weak. It's been with you since birth so it should be able to carry even at your age but it isn't so please, take my advice seriously."
"Don't worry, we will." I said and the doc nodded.
"I want to think about my options before I make a decision and talk it over with daddy if that's alright?"
"That's perfectly fine Ryker. There is no rush alright?"
"Ok, is there anything I can do about the cramps?"
"Yes, take warm baths, a heating pad, and rest. The first few periods will be harder as your body adjusts to this. I'm not sure how long they will last but it shouldn't be longer than a week at most. If it's longer, come in and we'll see what's going on. You can also take ibuprofen for the pain but being a shifter, it may not even touch it since your body burns through medication quickly."
"Ok, thanks doc." Ryker said and we shook his hand and he walked out.
"I'm just like Amilia." He whispered and I nodded and kissed his forehead and felt he was slightly warm.
"Yes, you are. You should call her and talk to her. She understands what you're going through and she may be able to help."
"I think I will, later though. My stomach is hurting badly."
"Ok, on the way home we'll stop and get you the things you will need and some comfort foods."
We left the room and I went to talk to Altan as Ryker walked out and got into my truck.
"He's like Amilia." Is all I said because the twins were close and listening in. Altan looked shocked at the news of what's going on with Ryker.
"As in he's…"
"Yes." I cut him off before he could finish. I don't need the twins to know and make fun of my son.
"Call me later when you're alone and we'll talk more, Altan."
"Yea ok, I'm gonna go say bye to Ryker." He walked out and went to Ryker.
This is my life now it seems, a teenage son who is a tiger and intersex, an ex mate who is treating me like we hardly know one another, and a set of twins who are hell bent on making life hell for Ryker.
After they left I drove to the store and got my big baby boy the things he will need and when we got home, I tucked him in and he passed out quickly. I made a late dinner and as I was walking up the stairs to wake Ryker to eat, I got a text from Altan.
"I want him home so he can get better medical care."
"Over my dead body. He hates it there and I take care of him just fine, I have been for years without you and I don't need you now." I sent back and turned off my phone.
Once I woke Ryker and he joined me for dinner, I told him about the text.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm perfectly fine right here with you. He hasn't been there much unless it's been important, didn't believe me about those kids of his and now he wants to have me there, to be put through more shit with them? No, I'm good." I love my kid.
"That's what I said, sorta." I said and he snickered.
"I'm sure you said it in your dad way." He smirked and I chuckled.
"The only way you will ever be in his care is if one, I'm dead, two, hell freezes over, or three, you decide to go oh and four, he takes me to court for custody. Which he won't win because I'm not an unfit parent, I'm the one who has been there from day one taking care of you." I said and was getting myself worked up at the thought of Altan taking my son away from me for any reason.
"Daddy, calm down. I'm not going anywhere. I'm old enough to make that decision if that ever happens and the courts ask me. I don't want to live anywhere else but here in New Orleans, with you. Since mama passed, it's just us and we need one another. I can't be without you when I'm not even used to being without mama. I know Austin is in our lives but it's not the same without mama. I know Altan cares about me because he has to, he's my other parent but he's not my father. He didn't raise me, he didn't take care of me every day of my life, you and mama did." Ryker grabbed my hand and he gave me his sweet smile so I took a breath and calmed myself down.
I'd do anything in this world for my baby, both of them. Zane was a miracle, Kensi was told she couldn't have children so when we found out she was pregnant, we couldn't have been more happier than at that moment. He looks and acts so much like her that it's like she's still here with us.
I miss him but he is getting a very good education at the boarding school for gifted children. He got his smarts from his mama, that's for sure. Ryker and Zane are very close considering their age difference. Zane looks up to Ryker and Ryker looks after Zane as if he were his child.
Even after everything in my life and where I am today, everything happens for a reason and I am proud of how I turned my life around and live it to the fullest each and every single day.
I don't know what the future holds, I may find love in Altan again or not, all I know is that right now, my children are my main focus as they always have been and always will be.
Kensi will forever live in my heart, no one could ever replace the love, memories, or warmth she had for us. I know my children will be ok because they have me and when the time comes, they will have their own families and live their lives they way they are meant to.
Life has its ups and downs and each day we learn from the day before to not make the same mistakes and learn from the ones we did make. I hope to one day be able to return to the pack and see everyone but for now, I'm happy where I'm at.