Wade
I open my truck door for Church and lift him up inside and onto the passenger seat. He giggles as I lift him and smiles down at me. He tugs the seatbelt out and hands it to me. I climb up onto the step on my truck and reach over and click his seatbelt into place.
"Safety first," I whisper and kiss his cheek as I make my way out of the truck.
I carefully close the door making sure his tail, which is swishing back and forth excitedly, won't get slammed in the door. I make my way over to the driver seat and get in. As I cross my seatbelt over, Church takes it from my hand and buckled me in.
"Safety first!" He giggles and bounces in his seat. "Where are we going? I wanna go outsideee!" Church presses his face against the glass and giggles even more.
"We will be outside in about an hour. Church, I have to tell you something. We are going to another pack today." Church looks at me with fear and his breathing picks up.
"No no, it's nothing bad, sweetheart. We think that we have located your family. Your parents. We want you to have a family so we have been searching and have found a possible match. No one there will hurt you. We are only trying to give you the happiness that you deserve." I reassure him.
Church calms and reaches over to me. He wraps his tiny hands around my hand that is resting on the middle compartment. He twines our hands together and kisses each of my knuckles. Even though we haven't kissed on the lips yet, only had small contact with one another, I feel such a strong connection to him even from the slightest of kisses from him. I smile.
"If you're hungry I packed you lots of fruits and muffins to choose from. I remember that you loved bananas so I made sure I packed fresh banana muffins. Just in case you can't have any of the foods that the Blue Moon Pack are serving today."
"Thank you!" Church beams as he looks back to the basket and rummages through it. He pulls out a banana muffin and bites into it. He moans and takes another big bite. I tell him so slow down and not take too big of bites. I see him from the corner of my eye hold out the muffin to me. I smile as he dangles it over my mouth. I take a big bite out of the muffin, then focus on my driving.
"How about you get some rest. I'll wake you up when we get there." I say to Church.
"Okay. Goodnight Wade." Church whispers and curls up on his seat.
When we arrive, the Alpha is standing on the front doorstep waiting for us. He stands alone without his Beta or Gamma. He smiles as I park the truck.
"Church. Wake up, we're here."
Church stretches and yawns softly. His eyelids open and he stares at me. He gives me a sleepy smile and sits up.
"Outside?" Church whispers.
I chuckle. "Yes, we are going outside now. Remember to be respectful of the Alpha."
Church nods and pulls out three peaches from the basket and smiles at me. I get out of the truck and go over to help Church get out of the truck. I open the door and lift him into my arms. I turn to sit him down and find that the Alpha is walking towards us. I bow my head in respect and Church follows.
"Welcome to the Blue Moon Pack! I am Alpha Fredrick but I prefer to be called Fred. And you," he says turning to Church. "Must be the little omega. Church."
Church smiles shyly and holds out the peaches to Alpha Fred.
"For me?" He asks. Church nods. A blush stains his cheeks a pretty pink. Alpha Fred laughs and takes the peaches from Church.
"Thank you! I don't think anyone visiting from another pack has ever brought me a present before. I will savor every last bite." Alpha Fred says to Church.
"Let me take you to where Tucker, Cora, and Val are waiting. They do not know about you potentially being their child. I only told them that there is someone who would like to meet them all. So if you are not their child then they will not be heartbroken. But now that I think about it, you look a little like Val. Just.. a much tinier version of him. Well, I'll show you the way."
Church and I follow Alpha Fred through a garden and to a white wooden gazebo surrounded by a lake. A wooden bridge connecting the gazebo to the land.
"I heard that you liked to be outside so I bought this would be the perfect place to meet them." Alpha Fred says. Church smiles and says thanks to Alpha Fred.
In the gazebo, there are three people. Two men and a woman. Their scent is very faint and I can't see their features clearly. I can make out a little of what they look like.
The woman has sandy blonde hair and wears a long light blue dress with a faux fur coat to keep warm in the chilly weather. The man who is obviously the father has red curly hair just like Church and wears a brown long-sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans. The younger man has straight, more of a strawberry blonde colored, hair and wears a light grey hoodie and blue jeans.
As we get closer to the gazebo they all stand, eyes snapping toward Church. The woman who I am assuming is Cora puts her hand to her mouth and lets out a sob. The two men look on in shock as they take in Church.
The woman runs and meets us in the middle. She reaches for Church and takes his cheeks into her hands. They look at each other for a long time before the woman pulls Church to her chest and holds him tightly while she cries. The two men follow and both wrap their arms around the woman and Church.
"My baby," the woman whimpers. "Oh, my sweet baby! You're okay! You're alive!" She pulls back and turns Church towards the older man.
"Oh, Tucker! Look at him, look at our son! Our baby boy! Isn't he beautiful? Oh, I thought we'd never get to see you again!"
Tucker slowly reaches out towards Church and pulls him into his arms. He bends down and buries his face into Church's neck, getting familiar with his scent. Church does the same. Both the men and the woman are taller than Church. They all tower over his small form and I can tell that Church feels a little intimidated.
Church slowly backs away until he bumps into me. He yelps and turns around. Seeing that it's only me, he throws his arms around me and begins to wail. He's overwhelmed and I don't think he wants comfort from his family right now. I gently pick him up and bring him close to me. He presses his cheek against mine and sobs, his tiny body shaking violently. I coo to him and rub his back, telling him that it was going to be okay.
I think that Church's family had realized that I am his mate by the way Church reacts towards me. They all looked saddened and disappointed when he went to me for comfort but all give me space. I can tell that all they want to do is hold him and be with him, but Church doesn't want that right now.
After a couple of minutes, his cries stop and I shift him so I can see his face. His eyes, which are puffy and red, are closed, his breath coming out even. His little nose is a rosy color as well as his cheeks. His hands make small fists in the material of my shirt. I gently rock him a little as he stirs.
Goddess, even in his worst moments he is still so beautiful.
I hold my sleeping mate closer and turn to his family, who looks hurt.
"He doesn't hate you. He is just extremely overwhelmed. I think anybody would after meeting their family for the first time in their life. Church isn't used to being around so many people. At least ones who are nice to him. He just needs a little time. This is all so new to him."
"Church?" Cora says softly.
"Yes," I reply. "Church is the name he was given."
"But I was going to name him Alexander. I," Tucker places his hand on his mate's shoulder and she quieted.
I sit on the ground and motion for the group to follow. They all sit down and I place Church into Tucker's lap. I make sure to hold onto his hand so he won't wake up and freak out again.
The boy, Val, reaches out and brushes the curls from Church's forehead. They all crowd around Church and take turns holding him. Looking at him and pointing out which features he inherited from which parent. I lean against the post of the gazebo and watch over my little mate, happy that he is finally reunited with his family.
Eden
I hear footsteps behind me and turn to find Zaryn. I whimper and scoot over on the bench hoping he wanted to sit down and talk to me. Instead, he grabs me by the throat and slams me against the wall I hear the glass crack and I cry out as pain shoots up my spine.
Zaryn's grip on my throat tightens and he punches me in the stomach hard. I gasp as the air is knocked out of my lungs.
"You are a mistake. No one will ever love you. You should have never existed. Now you can rot in hell where you belong." Zaryn growls. He takes a knife out of his pocket and brings it down. The knife buries itself in my heart and pain explodes. I scream and cry but it's no use. Zaryn twists the knife and the world goes black.
I gasp and sit up. My heart smashes violently against my rib cage as I breathe hard, trying to return the air to my burning lungs.
I look around to see that I had fallen asleep on the stone bench. That was the absolute worst nightmare I've ever had. I let out a strangled sob and run back downstairs. I pass a clock and see that it is noon. Lunchtime. I smell the food from down the hallway.
I burst through the doors. I scan the room and find Noah. When I see him I collapse to the floor and curl into a ball. I begin to cry, my body shaking. I hear Noah call out to somebody and begin to cry as well. I feel someone pick me up off the floor and into their arms. I know immediately by their scent that it is Cole.
"It's okay Eden. I'm going to take you to your room now. I'll bring up Noah after his lunch is done. You're going to be just fine. We will help you." Cole says softly to me.
He carries me to my room and lays me on the bed. I wrap my arms around the pillow and cry.
Cole
Eden looks up at me with sad eyes. He clutches his pillow and cries softly.
"Do you think you can try to get some sleep for me?" I ask him. He shakes his head. No. "Would you like me to give you some medicine to help you sleep?"
Eden nods and holds out his small hand. Eden and Noah look so much alike but I can easily spot the differences between them. Right now Eden looks so broken and it pains me. Noah will hate to see Eden like this.
I tell Eden that I will be right back. I grab the pills and return to him. I give him water and two small yellow pills. I sit with him until he falls asleep.
I leave the room and follow Zaryn's scent to his office. I open the door without knocking. I find Zaryn eating his lunch and writing on his paperwork. I growl and his head snaps up.
"Do not growl at me," Zaryn snarls standing up from his chair. "Know your place, Beta Cole. Stand down."
"Do you know what you are doing to that poor boy? Don't you know what he's been through? Do you even care?"
"What happens between me and that mutt is none of your business." Zaryn snaps.
"Why can't you just accept him? He needs someone who will give him unconditional love and support. It is very rare that someone gets a second chance mate, and no one should take away the happiness of that poor broken boy."
"I don't want him, so drop the subject, Beta Cole." Zaryn spits out angrily.
I try to reason with Zaryn. Make him realize how much he needs Eden. But Zaryn is too stubborn and idiotic. Of course, I'd never say that to his face.
"Did you know that when Omegas find their mates they develop the proper organs to bare children? That the only males to carry pups is an Omega?"
"And why are you telling me this?" Zaryn says not looking amused.
"It means that he can carry your pups! You can accept him and have a family. So what if he's not a girl? Both can have children! Both can do anything the other can. The only thing separating them is that he has a penis. I don't understand why you can't just be there for him. He's been raped every day over the whole course of his life! He's been treated like shit and no one has ever shone him any kindness or mercy. You need to-,"
"Enough!" Zaryn roars. "Get out of my office Beta Cole! Now!" He orders me in his Alpha voice. I have no choice but to follow his orders.
I reluctantly turn and walk out of his office. One day Zaryn will regret this. He will regret ever hurting his mate. I hope that he will realize what he is doing to Eden and come to his senses and accept him for who he is.