Reckless Regrets
Chapter 23

Kade

After my call with Xander, I left the room to replace Marisol. I got turned around a few times and had to have a random omega take pity on me and help me out, but I was directed to Cameron’s room, where Marisol was nervously packing his bag while he played loudly in the middle of the floor.

“Hey, dad! Did you come to play monster truck rally with me?” he asked when I walked in.

I still wasn’t used to being “dad,” and it made me stumble a bit.

“I need to talk to your mom for a bit, but once we’re done, I’ve got dibs on the badass red truck,” I replied.

He smiled then went back to flipping the toys across the floor.

“You can tell him you’re not his father, you know,” Marisol said when I walked in the closet.

“And so could you. I’m guessing we’re both keeping that quiet for the same reason, and for now, I don’t mind. If I can be that small bit of stability when s**t is about to blow up around him, then I gladly will.”

“I guess you’re right. So, what’s up?”

“Have you thought about how you’re going to get them both out without your dad knowing?”

“I’ve thought about it, but still don’t have a plan. I don’t know what to do, and it’s killing me,” Marisol replied.

“I have an idea. It’s crazy, but I think it will work.”

“I can handle crazy, to an extent. What is it?”

“You need to have Nate kidnap Cameron, then take him to Blue Moon.”

“Kidnap? Like tie him up and put him in the trunk type s**t?”

“No. Not at all. Here’s how I picture it. My father wants to meet you and his grandson, so we plan a day trip to California tomorrow morning. The three of us. Nate ‘sneaks’ behind and follows us, and because Cameron knows and trusts him, he is easily able to get him to go with him.

Nate takes Cameron to Blue Moon, where Xander has granted asylum for who he assumes is my son and his caretaker. We make up a story that Nate was worried about Cameron and that I’d maybe hurt him because of my anger and frustration over the whole situation.

Also, maybe throw something in about your dad being violent as well for good measure. Nate knew that my old pack would protect my child without a second thought until everything was settled, so he took him and ran. In the end, they are both safe, and we can move forward with taking down your dad. What do you think?”

“He’d be safe the entire time? Would I get to see where he’ll be staying?” She asked.

“Of course. My dad doesn’t live on pack territory anymore, but he will be there tomorrow. As far as your dad knows, though, we’d be going to his house just outside the city.”

She thought it over for a minute.

“Will Nate get in trouble for this fake kidnapping? I mean, when my dad replaces out, he’s going to want Cameron back here and Nate dead.”

“Too bad. Xander’s filing the paperwork now, before any perceived wrongdoing, based on suspicion that his former Beta’s child could be in danger. For thirty days, while everything is investigated, Nate is perfectly safe. And it’s not like your dad will admit I’m not the father just to get his way, now will he?”

“I guess not. So, all I have to do is sneak out Cameron’s suitcase; he won’t need these many clothes for a day trip,” she agreed.

“That shouldn’t be too difficult. So, do you think Nate will go for it?”

She put up a finger asking me to hold on while she linked him. It made me miss linking and getting a response back. I couldn’t wait to have my connection to the pack restored so I could be whole again.

After a few minutes, she was back with an update.

“I need to put Cam’s stuff in a trash bag that Nate will come and take out under the guise of it being garbage. It helps the whole plan because if Nate truly were sneaking out to get Cam to safety, he probably wouldn’t have time to pack a suitcase neatly.”

“That works. Now we just have to pretend to be excited for our little family trip to make sure your dad doesn’t get suspicious.”

“He’s suspicious of everything I do, but I’m ready if you are.”

***

Around dinner time, Marisol, Cameron, and I walked downstairs and onto the dining hall together. When Thorne saw the three of us together, one would have thought he was looking at the Moon Goddess herself. I couldn’t wait to replace out what the hell his plan was and why he was so excited for me to be here.

“You three make the perfect family. I think we should have a portrait commissioned to commemorate our next two Alphas. What do you say?” he asked.

“I think there are more pressing issues to tackle before I feel the need to pose for a portrait. And what’s wrong with a regular picture? My phone’s camera is pretty damn incredible.”

He frowned, hearing me turn down his idea. But it was stupid and old fashioned, I wanted to piss him off, and pictures truly were simpler.

“Were you this argumentative with your last alpha?”

“Xander? Absolutely. He wasn’t just my alpha; he was my brother and friend, and he respected me as a person. It didn’t matter that he outranked me; he still wanted to be treated like a regular guy. Plus, he’s a leader in every sense of the word, and real leaders don’t keep ‘yes men’ around to stroke their egos.”

Internally, I laughed when I saw how uncomfortable his Beta and Gamma were upon hearing my words. Yes, I was talking about them, and I wasn’t hiding it either. If they’d had some backbone and did their jobs, which were to help the Alpha run the pack by offering support and suggestions even if they are contrary to his, this place wouldn’t be in chaos.

They’d have a larger, more robust population, more assets, and a better reputation. But instead, they just went along will all of Thorne’s bullshit plans.

“What you Blue Moon boys call ‘yes men,’ I call loyal followers,” Thorne replied.

“‘Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.’ Albert Einstein said that, and it’s been ingrained in us Blue Moon men and women since we were kids. Not every leader knows how to lead, and blind followers just end up walking off the cliff with him.”

“For a Beta, you’ve got a lot to say.”

“And there’s plenty more where that came from. Don’t let all the ink fool you; I’ve got the skills and intellect to back up everything I’m saying. Which is probably why you’re so willing to hand your pack over to me, right?”

Once again, he’d let his pride talk him into a corner. This Blue Moon boy was the exact one he’d worked so hard to get here, but now he had a problem with the way we were brought up to think and behave?

Nope. Not on my watch. I would expose all his faults and weaknesses, so when the time came for these wolves to pledge their allegiances and loyalties to a much better Alpha, they could do so with zero regrets. He ignored my question and focused his attention on the food as it was brought out to the table. Now seemed as good a time as any to hit him with the news.

“My father wants to meet Marisol and Cameron, so we’ll be taking a short day trip to California tomorrow to spend some time with him and allow Cam to see where I’m from. We should be back around dinner time, maybe a little later.”

I didn’t word it as a request on purpose. If Cameron was indeed my son and Marisol, my future wife, I didn’t have to ask for permission to do anything with them. Nor would I.

“Do you think that’s wise? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until after the wedding and the Alpha ceremony for introductions?”

“No. I’m a firm believer in putting family first, as is my father. We’ve missed the first four years of Cam’s life, so what reason could there be to make him miss any more of it? Unless you know something I don’t,” I stated.

“I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but I won’t argue with a man over his family. Have a safe trip.”

Short and to the point. I’d pissed Thorne off good, and he was lucky that was all I’d done. I turned my attention to Cameron, who was sitting beside me and pushing his peas around his plate, clearly not wanting to eat them.

I leaned down to his ear and whispered.

“You know, all the best superhero’s eat peas. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be able to fly.”

“Is that true?” he asked while eyeing me suspiciously.

I just shrugged a shoulder and stuffed a giant spoon of them into my mouth then flexed my bicep. The little guy smiled and began to shovel his own veggies into his mouth so fast he almost choked, making me laugh while I patted him on his back.

“Is it true? Do I really get to go to California with you tomorrow? I don’t think I’ve ever been, so this would be so cool!”

“It’s true. Me, you, and your mom. I’ll even show you some of my favorite spots as a kid, and you get to meet my dad and sisters.”

“You have sisters!? I want a sister, but mom always says the baby factory is closed. But babies don’t come from factories; they come from girls’ v*****s!”

He said it so matter-of-factly that I almost laughed. Gabby tried but failed to hide her smile across the table while Marisol chugged her water to dislodge the bits of food stuck in her throat.

“Cameron! What have I told you about talking about grown-up things? And who even told you that anyway?” she finally asked.

“I saw it on the Google, so it has to be true. There is no factory, and you still have a v****a, don’t you?”

This time I had to laugh; the sickly pale look on her face and the way her eyes darted from Gabby to me begging for help was one of the most comical things I’d experienced in a while.

And sweet Cameron just sat there between us, waiting for confirmation of his suspicions that his mother did, in fact, still have a v****a. After a few tense moments, I decided to put her out of her memory.

“Google was right; babies come from girls’ v*****s, but there is much more to it than that. It’s like when you plant a seed in the ground, and it grows; your mom needs someone to plant a seed before she can make another baby.”

He thought over what I’d just said then countered.

“Isn’t that your job, Dad? Don’t you plant the seeds?”

This time it was Marisol’s turn to laugh at my face.

“Are you sure he’s only four?” I asked her.

“Positive,” she replied with a laugh.

I imagined doing this one day with my own child, the one currently growing in Morgan’s womb. I prayed that all the bullshit would be cleared up soon and that she would no longer feel the need to abort the pregnancy. I needed that child as much as I needed her, and I didn’t think that I could live without either one of them at this point.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nathan standing just outside the doorway, visible only to me, Cameron, and Marisol. The look on his face was hard to take. Here I was sitting with his mate and his son, playing the happy family guy when it should have been him.

Thorne was an a*****e for this and everything else he’d done. I sent Nate a quick nod, which he returned with a small smile. When this was all over, I’d avenge my family and make way for him to claim his. While I also reclaimed my own.