Reckless Regrets
Chapter 64

Morgan

This was major, and my head was spinning. He wanted to adopt Cameron? We were a few months away from having a newborn, and Kade thought we could manage a baby and a kindergartner?

On the one hand, I loved Cameron so much, almost like he was my own. When we first met, I thought he was Kade’s biological son, and I couldn’t help but feel connected with the little guy. But then we formed our own bond, something that was just between the two of us. All the time we spent together baking and talking had nothing to do with who his parents were; it was all because of who Cameron was.

He was smart and caring, and so curious about life. The child was absolutely adorable in every aspect of the word. And he was the only person in the world who knew my secret for making my cookies stay soft and chewy even after a couple of days shelf time. That was an insider secret that I swore I’d take to my grave, but I shared with him.

But then, how could I step in to replace his mom? Sure, Marisol had her faults, but she gave Cameron life and love; nothing could ever be better than that. How was I supposed to expect him to look at me and see a mother when he already had one that he loved so fiercely. Or how could I be that mother to him without stepping on or erasing his memory of Marisol?

This was so much to think about, and all I wanted to do was the right thing. We had the space, we had the finances, and we had the love and support that Cameron would need to become a part of our family; I just didn’t know how to honor his past while trying to create a bright future.

“If you don’t want to do it, Sugar, I could ask Gabby if she and Luca would be willing-”

“No! Cameron is mine, no one is taking him away from me,” I all of a sudden yelled out. It seemed that while my brain was second and third guessing itself, my heart was on a totally different page. In the span of a few seconds, I’d switched from being confused and nervous to a protective momma bear.

“Are you sure? I know it’s a big responsibility and a lot to ask of you with all that has happened with us in the past month, but he deserves a great home, and I know we can give it to him,” Kade responded.

“I’m positive. I love Cameron with all my heart; he’s mine. Well, ours. I guess I can share him with you.”

“Thank you. I know Gabby would have taken care of him, but I just feel like that little guy was always supposed to be mine. And the way everything played out, I think he’s been mine in my heart all along.”

A nurse came over and checked the few machines he was hooked up to and gave me the all-clear to take him home. I helped him to his feet and guided him back to the yard where everyone was assembled, trying to figure out our next steps.

“Sorry to interrupt, but do the elders know how the f**k Thorne got out in the first place? I’m mean, first a breakout of The Badlands then from the Elder Council; are we even really safe?” Kade asked the group.

“He was out of his cell for a medical exam. Apparently, the elders have to make sure you’re healthy before they send you to your death. Thorne somehow incapacitated the intern who was escorting him and stole his phone. He probably called Steven and Kevin from there since he could no longer link them, and the rest is history,” Xander stated.

“Any word on the i***t twins?” Kade asked.

“Henry and his team found them about ten minutes ago. They’re locked up tight for now while we decide what to do with the omega staff for the next three to four months while we rebuild.”

“Can we take the omegas home with us? We have six empty cottages in the village that we could spread them out in. They are the smaller, two-bedroom starter cottages, so most of the families have outgrown them. Some people will have to share a room, but it’s only temporary,” I suggested.

“I didn’t know we had six available. That would be perfect, and it would give the staff time to be retrained on the way we do things,” Xander replied.

“I’ll get a charter bus on the way that should get here within the hour. Taylor, could you call down and make sure the cottages are all stocked and ready for the omegas? We’d have a little more than four hours until they make it,” Matt stated.

“Yep, I can do that.”

Taylor stepped aside to make the arrangements while Alaia walked over to the omegas and began explaining to them what was happening. They hadn’t had a Luna in twenty-one years, so they looked at her like she was a goddess or queen. It was sweet to see and made me smile.

“Why don’t you ladies head back on the bus, and we’ll follow once I’ve got everything squared away here. I’ll be a while dealing with Steven and Kevin, and I don’t see a need to make you wait around,” Xander stated.

I had to admit that I was getting tired, and because I’d verified that Kade was alright, I was okay with the idea of me going back before him.

“Hold on! Before you get rid of us, let me see if I can do anything about your vision, Kade. Otherwise, you might as well get on the bus and come home with the ladies,” Alaia teased.

We helped him to a nearby tree stump, so Alaia wouldn’t have to reach up to get to him. After she’d hummed her melody, Kade opened his eyes, and they were no longer bloodshot, but they were still leaking like an old faucet, so I had no idea if he was any better or not.

“I’m back to seeing blobs, and it feels like with every blink they become a little more focused, so I’d say you did pretty damn good, Bean.”

Xander forced Kade to sit and wait until his vision had cleared up entirely while the rest of the guys went to the northern border checkpoint. Thankfully, there was a functional cell that Henry was using to house ‘the i***t twins.’ Kade wanted to go and confront them as well, but no one was going to hold his hand through the woods, and he would have killed himself if he went walking on his own, so he sat with us and waited.

“Did Morgan tell you guys that we’re actually going to be having two kids after all?” he casually asked Alaia and Taylor.

“What?! But I was there, and it was just one heartbeat. And when did you have another appointment? Why didn’t you tell me?” Taylor yelled.

Kade hid his smile behind his hand and did nothing to clean up the mess he’d made. Throw me to the wolves, why don’t you?!

“I’m not having twins, Tay. And I haven’t had any other appointments, and there wasn’t anything to tell until maybe fifteen minutes ago,” I replied.

“So, I’m confused. What happened fifteen minutes ago?” Alaia asked.

“Kade asked me what I thought about adopting Cameron, and I couldn’t say no. He’s that second heartbeat.”

“I love it. It’s just like with Alexi and my twins and Taylor’s guys with their twins. It doesn’t matter whose b***d flows through your veins; being a father is about that bond. I know Kade and Cameron already have it, and I’ve seen you and him in the kitchen together, and it’s the sweetest thing ever. The two of you will do great things for and with that little boy,” Alaia stated.

Taylor gave Kade and me both a hug to show her approval, and it got me excited. I’d never pictured myself with a son, but I was becoming a boy mom, and I was more than ready for race cars, superheroes, and everything else that came with keeping a future leader of our pack healthy and happy.

***

Kade

It took about thirty minutes, but eventually, my vision came back enough to see my hand in front of my face clearly, and I took it as a sign that I needed to get to the checkpoint. Before I left, the bus came and took all the omegas and the ladies back home, so I was free to go get dirty with the boys.

When I arrived, I saw the brothers chained with their hands behind their backs, lying face down in the cell. I didn’t look like I’d missed anything significant, and I was probably a little more excited than I should have been.

“What made you think that you could allow an escaped fugitive into my territory, then help him burn my house down?” Xander asked.

“We promise we were tricked, Alpha. Thorne told us that we were helping the pack and that he wanted to set up a surprise for you and the Luna as a welcome,” one of the brothers stated.

“How is setting a building on fire a welcome surprise?” Tyson asked.

“We asked the same thing! But Thorne assured us that it would be alright. When we saw things going south, we ran; we didn’t know what else to do!”

This was boring. I was hoping there would be some invincibility fueled ignorance that would force these two into feeling zero regrets for their actions. Then we could kill them and feel that same amount of regret over their death. But it seemed like they weren’t evil; they were just stupid. Very, very, stupid.

“So what do you want to do, Xan? The choice is yours,” I said.

“I’m sure you’ve been told that I have a low tolerance for mediocrity; my pack is the best and the strongest for a reason. But you two continue to f**k up, and I can’t stand for it. Because I feel that you really were tricked, I won’t take your lives, but I will take your membership. As of this moment, neither of you are members of the Blue Moon pack and are officially classified as rogues. If you step foot on my territory, either here or in California, you will be swiftly and efficiently disposed of. Do I make myself clear?” Xander asked.

Steven and Kevin looked wholly defeated, but at least they were being allowed to leave with their lives; anyone else would have probably killed them. Eventually, they nodded their heads and spoke.

“Yes, Alpha, you are clear.”

“Good. Henry, please escort them beyond the border and remove their restraints. Also, make sure that everyone knows of their banishment. I will make it official when we make it back home tonight,” Xander commanded.

Once the brothers were gone, the guys and I decided that it was time to call it a night and get some rest. We walked back to the truck where Matt was kind enough to get behind the wheel to take us all home.

“So, what’s the plan for the rebuild? Any ideas yet?” I asked Xander.

“I think I’ll build a smaller packhouse that will mainly be used when we are in town, maybe three stories and five bedrooms with a few offices. The rest of the space can be absorbed into the pack village; I can put at least ten cottages up if we plan it properly. It solves my omega housing issue and doesn’t leave any redundant and unused space,” he replied.

“That sounds like a good plan, and I think everyone will appreciate it.”

“The pack lawyer will be at the house tomorrow morning to start adoption proceedings. Are you and Morgan sure about this?” he asked.

“We’re sure; there is no doubt in either of our minds,” I firmly stated.

“I’m proud of you, Kade, and your mom would be too. I can’t wait to see the man you raise Cameron to be.”

“I just hope I do Marisol and Nate justice. They deserved to be the ones molding Cam into a man, so now Morgan and I will try to do so in a way that they would hopefully approve of.”

“Spoken like a true father. Welcome to the daddy club. I’m happy you’ve finally arrived,” Xander joked.

But to me, it wasn’t a joke. I would be a father now, times two, and it was the best feeling in the world. Who would have ever known?