Monday, May 13th Pt. 14

(Deven’s POV)

‘Cass, I know it’s been a long day but something happened while Colton was waiting for you at the pack house. We need to convene a meeting with you and Lunas Charlotte and Arianna.’
I wait patiently for his response.
‘I’ll be there in ten.’
‘Thank you. Do me a favor?’
‘What’s that?’
‘Change your clothes. Non business without the need for a belt. Sheila and I have already changed into night clothes even though we just finished dinner.’
‘What’s going on? You’ve never requested that.’
‘You’ll understand when we start talking about the issue that was run into. Have you heard anything from Braysen?’
‘He stumbled out of the hallway with a bloody nose and decently bruised face shortly after I came back downstairs. He gave me a story claiming that Colton intercepted him taking Clayton to my office for punishment.’
‘Why did you say “a story”?’
‘Have I ever told you how much you read into my wording?’
‘No. I didn’t think it was an issue.’
‘Sometimes it’s annoying but never an issue. I feel that Braysen left a lot of his story out. He told me it involves Colton which is likely the reason behind requesting that I lose my belt. Fortunately, I was already changing in my room. You just made my choice of attire a lot easier. Let me grab mom and Ari while you get Colton up. I’m certain he’s sleeping.’
‘Door’s open when you come.’
‘Thank you for letting me know that they showed up there.’
‘I figured you would be looking for Cole. I’m glad we were home.’
‘Thank you. I’ll be there soon.’
We let go at the same time as I make my way back to Sheila.
“Hun, Cass will be over soon.”
She nods her head but continues straightening our bedroom while waiting for Cody to finish his shower. While his fear has kept her from fighting Colton’s presence here, him coming back to our house without Cassius and with Clayton has stirred her up. Telling her Colton had been in a fight didn’t calm anything down, not that I expected it to.
I knock gently on Colton’s door. Clayton has been playing the old Game Cube since Cole brought him over from the pack house.
“Wrap up your game, Clay. We need to talk with Alpha Cassius.”
“Do I have too?”
It hurts to hear fear in the young boy’s voice, especially considering how little Cassius has interacted with him.
“Yes. We are all meeting in the living room. Save your game. You can come back later but right now I need to help Colton take care of some personal business.”
“I am a boy you know.” His fear is briefly replaced by slight annoyance. “It doesn’t bother me to hear bathroom”
“I’ll keep that in mind for next time. I do need you to head to the couch.”
“Can I wait just outside the door? I don’t want to be alone?”
“How are you afraid of Cassius but not me? Neither of us have punished you.”
“But Braysen has.”
His whisper is sad and barely there as I gently attempt to wake Colton. He opens his eyes slowly just to shut them again. He goes through a pattern of trying to get his eyes to open before closing them for thirty seconds but he’s doing better by the time I hear the front door open.
“Cassius.” I hear Sheila greet before Cody goes running down the hall.
“Walk!!!”
Five adults chorus as I have no doubts he has landed joyfully into Cassius’s arms. Colton is finally sitting up as the voices fade into the other room. I help him stand and make his way to the other room. To my benefit, he decides he’s a little too dizzy to stand and sits to complete his needs. He rings the bell as I instructed and we work nicely together to get his hand washed and dried. He walks slowly out of the bathroom into his room before heading out to the hall.
“Hey, I thought you were going to the living room?”
Colton speaks as he pauses just outside the doorway. I get behind Cole as the young man can’t handle a fall in his state, following him into the living room area. It’s only as he gets closer to where everyone is meeting that he starts hesitating, his fear consumes him by the time he tries to enter the room.
“I’ll come to him, Deven. Clayton, I need you to take a seat.”
Without warning Clayton suddenly clings to Colton’s leg. Cassius stops and looks at the two of them, shocked by the pup’s behavior. Cassius squats in front of both as I place both hands on Colton’s hips. I can feel the young man shake, something I was hoping he was too drugged to encounter.
“Come to me, Clayton. Colton is too unsteady to handle you on his leg. You need to let go.” Cass is proving to be his usual self, ever so kind and patient.
“No!”
The young boy cries as he clings tighter to Colton’s leg. He staggers slightly but I counter his difficulty by stepping forward. He whimpers slightly with my contact with his body but no one else seems to notice.
“Clayton. I see the fear you have towards me but that will not keep me from putting you under a command that your wolf will compel you to act on. Now, give me your hands so Deven can help Colton to a seat.”
Clayton is crying by the time he lets go of Cole. I feel guilty as I didn’t realize he was so frightened of Cassius making me wonder what has happened to him during the eight months he’s been here. Cassius is holding both his hands when he looks around my living room.
“Cody, you're in the seat closest to Colton. I need you to find another. Your mom or Luna Charlotte would be happy to provide a lap.”
He hops up without protest climbing easily between his mom and the current luna. I encourage Colton to move to his left, guiding him to the now empty chair.
“I can feel you shaking. Do you want me to stay close?”
I ask him quietly. He nods silently. I allow him to get comfortable before draping my arm across his chest. This arm chair is small compared to the others I have.
“Clayton, what’s going on my young son?”
Cassius sounds shocked as he gently wrestles the six year old.
“No, please. Let me go. I’m sorry she fell. I’m sorry Lydia is hurt but I didn’t do anything. I’m not a bad pup. Please don’t spank me. Lauren and David have every day. Please alpha. I already can’t sit at school and the teacher wants to know why.”
Clayton is screaming as he rants what Cassius and I would never expect to hear. Our pack was chosen for this young orphan because we were a sanctuary and this is obvious abuse without even examining him. Colton grabs my arm hard and buries his head against it as Clayton screams. His struggle with the boy’s reaction solidifies my belief that he himself is still being abused.
I rub the back of his head as I encourage him softly to keep breathing. I noticed this morning that he would often hold his breath when he’s scared. I look up to find Cassius standing, cradling a frightened, kicking and screaming Clayton against his chest, waiting for the pup to exhaust himself. We both know he won’t last much longer. He finally collapses against his shoulder, sobbing hard.
“Seek my scent little buddy, I promise it will help.”
He gently guides Clay into him as he paces in front of the coffee table. It’s easy to see the effects of his fatherly aura when his hands suddenly ball the fabric of Cassius’s shirt in his hands. It’s only when he calms that Cassius sits, placing the boy so he’s standing between his legs.
“Clay, you can’t be in trouble with me if I don’t know what happened. I need you to talk to me.”
“I’m scared. They said you would be the same as them.” He whines through his hiccups.
“I’m sorry I haven’t spent more time with you. When the council brought you here it was supposed to be temporary until they decoded your family tree and found relatives you could live with. Spending too much time with me after losing your alpha suddenly could cause you to imprint with me. Taking you from my pack after you’ve imprinted can be a problem as they have discovered that you are a beta.” I’m surprised when the little guy nods his head.