shoulder. Parker knew what she was looking at—her three sons, saying goodbye. "I don't want to leave him," she whispered, "not again, not now."
"I know, but he has a family of his own," Parker said gently. "He'll be fine."
Alicia wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to steady herself. "You're right. Of course. You're right."
She didn't seem convinced, not that Parker could blame her. They'd kept the truth from the children, but Kyle and Jack were both very clever. While they hadn't figured out exactly what was going on, they'd gathered enough to fear for their brother's safety.
It had been a rough couple of weeks, for all of them, with the threat of attack always looming. Thankfully nothing had happened, and now, Alicia had come to pick up the boys.
Alpha Simmons had pointed out that, in all likelihood, the entire reason why Alpha Adler hadn't made a move yet was because of the children. He couldn't risk going against the Secrecy Accords again. Parker didn't fully understand werewolf legislation, but Finn's family had assured him that Gavin's mother and siblings would be fine once they left.
That didn't make the departure easier. Parker turned to watch a tearful Gavin hug his brothers. "You'll come visit, won't you?" Jackie asked, his voice trembling.
"I'll try," Gavin assured him, ruffling his little brother's hair. "Once Shannon's a bit more grown-up."
"You should bring him," Kyle said seriously. "We can play together. I'll teach him to call me Uncle."
There was laughter all around, the children's innocence breaking the gathering tension. Alicia shook her head at her boys and chuckled. "Come on, kids. We have to go or we'll miss our bus."
With twin resigned sighs, Kyle and Jackie entered William Orwell's car. The doctor was already waiting to drive the small family to the bus station. Alicia turned toward Parker one last time, and Parker kissed her cheek, largely because he wanted to avoid her embrace. He didn't want her to notice his growing belly. "Take care," he told her.
"Thank you," Alicia whispered, "for everything."
In response, Parker just smiled. He clapped Gavin's shoulder and gestured his new friend forward.
As Gavin and Alicia spoke, Parker gave them privacy and focused on the children in the car. "You be good, all right? I'll come visit as soon as I can."
Jackie and Kyle both nodded. "We will," Jackie promised.
"You can come when Gavin visits," Kyle offered in turn.
Parker found tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. He pushed them back quickly, hating how hormonal he'd become. God, he was going to miss them, but he had to let them go. He could fall apart after that.
Alicia finally hugged her eldest son and then slid into William's car. Parker stepped back and waved at his friends. As William drove off, the children waved back and kept doing so, until the car disappeared around the corner, discreetly followed by a second vehicle—Saul's way of 'just in case'.
As soon as they were gone, Gavin retreated inside to see his son. Parker remembered what William had told him before he'd left, and headed toward the kitchen. An hour later, he was still halfheartedly trying to consume a sandwich when Gavin entered the room.
"You need to get some sleep." Gavin scowled at Parker as he sat on the couch, Shannon in his arms. "And eat more. I know when I was pregnant I ate so much I turned into a whale."
Parker picked at his meal, knowing Gavin was right, but still having trouble complying. "I just... It's been so long. And... I'm so confused, Gavin."
Gavin gave him a sympathetic look and Parker abandoned the sandwich on the kitchen counter in favor of sitting down on the tiny couch next to Gavin. "I miss him. How is that even possible? We barely know each other."
"I realize this is hard. But you have to believe he'll get better. He'll wake up any moment now, and then you can kick his ass for knocking you up and deciding to take a nap after that."
Parker couldn't help it. Even through
"I know, but he has a family of his own," Parker said gently. "He'll be fine."
Alicia wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to steady herself. "You're right. Of course. You're right."
She didn't seem convinced, not that Parker could blame her. They'd kept the truth from the children, but Kyle and Jack were both very clever. While they hadn't figured out exactly what was going on, they'd gathered enough to fear for their brother's safety.
It had been a rough couple of weeks, for all of them, with the threat of attack always looming. Thankfully nothing had happened, and now, Alicia had come to pick up the boys.
Alpha Simmons had pointed out that, in all likelihood, the entire reason why Alpha Adler hadn't made a move yet was because of the children. He couldn't risk going against the Secrecy Accords again. Parker didn't fully understand werewolf legislation, but Finn's family had assured him that Gavin's mother and siblings would be fine once they left.
That didn't make the departure easier. Parker turned to watch a tearful Gavin hug his brothers. "You'll come visit, won't you?" Jackie asked, his voice trembling.
"I'll try," Gavin assured him, ruffling his little brother's hair. "Once Shannon's a bit more grown-up."
"You should bring him," Kyle said seriously. "We can play together. I'll teach him to call me Uncle."
There was laughter all around, the children's innocence breaking the gathering tension. Alicia shook her head at her boys and chuckled. "Come on, kids. We have to go or we'll miss our bus."
With twin resigned sighs, Kyle and Jackie entered William Orwell's car. The doctor was already waiting to drive the small family to the bus station. Alicia turned toward Parker one last time, and Parker kissed her cheek, largely because he wanted to avoid her embrace. He didn't want her to notice his growing belly. "Take care," he told her.
"Thank you," Alicia whispered, "for everything."
In response, Parker just smiled. He clapped Gavin's shoulder and gestured his new friend forward.
As Gavin and Alicia spoke, Parker gave them privacy and focused on the children in the car. "You be good, all right? I'll come visit as soon as I can."
Jackie and Kyle both nodded. "We will," Jackie promised.
"You can come when Gavin visits," Kyle offered in turn.
Parker found tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. He pushed them back quickly, hating how hormonal he'd become. God, he was going to miss them, but he had to let them go. He could fall apart after that.
Alicia finally hugged her eldest son and then slid into William's car. Parker stepped back and waved at his friends. As William drove off, the children waved back and kept doing so, until the car disappeared around the corner, discreetly followed by a second vehicle—Saul's way of 'just in case'.
As soon as they were gone, Gavin retreated inside to see his son. Parker remembered what William had told him before he'd left, and headed toward the kitchen. An hour later, he was still halfheartedly trying to consume a sandwich when Gavin entered the room.
"You need to get some sleep." Gavin scowled at Parker as he sat on the couch, Shannon in his arms. "And eat more. I know when I was pregnant I ate so much I turned into a whale."
Parker picked at his meal, knowing Gavin was right, but still having trouble complying. "I just... It's been so long. And... I'm so confused, Gavin."
Gavin gave him a sympathetic look and Parker abandoned the sandwich on the kitchen counter in favor of sitting down on the tiny couch next to Gavin. "I miss him. How is that even possible? We barely know each other."
"I realize this is hard. But you have to believe he'll get better. He'll wake up any moment now, and then you can kick his ass for knocking you up and deciding to take a nap after that."
Parker couldn't help it. Even through
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