Chapter Thirty-Three
Though Hunter didn’t talk much about it, Cade knew he kept in contact with Seth. His cousin seemed determined that, bear or no bear, the bonds between them wouldn’t be broken. Cade liked to think that it made a difference to Hunter to still have a connection with his home even though he knew it hurt the alpha, more than he thought Hunter knew how to say.
He was surprised when, a month after Hunter’s return, his mate posed an awkward question.
“What would you think about Seth coming to visit us here?”
Hunter pretended to stare very intently at the breakfast he was making as he spoke. Cade watched him, wondering what was wrong.
“I think that would be a great idea. You two have a lot to catch up on.”
“You’re sure? Are you not worried it would be dangerous? Because I was thinking I could meet him in a neutral location if you thought it was better.”
Cade put a hand over Hunter’s. “When you went missing, Seth called me every single day. He went out looking for you, he did everything he could to help. He’s no danger to you, Hunter. He’s your brother as much as Ollie is mine.”
Hunter gave him a relieved smile. “You’re right, of course. Just, with the pups on the way and all, I wanted to be sure.”
“Tell him to come, tell him we’d love to see him.”
Seth arrived a week later and he didn’t come alone.
Joe looked a lot different than the last time Cade had seen him. He was pale and drawn. He’d lost weight, too. What had happened?
Hunter and Seth had a happy reunion, and Cade greeted Seth like an old friend.
Seth caught sight of his stomach and did a double take. “Wow, that’s… wow. What the heck are they feeding you here?” He turned to Hunter. “Congratulations. I know you told me over the phone but I guess seeing really is believing. I wish I could tell Mom. She’d be knitting up a storm right now.”
“What did you tell your parents?”
“That I was tired of their bullshit and I needed some space. They think I’ve gone to stay with great Uncle Alvin in his city apartment. I think they’re hoping that I’ll be scarred for life and come running home.”
Joe was hanging back and staying quiet.
“Why don’t I give you two a chance to get caught up,” Cade suggested to Hunter and Seth, “while I show Joe around.”
Cade looked to Joe, who managed a watery smile. Crap. Whatever had happened, it wasn’t good.
He took Joe off the beaten path, away from the village and to a nice spot by the river.
“It’s good to see you,” Cade tried, once they were settled on the bank.
Joe burst into tears.
Over the space of an hour, Cade got it out of him, in bits and pieces. How Angus had believed Joe had played a part in Cade and Hunter’s deception. How Elena had told him about Joe and Axel. How both Shane and Angus had forbidden them from seeing each other, insisting that Axel mate with some girl he barely knew and didn’t even like. And how, after taking that away from him, Angus had gone a step further, banning Joe from continuing his midwifery studies and giving his study grant to another pack member.
“They took everything,” Joe sobbed. “There’s nothing left for me there.”
Cade leaned forward, catching Joe’s chin in his hand and lifting his eyes to meet Cade’s. “But you’re not there anymore. You’re here. And it just so happens I’m in need of a midwife. Know anyone who might be interested?”
Later that day, Cade brought Joe to meet Jensen. Within a few minutes, they were talking shop like they were old friends, throwing out words that Cade didn’t know and words he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. The mere mention of forceps made him shudder.
He left Joe there while he went to check how Seth and Hunter were getting on, finding them a good distance from the village, Hunter in bear form while Seth tried to convince the alpha to play a game of fetch. Cade was laughing watching them since it looked very much like Hunter was on the verge of sitting on Seth to keep him quiet.
He felt a presence next to him and glanced over to see Eamon standing quietly beside him, in his animal form. They watched Seth and Hunter in companionable silence, until Hunter swiped a paw and knocked Seth flat onto the ground. Next to him, Eamon started to laugh. The sound was infectious and Cade couldn’t help but join in. He felt Eamon’s hand on his shoulder, the gorilla seeming more alert, more alive, than he had in months. The grip on his shoulder changed and Cade looked over to see Eamon was human again, for the first time in weeks.
“It’s good to see young blood again.” He smiled over at Cade. “The pups will come soon. They’ll bring the rain, to wash away the old, clear the air for the new. You did well, Cade. Your fathers would be proud, just like I am.”
Then Eamon was gone, shifting again and heading back into the forest, Cade watching him go.
By the time Seth left, a week later, it was abundantly clear that Joe wouldn’t be going with him. He was going to lie and tell his parents and the pack that Joe had decided to make his own way in the city. They’d believe that easily after everything that had happened.
“You’ll come back, won’t you?” Cade said as Seth got his stuff together.
“You couldn’t keep me away, especially not with your little ones on the way. Plus, alphas can get territorial during labor. I was thinking it might be helpful to have me on hand. Call me anytime, night or day.”
“How will you explain that to Angus?”
“Leave that to me, you just make sure that one of you calls.”
“We will,” Cade promised, knowing Seth was right about having someone Hunter knew and trusted on hand. Litter births weren’t without their risks.
“And you,” Seth said, turning to Joe. “Enjoy this place. You already look tons better after a week. I can’t wait to see how you’re doing after a few months. And I’m sorry my dad and Uncle Shane are so pigheaded about everything. If I was alpha…”
He shut his mouth and just shook his head. “One day, I guess. But not too soon.”
They waved him off and he drove across the raised bridge and down along the road before disappearing around the corner.
Hunter looked sad to see him go.
“Don’t worry,” Cade said with a grin. “He’ll be back before long.”
Hunter brightened at that before he caught the implication and made a face. “I could stand to wait a little longer. I’m still getting my head around this whole litter idea. It seems like a lot.”
“It’s not that hard to understand,” Cade said, “loads of animals have litters.”
“No, I mean… it just seems like a lot of babies, all at once. I’m not sure humans have it wrong with the whole one-at-a-time idea.”
“But we’ll probably only do this once. Twice at the most.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Otherwise, we’d be overrun with kids within a year or two. We’d never cope. It’ll be fine. There’ll be one baby stage, one toddler stage. I mean, it’ll be hell when they’re all teenagers together but they’ll come out the other side. We all did. Except for Davyn.”
Hunter snorted.
“Speaking of numbers,” Joe said. “I thought we might do a scan to count the babies today. If you want, that is?”
Hunter’s eyes lit up and Cade wasn’t sure if it was with excitement or fear. Or maybe, like him, a bit of both.