“Corbin, enough,” his grandfather spoke. Corbin looked at his grandfather incredulous, “Why should I stop? You de-manded answers from me not a moment ago and now – and now you want me to shut up? Why? Because it’s the truth and you don’t want to hear it?”
His grandfather didn’t want him to stop because he didn’t want to hear his words but because he didn’t understand why he was crying. First Corbin smiled shocking them and now, not only his words but his tears were shaking them to the core - Isn't he supposed to be strong? So why was he crying?.
Corbin sighed looking back at Charlese he said, “I never did anything to you yet you hate me. YOUR father doesn’t discipline you and so because you were rude to the person I invited to YOUR brother's party and smacked, humiliated him too, I taught you a lesson. I never hurt you ever because you are my baby sister but every day, you call me an idiot multiple times, an asshole, a piece of shit, you tell me I must die, and so many other hurtful things, has it ever occurred to you that I’m actually human and that I have a heart? Do you know that every time you and everyone say those words to me that it hurts – it hurts so fucking bad and it's worse than being in a fight with a rogue.”
Corbin stood up as he felt his blood boil, he looked at his grandfather and asked, “What revenge were you trying to pull off for this rude brat that doesn’t even respect ME,” he pointed to himself, “HER BROTHER, HER OWN FUCKING FLESH AND BLOOD! Is it because she is your granddaughter, she’s fragile and a female? What about me? You say I’m like you but I’m nothing LIKE YOU! AT LEAST YOU’RE LOVED BY YOUR FUCKING FAMILY WHILE I AM THROWN SHIT AND STEPPED ON, “ his eyes moved to his father as he said through gritted teeth, “I DO EVERY FUCKING THING YOU ASK OF ME AND INSTEAD OF SAYING SOMETHING ENCOURAGING YOUR FIRST WORDS ARE ‘Why can’t you be like your brother? Follow his example,’ WHAT EXAMPLE? ALL HE DOES IS GET SHIT HANDED TO HIM WITH A SMILE AND HE DOESN’T WORK FOR IT, I DO EVERY FUCKING THING AND HE TAKES THE CREDIT BUT NEVERMIND IT I DON’T GIVE A SHIT IF HE TAKES CREDIT FOR WHAT I DO. I NEVER RAISED MY HAND AT HIM AND I NEVER TOLD YOU WHAT HE DID TO ME TILL TODAY BECAUSE I LOVE HIM! I LOVE EVERY FUCKING ONE OF YOU BUT WISH SO BADLY THAT I COULD HATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO ME BUT I CAN’T, I can’t,” he whispered.
Corbin felt the energy inside of him was drained. He looked down at his feet and wiped his face, “I never wanted to be Alpha, I just wanted everyone’s approval but seeing that I will never get it in this lifetime, I give up. I don’t know how much money I owe you for raising me but I’ll return it no matter the cost. You people emotionally drained me my whole life and I can’t take it anymore, please, all of you just leave me alone, I can’t anymore.”
Corbin’s eyes turned yellow as Cyro took over. He raised his feet and started walking. The tears in his eyes were still falling and he refused to look at anyone, “Corbin, Cyro, stop,” their mother called with a trembling voice but her voice hit deaf ears. He forced the door open and left.
He bumped into Kaeden who was sitting on the steps of the fourth floor and crouched down in front of him. Kaeden had tears in his eyes as he looked into Cyro’s eyes. He zipped down Cyro’s jacket and pulled his shirt up and wiped his face. >Mate< Cyro called him.
‘Be strong okay.’ Kaeden ordered and Cyro nodded.
Cyro forced a smile and said >Hurry up and grow so you can carry my babies okay< he teased. Kaeden chuckled as he made sure to clean Cyro’s face properly. ‘You can’t let them see you like this,’ he said, referring to the pack members outside.
Cyro leaned over and kissed Kaeden on the lips, >I don’t think I can come back here anymore, be strong for me Kitten and we’ll meet again soon. Remember to pick up your phone when I call you, we’ll most likely pick you up from school and then go out okay.<
Kaeden nodded his head and handed back the car keys. Corbin stood up and looked over at his youngest sister, her eyes were watery and he knew that she saw them. >What do you want?< Cyro asked her but she shook her head and just stood there.
He narrowed his eyes on her for a split second then crouched down to hug Kaeden. He kissed him on the lips and said, >I’ll see you, don’t think too much about what happened.<
Kaeden nodded his head obediently and hugged him back. He let go of his mate and walked away. He walked past the pack mates who kept their heads down. He knew they all heard what happened, the walls were soundproof but the windows were open, for who knows what reason.
He got into his car and left, looking into the rearview mirror, he watched as the packhouse became smaller and smaller. The tears didn’t stop and Corbin didn’t want control. He drove straight to swap his cars and went to his apartment. He stepped into the cold apartment and felt somewhat at ease. Kaeden made sure to leave his scent behind.
He stripped out of his clothes, took a shower then went to bed. The minute he shut his eyes, he howled in pain into the pillow to muffle his cry and continued on crying himself to sleep.
Kaeden went back to his room and cried for a while until there was a knock on the door. He slowly got up since he could smell that it was the Alpha’s Beta and opened the door. William looked down at Kaeden and asked, “Are you, Kaeden Gates?”
Kaeden nodded his head weakly. William asked with a frown, “Why are you crying?” Kaeden looked up at him and shook his head, “It’s nothing Sir, can I help you with something?”
“Tomorrow morning at nine, head up to Alpha Dick’s office, he wants to see you,” he said firmly getting his point across. Kaeden nodded and asked, “Can I ask why?”
William looked at him and shook his head, “Our Alpha will explain it to you tomorrow.”
Kaeden bid William good night and went back to his bed. He fell asleep later than usual and when he woke up, there were only fifteen minutes left before the meeting with Dick. He missed breakfast but it wasn’t as though he had an appetite to begin with.
He got dressed into oversized clothes and went to brush his teeth, he tied his hair up into a messy bun and washed his face. The skin around his eyes was puffy and his eyes were bloodshot. Sighing at his appearance, he made his way to Dicks office and sat down outside on the floor. His eyes closed for a split second but opened when he heard Charlese make her way over.
She glared down at Kaeden and sent him the word ‘faggot’ through the link but it bounced back at her. She pushed the door open to her father’s office and smiled at him and Zander, “Yes, why did you call?”
“Come in and bring Kaeden with you,” Dick said. Kaeden got up with the little energy he had and followed a frowning Charlese inside the office. Closing the door behind him, Kaeden bowed, Good morning Alpha, good morning Mr Waters,” he greeted the two men.
When he stood up straight they looked at him and frowned. Throwing their questions to the back, Dick started, “It has come to my attention that you and my son are friends, is that true?”
Kaeden looked up at Dick and asked, “Who are you talking about Alpha.” Dick was taken aback, he frowned and said, “Corbin.”
Kaeden ‘Oh’d’ with a slow nod. Charlese rolled her eyes. “How long have you and Corbin been friends?”
Kaeden looked at Dick and said, “Corbin and I aren’t quite friends, he and I are the outcasts of the pack and he’d come to visit me in my room just so that he wasn’t alone or he would ask me to go visit him."
Dick’s frown deepened, “According to everyone, you are friends with Angela Moon, she never mentioned that you knew Corbin before the morning of his birthday, she also said that you gave him his birthday presents early that morning before he invited you to his party.”
Kaeden frowned, this man did his research, he looked at Dick and answered, “Angela and I were friends until she decided that it was best to keep her distance from me because she is afraid of Charlese. She never mentioned that I knew Corbin because no one knows of this truth. Back in elementary school when everyone went on that school trip to the zoo, Corbin and I stayed back. Corbin didn’t go with because he had no friends, I stayed behind because I didn’t want to leave my baby sister alone. I went out for a run and went to the pond near the border and went for a swim. My leg caught a cramp and I almost drowned, Corbin was the one who saved me that day and since then, we’d sometimes meet up and talk when he needed to get something off of his chest,” he half lied.
