Work Text:
Rock Hill Omega Home:
Jensen bent down to talk to an elderly omega with wispy hair and rheumy eyes. He dropped to a crouch when he realized the elder fox had trouble tilting his neck to look up at him.
“Thank you,” the ancient one’s voice was scratchy.
“Don’t thank me,” Jensen grinned, “It was our newly elected Californian Senator Kane who got Omega Services to let OEN in on their new build.”
As founders of Aid for the Elders and patrons of the teenage omega visitor program, Jared and Jensen had been asked to the opening ceremony. Jensen was proud that his hometown was the first to have the new standard of home. The David Wolf may have been the one cutting the ribbon, but the Padaleckis were honored to attend.
This was to be the flagship of new Unclaimed Omega Homes. It had spacious single rooms instead of dormitories, recreation rooms, education rooms, and an onsite nurse for the elderly residents. It was decorated in warm neutral colors and each omega had given their input into how they wanted their bedroom kitted out. No matter how nice the home, Jensen hoped a day would come when the OS houses no longer existed.
At the moment Oscar’s oldest pups and Jensen were mingling in the conservatory.
“This...” The elder raised his hand in a circle, “is the nicest place I have ever lived.”
Wasn’t that a damning indictment of society, Jensen thought. “What about your home?” He asked aloud.
“My alpha father was traditional. He mated me to his business partner when I was very young. He was killed in a fire at their factory and since then I have been in OS homes.”
“What about your children?” Jensen asked.
The old man shook his head, “No kits, Omega Padalecki, I was only mated three months.”
Jensen could not think what to say so he caught the other fox’s hand in his. He heard the scrape of chair legs and looked up to see Jet Branagh pulling over a chair for him to sit down. He took the seat gratefully. His knees were not made for crouching so long.
“Where’s Oscar?”
“Papa and Father-David are being shown the treatment rooms.” Jet pulled over another chair for himself.
About to ask where Jared was, Jensen looked over to see his mate entering the room with the House Director, a tall straight backed female alpha wolf. Jared grinned when he saw Jensen.
Jensen’s attention drifted from the elder omega. He took a moment to admire his alpha. Jared at forty was still built, his broad shoulders and strong arms made Jensen feel safe and secure. Really it was only the higher forehead and the way his chestnut hair shade now came out of a bottle that told his age. Jensen squinted his eyes, conscious of his own crow’s feet. Jared teased him mercilessly every time Jensen complained of his crinkles, telling him they were smile lines, and he loved making every one of them appear.
“Alpha Padalecki,” a short rotund omega in a staff uniform came running in bearing a cordless phone held out at the end of his extended arm.
“Edwin,” The Director looked annoyed, “We were not to be disturbed.”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am but it is his Alpha.”
Jared took the phone, “Alexander?”
Jensen excused himself and approached the trio. He could hear Jared asking, “Have you taken him to the clinic?”
“Is it Will’s asthma?” Jensen’s guts twisted. He hated the thought of his six year old going through an asthma attack without his papa.
Jared shook his head at Jensen, “Matt agreed? And Bradley will stay with him? We will be home tomorrow.”
“What?” Jensen pleaded. He knew it was one of his kits. Alexander wouldn’t have called for anything less.
“I understand. Yes Alpha. We are leaving now. No. I realize. I agree we discussed it. It has to be done.” Jared’s face was grim now, and Jensen was having a minor heart attack from the one-sided conversation.
Jared handed the phone back to Edwin.
“In private Jen.” Jared muttered, “Good news.”
Jensen knew Jared was being honest, but that had not sounded like positive news and he gathered that Jared had been ordered home.
Oscar appeared and took one look at their faces. He dashed over and wrapped an arm into Jensen’s elbow crook. “What happened?”
Jensen looked at Jared, “Well considering where we are...” He paused and smiled at the two omegas, “Hunter’s got a fever.”
Jensen gulped.
Jared placed a hand on his other arm, “Bradley says he is in pre-heat.”
“Oh, my little boy,” Jensen felt tears building, “Jay, we have to go home.”
“Yeah,” Jared smiled indulgently, “We are going. Bradley, Colin and Basil have taken him to the omega den. Devon is standing outside being all alpha and won’t let anyone near.”
“Congratulations Jensen.” Oscar beamed up at him. “Your own omega kit.”
“It was kind of expected, but I just want to get there now and be with him for his first heat.” Jensen was happy, excited, nervous for Hunter, and pathetically jelly at the idea of Hunter having babies in the future. It felt wonderful and so special, that he had a child of the same gender. He had experienced joy and pride when Devon had popped his knot, and when the girls and Alan had proved beta. This was different. Jared looked as if he understood, and he probably did. Jensen remembered how Jared had walked on clouds for weeks after Devon became alpha.
There was hustling for their things and quick gracious apologies. Multiple cheek kisses from Oscar. Hugs from David, Jet, Kendra and Opal. Luckily One Blood had put two cars at their disposal and they were whisked off by one of the Royal family chauffeurs.
“Now, Jared. Tell me.” Jensen demanded. He crossed his arms and gave his best glare to his mate.
“Jacob is on his way.” Jared sighed deeply.
“For Daisy?”
Jared nodded. He licked his lips and then sucked the bottom one in.
“Jay, is this why you have been summoned home?”
“We agreed. Alex, Christopher and I that we’d tell her before she goes, before some prick in Star Valley fills her in.” Jared looked out the window at the countryside speeding by.
“What does Sebastian think of your plan?”
Jared shook his head.
“Good gods, you alpha knotheads did tell Sebastian?”
“Of course we did.” Jared ran his hand violently through his hair. “He thinks she is too young.”
“She’s never going to be old enough.” Jensen’s body sagged with empathy for that poor big-hearted girl. “What are you going to do?”
“I said I’d tell her. But now I don’t know where to start. I want Sebastian to be there.”
“I don’t think you could keep him away. Do you want me there?”
“I’d like nothing more,” Jared reached across and took Jensen’s hand, “but the less foxes present the better, and Hunter’ll need you.”
Mention of his little boy, brought Jensen’s thoughts back to his omega kit. He wondered if Hunter was nervous. He had tried to educate and prepare Hunter as much as possible. He knew Basil had provided a blow by blow account of his own first heat a few weeks earlier. Knowledge was not the same as experience.
Pasha was waiting for them at the barn. They got regaled with the beta’s forthright opinion on ‘that pack alpha’ coming to take his sister away, as they jogged back to the den.
Tackled by William and Jasper, Jensen gave each boy and brief but heartfelt hug. There was no sign of their normal shadows, his youngest two toddlers, “Where are Hope and Hera, boys?”
Jasper grinned displaying his missing teeth, “Misha and Little-Jensen took them home with them, cause Hunter was too hot to mind them.”
Hunter must be closer to full heat than in pre-heat if he was unable to watch his sisters. Jensen shifted and sprinted for the omega den. He found Hunter sitting up on a nest of blankets and pillows with a mug of tea. His skin was pale and clammy under his freckles. His hazel eyes shined closer to pale green, and he looked so small. Jensen wondered if this was the sight that greeted his Dad that morning when his first heat hit.
Jensen tested his temperature with his hand.
“Papa.” Hunter whined, “I’m not sick. I’m going into heat.”
“My boy, blessed by the Gods. You know it is a blessing, don’t you?” Jensen checked, hoping that Hunter would never feel it was a curse like he had as a lonely teenager.
“I know Papa!”
“How are you feeling, love?” Jensen ignored the whining protest.
“Hot, uncomfortable in my skin, itchy down there, but OK.” Hunter shifted a bit and searched out Bradley who was sitting in the chair nursing his three month old son, Felix. “Vixen, did you tell Papa to come home?”
“No Hunter, Alex called your Dad back.” Bradley looked up.
“Why, I’m fine, wait, what is going on?”
“Jacob Star is on his way.” Jensen said.
“Let me up.” Hunter threw off his blankets.
“No.” Colin moved from where he had been leaning against the wall. He put a hand on Hunter’s shoulder.
“No.” Hunter cried, “Daisy. I have to see her before... She’ll be gone and I won’t get to say goodbye... I’ll come back in.”
“No, baby, your pheromones, you are already scenting heat. You can’t go out, and you certainly cannot go out to meet an unmated alpha.” Jensen pleaded.
“But it’s Daisy. I don’t care. I don’t care if she bites me.” Hunter rolled out from under Colin’s hold.
Jensen caught him by the shoulders, “Stop. Stop Hunter pet. You’re only eleven.” He pulled his son into his arms, “I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret.” He rubbed the boy’s back when he started to cry, “Shush, baby, It’s alright, let it out. Come on now, pet. Daisy knows you would want to say goodbye. We’ll get Basil in here and he can be relay messenger, OK?”
Hunter trembled, “Papa, I don’t want her to go.”
“I know baby. But she’s going to get her own pack one day. You wouldn’t want her to stay here and be unfulfilled?”
“No Papa.”
“Come on now. Let’s get you settle back in the nest, and I’ll see if maybe Colin will have a look for Baz and maybe he’ll get us some nice juice for when your thirst ratchets up.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Daisy was packing. Her Papa was meant to be helping but he kept crying and then she had to stop and comfort him, and then she was sad too. Then he started rambling in French and wringing his hands.
Christopher was on a run. Emma and Rosie were on meal prep duty. Pasha was off somewhere being unproductive. If she was his alpha she would give him more duties, but she wasn’t really being critical of Alexander. She had been studying his style of Pack Alpha authority for years. In her notebooks she had made a comparison of his method to Uncle Jacob’s decrees and included Felix’s more democratic pack structure, when they spent a month with Lily and Adrian at Eccleston Caves.
Finally she marshaled all her younger siblings and made them coat her Papa in a puppy pile while she finished the final few items. She left her Star Pack Second Jerkin out. She was going to ask Uncle Jacob to put it on her. Flicking her long blonde braid over her shoulder, she eased out her neck after bending over for so long. She wanted to wear her favorite light cotton pants but they showed her ankles now because she had shot up another couple of inches during the spring and was now 5’ 8”. She was only fourteen and hoped she would hit six foot before she finished growing. It was fitting for a female alpha to be taller than the female betas in her pack. Pulling on a maxi skirt that used to belong to Katie, she checked in the mirror that the stupid pimple had disappeared from her nose. Then she folded the cotton trousers carefully and placed them on Poppy and Lavender’s clothing shelf.
It was time to get back to Papa. He was calmer now. Ivy and Laurel, his youngest twins were tucked in either side of his neck. The seven year olds were in their fox forms like the others. Basil was gone. She was mildly annoyed. He might be her favorite brother but she had told him to stay there.
“Hey Papa?” She asked gently. “Where’s Baz gone?”
“Colin called him to go to the omega den. They are more sure now that Hunter’s in heat.” Sebastian shuffled up a little dislodging Lavender-fox and Poppy-fox.
“I won’t get to say goodbye to him,” Daisy’s heart dropped. Leaving home was hard enough. She was alpha and she was prepared. She had to be strong for her Papa, show him that he could be proud of her, and didn’t have to worry about her. Uncle Jacob was kind and always attentive to Daisy, really Papa didn’t have to worry about anything. He knew Fagan and Liam would be there with their mates, and Papa had stayed with Liam and his omega mate when he had travelled with Daisy to Star Valley a couple of years earlier.
There was a bark from the entrance. It was the pack alpha. Daisy turned immediately and in her role as the only alpha in the den, went to greet him.
“Alpha Alexander,” Daisy bowed her head, “Is Uncle here?”
“No Daisy.” Alexander seemed to pause. There was kind sympathy in the Pack Alpha’s eyes and she could feel him trying to pass this energy to her through the pack mind. She bristled. Did he think she was too weak to control herself as she departed his pack?
“Are you looking for Christopher? He is not back from the run yet.” Daisy tilted her head.
“Will you come to the old cabin?” Alexander sounded grave. “Sebastian, you too.”
“The kits are here.” Daisy pointed out.
“I’ll send Elise and Stella in. Pasha is around somewhere too. Can Sage mind them for a few minutes?” He asked the young alpha.
“Sage,” Daisy laughed, “He can’t mind himself. Poppy and Lavender can mind him and the other two. Come on Papa, we gotta go to the old cabin.”
Daisy linked her Papa’s arm and followed Alexander. “Is it some kind of surprise farewell do?” She whispered to Sebastian.
He gulped hard and shook his head. Daisy pouted out her bottom lip. She wondered if he was pulling her leg, but waves of loss and sadness were coming off him. She was getting lonely, almost homesick in advance, as he squeezed her arm.
Alexander opened the door. The fire was lighting and Alpha-Jared was hunched over in the old red armchair next to it. He looked awful, like he did when he was sick all those years ago.
“I’ll leave you to it.” Alexander said. “I’ll be outside, if you want me.”
Jared nodded. Daisy was getting worried now. Jared’s eyes were haunted. Papa took his turn to pull her arm and sat her down on the other chair. He took a cushion and kneeled on the floor beside her, resting his head on her knee.
“This is weird.” She said.
The other two still didn’t speak. She ran her hand through her Papa’s curls.
“Do you want me to do something? Something before I go? Or in Star Valley?” Daisy asked.
Jared licked his lips. “I... I don’t know where to begin.”
“Daisy, my belle fille. You are leaving for your new life. You deserve to go with the truth.” Sebastian looked up blinking back tears.
Jared repeated Sebastian’s words, “You deserve to know the whole truth Daisy. Before you leave the pack,” He looked down again. His body language was confusing Daisy. “We don’t want you to go to Star Valley without knowing everything.”
“About my real father? Are you telling me because you were Pack Alpha then?”
Jared sucked in a breath, “What do you know?”
Daisy glared. She could hardly believe that she was being asked that. They never told her anything. She had picked up little pieces of knowledge since she was six surely they should be telling not asking.
“Uncle Jacob says he was brave and handsome.” She could be awkward about this, punish them for keeping her in the dark, extol her father’s virtues to them.
Then she looked at Sebastian’s sorrow filled eyes and changed her mind. She rubbed her nose where there was the ghost of the pimple. “I know he was condemned to die for hurting a kit.”
“It was me.” Jared said.
Daisy almost laughed. How could anyone hurt Jared? He was alpha, huge, and like a teddy bear.
“But you were grown up when I was born?” Daisy was perplexed.
“I didn’t tell anyone.” Jared spoke to the floor.
“I don’t understand.”
“When I was a little boy, my mother thought I would be an omega.”
“That’s daft.” Daisy said, she didn’t know what Jared was like was a kit, but she knew how Hunter, Sage and Basil, just felt different to everyone else.
“Yeah, daft.” Jared repeated softly. “Mark liked me.”
Daisy nodded for him to continue.
“He liked me too much. He wanted to mate with me.” Jared looked at her with complete honesty.
“Before your supposed first heat?” Daisy gasped.
Jared nodded.
“And.... and did he?”
Jared nodded again.
Daisy’s stomach rippled and her lunch forced itself up and out. She staggered to avoid getting sick on her skirts or her Papa’s legs. “No. No. He couldn‘t have.”
“Ma petite.” Sebastian rushed to her side, rubbing her shoulder and offering her solace and his love.
“Is it true Papa?” She knew he wouldn’t lie to her.
“Il est vrai. Oui. I’m so sorry baby.”
“Did you know? When you were mated? When you had me and Eliza and Jared?”
While Sebastian mouthed ‘no’, Jared let out a primal noise of shock. Daisy guessed he hadn’t known her brother and sister’s names.
“I’m Marcia.” She told him moving over to kneel like an omega in front of the former pack alpha. “He named me after himself. Said I was like him.”
“He meant you were a black fox,” Sebastian cried.
“He meant I was alpha,” Daisy flicked her head around to look at her Papa but then focused back on Jared, “like him. Jared, why did you speak about what happened to you when I was born? Were you afraid my Dad would hurt his kits?”
“What no!” Jared gasped as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him. “There was a pack alpha meeting. Mark went with Jensen and I. It was the one where I was elected to the council. He wanted to celebrate by mating with me and Jensen. I saw red when he touched Jen, and I told my Jensen about my childhood. Then when we came home, you had been born, and I was ready to keep it hidden. But Mark was touching Felix.”
“Oh my gods.” Daisy had been strong. The vomiting was a bodily reaction but the words spoken, their meaning, the vile truth was starting to sink in. She wept “Is that why you said?”
Jared nodded. “It happened in front of everyone. My Dad stepped down as pack alpha and he carried out the sentence.”
“With Ian?” Daisy checked.
“Yeah. Ian wasn’t meant to get involved.”
“Was there no one you could tell?” Daisy asked touching Jared’s arm. She couldn’t imagine how difficult his life must have been. If anyone touched Basil or Sage or any of the other plant named kits she would tear them apart. Why had no one been there for Jared as a kit?
“I thought they knew. That they had given me to Mark. I was only nine.”
Daisy gulped hard. “Nine? And he never touched you again until the pack alpha meeting?”
“No Daisy.” Sebastian interrupted, “You have picked up Alpha-Jared wrong.”
“He never stopped Daisy,” Jared’s eyes were red-rimmed.
Daisy stared in horror, but later when Jared was alpha, surely it stopped then, “But when you knotted?”
“He used my mouth. Sometime when he.... raped me, I had to be stitched up....”
Daisy couldn’t. She just couldn’t. Screaming that she was sorry to Jared, she fled the cabin. Alexander tried to catch her in his arms but she flung her body sideways. She ran to the top of the hill and screamed her rage. Looking down she could see Christopher trying to come up to her. That shit thought her could offer her comfort? She hissed at him and crashed through the bushes.
She badly wanted someone to comfort her. She wanted Uncle Jacob and his stories of her real father when he stood between his parents, saving his omega mother from a beating, or when they got drunk on Robert Star’s secret stash of bourbon, or when Jacob came to see his brother at Padalecki Lake. She wanted those memories, with Jacob pictured as younger, and her Dad pictured as a mix of Jacob’s and her own features. She didn’t want to close her eyes and see her Dad pinning a tiny Jared to the ground and forcing his knot into a crying child.
It was true, she knew it was. It had to be something as bad as that truth for them all to have kept her in the dark for her whole life. A branch whipped back into her cheek. She turned around and pummeled the tree with her fists until they were bloody.
She stumbled into a den entrance clearing. Basil was poking at the fire pit. It was the omega den. She raced to the entrance. Basil stood to block her.
“Out of the way,” She roared the alpha command and her omega brother dropped to his knees.
Alpha in the omega den. It was forbidden, taboo, against pack law. What did that matter? She was blackened already.
Colin moved out of her way in pure shock. Bradley stood up when she threw herself into the nesting room and told her as Pack Vixen to get out. She turned and bared her teeth at him. Another infringement, but unimportant.
Covering Hunter’s whole body with hers, she wrapped her arms around him and let herself sob. She was ugly crying with spittle and snot and tears and great heaving sobs. Hunter must not have minded because he wrapped his arms around her and coo-ed into her ear. He whispered things about how great life was going to be in Star Valley, how proud he was for her, and how everyone would miss her.
“That’s not true.” The words caught in her throat.
She heard Jensen say from somewhere that he was going to find Jared.
“Tell him, tell him I’m sorry. I should have heard him out. I... Jensen... I couldn’t.” Daisy’s breath hitched.
“OK Daisy. Just as long as you don’t bite Hunter’s neck.” Jensen said calmly but seriously.
“I... I wouldn’t.... never... not without his consent.... oh gods... you all think...” She tucked her head into Hunter’s chest, burning her cheeks on his overheated skin. She was tainted and they all knew it. That anyone would even hint that she would take Hunter or any omega that way? If she had anything left in her stomach she would have gotten sick again. Bitter scorching bile rose to the back of her throat. She coughed and gulped, then gripped Hunter tighter.
“Papa!” Hunter admonished, “Did Daddy tell Daisy about her father?”
“You knew?” Daisy and everyone else gasped.
Hunter rubbed a hand down Daisy’s frayed and tossed braid, “Honestly. Basil and I overheard things we didn’t understand years ago. Then there was the time I hid in the fruit basket when Dad was on the phone to David. Valerie told me about that Doctor who Dad tried to kill, and Jack was hiding in the bushes when Grandfather carried out the tooth and claw sentence. And there is the intimate stuff.”
“I don’t think I want to ask.” Jensen’s eyes were wide.
“You know Papa, when you thought we were all asleep but sometimes Devon would listen, and I would sit behind Devon-fox and listen too.”
“Am I in trouble?” Daisy asked, calmer now that Hunter was still holding her. He still wanted to touch her even though it seemed he and Basil knew.
“For breaching the omega den?” Bradley asked.
“Yes Vixen.” Daisy still didn’t make any move to leave or move away from Hunter.
“Well, let’s see. If we start handing out punishments for alphas breaching the omega den.... what do you think Colin?” Bradley was grinning mischievously and bouncing baby Felix on his knee.
“I think if Alex-mate wants to invoke Pack Law we’ll have to insist that all breaches are treated equally.”
Jensen gave gentle half sad laugh, “And we wonder why alphas call us sneaky omegas.”
Daisy and Hunter looked bemused.
Colin bent down and held a hand out for Daisy, pulling her to her feet. “The last alpha to break the taboo was my mate. He took me over there in the third room, until Oliver and James dragged him out.”
Daisy’s jaw dropped.
Colin laughed, “I’m laughing now, but it was no joke. Anyhow, Alexander won’t be punishing you for this Daze, and neither will Bradley or I. Are you OK?”
“Yeah. I’d better find Papa.”
“I’m here love.” Sebastian stepped into the room and drew his daughter into his arms, “Do you forgive me?”
“For what?”
“For keeping it all from you? I wanted you to be a little girl, and later after your rage, it was Jared’s story to tell.”
Daisy dropped her voice and met Sebastian’s eyes, “Papa, was my father ever cruel to you?”
“It is a difficult question, pet. I loved him very much. He was my true mate and maybe I was blinded by that. He was my alpha, and everything he said was right, but sometimes he was not very considerate of my feelings.”
“Like Christopher?” Daisy growled.
“No. Mark never beat me or hit me. He commanded me and took me beyond my limits but he would love me afterwards and he gave me you.” Sebastian bumped his forehead off hers.
“Do you hate him now?”
“No, baby. I hate what he did to Jared, but I can’t hate my true mate. Do you pet?”
“I don’t know Papa.”
“That’s OK. Do you still want to go with Alpha-Jacob?”
Daisy didn’t answer for a minute. She would be going to her father’s pack. If it was her first time going to Star Valley, she might have refused, afraid Jacob would be like that, or other Stars would find child abuse acceptable. However she had been to California many times. She knew Jacob now and had friends there. Alexander proved that a Star alpha could be the opposite of abusive. It was her inheritance. Star Valley was her chance to prove that she could be a good alpha, a caring responsible alpha who would never put up with anyone abusing a kit or raising a hand to an omega.
“I’m still going Papa.” She broke his hold and bent down to plant a kiss on Hunter’s fevered brow. “Come visit me Hunter. I’ll find you a handsome alpha.”
She caught Sebastian’s hand, “I guess you’d better escort me out.”
Sebastian rubbed her arms and side on the way out, as if he was trying to commit how she felt to memory. “We might never see each other again.”
“Papa, that will not happen. You’ll come with Hunter. You’ll have to visit me.”
“Christopher and the younger kits.” Sebastian croaked.
“We’ll work something out, Papa. I’ll get back too for visits.” Daisy emerged first facing an angry Alexander and a frustrated looking Christopher.
“Daisy, you breached...” Alexander started.
“Sorry Alpha,” Daisy tucked her head down, “Colin said if you want to punish me, then you have to do all infringements.”
Alexander was silent for a moment and then he began to laugh. “What were you thinking, you silly girl?”
“I just wanted Hunter for.... I don’t know... and I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye to him.”
“Alpha, can I take Daisy home?” Sebastian asked. “Christopher do you mind?”
Alexander nodded.
“Come on, Seb, Daisy. I think Rosie and Emma had planned a special supper,” Christopher beckoned them on. “I believe some of the other teenagers are already crowding out the den.”
Daisy didn’t really feel like having a send off now. She stored away her grief in a little box to be taken out and examined when she had time and space in her room in Jacob’s den. The night ended up more pleasant than she expected. All the female teenage betas had little gifts for her and even Devon was civil to her.
Jacob arrived the next morning and Daisy left swiftly with him. She didn’t want to prolong things. Alexander and Jacob had a tense standoff. Her siblings were teary and Papa inconsolable. It was better to rip it off like a band-aid, and just go.
Jacob produced two boxes before they got into the waiting car. Sebastian opened his at the same time as Daisy. The boxes contained two satellite phones. Jacob explained that the phones were registered to Star Valley. He took Sebastian’s hand, promising to take care of Daisy and to speak with the omega’s alpha-mate and pack alpha to ensure that he would be able to visit his eldest. Daisy gave one final glance out the rear window, and was proud to see her Papa putting on a brave face and waving her off. She suspected the only reasons he was upright were Jensen's support on one side and Basil's on the other.
On the way to the airport in the back of the SUV with her Uncle she asked him if he had known.
“I knew.”
“Always?”
“No. I knew when he mated your Papa. He told me then how he had only applied to the Fox Mating Service as a sop to Gerard. He truly believed that Jared was his true mate, but there had been an accident of biology. He thought that Jared would fail in his mating quest and the mating service would fail to find any other mate for him. He was stunned by your Papa and by the connection between them as true mates.”
“You knew what my father did to Alpha Jared? So many people knew.”
“Not in detail. I think very few people even in Padalecki Lake know more than the broad strokes. I was taken aback when I found out how young Jared had been, but yes.”
“Why didn’t you do something then?”
“By the time Mark told me, your Papa had arrived from England, and Jared was missing, as we know now he was locked up in a State Transition House. What good would it have done anyone?”
Daisy wasn’t sure she agreed. Surely protecting any other kits was the most important thing, but she could see her uncle’s point of view, even though she would never have kept silent.
“Did you hate him when you found out?”
“Niece, hate is a very strong word. There are various hues of grey. I was sickened by what he told me. And I don’t want to hurt you, but Mark was not sorry. He was still obsessed by Jared and still desired him. But hate my brother? My protector? The one who stood up to our alpha-father’s brutality? Never. But it is extremely difficult to reconcile my big brother hero to the sort of villain who would assault a kit.”
“I don’t think I hate him. I’m... what word did you use Uncle?... I’m sickened. I’m sorry for Jared. I’m so upset for Papa. But my father is part of me. I’m his blood. It would be like hating me. But I would never, never hurt an omega or a kit.”
Jacob leaned across the seat and kissed Daisy’s forehead, “I know you wouldn’t and that is what makes you such a special alpha, one I will be proud to call my successor one day.”
“I’ll make you proud, Uncle Jacob. I’ll make Papa proud too.” Daisy vowed that everything she had prepared for would come true. Star Valley would be the best pack in the country. She would ensure it was a place of safety and respect for kits and omegas. It would be her legacy.