Trishanna, James and Bradley were shown into one of the rooms on the second floor. Trishanna entered, her hands still shaking slightly as she clutched the pile of letters to her chest. Her eyes roamed over the simple yet elegant room without taking in anything. Bradley came up behind her as she stopped in the middle of the room. As his warm arms wrapped around her body, a small sob escaped. With her shoulders shaking, she spun around, the letters falling as she cried into his chest, her heart breaking with all that everyone had suffered. James walked to the window, staring down at the back of the property, his mind reeling from all that he had learnt about his father. It was worse than he thought, but at least he now knew that Rosie was indeed his father's mate. That woman could have been his mother, too. The fact that his father's selfish behaviour caused so much pain made him wish he could raise him from the dead so he could ask him the questions swirling in his mind. Was he really such a problem that Alpha Bruce treated him the way he did? What about his mother? He had tried asking a few times, but all Bruce ever said was that she was weak. He always thought that it was due to her physical health, but now he knows it went much deeper.
Bradley held his sobbing mate as he looked at the clenched jaw of his friend. He knew James was having a hard time with the revelations of his father. He wished he knew what to do to calm both of them down, but he was lost as well. He reached out through his link with James, but it was blocked. Bradley sighed, wishing he could help James, but his hands were full at the moment. Lucky for him, there was a knock on the door before it was pushed open. A red-eyed Samuel stood there, looking small and lost like a little child. When Trishanna saw him, she left Bradley's arms and flew straight into Sammy's. Her sob broke his heart, and when Sammy's cry echoed hers, he knew that this was something they needed. He stepped back, allowing Sammy to lead Trishanna to the bed, where they both got in and she snuggled into his chest, crying like the child she felt at the moment. Bradley swallowed, aching to comfort her, but he knew this was what she and Sammy needed. He turned to James, who stood like a sentinel at the window, knowing that he was needed elsewhere. He went to James.
Bradley put one hand on James's shoulder, turning him towards the door, and with a tilt of his head, he indicated that they should leave. Sammy whispered that his room was two doors down, and with a nod of thanks, he led James away. James went along quietly, a part of him mad at himself that he was so messed up that he couldn't even comfort his mate, but when they got to the room, Bradley pulled him into a hug, whispering that he was not messed up, just a little boy who was never properly loved. At his words, the dam inside James broke and clutching his friend, he sobbed like a child. All the pain, the grief, the confusion of why his dad never loved him, played with him, told him he was proud came pouring out. It was not soft or silent but harsh and ragged. Bradley slid to the floor, his back against the door as he still held James, who cried as if his world was being torn in two. It probably felt more like it was being shattered, but Bradley assured him that together they would piece it back. He was no longer alone in this big, cold world. James nodded like the child he felt like, curling up on Bradley's lap.
Bradley whispered words that he knew not what he was saying, just hoping to help James through this time. He recalled how he felt when his father passed away, but his dad was a good Alpha and a great father, not the piece of shit James had to be raised by. He held the sobbing man/child until all that was left were ragged breaths and a few hiccups. After a long while, James felt himself grow warm with shame and embarrassment. How could he, an Alpha, act like this? He tried to pull away, but Bradley's arms tightened around him, shushing him, surrounding him in a judgment-free zone. James still felt his cheeks getting hot, and when he was calm enough, he pulled away slightly to look into Bradley's eyes. He saw acceptance, empathy and care, not looks of disgust that his father would have shown at his emotional break. Both men just looked into each other's eyes, the atmosphere growing into something hard to express. Bradley raised a hand, gently cupping James's face. The warm contact startled him for a moment, but he closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. James's eyes flew open when he felt Bradley begin to move, easing closer to him. His heart raced, his mind unable to process what might happen next, but surprisingly, he was also curious about what could take place. His heart jumped in excited nervousness, his breathing quick and shallow.
Bradley leaned forward slightly, not wanting to spook James. He felt the intimacy of the moment, his body moving on its own. He observed James's features, seeing just how good-looking he is and imagining how cute he would be as a child. He picked up some of their son's features from his biological father, making the moment special. He saw when James closed his eyes, a breath of acceptance whispering through his lips as he exhaled, warm and willing in his arms. Bradley leaned in, his lips nearing James's face, and with only a slight hesitation, he pressed his lips to James's forehead, the way his father used to do whenever he was sick or upset. James's eyes flew open at the contact, confusion in their depths. Bradley smiled, a small chuckle escaping him. "I just wanted the little boy inside to know that he is loved and is no longer alone." Tears filled James again, but this time they did not fall. He closed his eyes, savouring the feeling of warmth of that kiss, soothing his soul. It did not take away all of those bad memories, but it calmed them, like pouring oil onto the surface of troubled waters. He smiles soflty at Bradley, a whispered thanks drifting in the air.
Bradley was the one now feeling embarrassed. He looked away, breaking their gaze. He coughed into his hands. Shall we go check on our mate? James nodded and stood, his cheeks flushing as he realised exactly how he was just sitting on Bradley's lap while stretching out a hand to help him up. Both of them took a deep breath, but James asked to go to the bathroom so he could splash some water on his face. "Get it together, man". He whispered to his reflection, shaking his head from the memory of earlier. He wanted to examine that, but right now, he needed to be the man his mate needed. He came back, and both of them stepped into the hall, heading for their room and their mate.
Trishanna and Sammy had a similar encounter, both of them heartbroken for their mother. They cried, comforting each other the way they have for many years. When all the tears were shed. Trishanna sniffed before asking, "Sammy, should we read her letters?" Samuel sighed, his hand moving up and down on her arm, comforting her. "I'm not sure, Rosebud. I want to, but I kinda don't, if that makes sense." Trishanna nodded, her head still resting on his chest. "I get it, but she's the only mother we've known. Maybe reading her letters will give us the closure we've always needed." Samuel thought about it and sighed, knowing that he was going to agree. His curiosity was high, and she was right. He would spend all night tossing and turning, wanting to know what those letters said.
When Bradley and James found them, the adopted siblings were seated on the ground, a pile of unopened letters on one side and a pile of opened ones on the other. Their eyes were still red, but they had small smiles on their lips. Trishanna looked up, her smile widening as she saw them. She scooted over, patting the ground next to her. James and Bradley shared a look before James sat next to her. He was sure his father was mentioned in these letters. Bradley sat opposite him, and without a word, Sammy handed the opened letters to James.
He took them, a slight tremor in his hands. Inhaling, he read the one at the bottom of the stack. He read of Rosie's arrival, her meeting with Bruce, the connection and the disappointment. After reading a letter, he passed it to Bradley, his eyebrows being the only sign that he was affected by the words on the pages. It took them over an hour to read through them all, every curve, every letter, granting them an inside look at Rosie's life. It was like reading the pages of her journal. When Bradley placed the last letter on the stack, he looked up, seeing the others through new eyes. He now knew where Trishanna's kindness came from. Samuel's protectiveness. Even James's need for control and how much hurt he endured. Without saying a word, Bradley reached out his hand to hold Sammy and Trishanna's. He squeezed them, knowing that there were no words he could say that would change anything, but if he could, he would. He looked at James, who nodded in understanding of what he felt. Rosie wasn't a part of his life, but now he knows just how vital her presence was. They sat in silence for some time, each in their own thoughts.
The knock on the door startled them, and Trishanna was surprised to see that the sun was making its descent. She stood, gathering the letters while the three men also stood, their guards raised. "Who is it?" Bradley asked, his voice being the one that was more likely not to be affected by emotions. "Excuse me, I am Claudia, one of the maids. Mistress Lily wishes to invite you to dinner. It will be ready within the hour." A quick glance showed that none of them were hungry, but who knew what refusing could do. "We will be there. Thank you." The soft footsteps told that Claudia had left.
Samuel rubbed at his face. "I guess I should head back to my room to freshen up." He hugged his sister before leaving, closing the door softly behind him. Bradley looked at his mate. She looked so worn out that he wanted to find Claudia and change his previous agreement. Sensing his thoughts, Trishanna smiled and walked towards Bradley, wrapping her arms around his waist, sighing into his warmth. "Just hold me like this for a few minutes. I'll be alright enough to go down and try to eat." Bradley tightened his arms, placing a kiss on the top of her head. James stepped forward, placing a kiss on her cheek. "I'm gonna go freshen up first." Trishanna smiled at him, knowing that he was having a rough time learning about the man who fathered him. James went to the bathroom, splashing water on his face to centre himself. He wanted to comfort Trishanna, yet right now his emotions were so raw. He felt like the rug was pulled out from under him, but instead of just crashing to the ground, so he could pick himself up, he felt like he was in a free fall, and that scared him, for he wasn't sure where, when or how he would land. He rubbed his wet hand behind his neck, trying to ease the tension. He recalled how safe it felt when Bradley held him as he crumbled. Maybe that is what he was missing all his life. Someone to be there to hold him as he was growing up. If his father weren't such an A-hole jerk, maybe his mother would have been around long enough, or at least he could have allowed Rosie to give him that mother's touch. He felt the familiar anger rising within, but it quickly deflated just as fast. There was no point to it as the one it was aimed at had been gone for a long time. James looked at himself in the mirror, as if seeing himself for the first time. He reminded himself of all the changes he had made with himself and with the pack. The name change is not just a clerical thing, but a symbol of all that is to come. New Crescent is about to do new things. He washed his face again, drying it and his hands on the white towel left. When he opened the door, nothing in the environment changed, but he could sense the shift in him and knew he would be alright no matter what.