“Why is that wrong? You can pretend you’re unaffected, but I’ve seen you with him. I watched you panic when he wouldn’t wake up. I saw firsthand how you sat on the couch playing a game just to make him happy. You were already like a father to him, and when he needed you, you were there.” Caden reached out, took Quade’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. “And who doesn’t need family? An uptight lycan and a neurotic sprite? What would it feel like to not be alone in the world anymore?”
Quade peered up, his eyes shiny in the light. “So what are you saying?”
Caden smiled. “Is there room in your place for two more people?”
“Seriously? Don’t fuck with me on this, Caden.”
“No, I’m definitely not. I want the whole package. You, Ten, and a life. And having that? We’ll all have something to fight for.”
Quade smiled. “Tomorrow I’ll talk to Dandrot about us having custody of Ten, and then I’ll get Greta to work her magic on making him a room.” Quade cocked his head. “Unless you want a bigger place. I could definitely see us with a larger apartment. There’s one in the western part of Sanctuary that has a lot more space. It’s a newer building, but it’s filling up. And it would overlook the park—which Dandrot gave his blessing for—and it’s not far from here so we could see Matt and Kieran, and—”
Caden grabbed Quade’s face between his hands and kissed him. “I think it sounds great. For now? Let’s go to bed and try to get some sleep. I can’t wait to talk to Ten, let him know what we’re going to be doing.”
An enigmatic smile. “I’m guessing he already knows. He told me once that he’s got a stronger connection to you than most people, so it’s likely he’s sitting in bed, wondering when we’ll come and get him.”
“Now?”
Quade nodded eagerly. “Now, please.”
And just like that, everything Caden ever dreamed of had been given to him. And he would die before he gave them up.
Chapter 18
Three days later, Quade had spoken with Dandrot and received permission for him and Caden to adopt Ten. Greta had assembled a team and gotten their new place in order, having new furniture built for them. They put together a room for Ten that was both functional and a little whimsical, with deep blue walls on one side and white walls on the other. Small shelves had been added near a window, and Quade had loaded them up with various-colored gemstones, including his personal favorite life crystal. The carpet was a pale blue, with white and darker blue rings set into it. And Ten’s bed had a headboard with built-in bookcases, a pinstripe blue-and-white comforter and pillows, plus an orange pillow to add a splash of color.
They’d decorated the walls with a red wooden T, followed by a white E and a blue N, and a hanging that reminded Ten to “Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious.” The whimsical parts were an overstuffed cushion couch with a pillow backing and a small brass table with a glass top held aloft by three frogs standing beside it. All in all, Quade thought it would be a room Ten would enjoy. And, if not, he could help them design a new room for himself.
But when Ten saw it, he burst into tears. Quade thought they’d made a huge mistake, until Ten turned around and asked, “This is for me?”
“You don’t like it?”
“Are you kidding? My own room? I love it.” He ran over and dropped onto the couch, running his hand over the fabric. “And I don’t have to share and I won’t have to leave?”
“Nope, this is all yours.”
“So you’re really going to keep me?”
“You’re our son—of course we’re going to keep you.”
And with those words, Ten leaped from the couch and threw himself into Caden’s arms. “I love you, Poppa.”
The look on Caden’s face as he hugged Ten was worth everything to Quade. Contentment settled over Quade. His wolf, proud of his pack, stood up, his chest out and muzzle held high.
“What do you say we let Ten check the room out and we’ll go do up something for lunch?”
“Sure, sounds good.”
“Let’s have pizza!” Ten shouted.
Quade snorted. “Works for me. You want your usual? Half cheese and half—ew—anchovies.”
Ten nodded, his smile wide. “Yes, please.”
“Next thing you know, he’ll want anchovies and chocolate sauce.”
“Oh, do you think they could do that?” Ten’s grin spoke of mischief.
That got him a mock scowl from Caden. “Not unless you’re pregnant, and you’d better not be, young man.”
As they moved to the door, Ten stopped them. “Dad, Poppa, I know having a kid must seem weird to you. I promise I’ll be the best kid ever. I won’t argue or anything.”
His expression, a mix of sadness and apprehension, had Quade storming over to him and grabbing him by the front of the shirt. “You listen to me, brat. We want you to be Ten, not someone we don’t know.” He grinned as he put Ten down and ruffled his hair. “We love you just like you are. The sweet, sarcastic, funny pain in the butt. Don’t try to be something you’re not. Okay?”
Ten’s eyes went wide. “Okay, Dad.”
“I’m going to tell you something. I love hearing you call me Dad. You don’t know how happy you and Caden make me.” Pulling him closer, Ten whispered in Quade’s ear. “Thank you for this. Even if we don’t have a future—”
“We have a future. You never saw this coming, but it did. Nothing is set in stone, and you know it. You told me you see potential futures. Maybe ours is one you can’t see because it hasn’t happened yet. But it will, I swear. I will do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
Ten grasped Quade tighter. Stepping back, Quade bent down and kissed Ten’s forehead. The smile he got in return was luminous.
“Okay, go check out your room and we’ll order the pizzas. If you can think of anything else you want for decoration, let us know. We want you to be happy.”
“You could keep everything in there and I’ll still be happy. When Caden showed up, I got my first vision of us as a family. After I had it, I didn’t understand what it meant, but then the more I worked with him, the stronger and clearer the vision became. And as I saw that life opening up, it became the only thing I ever wanted. I never knew how important it was to have a family to call my own.”
Caden came over and put his hands on Ten’s shoulders, kneading them gently. “Family is there for you, even when everyone else walks away. My mom was always in my corner, no matter what. When I told her I thought I might be gay, she took me in her arms, and I started crying, apologizing for disappointing her. She held me at arm’s length and said, ‘You listen to me, young man. The only way on heaven or earth that you could disappoint me was if you didn’t grow up happy and healthy. If you like boys, then like them with your whole heart. Never settle for second-best, because you deserve every good thing you have coming to you.’ And I never did. Sure, I made some mistakes along the way—”
“Like Gary? I don’t even understand what you saw in that man.”