Chapter Ten

Weldon

“Are you sure I look okay?” Tatum asked, motioning to his outfit. He was wearing the same pair of jeans and sweater as when I first found him in the woods, which I’d washed for him. While he loved his little clothes, he said he wanted to wear something more grown-up for our date. “I’m not very dressy.”

“You are handsome no matter what you wear, but I think your outfit is great.” We hadn’t had time yet, but I planned on taking him shopping soon so he could pick out clothes; little outfits, ‘grown up’ outfits - whatever he wanted. I only had so much to choose from in his size, and I wanted to make sure he was stocked up. “Besides, I’m not super dressy either.”

To make him as comfortable as possible, I was also wearing a pair of jeans and a lightweight sweater, since I tended to stay warmer than he did.

“My Daddy is handsome all the time,” he insisted. A playful smile crossed his lips when he added, “But I like it best when you’re not wearing anything .” I loved when my sweet boy’s naughty side slipped out.

“What a coincidence; that’s my favorite outfit of yours, too.” Although I was also partial to the way his diaper cupped his cheeks. Tatum giggled and left the bedroom to head towards the front door. I smiled at the slight waddle in his step, left over from our intense lovemaking session.

I grabbed the backpack, which held soil samples we collected earlier, and helped Tatum up into my pickup truck, buckling him in safely. I didn’t drive often. I spent most of my time hiking in the woods. But every now and then, I had to deliver equipment to the ranger’s station, or go to town to collect groceries. Wanting to shop the least often possible, I bought a lot at once, and the truck bed came in handy to haul it home.

After a quick stop at the station, I drove further into town to Sizzler, a local steakhouse. Tatum and I wouldn’t be out of place in our casual clothes, since it wasn’t high-end, but it was still a nice place, and the food was delicious.

I lifted Tatum out of the truck, earning a pretty smile and a kiss on the lips. I opened the door to the restaurant for him, and held his hand as we walked inside. Being a weeknight, there luckily wasn’t a crowd waiting to be seated, and the hostess said she had a table open for us.

As she led us through the dining room, the scent of steak wafted around us. It wasn’t just obvious to my sensitive nose; I noticed Tatum sniffing the air and licking his lips.

We rounded a corner and the hostess pointed out our table. I pulled Tatum’s chair out for him, and took a seat across from him once he was settled. We were told our waiter would be with us shortly, and we picked up our menus to look over the selections.

“What looks good, Taterbug?”

“Hmm…” He tapped his chin as he read the options. “I’m torn between chicken strips and steak.”

“Why not get both?”

“Really? I can do that?”

I chuckled at his sweetness, and the way his eyes were rounded with surprise. Even though he wasn’t in full little space, it was ingrained in his personality. He never tried to hide who he was, and I loved it. “Why not? We didn’t have much of a lunch, and we definitely worked up an appetite.” I flicked my eyebrows and he giggled into his hand. “Even if you can’t eat it all, we can take the leftovers home for tomorrow. I think I’m going to get steak and ribs.”

“That sounds yummy!”

Our waitress arrived to take our order, along with a beer for myself and a fruit punch for Tatum. Service was surprisingly fast, and we had our plates before us in no time at all.

Just as our waitress walked away after delivering our meals, a familiar scent cut through the savory smell in the air. I turned around in my seat just as Stone, one of my wolf shifter friends, and his mate Wren entered the room.

They reminded me a little of Tatum and myself; Stone towered over his smaller human mate. But where my body was broad and soft, Stone’s was a mass of carved muscle. All shifters were strong, but not all of us looked the same.

Our personalities were quite different as well. I was a gentle giant, while Stone was a foul-mouthed, intimidating creature. But he had a heart of gold; his whole pack did. And one thing we had in common was that we both doted on our mates, and were head over heels.

I’d known Stone, his packmate Rowan, and their Alpha Phoenix for decades. They were all incredible men who had found their perfect partners. I didn’t see them as often as I would like, but I was thrilled to run into the pair.

Stone’s face lit up when he saw me. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He strode over in two large steps, and slapped his heavy hand on my back. He probably would have shaken my hand, but he had a firm grasp on his mate. “It’s been a while. How have you been, Weldon?”

“I’m doing great.” Anxious to show off the reason for that, I motioned to the beautiful man across from me. “I’d like you to meet Tatum.”

Stone’s eyes dropped to the mating mark on Tatum’s throat before he gave me a lopsided smile. “Congratulations. It’s about fuckin’ time.”

“Tell me about it,” I chuckled, reaching across the table to take my boy’s hand. “He was worth the wait.”

“Aww,” Wren cooed, turning his attention to Stone. “Is that how you felt about me?”

“You know it is, Songbird.” Though he was a tough figure, Stone would never hide his feelings for Wren.

I squeezed Tatum’s hand and told him, “Baby bear, do you remember me telling you about my friends who lived on the far side of the forest?” I was proud to use his nickname. He nodded and I added, “These are two of them; Stone, and his mate Wren.”

His eyes widened. “Mate? So you’re a…” Tatum looked around, checking for any eavesdroppers. Everyone seemed immersed in their meals, and even the hostess had given up trying to show my friends to their table, and walked away. Still, instead of asking out loud, Tatum let go of me and used his hands to make cupped wolf ear shapes behind his head.

“Holy shit, he’s adorable,” Wren smiled.

“I am,” Stone answered my boy, leaning in closer and giving him a smile, allowing his canines to drop.

“Wow,” Tatum whispered in awe. Stone shot him a wink and put his teeth away. “It’s really nice to meet you both. Daddy told me a lot about you.” I was glad Tatum was comfortable enough to use my name as well. My friends knew all about my lifestyle and needs, and would never dream of judging. “He told me about your boy scout camp too. It sounds really cool.”

“You should come check it out sometime,” Wren suggested, and my boy’s face lit up.

“Really? Daddy said we would go camping sometime. Maybe we could all go together.” He was jumping right in with both feet, and I couldn’t be prouder of him, or happier that he was so taken with my friends.

“That sounds fun,” Wren nodded. “I’ll get with Rory and Dax and we’ll find a date that works for all of us.” Tatum clapped his hands excitedly, and Wren’s grin told me my boy had completely won him over.

“For now, we’ll let you get back to your dinner,” Stone added, before slapping my back once more. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t,” I promised. In the past, it had been a little difficult being the seventh wheel in a group of happily mated shifters. But now that I’d found my own mate, I was excited to spend more time with my friends, and allow Tatum to grow close to them as well. I had a feeling that Dax and Rory would absolutely love him.

Tatum and Wren waved at one another before Stone led his mate to an empty table. I wasn’t sure if it was the one the hostess had chosen for them, but I was positive no one would tell the giant man to move.

“They were so nice,” Tatum said once we were alone again. “I hope I can meet everyone else soon. I’m excited to have friends! And I’m so excited for our camping trip!”

He absolutely melted my heart. “So am I, baby bear.” I soaked in his smile for a moment before realizing, “You better eat before your food gets cold. Would you like me to cut your steak?”

“Yes, please.”

I chopped his food into small pieces, and Tatum ended up eating nearly every bite on his plate. I cleared mine as well, so we didn’t have anything left to take home with us. I offered to buy him dessert, but he said his belly was way too full, and one more bite may cause it to pop.

So, I paid our bill and pulled out his chair. I rested my hand on his lower back and guided him towards the exit, but when we were several feet away, Tatum stopped in his tracks. I could smell fear rolling off of him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, stepping in front of him to protect him from whatever had him spooked.

Instead of answering, Tatum sprinted out from behind me, down a long hallway. I stayed right on his heels, and followed him into the empty men’s room. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost; his face was pale and his eyes were watery.

“Tatum, what is it? What happened?” I took him into my arms, feeling him trembling against me.

“I saw my dad come in,” he answered quietly. “He was with a group of men he works with. I’m just…I’m not ready to see him. I’m sorry I ran; I didn’t want him to see me either.”

“It’s okay,” I soothed, rubbing circles over his back. “It’s just me and you. You don’t have to see him. You never have to be anywhere you feel unsafe. I’ve got you.”

His body sagged in relief against me. “Thank you, Daddy Bear.”

The door to the bathroom opened behind me, and when an unfamiliar voice asked, “Tatum?” my boy stiffened in my hold again. “What in hell are you doing? I taught you better than to be doing that shit in public.”

A small, shaky, “Daddy,” sounded against my chest, and I hugged my boy tighter, offering what comfort I could.

“For fuck’s sake,” Tatum’s father grumbled. “You’re too old to be calling me that. What’s wrong with you?”

I kissed Tatum’s head before turning around, keeping my boy tucked behind my back. I could see the family resemblance; his father was also lean and had a head full of curls, though he wore his slicked back with gel. And I’d never seen the scowl he wore on Tatum’s handsome face.

“He wasn’t talking to you,” I replied calmly, not wanting to frighten Tatum with another raised voice.

“You’ve got to be joking.” His scowl deepened. “This is disgusting.” He kept his eyes on me, though he addressed his son. “I knew you were too lazy and pathetic to support yourself, but I never thought you’d stoop so low as to become someone’s whore to get your bills paid.”

My restraint snapped, and I admittedly lost my shit. A low growl tore through me as I lunged at the man, pushing him against the wall, and pinning him there with a hand on his chest.

“Don’t you dare speak to him like that! The only pathetic one here is you. A father is supposed to love and nurture their child; you threw yours away. Tatum is sweet and kind - obviously nothing like you. You don’t deserve to be in his life. I give him what he needs. I am here for him now, and I always will be. If you ever try to hurt him, or even come near him, you’ll be dealing with me .”

Unfortunately, my threat didn’t sink into his thick skull. He only looked disgusted that I’d dared to speak to him. “Get your hands off me. You’ll be sorry for talking to me like that; I’m calling the cops.” Typical; he was taking no responsibility for his actions, and only blaming everyone else.

“That’s fine,” I shrugged. “Make sure to tell them about this, too.” I allowed only my head to shift. He cried out in terror as I bared my teeth and growled, spraying saliva in his face. I sniffed the air, catching a strong scent of ammonia. I looked down and saw a wet spot on the crotch of his trousers.

My skull shifted back and I laughed at the thought of him having to face his colleagues with piss in his pants, and a story they wouldn’t believe. That disbelief was why I didn’t fear exposing my identity. “Now, now, you’re much too old for that,” I scoffed.

Just as I turned back towards Tatum, the bathroom door flew open. Stone and Wren both burst in, wielding knives. They weren’t knives from the restaurant, meaning the men had had them hidden somewhere on themselves.

“I heard growling,” Stone explained. “Is everything okay?”

“No!” Tatum’s father yelled. “This man…he isn’t a man! You’ve got a knife, use it on him!”

“Oh, shut the fuck up,” Stone said with an eye roll.

“Are you okay?” Wren asked Tatum, who had plastered himself to my side. He nodded and Wren turned his attention to me as he pointed towards the dad. “Are you sure he doesn’t need a little…” He made a stabbing motion, and the ammonia smell intensified. Stone gave his scrappy mate an adoring grin.

“It’s okay, but thank you. I just need to get my mate home now.”

Stone nodded his understanding. “Just call if you need us.” I bowed my head in thanks and he opened the door for his mate. Before it shut behind them, I heard him tell Wren, “You look so fucking hot with that knife. Let’s blow off dessert and I’ll eat you instead.”

“Oh, hell yes.”

I gave one last look to Tatum’s father, finding him still gripping the wall, covered in piss, and looking like he was going to pass out. Good. He’d taken up enough of our time, and now my sweet boy needed all my attention.

“Come on, baby bear,” I told Tatum quietly.

I led him to the door, but just before we left, he turned towards his dad. “I know you don’t understand or approve of me, but I don’t care anymore. I’ve found someone who loves me exactly as I am, and he’s all I need. I don’t want hate in my life. Goodbye, Dad.”

With that, Tatum took my hand and we left the room. He made a beeline for the exit, and then to my truck. Sure his father wasn’t following us, I stopped by the passenger door and pulled him into a tight embrace. “I am so proud of you, Tatum.” He’d stood up for himself, and didn’t allow negativity to bring him down.

“You make me brave.” While I may have given him confidence to speak up, he was braver and stronger than he gave himself credit for.

“Are you okay?” Even though he was brave and strong, that was still a hard situation.

“I am. I already knew I wouldn’t have a relationship with my dad. It feels kind of nice to have some closure and the last word. Plus, seeing him pee his pants was the icing on the cake.” His lips cracked with a naughty smile. “Maybe he needs a diaper too.” I snorted a laugh and hugged him tighter. “I can’t believe Stone and Wren came to help.”

“They’re our friends. They’ll always protect you, just like I will.”

“Does Stone always carry a knife?”

“Yes.” I highly doubted that was the only weapon on him at the time.

“Huh.” He was quiet for a moment before looking up at me. “Thank you for protecting me, and defending me. I love you so much, and I’m so happy you’re my Daddy.”

“I love you too. Now, how about you let Daddy take you home and give you a nice warm bath? Then I’ll snuggle you and love on you all night long.”

“That sounds perfect.”

It did, though everything sounded perfect when it came to Tatum. He and I had an eternity of perfect nights awaiting us.

The End