Chapter 19

19

W ynter was directed into a comfortably padded, high-backed seat on the aircraft and handed a headset so he could hear over the sound of the propellers. Once he, Cavanaugh, and Wilder were all seated and latched in, the helicopter rose and Alexandria grew smaller and smaller under them. The last time Wynter had been on one had been after his week with Cavanaugh, making his escape from Blacksburg.

"Are you okay, Papa?"

Wynter flicked his gaze to Wilder and nodded. He wasn't okay. Far from it. But he needed to face his past—and the brothers he'd left behind. That part of it wasn't as hard. He'd missed his siblings. That had been hard after he'd been taken away the first time, but he'd always thought he might eventually see them again.

After he'd been exiled, he'd realized he would likely never see them again. While that wasn't the case, it had taken forty years to return. He glanced at Cavanaugh, who'd taken the seat farthest from him. He wanted to reach out and hold his alpha's hand, but that was impossible. Cavanaugh helped balance him. Without that, he felt lost again.

Their two-and-a-half-hour flight brought them down in Blacksburg at a bit past nine-thirty. When they opened the doors, Wynter wasn't ready to get out. He'd promised himself to never step foot on that soil ever again. Yet he needed to assure himself the threat was well and over. With the propellers still in motion, the wind whipped and tossed his hair about wildly. He'd taken the time for a couple of narrow braids on either side of his brow, but most of it hung straight to his back. A mistake that was. He allowed Wilder to help him down instead of Cav, not wanting to upset his son any more than they might've already.

A car was parked nearby with a driver holding a sign that read WYNTER JAYMES. They soon slipped inside, and Wynter made sure to sit with Wilder between them. The car departed for their final destination. Wynter's nerves were raw, his chest aching, and his stomach sick.

"You two have been awfully quiet this morning," Wilder mentioned, not looking at either one of them. "And it almost feels like you're avoiding one another."

"We crossed a line last night," Cav said. "I shouldn't have slept in the pool house. We're going to be more respectful of your feelings from this point forward."

Wilder sighed. "Avery told you."

"No. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard you say it before I went up for my shower," Cav murmured. "And you were right. We should take some time and not rush into a new relationship so soon."

Wynter cringed, looking out the window. He didn't want to distance himself from his alpha. He wanted to hold Cav's hand and hold it tight. They were walking into hell, and he needed his alpha to help him stay calm.

To feel safe.

Wilder lifted off the seat and physically slid Wynter into the center before taking the newly emptied spot on the edge. "I won't ask you to ignore your mate. Especially right now, when you're about to face some old demons, Papa. You need Cav."

Wynter slid his hand into Cav's, sighing with relief as he tightened his fingers. Cav gently rubbed Wynter with his thumb, the motion soothing. Resting his head on Cav's shoulder, he felt stronger, stealing a little mettle from his steadfast alpha.

"Already better… right?" Wilder asked, cocking his head slightly and looking at their joined hands.

"Better? Yes. Thank you," Wynter said, his tone too clipped, his mind spinning the closer they drive. His stomach tightened, dread filling every inch of his body. Wynter could feel a bit of sweat breaking out at the back of his neck, the sure sign he was stressed. He squeezed Cav's hand a bit harder. His lifeline.

"I don't want you two holding back on my account," Wilder continued. "Avery was right. You've been sidelined too long as it is."

"Warden was the only father you knew," Wynter said. "And you just lost him. It's understandable that you need time to mourn that loss."

Wilder smiled, but it looked forced. "Papa… just… do what feels right for you both. Don't worry about me."

"It's not just you, though. Vaughn's already upset. I won't add insult to injury now."

"Vaughn fucks anything that walks," Wilder said. "I don't think he's got much right to judge who you spend your nights with, especially now knowing Warden wasn't your true mate."

"Maybe so, but it's been two days," Wynter said. "I can give you boys a little time. It's only fair." He glanced out the window and noticed a few familiar sights. Some things didn't change, yet there were many that had. They soon left downtown and moved into the suburban family spaces. Blacksburg didn't have the same quadrants Alexandria did, though they did have gated and segregated spaces here and there—as well as an Omega Center—the old fortress that had once been the origins of the province. There was where omegas of heat age went.

As they neared his old neighborhood, Wynter noticed a few of the older houses were gone, or renovated to no longer appear as they once had. And then they turned onto the main street toward the home he'd grown up in. Wynter stiffened. Right into the heart of madness. He struggled to get air into his lungs.

Cav drew him closer. "Breathe, baby. We're right here."

Wynter forced air into his lungs but couldn't get a full breath. It only worsened as they pulled through the gates of the Jaymes estate. Wynter's heart pounded in his chest, harder with each passing second. As they neared the house, Wynter saw his father standing outside, waiting for them.

"I told them?—"

Only, it wasn't his father. As they neared, he realized it must be one of his brothers because the man was far too young to be his father.

"Told them what?" Cav asked.

"For a moment, I saw my father—but that man's too young to be Daddy." Wynter scoffed. "It's likely Arthur or Anders. The last time I saw them, they were twelve."

The car came to a stop, and Wynter froze. The last time he'd seen his brothers, they'd all been children. He'd adored them, but would it feel the same? Now men, they might've been molded into the same shapes as their parents. Arthur had seemed kind on the phone, but he was one of four. How had his other brothers fared?

Both Cavanaugh and Wilder eyed him, as if waiting for permission to get out.

"Ready?" Wilder asked.

"I don't know," Wynter whispered.

"We can leave at any point," Cavanaugh said. "One word, and we leave. You're in control here."

Wynter squeezed his alpha's hand. "Thank you." He inhaled and let it out slowly. "No time like the present, I guess."

Wynter slipped out after Wilder and met the man's waiting gaze. Tears burned in Wynter's eyes, and his brother seemed a bit overcome, too.

"Oh dear gods, look at you," the alpha said before scooping Wynter into a bear hug. "I still had doubts, even after we talked, but not now? How can I? You look like Papa."

Wynter cringed. "Don't you dare say something that rude to me ever again."

"I promise," his brother said, chuckling.

They parted and stared at one another, both of them carbon copies of their parents. Wynter dabbed at his eyes. Too much time had passed, and he couldn't be sure which of his brothers he was looking at, but then he noticed it. The tiny scar over his brother's upper lip that had been the telltale sign between the twins. "Arthur?"

"After all these years, you can still tell Anders and I apart, hmm? What's your secret?" Arthur grinned.

Before he could answer, the porch filled with familiar faces and many he didn't recognize. Wynter turned to eye them. Most stared back wide-eyed and open mouthed.

"The gang's all here. Your brothers and their families —except for Harris. No family. He claims he's a lifelong bachelor, even though we all know why he's still single."

Wynter chuckled. There weren't enough omegas for all the alphas in the world, so there were many men who were bachelors but not of their own choice. "Well, before I go introduce and re-introduce myself to that crowd, let me introduce you to my son, Wilder, and my mate, Cavanaugh."

Arthur shook both their hands. "A pleasure to meet you both." He offered an arm to Wynter. "Wanna face the family?"

"Sure. Why not?" Wynter fought tears as they neared the porch. Before he could reach it, Anders, and who he assumed were Broderick and Harris broke from the group and raced down the steps. All three wrapped themselves around him, lifting him off the ground to hug him.

Wynter broke, the tears coming full force. Arthur joined in, adding one more brother to the pile. He sobbed. The whole way there, he'd worried. Arthur had seemed excited to see him again, but what if his other brothers hadn't been?

After the hug ended, he was introduced to the whole brood waiting nearby. Three of his brothers' omegas and their many sons, ranging from twenty-one to twelve.

"There's a few who couldn't be here," Anders said. "My twin alphas are away at university—and Broderick's eldest is off traveling the Palatinate on some quest to find himself."

"That boy's going to be the death of me," Broderick's omega, Elan, murmured. "He reads some book about traveling the world and decides he's going to give it a try himself. The idiot."

Wynter peeked at Cavanaugh, who grinned. "Well, this is my alpha, Wilder Cavanaugh, and my eldest alpha, Wilder Jaymes."

The odd looks came at the announcement.

"They do things differently in Alexandra?" Harris asked. "You give the kids their father's first name, but not their last?"

Wynter took Cavanaugh's hand in his. He worried they wouldn't approve of the truth, but he was done lying and covering things up. Either his brothers accepted them, or they didn't. "While Cavanaugh is my fated alpha—our parents forced me into a mating another alpha years before he and I met, and because of that, we couldn't be together except for a brief affair we shared. Cavanaugh is Wilder's father, but the two have just learned of one another's existence a few days ago, after the death of my mate—the man Wilder grew up believing was his father."

"You mated another man named Jaymes?" Harris asked, frowning.

Wynter frowned, stunned that that was the question that came after what he'd just shared.

"Ah," Arthur interrupted. "I think Wynter and his brothers need to gather in private to discuss things. If you all don't mind giving us a few minutes?"

"Oh, absolutely," Georgie, Arthur's omega, said. Wynter picked up on an unusual accent and grew curious. "You need some family time. We'll keep ourselves entertained out here. Go."

Arthur urged Wynter toward the front door.

Wynter stared at that door, the sudden desire to run away slamming into him. He didn't want to step inside that house. There were far too many painful memories inside those walls.

"Are you good?" Wilder asked. "You want Cavanaugh or I to go in there with you?"

"Both?" he asked, gazing at both his guys. "Yes, both."

"Whatever you need," Cavanaugh said.

They entered at a slow pace. Wynter paused in the entryway, shocked it still looked exactly the same. Nothing seemed new or changed. It was like walking back in time, and not in a good way. He glanced at Arthur. "You didn't change anything?"

"I have plans once our parents are gone," Arthur said. "No point in changing anything when it's all going to go."

"All going to go?"

"All in due time," Arthur said, adding a grim smile. "Let's hear this story of yours before we talk about the present, hmm?"

Wynter followed Arthur to the family room, clutching his son and alpha close. He took a seat on the couch, surrounded by them, and faced his brothers.

"How much do you remember about the summer I left?" Wynter asked.

Arthur turned to eye Anders, and they shared an odd look. "We've been up most of the night, talking about the past and the bits and pieces we remember. It was Warden, wasn't it? They sent you away with Warden Jaymes."

Wynter frowned. "Yes."

"Fuck, Wynter. I remember them arguing—and your name and his name coming up multiple times. I knew something had happened and from the sounds of it, it was bad, but they wouldn't answer my questions. Soon after that, we were told you'd died. There seemed no point in asking the questions anymore." Arthur released a slow breath. "But I'd always wondered what the hell happened."

"I snuck close to Dad's office door to listen to the big argument, but Papa caught me eavesdropping before I'd gotten anything of consequence. He boxed my ears and sent me to our bedroom." Anders sighed. "Whatever was going on inside that room, I knew it was bad, but I had no idea."

"It was bad. I was sent to live with Warden. Forced to mate him," Wynter whispered. "I didn't have a choice."

"You were fourteen," Harris murmured. "Who mates their fourteen-year-old omega to a grown man?"

Anders scoffed. "You went into heat early, didn't you?"

Shame filled Wynter's face. He wanted to vomit. For some reason, telling his brothers what happened was worse than any of the others. Gripping Wilder and Cav's hands tight, he breathed through the disgrace. Cav removed his hand, wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and captured his free hand with the other, leaning in close.

Wynter silently gave thanks Cav was there.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Papa," Wilder murmured at his side.

"Ashamed?" Anders said. "I didn't mean to imply you should be, Wynter. You shouldn't."

"Our parents, especially papa, made me think it was my fault. He blamed me and inferred I was inherently evil and caused myself to go into heat early."

"For fuck's sake," Arthur murmured under his breath.

"The night of the Founder's Day picnic, I stayed home because I wasn't feeling well, but I didn't know what was happening. I had no clue. I felt sick and strange… and then Warden was suddenly there, clawing and taking. I cried through the whole thing."

"I assume you got pregnant?" Arthur asked. "And that's why they forced you?"

"I don't know if it really would've mattered if I was or not. I was damaged goods after they caught us that night. Papa wanted me gone." Wynter released a shaky breath. "But, yes, I was pregnant. I hadn't even turned fifteen yet when I gave birth to Jamie. I had no idea what to do. How to be a parent. And I'd left behind my entire family, so I had no support or anyone to ask questions. For a long time, I simply gave up."

He caressed the scars at his wrists, a constant reminder from those dark days.

"Jamie. This is your child who passed like Autumn?" Arthur asked. "The same cancer?"

Wynter nodded, the pain of losing Jamie always near the surface, too. Knowing there was something in his blood that might've caused that in his son made him ill.

"I couldn't stand Warden," Anders said. "I can't imagine you being forced to live your life with him."

"Why couldn't you stand him?" Wilder asked.

"He was a sadistic bully. Arthur and I got punished over and over again that summer—for things that jerk did." Anders lifted a sleeve and showed off a long scar on his arm. "Papa did that to me because of Warden. Warden knew Papa was beating us, and still got us into trouble. After our beatings, he would smile with glee and taunt us with it."

Wynter cringed. "I didn't know that."

"He pushed me into the deep end of the pool," Harris said. "And then stood there laughing as I struggled to get to the edge. I was what… six or seven that summer? I wasn't a great swimmer, but I sure learned how to after that."

"I barely saw Warden that summer," Wynter said. "As soon as I entered a room, he seemed to quickly depart it."

"I don't think he liked omegas," Broderick said.

Wynter's gaze lifted to his brother, gasping inwardly. "Why do you say that?"

"I caught him in the pool house with the Gardiner's son who was home from university. An alpha. They were in the middle of… inappropriate things … when I peeked inside to see what he was up to," Broderick replied. "Threatening to tell our parents helped keep him in line for the rest of the summer. Well, for the rest of it until he took off, of course, which wasn't much later. I'd always assumed that's why he left—he was afraid I'd tell."

Wynter cast a glance at Wilder, whose eyes were as large as saucers. Cav squeezed Wynter's hand.

"You don't look as shocked as your son and alpha," Broderick said to Wynter. "Did you know?"

"I'd seen signs," Wynter whispered.

Both Wilder and Cavanaugh stiffened against him. From the corners of his eyes, he could see their gazes whipping to him.

"Signs?" Wilder asked, his voice low.

"We can discuss it later," Wynter whispered under his breath.

"Where's Warden now?" Anders asked.

"Dead. He died less than a week ago."

"So now you're free," Arthur said softly with a smile. "And you came home to us." He frowned. "Why didn't you reach out sooner? We've thought you were dead for nearly forty years."

"I came back once. Five years after that mating. That's when I met Cavanaugh—on the train to Blacksburg." He turned to smile at his alpha, but saw an odd look on the man's face. Wynter frowned, unsure what the dark look meant. Cavanaugh refused to meet his gaze. Turning back to his brothers, he tried to ignore it until they could be alone. "It was fate, neither of us anticipating we'd meet one another, yet there we were. The train was derailed, attacked by Wildlings and Cavanaugh protected me. We made it to his cabin, and I went into heat. That's when I got pregnant with Wilder." Wynter squeezed Wilder's hand and smiled at his son. "Papa found us together soon after and threatened to kill both of us. He forced me back to Warden and threatened to kill Cavanaugh if I didn't do as I was told."

Anders growled under his breath.

"Papa also demanded I never step another foot back in Blacksburg and that I was essentially dead to him—and to you all." Wynter murmured. "I couldn't give Papa a reason to harm my alpha, so I went along with it and returned to Warden."

"It sounds like he'd already staged your funeral, so that was likely behind his actions," Wilder murmured. "He couldn't have a ghost walking into the province. His lies would've been exposed."

"True," Wynter said. "He claimed it was because I was a whore and the scandal of that would destroy the bank and the family." Wynter scoffed. "He didn't want everyone know he was a liar."

The sounds of screams deeper in the house caused Wynter to flinch. Whatever it was sounded terrible, like a wounded dog moaning in despair. His gaze flipped to Arthur's. His brother cringed, eyeing the others.

"What is that?" Wynter asked.

"Papa," Arthur murmured.

Wynter's eyes widened.

"I mentioned his Schizophrenia and Dementia on the phone," Arthur said. "But I don't think you can truly understand how bad it is until you see and hear him. Most days, he lies in bed and just screams until he's too hoarse or tired to scream anymore. We can never figure out what he's screaming for. We've had to cuff him to the bed, otherwise he tries to scratch his skin off or his eyes out—or he falls out of bed and tries to pull himself through the house with his arms. I nearly shit my pants the first time I found him in the hallway floor in the middle of the night, dragging himself along."

"Dear gods," Wynter whispered.

Arthur shook his head. "It's… hell. I thought the beatings we grew up with were bad. This is worse."

"And trying to raise your boys in the middle of all this… and Dad?" Anders said. "It's rough." He eyed Wynter. "My omega and I take the boys to our place when things get really bad to spare them some of it, but it's not enough."

"Why not put them into a care center for the elderly?" Wilder asked. "I know you made a promise they could live out their lives here, but this is too much."

"It wasn't just a promise," Arthur said. "But a contract I signed with them."

"You know," Wynter said. "They broke the social contract between parent and child. Perhaps you need to do the same. Put them in a place capable of caring for their needs and free yourself from the torment."

"I would if I could," Arthur said. "I went before a judge and pleaded my case, given their serious health needs… and I lost. No care facility in the province will take them."

"Then take them to one outside the province," Wynter replied. "The contract might only be valid here. You might be able to convince one elsewhere."

Arthur sat up straighter. "But… the distance…"

"After all they did to us, do you really care?" Wynter asked.

Arthur turned to their brothers, eyes wide.

"You should try. You've been through enough, Arthur," Broderick said. "You deserve some peace and quiet. Your whole family does."

"Agreed," Anders added.

Arthur sighed. "I kept telling myself they couldn't last much longer. I knew one day we'd have peace." He shook his head. "But you're right, Wynter. We've done enough for them. I'll look into it."

"Did you want to see Papa for yourself?" Anders asked.

Wynter didn't. While he hated his parents and found some small solace in the fact they suffered, he didn't want to see them suffering, either… but how would he ever heal if he didn't face them? Yet, if they didn't know or remember what they'd done—or even remember him at all—would it even matter one way or the other?

"If he doesn't remember all the vile things he did to me, I don't know there's anything to be gained from seeing him," Wynter murmured.

"He might not remember, but you do," Wilder said.

Wynter eyed Wilder, and then Cavanaugh—who still refused to look him in the eye. He faced his brothers. "Can you give us a moment alone?"

"Sure," Arthur said, rising.

His other brothers did, as well, and they left the three of them alone in the family room.

Wynter rose and stared down at Cavanaugh. "What's wrong?"

Cavanaugh shrugged, yet still didn't meet his gaze.

"I thought you were here to be in my corner?" Wynter asked. "You can't even look me in the eye right now."

"Is Warden's secret what you used to get him to go on your trip?" Cavanaugh asked, his voice dripping with ire. "Him being alpha attracted?"

Before Wynter could answer, Cavanaugh leapt from the sofa. He spun, anger simmering in his eyes. "You could've used that secret to dissolve your mating," Cavanaugh seethed. "You could've come to me sooner— and you chose a world tour instead? Once again, I was an afterthought."

"No."

From Cavanaugh's body language, it was clear his alpha didn't believe him. Wynter turned to Wilder and saw the same look of judgment in his son's eyes.

"That wasn't what I used."

Cavanaugh glared, three decades of pain still visible in his eyes.

"About a year ago, I overheard a conversation between Warden and a longstanding board member. They were reminiscing after Warden announced he was planning to retire. They gleefully discussed defrauding Alexandria on several construction projects soon after Warden took the business over from his father. That is how he turned the company around, and that money became the capital for decades of growth at J&A."

Cavanaugh eyed him, silent.

"I tried to use it to get a separation and he refused, knowing I couldn't play that card without potentially harming Wilder and Vaughn's futures and the legacy he was leaving them. Since he was retiring, it might've ended up being Wilder's mess to clean up and might've destroyed the company. I couldn't do that to my boys." Wynter took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "But the fraud was enough to get me out from behind those prison walls, so yes, I took it."

"Maybe the company isn't worth saving if it was built on lies," Wilder said. "Don't use its sustainability or lack thereof as a reason for making these decisions, Papa."

"It's your future we're talking about, Wilder," Wynter said, spinning to face his son. "I suffered all of these years, and for what?" Wynter fought tears. "At least you get something out of this. You and your family will be provided for. Your children, grandchildren, and the generations that come after. That's one of the few things that kept me going all these years. Just like what Avery wants for Emory, I wanted to see you fly."

Wilder held his gaze, sorrow there in the depths. "I shouldn't fly if lifted from your broken back, Papa."

"What else could I give you?" Wynter asked, shoulders slumping. "It's all I had."

Wilder sighed. "No more. J&A rises or falls on its own merit. We don't suffer to keep it afloat. Understood?"

"Yes," Wynter murmured.

Cavanaugh stared at Wynter, some of the anger having faded from his eyes. "But you also knew Warden was alpha attracted… why didn't you use that?"

"I caught him in a tryst two days before we returned home for Wilder's mating ceremony— which happened a week ago." Wynter murmured. "I've known for a little over a week. Trust me, my mind was spinning with the possibilities, but before I could fully form a plan, he died."

Cavanaugh sighed deeply, moving his hands to his hips. "I'm sorry. I jumped to conclusions."

"Yes. You did."

Cavanaugh's anger faded, but Wynter swelled with it.

"From your reaction, I think it's clear you don't trust me. Maybe we aren't ready to move forward together," Wynter whispered.

"Wynter," Cavanaugh murmured.

"I know you both wanted to come here to confirm my account of what happened. Neither of you trusted me completely, even if you said you did. I understand, yet it hurts that you had so little faith." His gaze flicked to Cavanaugh's. "I lied to you once —and it was in an effort to save your life. How long will I be punished for that?"

Cavanaugh stood silent, regret in his expression. "You're right. I shouldn't have assumed anything without asking you first. Forgive me."

Wynter crossed his arms over his chest, afraid they would never be able to overcome the shadows of the past. "Will this be the way with us moving forward? You questioning everything I say?" He fought the sting of tears. "I know you've been through a lot. We both have… but I don't want this to be how it is between us."

Cavanaugh moved closer, taking Wynter's head in his hands. He tilted Wynter's face up. "Again, you're right. We need to leave the past in the past and start over. But it won't be easy. We're going to make mistakes along the way."

Wynter held his alpha's gaze, hoping Cavanaugh was right. He uncrossed his arms and lifted his hands to grasp his alpha's wrists. "Before you sit and simmer in anger again, pull me aside and ask."

"I will. I wanted to, but I didn't want to interrupt your time with your brothers. That allowed my head time to spin and the anger to churn. I'm sorry."

Wynter turned his face and pressed a kiss to Cavanaugh's palm. "Forgiven."

Cavanaugh lowered and kissed Wynter. And again.

And again.

Wilder cleared his throat.

Wynter flinched, his face warming. "Sorry."

"No need to be sorry—but your brothers and their family are waiting for us," Wilder mumbled.

Cavanaugh released his face and captured a hand instead.

"That they are," Wynter said.

"I didn't expect them to do be… so normal," Wilder said. "Living in this house with your parents all their lives, I guess I suspected them to be as terrible as the people who raised them."

"I worried how much they'd be like Papa and Daddy myself," Wynter said. "It was why I was so hesitant to return."

"Are you glad you did?" Cavanaugh asked.

"I'll answer that once the day is over, hmm?"