Rise of the Underdogs: KADEN

Nerf and Nepotism

When we arrived at the mansion—a sprawling estate that had been willed to Dreson once he and Leif began living together—the kids were still wide awake. Their energy undiminished by the late hour. Who was I kidding? It was only six-thirty in the evening.

The house, once imposing and silent, now echoed with laughter and life. Of course, with this new arrangement, Dreson and Leif also inherited the pleasure of my company. The annoying and occasionally whiney little brother. I couldn’t help but revel in the chaos I brought, finding endless amusement in driving them up the wall with my antics. Their exasperation only fuelled my mischief, making every moment in the mansion a little livelier, and a lot less predictable.

As soon as we walked in, Conner’s delighted squeal echoed through the halls. “Daddy!” he cried out as soon as he spotted Dreson, his excitement evident in every note of his voice. The affection between them was obvious, and I felt my heart warm at the sight.

Not that Conner ever needed to work hard to express his feelings. His enthusiasm was always close to the surface, ready to brighten any room he entered.

Heather, quick to follow, called out with her sweet, syrupy voice, “Daddy, you brought Uncle K!” Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile as she bounded forward, making her presence known.

Grinning at my brother and ready for a bit of fun, I let the kids chase after me. With a playful burst of energy, I dashed toward the guest bedroom I used whenever I stayed over. Once inside, I quickly shut the door behind me, tossed off my clothes, and shifted into my wolf form. Giving my coat a good shake, I stood tall on my hind legs and reached for the latch cord on the wall. My special escape route. With a quick pull, the door opened, allowing me to slip out and continue the evening’s adventures with the kids.

My mind went to my Mate. My Akita… My sweet, sweet Akita. Loyal. Protective. And mine.

“Now you point and pull that little trigger,” Dre began. No, not that—anything but that. “And you can use the foam darts for the Nerf gun to shoot your uncle.”

Without warning, I had to duck as a dart zipped past my nose, attaching itself to the wall with a quiet thud as the suctioned end stuck. The foam projectile had come dangerously close to hitting me.

Another dart struck from above, and I glanced up to spot Heather. She had cleverly taken a sniper position at the top of the grand staircase. “He’s downstairs, Con!” she called out, relaying my location to her brother.

Their tiny feet pounded down the steps as they launched a coordinated attack.

My nails clicked against the hardwood as I scrambled away, fully aware that the kids were on my trail. They hunted me down with Nerf guns in hand, and I remained in wolf form, playing the role of prey. Heather and Conner’s giggles echoed through the halls as they chased me, weaving around corners and under tables, their excitement undiminished by the hour. This lively game of Nerf tag had become a favourite in the mansion, especially for Malachite, who relished every moment spent playing with the little ones adopted by my brother and his Mate months earlier.

Conner squealed as Leif caught him around the middle before the boy fell into the coffee table. My brother-in-law glared at me, his eyes narrowing to green slits as he shook his head. ‘Sorry! Want me to lure them to the garden?’

“Please,” he answered, his Welsh accent sharpened with displeasure.

“Papa saved me! T-t-thank you, P-Papa!” I paused in my escape long enough to enjoy the sight of Leif sobbing over his son’s freely given joy.

Honestly, if I’d realized sooner that simply seeing Malachite play with the kids would bring Leif such unfiltered happiness, I would have made the introduction ages ago. Seeing a six-foot Sorcerer like him brought to tears—genuine, joyful tears—by something as simple as a rambunctious Nerf tag game, made it clear how much these moments meant to him. All it took was the laughter and energy of children for him to find a kind of happiness I’d never witnessed before.

I yelped as something struck my hind quarter, glancing around only to see my own brother had teamed up with his kids to hunt me. The alliance between my brother and his children only heightened the thrill of the chase, turning the game into a coordinated family effort. Their laughter and determination filled the air, making it clear that I was the prized target in this round of Nerf tag. Quick on my paws, I darted through the mansion, weaving between furniture and dodging incoming foam darts as I made my way to the greenhouse garden.

Yup, I was fully immersed in the playful chaos that had taken over our home.

After an intense hour of Nerf tag, I managed to outlast the kids, wearing them out through sheer energy and playful strategy. To be clear, I didn’t incapacitate them in any harmful way. Gods, I’m not reckless enough to risk my brother’s calm, distorted wrath. I mean, the guy spent most of his life fighting Werewolves because he was stronger than most, so he totally knew how to take me down a few pegs.

By the end, Heather and Conner were so exhausted from chasing and battling me throughout the mansion that they couldn’t even muster the strength to crawl to their bedrooms. Their laughter and excitement gradually faded to contented yawns and heavy eyelids, the result of good memories made in the heart of our lively home.

As Leif brought them up to bed, I found myself seated in Dre’s office. The atmosphere was markedly different—quieter, more contemplative. I nursed a glass of Lamb’s, waiting patiently for Dre to address the topic we had set aside to discuss. The weight of responsibility lingered between us, unspoken but unmistakable.

“We’re doing this without Leif?” I asked, breaking the silence and voicing my concern over Leif’s absence from this crucial family conversation.

Dre responded with careful deliberation, flipping open another file as he spoke. “We are sparing him the family discord until his mind is stronger,” he explained, making it clear that Leif’s well-being was the priority. The decision to exclude him was not made lightly, but out of compassion for his current state.

With that addressed, Dre shifted the conversation to more practical matters. “So, talk to me. What is it going to take to get you to…” His words trailed off, leaving the question open for me to fill in the blank.

Curiosity and a hint of apprehension prompted me to ask, “To what?”

The discussion hung in the air, Dre’s intention, however, was clear. He wanted to negotiate, to understand what it would take for me to commit to whatever task or decision lay ahead. The room, filled with the subtle aroma of whisky and layered with the gravity of family matters, became the setting for a pivotal moment between siblings.

Dre licked his lips, a small gesture that betrayed a rare flicker of anxiety. He seemed more unsettled than usual, and his words confirmed the gravity of the moment. “K, listen. s**t’s hitting from all sides. I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to do it, but I may need to step back from… from certain tasks.”

His uncertainty put me on edge, a feeling I tried to mask by slipping into Street mode. “You’re scaring me, bruh,” I replied, my tone casual but alert, signalling that I was bracing myself for whatever revelation he was about to share.

Despite the tension, there was always a certain ease between us. My older brother had a way of grounding me, no matter the situation.

His response was quiet, barely above a whisper. “You should be,” he admitted. “You should be terrified out of your wits, but I know I’m about to make your day.”

Refusing to back down, I gave him a simple challenge: “Then make it.”

Dreson leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the portrait of the woman who had given him life. He exhaled a long, heavy sigh, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of us. Finally, he voiced the decision that would change everything: “I may pass on the crown.”

“I’m sorry, there must have been water in my ears. What the hell, Dre?” I asked, leaning forward. “If you give it up, then…” it hit me that this was not a normal meeting about who got what task. “You’re giving it to me, aren’t you?”

“That’s the plan. If we’re going to do this, we’re going all-in. Full disclosure?” He asked.

I nodded, eager to know what he was plotting. “Do tell.”

“I want to see Grandfather turn the colour of death when he realizes I’m going to give the title of Druid King to the only black kid in the family. It’d really burn his ass.”

Yup. That right there, ladies and gentlemen, was the reason I f*****g loved my brother like no other. “We’re going to literally burn the family? Great! When do we start?”

“You need to catch up on what it means to lead and get your Mate first before the crown can be touched. Give Dad and Mom some blood-bound grandkids while you’re at it.” He told me. “I love my kids, but I love that they have the freedom to do as they will. They don’t have to worry about ruling. They only need to worry about their grades, making friends, and being loved. I want you on that throne, and I will do what it takes to put you there, Kaden. You deserve it.”

“Are… are you sure?”

“Bruh,” Dre rolled his eyes. “Would I bring it up if I wasn’t?”

“Nah, I was just making sure.”