Chapter 4: Figure It Out Together
1162 Words
-Octavia-
I woke up to a screaming little alpha. Damn, that kid had lungs, but when I opened my eyes, Valerio was already up, walking around with him. The little boy kept crying though, but was slowly soothed by Valerio.
“I’m guessing nightmare,” he said, as he noticed me awake and sitting up.
“Or he is hungry,” I said.
“Ah f*ck,” Valerio said, making me smile a little.
“I guess we need to get him something to eat,” I said.
Valerio nodded, and I pushed the blanket away, before I went to dress, braiding my hair. Then we all went downstairs, going to the kitchen to get something to eat for all of us. The little alpha wasn’t very easy though. He thought it was funnier to throw his food around than eat it.
“Children are impossible!” I said as I picked up the spoon Ethan thought was funny to throw on the ground.
Valerio laughed, and I shook my head, as I walked over to wash the spoon clean.
“I think we are handling it well.”
“Face it, I am not good with kids,” I said and walked back to them.
They sat at this small table, Ethan beside Valerio in his high chair and clearly not sad anymore but having the time of his life. Valerio had a cup of coffee in front of him and only wore a pair of sweatpants. He looked rather tired, but I bet I looked the same.
“I don’t really think that is why Chris chose you,” he said.
“No, I was just the one closest by,” I said and crossed my arms.
Valerio shook his head.
“Actually …”
I looked at Valerio confused.
“Actually what?”
“Chris told me a few weeks ago that he and Kate had agreed on a guardian.”
“And?” I asked.
“They chose you.”
I stared at Valerio shocked, slowly shaking my head.
“Legally, you are his guardian,” he said.
“But why?! I can barely take care of myself!”
Valerio smiled a little.
“I guess Chris thought you could teach his son something others couldn’t.”
“But why not Garrett?!” I asked. “Lily and he actually want kids.”
“I don’t think Chris expected to leave so soon,” Valerio said.
I sighed and looked down at the table.
“And even if you are his guardian, it doesn’t mean you have to raise him alone.”
“What? You want to adopt him?” I asked, more in a teasing way.
Valerio shrugged though.
“You do?”
“Maybe we weren’t meant to make a kid. I think you and I know better than anyone that blood doesn’t matter,” he said.
“I am not good with kids,” I repeated.
He chuckled.
“Good thing we aren’t alone then,” he said. “This whole house will be there for him, but you will make the legal decisions for him.”
“Great!” I said sarcastically.
“Come on, O, he needs you.”
“And that is what I hate,” I said and looked at Ethan, who had no idea what a sh*t situation he was in. “I’m not good.”
“Octavia, don’t say that,” Valerio said.
I looked at my mate, who looked so sad, hearing me say this.
“I’m a mess.”
“Aren’t we all?” he asked.
I sighed and shook my head.
“Not like me …”
“Octavia, we will figure it out. We don’t have to decide what to do right now,” Valerio said. “Right now, we will just make sure Ethan is taken care of.”
I slowly nodded.
“Until Kate comes back,” I said.
But as Valerio and I looked at each other, we already knew that she wasn’t coming back.
“Yeah …” he just said and looked down at the coffee mug in front of him. “Until she comes back.”
“I f*cked up,” I whispered.
“No, you were trying to do the same as me. End it all.”
“And look where that has gotten us,” I said. “Hope is still gone. Chris is dead … Kate is … gone too.”
“We will figure it out.”
“And if we don’t?!” I asked.
“Don’t think like that.”
“I can’t stop it!” I told him. “I keep thinking what would have happened if I hadn’t gone out that night.”
“Then who says Chris wouldn’t have died fighting alongside me?” Valerio asked. “We can’t fixate on the past. We need to look ahead.”
I sighed, knowing he was right.
“I just find that really hard to do …”
“I know, little one,” he said and leaned closer, taking my hand that was resting on the table. “But we stand together.”
“Always,” I said.
Just then, the door to the kitchen opened and Lily came out. She was always an early riser, and she had a smile on her lips as she walked inside. She quickly noticed us, and the smile slowly disappeared, as she saw all three of us together.
“Have you k*dnapped him?” Lily asked and walked over to us.
I chuckled and so did Valerio. Lily walked over to Ethan, smiling at talking to him. She handled him much better than I.
“No,” I said.
“Then why is he with you?” Lily asked. “Are you helping out Kate?”
I shook my head, and Lily must have noticed the strange atmosphere.
“What is going on?” she asked.
I took a deep breath, not sure how to tell her this, but I knew I just had to say it. There was no reason to dance around it. I just needed to be honest.
“Kate is gone.”
“Gone where?”
I shook my head.
“No, she is gone,” I said.
Lily looked at me shocked and then turned to Valerio, who nodded a little.
“Why?!”
Lily sat down beside me, looking so scared now.
“She wanted to find a way to bring Chris back.”
“That is impossible!” Lily said.
“We know …”
“So, she just left Ethan?” she asked.
“She asked me to look after him,” I told her.
Lily still looked scared, and I could understand why. I really was a poor candidate, but I was his guardian now, and that couldn’t be changed. Valerio was right. We would just have to find a way to figure it out.
- Writer
