FSE

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Chapter 6

Cedric smiled softly as Aden nuzzled his chest. The wolf was clinging to him far quicker than expected. Nuzzling the top of his head, Cedric licked it softly, earning himself a small whimper and a harder nuzzle than before. The smaller wolf was making it difficult to walk, but Cedric was enjoying the contact too much to ask him to back off a little. Besides, asking him to do that would be taking away the small bit of security that he had.

Aden tried to move even closer than he already was, causing Cedric to stumble as his paws became tangled. The wolf drew back a little, his ears pinned against his head, fear in his eyes from the supposed punishment that was coming. Cedric just chuckled and scooped him up in his arms, cradling Aden against his chest. Aden yelped softly as he was lifted into the air, but once he was settled in Cedric's arms, he quieted down and stopped shivering, although his tail still stayed between his legs. Pushing his head up, he nuzzled underneath Cedric's muzzle, tongue darting out to lick the sides softly. Sighing, he pressed the side of his muzzle against the massive chest and closed his eyes.

The brown wolf felt his ears perk forward and his tail wag slightly as he felt the soft, almost tentative licks of Aden's tongue across the lower sides of his jaw. He had to admit that the wolf made him feel powerful, like he could take on the world. He understood why he felt this way, and yet he didn't know why he felt it to such an extent. He had felt mostly the same when he took in Maurel, but not exactly. He knew with Maurel that he could ask the mouse to leave him alone for awhile, but with this pup he didn't want to do even that.

As he turned and shouldered his way through the doors into the kitchen, he pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He could think on them more later when he had gone to bed. Huffing, he realized that the pup would probably be there as well. Hearing a quiet whine, he looked down. Aden's silver-gray eyes were filled with worry as they back at him. Cedric realized that the pup must have heard his sigh and deduced that he was the reason for it.

Dipping his head down, he flicked his tongue across the tip of the upturned muzzle, across the black nose. Cedric watched the pup's ears flick forward, then pin back as a dark blush filled them. Aden looked away and he chuckled, blowing a soft stream of air over his pup's fur. He struggled to keep his smile on as he realized what he was thinking. His? By the way the pup had been acting, there was way too much in his past to make him at all comfortable with carrying that train of thought into his actions. He'd just end up destroying the little peace Aden had found. Carefully, held his expression as he schooled his mind. This was Aden. He was to be referred to as Aden. In his mind, he could refer to him as 'Pup', but only in his mind. He couldn't risk causing the pup any more stress than he already had.

A soft chuckle made his ears prick and his head turn. Cook stood in the doorway to the cooking area of the kitchen, smiling at him. Resisting the urge to put Aden down and step away, he looked over her shoulder. "You wouldn't happen to have any food left over, would you Cook?"

The golden retriever chuckled. "Of course I do. It'll be right out." As she turned and walked away, Cedric heard her mutter. "I never thought I'd see that look in his eyes..."

Puzzled, Cedric sat down at the table, still holding Aden. What look was she talking about? She had seen him startled plenty of times, so it couldn't be that. Embarrassed, she had seen that one too...most notably when she had come into his room while he was pawing off...he hadn't been able to look at her comfortably for a month afterwards...

"Alpha?"

Cedric turned his attention back to Aden, gazing at him with ears pricked. Realizing that Aden was licking is muzzle nervously, he tilted his head. "What's the matter, Aden?"

The smaller wolf looked away, his tongue continuing to run nervous circles across his muzzle. "You said I could sit next to you..."

"Oh." He chucked and shifted Aden off his lap and onto the bench next to him. "Sorry, I was thinking."

Aden drew close to him and rested his head against Cedric's shoulder. "It's alright Alpha, you don't need to apologize."

Dishes clattered against the table as Cook placed two steaming platters of food before them. Aden snuffled and his head rose a couple inches before returning to press against Cedric's shoulder. Cook left and returned with two tall glasses of water, which she placed next to their plates. Rounding the table, she stood opposite them, studying the black wolf. "Where did you get this one, Cedric?"

The wolf picked up a piece of the steaming meat pie before them, taking a bite and chewing slowly, savoring each moment. Swallowing, he winced as it scalded his throat slightly. Running his tongue over his fangs, he answered. "Outside Matron's. By the way, she wants me to tell you that she'll beat your cookin' someday."

Cook snorted, her flowing tail waving behind her in indignation. "Why, that young upstart! She should know by now that no-one can beat my cookin'. She's welcome to try though. And if by some miracle she happens to whip up something better than mine, I'll throw her a feast to celebrate. The first half for her achievement, and the second for me regaining my title." She eyed Aden. "What was he doing anyways? You don't just take random people off the streets, Cedric."

He chuckled around another mouthful of food. "No need to worry, Cook, I'm not expanding to homeless waifs just yet. I saw him enter an alley across the square, followed by a doberman. I didn't like the look of the dobie, so I got up and went after them. Aden here had gotten himself between a rock and a hard place, if you know what I mean."

Cook gasped and nodded. "I do, go on."

"Well," said Cedric, "After a short fight I beat him off, and got his life-bond, so I couldn't leave Aden there. When he could move well enough I brought him back here."

The retriever furrowed her brows. "You got the doberman's life-bond?"

"No, Aden's."

"Oh, right." She looked over at Aden. "Dear Fenris!" She exclaimed, "Haven't you taken a bit yet? Hurry up, boy, it's no good cold!"

Cedric felt the wolf beside him flinch and fall of the bench backwards, yelping as his head cracked against the floor. In one swift movement he swung his legs over the bench and kneeled beside him. Cradling the wolf's head gently, he felt along the back. He'd have a bruise, but nothing worse. Seeing that Aden's eyes were clenched shut, he rested his paw against the side of his muzzle. The smaller wolf yelped.

"I'm sorry, Alpha! I didn't know that I was supposed to eat, honest!" Curling up into a ball, he whimpered, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. "Don't hurt me, please!" He whispered, fear lacing his voice.

"Shh..." Cedric sat down so that Aden's head was resting on his thigh. Stroking the tear-stained muzzle, he wiped away the fresh drops that had collected there. "You're not in trouble. Cook just wants you to be able to appreciate her meal fully." He blew down on Aden, causing the wolf's tongue to flick out reflexively. "She can sound angry, but she'd never hurt you."

Aden's eyes snapped open. "But I do appreciate her meal!" He exclaimed. "It smells good! It's just..." His ears flattened. "I can't keep Alpha happy if I'm not paying attention. And it's not right for me to eat at the same time as Alpha."

Cedric growled softly. "Your time to eat is when I say it is, and I say it's with me."

"But..."

Cedric placed his finger across Aden's lips and held his hand out behind him. Cook immediately got the idea and placed Aden's food in his paw. As he set it on the floor next to his leg, he pulled Aden up further until he was sitting up more. Breaking off a chunk of bread, he dipped it in the soup and offered it to Aden, pressing it against the wolf's lips until he opened them.

"Alpha..."

Any objections he had were cut off as the piece of bread slipped past his lips and into his mouth. His eyes stared into Cedric's as he chewed. Cedric could see the need for his approval radiating from them, intermixed with the worry that he wouldn't be able to earn it. He smiled down. "Good pup."

Aden's tail had been wagging slowly at the taste of the food, but at Cedric's words it stilled. Cedric saw a couple conflicting emotions run through Aden's eyes, from fear to pain, then to uncertainty, and finally to joy. The tail started up again, this time a whirlwind of motion, and his tongue darted out to lick Cedric's paw as it came in with another morsel.

Cedric reached for another bit of food, but he paused as the emotions in Aden's eyes ran through his head. Had he stepped on some painful memory by calling him 'Pup'? Hesitating, he turned his gaze back to Aden, who was looking at him with wide, sparkling eyes, his ear folded back slightly, and his tongue just peeking out from inside his muzzle. "Umm, Aden?"

The tongue disappeared inside the muzzle and the ears flicked further back, uncertainty invading the wolf's eyes. "Yes, Alpha? Did...Is something wrong?"

"No!" Cedric hastened to assure him, stroking a paw over the top of Aden's head. The ears flicked up again.

"So what's the matter, Alpha?"

Cedric sighed. "I was just wondering if you'd rather me not call you 'Pup'." He returned his paw to the plate, scooping up another piece of bread. "It's alright to tell me if you don't like something."

Aden looked away for a moment, seeming to think about something. Cedric watched his body closely, trying to figure out what the wolf was thinking. At times his ears would fall back, and at others they would prick forward. At first his tail was clamped between his legs, but after a few moments of contemplation, it swung out and wagged slightly. "I like it, Alpha."

Cedric wasn't entirely convinced that Aden was comfortable with it, but he'd let the wolf try until he got too anxious. "Are you sure?" He decided to try the name out. "Pup?" He felt a light shiver run down Aden's spine, before the wolf pressed back against him.

"I'm sure, Alpha."

"If you're sure..." Cedric wasn't sure what the shiver meant, but more likely than not it was one of discomfort. He promised himself that he would use the nickname sparingly, at least until Aden became more comfortable around him.

Why did he feel the need to call him 'Pup' anyway? He had never called anyone else that, or even had the desire to, but for Aden the name just seemed to fit. He was so uncertain, so eager to please, that after being with him for awhile, Cedric couldn't see himself using the name on anyone else. He brought yet another piece of bread up to Aden's mouth, only to her him whine softly. Surprised, he took his hand away. "What's the matter?"

Aden looked down at the floor. "I'm a little full, Alpha." Flattening his ears, he looked up quickly. "But if you want me to eat more, I can, really!"

Cedric smiled, placing the bread back on the plate, which he now noticed was almost empty. "That's alright, Pup, I'm happy if you're full." He felt Aden's tail wagging as he looked around, noticing for the first time that Cook was no longer in the room. Standing, he lifted Aden to his paws as well. "We've been here awhile, so by now it must've gotten dark outside. Everyone else will be in bed." He looked down at Aden, who was biting his lip, uncertain of where he was taking this. "I can find you your own room if you want, or you can sleep in mine." Aden's ears flicked backwards, and he hastened to reassure the smaller wolf. "There's a couch if you don't want to sleep in my bed."

Aden relaxed slightly, although he continued to chew on his lip. "I'd like to sleep in your room, Alpha."

They both rose, Cedric pulling Aden close to himself as they walked through the halls of his home. Aden seemed to be already adjusting to his touch, and was tensing up much less frequently. Cedric's ears tipped back a bit as he realized that they must look like a pair of drunkards, tottering through the halls. He quickly pushed the thought away, not wanting to portray any sort of unease towards Aden.

Coming to a large oaken door, he turned the handle and pushed it open. He rarely kept any of the doors in his house locked, trusting his servants to refrain from stealing from him, and the ability of his guards to keep out intruders. Stepping inside, he reached to the side and pulled a fire-stick from the container on the wall. Striking it against the rough stone, it flared to life and he quickly touched it to the torch that was bracketed near the door. In a few moments the torch was lit, and he waved the fire-stick out. The room was only lit dimly by the single torch, but Cedric felt that was all that would be needed for preparing for bed.

Leading Aden over further into the room, he pointed out the bed and the couch at its foot. "I'll be right here if you need me, Aden." He assured the young wolf, tightening the arm that was laid over the pup's shoulder slightly. "Don't hesitate to come to me for whatever you need."

Aden looked up to search his eyes for a moment, seeming to look for the sincerity of his statement in them. Satisfied, he sat down on the couch and faced him. "You'll be right there, Alpha?"

Cedric gave the most reassuring smile he could. "I'll be right there. Don't worry, no-one will enter this room without me knowing." Turning his back to Aden, he unclasped his belt and pulled it off. After running it through his paws once, he laid it and the attached knife on the top of the dresser next to his bed. Untying his pants, he shoved them off his waist and down his legs, stepping out of them as they pooled on the floor. He kicked the over to the corner by the door. He'd take care of them in the morning. Turning towards his bed, he glanced at Aden out of the corner of his eye. The young wolf had gone completely rigid, staring away from him, his paws gripping his tail as it curled around his body. Cedric felt a faint flush come over his cheeks as he realized that he had probably made the pup uncomfortable by his nakedness.

Quickly getting into his bed, he pulled the covers over his naked form, hoping that once his body was hidden, Aden would be able to calm down. Leaning back, he closed his eyes and feigned sleep. His apparent disinterest in Aden seemed to embolden the wolf, and after he glanced up at Cedric, he laid back on the couch, not bothering to take his clothes off. Cedric sighed and closed his eyes. It would be interesting to see how much he had regressed in the morning.

Shortly after he had fallen asleep, Cedric was awakened by the sounds of whimpering. Blinking and rubbing his eyes, he looked around. His gaze fell on Aden's restless form. The young wolf was tossing and turning in his sleep, every now and then letting out a small yip and cringing, as if experiencing a rough blow. His tail was held tight between his legs, and his neck was bared back as far as it would go, displaying some bite scars where the fur parted. With one particularly hard jerk, Aden unbalanced himself and fell off the couch. Yelping, he woke up. Cedric watched through slitted eyelids as he looked around, somewhat disorientated. Turning, Aden noticed the large form on the bed and yelped again, backing up. Cedric had to resist the urge to reassure the pup, knowing that if Aden figured out what was going on himself, there would be less chance of a relapse in the future.

The wolf's paws went up to his neck for a moment, seeming to feel for something, then re-checking as what he was feeling for didn't meet his expectant touches. Aden patted himself down, then seemed to look more closely at the figure on the bed. Rising from the floor, he crept quietly over to the side of the bed, peering intently at the form on it. Cedric hoped that his peeping wasn't too noticeable, but he wasn't too sure that Aden wouldn't snap and try to kill him, so closing his eyes wasn't an option. Aden leaned in and sniffed, his eyes widening with recognition. "Alpha..." He murmured, his tail wagging as he stood there. He turned to go back to the couch, but before he had taken more than three steps, the wagging motion of his tail stilled. He looked over his shoulder at the bed, then back at the couch. Whimpering, as if he couldn't understand why he was doing what he was doing, he turned around and walked back to the side of the bed. Climbing onto it, he slid under the covers and scooted close to Cedric. When their fur touched, Cedric pretended to shift in his sleep, throwing an arm across Aden's body and pulling him tight to his chest. He rested the top of his head on the top of Aden's and let out a sigh. Closing his eyes, Cedric dropped off to sleep with Aden's smell in his nose.

Aden sighed, nuzzling the pillow underneath his head. For the first time in quite awhile, he felt warm. The soft blanket seemed to wrap all around him, and although it was rather heavy, it wasn't a crushing weight. In a way, he liked it. It made him feel...safe, that was the word. He hadn't felt safe in ages. Every night for years he had gone to bed wondering if someone would enter the room during the night and rape him, or move him so he woke up chained to a table where they would proceed to torture him, never causing permanent damage, but it was torture nonetheless. Even if no one came during the night, he was still kept in a restless sleep due to the nightmares that plagued him. He furrowed his brow. It was strange that he hadn't had any dreams.

A low rumble made his eyes snap open and his body to stiffen. His 'blanket' moved and rubbed the top of his head rather roughly before settling down again. Aden stayed as still as he could while he examined his position. The person behind him was wrapped around him like a crawling vine, one leg over his, an arm across his chest, muzzle atop his head, and a large fluffy tail wrapped around them both. The were halfway to curling up, so Aden's back was pressed firmly against the chest of the one behind him. Aden's mind was racing. When had he been caught? He couldn't remember anything...He sniffed to see if it was any of his old master's henchmen, although he doubted it. He always ended up on the floor after they had used him.

The scent hit his nostrils, and all the events of yesterday came rushing back. Alpha. Immediately, and with no conscious decision on his own, all the muscles in his body relaxed and he sank back against his Alpha's slumbering body. He smiled softly as he realized that this was the second time he had woken up in his Alpha's arms. Remembering the first time, his mind quickly moved forward to the subsequent meal. He blushed as he remembered how Cedric had fed him. He didn't mean to be so needy, it just...happened. Shifting slightly, he ran over the meal in his mind, wondering when he could eat a meal like that again. Pup. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he remembered when Alpha had first used the word to refer to him. It had sent a bolt of panic through him. The guards had used it before when they raped him, but when Alpha said it, it was different. There was a different feeling to it...a certain warmth that was in direct contrast to the cold disdain that underlaid the tone of the guards. Aden shivered again, his tail giving a short wag. He wouldn't mind if Alpha called him that all the time.

He wondered what his old master was doing right now. Surely he was searching for him, but how close was he? Aden bit his lip. Was it right for him to put Alpha in such danger? He was sure that Alpha could protect himself, but he wasn't so sure if the wolf could protect both of them. If he was concerned with both of them, he could get hurt. Aden bit his lip. He was bound to Alpha for life, and that meant being ready to give his life for him. Would running away be the right thing to do if it kept Alpha safe? After a moment's deliberation, he decided that it was indeed the right thing to do. If it kept Alpha safe, then it was what he should do, unless specifically ordered otherwise. Alpha hadn't given any orders about not leaving, so he was free to go.

Carefully wiggling out of the larger wolf's limbs, he slid over to the edge of the bed. As he was about to hop off, he felt a large paw close around his tail. He froze, not knowing what to expect. The threats of tail-breaking that the guards had given him many times flew back into his head, and he dare not move. If he did, he might break some rule he didn't know about.

"Where are you going, Pup?"

Aden shivered, both at the voice and the word. Alpha's voice seemed to be able to make his knees go weak with a single word. Whimpering, he laid his ears back submissively as he answered. "You might get hurt if I stay here, Alpha."

"Come here." The voice was accompanied by a soft tug on his tail, and Aden backed up. He whimpered and tensed when he was leaned back against his Alpha's chest, but Cedric wrapped his arms around him and the scent followed, relaxing every muscle in his body. "You would get hurt if you left."

"But you wouldn't, Alpha!" Aden whined softly. "I'm supposed to protect you, that's what a lifebond is. I'm not supposed to be a whining bitch and make you take care of my every need."

The arms tightened slightly. The heavy muzzle rested on his shoulder. "I wouldn't care if you were a whining bitch." Cedric said. "You'd be my whining bitch."

Aden thought it odd that he didn't feel any fear at the statement. It was nearly identical to something that one of his rapists would say, but the meaning was different. Aden didn't know how he could tell, he just knew that Alpha didn't mean it in the same way.

Growling softly, he leaned his head back and nipped at the underside of Alpha's chin. Cedric yipped and looked down at him in surprise. "If you ever call me that I'll bite you." Aden muttered.

His Alpha's eyes sparkled with laughter as the wolf leaned down and licked his nose. "I'll remember that." Scooting to the edge of the bed, Cedric stood up, Aden still in his arms. "What say you? Shall we go get breakfast?"

Aden nuzzled the underside of Cedric muzzle, sniffing where it connected with his neck. His ears laid back submissively and his tail wagged slowly as his Alpha's scent filled his nose. "Mmm."

Cedric chuckled at the contented remark. Shifting his hold so that he was carrying Aden with one arm, he used the other to open the door. Turning, he made his way down the hall, leaving the door open. Aden noticed this.

"Alpha, you forgot to close the door."

Not breaking stride, Cedric continued on. " A servant would be by later to fix the room up. Sometimes I do it myself, but today I have different priorities."

Aden hear the unspoken addition, I have you to take care of. The insides of his ears flushed with embarrassment, both from the feeling that he was inconveniencing his Alpha and that he would take such care with him. It also left him confused. There was a new emotion in the mix, one that had appeared yesterday, but so much had happened that he hadn't been able to examine it. It felt like a burning energy in his limbs, making him want to do something, although what it was he had no clue. It was a tightness in his throat, like he was holding back tears, but he wasn't in pain. It made him want to pant, as if he had been running a long distance, but he had just woken up. He was so deep in thought that he didn't realize that they had arrived at their destination until Cedric spoke.

"Well, we're here."

He peered around the large room, noting the large table in the center. A chandelier, of proportionate size, hung over the center, the candles fixed to it unlit. The room was illuminated due to large windows that made up most of one of the walls. Aden looked out of them and saw a well-tended garden, with tidy paths winding their way through the hedges and flowerbeds. Staring out, he barely noticed Cedric set him down and walk over to a chord hanging near the door, pulling it. After a moment, however, he did notice, and suddenly he felt very exposed and alone. Kicking off the ground, he shot over and slammed into Cedric, knocking the large wolf back a few feet.

Cedric staggered for a moment, then recovered, looking down with amazement at the wolf whose muzzle was buried in his chest. "Blazing Skoll, Pup. That was the fastest I've ever seen anyone move in my life."

Aden looked up, a couple tears running down his muzzle. "You left me..."

Cedric was immediately on his knees, pulling the smaller wolf into a hug. "No, Pup, I didn't leave you. I'm right here, you have nothing to worry about. I'll never leave you, not as long as I can help it. And if we're ever separated, I'll do everything I can to get you back." He led Aden over to the table. "Now let's sit down and get ready to eat, alright?"

Aden looked from his Alpha to the single chair at the head of the table and whined. There were other chairs at the table, but they were around the corner, and he'd be separated from his Alpha that way. Glancing at Cedric pleadingly, he whined.

His Alpha chuckled and rubbed his head. "We'll sit at the side of the table, Aden, no need to worry."

Tail wagging happily, Aden followed Cedric over to the side of the table, pulling his seat close to the one Cedric occupied before sitting down and leaning against him. Soon after, the door swung open and Cook backed in, pulling a small trolley behind her. A pot sat on top of it amid numerous bowls and utensils, steam rising from the top.

She glanced back at them. "Have a nice night?"

Cedric chuckled as he nodded. "Yes, we had a nice quiet night."

Aden blinked at the emphasis Cedric had placed on 'quiet', then blushed as he realized what Cedric meant. He opened his muzzle to reply as well, but let it snap shut as he thought better of it. Although the idea sounded fine, even good, in theory, he knew that he couldn't actually carry it out. His mind would shut down. Instead, he sniffed the air.

Great gods whatever was in that pot smelled good. He could tell that there wasn't any meat, but the smell made any disappointment he would've felt melt away. He could feel his mouth begin to salivate as his eyes fixed on the pot. There was a variety of fruits arranged around it, but their color couldn't distract him from the pot.

Cook pulled the cover off the pot. "It's just porridge today, Cedric, but I made it to my own recipe. Can't let Matron outdo me, now can I?"

Just porridge? Just porridge? Aden was astonished. If that smell could come from something so simple that Cook could describe it with a 'just', then he couldn't imagine what her best food would smell like. He watched her intently as she ladled out bowlfuls of the plain-looking substance and sprinkled something over the top before placing them on the table.

"Thank you." Cedric nodded to her as she set it down.

"T-Thank you." Aden stuttered out as his own bowl was placed on the table. He glanced away slightly, remembering how harsh that voice had been yesterday. "Ma'am." He added hastily. A little manners couldn't hurt.

Cook nodded and withdrew, shutting the door behind her. Cedric picked up a spoon and began eating, eyes closing in pleasure as he took his first bite. Aden watched as he chewed slowly, savoring every morsel. Soon he swallowed and licked his lips, reaching over to the trolley and grabbing a glass and a pitcher. Setting the glass on the table, he poured a golden liquid into it from the pitcher. Aden sniffed the air, curious as to what his Alpha was drinking, but he wasn't able to tell right away. The wonderful smell of the bowl in front of him was blocking out all other scents. After a few moments, Aden was able to sort through the smells and focus on the liquid. It was the scent of apples. His mouth began to water even more, if that were possible. He glanced down at his own bowl, ears laying back with unease.

"What's the matter, Pup? Why haven't you eaten anything?"

Aden jumped in his seat and glanced over at the cocked head of his Alpha before turning his head away to study the grain of the wood on the table. "I-I wasn't sure if you w-wanted me to eat a-at the same t-time as you."

The wolf chuckled and raised a paw to ruffle his ears. Aden found himself pressing into the large paw, wanting more of his Alpha's touch. "Of course I want you to eat with me, Aden. Why else would I bring you?"

The black wolf shrunk in on himself. "He didn't want me to eat at the same time as him."

Cedric's ears perked, "Who is he?"

Aden slumped slightly, his tail curling under the chair. "I'll tell you if you ask again, Alpha, but please don't."

Cedric nodded understandingly and gave his shoulder a squeeze before returning to eat. "Well, at least start eating, or do you want me to feed you again?"

Picking up as spoon, Aden began eating. "No, I can eat." He growled softly in pleasure as the flavors of the porridge sparked across his tongue. They ate in silence after that, just enjoying each other's company.

When they had finished, Cedric took their bowls and spoons and placed them on the trolley. "Well, that was a good-" He was cut off by a knock at the door. Scowling at it, he heaved a sigh, "Come in."

A guard entered, panting slightly. After a couple seconds, he stood at attention. "Sir, Lady Sibbald is at the gate. She's demanding entrance in the name of the king and familial right. We followed your order, sir, and haven't let her in, but we thought it best to come alert you."

"Who thought it best?"

The guard held his spot. "We did, sir."

Cedric cocked his head. "And if I don't like that you came and interrupted my breakfast? If I say that you all get cleanup duties for a month unless you tell me whose idea it was? Then what would you say?"

Aden could see sweat coming to the guard's brow, but his stood his ground. "The same, sir. We thought it best."

Cedric nodded. "Good man. Only scum turn their comrades over to escape their own punishment. You and your mates report to Dune tomorrow and he'll assign you to the cleanup duties he needs done. I'll be at the gate in a minute."

The guard nodded. "Yes, Sir!"

Aden looked at his Alpha, confused. "What did he do wrong that you punished him? I thought you liked his answer."

Cedric smiled down at him. "I did like his answer, but if I had let him off without carrying out my threat, then it would just be words that he said, not something he lives. This way I separate those who just pay the idea lip service from those who actually follow it." He pushed his chair back and stood up. "Now, let's go meet my mother..."