Chapter 44

*****

*Corey*

"Joe." I smiled as I walked into his office.

I chuckled when he looked up to glare at me from where he sat behind his large desk.

"Where are my kids?" He asked.

I tilted my head at how he referred to them. "Does Trent count as a kid? Kaden's with his family and Jay's mom is checking for injuries, but she won't find any because Izabella gave Jay some of her blood and –" I shut the door behind me knowing his office was soundproof as he began to look back down to the papers in front of him, "Jayden's father is actually dead," I said.

Joe paused, lifting his eyes back to me. "What?" he asked.

"Yeah... Jayden doesn't know this, so don't tell him, but he killed the bastard. We lost track of Jay, and I think they got into some kind of fight. Maybe Jayden just lost it or something, but when we found them, only Jayden was breathing. We didn't tell him because Kade said it would be best if Jay didn't know he did it."

"Jayden killed Chris...?" he muttered staring into nowhere before he snapped out of it. "Are you sure he doesn't know?" He looked at me.

"Yes. I told him I did it, he didn't seem too shaken about it. He actually... he didn't really react. I'm worried about that," I said.

"It is concerning... I'll talk to him about it. You never know with that boy, he can't hide simple things but when it scares him, he's very good at hiding..." He shook his head, his brows creased in concern.

"Uh..." I cleared my throat.

"What is it, Corey?"

It wasn't my place, but I knew Joe really cared about Jayden, he had to know... Maybe he would know who it was. Jayden still had not told me or Kaden. Joe must have known who Jayden spent time with after his father left, tough.

I bit the inside of my cheek. We were in the inferno house where it happened. Right now, Jayden was with Kaden. He could not always be, though. I clenched my fist trying to stop it as they suddenly began shaking when my wolf's power surged and he tried to urge a shift. His idea of solving the problem was running through the house tearing apart every middle-aged man we would find.

"Uh... J-Jay's nightmares..." I forced my wolf to calm down as Joe glanced at my hands, his eyes narrowing. "Did you ever think it was about something other than his father?" I asked.

"Of course..." he said. "When I asked, he never denied it, but he never told me what it was about either. He just always smiled and told me he was tired at the times I've asked in the past," he gave a dry chuckle. "I didn't want to push or force him to say something, he was already struggling so much... So, I let him sleep," he said. "Why? Did he tell you?"

I opened my mouth, but the door swung open.

"We're back!" Jayden walked in with Kaden right behind him, but paused as he saw me, his eyes narrowing when they met mine. "What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.

"Lovely seeing you too, Mate." I rolled my eyes.

"Where is Rita?" Joe looked at me before he turned to Jay. "Clara's looking for you two."

"I'll be right back; I'll go find her." Jayden smiled, immediately turning to do that. Kaden nodded at Joe before following his friend, shutting the door.

"Rita's being held hostage by Trent," I said.

"That makes sense," Joe laughed but it stopped instantly, his stare becoming cold and serious as it met mine again. I felt my heart drop at the sudden change in attitude. It was so abrupt; he looked so dangerous. "You better not be messing with him, Corey. He has been through a lot and has enough to deal with besides a mate that is only going to make him unhappy or hurt him further."

"Actually, Joe. Changing our wishes was at our own will and I wouldn't have done it if I thought I couldn't be with him – if I thought I would ever be okay with losing him. I mean, at first, I was angry and confused... But being close to him on the trip... he's so much more than any mate I could have imagined. I know I got lucky... I wouldn't want anyone else to be my mate..." I said, glancing at the door as I suddenly missed him despite seeing him seconds prior.

He gave a smile. "Good, because if you hurt him, I will kill you," he said

"I know, you should," the reply made him chuckle.

"Trent must be pretty happy."

"Oh, he is. He literally won't leave her alone." I joked as the door swung open and Jayden walked in with Clara on his back.

"Daddy! Here's Jay!" Clara's arms squeezed Jayden as she hugged him, pressing her cheek to his head.

"Yeah! There he is, honey!" Joe replied very enthusiastically.

"Make me some ice cream, Jay?" Clara asked.

"No sweets, Clara," Joe said.

"Ice cream isn't sweets." Jayden and Clara said at the same time, both looking at her father like he had said something outrageous. Joe frowned at them but sighed.

"Fine. Get some ice cream," he said, defeated.

I chuckled as Jayden let Clara down and told her to go get started because he had to speak to us about something for just a moment. She left, and he looked from me to Joe and back as the door closed once again.

"So, uh... What were you talking about before I walked in earlier? It looked serious." Jayden asked.

"Your father," I said honestly. "Your nightmares."

"What-what about my nightmares?" A slight feeling of alarm coursed through me from Jayden as he looked at me.

"He didn't tell me anything if that's what you're getting at. I think he's leaving that to you. So, Jay, what does Corey know that I do not?" Joe asked.

I watched as Jayden swallowed nervously. "Uh, n-nothing, really. Just basic nonsense."

The answer made my jaw clench.

"It's not 'basic nonsense', Jayden," I hissed, my anger spiking at just the thought of what had happened to him.

I regretted how harsh my voice had sounded when he seemed to become uncomfortable. His shoulders hunched, and his arm automatically crossed over his torso, as if he were trying to hide himself.

"Yeah. Well, I didn't tell you about it because I wanted you to go telling everyone, Corey."

"No, you told me because you're terrified," I said, trying to soften my voice so he would understand that I just wanted to help him.

He looked taken aback but didn't argue as his fingers gripped his arm.

"Jay... If you aren't going to tell me who did it, at least tell Joe." He was Alpha and cared so much about Jayden, he had to know. He would help.

"Did what?" Joe asked, confused but alarmed.

Jayden looked at his Alpha. I felt my chest ache seeing his eyes well, his jaw clenching. He didn't just feel worried, he looked scared and upset, but the sudden anger didn't seem directed at me or Joe. It reminded me of him blaming himself the night we had spoken. He began shaking his head as he looked at Joe.

"What happened, Jayden?" Joe asked, straightening in his seat as concern overtook him.

"Nothing," Jayden mumbled.

"Jay –" Joe began.

"Nothing, okay?" Jayden said to the Alpha before looking back at me. "I lied. I lied to see what you'd do. I lied to see how you'd react, to see if you would care. It was just my father, no one else. I honestly just wanted to see your reaction." He shrugged. Of course, I did not believe him, but before I could say anything he continued. "It was only a stupid lie. Now, I'm going to help Clara with her ice cream." He didn't wait to hear a response from Joe or me before leaving.

I stared at the door running over his words. He had not lied... had he? He couldn't possibly have made it up just to see my reaction... No. Those nightmares, the emotion when he was talking about it, the fear – even just right before he left the office. I felt all of it. It wasn't a lie. He could not fake that.

Why would he say it was a lie?

"Tell me what that was about, Corey," Joe spoke, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I moved my gaze back to his and shook my head.

"I can't tell you." Jayden did not want that...

"If he says it was just a story, that he lied about it, then you can tell me this 'story'."

It seemed like a plausible point. Besides, this was the only person I could think of that Jayden might trust enough to talk to or accept help from if Joe just knew how much help he needed and reached out to him.

There was also the possibility that the person who hurt him was still in the pack. Wasn't that enough reason to go against what he wanted this once? For the sake of protecting him. My throat felt knotted as I weighed the possibility of Jayden never trusting me again or risking his safety.

I decided I couldn't keep it from Joe.

"Okay." I nodded.

*****