It was very quiet in Mason's room except for his mother's silent cries and their heavy breathing. Mason was rooted to the spot. The information was too much to digest. All the years that he thought that his dad was a good figure, had blown away with a poof. Although he felt conflicted, he never once doubted his mother. For all that he had thought she had done, lying was not one of them. He vaguely remembered asking about her wounds when he was a child which she had dismissed with her fault, her clumsiness and some adult stuff.

Werewolves matured quickly, so the mention of adult stuff didn't make him ask more questions. He thought he understood the adults, but boy was he wrong.

He had been kept in the shadows most of his life. The people — more like a person — who he thought he could trust, had already betrayed him. He blamed someone else for his little sorrows, but all he got in return was his perfect life, full of naivety and lack of troubles.

Mason understood the feeling of helplessness. He could feel it clearly. His wolf wasn't happy with the treatment his mother got. What if he had known about this earlier? Could he have changed anything? Could he, as a callow child, have helped his mother and stopped all the tyranny that had happened to her and his pack mates?

He felt like slowly retreating to his shell. The place where he felt vulnerable. Powerlessness is a bad feeling. Mason was supposed to be an Alpha! The most powerful one! The leader of his pack. The one who guides and takes care of other's problems. But here he was, naive in his thinking and actions, still drowning in self-pity.

He wanted to change, wanted to discard his cowardly attitude and blind trust in others. He wanted to be able to know his right from wrongs, but he understood that change was only possible by taking small steps. It was his time to grow up. And his first step was to embrace his mother, to let her cry out on his shoulders. He would bear her weight and sufferings as she did for him. He would take responsibility of his pack.

There was a cough that broke the emotional moment. Gerard stood at the doorway, with both the hands in his pockets, looking sheepish for eavesdropping on the mother-son pair.

He strutted towards them while rubbing the back of his neck as he muttered, "I've put Alpha Nick to sleep, but he's got nightmares. I think we won't be able to get work done today. Anyway, did ya have a nice talk?"

May rolled her eyes, but a small smile graced her face. Gerard looked at May as they mind-linked each other about something. Mason just stood there, observing them. After what seemed like an hour, though it was just a few minutes, Gerard nodded as if he had come to a conclusion and in all seriousness, turned to fully face Mason.

Mason took in the stance of his mother and the Beta and had a feeling that their confession hadn't ended here. He would have to listen to more stories.

May began, "Mason there is another thing that we would like to tell you about. About today, and why Alpha Nick behaves as such during this day."

Gerard chimed in, "Since you've grown up and since this is a day of confessions and exchanging heartfelt feelings, I think you should know this one more thing."

"Alpha Nicholas has a male mate."