Jaden wasn't that easy to take care of. Somehow, Scarlet was easier to deal with, even if she had some weird power over him.
Nate knew the little girl was just exploiting him for her purposes, but that made their afternoons interesting and void of tantrums. She would ask for anything she could come up with, and he would provide her with that. It was the perfect way to spoil her rotten and ruin all the hard work Lara had put into Scarlet's education, but he didn't know any better. It was stronger than him, especially if that little beast called him daddy with a fake, innocent expression.
Jaden was different, though. He considered anything coming from Nate suspicious and dangerous.
The only few times Jaden would lower his guard were rather weird...
«I know what to do!» Nate realised, observing the boy playing with puzzles. Scarlet liked that kind of game, too, but not as much as Jaden.
He should have realised earlier that the pups liked learning more than anything else. For some reason, they didn't think of asking Lara that often.
In the end, Nate could use that news and find a better position for himself in his future family. If he could prove to Jaden some utility, the little boy would accept him.
It was a plan worth sweating for, all in all.
«I am hungry,» Jaden complained, tossing the finished puzzle away.
Nate clenched the armrests not to jump in search of food. That blond little thing was not Scarlet. He wouldn't gain any points by being too eager to help.
«What would you like to eat?» Nate asked, instead, wracking his brain in search of something... interesting? Novelties would easily impress Jaden, but only if they had something to learn.
In the end, he couldn't come up with any good ideas. He let Jack feed the pup while finishing his job and getting ready for the afternoon. Only with his tummy filled, Jaden relaxed on the sofa and observed the surroundings with slumber getting visible in his expression.
«Oh, no,» Nate said, getting up and offering his hand to Jaden. «No sleeping. You need to be tired enough to sleep at night. I don't want your mother to lose her patience because you can't close your eyes!»
Jaden pouted, but he agreed with Nate. Even though he had never made trouble for his mommy. He was a good boy who would pretend to sleep when he wasn't in the mood. Especially because it meant being hugged by his mommy for longer: he could cuddle in her scent and warmth without losing any detail.
«Let's go to a nice place,» Nate offered, and Jaden shrugged.
No choice there, right? He was at that man's mercy, and he had to follow him around until dinner time when he could go back to his mommy.
It turned out he was brought to a weird and coloured place.
Nate was carrying Jaden in the amusement park, looking at the few attractions suitable for a kid his age. Most of them were boring by just looking from afar.
When they reached one with a short line, Nate smirked and bought the tickets.
«What is this?» Jaden asked, gripping his shirt tighter while bending forward to peek inside.
«It's a surprise,» Nate whispered.
The hat fell from the little one's head, and Nate caught it midair.
«Pay attention to this, Jaden. You might release your ears without noticing.»
«How do you know?» Jaden muttered. It didn't happen too often without his knowledge, and his mommy would always sigh in awe and hug or kiss him.
«It's a family condition. Some of us lose control over our ears... Not all, but I guess you were unlucky to get this from me.»
«Why aren't you wearing any hat?»
«Because I'm an adult and learned how to control it,» Nate replied. He bit his tongue before adding: most of the time. He still had a few occasions where it would happen against his will. Oh, the last time he lost control was totally by his will.
It had been the night of the Black Moon when he managed to get a hug from Lara. He knew his ears would appear, and he didn't fight it because he felt like it would bring him an advantage. And it did.
«Will I also learn?» Jaden asked.
«Yes, of course.»
«Will you teach me?»
«That's my job, Jaden. I will teach you and Scarlet everything you need to know to be better wolves.»
«Since you appeared, Scarlet is better,» Jaden admitted.
His sister was calmer, and she worked so hard to follow Nate's suggestions. Even if she would never admit it, she was learning from that man. Could Jaden take the risk and snatch a trick or two? Nate could even get distracted and reveal to him how to get his mommy's attention even more!
«How?» he asked.
«It's early now, Jaden. Even though my kids are precocious...»
«What does it mean?»
«You do things earlier than planned.»
«Like what?»
«Showing claws at the age of five... No, wait, at the age of four, maybe even three. You also are very sensitive to the moon and are as territorial as some adults. It's not very common: most kids don't protect their mother from their father.»
«Are you sure that's not normal? Anyone loving their mommy should protect her.»
«The father, usually, loves the mother as well.»
«I don't care about that. We could live without you before, and you want our mommy all to yourself. I can't trust you, Nate.»
«Nate?»
«I can't call you as Scarlet does,» he pointed out with a slight pout.
«Let's go play,» Nate said, crossing the door to the attraction. He was sure Jaden would loosen up as soon as his eyes could see something new.
He let Jaden on the floor and held that soft little hand while walking forward.
The pup's wide eyes and open mouth, his expression lost in amazement, all repaid Nate of any difficulty he had during that long day.
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