Sean couldn't breathe as he held the little boy close to his chest and looked to Mark. He didn't know how Mark would react and it worried him. He had claimed it would mean nothing... but would he say that now that it was confirmed. Nathan seemed just as worried. Gulping, Nathan took a step back from Mark like he wanted to be out of his reach. Mark grabbed his wrist to keep him close though, his face expressionless. Mark's mother exhaled, starting to pace the room a bit as she mumbled out to herself. "I knew it... Great. Now we have a scandal on our hands..." Noah rocked the sleepy grey puppy in his arms, telling everyone in a calm clear voice. "Let's all take a deep breath and think about this. It's not a scandal unless we make it one." Mark's mom stopped short, whirling on Noah as she snapped out in a hushed tone. "His Second slept with his mate, Noah! That isn't right! What is the Pack going to think?!" Noah rolled his eyes, snapping back calmly. "They are young! He wasn't Mark's mate until recently. The Pack knows that. You know how many accident puppies we get during every new generations first Heat. It's more normal than you think." Mat nodded, slipping in timidly. "That's true."

Mark's mom pointed a stern finger at Mat, snapping out angrily. "Stay out of this!" Mat cowered from her, inching behind the baby bins. Pointing her finger next at Noah, she turned her anger on him as she retorted. "That's not the point! The Alpha is held to higher standards, Noah! You know that! He'll never hear the end of this! Now people will think that his mate has his Second on the side! A fucking City Wolf!" Nathan tensed up, his eyes averting from Mark's mom to keep from glaring at her. Sean was going to say something, but she told Noah a bit darkly. "Pack law says that if the pup isn't the Alpha's, then they are to be kicked from the Pack along with the offending sire!" Sean gasped, shifting on the bed as he blurted out in a panic. "No! You can't do that!" She ignored Sean, while Noah shot back at her through a low growl. "You'll weaken this Pack if you do that. And if you touch my son or his pup, I'll-" Mark's powerful voice barked out to cut them off. "ENOUGH!" Sean hugged his puppy closer to his neck to protect it, watching Mark look at them all in turn with a guarded expression. Then giving a shrug, he asked them bluntly. "Don't you wanna know what I think?"

Nathan tried to twist his wrist free from Mark's grip, until Mark told him firmly without looking at him. "Stop it, Nate." Nathan stopped but shifted on his feet uncomfortably. Staring his mom down, he told her calmly. "I understand why that law exists. But Sean didn't just have a single pup and the circumstances behind this puppy... I know he didn't do it to hurt me. Our relationship was complicated. Sean is young. He can have more. He gave me two beautiful little girls. An Alpha protects his own and Sean is one of MY Pack members. His puppies were born in OUR Pack. He's not going anywhere." Mark's mom turned to face him; her voice softer when she tried to explain to him. "Mark, listen to me. You may see it that way. But from now on, everyone is going to think he is cheating on you with HIM! Other Packs will question your lineage!" Mark tossed up his arms, stating out logically. "My lineage means nothing! I became Alpha because I was taught to be one and worked hard for it! I didn't get it because my dad was Alpha. There is a good chance my pups will NEVER become the next Alpha. And I'm ok with that. The Pack can say whatever they want... but I know Sean. If we run into problems... I'll handle it. But I'm not going to punish him for a crime he hasn't done."

His mom bowed her head in disappointment, before grumbling out. "Fine. Don't say that I didn't warn you. However, if you plan to head down this road. Then here is my advice." Straightening up, she told him with a sour look. "Give up the male to the sire. Denounce him as your son and your mate's pup." Sean's jaw dropped, shaking his head as he belted out. "NO! I... Mark?!" Noah moved to stand protectively by Sean, asking awestruck. "Why would you say that?" Mark's mom raised a hand to stop Noah, rushing in as nicely as she could. "I'm trying to think of that pup's health. Think of how the other pups are going to treat him for being a bastard. If Mark and Sean denounce him now and give him to the sire, he'll have a better life." Noah growled, while Nathan stammered out. "I can't raise a pup! I'm a Beta! I don't know the first thing about pup rearing! That's Omega territory! The pup won't last a day with me!" Mark's mom glared at Nathan, stating out emotionlessly. "Then you should have thought about that before mounting Sean." Nathan growled out loudly as he moved toward her. "Why you son of a-!" Mark's mom cowered from him, but Mark yanked Nathan back by his wrist with a louder snarl to stop him.

Nathan winced under Mark's influence but growled back at him lightly. Mark then turned to his mother, telling her in a calm tone of voice. "The pup stays with Sean. It needs an Omega. It's too young to be without one. You know that." She inhaled deeply, shrugging out. "Then find a surrogate Omega to care of it. I don't care. But get rid of it now before you get attached to it." Nathan jerked his head in her direction, snarling out through clenched teeth. "IT?" Mark growled, forcing Nathan to calm himself, but told his mother gently. "Mom, I can't do that. I'm an Alpha. When it comes to the rights of Omegas that falls to the Luna. MY Luna." Mark's mom sighed heavily, locking eyes with Mark when she told him seriously. "He won't give up that pup. You will have to take it from him. You know I'm not pulling your chain. This is for that pup's own good. He will never be accepted as yours." Mark shrugged, answering so docilly. "He's not mine. But that doesn't mean I don't want him." Mark finally released Nathan, moving closer to his mom as he told her. "I don't care if the world doesn't accept him. A family doesn't stop at blood. A family is made up of people that love you no matter what. People that care what happens to you."

Standing tall, Mark added in a voice that gave Sean goosebumps. "You raised me to believe all pups are mine because I protect them like I'd protect my own. When pups get lost or rejected by parents, they come to ME. And I find them a home. I take them home. If you think I can't do that after everything I have done... After everything you've raised me to believe... Then here." Mark turned to face Noah, waving him away to take the pup from Sean's arms. Sean clung to the pup, whining out. "Mark, no! Please! Stop!" Mark nestled the pup in his good arm, then walked up to his mother. Standing just as tall, he told her in a calm firm voice. "Take him from me. But ask yourself... would you have given up ME if I hadn't been my dad's son? If your mother wanted YOU to do this. Would you have given me up? If your answer is yes... Then take him from me." Sean crawled from the blankets to shakily rest on all fours as he watched them. Every fiber of him wanted to snatch his puppy back. His mom swallowed and slowly reached out to take the pup with shaking hands. She avoided Mark's eyes, looking only at the pup as she carefully went to lift him from Mark's protective embrace.

The pup whined softly, and Sean started to get up, but Noah put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Mark's mom hesitated, her eyes locking with the puppy's. The puppy sniffed her wrist, his little tail wagging. Her arms flexed like she was going to take it, but her stony expression broke into one of a loving mother. Sniffling, she released the pup, bowing her head as she told him in a broken voice. "I can't... Mark... I'm just... I just don't want you to..." Turning slightly, Mark let Sean take the puppy back, before hugging his mom. Kissing his mom's cheek, he told her in a deep soothing voice. "I know. But I can't make everyone happy... So, I'm not going to try. I have to do this my way, mom. I can live with the consequences of this decision." His mom snuggled into his chest, mumbling to him. "When did you grow up so fast?" Mark hugged her tight, until Noah set the grey puppy in the baby bin and tried to separate her from Mark. Pulling her away, he told her warmly. "Come on. Let's go for a little walk and calm down. Ok?" Mark's mom was reluctant, but she sniffled and nodded. Noah gave Sean a reassuring look, before escorting her out and talking to her in a more understanding tone. Sean hoped that she'd come around, but he left that to his dad to figure out how to calm her fears.

Once they were gone, Nathan cautiously asked them. "So... What are we going to do? Where do we stand?" Mark slowly turned to face him, taking a deep breath before shrugging out calmly. "After everything that happened... I'm just glad they are healthy and alive." Nathan relaxed a little but looked to Sean. Sean hugged the puppy to his chest, giving Nate a warm smile. Mark broke the growing silence between them to propose lightly. "The way I see it... You aren't set up to care for a puppy right now. I am. I have a house that my father bought for us. Sean and I can raise and care for him... Either until you become more settled, or until the pup is old enough to decide for himself." Nathan nodded a bit sadly, uttering out. "That's fair." In a gentle tone, Mark gestured to a chair and asked Nathan nicely. "Can you take a seat for a minute?" Nathan cautiously moved to sit in the seat, his nervous eyes locked on Mark. Mark then took a seat on the hospital bed and gave Sean a look that Sean understood. Easing off the bed, Mark stayed close in case he staggered, but allowed Sean to approach Nathan as he said sweetly. "Here. You wanna hold your son?"

Nathan scooted back in the chair from Sean, his eyes darting to Mark like this was a trap. Chuckling, Mark put a hand on Nathan's shoulder to calm him. Carefully accepting his puppy, Nathan held him like Sean showed him. The puppy yawned, showing off tiny sharp canine's and such a tiny pink tongue that prompted a smile from Nathan. Touching the pup so lightly like he was made of glass, Nathan whispered almost to himself. "He's so small..." Sean rubbed the puppy's silky ears, coaxing a tiny playful whine from him. The pup's fingers curled around Nathan's finger, pulling it to his mouth to press his teeth on him before closing his eyes with soft purrs. Nathan chuckled, leaning in to brush his cheek against the puppy's. The puppy leaned against him, sniffing him before licking Nathan's badly bruised cheek. If it hurt, no one could tell beyond Nathan's blissful smile. Biting his lip a little, Sean asked him coolly. "You've never held a puppy before. Have you?" Nathan shook his head, but never looked away from the pup. He was so enraptured by him. Touching his nose to the pup's, the puppy's tail wagged excitedly. When Sean looked up to see Mark's reaction, he was shocked to see that he wasn't watching anymore.

Scanning the room for him, Sean smiled when he saw him. Mark was standing before the puppy bins and loving up on his own little girls. Mat stood near Mark, but his eyes were on Nathan with an almost longing look. Sean could imagine how he felt. There was something so powerful about seeing Alphas and Betas with young pups. For how rough and tough they usually were... They looked like pups themselves now. So eager to play and snuggle with the tiny pups. Feeling like he wanted this to be special for Nathan, Sean asked him softly. "What do you want to name him?" Nathan finally looked up from the pup with wide eyes, stammering out. "You want me to...? Are you sure? I mean, don't the Omegas name them?" Sean shook his head, telling him sweetly. "The sires can name them too. This is your first pup. I wanna know what you'll call him." Nathan's eyes drifted back down to the pup; his expression lost in thought. Then after a long moment, he whispered out. "Simon." Sean mulled over the name, before telling him. "I like Simon." Nathan blushed, whispering it to the pup and watching the pup's eyes widen as his tail sped up.

Getting up slowly, Sean moved over to Mark. Mat tried to be discreet as he inched away from Mark to stand closer to Nathan. Mark rubbed Pepper's belly, listening to her snore. While he let the little grey pup hold the fingers of his hurt arm. The grey pup held them close, licking them repeatedly over and over. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Sean asked him. "Well... I named Pepper. So... What do you wanna call her?" Mark chuckled, telling him playfully. "She's going to lick my fingerprints off at this rate. Doesn't that tongue ever go dry?" Sean grinned but didn't say anything. After a minute a two, Mark asked almost reluctantly. "Timothea?" Sean blinked, tilting his head a bit as he asked cautiously. "Did you make that up?" Mark snorted, admitting through a blush. "No... I... I like the name Tim. But she's a she. So... The only female version of that is Timothea. It's rare and light sounding. If you don't like it-" Sean stopped him, honestly blurting out. "I didn't say that. I like it. I was just... curious why you picked it. That's all." Leaning over her, Sean said it aloud to himself. "Timothea. It suits her."

Timothea stopped mid lick to stare up at them with one big light brown eye and one bright blue eye. A smile tugging at the corners of her tiny muzzle before she continued to lick Mark's fingers. Reaching in to lift her out, Sean chuckled out to Mark. "I think she's hungry." Mark rubbed his wet fingers on his shirt, mumbling out. "Ya. I get that impression too." Mat rushed over, telling them excitedly. "I'll go get some formula for them." Sean thanked him, then snuggled with Timothea on the hospital bed. The loud sounds of Pepper snoring making Mark and Nathan laugh. For such a small thing, she was a noisy sleeper. Clearing his throat, Mark blushed out. "No idea where she gets it from." Sean rolled his eyes, listening to Nathan laugh. When Mat returned, he held the door open for Noah and Mark's mom to enter. Then kept it open to allow Sean's mom to enter on crutches. His mom looked tired but excitedly told Sean. "I wanna see my grandpuppies! They're cute?" As she reached the bed, she saw Timothea and cooed out. "Awww, they're adorable." Timothea's tail wagged excitedly as Lauren reached out to rub her belly. Noah helped Mat get some bottles prepped, telling her. "Do you see, Lauren? That little girl has Heterochromia eyes. Isn't it pretty?"

Lauren nodded, purring out to Sean. "You are going to have your hands full with them." Sean grinned, shrugging out. "I'm sure you'll help me." His mom laughed, then asked their names. Together they helped feed them and Mark bonded with his mom as she showed him how to wake and feed Pepper. To Be Continued...