Sean opened up about trying to get Nathan to join the Pack and how they went about it. Resulting in him being told to give them space. When he finished, he stopped working on the food to ask his mom in a meek undertone. "Am I being stupid? I should be happy they are talking it out, right...? I just... Why does it upset me...?" His mom picked up the cutting board to slide the bits of chicken into the pot, before saying a little cautiously. "Well... Maybe you heart and head don't see it the same way." Sean blinked, asking perplexed. "What?" His mom smirked, then told him calmly. "Logically, you are happy that they are willing to talk things out. That's a good thing. Especially, between an Alpha and Beta with... tension. From my experience, what Nathan is doing is very personal. Leaving everything you know to join a Pack that is full of different rules and family structures... It's a lot to take in." Touching his shoulder, she added with a warm smile. "Maybe he didn't want to look weak in front of you. He didn't want to ask questions on things he doesn't understand... and ruin how you see him." Sean rolled his eyes, lightly growling out. "Why would that matter? After what we've done together..."

He looked at his mom, who raised an eyebrow with an amused look. He straightened up more, prompting her to snicker out. "It's a Beta and Alpha thing. We like to pretend that we have the answers to everything. We would rather have people thinking that we are fighting it out, than talking it out. It's..." While she tried to think of the words, Sean blurted out. "Stupid? Annoying? Pointless? Why bother at all with the charade if it's all just an act?" His mom exhaled heavily, causing him to bite his lip. Had he gone too far? He always tended to forget that she was a Beta. His mom stirred the broth a moment, then tried to correct him by saying. "It's not stupid to us. We... We have a job. We do it. If we look..." Turning to face him, she started again and said a bit more confidently. "Parents. Parents protect their kids by keeping them from seeing the true horrors of the world. If a kid doesn't feel safe, then they never learn how to have fun. How to enjoy the little things in life. They would hide. Parents never show how vulnerable they are because puppies need to feel safe. Alphas and Betas are the parents of the Pack. We protect and keep you safe. We can't show weakness. Especially to those we love. When things go wrong... we want you to rely on US. We stand our ground. We are hope. We are safety. But if Omegas don't believe that... Then we don't."

Sean thought about that, while his mom reluctantly told him in a low voice. "Our comfort is keeping the ones we love safe. From the moment our scents come in... We play rougher. We become possessive and aggressive. We settle things by fighting. We don't share. We hide our weaknesses. We rise to challenges and always think about how to survive and win. It's all training. To prepare us for fighting the enemy and protecting the things we love. That is what we want you to see. And in moments when we fail... and we don't feel good enough or strong enough to do what we are trained to do... That is when we need YOU. Family. Friends." She touched the underside of his jaw, leaning in closer to look him in the eyes better before whispering to him lovingly. "Now that you are older. Maybe you'll understand it better... They aren't doing this to hurt you. Or shut you out, puppy. They are doing this so that you keep the faith in them." Sean rolled his eyes, mumbling out. "They don't have lie to me... I'm not a puppy anymore." She smirked, kissing his forehead, before telling him warmly. "No, you're not anymore. But one day when you have puppies of your own, you'll understand. You can get older all you want... but you'll always be my puppy. And in their case... You'll always be someone to protect."

Letting him go, she went back to stirring the pot, before saying openly. "I think what scares you isn't that they are getting so close. It's that you feel like once again Mark is pushing you away from the big dog's table. You don't want to feel like you can't play with them. And it is understandable... but sometimes... you've got to let the boys be boys. You know what I mean?" Sean shrugged, mumbling out innocently. "He can do those things with me. I can play rough." His mom smirked without looking at him, but he saw it. When she finally looked away from the pot, she told him gently. "He will do things with you. But some things... He would never take the risk if it meant hurting you. I know you think you can play rough with him... but people get hurt. I've broken so many bones due to accidents from playing too rough with others. But we get hurt and bounce back to be friends and think nothing of it. But if you get hurt... Emotionally, I don't think you could bounce back like that." Sean puffed his chest up, stating out defensively. "I could! I got Nathan off Mark in our backyard! I deal with the Omegas harassing me daily! I am-" Sean stopped talking when his mom held up a hand nicely to signal him to stop.

Giving him a small smile, she very gently told him. "You caught Nathan by surprise that day. And dealing with the Omegas is not the same... Honey, you held a grudge against Mark for YEARS. I was worried that you'd tear his throat out whenever you saw him again. You used that pain to push yourself harder to be something that you are not..." Sean bowed his head, feeling the stab of pain from her words. Even for as gently as she had said them, he didn't want to believe them. Putting her hands on his arms, she lovingly told him with gentle eyes. "Sweetheart... I love you exactly the way you are. I know you are strong and fast. You are smart and you are kind. You make me so proud to be your mother. But you don't need to be the best at everything. I want you to be happy. And trying to compete with Mark and the other Alphas and Betas... It's never made you happy. It's only caused you pain." Sean sniffled, causing his mom to cup his face and tell him in a strong motherly voice. "I was so scared that you'd gotten hurt. When I saw Mark's condition... and Nathan's... Hearing what you did. How brave and strong you were. Sweetheart... You are already so special. You don't have to be more. Being you is enough."

Tears started to run down Sean's face, when he shuffled his feet and mumbled out. "I was stupid... I almost got Mark killed... And I was so scared..." His mother brushed his tears away with her thumbs, bringing her face closer to his to tell him so proudly. "You are a lot of things, Sean. Stupid is NOT one of them. A stupid person never would have made it out of there alive. You saw something in Nathan. Something no one else saw. And despite what he could have done to help his Pack... He turned on them to save you and Mark. You all got out of there alive because you didn't panic. You didn't give up. You kept fighting." She kissed his forehead, then rubbed her head against his as she added in a beautiful voice that calmed Sean and made him feel safe. "You won't win every fight. You can't predict what will happen. All you can do sometimes is take a risk and commit to it. You sacrifice everything for survival. For those you care about... because it is better to go out fighting, than to do nothing. And you did that. You didn't roll over and wait to be saved. You fought for it. And your strength gave THEM strength. Because if YOU could do it, then they knew they could. I'm so proud of you."

She pulled him into a hug, and he hugged her back as tightly as he could. She rubbed his hair and the back of his neck, before chuckling to him. "You are so much like me sometimes that it is scary... So... For my sanity. You're grounded." Sean started to laugh, hugging her close as his tears turned to tears of joy. He felt her exhale a deep breath, before sweetly telling him. "I'm serious. You're never leaving this house until my heart recovers from the stress. Grown man or not, I don't care." She pulled from him, ruffling his hair and adding lightly. "Have you showered? You smell funny." Sean blushed, debating whether to tell her or not. Turning slightly, he added a few things to the pot to finish it off with a distant look. Then after his mom snuck a quick taste test, she told him excitedly. "Mmm, so good. You're making extra for us, right? Cause this is torture! You were making food for us before HIM. And because of him, I've been without! It's not fair! I miss it. I want you to make me meals too." She tried to scoop some out into a bowl, but he stopped her and chuckled out. "No! Stop it. This is for Mark. He's not eating." She rolled her eyes, telling him swiftly. "And that's my problem? You're making it in my pots with my food. Let him get his own."

His mom took the spoon back from him, snapping out. "Right, Noah! Tell him to share!" Sean turned to argue with his dad, but his dad wasn't there. Whirling back around, he saw his mom trying to swallow a mouthful of soup. Swatting her arm, he slammed the lid on the pot and barked out playfully. "Hey!" His mom covered her mouth to chew and chuckled. Sean swiped the spoon from her, then shoved her lightly. Sean quickly tried to find a container to put the soup in, when his dad asked from the hallway now. "Alright, what's going on?" Sean swatted his mom's hands away when she tried to reach for the lid, prompting Sean to squeal out. "Dad! Help! She's trying to eat Mark's lunch!" His dad finished rubbing a towel over his hair, then tossed it onto a chair before racing over. However, instead of grabbing his wife... He grabbed Sean. Sean squealed as his dad wrapped his arms around him and pulled him away from the pot. Tugging and trying to wiggle free, Sean yelped out. "No! Don't!" His mom rushed over to them and together they tickled him, until he practically screamed out. "I'll make more!" Releasing him, his dad kissed his wife, before asking curiously. "That good, huh?"

His mom nodded, gesturing to the pot as she said with a sly smirk. "Ya. He hasn't lost his touch." His dad walked over to the pot and Sean rushed over, giggling out breathlessly. "No! Stop tasting it!" This time his mom grabbed him and held him back as his dad tasted a little of it. Nodding, his dad uttered out. "That's good." Sean growled as he twisted in his mom's arms. Laughing she released him and told him calmly. "Honey, use the plastic bowl with the snap on lid in there." Sean rushed up to slam the lid back on the pot, then rushed to the cabinet to snatch the bowl. His dad merely shrugged, huffing out. "What? We would leave him a spoonful. You can't make the kitchen smell this good and leave us hungry. Take pity on us. We were up all night." Filling the bowl with soup, Sean rolled his eyes as his parents tried to give him puppy eyes over his shoulders with soft whines. It was the same face he pulled as a kid to get cookies when his dad baked. He tried to ignore them but found himself chuckling. Snapping the lid on the bowl, Sean groaned out to them. "Fine! The rest is yours, you scavengers!" They thanked him, huddling around the pot with spoons to eat right from the pot like they were starving.

Briefly turning, his mom asked him. "Do you want me to drive you back?" Sean shook his head, leaning back into the kitchen to state out playfully. "No, thank you. I can drive myself. I need this bowl to get there in one piece." His dad chuckled, calling out in return. "The bowl would. There would just be nothing in it..." He heard his parents laugh, causing him to smirk. They told him to drive safe and just as he was leaving, he heard his dad ask his mom innocently. "So? What did you talk about? He looked better." Sean snorted quickly, closing the door behind him. Upon making his way to the car though, he cursed. All the chaos with the food had made him forget to tell his mom about being pregnant. Groaning, he decided to wait. She was just as distracted by his food. He'd wait until she was calmer and rested. Climbing back into the car, he pulled out and drove himself back. Hugging the bowl to his chest, he walked in to hear people yelling about something. The hospital staff was trying to separate people and calm people down. No one was at the main desk. So, Sean snuck around to head for Mark's room. There he found where all the yelling was coming from.

Outside Mark's door, the Zetas were arguing about what was right and wrong with something that had been said. While Doctors were trying to encourage them to leave and fight about this outside the hospital when Mark was better. In all the commotion, Sean managed to slip into the door to Mark's room. He couldn't believe he had gone unnoticed, but there was so much noise and pushing going on in the hallway. Closing the door to dull the sound, Sean's attention went to Mark and Nathan. Nathan was sitting in a chair with his legs propped up on Mark's bed. He was holding an ice pack with a cloth to his bleeding nose. While Mark chuckled out to him. "Did he really tell you that I'd break your nose?" Nate chuckled out in return. "Ya..." Sean's shoulders fell, when he blurted out to them. "Guys...? What happened?" Mark looked at him, showing off a split lip, when he said calmly like nothing was wrong. "Everything is fine. We're good." Sean stomped forward, growling out unimpressed. "Right... Did you hit him?" Nathan laughed to himself, then informed him casually. "No. His dad did. They came to take me away. And after some good news... he punched me. Then Mark stepped in and the doctor 'accidently' elbowed Mark in the face... Before getting everyone to calm down. Just a typical morning."

Sean set the bowl on the edge of the bed, asking Nathan a little worried. "Why did he hit you? What did you say to them?" Mark gave him a genuine smile, before answering for him. "They came for him and I told my dad that Nathan was here as my Beta. Apparently, he didn't like that answer and punched Nate." Sean inhaled deeply, mumbling under his breath. "Great..." Sean was going to scold Mark a bit, until his words sank in, and he asked a little excited. "Wait...? You let Nathan join? Even after...?" Mark's fingers crept across the bed to discreetly take the bowl from him, replying openly. "Ya. The news was... surprising. But Nathan made a fine case for himself, and I agree with you. We'd be a fool to let a strong guy like him go. My father thinks I'm being reckless and manipulated... but... I believe Nathan. We still have things to work out, but we'll address those at a later date." Sean nodded, feeling relieved by the news. Only to blush, when Mark popped off the lid to the bowl and took a long sniff. Sean started to remove a spoon, but Mark just tilted the bowl to drink and eat it that way. He hadn't realized how much people liked it when he cooked, but he was happy they liked it.

Walking over to Nate, Sean carefully pulled the ice pack from his nose to look at it. Nathan winced, grumbling out as he relaxed his head back. "How bad is it? I can only smell blood. And my head is killing me." Noticing that it was still bleeding, Sean told him honestly. "He hit you good. But it doesn't look broken. You'll probably be bruised though. How is your arm?" Nate shifted his arm that was in a sling, mumbling out. "Stings. I knocked the cast good when I fell. He's lucky... If I had been able to use both my arms... I could have taken him." Sean shook his head, informing them both coolly with a small smile. "Can you two stop picking fights and recover? We have a lot of work todo." Mark lowered his bowl with a chuckle and Nathan laughed. Sean could only keep his smile. He felt like he did understand Betas and Alphas a bit better now. To Be Continued...