Page 102 of Home: Posy 5

It wasn't too long after I fed and changed Rosebud that Mase called me into his office. I watched him go into Papa Bear mode when Bridger broke down, and I let out a sad sigh.

Damn. Posy was right. This kid's in pain up to his eyeballs.

Mate is always right, Sid purred, and I rolled my eyes at him.

We'd first thought about sending Bridger to Emerson and Angelo, but their house was going to explode at the seams if we sent any more strays their way. They would have welcomed him, but as Posy had pointed out, Bridger needed some intense one-on-one time with a parental figure.

Especially now that Rosebud is in the picture,I thought to myself.

When Bridger demanded to hold her, I had him sit down again.

"Have you held a pup before?" I asked.

"No. Never." His puffy, reddened eyes widened.

"Most important rule, dude: Support her head. Her neck isn't strong enough to hold her head up yet, so you have to do it. Don't let it bounce around or flop back, okay?"

"Okay. Um, how old is she again?"

"She was born four days ago," Mase told him.

"Is she okay? She's not hurt or sick or anything, is she?"

"No. She's perfectly fine."

Bridger nodded as I laid the little pup in the cradle of his arms.

"What's her name?" he whispered, never taking his eyes off her.

"I've been calling her Rosebud," I piped up with a grin.

Mase shot me a look, and I rolled my eyes. He didn't want me to get attached to the pup because he was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it when Bridger left with her.

"She doesn't have a name," he told Bridger. "Brynn died a few hours after she was born. That's when Alpha Quake started looking for you since you're her only living relative."

"How did he know to look forme?" he asked. "I mean, he knew she came from Five Fangs, so it makes sense he came here, but how did he know to ask for me specifically?

"Brynn's diary. After she died, he searched for anything to identify the baby's father." Mase cracked a small smile, something heneverwould have done in public even a couple of months ago. "She looks just like you except that red hair. That's all her mother."

"Yeah, it is." Bridger nodded, and one tear streaked down his cheek to drip off of his chin and land on the pup's forehead. He carefully wiped it off with his thumb. "She smells so good. I can't explain it."

He looked up at me as if I had all the answers, and I guessed I did. Well, at least more answers than he did. Any time Mom and Dad had a pup, I was right there ready to hold him and learn how to take care of him.

"New baby smell." I smiled. "It's there to help you and your wolf bond quickly with her. We can smell it, too, but to a lesser degree. Enjoy it while it lasts. It'll be gone in a couple of weeks."

"Um, alpha? I don't know anything about taking care of a baby."

"You can learn." I shrugged. "Do you want to?"

"Yes. I want to learn how to take care of my daughter," he said firmly, no doubt evident anywhere in his eyes.

"So you're going to keep her? You don't want us to find a family to adopt her?" I confirmed, already knowing the answer.

"No one is taking my pup from me," he growled. "I love her already. I will never, ever give her up."

"You understand this is a huge responsibility," Mase said. "This is going to change your whole world, and you need to change with it and grow up fast. No more shoplifting or pick-pocketing. No more disturbing the peace or vandalism. You can't take care of her from jail."

"I'll behave, alpha," he frowned. "I won't do that shit anymore."

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