*****

*Corey*

"Joe." I smiled as I walked into his office. I chuckled when he looked up to glare at me from where he sat behind his large desk.

"Where are my kids?" He asked.

I tilted my head at how he referred to them. "Does Trent count as a kid? Kaden's with his family and Jay's mom is checking for injuries, but she won't find any because Izabella gave Jay some of her blood and –" I shut the door behind me knowing his office was soundproof as he began to look back down to the papers in front of him, "Jayden's father is actually dead." I said.

Joe paused lifting his eyes back to me. "What?" He asked.

"Yeah... Jayden doesn't know this so don't tell him but he killed the bastard. I think they got into some kind of fight and maybe Jayden just lost it or something, but when we got there only Jayden was breathing. We didn't tell him because Kade said it would be best if Jay doesn't know he did it."

"Jayden killed Chris...?" He muttered staring into nowhere before he snapped out of it, "Are you sure he doesn't know?" He looked at me.

"Yes. I told him I did it, he didn't seem too shaken about it. He actually... he didn't really react." I said.

"Oh... I'll talk to him about it. You never know with that boy." He shook his head.

"Uh..." I cleared my throat.

"What is it, Corey?"

It wasn't my place, but I knew Joe really cared about Jayden, he had to know...

"Uh... Jay's nightmares... Did you ever think it was about something other than his father?" I asked.

"Of course..." He said, "When I asked he never denied it, but he never told me what it was about either. He just always smiled and told me he was tired at the times I've asked in the past," he gave a dry chuckle, "So I let him sleep." He said. "Why? Did he tell you?"

I opened my mouth but the door swung open.

"I'm back!" Jayden walked in but paused as he saw me, his eyes narrowing as they met mine, "What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously.

"Lovely seeing you too, Mate." I rolled my eyes.

"Mate?" Joe spoke.

"I told you what happened with the wishes, remember?" I replied.

"Oh, right. Right. Where is Rita?" Joe looked at me before he turned to Jay, "Clara's looking for you,"

"I'll be right back, I'll go find her." Jayden smiled as he left, shutting the door behind him.

"Rita's being held hostage by Trent," I said.

"That makes sense," Joe laughed but it stopped instantly, "You better not be messing with him, Corey. He has been through a lot and has enough to deal with besides a mate that is only going to make him unhappy or hurt him further." Joe's voice was cold as he stared at me.

"Actually, Joe. Changing our wishes was our own idea and I wouldn't have done it if I thought I couldn't eventually be with Jayden. I mean, at first I was angry... But we hung out on this trip... and maybe I like him a little more than I show... I'm not completely sure about all of this yet, I'm still confused but I know I'm happy he's my mate now and that's not going to change... Really." I said.

He gave a smile. "Good. Because if you hurt him I will kill you." He said

"I know, you should." The reply made him chuckle.

"Trent must be pretty happy."

"Oh, he is. He literally won't leave her alone." I joked as the door swung open and Jayden walked in with Clara on his back.

"Daddy! Here's Jay!" Clara hugged Jayden's neck tightly, it looked like he was suffocating and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah! There he is, honey!" Joe replied very enthusiastically.

"Make me some ice cream, Jay?" Clara asked.

"No sweets, Clara," Joe said.

"Ice cream isn't sweets." Jayden and Clara said at the same time, both looking at Joe like he had said something outrageous. Joe frowned at them but sighed.

"Fine. Get some ice cream." He said, defeated.

I chuckled as Jayden let Clara down and told her to go get started because he had to speak to us about something for just a moment, she left and he looked at us as the door closed once again.

"So, uh... What were you talking about before I walked in earlier?" Jayden asked.

"Your father." I said honestly, "Your nightmares."

"What about my nightmares?" A slight feeling of alarm coursed through me from Jayden as he looked at me

"He didn't tell me anything if that's what you're getting at. I think he's leaving that to you. So, Jay, what does Corey know that I do not?" Joe asked.

I watched as Jayden swallowed nervously. "Uh, nothing, really. Just basic nonsense." The answer made my jaw tighten.

"It's not 'basic nonsense', Jayden," I said.

"Yeah, well I didn't tell you about it because I wanted you to go telling everyone else, Corey."

"No, you told me because you're terrified and haunted," I said. He looked taken aback but didn't deny it. "Now if you aren't going to tell me who did it, at least tell Joe, Jayden." He was Alpha and cared so much about Jayden, he had to know. He would help.

My mate just shook his head.

"Who did what? What did they do, Jayden?" Joe asked straightening in his seat as concern overtook him.

"Nothing," Jayden said through grit teeth as he glared at me. I hated how betrayed he looked but did not regret saying something about it.

"Jay –" Joe began.

"Nothing, okay?" Jayden said to the Alpha before looking back to me, "I lied. I lied to see what you'd do. I lied to see how you'd react, to see if you would care. It was just my father, no one else. I honestly just wanted to see your reaction." He shrugged. Did I believe him? No. But before I could say anything he continued, "It was only a lie. Now, I'm going to help Clara with her ice cream." He nodded before he left.

I stared at the door running over his words. He was lying... or was he? He couldn't possibly have made it up just to see my reaction... Could he? No. Those nightmares, the emotion when he was talking about it, the fear when we were together. I felt all of it. It wasn't a lie. He could not fake that.

"Tell me what that was about, Corey," Joe spoke snapping me out of my thoughts. I moved my gaze back to his and shook my head.

"I can't tell you." Jayden did not want that...

"If he says it was just a story, that he lied about it, then you can tell me this 'story'." It seemed like a plausible point. Besides, he was the only person I could think of that that Jayden might trust enough to talk to or seek help from.

"Okay." I nodded.

*****