MEDIUM

31.

The Patriarch ~ Renee & Nik

"It's occured to me that we don't know your name." Nik stated as he helped his mate sit down after they had all settled down outside in the garden under the glass gazebo which was Johnny's school project. The giant of a wolf chuckled as he nodded in return. "Indeed, and I think I'm to blame for that, I've allowed everyone to just adress me as the patriarch, it's become the norm, my actual name is Omer Jonathan Sovietro, and yes, I named Johnny after me, it seems he not only took after me in name but as the next patriarch." He replied as the Milfords seemed to be at unease when they heard that.

"You're unsure how you feel about that, as a parent I understand, you're better at it than I am honestly." He exclaimed and Renee chuckled as he handed the wolf a glass of beer which surprised him. "Just don't think about it." Nik advised as he nodded and the wolf drank his offered beverage. "Johnny is special, sensitive in the most incredible ways but also our special child, he's had to deal with a lot growing up and he's seen not only his birth parents struggle but Adrian too, —despite that he's grown up well, strong and extremely smart if not overly—." They all chuckle as Renee sipped on his apple juice.

"I guess, if he's to know that he's the next patriarch, tell him when all of this is over, let him adjust to that reality, acceptance isn't an easy thing for him but once he's committed to something, he sees it through, despite all the challenges he might face, it's why I allowed him to graduate early, he put his mind and strength to school and I know he'll make me proud, so if he's going to be ruling this city with iron fist, let him know, let him take time to think, he'll make the right decision for himself." Renee concluded as Nik nodded to his husband's words in support. "Oh I miss the days when you told your child to become a doctor and all they did was study and become that choice, nowadays with all these choices, at least then you could help them better their own lives." Johnny senior mused and they all laughed heartily.

"Those days are far gone, plotting your own child's future seems barbaric now with all the freedom, but back then when our parents chose for us, we knew we took whatever we were given and ran with it, or else the disappointment you'd see if you didn't do what they asked would eat you up, it —caused a lot of rebellious acts though, I guess it had its pros and cons." Nik retorted as his husband refilled his pint of beer. "Indeed, but we must embrace this new generation, they may have complicated the world, and languages but they have found a way to make the world simpler too, and convenient, hunting for food in a pack that was mostly made up of dominant wolves was not fun." Johnny senior mused as they all laughed.

"I can't imagine the competition for territory." Renee asserted as the more dominant men laughed. "It was ridiculous really, more deaths too." Nik was the one who replied as Johnny senior supported his statement. "I'm glad that age is over, but now this age has its own problems, we're constantly trying to guide our children on the right path but the world is also trying to give them way too many to follow, it's frustration really." Renee asserted as the giant wolf chuckled. "From anyone's point of view, you are doing a wonderful job Renee, these boys have all the love, attention and pampering of a mother, whereas they also have the stern, guiding and loving hand of a father, it's honestly all they need, you just need to believe that they'll follow what you're teaching them, and from the looks of it, they are." The wolf commended as Renee blushed but accepted the compliment.

"Thank you." Nik muttered as the wolf finished his second pint and Renee filled it up again. "I came here, to ask for forgiveness, my children have caused you all so much trouble, especially Neill, I honestly can't believe he came from me and sired Adrian, Johnny and the twins, they are vastly different from him, I thought he would leave them alone, let them be happy, —yet it seems he's bent on making your lives unbearable—." The wolf sighed as he drank. "I'd hoped that taking away their claim to my name and exiling them would work, I hoped it would, none of them it seems wishes for redemption, much rather the opposite." He explained and the two men sitting with him seemed to be taken off guard and surprised.