Chapter 3
The next day, Y/N woke up and found Liam nuzzled against her chest already nursing as he drifted in and out of sleep. She smiled down at him and pressed a kiss to his forehead lovingly running her fingers through his hair. She waited a few minutes until Liam was fully asleep before getting up and adjusting her bra and shirt. Her sudden movement caused Liam to awaken and he whined.
"What's the matter, baby? What's wrong?" She cooed pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Wasn't finished." He pouted.
"I thought you were asleep, honey. Besides I'm going to make breakfast in a minute. Don't you want yummy pancakes for breakfast, sweetie?" She asked him sitting up.
"Yeah but..." He began to protest but Y/N hushed him and pressed another kiss to his forehead.
"No buts, mommy says no. You won't be able to eat breakfast if you get full up of milk, sweetie." She told him. Liam didn't like hearing that and began to sob. His crying woke up Derek who groaned sleepily as he sat up and saw Liam making grabby hands at Y/N.
"Hey, what is it pup? What's the matter?" he asked him. Y/N scooped Liam up in her arms to calm him down and pressed a kiss to his forehead but he shook his head not wanting her kisses.
"Why are you upset, kiddo?" Derek asked as he got up and ruffled his hair.
"Mommy bad." He pouted crossing his arms over his chest. Derek raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm a meanie because I said no to him nursing before breakfast." She told him.
"It's not forever, silly billy. You can nurse after you eat your breakfast. Mommy doesn't want you getting full beforehand." She added pressing a kiss to his cheek as she brushed his hair away from his face.
"Promise?" He asked her looking at her with his baby blue orbs.
"Promise," she told him pressing another kiss to his cheek.
Y/N set Liam down on the bed with Derek as she headed to the bathroom to quickly freshen up before heading back and getting Liam washed up too before she went down to the kitchen to start making breakfast. Liam sat at the table with his new colouring book and colours that Derek had also picked up for him as he carefully coloured a picture of a fire truck as Y/N made pancakes. She cut up some fruit and put it on the table along with cartons of juice a mug of freshly brewed coffee for Derek.
The older alpha stood by his mate as they both watched Liam carefully colour the fire truck concentrating hard as he leaned forward and stuck his tongue out.
"I'm guessing it's a no to going to school?" Derek asked her taking a sip of his coffee.
"We can't send him when he's going to start crying if someone takes his pencil in class." She told him. Derek sighed and nodded.
"I'll ring Deaton and see if he knows anything else that'll help us. He can't stay off from school forever." He told her sitting down at the table and helping himself. Y/N sighed and nodded in agreement.
"Put your colouring to one side, baby. It's breakfast time." She told him sitting beside him and making him a plate. She put the plate in front of him and Liam opened his mouth gesturing at wanting to be fed. Y/N complied and cut up a small piece of the pancake with the chocolate spread and fed him.
"Mmm." Liam hummed happily as he ate and finished his colouring.
"Is it tasty, babe?" She asked him wiping his mouth in between and fed him small sips of orange juice.
Once Liam had finished his breakfast, he had also finished colouring his fire truck picture and held it up showing the couple.
"Look!" He showed them excitedly.
"Wow! What a great job you've done with it, pup." Derek praised him.
"Yeah look how neat it is. Well done, sweetie." Y/N praised him and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Mommy can I...?" Liam asked her with an adorable pout.
"Ok honey. Let mommy finish cleaning up and then I will. Go wait in the living room like a good boy." She told him. Liam nodded and did as he was told climbing onto the couch and held his wolf plush toy as he waited watching cartoons in the mean time.
"Babe, I think you should text Mason and let him know Liam won't be coming in today." Derek reminded her. Y/N nodded and grabbed her phone typing out the message quickly.
"Hi Mason, it's Y/N. Liam won't be coming in to school today. I just thought I'd let you know so you wouldn't worry. See you soon x" she typed and sent it him. He replied to her instantly.
"Oh ok. Thanks for telling me. Will it be ok if I drop by after school to see him?" He wrote.
"Yes of course it is, sweetie. He'd like that. See you soon." She replied.
"Mason'a coming after school to see Liam." She told Derek.
"Well we can't hide him forever. It's better if we explain to him what's going on. He'll understand and I know he'll want to help him." Derek explained. Y/N nodded in agreement. She pressed a loving kiss to Derek's lips as she headed into the living room to nurse Liam.
"Mommy!" Liam exclaimed happily as he nuzzled into her chest. She smiled at how adorable he was cuddled up against her. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and let him get comfortable as she let him nurse. Liam latched on immediately and hummed contently as Y/N ran her fingers through his hair. Liam had soon finished nursing and Y/N chuckled at his little milk drunk face. She wiped his mouth and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
~ Later on that day ~
Liam's schedule during the day remained the same. He spent most of it at home in the loft. After his nap, Derek took him outside to play catch until lunch time. Once he had eaten Y/N nursed him again and let him watch a movie as he laid down on the couch. It got to 3pm and Y/N remembered Mason would be stopping by so she set out some snacks in the kitchen.
The loft door slid open and in came Mason.
"Hey Y/N." He greeted her happily.
"Hi sweetie. Thanks for coming." She told him giving him a hug.
"Is Liam ok?" He asked her.
"We need to talk about that." She told letting him sit down at the kitchen table.
"Mommy..." Liam called her from the living room.
"Mom..." Liam called again and stopped seeing his best friend.
"Hey man, how're you feeling?" He asked him. Liam shrugged looking away.
"Sweetie, why are you feeling shy? It's Mason?" Y/N told him pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Does he know?" Liam asked her. Y/N pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"No baby, but I think it's time he did. He loves you no matter what. He'll understand and help you. You know you can't stay off from school forever." She told him. Derek walked into the kitchen and clapped Mason on the shoulder greeting him.
"Come with me, pup. Let's go play catch and Mason can join us." He told him. Liam nodded and followed the older alpha out.
Y/N poured Mason a glass of orange juice and sat beside as she explained what had been going on with Liam.
"It's about after the berserkers isn't it?" He asked her. Y/N nodded.
"It started off with him not being able to sleep and then when he did he started to have night terrors about us being taken or killed. It really scared him. For the last few days, he's been regressing to a younger mindset to help him cope. Nothing extreme but just wanting to feel safe and loved by me and Derek." She began.
"You mean he's starting to act like a baby?" He asked her slightly confused.
"Sort of. It helps him feel safer knowing that Derek and I are both there for him. He's heavily dependent on us both now." She told him.
"I know this is strange and you might think it's weird. Believe me, I was surprised too but Derek spoke to Deaton and he said it's helping him besides I'd do anything for him." She told him looking out of the window seeing Liam play catch.
"He's happier with you guys. He loves you both." Mason told her.
"I love him too. More than anything." She replied.
"The reason I'm telling you all of this is because Derek and I trust you. Once Liam goes back to school, you'll have to be his helping hand and alert either of us. I know you love Liam like a brother and will be a big help to us" she told him.
"Of course, I'll do anything." Mason told her. Y/N smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"Thank you. He needs you just as much as he needs us." She told him.
"Oh and there's one small thing..." Y/N began.
"He started to what..?" Mason asked unsure if he heard it right.
"I won't repeat it but yes to at least three or four times a time. At the beginning I started putting it in a water bottle for him but he refused to drink it unless he came home for a proper feeding so at lunch times, I bring him home and then drive him back." She told him.
"You're really great to be doing this for him." Mason told her.
"Thank you. I love him. He's my baby. I'd do anything for him." She told him.
Derek and Liam walked back into the kitchen. Liam sat on Y/N's lap and rest his head against her shoulder.
"Great job, kiddo." Derek praised him as he gave him a cup of water and ruffled his hair.
"Did you have fun, sweetie?" She asked him pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Mmm hmm, we played catch." He told her.
"I know I saw. You did great, baby." She praised him.
"Why don't you get your wolf to show Mason?" She asked him. Liam nodded and went to living room to retrieve his wolf plush toy carrying it back to the kitchen holding it under his arm.
"Wow, that's a cool wolf". Mason complimented Liam. Liam beamed at Mason.
"You really like it?" He asked him.
"Yeah it's so cool." Mason replied.
"Wanna hold him?" Liam asked holding it out to him. Mason took it from him and held it stroking it's fur.
"Why don't you and Mason go sit on the swing outside, baby?" She asked him. Liam nodded. Mason handed the wolf plush toy back to him and followed him outside.
Both boys sat down on the swing in silence.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mason asked him. Liam shrugged stroking the fur on the wolf toy.
"I thought you'd laugh at me and wouldn't want to be my friend anymore." Liam replied not looking at him.
"Liam, you're my best friend. If something isn't right with you, you know you can tell me and I'll help you. You're not just my friend, you're my brother." Mason told him clapping a hand on Liam's shoulder.
"Really? You don't think I'm a freak?" Liam asked him.
"No way, man. I know Y/N and Derek will do anything to help you. If this is what helps you and makes you feel better then I'm here too and it's ok. I won't think of you any less or different. You're still my best friend no matter." Mason told him. Liam looked up at his best friend and gave him a small smile.
"Thanks, Mase" he replied shyly as Mason leant forward to give him a hug. Y/N and Derek had been sat at the kitchen table watching their exchange and they couldn't help smile knowing that Mason had accepted what Liam was going through even promising to be there for him.
Both boys walked back into the loft and up the stairs to Liam's room where Y/N and Derek checked in on them and saw them laughing and playing video games for the rest of the evening.