I own nothing except some original characters I sometimes bring in. Kelley Armstrong owns The Otherworld and all the wonderful information there.

Spoil the Child

"Daddy," I laughed as my father took me under the armpits and threw me into the air. I came back down tumbling in a ball and laughing as he caught me and threw me up again easily. I must have felt like a bag of feathers to him at the time.

"The amazing flying Nicky," Antonio laughed as he caught me again and set me on my feet hoping I was somewhat steady. The fall leaves crackled under my slight weight as I stepped wobbly onto them.

"Wow," I said. I dizzily stepped forward and fell laughing again but my father caught me before I could do any unforgivable damage and pulled me onto his hip. We turned to face the back door when we heard someone coming and I clenched my eyes shut to clear my vision.

"Did you get the boy drunk?" my Poppa's voice boomed from the across the yard. I heard his footsteps crunch across the same leaves Jorge was supposed to rake last weekend and looked over to see the colourful swirls of yellow and red underneath his feet.

"Nah, not yet he's still a year or two off," my father chuckled as we walked towards Poppa who held out his arms for me. I willingly went from one parent to the other. He hugged me and kissed my forehead as per our usual greeting. My Poppa was very important to me, as important as my daddy. I assume since I didn't have a mother, as most werewolf children didn't, that our other relatives meant more to us than normal. Uncles and grandfathers often stood in for mothers, grandmothers and aunts which were just words to us.

"Hi Poppa," I laughed. He tickled my sides for a moment and adjusted me on his hip. Poppa was taller than daddy and just as muscular as daddy as well. Someday I hoped I would be as tall as my Poppa and as muscular as them both so I could fight mutts too. Jeremy said one day we might not have to fight mutts so I might not get my chance. I would have been lying if this thought didn't disappoint me. I wanted to fight mutts like everyone else and I wanted my chance to prove myself as a fierce werewolf like my father and the rest of my family.

"How's my Nicky?" he asked as we started toward the back of the house. I saw him and Antonio exchange a silent look with one another as he questioned me. It was their usual tactic of distract Nicky while they had a meaningful and silent conversation.

"I'm good...," I started to answer my poppa when we heard a soft call from the foyer as we came closer to the back door. I recognized Jeremy's voice and perked up immediately. That meant Clay my best friend would be here too. Clay was a year younger than me and a bit smaller but he was cool and much better then Daniel as a play mate. Whereas Daniel broke all my stuff and was a spoiled brat, Clay usually wasn't even interested in my toys and the one time he did break something by accident he apologized and it was alright because I knew he didn't mean to. Daniel always means to. "Clay," I called wiggling down from my Poppa's side. I took off like a shot through the back door, once I escaped Poppa's grasp, and ran through the kitchen towards the front hall.

"Hello Nicky," Jeremy said when he spotted me run into the foyer and almost smack into a wall. I grinned sheepishly up at him before looking around to find Clay.

"I'm over here," Clay's voice came from the floor. I turned to see he was sitting and taking off his sneakers. I grinned widely and went to stand over him as he shucked his shoes and coat.

"How long are you here for?" I questioned him. He in turn looked at Jeremy which made me look Jeremy's way too.

"There here for the weekend at least," Poppa's voice came from the front hall. I looked over to see him and daddy leaning against the wall. My father had on his mischievous grin which meant he was thinking about getting into trouble with Jeremy. I turned the same grin on Clay who was finally up.

"Let's go to my room," I said. He nodded his agreement. I jumped onto the stairs and raced up with him following closely behind me. Clay never usually acted like a child but he was always energetic and willing to do anything but sit still and do nothing. We raced down the hall to my room and inside. He slammed the door and we both looked around trying to figure out what to do.

"Let's race," Clay suggested. I knew that Clay suggesting this meant to him it wasn't a fun childlike game. If we raced it was because we were refining our running as human skills. This was one of the only things I could beat Clay at unless he cheated. I had longer legs and was taller and bigger than him. Once when I was getting up at night to use the washroom I heard my father and Jeremy talking about Clay. They said he would most likely be small all of his life but he could also be powerful if they taught him right. Jeremy also mentioned plans to let Clay become something like Antonio, an enforcer. I didn't see how that was going to work unless they could make Clay as muscle and bulky as my dad was and still is. I wanted to be an enforcer someday, though, so I hoped my daddy planned to let me learn how to fight too.

"Down the hall, through the dining room, around the table, down through all the rooms in the basement back through the kitchen and outside to the tree house and back ending up at the front living room," I told Clay. He looked like he thought for a moment and then nodded as we both stepped back into the hallway and walked to the very back were my Poppa's room was.

"Go," I ordered once we were both crouched down imitating runners. We both took off and I easily outstripped Clay reaching the stairs first and darting down them and then to the downstairs hallway. I almost ran into my father on my way to the dining room. Clay was getting better at this now, I had noticed he had grown a little bit and put on some weight in the last year, and was only 10 feet behind me.

"Slow down," my father ordered but we ignored as we raced past. I reached the dining room and ran around the table almost running down Clay on the way back and out the hallway heading for the basement. I threw open the basement door and raced down the next set of stairs and was about to dart into the second basement room when I heard a thump and a cry. I turned in time to see Clay hit one of the stairs wrong and tumble down them hitting the last few basement stairs and rolling to the floor blood running down his face.

"Clay," I screamed and turning back I rushed to my best friend. This was the second time I had almost killed him. Fear flitted through my stomach at the thought of him hurt because of me again. "Jeremy, Antonio, Poppa," I yelled next but I already heard them heading this way. Their ears always perked for werewolf child destruction.

"Clay," I half asked and half cried. He looked up at me bewildered. I had to admit it was bewildering Clay usually didn't trip or fall. Besides the elevator incident he was the most balanced and in control boy I knew so it was odd that he had taken a second tumble. Maybe something distracted him though.

"Clayton," Jeremy voice came from nearby now. I looked up to see the three grown werewolves were just reaching the last steps. My father reached down for me and lifted me out of the way but kept a hand on my shoulder as Jeremy and Poppa looked Clay over. He groaned but batted away the attention telling me was going to be just fine.

"Nicholas," Antonio said. I looked up at my father and saw he wasn't happy. Oops, maybe I had been too distracted to listen to him. "I told you to stop running so fast or someone would get hurt," he said and I nodded sadly. He was right this time; well he was usually right, but for a child to admit that would be like the pack admitting that mutts were not beneath us which they were but still.

"Yes daddy," I admitted agreeing with him at least this time. He crouched down in front of me making sure he had my full attention.

"This is your first warning one more and you'll be punished beyond spending time in your room," he informed and confused I looked from him to Poppa. My Poppa was usually the one who punished me and took care of me. I knew my father had wanted to take over for quite some time and I was surprised my poppa was letting him. Poppa's face was inscrutable as he looked at me but I could see the war in his eyes and I could see what he would have done which was different then dad's punishment. Poppa did not give warnings; if you disobeyed and did something bad you were punished. His human and wolf eyes both looked agitated but the wolf at least looked like he was in control.

"Is Clay going to be ok?" I whispered next when no one said anything. I looked down at my blonde haired friend and saw he was sitting up and Jeremy was dabbing at his head. He looked grumpy and like he wanted to push him away but refused to. Jeremy meant a lot to Clay and he would take whatever Jeremy wanted to do to him even if it annoyed him.

"Nicky, go to your room until supper please," Antonio said gently. My shoulders slumped. That was 3 hours away. 3 hours that Clay and I would be separated from one another and from playing all because of a stupid accident that was only a little bit my fault.

"Yes sir," I answered him. He picked me up and set me on a stair above Jeremy and Clay and after casting one more glance at my fallen friend I reluctantly and slowly climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway and up the stairs to my bedroom. I closed the door lightly and fell onto my bed with my arms crossed glaring at the ceiling. It wasn't my fault and I was being punished, it didn't seem fair. Sure I should have listened to my dad but we were having fun so why did it matter.

I fumed like this is my room eventually getting up to play with my electric train set, I had gotten last Christmas, for the next few hours. I heard a knock on the door a while later and my father stepped in. "Nicky," he said. I looked over at him and stood when he beckoned. Going to the bed he patted his thigh and I walked over to him now standing in front of him. He lifted me up and set me on his lap turning me to face him so my legs were tucked under me and he had a hold of my sides to steady me.

"Nicky, I'm not very happy you disobeyed me. When I told you stop running around the house it was a safety concern and I was afraid something like this would happen. Now Clay's hurt because you didn't listen to me," he said. My stomach sank, it was my fault I supposed but I was definitely thankful Clay wasn't as hurt as last time.

"I'm sorry daddy," I said turning my big brown pleading eyes on my father. He regarded me and chuckled now reaching up and pulling a piece of my brown hair out of eyes.

"Nicholas, please this is hard enough," he said. I nodded disappointed and looked down at his button up dark blue shirt looking at his muscles under his rolled up sleeves. "You have been given one warning Nicky, this means the next time you do something knowing you're not doing the right thing you will be punished," he informed me and my stomach sank again. It seemed I was always being punished. I couldn't wait till the day I got to punish someone else for once.

"You mean beyond being sent to my room," I asked and then looked wide eyed at my dad. I hadn't meant to voice my sarcastic thoughts and with my Poppa it would have earned me a spanking beyond the one he already would have been giving me.

"Nicholas Antonio, don't you dare take that tone with me. You do not speak to me that way," my father's voice warned a hard edge cutting through his usually humour. I knew I had gone too far.

"I'm sorry daddy," I whispered biting my lip as he lifted my jaw so I was looked up at him.

"Nicky, this is new for both of us so I'm giving you one more chance. This is your second warning, one more and you will be punished and trust me you will not enjoy it," he informed and I nodded my head believing him.

"From now on were going to try using the warning system and also the counting system. If I feel you're disobeying or you need to be reprimanded then I am going to say 1 if I get to 3 you're going to be punished," my father informed letting go of my jaw he pulled me to him and hugged me kissing my cheek. "I love you Nicky, I'm only doing this for your own good so you'll grow up and be a good person," he informed. Confused I nodded. Punishment would turn me into a good person, since when? But I didn't voice this thought which was probably a good decision on my part.

"Let's go eat supper and then you and Clay can go play," he told me. I nodded again as he got up and set me on my feet. He took my hand, a move I judged I was too old for by now, but I let this one go and we left my room heading to the dining room.

After supper the grownups decided it was a nice night for a run and Jeremy judged that Clay was able bodied enough to join them. In my head I grumbled. I hated being left behind. That I was not a full werewolf yet was just unfair. I wanted to be like Clay and change right now. Looking back on this thought I am now thankful that I didn't change until I was much older but then I just wanted to be as cool as Clay. Of course I will never be as cool as Clay even when were 60 but that's beside the point.

"Nick, stay in the house and don't answer the door or phone," My Poppa warned and I nodded. I knew the rules. I was not to go into the woods when the pack was changed and I was to pretend I wasn't home if no one else was here when they left.

"Will you tell me everything?" I asked Clay. He nodded smiling a rare smile at me. Clay smiled for only two reasons the number one reason being that Jeremy had done something to make him happy by taking him on a trip or teaching him a fighting move and the second was anything to do with his wolf nature, him telling me all about his wolf nature made him extremely happy. Someday I would repay the favour and give him advice or tell him stories about something he wasn't sure about but I wasn't sure what that would be yet.

"Let's go then," Antonio said. He reached down and ruffled my thick brown hair before turning and heading out the door with the pack. Antonio stopped and looked back through the glass door watching me as I locked the door. He gave me a grin and a thumbs-up when this task was completed and with a wave he joined my Poppa, Jeremy and Clay on the edge of the woods. Jorge and Gregory were away or they would be going on the run too.

I turned back into the house and settled myself onto the window seat to watch the woods and wait. Eventually I would get bored of my vigil, I hated being in the big house by myself and I would have preferred to be in the guest house but they would be back soon hopefully.

After a few moments of watching and waiting I got up wandering towards the living room and looking around for a source of entertainment. I was just about to settle down and watch Dick Van Dyke or Monty Python when I heard the pitter patter of rain on the roof. I jumped up and ran to the window just as the rain started to down pour. Maybe it was a good thing I wasn't out with them tonight, I hated getting all wet. I sat on the window seat and watched for a while getting lost in my thoughts when the rain made me remember something. When I was outside earlier today I had left my Etch A Sketch near my tree house in the forest. It would be ruined and Uncle Benedict had just sent it to me for my birthday last month.

I started for the door and then halted with my father's words ringing in my head. I wasn't to leave the house when the pack was changed. It was very dangerous because any of the wolves could lose control and hurt me or any human. I weighed the odds of first being caught and second being hurt. I knew I could zip from the house to the tree house and back in a matter of minutes. I would need to change my clothes and dry my hair before the pack came back so I wouldn't get caught, though. My poppa, father, Jeremy and Clay were all very much in control of themselves and I couldn't imagine them losing it to hurt me.

I stood on the threshold to the kitchen back door and the back porch undecided. Finally I made a split second decision and unlocked the back door I ran into the rain. I had forgotten my coat and even an umbrella as I propelled myself outside but I was soaked within seconds so it didn't make sense for me to go back. I splashed through the wet grass in my socks and ran as fast as possible towards the tree house. My socks and jeans were muddy and dirty as I splashed through puddles and in the growing mud on the path trail and through the forest.

My toy was right where I left it and I grabbed it huddling it to me. I turned to go back to the house and almost ran into a solid dark mass. I shrieked in surprise and backed up and then I looked up. My eyes met my father's in wolf form, his fur matted to his body with the drenching rain. I backed up as he regarded me. I had never seen him in wolf form before and he was massive. I backed up scared that he would lose control and rip me apart. I looked to the side and saw a massive black wolf with Jeremy's eyes looking from me to my father.

I looked from one to the other clutching my toy like a shield to my chest. My father huffed and nodded his head towards the house. I looked at him trying to figure out what he wanted. Finally he turned and nodded towards the house and I got the meaning. I edged around my father and then dashed down the path racing towards the house. I threw myself onto the back porch and through the kitchen door slamming it shut and relocking it. Breathing hard I looked back and saw my father and Jeremy on the edge of the path. Both of them turned when they saw me looking and lopped into the woods again.

I stood for a few moments with the fear warming my insides. I realized I was in a lot of trouble and seeing my father as a wolf as well as trying to merge his wolf and human self made me even more scared. I shivered and set my toy on the table walking slowly through the kitchen and down the hall soaking the carpets and the making the floors dirty as I went. I slowly opened my bedroom door and started shedding my wet clothes. I dried off and then slipped into clean pyjamas since it was so close to bed time. I left my wet soggy things on the floor and pulled myself onto my bed sitting crossed legged and looking at the door nervously.

After half an hour of waiting I heard noises downstairs but they surprised me because they were angry voices I didn't expect. I carefully slipped from bed and across my carpet opening the door. My father's and my poppa's voices filtered through the upstairs and both were angry. I crept down the hall and half way down the stairs stopping when I saw them in the hallway. They were facing one another both looking furious. Jeremy was standing off to the side with a hand on Clay's shoulder. Clay was looking from my father to my poppa as they argued. I caught onto what they were arguing about as soon as my father yelled his next words. Me.

"He's my son," my father roared pointing at himself his brows scrunched as he yelled and his eyes flashed with intense anger. Anger I had only seen before when he and poppa were fighting about the company.

"He's my grandson Antonio Emilio and your too irresponsible to handle the boy, you're not more than a pup yourself," Dominic roared stinging my father with the usual insult that he was too young to raise a child. I knew that one always hurt my father.

"How many years will it take for me to prove to you I am responsible and that I can take care of him? I will punish him and I will make the decisions for him. You may be the Alpha Dominic," he said putting emphasis on poppa's name, "but he is MY son and I WILL take care of him how I want from now on or we are both leaving," my father threatened. This was as angry and as persistent as I had seen my father ever be. I had seen him and poppa argue before but never like this. I had seen him threaten to leave with me plenty of times, though, so that one wasn't new. A few times we had left and gone to Jeremy's for a bit but we always came back.

"That boy needs a good spanking Tonio, hell he probably needs a week of them before he thinks of putting himself in danger again," my Poppa growled and crossed him arms. I gulped; a spanking for a week would kill me if Poppa didn't do it first.

"No, you're never going to spank my son again. He won't learn from spanking dad. You'll just make him cry and make me watch helplessly and he will commit whatever infraction he has done again and again. It never works. I will punish him," my father roared snarling he almost bared his teeth like a wolf this time.

"Antonio Emilio," My poppa growled back not backing down but baring his teeth as well. I had seen this before as well, the wolf comes out when werewolves get angry sometimes. I looked over and saw Clay was riveted to their expressions with wide eyes and Jeremy was looking calm but his eyes said he was frustrated.

"I will punish my son Dominic," my father roared defiantly. I was now very scared, not just for myself but for my father.

"Poppa," I cried tears springing to my eyes at the thought of my dad being hurt; I knew my poppa was the Alpha and he could do it if he wanted with no repercussions. I rushed down the stairs and got between them standing in front of my father and looking up at my Poppa.

"Don't hurt daddy, it's my fault don't hurt my daddy," I begged. Dominic looked down at me and then back at my father.

"Fine but don't you dare turn him into a weakling Antonio or I swear you're out my household whether your my son or not and Nicky will stay with me," he growled. Throwing up his hands he turned on the spot and went into his study a few doors down slamming the door.

"Nicholas Antonio," my father said and I felt him take my upper arm in his big hand and pull me around to face him now.

"Antonio, no," I heard Jeremy say. I turned slightly to look up. Jeremy had a hand on my father's shoulder and was giving him a pleading look now.

"Jeremy I need to punish...," he said and Jeremy nodded interrupting him which was rare.

"Yes, but you need to calm down before you do. You're too angry to deal with Nick in a fair way and you'll regret it tomorrow. Don't punish him in anger," he said. My father looked annoyed but then nodded and let me go. He walked the opposite way a little down the hall and then opened his study door slamming it as hard as my poppa had.

"Nick," Jeremy said and I felt him take my arm as my father had. He steered me up stairs and Clay started following until Jeremy ordered him to stay downstairs for now. We continued upstairs but he wasn't hurting me just pulling me along with him and letting me know he was not happy. He took me upstairs this way and when we got to my room he took both my arms in his hands and set me on the bed crouching in front of me. "Nicholas," he said a hard edge to his voice, a very rare and odd thing for Jeremy. I hadn't thought I might have angered him as well which made me even more scared. It made more sense for me to be scared of someone who was slow to anger then someone who was angry all the time.

"Jeremy I...," I started to say but he held up his hand silencing me looking very calm but frustrated still.

"Nick, I want you to stay in your room and wait for your father. Antonio and Dominic are very angry right now because you scared them; they were terrified you would get hurt. Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded teary eyed at his statement, I hadn't thought of it that way.

"Good, you will wait in your room for your father understand?" he asked. I nodded again. He gave me a small twitch of a smile and he squeezed my shoulder. He then got up and left the room shutting the door quietly as I sat on the bed terrified out of my mind.

As soon as Jeremy left the tears started slipping down my cheeks and I couldn't stop them. My poppa and my father were very angry with me and even Jeremy wasn't too happy. I had done the wrong thing and I knew that my family would have bought me a new toy if mine had gotten ruined. I sat and contemplated all of this as I cried curling up on the bed.

"Nicholas," a voice asked a while later. I wiped my eyes quickly and looked up to see my father had stepped into the room and closed the door. "Sit up," he ordered first. I did scooting to the edge of the bed. He strode forward and pulled out my desk chair setting it in front of me and himself before me in it.

"I'm sorry daddy," I started to say but he held up a hand and I went silent. Right now it was best to do everything he wanted me to and not get into any more trouble.

"I'm the only one talking right now Nicky, you will answer my questions and respond but I don't want a speech right now," he warned. I nodded trying to keep my eyes from tearing up again. He wasn't usually this strict with me and it made me feel even worse if that were possible. "What did you do that was wrong Nick?" he asked first. I expected this usual tactic and I gave in giving him exactly what he wanted without hesitation.

"I went outside when the pack was in the woods and I put myself in danger when you told me not to and I knew not to," I answered and he nodded to this accepting that I knew I had done wrong.

"And," he asked. I scrunched up my face in thought. What else had I done? He must be talking about Clay and the incident.

"I didn't listen to you when you told me to stop running because we would get hurt and Clay did get hurt," I recited and he nodded now. I went silent waiting for him to speak again and wondering what my punishment would be. He said my poppa would never spank me again but what other kind of punishment would there be? I had never been pushing any other way but by being slapped on the hand or scolded.

"Nicky you not only disobeyed me and you're poppa and put yourself in danger today you scared the living shit out me boy," he said regarding me with a very un-Antonio like expression. I looked at him with eyes full of surprise.

"You're not scared of anything dad," I protested looking at him and I knew it was true. My father was the toughest man I knew. He always took down the mutts, stood up to everyone and he had so much muscle I was sure he could lift a crane.

"I was today. I was terrified you would get hurt if one of us lost control. I was scared you would be killed or scarred for life. That maybe you would end up like Uncle Gregory," he told me and I continued to stare wide eyed at him. Was it possible I could end up as damaged as my Uncle?

"You were," I asked and he nodded. He swiftly got up from the chair and came to sit on the bed beside me pulling me onto his lap in a ferocious hug that left me breathless.

"I love you Nicky, more than anything in the world and seeing you hurt or killed would kill me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I couldn't stand seeing anything happen to my little boy," he whispered against my neck. I hugged his neck tightly as he talked and I started to understand. He wasn't so much angry I had disobeyed, thought he was, he was more scared then angry because I could have been badly hurt or killed.

"I love you too daddy, I'm sorry," I whispered against my father's shoulder and I felt him tighten his grip on me before letting me go. He pushed me out in front of him so I was still on his lap but facing him now. I looked into his brown concerned eyes and saw my eyes looking back.

"Now we need to talk about your punishment," he informed me. I nodded sadly. This was the worst part of it all for me. Being punished I could almost always handle, except for poppa's exceptionally hard spankings, but being talked to about my punishment was excruciatingly painful

"Are you going to spank me Antonio?" I asked. It was common in a werewolf household to switch from using your parents name to their title. I often called my father dad, daddy, father or Antonio at any given time. It wasn't a disrespect thing but a matter of convenience for when we were out in public because I had been raised to think of him as my Uncle when we were outside Sorrentino Estate or Stonehaven.

"No, you're not being spanked anymore Nicky. It doesn't do a damn thing for you," my father told me and I nodded trying my best not to grin at this. No more spankings meant my life might be a bit easier from now on. "Not so fast Nick," my father warned seeing me almost trying not to grin. I quickly hid my expression but I still felt elated. "I have decided your punishment will be more long term. I'm taking away all your toys Nicholas. You will also be writing lines every night and you're grounded. You will go to school and come directly home with no extra friend's outings or any of your sports for two weeks," he told me. I gaped open mouthed at him. Ok, maybe a spanking would have been better.

"But...," I started to say but he held up a hand to my protest and I stopped sulkily but still knowing it was in my best interest to cooperate.

"I don't want to hear any protesting either. Your punishment will start now," he told me and summarily he got up and left the room. I sat on my bed confused until he came back with a few garbage bags.

"You're throwing away all my stuff daddy?" I whined as he gave me a you know better than that look.

"Nice try, no this all cost way too much for me to just throw away and I can't punish you forever Nick. We're putting everything in garbage bags and they will be put in my room for safe keeping. Come on and help me," he ordered. I obediently and sadly helped him gather the majority of my toys and helped him carry them to his room just down the hall.

I caught my Poppa standing in his doorway watching us but he didn't say a word as we passed and my father didn't speak to him either. I hoped everything would be alright between them.

Once we had put away the toys my father sat me down at my desk and told me I would be writing 200 lines every night to the effect of I will not disobey and put myself at risk anymore. The rest of the night I spent in my room and Clay and Jeremy left early the next day without Clay and I spending more time together then at the dinner table. I definitely did not like this punishment.

I supposed as a little boy I was getting the better end of the deal and of course nowadays spanking is considered abuse, though, when I look back on it I didn't and still don't consider it abuse but I think even then my father did and that is why he fought so hard against Dominic when he insisted he end his punishments.

That was the 1960s, now in the new millennium punishment is different. With Reese and Noah Tonio and I rarely need to punish them but if we do it will be something to the effect of taking away privileges or their vehicles or weekends. They are both almost adults now, though, still considered pups, but they are pretty good boys. With the twins, however, Kate gets into the majority of trouble and is most often grounded, put in time out or her privileges or toys are taken away. Logan rarely gets into trouble but Clay, Elena and Jeremy employ the same methods. I don't have the heart to punish my niece or nephew, though, so I rarely participate in this part of their upbringing preferring to leave it to the seasoned pros like my father.