When the next week began, FP didn't waste any time following Kevin's advice and using what the Serpents knew of their moonshine suppliers to gain leverage over Perkins. Of course, he also put out word to find and destroy any new stills Perkins himself may have been personally operating, but that was purely business.

By Friday, the situation appeared to be back under his control, and FP stopped in at the Whyte Wyrm for the first time since he'd married Kevin. He good-naturedly handled the razzing from the guys about being whipped and gave just as good back at them. No one mentioned anything in regards to Kevin being one of the Keller family; it was likely that Penny and Fangs warned them away from doing so.

Penny brought more information to him regarding Perkins's 'shine venture.

"He's got a cabin outside of Midvale," she reported. "Right smack in the middle of a flood plain. It's a damn fool place for 'shine, but I don't think an amateur like him would know that. He might be setting stills there soon, too."

FP snorted. "This idiot, huh? At this rate, we won't even have to do anything about that. We can just sit back and let Mother Nature do the work for us." He signalled the bartender. "Thanks for the information, Pen. Let me get you another drink."

All in all, FP was in a fairly good mood when he returned to the house that evening, which quickly vanished when he found two of his children in a panic and the front living room window shattered. A heavy brick lay inside, surrounded by shards of glass, and the icy winter wind blasted throughout the home.

"What happened?" FP demanded as he barrelled into the kitchen.

Jughead was there, sitting rigidly at the kitchen table, clutching a fire poker in a white-knuckled grip. Jellybean was huddled against him, her dark eyes wide and scared.

"Someone drove up and threw a brick through the window," Jughead told him, anger apparent in his voice. "They drove away—they never even stopped, only slowed down—but Kevin ran out to his car to follow them, and Joaquin went with him."

Anger and worry surged through FP, and his fists clenched as his mind raced to the most obvious conclusion. David Perkins had taken the conflict one step forward and made a move against FP's family.

He took a deep breath, determined to control himself in front of his children. "Kevin just left you alone? Didn't he even tell you to lock the doors?"

"I didn't think to," Jughead admitted with an ashamed expression.

FP clenched his jaw. "He should have told you."

A small cry escaped from Jellybean, and with a surge of guilt, FP realized there were tears trickling down her face. He rushed to reassure her.

"Oh, honey, it's okay." He took out a chair, sat down, and pulled her into his lap. "Don't worry, I'm here."

"I'm scared," the little girl choked out, pressing her face against FP's neck, her warm tears dripping down onto his collarbone. "What's going to happen to Kevin and Joaquin?"

"Nothing, Jelly. Nothing at all. They'll be back in a few minutes, you'll see." FP's stomach twisted as he realized what he said might not be true, but he pushed the possibility out of his mind.

Kevin and Joaquin will come home , he told himself firmly. They'll come home, and they'll be fine.

Realizing Jellybean wasn't his only child in need of comfort, FP reached out and gripped Jughead's shoulder.

"You did a great job, Jug," he told him fiercely. "I'm glad you're here with us."

Jughead nodded, but since he still looked uncertain, FP shifted Jellybean to one leg and pulled his son to sit on the other one. He curled an arm protectively over Jughead's back and Jughead leaned against his shoulder. FP could feel him trembling, and he released a soothing Alpha scent, letting his children know that their pack Alpha was there to take care of them.

For several minutes he remained that way, embracing his children, until he heard a car pull up.

"Stay here," he warned his children before quickly making his way to the front door. As he moved down the hall, he could hear car doors slamming shut, and he could recognize Joaquin and Kevin's voices.

FP didn't hesitate to walk out on the front porch and down the steps, meeting his son and wife halfway. Joaquin was closest, so FP pulled him into a hug first, and Kevin hung back, simply studying FP with an unreadable expression.

When the embrace was finished, FP stepped back. "Go inside and take care of your brother and sister," he told his son. "See if there's anything they need."

Joaquin nodded and complied, and FP waited until he had vanished into the house before turning to Kevin, anger and worry still surging through him.

"You left them?" he demanded. "You left Jellybean and Jughead alone when you knew there was danger? And you brought Joaquin with you, too?"

Kevin's green eyes flashed with anger, but his voice was carefully controlled when he replied. "I had to make a split second decision, and I decided to try to follow the people who had made an attack against our family. Joaquin wouldn't listen to me when I told him to stay put. I didn't want to bring him, but I didn't have time to argue."

"You never should have gone chasing after them in the first place," FP bit out. "You put yourself in danger by running after them and put the kids in danger by leaving them on their own."

"They were already in danger," Kevin returned sharply. "There was a brick thrown through our window. If one of the kids was in that room and the brick hit them in the head, they could have been killed."

"All the more reason for you to stay there to protect them!" FP seethed. "What if the brick was just a distraction to lure you out of the house, or there had been a second attack planned all along? By leaving Jughead and Jellybean alone, you might have played right into their hands!"

Kevin's features tightened at that remark, and FP saw him swallow. It was clear that Kevin hadn't considered that idea, but then again, why would he have? After all, involvement with a gang was completely new to him.

When Kevin spoke again, it was through gritted teeth. "Instead of blaming me for this, maybe you should reconsider your involvement with these types of people. Given how distressing the situation seems to be for you."

FP snorted, folding his arms over his chest. "You sound like your father."

The words were barely out of his mouth when the sounds of a police siren drifted through the air, and, off in the distance, FP could see that a police car was speeding nearer and nearer.

"You called him?" FP whirled to glare at Kevin.

"A crime has taken place," Kevin replied coolly. "I had to make sure the police were notified."

FP just let out a long sigh as the police car skidded to a halt in front of the house, and Sheriff Tom Keller and one of his deputies jumped out. Instantly, Tom rushed over to Kevin.

"Are you all right?" he demanded, worry and anger apparent in his voice as he scanned Kevin to ascertain he was free from injury. "And Jellybean, Jughead, and Joaquin—are they all okay?"

With a start, FP realized Tom's tone did not sound unlike his own; as different as the two men were, they both cared deeply about their family. He did, however, notice that he'd been left off the sheriff's list of loved ones for whom he was concerned.

"I'm fine," Kevin was quick to assure him. "And the children are fine, too."

Tom nodded once. "You said your home had been vandalized?"

"Let me show you," Kevin said, ignoring FP and instead guiding his father into the house.

Before he followed, the sheriff turned to motion to his deputy to come along, but when he did, he tossed FP a look of deep dislike. And before he left a half-hour later, he made his feelings on the matter clear to FP.

"Joaquin and Kevin were both able to give me a good description of the vehicle," Tom told him as they walked back to his car, the deputy following several paces behind. "But you're sure you don't know anyone who might have it out for you?"

"You know me, Tommy boy," FP drawled. "I try to get along with everybody."

Tom stared hard at him for several moments before shaking his head. "Would you really never be willing to give this up, FP? Not even for the sake of your family? For God's sake, wasn't it enough for you to lose one wife?"

The stress of the evening's events had taken its toll, and FP's temper flared.

"Kevin chose me," he reminded Tom fiercely. "Is that what really bothers you? Knowing that your boy rather would be living with me than with his family?"

"He didn't choose you . He choose Riverdale," Tom informed him flatly. "The only reason Kevin married you was for the good of the town. Don't forget that."

With that, he climbed into the police car. The deputy did likewise, and FP stood outside and watched them go, the winter chill doing little to ease the sting of Tom's words.

The marriage of himself and Kevin was built on a mutual agreement, a bargain. He'd known all along that he wouldn't have been Kevin's first choice (nor anyone else's) if the circumstances were different.

And yet, he resented the reminder. It annoyed him deeply when anyone, be it Penny, Fangs, or Tom, pointed out that the marriage he was enjoying was a charade. Penny and Fangs thought Kevin was reporting to his father. His father thought Kevin got stuck in a marriage he didn't want in order to secure a future for the town. While there was evidence for the former, the latter was doubtless in its certainty. Why would Kevin have wanted him?

With a sigh, FP turned and mounted the porch steps, trudging back to the front door.

If he were being honest with himself, he liked being married to Kevin. It was not only a hell of a lot easier to have a second parent in the household, but the days didn't seem so challenging, so cold and lonely, with a mate at his side.

And he didn't like the thought that Kevin resented their marriage as much as FP treasured it.

FP stood on the porch, waiting for the taillights on the sherriff's car to fade into the distance, before going inside and punching in Penny's phone number.

"Send word to the gang," he told her when she answered. "We wait till late tonight, and then we burn the Perkins department store to the ground."

Dinner was a quiet affair with little energy or conversation. Jughead and Joaquin ate quickly before going out to meet friends. Jellybean seemed to recognize the tension between FP and Kevin, glancing worriedly back and forth between them several times, but Kevin quickly distracted her after dinner by showing her some dresses he'd altered for her. Later on, they put her to bed together, remaining carefully civil with each other when they did.

Afterward, Kevin occupied himself in the kitchen, taking care of the dishes for Jughead so that he could enjoy an evening out. He was still there when FP went up their room and began to prepare for bed. Though he waited a half hour, Kevin didn't join him, and when he returned downstairs to check on him, he found him reading in the family room.

"Hey." FP said awkwardly, trying to keep his voice low so not to startle him. "You coming to bed?"

"In a few minutes," Kevin replied, not looking up at him, instead just flipping to the next page in his book. His voice was level on the surface, but FP could pick up on hints of strain. It was clear that he was still upset about their exchange earlier in the evening.

An apology was in order here, FP realized. Dammit. He wasn't particularly good at apologies.

He rubbed at the back of his neck in an attempt to ease his tension. It didn't matter that he still thought he was right, or that he'd been speaking in the heat of the moment; he needed to clear the air. His pride and stubbornness had lost him one marriage. He couldn't let it interfere with another.

Biting back a sigh, FP walked over and joined Kevin on the sofa, sitting down next to him but not right up against him.

"Listen," he began awkwardly. Admitting when he was wrong had never been one of his talents. "I'm sorry that I yelled. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just—" he exhaled deeply. "I was panicked. I came home and found Jughead and Jellybean, and they were scared, and I was worried for you and Joaquin, and I just lost my temper."

A few heartbeats passed in silence before Kevin responded, and there were several cracks in his usually composed tone. "You were right to be angry. I made a fool of myself, charging off like that. I never should have let any of it happen." His next intake of breath was shaky and sounded oddly clogged.

Startled, FP immediately lifted Kevin's chin to look at him directly and found several tears streaking down his face. Though Kevin wrenched his face away, FP was already wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he repeated, pulling Kevin close, but not so tightly that he couldn't pull away if he wanted. "Listen, don't be sad, sweetheart. We all got through all right. We don't need to worry."

Kevin looked up at him, impatiently brushing aside his tears. "It's not that. It's just that this—all of this—keeps going wrong." He gave a helpless shrug. "I sacrificed everything to marry you, to save the town, but I keep making mistakes. Jughead doesn't like me, I put all three of the kids in harm's way, and I know my dad is worried about me . . ." he buried his face in his hands. "I just can't seem to do anything right."

"Hey, hey, you're all right," FP hurried to reassure him, releasing a soothing Alpha scent to relax his Omega. He could smell Kevin's distress, and the protective Alpha within urged him to ensure that his Omega immediately be comforted. "You're doing fine with the kids. They're all safe, aren't they? And you said yourself that Jughead just needs time to adjust."

Kevin shook his head, and FP was thrown to find his usually calm expression absolutely distraught, jaw clenched to halt sobs and fresh tears sliding down his smooth face. "This just doesn't seem to be working, and I just don't know why ."

Guilt his surged through him at his wife's obvious pain, and FP hugged him tighter, tucking Kevin's head beneath his neck so he could breathe in his Alpha scent.

"I didn't know," he murmured, self-reproach coursing through him. "I didn't know you were so unhappy. I thought we were working all right, if that counts at all."

"I'm not unhappy," Kevin replied, chuckling slightly through his tears. "Being married to you was something I'd been hoping for. But living with with a new family, taking on so many responsibilities, and now some bastards nearly hurting our children—it can be overwhelming."

A mix of emotions raced through FP at Kevin's words. Pride and contentment at how Kevin referred to the kids as "our children." Relief that Kevin wasn't as miserable as FP had feared. Confusion about his remark about FP—he'd actually wanted to marry FP?

"You'd been hoping to marry me?" he repeated, bewildered. " Why? "

Gently prying himself free of FP's embrace, Kevin pulled back to look at him, an uncommon shyness in his gaze.

"Well," he began hesitantly. "I told you that I was president of my class right?"

"Yeah." FP offered him a grin, trying to keep the mood light to encourage him. "That's how you got to have such good advice about running 'shine, right?"

Kevin's lips turning up slightly in a smile at FP's comment, but it quickly vanished. "I wasn't just class president. I was involved in a whole bunch of clubs, committees, sports—you name it and I was there. Honor roll student, too."

FP was puzzled. "What's bad about any of that?"

"Expectations," Kevin said simply, using his palm to swipe away the last tears on his cheeks. "I was in the eleventh when I was still in high school, and people were always asking me what I had planned once I graduated, what job I'd like to have, where I'd go to college. Everyone and their mother had opinions on where I should go, what I should do. Meanwhile, I had no idea what I wanted except that I didn't want to disappoint anyone. I was terrified of letting all of them down."

FP struggled to keep his expression neutral and not allow the frank disbelief to show on his features. Still, he couldn't help but think of all the problems he'd faced with own family: how he and Gladys had barely been able to scrape by when they were beginning their family, how for years Jughead had been stuck wearing Joaquin's hand-me-downs that were quick to become threadbare from being mended over and over again, how they'd struggled to afford gifts from Christmases and birthdays until just a few years ago.

In comparison, Kevin's worries seemed incredibly unimportant, barely like worries at all. But then, FP reminded himself, Kevin was very young. He often forgot that, but it had never been more apparent than now.

"So, when I heard about the Mayor's fears regarding your Serpents and the Lodge family, I saw an opportunity to avoid college altogether and be able to justify it with saying that it was for the good of the town." Kevin shrugged. "I leapt at the chance, since it was the escape I'd been looking for. That's why I went to Mayor McCoy and volunteered to marry you. I realized I had a way to disappoint everyone but make myself into a martyr in the process. I could drop out of high school, not go to college, and still look good for it."

For a moment, FP only sat there, absorbing Kevin's words and trying not to scoff at them, but in the end he was unable to hold back his laughter at the sheer pettiness of of his fears.

"Jesus Christ, Kevin," he said, shaking his head. "You were so worried about having a bright future ahead of you that you married me ? You had the life most kids your age would give anything to have. Hell, you know what I do would do to provide my children with the future you could have gotten for yourself?"

"Our children, you mean?" Kevin's voice had a note of coolness to it.

FP's amusement vanished as he realized his mistake, and he quickly took Kevin's hands in his. "I didn't mean that. I was just . . ." he shrugged, at a loss to explain himself. "I didn't expect those to be your reasons, that's all."

To his relief, Kevin relaxed, his eyes softening. "I know it appears trivial," he admitted. "They must seem like the most insignificant of matters. I had a loving family and a whole host of other advantages. But I just . . . I was so afraid of the future. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to make anything of myself."

This was the part where he was supposed to say something comforting, FP knew. But given how far away and trifling Kevin's problems seemed to him, he was at a loss to come up with much reassurance. Still, he was compelled to make an effort.

"For what it's worth, I think you make a wonderful mother," FP offered, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

To his relief, Kevin accepted the contact as well as the compliment, leaning in to lay his head on FP's shoulder. "Thank you. And I think you're a fantastic father. It's how I knew I made the right choice by marrying you. You had a reputation, sure, but when I saw how much you loved the kids, I knew you were all right."

The warnings from Fangs and Penny flashed through FP's mind, though he finally felt he could put them at ease now that he knew some of Kevin's reasoning. Still, he wanted certainty.

"Did I really look good in comparison to just graduating and moving forward?" It was a question he was honestly wondering. "Seems like you took a pretty big gamble, especially given what people were saying about me once Gladys left."

"It was risky at the time," Kevin acknowledged. "It could have gone very wrong for me if you hadn't turned out to be such a good man."

FP snorted, his mind running through everything he'd done to become leader of the Serpents. "You think I'm a good man?"

Kevin smiled at him. "I do."

Relief surged through FP, and now that he was almost entirely sure that Kevin did, on some level, want to be with him, it was like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Hell, even Penny and Fangs's insinuations seemed distant and less likely now that Kevin had a more concrete reason to marry him.

Drawing Kevin closer, he kissed his forehead and embraced him for a moment, before standing and tugging his wife up along with him.

"Come upstairs with me," he invited him. "I might not be a good man now, but let me show you that I could be."

That night, he held Kevin tightly in his arms, soothing him and cuddling him, making sure his mate was warm and comfortable. When he fell asleep, he took great satisfaction in Kevin being there beside him.