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***Alexei's POV***

"We found him. Heading out in five minutes." Martin is rounding up the troops as I stand there with contained hope. Just because we find the runaway groom doesn't mean we can bring him home. I can't rest on the hopes that Mak has finally come to his fucking senses. That kid has a mind of his own.

"Daddy, please. If I get too excited and try to spill the tea, do something to stop me." Gavin whispers as he hugs me tightly.

"I won't let you slip up. Don't worry. I promise." I give my love a pat on the butt. He has worked too hard for this to fuck up now. Soon, hopefully, everything will be as it should be.

"Car. Now." Kip snaps his fingers. I would be irritable under any other circumstances, however with such a large group someone always has to pull rank. I grab Gavin's hand to follow our group to the elevator.

"What's the plan?" Sebastian softly questions anyone that will answer.

"He's coming home. End of discussion." Martin stands with his arms crossed over his chest. He is in daddy mode. I pray to the heavens that Mak is on board for this. I do not want to see an angry Martin.

"You have to give him a choice." Gavin naively interrupts. I close my eyes in anticipation. I wish he would have cleared that comment through me first.

"No. I don't." Grey emphatically states.

"Yeah, you do. He is his own person. You don't want him to hate you. I would be so fucking pissed if Alexei just ordered me to do that. I am telling you Grey, no disrespect, but find a way to make it Mak's choice. Don't be a douche." Gavin stands on business while I grit my teeth. Gavin isn't wrong but, I can see the challenging arrogance in Grey's face. He isn't in the mood to barter.

"How the fuck do I do that?" Grey's tone is irate and understandable, but he won't be talking to my boy that way.

"Calm down, Grey." Martin steps between the two of them.

"You stay calm. You all have your soul mates. You don't know what I am going through." Grey's tantrum is tangible. He isn't wrong, but he isn't right either.

"You can try my idea." Gavin shrugs his shoulders without concern.

"Fine. Go ahead genius. Give me your grand plan." Grey's attitude is really fucking pissing me off.

"If you're going to treat my boy that way, we can take our asses home. We are here for you. We are supporting you. Gavin is trying to help YOU. So fucking treat him with a speck of dignity or we are fucking out." I have had enough of the way he is demeaning the love of my life.

"Daddy, it's okay. He is just anxious. I am not offended." Gavin tries to calm me down.

FAT CHANCE!

"No. He's right. I am sorry. Please tell me how to get Mak home. I apologize, Gavin. I am being a dick." Grey places a gentle hand on Gavin's shoulder. I don't miss how the tension drops out of my boy's posture immediately. Gavin must have lied about being offended. I am glad I stood up for him.

"It's a little cheesy. It would work on me so I know it will work on your husband." Gavin starts. I listen in because Mak and Gavin are two of the same. I wouldn't miss a chance to unravel secrets of their special breed. I need all the upper hands I can get.

"Anything helps." Mario encourages my love.

"Tell him he stole from you. That will grab his attention. He will be trying to think of what he took from you. That knocks him off kilter. Then, you tell him you want it back." Gavin begins to explain. I am confused but I am sure he will work that out soon enough.

"What did he steal exactly?" Mark questions. Thank God for Mark.

"Himself. He belongs to you, in a way. He promised you that he was yours. That is what being married is all about. You give yourself to someone forever. You can't just take that back. He didn't just belong to himself anymore. He belonged to you as well. So, he is a thief. You both took vows. He is dishonoring all those promises. I, for one, take vows and promises very seriously. I wouldn't want to be a thief. I would have to come back. That's my theory." Gavin masterfully describes his diabolical logic.

"You are a fucking genius, kid." Martin throws his head back with a triumphant guffaw. I lean down to reward my heart with a kiss to his lips. He is fucking amazing.

"Let's go get my husband." Grey excitedly announces as we exit the elevator to head to the vehicle.

"Anymore brilliant advice?" Sebastian stares at my whole world with reverence in his eyes.

"Just a little. Take his shoes. It's symbolic. Pretty much, you're just being an ass. But Mak will remember it for the rest of his life. He will appreciate it. He is a runner. When things get hard, he bolts. Take his shoes. And don't take no for an answer. Go Alpha Daddy. Remind him of what he has been missing. We love when you guys take charge and boss us around. Fuck him like he owes you money. Make up for lost time. We want to be owned. It's our thing. I promise, Mak is just stubborn. He loves you. He wants you to remind him how much he loves you and you love him. Lastly, make him feel how much this shit hurt. You're not trying to rub it in. It does need to sting. He never wants to hurt anyone. So, knowing how much he hurt all of us will remind him that he needs to think things through. He was rash in his choices. That's all I got." Gavin blows out a breath as if he has expended all the knowledge locked up in his vault.

I am blown away. I catalogue every word in case I ever find myself in this position. I won't. God forbid. But, just in case, I make sure to make mental notes of everything my boy has said. He really is fucking smart. I am more than impressed by the way he keeps working through everything that we keep having to go through.

We park the vehicle and file out as quickly as possible. It is a whole chore to get everyone to one place successfully. I lead the pack with Mark and Daddy Parker. Gavin and Grey walk right behind us while Mario pulls the back center. Sebastian and Kip take the back. I keep my hand behind my back so Gavin can rub his thumb nervously across my palm. I know he is anxious. He is ready to get his friend back just like the rest of us.

We walk through the hotel with our group taking up a large portion of the walking path. People move without instruction. It must be intimidating to see so many large men heading forward with determination etched on their faces. Even the employees move without asking questions. I nod my head in appreciation as we make our way to the bar that Martin told us Mak would be at. Apparently, he has been opening and closing the place since he left. I am sure that hasn't helped clear his head up at all.

As we approach the clear glass doors to the bar, we can see Mak sitting at the bar examining his empty liquor glass. Grey huffs out a large breath of frustration causing Martin to temper him with a calming hand to Grey's chest. Grey shifts his foot to move in between Mark and Daddy Parker. Suddenly, Grey shoves both palms into the door, slamming it open with a very loud thud as it hits the wall to the right.

"MAKIL OLIVER PARKER!" Grey's dominant voice booms through the dimly lit, empty bar. He is loud enough that I feel the need to submit to him. Martin and I sidestep Grey trying to keep him in our area of protection. I don't trust that he is able to make rational decisions right now.

With a snap of his head, Mak turns to stare at our large group. His eyes capture Grey's and immediately Mak's hazel eyes are filled with tears. I notice how dark the circles beneath his eyes are. Mak's hair is disheveled and clothes poorly kempt. The sadness is so apparent, anyone could see that he is in bad shape. He drops his head before turning away and leaving us staring at his back.

Fuck!

With Mark's attention on Mak, Grey is able to shove past both Martin and him as all of us are stuck watching the scene unfold with anticipatory anxiety.

Grey stomps his way to his husband, spinning the chair to face our group. Grey stands face to face with the love of his life. Mak straightens up with a look of determination that makes me hold my breath as the scene begins to unravel in front of us.

"May I help you?" Mak asks with a small voice. There is no intrigue and no trace of the usual spunk the kid has always carried. The weight of our circumstances is heavy in the lack of vitality in Mak's question.

I pull Gavin forward, desperate to hold on to my own love. I tuck him beneath my arm, cradling his head to my chest.

"You took something that didn't belong to you. I want it back." Grey takes Gavin's advice leaving me a little smug. I tighten my grip on my boy.

Without missing a beat Mak responds, "I'm sorry. You can have it back. I promise". Lifting his glass above the bar, he shakes the ice cubes to alert the bar tender that he is out of his liquid comfort.

As if there are not six men standing in wait at his bar, the employee fills the glass with whiskey. Mak takes a sip, ignoring Grey who waits impatiently for the next round of conversation.

"What is it? Fuck! Just take it and leave." Mak angrily throws his hand in the air waving Grey away as if he is done with the whole interaction. I can't begin to form words at the sight of the disrespect.

Grey says nothing as he scoops Mak off of the chair. Mak makes a sharp yelp, apparently shocked from the sudden change in position. The drink spills across the bar, leaving the bartender to run for a towel. Mak falls over Grey's shoulder as Grey throws him around like a bag of spoils. I smile widely.

That is what I am talking about!

Without another word, Grey turns sharply facing Mak back towards the bar. He puts his hand in the air, pointing towards the exit. Grey begins to stomp out of the establishment while Mark rushes to pay the bill and tip the bartender for the mess we have created. Mak bounces on Grey's shoulder as we all follow behind the leader of our entourage.

"What are you doing?" Mak barks out. You can hear his disdain clearly in his voice. His head bobs up and down, almost smacking Grey between the shoulders from Grey's rough gait.

"Taking back what you stole from me." Grey states matter-of-factly as Martin opens the vehicle door and Grey slides Mak inside. I want to throw my hand in the air for a fist pump.

"My stuff." Mak whines out in protest.

"What room number?" Grey deadpans. We can all tell that Grey couldn't give a fuck less about anything in that room. Mak throws his hand over his face in obvious defeat.

Mak reveals his room number while Mark sends a text to our contact. I am sure arrangements are already set in place for Mak's belongings to make their way back to the house. They should have never been away from the house to begin with.

"So, we're gonna act like you didn't just kidnap me?" Mak grounds out with a roll of his eyes. The fact that he has the audacity to get an attitude makes me chuckle. One thing about our boys, they always stand their ground.

"Gonna act like you didn't run away from me?" Grey looks at Mak with a tension filled glare. The air is so thick in the vehicle that I am positive I could form it into a ball and toss it out of the window.

"We will talk about this at your house." Mak blurts out. I grind my teeth. Why the hell does he have to poke the bear?

"Mak." Grey growls out in frustration. The grinding of his teeth should be a warning sign if Mak were even attempting to give a shit. Which, apparently Mak is not making any effort to make things better at this point.

"Mak, cut the fucking shit. It's your house too. I'm trying not to be pissed off at you, but you're just really pushing your luck." Daddy Parker cuts in making me shrink into my seat. If I were Mak, I would shut my cute little mouth before Martin starts dishing out spankings. In this particular instance, I don't think it would be pleasurable.

As instructed, the minute we get into the house, Martin tosses Mak's shoes over the balcony. I am once again proud that my baby had this beautiful idea. So far it seems to be working out in our favor. I do not miss the look of irritation on Mak's face as his tennis shoes go flying through the air. However, there is also a hint of amusement swirling behind his eyes as well.

That's another point for my kitten!

Grey angrily snaps his fingers at Mak while pacing in front of him. He demands Mak to sit down while he holds the whole room hostage with his dominance. Daddy Parker flanks him with his dominance rolling off of him in supportive waves.

Mak would do well to fucking listen at this point.

"I am so angry at you. You just. Did you even think? What could possibly have made you? You know what. Don't answer that." Grey can't sit still. He looks everywhere, focusing on nothing at all while trying to narrow his thoughts to one point at a time.

"Don't you get it?" Mak screams out. His voice breaks halfway through giving away all the control he may have had in the statement.

"You will never have anything if you are with me. I will always be a liability. Please. Just let me go. You will see how much better off everyone will be without me." Mak hysterically chokes out. He is obviously struggling while trying to convince us of the same bullshit he has been feeding himself.

"You sure he is a genius?" Gavin rolls his eyes, whistling condescendingly while looking around at everyone in the room. I have to agree, this isn't the smartest thing Mak has ever conjured up.

"News Flash" Grey flashes his hands open and closed, waving them in front of Mak's blinking eyes. I can't take my eyes off of the shit show. "I have nothing without you. I am nothing without you. Fuck! Mak, god damn it."

Grey crosses his arms, seemingly holding himself together. He looks as if he is on the brink of losing the very last bit of sanity he has left. I want to cross the room to hold him together. Instead, I pull Gavin closer. The shit is so heavy that I need Gavin to be my emotional support human.

"If I live a thousand years, this will make no sense to me. Do you really think I would trade a day with you for a lifetime with someone else, even if that means having a family? If so, get your head checked genius. I would rather die a thousand harsh deaths than breathe on a planet where you aren't mine. I didn't marry a family, Mak. I married you. I said vows to you. Do you remember that? Do those ring a fucking bell? Vows to love one another through everything." Grey's eyes lock with Mak's. His eyes are intense with truth pouring out of every speck of color. Grey could cut glass with the sheer strength of his stare.

"This is part of everything. The moment you chose to leave me behind, I remembered that vow. Everything. When those letters came, I didn't love you less. I loved you more. Don't you dare punish me for other people's opinions. I don't share in their delirium." Grey moves forward, bowing Mak backwards. They are nose to nose. Mak is a cornered animal with nothing left to do but face the man that he has broken. The way Mak's eyes bounce between Grey's I can't decide if Mak is scared or ready to give in.

"You are mine. Whether that includes kids or a dog or a fucking Cheetah. I will not live another day without you beside me. Unless you tell me, right now, that you don't love me, well I will personally arrange transportation to get you out of the country. The only reason we will not be together is because you don't love me. Because I sure as fuck love you, Mak Parker." Grey's hands roughly thread through Mak's disheveled hair. Their eyes lock, focusing only on one another. Grey looks as though he is done with this whole fucking situation.

Mak's tears stream down his face with his lips trembling. The tears find Mak's hairline where they escape the intensity of Grey's pain. I am jealous of the tears right now.

Grey's voice trembles as he asks his husband, "Do you love me, baby"?

I pull Gavin tightly to my chest, resting my chin on his head. My chest is so fucking tight that I find it hard to breathe. I wait with bated breath for the most important answer of this stressful day.

"More than anything." Mak finally releases, immediately helping me breathe lighter. As Mak's words escape, he closes his eyes and expels a large breath.

I know the fucking feeling.

"That's all I needed to know." Grey proclaims. His hand slides to the back of Mak's neck, digging his fingers into the soft flesh possessively. When Grey descends on his husband's lips, he kisses him like it is the last time he will ever have the pleasure. Grey steals Mak's breath right from his lungs. Mak tangles his hands in Grey's hair, pulling him deeper as he wraps his legs around Grey's waist. Grey kisses the column of Mak's neck as Mak lets his head fall backwards. The way Grey lays claim to Mak's flesh is greedy and demanding.

"Rings, Daddy." Mak requests on a moan. He rocks his hips across Grey's abs trying to create friction. "After I fuck you." Grey denies his husband as he starts moving them towards the bedroom door.

"They're going to be a while. I suggest we all get some food." Martin laughs as he waves us through the house, back towards the elevator we had come in through earlier.

"I have never been prouder of my son." Martin covers his face before leaning onto Mark in surrender.

"Martin, it's okay." Seb and Mark take turns comforting Martin Fucking Parker, the strongest man we know.

"I just thought I lost them, and that was more than I could bare." Martin admits softly. The thought makes me understand how a man of his strength could be reduced to literal tears.

Love is just as much of a weakness as it is a strength.

When we reach the pub next to the house, we all file in before sitting down at a table big enough to hold us all. We order drinks while Gavin ops for a sprite. He doesn't want to drink when his emotions are this big. I respect that about him. That is very mature. Besides, it's not like he doesn't have plenty of time to drink given the fact that he is barely twenty-one. He is just getting started.

"Excuse me for bringing up an open wound." Gavin sits beside me holding me for dear life as he starts to ask a question. I look at him attentively knowing that I can trust him to make good choices.

"You have every right. You have been here. You have suffered the same as each of us." Martin agrees to give my boy the floor. Gavin takes it without pause.

"Why is adoption the only choice? Fuck those bigot bastards. Grey and Mak are going to be wonderful parents. Did they think of private surrogacy? Or private adoption?" Gavin looks to me first. I nod my head. I know what he is doing. After I give him my support, he looks around the entire table.

"In my opinion, Mak got his heart set on bringing a brighter future to someone who didn't get a choice in theirs. The problem there is my son-in-law let that block him from the other choices. It may not be what he desired, but there are other ways to help." Martin drinks from his tumbler.

"At the cost of his sanity, is it even worth helping?" I break in. I know the plan, so I know what groundwork needs to be laid.

"No." We turn to see Grey and Mak walking into the pub. They look happy together as it should be.

"I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry. I got overwhelmed. I tried to control it. I failed. I apologize for everything. It wasn't any of you who I was running away from. I was trying to lose me." Grey sits down with Mak in his lap while his husband apologizes for the shit he put everyone through.

"Well, that was fucking selfish." Gavin stands up. I slide my chair back, giving him room to do what he needs to do. Gavin earned his feelings in my opinion. Mak deserves to hear them.

"You befriended me. The last six months were amazing, everything I ever dreamed of. I wake up one morning, bam. Like a freight train had hit me straight in my heart. I'm so mad at you Mak. You just left me. You left us all. We had to hold it all together while you bounced. That's not what family does. We stick together. If you think you can just run away every time the world throws blows at you, don't come back. I can't handle it. I don't want to. I fucking missed you." Gavin starts crying into his hands. I notice his legs start shaking so I swoop in to take his weight while he sinks into my awaiting arms. I hug him to my chest. He does have very large feelings, and he has been hurt.

"It's okay love." I kiss his head as I whisper my support.

Mak scrambles away from Grey's arms. He climbs over everybody to get to my boy. Mak wraps his arms around him while pulling Gavin away from me.

Mak starts whispering his apology frantically, "I was selfish. Never again. I'm so sorry, Gav. Please forgive me. I will do anything".

"Anything?" Gavin whispers. He sniffles while looking directly at Mak.

"Anything." Mak promises with a kiss to Gavin's small head.

"Three things." Gavin holds up his fingers causing me to laugh loudly. Gavin is always ready for a deal.

"Greedy." Mak giggles. It feels good to hear.

"One: you let me help you find a baby. That's not optional. I will do it anyway." Gavin glares at Mak seriously.

"Deal." Mak smiles at my love with his most genuine smile.

"Two: be my best man when Daddy finally decides I am worthy." Gavin rolls his eyes as he turns to give me a kiss. I don't miss the little wink he sends me.

I read him loud and clear.

"The third?" Mak looks on in anticipation without any real stress. Not smart.

"Dance with me." Gavin pushes Mak off of him. Standing up, Gav pulls Mak to the small dance floor. He taps his phone, obviously using the music app to change the juke box. Gavin bounces around as BTS plays through the speakers.

"God what a fucking punishment." I laugh out as I swig my beer. I'm sure Mak is sore, and Gavin is making him dance to boot.

"Yeah. Mak looks real tore up." Grey smiles as his husband grinds down on my boy. I guess he isn't that sore.

After a few minutes of talking with Grey and reassuring him that Mak is going to be alright, I decide I want to dance with my love. He deserves to have all his dreams come true too. I know he loves when he is cradled in my arms, swaying to the music. I set my beer down and walk towards the dance floor.

"May I cut in?" I ask Mak.

"Yeah. Sure." Mak hands over Gavin as my love looks at me in adoration. The music changes to something more appropriate. I grab my heart in my arms and tuck him into my chest. I hold onto him like he is the most precious human in existence.

"I love you, baby." I promise him.

"I love you, Daddy." Gavin reassures me.

I rock our bodies back and forth enjoying the feeling of having our family back together again as it should always be.