The Anvil, Jensen/Jared 19/21
A couple of hours later, they pulled up at the safe house. The ride had been uneventful, but all of them were exhausted and relieved to be home.
Jared couldn’t believe it had only been four days since they were last here. It felt like an eon ago.
The door to the safe house opened, and Dylan jumped out of the truck into his mom and dad’s arms.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, honey,” Kim said, squeezing Dylan tight.
“Me too, son. You made me so proud.” Morgan took over from Kim and gave the boy a crushing hug. “I mean I could strangle you for runnin’ off like that without tellin’ us, but hot, damn, boy! You pulled it off.”
Jensen came to the door next. Morgan grabbed him up and squeezed both him and Dylan until Dylan finally squeaked. “Dad, you’re crushing me.”
“Oh, sorry. Not sorry.” Jeff kissed his son on the forehead and finally let him go. He reeled Jensen in for his own solo hug. “Missed you, son. From the looks of things, you’ve been through the wringer. Was it worse than we thought?”
Jensen stepped back and smiled. “Nothin’ I didn’t survive.”
Jared stood hesitantly outside the door to the truck. He knew Jeff told him he forgave him, but he was suddenly nervous to see his Alpha in person.
“Get in here, Padalecki. You can’t avoid one of my hugs,” Jeff ordered.
Everyone laughed, and suddenly Jared knew it would all be all right.
“Where do you think that leaves us?” Jensen asked as they stowed their equipment in the basement.
“Well, we’re heading back to the caves. All the Marshals have been called to the Rez to organize for a massive Were hunt. Williams gave me a quick call and said stuff is brewing, but not sure where it will go. I guess for now, Jared goes back to work at the Wired Bean. But you’re probably one of the most recognizable Weres in the country, and you’re wanted, to boot. I think you should lay low with us.”
Jensen nodded. He looked over at Jared, who looked stricken at the idea of losing Jensen again. “I will, but do you think we can delay that for a couple of days? I’d like a little alone time with my mate.”
Jeff shook his head. “It’s too dangerous for you to go back to the farm. Jared’s apartment and the farm are the first places they’d look.”
Jensen stood firm. “We need this, Jeff.”
Jeff scratched his head. “Damn, son, you complicate my life. Okay, how about you camp out at our place for a few days? My scouts say no one’s been snooping around the compound for weeks. But you gotta lay low.”
Jensen could feel Jared’s happiness flowing through the bond. Jensen rushed to say, “I won’t go into town. We’ll stay put and out of sight the whole time. I don’t think anyone would be the wiser.”
Jeff stared at them, obviously thinking about the possible fallout. He looked at Kim, whose grin filled her face. “Seems reasonable to me,” she said.
“Oh, it would.” Morgan laughed. “Okay, you got four days. But if Williams gives me the heads up that the Marshals are back, you drop everything, including Jared, and get your ass to the caves. This ain’t over. Not by a long shot. And you’re now on the Marshals' Wanted list, so sure as shit some hotshot Marshal will try to make a name for themselves by bagging you. And thanks to Omundson, I think most of the country knows what you look like now.” Morgan could see how crestfallen both Jared and Jensen looked. He softened his voice. “But I think we can risk you staying at our place for that long.”
As he handed Jared the keys to their house, Jeff added, “Just so you know, we’ve paused any more evacuations until this Were hunt cools down. Wine cellar is full, too, help yourself.”
“Thanks, Jeff,” Jared said, clapping his Alpha on the back.
Jared and Jensen watched as Kim and Jeff, and Dylan loped off through the snow toward the caves. He hated to see them go, but knew they needed to put the safety of the pack first.
“How about you drop me off at Jeff’s place, so I can get the fire going, and you go get some groceries.” Jensen looked at the clock on the dash. “Grocery stores’ll be open for another couple hours.”
Jared nodded, and they both climbed into the truck.
Jared dropped Jensen off at Jeff’s place, remembering at the last minute to throw him the keys. Jensen snatched them out of the air.
“Good catch,” Jared said.
“I wouldn’t want to have to break into his house.” Jensen grinned and headed inside.
In the foyer, he stood there taking it all in.
The scent of pack, his pack, was like a warm hug.
He’d always known he’d get back. He just hadn’t known how long it would be or how much it would take to get here. He thought about the Weres he’d left behind on the Rez. He hoped no one was punishing them for his escape. He wasn’t sure his faith went far enough to believing the Reservation system could be pulled completely down. That was just a hope too wild to believe. But he did hope some real change would come.
The house was cold. Jeff must have set the thermostat down to the bare minimum. He started a fire in the fireplace and jacked the temperature up. Then he went around and closed every blind and curtain in the house. He didn’t want his few nights with Jared to be ruined by a nosy neighbor turning him in. More likely, it would be a Marshal or bounty hunter, looking to bag the infamous Marshal for cash.
He got out the fixings to make some coffee, but stopped. He didn’t want some sublevel brew for his first coffee at home. He’d wait for the real Jared Java.
He perched on a stool at the kitchen counter and spun himself around until he was dizzy. Without Jared around, he was bored. Speaking of Jared, he should clean himself up for his mate. He sniffed his armpit. Oh, yeah, next stop, the shower.
Jared returned with five bags of groceries. While he was driving, he’d phoned Stacy and Myra, who were good to take care of the shop’s baking for the next week. And he’d send an email out to everyone else to call him if they needed him, but he was off for the next four days. If this was all the time he had with Jensen before he had to go to the caves, he wasn’t going to waste a second of it. At the store, he bought enough food and drink to tide them over. He didn’t want to spend another minute away from his alpha if he could help it. He would have loved to stop at his apartment to grab some clothes for them both, but didn’t want to risk it. Jeff was close to both their sizes, so they’d have to make do.
He carried in the first load of groceries and called out as he entered, but Jensen didn’t answer. He was probably upstairs. Humming, Jared brought in the rest and set some coffee to brew and then went back out to hide the truck in Jeff’s barn. Upon his return, he noticed there weren’t any cups in the sink. Jensen was probably waiting for him to make some Jared Java. It made him smile.
It took him a while to put the groceries in Kim’s well-ordered cupboard and pantry. Then he popped two potatoes to bake in the oven, and mixed up a salad for them to share. The steaks he put in a plastic bag with some pepper, salt, and lemon, and then set them in the fridge to marinate. Jensen could grill those on the stove later. For now, he just needed to get out of these thrift store finds. The clothes were okay, but he was just suspicious of how clean they were, and Jared was not too sweet-smelling either by this point. It might explain some of the funny looks he got at the grocery store.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, honey,” Kim said, squeezing Dylan tight.
“Me too, son. You made me so proud.” Morgan took over from Kim and gave the boy a crushing hug. “I mean I could strangle you for runnin’ off like that without tellin’ us, but hot, damn, boy! You pulled it off.”
Jensen came to the door next. Morgan grabbed him up and squeezed both him and Dylan until Dylan finally squeaked. “Dad, you’re crushing me.”
“Oh, sorry. Not sorry.” Jeff kissed his son on the forehead and finally let him go. He reeled Jensen in for his own solo hug. “Missed you, son. From the looks of things, you’ve been through the wringer. Was it worse than we thought?”
Jensen stepped back and smiled. “Nothin’ I didn’t survive.”
Jared stood hesitantly outside the door to the truck. He knew Jeff told him he forgave him, but he was suddenly nervous to see his Alpha in person.
“Get in here, Padalecki. You can’t avoid one of my hugs,” Jeff ordered.
Everyone laughed, and suddenly Jared knew it would all be all right.
+ + +
“Where do you think that leaves us?” Jensen asked as they stowed their equipment in the basement.
“Well, we’re heading back to the caves. All the Marshals have been called to the Rez to organize for a massive Were hunt. Williams gave me a quick call and said stuff is brewing, but not sure where it will go. I guess for now, Jared goes back to work at the Wired Bean. But you’re probably one of the most recognizable Weres in the country, and you’re wanted, to boot. I think you should lay low with us.”
Jensen nodded. He looked over at Jared, who looked stricken at the idea of losing Jensen again. “I will, but do you think we can delay that for a couple of days? I’d like a little alone time with my mate.”
Jeff shook his head. “It’s too dangerous for you to go back to the farm. Jared’s apartment and the farm are the first places they’d look.”
Jensen stood firm. “We need this, Jeff.”
Jeff scratched his head. “Damn, son, you complicate my life. Okay, how about you camp out at our place for a few days? My scouts say no one’s been snooping around the compound for weeks. But you gotta lay low.”
Jensen could feel Jared’s happiness flowing through the bond. Jensen rushed to say, “I won’t go into town. We’ll stay put and out of sight the whole time. I don’t think anyone would be the wiser.”
Jeff stared at them, obviously thinking about the possible fallout. He looked at Kim, whose grin filled her face. “Seems reasonable to me,” she said.
“Oh, it would.” Morgan laughed. “Okay, you got four days. But if Williams gives me the heads up that the Marshals are back, you drop everything, including Jared, and get your ass to the caves. This ain’t over. Not by a long shot. And you’re now on the Marshals' Wanted list, so sure as shit some hotshot Marshal will try to make a name for themselves by bagging you. And thanks to Omundson, I think most of the country knows what you look like now.” Morgan could see how crestfallen both Jared and Jensen looked. He softened his voice. “But I think we can risk you staying at our place for that long.”
As he handed Jared the keys to their house, Jeff added, “Just so you know, we’ve paused any more evacuations until this Were hunt cools down. Wine cellar is full, too, help yourself.”
“Thanks, Jeff,” Jared said, clapping his Alpha on the back.
Jared and Jensen watched as Kim and Jeff, and Dylan loped off through the snow toward the caves. He hated to see them go, but knew they needed to put the safety of the pack first.
“How about you drop me off at Jeff’s place, so I can get the fire going, and you go get some groceries.” Jensen looked at the clock on the dash. “Grocery stores’ll be open for another couple hours.”
Jared nodded, and they both climbed into the truck.
Jared dropped Jensen off at Jeff’s place, remembering at the last minute to throw him the keys. Jensen snatched them out of the air.
“Good catch,” Jared said.
“I wouldn’t want to have to break into his house.” Jensen grinned and headed inside.
In the foyer, he stood there taking it all in.
The scent of pack, his pack, was like a warm hug.
He’d always known he’d get back. He just hadn’t known how long it would be or how much it would take to get here. He thought about the Weres he’d left behind on the Rez. He hoped no one was punishing them for his escape. He wasn’t sure his faith went far enough to believing the Reservation system could be pulled completely down. That was just a hope too wild to believe. But he did hope some real change would come.
The house was cold. Jeff must have set the thermostat down to the bare minimum. He started a fire in the fireplace and jacked the temperature up. Then he went around and closed every blind and curtain in the house. He didn’t want his few nights with Jared to be ruined by a nosy neighbor turning him in. More likely, it would be a Marshal or bounty hunter, looking to bag the infamous Marshal for cash.
He got out the fixings to make some coffee, but stopped. He didn’t want some sublevel brew for his first coffee at home. He’d wait for the real Jared Java.
He perched on a stool at the kitchen counter and spun himself around until he was dizzy. Without Jared around, he was bored. Speaking of Jared, he should clean himself up for his mate. He sniffed his armpit. Oh, yeah, next stop, the shower.
+ + +
He carried in the first load of groceries and called out as he entered, but Jensen didn’t answer. He was probably upstairs. Humming, Jared brought in the rest and set some coffee to brew and then went back out to hide the truck in Jeff’s barn. Upon his return, he noticed there weren’t any cups in the sink. Jensen was probably waiting for him to make some Jared Java. It made him smile.
It took him a while to put the groceries in Kim’s well-ordered cupboard and pantry. Then he popped two potatoes to bake in the oven, and mixed up a salad for them to share. The steaks he put in a plastic bag with some pepper, salt, and lemon, and then set them in the fridge to marinate. Jensen could grill those on the stove later. For now, he just needed to get out of these thrift store finds. The clothes were okay, but he was just suspicious of how clean they were, and Jared was not too sweet-smelling either by this point. It might explain some of the funny looks he got at the grocery store.
He grabbed his duffel and bounded up the stairs into the guest bedroom they always used when they stayed over. Steam billowed out of the bathroom, and Jared could hear Jensen singing, ‘Crowded Table’ in the shower. The song was so innocently sweet that Jared had tears in his eyes as he walked in. Underfoot a trail of dirty clothing made a path to the shower. Jared smiled. With Grandma Soames’ recipe still not worn off yet, his mate didn’t scent him coming in, but the bond resonated with their closeness.
Jensen turned and just stared at Jared, a reverential smile on his face. Jared in turn, stood there frozen, just taking in the sight of him, mate, strong, alive, and free and home. Jensen reached out his hand and beckoned Jared to join him. Like a snake to the charmer, mesmerized by his mate’s green eyes, Jared moved toward him. The t-shirt he was wearing slid to the floor. Another step, and the track pants and his underwear joined the growing trail of clothing. He took Jensen’s hand, and the love flowing through the bond threatened to overwhelm him. He sank into his mate’s arms. Jensen was his anchor, his harbor, and he was home.
Together they stepped back under the warm, rushing water, Jensen’s arms wrapped around him. They kissed, and Jensen’s tongue slid inside him, mapping and exploring his mouth like he’d been waiting to do this since forever. They stood like that for a long while, simply enjoying the connection. Then Jensen magicked up a washcloth and soap and began to clean him, running his hand along every part of Jared’s body. Jared closed his eyes and sank into the sheer bliss of having his mate’s hands on his skin, the sensation of his fingers exploring him all over, discovering him anew.
When Jensen finally worked his way, slowly, oh so slowly down his body, he paused briefly at Jared’s belly, just a moment’s hesitation. Jared panicked. He didn’t want to tell Jensen about the baby right now. So instead, he grabbed Jensen’s hand and pulled it down to his rapidly filling cock with a moan. Obligingly, Jensen’s hand circled it gently and began to run up and down its length, soaping it thoroughly. Then, much to Jared’s disappointment, he moved on, leaving Jared full and aching for his touch. Teasingly, Jensen rolled Jared’s balls lovingly in his hands before pinching one, leaving Jared in no doubt that this wasn’t going to be over that fast. Jensen reached to wash between the cheeks of Jared’s ass. The washcloth was switched to Jensen’s other hand, as his finger nudged at his tightly furled entrance, pressing it again and again until it finally plunged inside. Jared gasped, choking on his groans. As the water continued to rain down over both of them, that questing finger finally found its mark, rubbing over that little gland until Jared’s hips bucked.
It had been so long since he’d felt the touch of anything but his own hand. Jared grabbed Jensen’s hand and whined. The finger withdrew, but Jensen’s voyaging hand kept moving, rubbing along his taint then taking each ball in hand and soaping them carefully, only to move on back up Jared’s front where once again he ran his wet hand along Jared’s jutting cock, jacking him slowly.
With a moan, Jared reached out and fisted Jensen’s hardening member. He smirked. Two could play at this.
Jensen growled into Jared’s neck, then bit down over his mating mark. Jared arched back with a keening cry, releasing Jensen’s cock with a moan.
Sudden alpha strength had Jared spinning around, as Jensen pressed him up hard against the wet shower wall. He rutted against him. Jensen’s soapy cock rubbed again and again over Jared’s hole, over and over. The delicious action, an offering, a longing, a need so deep and vast, all Jared could do was moan and nod his head. Jensen repositioned his hands on Jared’s hips and pushed inside in one long, slow glide that had Jared’s hands clawing at the tile.
Fully seated, Jensen paused, nuzzling Jared’s neck and shoulder blades, laying a path of butterfly kisses across his back. Jared exhaled raggedly, relishing the breadth and heft of his mate, the sensation of being full, completely joined as one once more. Then just as Jared was wanting more, Jensen pulled almost all the way out, and Jared ached at the loss of fullness. But then his mate moved, gently at first and then faster, thrusting deeper, each thrust rocking against Jared’s prostate, lighting his body up. His cock rubbed deliciously against the wet tiles, and Jared arched back against Jensen. He never wanted this to stop. Sparks ignited, and he was flying, propelled by a new wave of pleasure with every thrust of Jensen’s body.
The pleasure built and built. White spots crowded around the edge of Jared’s vision just as Jensen’s cock twitched, and with a muffled moan came deep inside him. His cock throbbed, and Jared was coming, too, shooting against the shower wall until nothing was left. As he came, his body clamped down on Jensen, who continued to pulse again and again, buried deep inside him, until finally he too was spent.
Jared sagged, totally played out. Jensen turned him, cradling him in his arms and started kissing him. His voice was ragged and whisper-thin as he murmured, “So beautiful, so perfect. Mine.”
Jared didn’t remember leaving the shower. The next thing he knew he was waking up in their bed feeling exquisitely sated. Jensen calling from downstairs, “Steaks are ready.”
Jared rubbed his hands over his face. The idea of Jensen carrying him like a baby to their bed made him tingle inside. His body ached, but it was a welcome sensation. He had missed the touch of his mate so much.
He wanted to just lie there forever; skin still alight from Jensen’s touch. But then his stomach growled in disagreement. It had been hours since they’d last eaten, and he was starving again. He pulled on a fresh pair of briefs and slid into Jeff’s bathrobe.
He paused at the bottom of the stairs to take in Jensen in black t-shirt, a pair of Jeff’s track pants, and Kim’s frilly pink apron, pulling the baked potatoes from the oven and setting them on the counter. The steaks were resting, and the salads were plated. Everything smelled so good. Including the scent of his mate filling the kitchen.
Jensen was sipping a cup of Jared Java when something made him turn. He smiled and just stared at him hungrily. Jared could swear his eyes glowed at the sight of him.
“Hey,” Jensen said softly.
“Hey.”
They ate at the kitchen table. Then they made love again on the rug in front of the living room fire, their hunger for each other far from quenched.
Sprawled on his back, Jared couldn’t take his eyes off Jensen as he thrust deep inside him. The light of the fire reflected off his lambent green eyes as he stared hungrily down at him. The sharp thrusts, so right, fed something deep down in his soul. The sensation of being filled again and again felt like Jensen was pouring all his love, physically and metaphorically, inside him. Jared came first, clenching around Jensen’s cock until his mate was coming, too, with a fierce cry. Even after, Jensen continued to thrust, shallow and jerky, until too tender to go on. Jensen rolled to his back, and they both simply lay there, staring up at the ceiling as they basked in the afterglow. Eventually, Jensen made himself get up and went to get a cloth to clean them both.
When Jensen returned to the fire, he stood there gazing at Jared like he was trying to burn this moment into memory. Jared blushed. He knew his hair was a mess, lying there sprawled on the faux fur rug in his borrowed bathrobe as the fire filled the room with flickering light; his cock and stomach covered in spunk like some wanton geisha. “So beautiful,” Jensen whispered before kneeling to care for him.
Neither wanted to move, so they spent the rest of the evening curled next to the fire with a bottle of wine. Jared couldn’t stop running his fingers over Jensen’s bare chest, touching him as if he might disappear.
Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere, you know.” Then, he chuckled, thinking about their four-day deadline. “Well, not going anywhere like to the Rez anytime soon. You’ve got me all to yourself.”
Jared could feel the warmth of Jensen’s breath on his cheek. He turned his head toward him. “I never want you to go anywhere again.”
“That’s gonna be tough. I’m a wanted man now.” Jensen softened his words by capturing his lips in a tender kiss. After he had tasted his fill, Jensen leaned up on one elbow, continuing to gaze down at him, running his fingers absently through Jared’s hair.
Jared swallowed sharply and then looked up at Jensen. “While you were there— there were times when I had these ‘dreams’ where I saw you being hurt, but I hoped they weren’t real. Now I understand they all were. I am so sorry, Jensen.”
Jensen tried to smile, but it felt like more of a grimace. “I saw you too, through the bond. You were so beautiful. Those images carried me through this. They gave me hope and strength. Once they put the shock collar on me, I thought I’d never dream of you again, but then one night I did. Out of the blue, I saw you running in the woods, trying to escape the notice of a Marshal. And I was with you every step of the way.”
Jared squeezed his hand. “That happened. I was so scared they’d pick up my tracks.”
“The thing that puzzles me, though, is I had that dream when they had the shock collar on me. How could I have had it? I never had another dream.” He looked down at Jared, his brow furrowed with confusion.
“Maybe the Goddess knew you need that extra bit of hope. She sent you that vision.”
Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand back and stared at the fire in thought. “That has to be it. I can’t think of any other way I could have seen you.” He shook his head, trying to shed his pensive mood, and lifted the bottle of wine off the side table. “Refill?” His brow knitted when he noticed Jared’s wine glass was still full. “You don’t like the wine?”
“No, that’s not it.” Jared stopped tracing aimless paths across Jensen’s skin and pushed himself up on an elbow. He’d been trying to find the right time to tell Jensen, the perfect moment, but he realized this was probably as perfect as it got. “Jensen, there’s something I want to tell you.”
Jensen sat up straighter. “What? What is it?” His voice had turned so serious and tentative, it broke Jared’s heart.
“Nothing bad. In fact, just the opposite.”
His little spark had been quiet for the last few hours, but suddenly made its presence known. “Here,” Jared said, taking Jensen’s hand and guiding it to press against his slightly rounded belly.
Jensen just sat there for a moment. Then his eyes grew round and he gasped.
Jared could feel the spark through the bond, the light flutter as the little one moved.
Jensen’s head whipped up, staring at Jared in shocked surprise. “Jared—”
Jared smiled. “Yes.”
Jensen didn’t know what to do with himself. On one hand, he didn’t want to ever let go of Jared’s belly and lose this precious connection. He could feel the new life inside, feel its excitement, its recognition that Jensen was a part of it. Part of making it, part of their pack.
On the other hand, he wanted to jump up, scream for joy, and spin Jared around. His heart was near to bursting with joy. The bond vibrated with it between them, and he wondered how he’d never noticed till now that it wasn’t just the two of them anymore. He could sense it so vividly now, the clear golden thread to their cub. He inhaled deeply, and there it was, Jared's scent had changed. It was subtle but how had he not noticed that either?
He couldn’t take it any longer, so he jumped up, dancing for joy in front of the fire. “Jared, Jared, oh my God. Jesus!!!! How long? How long have you known? And you came and rescued me anyway!” Jensen knelt to kiss Jared, kissing him until they were breathless. “You crazy, insane man, you. Tell me everything!” He sat up, his hand sliding over to cradle Jared’s belly again. “I’m going to be a dad!”
They talked for hours. Finally, when Jensen couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t take being physically separated from this brilliant, wonderful man, he tugged Jared up. “Let’s go upstairs.” Then he rushed to add, “Unless it could hurt the little one?”
Smiling, Jared shook his head and let Jensen helped him up.
As they walked up the stairs, Jensen growled, “This time, I want to knot you so tight you’ll never worry about being free of me again.”
+ + +
They stayed tied till morning. Jared awoke, savoring the sensation of Jensen’s knot as it pulsed against his prostate. Joined so intimately for the first time since Jared’s heat, soothed some restlessness in his soul. Jensen was right. He’d never be free of this man, willingly, forever.
When Jensen’s knot eventually deflated, Jared wandered down to the kitchen to start breakfast. For the first time since they’d gotten home, they weren’t both starving as they sat down to eat.
“How do we do this?” Jensen asked as he munched on a piece of bacon.
“Do what?” Jared looked at him, curious.
“How do you have the baby? I mean, I know betas kind of have all the same parts as humans, but what do omegas do? ‘Cause when we knotted, I didn’t notice any new passage for the baby to get out.”
Jared laughed, a bright, happy sound. Of course, Jensen wouldn’t automatically know. Even as a Marshal, it wasn’t something that would come up every day.
“Male omegas shift to give birth. Our wolves change and develop a channel to the womb. The baby arrives as a pup, then does its first shift right after. After that, they usually stay in their human form— until the terrible twos, of course, then all bets are off.”
Jensen’s eyes grew round. “You’re kidding me!”
“No, not about this. I’m deadly serious.”
“So, we will literally have a little pup underfoot at some point?”
“Well, they don’t stay in pup form for long. Aaron really was an exception.”
Jensen's hands went up to his head as he pantomimed ‘Mind blown.’
“You’ll get used to it.” Jared reached out to take his hand. “We both will.”
“I can’t wait,” Jensen said eagerly.
+ + +
They debated whether they should turn on the TV to watch the news, but decided that they wanted a break from the world for at least a couple of days. Jensen knew it was reckless, but he put his phone on mute, and Jared only answered calls from the Wired Bean. They spent that first day together making love, napping, then making love again. When it grew dark, Jared suggested a run.
It had been almost four months since Jensen had shifted. To say he and Wolf were excited at the prospect of a run was an understatement. He could feel his wolf rolling inside him with glee at the idea. They turned off all the house lights, and Jensen stripped at the back door. Then he stepped out onto the porch to shift. There was still snow on the ground, but it was gradually being washed away by the spring rains. He had hardly put thought to mind when suddenly he changed, standing there now on four legs instead of two.
Yipping in happiness, Wolf bounded out into the woods, running at full tilt.
Jared followed, a dark flash of cinnamon fur against the night.
Jensen kept running, heart pumping furiously, legs stretched long, as he raced through the trees. He admired the sylvan grace with which Wolf moved, the strength, the endurance. They were a white streak in the darkness. This was so different than letting his wolf free in the ring, so pure, so true. A fierce joy coursed through him. This is what it was to be alive.
Hours later, they reached the summit overlooking Munter’s Gorge. Wolf was pleasantly winded, the air crisp and cold around them, the Goddess only partially visible through the clouds. He and Jared stood there looking down at the town, the lights twinkling in the distance. It was bittersweet. The threat against their people was real. This might not be their town for long, their woods, their meadows. They would need to conquer new forests to the north, learn their songs, their secrets.
Wolf howled in sorrow. He did not want to leave this place that was home. Neither did Jensen, but the Goddess had other plans. Jared joined his plaintive cry, their two voices twining round each other, echoing in the snowy canyons, and fading into the night.
The journey home was much slower and melancholy as both wolf and Jensen tried to memorize everything about this place that had been their sanctuary. They padded back onto the porch and shifted silently.
After they had showered, Jared joined Jensen in bed. His mate’s mood had darkened, and he was lost in thought as they lay there, Jared sprawled against his side.
“I think Foldbrook broke something in me,” Jensen said, after a long silence.
Jared held his breath, just listening, waiting for Jensen to go on.
Jensen stared unseeing out the window. “When they were torturing me. The pain was bad, but I’ve had worse. Then— then something just broke, and I—I was back in the mine, back with him, and he was hurting me.”
“What did you do?” Jared spoke in a hush.
“I didn’t do anything. I would have betrayed you all, told them anything just then. Just— they didn’t ask, they kept hurting me and I... I was so wrapped up in the nightmare, reliving what Foldbrook did to me, I couldn’t do anything but scream. Somewhere, I must have known it was Omundson, but he kept switching to Foldbrook. But I would have told them everything in a minute.” Jensen finally turned and looked at Jared. His eyes were haunted. “What kind of monster does that make me?”
“You are not a monster,” Jared said firmly. “That’s what torture does. It makes you willing to say anything, true or not. And I think you sell yourself short. Maybe you might have said something, but you didn’t. You didn’t.”
“How can you love someone so broken? How can I be a good father like this?”
Jared pulled Jensen into his arms. “My love, you are not broken. Even if you were, I would love you till the end of time, and so will our child. What you went through in that mine with Foldbrook would have broken any man, but you survived. You may need some help working through what he did to you, but PTSD is a far cry from broken. And you have always been the best mate. And you will be a wonderful father. You wouldn’t let yourself be anything less.”
“How can you be so sure?” Jensen looked at him, completely lost.
“Because I know you, and you would never let me down.”
Jared held him that night as he cried.
+ + +
The next day started out with Jensen still insisting something was wrong with him. They had a long talk and agreed that Jensen would get some help. Someone he could talk to about what happened to him and work through his feelings. Jared took it as a good sign that Jensen was willing to talk about it, not bottle it up.
It helped clear the air between them. They watched movies from Jeff’s collection, ate grapes by the fire, and made love twice upstairs. Jared cooked, and Jensen puttered. He was chafing a little at having to stay indoors and out of sight. But that’s what happens when you’re one of the most wanted Weres in the country. At least with Jared by his side, he could think of far, far worse confinements than this. The night was his release, when he and Jared could fly across the landscape clothed in simple fur and claws.
+ + +
For three blissful days, neither one of them spared a thought about the outside world. Acknowledging that would mean their time together was ending, and neither wanted this to end. Jensen ignored the calls he noticed coming in. He had obligations to no one, at this point. His time was his own. It was only when Jim Beaver’s old pick-up pulled in Jeff’s driveway, an absolute break in their safety protocols, that he realized something might be up.
Jim banged on the front door and tried to peer in the side lights, but all the curtains were drawn. When Jensen opened the door, the man didn’t even wait to be invited in; he just barged by him, already talking. “Where the Sam Hill have you two idjits been? We’ve all been callin’ for days. Don’t you watch the goldurn TV?”
Jared shrugged helplessly as Jim brushed past him into the living room and grabbed the remote. “It’s on everywhere,” he said by way of explanation, found a news channel, and turned up the volume.
A red ticker with ‘Breaking News — Scandal rocks the Big Horn Reservation’ was running across the bottom of the screen as a newscaster started a new segment. “—and as reported only a few days ago, a giant scandal has surfaced at the Big Horn Reservation. The Action For Lycans activist group has released hours of footage taken on the reservation, implicating management and staff there in a massive scandal. Not only has the incarcerated Were population been used in forced labor, but they have also been coerced to fight in kickboxing cage matches for the pleasure of wealthy patrons of the Reservation, who gambled on the matches’ outcomes. There is also growing evidence that omega Weres on the reservation were being trafficked. The FBI has stepped in. Werewolf Affairs Director Timothy Omundson, as well as the Warden of the Big Horn Reservation, Mark Sheppard, have been placed on leave pending investigation.
“Earlier this week, we ran a story that an alpha Were had escaped the Reservation at Big Horn, but there is now growing evidence that Were was former U.S. Marshal Jensen Ackles.” The screen flashed to a comparison shot of the incarcerated photo of Jensen and his Bureau portrait. “In the footage released by the Action For Lycans, Marshal Ackles is depicted prominently. Just a warning, this footage is graphic and may prove disturbing to our viewers. This recently obtained footage shows the Director actively torturing this highly-decorated Marshal at the Big Horn Reservation, a clear violation of the Geneva Convention and Section 2340A of Title 18, the United States Code that prohibits torture committed by public officials.” The picture changed to images of Jensen in the interrogation room being tortured with a cattle prod. The scene shifted to another clip showing Omundson in the background as the Marshal was waterboarded.
In horror, Jared sucked in a breath as he watched the scene play out on the TV screen. It was so much worse than he had imagined. He reached across and squeezed Jensen’s hand. Jensen’s expression was stonily blank.
The image changed back to the announcer, who was looking a little green. “More footage obtained shows decadent parties held in the facility while Reservation inmates were forced to fight for their lives.” The image then shifted to the octagon, with close-ups of several of the matches from that night, including Jensen destroying Grimfur’s knee.
The camera view changed, and now the TV showed a very clear view of the watching VIP guests. “For the sake of our viewing audience, we are not showing video of the many graphic scenes of guests involved in sexual acts with their collared omega ‘hosts’. These inhuman conditions have called into question the leadership of the Bureau of Werewolf Affairs and the Big Horn Reservation.”
The reporter paused briefly and then continued, “Breaking news! We take you now to the state capital of Helena, where Governor Madison is holding a press conference.”
The scene changed to a red-haired woman of medium age already briefing the press. “As you know, the revelations of the brutal injustices going on at the Big Horn Reservation have necessitated swift and decisive action on the part of this government. Dozens of Reservation employees are being taken into custody and are now under active investigation for wrongdoing. They will be held accountable. What we’ve all seen on those videos is shocking and reprehensible.
“We are making a plea to the Big Horn Were population that any Weres with specific knowledge of an incident or incidents, please come forward and report it to their newly-assigned social workers so that we may follow up. In the interim, we have placed a new Warden in charge who will be overseeing the population. Our hope is that Warden Franks will be able to set things to rights quickly.” The Governor continued to speak, but Beaver muted the TV.
“The whole damn fighting ring is shut down.” He grinned at Jared and Jensen, who were still standing in the doorway to the living room. They could only stare at him blankly. “And better than that, Osric has already sent representatives from our newly formed Lycan Defense League to represent the Weres.”
“But how did you get those images? I thought we couldn’t get cameras in there in time?” Jensen asked, slightly dazed at all the revelations.
“We couldn’t. But Sheppard’s greed did what we couldn’t. He sent me an encrypted link, a pay-per-view to watch the Big Show, because I couldn’t attend this time. It went out to a whole mailing list. I gave it to Osric. He hacked in and got access to their server and recorded everything Sheppard’s team recorded during the Big Show. Shortly after that, he released the footage he’d copied to hundreds of websites he had lined up under the pseudonym Action For Lycans. There is some hair-raising stuff in those recordings. Omundson tried to shut the websites down, but there were just too many of them. Once the mainstream news got hold of the story, along with the video of your torture and then that horrific cage match Sheppard set you up to fight in, it was like adding gasoline to a fire. ‘Decorated Marshal forced to fight for his life in barbaric cage match’ I think that was the heading in the New York Times. Catchy, right?”
Jim twisted his battered ball cap in his hands. “Omundson tried to hightail it out of the country, but Williams dragged him back to the Bureau for questioning. Osric plans to systematically flood the web every month or so with all the footage from the other reservations one at a time, to keep the story in the news cycle and make some real national change happen.”
Jared and Jensen still stood there, stunned.
Jim didn’t think the boys were hearing him right. He tried again. “The video we released from Sheppard’s feed has been dynamite. Jensen’s fight was the thing that lit the match. A former Marshal being forced to fight for his life. The media is eating it up. We knew changing perception of Weres was going to be like slogging uphill, especially given that the number of old rich white guys in Congress that like the status quo and who’ve probably been to Sheppard's little sex and fight ring would want to keep a lid on all—” Jim waved his hands vaguely at the TV, “This. But now that we have footage of them sampling the wares front and center in the audience, it gives us a real fighting chance to make change happen.”
Jensen sagged into the club chair by the TV. “So— that means—?””
“Well, we’re not sure what it means— yet. But for the Were community, Munter’s Gorge is safe for now. With Omundson yanked off the case and Williams officially put in charge of the Bureau since the investigation at Munter’s Gorge never really turned up anything, he’s shutting it down. The spotlight’s off us; no one has to leave. I’ve already contacted Jeff. Everyone can safely return home. And there’s no way Omundson will come back as Director. Sheppard, the little ferret, taped everything, including all the interrogations Omundson had with you, a clear human rights violation. Those alone will go a long way to helping the Weres at Big Horn be dealt with more fairly.”
Jim stopped talking and just stared at Jared and Jensen. Jared had collapsed onto the sofa, trying to take it all in.
“Am I getting through to you two, or what?”
“Wow.” Jensen shook his head. “How did this happen so fast? I mean it’s only been six-seven days since I escaped! I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it almost seems too easy.” Jensen sagged into a seat beside Jared.
Jim knelt by Jensen and patted his hand. “Well, it’s only one Rez, and it’s not freedom. Not yet anyway, and you’re still a wanted man, but it is a good sign. After all both of you have gone through; let’s just hope for the best. I know that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Jim stood and jammed his battered cap on his head. “It seems like you two have some absorbin’ to do. I just wanted to let you know everyone in the caves is returning to their homes. I talked it over with Jeff, and we think it’s safe for you both to go back to your farm, as long as Jensen lays low.”
Jim turned to leave and then stopped. “Oh, and once everyone’s settled in, Jeff is planning on hosting a big bash in a few weeks at Iron Ridge. He’s already got a name for it, callin’ it the Break Out party!” Jim smiled. “It’s on pack lands, so I don’t think we have to worry about anyone arresting you there. Which is good, ‘cause everyone’s expecting you.”
Jim continued toward the door. “And Jensen…”
Jensen looked up.
“Good to see you in one piece, son.” Jim looked at Jared, who had risen to walk him out. He squeezed Jared’s shoulder. “And Jared, I’d love to hear your side of how you busted this one out. From what Dylan’s said, I bet it’s a doozy.”
Jared grinned and glanced back at Jensen. “Yeah, you could say that. ‘Night, Jim. I know we don’t seem grateful or excited enough. It’s just a lot to take in. But thank you, thank you for letting us know. Seriously.”
Jim nodded and headed out the door.
Jared turned to Jensen, still shaking his head in wonder. “We don’t have to leave. We can stay in our home.”
As the sun set, it found them curled up together on Jeff’s big sofa, Jensen’s hand resting lightly on Jared’s belly. Jared looked at his watch and mused, “Jeff should be home any time now.”
“You know all that’s left to do now, right?” Jensen said, a smile filling his face as he tugged Jared to his feet.
“No, what?” Jared asked suspiciously.
“Pack up and head home. We’ve got to decorate that baby’s room,” Jensen replied smugly.
+ + +
When they pulled in their drive, Jensen jumped out of the truck and said, “I’ll just go check on the horses.”
Jared winced and raised his hand. “Wait!”
Jensen paused and looked back at Jared.
Jared climbed out of the cab, feeling sheepish. “I had to give up on the horses. We moved them to the Calders full time. It was just too much work for them running back and forth to feed them, and I couldn’t get out there on a regularly.”
“But my babies...”
Jared laughed. “They’ll still recognize you when we get them back.”
“They better,” Jensen grumbled.
For the next few weeks, Jared and Jensen spent a lot of time in front of the television. They kept switching stations, chasing news of the Rez, until they found a couple of reliable non-stop news channels. The amount of backlash against the Big Horn Reservation and the Bureau was mind-boggling.
There were interviews with regular Americans on the street. “I don’t know. I’ve known some Weres in my time, and they never hurt no one. I saw that footage on the web, and they were raping those boys while they watched the other Weres fight. This ain’t gladiatorial Rome, this is the USA. That’s just wrong.”
Human rights activists, politicians, and regular people on the streets. The groundswell of support for the Weres was phenomenal.
“…And now we are getting a few words from the Acting Director of the Bureau of Werewolf Affairs.” Jensen startled when Williams came on television.
“As most of us have now seen, the whole Reservation system seems to be have been highly corrupted and broken. The original intent of the charter was for the Weres to be separated from humans and detained on the Reservation to live in a normal society with their kind. But that has obviously been perverted and twisted by greed, all the while costing the taxpayers billions of dollars to maintain. None of my Marshals thought when they turned over a Were to the Reservation system that they would be contributing to such inhumane conditions.
“That being said, this seems a good time for America to reassess the whole idea of Were incarceration. In our experience at the Bureau, only a small handful of Weres were ever a critical problem. Just like only a small handful of humans are ever a critical problem. Integrating the Were population back into society might be the best path for everyone. I have prepared a comprehensive plan that I will be presenting to Congress, a plan that will protect humans, Weres, and newly turned Weres. Only the offenders will be punished and incarcerated. Why should the innocent suffer? From all the videos we’ve seen, haven’t they suffered enough?”
“Holy cow!” Jensen exclaimed. “I didn’t know he was doing this.”
“Yes, it was part of Operation Blackstone to free the Rez. It kicked into high gear once you were taken. Jeff told me Williams and Beaver have been working on this pretty much non-stop since you broke out,” Jared explained excitedly. “I knew Osric was ready to flood the web with imagery from the Big Horn Reservation. We just needed a blockbuster event to kick it off. Your torture and the Big Show were the tipping point. This might mean real change.”
They watched as Omundson and then, a few days later, Sheppard were brought to the courthouse for a hearing. Both were denied bail, but it was a media circus. Jensen had worried that after the initial video release, the Weres’ plight might fade into the background. But something about the Big Horn Rez Weres stuck in the public’s mind and the news.
+ + +
They had dinner with Osric and Joshua at their house. Osric was as giddy as Jensen had ever seen him.
“Did you catch the close-up on Omundson’s face when he came out of the courtroom?”
Jensen smiled. That image had been a favourite of his. Omundson had been livid when he’d been denied bail. At Sheppard’s bail hearing days later, he had had a hangdog expression right from the start, prepared for the denial in advance, based on Omundson’s outcome. Still, it made Jensen smile.
“Of course, it didn’t help that their available defense funds might have been substantially less than they thought were available.” Osric beamed. “It seems somehow their offshore accounts, with over ninety-nine per cent of their ill-gotten gains, have been donated to the Lycan Defense League. That money will go a long way to making sure the Rez has proper defense this time around.”
Joshua leaned over and kissed Osric, “My little hacker.”
Jensen snorted, “I’m surprised you left them anything.”
“Had to leave them a little walkin’ around money for when they get out of prison. When they’re ninety!”
¤ ¤ ¤
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