Out of Control 3/5 [NC-17] Jared/Jensen, RPS AU
Title: Out of Control (3/5)
Genre: RPS AU
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Warning: Sex, Violence, Language, a Modified Mythology, never actually using the word werewolf
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 35K, This part 9K
Beta: I’d like to thank
enablelove as the best person in the universe. This was also the short chapter. Except she kept saying 'you need this'...I told her no three times, but she wore me down and now you have a long chapter. Thanks to 
clex_monkie89 for blocking on the fight scene.
-Also special thanks to
ldyghst for the helps where needed! We have details.
Seriously these people made the story so much better.
Summary: Jared Padalecki and his inner circle work hard and play harder, everybody in the territory knows it. Everybody in all the neighboring territories knows it. Everybody knows that he is groomed to be head of the Pack, and he's poised to take over. Jared's father is waiting, though. Waiting to see what Jared will do about his brother, about the neighboring rowdy Pack, about a mate...
Part I|Part II
Jared was staring out the window. He was trying not to think about Jensen, because his thoughts were taking a disturbing thought. They had always been filled full of the dirty things that he wanted to do to Jensen.
But his thoughts now weren’t only of fucking Jensen.
He had watched Jensen sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Jensen sleeping.
He now knew by heart Jensen’s freckles across his nose, his eyelashes across his cheeks, the way his lips curled.
Jared was well and good fucked, and not in the way that he wanted.
So he stared out the window and tried to assimilate Jensen into his world view.
“You’re not doing much work,” Chad said as he came into the room and put his feet up on Jared’s desk.
“I don’t work, I delegate,” Jared muttered.
“That is bullshit,” Chad informed him.
Jared glared.
Chad’s eyes squinted.
Finally Jared gave up. Chad was stupidly persistent.
“I wanted to fuck the shit out of him last night,” Jared confessed.
“And wow, I’m glad you’re in charge and don’t have to fear Human Resources,” Chad said. “Carry on. Confession is good for the soul.”
“You learn that from the girl’s magazines?” Jared bit out.
“And now you try to change the conversation,” Chad said superiorly.
“Did you see him?” Jared questioned, putting his head in his hands. “The way he was calculating and calm and took down that beast. God, my mouth was watering. I wanted to fuck him right there in full view of everyone, just so they knew he was mine. He let go last night and every little part of me wanted to let go with him. To fuck him into the ground. He was wild and alive and I wanted him more than I wanted anything else.”
“Then take him,” Chad said simply.
“How the hell can I even entertain a wild card like that?” Jared ground out. “I can deal with my crazy and the group’s crazy. I know where the lines are drawn with us and that none of you will cross me, but I don’t know with him. I don’t know if I have enough to tame him. I might pretend that I understand what’s going on under his skin, but there is something raw and powerful and it may be too big for me.”
Chad studied him for a long moment before speaking. “You followed him.”
Jared laughed bitterly. “He ran and there was no way I wasn’t going to follow him, but I can’t do that again. I can’t have that. God, I want him so badly, but I can only get him as a mate and I can’t have one that won’t follow.”
Chad was silent for once.
Jared looked up at him with a glare. “I have my brother breathing down my neck, and what if I can’t control Jensen? We’re all going to be exiled from the pack if I do something wrong. Actually, that will be if we’re lucky. Most likely, Jeff will kill us all.”
Chad just looked at him with slitted eyes. Jared really hated that look sometimes.
“Speak, my little sidekick,” Jared said with gritted teeth.
“Do you want me to channel Misha?” Chad said, staring at the ceiling.
“We can call it that so I don’t try to strangle you,” Jared informed him.
“Part of you realizes you already see him as yours,” Chad told him. “Or some mystical, animalistic shit that Misha would say.”
“It’s been less than three days,” Jared growled out.
Chad shrugged. “Then just fuck him and get it over with. I don’t know why you didn’t last night.”
“He wouldn’t have known it was me,” Jared said forcefully, standing up and pacing.
“Um, yeah, it couldn’t be the whole seeing him as yours thing,” Chad muttered.
“What?” Jared asked, distractedly.
Chad smiled his version of innocent. “Nothing. Lets go out tonight. You know, go get out your funk.”
Jared closed his eyes. He felt more alive without even touching Jensen than he had in weeks in the club. He didn’t want to go home, he didn’t want to be running out with Jensen because he wanted it so badly, and he didn’t know if he could trust himself to keep his head. He also didn’t want to go to club and be in the middle of vapidness.
But god, it would be a place for forgetting. Right now he wanted to forget.
“I’m in,” Jared said with a sigh.
“Dude, you make it sound miserable. It’s the club. We’re gods there,” Chad said.
“Whatever, let me do work,” Jared said firmly, once again gaining his composure and sitting down again.
**
“You know what I like about you?”
Jensen had just spent the last five hours glued to the screen figuring out how to make the buy out that he had begun to finagle a possibility. Anything else was pushed from his mind.
“I’m sure you found some excellent things in the two days that we’ve been acquainted,” Jensen said dryly, not looking up.
“I like the way you do anything,” Misha said. “It’s like everything you do is going to be the last thing you do; it’s going to be your legacy. I’ve never seen anybody who puts everything into what he’s doing. Like the last thing you do is what your entire life is going to be judged on.”
“Glad that you approve,” Jensen muttered, because there was quite a bit of truth to that statement.
Misha stood there far longer than Jensen was comfortable with.
Finally, after Jensen knew he had started sweating from the scrutiny, Misha spoke.
“We’re supposed to meet them at the club at eleven,” Misha said.
“I thought on full moon days, we stayed here,” Jensen said, finally looking up.
Misha just stared.
Jensen saw a million thoughts flash through Misha’s eyes, although Jensen had no idea what those thoughts were.
In the end, none of those thoughts were voiced.
“Eleven,” Misha said. “The girls will be here around ten with things for you to wear. Try to shower before then.”
**
“This is a risky game,” Sophia said.
It was just the five of them in a room. Misha had driven in and they were in the backroom of a coffee shop a few buildings down from the office.
“But this is our game to play,” Hartley pointed out.
When they were sixteen, when Jeff first tried for Jared’s life, they had all sworn themselves to Jared, in lieu of a mate. They would fill in as the ones to watch his back, to stand by his side, and to help make the hard decisions. They all knew he had a couple of extremely valid reasons for not wanting a mate. They were willing to keep their promise when he wasn’t going to mate, but in a short span of time Jensen had changed their minds about a great deal of things.
“We could give it time,” Katie said, looking at her nails.
“He’s the one,” Sophia said. “He’s got the strength, the brains, and Jared wants him. I don’t know why we even need to have this discussion. Jensen is the one for Jared.”
“After a decade of caution, I don’t know why we’re moving so fast,” Katie said with an eye roll.
“We don’t have time,” Hartley replied. “Gerald can’t hold it together much longer. Jared has to step up.”
“Besides, he’s the one,” Misha said. “What’s needed between Jared and a mate is there. He’s the right one.”
“Yeah, but the sure thing is also a wild card,” Chad told them. “He looks like he’s going to bite the hand that feeds him.”
“That was an amazing amount of mixed metaphors,” Misha said dryly.
“Jared doesn’t really seem to be adverse to Jensen biting,” Katie added dryly.
“Kinks aside, Gerald likes Jensen,” Hartley spoke up. “I asked Gerald today and he finally caved and that he’d been watching Jensen his entire life. Besides the fact that it would be a great alliance, Gerald knows his son and he knows his people and he wanted Jensen for his son. After watching them, he is sure of the match. Jared has had partners and Jared has a couple of pups to carry on the line, but what Jared needs is someone at the head of the pack next to him so he doesn’t have to be so prickly. Gerald thinks that Jensen is the one and Gerald doesn’t want to step down until Jared is mated. This is the one that he wants. Therefore, this is what we have to do.”
They were all quiet for a minute.
“I’d just like to point out that we’re not matchmakers,” Chad said.
“I’d like to point out that we are,” Sophia said quietly. “We all love him, and we all saw what happened when he was brought home from the Baldwin lands, what happened to his mother. We all promised that we would be like a mate so he didn’t have to find one. We also all agreed that we would step aside if the right one came along and we all have to agree to step aside.”
They were all silent.
“Jensen has flaws, but he’s good, the closest to the best that anyone can get,” Misha said.
“Jared wants him,” Sophia added.
“Anyone opposed to us making this happen?” Hartley asked.
They all looked at each other, most of the glances spending the most amount of time on Katie. She just sighed and rolled her eyes.
“Let’s get the fairy wings,” Chad sighed. “We’re apparently the match makers.”
“This plan is stupid, though,” Katie informed them.
“He’s probably going to kill us,” Misha offered.
“Maybe,” Chad sighed. “But at least then we won’t have to contend with Jeff.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Yeah, too soon,” Hartley said authoritatively. “Let’s talk more about tarting Jensen up and riling up our dear future king.”
**
Jared arrived at midnight. He walked through the crowd, gazing straight ahead and not really caring as the crowd parted for him. They were looking lasciviously at him, as always, and the music was flowing around him, not that he was paying much attention to it. Jared just felt Jensen dancing around in his head.
He took a slug of whiskey. Chad knew him well enough to give him the cheap stuff at this point. He wanted the burn. Jared looked at the Sanctuary and its faceless dancers for a second. He wasn’t sure who he called over, but bodies followed him up to the Annex.
Jared wasn’t quite present as he took his chair. He had a writhing body on his lap, his eyes were closed and he just tried to focus on this, not the want for the one that wasn’t there that was threatening to boil over.
He had absolutely no idea why, but he opened his eyes and turned towards the dance floor.
It was dark and there was a sea of people out there, but he thought he saw a flash. Whoever it was he was making out with was flown to the floor and Jared was at the railing, hands around the bar, knuckles turning white.
It was then he knew what the feeling was, the tug he felt compelled by. It happened during courting; it was how one knew which partner was for real. He had never experienced it before, thinking it was a myth.
He had no such doubts now.
Down in the Sanctuary, moving hypnotically with shirt gone and eyelined, there was Jensen, his hair spiky and body glistening. Other bodies were moving around him, touching with freedom Jared wasn’t benevolent enough to accept right now. Everybody was touching, but Jensen wasn’t committing to more than a kiss or a grope.
“You haven’t even claimed him yet.” Hartley came up to his side from nowhere. “I mean, you don’t have to mate him, but you should at least let people know he isn’t up for grabs. It’s not fair to have to exile someone because you didn’t step up.”
“You brought him here,” Jared said through clenched teeth, every single part of his body taut with tension and anger. He was going to murder everyone in this place including his own people.
Jensen was lost to the music, body flowing to the beat with foreign hands touching him. Jared was mesmerized, and he tried to stay still. He tried to not lunge down there and rip every person around Jensen apart.
Hartley shrugged. “He knows that you’re here. He only started moving like that when you came up here.”
Jared closed his eyes and leaned forward. He breathed in deep and then opened his eyes.
Jensen was staring straight at him, completely still even as the bodies around him were in constant motion. For the first time, Jensen reached out, grabbed a guy next to him and ground down on him, hands across his shoulders and flitting over his body, all the while staring at Jared, green eyes flashing colors in the strobe lights.
“He wants you to bring him in,” Hartley whispered. “He’s begging for you to.”
Jensen turned towards the man he was dancing next to. The stranger’s lips started gravitating towards Jensen’s.
“No,” Jared said calmly.
It wasn’t loud by any means, but Jensen was tuned into Jared. His eyes snapped up towards Jared, half hooded.
They couldn’t really deny the connection between them. It hummed and if Jared didn’t touch him soon, he was going to go insane.
Jared managed to stand still, just looking at Jensen.
“Come here,” he said in a much louder voice, the one that commanded. It was a rumble that went through the club.
The corners of Jensen’s mouth lifted, his eyes still hooded. The guy who had been all over him jumped away like he was burned. The club got louder. The wolves in the club knew what was going on as the people felt the current that they couldn’t understand.
People parted for Jensen as he walked towards the stairs to go up to the Annex. Jensen paid them no attention; he only had eyes for Jared.
“Leave now,” Jared said to the other people in the Annex in that dangerous voice.
The area was empty by the time Jensen sauntered in.
Jensen didn’t make a move, just stood there, chin at a defiant angle.
Jared looked at him. Really looked at him. He took in the bare chest, sweaty from dancing, pants low on his hips, the bones protruding from the top of them since they were obscenely tight. Jared could swear that Jensen’s lips were ten times more perfect in this light; he could just imagine what those lips would be like everywhere on his body.
Jared swallowed. It was on, there really was no fighting it. He was gone for Jensen.
But he didn’t have to tell Jensen all of that.
He just really didn’t know what he was supposed to be saying right now.
“What?” Jensen said, finding words much easier. “You’re up here fucking around. Your girls dressed me up like a trollop and got me drunk enough that I stopped noticing how fucking small these pants are and then drunker to lose the shirt, so I’m pretty off, but that doesn’t really stop me from seeing what’s happening. I thought they were trussing me up for you, but I’m just supposed to watch you with some Amazon blonde with a rack to kill for and you suddenly go all prickly Alpha when I dare touch someone else?”
Jared made a face at his words. But he couldn’t say anything back to Jensen right now. Words were lost beneath the want and the desire and the sheer animal raging within himself. Jensen was right, Jared was playing a game that wasn’t fair. He couldn’t ask Jensen to do what he wasn’t willing to.
His fists were balled at his side, teeth grinding.
Jensen stopped. He looked at Jared. Jared felt like he had his entire motivation written in neon lights above his head.
Jensen’s brow creased and figured it out as he spoke slowly. “You didn’t know I was going to be here.”
Jared didn’t move his posture, but Jensen’s eyes blazed with anger.
“Oh that’s sweet, you were going to fuck around behind my back,” Jensen bit out. “You don’t even have the fucking guts to say it to my face and make me go, you’re just going to move the hell on. Glad to know your attention span fits on the head of a pin. Be a fucking full grown Alpha and tell me to get the fuck out of your territory.”
Jensen was in his face, standing nose to nose.
Jared grabbed him and dove into his mouth. Jensen gave back as much as he got, trying to control the kiss, trying to find the place that he was in charge. Jared was having none of it, his hands held onto Jensen’s head, partially guiding and partially forcing the kiss to be under his control.
Jensen didn’t give.
So Jared bit his bottom lip. Jensen jerked back.
Neither noticed that people were all staring up at them from below in the Sanctuary. They were putting on a show and neither one of them could care.
Jensen sucked his lip into his mouth.
“You have your freedom, games are done,” Jared said huskily, his entire body thrumming. “If you want to leave, you need to leave now. You can do your two months in luxury at any hotel. If you stay under my roof, then you are right we can’t do this. I can’t have you with anyone else.”
Jensen glared at him. “Fuck you. You don’t need me. I thought that you were over this thing. I’m not going to sit at home, like you apparently want, while you have your fingers in some girl’s cunt. What do you think I am?”
Jared looked at him, eyes luminous. “I wouldn’t.”
“You just did,” Jensen snarled.
“Me and you,” Jared told him, stepping into Jensen’s space again. “While you’re here, while you’re under my roof, me and you, we’re the only ones in this. No promises of mate, not right now, but marks placed, you and me until we figure this out.”
Jensen grabbed his belt and pulled them flush. He tilted his head offering a muscled shoulder and a long column of neck.
“Do it,” Jensen said. “Just do it.”
Jared could barely breathe at what Jensen was offering, so willingly. It was a rush like he had never felt, from his toes to the tip of his nose he could barely contain what he was feeling.
It was commanding rather than begging, and Jared could just imagine what the begging would sound like. But Jensen was giving him something. Jensen was being submissive in the only way that he could.
Jared was stunned by the gravity of ‘want’ and ‘mate’ going through his head. It was too heady to make promises now. He had been so sure he never was going to mate. He couldn’t just change his mind charged up like this. He needed a second; he needed a second as much as he needed to know that Jensen would give him the chance, wouldn’t be with someone else.
Jared’s fingers traced Jensen’s neck and then went back up to his lips before tilting Jensen’s head up.
“If we place marks, there’s nothing else until one of us breaks this. You and me and no one else until we break this,” Jared said, leaning in for another one of their mind numbing kisses. It was almost too much. When he pulled away, his voice couldn’t seem to catch, coming in gasps of breath. “I want to fuck you until you can’t remember your own name and then until you can’t walk for days, but you’re going to come to me. I’m done chasing you.”
Jensen’s breath was coming short, like he was trying not to let out the little noises. “Do it.”
Jared didn’t move.
“Please,” Jensen said softly.
Jared ran his hands up Jensen’s back and Jensen held on to his waist like it was a life line. Jared kissed him again and this time, Jensen didn’t try to take over. He matched him, kissed him, and tried to beg with his lips. Jared had never felt someone both defiant and wanting at the same time.
Jared had never asked for anyone before, not beyond friendship. He wasn’t really one to demand faithfulness when he didn’t care about forever. He hadn’t wanted to be mated. He didn’t want anyone to be his for eternity.
Until now.
Until Jensen entered his life and he felt like he was going to build Jensen a tower somewhere so that no one else ever got to see him. Jealousy had always been unbecoming, but he understood the sensation and the insanity that it drove people to.
Jared ripped himself away from Jensen’s mouth and nibbled to Jensen’s shoulder, pulling him flush, their bodies together as he sucked his mark into Jensen’s shoulder. They were in full view of the entire club, everyone watching as Jared encircled Jensen, who was naked to the waist as he writhed into Jared, looking for friction, looking for more of whatever Jared had to offer.
Jensen bit his teeth into Jared’s shoulder, his teeth breaking skin. Until the actual mating, until they decided that mate was actually something real and not something that they were taunting each other with, this mark would hold. Anyone who didn’t respect the mark would be more than open to any wrath. It was a promise, it was a hold, it was like the human’s going steady, except for to get between was much more dangerous.
He could feel Jensen’s body beneath him and the want doubled.
A tenuous vibration of connection was formed. He could feel how much Jensen wanted him, felt for him. He could feel fear and defiance; he could feel all of what Jensen was. It was exhilarating. He didn’t feel edgy anymore, just by having this little piece of Jensen, he felt satisfied.
He was barely able to pull back, wanting to take if further. Wanting more. He wanted to fuck into Jensen. To get submission, To rut and mate.
But he pulled away; he wouldn’t take Jensen without consent. He looked at Jensen, trying to blink back into reality, completely dazed.
Jared licked his lips; it felt like the taste of Jensen was branded there.
Jensen looked at the muscle of Jared’s jugular in his groggy state. It was clean. It had never been marked. Jared had never even been so much as momentarily claimed.
What drove Jared to do it was simply the fact that Jensen didn’t ask for equality. Jensen didn’t ask for Jared to be his, didn’t expect it, didn’t need it in return, Jensen just wanted to belong and didn’t realize how much of a two way street this thing between them was.
Jared offered and Jensen leaned in. He slid his tongue up and down Jared’s neck, as if he were testing placement for his spot. Jensen nipped and then sucked into Jared’s neck.
It was the closest thing to right Jared had ever known. Jensen sucking, his body undulating against Jared’s, it was almost too much. Jared had quite a lot of sex but it didn’t even come close to this moment. Jared had never come in his pants, a thing he wore with pride, but Jensen rolling his hips, seeking to be closer than their clothes allowed, was enough to almost make him lose control. His arms cupped and held Jensen.
He wanted to crawl inside Jensen’s skin and never leave.
“Hey boss,” Hartley said, interrupting them.
Jared growled.
“I wouldn’t be risking this if it wasn’t important,” Hartley went on, his voice devoid of humor, it was serious and humble.
It was a thing to be taken seriously.
With the willpower of a thousand lesser men, he pulled away, Jensen let out a whimper, but managed to keep still and not go after Jared’s lips.
“The Baldwins are here,” Hartley said. “They’re pissed that we took out their lackeys.”
“We?” Jensen muttered, trying to point out exactly who had put those lackeys in place.
Hartley gave him a smile, but it faded as he saw the dark worried look that Jared had. Jared grabbed for his phone and pulled into the shadows.
“Everybody’s coming up,” Hartley called at him.
Jensen knew that there was something going on here and explanations were going to have to wait until the something that they were waiting for happened.
Hartley looked at Jensen and gave him a cold glare. “Turf war. They usually don’t come here. This isn’t good.”
Jensen stood up tall, as if it was nothing that Hartley, and pretty much the whole club, had seen him marked. Had seen him hump wildly at Jared. Jensen had never had a clear moment when he couldn’t summon more arrogance and dignity than the situation deserved. It was a special over compensating skill that was perfect for this moment.
“Let me guess. If I undermine the solid force of Jared, you’ll give me over to them for a lovely gangbang,” Jensen said haughtily.
“Wow,” Chad said, coming up the stairs. “I’m going to use that some day.”
Chad threw a shirt at Jensen.
“For your dignity,” Chad said. “You kind of need to be growly puppy again. That’s what they think you are after they heard about your show last night, so you should just let go of that thin little leash you keep on your temper.”
Jensen looked over at Jared, who was still on the phone. Hartley caught his eyes.
Hartley nodded. “Look, we’ve never had to deal with him and the whole claiming thing so we’re just going by what we’ve been taught, experience severely lacking. While that could just mean that you’re arm candy and the plaything in his bed, we have a feeling that you’re going to take the more long-term path and one day be in the running for first lady. We’ll throw you a party later. For now, you’re gonna earn that spot by looking pissed. Feel free to bite.”
“If you bite anyone but me, I’m going to feed you your balls,” Jared growled.
Jensen looked at him. Jared had found his chair. Jensen had never seen how much the chair looked like a throne. All of Jared’s fear and nervousness was gone. He sat in the chair like the little arrogant prince.
Jensen slipped on the shirt. It was tight, but at least he wouldn’t have to be half naked with the Baldwins coming up the stairs.
Jared had his head in that devil may care posture, his hands balling up and ready to strike. “How many?”
“Three,” Misha said, the girls following behind. “I don’t think Mr. All Powerful Leader is going to dignify himself with an off-site meeting.”
“The younger brothers,” Sophia said. “They’re partially wasted; even more than light weight over there,” she said craning to look at Jensen. “Hi lightweight. Shame that you had to put on a shirt, but oh well.”
Jared looked at Jensen incredulously. “Just how drunk are you?”
Jensen touched the mark on his shoulder. “I drank away a good part of my pride.”
Jared just looked at him, feeling fleetingly guilty for taking advantage. But under the heat of Jensen’s eyes, he couldn’t find room for regret.
The brothers came thumping up the stairs.
Into view came the three younger Baldwins. Jensen had heard of them, but since they were so outside of his realm, he had never given them much thought. Over the past decade, the four brothers had banded together to expand their territory. They were technically part of the Padalecki Pack, but they were nipping at what had been given to them.
Alec, Billy, Daniel, and Stephen were making a name for themselves at the Padalecki’s expense. They were mostly being respectful, but they were pushing, soon it was going to be time for the Padalecki’s to push back.
Jared sat in his chair, prepared to bite back. Jensen stood near him, ready to rip them apart if need be.
“Little Padalecki,” Billy said, coming into the area. “Playing pretend over this kingdom?”
Jared looked up at them through half lidded eyes. His hands were casually on the arms of the chair, fists smoothing out to rest there. They addressed him like a child, but as Jared sat there, his presence began to permeate. Jared let it sit for a moment, watching as they got a little shifty.
Jensen was impressed. Jensen was next to Jared, feet shoulder width apart and arms crossed over his chest. He began to think that this might be interesting. He had never underestimated Jared, but he was beginning to think that he never gave Jared enough credit.
“Baldwins,” Jared said, calm and commanding.
“We’re so glad that you came to pay tribute,” Katie said dryly.
“What did you bring us?” Sophia said with very fake interest.
The youngest cupped his crotch. “Whatever you want, baby.”
Jensen stepped forward and had him by the neck against the wall in the blink of an eye.
“Say you’re sorry to the lady,” Jensen growled.
Sophia rolled her eyes. Everybody knew the women of the Cub Pack were the muscle, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t handle this.
The Baby Baldwin’s eyes went to Jared.
“I think that sounds like a great idea,” Jared said. “You insulted one of my ladies and you owe her an apology.”
Katie snickered.
Jensen let up on his neck, staring impassively as the man coughed.
“Ugh,” he muttered, bending over to try and catch his breath.
Sophia stepped closer, her body taking on the predatory stance of Jared’s Amazons. She took one manicured hand and lifted his face.
“I’m sorry,” she said sweetly. “What did you say?”
This time, he looked over at his brothers.
“For the love of Christ, Stephen, just apologize,” Billy sighed.
“I’m sorry for hurting your delicate sensibilities,” he said, not very sweetly.
“Does that work for you, Sophia?” Jensen asked menacingly.
“Dunno,” Sophia said. “Should I still be offended, Jared?”
Jared paused and all of them waited for his proclamation.
“Yes,” Jared said in a deep voice. “But if you don’t mind putting that on hold, I would really like to know what they are here for. Would you be okay if we owe them one ball smashing?”
“Oh, I don’t mind expediency,” Billy said. “Kick him in the nads so the grown ups can have a conversation.”
“What?” Stephen yelped.
“Don’t insult the women,” Daniel replied. “It isn’t done.”
“Sophia, do as they say,” Jared decreed.
Sophia grinned, winked at Katie, then she put both of her hands on Stephen’s shoulders and kneed him in the balls. He fell to the floor wheezing and moaning.
Everyone ignored him.
“So Alec heard about last night and he felt that perhaps you were over stepping a bit,” Daniel said.
Jared gave them a placating grin. “I don’t feel I over stepped, not a bit.”
“I might have over stepped slightly,” Jensen volunteered. “But they had most of that coming.”
Billy and Daniel turned to look at Jensen. Stephen was still indisposed on the floor.
“The bitch, I presume?” Billy said conversationally to Jensen. He nodded towards Jared. “Did he tell you that my brother taught him everything he knows?”
Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Fascinating.”
“Oh he did. Jared kept coming back; like a little whore,” the Stephen chimed in from the floor.
“Oh my god,” Chad huffed, exasperated. Jensen was a little startled by that. He didn’t expect Chad to speak up in a situation like this; he had actually forgotten that Chad existed. “It was ten years ago and your brother was begging for Jared. Jared said no so Alec went to Gerald. He asked for Jared, got told go to hell do not pass go and if you look at my son’s ass again I’m going to take your balls off with my bare hands. Big brother Alec got thrown out with the imprint of Gerald Padalecki’s foot on his ass. Ten years ago and you love to bring it up, like it’s something to be proud of.”
Jared’s crew started snickering while Jensen crossed his arms and mentally started eviscerating all of them and also this missing big brother.
Jared was resting his chin on his hand, like he was so bored with this conversation. “Did you have something to tell us besides your brother’s short, and I do mean short, comings? History is great, but we have more current events as an issue. Your lackeys have been getting into my territory and I don’t appreciate it. You’re really starting to piss me off.”
The three of them looked at him like rabid wolves. Jensen was quite amazed that everyone was so calm, especially since he personally wanted to rip the heads off of the brothers.
“Just a warning,” Billy said. “Alec wants you and your rabble on your side of the line. Don’t come crossing over to start battles. We’ll pay for our men being on your side of the line, but you were out of line. Vin may never walk again and Alec is pissed.”
Jared cocked his head. “Vin stood up; he takes what he gets. Why do you think I give a fuck about your brother’s feelings? Do you seriously think that I care what some hick Alpha who can only get it up with pups thinks? Your guys are inept, your brother is worthless, and all of you can take a flying fuck for all I care. Stay out of my territory or you won’t have a sandbox to piss in.”
The younger two seemed to want to say something else, but Billy nodded. “We just wanted to make sure that you heard our piece.”
“I have. Now please leave,” Jared said with authority.
They stood for a minute, but it looked as if they were ready to leave, The frosty attitude of the Cub Pack definitely made it look like they should. And soon.
"Don't worry," the youngest one said, having to throw in one more jab. This time, he looked at Jared. "If anything ever goes badly with your ascension, you can always come crawling back to Alec and offer your little ass up. He's always got room in his stables for another bitch."
Jared finally stood up, hulking and menacing.
Jensen was the one who got to the words first and spoke up. "He’s spoken for. If anything happens, he’s mine."
Everyone stopped and looked at Jensen.
Jensen realized the words he said and swallowed the feeling that he was suddenly in over his head. He had meant it as a joke, as a barb, as something you said in a fight.
But those words sounded serious, deadly almost, and as if no one should even think of questioning them. The bond between them was thrumming and everyone could feel it. It was a little too real for Jensen at the moment.
"Yet another reason that you have to be leader of the pack," Misha said, coming in with impeccable timing. He was speaking to Jared, as if he were trying to push away the fact that the Baldwins were still there. "You don’t want Jensen to have to take care of you. He eats vegetables and probably has required reading.”
Jared threw back his head and laughed.
Jared looked up at Jensen, eyes gleaming. For a split second there wasn't open lust and there wasn't fear. There was one second when Jared just looked at him with approval for everything that he was.
Jensen had to bite down on his tongue to keep from touching Jared. The pain stopped his actions, but his head was already there.
This is real, it said.
Jared’s eyes were slits, still looking up at him as they heard the Baldwins leaving.
You’re fucked, it added.
**
Jared disappeared after the meeting.
"Where is he?" Jensen asked the group.
Sophia pushed him in a chair, sat on his lap and made him drink whiskey.
"He's fine," Chad said, with more strain in his voice than Jensen wanted to hear. "He's not doing anything to raise your hackles, and if you seriously think he’s gong to find someone else to fuck right now, well you must have missed the last hour. He and Hartley just have business to take care of."
Jensen went to open his mouth.
"No," Katie said with finality.
"What Katie means," Chad said, speaking up. "Is that he marked you, he trusts you in his life and in his home, and we think you’re going to be around for awhile. So he trusts you and you have to give him a tiny part of that trust back."
Jensen shoved down every piece of pride and just felt his shoulder throb.
"Please," he said as meekly as he could. "Tell me what is going on."
The other four people looked at each other, exchanging thoughts.
“What if I want it?” Jensen told them. “I mean now, what if I want it. Maybe it started out as a game, but now… now I wear his mark and for some reason it seems to fit.”
“I win the bet that he was playing us to start with,” Chad said gleefully, looking the others.
“And badly,” Misha added. “If Chad could tell.”
“Seriously,” Katie said, looking at her nails. “Seriously lame.”
“I’m a bit late, but I’m here,” Jensen said. “You’ve seen me, you’ve seen what I can do, how crazy I can be, but the thing is I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. And all that trust that I have to believe in? Can you all give me a little trust too?”
They looked at each other, and finally it was Misha who gave the nod.
"You heard him," Chad said finally. "What he said about Alec?"
Jensen nodded.
"Jared was fifteen," Sophia said softly. "Alec was magnetic and powerful and Jared hadn't totally gotten his feet under him about people yet. Well, he still doesn’t, that’s why he has us. He just saw this Alpha with a gravitational force of Jupiter and he dove in. Jared has always been pretty great, and Alec thought he was the greatest pet. He just didn't realize that Jared would never be happy like that. He's a leader and when he started to stand up to Alec, Alec hit back, with fists and whips. Jared wasn't tiny then, but he was scrawny. It took two times before Jared ran; only time in his life. He was in over his head, but the Baldwin clan never lets him forget that it was his father who got him out. Never mind that he was fifteen and Alec was well into his thirties, but they like that story."
Rage coursed through Jensen's veins. He knew that given the chance, he would happily kill each and every one of them.
“Tell him the rest,” Misha said, blue eyes like steel on Jensen, daring him to walk out of line.
“No,” Katie said. “Don’t you dare.”
"His brother is in cahoots with Alex," Chad said simply.
"Shut up, Chad," Katie hissed.
"No," Chad said. "Jared’s brother, Jeff, would sell him to Alec in a heartbeat. That’s his dream - Jared submissive and gone. That’s where Jared and Hartley went, to put in a warning to big brother. Remember that uou asked for this, Jensen. You asked to be part of this. You were so growly when maybe Jared didn't want you, but you stepped into a war zone. If you want to get fucked then fine, get fucked. At this point I doubt you have to beg anymore, but this is Jared's life and safety on the line. This is his pups, their mothers, his life. This is more than just getting your rocks off. So we need you to fall in line or get the fuck out."
"Chad," Katie growled. "Shut the fuck up."
Jensen looked then, suddenly so tired. "You’ve said enough. I’ve got enough information. Any more, I can get from him.”
They all just looked at him. He felt like he had risen in their esteem.
It was odd.
Misha cleared his throat. “Let’s go home, this place is lame.”
Jensen got up to follow them; he already felt a little empty without Jared.
It was disturbing of how not disturbing it was.
**
Jared sat behind the wheel, Hartley next to him. They both stared straight ahead.
“I drive next time,” Hartley said, fist still around the handle on the door.
“Hey,” Jared said, tone flat. “My father taught me how to drive.”
“And you’ll notice that he hasn’t driven in years,” Hartley said just as tonelessly.
They both looked straight ahead. The headlights were illuminating the grasslands in front of them. There were two black cars, three people in front of them.
They were quiet for a second.
“Tell me why we didn’t bring the girls again,” Hartley asked in a low voice.
“Because bringing my muscle is a sign of war,” Jared answered.
“And bringing me?” Hartley snorted.
“Is a sign of someone smarter than them to talk them out of it,” Jared replied.
“Good save,” Hartley muttered.
“Are these Chamber’s guys?” Jared asked hopefully.
Hartley shook his head. “Those are Baldwin’s.”
“Fuck,” Jared said, grinding his teeth.
They sat there for a second longer.
“We’re huge guys who can fight really well,” Hartley pointed out.
“Yeah, but if we don’t get out of the car soon, we are going to look like two scaredy cats who hide behind their women,” Jared said.
“Get your heartbeat down to normal,” Hartley whispered, opening the door.
Jared breathed and then adjusted his voice so it was clear to everyone what he was saying.
“Dude, did you see him? He was half naked. This better be worth it,” he said with a wink at Hartley. “I finally get Ackles and now I have to deal with this squabble.”
“Stop, seriously,” Hartley said, rolling his eyes, going with it. “I don’t want to hear any more about him. Please no more naked Jensen, or powerful Jensen, or the wonderful mind of Jensen.”
“Yes, please,” a voice interrupted them as they walked to the front of the car. “Can we not hear any more about Jared’s newest toy?”
Jared looked up at the other three people in the field as if he was just noticing that they were there.
Hartley and Jared came to stand in front of the car, hands palm side open at their sides. It was more a human custom of showing that they came in peace and that they had no weapons. Everyone in the field knew that they all had deadly weapons just under their skins.
“You called this, little brother,” Jeff growled. “And you are very very late.”
“You are trying to ruin me,” Jared said with a raised eyebrow. “You can wait.”
“Oh, am I?” Jeff asked with a laugh.
Jared cocked his head. “You sent the Baldwins to try to humiliate me in front of a potential mate, because you know the second that I mate, everything is mine.”
“You are a cocky bastard,” Jeff said dismissively.
“And you are trying to start a civil war!” Jared growled.
Hartley slipped in front of Jared.
“Right now this is all hearsay, but I’m sure that if we checked phone records or spoke to the Baldwins, we could find confirmation,” Hartley said smoothly. “We are trying to avoid such allegations. As it stands right now, you are still in the clear, as you always are, but we have come to warn…”
Jeff interrupted Hartley with a laugh. “Warn me? You overgrown mutts. I don’t listen to you. I don’t follow you, Hartley. I listen to my father, never you. Never ever you.”
Jared stepped forward angrily, stalking towards his brother. “Dad has said what he wanted. You don’t listen to him, you’re fucking ignoring him. He chose me, got it? He chose me and you’re doing everything in your power to undermine me. To destroy me.”
“And we’re pretty sure there were two attempts on Jared’s life in the past year,” Hartley said, not making any move to stop Jared, but his eyes were taking in the men behind Jeff. “They were pretty lame attempts, so we’re not really going to hold them against you. They were actually kind of sad and we wouldn’t want to embarrass you by making you claim clearly flawed plans.”
Jeff wasn’t listening, instead he was snarling at Jared.
“You don’t deserve it,” he said, spittle almost coming from his lips.
Jared stood in front of him and smiled, with nothing but venom behind it. “Dad chose me.”
Jeff’s fist flashed forward into Jared’s jaw. Jared might have been blindsided by Jensen a day ago, too mesmerized by freckles. He had no such distraction with Jeff.
He blocked Jeff’s punch and quickly retaliated with a punch of his own, knuckles connecting with jaw.
Jeff was practically frothing at the mouth as his fists slammed forward. He was two inches taller and his arms were quite a bit longer. Jeff’s reach made his offensive attack all the more effective. Jared tried to defend himself so he could get his footing and find an opening.
He blocked where he could, but he took a few of the punches, focused mainly on getting Jeff down. He could ignore the pain from Jeff’s fists as he waited for his opportunity. He was vaguely aware of Hartley taking on the Baldwins’ men. He would only have to worry about Jeff, since as always, Hartley had his back.
Jared had been fighting with Jeff since he was a kid, so he was used to fighting his brother. They had gotten closer in terms of size, but Jared had never caught up. But Jared had learned to improvise.
Jared threw a far punch. He had learned to quickly compensate and get in close where Jeff’s punches held less weight and he was able to get in body shots. He was quick, had to be. As a child he had learned his brother’s ticklish spots, and now as an adult, he knew where his brother’s weak spots were.
Jeff knew his brother’s tricks also. As Jared started pummeling him, Jeff tried to shove Jared away, trying to find an angle that wasn’t awkward; something that could land a blow. Jeff was always learning more ways to defend himself against his brother, since long ago he found out he could never be static when Jared was involved.
He didn’t learn much else besides new ways to one up Jared.
Jeff’s hand found its way to Jared’s jaw as Jared turned his ribs to bruises. He flinched as he felt one of them crack under Jared’s care. Jeff’s thumb found the spot behind the hinge of Jared’s jaw and he pushed with all his strength. The angle was perfect.
Jared’s body reacted on instinct, moving away from the thumb bearing down on his pressure point. Jeff was once again far enough to get his jabs in. Jared fist flew and this time, Jeff grabbed it and twisted Jared around, snapping his arm at an awkward angle before bringing his elbow down on the arm.
Jared heard something snap in a joint and felt a blinding hot flash of pain, but he had too much adrenaline going through his system for it to register. He didn’t think anything was broken, but he could feel his joint already start to swell. His arm was momentarily useless, but he had another arm and two perfectly usable legs.
He swept Jeff to the ground and at that moment, reach didn’t matter any more. Jeff was on the ground as Jared leaned over him, using the leverage he had to make the point he needed to. With his fists.
Jeff was down, but he still knew enough dirty tricks. Jeff took a sharp jab to Jared’s knee to take him down. Jared was on the ground next to him in an instant . His arms went to protect his face and Jeff tore at Jared.
Jared couldn’t see while he was protecting himself. He was going to have to lower his arms and risk letting Jeff box his head if he was going to have any hope.
He lowered his arms and a bloody wolf flew through the air and attacked Jeff. Jared stumbled to his feet.
“Hartley, down,” Jared commanded and the white wolf backed off of Jeff, still snarling. Jared could see blood flowing from the wolf’s muzzle. It wasn’t a good sign when injuries manifested themselves in wolf form. That was when they were strongest, that is when they could sustain more and heal faster.
The wolf stood between Jared and the fallen foe.
Jared backed away, holding his injured arm.
“If you don’t desist and back off, you will not have a place in this pack any more,” Jared said with as much authority as he could. Hartley-wolf seconded the decree with an angry snarl.
They backed up to the car. Jared opened the door and Hartley-wolf jumped into the passenger seat. Jared peeled out.
“Thank god you drive like a real life version of Grand Theft Auto,” Hartley said, back in human form, blood spilling from his nose.
“Are you okay?” Jared said, stripping off his shirts and throwing them at Hartley.
Hartley was bleeding profusely into both of Jared’s shirts, groaning every time the car hit a bump.
“Talk,” Hartley said, voice muffled as blood flowed down his face. “I need something to focus on.”
“It’s funny, I’ve gotten used to you guys talking,” Jared said quietly, but then his words came like water over the falls. “You guys know what I’ll say, so I’ll never have to talk. I trust that the right things will be said and done and that you’ll check in with me. I’ve let you stand up for me for a very long time, not that I couldn’t do it, but just that I wasn’t willing to go all in. Not with anything.”
“I think you were pretty in tonight,” Hartley pointed out.
“I still can’t believe that. It was real and it was peace with my fists,” Jared pondered.
“And I took the beating tonight,” Hartley moaned.
“We both did, though I have the feeling that this isn’t the last time. I hate this. I hate the fighting. I hate having to do it,” Jared said, taking a turn too quickly and causing Hartley to moan in pain. “Sorry. We’ll get you home to Misha soon, I promise. But I hate this so much. I’ve always just let someone else do it, but I can’t live like this. I can’t live just half in, pretending the other half doesn’t exist. That time is gone, now. I’m not a child; I have to grow up and take on all of it. You guys can be my help, but I’ve got to act.”
They rode in silence for a moment.
“Talk more,” Hartley said through clenched teeth.
“I have to do the talking with Jensen,” Jared said quietly.
“Yes,” Hartley gritted out.
“He showed me himself,” Jared said. “I can’t stop thinking about him. All through the fight, I wanted it to be over so I could find him. This thing, him in my life, it’s…”
Jared paused looking for words, but went on hurriedly as Hartley made a pained noise in this throat. “He’s got to see what I’m putting out there, what I have on the line. I can’t fight my nature. I’m drawn to him. I wanted him by my side out there and it was like pulling out my heart to walk out the door of the club and leave him for a few hours. I always thought that this was made up, like this was what they told children, that we would feel like this when we were ready. When we found the one that we were to mate with. I’m going to show him my everything. I’m going to take him. I want him to know.”
“Good,” Hartley said through the shirts. “Drive faster.”
Jared grinned and pressed down on the gas pedal.
**
Jensen woke up in Jared's bed again. Kristin, the housekeeper, had changed the sheets yesterday. They were now clean and white once more.
This time he had showered before bed. The light was barely peeking into the windows when Jared came in. Jared just looked at Jensen.
Jared had a nasty bruise forming on his cheek and he was cradling his arm.
He seemed to be trying to mask surprise at seeing Jensen there, just standing there watching Jensen.
Jensen suddenly worried if sleeping in Jared’s bed without being invited had been a bad idea.
"I need you to drive me," Jared finally said.
"To the hospital?" Jensen asked, trying to clear his sleep clogged brain.
Jared shook his head. "No. They had to take my brother there and right now isn't a good time to be in the same building as him. Misha is taking care of Hartley and everybody else here is useless at this kind of stuff."
"So where do you need to go?" Jensen asked.
Jared stepped towards the bed. Jensen didn't move; he knew he wasn't supposed to. Jared leaned over and nuzzled the mark on Jensen's shoulder.
"I'm trusting you right now. This is me trusting you. I would sit here and wallow in my own pain if I didn't trust you."
"Should I get anything?" Jensen said, proud at how much his voice didn't waver.
Jared quirked his mouth. "Pants would be a good idea."
"Well now I'm not worried," Jensen said. "You must be feeling okay."
"Just hurry, okay?" Jared told him.
They were out the door in ten minutes.
Part IV
Genre: RPS AU
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Warning: Sex, Violence, Language, a Modified Mythology, never actually using the word werewolf
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 35K, This part 9K
Beta: I’d like to thank
-Also special thanks to
ldyghst for the helps where needed! We have details.Seriously these people made the story so much better.
Summary: Jared Padalecki and his inner circle work hard and play harder, everybody in the territory knows it. Everybody in all the neighboring territories knows it. Everybody knows that he is groomed to be head of the Pack, and he's poised to take over. Jared's father is waiting, though. Waiting to see what Jared will do about his brother, about the neighboring rowdy Pack, about a mate...
Part I|Part II
Jared was staring out the window. He was trying not to think about Jensen, because his thoughts were taking a disturbing thought. They had always been filled full of the dirty things that he wanted to do to Jensen.
But his thoughts now weren’t only of fucking Jensen.
He had watched Jensen sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Jensen sleeping.
He now knew by heart Jensen’s freckles across his nose, his eyelashes across his cheeks, the way his lips curled.
Jared was well and good fucked, and not in the way that he wanted.
So he stared out the window and tried to assimilate Jensen into his world view.
“You’re not doing much work,” Chad said as he came into the room and put his feet up on Jared’s desk.
“I don’t work, I delegate,” Jared muttered.
“That is bullshit,” Chad informed him.
Jared glared.
Chad’s eyes squinted.
Finally Jared gave up. Chad was stupidly persistent.
“I wanted to fuck the shit out of him last night,” Jared confessed.
“And wow, I’m glad you’re in charge and don’t have to fear Human Resources,” Chad said. “Carry on. Confession is good for the soul.”
“You learn that from the girl’s magazines?” Jared bit out.
“And now you try to change the conversation,” Chad said superiorly.
“Did you see him?” Jared questioned, putting his head in his hands. “The way he was calculating and calm and took down that beast. God, my mouth was watering. I wanted to fuck him right there in full view of everyone, just so they knew he was mine. He let go last night and every little part of me wanted to let go with him. To fuck him into the ground. He was wild and alive and I wanted him more than I wanted anything else.”
“Then take him,” Chad said simply.
“How the hell can I even entertain a wild card like that?” Jared ground out. “I can deal with my crazy and the group’s crazy. I know where the lines are drawn with us and that none of you will cross me, but I don’t know with him. I don’t know if I have enough to tame him. I might pretend that I understand what’s going on under his skin, but there is something raw and powerful and it may be too big for me.”
Chad studied him for a long moment before speaking. “You followed him.”
Jared laughed bitterly. “He ran and there was no way I wasn’t going to follow him, but I can’t do that again. I can’t have that. God, I want him so badly, but I can only get him as a mate and I can’t have one that won’t follow.”
Chad was silent for once.
Jared looked up at him with a glare. “I have my brother breathing down my neck, and what if I can’t control Jensen? We’re all going to be exiled from the pack if I do something wrong. Actually, that will be if we’re lucky. Most likely, Jeff will kill us all.”
Chad just looked at him with slitted eyes. Jared really hated that look sometimes.
“Speak, my little sidekick,” Jared said with gritted teeth.
“Do you want me to channel Misha?” Chad said, staring at the ceiling.
“We can call it that so I don’t try to strangle you,” Jared informed him.
“Part of you realizes you already see him as yours,” Chad told him. “Or some mystical, animalistic shit that Misha would say.”
“It’s been less than three days,” Jared growled out.
Chad shrugged. “Then just fuck him and get it over with. I don’t know why you didn’t last night.”
“He wouldn’t have known it was me,” Jared said forcefully, standing up and pacing.
“Um, yeah, it couldn’t be the whole seeing him as yours thing,” Chad muttered.
“What?” Jared asked, distractedly.
Chad smiled his version of innocent. “Nothing. Lets go out tonight. You know, go get out your funk.”
Jared closed his eyes. He felt more alive without even touching Jensen than he had in weeks in the club. He didn’t want to go home, he didn’t want to be running out with Jensen because he wanted it so badly, and he didn’t know if he could trust himself to keep his head. He also didn’t want to go to club and be in the middle of vapidness.
But god, it would be a place for forgetting. Right now he wanted to forget.
“I’m in,” Jared said with a sigh.
“Dude, you make it sound miserable. It’s the club. We’re gods there,” Chad said.
“Whatever, let me do work,” Jared said firmly, once again gaining his composure and sitting down again.
**
“You know what I like about you?”
Jensen had just spent the last five hours glued to the screen figuring out how to make the buy out that he had begun to finagle a possibility. Anything else was pushed from his mind.
“I’m sure you found some excellent things in the two days that we’ve been acquainted,” Jensen said dryly, not looking up.
“I like the way you do anything,” Misha said. “It’s like everything you do is going to be the last thing you do; it’s going to be your legacy. I’ve never seen anybody who puts everything into what he’s doing. Like the last thing you do is what your entire life is going to be judged on.”
“Glad that you approve,” Jensen muttered, because there was quite a bit of truth to that statement.
Misha stood there far longer than Jensen was comfortable with.
Finally, after Jensen knew he had started sweating from the scrutiny, Misha spoke.
“We’re supposed to meet them at the club at eleven,” Misha said.
“I thought on full moon days, we stayed here,” Jensen said, finally looking up.
Misha just stared.
Jensen saw a million thoughts flash through Misha’s eyes, although Jensen had no idea what those thoughts were.
In the end, none of those thoughts were voiced.
“Eleven,” Misha said. “The girls will be here around ten with things for you to wear. Try to shower before then.”
**
“This is a risky game,” Sophia said.
It was just the five of them in a room. Misha had driven in and they were in the backroom of a coffee shop a few buildings down from the office.
“But this is our game to play,” Hartley pointed out.
When they were sixteen, when Jeff first tried for Jared’s life, they had all sworn themselves to Jared, in lieu of a mate. They would fill in as the ones to watch his back, to stand by his side, and to help make the hard decisions. They all knew he had a couple of extremely valid reasons for not wanting a mate. They were willing to keep their promise when he wasn’t going to mate, but in a short span of time Jensen had changed their minds about a great deal of things.
“We could give it time,” Katie said, looking at her nails.
“He’s the one,” Sophia said. “He’s got the strength, the brains, and Jared wants him. I don’t know why we even need to have this discussion. Jensen is the one for Jared.”
“After a decade of caution, I don’t know why we’re moving so fast,” Katie said with an eye roll.
“We don’t have time,” Hartley replied. “Gerald can’t hold it together much longer. Jared has to step up.”
“Besides, he’s the one,” Misha said. “What’s needed between Jared and a mate is there. He’s the right one.”
“Yeah, but the sure thing is also a wild card,” Chad told them. “He looks like he’s going to bite the hand that feeds him.”
“That was an amazing amount of mixed metaphors,” Misha said dryly.
“Jared doesn’t really seem to be adverse to Jensen biting,” Katie added dryly.
“Kinks aside, Gerald likes Jensen,” Hartley spoke up. “I asked Gerald today and he finally caved and that he’d been watching Jensen his entire life. Besides the fact that it would be a great alliance, Gerald knows his son and he knows his people and he wanted Jensen for his son. After watching them, he is sure of the match. Jared has had partners and Jared has a couple of pups to carry on the line, but what Jared needs is someone at the head of the pack next to him so he doesn’t have to be so prickly. Gerald thinks that Jensen is the one and Gerald doesn’t want to step down until Jared is mated. This is the one that he wants. Therefore, this is what we have to do.”
They were all quiet for a minute.
“I’d just like to point out that we’re not matchmakers,” Chad said.
“I’d like to point out that we are,” Sophia said quietly. “We all love him, and we all saw what happened when he was brought home from the Baldwin lands, what happened to his mother. We all promised that we would be like a mate so he didn’t have to find one. We also all agreed that we would step aside if the right one came along and we all have to agree to step aside.”
They were all silent.
“Jensen has flaws, but he’s good, the closest to the best that anyone can get,” Misha said.
“Jared wants him,” Sophia added.
“Anyone opposed to us making this happen?” Hartley asked.
They all looked at each other, most of the glances spending the most amount of time on Katie. She just sighed and rolled her eyes.
“Let’s get the fairy wings,” Chad sighed. “We’re apparently the match makers.”
“This plan is stupid, though,” Katie informed them.
“He’s probably going to kill us,” Misha offered.
“Maybe,” Chad sighed. “But at least then we won’t have to contend with Jeff.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Yeah, too soon,” Hartley said authoritatively. “Let’s talk more about tarting Jensen up and riling up our dear future king.”
**
Jared arrived at midnight. He walked through the crowd, gazing straight ahead and not really caring as the crowd parted for him. They were looking lasciviously at him, as always, and the music was flowing around him, not that he was paying much attention to it. Jared just felt Jensen dancing around in his head.
He took a slug of whiskey. Chad knew him well enough to give him the cheap stuff at this point. He wanted the burn. Jared looked at the Sanctuary and its faceless dancers for a second. He wasn’t sure who he called over, but bodies followed him up to the Annex.
Jared wasn’t quite present as he took his chair. He had a writhing body on his lap, his eyes were closed and he just tried to focus on this, not the want for the one that wasn’t there that was threatening to boil over.
He had absolutely no idea why, but he opened his eyes and turned towards the dance floor.
It was dark and there was a sea of people out there, but he thought he saw a flash. Whoever it was he was making out with was flown to the floor and Jared was at the railing, hands around the bar, knuckles turning white.
It was then he knew what the feeling was, the tug he felt compelled by. It happened during courting; it was how one knew which partner was for real. He had never experienced it before, thinking it was a myth.
He had no such doubts now.
Down in the Sanctuary, moving hypnotically with shirt gone and eyelined, there was Jensen, his hair spiky and body glistening. Other bodies were moving around him, touching with freedom Jared wasn’t benevolent enough to accept right now. Everybody was touching, but Jensen wasn’t committing to more than a kiss or a grope.
“You haven’t even claimed him yet.” Hartley came up to his side from nowhere. “I mean, you don’t have to mate him, but you should at least let people know he isn’t up for grabs. It’s not fair to have to exile someone because you didn’t step up.”
“You brought him here,” Jared said through clenched teeth, every single part of his body taut with tension and anger. He was going to murder everyone in this place including his own people.
Jensen was lost to the music, body flowing to the beat with foreign hands touching him. Jared was mesmerized, and he tried to stay still. He tried to not lunge down there and rip every person around Jensen apart.
Hartley shrugged. “He knows that you’re here. He only started moving like that when you came up here.”
Jared closed his eyes and leaned forward. He breathed in deep and then opened his eyes.
Jensen was staring straight at him, completely still even as the bodies around him were in constant motion. For the first time, Jensen reached out, grabbed a guy next to him and ground down on him, hands across his shoulders and flitting over his body, all the while staring at Jared, green eyes flashing colors in the strobe lights.
“He wants you to bring him in,” Hartley whispered. “He’s begging for you to.”
Jensen turned towards the man he was dancing next to. The stranger’s lips started gravitating towards Jensen’s.
“No,” Jared said calmly.
It wasn’t loud by any means, but Jensen was tuned into Jared. His eyes snapped up towards Jared, half hooded.
They couldn’t really deny the connection between them. It hummed and if Jared didn’t touch him soon, he was going to go insane.
Jared managed to stand still, just looking at Jensen.
“Come here,” he said in a much louder voice, the one that commanded. It was a rumble that went through the club.
The corners of Jensen’s mouth lifted, his eyes still hooded. The guy who had been all over him jumped away like he was burned. The club got louder. The wolves in the club knew what was going on as the people felt the current that they couldn’t understand.
People parted for Jensen as he walked towards the stairs to go up to the Annex. Jensen paid them no attention; he only had eyes for Jared.
“Leave now,” Jared said to the other people in the Annex in that dangerous voice.
The area was empty by the time Jensen sauntered in.
Jensen didn’t make a move, just stood there, chin at a defiant angle.
Jared looked at him. Really looked at him. He took in the bare chest, sweaty from dancing, pants low on his hips, the bones protruding from the top of them since they were obscenely tight. Jared could swear that Jensen’s lips were ten times more perfect in this light; he could just imagine what those lips would be like everywhere on his body.
Jared swallowed. It was on, there really was no fighting it. He was gone for Jensen.
But he didn’t have to tell Jensen all of that.
He just really didn’t know what he was supposed to be saying right now.
“What?” Jensen said, finding words much easier. “You’re up here fucking around. Your girls dressed me up like a trollop and got me drunk enough that I stopped noticing how fucking small these pants are and then drunker to lose the shirt, so I’m pretty off, but that doesn’t really stop me from seeing what’s happening. I thought they were trussing me up for you, but I’m just supposed to watch you with some Amazon blonde with a rack to kill for and you suddenly go all prickly Alpha when I dare touch someone else?”
Jared made a face at his words. But he couldn’t say anything back to Jensen right now. Words were lost beneath the want and the desire and the sheer animal raging within himself. Jensen was right, Jared was playing a game that wasn’t fair. He couldn’t ask Jensen to do what he wasn’t willing to.
His fists were balled at his side, teeth grinding.
Jensen stopped. He looked at Jared. Jared felt like he had his entire motivation written in neon lights above his head.
Jensen’s brow creased and figured it out as he spoke slowly. “You didn’t know I was going to be here.”
Jared didn’t move his posture, but Jensen’s eyes blazed with anger.
“Oh that’s sweet, you were going to fuck around behind my back,” Jensen bit out. “You don’t even have the fucking guts to say it to my face and make me go, you’re just going to move the hell on. Glad to know your attention span fits on the head of a pin. Be a fucking full grown Alpha and tell me to get the fuck out of your territory.”
Jensen was in his face, standing nose to nose.
Jared grabbed him and dove into his mouth. Jensen gave back as much as he got, trying to control the kiss, trying to find the place that he was in charge. Jared was having none of it, his hands held onto Jensen’s head, partially guiding and partially forcing the kiss to be under his control.
Jensen didn’t give.
So Jared bit his bottom lip. Jensen jerked back.
Neither noticed that people were all staring up at them from below in the Sanctuary. They were putting on a show and neither one of them could care.
Jensen sucked his lip into his mouth.
“You have your freedom, games are done,” Jared said huskily, his entire body thrumming. “If you want to leave, you need to leave now. You can do your two months in luxury at any hotel. If you stay under my roof, then you are right we can’t do this. I can’t have you with anyone else.”
Jensen glared at him. “Fuck you. You don’t need me. I thought that you were over this thing. I’m not going to sit at home, like you apparently want, while you have your fingers in some girl’s cunt. What do you think I am?”
Jared looked at him, eyes luminous. “I wouldn’t.”
“You just did,” Jensen snarled.
“Me and you,” Jared told him, stepping into Jensen’s space again. “While you’re here, while you’re under my roof, me and you, we’re the only ones in this. No promises of mate, not right now, but marks placed, you and me until we figure this out.”
Jensen grabbed his belt and pulled them flush. He tilted his head offering a muscled shoulder and a long column of neck.
“Do it,” Jensen said. “Just do it.”
Jared could barely breathe at what Jensen was offering, so willingly. It was a rush like he had never felt, from his toes to the tip of his nose he could barely contain what he was feeling.
It was commanding rather than begging, and Jared could just imagine what the begging would sound like. But Jensen was giving him something. Jensen was being submissive in the only way that he could.
Jared was stunned by the gravity of ‘want’ and ‘mate’ going through his head. It was too heady to make promises now. He had been so sure he never was going to mate. He couldn’t just change his mind charged up like this. He needed a second; he needed a second as much as he needed to know that Jensen would give him the chance, wouldn’t be with someone else.
Jared’s fingers traced Jensen’s neck and then went back up to his lips before tilting Jensen’s head up.
“If we place marks, there’s nothing else until one of us breaks this. You and me and no one else until we break this,” Jared said, leaning in for another one of their mind numbing kisses. It was almost too much. When he pulled away, his voice couldn’t seem to catch, coming in gasps of breath. “I want to fuck you until you can’t remember your own name and then until you can’t walk for days, but you’re going to come to me. I’m done chasing you.”
Jensen’s breath was coming short, like he was trying not to let out the little noises. “Do it.”
Jared didn’t move.
“Please,” Jensen said softly.
Jared ran his hands up Jensen’s back and Jensen held on to his waist like it was a life line. Jared kissed him again and this time, Jensen didn’t try to take over. He matched him, kissed him, and tried to beg with his lips. Jared had never felt someone both defiant and wanting at the same time.
Jared had never asked for anyone before, not beyond friendship. He wasn’t really one to demand faithfulness when he didn’t care about forever. He hadn’t wanted to be mated. He didn’t want anyone to be his for eternity.
Until now.
Until Jensen entered his life and he felt like he was going to build Jensen a tower somewhere so that no one else ever got to see him. Jealousy had always been unbecoming, but he understood the sensation and the insanity that it drove people to.
Jared ripped himself away from Jensen’s mouth and nibbled to Jensen’s shoulder, pulling him flush, their bodies together as he sucked his mark into Jensen’s shoulder. They were in full view of the entire club, everyone watching as Jared encircled Jensen, who was naked to the waist as he writhed into Jared, looking for friction, looking for more of whatever Jared had to offer.
Jensen bit his teeth into Jared’s shoulder, his teeth breaking skin. Until the actual mating, until they decided that mate was actually something real and not something that they were taunting each other with, this mark would hold. Anyone who didn’t respect the mark would be more than open to any wrath. It was a promise, it was a hold, it was like the human’s going steady, except for to get between was much more dangerous.
He could feel Jensen’s body beneath him and the want doubled.
A tenuous vibration of connection was formed. He could feel how much Jensen wanted him, felt for him. He could feel fear and defiance; he could feel all of what Jensen was. It was exhilarating. He didn’t feel edgy anymore, just by having this little piece of Jensen, he felt satisfied.
He was barely able to pull back, wanting to take if further. Wanting more. He wanted to fuck into Jensen. To get submission, To rut and mate.
But he pulled away; he wouldn’t take Jensen without consent. He looked at Jensen, trying to blink back into reality, completely dazed.
Jared licked his lips; it felt like the taste of Jensen was branded there.
Jensen looked at the muscle of Jared’s jugular in his groggy state. It was clean. It had never been marked. Jared had never even been so much as momentarily claimed.
What drove Jared to do it was simply the fact that Jensen didn’t ask for equality. Jensen didn’t ask for Jared to be his, didn’t expect it, didn’t need it in return, Jensen just wanted to belong and didn’t realize how much of a two way street this thing between them was.
Jared offered and Jensen leaned in. He slid his tongue up and down Jared’s neck, as if he were testing placement for his spot. Jensen nipped and then sucked into Jared’s neck.
It was the closest thing to right Jared had ever known. Jensen sucking, his body undulating against Jared’s, it was almost too much. Jared had quite a lot of sex but it didn’t even come close to this moment. Jared had never come in his pants, a thing he wore with pride, but Jensen rolling his hips, seeking to be closer than their clothes allowed, was enough to almost make him lose control. His arms cupped and held Jensen.
He wanted to crawl inside Jensen’s skin and never leave.
“Hey boss,” Hartley said, interrupting them.
Jared growled.
“I wouldn’t be risking this if it wasn’t important,” Hartley went on, his voice devoid of humor, it was serious and humble.
It was a thing to be taken seriously.
With the willpower of a thousand lesser men, he pulled away, Jensen let out a whimper, but managed to keep still and not go after Jared’s lips.
“The Baldwins are here,” Hartley said. “They’re pissed that we took out their lackeys.”
“We?” Jensen muttered, trying to point out exactly who had put those lackeys in place.
Hartley gave him a smile, but it faded as he saw the dark worried look that Jared had. Jared grabbed for his phone and pulled into the shadows.
“Everybody’s coming up,” Hartley called at him.
Jensen knew that there was something going on here and explanations were going to have to wait until the something that they were waiting for happened.
Hartley looked at Jensen and gave him a cold glare. “Turf war. They usually don’t come here. This isn’t good.”
Jensen stood up tall, as if it was nothing that Hartley, and pretty much the whole club, had seen him marked. Had seen him hump wildly at Jared. Jensen had never had a clear moment when he couldn’t summon more arrogance and dignity than the situation deserved. It was a special over compensating skill that was perfect for this moment.
“Let me guess. If I undermine the solid force of Jared, you’ll give me over to them for a lovely gangbang,” Jensen said haughtily.
“Wow,” Chad said, coming up the stairs. “I’m going to use that some day.”
Chad threw a shirt at Jensen.
“For your dignity,” Chad said. “You kind of need to be growly puppy again. That’s what they think you are after they heard about your show last night, so you should just let go of that thin little leash you keep on your temper.”
Jensen looked over at Jared, who was still on the phone. Hartley caught his eyes.
Hartley nodded. “Look, we’ve never had to deal with him and the whole claiming thing so we’re just going by what we’ve been taught, experience severely lacking. While that could just mean that you’re arm candy and the plaything in his bed, we have a feeling that you’re going to take the more long-term path and one day be in the running for first lady. We’ll throw you a party later. For now, you’re gonna earn that spot by looking pissed. Feel free to bite.”
“If you bite anyone but me, I’m going to feed you your balls,” Jared growled.
Jensen looked at him. Jared had found his chair. Jensen had never seen how much the chair looked like a throne. All of Jared’s fear and nervousness was gone. He sat in the chair like the little arrogant prince.
Jensen slipped on the shirt. It was tight, but at least he wouldn’t have to be half naked with the Baldwins coming up the stairs.
Jared had his head in that devil may care posture, his hands balling up and ready to strike. “How many?”
“Three,” Misha said, the girls following behind. “I don’t think Mr. All Powerful Leader is going to dignify himself with an off-site meeting.”
“The younger brothers,” Sophia said. “They’re partially wasted; even more than light weight over there,” she said craning to look at Jensen. “Hi lightweight. Shame that you had to put on a shirt, but oh well.”
Jared looked at Jensen incredulously. “Just how drunk are you?”
Jensen touched the mark on his shoulder. “I drank away a good part of my pride.”
Jared just looked at him, feeling fleetingly guilty for taking advantage. But under the heat of Jensen’s eyes, he couldn’t find room for regret.
The brothers came thumping up the stairs.
Into view came the three younger Baldwins. Jensen had heard of them, but since they were so outside of his realm, he had never given them much thought. Over the past decade, the four brothers had banded together to expand their territory. They were technically part of the Padalecki Pack, but they were nipping at what had been given to them.
Alec, Billy, Daniel, and Stephen were making a name for themselves at the Padalecki’s expense. They were mostly being respectful, but they were pushing, soon it was going to be time for the Padalecki’s to push back.
Jared sat in his chair, prepared to bite back. Jensen stood near him, ready to rip them apart if need be.
“Little Padalecki,” Billy said, coming into the area. “Playing pretend over this kingdom?”
Jared looked up at them through half lidded eyes. His hands were casually on the arms of the chair, fists smoothing out to rest there. They addressed him like a child, but as Jared sat there, his presence began to permeate. Jared let it sit for a moment, watching as they got a little shifty.
Jensen was impressed. Jensen was next to Jared, feet shoulder width apart and arms crossed over his chest. He began to think that this might be interesting. He had never underestimated Jared, but he was beginning to think that he never gave Jared enough credit.
“Baldwins,” Jared said, calm and commanding.
“We’re so glad that you came to pay tribute,” Katie said dryly.
“What did you bring us?” Sophia said with very fake interest.
The youngest cupped his crotch. “Whatever you want, baby.”
Jensen stepped forward and had him by the neck against the wall in the blink of an eye.
“Say you’re sorry to the lady,” Jensen growled.
Sophia rolled her eyes. Everybody knew the women of the Cub Pack were the muscle, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t handle this.
The Baby Baldwin’s eyes went to Jared.
“I think that sounds like a great idea,” Jared said. “You insulted one of my ladies and you owe her an apology.”
Katie snickered.
Jensen let up on his neck, staring impassively as the man coughed.
“Ugh,” he muttered, bending over to try and catch his breath.
Sophia stepped closer, her body taking on the predatory stance of Jared’s Amazons. She took one manicured hand and lifted his face.
“I’m sorry,” she said sweetly. “What did you say?”
This time, he looked over at his brothers.
“For the love of Christ, Stephen, just apologize,” Billy sighed.
“I’m sorry for hurting your delicate sensibilities,” he said, not very sweetly.
“Does that work for you, Sophia?” Jensen asked menacingly.
“Dunno,” Sophia said. “Should I still be offended, Jared?”
Jared paused and all of them waited for his proclamation.
“Yes,” Jared said in a deep voice. “But if you don’t mind putting that on hold, I would really like to know what they are here for. Would you be okay if we owe them one ball smashing?”
“Oh, I don’t mind expediency,” Billy said. “Kick him in the nads so the grown ups can have a conversation.”
“What?” Stephen yelped.
“Don’t insult the women,” Daniel replied. “It isn’t done.”
“Sophia, do as they say,” Jared decreed.
Sophia grinned, winked at Katie, then she put both of her hands on Stephen’s shoulders and kneed him in the balls. He fell to the floor wheezing and moaning.
Everyone ignored him.
“So Alec heard about last night and he felt that perhaps you were over stepping a bit,” Daniel said.
Jared gave them a placating grin. “I don’t feel I over stepped, not a bit.”
“I might have over stepped slightly,” Jensen volunteered. “But they had most of that coming.”
Billy and Daniel turned to look at Jensen. Stephen was still indisposed on the floor.
“The bitch, I presume?” Billy said conversationally to Jensen. He nodded towards Jared. “Did he tell you that my brother taught him everything he knows?”
Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Fascinating.”
“Oh he did. Jared kept coming back; like a little whore,” the Stephen chimed in from the floor.
“Oh my god,” Chad huffed, exasperated. Jensen was a little startled by that. He didn’t expect Chad to speak up in a situation like this; he had actually forgotten that Chad existed. “It was ten years ago and your brother was begging for Jared. Jared said no so Alec went to Gerald. He asked for Jared, got told go to hell do not pass go and if you look at my son’s ass again I’m going to take your balls off with my bare hands. Big brother Alec got thrown out with the imprint of Gerald Padalecki’s foot on his ass. Ten years ago and you love to bring it up, like it’s something to be proud of.”
Jared’s crew started snickering while Jensen crossed his arms and mentally started eviscerating all of them and also this missing big brother.
Jared was resting his chin on his hand, like he was so bored with this conversation. “Did you have something to tell us besides your brother’s short, and I do mean short, comings? History is great, but we have more current events as an issue. Your lackeys have been getting into my territory and I don’t appreciate it. You’re really starting to piss me off.”
The three of them looked at him like rabid wolves. Jensen was quite amazed that everyone was so calm, especially since he personally wanted to rip the heads off of the brothers.
“Just a warning,” Billy said. “Alec wants you and your rabble on your side of the line. Don’t come crossing over to start battles. We’ll pay for our men being on your side of the line, but you were out of line. Vin may never walk again and Alec is pissed.”
Jared cocked his head. “Vin stood up; he takes what he gets. Why do you think I give a fuck about your brother’s feelings? Do you seriously think that I care what some hick Alpha who can only get it up with pups thinks? Your guys are inept, your brother is worthless, and all of you can take a flying fuck for all I care. Stay out of my territory or you won’t have a sandbox to piss in.”
The younger two seemed to want to say something else, but Billy nodded. “We just wanted to make sure that you heard our piece.”
“I have. Now please leave,” Jared said with authority.
They stood for a minute, but it looked as if they were ready to leave, The frosty attitude of the Cub Pack definitely made it look like they should. And soon.
"Don't worry," the youngest one said, having to throw in one more jab. This time, he looked at Jared. "If anything ever goes badly with your ascension, you can always come crawling back to Alec and offer your little ass up. He's always got room in his stables for another bitch."
Jared finally stood up, hulking and menacing.
Jensen was the one who got to the words first and spoke up. "He’s spoken for. If anything happens, he’s mine."
Everyone stopped and looked at Jensen.
Jensen realized the words he said and swallowed the feeling that he was suddenly in over his head. He had meant it as a joke, as a barb, as something you said in a fight.
But those words sounded serious, deadly almost, and as if no one should even think of questioning them. The bond between them was thrumming and everyone could feel it. It was a little too real for Jensen at the moment.
"Yet another reason that you have to be leader of the pack," Misha said, coming in with impeccable timing. He was speaking to Jared, as if he were trying to push away the fact that the Baldwins were still there. "You don’t want Jensen to have to take care of you. He eats vegetables and probably has required reading.”
Jared threw back his head and laughed.
Jared looked up at Jensen, eyes gleaming. For a split second there wasn't open lust and there wasn't fear. There was one second when Jared just looked at him with approval for everything that he was.
Jensen had to bite down on his tongue to keep from touching Jared. The pain stopped his actions, but his head was already there.
This is real, it said.
Jared’s eyes were slits, still looking up at him as they heard the Baldwins leaving.
You’re fucked, it added.
**
Jared disappeared after the meeting.
"Where is he?" Jensen asked the group.
Sophia pushed him in a chair, sat on his lap and made him drink whiskey.
"He's fine," Chad said, with more strain in his voice than Jensen wanted to hear. "He's not doing anything to raise your hackles, and if you seriously think he’s gong to find someone else to fuck right now, well you must have missed the last hour. He and Hartley just have business to take care of."
Jensen went to open his mouth.
"No," Katie said with finality.
"What Katie means," Chad said, speaking up. "Is that he marked you, he trusts you in his life and in his home, and we think you’re going to be around for awhile. So he trusts you and you have to give him a tiny part of that trust back."
Jensen shoved down every piece of pride and just felt his shoulder throb.
"Please," he said as meekly as he could. "Tell me what is going on."
The other four people looked at each other, exchanging thoughts.
“What if I want it?” Jensen told them. “I mean now, what if I want it. Maybe it started out as a game, but now… now I wear his mark and for some reason it seems to fit.”
“I win the bet that he was playing us to start with,” Chad said gleefully, looking the others.
“And badly,” Misha added. “If Chad could tell.”
“Seriously,” Katie said, looking at her nails. “Seriously lame.”
“I’m a bit late, but I’m here,” Jensen said. “You’ve seen me, you’ve seen what I can do, how crazy I can be, but the thing is I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. And all that trust that I have to believe in? Can you all give me a little trust too?”
They looked at each other, and finally it was Misha who gave the nod.
"You heard him," Chad said finally. "What he said about Alec?"
Jensen nodded.
"Jared was fifteen," Sophia said softly. "Alec was magnetic and powerful and Jared hadn't totally gotten his feet under him about people yet. Well, he still doesn’t, that’s why he has us. He just saw this Alpha with a gravitational force of Jupiter and he dove in. Jared has always been pretty great, and Alec thought he was the greatest pet. He just didn't realize that Jared would never be happy like that. He's a leader and when he started to stand up to Alec, Alec hit back, with fists and whips. Jared wasn't tiny then, but he was scrawny. It took two times before Jared ran; only time in his life. He was in over his head, but the Baldwin clan never lets him forget that it was his father who got him out. Never mind that he was fifteen and Alec was well into his thirties, but they like that story."
Rage coursed through Jensen's veins. He knew that given the chance, he would happily kill each and every one of them.
“Tell him the rest,” Misha said, blue eyes like steel on Jensen, daring him to walk out of line.
“No,” Katie said. “Don’t you dare.”
"His brother is in cahoots with Alex," Chad said simply.
"Shut up, Chad," Katie hissed.
"No," Chad said. "Jared’s brother, Jeff, would sell him to Alec in a heartbeat. That’s his dream - Jared submissive and gone. That’s where Jared and Hartley went, to put in a warning to big brother. Remember that uou asked for this, Jensen. You asked to be part of this. You were so growly when maybe Jared didn't want you, but you stepped into a war zone. If you want to get fucked then fine, get fucked. At this point I doubt you have to beg anymore, but this is Jared's life and safety on the line. This is his pups, their mothers, his life. This is more than just getting your rocks off. So we need you to fall in line or get the fuck out."
"Chad," Katie growled. "Shut the fuck up."
Jensen looked then, suddenly so tired. "You’ve said enough. I’ve got enough information. Any more, I can get from him.”
They all just looked at him. He felt like he had risen in their esteem.
It was odd.
Misha cleared his throat. “Let’s go home, this place is lame.”
Jensen got up to follow them; he already felt a little empty without Jared.
It was disturbing of how not disturbing it was.
**
Jared sat behind the wheel, Hartley next to him. They both stared straight ahead.
“I drive next time,” Hartley said, fist still around the handle on the door.
“Hey,” Jared said, tone flat. “My father taught me how to drive.”
“And you’ll notice that he hasn’t driven in years,” Hartley said just as tonelessly.
They both looked straight ahead. The headlights were illuminating the grasslands in front of them. There were two black cars, three people in front of them.
They were quiet for a second.
“Tell me why we didn’t bring the girls again,” Hartley asked in a low voice.
“Because bringing my muscle is a sign of war,” Jared answered.
“And bringing me?” Hartley snorted.
“Is a sign of someone smarter than them to talk them out of it,” Jared replied.
“Good save,” Hartley muttered.
“Are these Chamber’s guys?” Jared asked hopefully.
Hartley shook his head. “Those are Baldwin’s.”
“Fuck,” Jared said, grinding his teeth.
They sat there for a second longer.
“We’re huge guys who can fight really well,” Hartley pointed out.
“Yeah, but if we don’t get out of the car soon, we are going to look like two scaredy cats who hide behind their women,” Jared said.
“Get your heartbeat down to normal,” Hartley whispered, opening the door.
Jared breathed and then adjusted his voice so it was clear to everyone what he was saying.
“Dude, did you see him? He was half naked. This better be worth it,” he said with a wink at Hartley. “I finally get Ackles and now I have to deal with this squabble.”
“Stop, seriously,” Hartley said, rolling his eyes, going with it. “I don’t want to hear any more about him. Please no more naked Jensen, or powerful Jensen, or the wonderful mind of Jensen.”
“Yes, please,” a voice interrupted them as they walked to the front of the car. “Can we not hear any more about Jared’s newest toy?”
Jared looked up at the other three people in the field as if he was just noticing that they were there.
Hartley and Jared came to stand in front of the car, hands palm side open at their sides. It was more a human custom of showing that they came in peace and that they had no weapons. Everyone in the field knew that they all had deadly weapons just under their skins.
“You called this, little brother,” Jeff growled. “And you are very very late.”
“You are trying to ruin me,” Jared said with a raised eyebrow. “You can wait.”
“Oh, am I?” Jeff asked with a laugh.
Jared cocked his head. “You sent the Baldwins to try to humiliate me in front of a potential mate, because you know the second that I mate, everything is mine.”
“You are a cocky bastard,” Jeff said dismissively.
“And you are trying to start a civil war!” Jared growled.
Hartley slipped in front of Jared.
“Right now this is all hearsay, but I’m sure that if we checked phone records or spoke to the Baldwins, we could find confirmation,” Hartley said smoothly. “We are trying to avoid such allegations. As it stands right now, you are still in the clear, as you always are, but we have come to warn…”
Jeff interrupted Hartley with a laugh. “Warn me? You overgrown mutts. I don’t listen to you. I don’t follow you, Hartley. I listen to my father, never you. Never ever you.”
Jared stepped forward angrily, stalking towards his brother. “Dad has said what he wanted. You don’t listen to him, you’re fucking ignoring him. He chose me, got it? He chose me and you’re doing everything in your power to undermine me. To destroy me.”
“And we’re pretty sure there were two attempts on Jared’s life in the past year,” Hartley said, not making any move to stop Jared, but his eyes were taking in the men behind Jeff. “They were pretty lame attempts, so we’re not really going to hold them against you. They were actually kind of sad and we wouldn’t want to embarrass you by making you claim clearly flawed plans.”
Jeff wasn’t listening, instead he was snarling at Jared.
“You don’t deserve it,” he said, spittle almost coming from his lips.
Jared stood in front of him and smiled, with nothing but venom behind it. “Dad chose me.”
Jeff’s fist flashed forward into Jared’s jaw. Jared might have been blindsided by Jensen a day ago, too mesmerized by freckles. He had no such distraction with Jeff.
He blocked Jeff’s punch and quickly retaliated with a punch of his own, knuckles connecting with jaw.
Jeff was practically frothing at the mouth as his fists slammed forward. He was two inches taller and his arms were quite a bit longer. Jeff’s reach made his offensive attack all the more effective. Jared tried to defend himself so he could get his footing and find an opening.
He blocked where he could, but he took a few of the punches, focused mainly on getting Jeff down. He could ignore the pain from Jeff’s fists as he waited for his opportunity. He was vaguely aware of Hartley taking on the Baldwins’ men. He would only have to worry about Jeff, since as always, Hartley had his back.
Jared had been fighting with Jeff since he was a kid, so he was used to fighting his brother. They had gotten closer in terms of size, but Jared had never caught up. But Jared had learned to improvise.
Jared threw a far punch. He had learned to quickly compensate and get in close where Jeff’s punches held less weight and he was able to get in body shots. He was quick, had to be. As a child he had learned his brother’s ticklish spots, and now as an adult, he knew where his brother’s weak spots were.
Jeff knew his brother’s tricks also. As Jared started pummeling him, Jeff tried to shove Jared away, trying to find an angle that wasn’t awkward; something that could land a blow. Jeff was always learning more ways to defend himself against his brother, since long ago he found out he could never be static when Jared was involved.
He didn’t learn much else besides new ways to one up Jared.
Jeff’s hand found its way to Jared’s jaw as Jared turned his ribs to bruises. He flinched as he felt one of them crack under Jared’s care. Jeff’s thumb found the spot behind the hinge of Jared’s jaw and he pushed with all his strength. The angle was perfect.
Jared’s body reacted on instinct, moving away from the thumb bearing down on his pressure point. Jeff was once again far enough to get his jabs in. Jared fist flew and this time, Jeff grabbed it and twisted Jared around, snapping his arm at an awkward angle before bringing his elbow down on the arm.
Jared heard something snap in a joint and felt a blinding hot flash of pain, but he had too much adrenaline going through his system for it to register. He didn’t think anything was broken, but he could feel his joint already start to swell. His arm was momentarily useless, but he had another arm and two perfectly usable legs.
He swept Jeff to the ground and at that moment, reach didn’t matter any more. Jeff was on the ground as Jared leaned over him, using the leverage he had to make the point he needed to. With his fists.
Jeff was down, but he still knew enough dirty tricks. Jeff took a sharp jab to Jared’s knee to take him down. Jared was on the ground next to him in an instant . His arms went to protect his face and Jeff tore at Jared.
Jared couldn’t see while he was protecting himself. He was going to have to lower his arms and risk letting Jeff box his head if he was going to have any hope.
He lowered his arms and a bloody wolf flew through the air and attacked Jeff. Jared stumbled to his feet.
“Hartley, down,” Jared commanded and the white wolf backed off of Jeff, still snarling. Jared could see blood flowing from the wolf’s muzzle. It wasn’t a good sign when injuries manifested themselves in wolf form. That was when they were strongest, that is when they could sustain more and heal faster.
The wolf stood between Jared and the fallen foe.
Jared backed away, holding his injured arm.
“If you don’t desist and back off, you will not have a place in this pack any more,” Jared said with as much authority as he could. Hartley-wolf seconded the decree with an angry snarl.
They backed up to the car. Jared opened the door and Hartley-wolf jumped into the passenger seat. Jared peeled out.
“Thank god you drive like a real life version of Grand Theft Auto,” Hartley said, back in human form, blood spilling from his nose.
“Are you okay?” Jared said, stripping off his shirts and throwing them at Hartley.
Hartley was bleeding profusely into both of Jared’s shirts, groaning every time the car hit a bump.
“Talk,” Hartley said, voice muffled as blood flowed down his face. “I need something to focus on.”
“It’s funny, I’ve gotten used to you guys talking,” Jared said quietly, but then his words came like water over the falls. “You guys know what I’ll say, so I’ll never have to talk. I trust that the right things will be said and done and that you’ll check in with me. I’ve let you stand up for me for a very long time, not that I couldn’t do it, but just that I wasn’t willing to go all in. Not with anything.”
“I think you were pretty in tonight,” Hartley pointed out.
“I still can’t believe that. It was real and it was peace with my fists,” Jared pondered.
“And I took the beating tonight,” Hartley moaned.
“We both did, though I have the feeling that this isn’t the last time. I hate this. I hate the fighting. I hate having to do it,” Jared said, taking a turn too quickly and causing Hartley to moan in pain. “Sorry. We’ll get you home to Misha soon, I promise. But I hate this so much. I’ve always just let someone else do it, but I can’t live like this. I can’t live just half in, pretending the other half doesn’t exist. That time is gone, now. I’m not a child; I have to grow up and take on all of it. You guys can be my help, but I’ve got to act.”
They rode in silence for a moment.
“Talk more,” Hartley said through clenched teeth.
“I have to do the talking with Jensen,” Jared said quietly.
“Yes,” Hartley gritted out.
“He showed me himself,” Jared said. “I can’t stop thinking about him. All through the fight, I wanted it to be over so I could find him. This thing, him in my life, it’s…”
Jared paused looking for words, but went on hurriedly as Hartley made a pained noise in this throat. “He’s got to see what I’m putting out there, what I have on the line. I can’t fight my nature. I’m drawn to him. I wanted him by my side out there and it was like pulling out my heart to walk out the door of the club and leave him for a few hours. I always thought that this was made up, like this was what they told children, that we would feel like this when we were ready. When we found the one that we were to mate with. I’m going to show him my everything. I’m going to take him. I want him to know.”
“Good,” Hartley said through the shirts. “Drive faster.”
Jared grinned and pressed down on the gas pedal.
**
Jensen woke up in Jared's bed again. Kristin, the housekeeper, had changed the sheets yesterday. They were now clean and white once more.
This time he had showered before bed. The light was barely peeking into the windows when Jared came in. Jared just looked at Jensen.
Jared had a nasty bruise forming on his cheek and he was cradling his arm.
He seemed to be trying to mask surprise at seeing Jensen there, just standing there watching Jensen.
Jensen suddenly worried if sleeping in Jared’s bed without being invited had been a bad idea.
"I need you to drive me," Jared finally said.
"To the hospital?" Jensen asked, trying to clear his sleep clogged brain.
Jared shook his head. "No. They had to take my brother there and right now isn't a good time to be in the same building as him. Misha is taking care of Hartley and everybody else here is useless at this kind of stuff."
"So where do you need to go?" Jensen asked.
Jared stepped towards the bed. Jensen didn't move; he knew he wasn't supposed to. Jared leaned over and nuzzled the mark on Jensen's shoulder.
"I'm trusting you right now. This is me trusting you. I would sit here and wallow in my own pain if I didn't trust you."
"Should I get anything?" Jensen said, proud at how much his voice didn't waver.
Jared quirked his mouth. "Pants would be a good idea."
"Well now I'm not worried," Jensen said. "You must be feeling okay."
"Just hurry, okay?" Jared told him.
They were out the door in ten minutes.
Part IV