Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/1808440. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Supernatural_RPF Relationship: Jensen_Ackles/Jared_Padalecki Character: Jared_Padalecki, Jensen_Ackles Additional Tags: Alternate_Universe_-_Werewolf, Werewolf_Mates, Knotting, Underage_Sex, Underage_Jensen, Older_Jared, Supernatural_Elements, Mating_Cycles/In Heat, Young_Jensen_Ackles, Alpha_Jared, Beta_Jensen, Alpha/Beta, Top Jared, Bottom_Jensen, Consent_Issues, Size_Kink, pseudo-bestiality, Monster_Jared Stats: Published: 2014-06-18 Completed: 2014-10-07 Chapters: 2/2 Words: 35464 ****** Inheritance ****** by Miss_Lv Summary Jensen is the son of purist parents who believe that the supernaturals in the world are lesser beings. While Jensen's never really agreed with that he's never thought much on it until the day he finds out that he's a supernatural, a werewolf. Notes A kinda re-write of an older piece I never finished. I've gotten it to a place I like and I'll eventually write a time stamp/follow up for it. This is basically 35,000 words of werewolf smut and werewolf fluff. Enjoy that. It's like a werewolf romance novel but with gay sex and Jensen as the plucky heroine. ***** Chapter 1 ***** Once upon a time there was a werewolf who sought a mate. He struck a bargain with a family that he would earn their respect and in time court on of their daughters. The family agreed but the werewolf was not what he seemed, he was cruel and vicious. The family would not let him have a daughter if they knew so he hid his evil nature in order to get close enough to steal a daughter away. But the family realized this and so they devised a plan to stop the evil werewolf from harming them or some other poor girl. They promised him a daughter and started the marriage ritual. In order for the werewolf to make his claim one of the daughters had to accept him and agree to become his mate. However, each daughter denied him. Because of the ceremony the werewolf could not take any other mate but from the family he had tied himself to and each daughter had refused him. The werewolf however did not give up so easily and he tried to charm each daughter, promising them wonderful things and then threatening them with terrible things. The family became afraid of the werewolf’s madness and so they fled from the terrible beast. This enraged the werewolf and he hunted them, followed their every step and tried to trick each daughter to his side. But they saw him as the monster he was and refused time and time again. The werewolf was a terrible beast though and he followed them still so the clever parents arranged each daughter to marry, finding good kind husbands for each daughter until the werewolf was thwarted. Infuriated by this the werewolf swore his revenge; that he would come back for their children and trick one of them into agreeing to be his mate. He would never leave them alone but rather hunt them for all time and take his mate from them one day.     “I’m a what?” The doctor gave the boy in front of him a sympathetic smile and shuffled some brochures he had brought back into the tiny examination room with him. “It’s understandable that you're surprised, it's rare not to know beforehand and it can be a big shock to someone unprepared,” he tried to sooth but Jensen lifted a hand, cutting off the speech and shaking his head in denial. “I can’t be- you don’t get it, I don’t have any werewolves in my family!” His voice was beginning to sound hysterical even to him and he struggled to get a hold of himself. The doctor gave him a tiny disapproving frown. “Lycanthrope can be a recessive gene, it might not have been present for a few generations but it still existed,” the older man explained and Jensen didn’t know if he wanted to scream or just break down crying. The doctor staring him down was far too calm for someone who was saying something that was utterly impossible. “Commonly Lycanthropes recognize other Lycanthropes and thus it’s not often for someone to get to your age unaware but it’s not unheard of. What’s happening to you now is because your body has grown into maturity and ready for the next step.” “And that is?” Jensen managed, his voice still mangled while his fingers twisted into the arms of the chair he was seated in. “You’ve started your menstrual cycle, you're in the average age for Lycanthropes to begin in either gender, aging is slower than a normal human.” The doctor lectured easily, trying to sound soothing again though he seemed more awkward, he probably wasn’t expecting this anymore then Jensen maybe.  “…Is there any way the tests could be wrong? That this is all a mistake?” “No, your blood isn’t lying.” “Maybe a mix up with the blood then?” Jensen asked hopefully and was given a narrow frown in return. “No, we don’t make that sort of mistakes and I only ran the test to prove this to you, the condition you came in with is a very strong signifier.” “You don’t understand, my parents are huge purists, like racist to all supernatural purists, how can there be a Were…l-lycanthrope in either of my family lines?” “I can’t answer that for you, but the test result isn’t questionable, you’re most defiantly carrying and showing minor lycanthrope.” “Minor, they're levels of it?” Jensen struggled to keep his hysteria down, but it felt like it was clawing its way up his throat, threatening to choke him. The little clinic room felt like it was closing in on him. “A varying degree of them actually. You fall under minor, not the lowest but close to it, it’s most likely you won’t ever shift.” “But I’ll get ass periods,” Jensen laughed, his voice hollowed out. “Yes, you’ll have regular menstrual cycles and experience natural lubrication during sexual stimulation. You’ll also have to be aware that if matched with a male who carries Lycanthrope, you could also conceive a child.” “Ass babies. I can have ass babies.” “You’re not taking this very seriously,” the doctor chastised and Jensen wanted to yell at the man until his voice was hoarse. This wasn’t something you could just waltz in and drop on somebody so casually never mind lecturing them when they didn’t react how you wanted. “I’m a barely-seventeen-year-old who thought he had a bad case of internal hemorrhoids or something and you’re standing here telling me I’ve got werewolf ancestors despite my parents complete hatred for all things supernatural…” he trailed off, voice losing its anger and shaking as bad as his hands as Jensen realized his family might not love him after this revelation.   “I’m sorry, this is a huge shock, just take a few deep breaths,” belatedly Jensen realized the doctor was trying to get him through a panic attack. Each too short, too fast breath hurting his lungs and making him light headed. He clutched at the chair he was in and the doctor stood over him, hands on Jensen’s shoulders as he walked him through getting his breath back. “We can get through this, just one step at a time.” Fuck that. This was not happening, Jensen refused to let it happen. Jensen promised to make a follow-up appointment and see a therapist without any intention of doing so and dumped all the lycanthrope pamphlets in a garbage bin on the way home. He gave himself a week of quietly freaking out before he got his calm back and accepted that this was happening and life had to go on but that didn’t mean anything had to change. The internet was his go to source and Jensen learned the good and the bad of what was happening to him. He also found the purist ‘cure’ for his condition, sterilization and usually removal of the uterus as well. Jensen couldn’t see his parents not insisting on it, they made their kids wear silver necklaces with little crosses, his mom checked every morning before they went to school to see each one on each neck before a quick kiss and goodbye. There was no way she wouldn’t demand this of him, at seventeen and scared shitless of losing his family, Jensen could see himself doing it, letting them go inside and rip out everything a purist would call unnatural. It shook him to his core and he felt too young for any of it. Whether or not he wanted the surgery seemed like an abstract thought that changed every time he glanced at them. All Jensen did know was that his parents couldn’t know about it. Not until he was older and had a decent hold on this, on what it meant to him. Jensen liked kids well enough, he could see himself having a few but he was also aware that he was a raging homosexual. This werewolf thing, it could mean something to him one day when having his own kids might be important to him. When he was old enough to seriously think about it but right now he was just a kid still. What his parents wanted of him they usually got if they pushed hard enough. Everything just needed to be a secret for now, until he decided where he was going to college. When he was certain of that then he could face his family or run and hide in secondary education, just not now. Concealing it wasn’t actually that hard to do in the end. Jensen’s mother had always been intrusive and so he knew how to hide things and how to keep them hidden. He bought male tampons during his period and never kept anything leftover, throwing everything out at school. Other werewolves could smell him and Jensen thought he could almost scent the little difference between people if he really focused. He quickly learned a little aftershave covered it up well enough and took to splashing some on every morning. No one had ever mentioned it to him before but then Jensen had always been kept far from supernatural creatures. Still he didn’t want some random werewolf passing him on the street to call him out. Jensen didn’t want this to be something out in the open at all. He wanted it to be a quiet little secret that he kept to himself. Was that healthy? Not at all, but Jensen had known when he came out to his parents that he was gay they would still love him, he couldn’t be so sure about this.   “So are you going to come to the party tonight?” Misha questioned as they walked home together and Jensen shrugged, trying not to seem too excited to go. “I suppose so, it’s just a low key thing right? A group of people and some booze?” “Pretty much, typical teenage ‘party’.” Jensen laughed with Misha, unwilling to admit he wouldn’t know, he’d never gone to one before. With all the moving around and his parent’s racism hanging over his head, Jensen wasn’t popular in the schools. He’d never understood his parent’s disgust with supernaturals, they just seemed like people to him. Different for certain but in the end just people. But he’d always gone to purist school which refused supernatural children admittance. The other kids often shared their parents views and Jensen never fit in among them, never willing to take up the discrimination that seemed everywhere. So he made his way as the awkward kid, the one who kept to himself. But this, this could be the change of all that, a normal teenager hangout and the chance to let everyone know he wasn’t like his parents. Misha and his group of friends didn’t carry their parents or schools fear and disgust for supernatural’s and Jensen wanted them to know he felt the same way. After the werewolf thing, Jensen really needed to feel like he fit in somewhere. “Dude, are you moving?” Misha asked him abruptly and Jensen blinked following his gaze to the u-haul parked in front of his house. No, no, no, no, no.   “You said we were staying!” Jensen accused, voice rising as his mother methodically packed the kitchen and his father shoved the living room into boxes. After moving so much they had it down pat, the house could be ready to go in a day. “You said at least a year this time! It’s only been four months!” “Jensen,” his mother cut in with a curt tone. “It can’t be helped, we’re in danger here and we need to move somewhere safe.” “You’re mental.” “Jensen!” His father chastised with a hard tone, but Jensen stared at his mother, watching her face twitch in annoyance before she went back to packing. “You’re sick in the head and dad fucking helps it along because he’s got a phobia. There is nothing chasing us, there never was and there never will be. You’re ruining your kids lives because of some imaginary threat.” As he spoke his mother’s face closed off, like when anyone tried to tell her she had a problem, that familiar denial on her face. “You don’t understand, you just need to trust me,” she replied with the same stubborn voice she’d used every time the sudden moving happened. “Where’s Jamie?” Jensen shot back and his mother finally paused in her packing, hands still over a box. The tension in the room rising rapidly and Jensen’s dad reached out and nudged him towards the stairs. “Go pack you room,” he said and it was both a harsh command and quiet plea.   “You mentioned Jamie again didn’t you?” Sophia asked, clinging to the doorframe of his room while Jensen threw things into the boxes left in his room. “I miss him too,” she muttered quietly, looking back down the hall where their parents were still packing. “You won’t…?” “…I dunno, not like Jamie, I won’t cut off like he did, not from you Soph, college or not.” Jensen finally replied, his shoulders slouching as he slumped onto his bed and stared at the floor. He tried not to think of the older brother he hadn’t seen or heard from in almost two years. “Mom’s not crazy,” Sophia announced after a beat and Jensen tried not to sigh, rubbing his face in his hands. “She’s not well either,” he shot back and his sister couldn’t argue their mother had an obsession. “No, but she’s not wrong about it, someone is following us,” she whispered quietly slipping into his room and closing the door. “Someone or thing we’ve never seen and neither mom or dad will ever tell us about?” Jensen asked skeptically and his sibling shrugged as she sat on the bed with him. “I dunno about that, but there’s this man,” she paused, glancing at the door like she was worried their parents had their ear to it. “This guy that I always see, wherever we move.” “A guy?” Jensen blinked in disbelief, looking at his sister wearily like maybe whatever made his mother sick was catching Sophia too. “I’m not crazy, Jen,” she whispered like she heard the thought and he wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. His sister had always been clever and a bright girl, she’d been the one to really push any lingering discrimination out of him. Sophia believed in equality for everyone and never hesitated to say so, even when it sparked fights with their mom. “I used to think I was just seeing him cause of mom and dad being so sure, that maybe I was making it up. But I’m not, I’ve seen him for years and years,” Sophia flipped her phone open and Jensen blinked down at a blurry photo of a tall looking man. He was among a group of people and not paying the camera any attention. The second picture was six years older by the date, but it was the exact same guy un-aged, again looking just like everyone else although notably no older from the first picture, the man didn’t seem to have aged which was a common quality among supernaturals. “Soph, I dunno it might just be coincidence,” he started but his sister cut him off with a shake of her head. “It’s not, it super hard to get a photo because every time I see him he’s gone right away, like in seconds, like he didn’t want me to know he was there.” Jensen looked at the photos, taking the cell and flipping back between them he tried to decide if he believed his sibling. Most of the weight falling on how clear it was Sophia wanted him too. “Why haven’t you told mom or dad?” Jensen finally asked, voice tentatively taking on a tone that said he was buying it. “You wanna be home-schooled?” she said with a snort and yeah, he could see that happening, his parents had already tried to get them to agree before and if they thought they had a reason… “I used to be really afraid, but it’s been years now. He’s watching me, maybe all of us, but he’s never done anything. I dunno, I don’t think he’s going to either. But mom and dad would never see it like that,” Sophia explained and Jensen nodded, their parents would freak the hell out and lock them up, keep them at home and under surveillance to a level that would force Jensen to go crazy. “But why would some guy be looking in on us?” She mused quietly and Jensen stiffened, his mind jumping immediately to their ancestry. “What? What are you thinking of?” His sister asked in a furious whisper, grabbing his arm and holding on tight. The entire thing was plainly huge to her and Sophia stared up at him with a pleading face. “Jen tell me please, I don’t- I’m not crazy, tell me I’m not turning into mom,” she said with desperation and tears welling. Jensen curling his arms around his sister immediately and dragged her in close to himself, hugging her tightly. “I might be wrong, but he…he might be a werewolf,” Jensen offered hesitantly. “But not in a bad way…like more of…like long lost family?” Sophia pulled away and looked at Jensen, frowning up at him. “What are you talking about?” A knock saved Jensen and he looked away from the door as it opened, his sister wiping tears as she sat away from him. “What are you two up to?” Their dad asked, voice soft after seeing his children clinging to one another so unhappily. It wasn’t like they were bad parents or that they didn’t care, they just couldn’t focus beyond their obsession most days Jensen thought. “Packing,” Sophia finally answered with a weak smile, picking up one of the piles of junk on the floor and putting it in the box. “I know you guys are upset, you really like this place,” he started in a fatherly tone and Jensen felt his hackles rise up at the familiar words. “But the next place will be nicer, maybe we’ll finally get a place with a pool and-“ “Stop it,” Jensen bit out, voice going angry as he sat up in jerking motions. “Don’t start with that speech, I’m sick of it,” he growled and rushed away to hide in the bathroom. Every time they moved Jensen had to hear it, the stupid talk about how the next place would be better, that they hadn’t been there long enough to put down roots. He hated that speech. Before he could undress and jump in the shower the phone in his sweater pocket chirped. U coming tonight? Misha texted him and Jensen hesitated to reply with a no. R U actually moving? Yeah. Dad got a big promotion, but we have to be there like yesterday. Shitty, you should come tonight then, a last hurrah with your buddies? Jensen’s mom would never let him go. Even if his dad agreed to drive him there and pick him up, deliver him to the door himself his mom wouldn’t have it. It was always her in the end. Dad was pretty bad too, but he acknowledge it was all in his head at least, he would go see a psychiatrist and try to work himself out and that made all the difference. Mom honestly believed herself, that there was something looming over them, that it would get them if she relaxed for even a second. Jensen’s dad had a phobia of vampires, an irrational fear that kept crosses in the house and holy water poured over ever door and window. But it didn’t go much further than that, he didn’t loudly protest vampires in public or go out of his way to insist his kids went to a school that refused the openly supernatural children. That was all his mom, his mom who said horrid things about all supernatural beings, who insisted on purist beliefs and was disgusted with the idea of acceptance. It wouldn’t be his dad who threw Jensen out if he refused to try and ‘fix’ himself, it would be his mom. His nerves were so utterly shot with the stress of having to deal with this. He felt like he was doing a good job at keeping it hidden, but the weight of knowing was going to give him an ulcer. He needed to calm down for a while, relax instead of sitting in the still house listening to his family pack. Something vicious in him hissed that he should go, escape and just be free of it for a bit. There was a twisting need in him to just start running and never stop and it had been growing the last few years. Some nights it was bad enough that Jensen could understand why his brother left the way he did. You know what, I’ll be there. At your place right?   In theory, walking from one place to another after sundown wasn’t all that dangerous. The only things that needed the night were vampires and the second one took someone the entire area became a hunting ground until it was caught. People went apeshit when something supernatural abducted or killed openly. Jensen’s mom was adamant that most creatures just learned to cover their tracks better now, picking the homeless or people who lived alone, people no one would notice going missing. Jensen figured there was a kernel of truth to it but not anything as deep as his mother thought. As a child, he’d never understood why she hated supernatural people so much but he had obeyed her. As he grew though Jensen could see how in the wrong she was, they lived side by side with humans and had done so for centuries now. Yes, some supernatural people hunted humans for food but the vast majority depended on animals just like people did. Most vampires got their blood from the local grocery store, just another thing offered among the hamburger and roasts. Still Jensen had an unfair fear drilled in him and he struggled not to let it get the best of him as he made his way. Misha was four bus stops from Jensen’s home, so all he had to do was walk a block to the stop at the corner, get on the bus, and get off at Misha’s place right there across the street. Getting there went fine and Jensen was glad he did it right away. The evening spent hanging out with the people he’d come to call friends would be worth the freaking out of his parents if they caught him. So far, though his phone remained silent so they’d left his empty room alone, thinking he was being stubborn with a locked door and refusal to answer their knocks. Misha was nice about the moving, Jensen could see that the guy was clearly seeing more of the truth than Jensen’s hasty story, but he didn’t call him on it. There were a few guys and girls from school and the mostly just watched movies. Jensen drank a bit, relishing in being legal now with a few others who were of age as well. It was laid back and almost quiet even but it was completely normal and Jensen loved every second of it. He’d always wanted more friends growing up but when he hit his teens the need became something hard to ignore. There was a constant urge in him to meet new people and learn new faces, even with his own shyness crippling him. When they left hours later he bowed out of a sharing a taxi on account he didn’t have the cash but he did have a bus pass. People he barely knew gave him warm hugs and wished him luck with the big move. It was bittersweet to finally feel like he fit in only to know he was leaving. But he promised to facebook friend everyone and keep in touch and he meant it. Jensen waited for his bus a little giddy in the knowledge he’d pulled one over his parent’s eyes. If he got back in through his window without them noticing, he’d have snuck out with no one being the wiser. Lost in his thoughts, it took him a bit to sense something was off. Feeling like he was suddenly in a bad horror movie he glanced around and found two guys walking down the street, one sniffing the air openly and looking right at Jensen. They were both fair sized and looked close to his age but older, teenagers or early twenties at least. His stomach dropped and Jensen glanced at Misha’s house, wondering if he’d be a huge weakling if he walked back and waited for the strangers to pass. But then that was his mother’s fears talking and not him. Just because one was a werewolf - and he was with the way he was sniffing the air like that - didn’t mean he was a threat. Jensen’s hand curled on his phone in his pocket and he figured it they bothered him he’d just make a run for Misha’s place, all he had to do was yell and then entire neighborhood would be alerted. The pair stopped near Jensen and his heart went into his throat until one of them gave him an easy smile and turned to chat with his buddy, both of them waiting for the bus at the bus stop like anyone else would. Jensen felt stupid for his fear and he berated himself silently as they waited. With the thoughts of not being such a fear mongering jerk running through his head, Jensen made himself reply when one of them asked him a question about the bus time. It was idle chatting and it was completely awkward, the guy being all friendly and Jensen trying and failing to do the same. When the bus pulled up he was actually a little relieved but it died when the two sat right beside him and kept chatting. Well, the one did but the other never said a word, seeming disinterested. Jensen fought his nerves though; telling himself it was just his own shyness and his mother’s prejudice. “Are you from around here?” The talkative guy asked, all smiles as he asked like it was just a question, but Jensen still felt uncomfortable with it. “Close by, my family’s actually waiting for me to get home, late already,” he lied easily and the guy just smirked, like he knew it. Jensen struggled with the urge to be a rude asshole out of fear and the desperation to not be his mother. “Are you guys from around here...?” Jensen finally forced out and the guy shook his head, leaning back in his seat. “Our pack is way up north, there’s some lone wolf in these parts keeping the territory for himself but he’s old and tough enough that the alphas don’t wanna fight him, they figure he’ll move on soon enough,” Jensen couldn’t fight the interest that ran through him, this stuff was foreign to him but it was also going to be a part of his life now. There wasn’t a lot of information online about specifics like this, everything was said to be kept ‘within the culture’. “I thought loners were frowned upon,” he questioned without thinking and the guy nodded his head, looking at Jensen appraisingly. “Mostly, but the older ones, the big bads, are left alone, kinda like boogie men. You’re not from a pack or anything are you? You don’t smell like it.” “Ah, no, I’m still new to all this I guess,” Jensen admitted with a shrug his instincts still telling him to shut the hell up, but he ignored them, wanting to have a civil conversation with a fellow werewolf. “You smell like it, ripe and unclaimed,” the stranger said and Jensen felt something cold run through him, the werewolf smirked at him and the look was dark and wicked. Jensen looked away and reached up to push the button for the next bus stop. Feeling nervous and spooked Jensen avoided looking at the guy and leaned back in his seat, wishing the bus would stop and let him off already. When it did he was up and out of his seat, not saying a goodbye to the two strangers as he rushed to get out of the bus. Jensen realized it wasn’t his stop just as the doors closed. When the back doors clanged, he watched them get off and whirled to get back on the bus. The driver looked at him, wearily almost and didn’t open the doors back up, he pulled away and left Jensen there. Just left him. Jensen was one stop from his own, he knew he could cut through the park and get to his house quicker then walking around it on the street but like hell was he going to go into the shadows of the park. With fear making his hands tremble, he got his phone out and started walking hurriedly along the brightly lit street. It was almost two in the morning so all the houses were dark and no one else was on the street. Jensen just wanted to punch in the number to the house phone and get his parents on the line, punishments be damned. “Hey man, I didn’t mean to freak you or anything,” the guy at his back called out, sounding way too close. Jensen ignored the friendly tone and just increased his pace, wanting to run as he cursed his own nerves and had to delete the wrong number and punch in the right one, two away from the ‘call’ button. “Don’t be so uptight,” a voice spoke right into his ear and Jensen jerked away, losing his grip on his stupid phone as he whirled around to face the guy abruptly right behind him. He was grinning, but it was creepy as fuck with his glowing eyes and the other guy was suddenly intent on Jensen as well. In the movies these scenes were usually boring, the music building dangerously as the victim stuttered and stumbled. Jensen always thought they were idiots but now he got it, they weren’t dumb, they were just too scared to even think. “Leave me alone,” his hissed, trying to sound mean but it came out more like a plea. “Don’t be like that, you can’t wander around smelling like that, it’s like a neon sign, ‘I’m a sweet ass bitch and I’ve got no alpha’.” “I didn’t know,” Jensen fumbled still walking backward while they advanced on him, steering him without Jensen knowing it until his back hit a fence. It was one of the openings for the park, a large gate down at the end of the fence Jensen was backed against. There were no lights on at any of the houses around him and Jensen’s heart was pounding painfully hard. He wondered if he could get a shout out or if they’d silence him too fast. “You’ll know soon enough,” the guy leered and if Jensen wasn’t terrified he’d roll his eyes at the cheesy line. The werewolf was a little taller then Jensen and bulkier. He closed in, stepping up and smiling in a way that Jensen guessed was supposed to be reassuring. “No one's gonna hurt you, we’re all just gonna have a good time, you’ll see once instinct kicks in, you’ll like it,” he explained and Jensen wanted to laugh at how stupid it sounded. When the werewolf leaned in, his mouth inches from Jensen’s own, he brought his knee up with all the force he had. Before the guy could curse he shoved him back into his buddy and ran. From where they stood Jensen didn’t have a choice in a direction and he dashed into the park, knowing it was a short run to his house. If he just ran hard enough he could make it, he could already see the gate he wanted, his house two down from it. Just as actual hope welled in his chest Jensen was knocked off his feet. The sheer weight rammed him into the dirt, his face scraping painfully as the wind was knocked out of him. “Stupid bitch,” was snarled in his face, spit hitting his cheek as he was shoved into the unyielding dirt painfully. One hand was curled into his hair; pushing his skull down hard enough tears welled. The first jerk on his jeans made him whimper out, trying to get passed the pain to do something. He couldn’t get his breath back though and the weight on him was completely solid, unmovable. Jensen couldn’t get away. This was going to happen. Pain laced through his hand when a boot stepped into his vision, the other guy crunching his fingers under his heel for no reason at all. Jensen struggled to cry out for him to stop but then the weight suddenly lifted from his hand, the boot gone. After a heartbeat, the pressure on his back was too. Jensen immediately curled up, cradling his throbbing hand to his chest and waiting for them to start kicking him or something.   Terrified out of his wits, he didn’t know how long he stayed curled up like that. But eventually he realized they weren’t attacking him and he dared to raise his head. The clearing was quiet save for his own broken breathing and Jensen carefully rolled on his stomach and winced in pain as he checked the other direction. The fear that began to ebb jumped right back up as Jensen saw the two crumbled figures and something standing between them and where he was. His attackers lay unmoving, but Jensen didn’t feel any relief or gratitude, just numbing shock. It was late out and the light was weak but he could see what was there a few yards from him. It was a werewolf.  An honest to god, old world, textbook illustration, werewolf. A mix of man and animal, huge and deadly looking and it’s attention focused completely on Jensen. When it moved closer Jensen was surprised he didn’t piss himself, wanting to stay totally still but trembling all over. He wasn’t gonna get raped, he was going to die. It was so huge, so much bigger than him and the closer it got the more Jensen realized it. It stopped short of reaching him though and just paused there, watching Jensen as he tried to get his crying under control, his face covered in tears and snot as he took shaky breaths. Then it just sat back and watched him and for the love of him Jensen didn’t know why but he felt the atmosphere shift, the terror bleeding out. The werewolf sniffed at the air and looked around, ears perked high on its head and somehow it managed to look mild. Once it wasn’t staring right at him, Jensen felt like he could breathe again and he raised a hand to wipe at his face, trying to clear some of the snot and tears from his face. The touch though brought a hard burn of pain and his hissed, yanking his hand away and feeling his cheek throbbed painfully. Jensen jerked when the werewolf was suddenly right there, just like the other one before, no sound or movement, just abruptly there. He kept perfectly still at it sniffed at his face and before he could even think, the wet drag of warm spit made his suck in a fast breath. The werewolf paused, Jensen could see its nose twitch and hear the inhale before it gave Jensen’s face another lick, lapping the scrape on his cheek. At first he thought it was for the blood but then the tongue moved along his face, lapping up his tears and snot. Jensen grimaced at the thought and realized that he wasn’t horrified out of his brains. Scared shitless yes but not nearly as bad as before. So he just sat there dumbly and let the werewolf clean his face like a freaking dog would. “W-will you let me go?” He finally managed to ask, his voice stuffed up and hoarse. The werewolf sat back and Jensen watched it look toward the gate that led to his house and then back at him expectantly. It took him some time to work up the courage and then Jensen tried to sit up a little and his ribs protested painfully. They ached so bad that he needed to gasp for breath. The werewolf was leaning in again at once, sniffing at his shirt and Jensen would swear later that it looked worried. All Jensen wanted was to be home, in his bed safe and he struggled to sit up again, prepared for the onslaught of pain this time. When he put his bad hand down to brace himself he felt the pain slam into him and he nearly fell back to the dirt. The werewolf caught him, circled in close to Jensen and reached one human-like arm to curl around his shoulders and steady him. Jensen felt so tiny that close to this massive beast and he couldn’t help but quiver a little. The creature ignored the fear and gently lifted Jensen’s bad hand in its own. It was easily twice the size of his own small hand and had calloused pads, claws and fur mixed with the long digits of a human. Jensen watched as the werewolf bent and licked at his injuries, the wet drag of tongue making Jensen’s hand twitch. But the pain eased with each lap and Jensen realized his face no longer burned like before either. The werewolf licked over every inch of his hand, between each finger and along the palm thoroughly. Once it was done he sat up again and the arm on Jensen’s shoulder dropped down to his middle. For a second Jensen froze in fear, he could feel that wide paw with those sharp claws on his hip. But then he was being lifted up, slowly so he could adjust. He tried to stand up as he uncurled his legs from his chest, but the pain burned in his lungs. The werewolf paused for a moment and then Jensen felt the creature’s other arm sliding behind his knees. With a surprising grace, Jensen was lifted up, carefully cradled as the werewolf stood and before Jensen could freak out, he watched the gate to his house come closer. Staring at the gate, Jensen refused to look at where his attackers lay, just like he refused to acknowledge the blood all over the paw that was curled under his knees and dotting the beast’s muzzle. They paused at the gate, the werewolf sniffing the air and ears perking high for a moment before it edged forward along the fence, clearly not wanting to be seen. After a swift peek the werewolf eased forward, going quickly but without a sound or jostling Jensen too much. The closer they got to his home, the more Jensen felt his panic dropping down, he became aware of how close he was pressed to the werewolf’s broad chest. Flat in a way that indicated a male? Jensen wasn’t sure if breasts remained after a transformation. The fur tickled his face and neck but was giving off a heat that seeped into his bones. It felt weirdly comforting and Jensen wondered if it had to do with his heritage that he felt eerily safe with the werewolf. Jensen’s room was on the ground level and he’d left his window propped a tiny bit so he could get back in. The werewolf went straight to it as if he knew which one was Jensen’s already and the teenager wondered if this was the man Sophia had seen, if this creature was a part of Jensen’s long lost family or if he had simply watched Jensen sneak out earlier. Under his window, Jensen was set down on the cold ground, his back against the house. Once the creature wasn’t holding him close Jensen was again very away of the sheer size of him. When he tried to sit up his chest wheezed painfully and the werewolf watched him intently. “I don’t-I don’t think I can get up,” Jensen admitted, voice strained as he wondered if the creature could even understand him. Werewolves reversed back on feral nature while changed and Jensen had read that some didn’t comprehend language clearly.  This one though seemed to get it though, it sat back a touch and with the werewolf right in front of him in the faint light of the street lamp, Jensen saw male genitalia, a package like a dogs - a sheath and furry - but defiantly a male, a big one. When Jensen looked back up the werewolf was watching him. “Sorry,” he muttered feeling embarrassed for them both as he glanced up at his window only a few feet away but impossible to reach. The werewolf moved closer and Jensen felt a little wary as he reached up to Jensen’s neck. His long claws, ran along Jensen’s skin lightly, once and then twice, a petting motion almost. When he was ready to ask what the creature was doing Jensen felt the pull around his neck just before the werewolf gently eased his necklace from his skin. With caution, he kept the silver on the edge of his claw and not near the pad of his finger. Jensen watched him tug at it until it came free from under his shirt. The werewolf turned his attention back to Jensen then and the teenager blinked at him, feeling surreal as a giant werewolf blinked back at him. “You want it…off?” He finally guessed and he got a simple nod, the creatures gaze clear and alert, totally understanding language then. Jensen chewed his lip worriedly, what if once he had it off the creature ripped his throat out? But then why bring him back to his home and then tell him to take it off? It hadn’t stopped his attackers any and this werewolf was clearly far stronger. With a quick prayer, Jensen tried to lift his arm and then winced as his chest rattled painfully. Instead of lifting it over his head he got a good grip on the silver and yanked it hard. The cord snapped after a few tugs and Jensen pulled it off, throwing it away in the grass. The change was immediate. Seconds after his fingers let the necklace go he took in a deep breath, the air finally moving smoothly. Jensen stared at the discarded silver as he felt the pain in his body melt away. The aches lifted and Jensen carefully stood up, the wolf sitting back to watch him rise steadily. For the first time in his life Jensen felt… he felt good. Not tired or sore anywhere, the aches and pain he had his whole life - that he thought were normal strain - were gone. He was a werewolf he comprehended stupidly, a werewolf wearing something known to weaken them. Oh God. What if… “They didn’t know did they? My parents?” He asked faintly and even though he had no reason to believe it, he still felt relieved when the werewolf shook his head in negative. “Do they know at all? About the Lycanthropy?” Another negative. Jensen licked his lips, feeling his head spin and he slumped heavily on the house with a low thump, the werewolf crowding in close with clear worry. Jensen steadied himself against the creature’s arm before he realized it, touching him so calmly. “Jensen?” The low voice of his mother followed by a knock on his bedroom door made him freeze up. Holy shit. Jensen’s mother was on the other side of his door and Jensen was outside his window with a freaking werewolf. “Oh shit, oh shit,” Jensen scrambled to push the window open and get in, nearly landing on his head when the creature behind him hefted him into the room. “Hold on,” he croaked out, trying to sound like he had been asleep. He looked back at the werewolf and saw him moving to leave and Jensen jumped forward, hanging out the window to grab at him. The sudden move made the creature snarl a touch, turning its gaze on Jensen with intensity. Without thinking he lowered his own gaze submissively and tried to look small, recalling that this was a werewolf. “Please, please find me after, talk to me, I need someone to talk too,” he quietly pleaded and the werewolf nodded once and then took off, clearing the lawn and fence in a few strides. Jensen stared at him, his mind still whirling as his mother started knocking again.   “So explain this long lost werewolf family member we ‘might’ have,” Sophia hissed in a low voice the second the door to Jensen’s new room closed. He blinked up at her and couldn’t help but frown a little, glancing at the door even though he knew his parents were busy with the priest blessing the new house. It was standard when they moved that the local purist church priest would come and bless the house so nothing ‘damned’ could get it. Jensen wondered now if he would fall under that category in their eyes. “We haven’t even been here a full day,” he grumbled but his sister gave him a dark look. “Too bad, you say something crazy like that and the next day we’re driving all day with mom and dad, staying in a hotel with them and then driving all day after. You refused to go anywhere alone with me. Two days, Jensen, I’ve waited them out and now you will spill,” she explained with a patient voice that underlined the fact his sister had done a wonderful job waiting and he was going to tell her everything or she was going to start screaming. “Alright, alright, just- You can’t under any circumstance tell mom or dad…like ever, no excuses,” he told her with a apprehensive tone, looking right at his sister and watching her back straighten as she nodded her head, the fourteen- year-old far too serious for her age. “I’m...I have Lycanthropy,” Jensen confessed quietly and couldn’t help but break his sibling’s gaze nervously. “…how can you, that would mean mom or dad have it too or something,” she replied with confusion, no sudden disgust of Jensen, but plain old confusion. It gave him some hope that if anyone stuck by him through this, it would be his sister. “It can skip generations, they can carry it without it ever knowing.” “Like cancer,” she mumbled and Jensen couldn’t help but flinch. “Yeah, like cancer,” he agreed weakly and his sister pressed in close, sliding on his bed until her side collided with his. “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m not like mom and dad…I don’t think you’re a monster or anything, their people just like us, I know that.” Sophia told him fiercely, her little hand grabbing at his arm and hugging him close. “You’ll always be my brother,” she added and Jensen felt something in his chest loosen a touch, relaxing a little he leaned into his sibling. “Thanks, Soph,” “So if you have it then it must be in the family if the guy watching us is a werewolf he could be a family member or something? Do you think mom or dad know about it? That we’re werewolves? Maybe that’s why they’re like they are?” The ‘we’ part wasn’t necessary and it still made Jensen smile a touch. He had thought the same things his sister was asking as well. It did make sense for the werewolf to be what his mother was trying to outrun. But then why would he have protected Jensen? And why did Jensen feel safe with him? The other werewolves had felt dangerous right from the start. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that he had felt protected with huge werewolf, even after seeing the crumpled bodies of his attackers. He should have panicked and run, been terrified the entire time and it seemed so fast the way his fear had died and the strange warmth and security had seeped in. But it still left the question of why he was following them if he was. Why was he watching them and what did he want? “Mom and dad have no idea, about me or Lycanthrope in the family so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he replied and his sibling frowned a little. “How do you know?” She asked and Jensen winced a little, fidgeting as he considered telling her the truth or lying. But his sister could keep quiet and Jensen badly wanted to tell someone. “I think I might have met him, the guy, or some werewolf who’s looking out for us at least.” “What? When? Where?” “Why? Who?” Jensen tried to tease and Sophia punched his arm and gave him a nasty glare. “The night before we left, when I locked myself in my room…” his sister nodded and waited for him to continue. “I snuck out that night and I ran into some trouble, a…werewolf helped me out, brought me home.” “Was it the guy I have pictures of? What kind of trouble? You didn’t get hurt did you?” Sophia asked with rising anxiety the werewolf subject falling into the background as she focused on Jensen himself. “No, I was a little banged up but I’m fine otherwise,” he quickly assured her but she kept looking at him with worry. “Are you sure?” She pressed, watching him closely, looking for a sign he was lying or hiding anything. “’Cause you’ve been acting pretty…jumpy lately, I’ve been wondering about it.” “What? Jumpy?” Jensen had thought he’d hidden his new nervousness fairly well. “Yeah, you’re a lot easier to startle lately and you’re always looking over your shoulder and avoiding getting near strangers. That’s the only reason I didn’t make you come somewhere alone with me at the hotels,” his sister explained, ticking each point on her fingers as Jensen realized he really hadn’t hidden it at all. “Even mom noticed it.” “Shit, it’s nothing, just got a scare by some jackass werewolves, but the other one saved me,” he finally admitted and Sophia frowned even harder. “What kind of scare?” “Look, it’s not important right now. What matters is a huge ass werewolf saved me. Like an old school style, half-man half-beast,” Jensen could see her trying to decide if she was going to let it go and he nearly sighed out in relief when she did. “That makes him really old then.” “Huh?” “Jeeze, didn’t you do any research on werewolves?” Sophia scolded and Jensen gave her a defensive look. “I did plenty! There’s a lot to get through though,” he grumbled but his sibling still gave him a dirty look. “Only the really old werewolves can turn all the way like that, the very rare ones like hundreds of years can turn all the way into a wolf, the ones that are thousands can turn into a human, wolf or combination of both. There is only a handful of them in the world. The most common are the ones who live normal life spans and only turn a little,” she told him and Jensen blinked, taking in the knowledge. “What makes them age differently?” He asked, knowing his sister would have the answer. To make up for their nomadic lifestyle, she gave up on being social and settled for being freakishly smart. Knowledge was power according to his mom and she had always liked that Sophia knew so much about the supernatural.  “Bloodlines I think. The older ones have pure lines, both parents are werewolves. But after the genocide in the 19th-century werewolves mated with humans a lot more and they started aging with them. Mates age together, some humans lived longer but mostly werewolves lived shorter.” Before anything else could be said the siblings both heard the voices of their parents and the priest coming to the rooms. “By the way,” his sister hissed, ducked her head so only he could hear. “You need to buy a fake necklace before mom notices,” she told him, eyeing his bare neck.   So Jensen ended up skipping his first day of class to go jewelry shopping, with all their moving it wasn’t like attendance really mattered. “A look-alike?” the saleswoman asked, her nose curled a little as she said it and Jensen realized shopping in a store that carried real silver was a stupid idea. He ended up at a supernatural friendly shop after a quick google search on his phone. The place looked like every other shop in the mall, but it still felt like a foreign land for him. He peered at the products with curiosity, most pharmacy stores carried male tampons and scent blockers, supernatural friendly shampoos and washes so Jensen was vaguely familiar with some of the products. In a glass case, there were vials lined up with different pheromones and a row of cleaning product boast to cover every little ‘discretion’. Along a wall was a huge selection of heat suppressants in every possible form, over the counter mood stabilizers, and hormone blockers. Jensen stared at it all and felt dumb for having no clue what they were for. He was still figuring out how to just smell things at this point. It was common knowledge that werewolves had a really strong sense of scent it was one of their distinguishing traits. His entire life he had always caught the whiff of things more than others but not to a weird level. But now without the necklace on everything reeked. More than a single scent, Jensen could detect scents under scents. It was nauseating at times when he got overwhelmed. But Jensen didn’t want to hide from it, this was a part of him and he figured he needed to start accepting that. The girl behind the cash register looked human, but Jensen couldn’t find any scent from her, which was strange. Ever since he took the necklace off everyone had a distinct scent, Jensen could tell all the different races apart easily. But the shop was clean and faint in scent and smells. It was in a soothing way that he appreciated immediately and Jensen wondered if one of the products in the shop could make their new house smell like that. Eyeing all the different products for werewolves he kind of wished the store had some base books about it, ‘How to be a Werewolf’ or ‘Lycanthropy 101’, hell even a ‘Werewolves for Dummies’. Although Jensen doubted he’d dare to buy an actual book. His laptop was password protected, no one was going to find the pages he’d bookmark but a book lying around could easily be found. Sophia was allowed to study the supernatural but not actually own anything about them and he doubted he’d be exempt from that. Even then Jensen doubted it would be something that was easy to find. There was a lot of general information on supernaturals but very little precise information. Everything would be labeled under culture-specific and there would on occasion be a number to reach someone for more but beyond that there was very little online info and looking through the books Jensen noticed again a lack of information offered up. The supernatural kept to themselves it seemed. Wondering the store, Jensen eventually ended up along the back wall where the jewelry was. All of it was clearly marked and organized but what material it was and he browsed the section of imitation silver. When Jensen found a chain that looked close enough he took it to the till. Putting it on the counter he watched the disinterested girl ring it up, trying to place what she was. “It’s rude to stare like that,” she grumbled and Jensen flushed red. “I’m sorry, I’m just- I was just trying to place you…” as soon as he admitted it he wanted to take it back, feeling like an idiot for even saying it and very aware of how socially awkward he was. “Place me? Like figure out what I am?” The blond asked as she took his cash from him. “Pretty much, it’s just that you don’t have a clear scent so,” Jensen trailed off, giving a little shrug. "You’re new to this side of the line huh?” “Disgustingly so, I really didn’t mean to be rude.” “It’s cool, you don’t see many newbies’s these days. Word of advice, staring is a challenging thing in pretty much every supernatural culture so try not to do it. Also vamps are cold, wolves eyes flash, faes are too pretty, shifters always move too smoothly and ghosts,” she paused to wink at Jensen as she handed him the bag. “We usually fog up for a second or two when we touch things,” lifting her hand up, Jensen watched the edges of her fingers fade into smoke before solidifying. “…T-thanks,” he stuttered out and tried not to run from the place. It was easy to forget the supernatural world when you lived so far outside it. Jensen’s parents had worked to keep their kids from any actual exposure to the different peoples and had put a fear in their heads. Just because Jensen had a little bad luck with his first attempts of getting to know other supernatural beings didn’t mean they were all bad he firmly reminded himself as he dumped the bag and receipt in a trash bin, slipping the new necklace on.   When Jensen got close to the school he noticed the man right away. The stranger was sitting at a bus stop, looking relaxed and just waiting for a bus. If Jensen didn’t recognize his face he would have walked on by. But even from the blurry photos he knew the man and he couldn’t help but stare a little. Of course, the guy took notice, looking right back at Jensen and tipping his head to the side in a way that was curious and surprisingly non-threatening. Werewolves like the one who saved him were rare and centuries old, so was this really the guy? Maybe the older one had sent a young less intimating guy to meet him? When Jensen was within five feet he caught the man’s scent and knew without a doubt it was the werewolf from a few nights ago. The recognition must have shown because the stranger straightened and stood up as Jensen approached, unfolding from the bench into a ridiculously tall man. “Uh, so hi?” He said straight away with an awkward chuckle, making Jensen blink and stare a little more. The werewolf was huge, tall and broad as a man but not nearly as large and looming as his other form. Still he was gigantic so it was off-putting how utterly meek he seemed. He looked out of depth and nervous standing before Jensen and clearly trying not to fidget. A great deal of the tension in Jensen faded when faced with this man; he’d expected someone far more daunting. As much as he hated it, Jensen couldn’t deny how much more nervous he was since he’d been attacked. At least this werewolf before him didn’t give off any of the vibes the other ones had, there was nothing in Jensen telling him to be wary of this wolf like that night. Right from the get go his instincts had told Jensen those werewolves were off, but he had ignored it, he would never make that mistake again. “Seriously?” Jensen couldn’t help but ask though, trying to figure out if it was all an act or something. The guy before him looked far too light-hearted with his big brown eyes and floppy hair. “What?” the man asked, glancing around and not understand the mocking for what it was. “Nothing… I just, never mind. I was hoping you would come by,” Jensen replied quickly feeling rude and too forward now. He was never like that typically. “Normally I wouldn’t be this bold but my instincts have been demanding I come talk to you so…” “You don’t remember?” Jensen asked, frowning up at the stranger as he flashed Jensen an easy smile, the werewolf had dimples, honest to god dimples. “I do but not in the way you’re thinking. It’s hard to explain, but it has a lot to do with the self-conscious and the subconscious, vaguely like dreaming some people say.” “…sounds complicated,” Jensen finally replied weakly and the guy looked way too relieved as he nodded his head. “It really is, a lot of people think it’s simple, like you can control yourself completely in either state of mind but you really can’t,” he divulged and Jensen stood there feeling totally out of the loop and wondering how the hell this could be the huge badass beast from that night. “What’s your name?” Jensen asked, interrupting the werewolf babbling and then realizing how rude it was, his social skills were so spectacularly sad. The werewolf didn’t seem to take offense at all though; he looked really pleased with the question if anything. “Jared, my name is Jared.” “Are we related?” Jensen asked point blank and the werewolf looked confused by the question. “Uh, no we aren’t,” Jared answered and Jensen wanted to open his mouth and ask a million questions at once. But it would be rude and for some bizarre reason Jensen didn’t want that, Jared look so hopeful, like this meeting was a huge deal to him and he wanted it to go well. So far every time he spoke Jensen’s words came out impolite and that wasn’t like him. He took a moment to collect himself before he tried again, the man watching and waiting patiently. “I was just asking because, well since you seem to be keeping an eye on my family,” the teenager explained, his feet shuffling as he started walking without a destination, Jared falling in step with him. Jensen didn’t want Jared to be the monster his mother feared, but he was fairly sure he had to be. But that didn’t have to mean he was dangerous or that he meant them any harm. Still, why was he following them then? What did he want from Jensen’s family? “Oh. That. It’s pretty complicated, but it has to do with an old…debt. Or not even a debt but a deal, an agreement between…our families.” the werewolf fumbled with his words and Jensen wasn’t sure if he was lying bluntly or just really bad at talking. “But I check up on your family every now and then.” “Like my parents? My mom made a deal with you and owes you money of something?” “No! No, way back, way, way, way back,” Jared said and Jensen’s eyebrow lifted in surprise, so this man in front of him really was ancient. Just by looking at him Jensen would think he was in him mid-twenties. Looks were clearly deceiving, the werewolf had fought two of its kind off in mere seconds. Even if he looked like an overgrown puppy he was capable of being vicious Jensen reminded himself, but the weird thing about it was that Jensen wasn’t afraid of him. The unease he’d felt just by meeting the ghost cashier or having people walk too close behind him wasn’t there in his chest. Maybe it was some sort of hero thing? Because Jared saved Jensen he had lowered his guard for him or something? “Do you wanna get a drink?” Jared asked suddenly, pointing to a little coffee shop they were passing. Jensen blinked and realized they had walked blocks from the school. It didn’t really matter he decided, talking to Jared was more important than a few classes hands down. “It’s pretty cold out here, a warm drink is a good thing and excellent for sitting around to chat,” Jared said and Jensen blinked up at him, the werewolf sounded like he was quoting something, like a book about making conversation or something equally ridiculous.  “…sure,” he finally agreed, idly noting that he wasn’t all that cold even though he could see his own breath, but it was worth Jared’s smile. It lit up Jared’s face and Jensen felt a small part of himself pleased to have put it there. The shop was a small one, but it had a big bold sign in the window, ‘all customers welcomed, regardless of race’.   They took a private booth by the window and Jensen got himself a coffee while Jared ordered a mint hot chocolate. “So…you’re a werewolf,” Jensen started feeling really awkward and he couldn’t help but notice how warm it was in the little shop.  “So are you,” Jared chimed back before amending, “well a minor one but still a werewolf.” The word minor caught Jensen’s attention though and he frowned a little. “How did you know that?” “I can smell you of course.” “You can smell that I’m a minor werewolf?” Jensen watched Jared comprehend the slip and he looked incredibly guilty then, a dead give away that he couldn’t actually smell it. “You followed me that day? Listened in when I saw the doctor?” “No, no,” Jared hastily reassured him as he rubbed his neck embarrassed. “I just read your medical file, I wouldn’t intrude on your privacy like that.” “My medical file?” “Not just yours! Your whole family,” Jared added and winced as Jensen just stared at him incredulously. “I doubt you’re meaning too but you realize you sound like a stalker right?” “Yes, I mean no, I’m just- Fuck,” the werewolf hissed out with feeling, flopping back into the booth backrest as he rubbed his face wearily. “This is not going well. At all. Why did I do this? This was a terrible idea.” He muttered, more to himself than Jensen, but the teenager couldn’t help but react to the question.  “Because I asked you.” Jensen replied quietly, gaining Jared’s attention as he dropped his hands to peer at him. Looking down into his coffee cup, Jensen realized that regardless of personality this was the werewolf from a few nights ago. “You saved me, from a really bad thing that night, I asked you to come see me, I… I wanted to thank you, above all else.” “…You don’t have to, no matter who the victim was, my wolf would have reacted like that,” Jared said, his tone dropping softly like Jensen’s own and the teenager gave him a glance. “Your wolf?” “Yeah, it makes it easier for people to understand if I just split myself up.” “How so?” Jensen asked, genuinely curious. He was willing to admit that reading everything on the internet had been a poor idea, too many sites conflicted with one another for Jensen to know which was right or if any of it was even true. Hearing it from an actual werewolf would be different though. Jared wasn’t very good at explanations it turned out but he did manage to get the idea across. While human, a werewolf was self-conscious of himself and how he acted, but as a wolf they acted on their subconscious, which was primal and instinctual. A werewolf who was genuinely disgusted by rape would react in either form, whereas one who didn’t really care would help because law and morals demanded it in human form but as a wolf they would just ignore it. “Is rape normally overlooked?” “No, it’s taboo among werewolves, more than humans even because we typically mate for life.” “God, that would be a special kind of hell,” Jensen whispered, imagining being bonded to someone who raped you for the rest of your life. “That’s why the punishment is death, it undoes the binding of mates if the attacker is killed, but I doubt your attackers intended to bond, sex without knotting won’t bond the pair.” Jared said it like it was a simple fact, his voice was not leaning toward any emotion while Jensen was completely shocked and then embarrassed to hear the man talk about death and then knotting of all things so casually. Yet another factor of being a werewolf Jensen really didn’t want to explore just yet.  “What happened to…to the guys who…?” Trailing off Jensen looked at the older man, hoping he understood without Jensen having to actually say it. The teenager shifted a little on the booth seat, unzipping his coat since he was starting to feel overheated. “They’re dead.” Jared answered, honest and calm. The cheer about him faded a little, but he didn’t suddenly seem dangerous, just serious. The light atmosphere around them went heavy, but Jensen strangely wasn’t afraid at all. The last few days any guy looking at him for even a second put him on edge but Jared was watching him openly and Jensen was totally fine with it.  “You killed them,” Jensen couldn’t help but ask, voice pitched low so no one would overhear and Jared nodded his head. He looked outside while he sipped his hot chocolate and Jensen could see Jared’s eyes reflecting unnaturally, the pupils dilating as he had to be recalling that night. “There wasn’t any report or news on it, on bodies in that park,” Jensen added, digging for an explanation while trying not to demand one or sound judging. “No, it’s rare for supernatural beings to let it happen. I took the bodies back to their pack and explained what had happened. If they had been alive the alpha would have been tasked with carrying out the punishment. Normally it’s better for me to let that happen, it’s considered disrespectful to do it yourself but when I realized it was you they were attacking…” Jared trailed off with a shrug glancing at Jensen finally, his eyes shining eerily and Jensen could only stare back, a little transfixed by their soft glow. “They didn’t actually…” “They would have given the choice, with you or another victim, the ability of such evil was clearly there and they intended to act on it, better no one suffers for it.” It was harsh, but the way Jared said it like it was absolute with the color of his eyes starting to go gold, it made Jensen feel something shiver through him. Intimidation and admiration for certain and Jensen knew he agreed with Jared. It sounded harsh but Jensen often thought the world was overpopulated with people and a lot of them were terrible beings. He wasn’t going to mourn the loss of two would be rapists. Idly Jensen wondered if it was the werewolf in him that approached death so calmly. “…Thank you, for being there, for helping me. You seem to care about me and I appreciate it.” “No problem, like I said I check up on your family and I just want you all to be safe,” Jared replied with a soft smile and Jensen blinked at him. While it was obvious to anyone who looked, Jensen’s brain suddenly focused in on how attractive the man was, his smile making Jensen’s inside flutter. For certain he had a crush. “So checking our medical history and looking in on us. You’ve done that for a long time? My mom… my mom thinks something is chasing us, she’s obsessed with it.” “I’ve had suspicions and I’m sorry to hear that. I’d hoped she would get better with time,” he offered with a worried frown. Jensen’s mom didn’t go to doctors for mental health so Jensen could see why Jared didn’t know. “She’s gotten worse over the years, convinced were being hunted,” Jensen admitted softly, glancing at Jared in a silent question. “No. I don’t follow you, I’ve never stalked you even if seems like a lie. I just check in from time to time, mainly when you move. You move a lot and even with distant blood you’re still werewolves moving on someone else’s territory,” Jared tried to explain and Jensen just felt a tight knot in his stomach unfold. So Jared wasn’t the monster his mother thought him, she had made that up and Jensen could see her doing it easily. Every slightly suspicious person on the street had the potential to be a supernatural killer to his mother. Jensen let out a tiny sigh of relief. “If anything, I come around after you’ve moved. I’ve never understood why you do, but it makes sense if she thinks something is after her.” Jensen nodded his head absently, trying to focus on the conversation but feeling strangely unable to. A beat of sweat trickled down his brow and Jensen glanced at Jared again noting how good-looking he was. Jensen had always had a thing for guys who were bigger than him, looming over him and Jared certainly fit the bill. He was older, but that wasn’t a bad thing to Jensen, Jared was stable and strong, he’d be a fitting partner. The knowledge that Jared wasn’t after his mom or his family seemed to be the last piece falling away from something he didn’t completely understand. But Jensen was certain Jared would be perfect, he was the right fit, the right one. “I feel weird around you,” Jensen blurted and Jared blinked in surprise, tilting his head to the side curiously in a cute way as serious atmosphere dissipated. “I shouldn’t have said that,” the teenager hissed more to himself than the other man as he wanted to hide under the table. “Weird?” Jared asked, genuinely just inquisitive and not mocking at all. “I dunno, lately being around people, around…guys makes me nervous and all,” Jensen muttered and Jared seemed to sit a little taller, glancing around the shop with a sharp eye. “It’s not unusual given what you experienced,” the older werewolf mentored with a kind tone and Jensen nodded. He felt incredibly exposed suddenly as he hugged his own body tightly and forced himself to go on, the traumatic event websites all said talking about it was the best thing to do. Beyond that he wanted Jared to know, something focused in him intent on how Jared would react. “Most guys put me one edge, but you…you don’t. I feel…god it sounds so corny out loud, but I feel like I’m safe with you,” he made himself safe with a burning face. “Oh, that,” Jared replied with a light smile and Jensen gave him an incredulous look at the relaxed tone. “It’s normal, for a werewolf anyway. We’re pack creatures Jensen, I’m an older stronger wolf that protected you, that clearly intends to continue to protect you. While we’ve never met, my scent as always lingered near you and your family since I’ve always visited the homes you take up and make sure their scent marked to keep others away. It makes sense that you would feel safe in my presence, that you would give me a measure of trust because even if you didn’t know it the scent was there all your life so you’re used to it.” Jared elaborated and Jensen nodded his head, accepting it easily. The strange feeling in him was running amuck and Jensen couldn’t stop it. He glanced at Jared and tipped his head a little, when the other man’s gaze dropped to Jensen’s neck for a second something in him felt ridiculously vindicated. The shop felt overheated again but too much this time. It was too hot and the air was too thin and it overwhelmed Jensen. Without a word he stumbled from the booth and rushed to get outside, feeling like he was underwater and couldn’t get air in. What the hell was happening to him? “W-wait! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do whatever I did, I don’t want to scare you off Jensen,” the werewolf called hurriedly following him outside the shop. Once he got outside of the shop, Jensen finally felt like he could breathe again and he leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. Jared stood there with him watching Jensen with open worry. Had Jensen just had a panic attack? His mom was prone to them but Jensen had never had an issue with them beyond the time he found out he was a werewolf and a few cases scattered over long years between. Maybe it was all this talking, this stuff that was going to be a vital part of his life now laid out before him finally. Looking up at the werewolf who had come after him and now hovered fretting, Jensen realized Jared looked really apprehensive like he was afraid Jensen was going to bolt away any second. He knew immediately and right into his core that he wouldn’t do that. It was a little startling that it felt so certain. “I’m not running away from you…it’s just a lot to take in…I don’t even know what happened back there.” Jensen fumbled, wanting to explain but unable to because fuck if he knew what had just occurred. Although he did notice the low burn in his belly, that insistent wash of awareness of how attractive Jared was not just physically but also his personality. The fact that Jared had killed his attackers shouldn’t have made Jensen feel good, but god help him it did. He liked the idea. Jared was strong and he’d protect Jensen and that thing him was utterly impressed but that. “That didn’t have anything to do with you really,” Jensen lied, wanting to soothe that worried look from the older werewolf’s features as he peered down at Jensen. “…Your heartbeat accelerates and your scent shifts when you lie,” Jared replied after a pause, his face falling and a hurt look settling. “I’m not- shit. What else does my scent smell like? Something a little embarrassing maybe? That has to do with you I suppose,” the teenager hedged and it was humiliating to say it but he wanted Jared to understand the truth of the matter for some reason, it felt important. Because that that hurt look was making him feel like an asshole. The weird thing in him didn’t like that at all, Jared was supposed to be happy with him, he wanted that smile back. After a moment of confusion, Jared carefully leaned in like he expected Jensen to be offended before he took a quick inhale near Jensen’s neck, close but not touching and Jensen was disappointed he didn’t. “You smell…” Jared’s eyes dilated in a strange way and Jensen was sure he knew. “I’m a teenager, this stuff happens,” Jensen muttered, face red with mortification as he stood in the middle of a street getting hard in his pants and talking to a near stranger about it. “Are you sure? Jensen you smell like…” Jared hesitated with that worried tone and Jensen opened his mouth to reassure him but paused because it wasn’t really that normal when he thought about it. Jensen had never gotten an inappropriate erection like this before and that weird thing in him was still there, calling insistently. “I…I don’t know,” he finally replied quietly and Jared frowned even harder. The werewolf reached out, slowly so Jensen could move away if he wanted and placed his hands on Jensen shoulders. When the large man leaned down Jensen’s heart jumped in his throat, thinking Jared might kiss him and the thing in him howled in delight with the idea. Jared stopped short of a kiss though and took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling Jensen’s scent thoroughly now. This close Jensen watched with fascination as Jared’s pupils dilated again and the brown melted into a golden color that was nearly taking over his irises completely. “Jensen, you’re going into heat.”     “You need to go to a clinic, you can’t go home like this, your parents won’t know how to handle this,” Jared said with a hurried edge to his tone as he looked around like a clinic would be in sight. His hands were still on Jensen’s shoulders and they felt warm in a perfect way, the weight of them making Jensen tingle. “Don’t leave me,” Jensen whispered as he stepped forward to cling to Jared, feeling him go stiff. “I’m scared, please don’t leave me,” he said, feeling that thing shivering in him. He wasn’t afraid at all but something in him desperately didn’t want Jared to leave his side, even for a moment. Jared said something under his breath, a low curse maybe but his arms circled Jensen and tugged him into motion. “You won’t leave me?” Jensen felt a tear roll down his cheek and he knew he’d do anything to keep Jared there, absolutely anything at all. “I won’t, I promise I’ll take care of you,” Jared said reassuringly and Jensen clung shamelessly to him. “Why is this happening?” Jensen asked feeling dazed and disconnected. “Didn’t your doctor talk to you about this? You should have heat suppressants or prohibition pills, some prescription like that,” Jared explained distractedly as he led Jensen down the street with a protective arm around his shoulders. They were twisting and weaving through the streets to a destination Jensen had no clue about. But he didn’t care, he was dizzy as hell and overheated, sweat dripping off his nose. He leaned heavily into Jared’s body and let him drag Jensen wherever he pleased, as long as they were together. “But why? Why now?” Jensen repeated, feeling stubborn for absolutely no reason. “I’d imagine close proximity to me could have helped it along, but it could just be your body’s natural reaction to the season changing. You’ve only just started to mature as a beta recently.” “Because the winds picked up I’m having hot flashes?” Jared stopped abruptly and Jensen nearly tripped trying to do the same. “Do you not- Damn it Jensen, didn’t the doctor talk to you at all about heat? What it means and what it does?” “I skipped out on the follow up appointments, read on the internet a little,” the teenager admitted with a flush on his face, his body and emotions jumping all over. Jared was pulling him again, leading him to who knows where and all Jensen could do was follow him, something in him totally on board with Jared leading. “Did you read anything about alphas and betas?” “Alphas are the leader and betas are their support?” “Your parents never said anything about all of this?” “They don’t know.” “Damn it, they should know, you should know these things Jensen, it’s your own biology,” he scolded and the teenager accepted it with a weak nod, feeling stupid because honestly he really should know more, it was clear this was important. “I was scared, I just wanted to pretend like I was normal,” Jensen admitted quietly and now he felt stupid for it. Jared was right, he should know about his own body. At the very least Jensen should have gone back to the doctor or more information and saw a therapist. “It was dumb and I know that but I just…I just wasn’t ready at all, I never expected to find out I was anything but human.” “Being a werewolf is something you’ve always been, it might be a little scary right now but you’ll see in time that you don’t have to change who you are or anything. Just make a few adjustments here and there,” Jared reassured him and Jensen’s reply was lost when he came up short and blinked at the door they were suddenly in front of. He watched Jared unlock it and guide Jensen into the house.  “Where are we?” “At my place, you can stay here while I go get you some Repressant, it’s too late for Suppressant,” Jared explained and Jensen didn’t understand at all but said nothing. He looked around the home and noted it was a nice place. The only scent there was Jared’s and something in him was ridiculously pleased with that. There was no one else with Jared and thus no other competition for Jensen. “I wanna lay down if that’s okay,” Jensen asked when the room spun a little and Jared was quick to show him to a bed, guiding him carefully like he knew how dizzy Jensen was. The bed reeked of Jared and Jensen felt the most bizarre urge to roll around and rub himself on the sheets. “Have a nap here and when you wake up I’ll be back with the Repressant,” he explained distracted and Jensen gave a whimper, an honest to God whimper. “You said you wouldn’t leave,” he accused and Jared spared him a soft look. “I know this is scary but I promise I won’t be gone long. Repressants are important Jensen, you need it to make this stop, can you trust me Jensen?” Jared requested and that thing in Jensen twisted but he forced himself to nod. “Stay in the house please Jensen, if you get too hot take a cold shower rather than opening up windows, few werewolves would come sniffing in my home to get at you but some might be stupid enough if they can scent you,” Jared explained as Jensen curled up in the middle of the big bed and enjoyed not having to stay upright. “I’ll be back soon,” the older werewolf said and Jensen gave him a nod, watching Jared go and eyeing his backside, lust stirring with mounting urgency. Once he heard the front door close and the clink of the deadbolt being locked, Jensen fumbled with the button of his jeans. The scent of the bed made it clear it was Jared’s and Jensen felt a brief passing shame for his actions as he pulled his erection from his jeans and started jerking off. Hard and fast, he stroked to get off quickly rather then drawing it out; he’d been hard since the stupid coffee shop and badly needed to climax. Jensen was sweat soaked and aching, he parted his lips to suck uneven breaths as he used both hands and shoved his hips into the warmth of his own palms. The bedding smelt faintly of Jared and his scent wafted around the teenager. His mind was all too happy to make up images of them together. Jensen recalled when werewolves eyes had dilated, the warmth of his body so close to Jensen, even the brush of fur on his cheek from that night, the images flashing rapidly and Jensen could feel himself getting wet, smears along his upper thighs. Hissing in frustration, he tried to get off but the relief wasn’t coming. With an angry sound, he pulled his hands away and buried his face in the pillow, trying to ignore the throbbing in his groin that was starting to take on a painful edge. The pillow reeked of Jared though and the scent only made Jensen pulse even harder. His cock twitched as he wiggled out of his jeans, the clothing too restrictive now. Sweat was running down his neck; his hair was damp with it. Jensen used his shirt to mop it up, pulling it off as well since it was soaked. Being bare helped a little but it wasn’t enough to feel comfortable and Jensen eyed the window, longing for a cool breeze on his overheated skin. Jared’s words echoed back at him though, and Jensen gave an annoyed huff, rolling on the bed and arching his hips when the head of his cock rubbed along the blanket. Settling onto his stomach the teenager lifted himself from the bedding so only the tip of his cock dragged along the material, a soft caress that made him shudder as his hips rocked. Clenching the pillow hard enough that his fingers ached, Jensen tried to find release through rubbing on the bed but it was just like his hands: it felt good but it wasn’t enough. Flopping down with a bit of a whine, Jensen pulled the pillow to his chest and took a long hit of the Jared smell. That made his toes curl a little, just the scent was akin to touching himself, the not-enough-but-close pleasure running under his skin. Jensen tried jerking off again, pulling at his cock while his thumb rubbed along the sensitive underside, tricks he usually loved doing nothing but building up the need even higher. With one hand on his erection, Jensen shoved the other one further down, lightly tracing the rim of his slicked hole. That got a moan out of him, the inquisitive touch felt perfect as he fumbled to add more pressure, to shove two fingers in himself and feel the slick heat of his own body. Jensen had fingered himself before, he’d always known his sexuality and never shied from exploring, but this was the first time he’d gotten wet like this. He had a toy back in his own home and he longed for one now as he rocked on his fingers and they felt so utterly inadequate. It felt better than anything else, but it was still only a build up; Jensen could feel the tension in him mounting with no release in sight. Whimpering, he tried his best, laid on Jared’s bed and fingered himself with hard shoves. The soft drag of the deadbolt made him stop. Sitting up, he waited poised on the bed as the door opened and closed, the deadbolt locking again and soft footsteps sounding from within the house. Jensen titled his head and caught the slightest whiff of Jared. The sounds of each step on the stairs sounded heavy, the right weight for Jared and Jensen relaxed. “Jensen?” Jared’s voice called out, his movements stopping at the bedroom door. “I brought you some different brands so-” The werewolf stopped when he pushed the door open, his eyes falling on Jensen. Normally, the teenager would feel utterly mortified to be seen naked like he was, cock hard against his belly with drops of come on the head while his thighs gleamed with his own slick. But something in Jensen was absent right then. There was no shame at all as Jared stared at him, eyes roaming over every inch of skin on display. Jensen felt wickedly free and he didn’t hesitate to spread his thighs a little so Jared could get a good look. “Jesus,” the older man muttered, his eyes dilating a touch while he clutched at the grocery bag he was holding. “I underestimated how strong it would be,” Jared muttered; seemingly to himself more than Jensen, and the teenager felt the ache in him shifting restlessly. Having Jared there made everything infinitely better, he would know just what to do to help Jensen, although given his body’s state and the fact Jared had said he was in heat, it was kinda obvious what Jensen needed. Which made Jared backing out of the room a terrible idea. Jensen meant to tell him to stop, to come closer, but what came out of his mouth was a low sound, almost a whine and utterly pitiful sounding. It stopped Jared though, his gaze locking with Jensen’s own, and it made him feel shy suddenly. Jensen ducked his head a little and bit at his lip, glancing up at Jared from under his lashes in a way he’d been told looked coy. With a tentative smile Jensen motioned for Jared to come closer, back into the room. The alpha moved with caution, and Jensen admired that; he felt out of control with no idea what he was capable of and it was smart of Jared to realize that. “You need to drink this,” Jared told him with a low soothing tone, his hand fishing out a small medical bottle from the bag. The placating tone annoyed Jensen though and he felt his lip curl in a way that wasn’t anything vaguely like a smile. It felt strange for him to do it, but his body was reacting to something else, a different set of instincts than what he normally knew. “Please Jensen, just drink this for me?” The older wolf asked again, offering out the bottle. Jensen turned his nose at it, moving away from the bed so Jared was forced to edge into it in order to follow him. Reaching out with his foot, Jensen watched curiously as the side of it skimmed along Jared’s wrist, the feel of warm skin like a shock through him. Jerking a bit, Jensen let out a surprised murmur and then did it again, his body feeling good as he rubbed himself along Jared. The younger werewolf edged closer, sliding himself under Jared’s body. The bigger male was bent over on his knees, one hand on the bed to hold himself up while the other clutched the bottle. He stayed perfectly still as Jensen slowly wiggled under him, curious as he scented at the older male. It was obvious that Jared was struggling, trying to keep himself reigned in, and Jensen liked it, liked how hard he had to try to do so because of Jensen. With care Jensen reached out and touched Jared’s broad chest. He still had his shirt on and that annoyed the teenager. Without a care for consequence, Jensen pulled at the material, ripping the shirt open hard enough that some of the buttons came off. Warm skin was his reward and Jensen made a pleased sound as he palmed Jared’s stomach, traced the fit lines as he moved lower towards the notable bulge in Jared’s jeans. Biting his lip, Jensen skimmed his fingers over the button of the pants and lingered as he traced the rise of the werewolf’s erection. Jared made a low noise himself then, shifting his weight, and Jensen suddenly felt trapped under him. With a growl he rolled away and glared at Jared as he put space between them. In the back of his mind Jensen knew he was being irrational; his actions made no sense, but he was completely unbothered by it. Looking over at Jared again, Jensen’s eye lingered on his exposed chest; the werewolf was fit and looked like a model. Tilting his head, Jensen met Jared’s gaze and motioned him over, waiting as the male carefully did so, acting like Jensen might lash out at him at any given moment. Jensen wasn’t sure he wouldn’t. The older werewolf inched the final space between them, bending down so their mouths lined up in a kiss. The first brush of his mouth was chaste, Jared’s lips were a little chapped but Jensen decided he liked the contact well enough. The burning in his belly was starting to demand more insistently and Jensen reached out, one hand on Jared’s thigh as he leaned up and kissed him properly. But it quickly became boring in the face of Jensen’s need and he let his mouth wander, nipping at the edge of Jared’s jaw and along the curve until he was nuzzling his face against the bigger male’s neck. Edging in closer, Jensen straddled one of Jared’s thighs, pressing his erection and rocking himself lightly while the other wolf groaned out. Jared’s hands moved around Jensen, fumbling behind his back and the teenager didn’t like that. He wanted to know what the hell was going on and he moved off, sliding away until Jared’s hand stopped him. Jensen felt something rise in him and he broke the light hold with a dirty look, trying to move away from Jared, but the male was following him. It must have looked ridiculous with them half crawling on the big bed, but Jensen didn’t care as he gave something like a growl at the male, wanting him to back off. “I know, I just need you to drink this for me. Please Jensen, I don’t think you’re ready for kids just yet?” Jared explained with a near pleading tone, and Jensen liked that immediately. He liked Jared asking him and it was for that more than the words that he took the little bottle and drank it down. It tasted chalky and he wrinkled his nose, Jared pressing a bottle of water to his free hand quickly as he took the empty bottle in the other. Jensen meant to take a sip, but once the water touched his tongue he realized how thirsty he was and drank the entire thing down. Jared watched him do it, he’s eyes dropping along Jensen’s throat and then down his naked body, along his still erect cock. The ache was starting to claw now, making Jensen feel light headed and needy. When he finished the bottle off Jensen let it fall off the side of the bed, forgotten as he watched Jared with lidded eyes, slowly lying back on the bed. Jensen watched Jared swallow, his own gaze pulled toward the slick thighs Jensen was displaying, parting easily with a coaxing sound. “God Jensen, I don’t- I wanna do right by you, you’re not in your mind. Please don’t offer something like that, don’t show me-” Jared’s babbling choked off when Jensen spread his legs wide and arched his back, offering a tantalizing flash of his bare throat up. The older werewolf gave a pained sound and edged closer, his entire demeanor changing suddenly. Jared moved lower to the bed, eyes downcast as Jensen stared at him, watching the bigger man move in closer. When he reached Jensen’s calf, Jared nuzzled it lightly, pressing a soft kiss and Jensen smiled watching Jared crawl up and feeling his breath along his thigh. The wet slide of his tongue made Jensen sigh out, the ache in him pulsing but in a way that was good now, deliciously good. Jared’s tongue edged closer, and Jensen gave an encouraging sound, shuddering at the first brush of wet along his sore erection. Jared bathed his cock carefully, cleaning the precome from the head and then down the length. Jensen felt him press a kiss to his sack before his tongue tentatively touched Jensen’s hole. The teen arched up with a gasp, legs spreading as wide as they could as he lifted to meet Jared’s mouth, the hot wet feeling of his tongue lapping over him, along his hole, was amazing. Whatever was running through him was on cloud nine now that Jared was between his legs. The bigger wolf went to work, licking with enthusiasm, pressing his tongue to try and work it into Jensen. It felt great, but the build up in Jensen was still going and he knew that a tongue fucking wasn’t what he needed. He pulled away in a sudden move, Jared not chasing him as Jensen backed up to the headboard breathing a little uneven. Jared was watching him, his pupils golden now and flashing steadily as he very slowly licked his lips, gathering up the smears of slick there. Suddenly Jared didn’t look submissive at all, he looked like a huge male with intent in his gaze. Jensen felt his cock twitch at the idea, his mind bounding all over, trying to decide if Jared’s confidence was something to be admired, or if he was disgusted with it. Jared stayed where he was and peeled off his shirt, stripping down slowly as Jensen watched. When Jared pushed his jeans and underwear down, Jensen stared at the length of him. He was thick and long, a proportional monster to the huge man, and Jensen felt simultaneous apprehension and lust to feel that buried inside him. “Jensen,” Jared called low and inviting as the teenager looked back at up at his face, their gazes locking. Jared motioned for Jensen to come over to him and the teenager narrowed his eyes, feeling rebellious and trying to decide if he wanted to go over there or make Jared come to him. In the end Jensen just laid back and it was all the invitation Jared needed to approach. He dropped kisses on Jensen’s skin as he worked his way up, along his leg and thigh, over his stomach and chest. When his mouth touched Jensen’s neck, the teenager froze, something stilling in him as Jared’s breath panted over his jugular. Jared took advantage of it and positioned himself, rubbing the slick of Jensen’s body on the head of his erection before he pushed in. Jensen hissed out then, lifting his arms to clutch at Jared’s broad shoulders, but the feeling of Jared’s mouth on his neck kept him from anything else. Jensen didn’t understand why it was making him subdued but he understood utterly that was the reason for it. Jared worked himself in with small thrusts, carefully pushing a little more up with each stroke and Jensen whimpered, feeling himself forced wide. But the burn was a good one, it felt amazing as the ache in his stomach lessened finally, the need being sated finally as Jensen sighed out and let Jared do as he pleased. The bigger werewolf was content to keep moving at an easy pace, giving Jensen a moment to adjust before he was thrusting deeper, opening Jensen up even more. Once Jared was able to press all the way in, he gave a rumble in his chest, eyes flashing as he lifted his head to press a rough kiss to Jensen’s mouth. The second his lips left Jensen’s neck the subdued feeling vanished and Jensen dug his nails into Jared’s shoulders, scratching roughly as he lifted a leg on Jared’s hip, trying to ride him as the bigger male answered with a hard thrust that pushed the air from Jensen’s lungs. Jared started pounding and Jensen gave a pleased growl, nails still scratching, slippery as the copper tang of blood filled the air but Jensen didn’t care, all he wanted was Jared to go faster. Thankfully Jared seemed to get that because he spread his knees and found purchase before he proceeded to fuck Jensen good and proper. The headboard was smacking the wall in loud bangs and the bedsprings creaked in time with the slap of skin on skin. Jensen was on his back with Jared over him, slamming in with all the force of his huge body and Jensen could feel it; God, could he ever. It hurt a little, Jared was gripping his waist too tight, lunging into him with too much weight, but it only made it better, made Jensen arch off the bed and strive for his release. It was right there, Jensen could feel the edges of a climax inside him. Right at the tip but not enough to spill over. Jensen gave a frustrated noise and scratched at Jared, dug his heels harder into the werewolf’s back and Jared growled at him but obediently fucked with more force, shorter thrusting with his hands yanking Jensen into each shove. Jensen hissed out and tried to get off, tried to finally take his release but it wasn’t coming, it wasn’t happening. With a disgusted noise he shoved at Jared, the bigger male growling but Jensen growled right back and pushed at Jared’s chest until there was enough room to scramble out from under him. Jensen felt when Jared’s cock slipped free from him, his body left feeling empty as he moved to the edge of the bed furthest from the other male and glared at Jared. It was all Jared’s fault, Jensen was positive of it. “Jensen,” he tried, motioning for him to come back but Jensen scoffed, narrowing his eyes as he gave the other male a nasty look. Jared’s erection was still prominent, wet and gleaming as it bobbed against his stomach and the sight of it made Jensen want to crawl back almost. But the younger werewolf knew it wouldn’t be enough, it wasn’t enough at all. “We can’t- we can’t to that, so come here, it’ll feel a little better if I come in you. I promise,” Jared was saying and Jensen locked onto the first part. What couldn’t they do? Jared knew what Jensen needed, the teenager realized, he knew how to make the ache in him go away but Jared was refusing. The anger in Jensen disappeared and he was suddenly hurt, completely hurt that Jared would make him suffer like this. The teenager looked away from the other male, staring at the wall as his shoulders shook and he fought off tears. “Jensen,” the other wolf whispered, sounding worried as the bed shifted. “Please Jensen, let me help you how I can.” As much as he was willing, Jensen thought darkly, and when he felt Jared’s hand touch his back he jumped like he was burned. Giving the other male a furious look Jensen stalked from the room, thumping down the stairs pointlessly. He was naked still and had no intention of leaving. But Jared didn’t know that, and the larger man rushed passed Jensen to block the front door. Jensen turned and prowled the living room and kitchen, the ache in him building up, making him want to cry and rip something up at the same time. Jared was trailing after him wordily, eyes flashing golden and when they passed a mirror Jensen realized his own eyes were doing the same thing, his pupils dilated beyond human ability and the green of his eye giving off an eerie glow. He frowned at the mirror, feeling lost and scared then and when Jared pressed up to his back he didn’t fight him, he wanted the comfort. Jared was touching him all over, nuzzling his neck as he tried to guide Jensen to the couch. “Come on, let me help. Let me take the edge off,” Jared was muttering and Jensen frowned, reminded again that Jared knew how to make it go away, but he had no intention to do it. Just as Jared eased him on couch Jensen wanted off, he moved to push the male away but Jared refused to go. Jensen narrowed his eyes as he pushed again, harder, and Jared tried to take his wrists. It turned into a tussle, Jensen trying to get out from under Jared and the bigger male refusing to let him. Jared had the upper hand, but Jensen got his knee in and kicked the male hard, slamming Jared back and into the corner of the coffee table with a pained grunt. Jensen laid against the couch cushions, panting as he glared down at Jared, watching the male slowly get up and press a hand to his side carefully, his eyes glowing steadily now, his canine teeth looking sharper than before. He looked at Jensen then and it wasn’t a kind gaze, Jensen knew he had pushed too hard. For the strange bond between them, Jensen recalled that Jared was still a stranger, still someone that Jensen didn’t know what he was capable of. Despite that though, there was no real fear of Jared. Even when they wrestled around Jensen hadn’t feared the other werewolf. When Jared moved toward him again Jensen felt the urge to submit roaring through him for the first time, telling him not to fight the older werewolf anymore. Jared knew better, he wasn’t out to hurt or force Jensen something in him whispered reassuringly, the teenager was certain of that even if he had no reason to be.  But the ache inside him pulsed painfully and Jensen felt his emotions twisting over, his common sense not present as he lifted his leg to kick Jared back again. The other werewolf caught his foot and yanked Jensen to him, the teenager banging his head on the floor hard as he was pulled under Jared again. Jensen looked up at him and Jared glared down, a silent battle of wills going on between them as both refused to back down. Jensen caved first by breaking the stare and he tried to right it by shoving Jared away. They fought again, Jared clearly trying to subdue Jensen without injuring him, the older male clearly not out to harm. Jensen on the other hand used everything he could to fight the bigger male off, scratching and biting while he kicked wildly and finally getting a good one in, right over the spot where the coffee table had dug into Jared’s side. Jared gave a sudden pained inhale and Jensen felt him freeze up, a split second of regret passing over him; even in his haze Jensen didn’t intent to hurt Jared seriously. When he blinked up, Jensen caught a blur and then there wasn’t a man over him anymore. The werewolf, huge and vicious-looking loomed over him. Jared’s human form had made him feel small, but this wolf made him beyond tiny in comparison. The change had happened so fast, split seconds, and Jensen looked up at the werewolf, somewhere between a man and wolf, huge all over with a human form but wolf’s features. Jensen’s gaze raked over him and finally met Jared’s gaze for a moment. Jensen blinked and looked away instantly; suddenly the urge to be dominating was gone. The ache twisted painfully strong though, and Jensen gave a weak sound, curling up a little under the beast, as the hunger in him seemed to react to having a shifted werewolf over him.   When the werewolves claws closed on Jensen’s neck the boy didn’t fight it at all. He kept his gaze down and willingly tilted his head back to offer up his neck to the alpha. The werewolf accepted the complete submission and his hand drifted down Jensen’s chest, along his bared skin. The sensation of his nails barely scrapping made the teenager suck in a weak breath. Jared dropped his head to sniff as Jensen and when he pushed his face close, Jensen tentatively pressed back, very aware that this part of Jared wouldn’t show restraint if Jensen decided to refuse his dominance. It was something unspoken that Jensen just knew, another weird thing that his mind didn’t linger on, even though, some part of him knew it should. He was aware in a distant sense that what was happening should scare him, that the idea of this huge beast raping him should be terrifying. But rather then the logical reaction Jensen’s knees parted a touch, an offering that he would give up. There would be no forcing because Jensen wanted it eagerly. The teenager understood utterly that Jared’s patience was done and if he tried to act up this wolf would put him in place firmly. Knowing Jared’s strength made the need to fight in Jensen die out, this werewolf was more than capable to handle him, he didn’t need to test him and again his mind refused to linger over the idea that he was testing Jared in the first place or why. The werewolf didn’t seem to mind Jensen rubbing faces with him; he even nuzzled back a little. So Jensen hurried to sit up and press closer, his thighs slicked because of the feel of silky fur on his skin did it for him apparently. Jensen rolled on his stomach and the werewolf’s massive paws spanned over his skin, picking his hips up and putting Jensen on his hands and knees in a simple movement. He was manhandling Jensen like it was nothing and the show of strength excited him. This was a true werewolf, one who was able and would be a good mate. The thought flashed through his head and confused Jensen, but the lust pushed it away before he could examine it properly. Jared moved over Jensen, fur rubbing along his back and Jensen spread his legs, his heartbeat rapid as he whimpered. Jared gave a low grumble in reply licking at Jensen’s neck while his groin pressed to Jensen’s offered backside. The first jab hurt and Jensen started at it but relaxed quickly when the werewolf gave a short growl to be still. Jensen trembled with excitement as the male lined up and pushed again, this time closer, the pointed tip sliding along Jensen’s bare skin, so close to breaching him. Jensen lifted himself a bit higher, tried to position himself for Jared as the werewolf shoved and then finally sank into him. Jensen clawed at the carpet, ruining it, when the werewolf forced his way into Jensen in one hard lunge. He was bigger - so much bigger - in this form and Jensen sobbed out, the werewolf giving him a few licks on the neck before he pulled Jensen back to meet his thrust. Jensen cried out and felt like it was too much for his body to take, he tried to pull away but Jared’s teeth nipped at the back of his neck and like before something in Jensen immediately submitted. Jensen could only whimper as the cock in him went so deep but the painful edge to it was fading already. He arched his back and gasped out as the sting started to turn, the bite of it feel good rather than raw. Jared rode him hard and quick and Jensen felt something in him shiver in delight at the rough edge. The pleasure was riding high because of that edge and Jensen whimpered out but pushed back a touch to get more of it. He could feel something happening inside him, Jared was big already but it felt like even more every few thrusts, like the length of him was swelling up as he pulsed inside Jensen. The smaller male shivered as he felt it press again his sore hole, a bulge at the base of Jared’s cock. Vaguely Jensen recalled reading about it, knowing about it, about knotting. Jared tensed up just as Jensen was getting a feel for what was in him. The bigger werewolf pulled Jensen in close and he felt the larger body shudder, just once. There was a pressure against his hole, that thick think trying to get in. Jensen whimpered and he wanted to pull away, but every instinct in him screamed otherwise. Feeling dizzy and so far out of depth Jensen sobbed but pushed back on it. Once he did Jared pushed forward making the younger male under him realize that Jared had stopped. At the moment, it meant nothing but later on Jensen would recall it and grasp that Jared had left the choice up to him and what that meant. The pressure mounted and the pained edge came back. Jensen was half sure it wouldn’t go, but he pressed back harder and in a rush the knot pushed in, the cock inside Jared swelling up even faster then. Jensen didn’t have time to react though because the moment Jared was in him, the pain was gone completely and Jensen felt deliriously warm as Jared throbbed in him. The ache in his belly finally, finally, gave way and Jensen’s hips rolled in tight motions as Jared nuzzled him. Rocking with Jensen as the pleasure overrode Jensen’s brain and short-circuited everything. It became only about the fullness inside him. Stuffed to the brim and filling him up, Jensen could feel the werewolf coming in him, his release triggering Jensen’s own and soothing the raw ache over. The instincts that had been screaming at Jensen to violently settled into a deep content feeling that only made Jensen feel even better, shivering a little in the blissful aftermath. Jensen went boneless against the bigger male and snuggled against the fur of the werewolf. Jared responded by nuzzling him, licking at his shoulder in lazy motions as they laid there tied, knotted. Jared seemed satisfied to lick at Jensen’s skin, along his shoulders and neck, lapping at his ear and making Jensen squirm, ticklish. The massive wolf on his back did it again and playfully nudged Jensen. A muted thumping caught the teenager’s attention and he looked past them to see Jared’s tail wagging. The sight of it was somehow hilarious as he laughed and the big wolf nipped at him like a dog, looking for attention that Jensen gave willingly. He felt strangely happy and at ease with himself and the world for once without worries over his family or future. Right then it was just Jensen and Jared caught up with each other and a deep sated hum of pleasure passing through their bodies. Jensen had no idea how long they stayed tied together but eventually the member inside him shrank down and when Jared shifted he slowly pulled free from him. Jensen felt it pull at his entrance briefly and tensed a bit before making himself relax so the length could come free, a gush of come following. Jared took the time to groom him all over then, focusing on Jensen’s thighs and then licking the excess semen right from his hole. The touch worked Jensen up again and he tugged at Jared to move over him again. The werewolf mounted him right away and Jensen spread his legs eagerly. This round was less intense but the pain wasn’t there as Jensen arched into each thrust and gave a happy whine when Jared tied in him again, the feeling making his toes curl up as he shuddered and came himself. He could really feel the knot now, the huge thing buried in him and swollen up against his prostate. Each heavy twitch of come that ran through the length of the cock in him forced a breathless whimper from Jensen as it reverberated through him. After the second round Jensen’s stomach complained loudly about food and so the smaller male padded to the kitchen, the huge werewolf following him on all fours and trying to lick up the semen trickling down his leg. It felt surreal and Jensen didn’t think about it, he was running on something else right then and whatever it was it didn’t care for empty worries. They rough housed around for a bit as Jensen tried to avoid being licked teasingly and Jared was determined to do just that. Chasing him as Jensen laughed and ducked to avoid the bigger male. After they calmed down Jensen checked out the contents of the fridge. There was only cold Chinese takeout, but Jensen didn’t feel picky. He pulled it all out and dove into it like he was starving. Jared moved up behind him, pushing Jensen into the counter he was leaning over and the smaller werewolf just bent over it, half distracted by eating as the werewolf behind him pushed into him again. The pleasure was mellowed now and Jensen made a soft content sound, nuzzling at the underside of Jared’s snout as the male leaned over him and proceeded to ride him gently until they locked a third time. Jensen went back and forth between nuzzling and licking at Jared and eating the Chinese food. The action of licking the werewolf’s chin should have felt bizarre but it didn’t occur to Jensen right then, it just felt right.     The teenager was still bent over the kitchen counter, licking the remains of the Chinese carton when Jared’s knot came free. The huge wolf bent low to groom Jensen’s skin again before he moved back to stand over him but didn’t try to mount. Rather he sniffed at the food carton and Jensen let him have a few licks before he pulled it away, saving it for himself. Jared’s huge snout followed, the two playing keep away with Jensen smiling and Jared’s tail wagging. Jensen let Jared get it in the end; there was another carton of fried rice for him to start in on anyway. Jensen was perfectly comfortable to stay bent over the counter with Jared still butted up close while they shared a meal. He felt relaxed like that, his heat finally sated for the time being as he just got used to the male, knowing that this wasn’t something that would be fleeting between them and glad for it. For the first time in his life, Jensen felt right in a way he couldn’t express. There had always been a sense of lacking in him that he’d never been able to put a name or reason to. Jensen hadn’t understood it much less how to ever deal with it. He had always thought it had to do with all the moving they did, from not having friends who knew him for a few months of even maybe because of his mother’s obvious illness. But Jared felt like he could fill that for Jensen, help him take that longing away. Even with his mind acting so strange Jensen could recognize how corny it sounded, but it didn’t make it any less true. With a fond smile, Jensen leaned up and nipped at Jared’s chin, the bigger male nuzzling back affectionately. Jared was just beginning to sniff at the fried rice Jensen had claimed when the front door was kicked open and the relaxed atmosphere gave way to one of shock and panic. The heavy wood splintered under a battering ram with a jarring crash and harsh lights fell on them instantly. Jensen was blinded momentarily by their strength and he flinched away and pressed closer to Jared frantically. Jensen felt fear scream through him and he immediately grabbed at Jared. The bigger werewolf was crouching over him at once, protecting Jensen with his body as he snarled out viciously. They scrambled away from the counter trying to escape but then guns were pointed at them while people shouted violently and Jared pinned Jensen to the wall, using his bulk to shield him as he growled at the intruders and tried to protect Jensen. ***** Chapter 2 ***** People, humans, screamed at them while they waved their guns at Jared and the fear in Jensen suddenly twisted. He peered at the strangers and gave his best snarl, wanting them to know they weren’t welcomed, that he would rip their fucking faces off. It was both exhilarating and terrifying because Jensen knew if given the chance, he really would. The strange thing him had turned savage when faced with these strangers who were dangerous to him and his mate. “Whoa! Hold the hell up! You were supposed to wait!” Someone was shouting, hurrying in through the smashed door and taking in the tense situation. A man looked around the room and stopped short at the sight of them crouched together, cornered and vicious. “Stand down,” the man demanded, his eyes flashing once to indicate he was a werewolf. Jensen watched them all and the more he stared the more his mind stopped running on the feral thing that had been guiding him all evening. They were police; four of them in full swat gear and one male werewolf among them in jeans and a coat. There was another man lingering at the door and probably more police outside if he went by the noise. “Stand down you idiots, he’s ancient. You can get a headshot with your fancy silver bullets and he’d still rip you in half,” the werewolf in the house was saying and Jensen felt the fear in him loosen, if they couldn’t hurt Jared then it would be fine. If they tried to hurt Jensen, Jared would kill them, Jensen had absolutely no doubt of that. It was a strangely deep-rooted certainty like one would think of a parent’s love. “Jeff,” the other man in civilian clothing called and the werewolf in the room looked back towards him. “That isn’t no human under him.” Jensen felt all of them, werewolves and human alike, focus on him and his fear spiked making Jared snarl menacingly and the men with guns tense. “You’ve gotta be kidding me, you guys were absolutely certain a werewolf kidnapped a human boy, you broke into his home shouting and waving guns and now it’s a not a human at all.” The werewolf named Jeff was snapping at the police and Jensen could feel Jared getting aggravated with the situation, his body shifting to attack. Jensen was in his mind enough to see how bad that would be and he raised a hand to Jared’s arm making the werewolf stop. “You need to leave.” Jensen finally announced and the strange werewolf seemed to understand at once and was backing out. The police lingered though and Jensen glared at them. “He doesn’t want you in his home, if you don’t get out he’s gonna kill you,” he snapped trying to look imposing even as he felt his knees threaten to give out. Jensen glared at them and he could feel his eyes flashing. He doubted that he looked remotely human because he didn’t feel like one at that moment. They gave in after tense moments, the guns were lowered and the group backed out step by step. The further they got, the more Jared’s body relaxed; he pushed in close to Jensen and the teenager pressed back reassuringly. “Can you shift?” Jared gave a growl and rubbed his face to Jensen, still watching the front door unblinkingly. “You need to shift back, I need you to be clear-headed, to be able to hold back more,” Jensen tried to explain but Jared’s chest just rumbled, his ears peeking as he watched a piece of the smashed door shift in the breeze, reminding suddenly Jensen he was naked as the cold air touched his skin. “Jared, please. I need your human to protect me, he can do it better, without fighting,” the werewolf gave no sign of hearing it but after a long moment, his shoulders drooped and the wolf buried his face in Jensen’s neck. The teenager watched the blur of the change this time, fur going fuzzy like on a broken tv almost. It smoothed down and shrank into the shape of a human’s shoulder in a matter of seconds; if Jensen had blinked he could have missed it. Jared kept his face burying in the crook of Jensen’s neck for a long while. He just breathed in his scent and Jensen just let him, watching the door wearily and knowing there were still people out there. “I don’t know if I’ll be much help, I’m not in a better state then my wolf,” Jared finally muttered and Jensen pressed his brow to Jared’s shoulder. “I’m not in any good state. I can’t decide if we should flee or try and kill everyone, it’s freaking me out,” Jensen whispered with a shiver and Jared hugged him close reassuringly. “Your heat is still prominent, it’ll push your instinctual urges,” he said in a way of explanation, and Jensen just pressed in close. “Hello? Uhh, I’m sorry about this but we can’t just leave…” the werewolf named Jeff called and it made Jensen huff out in annoyance. “Jeffrey Dean Morgan, he’s the alpha of these territories. They must have assumed I kidnaped you and was holding you here against your will,” Jared said and Jensen frowned at the door, feeling his emotions still jerking around from one extreme to another still. “I want clothing” he finally decided, knowing no matter what about to occur he wanted to be dressed for it. Jared thankfully had a bag of dirty laundry on the main level. The stairs to the upper floor was in plain sight of the kicked in door and Jensen was not going to show whoever was out there his bare ass. Jared’s shirt fell low to his knees and Jensen pulled on an oversized hoodie as well before curling up on the couch, pulling the blanket over his legs to hide as much skin as possible. Jared threw on sweats and a t-shirt before he called out in a gruff voice, sounding more closed off than Jensen had heard before. “Stay behind me… or beside me. But close, stay close,” Jared muttered as footsteps approached the house. The sheer plea to the words all Jensen needed to take them seriously, he didn’t feel so stable either. “I’m sorry about this, so utterly sorry,” Jeffrey Dean Morgan greeted and Jensen watched him and another werewolf come in, both moving slowly and aware of how tense Jared and Jensen were feeling. Their gazes were downcast and Jensen was a little surprised with how they submitted so easily. A policeman in an official looking uniform and one of the men in swat gear who stormed into the house followed behind, their attitude more defensive and putting Jensen on immediate offense. “Explain,” Jared grunted, his voice low and borderline threatening. Jensen glanced up at him and could practically see the tension roll off him in thick waves. Without thinking about it, Jensen left his spot and pressed up against Jared’s back, one hand spanning along his side as he stayed mostly behind the bigger male. “You were seen in public with that boy, seen around his school all morning. People claimed you dragged him off, pulled him into your home,” Jeff started with a passive tone and Jensen got distracted right away. “You waited all morning? At the school?” He cut into the werewolf’s explanation and Jared finally looked a tad embarrassed and far more like the personality Jensen knew. “I didn’t want to bother you in class, I know first days are important,” Jared muttered and Jensen felt his mouth twitch in a smile. He couldn’t help but sway closer to Jared and tuck his arm into the other male’s elbow, strangely pleased with the thoughtful gesture. Some of the tension in Jared’s form relaxed and Jensen could see the other two werewolves following, the dangerous air dying down a bit. The subtle change was enough however for one of the men watching to storm between the two strange werewolves and approach Jared and Jensen. “We have eyewitness claiming you were brought here against your will-” Jeff grabbed the man and yanked him back, Jensen guessed it was only the fact he was holding onto Jared’s arm so tightly that kept the bigger male from attacking. The strain went deadly again and Jensen’s heart was pounding in his chest, fear and anxiety winding up high enough that he found it hard to breathe.  “God damn it Robert,” Jeff was hissing as he pushed the man back and they all gave Jared and Jensen room, moving away. They avoided staring at them, but Jared pulled Jensen close to him and hid him from their view anyway. “The boy’s in heat, you can’t act aggressive like that, you’re gonna freak him out and then his bigger, meaner, mate will freak out because he’s freaking out.” Jensen whimpered and Jared was gathering him up, hugging him as he trembled and hid his face. He hated how weak he felt right then, his emotions all twisting away from his control as Jensen felt himself cling to Jared in a way he would have never if he had a better hold on himself. But right then the need to feel secure overrode pride and Jensen couldn’t deny the strength of the other werewolf came with a feeling of safety. “I didn’t know, I didn’t understand…” the man, Robert, was saying with genuine regret but Jensen couldn’t stop shaking. He didn’t want to be there and he didn’t want to be watched anymore. “I wanna leave,” he whispered, feeling vulnerable and exposed to too many eyes. It felt weak and pitiful to say it, but Jensen felt tears burning and the longer they stood there the worse it felt. “We have our den nearby, it’s private and everyone will understand the situation,” Jeff offered at once and Jensen nodded not caring where, only wanting to get away. Jared’s arm curled on his hip and guided him to the back door of the house and then into the darkness of the back yard. By the time they reached the gate a car was already waiting. Without a word Jared slid them in and it was driving off immediately. Jensen watched through the tinted windows as they left the alley and he could see the front of Jared’s home. It was like something out of a movie scene, cop cars all pulled up and people crowded behind the yellow tape, reporters talking to cameras while men in full police gear still hung around the front door. So much for no one knowing about him, Jensen thought.   It was night out already. When Jensen glanced at the clock in the dashboard he was surprised that it was nearly five in the morning. It had been noon when they walked to the coffee shop. “It got so late,” he muttered in the stillness of the car and Jared shifted, his arm still curled around Jensen’s shoulders. “Time gets lost during heat cycles, knotting takes up a lot more time than you’d think,” the older werewolf explained, his voice a touch wry as Jensen rolled his eyes but relaxed against him a little more, pressing into his side quietly as the warmth of the bigger male seemed to sooth Jensen further. “Why are people freaking out?” “I imagine it was seen as a werewolf kidnapping a young boy, taking him to his home to devour him or something, it only takes a few scared people over- reacting to freak out everyone in my experience.” “I’m seventeen not twelve,” he grumbled half-heartedly. The idea of someone over-reacting immediately made Jensen think of his parents and he wished he’d been able to grab his phone from the bedroom before they left. There was no doubt his parents would be going crazy and refusing any notion that Jensen had chosen to go into Jared’s home of his own will, much less the idea that Jensen himself was a werewolf. All his neat plans to hide and wait until college were useless now; he couldn’t deny what he was with all this media focus. “It’ll be ok,” Jared said to him quietly and his arm pulled Jensen in closer. “I really wish that was true, you have no idea how much,” Jensen replied with a hollow chuckle, pressing his face to Jared’s shoulder and trying not to tear up at the idea of losing his family. “I don’t want to be alone,” it wasn’t something he meant to say out loud and Jensen frowned, annoyed with how little control he had over his emotions. It was starting to piss him off. “Trust me,” Jared said with a soft laugh that made Jensen give him a dark look for. “I can honestly promise you that you won’t ever be alone, I’ve watched you grow up, regardless of what’s between us I’ll always be there to look out for you.” “…You’re such a creeper,” the teenager finally shot back but a smile pulled at his mouth briefly until the driver made a weird noise under his breath. Jensen glanced over at him, he’d forgotten the stranger and the fact someone had overheard their private conversation made Jensen badly want to do something violent to him. “When will I stop feeling so crazy?” He finally settled on asking, suddenly aware that he was curled up to Jared’s side snuggly with only an oversized sweater and t-shirt on. “A few days at most, the heat can’t be stopped now, but it can be controlled, the suppressants won’t stop it, but they’ll help,” Jared explained and Jensen nearly scoffed, this was him under control? He couldn’t begin to imagine what it was like to go without then.   They pulled off the main road and into a gated house and Jensen wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Escaping had felt great but arriving in the home of strangers was quickly taking the feeling away. “I don’t want to talk to anyone,” Jensen admitted wearily and Jared gave a nod, both of them watching as they pulled up to a huge house. A pack probably lived there, a full family unit like Jensen had read about before. Werewolves lived in groups that could get huge, siblings never breaking up but taking mates and having their own kids. Most packs ranged from twenty to forty members, but some when up into the eighties. When they came to a stop Jared got out first and kept Jensen tucked close to him. The bigger male had his back straight and head up high, the air around him more like the werewolf then the man Jensen knew. It was the same as he’d been when they had talked to Jeffry Morgan and the police, sure and strong but with a cold distance from him. A pretty werewolf lady opened the door as they approached and her gaze jumped right to Jared, sweeping over him once before lowing her eyes. The immediate submission once again confused Jensen, but the angry jealousy of her sweeping look was more prominent. The urge to do something aggressive to her was staggering and Jensen clung to Jared’s arm tightly, hating the twisting emotions jumping all around inside him. “It’s an honor to have you both in our home, please treat it like your own and be assured if anything is needed we will see to it right away.” She spoke formally, but there was an undercurrent to her tone and to the way she held herself that had Jensen frowning at her, trying to place what it was. “Thank you, for now all we want is a private room and time alone please,” Jared used a kinder tone with her but even then that distance was still present. Jensen supposed that werewolves of different packs wouldn’t be overly friendly, but it didn’t suit Jared he felt. But then he didn’t really know him beyond a few days.  “Right this way,” the emotion in the tone was the same but clearer, Jensen could hear a strain of fear, fear of Jared. The werewolf was nervous because Jared was there. It was a strange revelation but still her presence was upsetting Jensen, he felt something possessive turning in his gut and he didn’t like how petty it made him feel.   “Fancy,” Jensen commented weakly when they were alone in the lavish room. Breaking from Jared’s side he walked around the suite to try and calm himself down. If Jared noticed it he didn’t comment and Jensen was glad for that. “Probably their best guest room, there’s no scents so it's not someone’s bedroom,” Jared replied, his shoulders relaxing and his tone dropping the formality now. The tension he carried even when they were in the car with driver that never said a word finally dissipated and Jensen peered at him curiously. There were clearly various sides to Jared; a stoic man, a protective guard, someone light-hearted and sweet, and then a dominating werewolf. Jensen felt his face burn a little at that memory and the hunger in his body started to heat up. The way Jared shifted across the room let Jensen know he could sense it. “How can a split second change be so obvious?” He asked as he settled onto the bed and peered at the older werewolf, trying to ignore the fact he was only wearing a few oversized tops and nothing under them. “It’s all in the scent, as the change is happening the scent is changing to match. The older you are the more attuned you get to it,” Jared explained and Jensen nodded, biting his lip and watching the man drift closer to the bed, not pushing the teenager but making a clear interest. “So most werewolves sense of smell isn’t as epic?” The question made Jared smile a little, pleased with the compliment Jensen figured. “No, most werewolves have a good nose but don’t know how to use it properly.” “They don’t shift either right?” “It’s very rare, most have the senses but never change physically, some can on a minor level but it’s far from common.” Jensen thought back on his sister’s lecture about ancients and their rarity before applying the idea of it to the other werewolves’ reactions to Jared. “You’re like a legend to other werewolves aren’t you? That’s why they all submit to you without question?” “They can sense what I am, they know right away I’m…not the norm,” Jared’s tone seemed less easy when he said it and Jensen guessed it had something to do with the strain of fear in that female werewolf’s voice. “There was a time when I had to be strong to survive and for some reason people focus on it, there’s a lot of fear of me but then it’s justified sometimes.” Jensen snorted. “I’m not afraid of you, not even remotely.” “But the night we met? You were terrified then,” Jared pointed out with a tiny sad frown. “Well yeah, I’d have been crazy not to be. You were this huge beast that took out those other two like they were nothing. But then my brain decided crazy was good, I should have been scared stiff but I ended curled up again you didn’t I?” Jared gave a little smile and Jensen counted it as a win. “Werewolves are all about pack and stuff, so you have one somewhere?” Jensen meant it to be idle talk to distract his nerves, but he immediately saw he’d stepped somewhere painful for Jared by the look that crossed the older male’s face. “No. I don’t.” He replied with a clipped tone sitting on the bed as well but a distance from Jensen. The cold edge to the words hurt Jensen far more than was reasonable and the flood of anger that followed the sting made Jensen huff and glare at the bedding. “Why don’t you have a pack?” Jensen wished he could shut his mouth, make it stop asking questioned he would never have normally. Jared’s expression shut down again and he frowned at Jensen, looking for something in the teenager’s face. Jensen just peered back, he figured he should probably be looking down respectfully but less than an hour ago Jared had been fucking him silly and the idea of the distant submission wasn’t appealing to Jensen. “I just don’t, I haven’t in a long time,” Jared finally replied, his shoulder slumping as he deflated. “There had to be a reason, a story to it,” Jensen shot back as he crawled closer to the older wolf and settled beside him on the edge of the bed, their arms touching. “I want you to tell me eventually, it’s something I wanna to know. You know everything about me already and I know nothing about you,” he explained quietly and Jared gave a weak nod after a moment. “But for now you can explain what all this between us means, we had knotting sex,” Jensen blushed and felt the warmth in his stomach pooling again. “I’ve read that it’s binding and you tried to avoid it at first right, that’s what you didn’t want to do with me?” The initial refusal lingered in his mind, reminding Jensen that whatever was between them was something Jared hadn’t wanted. “It wasn’t a matter of wanting to do it or not, but morals. It was wrong of me to bond us, you’re young and under the lull of heat, if you were among other wolves they would have protected you, kept you somewhere safe and solitary until your heat was passed. Mates aren’t supposed to be taken under the heat’s influence.” Jared looked at the floor as he explained and Jensen could see the clear guilt about him. “It’s like taking advantage of someone,” he finally surmised and Jensen understood that right away, with how scatterbrained he had been and violate his emotions where.      “So if I refused…” “It’s more complicated with me, you submitted to me out of fear.” “I let you because you made me feel safe,” Jensen corrected immediately and Jared blinked at that, not expecting it clearly. “That’s how I remember it at least, If I didn’t want to I would have scratched your eyes out I think.” Jared chuckled at that, smiling fondly then and Jensen was surprised how glad he was to see it. “You were something else, I expected a submissive under such a quiet personality, but I’ll know better than to piss you off in the future.” “We mated for life didn’t we?” Jensen asked point blank and the older werewolf shrugged. “You’re bloodline is really faint, if we can’t work this out I imagine we could part ways and you’ll be able to move on.” “What about you?” “I’m old, being like that gives me more of an edge, I’d be fine,” Jared assured him and Jensen frowned, immediately wanting to call bullshit. But his body felt too warm again and Jared used it to his advantage, leaning down and curling an arm around Jensen’s smaller frame. The contact was enough to push Jensen’s interest in a conversation away. “Do you need to shift again?” He just asked and Jared shook his head in negative moving up on the bed and easily pulling Jensen with him, the casual show of strength making Jensen’s insides squirm. “I can knot you like this,” Jared replied and that was the end of their talking.   The burn was far less urgent this time, but it was still there. Still coaxing him and Jensen was relieved that there was nothing in him wanting to fight Jared this time. The feral thinking in his mind slipped back into the forefront though. Without anyone disturbing them, it stayed in control and managed to even coax Jared’s wolf out a few times. With the heat leading the way Jensen spent the next few days in a constant cycle of sex, sleeping and eating with an occasional shower tossed in. The werewolves of the home never bothered them, only dropping off food by the door. Jensen was glad they kept their distance later when his mind was in a better state. He could look back on those days and know right away he would have done something stupid or violent if Jared’s attention was taken from him again. Which was silly in itself; Jensen barely knew the older werewolf but then they were mates now. Maybe that was why Jensen felt such a pull to him, why he knew he trusted Jared utterly in a way he could so few people in his life. Jensen knew in the back of his mind that his family was probably freaking out because he had dropped off the face of the earth. Cooped up in a den of werewolves without a word sent to them in explanation. But it never became an issue for the feral part of him; all that mattered was sating the heat in him and eating until his belly was ready to burst. Jared was all the family he needed right then by the feral part of Jensen’s thinking. Anyone else was second fiddle for the time being. His family would disown him anyway and while it hurt the werewolf in him didn’t focus on it. Jensen would look back on it later and long for the ability to accept hard inevitabilities with such a calm ease. Unfortunately a few days later when his heat began to abate, the thoughts of a teenage boy started filtering in as the werewolf in him gave up control, cold instinct giving way to emotional logic.   Jensen was nuzzled into Jared’s side, tucked in close while Jared dozed. It was the third morning since they’d arrived and Jensen was sore and satisfied in a way he had never known he could be. But today as he woke up he came around with a clarity that had been absent the last few days. Jensen’s thoughts were no longer filled with thoughts of mating and Jared, but terrified fears of his family and all the repercussions waiting for him outside the room he was hiding in. His parents might disown him, it was hard to say for certain but Jensen knew there was a damn good chance of it. He’d probably be able to speak with his sister, maybe even a phone call here and there with his dad, but his mom would treat him like he was dead; like how she treated Jamie. Jensen wondered about his older brother and where he was now. He speculated if he could be tracked down somehow and it seemed important now in the face of losing his family. Jensen wasn’t sure how mating went in terms of the law, but he figured since he was of legal age his family couldn’t come between them on a legal level. Jensen liked the older werewolf even if they’d only know one another for a matter of days. There was a bone deep trust he had for Jared and it was both off-putting and intimately comforting. Forever was a long time though and it was another anxiety for him to worry over but Jensen knew he had to try. No matter what Jared said before Jensen was certain it couldn’t be that easy to break a bond of mates if death was the only known thing to sever it. Even if Jensen could somehow walk away because of his weak linage there was no way Jared could do the same. There was also the matter of Jared’s past, his lack of a pack and his mystery debt with Jensen’s ancestors. After all of that there was the police and media snooping around still. Jensen pressed his face into Jared’s arm and tried not to let panic overtake him. The bigger male turned and spooned Jensen close, reaching to rub his back soothingly. “It’s gonna be ok Jen, well figure it all out.” “S’gonna suck,” Jensen replied with a broken voice, tears suddenly burning and he refused to let them fall, cursing up a storm at his hormones and the whole mess with the heat. “Talk to me, distract me,” the teenager asked and Jared nodded against his neck. “What should I say?” “I dunno, tell me something, a story.” “A long time ago…in a far away galaxy,” Jensen choked a laugh and he felt Jared grin bright and wide against his neck. “Anyway, back in the days of ole a young werewolf from a big pack would usually strike out on their own when new blood was needed,” Jared started and Jensen picked at the sheet but listened, focused on the words to try and push the frantic anxieties circling in his head away. “New blood?” “Populated areas were a lot more isolated back then, so after a few generations most people in a small village or farming area would be related to one another. So on order to prevent incest werewolves had to travel away to find their mate.” “Huh,” Jensen wondered how hard it would have been to leave, his thoughts lingering on family. “Anyway, they’d try and create their own pack or join a smaller one rather than go back sometimes, werewolves are like common wolves in the idea that we try and keep the numbers reasonable. Back then, it was rare to see a pack over fifty strong. But anyway, I left my pack and traveled to find my own. I knew right away I wanted to join rather than create a pack or go back home, I wasn’t interested in leadership and my pack was overcrowded for me.” Jensen blinked and tried to look back at Jared, realizing what story he was telling. But the other wolf kept Jensen pinned to him as he spooned Jensen close. Jared didn’t want to be watched so Jensen settled back down. Before his heat it would have confused him but now Jensen understood perfectly that being watched had an element of awareness, no matter who it was looking there was still a deep seeded instinct that tensed up under scrutiny. So Jensen just curled his hand around Jared’s own and listened. “I found a small pack up near the mountains. It was a female werewolf with her human mate and their five pups. It was a small pack looking for a new blood and they tentatively accepted me.” Jared trailed off and Jensen let him, trying not to push but waiting curiously. “It was the norm to be unsure, to test a stranger until they proved good enough. The alpha female pushed me the hardest. I was with them about two years when a group of human hunters came after the pack and she took me with her to fight them off. Her pups were too young and her mate wasn’t a fighter so it was just us and my chance to prove myself.” “Why would humans attack a pack?” Jensen couldn’t help but ask. “Back then there didn’t need to be a reason, there were no universal rights, no civil rights or constitution, no alliances at all beyond personal so everyone fought one another freely. If a group of humans, werewolves, vampires or whatever decided they didn’t like the look of you and wanted to butcher you, they could.” Jensen didn’t comment but felt something cold run through him. He’d read about such times, but he’d never understand them. Not like someone who lived them, not like Jared. “They never did give a reason for hunting us but we succeeded in fighting them off and she accepted me, pleased that I was willing to protect her family and didn’t run when things looked bad. We made the binding, a blood ritual that promised me a place in the pack and when her kids were old enough they could be potential mates for me… I don’t remember their names, I don’t remember any of them anymore…” Jared trailed off with a heavy tone of despondency and Jensen pushed back against him silently, squeezing Jared’s hand and after a moment feeling him squeeze back. “After such a long time you start to forget things like that… I remember my mother’s scent, but I don’t recall what she looked like very clearly.” Jensen glanced up at him and saw the older male was looking off, eyes unfocused and Jensen twisted in his hold so he could wrap his arms around Jared’s middle. “M’sorry,” “It’s not your fault,” Jared replied automatically but his hands moved along Jensen’s back soothingly, taking comfort from him. “Doesn’t have to be my fault for me to feel bad for you, I can be sorry it happened to you,” Jensen shot back and Jared tipped his head and blinked down at Jensen before smiling a touch. “I suppose.” “So what’s a binding? I think I read about them before, there outdated now right?” “A blood binding is strong and unbreakable, it’s old and not done today but back then it was common, it ensured there would be no treachery.” “How?” “I bound my life into her bloodline, my mate could only come from her children, it was an incentive for me to never turn on them or risk being solitary for life. A werewolf with a broken blood binding was always shunned as a traitor and deemed untrustworthy.” “Oh…oh.” Jensen breathed as it dawned on him what that meant. The story adding up suddenly as he put the pieces together, why Jared was so keen on Jensen’s family and why he didn’t have a pack of his own.   “Yeah. When we headed back to her family, another round of hunters attacked, she didn’t make it out and her human mate blamed me for it. I tried to help her, I did, but she was hurt too bad and I could see that.” Jared said with a rushed tone, moving over the words quickly while Jensen tried to keep up. “I was hurt enough from the fighting that I couldn’t follow when he took his kids and ran away from me, he didn’t understand that I’d bonded with his mate, that I was tied to the bloodline now. I chased after him but it was years before I found him and by then he’d taught his kids to hate me.” “Jesus,” “I didn’t have a choice, I wasn’t going to force anyone so I backed off, none of them would listen to me so I left them alone, hoped the generations after would hear me out. I was a lone wolf then so I took to the woods, kept in the forests to help time pass by; it was easier to be solitary out there then among people. Magic can be sensed by the supernatural and packs could tell I had a bond but without a pack so they assumed I was a traitor of some sort. After awhile it just made sense to stay on my own but from time to time I’d go looking for them, there’s a legend about it.” Jensen knew it right away, it was as popular as little red riding hood, the story of the lone werewolf hunting its mate, it was a dark story with the werewolf being an obsessive monster. “No wonder no one trusted you,” Jensen whispered, thinking of the cold-blooded beast those stories painted. “Pretty much. None of the packs wanted me and the story was passed down your family line, they all expected me and they all feared me, more than a few tried to kill me.” Jensen didn’t know what to say so he just hugged Jared tight. “After a particularly bad meeting I took off to the woods for a long while, at the time I was angsting pretty hard but I actually saved myself, the genocide war started shortly after I took to solitary life again.” “Where were you during the genocide?” Jensen couldn’t help but ask, not many lone werewolves survived, they were targeted as easy prey. “In the woods, way up in the mountains where there were no people. I never knew about it actually until long after it happened, I stayed in the mountains for decades.” “What was it like? After the genocide?” “Terrifying, our numbers were always strong and then suddenly we were a minority and there were so many wolves scarred by it, they wanted revenge for it. They attacked the church and the church attacked back and forth for a long time after that.” “I never understood why it happened in the first place,” Jensen mused, resting on his back to stare up at the ceiling with Jared. “Why did they attack the werewolves and why only them?” “Fear. Werewolves don’t need to harm people; we’ve never seen them on a predatory level. Most other supernatural creatures hunt humans as a food source, but werewolves never did. So we grew close, werewolves became common among people, packs started protecting the villages, making sure nobody starved and we’re pretty decent laborers, we started mating with humans and started seeing them as pack.” “So?” “The church kept its power through necessity, it was them who provided the mercy to get struggling villages through hard times but people were starting to look for packs, if a pack moved into a human settlement it meant the people were better off and thus the church wasn’t needed.” “They tried to wipe out an entire race over power?” “A lot worse has been done for power, the wars over land were brutal back then and the church has done much worse, the attempt at genocide is just one of the more well known.” “You’re lucky to have survived, most lone wolves didn’t,” Jensen pointed out, remembering his history lessons and noting now they were biased against the werewolves. In the class, it sounded like the werewolves had been the ones to start it, to rebel up until they needed to be put down. But then Jensen had always gone to schools that shunned the supernatural. “I was far from any civilization, I hadn’t seen anyone in years, most of the old werewolves got that way because they lived sedentary in those years, we weren’t even aware there was a war raging.” “That would be weird, to go off on your own and come back and see the world has changed,” Jensen mused quietly and Jared nodded. “It was.” Jensen wanted to ask about what happened to his ancestors, but a knock cut him off, his body going tense before Jared’s loose hold on him tightened. The teenager couldn’t deny it made him feel safe, he barely knew Jared but he believed utterly that he would protect Jensen. Jared got up and pulled on his sweats, padding over to the door and opening it a tiny crack, keeping Jensen hidden from view. “Our alpha arranged to have these cleaned for you, there’s breakfast if you like and your guest arrived,” Jensen heard a quiet voice speak and Jared just gave a nod and accepted a bundle. It was folded clothing, with Jensen’s wallet and cell phone on top. “How did these get here?” He asked as he set up and accepted the pile. “I asked them to get them,” Jared replied, taking his own wallet, phone, and keys from the pile. The clothing was mixed up and Jensen watched Jared sort a clean set of his own from Jensen’s. When Jared dropped his sweats and moved to get dressed Jensen started to follow but the older man paused, glancing at the adjacent bathroom with speculation. “Do you wanna shower together?” He asked Jensen and the teenager’s brows shot up. “We both won’t fit in there,” Jensen exclaimed, trying not to blush at the idea alone and Jared grinned at him wolfishly, reminding Jensen of all the sex they had already had. Previously it hadn’t bothered Jensen in the least but as his humanity filtered back in Jensen felt his face burn hot. “It’s a big shower,” Jared assured and Jensen scoffed but felt the desire in him start to pool at the idea, his heat was still lingering he told himself. His phone had over a hundred new messages and Jensen knew a million things were waiting for him. He knew that they would be hard and hurt, that they would forever change his life beyond Jared’s arrival. “Alright, lets shower then,” the teenager decided as he dropped his phone to the bed, suddenly wanting to put it off for a little bit longer.     “Who’s your guest?” Jensen asked afterward, toweling his hair dry while Jared dressed. “…Someone I wanted you to meet,” Jared replied after a beat and Jensen eyed him in the mirror, catching hints of uncertainty. “Who?” “…It’s Jamie,” Jared finally admitted, looking at Jensen and gauging his reaction. “Jamie as in my Jamie, my brother Jamie?” Jensen asked dumbly and watched as Jared nodded and padded over to him, resting his hands on Jensen’s shoulders. “You know my brother?” “For almost two years.” “And you didn’t think to tell me this before?” Jensen hissed, anger and apprehension mounting at the idea of his brother waiting somewhere in this house. “When? During the coffee or during sex?” “I don’t know,” he growled, but his shoulders slumped because Jared did have a point, still his mind whirled wildly unable to decide how he felt about this. “Jamie isn’t a beta and his heritage was less obvious, he didn’t find out as early as you did,” Jared explained carefully and it was like a splash of cold water to his face as it sank into Jensen. Jamie had run off when he found he was a werewolf. That was why he left them. “Oh God,” Jensen whispered, feeling weak as Jared pressed in closer. “You said that you’re afraid of you parent’s reaction to what you are, your brother was the same, too scared to face them. He chose to leave before they could throw him out.” “You think they’ll throw me out?” Jensen questioned, meeting Jared’s gaze in the mirror, the man’s face pulled in sympathy and he wrapped an arm around Jensen’s shoulders. “I don’t know. I’ve watched over them for years, but even I can’t guess their reaction to this.” “…Which line did you follow? My mom or my dad?” Jared went stiff and Jensen pulled away, leaving the bathroom as his hands shook and his emotions twisted around. Had his mother been right to fear? Had Jared always been a step behind, on their heels and tormenting her? Jared had admitted before that he’s checked up on them from time to time but never how often that really was. Had Jensen tied himself to her worst nightmare? His stomach dropped out and for the first time it occurred to Jensen that he had no real clue who Jared was. Even still though, there was that quiet certainly nestled in his chest. No matter what Jared revealed himself to be he was first and foremost Jensen’s. “Have you followed her for long?” He asked again, standing in the bedroom they’d spent the weekend having sex in and trying to keep any accusation out of his tone. If not for his heat he’d have realized and cared about this far more when they first met. “No.” Jared looked hurt by the question and Jensen felt bad immediately for his thoughts. “Jensen… your mother isn’t well. I’d never do that to her, she’s been unstable since she was a child and I’d never…I wouldn’t do that to her.” “Since she was a child?” “…I met her once, when she was eight and her brother sixteen. Shortly after their parents had died.” Jensen sat on the edge of the bed, pulling at the sleeve of his shirt and trying to sort everything in his mind. Jamie was downstairs, Jared had met his mother when she was a kid. It made sense, the story of his searching for a mate down the family line but actually picturing it was something else. Trying to wrap his head around Jared’s age was staggering. “W-Why?” “I wanted to help them. I kept tabs on all the family but when they were left without a guardian I tried to step in and help. They seemed fine with the idea, agreed freely… but the second I was gone they ran. I didn’t try and chase them, I just contacted social services and they went into a home.” “They agreed?” Jensen couldn’t picture his racist uncle agreeing at all. “Yeah, they seemed open to the idea, that they’d stay together and I’d provide for them. I guess it was a lie, they faked it? I don’t understand it. Why they would instead of just saying no but…I wasn’t going to push them into something they didn’t want.” “Maybe if you had it would have helped them. You would have gotten my mom the help she needed before it became what it is now. None of her foster parents ever seemed to notice it and my uncle never cared enough.” “…Maybe,” Jared agreed quietly looking guilty as hell and Jensen realized what he was saying. “I’m sorry…it’s not your fault. Maybe it would have made everything worse, who knows,” Jensen backtracked and looked down at his feet. He felt too young for all of this, too immature to have so much dropped on his lap. Even still he wanted to give Jared the benefit of the doubt, he trusted him. Probably more than he would trust his mother with her instability. “I’m sorry this all unraveled at once like this,” Jared offered with an almost forlorn note in his voice. Jensen gave a self-conscious shrug in reply. “That’s what happens when you’re raised by my parents. But when did you start following us? Her?” “After Jamie was born. When the medical record and birth certificate came up I sought her out. I knew right away her mental health was bad, but her mate - your dad - he seemed determined to help her so I didn’t push. I kept my distance,” Jared explained, carefully slinking closer to Jensen and the teenager let him, moving over a touch so Jared knew he was welcomed to sit beside him. “But you stayed close?” “I met Jamie in the hospital nursery when your parents weren’t around. I knew immediately that he was more a werewolf then your mother. I checked into your dad’s lines and eventually found the bloodline. I knew all their kids would be werewolves on some level.” “So why follow us?” “You have to understand Jensen, this wasn’t something I did to hurt your mom. Werewolves are territorial, every time you moved you were intruders entering a pack’s territory, even as kids. I tried not to bother you, but I had to meet each pack every time you moved. It was important that they understood I wouldn’t tolerate anything happening to you.” “…We never got any trouble, I don’t recall werewolves every taking an interest in us.” “I made sure of that, I spoke to them each time, made arrangements so that you were left alone. It took me years, not until you were ten before I ever realized I was doing more harm than good. Because they stayed away, your family never realized what they were, that you kids…” “Were werewolves,” Jensen finished, understanding as Jared nodded, face twisted shamefully. “I only wanted to protect you. All of you. But it felt like a mistake then like I’d just messed it up even worse.” “I…don’t know what to think…I’m still…I don’t know,” Jensen muttered weakly, trying to pick an emotion and go with it as he looked back on his life and imagined what it would have been like if he had known as a child, if his parent’s had known. “All those times we moved, God you must have met every pack in the country the way my family jumped around,” Jensen realized and Jared gave a little shrug. “I’ve always had a reputation for aimless wandering and after awhile the packs stopped getting so edgy with me around, they knew I’d move on eventually. A few made the connection to your family, but they always swore silence.” “…huh,” Jensen wasn’t sure what to say to that so they sat there for a moment, both silently watching one another. “I had been wondering why no one had noticed before,” he offered with a weak smile and Jared returned it with something more sincere. “I imagine I’ve made myself into a stalker of sorts but I just wanted you to be safe, with how your mom was I never imagined I’d ever get to know any of you. Each generation still turns me away and I respect that choice.” “Even after all this time?” “Even still, your family turned a fear of werewolves in a discrimination and carried it for a very long time. Regardless of myself, I’m glad to see that hatred die out, you and your siblings are good kids.” “So there were no secret mate game plans with me?” “God no, Jensen. I always knew there was a chance but I never thought anything would come of it. If you’d known about your bloodlines it would have never happened, you’d have found a proper mate.” Jensen thought of his brother downstairs and of his family somewhere in the city, of how everyone was going to react. He thought of how his parents would have if they’d known their kids where werewolves from the start and he couldn’t see them helping him find a mate of all things. “They’d probably have made us get the surgery, the cleansing one,” he said faintly and Jared shook his head, a dark look crossing his features. “I’d have never allowed that. Even as your parents they’d have no right to do something like that.” “They might ask me still, I don’t know how I’d answer…I don’t think I want it,” he added reassuringly at Jared’s worried look. “But I don’t know if I’d be able to say no, to lose them because I said no.” “…Whatever happens I’ll be there with you, Jamie will too I imagine.” Jensen could see Jared visibly refraining from commenting more on the cleansing surgery and was thankful for it. Jensen knew at the base it was a terrible solution and altering his body is such a major way was bound to be dangerous. Still he was glad that Jared was lecturing him on it right then. “He’s asked about you and your sister often, every time I made contact with him.” “Oh? What does he do now?” Jensen asked, feeling slightly better that Jamie had cared even if he was too chicken-shit to call them or anything. “He’s a student still, at the University of Chicago. He’s entering law.” “A lawyer huh?” “Yeah, he seems happy with it. He sees a psychologist regularly and he’s been adopted by the pack there. They take care of him in my stead. He’s doing well I think.” “Not well enough to call,” Jensen grumbled and Jared slid an arm around him carefully, leaning into Jensen comfortingly. “…No. He never liked the idea of that, but he’s always been certain your parents would disown him immediately, he feared how it would affect you and your sister if your parents had you tested and found out about your heritage,” Jared explained carefully and Jensen watched him, reading the way Jared was trying to sooth Jensen over without just placating him. He couldn’t really hate Jamie for his fears either, Jensen himself was terrified of his parents finding out and even now he refused to check his phone, to see and hear their messages. “What he did I’d never approved of but I don’t want to make anyone do anything. I let him chose and supported him the best I could. The same as I will with you and your sister if need be. But Jensen, your brother has missed you. He’s never been proud to have run.” “…And now he wants to see me again.” “If you want me to send him away I will, you don’t need to rush this meeting and it won’t hurt Jamie to wait, he must have an idea of how overwhelmed you are.” “No,” Jensen replied almost immediately. Whether or not he liked it he had to start facing all of this, the world, the media, his family, his brother. It all had to come crashing down and Jensen knew he couldn’t hide from that anymore. “I want to see him.” He’d intended to be angry, cold and stiff with the brother who’d abandoned him, but the second Jensen saw him all the bitterness in him faded. Jamie had been a good brother, they’d shared a close relationship and the look on his brother’s face, the relief, and unabashed happiness to see him pushed Jensen’s resentment down. When Jamie reached for him Jensen went and wrapped himself in his brother’s tight hug. Jamie hung on as if he didn’t want to let go at all. When he did pull back he smiled at Jensen and then hugged him all over again. Jensen couldn’t help but feel an answering emotion, Jamie was like him and he knew it, knew they were werewolves. Jamie dropped his arms from Jensen and looked over to Jared, not meeting his gaze as he nodded. It was the same formal way the other werewolves had been around Jared and Jensen didn’t know what to think about it. He’d expected Jamie to be more comfortable with him. When his older brother stepped back though Sophia appeared and threw herself at Jensen and the formality was forgotten. Seeing his sister made his eyes burn and Jensen grab back at her, clinging tightly to her. “You had me worried sick,” she hissed into his shoulder and Jensen gave her another squeeze. “I’m sorry Soph. I’ve been really out of it these last few days.” “In heat,” his sister corrected and Jensen felt an engulfing wave of embarrassment wash over him. His face burned red and he stepped back, noticing Sophia was blushing and that Jamie was look over to the side with red ears. “God.” “In heat with him,” Sophia added and gave Jared a dirty look. His little sister was a slip of a girl but facing off against Jared made her that much smaller. He looked like a mountain beside her and she stood there glaring suspiciously at him. “You’re the one who follows us,” she stated and Jared gave a nod, seemed amused with her more than anything. Jensen noticed though that Jamie looked mortified by their sister’s behavior. “You kidnaped my brother, both of them even.” “Sophia! You know that’s not true, I explained this to you, Jared helped me out after I decided to run off like an idiot. Don’t blame him,” Jamie rushed to defend and Jensen watched them both for a moment as the obvious occurred. “Why are you here?” He questioned his sister. “Not that I’m not happy to see you but why are you here and where are mom and dad?” His sibling lost her tough face as her chin trembled and her eyes threatened to overspill. “It’s all a huge mess.”   Jensen’s parents were in a psychiatric hospital. While Jensen spent the weekend having sex, his sister had been calling and messaging him desperately as his mother broke down with the world watching her and then his father too. By the end of the weekend, Sophia was in some foster place watching everything on the news. Jamie had arrived just last night to pick her up. “I’ve been granted temporary custody of Sophia,” Jamie explained as they all settled in a living room off to the side. Once again, Jensen was struck with the knowledge that he was in someone’s home, imposing on them. But at least he had his siblings, both of them at his side for the first time in years. “…mom and dad,” Jensen whispered, feeling a tear track down his face and a hollow thing in his chest. Jamie looked just as wrecked but more accepting of it. Sophia looked surprisingly calm about it. Jared just loomed with a worried look, watching the three sibling piled together on a couch. “They have to be stable enough to get out if they can’t prove they can function the hospital won’t release either of them,” Jamie muttered and Jensen felt his tears come more freely. His father might be able to, but he didn’t doubt for a second that his mother would probably never be released. The media around the kidnapping had turned right onto them and the hospital they were at was surrounded by people looking for the latest update on them. Someone within the hospital had sold his mother’s private records to the media, the entire this was just a mess that was under a spotlight. “I’ll make sure that they’re going be moved, taken somewhere more private with better care, I’ll make arrangements right away,” Jared added quietly and Jensen blinked up at him, trying to convey gratitude in a tearful look. “It's been coming for mom, but I’ve never really want it to,” Jensen muttered and Sophia made a low agreeing noise. “But it’s for the best in the end,” she added and Jensen blinked at her. “Mom’s needed help for years and we’ve all looked the other way. At least now she’s getting what she needs. Dad will be fine, but it’ll be good for him too.” It sounded logical and thought out and Jensen just nodded, letting his sister take her comfort in the idea of their parents healing. “What happens next?” Jensen questioned, looking up at Jared. “I’ll make the application for Sophia to come under my name. You’ll be added without application given…” Jared trailed off, but Jensen understood right away. Given that they were mates now. “Where will we stay?” Sophia worried, but Jensen noticed that Jamie was caught on Jared’s words, a slight frown touching his features. “I’ll find out the best place for your mom and dad to go and find somewhere nearby, rent a house for us all. A room for when you can visit?” Jared asked looking at Jamie. “Where are you going?” Sophia demanded her voice going husky with tears immediately. “Nowhere, I’ll withdraw for the semester and figure something out later,” Jamie reassured and Jared gave a nod. “I’m going to look into what’s going on and how to have your parents moved somewhere,” Jared explained and Jensen watched him step out into the hall, the door closing on his way out. “I wish I’d have the guts to tell mom and dad, I could have saved you from this mess,” Jamie said quietly to break the silence. “Or made it so much worse,” Sophia shot back, dropping her head to rest on Jamie’s shoulder to take the sting from her words. “It’s done now though so let's not worry. We have enough now as it is.” “True. Mom and dad need our attention,” Jensen offered but Jamie gave him another strange look. “What did Jared mean when he was talking earlier. About not needing to apply for guardianship of you?” His brother asked and Sophia blinked, turning her gaze to Jensen as well. “After what we did…” Did they honestly want to talk about this? Now? “Sharing a heat doesn’t make you mates,” Sophia cut in. “Only mates would have automatic status and you didn’t mate bond.” “We did,” Jensen admitted with a shrug and both his siblings stared. “Jensen, he can’t do that. It’s illegal” Sophia’s voice was growing strained and the anxiety around her was rising up again. “It’s the same as raping someone!” “Sophia!” Jensen snapped, glaring at his sister for even suggesting such a thing. “But she has a point,” Jamie added with a softer tone, making Jensen turn his stare on him. “You weren’t in your right mind and taking a mate under the influence of heat is considered a horrible thing to do.” “He tried not to, he tried to refuse me but I made him give in,” Jensen shot back, feeling like he was the one being attacked. “They won’t let it stand, half the world is watching. He can’t just take Jensen like that can he?” Sophia looked at their older brother and Jamie shifted uncomfortably. “Normally I’d say never but this is different. Jared is very old.” “So!” “It doesn’t matter, it’s not your concern,” Jensen interjected with a dirty look for them both. “It does so, being an ancient shouldn’t change that Jared forced himself on Jensen,” his sister snapped and Jensen shot up of the couch, pacing away from his siblings. “Jared didn’t force anything on me! It was consensual. I don’t care about heat or whatever else, we mated and I’m perfectly happy staying that way!” “Jesus, I knew he took care of you during your heat but I didn’t know he took care of you,” Jamie muttered, looking a little shell-shocked. “Moving past that, let's focus more on this not looking him in the eye or seeing him as a person thing,” Jensen snapped, glaring at his brother. “Why does everyone treat him like that?” “Jensen,” Jamie paused, trying to find the words it seemed. “He’s Jared. The Jared. As in the alpha Jared, the ancient alpha.” “Yeah, he’s old. I got that part. He’s just a werewolf in the end though.” “...But he’s not,” Jamie replied after a breath and Jensen stared at him. Sophia sat on the couch with Jamie still watching the two go back and forth. “…Not a person? As in you’re being racist to werewolves even though you are one?” Jensen shot back incredulously. “Jensen, Jared is known all over the world, he’s like a face of all werewolves, there are only like eight ancient werewolves and among them Jared the third or fourth eldest. He’s almost the oldest living werewolf.” “…Huh.” Jensen suddenly felt so far out of his depth. “Yeah, not to mention that being that old makes him powerful. It’s almost impossible to kill him, even a silver bullet wouldn’t put him down. He’s also known for being involved with a lot of the civil wars and all sorts of werewolf/human fighting. He’s known for… he had a lot of blood on his hands.” Jamie trailed off awkwardly and Sophia looked terrified all over again. Jensen swallowed and didn’t know how to take that. He remembered the viciousness he’d felt when they had been interrupted, the acceptance that if need be he’d turn to violence. He wondered if it was the same feeling for Jared. “His age makes him strong, a lot stronger than pretty much anyone” Sophia surmised.    “But that night, when he showed me my necklace was the reason I felt weak he didn’t touch it, like it would hurt him,” Jensen struggled to find a flaw in the idea but Jamie just gave him a shrug. “He was probably trying to show you, explain without words or something because no way it was going to hurt him,” he offered. “In the end you have to understand who he is Jensen, it’s the reason why the world is so focused in on us right now. It’s not our family but that fact that it’s Jared. The media is going crazy with it. They're saying he’s the wolf from the Lone Werewolf legend.” Sophia looked horrified and Jensen just stared at his brother. “But you know him.” “I don’t. Not really. Jared came to me when things were tough and he put me in contact with others. The pack in Chicago are the ones who’s helped me mostly. Jared has helped too, but mostly with money. He paid for my schooling and living and stuff. But I’ve only met him a handful of times. The thing of it is, Jared had a right to our family. The old oaths are still honored when they're found and Jared had on of the most famous. Half the world is calling him a monster and the other half is saying it was his right.” “…I need to go. I need to walk for a bit,” Jensen finally said, running a hand through his hair and feeling like there was a physical weight on his shoulders. “It would be better to stay put,” Jamie frowned and Sophia nodded. “Come just sit with us for a bit,” she offered but Jensen shook his head. He loved his sibling but they weren’t what he wanted. He wanted Jared. Leaving them behind Jensen walked down a quiet hall, looking around for a way outside or Jared, whichever came first. The idea of Jared being some sort of a legendary creature was weird for Jensen. All he could think of was the awkward man who had sat in the coffee shop with him and then the man who’d tried to do right by Jensen and not have sex with him during his heat. Even the huge monstrous werewolf had snuggled him during sex, wagged his tail like a happy pup. The only real idea Jensen could pull up was when they first met, the way he had felt when he had seen that huge beast between him and his would-be attackers. He had been terrified and in awe then and he supposed other people only saw Jared as that. There was certainly a note of caution in everyone’s step around Jared like he was going to lash out. Jensen knew he wasn’t in a position to know for certain that Jared wouldn’t but at the same time there was nothing to suggest that Jared would. Jensen walked down another hall and turned to find yet another long hall, this time though there was some in it. It was the werewolf from the night that the police busted into Jared’s house. “Jeff right?” He guessed and the older wolf gave an easy smile and nod. He seemed at ease in his home but there was a note of tension there and Jensen wondered if that was because of Jared’s presence. “We didn’t get a formal introduction before,” the werewolf teased lightly and offered a hand out for Jensen to shake. “I’m Jeff Morgan, the alpha of the pack in these territories.” Jensen reached out and accepted the handshake. This werewolf had helped them when things could have gone far worse and Jensen was grateful for it. “Jensen Ackles, the confused teenager who only recently found out he’s a werewolf,” Jensen shot back. “Really?” The older man asked with a raised brow and Jensen felt a sudden jolt of embarrassment. “Yeah. It’s a long messed up story. Have you seen Jared by chance?” “He’s out back. After seeing the mess all of this has created he went for a stroll to calm down I think. We’ve got a few acres of land back behind the house.” “Acres in a city?” Jensen asked distractedly his mind split between the mess that had been apparently created and worry about Jared. “Most packs do, a park or sanctuary closed off for wolves alone,” Jeff explained easily, not the slightest judgment in his tone at Jensen’s lack of knowledge. “Come on, I’ll show you the best place to start looking.” As they walked down the hall Jensen noticed a people hurrying to duck away, out of sight. “Is there a reason why no one wants to be seen?” He finally asked with uncertainty, the last thing Jensen wanted to do was offend but it was really starting to freak him out.  “They’re just unsure really. It’s a pretty momentous thing you know, Jared looking after you during your heat. His story is legendary.” “The whole seeking his mate thing right?” Jensen doubted Jared would be viewed as the stalking monster on the werewolf side of the story. “Yeah.” “Mate found,” Jensen said with a shrug and wishing the other werewolf wouldn’t look at him so intensely for it. “…I suppose so, I had been wondering if that was the case,” he agreed after a pause and stopped as they left the house and came onto a wide wrap around porch. Looking down the length Jensen realized how huge the house was, it looked more like a small apartment complex than a single house. The backyard did indeed transform into a spacious forest that looked acres big. There was huge solid-looking walls in the distance, encircling the entire place it seemed. Jensen looked out into the trees but didn’t notice anyone wondering about. “Are…I mean, it anyone else out there, there must be right?” With such a huge chunk of land, there had to be. “My pack’s inside right now, everyone hightailed it into the house when Jared came outside.” “…You do know he’s not a monster right?” Jensen asked, unable to hide a bitter tone. “Of course we do,” Jeff replied his voice even but a hint of reprimand that immediately reminded Jensen he was the ignorant one. “But you have to understand, there are eight ancients in the world currently. Out of millions, there are eight single people who are as old and strong as Jared. We’ve grown up on legends about Jared and we’ve been taught that he’s so much more than any of us, an alpha among alphas. Jared’s not like the other ancient’s either…” “What do you mean?” Jensen pressed when the man stopped. Jeff seemed torn for a moment before he gave a huff and replied. “You’re going to find out eventually so best you hear it without the nasty side. The other ancients all have packs, they’re all established in set spots and have been for a long time. Jared’s always traveled around and when he was older and stronger he started helping with fighting, wars and battles that involved werewolves mainly. Jared’s not one for civil talking and making peace so he only came when that option was gone. He only came when it was time to fight and because of that he had a reputation for being bloodthirsty.” “He’s not, nothing I’ve seen of Jared is so brutal,” Jensen jumped in defense even though it was only partially true and Jeff gave another huff, rubbing the back of his neck and looking out over the woods like Jared might appear. “I know that a lot of it is misconceptions and fear based nonsense but there is a lot of truth to it. Jared helped turn the second civil war in our favor, he saved a lot of lives in those times…” Jeff hesitated once more, shifting before looking at Jensen. “But it was done by taking lives. Jared cleared battlefields and a lot of people died by him. That’s just a fact.” “So he helped and in return he was shunned for it even more,” Jensen shot back, feeling angry on Jared’s behalf. Jensen knew he was supposed to be afraid now, but he didn’t care. Jared deserved better than being branded a monster by his own kind. More so if the blood he spilled was in order to protect them. “Ancients are greatly respected but also feared. That’s just the way it is,” Jeff finally replied with a helpless shrug. Jensen was half tempted to storm off, but he reined his indignation in. “Well I just see Jared as Jared, not some monstrous ancient baby-eating beast.”  “I see that. Maybe that’s a good thing too, it could have been part of the reason he chose to stay with you during your heat and create the bond. You don’t know our stories and you don’t know to see Jared as something out of legends,” the older werewolf remarked. He looked too perceptive again and it bothered Jensen to be under such a look. He gave the werewolf a quick thank you and started off, walking around the worn paths of the woods and looking for the gray-brown color he could recall of Jared’s fur. Jensen considered calling for him, but the idea seemed a lot like calling for a dog and he wasn’t entirely sure it wouldn’t be seen as some sort of insult. Walking along the trails Jensen couldn’t help but think of his siblings and Jeff’s comments. Had Jared picked Jensen? Had this been intentional in some way? And what if Jared really was the monster he was made out to be. Someone who killed so easily. But Jensen knew the answer to that already. Jared had killed the two who had tried to rape him. When Jensen asked him about it he hadn’t shied away from that either. He’d told Jensen the truth and afterwards Jensen had spared it a thought. To be honest he hadn’t really cared that they were dead. If anything he thought he might agree with Jared. They had wanted to rape Jensen and if not him then someone else. Kicking a stone down the worn path he was walking Jensen wondered if it made him a monster as well. That he didn’t put their lives on some high pedestal. Lives came and went, animals were slaughtered and people in third world countries starved to death every day. When Jensen thought about it there were people dying all around so what made them special? Years of the sanctity of human life teaches echoes in his skull and Jensen gave a long sigh. Today was not the day for him to decide on these things he thought. He had enough already and Jensen thought back on how Jamie had been surprised to learn Jared had bond them as mates but not that he ‘helped’ Jensen through his heat.” Eyes narrowing Jensen stopped mid-step as it occurred to him that maybe Jared was known for shacking up with werewolves all the time. That thought got a reaction, a knee-jerking jealous and possessive feeling. Jared was his. Mates, Jensen reminded himself as he slowly started walking again, they were mates and that was permanent. Everyone around him seemed to be worried about the idea, but Jensen found it soothing. He would be far more upset if Jared hadn’t tied them he thought. And didn’t that make him the messed up one? Happy to be tied to someone he’d known for a few days. Jensen had thought maybe the choice had been out of either of their hands but now he wondered. The heat thing had made him unable to control himself but at no point did it make Jensen feel like he was influenced in a way he would have been outside of the heat. He’d found Jared attractive from the beginning, Jensen knew what sort of type he liked and Jared fit the bill. There was no doubt Jared was an attractive man, that had been obvious from the second he had seen him. But still Jensen had jumped back and forth between welcoming and rejecting Jared once the heat had made him crazy. In some way he had almost thought he was testing him, he could remember wanting to know if Jared was strong enough, if he was going to turn to violence right away or try and talk. Even though he had barely had any forethought Jensen was certain the more that he thought about it that he’d in some way picked Jared rather than Jared taking advantage of him. When Jared shifted, when that huge powerful beast had come out Jensen had felt stupidly turned on by it. There had been some touched of fear, but they had melted away all too quickly and in the end Jensen had felt safe and certain with Jared rather than afraid of him. Even now, the thought of the werewolf made him flush with arousal. Blood smeared past or not. He had told Jared he’d accepted him because he made Jensen feel safe. That was the truth at the core Jensen supposed. Regardless if it was some weird scent thing where he had always caught a hint of Jared because he kept close to them growing up or if it was because he’d saved Jensen from being raped, Jensen had given him his trust. If he’d known all the horror stories Jeff had mentioned or known Jared was someone important Jensen liked to think he wouldn’t have treated Jared differently. He already was something special and amazing to him when they met, an actual werewolf in a life where such supernatural creatures were forbidden to Jensen. He’d grown up kept away from them, cooped up and always looking but never interacting until Jared. That alone was amazing to him and all the other stuff just seemed too far off for Jensen to really grasp.   “Even if I knew who you were when we met, I think I’d still treat you like I do,” Jensen announced when he found Jared. The man was gone and in his place was the huge werewolf. Jared was laid out along the trees of a small opening. His ears perked and he lifted his head to peer at Jensen has he walked over. He looked almost like a normal wolf in a national geographic photo at a glance. But once he looked closer it was obvious he wasn’t by the joints of his arms and legs, the broad human width to his shoulders. Still his head and features were mostly a wolf, the length of a snout and perked ears on his head. But then the sheer size of him was another aspect that pointed to supernatural. “Seriously, even if I don’t know all the war stories or whatever, this should be scary right? I saw you that night, you killed two people,” Jensen emphasized but still reached out, his fingers running through the thick fur coat along Jared’s broach shoulder. It was a little stiffer than he expected but still soft and Jensen wanted to call it fluffy even. “I think there might be something wrong with my brain, not to fear you, but I honestly don’t. I just don’t see you as something dangerous to me,” he muttered, leaning up against Jared as the werewolf lifted his head and nuzzled Jensen’s face lightly. The heat of his breath rolled along Jensen’s neck and it wasn’t his fault, it really wasn’t because they had just spent the last few days having sex and the last time he had seen Jared’s wolf they had been having sex. So the spark of lust that hit him at the feeling was completely fine and not at all perverted. Jared noticed right away, his nostrils flaring slightly as he snuffled at Jensen’s neck a little before his long tongue streaked along Jensen’s skin, from his collar bone to the line of his jaw in one smooth lap.  “H-hey, come on now,” Jensen muttered weakly, not knowing what he was really saying as Jared pushed in closer the air between them charged. It felt different now, there was no driving need burning through Jensen but a more normal hum of lust rising up under the werewolf’s attention. He could feel himself getting hard in his jeans and his face flushed as Jared nudged him and made Jensen fall back. Jensen was the one lying in the grass then as Jared loomed over him. The wolf was locked on and his gaze felt intense, Jensen could help but look away meekly in submission and Jared took it has an invitation because he leaned over and nuzzled Jensen’s neck again, his paws gently petting at Jensen’s sides and slowly working their way up under his shirt. “We’re out in the woods, someone might come,” he managed to protest, feeling himself embarrassingly hard under Jared’s touches. Jared gave a low sound, tipping his head up to look around alertly for a split second before going back down to nip at Jensen’s shoulder. “There’s no way you can tell that fast” Jensen huffed but Jared glanced at him again their eyes meeting and the heat flushed through Jensen again. The feeling of fur and callous paw like fingers doing it for him completely. God, was this some sort of bestiality? A taboo thing that most werewolves would never do? Or was commonplace and totally fine for Jensen to be getting off on it so hard. Feeling out of his depth suddenly Jensen looked away, turning his head. Jared followed, ears dropping back and wore an expression that Jensen was tempted to call tender. He nuzzled Jensen again and the teenager let him, pressed back after a beat. Jensen felt too intimate, face embarrassed and chest pounding. He felt too young for something like this, something so strong, something that wouldn’t fade. But when Jared pressed in close he didn’t feel suffocated or scared. He felt wanted and Jensen had always desperately wanted to feel like that. The idea of love had always been romanticized in his mind. The few boyfriends that he had before had both said Jensen was too intense, too much, too fast. Even knowing he was the one feeling like it was all too much wasn’t slowing him down. Jensen wanted forever, he wanted a mate. For the first time, Jensen thought being from a werewolf line suited him, it made his need to commit and keep less weird and more normal. Werewolves mated for life. “You’re mine,” Jensen whispered, feeling over romantic and stupid the second he muttered it but Jared huffed back, nuzzling and licking at Jensen’s neck again, curling in close with obvious affection. “Everyone is so worried about me they haven’t thought of you at all. Your mine now and I won’t let you go.” In the back of his mind, Jensen knew it was a really bad idea to do something like this in public but he still let the werewolf strip his jeans off. It surprised him how nimble Jared’s paw like fingers could be, undoing the button easily. The grass was cold and tickled Jensen’s skin, making him squirm until Jared lifted his hips. The wolf was in between Jensen’s legs now, facing him as he held himself over Jensen’s small form. It was embarrassing that the sheer size of Jared turned Jensen on. His jeans hung off his one calf and he was still dressed snuggled from the wait up, t-shirt, sweat, and coat. He had his shoes on too, but he didn’t feel rushed at all. It felt quiet and still as the werewolf nipped at his ear and pressed in closer, the first wet brush along Jensen’s thighs making him jerk a little. It wasn’t going to be easy he thought, burying his face in Jared’s fur as the werewolf pressed in more, slid closer until Jensen felt the first give, the wet heat pushing to get in. Biting his lip he tried not to whimper at the first burning push but the sound still got out. He was wet down there, slicked open and it helped the friction but it still ached to be pushed open so wide. Jared the human was big and Jared the werewolf was huge, Jensen felt like his poor body didn’t even have a chance. Jared pressed again, not rushed but persistent as more and more sank in. “Oh God,” Jensen gasped, clutching at Jared’s shoulder, finger twisting and digging into fur as he whimpered and felt like there was no end to Jared as he kept pushing deeper and deeper. Jared rumbled low in his chest and Jensen could feel the vibrations against his own. The werewolf moved with a cautious stroke, his muzzle along Jensen’s cheek and his breath in the boy’s ear as they moved. Without the heat to muddle everything up Jensen was acutely aware of how much bigger Jared was then him, his form blanket of Jensen like it was nothing, his fur war as it brushed along the insides of Jensen’s spread thighs. “I’m a pervert,” he mumbled to himself, feeling his skin tickle and pulse jump at the feeling of fur on his skin, of the idea that Jared the werewolf was buried inside him. Jared made a low sound in reply and gave a bit rougher of a thrust, pulling back to peer at Jensen. When the boy didn’t wince the wolf moved with more fervor, building up a quick pace and then doubling it suddenly as if just to punch out a groan from Jensen. It was messed up how much he liked it, maybe even a smidgen more than human Jared. Coupling with this side of him, the wolf gave Jensen a strange sense of intimacy and reassurance. The way Jared had talked about this part of him, he made it sound like the wolf was running on base instinct. If that was true then no matter what Jensen knew that at the very base Jared wanted him, even if it was his heat that brought them together here they were no without the heat and Jared as the wolf still happy to bury himself between Jensen’s thighs. The knot started swelling and Jensen gave a high gasp as he started to feel it, pushing into him and then forcing it’s way back. Jared grumbled in his chest and moved harder, faster now, pressing Jensen into the ground as his hips pumped. “C-come on,” Jensen agreed, pulling at Jared’s shoulders, his legs going up around the werewolf’s waist and pulling him in there as well. The knot used to be something weird and creepy to Jensen but now that he’d spent a weekend taking it he knew it was freaking amazing. Jared gave a rough sound between a growl and whimper, his hips jabbing hard on last time, grinding as the knot pushed and then forced it’s way in, sinking deep as Jared butted himself as close as he could to Jensen, fur and skin rubbing as the werewolf knotted as deep as he could get and Jensen gave a little mewling sound that later he would refuse to admit he had made. Tied together now Jared turned his attention to licking at Jensen, nipping and cleaning his mate while they waited out the knot. The werewolf sat back a little, his weight on his knees and hands that bracketed either side of Jensen. The teenager was laid out on his back under his wolf, his thighs still thrown over Jared’s hip loosely. The knot was pulsing in Jensen just like he remembered it and each time it throbbed it sent spike of pleasure right up his spine. Biting his lip Jensen swallowed a moan and his hand wandered to his own erection. He managed a few shaky pumps before he was gone, messing his shirt as he came all over his stomach. “I actually came to see if you were ok, you know,” Jensen muttered later on, when he had caught his breath. “Jeff said you shifted after you heard about the mess? Is it that bad outside this place?” Jared’s ears went back and he gave a low grumbling sound, between a whimper and snarl it seemed. “We’ll be alright I’m sure, I have faith in you,” Jensen reassured lightly, knowing he had no real clue but still wanting to offer something. When it came down to it this whole mess was Jensen’s fault. If he’d been an adult about being a werewolf and gone to the appointments he’d have known to be on suppressants and the heat thing wouldn’t have blindsided him so badly. What was between Jensen and Jared wouldn’t have happened and the media wouldn’t be locked on to it. “I feel bad for it, but I’m…I’m glad this happened, I got you out of this mess and in the end that’s what matters to me. A big old wolf to call my own.”   They eventually headed back into the house, Jared stopping to collect his clothing he’d just left in a heap in the woods. “Werewolves don’t have much modesty,” he said easily with a little shrug as he pulled on his shirt. “I do,” Jensen shot back. “Everyone was fine with you ‘helping me’ with my heat but then shocked that we mate bonded. Do you usually run around and mate with anyone in heat?” The tone of his voice was sharp and Jensen tried to reign his jealousy in. It helped that Jared just looked confused. “Sometimes? Not very often though, once every few years but then sometimes decades between. The wolf will mate with a partner in heat, it’s instinct. We just never mate bonded.” “So anyone would have done?” “It couldn’t be anyone, I’m tied to your blood,” Jared pointed out not seeming to understand why Jensen was insulted by it. “But why not my sister or brother?” “Sophia is too young and Jamie never showed an inclination towards males.” “But if Sophia got older?” Jensen pressed, feeling worked up for no real reason. “I’d have preferred you,” Jared replied and Jensen knew he was being honest because Jared really didn’t understand the conversation they were having. “Why me?” At that Jared seemed to catch on, looking down at Jensen with more focus. “You think it was at random, that we mated?” “Well yeah, that’s what everyone is saying. That you just mated with me because I was in heat. It makes sense, you’ve got three choices and the best one is in heat so why not?” “I didn’t want to mate bond with you during your heat,” Jared reminded him and Jensen felt stung by it. “But,” Jared added quickly, walking closer to Jensen. “I always intended to try.” “What?” “I’ve watched you and noticed you for awhile. You always caught my interest. I’d hoped in an ideal world that I’d approach you after you’d settled into finding out your heritage and you’d let me court you.” “Court?” “Date, whatever the current word is.” “Which you don’t know,” Jensen shot back with a teasing incredulity. “I miss things like that, I spend a fair amount of time as a wolf in the Canadian mountains. I have a cabin up there and most of the things I read are older literature. It seemed like every time I look everything has jumped decades,” Jared complained, looking slightly embarrassed while Jensen tried not to smile. “Well you’re going to get caught up. You’re not some lone wolf anymore,” Jensen had meant to tease but Jared looked so pleased by the notion of it. Jared reached out and curled an arm around Jensen’s waist and he pressed back easily. Whatever was to come from this Jensen had no intention of giving up what was his now. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!