Chapter 10

"The custom of presenting one's potential mate with a necklace to mark their status as claimed has been a long established practice in the Lycan community, although it has fallen out of disfavor in many of the more progressive packs due its corruption by the leaders of the fundamentalist movements in the late twentieth and early twenty first century. These fundamentalist movements took this practice, which at one time was seen as a gesture of respect and love, and turned into a symbol of dominance and degradation when they began to refer to it as "collaring" and used it as a way in which to humiliate and even torture submissive mates."

-an excerpt from Lycans: Life, Love, and Mythos by Arthur Abrams of Lima

Several days later, Kurt was still riding on the joy of his and Blaine's moonlit run. He practically skipped into the kitchen for dinner. He'd spent the day looking over swatches and making lists of things they'd need for their home. Blaine had quickly responded to all of his texts about things. He was brought crashing back down to earth at his brother's words.

"Dude, you let him put a collar on you?" Finn said shocked. "That's like so wrong, unless you're into being treated like a dog."

"Finn!" Carole admonished her son for talking so vulgarly to his step-brother.

Kurt's hands flew up to his neck and touched the necklace there. He was so used to wearing it that it felt like a part of him. The tee-shirt he'd picked to wear obviously was low enough cut that the necklace was visible. He knew he was blushing violently and he was so shocked at Finn's words that he couldn't even form a coherent response. Burt and Carole looked at each other, not sure what to do. They'd never imagined dealing with this sort of thing.

"It's not a collar. It's a necklace from my future mate." Kurt managed at last, his hands still touching the necklace. "I expected flak about it from the rest of the pack, but not from my own family. I thought you knew me better!"

"Kurt…" Carole tried to find some words of comfort for her step-son.

"Don't. Don't any of you say another word to me." Kurt stomped from the kitchen and to his bedroom so he could hide, suddenly ashamed that he'd reacted in the same way as Finn when the necklace had first been presented to him.

"Talk about perfect timing" Burt sighed when the doorbell rang. At this time of the evening, he knew it was Blaine. "Kid."

"Hello, Mr. Hummel. Is Kurt around?"

"He's around alright, but I'm not sure that you'll be seeing him. What the hell are you doing putting a collar on my son?" Burt didn't care if he was being rude or hostile to his son's mate. There were going to be some explanations.

"Really?" Blaine asked. "I gave Kurt a necklace that belonged to my grandmother to show my love for him. What's the problem? Can I see him or should I go home to Westerville?"

"A necklace? That's all it is?" Burt demanded.

"Of course that's all it is Mr. Hummel. I would never disrespect Kurt in that way," Blaine said stiffly.

"Alright kid. I just had to be sure. He's in his room."

Blaine slipped off his shoes before he climbed on the bed and snuggled close to Kurt, who was lying there, clearly upset if his body language gave any indication.

"Staying in your room this much isn't healthy."

"No one gives me crap in my room, Blaine. My own brother thought I'd let you put a collar on me. I can't believe he'd actually say that to me, but you know what hurt the most? Hearing Finn say those things back to me hurt because I said them to you. I'm so sorry Blaine. I should've known better. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"Kurt, I know you didn't mean what you said to me. I know it was all overwhelming at the time and we've been able to move past it."

"But they should have known. They're my family and they completely disregarded who I was. They were only seeing a collar that doesn't even exist."

"I'm sorry honey. Is there anything I can do to make it better?" Blaine would give the sun and the moon to make Kurt smile again. He was so hurt on Kurt's behalf.

"Just be here with me, please." Kurt asked.

"I will be here as long as you want me to be here." Blaine tightened his arms around Kurt and began to hum a beautiful melody. It wasn't long before Kurt relaxed and drifted off to sleep. Blaine slipped out of bed and went upstairs. His mate had a tendency to nap when he was upset. He was pleased to find Finn outside because he didn't want their conversation to wake up Kurt.

"Hey man."

"Don't hey man me Finn Hudson! You really hurt your brother by making those distasteful comments about his necklace. That's similar to what Karofsky said to him."

"I didn't know. I've never seen anything like that before."

"Oh really? No one gives gifts to potential mates in your pack? You've never given Rachel a gift?" Blaine demanded.

"It's not the same." Finn blustered.

"How is it not the same? Is it because of Kurt's blue eyes? Do you only think of him as a breeder? Or is it just because we're gay Finn? Please explain to me exactly how it's different?" Blaine spat.

"You're putting words in my mouth!" Finn floundered.

"Am I? Did you ever hear of thinking before you speak or asking him what it was instead of jumping to conclusions?"

"Hey, dude. Kurt is the one who wigged out on us and didn't explain anything. We were caught off guard."

"Kurt doesn't have to tell you anything, Finn. He's not required to share everything with you. Did you ever think it was a private thing between the two of us? Of course you didn't."

"I've never seen a collar on a dude expect for in porn. Never expected to see someone like Kurt wearing one. It was just weird."

"Do you think so little of your brother that he'd wear a collar and so little of me that I would need to put a collar on him? Do you think I would treat him like I owned him?" Blaine was angry.

"Your pack is pretty traditional, so it's not a stretch to think that way." Finn tried to excuse his actions.

"Oh my god. Kurt was right. People really are stupid."

"What did you say to me?" Finn snarled.

"Hey, hey, hey. There will be no throwing down in my backyard." Burt intervened before the two of them started tearing each other up. "Finn, when Kurt gets up, you will apologize to him."

"Finn's not the only one who needs to apologize to Kurt."

"I don't think I heard my ears right." Burt looked at Blaine.

"I get why Kurt is so skittish and so skeptical when people try to be nice to him because he's treated like this by his own family. I thought you would all be supportive to him."

"Hey, kid. You're the one who put a collar on him. Do you seriously think the boys at Dalton are going to see it as a necklace? Because where I'm standing, that's not what it looks like," Burt said.

"And from where I'm standing, you're wrong," Kurt's icy voice cut across the darkening night sky. "It's not a collar and I'm tired of everyone saying it is. Do you think I'd really let him put a collar on me? How dare you imply that Blaine would do that to me!"

"Kurt…"

"No. Blaine and I are going out and we'll be back later." Kurt said.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Burt said.

"Don't use that tone of voice on me, Daddy." Kurt looked at his father. "Use it again and I won't be coming back home at all."

"Are we going to do this, Kurt?"

"Only if you force it, Dad. I've accepted Blaine and this arrangement and I know I can be happy with him. You are the one who initiated this whole thing, now you have to learn to deal with the consequences of that," Kurt said taking Blaine's hand and stalking out of the house. Burt watched him go wondering exactly when his baby boy had grown up.

In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, Kurt and Blaine continued to spend as much time with each other as Blaine's duties as Alpha in Training and Kurt's planning of the mating allowed. Now that Kurt had accepted the mating and allowed himself to really get to know Blaine, Kurt found himself completely unable to resist the other boy. Blaine was everything Kurt had dreamed of finding for himself. He was charming and intelligent and thoughtful and so sexy he made Kurt's mouth water. This was probably how Kurt had allowed himself to be talked into the position he was currently in… on Dalton's grounds in a private parking lot that was used by the students anytime they wanted to be away from the prying eyes of professors and parents. While this covered a whole range of activities, such as the planning for the infamous panty raid against Crawford which was spearheaded by Wes, most frequently the lot was used by young couples in the pack when they wanted a little alone time.

Kurt didn't know all of that however, nor did he care. He was too busy being melted into a puddle of goo by the searing kisses Blaine was delivering.

As Blaine moved from his lips down his neck, Kurt couldn't stop the breathy moan that escaped him. Blaine smirked and grew bolder, his hand sliding to the buttons on Kurt's shirt. Kurt didn't even consider resisting as Blaine slowly and quite deftly unbuttoned them all and let his hands glide over Kurt's firm stomach. Kurt let out another low moan of pleasure as Blaine's hand moved around his back and down to his ass. Who knew how far things would've gone if Blaine hadn't had to stop kissing him to attempt to unbuckle the intricate belt Kurt was wearing. Kurt's brain suddenly kicked back in gear and he pulled back.

"Blaine," he said breathlessly, feeling entirely too warm and tingly in places he hadn't known could feel quite so good.

"Hmm?" Blaine murmured, having given up on the belt and reattached himself to Kurt's neck.

"Blaine stop," Kurt's voice squeaked a bit high; as he pushed his almost mate away.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Did I go too fast?" Blaine said frowning worriedly. His hair was almost completely free of the gel he normally wore and his lips were slightly swollen from kissing. Kurt had a brief moment of wondering why in the hell he had stopped him before his common sense kicked in. They couldn't do this… not here. They had to wait until after the mating.

"I just… I'm not…" Kurt stuttered. "I'm just not ready to go there yet."

"Ok baby," Blaine said, pulling away and taking deep shuddering breaths as he attempted to control his more animal urges that were begging him not to stop. He pulled Kurt to him carefully re-buttoning his shirt as he brushed gentle kisses against his lips.

"I…I'm sorry," Kurt said, biting his lip.

"Hey… none of that. You have nothing to be sorry for. We will never do anything like this unless we both want it," Blaine reassured him. "My grandfather raised me to be a gentleman."

"Your grandfather? What about your father?" Kurt asked, frowning. He knew Blaine didn't get along well with his father and Wesley had mentioned that his father didn't have much time for him while he was growing up, but he didn't realize that he had actually been raised by his grandfather.

"My mother died in childbirth with me. My father, he's not like yours Kurt. He had… other interests and didn't care to deal with me so Grandfather raised me. I'm a lot more like him than I am Father, much to his disappointment," Blaine responded.

"I wish I could have got to know him," Kurt said. A look of pain flashed through Blaine's golden eyes as he shook his head.

"Me too… he'd have loved you. His death three years ago was just so… unexpected. The healers said it was a heart attack. I miss him every single day there's just this hole in my life where he used to be. He was a great man and our pack was strong and happy… full of life and love. That's when my father became Alpha and everything changed," Blaine said, his lips twisting bitterly. "He's not a nice man Kurt."

"Blaine…" Kurt began only to be interrupted by the other boy.

"Sometimes I think I should have told him no to this alliance. I hate that I'm dragging you into this Kurt, but you have to know things in Westerville aren't as orderly and controlled as they seem to outsiders. Father rules with an iron fist and there are people, a lot of people actually, who he has hurt

to maintain his order. I do what I can for my pack… I'm trying to change things but, I'm not ready to challenge him yet. You can back out of this if you want. I'm not going to force you to go through with the mating if it's too much for you. I should have told you all of this from the beginning. If you do go through with it though, I will protect you Kurt. I promise," Blaine said looking steadily at Kurt to judge his reaction. Kurt's eyes widened as he took in Blaine's words. A look of steely resolution crossed his face as he gazed at the boy across from him.

"Of course we'll go through with it, and when you're ready, I'll do whatever I can to help you, then we'll heal the hurt your father has caused together," he said simply.

Blaine shook his head in wonder.

"You're pretty amazing. Do you know that?" he murmured, pulling Kurt to him and kissing him senseless once more.