~Hear Me Cry~

By: Aerys Krystie.

Mates

Five days. It took five days for Jackson's mind to heal enough for him to start trying the doors. He was surprised to find that they were literal doors, just standing in the darkness and somehow illuminated. All had a different color to the wood, each with a knocker that was different from the last. The handles were brass, gold, silver or copper. Each one led somewhere and Jackson wanted to know where they went.

Derek had mentioned nothing about that being part of a werewolf. Jackson was certain it had nothing to do with being a non-existent. He knew for a fact that his mind wasn't anything like that as a kanima. Still, he would walk by some doors and they would disappear from his mind, as though they knew they weren't the one he was searching for.

Frowning, Jackson turned and suddenly the doors flew past him. He found one that was pitch black, the silver knocker was in the mouth of a gargoyle. The silver handle gleamed in the unseen light source. It should worry him, should incite some kind of fear, but he didn't feel it. Before him was just a door. He refused to be cowed by a door.

Taking the handle, Jackson pushed down and the door swung open easily. He stepped through and his eyes widened as he saw thousands, possibly millions of threads before him. They were all white in color, but one was black. He touched it and he whipped through something, until he was looking through someone's eyes.

Whoever he was looking through, they moved silently. The house they were in was dark and silent, but the eyes saw everything, like all the lights were on. The eyes glanced at a large oil painting in the hallway, but they continued on without another look. They moved through a door and saw two sleeping figures in a bed. Something was in the hand, which was raised.

Jackson snapped back to himself with a gasp just as the knife was plunged into the chest of the father. He was on his knees, trembling. He looked up and found that Derek was being restrained by the entire pack, all of them dogpiling him. Jackson shivered, trying to get some warmth through his body and grabbed a tissue, wiping the blood from his eyes.

"Let him up," he said to the others and they fell from Derek, who strode into the room and hugged him tightly. Jackson hated to admit it, but he whimpered quietly as Derek's warmth washed through him. "What has you so scared?"

Derek's arms just tightened around him and Jackson turned them, so he could pose the question to his pack with his eyes. Erica didn't look happy to say anything, while Boyd appeared a little scared. Isaac couldn't stop staring at him.

Peter grinned. "You sang," he said with a shrug. "Derek left you alone, so you could do…whatever it was you did. But then we heard singing. Open the door and it's just you in here, singing. My dear, dear nephew was convinced that you were possessed."

Jackson frowned up at Derek. "Because I was singing?"

"It wasn't your voice," Erica said and shivered. "It was like a little girl's voice."

Jackson winced as something cold moved through him. He rubbed the center of his spine, feeling a slight chill there. "There was a double murder," he said and could definitely feel Derek's surprise. "Not here. I don't…" He glanced at the window and saw that it was bright daylight out there. "It wasn't even on this continent," he finished.

Boyd raised an eyebrow. "Then why does it matter?"

"Because it'll be coming here," Jackson said, unsure if that was true or not. He didn't understand why one thread of millions was black. He could only assume that meant that thread was coming to Beacon Hills, because everything came to Beacon Hills.

The worst part was that he didn't even know what it was. He felt cold, but then he didn't know what that meant. He didn't even know why his early warning system was a cold spot in the middle of his back. That made no sense to him. Still, he had to make sure everyone knew everything.

"It was a kid," Jackson went on and pulled back from Derek. "The kid killed their parents."

"Yeah, because that's not creepy," Peter said, staring at Jackson.

"I don't remember saying it wasn't," Jackson snapped and glared at the old werewolf. "I wasn't there for the whole thing." He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "I need to see Lydia. She knows more about this stuff than any of us."

Jackson grabbed his shoes, pulling them on. He paused when Derek placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll text her first, just so she isn't super bitchy with you," he said and Jackson nodded.

Derek did that and Jackson waited. An hour later, they got a reply and it was to say that she was out with Allison. Jackson growled and forced his wolf back. He kicked his shoes off and sat on the bed, closing his eyes. He thought about what happened.

Singing, they said. He had sung and it sounded like a little girl. He was praying that wasn't a jab at his voice, but he could smell their confusion and the terror on Isaac. If he didn't know any better, he would say hearing a little girl singing terrified the werewolf. Jackson was certain he would feel the same way.

The chill on his spine wasn't strong, which meant that the threat wasn't anywhere near the town. They had weeks, he thought. He didn't know how he knew that, but it felt right. In the upcoming weeks, he would need to figure out what they were dealing with. He didn't know how to do that. What could he search for? Children had been known to murder their parents before.

There was something he had seen. He knew he had seen it, but he couldn't remember what it was. All he could remember was the cold that seemed to be inside him. There was almost like a layer of ice under his skin, practically freezing his throat. He couldn't say anything as he walked towards the parents' room. If the kid was human, how had they seen so well in the dark?

Jackson opened his eyes when Derek stood in front of him. He placed a hand on Derek's hip and pulled him close, kissing beside his navel. He lifted the shirt Derek wore and kissed again, hearing Derek's breath hitch. He raised his eyes and smirked, dropping the shirt.

"Time for me to eat, huh?" Jackson asked as he stood up and stretched his arms above his head. He followed Derek out of the room, grabbing a slice of pizza. He leaned against the counter, eating slowly. "I probably won't come to bed tonight."

Derek silenced the quip Erica was about to say with a look. "What's wrong?"

Jackson frowned, feeling Derek's hurt. "Nothing is wrong. We've got a threat that'll be arriving shortly. It feels about three weeks away. And that really isn't a lot of time to research every supernatural creature that exists." He grabbed another slice and gazed at Derek. "You could help," he added with a shrug. "I could even use Stiles for this one."

Jealousy flashed through Derek as he glared at his pizza. Jackson closed his eyes and hung his head. He really needed to talk to Derek about that. Every time he mentioned spending time with Stiles, the only one that could explain anything to him, had Derek's jealousy up to an eleven. He didn't understand it. He felt nothing when Derek saw Scott or…actually, it was just Scott and Stiles.

Shaking his head, Jackson finished his slice and grabbed another. He left the loft and headed down to the room that held the materials he needed. He finished eating and licked his fingers clean, glancing up when Peter joined him. He knew what the question would be and he wasn't sure he had an answer for it.

"What are we searching for?"

Jackson was right. He didn't have an answer. "I don't know," he said and grabbed a book. "All I know is that it was cold."

For the next few hours, Jackson and Peter go through as many books as they possibly can, marking pages that mention cold, ice and frost. Jackson couldn't believe how many supernatural creatures have that as their calling card, but he still wasn't dissuaded from searching. Though, he could think of a hundred other ways to spend a Saturday night.

After training, Derek joined them and Jackson just shoved a pile of books towards him. He needed those re-read so he could either keep or sort them. Derek said nothing as he began reading through the books, asking what they were looking for. Peter gave the answer and Jackson stared into space, trying to understand if he was missing something. Cold was such a simple thing. Too many creatures had cold associated with them. It would take them months to get through all the books and creatures.

"Fuck!" Jackson shouted and got off the table he was sitting on. "I'm going for run."

Derek stood, as though he was about to follow, but sat down again at the glare on Jackson's face. "Be safe," he said and Jackson nodded.

Leaving the loft, Jackson started a quick jog around the area. He ignored all the sights, sounds and smells that assaulted his senses. He just wanted to clear his head and think – think about what could make a child murder their parents. His mind instantly jumped to a demon. He'd read in one of the books that a demon could possess someone. There was contradictory information, though. Some said that a demon was one of few supernatural creatures that could raise the temperature, rather than lower it. At least one said that demon's made the area around it freezing.

It's not demons, Jackson told himself. He wanted to act as though he could rule something out. He knew he couldn't properly rule out a demon, though. If there was one that could make the area around it freeze, it was worth looking into. That wasn't a good thing, though. Jackson had seen a massive book on demons and he wasn't looking forward to wasting a week just reading that.

The need to close his eyes took over and he did so, instant regret on him. He saw the knife plunge into the chest of the father. There was no reaction from the child doing it. The knife just went down again, up and down like some kind of messed up teeter-totter.

Forcing his eyes open, Jackson returned to the loft. He took his seat on the table, ignoring that he was sweating and panting. He just wanted to find something promising. He needed to prevent a family in Beacon Hills from feeling the loss. He didn't want another child to grow up without parents, especially if they were responsible for it.

Jackson dropped the book he held and pressed his hands to his eyes, trying to push away the image. He jumped when he felt hot hands on his wrists and stared at Derek. Clenching his jaw, Jackson glared at the floor. He didn't need comfort for something that was out of his control and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to cry.

Pulling his wrists free, Jackson knelt on the table and wrapped his arms around Derek's neck. "I don't want to see it," he whispered. "But I can't unsee it."

Derek held Jackson tightly and the beta melted into the embrace. "I know," he said, kissing the side of Jackson's head. "It'll be all right, once we find what we're dealing with."

Jackson sighed softly and pulled back, staring down at his lap. "I don't know if we can, Derek. I don't even know what we're dealing with. There's a literal fuck ton of supernatural beasties that have cold, ice or frost as their calling card."

He looked up and he must have looked pitiful, because Derek held his face. "We'll find it, Jackson. Your stubbornness alone should be enough."

Jackson smiled and pulled his head free. "I think you're confusing me with Stiles," he said.

Derek's thumb ran along Jackson's lower lip. "I like it when you smile."

Jackson laughed when Derek blushed and stepped back, head lowered. He slipped off the table gracefully and tucked his head under Derek's chin. "You're adorable," he said teasingly, not surprised when Derek growled.

There was a third heartbeat and Jackson turned, keeping as much of his body as possible pressed to Derek's. Stiles stood there, head lowered, like he had just walked in on something. Jackson said nothing, but pulled away and handed a book to the human. He wanted to spend the rest of the day staring at Derek, just so when he closed his eyes, he'd see his mate's face instead of a murder.

Derek entered the room and Jackson didn't glance at him. He was in complete non-existent mode, scanning words in the books and filing away the information. He hadn't joined the others for dinner or breakfast and made sure he didn't need to sleep.

Anger flashed through him and Jackson blinked, shaking his head. He looked over at the doorway and found Derek glaring at him, as though he'd done something wrong. Suddenly, the lack of sleep hit him like a freight train and he groaned, slipping off the table. He knew Derek would be angry with him, but he just wanted results and answers.

Stiles was still passed out on the floor, surrounded by books he had gone through. Jackson lowered his head when Derek's glare somehow grew more intense. He sighed quietly and tilted his head back. Derek was on him in an instant, teeth scraping the flesh and Jackson's eyes fluttered.

"You know I don't like it," Derek murmured into the flesh of Jackson's throat.

"I also don't like that some murdering…thing is coming to our town, either." Jackson waited until Derek pulled away and grabbed the notebook. "I was able to get through most of the books and most of them had nothing I was looking for. There was one that showed some promise."

After checking his notes, Jackson hunted for the book. It was one of the first he read and he found the box, dedicated to cursed objects. He grabbed the book and turned to the page, handing it to Derek. The alpha frowned for a moment, but took the book and read the section Jackson had opened it to.

"You think we're dealing with a haunted object?" Derek asked as he lowered the book.

Jackson nodded and grabbed the book Stiles was holding. The human mumbled and turned over. "It's the same in here, too. Some souls can haunt an object," he said as he handed the book to Derek. He moved around the table, grabbing another. "This one says that if a spirit is angry enough, it can possess someone to do their bidding."

Derek frowned as Jackson moved around, grabbing books, handing them to him. "Jackson, calm down. You're as bad as Stiles at the moment." Jackson stopped and glared. "What makes you think it's a haunted object?"

"It makes the most sense, to begin with." Jackson turned and sifted through the box for haunted items. "You see, when I was doing…whatever it is I do, I saw a painting."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "You saw a painting?" Jackson nodded enthusiastically. "In someone's home? You saw a painting, in someone's home?"

"That's not the crazy part," Jackson said and grabbed a book. He flipped through the pages and slammed it down on the table. Stiles woke with a snort. "This is the painting I saw."

While Derek looked at the picture in the book, Jackson grabbed another, freezing when Derek snarled. He turned around, the anger was back in Derek's eyes that glowed red. He didn't know what he had done wrong. He told Derek that he would be staying up late and wouldn't be in bed that night.

Unfortunately, Jackson knew he was a little bit like Stiles. Once he had questions, he didn't stop until they were answered. He needed to know what was coming to Beacon Hills and how to destroy it. Until he read a certain book, he didn't even know that spirits could be forced to move on.

"It's been three days," Derek said, dropping the books he held.

"Oh." It was all Jackson could say. "And you were checking up on—"

"I was checking on you because you missed meals," Derek snapped. "You didn't even notice when Stiles left. I figured, let him have this. He's trying to do something good for the town. But then you went full non-existent!"

Jackson lowered his head, pushing down the guilt and sadness. He let Derek's anger washed through him and stay. "It got results, didn't it?" he asked and looked up. "We know what we're dealing with and how to get rid of it. You will not make me feel guilty about doing something good!"

"That isn't it, Jackson." Derek's hands became fists, his claws digging into his flesh. "I'm glad you want to help and protect the town," he went on. His calmness was forced, even Stiles could see that. The bright red eyes probably didn't help. "But you don't just go non-existent without telling me!"

Jackson went to fight back, but stopped and nodded. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think."

"Aww, that's adorable," Stiles said as Derek hugged Jackson tightly, nuzzling his ear. "But could you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep." He laid down and opened a book, placing it over his shoulder like a blanket.

Jackson slumped against Derek, the last three days catching up to him. He wanted to tell Derek everything he had learned, but when Derek picked him up, he just wrapped his legs around his waist. He was carried out of the room and to the loft, placed gently on the bed.

"Derek." The alpha stopped and looked back. "I am, you know." Derek frowned. "Sorry. I really didn't mean for it to happen."

"I know, Jackson. That's the problem. You just did it without thinking. Don't let that state of being be the one you default to. Get some sleep. You look like shit."

"Fuck you," Jackson muttered and pulled the covers up. "I left my notes down there," he said as Derek went for the loft door. "And take a blanket and pillow down for Stiles. And if you wake him, there will be hell."

Jackson smirked as Derek muttered under his breath, but did as he was told. If Derek was like that after just a scenting, he wondered how whipped both of them would be after they were actually mated.

When Jackson woke, he was alone in the loft. His heart was thudding in his chest and he wasn't entirely sure if it was from fear or lust. Closing his eyes, Jackson panted and tried to think of something else, aside from the dream. He needed to calm down before Derek ran up there and demanded to know what was wrong.

Sitting up, Jackson ran his hands through his hair. It had started out as a nice dream, Derek's hands and mouth on his skin, but then it became a nightmare. Blood everywhere and a knife in the hand of a child, standing over their bed. She was young, probably no older than eight. Her blue eyes were cold and filled with so much hate that it hurt to be around her.

A shiver ran down his spine as Derek sent comfort to him and ignited more of the lust in his system. He stared at the door to the bedroom, counting down. Five…four…three…two… There he was. Derek's eyes were dark and Jackson didn't know if he wanted to do anything about it. His mind was still on the little girl that could possess people to murder. He definitely knew that Derek didn't like him thinking about anything else, aside from Derek, when they were intimate.

"No," Jackson said as Derek prowled up the bed, pulling his legs straight. "I might be horny, but my mind is definitely elsewhere."

Derek tore the covers from Jackson's body. "I could put your mind on me."

Jackson cocked an eyebrow and slipped his hands under the pillow. "Okay. Give it a shot. But just so you know, I'm thinking about a murderous little girl that possesses people to do her bidding," he said and Derek sighed.

"That just killed me," Derek muttered, but didn't move. "We need to complete the mating ritual."

"I know." Jackson looked at the window, judging it to be early afternoon. "How about tomorrow, we send the kids and Uncle Peter off, so we can enjoy ourselves?"

Derek lowered his body over Jackson's, kissing him gently. "Think you can get a murderous little girl from your mind long enough?"

Jackson grinned and changed their position. He nuzzled at Derek's throat. "Tomorrow, I plan to have nothing but you on my mind." He smiled as Derek tilted his head back and ran his tongue along the skin. He pulled back, sitting on Derek's thighs. "How's Stiles?"

"I sent him home about an hour ago." Derek placed a hand behind his head, the other running up Jackson's thigh. "He wasn't needed, thanks to your notes."

Jackson moved up Derek's body, giving him better reach of his torso. He inhaled through his teeth as Derek's hand slipped under his shirt. "Then you know what we need to do?"

Derek grazed his nails over the scar on Jackson's side. "About which thing? The possessed painting or…the fun thing tomorrow?"

Jackson froze and lowered his eyes, biting his lower lip. "Both?" he offered, knowing that Derek would hear the lie if he said the mating.

Derek pulled his hand back and glared. "You forgot already?" He shook his head and moved Jackson to the side, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Don't worry about tomorrow."

Jackson knelt behind Derek, reaching to place a hand on his shoulder. "Derek," he said quietly. He stopped when Derek gave a low growl. It was a warning.

"You have no idea how hard it is," Derek said, his head dropping. "Every time I'm in the same room as you, I just want to claim you."

"I'm sorry," Jackson said, keeping his eyes on the bed. "You might be used to all this stuff, but I'm—"

"Do you have any fucking idea how it feels to be second-best to dead people?" Derek demanded, glaring over his shoulder. "Our first kiss, you're thinking about a murdered girl. And now, I can't get your attention for one goddamn hour, because of a ghost girl!"

"No, I don't know how it feels," Jackson said, keeping his eyes down. The last thing he wanted to do was anger his alpha further. "I'll be yours entirely tomorrow."

Derek sighed and gave a humorless laugh. "No, you won't. You'll forget or go non-existent again." He shook his head. "Get out."

Jackson winced. Usually, his chest felt like it was constricting around his heart. Now, it felt as though it was being crushed. "Derek…"

"Get out," Derek snapped.

"Okay." Jackson slipped off the bed and pulled on his shoes, leaving the bedroom. He left the loft quickly, not sure which one he was meant to leave.

Jackson made his way to the center of town. He wasn't sure where he was going, but as he moved, he realized. He was going home. He swallowed, trying to move the lump in his throat as he went up to the front door and knocked on it.

The door opened and David stood there, his eyes widening when he saw Jackson. He got over his shock quickly and pulled him inside, hugging him tightly. Jackson closed his eyes, enjoying the fatherly embrace. His mother came out, wanting to see who it was and she gasped, running over to him.

"Mom!" Jackson choked out and hugged her. When he felt her arms around him, he broke down and cried on her shoulder.

"I'll make some tea," David said quietly.

"Come to the living room, sweetheart," his mom coaxed gently, not letting up on the hug. "What happened, Jackson?"

Jackson just sobbed as his mother petted his hair, handing him tissues every so often. He wasn't even sure why he was crying. The rejection of Derek wasn't that bad. He'd received worse from Lydia when they were dating. This one just felt far more personal and powerful.

Once he had finished wailing like a child with a skinned knee, Jackson pulled back. He blew his nose and wiped his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said and sipped his cold tea. "I didn't know where else to go."

"Derek hasn't kicked you out of the pack, has he?" David asked, staring at his son's red eyes. Jackson shook his head. "He didn't reject you as his mate, did he?"

"How…how do you know about that?" Jackson asked with a frown.

"His uncle explained it to us, last month, I think." David thought back and nodded. "Around then. Said you were doing much better. That you and Derek were getting much closer."

"And you are doing so much better," his mother said, brushing a stray tear from his cheek. "I've missed you, sweetheart." She hugged him again. "But what did happen?"

"It's a crazy story. Basically, I've been a little preoccupied with some stuff going on. Derek wants to complete the bond, but I can't seem to…" Jackson bit his lower lip and his father nodded. "I made plans to complete it tomorrow and forgot about it, about a minute later."

"Oh, sweetheart," his mother said, her emotions controlled. "You should never let something take all your attention. Derek seems like such a nice boy. Not as nice as Danny, though."

Jackson laughed, more tears trickling from his eyes. "I love Danny, Mom. But I don't love him. I wasn't even aware that I loved Derek until this morning."

"You stay here for as long as you want or need, Jackson," his father said as Jackson finished his tea. "As long as we don't find you doing more tests on yourself."

Jackson looked up and shook his head. "They've all been done." He sniffed and wiped his eyes again. "I am sorry you both had to see that, though. That was very callous of me."

"We knew something was wrong for a while, Jackson," his mother said, running her fingers through his hair. "We just didn't know what to do. We're glad that you're getting better, though."

"Are you eating yet?" his father asked and Jackson nodded. "We can have Italian tonight, then. I've been dying for vegetarian lasagna."

Jackson smiled, nodding again. He was also looking forward to it.

That night, Jackson laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling. His room hadn't changed at all. He made sure the windows were closed, before he undressed and showered. Nothing had changed. His parents seemed to forget that he had cut off body parts in front of them, though he did notice the change of countertops in the kitchen.

His parents had gone to bed two hours ago and Jackson rolled over, curling into himself. He tried to ignore the lonely feeling. He felt hollow inside and he wasn't sure if that was because he was away from his pack or his mate or both. He just wanted to get back to the loft and… He didn't know what to do. All he knew was that he had to wait for Derek to calm down.

Jackson fell asleep, cold and alone.

A knock on his bedroom door roused him from an uneasy slumber. Rolling over, Jackson frowned and tried to understand what woke him. The knock sounded again and he called out, hearing his mother's voice telling him that breakfast was ready. Jackson yawned and stretched, before he went about his daily routine of becoming a well-groomed werewolf in disguise.

Breakfast is done and he went upstairs, while his parents went to work. He looked into the painting, remembering the name. He heard the heartbeat and glanced at his window, seeing Isaac there. The lanky werewolf smiled and slipped into the bedroom.

"What happened? Derek took us down for training and…"

Jackson's eyes widened when he saw the still healing bruises on Isaac's neck and face. He snarled and slammed his laptop screen down. He lifted Isaac's shirt and saw scratches. Blood running cold, Jackson left his room and ran to the loft, Isaac barely a step behind him.

"It's okay, Jackson," Isaac said as they rounded corner after corner.

Jackson ignored Isaac's words, pushing his legs harder. His parents woke up earlier than the pack did, which meant that Derek should still be eating breakfast. He ran up the stairs and shoved the door off its rollers, eyes blazing blue as they landed on Derek.

"You," Jackson snarled, stepping into the loft.

Eyes red and alpha out, Derek stood and glared at Jackson. "I didn't give you permission to return," he snapped and Jackson growled. "Don't push me, Jackson."

"Oh, you mean like how you pushed your betas yesterday?" Jackson grabbed Isaac and pulled him into the loft. He raised the shirt. "You couldn't get your dick wet, so you took it out on our pack?" he demanded.

"Don't you lecture me on my pack," Derek growled. His eyes went to Isaac, who stepped back.

Jackson stormed up to Derek and slapped him. Actually slapped him. "Don't you take it out on our pack," he warned, eyes narrowing. "You want to kick the shit out of someone? Kick the shit out of me! Come on, alpha." He made sure he spat the last word out like it was cheap whiskey.

"Jackson," Erica said quietly, slowly standing and clearly favoring her right leg. "It's fine. He'll kill you."

"I'd like to see him try," Jackson said. "Come on, Hale. You scared to take on your weakest beta?"

Jackson frowned as Derek reined in his wolf and did the same. Derek grabbed his shoulder and shoved him past the threshold. "Don't come back until I say you can."

Looking over his shoulder, Jackson frowned as the betas shook their heads. He lowered his eyes and left the building. They were clearly strong enough to handle whatever Derek threw at them, though he knew Isaac was about to be punished for seeing him. It was just another thing for his atonement book.

It was a month before Derek sought out Jackson, who had put Danny's tips to use when it came to hacking. He was able to keep an eye on all shipments arriving in Beacon Hills for the next week. He wanted to make sure the painting didn't slip past. He definitely wouldn't forgive himself if that managed to get by him.

Stepping out of his en suite with a towel around his hips, Jackson froze at the second heartbeat. He growled and went to his closet, ignoring Derek entirely. He grabbed his clothes and returned to the en suite, dressing in there. The idea of giving the alpha a show did cross his mind, but he wasn't going to give the prick the satisfaction.

Dressed, Jackson left the bathroom again and sat at his laptop, checking the shipping manifests. When he saw that the painting wasn't in any of them, he finally turned to Derek and gazed at him blankly. "What the fuck do you want?"

"You said we had weeks before that painting arrived here," Derek said, eyes flashing red.

"Yeah, I did. I've been handling it. You can go away now." Jackson swiveled the chair, double-checking the shipping manifest.

The painting should be in Beacon Hills transportation depot by tomorrow morning. With only two security guards doing the rounds, there should be plenty of time to sneak in and get the painting before he was noticed. He could then salt and burn it, providing there was no other link he was missing.

Jackson gasped as his chair was spun around. "Why are you still here?" he asked and shoved Derek back.

"I'm extending an olive branch for you to come home."

Jackson winced as his wolf practically clawed at him to get into his alpha's arms. "Fuck off," he said and spun around. "I've kinda gotten used to the pain." He chuckled dryly. "I wonder why I ever let myself trust anyone."

"Don't start, Jackson."

Jackson's eyes widened and he spun around, punching Derek across the jaw. While the alpha picked himself up, Jackson glared down at him. "Go to hell. I opened myself up to you and the pack. What did I get? You throwing me out of the loft and stopping the pack from seeing me! I denoun—"

Derek slapped a hand over Jackson's mouth. "Don't. If you denounce me, I cannot take you back. And don't do anything while you're angry. Please, come home."

Jackson pulled his mouth free. "I am home."

"Can I at least explain why I left you alone for a month?" Derek asked as he stepped back.

Jackson sat down and shrugged. "Go ahead. I won't be listening, though." He spun around and checked the schedules for the guards.

"I was about to rape you," Derek said and Jackson's hands froze. He turned around and stared at Derek. "I thought that would get your attention." Derek sighed softly and sat on the bed. "I know you're all about helping people, especially now that it's become part of your role, but the longer we went without being…"

Jackson frowned as Derek was practically blushing. "Without being intimate with each other," he filled in with a roll of his eyes, pulling a foot onto the edge of the chair, swinging side to side lazily. "I'm sorry. I didn't feel the need as bad as you did."

"That's why I sent you away. That's why I didn't want the pack near you. They'd bring your scent home with them and it would make me lose my damn mind." Derek glared at the floor.

Jackson tilted his head. "You could've said something, instead of just telling me to get out. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? I…I actually came home and cried on my mother's fucking shoulder, thinking I'd been the worst mate in the world!"

"Jackson?" His mother walked in and jumped, seeing Derek on the bed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were yelling at your reflection again."

Jackson closed his eyes and heard Derek standing. "What?"

"I'm not sure I should say. I think I've said too much already," his mother said and Jackson just nodded at her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. You're free to stay for dinner, Derek."

"Thank you, Missus Whittemore. I just might." The door closed and Jackson sighed, knowing Derek was directly in front of him. "What did she mean?"

Jackson opened his eyes, staring at Derek blankly. "I just told you. I thought I was the worst mate in the world. I made sure to remind myself of it, every single time I saw my reflection."

Derek's eyes softened and Jackson felt himself melting internally. The moment Derek's fingers brushed over his cheek, he looked away. "You're not the worst mate in the world," Derek said gently, pressing his lips to Jackson's throat. "I am."

"You're not that bad," Jackson said, wishing he could still be angry. He knew they were both a little messed up. "I'm sorry."

Derek nuzzled his way under Jackson's chin and stayed there. "Don't be. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"So why aren't you?" Jackson frowned and tilted his head. "Derek? Do you even know how to apologize?"

"I'm sorry," Derek finally said. "I really didn't want to hurt you."

Jackson remained silent, staring ahead. "How is our pack?" he asked after a few minutes of their heartbeats filling the silence.

"Missing you. Apparently, Peter can't make French toast worth a damn." Derek pulled back and stared at Jackson. "Oddly enough, Erica was the one that missed you the most. I thought for sure it would be Isaac."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "She just wants to kick my ass again," he said with a smile. He glanced at his laptop and closed it. "Show me how much you missed me."

Derek stepped back and frowned. "What?"

Jackson stood up and pushed Derek back, smirking when he fell onto the bed. He pulled his shirt off and slipped his hands under Derek's, feeling as though all those lonely nights were banished from his system. "I said," he murmured, raising the shirt and kissing beside the navel. "Show me how much you missed me."

Derek glanced at the door and Jackson felt his anxiety. Rolling his eyes, he got up and locked his bedroom door. "And the noise?" Derek asked, his heart racing.

"Are you fucking serious?" Jackson shook his head and grabbed a pillow. "They're human. If you do manage to make me scream, I can scream into this. How's that?"

"Isn't this a little rushed?"

"Really?" Jackson inhaled deeply, trying to control his anger. "I've gone a month without you, your touches, your scent or even your emotions. You have no idea how close I was to becoming non-existent again." He sighed and lowered his eyes. "My parents actually had to ask me to stop touching them."

"I'm sorry, Jackson. But rushing into the mating…it isn't something I want to do."

Jackson closed his eyes, counting to ten. When he opened them, he grabbed Derek's jaw and glared into his eyes. "That painting arrives at two tomorrow morning. And that's going to be my sole focus for most of the night. So, we can either do it now, while we have a few hours to enjoy each other, or you have to rape me when it becomes too much for you again."

"And dinner?"

"Can be reheated."

Derek glanced at the door, still seeming undecided. Jackson moved up his body, nuzzling his throat. A small noise of content left Derek's mouth and Jackson placed soft kisses along his jaw, nipping under his ear. Moving across his face, Jackson kissed Derek gently, realizing that he had really missed the feel of Derek's lips.

Jackson pulled back slightly and moved Derek's shirt, smiling when it was pulled off. His hands ghosted over Derek's torso, Jackson grinning when Derek arched up, knowing that, despite it being rushed, they wanted it. A hand moved between Derek's denim clad thighs, gently massaging the rapidly growing bulge.

There was a soft sound and Jackson looked up, finding Derek watching him. Derek's legs moved and Jackson heard his boots hitting the floor as he undid the belt. Jackson popped the button and pulled down the zipper, going to Derek's waist and running his tongue around the skin. He bit the flesh and Derek gasped, glancing at the door for a moment. Jackson licked the teeth marks, watching them disappear.

Derek raised his hips and Jackson pulled the jeans and briefs off, letting them fall somewhere on the floor. His wolf whined and yearned to pleasure its mate. Jackson tilted his head slightly, gazing at the leg that was Derek's cock. He ran his fingertips down the underside lightly, watching the way it twitched, demanding more contact.

Lowering his head, Jackson ran his tongue along the veins. "Jackson," Derek growled and the beta looked up, cocking an eyebrow. "Don't force your—"

"Derek," Jackson said, a cocky smile on his face. "My ass might be a virgin, but my mouth is not."

Derek's eyes widened in surprise and Jackson easily took the head of his cock into his mouth. The surprise vanished and a low growl sounded through the room. Jackson kept his eyes on Derek's, loving the way the eyes kept flashing red. His tongue molded to the underside of the rather large cock and his throat opened easily. He had learned that, just to tease Danny when he claimed Jackson wasn't his type.

While he had never done it on an actual dick before, Derek seemed to really appreciate him learning that. Jackson could feel his own cock straining against his jeans. While he had never been penetrated, he could feel his ass begging for that cock and Jackson wasn't sure if it was because Derek was his mate or something else.

A gentle tug on his hair made Jackson lift it, frowning at Derek. He was definitely enjoying giving his mate oral pleasure, but Derek sat up and attached his mouth to Jackson's throat. Head falling back, Jackson bit his lower lip as Derek's tongue, teeth and lips worked the pale flesh. The hand sliding down his body was hot and calloused, making him arch into the touch. Everything Derek did was perfect.

Derek laid Jackson on the bed, both pausing when footsteps approached his door. "Not now. We're busy," Jackson yelled and the footsteps retreated.

Chuckling, Derek placed hot kisses down Jackson's torso. He pulled back, gazing at the scars, before he leaned down and kissed the exit scar of the arrow. Jackson gasped quietly, Derek's hand between his legs and thumb running along his straining cock, making him shudder.

His jeans were undone and removed from his body. Derek's hand slid under the thigh of his left leg, running along the scars from the alpha. Jackson exhaled sharply as Derek's nails ran across them, as though making sure they were still there. Jackson wasn't going to lose the scars, he didn't want to. He needed them as a reminder of how far down he sank and how far up he had to fight and claw.

The leg was lowered slowly and Derek's tongue was on his cock, making Jackson bite his lower lip. He couldn't look away from Derek's eyes, could stop seeing the pleasure he received from pleasing his mate. Jackson assumed he had the same twinkle in his own eyes when he made Derek feel good.

Jackson's hand found Derek's hair as his dick was swallowed. He breathed Derek's name shakily, not wanting to blow his load like a virgin in the backseat of a car on a first date. Derek pulled back and licked his way up Jackson's torso, the tongue like fire. He raised his right leg, resting it against Derek's waist. The kiss was gentle, the taste of each other on the other's tongue as it was deepened and Derek pushed into Jackson slowly.

The werewolf healing kicked in and Jackson bit his lower lip, lowering his eyes as the first pain was just a bit too much for him. As it was his alpha, the sting hung around a little longer, but Derek was more than happy to be seated and wait. Jackson gripped the powerful shoulders, breathing heavily and taking in Derek's scent. A final push and Jackson's back arched, his claws burying into Derek's shoulders.

There was no pain. His mind was focused solely on being like this every minute of every day, connected and fulfilled by his mate. Derek's mouth was hot on his throat and jaw and Jackson forced his body to relax. While that initial fit was mind-blowing, he knew the rest would be, as well.

The movements were fluid and Jackson stared at Derek, their eyes creating that bond. Derek's red and Jackson's blue as their wolves met and rolled with each other, whining and loving. Derek's hand cupped his cheek, his eyes like a laser on Jackson's, as though he was terrified he'd miss something.

Jackson couldn't turn from those eyes. The eyes that had haunted him for so long. At one stage, the same bright blue of his own and now the red of the alpha. Those eyes that had searched his soul and left him wanting. Now, they searched him and left him needing. Needing everything from the gentle touches, to the light kisses, to the scent of his mate surrounding him.

The movements of Derek in him had him shuddering, leaning into the hand that held his face. The bond built and Jackson could feel something wrap around him, held him tight. It was possessive and demanding, but gentle and loving. The warmth ignited him, but the touches cooled him. The feel of Derek so deep in him, pleasuring him in ways he didn't think imaginable actually made him want to cry with joy.

There was a snap and the movements became almost frenzied. The need to claim and be claimed. The wolves tangled together, the pressure for release. The tender gleam was still in their eyes, both breathing heavily. Eyes sparkled brighter than possible, claws grew and fangs were descending as the climax reached its summit.

Jackson reached up, burying his fangs into Derek's neck. The moment the alpha's blood spilled over his tongue, his scream muffled by the skin in his mouth, he came hard. The same bite on his neck had Derek joining him, seconds later. They collapsed, exhausted and sated for the moment.

Removing his fangs, Jackson frowned as he saw the scars left behind. His visual claim on Derek. He knew he would be sporting the same scars, on his right side. He would be Derek's right hand until one or both of them died.

Jackson smiled and ran his hands through Derek's hair as the alpha shuddered, removing his cock from his mate. The painting flitted through his mind, but he cast it aside, enjoying Derek's weight on him, the fast breathing and the way Derek's fingers ghosted over his throat.

"Mine," he breathed into Derek's ear, a gentle moan greeting him.

"Yes."

End Chapter.

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