"He drifted off almost immediately so I figured it was better to just let him sleep.". Kyle says. "Yeah thanks for texting me." Isaac whispers. Paul's eyes open and he turns to the side smiling sleepily when he sees Isaac standing next to the bed. "What a sight to wake up to." He says gesturing at the two men. "Sorry for passing out on you. Just felt so nice being close to you after so long." Paul says with a yawn as he stretches. "Would you like to stay here for the night or go home?" Kyle asks moving his fingers through Paul hair. Paul says nothing for a moment then reaches out towards Isaac. Isaac takes the humans hand and is gently pulled onto the bed. "Home is right here." Paul says with a sigh as Isaac slips in bed next to him and pulls him against his chest.
"So why Bumblebee? Why not Derek's car or one of the Jeeps?" Kyle asks maneuvering next to Paul on the smallish bed not meant for 3 men. "I don't know." Paul says. "It felt familiar somehow. I'm glad you got another one." "I have not driven it much. Stiles got it for me trying to brighten the mood of the pack but… With you gone. It was just too many memories. To be honest I'm surprised it even started. It's been several months since I drove it the battery must have been nearly dead. I typically just drive Isaac's Jeep." Paul's eyes close as he sighs with contentment. "Missed my boys so…" His breath catches as he winces in pain. Paul jerks upright as his hands fly to his temples. "So loud. So LOUD!" Isaac and Kyle look at each other helplessly attempting to pull Paul's pain away. His mouth drops open to scream but what comes out instead is a relieved exhale of breath. The entire pack pauses just then as Paul's presence explodes across the bond.
"Paul?" Isaac asks touching Paul delicately both on his arm and the bond. Paul takes several deep jagged breaths before opening his eyes. "It was all of you. All at once only…. It was like you were all screaming. I could see and feel so much more than ever before but it was too much. Then….poof...everything died down to normal." The entire pack close their eyes as Paul loves them all vigorously blasting each of them with his love and gratitude. "Easy now." Kyle says with a smile squeezing Paul gently. Don't love us so much you slip into a coma. The frantic sensations from Paul level off as the rest of the pack hold him closely expressing their joy at his return. "Wow." Paul whispers blinking through the tears streaking from his eyes. "You all love me so much."
Kyle pulls Paul on to his lap. The frail man weighing almost nothing. Isaac maneuvers alongside Kyle and the two lean against each other placing Paul across both of their laps. "You know you're most likely always going to have at least one of us at your side right?" Kyle says kissing Paul on the temple. "Fine with me." Paul says closing his eyes as he silently, lovingly strokes them both over the bond. "I'll ask Danny for a larger cubicle at work." Paul chuckles softly.
6 months later
"Fuck!" Paul gasps out as he slowly completes the final pull up before hanging limply from the bar. "You're amazing!" Kyle says stepping off the back porch and walking over to the chin up bar.
Kyle wraps his arms around the still suspended humans waist. Paul lets go of the bar Kyle taking the weight easily. "Hey cute boy." Kyle says walking towards a bench still carrying Paul. Paul laughs sliding down as Kyle loosens his grip until the two are eye to eye. "Hey boy." Paul says back softly with a smile before leaning in and kissing his mate. "Didn't think it was possible for you to be any hotter. But honestly somehow you've pulled it off." Kyle says kissing Paul below his ear as he slowly Strokes his fingers down Paul's once again muscular chest. The familiar sound of Isaac's Wrangler draws their attention and the two look towards the pathway next to the house that leads to the garage. A few moments later Isaac walks into view wearing a suit. "Oh my God." Paul stage whispers. "How is he so hot?" "I know right?" Kyle says with a grin as Isaac approaches. "I've seen him naked a couple times." Paul says cheekily. Isaac rolls his eyes shaking his head as he sits down on the bench next to his mate.
"How did your workout go? You're not pushing too hard are you?" Isaac asks sliding his arm around Paul waist and kissing him on the temple. "You know what they say no pain no gain if something's not hurting you're not doing it right." Paul says with a chuckle. At Isaacs stern look Paul leans into him. "I'm just kidding I'm being careful I promise. How was work?" "It was good. I got the lease negotiations done and met with the general contractor handling the renovations on some of the rent houses." "That sounds good. Are you done for the day?" Paul asks hopefully. "Yep I'm all yours." Isaac says squeezing Paul firmly. "Good. That's...Good." Paul says. At the first whiff of embarrassment Isaac turns and takes Paul's hands in his. "Hey." He says when Paul looks down. "Baby." He says when Paul refuses to look up. "You've come a long way in a short amount of time. You say the word and I'll hand the work off to someone else." "No." Paul says finally looking up. "We need to get back to some semblance of a normal life. That includes me not freaking out when I don't have both of you in my line of sight." Kyle makes a rude noise. "My mate it here, he is in one piece and he loves me. That's all the normal I need. Anything else is just cake." "I love cake." Paul says with a grin as his scent returns to normal.
"How about you?" Isaac asks nudging Paul gently. "How was work." Paul shrugs. "I didn't really do much. Just some remote maintenance on the development environment. It's not a big deal." Kyle bumps Paul's shoe with his and says proudly "Danny said he did more during the 2 hour service window than you'd usually get done in a full day." Paul shrugs his shoulders. "I'm just good at multitasking. A lot of that stuff is hurry up and wait so I just do other things instead of waiting around." Isaac looks at Paul a moment with a content expression. Paul looks up after a few seconds of silence. "I'm waiting for you to say don't push too hard." Isaac smiles leaning over and rubbing his cheek on Paul's neck. "If you expect me to say it I don't need to love."
"Come on dinner should be ready." Kyle says standing and holding a hand out to his boyfriend and mate. The three of them walk the short distance to the kitchen door following the smell of spaghetti cooking.
"I hope Peter is OK." Paul says halfway through dinner glancing at his empty chair. Even though the Enforcer lives on his own he has been a frequent presence in the house since Paul's return. "He's fine, I spoke with him this morning." Derek says cautiously not volunteering anything. "I know what he's doing." Paul says softly looking down at his lap. "It has to be done." Kyle says. "Not if Peter gets hurt!" Paul barks out looking up with tears in his eyes. "You all have already suffered enough because of me!" Feeling his emotions spiraling out of control Paul pushes back from the table "Damn it." He whispers wiping at his eyes. Isaac reaches for his arm but Paul pulls away before he can make contact and rushes out of the kitchen. Both Kyle and Isaac jump up to follow. "Can I?" Derek asks. Kyle and Isaac look at each other uneasily, one or the other never having left their mates side since his rescue. "Yes." Isaac says after several seconds sitting back down looking at his Alpha anxiously.
Derek steps out on to the front porch where Paul is standing with both hands tightly gripping the railing. "I'm sorry." He says looking over his shoulder at Derek. "Sorry for what? That's hardly the first time anyone has raised their voice at that table." The Alpha replies standing next to him in the darkness. Derek places his hand on the back of Paul's neck and squeezes gently. Paul exhales as the tension slowly leaves his shoulders. A gentle tug from Derek has him turning and he's quickly enveloped in his Alpha's arms. "You are getting better, it's just going to take time." Derek says holding his human pack mate firmly. "I worry so much. So much more than makes sense. I'm constantly having to tell myself that Kyle isn't going to die if he leaves my sight. Or that Isaac won't be attacked by hunters when he goes to work. Or that you and Stiles won't be ambushed buying groceries." "A lot about what Peter is out there doing is ensuring that those things don't happen." Derek says softly. "Is he alone?" Paul asks stepping back and resting his weight on the porch railing. "No for this type of thing he typically will have someone he trusts with him." "Is Chris helping?" Paul asks trying in vain to feel Peter on the pack bond. "Information only at this point. Peter won't trust him to do any more. His involvement in your rescue was at my insistence."
Paul shivers as a cool breeze blows across them. "Ready to go back in?" Derek asks gently. "Yeah. Thanks Derek." Paul says hugging his Alpha tightly before walking back inside. "Oh hey." Paul says in surprise when he steps inside and sees Kyle and Isaac loitering near the front door. "We were just on our way upstairs." Kyle says with a cough pointing at the staircase. "Uh huh." Paul says with a grin. "Mind if I join you?" Paul asks. Isaac and Kyle both smile. "Never." Isaac says taking one of Paul's hands. Kyle grins as he takes Paul's other hand and the three climb to the second floor.
Once they are in their bedroom Kyle closes and locks the door. Paul sighs deeply and relaxes even more dropping down onto the small couch in the room he looks contentedly at Isaac and Kyle as they go about their typical nightly routines. Kyle emerges from the closet having removed most of his clothes and sits next to Paul. "I love you in here." He says taking one of Paul's hands in his. "But you don't love me in other rooms?" Paul asks with a chuckle. Kyle grins leaning over and kissing Paul on the cheek. "You are your most relaxed in this room." Isaac says emerging from the restroom and taking his usual place on the other side of Paul. Paul nods his head looking around the room. "Before I was taken I always felt safe in here. I don't really know why. I'm in a house full of werewolves that's warded against anyone who would try to harm us. Being in here though has always made me feel as if nothing could ever happen to me."
"In the lab I would focus on our times here in this room to try and block out what they were doing to me." Kyle and Isaac both frown at the mention of his captivity and lean closer pressing against him. Paul sighs deeply shaking his head looking down at the floor. "What is it?" Kyle asks taking one of Paul's hands in his. "I just wish…..we were so happy before. Everything was perfect. Now it's like what they did to me is always hanging over me. Everybody is always worried am I sleeping enough am I eating enough am I working out too hard. It's like everybody thinks I'm made of glass and is so worried that they will say something that will upset me or trigger some kind of flashback. I desperately want my life back. But I'm honestly starting to think things will never be the way they were."
"I think we will get there eventually. Or at least most of the way there." Kyle says standing. The young wolf stretches languidly for a moment before moving to the closet. He emerges a few moments later fully dressed once again. When Paul and Isaac meet his eyes he continues. "I think first we need Ella's." "Ella's?" Paul and Isaac both ask in unison "Ella's." Kyle confirms turning and walking towards the door. He pauses looking over his shoulder. "Well let's go ladies." Paul and Isaac grin at each other Paul takes Isaac's hand in his and the two follow Kyle out the door.