"Paul!" Scott yells rushing down the stairs. He crouches down next to the human. "Hey." Paul says turning over and sitting up. "I guess I tripped." Paul looks around then up at Scott. "Hey Scotty." He says with a big grin. "You OK?" Scott asks running his fingers over Paul's scalp looking for a bump. "Yeah I'm fine. Just clumsy." Paul says. Scott and Paul's eyes meet. Scott feels a wave of interest from Paul at the same time heat flows up his spine. His own unexpected interest nearly spiraling out of control as his wolf takes notice. Paul places his hand on Scott's bare chest and they both lean in slightly before stopping. "Scott…"Paul says as they both jerk back. "I.." Scott says. "I wasn't…" Paul hurriedly says. He brings a hand up to his chest and lays it over the pendant of his necklace. Looking around worriedly. "I don't understand." Paul whispers. "Please don't tell anyone." Paul jerks to his feet and races up the stairs dodging Scott's out stretched hand.
"Our first solid connection and you try and have him do something 100% against his nature?" Milton says with disgust standing and storming around the basement. "I wanted to see how strong the connection was." Rebeca says with a grin. "It was really strong." "Yes it was." Milton replies. "Until you tried to force two people with very strong romantic ties to other people to fuck on the stairs! If you're not going to take this seriously….." "I." Rebeca says strongly standing from where she'd been crouched in the circle and advancing a few steps towards Milton. "Take this very seriously. I was curious to see how much of a shock the connection could take before it broke. I'm going to tear this pack apart from the inside. That means getting them to do more than hang the toilet paper roll backwards. I needed to see how much I could push our human before his mind tore away. I need to know what I can expect this pack of mutts and their misfit human." "Very well." Milton says grudgingly. "If you will warn me next time I can try and stabilize the connection to buy you some time."
Scott (now clothed in more than his underwear) reaches out to snag Paul's arm as the human tries squeezing past him on the stairs. "We should.." Scott starts. "Nope. No sir." Paul says making a sweeping no gesture with his hand while shaking his head. "Got to go meet Kyle and Isaac and not talk about anything at all." Paul mumbles escaping Scott's loose grasp. "Paul we really need to…" "Sorry don't have wolf ears can't hear you." Paul says over his shoulder as he hits the bottom of the stairs and hurries out the front door. "What's that about?" Stiles asks coming out of the study and looking up the stairs at Scott. "Nothing really." Scott says with a sigh before turning and retreating to his bedroom.
"So what happened earlier?" Isaac asks crossing his arms when Paul comes in the back door to the restaurant office. "What do you mean?" Paul asks trying and failing to convince his two mates he doesn't know what Isaac is referring to. "About an hour ago you had a flash of pain then were…out of it for a few seconds then a jumble of emotions." Kyle says mirroring Isaac's stance crossing his arms. Paul shrinks back from his two mate's high emotional state. "Guys it was no big deal really." "What was no big deal?!" Isaac demands. His elevated tone causing Paul to flinch. "I just fell on the stairs that's all." Paul says quietly at the floor. "It's not a big deal. I'm fine." Isaac's anger surges across the bond. "Fell on the stairs? Not a big deal? You could have broken your neck!" Paul shoves himself further back in to the couch. "Isaac." Kyle says sternly warning heavy in his tone. He steps between Paul and his towering mate. Isaac's eyes flash yellow. Kyle plants his feet and growls. "Gentlemen?" Peter says cautiously entering the office. Isaac's anger drops from rolling to simmering and he turns to leave. He stops at the door and looks back at Paul. "It's like you don't even care what would happen to me if something bad were to happen to you." At that he shakes his head in disgust and leaves the office. "What just happened?" Kyle says looking from Paul to Peter. "He just got un-invited to lunch." Paul says standing and running his hands through his hair. "Shall we?" Paul bends both arms and raises his eye brow at the two wolves who after a moment's hesitation slip their arms around Paul's and clasp his hands. "To the best desert in town." Paul says.
"How are you feeling?" Peter asks as the trio is finishing their desert in their usual booth at Ella's. "Bit sore." Paul says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Don't really even remember most of what happened." Kyle slips his hand over Paul's and squeezes gently. Paul closes his eyes for a moment and goes still. "What's wrong?" Peter asks eyes scanning the area. "Just looking to see where Isaac is." Paul says opening his eyes with a slight smile. "Why don't we go check on him when we're done here?" He says looking to Kyle. "Hopefully he's lost the attitude." Kyle says with a frown. "Probably just the stress of everything catching up to him." Peter offers.
"You can't be serious." Milton says. "What if the recognize you?" Rebeca turns from where she'd been looking out the window and Milton recoils slightly. "I don't think we have to worry about that." Rebeca says with a smile. "How did you do that?" Milton says in surprise. "I didn't sense the use of magic." He peers closely. "OK you've impressed me. That does not happen too often. I can't even tell you've used magic to create this…. Wait, this isn't an illusion you've reshaped your face." Rebeca laughs. "You always were quick to catch on." "The price for using those…..arts… is very high." Milton says drawing back to his side of the car. "My price to pay not yours." Rebeca states haughtily pulling herself from the car. Milton shakes his head and mutters to himself before following her in to Ella's
Kyle smiles and watches as Paul rises and walks to the rest room. Rebeca and Milton do not look up from their menus as he passes. "So." Peter starts. "You and Isaac still getting along OK?" Peter says sitting back in his seat and playing with the small tray holding his credit card and the dining check. "Yes." Kyle says meeting Peter's eyes. I've been waiting for there to be some….conflict… or argument about spending time with our mate but so far it's not happened. We just fit together so well." Milton and Rebecca lock eyes a look of confusion passing between them. "You're doing better than most. I've known two sets of mates in the same situation, in both cases inevitably having two mates caused…complications." "Well hopefully today's outburst wasn't a sign of things to come. With Paul's ability to manipulate the pack bonds like he can he's usually able to diffuse any trouble before it can begin." Kyle says looking over his shoulder as he hears the door to the men's room squeak open. "Ready to head out?" Paul says with a smile placing his hand on Kyle's shoulder. "Yup." "Thanks for the snack Peter." Paul says. "Any time. It's been nice spending more time with pack. The two seated stand and follow Paul outside. Peter waving good bye and then heading to his car. After both vehicles pull away Milton exclaims quietly. "Two mates!?" "That certainly explains a few things." Rebeca says appears to be in deep thought. "Did you hear the part about him manipulating the pack bonds? Not only is he a human with two wolf mates he's able to sense the bonds. Do you have any idea how rare that is?" Milton says excitedly. Rebeca "hmmms" thoughtfully.
"This is a fantastic opportunity. How amenable would be to a change in our arrangement?" Milton asks pulling his phone and typing rapidly. "They will die….. All of them." Rebeca says sternly. "Rebeca, I don't think you understand how valuable this human could be. I know…without even putting much thought into it at least six organizations who would pay handsomely for someone with his gift." "I don't think you understand. This isn't about money for me. This is about justice. Righting a wrong. I've been wronged Milton. The only way for it to be right is for the ones responsible suffer and then die. Anything less is….just not acceptable." Milton pauses, something unreadable flashing through his eyes for a moment as he taps his finger on the edge of his phone. "That's unfortunate. I understand though." He frowns slightly slipping the phone back in to his pocket.
A short while later Paul and Kyle pull up to the self-storage facility the pack owns. "huh this place is pretty nice." Paul says. "What were you expecting?" Kyle asks as they get out of the car and walk inside. "I don't know. This is one of the few businesses we own that I have not seen yet." An older woman comes out of a door marked 'private' and smiles at them. "You're here for Isaac." She says pleasantly. As she looks Paul over he gets the impression she is seeing far more than most. "Hi." Paul says smiling back not questioning how she knows that. "All the way to the very back. Not that you need directions. You're welcome to take the cart." Smiling she hands him a key ring with a rather scary looking claw attached. "Interesting." Paul says holding it up and looking at it skeptically. "To keep you safe." She says with a warm smile before retreating back through the 'private' door. Kyle nudges Paul's shoulder with a grin and the two walk around the back of the counter and out the glass door. They find a couple of golf carts just outside the door. Once the key is inserted they set off towards the back of the lot. "Have you been here before?" Paul asks as they drive past dozens of roll up doors. "A few times. Maria is an old friend of the pack. Never really says much." "Is she a wolf?" Paul asks turning a corner. "No I've asked Derek and he just smiles and says to ask her." "Have you?" Paul says bumping his shoulder in to Kyle's. "How do you go about asking someone that? Oh hello can you tell me what you are?" Paul shakes the wheel of the cart causing the vehicle to shake slightly. Kyle laughs and elbows his mate in the ribs. They come around another corner and see a separate row of storage units with double width doors set off from the rest of the complex. As they get closer Paul slows to a halt. "Did you feel that?" He asks looking back on the ground he sees a faint line in the old black top surface. "Feel what?" Kyle asks as Paul slowly moves forward. In a few seconds they come to a stop next to another cart and an open door. As they approach the door Paul stops again. "You're telling me you can't feel that?" Paul asks looking around. "There is a force….an energy here."
In a blur of movement Isaac appears behind Paul and taps him on his left shoulder. "Psst." He says before reaching around and kissing Paul on his right cheek when he turns to look. "Hey boy." Paul says as he's pulled in to his mate's embrace. "Hey gorgeous." Isaac says after licking a stripe up the side of Paul's neck and kissing him again. "So you noticed the wards huh?" Isaac asks pulling back with a smile on his face. "This place is shielded?" Paul asks trying to peer past Isaac in to the storage unit. "Yup, Deaton and Maria set them up years ago. If you're not pack you'll develop a severe headache if you cross the line. Supernatural or otherwise you'll be incapacitated before you make it even half way to the units. That's just the first line of defense. The units themselves are warded in a couple of different ways." "What happens if someone crosses the line by accident?" Kyle asks. "I'm not sure if that has ever happened. There are some other things further out that discourage people coming back here. They are very subtle, but effective at redirecting people's attention. People avoid looking this way without even knowing. We've had motion sensing cameras covering every inch of this place since we purchased it a decade ago. The only people who have ever come back here have been pack. Normal customers don't even know these units are back here. Plus Maria is always here." "What's her story?" Paul asks. Isaac shrugs. "Not really sure Derek's always been pretty tight lipped about it. From what I've been able to gather she's known the family for a long time. Possibly generations. Peter almost told me once but finally just said if she wants me to know she'll tell me. Derek grants her refuge in his territory and in exchange she watches over things here. That's about it." "It feels.. nice here." Paul says rolling both shoulders. "It's nature." Isaac says. "Even though we're on the edge of the city the wards…soften things. It's quieter than it should be, even smells from the city don't come through as strong. I come here once in a while just to think. It's a nice refuge." "What's in here?" Paul says stepping in to the storage unit. "Pack stuff mostly nothing of interest." Isaac says somewhat nervously. Darting in to the darkness with Paul. Kyle smiles warmly and has a seat on the golf cart knowing what's inside and its importance to Isaac. "Oh I wondered where it ended up." Paul says when he notices his camper in the corner amongst the shelves of boxes and furniture. Noticing that the lights are on inside Paul steps in to the small camper that was his home for many months. He notices a few articles of his clothes on the small table. "Oh I wondered where this went." Paul says reaching to pick up one of the garments. He stops though and turns to Isaac who has a look of shame on his face. "Isaac?" Paul asks able to feel his mates feelings despite is best efforts to mask them. "I shouldn't have come here…..I've embarrassed you. Though I don't understand why." Paul steps over to Isaac and tugs gently urging the tall wolf to join him inside the camper. "Its…..you." Isaac says. "It has your scent this is yours….my mates… When things get bad or hectic or…Neal….I can come here and…..I don't know it just relaxes me. I'm sorry I stole your stuff." He says quietly gesturing to the table.
"You know you can talk to me right? Come to me when you need?" Paul says pulling Isaac close. "I know, and I do. Sometimes I just need a little time to center myself first. Paul pull's Isaac towards the front of the camper and they both sit on the bed. He kisses Isaac deeply before pressing him down on the mattress. "Glad we you were able to get the wolfsbane out." "mmmphhh" Isaac gets out as Paul kisses him again tugging on the bond for Kyle to join them. "Hey boys." Kyle says grinning widely as he kicks his shoes off. After pulling Paul and Isaac's off he joins them on the small bed.
"No idea?" Milton says pulling the car over. "No it's like he just vanished." Rebeca says angrily exiting the car and slamming the door. She jerks her head around as if she would see Paul hiding behind a tree. Milton mutters something before hitting the button to lower the passenger door window. "Perhaps they have a place such as we do." Rebeca goes still regaining her composure. "This is getting us nowhere. Where ever they are they have to come out eventually. When they do….." She pauses as she re-enters the car. "I'll simply accelerate things." Milton looks over at her a moment an unreadable look on his face before he nods, shifting the car in to drive and pulling back out on the road.