Hello everybody, I hope that those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving this past week had a wonderful holiday. Those of you who didn't celebrate it hopefully had a fantastic week too. I've been trying to catch up with my updates, I really want to go back to updating once a week but have been unable to so far. With the Christmas season approaching it will be tricky but I'll do my best to keep a good rhythm going. I want to give a shout out to my friend Ratts who wrote a segment of this chapter. Please check out her stories which are freaking awesome.

Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do not benefit financially from this story or any others.

Chapter 10

"Listen, not a word to anyone, understood?" Roared Jacob walking menacingly towards Seth.

"Yes master" It was not like Seth could go to anybody and start gossiping about his master. Nobody would be interested and he would most probably get beat up.

"But you're not going anywhere until I get a nice piece of that ass, get on the bed!" Seth removed his clothes and climbed on his master's bed to accept the inevitable. He waited in his usual position on all fours, his head low and his legs far apart to accept his master's massive girth. Busy bracing himself for the impact when his master would take possession of his body, he barely noticed his master setting himself behind him. Instead of the immediate burning pain he was used to he felt something completely different.

Jacob was situated behind Seth readying himself to have the first fuck session of the day. He was horny as hell seeing that it had been more than twenty four hours since he last fucked his submissive. Unlike other occasions, he stopped to admire his sub's body. Jacob cringed internally when the multiple scars on Seth's back caught his eye. Slowly he ran the pads of his fingers over the patches and elevated bumps; he could only imagine the tragic story behind each one of those marks. His body was a map and the scars were the twists and turns his life had taken.

Seth felt a shudder shake his body at the soft sensation of his master's fingers on his skin. His usually harsh touch was not there; instead it was light as a feather and immensely pleasurable. Jacob ran his fingers over his back and on his sides, like he was inspecting him. Regardless of the appearance of his skin, Seth felt soft and warm. The muscles clearly demarked under his hairless skin, he always lacked body hair only having it in the most obvious parts of his body. At least this quirk made it a little easier to please his master's demands.

The submissive bit his lower lip to inhibit the moan that was threating to escape. He felt self-conscious and exposed, which was stupid since his master and half the wolves in the United States were perfectly acquainted with his body. But there was something different; it was not the sex that was making him uncomfortable, it was the intimacy. Not only his master was acting strangely but Seth was responding to all the attention. He felt himself getting hard as his master continued his scrutiny. That was the worst part; he felt like the dirty whore he had been told he was. The horde of men that used him in the past messed with his head; that had to be it. Nobody in their right mind would enjoy being under the hands of a demon.

Jacob chuckled for reasons Seth ignored but he had a feeling it had something to do with his hardened member. For the first time ever the submissive wished his master would enter him just so the pain would make his erection go away. As usual there was no luck; Jake continued with the slow torture he was submitting Seth to.

The master was in a trance, observing every inch of his submissive, memorizing every mark. He fought to dominate his body, his lips wanted to kiss him, his hands wanted to touch him, his ears wanted to hear his moans of pleasure and his heart wanted to… No! He could allow himself such weakness; he never accepted any man or woman that had been offered to him. Why would he even consider this animal?

"Fuck this I'm not in the mood; get dressed and go help. My father must be wondering where the hell you are." Spat Jacob lying through his teeth.

Seth climbed off the bed and after getting dressed exited the room quickly. He arrived to the great room which was bustling with activity. There was people there he honestly had never seen before, everybody was helping, soldiers and servants alike. He didn't know who to report to so he could receive instructions. Neither Quil nor Edward were present, and since he was not allowed to address any dominant he just stood in a corner waiting for somebody to notice him. At first nobody did, that was until a stench he knew all too well reached him before a pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him toward the center of the room.

"Guys look, we're in luck, Jake is letting us borrow his chew toy" Said James as he kneaded Seth's behind with one hand while holding his arm with the other.

"James you may be a sick fuck but I'm not." Chastised a wolf Seth had never seen before, by his appearance he guessed it was a soldier but looks can be deceiving and the perfect example of that was Edward.

"Hey I wouldn't mind a piece of that." Said Alec as he grabbed Seth's crotch almost painfully.

"Do whatever you want I don't care, but before you take him to whatever dark corner you're planning to go to molest him make him clean Jacob's puke, that stuff is nasty." This time it was a different wolf who spoke as he pushed a bucket with soapy water towards Seth. "There is a rag in there dog, get busy."

"Uh uh fuck first, clean later." As Alec was finishing his sentence Paul walked in coming from the direction of the clinic.

"What happened to you?" Asked a random wolf outside of Seth's range of vision.

"Nothing really, stabbed myself with the fucking screwdriver putting together one of Sophia's toys. Emily insisted that I come see Carlisle and get stitched up even though it wasn't even bleeding that much" Explained Paul looking at the bandage on his hand that would be rendered unnecessary in the next hour. Some of the guys started making sounds that resembled whips snaps and crackles which echoed in the room, instantly followed by the raucous laughter of everybody, except of course Seth.

Not only the sound of a whip would forever bring back memories of pain and suffering but Paul's presence made Seth feel very uneasy. He was still being fondled by Alec while James rubbed his very evident erection on his behind. Paul took one look in the direction of the trio and gave them a glare of disgust making evident how he felt about the spectacle.

"You guys are gross, either leave the dog alone or take your entertainment where I don't have to see it." Said Paul a minute before he stopped on his tracks.

"What the fuck!?" Jacob's words boomed in the room making all the wolves wince. "I didn't send the slave here for you to pet him. Seth go back to the room; they don't need you here." He pulled Seth roughly away from the two wolves who shifted uncomfortably in their spots.

The attention shifted to the gorgeous female who entered the room wearing jeans and a long sleeve fitted tee. All the wolves quieted in reverence and respect; after all, with the exception of Billy and Jacob she was above all of them. She carried herself gracefully, her long raven hair swaying side to side following her sensuous movements. Her green feline eyes looked striking against her caramel color skin. Her slender figure made her look fragile even though she wasn't. Paul needed a special kind of woman to understand him, Emily wasn't that woman. She was his wife, lover and friend, but she never took any bullshit from him. If Paul made a mistake or got out of line she was the first one to point out the infraction. That made their relationship work, with them there were no secrets, and everything was out in the open.

"Paul where is Sophia? She needs to have lunch." Asked Emily calmly.

"What do you mean? Isn't she with you?" Paul stood in front of Emily to look into her eyes for any sign of deceit or maybe a cruel joke.

"Paul, as you were walking out I called you because Sophia wanted to come with you. She feels bad because you hurt yourself putting together her toy."

Paul was beginning to feel panicky, where was his daughter? What if somebody took her? What if she was hurt? There were a hundred questions floating around his head. "Emily, I was distracted and didn't pay attention. She is… not here." Confessed Paul.

"How could you not notice your own daughter? I sent her out the door immediately after you left!" Recriminated Emily before taking off looking for Sophia. There will be a time to rip Paul a new one. Paul on the other hand blamed himself and Emily too. Why couldn't she make sure Paul was aware of Sophia following him? That was a conversation that would wait; the priority was finding his daughter.

Everything stood still for an instant before Jacob started giving orders. He divided the wolves into groups and sent everybody in the room to look for Sophia. The house was huge but there were at least twenty of them and all very fast. Even Billy joined in the search after he came out of his office because of the noise. He prayed silently that she had not ventured to the dungeons; no little girl should be in a place like that. Seth didn't know what to do; he had never seen her so he was not familiar with her scent. If he had, he would be able to find her in no time, that much he knew.

The name of the little girl echoed all over the house. Most voices were calm except of course Emily's and Paul's which were frantic and thick with tears. Twenty minutes passed before they reconvened in the great room, with each group that arrived empty handed their hope took a blow. It was just past one in the afternoon but looking outside anybody would think the sun was about to set, heavy dark clouds covered the sky as an omen of bad news. Sophia was just four years old, a little piece of heaven in pigtails. Her green eyes just like her mother's and a temper too similar to her father's. She carried the wolf gene in her blood but was still to phase; it wouldn't happen until after puberty began. That meant that for every practical purpose she was human, sharing every weakness with the doomed race.

"Listen, Paul go home and get something heavy with Sophia's scent. Alec, phase and call all the wolves that are not on patrol, we need to find her before it starts snowing. It's bitterly cold I think it will start falling soon" Paul took off in the direction of his house running as fast as his legs would take him. Emily was pacing nonstop while alternating between wriggling her hands and wiping her tears.

As soon as Paul was back with Sophia's blanket all the wolves including the ones that kept trickling in after the distress call, scented the blanket and ran outside. They stood on different points of the yard trying to catch her scent, the bitter wind made the task especially difficult seeing that any lingering smell would've been blown away. It was Collin who caught a faint scent going in the direction of the forest; Emily gasped needing to be held up by her husband. A little girl lost in the forest and with a winter storm fast approaching was a very grim situation.

Emily began taking her clothes off not caring that she was surrounded by almost thirty men, her mind was on her little girl. " No Em, stay here and wait for us." Said Paul running to stand in front of his wife to hide her from the other males in the yard.

"Like hell I will, that's my daughter if somebody can find her it's me!" Shrieked Emily.

"But Em you cannot go into the forest, you could be taken by anybody lurking th…" Paul realized too late how thoughtless were his words. Emily used her fear and anger to phase into her brown wolf, her green eyes standing out over the dark fur. She took off running at top speed in the direction Collin had indicated, Paul and the rest of the other wolves following her into the thick forest.

Seth stood all alone in the great room debating what to do. On one hand this could be his only chance to escape, but where would he go? On the other hand he knew that he could find her, the dominants left the blanket over the sofa and even from where he stood he could already detect Sophia's scent. Seth gently picked up the pink and purple flowery blanket and lifted it to his nose. He inhaled the little girl's scent which reminded him of better times when he was young and naïve to this world. The scent brought memories of his older sister and how she would cuddle him when he was upset or just wanted company. She always smelt fresh, almost like when the wind would blow through the leafy trees in the spring time. It was enlivening and easily traceable; she never won a game of hide and seek during the years they played together. Seth knew he could save Sophia from the snow; he just needed to follow the warm scent through the blistering cold.

Blanket on hand Seth stepped out just as the first snowflakes started making their way down to earth. He knew he would need the blanket for when he found her and understood it wouldn't interfere one bit. The submissive crossed the yard in the direction the pack had disappeared only minutes before, but there was nothing coming from that direction. He had no idea what Collin detected, maybe the pressure of finding Sophia played with his senses, making him see ghosts where there was nothing.

Walking along the line of trees Seth would stop every once in a while to scent the air. At last he caught the aroma he was looking for and followed it into the dark dense forest. He started calling her name but to no avail, she either couldn't hear him or she was…. No. he couldn't think like that, she was probably cold and scared. That image made Seth double up his speed, it was shame he couldn't phase, all his senses were heightened in wolf form making his ability even more remarkable.

Seth made his way through the dense forest. The trees crowded the space as the kings and queens of the woods. Snow was falling heavier than before, even piercing through the thick canopy in its journey towards the earth. The plants and underbrush were abundant, the submissive jumped over fallen logs and crawled in every small space he saw in which a child could fit in. The temperature had dropped noticeably and he was beginning to feel it down to his bones. Running helped him keep warm but it wasn't enough. He took Sophia's blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders.

The submissive didn't know how much time had passed since he began his search. He only knew that his legs were burning from the effort, his feet were numb from walking over the snow and not even the blanket protected him anymore. Seth doubted himself, what if he was going on a wild goose chase? He didn't know if it was wishful thinking but he could've sworn he felt her scent getting stronger. This gave him an extra push to keep going.

Wondering how big this forest was he debated whether or not to climb a tree to see the extension of this area, but decided against it seeing that the tree trunks were slick with ice and snow. He couldn't risk not finding Sophia, he was her only hope. Even in this frigid environment he could still sense the fragrance of the plants partially encased by the ice and the snow. This was a place filled with wonders that Seth wished he could explore under different circumstances. The ancient trees stood proud witnessing his effort to save the girl's life. The light filtering through the branches got dimmer and dimmer. Seth panicked; Sophia wouldn't survive an entire night in that forest. His search became frenetic and desperate. He even tugged at his collar trying to open it so he could phase, this would've been so much easier in wolf form. The feeling was gut-wrenching, he fought the tears that were forming in his eyes knowing that if he allowed himself to succumb to despair Sophia's future would be even grimmer. Visibility was decreasing at a gigantic pace, the heavy laden snow blocking everything and not allowing him to see more than a few feet in front of him. Where could she be? Was she still alive? He was going insane with all the questions that relentlessly hammered his brain.

On the opposite side of the forest a contingency of over thirty wolves ran in all directions. None of them could find a scent, every once in a while one would sense something that always turned out to be nothing but a ghost. At moments some or all of them would be brought to a halt by the intense pain coming from Paul's and Emily's thoughts. Each one of them placed blame on themselves and on their mate. The forest was invaded by howl after howl as they came to a dead end. All the wolves made an effort to block their thoughts to guard their friends and pack brother and sister. But the general consensus was that Sophia was either dead or had been taken. Females were revered in any pack, becoming a symbol of status for their family. This created unwanted attention from different packs, some willing to sink as low as taking a child if that meant status and power.

The snow was falling heavier with every passing minute, it had been hours of search and they had not made any progress. They were back to square one, going over the same spots so many times that all they smelt was the wolves that just went through that area. The dark and stormy night was nothing compared to the anger, and deep anguish felt by Sophia's parents. Where was their sweet little girl? She knew better than to venture into the forest by herself, why did she do it? Did somebody lure her in? Paul's thought were a locomotive in a collision course, he let out a loud howl laced with sadness and worry.

None of the wolves had ever experienced a grief so immense; the only one who could relate and understand was Billy. When his Jacob was taken away from him he felt like a part of his soul died. That's how Paul and Emily felt, they were dying, they didn't want to lose hope but they had to face reality. It had been over four hours, the temperature was way below the freezing point and the snow kept accumulating.

The blustery, piercing wind howled angrily like a beast ready to consume all in its path. Nightfall brought with it the blizzard they had feared. The wind was blowing the snow into snowdrifts that threatened to become larger than the wolves. Luckily their high temperature and their fur protected them from hypothermia. The snow melted as it came in contact with their bodies. But it was beginning to overwhelm them, the combination of the strong wind, the bitter cold and the precipitation becoming a recipe for disaster. The accumulation made any progress almost impossible.

We have to go back to the house even if it's just to strategize before we come back out. It's been hours and we're no closer to finding her than we were four hours ago. We need a plan; we cannot keep running around the woods like a chicken without a head. Not under this weather. Jacob's words resonated in the minds of all the wolves, his father agreed with him. If they had any hope of finding her they needed to organize themselves and not put anybody in danger.

You go, I'll keep searching, Paul wasn't giving up, he would never give up. He was as hot tempered and volatile as he was stubborn.

I'll stay with Paul, I know you're all tired but our little girl is out here somewhere. She needs us. Just like Paul, Emily was determined not to give up on the search.

You two are not staying here by yourself, Emily you'll be no good to Sophia if you are taken or hurt. I promise we'll come back out as soon as the storm lets down. Assured Jacob.

NO! Screamed Emily at her alpha.

Emily Lahote-Young, calm down, believe me I know how you feel but if this turns into a whiteout you can become disoriented and pass out from exhaustion. Don't make me order you to come; you know I will do it to keep you safe my sister. Billy Black's words carried the authority inherent to the Aleph. After some additional back and forth arguments both Emily and Paul walked behind their pack brothers in the direction of the house.

Once in the house they all phased donning their clothes, all except Emily who had phased without removing her clothes. Carlisle ran to his room and brought his robe which he gave to Paul to protect Emily from the uncomfortable stares of the wolves in the room. Situations like this bring out the best and the worst in people. The men in the room gathered around the distressed parents providing comfort as their painful wails echoed around the room.

Seth could feel as the subzero air entered his nostrils leaving in its wake a dry and uncomfortable sensation. He was exhausted, cold and hungry but he knew that if he felt this way Sophia would be in much more trouble. The sub had lost his faith years before but in the middle of that storm he prayed like he hadn't in many years. He prayed to the God in the sky, to his ancestors, to Mother Nature and to the moon. He stopped in what he could guess was a clearing and gathered the appearance of the sky, the grey overcast was unyielding and unstoppable. The snow was getting heavier with each passing minute, big conglomerates of snowflakes gathered together in a cotton ball. There was at least a foot of snow on the floor and he knew it would be sooner than later that exhaustion would take over; the effort of walking through the heavy snow was just too much.

The naked trees moaned and groaned under the punishing weather. Seth's thoughts went to a scared and cold little girl. This image gave him an input of energy to continue his search. He heard a very soft and faint sound. It was impossible to decipher what it was and with the strong wind blowing away any scents he had to rely on hearing alone. As his vision cleared he noticed a fallen tree trunk leaning against a rock, he crawled in the small space just to meet a pair of scared green eyes, a small face covered in snot and thin slightly blue lips that wouldn't stop shivering.

"Hey there little girl, my name's Seth. I've been looking for you. Actually a lot of people are looking for you. Come you must be cold, I'll take you back to your mommy and daddy." Seth's sweet tone a demeanor put the girl at ease and she crawled with difficulty towards him. Luckily she was wearing hat, gloves, boots and a heavy coat. In this occasion an overzealous mother may have saved her daughter's life.

Seth took her hand to guide her out when she whimpered. "My foot hurts." Whispered Sophia.

Seth didn't want to take off her boot and expose her to the elements. Maybe she had a sprained ankle, whatever it was would be treated by Carlisle. His priority was getting her out of there. The submissive placed the blanket over her shoulders before he grabbed her by the armpits to pull her up and be able to carry her. She wrapped her short legs on his waist while he pushed her against his chest to provide her with much needed warmth.

He began his trek back to the house, task that would be quicker since he knew exactly where the house was. He wouldn't be wandering around the forest. Sophia pressed her little face to his chest and drifted to sleep. Seth knew it was not advisable for her to sleep so he woke her up. He needed to keep her busy and awake until they got to the house.

"So, Sophia how old are you?"

"Four"

"I'm way older than four but I remember being that age. My favorite toy was a stuffed animal, I named him cookie, after all who doesn't like cookies right? You have a favorite toy?"

"Yes a princess dolly, and my markers. I like to draw pretty pictures"

"Really, I would love to see your drawings one day."

The exchange continued back and forth the forty five minutes it took them to reach the yard of the manor. Seth had never been so happy to see that house. He felt like he would pass out any minute, he faltered in his steps as an effect of hypothermia. As it usually happens the distance between the edge of the forest and the house seemed even greater than everything he had walked already. His words as he spoke to Sophia came out shaken and raw, his throat hurt and he couldn't coordinate his thoughts too well.

"Guys was everybody accounted for?"

"Yes, why?"

"There is someone out there, looks like a little kid." Emily and Paul jumped to their feet running to the door. Only for their hope to disappear when they saw it was not Sophia, the person was taller than her and didn't have their daughter long auburn locks. They held on to each other so they wouldn't crumble to the floor, Emily cried with her head on Paul's chest as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know is hard to make up any details." Several wolves stood by the door and the window overlooking the yard. Jacob joined them squinting his eyes and stood ready to react if it became necessary.

"Wait a minute, I know who that is… it's Seth" Jacob's voice was a mixture of disbelief, incredulity and surprise all with the backdrop of anger. His submissive dared to leave the house without permission, the little piece of shit took advantage of the fact he was left alone when everybody went looking for Sophia. He probably got caught in the storm and had no choice but to come back. People could almost see the gears in his head moving, already devising how to punish the defiant dog.

"Jake what the hell is your submissive doing out there?" Asked Billy.

"Don't know, but I'll make sure to ask him before I punish him." Not so long ago a submissive doing something even remotely similar was guaranteed certain death at the hands of their dominant. Even though the thought of punishing Seth troubled Jacob immensely he couldn't lose face in front of his pack. Billy shook his head, disappointed once again with his son's lack of humanity.

"Hey I think he is carrying something." At this words Emily felt her heart jump in her chest, this was turning into a roller coaster, with her going from happy to sad to hopeful in no time. She couldn't deny what her heart felt; the submissive was carrying her little girl. She motioned to run outside but was stopped by her husband.

"Em stay here, I'll go meet him." He wanted to protect his wife; there was no way to know if Seth was indeed carrying her, even if he was, she could already be dead. It had been too many hours under horrible weather, for anybody that would spell trouble, but for a little girl it meant disaster.

Seth was almost at the door when Paul stepped out moving slowly, afraid of what he could be facing. "Look sweetie your daddy is here." After Paul heard Seth say these words he ripped the child out of his arms and ran inside with her.

"Em Em she is ok!" Exclaimed Paul as he was joined by his wife, the family held on to each other weeping loudly as they hugged and kissed their daughter. Sophia was weak, cold and tired but she was safe, she would be just fine.

Nobody noticed as Seth walked in, his clothes were wet, his lips bluish and his skin red. His steps were wobbly and weak. Jacob approached him with the look of death in his cruel eyes. Seth couldn't even kneel, his body hurting from the return of normal blood flow. "Go to the room and wait for me there. Just know that I'll deal with you and it will not be pleasant."

Seth stumbled inside the room after barely making it up the stairs and down the hallway. Unable to walk due to the pain in his feet, he crawled to the bathroom where he wrapped himself with his two dingy old towels. He leaned against the wall, his legs pulled up to his chest and his hands under his knees trying to find some warmth. He couldn't stop shivering, the pain radiating from his extremities almost to the point of making him scream. Seth lost track of time, he was in a deep stupor when a set of heavy footsteps reminded him of his master's threat.

Jacob had all the intention in the world to punish Seth, he left the manor without authorization, he left him… again. He needed to teach Seth a lesson, his sub needed to understand his place. All ideas of punishment evaporated the moment Jacob laid eyes on his slave. Seth turned his face toward his master without making eye contact; he kept his head on his knees as he held on trying to feel some warmth. His skin was covered in red patches, his lips blue and he had dark circles around his eyes. "Oh God you stupid dog!" Jacob left the bathroom and all Seth could hear was him rummaging for something in his closet.

Jacob plopped a heavy blanket on the floor and kneeled in front of Seth. The submissive tried to obediently kneel for his master but he could barely move. His hands and feet looked almost purple and he felt feverish even though he was so cold. Jacob took off Seth's towels, a deep crease forming between his eyes at the sight of Seth's reddened skin. "Let's get you out of these wet clothes." In one swift movement Jacob took Seth's shirt off and moved to unbutton his pants. The moment his hands touched Seth's freezing skin the submissive felt a shiver run the length of his spine. Even in his condition his master was going to use him, could he be more inhumane?

Sensing Seth's concern and fear Jacob place his index finger under Seth's chin and made him look at him. "Seth I'm not an animal, trust me. I just want to help you" Jacob removed the submissive's pants tossing the damp garment aside. Seth shivered notably, especially now that he was so exposed and his master breath hiked up at the sight. The slave's heart pounded mercilessly against his chest threatening to shatter his frozen form into a million pieces.

Jacob sat beside him; the following minutes had to be some of the most surprising in Seth's life. His master grabbed him in a very similar manner as Seth had grabbed Sophia over an hour before. Jake pulled Seth to his lap, his chest pressed hard against his master's and his legs wrapped around his hips. The submissive thought that he had to be dreaming, that was it, he fell asleep and this was a dream or even worse, he died in the woods and this was his eternity. The soft caress of the warm blanket over his shoulders brought Seth to reality and almost to the point of tears.

"Shit it's like hugging a fucking leech" Seth motioned to move back from his master's chest to create some distance, but Jake wouldn't take any of it. Instead he pulled him to his chest even closer, holding him in place with one arm around Seth's waist while the other one rested over his shoulder blades. The submissive leaned on his master's chest with his face hidden on the curvature between his neck and his shoulder. In this spot he could relish on his master's scent, he had detected it before but this time it was different. He had never been so close to any man before in his life. Yes, he had sex with more men that he cared to remember but not once he had been allowed to be so close.

Nobody except his sister had been so kind to him. Here he was, a man that for all practical purposes was a monster that got his sick kicks from torturing him was taking care of him in a compassionate and almost loving way. Seth's whole body shook as the shivers didn't seem to subside. He really wanted to place his hands on his master's chest to warm them up, they were hurting too much and he needed to do something. Sensing his hesitance his master spoke up. "Seth do what you need to do in order to feel better" Jacob's words were kind but he looked tense.

The master gasped as Seth placed his freezing hands over his chest. Seth felt it first in the tips of his fingers, the process of his body warming up feeling as millions of tiny pinpricks all over his body. Even with the obvious discomfort he couldn't help but be grateful for the way he was being treated. Time passed as the two men remained in a tight embrace, Seth's shivering slowly subsiding. The submissive's body felt like melting butter on the hot form of his master. Exhaustion took over and in no time his soft snores were the only sound in the room.

Taking advantage of Seth's slumber Jacob allowed himself to enjoy the closeness of his sub's body. His small body was curled on top of him, no tension in his shoulders and his lips slightly parted. The master felt his lips turn upward at the idea of kissing and caressing his sub. With his arms around Seth's body he lightly rested his head on Seth's, feeling the slight bristle on his head. If only for a moment he accepted all the dreams and wonders that assaulted his brain and this gave him peace. Closing his eyes and leaning his head against the wall sleep took him away.

Sometime later Seth jerked awake, confused and scared with finding himself in his master's arms. He looked around trying to figure out where he was and if he was still sleeping. Looking up he caught his master's sleeping form, he was so beautiful, his calm expression and softer features making him look like the eternal sixteen year old he was. He was so close and Seth felt compelled to touch him, to even in his sleep thank him for his compassion. The sub knew Jake wouldn't appreciate any gratitude on his part while he was awake so that would probably be his only chance.

Reaching up Seth softly placed his hand on Jake's cheek. His master didn't even stir and Seth smiled fondly at the man that even if it had only been for only a few hours, showed him a part of him nobody knew. Seth was terribly confused feeling like he misjudged his master, but the evidence was clear, if he had any doubt all he needed to do was take a look at the JB scar on his chest. Even if Jacob was acting somewhat human at the moment he was and always will be a monster. He closed his eyes to take in the feel of his master's flesh under his palm.

Seth was startled by his master's rough hand grabbing the one Seth had on his face. The blood froze in his veins knowing he had gone too far. He not only disobeyed his master, left the house, but also touched his master without his permission. The submissive wouldn't even dare to look at his master afraid of his reaction. He waited for the blow that would come at any moment but was instead surprised when instead of pain he felt his master full warm lips on the palm of his hand. "Seth look at me" Asked Jacob in a tone that sounded more like an order than a request.

The submissive lifted his gaze and was greeted by his master's sad brown eyes. He had laced his fingers with Seth's and held his hand against his face. The slave wanted to kiss him, to show him his appreciation any way he could but after the fiasco of the last time he wouldn't dare, instead he did the next best thing and muttered a shy "Thank you".

Jacob's heart soared seeing for the first time a small smile adorning the submissive's lips. He realized he had never seen him smile, but he knew Seth had no reason to be happy. He brought their interlaced hands to his forehead after rubbing it with his nose. Closing his eyes he had to will his body not to react as the gratitude of the small dog hit him.

"You're welcome." Jacob spoke without opening his eyes, debating how to proceed now that he had lowered his defenses in such an extraordinary way. He didn't want to be angry at himself and take out his anger on Seth, it wouldn't be fair.

"It's the least I could do; you did save the life of my beta's daughter. Seth I want to know something, how the hell did you find her when none of us could?"

"I've always been good at finding things, her scent was pretty easy to detect even with the strong wind."

"No it wasn't Seth; none of us could sense it." Seth was flabbergasted; he honestly had no clue as to why he was so certain he could find her or how he was able to. He just shrugged his shoulders not knowing what else to say. Jacob decided to drop the subject knowing that if Seth didn't volunteer the information he honestly didn't know.

"Are you warm now?" Seth nodded and Jake felt satisfied that he had done something decent for once in his life. For a second the slave considered telling his master he was still cold just so he wouldn't have to leave his place on Jacob's lap, even though he was scared he felt that was the place he needed to be. He was at home in such intimate contact with his master.

"Wait here, keep the blanket on you." Jacob gently pushed Seth off his lap and stood up, disappearing in the direction of his bathroom. Seth missed the feel of his master's hot skin against his, but was grateful that even if it was for a short period of time he felt human. After a few minutes Jacob came back carrying a dark blue bundle of clothes.

"You'll drown in these but at least they'll keep you warm." Jacob handed his slave a pair of dark blue sweatpants, same color hoodie and a pair of socks. Seth grabbed them with one hand while clutching the blanket with the other. The submissive was speechless, either his master had gone crazy or he was still asleep and this was a dream. He just stood in his spot holding on to the clothes not knowing what to do.

"What are you waiting for? Are you stupid? Get dressed." Seth dropped the blanket which pooled by his feet and hastily got dressed with clothes that were twice his size but soft and warm. Jacob awkwardly stood in front of him, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He didn't need to stay there but couldn't make himself leave. Just like Seth he wanted this moment to last forever.

The master knew that soon enough he would hurt his slave again. Anything could trigger his rage, a memory, a feeling, even a dream. One of those horrible nightmares that plagued him, those unforgivable and vivid dreams that would torture him like strips of leather punishing his skin as his own deafening screams attacked him. He would wake up trembling, sweating and gasping for breath only to realize that he had turned into his own worst enemy. His soul was trapped in a never-ending nightmare.

Carefully Seth folded the blanket to set it aside to be laundered in the morning. "Keep the blanket too, consider this..." Jacob pointed to the clothes and the blanket "… your reward for rescuing Sophia"

Seth's eyes filled with tears that he blinked away; his master was not fond of tears. It was not a big deal just some clothes that any dominant would part with in a heartbeat, but to Seth they were something entirely different. He had nothing, not even his body was his own but these items that were touching his skin were his. Without saying a word both men walked back to the room. The submissive proceeded to set the blanket on the floor next to his chain; luckily it was big enough that he could fold it in half. He would lie on one half, while he would use the other half to cover himself, thus avoiding having to sleep on the cold floor.

Jacob sat on the bed looking completely spent, but watching every one of Seth's movements. Feeling his master's eyes on him the submissive stopped arranging his bed and walked toward his master. With gratitude coming out of his pores he knelt in front of his master and bending over humbly kissed his feet.

"Damn it Seth! Are you crazy? Don't do that, they're just some stupid clothes and a blanket, it's no big deal."

Lifting his eyes enough that he could see his master lips but without the defiance of meeting his eyes, Seth answered. "I'm not crazy master, I'm very grateful for your kindness. They are not just some stupid clothes; they are more… a lot more."