Hello! I want to apologize for taking so long to update. Without going into detail I can tell you I have a very valid reason for the delay. But that's in the past; I hope you enjoy another extra-long chapter. Thanks to all those who are still following the story, also the ones who saved it as a favorite and especially to those who reviewed. Please never hesitate to send me any messages, your support and encouragement is crucial.
I want to give a shout-out to two authors. FreeSpirit15 is new to fan fiction, please check out his one shot We're family. It's a Jacob/Seth story, very fluffy and sweet as it follows the tale of how the boys became a family. He is very enthusiastic and has many great ideas. This is his first story so he would love some encouragement and support.
The second is to my good friend Ratts, she posted a new Edward/Jacob story titled The Sun and the Moon. I know we all love those two. It's another alternate reality story. Edward is a narcissistic plantation owner who owns slaves (humans) to man the fields and pets (wolves) to protect his land. Drama ensues when a very disobedient Jacob arrives on the plantation.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight
Chapter 24
It had been one long hot summer day, the kind every shapeshifter hated. Jacob and the rest of the group made their way to the house for dinner and much needed rest. Jacob was trying to get to know his new wolf. It had been quite a feat to make his father agree to give him the wolf without telling him the real reasons behind the request. The alpha needed to know what made the wolf tick; he already knew the strengths and weaknesses of each one of his wolves. It was Eric's turn in the hot seat.
Both men walked in the kitchen only to find total chaos. The place looked like something had exploded inside a tornado spinning out of control. "Where the hell is Edward? This place is a disgrace!"
"No idea, when we got here dinner was ready but Ed was nowhere to be seen and he hasn't come back yet." Answered Jared while spooning disgustingly huge amounts of food into his plate.
It was perplexing; Edward took his duties very seriously and was not known for taking off without telling someone. Jacob was thinking of going to his father to ask him if he knew of Ed's whereabouts when it dawned on him. The only reason he could see for the cook to disappear without a trace was if he was either hurt which was not very likely or that he left with… oh no.
Jacob dropped the plate he was holding, the loud crashing sound getting the attention of all the men present. The wolves exchanged looks as he ran out of the kitchen. He took the stairs two steps at a time in his frantic race to reach his room. His mind was at war with itself; he trusted Seth with his life but also knew that what his heart desired above all else was his freedom. The master was well aware of Ed's machinations to take the slave away from him forever. Not much happened in the manor without Jake knowing about it, or at least that's what he thought.
He shook his head from side to side almost making himself dizzy; he needed to disperse those thoughts. There was no chance in hell his pup would take off without saying goodbye. Unfortunately as that thought exited his mind a different one even scarier flooded his brain. What if somebody tried to hurt Seth and Ed tried to help? While he was out working, his reason for existing could've been dying, fading slowly as life was drained from his body. This thought made his legs buckle under him and his chest felt tight like somebody was squeezing him.
Jacob refused to accept any of the torturous ideas his brain was providing. Seth was fine; he knew it, the sub would be in his room waiting for him and welcoming him home with his beautiful smile and loving embrace. It seemed as hours had passed but it was a little over a minute when he arrived to his door. After jiggling the doorknob he realized the door was locked and he didn't have the keys. "Seth, Seth, open the damn door!" The master's voice cracked with the last word. It was unbelievable what the fear of losing his pup did to him; it turned him into a pile of mush.
The alpha breathed a sigh of relief when the petite form of his slave opened the door. Seth stepped back as his master barged in. The sharp intake of air revealed how his master's appearance shocked him. His eyes looked like they would bulge out of his head, his lower jaw shook slightly and his chest heaved with every breath he took. Slamming the door closed he pulled the slave into his arms hugging him so hard it was almost painful. "You're ok, you're here, everything is fine." Jacob sounded like he was talking to the submissive when in reality he was talking to himself. He was trying to calm his racing thoughts and get a grip on his mind.
Several minutes passed before the master was calm enough to push himself away from the slave and look at him. It was then when he noticed Seth's sad puppy eyes looked glassy, his eyelids puffy and his nose was red. "What happened, baby?" Jacob had to put his own internal turmoil aside to take care of his boyfriend's needs. Seth was his priority and will always be.
"Carlos took Embry; I asked Edward for help but haven't heard from them in a couple of hours. I went to look for him but the house was crawling with dominants and it would make matters worse if one of them took me too. I'm so scared, what if Carlos…" Seth couldn't finish the sentence as a heartbreaking sob that seemed to come directly from his soul left him unable to continue. Jacob cradled him in his arms wishing he could take away every single tear the sub had shed throughout his life.
"Please pup calm down, let me go check. Edward is way stronger and more skilled than Carlos; if it came to a fight he would wipe the floor with him." Jacob picked up the slave and walking to one of the sofas in the sitting area sat down with the slave on his lap. The master was not worried about the cook; he was truthful in what he told Seth. What he feared was that Embry was no longer among the living. When it came to slaves Sam, Carlos and him were ruthless. He thought how his old self would've treated the slave and knew that the worst was a big possibility.
"Jake please let me go with you; I'll be quiet and act as your slave. I need to see my friend, whether he is alive or not I need to be with him." Jacob nodded before wiping Seth's tears with the pad of his thumb and setting him on his feet.
They went a different way to Edward's room, it was a tad longer but it avoided the great room altogether. Not that any wolf could lay a paw on Seth, but they were anxious to find Embry's whereabouts and to achieve that they needed to avoid unnecessary delays. Upon arriving to the hallway where the cook's room was located the sub could already feel the knot he had in his stomach since the moment Carlos took Embry begin to loosen. The slave not only detected his friend's scent but heard two strong heartbeats. Of course Jacob was unaware of this; his senses were not even remotely close to Seth's.
"They are both in there master." Jacob paused to look at Seth who smiled at him.
"How do you know?"
"I detected Embry's scent and I can hear two heartbeats." Stated Seth matter-of-factly.
Jacob was in awe; no matter how much he tried he couldn't find Sam's mutt scent in the air. "You are truly amazing." He looked at his pup with admiration and respect in his eyes.
The master knocked on the door and listened for movement inside the room. A tired looking Edward opened the door and quietly invited them in. Seth walked in behind his master trying to look around him to find his friend. When his eyes landed on the naked body on Edward's bed he felt his heart constrict inside his chest. Not minding either of the two dominants he walked to the bed where his friend laid.
"He is ok now; it took me a little while to help him calm down. He is exhausted and fell asleep in my arms."
"How bad is it Ed?" Questioned Jacob.
"Not as bad as it could've been but still bad enough. Carlos broke his nose and busted his lip because he claimed that Embry sucked at giving head. At least he didn't take his ass, I'm sure he would've hurt him badly."
Jacob took a few steps towards Edward's bed to be near Seth. He knew how much it was affecting the slave to see his only friend in that condition. All the master wanted to do was surround him with his arms and comfort him, even though he couldn't. He pretended not to be affected by the sight of the slave's tears as they slid down his face but he was crushed. He cursed the world, he cursed the pandemic and he cursed every dominant that took part in the abuse of submissives, himself included. His little pup cried silently, his shoulders shaking with every breath and chocked sobs. His tears were like unspoken words that judged the actions of every dominant that ever lived. They carried with them the emotion and helplessness he felt.
The alpha had been so busy hating Embry that he hadn't seen what was right before his eyes. He was extremely jealous of the slave for many reasons. Seth cared about his friend like Jacob wished somebody would care about him. Jacob knew it was not a sexual attraction; their spirits were pure even though they had been soiled by the dominant's cruelty. He took inventory of the slave's naked body and saw the markings of one that had been through hell. The master could picture him going through the same initiation as Seth. He could see him starving and cold like his pup had been on so many occasions. Jake felt a little something that was an awful lot like sympathy. The two submissives were different men but their circumstances were identical.
Jacob was in agony when the realization that the man in Edward's bed could've been his sub. In a way he was, Seth was reliving the many times he had been through the same ordeal. But what made the situation especially scary was that nothing prevented this from still happening to his slave. It was not a matter of being given his freedom, even as a free man he could still be at the mercy of any dominant. As long as prejudice against submissives was still prevalent his Seth wouldn't be safe. The master needed to come up with a plan to protect him until the day slavery was abolished in that land or until his pup could be transported to a safe place. He couldn't be arrogant about it, he needed help and sooner rather than later. The question was if he could trust any dominant with the most important part of him, the part where his soul resided, his Seth.
"Ok wake him up so we can go. I'm starving." Seth motioned to shake Embry awake when Edward grabbed his arm to stop him, earning him a growl from the alpha. They both turned to look at him, the slave with concern and the cook with a smug expression that Jacob wished he could knock off his face.
"It took himself forever to settle and fall asleep. Let him sleep here, I'll bring him with me to the kitchen in the morning." Jacob eyed the cook with a guarded expression. He never thought Edward would be interested in having a slave so close to him; then again the cook was full of surprises. Not long ago his own slave had shared Ed's bed when he was so intoxicated his own father was certain he would dispose of him that night. The alpha would be eternally thankful to Quil for suggesting it in the first place. More importantly he didn't really want his pup in the kitchen ever again, there was too much temptation and if any of the dominants could circumvent the alpha order, his slave would be in deep trouble. Then again, Carlos had taken Embry from the room so it didn't really matter where a sub was, a dominant would find him like a dog would find a bitch in heat.
"Suit yourself, let's go dog." Jacob couldn't even bring himself to make his insults convincing. He didn't have it in him anymore.
Before leaving Seth took off his shirt earning a strange look from the dominants. What he did next warmed the hearts of the two other men in the room. He laid the tattered piece of cloth over his friend, covering him the best he could. "He may get cold during the night."
"Fuck, I forgot submissives can get cold." Hissed Edward while retrieving something from the closet. The instant he turned a huge grin spread over his face. The alpha had surrounded the younger wolf with his strong arms and held him very close. His face rested on top of the slave's head, he was letting his guard down. Jacob had no choice, he needed help protecting the pup and Edward was not only the most capable one but the best choice. Seth on the other hand looked utterly terrified. Had his master lost his mind?
"About darn time Jake, welcome back." Edward's comment didn't make much sense to either man but the cook knew exactly what he meant. For years he had seen the young man he saw grow up turn from a proud and brave wolf to a cowardly son of a bitch with no redeeming qualities. He wanted to pretend that Jacob left many years before, leaving in his place a soulless monster and just came back home kicking the beast out of their lives forever. He wanted to welcome him back with open arms. More than anything he was happy for Billy; they had spent countless nights trying to come up with ways to manage Jake's anger. Edward never agreed to the Aleph catering to his son's lustful needs and always advised him against continuing to provide him with submissives. Unfortunately for Jake's victims Billy had one weakness, his son, he would do anything to give him some happiness as ephemeral as it would be.
"Seth calm down you're gonna get a nosebleed. After our conversation this morning I was certain there was something going on between you two."
The slave lifted his eyes and Jake could see the panic in his steely pools. "Master I swear I didn't say anything incriminating, I was really careful."
"Baby call me Jake, he knows already."
"Did you just call him baby? Oh man you are one sappy fool." Edward's smirk turned into an all-out grin. Jacob was deliberately trying to avoid looking at the cook or he would be very tempted to punch him, not hard, just a little to get him to stop making fun of him. The master felt vulnerable, he hated feeling weak and the small man in his arms was his biggest weakness. Edward on the other hand knew he would have enough material to torture the alpha for at least a few days.
"Fuck you Ed." Embry stirred in his sleep making the men in the room tense up and move away from the bed. "I need your discretion, he doesn't know." Whispered Jake as they stood by the door.
"That's a good thing; you have to be careful when it comes to Sam. I don't trust him."
"You and me both. Ed I have a request to make. It's very important and I hope you will say yes. Will you help me protect him?" Seth had his arms around his master's middle with his face resting on his wide chest. Edward couldn't help thinking that he had never such a perfect match. Yes they were polar opposites in every possible way, but that also made them complementing pieces of the game of life.
"It'll be my honor, we'll be his protectors." Edward's affirmation carried with it a heavy meaning filled with pride. In the era of men the wolf packs came to be so they could be protectors of the reservations, keeping all their brothers and sisters safe from the cold ones. It was an honor to be considered a protector and even though Seth was only one man the significance still stood. To the cook it was even more important, maybe this would be his chance to do something that mattered so he could join Benjamin in the afterlife. Jacob and Edward shook hands making peace for the first time in decades. The slave was witnessing something short of a miracle; two alphas were agreeing to protect a slave, the slime of society. He felt honored but unworthy, nobody should put their lives and well-being on the line for someone like him, it was stupid.
There was something Seth wanted to ask from the moment Ed said he knew about them. "Ed what gave us away?"
Edward chuckled lightly. "It was a combination of things, first off look at you; I've never seen a healthier looking sub. You have no bruises, even though the one on your arm and the bloody lip was a nice touch. Then there were the questions."
"What questions?" It was Jake's turn to be curious.
"I asked Seth about your trip, you two had nothing to do in the Finger Lakes region; that was the first clue. I asked how you treated them when Embry arrived, and what you fed them, the answers to both questions told me there was something out of the ordinary. Then there was the chocolate. You're fucking selfish when it comes to chocolate and you shared not only with Seth but with Embry too. You're going to have to be less obvious, man. I hate to say this but Seth needs to look like a slave." What Edward meant became painfully obvious. Jacob's subs always looked like shit; they were either starving or so swollen you could hardly recognize them half the time.
"I will not hit him, never again." Jacob lifted Seth's face to speak directly to him, it was a promise written in blood over his heart. Seth trusted his master but also knew that the pressure would be immense, it could make him break. The good thing was that regardless of his actions the alpha meant well and the slave was at the point of trusting every word that came out of his mouth without questioning it.
"We don't have to decide anything now, we'll figure it out. Don't worry about Embry he'll be fine. Seth now is my turn to ask you something. What's your gift?"
"I'm a tracker, that's how I found your room today and how I found Sophia. I guess I'm more like a golden retriever than a wolf." Stated Seth with humor in his voice.
"Jake, did any of your previous subs have gifts?" Edward was honestly curious, if the subs had gifts that made them special it would be a good argument against slavery. Then again maybe the council already knew that and decided that legal annihilation of the group was better than accepting the possibility that they might be superior. It was an intriguing thought that filled Edward with fear for the future of mankind.
"I'm ashamed to say this but most never made it past the point where I could find out anything about them. Shit most of them died before I even learned their names. I guess it made it easier for me to get rid of them if they were anonymous pieces of meat." Jake stopped talking when he noticed Seth had a strange look in his face.
"Jake, is that why you didn't ask me my name until after Mike died? You were going to kill me so soon?" Jake felt his legs give under him at the mere thought of what could've happened. Of course he was going to kill Seth; he hated everything that the sub stood for. Seth's tone was not accusatory in any way; he was just saddened by the fact. He would've gone to the eternal sleep without knowing how it felt to love someone. He would've left this Earth without knowing the strength that only a true mate can instill in you, how it can make you more courageous, how it can make you a better person. How it can turn a horrible beast into a gentle loving creature.
The master held on to the slave tightly, if he didn't he could topple down. His thoughts were going a thousand miles per minute, for so long all he felt was hate and hostility. He took out his anger at the subs since he was too much of a coward to end the life of who he really hated… himself. "I killed all my subs…" He couldn't continue, if he did he would make a spectacle of himself. His spirit carried the heavy burden of a shameful past. His rapid decline started with his mother's death and it snowballed from there getting bigger and bigger until it turned into an unmanageable mountain. His guilt began a cycle of anger, regret, sadness and bitterness that never ended.
"Hey stop, I can't read minds but I know what's going on in yours. Guilt and regret are a useless feelings, they don't change anything; they just make you miserable. I'm happy you learned my name and that I'm still here." As always Seth's words, as simple as they were, had a deep impact on the dominants. Both alphas were in awe at the slave's wisdom, it went beyond his years; maybe it was another one of his gifts.
"He is right Jake, now get out of here and feed Seth I'm sure he didn't have any dinner yet." Jacob and Seth exited the room. Jacob left his submissive in the room and went to the kitchen to find some dinner for both of them. There was not much left but what he got he was more than happy to share with the slave.
That night was the first one in a long time they didn't make love. At first Seth tried to get his master all riled up since he still had the slave's mentality and wanted to please him. Jacob turned him down each time, he understood the slave's way of thinking and until he understood his place in the relationship it was his responsibility to remind him. Instead of any sex related act they talked, their subjects went from the most sublime to the most mundane. Anything to keep the slave's mind away from his friend's misfortune and prevent him from reliving situations from his past. Jake knew his slave was deeply affected by what happened to Embry. Seth was used to all the cruelty that surrounded the slaves but he was always the object of the cruel situations. He felt in his own skin the merciless quality of most dominants but being a witness to the end result of his best friend getting brutalized was pure torture. The slave was extremely grateful for his master's understanding; he had been supportive and loving. The next morning found them in each other's arms, the way they wanted to spend the rest of their lives.
The instant Seth walked in the kitchen his eyes went directly to his friend. The bruises on his face were almost gone and his nose was not swollen anymore. Embry definitely healed faster than the average wolf. The rude comments died and the wolves scurried away like roaches when Jacob came in. He had been stopped by one of the servants and left the slave by himself for only a few minutes, but this was enough time for the dominants in the kitchen to throw lewd comments at the small wolf. With the last wolf exiting the space Seth ran to his friend and hugged him. The submissives' peck on the lips would always irk Jacob but he was less bothered by it now. He didn't know if it was because he was used to it by now or that he saw Embry in a different light.
"Everything ok Jake?" Asked Edward.
"Yeah, dad wants to talk to me. I have a pretty good idea what's it all about." Jake directed his gaze towards Embry who didn't even notice, too distracted talking to Seth in an almost imperceptible voice. "What time do you want me to come get them?"
"I hoped they could stay and help during the barbeque." Answered Edward wondering if the previous night had been nothing but a show.
"There's no way I'll leave them here with all the vultures flying around them. It was locked in a room and you saw what happened. Sam will have my left nut if something happened to his bitch; these things are not easy to come by these days." Ed understood the hidden message under Jacob's words and nodded in understanding.
The slaves peeled, sliced and diced enough food to feed a small army and were picked up by Jacob halfway through the afternoon and locked in the room. Both men were disappointed for not being allowed to stay but understood very well the reason behind it and were grateful for having at least a semblance of protection in the master's room. They could hear the music and their mouths watered with the aroma of the meat cooking over an open fire.
"Quil when did you get back?" Greeted Jacob.
"This morning, I can't wait for harvest to end. I got a few good leads I want to follow. I know what you're gonna say, it's a long shot but hope is the last thing one should lose, right?"
"We have a lot of work but the world will not end because you leave for a little while. I know how important this is for you." Quil looked at his alpha like he had grown a second head, eliciting a chuckle from the wolf. He wondered what the hell was going on with Jacob, he seemed the same but different somehow. He couldn't put his finger on it.
"Thanks man, I don't know what or who is happening but whatever it is has all my gratitude." Jacob slapped his friend on the shoulder and walked away to talk to his father snickering at the sight of the faint bruise in Carlos face.
Earlier Billy had questioned Jacob about the reasons behind Edward's actions. Jake tried to put his father's mind at ease by telling him he had ordered the cook to keep an eye on the sub and held him responsible for anything happening to him, but failed miserably. The Aleph didn't seem to entirely swallow his side of the story. For starters it was unheard for Edward to ever accept orders from Jacob; he would chew off his paw first. He wouldn't question his son thought, every day he saw how the little boy he lost was returning home. His eyes were regaining the innocence and sparkle they lost so long ago. His smile was wider and more importantly, real.
By the time the last guest showed up the party was at full swing. The summer serenade of the cicadas was drowned by the music coming from the makeshift band that had assembled in the yard. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood, especially Billy. Even Carlisle who was known by all as a sourpuss was laughing while having a lively conversation with several guests. The aroma coming off the food was enough to make the mouth of every person present water.
Back in the room the two submissives peeked out the window at all the activity two stories down. They wished that for once they would be normal men. Free to come and go as they pleased, free to enjoy life and especially free to love. "C'mon Embry get away from the window before they see you. The last thing we need is a bunch of sex starved wolves to come barging in here."
Reluctantly Embry walked away from the window dragging his feet on the cold tiles. "The music sounds really good; they must be having a blast."
"Brother even if we were allowed down there we would still be miserable, I really don't appreciate being groped by a different man every two minutes. Anyway stop your bellyaching, you're bringing me down and I'm in a good mood today." Truth be told Seth felt the same way his friend did, maybe even more so. After all his boyfriend was mingling among all the other dominants while he was locked in that small prison. For Embry's sake he plastered a big smile on his face and acted like it was not affecting him. If he could show his friend a good time it would make his day, fuck it would make his year. Then it dawned on him, it was utterly ridiculous but at least it would give them a good laugh. "Embry, dance with me"
Of course Embry looked at him like he had lost his mind. He couldn't stay serious when Seth started swaying his hips from side to side while moving his arms in accordance with the music. Immediately two things became obvious, one that Seth couldn't dance to save his life and two that he gave a shit about it. He was determined to have a good time and if all it took was for him to make a fool out of himself so be it, that's what he would do. Embry shrugged his shoulders and joined his friend in the most uncoordinated dance ever and had a great time doing it.
The two slaves were doing dance steps that resembled more a drunk martial arts fight than a real dance. Their laughter could be heard all the way down the hall. For that short period of time they were not slaves, they were not submissives, they were two friends having fun. A loud knock on the door made them stop in their tracks and the smiles to disappear from their faces. The memories from the previous night came flooding in making them tremble.
"Guys open, is me Quil." Seth let go of the breath he was holding and moved to open the door but was held back by Embry. The small wolf was terrified, his eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears. He kept shaking his head from side to side, silently begging Seth not to open the door.
"Don't worry Em, Quil is like Edward, he is a good guy." Seth grabbed the hand Embry had placed on his arm to stop him and squeezed it lightly. He needed to reassure his friend that at least for now he was safe. Embry chose to trust his friend, if Seth said this wolf was a good person then it must be true.
Quil walked in carrying a tray overflowing with food and treats for the two slaves. At the sight of such a wonderful buffet their mouths watered and their bellies growled loudly. The dominant was very satisfied, he had no boy scout pretenses, he only knew it was the decent thing to do. It was almost impossible for him to enjoy food knowing that the slaves were probably hungry. It had been hard enough to pry away the food from the other wolves. What proved to be even harder was navigating around Jacob so he wouldn't notice what was happening. Quil was certain that at one point the alpha looked directly at him while he was gathering the food but was grateful when Jake looked away. Thankfully Edward had foreseen how complicated it could be and he set aside a plate with desert. There were many things the wolves were good for and one of them was one thing they excelled at, sniffing food. If there was a tasty dish available somewhere they would find it.
The slaves placed the tray on the floor and sat comfortably resting their backs on the wall. Quil was tempted to tell them to come to the table but decided against it. The subs were given enough orders as it was; he was not going to add another one. Instead he sat across of them earning a playful glare from Seth when he stole a rib from the plate. "How's the party Quil?" Asked Seth.
"Same as always, tons of food, good music and plenty of wolves in one room to enjoy both. I only noticed one difference, unlike other years your master is not drunk out of his mind and cursing everybody to hell. Now that I think about it, he was not even drinking alcohol. He always uses these occasions to get plastered and today is an exception. Seth, do you happen to know what's going on with him? He's always been sort of an oddball but he's different now." It was not Quil's intention to out Seth in front of Embry, for one so old sometimes he was a little dimwitted. The slave remained quiet and motionless, too afraid of getting caught. The slave's eyes drifted slightly towards Embry, action that didn't escape Quil and he decided to drop the subject.
"What were you two doing when I got here? You were both flushed and sweaty, were you cleaning?" If anybody else found two men alone in a room looking the way the subs did the first thing in their minds would be sex. But Quil knew better, if there was no dominant in the room sex would be the last thing in their minds.
"Nope, we were dancing." Answered Embry, his words coming out mumbled as he downed a slice of the cake Seth had baked earlier; he licked his fingers before continuing. "It was fun, I've never danced before. We suck big time but it doesn't really matter."
Seth surprised the other two men when he jumped to his feet and extended his small hands to them. "Em stand up Quil is going to dance with us."
"No no no I don't dance. You just want to make fun of me. After I brought you food and everything, this is the thanks I get?" Quil's act was not convincing anyone. At the end he surrendered and joined the smaller wolves in their crazy celebration. Before he even realized it he was enjoying himself, his laughter only rivaled by that of the subs. Their laughter filled his heart with joy and delighted his spirit.
At one point the sun was in Quil's eyes and through the haze he saw as Embry was transformed into his brother. For a brief moment he felt connected to Albert and the most over joyous sensation fed his starving soul. "Albert" He said as he extended his hand to run it through Embry's hair. The sub recoiled from the touch changing position and bringing the dominant back to reality. As fast as it came the moment was gone. His hand ran limply through the sub's hair noticing how the texture was different. This was not his brother; it was a facsimile, a good one but not the real thing.
His whole form began to shake, not from anger but from grief. Every time something like this happened it was like losing his brother all over again. Like somebody got a sick pleasure of torturing him, making him relive the moment when he was told his brother was a submissive, when he learned about Albert's death sentence. He tried to hold back the sob that was threatening to escape his lips. How could he dare cry for his brother in the presence of two men that knew the real meaning of the word pain? He was unworthy.
The two submissive's stood quietly beside Quil. Their hearts filled with compassion for the troubled man. Embry didn't know who Albert was; all he knew was that a man that had showed him nothing but kindness was suffering. He extended his arm to clean the tears that were flowing freely from Quil's eyes while holding back his own. Quil had not even noticed when he started crying. The seconds turned to minutes as he wept for everything this unforgiving system had taken away from him. His chest felt tight as he drew breath after painful breath. Soon enough his pain lessened as he felt two pairs of very warm arms surround him in a protective and healing embrace. Each submissive had their arms around the dominant's waist while Quil rested his strong arms on the slave's backs. Two men that had nothing, that didn't even own their bodies were providing Quil with much needed love and attention. The moment that Quil walked in the room they became friends; by the time he walked out they were brothers.
The next two days went by way too fast. Embry was enjoying his friends' company. He had a lot in common with Seth; that alone made up for many coincidences and more than enough giggles. They shared a bond like no other. Not only they had felt in their own skin how it felt to be burned by the hottest flames in the deepest pits of hell, they had survived it with their spirit still kind and loving. Edward was a completely different story. He was not only a dominant but an alpha. For all practical purposes the cook shouldn't even look his way but they spent hours together in the kitchen talking like old friends. The cook always had a soft spot for the slaves but he found himself thinking about Embry while he lied in bed at night. Thinking how beautiful his eyes were, how lovely was his smile and how wonderful it would be to have him lying next to him. Edward hadn't had any company for decades; he lived of the memories of his life with Ben. He felt guilty of having those thoughts about the sub, after all he had one mate, he couldn't possibly have another.
Jacob and Seth were a completely different story. They were having a lot of fun trying to find innovative ways to make love in the strange places they ventured to. The pair had to get creative, Jacob hated treating his sub roughly, he had done enough of that to last two lifetimes. Still they would at least once a day make love where Embry could see them, they put on a good show, sometimes a little too good. The alpha felt ashamed and in a great deal of pain when one of these times Seth was bleeding when he left the bed. He had to use all his resolve to not run to his pup's side and beg for forgiveness. The slave shrugged it off when the master asked him about it, saying that he had been left in much worse condition in the past. Of course this didn't help Jacob feel any better; actually it made him feel worse. Yet this was something he really liked about Seth; he was not one to sugar coat anything. The sub wouldn't even try to justify his master's many flaws or his own for that matter. That didn't mean he was cruel, far from it, he was always kind and it was not in his heart to hurt his owner but things had to be called by their name.
Luckily for everyone whatever Carlos was told worked like a charm, not only he gave Embry a wide berth; he tried to avoid him altogether. Not once he came in the kitchen while the subs were in there. What none of them knew was if he didn't show up because of what Edward had done or because of what Billy had told him but they were happy nonetheless.
Since all good things come to an end, the next day found Embry awake and in obvious distress. His master would arrive late in the afternoon. He knew that by nightfall he would be screaming either from a beating or from the sex and he was not looking forward to either. Sam felt empowered by the pain of his slaves and unlike most masters he enjoyed listening to the end result of the treatment they received at his hands. Seth was awoken by his friend's light shaking as silent sobs racked his body. Resting on his bent arm he turned Embry so he was facing him and held him as close as he could, offering his chest to cry on while running his fingers through his friend's hair. He wished his master would keep Embry but he already said it was impossible. Little did Seth know that just the day before Jacob had phased and asked to speak privately to Sam. After they blocked their thoughts to everyone else he asked him what it would take for Sam to let him keep the slave. Sam explained that he had no desire to part with the slave and even if he did Embry couldn't stay with Jake, seeing that with the shortage of subs a dominant could only have one in his possession. A dom could buy more than one if they were available and he had the resources, but could only keep one for himself.
Jacob awoke with the first rays of the sun that entered the room but remained on his side watching the two subs. Instead of feeling jealousy for their proximity and obvious love for each other, he felt a great deal of compassion towards Embry and happiness for his pup. During the time Em had spent with them his pup's happiness for having a friend for the first time in his life was almost palpable. There was no resentment in Jacob's heart, he couldn't be selfish. The green-eyed monster would try to peek in and affect his thoughts but he kept it at bay.
Embry was scheduled to be delivered to Sam's house after lunch. That way he could get everything in order for his master's return. Since it was pouring out work had to be limited to what could be done indoors and that provided the opportunity for Jake to take Embry back to Sam's house himself. At least this way he could at least give him a few more minutes of peace, since he was sure that any dominant would take advantage of the slave.
"Embry gather your things I'm walking Seth to the kitchen to fetch our lunch. I'll take you home after we eat." Stated Jacob coldly, since Edward discovered them he had been extra careful with not let anything slip and kept a cold distant stance when it came to the subs. When Embry heard the word home he could only think that was one cruel joke. He had no home, only a torture chamber.
As soon as they stepped out of the room Jacob pulled his pup to the room across the hall and after closing the door kissed him so fervently he looked desperate. All morning he had been dying to kiss his sub. Aside from a quick peck on the lips he stole when Embry wasn't looking he had not felt the softness and warmth of Seth's lips and he missed them. After several minutes they emerged from the room, each one adjusting themselves so their arousal wouldn't be so evident.
They started going down the hallway when the master remembered some documents he needed to give Edward. The night before he had stamped and signed the barter authorization for several items the cook needed. Without a working financial system the wolves had retorted to dealing with the sale and purchase of items like in the old days. With every involved part working in an honorable way they guaranteed the honesty of the transactions by the use of a special seal made for every major landowner. The Black's property was so vast they possessed two different seals one for Jacob and one for his father. While Billy dealt with the acquisition of property, equipment and major purchases, his son dealt with supplies and the payroll which was based in a credit system.
Upon entering his room Jacob's booming voice resonated up and down the hallway. Seth couldn't make his legs move fast enough, what could've provoked such an outburst? "Speak before I fucking kill you!" When Seth entered the room both his master and Embry stood between the sitting room and the bedroom. Actually the master stood while the sub's legs flailed desperately under him as he was held up in the air and pushed against a wall. The contrast between the dom's and the sub's faces was shocking. While the master's face was so red it looked purple, the slave was white as a ghost.
"What are you doing with this?" Jacob held up a scrunched up piece of paper to the slave's face. "After I'm done with you, Sam cutting off your fingers will seem like a day in the park. What does Sam want with this? Speak!"
Seth was utterly confused, what was so important about a piece of paper? He just stood in his spot by the door trying to make sense of the scene developing before him. "Seth get out of here you don't need to see this. Go to the kitchen and stay there, I'll go get you when I'm done."
The slave turned to exit the room; he was so used to obeying mindlessly that many times acted like a drone. This time was different though, he stopped to think what his master meant by 'when I'm done'. Seth could see he was livid so it couldn't mean anything good.
"Master" Seth couldn't ask any question without seeming impertinent. Not that it really mattered since things were not looking good for Embry but he still wanted to have hope. Jake turned to look at his puppy his heart aching. He knew that what he was about to do would hurt him immensely. He prayed that the slave wouldn't hate him; he hoped his love would be strong enough to carry them through this time.
"This fucking thief was stealing from me. I kept him safe and fed for days and this is how the ungrateful son of a bitch repaid me. He would've gotten away with it too if I didn't come back to the room and he got so nervous he tripped and fell. When he did this slipped out of his pocket." He held up the paper where Seth could see it. The master's hand was shaking from anger and the sub was surprised he hadn't phased.
"What does it say in that paper master?" Asked Seth timidly.
"The combinations to the two safety deposit boxes in this house, mine and my dad's." Seth couldn't believe his ears; it had to be a nightmare. He was still asleep and would wake up at any moment. His gaze moved from his master to Embry not being able to focus on either one.
"Embry, why?" his friend wouldn't answer. "Brother please tell me, don't you know that stealing something so valuable is grounds for immediate execution? In the name of our friendship I deserve to know why you would do such a thing."
"My master ordered me to do it." Stated Embry with obvious shame and regret.
"What does he want with it?" Asked Jacob while shaking the paper in front of Embry's eyes. The slave shook his head from side to side in negation. The master should know better, Sam had no reason to explain to his slave the reason behind an order. Still he couldn't let this pass, Sam would get what was coming for him but Embry needed to be dealt with.
"Seth, say goodbye to your friend and leave."
"Master please don't kill him." For the second time since they had known each other Seth found himself in the position of having to plead for his friend's life.
"It must be done." Answered Jacob with an undertone of sadness.
"I know, but please have pity on him. He has to obey his master. If we are given an order we must obey, no questions asked." Seth was not beyond begging if that meant he could save his friend's life. He realized he was getting nowhere with his master who was readying himself to land the fatal blow the instant Seth left the room. The slave needed to change his strategy. "Embry what is Sam going to do to you if you don't bring these numbers?"
Embry's quiet sobs intensified as tears poured down his flushed cheeks. "He would cut off my toes one by one. He would torture me and turn me into a cripple. Seth I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry sir I shouldn't have done this, please know that Seth had nothing to do with this, he had no idea what I was ordered to do."
"Master please if you ordered me to steal something I would have to do it. Embry is afraid; please please please don't hurt him." Seth got to his knees and surrounded his master's legs with his shaking arms. He didn't even stop to think he had enough influence to make his master change his mind. At that moment he had only one thing in mind, prolonging his friend's life.
Jacob lowered Embry to the floor and took a step back to gather his thoughts. He had to create some distance between the subs and him. The pup's arms around his legs were making his resolve falter dangerously. He couldn't let that one pass; a slave had dared to come in his house to steal. He was not stupid, he knew that his friend's order weighted heavily on the slave but the sub should've told them what was going on.
Seth ran to his friend and hugged him tightly. "Seth I think I told you to leave." Jacob felt the tension and the anger on his skin like a horde of red ants.
"Master I can't let you kill him. He is my best friend. His master is the guilty one. Embry is just a puppet to him." Jacob moved towards the slaves who retreated trying to get away from him. Seth stood between Embry and Jacob shielding his friend from certain death.
"Seth get away from him and stand by my side. Slave, I will not hesitate to get you out of the way… I will hurt you." The last thing Jacob wanted to do was hurt his submissive. What hurt the most was watching the disappointment in his boyfriend's eyes. He remembered very clearly they had been in a similar situation the night Embry and Seth made love. The mere thought of that time making him snarl at the slaves like a rabid dog. Resentment against Sam's slave began to bubble up again inside him. Because of him he was threatening his slave once more.
"Master do what you deem necessary, but I will not move. I will not stand by your side when what you're going to do is so wrong. I can't stand aside while you murder him. This is hardly his fault." Jacob moved towards Seth determined to push him aside if it was necessary. His sub didn't even flinch, the master admired his courage but still saw it as defiance and that was something no alpha ever accepted from any wolf. Embry tried to get his friend out of the way but Seth just batted his hands away before turning to glare at him.
Seth wasn't happy with either his best friend or his master. He had been betrayed by both. Even though Jacob hadn't laid a finger on him the slave was certain that soon enough he would feel his master's rage fueled fist on his face. On the other hand Embry came to the house under false pretenses and got them both into a though spot. He still knew he was doing the right thing by standing up to Jacob but wished he didn't have to.
Jacob grabbed Seth's arm digging his fingers in the soft flesh and pulled him away from Embry. He hesitated for a minute before pushing him to the floor beside them but at some distance. "Stay down, I'll deal with your insolence soon enough." The double timbre of the alpha order resonated in the room. Seth followed Jake's fist as it moved towards his friend's face. He landed a blow that was far from fatal, meant to punish but not annihilate. The master readied himself to finish the job, that was before he caught sight of his slave who by that moment had pressed him face to his hands to shield his eyes. The alpha knew then and there he couldn't get through with it. To hell if he seemed weak, it would be weaker to hurt the most precious being, he had done enough damage as it was.
Walking to his pup he knelt down on the floor and tried to place his hand on one of the slave's arm. The slave rejected him, not even willing to look at his master. "Seth, I'm not going to kill your friend." Jacob's words were cold, he was angry and hurt. Seth had chosen his friend and that hurt him at a very deep level. He would never choose anyone before his puppy, not even his own father. The submissive opened his eyes and motioned to take his master's hand to kiss it but Jacob pulled his hand out of the way and stood up. It was his turn to reject his lover.
"Why did Sam asked you to get these numbers? Whatever he is planning he could've gotten them himself." Jacob was not even trying to play it cool; he needed to find out as much as he could. Whatever Sam was planning was big, he could feel it in his bones.
"He only said he needed them and didn't want them destroyed." Embry was truthful; there was no point on lying anymore.
"I wonder what that bastard is planning. The worse thing is that I can't bring him to justice. My father would believe me but almost nobody else would. The son of a bitch is charming enough to have half the council wrapped around his little finger. They will eat my father and me alive if we came in with these allegations. This is too farfetched for anybody to accept it. To add insult to injury my star witness is a fucking slave that nobody will believe. I guess my only choice is to wait and see how this plays out." Jacob wasn't talking to anybody in particular. He engaged in a monologue trying to see if by saying it out loud it would make more sense.
"I'm going to spare your life; I will not kill you this time. If there is ever a next time I will not hesitate. In exchange you will keep your fucking mouth shut about anything you've seen in this house. Also you will tell your master that I fucked you raw several times. You will lie and you're going to be very convincing, I don't want the slightest doubt to tarnish the reputation of my father's house. Do we understand each other?" Embry nodded, his frown deepening when he remembered Sam's threat. He looked at his toes saddened by the reality of the pain he would go through.
To Embry's utter surprise Jacob went to his office for a couple of minutes, then handed him a piece of paper and a pencil. "Take this and write the numbers I'm going to tell you." Embry recognized he was giving him a fake combination for each safe. He copied the numbers enthusiastically. Even though he was confused he grinned widely, happy that for now he would keep his toes.
Seth stood up from his spot and went to his master to thank him. His efforts were faced with a cold and distant master. Embry couldn't believe his luck; he had done the unthinkable and barely got a slap on the wrist. The alpha just turned to look at Sam's mutt and after checking all his pockets he pulled him out of the room not allowing him to say goodbye. Embry was grateful to both Seth and Jacob. His friend's bravery saved his life for second time since they met. The young slave saw the retreating forms of his dominant and his friend as they strutted away in the direction of Sam's house. Seth said a little prayer for his friend and for his master. He prayed that Jacob would've been truthful and really took him home. His warmest prayer was for his master to forgive him. The slave knew it didn't look good for their relationship. He hoped that their trust wasn't permanently damaged. Each man had been hurt and it will take much more than an apology and a kiss to beat this new horror.