Hello! I want to thanks all the readers. The ones who favorite and alerted, especially the ones who reviewed made my day. Those of you who offered me their feedback helped me write faster. I was saddened by the fact that the number of reviews has decreased notably. I hope I'm not boring you or that the story became stale. If it did please tell me so I can make the appropriate adjustments.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Chapter 25
The distance between the Black's residence and Sam's was perceived very differently by the two wolves that were currently running in that direction. To Embry it felt too short; he never wanted to get there. His whole world was crashing down on him and threatening to bury him alive. He still didn't understand why Jacob showed leniency, he wanted to be grateful for this but found it very hard to do it. He even provided him with a way out of the mess he got himself into, something he would never understand. Those fake numbers would appease his sadistic master, at least for a little while. This was a very different person from what he came to believe was Jacob Black. Not even once he had heard Sam say anything positive about his brother, quite the opposite if Embry hadn't seen it with his own eyes he would've thought Jake was the evil incarnate. It was becoming very clear that Sam's envy and hate was deep rooted inside him.
Embry didn't know anything about Sam's plans, only bits and pieces he couldn't tie together. He prayed that whatever came to Jacob wouldn't affect Seth. There was only one person he really cared about and that was the small submissive. Edward had been very kind and their friendly conversations would live in Embry's memory forever, but he was a dominant. By his own experience he knew that dominants were volatile and mainly responded to their primal desires. He kept thinking that at any moment Edward would snap and jump him, with devastating consequences. It hurt him that he didn't come to say goodbye, Edward knew he was leaving and still didn't bother to say anything.
Jacob was a different story, he was fucking pissed. The only reason he had not disposed of the traitor was his puppy. He hated Embry, he didn't care that he had been raped, beaten and starved. He began to feel some sympathy for the guy but now all bets were off. He had done something unforgivable; Sam's bitch came between him and his puppy. Seth would've made an excellent lawyer; he made Embry's case like an expert but made a big mistake, he got involved with the situation. In Jacob's eyes Seth betrayed him; he should've walked out of the room and allowed Jake to manage the situation. Instead he stood like a human shield putting himself at risk for somebody who was not worth their time.
The alpha had to carefully shield his thoughts since they were pretty incriminating. He kept replaying the instant when Seth sided with Embry. More than angry, Jake was hurt. He knew it was a mistake to allow himself to feel again. Feelings were a weakness and weakness meant death. He let his guard down to open his heart and that was turning him into a pathetic sack of bones. How was he supposed to act now? Should he just forgive and forget? There was no real joy in this new world; maybe they had all died in the pandemic and this was purgatory.
Jake delivered the sub to Sam's estate and felt tempted to stay and confront his so called brother. What could he say? He had no proof and would be the laughingstock of the dominant world for paying attention to the sub's gossip. The alpha was very tempted to hang around Sam's room and snoop around. After all, Sam did the same by sending that filthy mongrel to his house. It was embarrassing to see Sam steeping as low as using a mangy dog to do his dirty work. Jacob wondered what Sam's deal was, what the purpose behind all the spy action was.
Jacob couldn't stand to be around Embry any longer. If he did, he could end up doing something he would regret. The submissive hadn't even dared to look in his direction, he was nervous and close to tears. The alpha couldn't care less, in his eyes Embry was nothing but an inconvenience. After ordering the wolves in the house to stay away from the slave he left in the direction of his home. Upon his arrival he went directly to his room, it was close to dinnertime and he knew Seth would be hungry. He was raving mad at his slave but couldn't leave him hungry. He had promised not to hurt him and he intended to keep that promise.
Once back in the place where their argument had taken place, the anger and resentment came back with a vengeance. Just the trace of Embry's scent left in the room made his blood boil. After giving Seth a sideways glance he marched into his office and closed the door. Jacob plopped himself on his chair leaning towards his desk and scrubbing his face with his bare hands. He needed to calm down, he reminded himself of the good times he shared with his puppy in the last few weeks. He debated on how to act, his feelings for the pup were making him feel very weak and he hated it. The young wolf was becoming such an important part of him that it scared him to death.
Jacob should've known better than to get involved with a submissive. The idea of the son of the Aleph having a relationship with a dog was preposterous. He could think of ten good reasons to go back to the master/slave relationship but he had a hundred reasons to fight for what they achieved. He knew he was a coward but never would've guessed that a sweet man with sad gray eyes would terrify him. Single handedly the small wolf changed his perception of the world, challenging his ideas and preconceptions. Seth opened his eyes and made him see the world in a completely different way.
A soft knock brought Jacob back to reality. He didn't need to ask who it was; he could swear that he knew everything about his puppy; even how many breaths he took every minute. What he didn't know was how to behave, how to react to the slave's presence. The master rationalized that Seth had a good reason to stand by his friend. It was the decent thing to do; after all if he hadn't done that Embry would be a thing of the past. That was what his brain told him, his heart strongly disagreed.
Jacob was simply pissed, the blinding rage that dominated him for as long as he could remember threatening to come back to the surface. Since he acquired the slave the fuel that fed that flame had been slowly diminishing. The pilot light remained and he feared it would never extinguish. But he trusted himself in that without fuel feeding it he could keep it under control. Embry acted as the fuel, the mother fucker kept feeding the flame until earlier that day it almost burned him. The big idiot better know that without Seth's intervention he would be a smoking pile of ash. Seth standing protectively in front of the slave was scary, stupid and in Jake's eyes a betrayal. Seth was his boyfriend, not Embry's. It hurt that he had been demoted to second best.
"What do you want?" The question came out a lot harsher that it should've. At least now Jake knew how he would react, like a dick.
"Jake…"
"It's master to you." Stated Jacob coldly, his eyes lost in an undetermined point on the wall in an effort not to look at his pup.
Seth was taken aback by his master's attitude, his face contorted in a combination of surprise and fear. He was certain his master had feelings towards him, but apparently those feelings were as deep as a patch of ice on the road. He took a few steps in Jacob's direction. His legs ignored the command to stop and as if they had a mind of their own kept going. The alpha stood up and took the same number of steps away from the submissive. Like two magnets with the same charge they repelled each other.
"Master I didn't mean to…" Again he was interrupted by Jacob.
"I'll save you the effort; I'm not interested in your explanations. You made your choice; it's obvious where your loyalties lie." Seth nodded in response; he didn't agree with his master's statement but had enough common sense to know when to remain quiet. The slave felt guilty for deriving hope from his master's obvious distress but it was all he had to go on. If he showed signs of not caring the slave would've known everything was lost.
"Master with your permission I'm going to the kitchen to fetch your tray." Seth struggled to get the words out. It had been easy for him to forgive his master. In the time it took him to deliver Embry to his owner's home the slave had made peace with everything that happened. He was well aware that Jacob's anger was warranted under the circumstances.
"Go!" The instant Seth left the room Jacob had to brace himself. He leaned forward and rested his hands on his desk while his head hung low. Holding a grudge was one of his less endearing characteristics and he was darn good at it. When his pup was concerned holding a grudge was causing him more pain than satisfaction.
On his way to the kitchen Seth's mind was occupied with a whirlwind of thoughts. He feared that his bubble had been burst and pretty soon he would be at the mercy of Jake's evil side. But what he feared more than hunger and pain was the possibility that he had been nothing but a temporary entertainment for the master. In the kitchen Edward submitted him to a battery of questions. He had been away all day and when he came back Embry was already gone. He wouldn't tell Seth what he was doing but the slave suspected it had something to do with freeing Embry. If Edward noticed the slave less than cooperative attitude he didn't say anything, anyway he was too busy talking about Embry.
Once the slave was back in the room he set up the table and again knocked on the door to call his master for dinner. He stood back while Jake stormed past him and followed him quietly. "Bring me your bowl if you want to eat, you're not eating off my plate." Seth wasn't hungry at all; he was too upset to eat but still brought his bowl as to not tempt fate. Considering the circumstances the alpha was very generous, giving Seth his fair share.
The slave moved back to the wall and sat on the floor like he had done many times before. He missed his master, it had only been a few hours since the fallout but he already craved the alpha's smile. Seth found himself smiling when the memory of Jacob's laugh came to his mind. When he arrived at the manor his master barely smiled and seldom laughed, when he did it seemed fake. After they started getting closer he could see the youthful expression of the alpha, his perfect white teeth visible more often than not. But at that moment he had to content himself with watching his master's broad shoulders as he ate. What he couldn't see was that Jake was barely touching his food, basically moving it around in his plate.
"Damn it, fuck this shit!" Jacob's angry outburst was immediately followed by his plate hitting the wall and shattering in dozens of small pieces. The slave was shocked by his master's fit of anger. He would've prayed that the next thing to shatter wouldn't be his face but after his heart being stomped on he didn't really care about much.
The master exited the room like he was trying to escape from something. In a way he was, he knew he was overreacting and acting like a spoiled brat who didn't get his way. His pride was leading him the wrong path. It was killing him to treat Seth like a slave, they were beyond that. He cared for his pup, the crestfallen expression of the slave not escaping him and cementing his position as a jerk. What was his pup thinking of him? Did he even want to know? Like he had done many times he summoned his wolf and took off in an undetermined direction. In the past when he felt the pressures of the new world threatening to crush him he would visit his mother's grave or hide in his cabin, but at the moment neither of those possibilities appealed to him. He just wanted to run, to feel the wind on his fur like he was a young pup who didn't have a care in the world.
Back in the room Seth gathered all the pieces and cleaned the mess. He was resilient, he survived much worse circumstances he would live through this. He needed to raise his shields and protect himself. It was overwhelming, seeing that he only had experience with physical matters; the heart was a complete mystery to him. To make matters worse everywhere he looked in the room reminded him of his master. The air was impregnated with his scent or maybe it was the slave whose scent was mixed with that of his master.
Not knowing what to do Seth lied down on his blanket and waited for his master. Sleep evaded him completely; he was restless and would toss and turn, unable to get comfortable. Giving up he rose and stood by the window looking at the sky and enjoying the soft breeze. He wondered where his master was, he even admitted to himself being worried. It was highly unlikely that Jacob would be hurt by anyone but he couldn't help himself, he loved his master. Close to midnight Seth saw his master's impressive wolf emerge from between the trees. Its head hug low and his steps slow, like it was carrying the weight of the world on its back. When the slave heard Jake's steps out on the hallway he knelt beside his chain and waited for him. He feared what he would be up to. If they were back to the master/slave relationship he would probably take him to his bed and inflict a world of pain on him. He shrugged in fear of what awaited him but his wait was very short since Jacob kicked the door open and walked in slamming it behind him. Seth didn't raise his eyes from the floor and found himself in the same spot he was the first time Jacob came in the room after the slave had been delivered to the manor.
"Since you proved I can't trust you, you'll sleep chained. You're not sleeping on my bed ever again." He snapped the hook of the chain on the loop in Seth's collar and walked away. The slave lied on his side facing the wall so the master wouldn't see him cry.
Jacob took a quick shower to cool down after the long run. He had been running for six hours and felt tired but couldn't settle down. Just like Seth had done earlier he tossed and turned. With every passing minute he became more frustrated and annoyed. In the past the slave would've been burned for being a witch since the master was sure he had placed a spell on him. The alpha sat on his bed sliding back so his back rested on the backboard. From his position he could observe the submissive sleeping form. If he hadn't been such a proud fool he would've made love to his pup and fallen asleep with him in his arms. Since he decided to make this a one man pissing game he condemned himself to a sleepless night.
The next morning found Jacob on the same spot tired and still worked up. Seth stirred in his sleep and the master lied down with his back towards the slave and pretended to be asleep. He knew he was being very childish and didn't care. After several minutes the slave woke up and knelt waiting for his master to release him. Jacob heard the chain moving and knew his pup was awake but decided to keep pretending and stayed in bed fifteen more minutes. Getting up he walked towards the sub and unlocked his chain. Jacob thought that as crazy as that sounded his submissive was beautiful first thing in the morning. He was dying; all he wanted to do was cover the sub's face with kisses. It was a cruel punishment that when he needed to keep a cool head was when he found his lover more fascinating.
"You'll be in the kitchen most of the day; tell Edward to give you something." The alpha felt guilty about scarfing down all his breakfast without giving the slave one crumb. He had the pathological need to show he was in charge and that at the smallest provocation all of Seth's privileges could be taken away.
"Good morning Seth, what crawled up Jacob's butt? He looks positively pissed, ready to kill anyone who gets in his way." The slave shrugged as his only response to Edward's questions. The cook thought Seth looked sad and when added to Jacob's murderous attitude he knew something was wrong but wouldn't push it. If the slave felt he needed to know he would tell him. Before finding out their secret he had been determined to pull it out of their throats if it was necessary. After learning their secret he didn't want to get involved in a lover's quarrel.
That evening followed pretty much the same routine as the previous day. Jacob told the slave to bring his bowl and as he was handing it back his fingers grazed the slave's hand. The ephemeral contact was enough to make his resolve falter. Why couldn't he just sit down and have a heart to heart with the sub? Why did he have to make it harder on both of them?
Unlike the night before, he stayed in the room but hid in his office to try and catch up with his paperwork, but not before chaining Seth. Of course he couldn't concentrate and after looking at the same paper for an hour he gave up and called it a night. Sleep evaded him again; he was exhausted but couldn't settle enough to be able to sleep. After several hours of lying awake on his bed he relented and getting up lied down next to Seth on the floor. Only after feeling the warmth of the slave's skin close to him his eyes became heavier and he drifted off to sleep.
The next morning found Seth with his face buried on his master's chest and Jacob's arms around him. He couldn't believe his master had degraded himself to sleeping on the floor with a slave. He didn't know at what point during the night he moved close to the alpha and tried to scurry away from him. He was certain he would pay for his indiscretion but was grateful that he had been able to enjoy his master's body close to him, even if he had been sound asleep at the time. The submissive felt Jake's arms tighten around him and lifted his eyes only to be met by his master's loving gaze. His serious expression was in sharp contrast with the emotion in his eyes. Seth lowered his eyes but Jacob wouldn't have any of that. Placing his index finger under his chin he lifted his face.
"I'm sorry." Whispered Jacob.
"Me too." They were both relieved to be in each other's arms. There would be many storms in their future and the only way they would endure was holding on to each other. Between two people that love each other the selfish and petty attitudes were unnecessary and unwelcomed.
Jacob unlocked the slave's chain and freed him. "I've missed you, puppy."
"It's only been one day."
"One day, an eternity, it's all the same to me if I spend it away from you. Seth, you… left me. You took Embry's side and left me up to dry."
"Jake if I didn't do something to help him I would've regretted it and you would've stained your hands with more blood. Even if you didn't understand it at the moment I want you to know I did it for both of us."
"Promise me you will never leave me. I need you by my side. Swear please."
"My Jake as long as you want me by your side I'll be here."
"You didn't swear." Jacob's words sounded muffled as he nuzzled the slave's cheek.
"I can't, I'm a slave if something was to happen to me tomorrow I would've broken my promise and that's the last thing I want. Trust me; I never want to leave you, never. Unfortunately that's not for me to decide."
"Baby please know that as long as there is breath in my lungs no harm will come to you. This day and a half that we were apart killed me, especially knowing that it was my fault. I was a downright jerk yesterday. You should've seen you face when I told you to call me master, I never want to see that despondent look on you again." Seth sat up beside his master and pulled him up until he was sitting resting his back on the wall. The slave straddled his legs and ran his fingers through his master's hair. Jacob should've felt uncomfortable under such an intense scrutiny but he was anything but. It was like Seth was looking at him for the first time, like he had been blind and the first thing he ever saw was the man sitting before him.
"Yes, you were a jerk." Jacob chuckled as he rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "But I'm not without fault. I should've done something to show you I was not picking sides, I was just doing what I thought was right."
"I've messed up and you still find fault on yourself instead of pointing your finger and tell me to go fuck myself. I don't know what I did to deserve you. Seth, why are you so good to me?"
"Er… well I…" Seth's eyes became downcast as he fiddled nervously with the hem of his shirt. There was so much he wanted to tell his master but wasn't allowed to.
"Seth don't be afraid I need to hear it." The slave closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He wanted to yell it from the rooftops but he couldn't. He knew the effect those three words would have on Jake, all that was needed was an instant of indiscretion and he would leave his master permanently. The submissive felt a warm hand pressed against his cheek and he leaned into the touch. When he opened his eyes he came face to face with his master's sorrowful expression and sad eyes. Of course he would think Seth didn't have any feelings for him, after all when he asked Seth couldn't even look at him. What he didn't know was that the submissive was trying to calm himself down and not do something that in the end would destroy them both. As it was his nature, the slave needed to comfort his master. Taking Jacob's hand he kissed it and pressed it on his chest right over his heart. There, the strong beat of his heart would tell him everything the slave was unable to.
"Thank you, in a few months you've made me happier than I've ever been. I just hope that one day I'll return the favor." Jacob didn't know why he couldn't tell the submissive he loved him. There was no law against him expressing his feelings even if it was to a slave. The truth of the matter was that he doubted himself. No person can claim to be in love and at the smallest provocation become a sadistic dictator. "You have no idea how happy you make me. Come you must be hungry I can hear your stomach growling."
The pair ate their breakfast sitting together at the table. At first Seth was unsure how to proceed. After some reassuring and coaxing he took a small amount of food from his master's plate. He was still wary and guarded. His master's change could only be temporary, he expected that at any minute the shift would occur and he would be in a worst situation than he had been.
As the days passed the two lovers became reacquainted with the feelings they had for each other. Their days were filled with furtive glances and clandestine dates. Their nights consisted of endless hours in each other's arms as they explored their bodies and engaged in a search for each other's pleasure. Jacob was determined to make up for everything. Seth needed to show his master what was in his heart. If his master knew the intensity of his feelings he wouldn't doubt him ever again.
It had been weeks since Embry's visit and everything that transpired was a thing of the past. Everybody was getting back to their routines with Jacob working hard on the crops and Seth working in the kitchen and taking care of his dominant. Ed had been struggling with the feelings he was beginning to experience. Like his heart had been dormant for decades and was sputtering to life again. But he didn't want that to happen. He wanted to pretend he was a leech whose heart stopped beating a hundred years ago, laying cold and dead inside his chest. He was content in waiting for his number to be up and go out with a bang. Nobody was going to take that away from him, not even a beautiful wolf with sad brown eyes and a smile that could brighten the darkest night. That didn't mean he would give up on him, he would do everything in his power to help the cursed man.
Since Edward knew Seth was safe he concentrated his efforts on Embry and tried one thousand and one ways to negotiate freedom for the slave. Unfortunately as it happened with Seth every abolitionist he spoke to was too scared of Sam to even attempt a transport. The cook was convinced that one day he would find somebody that could help him. He would do the hardest part, extracting Embry from the Uley property but this was not a one man job, he found out this the hard way. In the meanwhile he would do everything he could to help him stay alive until he could be freed. He was not beyond paying Sam's servants to sneak him in to see the slave and bring him food. Every time the cook saw the slave he couldn't help but take inventory of the multiple lacerations and marks on his skin. He didn't even want to think about Embry's pronounced limp, there were some days the slave could barely walk. Edward wished he could say something to lift his spirits but his words were rusty for lack of use. Anything he could say to the slave would be meaningless and feeble.
At the end of the day Jacob and Billy walked in together. Every day the Aleph was enjoying his son's company more and more. Like back from a long journey his real son was back, the one who made his life worth living. The one his Sarah gave her life for. They spent the day on the field and even though they were dog tired and had more dirt on them than the field itself, they were happy. Billy had been questioning his son of the reason for the sudden change in his attitude and behavior, he loved it but still found it very odd. He needed to know what happened to make his son come back to him. Jacob dismissed his father's questions with half lies, he thought about trusting his dad but he couldn't take risks. The more people that knew meant a bigger potential for disaster and when the stakes were so high he couldn't take unnecessary risks.
Father and son made their way to the kitchen to have some dinner and retrieve the slave respectively. The instant they walked in and Jacob's gaze landed on the submissive his smile widened, his breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat. None of this escaped Billy but he didn't make any comments about it, he wanted to see how it would play out.
"Slave lets go. Bring my tray; I'll eat in my room." Jacob's voice was almost melodic, nothing like the harsh way he usually addressed the slaves. Billy sat on a corner observing everything. The way his son ran his fingers through his hair like he was making himself more presentable. The way the slave would look in his master's direction every chance he got. His son's glittering eyes as he returned the slave's glances. What struck the Aleph as unbelievable was how at one point the slave raised his eyes and met his master's brown ones. In the past a slave would've been slapped before they could draw a breath, in this occasion his son smiled lightly. Billy felt like he was invading a private party, his son was having a silent conversation with the submissive and when they got close they almost looked as they had forgotten how to breathe.
After master and slave left the kitchen Billy turned to Edward who was getting his and the Aleph's dinner. "Ed have you noticed how different Jake's acting. Do you know what came onto him? Don't take me wrong, I couldn't be happier but I want to make sure whatever is going on keeps happening." Edward shrugged as he tried to come up with a good enough explanation. No such luck, his mind was drawing blanks. Billy noticed Edward evasiveness and decided to conduct his own investigation. He couldn't depend on anyone to find out what was happening, especially if it was what he suspected.
The next morning Billy woke up earlier than usual and went on a quest to find the truth. Being the owner of the manor had its benefits, one of them having possession to the master key to all the locks in the house. Standing outside Jacob's door he hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should do it. He could be opening a can of worms and the last thing he wanted was to change the course of things. He had his son back, should he do something that could potentially drag him back to square one? His instincts as a father commanded him to open the door and to be prepared to what he would find.
Billy opened the door slowly and was very grateful the hinges didn't groan, he was afraid they would squeal like fingernails on a chalkboard and wake up his son. His footsteps didn't make a sound, his movements stealthy. After crossing the siting room he came face to face with his son's new reality. For a second he didn't see the small submissive encased in a protective embrace. It took a second look for him to make up the petite form of the slave. They were naked as the day they were born, their legs intertwined, their breathing soft and steady. The most peaceful look adorned the faces of the two men on the bed. Billy was uncomfortable with their nudity but it was part of the wolf lifestyle. He knew this went beyond the obvious, there was a lot more under the surface. The room smelled of sex and he knew what happened, not that he expected anything different but he expected better.
Sitting at the foot of the bed on the side closest to Seth he waited for them to wake up. They looked so young and innocent that Billy couldn't bring himself to interrupt their sleep. He had so many questions floating around in his head. When did things change and what was exactly going on between them being the main ones. He was amused and concerned for the fact that this had been happening right under his nose and it didn't register with him. Everybody with eyes of their faces could see the changes in master and slave. Jacob looked happy; he worked harder than he had in a long time, like at last he had something to work for. His son was distracted more often than not and looked as daydreaming half the time. The change in the submissive was even greater. He looked calm and relaxed, not like he was about to pee himself from fear. He had gained weight and had no traces of blood or hints of any violence coming to him.
At last the slave began stirring, fighting the appeal that staying in bed presented. Billy observed him as he curled himself to his son's body and peppered his chest with kisses. If there had been any doubt in his mind about what he was witnessing, Seth's loving behavior would've changed it. He didn't notice until then that the slave was not wearing his collar. Looking around he located it on the bedside table, a silent witness to what he knew had been a night of passion.
The air changed around them when Seth took notice of the Aleph sitting at his feet, turning from the aroma of peace, love and desire to the stench of stress, worry and fear. The submissive felt panicky, his life could end right when he found happiness. He tried to scurry away from his master but only achieved to make him hug him tighter. He laid on his lover's arms shaking and to the point of hyperventilating. The slave pondered what his father in law would do, in case he didn't get a chance to do it ever again he snuggled to his master. Hiding his face on the crook of Jake's neck he inhaled his scent. Placing his hand on his chest he reveled on the strong heartbeat. In his own simple way he was saying goodbye, trying to take as much of his lover as he could when he left the earth.
"Don't be afraid I'm not going to hurt you." Whispered Billy.
At the sound of his father's voice Jacob woke up with a start. Sitting up he pushed Seth behind him, ready to fight his own father if necessary. Seth squeezed his shoulders and kissed the back of his neck trying to help him calm down. It worked and soon enough the tension had notably diminished.
"Well now you know. What are you planning to do about it? Please dad I do not want to fight you, but I will protect him." Jacob's words were few but to the point. He didn't want to do anything he would regret. But if it came to the point of choosing between his father and his boyfriend he would defy the authority of the man who gave him life.
"I'm not planning to do anything son. I just wanted answers. I've been watching you both, every day it became more evident that there was something going on but couldn't have guessed the extent of it. Son I'm delighted on you but I'm worried. You know this is forbidden, it could cost him his life."
"Dad whoever wants to get to him will have to kill me first." Billy's eyes widened as he took in his son's words.
"Son, don't say that. It will not come to that, I will not allow it. We'll protect him. Who else knows about you two?"
"Only Edward"
"That's one powerful ally; I think Quil would be another wise choice. You'll need as much help as possible."
"I know dad, I've been very careful, this secret is just too important for me to risk it falling in the wrong ears.
"I understand son, if I may suggest something, you need to be extra careful with Carlos and Carlisle. Carlos has been asking me to order you to share your sub." At this declaration Seth stiffened and a deep growl emerged from Jake's chest. "Carlisle is a stickler for the rules; he wouldn't hesitate to take matters into his own hands."
"Thanks dad I'll do just that. Seth why don't you go get ready for the day. I want to talk to my dad some more." Seth scampered to the bathroom pausing once to look over his shoulder at Jake who looked adoringly at the sub.
Once Seth started the shower Jacob decided to have a long overdue heart to heart with his father. "Dad I know this is crazy but this is one of those things nobody plans, it just happened."
"I know what you mean, but are you in love with him?"
"Honestly I'm not sure. What can I tell you dad, I was tempted by the smile of an angel. My spirit soars when I'm with him. The fact that this is forbidden takes second place to how wonderful it is. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, he is constantly in my mind. His voice is my favorite sound, his smell is my favorite scent, and his voice is the most perfect melody. He is the piece that was missing from my soul. If that's what being in love is, then yes, I'm in love."
Jacob paused when he realized what his admission meant. "Dad I'm… in love with a submissive." The master's smile turned into an all-out grin. His mind had been arguing with his heart for a long time. Listening to his own voice utter those words made them real. Jacob Black not only loved, but was in love with a man. The fact that the man was a slave was not part of the equation, it didn't matter. In Jacob's eyes Seth was much more than a slave, he was a submissive, the strongest and most resilient kind of wolf to ever walk the face of the earth.
"Son, have you told him?"
"No I haven't but I will, I'll tell my sun that he is my everything. I'll tell my Seth… that I love him…"