I want to thank you for your support and encouragement. It's saddening to see how the Twilight fanfiction group is dwindling down. This makes the few of you who remain faithful to this project extra special. Whether you are following this story or it's part of your favorites list I really appreciate you taking the time to read it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
Chapter 39
"Dad may I come in?"
"You know my door is always open." Billy had been dying a little every day. For the second time, he had lost his only son. Jacob breathed, walked and ate but that was it. He never smiled; he became a recluse in his own house, refusing to talk to anyone. He spent entire days locked in his barren room. All that remained were the bed and his desk. The few people who dared to go in his room always found him staring into space or holding a small stuffed dog. One of the servants made the terrible mistake of referring to the toy as a step up from Seth. It goes without saying that it didn't go well for him.
"Why did you take my seal away? I don't have access to my credits without it."
"I needed it to complete some transactions. I'm taking care of importing and purchasing food. That has always been your department, but until you're back on your feet I'm covering you. Are you ready to take back some more responsibilities?" Asked Billy hopeful.
"Heck no! I'm in no mood to be dealing with greedy farmers. I need money for something else."
"I'm confused, you have money. You only need the seal for big transactions. What are you going to buy?"
"A submissive, I'm tired of whacking off three times a day. I want a slave."
Billy's normally calm demeanor changed rapidly. His face contorted in an all-consuming fury, nostrils flared, cheeks flushed and his eyes sparkling with beast-like ferocity. He raged up in long strides toward his son. Without a moment's hesitation he threw his hand forward, whipping it across his face. The crack of skin against skin was like thunder bouncing off the walls. "Over my dead body! Didn't you learn anything?" He spat to his son's face while jabbing his finger on his chest. "You have pulled some pretty fucked up things in your life but nothing this low. You know what the slaves go through! Or did you forget Seth's initiation? I take responsibility for enabling you all those years but not this time. You never knew nor cared about the slave you were torturing but now you do. Listen to me, there will NEVER be another slave in this house."
"If that's the case then I'll leave this fucking house. Nobody here has the right to judge me, not even you!" Jake was unapologetic and acted like a spoiled brat. His father was furious and had to restrain himself; if he didn't, his son would leave the room with more than one red cheek.
"What are you waiting for? Get out of here! That may have worked in the past but I will not budge this time." Billy turned his back to his son and walked away from him. Jacob was shocked beyond words; his father was kicking him out of the house.
"You're throwing me out? And for a dog?" Jake couldn't prevent his voice from cracking as he said this.
"I'm not throwing you out, you said you want to leave and I'm not going to stop you; there is a big difference. By the way that dog loved you; he forgave you for all the demented shit you did to him. Maybe you need me to list a few as to refresh your memory. You starved him, repeatedly raped him, branded him like cattle, beat him to a pulp, broke his nose and his fingers. Should I go on? And how did he repay you? Mmmm let me think, ah right, he gave you his unconditional love, forgave you and even saved your life. The nerve of that beast. Nobody here knows why he left, for somebody who doesn't like being judged you're very judgmental" Billy had to stop to catch his breath and wipe his wet cheeks. "You know what's mindboggling? How easy it was for you to decide that Seth left you, there are many variables to this equation and you chose the worse one. Who the hell do you think you are? You declared yourself victim, jury and judge. Let me tell you something mister; get off your high horse because you're none of those. There is no animal in nature crueler than man, you're the perfect example. You claim to love him but didn't hesitate to think the worst of him. That's not love, son."
"Don't you think I know all that?!" Screamed Jacob effectively getting his father's attention. "I'm unlovable; I'm toxic and pollute anyone who gets close to me. Mom loved me and paid for it. I thought Sam loved me, what a joke! I should have known that he wouldn't be any different from everyone else. You can hate me, Seth can hate me, every fucking person in this messed up world can hate me and it won't even come close to how much I hate myself!" Jacob was crumbling down before his father. "I failed him. He left me because of how awful I was. I fucking miss him, he loved me like no one has and never will. I've had a lot of time to think, I lost him dad, it's my fault. Never before I took responsibility for my actions, it was always someone else. The west, the council, even you, but this was all my doing."
Jacob extended his arm seeking his father's comfort but Billy stepped back. He was dying to give in, hold his boy and tell him everything was going to be fine but he needed to be strong enough to let his son grow up. "I want to feel loved again, I'm desperate for it. Please dad I promise I'll be good to him, I'll treat him properly."
"So you think that you can replace him with another sub? That you can just buy a new man to love?"
"I'll never be able to replace him. And who said anything about loving him? I'll never love anyone like I love my angel. But if I can care enough to make a slave's life bearable, not all would've been lost."
"Jake it doesn't work that way. What do you think Seth will say when he comes back and finds another man in your room? In your bed?"
"We both know Seth is never coming back. He got what he wanted over all things, his freedom. Carlos told me about the deal you made with him. The minute he had his freedom he left without looking back. He earned it fair and square but that doesn't make his abandonment hurt any less."
"I see your godfather has been poisoning you again. He is the worst person to give you any kind of counsel, you know that. I guess he failed to tell you that Seth is not free, son." Jacob looked his father questioningly. "I never gave him his documents. When we came back I was tired and told him we'd take care of it in the morning. That night he disappeared."
Billy walked to his office and came back holding a yellowed folder with several papers inside. "Without this he is another runaway slave. I'm not going to sugar coat it, Edward and Paul left six weeks ago ago. It's like the earth swallowed the subs, actually that would be preferable. The other option is that they were captured and auctioned."
"Please dad don't say that." Jacob was defeated; his evilness drove away the most innocent creature he ever met. Seth would be another one of his many victims. He couldn't even fathom the idea of some other man putting his grubby hands on his pup, of another man being inside him.
"You're not doing him any favors by staying locked up in your room. Ed and Paul are on their way back home so Paul can spend Thanksgiving with his family. They will be heading out again two days later. Why don't you go with them? You know him, the way he acts, how he thinks, you can anticipate his movements and that will be invaluable in the search."
"I don't think Edward wants my company. I don't blame him though, I wouldn't either."
"Damn it Jake, focus, not everything is about you. Haven't you heard one word I've said? If Ed doesn't want you with him then go with Quil. Two teams can cover twice the territory. I have a few trusted friends keeping an eye out for news of anybody getting a new slave. We'll find them Jake; your story will not end this way. You two have earned your happily ever after."
"My puppy deserves his happily ever after. All I've earned is a one way ticket to hell. If we find them… when we find them I'll come clean and confess how I doubted him. If Seth can find it in his heart to forgive me I'll be the happiest man on this earth. If he rejects me… well I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'll ask Quil if he will accompany me, we can kill two birds with one stone and look for his brother."
"That's more like it."
"Dad…" Jacob paused to draw in a shaky breath. "… thank you for holding me accountable and whipping me into shape. But especially for not giving up on me." Father and son melted in a long overdue embrace. They had come full circle. For years Jacob had felt like he was a big disappointment and his father gave up on him when his mother died. Billy knew he blamed his son for Sarah's demise. At last they could move forward and be there for each other.
It was crazy to think of the impact a small, defenseless and seemingly insignificant slave had on the Black's. A man that barely spoke had a big say in the lives of those around him. One who had nothing gave the most. Seth had changed Jacob's world just by being there and in the process cured his loneliness. He helped him make peace with the universe.
Every person in the Black's household shared their Thanksgiving meal with renowned hope. Even though the news Edward and Paul brought with them were very discouraging, the fact that Jacob's spirit came back to life after he temporarily locked it away, rekindled their optimism. They met in Billy's office to fine tune all the plans for their quest. "Let me see if I got this straight, the council is not holding auctions anymore but selling the slaves as virgins?" If it was anyone else telling him this Billy wouldn't have believed him but coming from Edward he had no choice to accept it as true.
"Exactly, they are not only taking submissives away to re-sell them, they are kidnapping the last few young men around and hold them hostage until they phase. If he is a submissive he is sold immediately, the parents are not given the option of paying for their freedom. They took that opportunity off the table. Ah and get this, they have their minions patrolling the border to prevent any family from escaping to South America to protect their son."
"Oh God, what if they were captured? Seth and Embry could be anywhere by now." Cried Jacob as he paced back and forth in his father's office too keyed up to sit down.
Billy stood in his son's path and made him stop by placing his callous hands on his biceps. "Son I know it all seems very grim but please try to be optimistic."
"I'm trying dad. Something came to my mind right now. Seth can sense a wolf a mile away; maybe they escaped in the opposite direction to avoid capture. What I don't understand to begin with, is what the fuck they are doing going south. They know the South is crawling with slave traders, why would they walk into the lion's den?"
"My guess is that they are trying to get to Chile to find Seth's sister."
"But that's the thing, Seth and I talked about one day looking for his sister. He knows that the only way for anyone to get there is by boat and there is no way in hell two slaves without a penny to their name would be allowed on a boat. Makes more sense for them to head north, to Quebec. That's where Emmet and his pack live." Jacob couldn't help the growl that originated deep in his chest as he said the last sentence. "Has anyone contacted him?"
"Not really, we didn't think about that possibility. We never even considered that option since we started from the premise that they were last seen going south. You do make a very valid point. What do you suggest Jake?" Asked Edward, acknowledging Jacob for the first time since he left to look for the submissives.
"I showed Seth where all the outposts are located along the east coast and he knows he has to avoid them at all costs. I think he may be following the coast since he knows exactly where not to step. Quil you and I can take this route." Explained Jacob while tracing the east coast on the map. "Ed, you and Paul should go this way and we'll rendezvous here." He said pointing to the border between the United States and Canada.
The next day the four men said goodbye to their friends and family. Billy made Jacob swear he would come home for Christmas. Almost losing him for a second time made him appreciate the times they spent together. They had become closer than ever and they had Seth to thank.
The progress was nonexistent and the lack of information was frustrating to say the least. As they explored every town, hours turned to days and days turned to weeks. Not one rock was left unturned but the slaves seemed to have vanished into thin air. Jacob went as far as desecrating two freshly dug graves. He prayed the whole time while digging, too afraid of finding the remains of his lover. They breathed a sigh of relief when they confirmed that the deceased were not submissives.
As promised the four dominants returned home for Christmas. Both Jacob and Edward tried to stay behind but after a few stern words from their travel companions they headed home. They were greeted by Billy and Emily, the separation was hard for both of them but they understood that it needed to be done. Claiming to be too tired to celebrate with the others Jacob called it a night and retired to his room. Last Christmas seemed a distant memory. It was hard to conceive that the previous year Seth was with him and he didn't appreciate him. He would give anything to hold his puppy in his arms but had to resign himself with sitting on the bed holding cookie. A rare smile appeared on his lips thinking of Seth's small hands holding his only toy and his joy when he discovered his box of treasures tucked away safely in his parents house.
A knock on the door brought him to the here and now and he huffed annoyed with whoever had interrupted his daydreaming. "Go away; I'm not good company right now."
"Though luck, I told you last year. Nobody should be alone on Christmas Eve." Said Quil walking in. "Here, I brought you some food." He handed Jake a plate and sat beside him on the bed watching as his friend moved the food around without any interest.
"I don't remember ever thanking you for keeping my puppy company last year. Back then I was a poor excuse of a wolf, I still am."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. At least that night you gave us the first indication of having a beating heart inside your chest. I remember how you called him pwetty puppy. "Jacob punched Quil's arm for imitating his drunken speech. "You'll see, next year we'll be together, all of us. This sadness you're feeling today will be a distant memory."
"I wonder if he's thinking about me. I mean, he is constantly in my mind. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, he is my constant companion. If a son of a bitch like me can feel this way I can't imagine what a gentle soul like him must feel."
"I'm sure that you're on his mind right now. Somewhere in this pale blue dot there is a guy dreaming of the love of his life and asking Santa to bring him his wolf."
"That's so corny." Both friends laughed wholeheartedly. "You're such a cheese ball but I like it, I hope you're right." The old friends stayed together until the first light of Christmas day. They would be heading out the next day to continue their search with renewed hope and determination.
At the same time, very far away from Billy's estate…
"Hey buddy, had a good nap?" Embry tried to keep his voice cheery and not show how worried he was for the way his friend was deteriorating.
"Yeah I'm becoming an expert in napping. I hate feeling so useless, everything makes me tired." Complained Seth.
"Don't beat yourself about it. Your body is working three times as hard. That is if you're carrying two pups, I'm still not sure if there is another tadpole in there." Seth's stomach growled loudly making Embry furrow his eyebrows. "I made dinner, is not much but it will warm us up. I'm sorry, I went out again today but there is no hunt around here anymore. Between the damn snow and the animals sensing us and leaving its slim pickings. Maybe if I go farther away there will be some hunt but I can't leave you here defenseless for so long."
"You don't need to apologize, maybe if we would've left when you wanted to, we wouldn't be stuck here. When I made up my mind it was too late, I made a mess of things."
"Seth Black you didn't make any mess. We both decided to stay, you vocalized it but I accepted it. I wanted to wait for Ed. And don't start with the other stuff. You're pregnant; it's a miracle and a blessing. If it renders you unable to phase it's not your fault. I don't pretend to know how you feel but I can guess that being pregnant and malnourished can cause serious exhaustion. We can't control the weather. We tried to leave but this winter has been brutal, I've never seen so much snow. You wouldn't last outside more than a few hours. So stop it with the blame game ok. Let me help you sit up so you can eat." Embry felt terrible for being so harsh but sometimes he needed to slap some sense into Seth.
Embry handed his friend a steaming bowl of stew. He looked at him apologetically, embarrassed for not being able to take better care of him. "It's good Em, thank you."
"I wish I could feed you properly. My nephews or nieces deserve to eat like kings and queens." Seth smiled before bringing another spoonful of food to his mouth. He didn't want to think about what he was eating, if he did he would surely hurl and he needed the nourishment. He would do anything and eat anything; his babies deserved the chance to be born.
The next morning Embry was up before dawn to go on a very special errand. He left a little bit of food by his friend's bed and left before his empty stomach would wake him. Both men had been starving and didn't think they would survive the winter. But they were survivors, if hordes of sadistic dominants didn't beat them, scarcity wouldn't either. They were more than capable of providing for themselves; unfortunately the cards were not in their favor. Because of the terrible weather they were left scrambling to find anything to fill their empty stomachs.
It had been Seth's idea to eat the only thing available in abundance, rats. The pregnancy had been very challenging so far and he needed to put on some weight. Seth was skin and bones, they both were. Em used to lie to his friend and tell him he had already eaten when in reality he only ate once every couple of days. His lies came to light the day Seth found him passed out on the kitchen floor. When he tried to help him sit up he noticed how the bones of his back were protruding. That day Seth made him swear to never lie to him again and that he would eat.
Coming inside the house Embry could hear his friend humming as he bathed. Seth was supposed to wait for him but his old stubborn self didn't want to be a bother. Em would give him a hard time later, at least this gave him the perfect opportunity to bring in the surprise he had for his friend. After setting up he stood against the bathroom door with his arms crossed firmly over his chest. "You were supposed to wait for me."
"Sorry Em, you do everything around here. The least I can do is bathe myself. Anyway I'm too happy right now so don't give me a hard time."
"What happened?" Embry would take any bit of good news, he needed it.
"Yesterday I felt something strange and this morning as soon as I woke up I felt it again. Now I know what it was, the babies, I can feel them moving." Seth was beaming like only a person with unmistakably joy in his heart could.
"Are they moving now? I want to feel them." He said excitedly as he sunk his hand under the warm water.
"Sorry they are not, but the next time they do I'll give you a holler ok."
Embry held a big towel to wrap his friend with it as he stepped out of the warm bathwater. "You're showing quite a bit, are you sure you're not farther along?" He said placing his hand on his friend's swollen stomach. At that exact moment the babies decided to startle their uncle. "What's that!?"
"Hahaha that's them, you didn't have to wait that long after all" The look of amazement and admiration in Embry's face was both funny and heartwarming. After a few minutes of the babies not moving Embry removed his hands and helped his friend get dressed.
"To answer your question, I'm sure, I know exactly when I was in heat, my scent changed so much even Quil was affected. I'm not going to tell you how I acted. Let's just say that my body knew what it wanted and demanded it. I count the pregnancy starting a few days after my scent changed. That means that I'm almost three months into my pregnancy. My guess is that since I'm thin it makes the baby bump more visible."
As it always happened Embry felt terrible for his friend's emaciated appearance. His hope was that as soon as the weather became milder they could be on their way to Quebec. It would be cutting it very close but if he carried Seth on his back they were bound to make good time.
"I have a surprise for you downstairs, I got something for us." After Seth was dressed with enough layers to help him feel toasty they walked downstairs together. He let out a shriek when he caught sight of the most beautiful Christmas tree he had even seen.
Embry was delighted with his reaction. He knew that Seth had never celebrated Christmas and wanted to make everything special for him. "You get to decide where we'll put it and we can decorate it together. You like that idea?" Asked Embry.
"I love it thank you, thank you." Seth threw his slim arms around his friend's neck and hugged him. "When is Christmas?"
"Tomorrow silly. Tonight we'll sing Christmas carols and decorate the tree. I got a ton of decorations." They shared their meager meal but not even that could bring them down. They had a big reason to celebrate, the babies.
After decorating the tree they sat together on the couch watching the colorful blinking lights. Embry rested his back against a soft cushion while Seth sat between his legs. The warmth of his friend's skin and the way his arms were wrapped around his body transported Seth to a distant time and place. A place where two bodies laid together in bed after making love. Their skin glistening with a thin layer of sweat as the master nibbled on the back of the slave's neck. He closed his eyes as to not ruin the fantasy and secretly wished that one day he could be in his arms again.
Seth craned his head up so he could look at his friend's face. "Do you think they're thinking about us?"
"I'm sure they are, we're adorable and impossible to forget." Both friends laughed heartily at Embry's comment. They wished each other a merry Christmas before kissing and cuddling together.
That night they slept together, neither one of them wanted to spend the night alone. Each one of them knew that the man beside him was the only person that could completely understand him. Seth cried himself to sleep, his only comfort being the love he had for the lives growing inside him.
The next morning Seth found himself alone on the bed. Embry entered the room running excitedly; it was Christmas morning after all. "Sit I got something for you."
"Em you cheated, I thought we agreed that we were not going to exchange presents."
"The presents are not for you, so I still kept my promise." Embry handed Seth a box carefully wrapped in shiny red paper. After ripping the paper and looking inside the box Seth couldn't hold his tears. Three toy puppies with different fur color laid next to each other. Seth held all three to his chest as he hugged his best friend.
"This is so perfect Em, my babies received their first present from their uncle/godfather." This announcement took Embry by surprise since Seth hadn't officially asked his friend to be his children's godfather yet. He was delighted; it would be the closest he would come to having children of his own. Then again, weirder things had happened. One look at his friend told him that some things were not impossible. "Why three toys? I thought I'm having twins."
"Well I'm certain there are at least two puppies in there." He said pointing to Seth's stomach. "But since there is a possibility there might be another one I didn't want him or her to go without a present."
The days passed as a never ending sequence of hours and minutes. They had plenty of books to read and never ran out of conversation topics. If they were best friends before, in the last three months they became more than brothers. They knew everything about each other and they shared a bond that not many people had. Between their friendship and the babies Seth was carrying, they were the richest men on earth. Still, when the sun hid under the horizon and all that could be heard were the sounds produced by the nocturnal creatures. They felt all the loneliness and pain of being separated from their mates. Not a day went by when they didn't mention their dominants. They were the last thought in their minds as they drifted off to sleep and the first one when they opened their eyes in the morning.
Seth summoned the necessary courage and called Embry to the living room. There was something he had been meaning to ask his friend but kept putting it off knowing all too well that he would go ballistic. "Please sit, we need to talk." Embry immediately got nervous, knowing that nothing good ever came after that line. "I have something very important to ask you. All I ask is that you hear me out and let me finish." Embry nodded in agreement his heart beating wildly inside his chest.
"Neither one of us knows exactly how long I'll carry the pups. There is still at least six solid weeks of winter, that is if we're lucky. If I go into labor and we're not close to a doctor, I want you to deliver the babies. You'll cut me open and get them out, don't put them at risk.
"Seth I don't have the training to do such a thing. I could seriously hurt you, or even kill you."
"The most important thing is that the babies are born healthy. I'm expendable…"
"No fucking way!" Seth had never seen this side of Embry, he was so angry it was scary. "You've survived longer than any other submissive. It's like swimming for your life and dying when you reach the shore. I will not do it, you hear me?! I love you and can't bear the idea of losing you, much less by my own hand." Embry fell on his knees before his friend, quietly sobbing.
"Em please." Seth's voice cracked as two heavy tears slid down his face. "The only ones who really matter are the babies. I trust you with what is most precious to me. Don't you see this is what I really want? What I need?"
"I know this is what you want. You have to be the most selfless son of a bitch to ever walk the face of the earth."
"Please promise me you'll do it. Give me the peace of mind of knowing that my babies will have a future."
"I promise." This was a sacred promise, one that he would never take lightly.
The next few days passed with the submissives barely speaking to each other. They were in no way angry, they were burdened with the heaviness of their circumstances. What they ignored was that Edward and Paul were only a few miles away.
Jake will rejoin the search tomorrow. Billy demanded that Jake go home for at least one day, needing to see him with his own eyes. Actually Ed, that is not such a bad idea, you need to rest and I miss Emily and Sophia. If you keep going like this when you find Embry he is not going to recognize you. The months of search and heartbreak had taken a toll on Edward's appearance. Hours upon hours of running caused him to develop a gaunt appearance. His eyes puffy from lack of sleep and an overall look of exhaustion.
Fuck off Paul. There is no reason for me to be at the manor. Jacob has no choice, when Billy orders you to do something you do it, no questions asked. But I won't be able to rest until I learn of Embry's whereabouts. The two determined wolves hadn't lost hope. Their noses where bloody and raw from constantly sniffing the floor. Their heads swiveling from left to right trying to distinguish the scent that belonged to the submissives. It was no easy task considering the fact that they had been searching for three long months. It was like smelling an assortment of perfumes, after a while they all smelled the same. Edward's nose caught a familiar scent and he shook his head in incredulity. More than once that wonderful scent had been nothing but a mirage. They had followed hundreds of leads that always turned out to be nothing. This had given them many grief filled nights, several tantrums and more than one rage attack. Paul missed his family and was more than ready to throw in the towel but didn't have the heart to leave Edward alone and what was worse, face his daughter knowing that he had given up. He lifted his head in an effort for the rest of his senses to catch on. He sniffed the air and confirmed that Embry was nowhere around there.
Edward sat on his haunches looking at the sky through the canopy of branches above them. Baby where are you?
He is anywhere but here Ed; there is nothing around here but a couple of ghost towns. We are too far to the west, there is no way they came in this direction. If Jake is right and they are trying to get to Quebec this place is completely out of their way.
I don't know anymore, Emmet was truthful when he told Jake he hadn't seen them since the rescue. I may be turning into Quil and following a ghost but there is nothing else for me to do. There is plenty of daylight left, why don't we search those two ghost towns and call it a day. Paul reluctantly agreed, he saw Ed's resolve falter and that both scared him and gave him peace of mind. Knowing that his friend was still clinging to reality was very reassuring.
They walked into a town that time forgot. Every structure showed the signs of time and the hammer of the elements. In its day it must've been one of those charming small towns with mom and pop stores on each side of main street. Being mindful of the rotting wood in most structures they checked every building and home until they were sure there was nobody in any of them. As they walked several miles in the direction of the following town the same scent Edward had detected earlier reached his senses. He didn't acknowledge it; he didn't want to get his hopes up.
Ed call me crazy but I smell submissive wolf Edward's head shot up to look at his bewildered friend.
You smell it too? Is not me, it's him Paul it's him! They took off running until they reached the next town. It was a little bigger than the first one but it was equally in ruins. Ed was frantic putting himself in danger by going into unsafe structures. The biggest difference with this occasion and all the previous ones was Paul's involvement. He was almost as frantic as Ed, running from one place to the next without thinking.
As they left main street they followed a perpendicular street that led to several modern developments. These homes had been able to withstand the effect of time a little better. It's stronger now; I think we're going in the right direction.
As the two dominants continued their frenzied search Embry was starting dinner. He had been able to get several squirrels that would provide them with a few extra calories. The temperature had dropped and it was getting darker with every passing minute. They were in for another snowstorm by the looks of it. Seth slept bundled up on the sofa, this day being no different than any other. But that was about to change.
Seth's instincts or the wolf blood whispering in his ear caused him to awoken from his deep slumber. "Embry! Someone's coming!"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive, two wolves are running in this direction." Seth tried to keep the worry off his voice but it was useless, he was too anxious.
"Damn it." Embry picked up his friend and carried him down the steps to the basement where they had decided he would hide in case this ever happened. "Seth don't be a hero, no matter what you hear stay here. Keep yourself and the babies safe. I love you brother."
After placing a towel soaked in pine cleaner under the door in an effort to keep Seth's scent hidden, he turned off the lights and moved to the front of the house to look through the bay window. He removed his clothes and phased as soon as he set foot outside. Running down the street he stood at the entrance of a house waiting for the two visitors. After several minutes he saw the figures of two wolves through the haze of the light snow that was already falling. His chest felt tight and his mouth dry. He was afraid, not for himself, but for Seth and the babies. He had sworn to protect them with his own life if necessary and he intended to keep that promise. The moment he saw the two wolves bolt in the direction of the house he knew he had been found and prepared himself to do anything to protect his friend.
From the distance Edward could see a small wolf standing menacingly in front of a house. Edward's heart did cartwheels inside his chest when he recognized him. Embry? He couldn't say anything else; his brain had lost the ability of coherent thought. He would be devastated if this was another figment of his imagination, this one felt too real.
Embry please, it's me Ed Even if Embry couldn't have been able to see him or recognize his voice the emotion and love in Edward's voice would've told him who it was.
E… Edward oh my God, you found me! Embry took off running at the same time Edward did. To the outward observer they would have looked like two puppies playing. They bounced around each other while licking each other's faces. Paul stayed back observing the scene with tears running down his fur.
Please phase In no time both men stood in the middle of the snow covered street holding on to each other. There were no words exchanged between them, they were unnecessary and would fall short to express what they felt. Edward softly placed his hands on each side of Embry's face before cleaning his tears with his thumbs. Their lips touched in the most perfect kiss, of the most perfect moment of their lives.
"I can't believe I have you in my arms again. I love you so much." Whispered Edward.
"I love you too. I have been waiting; I knew that if anyone could find us it would be you."
"Us? Is Seth with you?"
"Yes, he is back at the house. Come, we're not far." They walked inside the house with Ed holding Embry's hand. He needed to keep feeling his skin. He was afraid that if he let go it would all be a dream and he would wake up to find himself all alone once more.
The men donned their clothes before Edward reluctantly let go of his mate's hand so he could go retrieve his friend. The breath got stuck in their throats as they exchanged worried looks when they caught sights of Seth's appearance. Edward was brought back from his daze when Seth's thin arms rounded his torso. "Buddy how are you? We've missed you."
"We've missed you too." Seth took a step away from his friend and searched the room with his eyes. "Where is Jake?"
"He is back home." Seth smile fell as he felt like all the life had been sucked out of him. Like someone threw a bucket of cold water on his face, leaving him gasping for air. Noticing Seth's change of demeanor Edward didn't waste any time to put his mind at ease. "He has been looking for you too; he is only home for a day before heading back out."
Paul had enough; he needed to know the reason why he had missed three months of his daughter's life. "Ok enough with the happy reunion. Why the fuck did you two leave?"
"We didn't leave, they took us away." Explained Seth calmly.
"Who?"
"Carlos and his cronies. The night we came back from rescuing Jacob, Carlos and four others carried us out. They said the order to dispose of us came from Billy."
"Wait wait wait, back up. Why would Carlos do such a thing? The idea of Billy ordering your death is utterly ridiculous. He has been sending every available wolf to look for you two. Also he has been using all his influence going as far as bribing a few officials to make sure you were not sold to new owners. Carlos is such a lying piece of shit, when I get my hands on him he would regret ever being born."
Seth's legs gave under him and Embry had to move quickly to prevent him from falling down. Momentarily forgetting about Edward and ignoring the baffled looks on both his and Paul's faces he picked up his friend and carried him to the sofa. He disappeared for a moment and came back with a blanket that he used to wrap his friend with. "Is he ok?" Asked Paul concerned.
"Yes, he is just a little weak."
"Are you sure? he almost blacked out. I have so many questions; this is just too much for me to comprehend." Exclaimed Edward exasperated and confused.
"Would it be easier if I showed you what happened?" Asked Embry looking at both dominants, who nodded in agreement. They stripped and walked outside where Embry proceeded to give them a play of play of everything that had ensued. He could sense the anger exponentially growing inside Edward. Neither one of them could believe what they were witnessing. This was a new level of betrayal and intolerance. Carlos had seen his godson suffering for months and didn't care. And for what? Status? Reputation? To keep a place of prestige among a sea of disgusting bugs? He must be really stupid if he thought he could get away with it. He seriously lacked a conscience and ignored the meaning of the word compassion.
Please know this is not a reproach, I'm not accusing you of anything but I need to know why neither one of you contacted us. Asked Edward.
Carlos told us that if we tried to contact anyone back at the house he would kill you and Quil. I honestly don't know if his original plan was to kill us or if it was an afterthought, but he warned us just in case.
Bastard. Paul's thoughts mirrored Edward's.
Can we please go back inside? I need to check on Seth.
What's wrong with him? He looks like shit. As usual Paul had and opinion and wasn't shy about sharing it.
As I said he is a little weak Without one more word he phased and ran inside to check on his friend. It would be Seth's decision as to when or if he would tell them about the pregnancy.
"I forgot to ask, why did you two stay here instead of going to Quebec?" Edward had so many questions, he didn't want to exhaust the subs but he needed answers.
"Well, we wanted to give you a chance to find us. Then it got too cold for Seth to be outside for long periods of time and we decided to stay here until the weather got milder."
"Why is it too cold for Seth? He might be a shrimp but he is a fucking wolf for goodness sake." Said Paul annoyed.
"I can't phase." They all went silent, as usual Seth's small voice had the power to stop on their track men twice his size.
"Why not?" Asked both dominants in unison. Seth stood up with Embry's help and slowly lifted his shirt to reveal his swollen abdomen. Edward's and Paul's eyes opened comically, their mouths agape as they shook their heads in disbelief.
"I'm three months into my pregnancy. Jake is going to be a dad." Seth was beaming while lovingly caressing his pregnant belly.
"Bu…but how? That's impossible." Paul took two hesitant steps toward the sub but couldn't move any further. He wanted to touch Seth to make sure he wasn't being fooled but he didn't need to. He knew in his heart it was true.
"Trust me it's very possible. Two weeks before Jake was kidnapped my scent changed and he took me away because it affected Quil, and if that was him he didn't want to think what the others would do to me. Neither one of us considered the possibility that I might be in heat but it's obvious that was the case."
"Fuck, Jake is going to be a dad." Paul felt ecstatic for his alpha and friend. He remembered how shocked, overwhelmed, inadequate and nervous he felt when he learned of Emily's pregnancy. He also knew the excitement, joy and immeasurable love Jacob would get to experience. "Now Carlos is really screwed, when Jake gets done with him there won't be enough of him left to fill a teaspoon."
"Let's not talk about that son of a bitch; there will be plenty of time for that later. Guys it's late and I'm starving why don't I fix something for us to eat?" Interrupted Edward anxious to begin taking care of his mate.
"Sure, the kitchen is this way. The food is ready it only needs to be warmed up. Sorry there isn't much."
Edward's eyebrows knitted together as he looked inside the pot on the stove. "Not much? Embry there is barely enough for one person." Edward opened the refrigerator only to see it was totally empty. "What have you been eating?"
"I… I couldn't leave Seth alone for long periods of time. He couldn't phase to protect himself and the babies. After a few weeks the animals around here got smart and left. Then the weather chased away the few that were still around. We've been eating whatever we could find, mostly rats and squirrels."
"Oh shit I think I'm going to be sick."
"Paul don't be such a baby, when you're hungry you eat anything. Instead of standing there with that disgusted look on your face make yourself useful and go hunt something."
"Don't you think we should first notify Jake that we found Seth?"
"Paul are you dense? Don't you see they're starving? The priority right now is getting them some food. Don't try to contact Jake, we're too far and using the relays would be a huge risk. Anyway he is a big boy; he can wait a few hours."
With Paul gone and Seth sleeping peacefully, Edward had his mate all to himself. He sat on one of the chairs of the breakfast table and pulled his mate to his knee. The months of anguish and sadness seemed like a distant memory when compared to the glorious joy he felt for having him in his arms again. He would've never given up, even if it killed him, he would've used his last few steps to search one more place. As Embry rested his face against his strong chest relishing the strong beat of his heart he sighed at peace once more. "Baby I hope you don't mind but I have no intention of letting you get off my lap in the next hour."
Embry smiled against Ed's chest. "I wouldn't dream of it. Actually, make it two hours."