Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

Chapter 40

"It was about time you got here. You have been gone for hours!" Snapped Edward. It took Paul four hours to track, hunt and bring back the only animal he had been able to find. An unfortunate adult elk with a broken leg that had been left behind by his herd. The wolf put the animal out of its misery with one swift snap of his jaw before dragging it back to the house.

Edward handed Paul a pair of pants and a shirt as soon as he shifted back to his human form. "The subs were right. There is no hunt out here, no wonder they resorted to eating rats."

"I haven't met one dishonest submissive. There must be some, but in general they are honest to God individuals. Anyway, they went to bed an hour ago. I felt terrible because even after eating that unappetizing rat chowder their stomachs were still rumbling. Go to bed, you must be tired and by the chunk that's missing from this animal it's safe to assume you already ate. Tomorrow after breakfast I want you to run to the point where you can contact Jake without using a relay and tell him what's going on."

"Ed you're very bossy, you're taking your role of alpha way too seriously. I'll go because I need to inform my alpha, not because you're telling me to." During the time they had been traveling together Paul and Edward developed a friendship they never thought they could have. As the friends and brothers they were they teased each other and in the lonely nights kept each other company. They made a huge effort to remain optimistic against insurmountable odds.

Paul said a rushed goodnight as he walked inside to some well-deserved shut down time. Even though he was exhausted Edward decided to cut up the elk. Not one to waste any food, he needed to take full advantage of the food they had. He worked in silence his mind focused in the man that had become his reason for existing. Embry was the loving and strong man he fell in love with but this experience made him see himself in a different light. He was no longer a victim. He managed to survive a tale of terror that seemed to have no end.

Ed stopped working and closed his eyes, his thought going to a different person, his first love, Benjamin. We found them Ben, I'm so happy that I keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. Thank you for putting in a good word for us with the Big Guy. I'll make up for everything he has gone through; it will be my life purpose to make him happy. I know you're happy for me. I'm not moving on, I will never leave you behind. I'm moving forward with you in my memories and in my heart; I love you.

The next morning Paul woke up before dawn and couldn't go back to sleep. He was excited for the news he was going to deliver, but more than anything because he would be reunited with his family very soon. He shook his head when on his way out he saw Edward sleeping on the sofa. In Ed's shoes he would've been all over his mate like a cheap suit. Actually that was exactly what he was going to do when he got home.

"Ed did I do something wrong?" Asked Embry, his voice a pitiful whine.

Edward surrounded him with his arms and kissed his forehead before taking his index finger and lifting Embry's chin so he could look into his eyes. "Baby you did nothing wrong. What gave you that idea?"

"You didn't come to bed last night. I waited for you and heard you talking to Paul. But time passed and when I came to check, you were sleeping on the sofa. I've missed you all these months so much and it hurt me that on our first night together you chose to stay away from me. If it's the sex I… I… damn it! Just fuck me and get it over with!"

At the last statement Edward couldn't wait any longer and stopped Embry's rant by placing one finger over his lips. "First of all I'm not going to have sex with you; I'll make love to you. You can call it whatever you want, fucking, banging, screwing, but to me it will always be making love. Second, please don't place your value as a person on your body. I don't own you; the time of you having owners is over. I'm your mate, I'm yours the same way you're mine. About last night, I decided your stomachs took precedence over my sex life and prepared the elk Paul brought home. I assumed you were asleep and crashed on the sofa. Trust me; I was dying to lie down with you."

"Ooopppsss sorry, I just assumed. Please forgive me for being a drama queen."

"There is nothing to forgive baby. Now that we are going to have a real relationship I want us to talk about these things, don't assume the worst. Not all men are bad; I'm very rusty in the relationship department. I will make mistakes, the same way you will but that's part of the fun. Don't you think?" Embry nodded before resting his face on Ed's chest. A small sweet smile on his face. It was a shame he didn't know the effect that smile had on Edward. How it made him yearn for his touch and raised his spirit to the heavens.

"Paul went to give the good news to Jake. I don't think he will be back until this evening or maybe even tomorrow morning."

"I can't wait for them to be together again. I think that a big part of Seth's ailments is because of the pregnancy and the malnutrition but the emotional factors seem to be affecting him greatly. I know that once they are together he will feel like his spirit returned to his body after being lost for months. That's how I felt when I saw you." With just a few simple words Embry could turn his mate to mush. They were happy and felt complete once again. It was a new day but more than anything it was a new life.

After running for four solid hours Paul was able to reach a point from which he could communicate with the house. "This is Paul, go get Jake, tell him it's important." Paul was making a monumental effort to not let anything slip. He was not known for having much restraint. His temper always got the best of him, he was either up or down but never a stable in between.

The soldier ran the short distance to the house, shifting and donning his pants in one movement. He was in luck; Jacob was standing next to his father in the ample lounge. His weight loss evident in his gaunt appearance, the dark circles around his eyes showed his lack of rest and sleep. Carlos and one of his cronies sat comfortably on one of the sofas, taking part of their favorite pastime, being lazy. Smug and sure that he had gotten away with murder, literally, he hadn't a care in the world and didn't bother to pay attention to the soldier who called Jacob aside to talk to him. "Excuse me, Paul needs you to phase. He needs to talk to you."

Jacob immediately became concerned; no matter how hard he tried he had a tendency to be pessimistic and refused to get his hopes up. His father kept hitting dead ends and that was very taxing in all those involved. Without saying anything he followed the soldier out. To anyone looking from a distance it looked like two friends going for a walk, nothing remarkable about it.

Jake block your thoughts Paul waited until his alpha let him know he did this. Good news, we found them!

Jake's heart began to pound inside his chest so hard he could feel it all the way in his ears. Where? Are they ok? Where is Seth? Why isn't he the one talking to me? Jake was bombarding questions one after the other without waiting for an answer.

If you can stop asking questions for a minute I'll tell you. Damn, you sound like Sophia hyped up on sugar. They were in the middle of nowhere, in…

What the fuck? Did they get lost? Never mind, that can wait; I want to talk to Seth. Tell him to phase.

Um Jake I can't tell him, he is not here with me. You can talk to him in person when you come get him. I think it would be a good idea to bring one of the cars and several soldiers.

Oh fuck, I knew it! They were sold. If that son of a bitch hurt my pup I swear that by the time I'm done with him he will be begging for death. Growled Jacob, his body shaking in anger.

Jake calm down, they were not sold, they are still free.

Shit man you're being fucking shifty. I can read you like a book and there is something you're not telling me. Paul should've known better than to give his alpha half-truths. They could predict each other's decisions and feel the changes in their mindset. The same characteristics that made them lethal in battle were making the whole exchange very difficult. Show me Seth, I want to see him and don't fuck with me; I'll know if it's an old image.

Why are we wasting time talking when you should be getting the truck charged and organizing the… Once again Jake interrupted him.

Don't give me that crap, show me Seth! Don't make me order you brother, you know I will. Paul knew his alpha was dead serious; he was not one to give empty threats. Even after all the years he had been his beta he could count in one hand the number of times Jacob had given him an alpha command. His willingness to go that route proved once more that Seth was and would always be more important to him than anyone else. He tried to come up with the most benign image of the sub but it was no use. There wasn't one in which he didn't look like shit.

Ok Jake I'll show you, but know that he is ok, he has just been a little sick. The impact of the image made Jake stumble back, his heart raced while his eyes became teary. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, his pup looked deathly ill. His paws were itching to run to his mate, to make things better… to kiss him better.

My God, what's wrong with him? Jacob's tone made a complete one eighty as a surge of pain and sorrow coursed through him. He knew that time was of the essence if Seth was sick but no matter how much he tried he couldn't make his legs move. Paul I asked you a question, what's wrong with him?

There is nothing wrong with him. You only need to worry about how you'll get here. At that exact moment Paul's thoughts betrayed him. He pushed everything back to where Jake couldn't see it but it was too late. It was nothing more than a flash, but enough to reveal a big secret.

What the hell was that?! Seth is thin as a rail but has a belly. He always had a flat stomach. Stop fucking with me Paul; you're seriously pissing me off! Jacob's mental voice was so loud that his beta could almost feel the vibrations.

Damn it, why do you have to be such a dick? He is pregnant, you idiot! That's why he can't phase, why he looks thin and why they had to stay in this God forsaken town!

Jacob's mind went completely silent as he tried to process all the information. Since when has this been going on? Then it dawned on him, he knew exactly when Seth became pregnant. The mysterious change in scent followed for the demands for sex pointed to him being in heat. He didn't know how this heat came to be, subs had their first heat cycle immediately after phasing for the first time. His mind became inundated with images, thoughts and ideas. He could kick himself for not realizing what was going on. What made him feel even sadder was that his mate put his life and-unbeknownst to him- the life of their unborn child in danger.

He felt sick, his stomach clenching at the same time he momentarily felt weightless. It was very strange, all of the sudden he felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on his shoulders. At the same time his heart expanded to double its size. He'd never felt such a euphoric fear in his life. He was both excited and terrified to be a father.

Jake are you ok? Did you hear what I said? Seth is pregnant; you're going to be a dad! To anyone else, Jake's silence could've been perceived as rejection but having gone through it, Paul knew how news like that could leave you speechless. The little person growing inside Seth was already calling the shots.

Oh God this is incredible, I'm going to be a dad. I'll organize everything to go get him. Please Paul I'm entrusting in you his care and protection. It's going to take us at least two days to get there since the roads are not in good shape and there are several bridges down but we'll get there, I promise.

I know you'll get here. You have to be feeling the call of your mate. Bring food with you for the trip back and for the guys. They don't have anything to eat.

The hole inside Jacob's chest became even bigger and rawer. His reason for existing had been starving while he lived in opulence. His own child began his life with an empty stomach. What cruel world was this that an innocent child began to suffer while still in the womb? Rage invaded his spirit, he was mad at the world that caused all this misery. But he was ashamed for having failed his mate and his child. Please don't tell me my pup has been starving. No wonder he looks so emaciated. Why didn't he hunt?

He can't phase, it was the first symptom of the pregnancy, aside from puking his head off. Embry was hunting for both of them but the animals left the area when the snow started. Yesterday it took me four hours to track an animal and bring it back. They have been subsisting by eating rats. I have to hand it to them, they are resilient. I've never met anyone stronger and with so much courage. I'm ashamed of the way I treated them in the past.

Jake struggled to accept that Seth had been stuck nourishing the pup growing in his belly with rodents. Someone as beautiful as Seth should be worshiped, yet there he was eating rats to subsist. Jacob couldn't stand it any longer and tilting his head back he let out a howl that was more like a lament. The man he had abused to no end became his angel. He achieved the impossible; in his body he was carrying their future.

The howl didn't call anyone's attention. After Seth's departure Jacob would stay outside howling for hours, sometimes all night. He hoped than in some way his pup would hear him and come back. Nobody questioned him; the pain of what he felt was Seth's betrayal was something too devastating and if this helped him ease the pain in his spirit nobody would stop him. Paul tell my pup to hold on. Tell him I love him and I'll see him very soon. I'll put together a team so we can leave as soon as possible. Carlisle will need to come along so he can check Seth right away. Also I think Carlos should come, he has been very supportive during this whole ordeal.

Keep that son of a bitch away from Seth! You know what? Arrest that motherfucker. If Paul hadn't been phased already he would've done it out of anger. As it was he was pacing from side to side, teeth bared, his mouth almost foaming. That bastard had been responsible for so much pain. In the name of his prejudices he had made everyone suffer. He huffed in anger at the absurdity of Carlos arguments. It was shameful for Jacob to be in love with a submissive but it was not shameful to kill said submissive? He knew that a slave's life had no value at all, that would change but it would take time. But Jacob's life was very valuable and the alpha had been agonizing, dying slowly since the moment he learned of Seth's departure.

Jacob was taken aback by Paul's reaction and wondered what got into him. Why should I arrest him? What did he do? Paul re-played for his alpha each and every image he gathered from Embry's memories. From the moment he burst into the room to the instant when he ordered their execution.

Jacob became completely silent, both his voice and his thoughts abandoned him as everything that made him human was pushed back and replaced by animal instinct. His failure as a person was never more obvious; he not only doubted Seth but also failed to protect him. He proved to be totally useless in seeing through Carlos heavy blanket of deception. So many things made sense now; Carlos' insistence on making Seth look like the bad guy, his sudden interest in the progress made in the search. This was a new level of inadequacy in his part; he was a fool that allowed a wolf in sheep's clothing to fill his heart with hate toward his mate.

As each self-accusation rose to the surface his anger grew exponentially. His outrage deepened as fury took over. All his eyes could see was a haze of red. Hot rage replaced blood in his veins. He wanted nothing more than to destroy, to erase from existence anything that reminded him of Carlos, to tear the meat from his bones as he killed him slowly. His incisors shone in the midday sun as he ran back to the house. He walked inside still in wolf form, his massive shape barely fitting through the double doors. People moved aside and gave him wide berth. Nobody knew what were his intentions but nothing good ever came from Jacob losing control and if he entered the house in wolf form it was obvious his wolf had taken over. He wanted to have restraint, to stalk Carlos making him sweat. But his fury was too grand; his eyes roamed the ample room until they found their target. There he was, standing beside his minions. Seeing his smug expression added fuel to the fire burning him alive and he charged at them.

The room became chaotic as people ran for cover. One of Carlos men tried to run past him but with one swift blow of his razor sharp claws he was left on the floor bleeding heavily from the part that was missing from his leg. He would come back to him after he took care of Carlos. Like the idiot he was, his godfather stood before him, probably thinking that his beloved godson had no reason to attack him. To his surprise, Jacob jumped on the coffee table that separated them, sending shards all around them. With hackles raised and teeth bared Jacob stood tall watching him intently, while thinking of the sick pleasure he would derive from squashing that bug.

Carlos tried to lift his hands in surrender; this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Jacob tackled the coward, pushing him onto his back. He sliced his face starting with his forehead, going over the left eye which turned into a jelly gushing bloody mess. He travelled down his neck, severing a vein and spraying blood everywhere. The alpha was not there anymore, his wolf had completely taken over and he demanded blood. The bug beneath his paws had done the unthinkable; he dared to threaten the life of not only his mate but his child. This was unforgivable and in the wolf's eyes justified his actions. Carlos let out a wail of pain when Jacob pounced with all his might on his chest breaking several ribs and his collarbone. This rendered him unable to shift since the bones wouldn't align properly to carry his heavier shape.

Everything happened so fast that people just watched dumbfounded. The alpha was being sadistic, torturing his prey before taking his life. Carlos tried to push Jake off him without much success. All he achieved was to lose one of his hands as the alpha bit it and threw it to the side. His screams were music to his ears, the coppery taste of his blood in his mouth an orgasmic pleasure. His wolf let out a whine when Billy's voice reached him. "Jake stop! Have you lost your mind?" Still Jacob's alpha wolf fought, he didn't want to stop. Instead he prepared himself to land one last fatal blow. With his paw pressing on Carlos' chest he opened his mouth to sever his neck and if he was lucky tear the head off from the body. It was gruesome, cruel and very fitting for the man underneath him.

"Damn it Jake stop!" The Aleph's alpha command was something Jacob couldn't ignore. The only one his wolf submitted to was his father. "Phase, now!" The alpha fought the order, his body presenting an astonishing sight as it alternated between human and wolf form. One minute his face was that of a man, the next it was a wolf. Claws retracted as his legs became blurs that looked neither human nor canine. At the end, the order won and Jacob stood with his foot over Carlos chest effectively pinning him down.

The alpha was out of breath, his body jarring with the need to phase. Carlos was bleeding heavily from the wound on his neck and his face was reduced to a mangled piece of flesh. He guessed that Jake had to know what happened; it was the only explanation for what he was doing. He opened his mouth to apologize and beg for his life but no sound came out. He was frozen in place watching his executioner closely.

"Son walk away, let Carlisle look after his wounds. You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Carlisle stay where you are. No one will attend to his injuries. If you fucking try I swear that I'll rip your arms off. Father I need to dispose of this bastard. The subs didn't leave; he and his buddies kidnapped them." He kicked Carlos on the side causing a deep purple bruise to form. "Then my loving godfather ordered his minions to kill them. The man that was found splattered all over the rocks, Diego, was one of them. I guess that he wanted to cover his tracks and took care of those two idiots. He has seen me agonizing and dying each day and still didn't come clean. He has no conscience and doesn't care about anyone but him."

He addressed Carlos. "Let me tell you something, subs are resilient and brave. I don't know how they did it, but they survived, they are alive and well. I'll bring them back here. While you're six feet under and your flesh is being eaten by maggots they'll be thriving and living their life the way they deserve. You're nothing; the world will be a better place without you contaminating it with your existence."

"Son please calm down. He's set in his ways and idiocy like that is hard to conquer. I'll take care of him; he'll never again see the light of the sun. If he survives his stay in the hole, he'll spend the rest of his miserable existence in the dungeons. Nobody messes with my son's mate, he'll serve as a warning to all those who consider it."

"Nuh uh; he dies today." Stated Jacob coldly. "I think you won't be so generous when I tell you that he not only tried to kill Seth, he almost got away with killing your grandchild. Seth is pregnant." Wide eyes landed on Jacob while mouths went agape. People questioned their sanity and looked for hints of this being one sick joke.

"Jake you can't be serious. What grandchild?"

"When I had to take Seth away because his scent changed he was in heat. Neither one of us knew it at the time though. Only when Paul gave me the news I was able to put two and two together. Seth is very weak; the baby is sucking the life out of him. It doesn't help that they don't have food and are you ready for this, dad?" Billy nodded "Thanks to this son of a bitch, your grandchild spent his first months of life starving. They resorted to eating rats in order to survive."

The Aleph covered his mouth with his hand in total disbelief. His friend, the man he saw fit to take care of Jacob in case something happened to him, betrayed him and his son. He was nothing but a cold blooded criminal. Still there was something he needed to know. "Carlos why did you do it?"

"I did it for you and this ungrateful mutt. You're the most powerful man in this country; you have a reputation to maintain. Jacob was flaunting himself with that abomination, going as far as telling him he loved him. Have you ever heard anything more ridiculous? Your son is in love with a filthy whore." The last syllable was just leaving his lips when Jacob stomped his remaining hand, leaving it a bruised and useless piece of meat. Carlos' screams filled the room bouncing off the walls.

"Carlos you don't learn; do you? You seem to have a death wish. Keep insulting Seth and I assure you that it will be impossible to keep my son from tearing you limb from limb. Jake, go get everything ready, assemble a team to go with you. Seth will need an escort; the baby in his womb just made him the most important person in this country or even the world."

"Dad I have to finish what I started." Jacob watched Carlos intently as he squirmed under his weight. Billy walked toward his son and placed his hand on his arm. Jacob was burning up, his temperature hotter than ever. He had seen this before, many years ago, when there were numerous alphas. It was pure unadulterated rage.

"Don't stain your hands with his filthy blood, it's not worth it. Go prepare to go get Seth; I'll take care of him." Jacob reluctantly accepted and nodded in agreement before walking out.

Billy had decided to show clemency and not take Carlos life but after hearing his hateful rant he changed his mind. The bastard not only watched his son agonize and didn't move a finger, he attempted against the submissivess lives and the life of the baby inside Seth. Jacob had done far worse, but he was ashamed of what he had done. He would have to live with the guilt and the regret for the rest of his life. Carlos on the other hand had no regrets. He had no place among them, he needed to pay…

Carlos stood up with much difficulty. "Billy thanks, I won't hold it against Jake. I didn't know he was pregnant, not even Jake did and he is the father. He overreacted, we both made mistakes. No hard feelings, let's leave this behind us."

Up to that moment Carlos hadn't bothered to look at his friend's face. When he did the blood froze in his veins. His eyes trembled as he held the Aleph's stare. He gasped for air as the fear increased his blood loss. In very few occasions he had seen the destructive power of the restrained and vicious creature that inhabited the Aleph. He was doomed, he had seen what that monster was capable of and if he was its next target he was in deep trouble. If the idea of Jacob killing him was scary, the idea of Billy taking matters into his own hands was terrifying.

Billy's voice was as cold as the frigid air that blasted through the front door. "I suggest you run."

Nobody questioned what Billy was about to do and no one dared to interfere. They all knew that traitors needed to be dealt with in the harshest way possible. He didn't give Carlos a head start from the kindness of his heart. It was actually quite the opposite. The Aleph knew that Carlos would be running as fast as he could, looking over his shoulder as primal fear enveloped him like a mist. Panic inched along his bones as his frantic race took place. After a little while he would think that his friend had pardoned him and once again he had ditched the proverbial bullet. That's when Billy would strike, revenge becomes sweeter when the recipient has no clue what's coming to him.

At a distance all that could be seen was the smoke rising in a straight column. Jacob lifted his eyes from the motor he was checking and sighed relieved. Carlos's body was burning. He would never again be responsible for any harm coming to his pup. He would've liked to be the one who disposed of him, but he understood the motivation behind his father's actions. The moment he lost himself to his wolf he teetered between human and beast. Seth had given him back his humanity and there was no way that his father would allow anyone to take that away from him. It was saddening to think that if Seth had been a slave no one would've cared if Carlos' plan succeeded or not. Hopefully through Seth's courage and the miracle that was his life, change would begin.

After receiving instructions Paul was told to return to the house. Jacob knew that his mate was in danger in such an isolated place, pregnant and unable to phase. He ordered his beta to run patrol and keep Seth safe.

"Hello! I'm back." Yelled Paul from the porch.

Seth's sad eyes lit up with the hope that he would get to see his mate very soon. "Did you talk to Jake? Is he coming?"

"Of course he is coming. You should have heard how happy he was when I gave him the good news. There is only one thing…" Paul rubbed the back of his neck while shifting his weight from one leg to the other. "I messed up, my thoughts betrayed me and Jake saw your stomach. He knows you're pregnant."

"Oh" Said Seth dejectedly. The corners of his eyes filled with tears and his pout could've made an angel cry. "That's why he is coming?"

Embry sat next to Seth on the sofa to comfort him. Sad heavy tears travelled down his cheeks as he quietly sobbed. He didn't understand the reason for his extreme reaction. Since he was separated from Jake his thoughts focused on the day he would see him again. He knew his mate loved him, he should trust him.

Paul regretted telling Jake about the pregnancy and was frustrated because of Seth's reaction. "Man I think the pregnancy is affecting you too much. Jake adores you. You heard me? He is desperately and undeniably in love with you. How can you think so lowly of him? He was coming even before I told him about the pregnancy." It was not Paul's intention to make the sub feel bad but he couldn't throw his alpha under the bus. He knew that Jake didn't come onboard until six weeks after the search started. He hoped his friend would come clean and admit his doubts though.

"You see brother? No more tears, you have cried enough." Embry bent forward so his face was close to Seth's abdomen. "You heard that babies? Your daddy's coming."

Embry's antics made Seth smile while he lovingly rubbed his belly. He never thought he could be capable of loving anyone the way he loved his babies. Every time he felt them move he gave thanks to God for what he was experiencing. "Paul when are they getting here?" Asked Edward.

"They are coming by car so it will depend on the condition of the roads. But don't worry they'll get here. Ah and Carlisle is coming too, so even if we can't return right away you'll have medical attention." They all sighed relieved.

The good news made Seth's smile grow bigger with each passing minute. He knew that with every tick of the clock he was closer to being next to Jake. For the first time in months he had to be told to take a nap. Even though is energy level was much higher he was still weak. To him it seemed like his life was made of short periods of consciousness between long periods of sleep.

Dinner was a happy occasion. They were together and had plenty to eat. The night was different, Seth didn't cry himself to sleep and Embry lied in bed with his mate's arms around him. Even though they had decided to wait to take the relationship further they couldn't sleep apart. They would rather spend the night with permanent boners than to sleep away from each other.

The next afternoon Seth woke up to a quiet house. He wanted to take a bath and debated whether to call for help or not but decided for the latter. Looking through his clothes trying to find something that still fit, he came upon the object that caused the biggest fight he ever had with Embry. That day he didn't make any sense and was outright disrespectful. Still Embry didn't lash back like many in his place would. He knew not to take to heart anything Seth said. Between the pregnancy, the hunger and his mental status he was not all there.

Seth picked up the pink shirt with brown bunnies and lifted it up to look at it. He hated it so much when Embry dared to give it to him. After his extreme outburst he felt like shit when Embry explained that he noticed Seth's clothes didn't fit him and decided to look for something for him to wear. Unfortunately if during the era of men there had been any male pregnancies it had been kept under the strictest secret. Predictably all maternity clothing was very feminine and nothing any self-respecting submissive would wear. But since beggars can't be choosers Seth took it with him to the bathroom. He knew that seeing him wearing it would give his friend a chuckle.

"Hey you're ok in here?" Paul was the last person Seth expected to walk into the bathroom. His heart raced as the memory of the last time he had been alone with him assaulted him. He could still hear the snap of the whip and the stinging pain as his flesh was torn from his back.

"Yes I'm fine, where are the others?" It didn't escape Paul how Seth's voice trembled.

"They wanted some alone time and left me to look after you. Damn it I can't wait to have some alone time with Emily." He made air quotes in 'alone time', his gaze lost for an instant while he unconsciously licked his lips. "Anyway that sub is really scary when he wants to be. I'm sure he will have my left nut if something happened to you on my watch. That's why I'll sit here until you're done." He pulled down the toilet seat lid and sat on it.

"You don't have to stay, I'll be fine. I'm just sitting here soaking for a little while. I slipped in the shower a month ago and since then Embry doesn't want me taking showers."

"Sorry no can do, I really want my balls to stay where they are." Paul's presence was unnerving, if he knew what he was doing to the sub he would've left. Then again he could just not care.

Still there had to be some good inside the guy if he had left his family for three months to look for him. Seth had a question floating around in his head from the moment he saw Paul standing in the living room when they first arrived. "Paul what made you decide to help look for us? You hate us."

"I don't hate you, I never did. I was brought to believe that submissives were disgusting creatures who are only good for one thing. After I learned of the involvement of the subs in Sarah's death I felt sickened by your existence. That's why I hated it so much when Sophia and you became friends. Even after you saved her life my head was too deep inside my ass to see reason. Do you have any fucking idea how it feels to be rejected by your own child because she prefers to spend time with the one creature you can't trust? It hurts." Paul had to stop his rant when his voice cracked.

"I can't say I do, but I can guess that if my children ever refused to spend time with me in favor of somebody else it will be very painful. What made you change your mind?"

"My little girl, as you can probably tell she has me wrapped around her little finger. I've always been her hero and I want her to see me like that again. She was devastated when she was told you left, but me going after you gave her hope. There is nothing I wouldn't do to see her smile. You'll see, your child's laughter is the best medicine. Their happiness is your happiness."

"I hope that one day I'll be my children's hero."

"I know you will, you'll be an amazing father. I've seen the patience and love with which you teach my daughter. You're fierce when it comes to protecting those you love; don't think I missed how you handled yourself during Jake's rescue. I never thought I would say this, but submissives are a force of nature."

Paul noticed how Seth struggled to scrub his back and after taking the soap away from him knelt beside the bathtub. As it was he was getting very tired and welcomed the help. Seth sat on one leg and moved forward, keeping his lower body inside the warm water. After a minute of waiting for Paul to wash his back he turned to look at him. His watery eyes were fixated on Seth's back, his mouth in a tense thin line. The crisscross welts on the sub's back were another testament to a past horror. Each one was another judgment passed on the beta. It mocked him, made him feel ashamed of existing. He felt his legs weaken and sat on the floor while still clutching to the bar of soap.

"I was so unfair, you did nothing wrong and I punished you so severely. Did you know that I got in a shit ton of trouble for doing this and came to Jake's office to ask him to reconsider? After all, he had to be insane for admonishing his beta for disciplining a dog. When I was about to knock on the door I heard your shrieks of pain. Part of me felt a sick satisfaction for it while another more prevalent side made me realize that I was lower than shit."

Paul was startled when he felt a small colder hand on his forearm patting it softly. "Paul let's leave those bad memories where they belong, in the past."

"How can you be so forgiving?"

"I don't know, maybe I'm an idiot, maybe I'm smart or maybe I have no other choice. The truth of the matter is that it just makes me feel good to do so. Like a weight gets lifted off my shoulders. Instead of me hauling that resentment around I just forgive and forget." Paul gave Seth a sad smile as he soaped his scarred back. If somebody had told him six months ago that he would be here helping take care of a slave he would've told them to shut their mouth and fuck themselves. Now he was happy to be useful.

Helping Seth out of the bathtub he wrapped him with a soft towel. After taking a second one and drying his hair and his legs he moved to grab his clothes. Lifting the shirt he couldn't help but snigger. It was not enough that Seth looked like a little kid now he was dressing like a girl. "Don't ask." Warned Seth.

Later that day they were sitting together having dinner when Seth perked up just like he did when he heard Eduard and Paul approaching. "Someone's coming." Talk about Deja vu.

The dominants ran outside phasing on the fly and moving as fast as they could to meet the unwelcomed visitor. Back in the house Embry tried to convince Seth to hide, but he either trusted the dominants' abilities too much or sensed something the others ignored.

It's me, Jacob, how's my pup?

He is fine man; we weren't expecting you until tomorrow night. Where are the others?

The roads are not as bad as we anticipated but the progress was fucking slow. I couldn't wait any longer. Carlisle and I got off the car and ran. The others will be able to get here safely without me rushing them.

We're glad to see you but not as glad as a certain person will be. Come, the house is down the road. Jake please know that Embry did everything he could to keep Seth fed and healthy don't be alarmed when you see him.

No worries, I'm confident that he will be fine. Once we get him back home so we can spoil him I know he will improve dramatically. Jacob was saying this more for his benefit than for his companions.

What about Carlos?

Don't even say his fucking name. I sincerely hope that son of a bitch is burning in hell right now and demons are passing him around as their whore.

Even at a distance Seth could distinguish his master's steps. His heart beating so fast he thought he would pass out. Jacob took the front porch steps two at a time. The moment he stepped inside the house his eyes landed on the person he had been dreaming about for months. His pup was standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room. The guys were not kidding; he looked sick but still as beautiful as ever. Jake's steps were hesitant and unsure, he wanted nothing more than to run to his mate and hold him in his arms to never let go but he held back. He was overjoyed but still felt guilty for doubting him. They could feel the intense wave of emotion welling up inside them. The joy they felt within themselves and with the world around them was made evident with every beat of their hearts. Anyone could see the boundless love they had for each other; it was as obvious as the beaming smile on their faces.

The couple had tried to remain optimistic but neither one knew if they would get to see each other again. They were soulmates but even the most perfect couples can find each themselves apart. Jake couldn't hold back any longer and clutched his mate in an emotional embrace. Choking back tears he had been building up for the last three months, Jake took a step back to look at his angel. Soft steely pools mixed with warm brown ones making the alpha almost melt before him. He wanted to drink everything that was Seth, the way his soft black hair fell over his forehead, the lovely arch of his upper lip, his very scent which had changed to resemble his own. Slowly and gently his large hands raised to frame his face. His head swooped low making their lips touch.

Neither one could speak; they wanted to say so many things but instead opted to remain silent. Words would fall short, in the language of the soul words prove unnecessary. Jake collapsed in tears, falling to his knees with his arms around Seth's body as the feelings became overwhelming. Being in Seth's presence was more than he deserved and much more than he hoped for. His trembling hands held on to the one person who had saved him from everything, especially himself.

To those outside listening to the joyful weeping of the reunited lovers the moment seemed perfect. Their love was intense and continuous, almost as essential as breathing. They were two men who had the privilege of finding what made them whole and they never wanted to let that go. Their life, their love and their whole existence was nothing short of a miracle.