Unexpected 3/4
Title: Unexpected.
Description: AU. NC-17. Alpha!Jensen and Omega!Jared. This is a part of the Christmas Tree 'verse, set in the au world of the Wolf Pass Pack. Jared is in his last trimester of pregnancy with Jensen's pup and he's starting to deal with his past. When the past comes crashing into his present in the form of his previous alpha, it has unexpected consequences. Jared's prime instinct is to protect their pup, but at what cost? Jensen is faced with the possibility of losing his mate, his pup, and his entire Pack.
Warnings: Explicit sexual content, knotting, a/b/o dynamics, references to previous underage, description and aftermath of past sexual and emotional abuse, mpreg, birth, post-partum depression, violence, gore, death of a minor character (not pup!), angst, schmoop
Pairings: Jensen/Jared, Chad/Milo, Katie/Steve, JDM/Kim Rhodes
Beta: Thank you to the marvellous sylsdarkplace for making this better. All mistakes remain my own. I tinkered with a lot while posting.The wonderful banners are by meus_venator her art blows me away every single time.
Length: ~18K words in four parts, to be posted over Christmas holiday period, because nothing says Christmas better than angst ...
Disclaimer: This is fiction, pure fantasy folks. Nobody here belongs to me and they’re not likely to get in my van for candy a side of beef any time soon
Jensen paced the corridors outside the emergency room. Milo pulled him into the waiting room and plied him with coffee. It was one in the morning before they had news.
“Alpha Ackles?”
“Me, that’s me.” Jensen stood to greet the vet with a shaking hand. He was pale and dishevelled in scrubs that the hospital had lent him.
“We should sit.”
Jensen bit his lip, and did as he was told. Milo moved next to him, to put an arm around him.
“Jared’s hanging on. We’ve patched his wounds, including an artery which was nipped and we've given him a silver antidote. His body is fighting hard, but he’s not healing at the rate we usually see with Weres. He’s in a coma, but he is also in labor. In his current state, it is too risky to give him a caesarean, or to artificially delay the birth. Pup is fully shifted, same as daddy, and she doesn’t seem to have suffered from it. The silver antidote has had time to cross into her blood, she has a strong heartbeat and she’s in the right position. We’re inclined to let nature take its course, if you will agree.”
Jensen breathed out and gulped back tears. Jared and Kaylee were still alive! “Is that safest?” he asked for confirmation.
“Yes. Mother Nature is quite a force to be reckoned with. Would you like to come through? You should be there for the birth. Jared may be able to sense you.”
“Kaylee is small, and they didn’t know if there would be complications. Our vet was going to have special care ready when she was born.” Jensen was panicking over details.
The vet pushed his glasses up to rub at his nose, “We have the pre-natal records, Alpha Ackles. It is all in order. Now, pup needs a Pa and daddy needs you."
***
Jared lay in a maternity nest, designed to mimic the shape of a birthing den. A mask blew oxygen into Jared’s snout and his chest rose and fell regularly. Contractions were close together now, and the dark wolf shuddered with each one, his breath ragged with a slight whine. There was no other movement and no response from him. Jensen smoothed his fur, trying not to flinch at the sight of dried blood around his stitches and the stark white dressings on his shoulder. He whispered encouragement and kissed his face. When Jared was fully dilated Jensen stripped and shifted to lie with Jared, and lick his encouragement. They were two wolves together, at what should be a private time. Instead there were cables and machines and surgical staff on standby. Jensen snuggled in close to his mate, to reassure himself, as much as Jared.
“Doing so well. We can see her,” the midwife was excited. In the end it happened in a rush, and when Jensen heard the first squeaky whimper, he was glad he was in wolf form. His emotions were so muddled, he would have fallen apart and sobbed if he were human. His daughter was a little miracle. She was alive and making the usual puppy noises, but Jared wasn't conscious to greet her. He should have been asking to hold her, not lying still, with his fur drenched in cooling sweat, hooked up to monitors and machines
Kaylee was beautiful. She was a tiny, wet, squirming bundle of dark grey fur, and her exotically shaped baby blue eyes were open. Jensen thought she looked a lot like her daddy and was sure those eyes would eventually be hazel. He was so proud of her.
“We’ll take her to 'special care' in a bit. We think she can stand to be with her Pa and her daddy for a few minutes. Keep her warm and encourage her to cuddle into her daddy and suckle. It will be good for both of them.” The midwife smiled, and it spoke of her own relief. She cupped Kaylee in her hands to place her gently on Jared, by Jensen’s snout. Jensen nuzzled her, and she whined and squirmed, her little paws flailing to get closer. She smelled of Jared and something sweet, and Jensen thought he might burst with love. He shuffled her with his paws and snout to encourage her to take her daddy’s milk. He winced as she opened her little mouth wide and clamped down with enthusiasm on his teat, but for all her effort, she didn’t seem to be taking much milk. The midwife watched. She tactfully reached over to adjust Kaylee’s position and there was a satisfied mewl and gulp from her. Jensen settled into the task of licking his daughter clean, while the midwife dealt with the afterbirth. He experimented with his wolf voice, and his tail thumped in pleasure when she responded to his “Heya, Kaylee,” with an upturn of little squinting eyes and a new whimper.
She was whisked away, too soon, for a warmed cot, monitors, drips and her own little oxygen mask. Jensen cuddled into his silent and still mate for a few minutes before reluctantly shifting to deal with the practical fall-out of the unfortunate events. He placed a soft kiss on Jared’s head and insisted he be told the moment he started to regain consciousness. Jensen wouldn’t entertain the idea that he might not.
***
Jensen took coffee dark, unsweetened and regular. There were deep black bags around his eyes, his hair was a mess and his teeth unbrushed. Christian reassured him over the phone that the Pack was doing fine and Chad drove up to join Milo, taking turns sitting with Jared and trying to persuade Jensen to rest.
Alpha Morgan dropped by the hospital to explain that Pileggi had been identified and that the authorities accepted Morgan’s decision to use Pack Law on his own territory. A rogue alpha had trespassed on another pack’s territory to harm one of their guests, and a fight to death was a perfectly legal outcome. The beta Jared had bitten accepted that it was a rash decision to get close to an injured and pregnant wolf, but the fact remained that Jared had been uncontrolled and out of control in a busy city area. It had jeopardized everything the Council had worked towards in integrating with their human neighbors, and now that there was a locked facility for suppressant-abuse survivors there was little excuse for it. In the event that Jared survived, the Alpha Council would be expecting a full report from Jensen. Jared’s status and freedom would be reviewed.
Jensen didn’t blame anybody but himself and his focus was on Jared and Kaylee. He couldn’t think further than that. He divided his time between a place by Jared’s side and sitting with Kaylee, except for the precious times, a few every day, when the midwife would wheel Kaylee’s crib into Jared’s room and Jensen would join them, cuddled up as a wolf family, encouraging Kaylee to take her daddy’s milk.
When Kaylee approached three days old, Jared finally regained consciousness. Jensen ran to his side with the sound of rapid beeping and the rush of medical staff around the nest. Tip tilted hazel eyes stared in confusion at him and peered around the room in panic. Jensen steadied his mate, his hand stroking through his fur. He gave a huge grin of relief. “Hey there, daddy. You’re safe. I’m here.”
Jared whimpered and Jensen knew he wanted to speak. “Don’t try to shift. You have to keep your strength. We’ll let you know it all, just stay calm and rest, okay.” He infused the words with strict Alpha command and Jared’s whimpers died away as his Alpha resumed the steady caress of the fur on the back of his neck. Jared drifted back in to a natural sleep and when he woke again it was just Jensen by his side. “Good morning, Babe.” Jensen offered him a drink of water and he lapped at it thirstily. He smacked his lips and looked eagerly at his Alpha.
“Are you feeling better?” Jensen asked.
Jared’s tongue lolled out and he licked at his Alpha’s hand. It was a good answer. Jensen laughed. “They do a cracking bacon sandwich here. We should get you one for breakfast. You need to eat well.”
Jared’s snout rootled into the fur of his stomach as he satisfied an itch, and Jensen saw the moment he realized that his body had changed. His paws scrabbled at the bedding in an effort to get up and he was twisting, and sniffing at himself in panic.
“Woah, Jared.” Jensen adopted his alpha tone once more, “Settle down and listen to me. You’re getting better and everything is okay. Kaylee is okay.”
Jared slipped back into his bedding but he was sitting up, his ears pricked and attentive.
“You got into a fight, remember? You totally kicked ass, and he is never going to hurt anybody again. We’re at St. Anthony’s Hospital. You’ve been asleep for three days and there’s somebody who couldn’t wait for you to wake up.” Jensen was practically bouncing with excitement and Jared seemed to notice it, he shook his snout and his eyes were curious. Jensen stroked his face, “Kaylee came along when you were asleep, and I think she’d like to meet you properly now.”
The midwife approached Jared carefully, with Kaylee curled sleepy in her hands. Jensen tensed and Jared’s eyes grew wider with her every step. When she reached the side of the nest, Jared edged back from her warily. Jensen steadied him with a hand. Jared shook his head and moved further away from the pup with a curl of his lip that showed his teeth. Jensen’s hopes shattered. He gave a subtle stop sign and the midwife cuddled Kaylee into the crook of her arm and backed off. Kaylee woke to the smell of her daddy and the promise of milk, and when she was removed her cry was plaintive. Jared’s ears straightened and he snarled at the stranger. Jensen closed his eyes and counted to ten. He didn’t want to be angry, he had been warned that this might be his mate’s reaction. It might be hard for Jared to accept his pup. It was a cruel twist of fate for his Omega, who had wanted Kaylee so much and fought almost to death to protect her. It broke Jensen’s heart and angered him simultaneously, but he had to be the Alpha. He had to keep it together when he wanted to fall apart.
“It’s okay, Jared. You can take time to get used to her. Have a sniff. She smells of you and me and milk and something sweet that’s all Kaylee.” Jared snuffled at the air but his distress was still obvious. “We’ll see her later.” The midwife nodded. She bundled Kaylee into her crib and wheeled her away.
Jensen fetched a bacon sandwich. Jared nosed at it, then left it without a bite. He curled in a ball with his back to Jensen and tucked his snout under his tail. Jensen buried his head in his hands and sighed before turning his own back and leaving the room. He had no idea how to cope with this.
***
Chris was frustrated with Jensen, “Kaylee’s a week old and she's coming home tomorrow. You go in there and kick Jared’s ass. You put Kaylee in his care and tell him to get on with it.”
“Because resentment is going to make a really healthy relationship, and it’s so very sensible to put her in danger,” argued Genevieve sarcastically.
“Have you even spoken to him today?” queried Chad, looking at his Pack Alpha.
“I can’t even …. I don’t know if he’s listening. I’m starting to hate his wolf. It’s so hard to know what he’s thinking, or if our Jared is even in there.” Jensen rubbed his hand over his pale face. “Lauren made a special journey for him, and he wouldn’t even look at her. She said to give him time.”
Chris was fed up with the soft approach, he toed his boot against the chair. “What the fuck is wrong with him? He’s an omega. He’s supposed to love his kids. He’s supposed to love any of our kids. So he got ill. He’s had time to get over it. He’s not even feeding her, that’s just unnatural.” He wasn’t shocked to feel knuckles on his jaw, just before he landed on the floor, but the real surprise was that it was Chad’s fist that put him there. Jensen was already walking away.
Jared’s room was warm and smelled of disinfectant and unwashed wolf. He slumped in a pathetic ball on a messed up nest, but he tracked Jensen’s movement as he entered the room. Jensen dragged a chair over to sit by his side and Jared’s snout snuffled at his hand for affection. Jensen dragged the chair back so he couldn’t reach.
“Chris thinks I should kick your ass, take you down and mark you until you look after Kaylee. I’m not going to do that, but I can’t watch you like this any longer. The vet says you should be able to shift, and I think you can.” Jensen spoke blankly, he felt empty. “I think you don’t want to talk to me and that fucking hurts, Jared. It’s like I’ve lost my mate. I guess you feel like you’ve lost your baby, and I get it, but you haven’t lost her. She’s here and she doesn’t fit into her dinky baby clothes because for now she’s got four paws and a snout, but she needs you. She looks so like you, Jared.”
Jensen rose from his seat and gave Jared a single pat on the head. “I won't to force you to look after Kaylee, but I’m sick of being lonely. Kaylee needs us, and we’ll be going home tomorrow. I have to focus on her, and I expect your support. If you want to come home with us, then you will shift. I need to know that my Jared is with me. That night in the alley, I thought you were dead, and now it feels like you did die. I want you back. I need you back.” Jensen’s voice cracked and he wiped a tear from his cheek as he walked from the room. “I’ll be bringing Kaylee in. She’s pack, and you’re Pack Beta. I expect you to at least tolerate her presence and show some interest.”
The wires and tubes were mostly gone from their pup and she was getting adventurous. Jensen hugged her into his chest and she whined, nuzzled his chin and licked his finger. The blue had faded from her eyes and the predicted, multi-flecked hazel was showing through. “Hey, little one. Gonna see daddy?” It was hard to stay frustrated when he had their squirming furball of a daughter in his arms. She always made him smile.
He peered in through a gap in the door before he entered Jared’s room and his chest tightened, he could hardly breathe. Jared was in human form. He was pale and puffy eyed and his hair was lank and greasy. He clutched his blanket to his chin and bit at his trembling lip. Jensen continued into the room and sat down with Kaylee. He tested the temperature of her milk before gently encouraging her to take her bottle and settling her to feed in the crook of his arm.
“She’s not going to hurt you Jared.” Jensen spoke quietly, careful not to disturb their pup.
“I don’t want you to leave me. Don’t leave me, not for her. You could give her back to Morgan.” A tear tracked down Jared’s face.
Jensen took a while to absorb the meaning of the words. “You’re back, and we’re talking. I’m not going to leave you, and I wouldn’t give our baby to Morgan. Why would I do that?”
“I know she’s not mine. We could try again couldn’t we?”
Kaylee burped and gave a happy squeak then continued feeding. Jensen rocked her gently. “What do you think happened to Kaylee, Jared?”
Jared broke down into huge gulping sobs, his speech was disjointed and hard to follow but Jensen heard it all, “I know you probably hate me. I killed her. I was stupid and careless, and I thought I could win a fight, but I was wrong and I shifted even though I knew I shouldn’t, and there was silver. I could feel the poison, and I felt the pains in my stomach. I remember, Jensen, so don’t pretend. I know you can buy pups, but I don’t want any pup, I wanted Kaylee, our Kaylee.”
Jensen was stunned by Jared’s obvious belief. He stood and eased the bottle from Kaylee’s mouth, and she protested with a whimper and kicking paws. “Hang on, Babe.” He leaned to kiss his Omega’s cheek. “I’m going to ask Gen to finish Kaylee’s feed.”
He returned alone and climbed into the nest with Jared. He hugged him close and let him cry into his shoulder. “Those pains you remember weren’t silver poisoning. They were contractions, and that pup really is Kaylee. You did save her, Jared. You were incredible. You defeated an alpha, on your own, to keep your pup safe. You were in labor for just over six hours and the midwife delivered her at two o’clock in the morning. We took pictures, and I can get your medical notes for you to read. Would that help?”
Jared shook his head miserably, “I would feel something. I would love her,”
Jensen felt like his insides were twisting up, he felt sick. He gently pushed the hair from Jared’s eyes, “I think that can happen sometimes. You’ve been through a trauma, your hormones are all over the place. We can work this out. I’m going to send Chad in to help you get clean and fresh, and then we’re going to talk about postpartum depression with the vet and the midwife.”
Jared opened his mouth to protest, and Jensen shushed him.
“No arguments, Jared.”
***
Two weeks after Jared went home and a week after Jensen refused to have Jared assessed in front of the Council ‘experts’, the Alpha Council sent formal notification that the Pack’s registered status would be rescinded if Jared wasn’t brought in to the rehab facility. Jensen opened the letter at breakfast. Jared didn’t show any sign that he was listening to the news, he shook his food into the bin without eating a bite and went back to their room without a word. Jensen shrugged and threw the letter into the same bin before resuming feeding Kaylee.
“Are you just going to let it go? Is he going to let you give us up?” Christian asked Jensen in disbelief.
“They come for Jared, or any of this Pack, and they’ll have to go through me, through Aldis, through a good proportion of the townspeople and this entire Pack. They’re not going to.” Jensen was weary but he wasn’t going to be bullied. “Alpha Morgan and Alpha Harris both sided with us. They may not be the majority but they have the largest packs. It’s a bluff.”
“We won’t have insurance and every one of us will lose status and respect. Not that you have much left. Look at you, holding the baby while Jared does nothing,” Steve snapped acidly.
Chad visibly bristled and there was a low snarl in his throat as he moved between Steve and Jensen, “We’re supposed to support our members in hard times not make it worse.”
Steve flexed his fist and Christian’s retort was aggressive, “He’s supposed to be our Alpha not a fucking pussy. He can’t even put his omega in his place.”
The smack of Genevieve slapping Christian echoed through the kitchen and she flounced out of the room before he had recovered from the shock, “Don’t ever come to my bed again, Christian.”
Katie put a restraining hand on Steve’s shoulder as he lunged after her. “Not now,” Katie advised, nodding toward Kaylee.
Jensen dropped his head and sighed, “Get out of here. All of you.”
***
The Pack ran together on the next full moon with just Milo and Jared remaining at the house. The atmosphere had been building for days and Jensen could sense the tension in Christian. The moment he challenged for leadership came as no surprise and Jensen was ready. He would fight for Jared and for Kaylee. He would fight for every omega who didn’t deserve to be locked away and every wolf who didn’t fit the mold that others thought they should, and he was pissed with Christian’s attitude.
The encounter was short and bloody. Steve and Katie backed up behind Christian while Chad, Misha and Gen stood to Jensen’s side. Jensen’s reactions were slowed by his state of exhaustion. Caring for his pup, his Omega, his patients and his Pack had taken a toll on him. They traded snarls and nips and circled each other looking for a weakness.
A slight hesitation by Jensen saw Christian-wolf pounce to bring him down on his haunches with bloody scrapes along his spine and he was suddenly pinned under Christian and fighting hard to avoid the sharp fangs that threatened the back of his neck. He bent his head around and bit back, but found no flesh for his teeth to sink into. His front paws scrabbled for purchase and he was unbalanced. He felt the drip of Christian’s saliva on his fur, smelled the testosterone and adrenalin of his scent, and the points of his teeth were like the cold tip of a knife. Jensen howled and put every ounce of frustration that he had felt since Kaylee’s birth into a last effort to throw Christian off. His legs shook as they flexed and his spine bent almost unnaturally as he twisted, but he gained ground and it was Christian who was now unbalanced. Snapping teeth drew blood from Jensen's shoulder but he didn’t stop until his fangs were cruelly buried in Christian’s scruff and his second in command was begging for mercy. The pack looked on in horror as Jensen continued his hold and deepened the bite.
In the end it was Genevieve who pleaded for Christian, “No. Please, Jensen!”
Jensen-wolf withdrew his fangs from warm, bloody flesh and backed off. Christian cringed before him. His neck tipped to the pack Alpha and dripped with crimson shame. His tail drooped between his legs. Christian had reverted to Pack Law and failed, and those laws were ancient and specific about what happened next. “We’ll go,” was what Jensen heard. Steve and Katie dropped their own tails and slunk belly to the floor to follow Christian. They crept to the house to gather their belongings, sneaking glances over their shoulders at the others, to see if they would be prevented from returning for clothes. Jensen, Misha, Chad and Gen followed at a distance. Genevieve was in obvious distress at the situation. The challengers shifted, dressed and threw a few items into bags before shuffling to the front door, to leave.
Jensen was waiting for them, human form, leaning against the wall of the lobby. “Screw You! We have the equivalent of a bar brawl and you want to leave? You challenge for Alpha because you want the best for our Pack and then you run off and break it up entirely, and you call me the pussy!” Jensen was bitter in his disappointment.
“We reverted to tradition and we all know the law,” stated Steve, his gaze to the ground.
“And we all know the law is fucked up and tradition allows what happened to Jared. You know what takes real guts? Standing up against stupid traditions and working out what is best for everybody. If you honestly think we can’t work through our differences, live together, or be Pack on our own terms, looking out for the best of all our members, including the sick ones, then go and don’t look back,” Jensen paused for breath, he was still mad as hell at them, “but don’t you dare throw away our history, our future and our friendship because you can’t be bothered to think for yourselves.”
Misha intervened, “They should go somewhere for now and work out what they want. We can all calm down until the full moon is gone. We’ll be here waiting to talk it out. All they have to do is come home if they want that.”
Christian, Katie and Steve walked away, and Jensen punched the sofa cushions until the foam was flattened.
Jared didn’t ask why Jensen was bleeding and didn’t seem to care that almost half of the Pack had left. Jensen had never felt so lonely.
***
It was Halloween. Katie was enthusiastically gutting a pumpkin while Misha finished carving Pluto into his with a flourish. Kaylee was eight weeks old, and she tottered around their legs and yipped her excitement without knowing why. Jared huffed and rustled the pages of his book. He had an exam coming up and the noise was distracting. He stretched his legs and stood, “I have to study,” he complained. Kaylee saw him stand and chased to nip at his ankles. Jared saw both Katie and Misha tense and move towards her and he snapped at them, “Fuck you. She’s annoying, but I’m not going to kick her.” Jared bent down to lift Kaylee up. He kissed the top of her head to make his point and handed her to Misha with a scowl. “There, you’re all better parents than me.”
“Jared,” Misha called after him, but he was already storming to his den.
He had returned to school for a few hours a week just a fortnight after returning home. If he was honest with himself, it wasn’t because he wanted to learn. It was so he had an excuse to go to his den, away from Kaylee and away from the rest of the pack. Lauren said that getting out and meeting friends might help with his depression, but since his problem was being a useless parent, he didn’t see how it would help. He slammed his book onto his desk and stared into space, just thinking. The trouble was he didn’t know what he wanted, except to be normal, and a normal omega didn’t get annoyed at the sound of his pup. He put headphones in and turned his music up, but he couldn’t settle.
In the end he got back up and riffled through his art supplies and old clothes. He found glue and scissors and a needle and thread, and he worked with absolute concentration. It was dark before he finished, but he was excited. He looked out of the window and he could see Halloween decorations on other houses in Wolf Pass. He lifted the tiny wolf-shaped witch costume for final inspection and grinned. He grabbed a paper bag and bounced down the stairs calling for Kaylee, but it was quiet.
Christian poked his head out of his room, “Jensen got back and took Kaylee trick or treating with some kindergarteners. Everyone went along for the candy. They’ll probably be back in an hour or so.”
“Oh.” Jared’s good mood crumpled in a moment, and he rushed to their bedroom, closed the door and sank onto the carpet with his head in his hands. He knew that Christian could probably hear him crying, but he didn’t come to comfort him. Christian had little patience with him. Jared knew the alpha thought he was a waste of space and he knew that Christian was right. Jensen’s parents had said very little to him when they visited, but he could sense the disappointment over their son’s choice of mate. There had been angry whispers behind his back and Jensen’s ma had been openly critical that Jared let Milo and Gen care for Kaylee on a frequent basis. Everyone was used to Jared ignoring his daughter. They never left him alone in the room with her because they thought he might harm her, and they had taken Kaylee trick or treating without asking if he wanted to go. He didn’t even know what costume his daughter was wearing but he knew she’d look cute. She always did.
He looked up expectantly when Jensen came in the room, but Kaylee wasn’t with him.
“Kaylee was flat-out. I’ve put her to bed for you.” Jensen switched on the baby monitor then crossed his arms and looked down at him. “What happened today,” he asked.
Jared shrugged, “Nothin’.”
Jensen sat on the floor to bump shoulders with him, “Doesn’t look like nothing. Katie says that you swore at her.”
“Yeah, I suck.”
Jensen smoothed his cheek and tipped his face up with long fingers, “Only time you suck, it’s the sexy kind, Jared.” He turned slightly as he saw the black fabric on the floor and he picked it up. “Oh, this is wonderful. Oh, Jared. Did you make this? I’m sorry.”
“It’s nothing, it’s a stupid costume. Did she have fun?”
“She had a blast, and since she can’t eat any of the candy, so did Misha. She would have been great in costume. We cheated and had her go as a werewolf. Misha said you were studying for an exam, but we should have asked you. You know she’ll still rush around in this, Halloween or not, she’s a baby and babies love dressing up.”
“She’s nuts.” Jared smiled at the thought of her running around in the outfit. “I don’t think I’m going to sit the exam yet, I might cut school for a while,” Jared admitted.
“There’s plenty of time to decide.”
“Can we stay in here this evening, just us?”
Jensen caressed Jared’s thigh, “We can lie on the bed, watch horror movies, and spill popcorn that we’ll find sticking to our asses in the morning.”
“Will you kiss me? I mean properly, I’d like that too,” Jared asked, and for the first time since Kaylee was born he meant it.
“Yeah,” Jensen said automatically and then his brain caught up with a jolt, and he turned to look at Jared, with an ‘o’ of surprise on his lips. “Yes, definitely yes, Jared. I’d love that.”
The truth was that he was both overjoyed and nervous. The past weeks he had started to feel more like Jared’s mother than his lover. He seemed to have two children, a pup and a moody youth. He knew the reasons for Jared’s behavior and understood he was ill, but his natural alpha inclinations were getting increasingly hard to ignore. A Pack Alpha who took primary responsibility for nurturing a pup was unheard of, but then again he was a Pack Alpha who hadn’t been there to protect his pregnant mate when he was in mortal danger. It didn’t help that his parents thought he should alpha-up and put Jared in his place. The pack had settled into a new sort of peace, with Christian and Steve holding back their disapproval, but Jensen could still sense it. The others worked hard to try and engage Jared’s enthusiasm, but they were rarely successful. Jensen’s hope that Jared would recover quickly from his ordeal was long gone. They still shared a bed and close warmth and Jared liked to be hugged for comfort, but until today he had shunned sexual affection.
Jensen couldn’t believe he had judged the evening so badly. Normally he would ask Jared to go with them to an event and take the inevitable refusal with gritted teeth and a gentle, “Okay,” but today he had been convinced by Katie of Jared’s poor mood and he had been too worn-down to even inquire. Seeing his mate, with rubbed-red eyes, slumped on the floor beside his Halloween effort made him feel like the world’s biggest asshole. To have Jared’s love and trust, despite the misjudgement was an honor that he didn’t intend to waste.
He stood and extended a hand to help Jared up, “I’ll get the popcorn, you get comfy and choose a movie.”
Jared was naked under the covers when Jensen stripped and slid in beside him. The movie was forgotten in an instant, it flickered on a bright screen, scrolling endlessly through play options. Jared’s kisses were sweet like candy and his fingers feathered over Jensen’s skin, finding all the places that made Jensen shiver and tingle. When Jensen reciprocated with sensitive fingertips over smooth skin, Jared arched into Jensen’s touch and his lips pressed harder, his tongue more insistent against Jensen’s tongue. When his Omega gripped his hips and tugged him to lie on top of him he smiled and enjoyed the thrill of skin on skin contact. Jared’s erection was proud and obvious but Jensen still checked, “Are you sure?”
“ Just this.” Jared moaned as he pushed up to rub his cock against his Alpha’s rapidly engorging member.
They made out lazily, the friction of their most sensitive flesh grinding in regular rhythm, like a combined heartbeat. The burst of sensation sparkled and thrummed, so good, so good, so right, through Jensen. He closed his eyes lost in touch and scent, raw want and satisfaction and when he opened them Jared's multi-hued hazel orbs regarded him, almost solemnly. Jared squirmed as his pace increased and Jensen could tell he was close. “I love you, Jensen. Thanks for waiting.” Jared murmured on panted breaths.
It was a perfect moment and Jensen wanted to howl his love on the wind. He never knew that emotion could invoke such a strong physical reaction. He came with Jared, spilling cum that mixed together on the omega’s belly. He leaned down to lap at the cooling fluid, and kiss the stretch marks that remained there.
“You’re beautiful. I would wait forever and it would still be worth it, Jared.”
“You’re such a romantic sap,” teased his mate with a smile and a brief kiss, and Jensen was reminded how much he had missed Jared’s dimples.
“You know you love it.”
“Mm. I do. You’re heavy by the way.” Jared yawned and poked Jensen in the ribs to dislodge him.
Jensen grabbed a pile of tissues to clean up, and switched the TV off with the remote. They snuggled into each other and the comfort of their bed.
At about one o’clock Jensen woke with a start to the sound of Kaylee whining for milk. He grabbed his robe and swung a leg out of the bed. He was shocked to find himself alone. There was a quiet whimper and a suckling sound and the noise from the monitor ceased until he heard something entirely unexpected, a gentle, not entirely tuneful, but lilting tone as Jared started to sing.
“Hush little baby, don’t say a word, daddy’s gonna buy you a mockingbird,
If that mockingbird don’t sing, daddy’s gonna buy you a diamond ring …”
Jensen continued getting up and padded to the nursery. He stopped to lean against the door frame and just stare at the scene he hadn’t dared to hope for. Jared had Kaylee in his arms, bottle at her lips, and they were looking into each other’s eyes as Jared rocked the pup gently and sang. He stopped when he sensed Jensen and looked almost guilty.
“Do you want me to take over?” Jensen asked.
“No!” The answer was emphatic, possessive and protective, and Jensen had heard the tone a thousand times from omega parents.
Jensen nodded, “She likes your singing better. She has no taste.” He wanted to linger over sight of his mate and his pup cuddled together but he was aware that Jared needed to see that his Alpha trusted him with Kaylee. “I’m going to go back to bed. Call me if you need anything.” He crept out of the nursery and back under the covers of their bed.
Jared relaxed and settled in the rocking chair he had chosen in the months before Kaylee was born.
Jensen eavesdropped over the monitor as Jared resumed singing to their daughter. There was a surge of hope and, for the first time, he knew that his family was going to be alright. It might take time but they were going to make it.
***
Part 4