Trust (Part 3 in the Mine verse)
Title: Trust
Description: NC-17, It's three weeks since the slaves entered Jensen's household. An unexpected event forces a revelation for Jared and brings long-buried, horrific memories to the surface.
Beta: This was improved no end with help from the marvelous sylsdarkplace and meus_venator Any mistakes remain my own.
Wordcount: ~6,400
Warnings: Dark!fic, institutionalized slavery, graphic violence and gore, death of a child, explicit sexual situations, dub-con, knotting, D/s themes, s/m themes, suicidal thoughts, implied previous under-age.
Disclaimer: This is fiction, pure fantasy folks. Nobody here belongs to me and they’re not likely to get in my van for candy any time soon.
Banner The pretty, pretty banner has been made by meus_venator for me, after she read Mine. There is more in the art post here. Go tell her how wonderful it is!
He squeezes her chubby hand and pushes her forward, “It’ll be okay, you won’t fail Aurelie. It's just two minutes. You can keep the posture for two minutes, you know you can. Wide blue eyes stare back at her sibling as the pup moves to take her mark in the training quad. He counts in his head, one elephant, two elephant, as Aurelie’s angelic face twists in pain and her eyes fill with fear. Fat droplets slide over rosy cheeks …. ninty-nine… The five year old wants to run over to her, scoop her in his arms and take her away but his leash is fixed firm and the kennel trainer stands huge and cruel over his litter-mate. At one hundred she begs for mercy with barely formed baby words and collapses from her mark.
“Three strikes. Pups repeat after me, Padalecki Kennels don’t produce failures.”
The words stick thick in Jared’s throat but they emerge with the aid of trainer’s whip “Padalecki Kennels don’t produce failures.”
Jared screams as loud as Aurelie when they feed her to the dogs. He sees her limbs torn from her, the blood spatters for yards over mesh and concrete and she becomes silent as her liver is torn from her torso, fought over by three snapping hounds. There is gore on Jared’s face and over his hands and he’s trying to run but his leash holds him steady.
“Jared! Jared! Hey!”
Jared woke with a hazy feeling of terror and a sickness in his stomach. Damp bedding twisted around him on a huge, bouncy mattress, his Master’s bed. It had been three weeks now and he was becoming accustomed to the unsettling luxury of being required to sleep by Jensen’s side. It didn’t prevent him being startled by the vision of his Master leaning over him. The deep green eyes looked shocked and his lashes were sticky, as if he had just woken. Golden brown hair stuck out at rebellious angles from his head and Jared was no longer surprised by the notion that his Master looked adorable that way. The alpha straddled him with strong arms and legs, fixing him in place, grounding him until the sickness abated.
“S’okay, Sweetie, s’okay.” Jensen sat back on Jared’s thighs to lift fingertips to Jared’s damp hair, pushing it from his face and onto the pillow, “You’re not a failure, not at all. You’re so good for me. You give me everything I need.”
The reasoning behind Jensen’s words, the moment he awoke, was a mystery to Jared but the gentle caresses were becoming regular and welcome and he leaned into them, almost purring with the comfort of them. Even with the knowledge of what would happen next, this made him content, safe in his Master’s arms.
Jensen had fixed timer-locks to the slave rooms and he liked to take time with his pet every morning, working through his natural aggression with methodical calm and detailed instruction. Jensen’s discipline was consistent and while sex was uncomfortable it was bearable. Jensen had never struck his pet during intercourse, after the first time.
The alpha spoke drowsily, “Prep for me while I doze, then, fetch the flogger to me and I’ll show you how wonderful you are, Sweetie.”
After ten swats, secured to the gym-horse, Jensen laid him out on the bed and slathered rich ointment on his wounds. Jared was desperate with worry, fretting over the sparse number of strikes. “I can take more. I should take more, Jensen. I can do better, I promise.” He bit his lip. He didn’t want to fail, knew he wouldn’t survive being returned to the slavers.
“It’s enough for me Jared. Why should I give more when you have not earned punishment and I do not need it?” Hot lips sucked harshly at the back of Jared’s neck, sending sparking sensation down his spine, “I do need to take something else now, Sweetie.”
Firm hands manoeuvred him into position, ass-up, head-down. Jensen hadn’t looked into Jared’s face during sex since their first, disastrous coupling. Jared felt a reassuring massage along his spine and over his ass cheeks and soft fingertips opened his furled muscles gradually before the blunt pressure of Jensen’s cock nosed into him with painful insistence. Jensen’s breath increased with his heartbeat but there were no words. Jared gripped into the sheets with whitened knuckles as Jensen continued into his tight channel with painful force. He buried his whimpers, with his face, in the downy pillows, as Jensen bottomed out and set up a quick, deep, thrusting pace. Jared had observed bigger ass-plugs and knotted dildos in the toy cabinet and he had asked Jensen if he could practise being opened with them, to make himself stretched and ready at all times but Jensen had refused him. They continued with a modest plug and Jensen admitted to enjoying the strong clench of Jared’s channel around his long thick, cock, even as it filled and scraped his pet’s delicate, hole, making him ache and burn inside.
Jensen grunted in time with fucking and Jared felt beads of sweat gather in the curve of his spine as they dripped from his Master’s chest.
“C’mon Jared, pet, work with me,” Jensen chided as he plunged deeper.
Jared remembered his place and responded to Jensen’s rhythm, rocking back to fuck himself on the punishing length.
“Good boy, gotta remember you’re mine.” The words were forced out on lungfuls of huffed air. Jared knew his Master was close to knotting him and he forced himself to relax, flopping into the support of the bed and concentrating on what came after the pain. As much as the knot tore into him with agony, Jared loved the time that came after, when he was claimed and tied to Jensen. Thick cum bathed his channel and dulled the pain. The knot pulsed against his prostate with pleasant sensation and Jensen never mentioned or acknowledged the dribbles of come that were forced from him, wetting the sheets under them. Best of all was the way that Jensen clutched Jared into his chest and heaved them around to lie together; his hands roamed all over his pet while his lips kissed every knob of his spine and the round of his shoulder. A wet tongue licked at the perspiration that pooled around his collar and the smell of the wet leather and Jensen’s alpha pheromones were irresistible to Jared.
These were the times that Jared daydreamed he was needed, wanted and even more, loved. He closed his eyes and revelled in Jensen’s closeness and his own hopeless desire.
***
The quiet tip-tap of the information pad ceased and the sudden silence was thick and threatening to Jared’s ears. It was soon broken by Jensen’s low drawl, “Who is Aurelie, Jared?” Master Jensen’s question was softly worded yet unexpected in both sound and content.
Jared kept his pose. The flayed stripes of his morning discipline itched across his spine but it was a minor inconvenience, nothing he wasn’t used to in a lifetime of service. His muscles ached and twitched with strain as he stood on tip-toes and his calves trembled as the balls of his feet wavered to settle briefly on the sharp pin-plate beneath them. The sting of a dozen razor spikes pierced the tender, unused flesh reminding him to redouble his efforts, giving punishing squeeze to his aching muscles to pedal up again, safe for a few more moments. He heard Jensen’s question, as if it were from a far distance, and he breathed deep. He pulled his consciousness back from the safe place where it attempted to hide, floating on an endorphin high. It was a dangerous coping technique that guaranteed extended punishment if a Master became aware of it, but Jared had years of experience to make him an expert at hiding his cheat.
“I don’t know Master Jensen. There was no Aurelie in my previous household and there is nobody of that name here.”
“Hmm. You’re sure of that? You can talk to me Jared, I may not be able to fix anything for you, but I will listen.” Jensen was frowning at his pet but the expression was not angry, rather one of confusion and concern.
Jared’s back and shoulders burned with the unfamiliar stress of standing. His arms stretched out straight from his shoulders, as if on a cross, threatening to cramp with the heavy weight he supported on each palm. He didn’t dare to lose focus or allow a tremble, the candles that rested on his outstretched hands blazed bright with flame and hot wax pooled deep, easy to spill on his soft flesh. Jared had no energy to waste on a lie, “I’m sure Master.”
There was the slightest nod of acknowledgement and then his Master was up from his seat and circling his slave, assessing his posture and the tautness of his muscles. “Ask me, Jared.”
Panic coiled a heavy grip around his heart. He didn’t know what the question was, unless … but, no, no, no, surely it was too soon? He couldn’t fail in such a routine pose. He had no way of measuring time but he had his experience and a vague awareness of the lie of the sun through the shined window. “Please forgive me, Master. I don’t know what to ask.” He dropped his chin to his chest for a moment as a spasm of cramp shot up his thigh and a tear rolled down his cheek with the effort of keeping his feet above the torment of vicious spikes. Please don’t let me fail.
Elegant fingers grasped his chin and lifted his face to stare into the gold-green of his Master’s eyes. “It has been twenty-one days Jared and yet here we still are. You barely speak to me and I cannot know everything that you are thinking. I cannot help you if you do not ask. Is this punishment, Jared?”
“No, Master.”
“Are you my show-pet, Jared?”
“No, Master.”
“Is this sex, Jared?”
Jared was puzzled but he remembered not to smile and fought the urge to frown. He was learning that there were many activities which excited his Master’s lust and sometimes he wasn’t sure how to differentiate.
Master Jensen sighed, “It’s not sex Jared, though you look very pretty this way.” His thumb smoothed over Jared’s cheek, warm and soothing. “Trust me,” he whispered quietly into Jared’s ear with hot breath.
“I don’t know…,”
His Master cut him off with a sharp glance and sharper reply, “Of course you do. A show pet will be expected to continue an exercise such as this for maybe three times this period of time. I have your data and your best time extends into hours for this posture. You are frightened because you cannot continue, Jared, but I am telling you to trust me. Now ask.”
This wasn’t right. A pet took the pain that came with failure, accepted it as a warning, a way to learn and improve. Jared drew a long breath and his voice was thin when he spoke, “Have mercy Master, I beg you to end this task.” His cheeks flushed pink and his eyes moistened with the humiliation of his own words.
“Keep your pride Jared. You’ve done well today.” The edge of Master Jensen’s eyes crinkled and his lips made an obscene ‘0’ shape as he blew to extinguish the candle flames. “Stay still a moment more, Sweetie.” There was an unexpected lightness as the candles were removed with utmost care, not a drip to his skin, and then the pin-plate was being kicked from under his feet. “Stand at ease, Jared, while I admire you.”
Master Jensen’s fingers trailed gently over his shoulders and continued down his arm and Jared shivered with the sensuality of the touch.
“See, you trusted me and nothing awful happened. I didn’t let it continue.”
“No, Master.” Jared answered correctly. His mind still raced with doubt and questions. Surely he would not be excused such poor performance?
Jensen scowled at the formality and spoke again, changing the subject, “Your physique is impressive but you are losing tone. Your data suggests a training schedule but there is no detail. How did you maintain your form?”
“I performed show technique every day. Even when my Mistress became infirm she would command me from her bed. I was assigned time in her gym and I had a routine I was obliged to follow.” Jared’s reply was matter of fact but he missed the time he used to have for exercise and the trust in him, to use his owner’s facilities.
Jensen’s lips thinned and his fingers tapped on his thigh. “You’ve been neglected. I’ve neglected you. It is a wonder you managed my last task at all. For now I have deadlines to meet, but we will work something out, I promise. Now, you will cool down and stretch the muscles you used today and then you will relax on your day bed for me.” His hand reached to stroke his pet’s cheek and he leaned in with a dry kiss to the tip of Jared’s nose, “Mine,” his Master declared quietly.
***
Jared let himself be distracted by the shimmer and dance of dust caught in the rays of sunlight that shone through the window, while Jensen worked on, hunched over his cluttered desk. His Master worked in a silence punctuated only by the occasional huff or brief indiscernible muttering. Over three weeks in his new household Jared had gradually relaxed his formal kneeled submission for a more stretched version. He curled on his knees like a dog with its snout resting on its paws and he liked to observe Jensen, immersed in his employment. Sometimes his Master would glance over at him and return his attention with a fond smile. He wondered what it was Jensen did as he tip-tapped, cursed and grinned at words on a screen, but he knew it was none of his concern.
“You know, Jared, before alphas existed humans were considered to be in their prime at your age. Some of them lived to be a hundred or more.” Jensen’s random statement cut through still air to surprise the pet, and surely his Master had to be joking. Jared had never met a human over the age of thirty five. They simply didn’t exist.
Jensen smiled, white toothed at him, “Having you, I’m inclined to believe the statistics,” he added, letting his eyes roam over the body that he owned.
The moment didn’t last. A buzzer sounded on Jensen’s information pad and Mike rushed in with barely a knock to the study door. The slave kneeled in submission just seconds before a tall, angular, female alpha bustled into the room. “Mistress Grey visits, Master.”
Jared rushed to adjust his pose to formal submission, but he saw Jensen’s furious face just before he dipped his head to the ground.
“Neighbor! It is wonderful to meet you at last.” The female rolled her words dramatically. “I simply could not wait any longer. The mystery was killing me. My dear, you must have your ganger punish your slaves. The hairless ape was utterly rude to me. He tried to block my way. The impertinence! You really must have them whipped raw. You can refuse to have them back in your household. Any decent supplier will replace them.”
Jared thought he heard a slight, throaty whine from his Master before the obnoxious female was speaking once more, “Oh, my, god! The rumors are true. It is you! The recluse author, Jensen Ackles. My cousin told me your Uncle had left this house to his famous nephew but I couldn’t believe it. I mean, my neighbor, such an ..” the squeaky voiced paused for a fraction, to find the right words, “..an infamous author. Why, who would have believed it? You must let me introduce you to the good folk of our town. You have to network, darling. You could cut the ribbon for the school fete and give a talk to the charities club. What was it you wrote? Alpha Down? Ridiculous premise of course, very subversive,” she winked at him, “but it sold well I hear. Everyone loves to live dangerously.”
There was the briefest opportunity while the stranger took a long breath ready for more grating chatter, when Master Jensen managed to wedge a few words into the gap, “Historian. It was a serious study, a prediction if you will, The Decline of the Alpha,” he said rapidly.
Chest refilled with air the female spoke over him before he finished, “Oh, I didn’t catch that Jenny dearest.”
“Recluse. Historian. Jensen.” There was a sudden hard edge to Master Jensen’s voice, “What about recluse do you not understand Mistress ..?”
“Ms. Grey. Oh don’t mind me. We’re neighbors. You’ll get used to me popping by. You just need to get your supplier to provide slaves with manners and a proper ganger and we’ll rub along fine.”
Jensen stood straight and adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, he was noticeably larger than the over zealous female. Green eyes narrowed as he spoke, “Did you know my book was titled ‘The Decline of The Alpha’, because history likes to remind us that every arrogant dynasty comes to an end one day? If we do not learn from past mistakes, we shall be no different. Similarly history teaches that invasions onto other people’s territory generally don’t end well, Ms. Grey.”
Jared thought that Jensen sounded a little hysterical, his words were bold but there was a note of insecurity the pet was unused to hearing from any alpha. He wondered if he should leave his cushion to take his Master’s side. It was no longer an option when he was pre-empted by the scrape of sharp fingernails through his hair.
“Oh, my word! You have a pet! Well, come on poppet, show me your face.”
Jared uncurled tentatively, opened his eyes wide and licked his lips to a shine before looking up in the approved manner.
“Goodness, he’s a magnificent beast. Older than the usual, but muscular. Do you fight him? Oh my dear Jensen, he must be quite the champion. We have fight nights at the local community hall. You have to enter him. Surely he will take quite a beating before he goes down. The betting would be marvellous!”
“No! He doesn’t fight! No! Don’t even … I’m not … I’m against pet fights, if you have to know, Ms. Grey.” A hand gripped Jared’s collar tightly and he was being dragged to Jensen’s side, where familiar fingers carded through his hair nervously.” Jared rested reassuringly against his Master’s legs.
The female alpha sniffed disdainfully, “Well, I suppose with the theories you have in that book... Well anyway, he is a fine stud. There are several of us in town with pretty pedigree bitches. You should consider hiring him out as a breeder. It would be good to watch and the pups would be magnificent.”
His Master seemed to freeze for a moment, then, “He’s a bitch,” tumbled from his lips, too loudly.
Ms. Grey positively purred. A sharp-nailed finger chucked Jared’s chin, “Oh, well, there are a few well-hung studs who could service this pretty bitch beautifully.”
Jared couldn’t help the tremble that coursed through him at her words and the pleasure she took in them.
“He’s MY bitch!” Master Jensen blurted out, suddenly shouting as he pushed Ms. Grey away from Jared, “And I don’t like anyone else touching him.”
Now that Jensen had the female’s attention he wasn’t stopping to let her speak, he continued loudly, “And the slaves are mine, as in, my own. They take orders from me and I ordered them not to let anybody into the house while I am working. I am working Ms. Grey, so it seems that they are obedient for me and since they are mine, it would seem to be a good thing. I didn’t invite you here. I don’t want you here. Not because I am rude but because I am busy and see no benefit in your company. I’m afraid it is in the job description for a recluse author. I’m sure you can locate a dictionary, look it up.” Jensen gathered confidence as his speech rolled from his tongue. Jared had never heard such a harsh rejection of a visitor, in any household. He didn’t know whether to be awed or amused by his Master’s behavior but he kept his expression a mask of indifference.
Ms. Grey was creeping to the door but her face had acquired a hateful look, “Well! I am sure there is no need for such aggression to a fellow alpha. It is clear that your slave discipline is inadequate and taking its toll on you. Perhaps I should take my concern to the town council. They can inspect your slave policies. It certainly seems odd that you will not punish them for their inadequacies.”
Jared felt the moment that his Master deflated, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t punish them Mistress Grey. Of course I do not abide disrespect. I merely wished to make it clear that my work is important to me and it is frustrating to have unexpected interruptions. Perhaps in future you will make an appointment.” Jensen was pleasant and contrite. He reached to his information screen to summon Steve and Jody. They arrived with a neat curtsy and submissive bow, clearly alerted to the tone of this visitor.
“Jody, see Ms. Grey to the door. Make sure she has everything she needs for her journey home and is comfortable. Steve, I’d like you to secure Mike in the external kennels, awaiting punishment. Take Jared with you and secure him also. Stay with them while I review your behavior. The slaves’ faces dropped in horror and Jared thought his heart would stop. He was sure he hadn’t made any errors but he knew there was no point in rebellion. He reluctantly crawled from his Master’s legs towards Steve. No need to make the slave’s job harder. Jody led the way to the front door for their guest, with Ms. Grey smirking cruelly and flouncing after her.
There was movement from Jensen as Jared turned away and the faintest whisper, “Trust me.”
***
Jared hardly noticed the trip to the kennels. Once outside he walked upright on stiff legs, weak with disuse, and he mused on his Master’s whispered instruction.
***
“Please, I can’t take it, Steve. I can’t do this any more. It’s the same as every other household, any excuse to hurt.” Mike begged as the quiet, blond slave searched the cold kennel rooms for chains and a lock.
“I won’t let you run Mike. You never have. You have no idea what it is like out there and when you’re caught you’ll be abandoned to the slavers. I know it’s bad. When isn’t it? But you can cope and it is worse elsewhere.” Steve looked pale with worry.
“Please Steve, let me have rope or a blade, anything. We can do it together. Check out, die our way. On our terms, not theirs.”
Jared ceased his own search through clanging metal cabinets as the meaning of Mike’s words sank in. He remembered the look Jensen gave him as he whispered, ‘Trust me.’ In this moment he thought he understood why he had been sent out with Mike and Steve and it had nothing to do with failure or punishment. “You mustn’t,” he said with feeling and both slaves looked around, shocked to hear his voice. “You can’t leave Gen and Jody, not now. Master thinks you’re good together. He won’t hurt you badly. I’m sure of it. It’s for show or he would have done it already.”
“So speaks the normally silent pet who our Master tortures with whips and wax.” Steve was scathing.
“But it’s what I’m for. It’s my purpose not yours and I am trained for it.” Jared let some pride seep into his voice. “You clean and mend and keep the household running and Master Jensen needs that too. You’re good at it. He says so.”
Steve’s rejoinder was bitter, “He doesn’t care a jolt for us. You, he keeps close. He gives you praise and kind touches. We were the unwanted extra to the package deal and he can’t bear to see or hear us, yet our work must be completed to exacting standards whatever hours it demands. The only time he acknowledges us is when he needs something dealt with, like a sticky window latch or a dirty floor. We are disposable and if he needs to make a demonstration of us, he will not hesitate.”
“You should trust him more.” Jared’s argument was lame, even to his own ears but he wasn’t used to conversation and finding the words for his argument was difficult.
“Wait. You trust him, even now, out here in the cold and damp, waiting for punishment? I don’t believe you were disobedient, you don’t have it in you.” Mike’s interest was piqued.
Jared screwed up his nose and his brows furrowed in thought, he had never expected to make such an announcement for any alpha, “Yes,” he said simply.
“Why the hell would you do that? You have to be soft in the head, pet.”
“Master Jensen doesn’t lie to me, even with the bad things he does to me. Whenever he has told me to trust him, I’ve been able to. He told me to trust him now, so I do.”
Mike’s eyes were locked on Jared’s expression and his mouth was agape, “You really mean that, pet, don’t you?”
It was a first, and a revelation for Jared, “Yeah, I do,” he nodded.
***
When Master Jensen came out to the kennels in the cold of the evening, Mike and Jared were fixed firm to a central ring in the most sheltered cage within the run-down kennels and Steve sat with them. They were singing an old slave ballad quietly, to a traditional tune as they shivered with cold.
They stopped mid-verse when their Master stepped into their cage. Curls of cloudy breath huffed from their mouths as the slaves awaited their fate. Master Jensen twisted a medium cane in his hand and Mike’s face contorted in fear.
Jensen didn’t acknowledge Mike, “I reviewed your behavior on the monitors Steve. There is no punishment due to you. Show me the scars that are healing.”
Steve looked confused but he lifted his tunic. Pink and white whip marks, criss-crossed in angry patterns.
“They are still obvious. That is good. Come here.” The alpha fixed a sturdy chain to Steve’s collar and locked it firm to the holding ring.
“What. No!” Steve howled in panic, his eyes fixed on the wicked length of the cane. Master Jensen smiled. “You can make a noise. Cry all you like. I’m sure nosy neighbors are listening.”
Their Master stepped toward Mike and crouched next to him. Mike tried to pull away but he was held firm on the short leash. “Mike, I replayed the footage of you greeting Mistress Grey and you explained my wishes very politely. You did everything I instructed of you, and I am pleased with you despite the outcome. You should maybe learn to adapt in the face of obvious resistance from an alpha, and later we will look at how we do that.”
Mike’s relief was tangible. The tense lines on his face smoothed, and then creased again with the trace of a smile. He hardly noticed his Master grabbing at his arms before his hands were secured to the ring in front of him. Jared’s breath caught in panic as he guessed the intention.
“All that makes it harder to do this, but we can be sure that our neighbor is spying into our business at this very moment and I am certain we will be visited by a representative for the council without delay. I shouldn’t have made waves but now that I have, I can see only one way of keeping you safe as part of my household. Snoops will be expecting to see evidence of your discipline.” The Master’s strong hands manipulated the bald slave to kneel prostrate on the floor.
“Please. Don’t, I didn’t do wrong.” Mike was begging.
“You fucking bastard!” Steve was spitting with anger.
“You get that one free Steve. Don’t push me further, because you know what I will have to do.” Jensen’s voice was coolly commanding.
“Shut up, Steve.” Mike yelled at his friend.
“Look at me, Mike. I have the self control to stop. We stop after twenty. Believe in that.” Jensen continued to crouch by his slave.
Mike’s entire body was shaking and his wrists were reddening with the effort of trying to pull away from his restraints.
“Jared, sit close to him. Help him through.” Jensen’s voice was soft.
“I have done this before.” Mike spat the words with bravado.
“Then you know how difficult it is.” Jensen remained unruffled.
Jared shuffled over grainy concrete floor to sit in front of Mike. He placed a large, manicured, hand over Mike’s calloused fingers. “Look at me. Deep breath,” he said, staring into terrified eyes, “and don’t count out loud. The first is always worst.”
Look at me Aurelie. Deep breath. Count out loud. The first is always worst.
Jared remembered his own puppy words with the sickening thwack of the first blow to Mike’s back. With each crack that followed Jared winced, as if it were his own discipline, and the distant memory of a chubby little girl with golden curls and sky-blue eyes haunted him.
When it was over Jared was eager for the warmth of his Master but Jensen left blankets and commanded them all to stay. They remained chained, to shiver blue and wakeful through the night. Mike’s teeth chattered and he whimpered. Silent tears rolled down Jared’s cheeks, he had betrayed the slave next to him and his Master had abandoned him anyway. Mike shifted and rolled over as Jared sniffed. “It wasn’t so bad, pet. Gentler than any other I’ve had. The cream numbs the pain, and he’s honest. Maybe you have a point.”
Steve fidgeted and yawned, “He’s right. I’m sorry we bitched at you. You know, when we’re in the household, sometimes we’re jealous. You look comfortable on your cushion with your soft skin and no housework or schedules. It’s difficult for us to see the way our Master looks at you with such affection, when he doesn’t see us at all. Mostly we worry for you though, it’s tough to watch you suffer, but it’s not wrong to like your Master and trust him, not if it helps you through.”
“What he’s saying is that you’re still one of us, if you want to be. We’re one household, no sides taken.” Mike clarified for Steve.
“Thanks, but I guess I was wrong about him,” Jared’s voice was small and he rubbed at the back of his neck as he spoke.
Steve reached out to touch Jared’s shoulder, “Don’t think that. It’s obvious the Master is smitten with you. I’ve seen enough politics in my time to know that’s all this is. Some alphas ain’t as equal as others. They do what they’ve got to do. I should have seen it before now. Master Jensen hasn’t welcomed a single visitor or family member since we’ve been here and judging by Ms. Grey’s reception he’s not exactly keen on some members of fine alpha society.”
There was a low rumble from Mike’s direction and Jared looked over with concern, to see the bald slave convulsed with laughter, “Actually,” Mike giggled, “The beating was almost worth it. It was fucking funny. The things Master Jensen said and the look on her face.”
They allowed themselves a moment of laughter before they settled back to their own thoughts in the cold discomfort of their barren cage.
***
Jody came to unlock them at dawn and they were hustled into the kitchen where Gen tended a huge pan of hot oatmeal and the oven whirred clouds of steamy heat into the room.
Jody spoke as Genevieve hummed uncharacteristically cheerfully in the background, “Master says you’re to warm up with a big bowl of breakfast and that includes Jared.” She produced a spoon to give to the pet, “Um, can you …?”
“I can use a spoon,” he muttered, embarrassed by her assumption.
Jody colored and dipped her head, “Sorry, I, well anyway, you’re to sit at the table too. Oatmeal and floor, doesn’t mix y’know.”
“Are you sure?”
“I was there, she’s sure,” sing-songed Genevieve and everyone turned to stare.
“What the hell happened to make you so cheerful? How come you didn’t freeze your ass off in the kennels with us?” asked Mike.
“And what happened with the council rep, did someone call by?” added Steve.
“Uh-huh,” smiled Gen, as she ladled breakfast into bowls, “You need to thank this unusually beautiful slave for distracting the council rep away from your precious little asses. Master Jensen knows when he needs a pretty girl on his side.”
Jared was dipping his spoon into the thick cereal but he could see Steve’s fists bunching and anger rising, “He whored you out to bribe the council rep?” Steve sounded disgusted.
Gen slammed Steve’s bowl onto the table in front of him, “I got laid, Steve, for the first time in freakin’ months and it was fan-fucking-tastic. He didn’t think I was too old. He thought I was adventurous and pretty.” Her brown eyes glittered with something that looked suspiciously like tears. “He wanted me.”
“I knew you’d all be angry about it. It’s why I had to leave you out there.” Master Jensen leaned against the doorframe watching them. He was flushed pink from his morning run and his tee-shirt clung to the firm planes of his chest. He laughed at Jared’s hungry stare, “Eat your breakfast before you consider eating me Jared.” Jared hid his delight at the light-hearted banter behind the curtain of his hair but his dimples gave him away.
“So, where’s mine?” Jensen strode over to the stove and Gen rushed to serve him. He stilled her with a gentle caress of her arm, “I’m joking. I’ll take breakfast in my room as usual. Genevieve you are beautiful. You’re at the peak of your womanhood and your sexual confidence is alluring. If I felt any attraction to women, you would be irresistible to me. As it is I have Jared, and I only share my bed with one partner. I’ve no doubt you all have needs and perhaps I should have told you before now, that with the exception of Jared you are welcome to share your beds with another slave if you wish. I’m not the sort of Master who is bothered by such things, providing it doesn’t affect your duties.”
Jared’s spoon scraped noisily on the side of his bowl as he eagerly finished every last mouthful of his oatmeal, breaking the stunned silence that followed his Master’s latest nugget of information.
“You ready for me, pet?”
Jared licked his lips to a shine, opened his foxy hazel eyes wide, to show their happy glimmer, and lithely stretched onto all fours into a sexy cat-like gait. He rubbed the crown of his head on the back of his Master’s leg as he came to heel and was rewarded with the tangle of fingers in his hair and the quiet murmur of “Good Boy.”
***
Jensen lazily traced his fingers around Jared’s nipples as his knot pulsed seed, satisfying and wet into his pet. “It’s nice to hear your voice. You can talk to the others when you’re with them. They seem to like you. You can talk to me too and it doesn’t have to be anything important, it would be less lonely for me. Apparently, I would hate to have to keep company with my neighbors.”
Jared barely heard the generous permission. He was anxiously turning over the memories that had been revealed during the tumult of the previous evening. He knew he had unintentionally lied to his Master. Whatever the circumstances, lying was a terrible offence. He spoke up with a trace of tremor, “I didn’t mean to lie. I think I did once know an Aurelie. I didn’t remember her, not until now.”
His Master’s hand stilled over Jared’s thumping heart. “You don’t have to tell me Jared. I researched Padalecki Kennels. I didn’t mean to pry but you had nightmares and I wanted to know. Now, I wish I didn’t.”
“She was pretty. Huge sky- blue eyes and delicate freckles, she had golden hair in ringlets. I think she was my sister but none of us ever really knew. I don’t remember my dam and our pedigree isn’t our business, but I remember she was always with me, following me around, pulling my hair. She tried, but …,” Jared choked back tears.
“I saw the records, Jared. Padalecki never sell pups which don’t make show standard. The runts never leave the kennels and they don’t breed with them. I kept a pet for most of my childhood, our family have showed dozens. They are always pedigree, like you, and I didn’t know. I never thought to even wonder or ask. I’m sorry.” Jensen hugged Jared tight to his chest, peppering light kisses to the back of his neck. “I’m sorry,” he repeated and drops of salt water dripped onto Jared’s back, “How old …?”
“I can’t. Not yet.” Jared sniffed.
“You don’t have to. If you want to, I’m here.”
“I know Jensen. I’m sure I will one day. I trust you.” Jared twisted his head around, ignoring the sharp ache of the movement, to place his lips against his Master’s, and Jensen dropped his mouth open with a satisfied sigh, to welcome the kiss.
~~~
To sequel: HAPPY