by Anya Byrne
"Will you be okay...going there?"
"It was a long time ago," William replied neutrally. It wasn't a real answer, but it would have to be enough. "It's a good idea. Most everyone who knew me is dead or very old, and it's far safer for Jessie than here. But... What will you do about your pack?"
At that, Finn smiled bitterly. "What I must."
****
The pack meeting was held that evening, in the nearby forest, under the cold rays of the moon. Howls echoed in the air mournfully in remembrance of their lost Alpha, and Finn joined in, as did Saul.
It would be the last time he ran with the pack. This had been his home, but everything he'd thought true and solid had proven to be a lie. Pack members were supposed to stand for one of their own, not stab someone in the back when they deemed it convenient. His father had sacrificed his bond with his true mate for this pack, and at the end of the day it hadn't mattered.
They all met up in a clearing, as it had been accorded beforehand. Even the elders were there—other than Lisbet's grandfather, Terrence, of course, who'd been banished with her. Lisbet was actually one of Finn's main concerns. He couldn't take her along, and he wasn't comfortable with leaving her in the hands of a pack he didn't trust. The same thing went for the silencers who'd first attacked Andreas and Jessie.
It had taken everything in his power to swallow down his pride and fury and contact Elena Maximoff. She'd agreed to come to the pack meeting, although Finn guessed it must have been because it amused her to have him owe her for something.
Nonetheless, they were all here now, and as the howls faded, Finn shifted into his human form. By his side, Saul did the same.
"I'm sure you're all aware of recent developments in the pack," Finn said. "Suffice to say, the situation cannot continue this way. I've come to announce I'm stepping down as the Alpha of the pack."
"But Alpha..." one of the elders spluttered. "There's no one to take over."
Finn knew that. Born Alphas like him and Saul were rare, and without the Simmons brothers—and their father—the pack would be left bereft. Finn couldn't bring himself to feel remorse over that. At this point, he didn't even care that his departure involved him belonging to a pack where his brother was Alpha. At a different time, he'd have considered that unacceptable. Funny, how quickly priorities could change.
"I'm sure you can handle it." He shrugged. "You seemed to be very opinionated on the job my family was doing."
"You can't punish us all for what a few members did," a female werewolf cried.
"Indeed. This is why Miss Maximoff is here." He saw Elena frown at being pinpointed. "Since the Gathering deemed it necessary to execute"—and moon be blessed, even saying that word was like poison—"my father for something that was not his fault, since it deemed my decisions and my brother's inadequate, I believe the aftermath is also their responsibility. As such, Miss Maximoff, if any of the members of my former packs are unhappy with staying here, you will have to reassign them to other packs."
It would be a huge effort, and he knew that. People would have to be uprooted from their homes, their workplaces. A few months ago, Finn would have done anything to prevent it. But in his heart, he'd stopped being part of this pack already. It had started the moment he'd first begun to make compromises and had hurt his brother because of it. Now, they'd reached full circle, and it was time to start over.
"The Gathering will also be the one to take charge of Lisbet, as she is a rogue wolf, and cannot be trusted with her former pack."
"Similarly," Saul piped up, "I'd like to request a meeting with the silencer guilds. It seems that certain guilds are very eager to punish their own when they let people live, but not so much when they run amok and randomly shoot at innocents."
Elena scowled. "That's fair. I can see where you're coming from, and I can make the arrangements you speak of. But...what will you do?"
"We will build a new life, elsewhere. Our goal is to leave behind the previous human lives of our mates, so that their human acquaintances and families are not a risk to the Secrecy Accords."
Elena's expression cleared at that, and she actually smiled. "Well, it seems you're seeing reason. Excellent. I can handle the rest if you deal with the humans."
Out of sight, out of mind, huh? Finn wished he could have asked to see his father one last time, but he knew what the answer would be, so he didn't. Besides, he suspected he might not have to. He remembered his earlier conversation with William Orwell, and he knew this wasn't over.
"Then it's settled," he told Elena. "We'll arrange the transport of the prisoners tomorrow."
"And I will be awaiting your communication with regards with the guilds," Saul added. "We can't leave the silencers here."
Finn desperately hoped that excuse would work, because he couldn't abandon Erdi to his fate. The guilds were not unreasonable, and Finn owed Erdi. Perhaps he could still get the silencer out before his own kind did... whatever they did to traitors.
He didn't want to press, because otherwise, Elena might guess his thoughts. Instead, he just directed his attention to the gathered members of his pack. "You were my friends for decades. I cannot say that I have no regrets that it's come to this. But most of you no longer respect me as an Alpha, and I cannot afford to stay with a pack where my family isn't safe. I wish you all the best. Well...most of you."
He pinned Argent with an angry glare, since he hadn't forgotten the beta's betrayal. Argent was the least of his problems, though, and someone Finn had every intention of leaving behind. As such, Finn turned away from Argent and shifted into his wolf form. He'd said what he'd come here to say, and there was no point in prolonging this meeting further.
His brother followed his example and together, they headed back toward the mansion. Behind them, Finn heard voices trying to call them back—the elders, Argent, some others. Finn let it all go, severing the final thread that bound him to his pack. As he ran with his brother, he felt the wave of Saul's power settle over him, and he accepted it. He had a new pack now—a lone wolf pack—and that suited him just fine. Because the first thing he saw when he reached the mansion would be his mate, and the sight of Parker's welcoming smile always made everything, everything worthwhile.
****
"So you're going? Why? Where?"
Parker mentally sighed, guilt setting heavily in his stomach. He was thankful Alicia didn't have a web cam or 3G smart phone, because if she'd been able to see his face, she would have realized something was wrong.
The last thing he'd wanted was to abandon the people he cared about, but it would be far safer for Alicia and the boys to have only limited contact with anything belonging to the werewolf world. "We're moving to Wisconsin," he replied, although that didn't really provide a satisfactory answer to what Alicia really wanted to know.
"Wisconsin? Parker, I thought you'd come back after Mr. Simmons recovered."
"I know," Parker replied quietly. "I just... I have to follow my heart."
It wasn't the response he'd have liked to give, but it was better than nothing, and in a way, true. He was following his heart, following Finn in the hope of building a new life together.
Perhaps Alicia realized this, because her tone grew softer, fond. "You really love him. Good for you, Parker. I'm glad. You deserve it. Is he going to be okay, though? He's just recovered from his coma."
"Yeah. The doctor told us the property where we'll be moving will be good for his recovery. Plus it would be more quiet, a safe place for Gavin to raise Shannon."
Alicia sighed. "I was looking forward to seeing him more, seeing my grandson. I guess that's not going to happen now."
"I don't think that's the case," Parker replied. Even as he spoke, Gavin entered the room, having already known about the conversation.
"Hi," he said. "Parker told you about our plans?"
"Yes. I'm just... Kyle and Jackie were very excited."
Gavin winced. "Yes, I know, and this isn't forever. I want to be with you guys too. It'll
just have to wait a bit, until Finn is better and Shannon is a little older. In the meantime, I'm going to send you some money to cover—"
"I don't need money from you," Alicia replied tightly. "Those debts are mine to cover."
"Don't be stubborn, Mom. I want to help. Please let me. If not for yourself, for Jackie and Kyle. I can't be there for them right now, not like I would want, so I want to at least make sure you can be without having your income threatened."
It was something that had concerned Parker as well. Since his decision to stay with Finn meant he would no longer be able to help Alicia, he'd brought the issue to Saul, who'd figured out a way to cover the debts and allow Alicia a bit more financial freedom.
"This is a good idea, Alicia," he said. "You know it is. Consider it a loan if you have to, but don't be stubborn."
"I suppose," Alicia answered after a small pause. "It's just that I've wanted to find my son for so long. Oh, Gavin... I wanted to make it up to you. I wronged you so much, Gavin, and we never got the chance to really... fix things."
Gavin didn't immediately reply, and Parker could see the struggle on his face. Deciding Parker and Alicia needed privacy for this part of the conversation, Parker offered the phone to Gavin and left the room.
His timing proved to be impeccable, as he ran straight into his mate. Finn was just coming back from his meeting with the pack. Parker offered him a soft smile as his mate shifted from a big black wolf to a man—the man Parker had fallen in love with.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"As well as it could be expected," Finn answered. "They don't like it, but they don't have much choice but to accept it. We'll be leaving as scheduled."
Parker nodded and hugged Finn. Finn held him tightly, the tension in his body draining as he let go of all the conflicted emotions Parker could feel through their bond. "We'll start over," he whispered in Parker's ear. "Just us. Just our family. It will be okay."
Parker remembered Finn's earlier mourning of his father, and hoped like hell Finn was right. He also knew he needed to get his mate's mind off his pain. There was a heavy burden weighing on Finn, one which Parker ached to relieve him of. "Come on," he told his mate. "Let's go to bed for now. Tomorrow can wait a while longer."
Finn shot him a weak grin. "I did promise you we'd get some more time together. You know, you're right. For now, we can let tomorrow take care of itself."
That was the only warning Parker got before Finn picked him up in his arms. He moved so quickly Parker was forced to briefly close his eyes so that he wouldn't get dizzy. The next thing he knew, Parker was on the bed in Finn's room, with his mate next to him.
Finn didn't actually try anything sensual, not at once. He just lay at Parker's side and wrapped his arm around Parker's waist, his gaze fixing on Parker's face as if he couldn't look away. Parker met Finn's familiar eyes, sinking into the depths of emotion he saw in the stormy orbs.
He didn't know who reached for whom first, and it didn't even matter. Their lips clashed, and their bodies tangled on the sheets as all the feelings that had gathered throughout the day finally exploded, overflowing, overwhelming, swallowing both of them whole.
Parker had tried to stay strong, but it was too easy to remember how close he'd come to losing his mate yet again. He'd tried not to think about how wrong the pack meeting could have gone. He couldn't help but think now, and the thoughts and the emotions had him clawing at Finn's back and chest, needing to get closer, deeper. He wanted to crawl inside Finn and stay there forever, so that he'd never have to be alone and lost again. Finn was the only one who'd ever made him feel so safe and so wild at the same time, and even if they'd spent so little time together, Parker couldn't imagine losing it—losing Finn—forever.
Finn was right there with him, though, his touches somehow managing to be both frantic and strangely gentle. His fingernails turned to claws, but they only shredded through Parker's clothes and didn't harm Parker's skin at all. In fact, the sharp tips barely came into contact with Parker's flesh, and where they did, they left echoes of pleasure behind, awakening Parker's nerve endings.
There was a moment, when the two of them were both completely naked, when they stopped. They simply stopped of common accord, not quite pulling away, still touching but not doing much else. They were both breathless and hard, and as he met Finn's gaze once more, Parker had a sudden certainty.
This was it—his truth, the same one he'd admitted to during his conversation with Alicia. Despite all of his doubts, he'd followed his heart in pursuing this relationship with Finn. It might not be perfect—heck, half the time he had no idea what he was doing—but he wouldn't have had it any other way.
When their mouths met once again, the passion was just as intense and wild, but somehow less desperate. It was as if both of them had wordlessly agreed they were all right, they were safe, and whatever else came, they'd handle it together.
They broke the kiss to breathe, and Finn rolled Parker on his back. He covered Parker with his larger body and licked the hollow of his throat, swirling his tongue around Parker's Adam's apple. Parker arched his back and moaned, bucking his hips in an attempt to draw Finn's attention to the area where he most wanted to be touched.
Perhaps a different time, both of them would have preferred a more drawn out lovemaking session. But now, Parker didn't have the patience for teasing caresses. He needed Finn inside him, more than ever before. He needed to hammer home the knowledge that they were together, to brand it in his flesh, in his mind, in his soul. And Finn needed the same thing, because he kissed down Parker's chest, exploring and caressing, but very obviously keeping an eye on the proverbial prize.
He lingered over Parker's abdomen and kissed the slight swell of his belly. His hands rested on Parker's hips, and Parker realized with dismay that they were trembling. He settled his own palms in Finn's hair, telling Finn without words that it was all right to take what he wanted, what they both wanted.
Finn must have guessed his thoughts, because he briefly rolled off Finn and reached for the nightstand. From inside the drawer, he retrieved a tube of lubricant. Parker had known it was there—he'd been staying in Finn's room during the time his mate had been unconscious—but the sight of it still made his heart race.
He spread his legs wide in an attempt to encourage his mate. Finn didn't need much convincing, as he was already crawling back into his previous position. And then, when Finn slicked up his fingers with a generous amount of lubricant and reached for Parker's hole, it was Parker's turn to tremble, his turn to come undone.
His mate slid one finger inside him, all the while watching Parker's face, possibly for any sign of pain. To be fair, Parker could still feel the lingering effects of their earlier lovemaking. He wasn't exactly sore, though, and even if he had been, he wouldn't have let it keep him from his mate. As it turned out, his body was extra sensitive because of the previous intercourse, and when Finn's finger found Parker's prostate, a wave of shocking pleasure pulsed through Parker. He almost came on the spot, even if they'd barely just started touching.
"Please," he managed to breathe out. "Please, fuck me. Finn..."
Finn shushed him with a kiss. "In a minute."
Parker was fairly certain more than a minute passed while Finn painstakingly stretched him. He forgot to complain, however, when Finn lowered his mouth over Parker's cock, sucking lightly. He leisurely licked at the glans even as he thrust a second slick finger into Parker's ass, and Parker was torn in two by the conflicting and coalescing waves of pleasure. He didn't know if he should try to take the invading digits deeper or start thrusting into his mate's mouth. It seemed unfair that he couldn't quite do both.
His thoughts scrambled as Finn worked his body with the same skill a virtuoso would employ on a musical instrument. Finn's ministrations soon had him soaring in a diffuse haze of pleasure that propelled through every single cell in his body. Parker was lost, lost, between the torture of Finn's hot mouth and the almost ruthless massage of his mate
's fingers against his prostate.
The spell Finn wove around him was so intricate and all-consuming that Parker was jarred when both sensations suddenly disappeared. Thankfully, he didn't have to suffer their absence for too long. The world tilted, and the next thing he knew, Parker was straddling Finn's lap, with his mate lying down in Parker's previous position.
Finn's hands were steady on Parker's hips. "At your own pace," he whispered huskily. "I don't want to hurt you."
It meant so much to Parker that even now, Finn still displayed such concern for him. He didn't deem it necessary, but the end result was sort of nice just the same. From his new position, Parker could get a perfect look at Finn's strained face, meet his stormy gaze and lose himself in those gray orbs he'd first fallen in love with. He could finally give his mate the haven Finn needed—and take refuge in Finn's passion and strength.
"You'd never hurt me," he told Finn as he positioned himself over Finn's cock and pushed down.
His flesh parted easily for Finn's invasion, but Parker still gasped at the stretch, the burning feeling unmistakable, inescapable, yet impossibly perfect. Finn gently guided him down, and Parker followed the pace Finn set, allowing the slow, rocking motions to spin him back into the magic of ecstasy and contentment Finn brought out within him.
As they started to move together, that pleasure spiraled higher and higher. Their bond glowed between them, tighter, brighter, and it was a beacon of hope, of trust and fulfillment, a light in a world that could too easily engulf them in darkness.
When Finn pulled Parker down and bit on the juncture of his throat, he did so carefully, almost reverently. Parker's climax was nothing short of explosive, though, as every sensation that had been pooling within him finally burst and tipped him over the edge. Finn thrust inside him one last time and came as well, pumping Parker full of hot spunk.
Within it all, deep at the back of his consciousness, Parker heard Finn's mental voice whispering his name. "Parker." And he felt something more, a different warmth, one not his own, not Finn's, but that was part of them both. Their child.
