Sebastian
Once he’d come home and sat down with Veronica again, Sebastian had to face the fact that what she’d told him was true, not just some weird April Fool’s joke. He hadn’t talked to Max about it, hadn’t talked to anyone, though Nic told him that a few people knew. Everyone who lived in the pack house knew. Eddie had known. Daphne, his lawyer, had known. As far as Sebby was concerned, he’d been the last person to be told and he was the more important person in the equation, along with Jonathan. At least the rest of the pack and his new beta didn’t know - he’d feel real stupid then. It was bad enough that his closest people had treated it like a joke and kept him out of the loop… but he’d been blind on his own. If what Max had said, and Sebby’s own mate, it would have been obvious by the way Jon looked at him.
Since the second talk with Nic, the alpha had been in the exact mood that made him taking on projects he would have normally given to someone else. It usually took all day and into the night but when he came home at night, he fixed himself a drink and either worked more in his office or went to bed. There was little focus elsewhere and he - He’d tell him he liked it that way, either way.
Today, there was no escaping the pack house unless he wanted it to look like he was doing it on purpose. It was Jon’s birthday and Sebastian had to pretend he didn’t know anything. He hadn’t seen the younger wolf since… it had been weeks. Most of the pack had seen him since then, with his checking up on everyone, but none had made comments that he knew of. Most were smarter than to make comments where he could hear it, anyway. He’d gotten dressed that morning in his usual, button up shirt and slacks but he wasn’t going very far without an Old Fashioned in his hand. No one would say his drinking had increased, not even Nic had said anything. Max, Bren, his new beta.
Jon/Daphne
Jon had awoken that day to his best friend jumping on his bed singing happy birthday at the top of her lungs. Glaring at her for waking him way earlier than he normally would have as she handed him two to-go boxes of veggies egg rolls, which had made him forgive her for waking him. The two had eaten the lunch in his kitchen with her giving him the stuff he had been missing with his recent less visits to the pack house. Which he had been feeling bad about, but it was in a way needed for him to do. Especially if he was really going to move on from having feelings about someone he couldn’t have. Could never have. Why couldn’t he have just respected the alpha like he had the last one he was in a pack with? He knew why, knew that his dreams, the ones filled with wishes and hopes, had shown him why. He was in love. Full on whole hearted, stare and look at him whenever he could, love. Love that made him want no one else. It was sad, he knew it was, but yet it was there. Hell, it had even been there before he knew of it and he may not have known if it wasn’t for Daphne and talking to Elijah. And then came Max and his sunglasses with some comments here and there. The kid and Daphne had been the main ones the say something, but he knew others knew. Though, as far as he knew the one he had this love for didn’t know. Which Jon had figured was for the best.
By the time his little celebration was done with Daphne, he was dressed and heading for his car with her on his arm. “Iris is coming today, right?” Jon nodded his head. “Yep, she’ll be there. I think she’s being counted as three today.” Daphne’s feet stopped walking as she tugged on his arm. “Counted as three?” Jon laughed before tugging her. “Not what you are thinking, Miss I’ve been secretly meeting someone.” His head moved side to side a little while he spoke before she hit his arm. “Oh so you can pick on me for how I’m feeling, but I can’t bring up that your seeing someone. Rude DW.” He unlocked his car and held the door open for her. “JB, you haven’t told me about the three count yet.” Her voice had a mix of anger and what he figured was her lawyer tone. “Elijah can’t come since it’s daylight and Asher, well, he more than likely wouldn’t show up unless Elijah convinced him to. So Iris is representing them and herself by coming to the party. Which means she is being counted as three.” He held up his hand to count while he spoke before adding. “Plus I think her and Max are a thing or something now.” Daphne’s eyes widened as she watched him get in the car and start it. “What? Does anyone know about this beside you?” He shrugged before a small laugh came from him as he drove off towards the pack house.
Once there, he did the normal park and grab a bottle he had stashed in the back of his Jeep the night before routine. Though Daphne soon snagged it from his hand. “You can’t bring something to your own party, dumbass.” She put it away and locked his car before dragging him towards and then inside the house. “But I always show up with a bottle and that was for Bren so I could thank him for cooking and making the pancake cake.” She stopped and turned to look at him. “You didn’t.” He smiled then crossed his arms. “Oh, but I did. Even offered to beg just so it would happen.” She rolled her eyes at him and then said the few curse Russian words she knew before crossing her own arms. “You, JB, is why I feel the need for a drink right now.” She turned to walk off, but stopped to say one more thing to him. “Don’t you dare spend this whole party making drinks for anyone or else I will make sure you have none, and I mean none, of that cake. You understand me, Jonathan Bishop?” He nodded at hearing his name. He knew she was serious, knew because of the tone she’d used and glare she was giving him. “Good. Now go have fun.” She smiled and walked off, his hands going to his pockets as he glanced around.
He figured the party had already been going on for a while now because of how many were there, but he wasn’t sure what to do. He was used to heading to the bar and making drinks for everyone, but if he was suppose to avoid doing that. Well, doing it for the whole party. With a smirk coming to his lips, he headed for the bar. Making sure that Daphne didn’t see him before spending the next couple hours being dragged from it each time he went back.
Bren/Max
Bren and Max had it all worked out, or so they thought. Bren was just tired of seeing Sebastian moping around the house. Yes, moping. Max hadn’t been around as often to see it, but he made sure he knew exactly what had been going on through text and snapchat videos that gave him anxiety. He was close to pushing his alpha into the other wolf and telling them to just fucking kiss, man. He hadn’t smelled so much fear and uncertainty in a room since he couldn’t say when. The moment Jon arrived to his own party, Bren’s eyes slid over to the tall, gangly wolf Sebastian called a son. It was time and he wasn’t going to be enjoying much of the party, well, not this part anyway.
Max gave a silent nod, searching the room for his dad. He was taller than most and spotting the brooding brow of his father wasn’t so hard. He linked arms with him, leaning in to whisper that someone had gotten into the whiskey, or they were out into his ear. A very important thing to have at a party or in the Obsidian house. He guessed he’d want to see it for himself, rather, he was hoping he’d want to see it for himself. It was an unbelievable statement. People moved when Max walked around, allowing the pup to pass just because he’d run them over if he didn’t see them. More importantly, dad was in tow and the kitchen was empty.
“Look, right in there,” he pointed to the empty shelf, he stepped in to give it the appearance that he was just as concerned as his father. “There’s gotta be another bottle in here-“
“Hey, Max. Iris is looking for you, I’ll help look for the whiskey.”
Bren offered a very cheeky smile as Max shuffled by, but before he stepped into the pantry. The door snapped shut and a very panicked voice piped up from the other side, “Not again! It’s been shutting like this lately, shit. Lemme go get Max to open the door, there’s a trick to it! Be right back.”
Sebastian
Not that he had been avoiding the birthday boy, per say, but he was definitely staying on the other side of the room from where ever he was, no matter what Nic said. She kept trying to shift him back to where ever Jon was, but it wasn't working. Sebastian wasn't stupid and he didn't appreciate whatever it was his mate was doing but he didn't say anything about it either. It wasn't really that hard to get back around her and go back to something else.
There was a mostly empty glass of whiskey in the alpha's hand by the time Max came up to him, the older wolf nursing it so that he didn't have to go back to the bar. What the hell had even happened to him recently? He was scared to go back to the bar in his own house. What was this? He wasn't scared. He just didn't need to drink more than one glass of apple juice. Speaking of, he needed to figure out how to change the settings in his phone.
“What do you mean we are out? Brennan just bought two more bottles.” He went on with Max anyway, looking over the shelf where he usually lined up all the liquor once it was bought in the pantry. They used to have a small cabinet for it but since they held more parties at the house and the pack got bigger, it wasn't enough space. Well, that and the fact that Jon kept bringing new bottles and other wolves did the same thing. It had been nice at first, not having to buy, but here he was, an entire shelf in his pantry filled with different things, all alcohol related. “It probably got buried behind the oth-”
The alpha whipped around as the door shut behind Max, a snarl leaving him. There was no thought about how this was in purpose, but he wasn't about to break the door down. “God damnit boys. Open this door. Right now.”
Bren
Bren had gone, the words going through one ear and out the other. He was probably just as frustrated as they were, tired of seeing them dance. He wanted to see Sebastian invested in his own happiness, not just those around him. He wasn’t above locking them in a pantry until the two giant idiots talked out their feelings and maybe someone got a dick up the ass. He found Jon. It wasn’t hard considering the man oozed discomfort when he was in the pack house. He was putting an end to it right now.
He’d told Max earlier that his part was over once his father was in the pantry, he didn’t want him in trouble. Bren could take the yelling. “Jon, Happy Birthday. Twenty-one again, right?”
The wolf was quite comfortable here, socializing and making small talk. He found himself swept into a conversation, but he had bigger things on his list than talk about the bar scene in Vegas. “Gotta show you something bruh. It'll rock your world,” he told Jon when they had a moment to chat one on one, he made it seem like he had a gift- or gifts. Anything to lure him away. “-Mez helped decorate the cake. Though, you know, she probably ate more frosting than what went on,” he pointed him in the direction of the pantry, “there wasn’t room in the fridge, we put it in here for the time being.”
He opened the door very carefully, trying to avoid the growly wolf inside as he ushered Jon inside. Before the door shut again, he placed a foil packet and some astroglide into his palm. Maybe the icing on the cake, but that had been Max’s idea. Sebastian would probably kill him later, Jon would never speak to him again. The omega beamed at the two lovebirds, letting the shock settle in as he closed the door. He didn’t need a lock. That silence would keep them there a while.
They had plenty of air, alcohol and a light.
Jon/Daphne
“I swear to god, JB, if you get behind that bar one more time then I’ll add kicking your ass on top of you not getting any cake.” “Come on, DW. You know I can’t help it right now.” He lowered his voice as he moved closer to his best friend who had just caught him making drinks for someone that wasn’t himself. “You can though. It’s called staying away from it. This is a party for you, not the idiots here.” Jon’s eyes widened slightly at her words before attempting to cover her mouth, but she hit his hand out of the way. “These guys don’t scare me, JB. Now seriously, no more making drinks. Not even for yourself.” She crossed her arms. “You’re kidding right? If I don’t even make my own then I’ll end up drunk quicker than anyone here.” “Good, then maybe your drunk dumbass will finally say something.” Blue hues glared at her before he grabbed the nearest drink and downed it. “There is nothing that is needed to be said, Daph.” She smiled at him. “Yeah, well tell that to my screwdriver that you just downed.” “What?” He looked away from her to the glass in his hand before bringing it to his face and taking a sniff. A low groan coming from him as he realized what he’d just done. “Why the hell did you not stop me from drinking that?” “Because you’re the idiot who downed it over the fact that you know I’m right on something needing to be said.” He set the glass down. “Daphne, that was my fourth drink with vodka in it.” “Oh, oops.” She smirked at him as the anger started inside him.
However, before he was able to say something to her, he heard his name being said from behind him. He looked to see the omega talking to him, his head nodding in greeting before looking at where Daphne was. But she was no longer there. Cursing in his mind as he turned his attention to the chef, a small laugh coming from him. “Sixty actually, but maybe I should start claiming a younger age. Not that young though.” He laughed again before some small talk started. The topic changing a few times before Jon had dived into talking about the bar scene in the city. It wasn’t odd for him to talk about, not since it was helping him relax some while standing inside the pack house. The alpha’s house. One of his eyebrows soon raising at hearing the omega’s words. “Rock my world?” He was curious as to what it might be and it was that curiosity that caused him to easily follow the other man. Plus there was the added mention of the birthday cake. “Wait, if I see it now, then I’ll want to eat it. And if you really ended up making a pancake one then I don’t know if I’ll share any of it, Bren.” He spoke the words a little fast while his eyes glanced around in a way to make sure that he didn’t see a certain someone. One of his hands going into his coat pocket where his sunglasses were waiting for him. He hadn’t felt the need to put them on yet, though that was mainly because he had been trying as hard as he could to not look at the man.
Once at the pantry, things seemed to happen faster than he was able to fully react to. Maybe that was because he had been taken aback by what the omega had placed in his hand before the door had closed. Hand wrapping around the items in it before he called out. “Bren?! What the hell, man? Open the door.” If he would have taken a moment to think then he may have tried the doorknob instead of yelling for the younger wolf.
Sebastian
Sebastian was fuming. This had to be some kind of trick or something but what could possibly be the reasoning behind it? He couldn't just break down the door, unfortunately. He didn't want to hurt the house but confined small spaces wasn't really his favorite thing. He choked in places like this if he spent too long in them. If he didn't think about it, he could last longer, sure, but how long until he started pacing and really getting worked up? Why would his son lock him in a pantry anyway? It wasn't like anyone knew about the fears the alpha had, seeing as he faced down anything he had to, when he had to, but this didn't make any sense to him.
That is, until Bren came over with a wolf he could smell on the other side of the door. Oh. It all clicked into place as Jon was also shoved through the door with it slamming behind him. In the same way it had behind Sebastian. They were locking the two wolves in a room together because of fucking course they had noticed something off with him. Fucking hell. They were trying to force the two to make up. What had he done for them to be this way? Oh, yeah, he was their ever caring alpha and they noticed that he was acting different. God damnit. Did his heart have to step up the pace when he realized he was in a small space with Jon? Fucking traitor. Cussy, he was.
“Jonathan.” Leaning back against the shelf behind him, his fingers curling into the wood to steady himself. His voice came low and growling, just like it did when he was usually angry. That was all he said though, his eyes going amber in the dark. They could see each other, thanks to the light under the door, but otherwise, it was almost pitch black. Sebastian’s presence was slowly filling the space, not helping the situation at all.
Jon
What the heck was going on? His mind repeated the question once more as he stood there at the door, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was about to call out to the omega again, but something inside him had stopped him. It was something that told him he wasn’t alone in the pantry. Though he didn’t look behind him to see who it could be. In fact, he learned that he didn’t need to once he had sniffed the air. Alpha. The man’s scent was there, was near. He closed his eyes as his mind told him that of course it was there since this was his house. However, once Jon heard that voice, heard his name being spoken by it, he knew that the older wolf was much closer to him than the two had been in sometime. He opened his eyes and stared at the door as he put the items Bren had given him in one of his coat pockets, his other hand going to the sunglasses that he had brought with him. He knew that he wouldn’t need them, at least he wouldn’t unless he looked at the man. Which he was telling himself not to do.
Swallowing as he felt his body start to fill with tension. His mind told him to say something, but as he parted his lips, nothing came from them. What the hell was he supposed to say? Why the hell had he been basically locked in a small space with the one person he had been avoiding? Shit. Bren must have noticed how his visits to the pack house had been lessening in more ways than one. Hell, there was probably a few that had. He knew Daphne had since she’d been making comments to him on it. She had even recently stopped setting him up on blind dates which had caused him to resort to saying yes to a customer here and there.
A soft sigh coming from him before he swallowed again when he had noticed how the older wolf’s presence was growing behind him. His mind yelling at him to say something, to show some form of respect as his lips parted. However, no words came from him. At least not until after he had closed his eyes for a brief moment. “S-Se… Alpha.”
Sebastian
A deeper, more predatory part of him liked that Jon froze when he realized that he was right behind him, the wolf coming closer to the surface of him. That was better over focusing on how close they were, how close the walls were becoming… but he wasn’t thinking about the smaller space and being locked inside of it. He was fine for the moment. Was distracted by an odd crackling noise as the other man slipped something into his pocket. What was it that he’d been given? He couldn’t smell it past the food surrounding him and the fact that he was locked into a room with the one wolf he’d been avoiding tonight. One that had been avoiding him as well. He’d noticed the lack of visits unless it was a full moon. Wait. When did he notice that Jon wasn’t around?
Another distraction came at the sound of Jonathan stuttering around the first syllable in his name, almost as if he were afraid to say the full thing out loud. Going for alpha instead showed a submission the older wolf didn’t understand. Did he know that Sebastian knew about his feelings? As far as he knew, Max hadn’t said anything to him about it. Then again, there was a lot of things his son, mate and omega didn’t tell him. How far had this little game gone? Had they all simply made fun of him? He didn’t doubt Jon’s feelings, especially now that he could smell and see the hesitation all over him. Well, smell more because he wasn’t even facing his alpha. Jon was turned away, almost as if the locked door could save him from having to confront anything. If only it was that easy, he would turn away too.
“Look at me, Jonathan.” He’d push this because he had to know. Had to know what was going on. He hadn’t thought for a moment to ask himself how he’d felt, he hadn’t given himself the time. He’d done nothing but work since he had come home the day after Nic had berated him on being so stupid and dense. She had tried to continue it when he got back, but he hadn’t let her. Had almost shut her out when it came to this.
Jon
Crap.Crap. Why was the other there? Why was he there? It was clear to Jon that the older wolf had been shoved in the small room before him, which meant that someone could have planned this. Whatever it this exactly was. Could this have been Daphne’s doing? He knew she had been trying to get him to say something more and more recently. But would she actually go as so far as to doing something like this on his birthday? At a time when the pack house was filled with guests? No, he didn’t think she would. Though if it wasn’t her that had planned such a thing then who the hell had? Eyes closed as his mind told him that he more than likely wouldn’t know the answer to his questions until after he was out of the room. Part of him hoped it would be soon, while another hoped it’d be days. Shit. His feelings for the other man were still there and hadn’t lessened at all. He could feel that they hadn’t, that all his attempts to try to get them to had failed. Why couldn’t he have just respected the alpha like a pack member was suppose to? Why was he so god damn drawn to the other male?
Squeezing his eyes tight before his hand that had put those items away hit the door. He needed out. Needed out before something was said. Before his semi-drunk dumbass said something that didn’t need to be said. However, it seemed that his small hit to the door would be going unnoticed to any of those on the other side of it as the man’s voice sounded from behind him. His body filling with more tension because of them. Look at him? He knew that he couldn’t do that, not with the other wolf so close. He knew the darkness in the room didn’t matter since both of them would be able to see, which meant that was a chance that Sebastian could notice how he looked at him. How he wasn’t supposed to be looking at the alpha.
A thought about putting the glasses on that his other hand was holding came to his mind along with one of not looking at all. However, he knew, the wolf inside of him knew, that he would have to look at Seb because he’d been commanded to. Swallowing hard as his hand left the door and fell to his side before his body slowly started to turn, his blue hues looking at the ground as he did.
Sebastian
There was a moment when he almost told Jon not to hit the door but he held back, let him have his moment to make that useless motion. Maybe it would make him feel better. Being out of this damned pantry was the only thing that would make Sebastian feel better but since that obviously wasn’t an option thanks to his son and his omega, he let his fingers grip whatever he touched. This would teach him not to face all of his problems, not just most. Why it was even their business to do this, he knew. He didn’t want to but he understood what they were trying to do. Especially remembering back to the talk he and Bren had had a few weeks ago.
He didn’t have long to wait for the younger wolf to turn around but Sebby knew he wouldn’t actually follow the command. Wouldn’t actually look at his alpha. It only backed up what he already knew - they had been avoiding each other quite heavily. He… was going to face this. If the closest wolves to him had planned this out, had forced them together like this knowing that he’d be angry with them… It wouldn’t be fair to throw this away. Fuck. Why did they have to do this? Why couldn’t they just ignore it and go on with their lives? Because they wanted their alpha to be happy. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy with Nic, it was that he wasn’t in love with her. Was he in love with Jon? He hadn’t given it enough thought. It could be that. It could very well be that but… He would have to get into that mindset.
“I told you to look at me, Jonathan.” As much as he wanted to hold onto that shelf, there would be no getting out of this closet until he gave in. Either to talking to Jon about all of this or kicking down the door. His house was expensive and kicking down a door wasn’t going to happen. “Jon. I’m not asking.”
Jon
His wolf was telling him that he was doing wrong, that he was being disrespectful when he shouldn’t be. When he didn’t really have a good reason to be. He knew that he did have a reason and that it was in a sense a good one to him, but to the others it was one that could be seen as lame. Shit. It was lame. Deep down he knew it was, he had even been told by some that it was. So then why was he still looking at the ground? Why hadn’t he looked at the man that was just a number of inches away from him? His hand holding the glasses started to pull them from his pocket, but paused. He shouldn’t put them on, not when he knew that putting them on wouldn’t actually help anything. That was when it happened. When he had reacted with instinct over anything else. He whimpered. A full on whimper had just come from him seconds after he heard the tone of the alpha’s voice saying his name.
Crap. Crap. Crap. The word repeated a few times in his mind as his head turned to the side, his eyes looking at some cans on a shelf. His ears heard Sebastian say that he wasn’t asking. Jon knew that he wasn’t, knew that he was being commanded to look at the other, but yet he still hadn’t. He was being defiant as well as hesitant over simply just looking at the older male. The male he had such a strong feeling for. Crap. His hand finished pulling the glasses from his pocket as his wolf told him to not put them on, to put them away. However, he didn’t listen to it. No, instead his hands moved to open them before sliding them on. His head turning to look at the alpha a moment later as he swallowed softly. Covered blue hues looking and slowly starting to stare at Sebastian for the first time since he had gotten to the pack house that night.
Sebastian
There was an almost painful sensation in his ears at the sound of that whimper, as if they wanted to swivel forward and catch every possible thread of that sound. In his wolf form, it would have been a very natural sensation. As a human? His ears couldn’t do that same thing but they wanted to. It brought the wolf to the surface, the interest in him focused solely on the man in front of them. If his eyes hadn’t been amber before, they were now. The very sound of Sebastian’s voice did that to Jon? That was curious. The more time he was here, with Jon, the less he thought about the enclosed space and more about how this should go. What should happen.
When that hand came out of Jon’s pocket, however, anger sparked through him, making his fingers itch. Was he really going to put those glasses on before looking up at him? Even though the space they were in was pitch black? A low growl came from him as he stepped forward, reaching out to hook his fingers against the bottom of one of the arms, pulling them right off of the man’s face. “Why do you persist with this game?” The words were more to himself, quiet but heard with how close they were. It didn’t help that he was only an arm’s length away from the younger wolf.
The glasses were only inspected for about a moment before he looked back up at the other, fingers closing over the glasses to break them into pieces. The crunch was as loud as the growl had been, the words. Once they were crushed, the remains were thrown behind him. “No more hiding, Jonathan. No more secrets. Nic told me everything.”
Jon
He knew that he was looking at the man how he had many times before. It was a look that was filled with all that he felt for the alpha. At first such looks had been filled with gratefulness and thankfulness, but then they switched to admiration and like before finally filling with love and want as well as need at times. The glasses had helped hide such looks, such stares, but they had brought on a new game. One that the alpha’s son had got his father to ask him about. Jon remembered how he had reacted by almost dropping a glass when he’d gotten the message at work, but at that time he wasn’t disrespectful to the man about it. At least not like he was being right now. Why the hell was he being this way? Why couldn't he have just ignored everything he felt towards the other male and just act like a normal pack member? His eyes closed as his mind told him the one thing that he hadn’t wanted to admit, even to himself. It was because he had been draw in since that first meeting. Been hooked to the man’s scent, to those brown-ambered hues, hell he was even drawn to the man’s presence. Maybe it was that draw that had caused him to move slightly closer to the man instead of back that first moment once the shades were pulled from his face.
Eyes opening insistly to reveal blue hues to the older wolf, his body tensing more at hearing those words. His wolf told him to stay quiet, to not say anything that was running through his mind. But once again, he didn’t listen. “Because I have to. Because if I don’t then it’ll just cause issues that shouldn’t have even been given the chance to be caused.” His voice had been slightly shaky as he said those words. The movement he had made that had moved him closer to the male moments ago, was now being done again, only this time he was moving slightly away from the alpha. Swallowing as he pressed his lips together, his mind repeating over that he had to continue the game. That he needed to even though there were no glasses on his face. Eyes shifted to the man’s hand as a thought about snatching them back came to his mind, but it was stopped once they were broken. What the hell was he going to do now to hide his looks, to hide the stare? Crap.
As he looked at Sebastian with no longer covered eyes, he felt a faint blush coming to his cheeks. Though his wolf and mind both yelled at him to stop it from continuing, to make sure it didn’t darken for the other to see. Which for a moment he thought he wouldn’t be able to quickly stop it, but then Seb was speaking again. Telling him to not hide anymore, to not keep any more secrets. He was about to deny that he wasn’t hiding or keeping anything, his lips had even parted for him to speak. However, it was the older wolf’s words of Nic telling him everything that halted him from saying anything.
Everything? She had told him everything? Jon had suspected that the female knew about his looks, about how he felt towards someone he couldn’t have. But this, these words proved his suspicions to be true. The alpha’s mate had known. Hell, she may have known from the first day she had met him. Fists clenched tight as he bit his bottom lip while a thought hit him once it came to his mind. Sebastian knew. The alpha fucking knew. Blue eyes stared at the older wolf as he released his lip before he spoke. “I don’t know what you are talking about, S-Seb…” He swallowed before finishing. “Alpha.” LIAR. The word came to his mind with a snarl as his wolf screamed it at him.
Sebastian
Sebastian couldn’t help the sigh that came from him as Jon continued to try to go around the issue, to try to ignore why they had been locked in here. If he had been left alone, the alpha would have forced himself to forget everything but he wasn’t given that chance. He probably should have remembered what Bren had said not even a week ago. He’d been told that Max would shove him in a room with the younger wolf he was now stuck in the pantry with. If he wanted this to end, to show Max and Bren he could take care of himself, he’d have to get everything out. To actually talk to Jonathan.
“I know it is not common knowledge, but Nic and I aren’t together for love.” Sure, the ones in the house knew the truth, but for the rest of the pack, Sebastian and Veronica were the perfect picture of a power couple in love. They were cutesy. They cuddled and were near each other. The affection was real, they were close, but it wasn’t romantic in nature. She was overly alert to the people around her so the fact that she had noticed Jon’s feelings wasn’t surprising, even if he have been overly subtle. How Seb himself hadn’t noticed himself, he was still ignoring. He hadn’t been looking. But he had. Bren had noticed that the alpha looked at Jon, too. Fucking hell. Who else had noticed? Who else hadn’t been telling him things? Don’t you dare tell me you look at Nic the same way you look at Jon.
“I know when you lie, Jonathan.” There was another step taken towards him, the older wolf wondering just how far he’d back up. Would he press himself to the door trying to get away? He’d taken a step forward at first, when there had been the tease of a touch before Sebastian took the glasses off of his face. “Did you think it wouldn’t cause an issue when I found out? That everyone in my house had made it a game?” His voice was low, a sound that would probably make Jon whimper again but his wolf wanted to hear iit. “Not just a game, but you made me something to laugh at. Poor, stupid alpha. Can’t even understand that someone could possibly love him.” That still made him mad. That Nic had continued on and on about how stupid and blind her mate must be. He tried to hold some of that back and right now, wasn’t sure how successful he was with that. “Can’t see that someone felt for him.” He could feel his wolf pacing, less mad about this than he was.
Jon
The snarl his wolf had made at him stuck in his mind, but any thoughts on it was soon halted once the male had started speaking. Not together for love? Was that some kind of joke? Something to make him feel more pain than he had already been feeling thanks to himself. Jon knew it was wrong how he had been acting since finding out they had mated, since he had started feeling not only jealous, but angry about it. Those feelings had almost caused him to say no to a place that he actually liked living in. They’d also caused him to drink more, to do things like go on blinds dates that only ended in failure, he had even did the one thing he never did at work. He said yes to spending a night with customers. Sure, most had ended in him being kicked out at some point, but two had ended with him being drunk and not remembering a thing until he left and they had wished him luck. To this day he didn’t know why they had said that to him, nor did he really try to think on it. He figured there was no reason to since what ever happened didn’t help him. He still had the feeling, still stared, still had dreams filled with wishes and hopes that the man would notice him. Even if it was just once.
God, he was pathetic. He knew he was. Yet, here he stood, staring at the man and trying to not blush anymore than what was already there. He listened in silence to Sebastian say that he knew when Jon lied until something inside him couldn’t take it anymore. “Don’t lie to me about you two not being together for love. I’m not blind. I’ve seen how you two are when I’m here.” It was true he had seen how cutesy and affectionate they were with one another. It was seeing that which had caused him to lose patience and tell Daphne to set him up on dates. It had caused him to avoid the house more, make him questions things. Hell, he had even lied about spending time with his brother just so he could go climb one of the taller mountain areas and sleep the night in the desert. It had made him try harder to stop feelings that he already knew wouldn’t stop. Fists clenched tighter as he looked away from the other, words of being called out on his lying repeating in his mind before he scoffed. “Yeah, I’m lying. I have to lie because it’s easier than telling the truth.”
He looked back at the other to see that Sebastian was closer to him and for a moment he had started to take a step back. However, it was the male speaking in that low voice that caused him to take a step slightly forward as well as cause a faint whimper to come from him. Why the hell had he just done that? Why was the other causing him to make such a sound all because of a tone of voice? He didn’t know and even though part of him wanted to think on it, he wasn’t able to. In fact, his thoughts were thinking on how the game could have made it seem like the alpha was the one to be laughed at. From what Jon knew it had all been to laugh at him. To poke fun at him for staring and then hiding such stares by wearing sunglasses at all times. “It wasn’t you they were laughing at. It was me.” He sighed as one of his hand went to his chest before grabbing some of his shirt, his heart squeezing when he realized what was really happening. They’d been shoved in here to talk, to get him to stop hiding. He should have known this was going to happen with how Daphne had been telling him lately to just say what needed to be said. Would he be able to say it though?
Swallowing as his hand tightened on his shirt, blue hues looking straight at the older wolf. “You are not stupid.” His voice was low and shaky as he continued. “You weren’t supposed to see any of it. I did things to make sure you wouldn’t because I knew nothing could come of it but issues.” He felt his heart squeeze again as his wolf told him to say it. “Issues over the fact that I wasn’t supposed to be feeling such things. That it was wrong for me to be feeling them.” He took a small step towards the man as his wolf yelled at him to say it. “I know I shouldn’t have and that it was wrong for me to, but,” He paused as all feelings for the other filled his eyes. “Even with knowing that, it didn’t stop me from feeling this.” His hand on his shirt tightened more as he briefly bit his lip before continuing. “It didn’t stop me from falling for you, Sebastian.”
Sebastian
“When was it that I ever lied to you?” He didn’t lie. Not to his wolves. Sebastian could only hope that they all realized that he didn’t have time to lie to them. “Nic and I are together simply to have an heir for the pack. She is not in love with me, nor I her.” Not that he had to explain any of this but the way Jon came back made him want to snap at him. An insolent pup that was challenging his elders. “The fact you don’t believe me proves that the charade is working.” And it was exactly that. Fake. There was trust but there was also a pact that if either of them found someone else, they wouldn’t stand in the way. So far, Nic had done just what she’d promised. She was trying to help when it came to Jon… whether the alpha wanted it or not. Until a few weeks ago, he hadn’t been aware that it had been a thing to begin with. Or…
“If I was made not to see any of it, you should have made it so that none of them saw it either.” A wave of his hand towards the direction of where the rest of the party would be, wondering where their alpha was. Wondering where the birthday boy was. That would be a problem for later. If anything happened, he would hope that someone would come let him out of the pantry. Or text him… Nic had his phone. Well, shit. There went that. “Issues that became worse because you decided to hide them.”
“Did you ever think that maybe I’d want a part of the decision on whether you falling would be an issue?” If Bren was listening, he would be wearing that grin on his face, the one that said ‘I told you so’ without it happening out loud. He hadn’t given himself any time to think on this, had flat out ignored it but… Bren was right. He was allowed to have feelings of his own. They were so close together now, all he had to do was reach out and touch him but he held back. “Nic told me for a reason. Max told me for a reason. Bren told me for a reason. Maybe, instead of all of them saying something, you should have.”
Jon
“You think that isn’t lying? That putting on some carade is not even a small bit of a lie?” He knew that it could not seem like one and that it could even be more seen as a duty to the pack. Which he could understand. Pack came first, he knew it did. The loyal side of him could even fully agree with it since to him the pack had become like family and family was important. It’s why he hadn’t fully stopped visiting altogether or restoring to only visiting for the full moon and parties. It’s why he tried to stop himself from feeling this, to hide what he’d been feeling. Could it be that what he’d done was more wrong or even a different kind of wrong than what he had thought? No, it couldn’t have been. Could it? Groaning sightly as a thought about how this whole thing was just confusing him. Why did they have to do this? What the hell was so important in making him say things, admit to things? He needed out, needed to avoid this until it was just a forgotten memory. His hand released his shirt before both hands moved over the pockets of his jeans. He knew what to do, knew who to text to get him out… Where was his phone? His mind thought back to if he had even grabbed it before he left, but he couldn’t remember. He knew he had forgotten his phone before when he had come to visit the pack house, but could he have forgotten it today?
Crap. Closing his eyes for a brief moment before opening them and looking straight at the male. What the hell was he going to do now? Should he ask the other if he had his phone on him? Wait, if Sebastian had his phone then why wouldn’t he have used it by now? Did the fact that he hadn’t mean that he also wanted Jon to say something? To come clean about everything? Taking a step back as things hit him more. Sebastian already had confirmed that Nic knew and that she had told him, but did that mean that the alpha now wanted him to confirm it? Words he had already said came back to his mind. Crap. He had basically already confirmed things. Sure, he hadn’t said that he was still in love with the other, but he had said he’d fallen for him. Damn it. Why did he have to say that? Why couldn’t he have just kept it hidden? He needs to know. No. He shook his head as he responded to his wolf before he responded to the words the alpha had been saying. “I tired, but I obviously failed.” Daphne had made sure that he knew how bad he had failed each time she had spotted him staring. She even had a hand signal and a look that she gave him to let him know he was failing. Damn it. Why didn’t he hide it better? Why the hell had he failed as badly as he had? Was it because of the part of him that he had been making sure to ignore? The part that wanted the man to notice, to see, to say something about how he was looking and staring at him. Could it had been why he had failed?
“I had to hide them.” His voice raised slightly for a moment before going back. “You think I wanted to hide? That I didn’t want you to notice how I looked at you?” Blue hues looked at brown-amber ones. “You think that I didn’t want to tell you? Or for you to just pull me aside and ask why I look at you the way I do?” He took a small step towards him. “I wanted you to notice, deep down I wanted you to. I had dreams on wishing that you’d notice. Dreams of me not having to hide anymore, but I knew that I had to hide because if I didn’t then it would just cause you more harm than the rumors already were doing.” He figured that he wasn’t supposed to know about the rumors that had already been going around since he first got to the city. However, he had heard some speak about them one night at his work when they hadn’t really done a good job at hiding what they were talking about. He had even made sure that night that they knew he’d heard what they’d said.
He was pulled from thoughts of that night when he heard the older wolf’s question. Be a part of the decision? Why the hell would he think the man would want to be a part of that? There wasn’t any reason for him to think that he would, nor had it ever crossed his mind. So then why was Sebastian asking such a thing? Licking his lips lightly before he spoke. “No, because I already knew it would be. You’re the alpha not some member like me. How could there not be an issue?” His voice was shaking as he spoke those words while his mind told him that there would be one. Wouldn’t there be? Idiot. You damned idiot. His wolf’s words hit him at the same time he was listening to the alpha list off those who had a reason to tell him before telling Jon that he should have. Fists clenched some as he pressed his lips together, his wolf yelling at him to tell the other male. Swallowing as his eyes focused more on Sebastian. “Is that what you want?” His voice low and no longer shaky as he spoke. “Do you want to hear me say it? Do you want to know how I’ve been feeling this for months now?” He moved slightly closer to the man. “Fine.” His eyes stared straight into the other’s eyes. “I’m in love with you, Sebastian.”
Sebastian
He had a point. Of course,that wasn't really something that needed to be hated on. “Did you ask me if I loved her? No one has asked me if we are, no one has asked her, either.” It wasn't an outright lie but it was splitting hairs a little bit. “When I brought up your feelings and how Nic told me about them, you told me you didn't know what I was talking about.” They were closer together now. His wolf was packing again, watching Jon through Sebastian's eyes. He had liked Nic, had recognized that she would bare the pups the pack needed. With the wolf in front of him? He wanted to cuddle with him. Wanted to be near him. Fucking wolf knew what they needed better than the man did sometimes. His wolf knew Jon’s would be like coming home… and it had taken being shoved into close quarters like this to realize it. Damnit.
After that, he felt almost calm. The anger leaking out of him slowly as Jonathan came closer again. Less that a for between them now. It would be so easy to raise his hand and touch him but he didn't. “Rumors that wanted me to take a mate that could have pups. That's all I needed to do. I have done that. Am I not allowed feelings after my duty to the pack? I suppose not.” His voice was low again, his is upper body invading the space they had left between them. “I am your alpha but I am also a person. If you had come to me quietly, it wouldn't have been an issue.”
Sebastian hadn't expected Jonathan to actually look him in the eye while confessing but he didn't let the surprise show on his face or in his body. The alpha was quiet for some time before he sighed and drug a hand carefully through his hair. “I have feelings too, if any of you care.” It was almost to himself, almost not a thing. Everyone had understood what his wolf and him had been so clueless about but no one, Jon included, had given him a chance to understand it for himself until this moment.
Jon
“I didn’t think I needed to ask. Not with how I saw you two being when around one another.” His wolf was snarling at him as well as yelling for him to stop being an idiot. Which is what he was doing. He knew he was and that he had been. God, it was becoming more and more obvious to him that he’d been an idiot over this the whole time. He’d been the one to assume things, to think that the only thing that would come from the possibility of the other knowing how he felt was heartache. But his heart already was aching. It ached because he kept quiet, because he didn’t say anything. It was even aching right now as he waited to hear the man respond to his confession. What if he was rejected? What if this whole shoving them in the pantry plan the others had clearly made ended in failure? What would he do? Would he have to leave the pack? Or the city? His heart squeezed as tears started to form in his eyes. He didn’t want any of that, he didn’t want to leave, to move. He liked living here. Liked being part of the pack. Having his best friend near. Having his brother back. He didn’t want to leave. He wouldn’t leave. No, he knew that he would, that if the alpha asked him to then he would do it. However, he hoped that the man didn’t. Please don’t ask me to leave.
The words in his mind had been responded by another snarl from his wolf. He could feel that his wolf was angry with him and he understood why. However, instead of thinking about it, his mind focused on what the alpha had just said. Feelings after duty? Jon had been so certain that Sebastian had feelings for Nic, that even if he did said something then it wouldn’t have mattered. Could he have been wrong? Crap. Was there a chance he had been completely wrong about all the reasons he had told himself as to why he had to stop feeling this? As to why he had to try to hide it from the other man as hard as could? The anger he had been feeling seemed to shift more at himself as he stayed silent while he listened to the man speak before he responded. “Come to you quietly?” How the hell was he supposed to come to him quietly when by the time he had fully realized just how deep his feelings for the other were was after he had already been mated? “I couldn’t come to you because by the time I realized how deep in love with you I was you were already mated.” A tear slid down his face before one of his hands could move to brush it away. “I found out you were mated and instead of being happy for you, for the future of the pack, I was jealous. I got fucking jealous because it wasn’t me.” God, he sounded pathetic, didn’t he? He had a feeling that he might be, but if Sebastian actually wanted to know then why stop at just saying he was in love with him.
Another tear slid down his face. “I’m so deep in love with you that all I want is you.” Another tear slid down from the other eye. “I only want you, Sebastian… no other.” A few more tears formed in his eyes which he brushed away before they could slide down his face. His eyes soon widening some at hearing the other man say he has feelings too. Ask him what they are. His wolf commanded him. What if he did ask and the answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear? ASK! His wolf screamed the word at him with a growl so loud that it had caused him to slightly jump before he briefly licked and then bit his lip before speaking. “What feelings do you have?” He took a step closer to the other man. His wolf telling him to touch the older wolf as he moved slightly closer, watery blues eyes searching the other’s eyes. “Will you tell me what they are? Please.”
Sebastian
“We are mated. We are supposed to be in love. To the pack, we are. Not everyone mates for love, Jonathan.” He didn't know if anyone knew about his own parents or not. He didn't advertise it but certainly, Eddie or Bren knew? Probably. “The only reason my parents were mated was to have the perfect alpha child. To have that status that brought their families.” It didn't bother him, not really, but he had hoped that his own life would have been different. He'd almost had that with his first mate but he'd been too slow to help her. Too slow to call for the midwife. It didn't matter that the child wanted to come at its own terms, Sebastian still thought It was him. He'd been so helpless. That wouldn't happen to Veronica. No. He wouldn't let it.
“And yet here we are, locked in a pantry by my omega and son because you didn't come forward.” Mentioning it, brought that fact slamming home and he almost growled. Small space. He'd been so distracted with Jon, he had fully forgotten where they were. His heart picked up the pace and it wasn't because of how close Jon was. “There is always the chance that its not for love, more so if one of the wolves is an alpha.” Seb shook his head, trying to forget where they were again. The tears the other had sliding down his face was helping but… he needed out.
“I haven't had time to think over my own feelings.” He didn't know but his wolf did. “I can't stay in here, Jonathan.” Reaching around him to grab the door knob made the older wolf almost press himself to the younger one. His fingers wrapped around it but he couldn't quite help but turn his head so his nose was against Jon’s throat. Closing his eyes, the alpha took a deep breath through it, catching the scent there. His wolf pressed against him, a rush of power that was impossible to mistake, even to the man he was smelling. Power trickled along his skin, black wolf almost begging to be let out. He'd had a similar reaction to Nic but it wasn't nearly this strong. “Damnit…” Voice low, growling. The next thing he heard was the crumple of metal and the lock releasing. He hadn't meant to crush it.
Jon
“Like I know that. Most of my life after I was bitten was spent trying to get away from the crazy bitch who bit me.” His wolf snarled at the mention of the woman who bit him all because he’d rejected her. Maybe the bitch was still finding ways to ruin his life even after he’d killed her. “By the time I had the chance to be part of a pack, the alpha was already mated and expecting their second child. Everyone knew they were in love so my knowledge of mating has always been that it was because of love.” How did he know that it would have been any different? He knew the Russian pack had been teaching him more about what it meant to be a wolf shifter, but mating hadn’t come up during that time. And by the time he had even thought to ask it was already too late. More tears filled his eyes as he thought to the pack that had lost their lives because of him. No, he couldn’t think about them at this moment, not when his full focus needed to be on what was happening right now.
He was a little shocked to hear about the older man’s parents, but it didn’t stop him from looking the man over. His mind thinking that he was, that he is, perfect. Damn it. Why did that thought have to come to his mind now? He still didn’t know how the man felt about him confessing. For all he knew, he could have said all those things to the other to only be rejected. His heart squeezed as part of him hoped no more pain would happen. Swallowing before he glanced away from the male briefly. “I almost did though.” He looked back at the older male. “At your birthday. I almost told you everything that day.” The tears were forming more as his mind cursed at himself for being an emotional mess. “I was ready to tell you, but then I saw Nic sitting on your lap while you to whispered to on another. So I stopped myself. I was snarled at and yelled at by the wolf in me, but I didn’t listen. I continued to hide, to be a joke.” A few tears had slid down his face while he spoke those words, his mind briefly wondering how Sebastian would respond as his wolf told him to ask about the man’s feelings again. Which he was about to do, but the alpha’s words stopped him from saying anything after his lips had already parted slightly.
Swallowing at those words, Jon wasn’t sure if he should take them as rejection or as an in between. However, once he heard the man say that he can’t stay in there, his wolf snarled before yelling at him. Don’t let him leave, idiot. His wolf snarled again, but his body seemed to freeze with the man almost pressing against him. His heart rate picking up at the feel of Sebastian’s nose against his throat. His mind was about to wonder what the other was doing, but then it hit him. Sebastian was breathing in his scent. Swallowing as he felt a power come from the other man, his eyes closing briefly as one of his hands started to move to grab the man’s shirt when he heard the other say that word. Though it was the sound of crumpling metal caused him to react differently.
“No.” Eyes opened as his hand closest to the man’s arm grabbed it before pulling it from the crushed knob. “You can’t leave. Not yet.” His head turned slightly causing some his face to touch the other’s face as his other hand went to grab some of the man’s shirt on his upper side of his chest near his shoulder. “Please just stay here with me longer.” His voice had a hint of a plea, maybe even closer to a beg, in it when he spoke those words. “Please, Sebastian.”
Sebastian
“There are many things you could have done and they don’t include coming to me about it. You could have asked any of the other wolves about mates. Mating for something other than love is common enough that it would have come up. Mating for love is easy when you don’t have to worry about power.” That’s all he and Nic worried about when it came to their union. In the pack’s eyes, they were married. They would be married until one of them died. If his other pack didn’t have this, they were lucky. Sebastian remembered his parents. They hadn’t slept in the same bed, hadn’t been affectionate with each other. They had basically lived separate lives, only coming together where their son was involved. Nic had agreed to be different. They shared a bed, were affectionate in both public and private - the later being more playful than what they had for the public eye. They were friends, they were close.
What would have happened if Jon had confessed to him then, on his birthday? Could he even imagine it? Probably not. He hadn’t known before his birthday. It would have been new information then but.. He didn’t think he’s just abandon the other wolf. Seb might have asked for time to think about it. He wouldn’t have found out about the sunglasses game and how deep it had gone. Maybe he wouldn’t have been as mad about it. It would have been Jon alone rather than Jon and all the important wolves in his life.
Damn, but did Jon smell good. He’d never been this close before but Sebastian couldn’t deny it now. His hand was pulled away from the twisted metal and for a moment, his hand stung a little. A small prick that would heal in moments. “I can’t stay. Too small.” His voice was muffled against the other man’s shoulder, his forehead resting there. He was aware that he was being held onto but even with that smell, he wasn’t able to forget how small the pantry was. How small it was and how he wasn’t being allowed to leave the space. The alpha wasn’t into showing that he was afraid but he didn’t want to let go of Jon, either. “Go outside. We can go outside.”
Jon
Ask any of the others? He hadn’t thought to. Even during the talks he had with Daphne, all he ever asked her about was how he could stop the feelings from growing. That was when it hit him. She might have known the truth about Sebastian and Nic. That it was a power mating not a love one. His wolf snarled as he thought about smacking her arm the next time he saw her. But then another thing hit him. One that rose questions. What if she hadn’t known at all? Though if she actually did know then what if she hadn’t told him because she suspected nothing but pain would come to him? Was there still the chance that pain could come to him? That the alpha was going to just reject him? His heart squeezed as he wished that didn’t happen. However, a thought in the back of his mind told him it was still possible. If it was though then why was the alpha acting like this? Why had he breathed in his scent? And why did the other say he can’t stay in here?
Jon was about to think on it as well as how the man’s next words weren’t ones in response to how he’d just come clean about almost confessing to the other wolf less than a month ago. Had the other ignored his words? Or was something else going on? The words Sebastian had just said repeated in his head before he heard him say that they can go outside. He figured that meant that the other was fine with their talk continuing, but why did it have to be moved outside? Blue hues looked at one of the shelves as his wolf called him an idiot for the some odd number of time that night before things seemed to start to click in his mind. One of his hand sliding up the arm it had grabbed before stopping on the man’s upper arm while the other moved to the man’s shoulder. His hands hesitated for a moment as he felt himself not want the feeling of the other’s head on his shoulder to leave, but he knew it would have to. Especially if what he and his wolf had figured out was true.
Hands held onto the man as he pushed him slightly before his own body moved, blue eyes looking the man over. “You’re claustrophobic, aren’t you?” His eyes looked the other over again after he asked the question. His mind telling him to wait for the other to respond, but he didn’t wait. Instead, his hands moved from Sebastian to the edge of his shirt. Grabbing the fabric before he pulled it up to wipe off his face. The action causing some of his stomach and chest to be revealed. He wasn’t sure if his eyes would show any hint that he had shed tears, but if they did then he’d play it off as how this day made him think of those he’d lost. Once he finished wiping his face, he fixed his shirt and went to grab the man’s wrist, but stopped his hand. Blue hues looked at the alpha as he bit his lip. Grab his hand and get him out of here, idiot. I can’t. His wolf snarled at him as he released his lip. “I really want to grab your hand and pull you out of here, but,” He brushed his fingers against the older wolf’s hand. “It’s probably best if I don’t because of all who are out there.” His fingers brushed against the other’s hand again before he grabbed it quickly and then released it. “You should go first and then I’ll follow.” He moved so that he wasn’t in the alpha’s way. “Meet you outside.” Blue hues stared at Sebastian as a small smile came to his lips.
Sebastian
It wasn't too hard to get himself back together after that little push. Sebastian straightened, his wolf still sitting at the front of him, brown eyes more wolf amber than they had been before. Yes, get out of there and talk outside. That was a good idea. Hopefully, his son and omega weren't anywhere to be seen, or his mate. Hopefully no one stopped him on his way out of the front door, or on the way across the street out into the small patch of land before the hills started. He'd walk out quietly, gaining as little attention as possible. Not that that would be the easiest feat with his wolf sitting right on the edge. If anyone paid close enough attention to him, they would know he was on the verge of a shift, or that he had been. “Yes. I would rather… no one else knew. Thank you… for understanding, Jonathan.”
Blinking, he moved to fix his clothing, making sure his shirt wasn't wrinkled where Jon had grabbed it just a moment ago. The feeling of those fingers against his own? He didn't pull away but he didn't need to worry about that because Jonathan was already doing just that. “Would ruin the illusion.” He knew he wasn't going to sneak past Nic and being seen holding hands with the younger wolf as he made his way out of the house wasn't going to help with not being noticed. What if he decided to go with this? With what both Jon and his own wolf wanted? He'd have to hide it. He'd have to keep it as much of a secret as him and Nic not being in love. He'd have to worry about hurting one or both of them. Was this maybe at happiness worth it? Sebastian would have to think about it…
“Outside.” That smile caught at him but he didn't lose the chance to leave, the door swinging out easily now that the lock was broken. Somehow, no one paid him much of their time and he slid out the front door, his skin itching in the same way it did when a full moon was pulling at him. He felt instantly better after taking deep breaths of fresh air, his wolf calming further. What the hell had all of that been about?
Jon/Daphne
His smile widened slightly at hearing the man not only thank him, but also say his name. His head giving a small nod to show he understood about the illusion being ruined before he watched the older wolf leave the pantry. The feeling of a faint tingle on his fingers from where they had brushed against the other’s causing his eyes to glance at his hand for a brief moment. He knew that the tingle would leave before he got near the other again, but until then he was going to enjoying it. Wait, was that weird? He still didn’t know yet if he was going to be rejected or not. He still had no clue what all the man thought about or felt with everything he’d said. He was guessing that some of what he’d said had been ignored or not focused on because the other man was probably focusing more on not thinking about being in a small room. A small room that from words earlier, had been chosen for them to talk in by the alpha’s son and the pack omega. Why the hell did they pick this room instead another one? Like maybe the alpha’s office? It’s not as if this was the only room they could have been locked into so they could talk. Plus didn’t at least Max know about the older wolf being claustrophobic? Oh jeez. What if Max didn’t know? What if no one actually knew about it besides him? His smile widened ever so slightly as his mind thought it might be odd for him to feel any kind of level of special about knowing such a thing. Though maybe there was a chance that it wasn’t odd, his eyes looking at his hand that had brushed against the other wolf for a moment longer before moving to leave the pantry.
As he headed for the front door, his eyes glanced around to make sure that he wasn’t noticed. However, it seemed that someone had already been looking for him. A hand grabbed his arm and pulled it as he heard her speak. “And just where do you think you’re going, JB?” His wolf cursed and told him to ignore her, but Jon knew better. He knew that if he did that then she’d try to follow him and that was something he didn’t want her to do. Turning to look at her, a small smile on his face. “Hey DW.” “Don’t you hey DW me. Where are you… wait is something wrong?” Crap. “Wrong? Does me not getting to make drinks for people count?” She huffed as her grip on his arm tightened. “Nice try, but not getting to do that wouldn’t make your eyes look like that.” She pointed at his face with her other hand as he tilted his head slightly. “Look like what? Are my eyes bluer?” Her hand tightened again as she glared at him. “Ah alright alright. I’ll tell you, but can you let go of my arm first?” Her grip tightened a little more before she let his arm go. “Spill Jonathan.” Swallowing as he watched her crossed her arms. “I forgot what it’s like to have a birthday with a pack so... It got me thinking,” His face showed a level of sadness on it as his thoughts shifted to his last birthday he’d had with his old pack. “About the pack… in Russia.” “Oh god, JB.” Daphne’s face went blank as she started to uncross her arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think before helping set this up. Dang it, I should have known this might be hard for you to be around today.” She moved to hug him, but he stepped back away from her. “It’s fine, I just need to be away from the crowd for a little bit.” She frowned, but didn’t move closer to him. “Alright, but come to the pool when you are done being a loner. Iris is out there.” He smiled a little at her and nodded. “I will and hey, maybe I’ll even go for a swim.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head lightly. “Sure, because that in no way is you hinting about how you just want to show off your chest.” He laughed lightly before telling her later and watching her walk off.
Once she was gone, he headed straight for and out the front door. Blue hues started to look for the older wolf, but soon spotted him in the open field. Crap. He was gonna get rejected, wasn’t he? Go to him, you idiot. But what if h- NOW! His wolf snarled the word at him so loud that it caused Jon to speak aloud. “Okay, okay. I’m going.” He walked over to the open field before going up to where the alpha was, his eyes looking the man over as his lips parted. “Feeling better?” His hand started to move to touch the other, but he stopped it, his eyes glancing back at the house before going to focus on the older wolf. “Why didn’t you say something sooner about how you’re claustrophobic?” He moved a little closer to the other male. “I wouldn’t have talked as much as I did if I’d known you weren’t okay with small spaces.” He clenched his hand lightly to stop himself from reaching out to grab the other’s hand seconds before he asked. “Are you feeling better?” He knew they still had things to talk about, but at that moment he was more concerned about if Sebastian was feeling better or not.
Sebastian
After a few nice breaths, the alpha calmed down and gathered himself further. By the time Jonathan joined him again, Sebastian was fully collected and back to his normal self. He didn’t like that he had lost himself like that, especially in front of someone else, but it had happened and he couldn’t take it back. At least the younger wolf hadn’t made a big deal about it. Other than saying it out loud, that is. There was a feeling of anxiousness as Jon came to stand next to him, dark eyes catching the slight movement of his hand easily. Oddly, he found himself reaching out a little as well but stopped it more quickly than the blue eyed wolf had. “I was distracted enough to forget for a moment.” Then it was brought up again, but he wouldn’t say that out loud. He was quiet, his usual. Businessman but not cold.
“Why don’t we sit down, Jonathan?” How was he going to answer everything? He wasn’t sure on his own feelings but his wolf seemed to be set on what it wanted. Not really waiting for him, Sebastian sat down in the middle of the empty field, not caring for his clothes, for once. They didn’t matter right now. As soon as he was settled, he put one hand on either side of him, behind him, and leaned back again, his head tilted so he was looking up at the younger man. Waiting. They needed to talk through it all. Needed to talk about how Jon had cried and how Sebastian hadn’t mentioned it. All of it. How they went forward. His wolf was a comforting presence in him, settled right down again.
Jon
For a moment he had thought to move closer to the other, to just go ahead and touch him. He knew that his wolf wanted to, that he wanted to, but he was stopping himself. He still had no clue what might happen and even though he was trying to focus more on his concern about if the man was feeling better, there was questions still sneaking into his mind. Questions about what was going to happen next. What parts of what he’d said in the pantry the other would bring up. Him crying. Turning his head slightly as he cursed at himself for being an emotional mess in that small room before he looked back at Sebastian. The alpha’s voice coming to his ears once his eyes were back on the man. Jon sighed seconds before he parted his lips. “Sebastian, are you feeling better?” It was his third time asking the other male that question, but he was only asking it again because he wanted to know.
When he’d found out that Sebastian might be claustrophobic, he’d wanted to not only grab the older wolf’s hand and pull him out of the room, but he’d also wanted to hold the other. Just hold him and see if it’d help to calm the alpha. Maybe he’d wanted that because he thought that the talk might end, that nothing more would be said, if they left that room. That he’d be stuck in the state of not knowing if he would be rejected or not by the other male. His heart squeezed as his mind said a plea that only his wolf could hear. Please don’t… please. Talk to him. His wolf’s voice seemed to be slightly calmer than the other times it had yelled at him, which part of him was glad about, but it didn’t seem to help with calming him.
“Okay.” He spoke the word in a slightly calm tone as his head nodded a little, blue hues watching the man sit down. However, he hadn’t moved until after Sebastian had looked up at him. His hand that had been clenched earlier was no longer doing so as he sat down next to the older wolf. His legs crossing before one of his hands went to his lap while the other went behind him. Blues eyes glanced back to see how close his hand was to the other’s before moving it slightly closer. Only looking back at the alpha once his hand was just centimeters away from the male’s. Swallowing as some of the man’s words came back to his mind, his mind thinking that maybe there shouldn’t be silence as his lips parted. “What was it that distracted you?” His wolf growled at him. Part of him knew exactly why it had, but he wasn’t sure how he should bring up all the stuff he’d said in the pantry. Was he supposed to just confess his feelings again or wait until it was brought up by the older wolf? He didn’t know, which was why Jon had asked what had distracted him.
Sebastian
Sebby waited until Jon was sitting down to speak, wondering why he had asked again after he had been answered. Was it not enough of an answer? Seemed so. “Yes, I am fine.” Dark eyes caught blue as the other looked back at the placement of their hands, part of him glad he was making this so easy. What was he going to do? It was a question that kept bouncing around. When he was looking at the younger man, his wolf knew what they wanted but the human part of him just wasn’t sure. But… He could try. See what happened. It wouldn’t be the worst thing, to see if he did have feelings, right? Bren and the rest of them seemed to think he already did, he just needed to give it the chance that Jonathan deserved.
After coming to that, his own hand moved, his pinkie curling over and around Jon’s in a way that was almost like they were holding hands again. It was… comfortable. He couldn’t help a small smile as he looked up, sighing a little as he realized he’d have to answer to more. “It is hard to not be distracted when someone is confessing their love and crying. I was distracted by my anger, by your face.” And his own questions. Turning back, he looked a Jon, so close to him, really took in his face, the still watery blue eyes, the curve of his jaw, his nose and lips. There had never been a place for a man inside his heart like this before. Not romantically. It was nerve wracking and okay all at the same time.
His pinkie tightened around Jon’s, pulling his hand a little closer. From the house, no one would be able to see their hands if they were flat on the ground behind them like this. “I would like to try, with you, Jonathan.” If he didn’t, and he went back into that house, he’d be mobbed by at least four people. Even so, that wasn’t what made his decision. The smile was gone, his face was now serious. How long had this all been happening and he hadn’t noticed?
Jon
He smiled at hearing the man say he was fine, his concern over it leaving his body, but the want he had when finding out lingered. He knew why it was still there as well as why it may stay. He still wanted to touch the other man, wanted to have that tingle he had felt earlier back on his skin. It was that want that had caused him to move his hand so close to the other man’s. It was why he was debating on moving it closer or not. However, he didn’t move it since the worry of what might happen next came to his mind. Worry over what the alpha might say. Along with what he’d do if this did end with him being rejected. He knew such a thing would hurt him more than the pain he’d been feeling from hiding his feelings, from not having the courage to say them sooner. That was when it hit him, he was glad that the other male knew. That he had finally confessed them to Sebastian. Though that seemed to make him wonder why he hadn’t just confessed them sooner? Why it had taken them being locked in a pantry for him to get the courage to say the words? Words that his wolf had yelled at him to say many times before, ones that it was wanting him to repeat now. Should he repeat them? Was there a chance that the other wolf wanted to hear him say those words again? Crap. Maybe he shouldn’t speak them. At least… maybe not until after he knew what might happen.
Say them, you idiot. His wolf told him again and he was seriously considering just giving in and saying them, but then he felt that touch to his pinkie. He felt the alpha’s curling over his in a way that made him feel like they were holding hands. It felt nice and comfortable as well as, dare he say, right. Like that pinkie was the one that was supposed to curl over his, to hold his own. Blue hues glanced at their hands before looking back at the man’s face. His eyes noticing the small smile on the alpha’s lips had caused the one on his to slightly widen as his own pinkie curled to return the hold. A faint blush of embarrassment coming to his face as he listened to Sebastian speak. He knew somethings he didn’t need to be embarrassed over, but the crying… The fact that he had gotten so emotional that he cried was something he was really embarrassed about. “I didn’t mean to do that… to cry. I’m not even sure why I did.” His blush darkened slightly as he continued. “Maybe… maybe I did because somewhere inside of me I was relieved to finally tell you. For you to finally hear me say that I’m in love with you.” His slightly still watery eyes shifted to look at the male’s dark ones. “Sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner, Sebastian.” His pinkie tightened as spoke those words.
He knew that he had had chances before to tell the older wolf, but he’d been too afraid to say anything. Too afraid that he’d be hurt, be rejected, be asked to leave. His smile started to fade slowly as such thoughts ran through this mind, but soon all his thoughts seemed to halt before shifting to one question. What did he just say? He leaned a little closer to the alpha, his eyes staring straight into dark ones. “You would?” Jon had been, in a sense, preparing himself for rejection whenever he had thought about confessing before. So the fact that the man was saying he’d like to try with him had Jon’s heart racing as well as skipping a beat. His hand in his lap moved to the ground as he leaned slightly closer. “Do you really want to?” Blue hues searched dark ones. “Do you want me, Sebastian?” The blush on his face darkened more as he spoke those words, his wolf seeming to be quiet for the first time since being near the alpha.
Sebastian
“You don't need to apologize.” More like Sebastian should for not noticing. Then again, he hadn't been watching the younger wolf like Jon had watched him. He had been watching the situations around them, been worried about the rumors of others coming for him and his family. Been worried about what others thought when it came to him being mateless for the past almost 25 years. Over two decades he'd been without her and their child. But then Max came. Eddie, Bren, Nic and now… Now Jon. He'd been filled without her but now, he had the chance at love again. He hadn't been looking for it. Hadn't needed it but he really didn't have much choice when it came to who he fell for. Not that he was in love here. Not yet. That would take time but he wanted to try. He wasn't going to push it away. He'd be dumb and Sebastian wasn't usually dumb.
“I don't know my feelings yet. I need you to understand that, Jonathan.” It was important, that was for sure. Jon was already there with his, but Sebastian hadn't had the time to notice his own feelings past the annoyance he'd had over the game. “Even so, my wolf thinks you smell like home. You smell like comfort.” It was why he'd wanted to stay there, right against Jon’s throat while they were in the pantry. Past the fact that he felt trapped and closed in on. His smell had been enough to calm him more than he would have been otherwise.
Another few moments went by before Seb moved his hand so it was actually on top of Jon's. “We have to be careful right now. I'm sure we are being watched but,” there was a pause before he continued, eyes looking back at the house. “I'd like to kiss you.”
Jon
A small part of him seemed to be fine with hearing the other say that he didn’t need to apologize, whereas another part felt it would have been wrong if he hadn’t. He knew he should have confessed sooner, should have said something before tonight. Yet, he’d kept it to himself. Done things to try to stop him from feeling them, to try to stop from feeling any of the emotions that were inside of him. What would have happened if he had said something sooner? If he hadn’t tried to stop the feelings and, instead, had just went to the man to tell him everything. Tell him how he had looked at him, watched him. How he had been wearing sunglasses in an attempt to hide the looks, the stares. What would Sebastian have done if it was Jon who had said something before anyone else? Would things have gone differently? Would they have still held pinkies like they were now? Would the alpha had breathed in his scent like he had in the pantry? Jon knew he could continue to wonder about such things, but ultimately those wonders didn’t matter. Not since they were now part of the past. Which meant that he should start wondering about different things, things about the future. Things involving the possibility of a future with the wolf next to him. The wolf who he knew had not only his heart, but his wolf’s as well.
“You need time to figure them out, which I can understand.” Jon knew he had already had the time to figure out his feelings, both parts of him had. It was why he could understand the other needing that time, though would that mean he’d have to keep his to himself. He bit his bottom lip as his mind thought about it. He knew that he would already have to watch what he said around the others when it came to talking to the alpha, but would he be able to not say some of the things he’d want to say when it was just the two of them? He didn’t know if he could. Especially now that the older wolf knew. His mind figuring that he needed to ask as he released his bottom lip. “Sebastian, does that mean um, that I can’t tell you my feelings when I want to?” His head tilted slightly as he spoke his question, the blush on his face seeming to darken. He knew that the man would be able to see the blush on his face since it had already been noticeable before now, however, it was hearing the man’s next words that really caused his blush to darken. “It… it d-does?” His heart squeezed as the smile widened on his lips, his mind not even caring about how he had just stuttered. Blue hues searching the dark ones again as he felt his wolf have that excited feeling that it got when it knew it would get to run soon.
The feeling of the other male’s hand moving on top of his hand caused his eyes to shift away from Sebastian’s dark hues and look at their hands. The feeling he had when their pinkies had held each other came back to him while his mind thought about how he wanted to hold the alpha’s hand. However, hearing him say how they’d have to be careful as well as about the chance of them being watched had made Jon look at the house. His mind wondering if Daphne could be the one watching them. He knew that there was a high chance she was since the female knew him better than anyone, but part of him hoped that no one was. Especially once he heard Sebastian mention how he’d like to kiss him. Blue eyes looked at the older wolf, licking his lips slightly before parting them. “I’d like, no actually, I want you to.” His eyes glanced briefly at their hands before going back to the male. “Just like I want to hold your hand.” His thumb moved some so that it brushed against the man’s hand on top of his. “If I asked you to kiss me then would you?” His eyes glanced at the man’s lips as he bit his lip for a quick moment before continuing. “Because I’m asking for you to, Sebastian.”
Sebastian
There was a smile on his lips as he looked back at Jon. He could almost feel the eyes on them, as if they were visible and outside, watching them. If he didn’t know any better, they could only belong to three or four people that he knew of. Two of those were women, two men. The boys, though, would be long gone, knowing that once Sebastian got out of the pantry, or found them, they would be in trouble. After they had left the house, however, Sebastian wasn’t as mad as he would have been if he and Jon hadn’t gotten to talk. “You can tell me when you like, Jonathan.” Those eyes were drawing him in again, making him stare at the younger man, and he felt a little of what it must have been like for him. Always watching his alpha without being able to really look at him. He could imagine it hurting, watching him with Nic. Watching him be with someone else, even though they weren’t in love. He had done his job, had made it look like they were, that they were a good couple, an excellent match. It had been his duty. Being with Jon, choosing to be with him, was past that.
“How about a promise to, later.” Finally leaning in all the way, he moved his face upwards, pressing his lips against the other man’s forehead, letting his lips linger there. He did his best not to breathe in so he wouldn’t be persuaded otherwise, but he wanted to. His wolf wanted it, too. He was so confused but he wasn’t… which only confused him more. “When we aren’t being watched or pressured.” The hand that was holding onto Jon’s came up to cradle his face, thumb swiping over his lips before he stood, pulling away but offering his hand to the other. If anything, it looked like an act of affection to one of his pack members on their birthday, the kiss. It was so much more, and if any of those four people were watching, they would understand that right away.
“We should head back in. People must be starting to wonder where we are.”
Jon
“Good,” His smile widened slightly as he continued. “Because now that I’ve told you them, I’m not sure I can hide’em when it’s just us.” His thumb brushed against the other’s hand again as his mind wondered if he would have been able to hide them or not. He figured that he might be able to if the other had asked him to, though he had a feeling that his wolf wouldn’t let him. Which was why he was glad that he would be able to express them, be able to tell the other male when liked. When his wolf wanted him to. Sure, he’d have to be careful when he wanted to tell the other while being around the others in the pack, but part of him felt that kind of made them more special. More only for Sebastian to hear. He knew that they were only for the alpha and he was pretty sure the older wolf knew that as well. Especially since he had flat out told him that he wanted only him and no other. Oh jeez. Did he really say it like that? Yes, he knew he did. Just like he knew that he had meant them.
His eyes glanced at the man’s lips before going back to those dark hues, his head nodding slightly as he spoke. “Alright, lat-“ His words stopping once he felt the man’s lips on his forehead, his eyes closing while they lingered. He knew he had seen the other lean in, but he had figured they may end up sharing a hug. So the fact that Sebastian was placing a lingering kiss on his forehead had his heart racing. Had him cursing those eyes that were on them as well as the open field for not having any trees. Did that mean he’d have trouble with waiting until later, until no eyes were able to see them? Maybe, possibly? He wasn’t entirely sure. However, he knew that he would try his hardest to wait if he did come to have trouble. Which part of him thought there was a chance it could happen once the hand left the top of his and cradled his face. His head leaning against it as now opened eyes started to stare at him. Jon’s lips parting slightly when he felt Sebastian’s thumb move over them. Crap. A thought coming to his mind of how waiting might be on the harder side than he had first thought.
He watched the alpha stand up and offer his hand before one of his own hands moved to take it. Fingers tightening on the other’s hand as he stood up. Eyes glancing at the house as he listened to the man speak, his head nodding in agreeance. “Yeah we should but,” His body moved slightly to hide their hands. “Can we wait a few more seconds so I can hold your hand a little longer?” His hand squeezed the alpha’s as he looked at the older wolf.