Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 1

Jeremy Forrester, PhD, watched the tiered seats of the auditorium slowly filling up with students. He'd been surprised when the registrar had informed him the class was not only full, but had a waiting list twice as long as the class list itself; in the end, he'd had to bow to their wisdom and move from his preferred 30-person classroom to this lecture hall. There were now nearly 100 students registered, including the wait list, a surprising number for a brand-new course.

He'd at least managed to get a room with a proper desk so he could spread out his papers; he found that shuffling them around often gave him time to collect his thoughts. He'd dressed carefully today in loose-fitting jeans and a bulky beige sweater, trying for a look that would encourage his students to open up to him. He'd done everything he could to prepare for a class this big, and he was still almost as nervous as he had been his first day teaching.

He waited until a few minutes past the hour, watching the students settle in and start to look nervous. A few stragglers always wandered in late, especially when the class had been moved like this, and he didn't want to leave anyone behind. The final arrival snuck in just as he was clearing his throat to begin, a remarkable looking boy with a shock of white-blond hair and huge, frightened eyes.

Jeremy cleared his throat again and began the class. "All right, guys, time to settle in. I'm Dr. Jeremy Forrester, and this is Paranormal Anthropology 407, Pack Mind. If you're looking for Statistics 101, it's been moved to," he stopped and checked his notes, "Room 312, in this building."

He paused again to allow the few inevitably misplaced students to gather up their things and go, his eyes straying to the boy in the back. He was attractive, really, despite the nervous fidgeting. Jeremy stopped that train of thought before it could go anywhere; it didn't do for professors to think such things about their students, especially one that looked to be about a decade too young.

"All right. Now that we know everyone here actually wants to learn about shapeshifters, we're going to do an exercise in pack mentality." He looked down the roster. "Anne Chambers, Ben Jameson, Toby Smith, and Laurell Van Lindt, please join me here at the front, and bring your things. We'll be rearranging the room a bit, so everyone get ready to move."

There was a great deal of muttering and rustling. He shuffled through his papers one more time, coming up with a blank seating chart, which he clipped to a clipboard. "All right," he said when things died down. "First, who is who?" He looked to his right, where the girls were waiting impatiently.

"I'm Laurell," said the tall girl to his right. She seemed like a stereotypical anthro grad student -- bohemian clothing and long, unkempt hair, shoulder bag of some rough, bright fabric undoubtedly woven by indigents in Nepal or something.

"Anne," said the girl next to her, a short brunette with a decidedly butch sense of fashion, sporting a red polo shirt, black jeans and black sneakers, her long hair in a simple ponytail. She was carrying her books loose, a neat notebook and the class textbook, not even a purse in sight.

"I'm T-toby," said a voice to his left, and he turned to find a pair of wide blue eyes that seemed determined to steal away his breath. Toby was the pale boy he'd noticed earlier, his hair even whiter up close, not a hint of yellow. He had his things in a black messenger bag, the strap tight across a narrow chest, covering the slogan on an old, worn t-shirt. Jeremy had to fight to keep from touching it to see if the material was as soft as it looked, and he scolded himself firmly before turning to the final student.

"You must be Ben, then," said Jeremy, taking note of the disapproving look on the tall boy's face. He had a tanning-bed tan, perfectly gelled hair and an expensive designer look to everything, including the backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Yes, sir," said Ben, his voice radiating disapproval. Jeremy wasn't sure if his face had given something away just now, or if Ben was the kind of student that wanted a class with lectures and midterms, and nothing more.

"All right," he said, turning towards the rest of the class. "Now we're going to revisit the age-old trauma of being picked for things. For the course of this class, we're going to have four Packs. These," he said, gesturing to the students standing around him, "are the Pack Alphas. They will choose their packs, and retain their status as Alphas by maintaining order within the pack, and of course keeping up the Pack's grade."

Hands began to shoot up all over the classroom. Jeremy continued on, ignoring them, "For everything except the final exam, you will get one grade for your entire pack. This will count for half of your grade. The midterm will be a group effort, each pack turning in one paper, which will be another twenty percent, and attendance will be five percent. The last twenty-five percent will be the final exam, which you will take individually."

Most of the hands had dropped, but a few were still persistently raised. "All right, you," he said, pointing to a girl in the back.

She dropped her hand and leaned forward, her brows drawn together, "Is there any way to just do the work on your own? I mean, what if there's people in your group that don't do their share of the work?"

"The success of a pack depends on every single member. Sometimes a wolf will strike out on its own, but life is very hard. There is a lot of work to be done for this class, and trying to do it on your own will not only take a lot of extra time, but will diminish your understanding of what I'm trying to teach here."

The girl, and a few others, continued to look doubtful. "That said, this class is new, and the format is an experiment. I will take suggestions, and evaluate our progress on a weekly basis." The last of the hands had fallen, so he gave the whole class a reassuring grin and said, "Now, let's get started. First, we'll have to see what order our Alphas will be going in."

He pulled some chalk out of the desk drawer, and handed them each a stick. "Since we're revisiting the traumas of our childhood..." He trailed off to the wan laughter of the class, waiting for it to die out before starting the impromptu quiz. "All right, first question. Do all shapeshifters have the pack instinct?"

He gave them a moment to choose spots at the blackboard and write their answers down, then went on, "Second, true or false: all shapeshifters are sensitive to silver."

"Third," he continued, "Can a pack ever accept a member of a different type of shifter? For instance, could a pack of werewolves adopt a weretiger?"

There was more hesitation this time, and he gave them a few extra seconds to think. "Finally, what does a healthy pack normally do about weak or sick members? When you're done, turn around and stand next to your answers."

The writing went on for several minutes this time, the soft click-scritch of chalk seeming loud in the room as everyone waited. Ben was the last person to finish, his answers scrawled haphazardly, lines almost invading the space of the girl next to him. "Surprisingly, only Toby got the first question right. Despite the fact that some of the animal bases are lone hunters, studies have shown that all known subspecies of shapeshifter have some kind of pack instinct."

A hand shot up in the crowd, and Jeremy chuckled, "To anticipate your question, an animal base is the type of animal a shapeshifter most resembles when it shifts -- lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" The laughter was a little less forced this time. "Basically all the larger predatory animals have been found as bases for at least one small pack of shapeshifters."

"You all got the second question right. Only werewolves have been shown to be sensitive to silver. Tigers are sensitive to jade, leopards to gold, and there's even a species of wereshark that has been shown to be vulnerable to a certain kind of seashell. I guess that recent special on the Discovery channel did some good after all."

The class seemed to be getting over their first-day nerves, his casual humor loosening them up from the tension over an unfamiliar professor and even stranger grading system. "Toby and Anne both got the third question right; although it's uncommon, some packs have been known to adopt children of other types, or keep half-shifter children who are later infected with a different type of lycanthropy."

"Let's see what we've got for our essay question. Ben, you've said that the pack weeds out the weak and sick, but it's actually the opposite. A healthy pack has young, old, weak and strong members; the strong protect the weak, the old nurture the young while the hunters are at work earning the daily bread. Laurell and Toby are both correct." Anne's answer had echoed Ben's, if in less harsh language.

"Well, it looks like Toby's definitely going first, and Ben last, but the girls need some kind of a lightning round. So, for second place..." he paused significantly to give them time to turn to the chalkboard. "What is your favorite color?"

Laurell calmly wrote, "blue," while Anne turned to stare at him. He cleared his throat and nodded meaningfully towards the chalkboard, where she wrote, "azure." He was forced to clear his throat a few more times to keep from laughing.

"Ah, well, a color by any other name... I'll give it to Laurell for promptness, then. So, we've got Toby, Laurell, Anne and then Ben." He did a quick head count. "There are 102 students here, which means Laurell and Toby will each have 26 in their pack, and Anne and Ben will have 25. So..." he said, giving a wave and a bow, "Start choosing!"

* ~ * ~ *

Toby stepped forward nervously. He hadn't really made any friends in this school, and vividly remembered being picked last for any number of things as a child. Being smaller than the other kids made him undesirable for sports teams, no matter how much faster he'd been. It wasn't until he was a teenager that his physical abilities had really developed, and by then it was far too late for him to worry about things like football and gym class. He'd been more worried about finding or funding his next meal and avoiding the crazies.

He scanned the class, seeing who looked confident and who looked shy, who looked cool and who looked geeky. He saw a mousy girl in the back of the class, and felt his instincts war for a moment between hunter and protector. He fought down the animal inside, willing his eyes to stay blue, his beast to stay inside. Before he knew it, he was reaching out, pointing and saying, "Her."

She looked startled. "What's your name?" asked Jeremy, roster at the ready. Toby tried to smile reassuringly at her, worried about taking a class that demanded he actively participate this close to a full moon. With his only other class this semester, he'd be able to get away with a certain amount of skipping, but obviously not this one.

She looked around as if sure they were talking to someone else before venturing, "M-Meredith Brussels."

Her voice was so soft it barely carried, but the professor dutifully checked her name off. "You're on the wait list, so make sure you stop by my desk on your way out to get your add form signed. For now, just come down here and stand at the bottom of those stairs. The rest of Toby's pack will line up behind you."

Toby barely listened, fighting his private war. Pack, this was his pack. He chanted that mantra over and over in his mind, calming him enough to pay attention while the others took their turns. Anne picked the girl who'd asked about grades, Laurell picked the boy she'd been sitting next to, and Ben picked one of perky blondes he'd been flirting with. Each of them started a line going up one of the four sets of stairs, and things proceeded like that until all that was left were a few people who seemed totally disinterested in the class.

He chose carefully for all of that, trying to find those for whom the disinterest was merely a mask. He expanded his senses, smelling their fear, tasting the anger, hearing the subtle tones of voice, watching the smallest change in expression. Despite his best efforts, he found himself drawn not to the final half dozen students, but to his professor. Dr. Forrester was wearing a subtly spicy cologne, and smelled of confidence with the slightest edge of fear and desire.

Dr. Forrester's voice did things to Toby's insides he wasn't quite ready to explore, and he moved his messenger bag to cover the front of his old, tight jeans. He hadn't really worried about his school attire before this, but standing next to Dr. Forrester made him feel self-conscious all of a sudden. His entire off-hours wardrobe was pretty much ratty and skintight, but his work clothes would be worse; somehow he didn't think that his professor would approve of him showing up to class in vinyl short-shorts.

The last few students were sorted into packs, and Dr. Forrester began to assign seating. The room was divided into three "wedges" of seats, not the most convenient arrangement for the four Packs, but the middle one was bigger and got split between two groups. Toby ended up in the front row, with Anne on his left and Meredith on his right. A clipboard went around for everyone to fill in their name on a seating chart, and then their first class was dismissed.

* ~ * ~ *

The class had been less of an ordeal than Jeremy had feared, and yet more difficult than he'd imagined. Toby had spent half of it standing just out of arm's reach, looking alternately vulnerable and protective, smelling like clean laundry and musk. Jeremy had grown used to the girls making eyes at him, especially back when he was the TA grading their midterms, but he had an immunity to them that came from being completely uninterested in the fairer sex. Toby was a different matter altogether.

He checked the roster one last time; not only had everyone shown up who'd been enrolled, they'd ended up with most of the wait list and even a few stragglers. He'd spent the twenty minutes after class signing add forms and avoiding any more questions about their grades. He already had a feeling about each group, what kind of grade they'd end up with if he stuck with his Pack-based lesson plans, and he honestly felt that few of the students, if any, would end up screwed.

The pack he most worried about was Ben's, because Ben had chosen a shrewd mix of his friends and potential girlfriends, and the smart kids that they could pawn the work off onto. Jeremy gathered up his scattered papers and headed off to his office, wanting to make sure he got his paperwork in the hands of his assistant, Celia, before she left for the day. He shuddered to think what might happen if he had to resort to doing the data entry himself; last year he'd accidentally dropped every freshman in his PA101 class.

He spotted Toby in the hallway, surrounded by members of his new pack. He seemed to be exchanging numbers with them, and Jeremy was suitably impressed. Jeremy had worried about putting Toby in the position of leadership; he'd seemed so nervous, but the boy was taking to responsibility like a cat to napping.

Jeremy's office was down on the first floor, at the end of a long, dusty hall full of both human and paranormal anthropologists. Many of the professors, himself included, were engaged in research of one sort or another even during their tenure at the school. He passed offices full of pottery, bones, artifacts, and even one with every available surface piled high with icons from all the varied religions known to man. Jeremy's own office was relatively tame, if you were somehow able to ignore the huge iron cage that took up one corner.

Celia Bruce was a graduate student, a computer whiz and only barely tolerant of Jeremy's eccentricities. She was taller than he was by a good two inches, and had a figure he could only describe as statuesque, with short-cropped bleached-blonde hair adding a marked contrast to her dark mahogany skin. She was also standing in his doorway, tapping her foot impatiently and looking significantly at her watch. "I told you I had plans, did I not? If you want me to get those kids of yours added today, you'd better have taken some real notes this time."

Jeremy nodded meekly and handed the paperwork over. He knew that Celia was just giving him a hard time; her boyfriend, Pete Sampson, had told him about their plans tonight, but they weren't for hours yet. Still, he'd actually written everything down clearly for her, for once, so he wasn't really worried. He added the rest of his papers to one of the many haphazard piles scattered around his office, earning him a warning glare from Celia.

He ignored her and instead went through his mail, hoping for some news on his lunacy research project. "Any word from the agency?" he asked Celia, willing to put up with her temper if it would distract him from brooding. He always got like this around the full moon, just enough of the werewolf in his blood that the pull of it made him edgy and depressed.

"Nope. You know they only call us on Mondays, and last I looked, this was a Friday." She gave him a significant glance. "You know, the day when us normal people have dates. You should try it, you never know, you might actually enjoy the company of others."

Jeremy snorted. "And you'd have me date who? I don't exactly see any eligible men beating down my door. The last person that asked me out was not only young enough to make me cringe, she was one of my students, not to mention a girl." He gave a mock-shudder at the last part, gaining a cynical grin from Celia.

"Well, if you weren't so antisocial, maybe we could find you a man!"

"You know I'm too busy with classes and research for... Can I help you?" Jeremy wondered how long Toby had been standing silently in the doorway. From the look on the boy's face, it was long enough that Jeremy was well and truly out.

"Um, I was wondering about the syllabus... it says here that we've got a project due next week, but you didn't give us the assignment?" He sounded nervous, shy almost, and Jeremy allowed himself a moment to fantasize that Toby might be attracted to him.

"It's an in-class project, which we'll work on together Wednesday and Friday. If it works out, that'll be a regular thing." He smiled gently, hoping it didn't seem too lecherous.

"Oh, ok. I just... I didn't want anything bad to happen to my Pack on the first day, y'know?" He looked down shyly, suddenly back to being the boy Jeremy had seen sneaking late into his class.

"Well, you're certainly taking your responsibilities seriously. If you keep up even half this level of concern for your pack, I have no reason to believe you won't all get an A."

Toby raised his eyes, peering up at Jeremy from under his lashes in a way that was entirely too appealing. "Thank you, Dr. Forrester."

"You're welcome. Oh, and I prefer 'Jeremy,' please." He knew he'd forgotten something in his lecture. At least it wasn't anything important. So far, anyway.

"J-jeremy." Toby's eyes were back on the floor again. He turned shyly, and Jeremy couldn't help admiring the way his faded jeans fit over his ass as he walked away.

"Too bad that one's a student, eh?" said Celia, as soon as Toby was safely out of earshot. "Talk about sizzle!"

Jeremy tore his gaze away from the now-empty doorway. "Huh?" he replied intelligently. Boy, was that a nice ass. And a nice rest of the package as well.

"Never mind, loverboy. Your students are all officially enrolled now, so get yourself home to brood over the injustice of the education system or whatever it is that's got your knickers in a twist today." She gave him a wicked grin before shutting down the computer and picking up her purse. "Now, I've got to go make myself stunning so that Pete will be the envy of his friends."

"I just hope he knows how lucky he is."

"Trust me, honey, he shows his appreciation." On that note, she grabbed her purse and fled, before Jeremy could stop laughing long enough to think of an appropriate comeback. Instead he gathered his wits and his files, locking up for the evening without even a backwards glance at the cage sitting ominously in the corner.

Chapter 2

Jeremy tossed his keys onto the pile of old mail and other odds and ends littering the side table just inside the door, and left his shoes underneath. He padded into his living room, pulling his socks off with his toes as he went, and ended up kicking them underneath the sagging green couch that dominated the room. It was flanked by two armchairs, one of cracked brown leather, the other a recliner in dirty blue felt with an incongruous antique white lace antimacassar hanging askew over the back.

A pair of black and white kittens, Edward and Ogdred, were curled up together in the seat of the blue chair, and an orange tabby strolled up to him and imperiously demanded affection by winding in and out of Jeremy's legs in an obvious attempt to trip him so as to bring the petting hands down to cat-head level. "You know, Fitz," he said conversationally, bending down to oblige, "if I break my neck, you won't be fed."

One bedroom had been converted into a second office, and as a result had papers piled on every available surface. This was where Jeremy put his briefcase, leaning it gently against a teetering stack of files. He poked his head into the guest room, and sure enough, Parva was curled up in her usual spot on the center of the bed, getting cat hair on the handmade quilt his grandmother had given his mother as a wedding present. He stopped in long enough to give the cat a thorough scratch behind the ears, stroking her grey-striped fur affectionately.

His own bedroom was as spare as the rest of the house was cluttered, all the dirty laundry shoved into the walk-in closet to keep the space clear. His bare feet made little noise on the polished hardwood floor, and his eyes strayed to the man-sized Chinese characters painted on each pale green wall -- "peace", "dream" and "rest" in black. He sat on the edge of the bed to undress, running his fingers over the soft sage coverlet and contemplating a nap.

He left the night candle unlit and forced himself to stand, instead; he didn't want to waste his afternoon battling nightmares of his parents' deaths while his father's victims paraded past his minds' eye, shoving their bloody wounds in his face.

He shook his head to clear it of such morbid thoughts and tossed his clothes into the closet, grabbing a couple of clean towels and heading off to shower. Celia might think that all he needed to be happy was a boyfriend, but he was already pretty happy. He could admit to himself that at times he wished he had someone to come home to, someone worth learning to cook for, learning to share his space with instead of expanding to fill every available nook and cranny with junk.

He sighed softly as the warm water cascaded over him, trying to let the day's tension flow down into the drain with it. He let his mind wander, flitting through the day's events, organizing everything in a mental file as neat as his physical files were messy. His thoughts kept snagging on his final class of the week, and his newest student. Although he refused to consciously acknowledge his fascination with Toby, something in the back of his mind kept looking for reasons to require extra meetings with his four pack Alphas.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby threw his bag into the corner with a muffled thump. The living room was virtually empty, a few beanbags and books clustered in the center of the room like refugees. One corner held an old tv on a rickety metal cart, but since they'd sacrificed the cable to help them save, it was rarely used. "Is anybody home?" he called out, stripping off his shirt. As comfortable as his school clothes were, he had an appointment in an hour, and he had to get changed and grab a bite to eat.

"I'm making us mac and cheese, you want some?" Sebastian poked his head out of the kitchen, grinning. His waist-length black hair was pulled back from his face with a completely absurd headband, and he was wearing nothing else besides an apron that said, "Parking in Rear."

"Great, I'll just go get changed, ok?" said Toby, toeing off his shoes and skinning out of his worn jeans, deliberately flashing Sebastian.

He was followed into the bedroom by Sebastian's laughing complaint, "Tease!"

The bedroom was more like one huge bed. They'd taken out the door and put up a beaded curtain, then covered the entire floor with mattresses, except for a small path that led to the apartment's real luxury, a walk-in closet full of outlandish costumes. Latex, leather, lace and feathers, sequins, satin, spandex and silk -- if there was client with a fetish for it, they had a costume to match. What they lacked more than anything were everyday clothes, normal clothes.

The beds were all made with mismatched sheets, and an amazing array of pillows and blankets were spread in no particular pattern over the entire surface. One set of blankets seemed to be moving -- and moaning. Toby snickered and called out, "You'd better not be alone under there, Mercury. Last time it took us a week to get the stains out of the sheets!"

Two sets of eyes peeked out at him as he made his way around the room, grey and brown following his every move. "Mercury was just showing me a few tips for my next client, Toby," said a soft voice with a distinct Chinese accent.

"That's cool, David, I was just teasing him," he replied, diving into the closet to find something to wear. He had his own client to worry about, a hardcore dominant with a fetish for red rubber. Toby hated these appointments so close to the full moon, but Gabriel kept taking them because the man paid extremely well for the privilege of having a shapeshifter on the night before the change. He said the danger made it sweeter, but Toby privately thought it just made him feel more macho.

It generally took about an hour of abusing Toby for the guy to even get it up, and if Toby wasn't ready for him, he wilted like a flower and they had to start all over again. "Merc, if you guys can pause for a minute, will one of you come in here and prep me? I've got Red tonight and you know I can never get that stupid plug in by myself."

"Two... oh! More minutes... aah, right there, you've got it now, David... Oh-ok?" said Mercury, obviously in the thrall of David's newly honed skills. Toby pulled out the other items he'd need while he waited, going for red latex short-shorts with a zipper that ran from front to back, a matching crop top, a pair of red rubber stockings he'd gotten just for this client, red patent leather stiletto ankle boots and of course the red rubber butt plug.

The last was a special gift from Mercury, who knew more about sex toys than any one person had a right to. It came with the territory, he guessed -- Mercury specialized in giving autoerotic performances at very private parties. This one was a spiral; you lubed it up and literally screwed it in, and it widened you gently with every turn. It also felt darn good coming out, which was a bonus as far as Toby was concerned.

He took his gear and went into their other luxury, the very well-equipped bathroom. Toby guessed that the apartment had been designed with one well-off couple in mind, instead of five highly-sought-after rent boys, but he couldn't really complain. His little miniature pack had a place to live that was well-suited to their present needs, even if they did end up skimping on other luxuries in order to keep themselves afloat.

Someone knocked as he finished with his usual cleansing ritual, and he called out, "Come in!"

Instead of Mercury's willowy frame, an imposingly tall figure was silhouetted in the doorway for a moment before stepping into the light. "Saul!" said Toby, launching himself into the man's arms.

Saul caught him, a soft smile playing around his stern mouth, and pressed a kiss onto the top of Toby's still-damp head. Saul was as tall as Toby was short, his hair dyed in streaks of violet, blue and black, ever-present black trench coat hanging from strong shoulders. His eyes were the deep brown of fine chocolate and his skin a pale caramel that always made Toby think he should taste like candy.

"I didn't think I'd catch you before you had to go see Red," said Saul softly, setting Toby's dangling feet back onto the tiles.

Toby's eyes twinkled mischievously as he said, "Well, you're just in time to help me finish getting ready."

"You know how I hate to get you all revved up and have to send you off to someone else for the finish line," said Saul, a smile crinkling his eyes. His voice went low and rough as he added, "But you also know I'd do anything for a chance to fuck your sweet ass, even with a toy."

"Mrow!" Toby turned and presented the ass in question, bending over and deliberately arching his back, peering over his shoulder to see his best friend's reaction. Saul grabbed the lube off the table and slicked up the toy, an evil grin on his face as he laid a very cold hand on Toby's cheek. Toby yelped, then bit his lip as the cold fingers slid sensuously into the heat of his cleft.

Toby shuddered as Saul pressed the blunt tip of the toy into him, spinning it gently back and forth, urging the muscles to loosen and accept it. Toby wriggled a little until he felt the tip pop inside, and his breathing quickened. Saul changed from back-and-forth to slow turns along the spiral, each one forcing him wider and the plug deeper. By the time it was done, Toby felt completely filled and more than a little turned on.

Instead of pulling away, Saul stepped in closer and curled his body around Toby's, his clothed cock rubbing against Toby's bare ass, cold hand wrapping around Toby's erection, hot breath on the back of Toby's neck. "I miss you, cub. Come home to me tonight, and finish this off?"

Toby moaned softly and pressed back against Saul. He honestly didn't know that he'd have the energy when he got back, but... "Find me a red rubber cock ring, and I'm all yours," he purred.

Saul chuckled in his ear, the sound sending shivers down his spine. "You're lucky I know you so well," he murmured, and Toby felt his cock and balls manhandled gently into a some kind of restraint.

When he looked down, he saw that Saul had found a harness for his cock and balls. It had a strap around the whole package, and another one running upward to lift and separate his balls which attached to a third strap that snapped tightly around the base of his cock. The wicked little thing was made of bright red rubber, and would help keep him hard and needy until someone -- Red or more likely Saul -- chose to let him out.

They stood and Toby took a few experimental steps to make sure that everything was in place before finding his shorts. Instead of his usual habit of having the two zipper tabs meet in the middle for easy access to his ass, he zipped them so that his cock and balls were left out in the open. Then he sat on the toilet lid and spread his legs wide to slide on the slick stockings, which attached to garters on the shorts, then pulled on the shiny, high-heeled boots.

Saul's hand kept straying to his crotch as he watched the show, and Toby made every effort to test Saul's resolve. Sebastian came in to announce their dinner and stayed to watch, soon joined by a curious Mercury. They leaned in the doorway together and made appreciative comments, and at one point David poked his head in with an offer to help Toby "fit the rest of him into those awfully tight pants." They often played this game, one of the five teasing the others, getting them all worked up enough to put on the appropriate face with their clients.

Once Toby was dressed, they all scattered again, everyone needing time to prepare for their own appointments. Even Saul would have a client tonight, someone who paid quite a bit to be topped by someone who was literally a raging tiger, at least three nights a month. They even occasionally got someone who wanted an appointment during the full moon, but even Gabriel wasn't willing to take the chance that his very specialized stable would be disrupted by bloody murder.

Chapter 3

Toby stumbled in after midnight, tired, aching and desperately hoping Saul would be there to make it all better. Red had enjoyed the ensemble a little too much, drawing out his own arousal and denying Toby any chance of release. Near the end, his exhaustion had begun to wear at the edges of his control to the point he almost really did change -- only the knowledge of what would happen next had kept him in human form.

The apartment was dark, not even the glow of the moon to light his path as he made his way towards the bathroom. There was noise coming from the bedroom, though, so he veered that way to see if Saul was ready to help him out of his predicament, or if it would be a quick, lonely shower before bed. He was just reaching out to pull aside the curtain when he was grabbed from behind, a hand over his mouth.

Toby kicked out, struggling against his attacker until a sickeningly familiar voice in his ear drawled, "Now, now, let's not interrupt them. I'm sure you and I can pass the time just fine."

Toby went limp in defeat as soon as he recognized the voice of their "business manager," Gabriel Matheson. Gabe, though he loudly proclaimed his straightness to any and all who would listen, found nothing at all wrong with sampling his own "merchandise" when the mood struck. Still, as a pimp he wasn't half bad -- he didn't beat them unless they tried to resist his advances, and his sampling sessions were blessedly brief.

Mercury had commented only once about Gabe's quickness on the trigger. After three hours of being beaten and raped by every object in the house that Gabe could find a hole for, the subject was never brought up again, on either side. The pimp might have regretted the lost income while Mercury recovered, but he also made it very clear that there were some things worth losing money over.

Toby let himself be dragged into the bathroom, glad for once that Red had decided to put his plug back in at the end of the night. As much as he hated wearing it home, it would make things much simpler now -- while Gabe was very careful to protect himself by using condoms, he wasn't nearly as considerate with the small niceties like lube. Once the bathroom door was closed behind him, he dropped his coat and trick bag and bent over the sink.

Gabe unzipped him just enough to bare the appropriate hole, pulling the plug out and tossing it unceremoniously into the sink. "Got yerself all ready to go still, eh? Good thing I was here to give you a hand."

Toby watched silently over his shoulder as the pimp pulled out his already-erect cock and rolled down a condom. As far as any of them could tell, Gabe didn't expect a response to his running commentary, he just liked to hear the sound of his own voice. "Gonna fill you up good, boy."

Toby let his head hang forward as Gabe penetrated him in one rough motion. He tightened around the intrusion, massaging Gabe's cock and hopefully speeding up the process. Sure enough, it took less than a dozen strokes, each one punctuated by an obscenity drawled out in Gabe's ridiculous Texas accent, before he was announcing his arrival. A few more jerky thrusts and it was all over, with a slap on the ass as he pulled out.

"You're always a good ride, Toby, gonna be keepin' you for a long time." He went over to dispose of the condom and use the facilities; Toby stayed right where he was, waiting for Gabe to leave so he could clean up. "Red's already called to schedule another appointment next week, he was so happy with tonight -- I told him you were busy but he offered enough to make it worthwhile for me to rearrange your schedule, so make sure you get the extra."

"Yes, sir," said Toby diffidently. He stood up to go rummage in his coat -- any mention of their fees generally meant that Gabe was here for some spending money as well as a quick poke. Fortunately, Toby had pulled his cut out and hidden it away already, just in case Gabe came by to collect; if he found you with the whole fee in your pocket, he'd take it all and leave you with nothing.

Gabe tucked himself away, grabbed the cash and wandered out, humming. Toby could only hope he was going to leave now, before anyone else came home. The only thing protecting the two in the bedroom was the fact that it made Gabe more uncomfortable to be turned on by watching two boys fuck than it did to fuck one himself. Denial may have been a way of life for him, but even self-delusion had its limits.

Toby turned on the tap, running hot water over the used toy while he stripped out of his clothes, letting everything fall where it would. Holding out a small hope that Saul might yet come home, he left on the cock-and-ball harness. Some antibacterial soap and a bit more hot water, and the toy was drying in the wooden dish rack they'd bought for just that purpose, sitting beside a few things that were probably from Mercury's performance.

He started up the shower, running his hands impatiently through his gel-stiffened bangs while he waited for it to warm up. A part of him just wanted to get clean and sleep, but a part of him wanted to wait up for Saul, and the comfort he'd been wanting all along. He knew deep down that he didn't love Saul, not in the forever way, but he loved him the way he loved all the members of their little makeshift pack, and that would have to do for now, for all of them.

He stepped under the spray, the nearly scalding water just what he needed to wash away the stink of tonight's brushes with humanity. Most days he despised the normals, their casual contempt sending dull hate burning through his veins. He often thought that, once he got them all out of this hole and into a real life, the first thing he'd do was swear never to fuck a normal human again.

He soaped his cock around the rubber harness, each stroke an exquisite torture on the sensitive flesh. One human he wouldn't mind getting close to was that hot Pack Mind professor. Dr. Forrester certainly wasn't your average anthropologist; most of the guys in that department were as old as their pots and just as cracked. He looked to be barely older than Toby, definitely under 30, his skin smooth and just barely tanned.

Long brown hair pulled back into a barely professional tail, with soft bangs that kept getting in his eyes. He'd spent the class constantly brushing them out of his face, adjusting his glasses and fidgeting with his papers, like there was an energy in him that he couldn't quite contain. Toby could think of a few ways to use up that energy, his mind easily providing him with images of his professor lying tangled in dark sheets, glasses long gone, hair like a dark cloud around his head. Eyes hazy and dark with lust, mouth kissed red and shiny.

Toby felt himself getting to that state, remembering the smell of his professor's cologne, wondering how he'd taste, his cock heavy and hot on Toby's tongue. A shiver ran through him as he replayed the man's voice in his head, and one hand unsnapped two of the three straps holding his release hostage. Toby stroked faster, imagining the way Jeremy would sound moaning, the way the sweat would bead on his skin as Toby brought him closer and closer.

Toby let the last snap go, and his control with it. Hot seed joined hotter water, swirling down into the drain. He sagged against the cool tiles of the wall, panting with the intensity of it. Was it just the prolonged delay, the hours of denial, or was there something more to it? He'd rarely felt such a strong reaction to anyone in such a short time, especially not a normal. Even a normal with a PhD in shapeshifters.

He finished his shower quickly and got ready for sleep, then took his naked, flushed and minty-fresh self into the welcoming warmth of their shared bed. Whoever had been at it earlier was already asleep, and Toby snuggled into the blankets next to his packmates, cuddling close, taking comfort where he knew he could always find it, and always trust that it was exactly what it seemed.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy stretched, moving his neck, trying to get the kinks out. He may not have papers to grade yet, but with a brand-new class in his schedule, he had a ton of preparatory work to do. His class was full just past the newly expanded capacity, but he was pretty confident that a few of the more grade-oriented among them would be dropping it, bringing things down to a number he could at least be comfortable with.

He was looking forward to Monday's class, although he doubted many of his students knew quite what to expect. Still, at least one of them had already shown that he took his role as Alpha seriously. He'd looked so adorably scruffy, the way he'd kept stealing glances at Jeremy through the veil of shockingly dark eyelashes. Jeremy wondered which was natural, the white-blond hair or the black eyelashes, wondered what color curls Toby had...

He shook his head viciously, shoving himself away from his desk, shoving the thoughts back into the dark corner of his mind. He could not be thinking of a student this way, especially not one as young as Toby appeared to be. Jeremy was pretty sure Toby was older than he looked, because he was getting grad-level credit for the class, but even so, it just wasn't right. He wasn't even sure Toby was gay. He would have to spend a lot of time with the Alphas, he couldn't afford to be harboring a secret lust for one of them.

He got up and went over to the window, peering out at the late afternoon sun. He had to hurry up if he was going to have time for dinner with his grandparents before moonrise. Although his grandfather became nothing more than a big, intelligent wolf, his grandmother was one of the unfortunate lunatics who lost their minds with their human forms. The family had a huge steel-fenced cage, much like the habitats in a zoo. It was large enough for a small copse of trees in one corner, and a man-made pond complete with fish. They kept livestock on hand for her to hunt as well -- a fresh kill was usually enough to keep her sated for the night, but it was still best to have someone on watch who could dial 911 if anything went wrong.

She never remembered anything in the morning, and there was a parcel of clothing available in a combination-locked steel safe in the woods-side wall, giving her plenty of privacy, but she still hated the whole arrangement. It was partially his grandparents' money, and that of the other pack members, that was funding his real work, his research. They all held out hope that someday they could dismantle the cage, and Grandmother could spend the evening with his grandfather, listening to Jeremy read the classics aloud.

They were doing "Treasure Island" now, which turned out to be better than he'd remembered from school. He'd deliberately made the effort to keep the reading list light in his own classes, knowing that being forced to read anything in class was a surefire way to kill its appeal. Even the best books lost their luster when made mandatory. On that note, he grabbed his guilty pleasure book, a cheesy vampire novel with dubious but addictive qualities, for reading once Grampa Forrester had fallen asleep.

He tossed it into his overnight bag along with indulgent silk pajamas and some clothes for tomorrow. He stopped to make sure the cats had plenty of food and water before heading out, giving everyone a thorough goodbye scratch. He knew he was hesitating, but his grandmother had a nose for any kind of romantic inclinations even when she wasn't mere hours from the change -- she'd know he was hot for someone the moment he walked in, and he wasn't looking forward to being grilled.

He squared his shoulders, flipped on the porch light and unlocked the car. A few deep breaths of the crisp September air to fortify himself, and he headed out to take it, as they say, like a man.

Chapter 4

Fall was coming early this year, and Monday's weather was refreshingly crisp, with a hint of moisture that whispered through the air like a lover's promise of rain. Toby's weekend had been far too full for laundry let alone shopping, and he shivered a little in his metallic blue vinyl pants. He'd stolen a white mandarin collar shirt from David's side of the closet, leaving it untucked, the sleeves rolled loosely. One of Saul's old trench coats completed the outfit, and kept him from freezing.

He always got sensitive like this during the full moons. He'd almost skipped class entirely, but a nagging sense of duty to his new pack had him dressed and out the door before his lazy cat side could protest. He could only be thankful that his real pack all kept enough of their minds that they could spend these nights sleeping and screwing instead of having to be caged or tranked.

Toby took his assigned seat, slipping out of the coat and giving a good stretch. He had more than a few sore spots from last night's rather enthusiastic bit of exercise -- the flexibility of five horny cats made for some very interesting evenings. He still wasn't quite over the hormone high, and one good look at his teacher made him wish he'd hunted up some boxers to go with the vinyl pants.

Dr. Forrester was wearing a pair of very old, worn jeans, so pale they were barely blue anymore with the kind of holes in the knees that some people paid extra for. Over the top he had a loose, dark blue button-down shirt, with the collar open and sleeves rolled up in a coincidental echo of Toby's own outfit. He bent over his papers, inadvertently giving the class a nice view of his chest as the shirt gaped open.

The girl next to him leaned over to her neighbor on the other side and whispered, "Damn, he's a hottie!"

Toby chuckled, shifting his hips to try and move the zipper off his sensitive parts, and fervently hoped there would be enough lecture time to obliterate the vision of Jeremy's toned chest and dusky pink nipples out of his mind. There had even been a glint of silver, which Toby was going to assume was a necklace of some kind, and not a nipple ring. Because a hot professor with a penchant for shapeshifters *and* a nipple ring was more than Toby's brain was capable of handling today.

Dr. Forrester looked at his watch, then turned around to write some things on the board. The shirt lifted up when he wrote, showing just how well those jeans fit his ass. A very, very nice ass, and Toby felt a low growl trying to wend its way out of his throat. He was very hard and, he suspected, about to be very embarrassed. There was just nothing quite like tight metallic vinyl to really show off an erection. Which was, of course, why he'd bought them in the first place.

He tried to think about something unpleasant, deliberately looking away from his teacher's luscious ass while he did. He thought about his Friday night, but a secret, dirty little part of him got off on the abuse no matter what the self-respecting portions had to say about it. He thought about cold showers, but that just made him think of his fantasy from Friday, well, Saturday morning technically. He looked over to the two giggling girls to his left, bleached blondes with low cleavage and too much makeup.

That did wonders for cooling his libido. He could almost fit into his pants properly again when Dr. Forrester turned back around and cleared his throat. The class quieted down, pens at the ready. "All right, guys, today we've got two exercises. First, I want you to split up into your Pack groups and choose a name and animal base for your pack. It's ok if more than one pack has the same animal, but please, try to be original with the naming. It'll be too confusing if you're all called 'the Cool Cats' or something."

A titter of laughter ran through the group, and predictably, a hand shot up. "Yes?" he said, his voice even and patient with just a hint of humor.

"Dr. Forrester-" began the same girl from last week, the one that kept asking about grades. A glance at the seating chart gave him her name.

"Jeremy, please," he interrupted, smiling. "I intend to call you all by your first names, it's only fair."

She looked nonplused, but forged ahead. "Jeremy. Um, have you decided about the individual grades thing yet?"

His smile didn't even falter as he replied, "Nope. I'm planning on giving it a few weeks to see how the Pack grades are turning out. Never fear, Sheila, if I decide the experiment is a failure, you'll all get an A for the first portion of class."

Everyone looked rather relieved at that, and even Toby felt a previously unnoticed coil of tension loosening in his chest. He already had one pack to take care of; he hadn't been too sure about suddenly acquiring another, even a fake one.

As if reading his mind, Jeremy said, "That reminds me... Are there any of the Pack Alphas that would like to step down? I realize you got sort of railroaded into this, and there may be extra work involved outside of class that only the Alphas will have to do."

Ben looked as if he might say something, but the girls both seemed to take their leadership roles naturally. After choosing his rather ragtag bunch of packmates, Toby felt obligated to follow through. Besides, he was a bit too eager about the prospect of extra meetings with his professor. A sigh ran through him as he got an image of them sitting close, heads bent over some book as they studied one-on-one.

A few heartbeats of silence passed, and when no one responded, Jeremy clapped his hands and turned back to the chalkboard. Toby started a bit, pulled out of his fantasy by the reality of actual class. "Well, that's settled, then. If you'll all take a look at the chalkboard, I've listed most of the common animal bases for a shapeshifter clan. If you want to use something else, just ask, but I want you to stick to known shifter bases."

Toby looked at the chalkboard. Most of the cats were there, jaguars, lions, tigers and even leopards, but no cheetahs or snow leopards. Wolves of course, and bears, hyenas, sharks, orcas and dragons. He wondered what his group would vote for. It would be odd to be part of a pack again that was, theoretically at least, all of one species.

"Now," Jeremy continued, "the way you're all seated, you should be able to scoot close and hold your conferences pretty well. Toby, your group is kind of split along the aisle, so you can come down here and stand in the center, or just pick a side." Toby looked around at his pack members, mostly shy loners nervously fidgeting with their books. "Once your pack has voted on a name and animal base, your Alpha should come down here and talk to me, and I'll give you the rest of today's assignment."

Toby took one look at his group, all sort of half-in, half-out of their seats. He stood resolutely and said, "All right, let's just go stand in the middle. It'll encourage us to be quick." A few of them giggled, most of them just looked nervous. "Will someone volunteer to take down the votes and stuff?"

A few of the girls and one bespectacled boy raised their hands tentatively, including Meredith, his first pack member. Not wanting to play favorites, he picked the boy. "All right, you. What's your name again?"

"Jon. Jon Calvin," came the reply, his voice oddly deep for his small frame.

Toby felt the immediate urge to go snuggle up, bury his face in the crook of Jon's neck and inhale the boy's scent, but he tamped it down viciously. Now was not the time to be sniffing his fellow students. "Cool, thanks, Jon. You interested in taking on the job permanently?"

Jon looked surprised for a moment, then grinned. "Yeah, sure, I'm a sucker for a pretty face."

Toby grinned back and winked, keeping his own surprise inside. He'd never have guessed Jon would swing his way or be so bold, but then, Toby was pretty sure his body language was screaming, "Take me, take me now!" One of the other disadvantages to leaving the house before the moon began to wane.

They made a double circle, Toby, Jon and most of the shorter girls in the center, the bigger girls and most of the boys surrounding them almost protectively. Toby smiled up at the group and asked, "All right, let's start with the animal base. Anyone got any suggestions?"

"How about Orcas?" said one of the students in back, a tall, muscular boy in his mid-twenties, brown hair buzzed close to his skull.

"One vote for Orcas." Jon wrote it down while Toby thought for a moment. "Let's all introduce ourselves when we speak for now, until we learn one another's names, ok? I think you all know by now I'm Toby. What was your name? "

The big boy grinned and said, "Chad Walker. I'm a marine biology major, but my advisor recommended this class for when I try and study orcas and wereorcas in the wild."

"Cool. Anyone else?" Toby looked around the group, scanning the faces. They were slowly warming up, the shyness fading.

"I like cats a lot," said one girl, another of the tall people in back, her eyes hidden behind thick glasses. "Oh, and I'm Kel, never Kelly."

One of the shorter girls in front piped up, her curls bobbing as she tilted her head to one side to look up at Kel. "I'm Jennifer and I like cats, too. What about leopards?"

"Ooh, leopards are nice. I'm Meredith." It was the first girl he'd picked, and he was glad to see her brave enough to speak.

Chad laughed and said, "I have a feeling I'm outnumbered here. Hey, Toby, what about you? You feel like being a wereleopard?"

They all looked at him, eyes expectant. Toby smiled, his heart racing. "I'm more of a snow leopard myself," he blurted.

A collective ooh went around the group, and Jon said, "I'm Jon, your friendly pack secretary," he winked at Toby. "And is that a group decision on snow leopards I hear?"

Toby winked back and said, "Impatient, isn't he?" The group giggled gratifyingly. "All right, should we vote now or does anyone else want to throw in a suggestion?"

When no one responded, he said, "All right, everyone for snow leopard, raise your hand."

Jon went around counting hands under his breath and said, "That's 18 for snow leopard, well over half. Er, twenty if you count the two of us."

"Well, I guess we're all were snow leopards, then. Sorry, Chad."

"Ya win some, ya lose some," said Chad with a shrug. Toby had a feeling he'd be good backup, and wondered how organized Jeremy wanted them to get. Back home, there had been a whole infrastructure that kept the peace and helped the Zig Kawa, their Alpha, to deal with the minutiae of running a small community.

"Well, snow leopards, what's our Pack name gonna be? Most shifter packs do use a tribal moniker amongst themselves." That was knowledge he could easily explain away to his undergrad work. His pack had been known as Twilight Serenity, a name loosely translated from a time when his ancestors had escaped from the mountains of Tibet to settle in the New World.

One of the tall, awkward boys in the back looked like he wanted to say something, and Toby wracked his brain to remember his name. Not Jon, but something... Josh? "Josh, did you have a suggestion?"

He looked up, startled to be remembered, and Toby smiled in a way he hoped was more encouraging than predatory. Josh's eyes were a pale green under his long, black hair, and Toby's hormones approved of the triangular face and coral-pink lips just begging to be licked. "Um, yeah. How about the, er, Creeping Death?" He was blushing attractively, and the smile hiding at the corner of his mouth bloomed into a full grin when the group laughed along with the joke.

"Metallica for a snow leopard pack? Heh. Funny," commented Jon as he scribbled it down.

"Anyone else? Come on, don't make me into a rock song!" mock-wailed Toby, trying to draw out the group.

They laughed again, and the one other boy short enough to be in the front circle raised his hand. Toby pointed, still grinning and completely unable to summon up his name.

"Nate. How about the Grey Cats?" Most of the group looked puzzled, but Toby and a couple of others laughed. "You know, at night, all cats are grey?"

The rest of the group laughed, too, but it didn't seem to be as popular as Josh's suggestion. One of the last boys Toby had picked, Michael something, raised his hand, and Toby nodded to him.

"I'm Michael Pierson, and I was thinking maybe the Lunatic Fringe?" His lashes brushed high cheekbones as he looked down shyly, and Toby's blood heated up a touch. He wondered briefly just how Michael felt about boys, and blowjobs in the men's room.

Toby nodded encouragingly, trying to drag his brain up out of his pants. "That does have a certain appeal. Er, Meredith?" She'd sort of given a shy little wave as he spoke.

"Dusk's Creatures?"

Toby nodded again, intrigued. The longer he let them go at it, the more the names seemed to be really creative instead of just punny. "How about Dark Nights? Er, without the K that is... I'm Dave, by the way." Or, maybe not. Dave had a reddish brown goatee and spiked hair the bright red of a really good sunset. He was standing in the back row but was barely taller than the girl in front of him.

"I'm Annie," said the girl on his left. Toby almost jumped; the mousy-brown girl had been quiet the entire time and he'd put her out of his mind completely. Even her clothes were all nondescript earth tones, khaki pants and a brown sweater. "What about Silent Predators?"

"Sure." Toby waited a few heartbeats to see if anyone else was going to speak up. "Jon, what've we got so far?"

"Um, Creeping Death, Grey Cats, Lunatic Fringe, Dusk's Creatures, Dark Nights and Silent Predators."

"Are we good to vote?" Most of the students going around the circle were nodding. Toby dug around in his bag and came up with some post-its. "Everyone got a pen or pencil?" More nodding, and a few people borrowing from neighbors. "All right, take one post-it and pass the rest around, write down your vote on the back and then stick it closed." They looked confused for a moment and he smiled disarmingly, taking a note himself before sending the rest around. "This way no one gets their feelings hurt."

More smiles blossomed around the group, and the sounds of writing and murmured thanks filled their little space, creating an illusion of privacy as they all cast their votes. Toby handed his to Jon and then went around collecting the rest, retrieving his remaining notes while he was at it. Jon tallied the votes silently while the murmuring in the group slowly grew. When Jon was done, he motioned Toby over and showed him the list.

Lunatic Fringe and Creeping Death were neck and neck, just one vote apart. "Do you want to just call it or do a vote-off?" asked Jon.

"Did you vote?" Toby countered, mentally adding up the number of votes.

"Oh, oops. Lunatic Fringe it is, then!" Jon grinned up and winked, then turned to face the crowd. He raised his voice to be heard over the group and said, "We are now officially the were snow leopards of the Lunatic Fringe!"

They burst out into a spattering of applause and giggles, and Toby wormed his way out to go tell the professor while the pack continued to chat.

Jeremy looked up as he approached and said, "Well, that was awfully fast for anything being done by committee."

Toby looked over and saw the other packs. Laurell's group seemed to be broken into factions of people who were sitting near one another, each faction arguing with the others. Ben's pack was also broken into groups, but these groups appeared to be talking amongst themselves instead of to each other, and he caught the glimmer of a coin being tossed by someone in Anne's pack.

"We're easily amused?" Toby replied, his shyness reasserting itself. Dr. Forrester smelled incredible up close, his cologne mingling with clean laundry and shampoo and the subtle musk of a male human being. Toby felt his pants tightening up again, and he swung his bag around to his front, fidgeting with the strap in what he hoped was a distracting manner.

"Close enough. Whatcha got for me?" Jeremy said, leaning back in his chair and smiling in a way Toby was sure wasn't supposed to be as privately suggestive as it seemed.

It took him a minute to remember why he was there, if not to ogle his very attractive teacher, and he licked at lips gone suddenly dry. Jeremy's eyes flickered to his mouth for just a second, and a small part of Toby crowed in triumph. "I, um, oh! We are the Lunatic Fringe, a pack of were snow leopards. Um, if that's ok, I mean."

"That's great, were snow leopards are somewhat rare but definitely present, and that name..." Jeremy looked down, a sudden little-boy bashfulness, "I have a secret love of puns." Jeremy smiled up at him, a flash of blinding approval that made Toby's knees feel oddly weak.

He didn't have too much time to stand there awkwardly and gawk at his teacher, fortunately, because he had no idea what he'd have done if Anne hadn't come down to see them. "Prof, er, Jeremy? We'd like to be the Pride of St. Clements, werelions."

"Great, Anne. Glad you got it worked out." Jeremy's smile at her seemed to Toby's admittedly biased eyes to be slightly less friendly and more forced. Toby watched as Jeremy's slim fingers flexed while he scribbled down the two pack names. He looked up at the clock and leaned back again, adding, "Let's give them a few more minutes, why don't we? What do you two think of the class format?"

Anne launched into a combination of tirade and praise, which seemed to hinge around her seeing the idea as a great learning tool but being less than thrilled about a few of her less studious packmates. "Well," interrupted Jeremy when she started to get repetitive, "A big part of the pack mentality is learning how to not only protect and value your apparently weaker pack members, but finding a way they can contribute within their own strengths."

Her mouth snapped shut with an audible click, and Toby suppressed his laughter by fidgeting with the patches on his messenger bag for a moment. He did understand that for those on an academic track, grades really were the be-all, end-all, but he found the vehemence of her group really funny. Toby looked up to find Jeremy staring at him with an intensity that made his heart skip a beat.

"Well, what about you?" Jeremy asked, his voice rumbling through Toby's brain like thunder.

Toby reflected for a moment, organizing his thoughts before replying. "I think it will take work for the Alphas to get their groups working cohesively, but in the end the whole class will be able to really feel what it's like to be a part of a group like that, and maybe come away with a small understanding of pack mentality." He paused, unsure if he should continue, but a nod from Jeremy encouraged him. "I do think that the Alphas should maybe get something more out of it, like an independent study unit?"

Jeremy's grin went wry, then thoughtful. He looked up at Anne, who was practically salivating at the thought. "I take it you like that idea?"

She nodded vigorously, grinning fit to split her face. She looked a lot more human that way, the smile adding a vitality that was missing when she was too focused. Jeremy directed his gaze on something over her shoulder and said, "What about you, do you think an independent study credit would make the extra work worth it for the Pack leaders?"

Laurell walked up on the far side of Toby, looking harried. "Something had better, man. They wanted me to come ask you if there are any peaceful animal bases, like whales or seals or something."

Jeremy's grin grew a bit feral, and Toby felt dizzy watching. It was the kind of grin Saul gave just before he pounced. "Nope. Although Selkies are technically shapeshifters, they aren't contagious like the other wereanimals, nor do they have a pack-based social structure. They're actually a different genus from humans and lycanthropes. Predators only."

She sighed and looked at the scrap of paper in her hand. "I was afraid you'd say that. Dragons it is, then." She turned around and headed back to the group.

"Poor thing," said Toby quietly. He remembered days when his father's pack had been like that, no solution good enough, always wanting a way around the rules. Those days had been the worst, because he'd come home from the meetings and take his frustrations out on his wife, and when she died, his son.

"I'm sure they'll work it out," said Jeremy, eyes glinting evilly. "Sacrificing for the greater good is at the core of the pack mentality, after all."

Toby smiled to himself, remembering when they'd all decided to get the one-bedroom apartment with better amenities rather than a bigger one with each having their own space, or when they'd given up cable TV and takeout dinners in favor of saving up for a new life. Sebastian had pouted for a week until he'd figured out that he not only enjoyed cooking, he got a weirdly submissive thrill out of doing it mostly naked. They all played those kinds of games, though, and they all certainly appreciated having a designated cook. Especially one who enjoyed being bent over the kitchen counter.

Ben walked up behind Toby, slinging an arm casually over his shoulder and making him bristle. He smelled like too much wannabe-expensive cologne, with the underlying mustiness of a snake's cage. "I see you two got me beat. Well, my little pack would like to be known as the Fighting Tigers."

"I can guess what animal you are. All right, we're just waiting on Laurell's group to decide on a name, then." Jeremy paused to write the name down, then asked without looking up, "What do you think of the class format?"

"It's good, I like that we can spread out the work and really come together as a team." Ben gave Toby's shoulder a squeeze, and Toby resisted the urge to shove off Ben's arm and go hide behind his teacher. It wouldn't be polite, and besides, he doubted he could resist the urge to break a few of Ben's friendly fingers.

"You don't mind the extra work? There may be Alpha meetings outside of class hours." Jeremy's smile had gone cold, his eyes calculating.

"Well, I dunno about extra meetings. I've got football practice almost every day." His thumb began to run along Toby's collarbone. If Toby had had breasts, he'd have sworn Ben was working up to copping a feel. His hackles were rising and he wasn't sure what he could do to get them back down.

"What if you got an extra independent study unit?"

"At the same grade?" asked Anne, drawing Jeremy's eyes away.

Toby missed the answer, because Ben's hand slid inside his collar to stroke his neck as he leaned in to whisper, "I know what you are, whore."

"You couldn't afford me." Toby hissed. He stiffened and pulled away, stepping back and turning as if his pack had called to him. So, Ben knew what he did for a living; big deal. It had happened before and it would happen again, and Toby was pretty damn sure that Ben didn't have the means. Even when business was so bad they had to walk the streets, their exotic good looks brought them prices most street hookers couldn't dream of.

Laurell was standing up, and he used the excuse of meeting her halfway to get out of whispering range. "So," he said, smiling brightly, "Slain any dragons yet?"

She started to glare and laughed instead. "Almost, but we managed to finally decide on a name."

"And that is...?" inserted Jeremy smoothly, cutting off any more of Anne's questions about extra credit.

"The Rainbow Coalition." She sounded quite long-suffering as she said it, and from what Toby had seen he figured it was hard-won and not particularly loved by anyone. Ah, the art of compromise.

"Dragons, right?" said Jeremy, trying vainly to suppress his laughter.

"Yep. Big gay Muppet-loving dragons."

They all burst out in surprised laughter at that, though Laurell's was more of a wry chuckle.

"All right, I've got you all down. Now, *if* we end up having a lot of extra work for you four, I'll talk to the administration about getting you that extra unit."

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy looked around at his little group of leaders, eyes flitting from face to face. Toby, although he dressed like some teenage raver, seemed to have the most leadership qualities. He'd deliberately chosen the kids most people would call geeks and losers, and then woven them together into a coherent whole in about ten minutes. Anne had gone with mostly the grade-chasers, people who, like her, would put aside petty differences if it would get them an A.

Ben had picked out the popular kids, guys like him and girls he wanted to hit on, plus a couple of guys that Jeremy was pretty sure he'd try to foist off the work onto. Laurell and her band of ultra-left-wing feminists and future Greenpeace volunteers were a little too politically correct now, but he was hoping that time would show them how to protect themselves and their pack with the proper bloodthirsty ruthlessness.

"All right, guys, we're going to play a game. It's a variation on truth or dare, except instead of individuals, you're going to ask an entire pack. We have to stay away from anything sexual, to avoid a harassment suit, or anything foolishly dangerous, so I'm trusting you to be responsible." He gave them all his best stern look, and even Ben seemed convinced.

"You're going to be earning points for your pack. It defaults to a truth, and you get one point for answering, zero points for asking for a dare instead, and you lose a point if you pass on both." Anne looked like she was about to speak, so he interrupted, "No, I haven't yet decided what the points are for. The catch is, while the Alpha picks the opponent and asks the questions, the other pack *as a whole* gets to decide who has to give the answer, or vote to take a dare."

Ben had been getting a calculating look on his face, which vanished at the end. Jeremy wondered what potential dirt he had on one of his fellow classmates, so he added, "Also, you can only ask any given question once."

Ben was looking decidedly disgruntled by now, so Jeremy smiled disarmingly and asked, "Any questions?"

Anne, predictably, had questions. "Can you give me an example of an acceptable question and dare?"

Well, this he could handle, anyway. "Well, for a dare, you could ask someone to stand on their head. If no one in the pack could do it, they'd lose a point."

He paused for a moment, trying to think of a good truth question that wouldn't be considered too sexual but would be hard to answer. "You can always ask factual questions, if you can't think of anything else. Or something that's difficult to quantify, like what a certain person has to offer their pack."

He gave them a minute to digest the information, then said, "Anything else? No? All right, go brief your packs and we'll get this thing going. I want each of you to delegate a pack member to keep track of how many questions or dares each person answers within your own pack. I'll track the points up here."

He went over and erased the chalkboard, instead making a column for each pack. He snorted a little when he came to the final pack, something about the Rainbow Coalition for weredragons... He supposed he was lucky they hadn't gone for a Puff the Magic Dragon reference instead.

Things started out tentatively, questions mostly about the atomic weight of this or the author of that, and each pack was well-rounded enough that someone knew the answer. The first dare went to Ben's pack for the director of "Gone With the Wind," which surprisingly no one could remember. One of the big, athletic boys ended up bench-pressing the smallest of the girls an even half-dozen times, saving them the point.

After that it got more cutthroat, obscure and personal. The packs really banded together to help suggest questions and find answers, and there were only a few points lost due to undone dares, although he'd had to overrule one kissing dare as harassment. All in all, it was a success, and he wasn't surprised at all when the Lunatic Fringe, Toby's motley little bunch, turned out to not only have the most points, but the widest variety in who contributed what.

The other Alphas seemed pretty surprised at how things turned out, however. In the end, Laurell's Rainbow Coalition had pulled ahead of Ben's Fighting Tigers for second place, and Anne and her Pride of St. Clements had limped in at fourth, hampered by having a fairly homogenous group with no truly athletic members. Jeremy dismissed everyone but the Alphas ten minutes early, asking them to bring their lists forward while he recorded the points in his notebook.

He already had a vague idea for using the points, but he wasn't about to let them know that -- it would ruin the fun they'd obviously been having, despite Anne's rather disgruntled look at the outcome. She was glaring at the chalkboard as though it was responsible for her Pack's loss. "Well, that's two classes down, only 38 to go. Are you guys starting to get a better feel for your pack's strengths and weaknesses?"

They nodded, the realization dawning on Anne's face of the real purpose of the game. "Well, now you not only have a better idea of who can contribute what, you know where your pack needs to keep an eye out, because you have nobody with that particular skill or knowledge. We'll be talking about that on Wednesday during our first real, honest lecture." Jeremy grinned at the relieved looks that swept over the group.

"Now, I'd like to schedule our first Alpha meeting to discuss your pack's progress," he said, rummaging through his desk until he found his dayplanner.

"How about tonight?" asked Laurell, her success obviously making her more eager to fulfill her role. That, or the promise of an extra credit if there were enough meetings. Toby seemed to sort of shrink in on himself at the suggestion, and Jeremy wondered if he had a shifter in his life the same way Jeremy did.

"I'm sorry, guys, I've always got plans on the three full moon days, of which this is the last. My grandparents on my father's side are members of the Bone Kin, and I have wolf-sitting duties." Toby looked like he'd been hit in the back of the head with a baseball bat. Laurell and Anne both looked impressed, and Ben's face went carefully neutral. No one made it into a graduate-level Paranormal Anthropology class without having heard of the Bone Kin, the nation's richest and most powerful werewolf family, the Kennedys of the shapeshifter community.

Toby recovered the quickest, a slow grin sliding out from under the shock until his whole face was lit up. Jeremy took a deep breath and finished the explanation, "I'm not a member of the clan myself. I didn't inherit my father's, er, ability, and I have managed to avoid being infected since." The rest of them breathed a little easier at that -- the normal kids rarely liked the idea that their teacher might go on a rampage and kill them all one full moon. Toby, on the other hand, went carefully blank again.

Jeremy was pretty sure there was a story there, and it wasn't one he wanted to pursue under Ben's watchful eyes. "How about Thursday afternoon?" he asked instead, consulting his calendar.

"I've got practice at four, but I'm free before then," said Ben, his voice smooth and confident.

Anne was poking deftly at her Palm Pilot, so he looked at Laurell questioningly. "Two's good for me," she said, shrugging.

"I can do two to four," said Anne. They all looked over at Toby, who seemed to be gathering himself up to speak.

"What? Oh, yeah, Thursday two to four. Got it. Look, I've got to get going, ok?"

Jeremy glanced at the clock; their little meeting had taken longer than he expected, and they were past the end of class. "Yeah, sorry, go on. I'll see all of you Wednesday and Friday in class, and Thursday in my office at two. Got it?"

A chorus of assent and the pitter patter of feet on the stairs filled his ears as he shoved his papers into some semblance of order and stood up to go. He found himself face to face with Toby, who was shifting nervously from foot to foot and glancing out the window. "Um, can I help you, Toby? I thought you needed to go."

"I just, um, I wanted to say... I wasn't sure what to expect from this class, but I think it's really good. And if you ever, y'know, need help with your grandparents... I know some people." He shoved a scrap of paper into Jeremy's hand and fled.

Jeremy looked at the scrap. "Toby Smith, 234-555-6969. Anytime, day or night." Toby's handwriting was loose, scribbly, with a long sweep on the lowercase 'y's, and a fancy little loop on the g in 'night'. Jeremy couldn't help but smile at the number, and the kind and compassionate nature it implied. He walked to his office with a light step, buoyed by the small comfort.

Chapter 5

Jeremy was puttering about his office, randomly straightening his piles and generally driving Celia nuts. She nearly bit his head off the third time he rearranged the careful circle of chairs, trying to find some way to make five people not be cramped in the floor space left after two desks and a giant cage were taken into account. "Look," she said in a voice that bespoke great retribution if he didn't agree, "I will make fresh coffee and then get out of here, so you won't have me underfoot anymore."

Jeremy almost panicked at that, but deep down he knew he didn't have anything to worry about. He'd held student meetings before. Class was going well; they'd had a real lecture and picked their pack hierarchies yesterday, and the students had actually applauded when he'd announced that the entire class was, so far, getting an A. He'd had to send away the few stragglers that had shown up hoping to add late, but not a single student that had shown up the first day had missed class this week.

He went over to his desk, where a conspicuous clean spot contained a file folder, a note pad, and a pen and pencil. He opened the folder one more time to make sure he had everything, even though he could *feel* Celia rolling her eyes at him from across the room where they'd set up a little card table with a coffee service on it next to the cage. He'd been meaning to do this forever, to save himself from the horrors of the school's coffee, but it had taken this meeting to motivate him.

There were even fresh whole beans and a grinder, which was whirring happily in Celia's competent hands. "I can't believe you finally sprung for real coffee. I could forgive a lot for..." she paused and looked at the label on the bag, "Peruvian Organic." She looked up at him with a dark mock-glower on her face, "But you'd better keep us well stocked, 'cos otherwise I'm gonna kick your ass if you act like this for the whole semester."

Jeremy grinned, secretly glad that she was back to badgering him instead of the silent treatment he'd gotten after the first half hour of frantic cleaning. "Don't worry, I've got some kind of lifetime subscription. Four bags a month for the rest of eternity, delivered straight to the office and billed to my credit card."

Celia gave a thoughtful look and then grinned wickedly. "I guess they'd cancel your credit card if I killed you, so you're safe for now." She tipped the ground coffee into the filter and turned the machine on, then sauntered over to her desk to gather her things.

"E-excuse me?" said a soft voice, and they both turned to find Toby standing in the doorway. "Is this... I mean, if I'm too early, I could..."

Celia's grin grew calculating. "No, no, honey, you come right on in. I was just on my way out, so I'll leave you alone with the nutty professor here." She shouldered her purse, gave Jeremy a last amused glance, and walked out.

Jeremy did not blanch. He was not afraid of being left alone with a student, and he certainly did not admire the way Toby's tight blue jeans framed his crotch, or the little slice of skin that peeked out from under his shirt as he lifted his messenger bag off his shoulder. Because that would be unethical. Toby definitely wasn't giving him a look that invited such unethical thoughts, because that would just be... bad. Very, very bad.

"There's, um, there's fresh coffee brewing. If you want a cup, there's a thing, that'll stop it long enough..." Jeremy went over and pushed the "one cup" button that stopped the flow of coffee, and poured out a generous cupful in one of the brand-new mugs he'd bought. He even remembered to start the coffee back up again, despite the fact that Toby was now standing right next to him, licking his lips.

"That smells great, professor. Er, the coffee, I mean." Toby blushed and reached for the cup, fingers brushing against Jeremy's.

"C-call me Jeremy, please," he said softly, his voice gone low and breathy.

Toby's blue eyes met his, and he froze, a small part of his brain cataloging the small scar at the top of Toby's left cheekbone, the subtle slant of his eyes, the way his eyelashes rested against his cheek for just a moment as he blinked. The blink broke the spell, and Jeremy released the cup into Toby's hand, pulling away and looking down.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby blinked again, then focused on the mug. It was black, like all of the mugs on the little table, and had a black-and-white snow leopard slinking around the curve to stare balefully at the drinker. A quick glance told him that yes, the other three mugs had a dragon, lion and tiger respectively, and the one on Jeremy's desk showed a howling wolf. "Nice mugs."

Jeremy looked up, glazed eyes clearing as he processed the words. "Oh, thanks. I found them at the same store where I got the coffee maker, and they seemed perfect."

"You, uh, you got this just for us?" Toby's heart fluttered a little, and he felt himself blushing. He covered it by adding sugar and what smelled like real cream from the little ceramic sugar and creamer.

"Well, Celia -- that's my assistant, the girl that just left -- she's been bugging me for ages to get it. You guys were just, you know, motivating." Jeremy's smile was shy and sweet, and made Toby want to do very inappropriate things. Things involving the shackles lying loose on the floor of the big cage they had quite successfully avoided acknowledging so far.

His eyes must have strayed too long to it, however, because Jeremy looked uncomfortable and said, "It's for my research project, in finding out what allows some shapeshifters able to control the change and keep their minds, and makes others into mindless animals. I'm hoping I can find a cure for lunacy within my grandmother's lifetime."

Toby was surprised. He had known shifters who lost their minds at the full moon, known that they needed restraining or caging, but he hadn't known that there was anyone who cared enough to try and cure the problem. Especially not a normal human. Toby looked at the cage, and tried to imagine what it would be like to be so overcome by madness that he had to be tied up, chained to the bars so that Jeremy could...

Oh. Well, he was pretty sure that wasn't what Jeremy did with the shifters he restrained, but damn, it was a nice image. One he couldn't even mentally explore with Jeremy staring at him like that. He took a deep, calming breath and a sip of his coffee, and tried to ignore the other scents that filled the room, layers and layers of Jeremy in almost every emotional state, with the undertone of ink and paper and dust just like every other academic's office he'd ever been in.

Toby wondered if Jeremy could tell, if he'd glance down and see the effect their closeness was having on him. Even standing a foot away, Jeremy radiated heat, and Toby wanted to cuddle up to him and feed off of it. Instead he took another long drink, channeled his desires into the purely sensual pleasure of it. He'd never had coffee this good at home, or anywhere else except with the kind of client that liked to show off his wealth by spoiling the boy before abusing him.

But then, Toby never had the kind of client that just didn't abuse him at all, anymore. He sighed softly, and something in his face must have shown, because Jeremy reached out to him, hesitant. He wanted so badly to respond to the concern in that face, but...

"Am I interrupting?"

They both whirled, Jeremy's face flashing guilt before widening in a genuinely warm smile. Toby couldn't quite make it past mild curiosity, despite the attractiveness of the man in the doorway.

"Not at all," said Jeremy. He was walking across the room, and Toby thought his heart might break if they kissed. "You've already missed Celia, though. I was driving her crazy, so she made us coffee and fled the scene before the meeting could start."

"You better be good to my woman, or she'll make me be all macho." They both laughed, and Toby recognized the intimacy of close friends. There was nothing between them, but he was surprised at the intensity of his feelings. He'd really have to watch just how attached he got to Dr. Forrester.

"And who is this little mouse hiding by the coffee machine?"

"Oh! Peter, this is Toby, one of my Pack Mind students. Toby, this is Peter, Celia's beau." Toby forced himself to walk over and shake hands, taking a good look at the wonderfully straight young man. Who was dating Celia, and took her out of the running for Jeremy's affections as well.

Peter was about Jeremy's height, small for a guy but strongly built. His skin was a soft chocolatey brown and his eyes were the color of good strong coffee, underneath black dreadlocks speckled with what appeared to be paint. More paint liberally splotched his white t-shirt and coveralls, which he somehow wore with style. He even had paint on his Doc Marten rip-offs, and on the warm, dry hand that reached out to grasp Toby's smaller one.

"Pleased to meet you," said Toby shyly. He didn't do a lot of socializing outside of his makeshift pack and their clientele; not a lot of people were comfortable hanging out with shapeshifters, and it was a hard secret to keep from the people you cared about. You either told them right away and risked being judged, or waited and risked being called a liar, or worse.

Peter grinned brightly and replied, "Yeah, same here. If you're here for the Alpha meeting, then I'll be seeing you around a lot. I bum around here when I'm not busy painting." He winked. "Keeps 'em on their toes."

Toby laughed, as he was meant to, drawn in by Peter's open friendliness. "I'll just bet it does." He glanced over at Jeremy, who looked quite pleased that they were hitting it off. "I don't know how much I'll be around, that really depends on Dr. J here."

"Dr. J?" said Jeremy incredulously. Toby grinned defiantly. If anything would keep his mind on their specific roles, a nickname using part of his title might.

"Professor J?" asked Peter, wide-eyed and innocent, sparkling with contained laughter.

"Dr. F?" added Toby, a grin quirking the corner of his mouth.

Jeremy put up his hands in surrender and shook his head, laughing. "Dr. J it is, then. God, now I feel old at 27."

He was only 27? "That's only three years older than me, so you can't use that as an excuse. You're just out of the loop." Toby wasn't quite sure when he'd gotten comfortable enough with Jeremy to tease him, but it seemed to have happened somewhere between his first errant in-class erection and the coffee.

"You are *so* not 24, man," said Peter, giving him a dubious look.

"Scout's honor! I'm just small for my age." Mischievously, he added, "Well, short, anyway."

"Now that is TMI, my friend." Peter was laughing, and Jeremy looked slightly scandalized -- and was that just hopefulness, or a had he also seen a flicker of real interest on his professor's face?

"Excuse me, is this Dr. Forrester's office?" came a feminine voice from behind Peter's broad back.

Peter stepped aside and let Jeremy answer for himself. "You're in the right place, girls, come on in and help yourself to some coffee while we wait for Ben to show up."

Anne inhaled deeply near Toby's cup. "Mmm, that smells heavenly! Don't mind if we do." Laurell and Anne pushed past the knot of men and went over to the little table.

"Oh, look, he got mugs for each of our packs!" squealed Anne, turning back to them with a kind of surprised happiness lighting up her normally harsh features. "They're so cool! Do we get to keep them?"

Jeremy laughed. "They're yours at the end of the semester, yes. For now, we'll keep them here so you always have something to drink out of at meetings."

"Cool," said Laurell, stirring her cup with a little wooden stick. She went over and claimed one of the chairs, and Anne followed.

Ben showed up a few seconds later, and Pete took his leave as they all settled in for the meeting. They talked about the pack hierarchies, and each group's strengths and weaknesses. Jeremy made it clear that they weren't competing for grades, and each pack would be judged on its own merits regardless of how the rest of them were doing, which seemed to mollify the last of Anne's doubts. They talked about the first of the two research projects listed on the syllabus, and Jeremy gave them each a list of possible subjects.

They fell to discussing strategies, getting ideas on how to parcel out the work so that no one student was either essential or totally superfluous to the success of the pack. They were so intent on talking that they jumped when Ben's watch alarm went off at 3:55. "Oh, man, I'm sorry, I've gotta run. The coach'll kill me if I'm late."

"That's fine, you told me you had a commitment. Next week I'll try to schedule us a longer block of time, though, because we'll have a lot to talk about once you guys get the projects under way." Ben gathered his things as Jeremy made a few last-minute notes on his pad. "Don't forget, your groups have to turn in a subject for your first paper at the end of class tomorrow!" he called after the departing student.

Toby hesitated while the girls packed up. He'd had a few more questions, but he didn't want to be a bother if everyone was going home. "Um, Dr. J?"

"Yes?" Jeremy still looked a bit dubious at the nickname, but it had been an instant hit among the Alphas, so Toby was pretty sure he was stuck with it.

"Are you going home right away? Because I wanted to talk to you a bit more about shifting social hierarchies and pack discipline." Jeremy had brought up ideas about how to make sure students did their assigned share of the work. He'd based them on real pack behavior among several different species, but Toby's own experiences with pack life had shown him that no matter how civilized they seem on the outside, most shapeshifter communities ran on fear and pain.

Jeremy smiled over at Toby. "I don't have anywhere to be tonight. Girls, you staying or going?"

"I've got a study group at four, sorry," said Anne, looking sorry to have to tear herself away, and a touch wary.

Jeremy's smile grew comforting. "That's fine, we planned the meeting around a four o'clock ending time. We'll see about making this our regular meeting time, and then as long as you guys keep showing up to the meetings, I'll get you that Independent Study unit." Jeremy seemed genuinely amused at Anne's grade-related paranoia, and Toby wondered what kind of a student he'd been. "Laurell?"

"I'd rather not tonight, I've got homework to do before the rally at City Hall." She and Anne stood and edged towards the door.

Jeremy waved them out and turned to Toby, his smile growing warmer as the girls' conversation receded. "It looks like it's just you and me. Want to go grab something to eat? I know it's early for dinner, but it might be more comfortable than sitting next to the cage." He'd had to explain the cage to the other students, none of whom seemed to quite understand its purpose.

Toby flashed back to his earlier fantasy, of himself chained up while Jeremy had his way with him, and felt the heat rising in his face, the blood pooling in his groin. "Sure, why not? I've got an appointment at nine, but I'm free until then."

"Did you drive? Because I usually eat at this great place, but it's downtown." He looked sheepish and somewhat eager, like a little kid who wanted to share his favorite game, but was worried that the adult wouldn't want to play.

"I usually take the bus, but I live downtown, so if you can drop me off..." Toby wasn't sure how wise it was to have Jeremy anywhere near his home, but in for a penny.... He'd already given him the number, anyway, and god knows who he'd end up talking to -- or what he'd end up hearing -- if he ever did call.

Jeremy got up and began packing his things away, talking over his shoulder. "Really? I live in Orchard Hills, that little residential district just off Eighth Avenue. The one they keep trying to buy out and turn into high rises."

Toby nodded; he knew the place, inordinately expensive ranch-style houses, each on its original lot from back in the days when a back *and* front yard were considered essential. He didn't bother to ask how Jeremy could afford such a place, after his comments about grandpa being Bone Kin. It might even have been in the family -- a lot of those places once housed the mistresses of the political elite, and a few still did. The rest were mostly the grown kids of rich parents, or double-executive families who wanted to be close to the night life but still have room for the kids to play.

Jeremy looked shy again suddenly, and he added, "Trust fund," blushing.

"I figured, you being baby Bone Kin, even if you're not furry." He bit his lip; the term 'furry' had just slipped out, one used mostly by shifters amongst themselves, or derogatorily by rednecks. Much like 'queer', a term Toby and his friends also bandied around casually. They'd never come up with a name for their little makeshift pack, because every time they tried, they'd ended up giggling on the floor after the fifth suggestion of "Cocksucking Furries" or "Queer Kin."

Jeremy gave him a calculating look, and then asked evenly, "You want to explain that, or should I just let it slide?"

Toby blushed, and shook his head mutely. He honestly couldn't think of anything he could say that didn't require looking like a complete idiot, or coming out of the shifter closet a bit sooner than he'd wanted to. He knew Jeremy probably wouldn't care, but he didn't want it to get around, either, and once a secret was out, it had a way of spreading without any assistance.

They stood in silence for a few moments, and the tension grew. Toby kept shooting glances from cage to door to Jeremy. A familiar low burn was building in his stomach, a mixture of desire and shame. Despite his leadership skills, a part of Toby craved submission, wanted to crawl to Jeremy on his belly and beg forgiveness, beg for punishment, or mercy. His breathing quickened a little as images flowed liquid through his brain, one after another.

His reverie was broken when Jeremy blurted out, "What's your natural hair color?"

Toby blushed deeply. "The white is natural, but I've also got, er, some black. In spots." His body was mostly covered in sparse, fine white hairs, even the legs, but the curls at his groin were the wooly texture of a snow leopard's fur, complete with miniature black rosette markings.

"Oh!" said Jeremy, his mouth making an enticing little 'o' of surprise that Toby just wanted to slide a finger into and see if he'd take it. Jeremy's cheeks had high spots of color, giving him an almost feverish look as he hastily packed away the last of his belongings.

Toby smiled, hoping it wasn't too predatory, and asked sweetly, "What about you? Got any interesting tattoos or shaved bits?"

Jeremy choked on his last swig of cold coffee, and Toby scooted over to pat him on the back, laughing. "Sorry, but you asked for it."

"I guess I did. All right, let's go before I put my foot in my mouth again." Jeremy put a hand in the middle of Toby's shoulder blades and gave a gentle shove, propelling him towards the door. The heat of his touch lingered long after he removed the hand, and made Toby shiver in the evening chill when they exited the building.

"I don't mind, you know," Toby said softly as they made their way towards the faculty parking lot.

"What?"

"You asking. I don't really mind, I mean... some things are harder to talk about than others, but I've always been pretty much shameless when it comes to that stuff." He risked a sideways glance at Jeremy's face, and felt a small thrill when he saw the confusion turn to a soft, wondering smile.

"Well, I do have something interesting, but it isn't a tattoo or shaved bit. Although the shaving..." Jeremy ran into him, bumping shoulders for all the world like a teasing teenager, a silly grin on his face.

"Nipple ring, right?" said Toby, just to see if he'd been right.

Jeremy reddened again. "It shows?"

"You, er. The second class, your shirt was loose, so when you bent over to read, you kinda flashed the class your chest." Toby gave a discreet little cough and made sure his bag was firmly in front of his crotch. "Left or right?"

"Er, both." Jeremy shot him an inscrutable look and blurted, "You're not gonna report me for sexual harassment or anything, are you?"

That shocked a real laugh out of Toby, startling some passing students. "Lord, no." He stopped, taking Jeremy's shoulders. "Look, Dr. J, I'm not like some of those kids. I'm not in it for the grade, or staying late because I think it'll get me some edge. I just like you, and I'm interested in what you've got to say."

Again that soft look of surprised wonder hit him like a two-by-four to the back of the head, and Jeremy whispered, "Oh."

Toby grinned at him, then winked, and said, "Now come on, you promised to feed me."

"Now you sound like my cats," complained Jeremy good-naturedly. "Well, this is it."

Toby coughed again, trying to quell the many comments he could make. They were stopped in front of a Jeep Liberty, complete with another iron-barred cage filling the back. Even the back seat had been taken out to make room for it, so it was merely a two-seater. Big stickers on the doors said, "Shapeshifter Behavioral Institute" around an official-looking seal.

"You can transport rogue shifters?" said Toby, surprised, meekly letting Jeremy take his bag away and stow it in the small storage space under the cage, where the leg room would have been had there still been a back seat.

"We don't have a real containment facility yet, but that's due to be finished at the end of the semester. I'm going to be switching to part-time teaching and full-time research in the spring." Jeremy actually walked around the car and opened the door for Toby, who climbed in, pensive. They'd been lucky so far; all of the shifters in Gabe's stable kept their sanity during the change, but he knew it was just a matter of time before Gabe acquired one who didn't.

They sat silently while Jeremy maneuvered them out of the school's maze of interconnecting parking lots. Toby contemplated the enormity of what Jeremy was really doing, the compassion it took for a normal to devote his life and his career to making life better for shapeshifters. Someone like that would have to be absolutely trustworthy in order to get volunteers, since most shifters tried to pass as normals whenever possible, and many of them would lose jobs or homes if they were outed too soon.

Toby had a sudden idea, and asked tentatively, "Are you, er, looking for volunteers? Or staff?" Maybe this was their way out; some projects like this provided room and board and even a small stipend to their research subjects, and he had a feeling that they'd be well-treated in Dr. Forrester's facility.

Jeremy looked at him, calculating. "You know shapeshifters who might be willing to participate?"

"I, uh... yeah. But they're all of the non-loony variety." Lunatic took on a whole new meaning for shifters, who literally lost their minds because of the moon.

Jeremy looked very interested at that. "Honestly, I've got plenty of lunar madness cases to study, it's the people who can lead normal lives that I've had a hard time attracting. How many?"

Toby laughed, because it was so obvious that Jeremy didn't want to seem too eager. "Five... including me." He looked shyly over at Jeremy, holding his breath and hoping this hadn't alienated Jeremy for good.

"What base?" asked Jeremy, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, voice carefully neutral. It was almost cute, watching him try so hard not to scare Toby away when Toby had been worried about Jeremy's reaction all along.

"Well, I'm not a mouse, so you can stop worrying." Toby gave a small snort of derision and smacked Jeremy on the arm lightly. Jeremy glanced over in surprise, but kept on driving as Toby added, "I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't willing to talk about it."

"You're really a shapeshifter? How do you manage being a student and still losing so many work nights a year?"

Toby squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. "Let's just say my employer is willing to work around the conflict because of the benefits he gets." That was vague enough; a lot of jobs would love to have shapeshifters because of their strength, speed and healing abilities. One Bone Kin-owned construction company boasted an entirely shifter work force, which could command higher prices by getting things done in half the time, with almost no losses due to illness or injury.

"That's... totally unclear, but I can see you're not ready to talk about it. Do I get to know about your animal bases or your friends' work situations? The study would take up a lot of their time for at least a year."

"They work with me," he said quietly, then continued on in a much cheerier voice, "We're like a weird fake pack of misfits, we all live together in my apartment. I'm a snow leopard, Saul is a white tiger, Sebastian's a black jaguar, David's a black leopard and Mercury is, of all things, an albino cheetah, white with grey markings."

Jeremy shot him a very odd look, then turned into a parking lot. They'd arrived at the restaurant when he wasn't paying attention, and Toby had to laugh. It was Edie's, the old-fashioned 24-hour diner he and his packmates ate at when they felt like blowing the money on a good breakfast after work. They were literally across the street from his apartment.

"What's so funny?" asked Jeremy, bewildered. He got out of the car and opened the back door to retrieve their bags while Toby came around to his side.

"My apartment building? Is right there," he said, leaning around Jeremy and pointing at the awning in front of his building.

Jeremy chuckled and armed the alarm, then handed Toby his messenger bag. Toby looped it over his chest and headed into Edie's, eyes automatically seeking out their usual corner booth. Just his luck, it was not only occupied, it was occupied with his packmates. Saul spotted him and waved, obviously a bit drunk, calling out, "Cub! Getcher butt over here, man, we're havin' us couple of drinks with dinner."

"More like a couple of dinners with drinks," added Sebastian, poking Saul in the ribs. They were all dressed to the nines -- vinyl and mesh, leather and steel, and looking very much like a bunch of rent boys out for a meal before their workday began.

Toby took a deep breath and turned to Jeremy, saying, "These are my friends I mentioned earlier. I'll understand if you want to sit somewhere more..."

"Toby's got a date!" said Sebastian, loud enough for the entire diner to hear.

"Private," Toby finished, despairing of ever finishing their conversation.

Edie herself was heading over to check out the pair of them, and likely pass judgment on Toby's supposed date. "What's this... Why, Professor Forrester, what are you doing with the likes of my boy Toby here?" She shot Toby a wink and a grin, then added, "Not that I don't love him like a redheaded stepchild."

"Very funny, Edie," said Toby, before Jeremy could speak. "I'm in grad school now, remember? Dr. Forrester offered to go over some class notes with me."

By this point the entire diner was looking at them, and they were both bright red. Edie looked him up and down critically and said, "Well, that explains why you're all drab sparrow amongst the jays today. I didn't think you even owned any respectable clothing."

"Edie!" he said, exasperated.

"We'll just sit with his friends, if that's ok," interrupted Jeremy, and Toby shot him a baleful look.

"Lovely, then. Here's your menus, I'll get one of the girls to come take your order once you're settled in." Toby looked over at the group again, and back to Jeremy. Four drunk rent boys and one shy, handsome college professor. Poor Dr. J didn't stand a chance.

Chapter 6

Jeremy trailed after Toby, unsure if there was actually room for the two of them at the corner table; he'd really just wanted to get out of the doorway. He had little hope left that everyone would stop staring. Eyes followed them to the booth, where the boys slid incestuously close to make room for two more bodies. He gave up and stared himself, taking in the rather motley group.

Toby, looking practically monkish in his tight jeans and tighter t-shirt, had snuggled right up to the man who'd originally called out to him. Jeremy's heart contracted as they kissed, and Toby said softly, "Be nice, Saul, he's a good guy."

Saul grinned back and kissed the top of Toby's head, then looked up at Jeremy and winked. He was tall and wiry, a swath of caramel skin below his black vinyl crop top showing perfectly toned abs. Toby's hand was shockingly pale where it rested just above the waistband of his vinyl pants, and Jeremy had to close his eyes as it snaked around inside the weathered black trench coat so they could embrace once more.

"I'm Saul, by the way." The voice was warm, rich, deep. Jeremy opened his eyes to meet Saul's chocolate-brown ones, the slight slant making him look exotic beneath his multicolored bangs. Unlike Toby, the rest of his hair was combed back instead of shaved short, but otherwise they made a perfect pair. Ah, well.

"Dr. Jeremy Forrester," he said, reaching out automatically. "Jeremy," he added as Saul extricated himself from Toby enough to shake hands.

"Well, Jeremy, I'm drunk!" chirped the boy next to Saul. A strikingly beautiful face was framed by the blackest hair Jeremy had seen, and he wondered if it came from a bottle. He'd grown used to werewolves, with their tendency towards stocky, furry bodies and iron-grey hair and eyes; these boys, cats all of them, were sleek and pretty and boneless. But no less dangerous, he thought, watching Saul's eyes narrow.

Toby missed the exchange as he laughed, saying, "This is Sebastian. Sebastian, shake the nice man's hand."

Sebastian grinned and leaned forward, emerging from behind Saul to reveal a loose, short-cropped pink tank top, which gaped when he leaned forward to reveal one peaked nipple in an expanse of perfectly smooth tanned chest. His pants rode so low that Jeremy didn't even glimpse them, despite him having to come up out of his seat to reach across the table. Sebastian was the willowy slender build of a model, graceful even plastered, and he gave everyone a good view of the long, smooth line of his body. "Pleased ta meetcha," he said drunkenly, giggling.

When he sat down, the boy next to him leaned forward without prompting. "Mercury," he said shortly, grey eyes wary. He was the archetypical club kid, wearing nothing but black from eyeliner to fingerless gloves, mesh shirt showing heavy silver rings in his nipples with a chain running between them outside the mesh. His shoulder-length hair was dyed a silvery lavender and fell over one eye like a pale curtain. His hand was warm and strong when Jeremy shook it.

"And that's David," said Toby, pointing to the Chinese boy at the end, who gave a shy little wave. He had black hair cut short and spiked, eyes of a brown so dark they swallowed the light. David was the only one not dressed like he was for sale, wearing a loose black costume straight out of a kung fu movie. Jeremy shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the casually sensual poses they were striking. Even the relatively conservative David was sliding his arm in long, hypnotic strokes, the hand to all appearances situated firmly in Mercury's lap.

Jeremy blushed and looked down at the menu, having no idea what the correct etiquette was about staring when they were so obviously trying to get him to look. He already knew what he would order, knew the menu by heart, so it didn't matter that his eyes were refusing to focus. He felt overwhelmed, so many answers to so many questions all in rapid succession, and the answer to the last of his research problems practically sitting in his lap. Or, really, in each others' laps.

He risked a glance up and saw that Saul and Sebastian were now necking drunkenly, and Toby was looking at him, as if waiting shyly for some kind of judgment, approval of his friends. Jeremy took another look around the table and this time instead of seeing their clothes, he took in the genuine smiles, the easy affection that fed the sexual undertones.

"Do you still want to consider us for the project?" said Toby, his voice quiet and almost defeated, like he expected the answer to be a resounding negative.

"Of course. We'll have to get permission from all their pack leaders, but there's plenty of time before January to do that. If they're even interested," he added, glancing dubiously at the group.

"What's he talking about, Toby?" asked David, leaning forward, finally interested. His hand never faltered in its steady stroking, and Mercury leaned back ostentatiously, eyes defiant as if daring Jeremy to comment.

Toby's eyes lit up, shining almost triumphantly as he explained, "Dr. J is opening a research facility to try and cure lunar madness in shapeshifters, and he needs volunteers who aren't afflicted for a live-in study."

The table was suddenly still, and the buzz of people around them washed in to fill the void. Snatches of conversation drifted past, but he let them go by unheard, concentrating on holding his own against their intent stares. He almost jumped, Saul's voice was so low and rough when he asked, "What kind of study is it exactly?"

"I'm going to be testing factors, both physical and psychological, that might contribute to lunar madness. Especially observing people in the way they react to the change, and in the kinds of things that will drive them into a rage-change ahead of schedule." Shifters almost all went mad when they changed in anger or pain, and only a very few with powerful wills had ever managed to keep from going on a killing spree afterwards.

Fortunately for everyone, even shifters with a temper were hard to push past the point of self-control, so such incidents were rare, maybe a dozen each year for the entire country. "What kind of tests?" asked David quietly.

"Well, there's going to be two psychologists on hand, one that specializes in anger management and one that's a shapeshifter herself and works for the Bone Kin in private practice. For the physical tests, we'll do a genetic workup, and regular physicals with blood and urine tests to see if there's some chemical compound that builds up more in one set than the other. If we don't find anything that way, we may ask permission to do a bone marrow sample and spinal tap, but that's about the extent of it."

"How do we know you won't try and cut us up?" said Mercury in a dead, flat tone. His eyes were hollow.

Jeremy was shocked. "What good could possibly come out of that?"

They were all silent for a moment, letting the question hang in the air. "Why'd ya say you needed to talk to our Alphas, anyway?" slurred Sebastian. "Toby's right there." He pointed, then arched sensuously into Saul so he could reach to run long fingers down Toby's cheek.

"You're all one pack?" That was, in its way, more shocking than Mercury's question. They were all nodding, smiles breaking out at his continued bewilderment.

"You didn't tell him you're our Intrepid Leader?" David teased. "We were all packless, runaways and outcasts, but Toby... he showed us that we had everything we needed in each other."

Jeremy suddenly understood, and his world tilted sideways. "So, then Saul's obviously the Beta." It was a scientific term, like Alpha, since each type of were had its own designations for the pack hierarchy. A beta could be anything from second in line to bodyguard to enforcer. Saul seemed to be a little of each, and Toby's lover as well.

"I guess you could call it that." Saul's voice was amused, indulgent. He was talking to Jeremy but looking at Toby. They all were, eyes glowing with affection, pride, and love. A real pack, despite having no two animal bases alike. The anthropologist in him was delighted, eager.

"So, I'd have a tiny, complete pack of werecats at the center if you guys joined up?" That had all kinds of other possibilities. Normally, no Alpha of any species would be able to take the time out to help him, but any shifter respected the Alpha of even the smallest pack in a way they wouldn't respect any human. It took something really special to be a leader in the sometimes brutal world of shapeshifters, especially the kind of leader Toby seemed to be.

Toby grinned. "Yep. And trust me, we're looking for a way out of our current living situation." Nods and murmurs of agreement swept around the table.

"What can I get for you two, now?" said a voice at Jeremy's right, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. The waitress, a pretty young undergrad student named Liz, was waiting patiently for him to order.

"I'll have a bite of you," said Saul, winking.

Liz laughed. "You've got your plate full already, I think. And I was talking to Dr. Forrester and Toby, anyway." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he licked his lips.

Everyone else laughed, and Toby grabbed a menu, looking sheepish. Jeremy grinned and said, "I'll have the usual, and coffee." He pretty much always got the same thing, eggs over easy, on top of roast beef hash and chunky fried potatoes. Sometimes with OJ, sometimes milk, but tonight was a coffee night. There was just too much weirdness to go without caffeine.

"I'll have steak and eggs, you know how I like 'em," said Toby, his voice back to the shy, soft tenor that he'd used the first day of class.

"Raw and bloody, got it." She tucked her pad away and walked off, but was quickly replaced by Edie herself with two mugs and a pot of coffee.

She walked off, shooting a glance over her shoulder and saying, "You boys need anything else, you let me know." Jeremy stared after her, wondering who she was more worried about -- him, or Toby.

"So, would we get paid?" asked Mercury as she left, and he turned back to the table. All eyes were on him, and he was struck again with how different they were from werewolves. They were all gorgeously vulgar, sprawled against the red vinyl of the booth with an androgynous feline grace, eyes hooded but intent, just like Fitz with a bug in his sights.

He wondered just what kind of prey they saw, what they thought when Toby sat down with his geeky, mousy brown professor. He was thin, but not sleek like Sebastian or wiry like Saul, just thin and a little awkward, nothing much to look at in his thick, round wire-framed glasses and tatty school clothes. They radiated sensuality, all five of them, but somehow he just couldn't see it directed at him.

He dragged his mind back to the topic at hand. "You'd get room and board, and a small stipend. If Toby wanted to apply for one of the internships, he'd get a bit more money, but have more duties away from the pack." He looked over at Toby, snuggled into Saul's embrace like it was home. "Um, I don't know where you are in school, though -- we're only taking people with a Masters or better."

Toby looked thoughtful and said, "I'm really just marking time with classes until I can get my thesis approved." He made a face. "Which would be taken care of by now, but my advisor doesn't like the topic and keeps trying to make me change it."

"Well, what's the topic? I might be able to kill two birds with one stone by taking over as your advisor and taking you on as a second TA, which would fill the second research assistant spot nicely." He grinned; he liked Toby, completely aside from the obviously hopeless attraction, and he'd enjoy working with him. Plus, he could use someone to help defend himself against Celia.

Toby sat up, suddenly alert. "You mean it? Because I've had my paper in with Dr. Krogh forever, and he just doesn't want to approve it. It's called 'Pack Dynamics in Humans: Social Hierarchies and Status Symbols'."

Jeremy laughed, then quickly explained, not the least bit oblivious to the darkening expressions of Toby's little pack. "No wonder you weren't getting anywhere. Dr. Krogh's pet theory right now is that humans and shapeshifters are completely different species, and should be classified as such."

Toby made another face and said simply, "I know." His tone said worlds about just what he thought of that particular theory.

The rest of the boys relaxed again, David's hand in Mercury's lap speeding up a touch while Sebastian plastered himself to Saul. Sebastian reached over and prodded Toby, saying in a singsong voice, "So is that why you brought him here, to talk about the study? Or are we interrupting a da~ate?"

Jeremy blushed and looked down into his coffee. He covered his embarrassment by reaching for the cream while Toby answered evenly, "Actually, he was going to talk to me more about the class, but I think that's pretty much out."

He added sugar, stirring and refusing to look up into the eyes of the group. He wasn't much older than Toby or Saul, but he was pretty sure that the other three were in their early twenties at the oldest, and the last thing he needed was a bunch of werekids seeing that he had a crush on their pack leader.

Sebastian squeaked, and Jeremy's head shot up just in time to see Mercury's hand come up from under the table holding a fork. Jeremy was positive he didn't want to know what part of Sebastian's anatomy it had just been poked into. "Leave the poor guy alone, can't you see he's havin' a hard enough time as it is?"

Sebastian rubbed his ass and pouted, then moved so he was draped over Mercury instead of Saul, his hand disappearing suspiciously near David's. "You know I love it when you wear this," he said, voice lower than before but still carrying clearly across the table.

Jeremy figured it was all right he was blushing constantly, as it kept the blood occupied and away from the other parts of his anatomy it was considering visiting. He was saved once again from trying to make conversation when the food arrived, including his and Toby's late orders. "Thanks, Liz," he said sincerely, knowing she'd have had to put a rush on his order to make it come with the rest.

"Can I have the ketchup, Dr. J?" asked Toby, reaching out plaintively while she passed out the rest of the food.

Liz put the last plate down with a bit more force than necessary, then asked, "Anything else I can get for you boys?" She turned and looked at him, eyes twinkling. "Dr. J?"

He gave her a wry grin, sighing at the continued popularity of his new nickname and said, "No, thanks, I think I've got my plate full here."

"Ain't that the truth!" she said, swishing her hips at him as she walked away. They'd always flirted, but he'd never had the heart to tell her he just wasn't interested, no matter how sweet she was. It wasn't her fault she wasn't his type.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby had been really nervous about introducing his conservative-seeming professor to his pack, and he felt that his nerves were totally justified. He was absolutely sure that David had been doing something really dirty and wrong to Mercury, although probably not what Dr. J thought. Mercury loved toys, and David loved molesting Mercury with his toys. Sebastian just loved everything, and was always glad to lend a helping hand, especially if he thought it would freak out the normals.

Toby sighed and snuggled into Saul. For all his seeming stoicism, Saul was really the most passionate of all of them, up for pretty much anything, anywhere, with anyone. He just happened to have enough self-restraint to keep from freaking out the waitresses -- they got Liz every time now, because she didn't mind the show. He was pretty sure she got off on it, in fact, and equally sure that Saul had stepped in to help her out in the back room a time or two. Plus, they gave great tips.

Toby picked at his food, hunger chased away by equal parts hope and nerves. He didn't know if Jeremy was regretting his offer now that he'd seen the pack of wildcats, but he was sure to have his doubts. Still, if volunteers were as hard to come by as Jeremy had implied, then they could probably count on him. That moved up their timeline a bit, and he wasn't sure they'd be able to pay their respects when they left, which might bring trouble to Jeremy's doorstep that the mild-mannered professor just didn't deserve.

Not that a facility full of shapeshifters couldn't most likely handle anything that Gabe could send their way. He may look small, but every single shifter he'd ever met, himself included, could easily have ripped apart a car with their bare hands, given the motivation. Images of just what that strength could do to Gabe renewed his appetite, and he dug in with gusto. Around him, his packmates were all eating in companionable silence, but Jeremy was a bundle of tension.

"So, why're you guys here, anyway?" Toby asked, trying to restart the conversation. Usually they only ate here after work, at the end of Liz's shift instead of the beginning.

"Gabe came 'round, and we didn't wanna stick it out, so we told him we had dinner plans. Not that he wasn't plenty quick." Snickers ran around the table. Poor Jeremy just looked confused.

Saul looked thoughtful and asked, "We gonna have enough for our ticket out by January, cub?"

Toby shook his head, "Not unless we start doing double shifts, or more groups." He shot Saul a look that tried to convey the need for discretion.

Saul nodded. He'd always been smart as well as pretty, and Toby gave his knee a quick squeeze. "I could probably put in a few more hours. My clients don't usually take as long as yours." Saul only rented out as a top, and as such he was the one that set the pace. Toby's clients could take as long as they wanted for the kind of money they were paying.

Toby leaned across Saul to steal a sausage off of Mercury's plate. Jeremy smiled a bit at this, like he thought they were just a bunch of kids out for dinner. Toby was surprised he hadn't figured out that they were all for sale, but then, Jeremy hadn't yet seen the pink heart right over the crotch of Sebastian's leather pants. Or looked under Mercury's tented skirt to see the fishnet stockings and a torture device of metal and leather trapping his cock and holding it semi-erect.

Toby had only gotten a glimpse of what David was doing, teasing up and down between the rings while eating calmly with his other hand, but it was enough. He had no idea how they'd get out of here without causing a scene, but then, he had no idea how they'd gotten in. Maybe Mercury had a long coat somewhere to hide his predicament, or maybe David had had the gall to put the thing on him when they got there. Toby knew from experience that the loose, sheer layers of Merc's skirt would do nothing to disguise the state of his cock.

"I can probably schedule a few bigger groups, too," said Mercury, following Toby's gaze and thrusting upwards, the metal glinting just above the edge of the table. Toby's eyes went wide and he glanced over at Jeremy, relieved to see the professor's gaze still firmly on his food.

Toby tried to focus on his own plate, but the rest of the boys had noticed his wandering eyes, and they were all conspiring in their own small ways to get him worked up. Mercury propped one foot on the seat, leaving his legs spread under the table and out of Toby's line of sight, and seconds later David's hand motions changed. Saul ran a finger down Toby's spine and he jumped, sending his fork clattering to the floor.

"I'll get it!" said Jeremy brightly, and Toby panicked.

"No!" he said quickly, reaching out to keep Jeremy's gaze above table level. Jeremy froze, uncertain, and Toby forced his voice to be even as he said, "No, let me."

He slid down under the table and stopped, fascinated. David was now fucking Mercury with the same red toy that Toby had worn last Friday, the slow strokes going in and out and in again. Mercury was sitting on his leather trench coat, one high-heeled foot on the floor, the other shoe waiting beside it and the matching stocking foot braced not on the edge of the seat but firmly kneading in Sebastian's lap. The skirt fell in a dark curtain, so that the show was only really visible from Toby's current vantage point.

"You ok under there?" asked Jeremy, voice concerned. He was leaning down again, and Toby quickly scrambled to get his silverware and get back up into the light.

"Got it!" he said, coming up brandishing the now-useless utensil. Jeremy's eyes were a bit wide, and Toby wondered for a moment just what he'd seen. Until he saw his professor's eyes flick down for just a second, and realized that his shirt had ridden up, and his very erect cock was peeking out from the top of his own rather low-slung jeans.

He blushed furiously and tugged his shirt down, determined to pretend nothing had happened, and glared at the three on the other side of the booth. They seemed to finally get the message, and Mercury's knee disappeared again as David's right hand made its first appearance of the night. As revenge, Toby stole Mercury's fork to use to finish his own meal, leaving him to share with David in a disturbingly cute way, considering what they'd just been up to.

Jeremy seemed to be very much with the plan of pretending nothing had happened, and had gone back to eating, cheeks still red. "So," said Mercury, normally soft voice full of amusement, "What are you teaching our fearless leader, anyway?"

Jeremy looked up, his face relieved. "He's in one of my graduate-level Paranormal Anthropology classes, Pack Mind. We're learning how all shapeshifters have some sort of pack hierarchy, regardless of animal base, and how many of them function as social structures." He glanced over at Toby, and Toby smiled encouragingly around a mouthful of steak. "Not that he needs a lot of instruction. So far, he's my best student."

Saul ruffled Toby's hair and said, "That's our cub. He's smart as a whip, and gonna get us all a better life."

Jeremy got this odd look again, and then asked shyly, "Um, if it's not too nosy... how did you all end up without packs of your own, anyway?"

All eyes turned to Toby, and he blushed furiously. "We've all got our stories. Me, I was the pack leader's son, and his punching bag." Toby left out the part about being his fuck toy, figuring it was probably information Jeremy really didn't need just yet. If ever.

Jeremy looked predictably sympathetic, although it seemed more sincere than it usually did, like he'd really tried to imagine what Toby had been through and not just filed it away in his head under "bad childhood." "Ouch. How long have you been on your own?"

"I ran away when I was fourteen, a year after my mom killed herself." A year after his father had decided that any port in a storm would do, and his son had a couple of holes he wasn't using.

"Well, I can't say you're doing badly. You've obviously got a much better family now than you did then." Jeremy's voice wavered slightly, and Toby wondered for a moment if he'd given something away when he'd spoken.

Jeremy was looking down, coffee cup cradled in his hands, when Mercury spoke softly. "I was fourteen when I left, too. I was getting my ass kicked at school, because I was gay and weird and wouldn't fight back. Then one day, I did fight back, and someone died."

Jeremy nodded, met Mercury's eyes. Something passed between them, and Toby was suddenly glad that chance had brought them all together tonight. They'd needed something real to hope for instead of the nebulous dreams of someday that were all Toby had been able to offer.

"I was kicked out of the Clan when I was attacked," said David softly, taking Mercury's hand above the table. "They gave me a one-way ticket and got me my papers, and forbade me to ever contact my Clan again."

"Your Clan... Dragons," said Jeremy softly. "You're the exiled prince of Dragons."

David shook his head sadly. "Not anymore."

Toby's heart ached. He knew all their stories, but he'd never really realized how much it still weighed them all down. "I got kicked out for being extremely gay," said Sebastian. His voice was cheerful, but his eyes held the shadows of old pain. "The Silent Death aren't exactly an open-minded pack."

"I'm an attack survivor," said Saul. "I never had a pack."

"I was orphaned when my dad got out of his cage during a full moon," said Jeremy softly, and Toby's heart went out to him. "They had to shoot him to stop the killing. My mom committed suicide when she found out she was infected, because she couldn't stand the idea of going crazy like he had."

Toby could feel something shifting in the circle. Whether he knew it or not, Jeremy was theirs now, the shared pain binding him to their pack more than any obligation could. David actually got up and came around the table, then shoved himself silently in next to Jeremy, pushing Jeremy practically into Toby's lap.

"Welcome to our life, Dr. J," said Sebastian as David snuggled up, sniffing his neck appreciatively. Toby snaked an arm around Jeremy's waist, and Saul threaded his fingers carefully into Jeremy's hair, pulling out the ponytail holder and toying with the long strands. Sebastian and Mercury snuggled into each other, Sebastian's fingers twined with Saul's free hand.

Edie came up just then, eyes sparkling. "I see the boys have adopted you," she paused for effect, then said sweetly, "Dr. J."

Jeremy groaned and they all laughed. "I will never, ever live this down, will I?"

Edie grinned. "Not a chance." She topped off everyone's coffee and left the check, then went to refill cups at the next table.

"Um, David?" said Jeremy timidly.

"Yeah, Dr. J?" His voice was muffled in Jeremy's neck, and one hand was creeping steadily up his thigh. Toby felt a small spike of jealousy that David had the freedom to do what he didn't, but he pushed it away. He had Jeremy's friendship and trust, and that was going to have to be enough for now.

"What would you do if I said I was straight?"

Toby's breath caught.

David, on the other hand, laughed softly. "Call you a liar. You want us, I can smell it." His hand moved up to cup Jeremy's crotch, and Jeremy pushed it away almost reluctantly. "I can feel it."

Jeremy laughed breathlessly and said, "All right, yeah, I'm gay. But I don't... I mean, I'm not comfortable..."

"Lay off, David, he's not Mercury for chrissake," said Saul, stepping in to the poor professor's rescue. Toby was too busy reminding himself how to breathe from the dual weights of relief and envy. Once they got back to the house, he knew he'd be grilling David about every little detail -- they all had to have smelled Toby's desire when they came in and known who it was for, so there was no need for him to be coy with them.

David slid his hand up Jeremy's hip to rest safely over his stomach, and leaned his head on Jeremy's shoulder. "Sorry, Dr. J, I just got carried away. But you must know that you're welcome to any one of us, now."

"W-what?" squeaked Jeremy. Toby almost laughed at the look on Jeremy's face, shocked and bewildered like he'd been hit on the head.

Sebastian was the one that clarified, much to Toby's chagrin. "You're pack now, in a way. Pack shares. Plus, you're pretty hot." Jeremy jumped a little, and Toby looked down to find Sebastian's toes in his lap.

It was Toby who pushed Sebastian's foot away, saying, "Cut it out, you guys. Can't you see he's not the type for a public orgy?"

"How about a private one?" said Mercury, tugging on the chain between his nipple rings.

Jeremy went red up to his ears, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times before he could get any sound to come out. "I- ohgod. Look, as tempting as the offer is, I can't..."

Toby laid a comforting hand on the very neutral ground of Jeremy's upper arm. "It's all right, Dr. J. They're just eager to make you feel welcome."

Jeremy turned somewhat glazed eyes to meet his, and then blinked. "Well, I feel very welcome. But I'd like to, er, stand... if that's ok."

David laughed and planted a single soft kiss on Jeremy's cheek, then slid out of the booth to tangle up with Mercury and Sebastian. Jeremy got up, snagging the check on his way. He gave it and a credit card to Edie with a few whispered words that Toby missed due to Saul's breath in his ear, then went resolutely towards the men's room.

Toby gave him a long minute to take care of business, then sat up and announced, "I'm gonna go see if he's really ok."

Toby pushed through the swinging door to find Jeremy gazing sightlessly into the mirror, water dripping down his face. Toby grabbed a couple of paper towels and walked over, holding them out in front of him like a peace offering. "I'm sorry about that, Dr. J, they can be a little overwhelming."

Jeremy started a little, then turned and took the paper towels, his smile flashing gratefully before turning wry. "It's ok, but... do you always welcome new pack members with group sex?"

Toby blushed a little and said quietly, "Er, that's the tradition. We're just all very... passionate."

"You can say that again," said Jeremy turning back to the mirror. He pulled down his collar to reveal a livid love bite from David. "Celia is so not going to let this go."

Toby giggled. He couldn't help it; the image of Celia ribbing Jeremy about the mark, and him trying to explain.... Well, it was worth a few giggles. "Speaking of you and interns, when should we meet about switching my advisor?"

Their conversation turned back to school, and they emerged from the bathroom talking quietly and companionably. The pack had already cleared out of the booth, presumably to give the two of them some privacy. Toby went over to grab his bag while Jeremy finished paying for his part... "Hey, did you pay for that whole thing?" asked Toby sternly, when he didn't see a tip on the table.

"Sure did, honey, and he told me not to take a penny from you kids tonight," Edie answered for him. Jeremy just signed the slip with a flourish and winked at Toby.

"Let's go, I think they're waiting outside," said Toby grumpily. It was too late to argue, but he'd find a way to pay the professor back. Dr. J might be from a rich family, but that didn't mean they were going to take advantage of him.

"I think I'll just slip quietly into the night, if you don't mind," said Jeremy. "I'm not sure I could handle the goodbyes."

Toby laughed, and then again harder when they made it to the parking lot and he saw the boys waiting by Dr. J's Jeep. There was definitely a feeling of ambush going on here, but he knew they'd be harmless now that they'd offered and Jeremy had refused. "Too late," said Toby, his voice only a little smug.

"Brat," said Jeremy, ruffling his hair affectionately. Like a big brother almost, and Toby sighed a bit. Still, it was better than nothing.

Saul stepped up to them, solemn-eyed. "Welcome to our pack, Jeremy Forrester," he said, his voice a low growl. He stepped close, taller body practically engulfing Jeremy in a one-armed hug. The other hand went to tip Jeremy's chin up, and Saul lowered his face slowly, giving Jeremy plenty of time to refuse.

Jeremy seemed to know that this was something of a ritual for them, and closed his eyes in acceptance, wrapping his arms loosely around Saul's waist. The kiss was deep and slow, a seducing kiss. Toby rarely saw it fail, but he had a feeling tonight would be one of those times.

They were both breathing hard by the time Saul released him, and Jeremy had that glazed look again. Toby inhaled, smelling their lust, and waited impatiently. "Welcome to the pack," intoned Sebastian, still a bit drunk. His kiss was hotter, messier, and Jeremy's hands roamed the expanse of tanned flesh left exposed by his outfit.

Mercury stepped up, sliding into the space as Sebastian left. His coat hung open, skirt tented over the glint of metal through the sheer chiffon. "Welcome to the pack," he whispered as he pressed himself into Jeremy, licking at his lips before taking his mouth like a prequel to sex. Jeremy laced his hands through Mercury's hair and leaned into him. Toby was hard just from watching, and he wondered what Jeremy must be feeling.

Jeremy swayed when Mercury broke away, and David was there at his back to catch him. He breathed the words of welcome into Jeremy's ear, then slid around from behind with as much full-body contact as possible, slinking and sliding like the cat he was. He licked a long stripe up Jeremy's neck, then threaded his hands through Jeremy's hair, holding him still for a long, slow kiss. Jeremy's hands slid up beneath the silk, seeking warm skin, and Toby's breath caught.

Their kiss came to an end, and David gently turned Jeremy around, releasing him to Toby's care. Toby slinked up, unable to keep himself in check, and ran gentle fingers over Jeremy's cheek. "Outcasts and orphans no more, we are Pack. Welcome."

A shock ran through him as their lips met in what he'd intended to be a chaste kiss. Jeremy's mouth opened in a silent moan, and Toby's nature took over. Toby ravished Jeremy's lips, biting and sucking, tongue seeking the heat of his mouth. A part of him knew that nothing could come of this once they left this spot, and was determined to make the best of it.

Jeremy's hands slid along his waist, teasing at the skin exposed there, fingers sliding under the edges of his clothing. Toby moaned and thrust his hips into Jeremy's, feeling an answering erection. He was barely aware that Saul had come up behind Jeremy, cradling him from behind and grinding his hips in, mouthing wetly at Jeremy's ear and neck.

"Jeremy," breathed Toby as warm fingers curled around Toby's hips, digging into the tender flesh.

Jeremy pulled back and gave him a indecipherable look, holding Toby's gaze while he gave one long, slow stroke of his thumbs in the hollows of Toby's hipbones. Saul's hand reached around between their bodies, cupping Jeremy's cock, and Toby pressed himself into Saul's hand as well, making Jeremy gasp.

"You belong now," Toby said softly before doing the hardest thing he'd ever done and stepping away. Saul took his cue and pulled his hand back, holding Jeremy steady against his chest until he found his balance again.

Jeremy looked around, making sure to catch the eye of every one of the five pack members before resting on Toby. "Thank you," he said softly, his voice still ripe with desire, eyes burning with sincerity.

Toby stepped in and placed one last, chaste kiss on Jeremy's lips; it was an acknowledgement that he was leader, and that he and Jeremy might never kiss again. He felt his heart begin to bleed as he stepped away. Jeremy looked down, emotions flitting over his face like the frames in a silent movie, too fast to see each one but slow enough to watch the motion as they flickered past. He covered by fumbling in his Jeep for a pen and paper, scrawling down a list of numbers.

"Here's my contact info, everywhere I can be reached, including my cell phone. A-and my address, if you ever need me. I live alone, and you can find me there except for full moons. My grandparents' number is there, too, though. I'll give their staff your names, b-but try my cell first if there's an emergency." He looked up, meeting Toby's eyes, his own shuttered and clouded. "Or if you just need someone to talk to."

Toby took the paper and tucked it away like the precious gift it was. Jeremy had resources none of them could hope to touch, and he'd just given them carte blanche to call on him. Even just to talk. "I will."

David tapped him on the shoulder, handed him a napkin. On it was scrawled all their names, first and last, and the private cell numbers that not even Gabriel had. Toby handed it over, saying, "We're not home much at night, but the phones are always on. Call anytime, we're up late."

Saul poked Jeremy in the arm and dropped a key into his hand. They all had extras, just in case. "We're apartment 1013. We'll tell the doorman to let you go up even when we're not home. I-if you ever need to get away." Their apartment wasn't the safest, but he didn't think that Gabe would be dumb enough to try anything with a stranger, especially not one that screamed respectability the way Jeremy did.

Jeremy pulled out his keys and put it on the ring. "I-I don't have extras on me.... If... if you wanted to come home with me tonight..." He let the offer hang in the air, and Toby wondered what it had cost him to make it.

He closed his eyes against the reality of what he had to do, leave behind this wonderful man for another session of abuse and mindless animal fucking. "I... we have to work, Jeremy. I'm sorry."

Jeremy smiled wanly, and said, "That's fine, it's not like I won't see you tomorrow. I'll have keys made." He looked around the group again. "I don't know why, but... I trust you guys."

Toby dropped his eyes. He wanted so badly to just jump ship right now and abandon their old life, to start over with the promises in Jeremy's sad eyes. "I'm sorry, but... bad things happen when we don't show."

Mercury shuddered. He'd missed the last train back from visiting a friend once, and had to cancel on a party of twelve. Gabriel had not been pleased. He'd made them all walk the streets for a week instead of taking private appointments, blowing guys in alleyways and wondering if the next one would have a knife, or a gun. Nowadays, they didn't miss work, ever.

Jeremy looked at them, like a veil had been lifted from his eyes. "You... you're..."

"Love for sale," said Sebastian softly, even his usual glib cheerfulness subdued for the moment.

"Oh."

They all moved in, until he was encircled by the pack. "We didn't choose this life, but we're stuck in it for now," said Toby softly.

Jeremy looked up, and Toby saw sympathy and pain in his eyes. "I'll get you out of it, I promise."

Toby smiled softly and cupped Jeremy's cheek. "We'll count on it."

He leaned up on tiptoe and kissed Jeremy's forehead, like his mother had done when he was a child. Jeremy's eyes were suspiciously bright and Toby had to smile through his own pain. How had a casual dinner turned into this? Looking into Jeremy's face, he thought perhaps it was just meant to be. "You know," said Toby, almost conversationally, "We don't have a pack name yet."

Jeremy laughed, eyes leaking at the corners. "I'm sure we'll manage something. For when we get you that new life."

"For a new life," said Saul softly. The others echoed raggedly, and then the circle broke and the moment was over.

They wandered towards the crosswalk, giving Toby a moment of privacy with Jeremy. "Jeremy, I..."

"Don't worry, Toby, I know you didn't mean anything by it. I've seen how you are with- with the rest of them. I don't have any expectations." Jeremy turned to go, and Toby almost stopped him but couldn't find the words. Didn't think this was the time for them, anyway, not with so much left between them, a stretch of months or even years as student and teacher.

"Goodbye, Jeremy. Thank you." He thought his voice sounded hollow in the cool night air, at odds with the fresh burn of hope in his chest.

"Bye, Toby. See you tomorrow."

Chapter 7

Jeremy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet whoosh of the wind past his window. The air in his room held the bite of autumn, but didn't quite carry the dark promises of winter he knew would be coming with the trick-or-treaters in a few short weeks. He sighed, wishing that he could either force himself out of bed or get back to sleep, instead of being stuck with insomnia in the cold pre-dawn hours. He turned his head and tried to meditate on the candle flame, deep-breathing exercises that only brought to mind the feel of David's breath on his neck.

Toby's lips on his own. Toby's body -- the warmth of soft, smooth skin beneath his fingers. The hardness pressed against Jeremy's own answering heat. The peek of Toby's uncircumcised cock out of the waistband of those sinfully tight jeans, just begging to be freed from its confinement. The feel of his lips, his teeth, his passion being bled into Jeremy's mouth through their kiss. He sighed again and closed his eyes, dipped a hand into the soft silk of his pajama pants, and let the memories wash over him.

A few short minutes later, he was quite motivated to get up and clean the swiftly cooling mess off of his stomach, shirt and hand. The hardwood floor was peaceful, but freezing on his feet, and he resolved again to find a simple throw rug to get him from the bed to the bathroom. Or some slippers. He was quite awake by the time he made it there, huddling on the small rug like he was afraid the floor might rear up and bite him, so he shrugged and started up the shower.

The room warmed slowly, filling with steam while he stripped. Edward and Ogdred finally realized he was awake and wandered through the half-open door -- he used to close and lock it, but the cats were all very insistent they share the bathroom experience with their human. They twined themselves around his naked calves, purring and rubbing and generally making it impossible for him to walk across the room until he gave in and scratched them to their satisfaction.

He had just managed to escape into the shower stall when he heard the door creak and saw Fitz pushing his way in. He closed the curtain, knowing he would probably find the whole lot of them outside on various perches, staring lazily up at him when he got out. They seemed to enjoy the company, and it was one of the few times they didn't end up fighting. Much. He lathered up, wondering about Toby's pack, just how they had a established the pecking order and if there were ever any bids for dominance.

He froze when it finally hit him. In the haze of frustrated lust, he'd barely acknowledged that he'd been adopted. He was part of a pack now. Toby's pack. Toby and Saul's pack. Shit, Toby and Saul were so obviously together that even if he weren't Toby's teacher he was quite definitely out of the running for anything but the kind of casual group sex the whole pack seemed to take for granted. And while he was interested both as an anthropologist and someone with, well, eyes, he was pretty sure he'd die of embarrassment before he could take them up on the offer.

He stood under the water for a long time, trying to wash his inappropriate -- and utterly hopeless -- feelings for Toby down the drain with the suds. He shut the water off when it started to cool and got out, smiling when four pairs of eyes turned towards him, each one trying to convey the absolute starvation they were experiencing due to his obvious neglect. He dried off haphazardly and wrapped a towel around his waist, heading into the kitchen to feed the ravenous horde at his heels.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby was exhausted, physically and mentally. He'd come home from a horrible session with yet another rich asshole Gabe had dug out of the woodwork with promises of a repeat performance, which is just what he needed, although he did have the cold comfort of a sizeable tip. His back and ass were crisscrossed with swiftly fading welts, and blood had dried to an itchy crust on top of them. He had wax stuck in his pubic hair and he was probably going to have to shave it down to stubble to get it out, which was pissing him off to no end.

On a normal night he might even have relaxed enough to enjoy it; the top was skilled at what he did, he just wasn't much for easy clean-up. But not now, after his few glorious moments in Jeremy's arms. At least, they'd been glorious before Jeremy had made it very clear that he'd only done it for the pack, and would not be offering a repeat performance. He sighed, tapping his foot impatiently while the elevator glided upwards towards the tenth floor and the relief of a shower and a friendly smile.

The elevator door slid open and he got out, stalking down to the end of the grey-carpeted hall. Subdued lights ran along the wall in fake Art Nouveau sconces, making the silver-striped wallpaper glow. He unlocked the door and called out, "I'm home!" as he entered the apartment, only to find it deserted.

He tossed his bag and coat on the floor and made a trail of vinyl from the door to the bathroom, leaving things where they fell in his haste to strip and get clean. A moment of private time was almost as rare as a night off with no full moon, and he wasn't going to waste it. He had the shower warmed up in no time, and grabbed the green tea scented bath wash they all saved for special occasions before he hopped in.

The smell reminded him of eating lunch at the local Chinese restaurant with his mom, ordering a dozen crab rangoons even though it was just the two of them, and drinking pot after pot of green tea. The management let them sit and play gin even after the restaurant closed for lunch, as long as they paid first and Toby was willing to get up and refill his own pot of tea. He felt a painful flutter in his chest, like a bird with broken wings trying futilely to escape, and shook himself.

He wasn't sure where this nostalgia was coming from, but he knew how to cure it. A good book and some strong coffee down at Edie's would do it, or a long walk through the hushed streets at 3am, smelling the world and scaring the alley cats. He'd escape before the others got back, and just enjoy some time to himself -- it wouldn't be his first sleepless night before a class, and probably not his last.

That decided, he washed his hair with renewed vigor, resolutely ignoring his body's gentle suggestion that there were other, better things for him to be rubbing with lather. He almost always took matters into his own hands after a client, or had someone else in the shower with him to help out, but tonight it just didn't feel right. His all-too-brief moments with Jeremy had started a spark of heat inside him that he didn't want to put out too soon. Instead, he rinsed and dried quickly, throwing on a pair of black leather pants and an oversized shirt made of loose-woven mesh, with his handy trench coat over the lot.

Toby grabbed his school bag just in case and stuffed a book into it -- urban fantasy short stories he usually snatched bits of between classes. He slipped into what he privately thought of as his ass-kicking boots, knee-high leather biker boots with steel shin and knee guards bolted to the front, grabbed a pair of Mercury's fingerless satin gloves for warmth, and headed out the door. He checked the time on his cell phone. 3:22 am. With luck, he'd be able to grab some coffee to go and get in a good long walk before he had to change and head to his 9 am class.

* ~ * ~ *

The cats fed, Jeremy puttered around the kitchen, at loose ends. He put some water on, wanting the meditation of sipping tea rather than the harsh wake-up that even good coffee gave him. With the heater on and the water boiling, the kitchen was getting quite cozy, and he clicked off the overhead light once he'd set the pot of tea to steep. The light coming through the windows was grey, making everything seem fuzzy and indistinct, much like his feelings. His attraction to Toby should have been sharp, painful, but everything surrounding last night was muffled in cotton, shrouded in fog.

The room slowly filled with sound; the crunch of cat food between sharp teeth, the seductive whisper of wind through the fruit trees out back, the first chirping bird of the day. He did his breathing exercises again, bringing clarity to some things and pushing others away, becoming slowly aware of the gently revitalizing scent of the tea, the musky perfume of his overpriced conditioner, the meat-and-grain smell of the meal being eaten at his feet.

He closed his eyes and thought about sensation, the floor warming slowly under his feet, the water trickling down his front and back from his hair, the draft of air wending its way up under the low-slung towel. He brought the cup to his lips, blowing gently on it before taking a careful sip of the hot liquid. The flavor that caressed his tongue was familiar and new, subtly unique. The bright clarity of filtered water was overlaid with just a hint of bitter tannic acid, the deep woodsy undertone and the sweet perfume of jasmine finishing the flavor off perfectly.

His eyes flew open as he heard a tentative knock at his door, shattering his meditative state. Who could it possibly be at -- he glanced at the clock -- 5:30 in the morning? He set the cup down carefully and walked to the front door. There was a baseball bat convenient in the umbrella stand along with a number of other oddities, although not one single actual umbrella. He grabbed it and peered carefully through the myopic peephole, trying to see if his visitor would oblige him by standing in its very limited field of vision.

He was shocked to find himself looking at the shaved white hair on top of Toby's newly familiar head, and he flung the door open without a second thought. "Toby! Are you all right, did something happen?"

Toby looked up and his eyes went wide. "I... oh! I, no, I'm fine. I was just in the neighborhood and I saw your light... well, it *was* on," he finished dispiritedly.

"What were you doing out at this hour?" he asked, stepping aside to let Toby in, putting the bat back in its resting place. Toby brushed past him, his coat cold against Jeremy's bare skin.

Jeremy blushed when he realized that he was still wearing nothing but a towel. He'd completely forgotten he was practically naked in the rush of concern for his new pack. Toby was looking around the room shyly, gaze flicking to Jeremy and away again like he was afraid to look Jeremy in the eye but too embarrassed to look anywhere else. "I... sometimes I can't sleep, so I walk. I wasn't paying much attention, and m-my feet led me here."

"Oh," said Jeremy, unsure of what else to say. "Well, there's tea in the kitchen if you'd like to pour yourself a cup while I get dressed, or you can make coffee..." he trailed off. Toby's eyes were now riveted on his nipple rings, and he felt a stirring below that was entirely inappropriate.

He coughed gently and Toby looked up quickly enough to get whiplash, guilt making his eyes look huge. "T-tea is fine, Dr. J." He straightened and looked around, blushing. "Where...?"

"Oh! It's in here." Jeremy led the way, blushing deeper when he realized the towel had been slung low enough to reveal not only the trail of hair down his stomach but a few tufts of the fur it led to. He adjusted the towel upwards a bit, hoping that at least he wasn't mooning his student. "Let me grab you a cup."

He had a set of hand made Japanese teacups, softly rounded curves in the palest blue he'd ever seen, which he'd bought himself at a fair one day. They looked like robin's eggs fallen from the nest, the tops sheared neatly off and the bottoms left open, except the insides shaded subtly from nearly white at the rims to a blue the color of the sky on a bright winter's morning in the depths. Each cup was a slightly different shape and weight in the hand, and he pulled down the smallest, most delicate of the set for Toby.

His towel slipped a little as he reached, exposing the rounded tops of his cheeks -- and not the ones on his face. "Wow," said Toby softly, with a note to his voice that said he wasn't just talking about the cups.

He handed the cup off quickly, making a grab for his towel before he completely lost his dignity. "They're from Japan," he said, trying to cover his embarrassment. "The tea's Chinese, though. Jasmine." He made a break for the door before he could humiliate himself further; his body was beginning to remember Toby from last night, and the last thing he needed was to make a tent of his towel.

* ~ * ~ *

Jasmine tea. Lao Tsing's had saved the jasmine for special occasions, like birthdays and the Chinese New Year, and served it just like this, whole leaves loose in the pot. His mom had always said it was lucky to get a few tea leaves sneaking out into your cup so you could read your fortune when the tea was gone. His walk hadn't done much to curb his nostalgia, instead reminding him painfully of everything he couldn't have as he walked out of the high-rises and into the Orchard Hills community where Jeremy lived.

The skyscrapers of the downtown area petered out here, becoming older and shorter like mountains turning to foothills until you got to the rolling plains of one- and two-story houses with their big, tree-filled yards. Fruit grew heavy on many of the trees, apples just begging to be picked, their colors stolen by the darkness but their scent riding the air like temptation. He'd snagged a pair of them from some anonymous house, heart contracting painfully at the swing set rusting in the front yard, forgotten by kids now too old to use it.

He'd had one of those in his back yard, the tiny patch of weeds surrounded by a high fence to keep prying eyes away. He'd loved it as a young boy, swinging as high as he could go and wondering if he just pushed hard enough, if he could fly. Instead, he'd been brought painfully down to earth when his father caught him one drunken night after his mother's death, face shoved into the dirt, stomach scraped raw by the cracked plastic seat as his father raped him.

He hadn't stayed long after that, nor had he ever forgiven the man for ruining one of his few pure childhood memories. He'd wanted to touch the blue vault of the sky once, and he was just now starting to see it again through the clouds of his past. He finished off his tea in one long swig and stared into the bottom of the cup, not really focused on anything. He jumped and almost dropped it when something hit him in the ankle, then grinned and set the cup down as he bent to pet the orange tabby butting against his legs.

"I see you've made one friend, at least. Toby, this is Fitz. Fitz, be nice to Toby." Jeremy had a strange little smile on his face as he walked over to pour himself a fresh cup of tea. He'd put on a pair of loose, sage green slacks that looked like fine linen, with a nearly translucent white oversized shirt. The pants had cuffs, and the shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, making him look a little bit like a kid in his dad's clothes, and Toby hid a smile of his own.

"More tea?" Jeremy asked, pot poised over Toby's abandoned cup.

Toby stood and put a hand around the cup, nodding, his fingers warm against the cooled porcelain. Jeremy poured carefully, like every drop was precious, or Toby's skin as fragile as his own. The cup warmed under his fingers and a tingle ran up his arm, desire pooling quietly in his stomach. He took a sip, adding the tea's heat to his own, and watched Jeremy drink through half-lidded eyes. He got a glimpse of one gleaming nipple ring as the shirt shifted, saw the flesh around it wrinkle as the fabric brushed over it.

His own nipples tightened in response, and the heat in his belly trickled lower. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. He thought he'd had it under control until Jeremy had opened the door in just a towel, beads of water still glistening on his surprisingly muscular chest. Even knowing from their too-brief contact what Jeremy was hiding in his pants, Toby had expected the rest of him to have the softness of most academics. And that single bead of water that had hung, suspended, from one of Jeremy's nipple rings... he flushed at the strength of his own remembered desire to lick it away.

"When do you have to be in to school?" Toby asked, his mind presenting him with a very intriguing list of options for what they could do to pass the time. He told it where it could put those options, and it presented an image of Jeremy stuffing something else there instead. He coughed to cover the sudden rush of desire, and Jeremy patted him on the back.

"My first class is at 9:30, but Celia likes me there a little early so she can try and force me to be more organized." He grinned like a naughty child as he added, "It never works."

Toby was not going to offer to spank him for her. Really. "Mine's at nine. You think maybe I could catch a ride?"

"Of course, I kind of figured you would. Once you showed up on my doorstep, at any rate." He coughed gently, cheeks coloring. "I obviously wasn't expecting company this morning."

Toby couldn't help it, he laughed lightly and said, "I don't mind. I'm used to my packmates wandering the house in less. Or more that's worse than less." He remembered the day Mercury had gotten the Gates of Hell he'd had on last night -- he'd worn that and nothing else around the house for two days.

Jeremy sighed and said, "About that... are you guys really sure you want a normal in your pack?"

"Well, the decision was kind of spontaneous, but it was obviously unanimous. If anyone had disapproved, they wouldn't have kissed you." Toby felt his pants beginning to stir at the memory. Jeremy's fingers had been cool, his grip firm, and all Toby had wanted to do was shove those tentative hands down the front of his pants so they could finish what they'd barely begun. Stepping away had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done.

Jeremy was looking at him pensively, eyes shuttered. He shook his head, took a sip of his tea and grinned, leaving Toby to wonder at what he'd seen moving in the depths. "Not that I'd ever question your ability, but how did you get to be pack leader? I've never been able to study a newly-formed pack, let alone been part of one. For all I know, your pack might be the only one of its kind in North America."

Toby felt the passion waning as the memory flooded in, and he smiled. "This is going to take awhile. Got somewhere we can sit and finish our tea?" He toasted Jeremy with his cup and took another sip, letting the subtle flavors dance on his tongue just a moment before he swallowed.

Jeremy was smiling again, all traces of the previous mood erased. "Sure, let's go into the living room. If Edward and Ogdred won't give up their chair, we can always share the couch." He grabbed the half-full pot and led the way into the other room. Toby raised his eyebrow when he saw a perfectly empty chair. "Um, that one's kind of... broken. Don't ask."

Toby raised the other eyebrow at that, but didn't ask. They sat comfortably on the ancient couch instead, nestled amongst a horde of throw pillows and lumpy cushions, Jeremy tucking his feet underneath him to curl up almost like one of his kittens. Toby leaned back, asking silent permission before propping his booted feet on the battered coffee table. He took a deep breath and another sip of tea, and began his story.

Chapter 8

Toby was cold, hungry, and tired, but he needed to make this week's rent or he'd be stuck sleeping outside during the full moon, which was never a good idea. He hated hooking, but at 18, with no ID, no experience and looking more like a starved 12, there wasn't a lot else he could do. He adjusted his tight denim short-shorts so they were low enough to show off his belly but high enough to hide the garter belt holding up his fishnet stockings, and tried to look more sexy than desperate.

He was pretty sure he was a day late and a dollar short, and the frustration built in his chest like a low growl as car after car passed him by. He felt his eyes going feral, always the first to change, even on the full moons, and ran a hand with fingernails gone suspiciously sharp down the side of his face. The car passing him by slowed, and he continued their downward path, ripping through the crop top he was wearing like it was tissue paper and trailing along the top of his shorts.

The car stopped, and Toby stepped up. "Somethin' I can do for you, luv?"

"You're furry, aren't you?" The man's voice was breathy, his eyes wide.

He smelled of fear and lust, and Toby gave him a sensual smile full of pointy teeth. "What of it?"

"I'll give you eight bills to come back to my hotel room."

Toby's eyes went wide, then narrow. "You a cop?"

He shook his head frantically, and dug out his wallet. He had to be new, flashing that kind of cash on the street. He was counting under breath that came in quick pants. "I'll give you $1100. That's all I've got."

Toby leaned into the window, tongue slinking out to wet his lips. "Where you stayin'?"

The man's eyes flicked down to where a line of soft black-and-white fur disappeared into the shorts, then back up to Toby's face. Toby knew the bones would be sharper, the ears just a touch higher and longer. He'd have a hard time holding back if the guy wanted anything kinky, but if all he wanted was the thrill of doing a shapeshifter, then it would be the easiest two months' rent he'd ever made. "Hilton and Towers."

Pricey. This guy probably had never hired a hooker before, didn't know what to expect. Toby let his eyes roam over the man's tubby, balding form, forcing a false desire into his gaze. "What've you got in mind?"

"I... I'd like to fuck you." There was nothing fake about the heat suffusing the man's round cheeks, or the scent rising off him in waves.

Toby slipped a hand into his pocket, pulled out a condom. "You ok with this?" He'd found that visual aids helped a lot with the new ones.

"Y-yeah! Whatever you want. Just... please. Get in." He looked around, suddenly paranoid, belatedly unlocking the door. Toby got in, still wary for tricks. "I'm, er, Marlin," he said, driving towards the hotel.

Toby smiled at him, predatory, dangerous. "You can call me Snow." He never used his real name with customers.

"Snow... is that because of your hair?" His eyes kept flicking around; Toby, road, mirror, Toby.

Toby gave him a half-lidded stare from behind his blue-white bangs, a hunting stare. "Something like that."

"W-what..." Marlin trailed off, as though he didn't know the polite way to ask. Toby suppressed a laugh at the thought of a john unwilling to offend a streetwalker he'd just hired. Especially for that kind of money.

"Snow leopard," said Toby shortly. He felt almost dirty talking about it, like he was selling something private. None of his other clients had known what he was, but then, none of them had paid nearly so well, either. Just a straight $40 for a blowjob in the alley, or $100 for a quick fuck.

Marlin was looking more nervous, and kept opening his mouth like he wanted to ask another question, or kick Toby out of the car. Toby couldn't afford to lose this trick, so he set aside his own problems and concentrated on putting on a performance that would keep his client interested. He licked up his middle finger, flicking the tongue over the claw-nail at the end. Marlin's breath caught, and his eyes slowed down. Toby. Road. Toby.

"You ever had a shifter before?" asked Toby, voice a low growl. He circled his nipple with the moist pad of his finger, then dragged the claw lightly over it. He let himself gasp, willed his body to react. He took a deep breath, feeding on the smell of fear and desire filling the small space, and spread his legs as far as he could.

Marlin shook his head wordlessly. He barely remembered to turn into the hotel parking lot, to show the attendant his parking pass. Toby had made himself as unnoticeable as possible then, covering up his torn shirt with the half-forgotten vinyl trench coat, but as soon as they were in the dimly-lit garage, he flung it wide and went back to his teasing. He was pretty much at the point of no return as far as Marlin chickening out went, but anything that made the actual deed go faster was worth his while.

Marlin had gone silent, and jumped when Toby ran a clawed hand ever-so-lightly up his leg. "Are you ready for me, Marlin?"

Marlin was looking resolutely forward, desperately searching for a parking space. He pulled sloppily into it just as Toby's hand reached his erection, and he whimpered when the hand was pulled away. "Let's go upstairs, all right?"

The quickest way to get kicked out of one of these nice hotels, after all, was to be whoring in the parking garage. Security guards loved to watch through their grainy little cameras, but they loved even more to get a free sample when they busted you. Toby put an extra sway in his walk, not hard on the four-inch stiletto heels, and led his prey to the elevators.

Luckily for him, they didn't even have to see the Lobby. He knew he looked like what he was, and the finer establishments frowned on their upstanding business clients bringing in streetwalkers -- they had much more exclusive escort services on call if you knew who to ask. Toby had longed for such a post, one person a night by appointment only, but he just didn't have what it took. Connections, or a special talent. He was just your average aging whore at this point, barely staying away from drugs or starvation.

Four years on the street had taught him that there were worse things than being raped by your father. But not enough to make him go back. He glanced over at his latest conquest. Marlin's eyes were still glazed, and he didn't seem to have noticed that Toby's cat-features were fading out as he went from angry to pensive.

Toby took another deep breath, trying to keep his desire building so he could put on a good show. Marlin and his $1100 deserved that much, at least. The elevator door dinged open on a blessedly deserted hallway, and Marlin practically ran to his room like a frightened mouse. Toby let out a little bit of his inner predator and gave chase, stalking after Marlin like the dangerous animal he was.

* ~ * ~ *

"Wait, if you were 18 when you met Marlin, and 14 when you ran away..." Jeremy trailed off, and Toby took pity on him.

"There aren't a lot of jobs out there for 14 year old boys on the run. I did what I had to do. It wasn't as bad as all that." It was worse, sometimes, but Jeremy didn't need to know that.

* ~ * ~ *

A week later, he'd gotten a visit from someone claiming that Toby was horning in on their territory. The pimp didn't even try and push him around, just told him that he'd better either stay away from the Hilton, or join up -- and he could start by handing over the lion's share of his earnings from Marlin's quick, furtive fuck. Fortunately for Toby, he hadn't spent much of it, and in less than an hour he found himself $1000 poorer, and with brand new management.

Gabriel Matheson wasn't a bad pimp, although the very first thing he'd done after being paid was take a free sample right in Toby's dingy little room, bending him over the rickety bed for all of a minute and a half. He moved Toby in with his other "specialty item" as he called it, a werecheetah named Mercury who did private autoerotic performances. The ratty little one-bedroom apartment with its own bathroom and tiny kitchenette was a bare step up from Toby's old roach-infested room in a vagrant hotel, but it was warm and vermin-free, and best of all, the rent was paid through the end of the month.

After a little bit of wary circling, he and Mercury got along beautifully. Toby's own penchant for bottoming, and his miraculous shapeshifter healing abilities, allowed him to take a very special class of client for more money than he'd ever dreamed -- for $2000 a night, of which he got to keep $400, he'd put up with some blood and pain. Gabriel himself enforced the johns' compliance with the basic rules -- nothing permanent, nothing scarring, no moonstone.

After all, it wouldn't do to have the merchandise ruined. Toby's skills grew more specialized over time, and Mercury was working on becoming exclusively a floor show, with no touching at all. He wasn't yet in demand enough that he didn't have to take on the occasional 'regular' client, but Toby did his best to take the furry-lover appointments in Mercury's stead, and held him close at night when he couldn't.

They shared a bed at night, just a queen-sized box spring and mattress on the floor, and it was inevitable that they'd end up as casual lovers. Their lives settled into a routine; sleep all day, work at night, comfort each other in the cold pre-dawn hours. Gabe tossed a third shifter into their apartment at one point, but the werewolf hadn't gotten along with the cats or the clients, and he hadn't lasted more than a few weeks. More than a year passed before the routine was disrupted.

* ~ * ~ *

"You're telling me you're a professional masochist?" Jeremy's eyes were wide, concerned. Toby didn't look too closely, afraid of what else he might find. Pity. Disgust. Even desire would be too much right now.

"We've all got things we do well. That's what I do." He looked up, afraid to, but more afraid not to. "It's what I am."

Jeremy blinked, and Toby could see the images behind his eyes rearranging themselves. "You... you like it?"

Toby blushed unaccountably and said, "Sometimes. A part of me, always, but... it's better when it's with someone I like."

"Like Saul." His tone wasn't accusatory, but almost sad. His eyes were unreadable, his scent as confused as Toby felt.

"Sometimes, yeah."

* ~ * ~ *

The two of them were curled up on the little futon in the middle of the living room, Toby reading up for his GED tests, Mercury watching some awful made-for-TV movie. A key rattled in the lock and they both turned, suddenly tense. Only one other person had a key, and Gabe's visits were rarely pleasant, if usually brief. Toby slid out of his shirt as the door swung open, hoping to distract Gabe from Mercury's silk-robed form.

"I've got a new roommate for you, kittens," said Gabe as he walked in the door. A tall boy trailed in behind him, with the mostly-finished look of someone in his late teens. "This is Saul. He's been whoring for awhile, so hopefully he'll last longer than that wolf."

Saul's face was carefully blank, his stance almost belligerent where he leaned against the now-closed door. He was wearing a black leather trench coat over a blood-red vinyl shirt with a series of widening cutouts starting from just below the high neck to disappear into the top of his low-slung black jeans. The strap of his duffel bag crossed over his wide chest, but the shirt left his toned caramel abs bare to the eye. Multicolored bangs fell over flat brown eyes as he surveyed them with equal wariness.

"I'm Toby, and this is Mercury." He tried to be welcoming, but you never knew what Gabe might try and bring home. "Snow Leopard and Cheetah."

"White Tiger." Saul looked around the apartment instead, with the same noncommittal expression. "Only one bedroom?"

"We manage."

Gabe was grinning. "Hope it works out with you three. I've half a mind to give up on the normal ones and just stick to your kind. You're worth any five normal whores." He pulled the door open and left, chuckling to himself.

Saul pushed away from the wall and stalked towards them, and Mercury snuggled into Toby's bare back, hiding. Their eyes followed his movements through the room as he sniffed, touched. The duffel bag was flung carelessly into a corner, and he disappeared into the bedroom. Toby fought the urge to get up, follow him, watch every move, and instead turned so that he could hold Mercury.

Mercury was trembling a little. The last time Gabe had been there, he'd insisted on having him, despite Toby's attempts to divert his attention, and he'd even made an effort to draw things out. He'd started and finished with things other than his own body, trying to make it last. Mercury hadn't quite recovered his normal aloofness around Gabe yet, although Toby knew from unfortunate past experience that he would in a week or so.

Toby wondered if Gabe had been brave enough to test out Saul yet. He shook his head, knowing it was only a matter of time, and wondered if Saul would put up or end up in jail, or worse. Gabe might come off as just another asshole, but he knew he was dealing with dangerous creatures. He'd shown Toby the knife he'd had made with Toby's initiation fee, a slender, delicate blade made entirely of shining white moonstone.

Saul poked his head out and raised an eyebrow. "What's with him?"

"Gabe," said Toby, figuring either Saul would know enough about his new manager to get it, or he wouldn't.

"Ah." There was a heartbeat of pause, and then, "Gabe's an asshole."

That broke the ice, and left them all laughing until they were breathless. Mercury sat up, letting his robe fall open, and Saul's eyes warmed. "You two boyfriends?"

Toby and Mercury looked at one another, then broke down into giggles again. "We sleep together, but... No. Just... no," said Mercury, wiping his eyes.

Saul raised an eyebrow at them, and let the coat slide off his arms to pool behind him in the shadows. He stepped forward into the light, showing off his broad shoulders and wiry physique. Toby felt a stirring of interest, and he felt Mercury tense up in an entirely different way. "Interested in getting to know me better?"

Toby gave him a long, slow once-over, from biker boots to blue-violet-and-black hair, and smiled. "Both of us?" asked Mercury, hand hovering over the belt to his robe.

"If you're up for it?" He made it a question, not pushing, just inviting.

They were up for it.

* ~ * ~ *

"That didn't take long," said Jeremy, smirking. After all the horror, it was kind of amusing to hear that they'd acted like the horny teenagers they were, at least with each other.

"I beg to differ," said Toby, eyes sparkling. "It took hours."

* ~ * ~ *

They all slept together after that, tangled up like naked kittens, or furry ones when the time was right. Saul fit right in, and even started to take over some of the leadership role that had previously been Toby's by default. He talked to Gabe the most, and helped arrange their appointments around the demands of the moon. It all came to a head one night when Toby came home to find Mercury crying after what was supposed to have been a routine appointment.

"What's wrong, Merc?" Toby dropped his bag and stumbled over to the bed, ending up on his knees in front of his friend.

"He'll be fine, he just needs to get over his weird touching thing," said Saul's voice behind them. Toby turned to find Saul leaning in the doorway like nothing had happened, a towel slung low around his waist. "The shower's free."

Toby got up and stalked over to Saul, angry. "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about? He may have had to do a few guys he didn't like, but if we could only do who we wanted, we wouldn't need to be overpriced whores, now would we?" Saul shrugged, unconcerned. He never had a problem with his clients, but he also never let his clients fuck him. He was Toby's opposite, a professional top -- most appointments, he never even took his pants off, just abused and fucked his clients. Who of course paid well for the privilege, almost as much as Toby got for being a whipping boy.

Toby was livid. "You're supposed to protect him, not throw him to the wolves!"

"What are you talking about?" Saul looked genuinely confused at Toby's anger.

His fury propelled him at Saul, until he was looking up at the taller man, poking him in the chest to emphasize his words. "You wanted to be leader, pushed me around until I acknowledged your dominance over me, but being a leader is more than just getting to be top cat. You have to protect those you're leading. You have to protect him!"

Saul blinked. Then he went over to the bed and sat down heavily. "You mean, he expected me not to take the appointment?"

"I wouldn't have. Or I'd have gone with him, to take the fucking while he did his performance." He looked over to where Mercury had curled up under the covers, eyes wide. "He's not like you and I, he can't stand up to that asshole." Toby stalked back over to Saul, growling, feeling his body starting to change even as he moved. "You set him up to be gang-raped."

Toby's eyes were long gone, and fur was sprouting along his spine. He was a few short steps from a full rage-change, and he stopped for a moment to breathe. Saul actually looked scared, despite the fact that he could break Toby in half, at least in human form.

"Look, Toby, I... I'm not like you. I was attacked over a year ago, and I survived. I don't understand any of this." He looked up, eyes haunted. "If you want the leadership of our little group, you've got it. Just..."

Saul dropped his gaze again, unable to continue. Toby laid a hand on his arm and said quietly, "I'll protect us all, I promise. As much as I can, anyway."

They spent the rest of the night driving the memories out of Mercury's head by the simple expedient of pampering him with a shower, massage and hand-fed bites of dinner. Then, of course, taking turns bottoming for him until there was not a single drop of come left in his body.

* ~ * ~ *

"That's a little more detail than I really needed," said Jeremy, chuckling.

"Hey, you ask for the story, I give you the story." Toby downed the last sip of his now-cooled tea. "Consider it forewarning, as they may try and do the same thing to you if they get a chance."

Jeremy blinked. "Why would they fight me for dominance?"

"I meant that they'd fuck you until you beg for mercy." Toby knew his grin was feral, wicked, and sexy. He didn't even need Jeremy's blush to tell him.

Chapter 9

Jeremy and Toby were still talking animatedly when they pulled into the faculty parking lot around 8:15. Celia was just walking up to the building, and turned to give them a very penetrating stare as they hurried to catch up to where she was holding the door for them. "Morning, Professor Forrester. Toby." Her voice lilted, torn between amusement and condemnation. "Fancy seeing you here. Together."

"Toby lives near me and needed a ride, Celia." Jeremy kept his voice even, just a tinge of humor. Toby found it very interesting that she couldn't quite bring herself to disapprove completely, despite the way things looked.

"Then why, may I ask, is he wearing your shirt?" Toby did not quite blush. They'd both realized just as they were heading out the door that the loose mesh of Toby's shirt wasn't exactly suitable for standing up in front of class, and Jeremy had grabbed the first thing he found -- a shirt flung over the back of one of the chairs that he deemed to be not, in fact, actually dirty.

Toby privately thought it had been worn at least once, not that he minded. It held lingering smells of Jeremy and his cats, like a little slice of his home that Toby could carry around with him. Yes, it made him feel a bit like a 14-year-old girl with a crush on her science teacher, but he was all right with that. It was relatively harmless, especially since he was pretty sure that some of the details in his story this morning had quenched any last lingering spark Jeremy might have held for him.

"I forgot to change before I came by for my ride," said Toby, saving Jeremy from an explanation. "He politely told me that this," he undid a second button and flashed her the mesh, "wasn't appropriate for class."

He left the button open in a somewhat immature attempt to get Jeremy's eyes to fix on the triangle of flesh it exposed, to find some remnant of heat in his gaze. Celia raised an eyebrow, but declined to comment until they were in the office. Toby went straight for the coffee service, making himself useful and giving them some space to talk.

"Do I even want to know why he's dressed like rough trade?" Celia's whispers carried clearly to Toby's enhanced ears, even over the buzz of the grinder.

"Probably not, and before you ask, no, he did not spend the night at my house. He showed up on my doorstep this morning looking for someone to talk to, and since I was awake as usual, I let him in." Jeremy was talking quietly rather than whispering, even though he must have known Toby could hear him.

"Um, where can I find water?" he interrupted, holding up the empty carafe.

Celia pointed out the door, "I usually get it from the fountain or the ladies'. There's a lounge over in the Theology wing with a proper sink, but they're pretty weird about visitors."

Toby had run into a few of the Theology professors, and he could see exactly where she was coming from there. He wandered out until he found the drinking fountain and waited patiently as the thin stream of water slowly filled up the glass pot. The sound was almost hypnotic, and he let himself tune everything else out except the play of light on the water and the soft tinkling as it fell.

* ~ * ~ *

Once Toby had left, Jeremy said quickly and quietly, "Yes, I have the hots for him, and no, I'm not going to do anything about it while he's my student. Especially not if I end up as his advisor." Celia looked interested, then calculating. "But one good thing that has come out of this, aside from yet another thing for you to tease me about, is that he's Alpha of this tiny makeshift pack of five werecats, all of whom are volunteering to be part of the study. We have our control group!"

"No way, just like that?" She looked shocked, but triumphant. "He's one, too?"

"Yep, a snow leopard just like his class pack." Jeremy grinned. "But we've got our final subjects! We can finally start spending our grant money."

"Woohoo!" she cheered, genuine enthusiasm breaking her normally aloof demeanor completely. If Jeremy hadn't already known she was a softie at heart, he'd have been shocked by the display.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby came inside just then, raising an eyebrow as he passed the two of them with his full carafe of water. "What'd I miss?" he asked, pouring the water into the machine and turning it on.

"With you five as volunteers for the study, we can finally start the real work, like hiring interns and buying equipment. My inheritance is paying for the remodeling, the Bone Kin are footing the scientists' salaries, and the property has been in the family for generations, but we needed to fulfill the parameters of our grant before we could start spending on personnel and paraphernalia."

"Glad we could be of service," he said, winking. "You know I'm totally going to apply for one of those intern spots, right?"

Celia gave him a look that would have been withering if her eyes weren't twinkling with humor. "You're a bit overqualified. I figured Jeremy was going to hire you as the other research assistant."

Toby raised an eyebrow at that. "Dr. J?"

Jeremy coughed and said, "Well, I was going to wait until we got the paperwork done on your transfer into my tender care, but yeah, if you want the job, it's yours." He winked at Toby almost shyly, then added, "Assuming you get your master's, that is. I don't want either of my assistants to still be my students when the time comes."

"Oh, trust me, *Dr. J*," said Celia pointedly, "I'll be all ready to get away from this office by the time January rolls around. I can't imagine trying to keep you organized in two places at once!"

Jeremy blushed and laughed, a combination Toby found disturbingly endearing. He took a deep breath of the coffee aroma filling the room and then grinned widely. "You couldn't keep me away with a crowbar, Dr. J. Once I get my degree, I'm all yours."

"At least for work," said Jeremy, something nameless hiding in his smile. He turned away before Toby could place it, though, fidgeting with his papers.

The coffee maker dinged, saving them from an awkward silence, and Toby asked cheerfully, "How do you guys like your coffee?"

"Sexy and black, like me," said Celia tartly, taking the cup from Toby's hands before he could slosh it with his giggling.

"Sweet and light," said Jeremy, "although I'm not sure the analogy works with me." Everyone snickered at that, and Toby fixed the other two cups the way he himself drank it, heavy on the sugar and pale with real cream.

He stirred the ingredients into his cup, inhaling the combined scents of coffee, cream, old papers and Jeremy, and grinned. He could get used to this life, taking care of Jeremy, and even Celia. "So," he asked, "What kind of work do you have for the low grad student on the totem pole, Dr. J?"

Jeremy grinned, then glanced over at the clock. "Well, first I think you've got class. Celia and I will conspire against you while you're gone, and if your schedule permits, you can join us for lunch before Pack Mind. We usually go around noon."

Toby's stomach grumbled loudly, and they all laughed. "If I can last that long, I'd love to." He dug an energy bar out of his bag as he headed off to class, waving absently over his shoulder.

* ~ * ~ *

Dr. Krogh practically kissed Jeremy when he offered to take over as Toby's advisor, and with Celia's help they got all the paperwork in before lunch. The three of them celebrated with Italian at a little place just off-campus, close enough to walk and packed with other university denizens, professors and students alike. Celia took to Toby like a redheaded stepchild, both loving and hating his quirky humor and eagerness to help.

"So, about your complete lack of a filing system," said Toby on the walk back to the office, glancing over at Celia.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me sugar, I've tried for two years to get the man to learn the alphabet."

Jeremy shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to file, it's that I don't have *time* to file. There's a lot of extra work for me because I'm so new and have to write my lesson plans pretty much from scratch."

"So," said Toby, holding the door for them both, "If I made a system and kept it up, you'd use it?" He followed them into the office and looked around at the dozens of haphazard piles of paper. "Because this just makes me want to cry. Or sneeze."

Celia laughed, and Jeremy shrugged, thinking of his office at home. "This isn't so bad."

Toby rolled his eyes. "So, Celia, what're you doing Tuesday?"

Celia glanced between him and Jeremy for a moment, then shook her head. "Apparently, making up a filing system for the Absentminded Professor here. But I've got a class at 10:30, so you might as well just show after lunch, unless you can catch another ride with Dr. J."

Jeremy sighed at how easily the new nickname fell from her lips, and said a mental goodbye to his beloved piles. "I bow to the new regime," he said with a wry little smile, pushing past the two of them to sit at his desk and sort through the piles of homework. Celia hated grading, and since she did all the computer things, he let her have it as a gimme. Toby couldn't help with Pack Mind stuff for obvious reasons, but maybe he could take over some for Jeremy's 101 class.

Jeremy lost himself in his work, oblivious to the conversation happening right behind him.

* ~ * ~ *

"So, does he do that a lot?" Toby asked Celia, watching as Jeremy tuned them out and started shuffling papers from pile to pile with no obvious pattern.

"What, tune out the universe? Yeah, most of the time," said Celia, putting her purse down on her own much cleaner desk and heading for the coffee machine. "I just try to keep him supplied with coffee, and he doesn't bother me for much, really. But never, ever let him touch the computer."

Toby snorted. "I was wondering why it was on your desk and not his," he said. "You'd better add me to the banned list, though," he added with a little blush. "I've never been good with them. I've only barely managed to get my thesis typed and footnoted."

"You've got it footnoted already?" she asked, sounding surprised. She poured three cups of coffee, taking her own to her desk and leaving Toby to fix the other two.

He shrugged and did so, figuring it was a small bit of seniority -- he was the new kid on the block, and perfectly willing to do all the shit jobs. Anything here was a walk in the park compared to his real job. "Yeah." Toby sighed. "Dr. Krogh really hates my topic, so I had to have everything *just right* or he wouldn't even look at the thing. I really hope Dr. J approves it."

Toby set the cup of coffee at Jeremy's hand, and he immediately picked it up and drank, totally ignoring their conversation. Toby had to stifle a laugh at that -- hearing his name wasn't enough to get his attention, but coffee apparently penetrated even the deepest concentration.

"I'm sure he will," she said, smiling a little to herself. "Just how done is it?"

Toby brought a chair over near her desk so he wasn't looming over her; not that he could, much, but his shifter background made him acutely aware of dominance behaviors, and he wasn't willing to risk this position for anything so minor as his place in the pecking order. "If my advisor were anyone but Dr. Krogh I could've presented last semester."

She nodded. "You got it on disk?" she asked, nodding toward his messenger bag, where he kept his old beat-up iBook nestled among his school books.

Toby shook his head. "Dr. Krogh liked hard copy, but I could email it to you tonight?" The computer didn't have a floppy drive or a CD burner, so he'd just printed endless copies of the thing on the tiny, slow-moving inkjet printer they kept stashed in the back of the closet when it wasn't in use.

"Sure!" she said, writing down her official university address on a slip of paper. He stowed it away faithfully and then wrote a note on the back of his hand to remind himself to do it before he had to go meet tonight's client. He glanced at his watch and swore. "Dr. J! We're gonna be late for class, man."

Jeremy continued rearranging the piles on his desk, and Celia rolled her eyes. "Just go take his coffee away, and he'll follow you and it to the classroom."

Toby laughed, then laughed harder, trying not to spill the remaining liquid, when it worked like a charm.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy hoped that nothing of what he was thinking showed in his face as he watched Toby -- or more accurately Toby's ass -- walk over and take a seat in the front of the class. He sipped his reclaimed coffee thoughtfully, spreading today's notes out on the desk at the front of the room while the stragglers filtered in and the newly elected Pack secretaries took roll. He gave it until ten after and then downed the last drop and cleared his throat. "Is everyone here?" he asked, noting at least two empty seats in the sea of faces.

Toby looked up from where he was huddled with his secretary -- Jeremy glanced down to find his name on the revised seating chart. Jon, that was it. "Looks like we've got one out sick, but she called and asked Jon to make her a copy of his notes, sir."

"All right," said Jeremy, glancing at the chart again. "That would be Kel?"

Toby and Jon both nodded, and Jeremy turned to Anne, sitting impatiently next to him. "All here," she said briskly, then hesitated just a second before adding, "sir."

Jeremy couldn't help but laugh. "It's Jeremy, please. You're going to make me feel positively ancient."

"We wouldn't want that, Dr. J," said Ben, his voice carrying a bit of an edge to it. "I'm missing one, Jerry Brown, but he hurt his ankle at practice yesterday, so he might be taking the day off. I'll check up after class?"

Jeremy nodded. "I see our Rainbow dragons are all here," he said, giving Laurell a nod and a smile. She shrugged back, then sat back in her chair, obviously eager to get past the boring bits and on with the show.

"All right," he said, shuffling through his notes for the lists they'd turned in on Wednesday. "Last time we further sorted ourselves into hierarchies for your packs, and today it's time to talk a little more about what that means in terms of social structure, responsibility, and specific roles." As expected, some of them perked up, and some eyes started to glaze over -- already he was beginning to suspect he'd set himself up for a real challenge, making those first few classes so interactive.

He went to the chalkboard and began to draw a diagram. "Alpha," he said, writing it in on the blackboard, "is on top. Different animal bases, even different packs within the same base, have different names for the roles, so we're going to use the scientific ones in class for the most part. There's an appendix in your text with a number of examples, which I suggest you study, as it will come up in one of those group quizzes I hinted at."

He waited for the collective groan to die down before continuing. "All right, so we know our Alphas. Most packs have a system to elect or fight for the Alpha position. We ended up with a random mix of Alphas here, because I just picked two girls and two boys off of the roster, and after the midterm we'll talk more about the methods used to choose and challenge for the spot of top dog, as it were." He looked around and spotted a hand, one of the less bright members of Ben's pack. "Yes, um," he glanced at the chart again, glad he had thought to keep bringing the cheat sheet, "Justin?"

"I thought only guys could be Alphas, so why've we got girls?" he asked, looking slightly belligerently at Laurell and Anne.

"Actually, that's a fallacy," said Jeremy, "but I'm glad you brought it up. Statistically speaking, just under two thirds of the packs that we know about are run by men, regardless of the dominant gender in their animal base, as compared to more than ninety percent of the world's countries." Jeremy paused, giving the class a look that said that this was important, giving them time to pick up a pen and take a note or two.

"One of the things I'm going to be pounding into your heads over and over," he continued, "is that, although shifter society tends to be more obviously structured than ours, in the end we're all human beings, primates. Loner animal bases like tigers still run in packs as shifters. Pack hierarchy is determined by more than one thing, not just who can kick whose ass in a fight, and their system is simplified enough that the gender prejudices are some of the first to go when deciding who gets to be top dog, cat, bear or shark, as the case may be."

That got a laugh out of them, and he took that pause to get his brain, and the lecture, back on track. "All right. Next in the hierarchy is a catch-all we anthropologists call Betas. Depending on the needs of the pack, these can be bodyguards and enforcers, they can be more like the First Mate on a ship, or the Vice President, or they can be more like a personal assistant to the Alpha. Their titles vary as widely as their duties, and you can get a lot more info than I'm going to bore you with here out of that appendix I so cleverly mentioned before."

He could tell they were already starting to lose focus, so he decided to pull them into things a little more. "If our class Betas could stand up?" he said, and then waited patiently as things were shuffled and he had a ragged line of half a dozen students -- 7 boys, and only one girl, rather unsurprisingly, given most people's impression of the job. "All right, now what we're going to do is figure out why you were chosen by your Pack, and what they're expecting you to be able to do in that role."

Jeremy let his eyes wander over the group. They were mostly the 'tough guys' of the bunch, an easy demonstration of what most people thought being a Beta was all about. "Now," said Jeremy with a little grin, "First I want each of you to tell me what you think your role within the group will be. Justin, why don't you go first."

The football player was even bigger standing, tall and wide and none too bright looking. "We're, um, supposed to make sure that people keep their deadlines and do their share of the work instead of slacking off," he said, voice still holding that belligerent tone. He sat down when he was done, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jeremy nodded, wondering what had Justin in such a mood today. He shrugged; maybe it was some football thing. "That sounds like a fairly stereotypical interpretation of a Beta's job. Leo?"

* ~ * ~ *

Toby watched his professor, only half-listening as the other Betas said basically the same thing Justin had. His own pair had agreed to volunteer for their duties, and he squirmed in his seat a little when Jeremy's eyes lit up as Jennifer began to speak. "Toby asked for volunteers for two different Beta roles, and I'm, like, the contact point -- I keep track of who's got to miss class and why, make sure Jon's notes get to them, that sort of thing." She took her seat gingerly, as though she expected to be called upon to further justify her position.

"That's interesting. Similar to what the others have said, keeping track of who shows up, but in a manner that puts a bit more of the responsibility on you," said Jeremy, nodding his approval.

Chad was their other Beta, and Toby was interested to see how he summarized his duties. "I've offered to parcel out the work among the pack, making sure no one has too much or too little to do, and that everyone is working on what they're good at instead of having the best writers do all the research or whatever." Toby nodded at Chad, who lit up with a satisfied grin at the look on Jeremy's face.

"It's not all that uncommon, especially in larger packs, to distribute the duties among your Betas so that you don't have two or three people trying to do the same job," said Jeremy, and Toby fairly glowed at the approval in his voice. "And in this case, it allows them to each concentrate on their own duties but, presumably, they'd share information so that someone who'd been out sick, for instance, could have their work redistributed among the healthy members of the pack."

The rest of the class looked very thoughtful and, in Anne's case, a bit jealous. Toby made a mental note to watch out for her, not the way he'd watch out for Ben, but more for accusations of favoritism. He glanced over at Ben, and got back not the daggers he'd been expecting but the same pensive expression everyone else wore to some degree. Somehow, that just worried Toby more.

He was distracted from his fellow students when Jeremy picked up the lecture again, that voice making the blood go places other than his brain and getting the full attention of a number of body parts. "There are a number of other roles common within a pack. You've all got secretaries, although in other packs that duty might go to a Beta, or they might be considered more of an historian."

Jeremy turned and his nipple rings glinted through the lightweight white linen of his shirt. Toby shifted in his seat, trying to keep his pants from being far too tight for class, at least in the front. Jeremy began to write on the board again, filling in below where he'd written Alpha and Beta. When he turned back, there was a series of job titles listed there, mostly modern names for things that Toby's father had delegated among the pack: treasurer, secretary, lawyer, doctor and nurse, courier, blacksmith, hunter and shaman.

"A lot of these jobs are necessary for any pack to function. Any community needs doctors and lawyers, someone to count the money and someone to run errands." He pointed at the relevant jobs. "Usually the Alpha will act as judge, but sometimes there's also a separate arbiter for disputes as well." Jeremy paused and shuffled through his papers, though Toby got the feeling he was just buying time and giving them room to ask questions.

When no hands went up, Jeremy continued. "Unless you're fortunate enough to have a pack entirely free of lunatics, you need a blacksmith to keep up whatever facilities you have to keep them safe during the Change." That got some uncomfortable muttering, but no one was brave enough just yet to ask -- despite the informality of Jeremy's teaching style, there was still a reluctance to bring up topics that might offend him. "I've used the term hunter here, which is what many of the names translate to, but nowadays it's really more animal husbandry, keeping up a stock of game animals for the full moons, or in case of emergencies."

Several hands shot up at that, their bravery obviously galvanized by the mention of lunatics and hunting together. "Laurell?" said Jeremy, and Toby turned to watch his fellow alpha while she spoke.

"Do they really require live food?" she asked, "I mean, do they have to eat meat then, or ever?"

Jeremy glanced at Toby, then said, "I've never in my life met a shapeshifter who was a vegetarian. Most of them have described to me an increased craving for rare or raw meat during the week surrounding the Change, and many find that they're calmer as a whole if they can get the fight-or-flight urge out of their systems with a good hunt on the first night."

"So they're less dangerous if they kill something helpless?" said Ben, poorly disguising a smirk.

"Most of the game animals are raised to give a good chase first, as long as the pack can afford to keep a communal hunting preserve. Even a rabbit isn't truly helpless, and I've been told that if it's more of a challenge to the shifter, then the non-lunatics usually will only feel the urge to hunt one night out of three," Jeremy replied calmly, obviously not willing to rise to their bait. "Shapeshifters are predators by nature, there's no getting around that, so they do what they can to keep themselves safe and civilized."

The class looked, if not satisfied, then at least a bit chastised at that, and Jeremy waited a few heartbeats before continuing with his lecture. "Probably one of the most important roles in any Pack is that of shaman. Does anyone know why?"

Several hands went up, and Jeremy called on Meredith. "Um, b-because shapeshifters can't do magic, so the only humans accepted in their packs are the shamans?"

"Mostly right," said Jeremy with a grin. "Actually almost all packs have normal human members -- the spouses and children of shifters who chose not to marry within the pack, and sometimes others are invited to join because of some service they've provided or skill they offer to the community. The shaman is the one pack member who is always human."

Jeremy paused again, Toby assumed for shock value, that piercing gaze sweeping the room and sending a shiver through Toby when it landed on him. "I myself am a member of two packs, the Bone Kin by birth and another, smaller pack by adoption," Jeremy said, and Toby got a warm glow at the pride in his voice as he said the latter. "Unfortunately, I have absolutely no magical ability whatsoever," he added, getting a bit of a laugh from the rest of the class; they'd been appropriately shocked by his declaration, even though he'd told them he was Bone Kin on the first day.

"There are theories as to why this is. Most people think that something about being a shapeshifter uses up all the body's 'natural magic' for the Change, so there's nothing left for sorcery or shamanism. There have been no documented cases of a magic user surviving an attack to become a lycanthrope, so we don't really know what would happen in that instance, and since we anthropologists aren't about to go infecting shamans just to see what would happen, it may forever remain a mystery," said Jeremy somberly.

Someone's cell phone chose that moment to go off, startling everyone into laughter, and Toby glanced up at the clock. It was nearly time to go, and he was itching to get out of there and back to the sanctuary of their office. He was dying for another cup of that coffee, and he'd have to talk to his real pack tonight about a few things they might need to think on now that they had not only a normal but an anthropologist in their midst.

There was a lot of shuffling as the rest of the class figured out the time and started putting things away. "Well," said Jeremy wryly, "I can see I've lost you guys, so why don't you make sure your groups have decided on your research paper topics and then go home and enjoy your weekends."

That idea met with a murmur of approval, and Toby gathered his group in what he now thought of as "their spot" in the middle of the room. "All right," he said, "Do any of you have any specific suggestions?"

"How about the varied roles of a Beta within the different species packs?" said Chad, obviously interested now that it had been made obvious that Toby had a very different grasp of pack dynamics than his fellow Alphas.

"That sounds good," said Josh of the enticing green eyes, and Toby could only be glad the full moon was a few days past and he could now keep at least some of his reactions out of his face.

"Anyone opposed?" asked Toby, looking around the group. No one spoke up, so Toby grinned and nudged Jon. "You heard them, varied Beta roles it is. Chad, did you want to meet with me this weekend to talk about parceling out the assignments, or did you want to take a stab at it yourself?"

"How about I give it a shot and we have lunch before class on Monday?" Chad asked, and Toby told his overactive hormones that this was not a proposition, just a lunch meeting.

"Sure," said Toby. "Why don't you and Jon meet me at Dr. J's office at noon? I'll let you know tonight if there's any problem with our topic; I've got your number."

"Great," Chad replied, grinning. "See you then!"

The pack took that as their cue to break up, though Jon lingered to make sure he'd filled out the topic form correctly and to turn it in to Jeremy himself. Toby fidgeted while he waited for the students to clear out, distractedly running numbers in his head, trying to reassure himself that this life was real, and their way out was feasible. That going to college and building a real future as something other than a used-up old whore wasn't all just a pipe dream, no matter what Gabe said.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy was surprised when Toby's pack secretary handed in the assignment with a shy blush, but relieved to spot Toby lurking by the door. "This looks great, Jon, just what I was looking for," he said reassuringly. "Did you need a copy for yourself?"

Jon shook his head. "Already got it covered," he said, showing Jeremy the short form he'd evidently made for himself, with extra room at the bottom. "I'm going to make copies, then we'll put everyone's assignment in here," he said, pointing to the blank space, "so that they've got it where they can't lose it, since the writers won't even start for a few weeks."

"It sounds like you guys really have things organized," said Jeremy, impressed. He'd thought all the uber-academics were in Anne's pack, but apparently at least one had slipped through and into Toby's motley crew. "I have every confidence you'll do great."

Jon grinned and blushed a little more. "Thanks, um. Dr. J," he said, obviously wanting to test the waters with Toby's new nickname.

"You're welcome. Now go on, enjoy your weekend," said Jeremy, shooing him away and gathering his own papers. Laurell's pack had chosen to do the role of women within the pack structure, Anne's an in-depth study of the etymology of various species' names for the pack "jobs" and how it related to their modern duties, and Ben's pack had chosen to explore the specific role of hunter and how it had changed over the centuries. All in all a good range of topics, though he worried a bit about Ben's sudden interest in the less peaceful side of being a shifter.

"Ready to go?" said a shy voice at his elbow, and Jeremy almost jumped out of his skin.

"Toby!" Jeremy flushed, then grinned. "Yeah, I'm good, I think," he said, stuffing the last of the papers into his bag. Toby had already grabbed his coffee cup, and they headed back to the office together. "So, I guess you have p-plans tonight," said Jeremy, proud that he kept his voice mostly steady.

"Appointment at nine," said Toby with studied nonchalance. "Want me to call the pack and see what's for dinner?"

Jeremy chuckled. "Sure. You know I'm dying to see you in your natural habitat."

Chapter 10

Jeremy walked down the plush, understated hallway of Toby's apartment building and wondered just how much more than the average hooker these boys made. Toby had called ahead, so although it was not without a certain amount of trepidation that Jeremy followed Toby up to the door of apartment 1013, he knew they were expected. After seeing how they acted in public, Jeremy could only wonder what potentially firing-worthy sights he might be treated to in his new TA's apartment.

He had to be careful until Toby got his degree, had to make sure there wasn't even a whiff of impropriety around their relationship. Toby's "day job" was enough to put everything about his degree under scrutiny if it were to come to light, and they all needed for Jeremy's conduct, at least, to be above reproach. Still, if it made them feel better about him taking Toby under his wing, it would be worth it, especially since it was highly unlikely anyone would ever know but the six of them.

The door swung open just as they arrived, and Sebastian's smiling face greeted them. His long hair was pulled back in a tail, and he was wearing a pair of old, tight jeans and the same t-shirt that Toby had worn the first day of class. "Dinner's almost ready," he said with a grin, then turned and retreated to the brightly-lit kitchen, leaving them to follow along.

The rest of the pack was sprawled on a group of ratty beanbags in the middle of the living room, David in nearly the same clothing as the day they'd met, Saul in leather pants, motorcycle boots and a top that seemed to mostly consist of leather straps and large steel O-rings, and Mercury wearing more of those old jeans and nothing else. "Dressed for company, I see," said Jeremy with a grin, hoping he wouldn't blush. He'd already written off the idea of avoiding inappropriate erections, but at least his shirt was long and loose.

"Wouldn't want to make Toby's new Advisor uncomfortable," said Saul, voice challenging and one hand snaking out to tug on one of Mercury's heavy nipple rings, making the boy gasp.

Toby gave him a glare and said, "No, we really wouldn't, would we?"

Mercury blushed, and Saul folded his arms over his chest and sulked. Jeremy smiled reassuringly and said, "I'm not so easily shocked as all that."

"Would you like to see the apartment, Dr. J?" Toby asked, and a moment of silent communication took place between Toby and Mercury. Mercury got up and wandered off down the little hallway past the kitchen door, and Jeremy had to wonder what was back there that they obviously felt the need to hide from him.

Jeremy grinned down at them all and said, "Sure, this way I'll know where to hide if any of you try to eat me."

David laughed, and Sebastian poked his head out of the kitchen, "Does this mean if we catch you, we're allowed?" They all cracked up at that, and Sebastian pouted. "It was a fair question."

"No, Sebastian, catching me does not equal consent," said Jeremy, once he'd caught his breath. As much as he might enjoy having those lovely lips wrapped around his cock -- which hadn't had anything more than his own hand around it in far too long -- he knew he couldn't go taking advantage of his new packmates that way. Especially not before December, and Toby's thesis approval.

"Spoilsport," said Sebastian, then he disappeared back into the kitchen.

Saul shook his head. "Bas does love to eat," he said, then grinned wickedly, "especially cock."

"I think that's high on everyone's list here," said Jeremy evenly, refusing to rise to Saul's bait. Jeremy understood that it was dominance games to some extent, and that it also had to do with the expression on Saul's face whenever he looked at Toby.

"So why don't I show you the kitchen, and you can see what Bas is actually feeding you tonight?" said Toby, looking a bit desperate.

"Sounds good," said Jeremy. He nodded and preceded Toby through the doorway, away from Saul's antagonism, if not his own guilt -- he knew he deserved at least a little of Saul's hostility, because he knew that, no matter what propriety said, he wanted Toby just as much as Saul thought he did.

The kitchen was painted in shades of yellow, the ceiling so pale it was almost white, the cabinets a creamy lemon, the counters tiled in sunny gold with contrasting borders of rich coffee brown. The walls were a shade between the cabinets and the ceiling, with a little border print of fleur de lis in a golden brown. Even the appliances were a warm gold, and everything gleamed clean and shiny in the bright overhead lighting. There were steel pots steaming on every burner, and Sebastian was humming to himself as he moved from cutting board to stove and back again.

"This is pretty much Bas' domain," said Toby, moving past Jeremy to snag a soda out of the fridge. "Want one?"

"I've also got coffee and fresh lemonade," said Sebastian absently while he chopped.

Jeremy sniffed the air and then smiled. "Good coffee is the way to my heart, I'm afraid," he said, grinning sheepishly at Toby.

Toby rolled his eyes and grabbed a mug out of one of the cupboards, which Jeremy was amused to note had little bronze fleur de lis handles. "Do you actually drink anything that doesn't have caffeine in it?" he asked, shaking his head.

"I do when I don't have to face a pack of oversexed werecats," said Jeremy, his voice carefully light, "or worse, a room full of college students."

Bas snorted, but declined to comment, and Jeremy wandered over to peer into the bubbling pots. One held new potatoes in water fairly swimming with fresh herbs, a smaller one was full of some sort of cream sauce, a third held asparagus suspended on a wire rack above bubbling water filled with yet more herbs, and the fourth appeared to have gravy in it. "Looks good," said Jeremy, trying to see without invading Sebastian's personal space too much.

"There's pot roast in the oven," said Sebastian, deliberately brushing against Jeremy's front as he moved back to the cutting board to smash, peel and chop some fresh garlic. "I see you're not completely immune to our charms," he added quietly with a grin.

"I doubt even straight men are immune to all your charms," said Jeremy with a blush. He stepped away from the stove and its melange of delicious scents, out of range of Sebastian's movements. If he wanted to rub up against Jeremy again, he'd have to drop the pretense of it being because of the close quarters, not that Jeremy had any real hope that that would stop him.

Instead of putting the garlic in any of the currently bubbling sauces, Bas tossed it in a waiting sautee pan with some butter, and pulled the potatoes off, draining them and setting them aside. He pointed to the half-dozen mismatched plates that were waiting on the other counter. "I'll be serving up in a few. Anything you see that you can't eat?" he asked casually, and Jeremy shook his head. "You should have just enough time to see the rest of the apartment with Toby."

Jeremy and Toby took the not-so-subtle hint and got out of Sebastian's way. When they emerged into the living room again, Mercury was back and wearing a sheer black pirate shirt. He'd curled up with David between him and Saul, apparently to discourage any more use of his nipples as conversational tactics. He nodded at Toby, and Jeremy couldn't help but wonder what on earth they'd felt the need to hide when they were so open about everything else.

"Through here," said Toby, going to the curtained doorway at the back of the living room. A very short hallway led off to the left with two more doors, and Jeremy was left to wonder where they all slept.

He didn't wonder long, though. The curtain was swept aside to reveal a carpet of mattresses, probably half a dozen in all, covering the floor of the room with just a little path left around the edge that led to the open door of a walk-in closet. A riot of colour and fabric peeked out from the closet, drawing his eye to try and identify the things made of velvet and lace, mesh, leather and vinyl and a dozen other exotic materials.

"This is the bedroom. We all sleep here," said Toby, gesturing to the "bed." It was made up with mismatched sheets and blankets, pillows strewn everywhere and no apparent order to who slept where.

"Oh," said Jeremy quietly, having no idea how to address that issue. He knew some shapeshifters enjoyed the extra body contact of sleeping with others of their kind, but he'd never seen it demonstrated quite so blatantly before.

"This way we get a little luxury without having to pay for five bedrooms," Toby explained, looking very young and insecure for a moment.

"A lot of shifters like to sleep in family groups," said Jeremy, trying to get past his initial shock and show that he understood, that he wasn't offended or anything. "It makes sense that you'd pool your resources in a way that makes you all happy, instead of paying for something your instincts say you won't use, like extra beds."

Toby sighed and looked very relieved. "Anyway," he said, leading Jeremy back out and obviously away from the closet and its various secrets, "there's just the bathroom in here, and a linen closet," he said, leading Jeremy into the dark little spur of hall. It felt strangely intimate to stand there for a moment, hidden from the rest of the pack by just that small turn of a corner, at least until Toby flipped on the light switch to show him the bathroom.

It was done much like the kitchen, only this time everything was in cool shades of blue, from the off-white ceiling to the robin's-egg tiles to the stenciled border of seashells in midnight and silver. The big bathtub was white, as well as the sink and toilet, but everything else had at least some tint of blue in it. There was also a wide array of grooming products littering every available surface, overrunning the shower and strewn on the counters around the sink, everything from shampoo and hair gel to makeup and hand lotion.

"It's nice," said Jeremy, wondering what went in the conspicuously empty wooden dish rack on one counter, then deciding he probably was grateful they'd made sure he didn't know. He stepped back out into the hall and said, "You guys have really done well for yourselves, all things considered," he said quietly, not sure if his commentary would be welcome. "You've got all the things that matter to you, it seems like."

"Except freedom," said Toby softly, still standing in the doorway, facing the bathroom, his hair limned with the cool light.

"But you're working on that," said Jeremy, reaching out to squeeze one shoulder.

Toby turned and flashed him a grateful smile, and it was all Jeremy could do not to kiss him in that long, silent moment of understanding. Bas saved the day as his voice floated around the corner, saying, "Dinner's ready, boys!"

Toby blinked and blushed unaccountably, then turned and led Jeremy back into the living room, where Bas was handing full plates to those already assembled.

* ~ * ~ *

So far, so good, though Toby was ready to smack Saul for being petulant. He understood that Saul thought they were all a little too trusting, but Saul had gone right along with the rest of them in inviting Jeremy into the pack. It was too late for second thoughts. Toby took the beanbag next to Mercury, sticking his tongue out at Saul while Jeremy was trying to get comfortable in his own chair.

"Here you are, Professor," said Bas politely, bowing from the waist and handing Jeremy an elegantly appointed plate. He handed Toby another plate with a wink, then turned back into the kitchen to get the last two, presumably for himself and the sulking Saul.

"It looks delicious," said Jeremy, and Toby could only agree. Bas cooked for them a lot, but he rarely went all out like this. The new potatoes had been quartered and drenched in garlic butter, the cream sauce drizzled over the bright green asparagus, and the pot roast sliced thick and doused in gravy. There were even warm rolls, sliced with more of the garlic butter inside.

"You should come over more often, if it inspires Bas this much," said David, munching appreciatively on a stalk of asparagus.

Sebastian emerged with a slight flush of pink coloring his cheeks -- much to everyone's amusement considering what it usually took to put him to the blush. "I just wanted Dr. J to feel welcome," he said quietly, sitting beside Jeremy on the floor and leaning against his bag a little. "All right?" he asked, face full of more than one question.

Jeremy touched his shoulder lightly and smiled down at him. "Wonderful," Jeremy replied, then turned to eat his food. Toby tried to tamp down his envy of that simple gesture, instead concentrating on the truly delicious meal.

"So tell us more about this study," said Saul, his voice expressing a certain amount of doubt. "I mean, are you starting out with any theories, or just going to test everything you can think of?"

Jeremy's face went from nervous and guarded to openly excited in a heartbeat, much to Toby's amusement. He seemed younger like this, but also more confident. "Well," Jeremy began, "I do have a couple of personal theories but we're going to try testing the widest range of factors possible. There's physical of course, if it's some inherited trait or nutritional deficiency, but I'm inclined to rule those out right away since lunacy rarely affects entire families."

Jeremy was gesturing with his fork, barely stopping to breathe let alone eat. He didn't even take a moment for a sip of his beloved coffee -- mostly, Toby suspected, because he didn't have a free hand for it. "I think the factors are going to be mainly psychological, possibly combined with a physical trait. Since it's almost guaranteed a shifter will be crazy if they change due to anger or pain, it suggests that one's mental state before and during a change plays a large factor in the amount of sentience one retains afterward."

Jeremy stopped and popped a piece of potato into his mouth, looking flushed and self-conscious but quite determined. "Anyway, that's why there'll be several psychologists on staff as well as the medical doctors, and myself and my two assistants looking at things from an anthropological standpoint," he said, once he chewed and swallowed.

Saul looked like he was digesting more than the roast beef he'd already polished off. "So, you think that you might be able to, what, use therapy to cure lunacy?" he said, after he'd swallowed his mouthful.

Jeremy shrugged. "I have to find the cause before I can really speculate on a cure," he said, sipping his coffee. He ate his food in neat bites, seemingly unhindered by the lack of a table or proper chairs. "This really is delicious, Sebastian. You should think about training to be a chef once the first phase of the study is done," he said casually, and shock went through the faces around him like a ripple.

"I don't know that I could," said Bas quietly. "I don't have real papers for being in the country." Toby wished he could hug Bas right now; Jeremy had inadvertently brought up one of the pipe dreams they all talked about, futile futures they could never have due to circumstances.

"Well, we'll have lawyers working on that for the study anyway," said Jeremy casually, as though he offered such things every day. "We'll have to get you some kind of work visa, and if we can legitimize your pack structure, there's a provision for pack-to-pack adoptions in the immigration laws, so you and David could get eventual citizenship. David, your papers are real, right?"

David nodded, looking slightly dumbfounded. "Yes, Gabe has had someone he knows keep me on as an employee of record so that my work visa does not expire."

"What do you mean, legitimize our pack structure?" Toby asked when he finally found his tongue, his chest tight with what he thought might be hope.

"Well," said Jeremy, swallowing the bite of roast beef he'd been chewing. "There's a procedure for establishing small offshoot packs as a recognized entity in the eyes of the law, so that when a pack becomes too large, instead of having infighting and other problems, a group can simply split off from the 'parent' pack and form their own. It's not uncommon for these packs to be more mixed than the old pack, because marrying outside the base species is a common dividing line."

"W-would I have to have some kind of contact with my old pack?" Toby asked. His father was not a specter he wanted to face, but he would if it got his boys one step closer to real freedom.

"I think that there's some paperwork that has to be signed, yes, but like a real divorce there're ways to do it even if the other party isn't so willing," said Jeremy, his eyes sympathetic. "Technically you can even still belong to the old pack, sort of like having dual citizenship. I'd have it with you and the Bone Kin, since I'm pack by birth with them, and by adoption with you guys." He paused and took a sip of coffee, looking at their faces, mostly carefully blank. "That is, if you still want me. The positions in the study don't require it."

That seemed to snap them all out of their thoughts, and Toby shook himself. "We still want you, it's just... it's a lot to take in. We're so used to seeing any hope for the future as distant or small that it's hard to suddenly be offered everything we ever wanted."

"We're wondering what the catch is," said Saul, his voice now wistful under the belligerence.

Jeremy nodded. "Lots of blood tests," he said with a serious face, "and being honest with the therapists, even when it loses face. Really working for this study, for the future of a people who have mostly trampled you down when they should've been helping you up."

Nods all around, and it was David who spoke up this time. "We will do what we can to make your study work, Dr. Forrester, for our future and yours, and those poor unfortunate souls who cannot enjoy the delights of their animal forms as we do."

Jeremy's eyes went wide, and Mercury snorted the Diet Coke he was drinking. "What, you didn't think we just had that huge bed for sleeping, did you?" said Bas, rubbing his cheek against Jeremy's thigh. "We're not allowed out those nights, so we have to make our own fun indoors."

"Someday you'll have to see us changed," said Mercury shyly. "It's quite a sight; five big cats and not a hint of color anywhere."

Jeremy smiled over at him, and Toby was grateful that he could see that Mercury was the most skittish of the lot. "It sounds lovely. Perhaps one of these evenings I'll be able to make other arrangements with my grandparents and come visit you for part of the evening. Though I wouldn't want to spoil your... fun."

Saul laughed, and then laughed harder at the look of mild shock on Jeremy's face. "A lot of people would pay a lot of money to watch our fun, Dr. J," said Bas saucily. "I'm sure a pair of hands would be very welcome in the group for a night."

Jeremy turned a bright flaming red at that, and he shook his head mutely. "Sorry, no offense but... my interest in cats is strictly as house pets, not... um..."

"Sex kittens?" said Bas, nuzzling higher up on Jeremy's thigh, then giving him wide brown eyes.

Toby gave him a stern glare and said, "No freaking out the nice Advisor with the good jobs, remember?" Jeremy shot him a grateful look, and Toby winked back. "We can always work him up to the idea," he added, just to see the good professor blush again.

Conversation lapsed while they all finished off their food, and Bas stole the plates away into the kitchen. "I didn't have time for dessert," he said, emerging empty-handed. "Why don't we all go down to Edie's for pie?"

"On me," added Jeremy with a grin, standing up and stretching in a way that made Toby hungry for things other than pastry.

"Sounds like a plan," said David, glancing at his watch. "We should have enough time for coffee before we have to get ready for work."

"Perfect," said Saul, and it sounded to Toby's practiced ear quite a bit less upset than he'd been at the start of the evening.

They all gathered up various coats and shoes and bundled themselves out the door. It was, Toby thought, all in all quite a successful evening. And no one had even tried to molest his professor. Well, much.

Chapter 11

They developed a kind of routine over the next few weeks, Jeremy either picking Toby up at the apartment, or finding him in the living room having tea with the cats when he awoke. Jeremy had keys made for all the pack members, but so far Toby was the only one to visit his house. Toby learned quickly, everything from remembering how he liked his coffee to entering grades in the computer. He worked relentlessly to get Jeremy organized, unearthing a filing cabinet and working with Celia to find a system that was easy enough even Jeremy could be convinced to use it.

Both of Jeremy's offices slowly unearthed themselves, mountains of old paperwork sorted and dealt with on Tuesday and Thursday mornings while Jeremy was at class, and therefore unable to protest. Toby took it upon himself to make a huge calendar that he hung on the cage, with deadlines marked out for Jeremy's three classes and the center, each in a different color. They marked off each day with a satisfying red X before leaving at night.

A part of Jeremy chafed each time he dropped Toby off, knowing what he was sending his young protege off to do. A few mornings Toby had shown up obviously hurt, but he'd always wave away Jeremy's offers of help. His healing abilities were such that he was usually better by the time they got to school, although sometimes Jeremy wondered if that wasn't just an act for his benefit.

In fact, the few times he'd hung out with the whole pack, he could tell they had all started censoring themselves for his benefit. They certainly were more clothed as a general rule than he'd been led to believe, wearing pants and often shirts when he was around. Mercury and David were practically shy, as though afraid of scaring him off, and Sebastian contented himself with finding every conceivable way to hit on him.

Saul mostly wasn't around and when he was, he was usually hovering around Toby protectively. Jeremy didn't know what exactly Saul thought he could do to a shapeshifter who could easily bend him into a pretzel without breaking a sweat, but Saul obviously didn't quite know what to make of their newest pack member. Things finally came to a head, figuratively speaking, when Jeremy and Toby walked in on Saul and Sebastian in the kitchen, in flagrante delicto.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy froze in the doorway. Toby walked past him, completely ignoring the two men in the middle of the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "Coke or Sprite?"

Jeremy was at a complete loss. He tried to ignore it the way Toby had and make a choice, but when he opened his mouth, soft drinks were not what came out. "Don't you care that your boyfriend is getting a blowjob from your roommate in the kitchen?"

Saul and Toby both stared at Jeremy, identical looks of surprise on their faces. Sebastian didn't even look up, although he evidently didn't appreciate Saul's lack of attention, as he did something that made Saul gasp and close his eyes. Saul threaded his fingers through Sebastian's long, black hair, and Jeremy had a moment of visceral desire to run those soft-looking strands all over his own naked body. He closed his own eyes, shaking his head. The pack was having a bad influence on his libido.

"You know we all share," said Saul, his voice rough, catching.

Toby grinned and said, "He's right, you know. We have no boundaries at all with each other, you've just been sheltered up until now because we didn't want to shock you."

"It gets more shocking than this?" said Jeremy, eyes riveting themselves on Sebastian's wide, generous mouth and the hypnotic slide of Saul's blood-dark cock in and out of slick, red lips. He noted absently that Saul had tiger stripes in his close-cropped fuzz, white and black like a very expensive and exotic dye job.

Sebastian actually pulled off at that, leaving Saul's cock to bob wetly in the suddenly warm air. "You have no idea, cariño." He licked a slow, showy stripe up Saul's cock before swallowing it down completely, burying his nose in those black-and-white curls.

Jeremy swallowed reflexively, eyes flickering from face to face, Sebastian, Saul, Toby and back to where Sebastian was working with hollowed cheeks and quick, short bobs of his head to get Saul to come in front of their audience. "I... I'll leave you two..." Jeremy started to back out of the doorway and ran into something very solid blocking his way.

He whirled around to find David behind him, eyes feral and needy. "I could help you out with this, Professor." David ran a hand boldly along the front of Jeremy's pants, and parts of him twitched while the rest shivered.

He allowed himself to be turned around like a doll until he was once again facing the show. Toby's eyes were wide, and he was running the Coke can over his neck and down, unbuttoning as he went. David wrapped himself around Jeremy, one hand teasing at the waistband of his pants while the other slid up under his sweater. He gave a small sound and ground his own erection into Jeremy's ass when his fingers found the first nipple ring, and Jeremy echoed it as he tugged.

Sebastian and Saul were both intent on their own business now, Saul thrusting into the willing mouth almost savagely, and Sebastian humming contentedly, hands loosely on Saul's hips. Jeremy realized with a start that while Sebastian was completely nude under his shroud of hair, Saul was still mostly clothed. His black lycra crop top didn't even cover his ribs, let alone anything else, and his leather pants were unlaced but left up, his balls still trapped in their embrace.

"Let me in, Jeremy, be one of us," whispered David in his ear, tugging on his nipple ring again. Seeking fingers brushed against the straining head of him, and came away slick. "You want us, I can feel it. Smell it." He buried his face in Jeremy's hair, which had come loose at some point, and inhaled deeply. Jeremy moaned softly, and the sound seemed to set something off in Saul.

Saul pulled out and Sebastian tilted his face up and sat back on his heels, sweeping hair back to expose himself in all his glory. His body was long and slender, and his cock fulfilled the promise of it. It was darker than his golden brown skin, almost mocha, and the head was purple and wet with pre-come. Saul jacked himself once, then sprayed hot liquid pearls all over Sebastian's face and chest.

Sebastian shocked Jeremy completely by coming just as the first drop hit, his erection completely untouched. Jeremy's own cock was iron-hard and felt hot against his belly, like it might burn David's teasing fingers if he wasn't careful. Sebastian turned to them, staring deliberately into Jeremy's eyes as he dragged his fingers through the mixed seed on his belly and chest, then slid them into his mouth.

Jeremy closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He could not do this. There was just no way he could have group sex in front of one of his grad students. He opened his eyes to find the student in question on his hands and knees, crawling towards Sebastian. David's hand plunged down the front of his pants, cupping him, eliciting another strangled moan even as Toby began to lick Saul's come off of Sebastian's face like the cat he was.

Jeremy turned so fast he almost wrenched David's wrist and said, "I can't!" He hid his face in David's silken shirt, trembling. "Not until the semester is over, until he's not my student," he whispered, feeling David's arms encircle him in a surprisingly comforting way for someone who'd just been molesting him.

"It's ok, you don't have to, we'd never force you," said David softly, pulling him gently out into the living room. He found himself sitting on one of the beanbag chairs, halfway in David's lap. David tilted Jeremy's face up until he was forced to meet his eyes. "It took me many months to get used to their ways. We thought you were too shy to take us up on our offer, we didn't realize..." He let the thought trail off, and Jeremy nodded.

"You are all so gorgeous, and I envy what you've got here, but I just can't. I could lose my job for even having been in that kitchen with a student." Jeremy was still shaking a little, fine tremors that released some of the muscle tension, but left him painfully hard.

"You know we'll never tell," said David, face serious. "We'll protect you, you're one of us. Plus," he added, a wry smile sneaking into the corner of his mouth, "if you lose your job, we lose our ticket out of here."

Jeremy gave a shaky little laugh, and hugged David gratefully. "Thank you for understanding."

"Understanding what?" Saul's voice was harsh, his stance aggressive in the doorway. "That we're not good enough for you?"

"That he'd lose his job for doing this kind of thing around Toby, his student," said David, voice even. Jeremy stayed right where he was, hiding in the safe harbor of David's embrace.

Saul stalked over, pants still open, spent cock bobbing half-hard in their faces. "I'm not Toby, but you won't even look at me!"

There was something in his voice that made Jeremy look up, past the display to his half-hooded eyes. Lurking behind the challenge was a dark jealousy that Jeremy strongly suspected wasn't directed at him and David. "You love him, don't you?" he said softly, his warm breath making Saul's cock twitch.

Saul closed his eyes and looked away, old pain ruffling through the determined lines in his face. "Of course I do."

David looked from Jeremy to Saul, expression calculating. "We all love Toby," he said, then gently nipped at Saul's tender flesh.

Saul gave a little yip, then rubbed himself against David's smooth cheek, smearing it with spit and come. "Tease," he said, the pain gone from his eyes like it had never been, replaced by warm desire.

"Come with me to the bedroom, and I'll show you how much I can tease," said David, giving Jeremy a quick kiss before standing. He began to slowly undo the catches on his shirt, exposing a surprisingly broad chest, small brown nipples and a sleek, toned physique. He let the shirt fall to his wrists, barely holding it on at all, and brushed past Saul, trailing it over Saul's cock as he went.

"Nice seeing you again, Dr. J," said Saul as he followed. "Sorry about the aggressive thing, Bas brings out the top in me."

David laughed from the doorway to the bedroom and said, "Everything brings out the top in you." They disappeared behind the beads, and Jeremy felt a twinge of regret. He could have been in there with them, but he'd refused his chance. He shook himself, grinning at his own foolishness and hoping that there would come another chance later, when the time was right.

* ~ * ~ *

The next nine days passed quickly. Now that everyone understood Jeremy's reticence was not rejection, things were back to normal. Or as normal as you can get with loud sex happening in the room next to where you were trying to study. Jeremy had even been invited to visit them on the night of the full moon, but had regretfully declined because of his commitment to his grandparents. He wasn't quite ready to explain his new pack to his relatives yet, not until he had them settled into their new life and well out of this one.

So he was surprised the following morning to emerge from his room -- fully dressed, he'd learned that lesson quickly -- to find Saul and Toby curled up on his couch looking practically conservative. Toby was wearing old jeans and a suspiciously familiar oversized white button-down shirt; Saul had on new-looking jeans and the sweater that Jeremy had loaned Toby last week. They looked up and smiled, then untangled themselves and followed him sleepily into the kitchen.

"Sorry we didn't make tea, we kind of fell asleep on the couch." Toby leaned against the counter looking rumpled and adorable, and Saul wrapped himself around Toby in a weary bear hug.

Jeremy smiled at the sight, happy to see Saul without that shadow of pain in his eyes. After the incident with Sebastian, he'd started watching the way Saul's eyes followed Toby, really seeing the longing they held when they did. "It's all right, I think this morning calls for Edie's anyway. You up for it?"

Saul yawned hugely, setting off the other two first with yawns and then giggles. Saul laughed and said, "I think we all could use some of her ass-kicking morning brew."

"You coming to class today?" Jeremy had asked Toby if Saul would be willing to guest-speak one of these days. He wanted the class to hear from a real shapeshifter on the difficulties of being adopted after an attack. None of the class knew Toby was a were snow leopard, so he couldn't help; although Jeremy hoped to present the perspective of a born shifter as well, he'd already arranged for a member of the Bone Kin to cover that lecture.

Saul nodded. "Yeah, if you'll have me." Toby snorted, and Saul gave him a playful shove, clarifying, "I mean, if there's room in today's class for me to speak."

"Sure. No one but me and the Alphas know what I had planned, so I can just move today's lesson to Monday." He stretched, then pushed off from the counter, putting the kettle back empty. "Just let me go grab my school things and we can go get some breakfast."

Saul's arm snaked out as Jeremy passed, and Jeremy allowed himself to be pulled into a warm three-person hug. A kiss was dropped on the top of his head, and when he looked up, Saul gently brushed another over his lips. He smiled softly and stretched upward, giving Saul their first real kiss since his initiation into the pack. Toby purred softly and buried his face in between their chests, obviously happy that the two of them were getting along better.

They broke apart, and Toby made a soft murmur of protest when Jeremy pulled away to go and retrieve his things. He heard Saul muttering something to Toby as he left, and just caught the soft sleepy sound of his response. He found his bag already packed in his office, and shook his head. They'd obviously been here for a while, long enough to fidget around before falling asleep. Jeremy worried that Toby didn't get enough sleep, but he generally seemed to be in good health.

He came out to find them both waiting by the door, Toby with his bag slung over one shoulder, Saul back in his ever-present leather trench coat. "Ready?" he asked unnecessarily.

They responded by holding the door open for him, then following him out to his jeep. Jeremy stopped, then stared from the two of them to the car and back. "All right, so who rides in the cage?"

Saul chuckled, and Toby said, "If I can lay down, I'll take it." He yawned again, and Jeremy's laughter joined Saul's. "What?"

"Nothing, cub, you're just being completely adorable is all," said Saul.

Jeremy popped the locks with the alarm, the cage door rising right along with the back door of the SUV. "Well, get on in, I am desperately in need of caffeine."

Toby climbed into the cage fearlessly, curling up on the blankets there and only needing a fluffy tail to complete the picture of feline laziness. Saul lounged in the passenger seat, long legs spread as wide as they'd go in the limited space. Jeremy tried very hard not to let his eyes linger too long on the bulge at their apex, but he was pretty sure Saul caught him looking at least once on the drive over.

Once they'd settled into their usual booth at Edie's, Saul said conversationally, "I want you too, you know."

Jeremy was glad he hadn't quite gotten his coffee to his lips. "What brought this on?"

"You smell like frustration," said Toby sleepily from Jeremy's other side, where he was leaning on the table with his head cradled in his arms. "And every time you look at him, you spike with lust and fear."

"It's tasty," purred Saul in his ear.

"You know I can't..." Jeremy's words broke off as Saul's hand trailed up his thigh.

"I'm not a student. As long as the cub stays home, you can do anything you want with me." He smiled, not quite predatory but more like an offer. "And I do mean anything."

Jeremy's eyebrows went up. "I thought you didn't bottom."

"S'only with clients," put in Toby, as though they weren't talking about his teacher fucking his boyfriend. As though this was a normal conversation, about books or the weather. Toby yawned and dragged his coffee cup listlessly towards his head as though he could somehow manage to inhale the liquid without having to sit up.

"I trust you, Jeremy," said Saul, eyes dark and serious. "You've shown you're honorable, and that you care for us." His hand climbed again, this time inside Jeremy's thigh. He spread his legs involuntarily, and gasped softly when Saul's cool fingers brushed his cloth-covered balls.

"He's horny 'cos of the moon," added Toby, finally giving in and getting just vertical enough to slurp the coffee. He made a face at the bitterness of drinking it black, but didn't quite seem to have the energy to add sugar and cream.

Jeremy took the cup from Toby and replaced it with his own, already fixed the way they both liked. Toby slurped again and smiled like he was sipping ambrosia. "Mmm, thanks."

"I can't say I'm not tempted," said Jeremy, adding sugar and cream to the new cup. "But what happens to the pack dynamics if I only sleep with one of you?"

"You're far too responsible for this early in the morning," said Toby accusingly.

"And I hate it when you're right," added Saul. He stuck his tongue out at Jeremy, but removed his hand anyway and wrapped it around his coffee cup instead, as though it was cold without Jeremy's flesh to warm it.

"Sorry," said Jeremy, his voice heavy with regret and something akin to exhaustion. He'd had a bad night, eventually giving up on sleeping at his grandparents' and going home as soon as dawn broke and everyone reverted to human form. He usually just slept in a guest room there, but something had called him home to his own bed. At least he'd managed a little sleep there before waking up irrevocably; he'd probably just barely beat Toby and Saul to the house.

They ordered when prompted and ate in companionable silence, snuggled close in the curve of the big booth. Eventually Toby gave up and moved around to curl up with his head in Saul's lap, and Saul laid his head on Jeremy's shoulder. "Guess we all had a long night, huh?"

Saul grinned at him, all the predator he'd left out earlier coming to the fore. "Bet ours was more fun."

Chapter 12

Halloween was normally a peaceful night for Jeremy, spent reading in his living room and handing out candy to the local kids. He always had good candy and the house's reputation of being werewolf-owned kept the pranksters away, so he rarely had any more excitement than seeing who was dressed as what that year. However, this Halloween was promising to be very different.

Though the full moon had been two weeks ago, Jeremy had declined the invitation to spend Devil's Night with the boys, vivid tales of what Saul normally did to celebrate his birthday marching pornographically through Jeremy's mind. They allowed him to beg off the 30th with just a gift, but told him in no uncertain terms that Halloween was a time for Pack, and he was not allowed to spend it in solitude. He'd put out an extra-large bowl of chocolates, with the rest of his stash entrusted to his next-door neighbor for when that ran out, and left the house, heart racing with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.

They refused to tell him what they had planned, only promised that he wouldn't be in danger of losing his job over any of the night's activities. They'd even promised to provide him with a costume, something he was almost dreading more than the actual outing. He'd seen what they viewed as acceptable party clothing a couple of times, and doubted that he could pull off the skimpy fetish look that they all wore effortlessly.

Jeremy still wasn't comfortable just barging into their apartment, despite waking up almost every day to find Toby or one of the other boys puttering about in his kitchen or curled up on his sofa with the kittens. He was starting to grow used to having his tea already made when he got out of the shower, and had even gotten comfortable enough to wear his robe -- a soft, cotton Japanese yukata patterned with leaping fish -- instead of getting completely dressed at dawn.

He shook himself free of the entangling web of memory and raised his arm to knock above the cheesy black cat cutouts on the door of 1013. It opened before his knuckles could connect, and a hand grabbed his arm, cheerful voices greeting him as he was dragged inside. The living room had been transformed, black cloth and glow-in-the-dark skeletons lining the walls, and two honest-to-god black leather couches facing one another in the middle of the now-crowded room.

He surveyed the occupants with a growing certainty that he'd look absurd in anything they had for him to wear. Toby was surprisingly the gaudiest, in the tiniest red vinyl short-shorts he'd ever seen, legs encased in matching thigh-high boots with ridiculously high stiletto heels. He sat with them flung over Saul's lap, a pointed red tail trailing out from under a spot suspiciously low on his body.

The zipper on the front of the shorts disappeared between his legs, and Jeremy got a disturbingly hot vision of just how the tail might be attached. On top he had a tiny pair of devil's horns on a headband, and a collar and cuffs made of the same shiny red. No shirt, just the words "Bad Boy" written over his heart in what looked like lipstick. A shiny chrome leash led from the collar to Saul's hand.

Saul was dressed almost conservatively by comparison, also shirtless but covered in iridescent body glitter. White leather pants were laced sinfully tight up the sides of his leg, leaving the long line of hip and thigh bare down to the matching knee-high leather boots. At least his had normal heels, much like biker boots someone had forgotten to dye. His hair had been bleached a shocking white, almost the same color as Toby's but with soft streaks of pastel-pale color running through it. He had a sparkly silver halo suspended above his head, and a pair of fluffy white wings rested on the coffee table next to his booted feet.

"An angel with the devil for a sex slave, huh?" quipped Jeremy once he found his voice.

Toby moved his legs to reveal the true piece-de-resistance of Saul's outfit, a shiny silver chastity belt chained low over the crotch of the leather pants. "Just one of god's little ironies," said Saul, grinning. "Ask him where the tail's attached."

Jeremy just shook his head, returning the grin. He walked around so he could see the two boys cuddled on the other couch. Mercury had his shoulder-length hair slicked back into a tight ponytail, and was wearing a business suit that would have been conservative had it not been made entirely of clear vinyl. Only the miniscule black g-string he wore underneath saved it from being obscene. He'd even found a pair of clear plastic loafers to complete the outfit. The only touch of color was the tie, which was translucent orange with a black jack-o-lantern face painted in the center.

David's outfit was almost more shocking, if only because of the boy's normally modest mode of dress. He was dressed up as a cat, in a manner of speaking. Black shorts the twin of Toby's covered his hips, and a soft black tail made of marabou snaked out from around behind him. Black marabou cat ears topped his head, and whiskers and a little black nose had been drawn on his face with eyeliner. His eyes were also heavily lined with kohl, and black lipstick on his narrow mouth made him look exotic rather than childish.

"Mrow," he said, scratching at the air with a hand encased in a long black vinyl glove tipped in gleaming silver claws. A collar encircled his neck, leash leading to Mercury, and chrome-buckled boots climbed up his thighs, making him seem impossibly tall. His normally conservative hair had been spiked with colorless glitter, and a silver chain hung between loops around his pebbled nipples. To top off the image of feline decadence, an erection was just starting to peek out the top of his shorts, and Jeremy's eyes grew wide when he spotted the glint of metal at its tip.

"You're pierced?" he blurted before he could stop himself. The boys all laughed good-naturedly, and David pushed the front of his shorts down enough to bare the head of his cock, and the Prince Albert running through it.

"You like it?" asked David, his normally soft voice almost a growl.

"You can smell that he does," said Mercury, tugging gently on the ring. David gasped and spread his legs, and Mercury looked over at Jeremy, smiling. "It's newly healed, and turning him into a total slut."

"At least with us," said Toby, stroking his own peeking erection through the vinyl of his shorts. Jeremy wondered if the zipper hurt, if Toby liked it that way. He'd seen the boys on the night after a full moon before and recognized the way their eyes glittered, pupils wide. He could only wonder what sort of high they were on this time to make them so reckless and randy.

"Guys, cut it out. We promised him nothing too risque tonight, remember?" Sebastian's voice preceded him as he emerged from the curtained bedroom. His outfit seemed to belie his words -- Bas was dressed in the most convincing drag Jeremy had ever seen.

Despite the fact that Jeremy was very sure by this point in his life that he was not attracted to women, there was something viscerally appealing about knowing there were boy parts hiding under the near-perfect female guise. Bas's hair fell free and loose around him, and his strong, aristocratic features were softened by expertly applied makeup. His normally prominent Adam's apple was hidden under the high collar of the mock-turtleneck he was wearing. It wasn't precisely sleeveless, but the sleeves were a separate piece that started in the middle of his biceps and spilled down over his fingers in a swirl of blue.

The top fitted his lithe form closely, flaring out right below amazingly lifelike breasts to become a short, swirly A-line skirt. He gave a little twirl and the dress rose up, revealing that he had not, at least yet, decided to wear any panties. Garters attached to thigh-high stockings framed his half-hard cock nestled in a tangle of black pubic hair. The entire outfit faded from a soft blue-violet at the neckline to a near black at the feet of the stockings that went beautifully with his black suede pumps.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Toby, laughter tingeing the admonition in his tone.

"Can you blame me for wanting to show it off before I have to tuck it away?" His face would have looked innocent if he hadn't lifted the hem to stroke himself, bringing his erection to full hardness, then draped the skirt over the base. An image flashed through Jeremy's head of a cloth-draped Buddhist shrine, and he swallowed hard, mouth watering. He had to dig his hands into the back of the couch to steady himself, the urge was so strong to drop to his knees and worship at the altar of Bas' groin.

The rest of them were too busy laughing and shooing him back into the bedroom to notice Jeremy's reaction, and he managed to get himself under control before they turned back to him. "So," said Saul, grinning mischievously, "you ready to see what we found for you to wear?"

Jeremy laughed nervously. "As ready as I'll ever be, although if you think I can pull off anything like what you guys are wearing..."

Toby gave him the once-over, eyes hooded and predatory. "I've seen you in a towel, Dr. J. I'm pretty sure you'll do just fine."

Jeremy blushed, but he allowed Mercury to lead him towards the bedroom, the rest of them trailing behind like an entourage. He mumbled one last protest under his breath, "I'd better at least get something warmer. I will actually be feeling the cold tonight, unlike you guys."

"Well, we can't all be merely human," said David with a shrug.

Jeremy shook his head, grinning, and ducked through the curtain. The bedroom had also undergone a transformation, all the sheets changed to black, pillows piled neatly along the walls, no sign of blankets at all. The ceiling light was on, but around it twinkled Christmas lights like stars impatient for the sun's light to be extinguished. He wondered if they'd gotten tired of waiting and were planning on seducing him here and now, but instead Sebastian emerged from the closet carrying a pile of neatly folded cloth.

Hands plucked at his clothing, David kneeling at his feet like temptation incarnate as he took away Jeremy's shoes and socks. Saul pulled his bulky sweater up over his head, taking the undershirt with it, and his pants were being undone by Mercury's nimble fingers by the time he managed to retrieve his glasses from the confusion. "At least we finally get to see you naked!" crowed Toby from his spot in the corner, lounging against the pillows.

"He's not allowed to help dress you. We're only letting him in the room because he pouted," said David, grinning.

"You want to see me naked?" Jeremy blurted, wondering where his self-control had gone tonight. In his own way, he was almost as out-of-control as they were and he could only pray he'd survive the night with his swiftly diminishing resolve unbroken.

His answer was three sets of hands sliding his pants down and off his legs, each stealing caresses where they could get them. David actually licked the tip of his cock, making him moan, then sat back looking embarrassed. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't, but..." he took a deep breath, breathing through mouth and nose together as if he could inhale more air that way. "You smell so good, I wanted a taste."

The other two stepped back, eyes wide. He blushed when he realized he was the only one naked in the room, although far from the only one hard. Toby's hand kept straying to his zipper, pressing it down, slipping down to tease below where the tail emerged. His legs were spread wide, and Jeremy was faced with incontrovertible proof that Toby found him desirable, the pink head of his cock completely uncovered by the tiny shorts.

Sebastian took pity on him, slinking over with a walk that screamed sex, and Jeremy wondered for a moment what had happened to Bas' erection. Fortunately, Bas solved his dilemma by handing him a pair of black lycra pants and looking expectantly at Jeremy's cock. "As much as we'd all like to play, you'd better cover that up before someone sucks your brains out through it."

Everyone laughed, and the tension was broken. He stepped into the pants, cheeks blazing, and pulled them up. He had thought the matte texture of the cloth might help disguise his erection, but he was completely mistaken. Instead it molded itself to his every vein and curve, outlining in shadow-on-shadow the evidence that Jeremy was not wearing anything underneath. The next item he was given was a loose white silk shirt, which proved to be a pirate shirt when he tried to get into it. There were no buttons, and the only ties were at the wrist, so he had no idea how he was supposed to keep the thing closed.

Bas solved his problem by winding a red sash around his waist, trapping the tails of the shirt but leaving the middle to gape wide. The sash trailed down his side to end in fringe, a long line leading the eye right up to his crotch. Saul had left the room at some point, and he returned with a small jar of something suspiciously glittery. He rubbed it over his hands, then attacked Jeremy with it, turning his normally wavy hair into a stiff, chunky mass.

David began clipping little strings of beads and other things into his hair at random. Another red scarf was carefully wrapped around his head, effectively hiding his bangs. Mercury stole his glasses, pulled an eyeliner pencil out of god knew where and put kohl around his eyes. He was so grateful to get the glasses back that he even let them bully him into a deep blue frock coat with gold trim.

Soft, wide boots completed the ensemble, flared tops folded down at his knees. Saul was kind enough to bring the mirror out of their seemingly endless closet of fetishwear, and Jeremy stared at himself, amazed. He looked like another person, the goop making his hair seem shimmering and dark, liner turning his eyes large and mysterious. He looked down at himself -- everything seemed to be designed to draw the eye right to the erection that hadn't flagged even during the makeup.

"So, I'm a butt pirate?" he asked.

They burst out laughing, and then Mercury said almost petulantly, "Not that you've shown *us*!"

"Not you, too!" said Jeremy plaintively. That goaded the rest of them into near-hysteria, and he finally broke down and giggled right along with them.

When the giggles died down, Saul stepped up to him in an echo of the long ago ritual and drew his mouth into a deep, wet kiss. He was left gasping and breathless when Mercury stepped up to take Saul's place, his kiss leaving no question at all that he desired Jeremy just as much as the others. David was next, licking his black lips softly before plunging his tongue in and ravishing Jeremy's mouth.

Sebastian got his carefully-applied lipstick all over Jeremy's face, and Toby took a tissue and wiped away the smears of David's black and Bas' deep, bloody red before giving him a soft, chaste kiss and an inscrutable look.

They all filed out of the bedroom, then, allowing Jeremy to breathe a bit easier. Despite the alacrity with which they'd dressed him, he'd been more than a little worried -- and more than a little excited -- that they might undress and ravish him just as quickly. He took a few deep breaths and emerged to find them adjusting their outfits, Saul with his wings and Bas with his lipstick, Toby and David tucking themselves away, Mercury straightening his tie. He checked his own clothes, tucked his ID and some cash away in the inner pocket of the jacket, made sure the sash was secure, and joined them.

"All right, what's next?" he said cheerfully, deciding that if they could go out and enjoy themselves looking like sex on a stick, he could manage it looking like the stick that went with them.

"Now," said Saul, leading his grinning little devil to the door, "We dance."

* ~ * ~ *

It was all Toby could do not to just ravish Jeremy right there. They were all still high on the mixture of sex and adrenaline from Saul's birthday celebration; they'd outdone themselves this year, having some very kinky -- and very risky -- sex in amusing public places in an effort to take the edge off for tonight and the Herculean task of not seducing his professor for a whole month and a half more. Jeremy might have December 16 marked on his calendar as a nice farewell to his students, but Toby had the whole weekend afterward marked off for entirely different reasons.

Jeremy's ass was sadly hidden by the frock coat, but those long legs were showcased perfectly as they walked out the front entrance to a street filled with revelers. They were right near the club district, and it spilled over, especially with all the partygoers that lived in the high rises around them, and Edie's open 24 hours with a whole slew of seasonal specials to amuse the yuppies.

They turned left and marched down the way toward one of Saul's favorite haunts, a flashy gay club called Seventh Sin. Fortunately for Toby's ego, the bouncer took one look at their costumes and waved them inside without even asking for the cover charge, and more than one patron tried to grope them on their way past the line. Toby just winked and shook his tail at them, while Saul shortened the leash and glared. Jeremy blushed adorably when a big man in gaudy drag copped a feel, and Saul surprised them all by growling until he backed down.

Inside, the club was done to the nines, with the dance floor covered in mist and amusing gravestones lining the walls, ghosts and ghouls hanging from the rafters and a soundtrack of appropriately gothic proportions. While the DJ was dressed in typical goth finery, the waiters wore skimpy French maid's uniforms, the bartenders were done up as rather under-wrapped mummies, and the dancers in their gilded cages sported a plethora of costumes every bit as brief as Toby's.

The crowd was as colorful as the club, dozens of costumes in every imaginable style from the sarcastic to the sublime, all of them on the most gorgeous men and women. Seventh Sin could afford to be selective on a night like this, when far more people would want in than even the most lax fire marshal would allow. "So, what do you think?" Toby asked Jeremy, yelling to be heard over the thrum of the music.

"I feel a little overdressed all of a sudden," he replied with a wry grin, nodding to where a group of gorgeous boys only *maybe* old enough to be in there were wearing nothing but body glitter, fairy wings, and strategically placed leaves and flowers.

"You look great," said Toby, rolling his eyes.

As if to emphasize his point, a man dressed in a spandex bodysuit with a skeleton painted on in loose, day-glo strokes came up to Jeremy and slid a hand rather unceremoniously into his shirt, tugging on a nipple ring. Jeremy jumped and glared, slapping the hand away, and the man backed off, grinning beneath his death's-head makeup and holding his hands up as if in surrender.

"Just stick with Saul tonight, he'll keep you from getting groped too much," Toby said, blithely ignoring the frequent tugs on his tail, though one was hard enough he had to clench to keep from losing it altogether.

Saul came over and slipped a hand around both their waists. "I'll keep your virtue safe, Dr. J," he purred into Jeremy's ear. "After all, isn't that what angels do?"

Jeremy chuckled. "You say that like I've got much virtue left to protect," he said, unable to resist flirting a little. "I don't think virginity is like getting your ears pierced, Saul. It doesn't grow back if you stop poking things through the hole."

Saul threw his head back and laughed rich and deep, drawing the admiring eyes of several people. Bas chuckled and flipped his hair back, then kissed the tip of Saul's nose. "I, on the other hand, have no need to have my virtue watched over, so I'm gonna go see if I can't get some nice boy to buy me a drink or three."

"Sleep at home tonight," said Saul, glancing over at Jeremy. Toby didn't know if Jeremy realized they had plans for after the dancing -- six sets of pajama pants were waiting in their closet so that the Pack could finally sleep with their newest member at least once. Assuming he'd accept the invitation.

Bas grinned. "Wouldn't miss it for the world," he said, then leaned down and kissed a surprised Jeremy on the nose as well. "See you in a bit, Dr. J."

Jeremy just blinked, adorably stunned, and barely noticed when a boy done up in full puppy-boy fetish gear tried to bury his nose in Jeremy's lycra-covered crotch. "Bad dog!" said Saul, whapping him, and the boy sat back on his haunches and gave them all wide puppy eyes.

"Ah, there you are!" said a voice from behind them, and Toby turned, gut clenching, afraid they'd been found on their night off by someone he didn't want to see. The puppy went back up on all fours and trotted happily to his master, a big bear of a man dressed in full safari hunting gear, minus, of course, the big gun. "Was he a bad boy?" he asked the assembled group with a sheepish grin. "He slipped his leash when I was trying to order drinks, and I recognize that look of his."

As if to demonstrate, the puppy resumed his innocent expression, sitting contentedly at his master's side, head leaning against one khaki-clad thigh. Jeremy blushed a bright crimson, but Toby took it upon himself to answer. "He stuck his nose where it didn't belong, but backed off right away when our pirate protested."

"Well, I can see why he might want a whiff," was the reply, eyes roaming up and down Jeremy's body and causing that adorable flush to deepen. "I'm Larry, by the way, and this is Spike," he said, petting the boy's head.

Mercury sighed deeply, and Toby caught a glimpse of wistful longing on his face that brought a twinge to Toby's gut. "I'm Snow, and this is Dr. J," said Toby. He wasn't sure what the others would want, most of them didn't use street names among the normals, but it wasn't a decision he wanted to make for them, and something about tonight was putting him on edge.

"Nice to meet you," said Jeremy diffidently, holding out a hand that was all but engulfed in Larry's meaty paw when they shook.

"Samael," said Saul, sticking out his hand rather forcefully. Larry shook it as well, obviously with a bit more vigor. Saul's size and aggressiveness invited dominance games that Toby usually avoided with his polite style of leadership.

"I'm Quicksilver, and this is Scratch," said Mercury, sliding a rather possessive hand down David's back. Toby sighed; it wasn't just his hackles that were up, then, and they'd barely gotten inside.

Sebastian chose that moment to rejoin the group. "Group of old friends, back left corner," he said quietly, handing Toby a drink like he'd ordered it. "I'm Bella, who're you?" he said much louder and more cheerfully, holding a hand out to a rather stunned-looking Larry.

"Larry," was the reply, "and Spike." He shook the proffered hand, then gave Spike's leash a tug forward. The puppy boy nuzzled Bas' outstretched hand, and Sebastian reacted with perfect composure, scratching the top of his head around the straps of his harness.

Toby grinned at their little performance, then whispered Sebastian's unwelcome news to David, trusting it would get passed down the line to Saul and properly skip their guest. At least he knew what was bothering them now; even among a crowd like this, the scent of someone they considered an enemy would be enough to put them all on edge. Saul made his way over to Toby's side while David and Mercury moved up to flank Jeremy protectively.

Larry took in their little threat display with aplomb, easy in his obvious assurance that whatever the group was arraying against, it wasn't him. "Well met, then, and perhaps if you're still around later I'll stand you to a round of drinks or put Spike through his paces for you!" he said, grinning and tugging on Spike's leash.

Toby took a deep breath and returned the smile with one of his own. "Well met, indeed," he said, giving the puppy-boy a last pat on the head before they both turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Saul slung a protective arm around Toby's shoulders and asked, "Wanna blow this joint and find another party?"

"Do you?" Toby asked. Saul was their protector, as officially as one could get within their pack anyway, and he was willing to defer to him in this matter.

"How about we stay together, get our good professor a bit tipsy and then take him home for a pajama party?" said Bas, flouncing over.

Saul grinned wickedly. "That sounds like an excellent suggestion. Shall I rustle us up some drinks, oh leader of my pack?"

Toby rolled his eyes and relaxed; now they'd been alerted to the danger, they'd be safe enough with the whole group ready to intervene between Jeremy and any potential trouble. "Sure, but make sure to get our dear professor pirate's order, as I've never seen him drink anything that wasn't tea or coffee."

"I'll go with you," David volunteered, having edged their triad over to huddle with his pack leader, Jeremy nestled safely in their circle. "Dr. J, what can I bring to delight your palate and inflame your senses?"

Jeremy smirked, apparently oblivious to the tense undercurrent. "Well, since your cock is off limits, how about an Old Fashioned?"

Toby had to suppress a snicker when David actually blushed. Saul and Mercury exchanged leashes, and Saul led David off into the crowd. "That's actually appropriate, you know," said Jeremy offhandedly as he watched them walk away, naked admiration for their retreating backsides showing in his face.

"What is?" asked Mercury, slinging an arm around Jeremy in a rather proprietary way.

"One of Satan's many names is Old Scratch," said Jeremy, leaning into the touch and setting off a small and very misplaced spark of jealousy in Toby's breast. "So really our angel Samael just exchanged one devil for another." He paused, scanning their faces, and took a deep breath. "So, why the nicknames?"

"Working names," said Mercury quietly. "We don't trust the customers with our real names, generally."

Jeremy seemed to take this latest sordid revelation pretty much in stride, which impressed Toby and warmed him in places he wasn't quite ready to admit just yet. Jeremy just nodded and said with an impish little smile, "Makes sense. Want to give me a secret identity, too?"

"Dr. Love!" said Bas, leering and rubbing up against Jeremy in a decidedly catlike way.

"More like Dr. No," said David, laden with drinks. He handed Jeremy his old fashioned and sipped his own drink placidly, then added, "Tasty, but not as good as you," winking at Jeremy and looking quite smug to have put the professor to the blush yet again.

"I like that," said Saul, handing Mercury a drink. "Gives a clear message to any of our acquaintances who might misinterpret his presence in our esteemed company."

Jeremy laughed, "Just as long as none of my students ever hear it or why you call me that, I think it's quite fitting at the moment."

"Much like those pants," came a voice from behind them, and they all turned to see who had spoken.

"Ben," said Jeremy, his face frozen in a blankly pleasant smile, his voice holding only a hint of coldness. "How nice to see you outside of the classroom." Ben was dressed in a surprisingly high-quality priest's cassock, and handsome enough to have got past the doorman despite the conspicuous lack of skin. Arrayed behind him were a few choice members of the football team, and Toby wondered for a moment if they realized just what kind of a club Ben had brought them into.

"And you," said Ben, his eyes roaming Jeremy's form greedily enough to make Toby's skin crawl in sympathy. "I never knew you were hiding such treasure under that unassuming professor's wardrobe."

Jeremy blushed, but his eyes stayed true on Ben's face. "Well, it wouldn't do for me to share my booty with my students, so I only let my pirate side out on special occasions," said Jeremy, saluting Ben with his drink.

One of Ben's cronies whispered to him, and Ben whispered back and all their faces seemed to lighten, as though they'd finally taken a look around and wondered at the lack of women, and clothing. "I suppose that's the case, though you don't seem to have a problem with our little devil here," said Ben, and Toby felt Mercury tighten his leash just a little.

"Quicksilver here invited me out for the evening," said Jeremy, putting an arm around Mercury's waist, "and who am I to refuse Toby a little holiday fun with his friends just because I'm along?"

Toby was grateful when Mercury played along, nuzzling the professor a little and glaring at Ben. "I don't share my booty, however, so you might as well run along if that's what you're after."

"Now, Quicksilver, I don't think any of my students would ever consider propositioning me while still under my tutelage," said Jeremy, his voice half stern and half joking. "Right, Ben?"

"Right, Dr. J," said Ben, shooting Toby a little glare. "You have fun with your toys, Quicksilver."

"Oh, the devil isn't my toy," said Mercury languidly. "I was just holding him for Samael here," he said, passing Toby's leash back to Saul.

Saul reacted smoothly, taking the leash with a little bow and offering David's to Bas. "Your pet, milady? He served me well in retrieving our drinks, thank you for the loan."

"You always take such good care of my little Scratch," said Bas, stroking David's hair soothingly as he came to rest a bit sullenly beside his 'new' owner. "It's my pleasure."

Ben seemed to notice Bas for the first time, as though he'd been so focused on Toby, Jeremy and Mercury that he hadn't paid any attention to their companions. "And who is this lovely lady?" he asked, a smarmy grin plastering itself on his features.

Bas took his cue perfectly, lowering his voice until it was unmistakably male and saying, "Bella," holding out his hand in a very graceful, ladylike manner, to be shaken or kissed as the gentleman might prefer.

"Ah. I see why you're with them now," said Ben, bending and kissing 'her' hand nonetheless. "Enchante."

"Charmed, I'm sure," said Bas coldly, taking his hand back and running the long, graceful fingers down David's spine. Toby could just barely spot the tremor in Sebastian's hand, and he sighed in relief when Ben and his crew took their leave and wandered off into the crowd.

"That's two strikes," said Saul, his voice sounding strangely rough. "Shall we walk before the third one takes us out?"

"I'd love to make this a private party," said Jeremy, his voice small and tired. "I don't think I could handle another public outing."

"Let's go home, Doc," said Mercury, nuzzling Jeremy again, and Toby felt his jealousy flare when Jeremy didn't object, instead leaning wearily against Mercury's plastic-suited body.

"Anyone object?" asked Toby, looking around at the group. Despite their earlier jubilance, the wind had gone out of all their sails. When no one spoke up, Toby snuggled into Saul's welcoming embrace and said, "Next year, everything will be different."

That got smiles from all of them, and they made it out of the club without any incidents more noteworthy than some rather creative propositions. The group walked home talking quietly about their dreams for the future, familiar tales to Toby but not to Jeremy. Toby's chest grew tight as he watched Jeremy plan with them, not just theory this time but ways they could really pursue their dreams during or after the study.

If Toby had ever doubted their decision to bring Jeremy into the pack, he didn't now.

Once they got into the room, they took turns in the shower, keeping the thread of conversation going and emerging one by one, damp and clean and wearing the soft plaid flannel pajama bottoms Sebastian had found on one of his scavenging trips to the thrift stores. When they were all clean, Mercury curled sleepily against David, Toby snuggled up with Saul and Bas still toweling his hair, they pulled their final surprise for the night.

"There's a towel and pants in the bathroom waiting for you," said Bas casually, sitting on the arm of the sofa that Mercury and David were taking up most of. "Get cleaned up and we can get some sleep, eh?"

"I... what?" said Jeremy, when he realized everyone was looking at him expectantly.

"We'd like it if you'd clean up and stay with us. No sex, we promise," said Toby, giving Jeremy his best innocent face.

"We even bought pants!" said Sebastian giddily, tugging at the waistband of the pair he'd chosen, a rather feminine lavender plaid that left his ankles bare, even slung low enough to have black hair peeking out the top.

"Please?" said David, his face serious. "Even regular packs often sleep in communal piles to bond."

That got a smile out of Jeremy, and he shook his head and raised his hands. "I give, I'll stay." Toby was amused when Bas did a little girly clap, and even Mercury managed a sleepy hooray. "Someone show me what to use to get the stuff off?" Jeremy asked, gesturing at his face and hair.

"I'll do it," said Bas good-naturedly, when Toby started to stir. "I'm already mostly standing," he added with a wink.

Jeremy stood and followed Bas into the bathroom, and Toby snuggled back into Saul's warm, familiar embrace. "He's really ours, cub," said Saul, stroking Toby's hair and back soothingly. "He'll accept the rest when he can."

Toby smiled and relaxed further, listening to the steady beat of Saul's heart and the distant murmur of Jeremy and Sebastian in the bathroom, watching David and Mercury with their guard well and truly down. "Yeah," said Toby. "We've accepted him, and that's enough for now."

The sound of falling water heralded Sebastian's return, this time draping himself over Toby and Saul. "He's so sweet, cub, I'm so glad you brought him to us."

"Yes," David chimed in, "We are truly fortunate to have him in our pack."

"I like him," said Mercury, not looking up from where he was curled, half-asleep in David's lap.

They sat like that until Jeremy emerged, damp and smiling, from the shower, toweling his hair and blushing slightly as they expressed their admiration for the way the slightly overlarge pants hung off his slender frame. Toby felt a stirring of lust and tamped it ruthlessly down, instead nudging Bas off of him and getting up. "Ready for your first night in our bed?" he asked with a smirk, holding out a hand to Jeremy.

Jeremy blushed a little redder, but took the hand. "I'm ready to be with my pack," he replied, and Toby let him through the curtain into their black-sheeted bed. Mercury had snuck in and put their blankets back, a hodgepodge of warm quilts and comforters that they all huddled under together. The pillows were piled all around the walls, and Toby led Jeremy to what they considered the location of honor, with his head in the corner on the largest mound of pillows.

They all curled up around Jeremy, their bodies warm lumps under the covers like huge, real cats, each of them wanting to touch some part of their newest pack member. "Sweet dreams," said Toby softly, their traditional nightly wish.

"Sweet dreams," came, not four echoes as usual, but five, Jeremy's voice adding a different note to the chorus of hope as they drifted off to sleep together.

Chapter 13

Saturdays in November were secretly some of Jeremy's favorite times. He loved the crispness, the clarity like the world was done with October and just waiting for the holiday season to start. He woke up feeling refreshed for once, the sun just coming up over the horizon. His house was empty of guests, which didn't overly surprise him -- the boys usually slept in on Saturday mornings, since Friday nights were some of their busiest times.

He padded around in his yukata, putting on tea and feeding the cats, generally rattling about and feeling both hopeful and oddly lonely. He'd grown used to having the pack in his house -- there had been someone there when he woke up every day since Halloween, and he kept coming home to find them curled up reading or talking. Once he'd even found David asleep in his bed, curled on top of the covers, a beautiful Chinese calligraphy set abandoned on the nightstand.

He shook himself, trying to banish the melancholy mood that was threatening to spoil an otherwise beautiful day. Instead he took his tea into the office, where Fitz protested mightily at the loss of the chair. He'd gotten the first group projects back from the Pack Mind class, and wanted to give grading them a shot when Toby wasn't around to fidget at him. He poked through his bag, finding the Paranormal Anthology 101 midterms and the half-finished proposal for next semester's new class, but no papers.

He sighed and stretched. Well, there was nothing for it -- he wanted Toby and Celia's help with the proposal, and he just wasn't in the mood for grading freshman papers, especially not when he could make Toby do it for him on Monday. He downed his tea in a few swift gulps, and then headed off for a shower. The campus would be mostly deserted on a Saturday, but his office building would be open for the few grad students doing weekend research, or the errant professor like himself who forgot something important.

He dressed casually, in the holey-kneed jeans that Toby loved to tease him about and a simple white dress shirt. Over the top he wore the sweater he'd stolen back from Saul, the one that still smelled a little like the pack. He hopped into his vehicle and drove off, promising himself breakfast at Edie's if he found the papers fast enough. With Toby's new filing system, it was pretty much a sucker bet, so he was whistling happily when he pulled into the parking lot.

The first thing he noticed was all the cop cars, some of them with lights still flashing. Police tape crisscrossed the parking lot, with bright yellow numbers marking long smears of blood on the concrete of the sidewalk with a macabre cheerfulness. The blood led up to the door, which had a suspiciously clawed handprint on it above a disturbingly bright red swath. He swallowed hard, suddenly filled with dread, and approached the nearest policeman.

"What's going on here, officer?" he asked, voice carefully neutral.

The cop, a tall black man who might have been thin without the bulletproof vest, looked him up and down, and Jeremy wished he'd dressed a bit more appropriately. "You a student here?"

"I'm a professor." He held out his hand, trying to appear calm and confident. "Dr. Jeremy Forrester. I teach Paranormal Anthropology, and run the Shapeshifter Behavioral Institute." He didn't bother to tell the cop that the Institute wasn't actually open yet. If a shifter really had gone rogue, they might need his expertise.

"You work with furries?" The man's eyebrows raised in surprise.

Jeremy let the epithet go. He didn't think he really had time for a sensitivity lecture, so he forced himself to smile and said instead, "You bet. Is there something going on I can help with?"

"Let me see if I can get a hold of Detective Bennett. He's in charge of the crime scene." The officer -- Thompson, Jeremy read off his badge -- got on his radio and talked for several minutes while Jeremy fidgeted and worried.

The shifter couldn't really be on a killing rampage if the cops were being this calm, but that might mean it was injured or dead already. He stared at the door as if he could penetrate its secrets by will alone. The blood was slowly darkening, attracting insects, and he had to look away.

"Bennett says to bring you through. Evidently, you are just the man they've been looking for." Officer Thompson held the crime scene tape up for Jeremy to walk under, and he kept his eyes down, careful not to step in anything that might be evidence.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" asked Jeremy again, worry growing. If they'd been looking for him, it might really be one of the pack gone rogue. There might be a body in there waiting for him, limp and lifeless like a broken doll. Shifters reverted to human form when they died, and he prayed quietly that whatever he saw, it wouldn't be one of his friends lying dead.

"Well, basically, a security guard noticed the blood and called the cops. We went inside and found a big white cat bleeding in a cage in your office, throwin' itself against the bars and makin' an awful racket."

"White? Did it..." he stopped as they rounded the corner, and he saw a single footprint in the blood. It was mostly human, a slight foreshortening that wouldn't be noticeable if there weren't five distinct claw marks, one at the point of each toe. Whoever had come in here had been half-changed when they did it. He cleared his throat, eyes prickling. "Did it have any markings?"

"Come see for yourself. Be careful of the blood, though," said Thompson, oblivious to Jeremy's distress. He obviously had no idea that Jeremy might have known the thing in the cage, that it might really be a person, a friend or loved one.

He walked slowly down the hallway, heart pounding. He heard a crash, followed by a frustrated grating sound that couldn't quite make itself into a roar. Snow leopards didn't have fully formed vocal cords and sounded... a lot like that. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and took the last step that would show him what was waiting in his office.

The blood led up to the cage, smeared on the floor and bars like the shifter had struggled to get inside before he fully changed. Fortunately for everyone involved, the door locked automatically when it swung completely shut -- Jeremy kept it slightly ajar in case he ever had a tranked shifter to restrain. The keys were hung on the wall within easy reach, just in case anyone ever got locked inside by accident, but for a rage, fear or pain-maddened shifter, it was about as secure as you could get.

The cat's woolly pelt was wet with blood, especially around its hind legs. Its tail was completely soaked, the normally fluffy fur heavy and wet with it. The cat whimpered, obviously injured, then screamed again, clawing at the bars. Although Jeremy had never seen Toby shift, the rosette markings were eerily familiar. There was, as far as he knew, only one snow leopard in this part of the country anyway.

"I know him," he said softly, heart heavy.

"Whaddaya mean you know him?" said the detective standing in the doorway. "You mean you've seen this before and didn't report him?" All shifters with lunar madness were required by law to register themselves with the authorities.

Jeremy's voice sounded distant to his own ears, strangely calm and professional as he said, "This isn't the full moon, and besides, it's the middle of the day. He's hurt, and his body changed to try and heal the injury. Any time a shifter changes because of fear, anger or pain, he loses control."

"So, you're sayin' the blood is his, and he's crazy because he's hurt?" The detective looked interested now, instead of angry.

"That's right. If you'll send someone to my vehicle, I've got a tranquilizer gun that should work, and a first-aid kit. In fact, if I can get to the phone I can call in a few of his pack members to try and calm him." Jeremy fought down the panic rising in his chest. Toby wasn't dying. That was the important thing here, that he wasn't dying and Jeremy could help him.

"You heard the man, Thompson!" The detective seemed relieved that someone was here to tell him what to do with the monster that had just shown up in his peaceful Saturday morning.

Jeremy handed his keys off wordlessly and began to work his way around the room to the phone on his desk, trying to keep out of Toby's considerable reach. "He shouldn't still be bleeding, though, that's what I don't understand." He was mostly talking just to fill the dead air with something other than Toby's horrible cries. "Shifters can heal damage that would kill a human, just by shifting. It's why their bodies have this mechanism, although no one's figured out why their minds go when it happens."

The detective grunted. "You'd think it'd be more useful to them to stay smart if they were hurt."

"Well, they also need fresh meat to get their energy back, and the hunting instinct is very strong when they're like this." Jeremy reached the phone, picked it up. Toby was pacing the cage now, limping, and sniffing the air in between heartrending whimpers of pain. He dialed the apartment, hoping that someone would pick up.

"Hullo?" said a familiar sleepy voice after the sixth ring.

"Saul! It's Jeremy. Thank god." Some part of him did little hallelujahs that Saul was home.

"Jeremy, what's wrong?" Saul's voice was tinny on the cheap phone, but the worry came through loud and clear.

"It's Toby. He's hurt, and he's in my office. I need you guys to come down here and see if you can calm him down, because he's still bleeding and I can't figure out why."

Saul waited a bare heartbeat and then began swearing. "God fucking dammit! I knew that cocksmoking motherfucker had something up his donkey-raping shithole when he made Toby take his so-called special new client last night! That pigfucking, cumguzzling son of a bitch!"

"Saul, you have to calm down. Wake the others and get over here as fast as you can. Oh, and bring meat, he's lost a lot of blood."

"Gotcha," said Saul. Jeremy could just barely hear the swearing start up again as Saul hung up the phone.

Jeremy turned to the detective, breathing deeply to calm himself. "They're on their way, but they don't have a car so we'll have to do what we can until they get here. If you can find some raw meat somewhere, that would be really good. Lamb or steak, preferably, but anything will do as long as it's raw."

"You're the expert," said the detective, then he stepped outside to talk to the huddle of lesser officers who were waiting there. Jeremy couldn't really blame them; there weren't a lot of places in the office you could stand and be assured that Toby wouldn't be able to take a swipe at you.

Toby wasn't swiping anymore, though. He was sniffing the air, rubbing his face against the bars. Jeremy wondered if he had enough of the pack scent on him to calm Toby down so he wouldn't have to be tranked. There were several documented cases of a pack managing to calm down a member who had undergone a rage-change. Generally speaking, it could work, but never after the shifter had killed.

Jeremy stripped out of his sweater, stopping to inhale deeply. He really liked this sweater, and if this didn't work, he was going to miss the way it held the scents of him, Toby and Saul together in the wool. Plus, it made his shoulders look great. The detective was giving him a strange look, and he gave in and tossed the shirt into the cage gently.

Toby reared back, then went over to sniff at it, growling softly. His back legs gave out just as he reached the sweater, and he ended up curling around it, nose buried in the wool. Jeremy hoped the blood would come out, and hoped even more this was working. "I'm going to try and approach him."

"Why in god's name would you do that?" asked the detective, surprised.

"Tranquilizers could do what the blood loss hasn't yet, and I don't want to risk killing him if we can calm him. He considers me part of his pack, and obviously is comforted by my scent." Toby's eyes were still white-rimmed, but he'd stopped growling and was staring right at Jeremy.

"You're not one o' them, are you?" asked the detective, stepping back as Jeremy stepped forward. Toby's eyes swiveled to the detective, and they both froze.

"No, but my paternal grandparents are Bone Kin. I've been Toby's friend long enough that he thinks of me as a member of his pack." Friend. That had a nice ring to it, although it didn't begin to cover the longing that he thought might hollow him out some days. Today he just wanted to see Toby's face again, his mischievous blue eyes gazing up from behind stiff white bangs.

Toby blinked once, slowly and turned his head back to Jeremy. The detective wisely stayed still and silent, watching, hand on his weapon. It was so unlikely as to be absurd to think that the police department had moonstone-tipped bullets on hand, but Jeremy wasn't going to tell the detective just how little damage his gun would do. Instead, he took another slow step towards his friend.

Toby shifted his hind legs and whimpered again, closing his eyes and burying his face in the sweater. Jeremy took another step and reached out with his hand, sending up an errant prayer that he wasn't about to lose it. Toby looked up at him with frightened eyes, then closed them and butted his head up against Jeremy's fingers for all the world like Fitz demanding a scratch.

Jeremy hunkered down in front of the cage and scratched behind Toby's ears, meeting the eerily familiar blue cat-eyes. "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle," said the detective behind him, and both Jeremy and Toby looked over sharply before resuming their pose.

"It's going to be all right, Toby, but I have to find out what's wrong with you," he said, voice as soothing as he could make it with his heart still in his throat. Up close, he could see that Toby was panting and weak, and Jeremy was seriously worried. If whoever did this had actually known what Toby was beforehand, then he might be injured far worse than it looked. "I'm going to take a look at you, Toby, I'm here, and I'm going to make everything all right."

He ran one hand down the back of Toby's neck, elongating each stroke so that he was slowly working his way towards the tail, the motions hampered by the iron bars of the cage. Knowing what Toby did for a living and the kind of people he did it with, Jeremy was truly afraid of what he might find, but he sought it anyway. Toby's eyes got wider, his breathing faster, but he stayed still and quiet when Jeremy shushed him.

It was a good sign, a sign that his mind might be coming back from whatever wild place it had gone to. Jeremy continued his soothing words as he threaded his fingers through the bloody fur, seeking whatever wound was causing him to keep bleeding out like this. Toby whimpered as he got further back, and there were voices in the background, but he ignored them and worked on just moving his hands. Slow strokes with the left to keep Toby calm, exploring strokes with the right to find the source of the pain.

The hind legs and tail were by far the bloodiest, and he finally had to give in and lift Toby's tail out of the way. He breathed out in both horror and relief when he saw that Toby's privates were intact, but a small knife-hilt protruded right above his balls. Jeremy took a deep, steadying breath, and then turned to look at the commotion in the doorway.

Saul, Sebastian and David were there, all looking unfortunately like exactly what they were -- whores. Saul was getting angry at the detectives and Jeremy interrupted, using his lecture voice to cut through the babble. "They're with me, Detective Bennett. I've found the problem and I'm going to try and remove it, so if they could come over here and hold his head, I would very much appreciate it."

They came, swift and silent like the predators they also were, kneeling heedless of the blood next to Jeremy. David gave a small whimper when he saw where Jeremy's hand was, saw the hilt embedded in sensitive flesh. Hands reached out to be sniffed and nuzzled, then everyone got into position, arms through the bars and reflexes poised. Jeremy took a deep breath, then pulled the knife out in one swift stroke.

Toby gave another of those horrible coughing screams and tried to sit up, but strong hands soothed him, held him down. A fresh stream of blood welled out, and David shocked Jeremy completely by leaning in to lick at the wound. Jeremy staggered back, dropping the knife, which only David's quick reflexes saved from shattering on the floor. Moonstone was, after all, notoriously fragile.

Fortunately for all of them, the angle they were at shielded the operation from the policemen's view. Saul whispered, "If we lick the wound, it will help purify it, and he might not have any permanent damage now that you've got the knife out."

"Toby told me Gabe had a knife made.." Jeremy trailed off, leaving the question hanging.

Saul just shook his head, and then went back to petting Toby, who had gone limp with relief now that the moonstone was out of his body. Shifters had described the sensation like being burned with acid, or branded with hot metal, even when their bane was just brushed over their skin. Jeremy couldn't begin to imagine what it must have felt like to have the knife lodged in his body where he couldn't get it out.

Toby looked awful, but Saul was hand-feeding him chunks of red meat from a grocery bag, while Sebastian's hands moved over the fur in long strokes, heedless of the blood. David continued to lick the wound with small cat-licks until the bleeding had stopped completely, then lifted his bloody face for Bas to lick clean. Jeremy levered himself up, picking up the knife and walking over to the cops. He took a deep breath, and then began explaining.

"This is a moonstone blade. Snow leopards, and *only* snow leopards, are sensitive to moonstone the way werewolves are to silver." Every idiot knew about the silver, but most people didn't know that other animals had other banes. "As far as I know, Toby is the only snow leopard in this country who is not a member of the Twilight Serenity pack in Colorado."

The cops looked puzzled, then the realization dawned. "A knife made of moonstone is a pretty exotic thing to have lyin' around," said Officer Thompson.

"If you can find out who had this knife made, you'll find out who attacked him. I only know of one other person who has one, and Saul confirms that this isn't the same weapon." Jeremy was trembling lightly, anger and relief passing over him in waves. One of the officers took the knife from him gently and dropped it, still bloody, into an evidence bag.

"Where'd they stab him, anyway?" said Detective Bennett, notebook out.

Jeremy closed his eyes. "Perineum," he said shortly.

At their confused looks, the medic peeking in between two officers said, "Between your balls and your ass." They both shuddered, and the EMT added, "Is it safe to come in now?"

Jeremy looked back at the cage. He could just see one frighteningly limp human hand peeking between the bars. "It's safe, he's changed back." Jeremy sat heavily in Celia's chair. "He'll be cold," he added, shivering slightly, and the medic shot him a strange look.

Saul and David stayed with Toby and the nameless EMT, but Bas got up and came over to Jeremy. "We can't go back after this," he said softly, looking over at Toby's still form.

"You'll stay with me," Jeremy replied, his mind far away. He couldn't imagine the kind of person who would cold-bloodedly do something to someone as kind and sweet as Toby.

"It looks like he was raped," said the EMT, and Jeremy winced. Was it rape if you earned $2000 a pop for it? If they stabbed you afterwards, he guessed it was.

"The DNA evidence was probably destroyed by the change," said Saul softly, and Jeremy shuddered again as he wondered just how Saul came by that tidbit of information.

"I'm making you some coffee, Dr. J," said Bas, spotting the little coffee service in the corner. Most of the mugs had fallen to the ground, but there was surprisingly little blood. If you stood in the right spot, you might not even know what had almost happened here. Bas pushed past the officers with the carafe in hand, all confidence and bustle. He hadn't even asked where anything was, just poked through cabinets and drawers until he found what he needed.

Jeremy was a bit worried about the distant, numb feeling that was cradling his brain from the horror of what he'd just seen, but that, too, was vague and unreal. He shivered again, and then nodded absently when the medic draped a scratchy blanket over his shoulders. "The boy's gonna be all right, Dr. Forrester."

Jeremy looked up into concerned eyes, and tried to find some expression to hang on his blank features. "That's good. Will he have to be hospitalized?" Jeremy's eyes wandered down, found "Edgar" embroidered on the man's shirt. "You'll take care of him, right, Edgar?"

Edgar smiled reassuringly and said, "We'll take care of him. He's going to the hospital but he shouldn't have to stay more than a day, and he'll have an armed guard while he's there. We have to take him now." Jeremy's eyes focused suddenly on Toby's blanket-wrapped figure being strapped onto a stretcher. He was glad they'd found the keys and let him out. "But one of the officers will drive you over to the hospital after they take your statement."

"Statement?" Jeremy asked, eyes riveted on Toby. "I have to go with him."

"It'll be fine, Dr. J," said Bas, handing him a cup of coffee. He took a sip, surprised to find it just how he liked it, and felt a small warmth beginning to spread through the fog.

Bas laid a hand on his shoulder and Jeremy looked up at him, finally finding a small smile. "Thanks, Bas."

"Did you mean it when you said we could stay with you?" asked Bas, squatting down so his head was below Jeremy's. It was a submissive position, a position of supplication. One short step from begging.

Jeremy drank deeply of the coffee, let it and Sebastian's hand on his thigh help speed his brain to recovery. "Yeah. It'll be crowded, but you need to get away from there."

Sebastian looked around furtively, and then rubbed his face quickly on Jeremy's leg. "Thank you!" he whispered, then got up and went to have a murmured conference with Saul. David had left with Toby, accompanying him to the hospital.

Officer Thompson came over and took Sebastian's place, minus the hand on Jeremy's knee. "You gonna be ok to give a statement?" he asked, flipping his book open.

"Yeah. Although I think Toby and his doctor will have more to say than I will about what happened." Jeremy wasn't sure how much was ok to tell the cops. It might make it worse for all of them if he gave up Gabe, or it might get the bastard off the streets.

"Is there anyone you know that might have done this?" asked Thompson. Jeremy caught Saul's eye, and saw him shake his head slightly.

"Not really. I mean, Toby's my grad student, and a nice kid. He's going to work at the Institute when the facility is completed." A nice kid. Toby would have flipped him off for saying it. If Toby were here, and conscious.

Sebastian and Saul came back over, and stood with Jeremy while he answered a seemingly endless round of questions. The police photographed his entire office and even disassembled the cage and took it with them, but told him that the rest could be cleaned up without fear of destroying evidence. He could come to work on Monday, try and teach class without Toby at his side. But Toby would be all right, and that was what mattered most. He'd gotten there in time, and now...

His eyes widened a bit as it hit him. Now they were all moving in. With him.

Chapter 14

Jeremy ended up footing the bill for the moving van once they figured out that no one would rent to any of the other pack members, most of whom lacked even legitimate driver's licenses, let alone a credit card. Saul insisted that he'd be paid back, but in all honesty Jeremy had it to spare. He'd almost bought a second car, just to keep the boys from having to cram themselves in the cage every time they went somewhere, but they wouldn't let him.

Moving-out day was a bizarre combination of high spirits and paranoia. They were excited like kids to be leaving, but extremely worried that Gabe would figure out where they'd gone. So far they'd managed to prevent Gabe and Jeremy from ever laying eyes on each other, and they were unanimous in their desire to keep it that way. As a result, Jeremy was at the house watching over Toby while the rest of them retrieved their few possessions.

Toby was distressingly pale against the flowered white sheets in the guest room, dark circles under his eyes and a new hollowness to his cheeks. The doctor his grandfather had sent over swore up and down that all Toby needed now was bed rest and more raw meat, and his body would take care of the rest. Jeremy spent long minutes standing in the doorway, just watching him sleep, feeling irrationally guilty that he hadn't been able to keep him from being hurt, to rescue him from his life before it came to this.

He dropped his eyes to the floor and took a long drink of the jasmine tea he'd made in a fit of nostalgia.

"You can stop looking so mopey now," said a weak voice, and he looked up into sad, pale blue eyes. "I'm the one who almost had his magic button turned off."

Jeremy spluttered, spraying a fine mist of tea all over the hardwood floor. He tried to talk, choked, and began coughing. When he managed to get himself together, Toby was giggling softly, his eyes sparkling. "It's not funny!" Jeremy protested halfheartedly, adding, "Magic button," under his breath.

"Well," said Toby, almost managing a respectable leer, "you can always help me test it out when I'm better."

Jeremy's breath caught at the image that gave him, and he took another sip of tea to cover it up. "Shouldn't I be the one cheering you up?" he said, instead of the hundred other things that came to mind.

Toby batted his eyelashes and said, "Well, I wouldn't say no to some of that tea, if you're not going to put out."

Jeremy laughed again, ignoring the edge of hysteria in his own voice. "Your wish is my command," he said instead, bowing his way out of the room. He went to the kitchen to fetch another cup, humming one of the songs from Aladdin as he went.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby lay back against the pillows, closing his eyes against the brightness of the room. A persistent ache pounded in his head, and everything had little fuzzy halos unless he concentrated really hard. Jeremy had looked like Lucifer Morningstar after losing the light of heaven, tragic and lovely, surrounded by shards of light. Toby snorted at his own overdone comparison, and tried to sit up.

It hurt, but not nearly as much as he'd feared. Once David had licked away the contamination, he'd started to heal at almost his normal rate. It was only the presence of his bane that had kept the wound open and raw, and he stared at the ceiling trying to will away the memory of that pain. He knew from experience that time would distance it, but right now it seared through his mind like a warning cry.

"Here you go," said Jeremy, his familiar voice banishing even the ghosts of pain. Toby smiled up at him, wondering if he knew just how much truth there had been behind his playful flirting.

"Thanks, you're a life saver," he said, leaving it up to Jeremy to interpret the meaning behind his words.

Jeremy had literally saved his life by being brave enough to try and calm him, and pull the knife out. As a mere human, he could have lost a hand or even his own life if Toby had panicked again. But instead of risking Toby's safety by waiting for the pack, he'd held his hand out in friendship. Toby's only real memory of the time he'd spent changed was looking up into Jeremy's frightened face and knowing that he was different than the other people, that he would make the pain stop if Toby just trusted him.

"You just like having me doing your bidding instead of the other way around for a change," said Jeremy, ruffling Toby's hair affectionately. All the gel was gone, and it fell loose and wispy into his eyes, tickling his ears and making him grin.

"That, too," he said mischievously, sweeping the hair back and taking a sip. The tea wasn't piping hot anymore, and an edge of bitterness had set in that made the sweetness of the jasmine flowers seem all the more perfect. He tried not to think on this as a metaphor for anything, and almost succeeded.

Jeremy seemed like he might say something more, but a commotion outside drew his attention away. Sebastian's head poked into the room and he said, "I see our little invalid is awake. Dr. J, where are the rest of us gonna sleep?"

Toby looked from Bas to Jeremy, confused. "What's going on?"

"We're moving in!" crowed Bas, throwing out an arm and doing a little pose in the doorway. "It has been decided that we all need out, and Jeremy invited us to stay with him until the Institute opens."

"I hope that's ok?" said Jeremy, looking unsure. "I didn't want to violate any sort of pack code or anything, but I really couldn't stand the idea of them under Gabe's tender care for another minute after what happened."

Toby smiled reassuringly and patted Jeremy's hand. "It's wonderful. After everything I told the cops, I don't think any of us should be anywhere near Gabriel for awhile."

Jeremy looked around the guest room, with its perfect decor and carefully kept furnishings. "I guess in here, if Toby doesn't mind."

Sebastian grinned and disappeared. Toby smiled up at Jeremy again and said, "We should all be together, it's best for us. You'd be welcome to sleep-" he held up a hand to forestall Jeremy's objections, "Just sleep, in here with us."

Jeremy looked almost more embarrassed than he had when they'd hit on him. "I can't. I'm a really light sleeper, and I can't normally sleep with anyone else in the room." He'd slept miraculously well on Halloween, but he couldn't count on a repeat.

Toby knew that wasn't precisely true, but he wasn't about to tell Jeremy that most of the pack had spent time watching him sleep at one point or another, especially since he was the first and most frequent offender. "All right. But just know you're welcome."

Jeremy got up and left, and the rest of the pack filed in, full of good cheer. David sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed while the other three manhandled in their ratty old mattresses one at a time, directing the rather interesting puzzle of fitting them in with the furniture. In the end, they moved everything that wasn't a mattress -- including the bed, without bothering to dislodge its occupants -- against one wall, and then had their werecat bed spreading out like a tide from the opposite wall.

"When you're strong enough to sleep down here with us, maybe we can move the bed into the office?" said Mercury somewhat plaintively. They'd never spent a night like this, with one of their number too injured to join them for sleeping.

David snuggled up into Toby, making a place for himself on the bed next to the wall. "We missed you so much when you were in the hospital last night," he whispered.

Toby put an arm around him and said, "It was worth it, if it gets us out of Gabe's clutches."

They all nodded in solemn assent, and a shadow of doubt seemed to pass over the brightly sunlit room. They all knew that Gabriel wouldn't let them go so easily, but no one was willing to shatter the illusion by saying it. "All right, black sheets or patchwork?" asked Sebastian, clapping his hands together.

"Black, I think," said Toby. He secretly wanted to put the best, most welcoming face on their new sleeping arrangements in hopes that Jeremy would give in to temptation and eventually join them. He even briefly considered spending some of their hoarded cash on new blankets, but he let the thought slide away. They might still need it for something. Speaking of which... "You guys did get the stash, right?"

Saul slid a hand obscenely down the front of his pants and came up with a roll of bills that had been hidden there. Toby grinned, "And here I thought you were just happy to see me."

David pulled a roll out of his pocket and tossed it on the bed. It was followed by Saul's bundle, then three more that Bas and Mercury caused to appear with a magician's pass. All of their accumulated savings, looking small and tawdry on the handmade quilt.

Jeremy chose that moment to walk back in. "Jesus, you guys, where did you get that?" he said, obviously startled.

"It's our savings," said Toby matter-of-factly. "We'd need about 35 grand more in order to pay our respects, but we would've had it by January. Gabe just moved up the timetable on us."

"Yeah, our bridges are pretty much burned, now, and he's gonna come hunting for us across the river," said Saul, looking serious.

Silence fell over the room. David curled a bit tighter into Toby while Mercury crawled over to rub against Saul's legs. Sebastian gave Jeremy's belt loop a sharp tug, trying to pull him down onto the mattress. He collapsed gracelessly onto Sebastian in a tangle of limbs, and the mood broke. Toby's heart contracted with misplaced jealousy when Bas planted a kiss firmly on Jeremy's mouth, and Jeremy responded, laughing and kissing back instead of pushing him away.

David seemed to sense his mood and moved up until he was eye to eye with his Alpha. "Stop pining. He'll be all yours in a few months, let Bas have his fun." He licked a wet stripe over Toby's lips, then leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss.

Toby drowned his jealousy in the smell and feel of David, his lips surprisingly strong and soft, mouth tasting familiarly sweet, like home. Toby closed his eyes, burying himself in David to ignore the giggling from the group, threading still-shaky fingers through his spiky hair. David moaned and pressed himself against Toby gently, not enough to hurt but just enough to let Toby know the effect he was having. Toby felt himself stirring as well, the slight ache behind his balls adding spice to his slow-burning desire.

Someone's face nuzzled against him, blowing hot and wet through the layers of fabric as if trying to caress him with breath alone. Toby trailed a hand down to find the baby-fine strands of Mercury's hair and tangled his fingers in it. He distantly heard Jeremy taking his leave, felt the change in the air when the door closed and only the five of them were left. "I can't be taken yet," said Toby breathlessly when David pulled back, "but I want you all, need you to wash away the memory of it."

More weight on the bed, and the covers were pulled back, leaving him shivering for only a moment before David's warm weight covered him. He was surprised to realize he was nude from the waist down, had a flash of wondering who had put him to bed, if Jeremy had known. "We left it as a surprise for Dr. J," whispered Bas in his ear, following it with a lick. He giggled at the way they all seemed to read his mind, at least when it was dirty.

"Makes things simpler for us, anyway," said Mercury before licking a wet stripe up his cock, making him gasp. His body tightened up and the ache grew sharper, but the nip of Saul's teeth on his nipple distracted him. He wasn't sure when the shirt had been pushed up, but he cooperated as Bas and David pulled it off of him, leaving him naked and gasping, surrounded by four clothed men.

Saul's hand drew both of his up over his head, holding him down in a silent command. A hot flash of pure lust ran through him as he realized they were all going to do whatever they wanted to him, that struggling was futile. That for the next short while he belonged to them, and unlike any of his clients, he could trust them not to take anything too far. His legs fell open, welcoming Mercury between them, and they all began licking him in earnest.

Bas and David each closed their mouth on a nipple, and Saul kissed him deep and upside-down while his balls were sucked into Mercury's mouth. It was like they'd choreographed the fastest way to get him going, Merc's tongue flicking out and down until it laved the new scar, then the opening below. Teeth bit at his nipples, sharp spikes of pain/pleasure that made his cock twitch and jump. Saul drank his gasps and moans like sweet wine, devouring him.

Bas and David left his nipples aching and cold in the air and split up, David licking up to shoulder, collarbone, and neck while Bas traveled down to start nibbling on eager toes, fingers tickling the back of his knee. His cries grew louder, more wanton, and he spread his legs as wide as he could get them, thrusting into thin air. Mercury was lavishing attention everywhere but where he wanted it most, and it took a bare few minutes to reduce him to begging.

They responded by flipping him over so that Mercury could easily rim him while David and Saul rained licks and bites down his spine. Bas stayed where he was but switched feet and tactics, biting rather than sucking. Mercury lifted Toby's hips, holding him away from the bed so that he couldn't rub against the sheets. Merc's tongue dipped inside but never far, never more than a tease before it went back to the maddening licking. Toby tried desperately to press back or pull away, but he was held fast.

He begged louder. Mercury left off licking to suck both of Toby's balls into his mouth and hold them there, laving them with his tongue, teeth pressed just a little painfully around the base of the sac. Saul's teeth sunk into the back of his neck, holding him down. Toby's hands were briefly free, but then someone else trapped them at the small of his back, right above where David was licking at his tailbone like it was candy, tongue teasing at the top of his cleft. He knew no one would give in and fuck him, no matter how he pleaded, and that just made it better somehow.

Bas' teeth sunk into his calf and he yelped. The pain was almost enough, but he wasn't quite there. Toby craned his neck as much as he could, watched as his own cock bobbed against his belly, stiff and desperate, leaking long shiny strings of pre-come onto the sheets. If they'd just let him, he could lick it off himself, but Saul's teeth tightened warningly. He was close, so close, Mercury's mouth so near its goal like its own special kind of torture, achingly sweet.

As if he knew just what it was doing to Toby, Merc laved Toby's balls with his tongue and gave them one last, rough suck before releasing them to sink teeth into his ass. David's teeth marked the other side, right where the crease of his thigh was. His hands were pushed up until they rested between his shoulder blades, almost wrenching his shoulders but not quite, not yet. Hard, purposeful bites slid down his spine as Saul's face joined the other two feasting on his upturned ass.

Bas rolled onto his back and squirmed forward between Mercury's legs, and Toby let out a long sigh, thinking relief was in sight. Instead, he stretched his neck up to take Mercury's old place with his mouth surrounding Toby's balls, while Merc went back to tonguefucking him. They were all pressed close, chins colliding, breath mingling in a hot wash over skin slowly being scraped raw by busy teeth. It felt like eternity, like worship, and it reduced him to whimpering.

Their mouths worked in a strange primal rhythm, lips, tongues and teeth playing his body like an instrument, and he felt the first warning tingles in his trapped fingers and spit-dampened toes. The wave built slowly, crawling down his spine and up his legs towards the center of everything. His sore nipples throbbed with his heartbeat, and his cock pulsed along with it. His breath was harsh in his throat as he felt the golden warmth creeping upwards faster and faster until it all met in a searing jolt through his healing prostate.

His vision whited out completely and he was pretty sure he screamed something as his untouched cock spilled come over the sheets below him. The biting turned to gentle kisses and the rub of soft cheeks against his abused flesh. He'd have fallen, exhausted, into the pools of his own seed if Mercury's hands hadn't still been holding him fast. He was carefully turned on his side, spooned by David's warm, silk-clad body and petted gently as he came back to himself.

After a few long minutes, during which Bas and Saul left the bed to go start fitting sheets to their nest, Toby blinked himself back to reality. He felt boneless, sated, and perfectly spoiled. "Thanks, guys," he said softly, voice still rough.

He would have said more, but there was a soft knock at the door.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy looked up from where he was tangled on the bare mattress with Sebastian, only to find Mercury with his face buried in Toby's thankfully cloth-covered crotch. "Uh, I think this is where I've got to take my leave," he said quietly, nodding over to the swiftly heating scene on the bed.

"Wouldn't want you to get in trouble, Dr. J," whispered Bas. He planted another sweet kiss on Jeremy's still-tingling lips, then stood and helped him up. Jeremy fled the room without a backward glance, wincing slightly as he heard the door close softly behind him.

He thought about bringing in some of the boxes in the truck, but they'd been packed by shapeshifters and he was pretty sure he couldn't lift any of them. He went into the kitchen and poured himself some more tea instead, but it just made him think of Toby all the more. He finally gave in and stood by the door, inhaling the delicate jasmine scent and listening to Toby's plaintive moans.

When the begging started, he couldn't even bring himself to do that anymore. He didn't know what they were doing, but it was obvious Toby both loved and hated it. It was one thing to know academically that the object of your affections was into kinky sex, and a completely different thing to listen to him having it with four other men. Especially when he knew he'd be welcome if only he was brave enough to go join them.

From the crescendo of sound both in volume and desperation, he was pretty sure things would come to a head, so to speak, very soon. He went into the bedroom, shut the door, and called a local Chinese place that had been known to deliver if he offered them enough of a bribe. He figured that, whatever happened, when the food got there either they'd be done or he'd have an excuse to interrupt. He even knew he was rationalizing, but hell, they had to eat.

The delivery boy was unusually fast, but the sounds had died down by the time he'd been forced to emerge from his room to answer the door, so he hoped that was a good sign. He gave the kid a generous tip and piled the bags on the kitchen counter. Then he took a deep breath and forced himself to go knock on his own guest room door.

There was some suspicious rustling, and then a fully clothed Saul opened the door, smiling. "What's up, Dr. J?" he asked, face completely innocent. Looking over his shoulder revealed Sebastian, dressed as much as he ever was, fitting a black sheet over one of the bare mattresses, and Toby snuggled under the covers with David cuddling him. Even Mercury seemed to be decent where he was curled at Toby's feet.

It was enough to make him wonder if he'd imagined things, until Toby sat up enough to reveal one pale, naked shoulder. "I, er, there's food," he stammered as Toby sat up further, letting the blanket fall to reveal his thin, smooth chest.

"What'd you get?" asked Toby, oblivious to his own apparent nudity. He looked like he might be about to get out of bed, and Jeremy was torn between hoping and fearing that he'd be completely naked.

"Chinese," he forced himself to smile while he said it. "It's still all in bags in the kitchen, I just wanted to let you know it was here before it got cold."

Toby slid across the bed, and then made a very interesting face. "Um, towel?"

"Right," said Bas, going out to the living room and poking through the few boxes that had made it inside. Jeremy escaped, fleeing to his room to see if he could find something besides a towel for Toby to wear.

When he returned, they were all gathered around the bed looking suspiciously guilty, and the smell of come hung in the air. Mercury turned first, semi-shielding the bed with his body as he said, "We, er, I think we... stained the sheets." His cheeks were actually pink. Jeremy hadn't thought anything could put his shameless packmates to the blush.

Jeremy stepped forward, trying to get a glimpse of the bed. Instead, he got a nice view of Toby, completely nude, bent over and scrubbing at the sheets with a small hand towel. His ass was livid with bite marks, and there were more trailing up and down his back, including a vivid hickey on the back of his neck the size of Jeremy's palm. Jeremy thrust the forgotten robe at Mercury and turned, cheeks flaming. "I... I brought this for Toby."

"But this is yours," said Toby softly behind him.

He very specifically did not turn around as he said, "It was the first thing I found, I... I didn't think you'd mind."

He heard cloth rustling, and then Toby's small, pale hand was on his arm. The sleeve of the yukata almost reached his wrist. "It smells like you," he said softly. "Like home."

"Oh." Jeremy met Toby's earnest blue eyes, but couldn't bring himself to believe what he was reading in them. It had to be wishful thinking, projecting his own feelings.

"Ooh, crab rangoons!" Sebastian's voice carried even from the kitchen, and the moment was broken. They all filed out to attack the food, and work on getting the boys moved in as quickly as possible.

* ~ * ~ *

In the end, they'd moved the pink bed with its stained sheets into the office anyway, to make room for the boxes of clothing. They'd just tossed everything in without regard for what was whose, packing as quickly as physically possible, which had been pretty damned quick with four shapeshifters doing the packing. Jeremy had been surprised at how rapidly they'd gotten out of there, considering they'd taken every single thing they could scrounge from the apartment.

The contents of those boxes were now strewn across the half-dozen mattresses lining the room, while the boys picked through everything like kids at a candy store. Jeremy coughed gently from the doorway and said, "Um, you guys do realize that ninety percent of this is clothing you cannot wear out in my neighborhood?"

Five sets of startled eyes had looked up at him, and he felt like a heel for ruining their fun, but he plowed on. "You're not streetwalkers anymore. You're just my guests, and if Mrs. Nelson sees you guys prancing around in vinyl short-shorts, she's gonna call the cops."

Mercury was currently wearing Toby's red shorts from Halloween, and nothing else. He had stripped right in front of everyone with no thought to modesty or Jeremy's complete embarrassment, and had been trying on clothing ever since. Everyone except for Jeremy and Toby had joined in, Jeremy due to unabashed prudishness and severe shyness around such lovely boys, and Toby because he was sitting propped on pillows like a king, still wrapped in Jeremy's yukata, being forced to rest while they modeled for him.

While they were playing, Jeremy had folded all their extra sheets and towels into neat stacks by the door. Then he'd pulled out just about every stitch of acceptable outer clothing (he wasn't going near the underwear) and made a pathetically small pile on one of the mattresses. He pointed to the pile, and they all looked at it dubiously. "This is the only clothing you own that my neighbors are going to consider acceptable."

Most of the clothes were David's, soft silk Chinese shirts and pants. Everyone had a few pairs of jeans, and Toby's entire collection of faded old shirts was there, but it was really only a few days' worth of clothing when distributed among the five of them, and there was nothing much suitable for winter. "Now," said Jeremy, feeling his heart wrench at the looks of guilt and shame, "When will Toby be up for shopping? I've got a credit card here with your names on it."

They all opened their mouths to protest, and he held up a hand. "No arguing. I am the one who doesn't want the neighbors scandalized, therefore I will pay to replace your very expensive fetish wardrobe with something a normal person might actually be caught dead wearing." He knew his eyes were twinkling, but he didn't care. He'd been dying to do something good for the pack ever since they'd invited him in, and this seemed like an ideal gift. "You can always think of it as very early Christmas presents."

They all looked dubiously from Jeremy to Toby, obviously deferring the decision to their fearless leader. "You said your daddy was Bone Kin, right?" asked Toby. The other four looked confused, but Jeremy just nodded. "So, what's your trust fund like?"

Jeremy grinned. "There's about 23 million between the fund itself and various stocks and bonds, plus the land that the Institute is being built on is mine, free and clear. A lot of that is currently serving as collateral for the Institute's remodeling loans, but now that we've got you guys as subjects, our grant money is finally coming through."

They all looked vaguely stunned, except Toby, who just looked smug. "Doctor says that with proper care, I should be able to function normally day after tomorrow, and have anal sex in a week."

Jeremy just stuck his tongue out and said, "Yeah, because I needed to know when you could start getting laid again."

They all laughed, and began packing away their old work clothes. There was an odd atmosphere to the room, a mixture of nostalgia and relief. "You know," said Mercury quietly, "I've never had any other job. I mean, I've never not been a hooker."

"Me, neither," echoed Toby, and Jeremy's heart ached for him, for them all. They looked lost all of a sudden, and young.

"Well, don't worry. You're my pack, and we'll get you all fit for the work force." Jeremy grinned, winked, and added, "Either that or I'll have my own live-in staff. You guys do windows, right?"

Someone threw a pillow at him, and that started a pillow fight that ended with all of them in a breathless pile on top of Toby. Jeremy lay there, surrounded by his new, strange pack, and felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. He finally understood the feeling that many shapeshifters described when they talked about a healthy pack -- that it wasn't the place, but the people that made up your home.

Chapter 15

Despite his display of good humor yesterday, Toby was exhausted. He'd needed the time to be with the pack, both the sex and the playing, but it had really wiped him out. He slept as late as physically possible and woke to find Jeremy gone, off to the responsibility of Monday morning. He felt a twinge of guilt that he wouldn't be there to make the coffee, find the appropriate notes, and keep Celia from tearing into Jeremy too much.

He wondered how good of a job they'd done cleaning his blood up. If it was still smeared over the walls, splattered on the concrete outside. His body ached in places he'd always thought were meant to give pure pleasure, and he resented that last bit of lost innocence. He didn't have much left, and he held onto each remaining piece like precious, fragile bits of glass. Not stained glass, though; it was the rest of him that was stained beyond redemption.

When he looked in Jeremy's eyes, he felt like he was carrying a taint that would keep them apart far longer than the few months until school ended. Not the grime of his profession -- that would wash away in time -- but the bone-deep need to be dominated, abused. Hurt. The man who'd stabbed him had done a number of other things first, tied him up, fucked him, cut his chest with a little silver knife and practically flayed his back with a long, evil black whip.

Toby had actually enjoyed it, gone along with the ride and let the bastard do whatever he wanted. He hadn't even been afraid when he saw the moonstone knife, not really. He'd been excited at the idea that his marks might last a few hours longer, until the blade had plunged into him, and that horrible sickening pain had undone him. The handle was moonstone as well, smooth and slick with blood, and he'd been unable to get a grip on it even in human form, not just the angle but the slippery sting of it.

He curled up on his side, trying not to whimper at the memory, and one of the other cats murmured in his sleep and curled around him. They were all naked as usual, but at least they'd shut the door and warned Jeremy to knock first. It was hard having him here with them but not really a part of the pack, not comfortable with their lifestyle. They still weren't sure if he was actually waiting for the right moment, or if their casual sexuality repelled or disturbed him, but he said it wasn't them, and Toby had to trust him.

Had to believe it, or Toby would end up running again, away from this town, this life, and off into another city to become just another anonymous whore again. He was tired of the life, exhausted by the demands of it. He wanted to pull Jeremy's neat life around him like it was a blanket, and hide from his past sins. He wanted to give the pack their first true hope of a home, something beyond selling themselves, and he wanted most of all for them to stop feeling that vague, burning shame that seemed to haunt them all.

An arm snaked itself over his waist, and he snuggled back into Mercury's embrace. "Y'okay?" came the sleepy query, and a brush of face against the short-cropped hair on the back of his head.

"Yeah, Merc, I'm good. Go back to sleep." He put out a hand, found Saul's shoulder and gave a tug. Saul crawled over to curl around both their legs, his face tucked into the curve of Toby's stomach. He never fully awoke, but pack instinct was strong between the five of them.

"You too," murmured Mercury, drifting off.

Sound advice, Toby thought, letting himself drift in the comforting glow of their affection. He heard more shuffling, felt the mattress under them dip, but didn't bother to open his eyes to see who had joined them. They were all there for each other. Even Jeremy, if he'd only learn to accept it.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy hadn't made it in time for his first class, but thankfully the rumor mill was already at work, and the blood smeared on his office door seemed to be explanation enough for his undergrads. The maintenance staff had gotten the floors and hallways, but hadn't had enough time to do a thorough job before the students started showing up. There had been a janitor eyeing his coffee machine when he came in, and he'd made some on the spot, both for himself and the poor man forced to clean up after Toby's near-death experience.

"So, Dr. Forrester, you gonna tell me what I'm cleanin' up after?" asked Jorge, mug of hot black coffee cradled between callused palms. He was a big man, rough, with a dry wit that could bite hard if you weren't careful, and an intelligence behind his brown eyes that belied the thick accent and blue-collar image he projected. He and Jeremy had been at odds when the disorganized professor had first arrived two and a half years ago, but they'd since formed an odd sort of friendship.

Jeremy took a long sip from his own cup before answering. "Someone stabbed a shapeshifter with a bane blade, and he caged himself up here to keep from hurting anyone."

Jorge raised an eyebrow at that, and asked, "Bane blade?"

"Like a silver knife for werewolves, only made of the material specific to the type of animal." He'd given this explanation endlessly on Saturday, and had it memorized by now. Distancing through rote.

"Student?"

Jeremy dropped his eyes and nodded. Toby was well and truly outed, and Jeremy had only bothered to come to school today at all because he knew there would be consequences, and someone had to be here to represent Toby's side.

Jorge gave him a piercing look and asked, "That boy you adopted from ol' man Krogh?"

Jeremy nodded again, hunching even further into himself. Toby and Jorge had hit it off right away through the simple expedient of Toby having given him coffee when they first met. Nothing, Jeremy had learned, went to Jorge's heart quite as fast as good coffee. Jeremy had silently increased his monthly coffee order and bought Jorge his own mug, making it look like Toby's doing, cementing their friendship. Jorge knew what it was like on the bottom of the food chain, and it gave them a level of understanding that left Jeremy out in the cold.

Not that he minded. He was genuinely happy that Toby had finally managed to make some friends in the department. Evidently, Dr. Krogh hadn't had much use for an intern, and Toby had pretty much attended classes and otherwise kept to himself. Jeremy had been trying to help change that, to give Toby a stepping stone towards the future.

Being outed as a shapeshifter might or might not change that with everyone, but it would certainly be a stumbling block with a lot of people. He forced himself to look up into Jorge's eyes, to read the look on the weathered brown features.

"You already knew, huh?" Jorge asked.

"He's going to be in my study," said Jeremy. He didn't really want to try and explain the pack, and his status in it, when he didn't really understand it himself.

"They gonna catch the guy, ya think?" He seemed genuinely concerned, and Jeremy's estimation of him went up a couple of notches.

"I hope so. The case is pretty high-profile because of the blood all over the hallways, so they're under some pressure." He shrugged, trying not to think about the fact that the blood that had dried, flaking, all over his office had once been inside of his friend. Toby just didn't seem big enough to hold it all.

Jorge shrugged eloquently, all his mistrust for the establishment in one simple gesture. He took his coffee and went back to his work, scrubbing at the outline of the cage where blood had seeped between the tiles. Jeremy gathered himself together and went to face the lions, er, administration. Fortunately for them both, Toby's academic record spoke for itself, and his master's thesis had been literally a few dozen small phrasing and typo edits away from done, his arguments airtight thanks to Dr. Krogh's doubts about the topic.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy hoped that there was some coffee left, even if it was the coldest, blackest, nastiest stuff in the pot. He needed something after the meeting from hell, during which he was accused of harboring a monster, sleeping with a student, and even doctoring grades. Fortunately, he had had the right on his side, and he could only thank providence and willpower that he'd been able to stand before them and guiltlessly defend his -- and Toby's -- honor.

In the end, they'd had to agree that they couldn't punish a student for being the victim of an attack, even a shapeshifter who'd come onto campus hurt and knowing he might endanger the other students. They did, however, request that as much of his work as possible be completed outside of the classroom in order to avoid any potential lawsuits. Despite the fact that there were laws in place to prevent just such a suit, it would only take one asshole judge to set shapeshifter civil rights back 30 years.

Jeremy went and talked to Toby's only other professor and arranged for an alternative to attending classes. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do about the Pack Mind group, but he'd burn that bridge on Wednesday when the class met again -- he'd had Celia send them home today, correctly assuming he wouldn't get out of his meeting in time to teach.

He was surprised to find his office full to bursting with concerned faces. Fully half of Toby's pack was crowded in the small room, and even spilling out into the hallway. Predictably, Anne was there, and Ben and Laurell as well. They all went silent when they spotted him, then after that one brief respite, all began talking at once. He held up his hands and said, "Coffee first, then I'll answer your questions one at a time as best I can."

Celia came to his rescue, handing him a steaming mug and kicking Ben out of his chair so he could sit down. Her glares were far more effective than his tired pleas, and they all stayed obediently silent as he took a few sips and collected his thoughts. "All right, raise your hands so we can begin the inquisition."

No one smiled at his little joke, and he grew more worried. "Jon? Why don't you go first, you're the secretary, right?"

"Right," said the smaller boy, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. "Is Toby going to be ok?"

"He'll be fine. He lost a lot of blood, but there were no fragments of the knife in the wound, so he's healing just fine. His, er, other pack is taking care of him." More hands shot up, and he picked from Toby's pack again, using the logic that there was a better chance that the questions would be concerned instead of prejudiced. "Meredith?"

She stood on tiptoe so he could see her face clearly. "So, he's part of a real pack of werewolves?"

"Toby's pack is made up of several different species living together in a mutually beneficial environment." He hoped they'd get the hint and stop asking him too many personal questions. "Chad?" He chose their Beta this time, a sensible enough young man with a good sense of humor.

"Will he be coming back to class?" Chad looked nervous asking, eyes darting over to where Ben and Anne were huddled together.

"I haven't decided yet. He's not allowed to be up and about for another week, regardless." A little white lie that would do Toby no harm. Jeremy sighed and said, "Yes, Anne?" She'd been waving fit to break her arm off, trying to get his attention.

"Will this affect our grades?" At least she was predictable.

"No, it won't. In fact, this is a very good example of the pack mind right here. Almost half of Toby's pack is here inquiring about their Alpha, even though one of them could have done it alone."

"A bunch of us left when we wouldn't all fit in your office," piped in Chad, grinning.

"I'll keep that in mind, Chad," said Jeremy. He was exhausted and wanted to go home and curl up in his bed for awhile and try to forget all the complicated parts of his life. Maybe he'd even find a volunteer to play teddy-cat for him while he tried to nap. He deliberately let his tiredness seep into his voice as he asked, "Are there any more questions that won't wait until Wednesday?"

Ben, predictably, asked, "Doesn't his group have an unfair advantage over the rest of us?"

"No more so than Anne's group has, or yours, or Laurell's. Each pack has its own strengths and weaknesses, most of which were determined by the personalities of their Alphas. Toby has experience with the concept of a pack, yes, but Anne has experience organizing study groups, you've got the football team, and Laurell has her protest groups." He looked around the room, seeing worried faces still peering down at him. "Anyone else?"

Ben looked quite dissatisfied with the answer, but was smart enough not to push his luck. Instead, Jon raised his hand again. "Yes, Jon?"

"We had Toby's home phone number, but when we tried to call him, it was disconnected. Do you know how to contact him?" Jon looked worried, and Jeremy couldn't blame him.

"The police didn't feel it was safe for him to stay at his apartment," said Jeremy. For some reason, he was nervous about telling the group where Toby was staying, so instead he said, "I can get a message to him if you'd like, and he can contact you when he's got the chance."

Jon looked relieved. "That would be great."

"If that's all?" said Jeremy, giving them a look that said that it had damned well better be.

"You guys go on, I'll organize the notes and give everything to Dr. Forr -- er, Jeremy," said Jon, waving the pack away. They all seemed to take his de facto leadership pretty much for granted, which Jeremy thought was a good sign. Anne and Laurell asked him to pass on their get well messages, but Ben lingered until it was just him, Jon, Jeremy and Celia left.

"Did you have another question, Ben?" Jeremy asked evenly, trying not to sound too irritated. He was starting to get a headache, and wanted to get out of there before it was too hard to drive. Bright fall sunshine didn't mesh well with tension headaches.

"Do you, um, know where he's staying?"

Something about his manner made Jeremy doubly suspicious, so he said, "I'm not at liberty to discuss it. I'll make sure to get any messages to him, but until the police tell me it's safe, I can't do anything more."

A flash of something, anger or frustration, washed over Ben's face and was gone as quickly as it came. "Oh. Well, tell him I said to get well soon, then. I'm sure they miss him at work."

There was something smarmy in the way Ben said it that told Jeremy he knew exactly what Toby had done for a living. "I'm sure," was all he said in reply, his voice flat and disapproving.

"Ah, well, I've gotta run. Thanks!" Ben backed out quickly, eager to get away from Jeremy's disapproving gaze.

Jon was looking puzzled, glancing from Jeremy to the now-empty doorway and back. "Something I'm missing here?"

Jeremy shrugged, and Celia said, "Just Ben being an asshole."

Both Jon and Jeremy were surprised into laughter. Jeremy felt immediately better, and finished off his coffee in one swig. Jon wordlessly handed him a small stack of note paper, hand-scrawled get-well letters from his pack. "I'll get these to Toby. Do you have a number he can reach you at?"

Jon pointed out where he'd scrawled his cell number on the bottom of the first page. Jeremy looked up and said, "You've got some pretty bad handwriting for a secretary."

It was Jon's turn to shrug. Jeremy grinned at him then stood up, stuffing the papers into his bag. "I'm outta here, guys." Jeremy headed out the door with tired determination, relieved when he made it to his vehicle uninterrupted. He wanted nothing more than to get home, take some aspirin and go to bed.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy got home to find the bedroom door still closed, the house bathed in afternoon sunlight and silence. The kitchen showed signs that someone had been up and about, but they'd all agreed that it was for the best if the boys kept their casual nudity behind closed doors whenever possible. He knew that touch was important to any pack, and even if that manifested itself in an unusually sexual way with Toby and his friends, he wasn't going to be so much of a prude as to deny them that comfort.

He briefly considered some food or a shower, but the world was going all soft around the edges of his headache. He winced at the sound of dishes clanking together as he put them away, and that decided him. It was definitely time for a nap. He grabbed a glass and downed a couple of aspirin, then headed off towards the comfort of his own lonely bed. He stopped in the doorway, surprised to find his bed a lot less lonely than when he'd left it.

David was curled in a tight ball under the covers, face burrowed into the pillows. Jeremy was surprised to find him sleeping alone and almost hesitated to disturb him, but something about his posture called to Jeremy. He sat down gently on the bed and smoothed the silky hair back from David's forehead. When the sleepy brown eyes blinked themselves open, he surprised himself by asking, "Mind if I join you?"

David's answering smile was brilliant as he scooted over to make room. Jeremy quickly stripped down to his underwear, not quite ready to take that last step, and got in. David spooned his warm body against Jeremy's cold back, and they both sighed softly. Jeremy had slept alone for a very long time, but instead of the extra body keeping him awake, he felt the tension slowly draining away with each shared breath, and he drifted quietly off to sleep.

At some point he woke to the murmur of soft, familiar voices, opened his eyes enough to see the dusk creeping in through the windows. He'd rolled over onto his back at some point, and he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of the bowed head on his chest, then drifted off again. The next time he awoke it was full dark, and he was sandwiched between two bodies, someone's hand doing soothing circles on his hip while they slept.

The third time he woke up, it was to his body's insistent demand that he get out of bed and dispose of his used coffee. His night-candle had been lit by some kind soul, which made him wonder how they even knew he used it, but he shrugged and scooted out of the bed. Whoever was with him had migrated to the far side, leaving him a way out without struggling over someone else.

It finally struck him as he clicked off the bathroom light that he quite literally did not know who he had just been sleeping with. His underwear was still on, but the view that came into focus as his eyes began to adjust to the gloom was enough to start a small pup tent in his boxers. Evidently his leaving had woken them up, but he was pretty sure they hadn't yet realized exactly where they were. At least he hoped not, given that one of them had just moved to straddle the other, leaning in for a kiss.

Sebastian was obviously the person on top judging by the hair that fell around them and obscured whoever was underneath, and was just as obviously naked under the hair. Jeremy was pretty sure that they weren't actually having sex yet, but he wanted a chance to at least retrieve his clothes and escape before it got that far, so he cleared his throat softly.

"Look who's up and happy to see us, Saul," said Bas, tossing his hair to one side, revealing the long, slim line of his body pressed into Saul's even longer, more muscular form.

Saul's eyes glittered in the candlelight, and he reached out a hand to Jeremy. "Toby's not here right now, you've got no reason not to join us." His voice was a deep growl that tugged on things low in Jeremy's body, and he could suddenly taste his own pulse in his mouth, throbbing hot and heavy in time with his cock.

"We promise you'll enjoy us," said Bas, reaching out his own hand.

Jeremy considered refusing, but he couldn't remember now why he'd ever thought that this wasn't a good idea. Instead he walked slowly forward, changing to a crawl when his knees hit the edge of the bed. Bas slid off of Saul and two very different hands tangled themselves in the hair at the back of Jeremy's head. Almost dreamlike, he lowered his face to meet theirs, mouths open, tongues tangling in a breathlessly hot three-way kiss.

When he pulled back and looked from face to face, his breath caught. Their eyes were dilated so far in the darkness they'd gone almost completely black, and their expressions were of fierce desire, softened by something he couldn't put a name to. They really wanted him, wanted this. Saul drew him back in for a one-on-one kiss, deeper but no less heated, as Bas began to lick his way down Jeremy's spine, climbing over Saul to do it.

Instead of stopping when he reached the boxers, Sebastian caught them between his teeth and drew them down to Jeremy's thighs, hands busy easing the front down over Jeremy's cock without once touching it. Jeremy bit at Saul's lips in frustration, and Saul slid a hand down and twisted a nipple ring in retribution. The spark of pain made his cock twitch, and he blushed. He'd never had such aggressive partners before, especially not ones who lived and breathed kink.

The immediacy of his response to the small pain almost scared him, but instead of dwelling on it, he lifted a hand and raked blunt nails down over Saul's broad chest. Saul moaned against his mouth, and both their cocks twitched. Sebastian ran his tongue down Jeremy's cleft, then sunk teeth deep and sure into the flesh of his ass, right where it met the thigh, and it was Jeremy's turn to moan. Evidently, observed the small logical part of his brain that was still somehow functioning, he liked a little pain, both to give and receive. Who knew?

Saul's mouth was traveling down his neck, leaving love bites as it went. He might have a hard time explaining them tomorrow, but as soon as Bas' tongue slid knowingly over his opening, he forgot why he cared. Bas' tongue speared into him with almost no preamble, teeth grazing around the sensitive opening as he worked his tongue inside. Saul had wriggled himself down under Jeremy's chest and was rewarded with a shocked gasp as he bit down on Jeremy's nipple, threading his tongue through the ring and tugging.

Jeremy was developing a very clear understanding of why they commanded the fees they did. Saul's hand closed authoritatively around Jeremy's cock, and he sat up on the other elbow to whisper in Jeremy's ear, "I think I'm going to fuck you while Bas rides you. Is that cool with you?"

Was that cool with him? Try the culmination of several months' worth of rather creative masturbatory fantasies, wherein he'd had or been had by all of the boys in every position he could think of. He nodded wordlessly, and turned his head, letting his mouth be ravished by Saul's kiss the way his ass was being violated by Bas. Not that he minded in the least; he was far past anything like regret, legs spread and eyes wide open.

Saul scooted up until he was propped against the bed, until his cock was lying right below Jeremy's head, practically begging for his mouth. He obliged, capturing it between kiss-swollen lips, laving the head with his tongue before sucking in as much of the length as possible. Saul tasted of salt and musk and wild things, a flavor he'd never forget as long as he lived, even with two of Bas' fingers wending their way towards the core of him.

He moaned around the substantial mouthful as they found their target, and he barely even paused to wonder where they'd gotten their slickness from as they eased in and out of him with aching slowness. "Stop, or I'll finish now," said Saul, gently pulling Jeremy away from his task.

Jeremy must have stiffened up, because Bas' voice behind him whispered, "We've waited so long for you to accept us, we won't last."

His cheeks burned, and something sparked to life inside his chest. They'd really been waiting for him, wanting him all this time? Something in him hadn't been able to see past their cool exterior to the genuine warmth within, but now that fire was spreading through him. He wasn't going to last much longer himself.

Bas' hand was slick and cool when it covered his cock, and he jumped. They all giggled, and something shifted, and suddenly they were fluid and perfect together. Bas' hand slicked Saul as Jeremy moved to straddle him, sitting in his lap on his knees, back to chest, cock jutting forward like an invitation to sin. Sebastian accepted it, kneeling over both of them and teasing Jeremy's cock over his tight hole. Saul's erection shifted beneath him until the head was poised at Jeremy's entrance, as if asking permission.

They both were, in a way, and Jeremy laid his head back against Saul's chest and whispered, "Do it."

Jeremy nearly screamed, but instead it emerged as a whimper as they plunged in tandem, filling him up and taking him in. Saul was bigger than he'd had before, stretching him to his limits, and he bit his lip as they both paused, completely sheathed, to catch their collective breaths. Saul eased out gently, just an inch or two, enough to let his body adjust before thrusting back in with enough force to push him deeper into Bas. They paused like that for half a heartbeat, then Sebastian pulled up just enough to let him feel the cool night air at the base of his shaft before driving back down.

All the breath seemed to have left his body, all muscle coordination gone with it. He thought of moving, caressing, doing something besides being a vessel, but then Saul's left hand tangled with his, while Sebastian found his right hand and pressed it to his own hip, twining their fingers together on his smooth flesh. Saul's lips moved wordlessly against his cheek as the dance was repeated again, and then again, each time a little faster, a little harder.

Bas leaned in, his hair spilling around them, shrouding them in a curtain of darkness. Their breathing became louder, hotter, and suddenly everything seemed painfully intimate. Jeremy found his voice and moaned, frantic for all the feelings coiling inside him to find some kind of release. Sebastian captured the moan, drank it in a kiss, then devoured Jeremy's mouth like a starving thing. He nibbled at lips stretched in a wide O of passion, licked away the soft whimpers of desire, soothed gentle kisses over Jeremy's desperation.

The pace picked up, lost that little space between each thrust and became one long, endless flow of in and in and out and out. He felt the fires building, contained inside him only so long before they exploded out over them all, spilling himself into Bas' body with a long, low moan. His entire body tightened up, hips thrusting helplessly, pulling Saul's orgasm into himself. Saul gave a cry like a great cat and bowed his back, burying himself hilt-deep in Jeremy's shuddering body.

He raised their twined hands and raked nails down Bas' spine, gratified when Bas arched and cried out. They each closed teeth over a peaked nipple, and Bas closed Jeremy's other hand over his cock. Jeremy gave it a rough stroke and bit down harder, feeling it pulse in his hand, spilling hot seed over their fingers, onto their bellies. Saul collapsed first, hand falling away from Bas' back and taking Jeremy's with it, panting heavily through lips gone slack.

Bas pulled their hands away, dropping a kiss on top of Jeremy's head. Jeremy gave one last thrust and buried his face against Bas' chest, going limp in their embrace. That was... new. The heady mix of pleasure and pain, the intoxicating sensation of having and being had, the uncomplicated fact of their mutual lust, all were wonderfully strange to him. Even the simple fact of being able to have risk-free sex with shifters, who didn't carry or pass disease, was a relief. Pack bonding at its best.

They detangled just enough to find the covers and rearrange themselves under them, Jeremy spooning Saul and spooned by Bas in a strange mirror of their earlier pose. The night-candle seemed almost moon-bright tonight as he drifted back to sleep in the arms of his friends, lovers, and packmates.

Chapter 16

Tuesday morning was truly cold, frost still coating the grass outside when Jeremy finally awoke. The shadows around him were fuzzy in the predawn light, everything indistinct and unreal. Saul had left at some point in the night, but Sebastian was still snuggled in bed with him, his hair lying across the pillows like a swath of shadow. Edward and Ogdred had evidently gotten over their nervousness, and were sleeping together, curled in the crook of Bas' knees.

Fitz had never slept with him much, and Parva had taken the relocation of the guest bed in stride and moved her naps to his office with it. He yawned and stretched, wondering how exactly he, child of a long line of wolves, had ended up with a household full of cats. He dropped a kiss on the top of Bas' head and got a sleepy murmur in response, then got up to greet the day feeling more rested than he had in ages. Despite the "interruption," it was still the best night of sleep he'd had in years.

He padded over to the closet, then realized he'd given Toby his yukata. He rummaged around until he found his oldest, softest pair of jeans and pulled them on, heedless of the holes where both knees and the ass on one side had worn through. They hung loose on his hips, showing the short line of dark brown hair low on his belly. Jeremy ran a hand over his chest, reveling in the newly-rediscovered sense of himself as sensual, desirable.

He wandered out to the kitchen still topless, the cold making his nipples stand at attention. Once the water was on for tea, he leaned against the counter and stared into space, reliving the memories of last night. One hand found a nipple ring and tugged, making his body tighten with the mixture of pain and pleasure. They'd left him sore, well-used, and well-loved, a feeling he'd almost forgotten. He got so lost in himself that he actually jumped when the kettle began to whistle.

He pulled it off and let it cool just a touch before making himself a pot of fragrant Earl Grey tea. He couldn't explain when Toby asked why he usually drank coffee at the office and tea here, it was just the way he was. Tea was the peace of home to him, and coffee meant getting things done, energy, accomplishment. He got out the cream and sugar, wanting the extra sweetness and substance. He even took down half a dozen mugs from the cupboard and put water on for a second pot, anticipating that once the smell of fresh-brewed tea reached sleeping noses, he'd have company.

He waited impatiently for the tea to steep, looking around at his spotless kitchen. The boys had taken to cleaning up whenever he wasn't looking as a silent thanks for the hospitality, but it meant there wasn't even a stray dirty dish for him to fidget with washing now. Instead he rummaged in the refrigerator for cream cheese, and began toasting himself a bagel. He didn't usually want breakfast, but his midnight activity had awakened more than one appetite.

He managed one bite of tangy cheese on a nice warm bagel before a familiar head peeked around the doorway. "Smells good. Got enough for one more?" said David, disturbingly cheerful for pre-dawn.

Jeremy grinned and stepped aside, revealing the bag of bagels on the counter behind him. "Have at. There's Earl Grey, too." David padded in on bare feet, silk pajama bottoms barely covering anything below his smooth chest and belly. Jeremy got a sudden sense memory of David's smooth-shaven balls rubbing along his bare leg in the night, and he covered up his blush by puttering with the tea, dumping out the basket of used leaves and fixing himself a second cup heavy with cream and sugar.

He poured David a cup, and managed not to start too much when a warm, bare chest pressed against his own naked back. David buried his face in the back of Jeremy's hair and said, "Did you enjoy your rest?"

Jeremy couldn't see if there was anything in David's face, but he strongly suspected that the Chinese boy knew exactly why Bas and Saul had displaced him in Jeremy's bed. His face was flushed with embarrassment and remembered desire, his body tight with it, and he had to take a sip of tea before he managed to answer, "Of course."

"I wanted it to be me, you know," said David, sliding around to one side, pressing his half-hard cock into Jeremy's hip. "But Bas and Saul thought you'd be more likely to believe it of them, first."

"Be-" he cleared his throat, tried again. His cock had gone to full attention while David's hand brushed lightly over his belly, teasing at the fur. "Believe what?"

"That they wanted you. We figured if it was me or Merc, you might think it was some weird gratitude thing instead of us just all wanting to be with you."

"A-all?" Jeremy's voice might have squeaked a little there, and he knew he was in danger of peeking out of his jeans.

David's fingers found a nipple ring and tugged, and he leaned in on tiptoe to whisper, "You're a very attractive man, Jeremy."

Jeremy had no idea what to say to that, but he didn't resist when David slipped into the space between him and the counter. David put his hands loosely around Jeremy's waist and leaned in for a surprisingly soft, gentle kiss. He pulled back and captured Jeremy's eyes with his own serious gaze, then tightened his hands, pulling Jeremy's hips until their erections ground together, making Jeremy gasp. "Tonight, you're mine."

He planted another soft kiss on Jeremy's stunned lips, then slid out and grabbed his tea and bagel. He went and sat in the tiny breakfast nook their cleaning efforts had unearthed, eyes twinkling. Jeremy just leaned against the counter and tried to catch his breath. He was almost not obviously hard when Toby and Mercury wandered in, cuddling and giggling.

They were both wearing their ugly plaid flannel pajama bottoms from Halloween, and Toby's neck and chest were peppered with purpling love bites. Toby slid into the breakfast nook obediently when Mercury shooed him there with a kiss, then Merc glided over to Jeremy with a sleepy grin. Jeremy grinned right back; he never got tired of watching them move, all grace and sensuality even when they didn't really mean it to be sexy.

Of course, after David's little display this morning, and Bas and Saul's very, er, big display last night, he wasn't sure they didn't always mean to be sexy. Jeremy poured the last of the tea out into two mugs just as the kettle began to whistle. He ignored the fluttering in his stomach when Toby snuggled into David with another of those gentle kisses, despite the fact that it also made his lips -- and other things -- tingle at the memory. Instead he made a second pot of tea, and nibbled at his bagel.

"Mornin', Dr. J," said Toby sweetly, and Mercury echoed him around a bite of his own breakfast.

"Barely, yeah," said Jeremy, unable to suppress a smile. Mercury scooted onto the bench, filling the space with Toby smashed between them, and proceeded to feed him bites of bagel with cream cheese, getting them both covered in white fluff. Jeremy coughed and turned away at the sudden image of Toby with an entirely different white substance all over his face.

"Heard you had a fun night," said Mercury, and Jeremy blushed, glad he was already looking out the window.

"You're really one of us now," said Toby, his voice holding a number of things, the least of which was something like wonder.

Jeremy thought about that for a minute, then couldn't hold back the academic inside enough not to ask, "You guys really do use sex as a pack bonding thing, don't you?"

It was Bas who spoke from the doorway, nude except for his hair falling around him like a shawl. "We are what we are. My pack had a lot of touching too, and the single teenagers and adults all slept around a lot." He looked down, blush strangely at odds with his casual nudity. "It's ironic that they were so free in some ways, and so traditional in others."

"You were kicked out for being gay, right?" said Jeremy, going to him, laying a comforting hand on his arm.

Bas nodded. "I seduced the son of one of the head councilors, at least according to them. I thought he loved me." When Sebastian looked back up, his eyes were glittering. "He dropped me like it was nothing, when they found out. He didn't even speak for me when they kicked me out. In a way, I was relieved when Gabe's offer came through the pipeline."

Jeremy hugged him close, holding his taller frame as best he could. "You deserved better, you know."

Bas pulled back, smiling through his tears. "I have better, now. And honestly, I never really minded the work. I just did straight sex, any way they wanted it, nothing kinky like Saul or Toby. And Gabe pulled strings, got me into the country when I might not have been able to otherwise."

Jeremy cradled Bas' cheeks, and was surprised when Mercury came up and began to gently lick the tears away. "It brought you to us, at least," said Mercury, planting a soft, chaste kiss on Bas' mouth.

"Yeah, Gabe was an asshole, but it was worth it, to have you all in my life."

They all three held one another for a long moment, then broke apart, smiling. The mood began to lighten along with the sky outside, the windows becoming slowly brighter as the sun crept towards day. Jeremy went over to pour Bas a cup of tea and said teasingly, "You know, if you're going to wander around naked, the neighbors are going to get the wrong idea."

Bas grinned and said, "I was going to get something to wear, but I couldn't resist flashing you first."

Everyone laughed, and Bas ducked out briefly, returning dressed in another pair of plaid sleep pants to find them all eating in comfortable silence. He made himself a bagel, rummaging through the fridge to find butter and jam, then pulled up the rickety chair they'd scrounged from the office. They could sort of squeeze four at the table that way, which still meant two people eating at the counter, but no one seemed to mind.

Bas turned his chair so it was almost facing the room and said, "So, how'd it go yesterday, anyway? You lost consciousness before we could grill you, and I had absolutely no desire to bring it up last night."

Jeremy blushed again, acutely aware that everyone knew he'd slept with -- no, let's be honest, fucked -- Saul and Bas last night. "Um, well, since Toby was the victim and everything, he's going to be able to finish out the semester. I'd like him to keep coming to Pack Mind, but his other professor is allowing him to take the final privately as long as he finishes the term paper, and I actually got Celia to do the typo corrections on Toby's dissertation, so we'll turn that in to the committee today."

Toby's eyes went wide. "No way, really? You mean, I'm still gonna graduate, after all of this?"

"Technically, you already graduated, cub. We were there, remember?" Saul swept in through the door on a wash of cool air from outside. He walked straight up to Jeremy and pulled him in for a deep, tender kiss. Jeremy was peripherally aware that everyone else had frozen, but the cold press of leather against his skin and the warm heat of Saul's mouth drove any concerns to the back of his mind. Everyone was still, almost shocked, when they pulled back, and Jeremy wondered why this was any different from David or Bas' greetings.

Sebastian broke the moment, saying, "Damn, Saul, you never greet me like that!"

Saul turned to the group, smiling with unusual cheerfulness. "You don't need the reassurance, you already know you're a sexy thing."

They all laughed, and Jeremy wondered if there hadn't been more to it. He'd only ever seen Saul act so affectionate towards Toby, and had always had the impression the two of them were something of a couple, even within the pack's loose social boundaries. "And I do? I'll have you know my sexiness is not in doubt," said Jeremy, instead of the hundred other things scrambling at his brain. He slid a hand down his chest to tease at the hair low on his stomach and saw desire flare in Saul's eyes.

"Where've you been, anyway?" asked David, deftly changing the subject.

"Following our old business associate," said Saul, leaning against the counter. Jeremy poured him a mug of tea, tossing out the used leaves and rinsing the basket while Saul added cream and sugar. He turned back to find Saul had stolen his leaning spot. Feeling a bit mischievous, he leaned against Saul instead, hissing a bit at the still-cold leather against his back.

Saul absently put an arm around his chest, sipping tea with his other hand, then continued, "I figured there was something big going on that he thought Toby would interfere with, because he'd never have let something like this happen otherwise. He just makes way too much money off of Toby's specialized skills."

"Well, you look far too smug to have been wrong, so spill," said Toby, looking slightly cranky.

Saul set his cup down and put the other arm around Jeremy, cradling him against his chest in an echo of last night's position. He slid a hand over to tug at one of Jeremy's nipple rings, and Toby looked even more impatient. "He's got something big coming in, something really illegal. Unlike Bas and David, who both came to his employ willingly, I think he's finally stooped to kidnapping."

A sudden thought struck Jeremy, and he asked carefully, "Would Gabe ever run girls?"

"He hasn't since I've been with him," said Bas.

Mercury looked thoughtful, then said, "I think he used to have some before he got his rep."

"Rep?" asked Jeremy.

"For black and white furries," said David. "It's why he acquired me from where I was waiting tables. He'd heard I was a black panther."

"I thought you were a leopard?" said Mercury.

"Black panther is a term that refers to either a black jaguar or leopard," said Jeremy in his best lecture voice, winking. Mercury grinned and then surprised him by winking back and miming a kiss.

Jeremy took a deep breath, then, going serious. "There were two girls kidnapped last week on their way from Nigeria, a pair of twins. They were considered very lucky in their tribe, the only twin white werelions born in recorded history."

"Shit," said Saul, with feeling. "How old?"

Jeremy closed his eyes, trying to banish the image of them from the newspaper. "Twelve."

"Shiiiit," said Bas. "He'd make enough off their virginity alone to pay for Toby for a year. He's always had some pedophile clients that weren't too happy with Toby growing up."

"I thought he was 18 when he joined with Gabe?" asked Jeremy, confused.

"I've always looked young for my age," said Toby quietly. "I used to shave completely to give the illusion of being underage, but these days I just look too post-pubescent to even bother."

"Oh," said Jeremy, feeling faintly ill. "Should we call the cops?"

Sebastian thought for a moment. "I don't know. It's an international issue if they're from Africa."

"Little virgin black girls that turn into white cats?" said Toby, "Jesus, that's a pimp like Gabriel's wet dream. We've got to help them."

Jeremy nodded along with the rest. "Let me call Detective Bennett. He'll know who to pass this info on to."

Saul tightened his arms around Jeremy in a kind of hug, then let go. Jeremy peeled himself away from the now-warm leather at his back and went to his office to try and hunt for the Detective's card. He heard them talking in the other room and shook his head, worried. If Gabe really was involved in the kidnapping, it meant he was far more connected than they'd ever imagined.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby waited until Jeremy was out of earshot before saying, "I see you enjoyed your evening." He hated that he was so painfully jealous of Saul and Sebastian, hated even more that he knew he'd soon be the only one left who hadn't been with Jeremy. He'd been almost relieved when he thought that he might not be allowed to finish school. One more month, and they could celebrate. At least, if his dissertation got approved.

Bas crawled under the table, nuzzling at Toby's lap. "He's wonderful. You're lucky."

"You're the lucky one," said Toby, bitterness creeping into his voice.

"We're all lucky you found him when you did, cub," said Saul. "And we all know that he's really only got eyes for you, so don't let a little in-pack fucking get your hackles up."

David nuzzled Toby's neck, licking along the livid bruises left by Mercury's eager mouth only a few minutes ago. "It's not like you've got room to talk," he whispered, then bit down gently.

Bas' nuzzling grew more focused, and Mercury began nibbling on Toby's other ear. "You've always got us, Toby, don't be upset," Mercury murmured, nipping lightly at the cartilage.

"We just wanted to taste him," said Bas, voice low and sexy. He mouthed at Toby's half-hard cock through his sleep pants, licking the cloth wet and then blowing hot air through it.

"We can't have pack that doesn't fuck, it wouldn't be right." Saul slid his palm firmly over the front of his pants in emphasis.

David whispered in Toby's ear, "Like Bas told Dr. J, it's what we are."

Bas nipped at Toby's cock, making it jump. "Sex kittens!" he chirped, then tugged Toby's waistband down until he could lick without the cloth barrier.

Toby suppressed a moan. "Come on, guys, not in the kitchen," he growled, instead of the myriad of encouragements fighting to the surface.

Saul finished his tea in one huge swig, setting the cup down as he said, "Then let's move this to the bedroom. I think Toby needs another lesson in just how much he means to this pack."

Toby felt helpless, not at all like the leader he was supposed to be. He was almost hard again, despite his recent tryst with Mercury, but he didn't want to just leave Jeremy to wonder where they'd all gone. "We... after Jeremy leaves... please?" There, that was almost coherent.

David and Mercury pulled away, Mercury nibbling at his bagel and David sipping from his mug, both of them fighting grins. Bas deep-throated Toby just enough to get him fully hard, then let the elastic snap back into place and crawled out from under the table. Saul grinned and said, "Well, if you guys are going to be good little kitties, I'm going to go take a shower. I feel like I need to be scoured after following Gabe around."

David slid out from the breakfast nook and followed Saul, wordlessly offering his assistance. Sebastian slid smoothly into his place, snuggling up to Toby with a cat-that-got-the-canary smirk, and Toby leaned in and licked his nose. When Jeremy came back into the room, the three of them were still laughing, Sebastian trying to wipe his nose on Toby's shoulder while Toby valiantly resisted.

Jeremy gave them an odd look, then said, "Detective Bennett was very interested in our conjecture, more so than I would have thought. There's definitely something going on that he's not telling us about, but he asked that we keep our ears open if we do hear anything about a delivery date."

Toby sobered up, and Sebastian nuzzled his shoulder gently before reaching across the table to snag the last of his breakfast. "When can I come back to school, then?" asked Toby, perfectly aware that he sounded plaintive.

Jeremy laughed, and reached across the table to muss Toby's hair affectionately. "I told the good detective that we were planning on having you back in class Monday, and he promised to have men lurking around campus just in case."

"So, six more days?" Toby poked Bas, who had gone back to nuzzling. He pouted. "Damn, six days with no school and no sex."

Mercury snickered, and Bas bit him gently on the shoulder. Jeremy blushed predictably. "Er, isn't that what you and Mercury...:"

Mercury giggled and said, "Toby's never happy unless he's getting fucked."

Jeremy went very, very red at that, and turned abruptly. Toby admired his ass as he went over to fidget with the tea, fixing himself another cup and putting Saul's abandoned mug in the sink to soak. Evidently he wasn't the only admirer, either -- Mercury slid out of the seat, finger to lips in a shushing motion, and crawled across the floor towards the oblivious professor. He knelt up just as Jeremy was raising his refilled mug to his lips and sunk teeth into the tempting curve of Jeremy's right cheek.

Jeremy spat tea all over the counter, and Toby and Bas cracked up. Mercury smoothed a cheek over Jeremy's ass, then nuzzled between his cheeks. Jeremy gasped and whirled around, vainly attempting to glare at the offending pack member. Mercury grinned up at him, then buried his nose in Jeremy's front instead. Toby felt a flutter in his stomach -- raw envy that he couldn't join in the fun.

Sebastian seemed to sense something of Toby's mood, and leaned down to bury his face back in Toby's lap. "Soon," he whispered, and Toby blushed.

"Mercury!" Jeremy was laughing, his protests faint and few. He'd set down the tea and was trying to wriggle away, but Merc's hands were on his hips, holding him down.

"Bas, quit it!" said Toby, tugging ineffectually at the black hair. Bas just bit him on the thigh, making his whole body twitch.

Mercury finally slid away, his face smug at Jeremy's flushed and flustered state. "Soon, Dr. J, very soon," he said cryptically, then crawled gracefully out the door, putting the suggestion of sex in every fluid move.

Bas stopped nuzzling and just rested there, cheek almost cool against Toby's erection. The very tip of Jeremy's cockhead poked above his waistband, and Toby stared, breathless. Jeremy's eyes lingered in the doorway before abruptly turning in something like horror to Toby. "Are they always like this?" he asked, oblivious to his own state.

Toby closed his eyes, and when he'd opened them, he could just about force himself to fix on Jeremy's face instead of his crotch. "Worse." Bas did a long, slow rub of his cheek, and Toby fought to sit still. Jeremy seemed to finally notice that Sebastian's legs were the only part of him still visible, and Toby could see the look on his face as he fought down the question. "My pants are still on, he's just being a brat."

Jeremy let out his breath in a relieved half-laugh, and said, "That's... good. I think... um... I think it's time for a nice, long shower before I try and go teach a bunch of grad students about the history of human/shapeshifter interaction." He looked like he was gathering his thoughts. "Oh! And I've got a bunch of notes and stuff for you, from your pack. Ben was also asking pointed questions about your location, so I'd watch out for him."

Toby looked down, petting Bas' head gently as he spoke. "He knew what I did for a living, even that first day, so I'm not surprised."

"Ah." Jeremy was obviously at a loss for words. He pushed away from the counter, morning light glinting off the nipple rings that Toby so longed to play with, and stalked towards the door. "Shower," he explained, then disappeared.

Bas was looking up at Toby, eyes full of the intelligence he hid behind his carefree persona. "You really are a smitten kitten, huh cub?"

Toby closed his eyes and took a deep breath, nodding. He was so lost, and he only hoped he could hold out until the term was over. And that Jeremy would still want him when the time came, even after having the other four packmates in his bed for over a month. Toby knew just exactly how sincere, passionate and skilled they could be, and wondered sadly if he could even hope to compete. "Don't worry," said Bas softly, sitting up. "I've seen his face. He's right there with you."

Toby opened his eyes and smiled. At least they were confident in him, even if his own confidence had been sorely shaken. "Thanks, Bas." Toby kissed him softly on the lips, then slid off the little bench. "Go help him wash, huh?"

Bas looked at him, skeptical. "You sure?"

Toby nodded. "If I can't be there, someone should be."

Bas grinned, then kissed Toby again. "Don't have to tell me twice!"

Toby watched him go, sadness pulling at his mood again. He had a lot to be happy about, but he'd always been bad at waiting. He finished his now-cold tea and padded back to the bedroom, suddenly tired. Sleep, that was what he needed. At least in dreams he could hold Jeremy as close as he wanted to.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy tried very hard not to glow as he walked into the office, desperately going for nonchalant and probably failing miserably. Celia raised one eyebrow at him as he crossed to the coffee pot to pour, grateful for the extra caffeine despite his more than ample rest. Nothing like having your brains sucked out through your cock in the shower to make you start the day off a bit dazed. Damn, but he was going to have to send Bas flowers.

He sat down, feeling not pain precisely but a gentle reminder that perhaps Saul needed flowers, too. He took a sip of coffee to try and hide his grin. Celia was even kind enough to wait until he set the cup down before saying, "All right, who's been licking up your cream?"

He could only be happy that he'd managed to swallow already, as his breath left him in a rush of shocked laughter. "That's a very personal question, young lady."

"You'd better not be banging Toby before he gets his degree," she said, glaring.

"I assure you that Toby has not been licking anything of mine, nor I of his," he said solemnly, digging through his desk for the few remaining term papers he needed to grade before today's class.

She gave him a long, calculating look. "All right, if it wasn't Toby, who was it?"

He blushed as the memories flickered past his mind's eye. "No one you'd know."

Her eyes narrowed further. "It was one of those boys that came to help out, wasn't it? I heard Toby had some smokin' hot friends."

Jeremy blushed further and tried to divert her attention. "How did you know about them?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "Everyone knows about them by now, Jeremy. You know how this campus works. Gossip before higher learning." She let him take another sip of coffee then said, "Now, out with it. Which one was it?"

Jeremy shook his head, then mumbled into his cup, "Two."

She raised an eyebrow and said, "My, my, if we weren't a busy little boy."

"Yes, and I'd thank you not to tell anyone about it," he said, barely managing a glare through all the blushing.

"All right, all right, your secret's safe with me. You'd just better tone it down before tomorrow, because if I know your Pack Mind students, they'll figure you out in a heartbeat." She turned back to the computer, a signal that the conversation was over and she had, as usual, had the last word.

She had a point, though, and he concentrated on work to try and damp down the energy coursing through him. Or at least channel it into something other than his pants. It took several tries, but eventually he got into the papers in front of him, managing to even grade a few before Celia cleared her throat. "About lunch time, don't you think?"

Jeremy looked up at the clock, then stretched. "Yep. It won't be the same without Toby, though," he said absently. Nothing was quite the same without Toby's steadying presence. He'd already begun to amass piles again, and a small army of dirty mugs. "I guess we'd better clean after my class today, huh?"

Celia gave him an indecipherable look. "One thing at a time, Dr. J." He winced at the nickname, as she knew he would. She'd been using it to torment him ever since Toby had first introduced her to it. "Let's go get us some grub, and then we'll worry about cleaning. When's he coming back, anyway?"

"Monday, and not a minute too soon, either." He sighed again. The office just felt empty, vast and lonely with both the cage and his intern gone missing. "Did you get those edits done for him?"

Celia waved a disk at him. "Right here. I'll get it started printing while we're gone, in fact."

"Let's lock up, then." She raised an eyebrow at his suggestion, so he explained, "The cage is gone, and I'm a little concerned about sticky fingers with this."

"Aah. No problem." She popped the disk into the computer, did a few arcane things and soon the printer was whirring happily away. She surprised him by taking the disk back out and tucking it into her purse for safe keeping. He grabbed his jacket, checked for his keys and wallet, and headed out the door with her, careful to lock up. Although he had plenty of proof, including Dr. Krogh's word, that the work was definitely Toby's, he still had a bad feeling about leaving it unattended.

They wandered outside -- class was in another building, and they'd go straight to lunch from there -- and Jeremy took a deep breath of the cold air. He could do this, function without Toby for a few days, despite the fact that he'd learned to rely on his newest assistant in a surprisingly short period of time. The real test would be tomorrow, and seeing how the packs interrelated with their strongest leader down for the count. And, of course, outed as a real, live shapeshifter.

Life had certainly gotten more interesting, he thought, laying a hand on his turtleneck, finding Bas' bite mark and pressing it like a touchstone.

Chapter 17

Toby had gone back to bed after breakfast, curled in on himself and his emotional turmoil. He loved the casual attitude the pack had towards sex -- they all benefited from it, himself included. And yet he'd been so painfully jealous of Saul and Bas, even of David and Mercury, that they were allowed to touch Jeremy where he couldn't. His longing had turned from cheerful lust to something that ran a lot deeper than he wanted to admit to himself. Especially when it led to brooding like a child.

He sighed, and stretched, slow and careful, one muscle group at a time. Eyes closed, he concentrated on releasing the tension, letting it all flow out of him. Muscles pulled and joints popped, and when he was done, he flopped on top of the covers, sleep pants riding low on his slender hips. He opened his eyes to find a damp, naked Saul and David standing over him with identical grins of mischief and lust.

He barely had time to register their presence before he was assaulted from both sides by probing, tickling fingers. He convulsed with laughter, trying to shove them away and hide his most vulnerable spots at the same time, with little success at either. At some point he lost his pants while Saul was looking for new places to attack. He was helpless under the onslaught, reduced by their superior might to a quivering ball of giggles.

When Saul kissed him, it was just as much of a shock as the tickling had been. Fierce and possessive, the kiss told him things he'd been avoiding for months, years, and it made his chest ache. He threaded his hands through still-wet hair, mussing the careful stripes and making Saul grin against his lips. They rolled over until Toby was laying on top of Saul like an undersized blanket, held tight in his arms, legs sliding open to tilt their hips together hopefully, despite the doctor's ban.

He jumped a little, then melted, boneless, as David's talented tongue began drawing mysterious patterns inside his thighs. Saul spread his legs and Toby's with them, so that David could fit himself between them, mouth working over flesh without regard for whose was whose, tongue sliding into the space where their two bodies met. Toby ached in more than one way; his heart for Saul, for Jeremy; his ass to be filled and cock to be fulfilled; and deep inside that twinge of half-healed pain.

"Gonna be so hard not to fuck you, cub, a whole week without," murmured Saul while Toby moved his mouth down to suck at the tender flesh of his neck. He smelled like home to Toby, the essence of pack -- from the green tea soap lingering on his skin to the unmistakable musk of big cat that surrounded him like an invisible aura. Toby buried himself in that scent, biting down, marking his home, trying to say through his body that he'd still be around, always be there for his pack, no matter what.

David's tongue was just starting to tease around where they all knew Toby wanted it, short fast licks and hot breath that brushed his opening, when Toby's cell phone rang. They all jumped, Toby just about smacking poor David in the nose with the anatomy in question and making them all giggle. Toby extricated himself from the pile, leaving David to lick at the hard length of Saul's cock, distracting him as he searched for the infernal device. Saul bit back a low moan just as Toby said, "Hello?"

The greeting came out slightly more strangled than he'd intended, and the voice on the other end sounded concerned. "Toby? It's Detective Bennett. Is this a bad time?"

Toby glared at them, making a shushing motion and pointing to the phone. "Oh, hello Detective Bennett. No, it's not a bad time, it just took me a minute to find the phone."

David and Saul gave him equally innocent looks, then David flipped himself around, sliding his cock past Saul's welcoming lips before deep-throating Saul with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Toby turned his back and tried to ignore the noises. "We have a little more information about the knife."

"Really?" said Toby, suddenly interested. If he was going back to school on Monday, he would feel a lot better knowing the cops had his attacker behind bars.

"Yes. Interestingly enough, it was a recent commission from a local artist who specializes in making them as display pieces. He uses any number of unusual materials, and was mortified when he realized that there was a shifter in the area who might be in danger."

The sounds behind Toby were growing louder and more enthusiastic. Toby did not turn around. "Did you find out who the client was?"

"The artist was very helpful, yes, but unfortunately the buyer was found murdered last night." The detective cleared his throat. "We're pretty sure it was your attacker, if I can come by with a photo. We won't make you come down here and view the body, since you're still recovering, but we'd like to be sure."

Toby closed his eyes, breathed deeply. "That's fine, detective, but you realize that he was probably killed because of his association with me?"

The detective grunted, the sound a disapproving echo of the noises Saul and David were making. They sounded enthusiastic, and like they might finish without him. "Of course. We'll have someone following you and the professor to school, and I've already assigned a plainclothes unit to stake out his house."

"Oh," said Toby, nonplused. He wasn't used to cops treating him like something worth keeping alive. "When will someone be by with the photos?"

"I'll bring them myself in an hour or so. Just make sure you check the door before you open it."

Needy little moans he recognized as David's were making it hard to concentrate on the detective's words. "Yes, of course," he said agreeably, anything to get off the phone. A few more pleasantries, and they were done.

He whirled around, just in time to see David shove his cock down Saul's throat with a trembling cry. He could see Saul's throat working, drinking him down. David's face was already covered in the pearly evidence of Saul's release, and Toby crawled over to lick it off, reveling in the familiar taste. He wasn't even all that upset to be left out. Of course, it helped that as soon as David finished coming, he and Saul held Toby down and licked him until he begged.

Despite their distraction, they all managed to be dressed when the detective showed up. Mostly, anyway.

* ~ * ~ *

Detective Bennett was just leaving when Jeremy drove up, and he waved congenially as their cars passed one another, quelling the small thread of panic that had started up. His History of Human/Shifter interaction lecture had gone relatively well after he'd made it very clear that he wasn't at liberty to discuss the details of the incident, since it was part of an ongoing police investigation. As a class, they were the least interested in his personal life, for which he was grateful.

The Pack Mind kids were pretty much guaranteed to remark on the love bites peeking up over the edge of his turtleneck. He'd have to be very careful they didn't see the perfect imprint of Bas' teeth from the shower, or else he'd have a lot of explaining to do. Especially since he had an equally perfect print of Saul's teeth on one shoulder, and they were obviously from two different people. He blushed at the memories, then went inside to enjoy the reality.

Saul, Toby and David were sitting cuddled on the couch, for once respectably clothed. They were chatting in low voices, and Jeremy completely forgot to be curious what about when Mercury walked in the room, carrying in a tray of teacups, steaming pot and a small plate of cookies. The distracting part was what he was, and wasn't, wearing -- his cock was encased in a sadistic-looking device of metal rings and leather straps, and it tented out the sheer, frilly apron that completely failed to cover up his front.

"Hey, Dr. J!" he said cheerfully, setting the tray down on the recently-uncovered coffee table.

"Mercury," he said gently, "Please tell me you didn't..."

"We made him hide until the detective left," said Saul, grinning. "We didn't have the heart to cover that up."

"Besides," said Mercury placidly, deliberately moving around the table to draw Jeremy's eye as he bent over at the waist to pour tea, "I wasn't there on Saturday, either, and what the detective doesn't know, won't hurt me."

Jeremy bit his lip at the display. Piercing the center of Mercury's already luscious ass was the black-and-purple swirled base of some toy. "Er, Mercury..." He tried to find a tactful way to ask, and gave up. "If you're not, um, performing anymore, why the toys?"

Toby snorted. "It's not his specialty for nothing, you know. He really likes all the toys."

"*Really* likes toys," added David, a glint of lust and humor in his eyes.

Jeremy felt the sudden need to sit as his world gently rearranged itself, and he developed an interesting theory. He shooed the kittens off their chair and sat, then asked, "So, er... that night at Edie's..."

"Different toy," said David, smirking. "But he did have the Gates on."

"Gates?" asked Jeremy, before he could stop himself.

Mercury brought him a cup of tea, which he took reflexively, and then stayed there in front of him, a tempting thing indeed. "It's called a Gates of Hell," said Mercury, lifting the front of the apron to give him an unobstructed view. It was a series of heavy metal rings, held in place by three strategic leather straps. One large ring encircled Mercury's entire cock and balls, and then smaller ones cradled his half-hard cock, holding him torturously in that in-between state.

"You..." he stopped, took a sip of tea, licked dry lips. "You enjoy wearing it?"

Mercury nodded happily. "Yep. Especially when someone makes me."

Jeremy blinked. "You're..."

"He's a natural-born submissive," said David, standing up and sliding his hand very deliberately down Mercury's back. From the way Mercury twitched, Jeremy was pretty sure there was something going on with the toy. "But he hates being touched by people he doesn't trust. So he started doing this thing where he'd have the client tell him what to do, and he'd do it to himself."

"Wait, you mean he doesn't just... perform, he does it on command?"

Mercury nodded. "I'd love to show you sometime, Jeremy," he said shyly, cheeks pinking.

Jeremy sat back and sipped his tea, hard and embarrassed and completely fascinated. He looked up into Mercury's flushed face and said, "I'd love to see it, but I don't know that I'd be able to... er... direct you."

"Saul or I could do it," said David softly. "We've done it before, just between us." He ran his other hand down Mercury's chest, started teasing at the little flashes of skin between the rings. Mercury's hands twitched at his side, and his breathing picked up.

Jeremy reached a hand out, fascinated, fingertips straining towards Mercury's trapped cock. The door swung open and everyone jumped; Jeremy blushed deeply and stayed where he was, hidden by the two boys. Mercury tensed up and grew very still, and David whispered, "It's all right, it's only Sebastian," gentling him like a frightened horse.

"Nice," said Bas from somewhere by the door. "Don't let me interrupt."

Jeremy's view of the room was effectively blocked by David and Mercury, but he couldn't bring himself to object. They were now cuddling together, Mercury looking pale and shaky in David's arms. He was still lovely, skin pale and smooth under the chiffon apron, nipples peeking lewdly through the sheer fabric, the rest draped over the base of his cock, leaving him exposed, but there was something more fragile about him now.

"Gabriel had Merc the longest," said David softly. "And he really got off the most from abusing him, I think."

Jeremy nodded, then held out a hand, palm up. "I'm not him. You don't have to do anything for me you don't want to, not ever."

Mercury's eyes went wide, then he reached out and twined his fingers with Jeremy's. "But I do want you, Jeremy. You'd never hurt me."

Jeremy gave a tug on his arm, and pulled Mercury into his lap. He tried to ignore how hard he was, how the base of the toy pressed into his leg when Merc wriggled, but it was no easy task. He wrapped his arms around Mercury, pulling him down into a cuddle, kissing his hair. "You're right, I wouldn't. And we'll keep you away from Gabriel, too."

Mercury snuggled into his embrace like he was a giant teddy bear. Everyone else was nodding, agreeing. "David?" said Mercury softly, sounding very childlike all of a sudden.

"Yeah, Merc?" David kneeled down so his head was below Mercury's, petting his shoulder.

"Can I stay with you guys tonight? I mean, I know you wanted to..." he trailed off, obviously not wanting to spoil things for David.

"I'm good if Jeremy is. I can always give him the full treatment later," David winked, then leaned in and gave Mercury a soft kiss. "Or you can be my table, like with Bas."

Jeremy was really starting to wonder, especially when Mercury gave an excited little wriggle in his lap and said, "Ooh, table!"

"Dr. J? You ok with that?"

Jeremy gave Mercury a hug and sighed, grinning. "I've come to terms with the idea that I'm completely at your mercy tonight, David, so whatever you want, I'm all yours."

Saul snickered, and that set the rest of them to giggling. "Watch what you say," said Bas from where he'd stolen David's spot and was now lounging with his legs in Toby and Saul's laps. "David's almost as toppy as Saul."

"No one's as toppy as Saul," said David. "Besides, I've already got something planned. I can always get him at my mercy another night."

Jeremy wisely chose not to argue. "So, what's for dinner?" he asked instead, setting the whole group to laughing again.

Jeremy had a feeling that his quiet life was definitely taking a change for the weird when Bas stood up and said, "That's my cue," and began stripping. "Apron?" He held a hand out to Mercury, who made a big show of wiggling around in Jeremy's lap to get the apron off.

Jeremy just sat there, mind still reeling from the show, and let it all happen. He even tried not to blush too much when Mercury's hands strayed to his lap, but when the top button of his jeans came open, he brought a stop to it. "Not in front of our fearless leader, remember?"

Mercury pouted adorably, then went back to snuggling. "So, er," said Jeremy trying to ignore the fact that Sebastian was now putting on the sheer white apron, which stood out in an entirely different way against his golden-brown skin. And to remain nonchalant that he now had a boy in his lap who was wearing nothing but sex toys. "Why was the detective here, anyway?"

Bas padded off to the kitchen, and Jeremy hoped all the curtains were closed. They'd originally agreed to relegate casual nudity to their room, but obviously that restriction had taken very little time to wear thin, and with a view like that, who was he to argue? Toby cleared his throat, which made Jeremy jump and pull his eyes away from Sebastian's retreating, er, figure. "Someone murdered my attacker last night," said Toby, suddenly serious.

"Fuck," said Jeremy, with feeling. "Do they think the bad guys know where you are?"

Toby and Saul shook their heads, and Mercury snuggled deeper into his arms. David petted Merc gently, shifting so that he was kneeling at Jeremy's feet. Jeremy rubbed soothing circles on the safest body parts he could find, Mercury's back and thigh. "I need to talk to my grandparents about this, just in case something does happen, and the police can't hide you all together," said Jeremy resolutely.

Sebastian peeked his head around the corner from the kitchen. "Jeremy?"

"Yeah?" he said, shifting Mercury in his arms so he could turn, and getting a small gasp as his leg bumped the toy.

"Do you ever eat anything that isn't takeout? Because your kitchen is a tragedy." Bas looked sorely disappointed, adding, "I may have to get dressed and go shopping!"

"Guess which one he minds," said Toby, snickering.

Bas shook his finger in mock anger at the back of Toby's head. "I heard that, young man. Be good, or I won't make ceviche for you ever again."

"I could rim you while you cook," said Toby, turning, eyes wide and sincere.

Jeremy coughed, startled, and they all laughed. Toby turned around and crossed his arms over his chest, sulking. "Well, I could," he said petulantly. "You just couldn't watch."

Jeremy coughed again, and took a sip of his tea to clear a throat gone suspiciously dry. "How about I go make phone calls in my office while you all get this, er, mood taken care of?" He gently pushed at Mercury, who unfolded obediently and stood with David's help.

"If I promise to be good," said Mercury shyly, peering at Jeremy through long, black lashes. "Can I come with you? I just..."

Jeremy buckled instantly at the anxious need in Mercury's voice. "Sure, Merc. Just be good while I'm talking to my grandparents."

"Yay!" He followed Jeremy into the office, much like Edward and Ogdred did when they were in the mood for their human and he wouldn't sit still. Jeremy sat in his office chair, and Mercury curled up on the displaced guest bed, only slightly disturbing Parva's nap. His legs hid all sign of the toys, and Jeremy sighed and picked up the phone. It was as close to not-distracting as he was going to get.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby was grateful that Jeremy was taking a long time in the office, although a bit worried that Mercury had felt the need to go with him. He knew the attack had shaken some of their confidence in him as their Alpha, and he needed for Mercury -- hell, for them all -- to feel safe again, but he couldn't let Jeremy be the one doing all the work. That was the road to the dissolution of their pack, because no matter how good he was to them, Jeremy wasn't a shifter.

Well, not much Toby could do about it from his sick bed, so to speak. He got up and padded into the kitchen where Bas seemed to have found sufficient food to cobble together a meal for the six of them. "At least someone made him buy real cookware at some point," said Bas disdainfully, adding water to the gleaming chrome pasta pot.

"He's just used to being alone," said Toby, stripping out of his clothes and folding them carefully onto the chair. "I'm all yours, where do you want me?"

Bas turned and gave him a hard look, but Toby's face must have shown something, because he just pointed to a spot on the floor and said, "Kneel there, and you can service me once I've gotten a few things going."

Toby knelt silently, finding that quiet space inside himself and sliding into it with a mental sigh. He needed this so badly, needed to serve almost as much as Mercury, to be taken and used by people he trusted instead of all those assholes who'd paid for the privilege. Especially the last, dead one. Toby couldn't wait until he could finally wash away the memory properly with the cocks and commands of his packmates, cleansing himself of the man's evil taint with their seed.

Saul came in a few minutes later, looking surprised to see Toby there, kneeling nude as he had so many times in their old kitchen. He'd taken on this role voluntarily before after a bad night, a silent offering to any of the pack who wanted to use him, the same way Bas did with his frilly aprons and casual nudity. The way they all did, using and being used because it was all they knew, finding comfort in trust and understanding. "He here for the usual?" asked Saul, indicating Toby with a shake of his head.

"Yep," said Bas, brow furrowed as he pulled ingredients from the cupboard.

Saul slid a finger along Sebastian's tempting golden ass, teasing at the cleft. "I can't decide now," he said softly. "I want to fuck you so badly, but the cub is so good when he's like this."

Bas snorted. "You can fuck me later. I don't want to screw up our first real meal in Dr. J's house because you distracted me, anyway."

Bas and Saul shared a laugh, and Toby's body tightened in anticipation. Toby had been hard for ages, since the look of pure lust and shock had slapped itself across Jeremy's face at his first sight of Mercury. His own cock was bobbing gently in his field of vision, his eyes dropped submissively as he waited eagerly for whatever Saul might demand of him.

"I think you need to remember what it's like to be a cock slave," said Saul conversationally, voice rough around the edges like lust had eaten away at it.

"Yes, sir," said Toby, tilting his head up until he could see the bulge filling out Saul's black jeans. "Rules?" he asked, suddenly unsure of himself.

"No hands, and you get to wear it, not drink it," Saul said thoughtfully, unzipping himself and pulling out his comfortingly familiar erection. Toby had held this cock in his hand a thousand times, tasted this same taste, smelled the musk that now filled his nose. His mouth fit it perfectly, knew its contours and just how to swallow to make it fit inside and slide down his throat despite the distinct upward curve. His confidence came back in a rush and he felt centered, alive. Like this was where he belonged.

He used all of his considerable skills, teasing his tongue along all the spots he knew drove Saul wild, giving that extra little suck at the outstroke, massaging the shaft with his throat when it was in balls-deep, inhaling deeply as his nose was buried in the black and white curls at the base. He gave a tentative scrape of blunt teeth, unable to gauge yet if Saul was in the right mood, and was rewarded with a moan and a thrust. He scraped again and then braced himself as Saul began to fuck his face.

Nails scratched gently along his scalp as Saul petted him in his own way, stroking over the sensitive skin, teasing at the suede-like fuzz that covered most of his head. His bangs were gelled just enough to keep them out of his face, or really artfully in his face in just the right way, and he moaned a little when one finger coursed over his hollowed cheek. "Gonna come soon, cub," said Saul hoarsely, pumping in and out.

Toby took that as his cue to pull out all the stops, biting gently at the ridge and tonguing the veins, purring contentedly in his chest. It was the vibration that seemed to do it, and Saul just barely remembered to pull out in time, painting Toby's tongue with a stripe of bitterness before spraying the rest of his seed over Toby's upturned face. Toby felt the heat like a benediction, deep enough in his role that he barely wondered what Jeremy would make of the scene.

* ~ * ~ *

Dinner turned out to be pasta with some odd olive pesto thing that Sebastian adamantly refused to explain, and garlic bread drenched in fresh butter and topped with a light coating of the cream cheese from this morning. Jeremy sat squashed between Saul and David on the little bench, with Toby sitting guiltily in the chair in front of him. He'd managed to find pants somewhere since Jeremy had walked past the kitchen a few minutes ago, but he was still shirtless and had suspicious white spatters drying in his hair and along one shoulder.

That one glimpse had guaranteed he'd be hard for the rest of eternity as far as Jeremy was concerned. Toby had been naked, on his knees, profiled in the doorway. Sebastian had been holding the apron with one hand and his cock in the other, spilling his seed over Toby's flushed skin. The look on Toby's face had been transcendent pleasure, as though he was receiving manna from heaven and not a comeshot in the face.

Saul and Sebastian had taken the counter spots, Bas so he could bring more food if anyone needed it, Saul because he'd been last into the kitchen. He'd glared a little, then shrugged resignedly and leaned up next to Bas, whispering something that was obviously dirty before grabbing his plate. "So," said Jeremy conversationally, waiting until most of them had a mouthful of food, "If the pack is all into this dominance thing, who's going to teach me the ropes?"

He was gratified when he got three of them to choke, Toby's eyes going wide as Bas and Saul both sprayed the kitchen with food and Mercury managed to snort milk out his nose. Several napkins and glares later, Saul put in, "That depends, do you want to top or bottom?"

"Can't I do both?" asked Jeremy innocently. "I'd always heard the best tops are bottoms first, after all."

Saul and David exchanged a look, and something like hope gleamed in Toby's eyes. "Well," said Saul mildly, "How do you feel about the way Toby and Mercury spent their day?"

Jeremy blushed, glancing from where Mercury was now clad in Jeremy's much-passed-around yukata, to Toby's naked torso and its telltale spatterings of come. His voice was low, shy and rough as he said, "Very, very aroused."

"Then Saturday, we'll begin your training." Saul's voice was authoritative, and final.

But it was David who got in the last word, eyes twinkling wickedly. "Maybe we'll get you good enough that by the time you can have Toby, you can enjoy him the way he was meant to be enjoyed."

Jeremy squirmed, but he couldn't resist adding his two cents. "Why do you think I asked?"

Everyone laughed, this time much more relaxed. It was as if they'd all been holding their collective breaths, waiting for him to disapprove. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Jeremy broached the next sensitive subject. "We've got the pledge of the Bone Kin to help out the pack," he said quietly, eyes locking with Toby's.

"I feel a but coming on," said Toby, and the rest looked wary.

"But," said Jeremy, eyes sparkling, "my grandparents want to meet you. All of you are cordially invited to their place for the full moon."

"And if they don't like us?" asked Toby.

"It's not like that," said Jeremy reassuringly. "They just want to meet the men that finally captured their grandson's heart. You'll all have private rooms for the actual change, although grandfather and I usually stay up reading until late. The only time you'll be required to spend with them is dinner, which is eaten in human form, before moonrise."

"Captured your heart?" said Mercury, voice soft and shy, expression hidden artfully behind his hair.

Jeremy's face softened. "Of course. Believe it or not, I don't let just anyone have a key to my home."

He looked around the table, really looked at them all. Saw Mercury, submissive and pretty, clever and teasing and terribly broken. David, quiet demeanor hiding the heart of a dragon, commanding and honorable. Sebastian, heart-wrenchingly beautiful and deceptively intelligent beneath the shallow facade. Saul, so desperately in love with Toby and yet noble enough to share him with the pack, and now with Jeremy. And Toby, Toby who had truly stolen his heart away and just didn't know it yet, biding his time until they could be together. Knitting them all into something bigger than themselves.

"Of course you've got my heart. I love you all."

The last of dinner was forgotten as they all tried to get into the booth, and ended up dragging him to the guest room instead, where Jeremy found himself snuggled and nuzzled and cuddled by all of them, very much like being in a giant pile of affectionate kittens. Affectionate male kittens with prominent erections, at any rate. Saul was grinding rather intently into his ass, spooned around his back with his face buried in hair that had been unbound at some point.

In front of him, David was lying on his back with Mercury on top, both of them snuggled into his body as best they could. Sebastian was draped over all their legs, face pressed into Jeremy's hip, and Toby was curled protectively around the top, cradling Jeremy and Saul's heads in his lap. "We love you, too, you know," said Toby gently pushing the hair out of Jeremy's eyes.

Jeremy blinked rapidly, rationalizing the threatening tears to the sudden sunlight. He turned away, burying his face in Toby's hip and privately reveling in the press of firm heat against his cheek. He rubbed against it once, a tacit acknowledgement of future intentions, and he let himself drift off into a sort of half-doze, sinking into the comfort of his pack.

Chapter 18

Jeremy woke up alone, covered in a layer of blankets that smelled like sex and home and everything he'd long given up on having. He snuggled further into the mattress, reveling in the luxury of napping in the now-dark room. He had no idea how late it was, but he'd almost drifted back to sleep when he realized with a start that he was completely naked. And he had no idea who had undressed him, or why.

The door opened to reveal a familiar figure limned in light from the hallway. David stepped in and knelt beside him in silence. David was wearing one of his Chinese outfits, this one of fine black silk with incredibly detailed embroidery of a white tiger twining itself around a black panther of some kind. He held out a slim black collar, shiny patent leather attached to a chrome leash that Jeremy recognized from Halloween. Jeremy's eyes widened, searching for David's in the shadows of his face. "It's time, Jeremy," said David softly.

Wondering what was going on, Jeremy sat up and allowed David to fasten the collar around his throat. He was completely shocked when it was followed with a leather blindfold, fur on the inside of the mask soft and soothing against tired eyes. He felt doubly naked now, especially when David's gentle hands coaxed him up out of the blankets to stand, shivering, in the dark. A tug on the leash led him slowly out into the hallway and, he thought, into his own bedroom.

Once there, he was positioned facing the wall, feet spread, hands up against the wall comfortably at shoulder height. "Stay still," said David quietly, moving away with the soft whisper of bare feet on the smooth hardwood floor. Jeremy's nipples grew hard, even though the room was warmer than he usually kept it, comfortable for bare skin. His cock had been hard ever since he'd woken up surrounded by the smell of pack.

The situation wasn't helping, either, and he spread his legs a touch wider just to feel himself bob, his balls hanging low and heavy below his erection. He had no idea who or what was in the room, and he was putting all his trust in David. He could be whipped or fucked, photographed or just left to stew in his own desire, and he wouldn't know what was coming until it happened. Or until the blackmail photos arrived, he thought amusedly.

"Something funny?" said a dangerously low voice at his ear.

Jeremy shook his head, then whispered, "I was thinking how vulnerable I am. That you could do anything to me, and blackmail me later."

A hand tangled in his hair, pulling his head back painfully. "Why is that funny?"

"B-because it's you! P-pack doesn't d-do that," he gasped out, feeling, to his shame and confusion, his belly tighten with desire, making his cock twitch and sway.

The hand released him abruptly, and trailed down his spine to tease at his opening. David's fingers were warm, soft and dry, and Jeremy didn't even try to stop the whimper that escaped. David's hands threaded in his hair again, this time pulling it all together and tucking it around his neck to rest against his chest. "Good," said David. It could have meant a hundred things, and Jeremy didn't even try to puzzle it out.

He was too distracted by the cool, wet feeling of something trailing over his shoulder. It left before he could identify it, but returned almost immediately for another stroke, caressing over the skin deliberately, almost reverently. Jeremy waited for it to lift before bowing his head again, needing to show his surrender in every small way. He heard someone's breath catch off to his right, and his cock twitched again when he realized that they weren't alone.

He bit his lip to keep the questions inside, determined to trust the way they'd trusted him, with their secrets and futures. His skin began to tingle, as he realized that even Toby could be in here, watching him, and he'd never even know it. Little waves of desire ran up the backs of his legs all the way to the hair on the back of his neck. His nipples were almost painfully hard, and his breath kept catching as the wet caresses continued, down over his back, up again to the center of his spine, some long, some short, almost a pattern but nothing he could identify.

He had no sense of how long it went on, methodically covering his back, ass, and thighs in cool strokes that dried quickly in the warm air, leaving his skin feeling tight and hot. He sunk so deeply into the rhythm of it that he started a little when David's voice once again growled in his ear, "I'm going to turn you around. Don't lean back."

Deft hands spun him so he was standing, arms down, back close enough to the wall that it was a temptation to just relax that last small bit and lean into the cool surface. He held himself straight, felt his hair brushed off his shoulder to whisper against the newly sensitive skin of his back. The leash followed, links cold as they slithered into the cleft of his ass, and then those tempting caresses began anew.

Chest and stomach, thigh and shoulder, almost without regard for what flesh they covered, one nipple bringing a gasp while the other was ignored completely. He sank into the sensation again, keeping just enough of him alert to lean away from the wall, keep his balance and stillness. His palms were turned up, complex little designs drawn in each. Then a final torment, the same cold caresses on the shaft of his cock, ending in one too-brief swirl over the head.

The leash was retrieved, links sliding along his back and ass sensuously, and then he was tugged forward one step, two. "Kneel," said David softly, pulling the leash downwards. Jeremy knelt, instinctively taking the pose he'd seen Toby in earlier, resting back on his heels, knees spread wide, hands behind his back and face upturned. A warm feeling suffused him as David said, "Good. Stay still, now."

He took a deep breath, then relaxed into the pose, calming the sudden apprehension he felt when he heard the shuffle of several pairs of feet around him, and another, quieter sound like skin on skin. "We are Pack," said David harshly, drowning out the other noises. "You are Pack." There was a long pause, and he could hear breathing around him, and something almost wet and obscene. "We mark you as Pack."

Jeremy had no idea what to expect, so when the first hot drops hit him, back and chest, face and shoulder and ass, he almost lost his center and cried out. They were followed by other drops, and the familiar ocean-bright smell of come. His entire body went taut with unexpected lust as he realized that the Pack was scent-marking him, in their own uniquely sexual way, with their seed.

He wasn't sure if they were all there, which he thought might be the point of the blindfold, because he couldn't see them leaving their leader out of such a ritual. "As all before you have been marked, so are you now marked," said a different voice, Saul's he thought. Another wave of lust hit him when he realized that they'd all done this, all gone through this at one point or another.

More shuffling, and a hand closed around his cock, David's voice once again in his ear. "As we have marked you, so do we take your scent for ourselves." A slick finger insinuated itself beneath him, inside him. It didn't take much, a few dozen deft strokes, and he was crying out wordlessly and coming. More shuffling, and he ached to be missing the sight of them, marking themselves with his seed, making them his as he was now theirs.

He spent the next few minutes in a strange sort of isolation, straining to stay still, to hear the soft whispers, identify the voices. He heard footsteps move away, come back, pace around him like a predator with cornered prey, deciding on how best to dispatch it. The leash shifted, then tugged. "Stand up," said David. Jeremy's legs felt wobbly, unsure, and David supported him with gentle touches and soft words.

His hands were placed high on the corners of something, held in place by someone other than David, who was still crooning encouragements in his ear. The blindfold was lifted away, but Jeremy kept his eyes shut against the sudden light, dim though it might be. "Open your eyes, Jeremy. Look."

Jeremy blinked once, twice, then again as the image before him wavered into view. There was a black Chinese character on his cheek, almost obliterated by strands of come. His entire torso, neck to knees, was covered in a gorgeous patchwork of Chinese calligraphy, obviously text of some kind, and he spared a moment to be sad he couldn't understand it. Come spattered over all of it, mark upon mark, translucent and shimmering in the candlelit room.

"Stay there," he said when Jeremy tensed to move, to see the markings that trailed out of sight along his sides and back. Slick fingers probed his now-loosened opening, and he felt himself twitch in a valiant attempt to revive, although it was far too soon. First two, then three that stretched him wide, and Jeremy felt more opened, more full than he'd ever been. His eyes were riveted on the image in the mirror, this painted, wild-eyed and come-streaked vision that didn't seem to relate to his mental image of himself as a meek and mousy professor.

He grew hard again before his own eyes, rising up out of a nest of glistening curls, and he blinked when he realized the marks hadn't smudged at all, even during his hand job. He almost worried about the one on his face, about having them wash off for class tomorrow, but the fingers left abruptly, distracting him. He bit his lip as David's cock slipped inside him, arching back only to find Mercury's lust-filled eyes over the top of the mirror. Warm hands gripped his hips, driving David as deep as he could go in one swift stroke.

The ring through the tip of David's cock added a spike of pure pleasure to the end of the motion. Jeremy wanted to close his eyes, let himself fall into the sensation of it, but Mercury's dark gaze held him steady, dared him to stay aware of himself and his surroundings. Of the mirror in front of him and the image he presented, of David's face in the background, fierce and untamed as he began to move, in and out with vicious rhythm. Mercury shifted, making the mirror wobble as he braced against David's thrusts.

Jeremy looked down to where his cock bobbed free, dark with blood and renewed desire. His image mocked him, the epitome of everything he'd forbidden himself for so long, well-used and still being fucked, his eyes heavy-lidded, his limbs languid, collar still encircling his neck. The leash hung down loosely, bright chrome looping between his legs to disappear behind him, patent-leather handle biting into his hip where it was held in David's right hand.

David's mirror eyes locked with his, and he pulled the hand away, sliding the cold links up Jeremy's thigh and making him shiver. He shuddered more, legs going unsteady as the chain insinuated itself beside his balls and David's cock, smooth links warming rapidly to body temperature. A final tug tightened things almost painfully, and David grinned ferally as he replaced the hand on Jeremy's hip and resumed thrusting.

The chain caught between David's cock and Jeremy's ass, slipping and pinching the tender flesh in a delicious melange of pleasure and pain. David held on and fucked him like that for long minutes that blurred together, each sensation blending into the next. At some point, he began speaking softly in Chinese, and when another voice joined his, this time in English, Jeremy realized that he was, in effect, being read.

"Long, long ago..."

* ~ * ~ *

Toby sat on the bed nervously, cradled in Saul's arms, with Sebastian curled around his legs. The blinds were shut tight, curtains drawn, every possible place for a peeping eye to get into the room blocked off. He was about to violate Jeremy's express wishes by being present for his session with David, but the entire pack had agreed that it was better to have them all present for the Marking ritual than to worry about the opinions of people who had no reason to know about it in the first place.

Their pack had very few actual rites although, except for Saul, they all had stories of ceremonies from their old packs. David had brought this one with him and altered it for their own pack; his old Clan had performed the rite when an initiate was about to be infected and have his first change. The ceremony required a very small amount of personal magic from the person doing the calligraphy, and David privately thought that the world at large would be very surprised to learn that most Dragons were both shifters and sorcerers, albeit weak ones.

Mercury was standing very still in one corner of the room, naked except for a simple leather cock ring attached to a thin leather leash. Toby knew from experience that it was sweet torment to have the leash's clasp pressing into the sensitive flesh just behind your balls, and his cock was hard and aching in sympathy. He wanted so badly to be properly in Saul's lap, but the deep pain in his body warned him against it.

Toby's breath caught, and he resisted the urge to touch himself as Jeremy was led into the room, wearing nothing but a leash, collar and blindfold. Toby took in the sight hungrily, memorizing every curve and dimple, every plane and dip of Jeremy's body. He'd seen him on Halloween, true, but tonight was different somehow, special. Jeremy was finally accessible, finally accepting the pack and their inherently sexual nature, instead of running from it.

It took all of Toby's self-control to wait for their cue. He was so on edge, he kept rubbing his lower back against Saul's naked erection, spreading his own legs wide and sliding his hips across Jeremy's bedspread for the friction against his ass and balls. He longed to replace David's careful brush with his own fingers, or tongue. Anything, just to touch the man he'd been pining after for months now. As the story took shape, Toby bit his lips to hold back whimpers.

Saul had to put a hand over his mouth to still him when the brush stroked its way around Jeremy's hard cock. Soon, very soon. Then David led Jeremy into the center of the room, kneeling him with space all around, enough for the whole pack to surround him. Mercury's cock ring was unsnapped quietly, and they all took themselves in hand. Jeremy looked so perfect there, covered in David's gorgeous calligraphy, face turned up towards them almost as if he knew what was to come.

David said harshly, "We are Pack," and they took that as their cue, stroking quickly. They were all on edge, seeing their shy, self-possessed professor like this, and Toby had to try very hard not to come too soon. "You are Pack," said David, and the strokes quickened. Mercury licked his palm, adding some slickness to his erection, and Saul followed suit, adding a wetness to the sounds filling the Spartan room. Everyone but Jeremy was tense and panting by the time David intoned, "We Mark you as Pack."

Toby bit his lip to hold in his cries as he spilled his passion over Jeremy's cheeks and chest, careful to mingle his seed with Saul's and David's, making it difficult to tell how many men were involved. Toby barely heard the rest of the ritual words, the blood pounding in his ears like ocean surf. His lip was bitten bloody and he was still hard, unable to tear his eyes off the sight before him. Jeremy was covered in black brushstrokes and white streaks of come, like some pagan fertility idol. Toby locked his knees against the urge to lick away every last drop.

He grew even more fascinated when David slicked up his hands as Mercury knelt, holding a small blue glass bowl in front of Jeremy's cock. David grasped it in one hand, sliding the other behind and out of sight, and said sensually, "As we have marked you, so do we take your scent for ourselves."

It took little time for Jeremy to finish, crying out as he spilled into the bowl. Toby eagerly smeared the hot fluid over his neck and chest, as the others were doing, saving a little for his cock and balls. He wanted Jeremy's scent everywhere; evidently the whole pack did, too, mirroring his actions. Saul had to practically drag him out of the room as Mercury retrieved the mirror, and Bas took up his post in the corner to translate while David told the story.

* ~ * ~ *

Long, long ago, in a time when things were simpler, spirits roamed the Earth and gods still sometimes intervened in human affairs. A couple lived on the edge of the forest who wanted a child very badly, but no child was forthcoming. They sacrificed to the various gods until their home was barren of any comforts, starting with fertility gods and begging less and less likely deities in turn until they were truly without hope.

Finally, there came a day when they were reduced to pleading with the fiercest and most cruel of the forest spirits, Bear and Wolf, Shark and Tiger and Dragon. They laid out the last of their meat in offering, burning a fire of sweet grasses and hot fat beneath it to attract them to the scent. "Please!" they prayed, eyes sad and faces wan with hunger and privation. "We beseech you, forest spirits, we beg you to give us a child! Alone on the edge of this forest, we have no one to carry our name into the future. We have sacrificed to the greater and lesser gods, the greater and lesser spirits, and now we call to you to help us in our hour of need."

These predator spirits were unused to such a plea, subsisting mostly off the offerings of hunters and the vivid, blunt hope of true animals. They drifted along the sweet smoke, the predator spirits Bear and Tiger, Wolf and Dragon and Shark. Later they would split apart to become all the varied hunters of the wide world, but in this simpler time there were only these five to answer the call.

"But how can we give them life?" asked Shark, circling. "Perhaps it would be better to grant them the sweet darkness of death!"

"We cannot take their offering and kill them," said Wolf slyly. "That would anger the gods, for sure."

"True," said Dragon, always a creature of few words.

"See how they are, thin like they've been hibernating," said Bear, kinship stirring in his great heart. "They deserve something for all their sacrifice."

Tiger hid in the grass, listening to the thoughts of his fellow spirits. He looked into the woman's empty womb, and an idea came to him. "We shall give her our children!"

"What?" exclaimed the startled Bear, rearing up tall.

"Each of us will give her a child, five children of her body with our spirits inside!"

Wolf was cackling madly as Tiger spoke, immediately grasping the joke.

"Serve them right, calling on us for such a thing," said Shark with a flick of his great tail.

"Yes," said Dragon, diving down towards her womb, magic already unfurling like flame around his invisible body.

They each followed, Shark in a swirl of chill water, Bear lumbering along with a shrug and the scent of loamy earth, Tiger swift as the wind and Wolf with a howl at the uncaring Moon. They left behind a part of themselves, a pulsing warmth that would, once quickened by the man's fertile seed, grow into a strange pack of fierce, wild children.

Unbeknownst to them, Moon heard the Wolf's howl, and came to see what her most capricious child had wrought. She shed gentle light on the couple as the wife felt her womb fill, as they coupled there on the forest floor, worn clothes scant protection from the rich earth. As the magic quickened, she added her own cool influence, drawing their forms toward those of men except when she herself was at her most beautiful, tying their fierce instincts and passions to her light.

Nine long months later, the woman was so gravid that she could do no work. The husband worked himself weary every day, planting and harvesting, building a room for the life she felt inside her. A single wide cradle lived in the small space, and a single wide window let in the light of sun and moon. He hunted and tanned skins until he could afford a new pair of goats and a few chickens, always leaving the entrails for the predator spirits in fervent thanks.

Shark would lick the blood with an evil grin, while Wolf and Tiger wagered over choice pieces. Dragon, as usual, would simply breathe in the steam from the freshness, and Bear would stoically take whatever was left. They were well-satisfied, and curious to see what mischief they had truly wrought upon the unsuspecting parents. When the ninth moon had passed and the night was at its darkest, the mother gave birth to five perfect baby boys.

They fit side by side in the wide, wide cradle, covered in a quilt made by pregnant hands from scraps and rags. The mother was weakened by the birth, but survived to smile upon her children and take up her share of the work again. The couple was sure they would prosper, and left the afterbirth out as a special thanks to the predator spirits who had gifted them with such bounty.

The predator spirits ate, and grinned their predator grins, waiting. They were good at waiting.

Fourteen days later, at the height of the moon, the children slept fretfully in their wide cradle, crying and crawling. As the moon rose in the sky and touched their wide window, their cries grew to a fever pitch, bringing the couple running to their children's side. There they witnessed the true price of asking for that which is not destined. Their baby boys writhed in pain and their cries turned to different sounds, as they became in turn a playful wolf cub, a tiny newborn shark, an angry tiger cub, a delicate dragonlet and a sleepy bear cub.

The husband shielded his eyes and cried out, but the mother, recognizing her own children, reached in to stroke the tiger's soft fur. The shark, struggling in unfamiliar air -- although able, as magical things sometimes are, to live outside its element -- turned and sunk tiny, serrated teeth into her hand. She cried out and pulled back, then fell into a deep sleep. The father, seeing this, fled the room in stark terror. The predator spirits watched, and laughed.

The next morning, courage strengthened, the father returned to find five sleeping babies, and his wife asleep on the floor at their feet. He woke her, dressed her wound, and apologized for his cowardice. She smiled and forgave, and made breakfast. Life went on, as it has to on a farm, as eggs were found and the goat was milked, chores were done and babies were fed.

That night, as the full moon rose, the couple hid in their bedroom as their children once again cried in pain and terror as their tiny bodies shifted to the forms of their true parents. The spirits in those days were strong, however, and the mother, infected with the spirit of Shark through her child's sharp teeth, also changed, flopping onto the floor and gasping for something her mind couldn't understand. Unlike her children, who had been born for such a change, her mind could not accept this new feeling, and she thrashed and bit and made kindling of the bedroom furniture with her strong, strange body.

The father, once again, fled. In the morning, he returned to find the bedroom smashed, his wife deeply disturbed, and his children fine. He apologized again for his cowardice, and the mother forgave him, unable to blame him for running from a thing she herself could barely accept. Chores were done, babies and animals were fed, and another night fell.

The third night, she took herself to the river for her change and swam, eating strange fish and breathing the water her body wasn't meant to breathe as though it were life itself. The father stayed in the house and prayed to all the gods he knew to end their terrible curse. Moon looked on and pitied the poor couple, but she had done all she could do for them.

The fourth night, with the Moon's light waning, they waited expectantly for the change to come. They had much joy when their babies stayed babies, and their mother stayed human, and life went on. When the moon grew high again, the children turned to strange, playful animals, and their mother took long, strange swims in the cold river, savaging any creature who came her way. Chores were done, people and animals were fed, and the farm began to prosper once again.

Eventually, the boys grew, went into the world to seek their fortune. Some were attacked or otherwise interrupted on those moonlit nights, and spread the curse through tooth and claw. Some married and bore children, passing on their curse through their seed. As the world grew complex, tribes of these people grew together, splitting off when new animals appeared amongst them as amongst the animals of the world.

And thus we hear the story of how we came to be what we are today, and learn that it is unwise to ask the gods for anything if you are not ready to have your wishes fulfilled.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy barely processed the words, storing them away for a later date. He kept his eyes on the mirror, watching as the ink adorning his body began to disappear along with their mixed seed, sinking into his skin with a tingle of magic as David's voice spoke each word aloud. The final words were like a stroke to his cock, root to tip, and he came a second time even as David was fully buried in his ass, and David finished with perfect control.

When he could breathe and speak and see again, Jeremy opened his eyes, gazing at his unblemished reflection. David was still behind him, still inside him, staring back in the mirror with a look of fierce possessiveness. Raising his face, he met Mercury's gaze, pure hunger adorning those delicate features. Jeremy licked lips gone dry with panting, and watched Mercury swallow reflexively.

"Well," said David, pulling Jeremy back gently to rest against his thin chest. "What did you think?"

Jeremy laughed, then laughed some more. When he could catch his breath, he leaned back into David's welcoming heat and said. "Think?"

This time, Mercury and David were laughing with him.

Chapter 19

Waking the next morning reminded Jeremy strongly of the morning after Halloween -- he was surrounded by his pack, tired and happy, and wanting nothing more than to stay in bed all day and not teach his Wednesday morning class. He yawned and stretched as best he could with at least two nude bodies draped over his own naked form, and looked to see if any of the others had joined them once they'd finally settled in to sleep.

He was surprised to find that, instead of David and Mercury as he'd expected, he was being cradled in Saul's arms, with Toby curled against his chest, and Bas at Toby's back. Toby looked fragile in the thin winter light filtering through the curtains, his skin translucently pale, dark circles under the black-lashed eyes. Jeremy stroked tender fingers over Toby's cheek, then gave in to the small temptation of brushing his lips over Toby's. Toby murmured in his sleep, pressing his mouth against Jeremy's more firmly even as his eyelids fluttered open, revealing those startling blue eyes.

Instead of pulling away as Jeremy expected, Toby moved closer to Jeremy, twining their legs together and melting in Jeremy's surprised embrace. Toby's cock, thankfully covered in a layer of flannel, brushed enticingly against Jeremy's erection. Jeremy let a little moan escape, and Toby took advantage of the moment to slide his tongue between Jeremy's lips. "Don't wanna wait a month," Toby whispered after a deep kiss, grinding himself into Jeremy with single-minded abandon.

"Gotta wait, cub," said a voice from the foot of the bed, the presence of a fifth person in his bedroom enough to startle Jeremy out of his sleep-and-lust-addled state and propel him firmly into a state of self-conscious guilt.

Toby bit down on Jeremy's lip, sucking it into his mouth and letting it go before saying, "You're such a spoilsport, David." One last thrust of his hips, and he began to disentangle himself from the bed and the men in it.

"I may be that, but I've got coffee and the good doctor has class," said David, his voice full of humor.

The rich scent finally permeated Jeremy's brain and he threw off the covers -- garnering a sleepy protest from Bas, who burrowed into Saul's warm embrace when Jeremy wriggled out of the way and onto the cold floor. "Coffee," said Jeremy, his voice still rough from sleep. "Thanks," he added when David handed the cup over with a grin and a kiss.

"Anything to see you naked again," said David matter-of-factly, and Jeremy blushed. He really ought not to be standing nude in front of everyone including Toby, but on a morning like this coffee definitely came first.

"I get to help you wash," said Mercury from the bathroom doorway, where he was lounging just as nude, arms full of towels and balls stretched taut below his very erect cock, weighed down by a ring of heavy steel that gave Jeremy a shiver just looking at it.

David was actually the only one dressed respectably, back in his Chinese silks and looking quite smug about the whole situation. David turned to Toby and gave him a swat on his cotton-covered ass -- the loose flannel boxers tented over Toby's erection were familiar enough to Jeremy to make him wonder if he'd have any of his own clothing left when all was said and done. Not that Jeremy minded, really; in a way it helped, knowing that if his body couldn't cradle Toby's cock, at least his clothes could.

"Go on, cub, get his things ready for school and if you're very good, I'll give you some exercise today while he's gone," said David, a predatory gleam in his eye.

"Sir, yes sir!" said Toby smartly, grinning impishly and waggling his ass at them both before hurrying out into the hall, presumably to gather the materials that Jeremy would need for his class.

Jeremy finished his coffee -- light and sweet, just the way he liked it -- in one long swig, then gave himself over to Mercury's tender mercies.

* ~ * ~ *

Dinner that night was much more relaxed, Toby and Jeremy both still basking in the glow of their time with David. Toby fair purred where he was curled up against Mercury, his skin still tingling with a mix of pain and pleasure from David's use of him. Only the one place he most wanted to feel used was left out, and even there David had slathered on an icy balm that still sent tiny shocks of hot/cold through him whenever he shifted. He might not have been penetrated, but his ass definitely knew who it belonged to tonight.

From the look in Jeremy's face, warm and soft and slightly pink whenever he looked at any of the men who'd made love to him in the past few days, he was feeling just as well-used as Toby. Jeremy leaned against the counter while Bas worked, this time with ingredients acquired from the market instead of whatever could be scrounged from Jeremy's once-barren cupboards. Jeremy kept stealing bites of the raw ingredients, and finally Bas rapped him on the knuckles like a naughty child.

"Hey!" said Jeremy, grinning and rubbing his hand.

"Stop snitching or pay the price," said Bas, as sternly as he could manage with Mercury and Toby giggling in the background.

Jeremy batted his eyelashes at Bas and said, "What price would that be?"

Bas blushed, which caused much more giggling from the two at the table. "Should we go so you two can be alone?" asked Toby good-naturedly, thinking perhaps he and Mercury could get in a bit of playing of their own before dinner was ready.

"That depends," said Bas, his composure back as he looked Jeremy up and down. "Do you think you're up to paying for your supper on your knees, Dr. No?" he asked, bringing up the seldom-used nickname from Halloween and getting another adorable flush from Jeremy.

"For another taste of you and your delicious cooking?" said Jeremy, eyes sliding over to Toby and then back to Bas, resplendent as usual in nothing but an apron. "Definitely."

"And that's our cue," said Mercury, tugging Toby out of the booth, out of the kitchen and into the bedroom, where Saul and David lay curled together, talking in low voices.

Toby tried to pretend he wasn't listening to the telltale sounds of clothing being removed, but he was far too disappointed when the door shut them out to fool even himself. Instead he stripped out of his own jeans and crawled in between David and Saul and asked, "So what were you two conspiring about?"

"How best to please our leader, of course," said Saul lightly, though Toby saw a flash of pain behind his eyes at the words.

Toby had a feeling he knew what sort of pleasing they meant, and sighed. "I won't abandon you once I've got him, you know," he said, kissing first Saul and then David. "You're my pack, and I love you and what we have together matters too much for that." He wriggled a little, setting off a chorus of pain throughout his body, and grinned languidly. "Besides," he added, "even if you train him, no one will ever be as good at making me feel like this as the two of you."

Saul nuzzled Toby's hair and said, "So, when you're all well, would you like to try bottoming for us both at the same time?"

Toby felt a thrill of excitement and desire run through him -- they'd had a lot of group sex, and sometimes played around, but he'd never had both the wonderful feeling of being owned he got from bottoming to Saul at the same time as he experienced David's exacting skill at making his bottoms feel the precise sensation he intended them to, whether pleasure or pain or something else entirely. "Oh yes, please!" he breathed out, barely able to form words for the pictures flooding his brain.

"I think he likes it," said Mercury, now nude, as he crawled under the covers with them. "Care to practice on me?" he said, fluttering his eyelashes at them both.

David and Saul exchanged amused glances, and this time it was David who answered, "Of course, my pet. We still have to have you demonstrate your specialty to our host, as well."

Mercury clapped and giggled like a child offered a treat and said, "Yay! I'll start picking out toys right after dinner."

Everyone laughed at that, and Toby felt the comfort sinking into his bones, the trust and love that flowed between their pack members coming to the fore as the constant fear began to ebb now that they were no longer under Gabriel's direct control. "Jeremy's bottoming to Bas right now," said Toby teasingly, licking along Saul's collarbone and wriggling his ass against David's hip. "He's on his knees in the kitchen, sucking Bas off because he was naughty and kept swiping food."

David moaned, though whether from the image or the slide of his cock into Toby's cleft was unclear. "And here we were worried he wouldn't take to our ways," he said breathlessly, chuckling.

"He hasn't even had his first formal lesson, and already he seems a natural," said Saul. "He was so lovely on his knees for all of us, so trusting. I just hope he's a natural top as well."

Mercury blushed and wiggled more, in a way that got Toby's immediate and undivided attention. "He's certainly done well so far," said Mercury meekly, glancing up at Toby through his silvery lashes. "He used me well during our shower this morning."

"Oh, really?" said Saul, sliding a hand down to tease at Mercury's cleft and the hidden entrance there. "Tell us about it, Mercury." Mercury gasped, his cock twitching to life against Toby's own, and Toby thought perhaps Saul had slipped a finger inside already. Saul leaned in to whisper in Mercury's ear, "You're so open and ready."

Mercury shuddered, his eyes already gone glassy with lust and need, and Toby slid eager hands up to twist and tug at his nipple rings. "Wanted someone to take me," said Mercury with a gasp. "Always need to be ready."

"Do you want me to have you now?" Saul whispered.

Before Mercury could answer, David's hand snaked around, circling both Toby and Mercury's cocks and stroking them deftly. Both boys gasped, and David whispered in Toby's ear, "Wish I could have you, too, cub. Gonna fuck you so hard when you're better you won't remember what it was like without my cock in you."

"Dinner first," said an amused voice, and all four heads whipped around to find Bas in the doorway, lavender sleep pants once again slung low on his hips. "Then you four can be as wicked as you like, since Jeremy tells me he's got grading to do."

Mercury made a low, frustrated whine, and David gripped their cocks tight, preventing either boy from finding release. "After dinner it is," said David, his voice holding a wicked mischief that made Toby shudder. "Will you be joining us, Sebastian?"

"I rather thought I might, though perhaps Toby would like to help his professor with the grading?" said Bas, giving Toby an unreadable look.

It was Toby's turn to whimper in frustration -- if he was denied release now, the hours in Jeremy's company would be as much torment as pleasure, more so than they always were.

"In that case," said Saul, fumbling through the blankets and coming up with the familiar red spiral of Toby's plug, "Let's keep Mercury on edge, but make Toby come for us?"

"Please!" Toby begged, rubbing back against David's erection, trying to thrust through the too-tight fist around his own cock.

Sebastian rummaged through their toybox and tossed Saul a cock-and-ball harness for Mercury, grinning evilly the whole time. "Much as I'd like to watch, I've got to clean up the professor and dish up the food," he said wickedly, then turned and left, door temptingly open.

David opened his hand, setting Mercury's cock free only to watch as Saul bound it up again. He stroked Toby's slowly, whispering into Toby's ear, "Jeremy will hear you if you're loud, cub, would you like that? Do you wonder how Bas left him, that he needs cleaning now? Remember how he looked with my writing and our come covering his body, his face, so obedient as I fingered him and stroked him?"

That last image sent Toby over the edge with a shout he could only hope came out wordless and not as Jeremy's name, his vision going golden-white as pleasure rushed through him in crashing pulses of static. "So beautiful," David whispered in his ear, drawing a final pulse from Toby's spent cock.

"Thank you, sir," said Toby quietly, sinking happily back into afterglow, all his worries momentarily forgotten as they cleaned and dressed his pliant form, and led him back into the brightness of the kitchen.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy ate with a self-conscious blush. He'd heard Toby come, just as they'd meant him to, and despite having just been brought off by Bas he was already hard and wanting again. He'd claimed the center seat for himself, wanting to be surrounded by warm bodies tonight, and David and Saul had slid in on either side of him, leaving Toby to sit in the chair and glow, and Mercury to help Bas serve, a blush coloring his cheeks and an erection tenting out his black-and-grey plaid sleep pants.

Jeremy waited until they'd all had a chance to eat and be comfortable before he finally took a deep breath and gave them the news. "Detective Bennett called me today," he said solemnly, looking at the assembled faces. They all froze as one, swallowing whatever they'd been chewing, all their attention focused on him. "Gabriel's missing. He managed to slip police surveillance, and they don't know where he's gone."

"Shit," Saul swore, expressing the sentiment for all of them.

Jeremy sighed. "We just have to be more careful. Saul, David, if you guys hear anything you need to call the detective right away, no more of this lone wolf stuff." He took a bite of food and looked around the rest of the group. "Mercury, you should stay at home with Toby, and Bas..."

"Who died and made you Alpha?" growled Mercury irritably, and Jeremy stopped for a moment and looked at the faces around him displaying various degrees of resentment and fear.

Jeremy sighed; only Toby didn't look resentful, instead seeming mostly resigned. "I'm sorry, guys," said Jeremy, flushing with shame. "I'm not trying to take over, I'm just... worried, I guess."

"Well, you're not the boss of any of us but Toby, so quit it," said Saul, pushing himself up out of the booth and stalking off.

Jeremy slumped back into the booth. "Shit, I really fucked up, haven't I?" he asked no one in particular.

"It certainly seems so," said David, not unkindly. "We might have accepted your hospitality, but that doesn't make us your inferiors. Toby almost died for us, and he's our choice for leader until we say otherwise."

"I'm not a very good choice, though, am I?" said Toby quietly, making Jeremy start. The look of resignation had slipped down into genuine sadness and, Jeremy thought, regret. "I didn't get us out of there, Dr. J did."

"You did," said Mercury. "You're the one that brought him to us, that let us trust him. Without you, we'd still be in Gabe's hands and probably a lot worse off. Even Saul never did for us what you did."

Toby lowered his eyes, and David slid out to kneel by his side. "You are the heart of this pack, Toby. Without you, I would still be keeping to myself, trusting no one, cold and unfeeling and without this love that you kindle in all of us."

Jeremy felt as though he was intruding on a private moment, but he couldn't figure out how to leave without making things worse. He'd never meant to challenge Toby, he just wanted to protect his vulnerable student. He sank down in his seat, guilt and worry filling his stomach with lead.

Sebastian shot Jeremy an unreadable look and knelt at Toby's other side. "We follow you because you're worth following, cub, and don't you ever forget it."

Toby looked up, eyes bright with unshed tears, and allowed them to wrap him in a hug. "Thanks, you guys. I... I just have a hard time remembering that at a time like this, y'know?"

Mercury joined the three of them and began rubbing Toby's shoulders as he spoke, voice almost too soft for Jeremy to hear. "We may all like Dr. J, even love him, but he'll never be what you are."

Jeremy couldn't even resent the implication, because he knew it was true; he was a good teacher, and all right in a crisis, but he just didn't have what it took to lead the pack through adversity the way Toby had. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, and got up to go lose himself in grading. He'd really screwed up, taking authority little by little and not even realizing that he'd been doing it. They were still murmuring reassurances to Toby when he let the office door close out the world, nothing but Parva and his papers to keep his mind off his doubts, fears, and now his shame.

Chapter 20

Wednesday night was the first time Jeremy slept alone since the pack had moved in. He'd emerged from his lonely grading feeling sore but productive, his back protesting the hours spent sitting in a hard chair, bent over his desk. He'd found the house quiet, only Fitz out wandering in the darkened hallway, butting his head against Jeremy's legs in a demand for affection so familiar Jeremy nearly fooled himself into thinking the past week had been a dream.

The kitchen belied his hopes, however, dinner's remains still evident in the form of dirty dishes soaking in the sink, and a lone napkin lying on the floor where it had fallen. Jeremy picked it up and tossed it in the trash, then fixed himself a single cup of tea, sipping it pensively as he stood in the kitchen doorway, staring at the closed guest room door. His own room was dark and empty at the end of the hallway, not even the night candle lit in welcome, and he had a feeling that he'd worn out his welcome with the pack tonight.

He only hoped it wouldn't last.

* ~ * ~ *

Thursday morning dawned bleak and cold and familiarly miserable, and Jeremy got up in the predawn light with barely an hour of sleep behind him. He'd grown accustomed to the sleep he got in the soothing presence of his packmates, and he was bleary-eyed and groggy enough to need a long, hot shower before he was even awake enough to make coffee. And it was definitely a morning for coffee.

Jeremy puttered around the kitchen for a while after he got up, cleaning up the last of dinner's detritus, putting dishes away, and generally making more noise than was strictly polite so early in the morning. Despite his efforts, not even the smell of fresh-brewed coffee got any activity from the closed room, and Jeremy left for school early, and with a heavy heart. They were well and truly upset with him, and there wasn't anything he could do about it that couldn't be misconstrued as more attempts to take over the pack, except wait.

Celia picked up on his mood almost at once, and wisely chose to keep silent on the matter, despite the difference between this morning and past two. After half an hour of working together in strained silence, Jeremy finally began to quietly talk. "I overstepped my boundaries and they think I wanted to take over the pack when all I was trying to do was help," he said with a sigh. "Some anthropologist I turned out to be."

"Dr.... Jeremy," said Celia, coming over to lay a hand on his shoulder. "You might teach kids the basics of anthropology, but you seem to have forgotten one of them yourself -- it's impossible to study a group you belong to with any kind of objectivity. You care for those boys, and they know it." She gave him a searching look. "Now, unless I've completely misjudged our Toby as a person, he'll be along with forgiveness soon enough. Just give him some time to recover, hm?"

Jeremy smiled wanly up at her. "How is it you always know what to say?" he asked, laying his hand over hers.

"Because I'm smart," she replied with a little grin. "Now let's make you some coffee so you can face your History class and their pre-exam jitters. Finals are just over a week away, after all."

Jeremy slumped in his chair, head saved from hitting the desk by his folded forearms. "Oh god, finals. And the final Pack Mind projects are next week. Kill me now."

"Now that'd be a waste," said a darkly humorous voice from the doorway. "After all, I've barely met you."

Jeremy and Celia both looked up to see the last person Jeremy wanted to find in his office -- Gabriel Matheson. "Can I help you?" he asked, feigning ignorance as best he could with fear turning his knees to water and spine to ice. They'd never met, but there was no mistaking the pimp from his description, and the arrest photos that Detective Bennett had shown him.

"Just lookin' for a friend of mine, heard he might be found hereabouts," said Gabe genially, leaning against the doorjamb. "Small kid, about five six, white hair all shaved with funny bangs in the front? His name's Toby, he's a bit fruity but mostly wears jeans?"

"Doesn't sound familiar," said Jeremy hastily, hoping Celia would pick up on his cue. "Is he a student here?"

"So they tell me," said Gabriel, his smile going tight and dangerous. "How 'bout you, little lady, you seen my missin' boy?"

Celia finished prepping the coffee pot nonchalantly, and Jeremy held his breath. "No one I've seen, but it's a big campus," she said, getting the cream out of the little mini-fridge. "Sounds more like one of the liberal arts kids, have you tried over in Swanson Hall or the Theater building?" she asked, turning a disinterested face to the pimp.

Gabriel's face had clouded over when she spoke, but it cleared up when she gave him alternate places to look. "Must be my mistake, ma'am, sir. Thank you kindly," he said, then turned and left.

Jeremy took half a dozen deep breaths, listening to the sound of Gabe's booted feet receding down the hallway before he dialed up Detective Bennett's number as fast as his shaking fingers would go. "Detective? Oh thank god," he said into the phone when Bennett answered. "Gabriel was just in my office."

"The pimp?" said Bennett, his voice startled.

"Yes, that's right. We sent him to the arts building, and the theater looking for a certain student," said Jeremy, suddenly feeling the need to be circumspect. Someone had told on them, and Jeremy had an idea of who. "I've got another student who's seen me with his friends, on Halloween. I was told he knows what our boy did for a living."

"Probably where Gabe got his info, you think?" said Bennett, sounding very interested in what Jeremy had to say. When Jeremy made an affirmative noise, Bennett continued, "I'm going to send two officers to your house, and a plainclothes detective to shadow you today."

"All right, though I'm not sure how I'll explain him at the Alpha meeting. Ben will be there, though," said Jeremy thoughtfully, "so I'll think of something, and make sure your detective knows who he is."

"That's great," said Bennett. "Word on the street is that Gabriel's got something big coming in any day now, so if we can catch him, we might be able to save those girls before something worse than kidnapping happens to them."

"Let's hope," said Jeremy. Celia set a cup of coffee down in front of him, and he sipped it with a grateful sigh. "My class is in," he checked his watch, "twenty minutes. Can you get a man here by then?"

"I think so, but what room is your class in?"

Jeremy gave directions to the room and hung up, even the excellent coffee doing little to warm the cold knot of dread in his stomach. "I want you to be careful today, Celia," said Jeremy. "In fact, do we have those study guides ready?"

"Let me see, the copy shop delivered some of them yesterday but I'm not sure which," she said, getting up to go rummage through the boxes of paper. "Yep, got 'em right here. You think I should come along and hand them out? I've got work I can do in the room while you lecture," she asked, looking a bit worried herself.

"That'd be great," said Jeremy, relaxing a little further. "And I'll see if we can't get you an officer to tag along afterward so you don't have to go home alone. He knows your face now, and I'd hate to see something happen to you because of it."

Celia grinned and gathered up her things, setting them in the box atop the study guides. "You're way too good to them, you know," she said, looking over the careful outlines he made up for every class, giving them an idea of what to study for the final exam.

"And this way they have a better chance of actually learning the material on some level," said Jeremy with a roll of his eyes and a small grin. He packed up his things with a slightly lighter heart, got a refill of coffee for both of them and turned off the pot before heading out the door.

Celia followed, and he stopped to make sure it was locked while she got a head start with her burden, juggling the hot coffee cups to check the door. "Heard anything about the dissertation yet?" Jeremy asked nonchalantly as they made their way to the comfortably small classroom he held his History of Human/Shapeshifter Interaction class in. A mere nineteen grad students filled this class, plus two brave undergrads, all of them serious anthropology students, making it a far cry from the huge Pack Mind turnout.

"Got an email this morning, but I didn't want to bother you with it. They'd like him to present next week, as everything is in very good order. He really did a good job with it, and I hate to say it but he probably benefited from his time with Dr. Krogh. It's a very sound paper, from having to stand up to that old bastard's scrutiny," she replied, slightly breathless from hauling the papers.

"Are you sure you don't want to trade?" Jeremy asked, gesturing with the full coffee mugs.

Celia just rolled her eyes. "Please, Dr. J. The day I can't handle carrying a box of papers for my favorite professor is the day I need to stop bein' a TA. Besides, it's funny watching you try not to spill," she said with an impish grin.

He sighed and sipped his own cup a little, making it less in danger of sloshing coffee all over his white shirt. "Caught me, did you?" he said, willing to pretend if she was that the offer hadn't been motivated by misplaced chivalry.

"You're just too transparent," she said with a grin, smiling gratefully as one of his students held the door for them. "Thanks."

"Thank you," Jeremy added, setting the cups down gratefully. She set the box down on a chair by the door and grabbed her things out of it while Jeremy got settled on the familiar beaten-up old desk that had graced this room since long before he began his tenure there.

This was his favorite classroom, small and intimate, the desk-chairs easy to move either into rows like they were today, or a circle for more active discussions. His 101 class met in here, too, though it was looking like he might get more Freshmen than this room would allow if word got out about the success of his Pack Mind class -- all of the Paranormal Anthro teachers took a 101 class each semester, and the size of each professor's class generally depended on who was the most popular at the time.

"All right, why don't you all get settled in. On the way out, make sure you grab a study guide. This should help you get organized for finals, and next week's review session." A hand shot up, and he called on one of his favorite "normal" non-paranormal Anthro students. "Yes, Ruby?"

"Our final papers are due Tuesday, and the study session is Thursday?" she asked, looking over her well-worn syllabus.

"That's correct. Even though we got a little behind, we'll be entirely caught up at the end of today. Tuesday will be my closing remarks, so to speak, and Thursday we'll go over questions and generally outline what might be covered on the final," he replied, smiling. Even here, the students weren't usually too concerned about their grades, but the semester had been unusually disrupted. "Anything else?"

When no one raised their hand, he launched into the final lecture, bringing them finally up to modern times. He was glossing over a lot of the post-reform consolidation from the last 20 years, but most of them had lived through that era. They'd just finished talking about the Civil Rights movement in the 60s for blacks and women, and how it had given way in the late 70s to the shapeshifters and other paranormal sentients demanding their own rights as people among the rest. The fallout in the 80s and 90s had been their childhoods, and he didn't feel they needed more than a single lecture to put it into context with everything else they'd learned this semester.

The officer arrived at some point during his lecture, taking a seat beside Celia and listening with surprising interest as Jeremy talked about the initial resentment, glass ceilings and the eventual breakthrough not only for shifters but everyone who wasn't white and male, headed by his own family, the Bone Kin.

"Today you find women, ethnic minorities and paranormals head up over thirty percent of Fortune 500 companies, with a special marketplace for a lot of the skills once thought beneath the notice of 'normal' society," Jeremy said, noting that his class time was nearly up. "Although you still find a certain degree of prejudice, especially for those paranormals commonly believed dangerous, every day we make strides toward a true equality for people regardless of gender, race, creed or supernatural ability."

His class surprised him by breaking out into applause, including a wink from Celia and a polite clapping from the detective. Jeremy blushed and fidgeted with his papers for a few awkward moments. "Well, that brings you up to date on your history. Don't forget your study guides, and have a great weekend," he said, letting them out a few minutes early.

They packed up and left in a rush of rustling papers, cheerful conversation and shuffling feet, and Jeremy sat down behind the desk and tried to relax as the detective came up front. "Dr. Forrester I presume?" said the officer, holding his hand out with a grin.

"Jeremy, please," he replied, shaking the detective's hand.

Jeremy looked him over; he was about Mercury's height but with Sebastian's coloring, his skin a warm caramel brown and hair black and thick. His eyes were the shade of rich black earth, with just a hint of brown in their depths, and he had smile lines around them and the scars of either acne or chicken pox on his cheeks. He wasn't pretty by any means, but he had a certain rugged Hispanic attractiveness that made certain parts of Jeremy that hadn't gotten theirs last night sit up and take notice. His black suit was off the rack but fit his stocky frame well, and Jeremy shifted a bit in his seat as the handshake lingered.

"I'm Detective Hector Garcia," was the reply, accompanied by a smile that crinkled his eyes even more and made him look cheerful and ingenuous, when Jeremy had a suspicion he was anything but. "You can call me Stubby, all the guys do so you might as well hear it from me," he said, blushing slightly as he finally reclaimed his hand. Jeremy unconsciously noted the lack of a wedding ring, then smacked himself mentally -- his dance card was already more full than he could handle, without adding his supposed bodyguard to the list.

"Stubby?" he said, unable to resist the small flirt. "Let's hope they mean your fingers," he added with a little grin. Hector's hands were strong, broad and short-fingered, a working man's hands, but from the blush Jeremy had an idea they meant something a little more personal.

Hector shrugged and replied with practiced nonchalance, "What can I say, I'm a grower, not a shower."

Jeremy cracked up at that, and Celia behind them, giving Hector a bit of a start. Jeremy preened a bit at the thought that he'd been enough to distract Hector from the rest of the world, though that didn't bode well for his ability as protection. "Stubby, this is Celia Bruce, my senior Teaching Assistant. She also got to meet our mutual acquaintance today, and I wanted to ask if we could get her a detail for when she leaves tonight."

"Of course, Jeremy," said Hector, walking smoothly over to where Celia was sitting and still snickering a bit. "Ms. Bruce," he said, holding out a hand.

She shook it firmly and winked at him. "If you promise not to flirt with me the way you flirt with him, you can call me Celia. I'd hate to have to pry my boyfriend off you, though it might be worth it," she said, giving him a leisurely once-over.

He blushed charmingly again, and Jeremy wondered just how effective he found that little-boy disguise. "Celia and Jeremy it is, then, and no flirting. Detective Bennett neglected to tell me that Jeremy here was such an inspiring orator."

Celia laughed out loud at that, and Jeremy flushed and slung his bag over his shoulder. "I'm just passionate about my work," he mumbled, fidgeting with his coffee cup while Celia packed away her things with the leftover the study guides. "Shall we?" he said, gesturing for Hector to precede them out the door. "I can show you our office, and then we can get some lunch?"

"Lunch sounds perfect," said Hector with a smile. "I know this little Mexican place over on Holmes and 8th, they make the best tomatillo sauce."

They walked back to the office talking congenially about food, both of them showing a preference for ethnic over traditional American, though Jeremy leaned toward the Asian places, where Hector liked Mexican, South American and Italian. Celia loved Italian and Thai both, but Greek was her all-time favorite and in the way of these things, that's where they ended up after dropping their things off in Jeremy's office.

Detective Bennett met them at the restaurant with another plainclothes cop, this one a petite, slender blond woman named Elaine Novik. Celia practically towered over her, and they hit it off instantly, probably because they both spent the entire lunch teasing Jeremy and Hector incessantly.

"We didn't catch Gabriel, so be on the lookout," said Bennett, who had finally revealed his first name to be Francis; they continued to call him Bennett, much to his relief. "Officer Novik is assigned to you, Celia, though she'll be relieved tonight by another female officer who will stay with you for the night shift. Dr. J," he continued, having picked up the nickname, much to Jeremy's chagrin, "there will be two officers at your home at all times, and otherwise you're not to leave the house without Stubby along. Got it?"

"Yes, dad," said Jeremy good-naturedly. Bennett had made that same point with varying degrees of subtlety several times that night. "Have you told the kids that they're grounded yet?"

"I called our problem child right after you called me," said Bennett with a grin. "They've agreed to stay inside and, oh, he told me to tell you that they're done pouting and have found their pants again?"

Jeremy blushed. "Um, thanks," he said, shooting a sidelong glance at Hector. "That means it's safe for your guys to knock on the door for some coffee."

"It wasn't before?" asked Hector mildly, obviously with an idea of the answer.

"Depends on the officer, I suppose," said Jeremy with a smirk. "Most of the boys are very... scenic. It's just hard to get them all to behave until our problem child has left my tender care," he said, deciding privately to share this new nickname for Toby with at least Saul and David, if not the whole pack.

"Ah," said Hector eloquently, a world of meaning behind that simple word. "Just how... scenic should I expect them to be?"

"Um..." said Jeremy glancing over at Celia. "Let's just say the blinds are usually down these days for a reason?"

Celia snickered into her souvlaki. "Dr. J, you know I won't tell. As long as you and the problem child can wait a few more weeks to knock boots, I could care less what the rest of the boys get up to."

Jeremy sighed with relief. "Thanks, Celia. You're a doll."

"And don't you forget it," she said with a mock-glare, going back to her food with a smug expression.

"You would never let me," said Jeremy under his breath, much to the officers' amusement. "How's Pete taking all this cloak-and-dagger stuff, anyway?" he asked, changing the subject deftly.

"He says he finds it inspirational, and has redoubled his... expressions of appreciation," she said, her smugness giving way to a very satisfied grin.

Jeremy coughed until the urge to laugh receded, then said, "That explains why you're taking it so well, I suppose."

That got a laugh from the officers as well, and then they began to tease Elaine about her latest beau, apparently a crime lab tech she'd met on a case. Jeremy sat back and enjoyed their banter, and the feeling of security he got eating in a secluded space surrounded by people with guns and a license to use them. They even let Jeremy pick up the check with only a minimum of hedging, though he had to agree to let them split the tip. Celia never even argued anymore -- she'd told him several times she considered a few meals small payment for putting up with his eccentricities.

Detective Bennett came back to the office with them, and they were met by a lab tech with a shiny silver case full of interesting things who dusted the doorway where Jeremy said that Gabriel had been leaning, and was even nice enough to clean up after himself. He relayed a greeting to Elaine from her boyfriend, and the teasing kept them all occupied until the first of the Alphas showed up a few minutes early for their meeting.

Anne predictably had wanted to talk to him about their grades, and he spent the rest of the afternoon in his second-to-last Alpha meeting with Hector and Elaine lounging in a corner talking shop, ostensibly there because they had some photos for Jeremy to look at when they were done. Ben stayed behind to ask a few leading questions so obviously designed to figure out Toby's whereabouts that yet another officer was dispatched to follow him as the meeting broke up and they all packed up and went their separate ways.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby had spent Wednesday evening curled in the sheltering arms of his pack, his confidence slowly being rebuilt one reminiscence at a time. They all missed Jeremy's presence, but they'd let things go on too long -- the casual attitude of authority or superiority he didn't even realize he was assuming half the time. They needed some time to reform the bonds that made them a pack, made Toby their leader despite being the smallest of them. To remind Toby that his strength was inside him, and undiminished by the latest setback.

Toby awoke feeling restless and unhappy about their decision to give Jeremy some time alone. He heard the sounds from the kitchen, louder than Jeremy ever was at this hour, and felt a stab of guilt that none of them would venture out there to keep him company, though they were all waking, one by one.

"I want to go to him," said Mercury petulantly when the smell of coffee crept under the door. "You know he misses us." They'd all heard him tossing and turning last night, a sound familiar from the weeks of waiting for him to awaken and emerge in the mornings.

"Just give him the day," said Saul. "Then we can welcome him home tonight with open arms. Nothing's going to happen to him, and he'll return penitent and properly in his place as the new cub in the pack."

Toby had laughed at that. "How do we end up with such an odd mix?" he said, when they all gave him quizzical looks. "Five different cats and a human! And still no name."

"We need an identity," said David, blinking sleepily. "We'd have weathered this better if we had a solid identity, a name for ourselves, for our positions within the pack." He'd expressed the view before, but nothing had ever come of it, too many other things on their minds from day to day for it to be much of a priority. "Like Dr. J said, we could register, get asylum for Bas, citizenship for us both."

Toby sighed. "You're right. I guess... maybe we weren't ready to think of ourselves as legitimate before," he said quietly, struck by the sudden insight. They'd just been boys playing at pack games before; even their initiation rite had been born as much of their love for kinky sex as any kind of real sense of tradition. "Now we're real, and we need to acknowledge that."

Toby could still hear Jeremy puttering about, but he forced himself to put it out of his head. They needed to be strong together before they could deal with Jeremy today, and if that meant naming themselves, then so be it. Jeremy would get a vote, he was as much pack member as any of them, but this was something they needed to do for themselves first. "So how do we choose?" murmured Bas, curling into Mercury's back and nuzzling his babyfine hair.

"Well, what are our defining characteristics?" said Toby, falling into the mode of a student and teacher, drawing on his own store of knowledge about what made a pack work, and what kept it from working smoothly.

"Sex," said Bas definitively, hand snaking around to stroke Toby's half-hard cock to a full morning erection.

Toby gave a little whimper but didn't stop him; he was right, sex was at the core of everything they did. "What else?" he said instead.

"Love," said Saul unexpectedly, blushing.

"Both entwined," Toby replied, echoing his words by threading his fingers through Saul's longer ones.

"We're all cats but Dr. J," said Mercury, sliding his hand down Sebastian's arm to cup Toby's balls while Bas continued stroking.

"But we're all different, different cultures, different backgrounds, different species," said David, deft fingers coming up to pluck at Toby's nipples.

Toby tried to concentrate through the onslaught of sensation. "So we love freely, we're cats, and we're d-diverse. We're not of any particular, oh god," he paused to catch his breath when Saul began to suck just the tip of his cock, hands stroking his shaft and balls. He spread his legs and was rewarded with David's tongue teasing over his hole in a wet caress. "Fuck, not of any religion, oh!"

He lost his train of thought entirely then, all of them working his most intimate parts until he came helplessly down Saul's throat. They all kissed over his panting form, sharing his essence from mouth to mouth until they finally shared the taste with him, one at a time. "This is why we never pick a name, you know," said Toby conversationally, when they'd all settled down once more.

When the giggling was done, they all grew serious again. "We just want you to relax and stop worrying," said Saul, stroking his hair. "Jeremy will be home soon enough, and we can make him welcome."

"Just not this welcome while you're here," added Mercury, rubbing his erection against Toby's hip demonstratively.

Toby smiled, then wrenched his mind back to the matter at hand. "All right, we want a serious name about love or sex that doesn't refer to religion or background."

"What about Caress?" said Bas, looking pensive. "It doesn't just mean this," he explained, running gentle fingers over Toby's sensitive skin. "It's also any act of kindness or affection."

"Sublime Caress," said David, running a hand up Toby's thigh to ghost over his now-limp cock. "Each touch an act of transcendence, each kindness a form of worship," he said quietly, continuing to skirt the planes of Toby's body with his hand. "Just like us, sex made more by the love we all share, made simple by the bond we have forged together."

"Sublime Caress," Toby echoed. He liked it, though it wasn't quite right somehow. "Or Caress of the Sublime?"

"We are the Caress of the Sublime," said Saul, as though testing its flavor on his tongue.

"We are the Caress of the Sublime," echoed the pack, Toby included. It felt right, something that acknowledged their inherently sexual nature, but exalted it beyond their sordid beginnings, afforded it status above the mere physical.

"Then our leader would be what?" asked Mercury, grinning and nuzzling Toby.

"I think he should be our Kiss, the highest of caresses and most intimate," said Saul quietly. "Both the one most commonly seen and the one most sought after, our fair Toby who went into the world and found us a future." His voice was unusually gentle, holding all the affection he normally hid from them, with something like worship that Toby had never let himself see before.

Toby stroked Saul's cheek, pulling him down to sample his new namesake, a kiss full of too many things to count. "My Samael, fierce angel that would name me for a Kiss."

"Just like the light brush of snowfall on one's cheek," said David quietly, "A gentle Kiss that can turn deadly if one is incautious."

"Our Kiss," said Mercury, ghosting his lips over Toby's shoulder.

"As we welcome our new pack members, so we name our leader," said Sebastian, his soft accent more pronounced as he spoke with something near awe.

They fell silent then, their manner both gentle and reverent as they began to stroke Toby back to arousal, not the quick and dirty way they had before, but with whispers and gentle caresses to his least obvious erogenous zones. Toby moaned and surrendered, feeling the whisper of something that told him that this was a rite they needed, to break with their old life and find strength facing the unknown future.

At least now they all knew that, no matter what, they'd be facing it together.

Chapter 21

Thanks to Detective Bennett's warning, everyone was wearing at least pants when Jeremy arrived with yet another policeman in tow. Toby was sitting on the couch wearing Jeremy's yukata, curled up against Saul's side and sipping the cinnamon-laced hot cocoa that Bas had made them all. Saul was dressed in nothing but his sleep pants, this pair a rather garish red-and-green plaid that Toby secretly thought were quite festive. Sebastian was in the kitchen wearing jeans and his "Parking in the Rear" apron, while David read in the chair wearing his usual Chinese-style clothes with the kittens in his lap getting fur all over them. Mercury had been the hardest to convince; in the end, they'd compromised with a pair of leather pants that zipped all the way around, and some interesting toys hidden underneath.

Toby tried to stay nonchalant when Jeremy came in with the rugged detective, but it wasn't easy. Jeremy was smiling and laughing, showing none of the melancholy Toby had spent his day worrying about. "Stubby, this is the pack. That's Toby and Saul on the couch," Toby gave a halfhearted wave, and Saul barely a grunt. Apparently he wasn't the only one to notice Jeremy's good cheer. "David is there on the chair with Edward and Ogdred in his lap, and Mercury at his feet. Guys, this is Detective Hector Garcia, also known as Stubby."

"Good to meet you all," said Hector, nodding rather than trying to shake hands when they were all so obviously disinterested. David barely looked up from his reading, and Mercury merely stared up at them with hooded eyes where his cheek was pillowed on David's thigh.

Sebastian broke the awkward moment with his infectious good cheer, emerging from the kitchen with a grin and a pair of mugs. "I hope whipped cream is all right," he said, handing them each a fragrant cup of hot cocoa. "It's fresh."

Jeremy shot him a suspicious look, tasting it quickly before smiling over at the detective. "Go on, it's safe. My boys wouldn't poison you, least of all Sebastian here."

"Too easy to trace," said Saul sullenly, taking a long drink of his own cocoa.

Hector glanced at them, then sipped his cocoa gingerly. "Oooh, nice. Like Abuela used to make."

Sebastian blushed and ducked his head in an unfamiliarly shy manner, and replied in Spanish. When he noticed them all staring uncomprehendingly, he flushed a bit deeper and explained, "My grandmother used to make it like this, too."

Jeremy took another drink, this time closing his eyes and letting the warm, wonderful flavors really penetrate his consciousness; Toby took a sip of his own and let himself savour the rich base of real milk, the bittersweet dark earth of high-quality cocoa, the bright spice of the cinnamon and the real whipped cream floating on top, giving it all a sweeter note. "It's really good, Bas," said Jeremy with a genuine smile, which got another blush from Bas and darkened Toby's mood even more.

"Thank you," said Bas, shooting Toby a warning glare. They'd all agreed to forgive and, if not forget then at least not begrudge, but somehow they were all having problems with that in the face of this attractive new man with his ready smile and easy manner with their Jeremy.

And that was really the problem, wasn't it? Jeremy was theirs, but here he was bringing another man into their home, smiling and laughing when he should be sad at their anger. "Will you be staying for dinner?" Sebastian asked while Toby was distracted, and Toby curled closer to Saul, feeling Saul's arm tighten around him.

"I think that depends on all of you," said Hector, looking around the room at the various unwelcome faces. "There will always be two uniforms outside, hopefully they came and introduced themselves?" At Saul's curt nod, he continued. "So really, you don't need my protection anymore, though I will try and come by tomorrow morning to drive you to school, Dr. J."

The use of their nickname for Jeremy was the last straw for Toby. "Do what you want, I'm not hungry," he said, fully aware he was being petulant as he levered himself up off the couch and stalked off to the guest room with as much dignity as he could muster. He'd been hoping for a tender homecoming, apologies and forgiveness, sharing the joy of their new name and partaking Sebastian's traditional Argentinean cooking. He couldn't stomach food now, he was too full of bitterness at seeing Jeremy completely unaffected by their rejection.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy was saddened by the hostile reception, but not as surprised as he might have been. Even after Bennett's relayed message, he hadn't been expecting the warmest of welcomes, but he'd put it out of his mind using the idle banter with Hector. At least until they'd walked in and gotten a truly icy reception, only Sebastian warming up to Hector at all, and only really because Bas was a sucker for a compliment, especially one as sincere as Hector's seemed to be.

"I'm sorry, it's been difficult for all of us," said Jeremy apologetically to Hector, eyes, riveted on Toby's retreating back.

Hector waved him away. "It's all right, I understand. It's a lot of stress, moving half a dozen boys into your home, worrying for everyone's safety," he paused, and Jeremy followed his eyes over the remaining pack members, Saul looking more concerned now than resentful, Mercury and David back to being lost in each other, Bas with an expression of stunned disbelief. "How about I help your chef here out in the kitchen and you go talk to your boy?"

Jeremy colored slightly and resisted the urge to deny that Toby was his anything, instead just nodding. "If that's all right with you, Sebastian?" he asked, painfully conscious of the need to ask permission instead of just assuming it.

Bas examined Jeremy's face with those intelligent eyes of his, far too shrewd for his usual ingenuous act, and Jeremy thought perhaps he and Hector deserved each other. "All right, you can help with the empanadas," he said to Hector, turning and heading into the kitchen. Jeremy felt a strange relief to note that Bas' usual slinking walk was unchanged, though a bit dismayed at what he now used for his standard of normal.

Jeremy waited until they were both gone before he came over to kneel at Saul's feet. "Bennett said you'd forgiven me, so what have I done now?" he asked, unwilling to go in to see Toby blind. Toby was too important, and he hoped Saul would understand and help him despite the shuttered gaze that rested on him now.

To Jeremy's surprise, it was Mercury's soft voice that brought the answer. "You're not sad," he said quietly. "You're happy and laughing with that new man, like you went out and forgot all about us in a day."

Jeremy sighed and bowed his head; he'd thought as much but wanted to make sure. "I missed you so much it was laugh or cry. Do you... will he forgive me?"

Saul's finger coursed down the back of Jeremy's neck. "You're still ours, not going off with some detective and leaving your pack behind?"

"Pack is forever," Jeremy said, sighing at the touch and feeling his muscles begin to relax for the first time that day. "How can I make it up to you?"

"Better to ask our leader," said David solemnly, and Jeremy nodded and closed his eyes, steeling himself to get up and go find Toby.

Instead, a whisper of sound was all the warning Jeremy had before sharp teeth closed over the nape of his neck, and Toby's familiar scent surrounded him. The bite let up long enough for Toby to say, "You swear you're one of us, forever and always?" before closing down harder, obviously marking him, pinning him down in an unmistakably dominant gesture.

"Always, Toby. With you as my leader, them as my family, forever and always pack," said Jeremy, finding the right words somehow through the haze of his emotions. He was all at once painfully hard and limp with relief, the small pain of Toby's teeth a sharp contrast to the tingles of sweet pleasure that suffused his skin, reminding him of the rite that brought him into the pack.

There was a long moment of silence, then Toby released him and he sagged against Saul's knee. "Then be forgiven," said Toby quietly.

"Oh, thank you," said Jeremy, his voice breaking with heartfelt gratitude as he turned and buried himself in Toby's welcome embrace. "I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you."

Toby rubbed his cheek, catlike, against Jeremy's, and said quietly, "We're right here, Jeremy, and we're not going anywhere."

Saul petted Jeremy's hair and back gently. "We just needed some time to remember who we were before we were your guests, I think," he said.

"We named the pack!" chirped Mercury, crawling over to nuzzle at Jeremy's hand until Jeremy relented and stroked his hair.

"You did?" said Jeremy, sighing at the warmth and love surrounding him with scents already so familiar that he hadn't been able to sleep without them. "What name?"

"We're the Caress of the Sublime, and Toby is our Kiss," said Sebastian, emerging from the kitchen to join them for a few stolen moments. "He's busy with the empanadas, we're fine for a minute or two," he explained when Saul gave a sharp glance toward the kitchen door. Bas draped himself over the cuddling pair, nuzzling Jeremy's bitten neck, his body warm and lithe against Jeremy's back.

"We still need names for Saul and David's roles, though," said Toby thoughtfully. "We were waiting until you got here, to see if you had any suggestions."

"Saul's your second-in-command, right?" Jeremy asked, body relaxed and mind already running through possible word choices. "What are his main duties?"

"He protects us," said Toby, and then he blushed, "and sometimes metes out punishment, though that's rare."

Jeremy shivered, something in Toby's tone bringing to mind images of breathless eroticism. "Will I need to be punished?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

"Do we need to erase him from your mind, Jeremy? He didn't get to touch you, did he?" said Saul, almost a growl as his fingers tightened in Jeremy's hair.

"N-no touching, but my thoughts..." Jeremy blushed. He had entertained a few brief fantasies of what it might be like in Hector's capable-seeming hands, drawing forth that ready smile. "Scourge my thoughts of his taint," he whispered, shivering.

"Scourge," said Saul with a wicked little grin, pulling Jeremy's hair back until his spine was bowed in supplication. "I like that. And afterwards David can work his charms until you've no thought at all but your devotion to us."

"Scourge and Charm," said David, grinning. "It fits."

"Our Scourge, both protector and punisher," said Toby, kissing Saul ceremonially. "Our Charm, of magic and mystery," he said, rising to kiss David with equal reverence. "So I name you, so you are to your pack."

A shiver ran through them all, and something important fell into place in that moment: they were whole, they were named, they were Pack.

"You honor me with a place in your pack, far more than I deserve," said Jeremy. He was so very human, fallible and arrogant as only humans could be, and yet they not only forgave him, but offered him a penance that would bind him ever closer to his new family. "I only hope I live up to your faith in me," he whispered, burying his face in Saul's thigh.

It was in this pose that Hector found them, emerging to ask after the meal. Jeremy could only be grateful that Hector had stayed away long enough for Toby to be in David's embrace instead of his own; the rest of them kept their unaffected poses, while Sebastian rose gracefully to usher a bemused Hector back into the kitchen, smiling a secret, satisfied little smile.

* ~ * ~ *

Dinner turned out deliciously extravagant, Sebastian's afternoon spent in the kitchen paying off in the heartfelt appreciation of his pack, and a number of offers to show that appreciation in ways that made Bas squirm, and Hector's eyebrows lodge semi-permanently in his hair. The rest of them had relaxed a little but there was something about Hector, beyond the jealousy Toby had felt seeing him flirt with Jeremy, that made Toby's hackles rise and stay up.

"So, we're going up the stairs in this dark house, flashlight and gun, clearing the rooms, and yet no one thinks to look in the shadows behind this big glass case in one corner of the hallway," said Hector. He'd relaxed enough to start regaling them with tales of his exploits, which amused Saul, delighted Bas and bored Toby silly. Toby tuned him out, watching the reactions on everyone else's faces instead.

Jeremy barely looked at the detective, who had so thoroughly captivated him before, and Toby couldn't help but feel smug that his eyes were mostly on Toby, straying to Saul and David with a hunger that Toby could only wonder about. It wasn't the same hopeless lust he used to direct toward them all, but something deeper, as though his salvation lay at their hands. It warmed Toby more than the rich red wine that Bas had chosen to go with the food, this thought that Jeremy took his penance with a seriousness which equaled the pack's view of his trespass.

Though they feared for their lives and had a police officer at their very table, David and Mercury were snuggled happily together in the booth, practically radiating contentment. Sebastian was entirely absorbed in serving dish after dish, and being entertained by the good detective's tales, while Saul ate at the counter and watched over the rest of them with a sort of smug protectiveness.

Toby was wondering what his own face reflected when a loud knock at the door startled them all. "I got it," said Hector, unsnapping his holster and heading out into the living room, trailed by curious boys and cats alike. Toby stayed where he was, nestled in the booth with Mercury, though David got up to see what was going on. Jeremy and Saul were both hovering in the doorway on one side, and Bas had snuck out the other door into the hallway and was peering around the corner.

Toby allowed himself to melt into Mercury's warm embrace, taking comfort in the familiar scent and comforting in turn with his presence. They could both easily overhear the sounds from the living room as Hector answered the door.

"Stubby! How ya doin', man?" That was definitely one of the two uniforms that had been assigned to keep watch on their place. "I didn't know you had furry duty."

"We're right here, you know," said Saul with dark humor in his voice; when the detectives had introduced themselves earlier, they and the pack had circled around each other for a few minutes before an odd trust settled in, the sort of camaraderie often born of such difficult situations. They were all on the same side, and since they had no choice, they made the best of it.

"And he's still an asshole," said the cop's partner, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone being clapped on the back. "Now that we're finished stating the obvious, let's introduce you to the night shift."

Toby and Mercury sighed at each other, exchanging wry grins as they relaxed. Toby stole a sweet kiss before scooting out of the booth and holding out a hand to Mercury, and the shy boy followed; he had to meet the cops now, so they wouldn't think he was an intruder if they spotted him later.

"Don't worry," said Toby softly as they emerged from the bright kitchen into the softer light of the overcrowded living room.

"I know, I know," said Mercury wryly. Toby had mostly avoided confrontations with the cops in his career, but he knew Merc had had a few bad run-ins, and couldn't really blame him for his nerves.

"Stubby, do you know Nick and Angela?" said the first officer; Blakely, Toby thought, not that it mattered much in the long run.

"We've met," said Nick shortly, and something about the look he gave Hector put Toby's hackles up in a way not even Hector flirting with Jeremy had.

"Though I'm not sure I've been introduced to your new partner," said Hector smoothly, "I'm Hector Garcia, Special Victims."

She shook his hand, smiling warmly. "Angela Laughlin, beat cop," she said, eyes twinkling with humor, "but I've got my eye on your job someday, so look out."

"Wanna know why we call him 'Stubby'?" said Blakely with a lascivious grin.

She gave them both a cool once-over. "For the same reason they call really tall guys 'Tiny'?" she said dryly. "Which would make your nickname, what? Foot-long?"

Everyone laughed at that, even Mercury snickering behind his hand, and Blakely went a bit red around the ears. "That's for me to know..." he began.

"And no one to find out, we hope," said his partner, a grinning black man named Jae something.

"You're just jealous 'cos I won't let you see," said Blakely, back on his stride despite the renewed laughter that Jae's comment had engendered.

"Naah," said Jae easily, slinging his arm around Saul, who'd walked up to the grouped officers at some point during the conversation. "He's far more my type."

Saul bent down and nibbled Jae's ear, smirking when Blakely pulled a face. "You and your eccentricities."

"I don't suppose we could close the door?" said Jeremy wryly, finally getting brave enough to approach them. They exchanged guilty looks and shut it quickly, making the room feel that much more crowded, but quite a bit more secure. "Thanks," Jeremy said, his smile growing into that genuine grin that always made Toby's knees turn to water.

"No problem," said Angela, giving Jeremy a once-over that was considerably warmer than the one she'd given Hector and Blakely. "Wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your body while I was guarding it."

Jae snorted with amusement, one arm still wrapped around Saul's waist. "I'm pretty sure they all play for my team, honey," he said, nodding to the grouped pack.

Jeremy blushed adorably, and nodded sheepishly in response to her raised eyebrow. She sighed. "All the good ones," she said, shaking her head. "So, anything else we need to know now that we've seen all the good little boys?"

"Someone's usually up until pretty late, and again fairly early, so if you want coffee or a bathroom break, just knock as long as there's a light on," said Jeremy. He thought for a moment, then held out his hand. "And I'm Jeremy, by the way, ostensible owner of the house."

She shook it, grinning, and Nick followed suit albeit with a rather more dour expression. Jeremy shook the other two officer's hands as well, getting everyone's full names in the process -- Angela's partner was Nick Banyon, with Eugene Blakely and Jae Jackson on the day shift.

"So who's your loverboy, there, Jae?" asked Angela, still grinning.

"He's Saul," said Bas, slipping up on the other side and putting his arm around Jae's waist, "and I'm Sebastian. And I do love a man in a uniform," he said, giving Jae a little squeeze.

Jae chuckled and squeezed right back, though Toby thought his hand was a touch lower than strictly professional, he couldn't really blame Bas or Saul -- Jae was one strapping specimen, and charming to boot.

"That's David," Sebastian continued, pointing to where David was lounging in the Kitchen doorway. "And there," said Bas, finger moving to the two of them hiding in the shadows of the hallway, "are Mercury and Toby."

"There've been no disturbances, and the only people to even try to approach the house were Stubby and the Doc here," said Blakely, obviously disconcerted by Jae's newfound entourage. "I can't think of anything else you need to be briefed on. Jackson?"

Jae shrugged, then moved regretfully out of the circle of Bas and Saul's arms. "Guess it's time for us to report in and clock out. See you two bright and early."

"We'll be here," said Nick, shaking Blakely's hand.

Once the two officers had made their exit, Angela turned back to Jeremy and said, "So, you said something about coffee?"

All of the pack laughed, and she looked vaguely confused when Jeremy colored again. "You two must be kindred spirits," Sebastian explained cheerfully. "We were just finishing dinner, so the pot I started for dessert should be ready. Anyone else want some?" he asked, "I know you do, Dr. J."

Jeremy grinned, but didn't contradict him. "I'd like some tea, actually," said Toby, finally speaking up. He probably should've come forward more, but the day was starting to take a toll on him, and he hadn't wanted to leave Mercury alone, nor drag him into the spotlight.

"Coffee's good for me," said Mercury, barely loud enough for Bas to hear, "I'll help." He scooted back into the kitchen with an alacrity that gave Toby pause; maybe he wasn't the only one getting a bad feeling about Officer Banyon.

"I'll make the tea," said David, disappearing as well.

Bas bumped Saul with his hip, and looked over at Hector expectantly. "Coffee, black," said Hector, "although if I'm going to be back to take the good doctor to his morning class, I can't stay much longer."

"A little splash of milk, no sugar," said Angela, elbowing Nick.

"Oh, um. Black, two sugars," said Nick. "Thanks."

"You know what I like," said Saul with a wink. He leaned down and gave Bas a rather showy kiss, and Toby had to suppress an uncharitable smirk at the way it made Nick squirm.

"I'll bring you coffee anyway," said Sebastian tartly when the kiss broke, turning to go.

"If you've got one of those car cups," said Angela, and Bas paused, "I, um. I'll be less likely to spill."

Toby saw the smile on Bas' face widen, and breathed easier. The girl, at least, seemed like someone they could rely on, and possibly trust to keep her partner out of trouble. Toby moved up to Saul's side, shivering a little in the cooler air by the door. Saul pulled him close, and Toby huddled gratefully into Saul's warmth, and his strength. He might be their Kiss, but he knew he wasn't ready to lead them alone; he might not ever be, and somehow, with Saul's arm around him and Jeremy's smile welcoming him into their circle, he was all right with that.

Chapter 22

Despite the fact that they'd all agreed to put his penance off until that night so he'd have the whole weekend to recover, Jeremy had a very hard time convincing himself to get up and go teach his Friday morning class. He'd been joined last night by Mercury and Bas, and it had been very, very late before they allowed him to sleep. Not that he minded in the least, and he was certainly used to functioning on less sleep than he'd gotten, but it took all his willpower to extricate himself from their warm, naked bodies.

Fortunately, David took it upon himself once again to provide the motivation, this time in the form of his own assistance during Jeremy's shower, which left Jeremy feeling both quite satiated and slightly embarrassed about the vivid marks on his neck. Especially when Hector arrived and gave him a very knowing look. "Well, that explains my reception last night, anyway," he said, nodding at the marks.

Jeremy predictably flushed, and Sebastian chose that moment to saunter in wearing nothing but a pair of Jeremy's boxers and making him redden further. "They're just a little territorial," said Jeremy, fixing Bas a cup of coffee and receiving a kiss too sweet to refuse in return.

Saul emerged from the guest room fully dressed, moving with the same unnerving silence that Toby had used when he snuck up on Jeremy last night. "I'm coming to sit in on your class," he said, in a tone that brooked no argument. "You can take the afternoon off, right?"

Jeremy smiled, his body warming and tightening in anticipation. He couldn't keep the wickedness entirely out of his voice as he said, "Afraid I'll disappear before you get your hands on me?"

"Naah," said Saul, slinging a sweater-clad arm over Jeremy's shoulders. "Just wanna make sure you don't wear yourself out."

Hector laughed. "I can see you won't be needing me tonight," he said, pouring himself a mug of coffee when Jeremy's hands proved to be occupied. "Just make sure you lock all the doors and tell the officers to knock really loudly, all right?"

"I can't wait to see Blakely's face when you tell him that," said David softly, padding into the kitchen on bare feet, his silk pants slung low, hair damp from the shower and dripping water down the sharp planes of his toned upper body.

Jeremy was highly amused to see Hector's train of thought completely derail at the sight. "Don't drool in your coffee, detective," said Bas with a mock-pout. He was wearing a lot less, but his hair fell like a shawl around him, covering his most impressive features. A flick of his head parted the black curtain and revealed his own caramel skin, and Hector's jaw dropped a bit further.

"You know," he said, turning back to Jeremy and sipping his coffee a bit dazedly, "I have no idea why they thought they had anything to worry about with you, if this is my competition."

"Just a little territorial sometimes is all," said Saul, running his hand down Jeremy's back to cup his ass. Saul's fingers felt hot and tempting, especially when they slid into Jeremy's cleft to tease at his well-used entrance.

"I do have to teach today, you know," he said, pointedly moving Saul's hand back up and getting a laugh from the other three. "Finals are barely more than a week away."

"Whatever you say, Dr. No," Saul replied serenely, and Jeremy glared when Hector's eyes lit up.

"Do I want to know how you got that nickname?" Hector asked, smirking.

Jeremy rolled his eyes and elbowed Saul in the ribs. "Let's just say it took a bit of work to make me understand and accept my place in the social structure of the... er, *our* pack," he said, feeling his cheeks heat once again. He felt like he spent half his life blushing since he met Toby, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to complain much.

"You're not furry, though?" Hector asked casually, and Jeremy caught that glint of intelligence behind his eyes again.

"Nope, got the gene but not the gift," said Jeremy with equal nonchalance, an answer he'd practiced ever since he was a boy. The price of being the grandson of one of the Bone Kin's more prominent members, he supposed.

"So you're at risk at the full moons?" said Hector with a little too indifferent a tone.

Jeremy shook his head. "Not a lunatic in the bunch, and actually I've been wolf-sitting my grandparents for years anyway. I'm really not worried, although technically I'm more likely to contract it if I am exposed."

Hector nodded, and Jeremy wondered if he'd really listened. Most people just heard the werewolf part and tuned the rest out, imagining he somehow took his life into his own hands every month while he was reading the classics to his grandfather.

"Well, if you're going to actually make it to class, we'd better get going," said Saul, finishing off his coffee and then giving Jeremy's hair a little nuzzle, much to Jeremy's chagrin. "Come in here a minute, though, there's something I want to show you."

Saul led Jeremy into the hall and down to his office, where they found Mercury looking rather smug and excitable. "I brought my three most comfortable for you to choose from," said Mercury mysteriously while Saul closed the door.

"Most comfortable what?" Jeremy asked, looking from one to the other. Mercury stepped aside to reveal a row of three small butt plugs on the bed, at least two of which seemed to be vibrators. Jeremy blushed and looked over at Saul a little pleadingly; as much as he loved their acceptance of him, he wasn't sure he could concentrate on anything, let alone a lecture, with one of those inside of him.

Saul stalked over and fingered them, picking up the largest, which seemed to not only vibrate but have some kind of remote control. "I want to make sure you don't forget about us today," he said, his voice holding a hint of humor under the edge of seriousness. "Do you consent?"

A shiver ran through Jeremy's entire body, and he found himself nodding. "No... no turning it on while I'm with students, I can't risk it being," he flushed, "um, overheard."

Mercury's grin grew positively smug. "This one's pretty much silent," he said, picking up the remote and turning it on. Even without the muffling effects of body and clothing, it was barely audible in the small room.

"But I won't turn it on during class unless you're very naughty," Saul amended, as he accepted the remote from Mercury and switched it off.

Jeremy nodded again, then bit his lip. "W-where do you want me?" he asked, looking up at Saul through lowered lashes.

"Bend over the bed," Saul replied, a predatory grin spreading on his features. "Mercury tells me you got some exercise last night, so it shouldn't take too much to make you ready."

Jeremy turned redder and complied, bending over and laying his head on his hands. He spread his legs unconsciously, arching his back up to offer his still-clothed ass up for their use. It was Mercury's gentle hands that unfastened and lowered his jeans and boxer briefs, but Saul's that smoothed over his flesh afterward, stroking and spreading him, exposing his twitching entrance to the cool air of the room.

"Don't you just want to have him like this always?" said Mercury, his breath hot against Jeremy's balls.

"You know I do," Saul fair growled, his hands tightening on Jeremy's ass enough that Jeremy wondered if he'd have some finger-shaped bruises making it even more difficult to sit still.

Even that thought left him when Mercury's tongue insinuated itself in his opening, sliding through the oil already present and deftly breaching his body. "You two look perfect like this," said Saul, pulling Jeremy's cheeks wider even as Mercury's tongue probed deeper. "I should have him prepare you like this every day."

That comment sent another shiver through Jeremy's body, the surge of desire making his entrance flare open, accepting Mercury's ministrations with a whimper of pleasure and need. "I'm going to need a longer sweater," he said hoarsely; he'd be hard all day, and couldn't afford to have his students see it, so the form-fitting green cashmere sweater he'd chosen would definitely have to go.

The comment surprised a laugh out of both of them, and the vibrations that sent straight to his core drew another whimper from Jeremy's throat. "I think we both might," said Saul, "I'll be just as hard, watching you up there, knowing Mercury's spit and my toy are inside you."

"Ohgod," Jeremy moaned, and then moaned again wordlessly when Mercury pulled his mouth away.

"He's ready," Mercury announced, licking one last swathe from balls to tailbone before moving away.

He was right, too; Jeremy was ready for anything, everything, and the wicked little toy that Saul worked gently into his body was almost a letdown. At least until Saul twisted it around so it pressed against his prostate, and then turned on the vibrations. "That's the lowest setting," said Saul, pressing the toy deeper with one hand. "Let's see if you can't get us lost on the way to school like this."

Jeremy would have laughed if he'd had any breath left from panting, and spent a few grateful moments calming himself down while Mercury refastened his clothing. "I don't even know if I can walk like this," he gasped, feeling the toy shift and prod him as he turned and moved.

Mercury looked positively smug as he stripped off Jeremy's sweater and replaced it with a much bigger one, taupe silk knit in a loose weave that fell nearly to his thighs. "You guys think of everything," Jeremy said plaintively, pacing the room a few times just to get used to the feeling of the toy. He almost tripped over his own feet when Saul turned the vibrations up a notch, then another and another until he sank to his knees, panting. "I can't... if you... I..." he begged, unable to form anything like a complete sentence. He was so close to coming, just a rub of his palm, a shift of his hips and he'd do something he hadn't done since he was a teenager.

"I didn't bring extra pants," said Mercury, his voice full of desire. "As much as I want to see him come on my toy, I think you'd better turn it back down."

Jeremy moaned; even the words were almost enough. Saul chuckled evilly and turned it back notch by slow, teasing notch until it was just a barely-noticeable tickle of pleasure, at least compared to the torrent it had been before. Mercury helped him stand, and with a glare at them both, he gathered his wits, his bag, and his courage, and opened the door.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby knew what they were planning to do to Jeremy, but it didn't quite prepare him for the wash of pheromones that preceded them into the kitchen. He'd emerged once they'd gone into the office, unable to resist the lure of coffee and a chance to size up Hector on his own; he agreed with Jeremy's assessment, that Hector was nice enough but obviously had more going on than met the eye. That train of thought was thoroughly derailed by the sight Jeremy walking rather gingerly into the kitchen, while Saul winked and patted the rectangular bulge in his right pocket.

They'd really done it. Jeremy was going to go try and teach his class with one of Mercury's toys inside of him, and Saul holding onto the remote. Toby was suddenly glad he'd decided to sit down instead of standing with the rest, as the loose pajama pants hid a lot less than the table did, and he really didn't feel like making a scene in front of guests. Toby wiggled in his seat, lust and envy for Jeremy's position warring with raw jealousy that he had to wait. Just a few more weeks; Toby held onto that thought like a lifeline.

David leaned in and whispered, "Don't worry, we'll take care of you once they're gone."

Toby shivered and melted at the nails that raked down the back of his neck and spine, leading down to tease at the very top of his cleft. "Not how I want you to," Toby whined.

"You get your clean bill of health in two days," said Sebastian, sliding into the booth with him while Hector, Saul and Jeremy discussed driving arrangements. For some reason Toby had missed, Hector seemed to want Saul with him, while Saul of course wanted to ride with Jeremy. In the end Jeremy got his way simply by saying that he was going to be late and leaving, waving to the rest of the pack where they were seated around the table.

As soon as they got out the door, Mercury crawled under the table and up into Toby's lap, much to his surprise. "I got to open him with my tongue," he said hoarsely, then crushed his mouth to Toby's. Toby kissed back gratefully, tongue flicking out to get every bit of Jeremy's flavor he could, dark and musky and nearly perfect where it lingered in Mercury's mouth. It would only be better when Toby got to taste the real thing, got to run his tongue over every inch of his dear professor's skin.

Mercury got his sleep pants out of the way with a little shimmy, and Bas kindly found some olive oil to smear over Toby's prick, tucking the waistband of Toby's pajamas down below his balls. Mercury's entrance was already open and slick, not from a toy this time but the remnants of Jeremy's seed from last night's lovemaking. "Oh god," Toby moaned as Mercury lowered himself down, their lips never quite parting as they gasped and groaned into each other's mouths.

David and Bas were still on either side of them, their hands stroking over whatever skin they encountered, mouths on necks and ears, fingers plucking at taut nipples. "His cock was in Mercury just a few hours ago, right where yours is now," Bas murmured into Toby's ear.

It was all too much. Toby shouted and arched, throwing his head back as he spilled into Mercury's warm, willing body. Mercury rode him for a few more strokes, milking every last drop of seed from him, before following right along, coming hot and fragrant between their bellies. "Love you," Mercury whispered, a shudder running through his body.

"I love you, Mercury," Toby said back, his voice strong and sure. "With or without Jeremy's scent on your skin, I will always love you."

Mercury sighed happily and relaxed against Toby's body, careful to keep them joined while Toby stroked up and down his back. "Thank you, my Kiss," said Mercury quietly, nuzzling Toby's neck.

"Your love makes him strong," said Bas quietly, tangling his fingers in Mercury's fine hair.

"It makes us all strong," said David, running gentle fingers over Toby's cheek.

Toby shook his head. "Our love for each other makes us strong. Being Pack makes us all strong."

They lay there, cuddled in the sunlit kitchen for what seemed like hours, surrounded by the scents of coffee and pack, lust and, most of all, home.

* ~ * ~ *

Hector followed them in his car, while Saul played at trying to distract the driver by changing the settings on the plug, from quiescent to full power and back again, and everything in between. Jeremy gasped and writhed and tried to keep his mind on the road, while Saul sat silently in the passenger seat and grinned smugly. "Starting to remember who you belong with?" Saul asked, turning it back down to the lowest of gently hums as they pulled into the school.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to forget after today," said Jeremy, a mixture of eager anticipation and mortified dread making his stomach flutter.

Saul gave a little growl and nudged the speed up in a burst, making Jeremy almost trip. "You'd better not," he said, moving up to sling one long arm around Jeremy's shoulders, just casual enough to seem friendly rather than the act of claiming that Jeremy knew it was. Jeremy was so distracted by the closeness that he barely noticed that his office lights were off -- unusual, since Celia almost always beat him to school -- when he pushed open the door, glancing back to make sure Hector was still behind them.

He was therefore totally unprepared for the sweet-smelling cloth that was forced over his mouth and nose; the last thing he saw was Hector smashing Saul over the head with the butt of his gun.

* ~ * ~ *

"What the fuck did you bring him here for?" came a voice out of the darkness, no one Jeremy had ever heard before.

"Where else was I supposed to bring him?" came the chillingly familiar sound of Gabriel's irritated reply. "It's not like I've got a whole lot of spots set up for storing kidnap victims."

Jeremy was lying on his side somewhere cold and hard enough that he was pretty sure it was a floor. The voices echoed strangely around him, and underneath he heard a constant, muffled whimpering, two voices that sounded high and young. He sighed and tried to stay limp and unconscious-seeming, his head still woozy from whatever they'd knocked him out with.

Apparently, their speculation on Gabriel's involvement with the kidnapping of those twin girls from Nigeria was right on target. Unfortunately, no one had counted on their honor guard being dirty. "Just make sure you don't let him get away, and it won't matter," came Hector's voice, right on cue.

Damn, he'd known there was something else going on with Hector and his cheerful flirting. He just hadn't even suspected it would be this, involvement in the worst of human depravity, the kidnapping and torment of children, the rape of two sacred little girls. Jeremy shifted slightly, trying to get away from a rock digging into his hip. He could only be grimly amused that the toy had finally quieted, with only the slight movement of it inside him to remind him that it was even there.

"He's waking up," said Gabriel, and Jeremy swore internally. "Make sure you tie him securely, he might not be furry but he's obviously got something up his sleeve."

"I heard about how he was with that fuzzball in his office," said Hector, his once-cheerful voice sounding hard and hateful. "Calmed it right down just like magic."

Jeremy gave in and blinked open gritty eyes, trying to let them adjust to the strange light. He couldn't see much except for a few crates, and wondered if the owner of the goods inside knew what other cargo his warehouse was holding. Hector's face swam into view as Jeremy was pulled roughly to his feet, then shoved down into a chair. Jeremy flinched a bit, adjusting his seat so the plug was as comfortable as possible, but they didn't seem to notice his discomfort was anything out of the ordinary; a small mercy, but he'd take what he could get.

"You'll probably like this," said Gabriel, coming around behind him to tie his hands behind his back while Hector tied his ankles to the chair legs. "If you're a good boy I'll give you what you want before we're through here."

Jeremy bit back a sharp retort; he knew being sarcastic wouldn't get him anywhere, and Gabriel would at least have to untie him to rape him. "I still don't know how you can stand to put your dick in them," said Hector with disgust. "Even if he's not a furry, he sleeps with the lot of them."

"Except Toby," said Jeremy with grim amusement, his voice coming out dry and raspy. "Can't sleep with a student."

Hector laughed at that, shaking his head. "You'll fuck a furry but not a student? That's sick, man."

Jeremy shrugged, testing his bonds. Apparently Gabriel hadn't learned much from his boys after all, since he hadn't even bothered to bind Jeremy's hands to the chair, just each other. He wasn't sure what he'd do with the small freedom that afforded him, but he was careful not to let it show. "Considering what you guys are doing? I'll take that as a compliment," said Jeremy, coughing slightly at the end. His mouth was dry and cottony, and he wondered how long he'd been out.

They ignored his barb, walking away apparently satisfied that Jeremy was secure. And really, until the drug wore off the rest of the way, they were pretty much right -- Jeremy was still lightheaded and weak as a kitten. He could hear Gabriel and Hector talking to someone else, that third voice that Jeremy had heard when he'd first woken up. Jeremy took the time to look around, assess his situation, and try not to give up hope.

Chapter 23

Toby paced the living room. Jeremy and Saul were hours late, and the light outside was already growing dim. It wasn't unlikely that something had happened at school to delay them; students were always looking for Jeremy on Friday afternoons with questions they just had to have answered before the weekend, and they'd be doubly frantic to catch him with finals looming.

Toby wondered what he'd do for his own finals, how his pack was doing, how Jeremy was coping with the toy they'd decided to torment him with. He felt so restless, even though Mercury, Bas and David all kept trying to distract and amuse him. Toby couldn't think of anything but Jeremy, his penance tonight, his first lessons in being a proper sub tomorrow. The fact that their first time together might be as little as two weeks away, depending on when Jeremy got the Pack Mind grades turned in, and how Toby did defending his dissertation to the committee.

He was so deep in thought that he just about jumped out of his skin when his phone rang. He answered it gratefully, recognizing Saul's number. "Saul, thank goodness!"

"Don't thank me yet, cub," came the reply, tinny and strange as though Saul had a bad connection.

"Oh god," said Toby, sitting down on the couch and disturbing Fitz, who cracked one orange eye to glare balefully at him. "What's wrong?"

Saul made a little noise that Toby hoped wasn't pain and said, "Hector's dirty. Gabriel was waiting for us at the school, and he took Jeremy. Hector clocked me with his pistol, and I've been out ever since. Someone found me lying in the corridor and called 911, I'm outside the hospital now since they wouldn't let me call from inside."

Toby let Saul ramble, unable to quite process the words. Hector had betrayed them? "Do you know where they took him?" he asked, the first coherent thought that popped into his head.

Saul made another little pained noise, and Toby had to smile a little at the image of him shaking his head and then immediately regretting it. "No, but I'll figure it out. Don't worry, cub, I'll get him back for us."

"Did you tell Detective Bennett?" Toby asked, wondering if they had to be on the lookout for other dirty cops. If Blakely, Nick, Angela or even Jae were really on their side.

"No choice. He was there when I woke up. They know about Hector, but they don't know where he went." There was a burst of static, and swearing from Saul. "Look, cub, you be careful. I'm going to see if I can't find our professor."

"Wait!" Toby said, but Saul had already hung up. He had so many more questions, about whether Saul was really all right, about the other cops, about everything. He sighed and started flipping through the numbers in his address book -- if he wanted answers, he knew who to call.

There was a knock at the door before Toby could hit 'send', and he jumped again, glancing around for his other three packmates. He could hear Bas in the kitchen, already starting on tonight's meal, and he rather thought that Mercury and David were napping in the other room, so he went to the door with as much caution as he could manage.

Looking through the peephole revealed their two night-shift officers, talking quietly to one another. Toby strained his considerable hearing, and just managed to make out what they were saying.

"...trust us if they know Hector was on the take?" said Nick, gesturing toward the door.

"We just have to hope at least one of us made a good enough impression," said Angela, rolling her eyes. "Jae and Blakely are still keeping watch, and Bennett said he'd call and vet us as soon as he got the chance."

That was enough for Toby; if they were crooked too, they'd be having an entirely different conversation while they waited. Toby swung open the door, shivering a little at the draft of cold air that swirled around his bare feet. Nick and Angela looked up, a bit startled, eyes wide and slightly guilty at having been caught talking.

"You might as well come in," said Toby, swinging the door wide. "There's coffee."

Nick and Angela bustled in on a gust of warm air, and headed straight for the kitchen. Toby headed them off with a wry grin, saying, "Let's make sure everyone's dressed first." A quick glance around the corner showed that Sebastian had actually remembered to wear his pajama pants, freshly washed earlier that day by Mercury, under his apron. "All clear," he said, leading them in. "Bas, they've got bad news. Give 'em coffee while I find the other two?"

Sebastian had been busily chopping when they entered, but at Toby's words, his hands stilled. "No... no one's dead?"

"Not as far as we know. We think they're keeping Jeremy alive to keep you guys in line," said Angela.

Toby sighed. "Just give me a minute, and then you can explain it all in one go?"

Nick nodded, putting a hand on Angela's arm. "We'll just get some of your excellent coffee while you find your friends."

Toby was surprised; he'd been a bit of a bastard last night, visibly bothered by their blatant displays of affection, but today he was kind and considerate. Toby chalked it up to professionalism and went into the guest room, where he found Mercury and David curled together nude, surrounded by fragrant, folded laundry. "There's news," said Toby shortly, slipping out of Jeremy's yukata and scrounging up some clothes for himself, a pair of Jeremy's boxers along with his own jeans, and one of Saul's few non-fetish shirts, a simple button-down in black silk.

Mercury and David followed his lead and began to get dressed, David in simple black in his usual style, and Mercury in some of Bas' favorite jeans -- worn slightly higher on his hips to keep the hems from dragging -- and one of Toby's t-shirts. He slipped on the green cashmere sweater that Jeremy had been wearing this morning, blushing slightly as David and Toby converged on him, nuzzling and scenting him.

"Come on," said Toby, snagging socks for all of them. Their shoes were in a jumble by the door, and wouldn't go on until they went out.

Toby had a feeling that them going out would be a point of contention with the officers, but at this point he was tired of convalescing and relying on the cops, who'd never afforded him much protection or service before now, and were doing a bang-up job this time.

When they got to the kitchen, the two uniformed officers were leaning against the counter, sipping from the extra travel mugs that Sebastian had unearthed in Jeremy's cupboards while they waited -- one had a coffee chain logo, and the other a Japanese kids' cartoon of a black penguin and white seal. Oddly, it was Nick who'd ended up with Badtz-Maru, while Angela sipped serenely from the brushed-steel Starbucks mug.

There were already three mugs waiting for them in the booth, and they piled in together and sorted them out by who liked what. Toby sipped his gratefully, nodding at Nick to explain.

"This morning, Officer Garcia escorted Saul and Jeremy to the professor's school. According to the report that Saul gave to Bennett, Gabriel Matheson was waiting in Jeremy's office with a cloth covered in some kind of knockout drug. Hector clocked Saul and left him in the hallway, while Gabriel knocked Jeremy unconscious, and presumably they took him away with them," said Nick, his voice serious and sharp, a far cry from the man they'd seen last night.

"So how long has Dr. J been missing?" Toby asked, his stomach clenching.

"Approximately seven hours," said Angela, checking her watch. Seven hours. There was a lot Gabriel could do to someone in that time.

"H-how long would he have been out?" asked Mercury. Gabe wouldn't enjoy a victim that didn't know what was being done to him, so as long as Jeremy was unconscious, he was safe. At least from Gabriel.

Nick shook his head. "It depends heavily on the amount of drug he inhaled, and what exactly it was. They didn't leave the cloth for us to test, so we really don't know. I'm sorry."

He really looked it, too. Toby could see that this was the part he liked the least, telling the family that bad things had happened to their loved one. "What happened to Saul?" Toby asked instead.

"He was unconscious for about four hours. He was found by a couple of students, who called 911. Detective Bennett was notified as soon as Saul was identified and connected with your case, and he was there when Saul woke up. The doctor said it was a mild concussion, and with his abilities he should be fully healed very soon," Nick explained. "Guess you guys've got hard skulls -- the doctor also said that the blow might've killed a human."

"Gabriel always did know how much he could abuse us before we broke," said Mercury with a quiet shudder, and Toby put an arm around him. It was Mercury that Gabriel had used for those experiments, more before Toby's time than after, but he'd seen enough to know it hadn't been pretty.

Nick nodded, face grim. "Saul checked out AMA just a few minutes ago when they wouldn't let him call you. Instead of checking back in with Detective Bennett, however, he's disappeared."

Toby nodded; he'd guessed that from Saul's phone call as well.

"He's trying to regain his honor -- he was supposed to protect Jeremy, and he failed," said David quietly.

Nick nodded. "He's a good guy. He made sure Bennett was clear on everything before he cut out, including giving us a few tips on places Gabriel might stash something."

"I think whoever is the money behind this will be funding the hiding place, too," said Toby a little sadly.

Nick shrugged. "Yeah, that's what Saul said. We've got officers checking out the locations, but we're not banking on any of them panning out."

Toby sat up a little, biting his lip. "What if they were going to do it tonight? The... the girls, I mean? D'you think that's why they took Jeremy?"

"That's one suggestion that our intelligence supports," said Nick. "We're working with the FBI and Nigerian police on this, and they think it's got to be soon if it hasn't happened yet. They've had the girls for nine days now; at least some of that was spent in transit, since they were kidnapped at sea and there wasn't any evidence of air support. Probably a smallish pleasure vessel, one of those sailboats people take around the world."

Toby sat back, letting the wheels of his mind work while he sipped his coffee. If Gabriel had the girls, he'd want to take them somewhere they could be bathed and prepared in relative peace, somewhere there was enough privacy for his purposes, but enough luxury for his client's. "The Hilton and Towers. That's where he's got the staff all bribed so we can work," said Toby. "I was attacked in a private dungeon so the john could use his own toys, but usually that's where we go. Went."

"You really think they might be there?" said Nick, looking surprised.

Toby shrugged. "Why risk a whole new setup when you've already got a whole hotel full of people you know will look the other way?"

"Even for little kids like this?" said Angela, looking faintly shocked.

Toby gestured to himself. "When I started working for Gabe I looked a lot younger than I do now. Trust me, they'll turn a blind eye." Toby sat back, looking mildly disgusted. "They're used to the screams."

"What time did you guys usually... y'know?" asked Nick, shifting uncomfortably.

Toby smirked. "Most johns like to have dinner on their own first, so not until eight or nine. But if they were going to get the girls cleaned up and calmed down, they'd go in early. For anything that needed setup, rape fantasy stuff, starting off in bondage, that sort of thing..." Toby shivered, and David stroked his back gently; they'd each helped set Toby up for nights like that at one time or another, and come to untie him when it was over. "I always went in a couple of hours ahead of time to get set up," he finished, trying to purge the memories.

"I didn't even need to know that about you," said Nick, shaking his head. He took a long sip of his coffee and then said, "All right. I need to get this info to Bennett and then go check out the hotel. Any specific suites?"

Toby rattled off the room numbers by heart, all the ones he'd come to know, night after night. Part of why the staff overlooked their activities was that they virtually guaranteed a number of somewhat undesirable rooms were occupied much of the time. Sebastian added a few, and Mercury two more, one of which held his whole stage setup and was never rented to anyone but him, anymore.

"That last one sounds like the best bet to me," said Angela. "They'd want space for an audience for this, I think. Why just get one fee when you can charge a dozen more for watching?"

"Sick, but true," said David with a sigh. "If he could find them, he'd probably also get some low-end girls to service the viewers, but I don't know if the street girls will talk to you."

"They'll talk to us, though," said Sebastian, taking off his apron. "Give Toby your number and we'll see what we can find?"

Nick shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

Toby gave Nick flat, stubborn eyes, and spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. "These girls might be hours away from being defiled, everything that makes them pure and holy ripped away. I might not know them, but I know what I don't want to see happen to them. If we can prevent that by risking ourselves a little bit, then we'll do what it takes."

"Besides," said Bas with a grim cheerfulness, "If you tell us not to, we'll just wait until you leave and sneak out anyway." He slipped out of the room to go get dressed, and left silence in his wake. The two officers looked unhappy, but they obviously knew when they were beaten.

The pack would go out trolling one last time, to try and save two innocent girls from the their own fate.

A thought struck Toby, and he asked, "What are their names, anyway?"

"Selam and Anisa," said Angela. "Peace and Joy."

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy had no idea how much time had passed since the voices receded out of his hearing, leaving him alone with the whimpering echoes of crying girls. He couldn't quite figure out where they were to risk trying to scoot or hop his chair toward them. "Are you two all right?" Jeremy called out, knowing they probably couldn't understand him.

The whimpering stopped, then started up again as muffled cries, as though they were trying to speak, but gagged. Jeremy's heart contracted at the thought of them, those lovely fragile children he'd seen in the pictures, with their big brown eyes now wet with tears and bruised with exhaustion and fear. "I wish I could help you," he said, hoping his voice would carry, hoarse as it was. "They've got me, too."

The sounds quieted again, down to something like sobs, and Jeremy felt like crying himself. He wished he could do more, help more. His strength was coming back a little, but he was hoarse and thirsty, and his vision still fuzzed around the edges whenever he moved his head too much.

Not that there was much to see; he was in a little oasis amidst a forest of shrink-wrapped pallets, the contents obscured by plastic and shadow. There was light at intervals all around him, but just enough to navigate by, obviously the night security lights. His chair had been left at the edge one such circle of light, and the brightness dimmed his vision and turned almost everything else to blackness.

Instead of worrying about the girls, he decided he first had to take care of himself. Accompanied by the quiet chorus of their despair, he drew his arms up behind him and leaned forward as far as he could without tipping over. It wrenched his shoulders, but he just managed to get his wrists up over the back of the chair and behind him. He stopped for a few moments to catch his breath, wondering what to do now.

He squinted down at the knots around his ankles; Hector hadn't been very thorough, tying them haphazardly, and he thought if he could get his hands down to his ankles somehow, he might be able to untie them. It might take awhile, and a bit of contorting, but he figured, what else did he have to do?

He managed to get his bound hands under his butt, grateful for the flexibility he'd inherited and never quite lost even with an academic's sedentary lifestyle. It took more joint-wrenching, and some interesting contortions with his elbows and knees, but he managed to get his wrists slid down between his calf and the chair leg, and his fingers began to work frantically at the knot.

He had one ankle undone and the other almost when the sound of voices made him freeze. They were moving, but not toward him -- the girls fell silent again, and he began working harder at the knot, fearing for what might happen to them now. Logically a client paying enough to take their precious virginity wouldn't want to do it here in a dark warehouse, nor would any of them risk losing that fee with a sample of their own, but logic didn't always enter into the list of things you never, ever wanted to have to listen to while you were tied to a chair.

He got the other ankle undone, and brought his wrists up to his mouth, twisting his arms around enough to worry at the knot with his teeth. He could overhear snatches of conversation while he worked, his heart pounding and adrenaline surging through his bloodstream, clearing his head and sharpening his senses.

"...get them over there, or we'll... time to... supposed to be ready by nine," said the mysterious third voice.

"You're sure... hotel staff..." came Hector's voice, softer and harder to hear.

"Of course," rang Gabriel loud and clear, and Jeremy had to suppress a chuckle. "They've never ratted me out yet. They're well paid for their silence."

"...better be right," said Hector.

There was a scuffling noise, a number of high-pitched yelps, and then the third guy said, "Make sure the coast is clear, Stubby."

Jeremy got his hands free, then loosely retied his ankles -- a close inspection would reveal him, but a glance wouldn't. He tangled his hands with the rope behind his back, and hoped they wouldn't bother inspecting their other prisoner.

From the sound of things, they had their hands full enough with the original two. "Good for you," he whispered, wishing only the best of luck on the girls, whose names he'd never even learned. "Don't go down without a fight."

* ~ * ~ *

Toby, David, Sebastian and Mercury were all highly amused to pile into the back seat of a police car for their escort downtown. There was much giggling and lap-sitting on the ride, a near-hysterical sense of enjoyment filling the car as though their only choices were to joke around, or break down completely. "Here's your stop," said Nick soberly, pulling up to Edie's. The red light district was near enough to here, and Edie's was always a good place to start when looking for dirt, anyway.

After all, it wouldn't do for their fellow streetwalkers to see them pour out of a black-and-white in such apparent good spirits.

They headed into Edie's, piling into their usual booth as though they hadn't disappeared for a week, greeting everyone with a false cheer that belied their shaking hands and worried eyes. "How've you boys been?" Edie asked, taking over the task of their table herself since Liz wasn't on yet.

"We're all right," said Bas, smile a little too bright.

Toby cuddled up to him and added, "A little tired, and thinking of a change in professions."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous for you?" she asked, and they all went still, instantly at full attention.

"Now why would you say that?" said David quietly, his face gone serious.

Edie glanced around, then scooted right into the booth with them. "Owner's prerogative," she said with a wink, setting down her pad. "Word on the street is you guys are marked, and something big is happening soon."

"Do you know what, where, or when?" said Toby.

She shook her head. "Sorry, guys. You'll have to hit the streets for that." She took her pad and pen back up. "You eatin' or just fishin'?"

Toby grinned wryly. "Fishing, really. We'll eat later, though, I promise."

Edie shook her head and smiled back. "Don't you go forgetting us just 'cos you guys went and got yourselves out of the life, all right?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Bas, sliding over to plant a sweet kiss on her cheek. "You tell Liz we said 'hi' and she missed seeing us dressed like practically normal people, hey?"

Edie's smile grew into a grin at that, as she gave them all the once-over. "She won't believe that our little flock of bright birds came in drab as sparrows."

At that she levered herself up out of the booth and walked away, already yelling, "I'm comin', hold your horses!" to one of the cooks.

Toby smiled softly to himself; he definitely wouldn't be able to give this place up, one of the few associated with this life that he had only good memories of, a thousand cups of warm coffee accompanied by a thousand welcoming smiles.

He got up and forced himself and his pack out into the cold night, looking for some clue as to where their missing two members were, trying to save those two girls, and with them, save themselves.

Chapter 24

Eventually the sound of a car door slamming reverberated through the warehouse, cutting off the sounds of the girls' struggles, and the last of Jeremy's hope that they might be rescued before being shipped off to their fate. He slumped in his chair, careful not to dislodge the slack bonds as he strained his ears in the vain hope that they might all just leave, and let him escape in peace.

There was a bit more conversation, too muffled to make out, and then more door slamming, ignition and the crunch of tires as whatever it was drove off. The mechanical hum of the cargo door closing gave Jeremy a moment of real hope that they'd gone and left him, before the sound of footsteps got close enough to be heard over it. The boom of the door contacting the floor had a certain finality to it, underlining Gabriel's smug smile as he stepped into the dim circle of light with Jeremy.

"Just the two of us now, doc," he said, walking towards Jeremy with an unpleasant smirk and slightly absurd swagger. "You've got an awfully pretty mouth for bein' such a smart guy. You'd've done all right in my stable," he said, straddling Jeremy's knees, oblivious to the slackness of the ropes. "Of course, you'd have to be furry to get the kinds of gigs my boys got. For a whore like you, it'd be streetwalkin' and twenty dollar blowjobs."

"Does this mean you're gonna give me twenty bucks?" said Jeremy, trying to shove down his rising panic and figure out what to do next.

Jeremy carefully untangled his hands while Gabriel kept talking, wondering if he really had it in him to overpower the bastard. "Gotta test the merchandise first, don't I? I doubt my boys have had you long enough to teach you enough to be worth a twenty, but if you're extra good maybe I'll use a little spit when I fuck you."

Gabriel began to unbutton his fly, cock already hard and pressing against the fabric of his jeans. Jeremy dropped the rope silently and was just about to try and shove Gabriel off when he felt a sudden jolt of vibration from the toy in him. He jumped a little, flinching away as Gabriel pulled out his cock, but he got the message, too -- Saul was here, somewhere, and if he didn't do anything stupid he just might survive this after all.

Jeremy laced his fingers behind his back again to show his acquiescence, and the vibrations went up a few notches, then turned off completely. "Is that all?" said Jeremy recklessly, hoping to distract Gabriel enough for Saul to make his move. "And here I was hoping it might at least reach my molars so I didn't have to taste your nasty spunk."

Gabriel reared back with a growl and slapped him, then grabbed his hair and shoved that angry red cock against his slack lips. "We'll see if I can't make you gag on it, then, smart boy," Gabe said, eyes dark with fury. "Faggot like you ought to love the taste of me."

Jeremy spotted Saul's shadow looming, and he opened his mouth obediently, figuring if a blowjob wasn't a good distraction, then what was? He waited until he could see Saul poised, then gave a hard suck, trying not to gag at the bitter taste of Gabriel's unwashed flesh. The air whistled as Saul swung something that Jeremy couldn't see, and Gabriel jerked as it hit him in the head with a loud crack. Jeremy doubled the pain by choosing that moment to bite down, hard enough to get an unpleasant mouthful of hot, coppery blood.

Saul pulled Gabe off him, and Jeremy spat the blood out, unwilling to swallow anything as foul as Gabriel. "Th-thanks," he said, spitting again. "I don't suppose you've got any water?"

Saul grinned and wordlessly handed him a bottle, retrieving the discarded rope and tying up the bleeding pimp while Jeremy rinsed his mouth, then finally relieved his parched throat. "I thought I was gonna have to wrestle him," said Jeremy weakly, looking at Gabriel's limp form.

"To protect, that's one of my duties, right?" said Saul with a wry smirk. "Sorry I didn't manage it before he..."

Jeremy shrugged. It had been awful, but the knowledge that Saul was there had made it tolerable. "You'll just have to let me suck you later to get the taste out of my mouth for good," said Jeremy, adrenaline-laced blood rushing south at the thought.

"Let's call Bennett first," said Saul, pulling Jeremy up out of the chair and into a warm one-armed embrace while his other hand fumbled through his pockets for his cell phone. "Then we can take care of our natural response to danger."

Jeremy snuggled happily into Saul's strong body and sighed -- though he wanted nothing more than to scourge the memories of Gabriel's foul touch from his body, he knew they had other responsibilities. "We've got to take care of the girls," he said quietly. "They can't have gotten too far..."

"Ssh, pet," said Saul, kissing him lightly. "I overheard them talking about where they were taking them, the cops will get there before we could. Let someone else be the hero," said Saul, then he turned his attention to the phone. "Yes, Detective Bennett? It's Saul. I found Jeremy, and I have Gabriel here with me. He'll need an ambulance. No, the concussion doesn't look bad, but he's got a rather nasty bite from Jeremy. No, you really don't want to know."

Jeremy tuned out the rest of the conversation, sinking into Saul's presence, letting his scent bring the comfort of home and memory, the feel of his muscular form pressed into Jeremy's a pale echo of their lovemaking, the soothing rub of his fingers up and down Jeremy's arm a promise of things to come. He found his eyes drawn to the bulge in Saul's jeans, and he trailed his fingers over it, tracing the contour against the rough fabric. If Saul was half as excited as he was, then he could at least chase the memory of Gabriel with the reality of Saul before the ambulance showed up.

Saul nuzzled his hair and whispered, "Get on your knees," putting the phone away and pulling out the remote for the toy with a wicked grin.

Jeremy sank obligingly down, looking up at Saul through heavy-lidded eyes. His body felt needy and alive, nipples hard and cock aching, ass full of the toy but not nearly full enough. "How did you find me, anyway?" Jeremy asked, nuzzling Saul's cock through his jeans, hands going behind his back in an unconscious echo of his recent position.

"I followed the hotel manager here. The little weasel always was bugging Gabe to get some girls so he could have a taste, so I thought he might be involved," said Saul, unbuttoning his fly slowly, making Jeremy's mouth water in anticipation. "I waited until they were gone so I only had Gabriel to take care of. I want to help the girls, but they'll be fine until the cops get to them. No one would risk losing their fee just to get their rocks off early, and no one would pay for them without a bath, from what I saw."

Jeremy nodded, then deliberately let his eyes drop to Saul's cock, now freed from his pants and bobbing just out of reach. "Bennett will find them. Now I want you to use me like you use Toby," said Jeremy, blushing a little at the boldness of his own words. He pulled out his own cock, tucking his underwear down below his balls, then put his hands back behind his back. He'd seen Bas come without a single touch to his cock, just from this, and he didn't want to have to explain sticky pants to the EMTs.

"Jeremy," Saul growled, then his cock was in Jeremy's mouth, shoving past his slightly bruised lips and down his throat in a welcome slide of familiar salt taste. Saul was everything Gabriel hadn't been, from the clean, musky flavor of him to the underlying gentleness of his touch, fingers coursing down Jeremy's cheek, tangling in his hair. "My packmate."

Jeremy hummed in agreement, letting his eyes fall shut and his body take over, swallowing around Saul's cock, feeling the thick glide of it over lips and tongue and back into his throat, feeling the cool air on his cock and balls like a caress. Saul turned the toy back on and Jeremy moaned, leaking strands of clear precome onto the cold concrete floor. He was so close, from the rub of the toy inside him to the adrenaline still pumping in his veins, and it wouldn't take much to send him over.

"My boy," said Saul, thrusting more roughly, his strokes growing erratic as his flavor became more bitter. Jeremy could feel him growing that last little bit, and knew that Saul was just as close to the edge. "Come for me, Jeremy," Saul whispered, then he buried himself in Jeremy's throat, hand holding him down as he emptied his seed in Jeremy's welcoming mouth.

Jeremy's nose was buried in the wiry curls, and Saul pulled back just enough to let a last spurt of come coat Jeremy's tongue. The taste, that clean, salty flavor so familiar already, it was all he needed to go over the edge. He came with his hips pumping empty air and his mouth sucking the last drops of seed from Saul's prick, the pleasure rushing through him more intense than anything he'd felt these past few days, except perhaps the love he'd found in his pack.

Saul turned off the toy and stroked Jeremy's hair while Jeremy cleaned Saul's cock of every last trace of come. "My beautiful professor," Saul whispered, pulling away gently and tucking himself back into his pants. "Such a good boy," he added, squatting down. He took Jeremy's mouth in a kiss every bit as thorough as his cock had been, finding every crevice and laying new claim. One hand held Jeremy's chin firmly while the other reached down to retrieve the come dripping down Jeremy's shaft. He slipped the wet finger between their mouths and they both sucked it clean, making Jeremy's cock twitch hopefully.

"Your good boy, right?" said Jeremy, eyes glinting with humor and something much deeper.

"Our good boy," said Saul, cupping his face for one last, deep kiss. "Get yourself straightened up and I'll get this," he added with a wink.

Jeremy blushed and straightened his clothing, while Saul pulled out a little single-use wipe and mopped up the spatters of come on the floor. "I suppose those come in handy, what with the pack's tendency to shag at the drop of a hat," said Jeremy, amused.

Saul winked and produced a Ziploc baggie, slipping the used towelette into it and then standing and brushing himself off. "You're one of us in almost every way now, then," he said, snickering as Jeremy brushed off his knees.

Whatever clever reply Jeremy had been hoping to come up with was thankfully no longer necessary as a voice called out from the front of the building, "Emergency Response! Anyone here?"

"We're over here!" Jeremy yelled, straightening himself self-consciously one last time. He had been drugged, kidnapped and tied to a chair, though, so it wasn't like he didn't have an excuse to be a bit grubby. He stole another quick kiss from Saul and got a surprised grin in response, then turned and waited for the EMTs to find their way through the maze of boxes to them.

Gabriel moaned weakly as they examined him, and was pronounced a risk for spinal trauma and strapped to a backboard while someone else examined his other wound and got the bleeding mostly stopped. "Missed his corpora cavernosa, so he won't bleed to death, he'll just have a nasty scar and have to be on antibiotics to avoid infection," said the EMT, his tone relatively professional. "It'll be awhile before he sticks it in anyone's mouth again, though, I expect."

"That can only be for the benefit of all mankind," said Jeremy from where he'd been made to sit back down in the lone chair. Another pair of emergency techs had shown up a few minutes later and sat Jeremy back down to be examined for any signs of complications due to the drugging, and were currently taking a blood sample so they could figure out what had been used.

The other tech nodded. "I take it this wasn't a consensual oral encounter?" Jeremy shook his head, unable to figure out how to respond to the casual question. "Didn't really think so, this doesn't exactly look like an accidental biting."

"You've seen accidental bitings there?" Jeremy asked, unable to help himself.

One of the other techs snickered. "You'd be surprised how often some asshole shoves it in too far and the girl -- or guy, no offense -- gags and bites down," said the first one. He and his partner strapped Gabriel into the gurney, then covered him with a blanket. "That should hold him until the Detective arrives."

"None taken," said Saul, hand still gently petting Jeremy's hair. They'd still been holding each other when the techs found them, and hadn't seen any reason to pretend they weren't lovers. "Only takes a dick and a mouth to make a blowjob, after all."

Everyone laughed at that, including a new voice, that of Detective Bennett, who'd manage to approach unnoticed. "Nice to see you in such high spirits, Dr. Forrester," said Bennett, rounding the aisle of boxes. A few seconds later all the lights came up, and a couple of people in Crime Scene Unit vests followed.

"I got the last word in, so to speak," Jeremy replied with a shrug. "And don't make me call you by your first name."

Bennett laughed again and held up his hands in mock-surrender. "Anything but that, Jeremy."

"You're too cheerful to still be worried about the girls, so why don't you tell us what happened?" Saul said.

"Why don't we let Jeremy give his clothes to the crime techs, then I'll take you both out for coffee and explanations?" said Bennett. They agreed, and Jeremy changed in one of the ambulances while the techs started processing the scene. Jeremy left it up to Saul to explain the rather obvious clean spot on the otherwise dirty floor, while Bennett called and made sure there would be a couple of uniformed officers on the scene to guard the techs in case someone came back.

One of the techs even found Jeremy's phone and wallet, and once those were restored to him, he was released into Bennett's tender care, with a warning to go see a real doctor within 24 hours to make sure there weren't any lingering effects of the kidnapping. Gabriel was bundled into an ambulance, Saul and Jeremy into Bennett's car; they left the warehouse, and Jeremy hoped the pimp and everything he represented, behind for good.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby's phone rang just as they were leaving Edie's, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. "H-hello?" he said, nervous about answering an unfamiliar number.

"Toby? It's Nick," said the voice on the other end, and Toby relaxed.

"Yeah, Nick, this is Toby," Toby replied, letting the rest of them know who was calling. "What's up?"

"You still have keys to the trick rooms?" Nick asked. "We're getting the runaround from the staff here, you were right about them being in on the cover-up."

"Let me ask," said Toby; they each had held keys to a couple of the rooms on a permanent basis, but Toby had never had one to Mercury's 'performance' room. "Merc, you still got your room key for the hotel?"

Mercury nodded, pulling out his wallet. He flashed a card-key at Toby, and Toby nodded. "If they haven't re-keyed the room, we've got it," said Toby. "Where should we meet you?"

"Where are you now?" asked Nick. "It's probably best if it's not at the hotel."

"We're still at Edie's," said Toby. He was nervous; he'd wanted to help find information, but if what Edie said was true, no one would talk to them anyway. You didn't help marked whores, not unless you wanted to be blacklisted yourself. He had really been hoping the hotel would pan out.

"I'll be there in five," said Nick. "You guys get some coffee and relax -- the way everyone here is acting, there's something definitely going down tonight and it's probably the girls."

Toby groaned at the probably-accidental pun, and said, "You got it. We'll be in our usual booth, which is visible from the door."

The call disconnected, and Toby turned to the rest of his packmates. "Looks like we'll be having dinner after all."

* ~ * ~ *

It wasn't until later that they all learned how it had all turned out -- Nick had gotten the call from Bennett just as he was about to head back into the hotel, and the four officers from their "furry watch" had ended up the heroes of the day. They'd used Mercury's card-key to surprise both the kidnappers and their main client, and even two of the audience members who'd shown up early.

All the while, Toby and his packmates were waiting nervously in the diner, pushing their food around on their plates and drinking endless cups of coffee. Bennett dropped Jeremy and Saul off at the diner, and went to help sort out the aftermath of Nick's big bust. The FBI and Nigerian police showed up as well, and the girls were back with their guardian and on their way to the hospital -- at least according to Bennett, who arrived back at the diner looking irritable but smug, and accepted the bare sliver of booth that their scooting afforded him with a fair amount of good humor.

"So all's well that ends well?" Toby asked, happily snuggled between Saul and Jeremy in the middle of the booth. Mercury was on Jeremy's other side with David, and Sebastian was on the very end. Room had been made for Bennett next to Bas, and Edie had brought them a whole carafe of fresh coffee all their own, much to everyone's amusement.

"Well, not really," said Bennett. "We still have no idea how they got the girls off the boat in the first place, or who was really behind it. The Ghost Lion pack gets one white shifter in every generation, and the twins were considered a sign that they should sue for peace with the other shifter packs in Nigeria. It's being looked at as political sabotage -- Gabriel was just a convenient end-point for them."

"So they might still be in danger?" said Saul, concerned. "Weren't they coming here to visit all the North American packs and study our coalition?"

"Right," said Bennett, eating his meal with far more gusto than any of the pack had managed. Jeremy still felt a bit queasy from the drugs, and the rest of them were too wired to eat. "In fact, the guardian was so impressed by the assistance your pack gave us that he wants to meet with you." Bennett's face was carefully blank, and his voice casual, but they could tell this was important to him.

"We have to register with the coalition still," said Toby seriously. "We'd been putting it off because... well, because we didn't feel like we deserved to be legitimate, I guess," he explained, "but now we want to have everything in order."

"The Bone Kin has agreed to sponsor us," said Jeremy. They'd have a much better chance of being approved with such prestigious sponsors, not to mention the benefit of the Bone Kin's lawyers to file the paperwork.

Bennett nodded. "I have no idea what that means, really," he said with a sheepish grin. "Mostly I just wanted to make sure it was all right to give them your contact information. Also, you might want to consider making your home a little more secure, Dr. J."

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Yes, dad," he said. "I've been meaning to get a security system anyway, and honestly if they're going to live with me permanently I should probably consider a bigger place." When they started to protest, Jeremy smirked and said, "Just think, more bathrooms."

They acceded laughingly, and finally began to relax. It was as though they'd needed that simple reassurance that there was life after kidnapping, a future for all of them together still despite the danger their association had brought into Jeremy's peaceful life. "So does this mean you'll take us house hunting?" Toby asked.

Chapter 25

Saturday morning dawned cool and crisp, with Jeremy curled up in the warm embrace of just one pack member. Saul had elected to spend the night with Jeremy, not as Scourge but simply to help strengthen the bond they'd begun to forge as lovers and friends. Though Jeremy insisted that he wanted to do his penance, last night had been for reassurance, and today would be taken up with meetings -- the Bone Kin's coalition lawyers, lunch with the Ghost Lion delegation, and then dinner with his grandparents at their insistence.

The next day Toby would be given his clean bill of health, and the pack would be celebrating, not punishing. Jeremy was already trying to figure out what he could do that would get him out of the house for the duration -- he didn't want to rain on their parade, but he didn't think his self-control would last another minute if he had to listen to them all having what he couldn't. After everything that had happened, he and Toby were both doubly determined to make sure that Toby's degree had no taint of misconduct, so the Caress of the Sublime could start their new future with a clean slate.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," said Saul affectionately, stroking Jeremy's cheek. "I know you're awake, so you might as well open your eyes."

Jeremy scrunched up his face. "Don'wanna." He burrowed further into Saul's warm body, further away from the days and weeks ahead. Grading final papers and final exams, hapless students begging for extensions or other special treatment now that the end of the semester was well and truly nigh, and of course all the meetings and paperwork not only to register his new pack, but to finally open the Institute.

He never had told anyone how deathly afraid he was that he wasn't the right man to run it.

"What's wrong, Jeremy?" Saul asked, tipping up Jeremy's chin and placing a soft kiss on his pouting mouth.

Jeremy sighed and blinked open his eyes, seeing Saul's concerned face looking back at him. "I just want to stay here, instead of going out there and facing everyone. Lawyers, grandparents, students. Nigerians." He laughed at the last, still bizarre that they'd even want to talk to him. Ghost Lion was no tiny pack; the white lions that blessed their tribe gave them a status among the African packs much like the Bone Kin held in here. Except the African packs were constantly warring between themselves instead of being united the way the Bone Kin had done with the North American packs decades ago.

And two little girls were here to change that, born of a line that had never before produced the white lions, deemed sacred before they ever took their first steps.

Jeremy wondered if their mother had ached, seeing her two white little cubs and knowing that their tiny lives were no longer hers to nurture, but instead would grow in the care and service of the entire pack.

Saul kissed him again, chasing away his thoughts as their bodies began to move in instinct against one another, Jeremy's hand stroking up and down Saul's flank, Saul's finding and cupping Jeremy's rocking hip, drawing them closer together. "So stay here with me a bit longer," Saul said, a rumbling purr against Jeremy's lips. "I can't keep you from your life forever, but I can make our time together sweet."

Jeremy smiled into the kiss that came after; who could have predicted that Saul, once so dour and unfriendly to Jeremy, would be so loving? Saul rolled them over until he was cradled in the curve of Jeremy's hips and thighs, his arms surrounding Jeremy's head and his face so close Jeremy couldn't help but kiss him again. "I'm going to end up in love with all of you at this rate," Jeremy said, feeling warmth spreading through his chest from Saul's tender regard.

Saul kissed him with such gentle affection that Jeremy melted completely in his arms. "I already love you, Jeremy," said Saul softly, rubbing his cheek against Jeremy's like the big cat he was. "We've all lost our hearts to you, really." Jeremy had no protection against this kindness, and it went straight to the heart of him and turned the small sparks of love there into a blaze near equal to that which burned for Toby.

Jeremy kissed Saul deeply then, to keep himself from making promises he wasn't quite sure he could keep. Saul accepted the physical acquiescence, and began to glide his erection along Jeremy's in long strokes, the heads bumping and kissing every few strokes and making Jeremy gasp into Saul's mouth. It was good, so good, but not enough, not after such a declaration from Saul. "Make love to me," said Jeremy, spreading his legs wider and arching his hips up into Saul's.

"Jeremy," Saul growled, then he took Jeremy's mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss. He shifted until he was on his knees between Jeremy's legs, then slid his hands down Jeremy's arms. He twined their fingers together and pressed Jeremy's wrists to the pillow above his head, kissing him again. "You really want me to love you?"

"You've already made me love you," said Jeremy hoarsely, his chest tight with emotion, "it's only fair." He kissed Saul again, feeling the truth of his own words sink into him, knowing he'd never be able to choose now, between any of them. Toby might have been the one that opened up his heart, but the rest had walked through that door and taken over, filling him up with more love than he'd ever thought one person could hold.

Saul moaned and kissed Jeremy again, nearly hard enough to bruise, as though he wanted to crawl inside Jeremy's skin and never come out. Jeremy melted under the assault, which only seemed to incite Saul to further heights of passion. He began kissing and biting down Jeremy's neck, leaving a trail of very incriminating marks on the sensitive skin. Jeremy couldn't do anything but surrender, his hands held firmly, his body pinned beneath Saul's greater strength, his senses scorched by the fire of Saul's lust.

"Stay," said Saul, pressing Jeremy's hands into the pillows firmly. He slid his own hands down Jeremy's arms, gliding the palms over the sensitive flesh underneath, along his ribs, to settle in the hollows of Jeremy's hipbones. His mouth moved ever downward, dancing along Jeremy's collarbone, finding each nipple in turn and tormenting them until Jeremy could do nothing more than cry out, beg for mercy or more, giving himself completely over to anything Saul wanted to do to him.

Saul's lips and teeth blazed a path downward, each touch bringing more of Jeremy's nerves alive until he thought he couldn't take another. Saul spent long minutes fucking Jeremy's navel with his tongue, while his thumbs stroked the sensitive flesh on either side of his body where the hip and thigh met, running from hipbone to balls and back again, over and over in a maddening caress. Though Saul gladly lapped up the precome smearing Jeremy's belly, he deftly avoided even brushing Jeremy's cock, instead skipping over it to suck and tease at his balls.

Jeremy was beyond speech now, nothing but a bundle of need and love and trust, waiting, willing and wanting. Saul's hands moved to the backs of Jeremy's knees, pulling them up and open and holding him spread wide and exposed. He wasted no time with preamble here; Jeremy was still wet and open from last night, when Saul had taken him fiercely and repeatedly to reassure them both that he was safe. Saul's tongue speared right to the heart of him, making him arch and cry out, his entrance clenching and opening while Saul licked and sucked and thrust.

Saul pulled away long enough to say, "Hold," pushing Jeremy's legs further up and apart and settling his face back between the spread globes of Jeremy's ass. Jeremy brought his hands down to hold his knees himself, blushing softly for no apparent reason at this extra humility, this moment of complicity in his own ravishment. "Good," said Saul, biting one of those pale cheeks, then his hands began to fumble among the bedclothes for the lube while his mouth went back to ravishing Jeremy.

Jeremy's whole focus narrowed down to that single point of pleasure, his cock all but forgotten in the wake of erotic destruction left by Saul's deft mouth. He barely noticed when Saul's hands finished their task, his only thought of the loss when Saul's head lifted one last time. "You're one of mine now," said Saul, nipping his way back up in an abbreviated retracing of his previous path, each small bite making Jeremy jump and mewl. He positioned his cock against Jeremy's well-opened entrance, bringing his face until his lips were a mere hairsbreadth from Jeremy's. "Mine," he growled, then plunged in, tongue and cock breaching Jeremy's willing body simultaneously.

Jeremy nearly screamed into the kiss, hands still clenched tight in the crooks of his own knees and holding himself wide for Saul's use. His body gave way easily, welcoming Saul's familiar heat inside of him, the pleasure of it almost unbearable after everything else. Saul thrust as deeply as he could go, then paused, just rocking their hips together gently as if to get every last millimeter of himself into Jeremy's body. Saul tugged lightly on Jeremy's arms until he let go, twining their fingers back together and placing their joined hands back overhead. Jeremy wrapped his legs around Saul's waist and held on.

Saul didn't disappoint, giving him the ride of his life. He started with a long, slow stroke, pulling out nearly the whole way, caressing Jeremy's opening with the corona of his thick erection. Then he pushed back in, rough and fast as the first time, making Jeremy gasp and whimper into Saul's mouth. He repeated the actions over and over, until Jeremy lost track of anything but the slow slide, the maddening anticipation and the excruciating pleasure as each thrust seemed to go impossibly deeper.

Jeremy felt as though he might fly apart if he didn't get to come soon, and Saul was barely getting started.

Jeremy wasn't sure when Saul's strokes changed, the transition was carried out so deftly; he just knew that at some point the thrusts became a steady in and out, long and smooth and each one gliding over places that made sparks of pleasure burst through his veins. Somehow Saul kept Jeremy from coming; each time Jeremy thought that he was going to lose it, Saul pushed the edge back and brought Jeremy to new and dizzying heights.

Jeremy's lips felt bruised and tingling, his mouth filled with his own flavors transferred from Saul's deft and teasing tongue. Saul drank everything he gave, each moan and whimper sipped from his lips like ambrosia and returned in a litany of growls and groans. Saul's thrusts grew rough, his hands tight on Jeremy's, teeth nipping at Jeremy's lips as he slammed himself into Jeremy's body. Jeremy felt as though he was a vessel filled to the brim with pleasure like water, each thrust a single drop that threatened to break him and send it spilling out over them both.

Saul began to move his whole torso, undulating so that the silken skin of his belly stroked over Jeremy's cock, smoothing out his thrusts and adding a small jerk of the hips that slammed them together over and over. "Now," Saul whispered against Jeremy's lips, and that one word was like a hammer blow that let all the tension burst from him in a flood of seed and a single hoarse shout.

Saul must have come with him, though Jeremy couldn't swear to it, so lost he was in the white-gold rush of pleasure that bowed his back and sent static bursting through his vision and hearing until he was nothing but that single moment of release. When he finally came back down, limp and languid, Saul was gazing down into his face with such gentle warmth in those chocolate-brown eyes that Jeremy thought he might never be willing to move again from Saul's arms.

"I do love you," said Saul. "Maybe that's what I was afraid of all along, that I'd lose my heart to two of you."

Jeremy shook his head, a minute movement that sent a tingle of reaction shivering along his nerve endings. "You have ours in trust against it," said Jeremy, his voice barely above a whisper, but enough for this purpose. "I love you, and he loves you well and truly, Saul. They all do."

Saul closed his eyes, and it was like dawn to see them open again, the light of joy that burned fierce and bright in their depths. "Thank you," he said simply, and Jeremy understood all that it encompassed.

"Always," Jeremy replied somberly, then sealed the vow with a chaste kiss.

A whisper of sound alerted them that they weren't alone, and they both craned their heads to see Mercury looking abashed in the doorway. "I'm sorry, I... you..."

Jeremy smiled languidly, and he and Saul each held out a hand, bodies still joined as they beckoned Mercury to them. "We're running late, and it was right of you to come find us," said Jeremy with a smile, and Mercury returned it shyly.

Mercury bounded over to them, climbing into bed and snuggling close heedless of the sweat and semen coating them both. "You were so beautiful together," he whispered, then claimed a kiss from each. "I hope you don't mind. That I watched, I mean."

Jeremy shook his head, and Saul echoed the sentiment, saying, "We're pack, no moment is too private to share with our loved ones."

Mercury's eyes went wide at the phrasing, then he looked from one to the other. "You've worked magic on him, Dr. J." He scooted down until he could lick the come from both their bellies, and said between slightly ticklish swipes of his pink tongue, "He never talks about love."

Saul's smile went a bit wry and he said, "Perhaps you ought to remind me more often that love is as important to us as the rest," said Saul, nuzzling Mercury's hair while Jeremy giggled at the snort Saul's comment surprised out of Mercury.

"Did they hit your head harder than they thought?" said a voice from the doorway, and they all looked to see Bas leaning in it, gloriously nude, his cock rising from its nest of black curls as they watched.

Saul laughed, then kissed Jeremy soundly and slipped from his body, getting up and stalking over to Bas, cock still half-hard and glistening with lube and come. "Obviously," said Saul, pulling Sebastian into a rough, happy kiss, "I don't tell you all I love you enough."

Sebastian melted much as Jeremy had, and Jeremy gasped when Mercury's tongue found his cock and began to clean it just as thoroughly as his stomach. "L-late, remember?" Jeremy stammered, pushing him gently away from the very sensitive organ. "Let me shower with Saul while you two defile my bed?" he asked, looking from Sebastian's heavy-lidded eyes to Mercury's bright ones.

"Breakfast will keep while I fuck him," said Sebastian in languid tones. Mercury just grinned and shucked out of his clothing in record time, hunting up the little bottle of lube while Jeremy got his slack limbs to cooperate enough to stand.

"We shower, you fuck, then we all eat," said Saul, sweeping Bas up and tossing him into the bed, then lifting Jeremy into his arms.

Jeremy grinned gratefully, snuggling against the broad chest. "Sounds like a plan," he said, twining his arms around Saul's neck. "Is someone getting Toby ready to go?"

"David's got him well in hand," said Sebastian with a smirk, "though it may take tying him up all night to keep him good until after his doctor's visit tomorrow."

Jeremy yawned, then murmured, "I bet he'd enjoy that."

Saul kissed him, and carried him into the bathroom while Mercury and Sebastian joyfully prepared to couple in the same place and even position as Jeremy and Saul had, making Jeremy blush slightly. His flush deepened considerably when Saul rumbled, "I bet I could make you enjoy it yourself."

Jeremy stood unsteadily as Saul got the water running, and he waited until they were safely under the spray before he replied, "You could make me enjoy just about anything at this point."

Saul just grinned wickedly and proceeded to prove Jeremy's point and still get them both clean in time for breakfast.

* ~ * ~ *

Fortunately for everyone, the whole pack was reasonably dressed and just finishing up with their breakfast when the Bone Kin's lawyers arrived. Nick brought them to the door, he and Jae having insisted on forming an honor guard for them because of the number of strangers coming into contact with the pack today -- first the lawyers coming to the house, then lunch with the Nigerian delegation, and finally Jeremy's grandparents had elected to send a car around instead of forcing them to try and find some other way to get all six of their grandson's pack up to their estate.

Saul answered Nick's knock, looking almost normal in leather pants and one of Jeremy's sweaters, this one a heavy cotton cable-knit his grandmother had given him. It had always been too large for Jeremy, and the rich blue looked worlds better with Saul's skin tone, so it had somewhat unofficially gone into the pack's wardrobe instead. "I'm Mr. Abernathy, and this is Ms. Wellings. We're the coalition attorneys your grandparents sent over," said the short, slightly balding man, holding his hand out to Saul.

"Not my grandparents," said Saul, rolling his eyes. "Didn't they even tell you what he looks like?"

Jeremy emerged from the kitchen to see what the delay was, just in time to see Abernathy turn beet red and say, "I'm afraid that information wasn't included in our briefing, no," trying to maintain a modicum of dignity.

"I'm Jeremy Forrester."

Jeremy stuck his hand out, and the tall redheaded woman took it with obvious relief. "I'm Ms. Sarah Wellings. It's nice to meet you, Dr. Forrester."

"Jeremy, please," he said pleasantly, shaking the man's hand as well.

"Abernathy," he said shortly, looking irritated at the loss of face. "James Abernathy."

Jeremy hid a smirk behind a cough; if James was this worried about decorum, he was in for a long morning. "We've got the breakfast nook cleared out," he said, loudly enough that he hoped his statement would be true by the time they got there. "I'm afraid that's about the only space we have that can accommodate you at the moment. My little house isn't really suited to a pack of six."

Sebastian and Mercury were just putting the last of the dishes into the sink when Jeremy led the attorneys into the kitchen. Nick and Saul trailed along behind, trading stories of their varied rescues, although to date Saul had told no one the real method he'd used to alert Jeremy of his presence, a fact for which Jeremy was extremely grateful. Everyone was dressed in understated elegance, expensive but casual clothing gleaned from everyone's wardrobes. Even David had foregone his usual in favor of raiding Jeremy's wardrobe, and Bas had amused everyone by then raiding David's.

Toby was sitting in the nook on his own, space on either side for Jeremy and Saul. David wheeled in Jeremy's office chair, giving enough space for both lawyers to sit down while Mercury and David took care of serving everyone coffee or tea, as was their preference. Nick got his travel mug refilled and made himself scarce, leaving them alone with the lawyers. "All right," said Toby, curling his hands around the delicate blue teacup in front of him. "This is, obviously, my pack. What do we need to do to register with the coalition?"

"Well," said Abernathy, pulling a sheaf of papers out of his briefcase, "that's going to depend on a number of factors. I am given to understand that two of your members are foreign nationals?"

"I have a legitimate green card and social security number," said David with quiet dignity.

"I don't," said Bas shortly, and Jeremy shot him a sympathetic look. Sebastian's status was shaky at best, and they'd been hoping to use the new pack to offer him citizenship.

Abernathy nodded. "Then David will be easy, he can start the immigration process with the pack's formation. Sebastian will have to wait until the pack is formed, and then apply for placement with Toby, obviously be accepted, and then Toby will need to petition for asylum for him against any potential deportation. This process may take some time; are you willing to accept that you may not be a full legal pack member until it's complete?"

"I won't have to leave or anything, right, I'm just not going to be on the official list?" asked Sebastian, looking more nervous than Jeremy had ever seen him.

Abernathy nodded again, and Sebastian returned it slowly. "A-all right. I can accept that; I don't need to be official right away if it means being legal later on."

"Excellent," said the lawyer, shuffling through his papers again. "Now, Toby is it?" At Toby's gesture, he continued, "Your status is an unusual one. You may not be aware of this, but assuming you are who we've hypothesized, you've been listed as a missing person in Colorado for quite some time now."

Toby sighed. "It's likely me. I ran away when I was 14 and changed my name, though I haven't done it legally yet."

Abernathy and Wellings exchanged glances, and she picked up the thread of conversation, pulling a manila folder out of her bag. "Well, since you're an adult now, all you'd need to do is file the name change. Normally you'd need to do some paperwork with your old pack to leave and join a new one, but founding a new pack is one of the few instances where it's unnecessary. We'll want to report you found to the police in your old hometown so they can close the case, but otherwise there need be no contact with your old life."

Toby slumped in his seat, feeling a tension flow out of him. He wouldn't have to go back, wouldn't have to try and get his father to consent to anything, to sign anything. He could have his future without having to confront his past. "That's... really good news."

"It's fairly uncommon to found a new pack, and one like yours is, frankly, unheard of," said Abernathy. "Normally you have to register an animal base for the majority of your members, but since you have no two members alike and even a non-shifter in your seed group, you may have to actually have a hearing with the coalition to sue for membership, rather than just filing the paperwork."

It was Jeremy's turn to speak up this time. "With the Bone Kin as our sponsors, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"

"If we get all your ducks in a row the first time around, the hearing should just be a formality. I expect that it will be curiosity more than anything -- there's no guarantee they'll even ask for one, but they generally do in unusual cases. Breaks up the tedium, I suppose," said Wellings, with a small smile.

"Will we all have to go to the hearing?" said Mercury nervously, picking at imaginary lint on the leg of his pants. He looked so young, dressed in a pair of grey linen dress pants that had always been a bit too long on Jeremy, and a simple white button-down shirt, his hair pulled back from his face and all signs of his deviant lifestyle tucked away. Even his eyes seemed more vulnerable without any trace of their usual kohl.

Abernathy and Wellings held a whispered conversation that Jeremy couldn't understand but he suspected everyone else could overhear, and it was Abernathy who answered. "That will depend on the type of hearing. If you're completely averse to appearing in public, you could be added to the roster later, but four members is the absolute minimum for a pack seed."

Mercury sighed and sipped his coffee, and Jeremy wished he dared go offer a hug. David scooted over close and wrapped an arm around Mercury's waist, and he leaned gratefully into the touch.

"Speaking of which," said Wellings, "What is the current status of the rest of you within your respective packs?"

"Attack victim," said Saul shortly, which explained everything. If there ever were shifters found without any pack to support them, it was usually those rare survivors of a mauling by a crazed lunatic or rage-changed shifter.

Wellings made a note, and then looked at Sebastian enquiringly. "Kicked out," he said, then sipped his coffee, swallowing rather hard.

She made another note, and then her eyes strayed to David and Mercury. "I, too, was exiled," said David quietly.

"I... I'll probably need to sue for release," said Mercury quietly. "I... left rather unofficially."

"Well, if you're part of the seed group, you won't need to, but we should check on your status nonetheless." She glanced around the room at the unhappy faces. "I can make the inquiries very discreet."

"We'll give you the information later," said Jeremy, and he felt like crying at the sheer relief on Mercury's face. There was obviously more going on there than he was comfortable telling these strangers in their kitchen.

"Now," said Abernathy, drawing their attention back to him and his neat stack of papers. "We have to talk about the type of pack you want to form."

Sebastian kept them all in coffee and tea, eventually bringing out some small snacks as the hour wended its way toward lunchtime. They covered everything from structure to membership eligibility, and Ms. Wellings even had Toby fill out and sign his name change paperwork on the spot. When they were finally done, they rose and shook everyone's hands, extracting promises from Jeremy to get them the rest of the information they required -- a number of odd little details that the boys refused to discuss, from Mercury's original pack to Saul's last name.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby slumped further down in his seat while Sebastian escorted the two attorneys out. His head was spinning with possibilities, and at the core of it all was the fact that this was really happening. That once again they were in Jeremy's debt, for providing them with the means to do something they'd never have figured out on their own.

Jeremy and Saul both scooted in until Toby was cradled between them, and Jeremy said quietly, "It's a lot to think about, huh?"

Toby nodded. "It's such a good thing, but there's bad elements. Any pack in the coalition will be able to find out where we are once we file that petition," he said, glancing over at Mercury. Even he didn't know the full details of what Mercury was running from, but he had a feeling that it might come to bite them all in the ass. For that matter, Toby's father might get it into his head to try and come lay some sort of claim on the boy he'd driven away a decade ago, though Toby worried less about that.

Saul wouldn't let anything happen to him, Toby knew, and from the looks that Saul and Jeremy were exchanging, that loyalty and affection was slowly expanding to encompass more of them. Saul's eyes also went to Mercury, who looked so very small and helpless today, stripped of the armor of his usual clothes and attitude. "I'll keep him safe," said Saul fiercely. "I'll keep us all safe, if I can."

Toby nodded. "I trust you," he said, kissing Saul softly. The kiss was just starting to promise more when there came another knock at the door.

"Right on time," said Jeremy, pushing himself away from the table. "We've got to get to the restaurant."

The rest of them sighed and straightened their clothing, filing out into the living room. There was a cab waiting outside to take most of them to lunch; David would ride with Jeremy in his truck, and Nick and Jae were planning to follow in an unmarked police car. Although in theory the danger was over, they'd decided not to take any chances, at least for today.

* ~ * ~ *

Tomorrow they'd take Toby to the doctor on their own, and then lock themselves in the house for the rest of the day while Jeremy went to Edie's and graded term papers -- his two classes other than Pack Mind had turned theirs in earlier that week, and Pack Mind would only turn in four actual papers, one for each pack. Jeremy just had to hope that they'd be enough to keep his mind off of what would be happening back at his house, a celebration of Toby's clean bill of heath that Jeremy wasn't yet allowed to join in.

Jeremy brooded on his developing relationships with all of his new pack all the way to the restaurant, David quiet and understanding beside him. When they parked, Jeremy stopped him from getting out with a hand on his arm. "I... do you love us, David? Really love all of the pack?" he asked, voice low and sad even to his own ears.

David settled back down, looking thoughtful. "Though it is a different love than the one I was brought up to believe I would find, I do love all of them, and you as well, in a way I wouldn't trade for anything."

Jeremy felt something loosen in his chest a little; David had been his biggest doubt, as the least affectionate of the group. He leaned forward over the gearshift, one hand braced on the seat and the other gently stroking David's cheek until their lips were almost touching. "I love you, too, David," he said softly, feeling the rightness of it settle over him even as David whimpered and moved forward, pressing a warm, chaste kiss that spoke so very eloquently of his feelings.

They both jumped and broke off guiltily when Saul knocked on the car window. Jeremy cracked his door, and Saul said, "You're not going to get all girly on me with the love thing now, are you?"

Jeremy smiled and kissed him gently. "Only every once in a while, I promise," he said, glancing over at David.

"Sometimes it's needful," said David, giving Jeremy's hand a quick squeeze before hopping out of his side.

Jeremy sighed and joined the rest of the group, looking apprehensively at the restaurant of choice, a place that served Ethiopian cuisine and was, while not out of his personal price range, far above that of a humble professor. "All right," he said with a little grin, after Bas and Mercury both demanded their own kisses, "let's go see what they want."

* ~ * ~ *

What they'd wanted, it turned out, was just to meet those who had been the other victims of Gabriel's greed, and ask some pointed questions about the pimp's other associations. They'd left disappointed that the boys didn't know much, but happy to see they'd all come out of their ordeal relatively unscathed.

Toby had spent most of the meal ignoring the talk swirling around him in favor of drawing a few precious smiles out of Selam and Anisa, the two girls. Though the two Nigerian policemen rolled their eyes at his little games, their guardian obviously approved, smiling indulgently at the three of them as though Toby were also one of his charges, and nearly as young.

"We still are not sure why this man wanted our girls," said one of the policemen, whose names Toby had never really caught.

"It's because they're white," said Toby, surprised that no one had made the connection. "All of his shifters were black or black and white, they'd have fit right in with his exclusive stable."

Emmanuel Ibori had been playing a game under the table with his charges and their napkins; he looked up sharply at Toby's words. "You here were all his... employees?"

"Except for me," said Jeremy with a blush. "I'm a college professor."

The pack laughed, and David said, "I'm sure we could have got a good price for you, Dr. J, but you'd have to actually be a shifter for that."

Emmanuel nodded, grinning a bit at their teasing, though it didn't reach his eyes. "You are all albinos like my girls, then?" he asked.

David shook his head. "Two of us are black panthers, melanistic rather than albino. I am a black leopard, while Sebastian is a jaguar."

"You are two different species in one pack?" asked one of the policemen, obviously shocked by the very idea.

"Actually," said Saul, baring his teeth in a grin that showed his lack of fondness for the Nigerian cops, "We're five different species in one pack, six if you count full human. I'm a white tiger, Mercury is an albino cheetah, and Toby's a snow leopard."

"Does this mean they're all holy, papa?" asked Anisa shyly, looking up at Toby with big brown eyes.

Emmanuel looked thoughtful. "I would have to consult with the elders before making such a pronouncement, but I do think that it is a good omen that our paths have crossed, despite the circumstances."

Toby was surprised; he'd always known it was a novelty, the black-and-white theme that Gabriel had kept up, but he never thought of them as anything more. They'd certainly never thought of themselves as holy, especially considering their circumstances. "We're only happy we were able to help Anisa and Selam," said Toby.

Emmanuel smiled, suddenly looking every bit as mysterious and mystical as the girls were supposed to be. "It is indeed fortunate that you were here to divert their fate to one slightly less dire," he said, then tickled Selam with a far more mischievous grin as he added, "that of having to sit still in many restaurants and be nice to many boring old men and women."

She giggled and slapped at his hands, and the conversation went back to more mundane things, though Toby never once forgot the look the old man had given him when he learned about the pack's color scheme. He joined in the napkin game with the girls, only half-listening to the steady drone of adult voices as his mind mulled over the whims of chance and fate that had brought them all together as a single pack.

Chapter 26

Toby had successfully managed to put dinner out of his mind for most of the day, but now the hour was upon them and he was very, very nervous. Their future, in a way, rested on the outcome of this meeting -- if Jeremy's grandparents disapproved of his chosen pack, then the Bone Kin's legal assistance and sponsorship would vanish, and they'd be left trying to work through the involved process all on their own.

He smoothed down his shirt one more time, telling himself it was just dinner, nothing to get too nervous about. After all, how much could really go wrong?

He emerged into the living room where the rest of the pack was waiting, and felt as though the answer was being demonstrated just for him. Mercury was bent over the back of the couch, pants around his ankles while Saul carefully positioned the straps of one of his most intricate devices, one that would keep his cock hard and flat to his belly, raise and separate his balls, and had a ring in back that held him open so that his entrance was completely exposed.

"Please tell me it's not going to be even a little bit obvious what he's wearing when his pants are up?" said Toby, his own cock rising in reaction to the sight.

"That's what we're testing for," said David, even as Saul knelt down and licked at the exposed opening, making Mercury moan.

Toby chuckled, figuring it was either laugh or cry. "Wouldn't he have to have his pants on for that?"

"Details," Mercury gasped, "details."

"The car is going to be here soon," said Jeremy from where he was sitting on the couch, blithely ignoring Mercury's panting a mere foot from his ear in favor of reading through some of the papers left behind by the lawyers. "You might want to have pants on by then."

"Yes, dad," said Mercury, and Saul stood, pulling Mercury's pants up with him.

"Love you, too," said Jeremy casually, turning his head to claim a sweet kiss from Mercury that made Toby's heart ache with envy.

Especially when Mercury lit up like the sun and said, "You know I do," nuzzling Jeremy's cheek before he stood and turned to model the pants for everyone else. "Well?"

Toby was impressed; the cut of the pants hid the outline of his erection, and although the rear fit a little oddly, it wasn't noticeable unless you were looking for it. Toby couldn't resist, he stepped forward and pressed a finger right at the center of the ring, rubbing over Mercury's hole. "It's perfect," Toby purred, pressing his cock against Mercury's hip to show just how much he'd enjoyed the show.

Saul grinned wickedly. "I hoped you'd say that," he said, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a second harness. "Think you'd like to join him in distraction?"

Toby grinned, but shook his head. "Normally, yes, but tonight... tonight I have to be a leader, not a boy toy."

Mercury's eyes went wide, and he made as if to take down his pants again. Toby stopped him, laying a hand over his and moving his other finger in teasing little circles, spiraling in and out of the space outlined by the ring. "You make a beautiful boy toy," he said, kissing Mercury sweetly, "and I want you to have whatever you need to feel like you belong to us, Mercury." He paused, trapping Mercury's gaze with his own, and whispered, "I love you."

Mercury melted, throwing his arms around Toby and kissing him with a sweetness Toby hadn't felt from him in a while. "I love you, too, my Kiss," he said, then offered his mouth to Toby once more. Toby gathered Mercury's taller form in his arms, marveling at how he always seemed so slight and vulnerable, and kissed him slowly, thoroughly, as though there was not a single care in the world but making Mercury feel loved.

Toby was only vaguely aware of Sebastian crawling across the floor and into Jeremy's lap, murmuring, "You know, those pages are upside down," before setting them aside and taking Jeremy's mouth in an equally sweet kiss. "You love me, too?" he asked, a little sadly.

Toby and Mercury broke their kiss, unable to keep from watching to see what the answer would be.

Jeremy slid his hands up to cup Sebastian's face, pulling him down for another kiss. Just before their lips met, he murmured, "Of course I love you, Bas."

They all seemed to sigh together as Bas molded his body to Jeremy's, straddling his hips and devouring his mouth. "He loves all of us," said David, from where he was perched in the kittens' favorite chair, Edward and Ogdred happily ensconced in his lap as was fast becoming the usual.

"That I do," said Jeremy, chuckling at the ferocity with which Sebastian reclaimed his mouth for another deep, hot kiss.

"As does our Kiss," said Saul, coming up beside Toby and Mercury to cradle them both against his broad chest.

"That I do," Toby echoed, going on his tiptoes to kiss Saul. Saul's hand trailed down to tease at the entrance to his body, finding it unerringly even without the bull's-eye that surrounded Mercury's opening. From the gasp that Mercury gave, Saul was doing the same to him, and Mercury's mouth met theirs in a wet, messy three-way kiss.

That was, of course, when the doorbell rang.

David laughed as all five started guiltily, moving apart and straightening their clothes while David evicted the kittens and answered the door. It was Nick and someone who certainly looked like a limo driver, and a smile blossomed over Jeremy's face. "Edward!" he said, walking over to give the smiling man a hug. Edward was about Saul's height but without his lanky build, big and bulky and dressed impeccably from his shiny black shoes to the stereotypical black driver's cap.

"You named the cat after your driver?" said David, as the kittens twined around his ankles, eyeing the open doorway with interest.

"Come in and close the door, please," said Jeremy, obviously avoiding the question. "We're just about ready to go here, right?" He looked at the assembled boys, all in some variation on the clothes they'd worn earlier, though David had changed into silks, and Sebastian had begged a mandarin collar shirt from Jeremy to wear under the now-open jacket he'd borrowed from David.

"Just let me put these mugs in the sink," said Bas, gathering up the mostly-full cups of coffee scattered on around the room. He took the tray full of them back into the kitchen, disappearing in a swirl of black hair, and Toby was amused to see Edward's eyes following admiringly.

Edward blushed when he realized they'd seen him, and Jeremy said lightly, "Still have an eye for a nice ass, I see."

They all laughed, and Edward looked relieved. "Well, when I find myself surrounded with such beauty, what can I do but look?" he said with a wink, and Jeremy blushed, which made Toby wonder if Jeremy didn't have a bit of a crush on the older man.

"Touch?" said Bas, emerging from the kitchen with a wicked little grin on his face, and Edward went pink again.

"I don't think..." Edward started, and Jeremy laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"They're just like that," said Jeremy, shooting Bas a stern look. "I think we're ready to go and be polite guests of my grandparents and not flirt with the staff while my grandparents are looking," he said wryly.

"Yes, dad," they all replied in unison, even Toby, and they piled out the door and into the cold night air giggling and teasing, most of their tension dissolving in the rush.

Toby snuggled happily between Saul and Bas on one seat of the limo, while Jeremy was nestled unresisting between David and Mercury on the other. Toby was amused to see that one of Jeremy's hands disappeared for awhile, and Mercury's eyes got that distracted look he always got when one of the pack was toying with him and he didn't want to let it show. "I see you're enjoying Mercury's... accessory tonight, Dr. No," said Toby with a smirk, unable to let such an opportunity for teasing slide. "You've definitely changed your tune since Halloween."

Jeremy blushed, but didn't remove his hand, which made Mercury blush and wiggle happily. "What can I say, love does strange things to a man," he said with a little smirk. Toby felt that little stab of jealousy again, and tried to push it away though apparently not before it showed on his face, because Jeremy added, "Don't worry, Toby, in two weeks you'll find out for yourself." His voice was low and intense, and the look in his eyes sent a shiver down Toby's spine and an ache behind his balls that had nothing at all to do with his now-healed injury.

Two weeks, and he'd finally feel Jeremy inside him.

With that thought swirling in his brain, the ride went by far too quickly for Toby, and he had to adjust himself carefully before getting out of the limousine. There was a bit of confusion as they all milled around and got their clothing straightened, and then their attention was turned to the house as the heavy wooden doors swung slowly inward to admit them.

The house was one of the huge old mansions that nestled in the hills on one edge of the city, surrounded by deep woods and high fences. A number of them were owned by members of the Bone Kin, the woods used as a hunting ground for the pack, while many others were old money, homes that had been in the family for generations. They'd complained at first when the shifters moved in forty years ago, but these days it was the Bone Kin that gave the community its prestige as much as any of them.

Toby didn't take in much of it other than a sense of impeccable elegance, as the whole pack of them were escorted briskly through marble halls and across perfectly polished wooden floors, over thick antique rugs and into a spacious dining hall. Toby got a vague impression of oil paintings, objects d'art, and richly carved furniture before he was ushered to his seat by a polite serving boy in a white jacket and black bow tie.

The rest of the pack looked as stunned as Toby felt, and as out of place here among the gold-rimmed crystal goblets and fine bone china as a bull in the shop that sold them. The tables were layered with linen cloths, the gold tableware was obviously real, and there was a small coterie of waiters poised and ready to serve. Toby took all this in at a glance, and then his gaze was inexorably drawn to the head of the table, and the stern, iron-grey-haired man sitting there.

"It's good to finally meet you young men. Jeremy's told us so much about you," he said with a smile that could only be described as 'wolfish', and gave Toby the shivers. "I'm Jack Forrester, by the way, and this is my wife, Moira." He gestured toward the other end of the table, where a tall, willowy woman nodded her head gracefully, her hair a pile of blue-tinged white atop a neck that was still strong and straight.

"Thank you, Grandpa," said Jeremy, and Toby got the feeling that Jeremy had just been chastised for not introducing them, despite the fact that they'd only just sat down. "This is my pack, the Caress of the Sublime." Jeremy grinned sheepishly and pointed to Toby, beginning the introductions.

"Our Kiss is Toby Smith," Toby gave a small nod and a shy smile to Mr. Forrester, and got a nod in return. "Next to him you've seated the Scourge, Saul," who also nodded, hand finding Toby's under the table and giving it a sympathetic squeeze. "And next to Grandma is Sebastian Olivera."

Bas broke the tension a little by bowing slightly to Mr. Forrester, and making them all smile when he turned and took Mrs. Forrester's hand, kissing it gracefully. "I'm honored to be in the presence of such grace," he said, eyes sparkling with good humor.

Fortunately for them Jeremy's grandparents weren't nearly as stuffy as the setting suggested, because she tittered and took her hand back, and Mr. Forrester guffawed. "If I didn't know better, young man, I'd say you were trying to steal my wife away from me," he said with a wink. "You can call me Jack, by the way."

"Bas," said Sebastian, winking back. "As it is, it's not the wife I'd want to steal," he added flirtatiously, and Jeremy coughed into his hand.

"On your left, Grandma," said Jeremy, obviously hoping to divert attention from Sebastian for a few moments, "is David Chen, the exiled prince of the Jade Dragon Clan in China."

David bowed as well, more formally than Bas had, first to Jack and then to Moira. "I am honored to be welcome in your household," he said formally.

Moira tittered. "You needn't be so formal with us, child. Our Jeremy broke us of our stuffy habits a long time ago, bringing home his college boyfriends to shock his grandfather."

"Don't forget dating the help," said Jack with a long-suffering sigh, and it was Toby's turn to cover up his laughter with a sudden coughing fit.

"Now, Grandpa, that was a long time ago," said Jeremy, blushing. "Anyway, David is the pack's Charm. Apparently the Jade Dragons are all born with a certain amount of magical ability, and the lucky ones keep a portion of it after the change."

"It is mostly training," said David, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "One focuses the will so that when the remaining power remaining is small, one is still able to use it to best effect."

"That's quite sensible," said Moira, patting David on the arm. "Don't you worry, child, we won't be expecting a show. We just made Jeremy promise to tell us about this new pack of his, and it's highly unusual to have a shifter in the shaman position, whatever you choose to call it."

Jeremy snickered. "I knew you'd enjoy the names they chose, and don't look at me like that, I had very little to do with it."

Toby had another of those damnable bursts of jealousy at seeing Jeremy's interaction with the people who'd raised him with such obvious love. "He just knows better than to argue with us when we've got our minds made up," Toby said, getting another laugh from Jack.

"Last but not least," said Jeremy, drawing their attention to the final member of their pack, who seemed to be trying to vanish into his chair. "Mercury, these are my grandparents who raised me after my parents died," he said gently, touching Mercury's arm lightly.

Mercury looked at them with wide eyes, then seemed to gather himself and sit up straight, coloring slightly as he shifted to get comfortable sitting with the ring still holding him open. "Pleased to meet you," he said shyly, glancing from one to the other.

"You may call me Moira," said Jeremy's grandmother, smiling. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Mercury, and all of Jeremy's pack. You're his family now, and therefore ours, and we want you to feel welcome in our home."

Toby smiled back, relaxing slightly at their kindness and good humor. "Thank you, Moira, Jack. It's good to finally meet you," he said, somewhat at a loss for words. He wouldn't let himself flirt like Bas, though Jack's aura of power and authority gave him a distinctive shiver and made him wonder if Jeremy would grow old the same way his grandfather had.

He was saved from his own traitorous brain when two of the waiters began to serve dinner, placing a low, shallow bowl of steaming soup in front of each of them while another circulated with water, and a fourth poured wine. The nervousness came back in a rush as Toby looked down at the array of cutlery before him, and the smooth orange goo in his bowl. "It's pumpkin soup, and it's better than it looks," said Jack conspiratorially.

Toby couldn't help but grin when Jack ostentatiously picked up his outermost spoon and dipped it into the thick liquid, taking a neat sip and smiling encouragingly at the lot of them. Jeremy snickered and ate a bite of his own. "Mmm, this is still my favorite thing your new cook makes. It almost makes up for you firing Ferdinand after you caught us in the pantry."

"No one makes flan like Ferdinand though," said Moira plaintively, in a tone so familiar that the entire pack cracked up laughing.

Moira looked from Jeremy to Jack in confusion, and Toby tried to catch his breath. In the end it was Bas that explained, "Now we know where Jeremy gets it from."

Jeremy blushed, and both Moira and Jack laughed, and three of the waiters even snickered. "Oh dear, yes, it's one of the worst habits he picked up from me, I'm afraid," she said, sipping at her wine and, Toby thought, just managing not to look embarrassed in front of their guests.

"It's a very effective tactic," said Toby wryly, and Jeremy pouted at him across the table. Toby winked, and took another bite of his soup, which was rich and spicy like a good pumpkin pie. "This really is delicious, though."

"I'll be sure to pass your compliments on to the cook," said Jack. There was a few moments of silence as everyone began to eat, then Jack said casually, "The attorneys tell me you've got some unusual confidentiality issues?"

Jeremy coughed, and shot Saul a pleading glance. "Since we weren't... leading the most above-board of lifestyles, we're not used to being able to go by our real names, and there's also some concern that there might be repercussions from Mercury and Toby's old packs once they've resurfaced."

Jack nodded. "That's definitely something to be aware of. Aside from your... abandoned profession, are any of you in any legal difficulty?"

Saul shook his head. "Just that, for me."

"The attorneys are aware of some irregularities with my immigration paperwork," said Sebastian, toying with his soup.

"Well, if they know about it, I'm sure they'll take care of it. You'll have no problem getting your pack ratified and getting citizenship that way," said Moira confidently, eating the soup with a bird's delicate grace, in tiny little sips.

"I was a runaway, but the attorneys said that they can handle my suit for release from Twilight Serenity. They'll have to report my whereabouts to the police there, though, and I'm... I have concerns that my father may attempt an ill-advised reunion," said Toby, getting the words out with a bit of difficulty, his throat tight as he thought about the things that had driven him from his father's home in the first place.

"Well, you've got Saul there to take care of him. One man shouldn't be much of a problem, especially if my grandson finally installs a security system," said Jack, looking a bit smug on the last.

"We might actually move into a bigger place," said Jeremy, getting looks of surprised approval from both his grandparents. "I thought I might let you give the house to those cousins you were telling me about with the new baby, and I'd look for something big enough to house the whole lot of us, and nearer the Institute."

Moira looked positively pleased at that, and she said, "Well, there's always your father's other property."

Jeremy sighed. "I... I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to go back there, Grandma."

Jack and Moira exchanged unreadable looks, and Jack patted Jeremy's shoulder a bit awkwardly. "Jeremy, we've given you more than a decade. Isn't it time to put the past behind you and do what's best for your future and your family?"

Toby shifted in his seat, a bit uncomfortable at being used as a bargaining piece in some old family argument, but he supposed it was a far sight better than being kicked out on the street for being ex-whores as they'd half-feared. "We're happy enough in his current place, though it would be nice to have a dining room," said Toby, trying to send Jeremy some sympathy. He caught a hint of motion and figured Mercury was doing it for him, or something slightly more distracting than simple comfort from the look that passed over Jeremy's face.

Toby looked away, coughing again, and caught Moira looking at Jeremy with a mother's concern. "At least take them to look at the house?" she asked, sounding slightly sad.

Jeremy sighed. "All right, fine. I'll take them to look at the house, but if we do move in, you are paying for the cleaning and repairs, and I refuse to have staff. Got it?" He sipped his soup, giving a rebellious little slurp that made Toby want to cuddle him, as it was so obviously to hide whatever was paining him.

"The house is completely remodeled and clean already, and I refuse to fire the staff that's already living there," said Moira. "We've had a nice old couple from the pack taking care of the place since... I'm sure they'll do just fine taking care of you as well."

"Sebastian cooks naked," said Jeremy dryly. "And Mercury walks around the house wearing nothing but sex toys. And Saul and David almost got caught having a sixty-nine on my sofa by the cops. Is this really a lifestyle you want to expose some poor old couple to?"

Bas looked smug, Mercury blushed and tried to hide his face, Saul looked amused and David just maintained his serene expression. Toby couldn't resist adding his own two cents, saying, "And I'll get my clean bill of health tomorrow and be able to go back to doing all of those things, too."

Moira looked flustered, and Jack just laughed. His eyes roamed over the group with a wicked glint. "So, we should call ahead before we visit, then?" Once everyone was laughing along with him, he sobered up enough to say, "Well, the staff is between you and your grandmother. Maybe we can hire them to take care of the residents at the Institute instead."

Moira seemed unconvinced, but the waiters interrupted by taking away the soup and bringing in the next course, a delicate salad of winter greens, apples, walnuts, crumbly cheese and dried cranberries, with a light vinaigrette dressing. Toby was glad he'd been too busy talking to eat; he had a feeling he'd have a hard time making much of a showing, if there were too many courses to this meal.

Jeremy just dug in with a grin. "You really were set to bribe me over something, weren't you?" he said around a mouthful of salad. "Will we be having the full seven courses of Jeremy's favorite things tonight?"

Jack coughed and it was Jeremy's turn to look smug. "All right, what do you want now?"

"Well," said Moira, glancing over at Jack, "we were wondering about the holidays. Christmas, New Year's Eve. The full moons."

"Well," said Jeremy, still eating his salad with gusto. "We haven't really talked about it. I wouldn't leave Grandpa alone on the moons, so you'd have to ask them," he gestured around the table with his fork, "about the rest of it. I haven't exactly been a pack member long, so I don't know what traditions they've got."

Moira took a deep breath. "As a compromise to whatever your traditions are, it has been suggested that we invite your pack to Christmas Tea, which is an event usually reserved for Bone Kin and their families. However, as you are as much family as Jeremy now, I believe that an exception would be made."

Toby looked over at the pack, then asked carefully, "What, er, sort of event is this?"

Jack smirked, and Jeremy hid behind a forkful of salad. "It's a formal English tea, which all the ladies love and all the men hate, complete with scones and Devon cream and little tiny sandwiches with the crusts cut off. You'll probably have to go shopping, Jeremy always manages to misplace his suit between family gatherings anyway, but I'm more than willing to make a whole new wardrobe my Christmas gift to all of you if it means you'll come and let Moira show you off."

"What, um," Mercury cleared his throat, his voice still sounding small, "what sort of showing off?"

"She just wants to parade her grandson's pretty new pack around in front of her friends, to show them how young and attractive they're not," said Jack, getting him a glare from Moira.

"I would like to introduce my new family to the elite members of my pack, so they may approve of you as I do," she said with slightly ruffled dignity.

"Would you, um," Mercury twirled his fork in his fingers as he spoke, "would you teach us to, you know, eat right and not embarrass ourselves?"

Moira smiled gently. "I would be happy to give you a few etiquette lessons, Mercury, although other than the fidgeting you're doing just fine so far."

Mercury blushed and set his fork down, just in time for the waiter to come steal it away along with everyone's salad things. It was replaced with a dish of peeled lychee fruit on ice, much to David's obvious delight. "Now this is a good way to bribe me," he said, digging in with a spoon.

"It works just as well as an ice to clear the palate," said Moira, her smile back to pleased, "and is one of our grandson's favorite foods."

"Using it as a sorbet lets them save the real bribery for dessert," said Jeremy, popping a whole lychee into his mouth and chewing happily.

Conversation was fairly light after that, Moira content to have gotten at least part of what she wanted out of her boys, and Sebastian contemplating the delights of a wardrobe funded by Jack's credit cards, much to everyone's amusement, especially since they'd never had an opportunity to take advantage of Jeremy's offer and were still doing laundry every other day just to keep them in jeans. There were indeed four more courses; next came a fish course of tiny bite-sized crabs that had been deep-fried whole, which made Jeremy look dubious but Mercury crow with delight. The penultimate two dishes were served together, tiny glazed game hens stuffed with winter fruit, on a bed of exquisite chestnut stuffing.

For dessert, they moved into the parlor, where a young maid waited, wearing a black and white uniform Toby could just feel Sebastian coveting. There was another linen-draped table replete with a full array of desserts, from tiny pastel petit fours to a rich-looking chocolate torte. A pair of silver pots steamed invitingly, obviously coffee and tea, and there were delicate flowered china cups and saucers for everyone, even Jack, which amused Toby to no end.

They arrayed themselves on the various furniture; Sebastian predictably chose to drape himself on the chaise lounge, much to Moira's amusement and Toby's embarrassment. Even Mercury looked almost relaxed, leaning against David where they sat on one of the love seats. Toby was amused to see Jeremy sitting in a chair that was definitely only big enough for one, so he took the other love seat with Saul. The Forresters took two more single-person chairs, eyeing their arrangement shrewdly.

The maid began to pour, coffee or tea for each as they expressed a preference, along with whatever embellishments they asked for -- there was not only cream, milk, and sugar, but lemon, honey, and even soy milk. Once everyone had a beverage and a plate of sweets, Moira gave another of those disarming smiles and asked, "So, which one of you has been sleeping with my grandson?"

Toby was profoundly grateful that he hadn't been drinking, though Jeremy wasn't so lucky, and the glare that he shot his grandmother suggested it had been done on purpose. "I'm not sure that's really any of your business, Grandmother."

"I can assure you that he would never profane the student-teacher relationship with such things," said Toby with an air of dignity. The rest of them were exchanging glances with each other and Jeremy, and Toby wondered how much she'd actually get out of them.

"Well, he's obviously been with someone," said Jack with a smirk. "I haven't seen him this relaxed in years, and he's got your scents all over him."

"Ah, that is... a side effect of the rite we use to initiate new members," said David delicately. "He will always carry the lingering scent of his packmates, though the sharpness will fade in time."

Moira looked slightly exasperated. "And I suppose the details of this rite..."

"Are for members of our pack only, I'm sorry, Grandma," said Jeremy, looking not a whit sorry and quite a bit smug. "As for the rest, trying to mentally pair them off is useless, as I discovered myself. Although their methods of pack bonding are a bit more... personal than most, I can only say that they have found what works for them, and I've found it works for me just as well."

"Obviously," said Jack dryly, and Toby snickered into his tea. "Because you're far too happy for having been kidnapped just yesterday."

Jeremy smiled down into his tea, the warmth in his expression saying far more than any words. "I knew Saul would save me."

Toby could feel Saul shifting, and looked up at him to see a faint pink flush on his cheeks. "I'm only glad I got to you before anything truly awful happened."

Everyone lapsed into silence for a few moments, sipping their tea and gathering their thoughts. "So I can't introduce *any* of them as your boyfriend, then?" said Moira, in the same plaintive tone as earlier.

"Grandma! You were going to use us to shock your friends, weren't you?" said Jeremy with mock dismay. Then he grinned and winked. "If that's your game, you might as well just tell them that they're all my boyfriends. It's as close to the truth as anything else."

Jack's eyebrows went up. "All of them?"

"Well, not Toby," said Jeremy, coloring as he glanced around the room.

Sebastian giggled. "Not yet, anyway."

"Bas!" said Toby, blushing himself. "They didn't need to know that."

"They'd have figured it out two seconds after you walked in the door," said Saul with a smirk. "I know you, you'll have it written all over your face for weeks."

Toby pouted, trying not to grin; they were right, once he'd finally gotten into Jeremy's pants, the whole world would know the moment they saw the two of them together. Toby was a lot of things, but subtle in his affections wasn't one of them.

"Perhaps I should just introduce you individually and let you glow at them," said Moira, amusement coloring her voice. "Then they can spend the whole tea wondering who's doing who, and trying to pry the truth out of all of us."

Jeremy laid his forehead in his hand and shook his head. "You're going to give all those old society wolves heart attacks one of these days, Grandma." He looked up with a wry grin. "You were raised in the same era they were, how did you not end up such a stick?"

It was her turn to sigh and blush. "It's hard to take all the trappings of polite society very seriously," she said quietly, "When you're an animal three nights out of the month."

Toby nodded thoughtfully, as did those around him. "I would suppose that lunacy strips one of many illusions."

"In that one respect, it's less of a burden than you might imagine," she said. "But there is no true freedom in madness, and I live every day with the fear that I'll get out and..."

Jack laid his hand on Moira's, and she nodded. "We never want anything like what happened with our son to happen with Moira. Jeremy's research is very important to us, and for your help in that alone, we would accept a lot of things. That you so obviously make him happy as well makes you all a treasure to us, no matter your pasts. You're leaving that life, and we'll do what we can to help, as we would for anyone our grandson brought into our family."

That solemn declaration brought a warmth to Toby's chest so sharp he almost gasped, and Mercury did let out a small sound and bury his face in David's chest. David comforted him awkwardly, looking at Toby to provide an answer for his pack. "I..." Toby began, then stopped and took a sip of his tea for a throat gone dry. "We will do our best with this new chance we've been given," he said softly, looking at Jeremy and his grandfather, over where Mercury was peering wide-eyed from David's tender embrace; even Sebastian was still and somber. "We care for Jeremy very much, beyond the help he's given us in leaving our past behind, and we'll take good care of him."

Everyone was quiet and serious for a long moment, until Sebastian flipped back his hair and purred, "Very good care."

The tension that had been building bled away in laughter, and they ate their dessert talking of frivolities, of the upcoming holidays and everything they had planned. Moira extended an invitation for the pack to stay at the mansion during the full moon in a tone that left no room for refusal. It was ostensibly to be closer to Jeremy, though Toby feared what Moira would think when she found out what sheets looked like after five horny werecats spent the night in them.

They agreed anyway, though Toby wondered how he might discreetly warn them that more would go on in the room than they probably wanted to think about, once they left the company of Jeremy and his grandfather. They were all a bit nervous about this moon anyway, the first one spent in Jeremy's company. It would be in two weeks, running through the end of exam week, and they'd all be thrumming with anticipation. The end of exams meant the end of Toby's tenure as Jeremy's student, after all.

Toby made a mental note to bring a lot of lube, and offer to do the laundry themselves afterward. He'd be positively frantic by Friday night, one change away from a month in his human form, and the freedom to finally let Jeremy touch every part of it. After that moon, Jeremy would truly be one of their pack, lover and beloved of all of them, with only his human skin keeping him apart for the moons afterward.

Toby was so distracted that he almost missed it when the maid came to collect their dirty dishes; for a moment he tried to hold onto his, before he realized his tea and cakes were long gone, eaten while he'd been woolgathering. He blushed and let go, suddenly acutely aware of everyone looking at him. "Thank you for dinner," he said shyly to Moira, and Jack laughed.

"You're welcome to join us anytime," said Moira graciously, shooting Jack a quelling look. "I can't imagine Jeremy feeds you well."

Sebastian snickered, and Toby smiled, remembering their first dinner at Jeremy's and how hard it had been for Bas to find even one meal's worth of ingredients. "Sebastian is an excellent cook," said Toby by way of explanation. "Perhaps we can have you over sometime, once we live somewhere with a dining room?"

Moira's kind smile went smug again. "The house is fully furnished, with a gourmet kitchen," she said. Obviously, she'd decided that if she couldn't convince Jeremy, she'd let them do it with their presumably more persuasive methods.

"It sounds lovely, Moira," said Toby, "but we'll have to see how Jeremy feels about it. Obviously the place has unpleasant associations for him that we couldn't pressure him to live with, if he didn't feel comfortable there." Toby spared a glance for Jeremy's face, grateful eyes looking out from under the shadow of his bangs.

Jack looked pleasantly surprised. "Good," he said, getting a warning glare from Moira. "It might be past time Jeremy coped with the memories, but it's also good that you care enough for his well-being that you'd give up comfort for his sake."

Moira sighed. "He's right, I suppose," she said, looking quite put-upon. "I just hate to see Jeremy's childhood home sit empty when you could fill it with new life."

Suddenly all the pieces fit into place, and Toby understood what was wrong. "It's been completely remodeled, though?" he asked, and he could see her catch on to his spark of understanding.

"Yes, in certain areas. All the bedrooms have been redone, the bathrooms completely torn out and redecorated. There's a few of the original furnishings here and there, mostly antiques, but nothing... nothing remains that was involved, other than the shadow of an old tragedy."

Mercury slipped out of David's loose embrace and went over to kneel at Jeremy's feet, surprising them all. "You have a new family now, Jeremy," he said softly. "Do you think you could let us try to make your old house a home again, for all of us?"

Jeremy looked up from his hands and into Mercury's earnest face, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "I... I think I could try. Let's go see the place first, before we make any big decisions. I don't even know if it's big enough for all six of us, I... I haven't... not in years."

"Thirteen years," said Moira softly, covering her mouth with her hand when Mercury surged upward, rubbing his cheek against Jeremy's like the cat he was before placing a single soft kiss on Jeremy's mouth.

"You help me with my past every day," he said quietly, face open in this needful moment heedless of their audience. "Let me give this back to you."

Jeremy blinked, twin tears running shining tracks down his face, and Toby held his breath. "I... I'll try, Mercury. I promise." He returned the kiss, chaste at first and then sweetly sensual, breaking it off before it went too far past the boundaries of polite company.

Jack and Moira reached out and held hands in the space between their chairs, smiling softly at one another. "I remember when we loved so earnestly," said Moira, looking over to where Jeremy and Mercury were still lost in one another's eyes.

Jack nodded, bringing Moira's hand up to his lips for a kiss. "It is through love's eyes that we can see the good in all love," he said, his voice low, and Toby felt as though he were intruding on a private moment. Jack and Moira spent a few seconds in silent communication, then Jack turned to Toby and the rest. "I can see my grandson has chosen more wisely than we could have hoped. We'll do our best to see past the surface tarnish to the pure silver in your hearts."

Those words had the feeling of ritual, a werewolf speaking of silver and love to his beloved child's new pack, new mates. "We will do our best to see that our love is never used to wound," said Toby, "only to comfort and heal."

Jack nodded, and Jeremy slumped back into his chair, hands still held in Mercury's. "I knew you'd end up doing this, sizing them up for suitability to date your grandson," said Jeremy with a tired grin. "I'm just glad you saw what I see."

"Well," said Jack, glancing down to where Mercury had laid his head in Jeremy's lap like a pet. "Perhaps not exactly what you see."

Laughter brings us together, Toby thought even as he chuckled along with the rest of them, and not even sorrow and pain have been able to tear us apart. The evening broke up then, the intimate moment giving way to the smaller niceties of farewell. Toby took Jack aside while Sebastian was flirting with Moira and said simply, "Thank you. It means everything to us, you know."

Jack smiled down at him, tall and strong, lined face handsome even in age, eyes lively and intent. "It means as much to us, to hear him laugh, to see him allow anyone that close, let alone all of you. Just take good care of him, all right? He's all we have left."

Toby nodded, then on an impulse he went up on tiptoe to leave a soft kiss on Jack's weathered cheek. "You've got us now, too, for good or ill," he said with an impish grin, then went to rescue Moira, as Jeremy was laughing too hard to be of much help.

Chapter 27

Jeremy was grateful to know that his briefcase had been packed long before he'd disentangled himself from the bed, where David and Bas had kept him very occupied long into the night. Saul made sure they were up in time for Toby's doctor's appointment, and Toby and Mercury had made sure that Jeremy wouldn't need to come back for anything until he was ready to crash. Mercury washed him in the shower, that gentle, talented mouth obliterating what little energy he'd managed to recover after last night. Bas even managed to have breakfast ready for them by the time Jeremy emerged, dressed and still blinking sleepily, into the hallway.

Toby was practically bouncing around the room, sipping tea and nibbling on everyone else's food while his own sat virtually untouched. "I can't wait, I can't wait!" he said, stroking himself through his sinfully tight jeans in a manner totally at odds with the childlike whine in his voice. "Can't it be two o'clock already?"

Saul grabbed Toby and gave him a deep, wet kiss and grinned down at his wriggling form. "No, cub, it can't. Let Dr. J have his breakfast in peace, or he'll kill you before we even leave the house."

Toby pouted; they had to go back to the hospital, a thirty minute drive from Jeremy's house that, if Jeremy didn't get some caffeine into himself soon, might well result in what he felt would be totally justifiable homicide. "Please, Toby, don't make me kill you before you graduate. Think of all our hard work. Think of the files!" He downed about half his cup of coffee, glad that Bas had taken to making both it and tea in the mornings for whoever wanted it.

Toby pouted more, then dragged Saul bodily out of the kitchen, saying over his shoulder, "Just have someone come get us when you're ready, ok?"

Jeremy couldn't help but chuckle that he didn't even wait for an answer. "Desperate is not the word," he said wryly, sipping the second half of his cup a bit more slowly. "Are some of those waffles for me?"

Sebastian grinned and put a full plate in front of him, waffles in real maple syrup, crunchy bacon, and two poached eggs in a little bowl with some hollandaise sauce over them. "You spoil me," he said, picking up a slice of bacon and nibbling at it. "I couldn't get service like this even at a restaurant."

Bas grinned wickedly and slid into the booth next to Jeremy, sliding a hand up his thigh. "I do give good... service," he said, deft fingers starting to bring a little life back into Jeremy's drained libido.

Jeremy took a bite of waffle, then gave Bas a kiss with the syrup still sweet on his lips. "And don't think I don't love you for it," he said casually, heart contracting at the way Bas -- and all the pack members, even Saul still -- melted at the smallest hint of real affection from him.

"And I love servicing you," said Bas, nuzzling his neck.

"I like making love to you more," said Jeremy, spreading his thighs as he ate, giving Sebastian's insistent hand more room to work. With Toby safely occupied in the other room, Jeremy was free to try and exhaust his sex drive as much as possible before the long afternoon and evening ahead. If he could just keep his cock down, he could concentrate on student papers, and maybe even get his grades posted before they left on Friday, which would make Celia nothing short of ecstatic.

And if his grades were posted, it meant he didn't have to wait more than a single full moon night to have Toby. He moaned softly as Bas leaned down, replacing fingers with mouth and sucking him to full hardness. "I didn't know I had that left in me," he said wonderingly, petting Sebastian's long, silky black hair. Bas hummed happily, sucking skillfully and keeping Jeremy from getting much eating of his own done.

David walked in and grinned. "I see Sebastian's found what he wants for breakfast," he said, coming up behind Bas and stroking his ass through the fabric of his pajama pants. "Got anything you were wanting, Dr. J?"

Suddenly Jeremy wanted it all, wanted David back in him, wanted Bas in his mouth, wanted anything he could get. "Let's go to the bedroom," he purred, gently pulling Bas away. "I think we've got time if you're quick. I want you to fuck me while Bas and I suck each other." He blushed a little at his own boldness, but their answering grins more than made up for a little embarrassment.

"Your wish is our command," said Bas, sliding out of the booth and pulling Jeremy with him, down the hall and into his bedroom where Mercury was lying, damp, naked and masturbating in the middle of Jeremy's bed.

"Oh god," said Jeremy, breathless from the sight.

Mercury's eyes opened and he saw them, frozen in stunned desire, Jeremy's spit-slick cock poking out of his fly like an arrow pointed straight at Mercury. "Care to join me?" said Mercury, eyes heavy-lidded.

"I want you to fuck Bas," said Jeremy, the words spilling out before he could stop them. It might be awkward, but god it would be hot, sucking Bas while Mercury fucked him, being sucked with David inside.

"Darn," said Mercury with a wicked grin. "How shall I ever manage such a request?" His cock was already slick with lube, and he held the bottle out to Bas invitingly.

"We have to set this up carefully," said David, a note of wonder in his voice. "Bas, you lie on your back, here."

Sebastian stripped and complied, grinning, angling himself so his head was near one edge of the bed, his knees bent and spread. Mercury, amused, slid two slick fingers into him and they both moaned. "He's so ready," said Mercury, positioning himself at Bas' entrance but not sliding in, yet.

"Good," said David, turning to Jeremy. "Undress and get in position, Doctor," he said with a smirk, and Jeremy blushed but got his clothing off in record time anyway.

He straddled Bas' face, letting Bas position him until they were both comfortable, then taking Sebastian's cock in his mouth. He felt Bas swallowing him down and moaned, so close to what he wanted already. David's fingers found him just as open and ready as Bas, and soon there was a cock positioned at his entrance as well. "Slide in slowly, and we'll see how this works," said David, and Jeremy opened his eyes to watch as Mercury's cock disappeared into Sebastian's body.

Mercury's flat stomach bumped Jeremy on top of the head, and Mercury leaned back, pushing in the rest of the way and holding himself up on his hands. Sebastian moaned around Jeremy's cock, and Jeremy started sucking again in earnest, even as David slipped into him with a hiss of pleasure. "You have the best ideas, Dr. J," David said, once he was seated.

"Oh god, he does," said Mercury, thighs and stomach flexing to rock himself in and out of Sebastian without getting too much in Jeremy's way.

Jeremy chose to suck rather than comment, and Sebastian took a cue from him, and he was soon lost in the triple pleasure of being fucked and sucked, and sucking, not to mention the visual he got whenever he managed to convince his eyes to open. He'd just come a few minutes ago in the shower, but he was already on his way to another earth-shattering orgasm, his body overloaded with stimuli from every one of his senses.

His nose was filled with the earthy scents of Bas and Mercury, overlaid by the sharp tang of precome and the faint, sweet scent of the lubricant. His ears were gifted with a chorus of moans, growls, whimpers and harsh breaths that made the most erotic music he could imagine. His eyes held the sight of Mercury fucking the man that Jeremy was sucking, his mouth nearly overflowed with the bitter-salt musk of Sebastian's cock, and his sense of touch, well, two cocks, one mouth, uncounted hands -- it was too much and just perfect all at once.

"I can't last," Mercury panted, fingers stroking through Jeremy's hair. "I can't believe he wants this, it's too much like a dream, I'm going to come," he said, gasping out the words like they were his last.

"Then come," said David. "I don't think... oh fuck... any of us..." He lost the thread of thought, instead gripping Jeremy's hips so he could steady the glide of his cock and move faster, harder.

As if David's words had been a trigger, Jeremy felt Bas moan around his cock and found himself with a mouthful of thick seed, which he swallowed greedily, sucking and sucking until there was no more. Mercury gave way with a shout, spilling into Bas just as Bas' cock slipped from Jeremy's mouth, and the flutter of his stomach muscles seemed like the most erotic sight Jeremy had ever seen. He let go and felt the white noise of orgasm wash away everything else but the moment, only peripherally aware that David, too, came deep in Jeremy's body.

Jeremy collapsed, careful not to smother Bas even as he lay his head on Bas' thigh and nuzzled the softening cock and spit-slick balls. "That was such a good idea," said Bas from beneath him, and Jeremy chuckled tiredly.

"Yeah," said Jeremy, "it was, wasn't it?"

David apparently looked at the clock, because he pulled out and gave Jeremy's ass a light swat. "Now get up, or you'll be late taking our Kiss to the doc, Doc."

Jeremy sighed and rolled off Bas, taking a moment to lie panting on the cool sheets before levering himself up off the bed. "Just let me wipe off and I'll get ready. And someone fill me a travel mug?"

Miraculously, one of them had found the energy to go into the kitchen and Jeremy's plastic Badtz Maru mug was steaming gently on the nightstand when he emerged from the bathroom. The three men were tangled in Jeremy's bed, looking sleepy, sated, and very, very inviting.

Jeremy got dressed, the envy and irrational feelings of rejection gnawing at him as he thought about what they were going to share in just a few short hours -- without him. "Don't forget me, all right?" he said quietly, kissing each of them in turn and picking up his mug to hide his sudden melancholy.

"Never," said Bas sleepily, blinking up at him.

"Never and a day," said Mercury, catching his hand and kissing the fingertips.

David smiled softly at him. "You know you'll be on all our minds," he said, reaching up to stroke warm fingertips over his cheek. "We wish you could be here."

Jeremy nodded. "I do, too, but..."

"But some things are more important," said Toby from the doorway, his bouncy mood somewhat subdued.

Jeremy smiled, turning toward him like a flower to the sun. "The long road of the future is more important than a small moment in the now."

David yawned behind him. "No fair being all Zen on us," he said, voice thick with exhaustion.

"Get your rest," said Saul, coming up from behind the doorway. "We've got to make sure that Toby gets his money's worth."

Toby smacked Saul as they all laughed. "Brat," he said, his pout firmly set back on his face.

Jeremy chuckled and ruffled Toby's hair. "Come on, cub, let's get you approved for your big night of debauchery, so I can get some grading done without anyone trying to get into my pants for a few hours, huh?"

Toby giggled, and they went out into the cold, bright day with smiles on their faces, and hope for the future in their hearts.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby thought he might jump out of his skin before they got home. He'd nearly died of mortification when he got hard during the exam, but the doctor had merely noted that his sexual reactions had obviously suffered no ill-effects, and used two fingers to palpate his prostate in a way that made him mewl with frustration and blush furiously. Now he was curled up in the back of Jeremy's jeep with a compliment on how well he healed, and permission to have all the sex he wanted.

Even if he couldn't have it with the person he wanted most.

Jeremy was strangely quiet; he'd stayed in the lobby during Toby's examination, congratulated him on his clean bill of health, and turned the radio on before they even pulled out of the parking lot. Toby wanted to respect that obvious wish for silence, but worry was eating away at his buzz, giving him something besides himself to focus on. "Jeremy?" he asked, curling up against the cage front and hooking his fingers through the mesh.

"Yes, love?" said Jeremy distractedly, obviously lost in thought.

Toby felt warmth blossom through him, and it took all he had not to purr. "Are you all right?" he asked, leaving off the many affectionate epithets dancing on his tongue.

"Hm?" he said, then, "Oh. Um, just... trying not to think about it, mostly." He blushed slightly as they came up to a red light and he looked back, something in Toby's face obviously giving his thoughts away. Jeremy reached back and stroked Toby's fingers, then turned and drove as the light went green. "I just... this is one thing I really wish I didn't have to pass on. And even though they went out of their way this morning to let me know I'd be missed, I..."

"We know," said Saul, putting a hand on Jeremy's knee.

"I wish you were going to be there more than I can explain," said Toby quietly. "But at the same time, when we... I mean, our first..."

Jeremy smiled, his whole face softening. "Yeah," he said, "Me, too." They pulled up in front of the house, and he turned in his seat. "Think of me once in awhile?"

"The whole time," said Toby. Then he gave Saul a significant look, and scooted to the back to be let out. Jeremy had rigged it so the trunk release worked on the cage, so Toby scooted out, shut the trunk and headed into the house. He knew Saul would make sure that Jeremy understood, and he had other business to attend to.

Saul would catch up quick enough.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy was surprised when Saul lingered after Toby left, and looked at him expectantly, trying to hold back the tide of his misplaced emotions. He felt all over the place today, half numb and half sick despite the lengths the pack had already gone to comfort him. Saul leaned over and unbuckled Jeremy's seatbelt; he'd already done his own. He pulled Jeremy into an awkward hug, and then began to whisper quietly in his ear.

"This morning, when Toby and I went into the room, I know you thought we were making love, getting rid of some of the tension the same way you were," he said, his voice low and serious. "Instead he just wanted me to hold him, and he told me how much he loves you, how afraid he is that jealousy or expectations will tear you apart before you even have a chance. How much he knows that pack needs to be pack, but still a part of him wants you all to himself. How he understands now what I've felt for years, that yearning to be someone's one and only, while at the same time you know that it wouldn't work, that things are better this way."

Jeremy shivered, clinging to Saul, to his words and his warmth, while Saul continued in that same low whisper that went straight to Jeremy's toes. "You're the one that taught me that we can all have that love, that you can feel for me what you feel for him, that we're allowed, now, to care about each other, to feel possessive, to want to keep it, if not between two lovers, then in the pack, to make love because we love, and not just because we're horny, or paid to do it. Holding you in my arms while you told me you loved me, that moment, you'll have that with Toby. And I'll have it, someday, with Bas and David and Mercury, and Toby as well, and that's your real gift to this pack."

Saul pulled back enough to kiss him, deep and fierce and toe-curling. "That's why we'll all be thinking of you when we make love to Toby."

Jeremy kissed him back, kissed him like it was the last kiss he'd ever have, drowning in his scent and the softness of his lips, his whispered words echoing through Jeremy's head. "Thank you," he said quietly, resting his forehead against Saul's. "Thank you so much."

Saul brought his hand up to stroke Jeremy's cheek, brushing his thumb over Jeremy's lips. "Thank us by thinking of us, when you make love to him that first time, if only for a moment," said Saul quietly, "because we'll be thinking of you while we wait."

Jeremy nodded, the sick numbness dissolving into an easy warmth that he knew would carry him through the day. "Call me when the coast is clear?" he asked, grinning wryly.

"Yeah," said Saul, kissing him again. "We want you back as soon as we can get you."

* ~ * ~ *

It took all of Toby's willpower to keep his clothing on until the door swung shut, and he got out of all of it in record time. His skin tingled with anticipation, his nipples and cock painfully erect and his hole twitching and empty, needing so badly to be filled after the clinical tease from the doctor. After a whole week without.

The door to their room was invitingly open, and when he went in he found a most pleasant surprise waiting for him -- Bas and Mercury were lying in the middle of the bed nude, hair spread over each other's hips, cheeks pillowed on one another's thighs, mouths busily lapping at cocks and balls. They were curled comfortably into each other, not the frantic lust of a normal sixty-nine but a simple exchange of lazy affection.

Toby whimpered, and they both turned, blinking in the afternoon sunlight as though just wakened from a nap. David came up behind him, only the familiar waft of scent to warn him before that lean, naked body pressed up against his back. "We've been waiting for you, cub," David growled in Toby's ear, slim fingers holding his hips in an implacable grip and preventing him from rubbing back against David's cock.

Toby gave a little mewl of frustration, then jumped a little when the front door opened. He relaxed back into David when he heard Saul's voice saying, "He'll be all right," followed by the rustle of clothing. Saul came up behind them both, long arms coming around first to hug, then tease at Toby's nipples with fingers chill from the outside air. "Bound or unbound, cub? You already know we all plan on having you."

Toby shivered and moaned, feeling his entrance twitch in anticipation. "Oh, anything," he replied, voice low and breathy. "Anything you want, just use me, fuck me, oh please!" He was falling already, everything dropping away but the need, to serve, be taken, used and abused for his lovers' pleasure. It was so much easier, so much sharper here, where trust was assured and love guided every touch, this moment like drowning only to find you could breathe the water after all and sure hands held you under no matter whether you struggled or surrendered.

Toby chose surrender.

"I think," said David's voice so close to Toby's ear that the breath made him shiver again, "that I'm going to tie you just to see the rope against your skin." Toby whimpered, nearly coming just from the thought of it, bound and helpless not to prevent him from moving but just because he looked better that way to those who would make use of his willing body.

Saul's fingers tightened on his nipples until he cried out, Saul's voice a rumbling growl from behind. "I'm going to torment all your most sensitive places while he ties you," he said, the words barely registering to Toby's lust-hazed brain. "Clips and clamps today, I think, and a ring to keep you from coming too soon."

Toby was walked slowly forward in David and Saul's arms, his prick leading the way, head lolling back onto David's shoulder. "Get me a cock ring for him, a simple leather one," said Saul, his voice ringing with command, that tone of absolute authority that made Toby's knees weak.

Toby gave in to the urge and knelt, slipping through their hands to land on his knees on the mattress right in front of Bas. Mercury had gone scrambling to obey, bringing a whole box of toys over, an assortment of clamps that Saul would use to heighten Toby's pleasure with deliciously cruel pain. David's cock had painted a wet stripe up Toby's spine, and David rubbed it through the soft, short hair on the back of Toby's head, the tip dragging through the fine strands like a wet tongue over velvet while Mercury's deft hands snapped the cock ring around Toby's erection, pulling his balls up and pushing the tide of orgasm back a few steps.

A lick to the head of his cock brought it rushing back, but the ring and his own long training kept it trapped though his balls already ached for it, waiting for permission or command to let it loose. "He's beautiful, I'd almost forgotten how lovely he is when he's like this," said Bas, crawling around Mercury with a sinuous feline motion that brought to mind jungles and danger, and made Toby feel very much like prey.

"I want to see your teeth marks all over his body," said Mercury, sliding a hand through the silken fall of Sebastian's hair. "After David binds him, and Saul clamps him, I want to watch you devour him."

Toby's breath caught, and he restarted it in little pants, nearly hyperventilating at the flash of sheer *want* that went through him like a bolt. "Wh-what will you do to me then, sir?" Toby asked, looking up at Mercury through thick black lashes.

Mercury knelt up until he was looming over Toby, their cocks brushing and gliding, smearing sticky need over flat stomachs. "I'm going to surprise you," he said, then took Toby's mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss.

Someone must have handed David rope, because the warmth disappeared from Toby's back and familiar hands began to pose him, binding his limbs in a web of comforting white cotton. First his arms, pulled back sharply and bound just below his shoulders, above and below his elbows, and then finally his wrists until his chest was thrust out almost painfully, his fingers scrabbling for nothing he could understand needing. Then he was carefully pulled up standing, his legs spread wide, hands on his body steadying and tormenting him while David covered his torso in a complex pattern of knotted rope.

Two strands went between his legs, a knot on top of his cock that kept it standing out from his body and one behind his balls that pressed into his prostate and made him whimper. Then the strands were pulled wide, a clever pattern that pulled his cheeks wide as well and framed his entrance invitingly. More rope traveled up his spine and around his torso to join with the pattern on his chest and stomach in a series of diamonds that decorated his winter-pale skin with their own pristine whiteness.

Finally, Toby was laid gently back down, first kneeling and then tipped gently forward so David could bind his legs. Mercury sat cross-legged with Toby's chest resting on his knees, and guided his cock into Toby's grateful mouth, filling at least one of his holes in the way he so desperately needed. David bound his knees to a spreader bar, pushing his legs as wide as they would go and locking them into place. He stepped back to admire his handiwork while Toby put all of his attention into sucking Mercury, sighing happily when the verdict from David was, "Lovely."

The next touch that Toby felt was Saul's, familiar hands just a bit rough as they caressed his ass, thumb teasing at the entrance. "Now it's my turn, cub," he said, moving down to tug and roll Toby's balls in his fingers, toying with the loose skin and making Toby shiver. "You be good and keep Mercury happy while I work on these."

Toby moaned his desperate agreement, and Mercury gave a little hip-thrust that cut it off abruptly, making him shudder with need. His cock was dripping onto the sheets, and his convulsive swallow made Mercury moan an echo. The taste in his mouth was so familiar, so achingly sweet and right that it occupied his full attention for long moments, until pain lanced through him and his entire being was focused on the clamp that Saul had just attached, on the loose skin at the back of his sac, just below the cock ring.

He wasn't given a chance to catch his breath after that, Mercury's hands and cock insistent while Saul studded his body with clamps, until the skin on his balls was taut and afire with pain, until a double row of them crawled up and around his cock and they decorated his tender inner thighs in curving lines of pain. Toby gasped in shock when he was pulled roughly off of Mercury's cock and sat back on his heels, the clamps brushing against his feet and sending sparks of pain all through him with a shiver.

"Now for your front," said Saul, while Mercury leaned forward with flexible grace and sucked just the unadorned head of Toby's cock in his mouth, tongue flicking out to tease at the single black clamp just below the crown. Heedless of the building wave of sensation flooding Toby's lower body, Saul began in a spiral, first putting wicked clover clamps on his nipples that would tighten with each tug, then working outward on his chest, first left then right, until Toby could barely tell pain from pleasure anymore. Every few clamps, Saul would add a small weight to the chain, until it was swinging heavy with them, pulling so very painfully on Toby's sensitive nipples.

A sweet kiss told him that Saul was happy with his work, and the sharp scrape of teeth on the back of his neck reminded him that his torment was far from complete.

Toby let himself sink ever deeper into that place, riding a wave of natural endorphins and need until he was floating, his whole being bending to the whim of his lovers, masters, packmates and friends. Sebastian's mouth just another piece of the puzzle now, the heat of his breath, the wetness as he licked to soothe the marks he brought up in every space he could find to set his teeth. Toby cried out, whimpered, spread and bent and moved when told, thrust helplessly at Mercury's cruelly teasing sucks, and surrendered himself completely to the tide of sensation.

It took Toby long moments to realize when Sebastian's mouth stopped moving and came to rest with his teeth scraping at the wrinkled flesh of Toby's entrance while his tongue probed the depths of Toby's body. David traded places with Mercury, echoing Bas' motions in front as he teased the tip of his own tongue into Toby's slit, lapping up the precome before it even left Toby's body. Someone presented a cock to his mouth and he sucked it in eagerly, recognizing it as Saul's from the shape and weight, the scent of the curls tickling his nose as he took it into his throat.

Toby became so absorbed in the now of it all, tongues and mouths, lips and teeth and cocks, that it was almost too much of a shock when cold wetness traced over the deep bite mark Bas had left on the back of his neck. He cried out around Saul's cock, eyes snapping wide as coolness trickled down his spine, and his lust-fogged mind finally made the connection; the ice cube followed its melt in an inexorable trail downward, toward the place where Sebastian's mouth devoured him.

The ice took several detours, teasing along the lines of the rope, dipping into the small of his back, following the muscles of his straining shoulders and the rounded globes of his ass. It was nothing more than a sliver when it finally slid down his crack, the droplets sliding around Sebastian's mouth and mixing with the hot saliva that slicked Toby's entrance. Toby expected Bas to move, surrender his position to Mercury's ministrations, but instead a new ice cube was passed to Sebastian's mouth, and its cold hardness added to Bas' repertoire of torment while Mercury's hands moved on.

"May I?" he asked, and Toby was confused for a moment until Saul murmured his assent. Toby realized that he'd already given all the permission they needed, and he was truly at their mercy -- they wouldn't ask again, having been given free reign at the start.

Sebastian slipped the smooth-melted bit of ice inside Toby, then moved away with a final kiss to his desperately empty opening. David, too, dropped a sweet kiss to the very tip of Toby's cock, then left him bereft, the cold air on his hard prick a whole new kind of torment with the ice melting slowly inside him. Finally, Saul's cock was pulled from his mouth and he whimpered a protest, which they ignored as they bent him backwards until his whole body was taut and quivering, shoulders resting on the mattress, arms and legs trapped beneath him and his cock standing at tortured attention at the apex of him.

Mercury slipped an ice cube into his mouth, then fed Toby the melt in a long, sweet kiss that brought lust rushing back to the fore, making the pain fade to mere sensation in the wake of it. Another cube was teased, spiraling along the edge of the clamps on his chest, first left then right, out to in and back out again, stopping at the center to torment his nipples for long, delightful moments. The weighted chain was moved from its loose state, the clamps twisted around and his nipples with them until it draped over his upper chest and neck, holding the clamps tight in their new, more painful position.

Mercury sat back for a moment, just admiring the picture Toby made and teasing his own lips with another sliver of ice. "Allow me," said Saul, kneeling at the other side of Toby, and he began the truly devious part of his torment -- removing the clamps.

Blood rushed back into each patch of skin and pain along with it, making Toby gasp and whimper even as Mercury soothed each point with the ice. Soon his chest was bare of clamps but for his nipples, and Mecury teased those mercilessly, first ice and then the heat of his mouth, twisting and pulling until Toby thought he might come from the sensation alone.

He must have given himself away, for Mercury left off his nipples and moved downward, denying him release by mere heartbeats. Saul fed Toby more cool water in another wet kiss, and Mercury made sure that Toby didn't forget him by slipping another rounded piece of ice into his body, sliding his finger in after it in a way that made Toby glad his mouth was too occupied to beg for more.

Instead, Toby just moaned when more cold ice began to tease along the clamps inside his thighs, and the process was started all over again, cold to pain and pain to pleasure until he was thrumming with it, chest and thighs aflame in the aftermath of their passing. His fists were clenched beneath him, fingers tight with the effort to keep his body in check, to hold himself together until he was allowed to finally shatter into the thousand pieces of release. He made a strangled cry when the ice caressed his cock, smooth and cool on the crown, slick and soothing on the shaft where the clamps held the skin so taut he thought he might split open.

They worked in tandem this time, pulling them off in pairs starting from the base and rubbing cool ice in their wake until there was only one left, sitting right below the head.

"You're so beautiful like this, my Kiss," said David, and then he straddled Toby's head, cutting off what little view he had of his tormentors. Ice-cold fingers moved over Toby's heated skin, dancing up and down the length of him even as David probed at Toby's open, wet mouth with his own dripping cock. Toby moaned and sucked him in eagerly, closing his eyes and grounding himself in the taste and weight of David's cock on his tongue.

It was good he did, because it was at that moment that someone's mouth engulfed his cock, the clamp knocked callously away by cruel lips. He nearly screamed at the heat of it, the pleasure so pure it was only years of training that kept him from coming right then. The little sparks of pain were nothing more than a different sort of pleasure, the talented tongue finding all the places where clamps had held him in check and pressing them until the nerves fair sang with it.

Toby felt himself being repositioned, his lower body lifted and his legs pulled out from under him, the mouth returning to his cock, when he felt the spreader bar bump gently into David's back. Another mouth breathed hot over his ear, and something far larger than just an ice cube probed at his opening, slick and wonderfully warm, and Toby felt his muscles straining to try and press down on it. It went still, the tip pressing just into him, and then four things happened all at once: someone's cock slipped inside of him in one smooth stroke, his own erection was swallowed down to the root, David slid all the way into his throat, and Sebastian's voice whispered in his ear, "Come."

Toby could do nothing but obey, spilling into the waiting mouth like he hadn't come in years, unable even to shout with David buried so deeply. He was barely aware of the rest of the clamps being pulled off his balls as they emptied themselves into that welcoming mouth, his ass clenching around the first cock he'd felt in far too long. Saul's, he thought absently, his body recognizing the girth, the press of hipbones against his abused thighs, and too the little flicker of Mercury's tongue as he was milked for every last drop.

"Beautiful," whispered Bas in his ear, and both David and Mercury pulled away, leaving Toby blinking up at Saul's face, the lines of it softened with something Toby could only call 'love', though the word seemed far too small to contain all the things swimming in Saul's eyes.

Saul moved his hips just a little, making Toby gasp, his cock hardening again even before it had gone all the way soft. "Saul," he whispered, no other words in his mind in that moment, just the two of them, even the bindings falling away from his perception until there was nothing in his world but those eyes and the gentle pulse of Saul's cock where it rested inside him. Where it belonged.

"Tobias," said Saul, Toby's full name and one they only used in the most intimate of moments. It sent a shiver through Toby's whole body that made all his hair stand on end, and brought every little ache and pain to the fore, sharpened the sense of perfect trust and utter helplessness at being bound, spread and speared on Saul's thick cock.

His nipples began to ache warningly, and he gave an involuntary wiggle, arching toward and then away from the inescapable source of his torment. Saul's whole face transformed, from loving to wickedly cruel as he smiled down at his lover. "Would you like me to remove those, pet?" he asked, and Toby gasped and nodded, clenching around Saul again as his growling voice tugged on things buried deep inside of Toby's psyche.

Saul reached out and lifted the chain, letting it sag loosely from his finger before pulling sharply upward. The clamps slipped free with one last painful tug on his abused flesh, and Toby cried out, his cock bouncing as it twitched along with the rest of him. Immediately two mouths descended, Bas and Mercury each soothing a nipple with ice and tongue, the touch nearly as much torment as relief. Saul grinned down at him and began to thrust so slow and smooth that it was hard to tell where out ended and in began, the sensation nothing more than one long glide of pleasure.

David fed Toby more water in another kiss, wetting a throat gone dry with lust and need. Toby kissed David back gratefully, licking every cool drop from lips and tongue as though that small distraction might keep him from breaking apart again, tortured by pleasure just as surely as pain. Saul's thrusts began to speed, rougher on the in than the out until he was snapping his hips and slamming into Toby while David swallowed every sound. Bas and Mercury simply kept up what they'd been doing, the scrape of their tongues now rough as sandpaper on the oversensitized flesh of Toby's abused nipples.

If only Jeremy were there, he thought, it would be perfect.

As if he'd read Toby's mind, David pulled back and whispered, "Open your eyes, and watch him come, so you can tell Jeremy later how his face looked while he loved you."

Toby shivered and complied, looking at Saul's face, his expression more open than Toby had ever seen -- love and lust and desperate need warring with Saul's control until he broke, burying himself in Toby's body with one last, deep thrust and a wordless shout. Toby shivered, close to coming again himself but wanting to save and savor it, having experienced his share of being fucked well past the point of pleasure -- while that had its place, now was not the time. Today was about them, together, reclaiming their love from those who had sought to buy it, twist it, stunt it and destroy it.

Saul leaned forward, arching his long torso over Toby's legs and the two boys still tormenting his nipples to steal a deep, sweet kiss before pulling away. "Want to roll back over?" he asked, fondling Toby's balls idly. Toby wiggled a little and nodded; he loved to watch them, but his arms were going to go numb if he lay on them like this for too long. Bas and Mercury both bit his nipples hard before moving away, making him whimper and writhe.

"You're so beautiful when you do that, cub," said Saul affectionately, then he rolled Toby over so his cheek was pressed into the mattress, knees spread wide and ass held high. Toby sighed happily, feeling Saul's come leak out of his loosened entrance, his whole body bound and already well-used, his cock heavy with the sort of languid desire that only came after such an incredible release.

"He's beautiful like this, too," said David, moving around behind him, spreading and stroking his cheeks. "Just perfect."

"Need to keep you occupied," said Bas, scooting cross-legged and lifting Toby's shoulders until they rested on his bent knees, feeding Toby his cock. Toby sucked it happily, his taste mingling with the others that lingered on Toby's tongue, filling his mouth and nose with the flavors of his lust.

David positioned himself at Toby's entrance and slid in with no other preamble, making Toby gasp around Bas' cock. Though he was slightly smaller than Saul, the difference in angle made it feel so much deeper, and Toby shivered. This was what he'd been aching for all week, to be fucked by his beloved pack, pleasured and abused until he was breathless and sated and sore. Mouth and ass full of cock, bound and helpless and at the mercy of four other men, Toby had never felt so free, so complete.

David set the pace, driving Toby's mouth further down onto Sebastian's shaft with rough thrusts. They were done with playing, and each stroke glided over Toby's sensitized prostate, David's fingers bruising Toby's hips with their implacable grip. Toby was relaxed and drifting on the pleasure, concentrating only enough to make sure he didn't choke but otherwise letting himself simply be a vessel for their need, their lust, all the week's frustrations and worries spilled into him one by one.

Toby lost track of the minutes long before David came with a soft moan, and he swallowed around Sebastian's cock convulsively. David slumped over his back, panting and showering little kisses over his shoulders. "Love you, Toby," he murmured, and Toby shivered; his mouth was still too full to respond any other way, but David seemed to get the point.

Toby heard footsteps in the hallway, then he was manhandled once more as Saul replaced Sebastian, his cock fresh-washed and smelling faintly of green tea soap as it slid easily into the space left by Sebastian, Toby's mouth no more than another orifice for tonight. Bas moved around behind Toby, waiting for David to pull out and roll off before sliding easily into him, cock slick with Toby's spit and Toby's entrance slippery with lube and come.

"God, I've missed you, cariño," said Bas, his accent -- virtually inaudible most days -- heightened by desire. His hands were as gentle as David's had been harsh, roaming possessively over Toby's body, stroking the bite marks he'd left earlier, his rhythm smooth but erratic, orgasm already close, Toby suspected, from fucking Toby's mouth as Saul was doing now.

The bed dipped and Bas stilled, throwing off Toby and making him nearly face plant into Saul's crotch. He was too distracted regaining the small balance he'd had to hear the murmured conversation behind him, and so he was surprised when the bonds holding his arms began to loosen. A well-lubricated finger slipped into him beside Sebastian's cock, and Toby whimpered around Saul's shaft as he realized what they meant to do.

Bas had worked three fingers into Toby alongside his own cock by the time Mercury got all of David's careful bindings undone, and David had found the energy to get up and go... somewhere. Toby was having trouble tracking at this point, so high on his body's natural opiates that he could barely remember his own name, let alone follow anyone who wasn't directly in contact with his body. He moaned softly as Saul's cock was removed and his shoulders rubbed, and he stretched his arms as best he could, given that he was still speared on Sebastian's cock.

Bas' fingers slipped out as well, and Toby was carefully sat up, then back into Sebastian's lap, his own body weight driving Bas deep inside him. The spreader bar was removed, and his hands were pulled up behind Bas' head by Saul's strong, sure hands. "Can you hold them there, cub?" Saul asked, and Toby nodded, unable to find his voice beneath the need to have someone, anyone in his mouth.

Mercury was suddenly in front of him, and Toby looked down to see his slender cock glistening with lube. "Do you want this, Toby?" Mercury asked shyly. It wasn't something they did often, but Mercury had read him right -- it was exactly what Toby needed.

"Please," Toby croaked, throat dry. "Want..." he glanced at Saul's cock, still wet with spit and dripping precome. "Suck."

"As soon as you've got Mercury in you," said Saul reassuringly, then he went and snagged a bit of melting ice out of the bowl nearby. "Open wide."

Toby obliged, glad for the cool, hard object to wet his throat with, something to think about as Mercury's fingers stretched him, as Mercury's blunt cockhead probed at him, seeking entrance. "Now," said Mercury softly, and Toby thought he might be steeling himself as much as warning Toby.

Still, Toby appreciated the chance to deliberately relax, feeling the stretch and burn he hadn't felt in a while as he was filled and overfilled, hearing Mercury sigh. "You're so tight, it's almost too much," he said breathlessly, hips giving a little jerk that slid him against Sebastian and made Toby gasp.

"All right there, cub?" said Saul, his cock mere inches from Toby's mouth. Toby nodded and opened wide without the order this time, and Saul chuckled and slid right in. Bas and Mercury began to move gently and Toby purred out of sheer contentment.

David made a reappearance, smelling of the sweet spiced soap he preferred as he came to stand next to Saul. "Do you think he can take us both?" he asked, cock already hard again and pointing at Toby.

Toby nodded his permission for them to try, and Saul pulled out most of the way so David could try and slip in. They managed to get the heads of both inside, stretching his mouth as wide as his ass, though the angle prevented them from going much deeper. He couldn't do anything, really, no finesse at all except his tongue slurping over and between them, unable to even keep from scraping with his teeth as they gently rocked together, Saul in and David out, then back again.

Toby felt his release coming from a long way away, the tingle of it starting deep inside with Mercury and Sebastian and traveling slowly out to his fingers and toes. He was powerless, utterly helpless to prevent it, to do anything really with four cocks inside him. Saul and David pushed in and in against his teeth and tongue, the roof of his mouth, the sides of his cheeks; Mercury and Bas stretched him wider than wide, putting constant pressure on his prostate, trapping his balls and cock against Mercury's lean stomach.

"Together," Saul whispered, hand working the base of his cock in the same rhythm as David's, and Toby had a flash of wondering what they really thought of him, that he'd consent to this, want this. Need this.

Foolish self-consciousness was swept away with everything else when Bas whispered, "Now." Toby's body responded automatically, the orgasm rushing back in to drown his senses in bright sparks of white-gold pleasure. Sebastian's teeth sunk into a shoulder as he shuddered against Toby, and Mercury's back bowed while his cock pulsed thick seed into Toby's already overfull body. David and Saul pulled back, stroking themselves off, coating his lips and tongue with salty pearls of their come.

Later he would be surprised he didn't black out from the overwhelming pleasure of it all; now he just swallowed convulsively, licking this sticky seed off his lips and as much of his chin as he could reach. Mercury pulled out gently, making Toby whimper at the loss, while David brought a warm, wet washcloth from the bathroom to clean up Toby's face.

"Bath or nap, cub?" Saul asked, fingers deftly undoing David's handiwork, Toby felt sticky and languid, limbs heavy and thighs wet with come, more dripping out as Bas pulled free with a whimper of his own.

"Can we all fit in the tub?" Toby asked, amazed that he could form a whole sentence. Saul undid the rest of the key knots and the last of the rope fell away, leaving Toby covered in rub marks, bite marks, love bites and small welts from the clamps, sweat and come and even some tears. Toby thought he'd never been so content in his entire life, but he understood the need to move.

"We can all fit in the bathroom, anyway," said David, and Saul lifted Toby like a child, carrying him easily through Jeremy's bedroom and into the master bath. The tub would fit three easily, four if they jostled, and was already full of fragrant, steaming water.

Mercury sat on the edge and smiled, having already done a quick wash on himself with yet another washcloth; Toby chuckled to himself, thinking that they'd have to do a lot of laundry tomorrow. Saul stepped into the bath and sank down carefully, moving them around until he was lying down with Toby curled protectively under one arm. Toby hissed as the hot water brought all his small hurts to the fore, amused to feel his cock give an interested twitch against Saul's thigh.

"That's our Kiss," said Saul with a grin. "Fucked into the ground and still enjoying the aftermath."

David chuckled from the doorway, and Sebastian followed him inside. "Any preference on who else joins you, cub?" Bas asked, reaching in to stroke Toby's sweat-damp hair off his face.

Toby shook his head. "Love you all the same, really," he said tiredly, feeling exhaustion setting in as the aches began to recede.

"So we've come to understand," said David, grinning. "How about one of you two? You only got to come once, after all," he said, looking from Bas to Mercury.

"Would you like me to wash you?" said Mercury shyly, when Bas nodded his acquiescence. Toby couldn't really blame Bas -- his hair was hell in a bath like this, tangling in everything and everyone if he didn't put it up first.

Toby grinned up at him and said, "Yes, please." Mercury's face lit up with delight and he slipped into the water with a happy sigh, finding the shampoo. David disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with a small metal bowl, which Mercury used to sluice water over Toby's head.

Toby just lay there and let himself be manhandled, enjoying the ministrations and the warm afterglow that weighed his limbs with warm satiation. "So," said Saul, helping Mercury to rinse the shampoo out of Toby's hair. "Should we let Jeremy come back before or after we nap?"

Toby wiggled against him, testing his own body's reactions. "Much as I want to say now," Toby said sheepishly, "I think I'm going to want a last go before he comes and steals you all away."

They all laughed at that, Mercury dropping a kiss on top of his wet head. "I love you so much, Toby," he said quietly, giving voice once again to the things so long unspoken among them. He resumed washing Toby, using a sponge and some of Jeremy's body wash in tacit acknowledgement of their missing member. Toby purred as the familiar scent engulfed him, cooperating as much as his tired muscles would allow as they moved him around until he was kneeling up in the tub with Mercury behind him.

His cock had twitched back to half-mast by the time Mercury reached it, and the gentle handling it received brought it fully hard. Mercury looked delighted, peering around Toby's body at it and rubbing his own cock up and down Toby's still-slick cleft. His voice held nothing but simple joy when he asked ingenuously, "Does this mean I get to come again?"

The rest of them laughed, but Toby twisted around enough to capture Mercury's mouth in a deep, wet kiss. "Yes, love, it does," he murmured against those smiling lips, and took another kiss even as Mercury's cock breached his body, slick with soap and gentle as a butterfly's touch.

And just as what had come before had been right then, this sweet slow lovemaking was perfect now, their bodies barely even rippling the water as they moved slowly together. One of Toby's hands was on the back of Mercury's neck, one of Mercury's holding Toby close and resting over his heart. Their other hands were resting, twined, on Toby's hip, and Toby could only be aware of the rightness of the two of them in that moment, surrounded by pack and finding just what they needed in each other.

"So beautiful," said Saul, not touching them or himself but just watching as Toby's eyes blinked open and met his own.

Toby didn't break the kiss, but he moaned softly as Mercury's cock brushed inside of him, sending sparks through his already overtaxed nerves. Mercury's hand tightened on Toby's and he did it again, and again, and Toby wondered that after all they had just done, he could still want and need this simplicity.

"They make me see what we all have inside of us," said David softly, and Toby let his eyes fall shut again as his reactions built and built, one upon the other. He was losing himself again, not into submission this time but only to love, and taking Mercury right along with him.

It was Sebastian's voice that pushed him over the edge, saying, "They show me how right our love is."

Toby cried out, and Mercury drank his cries and fed them back to him, riding Toby's release before seeking his own. A few more thrusts and he was there, biting Toby's lower lip as he spilled into Toby's body. He and Toby sank down into the water together, curling up against Saul's waiting body, both their heads pillowed on the long arm.

"All right," said Toby as Mercury slipped gently out of him, deftly rinsing away the remainder of the soap and come on their bodies, "*Now* it's time for a nap."

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy managed, through the miracle of coffee and being seated at his old table at Edie's, to eventually shuffle his current worries aside in favor of the pile of papers he'd brought along to grade. A number of them were good, some were awful, and he made a lot of notes for facts he wanted Celia to check on the internet for him before he gave a final grade, but by the time he'd made it through a substantial lunch, approximately two pots of coffee, several slices of pie and a dinner salad, he'd also made it through both stacks once.

He was well into the second reading, where he looked over his notes and the paper as a whole and assigned a grade to those that he could without further research, when his cell phone rang and nearly startled him out of his seat. A glance revealed it to be his own home number, and he found a smile breaking over his face as he answered. "I see at least one of you survived," he said, letting the smile bleed over into his voice.

"No casualties yet, actually," said Saul, sounding inordinately smug, "though Toby'll have to keep his shirt on at school tomorrow."

Jeremy snorted, nearly inhaling a mouthful of coffee. "That's not usually much of an issue, but I'm sure I've got a turtleneck he can borrow if he needs extra coverage. I take it you enjoyed your reunion with his ass?"

Jeremy enjoyed the small revenge he got as Saul broke out in surprised laughter. "Yeah, we all did. Now it's time for you to come home to us, Dr. No, and see if one or two of us can't get you to say yes, yes, *yes*!"

Jeremy laughed out loud that time, his cheeks reddening despite the cheesy tone of Saul's voice as he began to fake an entirely unconvincing orgasm on the other end of the line. "Let me get my check and finish this paper, and I'll be home in a few. Is Bas feeding us, or should I stop for takeout?" he asked, talking right over the top of Saul's moaning.

Saul gave up the act and replied, "He's already cooking, so you're in the clear. Just get that cute butt of yours home to your pack."

"Yes, sir," said Jeremy playfully, then hung up on Saul's stunned silence. He skimmed through the last few pages of the paper and inked its B- in red pen over the original penciled-in grade, then tucked everything neatly away and got ready to head home to his incorrigible new family.

Chapter 28

Come Monday morning Toby woke slowly, suffused with a feeling of well-being, warmth and simple, sweet pleasure. He started to stretch before he realized that the sensations shivering through his body weren't leftover from a dream or from last night. He opened his eyes to see Saul's wicked mouth stretched wide around his cock, looked over his shoulder and found that it was Sebastian who was fucking him with a look of intent concentration on that beautiful face, while slender hips moved with excruciating slowness. "Fuck," said Toby, unable to think of anything more appropriate in that moment.

"Yes," said Bas, leaning in and finding Toby's mouth, taking it with the same gentle thoroughness. "We are," he said between kisses, hips speeding slowly even as the kisses grew more fierce.

Toby never fully made it into consciousness, floating on the haze of dreams and reality, Saul's clever mouth and Sebastian's thick, hot cock. Bas alternated between sipping at Toby's lips, and devouring his mouth, one hand on his hip to keep him still while they worked him between them -- all pleasure theirs to give, and him nothing but a vessel, recipient.

"Come for us, Toby," Bas whispered into his ear, mouth hot and implacable, and drank Toby's cries from slack lips as he arched and came and came, sensation shuddering through him until there was nothing but pleasure, white-hot and pulsing through his veins and into Saul's waiting mouth.

Toby was surprised when Bas pulled out without coming, whimpering as the loss completed his feeling of emptiness, as though everything he was had been washed away by pleasure and left new and clean, waiting to be filled with meaning. "Watch," Bas whispered in his ear, and Toby settled in eagerly, languid and ready.

Saul rolled over onto his back, legs and arms spread invitingly, and Sebastian settled onto him like two pieces of a puzzle. Saul arched, all his usual reserve abandoned in these early morning hours as Bas slid into him, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's shoulders and baring his throat in mute surrender. Sebastian loved him with the same inevitable thoroughness he'd used with Toby, and Saul's body moved beneath the onslaught like a sapling bending to the wind's caress, his back bowed, hips lifting to meet the thrusts and breath no more than gasps.

They were absolutely beautiful together, with Sebastian's hair as a backdrop, falling like a curtain over the far side and shading them in an erotic chiaroscuro of warm shadow and pale winter sunlight. Sebastian and Saul locked eyes, brown into brown, and Toby could see the love flowing between them, and knew that this was what they wanted him to see. It filled him up slowly, starting as a loosening in his chest and spilling outward, a different kind of heat that spread through his limbs and brought him back to himself, whole and hale and ready to meet the day.

How could he not be, when he had this waiting for him? They were nearing the end, small moans floating on the air between them, hips moving faster now, more erratically. Toby had never seen Saul come from this, so much the quintessential top, and that alone was enough to take his breath away as Saul closed his eyes and trembled in Sebastian's arms. It was enough for Bas as well, and his head dipped toward Saul's, hiding them both in a fall of silken black as he shivered, buried as deeply as he could in his lover's body.

"Beautiful," Toby whispered after a long moment of silence, and he was greeted with breathless laughter.

Bas sat up on his haunches and tossed his hair back, still joined with Saul, who simply looked smug and well-fucked, spattered with his own seed and grinning like the cat who'd just gotten thoroughly fucked by the canary. "Enjoy the show, cub?" Saul asked, one arm reaching out lazily.

Toby twined his fingers with Saul's and grinned back. "All of it," he replied, glancing between their two bright gazes. He paused, just breathing in the scent of them, home and pack and everything he'd need for the rest of his life, before he finished, "I'm ready to go back out into the world now, knowing that such love waits for my return."

"Good," said Bas with an utterly self-satisfied tone. He looked down at Saul with warm affection and added, "I told you so."

Saul laughed, free hand gliding upward to cup Sebastian's cheek. "Never happier to be wrong," he said, then lifted his shoulders up for a kiss in a blatant bit of showing-off, cobbled abdomen tense and straining as he fed at Sebastian's mouth.

Toby laughed delightedly, then stretched with the animal grace given to him by his heritage, a thing he'd grown so comfortable with by now that he could no longer find it in him to regret. "You gonna cook breakfast, or should I drag Dr. J to Edie's?" said Toby, standing slowly and stretching again, light from the windows striping his body in strange patterns.

Saul flopped back down and gave Bas an expectant look, and Sebastian rolled his eyes, then pulled out carefully and stood. "I'll cook, but I get the bathroom first," he said with a smirk.

Toby found himself tangled once more in the sheets as Saul pounced him, pulling him down for a series of giggling kisses that spoke more than any words at all. They were all right now, no more worries about who loved who more, those distinctions dissolved with their old life into mist and past. They were who they were, and that's all that mattered -- none of them, Toby or Saul or even Jeremy, was expecting one-and-only, and that meant they were gaining more and more every day.

Toby giggled and let Saul kiss him breathless, feeling as though the blood-price they'd paid for this freedom was, in the end, a sacrifice well worth the reward.

* ~ * ~ *

The scent of Earl Grey drifted into Jeremy's dreams, the rich earthy tea underlying the bright top note of citrus and adding a strange twist to the sensual images dancing through his head. He slowly became aware of voices in the room, of the cool brush of air where there had, he was fairly sure, been a body very recently. That was enough to make him blink, glad for the curtains limned with morning light that kept most of the sunshine at bay.

He looked around for the source of the voices and found Mercury and David, and managed to make sense of the noise, fascinated suddenly by the rich pink of Mercury's lips, the darker coral of David's, and how close they were to one another.

"I don't even know if he wants me that way," said Mercury, looking wistful but determined not to go along with whatever David was obviously proposing, presumably involving Jeremy's sleeping body.

"I can assure you that there's virtually no way in which I don't want you," said Jeremy with a sleepy smile that grew more amused when both their heads snapped his way, wide-eyed and flushed.

"You'd want him to be inside you, right?" said David, with a tone that implied that this argument had been going on for a while.

Jeremy's grin grew sensual and he stretched, then bent his knees and spread his legs, the sheet tenting between them. "Right now would be good, in fact," he replied, giving Mercury the most come-hither look he could muster.

Mercury bit his lip and flushed a lovely shade of scarlet, and a glance downward showed an equally lovely erection rising from his freshly-shaven groin. Jeremy gave a little moan at that new detail; the skin looking so touchably smooth that his hands actually twitched at his sides. "You want me that much?" said Mercury, biting his lip, one hand reaching out to stroke down Jeremy's sheet-covered calf.

"Oh yes," Jeremy sighed, shoving the sheet off to show how hard he was, moisture already beading at the tip just from the thought of those smooth balls rubbing over his ass while Mercury's elegant erection filled him. "Now, please?"

Mercury whimpered, then went down on all fours and crawled up the bed and Jeremy's body, nuzzling at his face until Jeremy took his mouth in a sweet, hot kiss. Mercury moved his hips, rubbing their cocks together, sliding his balls over Jeremy's and making Jeremy whimper. The sound came again when David's fingers, cool and slick with gel, slid along his cleft. "Want to taste you while David prepares me," Jeremy whispered, tugging upward with his hands. "Take my mouth," he added with a wicked little half-smile, "please."

David made them both jump by swatting Jeremy on the ass. "Just for that I should deny you both," he said, then slipped two fingers into Jeremy with no warning at all. Jeremy gasped, his legs falling further open and his back arching at the sudden intrusion, pleasure edged with the small pain that only made it sweeter. "But I won't. Do as he says, Mercury."

"Yes, sir," said Mercury quietly, stealing one last kiss before moving upward, hands bracing on the headboard as his cock was presented to Jeremy's eagerly parted lips.

"Thank you, sir," said Jeremy impishly; he might not have gotten his lesson, but he was already picking up on some of the easier points of the etiquette.

David chuckled, and Mercury's cock twitched. "God, it's so hot to hear you say that," said Mercury, sliding the head past Jeremy's lips before Jeremy could summon an answer.

Mercury tasted salty and a bit sweet, with a touch of mint and soap that made Jeremy wonder if they'd just now shaved him, while Jeremy slept unknowing in the next room. He put that thought out of his mind, instead bringing his hands up; one in front to cup Mercury's balls, smooth and slightly damp, the texture fascinating as Jeremy rolled them in his palm; the other curled around that perfect ass, fingers slipping between the taut cheeks as though they belonged there and finding the hole dry and tight, inviting visions of opening it with just his tongue.

David's fingers moved in and out in a smooth glide of lube and long practice, making Jeremy's body hunger for more even as it was fed as deeply as he could take it in his throat, given the angle. He moaned and canted his hips upward, sucking hard on the shaft in his mouth while David added a third finger. "I wish I had the time to put my whole hand in you," said David, his voice low and sensual. "We'd both fit easily inside afterward, your hole stretched tight around two hard cocks."

Jeremy moaned, and Mercury slipped deeper into him, cutting off the sound midstream and making Jeremy's cock twitch and leak. He'd never really seen Mercury being even this dominant, and he was surprised by how much the change turned him on. David's words were just more fuel to the fire, the thought of having them both taking him at the same time sending a shiver of lust through his body, and he sucked as best he could while Mercury's hips began to slowly fuck his willing mouth.

"He's ready for you now," said David, fingers slipping away and leaving Jeremy aching for more.

"He's such a good boy," said Mercury, thrusting as deeply as he could and stroking Jeremy's hair for interminable seconds before sliding away. Jeremy gasped for breath, fascinated by the wet glide of Mercury's cock as it slid back down over his body, behind his balls and into him in what seemed like one long stroke, out and out and out and then back in. Jeremy finished the moan he'd started earlier, hands gripping the sheets now they'd been denied the smooth contours of Mercury's flesh.

"And where shall I take my pleasure, then?" said David, his voice holding that note of command that already worked magic on Jeremy's nerves, melting him to pliancy in an instant.

"Wherever would please you most, sir," said Jeremy, echoing words he'd heard Mercury say before.

Mercury trembled where he was, buried to the hilt in Jeremy's ass and waiting, presumably, for the order to move. The fine tremors made Jeremy wonder if David hadn't already made his choice, what those hands were doing where Jeremy couldn't see them. David moved around Mercury's still form a moment later, grinning wickedly as his eyes roamed over them both. "I think I want both your mouths," he said, and Mercury moaned softly, though whether from desire or disappointment, Jeremy couldn't say.

Jeremy nodded and waited for David to show them how he meant to accomplish that. David wasted no time, slinking up the bed and straddling Jeremy's face, not forward the way Mercury had but facing down his body. Jeremy hooked his arms around David's legs and spread his cheeks, the puckered skin of his entrance seeming tiny and untouched compared to the stretch of Jeremy's own body around Mercury's cock. "Suck me, and you can move," said David, obviously to Mercury. He reached down and patted one of Jeremy's arms and said more quietly, "I can see you've already figured out what I want."

"Yes, sir," Jeremy replied, caressing David's flesh with the words, then following close behind with his tongue. He tasted of the same mint-and-soap that had been on Mercury's cock, which gave Jeremy images of one with the other that made him moan. Evidently David liked that, or Mercury had finally complied with his orders, because he gasped and pushed back onto Jeremy's tongue.

Jeremy speared into him, the soap giving way to darker flavors, the opening clenching around Jeremy's tongue. Jeremy could already tell that he wouldn't last long between the two of them, and he set to using his tongue to give David as much pleasure as he could. He alternated between fucking the tiny hole in the same rhythm that Mercury's hips were using on him, and teasing licks over the whole area, his tongue flat and broad as he went from balls to tailbone over and over, always coming back to that twitching center.

Mercury's cock inside him was distracting and perfect, the strokes deep and even with a little twist of the hips that made him feel like he was being opened even further, that pressed Mercury's cock against his prostate unerringly. He felt the edge approaching inexorably, creeping along his spine and gathering at the base, making his hands shake and hair stand on end as he tried to hold back in some strange instinct to wait for permission or just for them to come with him. He began to pay attention to the sounds above him, the wet slurp of Mercury's mouth on David's cock, the litany of moans and half-spoken encouragements falling from David's lips, and felt the creeping turn to a rush.

He tried to distract himself by licking deeper into David, mouth wide and tongue stretched as far as it could go, but one of David's hands crept down past Mercury's body and found one of Jeremy's nipple rings, giving it a sharp tug that he could feel echoes of much lower on his body. He tightened his hands on David's ass as a warning, and heard something like agreement in response as David gasped, "Yes, now!"

David's body jerked over him, pulling away from his mouth and toward Mercury's heat, and Jeremy gripped harder and lifted his head just enough to keep fucking the clenching entrance with his tongue. Mercury's hips snapped forward and his cock pulsed heat deep into Jeremy's body, and Jeremy let go finally, tongue deep as it could go, cock trapped between his own body and Mercury's, spilling pleasure out between them like an overflow from his stuttering nervous system, white seed and white noise filling him up until he had nothing left.

He came back to himself with a gasp; he'd lost a few moments there, and there were mouths on him now, Mercury licking the seed from his belly while David twisted down and around and replaced Mercury's cock with his own hungry mouth. Jeremy twitched and moaned, the overload of pleasure nearly pain as they cleaned him with wicked efficiency. Mercury moved up and gave Jeremy a deep kiss, sharing the mingled seed that still coated his tongue, while David probed deeper, licking the come out of Jeremy's body with the same single-minded intensity that Jeremy remembered from his initiation.

Long after Jeremy thought he might die just from the pleasure of it, David, finally satisfied, moved up on Jeremy's other side and joined them in a wet, messy three-way kiss that tasted of salt oceans and life, and dark, rich earth. Jeremy left his legs spread wide, the cool air a sweet caress after the combined heat of Mercury's cock and David's insistent mouth.

"Now that is how I want all my Mondays to start," said a voice from the doorway, and Jeremy closed his legs and blushed, hiding his face in Mercury's hair. "Aww, now don't stop on my account."

David sat up a little and ran his hand down Jeremy's body, collarbone to hip and then between his legs, gently pushing until Jeremy spread them again, cheeks burning. "See something you like, Saul?" said David, hand gliding back up to fondle Jeremy's balls, one fingertip dipping into his wet, loosened opening.

"Wishing it wasn't already time for him to get up," said Saul, and Jeremy felt the bed dip. "Do you suppose you two could wash him while I fuck him?"

Jeremy shivered and whimpered when his hips were lifted, legs draped over Saul's and Saul's cockhead placed at his entrance, teasing back and forth over the sensitive skin. "Please," he whispered, not sure what he was pleading for, but needing to ask, to beg from these men today.

"Oh yes," said David, giving Jeremy's balls a final rough fondle.

He and Mercury pulled away, and Jeremy found himself laid out like an offering in Saul's lap, with nowhere to look but into those coffee-hot eyes. "Is that what you'd like, Jeremy?" Saul asked, hips rocking in minute movements, pressing him closer and closer to Jeremy's flesh until Jeremy thought he might go mad from the waiting.

"Please!" he begged again, arching into the touches, and that was apparently enough for Saul.

Saul grabbed Jeremy's hips and tugged him sharply downward, onto Saul's slick, waiting cock. Jeremy cried out and threw his head back, the suddenness of it almost too much pleasure for his overstimulated nerves. He felt himself being gently lifted until he was cradled in Saul's arms, then steadied on the end of Saul's cock as he was carried into the shower. Saul leaned not Jeremy but himself against the far wall, while the hot water cascaded over Jeremy's body. Saul braced Jeremy's lower back while Jeremy's arms twined around his neck, and began to thrust with his hips, a feat of strength that would be more impressive if Jeremy didn't know he was a shapeshifter.

Jeremy just held on and took it, accepted the fucking, the soap-slick hands that roamed his body, the kisses that were pressed to his mouth, the teasing strokes to his renewed erection. In that moment he thought he understood the appeal of submission, of surrendering to someone else's will and taking whatever they chose to bestow upon you, whether it was this overwhelming pleasure or the bright sparks of pain brought by nipping teeth and tugging fingers. He was rinsed clean, and then someone washed his hair while a mouth closed around his cock, and he rode the waves of pleasure, rode Saul's cock and his own new-bright need to completion.

"Oh yes," Saul moaned as Jeremy came in slow pulses, his body clenching around Saul's shaft, milking it until there was no other option but release. Saul's hands gripped Jeremy's hips, driving him down onto Saul's cock as it spilled into him, and he moaned again, eyes closed and body awash with sensation as he was rinsed clean once more.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy was feeling utterly sated when he wandered into the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed but for socks and shoes and followed by three smug naked men. "So," he said conversationally as he slid into the booth next to Toby, "are they why you always seemed so chipper on Monday mornings?"

Toby looked over at him with eyes full of the same sensual knowledge that burned in his own stomach, and grinned, "Yep. Welcome to the pack once again, Dr. J."

Jeremy stretched and yawned while Bas set down a cup of perfectly prepared tea and an omelet in front of him. "I can definitely get used to this," he said, and dug in, mind already ranging to the difficulties of the day ahead, Toby's first Pack Mind class since the attack, scheduling issues and making up for Friday's missed work. It might have started with several bangs and quite a bit of whimpering, but his day was far from ended.

* ~ * ~ *

Celia was already there when they arrived, and Toby gratefully accepted the coffee she'd been kind enough to prepare. Jeremy had already told him he wasn't to attend any more of his other class, so he could spend the morning helping Celia repair the damage Jeremy had done to their filing system; they had Pack Mind that afternoon, and Toby wasn't sure how he felt about going. He wanted to see his pack, whom Jeremy said were doing well in his absence though they asked about him regularly, but he didn't know if he was up to facing Ben yet, and the oily solicitousness that always hid some ulterior motive that Toby didn't quite understand yet.

He rather hoped he wouldn't ever understand it, because he had a feeling he'd regret the day he did.

"You are my coffee goddess," said Jeremy gratefully, pouring himself a cup and immediately becoming lost in the paperwork neatly piled on his desk.

"Nice to see you, too," said Celia wryly. She turned in her chair to give Toby a piercing once-over, then nodded. "All better?"

"Everything definitely still works as advertised," said Toby with a wicked grin.

Jeremy looked over and said in a distracted voice, "I wasn't involved in the testing, don't worry."

Toby blushed, and Celia laughed. "All right, then, you'd better get your butt in gear, because Dr. J's made a mess of his paperwork as usual. And I've got some stuff for you, too," she said, turning and picking up a slim folder. "Forms to schedule your other final as a private test, and to accept the time slot they've assigned you for the oral defense of your dissertation." She picked up another folder, this one bursting with small bits of paper. "This is more get well notes from your fellow Pack Mind students. Dr. J's got his own folder."

"How are they taking the news?" said Toby, scooting his chair over next to hers and leafing through the notes, tucking aside the few that might be relevant to their grade and leaving the more generic well-wishes in the folder.

Celia shrugged, turning back to her computer while he concentrated on his task. "Mostly concerned. A couple have come fishing to see how 'dangerous' you really are, and of course there's always Ben." She gave him a stern look. "You stay away from that boy, he's trouble with a capital T, you hear me?"

"Yes'm," said Toby with a little smile. He'd already sorted a few of Ben's notes out, seemingly innocuous inquiries that made his hackles rise, about how he was doing, when he'd be back, and where he was staying.

"Good boy," she said absently, entering data off a stack of graded papers while Toby sorted through the rest of the notes.

He was amused and warmed by the tone of some of the notes, especially Jon's, which seemed to get sweeter and more bold each time. Toby felt a special warmth at the fact that Jon's crush didn't seem to have changed one whit for Toby being outed as a shifter, and he closed the folder with a smile, Jon's latest note on the top of the stack. "What needs filing, and what needs to go to class with him this morning?" Toby asked, looking around at the stacks littering the office; it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been at first, but it was still confusing after a week away.

She finished up the line she'd been typing, then got him started. Between them, they managed to drag Jeremy away from his desk and to his morning class, and then cleaned like a whirlwind while the professor was gone. They even got Toby's paperwork filed and delivered in time to join Pete and Jeremy for a nice celebratory lunch. Pete was his usual cheerful self, paint-covered and unselfconsciously chattering away while they ate, whispered conversations swirling around them -- Toby had become something of a campus celebrity, and his reappearance was much-noted.

Still, they managed to eat and get back to the office in plenty of time for the one class Toby was both dreading and looking very much forward to -- Pack Mind. He'd have to stay after to talk to everyone that had sent him a note, and he gathered everything together with that in mind, only half there as his thoughts ranged ahead to the rest of the afternoon.

"Didn't you hear me?" said Jeremy, nearly in his ear.

"Um, what?" said Toby, blushing and feeling certain parts of him twitch to life at Jeremy's closeness. "Sorry, I was thinking."

"Obviously," said a voice from behind him, and he whirled. Jon was standing just inside the office with a wry, affectionate little smile on his face; Chad and Jennifer were hovering in the doorway behind him. "Dr. J said we could borrow you before class, if you're not busy?"

Toby shook his head, feeling strangely shy about resuming his Alpha duties, now that he'd been outed as the leader of his own, real pack. "I was just going over some stuff for class. I think the room's empty, we'll just go on ahead. Celia, you'll make sure he gets there on time?"

Celia grinned and nodded, but it was Pete who spoke up from where he'd been pouring himself some of their ubiquitous coffee. "We'll make sure he gets to you in one piece."

"Well, if you say so then I know it's true," said Toby, giving him a bit of a nudge as he topped off his own cup. He stuffed everything in his messenger bag, slung it across his chest and turned back to Jon and the others. "Shall we?"

"Sir, yes, sir," said Jon with a wink, and Toby found his cheeks heating again as he followed them out into the hallway. "Did you get all of our notes?" he asked, falling into step beside Toby.

Toby nodded. "I saw you had a few questions for me; I'm sorry I was out of touch for so long, but I'm sure you know by now that it was necessary."

"We're just glad you're safe," said Chad, coming up on his other side and slinging an arm over Toby's shoulders, and the unconscious echo of Saul's casual affection gave Toby a bit more difficulty walking.

"I'm glad we're all safe," said Toby quietly. His sense of smell went into overdrive, too, homing in on the clean, masculine scents of the two men on either side of him, riding on a small cloud of pheromones from both of them, though he wasn't quite sure if Chad's lust was directed at him or Jennifer. Or maybe both. He was just grateful to have a chance to sit and adjust himself surreptitiously when they got to the classroom.

Jon sat next to Toby, with Chad again taking the other side and Jennifer next to Chad. Jon pulled out some class notes, sliding them in front of Toby and then scooting closer under the pretense of needing to see. "We've mostly been doing wrap up on our papers in class, they're due today. Since you contributed early research, we just went ahead and got it all written and proofed, and it's ready to turn in." He leaned down and fished around in his bag again, one hand going to Toby's thigh for balance, and pulled out a neat little presentation folder, clear cover showing the title and byline: "Beta: The Varied Roles Within Pack Structures, by the Lunatic Fringe."

Jon's hand didn't move when he leaned back in, and Toby found it a bit difficult to concentrate when Chad's arm went back around his shoulders. Jennifer leaned in as well, but as the contact Beta and not the task Beta, she had little to contribute to this part of the conversation. "No one flaked, miraculously, although we did have to excuse one person due to illness, plus of course you didn't get the final read-through you'd wanted because of the trouble," said Jon, giving his thigh a little squeeze.

"I understand," said Toby, cursing the way his voice hitched as Jon's hand inched upward. "I, um, I'll read it over t-tonight, I'm sure if I find anything I can convince our dear professor to let me sneak in the changes before he grades it. We're getting them back Thursday at the meeting, right?" He got the words out in a rush, practically squeaking the last word when warm fingers brushed his balls; he could only be grateful that he'd declined Saul's offer to put him in a harness so he wouldn't forget for a moment about his real Pack.

"Yes," said Jon, breathing into Toby's ear. "I attended last week's meeting in your place," he said in a slightly more normal voice, when Jennifer shot them both a strange look. "Nothing really important happened, though we're putting together a study guide for next week, per Dr. J's instructions."

"We tried to take care of everything while you were gone," said Chad, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

Toby gently pushed Jon's hand down so it was back on his lower thigh, and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head of the fog of desire clouding it. "You guys did a great job, really," he said, leaving his hand over Jon's half in acknowledgement of the affection, and half as a simple restraint to keep some of his blood in his brain where it belonged. "Um, Jennifer, you said you were having trouble getting a hold of Josh, I'm assuming that worked itself out?"

Jennifer scooted forward a bit, giving Toby an excuse to lean into Chad so he could see her better while she spoke. "Yep. He missed class last Wednesday; he was just down with the flu but when I called him I got a disconnect message. It turns out I'd misread his handwriting, which sucks I might add," she explained, looking slightly embarrassed. "Other than that, everyone's been very cooperative about keeping in touch, except you of course."

"Hey, don't blame me for that, the cops kept it all under wraps!" Toby said, holding up both his hands in mock-surrender. "Chad, you said the assignments were all taken care of, are the people who're doing the study guide all volunteers then?"

Chad nodded. "Josh is doing a big part of it, since he missed his proofing deadline," he said, fingers stroking Toby's shoulder in a way that was a bit more than friendly. "And Jennifer offered to work on it with him, since she didn't do anything for the paper other than coordinate contacts."

"That's great," said Toby, as Jon's hand slid back up to cup and squeeze his erection. "Um, Jennifer?" he asked, needing to figure out what was going on, preferably without an audience.

"Yeah?" she asked, oblivious to the effect the boys' hands were having on him.

"Could you, um, take my cup out and get me some water? I'm getting a bit of a headache," Toby said, thinking of the first thing he could that might get her away for a few. And his head was beginning to ache, it just wasn't the one she thought.

"Oh! Sure. I've got some Tylenol in my car, I think there's time before class to grab it." She stood up and grabbed his cup, thankfully only the dregs left in the bottom, and gave him a wink. "You kids have fun."

Toby gave up and leaned forward, head just barely hitting his arms instead of the desk. "Cruel!" he said, "What have I done to deserve this?"

Gentle fingers touched his hair, and she said quietly, "We were just worried, is all, and... well, let's just say it's obvious you wouldn't welcome it from me, so they're filling in, all right?"

"But in the classroom?" said Toby plaintively, while Jennifer made a hasty exit, cup in hand and laughter on her lips.

He sat up only to find himself pulled practically into Chad's lap and hugged tight. "I guess we didn't realize how much we'd missed you until we saw you bending over those papers," he said, dropping a kiss on top of Toby's hair.

Jon scooted closer, gently petting Toby's thigh and flank, occasionally rubbing up over his needy cock. "I never knew how much I really wanted to be a part of your life until I was shut out of it."

Toby groaned and spread his legs involuntarily when one of Chad's fingers brushed a nipple just as Jon's hand cupped his balls. "I... oh... I'm... fuck, guys, I'm in... it's complicated."

"You're taken?" said Jon, pulling back until his hand rested on Toby's knee.

"I... sort of?" said Toby, wiggling just to feel the rough denim sliding over his cock, to feel Chad's erection pressing into his ass. "I'm in a pack, a real one, and we... um. It's complicated."

"Damn," said Chad, loosening his hold. "Not even just this once to welcome you back?"

"Not in the classroom!" said Toby, his cock twitching and leaking at the very thought of it, being had by them both right here and now.

Jon grinned wickedly. "So, if we took you into the bathroom?" he asked, smoothing his hands up and down Toby's spread thighs and looking distinctly hungry.

Toby blushed and wiggled again, torn between the new unity he'd found with his pack, and this casually friendly offer with two very attractive young men. "I... fuck, no, I really can't. We've just gone through something big, and... we haven't talked about what that means for, well, this sort of thing, but... they're too important for me to risk it."

Jon sighed, leaning up and pressing first their bodies, then their lips together for a single sweet-hot kiss. "Let me know if you change your mind, or decide your pack's looking for fresh meat," he growled, and Toby shivered.

Chad nipped at his ear, then gently turned his head until they could kiss, fingers stroking down his neck and over his collarbone as Chad fed at his lips. "Keep us in mind next time you're wanting a bit of variety," he whispered, and Toby whimpered.

It was going to be a long class.

Toby slid back into his chair, nearly jumping out of his skin when Jon cupped his cock again and said enticingly, "Not even one little blowjob?"

Toby closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then another. He looked at the clock, hoping it would tell him there just wasn't enough time, but the traitorous device showed over half an hour until class. "I... no. I really can't, god, as much as I want to."

"Ah, well," said Jon, giving Toby's cock one last squeeze before putting both hands on the table, "it was worth a shot, right?"

Toby let out a shaky laugh and squirmed in his seat once more. "Yeah, more than worth it. Any other time, I'd have been first through the door, but... I just can't right now."

They both nodded, each kissing him chastely one more time before turning to go over the rest of the details from the last week of classes. Jennifer showed back up with the Tylenol and a smirk, and looked quite disappointed when they shook their heads at her tacit inquiry. Toby took the pills gratefully; he was starting to get his feigned headache as his mind looped over the same thoughts again and again: their offer, and what it meant that he'd turned it down, whether or not the pack would really be exclusive within themselves, and what that would mean for anyone trying for membership.

That, and the lingering taste of Jon and Chad's kisses on his lips, the persistent erection between his thighs, and the puzzle of Jon's offer to join the pack.

"Um, Jon?" he asked, quietly, as the hour crept closer to two and they were ousted from the seats they'd borrowed. The two of them sat next to each other in the front row, having changed seats when they'd officially appointed Jon and the pack Betas.

"Yeah," said Jon, settling in and spreading his papers back out.

"Are you a shifter?" Toby asked, voice low to protect Jon's reputation one way or another. He hadn't smelled like one, but some species didn't so much, especially not when Toby's nose was trained to recognize cats far more readily than any other shifter base.

Jon shook his head. "Sorcerer, actually," he said, "though I was born with the potential. My dad's from the Wave Riders, Orca pack out west. He still doesn't understand why I wanted to go to a landlocked university. He doesn't think the river counts."

"Oh," said Toby, floored. Intellectually he'd known that the university was known for its School of Magic, but he'd never run with any of the school crowds, let alone the reclusive budding Sorcerers. "I... um, we've already got... but once we're official, maybe?"

"You're not official?" said Jon, sounding fascinated. "We touched on the registration process last week, but I've never known anyone who wasn't in an older pack."

Toby nodded. "The Bone Kin are sponsoring us, thanks to Dr. J, but we've got some, um, irregularities we need to sort out before we get recognized. There's only half a dozen of us, actually, and we're a bit... um... unusual." He flushed, thinking of what sorts of activities they considered essential to proper pack bonding. "We're all male, for one."

"Wow, I've never heard of an all-male pack. You're not looking for generations of longevity then, I take it?" Jon's fingers twitched, and Toby got the rather amusing impression he was dying to take notes.

"We didn't really... we sort of fell together, and we've only recently decided to register ourselves as a pack. I don't think any of us have thought much past the next five years, to be honest," said Toby. That was a strange thought, what might happen to the pack in fifty years when they started to die out. What might happen in the meantime -- all packs, especially small ones like his, were required to entertain applications for new membership, even if they never accepted anyone. He couldn't imagine bringing anyone in right now, though Jon certainly seemed a likely candidate, if they were to choose on the basis of similar proclivities, anyway.

Jon nodded, then bit his lip, looking as though he wasn't sure how his next words would be received. "Are you, um... I mean, you said your pack, before..."

Toby chuckled. "We're all, though there's two members who don't with each other because of outside influences." That was a good way to describe the gulf of time and social stigma that separated him and Jeremy, a few short weeks that felt more and more like eternity every day.

As if conjured by the thought, Jeremy came in, and Toby realized with a start that the room had filled up while he was lost in conversation with Jon. That alone was something to recommend him, and Toby made a swift and slightly reckless decision. "Let me give you my cell phone," Toby said, scribbling the number down on a scrap of paper. "Don't give it out to anyone but Chad, all right? If the two of you want to, y'know, keep in touch after class is over... anyway, you've got the option."

He wasn't sure why he felt so awkward, but Jon's face lit up as he carefully pocketed the note as though it were precious. "Thank you. This... it means a lot, I know you're still... well, thank you."

Toby gave his hand a quick squeeze and shot him a reassuring smile, then turned to face the front of the class where Jeremy was still shuffling papers about in his usual pre-class spate of fidgeting. Once again Toby found himself caught up in just looking, reflecting on how different Jeremy looked today than that first day -- changed, not by any outward sign, but the warmth that love gave to his smile, the familiarity of his movements, the proprietary affection that Toby felt every time their eyes met even for a moment. Jeremy was his now, consummated or not, and that made all the difference.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy had to push back a small surge of jealousy when he saw Toby squeezing Jon's hand; he hadn't been at all blind to the looks that Jon had been giving Toby earlier, or the way Jon was leaning more into Toby's space than usual. Still, it wasn't up to him to police Toby's fidelity or even demand it, and in all fairness he wouldn't really want to. Toby was who he was, and his openness with sex was as much a part of his appeal as the unrestrained affection he offered back to those who loved him.

He found himself smiling at the thought, remembering not so much the glimpses he'd seen of Toby *in flagrante*, but the thousand small kindnesses he'd seen Toby perform, from knowing how each pack member liked their coffee to helping Jeremy with research when he needed to check facts in a student's paper and Celia was off at her own classes. The gentleness with which he treated Mercury, the fierceness he showed to anyone who might harm his pack, and... Jeremy bit his lip and shook his head. He should be getting ready to lecture, not mooning over his student.

He took a deep breath, checked the clock, and scanned the crowd, feeling a small jolt of connection each time Toby met his gaze with those clear blue eyes that showed every thought that passed through his head, and currently glowed with an affection that Jeremy thought might give them both away. One last sweep of the room showed most of the students settled in, and Jeremy tapped his notes on the desk before straightening up to speak.

"I'm sure you've all heard about the recent dramatics in my life and Toby's, and have a million questions. Everything has worked itself out, and I would prefer to put this behind me, so I won't be answering any of them, I'm afraid," he said wryly, seeing all the faces fall, noting the irritation especially on Ben's. "I'll also ask you not to pester Toby for details, either, as he's got a lot of catching up to do. I assure you that we're both fine, and that's all you need to know."

More disgruntled looks, and a general shifting and muttering that spoke of possible mutiny to Jeremy if he didn't get things going. "Now, although I missed class on Friday your papers are still technically due today. Do all four packs have their papers ready?" He got nods from all around, and smiled, "Splendid. If you could bring those up, then, I can try and have them graded to be returned to the Alphas for our last meeting on Thursday."

There was the required rustling and muttering as Toby, Ben, Laurell and Anne brought their papers forward, all of them neatly typed and thick enough to make Jeremy dread reading through them. Still, after Sunday's marathon grading session he was basically done with the rest of his classes, and this was a small price to pay to be free and clear with Toby as soon as physically possible. "Wonderful," he said when they'd all sat back down. "Now, Friday's class was supposed to be last-minute paper reviews, so we haven't missed much there."

A hand went up, and he resisted the urge to snicker. "Yes, Carmen?" She was one of Anne's Betas, exacting and competent much like their Alpha.

"We took roll, just in case you were going to count the attendance, did you want it?" she asked hopefully, and Jeremy had a feeling some of the class had heard about Jeremy's absence ahead of time and not shown up.

"No, that's not necessary. If I wasn't here, I can hardly expect you to have been, now can I?" He smiled reassuringly even though she looked a bit peeved, and moved on. "All right, today I'm going to be outlining the major sections of the class. Wednesday we'll spend filling in details that might be on the final, and Friday will be question and answer. Is that all right with everyone?"

Another hand went up, in Ben's pack this time. "Yes, Ralph?"

"When will we find out our grades?" he asked, looking around. "You said the final was individual, so we get our pack grade plus our final, right?"

"Correct. Given the amount of work you've put in collectively, your Pack grade will be 70 percent of your overall grade, five percent for individual attendance, and the final exam will be the remaining 25 percent. And just for the record, your Pack grades have been calculated already, minus these papers," he tapped them for emphasis, giving them all significant looks, "and everything will be given to your Alphas on Thursday. Friday I'll announce them to the class at large, along with giving out your attendance grades, which have been excellent overall."

"So Friday won't count towards anything for class?" said another of Ben's pack, one of the blondes that Ben was always chatting up.

"Other than giving you a chance to clarify anything you're not sure of for the final, and getting your grade, no. I won't give your grade to anyone else, however, nor will I give it to you after class, so this is your one chance to find out how you did ahead of time." He grinned a bit wickedly; Celia had helped him think of that bit of bribery to get more kids to show up to the final session, which experience both as student and teacher had shown him was important in fixing the information in their minds in the same phrasings he'd used when writing the tests.

She looked appropriately annoyed, but settled back into her seat without protest. "Also, for those few of you pondering the concept of cheating, there are several different versions of the exam, and I'll be making sure that they're spread out among the class to prevent it." This got a few chuckles, mostly from Anne's pack, and some of Ben's pack looked a bit more unhappy. "Any other questions?"

When none were forthcoming, Jeremy picked up his notes and his chalk and got down to the lecture, pausing to give a brief explanation of each topic as he wrote it up on the board. The class got over their initial disgruntlement after a few minutes, and soon had a lively discussion going on the perspective that a whole semester of learning had given them on the early topics of class.

Jeremy grinned and kept going, watching the time fly toward the end of class, seeing Toby interact with his pack members as though nothing had happened to jeopardize any of it. Life went on, as it should, even after such major changes and upheavals, and Jeremy felt a great deal of satisfaction about this class. He'd started it as an experiment, and now he was seeing the fruits of his idea borne out through their intelligent questions and experience-based responses. He could go home tonight to his new family knowing that this, at least, had been a success.

Chapter 29

Tuesday and Wednesday passed in a blur of review sessions and test writing, with David and Saul agreeing to put off Jeremy's penance until the week's end to give him time to wrap up his professional life. His weekend, from Friday night through Monday morning, would be spent entirely at the mercy of his Pack, and something inside him quivered with anticipation every time he thought about it. Another part of him trembled with anxiety, worry that he wouldn't enjoy it or turn out to be suited to the life they led so effortlessly, but the rest of him that saw how well his packmates were doing since they'd moved in with him told that bit to shove off.

On Thursday, Jeremy did a repeat of his first Alpha meeting, nervously rearranging the chairs and checking and rechecking that the graded reports and other information were on his desk where they had been a minute ago. And two minutes ago. And five minutes ago. Celia had given up and abandoned him to Toby's gentle care right after lunch, citing her desire not to kill him before the semester was out. Toby just checked that there was coffee and the appropriate additives, made sure Jeremy's cup didn't go empty or spill on anything, and smiled fondly at him a lot.

It was highly frustrating to be so anxious around someone so calm. "Why aren't you nervous?" Jeremy finally snapped at ten minutes to two.

Toby laughed. "I am nervous, but it's just... watching you calms me, you know? It's like, you're going crazy, so I don't have to. Plus," he leaned in close, breath brushing over Jeremy's ear, "Saul gave me a little something to distract me."

It was Jeremy's turn to laugh, though his came with a blush. "I don't want to know, though I'll remember that next time I need something to take my mind off things."

"Remember what?" said Ben from the doorway, and Jeremy was amazed by the utterly nonchalant way that Toby leaned back to face him.

"Just sharing the secret of my relaxed facade with our dear professor," said Toby, his voice cool and expression carefully neutral. "Zen, you know."

Ben came on into the room and plopped his backpack into the chair next to Toby's messenger bag, then headed over to the coffee service, their traditional way to start an Alpha meeting. "I never did get that Zen stuff," he said dismissively, fixing his cup with just a splash of cream.

The girls' arrival forestalled anything else that Ben might have brought up, and they came bearing gifts, two potted African violets -- one a get well present for Toby, and the other a thank you present for Dr. J, for "making their semester more interesting." Toby had a suspicious coughing fit at that, and they took it as their cue to get seated, with Jeremy usurping the seat next to Ben with his folder full of graded papers in his lap.

"All right, first of all I'd like to thank *you* guys for all your hard work, and remind you to take your mugs home today, if you want them." They'd had to replace a couple of them, but Jeremy had made sure they were all whole and clean for today. A few murmured thanks, and he moved on, saying, "I'm sure you'd all like your grades, but first I'd like to ask you the same question I did back on the second day: what do you all think of the class format, now that the semester's done?"

Anne's look clearly indicated that her opinion was dependent on the undisclosed grades, and Ben was looking at Toby more than Jeremy, which he found rather unsettling. Laurell was the first to speak up, saying, "I wasn't sure at first, but in the end I think you were right, the format taught us a lot about what a pack is really like. Having to look out for one another, to make the rules and assign the jobs, maintain discipline and make sure no one fell too far behind, it helped dispel a lot of misconceptions people had about pack life in a way lectures couldn't have."

Jeremy smiled, happy to hear one of the Alphas, at least, had gotten the point of the format and felt they'd benefited from it. "Thank you, Laurell, that was exactly what I was going for. How about you, Ben?" he asked, wanting to get the possible voice of dissension out of the way.

Ben actually seemed to be thinking about the question for a long moment, during which Jeremy took another few grateful sips of coffee and tried to organize his own scattered thoughts. "Well," said Ben at long last, "I liked how interactive it was, but I found it was hard to enforce any kind of discipline on some of the students, because I didn't have any real threat other than their laziness bringing down the whole pack's grade. In the end there were kids I'd prefer to have been able to, as Alpha, ask for a lower grade for, because they chose not to do their work which just forced the rest of us to take up the slack."

Jeremy nodded. "That's a good point, one which I'll try to take into consideration for next term." He was surprised at how well-thought-out Ben's objection was, though he'd suspected from the start that Ben would have that sort of problem, given his choice of pack members. "Anne?"

"You know I won't really know the answer until I know what our grades are," she replied, smiling at him in a way she wouldn't have at the start of term. "But, I will tentatively say that I liked it, and it really did teach us firsthand, not only about the pack mentality specifically but a lot about working for the good of a group rather than your own individual progress, cooperation rather than competition, though of course there was still enough competition between packs to keep it interesting."

Laurell and Ben were both nodding, and Jeremy returned her smile with relief. "That's great, thank you. Toby, anything you wanted to add?"

Toby shifted in his seat and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I think the one thing that was missing with our class packs were the power dynamics -- since all the roles were assigned, either by you or the Alphas, that kind of tension was missing from our class packs. Sometimes even the appearance of trying to take power can cause problems," he gave Jeremy a pointed look, and Jeremy coughed and hid his blush in his mug, "and I think perhaps you could find a system that solved both this problem and the one Ben brought up, about the slackers who don't hold up their end." He sat back, looking shy and uncertain, while the girls looked impressed and Ben glanced between Toby and Jeremy with a calculating expression.

Jeremy nodded and made a few notes inside the folder, on the blank sheet he'd put there for just that purpose in one of his fits of pre-meeting organization. "Another good point. Perhaps something where the class has to compete for the Alpha positions, and the extra unit, and then within the pack there's a certain number of extra credit points that the Alpha can assign based on services to the pack," he said, half to himself and half aloud.

"Speaking of points," said Anne, cocking her head to one side, "whatever happened to those points we earned in games?"

Jeremy grinned; he and Toby had worked on ideas for this one day at lunch, with Celia providing the peanut gallery. "You'll see," he said mysteriously.

She looked a bit disgruntled, then glanced meaningfully down at the folder. "So, do we get our grades now?"

Jeremy laughed. "Yes, you get your grades now. There are two grades on the papers. The one on the left in red is the paper's grade, both in numbers and the actual letter grade it earned. On the right there's a series of numbers in blue with a final grade at the bottom, which is your pack grade broken down, as I'm sure you'll figure out." He passed them out, Anne's first and Toby's last just to tease, though all the packs had earned an A of some sort for their overall score.

There were several long moments of silence and wrinkled brows, and then the smiles broke out over all their faces, even Ben's. "So, is this the grade we get for the Independent Study unit?" he asked, pointing to the big, circled blue A- on his paper.

"Yep. Your final exams will only count toward the class grade. As of the end of this meeting, your independent study duties will be done, though I'll ask for a little help at the start of the final," Jeremy replied, glad to have that out of the way. He took four little half-slips of paper out of his folder and passed them around. "Those grades are already filed, and what I'm giving you now is a shortened teacher evaluation form. I'd like for you to answer the questions on the front, and then give me a grade at the end. The back is blank for comments."

They rolled their eyes at him, but accepted the papers, and soon the room was filled with the sound of scratching pencils. Jeremy got up and brought the coffee pot over to freshen cups, taking Toby's back over to the table to add the sugar and cream to it along with his own. He then brought the condiments over at people's requests, and then he went and toyed with his files some while he waited and watched the clock, thinking that perhaps he should have brought something to read or do while they were writing.

Finally he gave up and began to clean up the coffee service, putting the cream into the fridge and dusting off the table, throwing away the old grounds and generally straightening the area. He went to the water fountain to rinse the now-empty coffeepot, and when he got back they were all done and chatting amongst themselves. "All right. Is there anything else you guys wanted to talk about before we adjourn?" he asked, replacing the carafe and checking to be sure the coffeemaker was off.

They all shook their heads and began to gather their things. "Well, thank you all for helping to make this experiment a success," said Jeremy. "A mug and a unit isn't exactly the best thank-you present ever, but just think of all the free coffee I've given you over the weeks."

They laughed and got up, the girls giving Jeremy and Toby both hugs and Ben even shaking Jeremy's hand, though his eyes were on Toby the whole time. Jeremy was even a little sad to see them go, to see the semester over and his favorite class heading towards the final and possibly never seeing some of the students again. He shuffled the little evaluations into a folder, resisting the urge to sit down and read them all right now, and Toby laughed and took the folder away from him, tucking it into his packed bag. "Come on, Dr. J, let's get out of here."

"Best idea I've heard all day," said Jeremy, draining his mug in one swift gulp and setting it on the table for later cleaning. Toby followed suit and they both hefted their bags and headed out, hitting the lights and locking the door on the way. "Are you going to miss this place?" he asked, thinking of Jon and Chad, and Dr. Krogh and his prejudices, and all the gossip Toby had been dealing with this past week.

"Yeah, in a weird way. It was my one piece of normal for so long, it'll be strange. I'm leaving most of my life behind, first Gabe and now school, though of course I'll still have what matters." Toby blushed a little and looked over at Jeremy almost shyly.

Jeremy gave Toby's hair an affectionate ruffle, then unlocked the car and climbed in, slipping his bag behind his seat. He thought he might have seen Ben hovering around the parking lot, but he ignored it in favor of navigating both the current conversation and the traffic. "Our pack is what's most important," he said, careful to include himself. "They've all loved you for a long time, and you know I've grown to love you as well," he added, his turn for shy looks.

Toby surprised him by making a frustrated little noise in his throat. "It's so unfair! You say things like that and I can't even *kiss* you," he said, and Jeremy couldn't help but laugh at the adorable pout that adorned his lips.

"Soon, cub," Jeremy said, risking a hand on Toby's thigh and use of the pack's favored nickname for Toby. "Not even two weeks now."

"Sucks anyway," Toby replied sulkily, though there was a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. He let his legs fall open a touch, and Jeremy allowed his fingers to slip further in, to feel the heat radiating from the apex of Toby's thighs, drawing his hand slowly upward.

Jeremy had to pull his hand away to shift at a light, but Toby drew it back down right afterward, pressing Jeremy's fingers to his inseam. "I wish I could, Toby," he said, his body tightening, voice husky. "I want to touch you and taste you so much, but we can't risk your degree over my libido."

"I assure you," Toby purred, rocking his hips to slowly edge Jeremy's hand up toward his balls until Jeremy gave in and curled his fingers beneath for just a moment, "the feeling is entirely mutual."

Jeremy gave Toby's balls a quick, furtive squeeze, then put his hand firmly back on the gearshift. "You're going to be the death of me, Tobias Smith," he said, in a mock-fatherly voice that almost disguised the lust lurking beneath.

Toby laughed as he was meant to, though he didn't close his legs or do anything to disguise the erection pressing against the fly of his jeans. "Le petit mort," he said with a grin, "Just as soon as I can, as many times as I can."

They were still giggling and making bad sex puns when they pulled into the driveway, releasing the tension the only way they were allowed, though Jeremy suspected they'd both locate a packmate and blunt the edge further as soon as they got inside. He found himself smiling with a soft affection, finding something like contentment in the knowledge that they had the solace of their pack, and would even after they'd finally had each other.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby felt as though he was going to crawl out of his skin, he was so turned on. He kept rubbing his hands against his jeans, feeling the itch and burn of it in the centers of his palms, desire making his nipples so hard every brush of fabric against them was sheer torment, and his prick leak so much he was very glad he was out of the meeting. The toy that Saul had produced shifted every time he did, two large balls with loose weights inside them that made them move in unpredictable ways. He was, in short, so horny he thought he might lose his mind.

Fortunately, he saw the cure as soon as the door opened.

David was sprawled languidly over the couch, a book in his hand and nothing but a towel over his hips, and that half-undone and askew enough to leave very little to the imagination, or memory. "You," said Toby, stalking toward David with a wicked gleam in his eye, while Jeremy studiously ignored them in favor of the mail, "are coming with me."

David raised an eyebrow at Toby's uncharacteristically forceful demeanor, but didn't argue. "Yes, my Kiss," he said, setting the book aside and rising gracefully, turning it into a bow that was very nearly devoid of mockery, and would have been elegant had he not had to make a grab for his towel.

Toby laughed and took his free hand. "C'mon," he said, tugging David toward the bedroom. "I've got an itch that needs scratching, and you've got just what I need to make it better."

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy took his time getting settled in, though the lust thrumming through his own veins was no less insistent. He looked through the mail, checking to make sure his accountant was still paying all the bills, tossing the junk mail, setting the many offers for credit aside -- usually he shredded them, but with all his capital tied up in investments, six mouths to feed and a research institute to open, he might be needing a few credit cards to abuse for awhile.

He wandered toward his bedroom, shedding clothes as he went and quietly hoping he wouldn't find it empty, wouldn't have to take care of things alone now that he'd become thoroughly spoiled by all the ready affection -- and sex -- the pack offered. He wasn't disappointed; he heard Sebastian's voice coming from the closet, humming some tune Jeremy didn't recognize. "Honey," said Jeremy, leaning nude against the closet doorframe, "I'm home."

Bas turned, his face starting out guilty for rummaging through Jeremy's wardrobe without permission and changing with comical slowness to appreciation and lust. He tossed aside the linen shirt he'd been holding up against himself and glided forward with that enviable grace they all had, and wrapped one large, warm hand around Jeremy's erection. "I see you missed us," he growled, leaning down to kiss Jeremy deeply, his hair falling around them both in a silken curtain.

"It's good to be home," said Jeremy, tugging down Bas' zipper and letting the borrowed pants fall to the ground. He led Sebastian back toward the bed by the prick, teasing with kisses and touches until he was laid out against the cool sheets, limbs entwined with Sebastian's and that glorious hair over, under and everywhere around them. He let himself drown in the scent and feel of his packmate, let all worries of Toby or his classes or their future melt into pleasure for a time.

* ~ * ~ *

His body's needs sated and Sebastian off to start dinner, Jeremy had no more excuses to avoid his evaluations. It was only four sheets of paper, but a part of him worried that they'd all been putting up a good face, that the real criticism would be in the ratings on the front, and the notes on the back, things they hadn't wanted to say to his face. He put on his yukata -- he'd taken it out of the clean laundry before anyone else could claim it -- and padded into his office, then pulled out the folder with the forms in it.

The first thing he did was lay out the four little half-sheets of paper face up, so he could see the half dozen "easy questions" he'd asked, with their 1-5 answers, with 1 being "Strongly Agree" and 5 "Strongly Disagree". He forced himself not to try and figure out who it was that crossed out their answers with sloppy Xs, and who had used expansive loops. The results, from all four, were:

The course objectives were clearly explained: 1, 2, 2, 1

The course material and method was conducive to the objectives: 1, 2, 3, 1

The syllabus was useful and consistently followed: 2, 2, 3, 1

The professor taught the material in an understandable manner: 1, 1, 2, 1

The course has given me a greater understanding of the subject matter: 1, 1, 2, 1

The grading system was fair and effective: 1, 2, 3, 1

His "grades" were written in below: A-, B, B-, A.

Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. A quick look showed that it was, predictably, Toby who had given him all ones, and Ben whose answers were twos and threes. Overall, though, he thought it was more than fair -- he'd been trying something new out, and he'd been worried he'd get fours and even fives from some of them. Though of course, he still might get some from the student body at large, whose questionnaires would be provided by the school and returned to him much more anonymously.

On the back, he'd asked one simple question, "What did you think of the class?"

He stacked them back up, saving Toby's for last, and then picked up top sheet -- Anne's precise handwriting -- and began to read:

*When the format was first introduced, I had a lot of doubts, as you know. Now, after doing the job of an Alpha for the whole semester, I have very few problems with it and faith that the next time you teach this class, even those will have been fixed. I learned things about packs and group dynamics that no amount of explaining could have imparted. This class has been an experience I'll never forget, and I learned lessons and made friendships that will last long past graduation. The extra unit didn't hurt, though.*

Jeremy couldn't help but laugh at her addendum, though he was touched by the things she'd said. He set her sheet aside and steeled himself to look at the one below, just a few short sentences from Ben:

*Format was interesting. Grades seemed fair, but I wanted a better way to make the slackers work for them. Hope all your troubles have worked themselves out.*

The final line seemed ominous, threatening somehow without ever approaching impropriety, and Jeremy wondered once again if they'd really seen the last of Gabriel, and whoever it was that pulled Gabriel's strings.

Jeremy shoved that thought aside along with Ben's evaluation, and picked up Laurell's. Her writing was spidery and cramped, not at all what he'd expected from her exterior, but she'd managed to surprise him more than once this semester.

*Short of field work with a real shifter pack, I think this class has given everyone in it a better understanding of pack dynamics than any other method you could have used. It also brought to light the pack-like tendencies of 'normal' humans, a term I use loosely, and the way we band together in cliques and try to build ourselves up. The best part about this class was that we didn't have to put anyone down to do it -- aside from a few games early on, the packs weren't competing for resources, not grades or time or even your attention. You took a moment for every single person who had a question, and you put everything you had into making us understand the shifters not only as a culture, but as people just like the rest of us. Thanks, Dr. J.*

Her note put the smile right back on Jeremy's face, wider than it had been before. Maybe Ben thought it was too hard being an Alpha, but Laurell had looked past that and seen something that he'd wanted to shout from the rafters, but instead wove through every lesson in subtler ways.

Jeremy was setting her paper aside for Toby's when Mercury stuck his head in the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but Bas wanted me to tell you that dinner's almost ready," he said, looking sweet and shy.

"That's fine, Mercury, I'll be out in a minute," Jeremy replied, his smile softening just a touch. "You can always interrupt me when I'm working, you know. I'm not going to be upset."

Mercury returned the smile with a sweet grin of his own. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, then winked lasciviously, opening the door just enough to flash the long line of his naked body. "And I'll be back if you're not out in five minutes."

"Yes, dear," said Jeremy wickedly, chuckling as the door clicked shut again. He turned back to the fourth and final evaluation, taking a moment to enjoy the loopy writing before picking it up to read.

*When I walked into that classroom I was a ghost, a nobody, just another random grad student looking for a couple of units while I waited for my dissertation to get approved. You gave me responsibility, helped me understand what my pack needed from me by saddling me with a second pack of human students, and then trusted me to lead them both. I'll never regret having chosen your class, Dr. J, and I hope you won't ever regret having called out my name, taken me into your care as a student, and into your home as a friend.*

That, Jeremy thought, was worth any amount of veiled threats or even not-so-veiled ones. He, too, was glad that he'd picked Toby's name off the roster that first day, letting chance bring them together, and more importantly not letting himself spoil everything when he was given an opportunity for more than he'd ever expected. He was still sitting there when Mercury came to retrieve him, all laughing kisses and cajoling, and Jeremy allowed himself to be led back out into the company of his pack, where he belonged.

Chapter 30

Friday seemed to simultaneously crawl and fly past, the review session in the morning interminable while lunch went by in the blink of an eye. Soon enough Jeremy, Celia and Toby were checking that everything was ready and hauling themselves and several boxes down to the classroom for Pack Mind's final review session. Toby settled himself in the seat beside Jon, thinking that today was the very last time he'd see Jeremy like this, all flustered and shuffling through his notes at the start of a class.

"Are we on for this weekend?" asked Jon, with a little blush that Toby couldn't help but find charming.

Toby got out his notes and fidgeted just long enough to make Jon worry, then relented with a grin. "Yeah, I'm all yours," he said, winking. "Who else is coming, anyway?"

"Chad, of course," said Jon, rummaging around for his PDA. He flipped through a few screens and then started reading off names. "Kel, Josh, Michael and Jennifer. The girls are electing not to stay overnight Saturday, so that'll just be us boys. I hear Josh is actually straight, so your virtue will be safe."

"Such as it is," said Toby with a chuckle; he'd have to remember to talk with the pack tonight about Jon and Chad before he escaped. It had been an executive decision to go ahead and join his "other" pack for the proposed study weekend while Jeremy spent his weekend doing the sort of penance that Toby devoutly wished to share in and he knew he couldn't bear to be around. For once, everyone had agreed, though he had offers to accompany him so he wouldn't get too lonely. He hadn't quite been brave enough to broach the subject of Jon and Chad's previous proposition just then, but he knew he needed to tonight.

Toby was jolted out of his reverie by Jeremy, who was clearing his throat to call class to order. "All right, everyone," said Jeremy with an indulgent smile. A quick glance around showed why -- most of the class had shown, unusually enough, which Toby knew must have Jeremy feeling immensely pleased with himself. "I've got a bit of a surprise for you all today, and I'd like to do it at the start of class for reasons that will quickly become obvious."

Toby sat back and admired the way Jeremy's hands danced over his desk, plucking through the papers until he came up with the required list. "I'm sure you all remember the games we played back at the start of the semester, and the points each pack garnered for them," he said, then turned and wrote out on the board:

Lunatic Fringe - 183

Rainbow Coalition - 166

Fighting Tigers - 157

Pride of St. Clements - 155

"As you can see," he said, turning back to the group and dusting the chalk from his fingers, "The Lunatic Fringe ended up with the most points out of everyone. Well, the time has finally come for you to benefit from the games you so deftly won." He waggled his eyebrows in a fairly ridiculous manner, and giggles broke out all over the hall. Toby could only grin, remembering that same expression turned on David last night, making the normally unflappable boy blush.

Hands went up, and it was all Toby could do not to roll his eyes at the impatient people. Jeremy ignored them placidly and continued, "I have here before me four boxes. Inside the first box," he paused to remove the lid of the largest, a cardboard file box, "there are 30 copies of my notes for this class, as typed and organized by our very own Ms. Bruce." The class made a little 'ooh' sound and Celia shot him a glare, which made Toby giggle. "Inside this second box," Jeremy said, moving along and opening a smaller box full of envelopes, "There are 30 pairs of front row tickets for the lecture that Jack Forrester of the Bone Kin is giving on campus next semester. These are the only assigned seats available to students, otherwise it's all open seating." Enough students knew who Jeremy's grandfather was to be impressed, and Toby had a feeling those tickets wouldn't last.

Jeremy grinned, obviously pleased with his choices so far, and moved on to the third box, also full of envelopes. "Inside box number three we have 30 copies of the apocryphal Professorial IOU letter. These may be redeemed for any number of things, including minor improvements in your grade, getting out of a paper in a future class with me, getting a letter of recommendation from me, and a number of other negotiable academically related favors." That got a much bigger 'ooh'; a letter like that could make the difference between getting into a class and having to wait a semester, or getting an internship over other students. "These are non-transferable, and I will be writing your names on them and signing them as they're claimed."

Toby felt a warm pride stirring in him; even though he and Celia had helped brainstorm for ideas for the prizes, Jeremy was the one who had chosen the final set, and so far it seemed to be very popular. "In the final box, I have what I consider to be the consolation prize for those who have no use for the first three items. I've purchased 30 gift certificates to the campus bookstore, which are perfectly transferable. You'll notice that there are 120 items and only 102 of you -- actually less, as a few of your classmates didn't show, and no, they won't have a chance at the prizes unless they've got a good reason not to be here."

Hands were starting to go back up, and Toby nearly jumped out of his seat when one of Jon's found its way to his thigh. "I thought you said my virtue was safe," Toby whispered, leaning into the warm scent rising off the other boy.

Jon gave him a mischievous grin and whispered back, "This weekend. Today's fair game."

Toby chuckled, and nearly missed what Jeremy said next. "...Alphas will get first pick, then the Betas, in order of points, then the Alphas will choose the order in which their Pack members can come up and claim items. As I said before, the IOUs are non-transferable, so don't take one unless you really want it. I'll also hand you a slip of paper with your attendance and pack grades on it, so don't leave without it."

Toby looked around and saw that Anne, Laurell and Ben were starting to rise, and pushed Jon's hand away regretfully. "Duty calls," he said with a wink, then got up and went to the front of the class.

"You guys will also get to pick again when everyone's done," said Jeremy quietly, passing out their folded grade sheets and hunting up a pen, "but I suspect it'll just be gift certificates by then."

Jeremy nodded, and Toby stepped up and took a pair of the tickets; Jeremy could get them for the rest of the pack easily, but Toby wanted to have earned his pair. Laurell grabbed one of the IOUs unhesitatingly; as an Anthro student, she was sure to have use for it. Ben grabbed one of the packets of notes, while Anne hesitated between the notes and the IOU, in the end taking one of the latter. "Excellent," said Jeremy, filling out Laurell and Anne's forms and noting on the attendance sheet what each person had taken. "Betas next."

Laurell, Ben and Anne stood off to one side so that Chad, Jon and Jennifer could come up first, though at this point everything was plentiful enough it was mostly to avoid shoving. "I'd like you three to linger after class, if you would," Jeremy said quietly as they chose their prizes, tickets for Chad, notes for Jon and an IOU for Jennifer. They grinned and agreed, got their grades, and then sat back down as the other Betas came up to take their pick.

"While this is going on, I have another task to keep restless minds occupied," said Celia, standing up with her own box of papers. "I'm sure you're all familiar with the teacher evaluation forms," she continued, and was met with groans and laughter. "You'll have an idea of his grading system by the time the prizes are done, and I'll be taking the evaluations straight from class to the department secretary, so your anonymity will be preserved." She started them passing back up the lines, and soon the room was filled with the scratch of pencil on paper.

Betas done, it was time for Toby to start picking who would come get their prizes; none of the boxes were anywhere near empty, so he didn't really have any worry that anyone would miss out on something they really wanted. "Why don't we just come up in seating order, unless anyone objects?" There were murmurs of assent, so his Pack began to file forward to get their prizes, their grades, and a hug from Toby apiece. A few also got a murmured word from Dr. J to stick around after class, and soon the Lunatic Fringe were all back in their seats.

Toby didn't pay much attention to the rest of the class once he'd sat back down and started on his second, longer teacher evaluation form, full of useless questions that, he suspected, would never reflect just what an incredible experience this class had been for most of them. Once he'd handed it back to Celia, he talked with Jon about their planned study session, and theorized about what would be on the final -- Jeremy and Celia had gone to great lengths to be sure Toby hadn't gotten a single glimpse of it.

Eventually everyone was done, and there was actually a few of everything left for the Alphas to choose from. Toby went ahead and grabbed a packet of notes so they'd have a second one for their study session, Ben took a gift certificate, Anne gratefully grabbed the last batch of notes, and Laurell took a set of the tickets. Jeremy looked like the proverbial cat that had gotten into the cream, despite there being precious little time for review left on the clock.

"All right," he said, tucking the boxes away and leaning back against his desk. "We did review on Wednesday, and today you've gotten your prizes, so all that's really left is for me to take questions on any of the material you'd like clarified."

Hands shot up, and the rest of the class time -- and past, a bit, though some of the students escaped when the hour came around -- was spent in pleasant debate as they discussed the finer points of the semester's learning. Jon's hand made its way back to Toby's thigh, and this time Toby didn't push him away until the end of class; he took comfort in knowing someone wanted him, someone who wasn't Pack or paying, but just thought that he, Toby the student, was worth pursuing.

Finally the only people left were those Jeremy had tagged, about a dozen students including Anne, Laurell, many of the Betas, and a few others who had singled themselves out with intelligent class participation. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here," said Jeremy with another eyebrow wiggle, which got a groan from the group gathered around his desk. "All right, all right. Starting next semester, I'm going to have a limited number of internships available at my newly founded Shapeshifter Behavioral Institute, which is a research lab dedicated to curing Lunacy in all species of shapeshifter."

Toby couldn't help but feel insufferably smug for having landed one of the two Research Assistant slots, though of course once more doctors, biologists, and other specialists were hired they'd need their own assistants. The rest of the assembled students looked suitably impressed, however, and Jon was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Now, I know you're not all in obviously compatible majors or have time, but I wanted to let you know that I think you'd all be good fits for the type of Institute we're trying to create, and if you'd like more information, you only need to stop in and see me before the end of the semester," Jeremy explained, grinning at them.

It was obvious to Toby at least that they were all pretty interested in more information, and Jeremy would probably have more applicants than he knew what to do with once word got out. "Are you going home right away tonight?" asked Anne, pulling out a little PDA of her own and checking something on it. "I'd be very interested, if you've got a little time..." The rest of them began to chime in as well, drowning her out.

Jeremy held up his hands and shook his head. "No time tonight. How about after the final? I'll treat you all to dinner, just make sure to RSVP to myself or Celia so I can reserve us a table somewhere."

That got unanimous approval, and Toby helpfully passed around a pad of post-it notes so that they could all jot down contact information to finalize the plans. Toby commandeered Chad and Jon to help him carry the mostly-empty boxes back to the office -- Celia had disappeared with the evaluations and, he suspected, for the day -- while Jeremy chatted with a few of the students a little longer.

"So," said Chad, slinging an arm over Toby's shoulders, the boxes casually held against his hip on the other side, "I hear you've decided to spend the night with us."

Toby laughed, his own hands full, and made no effort to dislodge the arm. "Two of them, in fact, if I'm welcome," he said, looking over his shoulder at where Jon was rather blatantly ogling their posteriors. "Enjoying the view?"

"I'd like the jeans better on my bedroom floor," said Jon with a wink, which got a laugh from all of them and a very startled look from a passing student. "And of course you're welcome both nights, Toby. You're welcome at my place every night."

* ~ * ~ *

"So," said Toby, waving a forkful of Sebastian's excellent steak and trying to keep his tone light and casual, "what are our new rules going to be about fidelity?"

Everyone stopped for a moment and stared, with expressions ranging from pensive to shocked. "What do you mean?" asked David, getting straight to the point.

"I mean, we all belong to each other now, but we haven't discussed rules for casual sex outside the pack," Toby clarified, giving Saul a significant look -- of all of them, Saul had been the most diverse when it came to his choice of partners for recreational sex. "And, for that matter, we should really start thinking now about what our policies will be for taking new members -- all seed packs are required to accept applications as part of their charter."

"Well," said Jeremy, after looking around to be sure he wasn't overstepping his bounds, "I do think that, once you're more established, you should consider the future of your -- our, I mean, pack beyond just your individual lifetimes. But as far as fidelity goes, I'm happy with whatever the pack decides but I probably won't be straying much. Five of you is already practically more than I can handle." He grinned sheepishly, shifting his hips a little; Toby knew that Saul had decided to give him a small taste of his upcoming torments and fitted him with a wicked leather harness that had metal rings to cradle his cock and balls, and held a very substantial dildo inside his body.

"Some things should just be for pack," said Mercury softly, snuggling up to David, "but I don't mind sharing." Toby wasn't surprised when he didn't speak up on the second issue; Mercury would be the hardest one to acclimate to anyone new, even someone as harmless as Jon, let alone perfect strangers wanting to join their intimate family. Toby would have to think long and hard about letting anyone in, if it meant doing anything at all to damage the sense of home that Mercury seemed to have found with them.

Saul nodded his agreement, which surprised Toby. "I'd give it all up for you guys, but it'd be nice to have an out once in awhile for a quick blowjob in a club or something," he said bluntly.

"Does that suit everyone?" said Toby, then clarified, "No fucking outside of the six of us, but blowjobs and handjobs and kissing are okay."

Everyone nodded, and Toby got a strange feeling of accomplishment; this was the first time he'd tried to set pack policy as their official leader, and it felt good.

"You're gonna let one of those boys blow you this weekend, huh?" said Bas, scooting into the booth with Toby, David and Mercury and crowding them all close. He sniffed at Toby's neck and shoulders, and then grinned. "They smell good on you, I bet they're pretty." He turned to Jeremy with a wicked grin and asked slyly, "Are they pretty?"

"Jon's pretty, Chad's more handsome," said Jeremy calmly, and Toby itched to know what he was thinking. "Jon's a sorcerer," he added, giving David a sly little look.

"A proper one?" David asked, perking up a little, though his hand never left where it was tangled in Mercury's hair; eating seemed to have been set aside for the moment in favor of snuggling and conversation.

Saul came up behind Jeremy and whispered something into his ear that made Jeremy flush and Toby's cock twitch in sympathy. "I think you should bring them home to meet us afterward," he said, looking around the table. "We'll be done with the good doctor by, say, dinner Sunday?"

Toby had a feeling that this was more of a demand than a suggestion, but it was one he was happy to take. "I'll run it by them, but I'd love to. We might end up with more than those two, though, so maybe a buffet-style thing, where they can serve themselves in here and then eat in the living room?"

"Which brings us to our next difficult topic," said Jeremy wryly, reaching up and laying his hand over Saul's on his shoulder. "We should look at the house next weekend, if you think you'll be up for going out during the day."

There was no question at all of which house Jeremy meant, and Toby longed to reach out to him. Instead, with the table and a bare week left between them, he smiled softly and said, "I think that we can manage that for you, Dr. J."

They all nodded along, and that brought the conversation to a close. Bas slid out of his seat and went back to his plate, and they all resumed eating, the click of cutlery on plates filling the room with a homey sound. Whatever else they might be, Toby thought as he chewed on the slightly cold bite of steak, they were definitely a family now.

Chapter 31

Dinner finished, Toby gathered together the things he'd need for the weekend, packing his class notes and several changes of clothing. He was just folding a pair of pajamas when Mercury came in and pounced on him, eyeing the bag. "Pajamas, huh? I thought you were planning on sleeping with those two admirers of yours," he said teasingly, kissing Toby soundly.

"We won't be alone," he said, kissing the tip of Mercury's nose. "I'm not sure if we'll have a chance for anything more than a few kisses, and I wouldn't want to offend anyone's delicate sensibilities. Not everyone loves me like you guys."

"What, bound and naked?" said Saul from the doorway. "You about ready? I'm your designated driver for the day, as the good doctor will be busy getting prepped for his weekend."

Toby nodded, smiling to himself despite the jealousy curling in his chest and squeezing his heart with longing. "Just let me get a few things from the bathroom..."

"I'll get them," said Mercury, giving Toby a sweet little kiss before bounding off.

Saul sauntered in, his strides languid and sensual as he circled around and then pounced, catching Toby up in his arms for a laughing kiss. "We really will miss you, cub, and I promise that we'll tell you all about every single second just as soon as you're allowed," he said, voice muffled by Toby's neck where he was nuzzling and licking as he spoke.

"I know," said Toby softly, instead of the hundred other things he could have said. One more seemed needful just then, though, and he took Saul's face in his hands and whispered, "I love you," against the familiar mouth before taking it in a kiss that was a none-too-gentle reminder of why he was Kiss, and Saul his enforcer, despite their normally reversed bedroom roles.

Saul was nearly purring when Toby let him go, and Mercury looked dumbstruck standing in the doorway with his arms full of toiletries. "Wow," said Mercury with a huge, silly grin. "You are *so* gonna have to top me sometime."

They all laughed their way through the last of the packing, and Toby was whisked off without even another glance at Jeremy, though Bas snuck out of the conspicuously closed bedroom to steal a goodbye kiss and to deliver one from David as well. Toby watched the house recede with a painful longing, but also a building anticipation -- not only for the upcoming weekend with real, normal friends, but for the time between now and next weekend to fly so he could finally have his time with Jeremy.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

David was a little too busy to go out and say goodbye to Toby, and Jeremy was grateful to have at least one pack member staying at his side. He was nervous, horny, and carried the twin weights of his guilt over the incident that had brought about his punishment, and the doubts about his suitability to participate in this aspect of the Pack's life.

"Hush, pet, I'm right here," David crooned, stroking Jeremy's hair back from his face as though he could read the uncertainty writ on Jeremy's forehead. Jeremy swallowed and nodded, and David resumed his work, wrapping more of the soft white rope around and around Jeremy's body in arcane-seeming patterns.

Jeremy was standing next to the bed, hands behind his neck and feet braced wide apart. He gasped when the rope was passed between his legs, fitted around his cock and balls, and a knot in it pressed briefly up into his perineum before swinging loose between his thighs. Jeremy swallowed, licked his dry lips and finally asked meekly, "A-am I allowed to speak, sir?"

David paused, looking thoughtful. "Saul will give you your real rules when he gets back," he said, hands resuming their work, "but for now you may ask questions and I will answer them as best I can, so long as you are respectful and obedient."

"Yes, sir," said Jeremy gratefully, "Thank you, sir." He swallowed again as David's cool fingers brushed over his back and arse, just enough to keep his blood thrumming. "M-may I have some water, sir?"

"I'll get it, Saul wants us to have it on hand anyway," said Mercury from the doorway, looking sweet and shy now that he was nude again. He'd play an interesting role this weekend, Jeremy thought, as he obviously wasn't very dominant, but they were all supposedly going to be topping Jeremy.

Mercury turned and left, and Jeremy was thoroughly distracted from his thoughts as the ropes around his torso were pulled slowly tight, not quite fast enough to burn but enough to let him know they could. Somehow the loose web became a tight net, framing his most vulnerable spots, making a diamond around his cock, pressing that wicked knot up behind his balls, pulling his ass cheeks wide to expose his well-filled opening, the muscles clenching to try and keep the toy from slipping out. He shivered and moaned when deft fingers pushed it in deeper and another pair of ropes were run between his legs to hold it in place.

"How should I give him the water, sir?" Mercury asked; he'd returned while Jeremy's attention was elsewhere, and was holding a bottle of water.

David grinned. "Your favorite way, of course," he said, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "What do you think? The white's nice against his skin."

"It's a beautiful start," said Mercury, cracking open the bottle. He slunk forward until their skin was just brushing, then circled around like a cat getting familiar with its master's leg. "I can't wait to see what you do with the rest of him." While Jeremy was processing that idea, Mercury took a swig of the water and pressed his lips to Jeremy's, the kiss cool as water trickled from mouth to mouth.

Jeremy swallowed and returned the kiss with as much enthusiasm as Mercury would allow, nearly purring by the time Mercury pulled away. "Thank you, sir," he managed to say before another mouthful of water was fed to him, and another kiss stole his breath away.

"Saul should be back in half an hour or so," said Sebastian from the now-open doorway, just as naked as Mercury but without the shy submissiveness -- his obedience always seemed to come with a sense that he could take over at any moment, and was simply allowing the other person the illusion of authority. Mercury needed to be taken care of, and genuinely cared for, by someone who would tell him what to do and keep him safe from the world.

It warmed Jeremy's heart to realize that the whole pack gave that to Mercury, himself included, and that they'd offer it to Jeremy as well if he needed or wanted it. This weekend, as much as it was penance for overstepping his authority, was also a way for them to help him find his place among them, a kind of sorting by fire into the pack's sexual hierarchy, where Mercury was happily ensconced at the bottom and Saul seemed to be generally accepted at the top, with Toby, David and Bas taking whatever positions suited them the most at the time.

David drew Jeremy's attention back to the present with a sharp swat to his ass that made him jump and nearly bite Mercury's tongue. "I think that's enough, love," he said, and Mercury pulled back and sauntered away with a wicked little grin on his face, and a sensuous wiggle to his walk.

"Need a hand?" Bas asked, flopping himself down on the bed out of Jeremy's line of sight. Jeremy suspected he'd chosen the spot for its excellent view of Jeremy's... predicament.

"Not yet," said David, getting out yet more rope and circling around Jeremy with the air of a sculptor examining a particularly interesting bit of half-carved marble. Proprietary, curious, and with an undercurrent of passion that made Jeremy's heart race. "Hands behind your back, pet," said David, his voice distracted.

Jeremy complied, and David smoothed his hands over Jeremy's shoulders and down his arms, drawing them back and making his chest stick out to an embarrassing degree. "Uncomfortable, pet?"

Jeremy shook his head, and then shivered as his back was pressed against the body-warmed silk of David's clothing, hotter breath teasing over his ear as David growled, "You will be."

Rope encircled Jeremy's wrists, then crawled its way up both arms, helped along by David's deft, warm fingers. His shoulders were pulled back almost painfully as David bound his elbows together, bringing the rope all the way up so that only Jeremy's wriggling fingers were free. "How does it feel?" David asked, caressing along the spaces between strands, skin made so much more sensitive for the restraints surrounding each little patch of vulnerable flesh.

"Uncomfortable," said Jeremy, a nervous chuckle escaping. "But I think I can handle it for awhile."

"Good," said David, sounding as though he'd expected no other response. "Tell me if your fingers start to tingle or feel cold."

Jeremy nodded again, then started as he felt warm lips teasing along the lines of rope holding him so very open. "You're being a very good boy," said Sebastian, his voice warm and full of humor and desire in equal measures.

"I learned from the best, sir," said Jeremy, hoping the little joke wouldn't be too out of line.

"Thank you," said Mercury smugly from where he was leaning against one wall, dwarfed by the huge Chinese character painted on it.

Sebastian answered by sinking his teeth into Jeremy's ass, slowly enough to make Jeremy moan with something very like pleasure.

"Your cock doesn't match," said David, seemingly at random. He unsnapped the harness and removed it, caressing Jeremy's erection teasingly as he did. "I think it ought to."

"Oh, I agree," said Saul from the doorway, wearing a pair of leather chaps and nothing else, his cock rising up from the center of him to point appreciatively at Jeremy. "Thinner rope, though."

"You hurried," said Mercury happily, scampering over to plaster himself to Saul's tall frame. "Isn't he lovely?"

"He really is," said Saul, bending to give Mercury a lingering kiss before letting his eyes roam over Jeremy's body in a way that made Jeremy feel even more naked and vulnerable than before. "We're going to enjoy him."

"Yes, we are. Should I bother with his legs, or did you want to position him first?" asked David, kneeling down in front of Jeremy with several strands of thinner white rope in his hands. He began to wind it around and between Jeremy's balls first until the thin skin was pulled taut and doubly sensitive. Jeremy moaned as David's breath caressed over him; they all but ignored him in favor of talking around and about him.

"I'll position him. I think we should start with all of us fucking him, just to drive our point home," said Saul. Jeremy squeaked when Sebastian's teeth found his other cheek and made a matching imprint, and Saul shot him a quelling look. "Perhaps we ought to tell him his rules while you work."

Jeremy forced himself to pay attention, nodding to show that he'd heard. Sebastian's mouth stopped teasing at his ass and pulled away, and even David's hands went momentarily still. "You will obey any order any of us gives you, without question," said Saul, with a tone that implied that Jeremy really ought to have already known that part. Jeremy nodded, then let out a little whimper as David's cool fingers resumed their dance up and down his length, wrapping it up tightly.

"You will allow us to use you in any way we see fit, and you will stop whatever you're doing in order to service anyone who asks, and then return to the task at hand as soon as they're done with you. You will speak only when spoken to, or if you need to tell us that you've got a cramp or other problem with your bondage. You will ask questions only if invited to do so." Saul paused for thought, kissed the tip of Mercury's nose, and then continued. "You will not try to suppress your reactions to anything, with the exception that you are not to come without permission."

David tied a knot just below the head of Jeremy's cock and chuckled wickedly. "That won't be a problem for now," he said, standing to show his handiwork to the room.

"Much better," said Saul. "Now, do you have any questions before we fuck you?"

Jeremy shivered, his nipples taut and his whole body feeling as though he'd been on the edge of desire for a week rather than an hour, and he was about to shake his head before he paused. "Um, what if... what if I don't like something?"

"If something distresses you to the point you need to call a halt, which you would do by saying 'red' rather than pleading for mercy, then we will pause to see if we can't find an alternative that will make us all happy. This is penance, yes, but not torture," said Saul, walking toward Jeremy as he spoke.

"Y-yes, sir," said Jeremy, swallowing nervously. Saul towered over him like this, but strangely the nervousness faded rather than increasing. Something in him trusted Saul, enough to give Jeremy the freedom to enjoy submitting to the will of the pack, giving his body over entirely to their desires.

"Good," said Saul, reaching down to squeeze Jeremy's balls in a way that was half pain and half pleasure, and made his whole body tense up.

Jeremy gasped and his eyes went wide as it sank in that everything before was just a game but now, now he was truly at their mercy. And Saul, it seemed, didn't have a whole lot of mercy. "Gag him," he said, gaze never leaving Jeremy's wide, lust-dark eyes. "He doesn't need to talk to be a fuck toy."

Jeremy let out a soft moan, and David took advantage of his open mouth to slip in some rope, two strands knotted together that would keep him very effectively gagged. He moaned again and it sounded muffled, as though it came from someone else entirely. He felt the ropes between his legs loosened so the dildo could be slid free, then he was being manhandled around and positioned like a pliant, life-size doll. They bent him over the edge of the bed, more rope coming out to tie his ankles as wide as they would go comfortably and then some. Another rope was looped through a hook he was absolutely sure hadn't been in his ceiling when he left this morning, then attached to his wrists, drawing them up and away from his back and bending him over very effectively. The side of his face was pressed into the soft bedspread, and a moment later a folded scarf of white silk cut off even that limited vision, leaving him blind and bound, helpless.

It was strange, he thought during the long moments when there were no hands on him, no sound but the soft whisk of bare feet on hardwood floors in the dark, that he found himself entirely at peace.

His breathing, which had picked up a little when they'd gagged him, evened out again as he waited to see what his masters, his pack, had in store for him. He really had no idea how long it was, though logically it couldn't be more than a few minutes or his arms would have gone numb. He started and moaned softly when a hand appeared on his ass, caressing the soft skin soothingly until he calmed again. "It's all right, Jeremy, I'm here." Mercury's voice floated forward from behind him, and he moaned again as he realized that Mercury would get to have him first.

Gentle fingers pressed something soft and silky into his hands, and Mercury said, "Hold onto this unless you need your safeword, then let it drop and one of us will see it." Jeremy felt the object, what seemed to be a wadded-up silk scarf, and nodded his understand. Mercury's fingers went back to touching him, running along the ropes and making Jeremy shiver with their gentleness even as he relaxed under the touches.

Mercury didn't need to spread him wide, David's handiwork had done that for him, and Jeremy felt the slick head of Mercury's cock pushing inside slowly, almost teasingly. He moaned again and tried to push back, but only succeeded in increasing the strain on his arms and shoulders. He was forced to just lay there and wait, shivering, for each inch that was pushed inside him until he felt the bump of Mercury's smooth-shaven balls against his thighs, the swell of naked groin pushing against his tailbone.

"He's always so tight," Mercury whispered as he slid back out with the same aching slowness, in and out and only a tiny bit faster each time, nothing at all like what Jeremy had wanted or even expected.

"We should shave him when we're done," said David from off to one side, and Jeremy moaned into his gag, feeling like a helpless toy as they began to talk around and about him as though he wasn't even there, as though Mercury weren't fucking his bound, helpless body while they all watched and waited their turns.

"We should, especially if we're going to keep his balls bound," said Sebastian brightly.

Mercury's cock sped up just a little bit more as David spoke up with, "We should do everything, legs, arms, all but his head."

"That sounds perfect," said Saul, and Jeremy could just imagine his grin. The image was swept away by pleasure as Mercury's thrusts grew sharper, sharp enough to spark the sensitive nerves inside his body and make him whimper for an entirely different reason. "Mercury, you prepare the bathroom for us once you're done with him. Make sure there's plenty of that lotion you use to prevent bumps."

"Yes, sir," said Mercury calmly, only the tightening of his hands on Jeremy's hips and the slight unevenness of his thrusts betraying any hint of pleasure.

Jeremy moaned again, something breaking free inside his chest as Mercury deferred readily to Saul's orders even as he made use of Jeremy's body, demonstrating as nothing else could that Jeremy was beneath even the most submissive of his pack, at least for this weekend. His breath sped up along with Mercury's movements, roughened with the thrusts that grew more erratic as Mercury approached his release.

"You may come whenever you're ready," said Saul, his voice closer now, and Jeremy wondered if he were breathing in Mercury's ear, or just watching the proceedings from a more intimate viewpoint.

Another thrill of desire sent a shudder through him as he realized he'd never know, because they'd chosen to take that away from him. Because he'd chosen to give it to them. Every moment they used him, he realized, he belonged to them more and more. Each small freedom they took away, they gave back by letting him carve a true place within the pack with his body, his willingness, and his submission.

"Y-yes, sir," Mercury whispered roughly, thrusting hard now, hips snapping forward, straining Jeremy's bonds just enough to make him whimper with pain and pleasure. Each stroke seemed as though it ought to be the last until finally it was, Mercury going still so suddenly that Jeremy gasped in shock as he felt the pulse and spill of Mercury's seed inside him. "Thank you, sir," Mercury whispered, not to Jeremy but Saul.

Jeremy, of course, didn't need to be thanked. He was just a vessel, and you didn't thank your teacup for holding your tea.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chad and Josh were already at Jon's when Toby arrived, and Michael came hot on his heels. The girls wouldn't join them until tomorrow morning, so tonight had been set aside to let off some steam and hang out with the guys. The apartment was a small one-bedroom, and the couch was already folded out into a bed with Chad's lanky frame sprawled out on his stomach, playing video games while Josh cheered him on from the doorway to the kitchen.

"Toby's here! And Michael," Chad called, and Jon peeked out from the kitchen where he had, evidently, been making some sort of snacks for them -- there was flour on his cheek and shirt front, and he had a mixing bowl in his hands.

"I see I'm just in time for the party," Toby said, stashing his bag by the door and hanging his coat up on the old-fashioned standing rack. He'd gone for simple and casual, jeans and t-shirts for the whole weekend and a supply of pajama bottoms for sleeping in, and it looked like everyone else had, too. Chad was wearing a pair of cut-off sweat pants, his long legs bare in the warm room and his shirt riding up to show off a bit of tanned skin on his side.

Toby tried not to drool as Michael pushed past him, wearing jeans tight enough to leave nothing, including the fact that he'd gone commando, to the imagination. "So," said Michael tactlessly, flopping on the bed next to Chad once he'd ditched his coat and shoes, "is anyone here actually straight?"

Josh choked on his beer and had to be pounded on the back by Jon while the rest of them laughed and, at least in Toby's case, blushed. Toby felt silence was the only proper reply, and Chad seemed to be studiously ignoring them in favor of his game. "I usually am," said Josh, once he'd recovered from his coughing fit.

"Usually?" Toby blurted, hiding his embarrassment by taking off his shoes and socks.

"There may have been an exception or two," he said with a blush, glancing shyly over at Jon, who leaned up and brushed a kiss over his cheek.

"No taking advantage of the straight boy," said Jon sternly to the room, brandishing the wooden spoon in a manner reminiscent of some television mom. "Make sure he says yes before you grope him."

They all laughed at that, and Toby couldn't resist asking, "If I don't, will you spank me?"

"No," said Jon, putting the spoon back in the bowl. "I'll only spank you if you're good."

"Need some help in the kitchen?" Toby asked, changing the subject before he got himself in even more trouble. He gave Jon a significant look that got him a raised eyebrow in return.

Jon gave Josh a little hip-shove into the room and said, "You play nice with the boys, I'm sure Toby's got more experience being a kitchen bitch than you have anyway."

"Yes, sir," said Josh playfully, stealing a blushing kiss and a finger full of batter before laying self-consciously on the other side of Chad. "Are you both gay?" he asked, a little shy and sort of hopeful, as though his own bisexuality would be all right if all the boys he wanted to kiss, wanted to kiss him back.

"I like both," said Chad, eyes glued to the screen though one of his legs twined over Josh's calf.

Michael winked and said, "I'm pretty much all for cock, myself."

Toby laughed and made his way over to Jon and into the kitchen, where the smell of baking something filled the room. He could hear them talking in low voices in the other room, and he had a feeling that it was a very good thing the girls weren't staying either night. "I talked to my pack about, you know," he said, moving up and tilting his face in an obvious ploy to get kissed.

Jon obliged with quite a bit more enthusiasm than Toby was expecting, sweet and hot and a lot more lingering than just a hello kiss. "What was their conclusion?" he asked, eyes sparking with interest.

"Blowjobs and hand jobs, no penetration, and you guys are invited to dinner Sunday. Um, just for the food, Dr. J will be there. It's his house." Toby couldn't believe how awkward he felt, shy and nervous even though he had no doubt that he'd interpreted Jon's propositions correctly.

He was proven entirely correct when Jon gave a little bounce and said, "Yay!" He set the bowl down and swept Toby into his arms, surprisingly strong for being so small and so very human. "I can't wait to taste you," he whispered just before his lips met Toby's again in a kiss that went on and on, heating Toby's blood and curling his toes, until he thought he might melt just from the wanting of it.

The oven timer interrupted them and they pulled apart, laughing. "A host's work is never done," Jon quipped, handing a pair of oven mitts to Toby. "That should be the last of those, um..." He paused to look at the directions on an empty box of frozen hors d'oeuvres and said, "Yeah, just make sure the tops are browned a little and you can pull them out and put them on a plate."

Toby put on the mitts and followed instructions, finding the little pouches of dough were done to a perfect crisp. He took one mitt off and did a silly little dance of "too hot" as he moved them by their swiftly-cooling tops onto the waiting platter, grinning when the pain faded as soon as he was done. There were also little stuffed mushrooms and other pre-made treats spread out over the table, and Toby found himself amused and impressed. He snuggled up behind Jon and whispered in his ear, "That's a lot of food. Are you trying to fatten me up, or just make sure I've got enough energy for later?"

It was Jon's turn to blush, and he turned and stole a kiss before answering. "A little of both, I guess. I cook when I'm nervous."

Toby let his hand wander down to the front of Jon's pants and took a moment to nibble one ear before he offered, "Work off some of that nervous energy?"

They both jumped and laughed when a voice from the doorway said, "Can I watch?" They turned to see Chad lounging against the frame, game obviously abandoned in favor of company. "I take it you've got permission to play?"

"Blowjobs and hand jobs, no penetration, and you guys are invited to dinner with the pack Sunday at Dr. J's house," said Toby, cheeks reddening as he wondered if he'd end up rattling that off for all of them.

"Is that all of us, or just them?" came Michael's amused voice from the living room, and Toby's blush deepened.

"All of you, and the girls are invited for dinner. Er, but not into my pants, I don't swing that way," Toby replied, pitching his voice loud enough to be heard.

"Excellent," said Michael, and Toby heard a noise that sounded suspiciously like a muffled gasp of pleasure from Josh.

Chad followed Toby's curious gaze and confirmed, "He's already gotten into Josh's pants, so apparently this is going to be a naked sort of party."

Josh moaned a little louder and Toby could imagine his embarrassment, so he decided to get something for himself and give Josh a bit of relief all in one fell swoop. "Guess this means I'm free to get into Jon's," he said, then slipped down to his knees and turned Jon around, hands working eagerly at the fly of his jeans.

"It's about time," said Jon in a voice that was half-moan, and Toby found himself nuzzling into the opening just to drown for a moment in the scent of someone new, someone who was his choice and wanted him for himself, someone who wasn't paying or pack but just a casual friend who wanted whatever he could get.

"Damn, I had better be next," said Chad, and Toby could imagine what it must be like, had been in that position of watching and not wanting to stop long enough to join in.

He decided to give a good show, tugging Jon's pants down with his hands and then taking the edge of the rather nice light blue silk boxers in his teeth, crossing his wrists behind his back and arching his back in his best submissive posture. He was rewarded with a chorus of moans, Jon's need, Chad's envy and Josh's pleasure echoing in his mind as he tugged the soft cloth down, sliding it deliberately over Jon's erection until it slipped loosely to his thighs. He thought of making some flippant offer, but one look at the desire in Jon's face, desire for *him*, and Toby couldn't wait a moment longer.

He closed his mouth over Jon's balls first, tasting the heavy musk that lingered there, the scent filling him up like a tangible thing that drove his own need higher. He sucked them both gently, mouth filled perfectly, familiarly, though of course no one he'd had before had just exactly this shape, this weight and texture and taste. He caressed the thin skin with his tongue, rolled them around and then let them slide free with a last little suck, eyes on Jon's face the whole time, watching the cheeks flush with pleasure, the eyes fog and then close, the lower lip bitten by even white teeth.

"God, you're all so hot together," said Chad, and Josh's moan was accompanied by Michael's chuckle, and Jon's whimper.

"He tastes as good as he looks," said Toby, then he slid his tongue up the shaft, swirling it around the head before swallowing Jon down. Jon fit easily into his throat, a whore's talent but one Toby was glad to have learned and planned to put to good use, now and many, many times in the future.

"God, he's... fuck," Jon gasped, and Toby let himself smile just a little before he got down to the proper business of sucking Jon off, head bobbing at a steady rhythm, tongue working patterns along the shaft and sometimes pulling back enough to slip into the slit, swirl over the head, or even tease with just a little nip of his teeth. Jon gave in sooner than Toby had expected, hands cupping his head and hips thrusting forward, fucking Toby's welcoming mouth and open throat like they'd done this a hundred times.

Toby faintly heard Josh crying out and assumed that Michael had managed to prove that "usually straight" didn't mean much in a room full of hot, eager gay men, and Chad's needy groan seemed to confirm his suspicions. Jon groaned, too, thrusting harder when Toby didn't object at all to being so used, fingers roaming over his shorn scalp as though looking for something to hold onto as he rode the waves of pleasure toward release. It wasn't long before he gave in to the inevitable and came with a deep thrust and a sharp cry, cock pulsing on Toby's tongue as it spilled into his throat.

Toby pulled back and Jon released his head immediately, soon enough to gather a taste of the hot seed on his tongue. He pressed a kiss to the wet head and swallowed deliberately, looking up at Jon with heavy-lidded eyes. "Delicious," he said, licking his lips and then rubbing at them with the back of his hand.

"My turn," said Chad, though Toby didn't know who to. He just knew that they'd definitely be needing the energy of those snacks very soon, and that he'd have an even better evening than he'd hoped for.

He only thought of Jeremy every other heartbeat, and those not so painfully as before, knowing he'd found his own sort of penance while Jeremy served the rest of the pack and they both marked time until next weekend. Until they could be together.

Chapter 32

The air felt different on Jeremy's newly-shaven skin, his arms and legs and most of all groin feeling even more naked and vulnerable than usual. He kept suppressing little shivers that were half chill and half desire, the normally warm house seeming like it had sprung up a hundred little drafts just for the occasion. Jeremy stood in front of the kitchen sink carefully hand-washing their dishes from dinner -- on Saul's orders, of course -- and wearing nothing but the sheer, frilly apron Bas had so enjoyed putting on him. He was a little surprised that they'd left him alone afterward, but he was admittedly sore enough to be grateful for the reprieve.

He was grateful for the time to process things as well, to accept that it had felt good to be bound and taken, to be manhandled, shaved and used again and again. He hadn't really understood what it was that they all craved about what he'd privately thought of as their games, and it was a lot to think about now that he'd had a big bite. One that lingered on his body like an aftertaste, from the faint rope marks on his arms and legs to the twinge of bite marks on his ass, the shiver of cool air over very bare skin and the throbbing ache of a well-used hole.

He'd gotten most of the way through the dishes while he was lost in thought, and he nearly dropped one of his favorite blue teacups when Bas came crawling into the room. "Oh!" he said, carefully setting the cup aside and turning, a blush rising on his cheeks as he admired the sleek sensuality of Sebastian's movements. "How may I serve you, sir?" he asked, one question Saul had generously decided to allow him to ask whenever he wished.

Sebastian's answering smile was feral, putting Jeremy in mind of a housecat that's just learned it has a mouse to hunt. "Just keep washing, and spread for me, pet," said Bas, rubbing up against Jeremy's legs like the cat he became three nights a month.

"Yes, sir," said Jeremy obediently, turning back to the sink and widening his stance. He buried his hands in the warm suds but didn't yet pick anything up, knowing that Bas had something more in store for him, probably something very distracting.

He was proven quite correct when an agile tongue found its way between his cheeks and began to lap almost soothingly at the sore flesh, cleaning the entrance first and then working downward to lick the seed that had leaked onto Jeremy's thighs. "We taste good in you," Bas murmured, nipping at one thigh and bringing a completely undignified squeak to Jeremy's lips. "Keep washing," he admonished, mouthing from one side to the other until he'd cleaned Jeremy's skin to his own satisfaction.

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir," said Jeremy in something like a normal voice, forcing his hands to steady as he washed and rinsed the last of the teacups and set them in the drying rack. He only had the pots and pans left, and those he usually left to air dry, but the rack was full and he really didn't want to risk drying and putting away the dishes in it while Sebastian's tongue was wending its way back upward and inward, shamelessly slipping into the same haven that had welcomed all four of their cocks earlier, and would likely do so again before they slept.

Jeremy was just picking up the dish towel when a voice from the doorway said, "Now isn't this a lovely sight." Jeremy turned to see David leaning in the doorway, feeling his cheeks heat for what felt like the hundredth time that night as he realized his cock had risen again and was making a tent out of the sheer material of his apron. "Are you done with the dishes, pet?"

"All but the pots, sir," said Jeremy with a blush. "I... I was just going to dry these now," he explained, motioning to the glistening dishes, "but I didn't want to d-drop any." He blushed more when he realized that he stammered every time Bas' tongue made a particularly deep thrust inside him, that Sebastian hadn't even slowed when David arrived but had kept on with his mission, lapping the come from Jeremy's body as though it were the most delicious of treats.

"I think that's fine for now," said David decisively. "Leave those there and take off the apron, then crawl into the bedroom. Saul is waiting for us."

"Yes, sir," said Jeremy quietly, slipping the apron off with fumbling fingers while Sebastian made disconcerting little yummy sounds and thrust his tongue deeper than he'd thought possible. Jeremy swallowed nervously and braced his hands on the counter, counting to ten while Bas grew more and more enthusiastic in his task, driving Jeremy's poor, battered libido to the edge without once touching his cock. He finally gave in and turned his pleading eyes back to David, who was waiting with an amused look on his face. "Should... ohgod... should I w-wait for Master Sebastian to be done with me, sir?"

That got him a nip on one cheek, just at the spot where it met his thigh and was most sensitive, and a laugh from David. "Yes, pet, you must wait for the master who is using you to release you before you go."

Jeremy nodded a little miserably and spread his legs wider, bowing his head over white-knuckled hands and hoping his knees would hold. Sebastian's hands came up to spread him even wider, and then a flood of hot embarrassment hit him when Bas sealed his mouth to the wet opening and sucked, that wicked, agile tongue scooping the last of their come right out of him until Jeremy was left empty and trembling.

"All right," said Bas, nipping one last time and pressing a chaste kiss to the tender flesh, "He's all clean."

"Come on, pet, Saul's waiting," said David, patting his thigh as though calling a puppy to heel.

Jeremy dropped obediently down to his knees and found himself trapped in a kiss that tasted of the most basic, primal flavors of sex. "Thank you, sir," Jeremy said softly when Bas released him, earning a bright smile and another, sweeter kiss. He turned and crawled away, acutely aware of the sway of his ass, and the way his balls swung down between his thighs as he brushed past David and made his way down the long hall, knowing they were both watching. Knowing they were enjoying the view.

Jeremy pushed the door open with his shoulder and found Saul lounging in his bed, Mercury draped over his long body like an ornament, eyes closed and a soft purr escaping as Saul's long fingers worked through the silvery hair that Jeremy knew from experience was soft and fine. "Are you enjoying your evening, love?" Saul asked, and Mercury's eyes opened just the thinnest slits.

Jeremy stopped and sat back on his heels, hands behind his back and knees spread wide so his needy cock was readily visible from the bed. "I am, sir, though I'm a little sore," he said honestly; normally it wouldn't be enough to bother him, but he imagined he'd be fucked raw by Sunday if he didn't let them know.

A flash of concern went through Saul's eyes, followed by a glint of mischief. "Show me where you're sore, pet, perhaps we can soothe you."

Jeremy blushed, but he didn't let himself hesitate, instead turning around and going onto all fours, then bending over so his shoulders were braced against the floor and spreading his cheeks wide with his hands. "Here, sir, where you all made use of me," he said, though it was a bit muffled by the position. He knew his face was flaming, and his hole twitched in the cool air, sensitive and wet and so very open.

"Did Sebastian's tongue not help?" Saul asked, and Jeremy could hear movement on the bed though he didn't dare move enough to see what was happening.

"It did, sir, but I'm still... I'm just not used to such a, um, vigorous and extensive sex life, sir," said Jeremy, closing his eyes against the mortification of it all. They'd never really discussed what Jeremy's sex life was like before them, and he'd been happy to keep it -- or really the lack thereof -- to himself.

His train of thought was very thoroughly derailed when cool fingers slipped inside him, coated in something that tingled in a way that he thought should have been disconcerting, but felt quite soothing instead. "David made this up for you, love," said Saul's voice from startlingly close, the fingers spreading the slick stuff deep inside, then putting more around his entrance, massaging it into the tight muscle until Jeremy was nearly purring. "He thought we'd wear you out too fast with how much we wanted you."

"It's got a little bit of all of us in it," said David's voice from somewhere in front of him, and Jeremy felt that loosening in his chest as he let go of any concept of dignity or embarrassment and just let himself be, wanton and obedient, owned and used. "I thought I might try doing my job as Charm, since our Scourge is doing his duties this weekend."

"It feels wonderful, sir," said Jeremy, the last of the pain melting away and leaving nothing but desire lingering in its wake. "Thank you."

"You're paying a penance," said Saul, pulling his fingers free and leaning in to whisper directly into Jeremy's ear, "but I will decide what's to be pain and what's to be pleasure."

Jeremy whimpered at that thought; he'd known there would likely be pain of some sort in store for him, but somehow it hadn't seemed real until that moment, bent over and offering himself in such a humiliating way and Saul over him, surrounding him, breath hot on his ear. "Y-yes, sir," he said quietly, a shiver running through him.

"Good boy," said Saul, nipping at his ear. "Now," he continued, sitting up and pulling Jeremy with him, capturing Jeremy's wrists in one big hand, "we'll let that do its work and you can have your very first choice: service us all with your mouth before bed, or take twenty spankings."

Jeremy was torn, as he knew Saul had meant for him to be. On the one hand, he enjoyed sucking cock and theirs specifically. It would please them to use his mouth, and though his throat might be sore afterward, they'd all sleep better and he'd get the joy of pleasuring his pack. On the other hand, if he was to fully experience not only his penance but the full range of sensations that they were offering him, sleeping with his ass stinging from a spanking would be an excellent start. Jeremy swallowed nervously, eyes to the ground, and forced himself to ask, "What if I'd like both, sir?"

Saul threw his head back and laughed. "You're as bad as the rest of them," he said teasingly, wrapping both arms around Jeremy in a warm, affectionate hug that pulled the tension right out of Jeremy's body. "Spanking first."

Jeremy supposed it was inevitable that someone would come out with, "And after the spanking, the oral sex!"

He just hadn't expected it to be David.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Toby hadn't expected Josh to have such a wicked mouth, or any idea of how to use it to make him writhe quite so desperately. He couldn't even moan properly with his own mouth filled to overflowing by Chad's thick cock, though he gave it a try when Josh's tongue gave a particularly deep thrust inside him. He wasn't sure it wasn't cheating, but it was still oral and really, he'd make it up to the pack if they objected to the best rim job he'd ever gotten from a straight boy.

It would be worth it.

After he'd sucked off Jon, they'd somehow all ended up in Jon's real bed rather than the less-than-sturdy sofabed, five naked bodies making even the California King seem small as they tried every configuration that came to mind. Toby had already come once, down Chad's welcoming throat, and he was nearly ready to do it again despite the fact that Jon and Michael were way too busy with each other to pay Toby's cock any attention at all. Josh's hands were too busy holding him open to help out, and his own were braced on Chad's hips while he sucked.

Toby was loving every minute of it, though, and he didn't mind the drawn-out pathway to release. They had all night, after all, and he had a lot of forgetting to do.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Mercury had volunteered to let Jeremy get started on both of his tasks for the evening, but it was decided that Jeremy needed to be able to concentrate entirely on his first spanking. To that end, he was bent over Saul's knees with his hands tied loosely behind his back with a strip of silk, and another one over his eyes, reducing his entire world to the feel of Saul's body supporting him, the sound of Saul's breathing, and the smell of pack that rose off his skin like a perfume.

Jeremy thought he should be tense, waiting in the dark for the first blow to land, but both of Saul's hands were stroking his skin until he was nearly purring from the simple pleasure of it, feeling like a very naughty lap cat. That was, of course, when one hand lifted and returned at rather a higher velocity than before, landing on his right cheek with a loud, solid smack. Jeremy jumped and mewled, then shuddered as the pain turned to heat and the heat spread itself out, sending little tendrils toward his shameless persistent erection and heavy, full balls.

"One!" said a cheerful voice off to the side, Merc's, Jeremy thought, and he groaned as he realized that they'd be counting along the whole way and enjoying this far more than he.

"Thank you, master," Jeremy recited as instructed, "May I have another?" He wasn't sure he really meant that last, but he wasn't given time to reconsider before Saul's hand made solid contact with his other cheek, sticking around after to knead the abused flesh in a manner that was comforting now, but he suspected wouldn't be after a few more strikes.

"Two," said Mercury.

Jeremy felt a third hand stroke through his hair, but he couldn't decide just who the gentle touch belonged to. "Thank you, master, may I have another?" he asked, shivering as he realized he was already anticipating the next spanking eagerly.

Saul chuckled as though he'd heard the change in Jeremy's voice and the hand descended again, this time striking right across the center and drawing a tiny noise of pain and need from Jeremy's open mouth.

Mercury's perky voice gave the count, Jeremy recited his line with a little hitch in his voice, and Saul's hand descended once more. Jeremy found it shockingly easy to lose track of how many had been or were yet to come, despite the counting, and soon he was writhing and moaning, his cock leaving wet trails on Saul's thigh as a testament to something. Jeremy just wasn't sure what anymore, entirely lost in the heat that seemed to radiate from his ass and sink to his bones, fanning the flames of his lust higher with each expertly-placed blow.

The strangest part was how bereft he felt when the last blow fell and it was over. The sensations had built inside him until he thought he might come just from the rhythm of it, the pain, the heat, the count and his own gasped words over and over, until all of a sudden it was done and he was throbbing, his ass with pain and his cock with need, one melting into the other until he could barely tell them apart.

"I think he likes it," said Sebastian, somewhere out in the darkness. Which made the hand in his hair David's, still stroking all through the spanking and after, grounding and gentling him. Jeremy butted up against the fingers, nuzzling as best he could, and got a chuckle and a little scratch behind his ears for his trouble.

Saul's voice rumbled a reply, that big hand still kneading the bruised flesh in a decidedly proprietary manner. "I always knew he would, if he let himself."

"I think," said David, working both hands into Jeremy's hair and pulling his head up, "that he ought to start the second part of his bedtime task now."

Jeremy could feel heat on his cheek, and he turned his head just enough to bump into David's cock. He couldn't resist pressing a kiss to the shaft, and then another and another, each one more open-mouthed and wet than the last until he was licking along the underside almost desperately.

"I can see he agrees with you," said Saul, his voice filled with laughter. "He can, but he's going to take a few more swats to pay for using my lap."

Jeremy whimpered and nodded, spreading his legs and bracing himself just a little better, then sucking boldly on the head of David's cock, teasing his tongue under the foreskin. "Oh, good boy," David purred, hands cupping the back of Jeremy's head. "But that's not really what I'm after today." He pulled his cock back until Jeremy could just barely reach it with his tongue, then thrust forward steadily, not stopping or even slowing until the full length was buried in Jeremy's throat.

Jeremy swallowed desperately around David's cock, blinking back tears at the unexpectedness of it and trying to get a breath in. He managed when David pulled back out, and then the cycle repeated itself over and over as David began to fuck his mouth, not roughly but inexorably, no room for choking or anything more than taking it, sucking and breathing when he could and just accepting it when he couldn't manage even that. "Good boy, yes, that's it, pet," said David as he thrust, words as gentle as his hand and been earlier.

"God, he's hot like that," said Bas, and Jeremy had to suppress the urge to laugh at the incongruity of it, such a mundane thing to say in the midst of something so incredible, this experience that was turning him inside out and showing him things he'd kept hidden, even from himself.

Instead he just let go, sank into his body and let himself react and be acted upon, passive and accepting. Voices swirled around him but it was no longer important, all that mattered was the solid warmth of Saul's legs supporting him, the caress of David's fingers in his hair and the stroke of David's cock past wide-stretched lips and into his abused throat, the heat and sting of his abused ass and the cool tingle that lingered inside where the salve was making him ready for them to use him all over again tomorrow.

Saul began to spank him again, a steady rain of blows this time that covered his ass and renewed the hot burn of pain but didn't manage to break his concentration, only adding to the sensations grounding him in his body. It was better than meditation for divorcing his mind from its everyday worries and anchoring him firmly in the now, removing all concerns but the desire to please and the lingering, insistent ache of his own unfulfilled lust. He almost missed it when David came, painting his tongue with the sticky fluid before pulling back and down until it was David's mouth that met his, David's tongue tasting the come from Jeremy's lips.

"Good boy," said David, and then his mouth was replaced with another cock, gentler this time, and smaller. Mercury's, Jeremy realized when his lips met the base and found only bare skin, and he whimpered with the wish that he could fondle and touch the lovely smooth balls. Instead he felt cool fingers thread through his hair, and suddenly the gentle thrusting turned rough and demanding as Mercury began to fuck his mouth. Saul had stopped the spanking at some point, and was now rubbing and kneading the abused flesh, making Jeremy squirm at the pleasure and pain of it.

"God, he's nearly as good as a whore," Mercury moaned, and then squeaked as the comment garnered him a swat of his own from David.

"We're not whores anymore," said Saul sternly, and Jeremy could practically hear Mercury's smirk.

"Doesn't mean I don't remember how to suck cock like one," Merc replied impishly, his breath hitching once or twice as he spoke and then dissolving into panting groans as he neared completion already.

Jeremy heard someone moving around the room and then Sebastian's voice whispered from somewhere in the vicinity of Mercury's moaning, "You're so hot just from watching him, you can barely hold it in, aren't you?"

As if that was his cue, Merc cried out softly and spilled into Jeremy's throat, leaving a trail of bitter seed across Jeremy's lips as he pulled out and away, only to be replaced by Bas' slender prick, already wet with precome. One of Saul's fingers slipped inside him and he nearly choked at the unexpected pleasure of it, but Sebastian began to thrust and he was given no choice but to recover.

"I bet you like that," said Saul in a low growl, "being compared to a whore. Sucking one cock after another." The finger probed deeper, deliberately finding and rubbing Jeremy's prostate, sending sparks of distracting pleasure cascading along Jeremy's nerves. "Of course," he said, pulling out and coming back with three slick fingers, the stretch making him whimper around Bas' cock as the pain melted into the same hot pleasure that radiated from his sore ass.

"I think I'll let you come," said Saul conversationally, fingering him roughly now, "if you can do it just like this, before Sebastian does." Jeremy whimpered again, knowing that it wasn't unfair because he could, and wanted to, come just from this. Saul's words sent another flare of heat down his spine, and he found the strength to rock back against the teasing fingers, and suckle at Sebastian's prick.

The world came back to him in a rush, like having his ears pop and suddenly he could hear Merc whimpering and the wet sound of Saul's fingers inside him, could hear David whispering something to someone who wasn't him and feel every ridge and vein on Bas' prick as it slid past his lips and over his tongue. The pain and pleasure from his ass redoubled itself and he gasped, nearly choking as it finally overloaded his nerves and sent him into one of the strongest orgasms of his life, shivering as white and gold sparks flooded his darkened vision, bucking back into the probing fingers while he spurted thick, hot strands of come onto Saul's leg like a naughty puppy.

He came back to himself with Bas' cock motionless in his mouth, just the head resting on his tongue for now and Sebastian's hands petting his hair, Saul's stroking his back and ass. "Good boy," Saul crooned in a tone Jeremy had heard him use with Edward and Ogdred. "Such a good boy."

A little aftershock ran through Jeremy at being treated like a mere kitten who'd managed to perform well, but he didn't get much time to contemplate it before his mouth was once again full, Sebastian using him with smooth, quick strokes that forced him to keep up with tiny, stolen breaths and an agile tongue.

It didn't take very long for Bas to gift Jeremy with his third helping of come for the night, a very welcome dessert that he swallowed eagerly, licking it off his lips while they manhandled him down onto his knees and pressed his face into the warm, musky closeness between Saul's legs. "Mercury will lick up your mess, pet, but you've got one more cock to suck," said Saul huskily, and Jeremy went happily to work, first lapping at the heavy, full balls, sucking one and then the other and teasing his tongue along the sensitive skin.

A hand curled down his spine and cupped his sore bottom, and he heard the wet lapping of a tongue next to his ear. A blush stole over his cheeks incongruously, somehow more embarrassed by Mercury licking his come from Saul's thigh than by being tied and blindfolded, spanked and used and now sucking his fourth cock of the night, of the hour. He distracted himself by getting down to business, lowering his mouth onto the thick shaft and finding a moment of disorientation when he realized he was still in control.

"That's it, pet, work for my come," Saul urged, stroking Jeremy's hair but not forcing him as he began to bob his head up and down, using all the technique he'd picked up to try and draw Saul's release from him.

Saul spread his legs wider and leaned back, leaving Jeremy with no direction and nothing but his instincts to go on as he licked and sucked, then went back to kissing and licking the wrinkled balls when his jaw grew sore. He went back up to Saul's cock, whimpering at the salt taste of the tip where precome mingled with his own spit, slicking the shaft as he sucked in earnest, his own cock growing hard again with the delightful perversity of it.

"I wish we could take a picture of this, just so he could see how he looks," said Mercury in a dreamy voice, long done with his task but still somewhere nearby.

Jeremy moaned, the sound vibrating along Saul's shaft and eliciting an answering groan, the first real sign that his ministrations were having much effect. David chuckled, the sound floating from somewhere that might have been near the bathroom if Jeremy hadn't totally lost his orientation, which was quite possible. "We'll just have to put you in the same position later so he'll understand," said David, and Mercury whimpered.

Jeremy moaned again, then opened his throat and began to use his whole body, rocking back and forth to drive his mouth down onto Saul's cock just like he was being fucked. He forced himself to keep as fast a pace as he could go, swallowing when he could, tongue dancing along the length as he did his level best to bring Saul off when Saul, obviously, was drawing things out as long as he could.

"Is your ass sore, boy?" said Saul, his voice rougher now, moans getting a ragged edge that only encouraged Jeremy to move faster. "I can see the glow of it from here, fuck, bright cherry red and just asking to be used. I think we'll start the day tomorrow with another spanking, just so you know what it feels like to be fucked right after."

The dirty talk seemed to be affecting Saul as much as Jeremy, Saul's hips rocking just enough to set the rhythm, while Jeremy's cock bobbed up hard and ready between his legs. Jeremy felt the movement as Saul's balls drew up and was just barely braced when one large palm pushed his head down until his nose was buried in the short-cropped curls. Saul's prick pulsed in Jeremy's mouth, spilling into his throat while Jeremy tried to swallow helplessly, barely managing to keep from disgracing himself. His lips and chin were slick with the stuff when Saul finally let him free, and he blushed when he realized he had no way to wipe it clean with his hands still bound behind his back.

Mercury took care of it for him, though, covering his face with little licks and kisses until he was shiny clean and blushing even redder. "You taste good on him," Mercury chirped, and Jeremy could hear something that sounded like him climbing up onto the bed with Saul.

"He looks so good I hate to let him go," said Saul, stroking Jeremy's hair, "but I suppose we ought to untie him so he can sleep. He's got a long day ahead of him tomorrow." His fingers were gentle as they untied the blindfold, and Jeremy blinked, eyes adjusting to the dim candlelight in the room. Mercury was there, curled up next to Saul on the end of the bed, and there was David off to the left, lounging in the open doorway to the bathroom. Sebastian was snuggled up next to him looking sleepy and sated, and Jeremy smiled to realize that he'd given them all the release they'd craved.

"He'll be happier tomorrow if he can sleep without restraints," said David, pushing off from the doorframe and giving Bas a little kiss before striding over to untie Jeremy's hands. "Maybe Saturday night he can sleep bound, since he'll have to be all dressed Sunday night for dinner anyway."

Jeremy whimpered at the thought, a little bit sad to realize that they weren't really counting on doing this again after the weekend, until he realized what a lovely surprise he had to gift them with, once everything was over. He rubbed his wrists, rolling his shoulders to get the stiffness out and smiling softly to himself as he realized that he, for one, had no intention of letting this be the last time he gave himself over to the authority and mastery of his pack.

Chapter 33

The first thing Jeremy noticed when he woke up -- besides the naked bodies weighing down the bed on either side of him -- was that his throat was decidedly sore. The second thing was that his ass was quite a bit more painful than his throat, the bruises having stiffened overnight until it hurt even to shift into a more comfortable position, wedged as he was between two very warm, friendly bodies. He did anyway, stretching languidly and taking stock of all the aches, familiar and new, then looked around to see who had ended up snuggled around and with him.

David took up one side as the warm body he'd been spooned around and still slept peacefully, and Bas was behind Jeremy, one hand starting to move in ways that suggested he was awake or very nearly so. Jeremy twisted around to offer his mouth to Sebastian in a soft, sweet little kiss, and he was rewarded with a splay of fingers over his stomach and the welcome intrusion of Bas' tongue between his lips. They stayed like that for long minutes, just kissing and holding one another, until the body in Jeremy's arms moved and a third mouth joined theirs, turning it into a messy, sexy three-way kiss that ended in sleepy laughter.

"And good morning to you, too," said Saul from the door, sauntering in, casually nude, with an equally naked Mercury trailing behind him carrying a tray of steaming mugs.

David rolled off first, then Jeremy turned and smiled shyly at Saul. "Good morning, master," he said sweetly. "How may I serve you?"

Saul chuckled. "You're right, Mercury, I had no reason to worry," he said, which brought a blush to Jeremy's cheeks. "Are you sore anywhere besides the obvious, love?"

Jeremy nodded. "My shoulders and back are quite stiff, from the b-bondage, I think, sir," he said; he'd been stiff everywhere when he stretched, but his spine had stayed that way while everything else loosened up.

"Coffee first, then, and Mercury will bathe and care for you while we get this morning's entertainment ready. You'll be led to breakfast blindfolded and on a leash, so as to not spoil the surprise," said Saul.

Mercury took that as his cue to hand out the cups, David's first, then Sebastian sat up enough to receive his, then finally Jeremy's and his own. "Would you like yours now, sir?" Mercury asked, stealing a sip and glancing down at the lone mug in the center of the tray.

"Sure," said Saul, holding out a hand and sitting on the end of the bed. Mercury brought him the cup and got a kiss for his troubles, which Jeremy felt was quite a fair exchange.

Jeremy sipped his own coffee, feeling the caffeine sinking in, the familiar scent and taste aiding in the process of waking up and making himself fully aware while the heat soothed his throat. "Will I be cooking or serving breakfast, sir?" he asked; the casual atmosphere Saul was encouraging seemed as though it would allow him to ask such questions, and if not, he'd find out what bad boys got.

"Sebastian will cook, as we've an idea of your skills in that area," said Saul wryly, stroking their legs through the blankets indiscriminate of whose was whose. "If your bath is done in time, and you've properly serviced Mercury to thank him, then you may be allowed to service the cook."

"Or perhaps," David piped up with a wicked grin, "You'll be under the table while we're around it, servicing all your masters. Is your throat still sore?"

Jeremy blushed and nodded. "Yes, sir, a little. The coffee's helping."

Sebastian leaned in and laid a hot, open-mouthed kiss over Jeremy's Adam's apple. "We'll soothe all your aches and pains before we give you new ones, pet."

David reached around and grabbed Jeremy's tender ass and said with a wicked grin, "Well, most of them, anyway."

Jeremy let out an embarrassing little moan as pain and lust flared through him from the contact, and whimpered gratefully when Mercury deftly relieved him of his coffee cup before he could spill. "Th-thank you," he said, wishing he was in a position to give a kiss in return but figuring he'd just give extra in thanks for his bath later.

"Now, now," said Saul, as David's hand began to grope inward and Bas' mouth move down, "Save that for later, boys. Mercury, take your coffee into the bathroom, you two can finish it in there while we get started out here."

"Yes, sir!" Mercury chirped, grinning. He jerked his head in the direction of the bathroom and said, "Come on, pet, let's get you nice and clean."

"Yes, master," said Jeremy with a sweet, obedient little smile, crawling over David on all fours and getting an extra grope for his trouble, then staying that way as he got down to the floor and followed Mercury into the bathroom.

The tub was already filled with steaming, fragrant water, and the floor had been laid thick with towels. Jeremy was grateful for the padding as he closed the door behind them and then knelt, awaiting orders.

"You are turning out to be a good boy," said Mercury affectionately, coming forward and ruffling Jeremy's hair. "I'm going to enjoy pampering you. Now, you're not to speak unless I ask you a question or I do something that hurts more than you think it's supposed to, all right, pet?"

Jeremy nodded, and Mercury stroked his hair. "I expect you need to use the facilities, go ahead and do that while I finish getting things ready. Don't worry, you won't embarrass me, it's a common kink."

It might not embarrass Mercury but Jeremy was blushing like mad, though he was grateful that it at least gave him the needed stimulus to get soft enough. He finished up quickly and washed his hands out of habit, then got back down onto his knees and waited, grateful that Mercury hadn't even bothered to look up. "All set, pet?" he asked, and Jeremy nodded. "Let's start with your teeth, then," he said, walking over and picking up the already-prepared brush. "Open wide."

Jeremy did, eyes wide with the expectation that Mercury was expecting to clean his teeth for him, but he just put the brush in and patted Jeremy on the head. "Brush well, love, I like to feel that minty tingle on my cock."

Jeremy did as he was told, then used mouthwash as well just for good measure. He almost announced he was done, but caught himself just in time, instead crawling over and rubbing against Mercury's leg like a cat. "All done, love? Let's see how you did, then."

Mercury turned and spread his thighs and Jeremy nosed happily into his crotch, running his tongue over the bare flesh of his groin for a few teasing licks before taking the half-hard prick into his mouth and sucking at it. He slipped his tongue under the foreskin and into the slit, spreading the tingling residue all around, feeling Mercury grow fully erect as he worked.

"That's enough, pet," said Merc, pulling Jeremy's head away by the hair. "I'll have you later," he added, giving Jeremy a punishing kiss and drawing a whimper from his throat. Jeremy hadn't seen Mercury being dominant much, and the contrast with his usual demeanor made it doubly arousing.

Merc let Jeremy go, and he swayed for a moment, licking his lips and feeling more than a little dazed. Mercury smirked and stroked his hair. "Good boy. Now lay face down on the towels, love."

Jeremy blinked in confusion but did as he was told, pillowing his head on his arms. Mercury repositioned him, a loop of towel supporting his head and his arms straight at his sides. Still, it wasn't until the warm oil was drizzled onto his back and followed by deft, firm hands that Jeremy understood -- he was being pampered, massaged back into pliancy before the very full day ahead of him. He wanted to say something, thank Mercury for everything, but he knew better than to disobey willfully, even with Mercury. In fact, Jeremy suspected Mercury might be more wickedly creative in his punishments than any of the others, drawing on years of experience and his own predilections.

Instead, Jeremy just moaned his appreciation, melting slowly under Mercury's hands like butter on a hot day, until his muscles were soft and relaxed, and he was literally purring. He barely even noticed the transition when the deft fingers went from kneading to probing, loosening his entrance with the same firm strokes. His body noticed, though, his cock filling and breath quickening, and that drew a chuckle from Mercury. "You really do want it bad, don't you?" he said teasingly, then rolled Jeremy over. "Let me finish your massage, and I'll give you what you want in the bath, pet."

Jeremy nodded mutely, wanting more than anything to utter a simple thanks or even just give a kiss, but instead he spread his legs and let his eyes flutter closed again as Mercury went back to massaging him, this time adding in more arousing caresses. Merc massaged Jeremy's sore pectorals and plucked at his nipples, rubbed down his arms and hands to suck on his fingers, kneaded his thighs and spread them wide and finally buried three fingers deep inside of him, using his other hand to coat Jeremy's cock in the warm oil. "Saul said I could give you an orgasm if I thought you deserved it," said Mercury nonchalantly, slipping a fourth finger in and teasing a fingertip into the slit of Jeremy's cock. "I don't think you really want that yet, though. You want to crawl in there hot and hard and wanting, with my come running down your thighs and your own cock dripping with need, don't you, pet?"

Jeremy thought perhaps he'd never hated someone so much for being right, but he nodded a little miserably. "I thought so," said Mercury with a wicked little smile. He pulled his hands away and carefully helped Jeremy up and into the bathtub. "Stay sitting, love, you're all slippery and I'd hate to have you hurt yourself," said Mercury, washing his hands at the sink to remove the excess oil before slipping into the steamy water with him. "This weekend at least, that's our job," he added, winking. He grabbed a washcloth and bath gel and lathered them up, then began to wash Jeremy with a brisk thoroughness.

Jeremy tried to stay still, but he couldn't help but writhe a little under Mercury's rough ministrations, especially when they grew tender over his sore ass, cloth abandoned as soapy fingers teased into the crease and washed him carefully even there. Mercury ducked him under the water, pulling him to a deep, hot kiss with a mischievous grin at the end of it. "I think," he said, snagging the little bottle of waterproof lubricant, "You should ride me while I wash your hair."

Jeremy blushed and nodded. He made a tentative reach for the bottle, but Mercury pulled it away and shook his head teasingly. "Turn around, butt up out of the water," he said, and Jeremy let out a little sigh of pleasure as he complied.

Those gentle fingers returned, slick and careful as they slipped into his body, one at a time until Jeremy was shivering with need and just about ready to violate orders and beg to be taken. Merc knew him, though, had learned the rhythm of his need over the past weeks, and he pulled his fingers out just as Jeremy was taking a breath to speak. "Uh uh, pet, no speaking now," he scolded, giving Jeremy's ass a swat that hurt oh so much more for being wet, and for landing on the bruising left from last night's spanking.

Jeremy yelped, which seemed to satisfy Mercury because he pulled Jeremy back and right onto the oiled length of his cock. Jeremy let out an embarrassingly needy little moan that brought a chuckle out of Mercury's chest, vibrating against Jeremy's back. "You do love being fucked, don't you, pet?" he said, nuzzling up into Jeremy's wet hair.

Jeremy nodded, twisting around to beg a kiss which Mercury granted happily. "Now, love, lean forward and get your hair wet again, and I'll get you nice and clean," he said, reaching for the bottle. Jeremy ducked under, then arched back, pushing his hair out of his face and bracing his hands against the edge of the tub. He was embarrassed to hear himself start to purr when Mercury began to work in the shampoo, lathering it up until the scent filled Jeremy's nostrils. Jeremy's hips were moving of their own accord, rocking ever so gently back and forth on Mercury's cock just to feel the slide of it inside him.

Mercury let them go on like that for far longer than Jeremy thought was probably necessary, but he wasn't about to complain. He rinsed off finally with a word from Merc, then came up spluttering to have the process repeated, this time with a brightly fruit-scented conditioner. Instead of letting Jeremy rinse, though, Mercury pulled him back to rest in a gentle embrace, Mercury's hands disappearing below the water to tease and tug at his cock and balls.

"Ride me, pet, and I might let you come," Mercury purred, seemingly unbothered by the conditioner still weighing down Jeremy's hair as he nuzzled at Jeremy's neck.

Jeremy didn't have to be told twice, and he lengthened his movements, using his thighs to raise up and letting gravity pull him back down, enthusiastically enough to make the water slosh dangerously.

Mercury laughed and shook his head, "No flooding the bathroom, now," he said, pushing Jeremy forward again until he was braced on the edge of the tub with Mercury behind him. "Hold on tight, love," said Mercury, and Jeremy was glad to have taken him to his word. Merc didn't bother to spare him one bit, pulling out nearly all the way and slamming back in, then setting up a punishing rhythm that only just managed not to splash water all over the floor.

Jeremy mewled and pushed back, meeting each thrust with abandon, letting himself enjoy being used. Mercury's hands were clutched bruisingly hard on Jeremy's hips, and Jeremy was left with just Mercury's cock inside him and the water lapping at his straining cock and taut thighs, splashing up to slap and tease his bare, sensitive balls at a rhythm that was not quite in synch with Mercury's thrusts. It was maddening and it might have made him come anyway, were he not concentrating very hard on not disobeying despite the sparks of pleasure that made his body clench and breath hitch.

Even though a part of Jeremy trusted Mercury to want to make him feel good, he was remembering the force in Mercury's kisses and the wicked gleam in those grey eyes. He knew the pack would enjoy him like this, need written in every line of his body, his balls heavy and full and his prick battered by the wavelets and nearly purple with wanting. His skin felt triply sensitive, the silk of Mercury's hips against his well-spanked ass seeming almost rough compared to the caress of warm water against his freshly-shaved legs.

Mercury's thrusts grew erratic, and Jeremy felt the warning tingle in his balls and his toes that told him very little would stop him from coming, and soon. He whimpered, then whined as he tried to think of something to stave off his release, but his mind was filled with images of last night, of other nights when he'd been with Mercury and the pack. "You need to come, don't you?" Mercury growled, and Jeremy nodded miserably, a shudder running through him once again that he might be denied, or punished if he came anyway.

Mercury chuckled wickedly, then leaned in, fucking Jeremy with short, sharp thrusts. "You can come when I do, not before, and not a second after," he said, and Jeremy moaned again. He was sure to mess this up and be punished, but he nodded anyway, biting his lower lip and going through multiplication tables in his head to try and hold back. He didn't have long to wait, thankfully, as Mercury knelt back up and thrust not even a dozen more times before stilling with a soft, keening cry. Jeremy let out his breath in a shout and spilled into the water, his whole body shivering as release tore through him.

Jeremy lost track of things for a moment, and when he came back to himself Mercury was petting him and cooing, "Good boy, yes, there's a good boy."

That surprised a giggle out of him, which earned him a swat and a dunking. He gave in to the urge and wrestled with Mercury playfully, ending up rinsed clean and giggling, wrapped around Mercury in a warm, affectionate embrace.

"You're lucky he's indulgent," said Sebastian from the doorway, and they both shot equally guilty looks at him.

Jeremy blushed and hid his face behind Mercury, peering up over one shoulder. "He's been very good up until now," said Mercury calmly, "even a pet needs to play once in awhile."

Bas laughed at Jeremy's enthusiastic nod, and said, "Be that as it may, breakfast's ready, so you two had better finish up and come out."

Jeremy nodded, and Merc as well, and Bas left them, shutting the door after. Jeremy had been so busy worrying about getting them in trouble that he hadn't thought to try and see past Bas and into the room, and now he wouldn't get another chance. "All right, out and dry," said Mercury with a chuckle. Jeremy braved another stolen kiss before unwinding himself and crawling out onto the slightly damp towels, part of him a little sad that their time alone was over, but knowing that even this would be here for him if he ever wanted it again.

He smiled to himself as he dried off, realizing that that had been another lesson for the weekend -- that all the members of the pack had a little of everything to offer each other, whether it was a bit of wickedness from Mercury or sweetness from Saul, and it was all there for him if only he asked.

Chapter 34

Toby was awakened by an insistent pounding that he first thought was in his head, but turned out to be merely the door. He blushed when he realized the four naked bodies in the bed with him weren't his pack, and that they'd been up half the night doing everything but fuck, though Jon and Chad had even done that. Toby had a feeling those two were going to end up a couple, which made him feel all warm inside until he realized that no one else was getting the door.

"Jon! Open the damned door, it's after noon, you sloths!" came drifting on the air, a girl's voice though Toby didn't know any of them well enough to know who.

"Just a minute!" he yelled back, which finally got some of the bodies around and on top of him to stir. "Guys, wake up. The girls are here, and if you don't get up I'm going to let them in to see you just like this."

"S'alright, I like girls," said Josh sleepily, curling himself tighter around Toby's legs and nuzzling into his crotch in a manner that rather belied his words.

"They won't believe that if they see you trying to suck Toby off in your sleep," said Chad, sitting up with his hair sticking every which way. He yawned hugely and Toby couldn't help but giggle, brushing his own sleep-softened bangs back to stick to the Velcro-short fuzz on the rest of his head.

Josh blinked, then nuzzled into Toby's cock and started kissing and licking him, waking up his libido in a hurry. "Josh! We don't have time for this!" he said, though his hand didn't so much shove Josh's head away as tangle in the mussed hair.

"There's *always* time for a blowjob," said Jon, slipping unselfconsciously out from under the covers. He stood in front of the gauze-curtained window and stretched languidly, and Toby wondered if he knew just how lovely he looked in the sunlight; then he turned and winked and Toby laughed at himself for getting caught up. "I'll get dressed and bring you guys your clothes, and let them in," said Jon, snagging a shirt from the clothing strewn over the bedroom floor.

"I'll give Toby a blowjob," said Josh, his voice warm and full of affection. Whatever Toby might have said was lost when Josh took his cock in and drowned it in moans instead.

Chad looked on admiringly for a moment, then shook his head. "I'll help you wrangle the girls," he said, stretching in a much less theatrical manner.

"I'll watch them," said Michael, still drowsy and curled up in his nest of blankets; it seemed like most of the covers had ended up in his corner somehow.

Chad laughed, and Toby just managed to see that it was his shirt Jon was slipping into before the pleasure overwhelmed his sleep-addled brain and he let his eyes fall shut. "You're pretty good at that, fuck, for a straight boy," he said, letting his hands wander through Josh's hair and down his back. He found one thigh and gave it a tug, and soon had a lovely view of Josh's prick as well, which he swallowed down happily with a little moan.

"I know what I like," said Josh, pulling off for just a moment to rest his head against Toby's thigh. "And you're better."

He swallowed Toby's cock again, and it was all they could both do not to choke on their laughter when Michael said, "Yeah, but he knows he's gay."

Toby recovered first, bringing his hands up to spread wide the globes of Josh's lovely ass just to give Michael a nice view. His mouth was still full of cock, just the way he liked it, and he was gratified when Michael took the hint and crawled over to him. "I always did like straight boy ass," he said, burying his face unceremoniously in the warm crease, wet sounds attesting to his enthusiasm.

It didn't take long after that for either of them, Toby's mouth filling with warm seed that he just managed to swallow before his own release overtook him in a warm, gentle wave of pleasure. "Mmmm," said Josh, head resting on Toby's thigh while Michael continued to tease at him with his tongue. "Now that's a good way to start the day."

Toby nodded his agreement from between Josh's legs, and Michael pulled away long enough to ask, "So, if Toby takes first shower, you think you might want to get to know me a little better?"

They all laughed at that line, but the advantage to all being friends, and all being guys, is that lines like that sometimes worked. "You're not hung like Chad, so sure, why not. But be gentle, it's been awhile," said Josh after an impressively brief pause for consideration.

Toby laughed again, rolling out from under Josh and kneeling on the floor beside his head. "Thanks for the wake-up," he said, swallowing Josh's moan in a kiss while Michael resumed his oral preparations.

Josh kissed back, all warm enthusiasm and undemanding lust, until Toby pulled away. He rummaged through the mess they'd made of the room and found lube and a condom, slipping them into one of Josh's hands. "For later," he said with a wink, then he went and poked his head out the door. "Can you hand me my backpack?" he asked Chad plaintively; the girls were with Jon in the kitchen and Chad was back in front of the Playstation as though he'd never paused for a whole lot of sex and a nap.

Chad glanced up and laughed, then paused his game and got up. "What, you don't want the girls to see what they're missing out on?" he said, demanding a kiss before he'd pony up the bag.

"I'm strictly for the boys," said Toby; he spotted one of the girls looking their way and shut the door quickly with a final, "Thanks." When he turned back around, Michael was sitting up against the headboard and Josh was just lowering himself onto Michael's upraised cock with a quiet moan.

"Sure you can't stay and play?" said Michael teasingly, looking at Toby over Josh's shoulder. He looked up at Josh and his face softened as their lips met in a kiss hot enough to make Toby blush.

"No thanks, I'd rather have the shower," Toby replied with a smirk, only half lying. As much as he would enjoy another romp with them, he also wanted to do well on the test, and spend a little while being nothing more than a student hanging out with a bunch of his friends. He slipped into the bathroom and started rummaging through his pack, though he left the door invitingly ajar just in case. After all, it never hurt to leave his options open.

By the time Toby was clean and dressed, Josh and Michael were done and snuggled up under the covers, looking sated and amused. "You two look like you've been up to just exactly what you've been doing," said Toby, tossing his bag in a corner of the room. "Are you sure you want the girls to know you've come over to our side, Josh?"

Josh laughed and slipped out of bed, coming over to give Toby a sweet, warm kiss that tasted of sleep and sex. "I'm thinking they'll figure it out. Besides, I haven't defected so much as further broadened my horizons."

"I'll keep that in mind next time you're saying 'deeper, harder, oh please,'" said Michael sardonically, stretching in a way that might have been catlike, had Toby not seen his packmates perform the maneuver hundreds of times with a natural grace no human could hope to match.

Josh was obviously captivated, though, and it took him a moment to realize he was being teased. "Just so long as there is a next time, you can keep whatever you like in mind," he said, then disappeared into the bathroom.

"I'm going to go shower with him," said Michael, getting up and claiming his own kiss from Toby's smiling lips. "Conserve water and all that."

"I'll be sure to tell Jon how considerate you are of his resources," said Toby, getting one more kiss before he slipped out into the living room to try and figure out if the girls had gotten Chad and Jon to give up the game.

"Toby!" said Jennifer, bouncing into the room and giving him a big hug. "The other two still asleep?"

Toby hugged her back, cheeks pink as he tried to think of a way to explain just what the supposedly straight boy and the very, very gay boy were doing in the shower together. "Um, no. Josh snagged the shower first."

Chad chuckled in a way that told Toby he wasn't fooled for a second, though he kept his eyes on the screen and declined to comment. That got a raised eyebrow from Jennifer, but she just gave up and shrugged. "You guys'll explain when you feel like it," she said, and Toby couldn't help but blush a bit deeper. "Jon and Chad have been stonewalling us since we got here."

"Sorry we weren't up yet," said Toby, letting Jennifer lead him into the kitchen where Jon was making a breakfast that would give Bas a run for his money, with pancakes and scrambled eggs, sausages and fried tomatoes, toast and jam and honey and three kinds of juice.

"Don't worry about it," said Kel, where she was supervising the stove so Jon could cook on the big electric griddle. "It was funny seeing their bed head and teasing Jon about where you all slept."

"With him, of course," said Toby, sidling over and kissing Jon's cheek. "He's irresistible." The girls both laughed, and Toby whispered into Jon's ear, "You're wearing my shirt."

Toby was gratified to see a blush rise on Jon's cheeks as he busied himself flipping pancakes. "So," he said to the room at large, "Who's eating?"

"Me!" said Chad from the other room, and they all laughed again. Apparently video games were distracting, but not enough to keep him away from food. Chad levered himself up from the sofabed and made his way into the kitchen.

"Well, the line forms here for pancakes," said Jon, glancing over to where Kel had obviously decided the various skillets were approaching done and was lowering the heat on all of them. "You'll have to beg Kel for forgiveness for anything else, though," he said to Chad with a chuckle.

"I let you in!" said Chad indignantly, though he wisely took the plate Jennifer handed him to Jon first.

"Eventually," said Kel, piling food onto a plate for Toby.

Chad got an adorably hangdog look and dropped to his knees, then shuffled over to Kel and made puppy eyes up at her. "I was only joshin' ya," he said.

Kel was trying very hard not to smile when Josh wandered in, still drying his hair on a towel. "Well, that's what got you in trouble," he said, coming over and slinging an arm around Kel's waist to press a kiss to her cheek on the other side. "Only I should be Joshing these ladies."

"I can't believe how dirty you made that sound," said Jennifer, smiling despite the reprimand in her voice.

"Our Josh is just a dirty, dirty boy," said Toby with a wink, getting a pancake from Jon and then sitting down to dig in. "Mmm, this is delicious, you guys. Thank you for cooking."

"Don't worry," said Jon, giving the rest of his batch to Jennifer and starting another four bubbling on the wide griddle, "I'll make you all buy me pizza later."

"Very small price to pay," said Chad, still on his knees in front of Kel. "Please?"

Kel rolled her eyes and took his plate. "Oh, all right. But you're buying me pizza later, too."

"Yes, oh magnificent giver of food," said Chad, taking his plate and shuffling on his knees over to the table next to Toby.

Jennifer chuckled. "If I didn't already know you were gay, you'd be giving yourself away right now," she said, looking smug as she took a bite of warm, syrupy pancake.

"All right, I give," said Jon, adding pancakes to Josh's plate and putting the rest onto a serving platter. "Why?"

Jennifer grinned. "He's way too good on his knees."

Michael chose that moment to wander in, looking damp and sated and barely awake. "I'll agree with that," he said absently, making a beeline not for the food but the coffee maker, which was slowly putting out a wonderful aroma as the liquid trickled down into the pot.

The girls exchanged a knowing look and it was Kel who asked innocently, "I take it you have some recent experience with this?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," said Chad teasingly, batting his eyelashes at her. "Maybe he was just watching me with Toby."

"Or Jon," said Toby, trying to keep a straight face as he ran through his mental map of who had done what to whom last night.

Jon picked up on what they were doing and said totally deadpan, "Or Josh."

"No way," said Jennifer, interrupting their flow just as Josh opened his mouth. "I know he's straight, he asked me out!"

"There's straight," said Michael from where he was still watching the coffee's level rise, waiting for the moment he could pour himself a cup, "and then there's straight."

Josh obviously couldn't resist seeing their faces and he sauntered over to Michael with a wicked gleam in his eye. "I," he announced, putting one arm around Michael's waist, "am only mostly straight." He dipped Michael dramatically and planted a kiss on the smiling mouth. Jennifer's jaw dropped, Kel's spatula followed suit, and Toby, Chad and Jon whistled and applauded.

"Damn," said Kel, finding another spatula and distributing the rest of the food onto plates for herself, Josh, Michael and Jon. "All the good ones really are gay."

Jon brought over the last pancakes and added those to the generous plates, keeping two for himself and sitting next to Toby. "I think he'd be flattered if he wasn't busy," he said, nodding to where Josh and Michael were still kissing.

Josh took that as his cue to stand them back up, pressing a last sweet kiss to Michael's lips before he let go. "I'm still flattered," he said, shooting Michael a shy little look.

"Stick around us long enough, we'll make sure you're properly gay," said Michael with a wink. He began to pour out coffee into mugs, stopping long enough to ask, "Is there anyone who doesn't want coffee?"

At the universal silence, he divvied up the entire pot into eight steaming mugs and began to pass them out. Everyone found a seat or, in Josh's case, a counter, and soon the room was filled with the sounds of cutlery and chewing, and compliments to the chefs. Once the meal was tucked away and the dishes cleared, with those who hadn't cooked helping to hasten the process of cleaning everything up, they all retired to the living room. Chairs were dragged out of the kitchen and books hunted up, and the real purpose for the affair began -- studying.

Chapter 35

Crawling while blindfolded had been an exercise in trust and coordination that Jeremy could appreciate, but wasn't sure he wanted to repeat anytime soon. Unlike the experience of serving them at breakfast, which turned out to be sublimely joyful.

The sense of penance had lifted for the moment and they all greeted him with gentle petting and warm kisses as the blindfold came off, gathering around him and exclaiming over the red still decorating his ass. For that moment Jeremy knew exactly why the pack worked the way it did, and he couldn't find any objection that could outweigh the sense of happiness swelling inside him as he was called a good boy, stroked and admired.

"All right, pet, we've been talking and since you were such a good boy," said Saul, getting a confirming nod from Mercury, "You're going to get another choice. You can stand up and serve the meal, and eat with the rest of us, or you can scoot under the table and beg for scraps. I'm sure you can figure out what to do there." He winked and sat, naked as they all were, and spread his legs invitingly.

Jeremy recognized that they were offering him a respite, one meal to be just another pack member if it was all getting to be too much, but he also knew that he'd have a harder time getting back to where he was if he allowed himself to shed his submissive mien, even for a few minutes. "I'll stay down here, sir, if it pleases you," he said, blushing but knowing from the looks of surprised pleasure on their faces that he'd made the right decision.

"You can start with me, then," said Bas, winking at Saul. "Come here, boy, I've got something good for you," he said, patting his thigh like he was calling an animal.

Jeremy crawled on over and nuzzled up under the apron happily, thinking that he really had got the best of the deal here. He could lick and suck at all four of their beautiful cocks, and he'd be hand-fed breakfast for his troubles. He took Sebastian's cock into his mouth with a contented little hum, head bobbing and hands moving automatically behind his back as he'd seen the others do many times.

"Oh, such a good boy," said Bas, leaning back against the counter and slipping one hand under the apron to pet Jeremy's hair. "Such a smart pet we've got, oh, such a clever, clever boy."

Jeremy purred as best he could with his mouth and throat full of Sebastian's warm, solid cock, feeling a smile try to pull at lips already stretched wide. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to make them come, but if Bas was serving all by himself he wouldn't get to sit with the rest of them anyway, so Jeremy put all his skills -- though they seemed meager by comparison to the pack's combined experience -- into bringing Bas to a swift climax. It took surprisingly little time, but then, they were less than a week from the full moon and the whole pack would be more sensitive. By Wednesday the whole lot of them would be antsy and wanton, a state that Jeremy had seen and would be quite happy to help alleviate, especially since he usually got into a tamer version of the same mood himself.

Jeremy swallowed the bitter seed and let Sebastian's cock slip free of his lips, nuzzling instead at one slender hip. "Mmm, very good boy, give us a kiss now," said Bas, and Jeremy ducked obediently out from under the apron to present his lips for a warm, sweet kiss. "That deserves a treat," said Bas with a wink, and he put a halved strawberry between his lips and presented it to Jeremy like a particularly indulgent dog owner might offer a treat.

Jeremy took the fruit easily, licking the juices off Sebastian's lips and then kissing him in thanks. Another took its place, a bit of melon this time, and Bas managed to feed him a fairly good helping of fruit between kisses, while the rest of them looked on and occasionally commented or made suggestions for the next bite. Eventually Sebastian straightened up and ruffled Jeremy's hair, smiling down at his eager face. "Go on, puppy, show them what a good boy you are," he said, gesturing toward where David, Merc and Saul were lounging in the little breakfast nook.

Jeremy nodded, licking his lips, not sure what speech, if any, he was allowed at the moment. When Bas didn't seem to be expecting anything else, he turned to crawl off, yelping when Bas swatted his sore ass with a spatula.

Jeremy fit himself under the table a little awkwardly, but they moved their legs around, shifting to accommodate him without obviously meaning to do so. He started at Saul's knee, kissing his way up the spread thighs and rubbing his cheeks against the soft skin until he could nuzzle at their apex. One of Saul's hands came down to pet him, then disappeared again when he took the lovely, full balls into his mouth. The next time Saul reached down he was holding a bit of egg which Jeremy gratefully sucked off his fingers with a soft, happy little moan.

"Go to Mercury now, pet," said Saul, stroking his lips, and so Jeremy went.

The rest of the meal was spent that way, being fed and petted, licking and sucking and being sent from person to person until he could tell who was who just from the taste of their skin. At some point Sebastian had joined them, taking one of the chairs, but otherwise the time passed seamless and satisfying to him. He was certainly full by the end of it, breakfast a pleasant weight in his belly, and his lips were tingling with the constant stimulation of rubbing over furry balls and smooth ones, spongy cockheads and thick shafts, tender thighs and soft stomachs. Finally they finished, and he curled up with his head pillowed against David's thigh while they discussed him as though he wasn't even in the room.

"I think everything's set up in the bedroom now," said David, hand idly stroking through Jeremy's long hair, just barely still damp from the bath.

"You think he'll be all right?" asked Saul, his voice holding little real concern, as though he was merely making sure the group agreed with his own assessment.

Mercury's legs shifted, and one foot slid languidly along Jeremy's thigh and flank. "I think he's coming along fine, and he trusts us to take care of him."

"No vertigo, so, I think he'll be good," said David, giving Jeremy's hair a playful tug. "He's been a good boy so far."

Bas stood with a squeak of wood on linoleum and said, "You know I think it's a brilliant idea." Jeremy heard the clink of plates and cutlery being gathered and smiled softly, something about the situation giving him a feeling of being cared for, cherished.

"All right, boy," said Saul, obviously addressing Jeremy, "Come on out and we'll put your blindfold back on. This will be like your initiation, no sight until the very end unless you need us to stop."

Jeremy crawled out from under the table, giving David's fingers a little kiss first, then peered up over the edge and nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, feeling odd to be speaking at all. "Red means stop, right?"

"Right," said Bas, ruffling his hair from behind. "You trust us to take care of you, don't you?" he asked, and Jeremy nodded, leaning into him with a soft purr that made Bas chuckle. "See? We'll make a proper kitty out of him yet."

"I'd prefer to pass on the fur coat, however," said Saul, his voice holding a strange edge. "I like Jeremy the way he is."

"No fur coat," Bas agreed, and the other two nodded. "Are you ready?" he asked, holding the strip of black silk in front of Jeremy's eyes.

Jeremy took a deep breath and nodded, closing his eyes and straightening up. Careful fingers put the soft cloth around his head, tying it securely and making sure it didn't tug at his hair or gap too much. Jeremy heard the snap and felt the weight as a leash was reattached to the collar Mercury had put on him earlier.

"Good?" asked Sebastian, and at Jeremy's nod he ordered, "Down, boy."

Jeremy went down on all fours obediently, then followed the tug of the leash toward what he presumed was his bedroom, though he couldn't quite be sure. Distances and direction were strange without sight, and once they left the kitchen everything was a uniform hardwood flooring that someone had gone through a great deal of trouble to clean. Actually, despite the fact that this was supposed to be punishment, Jeremy reflected that they'd all gone through a lot of trouble for him this weekend.

Reflecting on that helped assuage his worries about running into doorframes, legs or small furry pets, anyway.

They managed to get him moved without incident and then coax him standing, Mercury's warm body up against his front holding him steady while his hands were drawn up, out and then back, pulling him off-balance. "Trust us," Mercury purred, while someone's hands buckled wide, heavy cuffs to his wrists. The leather of them was surprisingly soft, the edges covered and their presence a comfortable weight. Similar bonds encircled his ankles while something was attached to the wrists, holding his arms suspended in the air.

"I do," Jeremy whispered into Mercury's hair, leaning forward into him just to feel the stretch in his shoulders. Mercury made a soft purring noise and nuzzled back, warming Jeremy somewhere inside where the first trickles of cold fear had begin to sneak in.

"I'd hold you up all day if I could," Mercury whispered, holding Jeremy's face in his hands as they shared a long kiss sweetened by affection and desire both. "Trust us," he said again when the kiss broke, and gently pushed until Jeremy was unbalanced the other way and hanging in his bonds.

Another little spike of fear set Jeremy's heart beating faster, but Mercury's hands on his body were enough comfort to keep him steady while his ankles, too, were hoisted into the air and spread as wide as they'd go. Jeremy could hear them moving around him, the clink of chain and whisper of cloth or maybe rope, and then suddenly there was a mouth on his, kissing him, and this time it wasn't Mercury.

"You belong to us," murmured a voice in his ear, probably David's but he wasn't at all sure. More hardware sounds made the adrenaline spike again, but instead of something cold against him a webwork of soft rope was pulled up to cradle his body, taking much of the weight off of his wrists and ankles.

A mouth nuzzled between his thighs and Jeremy started at the unexpected touch, then relaxed again into the sensations. The words, "We take care of our own," buzzed against his skin, and he sighed and nodded as the warm mouth closed carefully over his balls.

Everything began to blur early on as they slowly fed him sensations just as they'd fed him breakfast, making him long for each one before giving it to him, only now they bled one into the other, hands roaming over his torso while the mouth still suckled at his sac, two mouths biting at his nipples, tongues catching in the rings and finally something else holding them, stretching them upward until he imagined they'd been tied to another of the new ceiling hooks, a thought that sent another frisson of delicious danger through him. The mouths had moved away and Jeremy was panting, his cock straining and hard against his belly and each little movement sending ripples of pleasure through him from his nipples.

One lone hand remained to pet his belly like soothing a wild animal, and nothing at all could have prepared him for the stinging slap of something against his sore ass. He yelped and then moaned as all the soreness came flaring back to life, his balls feeling suddenly very vulnerable where they rested, damp and bare between his thighs.

No one spoke a word, and this time Jeremy was paying just enough attention to hear the swish of the whip before it landed expertly on one thigh, just barely missing his tender parts. He allowed himself to cry out, and again when the other side was hit, drowning himself willingly in the sensations he was being offered.

His tormentor never developed a rhythm, but after a few more strikes other hands came to visit his body, petting and soothing him as he tensed and cried out, rocking in his bonds, pulling on his poor abused nipples until they were nearly as sore as his thighs, though nothing could quite compete with the combination of old and new pain radiating out from his beaten ass. It seemed endless, the beating and the touching, his cock hard the whole time and his body covered in sweat and trembling with tension before it was over.

And just like that, it *was* over. All the hands left but one, and a series of thuds heralded the cessation of blows. Jeremy was sobbing, moaning, hips thrusting up into the air as best they could with his thighs strained from bearing his weight, one small step from begging for the release he was worried more than ever they wouldn't allow him again until this was all over.

He was even more surprised when a soothing hand tangled in his sweaty hair and Saul, unmistakably Saul took his mouth in a warm kiss full of affection and gentleness. "You were such a good boy, so beautiful, pet, I knew you'd be a good boy for us," he murmured between kisses, leaving Jeremy gasping and as confused as ever, his body and mind drowning in conflicting sensations.

The clamor grew nearly unbearable when a new pleasure was added to the mix, warm mouths soothing at his nipples for a moment before moving downward, one finding the head of his cock and sucking gently, the other diving straight for his ass and a tongue sliding into him with no hesitation at all. Jeremy moaned and shuddered, so close to coming already that it seemed as though the gentle hand still rubbing circles on his belly was the only thing anchoring him. "Please," he begged between kisses, "Oh, please."

"Ssh, pet, it's all right," Saul soothed, voice warm and real, something else to latch onto among the myriad of physical stimuli. "You can hold it in for me, can't you, Jeremy?"

It was the use of his name that gave Jeremy the strength to nod, to pull back and keep his need just barely in check. "That's my good boy," said Saul.

Jeremy whimpered when something wickedly cold was slipped down over his cock, resting snug at the base. It was followed by that wonderful mouth taking him in, by fingers replacing the tongue in his ass, by yet another of those head-spinning kisses from Saul's syrup-sweet mouth. Jeremy moaned, low and desperate, his cock feeling even harder now that it was constrained; he could feel his pulse beat against the metal band and it made his whole body thrum.

"We're all going to have you now," said Saul between kisses, drawing another helpless sound from Jeremy's needy throat. "If you're a good boy, we might let you come. You can moan and even scream if you want, but if you say a single word you won't get to come until tomorrow," he said wickedly, and Jeremy whimpered his understanding.

The kiss came back and someone's cock slid inside him, and Jeremy let himself go again, drifting on the waves of pleasure and pain so sweet it was almost pleasure too, rocking in his bonds as his body was used to satisfy his pack. He was vaguely aware as they handed him off from one to the other, the mouth lifting from his cock at some point, Saul's kisses exchanged for David's, his own need sharpening to a knifepoint ache until he could only be grateful that he wasn't allowed to beg, because he would have promised anything just to be allowed that final pinnacle of release.

It seemed like forever, or maybe no time at all before they'd all had him and the mouth came back. Or a mouth, anyway, he couldn't be sure if it was the same one any more than he could really remember if this was really the fourth person to have him, though he knew the kisses well enough by now to recognize Sebastian's mouth against his own.

"You've been a good boy," Saul's voice rumbled from between Jeremy's legs, and the hands on his hips tightened to tell him just who was fucking him now.

Jeremy whimpered and nodded, moaning shamelessly as the mouth on his prick slowly eased the constricting ring up and off his length. He just barely held in a 'please' through sheer willpower, and was rewarded by the return of that lovely, perfect mouth on his cock. He felt his balls drawing up tight, tingling and full as his body prepared to override his will, and nearly sobbed with gratitude when Saul said, "Come, pet."

Waves of golden pleasure washed all through Jeremy's body, as though he were a giant pool of the stuff and Saul's cock was the rock that had been dropped into the center. Tingling sensation crashed outward to his fingers and toes and then lapped back inward, his whole body bucking as much as it could between the bonds and Saul's hands, ending up with fine tremors running through him as he slowly drifted down. He thought he might have blacked out for a moment or two, but with his world reduced to nothing but the darkness behind his eyelids and the touches they allowed him, Jeremy couldn't be sure.

He lost a little bit of time just to the endorphins running through him, because he missed when Saul came and was only barely aware of the mouths and hands on his body, the moment when his nipples were released from their bondage and soothed with cool ice and warm kisses. He blinked and they were taking him down, another heartbeat later and he was curled in their arms, being petted and held close, his wrists and ankles comforted with lotion and gentle touches, his thighs and ass spread with some sort of salve that blunted the hot pain just enough that he could drift easily off into sleep.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

When he woke up the blue dark of twilight was just starting to creep in under the window shade, lending a surreal air where it battled with the golden light of the night candle someone had been kind enough to light. He was still surrounded, though only by two instead of all four of his fellow pack members, and he felt sore and light and perfectly content to lie there for another hundred years. Instead he yawned and stretched just to feel all the little twinges of a very well-used body, then nuzzled at the back of David's neck, kissing the warm skin there.

"I see someone's awake," said Saul from behind him, and one big hand ran down his flank. "How do you feel?"

Jeremy rolled so he was leaning back against Saul's warm chest and could just twist around to look up at him. "I feel really good, actually, though I'm sore all over," he said, belatedly remembering to add the, "sir."

David chuckled and rolled over as well, plastering himself up against Jeremy's body. "Well, it's good to know all our effort wasn't wasted," he said, pulling Jeremy's face down for a warm, sweet kiss.

"You can relax now, pet," said Saul affectionately, stealing a kiss of his own once David released Jeremy's lips. "The rest of the weekend will be smaller things, serving and servicing us. Think you can handle it?"

Jeremy did relax, a fine tension leaving him when he realized he wouldn't be expected to cope with such an incredible experience again -- for a while, at least. "Yes, sir, I'd be glad to serve my pack in any way I can," he replied, boldly stealing another kiss from Saul at the end of it.

David laughed again, low and sensual. "You really do belong to us, don't you, love?" he said.

Though the question was obviously rhetorical, Jeremy said softly, "Yes, sir, I do. I always did, really."

"It's good you know that now," said Saul, kissing his nose. "So you won't forget us once you've finally had a chance to bed our fearless leader?"

Jeremy shook his head vehemently, his earnestness a bit spoiled by a yawn. "I could never forget any of you," he said, looking from one to the other. "I love you all too much."

Whatever David was going to say was interrupted by the impatient growl of Jeremy's stomach, and he blushed and laughed. Saul rubbed his belly soothingly and said, "It's a good thing they're already working on dinner for us, now isn't it?"

"Yes, sir," said Jeremy obediently, looking from one beloved face to the other. "But then, you have always taken good care of me."

Chapter 36

Toby awoke on Sunday morning feeling as though his brain had been crammed full of too much information and then gently shaken, jumbling the facts up with the absolutely wonderful sex they'd had before and after, and even once during when Jon had stolen Toby away into the bedroom, ostensibly to help look for his notes. He was just as draped in warm bodies as last time, though thankfully there was no one at the door demanding admittance just yet, and only the demands of his body to worry about.

He was just emerging from the bathroom when the alarm clock went off, and a hand shot out to silence it immediately afterward. "All right, boys, up and at 'em," said Jon sleepily, though he was already perking up visibly. "We've got to meet the girls at Edie's in just over two hours, although," he turned his gaze to Toby, "if someone would care to share the shower with me, we could give these layabouts some more time to wake up."

"I'd be glad to," said Toby, yawning and stretching just as ostentatiously as Jon had yesterday, showing off his sleek, toned body and exotic markings. "Especially if it'll get me blown in the shower."

"Have mouth, will suck," said Jon with a chuckle, getting up and stalking over to steal a kiss from Toby's sleep-sticky mouth. "Hm, after brushing, anyway."

"Yes, because dick breath is so much better than morning breath," said a voice from the bed, though it was impossible to tell whose.

"Morning dick breath, however," said Toby with a chuckle, "definitely needs brushing." Toby was fairly sure they all laughed at that, though with the remaining three lumps in the bed it was hard to tell.

Half an hour, one spectacular blowjob and two tooth brushings later, Toby felt ready to start the day. He was very happy to have been given this chance to be with his friends this way, to find out that Jon's skin tasted a bit like anise first thing in the morning, that Chad made a cute little noise almost like a hiccup when he was trying not to come too soon, that Michael's eyes just got greener when he was turned on and Josh's straightness didn't even take alcohol to become negotiable. He'd file all these memories away for years to come, even if he never got to be with any of them again, though of course he hoped that at least some of them would want a return visit.

He had a feeling that, once they met the pack, the feeling would be very mutual. He could already tell who would appeal to which of his packmates, and even Dr. J though of course the professor could never admit it while they were all still his students. Which suited Toby just fine, of course, because he needed to have Jeremy to himself for a little while, once he could have him at all. Well, himself and his pack, anyway.

Toby curled right back into the bed for a little while anyway, letting Chad cuddle him close while Josh and Michael took the next shower. "You don't mind being odd man out?" Toby asked, more than willing to brush his teeth a third time if it meant putting a smile on Chad's face.

Chad grinned and shook his head. "Never was much for morning sex," he said sleepily, nuzzling Toby's neck. "I'd rather do this awhile longer."

Toby smiled, snuggling back into Chad's warm body. "I'm certainly not complaining," said Toby, thinking of many mornings he'd spent snuggled up with one or more of his packmates. "You'd do well in a pack, I think," he said idly, stroking up and down Chad's arm.

"Well, a furry pack. I hear the Orcas aren't as cuddly," said Chad with a chuckle, nipping at Toby's neck. "But being furry would spoil my chances to work in the ocean, at least if I was one of yours." He was very matter-of-fact about it, enough to make Toby wonder if he'd thought about this before.

Toby kissed him, not even minding the taste when it meant trading such affection. "Well, you're welcome to stop in and visit us for a morning snuggle any time you'd like, even after you've gone off and become a famous marine biologist."

Chad smiled, his face all soft around the edges, and nuzzled at Toby's cheek. "Maybe you'd better check with your pack before you offer them up as cuddle toys, hm?"

Toby couldn't help the wicked smile that spread over his face as he said, "What makes you think you're not the cuddle toy?"

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

They all arrived at Edie's amidst much good-natured teasing, and thanks to Jon's pestering and a great deal of coffee they even beat the girls there. Edie installed them in the pack's usual booth, and added on a couple of extra chairs in front for the girls -- the booth would fit a very friendly six, but definitely not seven. They got out of their coats and ordered more coffee; Jon got them organized, pulling out notes from yesterday to see where they'd left off, while Toby cuddled between Chad and Michael, and mostly tried not to doze off.

"Got a whole new pack of misfits today, I see," said Edie cheerfully when she returned with the coffee pot and a whole tray of mugs, extra sugars and little pitchers of cream.

Toby grinned up at her and shrugged. "What can I say, I'm a big fan of misfits," he said, accepting the full cup she handed him with gratitude. He heavily adulterated it with cream and sugar and took a blissful sip, then added, "I love you because you bring me coffee."

Edie laughed, but didn't spill a drop as she handed cups out to the group, except Michael, who asked for tea instead. "You're as bad as my cat," she said with a wink.

Toby barely managed to swallow his mouthful of coffee, and he just knew he was blushing bright red. "Does that mean that you'd keep me if I followed you home?" he asked, giving her his best wide, sweet eyes.

Edie shook her head, leaving the pot on the table for them and hefting her tray on one hand. "No way," she said, looking around the table, "With you, honey, it's never just one, and I don't make nearly enough to feed a dozen little strays."

They all laughed as she wandered off, and occupied themselves with coffee and innuendo while they waited for the girls. Toby had Chad's arm around him and was feeling like he might have another nap despite all the caffeine he'd mainlined so far today when an unpleasantly familiar voice brought him out of his complacency like a knife to the gut.

"Got tired of hanging with the for-rent crowd, and wanted some cock that didn't charge by the hour?" said Ben nastily, leaning against the side of the booth and eyeing Toby in a decidedly slimy manner.

"What're you, stupid or just an asshole?" said Josh, before Toby could even rally his wits. "It's a study group for the final on Wednesday. You remember finals, right, those things you have to try and cheat on so you don't fail all your classes and lose your football scholarship?"

"My pack got an A just like yours," said Ben, unfazed, though Toby knew it had been an A minus and only just that.

"And we'd like to keep our As, so why don't you just leave us alone?" said Kel, walking up with Jennifer and tugging off their jackets.

Ben glared at Kel, though his expression turned into more of a leer when it lighted on Jennifer, or more accurately, her chest. "Too bad you didn't end up in a pack with some real men in it."

It was Jon's turn to speak up, with a wicked little smirk. "I can vouch for the reality of several of the men in our pack, honey, and I can already tell that you ain't got what they've got," he drawled in a parody of his own voice that made all of them giggle.

"Real men don't need to wave their dicks around anyway," said Jennifer, sitting down and picking up the menu as if Ben didn't warrant any more attention now that there was brunch to be considered.

Ben nearly growled at that, and Toby had an odd moment where he couldn't decide if he should laugh or cringe. He managed to do neither by sipping his drink, though he nearly sprayed the table when Ben said, "Don't think this is over, whore, I know you never paid your respects. Getting Gabriel arrested didn't free you from anything."

Toby was glad that he didn't have to come up with a rebuttal as Ben spun on his heels and stalked off. He sunk low in the booth and hid behind his coffee cup, not wanting to face the group with his sordid past spoiling their morning.

"God, he's an asshole," said Jennifer disgustedly, snagging the two extra mugs that Edie had left them and pouring coffee for both her and Kel. "I don't know how you put up with him in all those meetings."

Toby peeked around, and saw nothing but sympathy on all their faces. "He's not like that during meetings, or he'd never have gotten his pack an A," said Toby, though he couldn't manage to keep the shyness entirely out of his voice.

"Well, whatever," said Jon, shrugging. "We won't have to put up with him much longer."

Toby desperately wanted to let the conversation just flow around the obvious questions the way the rest of them seemed willing to do, but he knew if they were all coming to dinner then he had to address it. "He's right, though, about one thing," said Toby softly, and they all turned and stared. "I did used to be a whore. My whole pack was, except Dr. J."

"Yeah, he'd make a terrible boy-whore," said Josh, filling the stunned silence with welcome humor. "He'd try to make his johns understand the socioeconomic underpinnings of the prostitute/client dynamic or something."

Everyone laughed, and Chad's hand squeezed, warm and comforting on Toby's shoulder. "Are you guys really in any danger?" asked Jon, obviously curious in the same way they'd all been, after the attack. There was just something fascinating about the idea of real, physical danger in a way most of these students had never experienced. Toby had found that the fascination faded in direct proportion to how close you were to being the recipient of said violence.

Toby shrugged; he didn't have a clear idea of who Ben knew and just how much of his tirade was spite, and how much was based on facts. "So far no one's bothered us, well, except for Ben. If they ask for us to pay, we'll be able to manage most of it on short notice." He privately thought that Jeremy would easily loan them the rest, but he also wasn't sure if they'd be allowed to pay, if the idea was to make an example of them instead. "We never had much contact with whoever... anyone in the organization. Just, um. Gabriel."

They all nodded, and Toby just about kissed Edie when she sauntered over with her pad in hand and pen poised. "What can I get for you kids today?" she asked, seemingly oblivious to the rapidly dissipating atmosphere at the table. By the time they'd all ordered, everything was back to normal and Toby felt giddy and weightless, knowing that he'd finally made the sort of friends who could accept who he'd been, and still not let it change the way they treated the person he was now.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

In the end, only Jon, Chad and Josh came along to dinner with the pack -- the girls had other plans, and Michael wasn't quite ready to "meet the parents" as he put it, though he did give Josh a rather wistful look on the way out. "I think he likes you," Chad had teased, and Josh's blush had delighted all three of them.

Toby tried not to be nervous as he gave directions, all four of them riding in Chad's SUV. He rubbed sweaty palms against his jeans, looking back at Jon and Josh in the rear view mirror and letting the sight of them cuddled shamelessly together calm him, like some alternative reality of his own pack, the same casual warmth and affection without the hard-won love, or the monthly fur coats. "Thanks for this weekend," he said in one of the silences as they made their way down the main road toward Jeremy's posh neighborhood.

"It was our pleasure," said Jon with a little leer, giving Josh a demonstrative nuzzle and grope.

Chad seemed to think this opened the door for other conversation, and asked, "Are all the cats like you?"

Toby couldn't help but smile and catch Chad's hand, planting a kiss on the back. "Like what part of me?" Toby replied, though he had a suspicion he knew.

"Affectionate," said Chad, pulling their joined hands up to nibble on Toby's fingers. "I don't think just the four of us would've ended up all in bed together this weekend, but somehow having you there made it okay to sleep in a big pile of naked." Chad's cheeks got a little pink, and Toby couldn't help but feel charmed. "I liked it, and, I don't know, I don't think the orcas are like that."

Toby gave the question some real thought for a moment, then said, "It really depends on the pack, but most cats I've met are prone to cuddling if not indiscriminate blowjobs," he said, winking at the two in the back seat. "I slept in a pile with my parents when I was little for a long time, and whenever the kids had sleepovers we'd just strip off and pile up and no one thought it was weird, but at the same time I know someone who was kicked out of his pack for having an affair with the wrong boy."

"So your pack is pretty special?" Chad asked, thumb caressing Toby's palm.

Toby grinned. "Yeah, they really are," he said, thinking back over the past few months, and years. "Take this next right, then the second left," he said, pointing the way so they didn't get lost while he was woolgathering, then, "We're pretty much outside of the norm in every direction."

"Will... would it be okay if I ask more questions during dinner?" Chad asked, looking a little sheepish.

"Yeah, sure," said Toby, leaning against the window. "I mean, they know you're one of Dr. J's students, so... Um... About Dr. J," he said, thinking of what he'd undoubtedly be up to this weekend. "Even though he and I don't, um, do anything, we're kind of hoping you'll let us do a 'don't ask, don't tell' thing with him and the rest of the pack."

Josh laughed. "Sure. How about, we won't ask him if he's been shagging your friends, and you don't tell him that I took one for the team."

Jon rolled his eyes and gave Josh's crotch a rather pointed squeeze. "I don't know why you persist in pretending you're straight."

"It makes me more attractive to boys like Michael," said Josh with a wink, and they all laughed. "Besides, I do actually enjoy sex with girls, too."

"Ew," said Jon, pulling his hand away as if burned. "Girl cooties!"

"That's not what you said last night," said Chad, making the left onto Jeremy's street.

"It's that house there, two down from the swing set, with the Institute logo on Dr. J's truck," said Toby, pointing.

"I see it," said Chad, pulling in while Josh attempted to make it look like he hadn't been necking with Jon for most of the ride.

Toby chuckled and unbuckled his seatbelt, butterflies swarming through his stomach in a little cloud of 'what ifs'. "I'll grab your bag," said Chad, turning off the car, "You go on and make sure everyone's as decent as they want to be."

They'd called ahead, but that didn't always mean Sebastian had pants on, or Mercury wasn't dressed to thrill instead of socialize. "Do any of you care if there's naked people who aren't Dr. J?"

"Aww, why not Dr. J?" said Jon, slipping out of his belt and opening the door.

Toby got out as well, rolling his eyes. "Because we're still his students, and if I can't see him naked, neither can you."

"Good answer," said Chad, winking. He got out and locked up after Josh, using his remote to open the back so they could get the bags.

Toby walked up to the front door, wiping already dry palms on the legs of his jeans. He was spared the agony when the door opened and Sebastian came out, covered from head to toe against the cold and pulling Toby into a warm bear hug. "Welcome home!" he said cheerfully, setting Toby down on the path and giving him a big kiss. "Everything's ready, and we missed you," he said more quietly, turning to greet their guests. "I'm Sebastian," he said, holding his hand out to shake Josh's.

"Josh," he replied, shaking and then pushing past to get out of everyone else's way and into the warm house.

"I'm Jon," came next, with another firm grip and a nod over his shoulder, "That's Chad."

Chad's hands were full, so they all turned and trooped on in, backpacks and jackets discarded by the door and shoes along with them. The room was filled to overflowing; chairs had been brought out from the kitchen and office and a tray sat on the coffee table with mugs, napkins, and a pitcher of hot cider that steamed enticingly. Sebastian disappeared into the kitchen with a cheerfully chirped, "They're here!" and left Toby to handle the rest of the introductions.

"You all know Dr. J," said Toby with a smile, gesturing to where Jeremy had risked certain death to perch on the broken armchair, leaving the other, less risky furniture for the guests. Jeremy grinned and lifted his cider in salute, and Toby was amused to see that some bite marks showed even above the turtleneck he was wearing, not to mention the sliver of rope burns at his wrist.

Toby turned to the lounging figures on the couch and said with a chuckle, "That's Saul, you probably remember him from class, with David next to him, and Ogdred and Edward in David's lap." The kittens were purring happily, having decided that their chair was no longer their preferred sleeping spot, but the lap that so often occupied the chair. "You guys can sit wherever, though I suspect the other couch spot is Mercury's."

"You rang?" said Merc, emerging from the kitchen with another laden tray, this one bearing an appetizer of hot spinach artichoke dip and a pair of sliced baguettes.

"Mercury, this is Chad, Jon and Josh," said Toby, pointing at them in turn. "Josh claims to be straight, so if you're going to sit in anyone's lap..."

"Pick his and find out for sure?" said Mercury impishly, setting down the food and curling up next to David, looking adorable in his jeans, sweater and frilly apron.

Toby stepped up with a shake of his head and served himself a plate of dip and bread, and a cup of cider. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he said, then winked and sat in Jeremy's office chair. "Eat, or Bas will pout."

"I heard that," said Sebastian from the kitchen, amidst the clack and clatter of dishes.

"Doesn't make it any less true," said Saul, a smile lighting up his face. "Merc, can you get David and I some food?"

Mercury smiled and said, "As you wish," standing up to fill plates. He gave the first one to Jeremy, letting him keep his precarious perch, and that seemed to break the ice. Jon came forward to help, filling plates for everyone, and then they all found seats. Chad ended up in the suspiciously cat-hair-free armchair that David usually occupied, while Josh and Jon took the two kitchen chairs. Even with the extra furniture, there wouldn't be room for Bas, and Toby shook his head and hoped that they could find a bigger home soon before this one burst at the seams.

"So," said Chad, after a few minutes of appreciative munching from the whole group, "Toby tells me you guys aren't really a typical cat pack?"

All of the cats laughed and Jeremy as well, much to Chad's initial chagrin. Then David spoke up, his voice quiet and warm as he said, "All of us are misfits of one sort or another, either exiles or runaways, and it was our good fortune that what made us unacceptable in our old lives has become our strength now that we've found each other."

Chad smiled and nodded. "Sort of like our class pack, but on a different scale," said Chad, and Toby couldn't help but smile back, thinking of the motley group he'd chosen and the fact that they'd ended up at the top of the class. "How are you going to decide new membership?"

Toby was a little surprised by the question, since he knew Chad planned to go out west to study the orca packs in the wild, but then he figured Chad must just be curious since they'd barely touched on the subject in class. "We don't know," said Toby, figuring as Kiss it was his job to field that particular question. "We're not even official yet, and Dr. J's the first new member who didn't come to us... professionally."

All three students nodded their understanding, and Saul's eyebrows rose. "The bylaws will require us to at least entertain requests to join," said Saul, pausing for a sip of cider, "but right now our pack structure is very personal, very intimate."

"It will be difficult to decide," David agreed, stroking Mercury's hair idly. "We do not want our pack to die out with us, so eventually we will need to accept new members and even breeding pairs, but right now we are most concerned with our own survival."

"What's your pack structure like?" Jon asked, "I mean, if you don't mind."

"In the Caress of the Sublime," said Saul almost formally, "I am the Scourge, which is a beta position, Toby is our Kiss, our alpha, and David is our Charm, or shaman."

"It's unusual to have a shifter who's a shaman, isn't it?" Josh asked, diplomatic even when surprised.

David gave an enigmatic smile and sipped his drink. "Not among my people," he said, though Toby could practically hear him snickering at his own pretentiousness -- David rarely played the "mysterious past" card, and this dry humor was a good sign that he was taking a liking to the boys.

"Was your pack really small?" Chad asked curiously.

"Yes, we had trouble sustaining the breed," said David, giving Toby a wink. "I was contaminated by a different species, which is why I'm here and not back in China with my family."

"I'm glad you're here," said Mercury sweetly, making eyes at David.

"We all are," said Toby, then after a heartbeat, "Well, maybe not Josh."

"Hey, who am I to object to hot Chinese guys?" said Josh, belying his earlier protestations of keeping his preferences under wraps.

They all chuckled at that, and David was saved from having to find an answer when Sebastian came out of the kitchen and said formally, "Dinner is served, oh Honored Guests."

"You're Hispanic, not Asian," said David, giving Mercury a brief kiss and then standing, "Quit stealing my lines."

"Only if you quit stealing my panties," said Bas with a flip of his hair and a wink, and Toby could only laugh.

"He's not wearing panties anyway," said Saul, stretching for a moment before following his packmates into the kitchen. "No panty lines."

This, of course, led to a great deal of not-so-subtle checking out of Sebastian's ass, and David's for good measure, and a whole lot of unnecessary bending over on Sebastian's part while everyone got their food buffet-style. Eventually they all settled back in their respective chairs with full plates, and Bas even graced them with his presence, perching on the arm of Chad's chair with no regard whatsoever for Chad's personal space.

"This is delicious," said Jon, nibbling on the lasagna that must have taken Bas all afternoon to make.

"Not as delicious as our Toby," said Saul wickedly, and Toby wanted to sink through the floor when Saul fixed Chad with a significant look and said, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Chad spluttered and choked on his food, shaking his head and grinning, his gaze flicking first to Toby and then to Dr. J, who seemed to be taking it all in stride. "He's definitely a treat not to be missed," said Chad, once he'd cleared his windpipe. He licked his lips and gave Toby a hungry look and added, "One I'd love to have on the menu more often."

"What about a taste of Argentine cuisine?" Bas asked, giving Chad a teasing leer with just enough heat to show the offer wasn't entirely made in jest.

Chad swallowed, eyes wandering around the room and then fixing on Sebastian's lithe form. "There's nothing in this room I wouldn't love to have a taste of," said Chad, and Toby was very amused to see Jeremy's cheeks flush.

"Well, I'm afraid the good doctor is off the menu," said David, his eyes going half-lidded and dangerously predatory, "But perhaps a taste test could be arranged. A little of this, a little of that."

Toby wasn't sure if he ought to die of mortification or be happy that his new friends were getting along so well with his old friends, especially when Jon piped in with, "I don't suppose this event is open to more than one participant?"

Saul fixed sweet little Jon with a hungry stare that made both Jon and Toby squirm in their seats and said, "I think we could find room for one more."

"Or even two more," said Mercury a little shyly, shooting Josh an adorably coy look that went perfectly with the frilly apron he was still wearing.

Jeremy cleared his throat. "Lovely as that sounds, I think perhaps you should wait on the orgy until finals are over, and we've got a more private house to hold it in." His cheeks were bright pink, and he wasn't looking at any of his students, instead apparently finding his garlic bread hugely fascinating.

The resultant laughter seemed to dispel the last of the tension, and dinner finished up with a great deal of flirting and innuendo, and tentative plans for the guys to come back and visit -- just for dinner, or so they reassured Dr. J -- once finals were over. Toby smiled to himself, thinking of the treat that he'd be getting then as well, and the smile stayed on his face all the way through dessert.

Chapter 37

Despite the fact that Jeremy stayed in the same skin all month long, he felt as though he might climb out of it waiting for next Sunday when the moon would begin to wane, the semester would be over, and he could finally take Toby into his arms.

Toby was given a take-home final on Monday, which he locked himself away in Jeremy's home office to do while Jeremy took over the living room with the computer-graded PA101 scantrons and filled out his grade forms, hopefully in such a way as to not make Celia murder him, or refuse to enter the grades until after the weekend. Sebastian kept them both supplied with coffee, while the others tiptoed around and tried to avoid being drafted into Jeremy's somewhat frantic math. Eventually Jeremy finished, Toby emerged, and they fell into their respective beds too tired to take advantage of the rest of the pack's rising energy.

The next night they did it over again, this time with Jeremy grading the History of Human/Shifter Interaction essay questions while Toby did arcane computer things with *this* set of scantrons, and Jeremy cursed himself for thinking that he couldn't get away with multiple choice only for a grad-level course. Mercury took over the duty of keeping them caffeinated this time, and it was all that Jeremy could do to ignore the tempting sounds that came out of the guest room where Bas was, apparently, having some of his energy worked off by David and Saul.

Wednesday afternoon it was Jeremy's turn to hole up in the office and do Pack Mind grades, while the rest of the pack grilled their Kiss on his dissertation in preparation for tomorrow's oral defense -- Jeremy had given them all index cards with questions to ask, and a little briefing on what sorts of things were likely to make the different faculty members react poorly. He winced in sympathy every time voices were raised, and then got a different sort of twinge, one of pure envy when they gave Toby a reward the likes of which only a group of horny shapeshifters on the eve of a full moon could manage.

The rest of the week slowed to a crawl, with Jeremy biting his nails and uselessly pacing while Celia entered grades and Toby defended his dissertation, and then he had nothing to do but wait, and wait, and wait some more. Even spending Thursday and Friday nights at his grandparents' house wasn't enough of a diversion, knowing that back at his house there was a bedroom full of large cats doing things he really, really didn't want to be imagining -- and that Saturday night, they'd be doing it under his grandparents' roof.

When Saturday came, Jeremy was even honest enough to appreciate the irony that the stress of going to see his old home would distract him from the overwhelming desire to throw Toby down on the nearest available surface and commence with the touching -- and vice versa. Sebastian wisely kept them to tea with breakfast, which Jeremy arrived back home in time to partake of, but with one more day of the moon left there was very little that would calm the pack's edginess. Even frantic sex-filled showers weren't enough to do more than blunt their energy, though Jeremy appreciated the effort on any number of levels.

Finally they were all ready, and Sebastian busied himself setting up a batch of beef stew in the slow cooker while the rest of the pack prowled around the apartment, and Jeremy tried to read some incredibly dry professional journals. Jeremy nearly jumped out of his skin when the doorbell rang, and got up to answer it with a sigh of relief.

"Let him in, I'll be a minute more," called Bas from the kitchen, where he and Mercury had been sending out wonderful smells of beef and red wine and fresh herbs. It was the sort of food Jeremy had dreamed of eating, not just because of the quality but because it seemed homey to him, in a way even Edie's couldn't quite imitate.

"You heard the man," said Jeremy cheerfully, backing up to let Edward come in and stamp the snow off his shoes.

"The house is all aired out, heated up and ready," said Edward, looking around the messy, crowded living room.

Jeremy went to put shoes and socks on, saving the coat for last since the boys kept his house toasty warm. "They're both werewolves, right?" he asked, without looking up from what he was doing.

"Yes, and neither of them has the lunacy, so your kitties are safe," said Edward teasingly, ruffling Jeremy's hair.

Jeremy sighed and leaned into the touch, though he didn't allow it for long. "I'm glad you're taking us," he said, feeling fourteen with a crush again for just a moment.

"I'm glad I am, too," Edward replied, looking as though there might be more he wanted to say, eyes flicking past Jeremy's shoulder.

Saul came over to get his boots and Toby's Converse, and the mood was broken. "We'll be there, too," said Saul, ruffling Jeremy's hair just as Edward had.

Jeremy laughed and nodded, something in his chest easing a little more as he recognized the worry hiding behind Saul's gruff humor, and the touch of jealousy as well. "I wouldn't do it if you weren't," he said honestly, then went up on tiptoes and gave Saul a kiss sweet enough to make them both flush.

"Can I have one, too?" asked Mercury impishly, out of the kitchen and ready to go.

"We'll never get him out of here if you all keep distracting him," said Edward, teasing good-naturedly.

"You can have one, too," said Mercury slyly.

They all laughed, and that seemed to be the catalyst they needed; soon enough the whole pack had bundled up against the winter chill, Sebastian declared the stew able to fend for itself, and the whole lot of them piled into the limo with Edward at the helm. "Home, Jeeves!" said Mercury with a little giggle, and Jeremy spent most of the ride tickling him into breathless obedience.

When they pulled up, it was nothing at all like Jeremy had been expecting.

The old oak was still there, but one of the grand walnut trees was gone and there were some other, smaller trees, bare in the winter, scattered in its place. The house had been repainted from its traditional white with black trim to a warm brown, the trim a darker brown, giving the whole place an air of belonging with the woods surrounding it. The servants' house had been repainted to match, and the windows in both upgraded for modern ones that took away some of the spookiness that had always haunted the place. Jeremy was quiet as they herded him to the front door, Edward on one side and Saul on the other, with most of the pack trailing behind as if to keep him from fleeing.

It was Toby who rang the very modern doorbell, and Jeremy felt a strange pang to realize that even the old brass knocker had been replaced with the rest of the door, though the 'new' one was likely also an antique. The heavy inner door swung open and Jeremy's jaw dropped, his voice leaving him long enough for Toby to get the glass outer door open as well.

"Amelia?" said Jeremy, already stepping forward to give the old woman a hug. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"You didn't think George and I would let just anyone take care of your house for you, did you?" she replied tartly, making Jeremy laugh.

Jeremy stepped back and held the old woman at arm's length. "Well, you're certainly fit enough, look at you! You're still in better shape than I am."

Amelia White was smaller than Jeremy, but solidly built. Her hair had gone nearly all white where it was pulled neatly into a bun, but her wrinkled skin was the same strong mocha he remembered from when he was a boy. She was wearing a serviceable blue house dress with an apron over the top, and Jeremy could remember her in similar garments baking pies in the kitchen of his youth, and yelling at him to get his butt out of the apple trees if he knew what was good for him.

"What's lettin' all the cold in, woman?" came a voice from behind her, and Jeremy grinned.

"It's me, as usual, George," Jeremy called out; he'd always been the one to come running inside and leave the house open to the elements. He let her lead them all into the dim hallway where they left their shoes and coats behind in a neat row.

George came out of one of the side rooms smiling, looking much as he always had, thin and spry and dark as mahogany without a single hair on his head. "Took you long enough," he said, shaking Jeremy's hand and slapping him on the shoulder. "Grown up fine, you have, and a whole pack all your own!"

Jeremy flushed and grinned. "Technically, they're all Toby's own," he said, and then took that opportunity to introduce everyone around. "George and Amelia worked for my parents pretty much their whole lives," he explained.

"Not quite so long as all that," said Amelia, smiling, "But a good many years, yes. And when your grandparents needed someone to keep the house for you, and supervise the renovations, we gladly stayed to make sure your home was fit to come back to once you were ready."

"Well, I'm mostly ready now. Show us around?" Jeremy replied, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm. "Just give the full tour and I'll nod and smile like the rest of them."

"You let the cats on the furniture?" George asked teasingly, giving the pack a sidelong glance.

"We're mostly housebroken," said Mercury cheerfully, bouncing happily between Bas and Saul in the narrow space.

"Don't think we haven't been warned about you," said Amelia tartly.

Laughter carried them into the dining room on the right; though the furniture and wallpaper had been changed, Jeremy could see the echoes of the old room in the carved molding around the doors and up in the corners by the ceiling, in the antique crystal chandelier that shone as bright as ever and the glowing hardwood floor. An oriental rug cushioned the gleaming wooden table, the leaves put in so there was space enough for a dozen chairs arrayed around it. There was a new hutch at one end with his mother's china displayed inside, and Jeremy felt a little pang of painful grief as he opened the glass door and gently touched one of the teacups.

"Did you keep a lot of her things?" he asked, closing the door carefully.

"Here and there we kept some heirlooms for you," said Amelia gently, laying a hand on Jeremy's back. Toby came up on the other side, looking up at him with warm, understanding eyes, while the rest of the pack slipped into the room and admired the décor, Mercury's curious fingers feeling the velvet wallpaper while Saul admired the undoubtedly valuable paintings and Bas tested out the carved, cushioned chairs.

"The library's about half the same," said George from the doorway. "Reckon you'll want to see that next."

Jeremy couldn't help but smile at George's attitude; he'd always been one for ripping off the bandaid, even when Jeremy wanted to go slowly. "I guess so," he said, going back out into the hall with the pack trailing along behind.

The library looked much as it always had, though the old leather chairs had been replaced with a comfortable half-circle sectional sofa in front of the fireplace, and a portrait of his grandfather put up over the mantle. The room was lined with glass-fronted bookshelves which were nearly two-thirds full with the cream of his parents' collection, the rest presumably having been sold off or given to other family members to make room for Jeremy's own books. There was an old rolltop desk that Jeremy recognized from his grandfather's study, but all the light fixtures had been replaced with matching brass and green glass lamps and sconces, giving the room a number of light sources for easy reading.

While the pack oohed and aahed over the extensive collection of rare shifter-related literature, with Toby and David making note of which books they wanted to read first, Jeremy went to look out the big bay window. It showed the forest surrounding the house in stark winter relief; snow had just begun to fall softly, adding to the white already coating the trees and ground. Frost rimed the panes and mist formed on the glass where Jeremy breathed, trying to decide if there was enough of home left or too much, and if he could live here after all.

Saul's warm arms came and surrounded Jeremy in familiar warm scent and affection, and Saul's voice rumbled softly in his ear, "How are you holding up?"

Jeremy sighed and leaned back into him, letting his body heat leech away the cold from outside. "Better now," he said, a smile finding its way to his lips as he realized that he'd always have this if he wanted it, someone to hold and comfort him when the memories got to be too much. "Pack makes all the difference."

Saul smiled, a small movement against Jeremy's cheek, and Jeremy turned to get a kiss. "I was going to say love," said Saul quietly, though by now his tough-guy image was spoiled with the whole lot of them, "but Pack is nearly the same thing, with us."

Jeremy turned in his arms and twined his fingers in Saul's hair. "You're right," he said, kissing Saul sweetly, "it is the love that makes it work."

"I see what Mrs. Forrester was on about now," said Amelia wryly from behind them. "You youngsters keep it in your pants for the tour and save an old woman's heart!"

Jeremy chuckled a bit wickedly, peeking out from behind Saul. "You're sturdy as an ox, Amelia, but I think we can keep to minimal displays while you're showing us the house."

"No guarantees if we move in, though," said Sebastian from where he was lounging on the curving sofa. "The furniture's too comfy not to..."

"Bas," said Toby, a laughing warning. He turned to Amelia and said, "We'll work something out with you so you aren't too traumatized, especially since Bas does most of the cooking."

"Naked!" Bas interjected with a giggle.

Mercury leapt gracefully over the back of the couch and onto Sebastian's lap, tickling him mercilessly. "You wear aprons," he corrected laughingly while Bas squirmed and giggled helplessly.

Amelia laughed right along with them, shaking her head. "I can already see it'll be quite a change," she said.

"Why don't we look at the rest of this floor?" Jeremy asked politely, moving away from the cool glass and back into the warmth of the room and his pack.

"Yes, why don't we?" Amelia agreed, her voice severe and her eyes twinkling as she watched Mercury and Bas kiss and make up.

"Affectionate, aren't they," said George, leading the way. "Water closet on the left there," he said, pointing to a door near the end of the hall. Instead of a matching door on the right that led to the ladies' parlor and a door at the end leading to the kitchen, the whole hallway opened into the new living space. The wall between had been knocked out and a counter built out with stools so three people could eat facing into the kitchen, which had been completely remodeled. It was now a full gourmet kitchen with a center island, very pricey chrome appliances, granite countertops, modern glass-fronted cabinets and a beautiful backsplash made of artisan glass above the wide stovetop. Only the old floor remained, the slate tiles just as clean as Amelia had always kept them and adding a touch of old warmth to the cool, efficient space.

On the other side, the old parlor had been turned into a casual family room, the French doors painted the same deep brown as the trim outside and detailed in gold leaf, and the hardwood floor gleaming in the sunlight. This room was much more organic; where the kitchen was all metal and stone, the living room was wood and natural fabrics in warm greens and golds, with plants and comfortable furniture, low tables and odd little niches, some of which were filled with art objects and others left empty for the future occupants to fill. The floor had a number of small rugs scattered about under the furniture so that the chairs and tables could be moved easily without scratching the floor, making different conversation groups depending on what was needed of the room.

It was an open, livable space that held no trace of the old rooms where Jeremy had sat with his mother learning to read, or pestered Amelia for sweets and juice as a child, and it was exactly what his pack needed.

Sebastian was the first to speak, saying, "I think I'm in love." He glided into the kitchen and began looking through the ample storage space, humming happily as he found the well-stocked spice rack, ingenious drawers and cupboards, and spacious pantry.

"We'll never get him out of there at this rate," said David with a laugh, going to the French doors and peering out. "Do you have a problem with drafts?"

"Oh, no, the doors have good double glazing on them and an excellent seal, they're brand new with the remodel. The old ones had a fierce draft. You can also pull the curtains if it's too cold or you want a bit of privacy," said George, the longest sentence he'd managed yet.

"I bet the gardens are beautiful in the spring," said Mercury dreamily, coming to stand beside David and stare out at the white-blanketed yard.

"I keep 'em up as best I can," said Amelia, a note of pride in her voice. "There's vegetables out this way," she said, pointing to the side kitchen door; through the window in it he could see the path to the small house that had been built just for the servants to have a little space of their own. It wasn't a big cottage and Jeremy could remember tales of the Whites' kids living in the main house, but it was big enough for the two of them.

"I'm sure you still do a wonderful job," said Jeremy warmly, thinking of all the times he'd run up those back steps carrying ripe tomatoes for sandwiches, or fresh-picked peas ready to be shelled for dinner. "I remember the gardens from when I was a boy."

"They're pretty much the same," said George, laying a gnarled hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "Didn't have the heart to change 'em."

Jeremy smiled at him and nodded, and the hand fell away. "It's more the upstairs I was worried about, but from what Moira's told me it's as unrecognizable as the kitchen, now.

"Yep, and high time you went to look, too," said Amelia, shooing them both back into the hallway with a little smirk. Back down the hall they went to the front stairs, one set on each side of the front door, each with a landing halfway up where they turned back inward, and a window looking out on each side of the house.

"I used to drive you crazy with these banisters," said Jeremy, fingers trailing along the smooth wood as he headed up.

That got laughing agreement that buoyed Jeremy enough to make it upstairs and into a hallway that had no relation at all to the home of his childhood. It seemed wider, but that might have been from the window at the other end that let in the thin winter sunlight. He realized that the back stairs had been changed, taken out on the ground floor where they'd led from the kitchen to the upstairs, and then widened where they led from the second floor to the third. A long rug ran the length of the hall, forest green with a pattern of flowers that Jeremy just knew his grandmother had chosen, and frosted glass sconces lined the walls. There were three doors to his left where there used to only be two, and one on the right where there had been three -- apparently there had been a lot more remodeling than Jeremy had realized.

"Might as well start with the master suite," said Amelia, bustling down the hall and opening the right-hand door.

They all filed in, Bas and Mercury going straight through the sitting room to bounce on the huge bed, and Jeremy felt almost disoriented. There were a few antiques in here he remembered, though none of them had been in the master suite; the room was decorated up in rich golds and browns, with creamy white walls to add lightness and accent the dark wood molding and furniture. There were windows all along the back wall draped in filmy curtains, showing the same forest view as the library downstairs. The door to the bedroom led off to the left, and Jeremy shook his head and went to see what trouble the boys were getting into.

This room had cream and dark wood as well, but the bed was covered in a beautiful green quilt and two giggling young men. "Can we christen it today, Jeremy?" Bas asked, batting his eyelashes exaggeratedly.

"Not while I'm here, you ain't," said Amelia from behind him, and Jeremy laughed.

"Better listen to the lady," he said, wandering past them to look at the bathroom, the one room he'd truly been dreading.

Of course, it looked nothing like his parents' old bath, which had been nearly as old as the house with its claw-foot tub and antique furniture. This was subtly modern, the green from the bedroom bringing its friends and banishing the wood entirely, giving the whole room the feel of some underwater grotto. There was a tub just as big as his at home if not bigger, two modern sinks of shimmering green glass that came up above the long counter, with golden faucets coming out of the wall that matched the tub fixtures. Nothing was white or black, just endless shades of watery green, moss green, green stones lining the floor of the shower and green glass on the light fixtures.

The only pieces of his mother that were left were the green glass bottles she'd kept her bath salts and oils in, arrayed along the wall above the tub. Jeremy's heart contracted when he saw that the two broken ones from the set had been replaced, and he sat on the edge of the tub and ran his fingers over the cool glass, trying not to think of the use to which the other shards had been put.

"I wasn't rightly sure if you'd want those," said Amelia softly, laying a hand on his shoulder, "but they matched so pretty, I wanted it to be your choice."

Jeremy nodded, putting his hand over hers, surprised at how much rougher the knuckles were than he'd remembered from his childhood, and more swollen as well. "I think I'll keep them, so I never forget why... why."

Everyone was a bit more somber after that, and the tour went more quickly. The other side of the hall had been turned into a two-bedroom suite that had a shared bath and parlor, with everything decorated in soothing blues and using antique furniture Jeremy was almost certain had come from one of Moira's guest rooms. The third floor had another full bath, though less luxurious than either of the ones downstairs, two guest rooms and another study, all with sloping ceilings formed from the eaves.

There was no attic in this house, the space used for living instead, and even the basement had been remodeled though it had the requisite dampness of an old house in certain corners. Jeremy was happy to see that it, too, had been changed around, the furnace and huge new water heater sectioned off and a storeroom currently full of summer linens and the like in place of the cage that had failed to hold Jeremy's father. There was also a very modern little laundry room, and a shiny new cage in an entirely different and more secure location. The main space had been carefully insulated and remodeled into a media room with another of the U-shaped couches, this time around a huge television, with a bar off to one side that had been stocked with some very nice housewarming presents from Jeremy's grandfather, including a bottle of scotch as old as Jeremy with a note that it was to be saved for toasts with the grandparents.

Jeremy poured himself a glass of something slightly less special, sat down on the couch and stared at his new TV, giving in to the inevitable as his pack crowded around him.

They had a new home.

"So," he said, downing the last of the scotch, "when should we move in?"

Chapter 38

Jeremy was lucky that his Pack cared about him enough not to let him have a refill, instead dulling his concerns and drugging his senses with kisses and touches as soon as they all piled back into the limousine. They stopped back at home for their overnight things and the pot of stew that Sebastian had promised to provide for dinner, and headed back to Jeremy's grandparents' house to share the full moon with the other Pack in Jeremy's life. The drive was quieter this time, a different kind of nerves setting in, though by now they all knew that Moira and Jack weren't nearly so conservative as they might have been, nor would they try to keep Jeremy from anyone who loved him, and was loved in return.

"I do love you all, you know," said Jeremy quietly, looking around at their faces. "And I'm still going to love you after you ruin my grandparents' sheets."

The words had the effect Jeremy had been looking for, first softening the nervous expressions and then turning them to laughter. "Yes, but will your grandparents still like us afterward?" asked Bas, only half teasing.

"Of course they will," said Jeremy calmly, though his own stomach was playing host to a whole flight of butterflies. "I told them to use old sheets."

There wasn't time for more; the car stopped and Edward rapped on the glass to warn them that they were there. They piled out into the waning day, breaths steaming in the winter-crisp air, turning their speech into ephemeral balloons. They went up the steps in a gaggle, Saul with their bags and Sebastian with his carefully transported stew, Mercury hanging back and David propelling him forward, Toby squaring his shoulders and Jeremy just barely managing not to knock on the already-opening door.

"Good evening," said Ellis, looking impeccable as always as he bowed them inside; he was a werewolf, and had been Jack and Moira's butler since before Jeremy was born. "Your grandparents wanted a moment alone with you, but Mary can show them to their rooms and," his glance flickered to the steaming crock pot in Sebastian's hands, "take your friend to the kitchen."

"You always manage to sound disapproving," said Jeremy cheerfully. "At least I know that hasn't changed."

He stepped aside so they could all file inside, to shed their coats and be led away by the cheerful maid. Ellis watched them go and then said, "If only you wouldn't make it quite so easy for me, I might try."

Jeremy laughed and let the sour-faced man lead him to Jack's study, though he knew the way himself. Ellis was a stick in the mud, but he was loyal, and Jack had always said Ellis served as a reminder that not everyone in the pack wanted progress. "Thank you, Ellis," said Jeremy sweetly, getting a sniff and the door closed nearly on his ass.

"Already getting up his nose, I see," said Moira cheerfully. "Not that I'd expect any less."

"He disapproves of my new pack," replied Jeremy, coming over to collect a hug and kiss from her. "I feel as though they passed some sort of test, like if he'd approved, I'd have had to figure out what was wrong with them."

Jack and Moira laughed, and Jeremy took a seat in the other wingback chair in front of Jack's wide desk. "You wanted to see me?"

"The Whites tell me you're moving in," said Jack, not bothering with preamble.

"I'm terribly pleased, of course," said Moira, eyes sparkling. "It's been paid off for years, and the deed held in trust for the day you wanted to claim it, so there's only a few papers to be signed."

Jeremy laughed, shaking his head. "I suppose you've already arranged movers, and for someone to clean and make my house ready for the new tenants?"

"That house is yours as well, but we were hoping you'd be reasonable..." said Jack, and Jeremy interrupted him with a raised hand.

"I only have need of one home at the moment, so if you've got someone in mind I'm happy to rent it, as long as you guys deal with all the paperwork and have your property manager keep an eye on the place," he said. "Caress of the Sublime isn't in danger of outgrowing our new place any time soon, though we have been discussing the necessity of new members in the future."

Moira's smile grew positively radiant at that. "I know you won't ever give me great-grandchildren," she said, "but seeing you as part of your own seed pack makes me just as proud."

Jeremy chuckled. "You're hoping someone in the pack will make you little babies to spoil rotten."

"You'll have to admit breeding pairs if you're to thrive," said Jack reasonably, looking entirely too amused. He pushed some paperwork over to Jeremy, the pages festooned with little red "sign here" sticky notes, and a pen resting atop the stack.

Jeremy began signing obediently, though he did check to be sure he wasn't committing himself to anything other than taking possession of the new house. "Yes, grandfather. Maybe you can give us some advice about that tonight at dinner?"

"I was hoping we could talk about your move," said Moira teasingly.

"That won't take long, I'm sure they'll be happy to allow you to arrange everything, though Bas will want to consult on the catering for the housewarming party, and remember I have to schedule it around school and the Institute now," said Jeremy, teasing right back.

"Will your boys live at the Institute for long?" asked Jack shrewdly; he didn't want Jeremy to end up rattling around alone in the big house for long.

Jeremy shook his head. "Room and board is optional for the subjects, except during the week surrounding the moon. I know it was part of the original lure for them, but I think they've found a better place to live now."

"I should think so," said a voice from behind them, Toby peeking in. "I hope I'm not interrupting?"

"No, of course not, come in," said Moira warmly, standing up to claim a hug from him, much to Jeremy's amusement.

Toby hugged her back and then came over to lean on the back of Jeremy's chair. "Whatcha doin'?" he asked, peering at the paperwork.

"Getting us a house," said Jeremy. "And arranging for the current place to be cleaned and rented out by Jack's property management company. It'll be a home to some Bone Kin family until our Pack is big enough to need it."

Toby smiled. "I like that," he said, watching as Jeremy signed the last few papers and handed it all back. "The rooms are great, Mrs- Moira. Everything looks like it's sturdy enough to survive the night." He had the audacity to wink at her, and both Jack and Jeremy laughed.

"Thank you, dear," said Moira, ignoring them.

Jack put the papers into an envelope that was already addressed and ready to go out, likely with a number of other important papers going by courier to the lawyers. He looked like he was about to say something when a distant bell chimed. "Ah, dinner," he said, standing.

"Saved by the bell," said Jeremy ominously.

Toby giggled. "You really have a dinner bell?"

"It's not used much, but when there's guests or on nights when we're short on time, Ellis will use it to get our attention," explained Moira, deftly ushering them out of the study and into the dining room. They were using the same table, but it seemed like a different world, this one more like Jeremy's childhood with the everyday plates and the food arrayed all down the center of the table for passing, rather than the formal meal they'd had the first time he'd brought his pack.

The rest of them were already seated around the table, laughing at some joke that Jeremy had missed, and Jeremy could feel his expression softening. "They're a good family," said Jack softly, giving Jeremy's shoulder a squeeze before taking his seat at the head of the table.

Jeremy could only agree.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby settled into his chair with Jack's quiet words still echoing in his head, filling him with pride that his little family had a value that even someone like Jack, with his position in the Bone Kin, could appreciate. "Thank you again for your hospitality," he said to Moira, turning to give Jack a little wink to show that he hadn't been forgotten.

Moira smiled and lay her napkin in her lap, saying, "You're always welcome in our home, Toby."

"That's what I meant," replied Toby with a warm answering smile. "That welcome means a lot to me, to us." Nods of assent went around the table, and Toby was pleased to see that Moira understood him just fine.

Jack lifted his glass, filled with nothing more than water tonight, and said, "To family and home."

"To family and home," they all replied, toasting Jack and each other.

"Now," said Jack, sipping his water, "Let's eat."

That got laughter from everyone, and soon dishes were being passed around the table and bowls were filled with Sebastian's thick stew, plates of salad and fresh cornbread and even a warm fruit compote to complement the meal. Moira took a dainty bite, unable to entirely hide her dubiousness or the surprised pleasure that suffused her features at the taste. "Why, Sebastian, if I didn't know you already had a job I'd be trying to lure you here to cook for me!"

Jeremy laughed harder than the joke warranted, at least until Toby remembered that the old chef had been fired for sleeping with Jeremy. "You'll never get him to stop sleeping with your grandson long enough to be hired," said Toby teasingly, which only sent Jeremy into further gales of laughter.

"I suppose it might be different if he was already sleeping with Jeremy," said Jack thoughtfully, a teasing twinkle in his eye betraying the joke.

Faces around the circle showed comprehension, Saul leaning in to whisper to David until they were all looking terribly amused. "I'm afraid one Forrester is plenty for me to keep satisfied, in and out of the kitchen," said Sebastian, though his pink cheeks gave away just how much the praise pleased him.

"Speaking of kitchens," said Moira, deftly turning the conversation to the topic at hand. They ate and discussed the moving arrangements; Moira insisted on providing an allowance to cover those little necessities one always finds one needs upon moving into a new home, and Toby was amused to note that Jeremy barely bothered to put up any resistance.

"You've done more than enough for me," said Jeremy, eyes still full of laughter, "but I won't say no to anything that helps my pack get settled into their new life."

"Speaking of which," said Jack, taking a sip of his water, "I believe I have a Christmas gift to bestow. When should we arrange to take you all out shopping?"

That perked up all the cats, and Mercury asked shyly, "Will both you and Moira be coming along?"

"Of course," said Moira, "I will help you choose, and Jack will approve of the budget."

Jack chuckled, but didn't protest. "Well," said Jeremy, shifting in his seat as he thought about what would be coming in the days ahead, "that depends, are we going to the mall, or do you have some terribly exclusive shop to drag us to?"

"I had intended to take you to Davanti for your suits, if he can spare the time before Christmas," said Jack thoughtfully.

"Why don't we do that on Tuesday, and then go shopping for the rest in January, when it's less busy?" offered Saul, adding, "I mean, if you still want to do the whole wardrobe thing."

"Of course we do," said Jack.

"A new life deserves new clothes," said Moira with an air of authority.

They all chuckled. "Your new life deserves a new outlook, as well," said Jack, making a smooth segue to the next subject on his agenda, "Toby tells me you've been discussing what criteria you want to use in selecting new pack members."

"Well, we certainly can't keep using the old way," said David with a snort that got a laugh out of all of them.

"We'll need to have a few people who are more established in the community, maybe, and some young couples as well, for longevity," said Jeremy thoughtfully. "How does the Bone Kin decide, anyway?"

"We look at a number of factors, including a background check, job stability, and several interviews. All three of the attack victims that applied were accepted, but we've rejected people for all kinds of reasons, including a history of violence and unfinished business in their current pack," said Jack, sitting back in his chair and sipping his water, leaving his empty plate as a testament to his own appreciation of Sebastian's culinary skills.

"I think that having them mesh well with the core group will be the most important factor for us," said Jeremy, nibbling at the remains of his food.

"We don't want anyone who'll look down on us," said Mercury, and Toby was surprised at the insight, though of course he shouldn't be.

"I wonder what would attract people to a pack like ours?" said David, giving up on his own dinner in favor of holding Mercury's hand in both of his.

"Not everyone fits well with their own pack," said Sebastian, playing with his food.

"Some people are attracted to things just because they're new and different," said Saul, his tone heavy with irony.

"I think," said Toby, "that we'll end up deciding on a case-by-case basis, and making policies once we know what works for us."

Jack nodded. "That's probably wisest, though I will give you the number of the firm that does our background checks for us. That's one thing that you shouldn't do without, even if you don't use the information the same way we do."

They all murmured their agreement, and a glance out the wide windows showed that the time for conversation was over. They broke off into their groups, Jeremy going to change into his warm flannel pajamas while the rest of them went to change far more significantly, the dishes left for the staff to clear before heading to their own quaters. Toby and his pack trooped past the large open study with its plush carpet and large fireplace with a single chair in front, small table and lamp beside it and no other furniture in sight. They'd be back here soon, for the first time meeting Jeremy in their other forms, and his stomach knotted so tightly he worried for a moment he was going to change.

A glance at the sky showed no moon, but he knew she would rise soon. They made it to their suite and began to strip and spread out, and wait.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy got himself a mug of cocoa from the sideboard, grateful as always for the small comfort. He sat in his chair and looked around, the room seeming huge with its usual furnishings removed in deference to the different needs of six large animals versus just Jeremy's grandfather. Jeremy laughed at himself, putting his lap-blanket over his knees and seeing that Jack had put "Peter Pan" out along with "Treasure Island," to give them the option of starting something new instead of bringing the pack in for just a chapter or two in the middle.

He heard a noise and looked toward the door in time to see a distinctly familiar feline nose peering around it, the accompanying sheepish look followed quickly by Toby and what could only be the rest of the pack. Five giant cats slunk into the room, the very picture of predatory grace from the sleek black of David and Sebastian, who looked far too alike for being of different species, to Saul and Toby's heavier frames, though Saul was by far the largest of them. Mercury was like a ghost amongst them, smaller and lighter than any of the others with markings a pale grey against his white fur that made him look positively otherwordly.

"Wow," said Jeremy, staring unabashedly. "You guys are beautiful."

That seemed to be the right thing to say, and the slinking became the more normal padding that reminded Jeremy distinctly of Fitz when he was out to get something. In this case, it turned out to be scratches, as one at a time they presented themselves for their proper measure of affection, with one of the black cats first.

"Don't be upset," said Jeremy, whispering into his ear as he scratched the soft, thick fur around the cat's ruff, "but I don't know if you're Bas or David."

All the cats shot him amused looks that reminded him of their acute hearing, and he could almost see their human selves chiding him for worrying about such a trivial thing. Jeremy laughed at himself and asked in a normal voice, "Are you Bas?"

The cat shook its head. "David, then," said Jeremy, and he was rewarded with a rumbling purr and a rough lick from collarbone to ear that was far more sensual than it should have been. "Cut that out," he said with a grin, planting a kiss right in the middle of David's broad forehead in revenge.

David snorted and backed off, only to be replaced by Saul. Saul's fur was even thicker, and Jeremy enjoyed digging his hands in it in order to give a proper scratching. "I know you're Saul, anyway," he said, getting his nose licked for his troubles. "Cut that out! I'm not going to have any skin left if you guys keep licking me."

That was, of course, when Jack decided to make his appearance, wearing a wolfy grin and claiming the best spot by the fire with dignity. Jack looked as he always had to Jeremy, a huge gray wolf with the solid body afforded by regular meals, with just a touch of fat around his belly that hadn't been there when Jeremy was younger. "Grandfather," said Jeremy, hands still scratching despite the embarrassment threatening to turn his entire upper body red, "Thank you for choosing another book for us tonight."

Jack nodded his head and let out a little yip that let Jeremy know that he'd not be hearing the last of this. Sebastian followed it up by giving Saul a none-too-subtle nudge to stop hogging the human, and the chorus of human, feline and lupine laughter that filled the room as Saul backed away would have been eerie, in any other situation.

Tonight, Jeremy just felt warmed by it. "Jack and I usually read, well, I read to him until he falls asleep, which is usually just a few chapters," said Jeremy, hands moving automatically to give Bas the requested attention.

Jeremy had grown used to talking to Jack, but having such a large audience that couldn't respond was taking him back to his awkward teenage years, and he found himself kissing Bas on the forehead before he could stop himself, much to everyone's evident amusement. "Um, yes, anyway, is 'Peter Pan' all right?"

All the heads nodded, and he relaxed a little that he wouldn't be expected to keep up one-sided conversation for long. As if sensing his desire to move things along, Bas ceded his place to Mercury, whose sleek fur was like silk against Jeremy's hands. Jeremy gave him a good thorough scratching, and soon enough it was Toby's shaggy head on his knee instead, the fur thicker than any of the others, wooly and catching at his fingers as he scratched. "All right," he said, once the silence began to get to him, "I'm going to start reading now."

He took a sip of his cocoa, getting wistful looks from some of the group which he ignored with the fortitude of someone used to not sharing his food with pleading kitties, and then he picked up the book. "Um," he said, giving Toby's head a last pat, "as nice as that is, I don't want to set the book on your head."

Toby snorted, but he moved away, settling onto Jeremy's feet in an adorably proprietary manner. "Thank you," said Jeremy. One more sip of cocoa, and he opened the book and began to read.

Jeremy barely read for two hours before Jack took his customary nap in front of the fire and Jeremy escorted the pack back to their suite, feeling like Tarzan as they cavorted around him, cheerful and affectionate. "You guys are going to be the death of me," he said jokingly, when one headbutt nearly knocked him off his feet.

The offender, Bas, rubbed his head against Jeremy's hand apologetically, not so incidentally asking for petting.

Jeremy laughed. "Once we get into the suite, I'll give you all the petting you guys want, but then I've got to go or none of us will get any sleep."

His words were prophetic; he snuggled them like giant stuffed toys for another several hours, not a single one objecting that his presence was spoiling their usual fun, but the tension in his belly never quite left, a combination of his own knowledge of what they'd do once he left, and much more importantly, what he'd be doing tomorrow with Toby, likely the second they made it home.

He almost regretted that they'd all agreed their first time should be in the first home they'd shared with Jeremy, because otherwise he might have snuck in here at sunrise and tackled Toby without preamble.

As it was, he was having a hard time keeping his body's anticipation down, especially -- and a little disturbingly -- as some of the cats began to show that their own bodies were missing out on their usual fun. When a belly-rub to Saul showed Jeremy quite a bit more than he wanted to know about tiger endowments, he decided it was time to call it a night.

"All right, I'm off to my own lonely bed," said Jeremy teasingly, extricating himself with only a few mournful looks rather than the playful tugging and in one case tackling that he'd gotten every other time he'd tried to get up. Apparently he wasn't the only one feeling the tension. "Breakfast is at nine in the dining room, they've got an even better setup than the hot water at my place so feel free to shower beforehand, and, um, I'll see you in the morning I guess."

They waved, looking for one moment like the best of a circus act, and then Jeremy grinned and left, closing the door firmly behind himself. His own rooms were down the hall a little way, and he dug out the book he'd brought, went over some of the Pack- and Institute-related paperwork, even tried to read some journal articles, but nothing could hold his attention for very long. Eventually, when dawn was just starting to press at the windows, he gave up entirely and went to take a long, hot shower and relieve some of his tension as best he could.

He lay in bed afterward, warm and as sated as a man could get on his own, and wished it would hurry up and get to be tomorrow even faster.

* ~ * ~ *

Toby could barely sleep himself, even after wearing himself out very thoroughly with his packmates. Dawn left them all exhausted, but nervous energy woke him barely an hour after he'd finally fallen asleep, so he gave in to the inevitable and took the first shower. He was dressed and pacing by eight, while David and Bas took the second one together, and Saul stole the sheet from an adorably sleepy Mercury to wrap Toby up in a hug. "It's just hours now, cub," he said, his voice holding something besides simple reassurance.

"I'll still be all of yours when it's done," replied Toby, turning to kiss him despite the particularly unpleasant morning breath. "You remember what it was like, before you... before you guys got to have him."

Saul chuckled and kissed his forehead. "I do remember, and it's got to be so much worse for you, wanting him first and having to be last anyway."

Toby let a wry little smile find its way to his face. "Yeah, but it's better this way. Now, we all know how to love him and each other, and we found a way it won't break us. If... before, I don't know if that would have been true."

Mercury yawned loudly and said, "You're way too wise for this hour of the morning," then curled up under the blankets and tried to go back to sleep.

It wasn't to be, though, because Bas and David surrendered the bathroom a minute later, and Saul dragged Mercury bodily into the shower despite his protests that 9 am after a full moon was more obscene than his show with the clear, light-up dildo.

Eventually they were all dressed, and they made their yawning way to the dining room, where Jeremy was already waiting. "Mornin'," said Mercury, sinking into his chair and trying to curl up on his place setting. They left David to deal with him, and Toby came around to his own seat nearly vibrating with the need to touch Jeremy.

"Go on, give him a good morning kiss," said Saul, shooting them an amused glance as he took his own seat.

"S'allowed," said Mercury with a yawn, sitting up and stretching with the grace that only cats and their kin could manage.

Toby would have asked permission, but the look on Jeremy's face was all the encouragement he needed. He leaned in and then paused and said shyly, "Hi."

"Hi," said Jeremy, warm and just as shy, hand coming up to touch Toby's cheek gently.

They kissed, and it was just as sweet as Toby remembered, and just as addictive. Toby shut everything out but the feel of Jeremy's mouth against his, at least until a rather pointed clearing of someone's throat dragged his attention away. He stood up, blushing to see that Jack and Moira had arrived while he was busy kissing their grandson. "Um, good morning."

"So I see," said Moira teasingly. "I take it your grades were all turned in on time?"

Jeremy laughed, and Toby took his seat before he could embarrass himself further. "Yes, grandmother," said Jeremy, "Celia made sure they were all properly entered and sent away, and I have it on good authority through the grapevine that Toby passed his own exams with flying colors and will be getting his degree."

"Excellent," said Jack. Everyone settled in and the servants appeared bearing platters of food to serve from, with eggs and pancakes, bacon and fruit, and pitchers of juice and milk as well as the inevitable and much-welcomed pots of coffee. A basket of warm bread was left at each end of the table, and then everyone was eating and the servants had left, a sleepy air keeping the proceedings low-key with murmured conversation that mostly consisted of requests for condiments.

Eventually they'd all gotten a cup or two of coffee in them and Jack said to the room at large, "How did you enjoy your evening with us?"

"It was lovely, thank you," said Sebastian. "I've never read 'Peter Pan'."

"You know you're welcome to come back any time," said Moira, looking slightly abashed, "Even if I can't host you properly."

"Yet," said Toby, looking at Jeremy. "They'll figure it out for you, Moira."

A smile blossomed on her face and she said firmly, "Yes, you will."

"I was thinking, as I'd like to hear the end of Treasure Island, what if we make it a tradition for you to spend the third night of the moon here?" asked Jack with a grin. "That way I can have my grandson all to myself two nights a month still, but you all can still hear your book and be part of the family."

"That would be most welcome," said Toby, glancing around the table to be sure it was true and seeing only acceptance on everyone's faces, except Mercury, who mostly still looked asleep. "Hopefully in the future months, things won't have been so hectic leading up to the moon."

"Amen to that," said Jack, which provoked a round of laughter and even got a chuckle from Mercury.

Soon enough the food was eaten, their things were packed back up and it was time to go. Toby tried to hide how much he was jumping out of his skin, but no one was fooled a bit, even Edward shaking his head and laughing as he held the door for them. They spent the ride much as they had the way there, with Toby between Saul and Sebastian, and Jeremy on the other side with Mercury and David, mostly because otherwise they were so wound up, they might have consummated their relationship on the floor of the limo. It seemed to take forever, but eventually, they were home.

Chapter 39

Jeremy had his key out before the car had even stopped, and he left their bags entirely up to the pack in his rush to get the door open and himself inside. "Thanks, Edward!" he called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the darkened house with Toby hot on his heels, not even bothering to close the door properly after themselves. Jeremy tossed his keys onto the coffee table and began shedding his shoes and coat, leaving them scattered in a beeline to the bedroom.

"I want to undress you," said Toby, and Jeremy interrupted to push him up against the wall in the hallway for a passionate kiss. "But I don't want to wait that long," he finished breathlessly.

Jeremy moaned and kissed him again. "We'll have time for that later," he said, skinning out of his shirt. Toby's coat had already been lost somewhere in the living room, and he had one shoe on while the other peeked around the corner, laying on its side as if drunk. They made their way down the hall slowly, alternating kisses with stripping as they went, oblivious to the sounds of the pack's homecoming, cheerful voices muted as if to give Toby and Jeremy the space they needed for their long-awaited union.

They made it to the bed and an unseen hand closed the door, one last blessing from those that loved them the most. They fell with Jeremy on the bottom, cradling Toby between his naked thighs so their cocks rubbed together sensually, almost too much stimulation after so many days, weeks, months of anticipation. Jeremy rolled them over, knowing that this first time they both wanted it to be this way, with Toby beneath him pliant and willing and finally, finally allowed. "I can't wait," he said between hungry kisses, one hand cradling Toby's head while the other fumbled on the nightstand for the lube. He found a full bottle and sat back on his heels so he could look down at Toby spread before him like a feast while he smoothed the slick stuff over his cock and fingers.

"It's almost hard to believe it's real," whispered Toby, and Jeremy swallowed and nodded his agreement. It seemed like a dream to have Toby like this in his bed, the same beautiful boy he'd wanted the first time they met and been trying his best not to chase ever since.

"You're not my student anymore," said Jeremy, hand slipping down to slide a finger into Toby, only to find him open and wet already. "Y-you're my lover now," he said, voice faltering at the rush of heat from the image of Toby preparing himself, knowing he'd be too impatient this first time to wait.

"Not yet," said Toby teasingly, spreading just a little wider, his whole body inviting Jeremy inside.

Jeremy laughed as he was meant to and came down for a kiss, not caring about the handprint he smeared on the bedspread in lube or the way his cock bumped and slid before finding its target, and finding its way home. They both moaned as their bodies were finally joined, a shiver running down Jeremy's spine and, it seemed to him, right back up Toby's, tightening things in both their bodies.

"You, you know I loved you even without them," whispered Jeremy, the words feeling important in the silence between heartbeats, to remind Toby that there had been something between them before Jeremy had ever known about the pack, let alone loved them as well.

Toby kissed him, hips rocking up and spurring Jeremy's into reciprocal motion, stealing his thoughts as he went in and in and in, out just another part of being inside, each thrust like a cycle, needful and necessary. "I loved you even when, oh, when I thought I couldn't have you," Toby confessed, and something, the little hitch in the middle or maybe just the reality of having Toby in his arms, spurred Jeremy to go faster, to snap his hips forward harder and change the rhythm of their bodies from the smooth lapping of waves to the sharp beat of some primal drum that only they could hear.

Out, Jeremy thought wildly as they moved together again and again, was where he went because otherwise he couldn't go in again. "Want, want to crawl inside you," gasped Jeremy, beyond sense but needing to let a little of his need out somewhere before it all ended too quickly.

"Need, need, oh, you, please," Toby cried, each word its own exclamation forced out at the height of a thrust.

Jeremy took him at his word and wrapped his lubricant-smeared hand around Toby's cock, adding a counterpoint to their rhythm to go with the harmony of their cries, each kiss a verse in some unknowable language. Jeremy hoped this was permission enough for Toby, too far gone to say even that much now, lips too occupied with kissing for mere words. He slid them down along Toby's jaw, tasting the last remnants of soap and shaving cream, the fresh tang of sweat and the sweeter flavor of Toby's skin. He nibbled his way down Toby's neck, the rhythm of hips and hand losing their synchronicity and growing erratic as his body drove him toward the inevitable conclusion.

Jeremy flung away the last of his control with a needy cry, then bit down on the soft, inviting flesh of Toby's throat, marking the pale skin the way the pack had marked him, the way he'd wanted to since his eyes had first traced the elegant lines of Toby's slender neck. Jeremy's hips bucked as he spilled inside Toby's body, hand tightening on the cock that filled his palm so well, mouth filled with the taste of Toby's skin and his senses drowning in the scent of them, flesh and sex and need. Toby echoed his cry, raking nails down Jeremy's back and shuddering, letting go even as Jeremy's pleasure began to fade into memory.

Jeremy opened his eyes to watch, to finally see the pleasure suffusing Toby's features, changing him from impish angel to something far more divine. Jeremy held Toby close as the shudders racked his body, but waited for them to subside and the blue eyes to blink open before he said softly, "Now we're lovers."

Toby laughed helplessly, his body tightening around Jeremy enough to send a final shimmer of pleasure up his spine. "Yes," Toby said, reaching up with both hands to draw Jeremy's head down for a kiss, "now we're lovers."

* ~ * ~ *

Toby lay replete beneath Jeremy and found himself happy, in a way he would never have expected to be in those first days when Jeremy had been nothing more than a furtive fantasy to him. It wasn't just the happiness of being with his lover, though that played a part, but also a feeling of completeness that had nothing to do with love or even sex, and everything to do with Pack. No matter the reason, the artificial space between the two of them had created a rift within their pack that was healing even now, and that was a satisfaction that not even the sex could compete with.

Toby yawned, then glanced over at the bedside table, amused to see that the whole thing had taken less than fifteen minutes, and even more amused to find that someone had left them two extra bottles of lube and a whole pile of the little wet naps that they all carried around just in case. "Clean us up and then we can nap?" he asked, giving Jeremy's cheek a little nuzzle.

Jeremy echoed his yawn and nodded, moving as if to get up until Toby handed him a pair of the little packets. Jeremy chuckled and ripped one open, saying, "I think they wanted us to get it over with nearly as badly as we did."

Toby nodded, giggling a little as the cool cloth tickled over his stomach and sensitive cock. "I know they did," he said, opening a wipe of his own in anticipation.

Jeremy tossed the first one into the trash and opened the next, sighing softly as their bodies separated and he carefully cleaned Toby's thighs and ass of lube and come. "Should we invite them in for a nap, or do you want it to still be us for awhile?" he asked, his voice holding too many things for Toby to guess at what he was thinking.

Toby curled the cool towelette and his warm hand both around Jeremy's softening prick, getting a yelp and a half-hearted glare in response. "I want to be awake enough to make love with you again," he said teasingly, using both hands to get Jeremy thoroughly clean and even bring some life back into his wilting cock.

"I think I could find the motivation for that," said Jeremy, tossing both of their wipes into the trash and then leaning back in for a kiss. "Let's take off your sock, get in bed, and then I can give you the attention you deserve," he said, his voice a mixture of seduction and tease, eyes heavy with promise.

Toby grinned and looked down, seeing one lone sock that had escaped the whirlwind. "You don't think it's sexy?" he asked, wriggling his toes.

Jeremy chuckled and kissed him. "Let's find out," he said, slipping down the bed. He rubbed his face against Toby's stockinged foot, then grabbed the other foot and echoed the motion. "That's not too bad." He pressed kisses up the sensitive sole of Toby's bare foot, then gave a single one on the other sole before shaking his head and saying, "But that's just not right."

Toby was torn between laughter and arousal as Jeremy peeled off the offending sock and tossed it away with the air of a stripper doffing a glove, or sheer silk stocking. "I do feel more balanced this way," he said, voice hitching just a little when Jeremy resumed his kissing. Toby had definitely thought of feet as erotic before, just as he'd thought of nearly every kink imaginable at one point or another in his career, but somehow it was different having someone he loved licking and kissing them, then sucking on his big toe like a tiny cock, eyes fixed on Toby's face all the while.

"I've got something better for you to suck," said Toby, tracing his unsucked toes over Jeremy's cheek once before spreading wide.

Jeremy released the toe with an obscene wet sound, then nodded. "Get into bed," he said, his voice holding just enough authority to send a frisson of lust through Toby's frame, "and then we can suck whatever we like."

With motivation like that, Toby was under the covers in no time and Jeremy with him, snuggled up skin to skin in a way he'd been too nervous and desperate to enjoy earlier. "Even this seems like a miracle," Toby whispered, tracing his fingers up Jeremy's side, learning the difference between fantasy and reality with each caress.

"Just patience rewarded," said Jeremy, stealing kisses while his own hands wandered, finding the peak of a nipple, the curve of Toby's back and the swell of his ass, the hollow of a hip and the smooth line of his flank.

Toby contented himself with necking for a long while, allowing himself to get his fill of Jeremy's skin while Jeremy did the same. They'd denied what they wanted for so long that he wanted to savor things, now that they'd relieved some of their frantic need. "Feels good to hold you," said Toby, learning what Jeremy's kisses felt like without any trace of furtiveness, fingers finally tracing up the curve of Jeremy's renewed erection, seemingly of their own accord.

Jeremy moaned and kissed him harder, then whispered, "Feels good to be yours now."

That sent a frisson of lust to Toby's toes, and a burst of warmth into his chest. "Mine now," he echoed, curling his fingers around the cock he'd longed to touch for so many moons. He felt a smile on his lips, predatory and dangerous, and he added, "Mine to taste," before slipping down under the covers to nuzzle at the warm space between Jeremy's thighs, encouraging them to open and admit him.

Jeremy moaned again and fluffed the covers up over them both, bringing his knees up so they were alone together in a dim, green-lit world, just the two of them. "Yours for anything," said Jeremy, spreading his legs just a little wider as Toby moved into the space between.

"I'm going to eat you up," said Toby with wicked glee, mouth watering as he hovered close enough for his breath to tickle over Jeremy's still-shorn balls. "And then I'm going to fuck you."

Jeremy seemed to melt at that, legs curling upward and opening as wide as they could go, baring all of him to Toby's hungry gaze. "Please," said Jeremy, not quite begging, not yet.

Toby lowered his mouth to Jeremy's balls, licking and sucking at the tender skin, feeling it move and wrinkle under his touch, bringing the tender morsels inside up for him to suck each one into his mouth. He tugged them both away from Jeremy's body, teeth a warning scrape against the sac, and Jeremy shivered and moaned. Toby could see why the pack had declared him a natural, his body reacting to the false danger and small pain just as any good bottom would, with heightened desire.

Toby released them, then began to nibble his way down to Jeremy's pink little entrance, imagining for a moment what it would be like to pierce the Professor here, to make him teach class knowing he had a bit of the pack's claim on him where no one would see. To lead him around the house with a leash attached there, the weight tugging on the tender flesh just as Toby's teeth were doing now. He was drowning in the freedom to actually do these things, knowing Jeremy could choose now, to let him or not, his permission dictated only by their mutual desires.

That was nearly as heady as the taste of Jeremy's skin, or the low sound of his moans as Toby's tongue began to explore his tender opening. Toby knew he wasn't the first to do this, knew his whole pack had tasted Jeremy before he had, but he didn't let that lessen their own first as he learned each contour, memorized the way Jeremy cried out when his tongue slipped inside. He dismissed all thoughts of the past, his or Jeremy's, and concentrated instead on making Jeremy cry out more, using his mouth and eventually hands to open Jeremy's body until he could spread Jeremy out with his thumbs and see the faint, shadowed pink inside him, knowing he was going to be there very soon.

"Please, please, I'm so empty," said Jeremy, words that Toby had whimpered or whispered or cried a hundred times, and they galvanized him.

"Yes, love, ssh," he soothed, pressing kisses up Jeremy's cock, tasting the fluid gathered at the head while his busy hands slicked up his own greedy prick. He shared the taste with Jeremy in a sweet kiss, then let himself finally slide inside, feeling the heat around him and between them. "You're perfect," he whispered as he slid all the way home, until there was no more in to go.

Jeremy wrapped his arms and legs around Toby, their tent collapsing into a cocoon as they began to move. Toby let go of words and concentrated entirely on their bodies, feeling Jeremy clench and grasp whenever he pulled out, feeling the welcoming embrace as he slid back in over and over. Kissing as though nothing else mattered, their mouths sharing the rhythm with their bodies, the smooth inexorability of the wind blowing over the desert, building dunes grain by grain, tearing down mountains the same way. Pleasure carved itself runnels through him like water, wending its way to pool at the center of him until he knew he'd burst open at any moment, he was so filled with it.

"Toby, Toby, please," chanted Jeremy, head thrashing back and forth as though he, too, was full to bursting.

Toby didn't let his pace pick up, though his hips nearly ached with wanting to pound into Jeremy's body. "Yes, Jeremy, yes," Toby whispered, pressing kisses to Jeremy's throat and chest, face and mouth, coaxing with lips and cock, hands too busy cradling Jeremy's shoulders to find the cock that burned like a brand between them, hot and hard.

"Yes, oh yes," Jeremy whispered, and his release seemed to come from the furthest points of his body. Toby could feel the trembling starting up in his hands and feet, traveling up his long legs until it became shudders that racked his body as he came between them with whimpering, intoxicating little cries at the height of each wave.

Toby could no more have held back after watching Jeremy's face suffused with naked pleasure, than he could have kept himself from breathing, or stayed the blood pumping frantically through his veins. His control broke and his hands slid down to grasp Jeremy's hips, a low growl coming out of his throat as he drove himself deep into Jeremy's pliant, willing body.

"Yes, Toby, yes," Jeremy chanted, half-sobbing as he clung to Toby, nothing but a surfeit of joy on his face.

"Yes," came the whispered reply, the word falling from Toby's lips of its own accord as his body found its peak and he stilled, only his cock moving as it spilled his seed into Jeremy's body in long, hot pulses.

Jeremy looked softer when Toby looked down again, as though some last barrier had finally fallen away and there was nothing left between Toby and the blinding shine of Jeremy's love, not only for him but for the life that Toby had brought to his lonely world. "I love you," said Jeremy, and Toby almost told him it was redundant, but instead answered first with a kiss and then with words.

"I love you, too," he said softly, nuzzling at Jeremy's face as though to mark himself with that bright joy.

Jeremy pulled the covers back and Toby had to blink against the light, grinning as Jeremy's face came back into focus. "Now can we nap?" asked Jeremy, and Toby could only laugh and accede.

They repeated the cleaning ritual from before, then Toby snuggled up and claimed a few dozen more kisses before he was ready to cede his claim on Jeremy to anything so frivolous as sleep. "When we wake up," he said, hand slipping down the front of Jeremy's body to cup his balls in an unmistakably proprietary manner, "I'm going to suck you until you can't come another drop."

Jeremy chuckled, blinking sleepily at him before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Only if I get to do the same to you," he said.

Toby grinned and stole one last kiss, then snuggled up so he could listen to the slowing beat of Jeremy's heart. "Always," he said, letting the soothing rhythm of Jeremy's body draw him, too, down into sleep.

Chapter 40

Jeremy woke to the faint sound of a cat scratching at the door, an actual animal rather than a pack member from the sound of things. The afternoon sun threw long shadows across the room, and the clock told him they'd slept right through lunch and were creeping up on dinnertime. "Wake up, love," said Jeremy softly, pressing a kiss right below Toby's ear in the spot he'd only learned a few hours ago was sensitive.

Toby blinked his eyes open and a smile bloomed on his lips, which had lost their kiss-bruised look while they slept. "It wasn't a dream," said Toby softly, pulling Jeremy down for a kiss hard enough to start the bruising all over again, "We're lovers now."

Jeremy laughed and kissed him more, nipping at the lower lip softly. "Yes, love," he said, then laughed again when Fitz went from scratching to yowling. "And now I'm going to go let the cat in, and then I think we should get ready to go face the rest of the cats in our life."

Toby laughed. "I get the bathroom first, you get the cat," he said impishly, sliding out from under Jeremy and disappearing into the bathroom with the swiftness of a predator, or at least a young man in need after a long nap.

Jeremy got up, chuckling, only to find Mercury outside just pulling Fitz up into his arms and cooing, "Sssh, don't bother them, they're... oh, you're awake! Sorry I didn't get him before."

"It's all right," said Jeremy, taking custody of the cat and then taking a kiss for good measure. "We'll be out soon, you can let everyone know that we're still in love with all of you," he added with a wink.

Mercury giggled and stole another kiss. "Will do," he said, then he spun and walked off, though not without giving Jeremy's nude body an appreciative once-over.

Jeremy shut the door after him, giving Fitz a proper scratch while he leaned against the wall and waited for Toby, a smile playing around his mouth like light on the water, changing from joyous to thoughtful to secret without ever losing its shine. "We've been discovered," he called through the door when he heard the sink shut off.

The door opened and Toby's head poked out. "By who?" he asked, then slipped out to claim a kiss of his own, and to scratch Fitz's head as well.

"Mercury. He was trying to rescue us from Fitz when I opened the door," said Jeremy with a wink. He disappeared into the bathroom, emerging a minute later to find Toby curled up in bed wearing his yukata, though the belt was conspicuously absent. "I'm going to have to buy you all one of those for Christmas," he said, crawling into bed with Toby.

"We'll still all want yours," said Toby, kissing him and snuggling up, wrapping them both in the open robe.

"Ah," said Jeremy, nuzzling at Toby's marked neck, "but then I'll have five more to choose from."

* ~ * ~ *

They emerged half an hour later looking rumpled and sheepish and utterly satisfied, and were immediately swarmed by the pack while Fitz took the opportunity to escape the company of the foolish door-closing humans entirely. "You two smell good together," said Bas, crawling up and burying his face in Jeremy's crotch.

Saul wrapped himself around Toby and kissed his head. "You really still love us?" he asked softly, leaning down to kiss and lick at the mark on Toby's neck.

"I really still love you," said Toby, tilting his face up for a kiss.

Mercury went to his knees behind Toby and slipped his head up under the yukata to lick at Toby's thighs. "You're all clean," he said disappointedly, licking more anyway until Toby had to moan and clutch at Saul.

"You can taste me in him another day," said Jeremy, sounding breathless with Bas still nuzzling at him through his jeans.

David came up behind Jeremy and slid his hands up Jeremy's bare front, pressing into his back hard enough that Jeremy could feel each individual button on his jacket. "Can I taste him in you?" he whispered, tugging on Jeremy's nipple rings.

Jeremy moaned. "I'm clean, too," he said; they'd used their mouths to make love this last time, so Jeremy leaned back and kissed David to share the lingering flavor that way.

"Mmmm, if I didn't know you were all shagged out, I'd say we should do you both right here," said Bas, biting along the mostly-soft outline of Jeremy's drained cock.

"Hold that thought until after dinner?" said Mercury, emerging from under Toby's clothing still licking his lips. "I'll help cook, if you want."

Bas laughed his way up to Jeremy's lips, stealing them away from David for a long moment. "Yeah, let's go make something hot," he said, patting his thigh idly. Mercury trotted after him on all fours like a kitten after tuna, and Jeremy couldn't help but laugh.

* ~ * ~ *

Once dinner was over, Toby and Jeremy allowed themselves to be willingly lured into the pack's bedroom and divested of their clothing. They were passed from person to person and at least to Toby it never mattered who he was touching, who he was kissing or making love to at any given moment, because now they were all his pack and he loved them all equally. Even the bright new shine of his love for Jeremy fit like a long-missing puzzle piece into his fierce love for his pack, not subsumed in it but another part of the whole, just like his love for Mercury and David, Saul and Sebastian.

Toby had no idea how long they all made love, but once they were all spent they curled up together, bellies and thighs licked clean by eager tongues, come kissed from cheeks and lips and shared from mouth to mouth.

Quietly, so much so that Toby wasn't even sure who said it, a voice rose up in the darkness and said, "Welcome to the pack."

Toby echoed it along with all the other voices, and a hand found his in the dark, Jeremy's familiar fingers twining with his own. "It feels right now," said Jeremy, his tone just as reverent and soft as the rest of the pack had been.

"It finally is right between us," said Toby, the declaration holding a weight that came from being Kiss, from all the good that he'd built in his pack before Jeremy ever met him, and all the good things that Jeremy had brought to the pack since.

"Between all of us," said Saul, his voice rumbling in Toby's ear from where he was curled around Toby's back.

There was another murmur of assent from the rest of the group, and Toby was amused to hear someone purring.

He let a rumble out of his own throat as Saul began to rub his belly soothingly, and drifted off to sleep feeling more content than he could remember being in his life.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy had thought he'd seen his pack at their most relaxed, but it wasn't until he saw them all together, with himself and Toby an equal part of their play, that he realized the tension that had been running through them all. When he awoke the next day, Bas and Saul were missing, but Toby, David, and Mercury were still tangled in bed with him. Jeremy slipped quietly out of bed, and found it terribly cute when they all shifted to take over his warm spot without waking up, the three of them staying effortlessly in contact. It was an instinct Jeremy had denied for most of his life, as he'd denied most of his more animalistic tendencies, but now he could see how he'd been depriving himself, and even why he'd battled insomnia for so long.

It hadn't been about the nightmares, not really. It had been about needing the touch and love of his pack, and cutting himself off from that comfort with only his lonely night-candle as a substitute.

He padded nude into to the living room and found Bas and Saul curled up on the couch sipping hot chocolate and talking in low voices. "Room for one more?" he asked, a part of him reveling in the freedom to stay naked and have their appreciative gazes linger on his body, though he had checked to be sure the curtains were closed.

"Always," said Saul, patting his lap with a teasing grin. He was dressed in a pair of leather pants that showed the signs of both good care and hard wear, with one of David's white mandarin collar shirts framing the inviting caramel of his chest.

Bas, on the other hand, wore nothing but his "kiss the cook" apron, though from the way he kept shifting Jeremy suspected he might also have something on or in him that Jeremy couldn't see. "There's always room for pack," said Bas, and Jeremy forced himself to stop admiring and get moving, sitting happily on Saul's lap and getting surprised laughs and kisses from them both.

"It's good to see you like this," said Saul, hands roaming over Jeremy's body in a distinctly proprietary manner.

Instead of closing up like he would have only a few weeks ago, Jeremy let his legs fall open, slipping one foot up under the apron and right into Sebastian's lap. "It's good to be like this."

"I certainly like you like this," said another voice from the hallway, and Jeremy didn't even flinch, instead letting his head loll against Saul's broad chest.

"You like everyone naked and spread for you," said Bas, as David moved into the room.

David had put on a pair of silk pants and nothing else, and his hand went unerringly between Jeremy's legs to tease at the entrance hiding there. "Don't you?" he shot back, slipping a fingertip inside. "You're so much more open now," he said to Jeremy, getting a blush and wriggle in response.

Saul sucked a finger into his own mouth, then slid it down and back to join David's inside Jeremy's body, a sensation that Jeremy found breathtakingly erotic. "You're still tight, though," he said, rubbing his cock against Jeremy's ass suggestively while his other hand tugged on Jeremy's nipple rings.

"And still tasty," said Bas impishly, just before filling his mouth with Jeremy's erection, though he ran into Saul's arm before he could get more than an inch or two.

Jeremy moaned at that, feeling terribly wanton and just a little slutty that he was letting these men touch him so intimately and talk about him as though he wasn't there at all, right in the middle of his own living room.

"Toby's busy fucking Mercury to remind him who's top cat," said David dryly, and the image made Jeremy arch up.

Bas sat up and clapped his hands with glee like a child who's just been given a treat, though Jeremy hadn't managed to come just yet. "I know! Let's set Jeremy up as breakfast."

"Do you consent, pet?" asked Saul, giving his finger a little wriggle and thrust that stole Jeremy's doubts away along with any other thoughts.

He gasped when David started moving at an entirely different angle and speed, and barely managed to stammer out, "Y-yes, anything." Though he'd only been theirs for a weekend, they'd built a deep trust into him in the weeks prior that had only been strengthened by the careful testing -- but not breaking -- of the limits he hadn't even understood he had. Now he allowed that trust to guide him.

"Perfect," said David, nuzzling at Jeremy's cheek until he turned his face for a kiss. "Hold onto me, pet, I'm going to carry you," he said, sliding his hands around Jeremy's waist.

Jeremy whimpered as first David and then Saul's fingers left him empty, but he had every confidence that he'd be filled soon enough, and he wrapped his arms and legs around David's body. He was amused that David's slight frame held the strength to carry him, but he didn't doubt it for a moment, and he found himself laid out on the kitchen table soon enough.

"What should we use to tie him?" asked Bas, as though he ate from human furniture every day and was merely discussing whether to use the blue napkins or the white ones today.

"Silk scarves," said David with authority, as he and Saul began to position Jeremy's limbs. "I think my box is in the top of Jeremy's closet right now."

"I remember," said Bas teasingly, slinking off with just enough swish in his hips to imply worlds about why he knew just where to find them.

Jeremy soon found himself bound to the table, his head pillowed on a hand towel, legs spread wide and knees bent so his ankles could be tied to the table's legs, arms overhead and equally bound. He thanked whoever had bought it for getting sturdy furniture, and that Saul and David had both been prepared to change their plans when he proved not to be flexible enough for the first, more exposed position they'd wanted to try.

"Do you think you could handle a blindfold, love?" asked David, toying with a fifth scarf.

Jeremy bit his lip and swallowed, then shook his head slowly. "I want to see that you're all here this time," he said, though it was both more and less than that; he was enjoying the sense of fun, of playing rather than something deeper, and giving up his sight would take that away, too.

Saul nodded, and looked as though he understood the unspoken reasons as well. "We'll just use this elsewhere, then," he said, stealing the scarf from David and then checking ostentatiously to see that it was washable silk. Jeremy squirmed, but didn't protest when the scarf was twisted into a thin rope and then used to artfully bind his cock and balls, putting pressure in interesting places and making him all the harder.

"I think this calls for silver dollar pancakes," said Bas, getting out the two-burner griddle and some bowls. "We can cover him in food and douse him with syrup."

"That's a wonderful idea," said David, sitting down in the breakfast nook and idly toying with Jeremy's nipple rings, twisting and tugging them, then pinching the nipples around the metal inside, making Jeremy gasp and squirm and lose track of the conversation.

"He needs something in him," said Saul, trailing his fingers idly up Jeremy's thighs. "Something that'll make us all want to fuck him after we use him for a plate."

"I already want that," said Bas distractedly, measuring out ingredients for his pancakes.

Saul laughed and pinched one of Jeremy's thighs sharply enough to make him gasp and miss what they said next. He wanted to ask, but his mouth was covered by David's, and when he looked up again Saul had disappeared, and a line of condiments was next to him, honey and real maple syrup, as well as strawberry jam and chocolate sauce. "I'd object to being a sundae," said Jeremy with a little wriggle, "but I don't want to."

That surprised a laugh out of Sebastian, who was deftly flipping the first tiny pancakes. "Don't worry," he said, eyeing Jeremy wickedly, "I'll make sure you get fed, too."

"He'll need to eat something besides come," said Saul, returning with something hidden behind his back. "David, if you'll distract him?"

Jeremy didn't even bother to protest when David kissed him again, closing his eyes and losing himself in the sensation. He gasped when he felt something cold and sticky trickle over his skin, first in one spot then another, even over his upraised prick and down into his cleft. Sebastian's footsteps approached and warm pancakes were placed on his skin, the syrup helping them to stick. He'd almost convinced himself that that was all they had planned when two of Saul's fingers slipped into him, their way now eased by whatever sticky fluid had been dripped between his legs.

Jeremy moaned into David's kiss and tried to spread wider, whimpering when he was thwarted by his bonds. "That's it, good boy," said Saul, petting one taut thigh and smearing it with sweetness. He pushed a third finger into Jeremy's body and gave a little twist, wresting another helpless gasp from Jeremy before slipping them all out and leaving him whimpering. They were replaced with something small that gave way to something bigger, then bigger, each little push adding to the collection of things inside him that he could only hope were connected somehow.

Jeremy nearly levitated off the table when, one by one, they began buzzing. He'd never appreciated the ingenuity and variety of Mercury's toys quite so vividly as he did in that moment, full of what felt like a dozen different vibrators and was likely not even half that, all going at slightly different rates and speeds. He had to tear his mouth away from David's to catch a breath, too caught up in the sensation to bother looking at himself.

"I think he likes it," said Bas, returning with another stack of small pancakes to stick to Jeremy's thighs and torso. He stole a quick kiss that tasted of the pomegranate juice that he liked so much, then left to go cook more, humming happily to himself all the while.

"Likes what?" came a voice from the doorway, and Jeremy looked up to find Toby and Mercury making their way into the kitchen, sleepy and still too wrapped up in kissing one another to have seen Jeremy's predicament.

"Likes breakfast," said David with amusement, and Jeremy moaned when a couple of the toys inside him grew more powerful in their vibrations.

That got their attention and they froze, staring for a long moment before coming over with identical predatory grins. "Oh, that is lovely," said Mercury, dipping a finger into what Jeremy thought might be honey coating one hipbone. "And tasty!"

"And what's this?" said Toby, lifting up a remote where Jeremy could see, the power cord disappearing between his legs. He clicked up the speed and Jeremy moaned.

"That's my mini-ball!" said Mercury, snatching the remote, then shuffling through something between Jeremy's legs, presumably more controls. "Oooh, and two different eggs, and... Saul, you're wicked! He's not going to last like this."

Saul laughed. "He doesn't have to last," he said, leaning down to give the head of Jeremy's cock a lick. "In fact, I'd love some extra syrup."

"Oh, me, too," said Toby, lifting up the warm pancake over Jeremy's left nipple and popping the whole thing into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, then added, "They're pretty tasty anyway, but it'd be the perfect addition."

"Well, you guys had better eat or there won't be room for more," said Bas teasingly as he took another batch off the griddle.

Soon Jeremy was covered in cold spots where the pancakes had been removed, though Toby had been kind enough to feed him one that had straddled the pool of chocolate in his navel and the puddle of honey in the hollow of his right hipbone. They all exclaimed over the deliciousness, which made Bas preen and refill their "platter".

Mercury took it upon himself to unwind Saul's careful decoration, then began to manipulate the various remotes with clever fingers, raising and lowering the power on them seemingly at random, setting one to pulse rhythmically while another rose and fell in a slow, continuous wave. The rest of the pack resumed eating, making special effort to play with their food by dragging the pancakes through the various sauces, pinching and teasing at Jeremy's nipples, and even licking the sweets directly off his skin. Jeremy writhed and moaned under the onslaught of sensation, but it wasn't until Toby ran a single finger up the length of his cock that he finally came.

"Now," said Bas, scooping a pancake off Jeremy's belly and deliberately licking at the white fluid coating it before popping the whole thing into his mouth, "that's what I call a treat."

Chapter 41

For all their usual rambunctiousness, the pack was remarkably well-behaved when they went out shopping on Tuesday. The exclusive tailors that Jack favored were busy with their usual holiday clients, but they still did their best to give top-notch service to the whole group, though Jeremy suspected that a portion of that had to do with Jack's presence. It took them about an hour with the salesman to choose suits for everyone, and then they it was time for the individual fittings that would, Jack assured them, make all the difference in the world. Since Davanti could only spare them two tailors for the afternoon, they split up into three groups, one pair staying to be measured while the rest went out shopping for gifts.

Jeremy ended up with Mercury at his side; they got their suits fitted first and then had the rest of the afternoon to explore the ritzy shopping district that housed Davanti and other shops like it. Jeremy angled them obliquely toward the tiny Japantown, three shops huddled together around a concrete rock garden off a side street. He'd shopped there for years, fascinated with the glimpses each store gave into their culture, and today he was ready to brave even the Christmas crowds to get his pack their gifts.

"So," said Jeremy conversationally, hooking his arm through Mercury's with a wink, "my interfering grandparents aside, what does my new pack usually do for Christmas?"

Mercury giggled shyly and laid his hand over Jeremy's where it rested in the crook of his arm. "Usually we stay home and fuck," he said, lowering his voice on the last word and glancing around at the crowd milling around them. "Um, and we buy small presents, nothing too fancy."

"Will it be taken amiss if I get something a little fancy?" asked Jeremy carefully. Although he'd originally promised them new clothes as a sort of housewarming present, they'd all been so busy since moving in that he'd gladly ceded that right to Jack when it was offered. Instead, he wanted to get them a few things they might not think to get for themselves, some of which were a bit on the pricey side for the Spartan lifestyle they used to practice.

Mercury bit his lip. "Well, I know we all want to, I dunno, be more abundant this year, I guess, to celebrate our new life," he said carefully, "so I think if you keep it reasonable then it shouldn't be too bad."

"Hm," said Jeremy, leading Mercury into the first store in the nook, a tea and sake shop run by a flamboyantly gay young Japanese man that Jeremy had been fending off for years. "Would two sort of expensive gifts each be reasonable?"

Mercury nodded, grinning as he looked around the shop. "I bet you can find something for Bas in here," he said, running one finger around the rim of a celadon tea cup made of porcelain so fine it seemed thin as an eggshell.

"That's what I was hoping," he said, glancing around the shop and then pressing a quick, shy little kiss to Mercury's mouth. "I want to get you each a... well, the same thing, sort of, and then also something that's more individual."

Mercury practically glowed, and Jeremy felt flustered and proud that a small kiss from him could have so much of an effect. "I think that's a brilliant idea, Dr. J."

Jeremy grinned, and would have answered or possibly stolen another kiss, but the proprietor chose that moment to make an appearance. "Jeremy-sensei," said Hikaru Kato, giving Mercury a cheerful once-over, "I see now that someone has finally snatched you up. I should have tried harder!"

Jeremy laughed, and Mercury blushed. "What can I say," said Jeremy, putting an arm around Mercury's waist. "I had to wait for the right man to fall into my lap. Mercury, this is Kato Hikaru-san, the owner."

Mercury bowed and said, "Kato-san, it is an honor to meet you. Your shop is lovely."

Hikaru laughed. "Please, call me Hikaru, if I may call you Mercury?"

"Yes, please," said Mercury with a smile. "I'm sure I'll find something for Jeremy here, so please take good care of me."

This answer seemed to delight Hikaru immensely, and he decided to give them a tour of his shop. Jeremy ended up buying more tea for the house, including a tin filled with jasmine tea of the first grade, at a price that Jeremy was hoping Mercury hadn't seen, since he intended to present it to the household as a whole at Christmas, for drinking on special occasions. Mercury found a beautiful sake set, two flasks and eight cups, enough for the pack and company besides, which Jeremy bought for Bas and had gift wrapped, then added a variety of sake to his order as well, arranging to have it all delivered so he wouldn't have to lug the bottles around or risk dropping the fragile china.

Mercury shooed Jeremy away and ended up with several of his own artfully wrapped packages, which he demurely refused to identify the intended recipients of, much to Jeremy's amused frustration.

"You know the best people," said Mercury, still smiling as they left, with a promise to come back after the holidays and enjoy a proper cup of tea with Hikaru.

Jeremy gave Mercury a look filled with love and pride, and said, "Yes, I do."

Mercury blushed gratifyingly.

They skipped the jewelers, instead making a beeline for the store nestled at the back of the courtyard. The right side of the long, narrow shop held rack after rack of traditional Japanese clothing, from long kimono to short haori jackets, and lightweight cotton yukata like the one Jeremy used for a robe. On the left, elaborate wedding kimono decorated the walls, carefully displayed behind glass like the artworks they were. Below, there were cubbies full of all the accessories required to complete the outfits.

Mercury's eyes went wide and he looked enchanted, despite the fact that the room was filled with bright colors unlike anything Jeremy had ever seen him wear. "Oh, this is where you got your robe!" he said, his feet leading him through the room.

"It is," said Jeremy with a smile, letting him wander. He headed for the rack of cotton yukata, hoping he could pick out robes for the whole pack without finding help, or giving himself away to Mercury.

The elderly couple who ran the place were busy with other customers, and Jeremy managed to pick out five distinct patterns before anyone came to find him. "Forrester-sensei," said the little old man, grinning widely. "You sneak in."

"Akito-san, it's good to see you. I wasn't sneaking, I came with a friend and wanted to get these chosen and wrapped up quietly before he caught me," said Jeremy with a conspiratorial grin. "Do you think you could manage that?"

"Sure. We have all these in back, I wrap for you," said Akito with a grin. "You have pretty boyfriend today."

"He'd be beautiful in a proper kimono, wouldn't he?" said Jeremy, glancing over to see Mercury carefully looking through one of the racks as though he might accidentally damage one of the expensive robes.

Akito's grin grew wider. "Tohru would love to dress your pretty boy up like pretty girl," he said, looking at the sizes on each of the robes Jeremy had picked out before hanging them carefully back where they'd come from. "I start wrapping, send her to you."

Jeremy laughed. "Thank you, that would be perfect." He knew Akito would manage something clever so that Jeremy could tell the packages apart, so he sauntered over to Mercury and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Find anything you like?"

"Do you count?" said Mercury with a smile, turning to steal a little kiss.

Jeremy kissed back and then shook his head. "Nope, you've already got me."

"Forrester-sensei, you have boyfriend you want dress up?" said a familiar voice, and Jeremy turned and smiled at the tiny woman, dressed to the nines in one of her own formal kimonos in a beautiful pattern of lucky bamboo, traditional for the holiday season.

"Mercury, this is Tohru-sama, the magnificent proprietress of this establishment," said Jeremy. "And yes, I'd love to see him dressed up, and I insist you pull the tags before he sees the prices."

"Oh, Jeremy, no, it's too much!" protested Mercury, though Jeremy could see the longing in his eyes. One thing all the cats had in common was a love for beautiful, sexy or unique clothing, and Jeremy had a feeling this would qualify as all three on Mercury.

"Nonsense," said Jeremy, making a shooing motion. "Remember, Tohru-sama, no price tags!"

Jeremy gave Akito a wink as Tohru bundled Mercury away, then slipped out to buy a few extra surprises and call Toby. When he got back, Jeremy almost didn't recognize Mercury in the beautiful costume, with his hair artfully done up with an inlaid wood comb, flawless makeup and clothing down to the little tabi socks and wooden shoes.

"You're perfect," said Jeremy, smiling at Mercury and hoping his face showed how very much he appreciated the look. "Do you want to wear it home?"

"Oh, can I?" asked Mercury, his shyness vanished now that he'd gotten to see himself in the clothing.

"He pay, you wear," said Tohru confidently, and Jeremy laughed and handed over his plastic.

"It's worth every penny to see you smile," said Jeremy, terribly impressed to have made Mercury blush.

It was even better when Toby and Sebastian walked through the shop door and stopped dead, all the beautiful fabrics around them ignored in favor of Mercury. "Wow," said Toby, pacing around him with a decidedly acquisitive air. "He looks awesome."

"I'd be jealous if I didn't know we'd get to take him home with us," said Bas, leaning casually on Jeremy's shoulder. "Did you get me something that nice?"

Jeremy blushed. "Well, not quite <i>that</i> nice, no. He got a treat for putting up with me all afternoon."

"He's worth it," said Toby with a grin, holding Mercury's arms out and then pulling him closer for a few graceful dance steps. "Come on, let's go show you off."

Akito emerged from the back with a pair of bags containing wrapped boxes in one, and Mercury's folded clothing in the other. "You tallest, you carry," he said, unceremoniously thrusting the bags at Bas.

Jeremy laughed. "I sign, you carry," he said when Bas protested, taking the slip from Tohru when she brought it out and trying not to choke on the total. He'd known it would be a lot, especially with the five robes, but apparently she'd been true to her word and let Mercury shop regardless of price. Looking over at how radiant Mercury had become, Jeremy suddenly didn't mind the cost one bit. "Thank you," he said to Tohru sincerely. "He looks wonderful."

She grinned back and shook her finger at him. "You take good care, boy and kimono both. He nice boy, not like you."

They all laughed at that, and Jeremy just shook his head. "I promise, Tohru-sama. I'll take good care of them both."

* ~ * ~ *

By the time Saturday arrived, so had all their other purchases, including the tree that Saul had arranged for the living room and all the decorations that Toby and Bas had picked out to surprise Jeremy; Moira had even sent over a box of ornaments from his childhood. Everyone was in a festive mood on Christmas Eve, when the time came to meet Jeremy's other pack and have Tea.

"No amount of tailoring can make you look respectable, can it?" said David despairingly, as he attempted to fix Saul's hair. The colors had grown out so the roots were black and white with just a touch of purple, blue and green at the tips, none of which was helping David's cause.

"We're not supposed to be too respectable," Saul protested, shooing David away. "Go see if Bas needs help with *his* hair."

David allowed himself to be sent away, laughing, but only after taking a very hot-looking kiss in payment.

"It's too bad we couldn't bring Mercury in his new kimono," said Toby, curled up on the couch in nothing but his dress shirt and tie, the jacket and pants left hanging so he wouldn't wrinkle them too soon.

"Moira almost caved, but I could see Jack wanted his ridiculously expensive suit not to go to waste," said Mercury shyly, still naked with his head in Toby's lap. He sighed. "Speaking of which, I ought to get dressed now."

"Not without a toy, you don't," said Saul, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the very same toy that had, in its way, saved Jeremy's life when he'd been kidnapped.

Jeremy blushed, and Mercury sat up, bouncing and clapping like a gleeful child. "Yay, toy!" he said happily, turning over to present his well-used ass.

Despite such distractions, they were all dressed when Edward arrived to bundle them into the car and get them on their way. And though they'd spent quite a bit of time this morning burning off excess energy, they were all still nervous, touching more than usual, talking too fast and unable to sit still.

"If we weren't in these suits, I'd almost suggest another round," said Toby exasperatedly. "But I don't think I have it in me anyway."

"I do," said Saul with a leer, and they all laughed.

"Well, I don't. I'm only human," lamented Jeremy, and Toby giggled along with the rest of them.

"Don't worry," said David, wrapping himself around Jeremy and copping a shameless feel, "We like you just the way you are."

The laughter dissipated the tension some, and Toby felt his own body starting to relax, at least a little. "We lick you just the way you are, too," he said, still getting used to the fact that he could finally include himself in the joke.

"Lick, and suck, and fuck..." said Mercury from his perch on Saul's lap.

"You're so easy," teased Saul, and Mercury gave a little start.

"You just like knowing you've got me at the touch of a button," said Mercury, his voice breathless.

Bas snorted. "Don't pretend you don't," he said, toying with the end of his braid. They'd debated keeping his hair down, but he decided to put it up to lower the risk of him accidentally catching it on anything and causing a catastrophe, or at least an embarrassing moment of untangling.

"I think we all love each other," said Toby, pausing for a heartbeat before adding, "naked."

They were still laughing when the car came to a halt, and their high spirits propelled them into the house and all the way to Jack and Moira. She'd arranged for them to be early so she could artfully distribute them throughout the ballroom where they were holding the tea, rather than allowing them to cluster at one table and deprive the Bone Kin of their company.

"This is a mingling sort of event," said Moira, pointing out where each of them had a name placard at one of the dozen tables that filled the huge room. "You won't be expected to stay in one place, so if you're feeling too stranded just get up and come visit one of your pack mates."

"Just don't go to the same person all the time, or they'll think you're a couple and spoil her fun," teased Jeremy, giving his grandmother a little half hug.

Moira laughed, but didn't deny it. "If someone's bothering you, come to our table, where we've seated Jeremy and your Kiss, though not together. Our own Alpha, the Skull, will be sitting with us as well, and he knows who the troublemakers are among his pack."

"I thought you said it was all ladies," said Bas suspiciously.

"Well, once word got out that our grandson's fledgling pack was coming, I had to expand the guest list a little," she demurred, though Toby suspected this had been one of her reasons for inviting them all along.

Jack arrived at that moment and said, "Don't let her fool you, she's thrilled. We haven't had a turnout this good in years."

"I'm not sure how I feel about my pack being used as a curiosity," said Jeremy, but Toby laid a hand on his arm.

"It's all right, Jeremy. If we can be guinea pigs for you, we can be show ponies for your grandmother," said Toby, giving Moira a wink. "Once in awhile, anyway."

A commotion at the door heralded the arrival of the first real guests, and Moira and Jack went over to assume their duties as hosts. The pack gave reassurance in the form of subtle touches before scattering to their individual tables, with Toby finding own seat a few chairs down from Jeremy. "So," he asked, toying with the edge of his napkin, "How did we both rate a spot at the head table?"

Jeremy chuckled. "Well, I always get stuck here because I'm Jack's only heir, though we've got some cousins and whatnot that'll be scattered around the room. You're here because it would be disrespectful to put a pack Alpha anywhere else," he explained, a touch of the professor coming out.

"And we all know Moira would never give anyone cause to feel slighted," said a strange man, who came up behind Jeremy and clapped him on the shoulder with a familiarity that made Toby's hackles rise. "How've you been, boy. I hear you've gone and gotten yourself adopted?"

"My new pack makes sure I'm doing quite well," said Jeremy, smiling at the stranger with just a touch of wariness. He turned back to Toby and introduced them. "Toby, this is Harris Jackson, the Skull of the Bone Kin. Harris, this is my Kiss, Toby Smith."

"Kiss, eh? That's an awfully personal sort of title," said Harris, making his way down the row to proffer his hand.

Despite his misgivings, Toby shook hands and smiled. "The Caress of the Sublime is a very personal sort of pack," he said, cocking his head. "I don't need to ask where you got your title."

Harris laughed and released his hand, and Toby felt a little of the neck-ruffling tension drain away. It was the first time he'd met another pack leader as something like an equal, though of course they both knew the Bone Kin could crush his little pack if they so chose, and he was pleased that he'd managed to stand his ground in the face of Harris' powerful personality.

"You've got balls on you," said Harris, finding his seat to the left of Jack's. Moira's plate was on Jack's right, with Jeremy just past that, and Toby one seat down from Harris.
"But then, you'd have to, to start your own pack."

Jeremy shot him a wink that almost made Toby lose it, and Toby cleared his throat and replied with as straight a face as he could manage, "I'm pretty sure my balls are an indisputable fact, yes."

That seemed to be the right thing to say, and fortunately they were saved from more male bonding when Harris' wife arrived, a lovely blonde named Marisol who was at least a decade his junior. They were all introduced, and then a parade of people started to drift past, wanting both to get a few words in with their pack leader, and ogle the exotic leader of Jeremy's pack while they were at it.

"How are you faring?" said a quiet voice in Toby's ear, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Fine," said Toby, turning to rub his cheek against Sebastian's in a decidedly catlike manner. It was unnerving, being in a room full of prowling wolves and so far from his pack and their soothing feline influence. "But it's always good to be reminded," he added softly, getting a purr from Bas in reply.

A few of the women looked scandalized, until Bas slipped past the Jacksons to give Jeremy a similar greeting. "That's Sebastian Olivera, one of the members of our pack," explained Toby to Harris; Marisol was too busy admiring the way Sebastian's suit fit to care much. "He's a jaguar, from Argentina."

"That's right, you're all different species," said one of the women hovering around the table, this one an elegant older woman with hair the silver of a wolf's pelt in winter. "You're the snow leopard, right?"

"That's correct," said Toby. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

She smiled, the predatory edge giving him a chill, and said, "I'm Judith Pierson, and I'll be one of the judges at your hearing."

Toby smiled back, letting just a whiff of his own power into his gaze; he hadn't let Harris intimidate him, and he wasn't about to let her do it. "Well, then I look forward to answering any questions you have about us."

"I've got quite a few, never fear," she said, then took her leave.

Jack and Moira finally made their way back to the head table, and that was the signal for people to take their seats, at least for now. Bas sauntered back to his table as well, and as soon as everyone was reasonably settled, the meal was served. Pots of steaming tea, an assortment of finger sandwiches, fresh scones, miniature quiches, and endive leaves full of a variety of salads were placed in front of everyone, the plates artfully arranged and decorated with edible flowers and fresh mint.

Once everyone had food, Moira stood and the room fell silent. She was more commanding now than Toby had ever seen her, all hint of the playfulness and affection he'd seen in her vanished beneath the veneer of a strong and powerful society woman. She raised her glass and began to speak. "Thank you all for coming to celebrate this joyous holiday season with us. It's always an honor to have so many of our Pack with us at such an auspicious time of year, and so I'd like to make a toast. To the comfort of the pack, the strength of bone and bonds of blood, may our fortunes wax and never wane."

Everyone drank, and much to Toby's surprise, she sat and conversation resumed. "You're not giving a toast, Harris?" he asked, fixing himself a cup of tea.

"Oh, no, this is Moira's gig," replied Harris with a smile. "I don't usually come, just Marisol here, but this year's something special with Jonathan's boy finally being a part of a pack, even if it isn't mine."

"I've always felt very lucky that he chose to accept our invitation," said Toby, thinking back to the way they'd swept him up in their enthusiasm and taken him into the pack in the parking lot at Edie's. "He's a good man, and he deserves our love and support."

Harris made a disbelieving noise, and the woman on Toby's left, a local politician named Alberta Travis, chuckled. "Don't mind him," she said, patting Toby's arm, "Love and support aren't really the sort of things a pack like ours worries about, most days."

"It was that way with my old pack," said Toby, his voice carefully blank, "That's probably why it's so important to me now."

"Very few people split off from their packs when they're getting everything they could want," she said wisely, turning back to her husband.

Toby chuckled his agreement and nibbled on his food, delighted by the morsels of lobster salad and wondering if he could get Bas the recipe for the curried chicken sandwiches, making a mental note to ask Moira later. He finished his cup of tea and then, making sure that he wasn't the first to leave his seat, went to visit his pack under the guise of mingling.

"Oh, yes, our Kiss has always taken very good care of me," Mercury was saying as Toby walked up.

"And I always will," said Toby, laying a hand on Mercury's shoulder.

Mercury turned and smiled up at him, so warm and open and unlike the unhappy boy he'd been when they'd met that it made Toby's chest tighten. His hand covered Toby's, and he said happily, "I was just telling them a little bit about how we became a pack."

"He was shy at first, but we've been working on him," said a blue-haired old woman with a warm smile that made Toby want to go thank Moira personally for the seating arrangement. The women at the table were all elderly, obviously curious but not judgmental, just the sort of people that Mercury could relax around.

"He responds well to compliments," said Toby teasingly, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "And food, but Moira always makes sure we're well fed."

"That's one thing cats and dogs have in common," said another of the old ladies cheerfully, "Feed us, and we'll love you as long as we remember to, or until the next meal."

"Whichever comes first," added a third, and they all laughed.

Toby rubbed his cheek against Mercury's, much to the ladies' scandalized delight, and then left knowing that he was in good hands. He moved on to David's table next, only to find David deeply embroiled in a complex magical discussion, having been seated with the shaman and his two apprentices.

"I can see you're having fun," said Toby, rubbing his cheek over David's mostly just to tease him.

"We're comparing magical systems," said David, looking terribly pleased with himself; he didn't often get to talk about that side of himself, and Toby could see that he missed it.

"I'll leave you to it, then," said Toby, thinking that they'd have to make sure to send Moira flowers if all the tables were so well-matched.

Apparently, however, things weren't going so well with Saul. "How are you doing, my Scourge?" asked Toby formally, leaning down to rub cheeks ostentatiously while the rest of the men and women at Saul's table glared.

"Apparently the Atlas and Axis of the Bone Kin don't feel I'm up to their standards," said Saul, glaring right back.

Toby suppressed the anger that swept through him at that, and instead drew up a peaceful smile from the well of calm he'd cultivated for most of his life. "Well, it isn't their standards I care about, it's all the things you've done for your pack and your Kiss."

"Like what?" said one of the men aggressively, likely one of the two Betas. Jeremy had explained some of the complex structure of the Bone Kin, most of whom had their positions named after the major bones in the body -- the Atlas and Axis were names of the two vertebrae that supported the Skull, serving as the security chief and head counsel for the Bone Kin.

"He saved Jeremy's life, among other things," said Toby serenely, smiling at them infuriatingly. The skills of a professional masochist came in handy here, their amateur power games nothing compared to someone who had a whip, or a knife, and wanted you to smile while they used it on you. "In fact, why don't you go see how our professor is doing?"

"I think that's an excellent idea," said Saul, unabashedly taking the opportunity to escape their prejudiced scrutiny. "He does seem a bit trapped."

Jeremy was nearly invisible behind a group of people who were, presumably, just as curious about Jeremy's new pack as everyone else. "Go rescue him," said Toby with a wink. He nodded at the outraged table and walked off without a backward glance, though the spot between his shoulder blades itched from their angry eyes following his progress to Sebastian's table.

Bas was faring much better, using his charm and empty flirtation to win his way into the hearts of the men and women at his table. "I can see you're doing well, as usual," said Toby, rubbing his cheek against Sebastian's. It was a comfort to let out one bit of catlike behavior in a room so full of wolves, and it gave them all leave to find that small comfort in each other. Plus, Moira seemed to delight in the reactions it got in her fellow Bone Kin, which was a bonus as far as Toby was concerned. "Have you stolen all their hearts yet?"

"Just their husbands," said Bas with a wink, getting laughter all around. This table was full of younger couples, including the attorneys who were handling the pack's paperwork.

Introductions were made all around, and they made small talk about the process of becoming official and how soon they might expect their hearing, and then Toby drifted away, back toward the head table where Saul had taken up station behind Jeremy, hands possessively on Jeremy's shoulders. Toby came up and stood next to Saul, one of Saul's hands going around his waist so he could lay a hand on Jeremy's shoulder.

"So," said Toby, looking at the faces surrounding them, mostly women though a few men had also come up to do whatever it is they were all doing, "how's it going, Jeremy?"

Jeremy smiled up at Toby, and Toby couldn't resist giving him the same catlike cheek-rub greeting he'd done with all the rest of the pack. "I'm doing quite well, my Kiss," said Jeremy, glancing out into the crowd. "My old pack have been showing me how well-loved I have been."

"We're only concerned that you're making a rash decision based on... your baser instincts," said one of the women, eyes flicking to Toby and Saul with poorly-disguised distaste.

"I assure you, my new pack has a lot more to offer me than a good fuck, Lenora," said Jeremy calmly, though there was an edge to his voice. The faces around him went from scandalized to amused at his language, and several people tried to speak at once.

"Jeremy is a true packmate to us," said Saul unexpectedly, cutting off the chatter. "Can you say the same of yourselves?"

That got people's attention, and Toby was secretly glad that Jack and Moira weren't here, though he had a feeling that they'd understand the difference between family and pack. "How can you say that, when you exclude him from your most important time together?" said one of the men, whom Toby recognized as coming from Saul's table.

"They don't exclude me, any more than my grandfather does," said Jeremy, and Toby squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "I could sleep all the moon nights among them if I wanted to."

"Jeremy will always be a part of our pack anyway, Simon," said Harris, coming up behind the group and slapping Simon on the back with slightly more force than could be accounted for by hearty friendliness. "As our Atlas, you should know that it's possible to claim dual membership, especially for a child of our blood like Jeremy here."

"Thank you, Harris, that means a lot to me," said Jeremy, relaxing a little.

"My boys might not understand what you've found," said Harris, glancing up at Saul and Toby with sharp eyes, "but that's because it's not anything they've ever sought for themselves."

"We all need different things from the pack," said Toby with a smile for Harris, "and I know that Jeremy gets a lot from the Bone Kin, not to mention the wonderful sense of family he has with his grandparents. We would never ask him to give up those things for us."

"Of course not, because you get to hang on his coattails," said another of the women.

Harris shot her a quelling look, but Toby felt it was best to answer such accusations before they grew into more. "It's true that we've benefited greatly from Jeremy's connections, but he gains from each of us as well. We're all going to be subjects for the Institute, so he can try to find his cure, even though none of us suffer from lunacy ourselves." He paused, looking at all of them, secure in the assumption that none of them would give up their time and subject themselves to being lab rats, even for such a cause. "That's how pack works."

Not even Simon could argue with that, and the group broke up and began to drift away, and the feeling of being mobbed went with it. Harris came forward with a sheepish look and said, "Sorry about that, I guess they're a little protective. After... what happened, he belonged to the whole pack in a way."

"I really meant it when I said the Bone Kin have been good to me," said Jeremy, smiling up at Harris much more genuinely, "and we really appreciate your sponsorship, believe me."

"But, we don't have what those boys have, and I can't deny it," said Harris with a laugh and a shake of his head. "Even if I was half as pretty, I can see they care for you very much."

Jack poked his nose back in and summed it up in one good line. "Those old wolves just don't like to lose to a bunch of pussycats."

They all laughed at that, and the tension drained away. Conversation after that was lighter, though there was still resentment lingering around the edges of some of the Bone Kin, and at least one of the cats stayed with Jeremy the whole time while Toby mingled, taking on his role as Kiss and acting like the leader they'd asked him to be. When the last of the guests left, Jeremy and his pack retired to the parlor with Jack and Moira to have a drink, give their own gifts, mostly trinkets they'd found shopping, though David had made a small talisman for each of them that marked them as friends of the pack, the first they'd ever been pack enough to give.

"You've welcomed us as family," said David, as they opened the boxes and drew out the charms, simple stones enchanted with a small magic and etched with the imprint of Toby's lips. "And thanks to you, we can truly consider ourselves pack, and so we wanted you to be the first to ever get such a gift from us."

"We're honored," said Jack, taking Moira's hand with a smile that showed they understood how important this moment was for the tiny pack, and for their grandson as well. "We'll do what we can to make sure your pack gets the chance it deserves."

"All we really want is a chance to learn who we are, and love each other in peace," said Mercury quietly, curled up in one of the loveseats with Saul.

"May the new year bring you that and more," said Moira, and they all murmured their assent and raised their glasses, making it their own personal Christmas Eve toast.

Chapter 42

The coffee table had been banished into Jeremy's office and a pile of pillows and blankets occupied the middle of the living room in its place, with every single member of the household snuggled on couch, chair or floor, even Parva, who looked very regal sitting in the very centre of a pillow on the broken chair. "I can't believe you got me up this early to open presents," said Jeremy blearily, from where he was safely ensconced on the floor next to Saul's legs.

"We'll give you hot sex and coffee afterward, I promise," said Bas teasingly, putting his head in Jeremy's lap.

"Tea," said Jeremy grumpily, and they all laughed.

"At least you don't have to be the present elf," said Toby, who'd volunteered for that role himself. He was dressed in an absurdly sexy elf costume, obviously designed for a woman to wear tights under the obscenely short skirt, which of course Toby had conveniently forgotten. His bare ass flashed when he reached down to pick up the first package and read, "To Mercury, from Santa."

Mercury bounced and clapped his hands, and Jeremy edged away from him and closer to Saul's calm presence. "I love things from Santa," he teased, accepting the package. It was wrapped in stiff paper and tied with a cord, obviously Japanese in origin, but rather than shake and guess he carefully untied and opened it without so much as wrinkling the folded paper. "It's a robe, like Jeremy's!" he said, drawing out the carefully folded rectangle to show it off for everyone the pattern of white and gold calligraphy on a field of black.

Toby giggled. "I see another package from Santa," he said, handing this one to Saul. The whole pack loved their robes, opening them one by one, and Bas even got up long enough to put his on, admiring the way he looked in the pattern of leaping fish on a field of blue. "Santa's very good to the pack," said Toby, handing Jeremy a huge box that was also labeled as being from that worthy.

"For me?" said Jeremy, surprised. He'd decided to make the robes from "Santa" so as to not detract from the individual gifts, but he hadn't expected to have something for himself. He ripped the paper open like a kid and found the box full of tissue once he got inside, red and green and gold obscuring whatever lay inside. He tossed the paper left and right and finally uncovered his prize: five plush toys, one for each member of his new pack. "I love them," he said, pulling them out one by one and barely noticing when the box was whisked away. There was a snow leopard and white tiger, black jaguar and another, slightly different black leopard, and even a delicately pale cheetah, not quite as ghostly gray and white as Mercury but a lot closer than he could have imagined they'd find.

"For when we can't be with you," said Saul, stroking Jeremy's hair and then leaning down to claim a kiss. This led to a whole bunch of giggling and kissing, and it was a while before things calmed down enough for the elf to resume his work.

"One at a time, or everyone gets something at once?" asked Toby, eyeing the pile still hiding under their tree.

"It's early, we can do one at a time," said David mischievously, safely ensconced in his chair with a lap full of kittens who were rather larger than they had been just a few months ago. "It'll be good for Jeremy to learn patience."

"Or nap," said Jeremy teasingly, though the roughhousing had woken him up quite a bit.

Presents were passed out one by one, the pack's a bit smaller than Jeremy's but well-chosen enough to make him envy the in-joke of Bas receiving a small electronic toolkit from Saul, or understand why Mercury got all soft over a leather-bound journal from David. He was glad to be able to laugh along with them when Toby got a copy of *The Complete Slacker's Guide to Getting Your PhD*, and utterly embarrassed when Mercury gave him a set of sex toys of his very own.

Jeremy's choices were well-received, Mercury giggling that Jeremy had only bothered to wrap a single shoe of his outfit, while Toby objected to the price of his new laptop, which Jeremy took in stride, since it seemed only a token protest. Bas was pleased at the new dishes, and more than pleased at the variety of liquor that went with it, declaring his intention to get them all smashed some day very soon. Saul seemed touched to be given a platinum necklace, the one precious metal that was bane to no shifter, and therefore safe to wear around his motley little pack. The charm was a round circle with the Chinese character for strength etched on one side, and "Pack's First Christmas" on the other. David was suitably impressed when he finally got his gift, one of the last to be opened, a heavy wooden box filled with various ink powders from the sorcery supply shop, each of which had a different magical property.

Finally all the presents were given except one, a box that had been waiting for them on the porch when they arrived back from his grandparents' house last night. "All right," said Toby, sitting down with his back to the tree and putting the wooden chest in the center of them all, "let's see what our mystery present is."

The lid flipped all the way over so they could all see inside, where six smaller boxes nestled in the velvet lining, each with an initial burned into the lid. A cream-colored card sat on top that said simply, "Kiss." Toby opened it and read aloud, "The Caress of the Sublime have shown themselves to be a pack worthy of taking one of the children of our blood from us. I send these tokens, naming you friends of the pack, naming your Kiss an ally to our Skull, naming Jeremy as a son of ours still. Accept them in the spirit of the season, and know that I stand at your side." He showed them that it was signed "Harris Jackson, Skull of the Bone Kin", and sealed with an old-fashioned signet at the bottom with a small chip of bone embedded in the wax.

"Wow," said Jeremy, crawling over to peer into the chest. "I guess Harris really liked you after all."

"And here I thought our rocks were impressive," said David teasingly.

They all laughed, and that broke the sense of reverence. Toby passed out the boxes, and inside each was a different bone of some small animal, likely prey killed on a pack hunt under the full moon. Each one had a skull etched onto it somewhere, and the same faint tingle of magic that David's rocks had held, though instead of the musky tang of a great cat's magic, the feeling was cooler and indisputably lupine.

Jeremy looked over to where Toby was cradling a small skull in the palm of his hand, and said, "Wow, he really liked you a lot. He doesn't give out many skulls, it's highly symbolic, acknowledging you as an equal in your own right."

"I guess he understood after all," said Toby thoughtfully, tucking the fragile bone back into its box and putting it back into the chest. "He was very curious about what could take you away from the Bone Kin."

"Did you tell him about the sex?" asked Mercury, curling up on the couch with his head in Saul's lap.

They all laughed, and Toby shook his head, chuckling. "I told him we offered you love and support," he said, catching Jeremy's eyes.

Jeremy smiled back, private and warm, and leaned forward over the box to brush his mouth over Toby's. "You gave me exactly what I needed," he said, then kissed Toby more deeply, until the pack began to cheer and clap.

"If you're awake enough for that, you're awake enough for tea," said Bas, standing up. "Is this a good time for that jasmine you bought, Mr. Fancypants?"

Jeremy laughed. "That's Dr. Fancypants to you, and yes, it should be. Do you need help?"

Bas shook his head. "Naah, the shop owner put brewing notes in with the tea. I think I can figure it out."

"Will there be snacks?" asked David hopefully, though he was obviously quite stuck, as Fitz had chosen to join the kittens in weighing him down, and his hands were very busy scratching behind ears and rubbing bellies on command.

"All right, then I do need help," said Bas, much to everyone's amusement.

Jeremy got up and went with him, wearing his own yukata for once and admiring the sweep of Sebastian's hair and the fit of his new robe. For his first Christmas with the pack, Jeremy thought they were doing really well.

"So," said Bas, getting down the teapot and filling the kettle, "will you ever tell me whose present cost the most?"

Jeremy laughed. "No, but I won't be as extravagant next year, either. I will admit that a few of the things took me by surprise; I hadn't realized platinum had gotten so expensive, or that computers were so cheap now."

Bas chuckled and nuzzled Jeremy. "Does that mean I might get one for my birthday?"

"Depends," said Jeremy, then kissed him, "Do you want the necklace or the laptop?"

Bas chuckled and distracted them both for a few moments of kissing and groping that Jeremy felt were entirely in the holiday spirit, and then said, "I meant the computer, but I'll take anything you want to give me."

"Then yes, because the necklace was a lot more," said Jeremy distractedly.

"I can't believe you," said Saul's voice from the doorway. "I should spank you for buying me something so expensive."

"Would you have rather had the laptop?" asked Jeremy innocently, getting a laugh from them both.

"No, this is perfect," said Saul, fingering the charm where it lay on his chest. "But we don't want to take advantage of you or your money."

Jeremy rolled his eyes and stalked over to Saul for a kiss from him. "You guys have made me deliriously happy, helped to ensure my professional success, and you personally saved my life. And that doesn't even count the great sex, or," he paused, nuzzling Saul's cheek shyly, "the love."

"Hmmm, well, all right," said Saul, nibbling on Jeremy's ear, "but I'm still curious whose was the most, if it wasn't me."

Jeremy laughed. "You'll make fun of me," he said, moving over to the fridge to distract himself. He pulled out cream cheese, butter and jam, while Bas got the bagels from the bread box and started arranging a tray.

Bas grinned. "I told you so," he said to Saul.

"Is he right?" asked Saul, glancing at the open doorway. "Was it Merc's?"

Jeremy blushed. "Yeah, but don't ever tell. I got a discount on the computer through school, but when I saw Mercury in that kimono... well, wouldn't you have just shut up and signed?"

Bas laughed. "If I had it, yeah."

The kettle went off, and they got the tea steeping and the tray settled with cups and napkins and butter knives, and carried it out to the living room, only to have nowhere to set it with the coffee table gone. "I'm going to be so glad when we've moved," said Bas with heartfelt frustration, while Saul went to get a tray table to set it on. "Um, no offense to your house, and all."

"But, it wasn't built for a family of six," said Jeremy with a grin. "Don't worry, I know we need to move. I think Moira's arranging for one of the shifter-owned moving companies sometime next month, but she keeps being coy about it, probably because she hates my furniture."

By the time Saul set up the little table, the tea had steeped, so Bas poured for everyone while Mercury took bagel orders and handed people napkins with their bagels coated in whatever condiments they requested, and Jeremy couldn't help but grin as they all settled in with their food and tea and gifts and chatted amiably about the upcoming move and what they thought they'd need.

"Have you guys thought about what you'll do, once the study lets out?" asked Jeremy, in one of the comfortable silences.

They all froze for a moment, then Toby came to his rescue and asked, "You mean, like jobs and stuff, right?"

Jeremy relaxed and smiled, "Yeah, of course. I mean, you'll live with me until I'm old and gray and can't get it up anymore, won't you?" he said, giving the group his best puppy dog eyes.

They all laughed and the tension was gone as quick as it had come, but it was a sharp reminder for Jeremy that they weren't used to the idea of permanence, or home. "Well," said Toby, settling comfortably against David's legs, "I wanted to get my PhD at some point, if you think you'll be able to spare me."

"I think the Institute could manage that, once we've finished the preliminary research," said Jeremy with a grin.

"I'd like to go to cooking school," said Bas a little shyly, "or maybe learn to repair things," he added with a wink to Saul.

"As long as you stick to things that are actually broken," said Saul with a mock glare. "I have no idea what I want, besides all of you."

"I was thinking of becoming a counselor," said Mercury, his voice quiet. They all looked over to where he'd bundled himself in blankets in the corner of the couch. "You know, for trauma survivors and stuff."

"Maybe Saul can actually work for the pack," said Jeremy thoughtfully. "I mean, the Bone Kin's officers do get a salary, and if you've got people applying for membership and stuff, that'll require someone to do all the legwork, ordering background checks, putting together files on people." He glanced around, worried they'd think he was taking over again, but instead he found them considering his ideas.

"That's a good idea," said Saul, petting Jeremy idly. "That way our Kiss can concentrate on his own career most of the time."

"I wanted to study magic," said David, trying to keep the last of his bagel away from Fitz. "But I also think we should consider getting another shaman, someone with real power."

"You'll keep teaching, right, Dr. J?" said Toby, nuzzling his way into Jeremy's lap, obviously intent on changing the subject now that they'd finished their snack.

"R-right," said Jeremy, gulping the last of his tea and handing the cup off to Saul, who put it safely on the tray.

"We've got a lot of stuff to figure out," said Mercury, crawling out of his little nest of blankets to gather the cups and move the table out of their way. He'd spent the whole morning naked, and Jeremy couldn't help but watch and admire his grace, at least until Toby got his robe open and distracted him rather thoroughly. Then Mercury joined him, and Bas lost his own robe somewhere, David pushed the cats away and Saul slid into their midst, and they celebrated the day in the way they'd always done best.

* ~ * ~ *

In the quiet days between Christmas and New Year's, they found time to shop for clothes on Jack's dime, to sign endless paperwork for the Pack, the move, and the Institute, and of course to make love in dozens of ways, from a simple kiss in the kitchen that turned to more, to the six of them exploring the geometries of sex in the bedroom. One such day had Mercury and Toby curled together in Jeremy's bed, Mercury freshly shaved and Toby enjoying the simple luxury of nibbling on the sensitive skin. Mercury was teasing along the length of Toby's cock with tongue and teeth in a delicious mix of pain and pleasure, and neither of them even bothered to look up when the bedroom door swung open.

"Now that is a lovely sight," said Saul.

Toby left off his licking just long enough to say, "You could always join us," before going right back to what he'd been doing.

"Well, I could," said Saul, sitting on the bed and running cool fingers over Toby's side, then Mercury's, tracing the shape of them, "but you'd kill me for not telling you your grades were here."

Toby's head jerked up, and Mercury reluctantly let him go. "Really? Where?" he asked, and Saul chuckled and handed him the sealed envelope. He ripped it open and read it over, then whooped. "I passed! I've got my Master's!"

The rest of the pack spilled into the room, full of congratulations and kisses and warmth, and Toby basked in the attention for the rest of the day, and he even made sure that he and Mercury took the time to finish what they'd begun.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy hadn't felt so nervous about something he wasn't actually doing since Toby had gone to defend his dissertation, but tonight, New Year's Eve, Mercury had persuaded the pack that he wanted to be the entertainment. They'd rigged something like a stage for him by putting Jeremy's bed in one corner, and then squeezing two of the pack's mattresses into the resulting extra floor space, so the pack could watch in comfort while Mercury performed on the bed. Jeremy's closet had been curtained off, since the door itself was held open by the bed, and the clock was ticking down to the moment when Mercury would begin his show.

"He's promised to stop if it bothers him at all," said Toby, giving Jeremy a nuzzle that always came with the thrill of knowing they finally could freely offer such affections. "Quit worrying and enjoy it, he wants to give this to you."

"But I love him just like he is," said Jeremy plaintively.

"I think the point," said David, curling up around Jeremy's legs and rubbing his cheek against the front of Jeremy's pajama pants, "is that he wants you to love him like this, too."

Jeremy didn't have to think of a reply, thankfully, because soft music started up and the curtain rustled. Mercury crawled out onto the bed, wearing the yukata that Jeremy had given him, his hair pulled up with the wooden combs and his face made up exotically, eyes lined with kohl and lips in red, every bit the gorgeous boy that Jeremy had met that first night, whose image had nearly been erased in the weeks that Jeremy had lived with his shyer, sweeter cousin. Mercury stood up, a defiant sexuality written in every line of his body, the knowledge that he was wanted and, at least for now, off-limits.

"Wow," said Jeremy, swallowing as his mouth went dry.

Amusement went through the pack, but Mercury didn't acknowledge his outburst, instead starting his show. He parted the folds of his robe, slipping it off his shoulders to reveal glimpses of the harness he was wearing underneath, the glint of leather and metal only adding to the image he was creating. One stockinged leg peeked out as his hands went down to the belt, and he turned around before opening the robe fully and letting the belt fall away, so he was flashing the wall, teasing his audience with what they couldn't see.

The music changed, less of a suggestion and more of a beat, and the robe slipped down in fitful jerks along with it, revealing strong shoulders, pale skin, black leather straps and shining chrome rings, narrow hips, a round, high ass framed by a garter belt, and finally long legs encased in black stockings, revealed in one long moment as the yukata slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground. A strap of the harness ran down between his cheeks, and Mercury leaned forward, one hand on the wall and the other gliding suggestively down his own body, to better show off the chrome ring surrounding his glistening pink entrance.

Jeremy's mouth went from dry to watering, and it was all he could do not to crawl up there and beg to be allowed to worship Mercury's beautiful body. Mercury's fingers peeked between his legs, drawing Jeremy's attention down to his balls, which were weighted by a wicked steel band, the thick, heavy-looking ring pulling them down and away from his body. His hips began to rock just a little, his hand disappearing presumably to stroke himself while his balls swayed hypnotically.

David slid up Jeremy's body and whispered in his ear, "Do you love him?"

Jeremy moaned and nodded, pushing aside his insistent lust for a moment to really look at the man in front of him, brave and brazenly sexy, offering himself to his lovers because the whore was as much a part of him as the rest. "I love him," said Jeremy aloud, wanting Mercury to hear him.

Mercury looked over his shoulder and grinned at them, wicked and wild, his eyes holding a warmth that Jeremy suspected none of his clients had ever seen, though to Jeremy it was as familiar as the rest was new. The music changed again and Mercury turned, using his arm to guide him as he slid down the wall, legs spreading wide so they could all see, coming to rest neatly on the cushion they'd placed there for just that reason. As if they'd rehearsed it, Bas and Saul snuck forward long enough to flip back the comforter, which had been folded up to cover the startling array of sex toys Mercury had laid out for himself.

"What should I start with, Doctor?" asked Mercury, his voice low and sexy, with just a touch of an accent that Jeremy suspected would tease at the minds of his admirers as they tried to puzzle out their untouchable toy.

Jeremy looked at the objects, looked at the expectant faces watching him, and then swallowed and nodded. "The beads," he said, pointing to a set of fat beads on a string, curled on the bed near Mercury's left foot.

Rather than Mercury moving, Bas snaked forward and ran them through lube-slick hands, then gave the toy to Mercury, who was grinning like temptation at Jeremy's hungry expression. "You want to see these," he asked, holding the beads up, "in here?" he finished, slipping the fingers of his left hand down to massage over his entrance.

Jeremy nodded, mouth too dry to speak, which seemed to amuse Mercury even more. He pressed the first bead against the tender opening, which flared around it and greedily sucked the whole thing inside. Mercury's face changed just a little, showing the small pleasure, and Jeremy heard himself let out a little moan. "I knew you'd be fun," he said, a hint of his old playful self peeking through. He pushed in the next bead, this one slightly larger, and instead of stopping this time added the third and fourth as well. "Feels so good," he said, lust and hunger taking over his voice now, darker than the pleasure sounds Jeremy had heard him make before.

He began to tug on them along with the subversive beat of the music, and Jeremy found his own hips rocking along, and his breath as well. David began to nuzzle Jeremy's cock, and with a shock he realized that it wouldn't be sweet Mercury who undressed him today, because the wicked creature right in front of him was his Mercury. It was as though he'd been thinking of this man as someone else and expecting any moment for Mercury to slide into his arms, but instead Mercury gasped as he thrust two more of the spheres inside himself, leaving only one last fat bead outside of his body.

"Don't you wish this was you?" Mercury asked, the question obviously rhetorical, just enough to draw a whimpering nod out of Jeremy. He did wish it was him, sinking into Mercury or even being slowly filled by that last sphere, which was even now stretching Mercury wide open, barely squeaking in past the metal ring still framing his entrance.

Rather than anything so mundane as fucking himself with it, Mercury knelt up so that all Jeremy could see of the toy now was the little metal ring that hung down just past his balls, dangling between his thighs as he swung his hips to the beat. His cock and balls were framed by another ring, but Mercury hadn't bothered to restrain himself further, and Jeremy moaned again at the thought of tasting that familiar flesh, sucking him down until he spilled all his secrets into Jeremy's waiting mouth.

Instead it was his own cock drawn between willing lips, David's head bobbing in his lap. "Is it, god, all right to come so soon?" asked Jeremy, forcing his eyes up to meet Mercury's.

"As long as you save some for me," Mercury replied, sliding his hands up his torso to tug and twist the thick rings through his nipples. "As long as you're thinking of me, of the toy in my body that you chose, how it must feel as I move and the beads shift and move with me, when you come."

Jeremy moaned and thrust into David's waiting throat, hands coming up to tangle in the short hair. He couldn't spread his own legs, trapped as they were by his pants, but Mercury spread for him, so wide the ring nearly hit the cushion, whole body rocking and swaying to the music. It didn't take long, not with all of the earlier tension and his newfound lust colliding, and soon enough Jeremy shuddered and spilled himself into David's mouth. Mercury waited until Jeremy had just begun to come, then sat back again and pulled the beads from his body slowly, the very sight of it drawing out Jeremy's release until he had to close his eyes just so he could finally be done.

When he looked again, the beads had vanished, and it was Toby's turn to choose. Toby picked a fat black dildo on a suction cup, which Saul licked ostentatiously before sticking to the side wall at just the right height, and they all shifted so they'd be able to watch every inch go in from their new vantage point. "Excellent choice," said Mercury, and instead of more lube from Bas, he leaned in and began to lick the toy himself, first just teasing along the length and then sucking it, a preview of what they'd see at the other end as it disappeared between blood red lips.

"It won't fit in the hole, though," said Mercury, turning to show that the ring around his opening was smaller than the toy at its thickest. Rather than another strip tease, he undid two strategic buckles and the whole thing fell away, leaving him in nothing but the stockings, cock and ball rings, and an evil little smile. "Now it will," he said, giving the fat head one last lick before turning around.

He had to go down on one elbow and reach back between his legs, his black-painted nails shining darker than the toy as he positioned it against himself. "It's almost as good as a real fucking," said Mercury sensually, pushing back onto the toy torturously slowly, making it seem twice as long for the time it took to have the full length buried inside him. A shudder ran through his body and his voice was husky as he said, "So good. But it's not enough."

It was David's turn to choose this time, a flesh-pink toy with heavy, realistic balls that Mercury used to fill his greedy mouth, rocking his whole body back and forth between the two with evident delight. David stripped Jeremy and snuggled close, offering a kiss that tasted of his come, which Jeremy paused in his watching long enough to savor. When Jeremy looked back, Mercury was starting to lose a little of his composure, his motions less smooth as he drove himself toward orgasm with nothing but the wicked toys, his cock bouncing free and untouched against his flat belly.

"Will he come like this?" asked Jeremy roughly, imagining it already.

"Not yet," said Mercury, tossing one toy aside and pulling off the other with a low moan, which Jeremy echoed as the full length reappeared.

"This one," said Saul, handing him a vibrator that wasn't nearly as long, but just as thick as the dildo now hanging limply from the wall, forgotten.

Mercury turned it on to show them how it squirmed and twisted in his hands, not just vibrating but bending and rotating in a way that made Jeremy squirm in sympathy. He turned it off and pushed it inside him, then handed Saul the remote and got into position, on his knees with his ass pointed at his audience and face planted in the mattress, both hands in use pleasuring himself, one pumping the toy in and out of him while the other teased at his nipples and cock and poor, tormented balls.

"God, I want to see him come so badly," said Jeremy, his own legs spreading wide in sympathy.

David laughed wickedly, but it was Toby's fingers that found the slick and then made their way between Jeremy's legs, fingering him open while they all watched Mercury, mesmerized. Jeremy thought they might both come, Mercury's whole body trembling as Saul toyed with the settings on the vibrator, but instead Saul turned the whole toy off. "One more," said Saul mysteriously, accepting it when Mercury pulled it out, showing them all how open he was, how needy.

Mercury rolled over, taking up the position he'd been in at the start, ass propped up on the cushion and legs splayed wantonly, makeup still perfect and smirk still in place as he began to finger himself idly with both hands. Bas picked out a crystal-clear dildo and slicked it liberally, then handed it to Mercury. "I want you to see all of me," said Mercury, his voice giving no doubts about what he meant, and he slid the toy inside.

Jeremy couldn't believe how very dirty it was to see inside him this way, pink and clean and slick, like he was just waiting for a tongue or cock to fill him up, waiting for the pack to splatter the pink walls of his body with their seed. "This is where you want to be," said Mercury wickedly, stroking his cock with one hand while the other slowly thrust the toy in and out of his ass.

"Every day of my life," said Jeremy, eyes fixed on Mercury even when David's fingers joined Toby's. The sensation of being opened by two people would have taken his breath away, if Mercury hadn't done it first.

Mercury laughed, low and sensual, and his hands sped up to the obvious climax of his show. "You will be soon," he said, which Jeremy knew wasn't part of his old script, when he'd remained untouchable even at the end. Jeremy nodded, stroking his own cock, though he was determined not to come despite the overwhelming sensory stimulation, visual and aural blending into the touches on his body, the scent of his pack, and the taste of his own come lingering on his tongue.

Mercury broke first, moaning and spurting all over himself, his own climax and the climax of his show as well. Jeremy fought back the urge to come himself, to clap or moan or just melt into the mattress, instead fixing his eyes on Mercury's and saying, "I love you like this, now come fuck me."

That let them all laugh, and Mercury pulled the toy out and pounced; David and Toby pulled away just fast enough that Jeremy found himself comfortably pinned under a grinning Mercury, horny and empty and unsure what he wanted most, but knowing it involved Mercury whatever it was. "You liked it," said Mercury, making the decision for him and climbing on top, lowering his well-slicked ass onto Jeremy's waiting cock.

"I loved it," said Jeremy, wrapping his arms around Mercury and thrusting up into him, getting a gasp for his efforts. He kissed Mercury hotly, then rolled them over so he was on top. "Your turn to be lazy," he said with a wink, kissing him again and thrusting in time to the music still playing in the background.

"Room for one more?" whispered David in Jeremy's ear, and Jeremy moaned and nodded. He kissed Mercury and thrust all the way in, then went still just long enough for David to find his way inside Jeremy's body.

"Pack fucks best," said Mercury teasingly, wiggling his ass to encourage Jeremy to resume.

Jeremy could only agree on all points, and he began thrusting again, impaling himself on David and then plunging forward into Mercury, the two of them letting him do all the work to drive them all swiftly toward completion. It didn't take long, even with Mercury's recent orgasm, and Jeremy was never sure who came first, only that they fell like dominos, one after the other drawn into pleasure.

When they came to, Jeremy found the other three watching them and grinning like fools, naked and ready and eager. "Happy New Year," said Toby, holding up a clock that declared it several minutes past midnight.

They collapsed into a heap of exhausted laughter and sweaty limbs, only to find themselves each claimed by a packmate, Toby sliding himself into Jeremy's body with a kiss sweeter than any champagne, Saul sliding his own ass down onto Mercury's still-hard cock and Bas drowning himself and David in a wash of hair so that Jeremy wasn't really sure what they were doing, only that, from the sound of things, they were enjoying it.

If Jeremy had had a single thought in his head beyond making love to his Kiss, it would have been that he vastly preferred the way his new pack rang in the New Year.

Chapter 43

Toby spent the next few weeks so wrapped up in all the paperwork involved in opening the Institute with Jeremy that he barely remembered why he was being shaken out of bed when moving day came. "Wan' sleep more," he mumbled, trying to snuggle deeper into the blankets.

"Not today, cub," said Saul, his voice rich with amusement. "They can't move the mattress with you on top of it."

"Why not?" said Toby, waking up enough to crack a smile, "I'm small."

"Yeah, but you stack badly," said Saul, giving in and hauling him out of bed, blankets and all. "Come on, it's time for Edie's and you're the last holdout."

"Oooh, all right," said Toby, claiming a kiss as his toll before scrambling down and into the clothes that someone had thoughtfully laid out for him the night before. They'd be helping the movers, who were mostly there to speed the packing and drive the truck, and had elected to save showers until after they'd spent the day getting sweaty and dirty.

Moira was loaning them Edward and the limo for the day, as the only vehicle big enough to haul the whole pack around, and they all piled in and headed for Edie's. Once there, Toby was highly amused to find that, rather than their regular booth, Jon had arrived early and arranged for several tables together in the very back. Josh came in with Michael in tow just as they were settling in their seats, and Chad straggled in a few minutes later, looking incredibly tired and grateful for the already-prepared cup of coffee they'd set at his place.

"Why did I agree to this again?" asked Chad, looking bleary as he sipped the coffee like it was ambrosia.

"Really good blowjobs," said Bas with a smirk. Chad blushed, then ruined it by yawning which made them all laugh.

"I know that's why I'm here," said Michael, giving Josh a wink.

Josh laughed. "You're in love with my ass and you know it," he said, the last vestiges of his straightness obviously long lost to Michael's talented hands, mouth and cock. "Just like I adore you."

"Awww," said Jon, pretending to look disappointed. "But if Bas is blowing Chad, and Michael's got Josh, who do I get sexual bribes from?"

"The rest of us," said Saul with a wicked leer.

"Except me," said Jeremy, from where he was practically napping in David's lap. "I'll be too busy with paperwork for blowjobs."

Their food arrived and they ate amidst more laughter and teasing, and a lot of coffee, so by the time they were done and the check paid (by Jeremy, at his insistence), everyone was awake and ready to go. They bundled back into various vehicles and made it back just ahead of the movers, and chaos settled quietly in.

"That's going to the dump," said Saul firmly, when one of the movers attempted to take the broken chair. "Put it on Josh's truck." He was working with the two shifters who were doing the heavy lifting, loading what furniture was going while everyone else concentrated on packing.

"Be careful with those, they cost more than you do," said Bas wickedly, when Josh and Chad started in on the teacups. He supervised in the kitchen with a sharp eye for slack, and a generous assortment of drinks, snacks and disposable tableware to make up for it.

David and Mercury took Jon and made clothing and toys their personal territory, leaving the office to Toby and Jeremy while the two professional packers made swift work of both bathrooms. Soon there were stacks of boxes ready for loading, and the pack and their friends had started scouring the house for personal items while the professionals finished up in the kitchen. Most of the furniture and linens would be left behind for the future tenants, distant cousins who were having a baby and would need all the help they could get. The pack's mattresses had gone onto the truck first thing, however, destined to carpet the basement playroom and provide a space for the pack on the full moons, since they were unlikely to want to go hunting in the woods except on rare occasions.

Eventually the afternoon shadows grew long, lunch was merely a memory, and the house had been stripped of everything that Jeremy and his pack could think to want. Saul had gone with Josh and Michael to the dump, getting rid of the chair, a bunch of Jeremy's old files, and a whole truckload of other flotsam and jetsam that had accumulated around their lives.

They sent the movers ahead with the truck, and stood together in the living room one last time, looking at the lonely couch with only the one chair for company, the cats looking cranky in their carrying cases and kicked-up dust turning the slanting sunbeams into miniature light shows.

"It'll make someone else a good home now," said Bas, coming in to hug Jeremy from behind. "That family will fill it with a different sort of life."

"I know," said Jeremy, turning for a kiss. "I was just thinking... it's appropriate, I guess. I'm starting a whole new life, it deserves a new house to go with it."

"We'd better get going, though, or the movers won't know where to put anything," said Michael wearily.

Toby laughed and gave him a sweet kiss, the standard morale-booster throughout the day. "Dinner's waiting, too," he said cheerfully.

"Our first in the new house," said David, nuzzling Mercury.

"Amelia's a really good cook," said Jeremy, giving Bas a nudge, "She could give you a run for your money."

They all laughed at that and piled out of the house, Jeremy locking it up for the last time. They'd given most of their keys to his grandmother, and tomorrow a cleaning crew would go through and make the place spotless and ready for its future.

Jeremy turned and climbed into his truck with Toby riding shotgun, ready for his own future to begin.

* ~ * ~ *

The house seemed more welcoming today, lights blazing from inside and the door open, the movers already carrying boxes into the crowded hallway. Toby laughingly delegated pack members to help out, and Jeremy slipped past them to check on dinner, and see how Amelia and George were taking to this welcome invasion. He snuck up and planted a kiss on one weathered cheek, getting a yelp and a grin in response.

"Young man, you're going to give me a heart attack doing stuff like that," said Amelia, but she was grinning as she said it.

"No, I'm not, you're healthy as a horse," said Jeremy unrepentantly. "I'm assuming you can hear the commotion, and I've escaped under the guise of asking about dinner for the hungry hordes," he said, resisting the urge to dip his finger into the sauce she was stirring.

"I just need a few minutes' warning for the spaghetti and it'll be ready whenever you boys are," she said, gesturing to a big pot of water steaming gently on the stove.

"You're a marvel," said Jeremy. He gave her a gentle hug, stole a taste of the delicious red sauce, and scampered away before she could do more than laugh. He headed back out only to find the truck mostly empty, and the boxes being shuffled here and there. "How long until you guys want food?" he asked Toby.

"An hour ago?" said Toby plaintively, over the huge box marked "Office" he was carrying toward the stairs.

"I'll let her know," said Jeremy, turning back to give Amelia his instructions. He headed upstairs to see if he could lend a hand, announcing to everyone that dinner would be ready in 15 minutes, and getting a ragged cheer in return.

They unpacked a few essentials, leaving the rest for tomorrow. All four of their friends had agreed to spend the night and carry on the work the next day, in exchange for food and company, and in Chad's case a guarantee that he could get into Jeremy's usually-full class on Cultures Within Cultures, which explored how shapeshifter packs and other groups of paranormal creatures were affected by the larger cultures they lived within. Jon had batted his eyelashes and said he was sure he'd think of something he wanted, much to everyone's amusement.

Jeremy went downstairs to make sure the movers were paid, tipped, and sent on their way, and he got back inside just in time to hear Amelia calling out, "Dinner! Don't make me come up there with a can of tuna, kitties, it's time to eat!"

Feet came pounding down the stairs, and Jeremy could only laugh when Bas swept her up in a hug and said, "You feed me, I love you!"

"You're not an actual cat," said Jeremy, shutting the door firmly behind him. "Speaking of which, did you let out my poor kids?"

"I thought we were your poor kids," said David teasingly as they filed into the dining room and took their places around the wide table, leaving the ends for Toby and Jeremy.

Saul shot him a dirty look and said, "We set them and their boxes up in the basement, with the mattresses down so they had something that smelled familiar to sleep on."

"Excellent," said Jeremy with a grin; he should have known they'd never let his poor pets languish in their carrying cases.

George and Amelia joined them, much to Jeremy's delight, and Amelia began the procession of serving dishes around the table, spaghetti and her home made sauce, meat balls and garlic bread and a gigantic salad, plus mustard greens which she insisted they all take at least a little of since they were, as she put it, "active, growing boys." There was even a half dozen bottles of good red wine on the sideboard, a housewarming gift from their lawyers of all things, which proved the perfect accompaniment for a dozen thirsty adults.

"I'm not growing yet," said Bas, followed swiftly by an, "Ow!" when Saul kicked him in the shin.

"Be nice in front of Mr. and Mrs. White," said Saul, shooting them an apologetic look.

They both laughed, and George spoke up for the first time that day, "Don't pay us no mind, we had kids, we know what goes up and what comes down."

Everyone joined in their laughter, and that was enough to break the ice, so the banter continued up and down the table all through dinner. "I think," said Toby, once all their plates were empty, "that we ought to go downstairs and test out Dr. J's brand new TV."

This was met with a chorus of agreement, and Amelia shook her head. "Cubs, the lot of you," she said, standing a little more slowly than Jeremy remembered. "I'll clean this up, and rather than find out what you boys consider proper entertainment, I'll just tell you there's spice cake still warm in the oven, and ice cream in the freezer to go with it. We'll go have ourselves an early night once the dishes are done."

"Thank you so much, Amelia," said Jeremy, getting up and grabbing his plate. "We can take this stuff to the kitchen for you, anyway, that'll make things faster."

"That it will, thank you, boys," said George, before Amelia could protest. "Will you be taking the last of that wine downstairs, or should we save it for another celebration?"

"I think we've had enough wine tonight," said Toby; they'd gone through three of the bottles, just enough to warm them and not enough to leave anyone impaired. "We can save it for tomorrow, since we have another dinner, though I think Sebastian had plans to cook?"

"If I get enough things unpacked and have time to hit the store," said Bas with a wink; they'd piled the boxes of kitchen stuff in the upstairs living room for now, and would be seeing what the new kitchen lacked before donating the redundant items back to Jeremy's cousins.

"I'll take the wine glasses, then," said George, gathering them up as, one by one, the pack dutifully drank down the last swallows.

Everyone took their plates into the kitchen, then went back and helped move the serving dishes, most of which were nearly bare of leftovers. "Will you boys be wanting breakfast?" asked Amelia, as Bas helped her load the dishwasher.

"If it's not too much trouble," said Bas shyly. "I've got a long day ahead of me, it would be nice to wake up to food I didn't have to cook."

Amelia smiled warmly at him; Jeremy could tell he'd struck just the right note with her. "It's no problem at all, but you'd better set your alarm clocks. I'm not coming up there to wake you," she said, that last with a significant glance around the room.

They all laughed sheepishly and agreed, then filed downstairs to comfort the cats and watch whatever movie Toby had picked out. Jeremy was amused to find they'd also made the pack's old mattresses with their black sheets, turning all the free floor space into a sea of beds with the couch like an island in the middle. Saul came down last, closing the door to the upstairs very pointedly, then began to strip as he sauntered into the room.

"We've got two choices," said Toby, standing by the TV and holding up a pair of DVD cases. "We have the touching tale of hot schoolboy love gone wrong," he said, waving a recent art film release, "or we can just watch porn." He shook the DVD in his other hand, which had a picture of a hot naked guy on the front, stroking his cock for the camera with a come-hither grin.

"Porn!" said Chad, taking a cue from Saul and taking off his own shirt.

"Porn," said Jon, sidling up to Bas with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Jeremy looked around and shrugged; he could trust this group not to say anything, as long as he kept his own clothes on. Most of his clothes, anyway. "Porn's fine by me."

"Definitely porn," said Josh, tugging Michael close to his side. "As long as there's lube."

* ~ * ~ *

The first day of school wasn't nearly so exciting for Jeremy. He came to his office and found it devoid of his usual grad students, sighing when he realized he'd be assigned someone new soon enough. Celia and Toby together had been perfect for him, and the room seemed empty and cold without them. He hung his coat up on the rack that Pete had made for them when the cage was declared a permanent loss, put his briefcase on his desk and went to the forlorn little coffee pot, dusty from the weeks of disuse.

"Dr. Forrester?" said a shy voice from the door, and Jeremy turned to find one of his old Pack Mind students at the door.

"You know I prefer to be called Jeremy," he said teasingly, dredging up a smile for her. "What can I do for you, um, Meredith, wasn't it?"

She brightened up considerably at that, and stepped into the room properly, offering him the paper she'd been clutching. "I think I'm your new TA."

Jeremy wasn't sure if he should cheer or groan; he'd have to ask Toby about that later. For now, he took the paper and looked it over. "That's certainly what it looks like," he said, giving her a glance. "Can you use the computers?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm a whiz with the computer," she said, eyes flitting around the room as though too nervous to land on anything for long. "I'm not as good with people, though."

Jeremy smiled, finding himself warming to her already. "That's all right," he said with a wry grin, "it's my job to deal with the students. You just have to help keep me from inputting their grades wrong." He paused for a moment, then held out the coffee pot to her, "And make coffee," he said, winking.

She laughed and took the pot, heading back down the hall toward the ladies' room without another word, and Jeremy let himself smile. He got out his phone and called Toby, confirming their date to have lunch and arrange for some training for his poor new TA, though he refused to give up the joke and tell Toby who she was.

"So," said Jeremy upon her return, triumphant with a clean carafe of water, "why don't you tell me about your thesis, and then I'll show you where to find my undoubtedly packed inter-office mail box, and introduce you to the department secretary."

The mugs had been left upside-down on their towel, so after giving them a quick wipe, she declared everything clean enough and sat down to wait for the coffee to brew. "A-all right," she said, swallowing nervously. "Um, I was, um, thinking of doing a paper that expanded on the one we did in class, exploring the different pack structures and how they were formed, not just by species but by the needs of each individual pack."

"That's an excellent start," said Jeremy, nodding. He'd been impressed with the level of scholarship in all four of the group papers, and it would give her a leg up on what would likely be a very research-intensive paper. "I can arrange some interviews for you as well, talking to some of the local pack historians. The Bone Kin, obviously, but also the other packs that live on the east coast. There's a pack of bears called the Ur who nearly all work for the Femur Construction Company, for instance, as everything from builders to managers. They found their niche and really fit themselves in it, and haven't bothered to change in the years since the Paranormal Civil Rights movement."

"Oh, that'd be brilliant!" she said, eyes wide. "I mean, I'm terrible with people but maybe if I prepared questions..." She whipped out a notebook and began jotting things down, and Jeremy grinned.

"Just make sure you go to any classes you have today," he said indulgently; he had one this afternoon, but he'd wanted to come in early to get organized, a habit that Celia had firmly instilled in him.

"Oh, I don't have anything," she said absently, still writing at a furious pace.

The coffee pot dinged, and Jeremy amused himself pouring them both cups, already mentally planning to get her one of her very own. "Cream or sugar?" he asked, and then, "Damn. I forgot to buy cream."

She smiled and shook her head, putting her notepad away and standing. "Obviously that will have to be my first errand, then," she said, pouring both cups back into the pot to stay warm.

"I'll show you the office on your way out," said Jeremy sheepishly.

She laughed and he locked up on his way out, making a mental note to see if he could figure out where Celia hid her key. They chatted amiably, if a bit awkwardly, about her remaining degree requirements as they walked, and when he gathered his mail and sent her on her way, it was with a smile on both their faces. She wasn't Celia or even Toby, but he thought that she'd do just fine as herself, anyway.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy left Toby and Meredith deeply embroiled in his filing system to go and teach the first class of the semester, Cultures Within Cultures. Unlike the Pack Mind class, which had benefited from the extra bodies, he hadn't allowed the number of wait-listed students to dissuade him from using the smaller room, and thus limiting the class size. Chad would get his add no matter what, since he'd stayed two extra days to help, as had Jon, though Jeremy suspected that his fellow packmates had more to do with that than any loyalty to him.

The room was mostly full when he got there, and he double checked to make sure no one was in the wrong class, writing the class name and his own on the chalkboard behind him. He already missed the more casual atmosphere of his Pack Mind class, but he'd teach it again in the fall and until then he had other wisdom to impart. When the clocked ticked over to the half hour, he stood up and cleared his throat. "Welcome to Cultures Within Cultures. I'm going to take roll now, because this class is full and has a lot of wait-listed students as well, and as you can see there's not a lot of room."

The students quieted, and Jeremy recognized a few faces from the last semester, from both his grad level courses. "I will accept enough students to fill all the seats, and that's it," he added; more students had filed in, and there were people loitering in the back of the room.

Someone, predictably, raised their hand, and he sighed and called on them. It was a good thing he never expected to get much done on the first day.

"Will you be dropping anyone who doesn't show?" asked the student, a nondescript brown-haired man who looked older than Jeremy.

"We shall see," said Jeremy mysteriously, though in reality the students who didn't show today would be dropped at the end of Tuesday's class, if they had another missed day. He began calling roll, making sure to call Chad's name at the appropriate spot and marking off the names of people who were there, pleasantly surprised to find only two missing students. "Excellent," he said, setting down his note pad. "Now, if I didn't call your name, kindly stand in the back of the room, and no, I don't care if you have a seat. If your name was called and you're standing, take one of the vacated seats. That's right, thank you."

There was a lot of mumbling and shuffling, but he found it was much simpler to use the visual of empty seats than try to explain math to them. "Now, everyone who's a graduate student in either Paranormal Anthropology or Anthropology, step forward."

Half a dozen people came forward, including the man who'd spoken earlier. Jeremy counted, and there were nine free chairs. "All right, it appears you all lucked out. Bring me your add forms and take a seat, I'll return them before you leave."

They all looked relieved and sat, and Jeremy nearly laughed at how terribly smug Chad looked, safely ensconced in a seat. "Any other graduate students here?" he asked; it was unlikely since they'd probably be staying mostly in their own fields, but sometimes they strayed, or were told by their advisors to take a particular class for their specialization or as thesis research. One girl came forward with her slip, grinning. "Thank you so much, Dr. Matthews was insistent I take this course."

"You're welcome," said Jeremy, accepting the slip and waving her to a seat, which she took gladly. "That leaves two," he said, looking down at his roster, "which is exactly the number of students who are legitimately signed up and missing. If neither of them shows before the end of the class period, I'll assign those chairs to PA or Anthro undergrads, unless someone's got a very good argument why they should be here."

There was some grumbling from the back, and three of the remaining seven students left. "All right, that's thinned out the pack a bit. Since you're standing, Jeff, why don't you come up and get the syllabus and pass them out for me," said Jeremy, recognizing one of the remaining hopefuls from his Nature and Nurture class this past summer.

Jeff grinned sheepishly and slouched forward, taking the sheaf of papers and carefully counting them out to be passed down the rows, and then giving back all but four, which he delivered to the group in the back. "Starting next class, you'll be assigned seats so that I can take roll the easy way," said Jeremy, moving around in front of the desk to lean casually against it, an extra syllabus in hand. "As it says, attendance is five percent of your grade."

He laid out the rest of the program to them, seeing mostly nods and a few raised hands, already getting a feel for the class. It helped to have familiar faces, and he could already tell it would be a more interactive class than his History class had been last semester. He finished with the syllabus with plenty of time to go and dismissed them early with a reading assignment, signing the add forms for the lucky seven and then motioning the other four up to the front to talk.

"Jeff, you're a PA undergrad, right?" asked Jeremy, not bothering to split hairs.

"Yes, sir. I mean, Jeremy," said Jeff with a lopsided grin.

"I think we all are," said one of the girls. She looked vaguely familiar, but Jeremy couldn't place her.

There were nods all around, and Jeremy sighed. "Well, then I'm not sure how to choose between you guys, unless someone wants to bow out."

"I need this class to graduate," said the girl, sounding bitter.

Jeremy gave her a shrewd look. "You've never taken one of my classes before, have you?"

"It's Toni, and no, I don't usually like new profs," she said bluntly. "There's no other class I can take this semester and still graduate in May."

"I just like your lectures," said Jeff, hands in his pockets and a sheepish grin on his face.

"This is all that'll fit in my schedule," said the third student, an Asian boy with dyed-blue bangs to rival Toby's, and rivets all over his clothing. "I've never made it into one of your classes, because I'm only a Junior."

The last student shrugged and sighed. "I really wanted to take this, but it sounds like you all are better candidates than me."

Jeremy shook his head, chuckling. "You know, I never thought I'd have this problem when I started here. Will it affect your schedules too much if I have you all show up next time and see if any seats have opened up?"

They all agreed readily to come back on Tuesday, and filed out looking happier than they had been, though not nearly as happy as those who'd been able to add right away. "You're a wicked man, Dr. J," said Chad, unfolding himself from his desk where he'd waited. He handed Jeremy his add slip for signing and grinned. "You know, I considered not ever taking another class of yours again, after last week."

"Too much trouble to bribe me into accepting you?" asked Jeremy teasingly; they'd all been exhausted, but proud when every single thing was unpacked and accounted for, or in the case of a lot of his kitchen things, repacked and sent over to his cousins as a housewarming present.

Chad leaned in, breath warm on Jeremy's ear as he murmured, "Too hard to resist getting you in bed."

Jeremy blushed bright red and handed off his slip, shaking his head. "You're as bad as they are," he said, though in truth he was very flattered that a guy like Chad would want him, especially with the rest of his pack willing and available.

Chad grinned and tucked the form away in his bag. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said, winking and sauntering out.

Jeremy shook his head, gathered his papers and headed back to his office, hoping they'd figured out whatever system Celia used to use to keep track of his attendance. He'd grown so used to having her around, and then Toby with her, he wasn't quite sure how he'd manage without them. When he stopped in the doorway to admire the sight of Toby bent over to file something in a bottom drawer, he was pleasantly reminded of why losing his old assistants was worth every moment of trouble it caused.

Just like Toby.

* ~ * ~ *

The first day of work at the Institute was a whole new kind of chaos. The equipment had been delivered, but not all of it had gone into the right labs, and only some of the scientists had made any effort to hire their own laboratory staff. Jeremy ended up putting out ads for half a dozen research assistants and someone to run Human Resources for him; they had an accountant, Ian Block, who'd been hired through Bone Kin contacts, so at least the bills were getting paid.

The rooms weren't ready for the research subjects to move in yet, and might not be until after the first full moon, though the cages for the lunatics to stay in during their change were all ready to go. Toby spent the entire day running around from one problem to the next, constantly on his brand new company cell phone consulting with Jeremy and Celia, who were in the office. She was making sure everyone's computers worked and answering phones since no one had thought to hire a receptionist, while Jeremy spent the morning finding solutions to the problems that were outside of Toby's authority, and then had to leave after lunch to go teach.

Toby made his way back to the head offices well after six, only to find Celia gone, and Jeremy back and helping the accountant go through their paperwork to make sure that all the missing equipment had been delivered somewhere, if not to where it belonged.

"I'm beat, why don't we all call it a day and dive back in tomorrow?" said Toby, giving Jeremy a lopsided grin. His new clothes felt weird but Jeremy had assured him with a great deal of enthusiasm that he looked good in the tailored slacks, shirt and silk tie that were from the second part of Jack's gift.

"I'm all for that," said Ian, stretching. "I can't make heads or tails from these last few invoices anymore."

Jeremy looked as though he might protest, but just then his cell phone rang. He looked at the display and laughed, answering it, "Are we making dinner late?"

Toby chuckled, and Ian took that as his window to escape, getting a resigned wave as he paused by the doorway. "See you tomorrow," said Toby.

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow," said Ian dolefully, though his eyes sparkled with humor. "I'm glad I didn't let Jack fool me into thinking this wouldn't be a full-time position."

Toby laughed and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "It's all right. Once we get him organized, he's capable of staying that way. It just takes a lot of shoveling at first."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Ian, glancing over at Jeremy once more before leaving.

Jeremy hung up and grinned over to Toby, "That was our cue to leave now or miss dinner," said Jeremy, standing and grabbing his jacket from the coat rack by the door, and handing Toby his. "You need anything from here?"

Toby shook his head.

"My briefcase is still in the car, full of pop quizzes for this weekend," said Jeremy, getting the lights and escorting Toby out. He'd been like this all day, a whirlwind going from one thing to another, putting out fires and reminding the scientists -- all older than him with formidable reputations -- that they had to play nice together and share the toys, subjects, and credit.

Toby had never been so proud of him.

"I can still help grade if you want," said Toby, climbing into the other side of the car. They'd been discussing the necessity of at least one more vehicle, and Toby was hoping that they'd all go this weekend and get one. It was one more financial burden they were placing on Jeremy, but he hadn't seemed to mind, mostly concerning himself that they get the car they needed and not just the one they all liked.

Jeremy grinned. "Maybe we can make an afternoon of it this weekend, I've got a quiz for my 101 class tomorrow," he said, then reached out and ran his fingers up Toby's thigh, cupping him proprietarily. "Naked grading would be a new experience for me."

Toby spread his legs and nearly purred, reveling in Jeremy's boldness, his willingness and the passion that continued between them, even after they'd had a chance to finally quench their desire in one another, repeatedly and at great length. "I'll make sure the rest of them are forewarned, I know Bas and Saul have been making wicked plans to play with Jon sometime, and a whole afternoon without you would give them an opportunity."

Jeremy laughed. "You know, I thought when you finally got your degree I'd be safe. I never had any problems with proper student teacher relationships before you came into my life." He gave Toby's balls a little squeeze and winked, then took his hand back in order to turn into their driveway.

"You just never noticed it before," said Toby; he'd asked Celia once, and she'd told him that Jeremy only ever caught on to the really blatant offers, and those were always the girls, so she hadn't ever bothered to enlighten him.

Jeremy laughed and shook his head. "Maybe all the sex makes me give off better pheromones or something," he said, getting out and grabbing his briefcase.

Toby laughed and let him keep his illusions, especially when he saw that Jon and Chad were both over to help them celebrate tonight.

"So, how'd I do on the quiz, Dr. J?" asked Chad with a wink, once they got inside and settled around the table.

Jeremy shrugged. "I won't know until after this weekend. Toby and I are going to have naked grading all afternoon on Saturday," he said with a leer.

"Oh really," said Saul, laying a proprietary hand on the back of Jon's neck. "And are you free that afternoon, little boy?"

Jon took a shaky breath and nodded. "I'd cancel my other plans anyway, if I had any," he said with a little blush.

"Smart boy," said David wickedly. "You won't mind if I stay on and lend a hand, will you?"

"I'd like to help you two, if it's all right," said Mercury, looking adorably shy as he glanced from Toby to Jeremy.

Toby appreciated that they all gave him and Jeremy space enough to be together, but if Mercury would rather be with them, he wouldn't deny it either. "It's all right with me, you can keep us in red pens and tea."

Jeremy smiled that tender smile that melted them all to their toes, all the more so for his obliviousness to that fact, and said, "You're always welcome in my naked days."

They all laughed, and then dinner was served, Bas bringing out both a beef roast and a glazed ham, then sending Mercury and Jon back to the kitchen to get vegetables while he sliced. Toby looked around at his pack and couldn't help but smile, sinking into the warm glow of their lives, rich in all the things that mattered to him.

Chapter 44

Jeremy was starting to settle into his new life, with the Institute running more smoothly after a month of false starts, Meredith turning out to be more competent than even she had realized and of course the blissful satisfaction he got at home from any number of sources from sexual to simple friendship and the newfound sense of family. It was, of course, at that moment that fate chose to intervene, in the form of one Ben Jameson.

"Hello, Meredith," he said smarmily, leaning against the doorjamb of Jeremy's office. "Dr. J. Long time no see."

"I hadn't expected to see you back here," said Jeremy, reining in his impulse to just kick the boy out. "Meredith, why don't you make us some more coffee while I talk to Ben?"

She nodded and left with the carafe, even though they'd just decided not to make another pot so late in the day not five minutes before.

"Smart man," said Ben, grinning like a man who'd won the lottery and planned to do very unpleasant things with the proceeds. He shut the door behind him and sat in Meredith's chair, picking up a pencil to toy with as he spoke. "Certain interested parties have come to the conclusion that you are the last link they have to Toby and his... coworkers."

"And what do they want you to do about it?" said Jeremy, not bothering to hide his contempt.

"I'm only a messenger boy," said Ben, though from the glee in his tone he obviously didn't consider it an onerous duty. "They want their due respect, and have asked me to convey the request."

Jeremy nodded; they'd all been expecting the other shoe to drop, once the waves made by Gabriel's arrest died down. "How much, when and how?"

"With a certain amount of... penalty interest, shall we say, the number I was given was fifty. I'm not authorized to collect it myself, but I'll be back Monday to lead you to a gentleman who will accept the payment," said Ben, flexing the pencil as if to test its strength.

"And if we can't come up with the cash in such a short time?" asked Jeremy, though the question was rhetorical; Jack and Moira would gladly front him the cash, even if he didn't have enough liquid capital in his own accounts.

Like a predictable thug in some old gangster movie, Ben snapped the pencil. "It won't go well for you, Doctor."

"Your message has been delivered, now leave," said Jeremy, standing up and opening the door. "I'll see you at five o'clock Monday, and never again, understand? You'll be dropped from any class of mine you try to take, and I'll call the cops if you ever show up on my doorstep."

"Calling the cops would be a very bad idea," said Ben, shaking his head, though he did get up and saunter out the door. "You're smart, Dr. J, don't make this harder than it needs to be."

"That's Dr. Forrester to you," said Jeremy, shutting the door in his face. He leaned against the knob for a moment, then peered out to make sure Ben was gone before rushing over to his desk to rummage through his things for the business card he was almost sure he'd seen there.

"I'm assuming there's no actual need for coffee?" said Meredith, returning with a clean, empty carafe a few moments later.

"Definitely not. Have you seen that business card that detective gave me when Toby was injured?" asked Jeremy, staring halfheartedly at his annoyingly clean, organized desk.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "It's in your rolodex, right here," she said, flipping to B and pulling out Detective Bennett's card. "I take it Ben wasn't here to talk about transferring departments?"

"No," said Jeremy shortly, then sighed. "You shouldn't be involved, but if you see him lurking around, avoid him. He's bad news."

"I may not have the best people skills in the world," said Meredith, gathering her things, "but even I could figure that out, Dr. J. Let's go home, and you can worry about Ben later."

"Good idea, I'd be better off calling from the car anyway," said Jeremy, though he took the time to program Bennett's number into his phone so he wouldn't have to fumble with it while he was driving. "Need a ride?" he asked, grabbing his things.

"Not today, I've got a study group and Mark offered to drop me off after," she said, cheeks turning just a little bit pink.

Jeremy chuckled and gave her a nudge out the door, then turned to make absolutely sure it was locked. "Let's hope that goes well, then."

She stuck her tongue out at him, and they parted ways at the parking lot.

Jeremy waited until he was off campus to speed-dial the detective, tapping on the wheel impatiently while it rang.

"Bennett," said the Detective shortly, sounding distant and distracted.

"It's me, Dr. Forrester. Jeremy," he said, feeling flustered and out of his depth.

"I remember, Dr. J," said Bennett, the words teasing though his tone was brisk. "I'm a little busy at the moment, what's up?"

"I had a visit from a former student tonight, telling me he knew the pack was living with me and that he was a messenger boy for some people who wanted them to pay their respects. Fifty thousand dollars worth," said Jeremy, hoping that was quick enough.

"Shit," said Bennett, then, "Sorry. Matheson, the pimp, got shanked in jail while we were waiting for his answer on whether he'd flip and take a plea, or keep his mouth shut and risk a trial. He's on the critical list, but it doesn't look good."

"Damn," said Jeremy, though he didn't have a whole lot of remorse for the man, considering what he'd done, he could see the value to Bennett. "I guess that's why they felt safe enough to make a move after the boys."

"Likely," said Bennett. "Are you willing to help?"

"I wouldn't have called if I wasn't," said Jeremy. He paused, then added, "I don't advertise it, but I can pay the bill."

"Well, well, that explains a few things," said Bennett, surprised. "All right, I'll be over later tonight."

"Uh, we've moved," said Jeremy. "I didn't give you a forwarding address, because, well..."

"You didn't know who else might see it, after the Stubby problem. It's fine. Look, I've gotta run, I'll call you later to get directions."

"We're up in the Forest Park area," said Jeremy, wanting to make sure that Bennett didn't get halfway to their old place and then call.

"Got it. I'll call you when I'm closer," Bennett replied, then hung up.

Jeremy chuckled and hung up the phone, making the rest of the drive in worried silence. Toby should be home by now, driving the bright blue Mini Cooper that Moira had insisted on buying him as a graduation present, while their first big purchase as a pack had been a minivan that would seat eight. Saul had gone out on their first payday and come home with an old motorcycle that he'd surprised them all by fixing up himself until it purred like a tiger rather than the snow-leopard-esque coughing it had done when he first rode up on it. The whole pack was bringing in a salary from the Institute now, and Jeremy's accountant shuffled the funds around so the bills got paid, everyone had some discretionary spending money, and the group account for the pack was slowly growing them a nest egg.

Jeremy sighed and parked, hoping they wouldn't have to crack open that egg so soon.

* ~ * ~ *

Jeremy couldn't believe how nervous he felt, sitting in his office wearing a wire, knowing the cops were monitoring his location, holding a gift bag full of money in his lap. They'd added a plush black cat to the bag, sitting on top of the colorful gold and red tissue paper and staring out at the world, no sign that it, too, had monitoring devices inside. When Ben came in at three minutes to five, Meredith had gone, and Jeremy was alone, waiting for him.

"Where are we taking it?" said Jeremy, standing and smoothing down his clothes.

Ben cocked his head, then snorted. "A gift, huh? They'll like that. Come on, I'll drive."

Jeremy rolled his eyes and grabbed his coat, a brand new disposable cell phone already weighing down one pocket. "Somehow I knew you'd say that," he said, using a single key to lock his office.

Ben gave him a strange look. "What, no briefcase?"

"You might make me leave them somewhere, and I don't have time to replace my phone and keys, not to mention the papers I still have to grade. I have a few things in case I need to get home on my own, but otherwise it's just this," replied Jeremy resentfully, holding up the annoyingly heavy bag. The whole thing pissed him off, but even if Bennett hadn't been willing to help, Jeremy would be here doing the same thing for his pack.

"You always were smarter than you looked," said Ben with a laugh, slinging an arm around Jeremy's shoulder and leading him to Ben's car, a BMW far too nice for the average college student.

"Daddy buy you the car, or a sugar daddy?" asked Jeremy nastily, getting in the passenger side obediently.

Ben snorted. "You don't really care," said Ben, settling into the driver's seat. He started the car up and put it in gear, then stretched his arm out and toyed with a loose strand of Jeremy's hair. "You're almost pretty enough to be a whore yourself, too bad Gabriel's out of the management business for good."

"They're managing themselves just fine," said Jeremy, batting the hand away. "Did he heal before they got him, I wonder, or will he die with my teeth marks still on his dick?"

Ben pulled his hand back as if burned. "Reminding me you're not all bark, or is it meow?" he said, though he didn't try to fondle Jeremy again.

Jeremy gave him a look of utter contempt; he felt somewhat safe just because of who he was, and that at least one of his students had seen him leave with Ben, waving as they reached Ben's car, and he channeled his remaining nervousness into his loathing for his former student. "In my case," said Jeremy, just as they pulled into an old, abandoned parking garage, "it's actually neither."

"That's right," said Ben with warning in his voice, pulling up to the second level and parking. "You're only human."

They got out, and another car pulled up, parking in the spot across from Ben's so the headlights shined annoyingly. A figure got out and said, "So this is the famous Dr. Forrester."

"Hardly famous," said Jeremy, heart pounding. He could only hope the cops were on their way, or that he could hand the stupid bag off smoothly and get away, and they'd manage to nail the guy based on the evidence recorded from Jeremy's wire, and the little plush spy. "I have what you asked for, Fifty thousand dollars to buy their freedom."

"We like to call it 'paying their respects'," said the man, moving forward into the light. Jeremy didn't recognize him, but he wasn't exactly surprised by that.

Jeremy proffered the bag, little cat sticking out the top with its big red bow and camera trained right on the guy. "Call it what you want, it doesn't make it right," said Jeremy.

That got him a laugh from both Ben and the other guy. "The cat's cute, that Snow's idea?" he asked, taking the bag and weighing it in his hands. "Guy like you, you wouldn't try to short me."

"Why would I bother? I want you gone from my life, you and everything you stand for," said Jeremy. "They've got a fresh start now, and fifty grand isn't too much to pay for it."

"Smart man," said the guy with a shrug. "Ben, you take him back to that school, and then leave him be."

Ben nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, sounding significantly less cocky than he had earlier. "What about..."

"Right, your cut," said the thug, pulling a wad of bills out of his pocket and tossing it at Ben. "Don't spend it all in one place."

The two of them shared a laugh, and Jeremy fought not to roll his eyes, wondering where the police were. He and Ben were already back in the car when the answer came roaring up the ramp of the garage, lights on and sirens blaring. Jeremy ducked down and away from Ben's hand, which snatched at him once before Ben, too, decided discretion was preferable and ducked down below the level of the dash.

Men boiled out of all the other cars, dozens of cops and three more thugs who'd been waiting for their leader to take care of business, which made Jeremy doubly glad he hadn't put up any resistance. The sirens cut out and Jeremy heard Bennett's voice demanding that they drop their weapons. There was a moment of tense silence, followed by the dull clunk of metal on concrete, and Jeremy relaxed as he heard the cops barking orders, sitting up just enough that he could peek out and watch the four men being handcuffed and searched.

Two officers came over, one to help Jeremy out of the car and the other to arrest Ben, who began to protest loudly that he was just a student doing his professor a favor.

"Shut up, kid, we have you on tape," said Detective Bennett, shaking his head. "Be careful with that one, his daddy's got big lawyers."

"I'm glad it all worked out," said Jeremy, feeling shaky from the adrenaline now that the ordeal was over. "I was starting to worry you guys wouldn't show up."

"You didn't go to any of the spots we had picked as likely, so we had to hustle. You did fine, by the way," said Bennett with a wry grin. He held the gift bag out to Jeremy, who took it reflexively. "You can have this back now, minus the party favor," he said, snatching back the little cat.

"I guess black cats are unlucky sometimes," said Jeremy, glancing over to where the thugs were glaring at him from the back seats of several police cars. "You'll keep the house under surveillance for awhile, right?"

"School, too," said Bennett, slapping Jeremy on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we need your testimony too much to slack."

Jeremy laughed, though he could appreciate the mercenary reassurance -- as long as he had value, he knew they'd protect their investment. "So, do I have to make a statement, or is someone going to give me a ride back to my car?"

"Both, actually," said Bennett. "I'm going to turn you over to Nick and Angela, who will escort you back to your car, then to the station to take your statement and retrieve our equipment from your pants, and then they'll follow you home."

Jeremy smiled when two familiar faces broke off from the group and came over. "Ah, now these two I remember. Should I call home and have them get your mug ready, Nick?" teased Jeremy, reaching into his pocket and finding the disposable cell. "Oh, right, d'you want this back?"

"At the station," said Bennett, chuckling. He wandered off to finish doing his job, Jeremy having become no longer his problem.

"If you're very good, maybe we won't lock you in," said Nick teasingly, taking Jeremy over to one of the cars on the edge of the chaos.

Jeremy laughed and got in the back, saying, "I'll just be happy if you turn the lights off before you drive me back to campus."

Nick laughed when Angela rolled her eyes and complied, and by the time they were following him home hours later, Jeremy was mostly calm and smiling. Bas met them at the door with coffee fixed the way both officers preferred, and a warm kiss for Jeremy, just the way he preferred.

When Jeremy got inside, he found himself surrounded by his pack, everyone crowding into the hallway for a kiss, or in the case of Jon and Chad, hugs. "Wow, you all were really worried, I guess?" he asked; even though he'd called home as soon as he got back to his office and his real phone, it warmed the last lingering shards of cold fear inside of him to find them all waiting to welcome him with open arms.

"Something like that," said Toby, snuggling into Jeremy's chest with no sign that he intended to let go any time soon.

Jeremy hugged him right back, pressing a kiss to his hair, and then another to the lips that presented themselves for kissing. "Let's go sit somewhere I can get dinner?" asked Jeremy plaintively, his stomach rumbling loudly enough that Toby could probably feel it.

They all laughed and pulled him into the open living room, where he was firmly squashed between Toby and David on the loveseat, and the others perched on the rest of the furniture. Bas fidgeted around in the kitchen for a few minutes, then brought Jeremy a tray table with a bowl of homemade chicken and dumplings, cornbread, a small salad and a glass of chilled white wine to go with it. "Wow, this looks great," said Jeremy, digging in.

"We would've waited for you, but we knew you'd be a long time," said David quietly, hand rubbing up and down Jeremy's back.

Jeremy grinned and kissed him, then took a sip of wine. "It took ages, but it'll be worth it if they can get a wedge into the organization," said Jeremy, sighing. He looked around at all their faces and asked, "You really don't mind that I did it this way? They might... come looking for us later, because of it."

A chorus of reassurance let Jeremy relax a little more, and he smiled sheepishly. "If we didn't want you to do it, I would have told you not to," said Toby simply.

Jeremy blinked, and felt himself flush. He still wasn't used to having to obey his Kiss in such matters, but then again, he wasn't used to having such matters to deal with at all. "I would've listened this time, too," said Jeremy shyly, stealing a kiss. "I haven't told you lately, but I think you do good with your pack, with all of us."

It was Toby's turn to blush, but he looked proud, especially when the rest of the pack murmured their agreement.

"I think all of you guys are really remarkable," said Jon quietly from his lonely spot in one of the far chairs. "Your whole pack is amazing, all the love you share, and how hard you all worked to get where you are."

It was Bas that came over and snuggled into Jon's chair, mostly sitting in his lap. "You've helped us out, too," he said, nuzzling at Jon's neck and stealing a kiss. "You're practically one of us already."

"We didn't know if you'd want that," said David calmly, and Jeremy smiled encouragingly at Jon, who mostly looked thunderstruck.

"There will always be a place for you with us," said Toby, getting nods and smiles all around.

"And you, too, Chad," said Jeremy; this was something they'd discussed before, knowing that Jon would graduate and get his degree in Sorcery at the end of the year, just as Chad would be getting his in marine biology. "I know you really want to go out west where the orca packs are, but you're welcome here anytime."

"I have a job offer," said Chad, looking down at his hands and back up at them. "You're almost enough, but... I'm not like Jeremy or Jon, I can't make a life and a career being here with you."

The pack nodded, and it was Toby who spoke for them all this time, "You'll always be welcome as our friend, and lover, and I hope we never lose touch."

Jeremy blushed a little, but added, "I hope your job doesn't start right after graduation."

They all laughed, remembering the long weeks of waiting for Toby to finish his degree, knowing it wasn't quite the same with Chad, but close, and closer every day.

"Oh, don't worry, Dr. J," said Chad, giving him a heated look, "I'll be taking several weeks to get to know you better before I move out west."

"Just what the doctor ordered," said Saul, tugging Chad into his lap from where he'd been perched on the arm of the couch. "And in the meantime, we'll make sure you're well broken in."

"Are we allowed to fuck them now?" asked Mercury, crawling from the other side of the couch to nuzzle at Chad's crotch.

More laughter, but Toby looked around the group. "I don't have any problem with that exception, do you guys?"

No one objected, and Jeremy laughed. "Not tonight, though," he said, giving Toby a nuzzle. "I want to sleep with my whole pack tonight."

"Even us?" asked Jon shyly.

"As long as you can keep your pajamas on, yeah, even you two," said Jeremy, realizing that this new thing he'd learned from the pack, how to love people without worrying about defined roles of friend or lover or boyfriend, it just kept expanding as long as he gave it the freedom to do so.

Jon grinned, and Chad as well, as though that last bit of welcome was all they both needed to be happy in the arms of the pack, and Jeremy hid his amusement in his food when Chad began necking with Mercury in Saul's lap, and Bas maneuvered himself to the bottom, with Jon snuggled happily in his embrace.

"So, um," said Jon, after a few minutes of murmuring and kisses with Bas, "I don't want to take David's place or anything, I mean, you've already got a shaman..."

"I am the pack's Charm, but a pack like ours can have more than one Charm," said David with a wink. "My powers are only good for trinkets and salves, and very personal rituals. We could use someone of your talent, Jon. I know you hold back around us, just as we suppress some of our more exotic traits around you, but I can tell you're very powerful."

"I spoke with my Master about it, asked her if she thought I was ready," said Jon, obviously relieved. "She said my Journeyman's Working was good enough to be another man's Master Work, and as long as I promised to keep working towards becoming a Master, she didn't feel the constraints of the school were needed."

"Do you need a Work Room?" asked Jeremy curiously; they had enough space for the six of them and even a few extras, but there weren't any good places to put something that would be both large and somewhat dangerous.

Jon bit his lip. "Well, traditionally I should build it myself, as an outbuilding. Is there enough land?"

Toby looked at Jeremy nervously, and Jeremy nodded. "There's acres of land here that's ours," he said, looking over at Toby. "You'd have to talk to our Kiss about material costs, though I know the Hand of the Bone Kin had his workshop outfitted by the pack."

"We'll work that out later," said Toby, nodding to his pack. "Let's go to bed." Jeremy swallowed the last of his wine just in time for David to steal the tray and put it away, dishes going into the dishwasher while everyone else stood up, smiling and happy.

Jeremy couldn't argue with that at all, not then and definitely not when Saul cornered him in the bathroom for a quickie while the others changed, though he suspected theirs wasn't the only pair taking the time to relieve the pressure of the day's anxieties. Jeremy gladly took this moment to touch and feel and be alive together, with someone he loved, and who loved him in return. Saul's hands were warm, and he took Jeremy up against the counter, so Jeremy could watch in the wide mirror, see the exact moment when Saul's fierce need crumbled and he came.

Jeremy came down his throat a few minutes later, feeling full and warm and so very right as he kissed Saul with a smile. "You know," said Jeremy, reveling in a few extra moments of snuggling against Saul's warm skin, "I never would have thought you'd be like this when I met you."

Saul grinned and kissed him, tweaking the ring in one tender nipple. "I'm only like this with the people I love."

Those words echoed through Jeremy's head as he drifted off to sleep a while later, surrounded by the warmth of his pack, held in the arms of love.

Chapter 45

"I'm going to be glad we're official if only so I never have to sign another stupid form ever again," said Toby, tossing his pen onto the pile of papers littering the dining room table.

"I'm right there with you, cub," said Saul, looking puzzled over his own set.

"At least you didn't have to change your name, even if you did have to finally admit what it was," said Toby sulkily. Since he'd been living as Toby Smith and even gotten both his degrees under that name, the lawyers decided to have him change it legally so he could get a legitimate Social Security card, not to mention having the right name on his brand new driver's license. "I feel like I'm drowning in paperwork."

Mercury crawled over and gave him a nuzzle; the Bone Kin's lawyers had found a way to combine Sebastian's immigration paperwork with the pack's formation, so only Mercury chose to be added in later to avoid having to have his real name and picture splashed all over the news. A reporter for the Associated Press had picked up the story of their pack during an interview with the Nigerian delegation, and had been poking around ever since, which was making them all a little nervous. "You know I'm willing to help," said Mercury, going up to his knees and offering a kiss.

Toby took him up on it gladly, letting his hands wander over Mercury's nude body possessively. "You've been helping, I promise," said Toby, already feeling better. "I'm just tired and stressed because the hearing's right after the moon."

Jeremy came in with a tray of mugs and began handing out cups of cocoa, made to Sebastian's recipe so it was soothing and spicy with just enough sugar and caffeine to keep them all going a while longer. Toby took a sip and sighed, warming his hand against the cup before running it down Mercury's back and getting a pleased purr in response.

"So," said Jeremy, taking his own seat once everyone had mugs, "how's it going?"

There was a lot of grumbling, and Jeremy shrugged. "I'm sorry, I know it's a ton of papers for you guys."

Toby stuck his tongue out at Jeremy. "You're just saying that because you have less than most of us." Since Jeremy was already a legal member of the Bone Kin and was simply adding a sort of dual citizenship by joining the Caress of the Sublime as a generic member, he had the least paperwork of them all.

Jeremy shrugged. "I make up for it in homework to grade," he said, pulling a stack out of his briefcase and joining in the fray.

"At least he made drinks," said Saul with a sigh, going through his own pile. Since he was an attack victim, he had to sign all sorts of waivers stating he wouldn't seek to prosecute his attacker or get any kind of victim's compensation, as well as registering himself officially as a weretiger, which he'd never bothered to do before.

Bas let his forehead hit the stack of papers in front of him with a dull thunk. "If I never see another of these stupid sticky arrows again it will be too soon," he said, brandishing one from the very top of his stack, though he stuck it back on when he lifted his head. "Who knew it would be so hard to be legitimate?"

"You did," said David teasingly. "That's why you didn't bother the first time."

"Oh, right," said Bas, chuckling.

They all got back to their papers while Mercury prowled between their legs, pausing to pet Edward and Ogdred and fondle David, to nuzzle at Saul's crotch and blatantly lick at the exposed ridges of Bas' stomach when he stretched. "You," said Toby, when Mercury made it back around to him, "are the best cure for paperwork ever."

Mercury grinned and crawled shamelessly into his lap. "Does this mean you guys'll help with my papers when it's time?"

They all laughed at that. "You know we will, love," said Toby, kissing him warmly. "We'd even fend off the trouble it would bring if you joined us for the hearing."

Mercury shook his head, smile faltering just a little. "No, I... it means a lot to me that you guys all want me to be one of the first members, but I'll always know I was Toby's first packmate, and that's enough for me."

Toby hugged him tight, then allowed himself long minutes of kissing and petting Mercury before he had to gently push him away. "All right, love, these papers won't sign themselves. I promise, I'll fuck you good later if you go get me some snacks."

"Oooh, you know I love it when you top me," said Mercury, clambering out of his lap and scampering off to the kitchen.

"He's so much more secure now," said Saul with a smile, watching Mercury's retreating bottom appreciatively. "He knows he's one of us, and that's all he needs."

"Quite a change from the old Mercury," agreed David, a satisfied little smile on his face. He sipped his cocoa, serene in front of his own neat piles of papers, a much less convoluted set of immigration forms than Sebastian's. "It means a lot to him, having a real home."

"A real job, too," said Saul, glancing over at Jeremy. "One we know does some good for the world, instead of catering to perverts."

"Not that there's anything wrong with enjoying the love of a hot shapeshifter or five," said Jeremy, not looking up from his grading.

They all laughed at that, and when Mercury returned with crackers and cheese and little tartlets for all of them, they each took their time thanking him for the treat in a very personal way, until he was flushed and hard and looking quite adorably dazed. "I don't know what I did to deserve this," said Mercury from where he was splayed over Saul's lap, busy fingers dancing over his cock and tugging at his nipples, "but I'm not going to question it."

"Don't question it, pet," murmured Saul in his ear, with all eyes in the room fixed on the pair of them. "Just come for us, love."

Mercury cried out softly and came, spattering his chest and stomach with seed, and Toby couldn't resist any longer. He crawled under the table and came up licking, tasting the evidence of Mercury's new happiness and the sweetness of his skin beneath. "We just felt like loving you a little extra tonight, is all," said Toby, kissing him warmly now that his front was mostly clean.

Mercury grinned, snuggling up in Saul's lap and resting his head on one shoulder. "I can definitely live with that."

* ~ * ~ *

Mercury hid himself among the ex-Pack Mind students who had been invited to watch the proceedings, all of them interning at the Institute and therefore legitimately connected to Jeremy. All the other Institute employees came as well, sacrificing the day's testing for celebration, since their control group wouldn't be around to test anyway. Mercury had one more thing helping him to blend in, and that was Sebastian's expert help in turning him into a shy, bespectacled, dark-haired girl rather than the lovely, silver-haired boy he was. Toby was proud to see him mingling with the real interns, and prouder to see that they accepted him and not a single person treated him differently despite the elaborate costuming.

There was some shuffling up front, and the committee filed in and sat up on the stage in front of them, forcing Toby to turn his attention away from Mercury and back to the future of his pack.

"Now commences this meeting of the Coalition of American Shapeshifters, here to discuss the request for membership by a newly formed pack, the Caress of the Sublime. Coalition President Judith Pierson, presiding," announced a young man, some sort of bailiff or herald for the Coalition.

The lawyers stood, and the pack beside them as they'd been taught, looking at the impressive array of elders from packs all along the east coast. None of them were Alphas, because their Coalition duties were a full-time job, but they had all been elected to their positions by the members of every pack that was officially a part of the organization.

Judith Pierson, looking just as icy and unpleasant as she had at the Christmas party, smiled down over the group. They were wearing the same suits as they had that day, though with different accessories as recommended by Jack and Moira, who were also in the audience. "I see all the paperwork is in order, though it is an unusual amount of it for such a small pack," she said, nodding toward the thick folder in front of her. "I would expect no less from our own lawyers, though."

They inclined their heads to acknowledge the compliment, and she went on. "It seems that nearly all of you have trouble in your pasts, trouble which may come looking for you in our fair city one way or another. I am not convinced that you, as a pack, are self-sufficient enough to warrant the title, rather than simply seeking the status to legitimize your leeching off of my packmate, Dr. Forrester."

Toby felt his feet turn to ice, and a glance showed anger on Jeremy's face, though the rest of them were too practiced at hiding their feelings to look more than politely curious. "Did you have specific questions for the pack members, Ms. Pierson?" asked Mr. Abernathy, his own face betraying none of the irritation he must be feeling, knowing that he and Ms. Wellings had worked so hard, only to have their own packmate undermining them.

"Yes," said Ms. Pierson coldly, pulling a notepad closer to her and clicking her pen. "You were all in an illegal and unsavory profession before you met Dr. Forrester, is that correct?"

Toby stepped forward, glancing at Jeremy with just enough authority to quell the protest he saw building. "The fi- four of us were prostitutes, though I was also a graduate student, which is how I met Jeremy in the first place."

Ms. Pierson winced slightly at Toby's use of such a familiar name with someone she obviously felt he should be kept far away from, and asked, "The four of you, Mr. Smith?" she inquired pointedly, and Toby mentally cursed his slip. She'd no doubt seen Mercury at the party, and he hadn't wanted to bring their missing member to anyone's attention.

"Yes, the four of us," said Toby, looking down the line at his fellow packmates and taking strength from them. "We came together by chance, but we built a pack out of what we had and what we knew, when one of us had no pack, two had been kicked out, and I had run from an untenable situation."

"How do we know you won't abandon this pack, then?" she asked, making a note on her pad.

Toby lifted his chin and suppressed the urge to growl at the idiot woman. "Because this is my chosen pack, built on a solid foundation of love and trust, and my loyalty to them has never wavered since the first member put himself under my care."

"And who was that?" asked one of the other Coalition members, a mousy little man whose nameplate declared him to be Aaron Sanders of the Slipskins, an alligator pack from Florida.

"As I'm sure you're aware, we have a few members who wish to join later, after the media attention has died down," said Toby; Jon had elected to wait until he had graduated properly, and Toby wasn't above making two into 'a few' for the purposes of confusion to their enemies. "My first packmate was one of those, followed by Saul, our Scourge."

"And your latest packmate?" asked Sanders curiously, his tone devoid of the hostility that Judith Pierson kept leveling at them.

"That would be Jon Calvin, who wishes to add to our Charms," said Toby with a smile. Jon had a test today, and hadn't been able to get out of it for the hearing, but he, Josh and Michael were meeting them back at the house, where Amelia and George were preparing for a celebratory dinner. "He will be joining us after he gets his degree this spring."

"Add to your charms?" snapped Pierson.

"We have chosen to call our shamans Charms," said Toby, unfazed by her now that he was getting into his role. "As your paperwork no doubt shows, David Chen is already our Charm."

David stepped forward and gave a little bow. "Most of my magic was lost in the change, though I still have the knowledge and skills given to me by my teachers," he said, looking dignified and mysterious, "I welcome the chance to share knowledge with Mr. Calvin, and to gain his assistance with the larger magics that a growing pack will need access to."

Mathias Thompson, a shaman from the small hyena pack in New York called the Laughter of the Gods, leaned forward in his seat curiously. "Your statement says it's common practice to change sorcerers in your old clan, is that right?"

David bowed his head once, a dignified nod of acknowledgement. "That is correct. The gene which makes one shift is much rarer among the Dragons than the gene that gives one magic, and this has been so for long enough that we have learned to compensate for the drain on our powers that shifting causes. I would be happy to discuss magic with you further at another time, Mr. Thompson."

"I might take you up on it while I'm in town," said Mathias contemplatively, leaning back in his chair. David stepped back in the line again, hands behind his back and expression satisfied.

Toby thought he could probably count on those two to vote them in, and possibly the woman on the end, who looked as though she felt the whole proceeding was a waste of her time and she blamed Judith Pierson for her boredom. Unfortunately, there were three other panelists besides Judith left that didn't look as though they approved of a pack of whores coming to them with their hands out.

"What are you doing for a living now?" asked one of the remaining three, a neat older man by the name of Geoffrey Sable, who held some sort of official position in Ursa Major, the sprawling bear pack that provided a lot of workers for the Bone Kin's construction firms.

"I am a Research Assistant at the Shapeshifter Behavioral Institute, as well as a voluntary subject. My other packmates are also volunteer subjects, though they spend a great deal more time being poked and prodded than I do," said Toby, making a joke of it which got a few smiles, though not as many as he might have hoped. "Dr. Forrester runs the Institute, and also teaches at the University."

"What will you do when the research gig runs out?" asked Sable, eyes sharp and narrow as he surveyed the group.

Jeremy stepped forward, and Toby allowed him to answer, since he was really the authority on their current job situation. "The research gig won't run out for many years, since the Caress of the Sublime comprises all but one of our control group, those volunteers unaffected by lunacy. Although the Institute has had no problem finding afflicted volunteers, we were concerned we might never even open until Toby and his pack offered to take the job."

That got some surprised expressions from the group, and one of the men Toby had thought was neutral began flipping through his copy of their file with more interest while Jeremy continued. "I personally intend to run the Institute until we find a cure, or I'm forced to retire, and Toby has expressed an interest in taking some time off to get his PhD once things are running more smoothly for us. The other pack members are looking into furthering their education so that they can pursue other careers at a future date, though Saul will most likely be too busy with his duties as our Scourge to do anything more, which is common for a lot of packs."

The man who'd been looking at the file, Henry Jansen of the tiny northern bear pack Ursa Minor, glanced up with an interested expression. "So, most of your pack intends to make a career of curing the shapeshifter community's most grievous affliction?" he asked, shooting Pierson a look that promised no good for her in the future.

Jeremy stepped back, and Toby smiled and said, "Yes, sir. While Jeremy's Institute provides us all a haven and a place to get on our feet as a pack, we are also committed to the cause it represents, and we'll stay with the research as long as we can be of use."

"I see here that two of your members will be gaining permanent resident alien status, is that correct?" asked Judith Pierson, glaring at their motley mixed-race pack as if it was an affront to her rich, white sensibilities.

Toby nodded. "That's mostly correct. David's visa already allows him to stay and work in the country for an indefinite period of time, and Ms. Wheeler has been working with Jeremy to request that Sebastian be allowed to stay due to his value to our research, if there becomes any problem with the pack's legitimacy."

Ms. Wheeler spoke up, looking glad that there was a question she could field. "Since Sebastian was exiled from his own pack, there are a number of amnesty arrangements that can be made for him. Being accepted into a pack here in the States would be the simplest, but the value of Dr. Forrester's research is undeniable, and of course there's always asylum from his old pack to be considered. It's highly doubtful that he would be deported, even if you should somehow manage to delay the petition."

Toby smiled a little at that; he could tell that Ms. Pierson did not enjoy being subtly told that she didn't have the power to stop them, only delay them for a time. She tapped her pen against her pad a few times and then asked, "What about the recent difficulties you ran into, that brought danger onto campus with you, Mr. Smith?"

Toby nearly rolled his eyes. "Are you referring to the assault which nearly killed me, Ms. Pierson, and which resulted in the recovery of the kidnapped children from Ghost Lion?" he asked, just as pointedly.

There was a stirring from the back of the room, and their guardian, Emmanuel Ibori, stood up and came forward, Selam and Anisa holding onto his hands. "If it pleases you, I would like to address this Coalition on that very matter."

Toby's smile was far more genuine now; he had liked the man, even during their strained luncheon, and been utterly charmed by the girls. "Mr. Ibori, it's so good to see you! I didn't know you were going to be back this way so soon," he said, then he went to one knee and held his arms out. "Selam, Anisa, how are you two doing?"

They giggled and came for a hug, grinning. "We'd be better if we didn't have to spend so much time with the therapist telling him how we're happy," said Selam in a conspiratorial whisper.

"But we do get lots of extra treats now that we've survived our terrible ordeal," added Anisa, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"That's good to hear," said Toby, turning and standing. "Is that all right with you, Ms. Pierson?"

She looked as cross as a child kept from her sweet, but she nodded tersely. "Yes, of course you're welcome to speak, Mr. Ibori."

The girls made their way down the line of the pack, collecting hugs and putting smiles onto everyone's faces, with enough maturity to whisper when they came back to ask him about their missing member. Toby explained softly that Mercury was hiding from the wicked cameras, and they nodded their understanding, and then proceeded to latch onto Toby's hands since Emmanuel was busy speaking.

"Thank you, Madam President," said Emmanuel solemnly, though his eyes bespoke mischief. "When I heard out dear friends were going to have their hearing to become a legitimate part of this great Coalition that we've been studying so carefully, I could not resist the chance to see it in action, as it were."

He shifted his hands around behind his back and continued, "I don't know how much you heard about our ordeal, but if it were not for these boys, then the very spirit of the Ghost Lion pack might have been lost or damaged by the villains who stole them from us. It was their Scourge who made the connection between their associate's unusual behavior and the tales of our lost treasures, and they nearly sacrificed their safety and their future by going to the detectives with their suspicions. They even figured out where the girls were being taken, and although they left the heroics to those who are paid to be heroes, it was their ingenuity and bravery that saved us from the sort of pain which their Kiss experienced, or worse."

"Thank you for your statement," said Judith Pierson. Her face had taken on an icily polite blankness, and the rest of the members of the panel were nodding, looking speculatively at the pack and, at least to Toby's mind, as though they were convinced that Toby had what it took to lead his pack. "Mr. Smith, why did you choose to go to campus when you were injured?"

"It was the only place I knew of which had a sufficiently secure place to hold me," said Toby, refusing to rise to her bait. "I held onto my reason and shape long enough to lock myself in the cage before allowing the change to overtake my mind and body."

This got some more impressed looks, and Toby could only be happy that some small bit of good luck had come out of the whole fiasco. Ibori turned back to Toby and winked, reclaiming his girls and taking the seats at the front that a couple of the interns voluntarily vacated, ending up with Anisa beside him and Selam happily sitting in his lap, smiling beatifically up at the panelists.

Mr. Abernathy took advantage of the moment of silence to step forward himself, saying, "Are there any more questions pertaining to their ability to function as a pack?"

Pierson looked annoyed, but she quickly smoothed it away and looked down at her notes. "Just a few more, Mr. Abernathy, thank you," she said, then shifted subtly and glared daggers at Toby. "Your pack has no two shifter types alike, is that correct?" she asked, waiting only long enough for Toby to nod and take a breath to answer before moving on. "How do you think that will affect your ability to sustain pack unity?"

"We are all outcasts or misfits of some sort," said Toby with a shrug. "We may end up with a larger percentage of one animal or another at some point in the future, but for now our differences have proven to be insignificant when compared to the things we have in common, and our loyalty to one another."

"What about sustainability?" asked Sable, glancing at the group. "It doesn't sound like you've got any plans to admit women, or interest in them if you did," he added, his contempt obvious in his voice.

Toby tried to remember if the man had ever been a client, then dismissed the thought as unworthy and unimportant. "We will of course be open to new members, and we hope to get some couples and single men and women to join in order to assure a future for our pack," he said. "We've already begun drafting guidelines for new members based loosely on the Bone Kin's policies, and have every expectation that the flurry of publicity surrounding our hearing will help to attract applicants."

"You're all single men, aren't you?" asked the bored woman on the end, Anna Sampson of the Blood Moon wolf pack.

Toby did his little sweet, 'aw, shucks' maneuver and said, "No, ma'am, we're all quite taken by one another."

That surprised a laugh out of Mathias, and identical looks of disgust from Sable and Pierson. Mathias grinned and said, "I've heard enough for a vote."

"I second the motion," said Anna with unmistakable relief in her voice.

They each took their ballots, heavy folding cards with the Coalition's logo on the front, and wrote something in them. The herald collected them and counted, then handed the pile to Ms. Pierson, who counted, made a face, counted again, and then put them down. "It seems you've impressed my fellow members," she said, making it clear that despite the ringing endorsement she herself was not at all impressed, "The Coalition of American Shapeshifters does hereby welcome the Caress of the Sublime into our numbers, and ratify that you are indeed a legitimate and full pack of shapeshifters according to the law."

A cheer went up around the room, and the pack members hugged and Toby even gave Ms. Wheeler a quick hug, though he restricted himself to a handshake for Mr. Abernathy. The young lawyers both looked pleased and proud, with a touch of relief. "I'm sorry," said Abernathy as the crowd surged forward and began milling and congratulating. "I didn't know she'd have it in for you."

"It's all right," said Toby with a grin. "You guys got us here, and that's what matters. All our ducks in a row, right?"

"Right," said Ms. Wheeler with a grin. "Not a feather out of place, and all our work rewarded. I have to say, this has been one of the most unusual cases of my career, paid or unpaid."

"And I can't say how grateful I am that your firm allowed you to take us on pro bono," said Toby with heartfelt enthusiasm. They'd been both relieved and surprised when they'd found out that no one at all was paying their lawyers, and instead the firm had taken their case as a writeoff and publicity stunt, and a favor to Jack Forrester.

"I'm pretty sure Jack would've found a way to pay for it even if we hadn't," said Ms. Wheeler, laughing when an excited Mercury finally wormed his way up to hug Toby tight.

"Order!" called Judith, her sharp voice finally cutting through the chaos. Everyone grew quiet, though no one went back to their seats. She took what she could get, and closed the meeting with little fanfare, signing a single copy of the paperwork with a flourish, though in the end all seven board members would have to sign all the copies in nearly as many places as the pack had.

As soon as the judges filed out, the crowding, hugging and congratulations recommenced, the photographers scattered around the room having a field day. Mercury spent his time sheltered in Chad's welcoming embrace, though he did get a hug from each of them, and murmured words of encouraging love, at least in Toby's ear.

"All right," said Toby with a smile, looking around the room, "let's go to the party!" Everyone who was invited knew where to go, and Jeremy took Mr. Ibori aside and quietly invited him to the proceedings. They were hoping to lose the reporters and keep the anonymity afforded by their recent move.

People drifted out to their cars in groups, and made their way to the house for the party, which turned out to mostly consist of people standing around on the ground floor drinking Jack's good wine and eating Amelia's excellent cooking, or lounging in the basement over beer and cable tv, an amenity that the pack was still getting used to having. Thanks to a careful charm by Jon, no one who didn't belong made their way upstairs, and thanks to Saul's watchful eye, no one drove home drunk or tried to linger past their welcome.

It was late when they'd all gone, but not so late that there wasn't time for a more private celebration, and the pack left the mess for tomorrow, the drunks to sleep it off among the mattresses, pillows and blankets downstairs, and made their way upstairs.

They split off into several groups, as much about the size of the beds as any real worries of impropriety, with Jon and Chad joining Bas and David in one side of the second floor suite, Saul making a sandwich with Josh and Michael on the other side, and Mercury and Toby snuggling up to Jeremy in the master bedroom.

"Today was a good day," said Jeremy, lying on his stomach on the bed, waiting for his packmates and wearing nothing but a contemplative smile.

Toby stripped off the rest of his own clothing and crawled onto the bed next to him, cuddling up shamelessly. "Today was a wonderful day."

"We did it together," said Mercury shyly, coming out of the bathroom sans makeup and waiting until Toby held out a hand to join them on the bed. A little shuffling got them snuggled in bed with Toby in the middle, Mercury snuggled up listening to his heart and Jeremy on the other side, stealing little kisses.

"That we did," said Toby, kissing Mercury warmly. "We'll turn your paperwork in with Jon's, and make a big deal of him to take eyes from you, but you'll always know that you were my first real packmate."

Mercury smiled, melting against Toby while Jeremy ran fingers through his fine hair. "You're the heart of us, in a lot of ways," said Jeremy softly.

Toby thought back to all the times Mercury had been kisses and comfort when everyone needed it, when his fragility had made the rest of them brave for him, when his wantonness had slowly stripped away Jeremy's shyness. Mercury might be the low cat on the totem pole, but it was by choice, holding them all up with his steady presence in the shadows. "He's right, you know."

Mercury grinned, the last of the shadows gone from his eyes, at least for now. "Are you sure I'm not the bottom of you?" he asked teasingly, stealing kisses and then flipping himself around, presenting his ass while his mouth found Toby's cock and roused it greedily to interest.

Toby laughed, and Jeremy helped position them so Toby could easily lick the body part in question. "That, too," he said, pressing a kiss to the pink entrance before tasting the familiar clean musk of his balls, licking up to his tailbone and back in a calculated tease.

"I'd be jealous if you weren't both so beautiful," said Jeremy, hands roaming over their two bodies as though admiring a sculpture, reverent in his caresses.

"You'll get yours soon e- oh!" said Mercury, gasping when Toby speared his tongue into him.

Jeremy chuckled and curled down around Toby's body, kissing Mercury around Toby's cock, sharing the pleasure with him while Toby opened Mercury to his eager mouth. "I want to feel your mouth on me tonight," Jeremy whispered to Mercury.

"We'll have you from both ends," said Toby, feeling around under the pillow for the lube they kept there and using it to slick up three fingers, knowing Mercury could take them, that they were all impatient after hours of waiting.

"Please!" gasped Mercury, spreading and shivering, leaving off Toby's cock to kiss Jeremy more deeply.

"Are you ready, love?" asked Toby, giving his ass a light swat.

"Yes, now, oh please," Mercury begged, unabashed in his need.

Jeremy left off their kisses and lay against the headboard, spreading his legs invitingly. "Start with me, love," he said, his cock already hard and damp at the tip, ready just from those kisses, from watching them.

Toby moaned softly when Mercury moved off him and pounced with all the grace and speed of his animal form, stealing a single hot kiss before devouring Jeremy's cock with the skills he'd learned from a lifetime of blowjobs. He got up on his knees and held Mercury still, his spit-slick cock slipping over Mercury's lubricated entrance before sliding into him in one smooth thrust. "God," said Toby, running his hands over Mercury's body, gentling him though he didn't really need it, "I always forget how good you feel."

Jeremy was lost already, head thrown back, the very picture of lust with no trace of the shy college professor left now that Mercury had him in hand. Toby thrust in deeply and gave Jeremy's nipple rings a twist and tug just to see him gasp, then did the same with Mercury's just to be fair. He began to thrust shallowly, reaching down to stroke and pet Mercury's clean-shaven balls and smooth cock, whispering softly, "You're like a statue, all smooth alabaster, only better. Hotter."

Mercury made a sound that might have been a moan if Toby's thrust hadn't cut it off, forcing Jeremy's cock deeper into his throat. It felt so good to be like this, needy but not frantic, to take the time to touch and to feel, to watch as well as do. They went on like that for a time and it was Jeremy who broke first, spilling himself down Mercury's throat and then kissing the stray drops from Mercury's lips like they were ambrosia.

"You're so beautiful when you come," Toby murmured, speeding up hips and hands both while they kissed as though just for him.

"I want to see you both come," said Jeremy huskily, looking at Toby and then nuzzling Mercury's cheek. "Come for me, Mercury, let me see how good he feels in you."

Mercury moaned and shuddered, spilling himself over Toby's fingers while Jeremy drank the cries from his mouth, and Toby couldn't help but follow after him, throwing his head back and growling as his release swept over him, pleasure filling him up and then bursting out when there was no room for more, taking with it all the day's tension and leaving him sweaty and sated, grinning and happy. He and Mercury curled up together with their bodies still joined while Jeremy laughingly got them a warm washcloth, his hands gentle as he cleaned them, leaving it in a bowl on the bedside table and joining them in the warmth of the bed once again.

"I love you both, and all my pack," said Toby, kissing them each with the solemnity of a ritual, though tonight the only rite was one of love and affection.

"As we love you, our Kiss," said Mercury and Jeremy together, with just enough singsong in their voices to show they understood.

They got comfortable, and Toby was nearly drifting off when he suddenly grinned and whispered into the night air, "We're officially a pack now."

The sleepy murmurs of assent he got in reply were all the celebration he needed, though he lay awake awhile longer, cuddled between two of his packmates and enjoying the warm feeling of accomplishment.

Chapter 46

Rather than forward the pack's mail to the new house and have their address publicised, Jeremy helped Toby arrange for a service to receive it, open it, sort it, and send it over by courier to them and their accountants twice a week. Mail day was becoming something of an event for them since their ratification had garnered a surprising amount of media attention, and they got a lot of encouraging notes and interesting applications for membership in each batch. They got a few threats as well, people who resented them because they were gay, or had a heterogeneous pack, or weren't what those people thought a pack should be; those were carefully handled, copied for the pack to read and the originals stored away safely, just in case.

Today's mail had the usual assortment, including a promising young couple from Oregon applying for membership. "Look at this," said Toby, laying out the generic form as provided on the Coalition's website, and accompanying letter and photograph. "They're from a close-knit Bear pack in Oregon, and he got a job offer out here but he didn't want to hook up with Ursa Major and get lost in the sprawl, so they thought they might have to give up on his big break or live packless."

"Can they come out for an interview?" asked Saul, snagging the papers and looking through everything with an eye toward the warning signs they'd been shown by the Bone Kin's new membership coordinator. "App looks legit, anyway."

"What's he do?" asked David, glancing up from his own mail. He'd started getting letters in Chinese right after the big announcement, though he wouldn't talk about them, much. They all respected his privacy, and were waiting to allow him to come to them in his own time.

"He's a copy writer, the job offer's with Lobelia & Huffman, that big ad firm," said Toby, sipping on his cocoa. The weather was warming up, but they still all loved it, so Bas had made them some to go with the enjoyable task of opening the mail, not to mention Amelia's delicious ginger spice cookies.

"Sounds like a good candidate to send to the background guys," said Mercury, going through his own pile, what they jokingly called their "love letters"; people wrote to them to give words of encouragement, congratulations, and occasionally even offer them something, though most of the offers came with strings attached. "Our not-so-secret admirer wrote again," said Mercury, waving the pink stationery in the air and grinning.

Saul set the couple's application aside and asked, "What'd she say today?"

Mercury brought the letter back down to skim over and gave them the highlights. "Oh, the usual, she's sorry to see we haven't been in the news in a few weeks now, hopes everything's all right, wishes we weren't all gay and, ooh, this is new, she suggests if we need to raise money we should do a nude calendar!"

They all laughed at that idea, though it wasn't entirely absurd; they were comfortable with nudity, but that sort of a project was always risky since they didn't have a backer. Toby filed it away for future reference and went back to looking through the applications, passing each one off to Saul as he finished with it. They got a lot of people who seemed to think by joining their pack they'd be able to stop working and live on the pack's dime, or just get an easy in to the pack's beds, and that sort got a form refusal without even bothering with the background check. There two other decent prospects, a local photographer who wanted out of his current situation into something with more freedom, and a witch from Canada who felt they needed a balancing female energy to keep their pack viable.

Toby's cocoa had gone cold before anyone spoke up again, when David cleared his throat and said softly, "I think this letter is for you."

He handed the envelope off to Toby, though it was addressed to David. Toby flipped it over, and felt his heart skip a beat as he saw the seal still intact on the back, official business from the shaman of his old pack. "Did you read it yet?" he asked with fake casualness, sliding the letter out and unfolding it.

David shook his head. "I saw the seal, and thought my Kiss should see it first," he said, scooting closer to lay a warm hand on Toby's shoulder.

Toby read the letter, a short but simple missive asking for David's help to sever Toby's magical ties to his old pack by request of the Zig Kawa. It hurt a little, but not as much as Toby had worried it would, and he handed the letter back to David. He didn't even know if his father was still Zig Kawa, it didn't give a name, only the title. "They just want to formally dissolve my ties to my old pack," he explained, looking around at all the faces.

David smiled and kissed him. "It's better that you belong only to us," he said, running his cheek against Toby's in a gesture that had become a familiar comfort among them.

That was enough cause for all of them to get up and swarm around him, and soon Toby was laughing as he kissed them all in turn, over and over as each of them presented himself for multiple turns. "I'm a lucky cat, to have you all as my Pack," he said, once they were satisfied that he'd been sufficiently cheered and gone back to their own tasks.

"We're lucky to have a pack like ours, with a leader like you," said Mercury softly. "I'm glad that only my Kiss and my Scourge have power over my life, while the pack owns my heart."

This time it was Mercury who was pounced, and mail day had a long hiatus while they sought a different sort of satisfaction together.

* ~ * ~ *

Sometimes it still caught Jeremy by surprise that he was part of a loving pack, that it wasn't just some dream or anthropological study but *his* pack, his lovers and friends. That Toby wasn't his student anymore, though after about a week he'd put the clothes Jack bought him away and gone back to jeans at the lab, and that he was Jeremy's to love as well as Jeremy's kiss. Sometimes Jeremy saw problems in the pack and he itched to solve them, but by now they'd trained him well to take his concerns to his Kiss.

Today they were upstairs, talking about the end of the year that was approaching more swiftly than they were prepared for, and the need to get Mercury to open up enough to become an official member of their pack. "I don't want to go any longer without him being one of us," said Jeremy, frowning, "but I hate that we have to pressure him to talk about things he isn't ready for."

"I know," said Toby with a sigh. "I'm starting to think he's just waiting for me to order him to do it, though, like he can't quite find the courage on his own and needs that last little push."

Jeremy chuckled and nodded. "That sounds like our Mercury," he said. "Do... do you even know what his name was, before?"

Toby shook his head. "All the forms are still blank, except the stuff that the lawyers already typed in."

Jeremy flopped back onto the bed with an explosive sigh. "Why can't it just be easy?"

"Like you are, you mean?" said Toby with a chuckle, reaching up Jeremy shirt to snag a nipple ring and tug it.

Jeremy gasped, as much at the cold fingers as the sharp pleasure, then flipped over and pinned Toby down with a little growl. "Like you," he said, giving Toby a kiss that was more forceful than Jeremy had been with him before, trying out some of the things he'd been learning in his time with David and Saul.

Toby went all lax beneath him and grinned. "Now this is the best way to distract me," he said, stretching sensuously.

Jeremy spent a moment appreciating the sight, hands wandering idly downwards, unbuttoning Toby's shirt as they went. "I know a better way," he said, taking a deep breath once he got to the bottom. He stole one last, fierce kiss and then went for it, flipping Toby over beneath him and then using the shirt to tie Toby's arms behind his back.

Toby moaned, writhing beneath him and Jeremy resisted, wanting Toby to feel trapped, even if they both know it wasn't true. "Be a good boy, now," said Jeremy, leaning forward to bite the back of Toby's neck, right over Saul's fading mark.

Toby gasped and went obediently limp. "Oh, yes, sir," he said softly, legs spreading as much as they could as Jeremy sank his teeth in just a little deeper before letting go.

"Very good," said Jeremy, nipping at each of Toby's shoulders sharply before heading downward, slipping Toby's jeans off and leaving a round, red mark on each pale cheek from his teeth. Toby moaned and spread wider, arching up, offering himself to Jeremy in a way that Jeremy found intoxicating. He hadn't gotten to play this role much yet, and this was his first time with Toby, who held so much power in his life now and gave it up so readily.

Jeremy resolved not to misuse it, and proceeded to do something he'd always wanted to and cover Toby's whole ass with bites, each one drawing a delicious moan or whimper from Toby. When he was out of places to bite, Jeremy spread Toby wide and began licking instead, up and down the sleek crease, sucking on his balls and tailbone both, then kissing his way inward, ending in a teasing ghost of breath over Toby's entrance. Toby mewled and tried to wriggle back, to get more contact but Jeremy's hands tightened and kept him still. "Stay, love," said Jeremy sharply, and Toby let out a slow breath and relaxed once more.

Jeremy lowered his mouth slowly, first brushing kisses over the little pucker like it was a mouth, as delicate as a butterfly's wing. Then, once that fine tension had rebuilt itself in Toby's body, he licked a careful path around and around, each circuit taking him inward. Toby was begging by the time he got to the center, and Jeremy grinned as he realized it was up to him whether or not Toby's wish would be granted. "Perhaps," said Jeremy, pressing a firmer kiss to Toby's entrance, then licking it over and over, broad like a cat this time, a tease that his packmates had used on Jeremy any number of times.

Jeremy's own body was starting to grow impatient by the time he'd tormented Toby to his satisfaction, but he told it to be patient and began to slowly work his tongue inside, opening Toby with as much care as he might have used on a virgin. Toby's begging grew in pitch and Jeremy finally gave in and slid his tongue in as deep as it would go, lips sealed over the sensitive opening and teeth just scraping the edges.

Jeremy's patience wore thin and he sat up, giving Toby's ass a final slap, one on each cheek just to see the red marks of his teeth grow redder. "Do you need lube?" he asked, coming around to the front of Toby to rub his ready cock against Toby's cheek.

"No, sir," said Toby breathlessly, rolling into his side so he could take Jeremy in, suckling at him and wetting his cock thoroughly. Jeremy slicked two fingers anyway and slipped them into Toby's body, a small stretch at this angle but not too bad with Toby so short and curled so helpfully inward.

"That's it, good boy, fuck, you're such a good boy," said Jeremy, amazed at how hot Toby felt at both ends, how ready. "Now?" he asked, knowing he'd come if he didn't get inside Toby soon.

Toby pulled away and nodded, scrambling to get his knees under him and lift his ass up, offering and entreaty all in one. "Please now," he begged, his own cock and balls hanging heavy and full beneath the curve of his body.

"Oh yes," said Jeremy, moving quickly to sink himself into Toby's welcoming depths. Toby was tight, and the extra friction made him seem tighter, but his body drew Jeremy inside, grasping at his cock when Jeremy pulled back in order to thrust in again, and again. "So good," he praised, petting Toby now, though he forced himself to stay mindful of his position.

He gripped Toby's hips and began to fuck him hard, rougher than he would have dared to be with anyone a few months ago, as rough as Saul was sometimes, when Jeremy needed that controlled violence to erase a long day or just show him his place in the pack. Toby reacted beautifully, rocking into the thrusts, letting out low moans or high-pitched mewls, growing sweaty and shivering as the pleasure built, and finally pleading for release as Jeremy used his body relentlessly.

Jeremy was feeling the same need, coupled with the wicked satisfaction of knowing that Toby's pleasure was in his hands entirely. "Wait for me, love, and you may come when I do, not before and not after," he said wickedly, knowing Toby was capable; Jeremy had yet to find the trick of it, though he'd spent a couple of rather frustrated evenings trying before Saul took pity on him.

"Yes, oh yes, perfect, soooo," said Toby, the last word dissolving into a moan as Jeremy changed the angle of his hips just enough to be sure that every stroke gave the maximum pleasure to them both.

It didn't take much longer after that, and Jeremy let himself go with a wordless cry, spilling into Toby's body while Toby shuddered around him, following him over the edge as though pulled along in his wake. Jeremy let the orgasm white out his senses for a few interminable heartbeats, so there was nothing but the warm honey taste of pleasure running through his veins and into the heat of Toby's body. When he came back to himself they were both panting, sated, and he had to fumble for a moment before he freed Toby's hands.

Jeremy curled up around him and collapsed them both sideways, so they could snuggle just a little longer before forcing their bodies to part. "I love you like this," said Jeremy, voice rich with satisfaction and affection both.

Toby chuckled and twisted around for a kiss, then said, "I love this new side of you, but I loved you before, too."

Jeremy laughed and kissed him again. "I never doubted it, after you made me believe that first time," he said, then kissed Toby on the nose teasingly. "So I did all right?"

It was Toby's turn to laugh at his insecurities, and he reached up and stroked Jeremy's hair and cheek. "You did all right."

Jeremy grinned and snuggled up, though he knew he'd go soft soon and they'd get cold and have to move. It was worth a few minutes of being cold later, to hold onto the warmth they had now just a little longer, though he knew that it was something he could get back whenever he needed it.