It was familiar, strikingly so, but that wasn't necessarily what made it so shocking. The fact of the matter was, out of all the things that could have possibly happened, Dean had not expected Argent Hull, his pack's former beta, to emerge from the very same door Dean had walked through.

  Everyone else seemed just as surprised. After all, a beta could only come to the Gathering if invited by an Alpha, and Argent hadn't been in that position. But somehow, Argent had managed to get here, and in an even crazier development, he'd come to stand up for Dean.

  Argent took advantage of the astonishment. "This has to stop," he said. "I lost two Alphas in a handful of days, and I lost them because I was stupid. Because we were stupid." His voice didn't tremble despite all the gazes on him. "I see you all here, passing judgment, but did anyone ever wonder about the effects your decisions have upon the rest of our kind? My pack, the only family I've ever known, is gone, scattered. I cannot blame my Alphas for the decisions they made. I betrayed them. I realize that now. But because I betrayed them, I can't have this happening again, not to anyone else.

  "When did we become so comfortable with twisting rules the way we deemed fit? When did we decide it was all right to stab each other in the back as long as we had a good enough excuse? This isn't our way. It has to stop."

  Finally, Boris snapped out of his shocked trance. "And I suppose you're going to do it, beta," he sneered. "You're going to stop it."

  "I am not fool enough to believe that I can do such a thing on my own." Argent smiled bitterly. "But... I was hoping this might be a start, and it might at least make other people think about what they were doing. Before all of this happened, I thought I understood... I thought I grasped the meaning of what my Alphas had done. But I didn't, not really, and maybe I still don't. All I ask now is for you to think—what if your mate had been human? What would you have done then? Would you have been strong enough to protect a pack that separated you? I don't think so."

  Dean couldn't see how the words would have any effect. After all, he'd been trying to convey a similar message for a while now, and nothing had worked. He almost wished Argent hadn't come at all. Clearly, the man felt guilty for having sold out Finn. Will had told him all about it, and Dean felt proud of the way his son had handled the situation, and yes, resentful of Argent for betraying Finn's trust. That didn't mean he wanted the beta to die—which might very well happen, because the Gathering didn't take kindly to anyone defying them.

  Just when he thought he couldn't be surprised anymore, Boris's son stood up and joined Argent. "He's right. This has been more than enough. We have no right to blame Alpha Simmons for something we would have done ourselves had we been in his position."

  "Sasha, stand down," Boris growled at his son.

  "No." Sasha clenched his fists. "I've been silent for too long. This is cruel, and completely unnecessary. If anyone here can find a real, rational reason why Alpha Simmons should die, then I dare them to step forward and say it."

  Boris spluttered. "The Secrecy Accords—"

  "Have not been breached," Sasha interrupted his father. "Furthermore, I am told Alpha Simmons's family deliberately left the human lives of their mates behind, to prevent risky situations."

  "That doesn't make what Simmons did acceptable," Boris fumed.

  "And what exactly did he do? He found his mate and had a child. This never would have become an issue if the rest of us hadn't made it so."

  Silence. The voice of Sasha Maximoff—a born Alpha and Boris's heir—had far more weight than Argent's, and hope sparked in Dean's chest. Boris pushed past Dean and stalked toward his son. "Are you challenging me, boy?" he asked in Russian.

  "If I have to."

  Dean suppressed the urge to smirk. Boris seemed to have bigger problems than Dean, and it was incredibly satisfying to see. Of course, it was even more satisfying when the other Alphas saw the truth of the argument, and finally accepted it. "All in favor of Dean Simmons going free, rise," an Alpha said from the front row. He was already rising, and Dean had the distant thought that he remembered the man as the very same foreign leader he'd been talking to that night, so many years ago, when his father had forcibly separated him and Will.

  All around them, Alphas rose, one after the other. It was a peculiar ripple effect, almost like reverse domino pieces. Not everyone stood, of course, but by the end, it was obvious that the overwhelming majority had deemed the matter over.

  "It's decided, Alpha Simmons," Sasha said with a smile. "You're free."

  The next thing Dean knew, Will was in his embrace, shaking and kissing his neck. Dean hadn't even seen his mate move, but his arms went around Will's waist as if on instinct. "It's okay," he whispered in Will's hair. "Everything is okay now. There's nothing more to fear."

  Not anymore. This time around, Dean had managed to keep his promise, and nothing would keep him from Will, ever again.

  Epilogue

  "Oh my God." Jessie breathed as Will finished his story. "I can't believe Argent came to help you. I would have expected anything but that."

  "It was the least he could do," Finn grumbled, clenching his fists. "I trusted him for years, and—"

  "It's okay now, Finn," Parker cut him off with a kiss. "Breathe. We're all here. We're fine."

  It was amazing, but true. Will and Dean had finally made it home, and it had been a difficult journey, in more than one way. Willow Cove had changed a great deal. Will's parents and his brothers were gone, some the victims of old age, others of the various wars that had shaken the country throughout the past century. The only descendants of the Mulligan family were Kyle's daughters who'd moved away ten years ago. And at some level that still hurt, but the pain dulled into a sense of rightness the moment he'd stepped into the very same cabin that had once been the witness of their budding romance.

  The cabin itself was a little on the small side, but for the moment, it would suffice, at least until Saul managed to go through with his plans of building a second house, so that they could all have more space. With the children coming, they'd need it. For the moment, though, those concerns had been set aside as the family eagerly took in the information on what had happened at the Gathering.

  "How did Argent even manage to get there?" Saul asked. "I mean, it's not exactly easy to travel all the way to Siberia."

  "I spoke to him before we left, and he said he'd gotten Elena Maximoff to bring him with the excuse that he wanted to join her pack. It's also one of the reasons why he couldn't leave yet." Dean smiled sadly. "To be honest, it's a pity that it got to this. I always thought he was competent and clever."

  "Will he be okay?" Andreas asked. Dean suspected that out of all of them, Andreas probably empathized most with Argent.

  "I think so, yes," Dean replied. "In the big picture, Argent was only the tiny stone to cause the avalanche. Most of the people there were already thinking those things. They just didn't have the courage to say it until someone else did. Kind of humbling that the someone turned out to be a beta."

  Will reached for Dean and squeezed his mate's hand. He didn't want to have Dean blaming himself for the past, never again. Dean threaded their fingers together, and Will could feel his mate relaxing slightly.

  He turned his attention toward the rest of those present. "What about you? What have you been up to?"

  "Well, we managed to get a hold of the silencer guilds. It was difficult, but the leader of Erdi's guild seemed reasonable, insofar as a silencer can be, at least. He said he'd meet us in a few days and release Erdi into our custody."

  "That's excellent news." Dean grinned. "He helped us a great deal. I feared what that would mean for him."

  "My bet is that the guild didn't like it, but at least we managed to get him out of there."

  Saul looked like he wanted to say something more, but he didn't get the chance. The cry of an obviously dissatisfied baby interrupted their conversation. Saul cursed. "Oh, shit. Shan."

  He tore out of the small living room like a horde of silencers was after him. "The baby's been restless," Andreas explained. "Gavin's barely slept a wink in the past few days with the amount of crying he's been doing."

  "He could tell something was wrong," Finn offered. "Not that it was very hard. He missed his grandfather."

  Dean chuckled. "I missed him too."

  Will elbowed Dean in the stomach. "Go. I can tell you want to see him. Come on, get a move on."

  Dean went, and without being told, Finn, Parker and Andreas followed. It was like they could also sense what Will had already felt—the fact that his son needed to talk to him in private.

  Will sat down next to Jessie and wrapped an arm around him. Jessie set his head on Will's shoulder, and Will caressed his son's hair. "How are you feeling? The twins?"

  "They're pretty active, but they're fine." Jessie caressed his swollen stomach, and it reminded Will of a different time when he'd done the same, when he'd been carrying Jessie inside. Had it truly been so long? Sometimes, it seemed unbelievable.

  Jessie was still his baby boy. The protectiveness Will had felt over his son had never faded, and neither had their bond. And that was why Will knew what Jessie wished to ask, but couldn't quite manage to find the right words for.

  "Mathias is all right," he explained. "Your father made sure his injury was incapacitating, but not lethal."

  "Oh." Jessie released a sigh of relief. "I'm glad."

  So was Will. He couldn't exactly be sure on what he felt about Mathias. Their friendship had received a heavy blow, but it wasn't solely Mathias's fault. In his heart, Will realized all too well that at some level, he'd played with Mathias's feelings. Mathias had wanted a family and a mate so badly, and for a while, he'd fooled himself into believing Will and Jessie could be that family. Will had allowed it for his own convenience, and that was something he would never forgive himself for. He couldn't quite regret it—everything he'd done had been for the benefit of his child—but he still hated he hadn't been able to find a different solution.

  "Do you remember him?" he asked Jessie.

  "Some. Not clearly. Just... sensations. Flashes. I remember warmth, safety, kindness... It's not really clear. But... I do know I'd like to see him again, properly."

  "And I won't deny you that. Maybe after the twins are born."

  By then, Will could perhaps banish the image of Mathias lunging ferally at Dean, so unlike the man Will had known. Oh, who was he kidding? He could never forget. But maybe, just maybe, he might be able to make his peace with it.

  Dean must have sensed his disquiet, because he returned into the room, carrying Shannon in his arms. He sat down next to Will on the couch and quietly passed him the baby.

  The tiny boy blinked up at him and released a small coo, and Will melted. Right then and there, with Shannon in his arms, with his son on his left and his mate on his right, he couldn't really cling to those morose emotions. Because finally, after all this time, after decades of waiting, he had his mate back. He was surrounded by people who loved him, and all the pain he'd been through was worth it, for this one moment of peace, of contentment, and most of all love. The dream he and Dean had dared to share was a reality, and their family would never be separated again.

  ****

  That evening, after dinner, Saul pulled Dean aside. Dean had expected this conversation, since he'd known living here would involve following Saul's rules. It was Saul's pack, and as such, Dean would have to step down from his previous position as Alpha.

  It didn't bother him. In fact, he was relieved. He'd already severed all ties with his previous pack, and right now, he just wanted to live for his mate, for his children and his grandchildren. "I don't want to lead anymore," he told Saul. "You're a good man, and you make good decisions. I trust you."

  Just like that, Dean became a member of the Lone Wolf Pack. In hindsight, it was silly that he'd waited so long, but he'd truly thought he didn't deserve a chance at his mate's side. Now that he had it, he had no intentions of wasting it.

  He found Will in the attic, looking through some of their old things. The wolf plushy that he'd won for Will at the carnival had miraculously survived the passage of time, and as Dean entered the room, Will smoothed his hand over the dusty toy.

  "I wish I could have taken this along with me when I left."

  "You had no reason to." Dean knelt next to his mate. "I abandoned you."

  "Only... You didn't, did you?" Will smiled, and his eyes glittered with emotion. "Dean... Is this really happening? Are we really safe?"

  "Oh, baby." Dean pulled his mate close and kissed Will's forehead fiercely. "I realize it seems unbelievable, but we're here. We're fine, and so is Jessie. We're starting over, with our own pack. I know it isn't exactly what you dreamed, but—"

  It was Will's turn to shush him. "It's exactly what I dreamed. To be with you, with my son... What more could I want?"

  Dean couldn't have said which one of them moved first, but the next thing he knew they were kissing, tasting, exploring, reacquainting themselves with one another. Perhaps they should have been frantic after everything they had experienced, but oddly, they weren't. It was suddenly important for Dean to take his time, to lavish his mate with attention like Will deserved.

  They'd never truly had time before. They'd always been forced to hide, or been afraid and judged. Not anymore. Today, they could at last be together, without fear to cloud the moment.

  They broke apart to breathe, and Dean took advantage of the moment to pick his mate up. The floor wasn't exactly comfortable, and Dean refused to take his mate elsewhere than on a regular, normal bed.

  Dean wanted normality—insofar as he and Will could ever be normal, at least. Without the burden of his responsibilities, he felt free to build the future he'd dreamed of, and he would start right now.

  He carried his mate out of the attic and into the bedroom Saul had assigned them. They didn't run into anyone on their way there, and Dean momentarily wondered if that was how Saul had planned it, before he realized it didn't matter.

  As gently as possible, Dean set his mate on the bed. Will smiled up at him and extended his hand in wordless invitation. Dean wanted to take that hand, but for a single instant, he was frozen, hypnotized by the sight in front of him.

  A million things passed through his mind then. He could have lost this so easily. He could have failed Will again. He had failed Will so badly, and he didn't really deserve forgiveness.

  But those thoughts and fears faded as Will grabbed his hand and pulled him down. And when Will kissed him, Dean forgot all about guilt, sadness, and the past that had burdened him for so long.

  Instead, he focused on the very important task that was getting his mate naked. It was a little harder than he'd have liked, since Will's taste was messing with his head, and with his coherence. Still, he managed well enough. If he ripped some buttons along the way, Will didn't protest. He simply grinned against Dean's lips. Some things never changed.

  While still lost in the kiss, Dean discarded Will's shirt and his own. He pulled back long enough to help Will out of the rest of his clothes. Despite his urgency, he took a little more time than would have been warranted. He kissed Will's chest and abdomen as he popped the buttons of Will's jeans. He caressed Will's sides as he helped Will wiggle out of the tight denim. He thrust his tongue into Will's bellybutton as he pulled Will's underwear down.

  Will's whimpers guided him along, and Dean forced himself to break away from his exploration of his mate's silken skin. As quickly as possible, he took his own clothes off, while Will threw off his shoes and shoved his jeans down.

  Finally naked, they came together once more. Their cocks slid against one another, making both of them hiss in tortured pleasure. Still, they didn't immediately move to pursue an orgasm. Instead, they just lay there, kissing lazily, caressing every inch of each other they could reach.

  It was a slow seduction, a luxury Dean had never allowed himself. Will's slender fingers left trails of fire over Dean's skin. His dick throbbed with a pleasurable agony, and Dean reveled in it, in simply being and experiencing this moment of perfect intimacy with his mate.

  The touches gradually became more daring, and Dean let himself fall into the natural flow of what they shared. When Will whispered Dean's name in a pleading murmur, Dean gripped both their cocks into a fist and pumped lazily. It wasn't meant to make Will climax, and maybe even Will hadn't expected or wanted it to happen. Nonetheless, that one touch was enough to push his mate over the edge. Will's body went rigid and wet heat splashed over Dean's stomach as his mate came and came and came, so beautiful in his pleasure that Dean was both humbled and impossibly aroused. By some miracle, he managed to hold back, but it must have been only because of the wolf's need to claim Will.

  He made no attempt to pursue that goal, not yet. Instead, he watched Will as his mate rode the waves of his pleasure. In spite of his own burning need, Dean realized he wouldn't mind it if he simply held Will without them actually taking things further. A paradox, perhaps, but his wolf was no longer impatient, and there was a special charm in the anticipation.

  Will had other ideas. No sooner had he caught his breath than he cupped Dean's cheeks and fixed him with a hot, needy gaze. "Dean, please... Inside me."

  It would have taken a man stronger that Dean to resist those breathless words. In a daze, Dean reached for the nightstand, mentally congratulating himself for having the foresight to buy supplies, and to retrieve them from their bags.

  His hands trembled slightly as he uncapped the tube of lubricant. Will spread his legs, his eyes bright with passion and emotion. Dean squirted a generous amount of lubricant on his fingers and reached for his mate's opening, watching Will's face for any signs of pain. He'd been less gentle than he'd have liked when they'd made love in Siberia, and the last thing he wanted was to accidentally hurt Will.

  Gently, Dean inserted one finger inside Will's channel. There was no pain written in Will's beautiful eyes. Dean saw only pleasure, only eagerness and the same fire burning through Dean's veins. Another digit earned Dean a gasp, and when he crooked his fingers inside Will and hit his mate's prostate, the sound escalated into a moan. "Dean..."

 

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