He looked up at the sky and not for the first time, remembered the night he'd met Dean. Had it been only a month or so back? God, he couldn't believe it. To think how his life had changed within a matter of weeks—it was gobsmacking.

  Shaking his head, he picked up his small bag from the driver. The man shot him a confused look. "Are you sure you want to stay here, Ma'am?"

  Will nodded. "My husband is meeting me," he replied in a soft, practiced voice. "Thank you for worrying."

  The driver looked relieved, having been clearly unsettled by the idea of leaving a pregnant woman alone at night in a small town around a less than respectable crowd. Will would have bet the money he had left that three quarters of the people here were smugglers. Oh, well. He had to try, since he couldn't stay at the border forever. His time was running out, and Will might have braved the unknown alone, but he couldn't perform surgery on himself when the day he'd actually have to give birth.

  True, even if he went into Canada, he only had a vague concept of where he needed to go, but he'd deal with it then. Each step at a time, carefully and calmly. It had gotten him out of most of the problems he'd encountered so far. Hopefully, it would continue to work.

  Shouldering his bag, Will headed away from the bus station. He wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, all the while making sure the curls of his wig covered his face enough. Damn it, he needed to check out his disguise before he made further progress. If someone even caught sight of his Adam's apple, he'd be in huge trouble.

  Using the ladies room never got any easier, but Will made his way toward it nevertheless. There was no one inside, and Will heaved a sigh of relief despite the pungent smell coming from the toilets.

  He was reapplying his makeup when the door opened behind him. As quickly as possible, Will made sure his disguise remained in place. Women were often more observant than men and the new arrival could spot any flaws in his outfit.

  As it turned out, his concerns shouldn't have been related to that. Will kept his eyes on the mirror, only to watch in dismay as three men stepped up behind him. Okay, that wasn't normal.

  He turned around, gripping his purse convulsively. "This is the ladies room," he said. If his voice trembled a little, he didn't think anyone could have blamed him.

  One of the men—a fat guy with a beer gut and a pudgy face—stepped forward and grinned. "We noticed."

  "We also noticed you're all by your lonesome." One of his companions, a tall man with a burn scar on his right cheek, tsked. "We simply couldn't allow that."

  The third man didn't even bother to address Will at all. He smirked at his companions and licked his lips. "I've never fucked a pregnant woman. I hear they're really... wild."

  Shit. Fuck. This wasn't good, not good at all. Will looked around, trying to find a solution. Of course, there was no way out. The three men were blocking the only door. At a different time, Will might have been able to run past them, but in his less than athletic state, he didn't have a chance.

  "Please," he begged. "Don't do this."

  If they tried to touch him, they'd see he was a man. It didn't take a genius to realize what would happen after that, and Will didn't think he could protect his unborn child.

  "Oh, look at that." Fat Guy's eyes fixed on Will's face again. "She begs so prettily. Tell you what, honey. Show us what else you can do with your mouth, and maybe we'll let you go."

  It was a lie, Will knew it. They'd never let him go, but still, he had no choice. Scar Face shoved him down and Will fell, his knees thudding painfully against the dirty tiles of the bathroom. From this angle, he could clearly see the way his captors' dicks strained against their jeans. His stomach roiled, and he was truly afraid he might throw up on the spot.

  Fat Guy reached for his zipper and undid it. His hard cock nearly poked Will in the eye. "Come on, baby. Suck it."

  Will instinctively recoiled, but he had no place to go. He went a little lightheaded when he heard the door open again and heavy footsteps approached. Another accomplice?

  That guess proved to be mistaken. "What the hell is going on in here?" the new arrival asked loudly.

  The man's voice was slightly accented, but it was his tone of authority that made the other three turn toward him. "None of your business," Fat Guy snapped.

  Since the men directed their attention to the threat, they moved away from Will. He struggled to his feet, leaning against the wall to support himself. The fourth man instantly spotted him, and his lips thinned, his gaze turning thunderous.

  There was something about him that seemed awfully familiar. Will couldn't quite pinpoint it except maybe... Maybe it reminded him a little of Dean. Those eyes held the same wild, feral danger that Will had seen in Dean. Holy shit.

  "Just walk away mister," Scar Face piped up, oblivious to the peril. "Walk away, and maybe you won't—"

  The stranger gripped Scar Face's throat and lifted him in the air using a single arm. "I'm sorry? I didn't quite get that."

  Scar Face let out choking noises, clawing at the hand still keeping him captive. The stranger hummed thoughtfully. "I'm afraid you're going to have to speak up. I still can't quite hear you."

  Fat Guy and his other companion lunged at the stranger, but the man just stepped back and tripped them like they were nothing more than clumsy children. When they tried again, he punched Fat Guy straight in his pudgy face, then applied a very painful looking kick to the third man's stomach—and he did it all while still holding Scar Face aloft.

  By now, Scar Face looked a bit purple, and Will's savior released the man just before Scar Face could go unconscious. Fat Guy helped Scar Face up, while the third man struggled to his feet and panted out, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

  The stranger watched them flee, then finally turned toward Will. "Are you all right?"

  Will nodded and miraculously succeeded to find his voice. "Thank you so much. You saved me."

  "I wish I could do more, but unfortunately, the authorities in this area tend to turn a blind eye to most everything." He peered closer to Will's face, then looked down at his belly. "Wait... What? Why are you a man?"

  The relief that had filled Will when his would-be rapists had fled exploded into full-blown panic. "Umm... I don't understand," he whispered, trying to surreptitiously make his way toward the exit.

  "Oh, I think you do." His rescuer grabbed his arm. "Don't be afraid," he whispered softly. "I won't hurt you. I just can't figure you out. You are... human."

  The latter word was barely audible, spoken softly and almost inquiringly. Something in the man's tone soothed Will, and he found himself slumping against the stranger's chest. "I am," he confirmed. "It's... It's kind of a long story."

  The stranger awkwardly patted his hair—well, his wig. "It's a good thing we have time, then. Start at the beginning. What's your name?"

  "Will." The 'Mulligan' was on his lips, but an image of Karl's angry face popped up in Will's mind, and he couldn't say it. And then, Will felt the heavy weight of Animal Farm in his purse, and he suddenly knew what to reply. "Will Orwell."

  Chapter Five

  Present day

  "You never told me what you're going to do."

  Finn Simmons crossed his arms over his chest, looking worried and angry. Will had the vague thought Finn resembled his father so much it was painful. He shook it off and sighed. "I can't say anything just yet, Finn. Trust me on this one, and stay with Jessie."

  "You know we'll keep him safe," Finn replied, rubbing his eyes. "But there has to be something we can do to help. I just can't bear the thought of abandoning Father."

  "You're not abandoning him." Will squeezed his shoulder. "You have your own mate and family to worry about, and he wouldn't want you to endanger them. Let me take care of this."

  Finn would have probably continued to protest, but before he could do so, a female voice echoed around them, announcing the arrival of Will's flight. The airport bustled with even more activity than before. "Looks like that's my cue to go," Will told his mate's son. "Don't worry about me. I'll keep you posted. Hopefully, I'll be able to return soon."

  It was more difficult than he could ever express to have to leave Jessie at such a time. Jessie might be a half-wolf, but that hadn't come without a price. He tended to use his unexpected healing powers—abilities that seemed to stem from his hybrid nature—too much and Will was very worried it would make Jessie's pregnancy riskier than it already was.

  But he had to hope he'd be able to solve this problem and be back by his son's side as soon as possible. He had to believe that, because if he didn't... God, no, he didn't even want to think about it.

  Swallowing around the knot in his throat, Will straightened his back. "Call me when you get to Willow Cove. By then, I'll probably be in Toronto. Anything you need, any questions you have to ask..."

  It was Finn's turn to reassure him. "I know, Will. You already told us, more than once. And again, we won't let anything happen to Jessie."

  Will would have still preferred it if his son could have accompanied him to the airport, but they'd all decided of common accord that it was too risky to expose Jessie that way. He wasn't comfortable with saying goodbye, so instead, he offered Finn a small smile. "See you soon."

  The flight took forever. Will could barely remember the last time he'd been on a plane. He'd been given a window seat, and as he stared out at the clouds, he couldn't help but recall a different time, many years ago, when he'd traveled on a bus, heavily pregnant and fighting for something entirely different. So many things had changed since then. He'd changed, so very much. One part of him had remained untouched by time, and by all the pain—his love for Dean.

  He had told Finn he would take care of this, that he could handle this problem, but truth be told, he was not sure if that had been a lie or not. He hadn't actually spoken with the man he was relying on since Jessie's graduation. Mathias had come to see Jessie that day, even if Jessie had never known about it.

  They had kept in contact since then, mostly by email. Will owed Mathias too much to not at least drop him a line from time to time. He still felt guilty over the way things had ended between them, and he also knew Mathias hated Dean. He had absolutely no idea how he'd tell the man who was in love with him that he needed help for the man he loved.

  More than fifty years ago, Mathias had saved his life and Jessie's. He'd been a faithful friend to Will for decades. But would that be enough? Will wasn't sure, and it scared him.

  None of these thoughts prepared him for the moment he finally met up with Mathias. His friend was waiting for him in front of the plane terminal, a grim expression on his face. "Let me guess," he said without preamble. "You need me to help save Simmons."

  His slight accent was more pronounced now, which only happened when he was heavily irritated. Even so, Will felt relieved he wouldn't actually have to approach the topic himself. Besides, if Mathias knew the reason of Will's visit and had come anyway, a part of the battle had already been won.

  "Why am I not surprised that you already know about it?"

  Mathias scoffed and started walking toward the exit of the airport. He didn't speak again, not until they both left the building and entered Mathias's car. "I couldn't not know," he finally said. "The entire werewolf world is abuzz with what's going on. It's the first announced execution of an Alpha in decades."

  Will winced, the confirmation of what he'd already suspected a dagger to his already bruised and terrified heart. "Please, Matt. There has to be a way your people can intervene."

  Mathias's hands clenched around the leather of the steering wheel. "Why? Why would I do that? What is so special about him that would warrant such an intervention from my part?"

  "He's the father of my son," Will replied quietly.

  "I could have been Jessie's father, if you'd only let me," Mathias protested. "I was there for him. Simmons did absolutely nothing except assist you in his conception."

  It was true, and nothing Will hadn't told himself more than once over the years. Mathias was a good man. For a while, Will had actually considered accepting his friend's offer of becoming more. But it wouldn't have been fair to Mathias. The man might only be half-werewolf, but he still needed everything a real relationship could offer. "It would have never worked between us, Matt. You deserve someone who can love you like I love Dean."

  He had no other answer, even if this one hurt both of them, even if it stirred old wounds that had never truly healed. Mathias stared ahead, as if looking at Will was an effort he couldn't quite make. Finally, he took a deep breath. "I'll try. For you, I'll try. But it'll come with a price."

  "A price?" Will repeated in surprise.

  "Yes." Mathias still didn't face him. "I want to meet your famous mate, and see for myself who this man is that you'd choose him over me. I want to fight him for you."

  Will couldn't believe his ears. "Matt, you can't be serious. Dean is in mortal danger. You can't expect me to—"

  "I will help you get him out, because I can't challenge him if he dies at the hands of the Gathering," Mathias said, interrupting him. At last, he turned toward Will, pinning him with a fierce gaze. "He doesn't deserve you, Will. I could never force you into my bed, but I can't let you fall into his either, not after what he did. He'll just break you all over again, and I can't stand for that. I won't, even if you do decide to leave me again."

  Will was mute. What could he say? Mathias had been the witness of Will's pain, of how much he'd struggled when his pregnancy had ended with a difficult birth that had left Jessie with no human consciousness. He'd been there every step of the way, supporting Will for years. He'd taught Will how to defend himself and Jessie, what it meant to have a half-werewolf child and how to keep his head down and avoid potential dangers. He'd trained Will, put a gun in his hand and said, "You don't have magic and you can't turn furry—but you can have this."

  Will had trained, and he'd learned, and he knew. It had helped him pick up and flee whenever it was needed of him. More than once, he'd done that—but the memory of the first time, the time he'd left Mathias behind never got any easier.

  "Matt... I'm sorry, you know I am," he told his friend. "I never wanted to hurt you. I just felt that if I stayed, I'd simply make things worse. I hoped that you'd find what you were looking for without me and Jessie being there to distract you."

  Mathias sighed heavily, but the anger drained out of him. "It's been five hundred years, Will. If I'd had a mate, I would have found him or her by now. You and Jessie were the best thing that happened to me in a century. You're not mine, and it's unfair of me to push you, but that doesn't mean I won't try to protect you." He paused and shook his head, as if physically trying to dispel the haze of his emotions. "In any case, I'm going to have to pull a lot of strings to get Simmons out. So you have to work with me on this."

  He didn't wait for Will to answer, and instead started the car. "Prepare yourself. We have a lot to do."

  ****

  In the dark cave that had become his cell for the past days, Dean clung to his silver chains and wondered when they'd come for him. The Gathering would probably be over soon, at which point his punishment—his execution—would finally happen.

  What concerned him right now wasn't his death, though. He hadn't spoken to anyone since he'd been sentenced. The people who came to bring him food never said a word. Dean had no idea how the challenge between Alpha Adler and Finn had gone. He could only hope that it hadn't happened just yet, or that Saul had found some way to handle it. Even if Finn did recover from his coma, he would be in no condition to fight Adler.

  And then there was Will, always Will. Moon be blessed, Dean tried not to think about his mate, but he always failed. The desire clung to him, the unbearable wish to see Will one more time, to brand his smile in his mind and his scent in his skin. He was weak, he always had been, because he knew he shouldn't want this. He didn't even deserve to want it—but it didn't change the fact that he did.

  There were so many things he'd have liked to say to Will, so many apologies he ached to give. He'd never said them, never truly explained. Will had only told him bits and pieces of his life after Dean had left him, but what little he knew told Dean he didn't truly deserve to have Will back.

  His wolf still tried, still reached out to Will—but it was futile, and now, it was all over, anything he might have attempted. He'd never see Will again. He was selfish enough to hope that his mate would, at the very least, forgive him for everything he'd done.

  At least Jessie would be fine. Or so Dean hoped. Andreas had been at the Gathering with him, but when Dean had seen him last, it had seemed like they would return him to Saul's pack. Dean had, in fact, insisted on it. His life had to cover any debt Andreas might have. Jessie deserved everything Dean hadn't been able to give to Will, and Dean's grandchildren should never suffer the absence of one of their parents.

  Tortured by his thoughts, Dean tried to stay on his feet, to not succumb to the silver poisoning that was slowly worming its way through him. The shackles bit into his skin, so it was getting harder and harder to stay conscious and in his human form. The freezing temperature was also getting to him. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered him, but he'd been steadily losing blood, and his inability to heal didn't help. Changing shapes while bound could have potentially disastrous consequences, and he wanted to avoid it for as long as he could.

  All things considered, when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps, he thought he might be imagining it. But then, beneath the scent of mildew and cold earth, he took in a familiar smell—that of a rival Alpha wolf.

  Despite his weakness, Dean bared his teeth into the darkness. Boris Maximoff chuckled, obviously not impressed. "You're still alive, then. I had suspected this might be the case, but one never knows what can happen in such situations."

  "I take it you've come to remedy the problem," Dean snapped, hating the rough and far too weak sound of his own voice.

  Boris shook his head. "It seems you have more lives than a cat shifter, Simmons. A petition has come in from the Council of the Aos Si, and the Gathering has decided to grant it. There are still some lingering issues you've left behind, and we want no part in your mess."

 

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