Spencer stretched sleepily and yawned, too comfortable to really move, but definitely passed the point where he could go back to sleep. Unlike his lover, who was sprawled over him and out like a light, snoring, despite Spencer moving beneath him. A big bear of a man in repose, Jason slept like the dead when they were at home with all the locks in place and the alarm on, their safety as guaranteed as it ever would be.
Jason mumbled something that sounded like, “…Nietzsche, not Freud…” turned over, and settled back into a deep sleep.
Chuckling, Spencer climbed out of the large bed and padded naked to the bathroom. They didn’t have anywhere to be, thankfully, as it was Saturday. Spencer had a full day planned where they did absolutely nothing that didn’t involve him staying naked for the next twenty-four hours. At least.
The phone interrupted the pleasant thoughts and he groaned, instantly rebelling at the thought that they would have to work. It cut off before he finished washing his hands, which meant that Jason was awake and talking to whomever was on the other end. Jaw tight with displeasure, he stalked back into the bedroom, determined to have Jason tell whoever it was, that today was a day off. He was startled to find Jason practically jumping into his clothes instead of still on the phone and knew there was trouble. “What’s wrong?”
Dark eyes met his as Jason answered, “Hotch is in the hospital. It looks like he was attached by a wild dog.”
“I don’t know. It was a human doctor on the other end, so I couldn’t ask,” Jason explained, grabbing socks.
They were ready to go within ten minutes and out the door in fifteen. Jason put on the siren which screamed all the way to the hospital, putting Spencer even more on edge than he already was. The noise grated against his sensitive hearing and he breathed a sigh of relief when they cut off as Jason screeched to a stop at the ER entrance. He stayed behind, climbing awkwardly over to the driver’s seat and pulling away to find a parking spot while Jason ran inside to get information on Hotch.
No matter how he tried, it was hard not to be jealous of the close relationship his lover had with Hotch, even though Spencer knew they weren’t involved. Hotch was a Loner and had proved it by marrying a human and having a child with her. They all wanted Hotch to fully join the pack, but he’d been scarred too young. He had too hard a time forming bonds with other Shifters to be anything but head of the unit, not the pack.
Only five minutes later, Spencer jogged into the ER waiting area and found Jason standing rigidly to one side. “What’s going on?”
Looking thoroughly displeased, Jason replied, “There’s no news. The nurse said a doctor would be out as soon as they were done working on him, but had no specifics.”
Spencer rubbed his mate’s back and said softly, “He’s strong, Jason, he’ll make it.”
A too-brief smile flashed across Jason’s face, clearly an effort to alleviate Spencer’s worry, and Jason nodded. Placing an arm at Spencer’s waist, he walked them over to the chairs and started making phone calls.
The gashes along his midriff were the deepest and hurt the worst, throbbing unpleasantly in time to his pulse. He had a total of sixty stitches and twenty staples now, in various spots on his body, thanks to the claws with which he’d come in contact. He’d fought back as best he could, but there’d been three of them against his one, and Hotch hadn’t been able to do as much damage as needed doing. He’d barely been able to get an opening to make a run for it, never mind hurt them, and that stung the most.
The door opened on the heels of that thought to let in Gideon and Morgan, both men looking concerned. He offered a faint smile and said, “I’m hardly at death’s door, no need to look like that.”
“What happened?” Morgan demanded, nose flaring as he scented the room.
Hotch sighed. “I was working early this morning, cleaning up some paperwork, and then stopped at the grocery on the way home. They jumped me when I had my hands full with bags. Three young guys. I would say they were just boys being boys, except for the amount of damage they inflicted and the way they moved.”
“In broad daylight?” Morgan simultaneously asked.
Nodding confirmation to Morgan, Hotch said to Gideon, “I probably look like a patchwork quilt, right about now.”
“Sixty stitches and twenty staples,” the doctor announced, joining them. “Agent Hotchner is lucky to be alive. There was significant damage to his torso and joints in particular, which makes me think of wolves, for some reason. Though of course there aren’t any wolves in the city.”
Hotch couldn’t help an amused grin as he looked over at Morgan. The black man snorted, but didn’t reply.
Clearly sensing the exchange, but not knowing what to make of it, the doctor continued, “He’ll be fine with rest and looking after. We’ve treated him for rabies and I want to keep him for a minimum of twenty-four hours, possibly forty-eight.”
“Yes, you do, young man. You lost a lot of blood,” the doctor said sternly. “It’s a miracle you were able to survive at all, the state you were in when the EMTs brought you here.”
The doctor wagged a finger at him and said, “Be that as it may, you’re staying put for at least a day or two. The nurse will be in to check on you in a few minutes. Don’t stay long, gentlemen.”
Once he was gone, Morgan asked, “Did they make any demands or statements before attacking?”
Hotch shook his head. “Nothing. They just took one look at me and shifted. It was the damnedest thing.”
Grim, Morgan said, “I’m going to stick around, then. Make sure they don’t try to finish the job.”
Startled by the thought, Hotch protested, “They wouldn’t dare attack me in a hospital! And besides, I’m sure it was random.”
“I’m not,” Morgan countered firmly. “And until I know you’re safe, someone’s on guard for you twenty-four-seven.”
Gideon gripped Hotch’s shoulder, soothing, and told him, “Haley’s on her way with the baby. I wanted to know for sure what your condition was when I called her.”
Hotch sighed, wishing he felt more at the reassurance than an eagerness to see his daughter. It had been a mistake to marry Haley, despite the beautiful treasure he now had in his baby girl. Neither shifter commented on his lack of reaction, thankfully, instead withdrawing after a brief physical contact to reassure themselves that he really was all right. Gideon rubbed his shoulder and then Morgan brushed a hand across Hotch’s hair, and then they were both gone.
Hotch had just settled down and drifted towards sleep when Haley arrived, jolting him awake. It was hard to hold up a reassuring lie to her, but he managed it, even with the amount of pain he was in. Hotch in no way trusted her enough to tell her about Shifters, especially not after he’d been attacked by three because he was a Loner. He was sure that it was just a coincidence that had the small pack attacking him. Without the strength of his own pack to back him, he was essentially fair game if someone decided they didn’t like the way he looked at them. While not common to kill Loners just because of what they were, it wasn’t unheard of; especially from a newly formed pack or a group of youths looking to prove themselves.
And it didn’t matter that he was affiliated with the BAU pack or that he ran the unit for the FBI, now that Gideon was considered damaged goods by those in power. Hotch knew that he would always be a Loner, looking onto the warmth and camaraderie the others shared with envy and longing.
Spencer found his lover watching over Hotch while the other man slept. Haley had gone home with the baby some hours before and he’d sensed a distinct edge to the woman’s tone when she’d said goodbye to them in passing. Jason sat in the chair beside the bed, reading a paperback that he probably wasn’t paying any attention to. Spencer could practically feel the tension coming from his mate as he didn’t read.
Sitting on the thin armrest and leaning against Jason, Spencer said softly, “You’re going to stay here all night?”
He was careful to keep his tone light, not accusing.
Jason half-smiled. “You know me too well, Spencer.”
“I do,” Spencer agreed easily, bending down to kiss him. “Just try and get some rest, okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” Jason assured him.
“No, I meant...” Spencer broke off what he’d been going to say.
Spencer bit his lip, wondering if maybe they should take the conversation into the hall. But then, if Hotch were awake, he would hear them out there, too. Thinking that maybe Hotch should hear at least part of it, he sighed and replied, “He shouldn’t be alone like this, not properly mated, not at his age, and you know it, Jason. He’s so...such a temptation to others...”
Eyebrows lifting in surprise, Spencer countered, “You can’t tell me that you haven’t seen the looks he gets when we come across other Shifters?”
Jason’s mouth dropped a bit in surprise and he immediately got to his feet, enfolding Spencer in a tight hug. After pressing his lips to Spencer’s throat and nipping sharply, sending a shudder of instant arousal through him, the older man stated, “You’re my mate, Spencer. You. There is nothing for you to feel insecure about.”
Holding tight to Jason’s shirt, Spencer sank against his lover and bared his throat for more, eager to feel his alpha’s command and desire. Jason obliged with a harder, almost bruising bite and Spencer gasped, body tight with need. A soothing lick disappointed him, but also brought him back to reason and the knowledge that of course, they couldn’t do anything in the hospital room.
Strong hands squeezed his ass and then rubbed it before Jason drew back enough to stare intently into Spencer’s eyes. The depth of love and desire therein always astounded Spencer and right then was no exception. Jason was his first and only lover, no surprise given how awkward his upbringing had been, but he knew that he was far from Jason’s first anything. He’d been married and had kids, and there’d most certainly been male lovers, human and shifter over the years. That Jason could look at him with such intensity literally stole his breath. And stabbed him with guilt at the same time, knowing he could never fully return what he was given.
“I won’t lie to you,” Jason continued. “I love Hotch and I won’t deny that he’s attractive both sexually and as a beta.”
“But?” Spencer prompted hopefully.
Jason looked over at the bed in which Hotch slept as he said, “But he doesn’t love me. He doesn’t want to love any of us, because then he would form bonds that could be used to hurt him. Until and unless he opens himself to truly become part of the pack, he’ll remain on the outside looking in, no matter how much we want him.”
Resting his head on Jason’s shoulder so that he didn’t have to look into his lover’s eyes, barely able to get the words out, Spencer questioned, “And if he were to do that? If he were to fall in love with you and want your love in return?”
Soft lips touched his temple, but there was no immediate response. Jason finally answered, “I will never not love you, Spencer, no matter who else might be in my heart. You will always be my mate.”
The gentle, loving words hurt as deeply and as surely as if Jason had cast him violently aside.
Morgan found Elle pacing the hall and could practically see her tail swishing violently in agitation. Hiding a grin so that he didn’t come away with a bloody paw, possibly literally, he asked, “Problem?”
“Gideon’s an idiot,” she hissed, practically snarling.
Astonished, Morgan glanced over at Hotch’s hospital room door, which was closed, and questioned, “What happened?”
Before she could explain, Reid left the room and walked by without saying a word. Morgan saw the shell-shocked expression, as well as the hurt, and sighed before looking at Elle. “Heads or tails?”
Elle snarled at him, again soundlessly, and snapped, “If I go near Gideon right now, he’ll be missing a few parts by the time I’m done.”
He watched her hurry after Reid, giving a silent whistle at how pissed she was. The door reopened to let Gideon out. The older man looked exhausted, which meant that whatever had gone down, had something to do with the unwitting triad that had been forming for a long time. Morgan shook his head. “You sure know how to handle things, boss.”
“Thank you,” Gideon muttered, sighing. “Elle’s pissed.”
“And then some, yeah,” Morgan confirmed.
“I need coffee. You want any?”
“No, but I recommend not going to the cafeteria to get it, as that’s the direction they were going.”
“Perfect. All right, I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”
Morgan watched him leave as well, then settled down to wait in a moderately uncomfortable chair across from Hotch’s room. Thankfully, Garcia called only seconds later, a very welcome distraction. Smiling as he flipped the phone open, he greeted, “Hey, sweetness, what do you have for me?”
“Not much, studmuffin,” she quipped, voice rich and warm. “There were two other attacks over the last four months, both times with Loners, but neither were able to give a description to the cops, for obvious reasons.”
“Morgan. Babycakes. These guys are called Loners because...?”
He huffed in amusement. “Good point. Okay. Notify Chegwidden and then see if there have been any other attacks in the surrounding area, would you?”
She laughed outright at that, then teased, “Wouldn’t you like to know? Talk to you later, studly.”
Laughing as he cut the connection, Morgan let himself savor the pleasant heat that ran through him at his woman’s flirting. Even after six months together, he had no urge to stray, which was a serious record for him. There was definitely something special about the genius hacker they’d been lucky enough to accidentally snag. It was happenstance like that, that made him almost believe in Fate.
Morgan shook off the fanciful thought and started dialing Rabb’s number. There were things to coordinate and investigate, if his pack were to stay safe, and that was his job.
Not sure why she’d gone after Reid, Elle nonetheless sat across from him at one of the cafeteria booths. She was the least maternal person she knew, no matter what JJ said about her comforting skills, and had no idea what to say as she pushed the cup filled with hot, herbal tea before him. Reid didn’t say anything for a long time, so she just sat there, sipping her lukewarm coffee until he did.
“I know he loves me,” Reid said, though he sounded uncertain. “And it’s not like I don’t know that you can love more than one person at a time without loving any less. I just...I thought I would have him to myself for longer than this.”
When he looked at her with big, hurt eyes, Elle again felt like kicking Gideon’s ass. She remembered to that moment the pain that she’d felt at the loss of her first real love. If she could have spared their odd little cub that kind of hurt, she would have. Unfortunately, it wasn’t up to her. She awkwardly gripped his hand and assured, “Gideon would kill for you, Spencer, and you know how much he values all life. We both know that the likelihood of Hotch suddenly opening himself up to the extent that would be necessary to become Gideon’s lover, or the pack’s beta, is slim-to-none. You have nothing to worry about.”
Reid half-smiled as he stared into space, but it was forlorn, more than anything else. “And what if Gideon has something to worry about?”
To that, Elle had absolutely nothing to say.
“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.”
Truer words have rarely been spoken. Complementing that, however, is political zealotry. Whether one is a democrat, socialist, republican, anarchist, or a fan of dictatorship, politics and religion make for harsh taskmasters. They require avid devotion and often, blood spilled. I’m not sure which has caused more death and destruction over the course of history, given that there is rarely one, without the other.
* * * *
JJ was sound asleep when Elle got home from the hospital, which was exactly what she’d hoped. Her mate ran around so much during a case that for her downtime to be taken for any reason made Elle automatically cranky, even though JJ would never complain.
Elle wouldn’t deal with the jackals, aka The Press, for any amount of money in the world and had no idea how her mate did it. Besides which, Elle was pretty sure that she would wind up killing the first reporter to thrust a microphone in her face. She was also pretty sure that the rest of the team thought the same, since they never took the chance of leaving her with any reporters.
Not that that was a bad thing.
Sliding under the covers and spooning up behind JJ, Elle sighed happily and nuzzled the other woman’s throat. JJ turned, waking enough to murmur a happy noise and burrow into her arms. Stroking her hand slowly up and down her lover’s back allowed her thoughts to run free and she took the opportunity to just let the exhausting emotions of the day wash over her. Finding out that Gideon wanted Hotch wasn’t anything big, as she’d long since scented the attraction between them. Finding out the same of Reid, well, that was another damn matter altogether.
“What’s wrong?” JJ murmured sleepily.
Elle kissed her full lips gently, then said, “Men are idiots.”
With a warm chuckle, JJ wrapped an arm around Elle’s waist and countered, “What else is new?”
Even if there were secrets in a pack, which there never could be for long, if she wasn’t the one to tell JJ, she’d be sleeping on the sofa for a month. Heaving a sigh, Elle announced, “Reid wants Hotchner.”
Instantly awake, JJ practically jumped out of bed, shouting, “What!? How do you know? What happened? Why didn’t you call me?”
Longer than a month, Elle mentally revised. Patting the bed, Elle promised, “Come back to bed and I’ll tell you everything.”
“You better,” JJ warned, gaze narrowed as she climbed back under the covers.
Elle got them comfortably rearranged and started telling her lover what had happened at the hospital that day.
* * * *
Feeling like he’d managed to get drunk even though he’d only had the one whiskey...no idea how Jason drinks the stuff...Spencer held his head as he slowly shuffled into the kitchen.
When it had become apparent that his lover wasn’t going to come home the night before, the first time it had happened since they’d become mates, Spencer had poured himself a generous portion of the expensive liquor Jason kept in a cabinet. It had taken him the better part of an hour to force the hideous stuff down and he’d kept his mind otherwise occupied by playing four simultaneous games of master level chess online while doing so. He hadn’t been any sleepier by the time the hour was up, but somehow fallen asleep anyhow, draped over Jason’s pillow.
His cell rang, the obnoxious tone slicing through his head, and Spencer groaned, quickly picking up with, “Hello?”
“If you want to keep the rest of your pack intact, get yourself down to Boyd’s Bar on Minter in a half hour. Alone. If I smell anyone else, the old man gets picked off first.”
Spencer stared at his phone in shock, unable to do more than let his ears pick up the dial tone for a good half-minute. Getting a grip on himself, Spencer ran to the bedroom and got dressed as fast as his shaking would allow. He hesitated, but then pulled on a shoulder and an ankle holster, checking to make sure that both were fully loaded and the safeties engaged. He pulled on one of Jason’s baggier jackets and ran outside the house to the car, mind racing as to what might happen next.
Spencer pulled into traffic, careful to keep to the speed limit and not attract attention. The last thing he wanted was to get noticed. There’s at least three of them, probably more. What on earth do they want?
He was sure to find out what within the next twenty-two minutes.
* * * *
Humming the exceedingly cheerful tune of a woman who’d been well laid the previous night, Garcia sauntered from the break room back to her office. Settling somewhat gingerly on her ergonomic chair prompted an all-out grin and she tapped happily on the keyboard, bringing up her email to get started on the day. Sundays were the absolute best to get things done, mostly because there weren’t any agents to get in the way.
Putting on her headphones and turning up the music, Garcia went email by email, scanning each at a fast clip and deleting, answering, or forwarding, depending on the situation. A chat window opened unexpectedly and she grinned on seeing Spencer’s handle, Geeklvr007, as the originator.
HotHckr: Hey, Boy Wonder! what’s up?
Geeklvr007: can you get jase & der to Boyd’s Bar on Minter?
HotHckr: probably. what’s going on?
Geeklvr007: can’t say. it’s a surprise.
Garcia frowned. Spencer never called anyone by nicknames. Something was wrong.
HotHckr: are we still on for watching girls w/guns tonight?
There was a pause, as if Spencer was trying to figure out what she was really asking.
Geeklvr007: I thought it was Werewolves of London?
Shifter problem. Perfect. Probably had something to do with Hotch’s attack.
HotHckr: is that the violent one?
Geeklvr007: not as much as the girls w/guns should be.
HotHckr: good to know. see you tonight?
Geeklvr007: maybe. depends on what der & jase want to do.
HotHckr: what about hotch?
There was another pause.
Geeklvr007: is he well enough to travel?
HotHckr: think so.
Geeklvr007: then yeah, tell him to come along, too.
HotHckr: anything else?
Geeklvr007: just that I’m really bad at directions.
“Okay, now, that I’ve got no clue about,” Garcia muttered.
HotHckr: I’ll pass that along.
Geeklvr007: thanks. c ya
Spencer logged off before she could answer. Stomach tight with nerves, knowing that Spencer was in some big-time trouble, she grabbed her cell phone.
* * * *
It was almost certainly a trap. Morgan knew it and he knew that Gideon knew it, but there was no way that they would be leaving Spencer in whatever kind of trouble he was in. Elle and JJ would hang back and keep an eye to make sure that they weren’t boxed in, and to alert them to further trouble. Hotch had been left in the dark at the hospital, neither of them trusting the agent to stay put if he knew what was going on. Fortunately, Gideon had gotten the call when they were out of even Hotch’s considerable hearing.
Pulling into the parking lot of the deserted and defunct bar, Morgan glanced over at Gideon and asked, “You ready?”
Gideon looked decidedly unreadable as he replied shortly, “Let’s go.”
Unreadable was good. Unreadable meant that Gideon was so pissed that he’d shoved aside his emotions to deal with the crisis at hand. It also meant that Gideon would be especially cold and ruthless to whomever had Spencer, the same shifters who’d hurt Hotch, and Morgan was definitely down with that.
They entered the one-story building by way of the open front door. Inside was dark, but Morgan’s eyes adjusted almost instantly. He could smell the must and decay of the mostly wooden building, but just under that layer was the metallic tang of blood. If he’d been in wolf-form, his hackles would have been raised, having scented that blood before. Keeping his gun at the ready, Morgan scanned the interior but saw nothing except broken furniture. There was no sign of Reid, outside his bloodscent.
Going room to room showed that there was no one in the building, which put Morgan even more on edge than when they’d started. Arriving back in the room in which they’d started, he looked at Gideon and asked, “Now what?”
Gideon holstered his weapon and opened his mouth to speak when a phone rang. They both moved unerringly to the source and Morgan grabbed it before Gideon could, answering, “What?”
“You don’t really think that we would have him there, do you?”
Meeting Gideon’s gaze, Morgan replied, “What do you want?”
“Your pack is an anathema to all true packs. We’ll keep the weakling and take the females later,” the man informed him and then hung up.
Neither of them hesitated to run for the door. Morgan heard a faint, ominous click just as they reached it and shoved Gideon through the opening as hard as he could. The blast caught him from behind and sent him flying, but he twisted mid-air to stay fully behind Gideon, protecting him as best he could from the scorching heat. Of course, that meant he landed mostly on his alpha when they slammed into the ground, but at least he was otherwise uninjured.
Groaning as the flame-licked skin of his back throbbed, Morgan forced himself onto his knees and began patting Gideon down, making sure the other was all right. Gideon sat up in less than a minute, looking dazed, and by then, Elle and JJ had arrived to fuss over him. Morgan could let himself collapse onto his side and rest knowing that Elle would protect Gideon with her life and kill anyone attempting to harm him.
Then he thought about how Garcia would react to him being hurt and groaned some more.
* * * *
About two seconds after he’d arrived, Spencer knew that it had been a mistake to go alone, no matter what the threat to Jason had been. He’d been jumped, literally, and driven to the floor by claw and tooth, with no one there to verbally reason with. When it was over, he wasn’t as bad off as Hotch, but bleeding in several places. He hadn’t even had time to shift to try and protect himself, not as used to the wolf form as most others were. It wasn’t an instinctive change for him, but rather something he had to really concentrate to enact.
And now he was held bound and helpless on a chair in what could only be described as a Shifter version of a ‘stereotypical’ neo-nazi youth hideout. There were posters of wolves and stylized Remus/Romulus images all over the place. Loud, obnoxious music played all the time. The two bedroom apartment in which the five shifters resided was in one of the bad sections of DC and filled with guns and bomb components.
What disturbed him most, however, was a shoebox filled with pictures with all the faces X’d out that he’d seen in the other room.
The lone female of the pack, a wispy, fragile girl with pale skin, dark hair and eyes, came around a couple of hours after he’d been tied up with a soda. “Are you thirsty?”
“I am, thank you,” Spencer replied with a smile, staying as non-threatening as possible. “I’m Spencer. What’s your name?”
“Um, I don’t think…Brad didn’t say if I should…”
When her voice trailed away uncertainly, Spencer slumped a little in his bonds and assured her, “It’s okay. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
Giving him a shy smile, she said, “I’m Tandy.”
She belatedly held the soda can up to his mouth and he gratefully took a long drink from it before she pulled it away.
“Are you…do you hurt bad?”
Spencer thought about it a moment, then answered honestly, “I do need some medical attention. I’m sure that some of the cuts will get infected if they aren’t treated. I could get sepsis and die, eventually.”
“Brad won’t let that happen,” she told him.
“Who’s Brad?”
“He’s our Alpha.”
“Right, but which one is he?”
“Oh, he’s blond and has brown eyes,” she explained.
Right. The one with the look of zealotry in his eyes, Spencer thought. Aloud, he asked, “Do you think I could use the bathroom?”
Tandy bit her lip. “I could ask one of the guys to help.”
Nodding, Spencer asked, “If it’s not too much trouble? I really need to go. Or, I will shortly.”
She hurried from the small bedroom.
A few minutes later, a young dark-haired guy in his late teens showed up and cut him loose, keeping the knife in hand as he snapped, “Make it quick. If you give me any trouble, I won’t have any trouble making you a female.”
Spencer believed him and meekly walked to the bathroom. He took care of business and looked around while washing his hands. It was just as dirty and uncared for as the rest of the apartment and the mirror was broken; like someone had punched a fist into it, from the strains in the epicenter of the break. Leaving the bathroom quickly, not wanting to tick off his captor, he asked, “May I have something to eat? I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”
The other shifter shoved him back to the bedroom without answering.
Crossing him off as a potential ally, Spencer allowed himself to be retied without a fuss. He kept his body language as submissive and fearful as possible, wanting them to think he was as weak as they believed. When the time came, they wouldn’t consider him a threat.
All he had to do was bide his time. His pack would find him.
* * * *
Hotch barely managed to keep his anger tamped down as he strode towards the room in which Morgan had been admitted. He completely ignored Elle, who walked beside him. If he said anything to her, it would be something that he regretted later. Instead, he used the anger to also ignore the pain in his midsection and the tightness of the skin where the stitches held him together.
They arrived in fairly short order and Hotch knocked once, sharply, before entering. He had no intention of giving Gideon time to put himself together with too much warning. Garcia sat on the edge of the bed, holding Morgan’s hand, while Gideon stood at the foot of the bed, looking older than Hotch could ever remember seeing him. Not since the bombing in
Boston had Gideon looked so thoroughly defeated.
Hotch’s anger evaporated as though it had never existed and he sighed, moving to his friend’s side. “Why didn’t you come get me?”
“Because you weren’t well enough to go,” Gideon replied simply. “And you would have insisted.”
“Because it’s my job.”
Morgan roused at that, a deep, warning growl echoing through the room.
Grimacing, Hotch amended, “As head of the team, I needed to be there. Anything that affects this group, is my responsibility. Reid being kidnapped qualifies. I don’t care what kind of shape I’m in, you need to tell me when something goes wrong.”
His quiet certainty seemed to both assure Morgan and chasten Gideon further, which was only half of his intention. Gideon was already beaten down; he didn’t need Hotch’s admonishment adding to the guilt.
“They have to know Morgan and Gideon are alive,” Elle broke in. “We need to get on this before…”
Her words stopped, but they all filled in the rest of the sentence…before Spencer was killed in retaliation.
Gideon straightened a bit and said, “Before the explosion, the kidnapper said that he was going to keep Spencer and then take the females. He also said that we were an ‘impure’ pack. He’s old enough to have weapons expertise, but sounded young on the phone. I would guess him to be in his mid-twenties. Probably white and disenfranchised. I doubt he had much education. Probably got his rhetoric and bomb-making instructions from the internet.”
“God bless modern technology,” Elle muttered.
Half-smiling, Gideon said, “Garcia, we need you back in the office going over the forensics gathered at the scene of the explosion. And see if you can trace that IM from Reid, earlier.”
Hotch wasn’t surprised when Garcia opened her mouth to protest leaving Morgan, but was surprised when she stood abruptly with a nod.
“You make sure and get these bastards, Gideon,” she hissed. Hotch’s surprise at the amount of venom in her voice must have shown, because she gave him a distinctly wolfish grin as she continued, “If you think shifters have the monopoly on a drive for revenge, you’re sorely mistaken, Hotch.”
After Garcia was gone, Hotch looked at the others and said, “We need more than that for a plan.”
“What did Rabb say?” Gideon questioned.
Not surprised that Gideon knew he’d called the Commander, Hotch answered, “They were unaware of the situation. He’s going to send a discreet alert to the other packs, but there’s not much else he can do without more information.”
Gideon nodded, clearly thinking about the next course of action.
“What about bait?” They all looked at JJ, who flushed a little and continued, “Well, why not? You said they were going to try and come after us anyhow. We can put out word that you and Morgan are at death’s door and not expected to make it, then Elle and I can draw them out. They’ll bring us right to Spence.”
Htoch met Gideon’s dark gaze and knew he wasn’t the only one with trepidations about the plan, but they didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter, either. He suggested, “Let’s see what comes back with forensics, first. If they’ve done this before, the bomb signature should come up.”
“In the meantime, no one goes anywhere alone,” Gideon stated flatly, brooking no dissention.
There were nods all around and Hotch added, “We’ll take first watch here, why don’t you two rest while you can?”
Elle nodded, gripping JJ’s arm to override the blonde’s protest.
Huffing in annoyance, JJ gave in and said, “Feel better, Morgan. We’ll be back tonight.”
He offered a faint smile and maintained it until the women were gone. Then he looked at Hotch and said, “So what’s the real plan?”
No, Shifter’s aren’t the least bit chauvinistic, Hotch thought in dark amusement. It was biology, though, ingrained into a species that had to hide in order to guarantee its survival. Protection of their females was an imperative, no matter how strong the women were in their own right. It didn’t matter that JJ and Garcia were human, they were pack and therefore to be guarded fiercely.
Gideon spoke up before Hotch could, though, and told them slowly, “I think JJ’s got something.”
Aghast, Hotch demanded, “You can’t be serious!”
With a shrug, Gideon pointed out, “These shifters think of us all as weak, but especially the women. They won’t be expecting any true resistance from Elle or JJ. If they go along with the kidnappers, pretend to be meek and submissive, it should be fairly easy to disable the others when the time comes.”
“I don’t like it,” Hotch said.
Gideon half-smiled. “You don’t have to like it. If Garcia doesn’t come up with any information on the identities of these shifters, then we won’t have a choice. Especially with Morgan out of commission for the foreseeable future and you not at the top of your game. We need the element of surprise.”
As much as Hotch hated to admit it in this particular case, Gideon was right.
* * * *
Stakeouts had never bothered Hotch. Waiting was a game he knew well how to do and having an attainable goal at the end of the waiting period had always made the waiting less of a burden.
This particular time, however, he was restless and itching to do something to alleviate the tension. Tension that had always been between himself and Gideon, but never before to such an extent. He wasn’t sure if it was Reid’s missing presence, or the potential for disaster if they failed that prompted such an awareness of his alpha. Whatever the reason, it was something he could well have done without.
Garcia was safe at the BAU and not moving from there until Morgan told her she could do so. Hotch knew that it chafed at the independent woman’s sense of freedom, but she knew better than to be anywhere but shelter in the middle of a shifter problem. Elle and JJ, however, were going about their ‘normal’ routine of getting ready for bed. He was thankful that they’d bought a house the year before, because staking out an apartment building was a nightmare.
“Spencer’s feeling insecure.”
Startled by Gideon’s words, Hotch looked over at the other man and asked, “About?”
“You and I.”
Perfect, Hotch thought, restraining a sigh. “I hope you told him there was no ‘you and I.’”
“I would have, but that’s not strictly true, is it?” Gideon replied, turning in his seat to face Hotch. “We’ve been dancing around this for a long time, Hotch, and I think it’s time to get things in the open.”
Hotch gave him a disbelieving look. “Now?”
“Now.”
Growling in displeasure, Hotch stated, “This is not the right time.”
Gideon snorted. “This is the perfect time, since you can’t escape.”
Hotch kept his gaze on the house as he said, “You and Reid are mates. I wouldn’t come between that, even if I weren’t married, which I am. There will never be anything sexual between us, Gideon, there can’t be.”
“Never is a very long time, Aaron,” Gideon countered softly. “I know you’re unhappy with her, I can smell it. Everyone can, for that matter. And there have been triads before, happily settled and stable triads, as you well know.”
Shaking his head, Hotch told him, “I can’t give you what you need, Gideon. I can’t be…open, the way you need. Reid’s an open book and adores you. Don’t throw that away because you want to fuck me.”
“If that were all I wanted, I wouldn’t have brought this up.”
The gentle tone got to Hotch as nothing else would have. He shivered, knowing that all it would take was one touch from Jason and he would be on his back, submissive in every sense of the word. He sat, rigid, unable to do anything but watch the house and pray that Gideon didn’t press his advantage. When a single finger traced down the side of his face, barely touching him, Hotch gasped in reaction. “Jason…don’t…please…”
But Gideon was apparently through listening to him, because the Alpha moved closer, bridging the gap between them. He nuzzled at Hotch’s throat and murmured, “I have to, Aaron. Not just for you, though you do need me, but for the pack. You make us stronger. You lead us. I love you, as much as I love Spencer, though differently.”
His entire being felt focused on the single point of contact where Gideon’s mouth pressed to his throat. It wasn’t a kiss, nor really a caress, and certainly not a threat or warning; it was connection and promise. He was unexpectedly hard and aching, desperate for his Alpha’s touch and uncaring that they were in public. For the first time in his life, want overcame discipline and he moaned in need when that single point of contact expanded into a marking. This was what he’d been craving for so long, what he’d been fighting against; the pure animal need to belong to his Alpha in every way.
Gideon sucked hard at the flesh, pulling the blood to the surface, then bit down just shy of breaking the skin. Hotch jerked and shuddered as he cried out, coming in his pants without any other touch, the release almost painful in its intensity.
When he could think rationally again, Hotch was vaguely surprised that the whole thing hadn’t taken more than five minutes. He found himself cradled in Gideon’s arms, held loosely, with the other shifter licking slowly over the mark he’d made, sending further shivers of arousal through his body. His pants were open as he was wiped tenderly clean with tissues, the new touch arousing and soothing, all at the same time.
Finally, Gideon stopped the mesmerizing caress and pulled back, dark eyes capturing Hotch’s. “You belong with Spencer and me. You’ll divorce Haley and let her retain custody of the baby. There’s no way you’d be able to care for a child working at the BAU, as much as you might want to. I’ll see to it that Haley allows you as much access to your daughter as you need; she won’t want for a father in her life.”
“Jason, this is a really bad idea,” Hotch protested. “Spencer’s going to need you when we get him back. Having me around will just…”
Gideon stopped his words with a hand over his mouth, informing him, “Spencer will need both of us to feel safe, Hotch. And he wants you as much as I do, though he’s afraid to admit it, probably even to himself.”
Before Hotch could protest further, movement caught his attention and he hastily tucked himself away, zipping up his pants so he could move at a moment’s notice. The discussion would have to wait. Hotch wasn’t sure if he was relieved, or disappointed, but he opened the door and jogged across the street. Gideon was right behind him, but on four feet. He’d overheard the other shifter’s conversation with Chegwidden and while the Admiral hadn’t seemed all that happy about Gideon’s plan to decimate the threatening pack, he hadn’t forbid it.
Just as well, since Hotch was sure that Gideon could care less about Chegwidden’s need for order in the Shifter world. Not when it came to their pack, at least. Pulling his gun free as he reached the house, Hotch peered in the window to find JJ being held at gunpoint by a young, dark-haired man while Elle stood snarling off to the side, but still human...exactly as they’d planned.
Looking down at Gideon’s massive wolf form, black fur streaked with faint patches of gray, standing all the way to Hotch’s hips, he nodded and motioned to the side of the house. Gideon’s fangs bared in acknowledgement before he loped around to the back, out of sight. Hotch stayed put, keeping an eye on things inside as he listened to the shake in Elle’s voice. Not fear, as he was sure the would-be kidnapper assumed, but rage at her mate being held even a moment against her will, no matter what the plan was.
The moment that Gideon crashed through the screen door in back, Hotch burst the front door open and shouted, “On the ground! FBI! On the ground, now!”
His shout was useless, though, as Gideon had already leapt onto the shifter and tackled him to the ground. The deadly fangs had pierced skin, keeping the hostile immobile, but not yet ripping out the throat. Putting his gun away, Hotch walked the rest of the distance over, giving Elle and JJ a brief glance on the way. JJ was firmly held behind Elle and not looking at all happy about it, but not verbally complaining, either, which was good.
Staring calmly down at the captive, whose eyes were both terrified and defiant, Hotch stated simply, “If you don’t tell us where our mate is, our Alpha will rip out your throat and then scent Spencer down on his own.”
The young shifter hesitated, then said, “
153 Welks St., East.
Apartment 203.”
Hotch waited, wondering if maybe Gideon would kill the interloper even though he’d given up the information. It didn’t happen, which surprised him a little. Instead, Gideon released his captive and snarled fearsomely at the shifter, jaws snapping directly next to his throat and causing him to curl up submissively in a ball, arms over his head.
Crouching down, Hotch translated, “If he’s been harmed, you’re going to wish you were dead.”
* * * *
Spencer had managed to work the ropes loose enough to slip his hands free. They hadn’t retied his feet, which meant that he had the run of the room in which he’d been placed. Not that there was anything in there for him to use, but he wasn’t completely helpless, even with the lack of weapons. He’d disarmed more than one opponent with his bare hands and while it wasn’t something he would enjoy, he could do it again.
Nudging the door open, heart beating quickly in a mix of anticipation, dread, and fear, Spencer moved slowly down the short hall to where Tandy and one other Shifter waited, talking. He could smell the pot from twenty feet away and knew that it would give him an advantage. Shifter biology was more susceptible to the effects of narcotics, which meant that whichever of his guards was left in the apartment, would be easier to subdue.
Unlike most, he didn’t consider Tandy less of a threat because she was female. She was, however, unlikely to put up a fight. He’d seen the same behavior in human and Shifter women; going to whichever man was stronger, no matter how disloyal or fickle that seemed. It was simply the way she’d been raised, which was too bad, because Spencer had seen the glimpse of an intelligent woman.
Just as he reached the end of the hall, the other Shifter jumped to his feet with a growl, turning unerringly in Spencer’s direction. Giving up stealth, he ran forward, tackling his opponent in a headlong dash. They slammed into the wall, each trying to gain the upper hand, but surprisingly too well-matched for there to be an immediate winner. Spencer gagged when an elbow jabbed into his throat, but held tenaciously to the other shifter, nails digging into the exposed flesh of a shoulder.
He managed to bring his knee up in what would have been a crippling blow, had he been at full strength. As it was, he only temporarily stunned his opponent, earning another growl and a fist full of fur as the other shifted. Spencer went down under the superior muscle and strength, no match for the large wolf, even though it was on drugs. Fangs pierced his upper arm and he shouted in pain, struggling in vain to get free. It didn’t matter that he kicked at its body and punched the snout tearing into his arm, the wolf simply would not let go.
Three gunshots rang in succession and he was suddenly buried under almost two hundred pounds of deadweight. Tears ran freely down his face as Hotch and Elle carefully pried the jaw embedded in his arm. He turned to Jason the moment he was free, clinging weakly to his mate. Strong arms wrapped around him, the familiar scent and voice calming him slowly. His arm ached and throbbed with a fierceness that rather astonished him and Spencer mumbled a wordless protest when Jason started pulling him to his feet.
Then another pair of hands were on him and he jumped in surprise. A fast look showed Hotch, even more serious than usual, and Spencer relaxed minutely as the agent surrounded him from the other side. Hotch pulled his tie off to use as a tourniquet on Spencer and he was struck with the inane question…Where did Hotch get a tie in the hospital?
“We’ll take care of this while you two get him to the ER,” Elle stated.
“Call Rabb,” Hotch instructed. “We need to get this nipped in the bud right now.”
She nodded and the last Spencer saw was Elle and JJ beginning a search of the room, all business.
Leaning heavily on his lover, Spencer kept his good hand twisted in Jason’s shirt as he said, “I knew you would come, I just…I had to try…”
“Ssh, it’s okay, Spencer, you did the right thing,” Jason soothed. “I’m so proud of you.”
Surprised again, he questioned, “You are?”
Jason’s lips pressed to his temple and he repeated, “Very proud. Now be good and let us get you to the ER.”
Spencer nodded with a relieved sigh, allowing them to take complete control simply because he suddenly lacked the strength to keep going. Jason grunted at the unexpected weight, but then easily swung Spencer into his arms and carried him out of the building to the SUV that waited outside. He looked at Hotch, whose dark gaze was so concerned, and smiled as he saw the mark revealed by the now-open collar.
Sighing once more, Spencer let himself fade into the welcome oblivion of shock thinking, Well, at least that’s settled.
***
Henry David Thoreau once said, “There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
I think this is one of the most accurate assessments of the human heart ever to be found.
Heartily embarrassed by his fainting heroine routine, Spencer did his best not to meet Jason or Hotch’s gaze when the two men entered his room shortly after the doctor’s departure. Heat flushed his face and he determinedly stared at the ceiling when they approached the bed.
“Spencer?” Jason questioned, concern lacing his voice.
Spencer sighed, unable not to look at his lover at that. “I’m fine. Just…really mortified by my behavior.”
Jason frowned at him and repeated, “Mortified? You acquitted yourself with honor.”
“Not during,” Spencer clarified reluctantly. “After.”
Hotch gripped his shoulder, stating, “You were in shock, Spencer, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Snorting, Spencer muttered, “Oh sure, when was the last time someone carried you from a crime scene?”
“A crime scene where I’d been badly injured and held captive? Twice, that I can think of,” Hotch informed him bluntly.
Startled by the revelation, Spencer squinted at him suspiciously, then relaxed. Hotch wouldn’t lie to make him feel better.
“Accepting help when you’ve been hurt is not weakness,” Jason added, stroking his hand along the back of Spencer’s shoulders. “How are you feeling now?”
“Sore, but ready to go home. I really don’t want to stay here overnight,” Spencer replied, shamelessly widening his eyes in a pleading look. “Please, Jason, bring me home? I want to sleep in our bed tonight.”
Jason visibly weakened, but Hotch stated, “Not a chance, Reid, so you can just stop looking at him like that. You’ve got a rabies vaccine in you, which is always dicey with one of us, and fifteen stitches. You stay put for the night.”
Spencer grimaced at him, but subsided.
Hotch smiled unexpectedly and told him, “It’s only overnight. Tomorrow you’ll be back in your own bed, safe and comfortable.”
Giving him a shrewd look, Spencer questioned, “And where will you be?”
Hotch looked away as he answered, “Home with my wife.”
“Aaron.”
It was something of a revelation to see Hotch go from self-assured FBI agent to uncertain, submissive Shifter. All at a single word from Jason.
“Hotch will be home with us, taking care of you,” Jason continued firmly. “He’s part of our pack and it’s time he started acting like it.”
Spencer sighed in relief. The decision had been made and he didn’t have any choice in it. There was no reason for him to feel guilty for wanting Hotch any more. He knew that if he truly objected to it, that Jason wouldn’t force this. But Spencer also knew that one of them would have to leave the pack in that instance, and suspected that it would be Hotch. He couldn’t bear the thought of Hotch alone and completely on his own, it just wasn’t right, and so was glad that Jason had finally just taken the options away from them both.
“Gideon,” Hotch protested. “Not now.”
Jason half-smiled and countered, “If not now, when? He would’ve found out when we brought him home and you didn’t leave.”
Using his good hand, Spencer caught Jason’s hand and asked, “Are you going to spend the night here?”
“Of course,” Jason agreed. “And if there’s anything you want, just let one of us know.”
Before he could lose his nerve, Spencer blurted, “Iwanttoseeyoutwokiss.”
Jason blinked at him a moment while deciphering his words, then a slow, absolutely evil grin spread over his face and he looked at Hotch. “What do you say, Hotch? Shall we give him a preview? Something to look forward to when we get him home?”
There was a quick swipe of tongue over Hotch’s lips and he seemed dazed as he nodded, returning Jason’s gaze. Spencer could sympathize. Being on the receiving end of Jason’s lust was something akin to being caught in a storm. He watched, heat sliding through his body as they leaned over the bed, over him, and met in the middle. The kiss was slow and deep with Jason clearly in control, and Spencer moaned in need as his cock hardened in response to the heady pheromones both emitted. His eyes dropped and he licked his own lips as he took in the respectable bulge that grew in Hotch’s pants as Jason continued to ravage his mouth.
It was over far too quickly and Spencer whined a little in disappointment when they broke apart. Jason immediately bent to take his mouth in a hard, devastating kiss, stealing Spencer’s breath and prompting him to open further to the demand for more. Spencer whimpered shamelessly when the kiss ended, clinging to Jason’s shirt, but seconds later a nurse entered the room and he released it.
Giving them a disapproving look, Jason in particular, the woman stated primly, “I would appreciate you not doing anything to…excite…my patient or alarms start going off.”
A breathless laugh escaped Spencer when Jason flushed and began to apologize.
* * * *
Jason watched as Spencer and Hotch talked quietly, the younger man sitting in the wheelchair and being hovered over protectively. The others were all there, of course, but Hotch was the one holding the handles. Garcia leaned on Morgan while Elle and JJ stood close together, everyone paired off, but still part and parcel of the whole. His pack. His family. A feeling of pride ran through him at the representation standing a short distance away.
“Agent Gideon?”
Bringing his attention to the doctor walking towards him, a man his own age with silver hair and a distinct Shifter scent, Jason smiled briefly and held out his hand. “Thank you for your assistance in everything, Doctor.”
“My pleasure,” Dr. Gersh replied. “I’ve taken care of all the blood samples and any discrepancies that might have been noticed during the care of your people here has disappeared. No one will have any evidence to back up any claims. Just tell me there won’t be any more attacks like this in the future?”
As a loner, Dr. Gersh was right to be worried, Jason knew. He offered a reassuring smile and answered, “Without his pack, the alpha will be a loner of his own. I doubt anyone has anything to fear from him for quite a while, if ever again. I’ve also sent his file to several of our people in authority and he will be on the radar for a long time to come. We’ll find him before he becomes another problem.”
Relieved, Dr. Gersh said, “Thank you. And good luck to you.”
Jason nodded in response and walked to his pack where Garcia laughed helplessly, held up by Morgan, who was grinning broadly. “What’s the joke?”
Blue eyes sparkling, Garcia said, “Just discussing the technical inanities of life.”
“Hotch forgot to release the brake,” Elle told him, smirking and far less merciful than Garcia.
Jason hid a grin as he looked to his new mate and questioned, “Caught up in the bigger picture again?”
“The first step,” Hotch countered, dark eyes twinkling with unusual good humor. “Are we ready now?”
Nodding, Jason said, “Dr. Gersh has tied up all loose ends.”
“Then let’s go,” Spencer put in eagerly. “Before they change their minds.”
Chuckling, JJ pointed out, “This isn’t the pound, Spence, no one’s going to keep you here because you’re not housebroken.”
Jason hid another grin at Spencer’s expression, which clearly said he thought he should be insulted by the statement, but wasn’t sure how to take exception to it. Combing his hand gently through his mate’s hair, Jason said, “Yes, it’s time to go home. Morgan, you’ve been in contact with Rabb?”
Morgan nodded as they walked towards the exit. “He’s got the information dispersed to the right people by now.”
“What about Tandy?” Spencer asked suddenly.
Jason hesitated, then said, “I’ve had her taken to a rehab camp.”
Spencer looked a little disappointed at that, but nodded. “I suppose that’s for the best.”
Hotch briefly gripped his shoulder and pointed out, “She can get the help and counseling that she needs there. It will be a better life for her than one on the streets, subject to whichever alpha or abusive human takes her.”
“I know, it just…she’s not a bad person,” Spencer sighed.
“Which is why she’s in a rehab camp,” Elle stated. “If we thought that she’d meant you any harm, she never would’ve left the apartment.”
Seeing Spencer shiver at the cold proclamation, Jason rubbed the young man’s shoulder and gave Elle a warning glance. She grimaced, but didn’t say anything further. They reached the SUV in short order, whereupon Jason said to Morgan, “Call if something comes up if you can’t handle but…”
“There won’t be anything I can’t handle,” Morgan confirmed. “Good luck.”
Jason helped Spencer into the back seat and promptly joined him there, startling his mate when he sat down and closed the door. He pulled Spencer close almost instantly, relishing the wiry arms that went around his waist. The vehicle started moments later and he glanced over at Hotch, who met his gaze in the rear-view mirror.
“We’ll be home shortly.”
Jason nodded at the statement and returned his attention to Spencer. Tracing his fingers over the young man’s face, taking in the love and need in the hazel eyes, Jason whispered, “I love you, Spencer, so much.”
As if knowing right what he was going to say next, Spencer started, “Jason, they threatened…”
“Never do that again!” Jason hissed. “I don’t care if they threaten to boil Garcia alive! If there’s a security problem, you tell one of us and we deal with it together. Period. If you ever go off on your own like that again, I will personally collar you and make sure that you don’t leave the house for a month! And I don’t mean the fun kind of collar, either.”
Biting his lip, Spencer looked down and whispered, “I’m sorry, Jason. I won’t do it again.”
Even though he could smell the misery practically pouring from his mate, he knew that he had to impress upon the young Shifter just how badly he’d screwed up. “I know you’re sorry, but I still can’t let this go unanswered. You knew that I would forbid you from going off on your own. You knew that such an action put not only yourself at risk, but the rest of us. Morgan was injured from your decision to go alone and I nearly was, as well. We had to use JJ and Elle as bait in order to get a lead on your location. This pack is only as strong as its weakest member, Spencer, and you became that when you gave in to fear.”
Tears welled in Spencer’s big eyes, but didn’t fall. Instead, he sucked in a deep breath and replied, “I’m ready for whatever punishment you dish out, Alpha.”
Wishing he could just let it go, but knowing he couldn’t, Jason nodded and said, “Take the rest of the ride home to compose yourself.”
It was among the hardest things he’d had to do in a long time, but Jason let go of his mate and put space between them. He needed to regain his own composure in order to hand down the punishment that his subordinate so deserved.
* * * *
Hotch had seen Gideon as Alpha in many instances, but never in this particular mode. Having to punish his mate for an action that had put the rest of the pack in danger was clearly paining the other man, but he was determined to go through with it. And while Hotch could understand the reasoning, he thought that perhaps Spencer had grasped the significance of what he’d done without the punishment to go along with it. The young man was so sensitive, that knowing he’d put JJ and Garcia in danger was clearly tearing him up.
Still, if pack balance was to be maintained, Gideon couldn’t let this go. The others would expect Reid to be taken to task and if he weren’t, that would truly threaten their unity.
So he watched as Reid sat facing a corner, much like a wayward child, only with a few unusual modifications. He wore a ball-gag and was bound with narrow leather strips around his wrists. Both of which were designed to make him think about not being able to communicate with anyone. He wasn’t blindfolded simply because there was no need, what with him facing the wall. Neither he nor Jason were to speak with him at all over the next twenty-four hours. Spencer wasn’t to move from that spot except to relieve himself nor to attempt to talk save to ask for something to eat.
Hotch thought that the worst punishment, however, was being denied contact with Jason. Even in the very beginning, before they’d moved on to being mates, Jason had been very free in his touches with Reid. It was something he’d envied about their relationship, even though he’d known at the time that he literally couldn’t accept the same kind of contact, no matter how much he’d wanted it. Casual touching didn’t exist for Hotch. It hadn’t since the death of his parents so long ago.
He jumped a little when Gideon came up from behind and lightly touched his lower back. Glancing at the other man, he asked softly, “An entire twenty-four hours?”
Jason nodded, looking exhausted. “It should be longer, but I don’t think I can manage it.”
“He knows that he screwed up,” Hotch pointed out. “Maybe just overnight would do it?”
But Jason negated that thought with, “The transgression is too big for that. Come on. Staring at him isn’t going to make any of us feel better. We’ll hear the bell if he needs something.”
Hotch allowed himself to be drawn from the living room into the kitchen, though he took a final look at the miserable Reid in the corner.
“Drink?” Jason asked wryly.
Hotch grinned briefly in return. “Definitely.”
Sitting at the table while Jason poured a couple of brandies, Hotch watched the other man closely. The tension there was easy to spot and understand. Having to discipline one’s mate had to be the hardest task of all. Reid was so mature for his age, that they all forgot he could be impulsive with his youth.
Jason set the glass in front of him, then sat opposite before taking a healthy swig of the liquor. “How are you with all of this?”
Surprised, Hotch repeated, “Me?”
Giving him a wry twist of the lips, Jason nodded. “You’re part of this now, Hotch. Well, part of us now, you’ve always been part of the pack. Your feelings matter to me. To all of us.”
“That’s why you’re forcing me to divorce my wife and give up my child. Because my feelings matter,” Hotch countered sharply.
Jason half-snorted. “You don’t love your wife any more and you have no time to properly care for a child, no matter how much you love her. You have no one in your life who understands your needs and drive, not in an intimate fashion. You stand on the outside, looking in, wanting more and unable to get it because you don’t know how to ask for what you need. And truth be told, I haven’t used all that much force to get your complicity.”
“And you’re a controlling, domineering bastard who likes to shove other people’s faults in their faces,” Hotch snapped back, stung by the accurate assessment.
Shrugging, Jason replied, “Only when it’s necessary.”
“Why are you doing this, Gideon?” Hotch questioned. “Why now? Why at all? This isn’t just because you can, I know you too well to believe that.”
Jason looked into his tumbler for a moment, composing his answer carefully, if his expression was anything to go by. He finally sighed and said, “I need you, Aaron. I need your honesty and your compassion and your anger. I need you to remind me that I don’t know everything and sometimes, I need you to remind me that I’m not the sum of my mistakes, as many and horrifying as they are.”
It was a brutally honest self-assessment and Hotch actually flinched at the harsh tone in which it was delivered. Compelled by it, he reached out to grip Gideon’s hand, meeting his bleak gaze with a sense of unreality. That he was in a position to offer comfort and have it be taken more than amazed him. “Jason…”
But the words wouldn’t come and all he could do was sit there, holding the other man’s hand as minutes went by.
Finally, Jason sighed and said, “Let’s get some sleep. It’s been a long couple of days.”
Not that he thought they would be able to sleep, given that Reid was in full punishment mode, but Hotch nodded and stood. His body needed to rest, even if he didn’t fall asleep, because while he’d healed a great deal, he was far from one hundred percent. Hotch followed Gideon the other way around to the stairs leading up, feeling somewhat ashamed at the relief that he wouldn’t have to see Reid in his wretchedness again on the way.
Gideon showed him the master bathroom and where he could put his clothes in a hastily cleared out drawer. He only had his overnight bag, which was always packed and ready to go, so there wasn’t much. Curious, he asked, “Where will I put all my things?”
“We’ll buy another dresser and set it over there,” Jason replied, motioning to the last bare wall in the room. “You and Spencer can argue over closet space.”
Hotch grinned at the thought, though it faded quickly.
Jason walked over to him, cupping his face, and said, “Twenty more hours and things will be back to normal.”
“I doubt things will be normal ever again,” Hotch countered dryly. “A triad? Jason, have you honestly thought about how this will look at work? The three of us living at the same address? Rumors start on far less.”
With a shrug, Jason offered, “You’re going through a tough time, a divorce, and staying with friends. There’s nothing unusual about that. And if you happen never to leave, who’s going to really question it? Housing is expensive, especially in this market and you’ll be providing alimony and child support for an infant because you’re a good man. No one will care, Hotch, if they even notice, which I doubt. People see what they want to see, especially when presented with a situation outside the norm. Stop worrying.”
“I can’t,” Hotch admitted. “You’re all too important to me for me to stop.”
“Maybe I can help with that.”
Before he could protest, Jason took his mouth in a slow, languid kiss that seared right through him. Hotch’s hands closed over Gideon’s hips and he pressed against the other man, giving in without any hesitation whatsoever. He’d needed for so long…
Hotch found himself maneuvered up to a wall, the kiss growing more demanding, a leg thrust between his, pushing against his cock. They were of a height, but Jason outweighed him and was broader through the chest, giving the illusion that he was bigger and more in control. Aching with need, Hotch moaned and rubbed along the thigh to increase sensation. He was just about ready to start begging when Gideon gripped him through his pants, twisting hard enough to make him see stars when he came, spilling almost instantly.
Dazed, it took a few moments to regain his senses and when he did, he found Jason staring at him with the oddest expression. Feeling both guilty and defensive at what they’d done, knowing that Spencer had heard them perfectly well, he demanded, “What?”
“You’re beautiful when you come,” Jason murmured, half-smiling. “And stop feeling guilty about getting something that you needed. Spencer doesn’t begrudge you anything, least of all comfort.”
Hotch sighed. “We shouldn’t have done it without him.”
Seeming to think over his words, Gideon said, “Hotch…Aaron…there will be times when we pair up. You and I, you and he, he and I, it doesn’t make the triad any less. We are all the stronger for being able to give each other what’s needed. Love isn’t something to be hoarded or given sparingly. I love you and I love Spencer. I will shower you both with that love and give you whatever you need, whenever you need it. Right now, however, you actually need a shower.”
The words startled a laugh from Hotch. Shaking his head, he gazed fondly at his mentor and, now, lover. “You’re something else, Gideon.”
Jason smiled.
* * * *
Hearing his mates tussle upstairs, listening to the breathless moan when Hotch had come, and the conversations between them cut through Spencer like a knife. Not due to jealousy, as Hotch clearly feared, but because he longed to be with them. Spending an entire twenty-four hours alone while they talked and interacted and kissed was a form of torture. He was desperately hard the entire time, aching to nuzzle up to one or both of them, to beg for a single touch. He alternated between fiery need and shame at his recent actions, just as Gideon had intended, Spencer was sure.
At some point during the night, Hotch came down and dropped a couple of blankets and a pillow beside him. It was more than he’d expected and he gave the other man a grateful smile. There was a brief, silent smile given in return before Hotch left to go back upstairs. The rest of the night passed as torturously as the beginning, especially when he had to listen to Hotch sucking on Jason’s cock for an entire hour just before dawn. He moaned along with Jason, aching to participate in some fashion as his Alpha was pleasured for so long. Hearing him come, and then Hotch as well, without any apparent touch, drove him crazy enough to thump his head against the hard floor a couple of times.
When they descended a few hours later, Spencer was simultaneously wired and exhausted. There were still three hours left to his punishment and he remained curled up in a ball on the floor, not having the energy to sit up straight.
“Spencer. Do you need to relieve yourself?”
Spencer sighed at the question and shook his head, even though he did.
“Spencer.”
Jason’s warning tone was enough to push himself awkwardly into a sitting position and nod. Jason helped him stand and then assisted him to the bathroom. And then he assisted Spencer in the bathroom, pulling his dick free and holding it like Spencer was helpless, which of course he was. Once he’d relieved himself and Jason had tucked him away, he whined as pitifully as he could, meeting his alpha’s gaze.
Sighing, Jason told him, “Two and a half more hours, Spencer, then you’ll be released. Back to your corner.”
Spencer walked morosely back to his spot and sat back down with a thump. It was about the worst thing he could remember happening to him, on a personal level. Not even the humiliation he’d suffered in school could compare because it hadn’t mattered what others had thought of him then; not like it did now.
The next two and a half hours passed far too slowly. Hotch and Jason had breakfast and talked quietly about a lot of different things; things that he’d had no idea either were interested in. For one thing, he’d never known that they both liked a good hockey game. Baseball he could almost understand, what with the statistics involved, but hockey seemed far too random and violent to be either man’s cup of tea. Nonetheless, they went on for a good twenty minutes towards the beginning of breakfast, which consisted of eggs and bacon, both of which set his mouth to watering. If he could have spoken, he would have protested that as an extra punishment.
Not that he couldn’t have had something to eat if he’d wanted it; Jason had made that clear the night before. It somehow seemed fitting for his stomach to be growling, though, as an accompaniment to his punishment.
Unfortunately, Hotch arrived only minutes after his stomach did growl and gently undid first the leather strips, setting them aside, and then his gag, holding out a bowl of oatmeal in return.
Spencer heaved a sigh, but took the bowl and started eating. He was so hungry that he barely tasted it as he wolfed it down.
Jason showed up with a glass of orange juice and said, “I don’t want your blood sugar getting too low. You should’ve said something earlier.”
Knowing that no response was required, Spencer merely took the glass and gulped it down and then returned it to Jason. He docilely held his mouth open when Hotch held up the gag, not making any protest when the other man set it back in place. The bindings were next and he received an affectionate look from Hotch, along with a too-short pet along the head, as they were retied. From Jason, however, he got only a pinched look of pain and he sighed again, not knowing how he could make it up to his mate.
Jason and Hotch returned to the kitchen and their conversation, though this time it was about politics.
Spencer settled in to wait.
* * * *
By the time
noon came around again, Jason was gratified to discover he wasn’t the only one watching the clock. Hotch sat with a deceptive ease in the kitchen chair opposite him. The only thing betraying his tension was the abnormally still fingers resting on the table. He glanced over at Hotch when the clock finally hit
noon and discovered dark eyes already on his. They stood simultaneously and headed for the living room.
Standing while Hotch undid Spencer’s restraints and gag, Jason remained silent until they were both standing. Pinning Spencer with a sharp look, he stated, “If you do anything even remotely that stupid again, I will make good on my leash threat from yesterday.”
Spencer nodded, contrite, and promised, “I won’t, Alpha, I swear.”
Lips pursed, Jason finally nodded and held out his arms. Spencer immediately flew into them, holding almost too tight as he burrowed close. Kissing his mate’s temple, Jason whispered, “You could’ve been killed, Spencer, I could have lost you and that is unacceptable. Life wouldn’t be worth living without you.”
“I’m sorry, Jason, so sorry,” Spencer whispered back. “I just couldn’t bear the thought of you being hurt. I had to do what they said, couldn’t think of a way out of it.”
“Spencer.” The young man looked over at Hotch, who continued, “You have no reason to fear for Jason’s safety as long as there is breath in my body. I swear that to you.”
That did the trick. Spencer relaxed into Jason’s arms and sighed deeply.
Smiling, Jason glanced at Hotch and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Hotch smiled in return, the dark gaze lightening just a little.
Jason tapped Spencer lightly on the ass. “We have other important things to take care of, now that that’s out of the way.”
When Spencer gave him a curious look, Jason took his mouth in a hard, deep kiss, just as he’d been aching to do for days. Since before this whole thing had started, really. They’d been so busy at work that they hadn’t had any time together. And now they had all the time in the world. Spencer melted against him, except for one important part of his body, and moaned happily into the kiss.
Jason was pleasantly surprised when Hotch joined them, surrounding Spencer from behind and stroking up and down Spencer’s chest. He’d thought for sure that he would have to invite the other. Spencer’s breath hitched in response to the additional caresses and Jason took advantage, delving even deeper into his mate’s mouth. He could practically taste the submission in the lithe body against him and it drove him on, drawing out his natural aggression.
Pulling back, he smiled lustily when Spencer whimpered and followed, his mouth open and seeking. Licking his lips, he ordered harshly, “Kiss Hotch. I want to watch you together.”
Spencer didn’t even hesitate. He simply turned and sealed his mouth to Hotch’s, who looked startled and hungry, all at once. Hotch’s own aggressive nature came out and he easily took over the kiss. It was so incredible, watching them make out like that; long, wet kisses that went on and on. Jason was hard as a rock and they hadn’t even made it to the bedroom.
Maybe we won’t, he thought.
“Hotch. The table,” he murmured.
Hotch nodded without breaking the kiss. Jason lightly pushed them towards the sturdy, wooden table, guiding with hands on Spencer’s hips and ass. Pulling Spencer’s shirt from his pants and then moving his hands around the slender waist to undo button and zipper. He shoved both pants and boxers down, then squeezed Spencer’s firm globes, enjoying the feel of them, as he always did.
While the kiss went on, Jason parted from them to grab the lotion that Spencer kept in just about every room. He hadn’t thought of using it for this, but perhaps his lover was a more devious than he’d suspected. When he returned, it was to find Spencer’s mouth latched onto Hotch’s nipple through the fabric of his shirt with Hotch moaning and collapsed backwards on the table.
Grinning fiercely at the interplay, Jason slicked his fingers up and slid them along the cleft before probing slowly into Spencer’s hole. Just a little. A tease. Enough to break Spencer’s concentration with what he was doing and rest his forehead on Hotch’s chest, panting. “Keep going, Spencer. Show Hotch how good you are, my own.”
Spencer shuddered but nodded. He yanked Hotch’s t-shirt up and just about swooped down on the hard nipple. Hotch moaned in need, music to Jason’s ear, and he rewarded Spencer by pushing his finger all the way inside. Watching as Spencer devoured Hotch, leaving wet, red marks all over the firm, muscled chest sent a rush of lust through Jason. A second finger joined the first and he pistoned them in and out of the hole, stretching it as quickly as it was safe to do so. Twisting and scissoring the fingers within, Jason barely maintained control of himself until he knew for sure that Spencer was stretched enough.
“Hotch, sit in a chair,” Jason ordered, pulling Spencer off their new lover’s body.
It took a few seconds for the words to get through the fog Hotch was clearly in, but he eventually stumbled to the chair and sat in it. Jason guided Spencer over and whispered, “Do you want to taste him, my own? Do you want to drink him down?”
“Please, please, let me have him, please?” Spencer begged without shame, rubbing back against Jason’s groin.
“Suck him.”
Spencer undid Hotch’s pants with astonishingly steady fingers, baring his thick length in short order. He was bent over and sucking on Hotch’s cock even faster, cheeks hollowed with the effort. Hotch arched into the contact, eyes rolling back as he was swallowed down, fingers in a death-grip on the chair. Jason watched them again, stretching Spencer almost absently as he visually devoured his lovers.
It wasn’t until he couldn’t bear it any longer that Jason pushed down his sweatpants and smeared his hardon with lotion. Spencer’s body tempted him beyond reason, as it had so many times before, and he slowly forced his dick into the tight hole, provoking a pained moan from Spencer despite the preparation. It was always like that and Jason wasn’t convinced that Spencer didn’t do something to bring his ass back to virginal tightness.
The slow, steady pumping didn’t last very long, not with as much deprivation as they’d been subjected. His body demanded more and Jason knew from experience that Spencer liked it on the rough side. Where that penchant came from, he hadn’t yet been able to pull from his mate, but there was plenty of time to discover not only what kinks turned the young man on, but their genesis.
Thrusting into Spencer hard and fast, Jason hissed, “I’m close, my own, make him come. Come when he does.”
Spencer’s sucking grew audibly in intensity, wet, nasty noises that instantly pulled a chest-deep groan from Hotch. Jason smelled the come only seconds later, from both of his lovers, and humped rapidly into Spencer. He spilled deep and long moments after, grinding into his mate and surrounding him completely from behind, the beast of two backs, as history named them.
Panting, Jason took a few minutes to regain his senses, undulating gently as he did so, slowly deflating within his lover’s body. Sighing at last, he withdrew and kissed the back of Spencer’s neck as he did so.
Spencer stood, a languorous, thoroughly satisfied expression on his face. Gripping the back of Jason’s neck, he tugged Jason in for a deep kiss, humming in contentment.
Jason chuckled and broke the kiss, glancing at the nearly somnolent Hotch still on the chair. Giving his younger lover an amused look, he observed, “I think you may have broken him, Spencer.”
Grinning, Spencer agreed, “Maybe. Think we can get him upstairs?”
“I’m post-orgasmic, not deaf,” Hotch grumbled, seeming to shake out of his fog. “I can get upstairs on my own, thank you very much.”
Chuckling once more, Jason held a hand out to Hotch while twining his other with Spencer’s. He took Hotch’s mouth in a short kiss, just enough to reacquaint himself with the taste of him, and enjoyed the fact that they’d managed to push away the perpetual sadness and anger that dogged the Shifter. Smiling, Jason ordered lightly, “Come on. Let’s get some rest.”
* * * *
Spencer sighed happily as he snuggled up to Jason under the covers. Strong arms wound about him from both sides when Hotch spooned up behind him. They were all gloriously naked and he relished the feel of both men against him. Two very, very different men who both engendered feelings of security and love deep inside him.
To not have to hide how he felt about Hotch was a boon he’d never expected.
To have both men in his life, just like this, made Spencer realize that sometimes, miracles really did happen.
* * * *
It was with something like suspicion that Hotch curled up around Spencer from behind. Nuzzling into the soft, longish hair, he breathed in the musky scent and hitched a leg over the long legs, making sure that his new lover wasn’t going anywhere. He’d never been given the kind of release that Spencer had afforded him earlier and Hotch couldn’t believe that it wasn’t a one-time deal. That one or both of them were going to show him the door as soon as they came to their senses.
“Hotch.”
Pushing onto an elbow, Hotch looked across Spencer’s still, sleeping form, at Gideon. “Yes?”
“I love you,” Jason informed him simply. “We both do. This is for real.”
Not bothering to wonder how the other Shifter had known what he was thinking, Hotch offered a brief smile. “I know.”
Gideon’s lips twisted as he countered, “No you don’t, but you will. Get some sleep.”
Hotch nodded and settled back down around Spencer, determined to enjoy this for as long as he could. He was certain that it wouldn’t last longer than it took for reality to sink in, but closed his eyes resolutely.
If Spencer and Gideon proved him wrong, well, all the better.
***
Epilogue
Sometime in the fifth century, Euripides said, “When love is in excess it brings a man no honor nor worthiness.”
I’m not sure what he considers ‘excess,’ but I know most would consider our new arrangement to be at least that. I, however, don’t. The three of us together will be strong, giving each what the other needs. If one falls down on the job, two will be there for comfort and support. Or a kick in the ass, depending on the situation.
All I can truly say is that I’m glad this happened sooner, rather than later. And if it is an excess, then I will revel in my bounty.
Spencer winced as he tried to find a comfortable position in which to sit, ultimately gave up and stood again. He’d been going up and down like a Jack-in-the-Box all day and it was starting to wear thin. Not that he was truly complaining, since he’d enjoyed the source of his discomfort so very much, but the knowing and amused looks he kept getting from the rest of the team were embarrassing.
And if Jason or Hotch looked any more smug, he would…do something very unpleasant to them both.
“Having a problem there, Boy Wonder?”
Turning to find Garcia grinning at him, Spencer grimaced and replied, “No.”
“Really? Because it looks like someone got really well f…”
“Garcia!”
She laughed softly and gave him a commiserating pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll only embarrass you when no one’s around to hear it.”
A quick look around showed that they were, indeed, the only ones in the bullpen. Hotch and Gideon were in their offices, doors closed. Elle and JJ were off somewhere and Morgan had his headphones on, listening to some R&B group at a pretty loud setting while he worked at his computer.
“So what’s Hotch like in bed? Does he top, bottom, or switch? The girls and I have a bet going,” Garcia told him, grinning lasciviously.
Spencer groaned, “Garcia!”
“Oh come on, you can’t not give details!” she protested. “I’ve got money on this!”
Heat flushed Spencer’s face and lust burned through his body as he remembered being on the receiving end of Hotch’s intensity, repeatedly, and watching as Jason took Hotch.
“I knew it! He switches, doesn’t he?” Garcia crowed softly.
Spencer sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to be left alone until he confirmed. “Yes. Happy now?”
“I will be as soon as I collect my winnings!”
Shaking his head, Spencer asked, “Is there anything else?”
“Just that if you need to talk, I’m here for you sugar,” she offered, smiling. “I know what it’s like to have one broody, intense type as a lover. Having two, I’m sure you’ll need to decompress in short order.”
Spencer saw that the offer was sincerely meant and smiled in return. “Thanks, Garcia.”
“Anytime, honey,” she replied, giving him a quick hug.
He watched her go and shook his head again, caught between humor and dismay. He’d known that the girls would be talking about them, but betting? When he turned back to his chair, he grimaced and gingerly tried sitting again. Since his ‘active’ sex life was bound to continue, Spencer knew he had to get used to the occasional discomfort.
He grinned and focused on his computer as he thought, Definitely not complaining.