Animals

"I don't know mom." Cameron sighed heavily. "I just... I just want you to be happy." He took his mother's hands, holding them lightly. "Are you happy?" The man never seemed too happy, but Cameron had always thought he was. But now he was doubting that.

"I swear, I didn't mean to do this to you!" Jesse cried out, taking the hits Apollo gave him. He deserved them. "Apollo, it'll be okay." He reached out to embrace the boy once more, needing to calm him. "I don't want you to have to leave, I... you can stay here if you want." He didn't want to make the boy go back to the live he had been living before Jesse found him.

Finn immediately looked away, unable to meet Cameron's gaze. "I...I don't fucking know anymore Cam....I thought I was....But this mother fucker has made me question every fucking thing and I...I don't fucking know..." He cursed softly, looking down at their conjoined hands. "What...What if I fucking break us?" As if to prove his point, he moved their hands apart. "I-I don't want to fucking lose us...I don't want Jeremy to hate me..."

"Oh yeah, so I can watch you and your new fucking mate." Apollo spat the word like it was garbage, a word he had learned was meaningless. "No fucking way dad-" Apollo stopped himself, bursting into tears once again as he realized they didn't have that anymore. "Im mother fucking leaving." Apollo shoved away from Jesse, standing on wobbly knees in order to make his way to the stairs. "Don't you fucking forget, I can have another man any fucking time! As nasty as they are sometimes, they're fucking better than you." He was going to pack his things, and he was fucking gone. He didn't know where to yet, but it was away from Jesse.

"Apollo, please!" Jesse sounded more desperate than he ever had as he chased after the boy. "I don't want things to be like this, I don't want you to hate me! I know you can have any man you want, you're beautiful, Apollo. You're a treasure and I'm sorry I've got to let you go but you're too special to go back to the life you were living before. Please, I want to take care of you."

Apollo ignored him, tears blurring his vision so badly he stumbled a few times before finally making it up the stairs and to Jesse's room. He stopped a moment at the door, clutching at his chest at the thought that this would be his very last time in this room. He would never lay with Jesse in the bed, or bitch to him about the way he leaves his clothes strewn everywhere. "Oh god...." He forced himself to trudge forward, snatching up an old shopping bag he had left laying around from the last time Jesse had taken him out. It was bitter to think if how he was now using it to pile his clothes into. He wasn't surprised when all his belongings only filled the one bag. Anything Jesse had bought, he was leaving.

"No matter what, I love you." Cameron murmured, leaning in to kiss his mother's cheek. "And we'll be okay, I promise." Normally it was the parents comforting the children, but Cameron always was mature for his age and he was always looking after his mother. He loved the man more than anything.

"Apollo!" Jesse pleaded once more as he watched the boy pack his things. "You don't have to do this, please darling. We can work something out, just calm down! We can talk!"

"I love you too Cam." Finn shook his head, knowing this was a lot to put on a child. "Im really fucking sorry." He needed to find Jeremy. Maybe talking to his lover would help.

"Dont you call me darling Jesse! Im not shit to you anymore! Were not even friends! Im leaving and I don't ever want to see you again after this!!" Apollo picked up a shoe, throwing it at the wall nearest to Jesse. "I hope your new bitch knows I've been here. And I hope you miss me..." Apollo stopped at the door, tempted to kiss Jesse one more time, to beg him not to be like this. But Apollo did not beg, and he did not look back on his way down the stairs.

"Don't be sorry, mom." Cameron only smiled, stroking his mother's shoulders. "I'm sorry you're going through this. You don't deserve it."

"Apollo!" Jesse called out one last time behind the boy but it was too late, the boy was already gone.

"I probably fucking do, but thanks anyways babe." Finn stood, dropping a kiss to the top of Camerons head before heading off to find Morgue.

Apollo wasn't sure how long he walked around, but it eventually lead him to Justin's front door. He dropped his bag on the step, debating only a moment more before knocking on the door.

"Jesse? " Roman appeared from the kitchen, a grim expression marring his face. "Are you alright? " he stepped closer to the man, there if Jesse needed anything.

Morgue was in the kitchen, preparing lunch for the family. He had not noticed the stranger at the front door, had no clue of the thoughts that were going through Finn's mind.

Justin appeared at the door several minutes later in only a pair of sweatpants. Ajax was over as usual, they'd been planning on spending the night together, watching movies, cuddling, and probably fucking at some point.
"Apollo! Hey beautiful, to what do I owe this surprise?" He was grinning brightly before he noticed the tear tracks down the boy's cheeks. "Hey, what's wrong sweetheart?" He instinctively reached out to wipe away stray tears with his thumb.

Jesse sat on the couch with his head in his hands. He looked up at Roman with a grateful smile, thankful that the man was here for him.
"I never wanted to hurt him like that." There were fresh tear tracks on his cheeks. "Damnit, I thought being a wolf was supposed to save me from this shit." One mate for life, that was how it was supposed to be. No painful breakups.

Finn stood in the doorway for a while, simply watching his lover almost grimly. Morgue looked happy. How could Finn take that away from him? And did he even want to? "Jeremy, there was just a fucking man at our door."

Apollo peered inside, noticed Ajax and immediately grabbed his bag back up. He couldnt ask to stay here now, For all he knew, Ajax was the bitch Jesse was leaving him for. He'd never thought much of their flirting but now it was making him sick. "Just came to say hey, I guess. Im about to head out. Jesse's found a new bitch." The boy hiccupped, fresh tears spilling down his cheeks. "So I just wanted to say goodbye..."

"Me either. I never expected you to mate again. You and Apollo had seemed right. But sometimes you have to go through some shit to be a good alpha I guess." Roman sat down beside Jesse, wrapping his arm around the mans shoulder.

Morgue arched an eyebrow as he turned to face Finn.
"A man? Do we know him?" Finn seemed upset about something. He'd been off for a few weeks now...

Justin furrowed his brow, his first reaction being confusion. How could Jesse have someone new? Apollo was his mate. That meant for life. But he decided he'd question that later. For now, he had a crying boy to take care of.
"Sorry to hear Jesse's being a bitch but you're crazy if you think I'm letting you leave." He took the boy's bag, tossing it into the corner. "You can stay here for a while, alright? Just me and Ajax around most of the time. Sometimes you'll have to put up with Jason but he's not bad. And he's got Sterling over all the time, you and him are friends, right?" He was smiling softly, reassuringly stroking Apollo's shoulders.

Jesse found himself leaning into Roman. Roman always seemed to be there, to comfort him.
"You know you'd make such a damn better Alpha than I do." He was a wreck, always losing control, starting shit he couldn't get himself out of. Roman was calm and collected all the time, always there for any pack member that needed him. Jesse admired it, really. "So I took care of one problem, now I've just got to get my damn mate here with me."

"Well...I kinda fucking do...But not exactly." Finn moved to the table, taking a seat as though unsure if he wanted to go on with this. Maybe alerting Jeremy was a bad idea, but Finn felt like it was his right to know. "I have seen him in my damn dreams before. I never thought the mother fucker was real. But he sure was fuck is, and he was at our door with morning, for me."

"Uh....I guess. It'd be nice to see my shooting star." Apollo hiccuped at the thought of his friend. "But I don't really want to be here right now." He was staring at Ajax, almost wishing he could burn holes through him.

"Nah. I don't need to be an alpha, im happy being your beta." Roman had considered it before, but ever since meeting Jesse he had never cared for it. "Besides, what would you do without me?" He smiled, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Anyways, whats this new mate of yours name? What are they like? Anyone I know?"

"For you?" Morgue blinked. "What did he want? What kind of dreams have you been having?" Was that what had been making Finn act so weird lately? "He just showed up?"

"Aw come on, I'll make Ajax be nice. My two beautiful boys have got to get along." He glanced back at Ajax, giving him a look that said not to mess with Apollo right now. "Just come in, sit down, you can stare at my beautiful face all night." Justin grinned slyly, taking Apollo's hand and tugging him towards the couch.

"His name is Finn." Jesse's face automatically lit at speaking of his mate. "I don't think you know him." He was not aware that Finn was a rather close friend of Zach's, who Roman had met a few times before. "He's... well, he's a bitch." Jesse cracked a smile. "But I like it. He doesn't take shit from people, every other word out of his mouth is a curse. He's... something different."

"They are just weird ass dreams with him, like...Not like we are fucking together exactly, but I mean....I fucking like him. They are only damn dreams though. And then today the bitch just shows up out of now where, spouting some shit about how im his mate and I need to go home with his big ass because we're meant to be or some shit." Finn spoke quickly, trying to get it all out before he exploded. It had been eating at him for weeks now, causing him to be withdrawn and even more bitchy.

Ajax scrunched his nose up, sticking his tongue out at Justin but still leaving Apollo alone as he went about making drinks.
Apollo didn't even want to look at Justin. As much as he wanted to get back at Jesse, he was still hurting fiercely, unable to focus on anything, much less Justin's well sculpted face. He still made a point to be polite though, if Justin was having him as a guest. "Thank you my man..." Apollo sat on the couch, immediately curling up into the arm of the sofa. "You can go back to whatever you were doing. Im not a baby." He just wanted to cry in peace, but he had nowhere to go, and he was tired of running.

Roman blinked at his alpha, slowly shaking his head. "Please don't tell me you're talking about Finn Holloway? Jesse, if thats the case I'd have told you to stick with Apollo, fuck instinct. That kids a menace." Roman rubbed the back of his neck. "Zach's pretty close with him."

Morgue blinked as he took in the information, a frown forming on his features.
"And... what did you say to him?" If Finn wasn't considering leaving with this man, he wouldn't have bothered to tell him about it.

"We were just watching some movies, chilling." Justin nodded. Normally, the first thing on his mind when seeing Apollo was trying to get in the boy's pants. But now, even though he was single and right here, Justin's mind wasn't anywhere near that. He knew Apollo was grieving and he was trying to be a friend right now. "Got a favorite? I've got a nice collection. We can watch anything you want. Ajax is fixing us some drinks and I'm pretty sure there's tons of ice cream in the fridge. I hear you guys like that after breakups, right?" He was wracking his brain for anything Apollo might like to do. "I think Jason and Sterling are on their way home soon if you'd want to see them..."

"That's him." Jesse grinned. "Aw shit, he's friends with Zach? He must be insane." Jesse chuckled softly, suddenly getting an urge to find Zach. He wanted to know everything he could about the boy... "You know a lot about him?"

"I just told him to fuck off. He said he was damn coming back, but likes I said, I told him I kiss my ass." Finn swallowed thickly, not sure what to say now, how much Jeremy would want to hear. "But I....I don't know. He fucking has me confused and im just not sure what the fuck is going on Jeremy. I don't understand why im seeing him in my mother fucking dreams, why the hell I feel like I know him even though today's the first day i've ever actually fucking seen him." Finally Finn was able to meet Jeremy's gaze, reaching over for the mans hand. "Im just...See? I don't even fucking know what to say..."

Apollo listened to him, although all he wanted to do was find somewhere to hide out for a while. He kept wishing he would just wake up and find out this was all just a fucking bad dream, but he had already pinched his arm so hard on the way over that it had started to bleed and he just knew that this was his reality now, and it was hell. "I don't really watch a lot of movies, so you guys can just pick one out. And ice creams bad on the hips." He cringed at the thought. He had a habit of trying to keep up with his body so that he would never be seen as unappealing by Jesse, but it really didn't matter now, did it? Apollo forced up a smile, nodding at the mention of Sterling. "Yeah, I'd like to see my boo...."
All he wanted was Jesse.

"Uhhh." Roman rubbed the back of his neck in thought. "I know what Zach has told me, and Trever. He is friends with Trever too." This kid sounded worse and worse the more Roman thought about him. "And i've been around him a little bit, enough to know that i'd like to keep my damn distance."

"I can tell you're confused, you're being too nice." Morgue smirked lightly as he took Finn's hand. "I... do you mean you're... thinking about going with him?" He was slightly in shock. Sure, Finn was a bitch. But Morgue had always thought the boy truly loved him...

"Alright." Justin grinned, happy to have done something right. He strained his ears, finding the heartbeat's of his pack members and noting that they were getting closer. "Yeah, he should be here any minute now. They're on their way." He paused, frowning at how depressed Apollo looked. "I'm sorry I'm not much help." He sighed. "The only thing I'm good for is my looks." He made a feeble attempt at a joke as he patted Apollo on the back.

"Man, but isn't he beautiful?" Jesse was grinning like a child at the thought and it was clear that Finn was his true mate from the way he looked when thinking about the boy. "I want to fucking hold him." He groaned. He felt like he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. He may not be able to sleep until he had Finn to tuck in his arms.

Finn became utterly still, like a deer caught in head lights. And that was exactly what it felt like, something was barreling towards him and there was nothing he could do to get out of the way. Finally he let out a weak groan, reaching out towards Morgue to gently push a stray piece of platinum blonde hair from his face. "Im trying not to fucking think about anything at this point because....I really do fucking love you Jeremy, and I love to the fucking core of my being....So I don't understand why this fucking man makes me feel like he does, why he can fucking waltz in here and make my question every damn thing."

"Well, at least your looks are a good enough distraction." Apollo was trying to play along, laughing at Justin's joke even though he was feeling sick again. It was getting late. He missed his home...The bed he had known for years now...But most of all the man that waited there. It was a blow to the gut, thinking about Jesse with someone else.
Ajax whistled as he made he way into the room, plopping down beside Justin and offering the man a drink, placing another down infront of Apollo. "I agree." He smirked, nudging Justin so the boy would know he was kidding. "The only reason I bother to come over is just to look at him...and grab his ass." Ajax snickered, slowly quieting when he noticed that Apollo looked stricken at the exchange. It was like the boy had lost a part of himself, even Ajax almost felt bad for him.

Roman found himself laughing at his alpha, amazed at Jesse's enthusiasm. It was something the man had never expressed over Apollo. "Damn, you sound like me. I may not say it, but im always thinking that kind of stuff about Zach. But if I told someone everytime that crossed my mind, no one would want to be around me." Roman chucked softly. "You're making me damn miss my mate." He wasn't sure what Jesse thought was so beautiful about Finn, the boy paled in comparison to Zach, with his big doe eyes and dreads. The boy was a gift.

Morgue looked like he could be sick.
"Finn..." He murmured, looking to his lover with pained eyes. "You can't be serious?" This mysterious man was just going to barge in here and take Finn from him? Take his entire world? "Finn, I... you're my world. He's a damn liar, we're meant to be. You know that, right?"

Justin laughed softly, pressing a kiss to Ajax's cheek before frowning to Apollo.
"Aw man, this is serious. We've got to do something." He didn't think he could stand to see Apollo so down. Finally, the door was opened to reveal Justin's double and his mate, with his long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. The two of them were laughing about something, Sterling curled around Jason's side.

"Aw fuck, so it's always going to be like this?" Jesse didn't think he could handle another minute without Finn. "Wait!" He exclaimed suddenly, turning to Roman with amazement in his eyes. "Oh shit, Roman, I've got an idea." He practically tackled the man in his excitement. "You tell Zach to invite Finn over to hang out and I'll just happen to be over there!" This plan of his was filling him with such excitement. He was beaming just at the thought of getting to be near Finn again.

"I fucking thought I did..." Finn cursed harshly, shaking his head as he took in the look on his lovers face. It hurt him, to the point where he felt it in his chest. "Stop fucking looking at me like! You're damn killing me here." The boy was radiating distress, seeing Morgue in any kind of pain enough to get him moving. He stood up, taking one step to get to his lover, pulling the man into his arms. "We are meant to be together okay? Fuck! Just stop that shit." He found himself dropping kisses into Jeremy's hair, regretting that he ever said anything about it.

Jason blinked at the three of them, dropping a final kiss to his mates lips before making his way over to his brother. "What the hell guys? I know you're not trying to have a party without us! I mean, I am the party!" He gently shoved Ajax over, earning a kick in the side, but he continued to take Justin's drink as though nothing had happened.
Apollo look up at Sterling, reaching a hand out for the boy almost desperately. "Hey there starlight." The boy greeted weakly, attempting a casual smile.

"Woah!" Roman caught Jesse, laughing so hard his abdomen ached. "I'll have to talk to Zach about all of this! And I don't know if he's busy or not. And then you never know what Finn is going to say, he isnt shy about telling anyone no."

"I'm not trying to guilt you into saying that." Morgue informed. "If you... are questioning us, I want you to tell me, okay?" He had thought everything was going fine with them. Apparently not.

Sterling made room for himself on the couch, frowning deeply at his friend. He could smell his distress from several feet away.
"What's the matter?" Apollo was never away from Jesse... something was off.

"Why do you have to ruin my damn fun?" Jesse groaned, lying back on the couch and staring at the ceiling. "Well go on, call Zach now at least. Do it." He placed his feet in Roman's lap as he laid down, raising one of them to kick the man in the stomach as if nudging him to get on with it.

"Jeremy, I don't know what the fuck im doing! Just...You wanna go the fuck to bed? Maybe be intimate or some shit?" Finn wanted to be completely sure in Jeremy again, completely sure he was happy with the man. And maybe if he could at least lay with the man, Jeremy might feel better. It was strange for him to care so much, but it was almost like one of the were dying...
Or maybe...Their relationship was dying.

Apollo took a deep breath, preparing himself to recount the events, except he didn't think he could say it again because it made him sick to talk about and when he opened his mouth all that came out was that god awful sob again, like something was breaking inside him but everything hurt so much he wasn't sure what broke. "He fucking left me! My dad-" Apollo bit the word back. "That mother fucker forced me to leave my life to come and be his mate or whatever and now its just over and..." He was crying so hard that trying to continue was pointless, nothing could be made out through the tears.

"Holy shit! Are you going to be like this all the time?" Roman was already calling his mate, having the boys number programmed into his speed dial. "Because if you are, he is going to maim you. I have seen this kid. He is like a walking grenade."

Jeremy nodded slowly although it felt like there was a lump in his throat. He was having trouble breathing.
"Yes, let's go." He placed one arm around Finn's shoulders and the other behind his knees, scooping him up into his arms. Like this, he carried him up the stairs and to their bedroom before kissing him softly.

Apollo was immediately pulled into Sterling's chest, the man stroking his back gently.
"Seems like Jesse mated with someone else." Justin informed Sterling softly, knowing Apollo couldn't continue himself.
"That fucker..." He shook his head, dropping kisses into his hair. He pulled back after a moment and looked at his friend. "You want me to kick his ass?" He shifted as if to show how serious he was, golden eyes glowing. He didn't care that Jesse was his Alpha, the man had hurt his friend. "Or even better, I can find the bitch he mated with and kick their ass." All the while, a clawed hand comfortingly rubbed Apollo's shoulders.

"No!" Jesse groaned. "I'll control myself around him, I'll just be like this til I've got him here." He now leaned forward to rest his head on Roman's shoulder, listening as Zach answered the phone call.
"Babe? Everything alright?" Zach questioned.

"Im not a fucking baby Jeremy, I could have walked." Finn was trying to keep things normal, bitching at his lover while nipping at Morgue's bottom lip. He wanted to forget all about Jesse, everything they had done in the dreams, and everything the man had said earlier. He reached up to pull Jeremy's shirt over his head, settling the cloth on his chest so he could inhale the mans scent.

"Calm your tits babe." Jason reached out to soothingly rub Sterling's back. "Jesse is our alpha, going against him could mean bad things for us." He always managed to be the voice of reason, trying to keep his tiny family out of trouble.
Apollo was clinging to his friend, pressing wet kisses into Sterling's neck. "Thank you star fire, really. but I dont want Jesse hurt..Even though he is a mother fucker." The boy hiccuped once more, groaning at how sore his throat was. "And I dont know who the fuck he left me for..."

"Uh, kinda." Roman felt tension leaving his shoulders as he heard his mates voice, crooning softly into the phone so Zach would know he was missed. "I need you to invite your Finn friend over, the little mean one. I guess its kind of important."

"I know, but I like carrying you." Morgue smiled softly, pressing his lips into the crook of Finn's neck, kissing the spot gently. He wanted to be close to Finn, to make him remember how they felt about each other.

"Well we're going to find out who he left you for." Sterling murmured. "And I'm going to make his life a living hell, you trust me." He was still stroking Apollo's back as Jason rubbed his own. He turned to face his mate. "And I can't calm down, fucker hurt my damn goddess."

Zach frowned. That was a strange request. Roman liked to stay as far away from Finn as possible when Zach had him over.
"Is there a reason? It better be a good one if I've got to risk him biting my head off."