Angela's Apocalypse Pt. 04

Content Warning: This story contains implications and mentions of non-consensual sexual situations. The situations are not described. They happen "off screen" and directly affect a main character in this story. Please use discretion when reading.

This a bit of a slow burn, lots of plot with a bit of sex. The sex is at the end if you want to skip all the build up.

Characters depicted in sexual situations are all over 18 years old. All characters are mine.

Angela's Apocalypse: Full Moon Apocalypse

September 2043

Darin woke with a start. The collar around his neck was cold and biting into his skin. He was curled in a tight crescent shape facing the chain link of his enclosure. A foul rotten taste coated his tongue and throat causing him to cough harshly. He spat out a rancid glob of flesh.

"Fuck," he groaned, with another sharp cough.

A dull thud pounded all through his skull, while his muscles ached deeply down to the bone. It was as if he could feel them pulsing and contracting around his skeletal structure, which was more than a little unpleasant. Darin rubbed the dirty heel of his hand against one eye then other, but he kept them closed for a moment longer against the fall light streaming down on him.

The quarters he lived in between full moon phases were small with an outdoor yard accessed by a crawl through. It was the type of thing you would see for animals in a sketchy zoo and that was exactly how he felt at the moment; trapped, abused, and sick. He was filthy as they only let him wash once a month usually right after his transformation. The wash was simply someone hosing him off quickly while he frantically scrubbed his skin and hair with a shaving of soap they tossed at him.

His stomach rolled but felt empty at the same time. That's how he knew there had been undead last night. As a werewolf the virus didn't turn him, but his stomach was always roiling and uncomfortable for a week after he dispatched them, especially more than one. He hacked again, the cough racking his thin body. He felt the ache of it deep in his chest, and he groaned weakly.

"Are you OK?" a small voice asked from behind him.

Darin twitched at the sound, rubbing his eyes open before he rolled over slowly trying to clear his throat. He spat out another disgusting glob from his mouth. A boy was huddling in the corner of the yard. Darin felt a horrible drop in his stomach as he registered who was sharing his pen. It was crystal clear to him what had been done; the knowledge caused a twist of deep unadulterated hatred for himself to coil tightly in his chest.

"Sorry," Darin said roughly rubbing his arm over his mouth. "That was gross."

"That's... OK," the boy said.

He pulled his knees closer to him, trying to take up as little space as possible. Darin studied the boy. His face was streaked with dirt and his mouth and chin were slathered with blood. The boy also wore a tight collar around his neck, the skin beneath it bruising already.

There were some blobs of flesh near the boy and a small puddle of vomit. His body was also streaked with dirt and mud. He leaned heavily against the chain link, his arms wrapped around his knees. Both he and the boy wore tattered dirty boxer shorts. At least they were afforded that small "dignity."

"I'm OK," Darin said. "Just a bad taste in my mouth."

The boy's eyes traveled to him once again and looked over him. He nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off Darin now. He crawled closer to the boy, who flinched and tried to pull even tighter to himself.

"It's OK, I won't hurt you," Darin said. "Are you OK?"

The boy's eyes glassed with tears that immediately spilled over. He looked away from Darin, out through the chain link again.

"I miss my dads," the boy said.

"Yeah," Darin said slowly.

His eyes raked over the boy's arms quickly and he saw what he'd dreaded he might see. The boy's arm was covered in bloody bite marks. Darin was sure the other, tucked close to his side and pressing against the chain link, probably looked the same.

"Did you..." Darin started. The boy turned to look at him again. "Do you know what happened to your arms?"

"Yes," he said. The boy's eyes darkened. "And I know it was you. But I'm just too tired to be mad at you."

A sob worked up Darin's chest and like the boy he was too tired to stop it. He buried his face in his hands and cried for a minute. For a five count he let himself loudly and messily sob before he forced himself to stop and wiped his eyes roughly.

"Fuck," he growled. "I'm sorry kid. I don't have a lot of control when I'm a wolf, unless we're family."

"I guess we're family now," the boy said.

He still had tears on his cheeks but was silent as he cried.

"I guess," Darin replied quietly. "What's your name?"

"Jax," he said.

"Jax, I'm Darin." He stood shakily and held out a hand to the boy. "Come on, they'll be coming in with the hose to clean up here soon. Then they'll let us rinse off."

Jax glanced down at the vomit and the globs of rancid flesh he'd obviously retched up.

"That's OK Jax. It's normal, well normal for a first-time werewolf," Darin said.

Jax reached up to Darin and grasped his hand. Darin pulled him gently up. Jax wobbled and gagged a little clutching a hand to his mouth.

"It's OK kid, don't swallow it. It's coming up for a reason," Darin said gently.

Jax turned and Darin closed his eyes at the sound of splattering. Jax started to sob.

"Hey, hey," Darin rubbed a hand over his shuddering back. "It's OK. It's gross, but you'll be OK."

Jax nodded as he straightened up, but his sobbing didn't stop. Darin carefully reached out and brushed his hand through the kid's filthy hair.

"Shhhh, it's OK kid," Darin said. "You're not alone Jax alright?" Jax's glimmering eyes held Darin's, and he nodded. "Alright, let's go in. They let us sleep for a few hours before it's our turn to get cleaned up."

The two crawled through the small door that led to their indoor enclosure. On opposite walls there were thin mattresses topped with a scratchy woolen blanket. A big bucket was tucked into a corner for other needs.

"Just try to get some rest OK, Jax," Darin said.

Jax nodded and pulled the blanket over his skinny shivering body. Darin put his back to Jax again, curled into a crescent and cried silently until he fell asleep.

~~

"Alright you two, get up!" a rough voice shouted.

A baton banged against the bars of the enclosure Jax and Darin slept in. Darin jumped and snarled, unable to hold it back in his surprise.

"Oh! Getting an attitude huh wolf?" the voice spat.

Darin grimaced, he knew that voice, fucking Garcia. He'd come in with Monica's crew and ruined everything that The Safety had been.

He rolled to his back and pushed himself into a seated position and glared at the man standing outside the enclosure.

"Darin, my name is Darin," he growled.

Garcia grinned evilly at him.

"I think I'll just stick with wolf," Garcia said.

Darin glanced across the room and saw Jax, huddled in the corner. If it was possible he was even more of a mess than before. Tears leaked from his eyes, his boxer shorts and mattress were soaked with urine. His chin was not only streaked with blood now but also vomit. Darin felt a wave of guilt for sleeping through all of the kid's issues, he was always just so exhausted after transformation, especially now since he wasn't allowed to recover properly.

Garcia finally registered that Darin was studying the kid and the mess. He looked over and let out a disgusted yell.

"Christ kid! There's a bucket for a reason," Garcia snarled, putting a hand over his mouth and nose.

Jax hiccupped and put his forehead to his knees, sobbing loudly.

"I want my dad," Jax moaned as he hiccupped again.

Darin cringed and stood unsteadily walking over to Jax. He plopped next to him carefully avoiding the rancid puddles. He smelled terrible, but Darin was sure he reeked just as badly.

"Sick!" Garcia mumbled.

"It's OK, Jax," Darin mumbled to the kid. "It's the exhaustion, it's alright."

Jax continued to sob and pulled himself into a tighter ball.

"Fucking gross," Garcia said. "Grant is hosing out the mess you two left outside. He'll be in to hose you sick fucks off soon."

"Fuck you Garcia," Darin said half-heartedly.

Garcia scoffed and flipped him the bird before swaggering off down the hallway.

"Kid, I swear this is all normal," Darin said.

He put a hand tentatively to his knee. Jax flinched a little but looked up at him.

"Really?" he asked, bringing his eyes up to meet Darin's.

Darin held his gaze. It was normal, although Darin had gone through it as a much younger wolf. Transformation had happened to him at four, a little early but he still remembered trying to get used to the feeling of heaviness in your stomach, the exhaustion the next day that made it impossible to move even if you had to pee. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like if his first kills as a wolf had been zombie flesh. Even as a full-grown werewolf, it turned his stomach.

"Yeah Jax, I promise you," Darin said with a small smile.

"I knew I had to pee. I tried to get up and get to the bucket," Jax said, with a shake of his head. "Even when I was... when I threw up again, I just couldn't move."

Darin put a hand to his shoulder.

"Yeah, I know," Darin said. "It gets easier, OK? I mean the undead flesh is always going to... not be right. I even feel like throwing up after that. But the exhaustion, the being able to get up when you need to, that gets easier."

Jax finally looked away and nodded.

"Will we get to change? Clean up?" Jax asked. "Do these come off? It hurts."

Jax tried to tuck his fingers between the collar and his neck, pinching the skin there with a wince. Darin shook his head slowly, studying the bites along his arms. They were beginning to heal, thanks to the kid's new werewolf blood, but still Darin told himself what a piece of shit he was.

"The collars never come off. But we do get to wash up, it's cold. But it's the only washing we get, so try to make the best of it," Darin said. "I'll ask for a new mattress for you, but they might say no."

"OK," Jax said his voice going hard.

Darin watched the kid fight down the hard look on his face, the simmering anger that was gathering behind his tired eyes, that slight hint of yellow.

"Say it kid," Darin said, sitting back. "Just let it out."

"You fucking did this to me," Jax spat, his knees pulled away a little as he stabbed out a finger to him.

His voice sounded weird when he dropped the f-bomb and Darin wondered if he'd ever said it before then.

"Yeah, I did," Darin said.

Jax gritted his teeth, which sharpened to points, his nails going long. His face contorted with rage and fear as he witnessed his nails growing in front of his eyes.

"I want to go back; how do I go back?" Jax asked harshly.

"You can't kid," Darin sighed. "I'm sorry, I really really am."

"Fuck you," Jax spat. He leaned forward onto all fours. "You did this, and I'm stuck now. I fucking hate you."

Darin nodded as the kid leaned toward him. With flashing yellow eyes Jax's hand shot out with a loud snarl. His fingernails slashed over the exposed skin of Darin's neck bringing up stinging welts but not breaking the skin.

Jax's face paled, the yellow seeping immediately out of his eyes, teeth rounding, and nails retracting quickly. Darin had leaned back but not crawled away. He deserved whatever this kid would dish out to him. He waited for Jax's rage to return but it didn't, instead he crumpled onto Darin's lap and started to cry again.

"I fucking hate you," Jax said.

"I know kid," Darin said. "Join the club," he muttered under his breath.

~~

Grant came by with the hose. While he wasn't friendly per se he wasn't the world's biggest asshat like Garcia. He took a little extra time letting Jax get cleaned off. After they had changed clothes quickly, he hosed down the enclosure, replaced their bucket with a fresh one and said he'd look in to getting the kid new bedding.

Their one daily meal was brought to them and the two ate in silence. Jax glancing over at Darin occasionally. Finally, after countless glances Darin sighed.

"What?" he asked.

"I wanted to say sorry for scratching you," Jax said.

"It's OK, Jax. I'm not mad about it," Darin said. He swiped his stale bread roll through the instant gravy on his tray. "I don't expect you to forgive me."

"Not yet?" Jax asked.

Darin looked up and held the kid's gaze. He shrugged.

"Not ever. I wouldn't wish what's happened to you on anyone Jax," Darin said.

Jax's face danced with emotion, but he nodded and shoved the rest of his food into his mouth.

"Is this really the only meal we get?" he asked.

"It is," Darin said.

"There's not even any meat," Jax muttered. "All I want right now is, like, a huge burger."

"Yeah, we have to hunt our own," Darin said.

"But... but I threw it all up," Jax said.

"I know," Darin said. "And you probably won't keep any down for the next couple cycles. Especially if all we find is undead, which is... most likely. A lot of the animals fled, so there's not much by way of actual good meat around."

Jax sighed and looked down at his tray. He pushed the remaining soggy vegetables around.

"Is it always this bad?" he asked.

"It's better when Margaret is on kitchen duty," Darin said. "But looks like it's Monica right now. She overcooks everything."

"Am I gonna die?" Jax asked, his eyes leaking tears for the umpteenth time that day.

"I don't think so kid," Darin said with a sad smile.

"Am I ever gonna stop crying?" he asked, wiping a hand roughly over his cheeks.

Darin flinched and looked down at his own empty tray.

"Probably not. The day you stop crying is the day you stop being human," Darin said.

"I'm already not human," Jax said with a sob.

"Only partly Jax," Darin said.

~~

The weeks were long, repetitive and boring. They weren't allowed to do anything between full moon cycles and were kept in the enclosure. Darin had to admit he was glad for the company and for the feeling of being a parent again. He missed Aric and Callie so deeply sometimes he didn't know what to do with himself.

As the days passed, Jax and Darin started to grow closer despite how much Jax wished he could avoid it. Like any self-respecting fifteen-year-old he wanted to be mad at this man forever. He knew that it hadn't really been Darin's fault that his life had so fundamentally changed, that everything was so much more screwed up now.

It was Darin that had bitten him repeatedly, but he slowly came around to the idea that it had been some unknown person holding the cattle prod that drove the wolf to bite him. It had been Garcia that had put him in the enclosure with Darin to begin with. He knew the whole thing was Monica's experiment. Darin had explained who Monica was, but it was difficult for Jax to put the blame squarely on her.

She was barely a person to him, just someone he heard about often but never saw. She hadn't even come by the enclosure after it was clear Jax had survived the first transformation, that one of her experiments had finally been successful. As such she remained more of an enigma or a vague idea of a person in Jax's head.

Darin was a person with substance that he could put the blame on. But as Darin explained the history of The Safety, what it had become, and Monica's role in its destruction, Jax found his resolve to hate him forever breaking down.

Especially after Darin told him about the ways that they had tried to increase their werewolf population to add to their security measures. They had tried breeding, but that had ended badly, a topic on which Darin would not expound further. They had thrown multiple kids into the enclosure with Darin in his wolf form and many of them had not survived the bites or hadn't made it through the initial transformation. Jax was their first "success".

"Is anyone here good anymore?" Jax asked quietly one day.

"Some," Darin mumbled. "Joanie is good. Margaret is kind, but believes Monica is infallible."

The weather had been humid and cloudy and even though a misty rain fell gently around them, the indoor enclosure was stuffy. So, the two of them were spending most afternoons outdoors, huddling under a small outcropping to keep from getting soaked. Jax dug the toe of his busted-up sneakers into the dirt, kicking at stones.

"Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" Jax asked in a whisper, his lips barely moving.

"I dunno kid," Darin closed his eyes and turned his face up towards the fat gray clouds. "I fucking hope so."

~~

November 2043

It was the night before the full moon. Jax and Darin had been snapping at each other all day. The lack of privacy made it so difficult as the full moon approached. Jax had even lashed out a few times, scratching long pointed nails through Darin's skin. He shrugged it off when Jax looked stricken and apologized.

Darin had explained about certain aggressions and urges becoming heightened the closer they got to the full moon. Jax's face had blazed red while Darin explained, but he mostly held his eye contact and listened.

Usually no one came around the enclosure outside of mealtimes the night before the full moon phase since Darin got so hostile, so he was surprised when Monica approached the bars of his cell holding two sets of manacles. A young-looking girl with blonde hair, green eyes and a smattering of freckles trailed along behind her.

Darin stared through the bars at Monica steadily, but his chest was clenching tightly. Monica only came to his enclosure personally for one reason.

"No, Monica please, don't," Darin whispered. "Not today, why today?"

"Darin," Monica said quietly. "We're going to try again."

"Please Monica, I don't... I don't want to," Darin sputtered.

Jax looked between Darin, Monica and the little girl.

"What's happening?" Jax asked.

Darin glanced at Jax quickly, then back to Monica.

"Please," he said.

Grant came up behind the pair, with a large key ring clutched in his hand. He took the manacles from Monica then twisted a key in the lock.

"We have a volunteer," Monica said quietly.

The volume of her voice was infuriating. Darin wished she would shout or push him around or do something, but she was so calm, so serene all the time.

"I can't," Darin said.

He backed up as Grant approached him with the manacles, his back going flat against the wall.

"We've had the most success with your responsiveness closer to the full moon Darin," Monica said cocking her head slightly. "Surely you know that."

"What's happening?" Jax asked louder, his eyes flashing yellow, a snarl pronounced in his voice.

Grant hesitated and glanced at the kid who was baring his sharply pointed teeth. He glanced back at Monica, who calmly pushed the little girl into the enclosure. She went in and stood in front of Jax. She was quite a bit shorter than him, so she looked up and beamed at him.

Jax stared at her for a minute, feeling his heartbeat quicken. He struggled to get his temper in check, pulling back on it roughly, his nails shrunk slightly, and his teeth rounded again, but his eyes still flashed as he fought against the wild rage rattling inside of him.

"I'm Heidi!" the girl said. "I'm supposed to stay in here with you until Darin gets back."

Bite her! A voice screamed this over and over in Jax's head as he stared at Heidi's innocent face, something danced behind her eyes, and he pulled back harder on his temper, on his intrusive thoughts urging him to rip her to shreds. Jax glanced at Darin's face, which was a mask of panic, confusion, and feral terror. He looked back down at Heidi.

"Why is she here?" Jax asked, looking up at Monica again, who ignored his question.

"Because you've never been alone in here," Heidi said. "We're the same age, so Monica thought we could be friends."

"It's... I'm not... It's not safe right now," Jax said, taking a step back from Heidi.

"Heidi will be fine," Monica said.

"Monica," Darin said with conviction. "Don't. Do this. Please."

"Darin," Monica turned back to him. "Stop fighting."

Grant snapped the manacles on Darin's hands and feet, linking a long chain between the two.

"Please Grant," Darin whispered.

Grant kept his gaze locked with the chain he held in his hands and slowly shook his head.

"Just get it done man," Grant looked up and held Darin's gaze. There was something he wasn't saying. "It'll be over soon," Grant said raising his eyebrows.

"Fuck," Darin groaned, too confused and panicked to try to understand his meaning.

There was something he couldn't say, Darin had seen that, but his heart had started to pound in his chest and his eye pricked violently. Rage had welled in his chest, but also a crippling sense of defeat at how weak he felt. Grant tugged on his chain, pulling him through the door. It clicked closed loudly and Jax jumped.

"Please don't leave her here!" Jax went to the bars watching the small group disappear down the dark hall. "I don't know what I'll do. I don't want to hurt her! Please!"

"Shouting won't help," Heidi said. "Believe me. I tried that."

~~

Monica peeled off from the two men, muttering something to Grant as she turned down another hallway. Grant nodded and continued to lead Darin down the hall.

They passed one door and stopped at a second. Darin twisted his wrists in the tight manacles as Grant produced a key and twisted it in the lock pushing the door open. He tugged Darin into the room as gently as he could, guiding him to a bed in the middle of the room. Two huge mirrors hung across from each other. Darin knew they were two-way mirrors, that they watched him, but he never knew which mirror they were behind.

"Grant, you know this is a bad idea. Please man," Darin begged quietly as the manacles were removed.

"Darin, I'm sorry. You know I can't do anything," Grant said.

"You fucking could, you choose not to," Darin growled.

"I know you think that Darin," Grant murmured. "Joanie will be in soon."

Darin flinched as Grant pulled his boxers off, leaving him naked standing by the bed.

"Joanie volunteered?" Darin asked his eyes pricking again.

"Yeah," Grant said. "See you on the other side."

Grant went through the door, closing and locking it behind him. After the door clicked closed, Darin slowly lowered to the bed and put his face in his hands.

Joanie had been close with Callie. She was a close friend of the family before Monica arrived. Aric had suspected something more was going on between Joanie and Callie, but the coup had happened before the women had a chance to share anything.

Darin wasn't sure why Joanie hadn't gone with Aric and Callie. He had to admit that he was glad she was here. Even if she had to follow orders, it was nice to feel like he had someone on his team. She did what she could to make him comfortable, to carefully advocate for him. He couldn't figure out why she would volunteer for this. Surely, she knew how traumatic this was for him, how much he hated it.

The door opened and Joanie slipped in, her dark shoulder length hair swaying. Darin knew she was nude under the robe she wore; those were the rules. Come nude, ready to go no time to waste on buildup.

However, this garment had large pockets on the sides which he didn't usually see on the volunteer robes. Something clinked lightly inside the pockets, which he barely registered as he turned his sorrow-stricken face to her.

"Joanie, how could you? I can't --" Darin started.

"Darin, shut up," Joanie said quickly and quietly. She went to him, hiking the robe up and climbed onto his lap, her mouth at his ear. "You know they watch this, just pretend. I'm getting you out."

A crackly voice sounded over a loudspeaker mounted in the corner.

"No foreplay please, just begin," the voice said.

Darin didn't recognize the distorted voice but put his arms around her waist and buried his face in her shoulder, turning his head toward her ear. He had so many questions but knew she wouldn't be able to answer right now, so he chose the most important one.

"What about Jax?" Darin asked. "The kid."

"Grant's got him," Joanie said. She faked a moan and ran her hand over his lap.

"What do I do?" Darin asked.

"Just fake it, they'll leave once you start... getting heated," Joanie whispered. A wave of anger at his treatment pulsed through him and he growled loudly. "Good. Keep it up."

Darin hoped they wouldn't know the difference between his angry growls and his aroused ones. Truthfully, he had been told they didn't sound that different.

"Which mirror?" he grumbled into her neck as he ran his hands over her robed body.

"Right behind me," she answered. "They can't see my face right now."

Swiftly Darin stood, lifting Joanie with him, and tossed her onto the bed. It clattered loudly and Joanie gasped in a breath.

"Sorry," Darin grumbled. Joanie shook her head slightly.

Joanie pulled him down to her chest as he faked thrusting into her. She began to moan and pant as if she was being absolutely railed. Darin followed suit, finding it difficult to be as convincing as her. He'd been forced to do this for real so many times before, he couldn't shake the memories. A sob worked up his throat, which he tried to disguise as a groan. Joanie turned to his ear again.

"It's OK Darin. I'm here with you, you're going to be safe soon," Joanie soothed.

Her hand stroked down the back of his head, fingers trailing through his long hair, over his back slowly. After a few more moments, there was a light tap on the door.

"You can stop Darin," Joanie said. "They left. The viewing room is empty."

Darin immediately stilled and sank to the floor, pulling his knees close to his chest, shoulders shaking. Joanie went to her knees next to him and carefully put a hand to his head. He leaned lightly against her, while she stroked over his hair.

"OK, Darin. It's going to be OK," Joanie murmured. There was another light tap on the door and the lock clicked open. "We gotta go sweetie. Can you pull it together?"

Darin nodded, wiping his hands over his moist cheeks.

"Yeah," he sputtered. "I can fall apart later. Let's get the fuck out of here."

Joanie smiled softly, cupping his cheek for a second, holding his gaze. She reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled a silver key from it. Fitting it into the locking mechanism on his collar she twisted it twice and the thing popped open revealing his bruised and scarred neck.

"Oh Darin," Joanie said quietly as she slid the collar into her pocket. She swiped at her eyes. "Fuck, this has been a long time coming, let's go."

"I'm -- I'm fucking nude Joanie, someone will notice that," Darin protested as he ran his hand over the bruising on his neck.

"Don't worry, I've got that covered for you too, just bear with me for now," she paused and raised an eyebrow. "Get it? Bare with me?"

Darin scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Now, Joanie? Is now the best time for puns?" Darin groused.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist, come on," Joanie said and grabbed Darin's hand.

After double checking that the coast was indeed clear, the two made their way through the maze of hallways. They stopped quickly at another room, where a clean change of clothes had been stashed earlier. She tucked the collar away into a deep, dark back corner of the room. If they tried to follow the tracker embedded in the collar they would be led to this room.

Once Joanie and Darin were changed, she produced a pair of scissors from a nearby cabinet and roughly chopped off the extra length of Darin's hair.

"No one has really seen you in a while, but it could give you away," she said by way of explanation.

She shoved a cap on his head, tucking the uneven chunks of hair underneath. The clothes for Darin were too big, but that was on purpose to hide his emaciated state.

"OK," Joanie said, as she zipped her jacket over her shirt. "We're going to exit behind the building. Hopefully by now Grant has the kids out and the chain link clipped so we can just slip out. It's not far to walk, but there might be people. Can you control your temper?"

"Joanie, I'm so fucking depleted, even if I couldn't no one would be the wiser," Darin grumbled.

She smiled softly.

"I'm so sorry Darin," she said. "I tried to help you as much as I could."

Darin shook his head.

"Let's just fucking go," he said.

She nodded quickly and popped her head through the door into the hallway again. Empty. They walked quickly down the halls taking lefts and rights, Darin was well and truly lost now. Joanie would be his only hope of getting out. They turned another corner and suddenly there was Garcia, strolling down the hall.

"Fuck," Joanie muttered. "Don't say anything, keep the hat low. He needs glasses bad but refuses to wear any. Maybe he won't recognize you."

"Who's that?" Garcia asked, squinting down the hall.

"It's Joanie, Garcia. Get some fucking glasses," she said loudly.

Darin cringed at the volume of her voice, the tone it took on.

"Fuck off Joanie," Garcia said. "Who's with you?"

"Newbie," Joanie said.

"I didn't know we had new people," Garcia said, still walking toward them.

"That's because you don't pay attention," Joanie spat. She walked confidently forward Darin in her wake. "New group came in this afternoon. You were probably on wolf duty."

"Oh, yeah," Garcia said. "They need a tough guy this close to the full moon."

Darin rolled his eyes, he couldn't help it, and was grateful that Garcia couldn't see.

"Sure Garcia," Joanie said. "This is Sawyer. He's thinking of joining up. Any advice for him?"

Garcia looked at Darin and squinted. He pulled the hat lower over his eyes.

"Yeah, avoid wolf duty day after the full moon till the kid can keep the meat down. Fucking gross," Garcia said skin paling.

Darin nodded a little.

"Alright, enough Garcia," Joanie said. She started moving forward, motioning Darin to follow. "Come on Sawyer I'll finish showing you around."

"Good luck kid," Garcia said as he passed by them.

He held up a hand in a wave and went on the down the hall, whistling.

"Jesus," Darin said after the whistling had faded away. "What a fucking moron."

"Lucky, we met him and not someone else," Joanie said.

Darin grunted in quiet agreement as Joanie eased open the door. Late afternoon sunlight spilled into the hallway causing Darin to squint. Joanie shoved some sunglasses at him, and he put them on quickly.

"Alright, won't be far now, but we have to hurry. Garcia cost us a few minutes," Joanie said. "It's a tight window; they'll be checking in on us soon."

The walk to the chain link fencing was only about 5 minutes, but when they reached it, the links weren't cut.

"Shit," Joanie said leaning casually on the fence. "Grant has the snippers. We have to wait."

"Do you think they ran into Garcia too?" Darin asked.

"I don't know, I hope not," Joanie said.

They waited in tense silence for a full minute before Grant came running up to them, hand around Jax's wrist, clutching Heidi to his side like a toddler.

"What the fuck Grant? What happened to casual?" Joanie hissed looking around in alarm.

"No time, fucking Garcia. They checked in on you two earlier than usual. I guess you were convincing enough they thought you'd finish up early," Grant panted. "The halls were crawling with people. We missed the window, everyone was looking for you two," Grant panted.

Jax's eyes were cast to the ground and his face was blazing red. Darin studied him for a second and grabbed his wrist out of Grant's grasp.

"Jax, you OK kid?" Darin asked.

Jax's eyes darted up to Darin's and he nodded shortly, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"He didn't trust me at first, put up a little bit of a fight," Grant held up his arm and Darin saw the tattered shreds of his coat for the first time dripping red. "I think he was defending Heidi."

"I'm sorry! I -- " Jax began but Grant cut him off.

"I already said it's OK. I get it, I've been one of the people keeping you locked up, you had no reason to trust me," Grant said.

"I did try to tell him," Heidi said as Grant lowered her to the ground and pulled the chain link snippers from a pouch in his vest. "He didn't believe me."

"Are you sure, Aric is going to forgive us?" Grant asked Joanie.

Darin's head was spinning with all the information that was being thrown around, but he twisted towards Grant at the mention of his husband's name. Joanie shrugged in reply.

"I mean I hope so, Grant," Joanie said, motioning quickly at the fence. "But we gotta get them out first."

Grant nodded and clipped quickly through the links pulling it aside. Heidi slipped through first, followed by Jax, then Darin, Joanie and Grant last. He twisted the links together again and they ran off into the forest towards the meeting place Joanie had discussed with Callie.

~~

Angela paced back and forth in front of the metal bleachers that sat to the side of the high school's track, waiting impatiently for these people Callie had spoken to. She wondered if they were trustworthy, wondered why they couldn't meet closer to the compound, wondered if she was getting played. All of these issues had been discussed at length. But as they waited, and the sun dipped lower in the sky, with no signs of their contacts or their loved ones, Angela began to doubt.

Rhodes had been pacing around with her, but he had eventually planted himself on the bottom row of the metal bleachers, staring off towards where the group should be coming from. Rivers sat with him an arm around his back. The two men had wanted to go in somehow. The people inside were strangers and they wondered if Jax would trust the ones trying to get him out.

Aric and Callie had also been standing but now sat as well. They hadn't expected to wait so long, but they held out hope. Darin was strong, he always had been. Callie stared off in the same direction as Rivers and Rhodes, trying to trust that everything would be alright, that Joanie would get out in one piece. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed her until they reconnected and started to hatch this plan together.

Finally, as the sun began to hide behind the trees, the day turning slowly to twilight, Callie let out a little yelp. She stood quickly and dashed forward, stopping at the bleachers Rivers and Rhodes sat on.

"I think." She squinted into the shadows of the trees. "It's them!"

She went running forward, Aric close behind her. Angela turned and followed, as Rivers and Rhodes jumped from the bleachers. Joanie led the small group and upon catching sight of Callie, broke into a run.

"Jax," Rhodes gasped as the young boy spotted his dads and started to run towards them.

Soon everyone was sprinting as fast as they could towards loved ones. Darin's lungs burned as he ran full out, but he didn't care and didn't stop until he'd collided with Aric. His embrace was tighter than he'd ever felt, squeezing him till he gasped. He kissed the side of his head, his cheeks, his bushy beard, his lips, sobbing as he did.

"Mom!" Heidi screamed.

"Heidi," Angela gasped and fell to her knees her arms open wide. "Heidi! Heidi!"

Angela fell back as Heidi smashed into her, her skinny arms wrapping around her mother's neck.

"Mommy," Heidi whimpered. Tears coursed down her face; her legs tangled with her mother's as Angela attempted to pull herself upright.

"Heidi, my girl. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I love you, love you," Angela said. She held her tightly, stroking her hands through her hair.

Jax choked out a cry as his fathers grabbed him, crushing him between them, touching his hair, his face, wiping away streaks of dirt and muck.

"Jax! Jax, god," Rhodes sputtered.

"Are you alright? Jax, Jesus!" Rivers sobbed.

Jax tried to reply but he could only sputter out broken sobs and whimpers.

"C'mere Jax," Rivers said, scooping the kid up.

Jax clutched at his neck and allowed himself to be carried.

Grant shifted on his feet, watching the various reunions like the odd man out. Joanie had said that he would be welcomed within this group, but he suddenly wondered if he would. Where would he fit in?

Callie finally released her too tight embrace of Joanie and strode over to Grant. She stood in front of the man studying him for a while before she stuck out her hand.

"Thank you for all your help, Grant," she said. "Walking away from Monica couldn't have been an easy choice."

"I... no it wasn't. But it was the right choice," Grant said shaking her hand.

"We should go," Joanie said as Callie sidled up next to her lacing their fingers together. "It's nearly night and we've got three wolves we need to take care of."

Everyone stilled, staring at Joanie.

"Three?" Aric asked. "I only count two, Callie & Darin."

Darin dropped his gaze to the ground.

"Well, who's the third?" Rhodes asked.

"It's -- It's me, dad," Jax said quietly.

~~

Darin opened his eyes slowly. He was exhausted, sore and naked. But he was tucked into a warm sleeping bag and laying in a cozy tent. He looked around the small shelter. It was one of those tiny one-person jobs. A stack of neatly folded clothes lay at his feet along with two bottles of water. He took his time getting out of the bag and getting dressed. A quiet retching sound nearby broke the morning silence, and he recognized it as Jax.

"That's OK, hon, just let it out," Callie cooed.

Darin's heart warmed hearing his daughter soothing the new wolf. He unzipped his tent, poking his head through the opening. Two more one-person tents were set up in a little clearing in the greenbelt behind the house.

Callie knelt next to Jax who was hunched on all fours. She rubbed his back slowly as he heaved, his body shaking. Darin reached back into his tent and walked slowly over to the two young wolves.

"How's it going Jax?" Darin mumbled crouching next to him.

Jax panted and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He shifted backwards and sat on the ground.

"Well, I made it out of the tent to pee and puke," Jax said.

"That's the spirit," Darin said, handing him a water bottle.

Jax opened it and swished the water through his mouth then spat it out, before taking a careful sip. Callie still had her hand on his back, rubbing slowly up and down.

"How many phases?" she asked.

"My third," Jax said.

"Did you get any real meat last night?" Darin asked.

"A rabbit I think," Jax said, his stomach rolled again, and he took a deep breath.

"There isn't much," Callie admitted. She paused looking around. "Should we head up to the house?"

"Yeah," Darin said quickly.

Rivers and Rhodes were seated on some patio chairs waiting on the back porch when the trio hopped over the fence. Rivers stared hard at Darin as he walked across the lawn. Jax's fathers had been livid when they found out that Darin had bitten Jax, repeatedly.

Grant had explained that Darin had been in his wolf form and was basically coerced into biting the kid. They understood that and knew he felt awful about it, that he had shown more remorse than strictly necessary, but Rivers could not fight the hatred for the man that had bloomed in his heart.

"Hey dads," Jax said with a gravelly voice. He had a chunk of something stuck in his back molars. He flicked at it with his tongue, but it wouldn't dislodge, so he stuck a finger in his mouth and swiped out the glob of rancid flesh. "Oh, gross..."

He groaned and leaned forward abruptly retching again. Darin reached for him, but Rivers popped up quickly, elbowing the man out of the way, grasping his son by the shoulders.

"That's alright buddy, you're OK," Rivers said. Rhodes went to his other side running a hand over his hair.

"Is that normal?" Rhodes asked Callie quietly.

"It is," she said. "He said it's only his second phase. It takes a few phases for the body to get used to things. And with zombie flesh," she motioned to the glob Jax had flicked off his finger. "That makes it harder. He's a trooper that's for sure."

"He wouldn't have to be if it weren't for..." Rivers growled and stared daggers at Darin.

"Dad, stop it," Jax grumbled. He wiped a hand over his mouth.

"It's true though -- " Rivers started to say.

"DAD, fucking stop! Darin may have done this to me, but it wasn't exactly his fault so just chill the fuck out!" Jax shouted. His voice had a snarling anger to it and his eyes flashed yellow.

Rivers stared after his son as he stormed into the house.

"I... I mean..." Rivers sputtered.

"That's normal too," Callie said. "We get a little... aggressive. Day before, of and after are the worst of it. He'll learn to control it." Darin glanced at Callie. She caught his eye and gave him a little wink. "Right daddy?"

Darin sighed and nodded.

"I think that's the first time he's ever said fuck," Rhodes said with wonder.

"Won't be the last," Darin grumbled going into the house.

~~

Angela had insisted that Aric and Darin take their bedroom that night. Rhodes had changed the sheets while Angela made sure there was fresh clean water in the tub. She even took the time to boil several of the buckets, so it was warm and pleasant when Darin climbed in.

"Rhodes is alright, but I might end up decking that fucking Rivers," Aric grumbled, watching Darin climb into the water.

"Stop, he's fine," Darin sighed out.

Aric shook his head and picked up a pair of scissors that sat on the counter. He began clipping at his long beard. Darin had tugged on it just before heading out to the woods, commenting that it had to go.

He trimmed the beard as close to his skin as he could. Once that was done, he dipped his hand into the water of the tub and frothed up his hands with some bar soap, rubbing it over the stubble. He shaved using a razor he'd found packaged under his sink. Plastic, disposable and utterly destroyed after he finished. But he was clean shaven once again if not a little nicked up. He patted his face with a towel and turned toward Darin who had washed and was laying back trying to enjoy the comfort.

Aric smiled at Darin; his eyes glassed over with tears. He stripped off his t-shirt and underwear and started to climb into the tub.

"Oh! Uh," Darin sputtered as he shifted away from Aric.

Aric lowered himself into the tub and reached for Darin.

"Uhmm, fuck," Darin continued to splutter. "I don't... I mean."

His voice cracked and he burst into tears. Aric stared at him for a second, stunned.

"Darin, pup? Fuck, I'm, I'm sorry what'd I do?" Aric asked.

He tried to reach for Darin again tentatively. This time the smaller man let Aric's arm wrap his shoulders holding him closely. Darin buried his face in Aric's chest, pulling his knees close to him. Aric held him, rocking slowly back and forth, stroking over his unevenly shorn hair. After Darin's back stopped shuddering with sobs and his breathing evened out again, Aric tried again.

"What's wrong pup?" Aric asked very quietly.

There was a long pause, so long that Aric thought Darin had sobbed himself to sleep. But finally, he spoke.

"It was... really bad in there, baby," Darin said.

"OK," Aric replied, continuing his slow rocking, the gentle stroking of Darin's hair.

"I... they tried..." Darin choked on the words, squeezing his eyes closed again, he clutched at Aric.

"I've got you, pup," Aric murmured. "I've got you now."

Darin's shuddering breaths evened once more. He kept his eyes closed.

"They wanted more wolves. More security. They tried to... make puppies," Darin's voice was a whisper.

Aric went still. A white-hot rage raced through him at the realization of what Darin was telling him. Monica had imprisoned his husband, and tried to... He clenched his teeth together so hard, he thought they might crack with the pressure. He squeezed his eyes closed at the fury induced tears pricking at his eyes and hugged Darin closer to him.

"Fucking bitch," Aric growled. Darin whimpered and clung to Aric harder. "Did they... I mean did they get puppies?"

Darin shook his head and Aric felt relief wash through him. Darin was such a devoted parent that he knew that if there had been any success, they would have to go back for the kids. No matter how they were conceived, Darin would always feel responsible for them.

"No," he said. "It never worked. I dunno if I'm shooting blanks or what, but it never stuck. But they tried over and over and over."

"Jesus," Aric said, gripping Darin tighter. "Pup... Darin. I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Darin said. "I just might be a little... fragile."

Aric let out a shaky sigh.

"Darin, I'm just happy you're safe, OK? We don't have to do anything," Aric said.

Darin leaned against Aric, trying to allow the feelings of comfort and safety some space. He did relish the feeling of being back in their house, their home, tucked up against his husband, wrapped in his arms and he tried to focus on that.

"OK," Darin squeaked out.

The two men sat in the tub, naked and holding each other until the water was cold. Then after toweling off, they climbed into bed together.

Aric tentatively placed his hands on Darin's shoulders.

"Can I hold you pup?" Aric asked.

"Yes, please," Darin said.

Aric's arms wrapped around Darin, and he pressed a little kiss to his shoulder as his body molded to that of his husband's. Darin relaxed at the feel of his husband's lips on his skin after all these months. He sighed, pressing back against Aric, a bit of tension draining from his body. Before long both men were sound asleep.

Aric woke to a light stroking of his cheek. It was very early morning; the sound of birdsong was just trilling through the morning fog. The weak dawn sunlight tried its best to filter through the papered windows. When Aric opened his eyes, he found the tear-streaked face of Darin facing him.

"Hey pup," he mumbled. "You OK?"

Darin didn't reply, just kept stroking his cheek slowly. Then he brought his lips to Aric's, his hand cupped to his face. Aric made a quiet humming noise as Darin kissed him. His tongue gradually pushed forward, swiping slowly at Aric's bottom lip. Aric opened his mouth and gave Darin's tongue entry. They kissed slowly and deliberately, Aric following Darin's lead.

Darin moved his hand from Aric's face, slowly down his neck, over his shoulder and bicep, tracing down the length of him until his hand rested on his hip. Aric's cock stirred and swelled a little at the proximity. He caught Darin's eye as his own hand slid down his shoulder. Darin scooted closer to Aric, the tip of his erection brushing against Aric's.

Aric gasped in a breath, his hand resting on Darin's torso, thumb petting over his skin.

"Darin," he whispered. "We can stop whenever you need to."

Darin nodded.

"I know," he said.

He pressed his mouth to Aric's again, tongue pushing into his mouth immediately, twisting and dancing. Aric groaned, dragging his hand over Darin's skin to the small of his back. He pulled him closer to him, gripping an ass cheek carefully kneading it.

He was much bonier than he used to be. He'd always been skinny, but this was concerning. Not to mention his cute little bubble butt was gone. Still Aric kneaded appreciatively at his husband's ass.

Darin groaned as the tip of his cock rubbed over Aric's. He pushed his hand against Aric's shoulder, so the larger man lay flat on his back. Planting little kisses along his freshly shaven jawline Darin's hand danced down Aric's stomach to his cock, which was beginning to drip. He ran a finger carefully over a bead of precum that leaked from it.

"Ughn, yeah," Aric groaned.

Darin worked his way down Aric's body, his tongue traced over his stomach. He nestled his nose into the crotch of his husband breathing in his musky scent. He moaned, rubbing his dripping cock over Aric's hairy leg. It had been so long since he had actually felt turned on. The smell of Aric, the sturdy feel of him seemed to be awakening what had gone dormant for months.

"Aric," Darin groaned.

"You OK pup?" Aric asked.

His voice was starting to take on a breathy quality as Darin rubbed his hard dick on his leg.

"Yess, baby," Darin moaned.

He cupped a hand around Aric's balls eliciting a gasp, his thighs twitching apart, hips rolling to grant him access to whatever he wanted. Darin took one of Aric's balls into his mouth, sucking it, soaking it, fondling it with his tongue.

"Oh fuuck," Aric whimpered.

His fingers laced through Darin's hair, as he switched to the other providing the same wet service. Aric moaned again, twitching his legs apart more.

"Fuck, I missed you pup," Aric whispered.

Darin pressed his tongue to Aric's hard cock and licked up the length, dragging the tip through his slit as it dripped with precum. He breathed out a hot breath as the salty tang slid down his throat.

"Ah, yeah, fuck," Darin whimpered.

He put his mouth over the head of Aric's cock causing him to moan. He sucked hard, cheeks hollowing, then he dropped his mouth slowly over the length of his husband, taking it fully into his throat.

"Ahhh, god," Aric groaned. "Fuck, fuck pup!"

He brought his mouth back up again quickly, then slid back down a little faster, until his nose pressed to Aric's abdomen. He began to bob, gradually increasing the speed, always taking him deep into his throat working past the gag, letting his eyes tear with the effort.

Aric's breathing was a ragged panting. His fingers threaded through Darin's hair, but he didn't take control, barely thrust as his husband took his cock so seamlessly. He stared down at Darin's bobbing head.

"Ah pup! Fuck, I'm gonna cum, pup, you're gonna make me cum!" Aric sputtered.

Suddenly his hips seemed to have a mind of their own and his hand braced at the back of Darin's head as he thrust into his throat. Darin's mouth was so warm and wet, he was so close.

Aric grunted, one strangled groan escaped him as he came, splashing at the back of Darin's throat. Darin swallowed and Aric felt the compression of it around the head of his cock, and it spurt again. He panted roughly as he burst, remembering all the people in the house, trying to keep his climax quiet.

Darin moaned as his husband's cum slid down his throat. His cock rubbed on the bedsheets, streaking them with precum. He sucked hard at Aric's dick, licking his tongue up the length of it, sucking it clean.

He crawled back up his husband's body, rubbing his own erection on Aric's stomach. He pressed a kiss to Aric's lips, pushing his cum flavored tongue into his mouth. Aric groaned as he tasted himself in Darin's mouth. He pulled back a little.

"Do you want me to touch you pup?" Aric asked.

Darin winced and shook his head. Hand jobs were ruined for him; it was the only way they could get him close to cumming into a woman.

"Let me cum on your stomach?" Darin sputtered, rolling his hips on Aric's belly.

"Yeah, pup. What do you want me to do?" Aric asked running his hands over his body.

"Finger my ass," Darin groaned.

Aric nodded and stuck two fingers in his mouth soaking them with his saliva. Darin moaned watching his fingers work in and out, rubbing his cock and balls roughly on Aric's hairy belly.

Aric took his fingers from his mouth and ran them slowly up Darin's crack. His head fell back a little and his mouth dropped open.

"Oohh, yess," he gasped out.

Aric's fingers traced around his hole quickly. He bit his lip, watching Darin's face contort in pleasure as his finger teased around him, pressing and rubbing. Aric slowly pushed the tip of his finger into Darin's ass then pulled it out again. He continued teasing and fingering his hole until Darin began to pant. His cock dribbled out precum that he thrust into, smearing it through the hair on his husband's belly.

"Oh, fuck, yeah," Darin groaned. "More."

Aric pulled one ass cheek aside, sliding in a finger, followed quickly by a second. Darin grunted, his cock leaked more precum and he began to thrust faster through the slick trail of his arousal. His breathing was fast and hot. He braced his hands on Aric's chest, fingernails digging into the skin, teeth going to points as he thrust harder and faster.

"Oh fuck, harder, baby," Darin groaned. "I'm... ughn, yeah fuck!"

His cock exploded up Aric's stomach three times, growing weaker with each pulse. Darin's mouth hung open as he came, his nails scraping over Aric's skin, only one breaking through the skin. Aric hissed at the sting, but truly did not care that he was bleeding. He pulled his fingers free of Darin's ass and smoothed his other hand over his hair.

Darin let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the bed, burrowing into Aric's shoulder. He could feel the hot tears seeping from Darin's eyes falling to his skin, but he said nothing. He simply held him, smoothing his hand over his hair, while his shoulders shook. After a few moments, Darin stilled and pulled in a long slow deep breath, then let it out gradually.

"We should clean up," Darin muttered into Aric's shoulder.

"We will, pup," Aric said. "Are you... are you alright?"

Darin was still for a moment, then shook his head.

"It's just going to take time," he said with a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's OK pup, we've got time," Aric said quietly, still smoothing a hand over his hair.

"I need to get that fixed up," Darin said after a minute.

"What fixed up?" Aric asked.

Darin turned his face up to Aric.

"My hair. Joanie just chopped it," Darin said. "I'd like it a little tidier."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm sure we can get that taken care of," Aric said, squeezing Darin closer.

Darin let out a shuddering sigh and nestled back into Aric.

"Can we just lie here all day?" Darin asked.

"Sure, pup, whatever you want," Aric said planting a kiss on the top of his head.

~~

Epilogue

Rivers and Rhodes examined both Jax and Darin giving them relatively clean bills of health. Rhodes wasn't a licensed therapist by any stretch of the imagination, but he had taken more than a few psych classes in college while getting his nursing degree. He offered to help Darin process some of his trauma with him. The werewolf refused at first, but when he started lashing out at Aric and withdrawing into himself more than before, he finally agreed.

They couldn't stay in the house. The Safety was close enough in location and their group was large enough now to be noticed. They decided, as a group, to move back up into the mountains, agreeing that Aric's cabin was the best place to start. They took two weeks to get supplies together and attempt to get a working car in order.

Grant and Aric worked on restoring the pickup in the garage back to working order. Joanie and Callie went through the house packing anything that might prove to be useful. Angela and Heidi went through their food and medical stashes along with Rhodes making lists of things they needed before they left.

Which left Rivers, Darin and Jax to go on supply runs. Rhodes had warmed up to Darin, especially after they started their sessions, but Rivers was still icy. Darin didn't expect that to change much, and Rivers was determined to hold on to his dislike of Darin.

However, as the three of them went on supply runs, Rivers found his resolve breaking down. Jax, while still his son, had changed and it was a change that Rivers could never fully understand.

While he mourned that, he couldn't ignore the fact that Darin did understand Jax in a way he never would. He found his hard resolve softening towards Darin and in a way, it was a relief. It made the supply runs easier; it made interacting with Jax easier. Rivers acknowledged this and at the end of the two-week preparation time, he could actually say he was beginning to feel somewhat friendly towards Darin.

Aric attached the camper shell to the bed of the pickup while Grant hooked up a small trailer to the hitch. Aric, Grant, Heidi and Jax climbed into the cab of the truck, while the others piled into the bed which they had attempted to make more comfortable with blankets and cushions.

Callie settled in next to Darin and handed him a box of sick bags. He smiled a little at her and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Thanks Cal," he said quietly.

She smiled and kissed his cheek as the truck rumbled to life.

Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate you! See you next time. xoxo, JS