Please feel free to comment if you feel that there's something missing, or if you like it. I want to thank roughboy18 for his excellent help! I am planning to add two more chapters after this one, but writing in a foreign language takes its time :( I have not abandoned this story though!
Small disclaimer:
Suspension of disbelief is recommended. All characters are 18+.
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~*Jared*~
Harry had passed out, and didn't seem to be in the mood to wake up as Darwin disappeared into the sunny day outside the university. Jared would have run after him, but since he had caught Harry and couldn't just drop him now, he didn't have any choice but to tend to his new charge. What to do with an unconscious werewolf in the middle of a hallway full of people? Jared looked down at the bundle in his arms and sniffed thoughtfully. Normally he would have been worried about the possibility of Harry having a panic attack as soon as he came back to his senses, but this one was a submissive, and probably easy to handle—not that Jared had any experience with situations like this. Once again having taken a back seat all his life proved to be quite unfortunate, but then again, Jared was already used to that.
Most of the students in the hallway ignored the hunk and the unconscious student in his arms, but a few stopped to stare with predator-like interest. It made Jared's hackles rise with a strange sort of protectiveness to see those humans gaping at one of his kind like hungry vultures, so Jared tightened his grip around the smaller body and got up. Jared didn't really know where best to take him since he already knew it would upset Harry even more to wake up in Jared's room, but when he caught some of the girls whispering about calling 911 he relented and started walking towards Statsby Hall. An upset werewolf wasn't fun and was pretty hard to hide, but a werewolf in the hands of modern medicine was a much bigger danger than a few nips and scratches and angered neighbors.
The odd glances and glimpses he got walking to his room with Harry in his arms were enough to make him regret his decision, and when the door of his single bed dorm room finally fell shut behind him he sighed in relief.
It felt peculiar to be taking care of someone he didn't really know, but Jared didn't want to think about this just yet. Deciding it was all due to the fact that he wanted very dearly to get into Darwin's pants, he shook himself (and Harry, too) and trotted into his sparse living quarters.
Jared despised his room, and it showed. He had been living there for two weeks but the walls were still barren, the desk was clean, the floor tidy and uncluttered. The whole place looked uninhabited, and Jared didn't feel like changing it. He hadn't had enough time to pack all of his stuff back home, mostly because he'd had to leave in quite a hurry. All he had were a few cardboard boxes with clothes that now hung neatly in his closet, his smart phone that luckily had survived the fall to the floor before, and his bank card and driver's license. His room was empty because there was nothing he could put into it, and the one picture he had of his family stayed tucked away in his wallet instead of hanging on the wall. Maybe he was being paranoid, but it just seemed wrong to show total strangers what his family looked like.
But some day that would change and he would decorate his room, Jared mused as he laid Harry on his bed. He would plaster his walls with snapshots of Darwin and himself, the happy couple, and even send some of the photos home to rub into his brother's face how happy he could be, even without his blood relatives. That would serve Tobias right.
Staring down at Harry's unconscious form, Jared realized he would have to do a lot of groveling and begging if he ever wanted to be able to get those photos. Darwin had been pissed off enough to even make Jared shrink back from his anger, and obviously pissed enough to make his best friend faint in shock. If Jared wanted Darwin, he'd have to do right by Harry and fix their friendship. Life could be so complicated sometimes!
Still, there was nothing he could do about it until Harry woke up from his peculiar blackout.
With a sigh Jared grabbed his books and sat down at his desk. Might as well do some studying while he waited, he supposed.
~*Darwin*~
The ordeal with his Alpha, Carl, began with his arms being tied together, fingers touching elbows. He was then coaxed down to his knees by a hard punch into the stomach that made him gag violently. Carl didn't seem to be in a hurry though. As soon as he had Darwin where he wanted him, he just left the room to let Darwin simmer in his fear and pain. When he finally came back after about ten minutes, Darwin had to restrain himself not to yell at him, he was that much afraid.
Although this was a part of Carl's usual routine, something just didn't feel right about the glances the Alpha shot at him, and although his fear was most probably making him see things that weren't there, he glimpsed a strange twitch in Carl's cheeks whenever the older man looked away.
"Why do you do this to me, Darwin? Didn't I help take care of your family? Didn't I pay the medical bills for your father? Your college education?" Carl's voice sounded agitated, as if he were fighting the urge to shout or lash out again. He didn't stop walking around though, not even bothering to hide his emotional state.
Again Darwin couldn't shake the feeling that something was different from all the other times, even though Carl used the same words as always, like a trustworthy swiss clock. Next Darwin would say, "I don't understand. What did I do?" and then Carl would show a controlled burst of anger, slap him a few times, or even punch him and break his nose. And then, once there was blood, Carl would shake off his fit of anger, manhandle him out the door and tell him not to show his face for another week.
Darwin heard himself pray the usual mantra, felt the words leaving his lips, and then he cowered down, waiting for the blows.
They never came. There was just an angry huff, followed by a chortle that made Darwin's blood run cold in a split second.
The Alpha walked across the room without sparing him so much as a second glance. He seemed more intent on sifting through a whole rack of torture devices, some of them looking as if he had gotten them right out of another century. "Wanna come clean before I begin?" Carl asked strangely smug sounding, and picked up a slim black riding crop.
For years Carl had never once strayed from his usual routine. If anything, the torturous evenings had notably shortened once Darwin had learned the expected actions. There had been a lot more punches in the beginning, sometimes enough to have him bedridden for a day or two.
Darwin had no idea what Carl wanted to hear. He knew very well that his Alpha was beyond odd. Carl was batshit-crazy and had been for a long time. It made answering questions like these unbelievably hard. If he gave the impression he doubted Carl's intellect, he would be punished even more severely. If he told the truth about himself he would be killed. If he didn't answer he'd probably be whipped until he answered.
"I don't know what you want to hear from me. I already told you everything." It was a struggle to keep his voice from shivering with fear, even though a little fear was undoubtedly appropriate for the situation. Darwin's shoulders creaked in protest when he inadvertently struggled against the bindings.
The riding crop sizzled through the air right next to his head, making him jump. "Don't you play stupid now, boy," Carl snarled, and started circling him. "I've watched you! My people are watching you every day! Did you really think you could hide this secret forever?"
Darwin's heart skipped a beat. There were so many secrets he'd had to keep in the last weeks, and each and every one of them would cost him dearly if exposed. But which one was Carl referring to and how had he found out?
"I've angered you, and I'm sorry! But I really don't know what you are talking about," he begged, and this time his voice audibly shook with panic.
Still Carl didn't seem to hear the confusion in Darwin's voice. He didn't seem to hear anything Darwin said, and his face was a contorted mask of anger and something close to paranoid triumph. The grip of the riding crop groaned dryly under Carl's tightening grip. "I don't like being lied to, boy. Maybe I can beat the rebelliousness out of you with this; shall we try?"
This time he didn't wait for Darwin's answer. Carl just pulled his arm back, paused for a second, and then began to strike him with vicious whistling blows all over his chest, thighs, ass and flanks. Every single whack rained down on Darwin's body with full-out force, and even though his clothes prevented him from bleeding instantly, he could feel the welts forming within seconds wherever the slim, elastic rod met his skin.
The pain was instant and gut-wrenching. Every lash set his body on fire, sending shocks of fear and burning agony through his veins. The worst part of the beating wasn't even the moment when the riding crop hit, but the intensifying sting that followed, and it got worse and worse with every second. Darwin was screaming within seconds, coiling up in a weak attempt to get away from his tormentor, only to be stopped by a casual kick to his side.
It felt like hours before the blows finally stopped, even though it had been only minutes. His whole body ached with the burning, stinging sensation of the welts, and his face was wet with tears. Darwin gulped in air greedily, despite the fact that his throat felt raw from all the screaming.
Carl walked slow circles around him, wiping sweat off the riding crop with a white linen handkerchief. "When were you going to tell me about that new werewolf?" he asked, suddenly sounding perfectly calm. He didn't even seem that out of breath after having exerted himself physically.
