Dark Moon (ManxMan)
Chapter 23

Colson blinks himself awake. He stretched his hands above his head and let out a loud yawn. He doesn't bother checking the time and just went into the bathroom. He pulls off his boxers, thankful he had just gone to sleep in just that simple piece of clothing.

He looks in at his reflection and his eyes widen a bit. He rubs his eyes a bit to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

No. He was awake.

There were no black spots on his body. It was all gone.

Colson lets out a loud squeal, dancing happily all the way to grab his toothbrush and paste. He had just pushed it into his mouth when the door to the bathroom was pushed open and Aetos was standing there, in just a pair of pajama bottom hanging low on his hips.

"We need to go to the pack house." The vampire says and Colson is suddenly alert.

"What happened? Is it Cobie?" Colson asked, his words a bit muffled with the brush in his mouth. He tosses his brush into the sink and grabbed the bottle of mouthwash and poured it into his mouth as Aetos replies.

"It's Se Ju." Was all Aetos says before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Colson swished the mouthwash around before spitting and rinsing off with water. He goes back into the room and slips on a jumper and jeans. He had just pulled on his boots when Aetos appears back in the room, fully dressed and holding up a thick jacket. He holds it and Colson slips his hands in.

"We don't have time to take the car."

"I'll hold onto you." Colson says, reaching for Aetos. He couldn't help but think what if Michel had done something? What if Michel had planned this with Baba? He holds onto Aetos, really hoping he doesn't puke when they get to the pack house.

Colson doesn't even know why they're rushing. It wasn't Cobie and Erik in trouble, it wasn't the baby either. He gets Se Ju was an important member of the pack but he and Aetos could have spent the morning doing things that people only see in x rated videos. Ever since Gabriel had yelled he wasn't part of the pack to his face, he has been feeling a little left out.

They get to the pack house in record time and Colson doesn't feel queasy. He counts it as a win. They both walked into the park house and stops at the living room where it seemed every pack warrior was, in the middle was Cobie and Erik. "Hey brother." Colson says, walking right up to Cobie and pressing a kiss to his head. Cobie looked good dressed in what was obviously one of Erik's jumper and black jeans and fuzzy socks. He had a particular glow about him, his skin looked flawless and his front hanging perfectly on his face.

"You took your sweet time."

"For someone who woke up a few minutes ago, I think I got here in record time." Colson says, sticking his tongue out at his brother. Cobie reaches out and grabbed Colson's hand, squeezing a bit and even though Colson had on two layers of clothing, it hurt. Cobie's eyes flash red and Colson just chuckles.

"You have a phone for a reason! Why is it always switched off?" Cobie asked and Colson lips form an o. He totally forgot about the phone. Shit, that's why Aetos found out about Se Ju.

Erik clears his throat and Colson looks at everyone. They were all staring at him and Cobie. Aetos just looked amused.

"We're sorry. Can someone brief me on what happened?"

"Se Ju got attacked last night. There were no pictures or videos captured by the cctv, no eye witness, no scent."

Colson raised a brow. Oh. That person was good.

"Did you check the entire block? I'm sure the streets have more than one cctv camera."

Erik speaks up this time. "We checked each one and everything was blank. It cut off for ten minutes and then comes back on."

"Were there cars parked in the lot?" Cobie asked and everyone nods.

"Okay. Some cars have cameras installed in them for safety purposes, dash cams. We go back and check the plates of the cars present and check their dash cams. Maybe we'll replace something." Cobie says and the warriors nod. "Where's the good doctor?" Colson asks. And oh. He got a sudden feeling of deja vu. Good doctor. He had said that yesterday, hadn't he?

"He's with Randall and Blue." Erik replied.

"He was out with Randall last night. It was the omega who found him." One of the pack warrior says, his voice deep.

"Randall said he went in to get his wallet, since had forgotten it inside a club."

There goes that feeling again. It made Colson frown. Why did he feel like he had seen Randall at a club too? It couldn't be possible right? He had woken up and spent time with Aetos before going back to sleep and waking up this morning. Nah, he's just imagining things.

He blocks out what the pack warrior was saying. He then replaces himself asking.

"What about Michel? He was still locked in his room right?" Colson asks, looking between Cobie, Erik and Aetos.

"He was in his room. He has a warrior stationed at his door and Gabriel as an alibi because he slept in the room." Erik says and Colson nods. He lets out a breath and Aetos moves closer, slipping his hand through the coat and wrapping it around Colson's waist.

So Michel was locked. Who then beat up the good doctor?

He moves closer to Aetos as he watched Erik call out a few orders for the warriors and then they were gone, leaving the four of them in the living room.

"Is Randall alright?" Aetos asks.

"He's good. A bit shaken but good." Cobie says, running a hand down his tummy. It's been weeks but Colson is still proud as hell of his brother. "And Blue?" Colson asks.

"He's with them. He cried for a bit." Cobie says with a pout. Erik moves towards his mate and ran his finger through Cobie's hair.

"Do you think this has something to do with this Baba character?" Aetos asks, squeezing Colson's waist a bit. Here's a cold feeling shooting down Colson's spine and he couldn't for the life of him understand why. The black spots have gone and now his brain is semi scrambled?

This can't be good.

He had a bad feeling about this.

"Definitely but I don't know. Why target Se Ju? Why not anyone else?" Erik asks and Cobie sighs.

"Maybe he offended someone?" Colson offers.

"It's still not adding up."

Colson sighs. Aetos let go for a bit and takes a seat, pulling Colson onto his lap. He holds Colson close as they sit in silence. The silence is broken by someone walking in and that someone being Gabriel. Ugh.

The omega doesn't say anything to anyone and just walked back out of the room. Colson fights the feeling to grab Gabriel by the hair and shake some sense into him. But he doesn't because Erik also believed something wasn't adding up with Michel too.

"Don't let him get to you." Aetos says and Colson nods. He already knew this but it was still kinda hard to swallow.

"He's just really annoying."

"And he's also a werewolf with really good hearing." Gabriel says as he walks back into the living room. "Don't tell me you think Michel had something to do with this?"

"Please go away. Your brother already told me Michel was here." Colson says and Aetos' grip on his waist tightened.

"Gabriel, you really nee-"

Gabriel cuts Erik off and this time Cobie doesn't even wait. He flashed his red eyes at Gabriel and Aetos speaks, his voice coming out deeper than usual and Colson could feel the anger rolling off his vampire in waves.

"You respect your Alpha. You respect your fucking brother and his mate. You respect Colson too!" Aetos says, his fangs dropping down.

Gabriel looked still and Colsonnsatred smug. Erik sighs and grabs his brother by the hand and led him out of the room.

"Is he always this rude to you?"

Colson shrugged.

"Ever since he learned about Michel and Colson's night time activities." Cobie says helpfully. Colson rolls his eyes at his brother as he feels Aetos goes still. Aetos already knew about this but back then he hadn't reacted like this. Maybe he did and Colson didn't notice it.

"Can we talk about something else?" Colson asks, resting his hand on Aetos' chest. The vampire doesn't say anything. He just stays and buried his nose in Colson's neck.

"I've been craving fried squid lately."

Colson's face squeeze up in disgust. He wasn't a fan of fried squid, he prefers the dried one. "That's nasty."

"You don't see me complain when you pour your cereal into your bowl first and then pour the milk." Cobie says, his tone dripping with sass.

"Because that's the way normal people take their cereal. Only weirdos pour the milk first."

"Oh! And can I see your degree in Cereal Making, Colson Alastair Deckard."

"Full name calling me, won't work. You're not my parent."

"Suck my dick."

"Nah. You have Alphie for that." Colson retorts and Cobie gasped, his hand pressed to his chest dramatically.

"You two are so weird." Erik says as he walks into the room, sitting on the edge of the chair, his hand wrapped around Cobie's shoulder.

"We are siblings. It's how we show love."

They all stay and talk a bit. Aetos coming up from Colson's neck a couple minutes later. They talk and talk until Erik goes into the kitchen to get a snack for Cobie. Potato chips and guacamole, sardines on ritz crackers with grapes and finally a can of uncooked corn.

"You call that a snack?" Colson asks as he gestured to the big tray Erik was holding.

"Why? Is it too much? Am I getting fat?" Cobie asks, his voice frantic as he looks down at himself. Colson is fast to reply, Erik almost dripping the tray of food in his haste to assure Cobie no.

"You're not fat. You are so fucking beautiful." Erik says softly, placing the tray on the table and reaching for Cobie, peppering kisses all over his face. "And perfect."

"And glowing too. I'm kinda jealous of it."

"You want a baby too?" Cobie says and Colson chokes. Coughing a bit. He turns to Aetos who looked like he was trying to hold back his laughter.

Erik saves the day as he hands Cobie the can of uncooked corn first with a spoon.

"We're fine, C. We just started dating."

"Maybe later." Aetos says, rubbing his hand down Colson's arm.

Colson smiles at Aetos, cupping his cheeks and just looking st this gorgeous man, gorgeous both in and out. He thinks to himself, if he were to have a mate it'd be Aetos.

"Later?" Colson asks. It felt wonderful to know Aetos wasn't just seeing them in the moment. No, his boyfriend also saw a future for them. Colson already knew this but he just feels all warm inside whenever Aetos says something pertaining to their future.

"Later."

"Aren't they cute, Erik?" Cobie ask before pushing a spoonful of corn into his mouth. His voice sounded a bit wobbly and Colson looks to make sure and there, when Colson turns, were tears running down Cobie's face. What the heck was happening?

"Cobie?"

His brother drops the spoon and fans his face. Erik patiently wipes the tears away, whispering in Cobie's ear.

I'm sorry. I can't stop." Cobie says.

"It's alright, precious."

"I love you, peaches." Cobie says, looking right at Erik.

"I love you too."

Colson stared at the two of them. He wants to ask them where the hell they got their nicknames from but then again, it was too damn adorable.

Colson and Aetos stay for a while before finally making their leave when Cobie falls asleep a couple hours later. Instead of running at the speed of light, Colson and Aetos walk hand in hand towards the house.

"What do you want to do today?" Aetos asks.

"Try to take over the world, pinky." Colson teases but Aetos stared at him like he just spoke a whole different language.

"Don't tell me you haven't seen Pinky and the Brain?" Colson asked, looking up at Aetos with wide eyes.

"I have missed a few things while aging."

"I'm going to look for some old episodes later, so you can watch. What else did you miss?" Colson asks, looking up at the vampire.

"I haven't watched family guy yet."

"No."

Aetos chuckles as he looked at Colson. "Why do you look like that?" He asks, looking down at Colson whose eyes were wide and his lips were parted a bit.

"I know what we're doing today. We go home, order some stuff to snack on while we binge watch all sixteen seasons of great tv." Colson says, sliding his hand up Aetos arm and resting at his elbow. He shuffles closer to the vampire as they walk, his boots digging into the snow.

"Of course."

"You really should start telling me no more often." Colson says as they walk.

"Why would I do that?"

"Why won't you do that?" Colson counters.

"I like doing things for you and I like being able to provide things you need and want." Aetos says like it was simple and maybe to him it was.

Colson hides his smile against Aetos' shirt. He was unbelievably happy. He has dreamt of a relationship like this but he never knew he could actually have it. Scratch that, Aetos was everything and more. And for the first time he thinks, I love you.

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He almost trips when the three words resonate in his head. What? What? What? No. It couldn't be. He was just caught up in the moment.

"Is Pytor is going to be home?"

"I don't think so. Why?" Aetos asks.

"I'm thinking we might get frisky through our binge and I kinda want you to fuck me into the couch." Colson says and this time it's Aetos' turn to almost trip. Colson steadies him with a strong hold on his arm.

"I could get behind that."

"You could get behind me too." Colson snickers and Aetos just laughs.

"I..." Aetos starts. "I don't like how Gabriel talks to you."

"Don't worry about it. I've got it."

"I still don't like it."

"You do know I can handle myself right?" Colson asks, looking up at Aetos who sighs.

"I know. It's just... it makes me want to rip his head off."

"He's your best friend's brother."

"Doesn't mean I should be quiet when he talks to my boyfriend with little respect."

"I can hold my own but I will come to you if things go physical."

Aetos nods and they walk quietly, the silence comfortable. They were almost home when Colson decides to be a sneaky shit. He slid a hand towards Aetos' back and before the vampire could even blink, Colson pinched his ass. "What the hell, Colson."

Colson giggles, letting go of Aetos as he walked forward a bit. Turning around to laugh at his boyfriend. Aetos has a bewildered look on his face and his lips were parted slightly.

"I couldn't help it." Colson laughs. "Colson..."

Colson watched his vampire. He looked so damn beautiful standing there, snow everywhere, his dark hair falling into his eyes, the brown long sleeved vintage shirt and jeans he had on. Colson was such a lucky son of a gun. He tilts his head to the side, his lips pulled into a smile. Aetos just smiles back at him, watching him like he always does and Colson feels the biting need to kiss his vampire. He picks up his pace and runs towards his vampire and leaps into his arms, his legs locking around Aetos' waist.

Aetos looks up at Colson who cups his boyfriend's cheeks, his hand gently pushing Aetos' hair to the side so he could look into those beautiful grey eyes.

"It's good to know you can keep up with me." Colson teases, smiling down at his vampire. Aetos was holding him up like he weighed nothing and it was sort of doing things to him, thinking about him being pushed up against the wall with Aetos holding him up.

"Always." Came Aetos' dimple reply and that was it. Colson closes the distance between their lips and they kissed oh so gently. Soft and sweet.

Colson slid his hand down Aetos' face and around his neck as they kissed. Tingles shootin through Colson's body, making him shiver a bit. It felt so good being held and kissed like this. Like he was all that mattered.

When they pull apart a couple minute later, Colson thinks to himself again as he looks as his vampire. I love you.

No. It wasn't an in the moment thing. He wasn't deluding himself. He cared about a Aetos, wanted a future with him, he loved everything about the vampire, claws and fangs, he... was in love with Aetos.

The moment is ruined by someone groaning beside them, forcing Colson to look away from Aetos. He replaces Pytor standing there with a brown bag with the KFC logo on it.

"You two are outside!"

"So?" Aetos counters and Colson has never been more proud. He's rubbing off on Aetos in more ways than one.

"Take your kiss inside the fucking house! It's right in front of you." Pytor says as he marched towards the house. Colson huffs as he lets go of Aetos. He bends down an picks up a decent amount of snow, making his way towards Pytor who was still ranting as he walks towards the house and threw it against his head.

He lets out a loud burst of laugher when the snow hits Pytor's head, laughing even harder when Pytor turns to him with a glare. I'm the blink of an eye, Pytor was pelted with another snowball.

Colson looks back at Aetos who looked smug.

"Oh. That's how you want to play it?" Pytor asked as he drops the takeaway on the ground. Colson stands with Aetos behind him and simply says.

"Bring it on."