Wolf Moon

Wolf Moon

 

Hotch Inarus

 

Disclaimer:  I do not own Criminal Minds, nor do I make any profit off of writing this.

 

SLASH WARNING!!!  Hotch / Reid

 

Written for the Chit Chat on Author’s Corner Halloween Horrors Challenge.  The moderators supplied a number of titles of the novels of the Master of Horror himself, Stephen King.  We were to pick any title and write a fic using that as the prompt.  I chose, “Cycle of the Werewolf”

 

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Chapter 16

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Aaron Hotchner stood before the bonfire over the body of what was once a brown wolf, who had been alpha until he had snapped his neck.  He had returned to his human form and redressed in torn clothing, as had Reid.  Over one hundred wolves surrounded them now.  Hotch looked down at the body, then around at the wolves.

 

“Did he have a mate?”  He asked.  His voice was soft, but it carried.  No one answered.  But slowly, one female stepped forward.  And then another.  And another…  and another… 

 

Reid’s eyes widened as fourteen women stepped up, of varying ages…  His stomach turned…  two of them for sure were under age…  Hotch’s eyes darkened as he saw this as well.

 

“All of you?”  He hissed, anger building within him.  “Did you choose him?”  He demanded to know.  “ANY of you?!”

 

“…  I did.”  Came a deep voice.  The oldest female raised her eyes.  They were filled with a deep sadness, and she was lined with grief and pain…  Hotch could tell that were she younger, and less worn, she would be lovely.  But she was now broken down, weary, hurt…  used…  She had been destroyed.

 

None of the others spoke up.

 

“Laney!”  Came a sudden cry.  A man burst from the crowd.  A moment later, a red-headed young woman turned and ran for him, bursting into tears.  She threw her arms around his neck, and he threw his arms around her torso, and the pair were kissing.

 

“He’s gone, Laney…  we can be together now…”  The man was gasping.  “Now we can mate…  REALLY mate…  he’s dead.  I don’t care if he mated you.  You didn’t accept it.  Now WE can be mates…  I love you…”

 

“Eric!”  Cried another of the women who had stepped forward, and now she was running to meet another man, and the pair embraced.  And that was all it took.  People were running about, couples who had been forcefully broken up were swearing their continuous undying love and support, the parents of the under-age girls were holding them close, and now joyful cries could be heard.  Only one amongst them was sad.  The older woman slowly moved to the side of her mate and knelt, tears in her eyes.  She leaned over him and pressed her forehead to Ben’s. 

 

Hotch moved over to her and knelt, reaching out and laying a hand on her back.  “…  I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be.”  The woman said bravely.  She took a deep breath and looked at Hotch.  “This is the way things are with us.  You followed our Laws.”  She turned her eyes and looked at all the other women her husband had taken as his mates.  “…  He did not.”

 

Slowly, the excitement began to die down, and Hotch found all focus upon himself once more.  He looked around, and watched the alpha males approach their new leader.

 

“I know,” He called, and everyone grew quiet and listened to him, “that as is the way with our kind, the one who defeats the Alpha Wolf takes his place.  And I have defeated your alpha.  But I have no intention of taking his place.”  The wolves looked startled.  “I have my own pack that I was raised in, but I have chosen the life of a lone wolf.  And I have no intention of re-joining a pack.  I could not in good conscience, however, leave you with a tyrant controlling you.  And so I leave you to choose your Alpha however you wish…  provided there is no bloodshed involved in the decision.”  And he turned his stern glare onto the alpha males.  A few of them shifted eyes nervously, and a couple others offered sheepish grins.

 

Then, Hotch turned.

 

“Detectives?”

 

“Yes, Agent?”  James asked.

 

“I would appreciate a ride back.”

 

“Of course.”  James nodded, and Hotch and Reid followed James and Evan towards the car.

 

“Spencer!”  Reid and Hotch both stopped, and looked back.  William Reid was hurrying over, eyes on his son.  Hotch narrowed his eyes and felt his claws sharpen.

 

Reid turned to face his father.

 

“What do you want?”  He asked. 

 

Will Reid stood before his son and his eyes darted around as his mouth opened and closed.  He lifted his hands in a helpless gesture as he searched for words.  But all he managed to get out was “Spencer…  I…  I’m sorry.”

 

“You’re sorry.”  Reid said, narrowing his eyes.  “You abandoned me and all you can say is you’re sorry?!”

 

“Spencer…  you have to understand…  I…  I had an impossible choice.”

 

“I will NEVER understand!”  Reid cried, slashing his hand through the air and figuratively cutting off his father’s words.  His eyes were blazing, but tears threatened to extinguish the flame.  “Maybe if I had grown up in a pack, and known the significance of a pack, I MIGHT have understood.  But I didn’t.  A pack means nothing to me.  But my dad was everything.  Even though my dad resented me…  and then he left.  Now he means just as much to me as a pack…  NOTHING.  Because from where I was standing, to him…  I meant nothing.”

 

William Reid looked stunned.  Hotch remained silent.  A moment later, Reid turned away.

 

“Spencer…”  Will called out, not even sounding hopeful anymore.

 

“What?!”  Reid cried, turning around and throwing his hands out.  “What do you want?!  There’s nothing you can say to make what you did okay!  No apologies can fix it!  It’s done!  You left, and you never came back!  There’s nothing more to it!  And even when you were there, you didn’t exactly show me much in regards to paternal love or anything…  I grew up knowing NOTHING about myself!  I’ve learned more about being a wolf from HIM,” and Reid jabbed a finger at Hotch, “In the past two weeks, than I learned from YOU in the ten years I lived with you!!!”

 

“Spencer…  I’m sorry.”

 

“Yeah.  I’ll  bet.  You got to run back to the comfort and security of a pack without having to worry about your FLAWED family.  I’ll be you’re REAL sorry.”  And Reid turned his back.  But he didn’t move.  Slowly, he sighed and deflated, and then turned back.  “But…  You did save my life tonight.  So I guess…  Thank you.”

 

Will Reid didn’t say anything.  He just lowered his eyes and bowed his head.  They stood in silence for a long time.

 

“Reid…”  Hotch said after a moment.  “We need to get back.”  Reid nodded, and made his way to the car.  Hotch remained, glaring at his lover’s father.  Slowly, Will Reid raised his eyes, and the Delta wolf stared at the Alpha.

 

“Take care of him.”  He said, and Hotch narrowed his eyes.

 

“I will…  More than you ever did.”  He snarled, then flashed the older wolf his teeth and followed after Reid.

 

The pair got into the car, and Evan pulled away.  All four wolves remained silent, the last hours spinning in their heads…  But then Hotch turned and began to check Reid for injury.

 

“Ow.”  Reid muttered.  “Stop that.  I’m fine.”

 

“Where can we take you?”  James asked softly from the front seat.

 

“Hotel.”  Reid answered immediately.  “I need a shower.”  And he turned and shot a look at Hotch.

“What?”  Hotch asked.

 

“…  You PEED on me!!!”  Reid howled, and the two cops in the front grinned at each other.

 

“I had to make a point.”  Hotch said, perfectly calm and composed. 

 

Reid GLARED.

 

“…  Someone’s in the dog house.”  Evan chuckled.

 

“Oh, no…  he’s not even under a roof.  He is tied out in the YARD.”  Reid snapped, and the wolves in the front seat laughed.

 

Hotch chuckled as well, grinning at the young man by his side.  He reached up and lovingly brushed his knuckles down Reid’s cheek, admiring the fire in the pup’s eyes as he smacked the alpha’s hand away with a snarl.  Hotch just ruffled his hair after that (intentionally provoking him) and then turned to look out the window.

 

When they pulled up at the hotel, James and Evan got out of the car and faced the agents.

 

“I’m sorry that we uh…  dragged you out there.”  James said, handing over a well-equipped first aid kit.  “But…  I can’t say I’m sorry over the results…”  And he grinned.  Hotch gave him a little smile in return and nodded, accepting the first aid kit.

 

“Let’s just say…  it was more than my pleasure.”

 

“Agent Reid…”  Evan said.  “You…  You really were…  one of us?”  Reid blinked.  “Our pack?”

 

“…  No.  My father, yes…  but I was never a part of the pack.”  Reid sighed. 

 

“I remember.”  James said, glancing at his partner.  “I was a kid.  I remember Ben making a Declaration that William Reid was in exile…  His mate was a sick human whose offspring would be the weak links that the pack could not afford to have.  And for Will Reid to be a part of the pack, he had to sever ties with the weak links…”

 

Reid sighed, shoulders drooping as he listened to what was said about him, and his mother.  Hotch squeezed his shoulder.

 

“It’s doesn’t matter anymore, Spencer.”  Hotch murmured.  “You proved him wrong.”  And then to the detectives, “We’ll see you at the station in the morning.”  The pair nodded and returned to their car, while Hotch and Reid scurried across the lobby of their hotel, trying not to catch the attention of the people there with their torn clothes and bloody injuries.

 

They boarded the elevator and rode it up to their rooms.  Everyone had their own room this time, but Hotch guided Reid into his room this time.

 

“Get undressed.”  Hotch said gently, setting down the first aid kit and opening it, looking over what he had to work with.  And then he stripped, and the pair faced each other, cataloguing one another’s injuries.

 

Hotch had cuts and bruises all over his back and shoulders and a large gash on the left shoulder.  There was bruising on his neck from the several times Ben had seized his throat in his teeth, but his thick, alpha male mane protected him from getting his neck torn open.

 

Reid had a little slash on the outside of his left thigh, and he too had bruises all over him.  He, unfortunately, had blood running down his back from where the wolf named Vince had grabbed him by the back of the neck, and delivered several bites; Reid didn’t have a thick mane of fur protecting him.

 

The first thing Hotch did once completing the inspection of the younger wolf, was to usher him into the bathroom, and into a hot shower.

 

He stood behind Reid and gently washed his back, inspecting each and every cut and laceration as he went, and Reid returned the favor.  Once they were both clean, they embraced for a long moment before leaving the shower and drying off.  And then Hotch spread some towels over his queen sized bed and bid Reid to lay upon them.  Hotch moved in and straddled Reid’s buttocks, sitting upon his upper thighs, which made Reid blush.

 

“Alright.  This will sting.”  Hotch said, dabbing at a still oozing cut with some gauze, and then smearing some ointment into the wound.  Reid’s muscles twitched in response, and as Hotch moved from cut to cut, Reid’s fists slowly curled and clenched.  Once all the cuts were cleaned and had ointment packed into them Hotch taped gauze or bandaids to them.  Then he moved off of Reid and had him roll onto his side so he could tend to the laceration on his thigh.  It was long, but shallow.  After applying the ointment, Hotch laid gaze over it, and then wrapped Reids thigh in a bandage to hold the gauze in place.

 

“There.”  Hotch said, rubbing Reid’s thigh.  “Did I miss anything?”

 

“No.”  Reid cooed, sitting up and gently pressing his lips to that of the larger male in a loving gesture.  “Thank you…”  Hotch smiled, enveloping Reid in his arms.  Reid sighed and relaxed against the man’s chest…  until his hand fell upon the gash on his shoulder.  Reid drew back and inspected it.

 

“…  You need stitches.”  Reid diagnosed.

 

“Going to a hospital will bring up too many questions.”  Hotch said firmly.  “I’ll live.”  Reid frowned, and dug around in the first aid kit.

 

“…  I can do it.”

 

“What?!”  Hotch blurted, eyebrows shooting up.

 

“I know how to do sutures.”  Reid said calmly, already pulling on some sterile latex gloves.  Hotch eyed him, but nodded and lay down, presenting his laceration to Reid.  He watched Reid pull a vial of something out of the kit, and draw it up into a syringe.

 

“Lidocaine.”  Reid said calmly, and stuck Hotch in a couple of places.  And moment later, the pain of the wound faded.  Then Reid was opening a packet of suture material with a hooked needle on the end.  “Ready?”

 

“Yeah.”  Hotch nodded.  Reid turned his full attention to the task at hand, drew in a breath, and poked the needle through the skin at the edge off the wound.  Slowly and carefully, he threaded the suture along the laceration, pulling the lips of the wound together.  Hotch had relaxed by the time Reid tied off the end of the sutures and clipped it.  Then he leaned over and kissed the man on the cheek.  Hotch slowly smiled, sighing as he felt fingers card through his hair.  Then Reid slid off of the bed and gathered all the first aid supplies, neatly packing them back into the kit, and then picking up the phone and ordering room service.  Then he slid onto the bed behind Hotch and snuggled up against him, kissing along the line of neat sutures he had placed.  Hotch just smiled again and sighed, tired.

 

The pair absorbed one another’s warmth as they processed the events of the last few hours.  After a bit, Hotch slowly managed to draw Reid to lie beneath him, and their legs entwined, their bodies pressed flush against one another as they shared kiss after soft kiss.  Neither said a word, their soft gasps and sighs all they needed.

 

Neither were ready for the knock on the door.

 

“That would be dinner.”  Reid smiled, slipping out from under Hotch and wrapping a towel around his waist.  “Steaks…  rare.”  And he kissed Hotch one more time and approached the door, unlocking it and opening it. 

 

And he froze.

 

“…  Reid?”  Morgan blurted.  “I thought this was Hotch’s room…”  And then he trailed off, staring at Hotch in the bed, covered by the sheets from the waist down…  from the waist up he was naked.  And Reid was in a towel…

 

Rossi appeared behind Morgan a moment later.  He took in the sight before him, of the deer-in-headlights Reid, and the defensive looking Hotch.  And then his eyes fell to Hotch’s shoulders, and took in the bruising on both men.

 

“What the hell happened?!”  He demanded.

 

“…  Huh?”  Reid squeaked, and Rossi forced his way into the room, Morgan at his heels.  Rossi strode over to the bed and placed his hand on Hotch’s shoulder.

 

“You have stitches!”  Rossi announced, and Morgan hurried to see as well.  “You’re both covered in bruises and…  Reid?  What is THAT?!”  And he pointed down as Reid slowly sat on the edge of the bed.  Morgan reached out, and despite Reid’s squealed protest, lifted the towel enough to identify the bandage on the youth’s thigh.  And then he noticed the band-aids all over Reid’s back.

 

“Will you two get out?!”  Hotch growled.

 

“Hell no, Hotch!”  Morgan cried.  “First, you two disappear from the station, you’re missing for nearly FOUR hours, we can’t reach you, and when we finally find you, you’re both back in the hotel, in the same room, covered in cuts and bruises and bandages and stitches and NAKED!!!”

 

“If you get out, we’ll get dressed.”  Hotch growled.

 

“Morgan.”  Rossi said, sitting down in the chair in the corner.  “Go get Reid’s GoBag please…” 

 

Morgan reached for Reid’s discarded clothes and picked them up, searching Reid’s pocket for his key.  “Reid…  what the HELL happened?!”  He demanded, holding up the clothing so that Rossi could see the shredded, blood spattered clothes.  Then Morgan picked up Hotch’s clothes, and found more of the same.

 

“Alright you two…”  He said, his voice low and serious.  “Talk.”

 

“Get Reid’s clothes first, Morgan.”  Rossi said.  “He won’t talk in a towel.”  And Reid squeaked and fled to the bathroom, red in embarrassment.  Hotch shot Rossi a glare.  Morgan gave Hotch a look, but left to get Reid’s Go Bag.

 

Rossi didn’t say a word when he and Hotch were left alone.  He just sat…  and stared.  After a bit, Hotch rose from the bed.  Rossi eyed Hotch’s blossoming bruises for a moment, then respectfully averted his eyes when Hotch went to pull on a pair of flannel pant and a plain gray t-shirt.

 

A moment later, Morgan returned and shoved the GoBag into the bathroom, where Reid readily accepted it.  Then the three men waited for their youngest to emerge.  Reid stepped out of the bathroom in a very similar ensemble to Hotch.  He was in gray sweatpants and a navy t-shirt.  He paused when there was a knock at the door, then turned and answered it.  Room service entered, leaving a little rolling table with two plates on it.  Then, sensing the tension in the room, the man quickly left.  Rossi and Morgan watched as Hotch’s nostrils flared, and then the alpha wolf swept down on the meal without paying them any mind, lifting the cover off of the steak and taking up his fork and knife without hesitation, cutting into the meat and lifting the first dripping bit to his mouth.

 

Reid was only a moment behind him, being a bit more delicate and demure about cutting his steak and forking the first piece into his mouth.  Rossi and Morgan stared.

 

“Since when do you take your steak rare?”  Morgan asked.  “You’ve always eaten it well done.”

 

“I showed him the error of his ways.”  Hotch said, a smirk on his lips.  Reid blinked, and was unable to hold back an amused smile as he glanced over at his Unit Chief.  After they were about halfway through their steaks, Rossi handed them a bottle of Aleve, and then sat back.

 

“Alright…  Where did you two go and what happened?”

 

“Can’t tell.  Classified.”  Hotch mumbled around the meat in his mouth.  Morgan scowled, but Rossi quirked a brow. 

 

“Need to know only.”  Reid said, his eyes dancing in amusement.

 

“And who needs to know?”  Morgan asked.

 

“The two of us.”  Hotch said.

 

Morgan’s frown darkened.  “Look man!  We’re on a case here!”  Hotch and Reid both looked up at the angry tone in Morgan’s voice.  “You two VANISHED!  You didn’t say nuthin’ to no one, man!  You were just GONE!  We were calling you and trying to find you and when we do, you’re naked in a hotel room covered in injuries!  What the hell happened?!”

 

Hotch stood sharply, his eyes blazing.

 

“Drop it, Agent.”  He snapped.  “That’s an ORDER.”

 

“…  Are you sleeping with him?!”  Morgan demanded, pointing at Reid.  Reid’s eyes widened. 

 

“Reid.”  Hotch said, not breaking eye contact with Morgan.  “Have we ever had sex?”

 

“Well…  I’m fairly certain that you have, seeing as how you have a son, but…”

 

“With each other, Reid.” 

 

“…  Oh.  No.”  Reid said, shaking his head.  “I’ve…  never um…”  And he flushed and bowed his head.  Morgan looked down at Reid.

 

“Kid.”  He said, and Reid looked up at him.  “Did Hotch hurt you?”

 

“No!”  Reid gasped, eyes widening in alarm.  “Never!  No!”

 

“Morgan…”  Hotch said, and Morgan looked at him.  “You really think I would ever harm Spencer?”  Hotch looked hurt and insulted now.

 

“You…  just called him Spencer.”  Rossi pointed out.  “Aaron…  What’s going on?”

 

“… Nothing.”  Hotch said.

 

“Reid?”  Morgan asked, fixing Reid in place with his gaze.  Hotch wanted to punch Morgan in the head…  He knew perfectly well that Morgan was asking Reid because Reid couldn’t lie to the team to save his life…

 

“I…  N-No.  Nothing.”  Reid mumbled

 

“…  Let’s go.”  Morgan said, grabbing Reid’s arm and hauling him to his feet.  Reid stammered protests and Hotch stood as well, but a firm hand on his arm made him stop.  Reid shot a half panicked look at Hotch over Morgan’s shoulder as they left the hotel room, and the door closed after them.

 

“Aaron.”  Rossi ordered.  “SIT.”  Hotch glared at the man, but slowly sat upon the edge of the bed, seizing his fork and knife and cutting into the steak, just carrying a petulant air about him.

 

“Alright, Aaron…”  Rossi said, reaching for the knife and fork on Reid’s plate.  “What’s going on?”  Hotch lunged and stabbed the fork down onto the plate, narrowly missing stabbing Rossi.  The elder profiler glared, rubbing the hand that he had jerked out of the way just in time.

 

“That’s Reid’s.”  Hotch growled, feeling fiercely protective of Reid, and therefore, Reid’s dinner.  He placed the cover over it, hiding it from view.

 

“Stop being a brat, Aaron.  Tell me what’s going on.”

 

“…  No.”

 

 

Reid sighed as Morgan dragged him into his room, and plopped down on the edge of Morgan’s bed.  Morgan stared at Reid for a long moment, then sighed and paced a couple of times, running his hands over his head.  Reid slowly drew his legs up onto the bed and curled them underneath himself, watching Morgan. 

 

“Reid…”  Morgan finally sighed.  “Kid…  You know you can trust me…  right?”

 

“…  Of course.”  Reid blinked.  “You’re my best friend.”  And he smiled.  “Probably the first I’ve ever been able to CALL a ‘best friend’, actually…”

 

Morgan gave Reid a sad smile.  “Would you trust me enough to tell me if you were in trouble?”

 

Reid stared at Morgan, his heart racing.  He wanted to say yes…  he would.  But he WAS in trouble…  with Noriko and her lackeys…  but he couldn’t tell Morgan.  Not without revealing that he and Hotch were not human…

 

“Morgan.”  He finally said.  “Derek…  do you trust me?”

 

“…  I trust you with my life, kid.”  Morgan said.  “But I don’t trust you with YOUR life.”

 

“Oh, gee, thanks.”

 

“I mean it, Reid.  The trouble you get yourself into…”  He shook his head.

 

“I don’t MEAN to!”  Reid cried.  “Do you trust Hotch?!”  Morgan said silent.  Reid slowly frowned.  “You did.”  Reid answered for him.  “Until ten minutes ago when I opened that hotel room door.  And now you’re thinking the worst of him.”  Morgan looked away, unable to deny this.  Reid’s eyes darkened.  “You owe him more than that, Morgan.”  He said.  “He DESERVES better than that.   I trust Aaron Hotchner with my life, and with everything that I hold dear to me in this world.  And I trust him with my life more than I trust myself.”  Morgan folded his arms, and Reid stood, reaching out and placing a tentative hand on the man’s arm.

 

Startled by Reid actually initiating physical contact, Morgan turned and looked him in the eye.  Reid’s eyes were wide and earnest.  “Aaron Hotchner has never…  EVER…  hurt me, or taken advantage of me in any way…”  He gave Morgan a small smile.  “And if you really must know, despite the fact that it is NONE of your business…  I am still a virgin.”  Morgan’s eyes widened and he flushed slightly in embarrassment, which amused Reid…  but not as much as the look on Morgan’s face when Reid added on a very mischievous and baiting “…  For now.”

 

“…  What do you mean ‘for now’, Reid?!”  Morgan blurted as Reid calmly walked away.

 

“Well…  you don’t expect me to be a virgin forever, do you?”  Reid asked, and Morgan snapped his mouth shut.  Reid grinned.  “You DO!”

 

“I do NOT!”  Morgan protested. 

 

Reid wrapped his arms around his middle, laughing slightly.  “You have this…  IMAGE of me in your head, Morgan.  Of your genius kid brother, who is pure and innocent with unquestionable chastity.”  Morgan sputtered a protest, but Reid kept going.  “You can’t deal with the fact that I’m a man with desires and needs, just like you, and one of these days, I may be…  defiled.”  He spoke the last word slowly, taunting Morgan.  And then he leaned in close and hissed, “Willingly.”

 

“Reid!”  Morgan howled and Reid grinned, pleased at the reaction he got from his friend.

 

“Look, Morgan…”  He sighed, finally being serious again.  “Have a little more faith, hm?  You can trust me, and you can trust Hotch.  And trust that everything is fine.  But you also need to back off.”  Morgan frowned at that.

 

“You need to tell me what’s going on, Reid.”

 

“No.  I don’t.”  Reid said.  Morgan frowned.  “The fact is…  it has nothing to do with work.  It’s in my personal life.  Hotch is helping me deal with it.  Because he’s the only one who CAN.  You need to trust him to help me.”

 

“I can help you!”

 

“No, Morgan.”  Reid said, his voice firm.  “You can’t.  Not this time.  Not with this.  I’m sorry.”  And Reid turned and left, leaving Morgan to his silent hotel room.

 

He had a steak to reclaim…