Mark glanced back at Sean over his shoulder with worry. Exhaling heavily, Mark winced as he slid back onto his bike and told Nathan seriously. "How long do you think it will be before Zedekiah makes a move on the Valley?" Nathan straightened up a bit on his bike, thinking it over for a few seconds before answering coolly. "Knowing Zedekiah... maybe a month? Without me, he's going to promote Lexus to Lead Alpha. She's irrational, but Zedekiah knows he can't take the Valley without a proper plan. You've got too many healthy Alphas and Betas. Most of the wolves in the City are drunken fools. Full of aggression but they lack unity. If the attack comes... it's going to be random... He'll hit you when he thinks he has the best advantage. Or can use the distraction to his advantage." Sean inched closer to them, asking a little shaken up. "Distraction? You mean he won't fight with his pack?" Nathan scoffed, answering dryly. "City wolves are not a conventional pack. We are loners that hang around each other. What leadership I provide is met with fights and heavy resistance. So, no. Zedekiah will rally them into fighting to the death. But he'll have his own targets that he'll be after."

Sean hugged himself, mumbling out timidly. "I don't like the way you said that..." Mark locked eyes with Nathan, asking curiously. "And his targets?" Nathan raised his eyebrows a little, stating out swiftly. "You. Your dad. Me. Zedekiah always goes for the leaders. He'll probably take Lexus with him to handle any second in command you have. With no leaders... He takes over. Game over." Mark nodded, telling them firmly. "Let's get back to the Valley." Nathan revved his engine, trying to muffle his groan of pain as he shifted on the seat. Mark extended a hand out to Sean and Sean hesitated. He was feeling so emotionally torn and afraid. Mark's expression softened, his voice becoming deep and warm when he said. "Sean. Let's go home." Finally taking his hand, Sean climbed onto the bike and hugged Mark. Mark turned the bike back on, then led the way toward the gates of the Valley. Reaching the gate, Mark slowed to command the gate guards sternly. "Spread the word. Close the gates to the Valley. Nobody gets in or out!" The two guards glanced at each other, asking nervously. "Why? What's going on?" Mark tensed, barking out. "I can't explain! Just do it!"

The guards nodded, closing the gate after Nathan and turn their keys to lock it in place. Mark sped up on the road going faster than Sean had ever seen Mark drive. Sean clung to him tightly, trying to stay on as the bike went over bumps and cut corners. He was just too shaken up to enjoy the ride. His fear only grew, when he noticed that Mark was hunching over the bike. He didn't look so good, and he was starting to drift on the road a bit too much. Sean sat up off Mark's back, asking over the wind and engine. "Mark?!" Without warning, Mark slowed the bike and made the tires squeal across the pavement. Sean yelped, slamming into Mark's back from the sudden stop. For a few seconds, Mark didn't move, but Sean could hear him panting and felt him tremble. Sliding off the bike, Sean walked to the front of it and tried to meet his eyes when he asked with concern. "Mark...? What's wrong?" Mark didn't look up but panted out a bit groggily. "Adrenaline is wearing off... I can't..." Sean quickly turned the key to turn off the bike, telling Mark seriously. "Get off." Mark dropped his hands from the handlebars, swinging his leg off the bike. Mark only took a single step, before stumbling to his knees in the grass.

Sean caught the bike to keep it from falling on Mark, yelping as the weight of it threatened to buckle him. Straining to hold it up, Sean called out desperately. "Mark, move! I can't hold it!" Mark started to raise a hand to touch the gas tank, before he fell across the grass. Sean whined loudly in distress, he wanted to push the bike over to the other side to let it fall, but the gas in the tank had shifted. Stretching out his arms, he tried to brace his feet to push the bike back. As he did though, the hot engine and tail pipes touched his bare skin, causing Sean to scream. Driving up quickly, Nathan hopped off his bike, letting it fall to the ground. Running up, he easily grabbed the bike with one hand and pushed it upright. Kicking the kickstand down, Nathan asked him frantically. "What happened?!" Sean winced, feeling the burn across his lower back as he whined out. "I don't know..." Nathan checked Sean's back, telling him comfortingly. "You're ok. Don't touch it." Nathan briefly checked Mark's pulse, then ran off to turn off his bike. Sean crawled closer to Mark, brushing the hair from his eyes. Mark's breathing was jagged and shallow.

Stroking his knuckles over his cheek, Sean asked him softly. "Mark?" Mark's eyes slowly opened, his voice little more than a whisper when he told him. "I'm ok. Just... tired." Sean brushed his thumb across the blood that leaked from Mark's slit lip. Reluctantly, lifting the leather vest to look at Mark's chest, Sean swallowed hard. Mark had deep cuts all over his chest and all of them were bleeding and staining what remained of his shirt. Sniffling, Sean told Mark through his own pain. "You'll be ok, Mark." Nathan jogged back over, kneeling beside them as he said gruffly. "Damn it, man. You should have told me how hurt you were. I could have stolen a truck or something..." Sean watched Nathan struggle to open a small bag of first aid stuff. Nathan's broken arm was bothering him just as much as Mark's wounds were bothering him. Ignoring his own pain, Sean took the first aid bag and opened it. Pulling out a few items for Nathan, he whined out in distress. "This is my fault..." Nathan handed Sean a few bandages, answering dryly. "Don't start that shit now. It wasn't just you." Sean stared at Nathan, asking in a broken voice. "Why did you let me go there? You knew how dangerous it was..."

Nathan stared back into his eyes, answering honestly. "I thought I could get you in and out safely. I wasn't expecting Zedekiah to come find me. He's never done that before... He usually waits until I go to him or sends a lacky." Sean looked between them, mumbling out to himself. "He's so strong... even against both of you... and he was wounded." Nathan glanced around to see if anyone was nearby, while telling him. "Zedekiah is just a big Alpha. He's fought a lot of Alphas and it has desensitized himself to a lot of hits. That's all." Sean ran his hand through Mark's sweaty hair, replying softly. "Mark is our lead Alpha... and he beat him down to this." Nathan reached out to turn Sean's chin toward him. Staring him down, Nathan firmly told him. "Zedekiah fought Mark's father back in their youth. That's where he got that nasty scar that blinded him in one eye. He could predict Mark's moves. Don't make Zedekiah into something he's not." Dropping his hand, Nathan added more soothingly. "Fear is how he gets you. If you fear him, he's already won half the battle. Zedekiah fights his battles alone. Mark had YOU." Sean shook his head, mumbling out. "You saved us..." Nathan stroked Sean's cheek, then leaned in to kiss his forehead. Getting to his feet, Nathan whispered into Sean's ear. "No, Sean. We were losing that fight. It was only our need to protect YOU that made US fight harder."

Nathan patted Sean's bare shoulder, chuckling out to him. "Stay here with him. I'm going to drive ahead and see if I can get some help. My damn phone is busted..." Sean quickly patted down Mark's pockets to remove his phone, telling Nathan grimly. "Ya... Mark's too. Shite..." For a split second, Sean started to reach for the pocket of his pants and froze. Nathan read his scared face and asked curiously. "What?" Swallowing, Sean told Nathan. "My phone is with my parents... but my collar is at your house." Nathan shifted on his feet nervously but told him reluctantly. "We'll worry about that later. Bandage him up as best you can. I'll be back." Sean watched Nathan limp as he rushed back to his bike. He wasn't sure that Nathan should be the one to leave... but he couldn't ride a bike and even if he ran, it would take longer for him to get help. Focusing on cleaning the wounds with little alcohol wipes, he began putting the bandages in place. Mark winced and growled in pain but did his best to stay still. While applying band-aids to a few of Mark's smaller cuts, Mark asked him with fragile curiosity. "Did you like it?" Sean blinked, blurting out. "Like what? If you think fighting impresses me you're delusional." Mark smirked a little, but it faded quickly before he clearly rephrased. "No. I mean... When we mated... Did you like it? Or... was Nate better."

Sean exhaled slowly, focusing on laying a band-aid out perfect as he honestly mumbled out an answer. "That's not fair, Mark. Don't compare yourself to him." Mark's voice was a little pained, when he retorted. "That's not an answer. Was he at least... good to you? He didn't hurt you?" Sean rested his hand on Mark's arm, reluctantly admitting. "He was gentle. He would have stopped if I had asked him to." Mark fell silent and Sean sat more comfortably beside him. He didn't want to have this conversation but since Nathan wasn't here, he wanted to cheer Mark up. Rubbing Mark's back, Sean openly told him. "Nathan has slept with other people. I was his first Omega and we got off to a rocky start. But mating with him felt... relaxing." Laying down next to Mark, Sean sweetly told him with a warm smile. "I can't compare it you, Mark. We both barely knew what we were doing... and even though I thought I was being reckless with an Outsider... I enjoyed it." Mark's eyes looked at him with doubt, prompting Sean to add in truthfully. "I enjoyed them both for different reasons. With Bill... I mean, you... I was scared but your affection got me through it. You made me feel like I could trust you. I felt safe and I could feel how much you... How much you love me."

Mark sniffled, uttering out under his breath. "And now that you know who Bill is... you feel betrayed by me." Sean rolled his eyes, blurting out flatly. "Honestly, I feel betrayed by both of you. He knew who you were and didn't tell me. And you..." Drifting off, Sean exhaled heavily and stared at the ground. Picking at the grass, Sean eventually told him in a distant voice. "I understand why you did it... but I'm hurt that you did it. You only added fuel for people like Ethan to use against me..." Mark's hand moved to touch Sean's wrist, wispily telling him. "I didn't know what they were doing... but I promise you... They won't do it again." Sean hefted a deep sigh, mumbling out sadly. "Mark... Don't. You'll only make it worse. I can handle them myself. I don't need protection." Mark winced as he propped himself up on his elbow, telling him in a loving voice that made Sean's defenses melt. "Sean... you wanna fight this battle alone. Yet, you think no one is on your side against them. You are resistant to letting others put an end to their behavior. Nothing is going to change if you don't let me help you. We are a pack. We feel with one heart. We speak in one voice. We walk at the pace of our weakest link to remain a unit against our foes to the last member."

Sean averted his eyes, weakly replying in a meek voice. "You can't punish Omegas... So, nothing will ever change anyway." His words prompted Mark to lean closer to add in a deep voice by his ear. "Ethan acknowledged me as his pack leader. If he wants my protection. He'll stop. Or else, he can leave and find somewhere else to reside. My word is law." Sean picked a weed from the grass, stating out grimly. "Your father's word is law." Resting his forehead on Sean's shoulder, Mark took a minute to breathe a bit shallowly through his pain. Sean turned to face him better, about to coax him to lay back down. Until Mark lifted his head and brought his lips close to Sean's. Sean wasn't prepared for him to be so close and hesitated. Staring into his eyes, Mark whispered over his lips. "Until you give me an answer. Sean... Become my Luna. Please...? I love you." Sean brushed his lips over Mark's but pulled back before he kissed him. Turning his head away, Sean breathlessly whispered to him in a broken voice. "I know you do... but Mark... I don't know what I want to do with my life. I don't know if I want to stay here in the Valley. Or settle down yet. I don't want to drag you down. I'm only going to disappoint you..."

Tears brimmed Sean's eyes and he tried to hide them, but Mark turned his head with his fingers to coax Sean into looking back at him. Sean locked fragile eyes with his, sensing what he was going to do. As he looked at him, Mark inched in slowly to kiss him. Sean had plenty of time to stop him but didn't. Mark's kiss held so much warmth and passion that a tear fell from Sean's closed eyes. The kiss was brief and as Mark pulled away, he whispered to him as he stroked his cheek. "Whatever you decide. Sean, you will never disappoint me. I just want you to be happy." Sean coaxed Mark to lay back down, then kissed his cheek. Mark looked so unfocused and tired. Stroking his hand through his hair absently, Sean tried to relax Mark. Yet, a question started to creep to the surface. Swallowing, he reluctantly asked Mark. "Mark? That night at the festival...?" Mark's eyes were closed, but he hummed out his response to show that he was still listening. Sean shifted a little uncomfortably, then asked curiously. "Were you... Did you use protection?" Mark weakly shook his head and Sean gulped. Subconsciously, Sean's hand drifted off Mark to touch his own stomach. He felt like he was going to be sick.

The ambulance siren blared from down the road, growing louder as it approached the curb. Sean didn't see Nathan, but doctors rushed out to them. They asked them lots of questions and looked them over before moving them into the ambulance. The doctors were the most considered over Mark's injuries and his delayed reaction time. While a single doctor, tended to his burns and minor cuts. At the hospital, Mark was carted away to an emergency room and Sean was taken to a doctor to simply have him checked out. It pained Sean to see Mark taken away, but as his doctor looked him over to make sure everything was working, he began to worry about something else. The doctor wrote a few things down, then told him happily. "Well, your vitals all look good. Apart from your burn... I think you'll be ok. A little shaken up but that's to be expected after your ordeal. I'll prescribe you a cream to help numb the pain for your burn. Change the dressing twice a day and if you can, let it breathe for a short time between the changing of the bandages. Keep it clean. Other than that... Any questions?" Sean nodded, blurting out. "Ya... Um... I got kicked in the stomach and I'm curious... with all the stress... Am I pregnant?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow, asking calmly. "Do you think you are pregnant?" Sean licked his dry lips, shaking a bit when he answered in a quivering voice. "I don't know. How fertile is the sperm of a young Alpha in his prime?" The doctor chuckled to himself, before saying more seriously. "I see. I'll run a blood test and we'll find out." To Be Continued...