"I am going to have a mental breakdown. I can't do this" Alex whined and closed his eyes shut. In the darkness he could still hear the voice of that man announcing his death. His doom. He would not offer him a way out and he would definitely never betray Luke. Not only just because in the few days he knew him he had become fond of him, maybe a little too much but also because he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he was the reason for another's death.
"Don't worry we will find a way." Luke told him and nervously he took his hand in his. His skin was warm and the comfort it brought was welcomed. He made him feel like he wasn't alone in this.
"I don't want to interrupt this very romantic moment but I have already found a way and it's this." Mikael cut in and threw on the bed, at the end of Alex's feet a wrapped, huge, black bag.
"Is that a body bag?" Luke asked and both of them looked at the thing with a perplexed look. Mikael on the other hand was looking at it with a very proud smile. He didn't say anything like he was expecting them to understand but seeing their obvious confusion a frown appeared on his face.
"You don't get it? You my dear boy will get inside here. We will say you died because your wounds were too serious if they ask us and we will safely take your 'dead' body out without anyone caring."
"Umm I appreciate the thought you put into this but it sounds very...simple" Alex commented and Luke tried to hide a chuckle.
"Well simplicity is sometimes the key. Let me tell you wolves are very strong and impulsive but I wouldn't say that most of our members are the brightest of beasts. Take for example this guy" Mikael said and pointed at his best friend. "he hits the people he likes"
"Yeah I got a hint about that" Alex joked. "I guess we can try it."
"Good, good." Mikael said with a satisfied nod. He grabbed the black bag and opened the zipper, laying it better on the bed. Alex knew he was not going to able to breathe in there so he started puffing in air in his lungs like that was going to be of some help. He didn't even want to ask why they had a body bag at their disposal at any time but he assumed that a few other poor, unfortunate souls had been in his place before and they were actually dead inside that bag. "get in now sweetie"
"You can take your time" Luke said
"No you can't tik tok big guy we have no time."
"I said he can take his time" Luke said and a low growl was heard, coming from the end of his throat. Mikael instead of being intimidated he laughed and just took a step back.
"Okay, okay. Take your time then."
"No it's okay I can do it." Alex said and tried to muster up all the courage he had left in him. The first up was managing to sat up properly even though his whole body felt like it was being pierced by needles. He approached the part of the bed that was covered by the body bag and sat exactly in the center of it. Then he laid down with his arms close to his body.
"Good job. Now I will close the bag and carry you. It might hurt because you're injured but please try not to move or make a sound" Mikael advised and Alex nodded.
"I will carry him."
"Okay you will carry him." Mikael agreed not really caring who was going to carry his dead body. The blond boy simply took a hold of the zipper and closed slowly the bag letting the darkness embrace Alex.
At first he felt claustrophobic. It was a brand new sensation since he had never been afraid or uncomfortable in small spaces but at that moment being drowned in darkness, unaware of what was happening outside and injured he felt utterly vulnerable.
"It's going to be okay." Luke whispered and he soon felt his body being lift up. The places where Luke's hand had taken ahold of him pained him and with every step he took he felt an extra ting on his wound, like someone had taken a small knife and was reopening them. None the less he tried to stay quiet. He was being carried like a princess or more like a dead one and he couldn't help but smile with that. The whole situation was the least ironic.
It was amazing how someone's life could change so much in just a few days and only by a simple mistake. He would consider himself a pretty normal person if you excluded the situation with his family. He did normal things and had normal wishes, nothing too extravagant really so thinking about the fact that he probably liked a werewolf straight boy that had actually a girlfriend and he was in a body bag being carried by him to safety was like he had entered some parallel universe.
Luke's careful footsteps soon came to a stop and Alex could faintly hear the start of a conversation.
"Hello there boys? What stupid thing are you up to now?" A very soothing voice that belonged to an older woman was heard.
"Nothing mum. We're just getting rid of the body dad made sure to cripple." Luke said. So that lady was his mother. He was really curious as to what she looked like. He wondered how beautiful she could be to have such a handsome son.
"Your father he…."
"It's alright mum he is the alpha. I know that." Luke said and Alex shivered. So the guy that wanted so eagerly to kill him was Luke's dad. That was splendid he could add another father to the list of angry men who wanted to kill him. His father obviously being the worst for hating his son. He could see now why Luke said he couldn't leave. His father was the extreme version of the father of a teenage girl as it seemed.
"I'm glad. You know he loves you right?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry but we have to go. This thing will stink soon so we need to get rid of it."
"I can call someone for you if you want" His mum offered and Alex's heart started racing. He wasn't actually dead, he hoped the boys remembered that.
"No it's alright it's a good workout" he joked and he heard his mum laugh. Later on after they exchanged a few typical greetings and Luke promising he will be on time for dinner they started walking again.
The road was a bit bumpy from a point onwards and Alex realized that they were finally outside. Luke was going slowly not wanting to hurt him and he was really grateful for that. These last few hours he had felt more pain and anguish that he ever had and he wanted this to be the last time.
Luke put him down after a while and he came face to face with a smiling Mikael who opened the zipper.
"See? I told ya, simplicity is key. We have to dispose of two or three body bags a week. That's normal." He commented.
"I don't think I wanted to know that" Alex said and Mikael shrugged his shoulders in response.
Luke came closer and tended his hand wanting to help him get up. They touched again and he felt that peculiar comfort. A sensation that reminded of his home, back in the good days. His palm was rough but he didn't mind and he tried to preserve their carnal link just a bit longer. Luke didn't seem to mind either, holding him tightly even after he had gotten up.
Alex looked around. They were away from campus at the endless road he was supposed to follow yesterday. Now it was day and he could appreciate finally the beauty of the scenery. Trees stood tall in deep green color and vibrant grass. The wind blew slightly letting the scents of the forest travel to the road. The sky was clear with only a few puffy clouds and now Alex could finally relax. He hadn't known were exactly they had taken him but the fact that he couldn't see that college of terrors anymore was more than enough.
"We have called a cab for you. It will get you home safely. Don't worry about paying it will charge us" Mikael said and looked at their linked hands with a smile. He expected Luke to let go of him now but he did. He held on and just turned around completely ignoring his friend. Cloudy eyes were looking at him with such kindness.
"I hope you don't hate me" Luke said with a sad smile. "After all this."
"I don't. I still want to be friends. We can go out sometime and we will have to play against each other too. I won't go easy on you." Alex joked.
"Yeah, we might" Luke said but his eyes somehow expressed sadness rather than relief that this was all over.
Alex heard the sound of a car approaching and soon a bright yellow taxi had stopped right next to him.
"Did you call for a cab?" the driver asked
"Yeah. That's us. You have my phone number call me for the price" Mikael said and opened the door for Alex. "The next time we meet I hope it will be under better circumstances."
"Yeah. Me too. I guess this is goodbye." He told Luke. He turned around to enter the cab and let go of the boy's hand but he fiercely turned him around and hugged him. At first he was surprised but he soon relaxed. His body finding shelter between his arms. He rested his head on the crook of his neck and he hugged him back. He didn't question the caring gesture nor he wanted to. He only knew that he was enjoying the loving motion.
"I am so glad you are okay." He said and his voice sounded like he was about to cry. "Thank you for wanting to be my friend" he whispered and let of him. He turned his back on him immediately and Alex didn't say anything. He believed that the pressure of the events was finally being released and he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.
"Bye guys." He greeted them and got inside the cab.
He was finally sitting on something comfortable. The driver was very kind as he gave him his dorm's address and the cab had a refreshing scent of orange. He let his head rest on the seat recalling the last moments. He seemed so sad, his answers were so vague and he wondered if he had missed something.
He really did. He was such a fool and he was so preoccupied with how handsome, and with the hug and all those silly stuff that overtook his mind that he didn't think of the most important question.
What would happen to Luke now?
Lilly knew about him and she was waiting to rat him out to his father. Luke was obviously scared of his father and that fear wasn't unjustified but what would happen to him now that the whole pack would know he was the traitor, the one who let the human in without thinking the consequences?
"Excuse me. Could you please turn the car back? I forgot something."
"I'm sorry. They instructed me not to return for any reason."
"Please it's important." Alex begged. He needed to go back and get him. They could escape together. He would save him like Luke did for him.
"Let it go kiddo. It's better that way. This is not your world" the driver said and Alex felt his eyes water.
What would happen to Luke now?