14 Match 14

"What?" Luke mumbled obviously confused. Alex had just now rejected a kiss from him and he felt like someone was making fun of him. He took a step away from the green eyed boy and looked at the ground not having the guts to say anything after that.

"I will not be just a toy for you. You may not fully realize this but I like you Luke" Alex confessed and his icy eyes scanned the boy for any hints of lies or ill intent but there wasn't any. Alex was opening up his heart that night, under the starry night, enveloped by the chilly breeze he was ready to tell Luke everything he had been thinking. "But even though I like you I will not turn into a past time activity or someone who can feed your curiosity. I have never felt loved." He told him and his whole body seemed like it was emitting the emotional pain he had been feeling for all this time. "All my life I've been hiding, trying to cover up what I thought as flaws just so I won't be hated and now…now that I am finally finding the strength to be myself I can't be what you want me to be. I can't just kiss you every time you want then be called a freak, cuddle with you and then hear you say that you have a girlfriend and she is probably your soulmate. One day this will be over and I can't even think about being emotionally attached to you and then seeing you leave. So please don't make this difficult for me. I'm in enough pain as it is." He explained.

Luke couldn't fathom any words. What could he possibly say to go against such heartfelt words. He hated hurting him from the bottom of his heart but at the same time he couldn't stop doing it. His confused heart and mind only created scars for him and he hadn't fully understood that up until now. He looked at Alex with a bitter smile and moved further away from him. It seemed like he wanted to keep a safe distance, stop himself from any impulses that could break his heart again because Luke could not live up to his actions. Yes, he wanted to kiss him, hold him be with him but that would be only a fleeting moment of giving in into his desires before guilt would overtake him. It was the responsibility to the pack and the rules ha couldn't get out of his mind.

"I'm sorry. For everything that I've done. I've hurt you and believe it or not this was not my intention. I've never felt like this. I don't know what it is but I can't give you what you want. I'm really sorry."

"I know you can't. For some reason from the first moment I felt it so please until everything is over let's just…stop this whatever this is."

"Yes, I agree." Luke said and Alex nodded signaling the end of their conversation.

He didn't feel the need to say anything else. It wasn't good to drag this conversation further after all. Unspoken thoughts that shouldn't be heard could be let free from this Pandora's box that Luke called his mind so he peacefully retreated and got lost in the darkness leaving Alex alone.

He stood there motionless for a while. Just breathing. That was the only action he was able to take at the moment. He said it. He had finally said it and he never imagined he had so much strength inside him. He was in pain. Luke had just admitted he would never love him or be with him but at the end of the day he had stayed true to himself. Alex felt like he had taken a big step tonight in this almost haunted like forest. For him some of the demons and terrors of his mind would be left here to die since they couldn't live without feeding off his sadness. He felt a bit lighter and even though his heart was breaking he patted himself on the shoulder.

"Good job" he mumbled and slowly headed back to the little camp they had.

As morning approached the weather became warmer and a she laid down on the map he covered only half of his body with the heavy sheets. Mark was snoring exactly next to his ear and his leg had gone over his stomach but he had been so tired he didn't even try to move it. The moment he closed his eyes he blocked out any other sounds or sensations and fell into a deep sleep. So deep that the next day Mark had to shout his name about five times before he even flinched.

"Finally you are awake. Come on I need to pack the mat. We are going to the town" Mark said and started lifting the mat from the ground even though he was still lying on it.

"Okay, okay" he said and rubbed his eyes. He stood up and without even wanting to his eyes were on Luke. The other boy didn't notice him. He was too busy admiring the beauty of the forest in the pure daylight. The cheerful chirping of the birds or the rhythmic flow of the water from the little stream close by. It was really peaceful and it almost looked like someone had exorcised the ominous feeling of the night.

"I still think it's a bad idea to go into town. I mean his mum would have called the police on him for sure. What if they're looking for us?" Luke said

"It's his mum I'm sure she wouldn't call the police on her son. She saw it was an accident after all. She is his mother. Right?" Mark asked hopefully and awaited for his friend to answer. Alex though just shrugged his shoulders.

Alex really didn't know. He couldn't predict his mother's behavior and he actually didn't want to attempt it. If he said that she would report him and she didn't he would feel guilty for thinking so suspiciously if he actually thought the opposite, he would be hurt by the fact that his own mother wanted him behind bars and both were not pleasant feelings to experience right now.

"I don't know to be honest. Let's just go and see. I mean we need food and a new car which I don't know how we will get since we don't have any money but first I need to eat." He said feeling his stomach rumble like an army before a huge war. Mark nodded and placed his duffle bag on his back.

"I can carry that for you princess" Mikael offer with a smile and Mark shrugged in disgust not handing over the bag,

"No. Thank you." He said and started moving forward not really knowing where he was going.

"Mark. The town is over there" Alex said and pointed the opposite direction making the ginger turn red from embarrassment

"I know I just thought I saw a rare Pokémon there or something" he mumbled and heard Mikael laugh at his words.

They were walking for a while. It was certainly for about an hours and they hadn't encountered a single soul. That was good for them but at the same time a lingering feeling of being shut out from the world was present.

When the town finally appeared and they found themselves at the central highway at the end of the forest Mark let out a relieved cheer. He had also noticed the little dinner just across the street with the many cars parked on the parking lot. It had a bright neon sign that glowed bed and breakfast, twenty-four hours open.

"Let's gooo" Mark exclaimed and ran at the old place like there was a price waiting at the door.

It sure was busy at this early hour. Many people were occupying single people tables, drinking their coffee while reading a paper or eating breakfast before going to work. The place was decorated simple with just a few half dead plants at the windows and a huge screen behind the bar that played loudly the morning news. The four boys sat at a table for four and Alex enjoyed the comfortable feeling of the couch compared to the muddy and smelly forest ground.

Everyone grabbed a menu and without even thinking too hard they gave off their orders at the cute waitress who was looking at Luke while drooling. He gave her a devilish smile and she took a deep breath while writing what he had ordered to eat. For all of them it was the breakfast special. An omelet, French fries, bacon and a croissant.

"I can't believe I will be spending the last of my money at a crappy dinner but I'm so hungry." Mark complained and acted like he had hit rock bottom.

"You could always go to a fancy restaurant and order a…sparkling water with the money you have." Mikael teased him.

"Shut up or I'll eat your omelet too"

"You will let me starve to death?"

"I'm seriously thinking about it. So let me ask you two a question"

"You're werewolves right?"

"The last time I checked yes we were" Luke said with a cocky smile.

"So what about the others?"

"The others?" Mikael asked confused as the waitress placed the orders on their table together with a little post it note that had her phone number on it. That was exclusively for Luke. He grabbed it and winked at her, shoving it in his pocket earning a death glare from Alex who was burning from jealousy.

"Yeah, like you know. The vampires, demons and all that fairytale stuff." Mark said while chewing on a fry.

"Oh that." Mikael said and looked at Luke. He was waiting for some kind of assurance that it was okay to talk about it but since he didn't seem to resist and was immersed on his omelet Mikael explained. "Well the world you know is too small actually. We call your world the mortal realm. Vampires, werewolves and witches live on the mortal realm. There is also the immortal realm which is like a parallel world to yours but you need The Sight to be able to see it and realize it since you are not one of us. As it seems though you don't have it because believe me last night would have been a lot scarier for you."

"So what is there on that parallel world?"

"It's not exactly parallel, it coexists with this one just hidden. There are fairies, demons, all those mythical monsters you know and many others. Some vampires, werewolves and witches also decide to live there but not that many. Because of prejudice to our kind since we originated from humans the pureblood ones kind of look down upon us. Then there is the rivalry between vampires and werewolves, werewolves and witches, witches and vampires, fairies and vampires, demons and werewolves and many other stuff. There are also humans with the gift of Sight. Many of them are supernatural hunters who want to destroy us. Some others are the so called psychics and all. There are a lot of things you don't know"

"And why are you telling me this now? Considering the fact that I could be sleeping last night with a demon latched onto my back!"

"Firstly you didn't ask. Secondly even if there was you wouldn't be able to see it and thirdly don't worry princess I was there to save you."

"You were sleeping like an ox!" Mark exclaimed but their bickering had an early end when the waitress suddenly raised the volume of the TV.

"Attempted murder last night at the South Lake. A nineteen homosexual boy was found indulged into an orgy with other three males at the lake house of his father and when his parents discovered it and tried to stop him the young man attempted to kill his father. His name is Alex Stone and here is a picture of him. The police have been looking for him and the three other males so be careful."

Alex felt like he was going to throw up. His picture from a family vacation two years ago was right there on the TV with bold letters underneath it saying that he was dangerous and whoever saw him should call the police.

"Like hell I would be in an orgy with him" Mark said looking at Mikael who smiled cheekily.

"Keep your head down. I'm calling the waitress to pay." Luke said and raised his hand calling her over with a charming smile.

The waitress closed the phone and approached them with a friendly smile. Alex was keeping his head down not daring to look up as Luke was trying to distract the waitress from looking over there.

His mum had actually done it. She had accused him of trying to murder his dad and not only that but said he was in some kind of orgy with his friends. It was clear now that Alex did not have a family anymore and above that he was also wanted by the police.