Michael P.O.V

I pick Charlie up and carry him to his parents' bathroom. He wraps his arms around my neck as I walk. As much as I pick him up and carry him, I figured he'd be used to it by now, however, he always gets a bit nervous. I suppose it's just the surprise of being lifted off the ground.

"You don't always have to carry me," he says softly.

"I know I don't, but I like too. Besides, it's not like your leg is all that great yet," I remind him.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to," Charlie says softly.

"I don't feel that way. I like doing it."

I set him on his feet once we reach the bathroom. He holds onto me for a moment to make sure his leg can take the weight. After that, he hobbles to the bathtub and turns the water on. He adjusts the knobs to make the water hot.

As the water fills the tub, Charlie walks over to the counter and grabs something. He returns and drops it in the water. It causes an almost instant bubbly reaction.

"You've probably never used a bath bomb before," Charlie assumes.

"I have not, no. Then again, I'm also more of a shower person," I tell him.

"Well, now you're going to experience the wonders of a hot bath with a bath bomb."

Charlie turns off the water once the tub has a good amount in it. I help him step over the wall of the tub and we both ease down on opposing sides. The bubbly water is steaming with heat and actually feels rather soothing. I can understand why Charlie enjoys it.

He pushes a button on the section of wall that meets the tub and the jets turn on. Hot bubbly water begins to message all over my body.

"This is nice," I tell him.

"Yeah, it is." Charlie laughs softly to himself. "I remember always sneaking up here when my parents went out because it's so much better than my tub. Now that my parents are almost never home, I can use it whenever I want."

"Doesn't it ever get lonely?" I ask. "You're out here all by yourself a lot."

Charlie shrugs and smiles. "It's a lot less lonely with you around."

"I'm glad you like having me around."

Charlie gnaws on his fingernail for a moment. "What about your family? Aren't they kind of, um," he pauses, "protective?"

I laugh softly. "That's an understatement," I mutter jokingly. "Although, I suppose I can't blame my father for being so, secretive. Now with James being gone, he'll be even more critical of me."

"Then is it a good idea to be here with me?" he asks with a bit of a worried tone.

"I haven't even been home since James attacked you," I admit after a few moments.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asks in shock. "It's been almost a week."

"I had to make sure James wasn't still in the area. I didn't want him to try and attack you again. Knowing him as well as I do, I know it's something he would try. Keeping watch of the area was the only way I could be sure you were safe," I explain to him.

Charlie sighs softly and nods. "It's sweet that you're protective, but I don't want you to make things worse for yourself at home," he tells me.

I chew on my tongue for a moment while considering Charlie's view. He's absolutely right, I am making things worse for myself when I finally do decide to go home. My father is going to be beyond livid with me. However, he'll be even more furious that James attacked a human. Once I explain that I was watching the area to make sure he didn't come back, he should calm down a bit. The pack is his number one priority and in a way, I was protecting it from exposure.

"Sure, my father will be mad, but when he hears about what James did, it'll take most of the heat off me," I reassure him. "Just think about it, my pack is secretive, well-hidden, and it plans to stay that way for a long time. You're the only human that knows we exist. If you died suddenly due to an animal attack, hunters would have a field day. Protecting you is what's best for everyone."

"I guess I didn't think of it like that," he pauses for a few moments. "I'm really the only human that knows you exist?" he asks in disbelief.

"You're the only one I know of that's still alive," I tell him honestly.

I can tell that my honesty worries Charlie. Implying that other humans who have knowledge about the existence of werewolves are dead may have not been the best way to put things.

"Not that it puts you in any immediate danger," I tell a bit of a white lie. "James is just an extremist. He's also considered weak to the rest of the pack and tends to get in your head."

Charlie doesn't seem eased all that much. I can tell that just the thought of James leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. He has every right to be nervous at the thought. I'm sure nothing like that had ever happened to Charlie before. It's traumatizing, to say the least.

"Now I can understand why you were so distant in school," Charlie mumbles softly.

"I was trying to keep you safe," I remind him.

He almost snorts. "I think safety has been violently thrown out a window at this point."

"I'm trying my best."

"I know that," he defends. "I know I'd be dead without you, no doubt about that, but I just wish there was some way to feel safe, you know? So much has happened in so little time." Charlie sighs and rubs his forehead. "I'm rambling."

I sit up and reach across the tub to take Charlie's hands. He looks at me with his soft green eyes.

"You're not rambling, you're just being honest. A lot has happened. You deserve to feel safe and I want to give you that."

Charlie smiles and locks his fingers with mine. "I'd like for us to have that," he admits quietly.

"Then we will," I assure him.

"How?" Charlie asks in surprise.

"We can start over somewhere new; somewhere nobody knows who we are," I suggest.

Charlie seems shocked for a moment before nodding. "I'd like that."

"Then that's what we'll do."