I'm falling and for once there's no words.

No thoughts.

Just plain sensations.

The wind smacking my face with its mean little paws. My heart jumping against my chest at a never-attained speed. The taste of blood in my mouth as I unintentionally bite my tongue.

Then finally, finally my body hits the water. You would never believe how hard water can actually be. Something similar to falling against a block of cement. Of course, that's only me taking a wild guess here. I actually never fell against a block of cement.

If I was a human, I would have died on the spot. Unfortunately, I am a werewolf, which means that I am still alive and my whole body just hurts so fucking badly.

Oh, the wonder of being a surnatural being.

I gasp for air as I briefly emerge from the water, only to find myself drag back under the agitated river.

If I was in my normal state, I could probably swim back to the shore, even though the current is very strong. I don't remember the last time I was in my normal state, though, nor does 'normal' mean anything to me anymore. I'm not just talking about my physical state here.

I am too tired for another fight anyway. I'll just let the water win.

Water keeps filling my lungs and suddenly I don't feel the cold anymore. Rather, it feels warm. How nice. I couldn't have dreamed of a sweeter ending.

I am almost gone but I still register hands grabbing my waist. I try to pry the hands off me but they only tighten their hold on me.

No.

I want to tell the other person to just let me be but at the same time I open my mouth, I loose consciousness.

~~

"Kyle! Kyle, wake up!"

I would recognize this voice everywhere in the world. Even in my dizzy state, my heart can't help but beat a little faster when the sound of his voice breaks through the wall of silence.

Gosh, when did I become so mushy? And why does he sound so worry? He isn't someone who normally cares much about others. I always pegged him to be the confident, casual type. I want to tell him to not worry, but I don't know why he's worried or where I am in the first place. I thought we would never talk to each other again.

What happened?

I try to open my eyes but all I can see is his blurry figure, standing very close to me.

If I wasn't half-conscious, I would probably be blushing at the proximity.

"Mnot Kyle" I mumble, not even really aware of what I'm saying.

"What?" the younger man asks, obviously relieved at hearing the sound of my voice.

"I said mnot Kyle" I try again and I think this time he got it because there's a short moment of silence before he talks again.

"What? Hey, no, stay with me! Don't fall asleep now! You'll sleep later I promise. For now I just-"

Too late. My eyes close and I don't know how long I was gone - maybe five minutes, maybe ten but when I wake up again I start vomitting water. Then, I understand why: Malik is lifting me upside down.

"Hey, put me down!" I manage to yell, my mouth only a few centimeters away from the ground and to my relief, he does just that.

"I was helping you expelling all this water from your body" he explains gently.

That's weird. Why is he so gentle? Malik doesn't do gentle. Not with me, at least.

"What happened?" I ask and his expression immediately turns dark.

"You tell me" he orders and I shake my head because not only I don't remember much, but I think he should mind his own business.

I don't tell him that, though, because he already sounds a bit mad and I don't want to piss him off more than necessary. So instead, I wisely answer with a question of my own.

"Why did you save me?"

Oops, wrong choice. He looks even more upset now.

"Okay, forget I even asked. What were you doing here at the first place? Were you following me?"

Okay, that was bold, Alex, I internally admonish myself. Of course he wasn't following you. Why would someone like him be following someone like you? He just happened to be there and he didn't want to lose another servant, so he saved your useless butt.

Weirdly enough, he doesn't laugh or react in a way that would suggest that he did find my assumption ridiculous. Rather, he looks mostly confused.

"I don't know" he eventually admits. "I was going to see Thomas but then I just thought about you and I had a bad feeling. It might sound creepy but I followed my instincts and ended up here. That's when I saw you standing so close to the precipice.

He shivers as he recalls it, before asking with a frown: "Why would you take such a big risk? Did you really want to -".

He doesn't finish his sentence, as if it was too painful for him to do so. I want to make this frown disappear, because it doesn't fit his baby face.

"I-" I try to say, only to be interrupted by a violent cough which leaves me wet with perspiration.

He curses, before putting his cold hand on my forearm.

Yes. Touch me please.

"Shit. I'm bringing you to our doctor right now. You should be dead. I wonder how comes you're still alive"

"No, no doctor" I declare categorically but he just looks at me with his "Don't give me bullshit" expression and I try for a different tactic.

"Please, Malik, I don't like doctors" I beg him, giving him my best puppy face - but let's face it, I look more like a sick stray dog right now.

He shakes his head and I mentally curse. Of course, it wouldn't work! Why wasn't I being given a cute, little face? I'm sure it would have worked, then!

"You don't like doctors? Kyle, are you kidding me? Come on, how old are you? Twenty-nine maybe?"

I scowl at that. "Don't be rude, Malik. I'm only twenty-eight."

He just laughs at that. Young lads are so rude nowadays.

"I can see that you dropped the 'Master' title already. How comes I am the rude one, when you can't address me by my proper title after only a few weeks here?" he teases me and my eyes widen in horror. How could I talk to him so freely?

"I'm sorry, Master! I wasn't-"

"That's okay" he interrupts me. "I was just teasing you. Although, now is probably not the time to be joking. You sure you don't remember what happened before you decided to come here? You didn't look that bad when I left you"

Suddenly, everything comes back in full force and I stumble. Malik and Rose joking about Malik's impatient pet. Serena and Juliette discussing in tense, desperated voices. The mention of a werewolf being butchered and the Huserdowns being very aware of it.

Malik hates werewolves. He hates them. He would hate me too, if he knew who I really am.

As if being a traitor wasn't enough, now I am also a species that he really dislike.

How can I ever hope to redeem myself in his eyes, with so many flaws?

The love story ended before it even had to a chance to begin.

"What's - hey! Come on, sit down before you faint" He exclaims, trying to force me to sit down but I stubbornly try to resist.

Of course, he doesn't give me much of a choice and I quickly end up sitting on his laps.

On another occasion, I would probably be ecstatic but right now I just feel more vulnerable with him being so close.

He should never find out the truth.

"What's wrong, Kyle?" he whispers and I close my eyes, my heart clenching painfully at the name.

"I'm not-" I start and then shut my mouth quickly.

He should never find out the truth, huh? Well done, Alex. You almost did it.

Of course, he's not one to let a slip of the tongue goes unoticed.

"You're not what?" he presses but I just keep my eyes closed as my body starts shaking.

He waits for me to continue, but when I just keep silent, he sighs before starting to rub my back in light motions.

"What's your real name, then?"

This make me open my eyes in horror.

"That's okay" he assures me in a soothing voice. "I know you hide a lot of things and I am not asking you to tell me anything right now? although you and I will talk later, when you're feeling better. For now, I just want to know your name. Your real name."

I like that he uses 'hide' instead of 'lie'.

"My name is Alex."

"Alex" he says slowly and I love the way he says it.

It sounds like 'sex'

Oh my God. Did I just really think that? Stupid, dirty brain of mine! I should have you sacked!

"Okay, Alex" he eventually declares. "If you don't want to see a doctor, for whatever reason, at least you're going to drink some of my blood. It would make you feel better even quicker, I think."

I shake my head at that but he quickly bits his wrist, before approaching it slowly to my mouth.

"You have a choice, Alex" he says in a firm voice, suddenly sounding older than me. "The doctor, or my blood. Make a choice now, or I'll do the choice for you"

"You're not the boss of me" I try to argue, souding like a whiny child, much to my exasperation.

"I'll count to three. One..."

"Malik, stop it!"

"Two.."

Why does he suddenly look slightly amused by the whole situation.

"Okay, okay. The blood. I choose the blood."

"Good choice" he smirks before forcefully pressing his wrist against my mouth.

The blood starts running down my throat as I gently suck on his wrist. I thought it would taste bad, because even as a werewolf, I always prefered to cook the animals we hunted so I wouldn't have to taste their blood.

It doesn't taste bad, though. Actually, it tastes surprisingly good.

I have never tasted anything like that before. I can't even describe how it tastes, but I know this flavour is unique. It's what defines Malik. I feel like I unveiled one of his secrets just by drinking his blood.

Then, to my utter mortification, I feel myself becoming hard.

I quickly try to disengage, praying that he didn't notice but he just grabs me and brings me even closer, so that our chests are now touching.

He lets out a low chuckle and I no longer have a doubt about the fact that he did feel my erection poking against his stomach.

Can it get any worst?

We just stay silent for a while, until I finally find the courage to talk again.

"I'm sorry I -"

"It's okay" he cooes and I want to scowl at him again for talking to me like a baby, when he's actually the younger one, but I no longer have the energy to do so.

He puts his arms around my waist and I am thankful that my face is hidden against his chest, so he can't see my tears.

"I didn't want to - please don't tell - " I try again, only to be interrupt once more.

"It's okay" he whispers against my ear, one of his hand leaving my waist to dive into my thick hair. He starts petting my head and it feels much better than it should.

"It's okay" he says again. "Just sleep, little Alex"

I do just that.

Yay, I did it! An update once a week ! I can't do better than that, guys, because my new work is killing me, but at least I can promise you that I'll do my best to update this story weekly! Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts, your feedback means the world to me!

Enjoy the week-end and take some time for yourself!

Take care xxx