Match 7

The moment he entered his room surrounded by familiar furniture and the smell he had associated with resting and feeling safe he immediately broke down.

He let himself fall on the floor and brought his scrapped knees to his chest. He hid his face between them and felt the tears surface even though he didn't want to. He was in pain. Physically and mentally. He was worried about what was going to happen to Luke. He wanted so desperately to be there for him like he did but he was so stupid that didn't realize what was going on.

Alex wanted to be quiet. Not to make a big deal out of this but his light sobs were getting louder and louder as he couldn't stop himself ending up having a panic episode. He couldn't breathe. He was being suffocated by guilt and for the first time his room almost seemed like a prison draining his strength.

He didn't even notice Mark entering the room and only when he talked to him he raised his head.

"Dude where have you been? I know you weren't at home like they said so tell me what....what happened to you?" Mark asked and ran to his side, sitting down and patting patiently his back while he cried. "Alex what's wrong"

"I ruined everything. He will be hurt because of me." He almost screamed and he couldn't contain the pain he felt. He couldn't explain it and he wasn't aware where he had been keeping bottled up inside that kind of pain that he was letting crush him like a cold wave of fear and anxiousness.

"Alex you're scaring me. Calm down please. Tell me what happened I want to help." Mark begged him. He was really worried looking at his best friend acting like that. He had never seen a person have such a breakdown before and he was afraid something bad might happen.

Alex looked at him with his green eyes framed by now turned red whites. He couldn't stop crying . He breathed in and breathed out again and again but it was to no avail. Mark helped him slowly get up and urged him to lie down.

His bed was soft with pale orange covers that felt warm to the touch. He wrapped his blanket around his injured body. It was heavy and he almost thought about hiding underneath it, letting it swallow him so he could never see daylight again. He was the reason Luke would be hurt and he preferred to disappear than actually let go and move on with his life.

"Why do I feel like this?" He asked not particularly anyone, hidden between the sheets.

"How do you feel?"

"Like the whole world is going to end Mark. This is not normal. I know him only for two days why do I feel like that, something is wrong with me but I can't stop it."

"Tell me what happened please. I want to help."

"You won't believe me."

"I will. I promise."

Alex peeked from the covers and looked at Mark who was sitting on his side.

"Really?" He asked calming down slightly.

"Yes. So talk to me."

And he did. He told him everything. From the beginning until now. Every feeling every word, all the events poured out from him and with every revelation he felt like a huge weight was being lifted off his chest. Mark was listening carefully to him all the time, not even daring to interrupt him. When Alex was finally over explaining his unbelievable story they stood silent just looking at eachother and the green eyed boy knew Mark was trying to process everything.

"Shit. What the heck?"

"That's it. I want to help him Mark. Is there something we could do?"

"I mean. Do we really want to do something? He is a werewolf and his dad wanted to kill you."

"We have to."

"And about the way you feel about him....is it l..."

"Can we not talk about that now? I can't even explain it myself so what I need to do first is make sure he is okay. So I can be okay too."

"Alright then. So you said the taxi driver had the phone number of his best friend right?"

"Yes."

"I know it's probably impossible but do you remember the plates of the car?"

"I do"

"Really? That's actually the most surprising thing I've heard today." He joked.

"Yeah I have a good memory."

"Okay then." Mark said and stood up from the bed. He headed towards his desk at the side of the room and pushed away a few assignments that he was never going to finish and opened his laptop. Alex was curious and moved around a bit trying to look at the screen but soon his friend was standing and searching inside his soccer bag. He grabbed his phone and typed a number and with his socked feet he ran across the room back to him. "There you go." He said and passed him the phone.

"What?"

"This is the phone number of the driver. Call him so we can find the number of the friend."

"Mark you are...."

"A genius? An amazing friend? The best human in this world? True, true and true. Now call him."

"Thank you" Alex said and his eyes started to water again.

"Noooo don't cry. Call him we don't have that much time."

"Yeah." He agreed and grabbed the phone. His hands were shaking and the screen seemed a bit blurry. He didn't try to make out the numbers he just pressed the call button and brought it closer to his ear. Every ring made him more and more impatient and when he heard Mikael's voice on the other line he forgot what he was planning to say. He stood like he was frozen his pupils shaking from side to side.

"M-M-Mikael. It's me. I want to know about Luke." He mumbled. "Please I want to help. I don't want him to get hurt. Is he okay? Thank God. I can help yeah. Yes."

Mark paid attention to every word he said and his relieved expression irked him to know what they were saying. He mouthed what, what is he saying more than ten times but Alex was too focused to even pay attention. After he hanged up he took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a while. Without saying anything he jumped up like his whole stamina had been replenished. He opened the drawers of his desk and searched every single one of them while throwing insignificant things on the ground without caring if he would break them or not. In the end he held a pair of silver keys in the air victorious.

"What did he say?" Mark screamed and Alex looked at him with a smile.

"He can get Luke out of there if we have a place to hide him. We can head over there tonight. "

"Wait why didn't he get him out earlier if he could?"

"He is not allowed to leave. If he tried to the alpha would be signaled through their pack link. We will take Luke and they will probably go after us so he will stall them. We will hide him until we find a way to ensure his safety."

"Oh my god we will die. Where will we hide him because here is not the right place."

"We will hide him in my family's old vacation home. No one goes there anymore but I stole the keys when they kicked me out just in case of emergency."

"So if the wolves don't kill us your parents will."

"They won't know. Come one we need to get ready. The taxi is coming. Hurry up "

"Suddenly you're very energetic." Mark joked gaining a scoff from Alex.

"I will help him." Alex said filled with new determination.

"Okay then let's go." Mark agreed.

Alex felt like an international spy at that moment and every inch of his wounded body seemed to have magically healed. Except of his hand who still troubled him when he tried to pack a few clothes and necessities for their trip. The journey wouldn't be long but he didn't know how long they would have to stay there. He really tried to eliminate the thought of this being some kind of romantic trip but still it lingered without any difficulty in his heart.

He didn't even wait for Mark to finish packing his stuff he just went out the room with his bag on his good hand just having changed his clothes into some black jeans and a simple white t-shirt. He really wanted to take a shower since he knew he was probably as smelly as a stray dog but he had a rescue mission to accomplish.

He ran down the corridors and a few times he had to ignore his teammates who were seeing him for the first time in a few days. Some called out to him but he didn't pay any attention and ran faster. Mark told him to slow down more than five times but he didn't want to hear him out.

He had managed to get outside the building in half the actual time it usually took and he hungrily searched for the taxi.

When it appeared in front of him he entered like a sack of potatoes siting sloppily on the seat and pulled Mark inside from his arm making him hit his head at the door frame.

"Dude!" Mark whined and rubbed the top of his head.

"Sorry. Sorry. Umm please take us to the college. Where Mikael told you."

"Sure. I hope you're not regretting it."

"Alex even the driver is giving us signs. I mean this is crazy what are we even doing? What if this is a call from the universe to stop?"

"Shut up Mark" Alex said and held the keys in his palms like they were the most precious treasure he ever had. They were their escape. That house was always something he didn't consider as a big deal. It never had a special place in his memories but now it had become a safe haven for him and Luke. He was going to help him.

After a very fast drive that probably exceeded the speed limit their arrival was greeted with a starry clear sky. Alex exited the car while Mark stayed inside and waited, looking at his friend who was wandering the street.

His green eyes searched the area and he easily found who he was looking for. Mikael was supporting Luke by holding him from underneath his armpit, the raven haired's arm around his shoulders. He was limping and his head was hanging the same way Alex's did. His hair was falling messily in front of his face hiding any sign that he had acknowledged his presence. Alex ran over to them without a second thought.

"Come on. The car is waiting." He said ready to take Luke from Mikael's hands. He would be supporting him now. It was his duty to get him out safe.

"You shouldn't have come. It's too dangerous."

"I don't care." Alex said and let him rest on his shoulder. He was heavy and the fact that he couldn't stand on his own fully, made it even harder but he had promised to himself that even if he had to crawl he would get him out of here. "Let's go. Thank you." Alex thanked him and Mikael smiled.

They had managed to make just a few steps when suddenly a huge spotlight landed on them from the entrance of the building. They heard someone shouting and the rumbling of footsteps was heard.

"You guys have to run." Mikael said and Alex put every bit of strength he got to speed up his pace but it was pointless. Once again he couldn't be of any help. He heard Luke laugh and the grey eyed boy told him.

"We won't make it. You can't run in this state "

"I can." He said and noticed how the footsteps were getting closer and closer.

"Just run without me. I'm too heavy."

"I won't leave you here."

"You might die!" Luke shouted, his voice echoing in Alex's mind, making his heart tremble. It was filled with pain and regret.

"I won't leave you" he repeated and Luke sighed. Then with a swift move he pushed Alex away.

"Don't get scared." He warned him and then the screeching sound of bones cracking was heard. His eyes widened at the sight in front of him and he tried to hide his fear as Luke's form was being altered into something different, something not human. He was changing and his teeth turned into sharp fangs, his eyes shone silver and he started getting fur all over his muscled body. A black fur that seemed so soft, shining like silk in the colour of the night covered him whole until there wasn't a human part left in him. He had turned into a huge black wolf, his eyes two grey moons filled with so much tension that Alex feared he would be brought to his knees. . "Jump on my back" he growled and he heard his words clear into his head.

Alex obeyed and as gently as he could he touched the delicate fur feeling it between his fingers, memorising this unforgettable texture He got on to his back and Luke started running.

Towards where no one knew all they wanted to do was escape.