Alive // bxb

Chapter 5

Milo's POV:

The night was dark and the path was slippery as Adriel and I hurried through the forest, tears pricking my eyes as he squeezed my hand comfortingly. I wasn't sure when he'd grabbed it but I wasn't complaining. He had always been the best one to calm me down.

I wanted to say something but the words got stuck in my throat each time I tried. The air around us was thick with serenity, almost suffocatingly so. It felt as though the Moon Goddess would strike me dead any second. I hoped that wouldn't happen. What an anticlimactic ending to an insignificant life.

Our feet splashed through the puddles as we drew closer to the clearing that my home was in. I wasn't sure when but at some point during our walk we had started heading to my house rather than Daniel and Adriel's. I was grateful for his thoughtfulness; as much as I felt at home at the Scott's house, it just wasn't the same as being home. And I needed to feed Bubbles, anyway.

When I had left my house with Adriel earlier that day to eat dinner at his house, I never could have imagined the night would turn out like this.

What had I thought? I wondered bitterly. That I could escape wound-free from that hall? Naive hopes.

"Here we are," Adriel sighed as my house finally came into view, and I found myself wiping my eyes even though I wasn't sure when they'd filled up with tears. I looked up at him as we walked inside.

"Thanks, Adriel."

"It's fine. Are you okay with telling me what shook you so badly?"

Bubbles came running up to me so I picked her up, stroking her ginger-colored head as I thought about how to respond, the action soothing both of us. "He just- looked at me, and I freaked out. I- I don't know."

"You think you two might be mates?"

"I don't know."

"Okay. Well, we can figure out whatever happened later." He looked around, leaning against the kitchen counter as I sat on a chair. "Is it okay if I stay here tonight?"

The way he said it was less asking me and more confirming with me, but I nodded regardless. He bent down and began rummaging for the extra blanket and pillow in the cabinet.

"Do you want anything to eat?" I asked, mainly to distract myself.

"What do you have?"

"Some bread and peanut butter. I've got regular butter too. Uh... Carrots and other vegetables from the garden. Tomatoes. Oh, and here's some canned sauce and spaghetti noodles. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

I retrieved the pot, setting Bubbles on the ground, and filled it with water. The familiar sound of the boiling water caused my still-racing pulse to slow. Then I added the noodles. Daniel's homemade pasta was better, but I didn't have enough time, energy, or appetite to follow in his footsteps.

"I'm gonna go put these upstairs, okay?" Adriel asked, holding up a blanket and pillow. I nodded. "Great, be back in a minute."

I returned my attention to the simmering noodles as I prodded them with my wooden spoon. The head radiating off of the stove made me relax in its warmth, almost like taking a hot shower or sinking into a warm hug. All three were things I enjoyed, all three were things I usually didn't have.

A knock at the door shocked me from my thoughts. Gulping, I turned around to look only to realize that I didn't have a window that allowed me to look outside from this angle. Is it someone from the pack? To yell at me for leaving early?