Purgatory (bxb)

Chapter 14

"We all have our ups, our downs, our stories that we hold that go untold. So we just stay down, knocked out, waiting for the cure, you're not alone."
---

Ever since they'd met, Kyle had yearned to hold his mate close, to have his mate lean against him, trusting Kyle with his safety.

Kyle wanted to hold Nick, but not like this.

Kyle wanted to be the first person Nick would turn to for comfort, and he was proud that Nick trusted him enough to bare his emotions, but Kyle realised now that he never wanted Nick to have to turn to anyone for comfort.

It broke his heart, feeling the sobs wrack the body of his mate as he held Nick in his arms, hearing the soft noises of him trying in vain to hide his own whimpers. Kyle could just feel the self-hatred that radiated off the boy close to him.

He never wanted to see Nick cry again.

And so Kyle sat at the foot of the bed, holding his mate as Nick, for the very first time, mourned for the loss of his brother.
---

Kyle opened his eyes to a bright morning, not because of the sunlight streaming into the room, but because he was met with the peaceful face of his sleeping mate.

They were cuddling, and Kyle never wanted this moment to end.

So Kyle lived in the moment, memorising every detail of his mate, and breathing in his scent for as long as possible.

Nick looked like an angel in his sleep, an angel untainted by the harshness of the world, an angel so pure Kyle did not even dare to touch him for fear of tainting him with his mundaneness.

Kyle couldn't tell how long he had laid on the bed, staring at his sleeping mate. He was turning into a stalker.

Nick slowly opened his eyes, his black eyes staring into Kyle's and Kyle gave him a small smile.

"Good morning."

Nick didn't shuffle away, didn't even attempt to get out of their position, and Kyle took that as a good sign.

"What time is it?"

"Ten in the morning."

Nick's eyes widened in alarm, but Kyle just shrugged.

"We figured you could afford to skip one day of school after yesterday. Aiden called your mom, we'll get you home tonight."

Kyle had expected it to happen, but he still felt the disappointment when Nick pulled out of his embrace and sat up, his walls back in place.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. It won't happen again."

Kyle shook his head.

"We all have to break down sometime. It looked like you never had a chance to grieve for Chris."

Nick snorted, and if Kyle hadn't been staring so intently at Nick he wouldn't have noticed the flash of hurt in his eyes.
"He wanted no part in my life, he chose to leave, and crying over that is not going to change any of that."

Kyle sat up too, slowly tracing a finger along Nick's covered arm. Nick quickly jerked away and Kyle smiled sadly.

"You don't grieve for him, Nick. You grieve for yourself. By keeping it inside you, you are only bringing more harm to your body."

"I don't do it anymore." Nick was upset now, and Kyle felt like the biggest asshole in the world for upsetting his mate, but it had to be done.

He didn't want to watch as Nick slowly destroyed himself.

The door was slammed open, and a furious Aiden stormed in, only to relax when he spotted them on the bed.

He was wearing an apron, and Kyle didn't have the time to feel the horror that came with the thought of Aiden's cooking before Aiden pointed a spatula right at Kyle, as if trying to look threatening.

In reality, Aiden was as threatening as a cat laying flat on its stomach.

"Mates or not, I am his older brother and you are not mating with him until I give you the 'older brother talk'. Is that clear?"

Kyle sighed and nodded.
---

They were in the woods now, dead leaves and grass crunching underneath their feet as they walked. Nick wanted some fresh air, and Aiden was sick of being cooped up in the cabin.

Kyle didn't care where he was as long as he was with Nick.

Nick was clearly more comfortable now, as if nature itself put him at peace. Kyle wondered if it was his aversion to humanity that gave rise to his attraction to nature.

Nick suddenly frowned in annoyance.

"Just how big is this forest? Do you guys really never get lost in this place?"

Aiden shrugged and smirked.

"What's the matter, Nicky, afraid to be stuck with us in the middle of the woods for all eternity?"

Kyle shuddered.

"Nobody would want to be stuck with you in the middle of the woods for an hour, let alone for all eternity."

Nick raised an eyebrow then, pausing in his tracks to turn around and face them.

"Honestly? I'd rather be stuck with Aiden if I had to choose between the two of you."

Ouch.

Nick resumed his walking and they followed suit, Aiden smirking as if he had won the biggest argument.

At least, Aiden was smirking until Nick continued his previous statement.

"Aiden would make better bait, after all."

It was Kyle's turn to smirk as Aiden gaped at Nick in shock.

"You would throw me to the horrors of this place? What about the times we shared together? We have an unbreakable bond, a love so strong-"

Aiden was cut off by the rustling of leaves and the sound of rapid footsteps as Greg appeared in his wolf form, and Kyle covered Nick's eyes with his hands as Greg shifted into his human form.

Nick was annoyed, but Kyle's wolf would not have his mate see anyone else naked.

Aiden removed his shirt and tossed it to Greg, who accepted it gratefully and covered the vital parts before bowing.

You can let him see now, wolf.

No!

Do you want him to hate us?

Kyle regained control of his body, and removed his hands from a frustrated Nick.

"Alpha Lupin, Beta Lupin, there are two trespassers on our pack territory. They seem to be human, but Henry is keeping an eye on them for now. For the human's safety, please return back indoors."

Kyle and Aiden stiffened and nodded, while Nick blinked at them.

"What's a Lupin?"