Chapter 36

Pip's head was busy. He hadn't thought about the dangers of knowing that wolves existed. He hadn't thought about the risks of being Krey's mate. He hadn't even thought about how dangerous Krey was as a person.

However, the thought of getting out of his horrid aunt and uncle's place was like a dream come true. But it all felt very rushed. "If I don't come back with you tonight, will I be in danger?"

"Enough to make me sit outside of your house all night." Krey was honest. He couldn't afford to sweeten the situation.

"But if nobody knows about me, won't it be weird to turn up with me at the institute?"

"Yes, but that's my fault for not telling anyone." The only person Krey worried about was his mother. He should have told her when he had the chance.

"I don't know about this." Pip wrapped arms around himself. "It's all just-just a bit crazy."

Krey scooted closer. "I knew when I dreamt about you that you were human and being mates with me would change your life. I wish it didn't have to be like this. But I'm a fucking idiot by choosing a horrible path, and my enemies are now your enemies. I'm so sorry, but this is how it is now."

Pip looked down to the tree trunk. He pulled bits of bark off to distract his mind. "Thank you for explaining and not making me think everything was fine."

"You deserve to know what's going on, and how dangerous I am. This is your life too."

Pip liked Krey's blunt honesty. He cared about Pip enough to treat him with respect, rather than a gullible human who knew nothing about werewolves. "I just really wish I could have time to think about this."

"I wish I could give you time. I know it's not fair. You barely know me, and you've only just found out about who I really am. It's okay if you're overwhelmed." Krey watched Pip's big eyes dart around the woods. The longer they sat out in the open, the more on edge Krey felt. He wondered if Pip felt his nerves. The bond was always strengthening, knitting them closer and closer with each passing day.

Krey shuffled even closer until Pip's crossed legs touched the side of his thigh. He held Pip's cold cheeks, lifting his head to connect their gaze. "I just want you to be safe," Krey whispered, looking at Pip's soft lips.

Pip melted into him, and their lips connected. A kiss was like lifting a heavy vail from his heart. Their stresses seemed to blow away with the wind.

Krey's strong arms wrapped around Pip, and at that moment, Pippor Monty had never felt so safe pressed against him, with their lips moving in sync. Krey always kissed Pip softly, like he cherished each kiss, hoping for them to last forever.

Krey had told Pip that he was dangerous. Krey had told Pip that he spent his time seeking out other mates to pray on their emotions. Deep down, something whispered to Pip that things were going to change. He didn't see that nasty side of Krey, so it was hard to believe that Krey was as horrible as he lead Pip to believe.

When they pulled away, Pip wanted to say that he would go with Krey to the institute, but he was scared. Sudden change had never been kind to him. "Would it be selfish of me to not go to the institute tonight?" he asked.

Krey's eyes were a gooey mess of affection. "No. But I'll stay outside your house. I don't mind. I like the woods at night." Krey understood completely.

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"It's a nice night tonight. I won't mind at all."

Pip felt terrible, but he wasn't yet ready to make such a huge decision, even if it compromised his safety. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Krey got off the trunk and held out a hand to help Pip down too. "You should go back inside. I don't know what's worse, a wolf coming for you or your uncle."

Pip shook his head with a light smile. "Definitely my uncle."

Krey's face hardened again as he thought about Pip's living situation. He hoped Pip would say yes to the institute soon. Krey depended on it.

They hugged before Pip went back inside his house. Pip noted that Krey held him tightly and was reluctant to let him go. His large body was so warm. Pip had a nagging feeling that he was making the wrong decision by going back home. But saying yes to going to the institute felt like a leap too far.

Pip didn't know what to do.

He clumsily climbed over his garden fence and hurried through the plant pots full of dead flowers. His aunt and uncle were still in the kitchen. Pip braced himself, but they would often just ignore him. Tonight, however, Pip was the bulls-eye, and they were expert dart throwers.

As Pip opened the back door and slipped inside, his uncle looked up. "Do the dishes," he grunted, motioning to a stack of their evening's dinner plates. Pip hadn't even eaten with them. "And dry them and put them away."

"Do your laundry while you're at it!" his aunt Joanna said.

"I don't have that much laundry to do. I was waiting until Sunday when I could fill up... the..." Pip silenced himself. Talking, no matter what Pip said, was deemed as bad as cursing.

"You will do your laundry tonight, and while you think you can talk back all the time, you can look after your cousin every night next week," his uncle Bert said, barely looking up from the newspaper.

"I'm working a lot next week, and I-"

"Pippor, god damn it!" his uncle yelled, slamming the paper down. Coffee spilt from his cup and Pip flinched from the noise. "Just do as you're told for once in your pathetic little life."

Pip's cheeks heated from embarrassment. Did he really turn down an opportunity to live somewhere else, with a guy who cared about him, because he was scared of another significant change in his life?

Pip stared at his aunt and uncle. He couldn't put up with their crap any longer, not when he had the chance to be somewhere better.

You know what, Pip thought, too afraid to say his thoughts out loud. Fuck you both.

He walked back through the kitchen and into the garden. His uncle and aunt yelled after him, but Pip ignored them. He hurried to the fence and stood on the plant pots.

Pip peeked over the wood and into the dark forest beyond. Krey was leaning against a tree, digging his boot into the mud.

"Krey," Pip said, his heart throbbing at the sight of Krey alone in the darkness.

Krey hurried over with a frown. "Did you drop something?"

"No, um, I've changed my mind. I want to come with you tonight."

Krey was shocked. He wanted to ask what had changed his mind, but one look at his angry aunt and uncle by the back door told Krey everything. "Do you want help packing?"

Pip nodded and stood away from the fence so Krey could climb over. Unlike Pip, Krey was graceful and barely made any noise as he stepped on the plant pots.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Pip?" Aunt Joanna asked as Pip lead Krey through the garden.

Pip's heart was in his throat. He felt confident enough with Krey on his heels. "Excuse me, please," he said when they wouldn't let him back into the house.

"No," Pip's uncle spat. "You're not-"

"Fucking move," Krey grumbled, grabbing Pip's wrist and pushing through them.

"Hey! You're breaking into our home!"

Pip and Krey ignored him and hurried down the corridor and up the stairs. They stormed into Pip's room, and Pip grabbed his college bag and shoved everything off his desk into it.

"Do you have another bag?" Krey asked.

"Under the bed."

Krey pulled out another backpack and opened the drawers in Pip's room. His scent was so strong, Krey wanted to bury his face into his clothes, He resisted, and shoved all the clothes into the bag instead.

Pip didn't have many belongings, Krey was thankful for that as he managed to squeeze all of Pip's clothes into one bag.

When Pip was done with his college stuff, phone charger and laptop, he grabbed the only book he owned and crammed it into his bag too.

The only shoes he owned were on his feet, but Pip still looked around, feeling like there would be something he would forget. "What else?" he asked, knowing Krey had his clothes.

"Uh... Oh, toiletries."

Pip rushed from the room, fearing that his aunt and uncle would come running up the stairs to start a screaming match. Pip grabbed everything he could that was his in the bathroom.

Krey assured him that they had plenty of stuff at the institute. All Pip really needed was a toothbrush, but Pip still stuffed his soaps and toothpaste and a brush into what little space he had left in his bag.

When they had a backpack each, Pip grabbed his pillow.

"Pip, you don't need to worry about bedding. We have everything you need at the institute."

Pip dropped it, nodding. He backed out of his room, looking at the bare walls, the creaky single bed, and the small slanted desk. He had been given this bedroom in the darkest time of his life. Pip had cried on the bed more times than he could count. He had watched the moon from his windowsill almost every night. He had gotten through the most stubborn grief his heart would ever know.

"Are you ready?" Krey asked, resting a comforting hand on Pip's shoulder.

Pip looked around once more, then up at Krey. He wasn't scowling. Krey's features were relaxed. There was a softness to his brown eyes.

"A-Are you sure you want me, you know, at the institute?"

"Pip," Krey cupped his cheeks and crouched until their noses touched. "let me remind you that we're mates. If I had it my way, I'd never let you out of my sight."

Pip smiled and closed his eyes when their foreheads rested together. A small voice in his head screamed that he was moving too fast. Pip kept telling it to shut up. "As long as you're sure," he whispered.

Krey lifted his head so he could look at his round blue eyes, cute freckled nose, deep dimples, and perfect lips. "Let's go before I do something to your uncle that I'll regret."

With a bag each on their backs, they took each other's hand and hurried down the stairs. Pip's aunt and uncle hovered in the hallway.

"Pippor, how dare y-"

"Shut the fuck up," Krey growled at Pip's aunt. "He's moving out."

"What!"

Krey pulled Pip in front of him and through the front door, just in case his aunt or uncle tried grabbing him. If they laid a finger on Pip, Krey would lose his temper.

"Pippor Monty! You have rent to pay, and money you owe us from all the years we looked after you! Pippor!"

The boys hurried down the cracked path and through the rusted gate.

Pip glanced back, just once, and saw his aunt hurrying after them, and his uncle throwing his hands in the air.

"Pippor Monty!" his aunt screamed down the street.

The boys broke into a jog and aimed for the trees. They ran together until Aunt Joanna's screaming was just an echo in the distance.

They stopped running as the trees thickened around them, and they were a good distance away from the town. They didn't stop moving because they were still a few miles from the institute.

"I don't know how you put up with that for seven years," Krey said, adjusting the bag straps on his shoulders.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." If Pip got scared and wanted to change his mind, he couldn't go back to that house. "Wait." He stopped in his tracks. "What about college? What about work!"

Krey looked around. The quicker they got to the institute, the better. The woods were very dark and cold and quiet. "We'll figure it out when we're there. Okay? But not here. We have to keep moving." Krey held out a hand. Pip's features were a little hard to distinguish in the night. Krey heard his fast heartbeat and uneven breathing. His mate was starting to panic.

Pip swallowed thickly and nodded. "Okay," he whispered. He held Krey's hand. His warmth in the bitter cold soothed him. "I am doing the right thing," he whispered, mainly to himself.

"I know it might not feel like it now, but this is the first step. You can have all the time you need at the institute." Krey stared sharply ahead, keeping his mate close. He hoped for their sake that Jordan was too afraid to open his mouth.

If Jordan even muttered Pip's name to someone else, Krey would hunt him down and drag him to the roof himself.