The Freak (mxm)

Chapter 23: Come closer

"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." (Anaïs Nin)

WILL'S POV

I'm scared, and it isn't a pleasant feeling, nor a feeling I'm used to, being a quite dangerous predator myself. This time, though, the threat is real and I feel like a prey. A huge, way too visible prey that cannot hide from its predators to save its life.

"Are you sure?" Oliver asks me through our mental link.

"Positive. They are everywhere, Oli! I saw them entering the forest, dozens and dozens of poachers. I think they planned a massive hunt. I ran as fast as I could to warn you"

"Shit! We can't shift back, then. What should we do?"

Please, Oli, I think while looking at my beautiful lover. Don't panick. You're always the one who manages to keep calm regardless of the gravity of the situation. What shall we all do, if even you are losing control of your emotions?

"They will be there very soon, Oli" I press him, feeling more and more agitated as minutes go by.

"You shouldn't have come, Will. Now you're in danger, too" he starts passing and I grab his arm, forcing him to stop.

"Stop being silly. I would never be able to live if something happened to you" I admonish him, even though he is a Beta, before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

A soft whine suddenly makes me look back and I see Renan, curled up into the furthest corner of the cavern, looking slightly frightened, but not as much as he should be. Guess he met shifters before, or at least suspected their existence.

"So, in lack of better terms, we're fucked" Oliver concludes grimly. "Even if we're in our human form, poachers aren't stupid, and they will be suspicious of two naked men standing in a cavern in the middle of the forest. At least Renan has a chance"

"I wouldn't bet on that" I reply grimly. "Apparently they are getting quite aggressive and even went as far as to forbid humans to go to the forest or any other wild places.  Every person disregarding the new interdiction is now automatically suspected of being shifter-friendly or shifters themselves. Of course, officially, they didn't mention shifters and argued of other reasons for the law to pass, but I can't remember what they said"

"Doesn't matter, if nobody is protesting" Oliver sighs, gripping his hair like a mad man.

"I have an idea, Oli. It might work"

I quickly exposes him my plan and at first, he looks at me like I've grown three heads, before admitting that my idea is our only chance.

"I guess you're right, Will. If they see us making out, they might think nothing of us being naked. Hopefully, they will be prude or homophobic and will run away as soon as they see our dicks"

"Yes, and at least it would make our lack of clothes less suspicious"

"Okay, then" he concludes before gripping my shoulders and lowering us both on the ground. He then grips my neck and starts kissing me slowly while his other hand caresses my trembling thigh. As things are quickly heating up between us, despite the looming threat, my lover suddenly raises his head and calls up:

"Renan?"

I turn back to see that the scrawny guy hasn't moved and is now looking at us with a half embarrassed and half aroused expression. I smirk, and he immediately scowls, before looking back at his laps.

"Renan, did you hear the conversation between Will and I?" he asks again, his tone very patient and gentle.

I have to say, I'm really curious about what Renan has been telling to Oliver, during all these days when he thought he was talking to a wolf. What a funny guy, to choose a wolf for his new confident! A funny guy, or a lonely one, I guess. I know that Oliver hasn't learn anything about what happened to Renan. Yet, he somehow seems to better understand him now, at least he no longer describes him in harsh terms.