I’m grateful enough

Saved by The Alpha

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Chapter 1: I’m grateful enough

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"Help!"

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

The air hitting his face was definitely cold yet the sweat kept dripping from the sides of his face and his legs were starting to burn, painfully.

It all happened so fast that he didn't realize he was currently running in the middle of the white forest.

The sound of crunching snow and broken branches from their snow boots were getting closer making his heart beat wildly in his chest.

That was until a huge boulder came into view and he gave everything he's got left of him to reach there in time.

He was panting, puffing out clouds of air into the wind. He was in great need to gain his regular breathing back.

The rosy shade from his nose and cheeks were getting darker from the freezing climate considering he only has a windbreaker and a pair of long pants to keep him warm.

Not to mention, his auburn hair was littered with melting snowflakes. Hiding behind the large rock covered in a thick blanket of snow, he carefully peeks from behind, making sure they were gone.

One can dream though.

"Come out little one, we know you're hiding.", He spoke in a very honeyed voice, tinged with poison. His shoulders were wide and he has a large built. Long black locks were tied up in a high bun followed by a thick patch of goatee and moustache.

Snow was already started clumping around his hair and furry hoodie. He scans the area of the forest, in an attempt to locate the 'fresh meat'.

Another male entered his line of vision, this time he was much more shorter than the first one but his muscles were noticeable even from the thick layers of jacket he was wearing.

His face was facial-free and his head was covered with a red snow cap. "Yeah, we just wanted to have some fun. Come on.", he cooed. Apparently, seeing the shorter playing with a combat knife in his hands, twirling it skillfully between his fingers made him feel like his life span had reduced to 10 years.

Looking away so fast never made his heart jumped before, he was scared shitless when he thought the taller caught a glimpse of him.

“Shit. Okay, calm down Iandor. Just stay quiet. They won’t find you unless you make noises. Okay. Okay.", he whispered to himself.

Trying to stay calm as possible even though he can hear his voice came out a whimper.

Every time he inhaled, it felt like his lungs were collapsing, as if the air he breaths never reaches them. He was struggling. He was trembling. He was scared.

Iandor slides down gently against the freezing boulder, stopping every time he hears the snow falling with a light thump.

He tried sliding down again, but his bare and numb hand instantly flew to cover his quivering mouth, desperately trying to muffle the sounds of his gasp when a large amount of snow fell, hitting the snowy ground with a loud and very clear thud.

The dead ambience just made everything tense tenfold as his eyes looks at every direction, praying for a possible escape route. None exists. A lone tear escaped from the corner of his eye, telling himself its going to be the end.  

Closing his eyes, he begs silently for them to end his life swiftly and painless.

Step after step could be heard getting closer, this is it. I'm going to die in the middle of nowhere. Well, on the bright side, no one wanted me anyways, he decided. Iandor felt like his heart just disintegrates when the footsteps suddenly came to an abrupt halt and what's more terrifying was he could feel puffs of hot breath fanning over his nose.

Cracking an eye open slowly, he lets a sharp intake of air jolting his body upwards making his back pressed up even more over the cold rock.

He was met with a pair of almond shaped and slightly obliquely amber eyes, burned with a fierce fire within. It gazed at him, looking right into his face and Iandor doesn't have a clue on why was he gazing back. 

Its nonsense! Its stance showed dominance and confidence yet those yellow-orange orbs held no hatred, no malice, no fear but rather curiosity. 

Curiosity killed the cat, but how about a wolf?

Absent-mindedly his shaking hands were reaching out to it, intending to touch its eyelids when they fluttered close. His breath hitched when they shot open again, dilated and raw. Its whole muscles begin to tighten, forepaw was digging into the snow till brown earth was mixed with white, ears twitching in anticipation.

Finally hearing the sound of boots grinding over pebbles, it leapt. It leapt over Iandor and the boulder itself. He quickly got up from his crouching position, watching as the scene in front of him unfolds.

The man with the knife swings blindly at it, missing countless times while the taller one who was holding a shotgun, where the heck did that appear from? was currently aiming at the animal.

Sensing its being threaten, the wolf lunges over the man in a split second taking the barrel of the shotgun between his sharp teeth. The taller was trying to writhe his gun out from the wolf but it has a strong grip to it.

Minutes later, the sound of steel being crushed resonates in the air, the man underneath the wolf was both in shock and awe.

Iandor, who was still frozen behind the boulder, realizes it was time to take this golden chance to escape, to leave everything behind and live to see the sun again, but despite all that, he didn't want to.

He wanted to see the wolf, he wanted to see the wolf tear skin and crush bones without getting hurt. He wanted the wolf to be unscathed. He wanted the wolf to be safe. 

The auburn-haired male was about to take a step forward when a strong grip on his torso and palm covering his mouth stopped him.

Iandor squirmed when he felt something hot and wet came in contact with the cold shell of his ear. Hot breath fanning over it ever so lightly. "Don't even think of escaping, or else.", he warns. The puffs of his breath could be seen from the corner of Iandor’s eye.

The shorter, who were only a few inches taller then Iandor has a tight hold by his midriff. Pulling him down, he forces Iandor to sit on the cold ground with both of his hands twisted in the former's left hand, holding him in place. While the other hand was fumbling with the zipper of his backpack, rummaging through it and takes out a piece of brown manilla rope.

Iandor tried to forcefully wiggle his hands free but it was no use. He was too strong. Quickly, he tied the rope into a tight knot around his wrist, he then continues to pull out a cloth from the bag, using it as a gag to muffle out Iandor’s screams. 

Satisfied with his work, his pale lips broke out into a devilish smirk. "You're really pretty, you know that?", his thumb and the rest of his finger was gripping Iandor’s cheeks, pulling him closer as he planted a chaste kiss on his forehead.

The light but searing touch was enough to make Iandor's stomach churn in disgust.

Standing up, the former then goes out to help his partner in crime and when a low growl was emitted from the wolf reached Iandor’s ears, he felt an odd shiver ran down his spine, feeling the hairs of the back of his neck rises. He could hear the snow crunching underneath their feet and paws, shuffling against the dirt and dried leaves as well as twigs and small rocks.

Due to his tied up hands, Iandor was struggling to get up without tumbling over from his imbalanced position.

A gunshot suddenly cracked into the cold air as loud as thunder. The noise reverberated in Iandor’s ears and rang out far throughout the dense white forest.

His heart was throbbing violently in his ribcage. No. It was as if time itself had stop, the eerie silence was getting the best of him.

Iandor tried his best to get up, and when he does he quickly moves away from the boulder. Tears were about to fall from his eyes when he saw the wolf was uninjured.

Its face was still contorted in a growl showing his white sharp fangs and his body was still in a pouncing position. There, on the cold and mucky ground, laid the lifeless body of the shotgun owner.

Without any common sense whatsoever, Iandor instantly runs up towards the wolf but slowed down his steps when it notices his presence. It immediately shifts back to a sitting position and the wolf's face returned to its calm demeanour.

Iandor hesitated for a second. He doesn't know what to do, he thinks he was crazy when he looks into those amber eyes, trying to look for any sort of approval.

And he finally thinks his gone nuts when he saw the wolf curtly nods his head at Iandor, giving him permission to come closer.

They were only a few feet from each other, when the wolf's ears twitched and Iandor has a fraction of a second to jump in front of the animal. The ringing from his ear was loud and just like that everything went by a blur.

The last thing he sees or heard for that matter, was the sound of a guttural growl and a sharp cry that pierces through the wind followed by the metallic smell of blood, raw iron mixed with earth.

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The scent of chamomile combined with the soothing aloe vera lingers in the air along with the gentle whimpers closely to what a sad puppy would sound like reaches his eardrums. Even breaths fanning over his collarbones and long slim fingers entwine between his smaller ones tightens every time he shifts a little.

Soft pillows, cosy blankets, warm fires, licks?

His eyes fluttered open, making quick adjustments with his eyes, the bare white ceiling greeted him first.

"Hai!", a chirpy but low voice sounded next to him. His honey blonde hair was sticking at every directions and his chocolate eyes was shining like crystal clear diamonds. 

"I must be dead.", Iandor muttered bringing his hand to his temple, massaging it gently.

"Nope! You're still alive. We thought you were dead when Christopher brought you home.", His boxy smile disappeared into a small sad pout, eyes losing their shimmer as he hangs his head low.

"Wha-"

"Oh? You're awake. Good morning. Had a good night's rest? I assumed you wont be up till tomorrow but you are stronger than you look.", a tall young man entered the room Iandor was currently in.

His shoulders were broad and his chestnut hair was swept to the sides.

Wearing a bright pink sweater was one fashion statement though.

The same sweet smell of chamomile and aloe vera mingles in the air, he was holding a glass vial with the substance in it. "I came to change your bandages, your wound should be healed in a few days. It was hard doing it when you were out cold but knowing you woke up makes my job a lot easier", he stated with a small giggle.

Iandor winced when he tried to sit up.

He didn't realize that from his left shoulder down to the upper part of his chest were wrapped snuggly with bandages.

A small patch of blood could be clearly seen just above his left pectoralis. He was a few inches away from meeting God.

"Dad! Look, look. He's awake! He's awake!", the smaller one who was lying on his belly besides Iandor says excitedly.

'Dad' places the vial down on the bedside table and sits on the side of the bed with the both of them. Its a good thing the bed was huge, they couldn't possibly fit altogether if it was a tiny single bed.

“Yes baby, I can see that.", he ruffles the honey blonde's hair with a soft smile on his lips. "How you doing?", he asked, diverting his attention towards Iandor.

"A little sore.", his voice came out groggily. "Wh-Where am i?"

The taller smiled. "You're somewhere safe. Don't worry."

Shifting his gaze towards the other again. He rubs at the back of his ear and tells him to leave the room. "Alfie, could you go and find Nick? Tell him dad needs him to come up here. Could you do that?"

The said boy perks up at the mention of this 'Nick' and his boxy smile was even wider. "Okay!", he then jumped off the bed and scurries out while closing the door.

Iandor was still a little confuse. So much was going on inside his head and he needed answers. "How did i-"

"After he found you almost dead with half of your blood gone, Christopher decided to bring you back.", he affirms. "I'm Frank, but you can call me Frankie. The one you saw earlier was Alfie.", he continues, taking the previous vial in his hands. "You slept quite a while you know."

"How long was i out?"

"About two days.", Frank inches closer. "May i?", he unwrapped the bandages gently after a small nod from Iandor. 

The door flies open and hits the wall with a loud bang. "Nick, look! He's awake!",

Iandor grimaced at the loud sound but smiles after he saw Alfie’s excited facial expressions.

"Ahh..you are a strong little fella aren't you?", the black-haired male spoke in a pleasant voice.

Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, with Alfie following suit (who actually jumps on the bed next to Iandor with an oof!) he rubs comforting strokes on Iandor’s foot.

"Nick. We are out of aloe, could you go and buy some? He still needs it in another day or two.", Frankie asked the black-haired male, referred to as 'Nick'.

"Sure. I'll be back.", Nick then left the room with a wave towards Iandor.

Taking off the last gauze, the cold air immediately hits his hot skin and a hiss instantly escaped his lips when the cold liquid-jelly like substance was applied over his wound. The relaxing smell of chamomile and aloe entered his nostrils.

"It feels good doesn't it?"

"Mhmm.", Iandor hummed at the former. 

Placing a fresh new gauze over the treated wound, he then continues to wrap the bandage around Iandor’s chest.

"Hai!", Alfie chirped again. "What's your name? Do you have a name? Do you? Do you?", Alfie was a few inches away from Iandor’s face and the latter immediately burst into a fit of giggles at the honey blondes antics.

"I do. Its Iandor.", he smiled, showing lunnette eyes that made Alfie’s eyes twinkle.

The said boy instantly wrap his arms around Iandor’s neck. "Ian!", he called out.

"Alfie, stop. I'm still doing his bandages.", Frankie warns the boy.

"Oh. Sorry dad!", he lets go of Iandor and laid back on the bed, propping his face with the palms of both hands. "How old are you?", he continues.

"I'm twenty years old."

And with that being said, Alfie rose in a sitting position and a wide grin was plastered over his face. "We're the same age! Dad! Ian and i are the same age!"

"Yes baby. You are.", he replied, eyes still focusing on the task in hand. "Well Iandor. Are you hungry? Cause i made kimchi stew.", Frankie smiled teasingly at the auburn-haired male.

Right on time a low rumble from his stomach erupted and Frankie couldn't contain his laughter. With a pair of bandage scissors, he cuts the end of the roll and holds the bandage in place with the clip.  "Alright then. Breakfast it is. I'll be right back okay?", He ruffles Iandor’s bangs and walks to the door.

Iandor shyly nods, grateful for the people who saved his life. He takes the blankets and slides back down into the covers with Alfie along who complied with another bright smile, waiting for the food to fill him up.

Closing his eyes momentarily, his mind drifted towards the amber eyes that actually saved him beforehand.

Iandor shoots his eyes open again, thinking he didn't know what happened to the animal after he was shot. And frankly, he was hoping for it to be safe. 

His heart silently prays that one day he'll meet those yellow-orange orbs again. 

Wherever it is.

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TBC