Yuè couldn't help but marvel at the sheer beauty of his surroundings. It was like something out of the story books Babà used to read him.

"It's so beautiful here." He breathed out. Even the scent of the trees around them was pleasant. He wondered if the forest itself was enchanted. He'd never seen anything like this in the parts of the forests he'd hunted in.

 

"Do many people tell you the same thing?" Emery asked him while he pulled the gate open. Beyond lay a thin dirt path, and toward its end was a large lake gleaming beneath the sun.

 

Yuè turned to look at him. He was sure that if he blushed any darker that he would faint. "Oh, um…only a few people. Although it was not always a compliment coming from them." They were usually said with jealous sneers.

 

Emery scoffed. "Those who do not understand the beauty of the world and the people that inhabit it, often have bitter hearts because they themselves never received love."

 

He stopped at the edge of the lake, his dark shirt rippling in the breeze that rolled off the shore. "Here we are."

 

Yuè's eyes closed as a warm breeze swirled around him. The soft sway of the water called to him even now without the moon in the sky and he had to resist the urge to simply dive in. Instead, he crouched by the waters edge, fingers treading over the rippling surface.

 

"Unfortunately, the world is a bitter place for some. The place I grew up in was poor and there was little enjoyment in the daily lives of others. The women did not have fancy clothing or perfumes so they were oftentimes insecure. How dare a man of all people be more beautiful than them. To them it was unnatural and unfair."

He gave a small sigh. Speaking of the village reminded him that he missed his father dearly.

 

"May I ask, why did you stay?" Emery asked, standing at his side.

 

Yuè looked up at him, a wane smile on his lips. "As I got older, my father got weaker and by the time I was old enough to support him, he was too sick to move. So I stayed with him. Now…now he is all alone." He finished sadly, guilt bubbling in his chest.

 

"Will they hurt him?" Emery asked while placing his hands on the sleeve of Yuè's linen shirt. He tugged, releasing one of his arms.

 

"I can only pray that he does not." Yuè said before he yelped as he was caught off guard, his arm slipped from the loose sleeve of the baggy shirt he wore. He nearly lost his balance at the unexpected move. He righted himself by clinging onto Emery's arm with his good hand.

 

His hand barely wrapped around the solid muscle of the taller man's arm and he hurriedly moved away, grimacing when he jolted his broken arm. Perhaps he did need to get in the water soon. The pain was becoming more than he could ignore.

 

Emery's eyes widened. "What? Was there a bug? Did I hurt your injured arm?" His words gushed out, from concern.

 

Yuè shook his head quickly. "No no, I didn't mean to react so strongly. You just caught me off guard. My arm was already hurt and I moved it thoughtlessly."

 

He laughed. "I thought you thought I was trying to come on to you or something. I wouldn't have started with your shirt if that was the case." Emery removed his other arm from his other sleeve, carefully, before tugging the shirt completely off.

 

"There you are, now you can get in the water. You did tell my brother you like to use water when you're injured, correct?" Emery asked.

 

Yuè looked away, heart thudding loudly in his chest. Was Emery flirting with him? No, that couldn't be what this was. He was only joking.

 

Clearing his throat, he hugged his good arm to his chest, trying to cover himself. He knew what he looked like. Lean muscle from his time hunting and foraging for food and supplies for the village, but too think because of the lack of food.

His hair was tangled and even knotted in some areas, hanging around him like a disarrayed curtain.

 

"Y-yes, water should help soothe some of the pain. I am sorry to bother you with this. You have been very kind and helpful to me."

 

"Not all of us are monstrous wolves that seek to devour the flesh of men. Though there is some that take pleasure in the flesh of one." He rested a hand on his chin as he surveyed Yuè over.

 

"Are you going to go in with your pants on?" Asked Emery. "If you want I can fetch you an extra pair so you don't have to walk back soaking wet."

 

Yuè looked down at his pants. "O-oh. I'm not-there isn't. I am wearing nothing underneath. So it's best if I go in with them."

 

"Wouldn't that be uncomfortable?" Emery laughed. "Maybe it's because I'm a wolf that nakedness doesn't bother me."

 

Yuè laughed weakly, pushing his hair from his face. "I'm sure it will be fine. It's only water." He inched closer to the water so that his feet were submerged. It was surprisingly warm.

He could already feel the soothing effect, though not as strong as at night when the moon shone the brightest. He took a few more steps in until he was waist deep before turning to look back at Emery. "See, not so bad."

 

"Except you're wearing white and I can see something I shouldn't." Emery teased him before he sat down and crossed his legs, the wind in his golden hair. "How do you do it?"

 

Yuè squeaked, lowering himself into the water until only his head was visible, covering himself with his good arm. "D-do what?" He asked, cheeks burning as he eyed the water. He could already feel the pain ebbing away and he gave a sigh of relief.

 

"Heal yourself using the water? Heard human bodies heal, but not by water." Emery leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees and his chin setting in his open hands.

 

Yuè was silent for a long moment, eyes Emery with a serious expression before he stood up in the water, droplets rolling down his smooth pale chest.

The swelling in his arm was gone, only slight bruising left over, but it would take weeks to fully heal the broken bone without the proper ritual. "I don't really know. It was a gift passed down to me by my mother. Babà said it was a family trait."

He trailed his fingers over the water and the water followed, twisting in the air after his fingers before falling back down.

 

Emery's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, someone else growled out from behind.

 

"I told you he is not to step foot outside!" Marcellus approached, shirtless and wearing only leather pants. Beneath the sun his old wounds were more visible: claw marks across abs and pectorals, teeth prints, burn marks that healed wrong. "Get out of the water." He commanded Yuè.

 

Yuè's eyes widened at the sight of the pack alpha, flinching at the loud shout. He did as he was told, wading his way to the waters edge until he was completely out, water soaking through the cotton pants he wore, clinging to his skin.

"Please don't be mad at him. I asked if it was okay to come outside." He pleaded, mismatched eyes staring into Marcellus' cautiously. He swallowed the tension that was building in his gut.