AN: Hey guys, long time no see… I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so long! I'm not going to tell you exactly why, but I am sorry.

Anywhoo, I hope this chapter is worth the wait. I'm really sorry if Alec is kinda OOC here, but he just would not cooperate! I originally tried writing this chapter in Alec's POV, but it just didn't work, so again, I am sorry.

Also, I would like to dedicate this chapter to the wonderful , she has been nothing but supportive during this dry-spell in my writing and she is one of the reasons this update is coming now… The other reason is that, just in the last month or so I have received a couple of absolutely wonderful reviews, most notably from RachyIsMe, rubiedragon, Lovelet and especially Jayciefer. It's reviews like yours that inspire me to keep writing, so I just want to say thank you, your support means a lot :)

Disclaimer: Nope, but it is my Birthday in three days, so maybe Stephanie Meyer will give me Alec and Seth as a gift? ;D

CHAPTER 19

SETH POV

When Seth woke the next day Alec was still by his side, however neither of them made mention of the previous nights conversation as they prepared for the days trek.

Seth did not take Alec's silence as a rejection. The vampire's usually blank expression had become increasingly thoughtful throughout the day and honestly, Seth was just relieved to have finally gotten everything off of his chest. Considering the confusion he himself had felt over the last couple of weeks, Seth was more than happy to allow his imprint all the time he needed to think over what Seth had told him, it was a lot to take in.

While they rarely spoke during the next two days, the silence between Seth and Alec was companionable, rather than awkward, and Alec continued to hunt for Seth's meals and sit with him while the young werewolf slept. These caring actions served to reinforce Seth's hope that his imprint was not going to reject him completely.

During this time, Alec had also attempted to hunt several more times, with no success.

While the vampire never again took out his frustration on Seth, the werewolf could see Alec's moods as they switched between anger and confusion at his inability to end a human life. On the evening of the third day since Seth had opened his heart to Alec, the vampire returned from yet another attempt at hunting, eyes still dark and shining with thirst. This time however, Alec's face was showing neither anger nor confusion, rather what seemed to be resignation.

Having eaten his fill of the game Alec provided for his dinner earlier, Seth was content merely to sit against the tree and wait for Alec to reveal whatever he was feeling, knowing that asking would likely get him nowhere and would probably only serve to frustrate the vampire further.

After watching his imprint simply stand and stare into space for some time, Seth was mildly relieved when Alec initiated eye contact and said, "It is futile."

Not having expected such a cryptic statement, Seth furrowed his brow in confusion before daring to ask, "What's futile?"

Alec stared into his eyes for a time before replying, "My continued attempts to hunt and feed from humans. It is clear to me that, unless I gain the ability to cut off my own senses and persuade you to force-feed me human blood whilst I am incapacitated, two events I deem as being highly improbable- if not completely impossible, I am going to be unable to overcome this mental barrier I seem to have created myself and take a human life."

Though he was feeling no small degree of shock and confusion, Seth's concern for his imprint's well-being won out over his natural curiosity and he asked, "But how are you going to make the rest of the journey without blood? Surely you can't go another two-or-so weeks without it?"

When he next looked at Seth, Alec's face was back to its usual controlled expression, however his eyes seemed almost exasperated, as though he had hoped Seth would realise the answer on his own. The almost childish look in the eyes of his imprint gave Seth the sudden urge to laugh, an urge he only quashed because he didn't want to offend Alec when the vampire was clearly feeling uncomfortable with having to explain himself fully.

"Animal blood will be more than sufficient to sustain me for the remainder of our trip to Volterra." He stated quietly, "The Cullen coven's strength is proof enough of that."

Seth opened his mouth and then closed it again in shock. He was filled with an overwhelming sense of hope and despair at the same time. Hope, because the love he felt for Alec would no longer be tempered by his imprint's diet of human blood and despair because, no matter how hard he had tried to prevent it, Seth's imprinting on Alec had changed the vampire's life in a way that was very likely causing him pain.

"I- Are you sure?" Seth eventually managed to stutter.

All Alec managed in return was a curt nod. The vampire boy made to run into the trees when an idea occurred to Seth.

"Would you like me to come with you?" He asked.

Alec stopped moving so abruptly Seth was sure that, were the boy human, he would have gotten whiplash. The vampire looked at Seth over his shoulder with eyes that seemed to scream yes! But all that came out of his mouth was, "This is not something you need to see Seth."

The pain Seth detected in his imprint's voice made up his mind for him and, in a few long strides, he had crossed the clearing to stand at Alec's side.

"Probably not," He shrugged at Alec. "But it is something I want to do. For you."

Alec closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose, something that must be for calming purposes as Seth was sure he didn't need the oxygen, before giving another curt nod and moving into the trees at a relatively slow pace, which Seth could keep up with in his human form.

As he jogged quickly after Alec, Seth smiled to himself.

'Maybe he's starting to let me in after all.'

Seth knew it wouldn't take Alec long to find something suitable to 'eat' and he was right. They had been jogging for no more than two minutes when Alec suddenly darted through a dense copse of trees.

With his human ears, all Seth heard was a quick, loud snap and when he reached Alec it was to see him kneeling on the forest floor next to a small buck whose neck had clearly been recently snapped.

When he heard Seth crash through the trees in the usual less-than-graceful manner which accompanied his human form, Alec looked up at the werewolf boy with a gaze that was almost fearful.

Seth took in the sight of his imprint carefully, saddened once again that the boy had changed so much for him, that he was enduring such fear and confusion because of Seth's imprint. The fact that there didn't seem to be anything Seth could do to ease Alec's suffering very nearly broke his heart and he found himself offering Alec a final chance of escape.

"You know, you really don't have to do this," He pleaded with his imprint. "I don't want you to have to do this for me; I know it's hurting you."

Alec looked silently at Seth for a moment before his gaze hardened and he said, "I am not doing this for you Seth, I am doing this for myself."

Before Seth could protest again, Alec swooped down and sunk his teeth into the buck's neck. Seth could see Alec's adam's-apple bobbing as he drank and the werewolf boy soon found that he was incapable of doing anything other than standing in silence while he waited for Alec to finish.

What Seth was not expecting when Alec raised his face from the buck's neck was for there to be an ecstatic grin on the vampire's face. He most certainly did not expect Alec to laugh of all things, as if animal blood were the most delicious delicacy the boy had ever tasted.

Seth took an involuntary step back at the joyous look on his imprint's face.

"What's going on?" He asked warily.

Alec's grin didn't falter, "This is amazing!" He said.

At Seth's look of absolute confusion, Alec elaborated.

"The taste is completely different to that of a human and, while it is not as pleasant, animal blood is so refreshing!" He exclaimed.

"I don't really understand?" Said Seth, still feeling confused at the complete change his imprint had gone through in just a few short minutes.

"I suppose for a human you could replace the blood of humans with wine and that of animals with water," Alec explained.

"Suppose you lived your life drinking nothing but wine," He began. "The taste is delicious, yet, unbeknownst to you, it was impairing your mind and body, negatively affecting your every thought and movement."

"It would not be something you realised whilst you continued to sustain yourself on the wine," Alec continued. "Yet, the moment you stopped drinking the wine and replaced it with water you realised everything you had been missing. That, whilst the water may not have quite so pleasing a taste, it allows you free reign over your own body and mind."

"I feel more alive than I have in centuries!" Exclaimed the vampire, jumping swiftly to his feet with a ridiculous grin on his face. "It's as though I have been existing in a drunken haze and now everything is so much clearer."

Alec's cheer was infectious and Seth found himself grinning in return.

"It's really that good?" He asked his imprint.

"It is really that good." Replied Alec joyously.

"Well, I'm glad." Said Seth, with a slightly calmer smile than before.

Before the werewolf fully realised what was going on, Alec had crossed the distance between them and swept Seth into a (not literally) bone-crushing hug.

The vampire boy buried his face in Seth's neck, breathing deeply before whispering "Thank you" softly against his skin.

With that one small gesture, Seth practically melted. He wrapped his arms just as tightly around Alec and whispered, "You are so very welcome," in return, desperately trying to keep his tears at bay.

Eventually the two boys broke away from each other, both laughing lightly as Seth attempted to surreptitiously wipe the tears of happiness from his eyes.

When he had fully composed himself, Seth locked eyes with Alec and asked, "Okay?"

Alec smiled gently at the boy who had changed his life so much in such a short amount of time and nodded slightly.

"Okay." He confirmed.

And apparently Alec hadn't made Seth happy enough for one day. As the boys began making their way back to their campsite for the evening, Alec gently grabbed Seth's larger hand in his own, more delicate one, interlocking their fingers and swinging them gently between them as they walked.

Seth's heart felt as though it was going to burst with emotion, he couldn't have stopped himself from grinning if he'd tried.

And Alec kept his hold on Seth's hand for the rest of the night.

Okay, so this isn't my most favourite of chapters so far, but it was giving me so much trouble that I just wanted to get it out there... If enough people are unhappy with the un-Alec-ness of Alec in this chapter, I could post a short chapter of these same events from his POV? But what I have planned for the next chapter is pretty epic (if I do say so myself), so hopefully that would make up for any displeasure you may feel about this one...

Any way, as always, please review! ^_^