AN: I'm baaaack! If you read the Author's Note on the last chapter then you know why I was gone for so long, and I want to thank you all for your understanding and encouragement :)
I have finished Uni for the year now, so hopefully I can get a few more chapters out (and maybe even finish!) before I have to go back. Fingers crossed!

Anyway, I'm going to keep this short because I'm sure after so long you want to get to the story, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope. But maybe after I get a Uni degree (in three years -.-) Stephenie Meyer will take me more seriously…

CHAPTER 22

SETH POV

The wound on Seth's neck was killing him. Literally.

His entire body was so cold it felt as though his heart was trying to pump ice through his veins, rather than blood.

He was shivering and his teeth were chattering so hard he had drawn blood when he'd accidentally bitten his lip earlier. Seth could feel Alec helping him into another layer of clothes and wrapping him tightly in his soft Volturi cloak, but nothing was helping and Seth was as cold as ever.

Seth had never been in so much pain in his life, and if he didn't have Alec to live for he would have given up the struggle to survive some time ago. As it was, Seth knew he couldn't leave Alec alone now, not when his imprint was still struggling to come to terms with the changes the last few weeks had brought to his life. Seth knew that if he gave up now, life would only become that much harder for Alec.

Also, if Seth died, Alec would have to return to the Volturi empty-handed, and Seth didn't even want to consider the punishment that Aro would inflict on a member of his coven for failing to do his bidding.

So, with his imprint in mind Seth struggled through the pain, refusing to be brought down by the final desperate act of an ancient vampire with a thousand-year-old grudge.

Throughout his struggle Seth was helped by Alec, who was never far from his side. Seth could feel Alec rubbing his arms and legs, trying to warm him up, and gently helping him swallow small amounts of water on a regular basis so he didn't dehydrate. Also, though he couldn't focus long enough to hear the exact words, Seth had a strong feeling that Alec was whispering reassurances into his ear the whole time, holding Seth tightly to his chest all the while.

Seth was so used to the constant cold and shivering that it took him a while to notice when it finally stopped.

At first the relief was so sharp that Seth knew he must be dead, and all he could think was that he wished he didn't have to leave Alec so soon; However, Seth soon realised that, while the cold was mostly gone, he could still feel a steady throbbing pain in his neck and a warm presence at his back. It was then that he recognised the soft music in his head for what it was- Alec's voice.

Seth could hear his own name being whispered softly into his ear, Alec also having noticed that Seth had stopped shivering, and Seth felt himself warmed further by an overwhelming affection for his imprint. Alec wasn't tied to this imprint the way that Seth was, he could have forced Seth to keep moving, or simply left him to die. Instead, Alec had stayed by his side the entire time, and that knowledge warmed Seth more than any number of blankets ever could.

Now that he was able to focus on something other than the freezing pain that had been his constant companion for who-knows-how-long, Seth found himself overwhelmed by a crippling weariness, his body needing restful sleep to truly heal.

This tiredness, coupled with the relief that came with the absence of any severe pain allowed Seth to lean fully into Alec's chest, relaxing as he hadn't since he was bitten by Vladimir.

As he finally felt himself relax into a peaceful slumber, Seth found the energy to squint his eyes open and whisper to Alec, "I love you."

ALEC POV

Seth had been unconscious for two days now, the vampire venom in his system had drastically slowed his accelerated healing abilities, and Alec could do nothing but sit and listen as Seth's heart struggled to continue beating.

In the course of his life as a vampire Alec had been responsible for the deaths of thousands of humans, both directly and indirectly. It is strange that, after all of this time, the prospect of death for this one human should cause him so much pain, yet he could not deny the ache in his chest at the thought that Seth may not survive this ordeal.

The entire time Seth had been unconscious Alec had kept most of his attention on Seth's struggling heartbeat, listening frantically for any change, be it for better or worse. As such, Alec noticed the second that Seth's heartbeat began to strengthen, changing from the slow, sluggish beat of the last two days to a stronger, deeper pulse that suggested the wolf boy was beginning to recover from his injury.

Alec waited patiently for several hours as Seth's heartbeat grew stronger and stronger, eyes never wavering from Seth's face as the wolf boy's eyes moved restlessly behind his eyelids and he finally ceased shivering.

Finally, Seth began to stir and Alec found himself whispering reassurances into his ear, hoping beyond hope that this was not a false alarm and that Seth really was regaining consciousness.

Alec could tell that Seth was exhausted. Having to fight off vampire venom, coupled with constant violent shivering, had taken its toll on the boy's body and he was likely to fall into another slumber before he truly woke, so his body could continue to heal.

The strength of Seth's heartbeat reassured Alec however, and as Seth relaxed fully into Alec's embrace for the first time since he was bitten, Alec allowed himself a moment of peace, convinced that Seth would soon make a full recovery.

What Alec didn't expect was for Seth to lean his head back and gaze at him with tired, hooded eyes and whisper "I love you."

Seth fell asleep immediately after; unaware of the effect his confession had had on Alec, who felt as though his un-beating heart was going to explode right out of his chest.

Alec held Seth tighter to his chest, feeling almost overwhelmed at the affection he felt for the boy in that moment, and he could not control the ecstatic grin that suddenly appeared on his face and the absolute knowledge that Seth returned Alec's newly-recognised feelings. Alec leaned in and gently pressed his lips to Seth's hair, suddenly all the more eager for Seth to truly wake up so he could inform his mate of his own affections.

SETH POV

Seth's sleep had been almost dreamless, only leaving him with a lingering memory of warmth and comfort. He slowly blinked his eyes open and realised he must have been asleep for several hours, because the sun was setting now, whereas when he had last opened his eyes it had only just been rising over the horizon.

"Seth?"

Seth looked up as he heard his name whispered into his ear. He smiled to see the face of his imprint gazing back at him, bathed in orange light from the setting sun.

"How are you feeling?" Alec asked.

"Better." Seth croaked, his voice scratchy from disuse, and the yelling he had done before passing out. "Still a bit groggy, but better than before."

Alec smiled slightly, "I am glad."

Seth hesitated before he spoke again, wanting to thank Alec for caring for him but not wanting to seem pushy. Seth quickly shoved that thought aside. Alec deserved to be thanked, and if he freaked out too much, Seth could always pretend he was still delirious.

"Alec, I want you to know that I am really grateful to you for looking after me for however long it is I've been out. I know it would have been easier on you to make me keep going, or even to just leave me here, but you didn't, and I just want you to know that I appreciate it."

Alec's brow furrowed slightly, as though he was annoyed, so Seth certainly wasn't expecting the vampire to gently cup Seth's cheek in his hand, look into his eyes and say, "I could never have left you behind Seth."

Alec must have seen the look of confusion on Seth's face, because he spoke again before Seth could respond.

"Do you remember anything from when you last awoke?"

Now it was Seth's turn to look confused.

"Um, no? I barely remember waking up at all. I only opened my eyes for a second so I could-"

Seth cut himself off, eyes widening in horror, suddenly recalling why he had opened his eyes, and why such a terrible notion had seemed like a good idea at the time.

"I am so sorry Alec!" He exclaimed, "I don't know why I said that out loud! I swear I was telling the truth when I said I didn't want to pressure you into anything, and if you could just forget I ever said anything-"

This time Seth didn't cut himself off, rather he was shocked into silence when Alec pulled Seth back into his chest, hand once again coming up to cup Seth's cheek gently.

Seth couldn't think of anything to say as Alec rested their foreheads together, looking directly into his eyes before whispering so quietly that Seth never would have heard him if they weren't so close together.

"Seth, I love you too."

If Seth had been incapable of talking before, then he was practically mute now. He was sure his mouth was gaping open like an absolute idiot, but even that didn't last for long, as Alec apparently took his silence as permission (which it totally was) to slowly close the barely-there gap between them and press his lips gently to Seth's.

Now that is something that Seth would have responded to even if he was still unconscious and dying from a vampire bite. After the initial shock, Seth responded with as much enthusiasm as he could in his weakened state, leaning into the kiss and wrapping his hand around the back of Alec's neck, tangling his fingers in the soft hair he found there.

Seth revelled in the cool press of Alec's skin against his; it felt so different to the brutal cold of Vladimir's mouth when he had bitten him.

Of course, Seth soon became short of breath, and at that moment he almost wished he were a vampire so he didn't have to breathe and he would never have to separate from his imprint and the wonder that was their first kiss.

It was Alec who finally pulled back, obviously far more willing to accept Seth's limits than Seth was.

Before Seth could protest, Alec placed another quick kiss on Seth's mouth, before leaning into the tree at his back, pulling Seth with him.

"You need to sleep, you are still healing." Said Alec, beginning to gently stroke Seth's hair in a manner that was both soothing and distracting at the same time.

Seth made to protest, as if he could sleep now, but Alec kissed him on the forehead, making Seth blush from the sheer overwhelming force of his feelings.

"I will be here when you wake up." Alec promised.

And with that, Seth conceded defeat and curled into Alec, resting his head on his imprints chest where his heart would have beaten, were he completely human.

Seth tangled his fingers with Alec's free hand and sighed.

"I love you." He repeated, so relieved to finally have said it out loud and had his feelings returned.

Alec tightened his grip on Seth's hand, and just as Seth was dozing off he heard Alec reply, "I love you too."

Seth fell asleep with a smile on his face, the pain of the last two days almost completely forgotten.

Please reviw! ^_^