Help! I Became A Guy In A BL Novel!

Riven stumbled back until his shoulders hit the cold wall. Nowhere to run.

"No…" he said again, voice breaking completely as he slid down the wall, trying to disappear into the stone. "Please…"

Soren crouched, his gaze level with Riven's.

His hand reached out, but instead of comfort, it was as if it were reaching to choke the life out of him.

Riven squeezed his eyes shut, sobs clawing up his throat. He then began his struggle for life. With all his might, he pushed Soren away. "Don't come close!"

Soren's brows drew together, confusion and hurt were displayed on his face.

"Riven," he said again, voice softer this time, cautious, like he was trying to soothe a cornered animal.

But Riven only flinched, pressing himself flat against the wall as if it might open up and swallow him. His pupils were blown wide, his breaths coming in ragged gasps that sounded painfully thin. His eyes—normally so bright, so quick to glimmer with mischief—were wet and glassy.

Soren's chest tightened.

What was happening to him?

He took another step forward, hand half-extended. Riven's entire body jerked, a choked sound breaking out of him as he tried to scramble sideways along the wall.

It was like a dagger to Soren's heart.

"Riven," he whispered, voice fraying around the edges, he slowly approached his little wolf, "…it's me. It's just me."

But Riven wouldn't meet his gaze. He was shaking, shoulders hunched, as if even Soren's voice hurt him somehow. Every step Soren took closer, the more Riven seemed to crumble, until he looked like he might collapse from sheer terror.

Of all the people in this rotten world, Riven had always met Soren's darkness with stubborn trust. He'd never flinched, never doubted.

Until now.

And Soren couldn't understand it.

He moved another step nearer, and Riven made a tiny, broken noise. His nails scraped the stone behind him as if he were trying to claw through the wall itself.

"Riven… What did I do?" Soren's voice cracked.

Nothing made sense. Riven wasn't delirious—he looked lucid. He was seeing Soren, speaking to him. But the way he looked back, as if Soren were a monster in the dark.

He'd seen enemies cower. He'd seen traitors tremble. But he had never—never—imagined seeing that same fear in Riven's eyes.

And it gutted him.

Soren's hand dropped to his side, curling into a fist so tight it shook. He didn't dare take another step forward. He didn't even dare breathe too loudly.

"I don't understand…" he murmured, voice hoarse. "Tell me what you see."

But Riven only turned his head away, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Soren swallowed hard.

It didn't matter how much it hurt—he couldn't let that pain get in the way. Riven was terrified, and somehow it was him who was causing it.

Riven could not speak, he was so overcome with fear. He felt pain, so much pain. Mental anguish was the least of his worries, he felt physical pain.

The walls were closing in again.

The cold stone of the room scraped against Riven's back, but the pressure against his chest wasn't from the wall—it was from the weight of his own breath, from the pounding in his skull, from the monster before him that wore Soren's face.

"You're pathetic and useless," Soren spat, his voice dripping with venom.

"No... Please stop..." Riven begged with tears in his eyes, he used his hands to cover up his ears. He could not hear those words again.

But the Soren in front of him didn't waver. That familiar, obsidian gaze held no warmth. Only contempt.

"You think you matter to anyone? You're just a burden. You've always been a burden."

Soren lunged—and hands, ice-cold and unrelenting, wrapped around Riven's throat.

"No!" Riven gasped, trying to pry them off. "Get off—!"

But there was no escape. No door. No window. No air.

His own voice became a whimper as he thrashed beneath the phantom's grip. His body trembled, he felt hot and cold at the same time.

He tried to fight, to claw, to scream—but nothing worked. His vision blurred.

Until the hands disappeared.

He blinked, heart still racing—and Soren stood in front of him.

But… was this his Soren?

Or was this another lie?

He shoved Soren hard in the chest, trying to get away. But this time, Soren didn't stumble back.

"Riven," Soren murmured, his voice wavering, "please. Don't look at me like that." He pulled Riven into his arms and didn't care if he was being rejected.

Riven could barely hear him. His ears rang. His body screamed. He didn't know what was real anymore. That man before him, with that familiar voice, that sharp jaw, those intense eyes—

He was a predator. And Riven… Riven was prey.

And like all cornered prey, Riven reacted with instinct.

He lashed out.

Fangs bared, he lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the side of Soren's neck—right where it would hurt the most. Right where a well-placed bite could end a life.

Soren stiffened—but did not move.

Blood rushed in his ears. Riven's teeth trembled at his skin.

Still, Soren did not move.

Instead, his arms came around him. Carefully. Gently. Like wrapping up a wounded animal in the softest touch.

"I'm here," Soren whispered, breath warm against Riven's hair. "It's me..."

Riven tasted the iron, he drew blood from Soren's neck with his bite.

Riven's bite faltered.

The heat of Soren's neck was real.

The rise and fall of his chest, the pounding of his heart—real.

He didn't strike back. He didn't shout. He didn't shake him off or call him names.

Instead, he held him.

"I'm not the man you think," Soren murmured again, brushing a hand gently through Riven's damp hair. "You're safe now. You're with me."

Riven's body slowly began to relax. He was starting to believe what he was hearing. He was... Safe? The fear still lingered, but in Soren's arms, where he could feel Soren's heartbeat against his own.

His hands were nowhere near his neck, they circled his body instead, holding him warm and close.

Just enough to whisper, "Soren…"

"I'm right here," Soren answered, voice cracking from the sheer weight of emotion. "I've got you."