Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 201: Calm Before Ruin

Calisí;

I take a deep breath as I stare at the village just beneath us in the distance. From this cliff, the village twinkles. Like a jar full of fireflies.

I let my head roll back as I listen to the sound of drums rolling through the air... faint but steady.

Flutes join in, then the rise of voices, and laughter follows. A sound so clear it forms a smile on my face.

The wedding is beginning.

I close my eyes and breathe in the sounds.

It sounds so sweet. So nostalgic. For a moment, I could almost forget why we were here.

Almost.

"Calisí," Avaren suddenly calls behind me, and I turn to him.

Despite the white cloth tied over his eyes, he still looks serious.

He’s always too serious, always too stiff.

I turn fully to him, with my bare feet brushing against the grass, as I grin at him.

"Why the long face, love?" I question as I walk over to him, and he falls silent.

He needs no words. Avaren has never needed to talk for me to hear him.

He’s curious. Confused. Wondering why I have us all up here while our target party beneath our feet.

I stand in front of him and brush my fingers through his beautiful, straight, silky red hair. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

He places his hand behind me, and I smile.

"Come," I say with a grin as I grab his wrist and he tilts his head.

"Come where?"

"To dance, of course!" I reply, and he pauses. I don’t mind it.

I just tug again, and he follows again.

I place my feet on his and cross my arms over his shoulders as I rest my head on his chest.

"Dance, Avaren..." I whisper, and he holds my waist.

He says still for a second. Only a second before he starts swaying.

I close my eyes, and for a heartbeat, I let myself pretend that we are part of that celebration... part of that happiness, not the storm waiting above it.

My mind travels back to times, a part of what’s held on to so tightly they’ve sunk into the palms of my soul.

Father’s bright smile as he and Mother danced while my brother played the drums.

A small smile splits my face as I remember Father holding out a hand to me. He’d always say...

"Dance with me now that you still have the chance. Someday, my bones will be too old to make these memories."

Avaren followed my movements stiffly at first, his steps clumsy. I laughed and smacked his shoulder lightly. "Oh, loosen up, would you? You dance like you’re trying to fight the air."

"Calisí?" Avaren calls again, and I open my eyes and look up at him.

His face straight ahead, and I smile as I trail a finger along his jawline.

"What is it?" I question, and he drops his face down to me.

"I don’t understand you sometimes, my love" he whispers, and I smile.

"Only sometimes?" I tease, before getting off his feet, twirling away and then back to him.

He catches my hand and pulls me closer this time, and I smirk. He can’t see, but when it comes to my body, his hands become his eyes... and they see very clearly l.

"Why did you tell the men we shouldn’t attack yet?" he asks quietly.

"We’ve been waiting weeks for this moment, Calisí. They’re ready. You said this wedding was our sign." He adds, and I tilted my head, watching him through my lashes.

He looks like art against the sky if a setting sun. He looks ethereal. But then again... my Avaren has always been a beauty.

Even though he gave his eyes for me... it never took his beauty from him. He could burn to ash and those ashes would still twinkle in reverence of the beauty he was...

"Oh, Avaren," I coo, almost pitying him.

"You really do like to rush everything, don’t you?" I add, and he sighs.

"We both know you’ve always been the level-headed one." He replies as we sway, and I smile.

"Of course! How could I forget that?" I reply as I release his hand, spinning once before stopping just close enough to him to whisper,

"The party hasn’t even properly begun yet. What’s the fun in crashing something before it peaks?" I question, and he cocks his head in confusion.

"You mean... we wait because you want to celebrate first?" He teases, and I grin

"Exactly!" I reply, and he groans softly under his breath, and I turn to face the line of cloaked figures standing behind us.

"Tell me," I called to them,

"When was the last time any of you attended a party, had a good laugh and great time?" I push, and there’s a low grumble of laughter... bitter, tired... subtly angry.

"It’s been years," one said.

"Decades," another mutters, and I turn back to Avaren.

"See?" I say brightly, clapping my hands.

"Too long. The people down there are dancing, drinking, laughing, all under the illusion that they are safe. I say we dance a little too. Let their joy sweeten the air before we sour it." I add, and as our people cheer, Avaren shakes his head, though I can see the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

"You’re dangerous when you’re playful," he murmurs, and I smirk as I walk over to him and pull him to myself by his collar.

"I’m always dangerous," I correct softly before locking my lips with his.

"But tonight, I’m merciful. We’ll let them have their pretty lights and laughter for just a while longer." I add, and he scoffs.

"Of course, my heart. Whatever you please." He replies as he wraps an arm around my waist and begins to move again... slowly this time, less like a soldier, more like a man caught between war and wonder.

Tonight, BeastHeaven will pay for all it’s taken from me... from us...

They will bleed and I will drink that red nectar from their goblets

*******

Koda;

My hands won’t stop shaking.

And my heart won’t stop pounding like this about to give up on me.

I’d spent years fighting monsters, leading men, spilling blood without flinching... yet standing here, in front of a mirror, dressed in my wedding attire, I can’t even manage to keep my breathing steady.

My palms were slick with sweat. My throat is dry, and the collar of my ceremonial robe suddenly feels too tight.

"Breathe, Koda," Mother suddenly says behind me, and I turn to look at her as she walks up to me.

Her tone is soft, the same softness that always finds its way through the noise in my head. She stands beside me, and I stare at her reflection in the mirror.

My beautiful mother. Always the picture of calm grace, and gentle authority.

She is clad in a beautiful, silver gown, and her hands are stacked neatly in front of her.

She looks radiant... but... her eyes looked tired.

"You look like you’re afraid to breathe." She teases and she leans up to pinch my cheek, and I smile.

"I am breathing," I mutter, as I nervously tug at my sleeves.

"Just... not very well." I ad, and she smiles faintly before stepping closer.

She brushes my shoulders and straightens the edge of my robe.

"You’ve faced battlefields and dangerous men, Koda. Surely a wedding shouldn’t scare you this much." She nudges and I let out a nervous laugh.

"This is different."

"Oh?"

"This is Ellian, Mom" I confess quietly, as I lower my gaze.

"I’ve thought about this day every single night since the first time he smiled at me. And now that it’s here, I can’t help wondering if I’m enough for him... If... I can love him the way he deserves. Without hurting him..." I add, and her hands which were straightening the trimmings of my robe, stop.

She lets out a soft breath and gently places her hand on my shoulders.

"You already love him right, Koda." She says, and I shake my head in disagreement.

"No, you don’t understand. I don’t just want to be his Alpha... I want to be his home. I want him to look at me and know he’s safe. I want him to wake up every morning and still choose me." I whisper with the scared tremble in my voice and my mother’s golden eyes stare at me in silence, waiting for me to finish.

"I don’t want to repeat the mistakes other Alphas make," I continue.

"I don’t want to rule over Elián or silence him. I never want to make him feel small or caged. I just... I want to protect him, Mother. To build something beautiful. Like you and Father have." I conclude, and her lips curve into a tender smile.

Her eyes however flicker with something else. Something heavy.

"You sound just like your father did on the morning of our wedding," she whispers, and I raise a brow.

"Nervous, stubborn, and full of love." She adds, and I smile. I like hearing about her and Father’s love story.

"And how did you calm him down?" I question, and she looks at me for a long time before answering.

"I didn’t," she says softly, and I raise a brow.

"He calmed me." She continues and something in her voice falters... just slightly... but enough for me to catch it.

"Mom?" I call, deciding to face her fully this time. "What’s wrong?" I ask, and she forces a smile.

"Nothing."

"That doesn’t sound like ’nothing.’" I reply, referring to the tremble in her voice, and she forces a smile and touches my cheek.

"You’re seeing ghosts where there are none, Koda. It’s a mother’s heart... it always worries too much. Especially on nights like this." She says as she tries to reassure me.

Her hand lingers for a moment before she steps back, smoothing the folds of her gown, and I watch her in silence.

"I just want you to remember something," she says softly, as her gentle gaze focuses on me.

"Marriage isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. You will hurt each other sometimes, and you will stumble. But if you love him with your whole heart, that love will always lead you back home." She says with a small smile and I blink at her.

She walks up to me and takes hold of my hands.

"You will protect him. At all costs. The boy loves you and trusts you the most. No one messes with a bear’s cub. He’s your cub now." She says, and something about the way she says these words unnerves me.

Is Elián in some kind of danger??

"Do you understand?" She questions, and I swallow hard before nodding.

"Yes, Mother."

"Good." She smiles again... the soft kind that always made me feel safe.

"Then there’s nothing left to fear." She adds but as she turns to leave, as she walks away... I can sense it... deep down.

Something is wrong.

... very wrong.

Elián... Elián is in some kind of danger isn’t he??

I need to protect him, tonight...