Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 202: You Perfectly Ridiculous Man

Elián

The night’s cool breeze carries through my robe and caresses my skin as I stand on stage. Hundreds of eyes are on me, and I can hear my heart pounding in my ears.

I hate public attention. I’ve always hated it. So now, standing here, I can feel my sweat dripping down my spine and down between my crack!

I hear what almost sounds like someone snickering, and I shut my eyes. Are they laughing at me? Do I look silly in this ceremonial robe?

"What’s that sound?" I question Elien in worry, and his reply causes me to pause.

"It’s the sound of your knees knocking together. Will you calm the fuck down? You look good. It’s your happy day. The people you care about are all happy for you. Enjoy it." He says, and I swallow.

I slowly open my eyes, and I keep my gaze trained on the wooden floor beneath me.

I nervously look up through my lashes, and I see him walking towards me. Koda... my Koda.

Goodness! He looks breathtaking. How can someone look so inviting with clothes on??

His robe is the deepest shade of green, lined with gold threads that shimmer as he moves. The fabric drapes across his broad shoulders perfectly, and his golden eyes glow like fire under the moonlight.

His hair has been pulled back neatly, and around his neck hangs a beautifully threaded purple garland.

He stands tall, with that small, nervous smile, and just then, it hits me all at once: this is real.

We are really doing this... I’m really doing this. I’m getting married!

I’m actually getting married... to a man!!

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d have the courage to do this.

I spent so long hiding my sexuality in the real world, yet here I am, being celebrated by hundreds of people because I am getting married... to a man.

There’s no judgment. No hate... just joy. And staring at Koda’s eyes, I slowly feel my worries melt away.

He smiles and holds out his hands to me, and my hands tremble slightly as I hold mine out to meet his.

The crowd quiets, and suddenly, all I can hear is the sound of crackling torches and the slow beating of the drums.

Koda looks at me like I’m the only thing standing between him and eternity. He looks at me like he would rip out his heart and offer it at my feet if I ever asked.

"You look mesmerising." He whispers with a soft smile, and I feel my knees turn to jelly. It’s one of those smiles that makes the world stop spinning for a second.

"You do too," I whisper back in a voice that doesn’t even sound like mine, and he chuckles softly at my nervousness.

I feel my cheeks heat up as I look away from him, and some of the people watching us in the crowd giggle.

"Elián," he suddenly begins, and I look back up at him.

"When I met you, I didn’t know what true peace was. I had walls... and you had pastures for me to see. Somehow, you took my hands and showed me that there was so much freedom I hadn’t let myself explore. The freedom that peace and pure joy bring..." He adds with his voice deep and soft, and I blink at him as I feel fuzzy warmth begin to blossom up my chest and throat.

"You’ve proven to be much more than I ever expected, Elián. You’ve given warmth to my once frozen heart. You’ve crushed every wall I ever held up." He continues, and I feel tears begin to sting the sides of my eyes as I stare at him.

"I vow," he breathes, and I feel my throat tighten in a build of emotions.

"To never let those walls rise again. I vow to be your strength when the world feels too heavy... To protect you with every breath I have in me." He adds, and my vision blurs with tears.

He exhales slowly, and I stare down at his hands, which are trembling just a little as he takes mine.

"You once told me that my heart was too big for the world," he says, and I blink at him.

I did say that. I never expected him to remember, though. It was a random, although honest, statement during one of our conversations.

"You weren’t wrong, Elián. My heart was never made for the... it was made for you." He adds, and I feel my throat tighten.

My eyes sting, and although I know I should say something too, I almost can’t speak. His thumb brushes the back of my hand, and a tear escapes my eyes, and somehow, that small touch pulls me back together.

"Koda," I whisper, my voice barely stable.

I swallow and take a deep breath as articulating my thoughts has suddenly become a problem.

"When I think of you, I think of the sound of the sea after a storm. Quiet. Safe. Endless. I think of warmth, of strength, of every reason I’ve ever wanted to stay alive." I whisper before drawing a slow breath and smiling through the tears threatening to pour.

"You are my home. You always will be. And I will love you, in every life I get the chance to." I conclude, and the crowd cheers, like I just proclaimed years of bountiful harvest.

The music swells, and Koda’s hands tighten around mine. His smile widens, and that boyish spark flickers in his eyes, causing me to smile at him.

Oh, how I love this man.

"I almost forgot," he says, and I raise a brow.

"I have something for you."

He nods to Rowan, and Rowan hurries over to him with a small wooden box in his hand. Koda takes it carefully and opens it in front of me.

Inside it is resting on a strip of red cloth, is a ring.

It’s silver... looks hand-forged, slightly uneven...and mounted on it is a...

Is that a rock??

I blink up at Koda and then back at the ring as he proudly pulls it out, takes my hand and slides the thing onto my finger.

I stare at the stone, and my brain scrambles in static.

It’s not a gemstone. Not a crystal.

But a rock. An actual, fat piece of rock. About the size of a small walnut, heavy and shiny.

For a moment, I just stare at it. Wondering what the hell it’s meant to symbolise, and then, it all comes at me.

"Well... I’ll get him a ring with a big ass rock. So even from miles away, any who sees it on his hand will know that he’s taken."

I look back up at Koda, and my jaw drops. I had told this to Queen Cassia weeks ago while rambling. Now I see she was just gathering intel for Koda.

I thought she understood what I meant, but now... standing here, and watching Koda smile proudly as he presents me with an actual rock, it dawns on me...

They didn’t understand me.

None of them did.

They took me literally.

And for some reason... that realisation hits me like sunlight.

Before I can stop myself, I start laughing. Softly at first, then harder...until I’m doubled over, clutching my stomach, unable to breathe.

Everyone pauses, and although I know I should probably stop, I can’t for the life of me stop laughing!!!

Koda looks utterly confused, and Queen Cassia and him share worried glances.

"Elian?" he whispers, taking a step closer to me.

"Did I...did I do something wrong?"

His question only makes me laugh harder. I wave my hand frantically, with tears slipping down my cheeks.

"No! No, God, no!" I manage to breathe between fits of laughter.

"You...oh, Koda, you beautiful, ridiculous man... You did perfectly." I wheeze, and the crowd murmurs in confusion, and Koda’s frown in worry.

"Then why are you..." He begins, but I cut him off.

"Because..." I speak, lifting my finger which has the ring, as my voice trembles from laughter,

"I once told Mother I’d get you a ring with a big-ass rock, and..." I giggle again, clutching my chest, "and you actually did it." I speak, and there’s a pause.

Koda’s lips twitch as he blinks at me.

"The rock... isn’t big enough?" Koda then questions in a defeated tone, and I almost crumble to the ground in laughter.

"No, Koda," King Wilhelm suddenly speaks.

"I think he meant a gemstone. The boy was talking about a gemstone. Not an actual rock." He adds, and as realisation dawns on Koda, my vision blurs from laughter.

"Really?" He questions, and I struggle to catch my breath.

I nod slowly, and for a moment, he just stares at me. Then, surprisingly, he starts laughing too.

His deep, warm laughter echoes across the space, and soon the crowd begins to laugh as well.

Even Queen Cassia shakes her head, muttering something about my strange vocabulary.

When the laughter finally dies down, Koda takes my hand again, eyes shining with amusement and happiness.

"Well," he says softly,

"You have your big-ass rock now." He teases, and I grin, staring at the ring on my finger.

"And I’ll cherish it forever," I whisper.

"Because it came from you," I add, and as our eyes meet, the world fades away.

When he leans in to kiss me, it feels like the universe finally exhales.

The crowd erupts in cheers, petals fall from all over, and drums begin to sound like happy elves are dancing on them.

In this perfect, golden moment... everything is perfect. Just right.

Until the wind changes.

It starts softly... a faint rustle through the trees. Then, one by one, the torches flicker.

The music slowly dies down as the air grows colder, and people start muttering.

I pull back slightly, frowning in wonder and just then, a heavy mist begins to roll across the ground.

Covering the people’s feet like a living thing.

The whispers grow, and my heart sinks when the moon vanishes behind a thick, grey cloud.

This is not just fog. It feels... dark... wicked... wrong. Very wrong...

"Koda," I whisper in fear as I clutch his hand tightly ", Do you feel that?" I whisper, and his eyes narrow as he stares into the crowd as if looking for the source of the fog.

"Yes." He replies, and I gulp.

Whatever peace we just celebrated. Whatever happiness we just shared... It suddenly feels like it has all come to an end.