Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 208: Aunt Selthía

Zephan;

My arms are aching, but I can’t stop holding him.

I haven’t used the portals since I was a little boy, but I had to use one today. Getting to Nagari from Gravemaw is a journey that would have taken days, and I don’t have such luxury of time.

Elián has been passed out cold since last night, and I need to get him proper help as soon as possible.

I stare at my home’s castle gates as we get closer to it. We’ve only gotten to Nagari by now because of the portals that only respond to Nagarians.

Portals conjured with magic.

Magic ought to belong to just witches and warlocks.

Hundreds of years ago, some beastmen found magic. The source of magic, as they like to call it. They wanted to master magic. To harness it. Have it flowing through their veins, and be masters of it.

Their wish could be granted, but magic always comes with a price.

In exchange for such terrifying power, those beast men had to sacrifice their beasts. Their beast cores, and the cores of their children alike.

They became powerful, but beastless creatures. That’s why every witch or warlock has no beasts.

They should have been the only ones with access to magic, but my people... being exactly what we are... snakes...

Our ancestors found ways to channel some magic. Gain some of it. Enough to create things like our portals and so many other magical contraptions.

Strong enough to help us, but not enough that we’d have to give up their beasts.

I’m hoping on that magic now. Hoping that somehow, aunt Selthía has some magic or something that can help Elián.

I look down at the boy whose cold skin is pressing against my bare chest, his breathing is shallow.

He hasn’t moved since he collapsed.

Is he okay?

The carriage pulls to a stop, and I push the door open.

I curl out of the carriage with Elián still in my arms. I begin to slither up the stairs leading to the entrance of the castle, but stop when the doors burst open.

Aunt Selthía appears at the top of the stairs, her figure draped in an easy but graceful white dress.

She takes in the state I’m in with her narrowed, golden eyes. She doesn’t run to me, doesn’t gasp, doesn’t act like this is the first time she’s seeing me in years.

She just stands there, silent.

Her eyes flick to my tail. Particularly to where I was wounded last night.

I see worry flood her eyes, but it’s only for the briefest moment...so brief I almost doubt it.

Her chest rises sharply in relief when she sees I’m unharmed, but she says nothing to me. I’m sure she can sense some of my wounds.

Elián healed the major one. But the others are still scattered along my body and tail.

"Call the physician," she says flatly to one of her aides. Her voice doesn’t shake as she gives this command. It never does. Never in worry, never in concern.

The woman bows to my aunt and hurries away, leaving the two of us standing there at the entrance of the castle.

I tighten my grip on Elián as I stare at my aunt. I know she may not care much about me, but I don’t have the patience to wait for a physician to check Elián. She needs to do something.

"He’s not waking up," I inform her with my voice breaking.

"He’s...he’s breathing, but he won’t..." I continue, but she cuts me off

"Bring him inside. You’ll only make things worse if you keep trembling like that."

Her words sting more than they should, but I should be used to it by now. I obey silently as I slither up the rest of the stairs with Elián in my arms.

The air inside the castle smells like her. Gentle, cold, magical and silently dangerous.

I make my way through the partly dark castle to my room.

I lay Elián down on my bed, and as I stare at his sweaty face, I gently brush a stray strand of hair from his face.

His skin is pale, but warm now...too warm compared to how cold he was just seconds ago.

Maybe that’s a good sign? I don’t know anymore.

When I turn back, Aunt Selthía is at the entrance of my room watching me with that same distant expression she always wears.

Cold, and composed. However, when my eyes flick to her hands, I understand what’s going on. At least a part of it.

She’s worried about me.

Her hands are gripping onto each other tightly before her. Her knuckles are white, and it’s obvious she’s trying not to shake.

"You’re hurt," she says finally, as her eyes flick over me again.

"I’m fine," I mutter.

"He needs help more than I do," I add, and her gaze lingers on me for a long time.

"You’ve always had this habit." She says, and I blink at her.

The tone of her voice was not affectionate. Neither was it full of concern... But it was something.

Before I can speak, a slender young woman rushes past Aunt Selthía and into the room.

Aunt Selthía spares me just a glance but she doesn’t speak another word to me.

She turns around, with her dress dragging across the marble floor as she walks off.

I watch her go, and swallow the ache that rises in my throat as the woman who has my mother’s face walks away from me.

This is why I hate coming home. She never says she’s glad I’m alive. Neither does she say she wishes I were dead. She never asks if I’m scared, nor does she praise me when I try to be brave.

If she loves or hates me... I do not know.

She’ll never admit it.

And somehow, that uncertainty hurts more than the confession of her hating Zethar and I might.