Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 216: Where Is He!?

Koda;

I wake up to the sound of breathing.

Not my own... someone else’s. Sharp, uneven... worried.

My eyes peel open, heavy and slow, as if crust has dried over my lids during my unconsciousness. I stare at the light filtering through the woven cracks of my hut’s ceiling.

I sigh, and when I drop my gaze, the first thing I see is... a knee. Bouncing up and down nonstop.

My gaze drags upward, and I blink the blur away until Rhydian’s face comes into focus. He’s sitting beside my bed, elbows on his knees, his fingers knitted so tightly his knuckles are pale, and his jaw is locked.

His leg is still bouncing uncontrollably, and I can tell that his mind is miles away.

He looks worried. About a lot of things. How long has he been in here waiting for me to wake up?

Was he scared I wouldn’t make it?

I feel tears prick my eyes as I stare at him. My kind instantly replaces this image of him right now with the little, energetic boy who followed me everywhere I went.

He has the brightest smile and the knack for mischief. He’d cause trouble with Father and run behind me to hide from Father.

He’s changed so much over the years, but he’s still my little brother.

I remember the fear I felt when I saw him get wounded during the fight. I was so scared. I thought I’d never see him again.

A soft, shaky breath escapes me before I can stop it. Thank the goddess. He’s alive. He’s whole. He’s here with me.

Relief flows through me so fast it’s dizzying. I just stare at his worried face for a moment, letting myself feel the relief. Letting myself breathe it in gratitude of my brother’s survival.

I don’t know what I would have done if I lost any of them. My brothers... all four of them. They’re my younger ones.

I cared for them and helped them adjust to Father’s ways when they first got to the capital. They’re my brothers, and I would give my life to protect them if it ever came to it.

I shut my eyes, and the second that relief washes away, something else slams into me.

A realisation. A presence that should be here but isn’t.

Elián.

Where...

Where is...

I jolt upright so fast that pain stabs down my spine. Rhydian flinches as his eyes fly up to me.

"Koda?" He calls, but I’m already breathing too fast as fear grabs every inch of my system.

"Where..." I begin, but my voice cracks.

"Where is he? Where’s Elián? Rhydian, where...what...what happened? Is he okay? Why isn’t he here?" I demand as my thoughts riot... slamming against each other, and tangling into one mess until I can barely hear myself through the pounding in my chest.

"Why isn’t he here? Did something happen to him? Is... is something wrong?" I begin to breathe hard as I try to get out of bed, but Rhydian rushes over to me.

"Koda, hey...hey, breathe." He says as he grabs my shoulders. His hands are warm, steady...

"Calm down." He begs, but I snap.

"I can’t!" I growl as I shove his hands away without meaning to.

"Where is Elián? Why isn’t he here? Why is his scent gone? Why...why does it feel like..."

Like something is tearing inside me.

Like a thread binding the two of us has been stretched too far, pulled too thin...

Rhydian raises his hands slowly, carefully, like he’s backing away from a wild animal.

"Koda. Listen to me." He veins, and I feel my heart ramming against my ribs.

"Father sent him away." He informs me, and I freeze while Rhydian swallows.

"He sent Elián to Nagari. With Zephan." He adds, and the room tilts. Not fully...just enough for the world to feel off-balance.

"Nagari..." I breathe.

"He sent him to Nagari?"

"To protect him," Rhydian interjects, and I blink at him.

"Father didn’t want to risk the witches and warlocks circling back and finding Elián still here." He says as his voice lowers.

"He’s safe there. Zephan doesn’t let anything happen to people he takes responsibility for... and Nagari’s magic should keep them safe till we have a solid plan." He adds, and I press a hand to my chest, trying to slow my breathing.

Nagari. Elián is at Nagari.

Safe. Protected.

He should be fine.

He should be.

But...

My throat closes, and my fingers curl into the sheets.

"Rhydian... something’s wrong," I state, and his brow furrows.

"I know he’s safe. I know he’s with Zephan, I know witches won’t reach him there for now." I speak my worry, and my voice breaks in the process.

"But something inside me keeps dragging me toward him. Keeps clawing at me. Like something is pulling, stretching...like I’m supposed to be there with him. Right now." I confess as I stare at Rhydian.

This is beyond a mate pull. I feel reckless. My beast is being overprotective. On edge because he doesn’t have Elián within his line of sight.

What is this?? Why am I feeling so dishevelled!? Elián is safe. I should be relieved, but instead...

"Koda..." Rhydian begins, but before he gets the chance to say, I’m being paranoid, I speak.

"I feel like he’s in danger," I whisper.

"Not danger someone can see. Not a danger someone can explain. Just... something. Something’s off. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t... I can’t sit here knowing he’s somewhere else and I can’t reach him. What if something happens? What if he needs me?" I speak with my eyes stinging.

Rhydian looks away for a second, jaw clenching. For the first time since I woke up... he looks scared too.

"Do you think something happened to him?" he asks quietly, and I swallow.

"I don’t know," I whisper.

"I just know I need to be with him," I add, and the silence that follows is thick. Heavy. Full of things neither of us wants to say.

After a long moment, I swing my legs off the bed.

"Koda." Rhydian calls as he instantly closes the gap between us.

"What are you doing?" He probes, and I sigh.

"I’m going to talk to Mother."

His eyes widen, and I pause in confusion.

"Koda... no. I don’t think that’s a good idea right now." He says, and I blink at him.

What?? Since when is seeking my mother’s advice a bad idea?

"Why not?" I demand, and Rhydian hesitates.

"Rhydian," I call slowly.

"Why is it a bad idea to go to my mother?" I question as fear slowly starts swallowing me from my fingertips

He exhales shakily, raking a hand through his hair.

"She..." He begins, but stops to swallow.

"She doesn’t want to see anyone right now." Replies, and I raise a brow

"That doesn’t answer the question," I state, and Rhydian sighs.

"She..." He begins, and as his voice drops to almost nothing, my fear spikes.

"Rhydian, what’s wrong with my mother!?" I scream, and he answers without missing a beat.

"She lost her beast."

Everything in me stops.

The air freezes, and even my heartbeat goes silent for a second.

"What?" I breathe.

Rhydian looks at the floor as if afraid to meet my gaze.

"During the attack. She jumped in the way to protect Elián from one of the destructive spells cast at him. It hit her and ate away at her beast core before Father could revive her." His voice cracks faintly.

"They say the damage is irreversible." He concludes, and I stay frozen.

My lips part, but no sound comes out.

Mother... Lost her beast?

That means... She can’t shift anymore.

She can’t fight the way she used to.

She can barely feel half of what made her who she is???

"Koda," Rydian whispers,

"She’s not... she’s not herself right now. She hasn’t spoken to Father. And has refused to see anyone. Not even her aide. She isn’t responding to anyone." He informs, and a cold ache blooms in my chest.

My mother is... broken in a way no healer can fix.

"I need to see her," I say softly, and Rhydian closes his eyes.

"I know."

When he opens them again, there’s no anger. No frustration. Just the same fear gnawing at me.

"Take me to her." I plead, and he nods once before moving back.

"I’ll take you."