Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 224: Here When You Need Me

Zephan;

I stand in front of my room, debating whether to knock or not. I’m a prince, and yet... somehow... I always lose my strength for thoughts around him.

And I swear, over time, it’s only gotten worse. His smile is disarming, his laughter heart-stopping, and just being around him feels... like a privilege. How can anyone be like that??

He has no idea how much power he holds, and it’s... well, it’s intriguing... To find myself trembling like this at the thought of facing him.

I’m so worried about making him feel scared or uneasy, I’m not sure I can even really be myself.

He’s been adjusting well here. I don’t want to do something that’ll ruin that.

Hopefully, he’ll be asleep already like he was last night. That way, I can sleep on the couch again and get out of his hair before he wakes up.

...I know I have to talk to him about the things that happened that night... I have so many questions about how he healed me, and all.. But now doesn’t seem like the right time.

I’ll wait.

Knocking will make things weird. And could wake him up if he’s already sleeping. I’ll just...

I open the door quietly, but I freeze when I see Elián sitting on my bed...well, his bed for now, I suppose.

He’s not sleeping??

He looks up at me, and I hold my breath.

Fuck.

His legs are crossed, he’s hugging a pillow to his chest, his hair is a messy, makeshift bird nest on his head...

He looks like he’s been... waiting... or worrying.

He looked so small on the bed. So breakable... So precious.

Is this tiny little lad really pregnant?

I mean, he’s not so small... but he doesn’t look big enough to have a baby... We thought we’d have gotten him to fatten up significantly before then...

"Hey," I whisper slowly as I shut the door behind me, and as soon as I speak, his shoulders relax.

"You’re back." He nods, and I note as I take cautious steps into the room.

"I thought I’d find you asleep," I speak, but stop when I realise how that sounds.

I probably sound like a pervert who wanted to...

"I didn’t mean it like..." I begin, but he cuts me off while fiddling with the pillow.

"I, um... I didn’t know if I could sleep yet. I keep thinking too much." He says, and I pause.

I walk over to the bed in worry as I study him.

"What’s the matter? Do you feel sick? Any dizziness?" I question, and he shakes his head in disagreement.

"No... I’m fine." He replies, and my eyes narrow.

From what I’m seeing... He isn’t fine. I know him too well to miss the subtle changes... his scent, his sudden sensitivity... I can see these changes, but he doesn’t know what any of it means yet. And until I am sure... until we are sure... I don’t want to frighten him.

He takes a breath and looks up at me with those big, innocent eyes.

"Where will you sleep?" He questions, and I blink, caught off guard.

This is what he’s worried about?

"Where will I...? Oh." I begin, and he just blinks at me, waiting for an answer.

Wait. He doesn’t think I want to take advantage of him... does he?

I let out a breath and rub the back of my neck before pointing at the couch in the corner of the room.

"There. On the couch... Like I did last night." I reply, and he pauses. A small frown forms on his face like he doesn’t like the idea, and I raise a brow in confusion.

"But this is your room..." He says, and I pause, trying to find what that has to do with this.

"And you’re my priority," I reply, and his lips part.

"If you need something in the night, I want to be close enough to hear you. And with you here with me, I can be constantly assured that you’re safe and doing okay." I add, and I watch under the soft lighting of my room as his cheeks turn pink... then red.

"Zephan, you don’t have to..." He begins, but I sigh.

"I do," I cut him off, and he stares at me in silence.

"Let me take care of you... Please." I add in a plea, and he looks down at the pillow, with his fingers tightening around the fabric.

"Okay," he whispers, and I smile.

"If you insist..." He mumbles further, and I let out a small breath in relief.

"Thank you," I reply, and he stares up at me through his lashes.

He’s so cute, I want to nibble on him!! Is that weird??

Fuck, I’d better get away from him before I do something weird.

Just as I turn around to leave, I hear sounds, and before I can turn back, I feel a tug on my arm. I look down and find his small fingers holding onto me.

"Zephan?" He calls in a voice so soft and small, I feel my heart skip a beat.

I look down at him and find him looking up at me, with those eyes as beautiful as red zircon stones looking up at me. I take a deep breath as I turn back to look at him, and I see worry bleed into his eyes. The worry he’s been hiding all this time.

"Are the people in Gravemaw... do you think they’re okay?" He croaks, and I freeze.

Ah... of course he’d still be thinking about this. Who wouldn’t?.

I quietly lower myself onto the edge of the bed so we are at eye level. He keeps his hand on mine... small, warm and trembling slightly.

I smile as I gently brush his hair back, and I watch his lips push forward a little as he sits beside me.

"Queen Cassia, Koda... Rhydian.. Alana... Seun, Anwil... Everybody, Zephan. I... Do.. They’re okay... right?" He asks again, and my smile grows.

"Yes. I think they’re okay." I reply, and I see some relief wash over him.

"You do?" He replies, and I nod, as I gently pinch his cheek.

"We Ashfangs..." I say softly as I take his hands and stare at the ring Koda gave him on their wedding night.

"We’re much stronger than we look. Stubborn. Hard to kill. We’ve survived worse storms than this." I say, and a small smile splits his face.

"And you? You’re an Ashfang now. Iron blood." I say to him as I gently nudge his arm, and his smile grows.

"Iron blood..." He whispers, and I grin.

"Elian, Gravemaw may have been attacked, but the people? Our people? They’re fighters. Not so easy to snuff out. Especially not with a Queen like Cassia." I add, and he nods slowly as tears flood his eyes. I wipe them off, and he chuckles lightly as he leans into my touch.

"Thank you," he whispers, and something inside my chest melts entirely.

I don’t even think before leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. It’s not lustful... or starved. It’s just... I don’t know... a wordless way for me to tell him that... That I love him? That I care? That I’ll... That I’ll always be here for him if he needs me, and I hope... I really do hope that eventually.. Somehow, he will learn to trust me...

When I pull back, Elián is staring at me, stunned, with his lips parted.

I cleared my throat, suddenly aware of how sudden that must have been for him.

"I..I’ll step out for a moment. I need to check with Zerana about something." I stutter, and he tilts his head as he blinks at me.

"About what?"

"You," I answer honestly, and his face turns red.

"Zephan..."

"It’s not bad," I reassured him. "I just want to make sure you’re okay."

He holds my gaze for a while, and then nods.

"Okay."

I start to stand, but Elián tugs at my arm again... this time firmer.

"Zephan."

I stop, and he smiles at me.

"I’m... I’m glad you’re here." He whispers in a voice that is small but honest.

"Everything that’s happened...It’s a lot. But you and Zethar make me feel less alone." He adds, and my chest tightens. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

I sit back down fully, turning to face him properly.

"Elián... I know I’ve been a jerk in the past..." I begin, almost completely flustered, and he lets out a tiny laugh.

"Like that time you forced a virginity check on me?" He asks, and I wince.

"Yes. That. Among other things." I reply, and he scoffs.

"It feels like ages ago," he said with a nervous smile.

"So much has changed since then." He adds, and my gaze drops to my hands.

"So much," I agreed quietly.

"Look how far we’ve come..." I add, and the words that follow the silence almost turn me to stone.

"I trust you, Zephan." His vice was so soft I almost missed it.

Those words...

Those impossible, dangerous words...

I stare at him in shock, and he smiles at me before leaning closer to me.

"I trust you, Zephan." He whispers again, and I gulp.

"I...I won’t let that trust go to waste." I whisper honestly to him, and his smile grows.

"It feels like it." He whispers, and I smile fully this time.

I stand up again... slowly, reluctantly... this time, and as I try to step away, his fingers descend my arm and catch my wrist.

He doesn’t pull me back, but he doesn’t let go either.

"Will you come back?" he questions with his voice nearly trembling, and I blink at him..

"Always," I whisper. "I’ll always come back to you," I add, and he pouts.

To my surprise, he gets on his knees and holds out his hands to me. I lean down to him, and he holds my face and presses a kiss to my forehead.

"I’ll be waiting." He says, and I nod.

"If you need anything, I’ll be here before you can even finish calling my name," I speak, and he nods as he takes hold of a pillow with a shy smile curving his lips.

"Okay."

I walk toward the door, but before I leave, I look back one more time.

As I stare at him, something deep in my chest whispers...

Mine.

I shut the door gently before the thought can grow too loud.

But the truth has already carved itself onto me... I am not just protecting him... I’m falling for him.

Hard.

Too hard.

And suddenly, the only thing more terrifying than losing him... is the possibility that fate has given me a second chance to do things right this time.

I... I need to make it worth it.