Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 231: One Of You Two

Zephan;

Zerana didn’t let us stay with Elián after giving him the news.

She ordered us to follow her, and despite how much I wanted to be sure Elián was okay, I obeyed.

She closed the door behind us with a quiet click and then turned to us.

Her expression was calm...too calm. The kind of calm that meant bad news was coming, and she was preparing for our reaction.

What is it now?

"Come with me," she whispers, and Zethar and I exchange a glance before following her.

She doesn’t speak until she’s led us down a side corridor... one of the quieter ones that leads to her workspace.

The walls muffle most sound, and the faint scent of herbs lingers in the air.

Only when she is sure we are alone does she turn around to face us.

Her eyes soften... compassionate, but serious, and it makes my throat go dry.

"You two need to listen carefully," she begins, folding her hands in front of her.

"Now that it’s almost certain Elián is pregnant, caring for him is no longer a simple matter of food and rest." She informs, and my stomach lurches.

I had known this conversation was coming, but knowing we’re about to have it makes everything feel heavier.

"It is not unusual for an omega to require their alpha intensely during pregnancy. Their bodies crave the father’s pheromones for stability, comfort, hormonal balance... even their emotional regulation depends on it." She adds, and I listen closely.

"Are you going to tell the Father? When is he coming? Will he be able to be present?" She asks, and Zethar and I look at each other.

"Actually... we’re not sure the Father will be able to make it... just yet. Things are a bit... messy right now." He replies, and Zerana listens in silence while nodding slowly.

"Hmm," She hums, and I watch her brow knot as she presses her fist to her chin in thought while her eyes dance over the floor.

"If the father is not here, and it may take some time for him to come... There are things we must consider." She begins, but pauses. A pause that makes the back of my neck prickle.

"If the father cannot be present," she says slowly, "One of you will have to mark Elián." She finally blurts, and Zethar audibly chokes beside me.

Suddenly coughing like her words are water that went down the wrong pipe.

I, on the other hand, blink hard as my heartbeat stutters.

"Mark... mark him?" I ask, unsure if I heard correctly, and Zerana lifts a calming hand.

"Not permanently. Not a bond mark. I would never ask that so lightly. I mean a temporary bond... a pseudo-mark." She replies, and I let out a slow breath I didn’t even know I was holding.

"What I’m suggesting is a temporary mark that will let your pheromones stand in for the father’s. It will soothe his system, stabilise his pregnancy, and shield the child. His body needs it...badly. If we do nothing, he will constantly struggle, emotionally and physically." She continues, and I shut my eyes and run a hand over my face.

"What exactly does it... involve?" I ask in building worry, and she shrugs.

"A bite," she replies, like this is an all too simple task.

"Not deep enough to bond. But deep enough for your pheromones to imprint on him. Think of it as lending him the presence of an alpha when he needs one most." She adds as her gaze flicks between Zethar and me, and I look up at my brother, who’s gone silent.

"You two must decide who will do it." She says, and Zethar immediately takes one step back.

"No," he says loudly. Too loud, like his voice betrayed his heart.

"Absolutely not." He adds, and I raise a brow while Zerana just stares at him.

"No?" I repeat, and he nods at me.

"I’m not doing it." He says firmly, like it’s a closed conversation, but I can’t help but hear something else beneath his voice... something fragile.

"Pick anyone else. You can put me outside, guarding the door. Make me carry him around the damn kingdom if you want. But I’m not marking him." He adds stubbornly, and slowly, I begin to understand.

"Why are you so against it?" Zerana asks in gentle confusion, and Zethar scoffs and looks away as he rubs the back of his neck.

He is trying to play it off with a ’playful’ grin, but the smile doesn’t even reach his eyes.

"Because everything I care about dies. I don’t know how Zephan has survived this long., he says, too casually for how much pain is woven into those words.

"Every person I’ve ever gotten close to... is gone. So no. I’m not putting my teeth on Elián and risking something happening to him because of... whatever curse I’ve got stuck to my ass." He adds, and my heart breaks.

This also has to do with Maruck, doesn’t it?

"Zetha..." I try to reach out to him, but he shakes his head stubbornly.

"I’ll protect him. Feed him. Watch him. Fight for him. I’ll even tuck him into bed if that’s what he needs. But I’m not marking him. I’m not bringing my bad luck anywhere near his neck." He adds, and I pause.

He isn’t joking.

I can tell.

His voice has that hollow undertone... that same one he uses whenever he talks about our mother. Marruck. Or... anyone he’s lost.

Zerana studies him quietly and doesn’t push.

"Very well," she says softly.

"Then Zephan will be the one to mark him. Your pheromones won’t be as strong as the Father’s, but it’s the closest we can get." She adds, turning to me, and my heart skips a beat.

I opened my mouth and then closed it again.

Part of me is terrified of hurting Elian by bringing this up, but another part of me is terrified of failing him if I refuse.

I shouldn’t be worried, right? Elián is going to tell Koda, and then a Koda will come. I wouldn’t have to mark him... at least not for long... right?

I nod in agreement, and Zerana exhales, but she doesn’t look relieved. If anything, her expression grows even more serious.

"There is one more thing you need to know." She whispers, and Zethar groans dramatically.

"Oh, fuck..."

Zerana raises a finger to stop him, and Zethar sighs.

"Pregnant omegas," she begins carefully as if walking on eggshells, and I raise a brow.

"Pregnant omegas, what?" I ask in worry, and she sighs.

"Pregnant Omegas become... extremely aroused." She says, and I freeze.

"...extremely?" I ask, just to be sure, and Zethar scoffs in amusement beside me with his hands on his waist.

How have both of us been completely clueless about Omega pregnancies!??

"Yes," she replies, and my jaw drops.

"Their bodies become hypersensitive. Their pheromones fluctuate. Their nesting instincts intensify. Elián will likely... struggle. Physically. He’ll need constant touch, warmth and... He’s going to be generally sexually needy... after some time." She explains, and my ears burned.

Zerana sighs sympathetically as she runs the back of her neck.

"Since the father is not here... the two of you will have to manage that problem yourselves." She whispers, and my jaw drops just as Zethar’s eyes widen.

They grow so wide I’m afraid they’d fall out. I think mine did the same.

"I don’t know how you’ll handle it," she adds quickly, lifting both hands.

"That part is not my department. I simply needed to warn you." She adds, but all she gets is silence.

Thick, mortified silence... until Zethar slowly turns to me.

"I’m not doing that either," he says, and I turn to him with my face falling.

"I assumed." I deadpan, and he presses his lips into a thin line.

There’s no way Zethar will have sex with Elián while the boy is pregnant. Doing that goes against our every attempt to protect the baby.

His disagreement on this one is something I actually support.

Zerana suddenly claps her hands once, decisive.

"Good. Then you two can figure out the details later. Elián must not feel abandoned or overwhelmed during this time. His emotional state affects the child. Your presence will matter more than anything." She informs us as she brushes her hands down her robe and starts walking away.

Zethar and I remain standing there, shell-shocked.

After a long moment, he mutters...

"Well... congratulations, brother. You’re now a part-time temporary Father, part-time emotional support, and part-time..." He pauses.

"...I don’t even know how to complete that sentence." He adds, and I sigh while pressing my fingers to my forehead.

This...

This is going to be one hell of a ride...