Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 243: "King"

Rhydian;

"Gravemaw is wounded, Father. Bleeding from something you clearly know about." I add before taking a breath as my chest suddenly feels too tight.

"Instead of helping, you’re just going to avoid the problem? You’re going to abandon Koda!? He needs you! Your sons need you!" I scold, and he sighs as he opens his eyes.

"Koda doesn’t want me near him." He replies, and I scoff.

"And why is that?!" I demand, as I already know Koda has been avoiding him, but why!??

My voice echoes through the empty corridor, and Father flinches.

He Flinches!!

Since when does Father flinch!?

"Something happened," I say plainly.

"Something you’re hiding. It’s poisoning this family from the inside. And if you don’t speak up, if you don’t face it... Everything will crumble irredeemably." I whisper, and silence falls upon us.

The night wind carries gently. Whispering sweet nothings of comfort just beneath its coolness as it travels through our clothes and around us.

I look back out at Gravemaw from the balcony, and I feel my heart crack harder. If I look hard enough, I can see movement... people, families, workers... Everyone fighting to stand back up.

Except the king.

"We need you, Father..." I whisper with all the helplessness I feel, and then he moves.

Turning away from me, and staring back at the Kingdom waiting for its parents’ embrace.

"You wouldn’t understand." He whispers, and my grip on the railings tightens as I glare at him.

Anger burns up and consumes all the gentleness I previously felt.

"I’m your son. Try me."

He, however, shakes his head in negation as he also holds on to the railing.

"It’s complicated." He replies, and light knows I’m so close to screaming.

"You’re making it complicated!" I roar.

"Fuck, Father! Speak! For once in your life, let someone help you!" I scream further, and he turns to look at me like I’ve smacked him across the face.

Why is he looking at me like that!? What did he expect? That I would pat his back while he lets this kingdom rot?

I drag a hand through my hair and start hopelessly pacing.

My voice drops, but it’s sharper. Deadlier.

"You’re the king," I state.

"In case you’ve forgotten, Father. You’re the king. Whether you like it or not, BeastHeaven needs you. Gravemaw needs you. We need you. And you’re standing here letting your grief eat you alive. You’re standing here spitting on every lesson you’ve ever taught us!" I speak, and I notice how he stiffened when I mentioned grief.

He looks at me and knows that I saw it, so he looks away.

I walk closer to him and pull him. I stand in front of him and glare into his eyes.

"You told us to be strong men. To lead with courage. To never turn our backs on the people under us." I speak, and he swallows.

"So be the man you taught us to be," I add, and with each word, I poke his chest with my finger.

"I don’t care if you don’t want to open up. If you don’t want anyone to help you. Fine. But don’t pull this kingdom down with you. Get your balls off the ice, and LEAD." I add, and he blinks at me.

I’m not asking. Not begging. That was a command.

He gently pushes me away and steps back.

"Don’t you get it, boy? I can’t right now. I ruin everything. I’m the reason the people are suffering." He croaks, and my stomach twists.

I stare at him... really stare at him, and my heart shatters. This isn’t the king I grew up with.

This isn’t the man who faced armies, who stood against storms, who raised five sons to be warriors and leaders.

This is someone drowning.

"Father," I call softly with my voice cracking again as I move closer to him,

"That’s not true. BeastHeaven has thrived under you for so many years. if you don’t step up now... Koda will collapse under the pressure. I will collapse. Lioran... everyone will collapse. The kingdom you have built with your sweat and blood will collapse as well. Is that what you want?" I speak softer now... begging.

He doesn’t look at me. Not even once.

Anger lashes through me so hot, I suddenly feel any to hurt him.

I slam my fist into the stone pillar beside him, and he jerks.

"For the love of the goddess, BE A MAN!" I scream, and with that, he finally looks up at me with wide eyes.

His eyes are red. Wet. Haunted. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

He’s not just suffering. He’s breaking.

And I suddenly realise... He might not recover from this if someone doesn’t force him to.

But I’m tired too.

Tired of carrying this to hold us all up while he hides like a coward.

I step back, breathing hard.

"If you won’t help us... if you won’t help your own sons... then I don’t know what to do with you." I breathe, and his mouth opens like he wants to say something... an apology, a confession, anything.

But nothing comes out.

Nothing.

I give a bitter laugh as the only option is breaking down in frustrated tears, and that’s not a path I wish to venture.

"You trained us to lead kingdoms. Congratulations, Father. We’re doing it!" I laugh harder, and he flinches again.

"And you?" I whisper.

"You’re running. Like a coward... a weakling... a disgrace." I spit, and his jaw drops.

"Don’t worry. Hide. Drown. Cower on your throne. You need more bottles? I’ll have them sent to you by morning. We’ll do your job for you... king." I add, calling the last word as a slur, and his jaw drops.

Before he can get the chance to respond, I push past him.

I walk away.

I don’t look back even when I hear the bottle fall from his hand... hitting the stone.

I don’t turn when I hear his uneven breathing, or the choking gasp he tries to muffle.

I don’t look at the king, or the broken man inside him.

Because if I do... I might stop seeing him as a father entirely... But as a disappointment.

So I walk. I walk until his stench of alcohol no longer follows me.

I walk until I’m certain he can not hear the sobs escaping me.

I just keep walking. Because if I stop, even for a moment...

I might break too.