Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 272: Asa

Elián;

My feet barely touch the steps as I fly down the staircase.

Pregnant or not, tired or not, lightheaded or not—

I am a missile with one target: Alana.

Zephan’s panicked shout echoes down the stairwell:

"Elian, you’re fucking going to give me a heart attack. Stop running!" He screams, but I absolutely do not stop.

My heart is beating in my throat, in my ears, in my stomach—everywhere. My body is buzzing with excitement and adrenaline and joy so loud my legs forget that they were jelly just seconds ago.

I practically skid as I make it around the final corner of the hallway and burst into the castle’s grand entrance.

And there...there she is—

Alana.

Standing right at the centre, next to a carriage.

Bright-eyed and smiling. Her soft rabbit ears perk up the moment she sees me, and joy explodes in my heart.

"ALANA!!"

I don’t walk, or jog, or hop...

I launch myself down the stairs and straight at her.

She squeals as I throw myself at her, and how she managed to keep her balance, I don’t know.

"Master Elian!!" She exclaims in excitement right before she wraps her arms around me, and I squeeze her like she’s my favourite stuffed pillow.

"I MISSED YOU!" I cry, burying my face into her shoulder, and she laughs... that soft, bubbly Alana-laugh that always sounds like she’s smiling with her heart.

"I missed you too! Stars, you look so different! And—oh my goodness—you’re glowing— Master Elian, look at you!" She exclaims, and as I pull back, I do little bounces with a massive grin on my face.

I can’t wait to see her reaction when I tell her that I’m pregnant. She giggles again when she sees my excitement, and I squeal again before hugging her.

After the attack, I was so worried about where she was, where she went and what might have happened to her.

I couldn’t wait for when I’d finally get to see her again, and now that she’s here, I can barely hide my excitement.

"You look happy," she says softly.

"And safe." She adds, and the words sink into me like warm sunlight.

"Of course I’m safe. With Zephan and Zethar around, even the sun is scared of burning me." I reply, and she giggles.

"We have so much to catch up on," I gush, holding her hands, and her beautiful smile only grows.

"There are so many things I have to tell you! You’d be over the moon! There’s so much!!" I ramble on in excitement. I can’t put a leash on, and Alana laughs again.

I love that laugh so much, I want to bottle it.

"Well," she says, with rosy cheeks, warm,

"I’m glad I came when I did. I actually have something very important to tell you. Too. I... was hoping you could help me?" She says, and my brows shoot up.

"What? What is it?" I question, not knowing if to be excited, worried, or neutral...

Her ears twitch— nervous, excited — and then she steps aside slightly, giving me a full view of the carriage I assume she just came down from.

"Well... surprise." She says as she gently knocks on the carriage, and I blink.

The door opens, and a figure steps out of the carriage.

A girl— dark-skinned, big, soft, dark eyes, maybe Alana’s age, pretty in a timid, delicate way, and with long, velvety rabbit ears that droop slightly like she’s exhausted or scared.

She clutches the edges of her worn cloak, looking like she expects someone to slap her for breathing too loudly, and my head tilts as I stare at her.

Then I look back at Alana.

"...Who’s she? Koda didn’t tell me you were coming with someone." I note, and Alana smiles... but it’s an odd smile.

Almost doctored... Nothing like the numerous genuine ones I’ve seen her wear.

"This is Asa," she says proudly, and I blink as I steal yet another glance at the girl.

Asa. Who’s Asa??

"She’s my cousin," Alana adds, and I freeze. I look back up at Alana, and I blink again.

"Your... cousin?" I ask in confusion, and she nods eagerly.

"I met her on the road coming here." She informs like that answers everything, but it only heightens my confusion.

I narrow my eyes slightly, trying to fix the pieces together and check if I’m forgetting something.

"Alana... you told me about your past. And you never mentioned having a cousin you were close to." I note, and Alana’s smile flickers.

She looks down, then back up at me, and all this while, this Asa girl hasn’t lifted her gaze from the ground.

"Trauma makes holes in memory," Alana whispers softly, and I blink in silence.

"I blocked out so much, I... forgot some of the good parts." She adds, and my heart stops.

Because that hit too close to home.

I smile as I understand what it means to block out memories... Then she continues.

"Asa is more than my cousin. She was my childhood friend. My closest friend. We practically grew up together." She explains, and her voice trembles slightly as she looks over at the girl.

"And we were betrayed by the same family." She adds, and my stomach knots.

"She was... sold to a brothel too on the same day I was sold," Alana drops the bomb quietly, and my jaw drops.

"I was lucky to be saved by Alpha Zethar, but she only managed to escape recently. She had nowhere safe to go — and then we ran into each other on my way here. I’m pretty sure her traders are still searching for her." Alana adds, staring at me with fear and helplessness in her eyes, and my heart twists.

Asa lowers her head more, ears drooping so low they almost touch her shoulders, and I swallow.

I look at the girl again — really look.

She’s so... small, and fragile.

Her eyes dart around the castle entrance like she thinks danger is going to leap at her from every shadow.

She looks just like I used to feel. Always with a target on my back, with no way to protect myself.

She looks so miserable, it hurts.

Alana takes a step closer to me, almost protectively.

"I couldn’t let her wander alone, Master Elian", she says, voice soft but firm.

"She needs a home. She needs safety... She needs help." She adds, and my heart twists as a shiver travels down my spine.

Before I can speak, Alana turns back to the girl.

"It’s okay, Asa. He’s a good person. Speak..." She urges, and Asa finally speaks. The girl’s voice is a tiny whisper.

"I-I promise I won’t cause trouble," she stammers, bowing her head.

"I can clean... or cook... or run errands. Anything. I just don’t want to go back. I want to live honestly. Please." She begs with a trembling voice, and as tears flood her eyes, my heart melts into a puddle.

I pout, because how can I say no? What kind of monster would turn her away??

Besides, she’s Alana’s family. Alana has always taken care of me, always been so good to me, and had my back. It’s only fair that I help her now, that she needs my help. Reciprocate.

"O-Of course," I say to the girl, and I hear Alana gasp a little in excited shock.

"She can stay. She’s welcome here. You’re welcome here, Asa." I add, to clarify, and the girl’s head snaps up, eyes wide with shock... and relief so raw, it makes my heart sting.

How hopeless must she have felt until just recently?? How much pain could she have gone through? Who would do this to another person?? She looks like she’s been conditioned to fear even her own breath.

"T-thank you," she whispers, and I smile.

I turn to Alana to see if she’s happy too, but when I turn, my heart skips a beat.

For a second, just for a second... 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

I see a glint. A sharp, malicious glint in her eyes. Like a blade catching sunlight.

A glint so terrifying it caused fear to grab my spine.

And then... Just as I blink, it’s gone.

Completely gone.

Like it was never there.

"Master Elian," she breathes, smiling again, all softness and sweetness.

"Thank you. Truly." She breathes as she hugs me.

I try to shake off the fear of what I just saw... or thought I saw... I try to... shake off the weird feeling crawling up my spine, as I stare at my aide.

Alana has never looked at me like that before.

Never.

I-I must have imagined it.

I smile back at her, a little hesitant, and decide not to dwell on something that makes no sense. Why would she look a me like that?

"Don’t thank me. You’re my friend. Of course, I’ll help your cousin." I reply, and just then, inside my mind, Elien’s voice slips through... low, tense, and uneasy.

"...Something feels off."

My entire body freezes.

I glance at Alana, then at Asa... and even the carriage behind them.

Everything looks normal.

So, why—

"Elien? What do you mean?"

I ask in worry, but he doesn’t answer. What does he mean, something feels off??