Chapter 60: Hang On
Elian;
"Do you smell that?" One of the men suddenly questions, and my heart stops.
"Yeah. It’s the Ashfang’s new Omega. What about it?" Another replies, and I feel cold sweat break out along my back as one of the men starts looking about.
I quickly tuck myself behind the tree, and I hear one of them speak again.
"Yeah, I know it’s the omega, but his scent seems... stronger."
"Or you’re just horny. I saw how you were gawking at him during dinner." Another retorts, and my skin crawls when I realise that they’re talking about me.
"Well, can you blame me? The boy is easy on the eyes, and he smells divine. You know how many people would pay to spend a night with him?" The first one speaks, and I feel fear’s cold hands grip me by the throat.
They’re talking about me like I’m some inanimate object.
"Listen here, Kurt. We were given one job. Get Alpha Rhydian killed, and be on our way. I know you’re either planning on sneaking into that Omega’s tent or kidnapping him. Don’t be an idiot. You have no idea what those brothers will do to you if they find out you laid a hand on their Omega. Let’s stick to the plan and get on the fucking road!" One of them complains, and I gulp.
Kidnap me??
"Ugh... I shouldn’t have drunk so much water." An unknown voice suddenly groans in the distance, and through the bushes close to the hooded men, I see one of Rhydian’s guards approaching.
"Shit! Let’s go!" One of the men cusses, and I watch as the men scramble towards the bushes in the opposite direction, running into the woods.
The sleepy, unsuspecting guard stops where the men just wer,e and I quickly look away when he pulls his dick out of his pants to pee.
I turn back to the campsite, and now there’s a lump in my throat.
I walk slowly to my tent with my thoughts spiralling all over the place.
There’s a poisonous scorpion in Rhydian’s tent. If it stings him, he’ll die before sunrise.
Why.. why should I care?
It’s not my business.
The arrogant prick has probably been rude to more people than he can keep count of, and that’s what’s come back to bite him in the arse.
I walk into my tent and stare at my bed as guilt starts ramming against my chest.
I can’t possibly go to bed knowing what I know.
But why the fuck should I care?!
The idiot once tried to kill me. This is his karma. Why do I have to try to play saviour?
I kiss my teeth in annoyance as I start pacing.
Why the fuck did I have to go and pee?
If I were asleep, I wouldn’t have heard any of that, and I wouldn’t be involved in this mess.
But... I’m not involved in it. If I go back to bed and act like I heard nothing...
I can’t fucking do this.
I won’t be able to live with myself knowing someone died when I could have done something to prevent that.
It will haunt me all my life.
Rhydian may be shit, but this isn’t a dickwad contest. If I don’t do something... it’ll mean I’m an accomplice of the killers.
I have to save him.
I groan in annoyance before storming out of my tent and running over to Rhydian’s.
His foolish guards are fast asleep, and I’m able to rush into his tent like the wind.
I stop in my tracks when I see Rhydian fast asleep on his bed.
He has an arm flexed over his eyes, and the other resting on his bare stomach.
There’s a small crystal ball on the table in his tent, softly illuminating the tent... and his skin...
I stare at the intricate dragon tattoo that’s spiralled along his right arm, which is resting over his eyes, and my eyes travel down to the wolf tattoo on the left side of his chest.
My eyes travel lower to his tight abs that move softly as he breathes.
His chocolate skin looks beautiful under this crystal’s light...
Not like his skin doesn’t usually look beautiful, it’s just... wait... What did I come here for?
Right! The scorpion.
I rushed here without even having a plan.
Do I search for it?
I scan the dimly lit place with my eyes, and of course, I don’t see anything.
Shit! Could it have stung him already??
Without stopping to think, I quickly kneel beside Rhydian and start checking his body in panic.
Am I too late? Is he going to die cause I took too long to make up my mind??
My hands rest on his warm skin as I try to move him so I can check his back and side, and he suddenly jerks awake.
He throws his arm off his eyes and grabs one of my hands in a bone-snapping grip.
"Ouch! Ouch! It’s me!" I cry in panic as he sits up, and I struggle against his grip as I watch the sleep slowly fade from his eyes.
"Elian?" He questions in confusion, and irritation floods my veins.
"Yes, Captain Obvious! Let go of my hand before you snap it in two!" I reply, and he lets go of me.
I cradle my hand and stare furiously at the red lines on my wrist.
"What are you doing here?" He demands, and I stare up at him with a pout.
"I came here to..." I begin, but stop.
What did I come here to do? To find and take out the scorpion myself, or tell him that there’s a scorpion here??
"You didn’t come here to try and hurt me, did you?" He questions with a raised brow, and I pull my head back in shock.
"What??" I whisper in awe, and he stares at me suspiciously as he sits up properly.
"How did you get past my guards?" He questions, and I scoff.
"They were fast asleep. And I didn’t come here to hurt you. I came here to save you."
I reply, and he huffs.
"Save me?"
"Yes. Save you. Now, please shut up and listen. There’s a scorpion in here. If it stings you, you’ll die before sunrise." I reply, and he blinks at me in silence.
His grey eyes are studying me like he’s looking for my sanity.
"Elian, this entire place was canvased and rid of any reptiles or dangerous creatures. A scorpion is the last thing that could be found in my tent." He replies, and I roll my eyes.
"I know this place was prepped for our stay here tonight, Megamind. I’m saying someone planted a scorpion in here. I heard them talking about it a few minutes ago when I went to pee." I inform, and he pauses.
"Look. We can have this conversation outside. Let’s go before one of us gets stung." I add as I stand up and hold a hand out to him, but he stares at my hand and then up at me.
"Come on! You never can tell if the thing has gotten into your bed!" I scold, and he slowly places a hand in mine.
Oh wow... He actually listened to...
I yelp when he suddenly yanks me back down, and before I can process it, he manoeuvres me and straddles me to the bed with him on top of me now.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" I scold in annoyance, and just then, his guards call outside.
"Alpha Rhydian, are you okay?"
"You’d be sure of that if you weren’t sleeping on duty, wouldn’t you?!" He snaps back,a nd there’s silence.
"I’m fine." He adds, before turning back to me.
"What’s the real reason you’re in here, Elian? I know that if there were truly a scorpion in here, you wouldn’t try to save me. You dislike me." He whispers, and I blink at him in amusement.
"Yes, I dislike you, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you die so cheaply. My not liking you doesn’t make me a shit human!" I rant, and he cocks his brows as confusion takes up his face.
"Human?" He questions, and I sigh in frustration.
"Look. You have to believe me. There’s a scorpion somewhere in here. I heard some men talking about it. Every second we spend in here is a risk. I came here to warn you. If you don’t want to listen, fine. At least let me go. You seem to be the one with a death wish." I retort, and his face falls when he sees that I’m being serious.
"So you heard some people say they put a scorpion in here?" He questions, and I grit my teeth.
"What have I been speaking since? French?!" I retort in annoyance as I glare at the baffon on top of me.
I was wrong. I should have let this idiot die. I swallowed my pride to try and help him, and this is what I...
"Ouch!" I scream in pain when I feel something sharp prick my side, and Rhydian’s face drops in worry as he looks at me.
"What is it?" He questions, and sharp, burning pain shoots through my side as I start struggling to push him off me.
"Get off me! Something pricked me!" I scream, and he quickly gets off.
He throws the bundled duvet off the bed, and blood runs cold in my veins when I see a redish brown scorpion the size of a fist beside me.
It strikes again, and as its telson digs into my skin, horror washes over me.
It’s stung me... a second time.
"Guards!" Rhydian yells as he scoops me into his arms, and my vision begins to blur.
"Fuck! Hang on, Elian. We’ll get the venom out!" Rhydian says as he rushes me out of the tent, and as my body weakens, I pout at him.
"I told you there was a scorpion."