Elian's POV
*****
"Y–You…" he stuttered, nearly losing his grip on the edge of the window when he saw who had killed the assassin.
Beta Axel.
The kind, sweet, handsome Beta.
Axel still had his right hand stretching out of the window, his fingers dripping with blood. His expression was cold at first as he stared at his bloody hand.
Elian parted his lips, subconsciously holding his breath as cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
He looked down, fixing his gaze on the assassin. He was dead... Of course. His blood had splattered on the compound ground and the impact of the fall soon alerted guards walking close.
The guards all wore sleek golden armours with intricate crescent silver moon designs etched on them. They also held long-barreled rifles, each one having pulsing blue lights etched at the sides.
"By the goddess!" A guard yelled out, rushing to the assassin's body.
"Who did this?"
"Up there!" One looked up and pointed at Elian whose face heated up with embarrassment.
"Elian." Beta Axel called out just then, causing Elian to slowly raise his head.
The Beta had his right hand stretched out to Elian, his usual soft expression coming back to his face as he gave a reassuring nod. "Come on. I cleaned off the blood."
Right... Like that was supposed to make him feel better after everything he just witnessed.
[Girl, it's either you take that hand or plummet to your death. Your choice.]
Elian grunted before grabbing Axel's hand. The Beta had a strong grip, barely changing his expression as he pulled Elian into the room while the shouts and investigations of the guards below intensified.
However, when Elian stepped into the room, his grip still on the Beta, he lost his footing and stumbled forward. He fell into Axel's strong arms, the latter supporting him by placing his left hand on his shoulder and his right on his waist.
The same right hand which still had a few traces of blood sticking to it.
Elian sucked in a breath, his face heating up as he slowly looked up only to meet the Beta's golden eyes which glinted with concern.
"Are you okay?"
Elian held his breath, his eyelids fluttering. He didn't know what to say or do... The Beta's face was literally inches away from his right now.
[You could start by telling him you're okay. Or... Just kiss. We all want a kiss at this point.]
Trust the system to say something that would snap Elian right out of his daydreaming.
Elian blinked hard.
His knees wobbled, and for a moment, he wasn't in the Beta's arms — he was still outside, hanging by a thread, watching blood splash across his face like paint on a canvas.
"That guy… he tried to kill me," he murmured, as if voicing it would make it make sense. "He really tried to—"
His throat clenched as he swallowed hard.
"It's over now," Axel said gently, slightly tightening his grip on his waist. "You're safe."
Elian blinked at him once again, still trying to process the fact that he had narrowly escaped certain death.
But then Axel's thumb brushed gently along Elian's cheek, stopping at the cut the assassin had left behind.
"He hurt you," Axel said, more to himself than anyone else. His voice was low, deadly calm in the way that warned of a storm brewing underneath.
Elian parted his lips, seeing the sudden intensity in Axel's golden eyes. Their hearts seemed to beat in sync, drowning out his thoughts.
"It's nothing," Elian finally replied weakly. "Just a scratch."
But Axel wasn't taking that.
"Doesn't matter. No one should lay a hand on you."
Oh... Wow.
[Congratulations! Host did not die a pathetic death.]
[Survival rate increased to 27% due to contact with Mate #2: Beta Axel. Temporary stat boost active: +2 to composure, +3 to libido… Oops.]
Elian blinked. 'Excuse me?'
[Sorry, wrong tab. Ignore that last one. Or don't.]
Elian rolled his eyes but that caused Axel to frown.
"Are... My words boring you?"
Elian nearly gasped, quickly shaking his head. "N–No... I'm just... I'm still trying to calm myself. This... Is my first time almost getting killed by an assassin, you know?"
He chuckled awkwardly after saying that, his gaze slowly moving past Beta Axel and landing outside the window on the palace grounds below.
The guards were gathered in their numbers now, inspecting the assassin's body and shutting off the perimeter from normal staff members walking by.
Many of them glanced at his window, probably still perplexed by how he was able to shove down an armed assassin as a "lowly Omega"
They probably didn't put one and two together to realise that the handsome hunk of a man in front of him was behind it.
"Don't worry..." Axel suddenly blurted, bringing his right hand to Elian's cheek again and caressing it with the same reverence as someone observing a golden egg.
Soft. Delicate. Fragile.
For the first time in his life, Elian felt comfortable being seen as those words, his cheeks heating up as the Beta continued talking.
"We'll find who sent that assassin. I know damn well he didn't come here to hurt you out of any personal... Grievances."
Elian's eyes widened slightly as something the assassin had mentioned flashed through his mind.
"The mate bond with the Alpha Prince placed a fat target on your back."
Those words and his instincts made him think of only one suspect.
Estella... The Beta's sister.
The question is, how does he bring up his suspicions to the Beta... Especially when the man was merely inches away from him and breathing on his skin, his lips parting like he was begging for a kiss.
"B–Beta—"
"Axel." The Beta interrupted with an amused tone. "Just Axel. Next time I might not remind you..."
That last part was oddly suggestive.
Elian gulped, his eyes going from the Beta's lips to his golden eyes which seemed to peer into his soul and unravel him like a gift box.
[Kiss... Kiss... For the goddess's sake, his Seduction Meter is spiking. GIVE US A KISS ALREADY.]
Elian blinked as Axel slowly leaned in, pulling him closer by his waist.
Just when their lips were within a hair's breadth from touching... The room door burst open, causing Elian to jolt while Axel calmly turned his gaze to it.
Lucian.
'Bloody...' Elian was about to curse, his heart beating erratically, when Lucian barked.
"What the fuck happened here? And... Why does Beta Axel have blood on his hands?"
Oh no…