Sold to the Alpha With Silver Eyes - Chapter 33: Chapter 33

*Eden*
My breath hitches as they toss Dev to the ground, his arms giving out as his face hits the stones with a thud that has to jolt him with pain. His skin is slick with blood as I rush toward him, dropping to my knees and extending my hands to help him. There is nowhere I can touch him that would not cause him pain as I opt to touch his cheek, smoothing the sweat laden hair from his face.
“I am fine,” he says, and maybe in his ears it sounds confident, but to my ears I hear a man pleading for me to save him.
“You will be,” I offer softly as he pushes himself up onto quivering arms. His elbows wobble until he locks them, a wince on his face as he looks away from me, dragging his legs up under his waist, leaving him shaking on hands and knees.
“You can’t be here,” a warrior tells me. I whip my head around, glaring at him with venom, and rise to my feet.
“Are you going to force me away from him?” I ask, arching a brow. “King Cedric said nothing about where he goes or who with after this. Just that he be taken away, and no one feeds or gives him a drink.”
He skirts his eyes to another warrior and then Leoni, who steps up next to me and a murderous glint in her eyes as she gives him an eerie smile. The warrior shifts from foot to foot before he clears his throat and averts his eyes.
“Fine.” he forces out, licking his teeth before he backs up. I drop back down to Dev, who is now swaying on his knees, hands reaching out for anything to grip, his eyes fading in and out as I slip my arms around his lower back and help him stand.
“Ffffucking shit!” He hisses, his eyes closed tight as he winces.
“I know,” I whisper, lowering my arm to where I hope the injury is at the very least less painful.
“You won’t be able to walk me the whole way back.” He says, his voice weak as I slump under his weight.
“Topher is going to carry you.” Leoni tells us both, as Topher slips up next to me, and reassures me with a smile that it is okay. I slide from his side as Topher loads him onto his back, Dev weakly protesting, but his head droops down as Topher breaks into a gentle run.
His back is still oozing droplets of blue tinged blood, making my stomach sink, knowing they used a laced whip. Topher turns, looking at Leoni who shows him upstairs hesitating at her room.
“Use my room,” I chime in, pointing down the hall for Topher, who nods, moving quickly into the room and easing him to his feet. Dev doesn’t waste any time as he crawls onto the bed, dropping onto his stomach, his head to the side as his sliced flesh flares with each deep breath. My fingers itch to hold him, unsure of how to comfort him as I move closer, dropping to my knees at his side, tears in my eyes.
“You look awful,” I sniffle, my fingers grazing over his face, moving sweaty hair from his cheek. He hums like it brings him comfort, so I do it again, dragging my hand further through his hair.
“Leoni, you have my bag?” Topher asks before he steps up next to me, assessing the damage. When I glance up, I realize just how deep these lashings were. The deep frown on Topher’s face creasing every part of his forehead and darkening his eyes.
“So much for going easy on you.” Leoni mutters, her voice filled with malice as a rumble emanates from her and she paces around the room. “It should have been me. You stupid egotistical—”
“I can barely feel the pain.” Dev lies, his silver eyes fluttering open to meet mine, giving me a weak wink that only makes my chest pinch with guilt.
“Liar,” I mutter, dragging my hand through his hair again, before I stroke my thumb over his cheek.
“Looks pretty bad huh?” He asks.
“You want the truth?” Topher asks with a heavy sigh.
“Well, when you ask like that…” Dev’s voice is weak, but his attempt at humor does not go unnoticed by Topher as he grins to himself.
“Your back looks like pulverized ground beef that has been ice skated over.” He finally mutters and my stomach churns, bile rising at the thought of raw beef. But when I look closer and the bile rises, making me turn away and close my eyes, I can’t smell the sting of his blood in my nostrils.
“Breathe through your mouth and focus on my face.” Dev’s voice is soft, coaxing me to inhale and exhale as I blink at him. His skin is pale, growing greener by the moment, but yet still somehow captivating. “You aren’t used to seeing these types of things up close.”
“I have seen you all in action,” I remind him before frowning, “But seeing you take a beating like that, with wolfsbane added to it…Is King Cedric always such an unreasonable asshole?”
Leoni barks out a laugh as Dev furrows his brows.
“I broke the law, Eden. It may seem harsh, but mercy when it comes to the law would be seen as a weakness.” He whispers, his eyes fluttering closed as Topher places wet strips of fabric over his gashes.
“Mercy isn’t a weakness, being afraid of opinions is.” I mutter.
“This wasn’t a matter of opinions.” He says and I scoff, disagreeing, but now is not the time or place.
“Fine, whatever.” I groan, my hands stopping as he snaps his eyes open and looks up at me.
“Please don’t stop. It feels nice.” He tells me and my cheeks flush as I start to stroke his cheek again.
“You should try to eat something or drink something to heal faster.” Topher says, his voice firm, but we all know what Dev will say.
“I am not permitted those luxuries for now.” Dev hums, his eyes falling closed.
“Well, as your healer, I disagree,” Topher argues back, scoffing.
“I agree with Tohper.” Leoni grunts.
“Neither of you has the status to disagree with it. The king has spoken,” Dev hums the words, his hold on consciousness slipping away.
Leoni snorts and rolls her eyes. “The king.” she mocks the title and I once again feel there is something amiss with either King Cedric or Leoni’s opinion of him. Truth be told, after today, I am leaning more toward Leoni’s side that perhaps King Cedric isn’t as great as Dev thinks he is.
“If you intend to follow such bullshit orders, then you need to rest as much as possible.” Topher grinds out. “Which it seems you are doing already.”
Dev doesn’t respond, but his breathing is easier and his back is covered in wet, red stained linen. He almost looks like a patchwork quilt with the way the blood seems to seep through the dressings in strange patterns.
“So how bad is it, really?” Leoni asks, and Topher sighs.
“Honestly, it’s the typical whipping punishment, but the wolfsbane has me frustrated. To think that he would choose that method on him…it really ticks me off.”
“So he will be fine?” I ask, hopeful, and Topher chuckles.
“His more shallow wounds will be closed in a day, the deeper ones, maybe two or three. The biggest thing is drawing out the wolfsbane, which is what is on the bandages, a drawing salve.”
I sit back, moving my hands to my lap as I purse my lips together.
“How often should we be changing them if it is drawing it out?” I ask.
“When the bandages start to turn purple, they should be changed. I will stick around for the majority of the day and will change them before I head out later tonight.” He gives me a reassuring smile.
“I’ll walk you downstairs,” Leoni says, showing him out of the room, leaving me alone with Dev.
I move my body to the bed, laying down on my stomach next to him, my cheek resting on my arms as I watch his back rise and fall with each steady breath. I want to turn his face toward mine, so I can look at him, but instead I just take in each bandage, my fingers lingering just over them, feeling the heat roll from his swelling wounds.
His arms twitch, moving up to his head as he attempts to lift himself.
“Woah, woah,” I whisper, my fingers gently resting on his flexing biceps as he blinks and looks at me, lowering himself back down.
“I thought you left too,” He says through heavy-lidded eyes.
“Do you want me to?” I ask him.
“Never,” he whispers, the word so simple and soft and yet it makes my heart lurch forward.
“Well, I can’t promise you that.” I tell him, my cheeks burning with a blush. “But I won’t leave your side until you are feeling better.”
“Then where will you go?” He asks, his eyes finally more alert as he looks directly into me. The air feels thin and heated as I frown and touch his forehead, pretending to check for a fever I know he doesn’t have.
“Eventually, I will have to leave so you can find a mate.” I remind him.
“What if I don’t want anyone else?” He asks, but his ability to focus on me diminishes as his words slur. He is so exhausted he doesn’t even know what he is saying. And yet, the thought he might still want me, even without the bond we had…it’s too good to be true, right?
Because here I am, looking at Dev, my heart racing as I fight to keep from constantly touching him just to be close. This is not the residuals of the breeder’s bond, of that I am certain.
This is beyond that carnal need to procreate or just have sex. It’s different, it’s deeper. This is fueled by knowing him, caring about him, and seeing how he cares for others.
All I know is I crave his presence, I am afraid to leave his side and the thought of not waking up to him being in the same room as me, makes it feel like my ribcage is going to cave in, taking with it the ability to breathe.
“There is someone out there better for you than me,” I tell him, knowing deep down how true that just is. Dev deserves someone that doesn’t require constant fixing or work. He deserves something effortless and pure. I am far from those things. “And I will be so happy to know you are happy.”
Even if it will destroy me to see it. Which is why, now that the bond is gone, I have to leave sooner rather than later.