Free Web NovelChapter 133: Chapter 133
Henri looked more shocked than anyone else at what he had done, he clutched his erring hand to his chest with his eyes blown wide. Before anyone could break the tense silence that enveloped the entirety of the cafeteria, he turned around and fled.
The cause of this didn’t hesitate, hurrying after his slight form much to the shock of the entire cafeteria.
Those seated at Henri’s table shared looks with each other before shooting to their feet as well. Louis took the lead and the others swiftly followed after him.
Only Jacques and Alexander were left behind, the latter doing well to drop his offered hand that seemed to be the cause of this ruckus, the bone of contention. They both wore matching frowns on their faces, both newcomers sharing confused looks.
Ahead, Henri had already long left the cafeteria, the Alpha that had shown up from seemingly nowhere hot on his tail. Coming up behind him was Louis who was in the lead, worry on his face as he tried to catch up. He feared that Henri was in danger!
Just as he was about to run out of the entrance of the cafeteria, someone stepped into his path. Louis was forced to a screeching halt at this so that he wouldn’t crash into the person.
Dio had been the next to go after Louis, and he found it easier to slow down behind him, supporting his boyfriend with a scowl at the person that had made him lose his balance.
"Alois! What’s going on? Why are you standing in the way? We have to get to Henri!" Errol was the one to adjust quickly enough to ask questions. He got to the doorway before Louis could recover, righteous anger in his pale blue eyes.
Alois didn’t budge an inch at all these questions, although the others got to him as well and had similar accusations burning in their eyes. "Henri is fine." He said with a heavy sigh, looking like wasn’t sure exactly how to explain the situation.
"No, he’s not." Louis countered tartly crossing his arms.
"That red-haired freak literally chased him down." Audie supported, looking like he would like to shoulder Alois out of the way.
Alois sighed again, wondering why he had to cover for the idiot. "I’m just telling you, you really don’t want to get in between the son of the Grand Duke and the Prince."
Silence fell upon the group at this, their dissent changing to surprise.
"The Grand Duke’s son?" Nael repeated, unwittingly starting to show interest in the matter. He had previously only tagged along because Errol was here.
"That was the Grand Duke’s son?" Louis said something similar, surprise in his voice. "You didn’t recognize him, Audie?"
Audie was an Earl’s son so it was to be expected that he would at least know somebody as important as that. Audie’s response was a casual shrug, "Never seen him before." But then again, Audie wasn’t exactly the best person to ask as his mother’s disposition to avoid publicity meant that he hardly went to balls and events where young nobility might attend.
"Yes," Alois said patiently, standing firmly in the doorway all this time so that no one could go in or out. "I’ll step out of the way now but I’ll advise you to give them some distance." He said in measured tones, waiting for their assent before he moved.
Some distance ahead, under the walkway that led away from the cafeteria, Henri had kept up his pace, needing to escape to the safety of his dorm room.
He hardly took another step when a hand latched onto his wrist, forcing him to a stop. Henri felt his heart thump wildly in his chest, the spot where his hand was held burned like he was lanced. He couldn’t move another step further though and he couldn’t pull away his hand so they were locked in a stalemate.
After a few stretched-out seconds, he felt the hand on his wrist substantially go lower as if to indicate that whoever it was had gone down on one knee. He stood this for a while longer before whipping around, vulnerable anger in his eyes, small hands clenched into fists.
"Let go of me! I don’t want to see your face." He said with barely suppressed anger. "And stop kneeling, you look ridiculous."
The person he was addressing was a tall well built Alpha who had indeed gone down on one knee. He had dark red hair which was cut very short, solemn pale green eyes staring up at Henri. "Would you listen to me?" He asked very patiently, his deep voice soft.
"I said, let go," Henri said icily, anyone watching him would find his attitude rather strange. While Henri seemed to have a short temper, it was rare to see him really truly angry and right then he was furious, his grey eyes a storm of swirling smoke.
The Alpha sighed, looking unperturbed to be on his knees right in plain sight of any and everyone passing by. "I’m afraid I can’t do that." He said with apparent honesty. "I need His Highness to listen to me even for a little bit." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Henri’s expression blazed, "We have nothing to say to each other... And get to your feet, I dislike causing a scene." He tagged on, glaring down at the Alpha in front of him.
The Alpha in front of him... Claude Beaumont... How dare he show his face to Henri again?
He knew that he wouldn’t be able to break free of Claude’s hold unless the other Alpha willingly let him go so he naturally looked around for another means of escape.
Claude rose to his feet at that point, "Are you willing to listen to me now, Your Highness?" He asked, remaining unruffled although there was still a remnant of a fading bruise from where Henri had hit him earlier.
Henri’s scanning eyes caught sight of Alois standing a little distance away with the rest of his friends who seemed concerned but were unable to do a thing. He knew that they were only staying away because of what Alois had told them which was wise, Claude wasn’t a person you wanted to cross.
But there was someone that could so something about him, "Alois?!" He called loudly and confidently, the blond Alpha immediately zeroing in on him when his name was called.
Without hesitation, the tall Alpha strode over quickly. The steel look in his leaf-green eyes looked like those of a person that was trained to kill on command.
"Al-" Henri started to say, intending to give Alois an order. Sure, it would be difficult for him to restrain Claude, if he could even do it at all but it would distract the Alpha long enough for Henri to leave. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
He didn’t get all of his words out though because he was immediately pulled against a hard chest and swept off his feet. In his shock, he was unable to say a word when Claude dashed along the walkway.
Alois cursed behind them, picking up the pace as well. He feared no harm to Henri coming from Claude because he had seen firsthand that he wouldn’t hesitate to put his life in danger for the Prince, however, he still took orders from Henri so he would do whatever His Highness wanted.
Although he was hampered by the weight of a savagely struggling and protesting Omega in his arms, Claude quickly put some distance between them and Alois, heading for the row of dorm buildings.
Alois wasn’t to be outdone, and he picked up the pace as well, trying to catch up with them. Passerbys must have been so shocked by this odd sight.
A long distance away, the group of friends stood stiffly, none of them seemed able to break away from their shock. It was Jacques coming out of the cafeteria with a drink in hand that introduced life into the air around them with an obvious question.
"Where’s the Prince?"
Louis looked like he might like to go after them but Dio stopped him, "The guy he smacked turned out to be the son of the Grand Duke, who swiped him and went running." He summarized bluntly.
"That doesn’t sound safe." A new voice joined their conversation, "I should definitely go after them to make sure His Highness is safe." Alexander muttered more to himself and started off.
No one bothered to stop him, the others looking to Errol for guidance on what to do. Errol sighed, wondering why they couldn’t have normal experiences like everyone else. "Alois is with Henri, he’ll be fine." He said logically, "You can all go do whatever your want but maybe give Henri some space in the meantime."
Errol looked to Audie like he expected the Alpha, in particular, to protest and go after Henri anyway but he had already moved on, "Vale, come check out my room." He offered, taking the Alpha’s wrist like he owned it.
Jacques immediately stepped up, "Not going to invite me? I want to see it too." He protested, hazel green eyes twinkling with humor again.
Audie’s expression darkened, "If I wanted to invite you I would have said it, come on, Vale, let’s go..."
Errol already held Nael’s hand and was pulling him away, uninterested in dealing with whatever the three of them had going on right now. Valentin would have to save himself this time. He had hardly gotten the chance to spend any private time with Nael during the holidays, realizing for the first time how much everyone clung to him.
