Free Web NovelChapter 24: A Brave Beta Be Like (3)
The alpha they had pulled from the monster’s jaws was knocked out. There was a terrible hole in her left shoulder, a ton of blood was quickly staining the floor. It looked like she was past saving.
But she was still alive, her young face was as pale as a sheet, but Kestrel could still barely make out her breathing.
"Hurry." Kestrel said, even using one arm to put pressure on the wound.
Serge found the emergency kit on the blimp. Just as he was about to go help, a friend, the one who had been sitting next to him at dinner, quietly tugged at his clothes.
"Don’t go, Serge." His friend said, "You’re already engaged."
Serge froze.
"It’s not appropriate." His friend motioned towards his chest.
The hurt alpha was lying on the ground, her wound was on her shoulder, and to help her, they’d have to undress her and touch her skin. As a beta who had been taught manners since he was a kid, under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be right to touch an alpha’s body. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"But look at the situation." Serge answered back, not happy.
"She’s just a low-ranking alpha." His friend squeezed his arm harder, saying, "Think about it. When we get back, they’re definitely going to blow this out of proportion. If your fiancé finds out that you touched a regular alpha on the blimp, how do you think she’ll feel?"
"Don’t bother, she’s just an alpha from the regular area. Even if we save her, it won’t matter."
If the alpha was still alive, she would be their lifeline at this moment. But it was clear that this alpha was already dying. Saving her wouldn’t change anything.
"You don’t want to end up like Kestrel, do you? Breaking off your engagement and being laughed at by everyone?" His friend pointed his chin at Kestrel.
Following his friend’s gaze, Serge looked at Kestrel, the girl everyone called weird. She was holding the gun with one hand, watching the hole where the monster could come out any second, but still managing to press her other hand on the alpha’s bleeding wound.
The blimp was still flying shakily, with monsters or alphas occasionally hitting the glass from outside. In the dim cabin, a ray of sunlight shone through the hole at the top, lighting up the swirling dust particles. The dying alpha lay there in the sunlight, a young girl with long braids, her limbs spread out, her body covered in blood.
Kestrel knelt on one knee next to the alpha, her lips pressed together in resolve. Her gaze never left the hole opening where the monster could reappear any second, yet her hand was firmly pressing against the alpha’s wound, seemingly oblivious to the conversations swirling around her.
Ignoring his friend’s grip on his arm, Serge squatted down next to the injured alpha with a first-aid kit. He cut open her clothes to expose the wound, then used a hemostat to try and halt the bleeding. The wound was grievous, and his understanding of first-aid was no better than basic.
Sweat trickled down his forehead, which he wiped away with his sleeve, only to find it soaked in cold sweat. Nicole, the girl of noble birth, squatted down next to him, reaching out for the hemostat. "Let me help," she said. "I’m bad at most subjects, but I’m fairly good with first aid."
Another girl stepped forward to assist as well, grabbing a bandage to mop the sweat off the alpha’s forehead. "I...I can help too," she said, her voice filled with uncertainty. It was as if she had forgotten how, just moments ago, she had sworn never to touch a common alpha, not even once.
The three of them exchanged a glance, a hint of embarrassment on their faces as they started to treat the injured alpha’s wounds. They worked in silence, their movements awkward yet resolute.
A gunshot echoed as Kestrel discharged her weapon once more. The monster’s face appeared at the hole in the ceiling, pallid and swollen, saliva dripping from its mouth. It moved stealthy towards another shadowy corner, attempting to carve a new entry point for an ambush. However, peculiarly, the typically swift creature seemed to freeze midway, its face showing a blank, bewildered look.
It was as though the creature had lapsed into a bizarre stupor, making itself an easy target for Kestrel. She landed a hit, blasting half of its face off. The creature let out a scream of pain and fled, leaving behind a lingering stare of loathing.
Despite the gunshot ringing out next to him, Serge, who was occupied with delivering emergency first aid, didn’t flinch. Strangely, he felt a sense of tranquility. His calm state of mind allowed him to keep the hemostat and the suture needle steady, working on the alpha’s wound.
That familiar feeling returned. It was like a gentle wind that swept away the fear in his heart. A full moon hung serenely in the night sky, its soft light casting a glow on the earth, dispelling fear. The sea waves, illuminated by the moonlight, gently caressed the shore. The star-studded night sky was breathtakingly beautiful, extending solace to anyone who gazed upon it.
How can this be? I shouldn’t feel like this in such a dangerous situation, Serge pondered. He looked up and noticed that Nicole and the other beta who had come to help were also calm and focused, attentively caring for the ghastly wound before them.
In no time at all, it seemed like everyone had gotten used to the crazy situation. They weren’t frozen with fear anymore. Everyone in the room seemed to feel the same calm energy, like they were under a gentle moonlight and listening to soft ocean waves. A peaceful quiet spread over the group, everyone moving without making a sound.
They made the windows stronger, closed up any cracks in the sun shields, and took care of the people who were hurt. They did everything quietly and carefully. Nobody made loud noises that might get the monsters’ attention. It was like they were safe and sound back at their school, not stuck in the scary Polluted Zone where danger was everywhere.
"What’s happening?" Serge, a beta with sharp senses, suddenly noticed something. His eyes got wide as he turned to look at Kestrel.
Kestrel was still kneeling where a beam of light was coming in from the ceiling. She was keeping her eyes on the spot where the monster could pop out at any time. A drop of sweat ran down her pale face. In the dark area at her feet, it looked like something big was moving and spreading out.
Serge then realized that the calming feeling he’d been having was all because of Kestrel. She was the one who’d made everyone stop panicking at first. Her mental strength had an effect on the monster’s movements, making it move slowly at just the right time. That’s how she could hit the confused monster again and again, even though she was just learning how to shoot. What was even more amazing was that while she was shooting and messing with the monster’s mind, she still had the power to keep everyone else calm.
Serge remembered asking his teacher, "How much stronger her psychic strength is than mine?"
Now he understood why his teacher had sighed when he asked that question.
