Bloodbound to the Witch Heir: Claimed By Four

Celeste’s POV

*****

"S–Silas, you’re bleeding," I repeated, already breaking the distance with a few strides. I grabbed the lower part of his suit, thumb flicking over the blood. "It’s... So much blood. We’re locked in here and you’re... You’re bleeding out—"

"Repeating it over and over again isn’t going to change anything, love." He spoke through gritted teeth, patting my hand. "I’ll... Be fine. Just need my wolf to heal me."

I blinked once. My gaze flicked to the blood-soaked suit and then to his sweaty face.

He couldn’t be fucking serious.

"You’re going to bleed all over the floors before your wolf kicks in!" I didn’t know when I snapped. I shouldn’t have but I did. "It’s a Vein beast attack. You know—the same things notorious for inflicting wounds even supernatural physiology struggles to heal?"

Had the loss of blood gone in reverse and inflated his ego?

A smile—a freaking ear-to-ear smirk—stretched his lips. He brought a hand to my face, brushing aside a strand of hair. His touch was warm and slick with sweat. And those hazel eyes—

—They glinted with something I’ve never seen in the calm, calculated Silas Hale.

Fear.

"You know... You’re not really good at reassuring someone." He withdrew his hand, face twitching with pain. "Bloody hell—you win. Now what?"

Grunting to myself, I scanned my eyes around the room. Using magic to heal him would barely be any help. I could try... But against the Vein beast’s inflicted wounds, I’d only be embarrassing myself.

And I’ve done enough of that for one night. Heck, for the whole day.

Soon, an idea hit me. "Do you guys keep any first aid kits around here?" I whipped my head back to him. Keeping calm while blood drops gathered at his feet was a hassle.

"F–First aid?" He echoed back. "You? Can you... Can you use one?"

The fear and worry dissipated for a beat, replaced by confusion and annoyance. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Just... You’re an Alpha King’s daughter. The continent’s literal princess."

"You still haven’t answered how that’s relevant to using first aid."

He forced a smile, shaking his head. "Forgive me. Pretend I didn’t say anything..." Then he pointed behind me, at the far side of the room. "Check the right drawer under the desk. There should be a first aid box—if Alpha Damien didn’t splurge the supplies last time he got into a petty duel."

One thing stuck with me through all this. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Beta Silas Hale has always been notorious for being quiet. The level-headed one amongst the Hale brothers, which, now I think about it, was an easy feat with a jackass brother like Luther.

The point is, I’ve seen him talk more right now than ever in my one year in this Academy.

Sighing, I left Silas, turning toward the desk. I basically ran, moving around the polished oak wood. Bending over slightly, I spotted the drawer he mentioned.

When I opened it and found the first aid box, a relieved breath left my mouth.

"Okay..." I clicked the lid open, skimming through the items in it. "I’ve got the box. Just raise up your suit and shirt, let me inspect—" the words nearly choked me when I raised my head.

Because standing close to the exit door was Silas. Except now he’d taken off his suit and buttoned down the shirt underneath. My lips parted when he finally slipped out of the ash shirt, placing it on a clothes rack on the wall.

Two words: Greek god.

Everything from his chiselled abs, which seemed even more pronounced under all the sweat and dim lighting, to his hardened biceps. His chest—goddess, have mercy I felt like nibbling on it.

I’ve seen Luther shirtless. Hell, I’ve seen him butt-naked quite a few times. He was athletic and everyone knew that. But Silas? I’d have never expected such a build under the suits and business savvy.

"I believe most would consider staring..." His amused voice made me blink, eyes locking on his curious gaze. He moved, taking one step, then another. Confident and domineering despite his injury. "... Rude. Or, don’t you, love?"

It was when he was two meters away from me that my gaze landed on the elephant in the room. The bloody, seven-inch elephant in the room.

"Fucking hell." I nearly dropped the first aid kit when I saw the wound. Four claw marks made a long gash, blood still dripping. And as if that wasn’t enough, a sickly green glow stuck to the wound. "You... How did you even—"

"Must be when I tackled one trying to come after you." He said it so casually, sitting on the desk with a groan. His lips pressed into a thin line, relaxing for a second before he continued. "Remind me to never follow my brother’s hot-headed tactics again. There’s a reason I’m the brains to his... Whatever he has going on."

My emotions were all over the place right now. On one hand, guilt hit me like a bad email on a Tuesday morning. On the other hand, my lips watered during my attempts to keep focused on his face and the wound.

Why was I suddenly like a cat in heat? A shirtless man shouldn’t be getting me this wild. It has to be the mate bond.

Yeah... That’s it.

Shaking my head, I moved, dropping the box beside him. My fingers brushed on a few small transparent bottles that caught my attention instantly.

"Magic healing balms." Silas still being able to talk with that monstrous wound was beyond me.

I already knew what they were. These healing potions are applied to wounds rather than drunk. The catch was that they worked best alongside healing spells.

Picking up one with a soft pink glow, I opened it. Just when I was about to begin applying it however—

"I’m... I’m curious." He rasped, adjusting his sitting position. "I... Noticed you during the attack. How you... Stood back."

My jaw tightened but I went on with applying the balm. Rubbing the cool cream like liquid on my palms first, I gently flicked some on the wound.

He hissed silently, but still talked through it. "I’m sorry for prying. It’s just I genuinely want to know. Were you too scared? Is your magic really so—"

"Weak?" I accidentally pressed deep into the wound. He flinched but I brought my gaze to his hazel eyes now. "Well, yes. All the rumours you hear are true. I’m a wolfless hybrid, have little to no wolf abilities, and my witch side, despite being the dominant side, is nothing compared to most."

A sarcastic smile curved my mouth after that.

Silence.

The only sound I could hear was the increasing beat of my own heart. I felt like there was a lump in my throat, forcing me to swallow.

This topic was one I always avoided for a reason. I was too soft for it.

Seamlessly, I decided to shift the subject when he stayed silent for too long. "Since we’re asking questions now and we don’t know how long we’ll be here... Why don’t I ask mine?"

I took a swipe of the balm with my index and middle fingers, plastering it on the wound’s outer edges. I let the silence settle long.

Then—

"Why do you support your brother in everything including being a cheating scumbag?"