"Dry yourself, the doctor is coming," Zeke passed a towel to Mylo as he sat beside him on the medical bed. He looks quietly at Mylo's shivering state, his expression cautious, "I'm sorry… for everything."
"What are you sorry for?" Mylo replies, his smile sad, "It's all my faults," He dries himself with the towel, his movement slow. He was totally drenched to his trousers, his skin sticky with sweat and fear. Most of all he was super uncomfortable, it was his first time in a hospital and his gut was telling him it wasn't a good idea to be here.
Even the heavy smell of antiseptic was making his stomach churn.
"You are also hurt, worry about yourself," Mylo groans in annoyance, his vision blurred as he gets into the bed. He curls himself into half, his hands tucked between his bent knees as he shivers from the cold, his body involuntarily trembling with his body burning up.
Zeke stood up worriedly, pulling the blanket over Mylo's body to keep him warm as he watched him cry silently.
He feels so useless and heartbroken, unable to know how to help his friend.
Soon, a female doctor walks in with a beautiful smile on her face, "Why don't you take your own space over there," She said to Zeke, pointing at the next bed as she looked at a whimpering Mylo.
"I'm going to open two buttons of your shirt, excuse me."
Mylo is suddenly alert, slapping her hands away weakly, "Don't touch me!"
The female doctor gasped with broadening eyes.
"Mylo," Zeke rushes to his side, "She doesn't mean any harm."
The female doctor named Agatha puts up a comforting smile on her lips, "I understand you don't want to be touched but I only want to use the stethoscope on you and I need to place it against your skin."
"Sorry," Mylo said quietly, lying back down.
Agatha opens two buttons of Mylo's shirt, the smile on her face disappearing as she sees welt whip marks on his chest. She goes ahead and checks him, her frown deepening.
Zeke notices all these but stays silent. He watches silently as she takes Mylo's vital, setting him up with a 45 minute IV drip. She fixes the gash above his right eye, putting a plaster over it and then another cute little plaster on the side of his lips. She gives him an injection, pulling the blanket over Mylo's body as he sleeps peacefully.
She turns to Zeke, "Your turn."
Zeke shakes his head, "I'm alright, how is my friend?" He asked the doctor, concerned.
"I would love to speak with his parents."
"What? You can't do that!"
The doctor raised her eyes surprised, "Why? They need to know their child is unhealthy and in serious danger. And moreover, this boy has signs of physical abuse, he has a dislocated shoulder, a broken rib on the left and he is showing signs of serious brain concussion. He needs medical care, help and attention."
Royce walks into Mylo's ward but waits behind the door, his hands in his pockets as he listens to the Doctor talk about Mylo's health with Zeke.
Zeke finally understands why Mylo was hesitant in coming to the hospital. He didn't want to cause any problems for his parents… he seemed so afraid of them and these marks could be… He wants to hide them and he doesn't have any right not to help him.
"I'm sorry, doctor but I can't let you report this. Mylo and I got into a fight," He bows shamefully.
"I don't know what is going on but you can't hide the fact that your friend is severely hurting. I don't understand why it's so hard for you guys to take care of yourselves. Our life is so fragile and we can lose it any time. I don't care if you both fought or are getting bullied. You should report to the school authorities."
"I understand, doctor," Zeke keeps his head low.
~
A few hours later Mylo opens his eyes slowly.
He turns his head to the side to see Zeke scroll through his phone, his glasses on his nose. He was loudly chewing on some crackers.
Mylo let out a sigh as he sat up, his fever had broken and he felt much better than he had felt in a thousand days.
"You are awake," Zeke slipped out of his bed, "Thank God."
Mylo smiles gladly at the mention of God.
"Here." Zeke passed his food pack to Mylo, "My mother prepared some chicken peppered soup with white rice. Have them, the doctor said…" Zeke stops himself from reenacting his conservation with the doctor, "She said you should get a lot of rest."
Mylo nods, excited about Zeke giving him his food again.
"The spoon this time, Mylo," Zeke glares at Mylo who goes to scoop the rice with his fingers, his expression soft. He picks it up and puts it in Mylo's hand, "You need to use the spoon and don't hurry, the food is yours."
Mylo looks at him gently, "How about you?"
"What? I'm not hungry if that is what you're asking."
Mylo quietly pointed at the purple bruises on Zeke's cheekbone.
"I'm alright, my mother is working as a nurse at Lantern Private Hospital. She takes care of me," Zeke talks a little about his mother. He doesn't say how she quietly treats his wounds ever since he started getting bullied in High School without asking where she got them from. It's like she just knows.
"She dresses up my wound every time so don't worry," Zeke laughs ineptly.
Mylo nods and begins eating slowly with the spoon, almost bursting into tears as they prick his eyes from the delicious taste of the chicken soup. He couldn't help but eat quickly, his cheeks swollen with food.
"Why didn't you tell me Alpha Ryker told you to clean the whole of floor 3. I could have helped you. I could have gotten his breakfast and waited in your place. We wouldn't have gotten beaten up."
Mylo swallows painfully, "He is coming after me. I don't want to get you involved."
"I'm already involved and besides we will finish faster together like we did. And eat slowly, please."
"It's delicious," Mylo moaned slowly.
Zeke smiles, pleased but his smile is immediately replaced by worry when Alpha Royce knocks twice on the door.
He waves at the both of them with a wide smile plastered on his lips.
Zeke instantly gets up, bowing before the Alpha who walks in with Nico. The Beta carries a bag full of new clothes with different types of expensive snacks and yogurt flavored drinks.
Mylo, unable to recognize which Alpha is this one, feels nothing but fear in his heart, scared that the Alpha is back to bully and hit him. He doesn't want that… he just wants to eat…
Royce raised his hands in the air, seeing how tense Mylo's looks, he could even tell the fresh peony scent had turned sour.
"I'm not here to cause you trouble, be rest assured," Royce kept a soft gaze on Mylo, "I was worried about you, pretty."
"What?" Mylo's eyes widened at the name.
Nico leaves the large bag in his hand on Mylo's lap.
Mylo doesn't dare touch it, he doesn't even move an inch as he doesn't understand what this Alpha wants from him.
"I want you to have those."
"What… What are you trying to do? I haven't done anything to offend you. Why are you trying to torment me?"
"I know you have a problem with this face of mine but trust me I don't beat up people, especially the pretty ones. That's my brother's job.'
Mylo knew as usual it was time for him to leave. He takes the bag off his lap and drops it on the bed, "I think you mistake me for someone else. First of all, I don't want your stuff and Secondly, I'm not gay, I don't like men nor do I like you. Please don't bother me anymore."
"If I was you, I would watch my tone," Nico warns Mylo, his tone no joke and stern.
Royce laughs out loud, clapping his hands hysterically as he has just heard the funniest joke from Mylo. No one has ever made such a cranky joke, he was amused.
Mylo looks at Zeke with confusion.
Royce holds his chest, calming himself down, "What if I say no? I don't think I can stop bothering you when you have exactly what I want," His voice is suddenly cold, a sick mirth in his eyes as he leans forward, "I will continue bothering you until you agree to meet me at Cocktail Moon."
"Let's go," Mylo says to Zeke, glancing at the Alpha as if the elder was sick in the head. He walks out of the ward in hurried steps, telling himself he has to avoid this Alpha Royce as much as possible. He can not be cut up in whatever this Alpha is planning for him.
Mylo leaves the medical center with fast steps that he doesn't notice Alpha Ryker watching him from the sidelines with Beta Lenn by his side.