Ruthless Alpha, and his Curvy Saint-Chapter 35

Angel’s POV

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF ME!"

The snake coiled tighter around my leg, its smooth scales sliding against my skin in a way that made my stomach turn. I could feel its muscles contracting, could see its tongue flicking out to taste the air.

Terror consumed me completely.

I was screaming, thrashing, trying to scramble backward, but the creature held firm, winding higher up my calf with deliberate, horrifying slowness.

The tent flap burst open.

But it wasn’t Uriel who appeared.

It was him.

The monstrous Alpha filled the entrance, his massive frame blocking out the moonlight behind him. His scarred face was twisted with concern, and his eyes / those cold, merciless eyes - locked onto the snake immediately.

The snake must have sensed the predator entering its space, must have felt the shift in the air, because suddenly it struck.

Pain exploded through my leg - sharp, burning, like someone had driven a hot poker into my flesh.

I screamed.

Not the panicked screams from before, but something raw and agonized that tore from the deepest part of me.

The Alpha moved faster than anything that large should be able to move.

In one fluid motion, he grabbed the snake behind its head with one hand and at its tail with the other. Then, with a snarl that sounded more animal than human, he tore it in half.

The two pieces fell to the ground, still twitching.

Before I could process what had just happened, strong arms scooped me up like I weighed nothing. The Alpha cradled me against his chest - one arm under my knees, the other supporting my back - and strode out of the tent.

"MOVE!" he roared at the warriors gathered outside.

They scattered immediately, creating a path.

I was still screaming, the pain in my leg so intense I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything except feel the fire spreading through my veins.

"Someone get me bloodroot leaf! NOW!" The Alpha’s voice cut through my screams like a whip. "And bring water! Clean water!"

He was running now, carrying me toward where the main fire burned. People jumped out of his way, their faces blurring together in my tear-filled vision.

He laid me down near the fire with surprising gentleness, positioning me so my injured leg was in the light.

"Hold her," he commanded, and immediately hands pressed down on my shoulders, my arms, keeping me still.

I tried to thrash anyway, the pain overwhelming every rational thought.

The Alpha knelt beside my leg, his massive hands moving quickly. "This is going to hurt," he said, his voice suddenly calm, almost gentle. "But I need you to stay still."

Before I could respond, his mouth was on my leg.

What...

He was sucking at the wound, his lips pressed against the snake bite, drawing out the venom with steady, deliberate pulls.

I felt his tongue against my skin, felt the suction, felt...

He spat to the side, a dark mixture of blood and venom hitting the ground.

Then he did it again. And again.

"Leaf!" someone shouted.

"Good. Crush it. Make a paste," the Alpha ordered without looking up, his attention entirely focused on my leg.

He continued sucking out the venom, pausing only to spit, his movements focused and determined. Like he’d done this a hundred times before.

The pain started to recede slightly. Not gone, but less all-consuming.

I could think again. Could see.

Could feel the horror of having the monster who’d murdered my family kneeling beside me, his mouth on my skin, saving my life.

"Paste is ready, Alpha."

"Apply it around the wound. Thick."

Cool relief spread across my leg as someone - I couldn’t see who - smeared the crushed bloodroot around the bite. The burning sensation dulled further.

The Alpha finally pulled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His lips were stained dark.

"Water," he said, and a canteen appeared in his hand.

He rinsed his mouth, spat again, then poured some of the clean water over my wound, washing away the blood and excess venom.

"Bandage. Clean cloth."

His hands moved with the confidence of someone who’d treated countless injuries. He wrapped my leg with firm but not painful pressure, securing the bloodroot paste in place.

Throughout it all, he issued commands in that same authoritative tone - demands for more light, for someone to check my pupils, for herbs to counteract any remaining venom.

The other warriors jumped to obey immediately, moving with haste.

And I... I just lay there, watching.

Hating that he was touching me. Hating the way I flinched every time his hands came near. Hating that my body recoiled from his proximity even as he was saving my life.

But also... confused.

Because his touch was gentle. Soft. His movements were careful, avoiding causing unnecessary pain. And the concern in his eyes - in the eyes of the man who’d slaughtered my family - looked genuine.

It made no sense.

Monsters weren’t supposed to be careful. Weren’t supposed to know how to heal to wounds. Only inflict them.

Finally, he sat back on his heels, examining his work. "The venom wasn’t from a deadly species. You’ll be fine. The pain should be gone by morning."

I managed a small nod, not trusting my voice.

He stood, and I became aware of the crowd that had gathered. Dozens of warriors stood in a semicircle around us, their faces illuminated by firelight. All watching. All waiting.

And there, at the edge of the group, was Uriel.

His expression was tight, controlled, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. The way his hands were clenched at his sides.

The Alpha’s voice cut through the murmurs. "How did the snake get into your tent?"

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "I... I don’t know. It must have crawled in while I was out."

"Was the tent zipped when you left?"

I thought back, trying to remember through the fog of pain and fear. "Yes. I remember it being zipped up when I returned."

The Alpha’s eyes narrowed. "Hold on."

He strode toward my tent, disappearing inside. The camp held its collective breath.

When he emerged moments later, his expression was dark. Dangerous.

"The tent was properly erected," he announced, his voice carrying across the clearing. "The zipper worked perfectly. The fabric had no tears, no holes. There’s no way a snake could have gotten in on its own."

Silence.