Chapter 24 - survive

Chapter 24: 24 - survive 24 ~Lisa’s POV I woke up slowly. My head spun as I blinked against the faint light filtering in through the small, dusty window. Everything ached, my chest, my limbs, even my eyes. I shifted slightly, and that was when I realized I wasn’t lying alone. My head was resting in someone’s lap. Milo. He was seated on the cold floor, his back against the wooden wall of the old storage room. His eyes were closed, his breathing soft and even. He’d fallen asleep while watching over me. I stared at him for a moment, my heart softening. His arms were crossed loosely over his chest, but one hand rested gently on my shoulder, like he wanted to make sure I didn’t disappear. My chest tightened. No one had ever done that for me before. Not since my father. "Milo..." I whispered, my voice hoarse. His eyes snapped open immediately. He looked down at me, eyes wide with concern. "Lisa? You’re awake. Are you okay?" His voice was quiet, filled with worry. I nodded slowly, forcing a small smile. "Thank you... I don’t know what would’ve happened if you didn’t come." He gave a soft, relieved laugh. "Don’t thank me. I heard your voice...I don’t even know how. But I just... I knew something was wrong. So I followed it." Before I could stop myself, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," I whispered again, my throat thick with emotion. He hugged me back, his hand gently patting my back. "It’s alright. You’re safe now." But then, a sharp voice echoed outside. "Milo!" It was one of the guards, his tone loud and angry, echoing through the palace walls. Milo stiffened. I pulled back quickly, eyes wide. "Won’t they punish you?" He looked down at me and shook his head with a faint smile. "Don’t worry about me. Just stay here, alright? Get some rest." He stood slowly, dusting off his pants. That was when I noticed where we were, we were at the back of the palace, far from the kitchens or halls. It was quiet. Hidden. I reached out, grabbing his wrist gently. "Are you sure?" He nodded, gently prying my fingers loose. "I’ve handled worse. I’ll be fine. Just stay put, Lisa." With that, he gave me one last reassuring look and walked out. But something in me wouldn’t settle. My heart beat fast, worrying pressing on my chest like a stone. So I got up, legs still a bit shaky, and quietly followed him, just far enough to stay out of sight. Just to make sure he was really going to be okay. I peeked around the corner, watching from the shadows, praying that the guards wouldn’t do anything too harsh. I crouched low behind the thick stone pillar, heart pounding so loud I was sure they’d hear it. Just ahead, Milo stood stiffly, hands behind his back. The guard, taller, broader, and clearly higher in rank, was glaring at him like he wanted to tear him apart. "Why did you leave your post for an hour?" the guard barked. His voice echoed in the courtyard, sharp and angry. My breath caught. An hour? I’d been asleep for that long? Milo didn’t answer right away. I could see the way his jaw tightened. "I was... I had to check something. It was important." The guard stepped forward. "So you think you can walk off whenever you like?" "No, sir..." Slap. I gasped silently as the guard’s hand cracked across Milo’s cheek. My nails dug into my palm. I wanted to run out, to tell him it was my fault. That he was only trying to help me. But my legs wouldn’t move. Slap. "Next time," the guard growled, "you think about your place here before acting." Another slap. Milo’s head jerked to the side. But he didn’t speak. He didn’t fight back. He just stood there, taking it. Tears filled my eyes. This was because of me. The guard turned and stormed off, muttering under his breath. He slowly reached up to touch his cheek, then straightened. He didn’t look around. He didn’t know I was there, watching. I bit my lip and stayed hidden, my body trembling. He let out a slow breath and winced as his hand brushed over his cheek. I stepped out from behind the pillar. He turned, and our eyes met. For a second, neither of us moved. His face was a little red, his expression tired but calm. I couldn’t stay still. My feet moved before I could stop them. I ran to him. "Milo!" I called, my voice shaking. "I’m sorry...so sorry!" He blinked, clearly surprised. "Lisa... You shouldn’t be out here." "I saw everything," I whispered, stopping just in front of him. My hands trembled as I looked up at his face, now marked with a fading handprint. "Why... Why did you wait for me to wake up? You should’ve gone. You didn’t have to get hurt like that." He gave a soft, tired smile. "I couldn’t leave you there alone. You were scared. I could hear it in your breathing." His eyes softened. "You needed someone." Tears welled in my eyes again, but I quickly wiped them away. "You didn’t deserve that. I should have come out. I should’ve said something." "No," he said gently. "You would’ve made it worse...for both of us. I’m fine. Really." "But it’s not fair..." I mumbled, staring at the floor. He placed a hand lightly on my shoulder. "Nothing here is fair, Lisa. But we survive. That’s what matters." I looked up again, our eyes meeting one more time. "Thank you," I said quietly. "For everything." He nodded and gave a small chuckle, though I could still see the pain in his eyes. "You’re welcome. Just... don’t go passing out in storage rooms again, okay?" Despite everything, I smiled. "I’ll try," I whispered. He sighed and looked around to make sure no one else was watching. His voice dropped low, serious. "Lisa," he said, "we should walk back separately." I blinked. "Why?" He gave me a knowing look. "Because if they see us together too much, they’ll make things worse for you. And for me." "Oh..." I lowered my gaze, understanding sinking into my chest like a heavy stone. "But," he added quickly, "meet me at the palace cafeteria. I’ll be there in the afternoon. I want to show you something." I tilted my head slightly. "What?" He offered a small, tired smile. "How to survive in this place. How to avoid the bullies... the ones who smile with sharp teeth. I’m being treated badly because I’m an omega and you are also suffering because you are a human, so we need to learn how to survive," For a moment, I just stared at him, grateful, confused, but also curious. He didn’t owe me anything. And yet, here he was. Still helping. Still caring. "Okay," I said softly.