CHAPTER 23

Kael looked at Ren and hardened his face, "An experiment, Captain." He answered.

"Where does he belong?" Axton questioned, his voice cold.

"The lab, Captain," Kael replied firmly.

"Where did you bring him?" Axton stepped closer, a challenge in his eyes.

Kael slightly lowered his head, "I'm sorry, Captain. I shouldn't have brought him to the combat field." He apologised.

"A specimen is not to hurt. You hurt him, out of your carelessness. Rhys?" Axton called, locking his hard gaze on Kael's face.

"Yes, Captain," Rhys was beside him in a second.

"The Sergeant has merited a public reprimand for breaking formation. He will be on extra duty for the next twenty-four hours... no food, no water, no breaks," Axton passed his dehumanising punishment.

"Yes, Captain," Rhys saluted and turned to Kael.

Axton turned to Ren, "On your feet, Renault. Follow me." He ordered and walked away.

The soldiers once again cleared the way as Axton moved, no one saying a word for fear of getting punished as well.

Ren gritted his teeth, helping himself off the ground. His neck and cheek stung, it felt like he could still feel the Beast-bound's claws inside his skin, scratching him nonstop.

He glanced at Kael but saw that Kael wasn't even looking at him. He felt bad, guilty.

Kael was facing all these punishments because of him; the poor guy was only trying to make Ren feel comfortable and understand the Faction, he didn't deserve to be punished.

Ren trailed behind Axton, his fists balled as he saw the soldiers staring at him so openly.

He wasn't bothered by them anymore, somehow, he knew that Axton's public declaration of his specimen status would keep them away from him. No one would want to get punished for hurting him.

He followed Axton into the silvery building, using his hand to place under his jaw to catch the drops of blood that fell from the side of his jaw.

He slowed his steps when he saw that he was about to ride the elevator with Axton alone, but he couldn't stall.

He was right behind Axton, moving to the other side of the elevator as the door slid shut.

Axton's presence on a normal day was already suffocating, but Ren was suddenly locked in a small space with the captain. He felt claustrophobic, an invisible weight pressing down on his shoulders.

He went completely still as Axton's gaze suddenly found him staring. He couldn't look away; he tried, but he couldn't.

He felt like those silver eyes were drawing him in, tempting him to move closer and stare deeper. He wanted to see if he could find a soul behind those eyes.

A very inaudible gasp left Ren's lips when he saw Axton's figure move toward him.

He pressed his back on the cool, polished, elevator wall, his heart dancing to the silent drums of danger.

He hadn't imagined it, Axton was right in front of him, eyes scanning his wounded face.

"Renault, what did I tell you?" Axton's deep voice reverberates on the elevator's walls and Ren's chest.

Ren found it hard to breathe, he opened and shut his mouth for air, words disappearing from his brain as he faced Axton's spotless and sharp face.

"Only I can hurt you, am I right?" Axton's voice dropped lower, his eyes darkening as he raised his hand to Ren's face.

***

Ren was sure he was a dead man. The hissing sound of the elevator saved him.

Axton stepped away from Ren, striding out of the elevator.

Ren released a long sigh and followed him.

'What would he have done to me if the elevator hadn't opened?' Ren stared at Axton's regal figure, wondering what Axton usually thought in that evil mind of his.

They walked into the infirmary and found Corvin staring into the microscope, his hands gloved.

Corvin immediately straightened when he heard people walking in behind him.

"Good morning, Captain," he bowed.

"What did you get yourself into now, Mr. Renault?" Corving asked as he pointed Ren to a chair near a small table beside the big one.

"I was scratched," Ren answered, glancing at Axton, who stood beside his chair.

Corvin scoffed, changing to a new pair of gloves, "I see that you're scratched, Renault. What scratched you?" He questioned, carrying over a small box to Ren.

Ren bit his lower lip, swallowing hard, "By a Beast-bound." He replied.

Corvin paused and turned to the captain, "Captain?" He called quietly.

"No... I never said it was the captain, it's not his fault either. I followed Kael to the combat field and an accident happened," Ren hurried to explain when he saw that Corvin had misunderstood him.

"The wound is not healing, you said he's regenerative," Axton stated, staring at Corvin.

Corvin frowned and used a forceps to clip a small skin out of Ren's wound.

"Ouch!" Ren screamed as he felt the small pinching sensation on his wound.

"I need to get a specimen before I treat the wound," he said, and took the clipped skin to a petri dish.

He returned with a soaked cotton, "Hold steady." Corvin took the cotton close to Ren's neck but Ren leaned away, aware he'd feel the sting once it touched his wound.

"Stay," Axton placed his hand on Ren's shoulder, stopping him to keep from leaning away.

Ren gritted his teeth, feeling like a kid who was taken to see a doctor.

Corvin gently wiped Ren's wounds, dropping the used cotton in a kidney dish and retrieving a new one for better cleaning.

Ren clenched his fists, Axton's hand on his shoulder a heavy threat and consolation.

"There, it's healing, Captain. It just needed to get cleaned," Corvin shifted the kidney dish away.

Corvin was done, but Axton didn't take his hand away.

Ren didn't know how to stand or ask Axton to move away. So, he stayed put,

"Normally, a scratch from a Beast-bound should have him wriggling with an immediate transformation, but... he's fine, healing," Corving brought the petridish under the microscope and observed it.

He looked up, his face conveying satisfaction, "We don't need to wait until we test his blood with a Beast-bound's. Under the microscope, Renault's blood has completely eradicated the virus that was supposed to be spreading. There's no single trace of the infection, all that is left are two pure stands of DND: Renault's and Koji's, the now dead Beast-bound." He explained.

Ren felt both relief and fear.