Help! I Became A Guy In A BL Novel!
Chapter 44: Broke

Chapter 44: Broke

Riven’s feet pounded against the forest floor, his breath quick but steady, his mind racing.

He didn’t know where he was going, just that he needed to keep moving.

The trees blurred past him, the moonlight filtering through the thick canopy, casting silver streaks against his skin.

His heart hammered against his ribs, but a wild, almost reckless excitement rushed through him.

He was free.

At least, for now.

Still, he wasn’t naive.

If Raphael had let him go, that meant he had limited time before someone came looking.

And it sure as hell wouldn’t be a gentle invitation to return.

He had minutes, at best.

Maybe an hour if he was lucky.

He needed to get far away, fast.

The scent of damp earth and pine filled his lungs, and the cool night air bit against his skin as he ran.

One step, then another. Faster.

But deep down, something nagged at him.

Something that felt... Wrong.

Something he didn’t want to acknowledge.

The fact that, even now—

Even when he was finally running away—

He couldn’t stop thinking about Ronan.

About the way he collapsed in his arms.

About the genuine look of jealousy in his eyes.

About the way his body had caged him in, kissed him with so much force it had felt like he wanted to claim him.

Riven scowled, shaking his head as if trying to physically dislodge the thoughts.

"Nope. Nope, not going there. Not thinking about that bastard."

But his chest felt tight.

And he hated it.

So, he ran.

Faster.

Raphael didn’t move.

He couldn’t.

Because his mind was still stuck on that kiss.

That damn kiss.

It wasn’t even on the lips.

It wasn’t anything serious.

Just a stupid, fleeting thing.

And yet—

It lingered.

Like a brand against his skin.

Like something he would never forget.

Riven’s voice echoed in his ears—

"I won’t be able to tease you anymore."

And Raphael, for the first time in his life, felt something that terrified him.

Loss.

Because as he watched Riven disappear into the trees, he realised—

He didn’t want him to go. Or at least he wished he could have joined him.

---

A sharp inhale.

Fingers twitching.

And then, slowly, his icy blue eyes cracked open.

Ronan’s vision was blurry, his head pounding.

The scent of pheromones still lingered in the air, but something was off.

Too quiet.

Too empty.

Then, it hit him.

Riven.

He was gone.

Ronan’s body tensed, his senses sharpening instantly.

His breath came out uneven, his chest tightening in a way he didn’t like.

A feeling he refused to name.

His hands pressed against the ground, pushing himself up, but his legs were still weak.

Even so, he forced himself to stand.

And then, his eyes snapped toward Raphael.

The Beta was still frozen, staring off into the distance where Riven had vanished.

Something inside Ronan twisted.

"Where is he?" His voice was low, dangerous.

Raphael didn’t answer immediately.

And that was all the confirmation Ronan needed.

His fists clenched, his jaw tightening.

Riven was gone.

And for the first time in his entire life, Ronan felt something foreign.

Something unfamiliar.

Something that made his heart lurch painfully inside his chest.

Panic.

Riven had run away.

And Ronan?

Ronan was going to find him.

And Raphael—

His sharp gaze snapped to the man standing in front of him, unwavering despite the clear tension in the air.

"You let him go," Ronan sneered, stepping forward, his tone laced with venom. "Don’t play dumb, Raphael. I know you’re not that stupid."

Raphael remained still, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t intimidated, but he wasn’t openly defying him either. It made Ronan’s anger burn even hotter.

"When I got here, he was already gone," Raphael answered evenly. "You were on the floor, leaning against the tree."

"Like hell you didn’t see him run," Ronan snapped. "He was right in front of you!"

Raphael didn’t flinch. "By the time I arrived, he had already disappeared into the woods."

Ronan clenched his fists. The way Raphael held his ground so easily, without fear, without guilt, only pissed him off further. His instincts screamed at him that Raphael was lying, or at the very least, withholding the full truth. But there was no proof, no way to force an admission out of him without making a scene he wasn’t ready to deal with.

His jaw tightened, but he exhaled sharply and forced himself to take a step back. This wasn’t over. Raphael could act composed all he wanted, but Ronan wasn’t going to forget this.

"Fine," he muttered. "But if I find out you helped him, you’ll regret it."

Gone were the days he was a calm and rational alpha. He was a beast beneath it all, what was the point of hiding it and suppressing those urges?

---

Riven had never been so hungry in his life. Not even in those moments when he dramatically claimed he was "starving" because lunch was five minutes late. No, this was real, stomach-growling, head-light, vision-blurring hunger. And to make matters worse, he had no money. None. Not even a single coin to his name.

But on the bright side, he had finally stumbled into civilisation—a small town with actual buildings, actual people, and most importantly, actual food. His heart swelled with hope as he spotted a tavern up ahead.

The wooden sign creaked slightly in the wind, its paint faded but still readable. The howling drunk. Well, that sounded wolf-friendly enough. Maybe they’d be nice to a fellow wolf in need.

Pushing open the door, Riven stepped inside, immediately hit with the warm scent of roasted meat, fresh bread, and something sweet—maybe honey? His stomach growled so loudly that the man at the bar, presumably the barkeep, gave him a judgmental glance.

And... Okay, Riven was a mess. Running through a dense forest had done nothing good for his appearance. His clothes were wrinkled, torn in some places, and covered in dirt. His usually perfect hair had twigs stuck in it. And his tail, his precious tail, was all fluffed up and unkempt.

He desperately needed a hot shower.