Ryder exited the room, flashing a sweet smile at the attending physician before retrieving his phone to make a call.
Alaric fixed Raven with a sharp look, and Raven felt that with Alaric here, he was truly safe. He didn't want to think about what might have happened if Alaric hadn't arrived when he did.
"Can't go a day without causing me trouble, can you?" Alaric chided, tapping Raven's forehead lightly.
Raven could only groan weakly as he still didn't have enough strength to speak or move. He couldn't even lift his hand to respond.
Alaric lifted one of Raven's hands, placing it on his broad shoulder, and carefully helped him to sit up from the bed.
Raven attempted to stand, but his legs felt shaky and almost gave way. Fortunately, Alaric was sturdy, and he firmly lifted Raven onto his waist, providing much-needed support.
Raven felt a sense of confusion swirling within him. Why did he feel so relieved by Alaric's presence? And is this what Gavin meant when he referred to Alaric as an Alpha?
*
Upon arriving at the basecamp, Alaric carefully placed Raven on the long sofa. He placed a pillow under Raven's head and straightened both of his legs to ensure they were comfortably extended.
With one hand resting gently on Raven's abdomen and the other straight by his side, Alaric maintained the comfortable position.
Raven felt astonished by Alaric's meticulous care. But what was even more surprising was how the other club members didn't seem taken aback by Alaric's actions; it was as if this was a routine occurrence.
Raven began to realize that Alaric possessed a considerable understanding of medical aspects, which made Raven feel at ease.
To the other club members, such sights seemed commonplace, as Alaric would do the same even if he weren't Alaric.
Then, Alaric cast a steady, unembarrassed gaze at Raven. He took steps based on medical knowledge to ensure Raven's airway remained clear. With gentle hands, Alaric lifted Raven's chin and pushed it down slightly, parting his lips ever so slightly.
"Keep breathing, Looney." He murmured.
Every move was executed flawlessly, without the slightest hint of inadequacy. Alaric appeared satisfied with the perfect outcome of his work.
Alaric did indeed look remarkably handsome, especially when he smiled. His aura of simplicity added to his charm.
Reluctantly, Raven had to admit that Alaric was the kind of handsome that could be liked by many.
Meanwhile, Aiden interjected with a sarcastic question aimed at Raven. "So, how's it going? Do you still prefer playing with me or with Ryder instead? Hm?" he asked, his tone sharp.
Alaric simply chuckled fondly and gently ruffled Aiden's hair. Aiden tried to swat Alaric's hand away, returning his focus to his game controller, while occasionally glancing towards Raven lying on the sofa with a cute expression of suppressed resentment.
The atmosphere in their basecamp felt relaxed and comfortable, even in such a peculiar situation.
Shortly after, Dhimas and Ryder entered the recreation room with smiles on their faces. They grabbed their respective game controllers and joined the ongoing game near Aiden.
Alaric stood up, leaning against the refrigerator door, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and placed it on Raven's stomach.
He then casually walked towards his usual spot at the end of the room, where club members typically gathered and had fun.
Meanwhile, Gavin sat next to Alaric at the same table. His eyes were fixed on the laptop screen in front of him as he spoke, "After this, we'll announce how many applications came in within 24 hours after Raven's profile as a new host was uploaded."
Dhimas glanced at Ryder. "Want to bet? Will he get more bookings from girls or boys?"
"Not interested, I'm more curious about his initiation process. I wonder who he'll choose between me, Gavin, and Alaric, hehe..." Ryder teased.
"Why are you suddenly so eager?" Dhimas frowned.
"Of course, I'm excited when it comes to winning over a virgin! Right, Raven? You'll choose me, won't you? Your cherry's still intact, isn't it?" Ryder turned to Raven, who was now starting to move his hands.
Ryder laughed. "Oh, come on, don't act like you don't believe me! I'm not that bad, Rav, I just gave you a teaser. I play it smooth, promise! It won't hurt, I swear!"
Raven rolled his eyes and raised his middle finger.
In the midst of laughter and jokes filling the recreational room, Gavin observed Alaric closely. Memories of his own initiation into the club flooded his mind. Alaric had been a crucial part of it, serving as Gavin's initiation partner.
While, Ryder, always one to try new things and seemingly fearless, had chosen Gavin as his initiation partner when he first joined the club. The reason? Ryder had always been wary of Alaric, whose strong dominant aura was capable of intimidating even the bravest souls.
Now, Raven had three options among the club members for his first same-sex initiation: Gavin, Alaric, or Ryder.
Gavin was confident that this time he would be chosen as Raven's partner.
Raven didn't seem particularly close to Alaric and disliked Ryder, making the outcome more likely to be Gavin.
Meanwhile, Dhimas and Aiden opted for a different initiation route, choosing same-sex lip kissing as their initiation. They were not active in sexual intercourse packages like the others.
Aiden, always gentle and nurturing in demeanor, chose Gavin as his initiation partner. Dhimas, on the other hand, selected Aiden, whom he deemed the cutest among all club members.
Hardly anyone dared to choose Alaric.
Despite his seemingly laid-back and protective nature, everyone knew that Alaric exuded a strong dominance and intimidation that could leave anyone feeling powerless.
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