Valentin yanked his hand from Alexander’s hold when they were a sufficient distance from the campsite, putting some space in between them.

Alexander’s look of confusion immediately changed to one of exasperation when he saw the suspicious glint in his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Valentin stepped back a couple more steps, "I don’t trust you."

Alexander faked being hurt, placing a hand over his chest. "That’s a cruel thing to say to your roommate."

"Shhh," Valentin quickly cut him off, looking around frantically like he expected them to have an audience. "I don’t want you saying that."

Alexander closed the distance between them, "What are you scared of?" He drawled.

Valentin didn’t back off, kicking the Alpha Prince’s shin. "None of your business, shut up about the roommate talk, to everyone else I have no connection to you."

Alexander cursed and grabbed his leg, wisely putting more distance between them. "Fine, fine but why would I save you if I just wanted to hurt you?"

Valentin narrowed his eyes at the taller Alpha, his reason for not wanting anyone to know that Alexander was his roommate was solely because of Audie. He didn’t want his friend stirring up trouble with the royal but he found himself doing just that.

Alexander was aggravating, anyone would want to kick him all the time. But he had to admit that the Alpha had never been a threat to him.

"Fine," He grudgingly agreed, crossing his arms. "What are we going to do now?"

Alexander lazily shrugged, "Nothing."

Valentin shot him a glance that didn’t hide his thoughts, and he was currently thinking that the Alpha was talking out his ass. "What? We’re literally in the middle of an ambush."

"They know better than to come after me, unless they want two countries coming after them." He said casually, slipping his hands down the pockets of his pants."So, want to go for a walk?"

This abrupt change in conversation topic stunned Valentin speechless for a bit, and when the realization hit, he had to struggle not to kick Alexander again. "No." He said resolutely, looking behind him at the direction they had come from with worry in his eyes.

"A late afternoon swim then?" Alexander countered. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Shut up." Valentin grated out, he wasn’t the type to be so abrasive but the Alpha Prince was his least favourite person.

"We need to find the others." He added when Alexander fortunately stopped yapping.

Alexander’s brows dropped low on his head, "It would be more advantageous to stay in pairs, a large group would be beacon for the attackers." He said seriously.

Once again, Valentin found that he couldn’t counter his words. He understood why staying in a large group was dangerous but he didn’t like that he had to be stuck with Alexander.

"You’re safer staying with me in more ways than one!" Alexander called to him when he suddenly stomped off.

Valentin turn back to shoot him a glare, "I know." He grumbled, settling down on a fallen tree trunk a little distance away from where they had both be previously standing.

Alexander’s lips lifted in a slight smile, it was like dealing with a small, harmless but loud and grouchy puppy. "Is there space for me o-" He started to ask, striding over.

Valentin immediately swung his legs over the trunk so that he took up all the space. "No, find your own tree." He muttered darkly.

"There’s a snake." He pointed past Valentin.

The Alpha scoffed, crossing his arms as he threw his head back, "I’m not falling for that." His said haughtily, his dirty blonde hair falling backwards.

Alexander had to fight to keep a straight face as he watched the snake slither over. It was a real struggle to keep his laughter at bay when Valentin made eye contact with the snake that had crawled over his leg.

In the next moment the Alpha launched himself off the fallen tree trunk at him while screaming his head off. Alexander caught him with ease, "Want to go on that walk now?" He offered calmly, flicking his eyes discreetly to the side.

It was probably for the best if they put some distance between themselves and the campsite. He doubted that the attackers would actively come for them but if they bumped into each other accidentally, there would be a clash.

Alexander would rather not get blood on his clothes and he couldn’t help but think that his roommate was the type to pass out from the sight of blood.

Valentin jumped down as fast as he had jumped into Alexander’s arms, putting a lot of distance in between them. "Sure, let’s keep moving." He cleared his throat, suddenly finding the greenery very fascinating.

Alexander was too busy keeping an eye out to seize this opportunity to taunt his roommate, starting off in the direction that would quickly take them far from the campsite.

Valentin followed right after him, sneaking glances at his previous perch like he expected the snake to come rocketing towards him like a torpedo.

-*-

Jacques only slowed down when he was confident that they had put enough distance between themselves and the Alphas chasing them down. He drove the sword in his hand into the soft dirt, it had been a pain to run around with the weapon but it was necessary that he had something to fend off attackers.

Audie disconnected their joined hands the moment they stopped moving, bending over to catch his breath. He straightened up, still having a difficult time getting oxygen into his lungs. It didn’t help that he had nearly been choked to death mere moments ago.

Just when he thought that he was starting to get his heartbeat under control, Jacques caught his wrist and pushed him up against a tree trunk that was conveniently right behind him, sending his heartbeat out of control again.

"What are you-" He started to furiously demand only to have his words cut off by Jacques pressing their lips together.

"Shh," The other Alpha had the nerve to say when he pulled away, his sword held in his other hand as he scanned the area around them.

Audie couldn’t even speak if he wanted to, his eyes blown wide in shock. T-That was... the bastard stole his first kiss.