Pineapple

"You…" Ashton trailed off.

" Me what"? Caleb snapped at him.

"You are sweating profusely, are you sick"? Ashton asked him. 

He wasn't sure of the answer he will get, but he was sure about what was wrong with him. Few minutes ago he was resting with his eyes closed peacefully in the car, when that familiar smell hit it. It took him awhile to figure out where the scent was coming from when he realized it was from the person next to him.

He recognized the smell from earlier when he ran into an angry wolf on his first day. So, was it Caleb?

He wanted to just come out and say it, but he did his best to resist his urges and thus came up with another excuse. After all, if he told him the truth he would be exposed as well.

"I am fine, but I am surprised you can see in this darkness". Caleb tried to say with as much steady voice he could muster. 

"I have an excellent vision". Ashton murmured. Caleb being a wolf heard it but he was in too much pain to care to reply to him 'then why are you wearing glasses'? Also he was not actually supposed to hear it. After driving for a while, when pain was becoming unbearable he almost got both of them into an accident, if he had not hit the breaks at the right moment. The car ride was getting extremely uncomfortable for both of them. The smell as sweet as it might be to Ashton was still unbearable for him. He was starting to feel dizzy with the amount of breath he was holding.

"Please get off the wheel". Ashton pleaded with him, given how stubborn Caleb was he added, "I want to live, even if you don't". 

"I am...not going to kill us.." he said in between pain.

Ashton looked around a bit but since they were already at the outskirts of this town there were fewer places to be. After a proper scrutiny he found a building which was labelled " The hot-water inn" He chuckled internally at the name. "Let's stay there for the night". He suggested. He knew that Caleb was not going to feel better over night, but he could deal with that the next day.

"What about you, how will you get back"? Caleb asked him.

"I will inform my mother, I guess she will be fine with it. Let's go" He got out of the shotgun seat and helped Caleb stand properly by letting him lean on him. The scent was driving him crazy, but he couldn't just abandon him when he needed help. 

He supported him all the way to the inn, but he started to regret it when he smelled all kinds of wolf smells coming from inside. Should he find some other place? He looked around again, but finding another place seemed highly unlikely. Plus Caleb was in no condition to leave, he had to make the best of it.

"How can I help you"? A lady wearing a black dress asked him. She was sitting at the reception.

"Can I get a room"? Ashton asked her. It would be idiotic to leave him all by himself. This place was already unsafe.

The woman was luckily a human. He looked around but couldn't see any wolf in the vicinity, even though he could smell them pretty well. When she asked for payment he searched his pockets but he could not find enough money. Caleb saw his struggle and handed the woman his card instead.

Ashton took him to the room and put him on the bed. Caleb tossed and turned in the bed as he tried his best to fight through this. For the first time felt glad that he did not bring any wolves with him to the trip. But if only he knew…

"Can I get you anything"? Ashton asked politely. For some reason it broke his heart to see him suffering like this. 

"No… I will be fine". Caleb snapped at him. He contemplated whether or not he should get him anything. Fever meds won't help him, but some fluids might. He was sweating profusely anyways.

He locked the door from outside as he left the premises and headed out to find the nearest convenient store. He knew for sure that Caleb would not want to go outside in this condition, but someone might come and attack him, given that his scent was everywhere.

He purchased two pineapple based drinks and headed back to the inn. There were two reasons why he chose pineapple flavor. Firstly, he liked pineapples. And secondly, at the moment Caleb smelled exactly like one. Being near him was a kind of torture, like having his favourite meal laid out in front of him, but he can't eat it.

He was on his way to the room when he heard a few noises coming from the room. He was shocked to see it open, he had the key. He did not have to wonder who did it as he could smell two Alpha scents coming from that room. He could hear them very clearly as well.

"It's not everyday we run into male omega, what a treat". One of the men said. He seemed to be middle aged by his groggy voice. His comment made Caleb and Ashton both furious.

Ashton barged into the room, "Get out of our room"! He ordered them.

One of the men snorted at him. "This kid thinks he can take us" and laughed maniacally with his friend.

"Get out" He said again sternly this time.

"You brat"! One of them punched on the face and he broke his glasses. "Now, where were we" That man said while looking at Caleb. He clutched the bed sheets as he tried to figure out his next move. He could fight them if it were any other day, but with all the pain it would be hard for him to fight.

Suddenly a strong smell hit the Alphas and they scrunched their nose. While the scent burned their nose, Caleb found it oddly familiar and soothing.

"I told you to get out of this room". A very different and overpowering voice ordered the two Alphas, which, turns out,came from Ashton. Both of the men were shocked at him. The dominant tone of a pureblooded Alpha was hard to ignore. His eyes were blazing red and his canines were almost out as he growled at the men. He was so angry that it appeared he won't mind killing them.

Scared they ran away from his room. Ashton took a few deep breaths before he finally calmed down. He turned down and saw an equally shocked and scared Caleb staring at him. He was speechless.