Nature in Hiding

53- Beta's worry

Hritika saw them getting divided into two groups. She knew that she wouldn't be able to go after both the groups and had to decide upon one.

'Hritika, think fast. Who should I go after? Sameera and Avan or Neer? Come on, come on, think fast.'

She was undecided until she saw Neer's exhausted face.

'Not the time to feel concerned for him.' She slapped herself, before focusing on the situation.

Putting her feelings to the back burner yet again, Hritika decided to go after him. Neer had exhausted his energy but Sameera hadn't. She was too powerful for Hritika to go and attack her right now. And going after one person was better than two anyways.

Was she being a coward for choosing an already exhausted warrior? Yes! Did she care? No!

Hence, she let Sameera and Avan fly away without any fight from her side, before going to look for Neer who she had last seen walking towards the kitchen.

Neer had walked towards the kitchen, hoping to get a glass of water. He had to get his energy back soon if he wanted to get out of here. And for that he needed water in his system. However, luck wasn't on his side as always. The kitchen was badly burned, leaving nothing but a blackish, sticky substance behind all over.

His brain suddenly lit up as he remembered that the dining table was still intact as he was standing near it when Ahana had burned everything else. He ran outside, hoping to at least get a sip of water. But before he could cross the threshold, he lost his balance, and fell right between the entrance that divided the dining area and the kitchen.

Neer forced himself to sit up, but just like Ahana his eyes started drooping. And in a matter of a few seconds, one more element had fainted.

★★★★★

Hritika who had followed behind Neer found him sprawled on the entrance of the kitchen.

She scratched her head, before kneeling down beside him and patting his cheeks. She even slapped him hard, but nothing worked out.

"Staying here isn't an option," she said, as the level of smoke and smell had increased once Sameera had left.

"You would have won if you had chosen fight instead of flight," Hritika said to the unconscious Neer, "And staying back here alone was your another stupid idea. If the elements came back for you once, then they are definitely going to come back again.

Shaking her head at their wrong decisions, Hritika used all her strength to haul him up.

It took three tries, but she managed to make him stand, and then dragged him out of the pack house. With lots of grunts and sighs, she brought him to her house, which she shared with Nihal and Yara.

Hritika all but threw him on the couch once they reached, massaging her shoulders and waist which were badly aching. Dragging a full grown man was no joke. She was surprised by herself and her new found strength.

'It wasn't because of your strength, but your worry for him,' her conscience taunted her.

Hritika rolled her eyes at her own thoughts, before plopping down on the armchair beside the couch tiredly.

Her body had given up, but her mind was still working. She really hoped that Neer was innocent, but there wasn't any evidence. Moreover, the condition of the pack house was going to add fuel to the fire.

Hritika was immersed in those thoughts, when the back door of their house burst open with such force that it was barely hanging on the hinges.

Hritika stood up abruptly, running towards Nihal's and Yara's room, from where the sound had come from, only to collide with a frantic Yara. Yara immediately started patting and checking Hritika for injuries, as her chest heaved with breathlessness.

"Whoa! Whoa! What's with all the checking? I am okay," Hritika said, putting her hands on Yara's shoulders to stop her.

"I am okay," Hritika reassured, when she saw Yara still looking at her with a panicked expression.

Yara sighed and rubbed her face in relief, before hitting Hritika on her shoulders continuously.

"You just gave us an heartattack. Nihal returned and couldn't find you in the pack house. You didn't even pick your phone," Yara yelled, before speaking in a shaky voice, "We searched for you everywhere, before I smelled you and that water element here. I was so scared. And felt so guilty. I shouldn't have left you alone. You are seriously okay, right? He didn't harm you right?" Yara questioned frantically.

"I am fine, I am fine," Hritika reassured again.

"How did you two end up here?" Yara questioned.

Hritika informed her about the pack house's condition and her decision to bring Neer here, earning another round of slaps.

Usually Yara was too sweet and obedient with Hritika as the latter was her mate's elder sister. But today obedience had taken a back seat as Yara fretted over Hritika's safety.

"If there was smoke then you should have ran away alone. Why did you bring him here? He could have seriously hurt you," Yara ranted.

"And he couldn't have hurted me when you left me alone with the three elements in the pack house," Hritika deadpanned, raising her eyebrows. "Just the destination has changed, nothing else. Moreover, he cannot really hurt me when he is lying unconscious," Hritika informed, before pulling Yara towards the living room to show her the unconscious Neer only to find the couch empty.

"Didn't you say he was unconscious?" Yara asked, her tone taking a dangerous tone.

"He should have been here," Hritika scratched the back of her head in confusion.

"Oh he is! Just not unconscious," Yara said, and right in the moment, Neer came out of the kitchen.

The loud sound of the door breaking had woken him up. At first, he thought of running away, but Neer knew that he would be caught soon with his current physical condition. Hence, his first stop was towards the kitchen to drink some water. He needed his power if he even wanted to stand a chance against them.

Neer looked at the two ladies, who were eyeing him with nervousness. And why wouldn't they? After all, he was a criminal in their eyes. They had seen the video of him destroying nature and mercilessly killing a man without lifting a single finger.