* * *

Body's shivering as I feel feverish, my head slowly turns heavy while I fight the urge to lay down and rest. With me still trapped in this cave, I refuse to sleep afraid that I might not wake the next day. I'm sure with me missing, Kent and Bea will not rest until they find me. Also, there are also the teachers who will come and check the students, so I'll just have to stay awake until someone finds me.

That I said but after a while of fighting my fatigue, I didn't notice that I had fainted due to my fever. Somehow, the temperature inside the cave had become much colder than before and it started getting difficult for me to breathe and stay awake. Additionally, my sprain was much more serious than what I'd initially thought that it's now swollen and the pain was excruciating. 

'I hope someone finds me soon,'

Meanwhile,  after reporting the unfortunate event to the professors, the class activities were quickly postponed, asking the students to go back to their designated cabins while they try to find Gabriel. However because it suddenly started raining hard, the rescuers who came to help couldn't start the operation with how the way towards the caves had been blocked. 

Usually, with little rain, it wouldn't have been dangerous but with heavy rain, the waterfalls and rivers tend to overflow and since the entrance of the cave was just next to the waterfalls, it got blocked by water extending to a couple of meters. Without proper planning and equipment, it'll be difficult to rescue anyone that was trapped inside. That is also the same with the cave's exits as it is connected to the rivers of the area.

"If anything happens to Gabby, it'll be your fault," Bea secretly whispered towards Alex who was currently acting concerned about the whole situation. They were just interrogated about what had happened and now they're staying at the resort's lobby waiting for the professors to finish talking to the rescuers and resort manager.

"W-What are you t-talking about?" Alex mumbled, acting innocent, making Bea wanting to choke the Omega. She absolutely does not believe this was not the vicious Omega's plot to harm Gabriel. Even without evidence, she had a strong feeling.

"Stop it. Nothing good will come out of it if we keep blaming each other," Kent said, stopping Bea. Although he too also believed this was no accident but he was also not wrong that blaming the Omega now without any evidence will only make the situation worse.

"Dammit," Bea cursed, squeezing her mobile phone within her fingers, thinking that they should've gone back with Gabby then when Alex suddenly went missing. If they didn't separate, none of this would have happened. Alas, it's too late to regret now that this has happened. She could only pray for Gabriel to be fine.

"Gabby is strong despite how he looks, I'm sure he'll survive this," Kent tried to convince, making Bea nod in agreement, not saying anything. "So what did he say?" Kent asked this time, indicating Bea's conversation with the Prince. Earlier when they realized that Grabiel went missing inside the cave, they tried to look for him on their own but after realizing that the cave pattern suddenly started getting complicated despite them tracking their path, they decided to let professionals do it instead. And of course, by doing so, they could not keep this from the Prince who especially asked them to take good care of Gabriel when he wasn't around.

"He's on his way. He said he'll find a way to rescue Gabby sooner," Bea replied after a deep sigh. She could still remember how worried the Alpha was when he learned Gabriel got lost inside the cave and even more so when she called again to inform him that due to the rain, the rescue operation was halted. On the first call, she even heard the Prince walking out of something important with how there was someone desperately calling him from the background, asking him, the Crowned Prince, where he was going in the middle of an important meeting. On the second call, she could feel how frustrated the Alpha was knowing the danger that his mate might be experiencing at the moment.

"I'm worried this accident would cause a lot of trouble," Kent said helplessly. He could understand how worried the Prince was but Kent was hoping this won't cause a huge commotion when he appears or else the secret they've been trying to keep for months would go useless.

"Right now I'm not even thinking of anything else aside from Gabby's safely," Bea replied, understanding what Kent meant to say. On the other, listening to the two's conversation, Alex understood that the Prince was arriving and his heart quickly sunk knowing that this was how worried the Alpha was to Gabriel, he was even willing to sacrifice his busy schedule just so he could come.

"tch. It's not like he's gonna die inside after spending one night," Alex suddenly mumbled bitterly. He researched about the cave before he thought of his plan and even though there had been many tourists who got lost inside, none of them died. They all got out safely after a day or two.

"What did you say you bitch!" Hearing Alex's words, Bea suddenly sprung up and held the Omega by his collar, pulling him up from his chair. "If you don't shut your mouth, I'm going to force you to do it. I am this close to breaking your nose and let me remind you that whatever you did, this time you will not get away with it," Bea said and threw Alex back to his chair, making him unable to say anything aside from glaring towards Bea. People call him cunning but he was never good at dealing with violent or aggressive individuals like Bea.

"That's enough Bea," Kent warned and urged Bea back to her chair to which she obeyed but not before scuffing towards Alex. This time completely ignoring Alex, Kent and Bea decided to keep silent when they noticed the people outside suddenly started pacing back and forth until suddenly one of their professors approached them in a hurry.

"You three, you can go back to your designated rooms for now. As for Mr. Ferns, we don't have a choice but to wait for tomorrow and see if there's an entrance that isn't blocked by water," The professor said making Kent and Bea listen dejectedly at the news.

"Sir, what's happening outside?" Alex suddenly interrupted before he looked outside as if looking for someone.

"Someone unexpected arrived. You three don't have to get yourselves involve so you can go back to your rooms first and we adults will take Mr. Ferns situation as top priority," The professor said that all three of them didn't have a choice but to nod but however as they were about to leave the lobby, a person which both Bea and Kent was familiar with suddenly called upon them and bowed respectfully when he got closer.

"His Highness wants to talk to you both about what had happened," Baltes said towards Kent and Bea that instantly confused both Alex and the professor because even though he didn't mention names, everybody knew that Baltes was the crowned Prince's personal bodyguard.

"Ahh, sir, the chief already interrogated these children, I think it's best for the Crowned Prince to talk to the professionals about this," The professor suddenly interrupted, seeing that Kent and Bea were already ready to follow Baltes.

"His Highness wants to speak to these two. We have already called more men to do the operation however, for now, His Highness wants to learn the whole situation from these two directly," Baltes said to the professor before urging Bea and Kent to follow his lead without waiting for him to reply. Although he does understand that the situation was dire, he didn't expect that the Crowned Prince would go such length to rescue one Omega. 

'Was the rumor about Gabriel Ferns being the eldest Prince's bond mate really true?' The professor thought looking at their leaving backs but later he brushed his thoughts knowing that the Crowned Prince and the Eldest Prince had a bad relationship.

"W-wait! S-sir? What about me? I was with them too," Alex suddenly called Baltes. He didn't understand why the Crowned Prince came and did something like this to his older brother's mate since it was well known that the relationship of the two wasn't as good so he highly doubted that the Crowned Prince was doing this for his brother.

"His Highness only called for these two," Baltes monotonically replied after he turned around to look at Alex, making the Omega feeling embarrassed at the rejection. And seeing that Alex was unable to reply, Baltes once again urged Bea and Kent to continue walking.

"Mr. Wilson, you can go back to your designated room instead. You don't need to worry, we will find your friend soon," The professor said after finally Bea and Kent together with Baltes left the vicinity with both him and his student standing in the lobby in silence. Hearing his instructor's words, Alex decided to obey and soon he left to go to his designated room.

Meanwhile, Bea and Kent followed Baltes into a heavily tinted car before it soon drove towards the only mansion at the resort which was near the resort's lake. When they stopped and later walked inside the mansion, Rahu was standing next to the floor to ceiling window looking at the heavily pouring rain with his hands inside his pocket. He was wearing an outfit that highlighted his Princely temperament that if he wasn't an actual Prince, one would have thought that he was wearing a costume.

"They're here, Your Highness,"

* * *

END OF CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.