Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Five

Walking may be a challenge for the next few days. He rolled off to my side and we stayed that way until we could breathe again. I looked down at myself trying to see where his mark had settled but there was nothing. I sat up, a little panicked. My legs and arms were all free from any mark.

"Where is it?" I asked out loud, more to myself than to Winston.

Winston sat up. His large hand brushed the back of my neck, shifting my hair to one side. He laid his other palm flat between my shoulder blades, just above my heart.

"Here. My mark is here, Bailey. My mate." His voice was filled with affection and pride.

I was a little disappointed that it was somewhere I couldn't see, but the meaning of the location was clear. Absolute Trust. I trusted Winston with my whole heart.

"Wait here." He said as he rose from the bed. He walked over to a corner of the room that had miscellaneous pelts and knickknacks and came back with something clenched in his hand. I looked up at him curiously. He opened his fist so I could see the loquat sized emerald in his palm.

"This is yours now. Just as I am yours." He kneeled and took one of my hands to place the emerald in it. I knew this stone. Emeralds like this could only be found by killing a female Colossus. Something only tetra marked males could do. If ingested, it would increase one's longevity by ten years. It was also the first one Qing Qing ever consumed. He had given it to her at the banquet after she had witnessed his niece Rosa demand it in exchange for being her mate. Everyone wanted one, even the Ape King was desperately trying to collect them for his mermaid mate. But because he couldn't kill Colossus on his own, he manipulated, lied and even killed others to get it.

I stared at it, unsure if it was really alright to take it. When I didn't move to eat it, Winston took it back and before I could protest, pressed it against my lips. My mouth opened automatically, and he pressed the stone to my tongue with his fingers. It instantly melted and I instinctively sucked at his fingers. A frustrated grumble slipped from Winston's lips and desire lit up his eyes. He removed his fingers but instead of pouncing on me like he appeared to want to, he picked me up and sat me on outer the side of the tub.

"You probably want to wash up again before we go to the banquet. Allow me." He picked up the sea sponge, dabbed it in the root juice and water, rubbing it into a lather before gently and carefully wiping the sweat and sex off my skin.

"Thank you." I said, letting my affection for him, and gratitude for his care, fill those two words.

He smiled softly and continued his ministrations. When I was all clean again, he brought over a pile of fur pelts to me.

"I'm not practiced at making clothes but if you tell me what you want, I will do my best. You can choose any of these pelts. They are the best that I own and are clean."

I crouched down and started sorting through them to see what I had to work with. I also was not very good with needle and thread so I looked for something I could just cut and wrap into something. A large, soft orange tiger skin caught my eye. I could create a halter top using the tail as straps and the rest of it was long enough to turn into a loincloth that would reach mid-thigh. It would look like a skirt but have the added benefit of covering my lady bits.

I told Winston what I had in mind and using his sharp claws, he diligently followed my instructions until the outfit was just as how I'd imagined.

"Wait a moment. I need one more thing." I told him when he'd shifted in preparation for me to mount him. I went back through the pile and located a thin leather thong. Using my fingers to comb through my hair, I used the thong and put my long mane up in a high ponytail.

"I want everyone to be able to see your mark. They need to know I'm proud of my choice." My voice held a little anger at the memory of the crowd jeering at him when they thought I was going to refuse him like all the previous females. "How do I look?" I did a little twirl for him.

He nuzzled his cheek against mine like the cat he was. Marking me. Eeau de Winston. "Beautiful." he said huskily. I blushed.

"Great! Let's go eat!" I grinned and hopped on his back.

His great strides brought us to the bonfire banquet in no time at all. The smell of burning wood and sizzling meats filled the air. The flickering lights of the multiple fires created a romantic atmosphere. The first person to notice our arrival was the grey wolf whom I'd met after being rescued by Winston. He ran over to us, waving his hand excitedly.

"Bailey! Come over here! I saved you a spot!" I don't know where he got the balls to ignore Winston, but a soft growl and a sharp glare had his tail tucking back between his legs. "Sorry. You hadn't come yet and the fires were filling up. So I just..." His ears were drooping so pathetically that a couldn't help but sigh.

"It's fine." I said, softly patting Winston. "You did well, but this doesn't mean I've allowed you to court me." I said firmly to the wolf.

His ears perked up a little at that. "Yep! I know. I did it because I wanted to. It's this way. Follow me! My brother and his mate and cubs are at the fire next to yours. There's tons to eat and even the best fruits have been harvested for tonight."

We followed the young wolf that was nearly skipping with renewed vigor to the spot he'd saved for me. A couple short birds were already roasting on the spit and an array of fruits had been laid out on a broadleaf. Winston crouched so I could slide off his back and then positioned himself behind me. His large frame worked as a backrest after I'd gotten comfortable on the pelt that had most likely been provided by the wolf.

Banquets like these were common when game were abundant. Even my small village hosted bonfire banquets three times a year. Single males were allowed to attend and attempt to court the females from distinguished families. The hopeful males would offer delicacies to the females they liked and if the female accepted the food, he was allowed to sit with her and try to woo her.

It was for that very reason that I had to be blunt and cold to the foolish wolf that seemed to want to get on my good side. Friendship with the opposite sex just didn't happen in this world. In this world, I'd grown up with that same mindset but now I felt it was such a shame to not be able to have relationships that weren't romantic in nature. Especially since most of the men were simple and genuine.

The pitter patter of twelve little paws brought me out of my reminiscing. Three wolf cubs had snuck off while their parents had been distracted and ran to greet their uncle at my fire. Deeming them no threat, Winston ignored them even when one managed to trip over his large paws and tumble into my lap.

"Hey there puppy. Careful." I poked its tiny snout, causing it to sneeze. I laughed. The other two pups, noticing that I wasn't going to chase them off, decided to run over and greet me in turn. With their little yips and awoos I rolled them over and played with them, squishing their toe beans every chance I got. Their uncle watched me like he'd seen his own future cubs with me, but I ignored him.

"Hello." A sweet feminine voice interrupted my puppy play time. I looked up, expecting to see the pup's mother but instead, the person I least wanted to see was smiling at me in an attempt at friendly conversation. The main character. Bai Qingqing. "You're one of the new females that arrived today, the one that was rescued from scorpions. My name is Qingqing. What's yours?"

I froze. I had no idea how to respond. My thoughts were in disarray. What the actual fuck was she doing here?! This never happened in the novel! Qingqing didn't have a lot of female friends, nor did she make any real efforts to find any. Did she see me accept Winston and think 'Hey she looks like a nice person. Maybe I should try talking to her?' or did she see me with the pups that weren't mine and decide she wanted to play too? Was it both?

Either way, this was not how I expected to make her acquaintance. Especially since I had already changed the fate of one of her predestined mates. The other two, Curtis and Parker were standing behind her with threatening expressions directed at me to treat her well and the third, I was ninety percent certain, was watching from some high perch. I would have changed their fates too if I had remembered my past life sooner. Should I feel guilty about that? Maybe. Do I? No.