Beauty, the Beasts and Other

Chapter 39

Trigger Warning – sexual assault. Reader discretion advised.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

I pulled at my hair as I paced the small cave. It was currently the day before the deadline that Xenon had set for me to mate the mermen that I had 'chosen.'

I had managed to stall them well enough and tell them that I wanted to get to know them better so that their marks would be as close to my heart as possible but after the third day, I noticed that they were getting more and more impatient with me.

I had been able to convince them to only have one of them guard my room at night since they all insisted upon staying in the cave with me because I 'chose' them. I had told them that the cave was too small for so many people to be in there at once and that I wouldn't be able to rest properly if I felt too caged in.

They obliged, but they refused to let up during the days.

"Female why are you walking around so much?" one of them asked.

"I'm not feeling well, exercise helps." That wasn't a complete lie. I don't know if I was genuinely sick or if my anxiety was the reason for my stomach doing a hundred somersaults per minute, but I was a mess. I couldn't force myself to eat anything that morning.

Being in a room with five males that were continuously eyeing me like the last piece of meat and being unable to tap into my mates' power to kick their asses did not bode well for my sanity.

Trying to seduce them didn't sit right with me because then I'd have to touch them for that to be successful and I quite literally force down bile most times I see them. I wouldn't be able to pull off touching them intimately.

Besides, whenever I dip my words in honey and make empty promises with acting skills that would put Hollywood's best to shame, they all regurgitate the same bullshit about not wanting to betray the clan.

Though the loyalty is a bit admirable, fuck them and their worthless clan.

"Should I get the healer if you're not feeling well?" Bluepool asked.

I waved them off and continued my pacing, "No, it's fine. Don't mind me."

Tonight, one of the men, Riley, would be on guard duty. I didn't have much of an opinion of him since he was the only one of the males that didn't speak much. He would diligently retrieve firewood, fresh water and anything else I requested, but he wasn't one for unnecessary conversation.

It was a refreshing change when compared to the other four men that seemed to never get a jaw ache from excessive chatter.

Even though the timing doesn't feel quite right, I'd try breaking the pearl tonight.

***

I heaved a sigh as I took the last bite of my meal, which again, consisted of roasted fish. I stood and stretched for a bit. I was feeling better compared to this morning, but I was still a bit fatigued.